Pakistan has an immense geo-political strategic position. It borders Afghanistan, China, India, Iran and provides access to the CIS in Central Asia via Afghanistan. It has a direct route to the Arabian Gulf. The Arabian Sea marks Pakistan's southern boundary with 1064 km coastline. It has been a long-time close ally of China and Iran. Being a major Muslim country, Pakistan shares religious affiliation with Iran and enjoys brotherly relations with Arab States in the Middle East and Muslim countries in the South Asia. It has been allied with the United States of America from the beginning of its establishment and remained a part of the US sponsored political and military alliances of SEATO and CENTO for a long time. It is also a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations.
The port of Gawadar in Balochistan, the largest land-mass province of Pakistan rich in natural resources such as natural gas, coal, marble, chrome, silver etc., has been largely constructed and financed by China. The Gawadar Port will provide a cheap, convenient and comfortable route for shipments to and from the Arabian Gulf, the Central Asian Republics and China. It could also be used by the American and European shipping lines. Road link to Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics from there onwards will greatly contribute to the international trade, bringing cost and time savings to the shippers and prosperity to the destination cities. There is already a road link from Quetta to Iran. Gawadar will also be linked by road to the major cities of Pakistan.
Pakistan is probably one of the rare countries of the world endowed with every thing. It has land, sea, rivers, four seasons, manpower, agriculture, industry, natural and mineral resources, oil, gas, vegetables, fruits, foodgrains, livestock, dairy farms, roads, railways, airways, shipping lines, telecommunications, coastline, and what not. It can meet most of its requirements from its domestic resources.
What Pakistan badly needs today is the WILL TO DO AND THE COMPETENCE TO DO to tap the country's vast resources. Nothing can stop the country from progressing fast once its will to do is put into full gear. Competence will come along. Money, technology, and foreign collaboration are no problem once the political stability is achieved, progressive policies are formulated, and well-designed programmes are implemented in all earnest to show to the world that we are determined to move ahead in the new century.
Under the country's Constitution, adopted by all political parties and provinces in 1973, the role of each organ of the state i.e. the executive, parliament and judiciary is clearly defined. What is needed is the adherence of the political government to the tenets of the Constitution. With Unity, Faith and Discipline in our heads and hearts, we can live together, work together and progress together. Sectarian, linguistic, and ethnic considerations cannot overtake the nation's determination to forge unity and live in peace.
The ongoing threat of militancy in the tribal belt is borne out of the absence of political government, equitable distribution of wealth and resources, economic, legal and social justice, respect for tribal traditions, customs and values and fair and firm settlement of issues agitating the minds of the tribes. The tribes are as good Muslims, patriotic and Pakistani as anybody else but like country's other regions, the tribal region also needs a different treatment. Once the government of Pakistan is fully conscious of the underlying stresses and strains and it determines with courage, confidence and competence to resolve the thorny issues, peace and tranquility are bound to return faster than imagined.
What Pakistan badly needs today is the WILL TO DO AND THE COMPETENCE TO DO to tap the country's vast resources. Nothing can stop the country from progressing fast once its will to do is put into full gear. Competence will come along. Money, technology, and foreign collaboration are no problem once the political stability is achieved, progressive policies are formulated, and well-designed programmes are implemented in all earnest to show to the world that we are determined to move ahead in the new century.
Under the country's Constitution, adopted by all political parties and provinces in 1973, the role of each organ of the state i.e. the executive, parliament and judiciary is clearly defined. What is needed is the adherence of the political government to the tenets of the Constitution. With Unity, Faith and Discipline in our heads and hearts, we can live together, work together and progress together. Sectarian, linguistic, and ethnic considerations cannot overtake the nation's determination to forge unity and live in peace.
The ongoing threat of militancy in the tribal belt is borne out of the absence of political government, equitable distribution of wealth and resources, economic, legal and social justice, respect for tribal traditions, customs and values and fair and firm settlement of issues agitating the minds of the tribes. The tribes are as good Muslims, patriotic and Pakistani as anybody else but like country's other regions, the tribal region also needs a different treatment. Once the government of Pakistan is fully conscious of the underlying stresses and strains and it determines with courage, confidence and competence to resolve the thorny issues, peace and tranquility are bound to return faster than imagined.
As far as the Kashmir dispute with India is concerned, we have lived with it and fought for it in 1948, 1965 and 1971, notwithstanding Kargil. We now have to stop thinking about using arms to resolve the issue and start using peaceful means with honesty and sincerety to come to an acceptable solution. Neither India nor Pakistan can afford to keep the issue burning for indefinite time and keep the people of Occupied Jammu & Kashmir in a state of despair and despondency for too long. The Kashmir issue has cost India and Pakistan huge sums of men, money and materials overtime and the defence budget of each country is still taking a major chunk of its national exchequer in the presence of mass poverty and under development in the rural areas
112 comments:
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What is Corruption?
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Corruption-prone Areas?
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Common Corruption Problems
http://www.icac.org.hk/text/eng/prevt/prev_tool_7.html
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http://www.icac.org.hk/text/eng/prevt/prev_tool_13.html
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Below is an email dated Jun 19, 2008 3:03 PM from Obama's Campaign Manager:
Barack announced an important decision for our campaign today.
I want to add a little context to the video message you received earlier announcing that we will not participate in the public financing system for the general election.
Even though we stood to receive more than $80 million in taxpayer funding for our campaign, the system has been so gamed and exploited by our opponents that it is effectively broken.
John McCain, the Republican National Committee, and their allies in so-called 527 groups that raise and spend unlimited contributions are dedicated to manipulating this broken system to raise as much money as possible -- and they've proven that they're very good at it.
A top McCain adviser told MSNBC earlier this month, "now that we're in the general election, the RNC money counts, the DNC money counts. So the truth is today, John McCain has more cash on hand and more money than Barack Obama does."
In April alone, they raised nearly $45 million. That's more than our campaign and the Democratic National Committee combined. And that doesn't include the plans of 527 groups like the one called "Freedom's Watch," which has said it will spend as much as $250 million under Karl Rove's direction to attack and defeat Barack Obama.
To compete, Barack has put his faith in ordinary people giving only what they can afford. That's been the strategy of this campaign from the beginning, and more than 1,500,000 supporters like you have gotten us this far.
We have a historic opportunity to prove that a movement of ordinary people has the power to change the way political campaigns are funded. And we have a clear goal as we begin this new challenge: 50,000 people declaring their independence by making a donation before July 4th.
You can help take on John McCain and the RNC by making your first donation today.
A previous donor is standing by to match your gift and double your impact. You can even exchange a personal note with them about why you've chosen to support Barack.
Declare your independence from our broken system. Make a matching donation today:
https://donate.barackobama.com/match
Opting out of public matching funds was an extremely difficult decision, and frankly we are at a disadvantage when it comes to raising money. Unlike John McCain, this campaign has never accepted donations from Washington lobbyists or special interest PACs.
While McCain has built his fundraising strategy around high-dollar donors giving huge checks to the RNC, you are creating a new model for publicly financed campaigns.
Thank you for your support and for taking on the masters of a broken system,
David
David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America
Elements of Governance
Understanding the Conditions Necessary for Good Governance
ADB’s concept of governance relies on four key elements or conditions
Accountability
Participation
Predictability
Transparency
1. Accountability:
Public officials must be accountable or answerable for their actions and responsive to the entity from which their authority is derived. ADB promotes accountability in government to build capacity to undertake economic reforms, implement reforms successfully, and provide citizens with an acceptable level of public services. Evaluation criteria and oversight mechanisms are necessary to measure the performance of public officials and to make sure standards are met.
Read more about Accountability.
2. Participation:
Participation refers to the involvement of citizens in the development process. Beneficiaries and groups affected by projects or other development interventions need to participate so that the government can make informed choices with respect to their needs, and social groups can protect their rights. ADB promotes participation in governments by
Encouraging the participation of project beneficiaries and affected groups
Improving the interface between the public and private sectors
Empowering local government by letting them take ownership of projects
Working with NGOs to mobilize and reach out to project beneficiaries
Read more about Participation.
3. Predictability:
A country's legal environment must be conducive to development. A government must be able to regulate itself via laws, regulations and policies, which encompass well-defined rights and duties, mechanisms for their enforcement, and impartial settlement of disputes. Predictability is about the fair and consistent application of these laws and implementation of government policies.
Read more about Predictability.
4) Transparency:
Transparency refers to the availability of information to the general public and clarity about government rules, regulations, and decisions. It can be strengthened through the citizens´ right to information with a degree of legal enforceability. Transparency and disclosure in government decision-making and public policy implementation reduces uncertainty and can help inhibit corruption among public officials.
Read more about Transparency.
Source: http://www.adb.org/Governance/elements.asp
Governance
What is governance?
The term "governance" is a very versatile one. It is used in connection with several contemporary social sciences, especially economics and political science.
It originates from the need of economics (as regards corporate governance) and political science (as regards State governance) for an all-embracing concept capable of conveying diverse meanings not covered by the traditional term "government".
Referring to the exercise of power overall, the term "governance", in both corporate and State contexts, embraces action by executive bodies, assemblies (e.g. national parliaments) and judicial bodies (e.g. national courts and tribunals).
The term "governance" corresponds to the so-called post-modern form of economic and political organisations.
According to the political scientist Roderick Rhodes, the concept of governance is currently used in contemporary social sciences with at least six different meanings: the minimal State, corporate governance, new public management, good governance, social-cybernetic systems and self-organised networks 1.
Click here for a basic bibliography covering the meanings given by the various social sciences to the term "governance".
The European Commission established its own concept of governance in the White Paper on European Governance, in which the term "European governance" refers to the rules, processes and behaviour that affect the way in which powers are exercised at European level, particularly as regards openness, participation, accountability, effectiveness and coherence. These five "principles of good governance" reinforce those of subsidiarity and proportionality.
The White Paper is about the way in which the Union uses the powers given to it by its citizens.
Useful information on the meaning of the term "governance" and its different aspects in conjunction with different EU policies can be found under the heading "Governance" in the Scadplus glossary on the European Union portal site.
1 R. Rhodes, “The new governance: governing without government” (1996), in Political Studies, Vol. 44, page 652. Back
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/governance/governance/index_en.htm
Governance & Anti-Corruption
www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance
The World Bank views good governance and anti-corruption as important to its poverty alleviation mission. Many governance and anti-corruption initiatives are taking place throughout the World Bank Group. They focus on internal organizational integrity, minimizing corruption on World Bank-funded projects, and assisting countries in improving governance and controlling corruption.
Combining participatory action-oriented learning, capacity-building tools, and the power of data, the World Bank Institute (WBI), in collaboration with other units in the World Bank Group, supports countries in improving governance and controlling corruption. We also provide policy and institutional advice and support to countries in their formulation of action programs.
Using a strategic and multidisciplinary approach, we apply action-learning methods to link empirical diagnostic surveys,
their practical application, collective action, and prevention. Concrete results on the ground are emphasized in our learning programs and clinics as well as the periodic release of the Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) and country diagnostics. This integrated approach is supported by operational research and a comprehensive governance databank.
Team - Meet the WBI Governance and Anti-Corruption team.
New Papers and Data on Governance
Governance Matters VII: Governance Indicators for 1996-2007 by Daniel Kaufmann, Aart Kraay, and Massimo Mastruzzi. This paper presents the latest of our estimates of six dimensions of governance covering 212 countries and territories between 1996 and 2007.
Recent Publications
Public Sector Governance and Accountability Series
edited by Anwar Shah
The Role of Parliaments in Curbing Corruption
edited by Rick Stapenhurst, Niall Johnston, Riccardo Pelizzo
PRESS RELEASE
Highlights
1. Governance Matters VII: Governance Indicators for 1996-2007
2. Governance Indicators 2008: Press Release
3. Democracy & Development: Rejecting Extremes
4. We Continue to Innovate: From Surveys to Blogging
5. Economics and the Rule of Law: "Order in the Jungle", Article in The Economist, and Background Materials
6. New Paper Surveying Governance Indicators, WBRO Journal
7. 2 Chief Economists Comment on the WBRO Paper on Governance Indicators (53.8 kb pdf)
8. Challenging Orthodoxy on Governance and Corruption, Special Lecture at Johns Hopkins SAIS
9. Governance Matters: Debunking the Afro-pessimism Myth, View presentation (269 kb pdf)
10. Volcker Commission Report on Anti- Corruption at the World Bank
11. August Newsletter
12. Opening Presentation at CSIS Illicit Funds Conference (214 kb pdf)
13. Download WGI datasets
14. Human Rights and Governance: The Empirical Challenge
Related Links
1. How the World Bank Fights Corruption
2. One-page briefs on Corruption
3. Bribery Worldwide: $1 trillion and counting
Source: www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance
Institute on Governance
Through our research and advisory activities, the Institute On Governance (IOG) constantly comes across new approaches, practices and ideas about governance issues. Although we use this information to produce quality programs for specific clients, we also believe that to effectively promote growth in governance issues we must share what we learn. In this spirit, the IOG has been active in professional development services since its beginnings in 1990, and is constantly developing new vehicles for sharing expertise.
The IOG has worked with different levels of government nationally and abroad, developing networks and an in-depth research base. As our activities grow, our professional development series has also blossomed to better reflect the broad range of knowledge, tools and contacts we now have available.
All our programs are research-based and designed to engage participants through active learning. Our programs include expert speakers, lively discussions, problem-solving through role-plays and other interactive techniques.
In addition, IOG’s alumni event provides on-going networking opportunities for those who have attended our learning programs.
Workshops:
New!! Knowing Where You Are Going: Strategy & Performance Measurement in the Public Service
Answering Back: Preparing your Minister for Question Period
Art & Craft of Policy Making I
Art & Craft of Policy Making II
Telling It Like It Is: Oral & Written Briefings
Demystifying the Treasury Board Submission Process
Means, Ends, Indicators: Basics of Public-Sector Performance Measurement
Getting Real about Results: What Public Service Executives Need to Know about Results-Based Management
Aboriginal Governance: Challenges and Perspectives
Building Effective Relationships with Aboriginal People
Diversity in the Workplace
How Government Works
Values and Ethics
Strategic Planning
Leadership, Change and Resilience
Getting Governance Right: Boards in the Non-profit and Public Sectors
and more
Knowledge Management
Capturing Experience: The IOG Memory Stick Program
Special Series
Seminars on Science Policy
Aboriginal Workshop Series
Roundtables and Forums
Towards a New Aboriginal Governance Agenda (TANAGA)
Biotechnology Forum
CityScapes Roundtable Series
and more
The overview documents below list IOG courses offered in the National Capital Region over the next year. The Learning Centre is currently growing to expand our offerings and develop new courses, and our fully revised calendar will be released in August 2008.
Learning Centre Interim Course Calendar 2008-09
Occasions d'apprentissage 2008-09
Source: http://www.iog.ca/learning_centre.asp
Human Rights in Development
Good governance
What is good governance?
Governance is the process whereby public institutions conduct public affairs, manage public resources, and guarantee the realization of human rights. Good governance accomplishes this in a manner essentially free of abuse and corruption, and with due regard for the rule of law.
read more>>
Good governance at the national level
There is a wealth of UN human rights standards of direct relevance and applicability to questions of good governance.
read more>>
Good governance at the international level
In a globalizing world, national and international governance are inextricably linked. International institutions of governance will be in a better position to respond to the needs of the developing world once national institutions meet the test of good governance.
read more>>
OHCHR and good governance
As mandated by the General Assembly, OHCHR is the UN’s system-wide focal point for human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Under the Secretary-General’s reform programme launched in 1997, OHCHR has also been charged with facilitating the mainstreaming of human rights in United Nations development programming.
read more>>
Assistance for good governance
In 2000, policy measures, core elements and areas of programmatic collaboration for the United Nations system were established.
read more>>
Source:
http://www.unhchr.ch/development/governance.html
The new emerging question among the men on the streets is: Who holds the key to the future of Pakistan? President Musharraf, Asif Ali Zardari or Mian Nawaz Sharif. Or the United States. I am not a politician but a good student of history. I have been studying the political history of Pakistan in particular from the days of Ayub Khan when I was in the first year of F. C. College in 1961. Leaving aside the details, I firmly believe that today it is the people of Pakistan who hold the key to the future of Pakistan. No individual political leader or military ruler and no political party can claim to have the key. It is proved by Gallup surveys as well that phenomenal changes have taken place in our society, rural as well as urban, during the last 10 years making the people conscious of their rights, freedom and privileges as citizens of Pakistan. The people of Pakistan has already given their verdict on Feb 18. This time around, the verdict will have to be enforced or else the people will be on the streets. The election results have baffled the powers who matter within and outside Pakistan. There are strong indications of a general consensus among the men in uniform that the people of Pakistan should be let to decide their fate their own way. The American press that used to write regularly about the events in Pakistan from March 2007 to Feb 2008 have almost stopped writing about Pakistan at all. It is not just the preoccupation of the media with the presidential elections, economic recession and the fallout of Iraq invasion but also the realization that the people of Pakistan has given the verdict and so there is nothing the U.S. can or should do about it. As far as I can see, the people will obviously look upto the anti-status quo forces to implement their verdict. Mian Nawaz Sharif will certainly emerge as the # 1 leader of the people of Pakistan. Imran Khan is coming up fast. Jamat-i-Islami will play its crucial role. PPP is now devoid of leadership after the sad demise of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, whether the PPP leaders like it or not. PML(Q) will vanish sooner than expected; it is not a political party any way. MQM will hold on but its street power is going to be highly restricted whether by choice or by compulsion. President Musharraf has got very very limited time to make up his mind to quit in grace or disgrace. There will Insha Allah be a new beginning for the people of Pakistan much sooner than expected. The power of the people will prevail. Those political leaders and parties who go along the route of the people's march to freedom, human rights and justice will emerge victorious and progress in the years ahead.
Emailed:
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 9:40 AM
We are probably reverting back to 1977 when the Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) launched its most aggressive and most organized movement against the then prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to force him to either hold free, fair and transparent re-elections to the federal and provincial legislatures or to go home. Since ZAB enjoyed majority in the legislatures before and after the midterm general elections, it was simply impossible to oust him through constitutional measures.
The intensity of the PNA mass movement was also felt at the GHQ. Mr. Bhutto could be removed only by a coup as he was not willing to quit on his own. He could not be removed through the parliament. Sensing his weaker position, Mr Bhutto revealed to the people of Pakistan that the U.S. was planning to overthrow his government via PNA movement. That was probably aimed at provoking anti-Americanism and gaining public support. It did not strike his mind that the GHQ could also overthrow his government.
Whether or not the PNA movement was backed by the U.S. or the GHQ, Mr.Bhutto was deposed by the then Chief of Army Staff, General Zia-ul-Haq in July 1977, in a bloodless coup, just after three months of midterm elections.The rest is history. Today, we are again confronted with a similar situation. President Musharraf is adamant to hold onto his position, come what may, just like ZAB. He is supported by PML(Q) and MQM. He also enjoys the tacit support of the PPP, the largest majority party in the National Assembly. The masses, however, want him to quit as the results of the elections, Gallup surveys and media reports abundantly reflect. He cannot be removed constitutionally without the joint action of the PPP and the PML(N) in the parliament. He cannot be sent home by the military who is least interested in any such adventure now. The ONLY way left is to force him to quit by mass agitation as it happened in the case of Marcos of Philippines and Shah of Iran. As the PPP-PML(N) alliance is about to break up, it is very much in the wind that APDM will now opt for launching "Go Musharraf Go" movement with the backing of the PML(N), lawyers and civil society activists. Media is also likely to fully support the movement. The general public especially the middle class and the lower class are going through the worst economic crisis of their lifetime. PPP-led federal government has not so far been able to take emergency measures to overcome or minimize price hike, electricity outages and water scarcity - the worst in the history of Pakistan. So, the ground is ready for a mass movement. It is probably NOW or NEVER situation that is very likely to prompt PML(N) and APDM to go for the extreme action of mass movement to force ouster of the president and subsequently his allies in the shortest possible time.
Emailed:
Saturday, May 10, 2008 2:20 AM
It is indeed shocking to notice that so much is at stake but there is so little concern on the part of the powers that be. Pakistan is probably going through the worst phase of its history. It is confronted with political instability, poor governance, economic sluggishness, social imbalances, ethnic divide, and breakdown of law and order. It is immaterial for the people as to who gave birth to these monsters and there is no point in blaming those who did it. It is good to fix responsibility but history is past and living nations do not live in their history. They use history as a reference point to continue or not to continue what is gone and to plan for the future. It is a state of emergency in Pakistan at the moment. In an emergency, work is done round-the-clock leaving aside everything else. Over the last three months since the Feb 18 general elections in Pakistan, the political parties have practically done nothing to prepare themselves to handle with the country's gigantic tasks. Good parties do not wait for the government to come into being; they keep themselves ready to take over and march ahead. It appears as if the political parties were not really prepared to take a start on the eve of their assumption of public offices. Neither they have been able to work and devise plans and programmes to take a start after the ministers are sworn in. The restoration of deposed judges should have been just one of the major tasks for the political parties to begin with; not the only task that needs to be tackled before any other issue is touched. There is absolutely no justification for keeping the whole nation in a state of utter despair and despondency till the deposed judges are restored. No miracles will dawn upon the nation once the judges are restored. The judges will have their own landmines to clear up. The civil society organizations and activists, nothwithstanding the legal fraternity, also appear to be taking rest after the general elections.They must wake up and work till the governments get going and also keep a watch on what is done and what is not done. Civil Society is the Watchdog. The legal fraternity also needs to have a second thought about their movement. The lawyers need to restrain themselves and protest within well-defined parameters without disturbing the courts and the cause of the litigants. They must realize that the strengthening of democracy and the political stability are NOW equally important not only for the country but also for their own cause. The new ground in Pakistan is replete with landmines. The status quo forces are working round-the-clock to resist the change, dislodge the change managers and create despondency among the people over the change. It is time for all of us as patriotic Pakistanis to stand up and work in whatever way we can to fight back and destroy the fortresses of the anti-Pakistan and anti-democracy forces.
Emailed:
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 3:38 AM
KARACHI IS BURNING
There is live telecast on major private TV channels
today. Government and private offices are closed.
Shops and educational institutions are also closed.
There is constant exchange of fire between opposing
groups at various places such as S.I.T.E. (ANP vs
MQM), Sharah-e-Faisal (JI vs MQM) and PPP vs MQM).
Sindh High Court is surrounded by supporters of MQM
and judges and lawyers cannot come out.
Shahrah-e-Faisal is blocked by MQM supporters. Chief
Justice and his lawyers are closed in VIP lounge at
Airport.
Train service has been suspended. Incoming trains are
stopped at Kotri/Hyderabad. No incoming and outgoing
flights. National Highway is closed.
Almost every area of Karachi is affected from Malir to
Gizri, SITE, Saddar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Baloch Colony
and so on.
Let us pray for peace in the city. Today's events
might get prolonged into days and weeks ahead and
damage the unity of the nation and the strength of the
country.
Emailed:
Saturday, May 12, 2007 4:45 PM
Afghan Soul Searching
There are two key factors that the U.S. and its
> allies
> are probably unable to understand in the case of
> Afghanistan. First, the Afghans are staunch
> believers
> and defenders of their religion Islam. Second, the
> Afghans have never accepted foreign hegemony in
> their
> country.
>
> The Afghans like all tribes in the region firmly
> believe in their freedom. They resist attempts by
> outsiders to take away or infringe upon their
> freedom
> or impose alien will on them. The same is the case
> with the tribes across the border in Pakistan. They
> have their own customs, traditions, values, morals
> and
> ethics. They live in the sovereign territory of
> Pakistan but do not trade away their freedom and
> adhere to their own value system and laws.
>
> Let us first try to understand the genesis of
> Taliban.
> The word 'taliban' means 'students'or 'seekers'
> which
> mens students or seekers of religious education when
> applied in the context of Taliban of Afghanistan.
>
> There were hardly 50,000 Taliban exercising control
> over more than 90% of Afghanistan in the 90's. How?
> They brought peace, justice and equality to the
> people
> of Afghanistan. Before the arrival of Taliban, the
> Afghan people were entirely at the mercy of the war
> lords who had established their own states or
> pockets
> where they ruled with immunity. There was
> practically
> no law and no order.
>
> The government in Kabul headed by Hamid Karzai has
> been unable to win over the hearts and minds of the
> Afghan people during the last six years. As a
> result,
> the Taliban got an upper hand and revived their
> rule.
> The day is not far off when Taliban will once again
> be
> ruling Afghanistan and the U.S. and its allies will
> be
> out with honour or disgrace, depending on how and
> when
> they quit. The U.S. is facing almost the same
> situation in Afghanistan that it faced in Vietnam.
>
> The spread of violence across the Afghan-Pakistan
> border is too dangerous for regional peace and
> security. It should be realized by the U.S. and its
> allies that Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran are the
> states that can possibly resist or at least delay
> the
> domination of Russia, China and India. It is a known
> secret that Russia, China and India form the most
> compatible union. Russia and China are communist
> countries and India is a secular country. They have
> practically no major conflict of interests in the
> region. Russia and India have enjoyed friendship for
> decades. China is also working on a new relationship
> with India based on mutual interests.
>
> Weaker Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran would cause
> tremendous loss to the U.S. and its allies as the
> time
> passes and Russia, China and India come closer and
> become a real threat to the U.S.
>
> The present U.S. policies in the region are
> practically shaking the foundations of the states
> that
> could be closer to the U.S. and become life-time
> partners. Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran have
> commonality of religion, territorial proximity and
> traditional routes of trade and commerce. There is
> practically no conflict of interest among them.
>
> So, it is not only the time for soul searching on
> Afghanistan but also the time for soul searching on
> the entire region.
Emailed:
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 4:08 PM
Obama Says He Would Take Fight To Pakistan
Barrack Obama is most probably trying to win the
Democratic Party's presidential nomination by
accentuating the American phobia of Osama bin Laden,
Al Qaeda and Muslim militants, real or imagined. So
far, the US has been unable to prove to the global
intelligentia that there do exist perpetrators of
terrorism, extremism or militancy in Pakistan who
could be a threat to the security of the Americans or
to the peace in the region.
It is also hard to understand as to why the US and its
allies, with all their might, are still unable to
capture the key leaders of the militant outfits or to
eliminate them. Many questions crop up in one's mind.
Is it so that the US and its allies are incapable of
accomplishing destruction of militants? Is it so that
the militant outfits do not exist? Is it so that the
militant outfits are localized and do not pose any
real threat to the US?. What is the truth can be
anybody's guess.
The United States needs to realize that it has a
bigger responsibility of leading the world in its
pursuit of progress, peace and security. The US just
cannot afford to indulge in war incursions. It has the
history of failing in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.
It is destined to fail in Pakistan. The era of
colonial warfare is over.
There are serious contradictions in the US policy
towards Pakistan. On the one hand, the US calls
Pakistan a strategic ally to fight terrorism and on
the other, it threatens to attack Pakistan's sovereign
territory. Perhaps, the US does not realize that a
weak Pakistan would be more dangerous for peace and
security in the region and across the world.
The US needs to review and reassess the geo-political
stature of Pakistan and to build a solid, amicable,
and mutually beneficial relationship not only with the
government but also with the people of Pakistan.
The US is fomenting hatred among the people in
Pakistan by its threats and previous attacks in the
tribal belt of a sovereign Pakistan. The history has
it that no ruler has ever been able to eliminate the
tribes by indulging in warfare with them.
The situation is more or less the same that the US
faced in Vietnam where it could not fight with
Vietcong guerillas. The Soviet forces could not defeat
similar tribes across the border in Afghanistan during
the long Afghan War.
The best option before the present and the future US
leaders would be to strengthen and support Pakistan
and to let it handle its affairs and work in its own
way to eliminate threats to peace and security in the
region, if any. Pakistan understands its people better
than the US.
Emailed:
Thursday, August 2, 2007 1:50 PM
Emergency in Pakistan: Role of the United Nations?
Kofi Annan, the former secretary general of the United
Nations in his widely-circulated article in "The
Economist " argued on the "two concepts of
sovereignty," He argued that ‘one concept of
sovereignty is oriented around states and the other
around people.” State sovereignty, in its most basic
form, is now being redefined calling for a new role of
the states as the instruments for the service of their
peoples, and not vice versa. Likewise, individual
sovereignty or individual freedom and liberties are
enhanced by a renewed and popular consciousness of
individual rights and liberties. The UN Charter today
aims at the protection of individuals rather than
protecting those who abuse them. For Kofi Anan, “it is
the peoples’ sovereignty rather than the sovereign’s
sovereignty."
The use of the concept of threat to international
peace and security increased in the 1990s. While
recalling Article 2 (7) of the Charter, the Security
Council condemned "the repression of the Iraqi
civilian population in many parts of Iraq, including
most recently in Kurdish populated areas." The
Security Council has often condemned attacks on
civilian populations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sierra
Leone, and Kosovo as grave violations of international
law. The establishment of international tribunals and
the negotiation of the Rome Statute on the
International Criminal Court to try cases of civil
rights violations of the people by their own
governments including “war crimes, crimes against
humanity, and the perpetration of genocide also
override the concept of state sovereingty.”
The range of interpretations of the concept of
international peace and security as enshrined in the
UN Charter has thus been broadened, though not without
ensuing controversy around it.
There is wide-spread “in principle” support for the
R2P framework from states, civil society, and the
U.N. There are, however, three major challenges that
threaten actual implementation of the frame work,
namely, a lack of political will, a lack of
authorization, and a lack of operational capacity.
None of these challenges are new but the distribution
of the R2P framework among the policy-makers across
the globe has reemphasized these challenges and thus
created a common framework for deliberating upon
potential solutions to the issues.
The R2P framework offers hope for populations who are
unable to have protection from their governments
willingly or unwillingly. It has received broad
support from its beginning which is a healthy sign for
the future when it might lead to establishment of an
international norm concerning intervention on
humanitarian grounds. This “in principle” support
needs to be backed by a political commitment to
initiate and implement reforms needed to make the R2P
operational.
The operational capacity needs to be worked out at
domestic as well as international levels and the
success will largely depend on the level of the
political commitment to ensure implementation of the
R2P. Special emphasis needs to be given to the
improvement of the rapid reaction capabilities of the
regional forces. The political barriers to entry are
to be removed so that any standing multinational force
can overcome the potential challenges. This will in
turn need communication between military and political
leaders among the states to achieve the objectives of
the R2P.
The emergency in Pakistan can be a test-case for the
United Nations and the democratic nations around the
world to prove their commitment to the 'responsibility
to protect' the people against the blatant violations
of human rights, values, norms and ethics.
It is time for the world body and the free world to
act and act fast before the situation gets out of
control and threatens peace in the volatile region.
Emailed:
Tuesday, November 6, 2007 5:15 PM
Musharraf's Strategic Retreat
A good general should know when to advance and when to
retreat and timely and voluntary retreat is better
than a delayed and forced one. I hope the general will
have many more strategic retreats to be able to get
along with the political forces, lawyers, judges,
students, media and civil society organizations and
create a new image for himself as a non-partisan
supportive civilian president and help strengthen the
four pillars of the state.
This country needs a balance between the powers of the
president and the prime minister. We should no longer
aim for a lame-duck president as envisaged in the 1973
Constitution.
We may also have to work out new relationships among
the four pillars of the state to keep each pillar in
its place to provide support to the state without
aiming for excessively over-riding position over other
pillars.
We have learned many a lession during the last couple
of months, starting from March 9, and it is time all
the stakeholders got together to come to terms with
each other for smooth running of the state functions.
This country has suffered a great deal during the past
60 years. We must now rework our thinking, our
attitude, our approach and our commitment to move this
country to greater heights. We are left too far behind
our neighbours, China and India despite the fact that
we have all the resources to perform as good as China
and India or even better in the years ahead.
We need to continue our undaunted efforts to
strengthen democratic institutions at every level of
our population and to refrain from assembling rented
crowds and show-piece open kutcheries. We need to work
rather than pretending to be working.
We must learn to forget and forgive and move ahead
leaving behind our anguish and agonies in the interest
of our people and our country. It always pays to be
larger than life.
Emailed:
Thursday, November 29, 2007 12:47 AM
What next?
A defining moment has arrived. President Musharraf
> has
> doffed his uniform and become the civilian president
> of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He has taken
> the
> oath of office under the Constitution of Pakistan
> 1973
> (under suspension). He has promised to lift
> emergency
> and PCO by Dec 16--the day Dacca fell in 1971. He
> has
> promised free and fair general elections on Jan 8,
> 2008.
>
> APDM comprising PML (N), MMA (minus JUI(F), PTI, ANP
> etc. has announced its boycott of the general
> elections.
>
> PPP has declared it will participate in the general
> elections but reserves the right to pull out any
> time
> later.
>
> As the situation stands today, all actions from Nov
> 3,
> 2007 -- the day emergency was declared -- remain
> intact and outside judicial review.
>
> What is going to happen if elections are held
> without
> participation of APDM? Will PML(Q) be able to
> counter
> the challenge of PPP? Will people vote for PPP
> knowing
> it is being supported by the US and President
> Musharraf? What will be the scenario if the PPP
> sweeps
> the elections and come out as a single largest
> majority party in the federal legislature? What will
> then be the status, power-base and future of
> President
> Musharraf?
>
> Will the people support the APDM's boycott and
> refrain
> from going to polls as a protest? Will elections be
> peaceful if APDM does not participate? If there is
> chaos and anarchy on a large scale before, during or
> after the elections, what President Musharraf or
> military will do? Will US and Europe will do?
>
> Let us share our thoughts on the future path of our
> country, its government and its people.
>
Emailed:
Saturday, December 1, 2007 1:46 PM
Can American or NATO forces land in Pakistan???
A series of news items has appeared in domestic and
foreign newspapers for quite some time about the
possibility of U.S. or NATO forces landing in Pakistan
or around it on the borders to eliminate terrorism and
their hideouts.
President Musharraf has vehemently opposed such a
move. The question is the legality of such a move.
United Nations has already decided in 2005 and made it
a part of its charter that it can send UN forces to
any country if the regional or global security is
threatened or if the human rights of the people of a
country are violated by their government. The former
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is on record having
said that the people's sovereignty has precedence over
state's sovereignty.
The U.S. Congress has already authorized President
Bush to attack any country if the security of American
people is threatened.
Is there a choice for Pakistan?
Emailed:
Sunday, January 13, 2008 7:47 PM
Pakistan extremists targeting charities
Comments on the captioned news item in the USAToday having a circulation of 2.5 million copies
per day.
Click on the link below
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-03-19-pakistan-charities_N.htm
Emailed:
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 3:00 PM
Hung parliament and hanging politicians
President Musharraf, whether on his own or under
pressure from the relevant quarters, did the right
thing to hold largely free, fair and transparent
general elections in the country for both federal and
provincial legislatures on the same day on 18 Feb
2008.
As the situation stands today, PML(Q) has now become a
lame duck. The remaining parliamentaries in its fold
are likely to cross over to other parties as soon as
they get an opportunity or as soon as the president
quits. MQM remains intact because of its own selective
vote bank. JUI-F component of MMA who contested
elections in spite of boycott of the MMA has also lost
a lot many seats in the national and provincial
assemblies, side by side its public image.
The two major political parties, namely, the PPP and
the PML(N)are now being targetted to bring either or
both of them to the president's camp. ANP will be
forming the provincial government in the NWFP, PML(N)
in Punjab and PPP in Sindh and Balochistan. However,
the convening of the provincial assemblies is being
delayed to gain time to work out a 'miracle' for the
ruling junta. At the centre, ANP and JUI-F have joined
the alliance of the PPP and the PML(N). MQM and PML(Q)
are likely to sit on the opposition benches in the
National Assembly and the provincial assemblies.
Once the PML(Q) is gone from the sight, sooner or
later, MQM will have no choice but to join in the
ruling parties wherever it gets an opportunity.
Sitting in the opposition does not go well with our
psyche and system.
President Musharraf appears to be making his last
desperate attempt to remain in the presidency and to
legitimize his re-election from the previous
parliament by obtaining a vote of confidence from the
present parliament. In my humble opinion, not much can
now be expected from such an attempt. However, the
question that remains unanswered is how to give an
honourable safe and secure passage to the president.
Emailed:
Thursday, March 20, 2008 10:56 AM
Restoration of deposed Judges
A lot of political activity has been going on in the recent
> past to work out the modus operandi of the restoration of
> some 60 deposed judges of the Supreme and High Courts. Accompanying the hectic efforts is also the anxiety, restlessness and uncertainty of the lawyers, civil society activists and the general public. There are more questions than the answers in sight.
As a senior concerned citizen, I also have many questions in my mind about the outcome of the efforts and the political situation developing if the efforts failed.
The Constitution of Pakistan 1973 is very clear on the
> procedure to be followed for the removal of the judges of
> the superior courts. "A Judge of the Supreme Court or
> of a High Court shall not be removed from office except as
> provided by this Article [209]. Under article 209, a judge
> can ONLY be removed by the President of Pakistan on the
> recommendations of the Supreme Judicial Council. In the very first instance, the removal of the judges was unconstitutional and thus null and void in the eyes of the law.
>
> As a student of the constitutional law, not a lawyer as
> such, I have been unable to find the jurisdiction of the
> Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) or the National Assembly to
> restore judges through a resolution. The parliament, in my
> opinion, has nothing to do with the appointment, removal
> and restoration of judges under the Constitution 1973 and
> as such, it cannot have the power to consider restoration
> of judges and pass a resolution, restoring them or
> demanding their restoration, by an executive order.
>
> A resolution, if it is to be passed at all, then it will
> have to be passed by both houses of the parliament, and not
> just the National Assembly. Both the houses put together
> form the parliament. Uptil now, I have heard about resolution to be passed by the National Assembly only.
> Once the parliament passes the resolution, it should
> automatically restore the judges without an executive order
> as in the case of the impeachment of the president. Once
> the parliament passes the resolution for the removal of the president, the resolution does not have to go up for an executive order.
> If the president can be removed by a resolution of the
> parliament, then the judges could also, by implication, be
> restored in a similar manner.
If the parliament demands restoration of judges by an executive order, then who will pass the executive order. The president or the prime minister has no power under the Constitution to restore judges just as they donot have the power to remove judges. So, the parliament has to restore the judges on its own through its resolution, rather than asking for an executive order to restore the judges.
>
> Since the president's proclamation of emergency and
> orders issued thereunder and thereafter till revocation of
> emergency are already validated by the Supreme Court, the question arises as to how the parliament can overturn the Supreme Court's verdict.
>
> Under the circumstances, in my opinion, one way out could be the
> re-appointment of deposed judges by the president. In that
> case, the fate of the judges appointed after the removal of the
> deposed judges will also have to be decided simultaneously. The new judges could only go back to their previous positions or leave the judiciary.
>
> The best course, in my opinion, would be to pass a bill in
> both houses of the parliament to restore the 1973
> Constitution to its pre-Oct 12, 1999 position and hold in
> abeyance the amendments and proclamations made on and
> after Oct 12, 1999 by the president [Pervez Musharraf] or
> the Chief of Army Staff [Pervez Musharraf] till the fate of
> those amendments and proclamations are agitated and
> decided by the Supreme Court.
This should require simple majority in both houses of parliament and resolve the issues of the restoration of deposed judges, powers of the
> president to appoint judges, 58(2B) etc. The other
> alternative could be to pass 18th amendment for the
> same purpose but then the problem is that the coalition partners do not have the two-thirds majority in the Senate.
>
> These are just a few thoughts that I wanted to share with you. I am no legal expert. I will certainly welcome valuable comments from those who know the law and can offer better solutions to the issue. I am afraid the country might go into turmoil and political instability if the judges are not restored. What then? We are already faced with monstrous issues of price hike, unemployment, law and order, terrorism, economic slide and the regional power tussle.
Emailed:
Saturday, April 26, 2008 12:31 AM
Should PML(N) Quit Coalition if Deposed Judges Not Restored? Poll
Mian Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League has all along been very vocal about their clear stand on the restoration of some 60 deposed judges of the Supreme and High Courts who lost their positions either because they refused to take a fresh oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) under the Proclamation of Emergency on Nov 3, 2007 or were not invited to take oath. On the top of the list was the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr. Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry who was earlier dismissed by President Pervez Musharraf in March 2007 but who was later reinstated by the Supreme Court in July.
The fate of the PML(N) and PPP coalition now hangs on the question of the restoration of these judges. PPP appears to be dilly dallying the issue and trying to gain time for reasons best known to its leadership. Under the Charter of Democracy as well as the Murree Declaration, PPP leadership is bound to get the deposed judges restored within 30 days of the formation of the federal government.
The multi-million dollar question is: What will happen if the judges are not restored within the timeline of 30 days? Will PML(N) leave the coalition with PPP?
I strongly urge you to visit the blogsite http://miannawazsharif.blogspot.comand cast your valuable vote in the Poll at the bottom of the blogsite. The personal identity of the voter cannot be known in any manner whatsoever.
Let us hurry up and take the Poll as soon as possible. Closing date is 30 April 2008.
Emailed:
Saturday, April 26, 2008 4:31 PM
Restoration of deposed judges: A dilemma?
I happened to view part of the talk show last night on Express TV anchored by Qatrina Hussain. The participants were: Barrister Muhammad Saif, Siddiqul Farooq, Justice (r) Tariq Mahmood and Senator Safdar Abbasi. The topic: Restoration of deposed judges.
In spite of the repeated questioning by Qatrina, nobody from amongst the participants could come out with a definite methodology that can be followed under specific provisions of the law or constitution for restoring the deposed judges. Everyone had his own opinion sort of thing with no specific reference to any law or provision of the constitution. There was no consensus either.
I just wonder why the people of Pakistan are being kept in the wait. Somebody has to stand up and tell us the truth. The present setup will certainly lose its credibility in the eyes of the people if something unexpected and undesirable turns up on or after 30April 2008.
What do you think?
Emailed:
Sunday, April 27, 2008 11:36 AM
First 30 Days of the Federal Government
The federal government has fortunately completed the first 30 days in office. There has been far more press statements, press conferences, interviews and talkshow participation of the parties in power than its number of hours in office, raising hopes to the hilt, promises to the moon and targets to the Himalaya. So much in emotions but so little in logic. None of the federal ministries has so far been able to come up with its Action Plan to achieve the 100-day Agenda of the PM on month to month basis. Maybe, none of the federal secretaries is sure of his being there to implement it if he draws it up. Or maybe, he thinks why to start working on it when he does not know whether or not he will be there in office next morning.
As far as the federal ministers are concerned, they are by and large busy in finding out and telling the people what went wrong in the previous eight years. It is a bad habit with us as a nation that we either glorify the past or horrify it. No nation can live in its past. Only dead people live in history. Living nations learn from their past and move on without giving a second thought to who went down the drain.
Look at the people of Vietnam. No nation probably suffered so much at the hands of the U.S. and its allies as did Vietnamese. But once out of war, they never bothered to talk about their past miseries and built up their country as far as they could. Today, the Americans can go to Vietnam without fear of retaliation. So is the case with black South Africans who suffered enormously at the hands of the whites but did not resort to revenge or vengeance once got their independence.
I appeal to the Hon'able PM and his ministers to stop talking about the past, come up with what they can give to the nation over the coming months and years and cut down on their exposure in the press and the electronic media. Last but not the least, I appeal to the Hon'able PM to stop hosting lavish parties in his luxurious PM House for domestic guests. In fact, there should be no free breakfasts, lunches and dinners anywhere on government's account.
We are going through one of the worst periods of our history. Hunger, poverty, suicides should be enough reasons for cutting down our government expense. It is so horrifying to see people committing suicide on railway tracks (the worst form of suicide). A country going through such agonies has no right to be lavish in anything.
I sincerely urge my friends to express their views at every forum including their letters to the newspapers to highlight the people's miseries and guide the new government to ease them as quickly as possible.
Bol kay lub azad hain teray--Faiz
Emailed:
Sunday, April 27, 2008 3:36 PM
Deadlock: what next?
Deadlock over the restoration of deposed judges WITHOUT accompanying constitutional package, apparently to clip their wings or the wings of the superior judiciary as a whole, is more than obvious now. PPP’s co-chairperson has now unfolded what was previously being presumed. What is there in the package can be anybody’s guess but one thing is certain. It will be tailored to suit the co-chairperson as much as his benefactor, the president.
What next ? It will be the question hammering the minds of the people in general and the civil society in particular. The sudden swing will create anxiety and anger among the people and severely damage the credibility of the political leadership. Both the parties continued to assure the people that there had been no differences between them on the question of restoration of deposed judges and that the judges will be restored within 30 days.
Let me briefly refer back to the question of the people’s mandate to the PPP and PML (N) in the recent elections. There are different perceptions of why the people voted for these two parties. My perception is that the people voted for both the parties to bring back the deposed judges who would relieve them of the vagaries of the system.
The general public, rural as well as urban, strongly believed that now it was only the superior judiciary under the leadership of the deposed Chief Justice Mr. Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry who could bring relief to the people suffering in the beleaguered Pakistan . There is no doubt that the superior judiciary, whether the High Courts or the Supreme Court, did address the issues of the common man. The people did know that only the major political parties could bring back the deposed judiciary to do what the executive was supposed to do, in the first place.
It is very natural that when the executive fails to deliver, the people look up to some other institution to help them. This time around, it was the judiciary that was taken as the savior.
One may agree with the president when he says that the judiciary over-stepped its domain and entered the realm of the executive in passing executive orders. Why the judiciary did it? Because the executive failed to do its work. Either the judiciary or the parliament has to act when the executive fails. The parliament was either incompetent or unwilling to do its work. So, the next option was the judiciary. The media as the fourth organ of the State, in my humble opinion, played a terrific role in projecting the executive’s failures and judiciary’s remedies and mobilized the public support for the political parties.
In my humble opinion, the executive was challenged and democracy flushed in by the lawyers’ movement, media and the civil society activists. No political party, large or small, can lay a claim to the restoration of democracy through its workers. Not at all.
Emailed:
Tuesday, April 29, 2008 7:26 PM
Save Pakistan Movement (Pakistan Bachao Tehreek)
As you may have noticed that the people of Pakistan are being once again traumatized by political intrigues, maneuvering and concoctions on the one hand and false hopes, incredible promises and tall claims on the other, courtesy the president's camp and the political leadership. The people of Pakistan are today faced with innumerable crises of food, price spiral, poverty, unemployment, lawlessness, injustice, electricity. gas and lack of adequate health, housing, education, water, and transport facilities. The prevailing political situation, massive reshuffling of bureaucracy, absence of short-term and long-term plans, and overwhelming public engagements of the Prime Minister and his cabinet making it impossible for them to sit at their desks and work day and night may well lead us to a multidimensional catastrophe that we cannot even imagine at this stage. What are we waiting for ? A massive public uprising? A collapse of political setup? A military coup? Or landing of U.S. and Nato forces? What do you think we need to do rightaway to prevent very bad days ahead or at least minimize their fallout? Share your expertise, opinion, and views on blogsite http://ggovernance.blogspot.com, openly and freely, for the sake of our people and our homeland.
emailed:
Monday, May 5, 2008 4:37 PM
What next? Pakistan at the crossroads once again? Survival vs.Annihilation?
Are we heading towards a political crisis side by side judicial crisis? What is going to happen to Pakistan and its people? Economic collapse? Are our political leaders aware of the fact that the U.S. will NOT tolerate a destabilized Pakistan at this point of time because of its geo-political priorities? Do they know how the U.S. ensures stabilization? Are we aware of the priorities of the Capitol Hill, Pentagon and White House? Do we know where our people will end up economically and where our country will end up politically? Do we know the region is divided into two blocks i.e. Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran (Muslim block) and India, Russia, China (Secular Block) for the purpose of geo-political priorities of the powers that be?
These are some of the basic questions hammering the thinking minds in Pakistan.
What, how and when you can play your positive role? There is not much time left. Politics of confrontation, mistrust and self-interest must give way to national priorities.
emailed:
Monday, May 5, 2008 9:43 PM
Testing times ahead: democracy or one-man rule?
At long last, the cat is out of the bag. Boucher must have told the coalition partners to go slow on their separation and ultimately divorce proceedings. It is more than obvious that the U.S. does NOT want any trouble in Pakistan at this point of time. It cannot afford to change the actors on the War on Terror stage at this juncture.
I guess the separation and divorce process between PPP and PML(N) might prolong till the Nov elections in the U.S. In the meantime, it will also give ample opportunity to the PPP and PML(N) to feel the heat and carry out their own strengths weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis.
The political parties are probably faced with the worst circumstances at the moment. There are complex political as well as judicial issues, economic regression, social and ethnic disparities and strifes, terrorism, law and order and so on. You name it and they have it like situation. Such mammoth issues need harmony among the executive, legislature and judiciary on the one hand and the political parties on the other to enable the government of the day to find and implement solutions to the compelling issues. If there is no harmony, there will be no progress. What will the end result can be easily assessed. Another Martial Law or Talibanization.
When we look at the history of revolutions, we find that a change of system takes place to give relief to the suffering majority. In our case, it might well be Talibanization more than another military take-over. What will happen next can also be easily judged. Such a 360 degree swing will not be acceptable to our near and dear neighbours and the super power. What will come next can again be conveniently forecast. A U.S.-NATO onslaught to physically take over the territory. Once in, they will never be out.
It is high time the political parties and groups indulged in introspection and put their heads and hearts together to work out a joint strategy to save Pakistan and give relief to the masses who are sliding down into deep poverty, restlessness and helplessness paving the way to a revolution.
As far as PML(Q) is concerned, I believe it should try and get into the political mainstream, distancing itself from the president's camp. Sooner or later, it will be broken up anyway. Some of its members will be joining the PPP; some PML(N). That will be a disgraceful end of the party. It would be much better if the party takes a quick and firm decision and goes one way or the way NOW. So many of its members are already peeping into other parties to find a place. We hear about Kashmala Tariq, Khawaja Noor Mohammad Sahu, Riaz Fatiana and Najaf Sial off and on. In the Senate, Neelofar Bakhtiar is probably spearheading the forward block. As the situation becomes more and more compelling, the activities of the dissidents will accelerate, more so in the next few weeks due to bye-elections and the future status of the PPP and PML(N) governments.
As a frontline leader of the party, I would suggest you take the initiative and persuade the high command to get out of its deep sleep and take a fresh breath before it is too late. I am of the view that the political parties MUST not help a military man perpetuate himself in power. It is NOW or NEVER situation. Either the big boss goes NOW or he sends others off, sooner or later. He will in all probability retain the 58(2) B as long as he is in power and will not hesitate to use it at will. Democracy does not fall from the heavens; it has to be brought in by the mortals like us.
emailed;
Monday, May 12, 2008 9:53 PM
Achha Sugarwala of Lahore
Once upon a time, there was a 'sugar smuggler' by the
name of 'Achha Sugarwala,' living in Qila Gujar Singh
in Lahore. As the story goes, he was close to Malik
Amir Mohammad Khan of Kalabagh who was the Governor of
West Pakistan in the 60's, and 'Achha Sugarwala'was
always there to help the government for disrupting
processions, rallies and gatherings of the opposition.
One day, 'Achha Sugarwala' slapped a police constable
for some reason and policeman's cap fell down.
Inspector General of Police, knowing his relationship
with the
governor, sought the latter's advice for dealing with
the incident. The governor ordered his arrest.
After his release, 'Achha Sugarwala' visited the
governor and complained about his arrest. The governor
is reported to have said: "friendship is one thing and
administration is another."
I do not know how far the story is correct, entirely
or partly, but it was in circulation when I was based
in Lahore.
Now coming to the 'sugarwallas' of present days, you
may be shocked to know that sugar was being sold in
Karachi at Rs. 43 per kg a few months back while
India, Brazil and other countries were offering it at
C&F US$ 300 or less per metric tonne i.e. Rs. 18 per
kg.
I offered one million tons to Trading Corporation of
Pakistan at US$300/mt via its website so that price of
sugar could be brought down in Pakistan. There was no
response.
Today, our sugarwallas are crying for help to sell off
surplus stocks and are reporting huge business losses.
Allah-o-Akbar.
Emailed:
Thursday, December 6, 2007 9:35 AM
American Asian Agenda
American Asian Agenda revolves around Afghanistan,
> Pakistan, India, Russia, China, Iran and the Arabian
> Gulf. A strong foothold in the region will help the
> United States keep a close watch on the emerging
> super
> powers in the region, oil in the Gulf and nuclear
> weaponry in Iran and be ready to attack and destroy
> the opposing nations.
>
> Read full blog on
> http://american-asian-agenda.blogspot.com and post
> your comments.
>
emailed:
Saturday, December 8, 2007 4:05 PM
What is Civil Society?
Civil Society refers to all groups outside government such as community groups, non-governmental organizations, labour unions, Indigenous Peoples' organizations, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations and foundations. Civil society expresses the interests of social groups and raises awareness of key issues in order to influence policy and decision-making. In recent decades, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have been successful in shaping global policy through advocacy campaigns and mobilization of people and resources.
Read details on http://civilsocietyorganizations.blogspot.com
emailed:
Friday, April 18, 2008 10:00 AM
Redefining the role and functions of PML
Pakistan Muslim League has been consistently used by the civilian and the military 'Kings' alike to rule over the poor, silent and helpless people of Pakistan, especially from the days of President Ayub Khan, in one form or the other. It seems as if the destined role of the PML ended with the establishment of Pakistan. Soon thereafter, it became a tool in the hands of the civilian and military rulers to play with the emotional linkage of the people with the party, responsible for the creation of Pakistan under the dynamic leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
PML have had a long journey from Pakistan Muslim League (Council) to Pakistan Muslim League (Convention)to Pakistan Muslim League (Q), (N), (F) and (J). There are still 22 alphabets of the English language left to be used to create more factions in the Pakistan Muslim League.
PML also moved from a popular people's party to an elitists party. Look at any faction of the present PML and you will find the elite at the top of the hierarchy. It has practically no middle and low levels of the hierarchy.
The role of the PML needs to be redefined. Its factions need to be wrapped up. It has to be unified into one popular people's party to compete effectively with the Pakistan People's Party. We have to move ahead with two-party system on the national level. Regional parties and groups may continue on their own and play their own defined roles.
The present 'marriage of convenience' between the PML(N) and the PPP is not going to work for too long. It is unnatural alliance of two ideologically opposing parties. It is generally believed that the alliance will last only till President Musharraf is ousted or made a lame-duck ceremonial head of state.
So, it is high time the civil society makes a move and persuades the various factions of the PML to unify, redefine the party's role and travel down to the common man in the street, in the field and in the industries. Its elitist culture, mindset and behaviour need to be drastically changed before it is too late.
emailed:
Friday, April 18, 2008 11:25 AM
bureacracy under siege--once again
It is so unfortunate that every time there is a change of government there is large-scale reshuffling of bureaucrats at almost all levels. Pakistan is unique in this field as well. Bureaucracy is supposed to be neutral serving any government according to its policies within the framework of the constitution and the laws. Yet, every government tends to make bureaucracy biased, prejudiced and party-loyal.
This time around there had been a lot of talk before the elections about the rule of law and justice. The moment the federal and provincial governments were sworn in, the postings and transfers began as if the new government could not function without bringing in the loyalists. It appears as if the government servants are the private servants of the party in power and not of the public or the government as such.
"A good manager is the one who can manage men, materials and money." That is what we learn in multi-national companies. When a new chief executive or departmental head arrives, he cannot turn the company or department upside down straightaway. He may make changes here and there but only after due consideration and justifiable reasons. He is free to take decisions but he is at the same time accountable to his boss for his decisions. Bias, prejudice and cronyism are never permitted.
It seems as if the new government has preconceived notion that the existing government servants will not cooperate and will not deliver. That at best can only be an assumption unless a public servant is tried and tested. If the objective is to reward favourites, then it is outright cronyism.
I would suggest our political leaderships should find time to read thoroughly Groupthink theory enunciated in the following thought-provoking publications:
Janis, Irving L. (1972). Victims of Groupthink. New York: Houghton Mifflin.
Janis, Irving L. (1982). Groupthink: Psychological Studies of Policy Decisions and Fiascoes. Second Edition. New York: Houghton Mifflin.
What is Groupthink?
Groupthink, a term coined by social psychologist Irving Janis (1972), occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of “mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment”. Groups affected by groupthink ignore alternatives and tend to take irrational actions that dehumanize other groups. A group is especially vulnerable to groupthink when its members are similar in background, when the group is insulated from outside opinions, and when there are no clear rules for decision making.(www.psysr.org/groupthink).
emailed:
Sunday, April 20, 2008 3:39 PM
Will President Musharraf Quit?
Check out the following link on my writing on the topic:
http://www.defence.pk/forums/national-political-issues/10310-will-president-musharraf-quit.html
emailed:
Sunday, March 9, 2008 10:14 AM
President Musharraf's Approval Ratings
Approval ratings
By August 2007 Musharraf had become increasingly
unpopular in Pakistan. An International Republican
Institute survey showed that 64 percent of the
population did not want another term to be granted to
Musharraf as the president of Pakistan.[89] The
Economist reported that the country was in a mess even
by the nation's own standards.[89] Journalist Ayaz
Amir stated that Musharraf was “the author of his own
misfortune”. The article stated that unlike other
dictators, Musharraf has an easy exit that should be
heeded to.[90]
Musharraf admitted that his popularity was on a
decline.[91] Dawn, a leading newspaper, conducted a
survey showed that about 54.5 percent of urban
Pakistanis believe that military should have no role
in politics while 65.2 percent want Musharraf to step
down.[92] The Economist also stated that the General
was destabilizing Pakistan by imposing ýemergency. The
paper also suggested that it was time that the general
exit government ýand allow the democratic process to
be completed. ýý[93]ý
However, more recent surveys shows that Musharraf's
popularity has further decreased. A survey conducted
by Terror Free Tomorrow shows that Osama Bin Laden is
more popular in Pakistan than Musharraf. According to
poll results, Bin Laden has a 46 percent approval
rating. [94].
In an effort to boost his falling popularity ratings
in an election year, Musharraf will be a regular guest
star on a state-sponsored Q&A show titled From the
President's House.[95] The show will be aired weekly
on PTV and partly or wholly on some private channels.
On November 3, 2007, Musharraf declared a State of
emergency in Pakistan to postpone the ongoing case of
his re-election, of which impact is most likely to
decline his already low popularity even further.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pervez_Musharraf#Approval_ratings
emailed:
Thursday, November 29, 2007 11:15 PM
General Amnesty for Under-Trial Prisoners (UTPs) by the President of Pakistan
Dear Mr. President:
I appeal for granting general amnesty to all those
under-trial prisoners who have already served the
maximum imprisonment for the offence/s they are
alleged to have committed without having been
convicted.
Our jails are heavily over-crowded accommodating at
least 2-3 times more inmates than jails' actual
capacity. Courts are loaded with cases. Adequate
transport is un-available to transport prisoners from
jails to courts for hearings. Our criminal justice
system is highly defective, almost 95% of the accused
are acquitted for one reason or the other. There are
under-trial prisoners who have already served far more
years in jail than their offence/s prescribe in law.
Alternatively, you may grant general amnesty to all
those under-trial prisoners who have already served,
say, seven years (or any other reasonable figure)
without having been convicted by a court of law.
I sincerely hope you will give my proposition a very
serious thought for early action.
emailed to President Pervez Musharraf
Friday, November 30, 2007 12:16 AM
Emergency in Pakistan: Its fallout?
This is probably the golden hour for the United
States to initiate a positive change in its image
among the people of Pakistan.
Times have changed. Today, the people of Pakistan, no
matter where located, are far more politically,
socially and economically conscious of their rights
and privileges than ever before.
The whole nation is in no mood to accept one-man
autocratic rule and his government and allies of
dubious credentials, any longer. This was amply
demonstrated when the people of the rural and urban
areas alike lined up the routes for hours to accord a
rousing welcome to the 'suspended' Chief Justice of
Pakistan during March-July this year.
Many of these people may never have heard the name of
the Chief Justice of Pakistan before. But when they
heard about the stand the CJP had taken, they
instantly became his supporters. Why? because he
symbolized freedom, justice and hope.
It is high time the United States openly supported the
people of Pakistan and strongly exhorted President of
Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, to fulfill his
promises made to the U.S. and to the people of
Pakistan. The general must take off his uniform on his
promised date i.e. 15th Nov 2007 and hold free, fair
and transparent elections, scheduled for Jan 2008,
without the cover of the emergency.
The president, who promulgated emergency in his
capacity as the Chief of Army Staff, must end the
emergency on the same day when he takes off his
uniform.
There will absolutely be no destablization in the
country nor any aggravation of militant activities
if the general doffs his military uniform and the
elections are announced and all parties including the
Pakistan Muslim League (N) are provided a level
playing field to win or lose.
Extremism, militancy and terrorism are ALWAYS the end
products of deprivation among the people any where in
the world. Look at the history of the French
Revolution, Russian Revolution and the Iranian
Revolution to know the truth.
When the people are not treated equally before the
law, when there is so much of economic wedge between
the rich and the poor, when the people know how others
made money and amassed wealth through illegal means,
when the people are unable to get the basic amenities
and witness their near and dear ones dying of hunger,
disease or suicide out of sheer helplessness, the
class-hatred and the anti-government emotions are
bound to creep into their hearts and minds.
The reason why the people are not coming on the
streets to protest is very simple. Let the government
allow peaceful demonstrations without the fear of
baton charge, tear gassing or firing and it will see
the mobs all around. People cannot afford to lose
their lives or become disabled for the sake of their
families.
Under the UN Charter, the people's sovereignty has
precedence over the state's sovereignty and the United
Nations and its member states are required to take
action against the government of any country by using
all means including military intervention to protect
the people who are subjected to usurpation of their
rights, armed conflict and genocide.
Time is running out. Any delay in return to democracy
will encourage the supporters of Taliban and other
religious outfits to seize upon the
once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity to gear up their
activities and spread among the masses throughout the
country.
The people will embrace them as saviours as
it happened in Afghanistan when the Taliban went
there for the first time. This is exactly what is
still happening in Afghanistan and now Swat. The
reason is obvious. The people want peace, security,
justice, equal rights, basic amenities, employment,
and an end to maladministration, corruption and
price-hike.
It is time for the president and his allies to come to
terms with the ground realities and accept the truth.
A great leader is never afraid of admitting his
mistakes, saying sorry and getting back to work. The
president should try it at least once and see how the
public picks him up on their shoulders and shower on
him their love. Pakistani nation is very flexible and
very emotional at heart in forgetting and forgiving
their leaders and giving them fresh opportunities to
perform again.
Let us pray and hope that sanity will prevail among
the people who matter and the country will be saved
from annihilation.
emailed:
Wednesday, November 7, 2007 4:27 PM
Emergency in Pakistan: Role of the United Nations?
Kofi Annan, the former secretary general of the United
Nations in his widely-circulated article in "The
Economist " argued on the "two concepts of
sovereignty," He argued that ‘one concept of
sovereignty is oriented around states and the other
around people.” State sovereignty, in its most basic
form, is now being redefined calling for a new role of
the states as the instruments for the service of their
peoples, and not vice versa. Likewise, individual
sovereignty or individual freedom and liberties are
enhanced by a renewed and popular consciousness of
individual rights and liberties. The UN Charter today
aims at the protection of individuals rather than
protecting those who abuse them. For Kofi Anan, “it is
the peoples’ sovereignty rather than the sovereign’s
sovereignty."
The use of the concept of threat to international
peace and security increased in the 1990s. While
recalling Article 2 (7) of the Charter, the Security
Council condemned "the repression of the Iraqi
civilian population in many parts of Iraq, including
most recently in Kurdish populated areas." The
Security Council has often condemned attacks on
civilian populations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sierra
Leone, and Kosovo as grave violations of international
law. The establishment of international tribunals and
the negotiation of the Rome Statute on the
International Criminal Court to try cases of civil
rights violations of the people by their own
governments including “war crimes, crimes against
humanity, and the perpetration of genocide also
override the concept of state sovereingty.”
The range of interpretations of the concept of
international peace and security as enshrined in the
UN Charter has thus been broadened, though not without
ensuing controversy around it.
There is wide-spread “in principle” support for the
R2P framework from states, civil society, and the
U.N. There are, however, three major challenges that
threaten actual implementation of the frame work,
namely, a lack of political will, a lack of
authorization, and a lack of operational capacity.
None of these challenges are new but the distribution
of the R2P framework among the policy-makers across
the globe has reemphasized these challenges and thus
created a common framework for deliberating upon
potential solutions to the issues.
The R2P framework offers hope for populations who are
unable to have protection from their governments
willingly or unwillingly. It has received broad
support from its beginning which is a healthy sign for
the future when it might lead to establishment of an
international norm concerning intervention on
humanitarian grounds. This “in principle” support
needs to be backed by a political commitment to
initiate and implement reforms needed to make the R2P
operational.
The operational capacity needs to be worked out at
domestic as well as international levels and the
success will largely depend on the level of the
political commitment to ensure implementation of the
R2P. Special emphasis needs to be given to the
improvement of the rapid reaction capabilities of the
regional forces. The political barriers to entry are
to be removed so that any standing multinational force
can overcome the potential challenges. This will in
turn need communication between military and political
leaders among the states to achieve the objectives of
the R2P.
The emergency in Pakistan can be a test-case for the
United Nations and the democratic nations around the
world to prove their commitment to the 'responsibility
to protect' the people against the blatant violations
of human rights, values, norms and ethics.
It is time for the world body and the free world to
act and act fast before the situation gets out of
control and threatens peace in the volatile region.
emailed:
Tuesday, November 6, 2007 5:11 PM
PostGlobal on The Washington Post
Checkout comments, including mine, on the following
link. 'The Washington Post' has a daily circulation of
over one million copies.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/mj_akbar/2007/09/no_easy_way_out_for_military_d/all_comments.html
emailed:
Saturday, September 22, 2007 2:38 PM
A giant leap by judiciary in Pakistan
The Supreme Court’s ruling has come as no surprise to
the people of Pakistan. The un-easing momentum of the
lawyers’ movement and the tumultuous reception the
Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr. Justice Iftikhar
Mohammad Chaudhry, continued to receive on his visits
to various parts of the country, after he was made
‘non-functional’ by the president of Pakistan, were
good enough to predict the forthcoming events.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has passed the short
order on its own merits without being influenced by
the lawyers’ movement and the public support for the
Chief Justice. The judgement in favour of the Chief
Justice might have been difficult under the military
regime if there had been no massive public support for
the Chief Justice’s cause.
It is also noteworthy that this time around there had
been a grand awakening among the members of the
judiciary at all levels of their rights and
privileges.
President Musharraf has repeatedly said publicly over
the past months that he would abide by the judgement
of the Supreme Court. If he does and, we hope he will
do, the Supreme Court’s ruling will open a golden
chapter in the history of Pakistan’s judiciary and
will hopefully lead to a new relationship between the
judiciary and the executive with respect to their
rights and privileges as envisaged in the country’s
constitution.
It is too early to comment on the impact of the
judgement on the strength of the president. It would
depend on how the president and the Chief Justice go
along in the time ahead. We wish and hope that both
will act according to the dictates of their conscience
and the provisions of the constitution in the larger
interest of their country and set new precedents of
co-existence.
May I quote here the famous remarks of Thomas
Jefferson, one of the founding fathers and the
presidents of the U.S. that ‘one man’s courage is a majority.
emailed:
Saturday, July 21, 2007 12:45 PM
The story from a convict in the death cell
I am deeply moved by the exemplary attitude,
approach and accomplishments of the convict Sohail
Fida who is living in the death cell in Haripur
Central Prison( DAWN,Jul 15).
Without prejudice to the merits of his case,I have
referred to him, as an example, in my weblog
and also created a poll with the question: What
should be done to the convict?.
There are five optional answers to the question on
my weblog. The blog visitor can click on one or more
answers and then click on 'vote' button. If any
visitor cannot see an answer, he/she should move
his/her cursor on the space next to each answer box
and the answer will become visible. Once the answer is
visible, he/she should tick in the box next to it and
then click on Vote button.
>
> I would greatly appreciate your
visiting my weblog http://never-be-afraid.blogspot.com
and participating in the poll or posting your
comments.
emailed:
Tuesday, July 17, 2007 9:16 PM
what is coming?
It is so unfortunate that our government is now quite
often embroiled in one issue or the other and its
functionaries do not know how to act or react. Take,
for example, the issue of the 'suspension' of the
Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. It has been
mis-conceived, mis-communicated and mis-managed from
day 1.
With so much of resources at the disposal of the
government, why is it so that the government often
fails to handle an issue in a proper manner? Is it the
overall incompetence of the political government? Is
it the overall incompetence of the civil bureaucracy?
Is it the overall attitude, approach and application
of thought, mind and intellect on the part of the
powers that be?
With every passing day, the government is losing its
face with the judiciary, media, intelligensia and the
general public. Yet, almost every Tom, Dick and Harry
in the government,who has access to the media, is
trying to give the impression that 'nothing is wrong,'
'everything is under control', 'government is as
strong as ever' and so on. I wonder whom these
government spokesmen are trying to impress. The
general public is far more knowledgeable today than
ever before, thanks to the print and electronic media.
I think the time has come when the government must
re-evaluate its performance impartially, objectively
and sincerely. What happens to the government in the
next few months, nobody can say with absolute
certainty. However, the signs are too bad. Signs
within the country and beyond are hardly conducive for
the government in power. It seems as if we are going
to have another storm swirling around us. May Almighty
Allah bless this nation. Ameen.
emailed:
Sunday, March 25, 2007 9:42 PM
Use your right to vote on Opinion Poll
You are invited to cast your vote on Opinion Poll at the following blogsites. Only one vote from one computer or IP address will be counted towards the poll.
http://miannawazsharif.blogspot.com
http://benazirbhutto.blogspot.com
http://presidentpervezmusharraf.blogspot.com
emailed:
Nov 22, 2007 6:19 PM
Save Pakistan Movement (Pakistan Bachao Tehreek)
As you may have noticed that the people of Pakistan are once again being traumatized by political intrigues, maneuvering and concoctions on the one hand and false hopes, incredible promises and tall claims on the other, courtesy the president's camp and the political leadership.
The people of Pakistan are today faced with innumerable crises of food, price spiral, poverty, unemployment, lawlessness, injustice, electricity. gas and lack of adequate health, housing, education, water, and transport facilities.
The prevailing political situation, massive reshuffling of bureaucracy, absence of short-term and long-term plans, and overwhelming public engagements of the Prime Minister and his cabinet making it impossible for them to sit at their desks and work day and night may well lead us to a multidimensional catastrophe that we cannot even imagine at this stage.
What are we waiting for ? A massive public uprising? A collapse of political setup? A military coup? Or landing of U.S. and Nato forces?
What do you think we need to do rightaway to prevent very bad days ahead or at least minimize their fallout? Share your expertise, opinion, and views on blogsite http://ggovernance.blogspot.com, openly and freely, for the sake of our people and our homeland.
emailed:
May 5, 2008 4:21 PM
Judicial and Political Crises and their Solutions
After reviewing the talkshows and interviews of eminent former judges and practising lawyers, the Good Governance Forum has formed the following conclusions and suggestions.
1. The Bhurban Declaration states that the deposed judges will be restored through a parliamentary resolution. The parliament comprises the National Assembly and the Senate. Then, why everybody is talking about resolution in the NA is hard to understand. Logically, too, both houses of parliament should be involved in the resolution.
2. The parliament will pass the resolution recommending the restoration of deposed judges to their Nov 2 positions. It cannot restore them by its resolution alone. So, the next step will be the issuance of an executive order by the president on the advice of the PM. What action will follow if the president refuses to issue the executive order needs to be decided before it actually happens.
3. Once the deposed judges are restored to pre-emergency positions in the Supreme Court and High Courts, the judges who were in office on Nov 2 and who took oath under PCO will also continue.
4. Judges appointed after Nov 2 to fill-in the vacancies of the deposed judges will have to go back to their older positions so that there is no rift or discrimination between the PCO judges and Non-PCO judges in their respective courts.
5. If the judges appointed after Nov 2 are to be accommodated, then the best option will be to appoint them as Adhoc judges of the respective courts till vacancies come up for regular or substantive appointments.
6. Under the impending constitutional package (18th amendment) which is still a secret, the parliament should restore to the PM the powers taken over by the president in relation to appointment of governors, judges of superior courts, services chiefs and chief of joint staff committee etc. Regarding 58(2) B, the president should have the power to dismiss the federal government and the provincial government/s through the governors WITHOUT DISSOLVING THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND THE PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLIES if the circumstances so demand. The federal and provincial legislatures should then elect NEW leaders of the house who should form the next governments.The powers of the superior courts to take suo motu notice should remain there with some QUALIFICATION or CONDITIONS to prevent judges from going into every petty matter like kite flying, serving of meals at weddings, etc. The judges should also be restrained from convicting members of the bureaucracy without usual trial procedure being followed as it happened in the case of IG Islamabad, SSP Islamabad etc. Parliament should have the power to question and pass the required law or amendment if any judgement of any superior court has overstepped its domain under the constitution. The same should apply to the executive branch.
7. All organs of the state be it the parliament, executive and judiciary should have powers enough to enable them to perform their obligations under the law and the constitution.
emailed:
May 7, 2008 9:47 AM
Asif Zardari's dilemma
The sudden demise of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto propelled Asif Zardari into a new role for which he was probably not yet prepared. He faced the BB's death with grace and led PPP, patiently and intelligently, inspite of the burning issue of the nomination of the next prime minister. He also renewed PPP's alliance with PML(N) and brought in ANP and JUI(F) to the alliance's fold.He withstood pressure to share power with MQM and PML(Q) for some time, but ultimately compromised in the case of MQM. He seems to be ready to accommodate PML(Q) should PML(N) dissociates from the alliance. All said and done, Asif Zardari is not yet free from the pull and push of the presidency. His dilemma is multi-faceted.
1. PPP is said to have struck a deal with President Musharraf, presumably brokered and guaranteed by the U.S., paving the way for the return of BB and AZ to Pakistan. As part of the deal, it is assumed, the president issued the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), a very un-usual and largely despised document in the political history of Pakistan. In return, it is quite obvious, president's tenure must have been assured. For how long? That is anybody's guess. If AZ tries to break away from the president, he is likely to be roped in through the Supreme Court which had earlier ruled that NRO was open to judicial review. He will also have to face the wrath of the U.S.
2. AZ formed an alliance with Mian Nawaz Sharif probably to save himself from the NS's stern and stubborn opposition. He knew that it will take him a long time to establish himself within the PPP and the electorate. He knew he would be facing gigantic issues of judges' restoration, price spiral, unemployment, poverty, law and order, terrorism and above all Roti, Kapra, Makan, employment, education and health that the PPP committed during the elections. So, he tactfully formed alliance with PML(N) followed by ANP and JUI(F) to keep the environment comfortable for himself and his party as far as the opposition was concerned.
3. AZ probably knows that he has a long way to go before he is truly accepted as the head of the PPP by the rank and file of the party. He has to mould himself to become a leader of the masses like BB and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He has to work out sound and smooth relationships with the higher echelons of the party.
In such a demanding situation, one can well imagine the dilemma of AZ. He is surrounded from all sides.
He is probably afraid of restoring the deposed judges lest NRO is knocked out and he is locked in. He is afraid the president might get annoyed with the judges' restoration and put him to test under NRO by encouraging the present Supreme Court to go for a judicial review.
He is afraid of NS if he breaks up the alliance for NS has majority in the Punjab and has proved himself to be strong willed and formidable opponent in the past.
He is afraid to form an alliance with PML(Q) for possible reprisal from within the PPP and the electorate. Besides, PML(Q) is likely to take the opportunity to strengthen itself at the cost of PPP. Chaudhrys are far more shrewd than AZ can handle. They may also be used by the presidency from time to time to keep AZ under the thumb.So, AZ is likely to be sandwiched between the PML(Q) and the MQM, both close to the presidency. ANP and JUI(F) may also find it a better option to cultivate and sustain a healthy relationship with the presidency and keep AZ under control. PPP workers and leaders are yet to swallow the alliance with MQM.
emailed:
May 7, 2008 8:33 PM
Why are we not getting the truth?
The whole nation is going through the trauma of being kept on the hold by our worthy political leaders Asif Zardari and Mian Nawaz Sharif. With every passing day, it is becoming more than obvious that none of them is coming up with the truth and the whole truth. People are now beginning to suspect the real intentions of these leaders. Some say it is another kind of 'Noora Khushti.' Some say both leaders are hands in gloves as neither of them wants to have an independent judiciary. Some say both are trying to buy time so that the people cool down on their real issues which both leaders find next to impossible to solve in a short time. What is the truth is anybody's guess but I for one believe both are losing credibility in the eyes of the people.
The people in Pakistan has their undeniable right to know the truth if Pakistan is a democratic country. Both leaders should either tell the people directly or take the matter to the parliament for debate or call an All Parties Conference. Both leaders need to realize that the people have had enough of extended dates for restoration of deposed judges and preparation of constitutional package. The people NEVER mandated the PPP and PML(N) to keep every other issue on the hold till the deposed judges are restored. There are far more pressing issues like unbearable price spiral, unemployment, poverty, social justice, law and order, etc. These issues need to be tackled on top priority side by side the restoration of judges and constitutional package.
The people should also be told about the role of the U.S. administration in the whole process. It is simply unbelievable that Mr Boucher rushed to London from Dhaka to discuss bilateral issues with these leaders at this point of time. Even the layman on the street has the common sense to suspect the real motive of Mr. Boucher's visit.
emailed:
May 12, 2008 3:08 AM
Chalo acha howa tum bhol gaey, bhol he tha mera piyar
Under the parliamentary system of democracy, the president of the political party that loses heavily in the general elections is under obligation to resign from his post forthwith. Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, one of the icons of parliamentary democracy, probably forgot to fulfill his obligation to his own party Pakistan Muslim League (Q) and continued to hold the office of the president. His leadership had been rejected. He failed to win his own seat. His party men, by and large, failed to win their seats. His ministers, by and large, lost to the opponents with huge margins.
It should be in Chaudhry Sahib's knowledge that his party men won seats mostly in least developed areas where the local influence of the candidates and the administration is often instrumental in a candidate's success. He should also be knowing that the crores of rupees drawn from public exchequer and mercilessly spent on media blitz to project the performance of the Punjab government could not convince the electorate and, therefore, the party lost most of the seats in the developed and semi-developed areas to PML(N) and PPP. He should be aware of the fact that practically PML(Q) lost the elections as a political party; it was only some individuals who got elected through their own influence or administration's support and not because of their party affiliation. These facts should be enough to open any party president's eyes to the ground realities.
All the patron-in-chief's men have already started working day and night on their head hunting to fill-in the position of the next president of PML(Q) who, in turn, would be expected to overhaul the party structure and rebuild the party in the aftermath of the catastrophe of the general elections.
Chaudhry Sahib does not seem to like the idea of his replacement. He perhaps thinks he is the soul and succour of the party and his departure will bury the remains of the party. What he probably does not understand or does not admit is that the patron-in-chief is a military man. He knows how to launch a coup. He may just be waiting for the right time to strike.
Chaudhry Sahib was junior to me in F. C. College by two years. So, I can take the liberty of advising him to opt for a graceful exit from the party. I am ready to write his departing speech in English or Urdu to suit the occasion and the mood of the party and the people. He should be bid farewell with the usual pomp and show. He may, however, continue his association with the party by becoming its Quaid if the party leadership approves it.
Chalo acha howa tum bhol gaey, bhol he tha mera piyar........(Chaudhry Sb's last message to His Excellency???)
emailed:
May 15, 2008 1:31 PM
Tou aiy bholey Pakistani (You naive Pakistani
History repeats itself too often in Pakistan. We are now back to 1988--PPP at the Centre and PML(N) in Punjab, PPP governor and PML(N) CM, headon collision. End result? Another caretaker government and another elections. Massive rigging. Party of choice in power. His Majesty remains on his throne while the people and Pakistan are thrown to the wind.
Same game since the days of the founder of 'one-man rule' late Malik Ghulam Mohammad, Governor General of Pakistan. We are now in the 50's in the time tunnel. Where is the Messiah? We have been waiting for him for more than half a century? Will he ever come? I am beginning to have depressing thoughts.
Read the attached poem from a friend, true to the toe.
emailed:
May 17, 2008 11:28 AM
more 'Kabaddi' matches???
As far as I know, there is a distinct difference between 'Kabaddi' and 'Kushti.' In 'Kabaddi', one player faces four or five opponents. He touches one and runs to reach his side before he is caught by any of his opponents. In 'Kushti' you have to grapple with a single opponent and prove your muscle strength and tacts and techniques to overthrow your opponent to the ground.
These days, in my opinion, our political champions are playing 'Kabaddi' to be on the safe side as compared to 'Kushti.' The Ustad Pehlwan is sitting in the box to amuse himself with no expense on his part.
The nation is just bewildered, not amused, at the way 'Kabaddi' is being played in the political arena. There is no schedule. There are no known rules. There is no timelimit. Then, there are 'Chotta' pehlwans and 'Bara' pehlwans. 'Chotta' pehlwans are there to come on the TV or address the media to defend the tacts and techniques of his 'Bara' pehlwan and project him as Rustom or Sohrab, dead or alive.
Roti, Kapra, Makan, Employment, and Education are too expensive these days. So, the party that promised them is waiting for the grant or aid to come from our foreign benefactors to enable the party to fulfill their promises. The other party expects the deposed judges to provide, whatever is needed, to the people. A brilliant short-cut. So, the people have to wait till the deposed judges are back to their chambers.
The Big 1 has installed a new governor in the Punjab to test the brains and muscles of the Big 2. Forty days from here till the bye-elections on 26th June 2008, we will be seeing a lot many scheduled and unscheduled 'kabaddi' matches in the Punjab, in particular. At the end of the 40-day Chelum period, counting from the day the new governor was installed till the day bye-elections are held, we really dont know who will be offering 'Fateha' for whom. But one thing is certain. The people will continue to indulge in self-help or what is called Mob Justice. The days are not far off, I am afraid, when the Mob Justice will be torching hoarders of foodgrains, staff of electricity providers, police stations, and looting stores and warehouses and what not, IF our governments and political leaders continue to engage themselves full time in non-issues or sit deliberately on issues to become non-issues.
According to psychologists, when any fear transforms itself into phobia it becomes so dreadful that the patient loses control over himself. No amount of verbal or physical support can provide him relief. So, ultimately, he is put to sleep under the influence of a heavy dose of tranquilizers.While he is sleeping, others have a freehand to play their own games. If asked why anybody did what he did while the boss was asleep, there is always a ready answer - media must have erred somewhere.
Today, the power phobia, the guilt phobia and the execution phobia have become endemic among the stakeholders. All types of medicines are being tried, alopathic, unani, homeopathic and so on but no medicine is giving solid and stable relief. There are too many relapses being recorded almost every day.
In my humble opinion, we need to make a constitutional amendment making it compulsory for all candidates and Quaids (I sometime confuse it with Qasid I dont know why) to go through personality tests, aptitude tests and eyesight tests before their nomination papers are accepted. We may involve the UNO to conduct the tests if need be.
Watch out for 'kabaddi' matches daily on TV channels till ......
emailed:
May 18, 2008 6:31 PM
Restoration of deposed judges: myth and reality
It is most unfortunate that the PPP and the PML(N) are still unable to work out the modus operandi for the restoration of the deposed judges. It appears as if the Bhurban Declaration was aimed at gaining time for letting the agitating issues of price spiral, electricity outages, poverty, unemployment, and law and order simmer down. It is hard to believe that the legal brains of the two leading parties did not know that the deposed judges could not be restored through a resolution of the parliament. PML(N) probably baled out the PPP, though in a dubious manner.
After listening to the eminent lawyers, political leaders and commentators on the various TV channels and reading articles in the newspapers, I have come to the conclusion that the restoration of the deposed judges is next to impossible either by a parliamentary resolution, an executive order or a constitutional amendment. Let me briefly state the facts of the matter as I understand them with my limited knowledge and understanding of the law and the constitution.
The main hurdle in the way is the validation of the Proclamation of Emergency (POE) of Nov 3, 2007 and the orders passed under it in the name of the Chief of the Army Staff and the President. The judges were removed under the POE. Once the Supreme Court has validated the POE and the orders passed under it, it can only be the review bench of the Supreme Court that can review the earlier validation and pass a new judgement invalidating the removal of the judges. In such a situation, the judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts will be restored to their respective positions of Nov 2 and the judges appointed thereafter will revert to their previous positions. Neither the parliament nor the executive can overturn the validation of POE by the Supreme Court. A constitutional amendment cannot by itself restore the deposed judges and revert the new judges in violation of the verdict of the Supreme Court. Moreover, a constitutional package, reportedly being worked out by the PPP government, will certainly consume a long time in preparation, in developing consensus among the stakeholders and in its passage by both houses of the parliament, especially when it is going to affect the existing powers of the president.
The easiest and the quickest way out of the judicial crisis is to let the president issue fresh letters of appointment of the deposed judges with retrospective effect from the date each of them was appointed in the position he held on Nov 2, 2007. The new judges appointed under the POE may remain in their present positions and the new chief justices may become ordinary judges by virtue of the induction of the deposed judges, wherever applicable. Alternatively, the government may transfer the affected chief justices to other positions in the government or elevate them to the Supreme Court.The Chief Justice of Pakistan is also not likely to be a big threat to the powers that be when he is surrounded by post-emergency judges.
As we already know, hundreds of thousands of cases are pending in the superior courts for years altogether. Additional judges will certainly help in disposing off the pending cases expeditiously. The strength of the Supreme Court and the high courts can ultimately be adjusted with the retirement of the existing judges over the coming years. The parliament may amendment the relevant laws to accommodate the additional judges for the time being. This can be done in a single day by the vote of a simple majority in both houses of the parliament.
emailed:
May 21, 2008 10:15 AM
A logical way out
You may like to read my letter captioned "A logical way out" published at the top of page 6 Opinion of daily 'DAWN' Karachi of 22nd May 2008 relating to the restoration of deposed judges.
emailed:
May 22, 2008 2:25 PM
18th constitutional amendment - proposed changes
There is a good deal of media hype about the upcoming 18th amendment to the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan whereby three major amendments are likely to be made, besides others. Firstly, the powers of the President with regard to the appointment of the judges of the superior courts, services chiefs, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff committee, chief election commissioner, attorney general etc. will be withdrawn and vested in the Prime Minister, as originally envisaged in the Constitution.
Secondly, section 58(2) B, empowering the president to dismiss the prime minister and his cabinet as well as the chief ministers and their councils of ministers and to dissolve the national and provincial assemblies, will be removed from the Constitution.
Thirdly, the Article 6 of the Constitution relating to high treason will be made enforceable whereby "any person who abrogates or attempts or conspires to abrogate, subverts or attempts or conspires to subvert the Constitution by use of force or show of force or by other unconstitutional means shall be guilty of high treason" as well as " any person aiding or abetting the acts mentioned [above] shall likewise be guilty of high treason."
In my personal opinion, the president may retain the powers of appointment subject to the advice of the prime minister which should be binding on him. Section 58(2)B should be amended to retain the power of the president to dismiss the prime minister and his cabinet as well as the chief minister and his ministers of any province under specific circumstances without dissolving the national and provincial assemblies. Such a check may be retained for at least 5 years to ensure the prime minister and the chief ministers do not transgress the lawful limits in the performance of their functions.
As far as Article 6 is concerned, two new clauses need to be inserted as follows. (1) to empower the Supreme Court to declare a coup d' etat or any other action to abrogate, subvert, suspend or hold the Constitution in abeyance as illegal and ultra vires of the Constitution and to sentence the guilty person/s as it may deem fit and (2) to make it binding upon the army, navy and air force and the law enforcement agencies to enforce the judgement of the Supreme Court by whatever measures needed.
Regarding the impeachment of the president, I am of the view that the parliament should be enabled to impeach and remove the president by a simple majority of vote of both the houses in a joint sitting in the same manner as the president is elected by parliament by a simple majority in a joint sitting.
emailed:
May 23, 2008 9:16 PM
Bravo! Asif Zardari takes the final plunge
Asif Zardari has taken the final plunge by launching a tirade against President Pervez Musharraf, aggressively and openly, for the first time after Feb 18 elections. In his interview with the Press Trust of India and as reported in the 'DAWN' of May 23, 2008, AZ is reported to have said:
1. President Pervez Musharraf is a stumbling block in the way of a smooth-sailing towards democracy
2. AZ was under tremendous pressure to oust President Musharraf from his office
3. President Musharraf was a 'relic of the past' standing between the people of Pakistan and democracy
The people of Pakistan are pleasantly surprised to the extent of disbelief. The 'think tanks' are trying to figure out how and why AZ has so suddenly and so early pronounced his antagonism towards the president. It is more than obvious that AZ was losing his popularity and that of his party alongwith it due to his twists and turns in the case of restoration of deposed judges and his oft-quoted remarks that he was comfortable with the president or that he could work with the president. His prime minister and some ministers even went ahead of him in calling the president an asset for the country and that the PPP would like to keep the president. With bye-elections closeby, AZ was left with no choice but to come heavily on the president lest his party was uprooted in the bye-elections.
There is also another theory. AZ got a boost after the return of the prime minister from Egypt where he had met President Bush. It is being hypothesized that President Bush, directly or indirectly, told the prime minister that the U.S. would not like to push the PPP government to a position of disadvantage vis-a-vis President Musharraf so long as Pakistan remained a strong ally of the U.S. in its war on terror. A green signal, very similar to the one Saddam Hussain was given when he planned to invade Kuwait.
Prior to the visit of the prime minister to Egypt, AZ had gone to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad to hold a meeting with the U.S. Ambassador. That hurried meeting, it is again hypothesized, was to put across an SOS to the U.S. The U.S. Ambassador is presumed to have conveyed the concerns and constraints of the PPP to the U.S. President before he went to Egypt.
'Now or Never' is the command of the day. President Musharraf is still adamant to quit but it is obvious that he will have to face impeachment and consequently punishment, if found guilty, if he fails to quit on his own. The next few days are going to be very crucial for the president and his camp. He has run out of options and his lead comrades are least likely to remain on his side and face the public wrath. The president will have to resign before the long march of the legal fraternity starts on June 10 or that of the retired generals earlier than June 10 to have the Army House vacated for the new COAS.
Where will the president go from here can be anybody's guess but it is again hypothesized that he is likely to settle down in the U.S. or China if the U.S. declines him residency for any reason.
Let us pray to Almighty Allah to forgive us for all the misdeeds we have done as a nation and guide us to take the path of the pious and the blessed.
emailed:
May 24, 2008 9:45 PM
Remembering Nawab of Kalabagh as governor of West Pakistan
Malik Amir Mohammad Khan, commonly known as the Nawab of Kalabagh, served as the governor of West Pakistan for six or seven years during the Ayub Khan's regime. As he was a long-time childhood best friend of my father, I have had the opportunity of looking at his personality, style, values, norms and ethics from a close range. I still believe he was one of the best, if not the best, public administrators that this country ever had. The secret of his best administration, as I could figure out, lied in his intelligence network. So widespread, intensive and reliable was his intelligence network that he governed the province by sitting in Lahore.
He travelled the least, issued least press statements, held least press conferences, drove least within the city with least security apparatus and spoke least to his subordinates. He had least social life, least parties in the Governor's House, least presence at functions, private or public. He never addressed a public or mass gathering or led a rally. He had issued an order on assumption of office of governor that there would be no ceremonies and pomp and show on his official visits in the province and he stuck to it throughout his tenure.
He was educated at Oxford or Cambridge, I dont remember. However, he always wore Shalwar Kameez with achkan and lungi-qulla. He was tall and with lungi-qulla became taller than Ayub Khan. He would walk straight, wont look right or left, hardly ever smiled in public. He wore black dense moustache. It is reported that he never spoke in the West Pakistan assembly when he was a young elected member from Kalabagh. He was quite shy and found himself comfortable only in the company of his close friends with whom he talked and talked for hours at a stretch.
He offered prayers five times a day. He was pious to the extent that he had no social evils like smoking, wine, and women. His family remained in Kalabagh throughout his tenure as governor except his youngest son who was tutored at the Governor's House in Lahore. He was dead honest. He was often accused of being brutal hitting hard at his opponents in Kalabagh and later at the opposition in West Pakistan while serving as governor. He had a very clear mindset. You are either a friend or a foe. There was nothing in between. A friend remained a friend and a foe remained a foe, till death. He was also a good hunter and maintained a big Shikargah in Kalabagh known as Nawab Sahib's patti.
Ayub Khan and my father shared one common hobby with Nawab Sahib and that was hunting deers in his Shikargah. Ayub Khan had been going to Shikargah off and on before he became the president. Ayub Khan trusted him all along as a close friend and loyal colleague. He fell out with Ayub Khan when he reportedly directed Mahmood Haroon and Jam Yusuf Ali, two of his ministers, to ensure defeat of a PML (Convention) candidate in his election to the West Pakistan assembly from Karachi. That candidate was an old foe of Nawab Sahib and a new friend of Ayub Khan. The candidate happened to be my real maternal uncle but my father had nothing to do with the whole affair.
Now coming back to the intelligence network, I recall, his best source was the Special Branch of the West Pakistan police. Nawab Sb once remarked jokingly that the head of the Special Branch must be having a file on him (Nawab Sb) as well. If I remember correctly, the name of the head of the Special Branch was Mr. Hussain (Ahmed Hussain or Mohammad Hussain). He had all the powers and resources to obtain from various sources and provide information to the governor about the working of government servants and government departments.The civil bureaucracy in West Pakistan virtually dreaded the governor for being well informed.
During his entire tenure, the public in Punjab lived in peace, free from economic miseries, police highhandedness, and bomb blasts. The opposition parties were held in control. His presence in Lahore throughout 17-day war with India in 1965 was a source of great strength to the people. There was no hoarding of food items, no looting and no robberies during the war.
He once told my father while living in Kalabagh before his appointment as governor that he could be murdered either by his son or his janitor because both had free access to him. He was reportedly murdered by one of his sons while he was having a shave from his personal Nai (hair dresser) at his home in Kalabagh after his removal as governor. His gun was lying close to him but he did not have a chance to shoot the assailant.
Shall we ever have an administrator like the Nawab of Kalabagh again?
emailed:
May 27, 2008 1:58 PM
SBP's move to curb inflation: a perfect recipe for disaster
According to a news item, published in the 'DAWN' of 23 May 2008, the State Bank has increased the bank rate or benchmark interest rate from 10.5% to 12% - a colossal jump of 1.5% in one go, often unprecedented in world economies, in order to curb inflation " which has caused huge deficits and high unemployment."
The bank rate is normally increased in an economy which is growing at a faster pace than planned, budgeted or desired. It is aimed at making the bank borrowing expensive for the trade and industry so that the pace of production is slowed down. The question is: Is our economy heating up because of fast growth that we thought we must slow down? Will an economic slow down create unemployment or reduce unemployment? Will the goods and services become more expensive or less expensive for the hard-hit consumer? Will the profits of the commercial enterprises go up or go down? Will the dividend rate to the shareholders will go up or go down? Will the share value in the stock exchanges will go up or go down? Will the income of the investors of the share market go up or go down?
"This rate increase has been necessitated by the persistent and excessive government borrowing from the SBP," said Dr. Shamshad Akhtar. She also admitted that she had been unable to stop the government's borrowing from the SBP. That means, trade and industry, capital market, banks and the general public must bear the brunt because of the inability of the State Bank to say 'No' to the government for its huge borrowing from the SBP.
The SBP governor claimed that the higher interest rate will not adversely affect the private sector's bank borrowing because the real interest rate was just two percent which will now be three percent. In her opinion, 1% increase will make no impact.
An economist is reported to have said that the higher interest rate would reduce credit to the private sector; less credit would slow down the economic activities; low economic growth would lead to lesser revenue to the government and lesser revenue would compel the government to borrow from multilateral agencies. In effect, the government will reduce its rupee borrowing from the SBP and increase it from the multilateral agencies to whom the principal and the interest will be paid in foreign currency.
The SBP governor announced that all banks will be required to pay a minimum profit of five percent on savings or PLS saving accounts from June 1, 2008 as compared to the present average return of 2.1%. The SBP also increased the Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) and Statutory Liquidity Requirement (SLR) for the banks.
Effective May 23, 2008, the L/C margin on all imports excepting oil and selective food imports is imposed at 35%. On the one hand, the borrowing from the bank will be curtailed and on the other the load on the corporate funds will be increased by taking a hefty amount of 35%. The L/C margin will indirectly benefit the banks and directly squeeze the cash resources of the traders, businessmen and industrialists.
What will now happen to the consumers who took out house loans, car loans, personal loans etc. from the banks and leasing companies? They will now have to pay higher instalments out of their limited income. As a result, the bank defaulters will increase, debt collection agencies will have to use third-degree methods to collect instalments forcing the defaulters to go to the courts and bear the legal expenses, and bank cash balances will be reduced to the extent the bank borrowers default in their regular payments
It is just a glimpse of what is going to happen to the economy, the nation and the country. There might be much more damage to come in the time ahead.
emailed:
May 26, 2008 2:49 PM
18th Constitutional Amendment Bill - an exercise in futility?
Quote of the Day - Thomas A. Edison - "There's a way to do it better - find it."
The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has announced 62-point 18th Constitution Amendment Bill aimed at "cutting the presidency to size, ensuring the reinstatement of deposed judges and making the parliament sovereign in real terms" as reported in the 'DAWN' of 25 May 2008.
Uptil now, the PPP stalwarts have been expressing their inability to move a constitutional amendment bill to restore the deposed judges owing to their lack of two-thirds majority in the Senate. How is the PPP now so sure that the 18th constitutional amendment will get through the Senate inspite of the fact that it has some controversial clauses as well, is hard to understand for a layman like me. I am rather compelled to speculate that the bill is here only to improve upon the public image of the PPP for the upcoming bye-elections as well as to delay or prevent actions on other crucial issues such as the restoration of the deposed judges and the fulfillment of the PPP's promises of the last election relating to the Roti, Kapra, and Makan plus education and health, notwithstanding the price hike, food shortages, electricity outages, closure of manufacturing units, declining exports and increasing imports, wrong fiscal and monetary policies destroying the investors' confidence, crashing stock exchanges, fast growing unemployment, deepening poverty, delayed justice, worst law and order, etc.
When we recall earlier statements of the PPP leaders and spokesmen, we find many contradictory statements. The PPP had once stated that it cannot impeach the president as it did not have two-thirds majority in the Senate. I sent an email telling a key lawyer-leader of the party that the PPP did not require two-thirds majority in the Senate for impeaching the president. Under the 1973 Constitution, it is amply clear that the resolution to impeach and remove the president needs two-thirds majority of the total membership of the parliament in a joint sitting. That means if the PPP is short of seats in the Senate, it can make up the total from seats in the National Assembly. This view was later expressed by an eminent retired judge of the Supreme Court in a TV interview.
The PPP first agreed in the Bhurban Declaration to restore the deposed judges through a resolution of the parliament. There was no mention of subsequent executive order or retention of post-emergency judges or any other string attached to it. Later, it dawned upon the PPP legal brains that the deposed judges could not be restored without an executive order, in addition to the resolution. When the prime minister publicly stated that he will issue the executive order on the same day, the PPP got a second thought. It came up with the plea that a constitutional amendment was needed to restore the deposed judges. It also added that the post-emergency judges were to be retained. As if this was not enough, the PPP swung into action once again and announced that the judges will be restored under a constitutional package. And the 'manufacturers' of the package were real genius to include some controversial articles so that the package would take as much time in debate as needed to pass through the National Assembly in the first instance, not to speak of the Senate. Maybe, it never ends up in the Senate at least during the next 5 years.
The PPP, as far as I can visualize, is simply indulging in what is called "filibustering tactics" "in order to delay or prevent the making of decisions" (Oxford Dictionary).
The easiest and the quickest way out is to first restore the 1973 Constitution as it existed before Oct 12, 1999 through an act of parliament to be passed by a simple majority in both houses. President Zia-ul-Haq had restored the 1973 Constitution by a simple order in 1985. Simultaneously, the coalition partners can introduce a constitutional amendment bill to provide legal cover to the post-coup period, wherever necessary. In such a situation, the president's camp is unlikely to raise any hue and cry. The controversial 18th constitutional amendment bill will not be required and the coalition partners will have time to attend to other vital tasks on top priority basis.
emailed:
May 25, 2008 11:14 AM
Heading towards a catastrophe of immeasurable dimensions???
Below is the text of the National Reconciliation Ordinance 2007. It is indeed shocking to find out that the procedure laid down in the ordiinance for withdrawing cases against the accused is being set aside and the accused are being acquitted right and left apparently in a state of hurry. It is equally dismaying to note that the benefit is going only to the holders of public office contrary to the fundamental rights enshrined in the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan which makes all citizens equal in the eyes of law and the constitution. A third and most disgraceful adventure of the government is to apply NRO to cases of former bureaucrats which are by no means holders of public office in terms of the NRO.
The most painful question is: Will the proposed 18th amendment provide cover to this notorious bad law with its utterly discriminatory and unconstitutional application and acquittal of the accused without recourse to the procedure laid down in the ordinance? Even if the NRO is provided cover in the proposed 18th amendment, the Supreme Court will still be at liberty to declare it null and void. I very much doubt that the deposed judges will make a deal with the political forces to protect them under the NRO via the proposed 18th constitutional amendment. What will happen then?
I am beginning to doubt the sincerity of purpose of our political leaders in supporting the cause of the deposed judges. The issue is, most probably, being used to muster support of the legal fraternity, civil society activists and the public at large to bring about forced eviction of President Pervez Musharraf. The day president is out, I suspect, the love for the deposed judges may just evaporate in the thin air and the naive Pakistanis may hit the wall once again.
A series of blame game is likely to be played on the political ground after the exit of the president which, in all probability,is likely to lead to mid-term general elections. After the mid-term general elections, the new governments at the centre and in the provinces will obviously ask for time to work out the solutions to the public issues like price hike, electricity shortage, unemployment, law and order, poverty, health, education and transport facilities etc.
In a nutshell, the public may have to live with their agonies and miseries for some more years to come. Will the public be able to wait or will there be blood on the streets?
I wish what I foresee does not happen, Allah be willing.
Regards
Mumtaz A. Piracha
Moderator
Good Governance Forum
Karachi
NATIONAL RECONCILIATION ORDINANCE
October 5, 2007
AN ORDINANCE to promote national reconciliation
WHEREAS it is expedient to promote national reconciliation, foster mutual trust and confidence amongst holders of public office and remove the vestiges of political vendetta and victimization, to make the election process more transparent and to amend certain laws for that purpose and for matters connected therewith and ancillary thereto;-
AND WHEREAS the National Assembly is not in session and the President is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary to take immediate action;
NOW, THEREFORE, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 89 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the President is pleased to make and promulgate the following Ordinance;-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Short title and commencement.
(1) This Ordinance may be called the National Reconciliation Ordinance, 2007.
(2) It shall come into force at once.
2. Amendment of section 494, Act V of 1898.
In the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act V of 1898), section 494 shall be renumbered as sub-section (1) thereof and after sub-section (1) renumbered as aforesaid, the following sub-section (2) and (3) shall be added, namely:-
(2) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in sub-section(1), the Federal Government or a Provincial Government may, before the judgment is pronounced by a trial court, withdraw from the prosecution of any person including an absconding accused who is found to be falsely involved for political reasons or through political victimization in any case initiated between 1st day of January, 1986 to 12th day of October, 1999 and upon such withdrawal clause (a) and clause (b) of sub-section (1) shall apply.
(3) For the purposes of exercise of powers under sub-section (2) the Federal Government and the Provincial Government may each constitute a Review Board to review the entire record of the case and furnish recommendations as to their withdrawal or otherwise.
(4) The Review Board in case of Federal Government shall be headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court with Attorney-General and Federal Law Secretary as its members and in case of Provincial Government it shall be headed by a retired judge of the High Court with Advocate-General and/or Prosecutor-General and Provincial Law Secretary as its members.
(5) A review Board undertaking review of a case may direct the Public Prosecutor or any other concerned authority to furnish to it the record of the case.
3. Amendment of section 39, Act LXXXV of 1976.
(1) In the Representation of the People Act, 1976 (LXXXV of 1976), in section 39, after sub-section (6), the following new sub-section (7) shall be added, namely:-
(7) After consolidation of results the Returning Officer shall give to such contesting candidates and their election agents as are present during the consolidation proceedings, a copy of the result of the count notified to the Commission immediately against proper receipt and shall also post a copy thereof to the other candidates and election agents.
4. Amendment of section 18, Ordinance XVIII of 1999.
In the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 (XVIII of 1999), hereinafter referred to as the said Ordinance, in section 18, in clause (e), for the full stop at the end a colon shall be substituted and thereafter the following proviso shall be added, namely:-
Provided that no sitting member of Parliament or a Provincial Assembly shall be arrested without taking into consideration the recommendations of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Ethics referred to in clause (aa) or Special Committee of the Provincial Assembly on Ethics referred to in clause (aaa) of section 24, respectively.
5. Amendment of section 24, Ordinance XVIII of 1999.
In the said ordinance, in section 24,- (i) in clause (a) for the full stop at the end a colon shall be substituted and thereafter the following proviso shall be inserted, namely.-
Provided that no sitting member of Parliament or a Provincial Assembly shall be arrested without taking into consideration the recommendations of Special Parliamentary Committee on Ethics or Special Committee of the Provincial Assembly on Ethics referred to in clause (aa) and (aaa), respectively, before which the entire material and evidence shall be placed by the chairman, NAB.
; and
(ii) after clause (a), amended as aforesaid, the following new clauses (aa) and (aaa) shall be inserted, namely;-
(aa) The Special Parliamentary Committee on Ethics referred to in the proviso to clause (a) above shall consist of a chairman who shall be a member of either House of Parliament and eight members each from the National Assembly and Senate to be selected by the Speaker, National Assembly and Chairman Senate, respectively, on the recommendations of Leader of the House and Leader of the Opposition of their respective Houses, with equal representation from both sides.
(aaa) The Special Committee of the provincial Assembly on Ethics shall consist of a Chairman and eight members to be selected by the Speaker of the Provincial Assembly on the recommendation of Leader of the House and Leader of the Opposition, with equal representation from both sides.
6. Amendment of section 31A, Ordinance XVIII of 1999.
In the said Ordinance, in section 31A, in clause (a), for the full stop at the end a colon shall be substituted and thereafter the following new clause (aa) shall be inserted, namely:-
(aa) An order or judgment passed by the Court in absentia against an accused is void ab initio and shall not be acted upon.
7. Insertion of new section, Ordinance, XVIII of 1999.
In the said Ordinance, after section 33, the following new section shall be inserted, namely:-
33A. Withdrawal and termination of prolonged pending proceedings initiated prior to 12th October, 1999.
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Ordinance or any other law for the time being in force, proceedings under investigation or pending in any court including a High Court and the Supreme Court of Pakistan initiated by or on a reference by the National Accountability Bureau inside or outside Pakistan including proceedings continued under section 33, requests for mutual assistance and civil party to proceedings initiated by the Federal Government before the 12th day of October, 1999 against holders of public office stand withdrawn and terminated with immediate effect and such holders of public office shall also not be liable to any action in future as well under this Ordinance for acts having been done in good faith before the said date;
Provided that those proceedings shall not be withdrawn and terminated which relate to cases registered in connection with the cooperative societies and other financial and investment companies or in which no appeal, revision or constitutional petition has been filed against final judgment and order of the Court or in which an appellate or revisional order or an order in constitutional petition has become final or in which voluntary return or plea bargain has been accepted by the Chairman, National Accountability Bureau under section 25 or recommendations of the Conciliation Committee have been accepted by the Governor, State bank of Pakistan under section 25A.
(2) No action or claim by way of suit, prosecution, complaint or other civil or criminal proceeding shall lie against the Federal, Provincial or Local Government, the National Accountability Bureau or any of their officers and functionaries for any act or thing done or intended to be done in good faith pursuant to the withdrawal and termination of cases under sub-section (1) unless they have deliberately misused authority in violation of law.
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Source:: Text obtained from Associated Press of Pakistan website. http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18069&Itemid=2 on October 5, 2007. Converted to pakistani.org xml format and converted to html using pakistani.org xsl by Shehzaad Nakhoda.
emailed:
May 23, 2008 12:00 PM
Qazi Hussain Ahmed's interview on Live with Talat
Last night, Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, appeared in an interview in 'Live with Talat' on Aaj TV. Talat's questions were very relevant and crucial but Qazi Sahib's answers were often very elusive or diplomatic. Following are the highlights, as I understood them.
1. QHA refrained from criticizing President Musharraf. He said: If Pervez Musharraf goes, another Pervez Musharraf will be brought in by America.
2. QHA's entire focus laid on the need to secure independence from the hegemony of America conveying the impression as if it was only America that was responsible for every wrong in Pakistan.
3. QHA disowned the fact that the 17th amendment strengthened the president. He categorically stated that Pervez Musharraf was there not because of the 17th amendment but because of America.
4. QHA disowned the fact that MMA was in power in NWFP for five years and yet could not introduce reforms (particularly educational reforms). He categorically stated that Pervez Musharraf was in power in NWFP and not MMA.
5. QHA refused to criticize Maulana Fazlurrehman for his role in MMA or outside it.At the same time, he said both the leading parties (PPP and PML(N) sought direction from American Embassy in Islamabad and, therefore, could not do what needed to be done.
6. QHA mildly supported the restoration of deposed judges but did not say what JI or APDM plans to do in this respect.
7. Regarding the role of APDM in the future, QHA did not disclose anything of interest to the general public.
8. QHA highlighted the public issues of price hike, poverty etc. as a passing reference but did not offer any suggestions or possible solution.
9. QHA categorically stated that peace agreements in NWFP were of no effect or use and NWFP being a regional party with limited strength had constraints in this respect. Peace will come only when American interference in our internal affairs ends, he said.
At the end of the interview, one gets the feeling, at least I did, that JI is waiting in the wings for the right time to strike a bargain for power or privileges. It does not appear to be in a mood to "fight somebody else's war."
It was also obvious that JI/APDM is not going to launch a movement for the removal of the president or the restoration of deposed judges for the time being. It seems as if JI/APDM is keeping its options open for supporting PPP and PML(N) if a beneficial situation emerges in the future. Contrary to his usual firebrand speeches in public, his interview reflected a totally different mood. A change of heart? Something brewing up in the backyard? Helplessness? Uncertainty? Old association with Pervez Musharraf? The interview leaves one guessing.
emailed:
May 28, 2008 12:12 PM
Kargil Conflict
Last night, Lt Gen(r) Gulzar Jamshed Kiani paid a huge compliment to Mian Nawaz Sharif as prime minister at the time of Kargil conflict by saying in his interview with Dr Shahid Masood on Geo TV that MNS went to Washington to save the army's reputation. Below is a link that explains what happened at Kargil. I hope you will find it interesting.
War in Kargil
http://www.ccc.nps.navy.mil/research/kargil/war_in_kargil.pdf
emailed:
Jun 3, 2008 1:31 PM
Kargil Conflict: losses and gains
Last night, Lt Gen(r) Gulzar Jamshed Kiani paid a huge compliment to Mian Nawaz Sharif as prime minister at the time of Kargil conflict by saying in his interview with Dr Shahid Masood on Geo TV that MNS went to Washington to save the army's reputation. Below are two links that explains what happened at Kargil. I hope you will find them interesting.
War in Kargil
http://www.ccc.nps.navy.mil/research/kargil/war_in_kargil.pdf
1999 Kargil Conflict
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/kargil-99.htm
emailed:
Jun 3, 2008 2:52 PM
Pakistan's bureaucracy - World Bank report
Below is an extract from the World Bank report on Governance in Pakistan.
"Pakistan's bureaucracy, although not large by international standards, suffers from structural weaknesses, that are fairly common in the region, and progress in civil service reforms has been quite limited. While a Civil Service Reform Unit (CSRU) has been created to catalyze and oversee the implementation of reforms, there has been little progress in civil service restructuring, and future reforms are likely to be, given the politically difficult issues involved, at best incremental. Wage decompression and pension reforms have been politically difficult to implement, and despite some good progress in the past five years, in particular the increased autonomy of the Federal and Provincial Public Service Commissions, ensuring merit-based recruitment into the bureaucracy continues to remain a challenge."
Governance in Pakistan
URL: http://go.worldbank.org/P9I1BY5NB0
Retrieved on 26 May 2008
emailed:
May 26, 2008 7:34 PM
General (r) Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation as the President of Pakistan in a televised address to the nation on 18 Aug 2008. He had over-turned the elected government of prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif on Oct 12, 1999 in reaction to his dismissal as the Chief of Army Staff by the prime minister. He ruled the country for eight years and ten months with absolute power, most of the time.
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SAVE PAKISTAN MOVEMENT
As you may have noticed that the people of Pakistan are once again being traumatized by political intrigues, maneuvering and concoctions on the one hand and false hopes, incredible promises and tall claims on the other, courtesy the president's camp and the political leadership.
The people of Pakistan are today faced with innumerable crises of food, price spiral, poverty, unemployment, lawlessness, injustice, electricity. gas and lack of adequate health, housing, education, water, and transport facilities.
The prevailing political situation, massive reshuffling of bureaucracy, absence of short-term and long-term plans, and overwhelming public engagements of the Prime Minister and his cabinet making it impossible for them to sit at their desks and work day and night may well lead us to a multidimensional catastrophe that we cannot even imagine at this stage.
What are we waiting for ? A massive public uprising? A collapse of political setup? A military coup? Or landing of U.S. and Nato forces?
What do you think we need to do rightaway to prevent very bad days ahead or at least minimize their fallout? Share your expertise, opinion, and views on blogsite http://ggovernance.blogspot.com, openly and freely, for the sake of our people and our homeland.
Mon, May 5, 2008 at 4:21 PM
SAVE PAKISTAN MOVEMENT
As you may have noticed that the people of Pakistan are once again being traumatized by political intrigues, maneuvering and concoctions on the one hand and false hopes, incredible promises and tall claims on the other, courtesy the president's camp and the political leadership.
The people of Pakistan are today faced with innumerable crises of food, price spiral, poverty, unemployment, lawlessness, injustice, electricity. gas and lack of adequate health, housing, education, water, and transport facilities.
The prevailing political situation, massive reshuffling of bureaucracy, absence of short-term and long-term plans, and overwhelming public engagements of the Prime Minister and his cabinet making it impossible for them to sit at their desks and work day and night may well lead us to a multidimensional catastrophe that we cannot even imagine at this stage.
What are we waiting for ? A massive public uprising? A collapse of political setup? A military coup? Or landing of U.S. and Nato forces?
What do you think we need to do rightaway to prevent very bad days ahead or at least minimize their fallout? Share your expertise, opinion, and views on blogsite http://ggovernance.blogspot.com, openly and freely, for the sake of our people and our homeland.
Mon, May 5, 2008 at 4:21 PM
Coming to the brink of disaster?
The incursion of the US-led forces into South Waziristan a few days back, uproar in our parliament over the violation of Pakistan's territorial integrity, and the public statement of the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and lately that of the Chief of Army Staff denouncing the incident and warning the Allied forces of retaliation have created a dangerous scenario. Let me briefly take you through the journey of events in the recent past.
1. The US is desperate to show grand success of its War on Terror in Pakistan-Afghanistan theatre before the Nov 4 presidential and congressional elections in the United States. Obama has been severely criticizing the Bush administration for its failures in Iraq and Afghanistan and their immense negative impact on the US economy. President Bush is determined to leave behind a legacy of grand success of its 7-year long War on Terror while still in office. The Republican Party is determined to beat Obama in a neck to neck election contest with McCain by outward manifestation of grand success of the War on Terror. The recent escalation of attacks in Fata by the US-led forces is an evidence of the desperate moves of the Bush administration.
2. The election of pro-America civilian government in Pakistan was assumed to lend a helping hand with greater vigour and vitality to the US in its mission to arrest or kill a couple of key Taliban militants or Al Qaeda operatives to prove the grand success of its War on Terror in Pakistan-Afghanistan battleground for the purpose stated at No. 1 above.
3. The military to military dialogue between the US and Pakistan in the recent past generated excessive hopes in the Bush administration for reaching its targets in Fata.
4. Pakistan's Army has repeatedly assured support to the US in its War on Terror and conducted military operations in Khyber, Bajaur, and Swat, in particular.
5. The US misunderstood the support of the Pakistan Army and that of the newly-inducted government in Pakistan and rushed to engage its forces in attacking South Waziristan without prior consultation. It is unimaginable for the Pakistan Army or military to let the Allied forces violate Pakistan's territory.
6. The failed attempt of the present government to hastly place ISI under the Ministry of Interior before the Prime Minister's visit to the US conveyed a negative message to the US, in addition to the Pakistan military. The United States became doubtful about the capability of the civilian government to exercise control over the Pakistan's armed forces, particularly the Army, and the military intelligence.
7. It is next to impossible for the Pakistan military to forego its constitutional obligation to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan and to set aside the massive public demand to retaliate to stop future incursions of the Allied forces.
8. The civilian government is in a fix. It cannot possibly ignore the massive public demand, parliamentary resolution against the US-led attack in South Waziristan and its demand for retaliation, and media support to the public demand. At the same time, it does not want to annoy the US due to country's economic woes, internal political disharmony and social imbalances as well as its own fragile position in the tribal belt.
9. ANP and JUI(F) coalition with the PPP has'nt proved to be of much significance in bringing a halt to the Taliban militants' attacks on Allied troops and elsewhere in and around Kabul. These two parties might have brought about peace through negotiations with the militants but the US is not interested in peace talks; it wants complete annihilation of the presumed safe havens of Taliban and Al Qaeda in the tribal belt along the Pak-Afghan border and arrest of key Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives.
10. India has also been lured into joining the US War on Terror. It reportedly despatched 10,000 troops to Kabul to 'safeguard' its embassy. India's involvement in the domestic violence, terrorism and law and order deterioration in Pakistan in both the tribal areas as well as the settled areas is more than obvious to the people, military, and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan.
11. Yesterday's bomb blasts in Delhi are to be used, in all probability, to blame the Pakistan's military intelligence, particularly the ISI, so as to put pressure on the Pakistan's government and the military in favour of the Allied forces and their mission in the tribal area.
The crux of the problem is complex and fraught with dangers. It is a moment of truth for the democratically-elected government challenging its vision, competence, and patriotism and its relations with the US and Nato, the military, the people and the political parties.
Where we are going to end up can be visualized by a layman like me but that may not be the right solution in the present geo-political scenario and the domestic economic, political and social imbalances. Time is running out. The US has got just one-and-a-half months, at the most, to come up with something irrefutable to prove its grand success in War on Terror in Pakistan-Afghanistan region.
Sun, Sep 14, 2008 at 7:41 AM
Where do we really stand?
Last week, I had the delight of sharing table with our former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Mr. Jamshed Marker, at a lunch at the Golf Club. I said to him: Do you think we have under-valued ourselves in the context of our strategic position in the geo-politics of our region? His spontaneous respone was: Yes.
One of our former diplomats Mr. Tariq Fatimi tells us on a TV talk show that Mr. Henry Kessinger had said this to our former foreign minister Sahibzada Yaqub Ali Khan: I dont understand what sort of a country is Pakistan. It does not know how to use its leverage. Probably, the occasion was President Nixon's visit to China, facilitated by Pakistan.
When the former US Secretary of State, Mr. Colin Powel called our former president Pervez Musharraf after the 9/11 episode and put up American demands, our president agreed to all the demands without a second thought. President Bush could not believe it when Mr. Powell told him about his conversation with our former president and his consent to do whatever needed and more....Mr. Bush asked Mr. Powell: Are you sure about what you are telling me?
Now again, we are in a fix. Our new civilian government wants to continue with the previous policy of the former president of pleasing the US at any cost. The people of Pakistan and the military do not subscribe to our government's point of view. The government does not appear to have done its homework on the issue of Pakistan's role in the US War on Terror, its dynamics and parameters and its accepatability to the public and the military. The issue has not been debated at any forum, whether it is in the federal cabinet, parliament, coalition partners or other political parties inside and outside the parliament.
What challenges our newly-elected president will have to face when he meets the US and UK representatives in London to discuss the new strategy on War on Terror? What response he will be able to give to the other partners? What he can tell about the bold statement of the Army Chief on non-intervention of the US and Nato forces in the tribal areas of Pakistan? What he will tell about the mood and sensitivity of the people of Pakistan on the issue of physical incursion of the US and Nato forces into the territory of Pakistan? What he will tell about the viewpoint of other political forces in the country? What strategy he can accept without involving the people, parliament, cabinet and other political parties?
Where do we really stand NOW?
Sat, Sep 13, 2008 at 8:44 PM
Police & Politics: Mess & Menace
As of today, our police is heavily politicized, vertically as well as horizontally, carrying 3D (3 dimensional) posture. The process of politicization may have started from the 50's but it gained momentum, regime after regime, culminating in its maturity during the last nine years. On the 14th August 2002, the then Chief Executive of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, promulgated Chief Executive's Order 22 of 2002 to reconstruct and regulate police under Police Order 2002. The order stated in its preamble:
WHEREAS the police has an obligation and duty to function according to the Constitution, law, and democratic aspirations of the people;
AND WHEREAS such functioning of the police requires it to be professional, service-oriented, and accountable to the people;
AND WHEREAS it is expedient to redefine the police role, its duties and responsibilities;
AND WHEREAS it is necessary to reconstruct the police for efficient prevention and detection of crime, and maintenance of public order;
AND WHEREAS the Chief Executive is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary to take immediate action;
After a lapse of 6 years, we are still in the process of implementing the Police Order in each province. It is so messy, so confusing and so heavily-loaded with branches and sections that you need a century to understand it, implement it and evaluate it. Read the whole text on the official website of the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) (destruction first and reconstruction later) http://www.nrb.gov.pk/law_enforcement/index.html.
The police highups themselves are probably unable to understand it, grasp its ramifications and enforce its multi-dimensional concepts.
The best of the best is the fact that no extra-ordinary funds were earmarked to implement the extra-ordinary Police Order. As a result, the Police Order has been implemented 'disorderly' to make it 'orderly' when the requisite funds are made available, just to satisfy the overbearing Governor, Chief Minister or Home Minister who may insist on implementation without having read the order himself, most probably.
It is one of my life-time dreams to indulge in a televised debate with the person/persons who conceived, conceptualized and conjextured the Police Order. It might turn out to be the most hillarious show of the times.
Coming back to the topic Police & Politics, let me be very honest, frank and open with you. I studied the police for no less than 10 years and no more than 30 years and penned so many letters to the Editor and so many proposals to the police chiefs and provincial government functionaries that it might take me 100 days to put together all of them and publish them in the form of a booklet entitled: Police & Politics.
The simple, straight, and sensible solution to change the oft-repeated 'thana' culture is:
1. Increase the salaries, allowances and perquisites of all police officers from the constable to the SHO. Calculate the cost of living, commensurating with each position, to eliminate the temption to make an extra buck by compulsion.
2. Change the physical environment of the police station with adequate office space, airy and spacious, furniture and fixture, telephones, rest rooms, kitchen, fridge, clean and cold drinking water, reception room, lock-up etc. Change the Red and Blue colours so heavy on heart and mind. (Blue might be perceived as turning the accused into blue and red might be perceived turning the investigator into red.). The place has to be properly maintained with painting, cleaning and flower pots on a regular basis.
3. Provide transport to each and every police officer with adequate fuel allowance or actual fuel for his personal and official use.
4. Provide officially maintained travelling and patrolling motor vehicles in working order and adequate number and enough fuel.
5. Provide the requisite number of police officers to each police station in line with the length and breadth and crime conditions of each locality.
6. Reduce the powers of the police to detain, arrest or interrogate anybody without obtaining lawful orders from the court, day or night, or search a place without a court order or search warrant and accompanying magistrate.
7. Hire every police officer on merit, train him on induction, train him every year till his retirement. Plan his career and let it be known to him. Career advancement is one of the most effective tools for enhancing performance, morale and commitment.
8. Post every police officer on the basis of his merits and transfer him as per rules or on genuine grounds to be made known to him in writing.
9. Put a stop to transferring, posting, suspending, promoting, and demoting police officers on the whims of their superiors, government functionaries, and legislators or notables.
10. Provide job security, firm tenure of posting, backup support to let the police officers perform to the best of their abilities.
11. Set stringent parameters for determing authority, responsibility and accountability of each level of the police and enforce them without fear or favour.
We should increase police stations and reduce police highups. The more highups, the more hiccups. There should be a clear-cut hierarchy, vertical as well as horizontal. The subordinates should obey their officers out of respect, not out of fear of being punished or out of fear of losing a prize posting. Each police officer must know that he is liable to take actions ONLY in accordance with the law and he has the right to refuse an illegal order, verbal or written.
Any police officer found to be dealing directly with the legislators and other government functionaries beyond his call of duty and without the prior knowledge and consent of his superior should be taken to task forthwith.
I most sincerely urge our Governors, Chief Ministers and Home Ministers to forget about changing the 'thana' culture IF the police is to be used for political ends in violation of law and order. Let us stop talking about police reforms and let the civil society organizations take care of the civil rights of the society.
All that I have penned above may look like a Dreamy Fairy Tale. We have the example of the Motorway Police to make it a real life situation. Nothing is Impossible; it is just a matter of time, effort an expense backed up by the will to do and the competence to do at the highest levels of the political leadership.
Thu, Sep 11, 2008 at 9:27 PM
Never a Dull Moment
There is Never A Dull Moment in the Punjab politics, thanks to PMLN's Mian Shahbaz Sharif and PPP's Mr Salman Taseer. I suspect Mr. Taseer enjoys teasing or taunting Mian Sb and Mian Sb probably does not like it coming from the Governor House. At a recent Iftar party hosted by the president PMLN, probably to celebrate the floor crossing of 30 odd MPAs of the PMQ's Forward Block, Mian Sb 'warned' the PPP and the PMLQ that it would cost them heavily if their [suspected or expected] coalition tried to destabilize his government in Punjab.
I tend to agree with Mian Sb. He is very right. PPP and PMLQ might need a truckload of currency, local or foreign, to 'buy back' the Forward Block for the latter now bears a High Price tag. Besides, the buying and selling will have to be made on COD (cash on delivery) basis. Credit sale and purchase or, what is commonly known as 'Bill Me Later,' in the US usually takes place in normal conditions.
I am afraid PMLQ and PPP should be in a financial crunch at the moment. PMLQ has been out of business for the last 6 months. PPP Punjab is yet to make inroads to make a living. 'Pay as You Earn' is probably the party policy. It is only PMLN that appears to be in a healthy financial position.
PMLQ's president Ch Shujaat Hussain recently called on Mr. Salman Taseer probably to congratulate him on his appointment as the Governor and to inquire about the health of the 30 odd members of the Forward Block in custody with the Punjab government. The transcript of the conversation between the two gentlemen is yet to be made public. So, let us wait and see what really transpired between the two stalwarts.
It is a bit ironical that both Mian Nawaz Sharif and Mr. Asif Zardari appear to enjoy their gladiators fighting in the Punjab. They first let both sides get into the arena and get ready to have a bout. Before the first round starts, Mr. Zardari will issue a directive to his Lt that he should not issue statements against the PMLN. Or Mian Nawaz Sharif will step in to cool off the buddies.
The press in Pakistan does not seem to be as smart as elsewhere. Maybe, it is because of the newly-earned freedom of the press under the gorgeous Minister of Information. A newspaper reported that Mr. Zardari's directive to his Lt belied the ongoing negotiations between the PMLQ and PPP in Punjab. As far as I understand, Mr. Zardari asked his Lt not to issue statements against PMLN; he probably did not ask him to stop negotiating with PMLQ.
Mian Nawaz Sharif has once again gone to London. He will probably travel back via Dubai. UAE appears to have become the permanent host to the PPP and PMLN leaders. The latter are free to land or take off at their pleasure. Pick and drop is probably provided by the UAE government to make sure that the one who lands also takes off.
The US, impressed by the significant role of UAE in facilitating the 'deal' between late Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and ex-president Pervez Musharraf, has advised UAE to buy US$ 7 billion worth of air defense missile system to protect itself against the probable attack of Iran in the 22nd century or anytime thereafter.
Iran, on the other hand, is being kept busy by the US by its off and on threats of economic sanctions and air attacks.
Iran is reportedly adding fuel to the fire by spending its oil dollars in Russia and buying sophisticated weapons from them. Iran should, in all fairness, buy from both the US and Russia to keep their defense industries functional and provide economic subsistence.
Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai was in Pakistan recently to grace the oath-taking ceremony of President Asif Zardari. It is indeed a good sign for now and the future. It seems Mr. Karzai is also getting wary of the presence of the 71,000 US and Nato forces in and around Kabul. Maybe, Pakistan's 90,000 troops on Pak-Afghan border can provide good enough security to Kabul.
That's is all for now. Have a dreamy night to figure out how these titbits relate to eachother.
Fri, Sep 12, 2008 at 12:15 AM
PMLQ: An assessment of the past, present and future of the party
Pakistan Muslim League has all along been a party of the 'elite' or the 'kings.' Its leadership emerged from the landed aristocracy and supported the winner, whether civilian or military, till 80's when the businessmen and industrialists also joined it.Mian Nawaz Sharif led the party and become prime minister twice. He should be credited for breaking the hold of the landed aristocracy in politics and introducing milestone reforms and developments in the country in the realm of open currency market, telecommunications, motorways and highways, banking in the private sector, industrialization in the urban and suburban areas, construction, stock exchanges, and so on. The only field that he probably missed was agricultural reforms and agricultural development.
Mian Sb also worked hard to become popular among the masses by his frequent visits throughout the country in both urban and rural areas as CM Punjab and later as PM. He was probably the first PML leader to go out of the drawing room into the field. His younger brother Mian Shahbaz Sharif also followed his footsteps as CM Punjab in the 90's. PML became the only national party to match the PPP on equal footing.
After the coup of Oct 12, 1999, Mian Nawaz Sharif went into 10-year long exile to Saudi Arabia. His brother also accompanied him. Owing to his absence from the country, many of his leaguers formed the PML(Quaid or Q) headed by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain Sahib.
PML(Q) aligned itself with the regime of Gen Pervez Musharraf who also needed a civilian facade to legitimize his military rule.
From the LG elections of 2002 onwards, it was all and all PML(Q) ruling on behalf of the general through and through. That was the time when the party should have reorganized itself on a mass level, going from the federal level down to the union council level to serve the people by opening its offices at all levels. It had its members elected to the various positions in the LG system, introduced in 2002. It is much easier for a party in power to spread throughout the country and serve the people. Most of the problems are localized and of a petty nature which can easily be addressed by the union councillors and the district nazims. Very few problems need intervention of the MPAs and MNAs as far as the common man is concerned. Ironically, the PMLQ hardly thought over reinventing itself and making it a party of the people rather than of the 'elite' or the 'kings.'
Come Feb 18, 2008 general elections and PMLQ was uprooted from almost all provinces giving way to the PPP and PML(N). Once again, the credit goes to Mian brothers to revitalize the party in a short time and win a large number of seats in the federal legislature as well as the Punjab.
The formation of PML(N) and PPP coalition isolated PMLQ from the main stream. It again suffered a blow at the time of the presidential elections when 2/3 of its legislators switched over to PML(N) and PPP leaving the party's candidate Mushahid Hussain Sayed high and dry with 44 votes.
The PPP and PML(N) are all set to share the remains of the PMLQ. It is now a party with no future unless, of course, it changes its course and becomes a party of the masses by serving them at the grassroots. PMLQ has a strong base in the LG system. It can build up the party from this platform provided its top leadership is willing to Change. The party has to be Reinvented, staffed with honest, hardworking, and competent people at all levels and funded for reaching out to the people and the media to create a new and better image. That, of course, will require a great deal of efforts, round the clock, and the leadership will have to make room for talented, competent and loyal members in or out of parliament as well as party workers.
There is hardly any possibility of PML(N) or PPP taking PML(Q) into its fold. These two mainstream parties would rather wait and work for the dissidents to come over and join them. An alliance is likely to take place with either PMLN or PPP only if PMLQ is able to survive the present and foreseeable crisis and stay as a major stakeholder.
Personally, I am in favour of having two-party system in the country. One-party system does not suit our psyche and our leaders tend to become autocratic and authoritarian and indulge in unconstitutional or illegal activities. A coalition of PMLN and PMLQ would have been the ideal choice for both the parties as well as the stability and durability of the civilian political set up. Only a stable civilian political setup can ensure economic development, social justice and strengthening of democratic institutions.
Wed, Sep 10, 2008 at 3:08 PM
PML(Q) Forward Block: A trail of mystery and mirage
Soon after the Feb 18 elections, I received a call from a friend in Lahore that a group of sitting MNAs and MPAs from PML(Q), belonging to Punjab, wanted me to come over to Lahore, at their expense, to meet them in connection with their desire to join the PML(N). Alternatively, I was told, the group leader alongwith his close associates would visit me at Karachi. I first expressed my inability to get involved in wheeling-dealing as active politics was'nt my cup of tea. When I received calls repeatedly from my friend who was being pushed by the group leader, I asked my friend to send me the list of the group members. Once I had the list in my hand, (I just wanted to be sure these people did exist) I told him that I will forward their request without the list to Mian Shahbaz Sharif and let him decide what to do with it. I politely refused to put in my recommendations of any sort for the simple reason that I did not know a single member on the list nor did I admire turncoats.
Out of sheer curiosity, I chased the shadows for some time. What transpired to me was just amazing. The Forward Block claiming 30-35 and, sometimes 40-45 members, was trying to negotiate 'terms of business' in 3-4 separate groups with the PPP as well as the PML(N) at the same time. Each group was led by an MPA/MNA, whose names I would refrain from disclosing, but we heard them quite often on TV channels and read their press statements. While each group was engaged in feeling the 'pulse' and a 'place' for them in the other party, each group gave the impression to the other side that it was representing the entire Forward Block.
The Forward Block itself remained a mystery. Its numbers kept on changing from time to time. Some owned it publicly; some did'nt. Some, I am told, were given a dressing down by their party leaders once the forward block came into their notice and withdrew themselves from the limelight. The group leaders within the Forward Block also changed their positions and places; one leader replacing another and heading another group. It happened so often that it became difficult at times to figure out 'who was who' in the Forward Block at any one point of time, how many groups were operating and who was heading each group. To me, at times, it seemed as if I was chasing shadows who were appearing, disappearing and reappearing with High Frequency. I got so fed up with the enigmatic chase that I finally gave up.
On Sep 6, the Forward Block reappeared with a big bang, comprising 30-35 members of the Punjab Assembly, headed by Mr Atta Mohammad Maneka and cast their votes in favour of PML(N) presidential nominee. The Forward Block provided the breathing space to the PML(N) government in Punjab who would have lost a simple majority in the house without the support of the block. On the other side, a group of 30 legislators, claiming to be the Forward Block, reportedly attended the dinner hosted by the Prime Minister to probably celebrate the victory of Mr. Asif Zardari. I am confused as to whether it is the same block that voted for PML(N) candidate or it is yet another Forward Block.
With this background information, I would sincerely urge you all to please raise your voice against the patronage of such forward blocks wherever they exist. We must get rid of such opportunists who do not owe loyalty to any party as such. There must be an end to such wheeling-dealing and 'lotacracy' to stabilize the political system of the country and relieve the political parties of the 'hanging sword' phenomenon and blackmailing for monetary or non-monetary transactions. All that goes to the defector emanates from the national or provincial exchequer. I doubt if any political party will pay off from its own funds. The political parties who once supported prohibition on floor crossing owe it to their conscience as well as the electorate to stop this game of numbers. The political parties who lose members elected on their tickets MUST go to the Election Commission to have them disqualified to set an example and deter others from going on the same route.
Sun, Sep 7, 2008 at 9:58 PM
National Cohesion Strategy 2008-2013
As of today, the national cohesion appears to be in tatters. Quaid-e-Azam's Unity, Faith and Discipline are hardly practiced. We probably never adopted the Quaid's motto in its true letter and spirit. Over the past 50-60 years of our existence, we hardly made a sincere, concerted and honest effort to transform our people into one nation. One-unit of West Pakistan was probably a good step but it could not last for too long. We created four provinces in West Pakistan but let East Pakistan remain one province. We might have done it with good intentions to develop the lesser developed provinces, but the good intentions could not be translated into action under any government, civil or military.
The worst human emotion is 'a sense of deprivation,' articulated or silent, and a sense of deprivation works like cancer. It spreads all around, generation to generation and breeds hatred of all kinds. The victims may not know who is really responsible for their deprivation. So, it becomes an extremely dangerous tool in the hands of politicians, politico-religious groups, sectarian and ethnic organizations. It can be exploited either way; to secure rights and privileges for the deprived lot or to make personal or party gains at the cost of the deprived segment of the society.
The formation of the Awami League in the then East Pakistan and the Muhajir Qaumi Movement in Sindh are two noteworthy examples where the people were mobilized for securing their rights, privileges and civil liberties as a separate entity. A large number of sectarian groups sprang up over the past years including the Sipah-e-Sahaba, Lashkar -e- Jhangvi, Sipah -e- Mohammad and the like. A large number of regional political groups emerged in Balochistan, Sindh, NWFP and Southern Punjab. The goal was more or less the same; methods to achieve the goal were differently contrived and implemented, peacefully or violently.
The national cohesion demands that all citizens of Pakistan regardless of their colour, cast, sect, religion, gender and domicile will be treated at par in the eyes of the law of the land and provided with economic and social justice, legal justice, protection of life, property and honour and equal opportunities for education, health and progress and prosperity.
Over the years, we did almost nothing to imbibe national cohesion through education, literacy, vocational and occupational training, development of the infrastructure, and reaching out to the masses in the 'kuchi abadis' in the urban areas and the bonded labour and yoked inhabitants of the rural population to bring them into the mainstream of economic, social and political development.
What is done is done. Past is past. Nobody to be blamed. That should be the starting point. But the wounds have to be healed. Hatred has to be changed into brotherhood. Deprivation has to be eliminated. Peace and harmony have to be developed and nourished. Civil liberties and human rights have to be enforced. We will become Pakistanis the day we achieved national cohesion.
To achieve the golden crest of national cohesion, we need to develop a National Cohesion Strategy (NCS) for the next five years backed by genuine concerns, plans, programmes, funds and a total commitment to the national cause. There is no dearth of able-bodied, mentally fit, competent, and committed educationists, scholars, intellectuals, and professionals of all disciplines in Pakistan to be hired to work on the gigantic task at full speed, independently, objectively, and moderately.
It is time for the two leading political parties in coalition including their smaller wings of ANP, MQM, and JUI(F) to sit together and arrive at a consensus to develop the National Cohesion Strategy. The regional parties and groups outside the coalition should also be invited to join in the development of the NCS. No party/group should be isolated from the mainstream of national cohesion.
You are cordially invited to email your input, openly and frankly. It is a subject that concerns all. So, no excuse for anybody to keep himself or herself away from the discussion. Anybody can write in English or Urdu, as may be convenient, but he or she MUST do so. Maybe, we are able to develop a paper on NCS from the input that we receive and put it up before the federal government to help it take a start.
I will be eternally grateful if any one or more of our network members take upon themselves to write a paper on the subject or any corporation or NGO sponsors such a study.
Wed, Sep 10, 2008 at 9:27 PM
Do we really care?
Our educated society is very fond of talking about issues in private and public gatherings such as politics and governance, price-hike, poverty, corruption, law and order, electricity outages, choked sewerage, water scarcity, broken roads, traffic jams, to name just a few key irritants in our lives. We often talk about these issues and talk limitlessly, days in and days out, but we hardly find men and women coming up with solutions or their own willingness to come forward to do something about resolving these issues in whatever way possible.
We invariably expect the government to do it or the concerned corporation or authority to do it but we are often reluctant to take time off from our office to be part of a delegation to visit the concerned government department or authority to register our grievances and seek help. We are often too busy to make a call to the complaint centre of the concerned public utility or go to its office and lodge a written complaint even if we are part of the suffering lot. We expect somebody else will do it anyway; so why to bother. We will spend hours explaining to our friends, relatives and associates the suffering we are going through at the hands of the KESC, Water & Sewerage Board, Cantonment Board, Defence Housing Authority, Traffic Police, District Police and so on. We are often too busy to attend a meeting called for a specific issue. We are often too tied down to pay on first call a few hundred rupees for a service that is needed for the comfort or safety of all concerned, whether it is cleaning of the street, drain opening of choked sewage, day and night patrolling of the street by private guards or chowkidars.
Why do we often let ourselves go through the agony? Why do we often expect others to do it for us? Why do we lack interest in community work? Why do we have to pass the red light in a haste and then blame the traffic police for an accident? Why do we try to jump a queu at a bank or post office? Why do we have to create a traffic jam by overtaking the vehicle ahead of us or even blocking the railway crossing when it is closed in order to get ahead when it is opened?
What is wrong with us as human beings, as members of a civilized society, and as Muslims who claim to believe in justice, brotherhood, peace and harmony?
How can we change our mindset, our attitude, our approach? How can we inculcate in ourselves a compassion for other human beings? How can we overcome the animal drives and instincts in us? Dr. Moorad Musa Khan may help us in this aspect.
Let us think and share our views on How to Change Ourselves. We know the issues. We need the solutions; easy, simple, and actionable, individually or collectively.
Wed, Sep 10, 2008 at 12:21 AM
Presidential Election 2008: Gains and Losses
The outcome of the presidential election 2008 was a foregone conclusion. Mr Asif Zardari was fully backed by his party stalwarts and spin doctors as well as the governments at the centre and the Sindh, Balochistan and NWFP. It is often difficult, if not impossible, to confront a presidential nominee whose party-in-power is there at his beck and call with funds, furore and flurry of electioneering through the length and breadth of the country. Mr. Zardari's campaign was largely conducted by his party leaders and public office holders as well as coalition partners ANP, JUI(F) and MQM. I donot recall a single press conference addressed by Mr. Zardari in this connection.
On the other extreme was Mr. Mushahid Hussain who almost single-handedly launched his media blitz as part of his election campaign. He travelled alongwith his party president Mr. Shujaat Hussain and a couple of party stalwarts to all the provincial capitals, talked to the media and political leaders and put soul into the presidential race, stirred excitement and brightened outlook in his party PML(Q). He touched upon the national and Pakistan-related international issues and hit hard at his main rival, within limits of decency and logic, calling for his withdrawal from the race because of the published reports of his mental health. He set a new trend of electioneering projecting his courage, confidence and conviction and focusing on issues rather than mere rhetoric of hopes and promises. Though a novice in a presidential race, he proved his mettle brilliantly.
PML(N)'s nominee Justice (r) Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui appeared to be a lone campaigner left in the 'sub-Sahara desert of politics' by his party PML(N). There was almost no campaigning for his election from the party platform. He did on a limited scale whatever opportunity he could avail to talk to the print and electronic media. It would have been a much better option for the PML(N) to openly support PML(Q)'s candidate Mr. Mushahid Hussain who was once Media Advisor of PML(N). That initiative would have set the ball rolling towards reconciliation between the PML(N) and PML(Q) for their mutual benefit. It seems as if the hard feelings and open wounds kept PML(N) away from taking the bold intiative and the PML(Q) probably did not come forward out of the apprehension of being rejected.
Mr. Asif Zardari turned out to be the winner bagging majority of electoral votes in the parliament as well as Sindh, Balochistan and NWFP. PML(Q) lost almost 2/3 of its electoral votes to PML(N) and PPP through defection of its legislators so much so that its own presidential nominee could not bag all the votes of his party legislators. PML(N) could not muster enough support for their candidate except in the Punjab legislature and the parliament with many of its federal parliamentarians secretly voting for Mr. Asif Zardari.
As of today, both PML(N) and PML(Q) stand at the crossroads of their destiny. If common sense prevailed and political acumen worked above personal and party preferences, both would be embracing each other to become the second largest coalition in the country in a week or so. Both are hanging at the edge of the road to annihilation, whether it is realized or not. Time does not wait, circumstances do not cater and luck does not help all the time.
Sun, Sep 7, 2008 at 8:11 PM
Presidential Race in Pakistan: Highlights
1. Exhaustive efforts are being made by Asif Zardari's camp to obtain as many votes of the electoral college as possible
2. Fata members of the NA and the Senate who had earlier refused to back AZ due to military operations in FATA were roped in probably with the help of Maulana Fazlurrehman of JUI and the promise held out to them that there will be no military operation in Fata.
3. Forward Block of PML(Q) partly hijacked by PPP and partly by PML(N).
4. US has refrained from endorsing AZ's candidature. It only said that it will support the civilian government in Pakistan.
5. Unprecedented outrage unanimously in both houses of parliament over the US-led forces attack in South Waziristan must have come as a big surprise to the US. It was later followed by its denouncement by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Tariq Majeed. AZ also joined the chorus to express his solidarity with the people of Pakistan.
6. PMLQ and PMLN have not yet retired their candidates from the contest. Talks are reportedly going on between the PPP and the PMLN to retire Justice (r) Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui. PMLN has also reportedly tried to have PMLQ's candidate retired in favour of their candidate.
7. AZ has been repeatedly promising trimming of the presidential powers once he is elected. Is he going to switch the position and become the PM after the requisite powers are transferred to the PM? Who will then be the president?
8. Grapevine has it that the PPP has offered to let the PMLN rule Punjab in return for their support for AZ.
9. PMLQ is reported to be breaking up due to defection of many of its parliamentarians to the PPP and the PMLN. It is not yet clear as to whether the defections will be confined to voting in the presidential election or these will be permanent.
10. PMLQ's Mushahid Hussain has probably been the most active candidate, travelling to the provincial capitals, holding press conferences and giving TV interviews. The least activity is noticed in the PMLN camp for their candidate. PPP has focused largely on wheeling and dealing rather than the media.
11. PMLN's lack of aggressive support to their candidate is hard to understand. It is like accepting defeat before it emerged.
Will the Apple Cart be overturned tonight by any or all of the 3As (America, Army and Agencies) is anybody's guess.
Sat, Sep 6, 2008 at 1:57 AM
Changing Pakistan for Better Tomorrow
I would greatly appreciate your reading this email from the beginning to the end and giving this forum the benefit of your valuable comments, suggestions and remarks as soon as possible.
The Good Governance Forum's blogsite http://ggovernance.blogspot.com was created on August 15, 2005 as you can find it above the caption "INTRODUCTION' on site's home page. The exchange of ideas, concepts, issues, information and comments started with the first email of March 25, 2007, soon after the 'suspension' of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr. Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, by the then president of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf.
I was probably the first blogger in Pakistan to create a blogsite on the CJP's issue on June 30, 2007 under the URL http://windsofchangepakistan.blogspot.com, followed by other blogsites such as http://judiciaryinpakistan.blogspot.com on July 26, 2007 after the reinstatement of the Chief Justice by the Supreme Court; http://definingmomentpakistan.blogspot.com on Dec 2, 2007 after General Pervez Musharraf doffed his Army uniform; http://reclaimingdemocracypakistan.blogspot.com on Dec 1, 2007; http://politicaltroikapakistan.blogspot.com on Dec 4, 2007; and http://changingtimespakistan.blogspot.com on January 19, 2008 after the general lifted emergency and promised general elections. I also created separate blogsites http://miannawazsharif.blogspot.com on Oct 18, 2007; http://benazirbhutto.blogspot.com on Oct 18, 2007 and http://presidentpervezmusharraf.blogspot.com on Nov 5, 20007.
In all, there are about 200 blogsites (free websites) that I have created over the years on different topics from time to time.
Beginning on March 25, 2007, the exchange of ideas, concepts, and opinions with network members of Good Governance Forum has continued uninterruptedly till todate. The email list grew from the initial less than 100 to over 1000. The inflow and outflow of emails have been rapid and enormous. Many network members did not endorse copies to other members; they addressed the forum only. So, I had to forward selected emails to other members. However, I must acknowledge the time, energy and effort that the forum's network members dedicated to their participation in the discussion of a variety of Pakistan-related topics. The exchange of thoughts, agony and anguish, hopes and fears must have taken steam off the chest of some and opened the door to think over the issue to others.
We have discussed almost all key issues confronting our beloved homeland Pakistan. As the Founder and Moderator of the Good Governance Forum, it has invariably been my desire, intention and effort to keep the forum independent, non-partisan, and non-ethnic and avoid personality attacks for personal vengeance of the writers, as far as possible.
I am of the view that time has now come to spare our time, energy and effort from discussing issues to working on issues to provide relief to the people and to protect the sovereignty, integrity and honour of our country through joint or collective action, keeping in mind the present and foreseeable situation in the country and across the borders.
We all know what has happened, what is happening and what is possibly going to happen in the time ahead. Although the horoscopic signs about the future of Pakistan and its people may appear to be disappointing, there is still hope and there are still patriotic people who are hopeful and ready to dedicate their resources whether it is time, money, or personal effort, to stop the present downslide and to take Pakistan on the path of unity, faith and discipline leading to development and prosperity in the years ahead.
In my humble opinion, and I am sure many of you will agree with me, it is NOW or NEVER situation for all segments of our society. We either act and dispel the threats or sit back and drown ourselves in the deep sea of crises. The choice is ours.
As educated, conscious and competent members of the society, it is our moral and ethical duty to contribute, whatever we can, towards our common objective of protecting the country and making the lives of the helpless people as worthwhile as possible. Almighty Allah in His infinite wisdom has endowed different persons with different but unique faculties of mind and heart with a definite purpose. He knew that the universe needed all kinds of people for all kinds of jobs and, therefore, He produced all sorts of people for all sorts of jobs. With every ability, there is accompanying responsibility and accountability within the law of the land and the law of Allah.
With this brief perspective, I strongly urge each of you to take upon yourself the responsibility to do your part towards the common objective of what I may call "Changing Pakistan for Better Tomorrow" by working for it. I suggest the following actions on your part.
1. Everyone of you should join an NGO dedicated to working on a specific issue confronting Pakistan.
2. Contribute your time, money or effort (whatever you can conveniently do) to help strengthen the NGO and make its voice heard and acted upon in the society and the corridors of power.
3. Use your ability to write or ask a friend to write on an issue in the print media in Pakistan and, if necessary, abroad as well.
4. Use your contacts to have talk shows on specific issues on the TV channels and participate in them, if possible.
5. Attend discussion forums, seminars and symposiums held on various topics and contribute in whatever manner you can. Your participation alone can be of great encouragement and help to the cause.
6. Form new NGOs for dealing with specific issues if you dont find any existing NGO on the subject or you want to do the job in a better or different way.
7. Publicize your thoughts, concepts, ideas, opinions and suggestions through your participation in the meetings of the NGOs, their publications, promotional literature for a particular cause, panel discussions, action plans and programmes and delegations to the government functionaries.
These are just a few actionable measures that came to my mind. This is not the end of the road. You can think of many more avenues for achieving the same objectives. We MUST do it; and do it NOW. We MUST get over the usual inertia that NOTHING can change, nobody is going to listen to us, we will just be wasting our time and energy, it is too difficult to get done and so on. Remember and, I have learned it by my own experiences as well as those of others whom I knew, that NOTHING is IMPOSSIBLE. It is just a matter of time and effort. And please do not bother about the interior or exterior motives of the people who are working for the good of the society; look at the work that is being done. Many a time, we form an opinion summarily just because we heard about an incident or an opinion from somebody and we drift away, assuming bad intentions or insincerity of the sponsors of the cause.
Abdul Sattar Edhi started his community work with just Rs. 200, established his credibility and developed a multi-faceted establishment of phenomenal size and stature. You may hear all sorts of stories about him, his organization and his work from all sorts of people who believe in gossip or spreading sensational information for the sake of fun or be known for possessing important inside news. Many will claim they had the information from the horse's mouth (direct from the source). Just don't believe it. If you suspect something, go and find out yourself if you are inquisitive or ask an impartial, responsible and resourceful person but please, please do not trust people who engage in loose talk for their own sake or the sake of satisfying their sadism.
As far as existing NGOs in Pakistan are concerned, you can find them on the Internet by searching on Google, Yahoo or MSN, visit them and form your own opinion about their work on genuine grounds. If you need any assistance, please feel free to write to me.
I look forward to hearing from each of you about what you plan to do, when and how. If you are already engaged in doing a specific nation-building work, I am sure many of you are, please do send me a brief for circulating it among other network members of this forum for their information, participation or encouragement.
Wishing you the best in life, I close by quoting Iqbal, the greatest philosopher, poet and spiritualist of our times: 'pewasta reh shajjar say, umeed -e- bahar rakh' (keep clinging to the branch [of the tree] and hope for the spring to come).
Fri, Sep 5, 2008 at 9:46 AM
Power Shortage and Its Elimination by 2009: Myth and Mystery
According to the official WAPDA website www.wapda.gov.pk, there are four under-construction hydropower projects with the combined installed capacity of 419 MW, to be completed in phases uptil Feb 2010. The completion of the projects is already delayed by one to one-and-a-half years. The fifth and the largest single project Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project (969 MW) is expected to be completed in 8 years i.e. by 2015. These projects are part of the Vision 2025 of Wapda, although there is no project in the pipeline beyond 2010 except Neelam Jhelum to be completed by 2015.
The following information is reproduced in original from the same website.
Since October 2007, WAPDA has been bifurcated into two distinct entities i.e. WAPDA and Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO). WAPDA is responsible for water and hydropower development whereas PEPCO is vested with the responsibility of thermal power generation, transmission, distribution and billing. There is an independent Chairman and MD (PEPCO) www.pepco.gov.pk replacing Chairman WAPDA and Member (Power) who were previously holding the additional charges of these posts.
WAPDA is now fully responsible for the development of Hydel Power and Water Sector Projects.
PEPCO has been fully empowered and is responsible for the management of all the affairs of corporatized nine Distribution Companies (DISCOs), four Generation Companies (GENCOs) and a National Transmission Dispatch Company (NTDC). These companies are working under independent Board of Directors (Chairman and some Directors are from Private Sectors).
The WAPDA website does not provide a consolidated Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss Account under its link "Balance Sheet."
The official PEPCO website states as under:
In 1998 Dec WAPDA Act amended to permit establishment of PEPCO and unbundling of WAPDA As part of the unbundling process, WAPDA has been separated into a number of entities responsible for generation (four generation companies), transmission (the National Transmission and Despatch Company) and distribution (nine distribution companies). The process of separating out the various entities and corporatization is still in progress. Pakistan Electric Power Company (Private) Limited (PEPCO), a separate agency within WAPDA, is responsible for this restructuring and preparation for privatization.
Pakistan Electric Power Company (Private) Limited (PEPCO), a separate agency within WAPDA, is responsible for this restructuring and preparation for privatization. Website: http://www.pepco.gov.pk
There is no in-hand or upcoming thermal project listed on the PEPCO website.
As is evident from the above-cited information, there are only four hydropower projects under-construction likely to be completed by Feb 2010 giving us additional 419MW of electricity.
The link "Projects" on the official KESC website www.kesc.com.pk opens with Parser Error. So, no information could be obtained about the upcoming projects, if any. The company had accumulated losses of Rs. 34.793 billion as on 30th June 2007. The company's loss for the year 2006-2007 was reported at Rs. 12 billion, without government subsidy of Rs. 7 billion which was made available in the previous year to reduce the loss to Rs. 7 billion.
Our Hon Minister of Water & Power has repeatedly assured the nation that there will be NO loadshedding from the year 2009. According to the press reports, there is current demand and supply gap of 4500-5000 MW. It is, therefore, hard for a layman like me to understand as to how the present government of the Democratic People's Republic of Pakistan plans to eliminate loadshedding throughout the country by 2009 with additional generation of 419MW in the pipeline to be made available by Feb 2010.
Thu, Sep 4, 2008 at 8:18 AM
The Atta (wheat flour) Crisis: Who is behind it?
According to a news item, published in the 'DAWN' Karachi dated 2nd Sep 2008, "a sub-committee of the recently-constituted Task Force on Food, Procurement, Storage and Distribution has cited the smuggling to Afghanistan, Iran and India as the main reason for flour shortage."
Once we know the cause, we should also be knowing the perpetrators and once we know the perpetrators we should be able to get hold of them and once we get hold of them the problem will ease out. What, then, is the problem? Why cant we get hold of the perpetrators? Or we are just assuming there is smuggling of atta to make the task easier for committee members?
Prior to the general elections of Feb 18, 2008, there was a lot of hue and cry over the acute shortage and high prices of atta reportedly due to the export of wheat. Nobody from the government or the opposition parties came up with the exact export figure and its % share in the total wheat procurement in the country to work out its real impact on the supply of atta in the country. For instance, if the export comes to 10% of the total wheat produced in the country, then the shortage should be more or less proportionate to it. The shortage cant be 100% because 10% of the wheat was exported.
Same is the case now. We dont know the quantum of smuggling, though we know it is being smuggled. Smuggling has now replaced the export as the cause of flour shortage and high prices, with the change of the government. The problem remains unsolved over the past several months of the new government at the centre and in the provinces.
Our new Prime Minister had announced an increase in the support price of what from Rs. 425 (or Rs 365) to Rs. 625 per 40kg, assuming it would lead to more production of wheat and elimination of the prevailing shortage. Now the price of wheat comes to Rs. 15.625 per kg. Add the cost of conversion of wheat into atta, packaging, transportation, miller's profit, and profit of the distributor, wholesaler and retailer, the price should be somewhere between Rs. 20-25 per kg. The government is reportedly forcing the retailers to sell atta at Rs. 15 per kg. How is that possible? Any rationale or just a pressure tactic? or publicity stunt to accuse the trade of manipulating the price? The prevailing price of mill-packed atta at general stores is Rs. 32 per kg. That also does not make sense. There is more than 100% addition to the actual cost of wheat supplied to the millers by the government. At many places, the price is reportedly higher than Rs. 32 per kg, particularly in the remote areas of the country.
Where is the real cause of the problem? Can anyone from the government answer the question or the champions of democracy, freedom, and social justice in and out of government ask the government? Did any political party work out the cost-price comparison and ask the government in or out of parliament as to why there is more than 100% addition to the wheat procurement price? None, to be best of my knowledge.
How long are we going to befool the innocent, helpless and poor common man? The common man, in my opinion, includes all tiers of the middle and lower classes, not just the lower class, which constitute anywhere from 95-97% of the total country's population.
Please do help yourself and others by raising your voice from every available forum; otherwise, the day is not far off when all of us will land into the category of poverty stricken population and will run around to avail of the poverty alleviation programme, God forbids.
Tue, Sep 2, 2008 at 8:21 AM
PML(Q) rebounding and resounding on a fast track
It was quite an experience to meet Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Mushahid Hussain, Ijaz-ul-Haq and a host of other guests at a grand lunch at the residence of Maqbool Shaikh in Karachi on 1st Sep. PML(Q)'s president and presidential candidate were in Karachi alongwith other PML(Q) stalwarts to probably feel the "pulse" of the electoral college and to enagage the print and electronic media in a whole range of press conferences and TV interviews. The message was open and clear from the PML(Q) to the people: 'we are back.'
The place was beaming with smiles, laughter and hopes overcoming the gloomy atmosphere in PML(Q) after the Feb 18 election results and the Aug 18 resignation of the president Pervez Musharraf. Journalists and the TV channel teams were abounding to take the interviews of the PML(Q) and its presidential candidate.
The worst part of all the activity that is going on at the moment to elect the next president of Pakistan is the absence of solidarity, unity and faith among the political leaders of the mainstream parties to pool their resources and battle with the on-ground challenges within Pakistan and across its borders.
The domestic and foreign threats to our independence, sovereignty, and integrity are looming large on the visible horizon. Time is running out for the present civilian dispensation to prove their competence to govern the country in unison and lead it to peace and prosperity in the time ahead.
I strongly urge, once again, Asif Zardari, Mian Nawaz Sharif and Ch Shujaat Hussain to get together and work out a modus operandi for the future, leaving aside their personal and party priorities, grievances and heart-burn for the sake of the people of Pakistan and our beloved homeland. It is NOW or NEVER situation and I hope the political stalwarts do understand what it means for them and for Pakistan.
You are welcome to express your views on the blogsite http://ggovernance.blogspot.com or via email to good.governance@gmail.com.
I wish all of you and all of my country men, women and children Ramazan Mubarak. May Almighty Allah forgive us and bestow upon us the infinite blessings of the holy month and help us heal our wounds against each other and live in peace, harmony and love for the rest of our lives. Ameen.
Mon, Sep 1, 2008 at 9:31 PM
Reconciliation of PML(N) and PML(Q)
It is indeed a good omen that talks have been initiated between the two factions of PML for joining hands in the Punjab and the Centre with a view to becoming the second largest national political party to face the PPP. We need to have a two-party system to keep checks and balances; absolute power does not suit our psyche, whether civilian or military.
I hope and expect that both sides will come forward leaving behind the anguish and anger of the past and join hands to strengthen democracy by learning from their past mistakes and misjudgements.
I would especially appeal to Mian Nawaz Sharif for whom I have great respect to leave behind his inflicted emotions. A friend once sent me a quote: "Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free and realizing you were the prisoner." We are all, at times, prisoners of our anger and anguish but you cant live with these negative and damaging emotions without killing your inner self. My wife and grown up children used to complain that I did not react swifty to what others said right on my face which was untrue and unfair and hurt them. I often responded like this. "If the other person is right in saying what he or she has said, then he or she is not at fault. If he or she is wrong, it shoud make no difference to me." The result: they now do not complain as often as they used to do and others who were fond of raising one issue or the other have reduced their frequency. I would often just laughed it off when any person said something unfair giving him or her the message that it did not make any difference to me; he or she just wasted his/her time and energy.
Mian Nawaz Sharif needs to realize that it was he who left his party by leaving his country; it was not the party that left him. It is often very hard to sit on the opposition benches or challenge a military dictator; we cant even challenge a civilian dictator. Those who remained loyal and committed to Mian Sahib are worthy of great admiration but then not everyone is born of the same mettle.
I sincerely wish and hope both sides will do a bit of give and take in the larger interest of the country and its people who are going down the drain without a helping hand above them. I also wish and hope that both sides will set new precedents of mutual respect, dignity, and honour and contribute whole-heartedly to the strengthening of democratic institutions as well as the parliament, judiciary and media.
Thu, Aug 28, 2008 at 4:41 PM
Hot & Sour News for All [except heart patients and those prone to pain]
I am tempted to request my fellow Formanite and media icon Rashid Latif Ansari who owns an education channel by the name of UJALA, to launch a new regular programme entitled "Hot & Sour News" [and hire my services as the anchor person to enable me to enjoy fresh air of Dubai and to look at the worldclass luxuries that money can buy, in addition to airing Hot & Sour News without being caught by the powers in power in Pakistan] to re-educate the people of Pakistan and to help their politicians enter the 21st century and assume leadership roles. Let me take you on a short journey of amusing news or [anecdotes] these days.
* Admiral Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Committe, said at a briefing in Washington on Wednesday that the current political situation was discussed in his secret meeting, along with his team, with the Pakistan's COAS Gen Kiyani, accompanied by his team, on a US aircraft carrier on high seas. [He expressed his satisfaction over the Pak military's response to the US 'War on Terror" AFTER military to military communication in the recent past.]
* Pakistan' Ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani, asked the US to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Pakistan [notwithstanding, of course, the 'deals' so often reported in the media or any help needed at any time to keep PPP in power].
* Maulana Fazlurrehman of JUI(F) regained his lost smile and announced at a press conference yesterday that JUI(F) was going to support Asif Ali Zardari for presidency AFTER all their demands had been met including halting military operations in FATA. [Malik Rehman spoke at a seminar of FIA yesterday and said that the military operation will remain suspended till 2nd of Eid due to Ramazan].
* Punjab government announced yesterday that it despatched, under the directive of its CM, truckloads of food and other items for the 'refugees' of the Bajaur Agency, affected by the recent military operations. [The press release did not say why the Punjab CM and the president of PML(N) could not stop the military operations in the Bajaur Agency.]
* Ch Pervaiz Elahi has got back his lost smile and vigour of the yester-days, probably owing to the hopes of a share in the Punjab government by virtue of coalition with the PML(N) or PPP.
* PML(Q)'s presidential candidate Mushahid Hussain Sayed has advised Asif Zardari to withdraw from the presidential contest due to his mental health [probably to clear the way for him to become the president].
* PML(N)'s Iqbal Ahsan forcefully asked the PPP in a press conference yesterday to withdraw its ministers from the Punjab cabinet after the break-up of their parties' coalition.
* PPP has asked its ministers in the Punjab cabinet to stop attending their offices, probably to pay to the PML(N) in the same coin as the latter did earlier at the Centre.
* Hon. Minister for Finance announced yesterday that 31% increase in the electricity tariff will be notified after the presidential elections on Sep 6. What about the saving of Rs. 1.9 billion from one-extra hour clocking, now extended to Nov 1 to add more savings?
* Jamaat-e-Islami's Qazi Hussain Ahmed announced yesterday his party's support to the PML(N)'s candidate for presidency [WITHOUT JI being in parliament.]
* JI's Chief had earlier demanded trial and hanging of the former president Pervez Musharraf as well as that of his colleagues and remnants. [probably the Chief thinks JI does not fall in the category of former colleagues and remnants of the president after the breakup of MMA].
* Justice (r) Sajjad Ali Shah called his brother-in-justice Justice (r) Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui a controversial person and thus not fit for the office of the president.
* An advocate filed an application in the Balochistan High Court challenging the candidature of Justice (r) Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui as the latter was reportedly instrumental in the suspension of Justice (r) Sajjad Ali Shah during the previous regime of Mian Nawaz Sharif as PM.
*Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza whose better-half is the Speaker of the National Assembly, has proclaimed that God has rewarded Asif Ali Zardari with presidency for donating his blood on the birth anniversary of Benazir Bhutto [probably AZ did no good to BB while she was alive].
* Senator Talha Mahmood of JUI(F) held a meeting with Mohammad Ali Durrani of PML(Q) at the Parliament Lodges in Islamabad last night. The meeting was still continuing at 1:00 o'clock at night as the constant ticker running on the TV channel announced. [probably to bring PML(Q) to the fold of PPP-JUI(F) coalition].
* Ardeshir Cowasjee has pronounced in his column in the 'DAWN' of today that " Out of the three presidential candidates, Mushahid Hussain is by far the cleanest (the 'best of the worst')."
Mon, Sep 1, 2008 at 9:22 AM
The Taliban: myths and mystery
The title "Taliban" is now being used as a generic name to refer to militants, terrorists, extremists, Islamists, fundamentalists, Jihadis etc. related to Islam and the Muslims. The history of Taliban, their origin and role in Afghan Jihad, their rule over Afghanistan in the past and the presently available media reports depict an altogether different scenario.
During the Afghan Jihad when the Afghans were made to fight the Soviet occupation forces, the casualties on the Afghan side turned out to be far more than those of the Soviet forces. Afghans had never fought such a war with such a trained army with so much of sophisticated weaponry in their history. They were also easy targets for the Soviet air strikes as they did not know how to protect themselves against air attacks. It was altogether a new experience for Afghans who were just ordinary citizens. The regular Afghan army was attached with the USSR-sponsored Afghan government in Kabul.
Seeing the growing number of deaths of the Afghan Mujahideen, it was probably felt inevitable to train young Afghans in the religious seminaries called madressahs in the NWFP and Balochistan and imbibe in them the Islamic tenet of 'Jihad' and strengthen their ideological commitment to it. These young students were called Taliban. The word 'Taliban' is the plural of the word 'Talib" meaning the seeker of knowledge (religious knowledge in this context). They went back after completing their basic religious education in the border provinces of NWFP and Balochistan. Contrary to the general assumption, these youngsters did not receive military training in madressahs in Pakistan for the simple reason that the madressahs did not have the resources to provide such training to them.
The Taliban were probably employed as back-up force by the Afghan Mujahideen. The word 'Mujahideen' means the persons who engage themselves in Jihad (a holy war for the sake of Islam). The Mujahideen were ordinary Afghans who received military training to use the modern weapons and learn the techniques of modern warfare to fight the occupation forces of the USSR.
After the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet forces, the US induced Pakistan to assum the responsibility of helping the Afghan people in their war for the independence, sovereignty and integrity of their country. ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) was reportedly entrusted the task of mobilizing the various Afghan tribes (70+) and unifying them into the Mujahideen fighting force. These tribes were historically controlling their individual territories and were later referred to as 'war lords' in common parlance. These were the people who fought against the Soviet forces. ISI was reportedly responsible for training the Mujahideen in modern warfare, sophisticated weapons, target killing as well as devising and implementing military strategies in consultation with the Pakistan military, Afghan Mujahideen and the US experts. The ISI reportedly served as the link between the Mujahideen and the US and Pakistan.
When the time came for the Soviets to pull out from Afghanistan, the then president of Pakistan General Zia-ul-Haq wanted to install a national government, comprising representatives of the various factions of Mujahideen, before the Soviets pulled out. However, the then prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo was reportedly enticed by the then US administration to sign the Geneva Accords without the formation of the national government in Afghanistan.
Once the Soviets left Afghanistan, the old tribal society structure sprang into being and tribal chiefs or 'war lords' emerged controlling specific territories of Afghanistan. They were now trained warriors equipped with weapons, rockets, tanks, armoured carriers etc. from the leftover of the Afghan Jihad. In the absence of a central authority, the country turned into chaotic conditions, law and order crumbled and the lives of the ordinary people became insecure. There was no authority in place to rebuild the ravaged Afghanistan. There was practically no formal economy in place, no political system in operation and no parliament and judiciary in functioning order. It was a situation of 'Free for All.'
In 1996, the then government of Pakistan decided to move in and help Taliban establish their government in Afghanistan to ensure peace and tranquility, not only in Afghanistan but also in the entire region. It was reportedly done on the directive of the then U.S. administration. The Taliban, reportedly numbering 50,000, rose to the occasion and brought peace, law and order and justice to the people of Afghanistan. They ruled for 5 years till 2001. During this time, there was hardly any reference to the existence of Al Qaeda or militants, terrorists, extremists, at least not to my knowledge. Osama bin Laden and his colleagues and foreign warriors might have been there but their existence was not publicly known or publicized.
After the tragedy of 9/11, the US administration believed the attack on the Twin Towers in New York was master-minded by Al Qaeda, assumed to be led by Osama bin Laden and his colleagues.
The U.S. attacked Afghanistan and installed the government of Hamid Karzai in Kabul. The US and Nato also moved their ground troops to protect the new government. President Hamid Karzai could not enlarge his rule beyond Kabul and a few surrounding small cities. The rest of the territory remained with the Taliban.
A number of splinter groups emerged after the establishment of the government of Hamid Karzai who reportedly engaged themselves in attacking the occupation forces of the US and Nato as well as Afghan army and government officials in a bid to force them to leave Afghanistan. These splinter groups called themselves differently but used the word Taliban in one form or the other, although these groups do not appear to be part of the original Taliban who ruled Afghanistan from 1996-2001.
The Taliban installed in power in 1996 did not show signs of militancy or terrorism during their entire period of five years. They remained confined to Afghanistan and did not indulge in cross-border excursions. After the disintegration of the Taliban regime, many Taliban and others who had come from abroad to participate in Afghan Jihad reportedly migrated to Pak-Afghan border areas to protect themselves and live in peace.
After the US attack on Afghanistan, it was generally publicized in the foreign media that the Taliban as well as their old foreign associates were hiding in the tribal belt of Pakistan-Afghanistan and launching attacks on the US and Nato forces. It was also publicized that the Taliban and/or Al Qaeda (the relationship between Taliban and Al Qaeda remains unclear) could become a major source of terrorism in the whole world, particularly the US and the West, if they were allowed to remain in place. So, the US virtually forced the government headed by the president Pervez Musharraf to launch an all-out hunt to locate, arrest or kill terrorists throughout the tribal belt.
The tribal belt of Pakistan is legally known as FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) comprising seven tribes or agencies with a population of almost six million (2003 estimate) and 27,000 kilometres of land space. The entire territory contains open space, valleys and mountains, extremely hazardous for the regular troops who could be easily ambushed, killed or arrested. Air strikes are not effective because the militants could easily take shelter in their hideouts or the mountains. Generally, it is the ordinary people who are hit by the air strikes and who are now migrating to other parts of NWFP for their safety.
As far as my knowledge goes, neither the US nor Pakistan has authentic, reliable and actionable information about the precise location, activities and plans of militants. Blind shots are being fired here and there, killing innocent men, women and children, leading to deeper hatred against the Allied forces among the Afghan people. The military operations by the Pakistan Army and paramilitary troops have'nt been able to make inroads into the Taliban or Al Qaeda controlled territories. The largely fragmented information about the organizational structure of Taliban or Al Qaeda is hardly of any use in locating, arresting or killing the key members of these organizations.
The 'War on Terror' in FATA is more like Vietnam War fought by the US and its allies for 16 years with far more losses than gains. Fighting people whose nature, customs, and tactics are barely known is always hazardous. The US and its allies learned it the hard way in Vietnam and are, therefore, reluctant to move their ground troops into the tribal belt. Pakistan Army could be aware of the nature, customs and tactics of these people as its troops include Pukhtoons but then there is the horrible risk of preparing the ground for a civil war within Pakistan. Can the Pakistan Army and paramilitary troops afford such a horrendous task is a big, big question, puzzling the minds of the people and the Army itself.
What is needed to be done is a thorough, unbiased, and indigenous review of the Taliban and Al Qaeda phenomena to lay bare the facts, remove myths and mystery, and programme measures to eliminate the threat of militancy or terrorism under a comprehensive plan aimed at eliminating the root-cause of militancy or terrorism and creating conditions conducive to peaceful co-existence.
Thu, Aug 28, 2008 at 4:18 PM
Orthodox politicians and outdated politics in Pakistan
A few months back when Barack Obama had just entered the presidential race, he was quick in his rhetoric to say that, if elected president, he will send troops to Pakistan to pursue and chase the terrorists. I read the statement at night and sent a rejoinder with a copy to the US Ambassador in Pakistan. Next day, the US Ambassador said in a press statement that the US had no intention of sending troops. A few days later, Obama apologized for his statement. Our government woke up much later to protest.
Our government and our politicians alike really donot know what it means to project your view point in the American media. The American public, by and large, trusts its media beyond a shadow of doubt and forms their opinion about an issue on the basis of the media feedback. The government goes by the public opinion. The media, therefore, plays a pivotal role in policy making in the US. At times, the US government may influence the media with assumptions and/or facts which may not be true but then the media accepts what the government tells them until it is proved to be wrong, fabricated or disinformation and then it often really takes the government to task.
Our politicians talk a lot within the country but they hardly take time off to go abroad and address opinion makers, media and the US officials as well as their own country men living there to brief them on the facts and fallacies of the issues at hand and clarify misgivings and misinformation. What we say or write in Pakistan does not carry much of a weight abroad whether in the US or elsewhere for a variety of reasons. Besides, what we say in Pakistan is largely rhetoric with least substance. Our Pakistanis are many a time bewildered as to what is true and what is false about their country.
The phenomenal influence of the US over the governments in the Third World cannot be denied or overlooked. The US officials have their own perceptions and perspectives. It is not just the White House that takes decisions; others like State Dept., Pentagon, CIA, National Security Advisor and Congress are also engaged in the deliberations and the process of decision making. Every segment has its own viewpoint, right or wrong, and carries its own weight in the final decision. Nobody and no group is above mistakes but the decision making process does take into consideration the information fed to the participants concerned. At times, the information might be wrong and so the decision taken on the basis of the information might also turn out to be wrong.
It is our job in the Third World to put across our viewpoint on issues relating to us and do everything to convince the opinion makers and decision makers in the US. When we dont make substantive assertions and indulge in mere rhetoric, nobody is going to believe us. The world demands facts and figures and a clarity of thought and action in good faith from the persons or government putting forward their viewpoint.
Our politicians may be good at playing their cards in the domestic politics on the basis of their past experience but they often fail to improve upon their knowledge of the changes taking place in the various segments of our society. We are now living in the decade of 2000 and not 1900. I am afraid that difference is not yet felt and understood by many a politicians in our country.
Almost all the Third World countries are influenced from outside by foreign powers in varying degrees. At the moment, probably we are the most hard hit because of our own admissions and commissions concerning the 'War on Terror.' We either dont know the truth or we dont want to pass it onto those who need it for our own vested interests.
It is my humble suggestion to the politicians of Pakistan (I am a bit reluctant to call them political leaders) to try to upgrade their knowledge, improve upon their mindset and seek fresh and current knowledge from within and outside Pakistan. How long our politicians can indulge in intrigues, conspiracies, horse trading, fallacies, mockery, outright lies, and deceptions of all sorts and kinds. Enough is enough at some point of time. They are damaging their own image in Pakistan and abroad. They are no longer treated as political leaders or statesmen either in Pakistan or abroad.
Wed, Aug 27, 2008 at 7:49 AM
AZ outwits MNS
The un-natural alliance of the PPP and PML(N) has met with its natural death. Asif Zardari, undoubtedly, outwitted Mian Nawaz Sharif. He played his cards brilliantly well, nothwithstanding ethics, morals and values that are nowhere in Pakistan politics. Let us have a brief overview of what happened and what is going to happen.
1. AZ has proved to the 'powers that be' that he is " man of reconciliation". He honourably discharged the former president Pervez Musharraf inspite of the fact that he could have impeached him, pleasing America, Army and Agencies alike. He has brought ANP, JUI(F) and MQM to his fold.
2. AZ established his credentials by getting resolutions passed from the four provincial assemblies in favour of his becoming the next president.
3. AZ successfully resisted the restoration of deposed judges particularly that of Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry in line with the wishes of America and Agencies.
4. AZ let the army move into the tribal areas to pursue and capture the militants or terrorists.
5. AZ appointed Wajid Shamsul Hassan and Hussain Haqqani as Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK and Pakistan's Ambassador to the US respectively. Both gentlemen belong to the media.
6. AZ despatched the PM to the US to assure the US administration (White House, Pentagon, Congress, CIA, Media) that his party will continue to remain on the trail of the terrorists and remain allied with the US on its 'War on Terror.'
7. AZ has been visiting the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad every ten days as reported by Anjum Niaz from Washington as published in the 'DAWN' Karachi.
8. AZ will retain the options and use them when inevitable to disqualify Mian Nawaz Sharif from contesting the NA seat and Mian Shehbaz Sharif from retaining chief ministership of Punjab on the basis of his election from Bhakkar seat (both issues are already lying with the Election Commission for adjudication).
9. AZ will avoid head-on collision with the MNS for the time being and try to live with his adversary till he is fully entrenched in the domestic politics and foreign relations.
What is going to happen NOW is a big question in the mind of every patriotic, politically conscious and concerned Pakistani. Let me briefly express my personal views.
1. PML(N) will obviously leave the federal government and let PPP keep the presidency, prime ministership and the cabinet and come up with its performance, good or bad, on its own merits.
2. PML(N) will sit on the Opposition benches in the National Assembly but will not unnecessarily embarrass the PPP government.
3. PML(N) will do its best to keep the Punjab government by adding defectors from the PML(Q) to replace the PPP supporters.
4. PML(N) will continue to focus on the restoration of the deposed judges and make as much noise as possible without knowing that neither the America and nor the Army and the Agencies are interested in the restoration of the deposed judges. The public is also fast losing its interest in the issue which appears to be insoluble.
5. PPP will not attempt to dislodge the PML(N) government in the Punjab for the time being and wait for the right time to strike, depending upon the opportunity and the behaviour of the PML(N) in the NA and the Punjab.
6. PML(N) will become a regional party whereas the PPP will become a national party.
7. PML(Q) will keep its options open till the last minute to side with the PML(N) or PPP, openly or covertly. It will have real bargaining power if it is able to hold back its forward block from joining the PML(N) in Punjab.
8. Mian Nawaz Sharif will be reinforcing his image as a "man of confrontation" if he decides to go on a collision course with the PPP in Isb or Punjab. His previous track record is already known to the people in Pakistan and abroad.
9. PML(N) re-alliance with APDM will be suicidal at its best for damaging its reputation at home and abroad.
So long as the political and constitutional issues remain unsolved and peaceful co-existence does not materialize among the leading political parties as well as the regional parties, Pakistan will remain in trouble and its people will remain in a state of anxiety, tension, depression, despondency and despair.
Let us pray things happen contrary to what I foresee and the Almighty Allah bestows his blessings on this nation out of His generosity and give us one more chance with His guidance and support.
Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 6:00 AM
The Taliban's Resurgence
While many of the Taliban's most radical leaders and supporters were killed, taken prisoner, or fled the country, many former Taliban returned to their homes and continue to work for the Taliban's goals. The Taliban leader, Mullah Omar, has continued to elude capture.
In 2003, after the United States shifted its military efforts to fighting the war in Iraq, attacks on American-led forces intensified as the Taliban and al-Qaeda began to regroup. President Hamid Karzai's hold on power remained tenuous, as entrenched warlords continued to exert regional control. Remarkably, however, Afghanistan's first democratic presidential elections in Oct. 2004 were a success. Ten million Afghans, more than a third of the country, registered to vote, including more than 40% of eligible women. Despite the Taliban's threats to kill anyone who participated, the polls were reasonably peaceful and the elections deemed fair by international observers.
In 2005 and 2006, the Taliban continued its resurgence, and 2006 became the deadliest year of fighting since the 2001 war. Throughout the spring, Taliban militants infiltrated southern Afghanistan, terrorizing villagers and attacking Afghan and U.S. troops. In May and June, Operation Mount Thrust was launched, deploying more than 10,000 Afghan and coalition forces to the south. In Aug. 2006, NATO troops took over military operations in southern Afghanistan from the U.S.-led coalition, which put a total of 21,000 American troops and 19,000 NATO troops on the ground. In September NATO launched the largest attack in its 57-year history. About 2,000—the vast majority Taliban fighters—were killed in military operations during the year.
In September 2006, Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf signed a controversial peace agreement with seven militant groups, who call themselves the "Pakistan Taliban." Pakistan's army agreed to withdraw from the area and allow the Taliban to govern themselves, as long as they promise no incursions into Afghanistan or against Pakistani troops. Critics say the deal handed terrorists a secure base of operations; supporters counter that a military solution against the Taliban is futile and will only spawn more militants, contending that containment is the only practical policy.
The Taliban rescinded the cease-fire in July 2007 after clashes between government troops and radical Islamist clerics and students at Islamabad's Red Mosque. After the initial violence, the military laid seige to the mosque, which held nearly 2,000 students. Several students escaped or surrendered to officials. The mosque's senior cleric, Maulana Abdul Aziz was caught by officials when attempting to escape. After negotiations between government officials and mosque leaders failed, troops stormed the compound and killed Abdul Rashid Ghazi, who took over as chief of the mosque after the capture of Aziz, his brother. More than 80 people died in the violence. Fighting in remote tribal areas intensified after the raid.
In 2008, after more than five years as Afghanistan's leader, President Hamid Karzai still has only marginal control over large swaths of his country, which is rife with warlords, militants, and drug smugglers. The Taliban now funds its insurgency through the drug trade. An August 2007 report by the United Nations found that Afghanistan's opium production doubled in two years and that the country supplies 93% of the world's heroin.
In February 2008, U.S. Secretary of State Robert Gates warned NATO members that the threat of an al-Qaeda attack on their soil is real and that they must commit more troops to stabilize Afghanistan and counter the growing power of both al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
Read full article:
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.html
Sun, Aug 24, 2008 at 4:10 PM
Nov 8, 2007 9:31 AM
We oppose Emergency in Pakistan
Dear All,
While the media is banned and public gatherings are not allowed in
Pakistan, we are planning a massive global "e-Protest" to raise our
voice.
We are targeting at least 1,000,000 signatures across the globe. We
will send this petition with compiled list of signatures to anyone who
want to send it to Embassies, United Nations, Human Rights
Organizations, Politicians, Governments, Press and Media. Our voice
will be heard globally.
http://www.gopetition.com/online/15064.html
Sign this petition and send this link to every Pakistani you know
through Facebook, Emails, Orkut, Friendster, Bebo and every social
networking platform available.
Best Regards,
Group Members
We Oppose Emergency in Pakistan"
Nov 13, 2007 9:25 AM
The General Must Go
Pervez Musharraf has become an obstacle to U.S. interests in Pakistan -- and to Pakistan's interests as well.
Sunday, November 11, 2007; Page B06
UNDER PRESSURE from President Bush, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf announced Thursday that he would hold elections for Parliament by Feb. 15. His government has said it will end a state of emergency within a month. But the general's security forces continue to detain thousands of activists from the country's secular political parties, judiciary and human rights groups, while violently breaking up protests and keeping independent television stations off the air. Despite his promises to Washington and back-channel negotiations with opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, Mr. Musharraf has not altered the course he embarked on last weekend when he suspended the constitution. He still intends to dictate his own continuance in power and to curtail the influence of the country's moderate political elite -- the judges, journalists, human rights activists and secular politicians who ought to be his army's allies in a war against Islamic extremists.
Mr. Bush has hesitated to withdraw U.S. support for Mr. Musharraf; his administration is understandably concerned about the destabilization of a nuclear-armed Muslim country. The Pentagon places a high priority on helping the Pakistani army combat a growing insurgency by the Taliban, al-Qaeda and their allies. Yet Mr. Musharraf's insistence on fighting rather than working with the country's civilian political center dooms the battle against extremism. After his first coup, in 1999, the general also promised elections: The result was a blatantly rigged ballot that excluded Ms. Bhutto and other centrist leaders and boosted militant Islamic parties. It is likely that the election he now promises would be similarly manipulated. Though his government pledges to lift emergency rule, it clearly does not intend to restore the rule of law, which would mean reinstating the Supreme Court judges whom Mr. Musharraf has illegally placed under arrest.
The only way to preserve U.S. interests and the cause of moderation in Pakistan is to eliminate the obstacle of Mr. Musharraf's desperate and destructive hold on power. Mr. Bush must now insist on the second demand he made in Thursday's phone call, which is that Mr. Musharraf retire from the army. His likely successor, Gen. Ashfaq Kiyani, is a pro-Western moderate who supports the U.S.-sponsored counterinsurgency program. The next army leader, rather than Mr. Musharraf, should be encouraged by the United States to lead negotiations with the Pakistani moderate opposition -- and not just Ms. Bhutto. U.S. military aid should be linked to a restoration of the constitution and reinstatement of the judges who have been removed from their posts. If a restored Supreme Court rules that Mr. Musharraf was legally elected president last month, he could retain that position; otherwise he should be obliged to retire to private life. Genuinely free parliamentary elections are essential, with the participation of all of Pakistan's established leaders and parties.
Pakistan's crisis unquestionably poses serious risks to U.S. national security. But the Bush administration's practice of clinging to Mr. Musharraf is increasing rather than lessening the danger. Pakistan can defeat Muslim extremism only through the empowerment of its moderate secular civil society with the full support of the army and the United States. Mr. Musharraf's actions in the past week have destroyed any chance that he could play a leading role in that process.
Editorial in 'The Washington Post'
Nov 14, 2007 2:13 PM
Harvard Law School's 'Medal of Freedom' for Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry
Check out the link below for details
http://www.law.harvard.edu/news/2007/11/13_pakistan.php
Nov 22, 2007 6:19 PM
Use your right to vote on Opinion Poll
You are invited to cast your vote on Opinion Poll at the following blogsites. Only one vote from one computer or IP address will be counted towards the poll. Thanks.
http://miannawazsharif.blogspot.com
http://benazirbhutto.blogspot.com
http://presidentpervezmusharraf.blogspot.com
Mon, 5 May 2008 16:41:17 +0500
As you may have noticed that the people of Pakistan are being once again traumatized by political intrigues, maneuvering and concoctions on the one hand and false hopes, incredible promises and tall claims on the other, courtesy the president's camp and the political leadership.
The people of Pakistan are today faced with innumerable crises of food, price spiral, poverty, unemployment, lawlessness, injustice, electricity. gas and lack of adequate health, housing, education, water, and transport facilities.
The prevailing political situation, massive reshuffling of bureaucracy, absence of short-term and long-term plans, and overwhelming public engagements of the Prime Minister and his cabinet making it impossible for them to sit at their desks and work day and night may well lead us to a multidimensional catastrophe that we cannot even imagine at this stage.
What are we waiting for ? A massive public uprising? A collapse of political setup? A military coup? Or landing of U.S. and Nato forces?
What do you think we need to do rightaway to prevent very bad days ahead or at least minimize their fallout? Share your expertise, opinion, and views on blogsite http://ggovernance.blogspot.com, openly and freely, for the sake of our people and our homeland.
Mumtaz A. Piracha
May 8, 2008 1:31 AM
Save Pakistan Movement (Pakistan Bachao Tehreek)
My dear brother Piracha sahib,
I have always admired your zeal and zest to put your concerned thoughts about Pakistan and keeping the forum alive. I am a born optimist myself but let us take a look at ground reality.
The Pakistanis have voted the same lame and arrant incompetent politicians again. In all honesty what do you expect of them? Magic wand and a miracle!
Expecting this Goose to lay a golden egg? Dream on.
When we recycle the tried and tested the results are obvious. Nothing has changed and nothing good will come from all of them.
Do Pakistanis deserve better. Yes. But it will take a long time before this happens. Many more generations will suffer, unfortunately.
The only hope is in educating them. Not just education, but the right education educational goal of achieving an objective and one educational standard for the whole nation starting at the kindergarten level.
What has happened till now, the new generation starts off at young age mirroring the same pathetic lifestyle of their parents and thus outcome of state of Pakistan has not changed since 1947.
The economics and political landscape of Pakistan the shape and form it is in today, of its quality and quantity of responsible citizen is below average of advanced nations.
If we do not as a nation act in uniformity today and build character of the nation it will appear as a foot note of history. Have we forgotten East Pakistan?
Who will bell this cat? No super heroes, but village by village, city by city correct the compass. Now is the time, before repentance takes over, shedding crocodile tears.
I am an eternal optimist and dream of Pakistan to be a super power. The current generation has no choice but to make a 180 degree turn to raise Pakistan to new heights.
Long live Pakistan!
Regards,
Nadeem Naik
http://nadeemnaik.com/
May 7, 2008 9:47 AM
Judicial and Political Crises and their Solutions
After reviewing the talkshows and interviews of eminent former judges and practising lawyers, the Good Governance Forum has formed the following conclusions and suggestions.
1. The Bhurban Declaration states that the deposed judges will be restored through a parliamentary resolution. The parliament comprises the National Assembly and the Senate. Then, why everybody is talking about resolution in the NA is hard to understand. Logically, too, both houses of parliament should be involved in the resolution.
2. The parliament will pass the resolution recommending the restoration of deposed judges to their Nov 2 positions. It cannot restore them by its resolution alone. So, the next step will be the issuance of an executive order by the president on the advice of the PM. What action will follow if the president refuses to issue the executive order needs to be decided before it actually happens.
3. Once the deposed judges are restored to pre-emergency positions in the Supreme Court and High Courts, the judges who were in office on Nov 2 and who took oath under PCO will also continue.
4. Judges appointed after Nov 2 to fill-in the vacancies of the deposed judges will have to go back to their older positions so that there is no rift or discrimination between the PCO judges and Non-PCO judges in their respective courts.
5. If the judges appointed after Nov 2 are to be accommodated, then the best option will be to appoint them as Adhoc judges of the respective courts till vacancies come up for regular or substantive appointments.
6. Under the impending constitutional package (18th amendment) which is still a secret, the parliament should restore to the PM the powers taken over by the president in relation to appointment of governors, judges of superior courts, services chiefs and chief of joint staff committee etc. Regarding 58(2) B, the president should have the power to dismiss the federal government and the provincial government/s through the governors WITHOUT DISSOLVING THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND THE PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLIES if the circumstances so demand. The federal and provincial legislatures should then elect NEW leaders of the house who should form the next governments.The powers of the superior courts to take suo motu notice should remain there with some QUALIFICATION or CONDITIONS to prevent judges from going into every petty matter like kite flying, serving of meals at weddings, etc. The judges should also be restrained from convicting members of the bureaucracy without usual trial procedure being followed as it happened in the case of IG Islamabad, SSP Islamabad etc. Parliament should have the power to question and pass the required law or amendment if any judgement of any superior court has overstepped its domain under the constitution. The same should apply to the executive branch.
7. All organs of the state be it the parliament, executive and judiciary should have powers enough to enable them to perform their obligations under the law and the constitution.
Mumtaz A. Piracha
May 12, 2008 3:08 AM
Why are we not getting the truth?
The whole nation is going through the trauma of being kept on the hold by our worthy political leaders Asif Zardari and Mian Nawaz Sharif. With every passing day, it is becoming more than obvious that none of them is coming up with the truth and the whole truth. People are now beginning to suspect the real intentions of these leaders. Some say it is another kind of 'Noora Khushti.' Some say both leaders are hands in gloves as neither of them wants to have an independent judiciary. Some say both are trying to buy time so that the people cool down on their real issues which both leaders find next to impossible to solve in a short time. What is the truth is anybody's guess but I for one believe both are losing credibility in the eyes of the people.
The people in Pakistan has their undeniable right to know the truth if Pakistan is a democratic country. Both leaders should either tell the people directly or take the matter to the parliament for debate or call an All Parties Conference. Both leaders need to realize that the people have had enough of extended dates for restoration of deposed judges and preparation of constitutional package. The people NEVER mandated the PPP and PML(N) to keep every other issue on the hold till the deposed judges are restored. There are far more pressing issues like unbearable price spiral, unemployment, poverty, social justice, law and order, etc. These issues need to be tackled on top priority side by side the restoration of judges and constitutional package.
The people should also be told about the role of the U.S. administration in the whole process. It is simply unbelievable that Mr Boucher rushed to London from Dhaka to discuss bilateral issues with these leaders at this point of time. Even the layman on the street has the common sense to suspect the real motive of Mr. Boucher's visit.
Mumtaz A. Piracha
May 15, 2008 1:31 PM
Chalo acha howa tum bhol gaey, bhol he tha mera piyar - Ch Shujaat Hussain's last message to His Excellency???
Under the parliamentary system of democracy, the president of the political party that loses heavily in the general elections is under obligation to resign from his post forthwith. Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, one of the icons of parliamentary democracy, probably forgot to fulfill his obligation to his own party Pakistan Muslim League (Q) and continued to hold the office of the president. His leadership had been rejected. He failed to win his own seat. His party men, by and large, failed to win their seats. His ministers, by and large, lost to the opponents with huge margins.
It should be in Chaudhry Sahib's knowledge that his party men won seats mostly in least developed areas where the local influence of the candidates and the administration is often instrumental in a candidate's success. He should also be knowing that the crores of rupees drawn from public exchequer and mercilessly spent on media blitz to project the performance of the Punjab government could not convince the electorate and, therefore, the party lost most of the seats in the developed and semi-developed areas to PML(N) and PPP. He should be aware of the fact that practically PML(Q) lost the elections as a political party; it was only some individuals who got elected through their own influence or administration's support and not because of their party affiliation. These facts should be enough to open any party president's eyes to the ground realities.
All the patron-in-chief's men have already started working day and night on their head hunting to fill-in the position of the next president of PML(Q) who, in turn, would be expected to overhaul the party structure and rebuild the party in the aftermath of the catastrophe of the general elections.
Chaudhry Sahib does not seem to like the idea of his replacement. He perhaps thinks he is the soul and succour of the party and his departure will bury the remains of the party. What he probably does not understand or does not admit is that the patron-in-chief is a military man. He knows how to launch a coup. He may just be waiting for the right time to strike.
Chaudhry Sahib was junior to me in F. C. College by two years. So, I can take the liberty of advising him to opt for a graceful exit from the party. I am ready to write his departing speech in English or Urdu to suit the occasion and the mood of the party and the people. He should be bid farewell with the usual pomp and show. He may, however, continue his association with the party by becoming its Quaid if the party leadership approves it.
Chalo acha howa tum bhol gaey, bhol he tha mera piyar........(Chaudhry Sb's last message to His Excellency???)
Mumtaz A. Piracha
May 18, 2008 6:31 PM
more 'Kabaddi' matches???
As far as I know, there is a distinct difference between 'Kabaddi' and 'Kushti.' In 'Kabaddi', one player faces four or five opponents. He touches one and runs to reach his side before he is caught by any of his opponents. In 'Kushti' you have to grapple with a single opponent and prove your muscle strength and tacts and techniques to overthrow your opponent to the ground.
These days, in my opinion, our political champions are playing 'Kabaddi' to be on the safe side as compared to 'Kushti.' The Ustad Pehlwan is sitting in the box to amuse himself with no expense on his part.
The nation is just bewildered, not amused, at the way 'Kabaddi' is being played in the political arena. There is no schedule. There are no known rules. There is no timelimit. Then, there are 'Chotta' pehlwans and 'Bara' pehlwans. 'Chotta' pehlwans are there to come on the TV or address the media to defend the tacts and techniques of his 'Bara' pehlwan and project him as Rustom or Sohrab, dead or alive.
Roti, Kapra, Makan, Employment, and Education are too expensive these days. So, the party that promised them is waiting for the grant or aid to come from our foreign benefactors to enable the party to fulfill their promises. The other party expects the deposed judges to provide, whatever is needed, to the people. A brilliant short-cut. So, the people have to wait till the deposed judges are back to their chambers.
The Big 1 has installed a new governor in the Punjab to test the brains and muscles of the Big 2. Forty days from here till the bye-elections on 26th June 2008, we will be seeing a lot many scheduled and unscheduled 'kabaddi' matches in the Punjab, in particular. At the end of the 40-day Chelum period, counting from the day the new governor was installed till the day bye-elections are held, we really dont know who will be offering 'Fateha' for whom. But one thing is certain. The people will continue to indulge in self-help or what is called Mob Justice. The days are not far off, I am afraid, when the Mob Justice will be torching hoarders of foodgrains, staff of electricity providers, police stations, and looting stores and warehouses and what not, IF our governments and political leaders continue to engage themselves full time in non-issues or sit deliberately on issues to become non-issues.
According to psychologists, when any fear transforms itself into phobia it becomes so dreadful that the patient loses control over himself. No amount of verbal or physical support can provide him relief. So, ultimately, he is put to sleep under the influence of a heavy dose of tranquilizers.While he is sleeping, others have a freehand to play their own games. If asked why anybody did what he did while the boss was asleep, there is always a ready answer - media must have erred somewhere.
Today, the power phobia, the guilt phobia and the execution phobia have become endemic among the stakeholders. All types of medicines are being tried, alopathic, unani, homeopathic and so on but no medicine is giving solid and stable relief. There are too many relapses being recorded almost every day.
In my humble opinion, we need to make a constitutional amendment making it compulsory for all candidates and Quaids (I sometime confuse it with Qasid I dont know why) to go through personality tests, aptitude tests and eyesight tests before their nomination papers are accepted. We may involve the UNO to conduct the tests if need be.
Watch out for 'kabaddi' matches daily on TV channels till ......
Mumtaz Piracha
May 21, 2008 10:15 AM
Restoration of deposed judges: myth and reality
It is most unfortunate that the PPP and the PML(N) are still unable to work out the modus operandi for the restoration of the deposed judges. It appears as if the Bhurban Declaration was aimed at gaining time for letting the agitating issues of price spiral, electricity outages, poverty, unemployment, and law and order simmer down. It is hard to believe that the legal brains of the two leading parties did not know that the deposed judges could not be restored through a resolution of the parliament. PML(N) probably baled out the PPP, though in a dubious manner.
After listening to the eminent lawyers, political leaders and commentators on the various TV channels and reading articles in the newspapers, I have come to the conclusion that the restoration of the deposed judges is next to impossible either by a parliamentary resolution, an executive order or a constitutional amendment. Let me briefly state the facts of the matter as I understand them with my limited knowledge and understanding of the law and the constitution.
The main hurdle in the way is the validation of the Proclamation of Emergency (POE) of Nov 3, 2007 and the orders passed under it in the name of the Chief of the Army Staff and the President. The judges were removed under the POE. Once the Supreme Court has validated the POE and the orders passed under it, it can only be the review bench of the Supreme Court that can review the earlier validation and pass a new judgement invalidating the removal of the judges. In such a situation, the judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts will be restored to their respective positions of Nov 2 and the judges appointed thereafter will revert to their previous positions. Neither the parliament nor the executive can overturn the validation of POE by the Supreme Court. A constitutional amendment cannot by itself restore the deposed judges and revert the new judges in violation of the verdict of the Supreme Court. Moreover, a constitutional package, reportedly being worked out by the PPP government, will certainly consume a long time in preparation, in developing consensus among the stakeholders and in its passage by both houses of the parliament, especially when it is going to affect the existing powers of the president.
The easiest and the quickest way out of the judicial crisis is to let the president issue fresh letters of appointment of the deposed judges with retrospective effect from the date each of them was appointed in the position he held on Nov 2, 2007. The new judges appointed under the POE may remain in their present positions and the new chief justices may become ordinary judges by virtue of the induction of the deposed judges, wherever applicable. Alternatively, the government may transfer the affected chief justices to other positions in the government or elevate them to the Supreme Court.The Chief Justice of Pakistan is also not likely to be a big threat to the powers that be when he is surrounded by post-emergency judges.
As we already know, hundreds of thousands of cases are pending in the superior courts for years altogether. Additional judges will certainly help in disposing off the pending cases expeditiously. The strength of the Supreme Court and the high courts can ultimately be adjusted with the retirement of the existing judges over the coming years. The parliament may amendment the relevant laws to accommodate the additional judges for the time being. This can be done in a single day by the vote of a simple majority in both houses of the parliament.
Mumtaz A. Piracha
May 24, 2008 9:45 PM
Bravo! Asif Zardari takes the final plunge
Asif Zardari has taken the final plunge by launching a tirade against President Pervez Musharraf, aggressively and openly, for the first time after Feb 18 elections. In his interview with the Press Trust of India and as reported in the 'DAWN' of May 23, 2008, AZ is reported to have said:
1. President Pervez Musharraf is a stumbling block in the way of a smooth-sailing towards democracy
2. AZ was under tremendous pressure to oust President Musharraf from his office
3. President Musharraf was a 'relic of the past' standing between the people of Pakistan and democracy
The people of Pakistan are pleasantly surprised to the extent of disbelief. The 'think tanks' are trying to figure out how and why AZ has so suddenly and so early pronounced his antagonism towards the president. It is more than obvious that AZ was losing his popularity and that of his party alongwith it due to his twists and turns in the case of restoration of deposed judges and his oft-quoted remarks that he was comfortable with the president or that he could work with the president. His prime minister and some ministers even went ahead of him in calling the president an asset for the country and that the PPP would like to keep the president. With bye-elections closeby, AZ was left with no choice but to come heavily on the president lest his party was uprooted in the bye-elections.
There is also another theory. AZ got a boost after the return of the prime minister from Egypt where he had met President Bush. It is being hypothesized that President Bush, directly or indirectly, told the prime minister that the U.S. would not like to push the PPP government to a position of disadvantage vis-a-vis President Musharraf so long as Pakistan remained a strong ally of the U.S. in its war on terror. A green signal, very similar to the one Saddam Hussain was given when he planned to invade Kuwait.
Prior to the visit of the prime minister to Egypt, AZ had gone to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad to hold a meeting with the U.S. Ambassador. That hurried meeting, it is again hypothesized, was to put across an SOS to the U.S. The U.S. Ambassador is presumed to have conveyed the concerns and constraints of the PPP to the U.S. President before he went to Egypt.
'Now or Never' is the command of the day. President Musharraf is still adamant to quit but it is obvious that he will have to face impeachment and consequently punishment, if found guilty, if he fails to quit on his own. The next few days are going to be very crucial for the president and his camp. He has run out of options and his lead comrades are least likely to remain on his side and face the public wrath. The president will have to resign before the long march of the legal fraternity starts on June 10 or that of the retired generals earlier than June 10 to have the Army House vacated for the new COAS.
Where will the president go from here can be anybody's guess but it is again hypothesized that he is likely to settle down in the U.S. or China if the U.S. declines him residency for any reason.
Let us pray to Almighty Allah to forgive us for all the misdeeds we have done as a nation and guide us to take the path of the pious and the blessed.
Mumtaz A. Piracha
May 26, 2008 2:49 PM
SBP's move to curb inflation: a perfect recipe for disaster
According to a news item, published in the 'DAWN' of 23 May 2008, the State Bank has increased the bank rate or benchmark interest rate from 10.5% to 12% - a colossal jump of 1.5% in one go, often unprecedented in world economies, in order to curb inflation " which has caused huge deficits and high unemployment."
The bank rate is normally increased in an economy which is growing at a faster pace than planned, budgeted or desired. It is aimed at making the bank borrowing expensive for the trade and industry so that the pace of production is slowed down. The question is: Is our economy heating up because of fast growth that we thought we must slow down? Will an economic slow down create unemployment or reduce unemployment? Will the goods and services become more expensive or less expensive for the hard-hit consumer? Will the profits of the commercial enterprises go up or go down? Will the dividend rate to the shareholders will go up or go down? Will the share value in the stock exchanges will go up or go down? Will the income of the investors of the share market go up or go down?
"This rate increase has been necessitated by the persistent and excessive government borrowing from the SBP," said Dr. Shamshad Akhtar. She also admitted that she had been unable to stop the government's borrowing from the SBP. That means, trade and industry, capital market, banks and the general public must bear the brunt because of the inability of the State Bank to say 'No' to the government for its huge borrowing from the SBP.
The SBP governor claimed that the higher interest rate will not adversely affect the private sector's bank borrowing because the real interest rate was just two percent which will now be three percent. In her opinion, 1% increase will make no impact.
An economist is reported to have said that the higher interest rate would reduce credit to the private sector; less credit would slow down the economic activities; low economic growth would lead to lesser revenue to the government and lesser revenue would compel the government to borrow from multilateral agencies. In effect, the government will reduce its rupee borrowing from the SBP and increase it from the multilateral agencies to whom the principal and the interest will be paid in foreign currency.
The SBP governor announced that all banks will be required to pay a minimum profit of five percent on savings or PLS saving accounts from June 1, 2008 as compared to the present average return of 2.1%. The SBP also increased the Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) and Statutory Liquidity Requirement (SLR) for the banks.
Effective May 23, 2008, the L/C margin on all imports excepting oil and selective food imports is imposed at 35%. On the one hand, the borrowing from the bank will be curtailed and on the other the load on the corporate funds will be increased by taking a hefty amount of 35%. The L/C margin will indirectly benefit the banks and directly squeeze the cash resources of the traders, businessmen and industrialists.
What will now happen to the consumers who took out house loans, car loans, personal loans etc. from the banks and leasing companies? They will now have to pay higher instalments out of their limited income. As a result, the bank defaulters will increase, debt collection agencies will have to use third-degree methods to collect instalments forcing the defaulters to go to the courts and bear the legal expenses, and bank cash balances will be reduced to the extent the bank borrowers default in their regular payments
It is just a glimpse of what is going to happen to the economy, the nation and the country. There might be much more damage to come in the time ahead.
Mumtaz A. Piracha
May 23, 2008 12:00 PM
Heading towards a catastrophe of immeasurable dimensions???
Below is the text of the National Reconciliation Ordinance 2007. It is indeed shocking to find out that the procedure laid down in the ordiinance for withdrawing cases against the accused is being set aside and the accused are being acquitted right and left apparently in a state of hurry. It is equally dismaying to note that the benefit is going only to the holders of public office contrary to the fundamental rights enshrined in the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan which makes all citizens equal in the eyes of law and the constitution. A third and most disgraceful adventure of the government is to apply NRO to cases of former bureaucrats which are by no means holders of public office in terms of the NRO.
The most painful question is: Will the proposed 18th amendment provide cover to this notorious bad law with its utterly discriminatory and unconstitutional application and acquittal of the accused without recourse to the procedure laid down in the ordinance? Even if the NRO is provided cover in the proposed 18th amendment, the Supreme Court will still be at liberty to declare it null and void. I very much doubt that the deposed judges will make a deal with the political forces to protect them under the NRO via the proposed 18th constitutional amendment. What will happen then?
I am beginning to doubt the sincerity of purpose of our political leaders in supporting the cause of the deposed judges. The issue is, most probably, being used to muster support of the legal fraternity, civil society activists and the public at large to bring about forced eviction of President Pervez Musharraf. The day president is out, I suspect, the love for the deposed judges may just evaporate in the thin air and the naive Pakistanis may hit the wall once again.
A series of blame game is likely to be played on the political ground after the exit of the president which, in all probability,is likely to lead to mid-term general elections. After the mid-term general elections, the new governments at the centre and in the provinces will obviously ask for time to work out the solutions to the public issues like price hike, electricity shortage, unemployment, law and order, poverty, health, education and transport facilities etc.
In a nutshell, the public may have to live with their agonies and miseries for some more years to come. Will the public be able to wait or will there be blood on the streets?
I wish what I foresee does not happen, Allah be willing.
Mumtaz A. Piracha
Kargil Conflict: losses and gains
Last night, Lt Gen(r) Gulzar Jamshed Kiani paid a huge compliment to Mian Nawaz Sharif as prime minister at the time of Kargil conflict by saying in his interview with Dr Shahid Masood on Geo TV that MNS went to Washington to save the army's reputation. Below are two links that explains what happened at Kargil. I hope you will find them interesting.
War in Kargil
http://www.ccc.nps.navy.mil/research/kargil/war_in_kargil.pdf
1999 Kargil Conflict
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/kargil-99.htm
Mumtaz Piracha
emailed Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 2:52 PM
Did we ever have democracy in Pakistan?
We often correlate democracy with civilian rule as if civilian rule ushers in democracy. It may be true of other countries, but not of Pakistan. We have witnessed either civilian dictators or military dictators over the past 60 years. Democracy demands specific conditions to exist before we can really claim that we have democracy. First off, we must understand the fact that democracy is not something that can just happen or made to happen overnight. It is a process, a long-drawn process of generations and centuries of hardwork, dedication and commitment to democratic norms, starting from our homes. Democracy is given birth by the people, not by the political leaders, exceptions omitted.
The acid test for determining the prevalence or otherwise of democracy is very simple. It has just three parts. First, is the parliament elected through free and fair polls? Is the parliament supreme? Does the parliament exercises checks and balances on other organs of the state such as executive and judiciary? Is the parliament free of horse-trading, corruption, malpractices? Second, is the judiciary appointed on merit under the law? Is the judiciary independent of the influence of the executive? Third, does the executive comprise honest, sincere, loyal, competent and dedicated people, whether political appointees or bureaucracy? Is the bureaucracy independent and works under the law of the land?
Media may be free in some regimes; it may be restricted in others. What really matters is the status of the three organs of the state mentioned above.
When did we have democracy in Pakistan if we judge it on the basis of the acid test that I have explained above? Let us ponder over it and be wise to understand the difference between democracy and civilian rule. I am not at all advocating military rule; military must not be there at the helm of affairs of the government. I will write about the role of military in governing Pakistan, some other time, to answer the big question. Did military come into power on its own or did our politicians paved the way for a military take over?
Mumtaz Piracha
emailed: Wed, Jun 4, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Let us safeguard the ideology, existence and interests of Pakistan
The interview of Lt Gen (r) Jamshed Gulzar Kiyani with Dr Shahid Masood on Geo TV has created an uproar among the people. A fire has been ignited bringing the high command of the Pakistan Army into a questionable role in former East Pakistan, Kargil, General Pervez Musharraf's plane hijacking incident of Oct 12, 1999 and so on. What was the purpose of the interview and what was gained out of it for the Pakistan Army and Pakistan is a question that needs to be answered by Geo, Dr Shahid and General (r) Kiyani. This question MUST be raised in the Senate and the National Assembly, occupied by the elected representatives of the people of Pakistan, and immediate suitable measures taken to safeguard the interests of our institutions, society and the country.
We should not let the hatred against one General overtake our senses and bring our army and the country into disrepute across the globe. Pakistan is already going through the worst period of its history with internal and external strifes and threats. This is NOT the right time and the media are NOT the right place to discuss military issues. This is the time to identify, understand and resolve issues whether political, economic, social, religious, sectarian, ethnic, regional, provincial, legal and foreign affairs related.
Are we trying to divert the people's attention to issues irrelevant to their own cause? If we are, then we must realize the fact that it will not be too long when the people having suffered enough agony and anguish will be on the streets looting, burning and killing all those whom they think or imagine are responsible for their deprivation, poverty, and unemployment. Our political leaders as well as military officers, serving or retired, MUST try to understand the mental condition of the majority of our people in the urban and rural areas of Pakistan today. They MUST not push the people living on the edge of their nerves to a point of no return. We just cant afford to have mass uprising or revolution of the like of Russia, France and Iran.
Our media MUST review its role, functions and performance. Freedom comes with responsibility. No civilized country can ever allow its media to shake the foundations of the country, its ideology and the society. Probably, our media do not know how to exercise their newly acquired freedom. Or is it the backing of the vested interests that is prompting the media to telecast questionable talkshows?
I am not affiliated with the military, President Musharraf or any political party. But I am a Pakistani, first and last and I am proud of it, 100%. That right nobody can take from me and I will go to any extent within the law, ethics and morals to stop those who try to destroy this country, directly or indirectly, consciously or unconsciously, and I believe that should be the spirit of all those who claim to be Pakistanis.
I appeal to the network members of Good Governance Forum to ponder over the happenings around us and contribute in whatever manner each one of them can to safeguard the ideology, existence and interests of Pakistan and its people.
Mumtaz A. Piracha
Sat, Jun 7, 2008 at 12:52 PM
What are the consequences of anti-American feelings in the Muslim world?
Our study has found that anti-American feeling is by itself not enough to lead one to actively support al Qaeda. To approve of attacks on civilians one must have views that—I am pleased to report—are quite unusual in the Muslim world.
However, anti-American feeling can lead Muslims to suppress their moral doubts about al Qaeda. This makes it politically more difficult for governments to take strong action against al Qaeda, it makes general publics more likely to passively accept al Qaeda and it creates an environment where it is more likely that individuals will cross the threshold into actively supporting al Qaeda. In other words it gives al Qaeda more room to maneuver.
In closing, I will not go so far as to make policy recommendations, but I would like to point out a few of the policy implications of what we have found. When the US decides whether to expand its military presence in a region clearly there are many factors that need to be taken into account. The impact on public opinion is only one. But the impact on public opinion can have significant consequences on the ground as we are seeing vividly in Iraq today. When the US acts on its own initiative, without multilateral approval, these public feelings are also apt to be highly focused at the US itself.
Read the testimony in detail on http://worldtimesonline.blogspot.com
Testimony of Dr. Steven Kull
Director, Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA),
University of Maryland
Editor, WorldPublicOpinion.org
Before House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight
Sat, Jun 14, 2008 at 3:54 PM
Changing the 'thana' culture in Punjab
The Punjab government has allocated Rs. 30 billion in its budget for 2008-2009 for changing the 'thana culture' in the Punjab. I wish and pray the new CM is able to accomplish the task that he has taken upon himself. Why he could not do it in his previous tenure of two-and-a-half years as CM and two terms of his elder brother as prime minister cannot be set aside. There are genuine reasons as to why we can't change 'thana culture.'
Last year, Mr. Zia-ul-Hassan Khan was posted as the IGP, Sindh. He had never worked in Sindh before. I put up several proposals to him from Citi Help Line to resolve many problems relating to traffic management in Karachi, escort duties, police station environment, police salaries and perks etc.etc. He did take action on many proposals; some were left due to his sudden removal from the post. One day he said to me. "I have been in police service since 1978, but you know more about police than I do." A gracious compliment to remember.
How do I know more about police than police officers do? Very simple. I have gone into the roots of the problems confronting the police and the people dealing with the police as objectively as possible. Where there is a will, there is always a way, I firmly believe. No police officer has ever refused to do what I asked him to do. Why? First, I ask for help for a genuine complaint. Second, every police officer who hadknown me, directly or indirectly, knew that I will get the work done at higher levels if he did not do it. I never gave up.
Now coming to changing the 'thana' culture, I must say it is possible ONLY when (1) pure merit and merit alone prevails in hiring, training, directing, evaluating and compensating police officers, rewards and punishment, promotions and demotions, postings and transfers, (2) police are independent of the influence of their high ups, politicians, parliamentarians etc. and are not intimidated or ordered to get involved in illegal actions (3) police are paid adequate salaries and allowances, provided transport, housing, education, medical, retirement benefits, and facilitated to work in properly furnished, well-maintained and well-equipped police 'chowkis' and 'thanas.'
How will the CM ensure compliance of these (3) basic tenets for changing the 'thana' culture? Does he have the dedicated and competent personnel to do so? Can he withstand the political pressure of his own party and that of his coalition partners in specific cases?
I admit Mian Shahbaz Sharif is very intelligent, very knowledgeable, very hardworking. He means business and knows how to get things done. But the police reforms is altogether a different ball game.
Mumtaz A. Piracha
emailed: Wed, Jun 18, 2008 at 10:43 AM
Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Restoration of deposed judges: let us put record straight
The restoration of the deposed judges issue hammering the whole nation for the last four months since Feb 18 elections is getting us nowhere. Both PPP and PML(N) are on record changing their stance from time to time. Let me quote below clause 2 of the Murree Declaration signed on March 9, 2008 between the PPP and PML(N) at Bhurban.
2-This has been decided in today's summit between the PPP and the PML (N) that the deposed judges would be restored, on the position as they were on November 2, 2007, within 30 days of the formation of the federal government through a parliamentary resolution (http://thenews.jang.com.pk/updates.asp?id=39768).
It is more than obvious that the deposed judges [60] would be restored to their positions as on Nov 2, 2007. Nothing is said about the status of the judges who were appointed after Nov 2, 2007. Why was this crucial aspect sidelined, especially the status of the incumbent CJP? There is no ambiguity about the timeframe of 30 days. Regarding the method to be used for the restoration of judges is clearly mentioned as parliamentary resolution. That means a resolution passed by both houses of parliament separately or in a joint sitting. How could the PPP say after having signed the Murree Declaration that restoring the deposed judges through a parliamentary resolution will be illegal?
PML(N) agreed to accept the judges of post-emergency period as a 'karvi goli' side by side the deposed judges after Dubai parleys with the PPP. PML(N) did NOT clarify at that time that it meant the post-emergency judges will be Ad hoc judges. That thought or disclosure came up much later. A question that nobody has so far answered is: what will be the status of the incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan? Will he be an Adhoc Chief Justice of Pakistan if all other post-emergency judges are declared adhoc judges?
PML(N) again voted for the Finance Bill 2008 which includes the expansion of the Supreme Court from 16 to 29 judges. It did NOT say it at the time the budget was being debated in the NA that it did not subscribe to the expansion of the Supreme Court. Now PML(N) is trying hard to disown the expansion part of the bill. What is the moral ground for this after-thought?
PML(N) and the chaudhry President of Supreme Court Bar Association are trying hard but in vain to justify the abrupt and unexpected end of the 'Long March." Something happened compelling both parties to wrap up the march, but none of them is willing to tell the people whose support has been taken for granted for a long time. There are all sorts of 'news' gathering storm among the enlightened public. Was it the threat of 58(2)B from the presidency? Was it the threat of using third-degree methods to disperse the protesters? Was it the threat of the the arrest of the march's leaders? Was it the threat of martial law? Was it the threat of the proclamation of emergency? Was it the order of the Pakistan Army? Was it the directive of the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad? Or was it the plea of the PPP?
One is compelled by the every-day happenings to believe that everybody is probably losing his head in the misty n dusty atmosphere of confusion, mistrust, disinformation, misjudgement and phobias. Who is suffering? 2% elite? or 98% common men, women and children? Our politicians MUST understand that the public cannot be taken for a free ride for all time to come. Either the coalition partners sort out their differences on key issues or part ways. Enough is enough. Deadline: 100 days after formation of the present federal government or 30 days after the formation of a new federal government.
You are strongly urged to express your views and suggest measures to be taken by the civil society to put an end to the ongoing political ping pong of the PPP, PML(N) and POP under the presumptive umbrella of the bosses in WashingtoN.
Mumtaz A. Piracha
Fri, Jun 27, 2008 at 5:50 PM
Charter of Democracy & Murree Declaration: texts for perusal and comments
I have posted the entire texts of the Charter of Democracy and the Murree Declaration on www.ggovernance.co.cc and http://ggovernance.blogspot.com. You can view them by clicking on the icon comments at the end of the Message from the Founder & Moderator. You can also post comments by clicking on the icon comments wherever you find it on the home page.
I sincerely hope each of you will spare time to read each text, ponder over its contents and post your comments as a concerned citizen of Pakistan and discharge your moral obligation to the civil society. Mind you! it is the educated elite that has to carry on its head and shoulders the moral responsibility to uphold the civil liberties, human dignity and respect for law. God has given us a great opportunity to rise above ourselves and contribute towards the national goals with a great sense of urgency, concern and dedication.
It is NOW or NEVER. Let that not be forgotten.
Mumtaz A. Piracha
Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 3:11 PM
Easy solutions to rising prices: is the government ready to act?
In Sep 1979, I sent a proposal to the then President of Pakistan, General M. Ziaul Haq, suggesting formation of an Essential Commodities Supply Corporation in the public sector to take over the functions of the ration depots and also enhance the number of household items to be sold from its retail shops. I also suggested the Corporation should be managed on the lines of a private commercial enterprise.
In Sep 2000, the Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet directed the management of the Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan to submit a plan to make the USC an economically viable organization. The privatization commission, however, suggested the USC should be privatized and the government should not pump more money into it. The corporation was incurring losses year after year.
Around the same time, the managing director of the USC was changed and Brig (r) Hafeez Ahmed was brought in. In the same month of Sep 2000, I sent a letter to the new MD offering the services of my consulting firm to restructure the USC with the assurance that the USC will start earning profit after one year.
The MD was kind enough to call me for a meeting at his office. At that time, I was stationed in Islamabad. We exchanged a couple of thoughts and the MD promised to contact me again, which he never did and I did not chase him either. He is probably the longest serving chief executive of a government organization from 2000 todate.
According to the website www.usc.com.pk, USC had 4500 stores as on 30th April 2008 and it intends to open 5000 stores under a phased programme (time duration is not mentioned). It says on its websie: "The USC is presently retailing over 2500 food & non food items of daily consumption. Major items being sold by the USC are given below. On an average, a customer when purchases kitchen and other items from the Utility Stores makes a saving of 8% to 10% as compared with the purchases of identical items from a private retailer. The items sold at Utility Stores are hygienically fit, unadulterated, genuine, clean, graded, of correct weight and are cheaper than the market." Among these 2500 items, there are ONLY 31 Major Items.
It is hard to understand as to (1) how our population of 160 million spread over estimated 25 million plus households living in over 150,000 cities and towns can be adequately fed by 4500 USC stores (2) why USC has spread its funds over 2500 items while it can easily focus on only 31 major items or even lesser number of items of daily use which consume bulk of the household budget such as atta, ghee, sugar, pulses, rice, tea, spices etc. and (3) why it can give only 8 to 10 percent saving to its customers. Why does'nt USC buy directly from the point of production eliminating the profit margins of the middlemen? Why cant it import cheaper items if the comparable local items of the same quality are expensive? Why cant it have its own brands instead of selling others' brands which are often much expensive and offer marginal discount to the USC?
Last but not the least, why are we so dependent upon only one channel to offer lower priced items to the people. Why cant government buy commodities directly from the growers/producers, transport them through its own trucking contractors to the main markets (mandis) and sell to the wholesalers on fixed rates and also bind them to sell at fixed rates to the retailers. It is estimated that the margin of the middlemen between the point of production to the point of sale can be as high as 4 times of what the producer gets. Prices cannot be controlled by issuing orders or conducting raids and making mess of everything without results. You have to go deeper into the causes, find remedies and implement them in full earnest. While we physically live in the 21st century, our knowledge, exposure, and work style dates back to the 19th century or beyond.
Mumtaz A. Piracha
Sat, Jun 28, 2008 at 1:47 PM
Let the president go safe and sound???
The other day I had the opportunity of listening to Ikram Sehgal in a TV program, probably Indus Vision. Ikram Sehgal is a regular contributor of columns in the print media; participates in TV talkshows and interviews; claims to have served as a colonel under General (r) Pervez Musharraf and is known to be a friend of the latter; and owns a private security agency. He appears on TV as a defence analyst.
I did not see the entire programme but only the latter part of it. Three assertions stood out prominently. First, he said the president would like to go with dignity and honour and the firm assurance that he would not be harassed or prosecuted for his actions of the last 9 years. A clean chit, so as to say. Second, he said the army would not allow humiliation of its former COAS in any way. So, the question of his impeachment and dismissal is out. Third, he suggested that the leading political leaders should talk to the president and enter into a good working relationship with him for the sake of the country.
With knowing and assigning motives behind the interview of Ikram Sehgal, one tends to get the message that the president would like to stay as president as his first preference. At the same time, he is mentally prepared to quit, as a last resort, subject to the conditions mentioned above.
When we look back at the happenings of the last 100+ days, starting from March 9, 2008 when the Murree Declaration was signed between the PPP and the PML(N), it becomes evident that the president is still in power. He has got the army and the America, superior judiciary, MQM and PML(Q) and the constitutional powers that he took away from the prime minister. He has got both the stick and the carrot to play with the PPP or Asif Zardari and his comrades in particular who landed in Pakistan under the NRO concessions.
Long March would have proved to be the last straw on the camel's back if it was properly handled towards the end and effectively used to restore the deposed judges and or dislodge the president. In my assessment as a layman, the political parties particularly PML(N) should have stayed away from the streets of the Long March. The political parties should have supported the movement through the parliament alone. It becomes very easy for the opponents to label a movement as political when political parties take part in it. Likewise, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry was unnecessarily involved in the Long March, right from Multan. It does not go well with his dignity and honour. All deposed judges should remain confined to their homes or at the most they may address the Bar Associations or civil society organizations without pleading for reinstatement. They can talk about 100 other issues.
President Musharraf may like to quit inspite of the powers behind him to relieve himself of the anxiety and tension that are visible from his face all the time and to avoid a situation later when he may have to go in disgrace. In my humble opinion, the president should be given the opportunity to leave now and the main political parties particularly the PML(N) should be generous enough to let him go safe and sound, forgetting and forgiving him for the sake of army, nation and Pakistan.
Mumtaz A. Piracha
Sun, Jun 29, 2008 at 9:02 AM
US and Nato vs Taliban: a great challenge for Pakistan
The US and Nato have reportedly stationed 70,000 troops in Afghanistan. The question is: what for? To defend Kabul or to cleanse up Afghanistan of the Taliban. President Karzai has so far been unable to contain the spread of Taliban within Afghanistan.Nor he could muster the support of the Afghan people, warlords and notables. Taliban appear to have stepped up their operations within Afghanistan and across the borders, apparently to exert pressure on the US and Nato forces to leave their homeland.
It appears from the various statements of the U.S. administration as if there is a plan to go for an all-out war effort to eliminate Taliban strongholds. Will that be practically possible is a big question mark. When the Soviet Union could not win the war with the Afghans, it is hard to understand how the US and Nato forces could succeed.
The US and Nato probably do not realize that the use of massive force in Afghanistan would lead to the migration of the ordinary Afghan people to the adjoining countries like Pakistan & Iran as it happened during the Afghan War with the Soviet Union. Similarly, when Taliban would find it difficult to sustain the US and Nato air warfare, they would have no choice but to cross the borders. What will then happen?
Will the US and Nato troops march into the sovereign territories of the adjoining countries in chasing Taliban? Or is it already there in a plan to cross into adjoining countries, particularly Pakistan and Iran, in chasing Taliban for the sake of regional and global peace, before President Bush leaves the White House? If it is so, then the time left is hardly a few months.
In such an eventuality which seems to be close at hand, one wonders how Pakistan will defend its territorial integrity, independence and the freedom of its people on the one hand and resist the inflow of Taliban on the other hand. In addition to it, how Pakistan will deal with the hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees under the prevailing economic conditions in the country. During the Afghan War, Pakistan had to look after 3 to 4 million Afghan refugees in the border provinces of the NWFP and Balochistan.
Our government, political parties and military have to give an urgent serious thought to the scenario which has a greater chance of developing sooner than expected. Never in the world history, as far as I know, a large-scale ideological Taliban-like movement has been successfully eliminated with the use of massive force. It may be subdued for a while, but it cannot be annihilated.
I strongly urge you all to please spare time to think over these issues of paramount significance to the people and the country at this critical juncture and come up with your substantiated views, opinions and expertize to make the people and the powers that matter aware of the dangers ahead and implore them to take timely measures to protect the national interests.
Mumtaz A. Piracha
Fri, Jun 27, 2008 at 10:40 PM
Balance sheet of the first 100 days of the federal government???
The coalition partners, PPP and PML(N), owe it to the electorate to present a balance sheet of the first 100 days of the federal government ending on 3rd July 2008, regardless of the fact the PML(N) did not complete the 100 days in the federal government.
The electorate would certainly like to know how the coalition partners performed in the matters of restoring the deposed judges, reducing prices and controlling further inflation, reducing unemplyment by creating employment opportunities, reducing poverty by providing financial assistance to the affected families, improving law and order by reducing terrorism, robberies, bank dacoities, mobile snatching, car snatching, purse snatching etc., enlarging education, health, transport and housing facilities.
The civil society would like to know the progress made towards the rule of law, cheap and speedy justice, supremacy of parliament, independence of judiciary, and suppression of executive excesses.
What do you think? What else would you like them to tell the public? What should the public do if they fail to come up with the balance sheet?
Mumtaz A. Piracha
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