Politicians and Media forget people's issues

There is more than just the issue of uniform and politics in Pakistan...
Why don't they talk about the problems we face daily?
Problems are really many. It is the job of the media to have a nose for them and report, comment and build a public opinion for public good. All they have done so far is to choose just a couple of issues that help politicians get to power. They have simply targeted the incumbent aimlessly. They have spoken for democracy without addressing the issues of the obstacles to democracy.

It is hardly debatable that feudalism is the biggest impediment in the way of achieving viable democracy. At best it may be called feudocracy because one way or the other issues of the poor are never considered but of only of the rich.

They never similarly talked about the number of problems people face in all walks of life from morning to evening. They have no idea of what are the macro issues that need to be addressed nor the micro. Who will do this? It is the job of the media to point out and the job of the politicians to addresses the issues in right earnestness.

Ours is classic case of indifferent and irresponsible journalism. What freedom of the press you talk about? Media is free. When I can see Tammy Haq (last week of Nov 07) calling three lawyers to the forum and they keep blasting away to glory ad infinitum The President of a country who is in power, what more freedom do they want? Although this is misuse of the freedom given to them by the same guy who they are targeting.

The lady was so unprepared and so ill informed and so timid that she could not rebut or ask any relevant questions. She was just incapable of handling them. Just putting up an accent is not good enough as you see so many speaking English with twisted tongues in Dawn News. In what hands is our media? The entire exercise is on re-active journalism instead of pro-active.

Private institutions are wasting the children's ages... just to earn more.
She as a journalist did not raise a single people's issue. Now let's try to see what are the issues and take them one by one. One such issue is the age the private institutions waste of our kids so that they can collect fees for two more years. This is most irresponsible and shameful. I would very strongly urge the media - press and electronic to take up this issue and correct the problem. Hundreds of thousands of our kids will benefit and so will the country.

What can be done in 2.5 - 3 years why should it take four. Something that can be done in one year why should it be done in two. Just to collect extra fees? Children's those two years are far more important than the extra fees they collect.

You as a reader I want to you to comment on these articles for or against and bring up issues here and we will see that the media, politicians and the government solve the people's problems.
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End of an era! The Nation hopes that corruption does not make a come back with the politicians...

Musharraf makes history...
The guy did it. He did what he promised to the nation. Now all the demands of the opposition are fully met. Some are still not satisfied and they won't be, come what may or until they are asked to come and occupy the seat of power. Absurdity knows no bounds. It was history in the making. It is the first time a Military man has so smoothly given up power.

It is indeed remarkable to find a military man with so much of aplomb, vision and genius. You talk to other military men you will never find them so savvy, so well informed and may I say so brilliant. Our politicians were no match to him any way.

I saw his performance in Europe and America. It was par excellence. He did us proud. I have also seen the politicians on various occasions. One clearly sees the difference in class. He outclassed them in every department. The best part was he never played to the gallery. Except the fact that he was originally an army man, if you want to call it a blemish and came to power in unusual circumstances, again created by the politicians, you can't point a finger at him.

See how much good he has already done for the nation. From a bankrupt and failed state we now stand tall among the comity of nations with pride restored. Some problems do remain. Most important Kashmir and spread of Wahabism in the northern areas and hence terrorism. Hopefully the succeeding governments take the country forward and not backward

Can we hope that the politicians do not bring back corruption in high places they are so notorious for. Hopefully we no more have the Mr.10%s and then the Mr.100%s. Amen.
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Poor shot selection in batting and poor captaincy...

Simple follies cost us the test...
This test will go down as a classic case of opportunities lost. The bowlers set it up for us but the batsmen and the captain let us down.
Why did he let Laxman settle down? When we had India on the mat at 93/5 we let them loose by poor captaincy. When Laxman and Dhoni were new at the crease Shoaib Akhtar should have been brought right back who could have dislodged Laxman who is known to be suspect to the rising delivery, before he got set. The Pakistan captain allowed him to settle down and helped India take an avoidable lead. That was the first turning point.
This is a test not a 20/20 Then our great batsman did not treat Test as a test but a 20/20. Salman Butt was out to a good ball from Zaheer. That is OK but Younus Khan had no business for that flamboyance and gifted his wicket. What was the hurry? Could he not have grafted in. Stay on the crease runs will follow. If the bowler gets you, it is ok but for God's sake don't give your wicket away.
Indian batsmen did not play a non-cricketing shot: Compare that to Indian batting. I did not see any of their batsmen going for un-necessary or risky strokes. They played for the situation. Hats off to Dravid who fell to the best ball of the test by Shoaib. He did not gift it away. Similarly Tendulkar took scores of ball and for ever to make 18 runs and crafted yet another exquisite 56 for himself and an innings to remember for his team. He took his own time 178 minutes and 110 ten balls. He accelerated only in the end. He also has all the strokes in the book but never tried any thing foolish. He was never in a hurry like a true test player.
Learn from mistakes please: If we bat like this don't be surprised we might loose the rest of the tests too. I hope and pray our players do not repeat the mistakes.
Shoaib Akhtar is great: Although the 6 wickets he got and so few runs he gave is yet no reflection of his class Shoaib today is the best fast bowler the world has. He has to be supported by a better fielding. When that happens and our batting clicks even to half potential no team in the world can beat us.

Musharraf's mistakes 2... Continued...

You should have bargained something for Pakistan too...
Now what are his other blunders? It was just unfortunate that the 9/11 disaster had to strike in his time. Sad as it was, the incident was not of our making. It had it's roots in the wider history of The Middle East. Where was the need to panic? US needed to be sympathised and indeed helped. But we did not have to buy more problems.
US could have helped in solving vexed issues...
We had to calculate our cost. A little time should have been taken and US told of our own concerns and of a problem we have been having for 50 years, despite a UN resolution in our favor. US needed to be told that if certain issues are not resolved in time the world would have more problems on it's hand.
We are paying dearly for US follies...
The frustration might all the more manifest itself in shape of further terrorism which Pakistan could ill afford. Now we are seen as doing the dirty work for United States and yet being told "do more". Are we in a position to say "no more"? No. We are in a no win situation. People are taking up arms. It is a dangerous situation now as you must be seeing in the news these days in northern areas.
All we want is a democratic solution and a bully kept at bay...
We could have at least bargained for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute. You did not avail of the reciprocity opportunity. You can't possibly fight India to get Kashmir. We are not even wanting Kashmir. All we want is a democratic solution. India is holding on to Kashmir against the wishes of the Kashmiri people. US had to be told "you scratch my back I scratch yours". And why not? This would have saved Kashmiris of the sufferings at the hands of the huge Indian army. That would have given the signal to the people that Pakistan was not just doing the US bidding but was solving it's own problem. That did not happen.
I consider this a major blunder and an opportunity lost that might trigger further terrorism.

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Police department is so stretched that ordinary peoples issues are totally neglected... Why should PPP have unfair advantage?
This no one talks about. Where are the champions of freedom of press or are they champions of the opposition particularly PPP? If a citizen has a problem and needs redressel from police it is always an exuse so and so political leader is showing up and they are not available. Now it has crossed all limits.

Musharraf's mistakes...

The blunders were too costly...
On being freed, a man went wild dancing on the street and hit the nose of a person. He went to court. The hitter defended that he was a free man and could do any thing. The judge decreed: right, but the moment his nose came in your path the other man's freedom began. So here is the punishment.
Freedom comes with responsibility Sir...
This is precisely what Mr. Musharraf and the media have not understood. Freedom of the Press is fine but they cannot go wild as they have for the past so many months. Any freedom comes with responsibility. Where is the responsibility. Where is integrity to your profession?
Inept political leadership caused the take over of military...
The media does nothing concrete and positive but simply and only criticizes the President. Yes he came to power as a military man. But the situation was created by sheer arrogance and irresponsibility of the political leadership. Who can deny this?
Mr.Nawaz Sharif's life saved...
You just can't take one thing and keep harping on it. You must also see if Mr. Nawaz Sharif had not done what he did, for which he was punished for life, the opportunity would not have been there for the Junta to take over. He left for ten years on his own and got a pardon.
Army should be in the barracks for sure but the entire blame cannot go to them alone...
I am one of those who firmly believes that the army should be in the barracks for sure. But the ground reality is different. This guy when he took over, Pakistan was about to default. There were no reserves left. Nawaz had indeed become an elected dictator. Remember what he had done with the previous Chief of Staff. So blaming The President for just belonging to the army is not fair.
Ministry of Information erred grossly... where were the guidelines Sir?
The way, without guidelines, freedom of press was given by the President was his biggest blunder. While this should have helped Pakistan and Pakistanis it has helped the opposition. Media immediately took sides. I was amazed why the media rather a few in the media were taking sides instead of being neutral and just reporting and anlyzing. They cannot conduct media trials as they have been doing.
Media trials by the unscrupulous should be stopped...
They would start with judgments "that the government has totally failed, what do you think?" Leading question. You get the desired answer not necessarily the correct one. Why are some journalists doing this, guys like Kamran Khan and Kashif Abbasi etc? They would go to the extent of that 16 crore people have passed a judgment etc. As if they have taken a poll or done a referendum. Media trials going unabated. And their holier than thou approach. My God. I was all perplexed.
The journalists are scared of PPP. Why? Where is the freedom of press then?
On hard investigation I found that they are very scared of PPP even a passing negative reference would attract a threat. Some say that they get paid extra and also get the protection. Now media is power and if such unscrupulous elements get in, they exploit. And they have. President does not take action. They know it and are having a field day. They have even abused the President and the freedom they are enjoying for the first time in 60 years. Does it happen any where else in the world?
Freedom of the press is a lethal weapon cannot be used with carelessness...
In India for instance pass a negative reference against Rahul Gandhi, then see what happens to them, leave alone Sonia and Manmohan Singh. Their houses will be burnt and they will be taught a lesson that will be a deterrence for all other journalists. Freedom of the press should have been given with due guidelines so that it did not become a free lethal weapon in the hands of the opposition. Pakistan media is like wild bull right now.
Is Muhtharama an official title of the corrupt and twice failed ex-Prime Mininisters? Media should refer to her as Mrs.Benazir that is all...
Why should Benazir be called a Muhtharama in media? Their party workers call her that, it is fine. Does one call Respected His Highness Mr. Bush or Mr. Gordon or Mr.Blair in international media? This is ridiculous. Is it some official title for the corrupt, a former Prime Minister twice removed on corruption charges and misrule or something. A Pakistani journalist is not a PPP worker. If he is then surely he or she can call her Muhtharama although corrupt people cannot be respected.
This is a major blunder of The President. Other blunders you will read later. Keep reading my blog. Thank you.

Oh Karachi!

Benazir what have you done?
Don't make a joke of the poor!
You talk of the poor. But what have you done with them. What have you given them? Hundreds cut into half and hundreds more maimed with hands or legs amputated. You and the rich are safe and fine but the hundreds of poor and scores of poorer policemen have died. Wish you had been less selfish.
You made the job of security impossible...
You were told to delay, to be careful. You had lost your own brother in your own regime. Have you forgotten that? With your foolhardiness and bravado, you made the job of the security impossible. Thanks to the security arrangements you are at least alive. The poor have died though.
Blame game won't help... it is in bad taste.
Your husband, Sheri Rahman and the irresponsible media lost no time in blaming the government. Yes they could have done more, probably. But it is always easy to be wise after the event. But in such sad moments the blame game was not in good taste. As a neutral observer I wonder what more could the government have done? PPP had an absolute free hand to do any thing. They did. They put up a fabulous show with total disregard to the inconvenience to the local traffic and local residents of Karachi. They were all inconvenienced.
It was impossible to see the carnage right in front of you...
It took me time to overcome this shock. It all happened right in front of me. There is no way I could describe my feelings. I could not even watch. Any way our blog does not write what you must have already read in the newspapers and seen on TV etc. The whole thing has been sordid and such a huge tragedy.
The living without limbs is more difficult...
My heart goes out to all those killed and more for those injured. They have to live with the injuries, disfigurement and loss of limbs etc. I wish I could do something for them. I am at my own level.
Is media scared of the PPP? Why don't you speak the truth?
We are going to talk about things the media has ignored either deliberately, under threat or bribe, I do not know. But the fact remains, media in Pakistan does show restraint when it comes to Benazir and PPP while their guns go blazing against the President. They are so brave against him. That is very good. But why are you so one sided? Be brave against the PPP too. Particularly Geo - Kamran Khan, ARY - Kashif Abbasi, Aaj, Dr. Danish in TVOne are all guilty of fear. Why don't you speak the truth?
Benazir's accusations are not well founded...
Benazir should know she was not in Dubai but Karachi where power cuts is a daily phenomenon. She complains of lights going off at dusk. A very shallow accusation. At 12:00 midnight she was not supposed to be there. Why did she not adhere to a program? At that time, after all her program, she was supposed to have been at home. The conditions were definitely not good, why did you hang on there at great risk. You escaped but the poor died.
Had you stuck to a program you could have saved lives and the suffering of poor...
You ought to have briefly made a presence on the road, gone straight to Mazar-e-Qaed made your passionate address, made your point, pleased your followers and gone home comfortably. Instead you chose the "Tamasha" fanfare. Your truck was just not able to move. When could you have reached the place, made the address and gone home? What was the program? The more time you were on the road the people were so much at risk. Had you cared for the poor, their suffering for the past three days, you would not have done this.
According to experts there were no more than 100,000 people...
One wonders how many people were there? Benazir says 30,00,000. Did she calculate? No. Just an idea. It is not too difficult to calculate. Just count the busses that arrived from the interior, count trucks, cars or whatever mode of transport. I am a media man and a marketing man I can easily estimate. As a marketing man, figures are most important, I can very roughly calculate the number of people present. As a media man I know how a few can be shown to be many. All TV personnel will testify to this. There were no more than 75,000 to 100,000 people.
The poor PPP supporters had no transport to go back nor were they paid...
What is the plight of those that were brought in by PPP leaders from interior villages and small and big towns. They were promised money. Lots of them have complained that they have been left high and dry on the streets and did not even have the transport to go back and did not have money to go by public transport. They were obliged to borrow money from locals in Karachi to go back. So much for the poor the lady talks about.

Don't forget you have failed not once but twice and twice you have been removed on charges of corruption and misrule. Your party members call you "Mothorama" meaning respected. Surprisingly media follows suit as if it is some official title. But can you call one who is accused of such rampant corruption as respected?

P.S.
There is a perception in political circles that this sordid carnage, if any thing, has only helped Benazir. Sympathy has grown, increased her vote bank while herself and the top PPP leadership has come out unscathed. The propounders of conspiracy theories see a lot of planning in it and think every thing has gone exactly as per plan. Just ten minutes before she was moved to safety. The blast was just far enough not to cause casualty to the leadership. Some people see conspiracy in this although the author does not contribute to conspiracy theories.

Do come back but don't blow up a God given chance yet again...

Miracle - yes but this time no fooling the innocent people please...
Allah has been so kind on you. I agree with you that it is a miracle. It indeed is. You are given yet another chance to lead. Now for God's sake don't blow it up. The government has helped you in so many different ways. People have come out in large numbers to greet you - whether hired or genuine is immaterial. But please do not fool around this time.

Do something for the people who love you. You talk of poor. But don't let poverty be their permanent destiny. If you mean to remove poverty then you have to start with land reforms. Are you prepared to address agricultural land reforms? You have to introduce land ceiling for which Pakistan is late by 60 years. You have to give up your lands. Feudalism will go. This will be like truely helping the poor. Are you ready to give that sacrifice so that it helps the poor in rural areas?

People say you will give them jobs. But how will you? Will merit will have a place? Will employment be generated by increasing employment by giving land to the landless, putting up industries and services or are you just going to appoint four instead of one in a job, thereby killing a thriving organisation. If you do that you will kill the economy. Expand opportunity, expand economy don't overload an existing opportunity.

If you are coming with a clear vision it is fine otherwise you will only be fooling the nation. Twice you have been removed for corruption and mismanagement. This time don't go down as the wife of a corrupt man. Now for God's sake let it not repeat. I wish the best for Pakistan and us including you.

Benazir is indeed welcome but what about Asif Zardari?

Is your husband good in national interest? Ask the nation?
This is rather embarrassing for us and must be for Benazir too. I posed this question to the hard core supporters of PPP and pat came the answer "But what to do with Asif Sain?". People are worried. Genuinely worried.

They think whatever good the lady might do will be undone thoughtlessly by this gentleman. How can people forget his exploits when Benazir was in power. However much the media may trying to sweep his deeds under the carpet it haunts people without a reminder . Let me not repeat them all here.

How can this man be stopped? Is he in national interest, is a question the lady must ask. She is getting a third shot at becoming the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Can she let this opportunity also be squandered without making good history? I think she should not take this chance.

You know what the people on the street are saying? This baggage is coming along and the guy has his eyes on the $16 billion foreign exchange reserves that Pakistan presently enjoys. Whether her husband is corrupt or not and if he is a culprit is not the point. You cannot just ignore the perception this man has created for himself and thus sullied the lady's image.

Besides huge scams this man is linked to car thefts and how they have been recovered from Bilawal House. He may not have been convicted but no body can prove that he is all that innocent. His reputation as Mr. 10% and later 100% seems well earned. As Imran Khan had put it "bacha bacha jantha hai ke Asif Zardari chor hai". (Every child knows that Asif Zardari is corrupt). So his non-conviction is immaterial if Benazir wants to make it big into history. Can the lady ignore his reputation? No.

This time the nation wants Benazir to do things the world will remember her for. Not for corruption, loot, plunder, vendetta and utter lawlessness. The chances of her doing this will improve if she keeps her husband's greed and guile away from her and power.

Benazir, you already have enough money, now don't go for it this time left, right and center. Do some thing good for Pakistan so that you make history and people remember you as some one who was honest and did something good for Pakistan.

There is a lot of good you can do like introducing land ceiling to a maximum of say 60 acres, giving land to the landless, finishing off with the decadent feudalism, solving the Kashmir problem favorable to Pakistan and the people of Kashmir, education, industrialization, exports, better foreign policy etc. to placing Pakistan high up in the list of fast developing nations.

Let your agendas be worthy of the great nation you will be representing at the world forums.

Remember, you will never make it good in history with dishonesty and corruption. Allah is giving you another chance this time do good lest you be thrown out again by Providence.

Condoleeza Rice should mind her own business...

Don't tell us what to do...
Condoleeza Rice has no business to advise us. We are a sovereign state and we do not like orders from any body even it is a super power and a friend. And please do not even suggest that we are going to be unfair in elections. You have no business what so ever to meddle in our domestic matters and make them worse. Please let us have our dignity and do not tell us what to do. We know what to do.

You are making blunders after blunders before and after 9/11. Did we tell you any thing. You want to solve the problem of terrorism but you do not want to address the root causes of the problem. By supporting Israel illogically you created a monster. One side you talk of democracy and the other side you do not support the will of people. You allow Israel to occupy for 40 years with all attrocities. When they want a democratic solution you use veto and have done so almost 80 times for Israel. You are compromising on US security for the sake of Israel. You are serving not US interests but that of Israel. But do we tell you any thing?

You talk of democracy but do not pressure India to stop atrocities on the people of Kashmir and let the will of the people prevail. On top of it you go and reward India in so many different ways, forgetting the way it treats its minorities and the pogroms it conducts against Muslims. You give no helping hand in solving the Kashmir problem and when we are helping you, you say "not enough". What are you doing to solve the problem of people so that people do not have to take up arms. You do nothing but do we tell you anything? No.

You left Afghanistan after they liberated Soviet Union and made no efforts to develop it. You do not help people where they are in problems and yet want help all the time. Why? But do we tell you anything? No. So why do you tell us what to do? You have no right what so ever to tell us what to do?

You go and invade Afghanistan and Iraq and are responsible for unnecessary deaths of millions of people and some your own. You go in so childishly on false pretext and destroy countries. Do we tell you what to do. We don't. So why do you tell us what to do?

If Ms Rice and her predecessors had done their job right there would have been no terrorism.

Media in Pakistan is doing free publicity for the Oppositon - Irresponsible journalism! Don't take sides.

Free publicity for the Opposition...
I usually see the electronic media in Pakistan. It is fantastic the way the present Government has given freedom to the media. Media never enjoyed this freedom for the past 60 years. And mind you this kind of freedom is not there in USA, Europe or even India. Media in the pretext of the freedom of the press does not promote a party against the other. It does not even take a stand against the defined Government policy in national interest.

For instance can one talk in India against the Government stand on Kashmir? Never. Can they raise the voice of some Indians who happen to be Muslims? Never. It is all suppressed with an iron hand. Take for instance Urdu TV from India - the policy is all government propaganda. Can they reflect the mass opinions? Never. One word against the government policy, they are in trouble. So many restrictions will be employed for one reason or the other.

Pakistan media has totally gone out of control. Kamran Khan for instance in Geo, look at him, the way he beams on talking to Benazir and promoting her and the same with Kashif Abbasi of ARY. Aaj's Talat Hussein is not that partisan, although as a channel it is. They start off by saying "The Government has failed in every possible way etc." They are conducting the media trials and passing judgments on the Government and The President in particular all the time. And this is without giving the accused a chance to defend themselves.

If they are critising the Government objectively it is fine. But they are taking sides. While their issue is only the president and his uniform and re-election they do not talk about the utter mis-management and rampant corruption that prevailed at the time of Benazir's and Nawaz Sharif's governance. They don't even raise the critical issues of the people. On the contrary with the help of the audience they have they are building opinion against a party. Can media take sides to this extent?

Media is building opinions with biased views and without regard to national interests and peoples' interests. Poor are completely forgotten. Media does not talk of the pressing issues of the people and poor in particular. I think it is about time media showed maturity, sensibility and responsibility and did not take sides lest you help the corrupt and proven failures each twice. The opposition is also not spending money but getting free publicity from the irresponsible media that is not serving the people in all integrity but some vested interested.

Don't take sides.

Has the opposition gone bankrupt of ideas

Your Manifesto is not for the people... why?
It is about time we started thinking in the larger interests of the people of Pakistan and the country itself. Why is it our so called politicians only talk of issues that will bring them to power? Why don't they talk of issues that affect the people of Pakistan - the majority that is poor and does not have any political power what so ever most unfortunately.

We want Heroes not Villains please...

Choice between Villains...
Is it our destiny that we can only choose from a list of proven villains, each twice failed. Do we not deserve heroes? Or is it too much to expect? Perhaps. Where are the heroes? Who I consider as heroes is not the hero for others. There is only one undisputed hero and that is Mr. Jinnah. Every single leader after that is tainted one way or the other.

For me Ayub was a hero, probably he was the first Pakistani leader I heard about when growing up. I sort of liked him. But you talk to people they disagree. He is accused of derailing democracy and destroying the then existing institutions.

I even attended the funeral prayers of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. But no one agrees that he is a hero. He is accused of autocracy, arrogance, vendetta, lack of vision and above all integrity. For me his biggest blunder was nationalisation of industries that crippled the economy and stunted growth. He made many industries no more viable and Pakistan lost the world export market by overnight becoming uncompetitive. He is also blamed for dismembering the country into two.

Every thing that Zia did, I wonder if he did anything besides Umras, is over shadowed by his military credentials. It is a long story what he did and didn't.

However I can't recall any thing big he did on the domestic front in Pakistan. He may have had some successes on the international arena. His Kashmir policy was a failure so was Khalistan policy after initial successes. His crowning glory is the success achieved in ousting a super power in Afghanistan. But that did not help Pakistan but we fought a proxy war for another super power that has never been nor can ever be our reliable partner.

But the price we paid for America and Afghanistan is so great that for the next 50 years we are stuck with it. The Kalashnikov Culture. So Zia is most certainly ruled out also as a hero. I would have liked to call him a hero for his humility and his histrionic talents.

But one thing is clear in my mind and that is the regimes of Benazir, (now called moothorama by media) and Nawaz Sharif. My, what periods. Truely tumultuous for its incompetence and rampant corruption. They competed against each other in loot and plunder. If one was the patron of a 10%, later cent per cent, the other was a looter par excellence. Remember his "dollar bhijao and mulk bachao".

God alone knows where all that money went. The country went bankrupt in Nawaz's time and was about to be declared a default state. In moothorama's time her husband is on record as having said "things are good today, only 50 died." This is the state of our elected so called democratic leaders. Heroes? Where are they? Villains. Villains. Villains.

Don't we have a third choice? So far none, because whatever development Pervez Musharraf might have done is disregarded because he hails from the military. He is a very strong contender though from what he has achieved on the domestic front. An assembly completing it's full term is an achievement in itself. There has been development all over Pakistan even in remote towns and villages.

My driver who hails from a remote town in Punjab says they could never have imagined, roads and drainage there and he attributes that to the present people at helm and prays for Pervez Musharraf. People have benefited. The prosperity is visible. Mega projects have been completed in record time and the work goes on. If his policies reach there logical conclusion the country will benefit enormously. History will then judge if he was a hero.

There surely are the down sides like inflation that went uncontrolled. He did not introduce any measures to remove feudalism. He failed miserably to understand the Indian psyche in solving the Kashmir problem and did not even take advantage of 9/11 in solving the same issue. He did the dirty job that America should have done for itself. Why should we have been involved in problems which Arabs create for themselves by being inactive for past 100 years. Why should we pay for their follies when they do not even consider you as Muslims.

But what ever he may do he will never be accepted as a hero publicly although in heart of hearts of poor people he could possibly be a hero. So let us leave at that.

I have not the faintest idea how we could have a hero as a leader. I am clueless for the time being. If you have some ideas how we can have a hero as our leader please post it here.

Introduce Land Ceiling

Equitable distribution of scarce resources is the key...
Land is limited and people unlimited. Land cannot increase, people go on multiplying. Arable land is still more difficult to find. That means an ever increasing demand on this scarce finite natural resource. And here we have a person or two owning thousands of acres of land. Is this fair?

The modern civilised answer is, no. More and more people should have access to these limited resources. A natural resource like land cannot be allowed to be in the hands of just a few who may and may not put it to optimum use. This may or may not contribute to national productivity. It definitely does not contribute to national revenue as they pay no taxes on agriculture.

Can land be allowed to be the fiefdom of a few? No. Why? When large tracts of land is in the hands of a few it is called hoarding. The world abhors hoarding so does Islam in no unclear terms. See the life of our prophet, what a simple life he lead. There are hundreds of Hadith that would testify to this. With one having every thing and the other nothing it creates tension in the society of haves and have not. Their results are manifest in every thing from utter lawlessness, corruption, dacoity to illiteracy, mismanagement to poor national productivity.

We cannot have a society of masters and slaves in this 21st century. It is also misnomered as the ruling class and the ruled class. In a democracy can you have masters and slaves and yet call it democracy? A ruling party and an opposition party is acceptable but not a ruling class. Give me a break.

All countries have done away with feudalism. Even the most backward of the people Egypt has also addressed this issue by abolishing land lords and the feudal system. After independence India did away with feudalism by introducing land ceiling. England did this by introducing huge death duty.

But has Pakistan taken any steps to address this anamoly? Yes there have been two attempts 1,000 acres of Ayub Khan and 300 acres by Z.A.Bhutto, the former being a little bit more successful than the later.

Now every ruling party must have in their manifesto to limit land to a maximum of 50 acres of and irrigated only say 18 acres so that more people can have land. The excess land must be taken over and distributed among the landless poor and then the Bangladesh micro-finance system introduced to help them make it a profitable business venture. Then see where the nation stands. Tall among the comity of nations.

More on this later.

Law should be for all not a few... Sanjay Dutt case

Hunt down all the murderers not a few if India is truely democratic and secular...
Thank God Sanjay is free on bail. About a hundred mostly Muslims have been convicted. But what needs to be seen is why the same commitment of hunting down the culprits was not used on the perpetrators of the crimes before and after demolition of The Historic 400 year old Mosque. They are on the celluloid but no action has ever been taken. When all are Indians is it not the responsibility of a secular democratic government to do justice and provide succor to all the sufferers. We are not saying don't convict the culprit who ever it is. But please do not leave the other murderers free. The Government knows whose hands are tainted with blood. It is about time they started hunting down the killers of Muslims in about 9,000 pogroms conducted since 1947 not just running after Salman Khan or Sanjay Dutt.

No body is above the law or is it?

You cannot be a little bit pregnant...
This wheeling dealing in politics is very disturbing. If people are corrupt they are corrupt or they are not. You are either pregnant or not pregnant. You cannot be a little bit pregnant. So is the case with Benazir and Nawaz Sharif. They are either clean or unclean.

If they want to serve the country and the people of Pakistan then they should come to the country from where they have fled, appear before the courts and acquit themselves of all the accusations. If they are guilty then they should be punished and after serving their terms they can always serve Pakistan. You can serve in many ways. Is it written in any holy book that they should only be Prime Minister? No. They also serve who stand and wait.

Since no one is above the law they like all other Pakistanis should follow the due process and why not? Pervez Musharraf has no business to pardon those who have plundered the country or those who took foolish actions against the military. The courts should decide that. He should also not withdraw any cases lest he sully his own image further. It is already in jeopardy as it is with his uniform despite the good work he seems to have done so far except in the case of Kashmir.

Two nation theory, is it permanent or temporary?

In response to some disinformation campaign
History should not be distorted to suit selfish ends...
Mr. Jinnah was never ever a selfish person. When he spoke of Pakistan he was referring to the best deal for the Muslims of India indeed. It was not to benefit a few and certainly not for a few tribes and feudals to rule and enjoy themselves. Pakistan was never made for a few tribes.

The Two Nation Theory was a permanent one. On a temporary theory you do not make such a monumental decision that affects the lives of Muslims in every nook and corner of the country - The Undivided India. He used to cry over the moth eaten Pakistan (Stanley Wolpert in Jinnah of Pakistan). He knew very well that this did not solve the problems of Muslims. He never differentiated between this Muslim and that.

When these landlords took over, they truncated the two nation theory and said Muslims cannot enter Pakistan after 1951. Was The Two Nation theory time bound? If so, it is the selfish act of a few. Mr. Jinnah was never selfish. So this cannot be true. Indira Gandhi was 20 years too late in saying "now we have thrown the two nation theory into the sea". The feudals in Pakistan did that in 1951.

A great ideological issue, not a petty land issue please...
Those in power made this great ideological issue into a petty land issue. Only two countries have been created on the basis of religion. First was Pakistan followed by Israel. While every Jew can migrate to Israel any day regardless of time, a Muslim in India cannot do the same and go to Pakistan.

However the culprits were those who had no feelings what so ever for their comrades in the same struggle. They would talk disparagingly about them and would gloat about themselves. Their typical statement will be "we are well off". That we should have been who is questioning that? Muslims in India are surely happy for us.

One wonders how you cannot feel more for our bretheren Muslims left in India. They are in an enemy land where the Government makes policies to deprive them of every thing. It is not their fault. Take a lesson from how India helped the Hindus in Fiji. They shook the world with back door diplomacy with USA, Britain, Europe and indeed the United Nations. The local that took power is now languishing in jail.

Where is our Muslimtha?
Does Pakistan have a policy that helps Muslims across the border. None. If they die they die. If they are discriminated against, so be it. We are well off what do we care? This cannot be the attitude of a good Human being leave alone of a good Muslim. Where is our Muslimtha? Their Hunduthwa works but there is no Muslimtha within us.

And then Gujarath should take place despite Pakistan is a matter of absolute shame. Not only Gujarath, about 9000 pogroms have taken place since 1947. That shows Pakistan had no policies that helped the Muslim bretheren across the border in any way. We have not moved the world. We have taken no action. What are we talking about.

Anti American feelings, think well before you take sides...

Allah rewards those who think hard, work hard and are committed, not the ignorant and the lazy...
Anti American feeling? These Islamists should think again. Don't they know that Allah is just. He rewards only those who understand the ways of the world and take actions accordingly. We are suffering for the inaction or the misdeeds of The Arab World.

Only after I read The Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E.Lawrence and The Desert King by David Howarth did I understand how easily Israel was created. Read and you will know how they acted like pawns in the hands of The British to throw Turks out. Once that was accomplished it was easy to make Israel.

Now Jews are a smart people. They work hard and first they research, think and then plan hard. They have invested hundred years on USA and also UK. They cultivated the minds of five generations and continue to do so.

If these Islamists wanted to do any thing they should first understand how the world works.

It rests on three pillars. The core power to be used as a deterrence, diplomacy most of the time and media 24x7 all the time. Do they do it? No.

Remember none of this terrorism will ever make a policy change. Things will get worse and worse each time. What will work is a long term persuasive effort.

USA had not invaded a single Muslim country untill 9/11. Take a good look at history. Had these terrorists done something to change matters of their own countries things could have been a lot better. They had no brains.

How could they when they were a product of a society that is not allowed to think independently and where there is no culture of learning, debates and difference of opinion. They have closed minds and can never think out of the box.

Please do not assume I am in any way supporting the aggressive actions of the present US regime and the way they totally unnecessarily went into Iraq and destroyed a whole country. For that USA must pay 5 trillion dollars to Iraq and Mr. Bush tried like in the Nurenberg trial. If the world does not do this then they are no different than the same terrorists that are responsible for 9/11.

Yet there is no need to be anti-American, there is a lot of good there and good people, however bad and foolish the present regime is.

For Pakistanis please do not die for these Arabs thinking they are Muslims. These Najadis do not even even consider you as Muslims. Do not die for them please.

Let a commo man serve, not rule, Pakistan

In a democracy there is no place for rulers, all are co-rulers, let a common man serve the people of Pakistan...
Have the people forgotten the utter misrule and corruption in the periods, two each of Benazir and Nawaz Sharif? Do they want the country to be plundered again with wanton disregard to national interests.

If Pervez goes and if he is replaced by a commoner who feels, thinks and acts for Pakistan it makes sense, but if were to choose once again from the failed two villains then the third villain is a better choice.

There should be a struggle against the feudal system that is at the core of all the ills in Pakistan. Who ever brings in land ceiling, does away with the land lords and the vested interests we shall bring him into power. We don't want the same villains again please.

Freedom of The Press

Responsibility must precede freedom of the Press...
If you have watched Indian media you would have observed the media would never ever give a point of view that is different from the Government stand. For example in the case of Kashmir they dare not issue or refer to one statement that would reflect the Kashmiri or people's point of view. While India boasts of democracy if we talk of a democratic solution to Kashmir and fulfilling the aspirations of Kashmiris you will either be pulled up or put in jail. Not only that, you dare not talk one word derogatory of Rahul Gandhi let alone Sonia or Manmohan Singh.

And what a contrast is Pakistan. Every single vehicle in any media be it press or electronic, they target just one guy and that is Pervez Musharraf The President of a country. It is truely freedom of press. Yes fine but are you being responsible? Media like the judiciary cannot take sides. Once you take sides you can never ever be honest and objective but dishonest and biased.

Ary, Aaj and Geo are all now a part of the opposition party. They throw all kind of muck on The President but spare Benazir. As Cowasjee said openly and reflected public opinion that she is a thief. And she is called "Mohtharama", why? Can thieves be called "The respected lady". While she is so disrespectful of Pakistanis and every body else except United States. Check out her statements. She is on record having said "I am born to rule", "we know where to keep the people" as if we are her subjects.

The media has given Benazir the title "Mohtharama". Could Indira Gandhi have ever said she was born to rule despite the fact that her father was a successful and popular Prime Minister and so was her grand father. But she would always talk of serving the people and country and not ruling. She was neither foolish nor arrogant to that extent.

Has the media forgotten the utter mis-rule and corruption in Benazir's time. Why do they deliberately ignore it or are promoting her? Sir this is not the job of the media. Have they forgotten when her beloved husband had said "today things are very good, only 50 died". Why do you forget all that? I went to Rani Kote and a poor man who is the custodian there said that they had a lot a antiques till ten years back. I asked what happened, he a Sindhi like me said that "Sir Asif Saheb has taken them away". There are thousands of instances of Asif Zardari corruption. If she comes back all this corruption comes back too.

Yes indeed General Pervez Musharraf belongs to the Military Establishment but the guy has performed and no major issues of corruption have surfaced so far. He seems to be at least an acceptable villain better than the other two proven villains who failed in two terms each. Give the devil his due. He saved Pakistan from total annihilation post 9/11 although he should have bargained to get Pakistan problems solved too in which case there would not have been problems of terrorism and suicide bombings he now faces. Least of all he should have got the Kashmir problem solved and avoided bloodshed in a divided area. After all Kashmiris are as much human as Indians or Pakistanis are. There aspirations are no different. This is an un-necessary issue that is bedevilling the relations of two similar brotherly nations. I am sure both nations would be more at ease.

Why does the media not take up the real issues that affect all Pakistanis like addressing the core issues and the structural reforms that Pakistan so desperately needs. Corner stone of any economy is agriculture. It is controlled by whom? The land lords. How can the basics of economy be ignored. It is no more a secret that the root cause of all lawlessness is feudalism. Why does not the media take up such important issues.

The media should be more responsible and highlight both sides points of views and not take sides at all, if you want to be credible. The way media is behaving it has no parallel any where in the world be it US, India, UK or any other country. I hope the media, if it is responsible takes note.