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Posted by admin in 4TH GENERATION US WAR AGAINST PAKISTAN, BILAWAL BHUTTO ZARDARI-CHIP OF THE ZARDARI BLOCK, BILAWAL BHUTTO-DEVIL FOR PAKISTAN, BILAWAL ZARDARI-ALCOHOLIC HOMOSEXUAL, BOOT THE SCOUNDRELS OR SHOWDAZ, CRUSHING OF PAK AWAM BY PML(N) & NAWAZ SHARIF, CURRENT EVENTS, Destroyers of E.Pakistan, Dictators Gallery, ELECTION FRAUD 2013, Extrajudicial Killings by PPP Government, GEO TV - DOORDARSHAN & VOA AGENT, GEO TV-US TROJAN HORSE IN APKISTAN, GEO-THE TROJAN HORSE OF INDIA, GEO/INDIA ATTACK ON ISI/PAKISTAN, GHADAAR, Girah Cut, IDOLATROUS CULT OF HINDUISM, Letters to Pakistan Think Tank, Letters to the Editor, LIAR POLITICIANS, Pakistan's Ruling Elite Feudals Industrialists, Politics, PPP Choor, Z.A BHUTTO: A REALITY CHECK, Z.A.BHUTTO DESTROYER OF UNITED PAKISTAN, ZARDAR'S CORRUPTION, ZARDARI:Killers Mastermind, Zionist-Hindutva axis of evil on September 7th, 2014
Aitzaz Ahsan With US Ambassador Ann Patterson
Wherever we find treachery, we will find Aitzaz Ahsan. We can’t look at this as a political crisis anymore. These traitors, snakes and swines cannot be left as they are.
Here’s what I found most shocking: TUQ, IK and Luqman all hailed Aitzaz Ahsan’s blasting of NS.
Are we that stupid and shallow that we can’t see the most dangerous RAW agent and hail him as a “nafees” and “honorable” Pakistani?
At least Diesel, Zardari, JI, and Achakzai are unleashed and obvious ghaddars. But AA is the definition of a snake, more dangerous than Zardari and needs to be exposed.
4. Aitzaz Ahsan Book, “Indus Saga and The Making of Pakistan” from 1996 – This book basically reinforces the idea of Akhand Bharat. Mushriks use it in building their case. Here’s a few excerpts from the book and reviews:
In his acknowledgement, in the 2nd Edition, Aitzaz Ahsan mentions the efforts of M.J. Akbar and a Pramod Kapoor, both from India, who helped him draft this new edition. As one reads it, one understands why; because, though the book outwardly is on entity of Pakistan yet it portrays the theory of epic Mahabharta.
four pages as the preface and a twenty three page introduction, where Aitzaz writes of fragile state of Pakistan by quoting Ziring 2 ‘Pakistan could cease to exist in its sovereign nation-state form’ and then quotes Tariq Ali from his book ‘Can Pakistan Survive?’ and Shahid Burni, a director of World Bank, ‘only time will tell whether Pakistan realize its potential or be over whelmed by its problems’ He also cites a Tahir Amin of Q.A. University ‘The Bangladesh syndrome continues to haunt the Pakistani decision-makers, who fear the ethno-nationalist movement of NWFP, Sindh and Baluchistan may also follow the precedent set by Bangladesh movement’.
And now he applauds the figure of Jawaharlal Nehru, who expounded the theory of Mahabharta, of one-ness of India and refers to his book3.
Aitzaz, equates his jail experiences with that of Nehru and appreciates his vision of unity of India and mentions the centripetal pull of India, a supernatural force that could again pull Indus region to itself!
In Section-2 of the Introduction, Aitzaz brings forth the theme of one-ness of Bharat or the epic Mahabharta.
He appears obsessed by the theme of Mahabharta and either by design or ignorance, this modern day champion of Indus does not enlighten us that the concept of a mahabharta is actually a concoction of the fertile Hindu Brahman mind.
On page [5] of his book, 1996 edition, Aitzaz describes the entity of one India as;
“the epic mahabharta, in describing that great pre-historic civil war not only unquestionably, assumes the ‘oneness’ of the vast subcontinent, but also books upon the lands of Bactria (Balkh) and China, beyond its great mountains ranges, as outlying frontier regions, inseparable, inalienable and natural parts of the Indian subcontinent. The concept of the ‘unity and indivisability’ and of one vast and limitless subcontinent, itself the size of all of Europe, is thus ancient and rooted in historical mythology”.
Then Aitzaz gives the geographic boundaries encompassing oneness of India and a common Indian race and refers the same to Jawaharlal Nehru and also quotes other proponents of Indian oneness 6.
Building up the case of a greater India, the apt and able lawyer in Aitzaz now pauses in his graphic description of an akhund-bharat and returns to his earlier theme of the Indus Saga i.e. Pakistan’s creation.
In Section-4 of the Introduction, he again reverts to his oneness of India obsession. Though he outwardly laments that, our historian continues to style the variegated and many-faceted history of Indus as an integral part of what is called ‘Indian’ history. And further woes that our historian, though focusing on Indus history pay more attention to the rule & influence upon it of the Indian dynasties, and also bemoans – that our historians in order to give entity to Pakistan, trace our cultural foundations solely to extra-territorial linkages, meaning thereby, the Arab, the Persian & Turk. And Aitzaz claims, that in denying the Indian they deny theIndus and hence the break from the many attributes of Indus culture which are common to the Indian.
In Section-5 of the Introduction, he deals with , what he calls, the battered soul of Pakistan and professes it is time to rediscover and restore the soul, the dream embodied in it, and to rediscover and restore Pakistan as a liberal progressive, modern state, and hence through this quest of Pakistan, he wants to create a secular Pakistan, and then merge it in the oneness of India as is the theme of the work disguised as a peace move.
In Section-6 of the Introduction, Aitzaz refers to a generation bridge covered by his three points – first being poetry to illustrate a point – by quoting on P-35 of his book a Rig Vedic hymn in praise of a horse.
The apparently insignificant Horse has a very important role in this subtle war of indoctrination by the Brahman designs.
As horses were the primary tool of warfare, it is important to note that the superiority of any martial race depended on who tamed, bred and used the horse first. The visual and psychological impact of an invading army, galloping and thundering down the battlefield on horseback was sufficient to unnerve any fainthearted enemy
In Section-8 of the Introduction, he names the main eleven Indus men 4 who are his heroes of Indus.
Aitzaz gives his own concept of Pakistan’s Past, Present & Future, by stressing on P-17, “they cut us off from our heroes, but the questions and our heroes have survived, they must survive. Pity the nation that forgets its heroes. We have to rediscover our heroes. Until we do so, many cancerous myths will continue to harbour in our body- politic, and many unwanted fractious controversies and fissiparous tendencies will continue to divide us”.
Excellent and well-said. But which heroes is he talking about? Aitzaz, fully expounds, and substantiates his above statement in his second (Indian) edition of The Indus Saga (2005). P-30 where after Bhagat Singh, he states; “..nor of the deities and beliefs of their predecessor Indus Person. Indra and the Vedas, Krishna and the Mahabharata are to be shunned as if they would pollute the minds of the youth:” He goes on to conclude that “Yet these deities and beliefs, howsoever incredible, are facts forming a part of Indus history.”
According to Aitzaz, we were never fighters and he starts our past from the time when Hindus came and made us Puru’s and under their leadership, we became a fighting force!
Aitzaz Ahsan grieves on the theme ‘six decades on, there is hardly an Indian, even the must accommodating and rational, who does not privately resent the partition of 1947. Even the most congenial Indian, Hindus and Muslims will say with love and affection,’how much before it might have been if…….” If the partition should not have taken place?
=PLEASE SEND COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE OR ANY OTHER ARTICLE:THEY WILL BE PUBLISHED ASAP: agamjd@gmail.com
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Sunday 20 April 2014The Middle East we must confront in the future will be a Mafiastan ruled by money
In Iraq, mafiosi already run almost the entire oil output of the south of the country
Saudi Arabia is giving $3bn – yes, £2bn, and now let’s have done with exchange rates – to the Pakistani government of Nawaz Sharif. But what is it for? Pakistani journalists have been told not to ask this question. Then, when they persisted, they were told that Saudi generosity towards their fellow Sunni Muslim brothers emerged from the “personal links” between the Prime Minister and the monarchy in Riyadh. Saudi notables have been arriving in Islamabad. Sharif and his army chief of staff have travelled to the Kingdom. Then Islamabad started talking about a “transitional government” for Syria – even though Pakistan had hitherto supported President Bashar al-Assad – because, as journalist Najam Sethi wrote from Lahore, “we know only too well that in matters of diplomatic relations there is no such thing as a gift, still less one of this size”.
Now the word in Pakistan is that its government has agreed to supply Saudi Arabia with an arsenal of anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, which will be passed on – despite the usual end-user certificates claiming these weapons will be used only on Saudi soil – to the Salafist rebels in Syria fighting to overthrow the secular, Ba’athist (and yes, ruthless) regime of Bashar al-Assad. The American in other
words, will no longer use their rat-run of weapons from Libya to the Syrian insurgents because they no longer see it as in their interest to change the Assad government. Iraq, with its Shia majority, and Qatar – which now loathes and fears Saudi Arabia more than it detests Assad – can no longer be counted on to hold the Shias at bay. So even Bahrain must be enlisted in the Saudi-Salafist cause; his Royal Highness the King of Bahrain needs more Pakistani mercenaries in his army; so Bahrain, too – according to Najam Sethi – is preparing to invest in Pakistan.
But this is merely a reflection of a far larger movie, a Cinemascope picture with a cast of billions – I’m talking about dollars – which is now consuming the Middle East. It’s a story that doesn’t find favour with the mountebank “experts” on the cable channels nor with their White House/Pentagon scriptwriters, nor indeed with our own beloved Home Secretary who still believes that British Muslims will be “radicalised” if they fight in Syria. Sorry, m’deario, but they were already radicalised. THAT’S WHY THEY WENT TO SYRIA.
But the Taliban is no more going to take over Afghanistan than al-Qa’ida is going to rule Syria or Iraq, nor the Muslim Brotherhood Egypt. “Islamism” is not about to turn our beloved Arab and Muslim Middle Eastern world into a caliphate. That’s for The New York Times to believe.
Let’s just take a look across the region. Corruption in Afghanistan is not just legendary. This is a place where governance, law, electoral rules, tribal ritual and military affairs function only with massive bribes. It rivals North Korea in financial dishonesty (according to Transparency International). Remember the Kabul banking scandal that milked $980m (£584m) from the people (from which only $180m – £107m – was ever recovered)?
The Americans funded the Afghan warlords and then the NGOs spread their cash around the country and now, with the US withdrawal imminent – along with that of America’s NATO mercenaries – the Afghan gang bosses are not especially worried about the Taliban. Nor are they particularly concerned about women’s rights. But they are fearful that the dollars will stop flowing. A militia leader with three villas, 10 4x4s and 200 bodyguards has to find money to pay them when the Americans go home. So they will have to turn to drugs, money laundering and weapons smuggling on a massive scale. Pakistan, of course, is there to help.
Now the word in Pakistan is that its government has agreed to supply Saudi Arabia with an arsenal of anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, which will be passed on – despite the usual end-user certificates claiming these weapons will be used only on Saudi soil – to the Salafist rebels in Syria fighting to overthrow the secular, Ba’athist (and yes, ruthless) regime of Bashar al-Assad. The Americans, in other words, will no longer use their rat-run of weapons from Libya to the Syrian insurgents because they no longer see it as in their interest to change the Assad government. Iraq, with its Shia majority, and Qatar – which now loathes and fears Saudi Arabia more than it detests Assad – can no longer be counted on to hold the Shias at bay. So even Bahrain must be enlisted in the Saudi-Salafist cause; his Royal Highness the King of Bahrain needs more Pakistani mercenaries in his army; so Bahrain, too – according to Najam Sethi – is preparing to invest in Pakistan.
But this is merely a reflection of a far larger movie, a Cinemascope picture with a cast of billions – I’m talking about dollars – which is now consuming the Middle East. It’s a story that doesn’t find favour with the mountebank “experts” on the cable channels nor with their White House/Pentagon scriptwriters, nor indeed with our own beloved Home Secretary who still believes that British Muslims will be “radicalised” if they fight in Syria. Sorry, m’deario, but they were already radicalised. THAT’S WHY THEY WENT TO SYRIA.
But the Taliban is no more going to take over Afghanistan than al-Qa’ida is going to rule Syria or Iraq, nor the Muslim Brotherhood Egypt. “Islamism” is not about to turn our beloved Arab and Muslim Middle Eastern world into a caliphate. That’s for The New York Times to believe.
Let’s just take a look across the region. Corruption in Afghanistan is not just legendary. This is a place where governance, law, electoral rules, tribal ritual and military affairs function only with massive bribes. It rivals North Korea in financial dishonesty (according to Transparency International). Remember the Kabul banking scandal that milked $980m (£584m) from the people (from which only $180m – £107m – was ever recovered)?
The Americans funded the Afghan warlords and then the NGOs spread their cash around the country and now, with the US withdrawal imminent – along with that of America’s NATO mercenaries – the Afghan gang bosses are not especially worried about the Taliban. Nor are they particularly concerned about women’s rights. But they are fearful that the dollars will stop flowing. A militia leader with three villas, 10 4x4s and 200 bodyguards has to find money to pay them when the Americans go home. So they will have to turn to drugs, money laundering and weapons smuggling on a massive scale.
In Iraq, mafiosi already run the Shia port of Basra and almost the entire oil output of the south of the country. “Institutionalised kleptocracy” was a minister’s definition of al-Maliki’s government. In Syria, the rebels’ fiefdom is run by money mobs. That’s why every hostage has a price, every “Free Syrian Army” retreat – and the word “retreat” must also be placed in quotation marks – must be paid for, by the Syrian government or by the Russians or, most frequently, by the Iranians. The Syrian “civil war” is funded by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, by Libya and by Moscow and Tehran and, when it suits them, by the Americans. We’re so caught up in battlefield losses and war crimes and sarin and barrel bombs that we lose sight of the fact that the Syrian bloodbath – much like the Lebanese bloodbath of 1976-1990 – is underwritten by vast amounts of cash from foreign donors.
Just look at Egypt. The story we are supposed to swallow is that a benevolent if slightly despotic army has saved the country from an Islamist takeover. Just how President Mohamed Morsi – whose grasp of practical governance was about as hopeless as that of your average Egyptian general – was going to turn Egypt into a caliphate was anyone’s guess. Of course, our worthless political leaders – Tony Blair in the lead, naturally – are playing the “Islamist” line for the networks. Egypt was on the path to a medieval Muslim dictatorship, only rescued at the last minute by the defence minister-turned presidential candidate General al-Sisi’s belief in a “transitional government to democracy”.
Yes, the “transitional” road to democracy is all the rage these days. But the real counter-revolution in Egypt was not the overthrow of the pathetic Morsi, but what followed: the army’s re-establishment of its massive financial benefits, its shopping malls and real estates and banking, which bring in billions of dollars for the country’s military elite – and whose business dealings are now constitutionally safe from the prying eyes of any democratically-elected Egyptian government, “transitional” or otherwise. And if al-Sisi is elected the next President of Egypt – O Blessed Thought – woe betide anyone who suggests that the army, which is still the recipient of billions from the US, should clean up its multi-million dollar conglomerates.
All this is to say that the Middle East we must confront in the future – and it will be of our making as surely as the mass slaughter of its people have been primarily our responsibility – will not be a set of vicious caliphates, of Iraqistan or Syriastan or Egyptstan. No, there is one international, all-purpose name which we will be able to bestow upon almost all the states of the region, united as they have never been since the demise of the Ottoman Empire.
We will understand its masters all too well. We shall support them. We shall love them. Our Tony will understand them – Catholicism, after all, has its own history of corruption and the Vatican, as we have learned, has its own gangsters. Our enemy is not – Cameron and Hague, please take note – terror, terror, terror. It is money, money, money. Dirty money.
For the name of this brave new world will be Mafiastan.
Elected Representatives Set Aside the Public Mandate
Sajjad Shaukat
Although democracy has displayed its success in the west, yet it has proved to be fruitless in Pakistan. Therefore, it is generally said that “any instrument can be misused.”
Pakistan’s politicians have always claimed that they nourish democratic ideals, but, we could not establish this system on a strong footing due to irresponsible approach of our political entities. Hence, democracy remains weak, working in uncertainty.
Political thinkers opine that politics is the process through which communities pursue collective goals and resolve communal issues leading to disagreement and socio-political conflicts. Civilized societies premeditate for their preferred governmental system, endorsing ideological foundations of nation.
No doubt, Pakistan’s favourite system of governance is democratic system as against the rigid schemes of authoritarian rule. By using their legitimate right of vote, people of Pakistan participate in political process of elections, and elect their own representatives to govern them. Thus, they give mandate by authorizing the elected members to hold public offices and make legitimate decisions to run the affairs of state. And, the elected representatives remain accountable for their actions, while, the system of electoral democracy also empowers the voters to take away the powers of the elected members, if they fall short of popular aspirations— grossly violate public mandate or fundamental ideology.
Regrettably, voters, after having elected their representatives, virtually become subjects of powerful elite who tend to shatter all hopes of voters by neglecting their social problems, financial difficulties and psychological distress. Promises made during election campaign are quickly forgotten, while perks of public offices are fully enjoyed. Irony of the fate is that same elite group gets elected over and over again and election campaigns are held as rituals. Unfortunately, voters, due to their extreme poverty and poignant standing lack social influence and political power, becoming trading pawns in the hands of politicians who regard elections as windows of business opening to plunder national wealth through all possible means.
Most of the elected representatives in National Assembly and Senate hardly make any worthwhile contribution, as they remain absent during active sessions of the Parliament. Therefore, sessions of the lower and upper houses are adjourned due to lack of quorum, and the process of essentially required legislation remains blank and weary. Resultantly, the voters’ aspirations turn into hopeless ordeal, dejection and despondency.
Elected Representatives Set Aside the Public MandateIt is mentionable that various malpractices such as horse-trading, nepotism, bribery, illegal obligations and other forms of corruption are very common among our politicians. In fact, the elite group of elected members uses powers of their public offices to advance their personal interests including engagement in politics of THANA and KUTCHERY (Police and Court), earnestly seeking allotment of development and discretion funds and timely steps of sycophancy to please the top party leaders. Poor educational background makes them inactive and soundless during debate sessions to approve or reject key issues requiring parliamentary endorsement. They also remain oblivious of world politics and philosophical aspirations of great leaders like Nelson Mandela. Thus, they promote their personal interests, and show total callousness towards torment of their voters.
In order to divert the attention of general masses from real problems, elected politicians and opposition leaders always raise allegations and counter-allegations against each other, while manipulating various issues. In these terms, without grasping realities, our politicians have exploited every issue like the Memogate case, Mehrangate verdict, NRO scandal, missing persons’ case and issue of dialogue or military operation against the Taliban, not only to disrepute country’s key security intuitions, but also against each other so as to misguide the common men to increase their voting lists.
Particularly, on our media, most of the TV channels conduct controversial debate between politicians and commentators by exploiting every issue without bothering for the integrity of the country.
Fragile democracy in Pakistan is also due to some other factors. In this respect, a blind dedication to ones own race, tribe, creed and community creates hatred in one group against the other, which ends in violence. Regional and provincial political leaders also manipulate these disparities which have hindered the smooth working of democracy.
Concentration of wealth in few hands has created a privileged class of landowners and industrialists who contest elections winning the same against each other again and again. By dominating the political parties, they have dominated the politics of the country and have always sacrificed national interests for their personal gains. During the election campaign, they employ all means, fair or foul to defeat their opponents and capture political power. They mislead the general masses through, false propaganda and exaggerated speeches.
It is our misfortune that our political parties have worked on undemocratic principles like hostility for the sake of hostility, formation of alliances and counter-alliances to win the elections. Much time is wasted in retaliation against the previous government instead of fulfilling the promises, made with the voters during election campaign. So, they forget the real aim of public mandate by resolving the economic and social problems of the masses. In this regard, they also misguide the general masses by forming extreme opinion among them towards their opponents. Therefore, people who support these political leaders as a symbol of success of their favourite parties, feel pleasure at the failure of their rival parties. Past experience displays that very soon an alliance of different parties is formed to launch a mass movement to topple the government, which ultimately leads to military rule in the country.
At this critical juncture, Pakistan is facing multi-faceted crises such as soaring prices, energy-shortage, unemployment, crimes, lack of health facilities etc. Besides, the country has perennially been facing subversive activities in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi where country’s security forces and law-enforcing agencies are coping with the militants. In this context, our politicians and media analysts opine as to what the people want, but conceal as to what people actually need?
It is the right hour that by taking cognizance of the multiple crises of Pakistan, our Parliamentarians must think that they have an obligation to seriously engage in the process of legislation and must make efforts to resolve the problems faced by general public or voters. To fulfil such a pledge, they need to improve educational background and advance political philosophy by following the models of leaders like Nelson Mandela.
They must know that the process of legislation and public mandate is a sacred cause, which entails development of ethical dogma to work tirelessly in order to bring goodness to people whom the elected members represent.
Our elected members must make themselves as law-abiding citizens and must realize that they are legally accountable for their actions. They have been empowered by the voters; hence, they need to fulfil voters’ aspirations and promises, made during the election campaign.
Pakistan’s elected political leaders must be aware that real aim of the democratic system is to improve the system of governance, as in the system, significance of people is considered foremost priority. If elected representatives fail to attend the parliament sessions, they cannot contribute in bringing goodness to people and ultimately the system will get further corrupted, resulting into further poor governance. For the purpose, collective sense of responsibility must be developed by all elected members of the National Assembly and the Senate. A system of monitoring performance of all parliamentarians must be evolved to enable the voters to see the reality. Media must suggest that more public be invited to attend the live sessions of the Parliament, and online recordings be placed on the website.
As Pakistani Parliamentarians who are seriously engaged in revered task of legislation and petty temptations, must avoid the same for fear damaging their image.
Especially, corruption must be treated as the dangerous enemy and good models provided by good leaders be followed. In this connection, Indian AAM AADMI KI PARTY (Common Man’s Party) and their anti-corruption movement is a case in point.
While, Pakistani voters have never failed the political leaders, now it is time for the members of the National Assembly and the Senate to reciprocate, and allow devolution of power to take place, empowering the people to arrange self-governance. This entails holding of Local Bodies elections at priority. Besides, Parliamentarians must concentrate on legislation, while delegating the power to local representatives.
Returning to our main discussion, the elected representatives who set aside the public mandate through shrewd politics and use the same for their personal interests must abandon this mal-practice.
Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
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The US leaders and media often cite Pakistan as the most dangerous country in the world. If it is true, it didn’t attain this status at its own. Outsiders are responsible for making Pakistan a nursery of terrorism, or epicenter of terrorism, as recently described by Manmohan Singh, or the most dangerous country. Ironically, the ones responsible for converting a law abiding and peaceful country into a volatile country are today in the forefront censuring it. Till the onset of Afghan Jihad in 1980, Pakistan was a moderate and nonviolent country. It did suffer from the pangs of humiliation for having lost its most populous East Pakistan and grieved over non-resolution of Kashmir dispute pending since January 1948 UNSC resolution. Both wounds had been inflicted upon Pakistan by its arch rival India. Pakistan had to perforce go nuclear in quest for its security because of India’s hostile posturing and nuclearisation.
Invasion and occupation of Afghanistan by Soviet forces in December 1979 brought five million Afghan refugees in Pakistan. These refugees disturbed the peace of Frontier Province and Balochistan where bulk got permanently settled. 2.8 million Afghan refugees have still not returned to their homes and besides becoming an economic burden, have posed serious social and security hazards. Foreign agencies carrying an agenda to destabilize Pakistan have been recruiting bulk of terrorists from within them.
Once the US decided to back proxy war in Afghanistan, CIA commissioned thousands of Mujahideen from all over the Muslim world and with the assistance of ISI, motivated, trained and equipped them to assist Afghan Mujahideen in their fight against Soviet forces. Large number of seminaries imparting religious training to the under privileged children were tasked to impart military and motivational training as well and prepare them for Jihad. FATA and Pashtun belt of Balochistan contiguous to Afghanistan were converted into forward bases of operation from where young Jihadists were unleashed. For next nine years the youth were continuously recruited and launched to fight the holy war against evil empire. Saudi Arabia became the chief financer of Jihad. It provided heavy funds to Sunni Madrassahs only. ISI took upon itself as the chief coordinator of the entire war effort while CIA restricted its role to providing arms, funds and intelligence only.
The whole free world led by USA enthusiastically applauded the heroics of holy warriors and none cared about astronomical fatalities and critical injuries suffered by them. The maimed for life, widows and orphans were patted and told that it was a holy war fought for a noble cause and huge rewards awaited them in the life hereafter. The single point agenda of the US was to defeat the Soviet forces with the help of Muslim fighters. Not a single soldier of any country including Pakistan took part in the unmatched war between a super power and rag-tag, ill-clothed and ill-equipped Mujahideen.
None bothered about the ill-effects this long-drawn war will have upon this region in general and Pakistan in particular acting as the Frontline State. Although Pakistan was only supporting the proxy war and was not directly involved, but it remained in a state of war and it faced continuous onslaughts of KGB-RAW-KHAD nexus as well as attacks by Soviet trained Afghan pilots and soldiers in the form of air assaults, artillery barrages and missile/rockets attacks. Throughout the nine-year war, Pakistan faced twin threat from its eastern and western borders. By virtue of occupation of Wakhan corridor by Soviet troops, USSR had become immediate neighbor of Pakistan and had hurled repeated threats to wind up training centres and stop meddling in Afghanistan or else be prepared for dire consequences. Moscow’s age-old dream of reaching warm waters of Arabian Sea through Balochistan haunted Gen Ziaul Haq, but he stoutly held his ground. Pakistan’s relentless support ultimately enabled the Mujahideen to achieve the miracle of the 20th century. They defeated the super power and pushed out Soviet forces from Afghanistan in February 1989.
All foreign Jihadists who had come from other countries were not accepted by their parent countries. They had no choice but to stay put and get settled in Afghanistan and in FATA since they had collectively fought the war and had developed camaraderie with the Afghans and tribesmen. The US who had enticed and displaced them and used them as cannon fodder to achieve its interests was morally bounded to resettle them. It was honor bound to help Pakistan in overcoming the after effects of the war. FATA that had acted as the major base for cross border operations deserved uplift in socio-economic and educational fields. Afghanistan required major rehabilitation and rebuilding after its devastation. Nothing of the sort happened.
The US coldheartedly abandoned Afghanistan, Pakistan and Jihadists and instead embraced India which had remained the camp follower of Soviet Union since 1947 and had also partnered Soviet Union in the Afghan war and had vociferously condemned US-Pakistan proxy war. This callous act opened the doors for religious fanaticism and militarism. Pakistan suffered throughout the Afghan war and continues to suffer to this day on account of the debris left behind by Soviet forces and proxy war. By the time last Soviet soldier left Afghan soil, Pakistani society had got radicalized owing to free flow of weapons and drugs from Afghanistan and onset of armed uprising in occupied Kashmir.
Pakistan’s efforts to tackle the fallout effects of the war got seriously hampered because of harsh sanctions imposed by USA under Pressler Amendment in October 1989 and political instability throughout the democratic era from 1988 to 1999. Besides, Iran and Saudi Arabia started fuelling sectarianism in Pakistan throughout 1990s in a big way. Sipah-e-Muhammad Pakistan and Majlis-e-Wahadat ul Hashmeen were funded by Iran and Sipah-e-Sahabha Pakistan, now named as Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (Sunni Deobandi) were supported by Saudi Arabia, which gave rise to religious extremism and intolerance and sharpened Shia-Sunni divide. Masjids and Imambargahs as well as religious clerics were incessantly attacked by the zealots of two communities. Threat of sectarian violence that had become menacing in Punjab in 1997-1998 had to be dealt with sternly. But the Punjab Police operation had to be curtailed because of severe pressure from Human Rights activists and NGOs on charges of extra judicial killings. Resultantly, the disease remained uncured.
Unseating of democratically elected heavy mandate of Nawaz Sharif led government by Gen Musharraf and the latter opting to ditch Taliban regime and to fight global war on terror at the behest of USA energized anti-Americanism, religious extremism and led to creation of Mutahida Majlis Ammal (MMA), an amalgam of six religious parties, which formed governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. MMA on the quiet nurtured extremist religious groups that were also funded by foreign powers.
The fact that after 9/11, the US chose Pakistan to fight the war as a Frontline State is a clear cut indication that Pakistan at that time was viewed as a responsible and valued country and not a dangerous country. However, Pakistan’s nuclear program was an eyesore for India, Israel and USA. The planners had made up their minds to intentionally create anarchic conditions in Pakistan so that its nukes could be whisked away under the plea that it was unstable and couldn’t be trusted.
The initial attempt towards that end was to first allow bulk of Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders and their fighters to escape to FATA from Afghanistan and soon after forcing Pakistan to induct regular troops into South Waziristan (SW) to flush them out. This move created a small rivulet allowing terrorism to seep into FATA, which kept gushing in because of RAW led and CIA backed covert war at a massive scale and turning the rivulet into a river. Likewise, another rivulet was created in Balochistan. Concerted and sustained efforts were made to destabilize FATA and Balochistan and gradually sink Pakistan in sea of terrorism. Six intelligence agencies based in Kabul kept sprinkling tons of fuel on embers of religious extremism, sectarianism, ethnicity and Jihadism.
The US instead of helping in resolving Kashmir dispute misguided Gen Musharraf to forget about UN resolutions and float an out of box solution and try and resolve the dispute in accordance with the wishes of India. In order to woo India, Musharraf gave it in writing that he will not allow Pakistan soil to be used for terrorism against any neighboring country including India. While making this commitment unilaterally, he committed the fatal mistake of not imposing this condition on India. To further please USA and India and make the latter agree to sign peace treaty, he bridled all Jihadi groups engaged in Kashmir freedom struggle as well as in sectarianism. He also allowed India to fence the Line of Control. These moves did please India but angered Jihadis and sectarian outfits and in reaction, they hastened to join Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and turn their guns towards Pak security forces dubbed as mercenaries of USA fighting US war for dollars.
But for phenomenal clandestine support by foreign powers to the TTP in the northwest and to the BLA, BRA and BLF in the southwest, extremism and terrorism could have got controlled after major operations launched in Malakand Division including Swat, Bajaur and SW in 2009 and minor operations in other tribal agencies. The disarrayed network of TTP was helped to get re-assembled and regrouped in North Waziristan and that of Maulana Fazlullah in Kunar and Nuristan in Afghanistan. As opposed to good work done by Pak security forces in combating and curbing terrorism in Pakistan, the US-NATO forces operating in Afghanistan along with Afghan National Army kept making one blunder after another and in the process kept sinking deeper and deeper into the quagmire. Rather than correcting their follies, they chose to make Pakistan a scapegoat and declared it responsible for their failures. Rather than doing more at their end, they asked Pakistan to do more which was already doing much more than its capacity.
Since the aggressors underestimated their enemy they took things too lightly. Their intentions lacked sincerity and honesty and their stated objectives were totally different to their actual unspoken objectives which were commercial in nature. Above all they had no legitimate grounds to destroy a sovereign country and uproot its people which had played no role in 9/11. As a result, rather than devotedly fighting to win the war in Afghanistan, the assailants got deeply involved in drug business and other money-making schemes. The ruling regime led by Hamid Karzai became a willing partner in such shady businesses. American security contractors, defence merchants, builders and intelligence agencies started multiplying their wealth and lost their moral and professional ethics. Other than materialistic ventures, they got more involved in money-spinning covert operations against Pakistan, Iran, China and Middle East than in fighting their adversary. Taliban and al-Qaeda combine took full advantage of their self-destructive activities and opening of the second front in Iraq. After regrouping and re-settling in southern and eastern Afghanistan, they started striking targets in all parts of the country. War in Iraq helped al-Qaeda in expanding its influence in Arabian Peninsula and turning into an international organization.
The US has made a big mess in Afghanistan, in Iraq and in Libya and is now making another mess in Syria. It has lost the confidence of its most allied ally Pakistan by mistreating and distrusting it. Having lost on all fronts because of its tunnel vision and mercantile greed, it now wants the most dangerous country Pakistan to ignore the raw deal it gave all these years and to not only help ISAF in pulling out of Afghanistan safely but also to convince the Taliban to agree upon a negotiated political settlement. At the start of the Afghan venture, Pakistan was chosen by Washington to ensure success and in the endgame Pakistan is again being relied upon to bail it out of the mess. In the same breadth, the US is unprepared to cease drone attacks in FATA despite repeated requests that drones fuel terrorism. It is still focused on carving a lead role for India in Afghanistan. It is not prepared to stop its interference in internal affairs of Pakistan or to dissuade India from destabilizing Balochistan. Whatever socio-economic promises made are futuristic in nature and tied to conditions. US media and think tanks continue to demonize Pakistan. Its tilt towards India is too heavy and prejudicial behavior towards Pakistan conspicuous.
As a result of the US skewed policies with ulterior motives, Pakistan is faced with the demons of ethnicity, sectarianism, Jihadism, religious extremism and terrorism. While TTP is aligned with about 60 terrorist groups, in Balochistan there are more than two dozen terrorist groups. In Karachi, other than armed mafias, political parties have armed wings and are involved in target killings. Rangers and Police are engaged in targeted operation in Karachi and are producing productive results. 150,000 troops combating the militants in the northwest enjoy a definite edge over them. Major parts of Frontier Corps, Frontier Constabulary, Levies and Police are fighting the Baloch separatists and sectarian forces targeting Hazaras and have contained anti-state forces. All major cities are barricaded with road blocks and police piquets and yet terrorists manage to carryout acts of terror. The miscreants are fighting State forces with tenacity because of uninterrupted financial and weapons support from foreign agencies. Once external support dries up, their vigor will wane rapidly and sooner than later they will give up fighting.
With so many grave internal and external threats, most of which were invented and thrust upon Pakistan by foreign powers and duly exacerbated by meek and self-serving political leadership, Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani’s hands remained full. He has saddled the COAS chair for six years and during this period he had to face many a critical situations. It goes to his credit that he handled each crisis competently, astutely and honorably. During his eventful command, he tackled the challenge of terrorism, which he rightly described as the biggest threat to the security of Pakistan, boldly and produced pleasing results. Above all, he kept the morale of all ranks in the Army high and earned their respect and admiration. The list of his achievements is long and I have been highlighting those in my articles off and on. His successor has so far not been named but whosoever replaces him will find it difficult to fit into his shoes. I am sure he will breathe more freely and relax once he retires on November 29, 2013. We thank him for his laudable contributions and wish him sound health and happiness in all his future doings. Let us hope and pray that this senseless war comes to an end at the earliest, putting an end to chirping tongues deriving sadistic pleasure in describing Pakistan as the most dangerous country.
The writer is a retired Brig, defence analyst, columnist, historian and a researcher. asifharoonraja@gmail.com
Posted by admin in BOOT THE SCOUNDRELS OR SHOWDAZ, Corruption, Girah Cut, Looters and Scam Artists, Nawaz Sharif & Kashmiri Biradari, Nawaz Sharif Massive Corruption, NAWAZ SHARIF US & SAUDI AGENT, Nawaz Sharif US Agent, Nawaz Sharif Womanizer, Pakistan's Hall of Shame, Pakistan's Ruling Elite Feudals Industrialists, Politics, PPP Choor on April 12th, 2013
It is a proven fact that in 1998 Nawaz Sharif was double-minded about the atomic explosions. While the nation waited breathlessly for a befitting reply to India, Nawaz Sharif was busy in negotiating economic packages with US Government. Gohar Ayub Khan, who was foreign minister at that time, has also corroborated this fact in his book.
Nawaz Sharif and his cronies have always been working to plunder Pakistan’s wealth as their sole agenda. He expanded his business empire by misusing his authority as Chief Minister Punjab and Prime Minister Pakistan. And in order to gain financial benefits, he manipulated laws and changed policies. Likewise, in a bid to avoid accountability, the Nawaz Sharif Government amended “The Ehtasaab Act” and made it effective from “1990” instead of “1985” as proposed in the original text of the “Ehtasaab Act” prepared by the interim government of caretaker Prime Minister (Late) Mairaj Khalid (1996-97). And by bringing this change he cunningly saved his tenure of Chief Minister Punjab (1985-88) from accountability.
Despite all maneuvering following references were filed against the Sharifs:-
The first tenure of Nawaz Sharif as Prime Minister in the year 1990 saw another reign of loot and plunder. During this period Mian Nawaz Shairf obtained loans amounting to more than Rs.614 billion from Banks through his influence against inadequate guarantees. According to the details of loans obtained by Sharifs include Rs.1556 million for Ittefaq Foundries, Rs. 543 million for Haseeb Waqas Sugar Mills, Rs.455 million for Mehran Ramzan Textile Mills, Rs.373 million for Ramzan Bukhsh Textile Mills, Rs.339 millions for Ch. Sugar Mills, Rs.226 millions for Ittefaq brothers, Rs. 205 million for Sandalbar Textile Mills, Rs.182 million for Hudaibiya Engineering Mills, Rs.153 million for Hamza Board Mills Ltd, Rs.134 million for Hudaibiya paper Mills, Rs.351 Million for Brothers Sugar Mills, Rs.174 million for Brothers Textile Mills, Rs.159 million for Brothers Steel Mills, Rs.623 million for Ramzan Sugar Mills, Rs. 191 million Khalid Siraj Textiles, Rs.313 million for Ittefaq Sugar Mills, Rs.164 million for Ittefaq Textile Mills, and Rs.239 million were obtained for Ittefaq Brothers. Due to the malpractice the national wealth was used for establishing personal empire while the country’s economy was facing disaster. This loan was equivalent to the total internal loan obtained by the government of Pakistan! These so called patriotic politicians ruthlessly plundered the national exchequer and used national wealth for personal financial gains. In addition money laundering worth billions of dollars through illegal means, wheat import scam, awarding motorway’s contract to an internationally black listed company, receiving heavy loans despite of being defaulter, secret businesses in UK (Evidence attached), Sugar mills in Kenya and four flats in the most expensive area of London and huge commissions in privatization of Muslim Commercial Bank (MCB) are also a few “achievements” of Nawaz Sharif and family.
The Auditor General Report released in the year 1988-89 reported that Nawaz Sharif, misusing his authority as Chief Minister Punjab, issued directives which resulted into direct malpractice of Rs. 35 billion.
The report said that the Chief Minister Secretariat had been turned into a hub of corrupt practices and Nawaz Sharif used public money like an emperor that resulted into huge fiscal deficit of the province.
The Auditor General Report released in the year 1986-87 said that the then Chief Minister Nawaz Sharif had used Rs. 1200 million for malpractices in only one year.
Nawaz Sharif allotted 3000 precious Lahore Development Authority (LDA) plots among his favourites due to which the province suffered loss of billions of rupees.
Nawaz Sharif was the lead character of the Cooperative and Financial Institutions Scam, which deprived the retired employees, orphans, widows, and poor of their total assets amounting to Rs. 17 billion.
Nawaz Sharif released Rs. 1200 million from his discretionary grant in the year 1985-86 while Rs. 1895 million were released in 1986-87, Rs. 1899 million were used in 1987-88 while another Rs. 1887 million were distributed among his cronies.
Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and other party leaders practically share and proudly identify commonalities between PML-N and Taliban and they have very close ties and cordial relations with terrorists and banned terrorist outfits. In early 90s Nawaz Sharif received huge sums of money from Osama Bin Laden to overthrow former Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s Government. Even now PML-N’s cabinet members and spokespersons are commonly seen hanging around with members of those banned outfits, reportedly involved in managing terrorist attacks on thousands of innocent Pakistanis including soldiers, police officials and members of other law enforcement agencies.
Due to compromising attitude of PML-N’s leadership and their mild will to fight against the menace of terrorism the members of law enforcement agencies are completely demoralized. That is one of the reasons that the investigations against terrorists are not carried out in a proper manner and proof against arrested terrorists usually is not available. Due to the incapability of the Punjab Government terrible terrorist attacks took place in the province including suicide attack on Police Training School Bedian Road, blast in Moon Market Lahore, car bomb blast in the Rescue 15 building, car bomb blast in F.I.A building, suicide attack on Munawan Police Training Center, Model Town link road bomb blast, suicide attack on Jamia Naemia, terrorist attack on Ahmedi’s worship places, blasts in Imam Bargahs including Karbla Gammay Shah and suicide bomb blasts in the sacred shrine of Hazrat Data Gunj Buksh along with many others. After these attacks PML-N has morally lost its right of government in Punjab.
Further, it was Shahbaz Sharif, who instead of showing courage and political and moral will to fight against the enemies of Pakistan, in his speech in Jamia Naemia Lahore, begged for mercy from the terrorists. He, in a very disgraceful manner, requested them not to attack Punjab as they are likeminded and standing on the same side. This statement of Shahbaz Sharif reflects his mindset !
Nawaz Sharif and Co. has always been involved in destabilizing the democratic system by one way or the other and did not even hesitate to take bribes to grab power. Lt. General (R) Naseerullah Babar, the former Interior Minister had disclosed in the National Assembly in 1994, that the ISI had disbursed money to purchase the loyalty of various right wing politicians, including that of Nawaz Sharif, in order to manipulate the 1990 elections, for the Islamic Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI- Pakistan democratic alliance), and bring about the defeat of the PPP. As proof Lt. General (R) Naseerullah Babar, Lt. General (R) Asad Durrani and others have filed affidavits supported by copies of various documents. In Air Marshal Asghar Khan’s human rights petition (HRC 19/96) in the Supreme Court of Pakistan against the former Chief of Army Staff Mirza Aslam Baig and the former Chief of the ISI and a banker concerning the criminal distribution of the people’s money for political purposes. The case is pending adjudication in the Supreme Court of Pakistan for the last 14 years.
1. 6. DECEIT AND LYING
Nawaz Sharif’s politics is based on the philosophy “lie repeatedly till it seems as the truth”. He has based his politics on deceit and lies. Nawaz Sharif and his “chellaz” believe in lying repeatedly and religiously follow their convictions in this regard. They are masters in the art of manipulation and alteration and use their wealth to achieve their goals. One example is enough to expose their hideous character. After conviction in the hijacking case, Nawaz Sharif and his family approached foreign friends who persuaded President Pervez Musharraf to have mercy and forgive them. Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and family sought pardon and signed agreements including a commitment not to participate in politics for a period of ten years but they kept lying and hid the existence of these agreements from the nation until the head of Saudi Arabian Secret Agency, Prince Miqran Bin Abdul Aziz and Prime Minister of Lebanon Mr. Saad Hariri’s unveiled the existence of these agreements and Ch. Nisar had to admit the existence of these agreements during the press conference of Javed Hashmi. Sharif brothers in return of Pervez Musharraf’s “Ehsaan” (generosity) have not only crossed all limits of hostility but also lied to the nation. Would Nawaz Sharif and his “chellaz” ever tender apology to the Pakistani Nation, for lying to them for so many years?
Under the horrible times of Shahbaz Sharif’s Government the Punjab province has been virtually converted in to a “Badmaash” (rogue) province. Here police officials get involved in heinous and brutal criminal activities like one in Sialkot. The administration did not take any action against the shameful and atrocious lynching of two young brothers until the footage was telecast on electronic channels. It is believed that only in Gujranwala Division, where a brother of PML (N) MNA was deputed as head of police department, more than two hundred extra judicial killings have taken place. The record shows that in Punjab, police force has been continuously used to harass and insult political rivals. An endless campaign of lodging false FIRs against political opponents has also been initiated. Use of brutal police force and baton-charge has become a routine. Every segment of society including journalists, doctors, teachers, students, nurses, Government employees, semi Government and private institutions and lawyers have faced the brutality of police while protesting for their demands.
It is a hard fact that poor governance & maladministration is trade mark of Sharif brothers. Shahbaz Sharif is an attention-seeker and likes to show off. For the sake of “cheap publicity” he has started calling himself “Khadam-e-Ala” but miserably failed to meet the challenges of governance and administration. It’s a harsh reality that during his tenure in Punjab all institutions deteriorated conspicuously. In order to achieve their motives, Sharifs always appoint their blue eyed personnel on key posts by completely ignoring merit. Almost all districts of Punjab are being run by grade 19 officers who are incapable hence a basic reason for poor governance. Due to his dictatorial approach Shahbaz Sharif himself heads 12 provincial ministries and he seldom holds cabinet meeting. He takes decisions over ruling, the cabinet. His obstinate behavior is the prime reason for the maladministration in the province. It would be just and appropriate to suggest that Sharifs have failed to establish a democratic spirit in their government and have completely overlooked the norms of democratic political setups.
In order to consolidate and attain more power, ‘the champion of democracy and independent judiciary’, Nawaz Sharif attacked every individual and institution, he felt could get in the way and challenge his authority. In order to get rid of Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, who Nawaz Sharif despised, the latter created divisions amongst the judges using the humble services of a former judge, Rafique Tarrar (later President of Pakistan) to make life difficult for the Chief Justice. A group of judges refused to acknowledge CJ Sajjad Ali Shah as the Chief Justice and things got so bad that a number of junior judges made it difficult for him to carry out his duties. Eventually, Sharif ordered his thugs to attack the Supreme Court in order to prevent the Chief Justice from giving a ruling against him.
The police did nothing to stop Sharif’s thugs as they attacked and entered the Supreme Court premises. The judges inside the building barely managed to escape. The thugs, led by Sajjad Naseem and Mushtaq Tahir Kheli, Nawaz Sharif’s political secretaries, entered the court chanting anti-CJ Sajjad slogans and destroyed the Court Room.
1. 10. CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE PRESS AND JOURNALISTS
A number of incidents during 1998-99 indicated a pattern of harassment and intimidation of individual journalists as the government was increasingly becoming intolerant. Imtiaz Alam, a Lahore-based journalist, complains of threats over the telephone and then of his car being set on fire in a mysterious manner the next day. Another Lahore journalist, Mahmud Lodhi, was picked up and held in illegal custody for two days. He was questioned about his involvement with a BBC team filming a documentary on the rise and wealth of the Sharif family. Present Pakistani ambassador in USA Mr. Hussain Haqqani was picked up in a cloak-and-dagger fashion and interrogated at a FIA Center for money embezzlement while he held government office.
The residence of Idrees Bakhtiar, a senior staff reporter of monthly Herald and BBC correspondent in Karachi was raided by CIA police on Nov. 26, 1998. The police harassed the family and also arrested his 28-year old son, Moonis, who was later released. On Feb. 13, 1999, three persons, including Senator Abdul Hayee Baloch and a lady worker from Lahore, were injured when the police baton-charged, used water cannons and threw bricks on a peaceful procession of the Pakistan Awami Ittehad in front of the parliament house in Islamabad. The march, organized by the PAI for the freedom of the press, was led by PAI president Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan (late), the then opposition leader Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and secretary general of the alliance Hamid Nasir Chatta, besides a number of sitting and former PPP MNAs and senators.
The owner of the Frontier Post, Rehmat Shah Afridi, was arrested in Lahore on April 2, 1999, by the Anti-narcotics Force. The Peshawar-based Frontier Post was critical of government policies. Afridi’s arrest was seen by journalists and others as another attempt to gag the Press. On May 8, 1999, Najam Sethi, Editor of The Friday Times, was arrested on the orders of Nawaz Sharif. Police stormed into his house in Lahore and dragged him out of his bed room. After brutal torture and breaking furniture of the house he was shifted to some unknown place. And before leaving the house with Mr. Sethi, they tied his wife Jugnoo’s hands with a rope and locked her up in a dressing room. Later, Nawaz Sharif asked COAS Gen. Musharraf to charge Mr. Sethi under the Pakistan Army Act for being a traitor and give him maximum punishment (maximum punishment is death!).
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a press freedom organization, said on June 1, 1999 that it was conducting an investigation into a “hit list” prepared by the Pakistan government that contains 35 prominent journalists of Pakistan. According to reports received by the CPJ, the federal government had decided to establish a special media cell comprising officials from the police, Intelligence Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency to punish the journalists, who had been writing against the government. Ehtesab Bureau Chairman, Senator Saifur Rehman Khan was to head this cell which would function from Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi and Peshawar with its head office in Islamabad.
According to the CPJ, the journalists were: Irshad Ahmed Haqqani (late), Rehmat Ali Razi, Anjum Rasheed, (writer and anchor person) Suhail Warraich, Sohaib Marghoob and (late) Roman Ehsan (Jang Lahore), M. Ziauddin (Dawn Islamabad), Dr. Maleeha Lodhi, Javed Jaidi, Nusrat Javeed, Mariana Babar and Ansaar Abbassi (The News, Islamabad), Rehana Hakeem and Zahid Hussain (Newsline), Ejaz Haider, Khalid Ahmed, Jugnu Mohsin and Adnan Adil (The Friday Times, Lahore), Mahmood Sham (Jang, Karachi), Rashed Rehman (The Nation, Lahore), Amir Ahmed Khan (Herald, Karachi), Imtiaz Aalam, Beena Sarwar, Shafiq Awan, Kamila Hyat and Amir Mir (The News Lahore), Abbas Athar (Nawa-e-Waqt, Lahore), Kamran Khan and Shehzad Amjad (The News Karachi), Azam Khalil (Pulse), Mohammad Malik (Tribune), Imtiaz Ahmed (The Frontier Post, Peshawar), Ilyas Chaudhry (Jang Rawalpindi), Naveed Meraj (The Frontier Post, Islamabad) and Syed Talat Hussain (The Nation, Islamabad).
The Government of Nawaz Sharif started a campaign against the Jang group in July 1998 when it refused to sack a number of journalists critical of Government policies. The government objected to the Jang group newspapers’ reporting about the law and order situation in the country and put a ban on advertisement. On August 13, a report was published about non-payment of Rs. 700 million to farmers by the sugar mills owned by the Nawaz Sharif family. Three days later, the government sent notices to Jang for non payment of taxes and the case was shifted to the Ehtesab cell. On September 27, 1998, the Government asked the Jang group not to publish a report of ‘The Observer London’ that Nawaz Sharif had siphoned off millions of rupees. The report was not published by the Jang but it was published by its sister English newspaper The News. On November 5, bank accounts of the Jang group were frozen and FIA raided the Jang and the News offices in Rawalpindi and customs authorities stopped delivery of newsprint to the Jang.
On Jan 28 1999, a sedition case was registered against Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman for publishing an advertisement of Muttahida’s Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation on January 1, which according to the police, was aimed at inciting people against the state.
Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman revealed that Senator Saif-ur-Rehman asked him to sack a number of Jang employees who should be replaced in consultation with the Government. He released to the press audio-tapes of conversation with Saif-ur-Rehman on this issue. Saif-ur-Rehman accused Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman for evading tax and customs duty to the tune of Rs. 2.6 billion.
The hostility of Sharifs towards media is also evident from the fact that in the parliamentary history of Pakistan for the first time a resolution, condemning the media, was tabled (by a group of MPAs belonging to Nawaz League) and passed in the Punjab Assembly.
1. 11. DESTABILIZATION OF INSTITUTIONS
There is probably no institution in Pakistan which Nawaz Sharif did not aggressively confront in order to make them comply with his wishes. Besides picking a fight with the President, the Judiciary and the restricted/limited media of that time, Sharif also decided to have a confrontation with the army, the only viable institution left in Pakistan. Due to his hostile and dumb approach in Nawaz Sharif’s first term as prime minister, he fell out with three successive army chiefs: General Mirza Aslam Beg, General Asif Nawaz and General Abdul Waheed Kakar. During his second tenure, he fell out with two other Generals, General Karamat and later with General Pervez Musharraf. General Karamat became the first Chief of Army Staff in the history of Pakistan to have been prematurely retired!
One by one all challenges and potential obstacles to his dictatorial mindset were removed from his way by Nawaz Sharif. Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Farooq Leghari, Sajjad Ali Shah, and General Jehangir Karamat were all removed from the scene by Nawaz Sharif.
1. 12. Ill-CONSIDERED ECONOMIC DECISIONS
Nawaz Sharif’s ill-considered economic decisions cost Pakistan dearly! But the Sharif family’s personal business empire grew exponentially through questionable means.
Nawaz Sharif, during his tenure as Chief Minister Punjab from 1988-90, deprived the provincial departments of Rs. 15.35 billion. In addition in 1997-99 he caused huge loss amounting in 11 billion US dollars to private account holders by freezing foreign currency accounts contrary to the law and constitution wherein he and his cronies managed to get away with huge sums even after the freeze. Billions of dollars were removed from the banks without the permission/consent of the account holders but the accounts of common Pakistanis were withheld.
In last two and half years, Shahbaz Sharif wasted more than 40 billion rupees in “Sasti Roti” and other subsidized food schemes that had been initiated to earn cheap popularity and to benefit their political supporters. Admittedly these funds have been distributed amongst their own supporters without any audit just to gain political mileage. A huge chunk of these funds has been disbursed by the ghost “Tandurs” (burners) owners. Inflation and un-employment is rocketing day by day due to the ill-conceived decisions of the provincial government. This is one of the reasons that Punjab could not help flood victims at the time because they had utilized their funds in senseless politically motivated schemes and now have an overdraft amounting Rs. 80 billion.
The so called son of soil Nawaz Sharif virtually sold Kashmir in 1999 during Indian PM’s visit to Lahore. Nawaz Sharif deleted the word Kashmir from the joint declaration to please Indian counterpart. By crossing all the limits of treachery and falsehood Nawaz Sharif and his cronies claim that Pakistan armed forces lost the Kargil war. In fact, due to the decisions of Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan lost this war in the drawing room of the American President after wining it in the battlefield.
1. 14. ATOMIC EXPLOSIONS
It is a proven fact that in 1998 Nawaz Sharif was double-minded about the atomic explosions. While the nation waited breathlessly for a befitting reply to India, Nawaz Sharif was busy in negotiating economic packages with US Government. Gohar Ayub Khan, who was foreign minister at that time, has also corroborated this fact in his book.
posted by Junaid Qaiser | February 24, 2011 | In Original Articles, Urdu Articles
Here’s an excellent article by Rauf Klasra published in the ‘Daily Express’, that provides critical review on Pakistan Muslim league’s recent political move in Punjab, it’s chief boss Mian Nawaz Sharif’s opportunistic politics and undemocratic style of leadership. Mr. Klasra and other political observer are rightly suggesting that such sort of confrontational politics and mindset will surly be a nightmare for the democratic evolution in Pakistan, moreover, political corruption is a biggest problem that, now, Pakistani democracy is facing, has and will continue to affect us all.
The PML-N talks of democratic norms, supremacy of law and constitution but in reality PML-N is trying to find out excuse to topple the PPP civilian elected democratic government from the day one. The true face of Sharif brothers, signatory of Charter of Democracy which called for respecting the mandate of others, has been exposed through this act. Even Sharif brothers has also forgotten that the turncoats were “protégés of Gen Musharraf”.
Federal Law Minister Babar Awan rightly said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had made a mockery of the Charter of Democracy by accepting turncoat politicians among their ranks.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Monday, the law minister said that the custodians of Lahore’s politics want to bury the Charter of Democracy in Miani Sahib Graveyard.
He said that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) does not want that its 19-point agenda in Punjab would suffer the fate similar to the All Pakistan Democratic Alliance (APDA).
Babar said that the PPP was taunted for its politics of reconciliation, while its opponents wanted to run the government with the help of turncoats. However, they should know that such turncoats are only loyal to money, he added.
He also said that the PPP will continue the process of dialogues with all political parties, including the PML-N. He said that the PPP does not believe in the politics of deadlines because the PPP has never given a deadline to any party, stating that in politics, decisions can be taken by consultation and not by dictation.
He added that a single party cannot decide the entire country’s fate and that all political parties should work together for the betterment of Pakistan.
Babar also claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s press conference the previous day caused hostility in smaller provinces.
In an attempt to warn the PPP, Shahbaz Sharif had said that February 22 would be the final day for talks with the PPP on the 10-point agenda.
The PML-N will decide on Tuesday whether it wants to have the PPP as a coalition partner in the Punjab government or not. PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif has already ruled out giving more time to the PPP to implement the reforms agenda. He has called a special meeting of the party leadership on February 25 to discuss the reforms agenda and PPP ministers’ fate in Punjab.
PML-N Is Violating Charter of Democracy by Horse-Trading; Babar Awan
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Nawazoo ko siri paye khilao
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so what was right in Baluchistan is wrong in Punjab?
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Mian Nawaz Sharif nae General Zia Ul Haq ko 11 saal diye, General Pervaiz Musharaf us kiye ghalit fasilon ki waja saye 10 saal quoom per musalat reha, aab aaj jab kiye aawam ki muntakhib hakumoot badi mushkil se aayi hae, aur apne 5 saal pore kerne jaa rahi, us ka aik aik din Mian Nawaz Sharif ko nagwar guzr reha hae, PMLN nae shoro hi saye PPP ki Hakumat ko tasleem nahin kiya, un Judges ko behal kerwane kiye liye jo General Pervaiz Musharif ki baqiyat thae, jo Musharaf kaye talwe chat te reha, un ko behal kerwaniye kiye naam per aik muntakhib hakumat ko gerane ka pora intizam kiya hoa tha, aij bhi aik 10 nakati agenda ka jhot bol ker awam ko gumrah ker reha hae aur mahaz araiyi ki siyasat ko dobara zinda kiya ja reha hae.
Sham on you azooliyon ki siyasat ka keh ker sab sae badi beasoli kerne wale shaksh per…
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Nawaz Sharif’s letter to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
سیاست میں حصہ لینے کیلئے دس سالہ پابندی کا خاتمہ،نواز شریف کا سعودی شاہ کو خط
اسلام آباد(آن لائن)پاکستان مسلم لیگ ن کے قائد میاں نواز شریف نے سعودی عرب کے بادشاہ شاہ عبد اللہ کو خط لکھا ہے کہ وہ عملی سیاست میں حصہ لینے کا آغاز کررہے ہیں کیونکہ سیاست میں دس سال تک حصہ نہ لینے سے متعلق شرط ختم ہوگئی ہے۔ انتہائی مصدقہ ذرائع نے بتایا ہے کہ پنجاب کے وزیر اعلیٰ شہباز شریف نے اپنے بڑے بھائی کو اعتماد میں لینے کے بعد سعودی سفیر ابراہیم الغدیر سے اسلام آباد میں ملاقات کی اور یہ خط ان کے حوالے کیا۔آن لائن نے جب سعودی سفیر سے اس سلسلے میں رابطہ کیا تو انہوں نے شہباز شریف سے ملاقات کی تصدیق کی اور اس بات کی بھی تصدیق کی کہ شہباز شریف نے ا نہیں سعودی شاہ عبد اللہ کیلئے ایک خط بھی دیا ہے۔
http://jang.com.pk/jang/feb2011-daily/28-02-2011/main4.htm
Chithi zara sayan ji ke naam likh de
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ہم نے پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) کو انقلابی جماعت بنانے کا فیصلہ کیا ہے ملک کے مسائل کو جڑ سے اکھاڑنے کیلئے انقلاب لانا ہو گا انقلابی جذبے سے ہی مسائل حل ہو سکتے ہیں ملک کو ناکام ہوتا نہیں دیکھ سکتے ججز کی بحالی کے حوالے سے ساٹھ سال کے بعد قوم نے اپنا سکہ اور لوہا منوایا کہ وہ کوئی بھی فیصلہ کر سکتی ہے انہوں نے کہاکہ لوٹوں کی سیاست کا خاتمہ کر چکے ہیں جب آصف علی زرداری نے پنجاب میں ہماری حکومت کو توڑا تو لوٹوں نے واپس آنے کی کوشش کی تھی اللہ نے پارٹی پر کرم کیا اور اسے لوٹوں سے دور رکھا انہوں نے کہاکہ میں نے واضح کر دیاتھا کہ پارٹی میں لوٹے واپس آ گئے تو میں سیاست سے دستبردار ہو جاؤں گا۔ حکومت جاتی ہے تو چلی جائے پنجاب میں کسی اور کی حکومت بن جائے مگر لوٹوں کو واپس نہیں لیں گے پارٹی میں لوٹا بازی کی سیاست کو برداشت نہیں کیا جائے گا نواز شریف نے کہاکہ جن کارکنوں نے پرویز مشرف کے ظلم و ستم کا سامنا کیا وہ ہیروں میں تولنے کے لائق ہیں ان جانثار رکاکنوں کو پارٹی کی تنظیم نو میں پورے عزت و قار کے ساتھ جگہ دی جائے گی کارکنان پارٹی کا قیمتی اثاثہ ہیں اس عہد کے ساتھ جمع ہوئے ہیں کہ پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) کو حقیقی معنوں میں بانی پاکستان قائداعظم محمد علی جناح کی میراث بنایا جائے گا ہمیشہ مسلم لیگ کو تماشا بنایا گیا پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) نے بانی پاکستان کی سپاہ بن کر اس کی میراث بننا ہے ہم اقتدار نہیں اقدار کی سیاست کر رہے ہیں۔ اقتدار کے کھیل کے کھلاڑی بننے کے لیے اپنے اصول و نظریات کو قربان نہیں کریں گے ۔ ملک میں جب بھی آمر برسراقتدار آیا اسے نے عدلیہ کی آزادی پر شب خون مارنے کے لیے مسلم لیگ میں دراڑ ڈال کر اس پر قبضہ کیا۔مسلم لیگ ہمیشہ آمروں کے عزائم کا کھلونا بنی ہے
http://awaz-e-haq.com/2009/09/page/68/
Archive for September, 2009
سٹیٹس کو ‘‘ کو برقرار رکھنے کے بجائے اسے تبدیل کیا جائے گا پاکستان کو بچانے کیلئے انقلاب لانا ہوگا۔ ۔ ۔ نوازشریف
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Sharifs lose 80pc of assets, says Qureshi Ansar Abbasi DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending: 16 December 2000 Issue : 06/48http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/2000/dec1600.html#shar
ISLAMABAD, Dec 10: The exile of the Sharif family to Saudi Arabia following the pardon announcement by the government, has deprived the Raiwind dwellers of their 15 assets, worth billions of rupees. A spokesman for the government, Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi, told Dawn on Monday that almost 80 per cent of the Sharifs’ property had been “taken over” by the government. According to Mr Qureshi, the 15 assets that have been taken over by
the government in return for providing a safe “exit” to the Sharif family include Rs300 million in cash; industrial assets including Brother Steel Mills; Ilyas Enterprises; Hudaybia Paper Mill; Hudaybia Engineering Company; Hamza Spinning Mills; residential property including the Model Town bungalow; three houses at Mall
Road Murree; property at 135 Upper Mall Lahore; a plot at Model Town Lahore; a plot at Upper Mall, Lahore; agricultural property including 10.2 kanals of land at Khanpur Sheikhupura Road Lahore; 41 acres and 7 kanals of land at Sheikhupura; 14.2 kanals of land and another 35 kanals at Bhaipharu in Chunnian and 88 kanals of land at Raiwind.
The Raiwind palace of the Sharif family, which ruled the country for almost 15 years, has however not been Confiscated by the government. Mr Qureshi dispelled the impression that there had been any underhand deal between the government and the Sharif family. He said the government had simply responded to the repeated mercy petitions filed by the Sharifs. Contrary to what the Sharifs were pretending before the public and
in their statements to the media, Mr Qureshi said they had been writing to the government including the chief executive and the president, appealing for pardon.
“We were receiving their requests for mercy in the past three to four months particularly after the courts handed over decisions against Nawaz Sharif,” he said.
These requests were renewed recently following Nawaz Sharif’s reported ailment. Mr Qureshi stated that since the chief executive had repeatedly said that he was not vindictive so he recommended to President Tarar that the imprisonment of the Sharifs be pardoned and turned into exile while the rest of the punishments including fines, forfeiture of property and disqualification should stay.
When told that the people in streets felt as if they had been betrayed by the government for allowing a safe exit to the Sharifs, the government spokesman said, “the Government has actually taken a compassionate view of the situation and converted the imprisonment into exile.”
Qureshi dispelled the impression that a “deal” was ‘brokered’ either by a Saudi prince or was the exit the consequence of Saudi Arabia’s pressure.
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Cabinet had no idea of exile deal Ansar Abbasi DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending: 16 December 2000 Issue : 06/48http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/2000/dec1600.html#cabi
ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: The government did not consult the Cabinet but took into confidence the military elite while granting pardon to Nawaz Sharif and sending the family into exile. A well-placed government source confided to Dawn that the dramatic decision had been taken purely by the men in uniform. The matter was discussed in the closed circles of the military
before being put to the corps commanders at their two-day meeting last week. Asked whether the matter was placed before the cabinet, the source said: “No”. It was too sensitive a matter to be discussed by the cabinet, he added.
The military elite’s support to the idea came when it was explained that the pardon and the exile was being allowed following Saudi Arabia’s request. It was said that the Saudi government had given assurance that the
Sharifs would not take part in politics “for quite some time”. “Besides, the Sharifs, too, had given the undertaking in writing not to take part in politics,” the source said. Asked how Saudi Arabia would prevent any of the Sharifs to travel to London and issue political statements from there against the military regime, the source said: “If the Saudis can get the
Sharifs freed, they can also make them behave accordingly. They (the Saudis) are very strict in their commitments.”
The source, however, refused to accept that there was any Saudi “pressure” on the government to get the Sharifs off the hook. In reply to a question, the source said that those exiled to Saudi Arabia would remain there. “If anyone of them goes to some other country he would be bound to come back to the country of exile,”
the source said. “We have the best example of Idi Amin who lives in Saudi Arabia with his 19 wives but as a completely non-political entity.” Persuading the government for pardon, the Saudi authorities had
said that not only would it be an Islamic act to set Nawaz Sharif free after the payment of Qisas but it would also be politically helpful to the military regime.
“We were told by the Saudis that they had also tried to get Zulfikar Ali Bhutto freed but Pakistan’s response in negative had plunged the country in an unending political turmoil,” the source said. He stated that the military government was expecting that the departure of Sharifs’ from politics would set things, particularly
economic situation, right for the country. The government, he said, hoped that the present state of “shock” and “uncertainty” would not last long.
“Don’t you agree with the idea of throwing the dirt out to get the house in order,” the source commented.
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Exclusively for Jang Group [under Nawaz Sharif DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending : 05 June 1999 Issue : 05/23
Government] http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1999/05jun99.html#35jo
WASHINGTON, June 1: The Committee to Protect journalists, a New York-based press freedom organization, is conducting an investigation into a “hit list” prepared allegedly by the Pakistan government.
“We are looking into it,” a CPJ spokesperson said, confirming that the list contains the names of 35 prominent journalists. According to the CPJ, the names were: Irshad Ahmed Haqqani, Rehmat Ali Razi, Anjum Rasheed, Suhail Warraich, Sohaib Marghoob and Roman
Ehsan, (Jang Lahore), M. Ziauddin and Ansar Abbasi (Dawn
Islamabad), Dr Maleeha Lodhi, Javed Jaidi, Nusrat Javed and Mariana Babar (The News Islamabad), Rehana Hakeem and Zahid Hussain (Newsline), Ejaz Haider, Khalid Ahmed, Jugnu Mohsin and Adnan Adil (The Friday Times), Mahmood Sham (Jang Karachi), Rashed Rehman (The Nation Lahore), Amir Ahmed Khan (Herald), Imtiaz Alam, Beena Sarwar, Shafiq Awan, Kamila Hyat and Amir Mir (The News Lahore),
Abbas Athar (Nawa-i-Waqat Lahore), Kamran Khan and Shehzad Amjad (The News Karachi), Azam Khalil (Pulse), Mohammad Malik (Tribune), Imtiaz Ahmed (The Frontier Post Peshawar), Ilyas Chaudhry (Jang Rawalpindi), Naveed Meraj (The Frontier Post Islamabad) and Syed Talat Hussain (The Nation Islamabad).
According to reports received by the CPJ, the federal government had decided to establish a special media cell comprising officials from the police, Intelligence Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency to punish the journalists who have been writing against the government. Ehtesab Bureau Chairman Senator Saifur Rehman Khan would head this cell which would function simultaneously at Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi and Peshawar with its head office at Islamabad.
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Nawaz orders fresh inquiry against FIA official By Ansar Abbasi DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending : 04 September 1999 Issue : 05/36 http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1999/04sep99.html#nawa
ISLAMABAD, Aug 30: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has ordered re-inquiry against an FIA official who investigated the foreign currency accounts of Mian Abbas Sharif, the younger brother of the premier, it was learnt. The PM set aside the findings of the investigation carried out by Sajjad Mustafa Bajwa, assistant director (under suspension). He also rejected the recommendations of a former secretary of interior who had exonerated Mr Bajwa and called for his immediate reinstatement. However, a deputy secretary of the interior ministry who was asked to reopen inquiry against Mr Bajwa refused. Now a joint secretary of the interior division Javed Raza, has been nominated the inquiry officer.
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Shahbaz Sharif talks of intelligence report; flat denial by FO Ansar Abbasi DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending : 09 October 1999 Issue : 05/41 http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1999/09oct99.html#shah
ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: The reported statement of the Punjab Chief Minister, Mian Shahbaz Sharif, in which he had accused the Taliban of backing sectarian violence in Pakistan, has stunned the high authorities here.
The Foreign Office has formally regretted what it termed “the baseless speculation and incorrect reporting in some sections of the media, claiming that the Taliban government of Afghanistan is allegedly involved in recent incidents of terrorist violence in the
country.” Sources in the relevant agencies of the federal government have expressed complete ignorance about the availability of any intelligence report that could support what the Punjab CM was reported to have said in his talk with newsmen at Lahore on Tuesday.
They said the Punjab delegation which had attended an inter-provincial meeting on Monday, a day before the CM’s reported statement, did not mention a word about the Taliban backing the sectarian violence in Pakistan.
“There was absolutely no mention of the Taliban in the meeting which was called merely to discuss sectarianism,” a source who attended the meeting said.
The Punjab Chief Secretary, A.Z.K. Sherdil, however, told Dawn by telephone from his Lahore residence that some intelligence reports did suggest that religious extremists from Pakistan got training in Afghanistan and before joining sectarian violence in the country.
He said these intelligence reports maintained that such elements received training in camps inside Afghanistan, had fought along with the Taliban against the Afghan opposition, and had infiltrated into Pakistan and were involved in sectarian violence. “We are quite concerned about this situation and want a comprehensive policy to check this movement across the Pakistan-Afghan border,”
Mr Sherdil said. He, however, denied that there was any mention, in these intelligence reports, about Riaz Basra’s protection by the Taliban.
The chief secretary said there was massive gun-running from Afghanistan to the tribal areas in Pakistan from where the weapons came to the NWFP and then supplied to other provinces. He said since the Pakistan-Afghan border was not properly manned, this practice continues.
However, official sources in the federal government totally deny having seen any such intelligence report. But some sources believe that the Punjab chief minister who has recently returned from an “important US trip” had taken an initiative to dissociate Pakistan from the Taliban and Afghanistan.
Meanwhile the Foreign Office, in a press statement issued here on Wednesday evening, regretted “the baseless speculation and incorrect reporting in some sections of the media, claiming that the Taliban government of Afghanistan is allegedly involved in
recent incidents of terrorist violence in the country.”
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Over 90 men appointed on political basis Ansar Abbasi DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending: 02 January 1999 Issue : 05/01http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1999/02Jan99.html#over
ISLAMABAD, Dec 27: The year 1998 has been one of the worst years for civil bureaucracy in Pakistan for mounting politicization, intensified inter-service rivalries, controversial promotions and non-resolution of outstanding issues. According to official sources, during 1998 well over 90 persons were appointed on political basis and were given key positions in
the civil bureaucracy on the orders of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The political appointees include retired government servants and persons from open market. At least 13 persons were offered grade 22 positions; 17 were adjusted against grade 21 posts; 31 were offered
grade 20; and the rest in other grades. These include the retired civil servants re-employed in violation
of the rules and without fulfilling the conditions for re-employments. These political appointees also include those retired military officers who were re-employed without following the prescribed procedure.
“Most of these appointments were irregular,” a source said, adding the prime minister had been using his discretionary powers to make these appointments.
Political appointments in certain cases is allowed under the rules provided it is done in the public interest. However, during the year under review hardly any of these political appointments were made on the recommendation of relevant government agencies.
“Everything has been travelling down from big office,” a source said. The sources said transfer of bureaucrats remained a tricky issue and most of the appointments at key positions were made without consulting the government agencies which were supposed to initiate
and regulate the transfers of bureaucrats.
The establishment division, which is responsible for the career planning of the officers, has turned into a post office and is there only to stamp whatever is communicated to it by the prime minister’s office.
Under the rules the prime minister issues the transfer order for bureaucrats in grade 21 and 22. The rest is the jurisdiction of the secretary, establishment. But in case of the transfer of grade 21 and 22 bureaucrats the establishment division is the authority to identify the vacancy, look for suitable candidates and propose a
panel of officers before the prime minister. The PM is then supposed to select one of the officers.
“But in actual practice no such exercise is done. Now everything is done by the PM’s office who simply conveys as to who should be transferred against which position,” a source said, adding during this year almost all the key positions like federal secretaries, chief secretaries, inspector generals of police (IGPs) and heads of different departments were decided without the knowledge of the ED.
“The ED has been only bothered at the time of the issuance of notifications,” the source said.
Even in those cases where the secretary, establishment, is the competent authority, the PM office has been interfering to give the plum postings to ‘blue-eyed’ bureaucrats. Sources in the PM’s office confirmed to this correspondent that most of these posting orders were issued by the PM’s office on the wish of the parliamentarians and other influentials.
The promotions have also been very controversial during this year. Most of the groups of the civil bureaucracy remained frustrated because of their bleak promotion prospects. The district management group, however, got good promotions. It got two promotion in grade
22, 14 in grade 21, at least 21 in grade 20 and others.
Information group officers, having very bleak promotion prospects, were happy during this year because of their en-block promotions. These promotions were made without following the statutory provisions.
Disparity in the pace of promotion between different groups has further worsened. Bureaucrats, particularly belonging to the groups of office anagement/secretariat, information, military land and cantonment, railways, and commerce and trade, remained the worst as far as promotion is concerned.
The government has set a new precedent during the year 1998 by giving out of turn promotions to at least four of its ‘blue eyed’ bureaucrats. Two juniors were promoted (in grade 20 and 21 respectively) in PSP; and one each in secretariat group (in grade 22) and DMG (in grade 20) without considering a brigade of their
seniors. All these officers were promoted without following the statutory provision or fulfilling the prescribed procedure and in complete violation of government rules.
Long-standing issues, like the fixation of share for different occupations in the secretariat group, remained unresolved. The issue is pending since the introduction of the 1973 administrative reforms.
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PML leaders being excluded from Ehtesab process Ansar Abbasi DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending : 26 April 1997 Issue : 03/17 http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1997/26Apr97.html#pmll
ISLAMABAD, April 25: Government agencies involved in the accountability exercise are said to be avoiding the processing of cases of alleged corruption or misuse of authority against members of the ruling PML, it is
learnt. Investigations into the working of the Ehtesab commission and the interior ministry which are directly concerned with the accountability process under
a statute, show that neither of them has been processing the references against PML leaders. According to sources, the two agencies have even been told to lay off certain cases.
The sources claimed that some of the top PML leaders against whom references had been pending were Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Sindh Chief Minister Liaquat Jatoi, Punjab Assembly speaker Pervez Elahi, former chief minister of the NWFP Pir Syed Sabir Shah, former Balochistan chief minister Zulfiqar Magsi, and former Punjab minister Raja Ishfaq Sarwar. Besides, a case against the NA deputy speaker, Jaffar Iqbal, was referred by an advocate from Multan to the Ehtesab Commissioner. But the commission has denied having received any formal reference in this regard.
A commission source, however, told this correspondent that the reference had actually been sent to the commission and it had been redirected to the provincial anti-corruption department for verification of the allegations. The Ehtesab Commission has so far referred a total of 54 cases to special benches of the high courts for trial. These include only two references
against the PML leaders Chaudhry Sher Ali (MNA) and Jam Mashooq Ali (MNA). But both had been sent to the high courts much before the present government came to power.
It is learnt that the agencies concerned have been told to keep a low profile in some cases involving bureaucrats and other top officials. The case of Raana Sheikh, former MD, PTV, for instance, has been pending with the interior division but they have been asked not to send it to the Ehtesab Commission, interior ministry sources told dawn. Later, the Accountability Cell of the PMs Secretariat suspended all these officers except the two Ahmad Riaz Shiekh and Chaudhry Sharif. The FIA
administration, the sources said, wanted to move against these two officials but they had not only been saved but the authorities had also been asked to process the case of promotion of one of them.
According to one source, these officers have set the condition that they will only go to FIA if the incumbent director general is removed.
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