The Plan To Topple Pakistan Military

There is no doubt that Chowk is the BS Central of the world but this article is the king of all BSs. Jeez

This is a crap article. I could not go on beyond 3 paragraphs. Qureshi is certainly not a journalist. He is a propagandist. A new low for Chowk...

Qureshi, wake up and smell the coffee!!! We have a civil society in Pakistan that is demanding independence of institutions. Do not tivialise our aspirations.

If you want to support a dim-wit DICTATOR that is your prerogative, but respect your opponents.

Good enough story for a bollywood movie.

But

Qureshi sahab,

Please get into some drug rehabilitation program before its too late.

I am sure that US is not an angel, and as far as the their intentions are concerned, they might be the same as you say, but who the hell gave them the chance to interfere in the matters of Pakistan.

Why BLA popped up? Are we doing justice to Baluchistan since independence? So don't blame them for BLA; its natural reaction. And yes, any bloody enemy will take benefit of your internal strife; this is called taking benefit from opportunity; remember we supported Khalistanis. But again why you allowed this internal problem to pop up at the first place.

As great Arabic poet Abul Alaa Mu'arry is depicted as saying in one of Iqbal's poem, "hay jurm-e-zaeefi ki saza marg-e-mafajaat". So buddy wake up.... If they are upto something then its your fault and no one else to blame for it. And yes, which is the institution that governed Pakistan for more than half of its age. Shouldn't you blame them...........

So all of this is a smoke screen to cut the army down to size?


It appears from the author's write up that the army is asking for another $10 Billion to allow Benazir to sit on the throne
(that she was almost killed while sitting on another throne recently is another point....)

The author lets the cat out of the bag at the end when says:

"The Americans have been telling everyone in the world that they have paid Pakistan $10 billion dollars over the past five years. They might think this gives them the right to decide Pakistan’s destiny. What they don’t tell the world is how Pakistan’s help secured for them their biggest footprint ever in energy-rich Central Asia.

If they forget, Islamabad can always remind them by giving them the same treatment that Uzbekistan did last year."

Ahmed Quraishi needs to smoke some really good stuff - or he is cribbing the good stuff has stopped coming in from Afghanistan.

Great piece on the anguished life of an army brothel -- I am glad Chowk published it as a 'balancing' view from the 'other' side.

Even a praciticing prostitute is entitiled to dream -- once a while -- about celibacy self respect and self esteem -- after servicing the 9/11 clients day and night for 9 years going into 11.

very refreshing!

was not paki military toppled in a racecourse ground a few decades back?

Warning: The following may be offensive to professors of Poultry Science and or Sexology at minor American colleges.

The author gives too much credit to Indians in the attempts to topple Musharraf.

The Indian Cabinet of Ministers regularly meets to conduct circle-jerks after which it recesses promptly and goes to Sonia Gandhi's house to get permission to engage in the same activity again.

If Manmohan Singh does not participate fully in this, that is because he was neutered long ago. Nevertheless, he is a hanger-on and an accomplice.

Please do not give too much credit to people who normally run around like a chicken with its head cut off, to quote Ambassador Ronen Sen.

Even when their heads were firmly attached to their bodies, these people were bested in any intellectual exercise by chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, partridges, quail, Cornish game hens or other fowl.

Quraishi Sahib, you just missed a fine point in your nonsense conspiratorial propagandistic rhetorical anti-US gibberish written article, and that is the overwhelming influence peddled by KSA. If you consider that Pakistan is free from the clutches of KSA, just evaluate what happened to Musharraf’s last visit to KSA, where he pleaded King Abdullah not to allow Nawaz Shariff to return back to Pakistan. As reported the King kicked Mush’s behind, and ordered him to allow Nawaz Shariff back in his home country. That is the power of KSA’s wealth that the lap dancer’s of Pakistan’s military are now used to for all these years since Zia. Open your mind and see what is happening behind the scene, and face the facts. Pakistani ruling elite have sold Pakistan to the highest bidder, and the highest bidders are the petro-dollars.

My theory is that Ahmed Quraishi's articles are being included on chowk to make masadi look rational...

this dude is bat-shit crazy..

Seriously pakis? who's being fooled...the US has already bombed pakis on paki soil..what's the point of expressing outrage when you can't do jack squat?

Bush could send troops into Pakistan to strike Bin Laden

* Pakistan terms such action ‘unacceptable’ and ‘counter-productive’

ISLAMABAD: The US would send troops into Pakistan if intelligence was received enabling a strike at Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, AFP quoted US President George W Bush as saying on Wednesday.

Pakistan angrily reacted to the US president’s remarks he made in an interview to CNN, by saying, “such concerns have been expressed on a number of occasions. We have made it clear that any such action would be unacceptable.”

Bush reaffirmed his confidence in President Musharraf’s commitment in the war against terror and also acknowledged the difficult situation in combating terrorists along rugged mountainous areas bordering Afghanistan. Bush said he is thankful to Pakistan for its key cooperation in the fight against terror, reported APP.

About Musharraf, Bush said, “He has been an absolute reliable partner in dealing with extremists and radicals, and it’s a tough situation in the remote parts of Pakistan. But there are many examples of where the Pakistanis have, in cooperation with the US, brought to justice members of Al Qaeda’s hierarchy. And I’m thankful for that.”

Troops unacceptable: Foreign Ministry spokesman Muhammad Sadiq told a private TV channel on Thursday that any direct action by US troops would be counter-productive, NNI reported.

Sadiq said that Pakistan and the US were partners in the anti-terror war and the positions of both are well defined and understood.

He said Pakistan’s own forces had carried out operations against Al Qaeda and other ‘terrorist entities’ and that they would pursue the same policy in future.

Last year, Bush caused uproar in Pakistan when he made a similar declaration.

When reminded of the declaration and asked in the interview about his current views, the US president said his stance had not changed. agencies

Nuts!

dayumn....masadi..I owe you an apology...this guy is way out of your league..

surely this guy can't be real...if he is, then al-lah created him solely for the mocking pleasure of the horrible hindoos

http://www.ahmedquraishi.com/article_detail.php?id=92

Why Pakistan Needs To Avoid South Asia

ISLAMABAD— Pakistan adjusted its identity and national security direction at three crucial times in its history; first after Pakistan’s independence; second, after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; and third, after 9/11.



And in each time, the Middle East and the United States were the common denominators. Our interests overlapped with Washington’s and, at the same time, our umbilical cord with West Asia was further emphasized.



After each one of the three historic events, Pakistan became more integrated with its Middle Eastern and Central Asian roots. Moreover, those events unintentionally helped deepen and broaden the definition of Pakistani nationalism that would have otherwise been exclusively centered on India.

Islamabad should change its official line gradually and quietly. Pakistan is not part of South Asia. Instead, Pakistan is a borderline state between West, Central, and South Asia. Pakistan’s historic, cultural and ethnic ties to West and Central Asia must be vigorously emphasized and given priority over any ties to South Asia.



Pakistan’s state television should take the first step in that direction. Weather bulletins must not show Pakistan as an extension of South Asia. A better replacement could be a map showing the country as an extension of West and Central Asia.

"Pakistan has no quarrel with Afghanistan’s Taliban."?

this in sum is the crux of the article!!

Quraishi sahib,

An excellent article with very deep insights. I always believed that India had a hand in all this but could not really articulate my suspicion. Your precise logical analysis with empirical substantiation and insightful querries have convinced me that what I suspected is true. I really hope that the pride of Pakistan, its army, does not get weakened. And by the way, please do not pay any attention to these chowky idiots. They will be all over you with NGO type assertions. Just brush them off. You sir rule. By the way is there any chance that you would care to join the discussion in the interacts space? If you do I, at least, will be much obliged.

Great piece and keep up the good work for Pakistan.

A very good article in line with the dominant paki world view, Pakistanis are impotent pawns in an american game.

Only thing they got is the book, and one should support the jihadis, because they follow the book.

Great.

Good to know that indians are also actively pushing the pakis around.

"Frederick W. Kagan and Michael O’Hanlon, representing deeply conservative and supposedly liberal think tanks respectively, also hinted at the possibility of neutralising Pakistan’s weapons. Their joint comment coincided with a report on which the NYT had sat for three years, at the Bush administration’s behest, to the effect that the US had been helping Pakistan since 2001 to keep its nuclear weapons secure.

There is a better way of dealing with this contingency. Nuclear weapons were always a bad idea for Pakistan. They are now evidently threatening its sovereignty. It could — and should — set an excellent example by doing away with them altogether."

The above is from mihir ali of dawn.

At last there are some sensible people in pakistan talking about the north korean option for pakistan.

As long as pakistan has the bomb, the americans will not let them live in peace. Pakis will alawys be made impotent.

For the first time ever, the indian airforce is participating in a red flag joint exercise with the nato and the US.

Quraishi saab, how about considering de-nuking of pakistan as good option, to set the country free.

There is a saying, a rabit, in this case a feral goat, cannot shit like an elephant, by trying to emulate india in making the bomb, pakis have done just that, and all of their innards are out there for the americal vultures to pick on.

Ama yaar Ahmed Quraishi, why would anyone go to all that trouble to make Mushy do his (or her) bidding when all they need to do is to call the man on the phone.

An all time low for CHOWK.

I have had to put up with reading political nonsense

here for the past couple of months.

Bahot Khoob Quraishi Sahib, too much hot air here for me.

Democracy is really the only way forward.

Please address that in your future articles.

Too many conspiracy theories do not make up for real

analysis. Such loose canon such....

We talk about democracy being the only way forward, in a country like Pakistan where literacy rate is extremely low, the masses are manipulated by either the land owners or the mullah's in the name of religion. What good is the democracy that allowed both Sharif and Bhutto to get away with murder, raping and pillaging of country's resources. If these two were such leaders concerned about the welfare of Pakistan they should have stayed in the country and fought the charges against them so their names can be cleared. Of course they chose to leave the country under self imposed exile or a deal and wait for the opportune moment to come back.
We don't need the army running the country but we also don't need the same two thugs that have already shown what they will do once they get power.
It is time for Pakistani's to either pick new and honest leaders or live with dictators.

YOUR article is highly readable . There are lot of true facts in it . But u miss a few points.pak army is not an angel . its officer corps do live like kings. Every officer gets scores of plots, house,flat . Millions of acres have been given to them . The detauls given in Ayesha'Siddiquas book are correct . Nobody would have noticed the book had it not contained truth . Secondly it is a blatant lie on your part that the investment in nuclear programme is funded by militarys alternative financial sources(military's commercial businesses) and thats why they are being targeted for defamation . the fact is that nuclear programme is entirely funded by taxpayers . The fact is that pak army and its supporters like you can hardly complain of american plans . Ha not pak army always called for american intervention to solve kashmir problem? It has recieved 10 billion dollars in aid from america . It has decided to again buy F16s from america even after previous bad experience . Pak army became American ally by choice and now it must pay the price for it . If today Americans want to cap our nuclear program,are they not justified?We know Qadir Khan sold technology everywhere with full knowlege of generals . yet you make it seem that pak army is totally innocent party that is being unjustably targeted . the nuclear program was set up by civilian pm ZAB and we know what the army did to him . As far as baluchistan is concerned Baluchis have a just grievance also . Pak army has allotted thoysands of acres across the baluch coastline to build housing colonies . All this would turn baluchis into redindians. Bugti became a rebel only and only after the military made plans to set up 3 cantonements in his area . Why?Just to steal gas.

So while as pakistani i am against american plans to cap our nuclear capability , i will not support mush or the officer corps . They deserve punishment for enriching themselves while losing every war to india .

Lets not redicule.He has put forth a view that has some substance.

#@22,

I fully agree, those pakistanis denigrating the author are the ones who do not want to accept the reality that most pakistanis beleive that they can do nothing, they are an impotent lot.

The man has told the truth according to the pakistanis. Let us give him credit.

In this country, there has always been a consensus that the United States will take direct military action if it has “actionable intelligence” suggesting that Al Qaeda leaders are hiding at a particular place anywhere in the world, including Pakistan.

President Bush’s first statement on this issue was discussed in both houses of the US Congress and both Republican and Democratic lawmakers agreed that nothing should prevent the United States from taking direct military action, not even Pakistan’s angry reaction.

Among Pakistani politicians, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto is aware of America’s position on this issue and that’s why she has indicated that if elected, she may allow direct US military actions against Al Qaeda targets.

The above is from dawn of today. The daughter of the east is the need of the hour, and it reinforces the authors view.

Any supporters for North korean option for pakistan.

The meaning of democracy.

from dawn of today


What a contrast!


THIS is with reference to a minor news report carried by the national and international press regarding frisking of Indian army, navy and air force chiefs at airports.

The report goes on to state that India’s civil aviation ministry has refused to exempt the chiefs of Indian armed forces from being frisked at airports on grounds that it would lead to similar demands from other authorities.

After reading this report, I am beginning to understand why India is a democracy, and why we have strayed from that path. While Indian armed forces’ chiefs are frisked at airports, we are only reminded of the ugly incident wherein the son of our infamous ex-law minister beat a fellow passenger black and blue when the latter demanded that the former be subjected to security checks like all other passengers.

What a load of crap!!!

First I get the same thing in my mail box to which I send a befitting reply. Now the same thing gets it place on first page of Chowk.

Sometimes I wonder why it takes a ages for good stuff to come on Chowk whereas every piece of crap makes it to Chowk daily. This one is no exception

Dear Chowk Staff,

Delightfully abysmal post such as these deserve nothing but our sincere gratitude for exposing the workings of Pakistani propagandists.

Afghanistan, under America’s watch, has turned into a vast staging ground for sophisticated psychological and military operations to destabilize neighboring Pakistan.

Now if only this statement were true, it would gladden our hearts. For years, Pakistan has treated Afghanistan as its backyard, indulging in all kinds of dirty tricks to the point that it almost turned the country into a failed state - the Taliban staffed with Paki Army regulars and Paki pilots flying their airforce planes and what not? And now we have Pakis accusing Afghanistan of doing the same. Karma is catching up with Pakistan I think.

A lot of ridicule - some grudging acceptance - a little civility and commendation, spiced with a wee bit of doubting on Pak Army's "hidden workings"!
Seriously, haven't you chaps heard of the 'jewish conspiracy/protocols of the elders of zion' [Moscow, 1895], Why were the 2000 years of wandering suddenly turned into a neat enclave for the "12 lost tribes" and that chap Balfour planted? Why did the 'pograms' of Hitler happen?; how did the world take notice of that ridiculous Huntington's 'clash of civilisations'; or 'the end of history'; who encouraged the Armed Forces Journal to bring up 'blood borders' right in the middle of the desperation of bloodied Iraq?? - a follow-up to the set-up job with the Russians for creating 'the BLA'? And the Indians conveniently be-friending the Northern Alliance, and becoming their godfathers, with really cozy arrangements on the Afghan-Pakistan borders?? - and, finally, the 'neo-con agenda'??
Why is it that nobody - but nobody - talks of the many 'jewish, ready-to-defrag' bombs & nukes? But, omigosh!, so much cussedness and frothing on the 'islamic bomb'??!!
Those of you who sound-off about the "b-s" and "crap" and "nonsense' and whatnot, do give your little grey cells a bit of fresh-air, and 'thiMk'!!
Relax - this whole space is a non-sequiter: but do pray to The Almighty that Created you!!

In fact the author accurately points out numerous forces working simultaneously in Pakistan, but the correlations he draws between them are wishful thinking at best, and simplistic fantasy at the worst.

#28 Posted by harish_hyd

For years, Pakistan has treated Afghanistan as its backyard .. now we have Pakis accusing Afghanistan of doing the same.

This is true. Pakistan is now indeed Afghanistan's backyard.

Note the following excerpt from the latest Osama Bin Laden audio:

"They will go back to their homelands beyond the Atlantic, and they will leave the neighbors to finish off their interests among themselves,"

Re: # 28
yes pratitya samutpada is the reality

Two words:

(a) Paranoia
(b) Conspiracy theory fantacism
(c) bad interpolation

okay 6 words.

Currently, it is confusing Pakistan and pakistanis as to what is happening to them. Floundering around loking for a rationale to join the dots and create a smoke screen for the failings, on a grand scale, of the elite and the establishment.

But first things first.

(a) Hang the picture of jinnah everywhere but forget him. he is of no use right now 60 years after pakistan has been founded.
(b) bring in rule of law - equality of law, equality of RIGHTS and DUTIES
(c) usher in One-man One-Vote (OMOV). FORGET DEMOCRACY FOR NOW, this aint gonna happen. But OMOV is a starter.
(d) Ensure no civiian rushes to the Army and begs it to take over the running of the country as has happened in the past. This is an invitation for disaster.

After that get down to the nitty-gritty and gets hands and mnds dirty in trying to run the country.

Authors fantasm beggars belief though.

#31 Posted by zeemax on November 30, 2007 3:45:26 am

Pureland is also America's testing ground for hellfires..

US to target Al Qaeda hideouts inside Pakistan, says Bush

By Anwar Iqbal


WASHINGTON, Nov 29: US President George W. Bush has said that he will still send American troops into Pakistan if he gets actionable intelligence that Osama bin Laden and other Al Qaeda leaders are hiding somewhere in the country.

Last year, Mr Bush caused uproar in Pakistan when he declared that he would authorise direct US military action if he had evidence that senior Al Qaeda leaders were hiding somewhere in the country.

Later, US officials assured Pakistan that while they retained the option to target Al Qaeda leaders anywhere in the world, they would take no action that could destabilise a friendly government.

In an interview to CNN on Wednesday evening, Mr Bush was reminded of his earlier declaration and asked if this was still his position. “Yes,” he said.

“Has not changed?” the interviewer asked. “No, has not changed,” said Mr Bush.

Mr Bush, however, acknowledged Pakistan as a key ally in the war against terror and praised its cooperation in bringing Al Qaeda leaders to justice.

In Pakistan, the US position on sending troops to target alleged Al Qaeda hideouts inside the Pakistani territory is seen as contradictory to Washington’s claim that Islamabad is a key ally in the war against terror. But in the US, this issue is viewed differently.

boy, people seem to want to spend time on this article....(guilty here as well)....but 34 interacts...I am surprised.

You guys have plenty of time on your hands.....

Re: # 26 #27 by rf786 vanguard

Seeing how some people seem scared by this article, lends credence to the theory of the author. However, I only disagree him in justifying the stance taken by Musharraf against this JOINT effort of US and india to destabilize Pakistan. Even if Musharraf has correctly decoded this plan, he has been unable to raise an effective counter initiative. He has only helped the agenda of destabilization of Pakistan progress faster. Did not he really helped it when he launched operation in Wazirstan and now in Swat to turn Taliban against us so as to make them vulnerable to be used against us. Please note, beofore these operations, their full attention was only to root foreign elements out of Afghanistan. If FOREIGN elements are to expelled from the borders of Pakistan and Afghanistan, then first and foremost, US and NATO forces should leave the terriotry. Their very presence lets credence to the presence of other "foreign" elements over there. Mr. Musharraf should take a tougher stance rather than the cringling attitude he has adopted.

Re: # 35 iron_mask

I am a casual visitor here, but I think Ahmed Qureshi has done a nice job with this analysis. You only tried to ridicule him, but did not put forward any of your own arguments against his. If you have any, please do share.

What a crappy article! If it had come to me in the snailmail box, I would have used it as toilet paper

Re: # 38 muqaddam

What do you mean by referring to "toilet paper". Your own thought seem to be rotten! I would request editors to ban people who simply ridicule a poster without talking sense and logic.

I am really angry to the low role given to indians in this article. Also there is no mention given to hindus!! NONE ! What is this, how come there is no discussion of "chanakya" or "bania mentality" or "hindu cunning" or "brhaminical fascism".

As an indian and hindu, I feel pretty insulted. All the credit for the bravery of the pakistani lawyers (now there is some real steel and stamina) and demos by media, students and others is going to the USA!

Not fair and not true. We are are much more trickier than Jon Stewart and far more subtle than the barbarian american ruling class. Please give credit where it is due!

Also, I forgot, there is no mention of joos !! At least it should have mentioned zionism, which is terrible plot to enslave the entire world. They are the real master race - forget about these altu-phaltu hindus who are busy worshipping their 2,340,0003 gods and so have little time to do anything else.

What is this, yaar ! America is run by Joos - just look at Bill Gates and George W. Bush. All Joos in secret! - yup, thats is the real hidden secret of zionism.

Maybe your next article should deal with this topic?

Re: # 40 pmishra2

Pretty neat. Hit pakis where they really get hit - get emotional like foolish Musharraf. You love us, don't you!

I would rather ask about the high role being displayed by indians in Kabul and Afghanistan and instigating unrest in Baluchistan?

And thanks for the credit for civil society in Pakistan though!

Re: # 37 please see chowk UP and also the following http://chowk.com/interacts/13060/1/0/32#349976 (i.e ineract #5)

Hopefully, you have now become aware of the concept of shooting yourself in the foot, if you were not before! ;-)

Re: # 4o PM2 you are being way to subtle

Re: # 41 pmishra2

Please don't try to befool people with your emotional rhetoric. Put forward facts. If you have any argument against the theory presented by the author, please do enlighten us.

Considering the busy congregation of hindoos here, it is not difficult to see what the following article is about:

The hunt for the odourless (hindoos?)

Nov 22nd 2007 | CARROLL COUNTY
From The Economist

Regulating America's (?) farms

IN TWO long buildings in Carroll county, Indiana, some 8,000 (?) are doing what they do best: eating, defecating and squealing.

(http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displ aystory.cfm?subjectid=348924&story_id=10189184)

Re: # 46 when did you become an "apostate"?

You deserve to be stoned to death....and I will be first in the queue

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Re: # 48 Chetan

Glad to see your true colors!!!!!!!!!! I would request staff to keep this posted here so that people can learn the truth!!!!!!!!!!!

#49 Posted by VRV ,

err ... I highlighted the operative common characteristics between hindoos and the subjects of this Economist article :)

I just heard (breathless icon here), that mush-e-ruff-the-muff has been awarded the Bharat Ratna, in absetia and in secret. The medal and certificate are locked up in a selaed vault.

Now wonder mush-e-ruff is carrying out Indian's agenda.

zee

if hinuds are pigs, you being grand-son of grandpa gopinath, puts you in the same category... But then, since your bedouin faith is so irrationally antagonistic towards pigs - you are pretty much a walking living contradiction...

To be true to your faith, you are supposed to behead yourself, just for being who you are - a descendant of the most unclean animal in the planet... right?

I have a very low opinion of Pakistani politicians and still believe that the best treatment that they should get is that they be lined up against the wall, and be shot yet credit must be given where it is due. I applaud APDMs boycott of these sham kanjarkhana elections.

But still this is only a very minor step they have taken viz a viz confinedence building measure with the nation. So the best advise to Bezamir and Sirkari moulvi Fazalurrehamn is to stop being pigs and listen to the call of the nation. NaPak fouj has no place in Pakistan. Its not jsut Mucharraf but atleast 150 top brass that need to be court martialed and hanged. Anything less than that is totally unacceptable.

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Re: # 54 "....150 top brass that need to be court martialed and hanged. ......."

Care to list these guys?

What a mess, what a mess in the Land of the Pure!!

What is going on in Pakistan is one big political drama. How entertaining!.

I wonder why in the world, these Pakistani leaders did not bother- in the last 60 years- going about the serious business of building the nation than embarking on foolish adventures of training Jihadis, fighting covert wars in Kashmir and pursuing stupid Afghan policies ? These idiots even lost half of the coubtry!

Will this bfdolly ever change? Will Allah vget off his ass and drive some sense to his followers?
Kamath

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Is Chowk a civil society platform? I am increasingly being disillusioned on this point.
Ahmed Qureshi is PTV anchor that cherry picks facts. We see him day in and day out discrediting the journalistic profession. Why has Chowk given him additional space. He is already polluting the TV airspace; this, while the independent journalists are being incarcerated.

The absurd point that Quershi is making is that civil society does not have legs to stand on... and hidden forces are propping us up. Qureshi does not shed light into why a civil scoiety leaders like Munir Malik has mysterioluy been rendered bed ridden.

We all know that Musharraf was propped up by the West because he had no electoral legitimacy and he was spineless and he would be pushover on the international scene. And if he dare say anything to the West, he would be back into a pariah dog status (that a dictator deserves from day 1).

He let the Indians build a fence on a disputed territory without batting an eyelid. He went on to sell his book in the West and portray Pakistan as a terrorist country with only him being the savoir. Musharraf has made a mockery of all our institutions and is taking us back to the jungle.

Quershi has been supporting him to the hilt on PTV. He has been hogging the airwaves while independent channels are being censored. Chowk needs to revisit its editorial standards to say the least.

All these very valid points in this article. However, as they say, every time you point a finger at somebody else, three of your own fingers point at your own self. If things are in a sorry mess in the land of the pure, we have to look more inwards than anywhere else. The maliase and rot are from the inside out. Lets imagine the total moral and political bankruptcy plaguing us that despite the musical chairs played by sundry of our politicians again and again, and despite their moral turpitude, a majority of ignorant and lost souls, instead of booting out all these thieving politicians to kingdom come are preparing to bring them back in. What sort of democarcy is this? Can Mafia Dons win party tickets and contest elections in any other democratic setup?

As for the gloating and religious epithets pronounced by some Indians here, it need not be so. First because it would be so nice if India and Pakistan could peacefully co-exist together like Canada and the States. Second, as a 5 times larger country, its a shame that despite everything, India has been unable to do what it would wish to do with its much smaller neighbour. Third, religion is something very personal, and throughout history it has been the cause of some of the greatest strife the world over, no matter who or what the deity of worship. In other words, neither banging your head on the ground five times a day nor drinking five glasses of cow urine could get you much salvation if otherwise you happen to be a mean, wretched, wicked soul.

#60 Posted by Goldfinger on November 30, 2007 9:43:34 am


India has been unable to do what it would wish to do with its much smaller neighbour.


Umm..I think it's done quite well to keep pakis from realizing their number 1 dream: kashmir banega pakiland..

Previously Pak Army had its stud breeding programs. They used to produce thoroughbred horses, mules and donkeys for military use.
I think it was Zia who got an idea that Army should use its enormous muscles and vast expertise to produce good type of loyal dogs as well on mass scale. For that purpose they hired Quraishi’s parents. Other notables among founding members of that canine production line were parents of Malik Qayyum, Sher Afgan, Pirzada, Hameed Dogar et al.
This Quraishi started his writing career by churning out high-quality scrap in different national dailies. After a while all of them stopped publishing his often illogical rather idiotic stuff. I remember reading a title of this “writer” somewhere

Mr. President, Why The Political Opportunism? We Could Give You A Lifetime Mandate If You Asked Us!

The only thing he is good at is unimaginable amount of TC. He can take the balls of any mortal to heights that seem impossible at first sight. He is a master @ss licker who can make a goat to believe that she is a direct descendant of a tiger.

Publishing this article is a sheer insult of the intelligence of readers. I have failed to find anything that makes sense. What a thoroughbred BS, indeed.

This typical diatribe of the advocate of the British founded colonial Pakistan army, which has to its credit scores of surrenders from Decca to Kargil to Kabul, and decades of pillage in the name of basic democracy (Ayub), Islam (CIA-ul-Haque) and the present thug, is virtually an enemy of native people. Such asinine theories are good to fool street people as Bush and his neo-cons successfully applied for Iraq. However, in the epistemological terms these are least likely to goof few at chowk. These hindustani bahias used the same scare tactics in 1947 that they can not live with Hindus and need a separate country. That resulted in their dual occupation of Pakistan an India and Pakistan. Now they preach that current armed struggle is by any means an Indian or foreign conspiracy is a lunatic cry. After 1971 defeat every Pakistani general has nightmare of Indian soldiers sleeping with their wives. Nukes - no way are any protection to Pakistanis. Nukes were produced for profit. Nukes have become a golden chain for Pakistani people. Nukes did not liberate Kashmir rather enslaved Pakistanis. They are being used to blackmail the west. To cut long story short, there is needs to overhaul the rotten corrupt system that is breeding criminals in Pakistan.

#63 The big question is: What will it take to ensure that Musharraf is the last ambitious, lawless general who takes over Pakistan?

No to real estate

By Farhatullah Babar


The News deserves to be complimented for calling into question the military's growing involvement in the real estate business (re: its editorial, 'No to real estate', published on November 26). The editorial was in response to General Musharraf's remarks a day before in Lahore claiming that the military was not involved in property business and that it was the biggest tax payers' institution of the country.

Over two years ago in August 2004 while speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of a power and desalination plant for the Defence Housing Authority Karachi, General Musharraf had lashed out at the critics as being 'pseudo-intellectuals' who were 'jealous of the good work' being done by the DHAs. In Lahore now he rejected the apprehensions but refrained from denouncing harshly the critics. There is hope.

To give plots to military officers for building their own houses is a genuine welfare activity and no one would grudge it. But is the building of multi-billion integrated luxury homes with golf course townships in a posh locality in Lahore or the multi-billion dollar development of Karachi beach in association with foreign partnership also a legitimate welfare activity that should be undertaken by the military?

It is claimed that the DHAs are private bodies and they purchase land in the open market and after development sell them to all. But are the DHAs really private bodies competing with other private bodies in a level playing field? Is there any other private housing society that is headed by a serving corps commander and whose executive functionaries such as the administrator are serving senior army officers drawing salaries from the public exchequer?

During question hour in the parliament it has transpired that military officers get one after 15 years of service, a second one after 25, a third one after 28 years and a fourth one after 33 years of service each worth more than 15 million rupees in the open market. To call it welfare is stretching the meaning of the word a bit too far.

It is also said that both military officers and civilians benefit from these schemes. In reply to a Senate question on September 16, 2005 about the quota in DHA Islamabad it transpired that serving army officers with over 15 years of service had 52 per cent quota and another 10 per cent reserved for retired army officers. Serving PAF and Naval officers had 5 per cent. Civilian employees of all grades, members of parliament and the journalists were allotted 5 per cent. But the ads inviting applications do not disclose the quota of each category of applicants so everyone is lured to apply and pay a sum of five thousand rupees as 'processing fee' that is eventually forfeited to the DHA.

Welfare activity should also not be undertaken in a manner that raises questions of legality and propriety. During question hour in the Senate we learnt that the military had transformed six agricultural and dairy farms spread over several hundred acres of land into golf courses and army housing schemes thus raising many questions.

The inability to address issues of propriety unfortunately has attracted widespread criticism even from eminent international figures. In an article with reference to Pakistan in the Wall Street Journal recently, Lord Patten, former EU Commissioner for external relations made some very hurting comments. "Pro-dictatorship voices regularly argue that those parties were highly corrupt.

But they refuse to condemn or even acknowledge the military's large-scale, institutionalised corruption. So much has been grabbed by the military that it will take years just to catalogue it. The military has acquired vast tracts of state-owned land at nominal rates; its leaders dominate businesses and industries, ranging from banking to cereal factories".

On the eve of launching of the Country Assistance Plan (CAP) of UK's Department for International Development (DFID) in March last year the British High Commissioner Lyall Grant remarked that during the last 28 years the military's corporate business interests had increased manifold. It was hampering poverty reduction efforts and the effectiveness of the bureaucracy and judiciary in the country, the CAP report had said.

The military may be the largest taxpayer as is claimed but what we know from the proceedings in the parliament is that its business and commercial activities have received the largest preferential treatment. On December 30 last year the Senate was informed that out of a total of 94 contracts awarded to the FWO (another military outfit in the business of roads and infrastructure building) 57 projects costing over 25 billion had been awarded without bids. In some cases the private toll collectors' contracts were cancelled and given to the FWO and the NLC.

In February this year the Senate was informed that by November 30, 2001 over 13 billion rupees of loans owed by the Fauji Fertilizer Company Jordan had been paid by the government of Pakistan - out of taxpayers' money.

"Yes. The outstanding non-official development assistance loan in respect of the FFC, rescheduled under the Paris Club Agreement, was accepted by the government of Pakistan in December 2001. The total liability of US dollars 221.96 million as of November 30, 2001 was picked up by the government of Pakistan", said minister of state for finance Omar Ayub in reply to the question.

Welfare of some must not be seen as dispossession of others. In a December 2003 case titled Brigadier Bashir versus Abdul Karim, the Supreme Court while declaring the allotment and lease of the state's agricultural lands as illegal also quoted a paragraph from John Steinbeck's novel Grapes of Wrath that aptly put matters in perspective.

"The great owners (of land) with access to history must know: when property accumulates in too few hands it is taken away. When a majority of the people is hungry they will take away by force what they need. Repression works only to strengthen and knit the repressed. The great owners ignored three cries of history.

The land fell in few hands, the number of dispossessed increased and every effort of great owners was directed at repression. Means to destroy revolt were considered while the causes of revolt went on".

The apex court then went on to give a chilling advice to the appellant asking him to be satisfied with a "few hundred acres of land allotted to him" and spare the few acres allotted to a landless tenant.

Faiz once lamented:

"Baney hain ahlehawas mudai bhi aur munsif bhi

Kisey wakil karein kis sey munsifi chahein".

When greed becomes the prosecutor and also the judge,

Where to find the pleader and from whom to seek justice?

The armed forces and the corporate sector



By Farhatullah Babar
If the prime minister's finance adviser thought that by living in denial he could allay the widespread concerns about the army's growing involvement in the corporate sector he was gravely mistaken. In saying this, I am referring to a report in your newspaper titled 'Salman denies army role in corporate sector', and published on April 28.

If he did not know it, here is a partial list of the military's corporate enterprises as recently placed before the Parliament in reply to a question besides the several dozen similar enterprises run by Shaheen Foundation and Bahria Foundation of the Air Force and the Navy respectively.

Fauji Foundation : Fauji Sugar Mills, (more than one), Fauji Cereal, Fauji Corn Complex, FONGAS (Natural gas supply company), Fauji Poly Propylene Products, Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC), Fauji Jordan Company, Fauji Cement, Fauji Oil Terminal Company Project (FOTCO), Fauji Kabirwala Power Company Limited.

Army Welfare Trust: Askari Stud Farms, Askari Farms, Askari Welfare Rice Mill, Askari Welfare Sugar Mill, Askari Fish Farm, Askari Cement (more than one plant), Askari Welfare Pharmaceutical Project, Magnesite Refineries Limited, Army Welfare Shoe Project, Army Welfare Woollen Mill, Army Welfare Hosiery Unit, Travel Agencies, AWT Commercial Plazas, Army Welfare Shops, Army Welfare Commercial Project, Askari Commercial Bank, Askari Leasing Limited, Askari General Insurance Company, Askari Welfare Saving Scheme, Askari Associate Limited, Askari Information Service, Askari Guards Limited, Askari Power Limited, Askari Commercial Enterprises, Askari Aviation, Askari Housing Schemes (at several locations)

The adviser claimed that retired military officers were involved in private businesses and that too for welfare purposes but is the Fauji Foundation really a private concern like any other.

Under its Scheme of Administration the Fauji Foundation is allowed "to receive from government or other bodies or person any contribution to the Foundation". Which other private enterprise gets contributions from the government also?

The Fauji Foundation is administered by a committee whose chairman is the defense secretary and its members include four principal staff officers of the GHQ and two senior officers of the Pakistan Navy and the Air Force, all paid out of the public funds. A three star serving general was appointed in 2002 as its chief. What a fine example of a private enterprise run by serving military officers and defense secretary.

During question hour in the Senate last year it transpired that the finance ministry accepted loan liabilities of 9 billion rupees of the Foundation. Which other private concern had been provided such a preferential treatment?

Worse still, after being declared 'private' they are declared as unaccountable too. In reply to a question in the National Assembly in 2005 it transpired that the Khoski Sugar Mills belonging to the Foundation had been sold at 300 million to an entity that had not even participated in the bidding process. The highest bid of 387 million was ignored. When the Senate Defence Committee asked the head of the Fauji Foundation, himself a former chairman of NAB, to appear before it he refused and chose to refute the allegations through newspaper ads. We were told to shut up.

If the FF and AWT are claimed to be private entities what are other entities like the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) and the NLC doing in the private commercial sector in a playing field that too is tilted in their favour? According to information placed before the Senate on December 30, 2005 the National Highway Authority (NHA) alone awarded twelve contracts costing over 18 billion to the FWO without bids between 2001 and 2005.

Further, not only the contract of collecting toll tax on toll plazas have been given to FWO and NLC without bids but contracts already given to private parties were cancelled and given to it according to information placed before the Senate.

The military's growing interests in corporate businesses and land has now begun to attract national and international attention and criticism but we are living in self-denial.

That was why the former British High Commissioner in Pakistan Mark Lyall Grant publicly stated about two years ago in Islamabad that the military's corporate business interests had increased manifold. He also said that it was hampering poverty reduction efforts and effectiveness of the bureaucracy and judiciary in the country. An un-named senior official of the Foreign Office promptly announced that a demarche had been served on the high commissioner for his critical remarks as 'unwarranted and inaccurate besides being an infringement of diplomatic norms'. But that did not change the reality.

Are the defence housing authorities also really private bodies competing with other private entities in a level playing filed? Is there any other private housing society that is headed by a serving corps commander and whose executive functionaries such as the Administrator are serving senior army officers drawing salary from public exchequer? Is there any other private housing authority that can get land at a price as the DHA Karachi got sometime back and against which the provincial government even moved the court?

During question hour in Parliament it has transpired that military officers get one after 15 years of service, a second one after 25, a third one after 28 years and a fourth one after 33 years of service each worth more than 15 million rupees in the open market. To call it a welfare activity is stretching the meaning of the word a bit too far.

The un-level playing field to the military's industrial and commercial enterprises, the dispossession of tenants from farmlands in Okara belonging to the Punjab government, the acquisition of additional 870 acres of prime land in sector E-10 at dirt cheap price of Rs 200 per acre for the new GHQ (in addition to the 1470 acres already earmarked), the setting up of strings of defense housing authorities, first in Karachi and Lahore and lately in Islamabad, and converting state lands meant specifically for defense purposes into golf courses and housing colonies as disclosed in the Parliament are clear manifestations of military's growing corporate and real estate business. The issue will not disappear merely be denying it.

Come on Mr Adviser! Instead of living in a state of denial let us address the issue and do something about it.

The writer is a former PPP senator and a member of the Senate's human rights committee. Email: drkhshan@isb.comsats.net.pk

------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------


MPs assets

Last week the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development (PILDAT) released a study of the assets of members of parliament. It analyzed who was the richest MP, who among the women members was the richest and which party had the richest MPs in its ranks. The source of the study was the declaration of assets by MPs and published in the official gazette as public document. The study made an interesting reading and PILDAT also praised the MNAs for "setting a good example of transparency by declaring their assets".

The MPs are required to annually declare their assets that are also made public. Civilian officers in pay scales 17 and above also submit every year declarations of assets to their respective departments. Their declarations, however, are confidential that are not made public. The presumption is that these are scrutinized somewhere and notice is taken of any unusual increase in the assets of a government servant. On September 19, 2003, I asked a question in the Senate, "Whether the practice of assets declaration by army officers before the Central Officers Record Office is still being continued or has been discontinued; and if discontinued, why". On Dec 19, the question was disallowed through a curt reply; "The chairman Senate has been pleased to hold the question to be inadmissible under rule 47(xvii) (d) and 47(xvii) (a) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 1988".

A month later on October 17, 2003, I moved a resolution, "This house resolves that as in the case of legislators all the judges of the superior courts, the one, two, three and four star generals, and members of civil bureaucracy in BS-21 and above should also be required to annually submit a statement of their assets and liabilities and such statements should be made public." Again a curt reply said that the resolution "does not deal with one definite issue" and declared "inadmissible under rule 121(3) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 1988". The resolution was resubmitted on May 6, 2004. It was again disallowed on the ground that since it had previously been rejected therefore it had now become inadmissible under another rule 121(3).

PILDAT analysis merely answers the question as to who among the MPs is the richest. It does not answer which class in the country is the richest. To find an answer to this question it has to dig deep and carry out an analysis of why some critical questions, motions and resolutions were killed in the chamber and not allowed to come up before the house.

Senator (r) Farhatullah Babar

sunhari ungal yar, before 1971 india was only 5 times as big, now its 7 times as big as pakistan i think.

Re: # 64

TAhmedsahab,

Nobody knows the answer to your question. In case of India it is corrupt politicians and in case of pakistan it is the Generals. It is infinite loop. These 500 pound gorrilas are sitting on our back for 60 years. People tell educating and empowering masses may be the answer but that will take another 200 years..

Indian #68 Corrupt politicians and ambitious generals will be there as long as human nature is what it is. But corrupt politicians in a democracy cannot destroy the pillars of a nation the day musharraf did on November 3 e.g. when he destroyed the Supreme Court.

I think the answer is there for all to see actually - corrupt politicans and ambitious generals need to be taught that corruption does not pay and ultimately they will be brought before court for their crimes.

Re: # 69 But what ought to be done when corrupt politicians become corrupt dictators? And when these same corrupt politicians who turned corrupt dictators come back to haunt you and aspire to again become your dictators? Obviously in democratic setup the political parties themselves would debar such criminals to show their faces to the public ever again...if such happens then we would be on path to democracy bit by bit

Urstruly #54
You have too much faith in politicians.
The only reason the politicians are going to boycott is if they know they are going to loose.
I think Nawaz Sharif will play the CJ card and will carry APDM alongwith it.
In current scenario PML (N) will get slightly more or less seat than last elections.
No sane party who has vote bank will leave the field open for someone else.

#70 Goldfinger: You have answered your own question, and by and large you are right. The exception that proves this rule, btw, is Hitler - who was elected, and once elected got rid of the democratic infrastructure that brought him to power. Nawaz Sharif tried to do the same - but Pakistan today is vastly different from the Germany of almost a century ago.

The judiciary, the media, and the middle class are providing the backbone of democracy, and they will be a force to be reckoned with in future just as Musharraf has learnt the hard way.

I would say that the article brings out some interesting facts and there is need to look at role US and India. On the other hand, I don't buy this as an excuse for ignoring rule of Law and democracy. That is the best antidote to foreign interventions and bring unity.
It is also instructive to see the reaction of Indians posting on this article. My question to them is that why any Pakistani should care about their opinion since they have nothing to offer.

Matrix,

Indians have a lot to offer. We have told the pakistanis several times, forget about democrazy, it is not for pakistan. Become a true islamic republic led by a mullah general and that is the best scenario for india. Once that happens, pakistan will be iraquised, divided intto another three and then only there will be peace in south asia.

Another optiont oregaim sovereignity is the north korean option.

Now, is it not good enough options for the pakistanis.

Re: # 72 tahmed, while speaking of Hitler and Nawaz Sharif you completely forgot about Zulfy Bhutto, and his daughter! It is unfortunate that each time there has been even a small scope of a democracy, it has been derailed or hijacked one way or another by the very people who have been clamouring for democracy all the while. It's quite amazing that the fairest of all our democratic elections took place in the times of the debauch and alcoholic dictator, Yahya Khan. Therafter Bhutto completely vandalised the outcome, as you may know and remember. Actually each charlatan politician that has had even the smallest opportunity for taking the appropriate path after coming into power and has not done so because of corruption and personal gratification is each the biggest criminal of the nation. Unfortunately the same ilk of corrupt politicians still abound. Who and where are the selfless leaders here, the Nelson Mandelas?

Re: # 74 Are all Indians who peruse chowk juvenile delinquents?

And sir, What is your rank in the Pakistan Army?

Son Of Kashmir Sahib,
I have responded to your excellent question in your ilog and am repeating it here for your review. Thanks,

Bradrum Janaab Pisser-e-Kashmir Sahib,

As promised, I am responding to your question directed to me. My dear friend, ZK, alerted me to your query and I apologize for not having had the time to indulge your numerous points compounded into a single question - talk about getting your money's worth. :)

By now you have hopefully read my response to a similar question from Ally Sahib and can understand my position regarding my high regard for Punjabis as well as other Pakistanis, including Sindhis, Pathans, Baluchis, Kashmiris, Mohajirs, and Baltis. Please accept my explanations which I have expressed in a spirit of Pakistani nationalism, Islamic beliefs, a solid faith in humanity, and a passion for justice tempered by a degree of humility.

My responses are in BOLD and please don't misconstrue the emphasis as an attempt to overpower you.

{"a question to mr.salim
Mr.SALIM
In my life i have encountered lot of karachities . Many of them are great patriots but a small minority which is very powerful are absoloute racists and fanatics and filled with all kind of gibberish ."}

Oye Kashmir de Puttar Payee,
Please don't fall in the same trap that often confines me when I retaliate against a few enemas who happen to be Paki Punjabis. When Ali Ibn-e-Puta, the Axeman, Ass Lame, Madame Demi Flatulence, Wolfie, or Hypo Chacha Al Butteesi express their venomous and racist profanity at ALL Urdu-speaking Mohajirs, I often strike back with an unintentional shot-gun approach and a devastating ten-fold effect. Thus, I end up alienating many other Pakistani Punjabis - not to mention a stray Indian Potohari here and there.

A lesson learned is that one swallow does not a Big Gulp make. :)


{"I feel amazed that a person so rich and so widely traveled should be filled with so much hatred."}

Sir, while I am quite well-to-do, calling me "rich" may be stretching things a bit. Anyway, prosperity is relative. So, thanks for the kind gesture.

As for hatred, I don't hate anybody. In fact, the amount of traveling that I have had the opportunity to undertake has made me quite liberal, tolerant, understanding, and friendly.


{"But anyway let me tell you that previously punjab used to tolerate this nonsense . Now we have suffered so much during the last 8 years that this time there will be no tolerance shown . it will be tit for tat . Nawaz Sharif ,leader of punjab and NWFP is back, benazir leader of rural sind is back . together they have 80 percent of pakistan with them . Very soon country will be rid of the kARACHI mafia and retribution will began on a massive scale. Let me tell you that we people from northern pakistan never had any bias towards your community . but now we will guard our self interest . "}

Kashmir ke Nur Chashm Bhai,
If Bezamir Bhutni and Najaaez Besharif and their supporters constitute 80% of Pakistan, then I must invoke the 80/20 rule. That piece of wisdom states that 80% of the real work in any group is performed by 20% of the people. While we are only 10% or less of Pakistan's population, we Urdu-speaking Mohajirs are proud to serve Pakistan in ways that surpass our meager numbers. :) If you are stating that the last eight years have been devastating for Punjabis, then I must ask you to replace the batteries in your cheap Chinese calculator - or is it a manual abacus?


{"Having read your article with or without musharaf i can't help commenting. I laughed a great deal on your statement that Hyderabad and Karachi have an inalienable right of self-determination . You deny this same right to us kashmiris on the grounds that if we become freee and join pakistan , we might start oppressing you!Let me make it clear that Karachi and Hyderabad are an integral part of Pakistan and of province of Sind. There will be no more 1971s . We will fight to the last drop of blood if there is any move to separate these cities from pakistan to form Jinnahpur or urdusdesh . Punjabis and Sindhis have lot of differences but let me make it clear that on this point, we are united rock-solid . On one hand you spew hatred against punjab and on another hand you talk of confederating with freedom loving sindis and baluchis. Even more amusing is this line "We need to restore and strengthen our relationships with ethnic Sindhis, Pathans, Baluchis, and Punjabis who have lived in Karachi for generations". Why the hell would sindis living in karachi conspire to form another singapore . Their first loyalty is to Sind and not to you . They view Karachi as the Jerusalem of Sind. As for Pathan and Punjabis , their loyalties lay with rest of pakistan and not with racist ethinic bodies and entities filled with idealogues like you . The fact is that Sindhis will always remain majority in Sind and Punjabis in Pakistan . Most sindhis have accepted the later fact . Sindhi nationalists like Qadir Magsi ,mumtaz bhutto attended Nawz SHARIF'S APC in London . So you see Karachi will always remain tied to these evil disorganized poor illeterate punjabis ,pathans, sindhis. There will be lot less bloodshed and fighting if you accept this and agree to integrating with rest of us instead of insisting to violently mantaining your separate status ."}


Ya Shaikh Ibn-e-Srinagar Al Poonchi,
Please explain to me why Najaaez Besharif needed an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) in London, of all places? Also, I am quite impressed by your ceaseless and persistent protestations about the affection that permeates among Punjabis, Baluchis, Sindhis, Pathans, and every Paki with an alien accent in Urdu. Notwithstanding the barrier set up by Kalabagh Dam, the situation in Wanna Wanna, the uncontrolled gas of Baluchis, and the noisy FM radio station of Mulla Fadloola, I am reassured that your own information is much more factual and timely than my mediocre understanding of reality up north. May the love fest among humans and the nature of Muslim brotherhood sprouting in the northern areas never afflict Hyderabad and Karachi, Ameen. Also, please don't bring up all that bloodshed stuff. It doesn't impress us anymore. We are not your grandfather's "Bhayya HindustaaNRa Panahguzeer" Mohajirs. The repression and slaughter of the 90s by our own soldiers has made us numb, immune, stoic, and most of all disappointed and alienated from most people up north - who did not do anything, or even say anything, against the butchery of the soldiers sent by them and their leaders.

TeghoN ke saaye meN hum pal kar jawaan huwe heN
AasaaN nahiN mitana naamo nishaaN hamaara.

Before you advise me to integrate and assimilate, please understand that I have Indian, Pakistani, Irish, Bulgarian, Iranian, and Turkish relatives professing Hinduism, Christianity, and BOTH Shia and Sunni Islam. Now, if you know any agreeable Sikhs, Jews, Buddhists, Atheists, and even Jehovah's Witnesses, please send me their e-mail addresses and CVs so that I can take your guidance to the hilt - and Hamidumdum Sahib does not qualify as any of those mentioned. :) Also, thank you for taking the time out to read my notorious article and even laughing at its contents. Do you think that I should keep my day job?


{"Musharaf shares your views . His record of military appointments in senior ranks is an ample testimony of his bias . In 2002 elections ppp was the biggest party in sind with 68 seats while mqm had just 41 . but out of pure ethinic bias , he handed over sind to mqm . i would heartily have agreed to a ppp-mqm govt but this was not to be . Mohajirs for 5 years called all the shots in sind . the most plum ministries of interior and finance went to mqm while sindhis were handles unimportant ministies like agriculture and rural development . under our constituion , the Governor is a figurehead but in sind he enjoyed executive powers . Today an average Sindhi is hurt , angry and mad that he is denied a just share of power in his very own province and after this 5 year honeymoon there are still people like you who have the gall to complain and whine."}

Baramula ke Betay, Ladakh ke Lakht-e-Jigar, aur Jammu ke Jaleel Jawaan,

Mushy may "share my views," but fortunately I don't share his views. As you may have noticed he talks like, walks like, thinks like a Punju and you know what they say ... "If it walks like, talks like, quacks like, ..."


{"Then one hand you bittery decy partition and creation of pakistan . For you it was a mistake , pakistan an excercise in futility . But then you have the nerve to demand repatriation of biharis . what a joke!Let me tell you that we people of northern pakistan never opposed this demand. It was the sindhis who opposed it to the last man . Im his first tenure as PM, Nawaz Sharif had started the repatriation process and brought 300 biharis to settle in punjab. But then Nawaz Shrif's own ministers from sind rebelled . No sindhi even those in pay of MQM will agree to it . Even MQM to its credit does not support this divisive demand . Let me tell you that if Sindhis were to somehow agree , i would be the first person to support the repatriation of biharis."}

Kargil ke Kabootar Bhai,
Repatriating 300 so-called "Biharis" is like kissing your sister. You get all the embarrassment with none of the pleasure - he should have done the right thing by repatriating ALL of them.

Also, I am perplexed by your lofty principles of repatriating these "stranded" Pakis (whom you guys pejoratively dismiss as "Biharis") and then having this stance subjected to a Sindhi veto. Show some guts and do or support the right thing, my friend.

My comments about Pakistan were based on my perfect 20/20 hindsight. If the results of partition were that Pakistan was safer, more advanced, more educated, more liberated, more democratic, more peaceful, healthier, and more united than the mother ship, I would have thanked God and would be manning the border to facilitate an orderly exodus of Indians escaping to Pakistan.


{"Right now our energies however are focused on saving pakistan from general musharaf. he like yahya khan (another non-punjab,non-kashmir) general will fight to the last to stay in power even if country breaks up . the odds are overwhelming . we the original inhabitants of this great land will go through hell and fire to tame the establishment and establish free and fare elections. Its a pity that Karachi and Hyderabad are not supporting us . Your forefathers were with us 60 years ago in creation of pakistan. By supporting musharaf , you have sown seeds of misery. Do you really think that once benazir and nawaz sharif come to power and chief justice is restored, we would forget your open support to musharaf . Would not we want to repay in kind? For once mr.salim,your right,urdu-speakers have put all their eggs in one basket and this will lead to horrible dividends. "}

Dear Son of the Soil,
Finally, you don your gay apparel of Pisser-e-Zameen - I guess 'tis the season and you have every right.

Please don't beat around the bush or threaten us with more violence. Just do the right thing and repatriate the "stranded" Pakis. No nation on earth has ever turned its back on its own citizens. How do you think that makes us Urdu-speaking Mohajirs feel in Karachi and Hyderabad? The message from Punjabis and Sindhis is clear - you guys don't want any more of our type of people to come to Pakistan - regardless of their nationality. And you expect us to come out in the streets and join you in protesting against Mushy - the guy who put an end to our slaughter? We may chew paan now and then but we don't allow that stuff to go to our brains. :) Thank you for this opportunity to exchange views. I appreciate your views and your time.

Ahmed Quraishi was on PTV a couple of hours back. Again, he was cherry picking feedback/ responses and representing them as that of the average Pakistani. This propagandist insults the intelligence of civil society by making the assertion that Pakistanis are beholden to dictators and dictatorial rule. He is of the view that Pakistanis like to get beaten up for standing up for the constitution and we like to be gagged for having an inquisitive mind. He makes these silly assertions day in and day out.

Today he was questioning why Harvard was bestowing a title to C. J. Iftikar Chaudhry. He was also proudly reflecting on DICTATOR Musharraf’s epistles on "human rights in Pakistan not to be paralleled with the West..."

Ahmed Quraishi diatribes are divorced from the fact that ALL Pakistanis are yearning for rule of the law or a system of a level playing field of all citizens.

Ahmed Quraishi is mentally sick. I challenge him to take the feedback from Chowk and narrate on PTV, instead of the fictitious stuff he does everyday.

Salim Chauhan:
I am perplexed by your response.
As I said before. Without determinig the direction of nation, how can you progress.
As Lincoln said a house divided against itself cannot succeed.
The problems are historical.
Current Pakistan consists of most backward part of United India. Of the Punjab East Punjab was more prosperous. West Bengal was more prosperous. Sind was backward compared to Bombay. And two parts not in direct continuity with current India meaning NWFP and Baluchistan were also backward.
Kashmir has unique situation with its blood link in Pakistan, but its leadership (Sheikh Abdullah and successors undecided.
Out of all these areas we are in the process of creating a central Government, which started in Barracks in Karachi where people created Central Government out of nowhere working on floor and taking pencil and paper from home (some exaggeration but still not far from truth).
In a situation like this with our East and West border unsecure, it is remarkable that Pakistan has come so far.
The kind of talk on this board by you and your rival will come, but rather than talking on personalities and persona, it is important to stick to issues.
State of Pakistan, and Pakistan Army decided to take over from Nawaz Sharif because of his disregard to pillars of state and personal style of Politics.
Pakistan is Federation with multiple ethnicities. Mohajirs, Sindhi, Punjabi, Pathan and Baluchs. But that is very superficial because of ethnicities. For example how much Baluch is Leghari and how much Punjabi. Same with Bhutto and Zardari how much Sindhi they are and how much Baluch.
It is good, and keeps a check on people who wants to do politics on the provincial basis.
Is there a difference between Pathan/Punjabi and Sindhi/ Baluch. The voting pattern and election tells otherwise. Parties which are strong in NWFP are having substantial presence in Baluchistan. And Parties which are strong in Punjab have substantial presence in Sind.
Also, nobody will buy that 80% of work is done by Mohajir community.
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