A Gory Tale of Lies, Greed and Deception

#73 by saminshah:

This is the difference between brain-washed masses (of India) and masses showing freedom of expression and freedom to differ with each other (Pakistanis). Prceisely my point too.

:-)

Good news for secularist Paki Jinnahletts. Fashion shows banned in Land of Pure.

http://us.rediff.com/news/2003/nov/12pak.htm

Khamkhwa # 58 . . . property is really cheap in karachi, then. A 1000 square metres/yards in Bombay anywhere decent say Bandra/Dadar would easily cost about oh 8-10 crores of rupees (80-100 million rupees) if it was available. Nariman Point would cost about 1 to 1 and a half lakh of rupees per square metre if it was available.

What happened to KHI?

the article of nighat yasmin is quite thought provoking and an eyes-opener for those who have been trained and educated to shout ``pak foj ko salam``all the time.our heros have themselves disgraced them.the incidence of constable nazir dogar is just fresh,how the most condemned institute of pakistan has suddenly gained respect from the masses.our great khakis must think that they are running short of time.god forbid are they waiting for an other ``pulton groud``?

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Dear readers:

Thanks a lot for reading this piece and blessing me with your valuable feedback. All relevant replies are highly appreciated – disapproving ones more than the approving ones.

As explicitly declared in the foreword: Without claiming academic perfection or analytical excellence, these modest attempts of mine are merely meant to put across the pain, agony and displeasure, I, along with burgeoning number of average Pakistanis, feel about the sordid state of affairs. And to cast light on the issue in a different manner, from the perspective of an ordinary citizen. Though not very likely, I sincerely hope, I am wrong in perceiving things as I have started reckoning lately.

I have been very careful while citing figures and can substantiate all of them with verifiable sources; no one can guarantee 100% objectivity/aptness of his/her interpretation of the social data. As analysis and deductions of results, to large extent – consciously or subconsciously -- depend on your own personal interests, experiences, convictions, values, perceptions, etc.

Military, used, I repeat, used to be the most trusted, highly regarded institution. Romair bhai, I am very sorry to tell you, not anymore. There are good reasons for that. The most important one, among them is perhaps a unanimous denouncing of the military by the mainstream media. Please, try posting links to only 5 articles/ op-ed columns, no matter Urdu or English (major papers), published during last year (for making your job easier) written by confirmed non-faujis, praising the conduct of the military. Sometimes, it feels military’s spin is boomeranging now and a sort of reverse indoctrination of the masses is going on. Right or wrong, they are nowadays blamed for every ill.

As the issue is not the real estate, the values of plots range between 15 – 30 million or 10– 20, are of secondary importance (personally, I have absolutely no first hand knowledge of property prices -- far beyond my reach). Hence, omission, if any, in this regard should be pardonable.

With best regards,
Nighat Yasmeen

one thing for sure generally indian media and indian ppl at any forum have similiar view on every main national issues and two pakistani never agree on anything.not even on defination of islam or kashmir

Re Romair # 67
“4. Reasons behind why Pakistani youth are more interested in killing and dying than in living never bothered me. (False. Pakistani youth like all other youth are overwhelmingly interested in living)”

Well that might be true but a surprisingly large number of Pakistani youth are ready to die for people they haven’t met, in lands they haven’t seen and for causes that are at best debatable.


Regards,

Faruk

Understanding pakistan,

In all this oft repeated criticism of pak military, what is forgotten is the idea behind its creation and the type and mindset of the people who moved to create it. What is forgotten in all this criticism is the integral nature of kargill invasion and subsequent take over by mushy.
Kargill invasion was the testing ground for an ontegrated jihadi-military operation. This came about primarily in response to the Lahore declaration and the fear that peace is going to break out. The military and the jihadis combined to thawrt the peace brake out.
Then it was the turn of mushy to return the favour and now the jihadics are in power.

At last the vision of an islamic republic, strongly anchored in the jiahdic traditions has come into being. There is no talk of removing the blasphemy laws, the hoodood and the honor killings, all of which the mushy could have done easily, but did not in deference to the jihadis.

The thinking behind `infesting` city centers with `hoses depicting Shaheens and Ghauris, old tanks, artillery pieces and military aircrafts` seems a bit curious.

Romair calls that a hangover from British days. Is that true, or were most of these Shaheens and Ghauris put up in city centers only during the last 25 years?

Five-day remand of Javed Hashmi

http://www.dawn.com/2003/10/31/top1.htm

Boot lickers would be happy to see that their saviour Mush is going to be the brightest of all the Martial Law Rulers Pakistan has seen.
We can expect that Mush would throw some crumbs to some of the ex-army guys on the Chowk like .......in return for their excellent performance as his band brigade!!!!

Following are the facts, fictions and conspiracy theories in this article:

1. Used to get thrilled by the majestic corteges and palatial residences of generals. (True)

2. Incomprehensible difference between gratis luxurious sections at CMHs for kith and kin of military officers and stinking surgical wards for general public of government hospitals (True for Generals and very senior officers only. False for everyone else. Anyone below the rank of Brigadier who can afford civilian doctors and hospitals, opts for those. Many of the good facilities in military hospitals/messes etc. are actually taken up by civilian relatives of Generals)

3. Nor did I ever think of the extreme ridiculousness of city centres infested with hoses depicting Shaheens and Ghauris, old tanks, artillery pieces and military aircrafts. (True - though a hangover from British days)

4. Reasons behind why Pakistani youth are more interested in killing and dying than in living never bothered me. (False. Pakistani youth like all other youth are overwhelmingly interested in living)

5. The least one should ask, is Pak army the only force on the face of the earth facing this uncertainty? (True. Pakistan and India are the only two armies who have every fought at such heights. Assuming you mean Siachen)

6. So, have these hardships awarded Indian military a carte blanche to hijack the entire nation? (Conspiracy theory. The soldiers sitting on Siachen are mostly enlisted, with a few junior officers. They have no chance of hijacking anyone. They would switch jobs with the author (or with me) anyday).

7. Pak Army has killed manifold more Pakistanis than those who have hitherto fallen to Indian bullets. (conspiracy theory. Armies themselves never kill anyone. They are ordered into battle by the state to kill. The US Army killed hundreds of thousands in Vietnam. Indian Army has killed tens of thousands in Kashmir. Soviet Army killed 1 million in Afghanistan. The fault of this goes to the state and leadership and the citizens who supported the killings, or did not do anything to stop them. It is too convenient to pass it on the soldiers. Is Jessica Lynch responsible for the tens of thousands of Iraqis who have been killed, or is George Bush and the US citizenry responsible?)

8. East Pakistan, MRD campaign, PNA movement, etc. (Conspiracy theory. All of these (other than MRD) were supported by the citizens of Pakistan. Hence we are all responsible. It`s too easy to pass blame. For example, I believe NazarHayat fought in 71. Should he be hanged? Or was he just doing what he was asked to do)

9. good-for-nothing military (false. every country has a military. It is only the size that needs to be debated)

10. and sustaining extravaganzas of its higher echelons remains too large to be quantified. (True)

11. For that reason, the drivel of sacrificing lives for the country and all that totally devoid of substance rubbish recycled every now and then must come to end. (false and highly condescending. About 25% of my parallel course in flying died by their mid-20s. Each one of them was from a civilian family. I doubt you could look their parents in the eyes and make such a statement)

12. Then, for that matter, what does a soldier get paid/recruited for? To fight, if and when the time comes. And ALL armed forces of the world do it, often valiantly. Without raping their respective countries. (False - soldiers who fight are nearly 100% Major and below. 90% or so are not officers. They never take over the country. Generals take it over, and Generals do not fight)

13. There are over 600,000 American soldiers who have perished defending American interests during last 60 years. (Partially true - Most of the Americans who died were civilians who were drafted or volunteered, or were in National Guards, i.e. they were not career soldiers. Americans have a long and noble tradition of civilians volunteering to go into combat)

14. In spite of all this, can anyone imagine the American chief of army staff delaying the implementation of the orders of the deputy secretary defense, what to talk about defying the orders of a “bloody civilian” president? (True- though there have been American Generals who have thought about taking over, but they whole American public would be out in the streets if that happened. The American public has a lot of trust in the political system)

15. No, absolutely not, the defense secretary can still sack the army chief on standing feet? (True. But that can be done in Pakistan also. Like Nawaz sacked Jehangir Karamat, and subtly sacked Admiral Mansoor)

16. Alas, all those few who do lay down their lives defending the motherland get next to nothing in the land of pure. (True - their families should get a hell of a lot more)

17. wholesale “bandar bant” is only for star officers. (Very true)

18. Would it be wrong to say that these housing schemes are denying right of thousands of jawans, who remain on the frontline laying down their lives in the defense of the motherland. (True)

19. Put it in simple words, the GHQ awards large plots to officers, who buy them at dirt-cheap prices only to sell them off to civilians and make huge profits. (True for Generals. False for all other officers. Officers below rank of Brigadier are literally living hand to mouth. They are in bad shape financially. They are lucky if they get one plot by retirement. They should get paid a lot more)

20. As someone pointed out the gallantry award holders were getting only cash awards and no plots in any schemes. (False as far as I know. I know that uptil 71 gallantry award winners got land, and quite a bit of it.)

21. Moreover, it should also be observed that generals are getting commercial plots in city centers, which were worth 200 times more in market value than the million rupees given to the dependents of a Nishan-i-Haider Shaheed. (True)

22. To tell the truth, the inflated army of ours not only let us down on the battlefield (False. The soldier and jawan fighting on the battlefield has rarely, if ever, let Pakistan down. He is still very highly respected by the common Pakistani. Its the strategists in GHQ who have let us down)

23. An ammunition depot was set ablaze in the midst of a metropolis of million-plus dwellers. Ojhri Camp. (Conspiracy theory)

24. The most authoritative account on the cost of military governance is documented by Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report, which held the military`s role in politics as the principal factor responsible for the break-up of Pakistan. (True. Though it was done with the full support of West Pakistani citizenship and the political leadership lead by Bhutto)

25. The military in Pakistan had a long record of pathological misjudgments leading to vast, bloody consequences. Our entire history is witness to grim inanities of the top brass. (True)

26. , yes, we can make a better showing by refusing them legitimacy and respect. (conspiracy theory. military, according to surveys is still, not only the most respected institution in Pakistan, but one of the top four respected militaries, amongst its citizens in the world. I would agree if you limit this comment to Generals, though)

27. In PAF more than army. (True)

28. But almost entire (over 90%) high command of the army, (Emotional, but true. Though your percentages are too high. I would say 30-50%)

29. and 70 – 80% of the air force and navy are modern day looters in ceremonial dresses – squarely responsible for the meltdown of the institutions. (False. PAF and Navy do not participate in Marial Laws. Even now they have no M. Law posts)

30. It is the military’s nefarious top layer the people are getting increasingly allergic to. (True)

31. The mindset of the officer cadre must be corrected. (True for Brigadiers and above. Colonels and below would switch positions with anyone on Chowk in a day. And I doubt anyone on Chowk, would want their jobs)

32. 31. Likewise, to have uniformed batmen or orderlies for household errands in 21st century is really repulsive – there are about 50,000 of them. (True. Though I don`t know if there are 50,000. And only the ones in the Army are uniformed. The ones in the PAF are all civilians)

Yasmeen has hit the iron on its head. Indeed Quaid-e-Azam did not make Pakistan for Army to plunder at the cost of poor, innocent Pakistanis. Now we have an Army that has totally gone berserk. It runs a University, numerous Bakaries(!), private schools, Soda factories, a huge Bank besides lucrative petro chemical plants. Please don`t question my patriotism and its not that I am ungrateful to our Army for protecting our precious homeland but it should not extract such a heavy price from the poor down trodden folks of Pakistan who are already grinding under abject spiralling cost of living. The Army should cease from displaying the latest model imported limosines and obscenely expensive Bunglows. Give us some respite!
Yasmeen has spoken the truth: ``The King is wearing no clothes!!!``