The Door To The Barracks

#82 by ferozk on July 26, 2004 10:57pm PT

``One of the ways in which to cut the Punjabi power to size and this is a long term solution and that is to fund the industrial development of the other regions of Pakistan and in the process, move away feudal politics. As long as agriculture remains the signficant part of Pakistani economy, the power will always be centered in Punjab. ``

Why not talk about land reforms. Cut down the size of land holdings. Encourage land holders to sell land, move out and invest the money in industry and businesses, help the serfs to migrate to cities while leaving the villages, encourage technologies suited for smaller land holdings etc. etc.

Finally, cut down the army generals to size, decrease their retirement ages, increase the number of Generals, create more power centres, let them fight out and kill each other.

Romair,

First off, here is a little fact that will come handy in tracing conflicts in Pakistan. All three smaller provinces in the current Pakistan reluctantly jumped on the Pakistan bandwagon. Sindh was the first, but it signed on based on 1940 resolution and when the resolution was changed, the Sindhi leaders that helped passed the Pakistan resolution in Sindh assembly turned against Muslim League. Similarly, NWFP became part of Pakistan under a dubious referendum. Balochistan was actually conquered as Khan of Kalat was reluctant to sign on.

What leaders in Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan had in common? They all wanted independent countries out of India but they were forced to accept Pakistan. In Sindh, the thought was that Pakistan would not survive long and Sindhi would get their own country eventually. Nobody was counting on mass migration and changes in population demographics in 1947. That also changed the political calculations especially in Sindh.

Things were okay up until 1956, when the army and bureaucracy went for the One Unit to create parity with East Bengal. One Unit took the political representation away from smaller provinces and handed it to Punjab. Now, chances of a Sindhi or Pathans or Baluchi becoming CM of their own province disappeared. This caused anxiety in Politicians at all levels. Then even low level jobs started moving to Lahore and lower level Sindhi employees had to give them up due to economic limitations of places faraway from their homes.
The One Unit caused two issues:
1. Loss of political representation
2. Loss of Jobs.

That followed with the Martial Law. The Martial law was imposed to get away from the elections that were suppose to take place under the 1956 constitution. With Nationalist/liberals element possibly winning in East Bengal and enough nationalist winning/liberals in West Pakistan, chances of democracy and a strong civilian government stared in the face and the army and the Bureaucracy moved to eliminate that.

In 1958-60, in Sindh agricultural Lands were becoming available after the construction of GM barrage and some more canals from the Sukker Barrage. All of sudden there were plenty of land available with enough water to make money off. Sindhi thought that with enough landless peasants in Sindh, those lands would go to them. Instead, they saw a major land grab by Army Officers, and people from Punjab in the lower and upper Sindh. That caused huge resentment in Sindh. Those army officers brought their own people from Punjab to cultivate those lands and Sindhi were also deprived of new Jobs in the agriculture sector. Now we had three problems.
1 and 2 above and
3. Loss of Land and agriculture jobs to outsiders.

While this was going on in Interior Sindh a major industrialization was taken place in Karachi and Hyderabad. The majority in those two cities was migrants from India and even factory jobs did not go to Sindhi. Which also meant that no major Industry in interior Sindh. That added the fourth dimension.
1, 2, and 3 above and:
4. No industry and no Industrial jobs for Sindhi.

Throughout the sixties, while the army was consolidating its power in Pakistan, the whole Sindh was awash with tears of deprivation and cries of discrimination. The Sindhi Nationalist ran wild with that.
In the late sixties, Ayub went out the door and Bhutto emerged on the scene. Sindhi still in early nationalism went with Bhutto only because he was a Sindhi. Once in power, he provided plenty of jobs to Sindhi and his land reforms though inadequate, still helped the landless peasants. He also made agriculture credit easily available to farmer and small land owners. With those loans, he gained political support and created a false prosperity.
In the last 20 years all those gains have disappeared. And now Sindhi are back to square one thus another rise in Sindhi Nationalism that is going on now.

There has not been any investment in infrastructure in Sindh in the last 20 years. The small cities in Sindh that enjoyed good civic amenities, concrete streets, and asphalt roads are losing them to neglect and lack of resources to maintain them. Poverty is on the rise and the result is lawlessness as the poor are reluctant to move to cities for several reasons.
Politically, Sindhi don’t subscribe to Islamic ideology or Nazaria e Pakistan etc. Hence you don’t see any rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Sindh.


This is a long post and if you have questions we can continue this. I think Madni has captured some of what is going on in Sindh now.

re: Romair # 76 and 79

Those were excellent posts!

The misdistribution of power has been a major problem in Pakistan`s politics.

I remember what a friend of my father`s, who was a Bengali, said when he came to visit my father in Peshawar, for what turned out to be the last visit, in the early 1970s. He was a member of Pakistan Civil Service before that organization was shamed into accepting the name of the Superior Services of Pakistan. The conversation was about politics and the crisis in East Pakistan and he simply said that all is lost. He told my father that out of all the federal secretaries in the government of Pakistan, only four were Bengalis and he blamed the Punjabi bureaucracy and the Punjabi based army as responsible for the mess because they refused to share power with East Pakistan.

Another friend of the family, also understood Punjab political power being as a problem and who tried to bring some sort of balance into this equation by convincing the powers in Islamabad to share power, was respected for his actions in East Pakistan. His reward was that he was removed from his post. His name was Admiral Ahsan.

I think there is much truth in what you have said and I hope that due to the actions of one province, history does not repeat itself, because the other provinces know who really lost Pakistan and are scared, because they understand fully who has the potential to cause more losses to Pakistan.


If Punjab is the the political heart of Pakistan, Pakistan needs an urgent by-pass surgery. The nation cannot exist in manner which allows one province of the federation consume the resources of other provinces.

One of the ways in which to cut the Punjabi power to size and this is a long term solution and that is to fund the industrial development of the other regions of Pakistan and in the process, move away feudal politics. As long as agriculture remains the signficant part of Pakistani economy, the power will always be centered in Punjab.

Ciao

re: sameerJB # 67

Sameer, that was a very good question. I do not know the answer as I am not sure, what magic formula, if there is one, which can explain the difference between Bangladeshi and Pakistani politics. If there is a reason, and I speculate, it must have something to do with respecting the opinion of the people and not having a ``father knows best`` attitude that is the hallmark of Pakistani army in politics.

Ciao

Ref# 70 : Thanks mr. Ballukhan for your noting the abscence of left propoor idealogy or practioner of that. That ethos does not exist. That precludes the prescence of real democracy as most poor in my country are dirt poor and their interests or prorities are never of any value. You have inquired why there are not leaders ?. Really they are not real leaders for long time. Only person with leadership quality is Mr. Asif (Bhutto`s spouce) presently who has not bent , probaly he will break - he will die. Army will kill him he is Sindhi, Sindhi`s are indispensible as they are not Punjabi`s. (one may not like him but he is fighting brutal army rule with his life). If you come to Sindhi heartland what sindhis say about overlords will shatter one. I have heard say by Sindhi`s let them kill Asif and we will skin of General. There is so much anguish and sorrow in heartlands of sindh no outsider sitting can imagine. Even our country men outside , even Sindhis from USA can imagine. The distrust is so large, every problem is blamed on Punjabi exploitation ( Which is totally untrue). One need to understand the oppressed depressed societies put all blame on somebody like punjabis its despairation , hopeless lost defeated people at their own turf. Every body in Sindhi heartland may not like BB but now they like Asif as he represents what sindhis feel about themselves. Like a prisoned nationality, exploited people , terrorised by aggressive Indian immigrants who are capturing even more cities. Capital of Sindh is not Sindhi its Urdu like any other indian city of northern heartland. Sindhi`s are vanquished minority less than 15%. Its poor majority of province for many reasons. Karachi is gone, Hyderbad is gone, Sukkar is nearly gone may be Lakrana who knows. Sindhis are so angished that they are defacing the markings near Punjab border showing distance. You need to go in their mind why they they do such useless things. ( what poor helpless can than express anger so publically)

Basic Idea of Army rule is ethinic politics. Punjabis and Mohajir axis keeps Sindhi`s in Sindh in control, down and out and pathan and MQM in . Army helps MMA not for RELIGION etc but to keep Sindhi and Baloach and NWFP nationalist in check. MQM is helped to threaten and demoralise Sindhi nationalist. Its ethinic army rule at worst. Same MQM problem is planned in B.Stan, Pathans are near Majority in B.Stan. Quetta is Karachi of Pathans like MQM. Just as in Sindh the B.Stan is about to be ``partioned`` like urban and rural Sindh but in different parts.

There is more trouble to my counrty by Army as it is magnifying the etinic hatred by internal politics. Presently all Sindhi rulers of Sindh are ``Uncle Toms`` for heartlands of Sindh. The general does not understand, he is not god. Sindhi assembly made resolution with all members to oppose ``Thal Canal``. General let go that project. People who care for our country should travell to Kotri Barrage and look at Indus is dead river, a dirty channel of poisoned water. Mighty Sindhu does not exist. Bridges built by British you can look at. Wonder why they built so big at such heights. No need for such high approaches. There is no water. All water is gone stolen Sindhis say. Now there is Talk of ``wasting of water flowing to sea. I have began to feel the Army has already crossed bridges. SINDH WILL BE UKRANE of Pakistan in next 30 to 50 years. As Ukrane drifted from Russia peacefully at first Chance Sindhi will vote by walking out of union due to Punjabi domination. Sindhis are very docile and peaceful people they are not agrassive people by nature. They do not have aggression which is in blood of Punjabis. But there is intrisic threshold of pain . The Army imposed pain on Sindhi people is reaching that point. Army if thinks if it can shoot Sindhis as they in B.Desh is wrong as world is watching. Karachi will remain with Punjabis as MQM is committed to Punjabi Army ans Karachi will be ``Kaliningrad`` of Pakistan. ( Kaliningrad a port enclove is surrounded by Baltic nation). Karachi will be connected to Punjab by MQM majority. B/stan is restive all along. Almost every 15 days Sui Gas tranmission is blown on regular basis. Army has to think of not destroying this country. The generals leading on same beaten paths A to Z are going same way. What we need basic intelluctual Generals who can change the way way do things. Just like Col Basil Leadelheart though differently thinking of about mobile warfare changed the way mechanized war way. Our country needs a general who will abandon the army tactics of ruling country and leave open doors and help transition. Its very difficult for traditionally trained general in ethos of takeovers.
If army does as doing for next 30 years will harvest the division of country with Sindh leading its way. Let army remember what Sindhi nationalist say. Sindh was before Pakistan and sindh will be there after Pakistan. There is Kernel of truth. Hope army decides to quit let ``dishonest`` civilians take over.

As now all people blame army for loss and dishonour in East Pakistan, Punjabis will blame Army at last and Army will be Stunned to see that as Julius Ceaser says `` You Brute too``.

I am trying to use mediation to cool my nerves and anxity which culminates in to my depression pain. I appreciate you suggestion and grateful for that.

HP #78: “I think I can provide some information that can be helpful.”

This is a subject I am greatly interested in, so do provide more information on it.

The fortunate aspect of Chowk is that it provides a good forum for discussion. The unfortunate aspect is that it is being hijacked by individuals who are unwilling to look at the problems of Pakistan objectively, based on a factual historical analysis. They are more interested in pushing their own agenda. And anything that does not fit into it, is discarded all together. Even if facts point in the other direction.

As an example, the pre-dominant majority here tries to paint all solutions of Pakistan under a secular, westernized and upper-class umbrella. This involves painting the maulvi as the cause of all the problems in Pakistan. It also involves painting the Army as the cause of all of the problems of Pakistan. Primarily, because the timeframe when most of these individuals grew up, involved an alliance between Zia and the maulvis.

Anyone (including myself) who tries to highlight the fact that one cannot, exclusively, blame the Army or the maulvis for all the problem in Pakistan, and that according to all surveys, very few people in Pakistan want a secular society, is attacked from all corners. This results in false agendas being associated with such individuals and with their arguments.

In my opinion, one has to base one’s arguments on facts. And then blame any and all concepts and agencies (including Army, feudals, maulvis, secularists etc.) who have caused problems for Pakistan. Not just push one’s own agenda of secularism, or Shariahism, etc.

Based on this, I have always felt the following power centers to be the biggest problems in Pakistan, from hightest to lowest:

- Feudalism and the hold of feudals on Pakistani politics (primary power center: rural Sind and rural Punjab)
- Domination of Punjab over all other provinces in politics, resources, budget, water, ideology etc. (power center: Punjab)
- Institutionalised power of Army Generals (not the PAF or Navy; and not the whole Army from hawaldar upwards. Just the 125 Army generals. Primary power center Punjab)
- Bankruptcy of the political leadership (all, except Zia, were secular) that has ruled over Pakistan (primary power center: Punjab and Sind)
- The elitist upper class group, that rules over Pakistan, with all powerbrokers married into each other (be it business, politics, military, etc.). Most of us on Chowk belong to this group, in some manner or another

It is only after these groups that I would place the mullahs as the cause of the problems in Pakistan. Not because I have any love of the mullah (or of the Army, or of Baluchis and Sindhis and Pathans; or a dislike of secularism). But for the simple reason that the facts point support this. Mullahs have never held any power in Pakistan. It is only now, after 55 years, that they have some influence. How can they be blamed for everything?

Yet the overwhelming critique on Chowk is mullah-centric and Army-centric. A more objective critique would look at these issues and parties, but would also look at all other issues and parties. And lay blame equally and objectively. For example, second from the top of the list, and cause of most of the violence in Pakistan, is the domination of Punjab over the country. Yet when was the last time, we saw an article on this subject. People actually want to Punjabize Pakistan even more, e.g. declaring Punjabi a medium of education, would by default, require all Pakistanis to be fluent in Punjabi if they want to be a part of the economy (much like all singers who want to hit it big, have to sing in Punjabi now). This would create a mutiny in Pakistan’s smaller provinces. It would in fact, be safer (though equally ridiculous), to get everyone to declare Arabic or Hebrew a medium of instruction, instead of Punjabi

Anyways looking forward to your comments.

Urstruly and Romair,

I am afraid your knowledge of the issues between Punjab and the smaller provinces is not accurate. Having grown up with the Sindhi Nationalist movement and extensive knowledge of the Baluch and Pukhtoon Nationalist movements, I think I can provide some information that can be helpful.
Romair is right! the core issue is distribution of resources between the provinces. Mullah is a temporary ideological problem and not a major socio-economic problem at all. It has become an issue because of the current circumstances.
More on this as I get some time.

Romair

The argument that you are using is also what military tries to exploit. Based on this very argument of Punjabi bogeyman military has created terrorist outfits like MQM. It is on record that Zia personnally was encoraging people like GM Syed, who were a non-entity before Zia, to further the military agenda of ethnic divide. The fact of the matter is that military is the one that is at the root of this evil and it is the one who is hogging up all the resources. Has anyone noticed that whenever there is military rule the ethnic organizations sprout like mushrooms and whenever there is election these very candidates from these organizations lose even their security depoits and become non-entities during a democaratic government. The reason is that, not only that the constitution of 1973 provide the best safguard to the interests of smaller provinces but also a democratic government is the best to keep check on military expansionism.

A time has copme now that Pakistan must cut its defence forces down to 60k-100K. All of its cantonments should be turned into muncipalities and schools should be handed over to provincial deppts of education, miliotary manufacturing concerns should be under ministry of production, and hospitals should be given to ministry of health. If we do not do it now Pakistan will collapse because of its own weight. After all the Britian has an army of 60,000 only and I can bet that it can teach a good lesson to Pakistan army in any combat. Why can`t we be efficient like them. If manpower is something that we cannot live without then why not make two year necessary training for every able bodied Pakistani mandatory. It will only benefit Paksitan by producing an educated and disciplined manpower.

In my previous arguments I was only making a case that only Punjab can make this happen. It is Punjab`s resposibility to reign in Army. Otherwise sooner or later Punjab will have to say bye bye to the Federation.

There is an interesting analysis that is presented on this site regularly, about the problems in Pakistan. They are invariably blamed on the mullah, and on religion. Everything from domestic violence to sectarian violence to law and order, etc. is blame on religious polarizations. If one were to go by the views on this site, mullahs and religion sits at the core of all the violence in Pakistan.

A more objective analysis, based on historical facts would reach a different conclusion.

I think most of the problems and polarization in Pakistan occur from the domination of one province over all others. I have always found it interesting that people rarely highlight that fact, on this site.

After the demise of the USSR, Pakistan is the only country in the world (?) in which one province has a greater population than that of all other provinces combined. In fact, a much higher population. The population of Punjab is around 62% of the country. This population, combined with Kashmiris, whose families speak Punjabi and have intermarried heavily into Punjabis (like mine), makes the total figure 66% of the population.

Imagine the consequences of one state in the USA having 200 million of the 300 million population. Or one province in India having 660 million of the 1 billion population.

An honest look at Pakistan’s past will show that all public violence in Pakistan has always been ethnic based, and rarely, if ever, religious based. I cannot recall any religious violence in Pakistan, during my lifetime, in which groups of populations participated, against each other. The only religious violence is by tiny terrorist organizations, which are wanted by the govt. How many Shia-Sunni, Muslim-Christian etc. riots have there been in Pakistan? Can someone highlight? Very few, if any. Even now, in Karachi, despite all the terrorist killings, the Shia and Sunni communities have never come to arms, against each other.

However, the dominance of Punjab has resulted in quite a bit of violence. The 71 war was actually a war between the Punjabi-dominated West Pakistan, and the Bengalis of East Pakistan. It was not exclusivley a war between the Army and civilians. There was widespread support of this war amongst the common Punjabis of West Pakistan. An overwhelming majority of whom supported the Army action. While some parties/groups of smaller provinces in West Pakistan, actually supported and were in alliance with Mujeeb’s party. And the religious parties were not aligned with the Punjab dominated PPP. So none of the smaller provinces had too many issues with Mujeeb becoming the Prime Minister.

However, Bhutto’s base of election was Punjab. It was not Sind. Punjab was the only province where PPP won an outright majority. PPP barely won any seats in Baluchistan and NWFP. It did not win any in East Pakistan. And even in Sind, Bhutto did not have an outright majority. Shias, Sunnis, and Ahmedis (Chief of Air Staff around 71 was an Ahmedi) of West Pakistan, jointly fought the Shias, Sunnis etc. of Bangladesh.

The Army itself is 75% Punjabi. Yet, individuals conveniently gloss over this fact. Interestingly, the Army is the only branch of the military that participates in Martial Laws. The PAF and Navy never do, even though they are asked. Even more interestingly, if one knows the insides of the Pakistan armed forces, one will notice that the PAF, traditionally, has primarily had a lot of Pathan influence, since many (if not) most of its pilots are Pathans. And because it was headquartered in Peshawar. While the Navy is completely located in Karachi, and hence has a Muhajir dominance.

It would not be wrong to call the PAF a Pathan-influenced organization, historically, the Navy a Muhajir-influenced one, and the Army a Punjabi-influenced one. Is it a coincidence that the Army is the only institution that participates in Martial Laws. Never the PAF and Navy?

The violence in Karachi, is ethnic based also. Shia and Sunni Muhajirs jointly fight Shia and Sunni Sindhis, Punjabis etc. The separatist movements of Sindhu Desh and Pakhtunistan and independent Baluchistan were not a desire of people to separate from Pakistan. They were a desire to separate from Punjab. Even the idea of a Muhajir Jinnahpur was a desire to separate from a Punjabi dominated Pakistan (not just a Sindhi dominated Sind).

If you were to ask the intellgensia of Punjab, what the biggest cause of violence in Pakistan is, they may say religious violence. However, I am quite sure, if you were to ask the intelligentsia of urban Sind, rural Sind, NWFP and Baluchistan, whether religious polarization of Punjabiat of Pakistan was a bigger threat to the unity of the country, they would point towards the later.

I say this as someone who speaks Punjabi as his mother tongue, however, it may not be a coincidence that many of the contributors on this site, who keep blaming the mullah for all the ills, are Punjabis. They seem to be unable to comprehend, or refuse to acknowledge the facts that point to ethicity, with a Punjabi dominance, being the main cause of social violence and polarization in Pakistan. Diverting all the attention to mullahs, conveniently covers up the real problem, behind the fissures in the society.

I have thus found it quite interesting, that so many individuals, on this site, continue to highlight a desire to Punjabize Pakistan more and more, through the declaration of Punjabi as a formal medium of education, a strong support for the Punjabi govt. of Nawaz Sharif etc. And as a bogeyman, they keep brining up the mullah as the main culprit in all the They blame the Army (in many cases correctly, and in many cases incorrectly), yet refuse to acknowledge its Punjabi dominance. And they never highlight the true cause of polarization in the Pakistani society, i.e. ethnic violence, primarily with Punjab on one side, and every other ethnicity on the other.

Any organization/institution that has a strong Punjabi base will always dominate the country. Politics in Pakistan is all Punjabi-based, due to population of Punjab. Hence a Punjabi Chief Minister of Punjab is more powerful than a non-Punjabi Prime Minister of Pakistan. The Army has a strong Punjabi base. Even sectarian violence is primarily rooted in areas of Punjab, like Jhang. And the biggest congregations of Laskhar-Tayyaba are in Punjab’s Muridke.

So, if one is really going to analyze problems, one has to base them on statistical facts. For starters, people need to study the basis of the cause of violence and polarization in Pakistan. Is it due to religious polarization (amongst Pakistani community, not tiny organizations) or is it due to ethnic polarizations (primarily initiated by the large size and influence of the Punjabi population). Based on this, there should be a lot more articles and discussions on this site, about the harm that the domination of one province can cause to the country, then about the harm mullahs can cause to Pakistan. Unfortunately, one sees an abundance of the later, and a huge shortage of the former.

Rozaiba

Military has actually started doing both - step by step. On one hand it is destroying the political party structure through horse trading (Patriots, Quislings, and Mullahs), intimidation (NAB, Javed Hashmi, Zardari), coercion (Faisal Saleh Hayat and several other lotas), murder (Munawar Suharwardi, Abdullah Murad, Mufti Shamzai) and exiles (BB, NS and his whole family). In this regard I think this military regime is way more dangerous than Zia`s; while zia used lashes and public executions to intimidate political dissent this regime is doing it by waging a war with gunship helicopters on its own people.

On the other hand, military has taken the first steps to concentrate absolute powers in center through their devolution plans. This is the first step. My estimate is that as the current Nazims will complete their terms, the next crop of Nazims will be appointed as Governors of their newly formed ``provinces``. When devolution plan was incorporated three years ago military did not have a political base, but now through horse trading and through other tactics mentioned above they have created a civilian army of underlings. And that is the natural consequence of giving military a constitutional position in the polity. One must understand that the Army as a political party by its very nature is a fascist party. Dissent and compromise is not tolerated in military. Military men are trained for that. With breakdown of provinces this fascism will be complete and totally unchallenging.

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Urstruly:

Most of what you listed again reflects only the military-industrial equation of which Punjab by its size finds itself the beneficiary of.

Anyhow, as stated earlier, as long as PPP remains a national party with a leadership determined to think on an all Pakistan level, the conditions you mentioned earlier for separation will not be created. Of course if the military succeeds in destroying the national party structure(s), then it’s another story.

Seeing the conflict occur between the provincial and district governments, it makes no sense to have an additional layer in the form of the former. The problem hasn’t been the center-provincial struggles- but the existence of the military which feeds of off a very compliant Punjabi majority. Demarcating districts of 10 million people each (as suggested by others) will destroy the clout of that majority. But of course the chance of that happening is nil in the absence of any leadership or mass initiative.

Urstruly:

Most of what you listed again reflects only the military-industrial equation of which Punjab by its size finds itself the beneficiary of.

Anyhow, as stated earlier, as long as PPP remains a national party with a leadership determined to think on an all Pakistan level, the conditions you mentioned earlier for separation will not be created. Of course if the military succeeds in destroying the national party structure(s), then it’s another story.

Seeing the conflict occur between the provincial and district governments, it makes no sense to have an additional layer in the form of the former. The problem hasn’t been the center-provincial struggles- but the existence of the military which feeds of off a very compliant Punjabi majority. Demarcating districts of 10 million people each (as suggested by others) will destroy the clout of that majority. But of course the chance of that happening is nil in the absence of any leadership or mass initiative.

#51 by ahmedmadani on July 24, 2004 9:41am PT

Well said! This is indeed the mising link in Pakistani politics- I could never understand the marginalization of left in Pakistani politics. Even if the atheistic tendencies of the left were underplayed by them in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan- the reason why the PAkistani left was not able mobilize the poor and the marginalized is still not clear- much of it has to do with the constant interference of army in Paki poltics from 1950 onwards itself which never let the leftist thought spread- on the other hand it appears that the feudals aligned themselves with the mullahs to marginalize the anti-slavery and pro-land reform left.

P.S- Madanisaheb I would suggest you try some Yoga which provide excellent cure for anxiety. I had very bad diabetes (and other related probs) since childhood- and I am fully cured since I started doing Pranayam -which I consider as a very useful physio-therapy treatment.

``#57 by Romair on July 24, 2004 1:05pm PT

1. Massive land reforms (to kick out the feudals from politics)
2. Split Punjab into three parts (to dilute the hold of Punjab over the country)
3. Reduce the number of General ranks in the Army (Maj and Lt.) from 125 to about 50 ``

This is an old ploy. When the discussion is on army- the bootlickers talk about feudalism and suggest steps which would weaken the opposing `civilian` elites (mostly feudals) in Pakistan. But what stops those who wield the nukes to impose a land reform?? Where goes their Kargil confidence when it comes to land reforms or carving smaller states?
Infact, I would suggest we double the number of Generals in the Pakistan Army and allow splinter groups to emerge as we have in India in order to split the power of these army walas. Remember, the benefit of Indian diversity and pluralism is clearly evident in the marginalization of army in Indian politics- Let Pakistan learn something from it!!
Any clues ??