Zulfiqar Mirza if he was truthful will not take up the Quran Shareef...

Only liars do this...

I am reminded of an event of Qaed e Azam and Gandhi. Gandhi had once said that he wanted to meet The Qaed in secret and would go to any place to meet him with folded arms and bended legs and head down. To which The Qaed replied we are talking of the destiny of two nations and there can be no secret about this and if you are a straight man come with straight limbs and head up.

If Zulfiqar Mirza believed in himself and if he knew he was a truthful person himself there was no need for him to lift Quran e Shareef on his head. Only liars do it. It is almost impossible to believe his words particularly after his sectarian and racist remarks all through. In any other country he would be behind bars for "Disaffection", "Slander", "Defamation", and a Threat to Public Order and Peace. He played his Sindh card and as if that was not bad enough also played the Shia card. Went to the extent of calling himself "badboodar shia". What the hell is he doing?

I would have put him in jail long ago for saying "Pakistan Naa Khappay" as if he created Pakistan and had the authority to undo it. He is an extremely imbalanced and a temperamental man. Beats me such a person enjoyed so much of power. No wonder he was singularly responsible for the deaths of so many. Widowed so many women and orphened so many children.

On top of it he says he did not recruit a single person Urdu speaking from Karachi out of 10,000 appointments. Prejudice has no limits. Can this person be called fair? You deprive such a large population of employment and food. Make them jobless. Shame on him and the likes of him.

No wonder you don't find any Urdu speaking in the Home Department in any position. From top to bottom they are all Sindies whether they are fit for it or not. Is this justice? Is this good governance? Shouldn't he be tried and taken to task for this and sent to jail for being so unfair with the citizens he is supposed to serve?

First Altaf Hussain could never in his wildest imagination tell Zulfiqar Mirza that he won't stop the Qatl e Aam of Pathans (genocide of Pathans) as if he was doing the Qatl e Aam of Pathans. Who would ever say this even if that was the intent. This is total rubbish and garbage Only a fool and an idiot would buy his statement. Urdus are getting killed in Karachi by Pathans and Aman Committee goons of Zulfiqar Mirza, left right and center and day in and day out and this guy enjoys speaking this utter nonsense which will only draw ireof the Pathans.

He seems to have deliberately said this by design to incite Pathans and start another orgy of bloodshed. Nothing else. He must immediately be arrested, tried and hanged for creating bad blood between two people otherwise living together peacefully. It was totally peaceful until the recent inciting by ANP and its incendiary statements. He seems to be more stupid than he looks.

I hope PPP and Pakistan does not let him go unpunished. He must carry the maximum penalty.

What is important and what is urgent...

Nero is fiddling while Rome is burning!

What is important what is urgent?

Our petty minded politicians have no idea of what is important and what is urgent and what can wait. For example people are being killed in Karachi and they took up the issue of Commissioner-ate System from the middle of nowhere. Looks like they have no idea of what they are doing or must do, forget about important and urgent.

Instead of addressing the root cause of the problem, taking action against those who incite violence openly with racist statements on TV, talk shows and in speeches and moving against the killers and murderers they ignore it. Take no action, let them escape. The result is for months on ends the killings go on - total apathy for problems and law and order. That was one example.

Balochistan is burning. They have not a clue what to do. They go and rake up the name of Khyber Pahktunkhwa as if that could not have waited. This appeasement of a race is not a good idea. Tomorrow they could ask for secession and you wouldn't be able to do anything. The name Sarhad was just fine - at least it was not on a race. Punjab is by the five rivers. Sindh by Indus, Balochistan by Bal. KPK is the only province on a race. So why blame poor Hitler for racism?

ZAB resisted it and so did all the previous administrations stubbornly and not without reason and this government thoughtlessly went ahead and did it only to get ANP support at the Center. These KPK guys don't want any laws and rules for themselves and want to export the same lawless (ilaqa ghair) mindset elsewhere in Pakistan. High time it stopped. It is important it is urgent. But they do nothing about it.

The Urgent and Important issue is Balochistan. The rebellion started not by the people but sardars. People of Balochistan are with Pakistan 100%. I have interviewed scores of ordinary Balochs. They have confided that they are sick and tired of the tyranny of sardars. They want Pakistan to free them from their hold. Surprisingly the media seems to be sold to the sardars as they do not talk about their tyranny, how they have kept Balochistan and Balochis backward.

The rebellion must be put down by force and the people appeased, not sardars. Talk to the people not the rebel sardars. Bring in a law to curtail their power that is land. Take land away from them by introducing strict land ceiling and distribute the excess land among the poor in the area.

As for the armed rebellion by the sardars take a cue from how India crushed the much bigger Khalistan movement.

They do nothing about it. The way these uneducated politicians work reminds me of "Nero is fiddling while Rome is burning". http://history.howstuffworks.com/ancient-rome/nero2.htm . Enjoy some history:

Nero's Fall

Fred Mayer/Getty Images
The Flavian Amphitheatre or Colosseum in Rome, built in 70-80 AD, October 1998.

Mary Francis Gyles offers another interpretation of the story: Nero's fiddling may not have anything to do with music at all, but rather is a metaphor for his ineffectiveness. Fiddling, after all, can also mean that a person is expending energy on something useless or misguided. If the measures Nero took following the fire were perceived as misdirected or inadequate, then saying Nero fiddled while Rome burned takes on a whole new meaning. It's possible that the idea is a relic of propaganda so effective that it's survived 2,000 years.

Although history has cast him in an unfair light regarding the fire, it's difficult to feel sorry for Nero. The emperor has a well-documented history of brutality. He ascended to the throne after his mother killed his uncle; Nero later had her killed. In the face of blame for the great fire, he chose to look for scapegoats. His persecution of the early Christians was the first the religion would endure, and it resulted in the martyrdom of the apostles Peter and Paul, both of whom were executed during the persecutions.

Ultimately, the great fire helped bring Nero down. Discontent with his reign, his infantries threatened mutiny, and he was declared a public enemy by the Senate. Facing execution, Nero pushed a dagger into his throat and took his life four years after the fire [source: New York Times].

For more information on Rome and other related topics, visit the next pages.

Clash of the titans... Zardari replies to Nawaz diatribes...

The fight has begun "Molvi Nawaz Shareef should learn to be a real tiger".

Zardari had shown lots of patience for three years. Today he burst out in response to what Nawaz Shareef blurted out in Kashmir. And he came on hard. Nawaz Shareef somehow does not forget to attack Musharraf whether the occasion warrants it or not. Wonder why did he make a deal and went away for so long. Today he made scathing attacks on Zardari.

Me no admirer of Zardari is now forced to acknowledge him as a more astute politician more in touch with the ground reality. He is hoisting his flags every where and moving forward. He has this capacity not to rub people on the wrong side quite the opposite of Mian Nawaz Shareef. From where he has acquired this aplomb I have no idea. Khuda jab Husn detha hai tho nazakath aa hi jaathi hai.

Zardari lashed him as a paper tiger. He went on to say if he has forgotten politics that he is welcome to consult him in private or public. It think Nawaz Shareef will put an end to his diatribes against him and Musharraf for good. He will if he is a true politician not if he is the product of the establishment of Zia ul Haq who tried to subdue and kill PPP for 11 years. Couldn't. http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/22/nawaz-trying-to-pit-govt-against-army-zardari.html http://www.thenews.com.pk/NewsDetail.aspx?ID=17404 http://www.samaa.tv/newsdetail.aspx?ID=33295

Zardar in London and floods at home

Bhutto Movie will not resurrect her image sadly...

You blew up two excellent chances God gave you!
It is time to reflect...

For sure it is a great tragedy. No doubt about it. But is also a fact that it is an opportunity missed. An opportunity to etch your name in gold in the history of Pakistan, one of the two countries made on the basis of religion. One was Pakistan and the other Israel. Israel is one year younger and India one day. But look where they are standing today?

The only thing we have excelled in is corruption and maintaining the status quo. The Parliament continues to be filled with land lords who have no love for the people of Pakistan and hence make laws that suit only themselves. That is because they did not do away with feudalism which India did by enacting rural and urban land ceiling laws. There is not one case of massive and shameless corruption in the other two countries like we have of the times of Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari. Why?

They already had wealth from the lands Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto had bought in Larkana when he was the Dewan in Juna Gadh besides what was given to him by the British. All she had to do was earn a good name. Wealth brings the luxuries of the world but it does not bring respect which Mr. Zardri is at pains to discover.

It indeed is a lost opportunity to bring name and fame to themselves and the nation. No number of documentaries will resurrect the image now. Ah Benazir! If only you had survived to do something big this time. But God does not for ever give chances. You have to grab them when you get them. For that you have to have your priorities right.

Zardari's French Connection...

The Pakistani President bribes

Ali Zardari would have affected commissions in the case of the DCN submarines.

6 reactions

By GUILLAUME DASQUIÉ Special Envoy in Karachi

The President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, 12 May 2009 in New York (AFP Chris Hondros)

This morning, in an annex to the National Assembly, parliamentary on fact-finding mission"negotiations and the three submarines Agosta 90's sales contract conditions""" receives the families of the victims of the attack in Karachi. Eleven employees of the Directorate of naval constructions (DCN) died on 8 May 2002 in Karachi, while they coopéraient in Pakistan to this contract.Search the causes of this attack, the judge does more favours the scenario of an Al-Qaeda attack, he explores two other routes. On the one hand, the assumption of an attack in relation to non-honoured occult commissions. On the other hand, the assumption of a coming attack penalize negotiations conducted in 2001 by France to sell submarines to India, the hereditary enemy - a possibility adopted through a DCN, Jean-Marie Boivin, in a recent hearing revealed by Mediapart. In both cases, "the importance of the subject justifies members seek to know the negotiations that have surrounded this agreement and its implementation details"."", explains the Member (PS) Bernard Cazeneuve, rapporteur for this fact-finding mission and member of the DCN fief Cherbourg - Mayor. Reasonable... assuming all French protagonists of this 825 million euro contract throw the veil on the schema of corruption it underlays purpose. Because malpractice which accompanied the military-industrial agreement date back to the top of the Executive. On-site in Pakistan, releasethus collected documents showing that the current President, Ali Zardari, could be corrupted 4.3 million dollars for this contract with France.

Accounts. Explanation: between October 1993 and November 1996, the first Minister, Benazir Bhutto, provides several official functions to her husband, Ali Zardari. The latter benefits to require commissions all-out in agreement with his wife. A feature that vaudra it "Mister 10 %" shortened and will cause its fall.Arraigned on 19 December 1996, incarcerated for protected a drug trafficker remuneration according to a letter from the Islamabad Attorney obtained copy.It mentions also several bank accounts opened in Europe. From 1997, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB, kind of budgetary discipline Court) takes list assets held abroad by the Bhutto-Zardari torque. Cooperation snap with the Swiss and the British. According to the Office of magistrate Swiss Vincent Fournier, that we have requested, these Pakistani queries indicate likely to generated illicit commissions for the benefit of Ali Zardari, including the DCN submarines contract contracts. Four years later, these initiatives are successful.

A NAB report indicates that 12 April 2001 British administration forwards to Islamabad nearly 22,000 documents relating to financial transactions of Ali Zardari. In the year 2001, financial procedures intensify against him. The set of documents sent by London show that he has received vast sums on the part of a businessman of Lebanese origin Abdulrahman el-Assir. It has been imposed as an intermediary ".""by the power politics" French during the 21 September 1994 for the sale of submarines, according to a former manager of the DCN agreement hearing in Paris. A British judge Lawrence Collins of 6 October 2006 order lists inventory transfers sent by El-Assir to Zardari: $ 1.3 million in twice, between 15 and 30 August 1994, one month before the signing of the contract.Then $ 1.2 million and $ 1.8 million a year later, between 22 August and 1^ERSeptember 1995. J. Collins says that these payments correspond to operations of corruption. A few months before the return of Zardari in power, all prosecutions and seizures in Switzerland, has been abandoned, 9 April 2008.

Military. But the current Pakistani President is only one of the beneficiaries of these flows posted from Paris. According to the DCN financial hearings, commissions make a total of 10 % of this market of submarines. Divided into two channels: 4 % for policies (including Ali Zardari) and 6 % for the military.The NAB collected in Karachi reports indicate that the Chief of the Pakistan Navy staff in 1994, Mansoor Ul - Haq, has benefited from corruption. Stopped in April 2001, he was forced to render near relating to the contract of the submarine $ 7 million.

Ghosts that won't go away Islamabad diary

Friday, November 13, 2009
Ayaz Amir

In the field of high, or surreptitious, finance our dear president has been much too successful for his own good. Fortune may have been kind to him and he may have clambered up the greasy pole to occupy the highest office in the land, but what price this glory when the echo of some of his more spectacular achievements just won't go away?

A dozen NROs will not wash the name of Cotecna, the Swiss firm said to have given huge kickbacks for a customs inspection contract during the golden days of Mohtarma's first premiership. The famous Queen's necklace which later figured high in the allegations brought against the ruling couple (it was truly that) was said to have been paid for out of the Cotecna kickbacks.

The cases in Swiss courts which arose out of that affair if taken to their logical conclusion could have spelt serious international trouble for those figuring in it (I am being coy with names because after Ms Bhutto's all too tragic assassination taking her name in connection with these sordid events is not easy). But Pervez Musharraf's domestic necessities arose to the defence of the Cotecna principals. The Swiss cases magically melted away but their dim memory remains, a reminder, if nothing else, of how what could have been a fairy tale -- Ms Bhutto's premiership -- became mired in controversy and scandal.

My telephone number in Islamabad in those distant days was 826611 while the number of the Prime Minister's house was 816611. And since telephone lines then were not what they are now -- Pakistan not having quite entered the digital or optic fibre age -- it was not uncommon for calls to slip from one line to the other. So it was that sometimes to my amusement, at other times to my great annoyance, I used to receive calls meant for the Prime Minister's house.

Once, cross my heart, I got a call from Geneva from a Mr Schlegelmilch (I hope I have got his name right) who wanted to be put through to Mr Zardari. I pretended to be someone associated with Mr Zardari and said that he could tell me whatever he had to say in the fullest confidence. But Mr Schlegelmilch was too smart to fall for this. It later transpired that he was the go-between in the Cotecna affair and received a handsome cut for his pains. (I am not making this up. I wrote about it at the time.)

Part of the mythology to which the political class subscribes in Pakistan is that no sooner is a political government in place than the military establishment and the intelligence agencies start conspiring against it. While true to a great extent, this alone does not account for the fingers pointing at civilian shenanigans. Cotecna and the Queen's necklace were not scandals invented by ISI or Military Intelligence. They were real happenings scripted and performed by those then in power. ISI or MI may have made the most of them. But that's something else. Chinks in your armour don't expect your enemies not to exploit.

True, Mr Zardari then was neither president nor prime minister. But he was the first husband and as Nancy Reagan once said of her time as first lady, being close to someone -- her actual words were a bit different -- gives you unbeatable access. Mr Zardari did not have to hold any position to be a big player, or rather the biggest player, in the realm of high finance. In fact so great was the buzz in those days about his stupendous skill in financial matters that he earned the lasting sobriquet Mr Ten Percent. He can become the pope tomorrow and this tag won't leave him. Like ghosts, some other things too just don't go away.

So it is a bit disingenuous of Mr Farhatullah Babar, the ubiquitous presidential spokesman, to aver that Mr Zardari could have had nothing to do with the submarine affair -- the taking of kickbacks in a contract for the supply of three French Agosta submarines in 1994 -- because he was neither president nor prime minister, nor minister of defence. Adnan Khashogi was the biggest name in Saudi defence deals in the 1980s and 1990s, his kickbacks running into the billions. But he was no minister of defence or civil aviation. He was a high-flying entrepreneur who operated from the shadows, as such men must, making and cutting big-time deals.

Kashogi operated out of Lebanon. Mr Zardari did one better. For the hectic philanthropy which was his speciality, he operated out of the Prime Minister's house. We must hand it to the man for another reason: the boldness of his imagination knew no bounds. For recreation purposes he had horse stables set up in the grounds of the PM's house. No one had done anything of the kind before. There were so many other things Mr Zardari did which no one had done before. In more senses than one, therefore, he remains one of a kind.

The media will sorely miss him when he is no longer there to write about. In fact if the media had a heart -- about which most people will have the gravest doubts -- it would give Mr Zardari a medal for being the most write-able figure that there has been in our history. Musharraf was good copy too, but not as much as Mr Zardari. In the media's hall of fame he deserves an honoured place.

I wrote about the submarine affair too in 1994. The air was rife with rumours about the then naval chief, Admiral Mansur-ul-Haq, and a go-between, Amer Lodhi, being involved in the kickbacks accruing from that contract. Nothing was ever proved but then that's one of the greatest things about our Islamic Republic: nothing ever gets proved and so, happily, no one is ever punished. In this sense, in one form or the other, Pakistan has been living on NROs since its birth. The only difference is that while there have been previous whitewashes none has had as beguiling and innocent a name as the National Reconciliation Ordinance. The artist who thought of the name deserves an award.

I may add that because of the submarine column I wrote, I and the paper in which it was published received a five crore defamation/libel notice from Mr Zardari's lawyer. Thankfully it wasn't pursued beyond that first move.

But returning to Mr Zardari, despite his image problem, he -- counting everything, especially his ascent to the presidency -- has been a lucky man. But as his troubles mount his luck seems to be deserting thin. The general perception of him now is of an increasingly beleaguered figure holed up in the Presidency, his only communication with the outside world through his spokesman, Farhatullah Babar, whose word, alas, engenders disbelief with every passing day. The submarine affair -- resurfacing in the French left-wing newspaper Liberation -- couldn't have come at a more difficult time, because it refreshes public memories of the president's awkward past, when his main claim to fame was being Mr Ten Percent.

The allegation that the terrorist attack on the Karachi Sheraton in 2002 which led to the deaths of 11 French nationals was in retaliation to the non-payment of full kickbacks for the submarine contract I personally find farfetched if not wildly imaginative. Such an attack would have required the resources and the expertise of a full-fledged terrorist syndicate. To attribute it to Mr Zardari, as Liberation seems to do, is to stretch the limits of credulity and give him a more evil look than he deserves. But the kickbacks are a different matter. Allegations about them were widely believed when the contract was being finalised.

But we are in a terrible bind. Here we have all these tales of corruption and it is no cause for comfort when every footprint should be leading -- how is one to put this? -- where it should not lead. But many of us are also prey to the fear that if there are forces out to get the president and somehow they succeed, we will end up with not a purified democracy but, most likely, no democracy at all.

Talk of being between the devil and the deep sea: either Zardari or perdition. The fairies could have dealt us a better hand. But this is the one we have and the one we will have to live with for the time being.

Email: winlust@yahoo.com

NRO why is it taken up so late...

The NRO beneficiaries that sent money out must bring it back!

They have not only taken advantage of it but having availed of it have enjoyed positions and sent money abroad. So much for their patriotism. When not in power they live abroad and come into the country to enjoy the trappings of power. Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jiMiQS5zG8

Regardless how Pervez Musharraf performed in his tenure, history is not going to look kindly on him for this single disastrous act of NRO. It is a blunder as great as that of The Chief Justice that brought him down. This is what happens when you are surrounded by sub-standard brains. The government did not pursue with the indictment which was there for the asking.

Legalised corruption hopefully will go and those who did indulge in looting the nation are brought to justice. All Pakistanis should keep their money in Pakistan. It must be made illegal for Pakistanis not living abroad to have accounts in foreign banks. If you love Pakistan live in Pakistan and park your money in Pakistan. Only then will you do good for Pakistan and people of Pakistan.

I am reproducing the link here which please click and read.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3125277.stm

Swiss judge convicts Bhutto

Benazir Bhutto: Dogged by corruption charges

A judge in Switzerland has found former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband, Asif Zardari, guilty of money laundering.

Investigation Judge Daniel Devaud in Geneva sentenced them to a six-month suspended jail term, fined them $50,000 each and ordered they pay more than $2m to the Pakistani Government.

He said they had illegally deposited millions of dollars in accounts in Switzerland, and ordered the money be returned to Pakistan.

Ms Bhutto and Mr Zardari deny misappropriating the money, and are considering an appeal.

The BBC's Zaffar Abbas in Islamabad says the ruling will come as a blow to the former prime minister, who has always said that corruption cases against her in Pakistan were politically motivated.

The latest ruling is a more serious matter and may make it more difficult for her to defend her position, our correspondent says.

Appeal

The case relates to a 1998 indictment in which Benazir Bhutto was accused of having access to money obtained through kickbacks and commissions from two Swiss companies with contracts with the then Pakistani Government.

BENAZIR BHUTTO 1953 - born in Sindh 1979 - father executed 1990/96 - dismissed as Prime Minister 1999 - convicted for not appearing in court 2002 - barred from standing in general elections 2003 - found guilty of money laundering by Swiss judge

An investigation found several numbered accounts in Switzerland in which more than $11m had been deposited.

Benazir Bhutto strongly denies having had access to the accounts and is considering whether to appeal against the ruling.

The couple's lawyer, Farooq Naek, described the order as "illogical, unreasonable, inconsistent with law, based on malafide [bad faith] and ... politically motivated."

He complained that the announcement had been made without notices having been served on either Ms Bhutto or Mr Zardari.

Ms Bhutto lives in self-imposed exile in London and the Middle East.

Asked whether the Swiss ruling could affect Ms Bhutto's permission to remain in the UK, a Home Office spokesman told BBC News Online that they do not comment on individual cases.

But they said: "A person holding an entry clearance can be refused entry to the United Kingdom if there has been a change of circumstances since the visa was issued."

Her husband is currently serving a jail term in Pakistan for corruption.

In a separate development, Mr Zardari was formally indicted on Tuesday for the murder of a chairman of state-owned Pakistan Steel, Sajjad Hussain, who was shot in 1998.

Nawaz and Zardari meet...

Real Issues ignored...

Ref. http://pkpolitics.com/2009/10/26/aj-kamran-khan-kay-saath-26-october-2009/

President Zardari in America...anti American wave at home!

Picture on the left is of May 2009. I could not get one latest as they were not seen together.
Asking for money without development plans!
Mr. Zardari's visit to US has raised some serious issues. His talk of $100 billion has been questioned and made fun of. Its allusion to Bret Stephens WSJ Editors article "Let's buy their Nukes" (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122939093016909205.html) has been damaging. The media has been up in arms from genuinely concerned to advocates of conspiracy theories.

The anti US stand unfortunately it is not restricted to a few people like Shireen Mazari as reported by Washington Post, who under the shadow of Imran Khan of questionable intellect and vision plays to the gallery. Imran is the one who was also against The Operation in Swat targeting the terrorists who were blowing up schools and police stations and making people’s lives miserabl, on an absurd premise that Pakhthoons are in the army too (Dawn and various talk shows).

If a Pakhtoon is a terrorist, a thief or a dacoit and if the judge is a Pakhtoon too, will he not convict him? He can’t possibly leave him just because he is a Pakhtoon otherwise we won’t have peace. This is just to demonstrate the hollow and shallow thought process in Imran Khan's camp.

Reasons for anti American feelings lately…
I am not going into the Vietman saga when anti-American feelings started and its support to Israel in every which way. I am also not talking of the apathy US has shown to problems of Pakistan with India due to Kashmir. I am talking of very recent developments.

Pervez Musharraf gave freedom of expression to the Media that was ill prepared to accept this responsibility and went overboard. Most anchors were sold out, as it now transpires and all worked against him and America. He was the victim of his own policy of openness. Dr. Shahid Masood unarguably the King of Conspiracy Theories along with the vernacular media set in motion a thought process that favored the terrorists one way or the other and pitched themselves and their audience against the official policy of Pakistan.

Dr. Shahid Masood simply confused people’s mind with his box office Bollywood formula type spicy episodes. He was also the propagator of The Conspiracy Theory that 9/11 was done by West itself to make a case for attack, in a way defending the accused. The media also appeased the so called religious parties which also never helped matters.

Seeing his supposed following, other channels followed suit with similar ideas 24x7 for years now. The questionably educated Hamid Mir fell in line, so did Talat Hussain, Javed Choudhry etc. etc. not to talk of Waheed Hussain of Waqth News which is a full baked terrorist channel. There are so many like these, dime a dozen. It is not entertainment but the Daily Talk Shows that are the best revenue earner for channels. You will find very few unbiased and balanced journalists like Najam Sethi for instance.

When you read a newspaper or a magazine you take some pains. When you watch TV you make no efforts, strain nothing. The result is, with constant repeated bombardment, people started imbibing anti Pakistan State and anti American sentiments of the media. They never aired people’s views but their own in the name of people’s views and wishes. If people’s wishes were to be ascertained some referendum had to take place, it never did.

It is all a hotchpotch at the moment. They all hate America. It is fashionable to do so although politically not correct. You don’t find any balanced analysis by the media. And the guests that appear further aggravate matters. They mostly are least informed and bloated with preconceived notions and biases. The American case is lost in the media. There is no chance ordinarily. Is there something America can do? I think yes.

What can America do?
If at all America is to redeem it’s position it has to do something really big and let people know about it. It has to prove its sincerity with people living in Muslim Countries. I have a few ideas that are as follows:

1. Help Pakistan solve the Kashmir problem democratically without a war so that Pakistan and India co-exist together like good neighbors prospering in peace together. This will demonstrate that America wants to help people who are occupied against their wishes sending a positive signal in the entire Muslim World not just Pakistan.

2. Develop Afghanistan just as they developed Japan post WWII. Presently Afghanis have nothing to loose. Then they will. Don’t now abandon Afghanistan to its fate as US did post Russian occupation. Truly develop it before and after you get out. DO NOT ABANDON IT.

3. Apologize for killing 1.4 million Iraqis a number a 1000 Saddams could not have equaled. Just imagine the impact it will have.

4. US and "UK have destroyed Iraq. They must rebuild and restore it to the pre-invasion state if not better. It is the responsibility of US and UK.

5. US has used over 70 vetoes to help Israel and now it is high time that era of unconditional support to the aggressor and usurper must stop. Past policies have given a bad name to USA. And let the world know that this one sided policy has stopped for good. Now on, USA will side with the right and not a wrong. So the world will go with US, not against.

The unconditional support of Israel and giving no helping hand in solving the Kashmir problem is helping the terrorists. And you have invaded Afghanistan, there was some justification. You invaded Iraq there was no justification. So you cannot be viewed as just people. Annul that image.

You have one good example of Kosovo. Advertise it. And until 9/11 USA had not invaded a singly Muslim Country. It had the best record unlike UK, France and Italy etc. En cash it. Let the Muslim world know about it.

If genuine measures are not taken there is no hope. Right now US is only receiving help without giving any thing in return and asking Pakistan constantly to do more. People are now saying no more. In such things money is not a major motivating factor. It is just like getting all the concessions from the late Yaser Arafath and giving nothing in return. In Pakistan that won’t work.

Doling out some money for the War on Terror will never be counted in US favor. It probably just goes into some pockets in civilian regimes. Every one knows the real or given reputation of Mr. Zardari. His reputation of his percentage reaches the destination well before he does.

And the problem is, he is asking for money without any development plans. So the world is skeptical.

What can Pakistan do?
If he had had plans to do something for Pakistan he would have gone to them and said that they have a plan with land ceiling in place restricting land ownership so that more and more people have access to land and resources and hence self employed and now the requirement is water, fertilizer etc. and they need to build a thousand dams both large and small and canals across the country. For this the world would open their coffers. They could make Pakistan the Bread Basket of the world. But without land ceiling, dams and canals and the proposed infrastructure, this won't ever happen. This could trigger an economic boom with industries coming up and employment generated.

He could go and tell them he wants to develop Mykolachi a seaside area in Karachi for instance and make it something better than Disney Land, he wants say $ 500,000,000 to design and build to International Standards and build Hotels, Road, Rail Network and the infra structure for it. Above all provide Law and Order which is non-existent at the moment. Such projects will earn foreign exchange for Pakistan. We need money. The world would then fund such ventures with aid, loan and investment. Sadly no such plans are in place.

He could go and tell the world he has a plan to make Pakistan the Center of Learning and Education for the world and make it a top School and University destination. The world community would fund it. Show Vision, Ideas and a plan in place, don’t ask money for nothing. Don’t go to them without a thorough homework so that they respect you. These are just some ideas off the cuff. Rest shall elaborate later Inshallah.
Begging bowl does more harm than good!

There is a limit to hatred... Don't twist facts please.

Such hatred will only enhance his image in public eyes as it exposes your furstration....

I usually do not comment on these issues but this is too much. The language The Presidential spokesman Mr. Farhatullah Babar used is uncivilised. In sharp contrast I have never heard Musharraf loosing his shirt ever, however bad the circumstances have been. See the report against him in Dawn: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/12-musharraf+claim+about+benazir+ridiculed--bi-13 . This is not how you write even if he is your enemy. Sorry it is not done.

While Musharraf was stating facts, deal with Benazir, (ask US) Mr. Babar was just spewing venom and without substantial proof. It seemed they were just trying to cover their own embarrasment. It was just a POV (point of view). Using words like disgrace in full public view etc. does not behove of a responsible person to be saying and Dawn had no business to be publishing it like that. The President's team must not forget that the trappings of power they are enjoying are all thanks to Musharraf. Had he not brought in that infamous and despicable NRO no body would be sitting in National and Provincial Assemblies. They would have been in their home countries Dubai or UK (pun intended). http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3125277.stm

If they think it is so much on their popularity or talent then repudiate the NRO unilaterally and say you do not want to avail NRO and face the courts. There must be a just a bit of little shame to accept the favours of NRO and also disgrace the guy who made it possible for them to return and get all they got. It was Pervez Musharraf's mistake to give freedom of expression to an immature bunch of vernacular pedestrian journalists, the moneyed politicians took full advantage of and just purchased them. This is the irony. Like Salman Thaseer once said, the journalists who could barely afford a mobike were riding Parados.

If their irresponsible behaviour continued the economy will go down and so will their Parados and Toyata FXs and Land Cruisers and Mitsubishis etc. Who do they owe their affluence to? Pervez Musharraf. How many jobs has he creted with this? Thousands. Like it or not. I challenge the journalistic fraternity to deny this. After Musharraf left you are already seeng the way the nation is swinging both politically and economically. If not for foreign aid could we survive? Not a single day the way things are. We are heading to the point when Pervez Musharraf had taken over from Nawaz Sharif.

According to Hamid Mir in his Capital Talk there is excess capacity of 4,000 MW. The outages are not due to any actions of the previous governments but utter mis-management for the last two years. We as a nation had lost focus. That single stupidity of Shaukat Aziz, another blunder of Musharraf, sending the judicial reference without due preparation brought his 67% approval rating tumbling down. Mistakes happen but that does not mean you demean a person like the way we are doing.

The President must note one thing that he is also not directly elected like Musharraf but by the MNAs and MPSs and where is his promise he gave in full open view when he had said "Our Presdent will voluntarily give back "52/8B" as he exactly said. He did not even know it was supposed to be "58/2B". Geo please replay this recording. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_qcKtbwBg0 Watch Zardari Special 1to8.

After becoming the President has he done anything he talked about? He has also talked of "victims of judiciary". He blames establishment for all ills. Listen to him of his awareness of governance. He talks of removing the condition of degree for himself. Dr. Shahid does not have the guts to give a rebuttal. He wanted to sue the judges. He is the biggest beneficiary of NRO. Now he bad mouths the person who gave him all this.

This government must look forward and not backwards like Nawaz Sharif is constantly doing. The president although not highly educated is not all that bad like Nawaz Sharif. More on this, subject time permitting.

Lobbying... Pakistan always got bad press Internationally...

The diplomats never did their job, just enjoyed postings and perks...

What a shame really. All Pakistan has gotten so far is bad press world wide. It is always in the news for all the wrong reasons. Except for a little while in the mid sixties, Pakistan has been shown in negative light whether it is drugs, terrorism or nuclear affair. I used to think Pakistan never lobbied. But now it seems it has spent a fotune on lobbying. But it seems it has put the money for the wrong reasons and at wrong places or in officals pockets.

Whether it is Europe, America or Middle East Pakistan is reported negatively. Do the Pakistan officials not know what they want and what to expect of PR companies lobbying. I was most surprised to note even the so called Press Attaches who have all the perks in the world just do not know what to do. One such character was Charag A. posted in Jeddah as a Press Attache who had said he had no work. While The Indian Consulate in the same city had 7 press attaches and all were too busy.

The result - positive reporting was done for India with excellent damage control and negative reporting was done for Pakistan with no idea of damage control or country promotion. When people at helm are as what they are, what else can you expect? Now they are spending State Funds that is people's money on projecting a positive image of The President Asif Ali Zardari not Pakistan.

The dimplomats posted all over the world just do not do the job they are supposed to do. They just enjoy their perks. One must most certainly consider the reports published in The News and reported in Geo on the lobbying scam. Link: http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=22972

And we blame others for our ills. All conspiracy theories propounders must think and set their own house in order.

India gets it free...

Zardari's biggest blunder...

Pakistan should have negotiated directly with India not through US!

The president goes to US and teh first major news we get is "India gets Transit Rights". What the heck? If at all we should have given this concession to India from Islamabad. This via deal has repurcussions you cannot fathom at this moment of time.

Show no mercy to the gun toting terrorists...

President Sir this is your moment of truth, Show courage and firmness...

Whenever Pakistan Army takes action, the religious parties headed by guys like Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Munawar Hussain, Liaquat Baloch or Imran Khan and so many anchors on Pakistan TV channels and writers in Urdu Press start a chorus to stop action and give time and space to the terrorists who are fighting the State, to run away, hide, re-arm and re-group to yet again terrorise the people when the army is gone. 

They will tell you to sleep with the devil for the sake of peace...

They even suggest talks and advise us to sleep with the devil and that too for the sake of peace at gun point. This has happened at least twice before. The Government this time must have the political will to finish the job. Annihilate them so that the ugly head of terrorism does not rise again. Do not stop and show no mercy to the murderers.

Do not buckle under pressure... and half hearted effort never works... go full blast!

They will put media and political pressure on you. For God's sake do not buckle this time. If you do, The Army will never again have the upper hand and will never trust you nor forgive you. The soldiers will loose all confidence in the political leadership. They will be frustrated when they will not have the opportunity to take a campaign to the logical end and declare victory. Remember Sir, you can talk to people who understand and who are legal representatives of the people. Not these gun toting terrorists masquerading as religious crowd.

You cannot talk to the ignorants carrying weapons...

You cannot talk to a shadow and certainly not to those who do not understand reasoning and logic. You cannot talk to people who do not accept the constitution and are proud of their ignorance and arrogance. You cannot talk to people with a one track mind. Mindless of their ignorance they think they know all. You cannot talk to people who have no respect for others views. You cannot talk to people who have blood on their hands. You cannot talk to people who are carrying weapons.

Show no mercy if you really want rule of law and hence peace...

See the terrorists who are masquerading as the defenders of the faith threaten The State: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/11-pakistan-begins-military-offensive-against-taliban--07  Now how and why should they ever be shown mercy? Each one of them must be hunted down and brought to justice for murdering thousands of people, blowing up 300 schools and infrastructure and fighting the State. Tell me which State allows armed rebellion and terrorising of its citizens?The government should not listen to the terrorists supporting media and the so called religious people.

Do not allow media to air and reflect views of terrorists...

Any media using the freedom given to them by Pervez Musharraf, air views of the gun toting terrorists who are hell bent on destroying the peaceful and cultural fabric of Pakistan must be closed from publishing or broadcasting. All such anchors and guest should go behind bars if they air or reflect views of terrorists there by aiding and abetting them. You can easily pin them down as pro and anti terrorists journalists, if they are journalists at all. I shall soon be giving an article on it Inshallah.

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.

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.