At least now will the heads roll?

Marriot, Sri Lanka team attack, Jamrood and now the Police Academy will someone take responsibilty please?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2009/03/30/VI2009033002431.html

This is getting too much and no body is taking the responsibility. What only after we loose the nukes are we going to wake up? It is high time the authorities concerned must resign and take responsibility if they have the minimum sense of responsibility. Minimum. But it looks like the pachyderm phenomenon is in action.

President Zardari and President Obama

Yesterday Obama had spoken, 

today Zardari... What a contrast?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/27/AR2009032700891.html?sid=ST2009032700916

The difference is obvious. I waited the whole day to listen to Zardari as no time was given when exactly he would speak. When he did the lights went out. So all the waiting was lost. Any ways I listened and discovered later.

When Obama spoke his was a landmark speech. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aJ23skfVO0 Well thougt out, well planned and offered something substantial to all the parties. He spoke of development both for Pakistan and Afghanistan and talked at length of his plans to counter terrorism that would help not only US but Pakistan and the whole world. Here was a Harvardian speaking. Every word structured articulated, nothing loose.

When Zardari spoke he offered removal of Governors Rule. It was to go any way. That is nothing but a sop. We were hoping he would make some major announcements. We had thought he would remove 58-2B which he calls 52-8B. He can always go back and say he never offered to remove 58-2B. LOL. Well he made a committee for that and to repeal the 17th amendement. When you want to shelve an issue you make a committee and hand over is an old adage in Management.

For $1.5 Billion he says $1.5 Million. Sir it is billion and not million.  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7969450.stm Listen to it.

I wish Zardari had spoken of making some structural reforms. Instead he spoke for his own survival and some apple polishing of Nawaz Sharif after having discovered his power in Punjab. We need major reforms so that we tide over the problems of energy, industry and employment that would give a fillip to economy and remove poverty in the end. 

We wanted to hear from you that from today you have empowered the people of Pakistan by introducing land ceiling and freeing the rural suppressed people of Pakistan. You did not do that. We thought you would grant free land to major corporations of the world to come and  build factories there by giving jobs to our people and earning foreign exchange for us. We thought you would annonce a clamp down on all terrorist activities and utter lawlessness that prevails in the country. You did nothing President Saheb. Just blaming the past will do you nor us any good.

I wish you made a committee that would give you recommendations on how our people can usher in a new era of peace and prosperity. I will give you some ideas here.

What an offer! Pakistan can't have it better...

Healthy departure from Bush. Excellent. Hope it is fully implemented. The offer could have been better though...

We can't have it any better. What a departure from the stunted policy of the past. Obama took time but he did the right thing. He has fallen short on two things though. $1.5 billion is too little for a beleagured country like Pakistan and he has not come down heavily on extermism that is in fact fuelling the whole divisive and destructive movement.

In times like these can we have irresponsible media in Pakistan? A ryder must be added that people just wouldn't go on television and press and talk and write irresponsibly. They are muddling the thought process of the masses and even the half cooked intellectuals. They will never understand. For example the way Hameed Gul the ex-ISI Chief was commenting. He was not in sync with the days mood. 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/27/AR2009032700836.html

If Obama does not insist Pakistan to eliminate even the remotest support to the extremists in words and deed, all that you gain on the ground could be lost in the hearts and minds. What could be better? You can't have a better US administration than this. Does Mr. Hameed Gul and the likes want Bush back? We don't. We have to make the best of it. Even if it is not like the McArthur offer for Japan, it is something to look forward to.

Drone attacks... electronic media is a powerful weapon that cannot be used irresponsibly!

The role of anchors and guests is very disturbing... they are not giving the true picture!

It is about time to put facts in front of the people. The anchors and the so called Tajziakars (analysts) are muddling the issue along with the ultra-militant religious parities who have a softcorner for terrorists. The Drone attacks must be seen in proper perspective and responsible people should not play to the gallery lest they harm Pakistan irrevocably.

It has been reported today that 7 people were killed in a drone attack (http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=21153). These people were not Pakistanis. They were all foreign nationals who were using Pakistani soil to attack the allied forces in Afghanistan. US and the West are not a dead nation. They feel a threat from a direction,  they take action unlike us, let any number be looted at gun point we do nothing. They are serious in their own interests. I think we should be serious in ours.

It is totally misleading even malicious to say the drone attacks are an attack on Pakistan. They are not. They are attacks on militants and terrorists. US is going after perceived threats on the basis of intelligence. Sometimes collateral damage takes place which hurts us surely. But they have never gone against Pakistan per se. The discussion on Capital Talk and the hint of taking on the US army Mr. Hamid Mir was alluding to is very dangerous. Very. It might over turn the applecart completely. 

Just because you have to discuss something, does not mean you say any thing to fill air time. This is irresponsible journalism and the new Information Minister also put up a poor show in defending the Government. He was on the back foot when he did not have to. He could have easily played on the front foot dispatching every loose deilivery to the ropes.

The government is at the moment going fine with respect to drone attacks. We are protesting all the time. Beyond that why should we do any thing so long as they are not attacking Pakistan? It is childish to argue otherwise. First of all we do not have the where with all to take on The Super Power whose aid is also fuelling our economy. We are not self sufficient in many areas. Ours is not an industrial economy. We can't afford too many things including the luxuries of our ministers and landlords and we cannot take on America.

It is time to see things in the larger global canvas. The world is not going to keep quite and Pakistan will never be at ease so long as the terrorists threat is present in any part of Pakistan. It has to be eliminated for our children's sake if we want to give them a safe Pakistan as the founder The great Quaed e Azam envisioned it. There is no need for us to get into problems created in the world by the follies of the last century by Arabs. By not addressing the issues in time we are at this stage now.

I think the government should come down heavily on any journalist using the mass media, promoting terrorism even obliquely. Siding with any body who fights the State with weapons must be considered a crime and put behind bars. I see a lot of people siding with the gun totting residents of Lal Masjid who fought a pitched battle with Pakistan army. Can you have a soft corner for them? No, regardless of imagined conspiracy theories.

Media in general but electronic in particular is a lethal weapon that cannot be used irresponsibly lest it do permanent damage to the public psyche. Most people do not know much so please do not fill their minds with misleading inforation whose results are invariably disastrous. 

I urge utmost responsibility in every word that is uttered n the electronic media. Character assasination must also stop that guests of the anchors indulge with impunity and without proofs. A point of view right or wrong cannot be projected as fact. A POV is only a POV (point of view).

I was listening to an interview in Waqt News, late night where in Moulvi Sufi was giving ideas which were not consistent with the Constitution of Pakistan. For instance he did not believe in democracy and so forth. Destruction he condones one way or the other and while advocating people to carry weapons, holds Government responsible for infrasturcural reconstruction and law and order. How can we govern oursleves?

By the way those who want to take on America are not able to shoot down slow low flying drones and yet claim to take on a super power. This is really absurd. All they end up is blowing up schools and bridges and force local people to tow their line and follow a divisive and militant brand of Islam imported from Najd. We in Pakistan follow a more tolerant version of Islam. That is the reason we are in the majority (about 65% in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh combined) in a sub-continent that was once 100% kufr (belivers in more than one God). 

Islam here spread never with the sword but with love, affection and appeal of The Onenesss of Allah (Wahdath) and The Character (seerath) of our beloved Prophet, peace be on him. We have to preach the benevolent and peace loving Islam not the militant one.

March 23, It was never a selfish movement...

The struggle was for the Muslims of the Sub-Continent. It was an ideological war not for land and sons of the soil...

Victory of Aitezaz and Nawaz

Judge restored. Hope the judiciary would be restored too...

Were Pakistanis sold for $ 5,000? No.

They say that the Government sold Pakistanis for $5,000 and say Musharraf has confessed in his book. Is it true? Examine. 

I find people coming on Channels even MNAs, MP'As saying that The Government of Pakistan has been selling Pakistanis for $5,000=00 each and that Musharraf has said so in his book - In the line of fire.

Most recently, the day before on Rana Mubashir Show the guys were talking without reading the book. They were Nusrath Mirza, Khurram Dastagir, Faisal Raza Abdi. One of them was a Tajziakar (analyst), so called. They simply uttered the oft repeated slogan that Pakistan sold people for $5,000 and that Musharraf had written in his book. 

Where has he written and what has he written? Did they ever read the book? I guess not. Or probably their understanding of English is extremely poor. Or is it their wishful thinking or prejudice? Even if you hate someone you should not tell such lies. Who will trust the media?

I am attaching a picture of the page number 237 from the chapter "Manhunt" in his book. I read the book again after 2006. I did not find a single statement that they were selling Pakistanis. Yes some hard core terrorists mostly AlQaeda foreigners were hunted down and handed over to save Pakistan from utter devastation. 

I wonder what different decisions any other leadership would have made with NeoCons in that mood soon after 9/11? What had happened in Shareef's time? Were people not handed over when 9/11 had not even happened. I forget names Kansi or somethig who were handed over by Shareef.

I am no admirer of undemocratic forces but my sense of justice and fairplay demands that we call a spade a spade, set the record straight and not make unsubstantiated allegations just for cheap publicity.

Will the President climb down or have a showdown?

Contradictory Leaks- won't help...

The news comes out that he wants to mediate and come to a settlement. Then a contradiction is released saying he wants to have a political showdown. Earlier the whole night the nation waited as the news on Channels was that The President having made a dash back from Tehran is conferring with The Prime Minister. Nothing comes of it. Now again there is talk of reconciliation. The flip flop continues.

There is news that Ms Shery Rahman has resigned on the stiffling of the media. There is no confirmation or denial. News papers have front page headlines of her resignation but contrary information appears on TV. What are we to make of it? Stop all this Mr. President, it is going to hurt you more and more.

On the ground we see all sorts of roadblocks created across the country,  so that people and lawyers do not end up in Islamabad. President Sir don't forget the Newton's Laws. The more you press the more it hits back. So please for God's sake do not be stubborn. You have gotten away in financial matters, thanks ot NRO,  now don't loose your shirt in politics. You promised something to Nawaz. Now give him what he wants, only what you agreed in writing and be done with it.

The entire nation thinks you are reneging on a done deal, including your PPP guys who are embarrassed. Yes you did not get the mandate to re-instate Iftiqar Choudhry but Sir you made a deal and a promise with somebody. So please honor it before things get worse. Do it man. Rise up to the occasion. Do not listen to your cronies. Listen to the wise people like us!

You cannot address the pressing issues of the country with this Chief Justice issue hanging on your head like a sword. You have to solve the Swat insurgency, Kashmir, Economy, Energy and so many such problems. Be brave. 

Reinstate Choudhry as CJ and remove the Jiyala judges you have appointed without due process. You will never get justice by having unjust judges.

Is it an extension of the Najd Doctrine...

Fight Terrorism at the ideological level...

The kidnappings, killings and destruction, there seems to be no end in sight. Despite an agreement there seems to be no respite. How long will this go on? God only knows. May be we are waiting for the Messiah. The people can do nothing nor can the Government nor the mighty Pakistan army. The super power can do even less. We seem to be at a loss to understand the real problem.

The destruction of Rehman Baba's shrine underscores a few points. It is time we examined it and determined what is the driving force behind all this ignorance, intolerance, violence and lawlessness. I just don't know where to begin. But let me try.

Marriot, Mumbai and now Lahore... when will the heads roll?

An opportunity missed to correct the image of Pakistan...

Such a big event. The second test with tall scores. Lovely. It was an opportunity to prove to the world that we are not we are projected as but a well governed self respecting nation. Successful Test in Karachi almost proved that. Commentators were already talking about how wrong were Australia, India, South Africa, New Zealand, England, West Indies and all in not visiting Pakistan. 

And look how we blew it up? What a big tragedy for Cricket. Just luckily and due to the presence of mind of the driver and policmen who died, the The Sri Lankan Cricket team was saved. The more we thank and salute these martyrs the less it is. The suspects are our enemies that include our neighbouring countries and the professional terrorists who are blowing up schools and every thing.

What is most disturbing is the attitude of the Islamists who sit on TV and speculate or write in Urdu press adnauseum of the possible conspiracy theories quite oblivious of our own short comings and the huge security lapse it has been. Instead of constantly guessing they should pressure the people responsible to resign. Never a head rolls. Marriot - not a head rolled, Bombay - not a head rolled and now this. No head rolled.

Responsible journalism should have pressed for the concerened Ministers and top police officials and even the Prime Minister and the President to resign taking the moral responsibility.  Our media does not do that while our Islmasits seem to have a soft corner for the terrorists. They ask leading questions in some way favouring the terrorists always. They will never give a definitive answer but will keep asking moot questions typical examples being 9/11 and Lal Masjid events and now Lahore.

This is mind boggling. Why do they somehow want to exonerate them? Just because they have beards or what? There should be a strict law against portaraying the gun weilding and the deadly terrorists any thing other than thugs and criminals. My complaint is not with the illiterate on the street who are very good people but the so called educated who are ill informed, biased and full of conspiracy theories.

They never try to find facts but are ever ready to blame some one else. Now also they are talking of some one else doing this to them. It is rubbish. Like this we will never get to the root of the problem. I hope and pray we get to the root of the problem and exterminate the element of terrorism from our society completely. Amen. But that will only happen when the intelligentia will not in any way have a soft corner for them.