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Posted by admin in NAYA PAKISTAN, PAKISTAN SHINING, PAKISTAN STRONG on November 6th, 2014
Posted by admin in NAYA PAKISTAN on October 23rd, 2014
I have always admired the analysis and commentary of many leading geo political thought leaders and subject matter specialists from within and outside Pakistan, who specialize and voice their views on Pakistan and its current crisis.
Most of them have the masterful ability to analyse and present complex issues with amazing simplicity and powerful facts and logic.
But of recent many of these thought leaders have unfortunately failed their own usual objective lens test of presenting Pakistan’s current imbroglio. There writings and commentaries are laced with anger, bitterness and acrimony rarely seen in their writings, especially in the manner they address the two protagonists of change, IK and TUQ, or objectively speaking what these two consider as “change”.
While I am not an Insafian or a TUQ mureed and do not in any form or shape endorse any direct or indirect extra constitutional intervention by any internal and or external institution / force, but believe that this time we have to suspend judgement and our personal biases and dislikes for these two. I personally don’t have anything against the two, but even if I did, I would also suspend judgement for the following reason.
And the reason is simple. For 67 years, our constitutional and extra constitutional inputs have only produced this current and rotten political, social, economic, religious output/environment. So if we want change we have to change the inputs to get a different, hopefully better and more positive political, social, economic, cultural and religious order.
As Alcoholics Anonymous famously say. It’s Insanity to expect different results from the same behaviors.
Therefore, if all well-meaning Pakistanis, including these genuine pundits referred to earlier, but not the “Raqaam BarhaoNawaz Sharif Hum Thumharay Saath hay Najam Sethi types” to expect that “THINGS” will change by continuing with the same is, in my opinion, quite frankly extremely juvenile and perhaps even suicidal.
So what are our options. Pretty much two.
One. Sit tight, close our eyes, stick our necks in the sand, and pray that when we open them the World and Pakistan would be this heavenly paradise. And in the meanwhile as we live in Cuckooland, these goons and the terrible order, lead by NS and AZ and GOD FORBID, that royal idiot of idiots Bilawal Zardari (can’t call him a Bhutto) and Hamza Sharif supported by their courtiers who are more like Leechees sucking the life blood of this nation, lead us to destruction.
Two. We finally stand up for our rights, after centuries and thousands of years of abject servility slavery and serfdom, and seek the establishment of a just and fair society which delivers better governance and improves the quality of life of this miserable nation. And in my 58 years this is perhaps the second time after that great and brilliant pretender Zulfi Bhutto, who also let us down so terribly, that we have in IK and TUQ, the symbols, the seeds, the possibility and fragrance of such a change.
So while IK and TUQ may have their Achilles heels and some skeletons in the closets, but they do represent the cry of the hundreds of millions of the downtrodden, once again looking for hope succour, salvation and a better today and a tomorrowfor themselves and their children. While these two could be the Pied Pipers of Hamelin as some suggest, or the Source of our Salvation, as others hope for, the truth is…only time will tell.
But and it is a BIG BUT, bigger than all the BUTTS put together, if we don’t make an effort and if in our personal animosities and in our pettiness, and in our prejudices, and perhaps misguided reading of the tea leaves and the stars or misguided by our own frames of intellectual references and our anger towards these two, we try and douse this fire and desire for Change, we are certain to perish or fall to such lows ….God Forbid…perhaps never to rise again.
So let us all support these forces of change and let us also be cautioned that in this desire for Change let us not open the doors to authoritarianism or military dictatorship, while getting rid of this horrible putrid old order.
And also let not the frailties and perhaps imperfections of IK and TUQ (and pretty small compared to the horrors of the Sharif’s, Zardaris, Khans, Rehmans etc) cloud our objectivity and our judgement.
We must make a go of it.
For in this imperfect world, we just have to make do with what we have, wherever we are, in the best way we can.
Why we must support Change…………….even if we don’t like Imran Khan or Dr Tahir Ul Qadri
Posted by admin in PAKISTAN SHINING on October 21st, 2014
1973 Constitution
Let me admit at the outset my COMPLETE incompetency at such legal, judicial and constitutional matters. I would, therefore, solicit the views of the more learned on my following queries:
But wasn’t Zulfikar Ali Bhutto a Martial Law Administrator (a civilian MLA) when he ordered the writing of the Constitution? So essentially, even the 1973 Constitution is a product of the Martial Law Legal Framework Order !!
So what’s the much ado about mutilating it?! Its very foundations look to be on the loose sand than being on a rock.
Khisht-e awwal choon nahad maemar kaj
Ta suriya mirawad dewar kaj.
Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)
30 Westridge 1
Rawalpindi 46000
Pakistan
E.mail: jafri@rifiela.com
Posted by admin in PAKISTAN SHINING on October 15th, 2014
Perhaps it is fitting that my last month in Pakistan has been the month of Ramzan (Ramadan). For those unfamiliar, Ramzan is the month of sacrifice in the Islamic calendar. Jawad Aslam, my CEO, close friend and resident expert on all things Muslim, described Ramzan to me as “religious boot camp”.
On the surface, Ramzan is a month of fasting — no food, no water, no cigarettes, no consumption of any kind from about 4 am to sunset. Many shops are closed in the afternoon, and restaurants open around 6pm to serve a packed house the moment the fast breaks. The fast, however, is merely a symbolic (and admittedly difficult) gesture that represents a deeper sense of sacrifice. Muslims use Ramzan to give up bad habits, spend more time with themselves & Allah, and seek further enlightenment.
Though Ramzan makes it impossible to schedule goodbye lunches and teas with the many friends I’ll be leaving behind here in Pakistan, I’m glad to experience it at the end of my year here. As I look back to the kind of year its been, I see so many parallels with Ramzan. I gave up a lot to be here, and in the process I’ve come to know myself & the world around me in a much deeper way than before. Jawad jokes that I’ve aged 5 years in 10 months.
At the outset of this journey, I wrote that I expected to be stretched like a rubberband in the coming year. When a rubber band stretches, it snaps back, but it ends up larger than it was before. My hope was that the experience would broaden my horizons, but not so quickly that I snapped. It seems to have worked out. Admittedly, the tendons in my knees have tightened because I never quite felt comfortable running outside in Pakistan, but my perspective has been stretched beyond expectations.
Pakistan is a land of extremes: from extreme heat to extreme hospitality. From extreme religious sentiment to extreme devotion to food. From extremely exaggerated journalism to an extremely undervalued global reputation.
What most of the world fails to realize is just how beautiful this country is and how spectacular its people truly are. It is impossible to overlook the problems: Pakistan is facing lawlessness in Karachi, a violent political system, jaw-dropping inflation, an insufficient power supply and terrorists staking claim over the northern areas. These are real issues that do exist: but they do not define Pakistan—as much of the world would have you believe.
While it may be impossible to overlook the problems, it is (apparently) quite possible to overlook the splendor that a country like Pakistan offers.
· Where else do you greet every stranger with the phrase “Peace be with you”?
· Where else do you find BBQ Chicken Tikka that melts in your mouth?
· Where else is being 20 minutes late considered on-time?
· Where else can you see opportunity in every alley?
· Where else do motorized scooters (100% of which are red hondas) weave in between cars which cruise past rickshaws, which veer around donkey-pulled carts, which are dwarfed by strutting camels?
· Where else can you buy seasonal fruit on every single street corner?
· Where else do the echoes of a minaret bring an eerie peace to 4a.m. in the morning?
· Where else do you find a people who take prayer so seriously, they start every flight with one?
· Where else, but Pakistan?
Posted by admin in ADHD NAWAZ SHARIF, Brilliant Daughters of Pakistan, BUNGLER NAWAZ SHARIF, INDOPHILE NAWAZ SHARIF, 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 US CIA ASSET IN PAKISTAN, NAWAZ SHARIF'S ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN, Nawaz Sharif-The Prime Minister from Hell, NAWAZ SHARIF: THE LOOTER, Nawaz US Agent, Nazariya -E-Pakistan, Our Heroes, PAKISTAN BRIGHT FUTURE, PAKISTAN SHINING, PAKISTAN STRONG, PAKISTAN THINK TANK ANALYST, SOHNI DHARTI'S BELOVEDS, WOMEN OF PAKISTAN on September 10th, 2014
Islamabad Dharna- 6 Sept 2014
My wife and I teach in Rainbow Foundation School. Fired by the appeal of Dr Qadri, we decided to do our bit. We talked to the students for donations – whatever they could for those men, women, children who are braving the weather and time for our future. The children responded far better than one expects from children. Next morning we had a pile of a variety of gifts – even personal toys, which was very touching indeed.
On Saturday, 06 September 2014, with our car loaded with the neat packages clearly marked with contents, reaching up to the roof of the back seat, we left our house in Chaklala – 1,Rawalpindi at about 0645 in the morning. Not knowing the route,( poor Pindiites!), we took a few wrong turnings, and ultimately reached right into the Dharna camp from the Margalla Road side at about 0800 hours. This ia what we saw.
All along the route, the police were very helpful. Seeing the load in our car, they would happily wave us on towards the correct direction without check or hinderance. The camp started from about three hundred metres from the Margalla road. There were numerous men about,with name tags indicating their party and assignment, wanting to enquire and direct. The camp showed activity, but surprisingly, no noise. Considering that there were thousands and thousands of men, women and children about, this was the first pleasant surprise. We asked one of the persons where could we hand over the packages to some authorised to collect them. He walked in front of our car towards the nearest Control container.
Driving through the camp we noticed various sights and stages of activities of early morning routines.People were shaking out their mattresses, spreading clothes out in the sun, which had happily come out after three days of continuous rain . There was a clear water mountain stream flowing through the camp, where people were washing up. Beyond, we could see a long row of toilets in containers. Nearer, we found lines of almost military discipline leading to a langar. Every one had his or her utensil and were being served breakfast by the caterer quite efficiently. On my asking whose party line was this one, the guide told me proudly “Sir, for eating time we are all together”! And I could scarves of both PTI as well as PAT in the same line. Very gratifying.
The nearest command container we came to, was the one we keep seeing on TV with Dr Qadri’s arms spread out and upwards. On asking to see someone in charge, some one came up introduced himself as Mr Ayub or Yaqub, who later on I was informed was, I think, an advocate! I said these parcels are from Rainbow Foundation School children, an Amanat, and therefore I need some photos so that I can put them up on the notice board for them to see. Within minutes he had organised 4-5 men with name tags who unloaded all the packages, lined them up, took out the toys , displayed them on top of the cartons, gor a press photographer . My wife acting as the press photographer, kept taking photos with my cheap camera. Seeing the pile of goodies, some women and men came up asking for an umbrella or warm Chador, but the PAT man in charge said no one would get anything here. “we have no authority do give out any thing. Dr Sahib will come at one o clock and personally distribute them. He will announce on the speaker who these are from”. And he didn’t. After the photo session, he asked my name and address, and the cartons were lifted up onto the container and stacked according to category. Very organised, very efficient. Being ex Army, I noticed, and was very pleased.
Thereafter we went around and drove through. What we saw was a real eye opener, and, I would say, a confidence builder.
In spite of all those thousands and thousands of Pakistanis of all casts and creeds and languages, having been in those unsettling conditions for over three weeks of sun and rains, there was no sign of fatigue, frustration or anxiety. People were calm and peaceful.
Inspite of such close proximity for so long in trying circumstances ther was no sign of frayed nerves, of quarrels, disputes or even heated arguments. Every one had a peaceful and content expression. Pakistanis are great cribbers. There was no such sign anywhere. Which was great.
The crowds had a high percentage of well to do, educated people amongst men as well as women. One group of young women that went past us were definitely teachers. We were told that the books, copies and pencils etc we had brought would be used in the schools for small children! So they already have schools going!
There were tents, shaamianas, tables and chairs in small groups, some occupied some vacant. Men were seated on some quietly, discussing whatever. Women and children were moving freely. Their body language clearly depicted a sense of total security, which was pleasant as well as amazing, considering our normal culture elsewhere.
Some entrepreneurs ahd set up shops and ‘khokhas’ doing roaring business, serving all sorts of wares from eatables to utility items, specially umbrellas!
Considering the multicultural conglomeration of teeming mankind there, the calm and homogeneity was remarkeble, almost unbelievable. The whole area gave the impression of a hastily built mini city, well organised and self contained.
The general impression exuded was “we have come to stay”. More importantly, I was impressed by the discipline, organisation, the calm determination, the sense of ‘doing the right thing’and self control of all the Pakistanis gathered there in such a small confinement.
All because of just two good leaders who have given this cross section of so called unruly Pakistanis, a sense of direction and conviction and hope: Hope of a new and better Pakistan.
We came back full of confidence in these two leaders and confidence in the Pakistani nation. They have raised our hopes of a better future and dared us to take charge of our own destiny.
We are both old people, well beyond seventy. We came back very happy. We hope to go again next weekend. Inshallah.
May Allah bless these two leaders of ours with success. Aameen.
If only the other so called ‘leaders’ could take lesson from them instead of piling ignorant ridicule on them
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