Folks, please note that I am carrying out some repairs and general upgradation of the website including the weblog section. There is a possibility that during this process some or all sections of the site may not be accessible to my regular readers. However, if everything goes well the site will be up and running in 4-6 hours. Kindly also note that since I am trying to shift my weblog client from Nucleus to Wordpress there might be some changes in the RSS/Atom feeds addresses. Regular visitors will be able to upgrade the feed bookmarks after six hours. Meanwhile the websites that monitor my site and I am talking of the friends/partner sites will be intimated of the new links once the site is operational again. Thank you for your patience and regrets for the inconvenience caused.
Best regards,
Farrukh K Pitafi
Cell: 92-302-8676786
Email: farrukh.khan@pitafi.com
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My column on Balochistan government titled Who should form govt in Balochistan, has been delayed. It will now appear on Monday. However plz note that I do not believe that PMLQ has any right to form government in the province. For reasons you’ll have to wait till Monday. However the presidential quarters should stop conspiring to form one before that. Sir you are jeopardising the federation. So for God’s sake stop
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Today I received an email from Manal Ahmad on behalf of American Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)’s Frontline/world and Christian Science Monitor. The mail invited our readers to preview an investigative video report (See Part 1/ Part 2/ Interview of the reporter) on the Talbanization in Swat and Musharraf’s imposition of emergency (I call it martial law though). It is an excellent and thought provoking work and one should congratulate the reporter and the project team for undertaking and doing full justice to it. Since it features also Pakistani intellectual heavy weights like Aitzaz Ahsan and Ahmad Rashid, the report is highly recommended. You can reach it also through the project’s homepage.
Since I have also been asked to comment I want to clarify two points in the report. In the report Benazir’s assassination and Amir Zeb’s demise have been mentioned in quick succession. That is chronologically correct. However somehow it seems to the observer implying that Benazir Bhutto was also assassinated by the Taliban. Had that been a clear message one would have complained that the project team was taking side of a beleaguered regime on the issue. However that is not clearly the case and let me only limit myself to one clarification. While there is no gainsaying that terrorism and Talbanization pose the single most taxing challenge to the future of the nation, it is a bit premature to conclude that the Taliban were behind Benazir’s assassination. There certainly was a serious coverup regarding that as the evidence was immediately hosed down by the authorities. The citizens of this country are demanding that investigations should take place under UN’s auspices on the pattern of the Hariri probe. Till then it would be unwise to take any side on the issue.
Second the bold reporter says in his interview that Musharraf is more important asset in the war on terror than any other leader. I am sorry but that is the exact approach that has ensured the west’s eight year long blind support for Musharraf’s authoritarian regime. If there is only a way to fight the extremists in this country it is only through democracy and good governance. Musharraf is so detested in this country now, as made evident in the national elections that his only an impediment in the war on terror not a solution.
Instead of writing my own summary of the report here I am copying the email which sums up the entire project quite lucidly and succinctly. (Please do note that some parts of the documentary are a bit graphic hence viewer discretion is advised).
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Dear Mr. Khan,
I’m writing on behalf of the American Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) documentary series FRONTLINE/World. I think that you and the readers of your web blog will be interested in FRONTLINE/World
Breathing space | February 28, 2008
The internet that we use today is nothing new. Decades ago the Yanks had it in their military operations under the name of
Geo Television has brought back Hamid Mir in its program Capital Talk. This certainly marks the change of heart at PEMRA. According to the reports PEMRA’s opposition to Nusrat Javed and Mushtaq Minhas’s return on Aaj TV has also mellowed down. This according to the sources has been possible owing to the international pressure and the solidarity shown by world media and the rights groups. If these crusading journalists ever thought that they were left alone, they know better now. I congratulate these stalwarts and request the ones still under censure to get their dresses ready for their shows. Likewise the ban on YouTube has also been lifted. Democracy is back in the Islamic Republic.
Let me also thank the world media for the solidarity shown. Early yesterday Blogger News Network (BNN)a> carried my story Musharraf’s inquisition: Reason why Youtube was blocked in Pakistan. Apart from the political motivation behind the ban I also pointed out how Pakistan’s best anchors were being kept away from their responsibilities. The world interest proved to be enormous as within no time the story had been viewed near nine thousand times and was widely quoted. While the foolishness of the authorities must have added to this forced U-turn, the world interest in the restoration of democracy in Pakistan. Thank you very much.
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There is a lot of talk going on regarding the fate of the war on terror expecially after the change of the tide in Pakistani politics. Most of these concerns are misplaced because the real partners, the legitimate ones in this war are now taking charge in Islamabad. Pakistan People’s Party the leading part in the alliance has lost its most dynamic leader in a terror attack and will surely work to stall the growth of the scourge regardless of who actually perpetrated the crime. Likewise the Awami National Party is also a perpetual victim of terrorism and extremism. During his tenure Nawaz Sharif also made it evident that he was no friend of the terrorists. If you remember it was during Nawaz’s tenure that the special terror courts were established. What the main parties need to do is to keep Nawaz league away from the splinters of the religious MMA like the Jamaat-e-Islami. PML-N in every aspect is a mainstream national party and its radicalization can really wreak havoc for there would be extremist agenda in the country then. For the time being however there is no imminent threat because the People’s Party is playing its role laudibly. The apology tendered to the Baloch people and the decision to seek parliament’s consent over the reform agenda essentially implying that only negative changes brought by Musharraf regime would be pruned out rather than quashing everything he has done is commendable. Now the important steps taken like the Women Protection Bill and many others in which the People’s Party was a partner will be saved. The same goes for the joint electorate, the special seats for women and many other constructive measures.
These three parties can play fabulous work in reclaiming the popular base lost to the extremists through the healing touch initiative evident. I was surfing the net and found out a very constructive example of the healing touch initiative. The purpose of my pointing it out is that the people in this part of the world are not zombies or beasts. It’s true that there exist folks whose mind works differently. Yet they would find themselves powerless if their distorted worldview loses appeal to the masses expecially the multitude of the poor for the lower classes provide essentially the chief recruiting ground for them. You can win the heart of the poor by understanding their problems and helping them solve them. One has to really appreciate Senator Joseph Biden for repeatedly pointing out how best to do it. Ladies and Gentleman I can see a great Statesman endowed with the best vision here. Thanks again sir.
The story I am highlighting is of a child who has a heartrending facial disease. Shabana the daughter of a war torn Afghanistan has been taken to Rome for the treatment. If the west can understand what it takes to be a moral leader you can count on us to do our due.
Here is the BBC link of the story. Thank you BBC for bringing it to our knowledge:
Shabana’s story of hope against the odds
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A powerful bomb hit today the car of the Surgeon General of Pakistan, the senior most post of the Army Medical Corps (AMC), killing him and seven others on the spot. The attack certainly carries in it a number of messages. For instance what comes in your mind when you hear this? Oh shoot, Pervaiz Musharraf was our man to fight terrorism and now that he has lost and new party is coming in power no one will be able to fight the menace. Likewise you may start doubting the credibility of the army to fight the war when it cannot stop a general from being killed by terrorists so near its own headquarters. But like always the truth may lie elsewhere.
Let us point out that the general killed today was quite an unlikely target. Why? Because even a kid on the street knows that the Army Medical Corps and other technical wings are considered not quite regular part of the mainstream army. That is exactly why Army sided with Musharraf in 1999 when Nawaz Sharif tried to replace him with Ziauddin an engineering corps man. It is hard to understand what purpose could this serve for the terrorists. It should not be forgotten that the moratorium of the Jihadis / Taliban is still not over. In fact they have offered to hold talks with the new government. This trigger happy attack can hardly benefit them for they have been trying to prove that they do not want to keep killing people without a purpose. After all, it was their moratorium or else the army
A powerful bomb hit today the car of the Surgeon General of Pakistan, the senior most post of the Army Medical Corps (AMC), killing him and seven others on the spot. The attack certainly carries in it a number of messages. For instance what comes in your mind when you hear this? Oh shoot, Pervaiz Musharraf was our man to fight terrorism and now that he has lost and new party is coming in power no one will be able to fight the menace. Likewise you may start doubting the credibility of the army to fight the war when it cannot stop a general from being killed by terrorists so near its own headquarters. But like always the truth may lie elsewhere.
Let us point out that the general killed today was quite an unlikely target. Why? Because even a kid on the street knows that the Army Medical Corps and other technical wings are considered not quite regular part of the mainstream army. That is exactly why Army sided with Musharraf in 1999 when Nawaz Sharif tried to replace him with Ziauddin an engineering corps man. It is hard to understand what purpose could this serve for the terrorists. It should not be forgotten that the moratorium of the Jihadis / Taliban is still not over. In fact they have offered to hold talks with the new government. This trigger happy attack can hardly benefit them for they have been trying to prove that they do not want to keep killing people without a purpose. After all, it was their moratorium or else the army
Remind me why were Iraq and Afghanistan invaded? For the sake of democracy and freedom. Is it not a trick of light then that the world’s two most well known and powerful democracies are seen busy rigging the election outcome of Pakistan’s general elections. Not only the leaders of the two countries are repeatedly reminding the people of Pakistan and the winners not to try sacking Musharraf, their agents in Islamabad are untiringly meeting various party leaders and lobbying to broker a settlement between them and Musharraf. Apparently these folks are leaning heavily on the leadership of the People’s Party and other parties to stay away from the PML-Nawaz in government formation. Ironically there was no such move in 2002 when MMA (the Mullah Military Alliance) was included in the government.
In a distantly connected move pressure is mounting on the country’s independent media this time from the foreign quarters to tone down the criticism against Musharraf and accomodate crony journalism so that the incumbent President has some breathing space. In 1999 when Nawaz Sharif sought support from the US against the threat of a military takeover, the response of the administration was quite different. While press statements were issued to warn any potential coupmakers, nothing substantial was done. Could there be any bigger proof of these countries’ glaring double standards? Is it not plain that the invasion of the above two countries was then meant for geopolitical agenda not for democracy or emancipation.
However please don’t jump on quick conclusions. Two developments have actually put a limit to how much the west can influence the post poll situation. First the assassination of Benazir Bhutto has ensured that no one in the People’s Party trusts even Washington. Evidently some can claim that the US also had a role in her assassination for it was the US which lured her to an understanding with Musharraf regime which finally led to her demise. Secondly and importantly, Musharraf is no more in uniform and the army is under severe fatigue owing to Musharraf’s institutional abuse and hence may not want to take part in any dirty business. However if Musharraf does something stupid he might be triggering a bloody military coup the result of which may still be beyond our imagination. Maybe this is what Bush meant when he said Pakistan needs an authoritarian regime.
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Before the elections I kept on reminding my readers that the people of Pakistan especially the lawyers and the journalists were writing an altogether new chapter in the history of democracy. The results have shown just that and have quashed the claims that Muslim countries cannot think democratically. Unfortunately at this time not the people of this country but the western governments are showing that they are not happy with uncontrolled democracy in Muslim or poor countries. Admissions of our struggle has started coming. Here are some of very articles. I will keep updating this post so kindly keep checking.
Where voters are heroes [The Economist]
The End of Musharraf? [Newsweek]
This is Pakistan
In the last book of the Narnia series, there is a very instructive episode where everyone resisting the onslaught of an invading power is thrown to die in a small hut, which turns out to be the door to the paradise. But while everyone benign finds himself in paradise, an unruly group of dwarfs known for attacking both good and evil alike allow their disbelief to make them imagine that they are still trapped in the small cottage. When others try to rescue them, it is learnt that nothing would dissuade the dwarfs from their lack of faith and sheer blindness. We are later told that this happens because they do not have faith in the deep benign magic of
It is being claimed by the telecommunication authorities in Pakistan that youtube was blocked for featuring allegedly blasphemous documentaries. While this move if triggered by this motive is as foolish as burning an entire library just because on a page of one of the books someone has scribbled a couple of words against you, it is far from truth. Actually Musharraf is a very self centered and insecure man these days and has recently learned from his sycophants that Youtube carries many videos critical of his government especially his torture on lawyers and political captives and since during this campaign technology played critical role in influencing people he wants to block out every kind of criticism. Again many citizens have reportedly uploaded video clips showing rigging under process in the constituencies where his allies either won or managed to dilute the verdict. There is distant though connected evidence why this must be true.
The day when the government decided to block Youtube two things happened. First Aaj TV brought back on air two of its anchors banned by Musharraf. The channel was immediately blocked by the satellite operator. The crime of the two anchors (Nusrat Javed and Mushtaq Minhas) was only to doubt Musharraf’s previous claims thinking out loud on television. Musharraf’s this ban has affected many of Pakistan’s leading anchors and opinion leaders of which I am aware of Dr Shahid Masood, Hamid Mir, Asma Sherazi and Kashif Abbasi apart from the above two.
The second thing that happened was the airing of an investigative report by Geo television which showed footage of rigging in the constituencies of Musharraf loyalists made through hidden camera. This too has reportedly not gone down well with Musharraf. Since in the past the regime also tried to block google’s weblog hosting service blogger.com in the name of countering blasphemy, the ban on youtube does not seem anything different. But Musharraf’s toadies are not happy with Pakistani blogs and cable channels too. So a similar ban may follow on these outlets too unless the west pressures him not to do so. This episode however has exposed Musharraf’s liberal credentials and committment to fighting extremism yet again.
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By Baithak.Net
My eyes are under severe strain after having read countless news reports about the US pressuring the victors not to sack Musharraf. I was baffled to read Bush’s statement that Pakistan needs an authoritarian regime. Maybe what he meant was an authoritative government for with his brain power and education level it is really hard to tell. Other reports suggested that the yanks were pressuring Zardari not to form coalition with Nawaz Sharif. Then I also read that they would not be able to impeach Musharraf for either the new parliament would lack strength to do so or else he would dissolve the body. Such reports or at least their underlying message essentially betray lack of imagination and understanding.
Let me answer for your convenience the last part. Musharraf now cannot dissolve the assemblies. Why? Well, though he has the legal provisions to do so, he lacks support among his own appointed army generals and puppet judiciary. Why again? For he is no longer in uniform and the popular mandate has shown that the one who sides with him will be ruined. And let me assure you that the victors have enough votes in the new parliament to sack him.
Then why is the west supporting him now? Because the western leaders are afraid of change. Some of them are concerned legitimately that Musharraf’s exit may change the direction of the war on terror. Others foolishly think that if he stays in power their own human rights record in this part of the world may stay concealed. It is the former that I have to address and the latter you have to answer yourself through your activism.
The entire debate on the war on terror is absurd. We are tired of reading terms for Pakistan a nuclear armed country, the hotbed for Al Qaeda, frontline state in the war on terror. Pakistan, with due respect is more than just that. It is a country of 160 million human beings. Yes human beings with blood which is not an ounce different from that which runs under your skin. Our flesh burns in the fire of terror with the same repugnant smell as yours. Mr Bush just that dim wits like you can understand it our country’s population is no less than eighty percent of yours. Why then all you can see loose nukes and Osama bin Laden’s terror?The fight against the terrorists is our need as much as it is yours. But our only contention is that we live in the eye of the storm. You cannot fight here the way you fight in countries ruined by foreign invasions like Iraq and Afghanistan. The fight here needs smarter techniques and you can learn this much even from any CIA field officer in this region. Here you need improved intelligence and accurate targets. How can you possibly think that a man who has abused country’s institutions and the intelligence apparatus only to stay in power will free enough intelligence resources to do what is due? The fact is that Musharraf’s blind quest to stay in power is a bigger stumbling block in the fight than the west realises. Ask Bruce Reidel he is the same man who fought the Kargil war.
When Musharraf decided to side with the US without any consultation after 9/11 many were angry not because they thought it was wrong to side with the US, nor so that they did not like a self less support, but because they knew what he was doing. While he did not bargain for the economic uplift of his country, he was bargaining for his personal gains and political survival. In a way they thought it was akin to short selling the nation’s economic interest for his own political interest. Many of such friends complained to me that he could have sought a waiver for the country’s foreign debts. On the face of it, this argument seems heartless, but it is not. The US and Pakistan would have known the exact cost, extent and direction of the cooperation and this US investment would not have been absolutely futile. It is now. The US has spent more than $ 10 billion and yet there is no accountability for it. On the other hand the burden of Pakistan’s external loans has only intensified. Musharraf’s haste ensured that no modalities were worked out and as a result he ruled Pakistan as a king on the wealth of the US taxpayers. And since this money is neither with the army nor in the exchequer it can be safely deduced that it was spent to buy political support for the general.
If the west is afraid of Nawaz Sharif then it should know that he is not an extremist either. Granted he committed many a mistakes in the past yet he has learnt many a lessons too. Not only was he deposed but also exiled in such a way that he could not come to the country even to participate in his father’s funeral. If he assailed the free media and the judiciary today he has suffered enough for these two ideals as well. If the west really believes in democracy it should learn to trust in it as well. People who actually supported terrorism have been defeated in elections. Musharraf is no different. By siding with him the west is risking the alienation of those who have stood for democracy and politics of tolerance and human rights in this country. It is high time that the people of the west stand with us to pressure their governments to stop supporting dictators. The western double standards are adding fuel to the fire of extremism. The time to end these double standards has come. If the western leaders still stand with a magalomaniac then we will have to take to the streets. March 9 is coming and no one will be able to stop us now when we know where do the loyalties of the people lie. If we can go out and vote despite the threat of terror, believe me we can face Musharraf’s force and force him to flee. The west especially the US is advised not to jeopardize its own interest by siding with a failing dictator. To charismatic leaders like David Miliband we have to confess that we are deeply disappointed by their support for dictators. Afterall we like western leaders like Obama and McCain because they are struggling to unite their country bitterly divided owing to neo-conservatism. How can you then ask us not to try do the same?
If our conviction is true Musharraf will be gone in a day and that too with some dignity. Please understand that your interests in the region are safe as long as the people of Pakistan are safe and free. Stop treating Pakistan as wasteland infested with zombies. This is your last chance to understand what is in your own interest.
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Breathing space, at last!| Dated February 22, 2008
By Farrukh Khan Pitafi
Late on the election night when the trend of the votes cast was quite clear, I was sitting in a vernacular channel
The government is reportedly leaning on the Swiss court to step up the case against Asif Zardari, the leader of the People’s Party. It is our responsibility to warn Musharraf not to embark on this stupid course. Whatever has been done in the name of the national security in the past is one thing. But if he uses his weak position to confront the leader of Pakistan’s leading political party he will face a blowback that he has not even imagined. Musharraf is not important for the federation anymore, Pakistan People’s Party is. It will be quite rich of Musharraf and his allies to claim that they have documentary evidence against Zardari when the documentary of the incumbent albeit unconstitutional president’s human rights violation record is available in every single household in shape of his taped speeches. From Akbar Bugti and Balach Marri to Benazir Bhutto his words can bring him to the gallows (read capital punishment). The people have spoken and they have given their verdict. It is advisable to bow out respecting that mandate. Failing this the future of the federation would be at stake. Maybe, he needs to consult his own generals before taking any decisions.
Likewise, the western leaders who are leaning on the victors to change the impact of the popular vote are urged to wake up. Sirs, the citizens of this country have not decided in isolation. There is a global reaction against neo conservatism. Many countries have been purged of the neo-cons, others soon will follow. The people of the world are uniting and only that world leader should support a dictator who is ready to be impeached or thrown out of power. Think about it. I am not joking.
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During Musharraf’s long stay in power especially as the army chief, just like sycophancy McCarthyism also took shape of a cottage industry. When someone stays in power for considerable time and you know that he is prone to flattery, in his defence you often start treating everyone opposing him as the enemy of the state. This attitude allowed them to unduly acquire eminence within their organizations as they aware of […]
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By Baithak.Net
Thus far the winning parties have told us what they believe in. But given the state of the federation they need to act now for the mandate essentially has an expiry date on it. If consensus is not reached immediately it may not only benefit those forces who do not want the new parliament to take oath and function. In my view government formation is only important because if it does not take place in time the parliament may face an uncertain future. Now the problem with the government […]
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Results are still coming but trends are clear. If the people of Pakistan are united on a one point agenda it is that they want Musharraf out. They want PMLQ to just disappear. And they want the new government to rethink the policies. But before we make sense of these pointers let me concede some points. I was indeed wrong. The day passed quite peacefully. In my defence let me point out that my conclusions were based on two key assumptions: First, that the government would try to change the verdict per force. Second, the wave of violence evident in the election campaign will extend to the election day owing to the government’s intolerance and the vengeance of the Taliban. Interestingly either the government was caught in surprise as it expected a cakewalk or then it was really that benign. But if it was Likewise, the Taliban declared moratorium for the election. So the chances of bloodshed were understandably reduced. But actual credit goes to the army which not only stayed away from any potential rigging but also deterred any serious breakout of violence. That sirs, is indeed quite graceful thing to do.
Let me also point out that while I had projected a clean sweep for the PPP, whereas there is indeed a divided mandate. However three things are essential if you want to make sense of the change. First, these were essentially anti-incumbency votes. Second, these were Benazir’s posthumous elections and were expected to channelize a wave of sympathy for the terrible loss her party and the nation had to endure. Third, the elections were held against the backdrop of the unending constitutional crisis. Then ofcourse you cannot ignore the ongoing turmoil of food shortage and power outages.
But if you look closely you also see why we have been saying that there is grave danger to the federation. The popular verdict has essentially been divided on ethnic lines. NWFP primarily to ANP, Sindh mainly to PPP and MQM in Sindh Urban and PMLN in Punjab. The country was essentially getting polarized on ethnic grounds and had this ventilation not been allowed the country would have succumbed to painful process of cessation. Fortunately better sense has prevailed and the mandate is clear. Now what we need is a government of national consensus. But while ANP, PPP and PMLN may seem divided on ethnic and ideological lines but they are united as well. These three parties are integral part of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD), which revolted against the APDM’s decision to boycott the elections. Pakistan then is entering into an altogether different phase of coalition governments. We are graduating now to a new level of political maturity. It is time to remember our fallen heroes like Benazir Bhutto and Nawabzada Nasrullah.
Again this is a clear mandate given by the people in support of the media freedom and the independence of judiciary. And end to the PPO & PEMRA’s tyranny and the restoration of the deposed SC judges. I say media freedom because all those who haunted independent media have been just thrown out with vengeance. So we hope to see the faces of our colleagues in media facing PEMRA’s censure back on screen.
And I had once promised to Chaudhry Shujaat, Pervaiz Elahi and Sheikh Rashid that they will not have any say in the parliament or any future government and they will keep searching for their faces on television. That promise too sir is fulfilled. Musharraf had said that if he faces chances of impeachment he would step down. That promise needs to be kept with stealth and grace.
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Only few hours are remaining in the start of the election day and I hence venture to make some predictions. First, this will be by far the bloodiest election day in our history and the start of this bloodshed was witnessed last night when a PML-N candidate was killed with his associates. Second, contradictory as it may seem there will be highest turnout ever. The government may not want it to keep it that way hence in the start it will be dubbed as a […]
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As the country moves slowly and cautiously towards elections, fears are mounting of instability and bloodshed. These fears are compounded by the widespread belief that rigging of enormous proportion will take place during the elections. To top it all the country’s government and the world leaders are behaving as if you can hide these facts from wider attention and get away with it. The band of clowns called PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) is already stifling the little breathing space we had by passing decrees upon decrees banning every possible media activity enabling it as a watchdog. Now we cannot report the progressive results (implying that the official media would have edge over us), we cannot air the interviews of the candidates (no, even soundbites are not allowed), we cannot telecast any complains or charges of rigging no matter how patent, and we cannot even cry out loud for agitation is banned.
Today’s PMLQ ad in the papers clearly though implicitly warns us that if its government is not formed the country will break. Is it just a coincidence that every single voter that I have met (and believe me I have met quite a lot) says that he/she will vote for People’s Party and every reporter I meet says that the army will make sure that the PML-Q candidates win the race. Three things just caught my attention. First, the statement from the western observers stating that they do not expect any substantial rigging to take place. Second, Musharraf’s statement that PMLQ and allies will win the elections (that his media manager is now denying but my sources claim was made nevertheless). Third the example of the constituency that I can see with my naked eyes: NA 150. In NA 150 the brother of the sitting District Nazim is contesting with the PMLQ ticket. Since apart from being brother of the nazim he is also quite affluent and vote buying is on its peak his contest seems a cakewalk. The extent of voter and candidate bribing, that every one admits exists, is such that for a while one is baffled.
It seems that the world wants to feed us to the dogs and hence it is crowding around us clapping and cheering as we go to the dogs.
Army’s involvement, particularly its intelligence agencies’, is not considered something that has ceased to exist. Sir if you cannot defend our rights please don’t call it our army. Or else please stop colonizing us if you cannot fight our enemies. AND I CAN ONLY THANK THE WORLD LEADERS FOR OUR WOES FOR NOBODY REALIZES HOW CLOSE TO DISINTEGRATION HAS THIS COUNTRY COME.
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When Musharraf took fresh oath of office he said that he was aware of the democratic values but the west should not expect Pakistan to be ready for unshackled democracy when the west took centuries to eveolve them. Does any name come to your mind? Edward Said’s Orientalism. For those who are not acquainted with Said’s monumental workI must point here that he unveils a systematic effort to construct an imaginary orient by the western colonialists that would convince their people to support their cause. In this imaginary world the people of the east were portrayed as uncouth and uncultured. While the west might have given up this habit to quite an extent our domestic colonialists like Musharraf certainly want to revive this culture. Pakistanis are a blood thirsty and uncultured people and it is only me (mush-a-rough) who is standing in their way. Remove me and they will attack instantaneously. Pakistanis do not deserve democracy, they can only be given improvised democracy. Don’t conduct opinion polls or else the silly folks here may start taking them too seriously and resort to violence. I know I am very popular and I know everything about Pakistan the country of the terrorists hence don’t question my decisions. All rubbish. Musharraf is a man who has lost his marbles and is now trying hard that if he goes the country is not left in one piece. Where he thinks that the west tries to show even a semblance of principled stance he dubs it an international conspiracy and destroys our peace of mind. Then he goes on to blackmail the west that he will stop cooperating in the war on terror. Oh damn it, o damned one.
Let me tell you why there is a possibility of violence on the election day. Not because the predictions of the pollsters may prove wrong. Everyone knows that the opinion polls can impact the thought process of the west but not of a Pakistani. Why would a Pakistani resort to violence? He may fight because he may learn on the election day that from the polling station where he went to vote, his favourite candidate could not get even a single vote. He may ask where did his own vote go. I know, I know you may consider it a case of immense exaggeration but sir something of the same sort happened during Musharraf’s referendum. If you don’t believe it come and ask anyone. Let me tell you I have absolutely no reluctance in saying that if free and fair elections take place People’s party will break all the records of electoral success. It will be a clear case of overwhelming majority and only three exceptions might be found, 1) MQM in Urban Sindh, 2) ANP in NWFP and 3) Balochistan where nationalists and MMA may bag some crucial points (MMA because of Achakzai’s boycott). No matter what you are told this time there does not exist anything called anti-PPP vote so no question of any faction of Muslim league getting substantial number of seats. The biggest surprise may come from Punjab where the tide may turn absolutely. Hatred towards Musharraf is uniting the entire nation unprecedentedly in support of the People’s party.
But Musharraf will want MMA to win again from NWFP so that he can further blackmail the west, PML-Q to win at the centre and other provinces to escape impeachment. But while there are chances of rigging, it cannot be denied that anti-Musharraf sentiment may just jeopardize lives of Musharraf and his sycophants. If you think army will try to risk its skin to save a liability like Musharraf then wake up. Army will ensure that no large scale violence erupts but please know it that it may not be found too interested in impeding political change regardless of its nature. Today marks the start of the most intense period in Pakistani history but if it is handled properly by the political actors it may offer the greatest opportunity yet.
Coming up by this evening: Uncountable ways to rig the elections (so better stay tuned).
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This Thursday Al Jazeera International aired my live talk in its program 101 East. The talk as you can guess was regarding the upcoming elections. The interview producer very kindly has consented to provide me with the clip of the footage the link of which will soon be plced on my weblog too. Till then I am posting here the summary of the interview. But before I proceed any further to narrate what was said I must say two things. First that I was really moved the professionalism of the Al-Jazeera team. What I observed in the brief interview that the Al Jazeera staff really knows its stuff. Second that since this talk features my personal opinion and whatever is left of Musharraf’s sycophants are getting so damn hopeless that they resort to posting obnoxious language and insulting comments on my weblog I am disabling the comments column.
So here is the summary:
I was asked whether the ‘developmental work’ undertook by Musharraf regime will impact the election outcome. I humbly submitted that I fail to find any substantial development in the country and that whatever progress has taken place has failed to trickle down to the people.
I was then asked to comment on the campaign process and I pointed out that the campaign was lacking in spirits. Since I have first hand experience of running nationwide election campaign I know that the steam has been taken out of the process by the imposition of emergency, the pervasive environment of insecurity and the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
Then the question came about the possible outcome of the elections. (Now this is where the toadies of Musharraf regime will have issues with my opinion even though I know what I am talking about and mean it.) I said that in the event of fair and free elctions, it is my belief that the Pakistan People’s Party would sweep the electorate. However it was quite unlikely that the elections would be fair or free. A huge part of the pre poll rigging has already taken place in the shape of the sacking of the independent judges and stuffing of the election commission with the bankrupt puppets of Musharraf.
These are a few points that were raised and there are others that I have already forgotten. So let us wait till the time I get the footage.
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Only a day after Musharraf warned international and national rights organizations, opinion pollsters and media with dire consequences if they published any opinion polls against his wishes, HRW has come up with documentary evidence featuring the attorney general’s confession on government’s rigging designs. Thank you very much. Whenever we see such courageous acts by the western organizations we have a heart and feel that we are not alone. I think that the conscientious organizations and people should overlook Musharraf’s threats and work for the cause of democracy. A dictator might feel threatened by the opinion polls but they are part and parcel of the democratic system. Either we can impose self censorship and by doing so strengthen the dictator who is counting his final days in power or work for democracy.
Here is the audio file for your listening: Pakistan: Attorney General Aware of
Change is nigh and the world is watching the US presidential race with increasingn interest. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have both managed to stay in the race with considerable grace. Having read the writings of both the leaders it is difficult for me to tell who has promise. Obama’s Audacity of hope and Clinton’s Living history both tell us how safe the world would be if either of the two come to power. But while we still cannot say who would win the race one thing is for sure. We now know that the democratic vote is divided right in the middle. It means that the if the democrats have to tap their vote fully they would have to think beyond this race and focus on the White House instead. It may stupid but is the democratic vote not tell these two leaders what it wants? The need for the two leaders to team up and wage the war for a democratic return? Who wins in the race might be clear in a couple of weeks but what do you do with the one who loses? The one who loses could naturally be the candidate for the vice president. I know to the conservative ears this sounds absurd. A woman teaming up with a black? But honestly of all the people the conservatives need to shut up for the current chaos is their creation. The US today needs not merely a change but a dramatic change to bring things back in order. The American people should know that if this doesn’t happen they themselves are under threat. If you don’t know what the neo-cons and the Fox news culture can do to you please recall Christorpher Reeve (our old super man who died immediately after the last presidential debate, heartbroken).
The prospect of such a synergy however dismays me about one curious loss. I have developed liking for Joe Biden. Until now I had hoped that the front runner would be clear and then Biden could work as his VP candidate but since he has declared that or so I have heard that he would not be the candidate for the VP post, one can hope that a person of such a clibre can be the country’s Secretary of State.
Let us focus now on the Republican candidacy. The outcome is getting clearer and with great hope. McCain is the best candidate one could have hoped to lead the Republicans. But there are still some very important loopholes. Any Republican candidate cannot deny the fact that as long as they win the neo-cons would have ways to reinvent themselves and return to power. McCain could distance himself from the neo-cons by bringing a victim of their conspiracies as his vice president. Let us for a second think who. Hmm if I were an American voter there is one man I would have voted blindly for no matter in which boat he stood: yes, you have guessed it right: General Colin Powell.
The world has become a dangerous village and we need truckloads of hope. The US has a great chance of returning to the mantle of the world’s moral leader by choosing well. And through this note I want to answer those of my critics who think that I am lean on the western analysis of the Pakistani political situation. Folks, the world is a shrinking place and the west also is ready to listen to us in its own domestic matters. Let us then join hands and defeat the reductionist forces of neo-conservatism everwhere. The time to act is now and let us forget all divisions to fight for our collective survival.
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By Baithak.Net
If you think there was any room for conscience in the actions of states, please try to rethink the things through. The establishments of all countries behave in same fashion. While the western leaders pay great lip service to the cause of democracy their hearts remain with the dictators. Take the example of Keith Ryan’s alleged suicide. Do you know what would have happened had it taken place during a democratic government’s […]
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So Michael Hayden had to speak at last. He reckons or at least pretends that “Al-Qaeda”’s Baitullah Mehsud is involved in the assassination of Mohtarma Bhutto. Is it not interesting? Well you bet it is because apparently here is the world’s most powerful agency’s head making a fool of himself. The joke is in the deeply embedded in the very narrative for if Mr Hayden reveals only his ignorance by overlooking the subtle difference between the Taliban […]
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PESHAWAR, Jan 28: Several journalists escaped unhurt when their vehicles came under fire from militants and security personnel on the Peshawar-Kohat highway near Darra Adamkhel.
One of the vehicles was hit by four bullets. Saiful Islam Saifi and Syed Amir Ali Shah, both of Al Jazeera TV, and Mian Asif, of News One TV, managed to pull themselves out. The vehicle was partially damaged.
The reporters and photojournalists travelling from Peshawar were attacked at around noon when they were two kilometres from the Friendship Tunnel.
The Pakistan Spectator today published my interview. Since it features my candid thoughts on different aspects of life including the blogophere, the poltical conditions in the Islamic Republic and a bit of my mundane life I think it may interest you. So here is the link:
http://www.pakspectator.com/interview-with-blogger-farrukh-khan-pitafi/
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By Baithak.Net
There is a very interesting and instructive story narrated in the opening chapters of Alif Laila, the proverbial Thousand Nights and One Night or Arabian Nights. In this story a man wakes up to learn that he has the gift to understand the talk of the animals.
One day he overhears a talk between two creatures that one of his owned animal will soon die. He promptly rushes with the said animal and sells it off. Then he learns that another animal will […]
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Any conjecture on Keith Ryan would be premature at this hour however his death indeed leaves behind some harrowing questions. Why would a diplomat despite having worked in uncountable stressful places all of a sudden commit suicide? Why such things are only happening in Pakistan? After all, these days you don’t even find diplomats killing themselves even in Iraq or Afghanistan. Why would the US state department keep this sorry incident so low profile and be so gullible to accept the Pakistani version? And could there be possibility of crime in it?
Ryan, 37, was an attache for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. His previous assignments included his work with the violent gang task force of the Border Patrol and the Immigration and Naturalization Service. It is difficult for a tough guy like him to crumble under the pressure of some unknown pressures. He is said to be without any history of suicidal tendencies. However the country’s secret police essentially has a long history of such crimes in which the victim is shown to have ended his own life. And then of course there is a long history of mysterious murders. From the assassination of Benazir Bhutto to that of Daniel Pearl there is an unimpeachable history and if we can predict one thing with confidence it is that like so many mysterious deaths this riddle will also never be solved.
Another important aspect of the sorry episode is the agency the young man worked for. While these things go unnoticed, his work for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency could be of great explanatory value. The country has huge trade of human smuggling with many influentials involved in it. If you have forgotten please remember that Chaudhry Shujaat’s brother Chaudhry Wajahat was detained a few days ago in London and then deported. The Chaudhries of Gujrat have huge investment in human smuggling and it is fairly well known internationally. Interestingly while Wajahat is not even an MP anymore Pakistan’s foreign office called an office bearer of the British High Commission and scolded him for the episode. This otherwise seldom happens. But you can gauge the influence of the Chaudhries by the fact that when last time Pakistan had to face international pressure instead of throwing out the Chaudhries the poor interior minister had to face the brunt. Even today they have broken all the records of negative political advertising and are found publishing crude language in their ads. In short Keith Ryan’s death could be an attempt to cover up the sad human trafficking business in Pakistan. Maybe his father who works for Boston Globe can put more pressure on the US State Department and the FBI to take the incident more seriously, through his media contacts.
PS: Musharraf has created a culture of insecurity in the country where anyone can be kidnapped by the agencies or killed and the people blamed for such incidents are none other than the terrorists. The only man who stood up against this in the judiciary has been sacked with his fellow judges already. No hope of justice in this country then.
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A number of retired chiefs of the Pakistan army, air force and navy have asked President Pervez Musharraf [Images] to step down and pave the way for restoring democracy.
‘General (retired)Pervez Musharraf does not represent the unity and the symbol of the federation as President,’ Pakistan Ex-Servicemen Society, an organisation working for the welfare of retired military personnel, said.
‘He should resign from his office of the president and this is in the supreme national interest and makes it incumbent on him to step down,’ it said in a statement.
Apart from the retired service chiefs, dozens of former commanders and some retired junior commissioned officers, who met in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on Tuesday, blamed Musharraf for the current crisis in Pakistan and asked him to step down.
The society is headed by Lt Gen (retired) Faiz Ali Chishti, once a key member of late Gen Zia-ul-Haq’s regime. Former army chief Gen Mirza Aslam Beg and former ISI chief Lt Gen Hamid Gul also attended the meeting. The ex-servicemen said an impartial, effective, independent and credible Election Commission should be appointed after consultations with all political parties.
They also appreciated army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kiyani’s directive to serving officers to abstain from taking part in political activities.
http://ia.rediff.com/news/2008/jan/23pak.htm
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This comment should have come a bit earlier but I could not do justice to it earlier. The change at ISPR is a welcome thing. The new DG ISPR comes from a legacy of media savvy folks. This had become essential after the group was seen clearly being partisan to the media practitioners blindly spreading conspiracy theories in support of Musharraf. But this is not enough. ISPR is an interesting organisation but it still retains the fat bureaucracy that was seen busy in serving Musharraf. Still the organisation is busy making space for so many sycophants in the country’s leading newspapers and channels. Yet that is not the responsibility of the ISPR. How can it do justice to its work when the same pattern continues without any reluctance. The new ISPR leadership needs to carry out cleansing of its stables and work only on the security related issues.
Likewise the country’s another important establishment namely the ISI is still busy in political and media manipulations. The reason of this is because the current DG ISPR is not only a close confidante of Musharraf but is also distantly related to him. Till the time change doesnt come there too there is little chance that some justice can be done to the country’s intelligence needs or to the war on terror. Another sad example is the Director General Military Operations. The gentleman was so partisan that he did not flinch from submitting an affidavit to the apex court submitting that he had indulged in spying the judges upon the deposed Chief Justice’s instructions. It was clearly a move to discredit the chief justice but since an intelligence operative who had nothing to do with the job had confessed under oath of indulging in things not suited to his profile he should have been sacked if not court martialled. But it seems whosoever is associated with Musharraf can get get away with the crime he indulges in. The army needs to shed the load of a politician who has doffed his uniform and stop sufferring for his crimes and excesses. This is only how it can regain its lost stature and popularity among the citizens.
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They say when a man gets desperate it starts showing in his actions. Musharraf’s recent tour to Europe and ‘accidentally’ meeting with an Israeli minister yet again is just another example of the attitude. International opinion about Musharraf is no more benign towards Musharraf so in order to prove that he is enlightened minded he keeps meeting the Israelis. Since Pakistan has maintained a foolishly stubborn or maybe clumsily hypocritical policy towards Israel he certainly believes it pays the dividend. While this might be a desperate action easily understandable, our Israel policy sure enough poses huge questions.
Why should Israel be the only place under the sun where a Pakistani is not allowed to go by his own government? Why should it be treated a foremost pariah when it poses no direct threat to Pakistan? If Israel is so evil, and that would imply that its human rights record is far grosser than any of our powerful allies or even us (which doesn’t seem to be the case) why should we be secretly working with it for last three decades? And above all, if the Arab states, being the actual party to Middle Eastern conflict, have recognised it, should we wait till the formal creation of an independent Palestinian state before recognising it?
There are certain secretive aspects of the story that might not be that much well known to the general audience. For instance if you have not read the Charlie Wilson’s War, you may not know that Pakistan kept receiving and redistributing the Israeli weapons during the Afghan Soviet conflict. Likewise, it is believed that the huge humanitarian aid that came to Pakistan through Turkey after the 2005 earthquake was actually sent by the Israelis. Israel has no record of open hostility towards Pakistan and many a times worked as a distant and obscure ally than an enemy. The moral aspects of the issue are interesting too. I know our Arab friends may get offended by the very idea but the fact remains that now every country is treating every other without consultation with any other friend. For example we have been told by all of our allies that India is a different reality and we should not worry about their improving relations with India. That’s true. But the real question is that when the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia after becoming the King chooses to first go to India as a guest of honour at its symbolic national day parade, should retain the same attitude towards the Israelis? Or if China has for all practical purposes revised its Kashmir policy, should we keep behaving as if Taiwan does not exist?
Pakistan’s attitude towards Israel has been mostly funny. For instance our passports have it in it published that we can go to any country except for Israel. Does it not imply an implicit recognition of Israel? Now we know that Musharraf is very unpopular. He is requested to place the national interest above his personal interest, and instead of giving half baked signals to Israel for personal and momentary gains, should recognise it when he is already on his way out. In this way at least he would be reducing the moral pressures on the future governments by different quarters and reducing the country’s burden of unnecessary hostilities. The right time to do it has arrived but it should be done for the nation not for one man.
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As the school hostage drama unfolds in the tribal areas of the country, Musharraf must be thanking his lucky stars. It is no secret that Musharraf had to face gruelling criticism during his current European itinerary and had become a laughing stock. He was certainly to lose more face had something terrible not taken place in Pakistan. The former General with the help of this incident may succeed to sell to the west the fear of the alternative (FOTA). If you do not help us, the terrorists will take over. It is unclear whether the west will buy it this time but now it should not be a secret to anyone that Musharraf’s friendship is more the sine qua non for fighting terrorism as there is now a full time army chief in the country.
When the former general returns to Pakistan he might have to return to the same world of uncertainty that he has created. The plot against him does not carry an expiry date and those executing it want him to be subjected to more public humiliation. What however really baffles me is the level of understanding between Musharraf and the terrorists because whenever he grows weak we are reminded the alternative could be far too dangerous. No more sir, the country now has better alternatives and his departure may reduce the clout of the terrorists rather than increasing it.
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Geo News has finally been restored fully as its transmission is now visible on the cable network. Team Geo and Geo administration deserve congratulations and the proverbial shabash. But above all Geo Network’s owners deserve every bit of our appreciation for having weathered the storm and showing solidarity with its viewers and staff. Usually when the business suffers the administration is expected to go on massive lay offs and cut offs. Yet nothing of the sort happened at Geo despite the humungous volume of the loss. Meanwhile, the ban has exposed the government’s dictatorial nature and no one now has any illusions about Musharraf’s so-called democratic credentials. A proof of this is Musharraf’s European itinerary in which he is hounded by the protesting expatriates and critical foreign media and intelligentsia alike.
Anyway, Congratulations Geo and well done!
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By Baithak.Net
