The World of Contradictions?!

As Pakistan is still under the threat by the war that is helicoptering upon it’s borders, the internal affairs are still very much the same. The opposition and the government are on the same page as far as the state of affairs is concerned in the International Arena. But other matters are just as horrifying at the moment.

The inflation is on the rise and the common people’s sufferings have not yet been addressed. Every day, or every other day, the government comes up with one thing or another that makes it a laughing stock or either makes me wonder if they really are serious about solving the issues or not. The recent turn of events have made us more suspicious about the actions the government is taking to actually solve the real problems of the common people.

The Punjab Assembly just passed a bill where the salaries of the ministers were increased three folds. It was not unprecedented but the reaction that came after from the Prime Minister Imran Khan seemed like a joke. He claimed that he was very disappointed by the bill. And I was wondering, is it not his government? Doesn’t he own the manifesto of the Punjab Assembly? It only means that IK has no say whatsoever in anything, people he has given seats to do not follow him nor do they beleive in his vision nor are they part of the campaign that IK started of simplicity and cutting down of expenses. It raises questions on his ability to lead, to govern and to move forward and the status of his being the harbinger of change that everyone claims him to be.

The other news that the news channels started boasting about is the fact that PIA has been cleared for it’s direct flights to US. Another credit being given to the ‘charming personality’ and the ‘corruption free’ status of IK. But what people seem to be missing out are the news items that became the headlines; the one where US senator talked about the joint military actions, and then the US Army saying that Pakistan has been cooperating with us for the past 8 months the way it never has supported us in the past 18 years! This not only raises questions on the role of Pakistan in the region but what services are being provided to the US Army and what assistance has been provided to US but also what are we getting in return. Is it something like what Musharraf did with the US that not only provided with air bases to them but also welcomed terrorist organizations like Blackwater to work in the country! These are serious concerns. I hope we get answers soon before the damage done is irreparable.

Let us see where we end up in a few days… The future seems bleak to me…

Maya Pakistan has started to haunt me now!

The Mess

The mess that started a few days ago has long lasting impact on the mind of those who can actually think and see far better than those who can not see beyond the heroism of one man. Anyway, Pakistan was attacked earlier this week by Indian forces. Indian Airforce claimed that it killed around 300 militants in Pakistan, whereas, only trees were destroyed in the Balakot area. The whole International media took it as if nothing has happened and that Pakistan is the country that harbours militants and should be treated as a country any one can go to and drop their missiles and bombs. This is what has been going on since 9/11, since Musharraf gave a green signal to the US to use Pakistani soil and to bomb it via drones or missiles whenever they want. The mess that we have harboured in the name of ‘war against terrorism’!

Musharraf has made a huge mistake handing over our bases to US and handing over a Muslim country to US over a phone call. Not only that he gave them permission to attack our people living near Durand line because these people were closely related to the Afghanis across the border. The drones killed innocent civillians more than it killed militants. Anyway, the point is, when a free ticket was given to one country to attack our people, without any proof, that they were terrorists, not only made the world believe that we were harbouring terrorists and have camps in our country that anyone, anywhere in the world has a free ticket to bomb! The most perfect Intelligence Agency had let the US come in till Abbotabad and allegedly took OBL from there and did nothing to stop it or condemn it. Anyway, my point is when you let one country in your borders and let them play dirty, how will you stop your arch rival from doing the same when they claim that you are fuelling terrorism in their country.

International media will never see the picture in objectivity as it does not sell. Muslims will always be a white man’s burden and they will continue to be portrayed as the real evil in this world, no matter how many atrocities the Hindu extremists would do against the Muslims in Kashmir, Jammu or Gujrat. Because, as Muhammad Asad puts it, the hatred for Muslims that the West harbour in their hearts,brains and DNAs dates back to the times of the first Crusades and they can never detach themselves from it. That is why the International community and media stood and sympathized with the Indians even when they escalated the Pulwama incident, knowing fully well, that Pakistan was not involved!

The only reaction that came from the International community was after the MIG 21 aircraft of the Indian Air force was shot down. And that be asking for restraint from the Pakistani side. Not a single newspaper of any country, blamed India for escalating the tensions between the two countries. This, not only showed the bias of the International Community but also that no matter how much a Muslim country is their ally, a non-muslim country will always be a more favoured nation. And since Musharraf had always submitted in front of the US and NATO forces when they attacked the tribal belt, everyone was made to believe that Pakistan has terrorist elements.

The Prime Minister Imran Khan, announced the release of the Indian Pilot caught the next day calling it a ‘gesture of peace!’ The immaturity of the decision cannot be measured by any yardstick! Pakistan had an upper hand and what Pakistan could have done was that at least,should have involved a third party and diplomatic corridors should have been used. The whole world was all praises for the Prime Minister but this International Community did not question Indian action in any way. They did not push, nor tried to de-escalate the situation as was. No international pressure was exerted on India whatsoever. Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister failed miserably in calling out to friends, and allies alike to diffuse the situation. Pakistan, has foolishly, believed that India would take it as a gesture of goodwill whereas, if we look at the history of India, be it BJP or Congress, they have always been anti-Pakistan and anti-Muslim and never have taken Pakistan’s peace gestures as a joke. A treaty, a third party involvement, could have reaped not only better results but would have at least put things on the table, even Pulwama incident. It could have brought forward the Kashmir issue, and other issues too and case could have been made in front of the International community that Pakistan is willing to take things forward and not down the hill.

One of the blunders that could have been avoided by the Prime Minister was the blunder of waiting for three days ,after Pulwama accusations made by the Indians, before replying. He should at least would have taken that very opportunity of MBS and should have asked them to mediate between them and the Indians; and like the foreign Secretary of KSA said that we will try to diffuse the situation between the two countries, this opportunity should have been availed there and then. A third party should have been called in as soon as the accusation was made and shouldn’t have been waited on!

India, will never sit quietly with this humiliation of two jets being shot down by Pakistan. Things will not die down. The role of UN, US and other countries is pathetic on the whole scenario. I hope better sense would prevail and we avoid a war because this war will bring such destruction that is beyond anyone’s imagination.

The Royal Visit

Oh my! From where should I start? There are soon many thoughts in my mind right now that I don’t think I’ll be able to organize them on paper (digital paper that is)!

Anyway, the whole affair, is given soo much attention, so much details that it makes one think if the whole thing is actually real? I mean how can one go out of his means and back on his words and everything that he stands for just because a royal person is coming. Maybe, it is all because money makes the world go round!

Anyway, when the royal plane entered the Pakistani airspace, the PAF’s F-16 fighter pilots gave it a royal protocol, I am sure that a country whose whole economy is drowned and is in jeopardy, could have afforded it. The whole of Capital was shut down, I am sure we are a nation that could have afforded it! The whole of Ex-PM house or a University( still don’t know what it really is) was refurbished, given a face lift, made fit for the Royal Prince. I wonder where that money came from?! The shahana protocol seems as if we are a very rich nation and would welcome all our guests like that but hey!money makes the world go round! We would sell our self and our self respect for money. The other details just leave the mind of a very stupid person like me bonkers. Sadgi and simplicity gone down the drain!

The most respected Prime Minister saved fifty bucks of the chauffeur by driving the car himself!

The Blame Game Continues

The incomplete JIT report is here and it confirms that the driver,’Zeeshan’, was a terrorist. The so called ‘operation’ was done on the information provided by the Intelligence Agencies! The Operation was done in such a professional way that they opened fire at the car after hitting the car and the car stopped. Then they took out minor children and opened fire again and then left the children at a petrol station. Wow!

I mean it is the same old Pakistan not the ‘Naya Pakistan’ as it was claimed to be by the C.M. Buzdar or Chauhaan or F. Chaudhary! The CTD officers, who carried out the so-called operation, will be tried under the section 320 and the I.G being transferred or dismissed. How can the higher officials roam around freely like that. Is this how an organisations carry out ‘operations’… what is this non-sense?! Why weren’t any arrests made? Why was there a need to open fire at point blank? If it really was an operation, where was the backup team? Who was giving instructions from the headquarters? Which intelligence agency was involved? Who gave the orders? Why didn’t they secure the area?

The whole JIT is questionable! This is the same game which the previous governments played! This has soo many loopholes that the whole report seems a joke. The same cover-up games so that the people responsible can get away and the aam awaam can be fooled!!!

Or is this a going to be the catalyst to extend the military court’s time period. Just like Swat flogging incident that triggered Swat operation! It seems to be a part of a bigger plan; a plan that will trigger other operations.. a plan that can ensure that we do need military courts, we need jojnt military action plans, a plan that US can again infiltrate and do what they did durjng Musharraf’s era. I still have this strong feeling that the US delegation that came and said that PM Imran Khan has been right all alond and we need to go for joint military operations has something to do with this incident! Only time will tell…

All of us had soo many expectations from.this government and yet it has failed us in such a short span of time. This incident will always be marked as the lowest point of the current government as not only they failed to point at the culprits, but also provided leverage to them!

What ‘tabdeeli’?!

Sahiwal massacre has left it’s marks deep upon my soul. I still can not fathom the fact that the killers are still at large. The Prime Minister has said that after he returns from Qatar, he will give ‘exemplary punishment’ to those involved and will bring reforms in thr Police Department. The Law Minister still claims that the driver that was killed was a terrorist and the family was ‘collateral damage’.

There are a numbers of questions raised with the incident that need to be addressed and Prime Minister thought that Qatar visit is of prime importance rather than providing justice to those who were murdered brutally in cold blood. The Prime Minister has waited this long to bring reforms in the Police Department! The DPO Pakpatan was transferred within a night when he stopped the car of an influential person, the IG was dismissed in a matter of seconds. The rhetoric continues sadly that some people are definitely more equal than the others. Providing justice to the victims of the families is of no importance, but meeting with the U.S. senator was more important. Sadly, we are all standing where we were… not soo much of ‘tabdeeli’ in the way we deal with things.

So the U.S delegation came to meet the Prime Minister and later in the press conference said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was always right ,(smirk) providing the so much celebrated celebrity with a lollipop and later said that we want ‘joint military operations’ for making Afghanistan a better place! The choice of words still resonate in my ears as the Prime Minister said that we will not be used as ‘hired guns’ but perhaps as ‘coalition partners’. The whole Musharraf era is literally playing at thr back of my mind. The whole debate of military court’s extension debate seems to be a part of this whole larger picture which has started to show it’s true colours. The way CTD executed the whole Sahiwal incident, this is how military exectues mist of it’s operations too. We only hear the ISPR’s side of the story, where is the rest of the picture. Only a fool will believe everything they say.

It is not the start of a new era, it is just how history repeats itself…

The New World

The new government has been formed and the new setup has begun. A lot has been said and there is soo much going on and so many perspectives and soo many analysis being done everyday that one seems as if a lot will be done soon enough. Though the new government has just talked about the audit of the former government’s development projects, and still a lot of focus on the last government rather than things that will be spectacular like fireworks and wow us all. But maybe, we are expecting too much.

Anyway, what we are looking at right now is a financial crisis and I am not an expert at this; I am a lay man when it comes to financial strategies, audits, budgets and all but whatever I know doesn’t paint a good picture of the near future. I remember when Musharraf came to power and 9/11 happened, the industrialists were adamant into going with the Bush and the US because the other way round would ruin their businesses. The economic policies of Pakistan were marked by this main event too as they threatened to put sanctions if Pakistan didn’t chose a side (everyone knows how Bush said it was either ‘with us or against us’ situation). The reason I am going back to Musharraf is because since then, we have seen a very sharp decline in the industrial sector, specially the textile sector. For example, the dye industry has been eradicated from Pakistan, it has been shifted to either India or China. The garments we see in the international markets are either Indian, Bangladeshi or Chinese. Pakistani products are rarely seen in the big brands’ shop where Pakistan was a leading exporter with quality products. What Musharraf came around with has stuck to Pakistan and is still clinging on to Pakistan.  My point here is; does the new government of Pakistan know what we have lost, where are we standing, what policies the International companies have sworn us into since Mushy and how will we get out of it, where should we invest, which industry will be on the hit list(as in what will be the top priority?) and how will they go about it? These questions were not answered by the newly formed government as I was expecting so I still feel it is just talk and no work. But since the cabinet is similar to that of Mushy, we might see a facade of things being better… just my thoughts.. I might be wrong.

A lot happened during Musharraf’s era. One can not forget the Oct 8th earthquake that brought in havoc in the northern part of Pakistan. A lot of aid started pouring as soon as the rescue aid operations started. USAID and a lot of other International NGOs started working in Pakistan in the name of help to be provided to the vast mountain area that was devastated by the earthquake. A lot of aid went missing, a lot of things went unexplained. Till date we do not know on what conditions were those aid given, what sanctions were put on the economic and political front in the name of those aids. To think that the International community only gave all that money on humanitarian basis will be too naive. These questions have not been answered and have not been dealt with either by the military government nor have they been answered by the civilian governments that followed. Since the new government is plundering itself into auditing the development programs of the previous government, it is necessary to bring forward the issues, the policies, the loopholes, the man holes of the governments preceding it in order to fully know the position this country in the international scenario since US wants to quit Afghanistan as well.

The issue of the missing persons also started in the Musharraf era. Musharraf, himself has shamelessly recorded in his book, that he SOLD Pakistani men,women and children for dollars. Dr. Afia is still in US detention center and has gone through immense mental, physical and sexual abuse. This is just one case. We know Amna Janjua is still fighting to get her husband back and loads and loads of people, who have been standing there in the capital and are waiting for their loved one’s return. The matter of Dr. Afia is under Foreign Ministry but rest are unknown. Since the newly elected Prime Minister has announced that he will keep the Ministry of Internal Affairs under himself, this must be the most important issue since new cases of missing persons have come up in the last couple of months namely of Romana Hussain and Roshan bibi just on the pretext of being affiliated with Hizb-ut-tehreer. These are the cases that have come upfront,but I wonder how many cases are still under the carpet. These raise a question on the power of the government, the military and the intelligence agencies. The question here is; Why not open trials, why not open court sessions?? Why such secrecy if they are criminals??What are these Intelligence agencies so afraid of? The new government should be able to at least give one statement on this issue.

Unfortunately, the list of issues goes on and on and on. The question is, will the new government be able to answer all these questions, these core issues? Will they work on the facades or will they go deeper to tackle the core issues of this country?

Only time will tell…