Open Letter to Prime Minister Jamali

I would say vive le pakistan; what does canada have? nothing. First of all they have an uncontrolled democracy while we have a controlled democracy, so there, vive le pakistan. I did not see canadian soldiers climibing the walls of canadian parliment hill because we know white man can`t jump whereas in Pakistan patli patli taangoN waalay jehlumi faujis can climb all kinds of walls - from parliament to presidency to prime minister house to radio and television stations. Our faiji jurnails can beat any canadian kothay tapni anywhere, see them rollover when america whistles - viva le pakistan. Knayda murdabad. Knayda kutta hai hai, Knayda paapi hai hai.

Romair - Indeed this is a great day for Canada and for all the people of many cultures living in Canada. Canada represents the BEST that West has to offer. Unlike its southern neighbour, it does not merely preach the right of free speech, it ACTUALLY practices it.

I have lived in Canada for a couple of years and I have great admiration for its spirit of tolerance, and compassion and its ``multi-culturalism``.

And the Muslims should never forget that when thousands of muslims were fleeing US for their safety after september 11 and overwhelming Canada`s border posts with assylum applications, Canada did not close its border to these refugees who were adherents of the most hated faith.

Indeed, Vive le` Canada !

Mantolives - Just because I oppose your illogical and misplaced criticism of Mullahs does not mean that I am a ``supporter of Mullahs``. This is the problem with ``you people`` that you go around labeling others (Rush Limbaugh style). If I criticise pakistan, then I must be a hindu-lover. If I am against the killing of civilians in Wana, then I must be the taliban-sympathizer ! If I don`t agree with a ``conservative stance`` then I must be a bleeding heart liberal !

You wrote ``Mullahs extremely organized, militant and fanatical bunch... they just don`t walk up to the parliament... they burn things on the way.... they are actively involved in Murders, killing, and arson outside the assembly... and they are actively involved in sabotaging progressive legislation within it.``

That is a very accurate description of our army and ISI !!! The only thing i would add is that they are also involved in the use of gunship helicopters on civilians.

You asked - ``We know where the RICH people got their money but WHERE did the Mullahs get their money from ?``

Actually we DON`T know where the elite got enough money to enable them to own towns and villages and the inhabitants living in them. It weren`t mullahs who advised Nawaz Sharif to create artificial sugar shortage in Pakistan and then have his Ittefaaq Conglomerate make exclusive deals with Indians to import sugar to pakistan.

and finally you say ``the real issue is one... the existence of Mullah in a religion which is not supposed to have any mullahs.``

FYI - there is a long list of things which we have added in our religion and our society today which are not supposed to be there. Its just that Mullah is not at the top of that list. But there are some people who for completely illogical reasons would like us to keep our minds occupied by mullahs so that we don`t turn our attention to the real and more dangerous criminals amongst us.

It appears that the forum is split between Shaukat Aziz and the apparent absence of an MNA aspirant for the slot. All over, the local opinion also appears split. There are voices going hoarse that the messiah has arrived and all would be well thereafter. I would just confine my comments to the prformance.

Pakistan`s economic team by no means was led by Shaukat Aziz. He was only the minister of the Finance. State Bank being autonomous was led by Dr. Ishrat. Dr. Ashfaq was responsible for the crafty debt management. Hafeez Sheik headed the ministry of investments and privatisation. Industeries was led by another minister.

The credit for Pakistan`s fiscal reserves primarily goes to the ministry of overseas Pakistanis that exported this manpower, State Bank and Dr. Ashfaq for the crafty kerb policies and interventions in the local markets and expats who diverted their money from the Hundi to national banks. In this regard efforts of State Bank to channelise the nation banks is also praise worthy.

The credit that goes to Shaukat is the impovement in revenue mainly because of the lopsided sales tax, which remains a levy rather than a VALUE ADDED TAX. It is something like extortion.

Eversince Shaukat took over, no foreign investments have come to Pakistan other than the cell phones of PTCL. Gawadar was a direct contract between the two governments in which the ministry of finance moved in much later. If anything, this ministry has been scaring away investors.

It was common knowlegde that all was not well between Hafeez Sheikh. His efforts were continously stalled by the ministry of finance. Though more qualified and fired up to perform, this stallion was held in check.

What were the interests in doing so? Personal rivalries or not allow Pakistan to become economically independent??

We have to getover the euphoria that a new savior is coming, yet as a Pakistani I wish it is so.
Cheerios

[There is already a muslim MP and a muslim (woman) senator in Canada.
(btw, it`s vive le canada!)]

...dost-mittar jee,
you are evil...hahahahahahaha...;)

#117 by Romair
Good! Well done!!
Your expression in the post reflects your joy and glee. Do you know Azmat Hayat Khan an ex aeronautical engineer living in Canada?
I hope now you realise the importance and indispensibility of populism.
Cheerios

I`m surprised at all this outrage over Musharraf`s usury. I still vividly remember television images that showed Pakistanis celebrating Nawaz Sharif`s unseating. No doubt Nawaz was corrupt, but he was still the democratically-elected leader of the country. The Pakistani people had elected him. If they were so exasperated, they should have waited till the next elections to unseat him. When ordinary Pakistanis can show such blatant disregard for democracy, they deserve no better, and they shouldn`t be complaining.

Now I know some of you will try to justify Nawaz`s removal by saying that people were actually celebrating the end of a corrupt regime, but hold on, isn`t there a democratic way of doing things? IMHO, the ordinary Pakistani is as responsible for the mess Pakistan is in, as the Pakistani Army is.

Pardon me if I sound skeptical, but I feel the current wave of resentment has more to do with the desire for change rather than the desire for democracy. Kind of the anti-incumbency factor, I guess.

117....

So secularism is working perfectly in Canada... isn`t it?


I join you Romair... in saying Viva Le Canada!

Omar/92 & nikki7777 - You were you two twins separated al to be born? I signify, of what you write, sounds as if you two treat desperately to obtain the post, if opens, of writer in chowk. It removed is a free forum. Interacts are free also, except the abusive matter. So it publishes please and says what you have a. You have given a very good idea for a poll.



-- arjun your logic seems to amaze me with every passing day --

nikki -- ``Wouldn`t you like to know that you can decide who will run your affairs ???. Wouldn`t you like to have a say in what priorities the next government .should concentrate???`` actually nikki boy to some extent this does happen in pakistan -- esp if your an editorial writer then its in the nature of your work -- but iwouldnt expect a moron like you to know that

#104 by nikki7777 on June 28, 2004 4:43pm PT
#102....The only way the poor in pakistan can best or equal the elite/miltary/feudal class is by becoming mullahs.And, by becoming mullahs they obtain petro-dollars thereby doing the bidding of their `wahabi` masters ,namely propogating militant islam.Don`t blame them for being opportunists.Sadly, they don`t realize the damage they are doing in the long term.

---

In another note if there are any auto enthusiasts check out the following websites:

www.autoindex.org..click on countries

www.cybersteering.com

www.dcdesign.co.in

ANYTHING IS BETTER THEN DISCUSSING POLITICS!!!!!!....

www.indiacar.com

I`m amazed at how fast the indian automobile industry is maturing....

yes, nikki and we r all not too amazed by how fast your mind is degenerating --

-- hahaha this guy is a whacko !!!!!

mog: ``Omar/92 & nikki7777 - You were you two twins separated al to be born? I signify, of what you write, sounds as if you two treat desperately to obtain the post, if opens, of writer in chowk. It removed is a free forum. Interacts are free also, except the abusive matter. So it publishes please and says what you have a. You have given a very good idea for a poll.``



it would help if you wrote something comprehensible and then one could pass judgment on it

YLH/113, intriguing statement that the mullahs will sell themselves to India. Care to expound further please?

My take is that we in India are not really keen to buy your mullahs, whetever they`re selling either. As a matter of fact, the MLB here is getting reasonably ``modern`` now, for starters, on women`s rights. For example, the verbal talaq three times is about to become history.

No Sir, we don`t want to buy your Raiwind Specials. Simple reason - they don`t work, and they come without guarantees, not to mention the lack of a return address.

It is our religious and patriotic duty to oppose the imposition of Shaukat Aziz (and Ch Shujaat) on us as our PM by Washigton; as if one stooge, Musharaf was not enough. Imperialism is now getting desperate. Do not vote for Shaukat Aziz and let him win by 99.9% votes. Down with Na-Pak fauj. Down with bey sharam fauj. Down with their masters.

Romair:
There is already a muslim MP and a muslim (woman) senator in Canada. The MP, Rahim Jaffar, is a conservative from Alberta and has been reelected for a third term; he is also a member of the tory shadow cabinet. The senator is Mobin Jaffer who was appointed by Chretien three years ago and ran Canada`s refugee appeal board before that. Both of them are originally from Uganda.
....Congratulations on Wajid`s victory. (btw, it`s vive le canada!)

Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan`s been making some appearance on TV and accepting the blame that is levelled at the antics of his party PML-N when it was in power. Don`t know much about him (yet) but he speaks well.

ARD needs to see through the devious schemes of the Mullah brigade and quit changing their tunes as the Faujiz manipulate the way things are supposed to work. Hopefully the ARD won`t allign itself with the MMA again regardless of the consequences. These politicians need to practice learning lessons from the past.

Congratulations to all Pakistanis - specifically those in Canada.....

It is 1;30 a.m. and I have just returned from the victory party of our candidate (www.electwajid.com), at a local hotel. Baloons, confetti, dhol, drinks, dance floor and namaz, all in the same building. I have never seen so many hijab clad Pakistani females, pagri-ed Sardarjis, and drunk Pakistani taxi-drivers, under one roof, in my whole life.

For the first time in the history of North America, a Pakistani has been elected at the National Assembly/Congress level. I believe our candidate, Wajid, may also be the first Muslim ever elected to this level in North America, (I know no Muslim has ever been elected in USA. Don`t know if there has been one in Canada).

All of us campaigned like hell. Sikhs, conservative Muslims, maulvis, secularists, gora Canadians and gora Pakistanis. Drinks were flowing in corner and ba-jamaat namaz was being held in the other. For the past three days and nights, each and every one of us has been going door to door, literally talking to every voter in the Riding (constituency).

Canada is truly a unique place, i have to say. My respect for this country continues to grow, day by day. The group I was a member of included a Canadian-born gora Canadian, a Black Canadian girl, me, a Pakistani taxi-driver. Our Director and boss was a fully hijab-ed head to toe Pakistani lady, who was one of the leading figures in our candidates campaign.

In my polling station, where we sat for seven hours straight, I was a team lead. My team consisted of me, a Pakistani male student, a fully shalwar qameez clad Pakistani-Canadian girl in high-school, another young Pakistani-Canadian young girl in jeans and and in-your-face headscarf, and an elderly gentleman with a Ph.D. The two young in-your-face dressed desi girls clearly outperformed all of us, and got the most work done.

Never once, did I hear a derogatory remark from any direction, in any manner, about how anyone was dressed. Everyone worked as a team. This guy`s campaign organizer was a gora Canadian, his directors included everyone from an old turbaned sardarji to a Pakistani doctor to Black Canadians.

Only in Canada.......

The opposing candidate had mentioned our candidate being a Muslim, with a reference to 9/11. That really got all the Pakistanis into the campaign. The Pakistani community came out in bunches, from all corners of GTA, and worked like dogs, as volunteers. VPs, surgeons, bus drivers, unemployed guys, maulvis, dancers, boys, girls, men, women, and anyone and everyone. The gora community did the same. All working together. There was a baryani langar, on one side, and a fridge full of Cokes, on the other.

I remember friends and family members working like this for Imran Khan, when he came into politics. Unfortunately his candidate was defeated heavily. But this time, we won in a landslide. We didn`t lose at a single desk from my station.

Anyways, this was the time when the Liberal party was at its lowest point, yet our candidate still won by over a 33% margin. I think this is now his seat, for a while. Finally the Pakistani community has a voice in North America. And now that the door is open, a few more will walk through it soon (there was a Pakistani-Canadian lady candidate from NDP in Toronto also. But I believe she lost).

The candidate, himself, is a fellow Sargodhian (from Sargodha College - probalby a colleague of NazarHayatKhan). Him and his very humble wife, carried themselve very well, throughout. Seems like a good couple to represent Pakistanis - equally comfortable in the gora community and in the desi community................He made a open statement about the Iraq war during his victory speech, suggesing Canada will never enter it. The rest of his speech was about representing the Pakistani community in Canada, and representing his own Riding, as well.

I am exhausted. Haven`t slept for three days. But it feels great.......Had a chance to be part of history.......

Pakistan Zindabad.....
Viva le Canada........