They came and they conquered

It had been an unprecedented event in Pakistan's history. The only positive event to have taken place in Pakistan for a long time. That the people came out to support a principled stand in this era of national chaos and depression in applaudable. And as an icing on the cake, they succeeded in their mission. This was so gratifying to see because it showed that we as a nation are still alive and not dead. Most of us had thought like that but now we can keep our heads high in pride. Those at the helm of affairs should now realize the power of people. It can surely topple them now that people have felt what their power can do probably for the first time. So anybody who is even thinking of swindling this nation should think twice as this nation can now rise to the occasion.

I hope and pray that this is felt by everyone everywhere in the country and this should now force them to move in unity in one direction only - the right direction.

Who is the greater con artist?

Asif Zardari or...

...Bernard Madoff

There is news all over about the capture of Madoff and his financial frauds. The way he had swindled so many people and the cummulative total that he amassed and remained undetected for so long led someone to comment that he probably is the greatest con artist of all time.

I beg to differ.

I think they should study the portfolio of our own Asif Zardari. In case they don't know he is the president of Pakistan. Some time back he had been in prison for alleged money laundering amounting to billions and even murder cases. But he had been smarter than Madoff. The very fact that Madoff has been caught puts Zardari on top of the list of the greatest of all con artists.

"Mushardari" has to go

Finally it has happened. I must admit, until few weeks ago, I couldn't have imagined this in my wildest dream that one day our people would come out to follow a principle. To restore the prestige of judiciary is probably the most important thing to do at this juncture of our history. And to get someone as our head of state who is not a known plunderer is also as prudent.

So today we are seeing scenes that for me are moving. Now this should come to its logical conclusion. This is now or never for this nation. Zardari has to concede and he along with his hunchmen have to go.

The poster I have found very amusing. Zardari's picture doctored to look like Musharraf in uniform. Or is it the other way round....!

What a shameful day for Pakistan

Our heads hang in shame. Our eyes cannot meet any other eye. It is one of the darkest days among so many dark days hovering over our poor nation for quite sometime. That is March the 3rd, 2009 in the morning rush hour in the vicinity of Liberty Market in Lahore, we were unable to provide security to one of most important guests of the nation, the cricket team of Sri Lanka.

That they had chosen to tour Pakistan when all other nations flatly refused, we received solidarity from them when we really needed it. We should have cherished it and should have looked after them until they had left safely to their homes.

But we failed miserably. It was so pathetic to see the professional state of our security personnel. There seemed to be none!! Everyone saw what happened in those 20 to 25 minutes when every bit of national dignity was being drained out of us. A bunch of terrorists appeared out of nowhere armed with assault rifles, grenades and rocket launchers. They seemed to have a lot of time in their hands to spray bullets and fire granades and rockets at the thin security cordon and the players' bus with no back up of security personnel in sight ever. How they managed to reach there with all that stuff without being noticed is another mystery!!

Now how did that security lapse happen? Why there was inadequate security in the first place? Who were these terrorists? Why the terrorists spare the players when they could have easily killed any or all of them the way they liked and just chose to leave instead?Why not a single one of them didn't get injured or killed? Why no one in the administration has resigned accepting failure? May be we'd never find the real answer. We might only speculate and make an intelligent guess.

This is what Mukul Kesavan has to say who is a novelist, essayist and historian based in New Delhi. His article was first published in the Telegraph, Kolkata:

"Why did the Pakistan government roll the dice? Given the Marriott bombing, the troubles with the Taliban in recent times, why did it entrust the team's security to the Punjab Police instead of handing it over to commandos trained in some specialised way? After Mumbai, after Pakistan's own recent history, and given how much was at stake, why did the Pakistani state risk a replay of this familiar subcontinental tableau: untrained policemen being mowed down by professionally trained terrorists?

"There's something fundamentally unserious about this Pakistani dispensation. Its recent history reads like a soap opera about a banana republic: shady widower propelled to the presidency on the back of his bereavement gets pliant judges to disqualify his main political opponents. It's beyond satire. Some of this unseriousness seemed to have leaked into the security for this tour. It's as if the army has been the grown-up in Pakistani politics for so long that civilian politics has been infantilised."

Chris Broad, the match referee said plainly:
"I'm angry with the Pakistani security forces. We were promised high level security and in our hour of need that security vanished. There was not a sign of a policeman anywhere. They had clearly gone, left the scene and left us to be sitting ducks."
Simon Taufel, the Australian umpire didn't mince words either:
"I'm angry we were isolated, I'm angry we didn't get the same amount of security the playing staff got, and I'm angry that in our hour of need, we were left on our own.

"What I can tell you is we were isolated, left alone and unaccounted for. Looking at that footage, I can't tell you why we're here. I have absolutely no idea. I've seen reports to suggest they haven't caught anyone. I find that amazing. I don't know why."

These guys are well-respected and candid comments like this coming from them will grab attention. How long will it take for our politicians and leaders to wake up and do something for the country instead? If not now, then it will never be!

A stab in the back was really expected

This is the classic stab in the back. Nawaz Sharif and his courtiers were really naive not to have expected this from Asif Zardari. AZ must be a really good poker player and really good in hiding his true face. And his moves are reminding one of a chess grandmaster. Too bad I am forced to utter these praise-worthy comments for a person who really does not deserve anything except solitary confinement. This man is so dangerous; he would sell you without you being aware of it. So that adds another turmoil in my dear motherland. Too bad.

So, first AZ stabs NS in the back. NS cries foul. AZ offers "cooperation". NS says "go to hell". So AZ starts a rhetoric against NS. Now why should NS accept another offer for cooperation? When all he ever got in return (so far) have been broken promises. So why would he?

The decision of the Court is one thing. So Sharif Brothers have been disqualified from holding public office. That means Shahbaz Sharif was no longer Chief Minister of Punjab. So the next proper step would have been to let the Punjab Assembly elect another Leader of the House. That's democracy, isn't it? Then why on hell, Governor's rule had to be imposed? Simple. Leader of the House, had the democratic norms be followed, would have resulted in a Government in Punjab still in the hands of PML(N). But by bypassing these norms, they can now trample all laws of decency and impose a Government run by AZ (not PPP). So AZ will have the whole Pakistan in his hands a dream he must have seen while being in a jail 10-15 years back.

Good luck, Pakistan
Good luck, Pakistanis

So-called leaders

I just returned from annual vacation in Pakistan. During that time the Mumbai carnage took place. The Indians placed the blame very conveniently on Pakistan without explaining their own intelligence failure and lack of security arrangements. That is despite the fact that those terrorists had been staying quite comfortably within the same hotels for about a week. But the real point was the response by our so-called leaders. Those at the helm of affairs of our country went numb, thoughtless and speechless for a while. As if they were panicked. Then all of a sudden they just came out with such a response that was unbecoming of any true patriot. Whatever national dignity we had left soon fizzled away. And the Indians must have enjoyed pressing our throat with her feet while we had been prostrating and lying helplessly as a scared animal!! It was a relief that at least someone thought of looking into the eyes of the Indians (as an after-thought). Yes, it was really a relief. What else can the ordinary Pakistani do? If we have crooks like Zardari and Rehman Malik as our rulers, this has to be expected.

I really hope that this present PPP leadership really leads to its own downfall very soon so that someone even a little better (if not very much better) takes over!!

Same sequence of events

I read an interesting news article today in the GEO NEWS website. Taj Mohammad Jamali, an MNA of PPP and former CM of Balochistan, has advised Zardari to keep the presidential powers entrusted by 58-2(b).
Now this seems all too familiar. Whenever something unlikely event has to be made possible (like nominating Zardari for Presidency), someone just throws in a statement like this in the media as if to check for any backlash by the public. Since public is asleep and senseless nothing happens. Then that unlikely event is enforced by hook or by crook and then made to be accepted. Same thing happened with Zardari's presidential nomination and then he became president. Now this 58-2(b) thing. People were made to believe that Parliament will forgo with this article as a priority. But now this seems unlikely. So I won't be surprised if Mr Zardari gets to keep it.
By the way, the next unlikely event in the pipeline, in my opinion, is NATO (read-American) attacks inside Pakistani territory officially with Pakistan's (read-Zardari's) consent.
Just wait and watch.

Yet another carnage!

The bomber driving his explosive-laden truck struck last evening outside the Marriot. Many of those perished were either drivers waiting outside with their cars or security personnel. It seems some of the westeners probably Americans (associated with CIA or FBI) inside the hotel were the real targets. If that is true then these poor people died in vain. The building was also destroyed beyond repair.

My heart bleeds. Probably more so than an ordinary Pakistani because I'm also an Islamabadi. I have been to that place before. I have seen the bustling activity there. This is so unfortunate. That our country is passing through a part in history which is at best forgettable. Such attacks are now occurring with regular intervals in the motherland. A few days without a suicide attack seems rather strange. Was our nation destined to live like that in constant fear? Is this our fate to have this notion in our hearts that the car or a truck next to ours might blow up?

And it seems that it was meticulously planned and executed with precision. Quite unlike the people whom we are associating these terror-related activities with. They seem to have advanced information about these targets (especially westeners) and the attack last evening was awesome. Because they chose a time when security was most likely to be lax i.e., Iftar time. Then two vehicles were involved; the first smaller one probably as a decoy or to clear the way for the other bigger vehicle. Seems some organization or spy agency was behind these attacks. Whoever was responsible certainly hit the nail on the head. There is fear. And we might be forced to cooperate more with USA in eliminating Al-Qaeda and Taliban from tribal area which means to abandon any plans to stop incursions of US troops into our soil or rather letting them in formally to help us. Just like the way they entered Iraq and Afghanistan. President Zardari who flew to USA today will be presented with some tough choices there. Something's telling me that worse is yet to come!

To be a lion or a jackal?

"It is far better to live like a Tiger for a day than to live like a jackal for a hundred years"!
So said the 'Tiger of Mysore' Tipu Sultan in the latter part of 18th century. We have been hearing this quote since our school days from our histroy lessons. Never have these words seemed so meaningful than now considering the political circumstances our nation is passing through.
Tipu Sultan died like a tiger and as a result etched his name in history to be remembered in admiration and awe. Our present rulers are also etching their names into history pages but by living like jackals. They will also be remembered but only to be cursed. Terror or no terror, human rights or whatever pretext, the Americans want oil and power. They want to halt China's formidable and remarkable progress which is probably the only nation to challenge them economically and militarily. So, whether we go by America's will or not, we are destined to face American onslought. So by standing up to her and to dare her is the dignified approach. Recent past has shown clearly American hesitancy to engage Iran and North Korea militarily just because they stood strongly instead of chickening out like us. Are the Iranians and North Koreans any where near American military might on paper? Certainly not! We aren't either but at least we have our honour and dignity. We might lose our lives which is mortal anyway, but it is far better to die like a Tiger than to live even a few moments like a jackal!

An invasion is an invasion is an invasion

Whatever one might call it, it's going to remain the same. That George W Bush had secretly ordered military activity by US troops inside Pakistani territory whenever they might feel the need to do so is now out in the open. Slowly, gradually and slyly they are doing what couldn't have been possible otherwise. They are invading Pakistan. They had also invaded Afghanistan and Iraq. But this time it is a bit unusual. Its an invasion of a different sort but invasion it is. Whether anyone agrees or tries to ignore but it is really happening. Today it is in the tribal belt. Tomorrow it might be in Peshawar and then Islamabad. Then the Stars and Stripes would fly over the Presidency! The nuclear technology fully secured and safe under the US control. That's the ultimate aim, isn't it? Reining the militancy or eliminating Al-Qaeda targets is just an eyewash.
So when would our decision-makers understand this? How can one call oneself Pakistani and do nothing about it? Why should our troops fight someone else's war? How could our leaders managed to let that happen? But our decision-makers are hardly Pakistanis! And those who have Pakistani hearts lack foresightedness and acumen worthy of a leader. Whatever is the aim of USA - whether to get Al-Qaeda or secure our nuclear arsenal - no outsider should be allowed to do adventure inside our territory. However friendly might he claim himself to be.
Yes, we might be having weapons from USA; we might be having aid (alms) from America and we might be having dictates from USA but our LIBERTY is ours; our FREEDOM is ours and our DIGNITY is ours. There is always a line not to be crossed and that line is our SOVEREIGNTY. Cross that line and there should be an immediate violent response. A response any mother would make if her children were threatened even by their father.
Perhaps our implanted, opportunistic and immoral leaders and politicians could never understand this but the the people of this country might. Would they come out by whatever means to show their opposition to our leaders' decision to stay indifferent and allow this invasion to happen? I hope and pray they do. Do they should, as this is the only thing to be done.

Hoping for better days ahead

There are celebrations somewhere. And elsewhere, sadness and despair. The fact that Asif Zardari has been elected as the next president is the result of a democtratic process; so we have no one else to blame but ourselves, as we are the ones who elected the parliamentarians. If a larger segment of the nation believes that people of questionable background & repute have reached a position to run the affairs of this country and make decisions that might have lasting consequences, then they should also realize that those on the top reflect what we really are.

Having said that, if we let this process continue it should, nevertheless, bring us hope. This is one exercise that we as a nation are not much experienced in. With elections at regular intervals, it would open our minds to look beyond family & biradari and to keep national interest as the top priority. May be with time, people would learn to reject those who let them down, who proved to be inept and those who failed to demonstrate tolerance and far-sightedness. It might take some time, but, hey, Rome was not built in a day. Even America needed hundreds of years of experience to be what they are today.

Let not the hope die. We shall rise soon. Inshallah

Mr. 100%

So the inevitable finally happened. Asif Zardari is now His Excellency The President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
There is only one thing in this equation which is of some relief. That he has attained a position on the top, now there is only one way to go for him from here. Bottom!
And those who voted for him, whether they wanted or not to vote for him, if they think that AZ would now let the parliament curtail the powers of the President, they might be in for a rude shock. I don't think he would let them forgo 58/2-B. He wanted the cake but he also wanted to eat it. So he can now eat up everything, including the country. He is now, after all, Mr. 100%!
So, in the end, who has benefitted from the elimination of Benazir Bhutto?...

Things getting out of control a little?

This was recently published in 'Arab News'.

The cartoon speaks for itself! Its like old wild west. You want to keep your bucking stallion under control. You whip him & you kick him.

And just like it used to be at that time in the old wild west - everyone is trigger-happy. You kill people like flies and then you earn your star-badge.

Breach of Sovereignty?

It was only a matter of time. It was expected sooner or later and then yesterday, it finally happened. The US forces (does it matter whether there were also soldiers from NATO and Afghanistan?) did a swift action and butchered suspected militants including children and women and left. May be they took with them some of the suspects for further interrogation (and to force confessions).

They also reportedly killed people from neighbouring houses who had come out of their homes on hearing the shots. Now this can happen only in Pakistan. Only in this part of the planet, it seems, there is no value of human life. If the blatant invasion was not bad enough, the killing of people certainly was. As if they were lizards or insects that anyone could swat and crush.

The Pakistani government is talking about breach of sovereignty. What sovereignty? We as a nation have become so impotent, toothless and weak that anyone would molest us and all we could do would be a mute protest. And on top of that they would soothe us with words and we would be ready for another assault.

Is there any defence system in place to counter anyone trying to cross over our borders? I hardly think there would be! But even if there is, I am sure that it would be as ineffective and our border security as helpless, as our nation, to do anything about it.

At least someone should have fired token aerial shots in the vicinity of the trespassers that morning, to make us feel a little better!!

Ramadan Kareem

Ramadan Kareem to every Muslim

Allah Almighty has been Kind, Compassionate and Merciful to us for giving us yet another chance for salvation. We are alive and are into this Blessed and Holy month. So many people we knew who are no longer with us now but had been with us last year. Who knows what lies ahead in the future for us. May be this is our last chance. We might not be in this world the next Ramadan-al-Mubarak. So let us grab this opportunity and make the most of it.

May Allah the Merciful give us strength and health to do so.

May He make us prevail over our Nafs and Shaitaan

May He accept our broken and flawed acts of worship

May He lets our blackened hearts to think about Him all the time

May he lets our eyes to see good, not bad, and makes it strong enough the read the Holy Qur'an and not to be closed in idle sleep when we could be awake deep into the night praying

May He gives our ears the power to listen to and concentrate during Taraveeh and Qiyam-ul-Layl

May He guide our limbs to all that is good and stops them from anything bad

Ameen. Ameen

Interesting recent articles

I found this one in the Dawn website. It makes for interesting reading:
http://www.dawn.net/wps/wcm/connect/Dawn%20Content%20Library/dawn/news/pakistan/the+accidental+presidency

This one also is a nice one:
http://www.dawn.net/wps/wcm/connect/Dawn%20Content%20Library/dawn/news/pakistan/punjab/zardari+is+not+legal+heir+of+ppp+khar

Slogans drive this nation foolish

Yesterday I was surfing news channels at lunch break at home and saw the end of a recent interview of AZ by BBC. The portion that I got to hear referred to his party's (PPP) policy not to persecute Mr. Musharraf any further and his ardent desire to hear (after he becomes the President of Pakistan) from his daughter Asifa Bhutto-Zardari:

ZINDA HEY BHUTTO, ZINDA HEY
ZINDA HEY BHUTTO, ZINDA HEY
"Bhutto is alive, she really is (alive)"

I really can't understand the people of this country. May be they have the shortest memory among all nations. But whatever memory they might be having about the corrupting potential of AZ vanishes in a jiffy when AZ utters slogans like this in a public meeting or in the media. Then as if he becomes a God-sent messiah to set things right for this wounded nation.

Unfortunately it seems that AZ might get what he (and US) wants. He and his hunchmen must be laughing at the response he is getting from this foolish nation. He just had to cash the death of Benazir.

I hope this nation wakes up in time before any further damage is done. I hope...

Asif Zardari as President? Oh my God!!

Today I read in online news that Asif Zardari's (AZ)name is being proposed by PPP for the post of President of Pakistan. I also heard in the news channels that MQM will back his candidacy. What a blatant turn around by this party's chief who is demonstrating for a long time that he is without any morals. But which politician in Pakistan has?

I remember around 1999-2000 when I used to work in Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), there used to be a VIP room in the private ward in which AZ used to be under house (hospital) arrest. Everyone back then and even now knows his potential in corruption. Who would have thought at that time in 1999-2000 that one day the people of Pakistan will allow a person like AZ to hold such a prestigious post as the President of their country, let alone allow him to be the party chief! But things are happening and that too real fast. The people of this country have become senseless. One day it seems, he will become the President and no one will seem to care.

That day, I think, will be culmination of a plot that had gone into effect with the elimination of Benazir Bhutto. Quite conveniently, the blame had been put on Musharraf or militants. But who had gained the most from this. AZ, of course.

We can't blame our destiny for this. We, as a nation, are to blame because we allow such things to happen. We will get the same rulers as we are ourselves-senseless, immoral and corrupt.
Unless we rise to the occasion and do our moral duty by whatever means, this will not stop. So let us start educating people and raise our voices in whatever forum we can raise our voices in and start making the difference.