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Posts Tagged US Meddling in Pakistan

NADRAGate: The terrifying cable that should not be ignored by Waqas Ahmed

 NADRAGate: The terrifying cable that should not be ignored  

by  

Waqas Ahmed

Daily Pakistan

 

Cablegate

In 2010-11, Wikileaks released a trove of classified US govt data which consisted of communications between Washington and her embassies worldwide – this was called Cablegate. Cablegate consisted of more than 250,000 US diplomatic cables – an overwhelming amount of data. In the same year (2011) Pakistani journalists published a story about one cable of particular interest: #09ISLAMABAD1642_a, classified ‘secret’ by US govt.

There was some noise about this cable back then, but the public quickly forgot it and it remained forgotten till a few days ago when Wikileaks tweeted about it and reminded us.

This particular cable details a series of meetings held in 2009 between the then Interior Minister of Pakistan, Rehman Malik, the President of Pakistan, Asif Zardari, and the Prime Minister of Pakistan Yousaf Raza Gilani with US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano. The purpose of these meetings, from the US side at least, was to “Offer DHS assistance to enhance Pakistan’s border security and [seek] GOP views on an arrangement under which DHS would provide the Government of Pakistan (GOP) with technology to access and analyze Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data on passengers flying to and from Pakistan, in return for DHS getting access to the data.

What is API and PNR?

Advance Passenger Information is, in simple terms, information about the passenger who is travelling overseas. Suppose you are travelling to UAE, a country that requires API from Pakistani passengers, you will need to provide the following data about yourself prior to boarding your flight:

  • Full name
  • Passport number, issuing country, and expiration date
  • Gender
  • Date of birth
  • Nationality

This information will be connected to your PNR, which is a unique ID identifying you as a passenger on a flight. This information will be received by your destination country so they could investigate your past criminal history (if any) before they allow you in that country. To do that, they will use your API information to search their own country’s database and check if you are clean or not. Without connecting API to the database of a host country, API is useless.

United States DHS, in the cable under discussion, wanted to provide us with such a tool which would connect API to NADRA database for the purpose of analysis, and in theory give us a heads-up if a terrorist was travelling to or from our country. United States, it seems benevolently, wanted to give us this technology for free – with only one catch: they would be able to access the data from our side. And not just the data of passengers travelling from US to Pakistan or vice versa, they would be able to access data of passengers from all countries going to and from Pakistan. To make it all useful, the API technology would have to be connected to NADRA database, therefore, in a way US would also get an interface to NADRA database.

Why was US pushing for API technology?

US was pushing Pakistan to install this technology for the obvious reason that they wanted the data. It is a good rule-of-thumb to remember that if something supposedly valuable is being given to you for free, you must be doubly suspicious.

But there was something else that was going on at that time.

At that time Pakistan was in the process of phasing out an old system provided to NADRA by an American company for a similar purpose. That system was called ‘Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System (PISCES)’. NADRA aimed to phase out that system by 2011 and instead install a new indigenously made one: Integrated Border Management System (IBMS).

PISCES was installed in 1999-2002, when Lt Gen (r) Moinuddin Haider was the interior Minister under Musharraf’s govt. But listen to this: While IBMS cost us around Rs421 million to implement, PISCES was free. Why?

Here is a clue: PISCES was made by US firm Booz Allen Hamilton. Booz Allen Hamilton was Snowden’s employer for those of you who can’t recall where you heard that name. Booz Allen Hamilton was an NSA contractor and that is enough to reach the conclusion that PISCES had a backdoor that allowed US to access all Pakistani data connected to it. Moinuddin Haider rubbished, at that time, any claims that PISCES had a backdoor – but in hindsight after Snowden leaks, it is highly improbable that PISCES was clean. Another clue is that US State dept wanted to give us $42 million (free) to upgrade and maintain PISCES and abandon all attempts to make something similar on our own. Here is an Express Tribune article (which was affiliated with New York Times at that time) telling us why IBMS sucks in comparison to PISCES.

The shady dealings with PPP govt

When US was pushing API on us, we were getting rid of PISCES, and I suspect, it was because of this exact reason API was being pushed on us.

How did the PPP-led govt react to that? While the behavior of PPP govt remains highly suspect, we can see in the same cable that Rehman Malik was being very slippery in his dealings with Ms. Napolitano.

According to the cable: On API/PNR, Interior Minister Malik assured the Secretary privately that the GOP wanted to be helpful, but in the meeting with his subordinates asked for information on model agreements, legal frameworks and precedents the Ministry could use to persuade those in the GOP worried about privacy rights and possible legal challenges in the courts to API/PNR data sharing. The GOP agreed to host future DHS visitors to continue discussions on API/PNR and border security. It is obvious that while Rehman Malik was being cooperative in front of US govt, he also wanted to protect his own behind and was trying to be extremely careful.

Not only that, the PPP govt at every turn tried to get something out of the US in return and in a way put a price on the private data of Pakistani citizens. In every meeting they tried to couple PNR/API issue with: Pakistani textile exports to US, non-stop PIA flights to US, and a few hundred Pakistani students receiving scholarships in the US. Rehman Malik also tried to make excuses by saying that overreaching Pakistani judiciary would never allow such a thing.

On the other hand Napolitano was even more stubborn:
Secretary Napolitano responded that the United States now wishes to deal with non-stop flights separately from the issue of API/PNR data exchange, and explained that enhanced access to API/PNR data is of direct benefit to Pakistan as well as to the United States. Prime Minister Gilani echoed Zardari’s comments on PNR, stating that, although the Interior Ministry is considering the U.S. request, to “do the whole world” will be difficult. To Gilani’s statement that Pakistan had been promised non-stop flights in return for buying Boeing aircraft in 2004, Secretary Napolitano was clear that flights will be dealt with as a separate issue, not as an exchange.

While in all these discussions the pretext is Pakistani border security, it is obvious that both parties know exactly what is going on: That US wants Pakistani data, and Pakistan, while not unwilling to provide access to that data, wants a ‘consideration’, i.e something in return. And without any potential political blowback.

Make no mistake, at no point did Rehman Malik or Gilani or Zardari say an outright “NO”. They wanted to put some sort of price on this invaluable data, something that would protect them from political repercussions. However, it seems that these discussions did not bear any fruits at that time. We don’t know the reason – there is no cable that follows up on this one.

Enter another shadowy company: International Identity Services (IIS)

On September 6, 2011 The News published a report that NADRA was out sourcing its UK operations to a private company. This news in itself would’ve been outrageous but the details were even more so: IIS was headed by an unnamed person with a criminal history. Not only that, but NADRA officials maintained that NADRA was working with the company since 2009, when in fact IIS was created the very same year, and maybe for the very same purpose.

IIS was formed in 2009, and closed its operations in just 5 years.
IIS was formed in 2009, and closed its operations in just 5 years.

There could be two reasons for such a discrepancy: Either some officials at NADRA or Interior Ministry were planning to receive kickbacks from that company made by someone close to them, or this company was a front for NSA/CIA/GCHQ. IIS, even more suspiciously, stopped its operations in 2014 – in just 5 years and disappeared off the face of this earth.

Is NADRA data safe?

In short: NO, NADRA data is not safe. Even one outsourced company or country that can access NADRA database through any interface can potentially steal the whole database. They might not even have to steal because we have people in our government, supposedly custodians of our national interests, willing to sell such invaluable national asset such as the database of the whole populace in exchange for pennies then all bets are off. We do not know, and we may never know, how much of our data has been compromised. But one thing we know for sure is that we cannot trust our government, elected or otherwise.

One thing we see in the cable is that Rehman Malik and Co, were afraid of public outrage. When this cable first surfaced, there was little to no great public backlash. If there is no adverse reaction, future governments may get bold. Let’s make sure that there is no such misunderstanding between public representatives and the public. Wikileaks has given us another chance to consider our reactions against those who claim to represent us but actually do not. Let’s give it to them.

Waqas Ahmed

Waqas Ahmed

Waqas Ahmed is Editor, Digital Media, at Daily Pakistan Global. You can reach him at [email protected]

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US Meddling in Pakistan Government Formation

It is as bad as committing incest with another nation

Is Meddling by the US in Pakistan’s Affairs, a Christian thing to do?

Here is what the Gospels say: 

1 Peter 5:15. “But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.”

US Meddling in Pakistan Government Formation:

When Will US Learn to Stop Meddling in Pakistan:

It Creates More US Enemies

 

جنرل آصف نواز جنجوعہ آرمی چیف تھے‘ وہ 1992ءکے اگست میں امریکا کے سرکاری دورے پر گئے‘وہ امریکی وزیر خارجہ جیمز بیکر اور وزیر دفاع ڈک چینی سے ملنا چاہتے تھے لیکن سٹیٹ ڈیپارٹمنٹ نے ان کی ملاقات تیسرے درجے کے انڈر سیکرٹری آرنلڈ کینٹور سے طے کر دی تاہم ڈک چینی ملنے کےلئے تیار ہوگئے‘ آرمی چیف پاکستانی سفیر عابدہ حسین کے ساتھ انڈر سیکرٹری سے ملاقات کےلئے گئے تو سٹیٹ ڈیپارٹمنٹ کے گیٹ پر دونوں کو تلاشی کے عمل سے گزرنا پڑا‘ جنرل آصف نواز اس سلوک پر خفا ہو گئے‘ سفیر نے بڑی مشکل سے انہیں یقین دلایا‘ یہ امریکا میں معمول ہے‘ یہ لوگ تمام لوگوں کی تلاشی لیتے ہیں لیکن جنرل نے اسے اپنی توہین سمجھا‘ یہ لوگ لفٹ کے ذریعے انڈر سیکرٹری کے دفتر پہنچے‘ مہمانوں کا استقبال ایک سابق سفیر نے کیا‘ یہ انہیں انڈر سیکرٹری کے پاس لے گئی‘ کینٹور نے ٹھنڈے انداز سے ان کا استقبال کیا‘ جنرل آصف نواز اور سفیر عابدہ حسین کو صوفے پر بٹھا دیا اور خود کرسی پر بیٹھا رہا‘ گفتگو شروع ہونے سے پہلے خلاف توقع سٹیٹ ڈیپارٹمنٹ کی بجلی چلی گئی‘ انڈر سیکرٹری نے دراز سے ٹارچ نکالی اور وہ اسے میز پر سیٹ کرنے کی کوشش کرنے لگا‘ وہ ناکام ہو گیا تو جنرل آصف نواز اپنی جگہ سے اٹھے‘ ٹارچ لی اور اسے میز پر درست زاویئے پر کھڑا کر دیا‘ انڈر سیکرٹری نے اس کے بعد پاکستان کے نیو کلیئر پروگرام اور دہشت گردی پر سوال اٹھائے اور یوں یہ ملاقات چائے اور کافی کے بغیر ختم ہو گئی‘

سفیر اور آرمی چیف اس کے بعد پینٹا گان گئے‘ پینٹا گان میں آرمی چیف کے ساتھی جنرل سردار علی کو ویٹنگ روم میں بٹھا دیا گیا اور سفیر اور آرمی چیف کو ڈک چینی کے پاس لے جایا گیا‘ جنرل آصف نواز نے ڈک چینی کو افغانستان کی صورتحال پر بریفنگ دی‘ ڈک چینی سنتے رہے‘ جب آرمی چیف خاموش ہوئے تو ڈک چینی نے کہا ”کیا میں جنرل کے ساتھ تنہائی میں بات کر سکتا ہوں“ جنرل آصف نواز نے سفیر عابدہ حسین کو باہر جانے کا اشارہ کر دیا‘ سفیر باہر آ گئیں‘ چند منٹ بعد دروازہ کھلا اور ڈک چینی اور جنرل آصف نواز باہر آ گئے‘ عابدہ حسین کے بقول”جنرل آصف کافی خوش دکھائی دے رہے تھے“ سفیر نے اس رات آرمی چیف کو اپنی رہائش گاہ پر ڈنر دے رکھا تھا‘ ڈنر کے بعد آصف نواز نے عابدہ حسین سے پوچھا ”کیا آپ اندازہ کر سکتی ہیں‘ ڈک چینی نے مجھ سے کیا کہا ہو گا“ عابدہ حسین نے اپنی کتاب ”پاور فیلیئر“ میں اس واقعے کا حوالہ دیتے ہوئے لکھا‘ میں نے جواب دیا ”ڈک چینی نے آپ سے کہا ہو گا‘ فوج اگر حکومت پر قبضہ کر کے نیو کلیئر پروگرام کو ریڈ لائین سے پیچھے لے جائے تو ہم مارشل لاءپر خاموش رہیں گے“ عابدہ حسین کے بقول جنرل آصف نواز نے میری آبزرویشن کی داد دی اور کہا ”ہاں ڈک چینی نے مجھ سے یہی کہا تھا لیکن میں نے جواب دیا‘ فوج اقتدار پر قبضے کے موڈ میں بالکل نہیں ہے“ جنرل نے اس کے بعد کہا ”لیکن نواز شریف ملک کےلئے ناگزیر نہیں ہیں اگر چند ارکان اسمبلی وفاداریاں بدل لیں تو وزیراعظم تبدیل ہو  جائے گا جس سے ہمیں امریکیوں سے مہلت مل جائے گی“۔

جنرل آصف نواز جنجوعہ پاکستان آئے اور فوج اور حکومت کے درمیان اختلافات میں تیزی آ گئی‘ دسمبر 1992ءمیں عابدہ حسین پاکستان آئیں‘ آرمی چیف نے انہیں فخر امام کے ساتھ ڈنر پر بلایا اوردونوں میاں بیوی کو بتایا ”میں نے میاں نواز شریف کو ہٹا کر بلخ شیر مزاری کو وزیراعظم بنانے کا فیصلہ کر لیا ہے“ یہ انکشاف حیران کن تھا‘ یہ دونوں خاموش رہے‘ نواز شریف اور آصف نواز کی یہ چپقلش بڑھتی رہی لیکن کسی حتمی نتیجے سے پہلے 8 جنوری 1993ءکو جنرل آصف نواز کو ہارٹ اٹیک ہوا اور وہ انتقال کر گئے‘ حکومت نے اطمینان کا سانس لیا‘ جنرل آصف نواز کے بعد جنرل فرخ خان سینئر تھے‘ وہ چیف آف جنرل سٹاف تھے‘ صدر اسحاق خان انہیں آرمی چیف بنانا چاہتے تھے لیکن میاں صاحبان کور کمانڈر لاہور لیفٹیننٹ جنرل محمد اشرف کو چیف بنوانا چاہتے تھے‘ صدر اور وزیراعظم کے تعلقات ٹھیک نہیں تھے چنانچہ میاں شہباز شریف اور چودھری نثار نے عابدہ حسین کو واشنگٹن سے بلوایا اور انہیں جنرل اشرف کی لابنگ کےلئے صدر کے پاس بھجوا دیا لیکن صدر نے صاف جواب دے دیا‘

چودھری نثار بعد ازاں خود صدر کے ساتھ انگیج ہوئے اور دونوں جنرل عبدالوحید کاکڑ کے نام پر متفق ہو گئے‘ نیا آرمی چیف آ گیا لیکن صدر اور وزیراعظم کے درمیان اختلافات قائم رہے‘ یہ اختلافات اپریل 1993ءمیں عروج پر پہنچ گئے‘ جنرل خالد مقبول اس وقت بریگیڈیئر تھے اور یہ امریکا میں ڈیفنس اتاشی تھے‘ عابدہ حسین نے ان سے کہا ”آپ امریکیوں سے ٹوہ لگاﺅ‘ یہ اسلام آباد کے واقعات کو کیسے دیکھتے ہیں“ بریگیڈیئر خالد مقبول نے چند گھنٹے بعد سفیر کوبتایا ”حکومت کے پاس تین چار روز سے زیادہ وقت نہیں“ سفیر نے اپنا سامان باندھنا شروع کر دیا‘ صدر غلام اسحاق خا ن نے18 اپریل کو حکومت برطرف کر دی ‘ بلخ شیر مزاری کو نگران وزیراعظم بنا دیا گیا‘ نواز شریف سپریم کورٹ چلے گئے‘ سپریم کورٹ نے 26مئی1993ءکو حکومت بحال کر دی لیکن اس بار جنرل عبدالوحید کاکڑ آگے بڑھے اور انہوں نے غلام اسحاق خان اور نواز شریف دونوں کو فارغ کر دیا‘ الیکشن ہوئے‘ میاں نواز شریف الیکشن جیت رہے تھے لیکن یہ ہار گئے اور بے نظیر بھٹو وزیراعظم بن گئیں‘

آپ کمال دیکھئے‘ نواز شریف کو فارغ کرنے کا اشارہ ڈک چینی نے دیا تھا‘ بلخ شیر مزاری کو وزیراعظم بنانے کا فیصلہ جنرل آصف نواز نے کیا تھا‘ وہ انتقال کر گئے اور میاں برادران نے ان کی جگہ جنرل عبدالوحید کاکڑ کو آرمی چیف بنوایا لیکن ان تمام تبدیلیوں کے باوجود میاں نواز شریف فارغ ہوئے اور بلخ شیر مزاری وزیراعظم بنے‘ یہ کیا ثابت کرتا ہے؟ یہ ثابت کرتا ہے چہرے بدلنے سے فیصلے تبدیل نہیں ہوتے اور اگر سپریم کورٹ بھی فیصلوں کے راستے میں حائل ہو جائے تو بھی فیصلہ‘ فیصلہ رہتا ہے‘ آپ دیکھ لیجئے میاں نواز شریف کو اس وقت ہٹانے کا فیصلہ امریکا نے کیا تھا اور فوج نے اس فیصلے پر عملدرآمد کی یقین دہانی کرائی تھی چنانچہ کرداروں کی تبدیلی کے باوجود وہی ہوا جس کا فیصلہ ہو چکا تھا اور اس فیصلے کو امپلی منٹ کرانے کےلئے وزیراعظم بھی امریکا نے فراہم کیا‘ صدر غلام اسحاق خان اور آرمی چیف جنرل کاکڑ نے امریکا کی خواہش پر ورلڈ بینک کے ایک ریٹائر ملازم معین قریشی کو نگران وزیراعظم بنا دیا‘ معین قریشی کو پاکستانی پاسپورٹ اور شیروانی اس وقت پیش کی گئی جب وہ وزارت عظمیٰ کا حلف لینے کےلئے خصوصی طیارے میں سوار ہو چکے تھے‘ معین قریشی نے الیکشن کرائے‘ میاں نواز شریف کواقتدار کے ایوانوں سے آﺅٹ کیا‘ پاکستانی پاسپورٹ اور شیروانی واپس کی اور امریکا واپس لوٹ گئے۔

آپ اگر آج کے حالات کا 1993ءکے واقعات سے تقابل کریں تو آپ کو ان میں مماثلت ملے گی‘ امریکا‘ پاکستان میں سول ملٹری اختلافات اور میاں نواز شریف مثلث کے تینوں زاویئے اپنی اپنی جگہ موجود ہیں‘ امریکا نواز شریف سے خوش بھی نہیں‘ کیوں؟ اس کی چند وجوہات ہیں‘ میاں نواز شریف 1990ءسے پاکستان کو سنٹرل ایشیا سے جوڑنا چاہتے ہیں‘ انہوں نے سنٹرل ایشیا کو پاکستان سے جوڑنے کےلئے 1990میں موٹروے کی بنیاد رکھی اور یہ 1997ءمیں سنٹرل ایشیا کی ریاستوں سے معاہدے کرنے لگے‘ یہ آج بھی وہی ”غلطی“ کر رہے ہیں‘ یہ امریکا کے دونوں دشمنوں چین اور روس کو گوادر میں جمع کر رہے ہیں اور یہ امریکا کےلئے قابل قبول نہیں‘ دوسری وجہ سول ملٹری اختلافات ہیں‘ میاں نواز شریف فوج کے ساتھ اور فوج میاں نواز شریف کے ساتھ کبھی کمفرٹیبل نہیں رہی اور مستقبل میں بھی اس کا کوئی چانس نہیں‘

میاں نواز شریف کو ان کی قسمت مسلسل بچا رہی ہے‘ عمران خان نے دو نومبر کو ان پر کاری وار کرنا تھا لیکن آپ میاں نواز شریف کی قسمت ملاحظہ کیجئے‘ ملک کے ایک بزنس ٹائیکون عین وقت پر ان کی مدد کےلئے پہنچ گئے‘ اس بزنس ٹائیکون نے پہلے ستمبرمیں علامہ طاہر القادری کوراولپنڈی سے لاہور واپس بھجوا یا اور جب 9 اکتوبر کو شیخ رشید علامہ صاحب کو منانے کےلئے لندن جا رہے تھے تو بزنس ٹائیکون کا بیٹا شیخ رشید سے پہلے لندن پہنچ گیا اور اس نے علامہ صاحب کوکینیڈا بھجوا دیا‘ اس ساری افراتفری اور بھاگ دوڑ میں بزنس ٹائیکون کے ساڑھے آٹھ کروڑ روپے خرچ ہو گئے لیکن عمران خان اکیلے رہ گئے اور یہ دوسری مرتبہ بھی دس لاکھ لوگ جمع نہ کر سکے اور یوں میاں نواز شریف پہلے سے زیادہ مضبوط ہو گئے‘ یہ بظاہر میاں نواز شریف کی خوش قسمتی ہے‘ یہ اب تک تمام میچ جیت گئے ہیں‘ آج جنرل قمر جاوید باجوہ بھی چارج لے رہے ہیں لیکن وہ سوال آج بھی قائم ہے‘کیا چارج تبدیل ہونے سے فیصلہ بھی تبدیل ہو جائے گا؟ شاید نہیں‘ کیوں؟ کیونکہ یہ آصف نواز کی طرح فردواحد کا فیصلہ نہیں یہ مشترکہ فیصلہ ہے اور اس مشترکہ فیصلے میں بلخ شیر مزاری کی طرح ایک متبادل وزیراعظم بھی موجود ہے‘ ہم نے بس اب اتنا دیکھنا ہے کیا میاں نواز شریف مستقبل میں بھی اتنے ہی خوش نصیب ثابت ہوتے ہیں یا پھر ان کی قسمت کی ایکسپائری ڈیٹ آ چکی ہے اور یہ جاننے کےلئے اب زیادہ دن نہیں لگیں گے۔

 

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INTERNATIONAL LAYER OF INSTABILITY By Samson Simon Sharaf

My Opinion in Nation.
 While reading do not miss moles planted within the most vociferous opposition party and the moles within us. 

 

INTERNATIONAL LAYER OF INSTABILITY

Samson Simon Sharaf

 
Like the simile of an onion I have used to frame my hypothesis, the most crucial and damaging is Pakistan’s susceptibility to US interests in chagrin to its short and long-term interests. Whenever a Pakistani leader has shown a flair for independence, he/she has been eliminated. Add to the list Pakistan’s tax evaders, money launderers, political business cartels, offshore businessmen, bad fiscal policies, impotency of regulators, opaqueness in transparency and economic hit-men to make a lethal brew of anti non-state actors. All these layers compliment each other but for the interests of Pakistan. They also coalesce when needed to subdue the winds of change. They exist in every sinew of Pakistan’s politic body. 
 
Pakistan has never had a cohesive, self-serving and permanent national policy; a sad but true reflection of a state that spent half its existence under military dictatorships or tailored democracies under the watchful eye. The first decade was lost to political conspiracies hatched by a group of bureaucrats and politicians, who had the advantage but not the conscience of serving with Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. They chose to wade through a muddied perspective on an elusive and unending journey of inventive nationalism that caused disfigurement. To complicate the national construct, foreign policy resulting in subservience to USA set in motion a diplomacy of invisible interventions that often became violent.
 
How intense were US interests in Pakistan that Prime Minster Liaqat Ali Khan had to be assassinated by CIA through the Afghan Government because he refused to destabilize Mossadeq’s regime in Iran begs no answer. Subsequently USA not only changed the regime but also reached a long-term alliance with Saudi Arabia that was to later forge the Oil-Dollar Equation. Pakistan’s close relations with Saudi Arabia and other Arab Kingdoms are imbedded in working within US interests and in the bargain provide a security balance to Middle East. Now that USA is easing its policy on Iran after many decades, Pakistan will be dissuaded across the entire spectrum of policy from placation to violence to keep its relations with Iran in concert with US-Saudi objectives. 
 
This shift in Pakistan’s policy was the result of Bhutto’s policy of a greater Muslim alliance through the Islamic Summit. Ultimately it distanced Iran. But Iran too had its hegemonic designs that became aggressive after the Iranian Revolution creating frictions on international border, inside Afghanistan and sectarian lines. Ever since, both neighbors have played a game of brinkmanship with mutual suspicion under the watchful eye of USA and KSA. 
 
On his part Bhutto suffered a fate no different from Liaqat Ali through a military dictator groomed to work for US-Saudi Interests. His judicial murder was actually a correction course for Pakistan lest it became too independent and powerful.What did Bhutto do to merit such a cold-blooded end? The answers lie below.
 
First, he rebooted Pakistan’s nuclear program towards weapons. Bhutto envisioned a nuclear Islamic block strengthened by the oil wealth and Pakistan’s skilled manpower. However, his left leaning policies were viewed with suspicion by his Arab allies. Bhutto had a long-term vision for his country but his economic plan backfired. To put Afghanistan under pressure he supported the Afghan Student résistance against Sardar Daoud. The pressure worked and Daoud was ready to sign a permanent deal on Durand line. Days before the two heads of states were to formalize the agreement; Bhutto was overthrown by a military coup. The military regime never pursued this agreement. Bhutto proving too big for his boots was made an example. 
 
Bhutto’s erstwhile military chief and his executioner fared no better. The military takeover in 1977 served US interests and infused permanent seeds of internal instability in the form of weaponisation of society, drugs, militant organizations, intolerance, sectarianism and religiously inspired violence. The mock Afghan jihad lasted as long as it served US interests and was conveniently relabeled as the invisible floating threat of Islamic terrorists. USA was suspicious of Zia’s growing nuclear cooperation with China. He had to go and so did that fatal flight on C-130. 
The daughter of the East returned to Pakistan with a thumping popular applause. But also attached to her Bhutto symbolism was an ill matched spouse willing to cut her to size whenever she over grew. Her spouse through his corruption twice got her governments removed. 
Yet within her limitations of working with many uncles, new entrants and a dubious husband, she never gave up her father’s vision. The nuclear program progressed to perfection including the weapon testing sites in Chagai. Then began the pursuit of delivery systems and their indigenous production. She continued to pursue the Afghan policy of her father. By 1996, Mullah Omar had agreed to the international demand of a broad based government and also signing the Durand Agreement. A day before she was poised to sign this historic accord with the new Afghan broad based government, President Laghari mysteriously sacked her government. Neither the interim not the subsequent PMLN government pursued this historic opportunity.
 
To her credit, Benazir never lost heart. After 9/11 she almost engineered the handing over of Osama Bin Laden to Turkey, a NATO country. USA refused. Then she returned infused with an elixir. She had made some of the most critical decisions of her life; amongst them to team up with Musharraf to make a formidable Pakistani team and secondly to shed off her yoke. As per her terms of agreement with USA, Nawaz Sharif was to serve his time of self-exile in KSA. She rejected the NRO. The daughter of East had become too hot to handle. Though her fire is seemingly extinguished, it is in the interests of Pakistan that the pyre must burn. Musharraf’s exit after her death and subsequent humiliation were writings on the wall. Zardari became the heir to the political dynasty through a controversial Will. 
 
So what does this entire ongoing drama in Pakistan mean? If precedence is to be followed, it is all hallow and the birds of feather will flock together.  These agents of instability are well placed in every system, organization and political party to allow a departure towards an independent Pakistan. Even if some amongst them wish contrition, they will be ruthlessly cut to size. 
 
Like a conventional current on a boil, everything must go down for a new to begin. 
 
Samson Simon Sharaf

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Out of sight: Globe-trotting US Viceroy in Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif : How US Manipulated Democratic Elections & Imposed an Incompetent “Elected Leader” in Pakistan

 

Why do they hate us? This question is often asked in United States, as an aftermath 9/11. There is much debate and intellectual bylines in newspapers, magazines, and college campuses.  This topic got added momentum, after US replaced the Soviets as the Invader in Resident in Afghanistan.

 

Crude Remarks like ‘Pakistanis Selling Their Mothers’ Are a Slap on People of Pakistan, but, Nawaz Sharif Continues to Act as US Viceroy in Pakistan

Pakistanis will sell their mothers for a dollar”, remarked an American prosecutor about Pakistani officials who had allegedly played an important role in capturing Aimal Kansi, wanted in the USA for killing two CIA officials outside the Agency’s headquarters in Langley, Virginia. God forgives easily, men seldom do. This Johnny later apologized to Pakistanis but his insult was neither forgiven nor forgotten.

 

Nawaz Sharif and PML (N) Stole Pakistan’s Election with US Help

The Nawaz Sharif government refuses to allow an independent

investigation of election fraud, to move forward in a timely manner.  This is prompting PTI and other the opposition parties to boycott parliament.

“To some, this looks like another election crisis with Nawaz Sharif remaining in power. But this may not be the end of story as an awakened citizenry refuses to play along. ‘Integrated with the world, many Pakistanis have become too aware, too sophisticated, to accept the rule of a corrupt elite that relies on force and openly steals the fortunes of the country while trampling on individual rights.”

 

Persistent Meddling in Pakistan’s Internal Affairs

One of the major reason, why Pakistanis hate US, with a passion is United States’ persistent meddling into Pakistan internal affairs. From the nomination of Pakistan Army’s Chief of Staff to the conduct of 2013 elections, Pakistanis see US’s manipulative fingerprints. As a result, those who are perceived as US Bacha Jamura, or Touts, when elected are disdained to the point of morbid hatred. 

The CIA “Geniuses”

 

The  “geniuses” in CIA, who man the Pakistan or South Asia Region are clueless about the situation on the ground. They have superficial training on culture and mores of the people  of Pakistan. They consider dissenting voices in Pakistan as potential US enemies, without realizing that some of these might be US friends, exasperated by US bungling and fiascoes in the region.  Some of the Young Turks in CIA may come form Mid-West US and are culturally challenged about the history of Pakistan. No wonder CIA operatives, who are supposed to know better, conduct policies which them into a gang that couldn’t shoot straight.

 

US Interference in 2013 elections & Deliberate Election Rigging

 

In Pakistan the US dollar goes a long way.  US State Department and the CIA treat Pakistan’s election process as a horse race, in which their horse  can only win, by injecting it with  illegal steroids of US dollars. US anointed are easily recognizable through overnight changes in their lifestyles, their frequent trips to bordellos or whorehouses of Dubai, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Macao.

How US Leverages Rampant Corruption in Pakistan to its Own Advantage

Wealthy Returning Officers & Rich Judges

In the 2013 election, several RO (Returning Officers) in Punjab and Sindh became millionaires overnight, because, funding which had been allocated to development of Pakistan’s electoral process was channeled to candidates, who were from PML (N). Their election chests were fortified with funds of “unknown” origin.  These funds were cleverly funneled through the network of unscrupulous Pakistanis, who are contractors for US Embassy in Islamabad.  with their bulging election chests improve their chances of success. Now, if by outside chance, if US sees their horse losing, they buy-off the judges, and make the winning candidate lose.  The election of Nawaz Sharif and his PML(N) is a prime example of US interference and election rigging, which took the shape of “Dhandlee,’ or “Strong Arm Rigging.”  They infiltrate ready and willing political NGOs and use them as fronts for manipulating  the electoral process to serve their own interests. A prime example is the 2013, “rigged “Election, which US manipulated through CIA, to bring their candidate, Nawaz Sharif as PM. The pay-off has been great Nawaz Sharif is at work  as full time touts US, to escape the wrath of his electoral voters, he spends his time in foreign lands, where he either can enjoy a lavish life style or spend his ill-gotten wealth, stolen from the 180 million poor masses of Pakistan.  He is also scheming and conspiring to bring another Army “Chief” from the less experienced Lt.Generals a la shades of Gen.Zia-ud-din Butt.  Through this chicanery, he wants to ensure  an uneventful 2014 US Exit from Afghanistan and fulfill, another mission assigned to him by his US handlers.

 

Clever Renunciations of US

Soon after his meeting with President Obama, Nawaz Sharif started his Anti-US Rhetoric, designed to cloak his identity as a US Asset. Nawaz Sharif’s pro-US game is ON. He has no interest in Pakistan, rather he serves as a Globe-Trotting US Viceroy in Pakistan.  He travels with a retinue of “bosom buddies,” Ishaq Dar, another fellow Kashmiri, being one of them. Thus, giving credence to historical treachery of Kashmiris Elites to their  own Kashmiri people. Nawaz Sharif has sold-out Kashmiris during the Kargil Crisis and gave one-on-one assurances to US President Clinton, NEVER to raise the Kashmir issue.

 

Shahbaz Sharif is Nawaz Sharif Plus; A Blatant Incompetent Grandiose Project Builder

 

The Pakistan Express Tribune describes Shahbaz Sharif

Paranoia has its consequences. Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif’s refusal to trust civil servants beyond a core of a few favourites has resulted in a condition of organizational atrophy and administrative paralysis within the provincial government and even resulted in losses worth billions of rupees to the exchequer. “Sharif is a classic case of democratic autocracy,” said Rai Manzoor Nasir, the president of the Punjab Civil Service Officers Association, a union of government officials in the province.

Nasir alleges that no more than 12 officers whom the CM trusts, with the rest being transferred at whim, often without being given any reason, run the provincial government. According to official data examined by The Express Tribune, every departmental head in the province has been transferred, on average, four or five times over the past three years .

Punjab civil servants say that the government’s rules state that each departmental head must serve at least three years in one position, a rule that does not seem to be applied by the Sharif administration. According to sources familiar with the matter, the Punjab government transfers an average of 12 senior officials every day. “I always keep at least one bag packed at all times because I never know when I will be transferred,” said one assistant commissioner who wished to remain anonymous.

Yet the constant transfers do far more than just create inconveniences for bureaucrats. It raises the cost of running the Punjab government and frequently results in policies being haphazardly applied, which ends up resulting in incomplete development projects and excess expenses that would have been avoided had the government allowed civil servants more time in one position.

For instance, by transferring officials at the frequency that it does, the Punjab government is forced to pay travel and daily allowances to officials (to which they are entitled under both federal and provincial law). This raises the cost of salaries for the government. In addition, the lack of stable leadership in government departments results in policies being applied inconsistently, which ends up costing the government more money.

For example, six months ago, the excise and taxation department confiscated about 350 vehicles from local governments across the province and auctioned them. Within two months, the department purchased 350 vehicles for its own use at a cost greater than that which it received for auctioning the local governments’ vehicles.

In another case, the Punjab government was unable to complete the Lahore to Sialkot motorway because of the government’s inability to effectively monitor costs. The project had initially been budgeted to cost Rs23 billion, but was put on hold indefinitely after the cost doubled to Rs46 billion.

Meanwhile, many senior officers are bristling at the notion that they are being forced to report to officers several years and rank their junior. According to some officials, the government’s decision to violate rules regarding promotions and posts has caused morale to plummet within the civil service.

Other provinces are also being affected by the CM’s attitude towards governance.

The Punjab government currently has 300 federal district management group officers – the elite within the elite federal civil service – but does not need all of them. Yet it refuses to allow any of them to serve in Balochistan, which only has 19. Quetta is so desperate for DMG officers it is willing to pay double salaries for their services, but Punjab, under Sharif, refuses to let them go.

“The chief minister finds it difficult to work with officers who worked under a dictator [former president Pervez Musharraf],” said Senator Pervaiz Rashid, the Punjab government spokesperson.

The Punjab cabinet consists of 9 ministers who collectively manage 43 departments. Many provincial ministers hold up to five portfolios. The CM himself holds 14.

Control Freak  Emperor Nawaz Sharif

Nawaz Sharif’s considers Pakistan as part of his Personal Jagir. He treats Pakistanis with mockery and disdain. He denigrates the people of Pakistan by treating them with benign neglect.  

He has mastered the Art of Benign Neglect. Pakistanis to Nawaz Sharif are sheep and Pakistan’s second name is a Nation of Sheep. Pakistan is a gold mine to make money and spend in London, US, Dubai, and Europe. Over 90 percent of Pakistan is illiterate, despite the cooked up figures, issued by Ministry of Education.  

 

Pakistan’s Nero Nawaz Sharif

 

While Pakistan burns, Nawaz Sharif its Nero fiddles in London enjoying the Halloween Party in Berkeley Square with his Bacha Jamura, Ishaq Dar.  So, much for the US “Gift” of Pyrrhic Democracy for the 180 million poor of Pakistan, in this cake, they might as well have asked them, “to go and eat cake.”

And that is why Pakistan hate the US with a vengeance. Is anybody in US listening, except NSA?

 

 

 

Out of sight: Globe-trotting PM

 
 
 
 
Published 2013-11-02 08:12:18

OLD habits really do die hard, it seems. Three-term prime minister Nawaz Sharif has done this before, twice actually: treating parliament like a coronation ceremony that once over, he has little interest in or time for. But Mr Sharif’s habitual disdain for parliamentary traditions, like the prime minister perhaps spending some time in parliament, has a twist this time: the prime minister appears to have traded his parliamentary duties with an itinerant’s zest for wandering the globe. Where the prime minister is in any given week is rapidly becoming the parlour game du jour: forget Raiwind, Islamabad or Murree, can anyone even be sure if Mr Sharif is in Pakistan most weeks?

Of course, few places are as likely to be the choice of refuge for a Pakistani abroad as London. The unofficial summer capital of Pakistan is making a comeback of sorts after the Zardari-era Dubai has fallen out of favour. Mr Sharif is certainly more comfortable in and familiar with London than most: his family famously takes up residence in a fabulously rich neighbourhood when in town, and after several grim years in Saudi exile, he escaped to London and stayed there much of the time until his return to Pakistan in 2007. In fact, so comfortable may Mr Sharif have become in London that he might have forgotten he is the prime minister of Pakistan. For what else can explain the prime minister informing British officials that his government has initiated talks with the TTP before telling the Pakistani people and his fellow parliamentarians about something they all must certainly be anxious to know more about? Perhaps an urgent letter on behalf of the people who elected him needs to be sent to the prime minister abroad: come back, Mr Prime Minister, your country needs you, the letter could read.

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External Meddling in Internal Affairs by Sajjad Shaukat

External Meddling in Internal Affairs

 
  From Archives
Wednesday, 17 April 2013 20:38
As part of neo-imperialism, external meddling in the affairs of small countries by the powerful countries is owing to the unequal world order. When less developed countries reject the undue demands of the big powers, in the unipolar system, the US-led major states which have strong hold on the UN Security Council, and its financial institutes like IMF and World Bank use various tactics like pressure, coercion, conditionalities and sanctions to impose their decisions on the weak countries which have been facing grave political and economic crises.

Like other small countries, Pakistan has multiple crises of serious nature, but it has rejected foreign intervention on a number of occasions. In this regard, vacation of the Shamsi Airbase, closure of NATO ground supply routes through its territory to Afghanistan for seven months, and refusal of military operation in North Waziristan might be cited as an example. Besides, by ignoring US growing pressure and defying the threat of sanctions, on March 11, this year, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari inaugurated the gas pipeline project with Iran.

Although Pakistan has been blocking the interference of America and some western countries, yet they are using some other techniques of intervention—especially in the elections 2013. Because some mainstream political parties have opened the door of external meddling in the internal affairs of the country. In this respect, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) made a unique misadventure by submitting a memorandum to the United Nations (UN) against delimitation of constituencies in Karachi by Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). For the purpose, MQM-US Central Organizer Junaid Fahmi filed a memorandum to UN, casting grave concerns over redrawing of constituencies, terming it gerrymandering, which was considered by the party against the spirit of and principle of one-man-one vote. The memorandum also said that the ECP move was unlawful and unconstitutional, based on a conspiracy to divide MQM vote bank.

In this memorandum, MQM declared that the redrawing of constituencies was an attempt to negate the mandate of MQM and to push the third largest political party of Pakistan against the wall—these methods were being used to weaken MQM.

The fact of the matter is that in the Karachi unrest case, the larger bench of Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued orders to the ECP to ensure free and fair elections. The ECP was given the authority to carry out delimitation procedures wherever it found that creating new constituencies were necessary. However the organisation will be required to prove that those areas where delimitation will be carried out are violence-prone which require extra attention. 

The apex court had given such orders earlier as well, which were widely appreciated by the people, but the ECP failed to attain any objectives through thoughtful implementation of the verdicts. This time, the court said that the remarks given were not mere observations but orders which needed to be implemented. ECP was also given the power to call in army if required. 

Since November 26, last year when the Supreme Court called for electoral constituencies to be redrawn in Karachi in a manner that they comprise “mixed population” to avoid political polarization, MQM leaders started illegal moves, while giving illogical statements. In this connection, MQM Chief Altaf Hussain, speaking to tens of thousands of people at a congregation stated on November 30 that the judges should apologise for insulting people of the city.

However, when the Supreme Court rejected the MQM petition against the delimitation of electoral voting zones in Karachi, its leaders became more furious against the judges and ECP’s genuine move by launching an illogical campaign and blame game. 

In the recent past, MQM leader Farooq Sattar stated that Election Commission’s notification for redrawing electoral constituencies was equivalent to pre-poll rigging and the people of Karachi were being punished.

Besides, by setting aside the orders of the apex court, on the instruction of its leaders, on March 25, this year, MQM workers gathered outside the office of election commission in Karachi and chanted slogans against ECP. 

Nevertheless, MQM was part of the coalition government and enjoyed all the perks and privileges—powers of the governance for five years. It has consented in the process of appointing the ECP and should have shown some decency to stand by its words.

Now, mistrust on the ECP shows MQM’s contradiction, and approaching UN for the purpose is totally unfair decision, and is unacceptable way. Urging international community like UN to use its influence for holding fair and free elections and putting pressure on ECP to stop pursuing the process of delimitation of constituencies in Karachi is obviously an undesirable misadventure by MQM as a political party of Pakistan. 

In this context, the memorandum submitted at UN will tarnish the image of Pakistan as a sovereign state. It also creates doubt about the ECP integrity and the government of Pakistan. It certainly speaks volumes about MQM’s mind-set to promote their party line even at the cost of state of Pakistan.

Nonetheless, involving international community in purely internal affairs of Pakistan is immature step by MQM and needs to be viewed seriously by all segments of the society such as media, civil society, political parties and general masses. 

Undoubtedly, Pakistan is passing through the most testing and disturbing times of its history. The foreign elements are leaving no stone unturned in exploiting any opportunity, and internal division to accomplish their nefarious designs against the country. 

Unfortunately, Pakistani political leadership and their concerned parties seem to have developed very narrow and skewed mind-set to promote their party interests and personal advancements by forgetting the overall interests of Pakistan which is a sovereign state capable of functioning vigorously and operating assertively.

At this critical hour, while all the political parties believe in fair and free elections, having trust on the ECP, MQM’s submission of the memorandum at UN tantamounts to inviting foreign meddling in the internal affairs of Pakistan.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: [email protected]

 

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