THE

CRUSADES
OF

21ST CENTURY

BY RIAZ AMIN
Vol-X

CONTENTS
ASHES SANS PHOENIX ....4
BATTLEFIELD AFPAK .....7
DAYTIME HOWLING. 58
SURGE ELSEWHERE ..93
DESECRATED EVERYDAY .113
FOUR LETTER WORD..131
ELUSIVE JUSTICE 209
ENHANCED WAGES .233
DEFENDERS BEWARE .269
BIBI HILLARY 297
NRO IS DEAD! .325
CRIMINAL AND A FRAUD ......355
STILL IN THE MAKING ...392
FRONTLINE TO EPICENTRE .432
ALL BECAUSE OF NRO....460
FRONTLINE TO EPICENTRE II ..501
FALL OF HAMMER529
AROUND GLOBE II 560
FALL OF HAMMER II578
SCREAMING SCOUNDREL .616
FRONTLINE TO EPICENTRE III 642
MIDDLE EAST II .680
SCREAMING SCOUNDREL II..700
KARACHI TO KHOST ..722
WHO BLINKS FIRST.753
URGE FOR PEACE 780
SIX FIVE ZERO...813
NO MATCH .....................................828
SCOUNDREL AND SAGE..864
SCOUNDREL AND SAGE II ..900

GAME CHANGE .929

CHHITROL IN CHINIOT ..956
GAME CHANGE II ..985
FAILED TO FOIL .1014
STRATEGIC DIALOGUE 1058
MIDDLE EAST III..1087
SANITORY STAFF1107
AROUND GLOBE III.1142
NOT ZARDARI..1171

ASHES SANS PHOENIX

Eight years since 9/11 the Muslims across the world have been pushed
backwards fairly close to the Stone Age; the place the Crusaders think they
belong to. In fact, Muslims had already set themselves on that course; the
Crusaders only facilitated the accelerated of their journey.
They as political, economic and military entity had started
degenerating about four centuries ago when their rulers shied away from
getting killed in pursuit of glory (Shaheed-e-Kibriayee). They preferred
seeking pleasure and enjoying the luxuries that could be accrued from the
accumulated fortunes. This marked the beginning of Muslim Worlds
gradual smoldering into ashes.
When Christian Europe developed ocean-going navies and made
major breakthroughs in multiple uses of gunpowder, it decided to conquer
and colonize non-Christian world in general and Muslim countries in
particular. By then these countries had turned into wide spans of dried-up
shrubs, or neesan. Touch of a spark was enough to turn these into raging
flames. Europeans had plenty of sparks to turn Muslim shrubs into ashes.
In the middle of last century when Muslim countries were granted
independence, it was hoped that Ummahs degeneration would stop; it
didnt. The European masters had ensured that Muslim masses remained
under pseudo-colonial rule even after they had left. Proxy colonialism
ensured the continuation of degeneration.
At the advent of this century Muslim World was once again set on fire
after mysterious 9/11 attacks. Christian Crusaders, Americans as well as
Europeans, returned to re-conquer Islamic countries and physically
subjugate them where necessary. Resultantly, today bulk of the Muslim
World has been re-colonized with one difference; in the past Muslim lands
were turned into British, French, or Dutch colonies, today these are
subjected to corporate colonization by willing partners.
Today, the state of Islamic World is no different from that of preindependence days. In the past Muslim World was invaded by European
armies after making inroads in the garb of traders and today they use Trojan
horses of IMF and World Bank.
Sadiqs and Jaffers were available in plenty in yesteryears so are the
Karzais, Malikis, and Zardaris today. Freedom fighters like Tipus and Omar
Mukhtars of yesteryears are Nasrallahs and Mulla Omars of today and
dubbed as terrorists. Muslim battalions which fought under British still
4

retain the trophies collected after victory over Tipu Sultan. Today entire
Muslim armies are fighting under the banner of the Crusaders.
They encouraged and supported dissent in Islamic countries in the
past and the same is done today in the wrappings of freedom of expression.
The dissenters and rebels are provided sanctuaries in Europe and the US and
maintained as alternate governments. Ethnic and sectarian differences were
fanned and new sects and cults encouraged then and so are now; like
Ahmedis of the past are the Enlightened Moderates of today.
They raised armies of native soldiers which were commanded by the
officers from Europe and today they hire standing armies of Muslim
countries as mercenaries. These armies have sprinkling of trainers and
advisers so that they do not deviate from the task of serving the interests of
their hirers. In the past they ruled through Viceroys and Governor Generals;
today this is done through Ambassadors and Special Envoys. They
succeeded then and so have now.
Barring a few non-state actors, the rest of Ummah has reconciled with
superiority of the Crusaders. The most outstanding success of the
Crusaders has been fulfillment of their centuries-old ambition of demonizing
Islamic concept of Jihad. This has been made possible by their electronic
media; enlightened moderates within rank and file of Muslims; and above all
by transgressions of those who claim to be waging jihad.
Muslim intellectuals today debate who are martyrs out of those
killed in encounters; government paid soldiers or non-state Islamic militants.
Nobody ponders even for a while that in either case it is the loss of Muslim
Ummah. No one debates as to which hidden hand was causing this damage.
Negation of jihad has an obvious negative impact. Muslims have
neglected the importance of keeping their horses ready as ordained by
Allah. Resultantly, the Crusaders enjoy ascendancy in modern weaponry
then and now, which has been the main stay of their battlefield victories.
They have also done what Allah told Muslims to do; thus hearts of Muslims
suffer from fear of the lethality of Wests weapon-systems.
One of the most hyped propaganda themes during post-9/11 invasion
of Muslim countries was reconstruction of these countries. Today, the only
visible signs of the reconstruction are the concrete walls around Shia and
Sunni neighborhoods in Iraq; for security of Jews in Palestine; for protection
of bases of occupation forces in occupied lands; and for security of
government buildings in Pakistan.

Shia and Sunni communities of Iraq, which had been living together
for centuries despite the sectarian tensions, have been segregated on
permanent basis. These walls have clear message: Shias and Sunnis cannot
coexist. Similar is the message in Pakistan; state and non-state actors of
Islamic republic are each others sworn enemies.
The impact of war on terror has been quite telling in case of Pakistan.
The country that was cut to size by India in 1971 has now been pushed back
to place where it belongs to. Karzai with the help of India and US has turned
the table and today Pakistan has been forced to complain about cross-Durand
Line infiltration and terrorism.
Pakistan no more merits to be treated as a separate entity; it is just a
part of an entity described by the newly concocted term of Af-Pak. At
diplomatic and political forums Pakistan stands at the verge of elimination.
The appointment of special envoys for Af-Pak by Britain, France and Japan
explains it all.
To conclude it can be said that the US hegemony over Muslim World
has been accepted by the Muslim rulers. The US can do anything it wants to
in these countries and the people therein; the ruling elite will have no
objection what-so-ever. The process of turning Muslim Ummah into heap of
ashes goes on.
The question is: Is there a phoenix in these ashes; a Phoenix in terms
of a leader? Presently there are no signs of its existence. Perhaps more ashes
are needed for creation of a Phoenix. There are 1.5 billion Muslims to
provide material for more ashes.
The Crusaders know only one way to retain the conquered lands;
eliminate the natives as they did North America, Australia, New Zealand and
other places. In the context of Islamic World, however, the Crusaders do not
realize that it is impossible to eliminate 1.5 billion natives living in more
than fifty countries spread over hostile terrain of two continents.
Thus, in pursuit of their goal Crusaders will keep adding to the heap
of ashes till rising of a Phoenix. The non-state actors in Islamic World will
keep providing the material for the ashes. On that count they must be given
their due share as they have not been deterred by the combined might of sole
superpower of the world and of the superpower of Islamic World.
11th September 2009

BATTLEFIELD AFPAK
One of the stated aims of the post-9/11 Crusades, more vehemently
pursued than other aims has been to push the Muslims back to Stone Age
where they belong to. The pursuit for accomplishment of this aim started
with the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan. However, the Crusaders
were still embroiled in conquering it.
For fulfillment of their ambition to conquer Afghanistan, they have
escalated the war to Pakistan. Hence, Pakistan, which continues to claim
alliance with the Crusaders, has been turned into main battleground. It is
experiencing worst bloodshed of its history since the days of partition of the
Subcontinent.
Whereas the aim of conquering Afghans remained elusive, Pakistani
leadership seemed to have reconciled with hegemony of the Crusaders. They
have conceded, without having been invaded, far more than Afghanistan and
Iraq have. Yet, many of them would claim that they have averted the
invasion of their country.
In execution of their strategy to keep the invaders at bay, they have
done everything to please the Crusaders. Of late, they have resorted to extrajudicial killings in Swat. Astonishingly, the media which raised
unprecedented hue and cry over flogging of a woman and some executions
on the orders of TTP courts remained shamelessly quiet over extra-judicial
killings of hundreds of militants by ANP lashkars facilitated by the Army.
The troop surge in Afghanistan has been a disappointment for the
occupation forces and so have been the reports of massive rigging in the
presidential polls. There has been nothing worth writing home from the
battle-front except mentioning the Swat Operation in the dispatches. To that
extent the concoction of term Af-Pak has been quite useful for them.
Singh government continued refusing to sit on table-talks with
Pakistan as if its counter-part was suffering from swine-flu. With its relations
with India stalemated, Zardari regime fiddled with the status of Northern
Areas to show that something was happening on the Kashmir front. But, that
too back-fired as many Kashmiris condemned this decision.
Before moving forward, a word about slight change in the layout of
the periodic coverage of the so-called war on terror; henceforth all articles
will have uniform layout; News, Views and Review. Afghanistan has been
combined with Pakistan as per dictates on term Af-Pak and in case of Iraq all

the Middle Eastern countries have been combined with it in addition to its
neighbours.

NEWS
In Pakistan, 44 militants were arrested in Swat on 12 th August and
five more in Charsadda area. Two persons were killed in landmine blast in
Bajaur. Rehman Malik told National Assembly that Karzai has been told to
stop anti-Pakistan activities. At least 14 militants were killed in clashes
between fighters of Baitullah and pro-government commander Haji
Turkistan. Nawaz Sharif told Mark Lyall to ensure justice to Pakistani
students and ask India for purposeful composite dialogue. Pakistan rejected
reports that its nuclear sites were attacked three times in the last two years.
Next day, seven militants were arrested in Swat and four in Bajaur.
Two persons were killed in attack on house of a tribal chief in Mohmand
Agency. Two dead bodies were found and four suspects arrested in Bara
area. Gunship helicopters pounded hideouts of militants in Orakzai Agency
and killed ten of them and in Kurram Agency five more were killed in
similar pounding.
Malik Khadin and five others were killed in suicide attack in Wana
Bazaar. Khadin was pro-government tribal elder who had played significant
role in evicting foreign fighters from South Waziristan. Clash between
fighters of Turkistan and Baitullah continued and ten more fighters were
killed. At least 18 fighters of Turkistan and 15 of Baitullah were kidnapped
by each other. One person was killed in firing by unknown gunmen in D I
Khan.
Swat Valley echoed with slogans of Pakistan Zindabad and Pak Army
Zindabad after midnight to celebrate Independence Day. A reporter of Aaj
TV was killed. Zardari lifted ban on political activities in FATA. A girl was
wounded as six rockets fell in Peshawar. Three militants were killed and 7
wounded in gunship strike in Kurram Agency. Customs official was
kidnapped in North Waziristan. Four suspects were arrested at Chaman.
Three militants were arrested from hills near Larkana. Allama Sajid
Naqvi said patrons of Taliban were still there and majority of Taliban is from
south Punjab; therefore an operation in that area was a must. Zardari said
Benazir had conceptualized the plan to fight militancy and I am executing
that.

British judge presented Independence Day gift to Pakistan by

rejecting bail to its students, who also complained of maltreatment in prison.
Their crime was that one of them had used world Nikah, which was taken
as a codeword for suicide include serving of food mixed with human faeces.
They police was allowed to retain them and present their case by March
April 2010.
Three soldiers were killed and five wounded in a suicide attack on a
check post in Swat on 15th August. Eight militants were killed and one
arrested in separate operation. In Buner, 13 militants surrendered and one
was held and 22 surrendered in Dir. In Bajaur, 19 suspected militants were
arrested and ten more in Nowshera.
One soldier was killed and eleven wounded in exchange of fire
between Pakistani and Afghan troops near Angoor Adda. Thirteen people
were killed and 18 wounded in an air strike in Makin area and 15 were killed
in operation in Laddah. Four dead bodies were recovered in Jandola area.
Three NATO tankers were set ablaze near Pishin.
Holbrooke arrived in Islamabad and announced that the decision on
operation in Waziristan would be taken by Pakistan and Nawaz Sharif is a
popular leader. Mullen said Pakistan is a critical country for the US. Rashid
Akbar Nawani, PML-N raised the issue on a point of order and questioned
the government stance over the reports of residential accommodation to
7,000 US Marines at the American Embassy but no one from the cabinet
responded. JI said US was establishing a cantonment in Islamabad; seven
thousand Marines would mean a cantonment for more than two brigades.
On 16th August, two soldiers were killed and three wounded in Swat;
seven militants were killed and 21 arrested and 14 were held in Buner. In
Lower Dir, 48 militants surrendered. Seventeen suspects were held after
rocket attack on Kohat. Three militants were arrested by Police in Hangu.
Eighteen Taliban of Mulla Nazir group were mysteriously slain while
returning from Afghanistan where they had gone to fight against occupation
forces in Paktika Province. Three persons were killed and 25 wounded when
security forces opened fire indiscriminately in South Waziristan. One FC
soldier and five militants were killed in Janikhel area; three soldiers and
three militants were wounded.
Holbrooke met Nawaz and stressed upon national consensus on war
on terror and its acceptance as Pakistans war. Holbrooke and Querishi
vowed to defeat terrorism. The visitor also showed desire to meet JI Ameer
Munawar Hassan. Shah Mahmood denied reports about presence of one
9

thousand US Marines in Islamabad, but said the US has launched multibillion dollar projects in Pakistan and they need armed personnel for their
security and that has been allowed.
Thirteen militants were killed and 28 held in Swat on 17 th August.
Three more dead bodies were recovered; HRCP demanded probe into
extrajudicial killings in Swat. In one month since the start of return of IDPs
more than one hundred bullet-ridden dead bodies of militants were found in
Swat. ANP-sponsored activists have been fairly active killing more than
three per day to extract the revenge.
Three militants were arrested in Mohmand Agency. Seven people
were killed and nine wounded in bomb blast in a bus in Shabqadar; dead and
wounded were mostly from Bajaur Agency. Presence of American security
personnel in Peshawar and their increasing movement in residential areas of
the city added to the anxiety of the residents of provincial capital. Five,
including two Afghans, were shot dead in Kurram Agency. Baitullahs top
aide Saifullah, who had been wounded in drone attack, was arrested from
Barakahu along with his brother.
Allama Ali Sher Haideri of banned SSP was killed near Kairpur along
with his close companion; one of the attackers was shot dead by the guards
of the cleric. Maulana Abdul Karim Marri was wounded. Surprisingly, Altaf
Hussain was the first to condemn killing of militant mulla. Two persons
were killed during post-murder violence. Police and Rangers raided a
mosque after firing incident during a protest rally and arrested 7 people.
Holbrooke met Finance Minister, COAS, CJCSC, FATA leaders,
Asfandyar, Fazlur Rehman and Prime Minister. He also visited Swat. Apart
from what has been said and reported, the observers generally felt that
Holbrookes focus was on pressing Pakistan for operation in Waziristan. He
also announced that Zardari would complete five-year tenure.
Muslim Khan resurfaced and asked commissioner to stop action
against militants; meanwhile eight militants were arrested and six houses
torched in Swat on 18th August. Maulvi Omar, spokesman of TTP, along
with his companions was arrested by tribesmen and handed over to FC
authorities in Mohmand Agency. He confirmed the death of Baitullah.
Lashkar killed three militants in Orakzai Agency and four dead bodies
were recovered. Seven soldiers of FC were killed and four wounded in
suicide attack on a check post in North Waziristan. Another Taliban
commander, Habib Akakhel, was arrested from Bari Imam area.

10

Two Pakistani students held in Britain decided to return voluntarily

after courts refusal to grant them bail. This was precisely the aim of British
authorities. During discussion on presence of private US security agencies
like Blackwater in Peshawar minister of state for interior denied all media
reports either by saying not in our knowledge or will be probed.
Holbrooke called on General Kayani. JI team also met Holbrooke and
conveyed concerns on issues of Embassy expansion, drone attacks and
Aafiya Siddiqui; while Munawar Hassan led Go America Go rally in
Islamabad. At night, he met Zardari, who wanted access to US and EU
markets.
On 19th August, 29 militants were arrested in Swat. ATC Malakand
served notices to Fazlullah and other TTP leaders to appear in the court.
Faqir Mohammad of Bajaur declared himself as acting chief of TTP and
appointed Muslim Khan as groups central spokesman. Five militants were
killed in Bajaur and a soldier was among four killed by gunmen. Two more
schools were burnt in Lower Dir bringing the total to fifty. Dead body of a
slaughtered Khasadar was found in Khyber Agency. Three suspected
militants were arrested in Peshawar.
Ansar Abbasi reported that Customs Intelligence has lodged an FIR
against a private company, which produced unauthorized APCs with banned
imported items like ballistic steels and glasses and sold them to some of the
security agencies. The company also imported bullet-proof jackets declaring
them as floor mats.
After delivering a tough message of Obama to Pakistani civil and
military leadership in Islamabad Holbrooke left for Karachi and General
Petraeus arrived. Obamas message was to launch military operation in
Waziristan without any delay and Petraeus arrival was to coordinate the
details, which indicated that the regime has agreed to launch the much
awaited operation.
Holbrooke met Governor Sindh and a delegation of MQM and said
local bodies system (devolution of power) should continue. After the
meeting he vowed in a press conference to help Pakistan overcome its
economic and energy crises and promised issue of hundred visas to
businessmen of Karachi.
On 20th August, sixty militants including two cousins of Fazlullah
surrendered in Mingora and four more dead bodies were recovered. JUI-F
accused NWFP government of killing scores of religious scholars in custody
and demanded release of its 120 activists. Four suspected militants,
11

including two prayer-leaders, were arrested in Nowshera. Eight people,

including four policemen, were wounded in a bomb blast near a check post
in Rawalpindi. Foreign offices rejected all reports about expansion of US
Embassy in Islamabad.
Next day, twenty houses of militants were demolished in Swat.
Reportedly more than 200 activists of ANP have been killed by militants;
hence enough grounds for extra-judicial executions of Taliban and
demolition of their houses. Security forces killed 12 militants in Mohmand
Agency. A policeman was shot dead in Peshawar.
A suicide bomber blew himself up after he was besieged in Kohat. At
least 15 people, including two women and six children, were killed in drone
attack in North Waziristan. US paper reported that Blackwater is performing
more tasks in Pakistan that it performed in Iraq; loading/arming of drones is
included in its tasks.
Militants attacked a post near Miranshah; three soldiers were
wounded and three attackers were shot dead by the troops. In Janikhel area,
12 militants were killed in two clashes. Shia cleric Domki was attacked in
Quetta, but the attacker was shot dead by the guard.
On 22nd August, 27 militants were held in Swat; three soldiers and a
civilian were killed in suicide attack; one elder and one militant were killed
in Bajaur and two soldiers were wounded in militants shelling in Ghalanai.
Two minors were killed in militants attack in Landikotal. Two people were
killed and five wounded in a car bomb blast in Peshawar.
Hakimullah was appointed successor of Baitullah; Rehman Malik
vowed to kill him like his predecessor (in drone attack). Taliban kidnapped
father of Baitullahs second wife for his alleged involvement in missile
strike in which her daughter and her husband were killed. Three militants
were killed and three wounded in air strikes in Makin and Laddah areas.
Taliban in North Waziristan announced ceasefire for 40 days. In Lakki
Marwat, 25 militants surrendered. Rehman Malik accepted that 1,291
persons were missing. Two more students returned to Pakistan from Britain
bringing the total of returnees to five. The two had stayed in custody for 134
days against 28 allowed under British law.
Next day, 40 militants were arrested in Swat and 12 surrendered.
Three killed and 11 wounded in a suicide attack in Peshawar. Intelligence
official and a soldier were shot dead in Nowshera. Two Afghans were among
eight arrested in Kohat. Four people, including a tribal elder were shot dead
near Wana. Some Taliban sources said Wali-ur-Rehman has been elected as
12

new leader of TTP. Rehman Malik said father-in-law of Baitullah and few
other in-laws have been killed by Taliban on charges of spying. Punjab
police claimed arresting 13 suicide bombers. Seven men of a banned outfit
were arrested in Karachi.
On 24th August, four militants were killed and 35 arrested in Swat; 12
dead bodies were also recovered. Ikram Hoti reported that people in Swat
live under the constant threat of revenge killing as more than 200 dead
bodies have been found since the start of IDPs. BBC News channel accused
Pakistan Army and police of extra-judicial killings.
Two militants each were arrested in Bajaur and Mohmand agencies.
Afghan journalist was killed in Bara area. Cable-TV office was blown up in
Kohat. Three FC soldiers and three civilians kidnapped a day earlier were
recovered from Razmak. Three people were wounded when a shell fell on a
house in SWA. Punjab TTP chief was among six arrested in Sargodha.
JUI-F leader alleged that Baitullah was killed by US at a time when he
was ready to quit the course of war and hold dialogue with the government.
TTP denied the killing of Baitullahs in-laws. Hearing of the case of murder
of Polish engineer involving Maulana Shah Abdul Aziz was put off. The
federal government took the plea that $2 million were paid to the Aafiyas
lawyers before the issue of restraining order by the court.
Friends of Democratic Pakistan (the same who were friends of
dictatorial Pakistan), who assembled in Istanbul, were informed 90 percent
of IDPs had returned to Malakand Division. Ban ki Moon appointed a
French diplomat as his special envoy for Pakistan.
Shireen M Mazari participated in Hamid Mirs capital talk and made
some startling revelations. After the compare showed some houses hired in
Islamabad by US and fortified by the hirers, she alleged that people from US
arrive in Islamabad and Karachi in chartered planes and leave airports
without going through immigration formalities. She also said that in addition
to the gigantic expansion of US Embassy in Islamabad the government has
allowed NATO to establish a base in Pakistan somewhere close to Tarbela.
Both the locations, Islamabad and Tarbela are suitably located to secure
Pakistans nuclear assets as and when required.
Three militants were killed and 18 held in Swat on 25 th August and
three more dead bodies were found. In Bajaur, 39 suspects were held and a
detained militant committed suicide in Mohmand Agency. Four soldiers
were killed and seven wounded in Taliban attack in South Waziristan. Gilani
and Kayani met Zardari at Chaklala Airbase and discussed security issues.
13

Pakistan failed to secure instant aid from FoDP at Istanbul. Holbrooke said
funds for Taliban come from Gulf States.
Hakimullah and Waliullah rang up BBC together and confirmed that
Baitullah, who was wounded in drone attack, died two days ago. Both of
them are now the successors of Baitullah; the former as in charge of central
command of TTP and the latter as commander of Taliban in Waziristan.
Eight militants were killed and 13 arrested in Swat on 26th August.
Peshawar High Court ordered release of three sons of Sufi Mohammad.
Afghanistan-bound oil tanker was blown up at Torkham. Four soldiers were
killed in attack on a convoy in South Waziristan; gunship helicopters
retaliated in vengeance. Militants hideouts were bombed in Janikhel area. A
militant was arrested in Kundian. In Karachi, a Rangers vehicle was fired at
and four people were wounded in retaliatory fire.
NWFP demanded 5 percent additional share in NFC award as terror
war compensation. Holbrooke during his last visit has been harping about
Pakistans energy crisis but US administration refused to fund cheap hydrogeneration and instead preferred import of thermal generation.
Next day, two militants were killed, 22 arrested and 14 surrendered in
Swat. Sufi Mohammads three sons were freed as per orders of the court and
then rearrested. Seven militants were killed in Buner. Four people, including
two policemen, were killed in a clash in Shangla. Taliban picked up a leader
of peace committee and two others in Mohmand Agency. Ten suspects were
arrested in Swabi.
A suicide bomber entered Khasadar Post at Torkham at Iftar time and
blew himself up; 21 Khasadars were killed and 24 wounded. Ten people
were killed in drone attack in South Waziristan. More than one hundred
suspects were arrested in an operation in DI Khan. Dr A Q Khan filed a
petition in LHC challenging the protocol given to him by the government.
The petitioner said it gives the feeling of being a prisoner rather than a VIP.
Lady Patterson denied massive posting of Marines and presence of
Blackwater in Pakistan. She said new US Embassy would be spread over 56
acres; more than $700 million would be spent on expansion; project would
be completed in eight years and it would not be converted into intelligence
base (would remain a bridgehead). She also disclosed that 200 houses have
been hired in Islamabad alone, a fact which ministers of Zardari regime have
been persistently denying.

14

Seven militants, including a minor, were killed in artillery shelling in

Charbagh area of Swat on 28th August. A PML-N leader was shot dead;
reportedly by militants. UN reported 1.6 million IDPs had returned to
Malakand Division. Meanwhile many IDPs were not yet registered for relief
purposes. And these unregistered people complained of nepotism on the part
of the authorities.
Five foreign militants were among 11 killed in operation in Malakand.
Four people, including a commander of tribal lashkar, were wounded in
bomb blast in Bajaur. Peace committee chairman was shot dead in Ghalanai.
Five dead bodies were found in Bara area. Three persons were wounded in
remote-control bomb blast in Kohat. Three dead bodies were found in
Hangu area. Toy bomb killed a minor in Bannu FR. Soldiers arrested
medical superintendent of Agency Headquarters Hospital in North
Waziristan. He was accused of providing medical treatment to militants as
per oath he took after graduation.
Twelve foreign militants with suspected link to al-Qaeda were arrested
in D G Khan. A militant from Swat was arrested in Karachi. Lady Patterson
promised good news for Pakistan after Zardari-Obama meeting in
September. Brown and Zardari met in London; the former talked of Taliban
and the latter enquired about payments.
Court ordered stopping of security protocol to Dr A Q Khan. While
expressing his happiness over the court order Dr Khan was critical of the
treatment meted out to him by Zardari regime, which according to him was
worse than what Musharraf did to him. He also threatened to disclose secrets
if again placed under protective custody in the garb of protocol.
On 29th August, six militants were killed and 11 arrested in Operation
Rah-e-Raast. Three militants were arrested in Islamabad. Next day, at least
17 people, including 14 policemen, were killed and scored wounded in
suicide attack on Mingora Police Station and 44 militants were arrested in
Operation Rah-e-Raast. Mian Iftikhar vowed to continue fighting till killing
the last terrorist. Zardari and Gilani, the former returning from abroad and
the latter preparing to leave, condemned Mingora suicide bombing. Rehman
Malik claimed that al-Qaeda was running away from Pakistan.
One soldier and 18 militants were killed in an operation in Charbagh
and two ANP activists were shot dead in Mingora area. JUI-F once again
accused the government of killing religious scholars. Police arrested 22
suspects in Kohat. Three militants were killed in an encounter in North
Waziristan and four were arrested separately. DSP, his driver and two
15

militants were killed in an ambush near Karak. TTP commander was

arrested from Sukkur and three militants from Khairpur.
Chaman crossing point remained closed on second consecutive day
and the inevitable happened. The tankers, containers and trailers loaded with
supplies for NATO forces were attacked in which one person was killed and
16 vehicles were burnt. New York Times accused Pakistan of illegally
modifying Harpoon missile provided by the US.
In Swat, one soldier and 15 militants were killed, 55 surrendered, 22
arrested and thirty-six dead bodies of militants were found on 31 st August.
Peshawrites were annoyed over presence of Blackwater under fake names
and PTI voiced concerns over the issue. A dead body was found and a man
was shot dead in Bara.
Shah Aziz was granted bail in murder case of Polish engineer. Three
militants were killed in a factional clash. Two security persons were killed in
South Waziristan. A doctor was kidnapped from Lahore and taken to tribal
areas and Rs30 million were demanded as ransom. General Aslam Beg
expressed concern over expansion of US embassy vis--vis Pakistans
nuclear assets.
More than one hundred militants surrendered, 15 killed, 6 arrested and
41 dead bodies were found in Swat on 1st September. Tribal elder Walyat
Shah was shot dead in front of his house in Mohmand Agency; forces
pounded militants hideouts and demolished two houses. Forty militants
were killed and forty-three arrested in operation in Bara. Two shops were
blown up in Hangu. Three policemen were wounded in attack on police
party in Bagh, AJK.
Washington expressed reservation on acceptance plea of Dr A Q
Khan; and the doctors advised him hospital admission. US Senators called
on Zardari and he reminded them about payment of installments due for the
services rendered. NWFP government decided to synchronize its lunar
calendar with Saudi Arabia and celebrate Eids and Ramazan accordingly. It
would have been more practical if it had been decided to go along with
Kabul or New Delhi.
Two militants were killed, six surrendered and 13 arrested in Swat on
2 September and TNSM leader died in custody. Five sons, three daughters
and three grandsons and wives of Sufi Muhammad were arrested from
Peshawar. Five persons were killed when forces shelled houses of tribesmen
in Mohmand Agency. Three militants were killed and 35 arrested in Bara;
nd

16

minister urged end to the operation. Shah Abdul Aziz was released from jail
as ordered by the court.
Hamid Saeed Kazmi, Minister for Religious Affairs and his guard
were wounded when his car was sprayed with bullets by motorcyclists;
driver of the minister was killed. Deputy Speaker of National Assembly
termed it a cowardly act.
LHC stayed its order which had asked the government to withdraw
protocol provided to Dr A Q Khan. This has been done on governments
request according to which there were serious threats to Dr Khans life.
Indian media claimed that it was done under US pressure.
Three militants were killed by lashkar and 11 arrested by Army in
Swat on 3rd September; two dead bodies were also found. Family members
of Sufi Mohammad, 14 in all, were shifted to Lower Dir where police
detained them without telling the charges against them. Two militants were
killed and five wounded in fresh offensive launched in Bajaur Agency. In
Bara, 18 more militants were arrested.
In Kohat, 18 shops were damaged in bomb blasts and four shops were
blown up in Hangu. Two minors were killed in landmine blast in Tank.
Moulvi Nazeer group signed a peace agreement with Ahmadzai Wazirs.
Twenty-one suspects were held in Hamid Saeeds case. Rehman Malik
promised bullet proof cars for all ministers. Two more Pakistani students
were released by Britain and arrived in their homeland.
Shah Abdul Aziz who had been arrested because of his alleged
involvement in murder of Polish engineer told his version to Hamid Mir. He
said that he was not arrested but kidnapped from Blue area of Islamabad by
intelligence agencies and taken to unknown place. The kidnappers
pressurized him to confess his involvement. About the letter recovered from
his brief case, he said that there was not one three letters written by Baitullah
Mehsud to COAS.
He revealed that after Mumbai attacks he was briefed by Ministry of
Interior about the gravity of threat from India and requested him to meet
Baitullah and ask him show solidarity with the government. He went to
Baitullah with more than a dozen ulemas and convinced Baitullah Mehsud
with great difficulty.
Shah Aziz said during the arrest two things had hurt him the most and
both had nothing to do with torture meted out to him. First, the hand-cuffs
and shackles he wore had the FBI marking and he said he wept on seeing

17

that. Secondly, the Chief Justice did not take notice of kidnapping of an exMNA from the capital of the country.
On 4th September, one militant was killed and 17 arrested in Swat.
COAS visited Kalam and vowed to continue the operation. Two militants
were killed when they attacked a security post in Mohmand Agency. Mangal
Bagh threatened to allow Taliban in Bara and gave government a deadline to
halt operation. Two policemen were killed by gunmen in Peshawar.
Gordon Brown said Zardari has promised to launch operation in
Waziristan (as soon as some money as paid). Zardari discussed money
matters with Kerry on telephone. Chinese ambassador in Islamabad
expressed concerns over expansion of US embassy.
Militants killed two brothers in Swat on 5th September; two militants
were held. At least 43 militants were killed in ongoing operation in Khyber
Agency. PAF jetfighters bombed militants in Orakzai Agency and killed 20
of them. Chinese Embassy said the news report about American presence
was not correctly reported.
On 6th September, three militants were killed and 15 surrendered in
Malakand Division. Forces killed 33 militants in Bara and arrested nine; JI
protested the operation. One policeman was killed and another wounded in
bomb blast outside a police station in Kohat. Two suicide bombers were
arrested near Tarbela Airbase. Gunmen shot dead three policemen near
Lawrencepur. More than fifty persons were arrested in Islamabad in
connection with attack on Hamid Saeed Kazmi. Gilani said Sri Lankan
President informed him in Libya that terrorists in Pakistan were being
financed through Sri Lanka.
Seven militants were arrested and five surrendered in Swat on 7 th
September. ISPR declared end of organized resistance in the Valley. PAF
jetfighters bombed targets in Tirah Valley; death toll of militants in Bara
fighting rose to 143 and 116 were arrested and ten more were killed by the
end of the day. Two foreign fighters were among seven people killed in US
missile strike in North Waziristan. Five soldiers were killed and two
wounded in remote-controlled roadside bombing in South Waziristan. Lakki
Marwat police arrest 64 suspects and outlaws. Two people were wounded
when SPOs vehicle was fired upon in Karachi.
On 8th September, 18 militants and 15 suspects were arrested in Swat.
Prime Minister visited Peshawar and announced Rs2 billion for
reconstruction in Malakand Division and Rs24 billion for law enforcement
capacity building in NWFP. PHC directed federal interior secretary and
18

sector in-charge of ISI to explain their position in the detention of former

commissioner of Malakand Division.
Six militants were arrested in Bajaur Agency and a wanted Taliban
commander was shot dead by tribesmen in Khar Bazaar. A Greek volunteer
social worker was kidnapped in Chitral. One person was shot dead by
gunmen in Mohmand Agency. Gunship helicopters struck at militants
positions and killed 24 of them in Khyber Agency. Four FC men were
wounded in roadside bomb blast. Two oil tankers carrying fuel for NATO
were attacked near Peshawar; three persons were killed.
Father of a provincial minister and a Senator was wounded when his
car was attacked in Kohat; his driver was killed. Four school boys were shot
dead by militants in Orakzai Agency and tribesmen killed two militants in
reaction. Ten people were killed and three wounded in US missile attack in
North Waziristan. Repatriation period of registered Afghan refugees was
extended by three years.
Eight oil tankers carrying NATO fuel-supply were burnt in Quetta.
Chaman crossing point was once again closed and vehicles carrying NATO
supplies were taken into FC Fort for their protection. Two Afghan and three
Pakistani militants were arrested from Shahdara. UC nazim was among three
wounded in shoot-out in Karachi. LHC rejected a petition for taking the Dr
Aafiyas case to International Court of Justice.
Next day, a soldier and fifteen militants were killed, 30 arrested and
11 surrendered in Swat. Death toll in Missile attack rose to 11. A tribal elder
was killed in South Waziristan. Chaman crossing remained closed on second
consecutive day. Zardari in an interview to the Western media said the war
on terror can be expanded to other areas of Pakistan if international
community gives more resources.
On 10th September, seven militants, including six Afghans, were
killed; seven arrested and 13 surrendered in Swat. ISPR said more than four
thousand militants and 19 hundred soldiers have been killed in the operation
so far. JUI-F demanded halt to extra-judicial killings.
Rahimullah Yusufzai reported that the Swat Taliban have alleged that
five leading members of their organization holding secret peace talks with
the military authorities for the past eight days had been taken into custody as
they were no longer traceable. The five men included Muslim Khan,
Mahmud Khan and three clerics.

19

One militant was killed in shelling and 31 arrested in the ongoing

operation in Mohmand Agency. One thousand Khassadars of Khyber
Agency deserted after Mangal Baghs threat. Six people were killed in
gunship helicopters attack in central area of Kurram Agency. Four suspects
were arrested in D I Khan. Zardari rejected the Obama Administrations
strategy of linking policy on Pakistan and Afghanistan in an effort to end
Taliban insurgency and bringing stability to the region.
On 11th September 15 militants were arrested and 28 surrendered in
Swat. Army claimed arresting Muslim Khan and Mahmoood Khan along
with three others. COAS visited Dir and praised the troops. Three women
were killed in rocket attack in Peshawar. Two militants were held in Kohat.
Rahimullah Yusufzai reported that Fazlullah has conceded weakening
of Taliban in Swat. He also said in a taped message the he and his men had
lost trust in the Pakistan Army after inviting five of their leaders for
negotiations and then arresting them about a week ago. According to reports
Major Abdullah of MI and a local civilian Kamal Khan, who now lives in
the US, were instrumental in trapping the five leaders of Taliban.
Salman, the new spokesman of Taliban, accused the government of
executing Taliban prisoners and said footage and other evidences would be
made available to the media to substantiate the charges against the security
forces and the police he claimed up to 200 prisoners including 30 Taliban
had been executed and their bodies dumped in different parts of Swat.
In Afghanistan, five policemen were killed and four wounded when
their vehicle was hit by roadside bomb in Paghman district on 12 th August.
Two foreign journalists were wounded in bomb blast in Kandahar. Police
chief and his two escorts were killed in roadside bombing in Kunduz.
At least 14 people were killed in roadside blast in southern
Afghanistan on 13th August. Three British soldiers were killed in a bomb
blast in Helmand. Seven people were killed and 91 wounded in suicide
bombing near NATO Headquarters in Kabul on 15th August. In southern
Afghanistan, at least 38 Taliban Pashtuns and seven civilian Pashtuns were
massacred by occupation forces.
On 16th August, at least 30 people, including foreigners, were killed in
Khost, claimed Afghan defence ministry. Five British soldiers were killed
over the weekend bringing the death toll of Brits to two hundred. Next day,
three US soldiers and an American civilian were reported killed in separate
incidents in eastern Afghanistan.

20

Rockets fired by Taliban fell at Presidential Palace and Police HQ in

Kabul on 18th August. Ten people, including a foreign and two Afghan
soldiers were killed in suicide attack on a convoy. Five Afghan soldiers were
killed in bomb blast in Uruzgan. Bulk purchase of votes was reported two
days before the polls. Next day, at least 12 Afghan soldiers were killed in
bomb blast in Spin Boldak. Three US soldiers and two civilians were killed
in two separate incidents in southern Afghanistan.
Presidential and elections for assemblies were held on 20 th August.
Polls could not be held in ten districts and 73 attacks were reported from 15
provinces. Six people were killed in bomb blast in Kandahar. Four US
soldiers and 22 Taliban were killed. A British helicopter crashed in Helmand
and eight people were killed in various incidents.
On 21st August, both Karzai and Abdullah claimed victory in polls.
Eleven polling officials were reported killed during polling. Next day, four
women were killed in rocket attacks in Wasik district. Six policemen were
killed in bomb blast in Baghlan district on 23 rd August. Foreign observers
reported large scale irregularities in polls. Holbrooke said no big deal; it can
happen even in the US. Abdullah Abdullah alleged mass rigging in Afghan
polls (so he got the clue that he was losing). Mullen said Afghan conflict is
serious and deteriorating.
Two Estonian soldiers were reported killed on 24 th August in attack
when they were patrolling. Afghan minister claimed Karzai won presidential
election by bagging 68 percent votes. Next day, four US soldiers were killed
in bomb blast. Five car bombs at Iftar time exploded near a Japanese
construction company in Kandahar; 51, including 15 Pakistanis were killed
and sixty were wounded.
One Pakistani engineer was killed in Baghlan on 26 th August and
Taliban condemned car bombing in Kandahar in which scores of people
including 15 Pakistanis were killed. Mullen said public support for Afghan
war was waning. Next day, occupation forces killed 12 Taliban in a raid on a
clinic in Paktika in which gunship helicopters were used and a US soldier
was killed in separate incident. According to the counting of votes to date
Karzai secured 43 percent and Abdullah Abdullah 34 percent of the votes.
A US soldier was among 11 killed in incidents of violence on 28 th
August. Afghan authorities arrested 25 Pakistanis serving in the Japanese
construction company on suspicion of their involvement in bomb blasts
which killed 15 of their colleagues. Reportedly, Karzai had the first

21

experience of Holbrookes bullying abilities when he was admonished over

rigging during presidential polls.
On 29th August, a British soldier was killed in roadside explosion in
Gereshik, Helmand and two civilians were killed and 20 wounded in a
suicide attack in Zabul. To date, 45 US soldiers were killed in the month of
August. Afghan security forces stopped entry of trucks from Pakistan at
Chaman. British Prime Minister visited troops in Afghanistan. Senator Ross
Feingold urged schedule for exit from Afghanistan.
Next day, Karzai expressed his suspicions about the role of the West
in recent polls as reports kept pouring in. Chinook helicopter was destroyed
by NATO forces in Helmand after it had been damaged in forced landing.
Chaman crossing point was opened on 31st August. Two US soldiers were
killed in two separate bomb blasts in southern Afghanistan and a policeman
and six militants were killed in Faryab.
Deputy Chief of intelligence was among 24 killed in suicide bombing
during a funeral in Laghman on 2nd September. US Public support for
Afghan war was at all-time low at 42 percent. About 90 Afghans were
reported killed in US air strike in Kunduz on 4th September. The air strike
was launched when Taliban had captured 2 trailers and most of the people
killed had gathered to see the captured vehicles and collect some petrol.
Three Afghan security men were killed in suicide attack. A Polish and a
French soldier were killed separately. Gordon Brown defended Britains
Afghan policy; British troops will stay till Afghans are able to defend
themselves.
A US soldier was killed in fighting on 5 th September. EU ministers
criticized NATO over Kunduz air strike. Twenty-four people were killed in
factional fighting in Khost. Next day, a US soldier was killed in eastern
Afghanistan. Rahimullah Yusufzai reported Afghan Taliban declined Swati
militants request for help. With about 49 percent votes Karzai led in vote
count.
On 7th September, a US soldier was among four people killed in
roadside attack. Three people were killed in rocket attack in Kabul. French
President and German Chancellor agreed to ask for international conference
on Afghanistan this year. More reports on rigging of polls revealed that votes
counted in Kandahar area were more than two hundred thousand whereas
only twenty-five thousand votes were cast. Karzai said that if re-elected he
would hold talks with Taliban within 100 days.

22

Three persons were killed in suicide attack outside US base in Kabul

on 8 September; four US soldiers were among several wounded. Four US
and ten Afghan soldiers were killed in a clash in Kunar Province; ten
Taliban/civilians were also killed. In Kunduz, one Afghan soldier and 12
Taliban were killed in an encounter. Taliban claimed that white phosphorus
was used in US air strike. Karzai secured 54 percent of the 90 percent votecount.
th

Next day, two civilians were killed in suicide attack out side a NATO
base in Helmand. A British soldier was killed in a raid conducted in Kunduz
to rescue kidnapped British reporter and Afghan reporter was killed in the
action. Afghans held a rally in Germany demanding pullout of foreign forces
from Afghanistan. Rahimullah Yusufzai reported that Afghan Taliban prefer
not to be known as Taliban and use the name of Islamic Emirates of
Afghanistan for their country.
On 10th September, Afghan journalists union accused NATO of
murdering Afghan journalist during operation for rescue of the British
reporter. Two NATO soldiers were reported killed in separate incidents of
violence on 10th September. Next day, one US soldier was killed in eastern
Afghanistan.
The hue and cry over cross-border terrorism by India was intensified
after the start of war on terror to side track the Kashmir dispute. The
diplomatic pressure mounted on this count was covered under separate subheading has now been shifted it belongs to; the core issue of Kashmir.
During the period of last one month there have been quite a few
events which reflected on the nature of Indo-Pak relations, only some of
those are mentioned herein. On 19th August, BJP expelled former foreign
minister, Jaswant Singh from the party for committing the crime of calling
Jinnah more nationalist than Gandhi and a symbol of Hindu-Muslim
solidarity in his book. A Week later the Congress government joined BJP in
expressing its anti-Pakistan sentiment and stopped Jaswant Singh from
going to Pakistan from launching his book.
Indian nuclear scientist who was in charge of Pokran site for nuclear
tests said on 27th August that India had failed to achieve the desired results in
1998 tests. He advised the government not to sign CTBT till the desired
results are achieved. US analysts commenting on the Indian scientists
statement predicted that India would carry out more nuclear tests. On 29 th
August, Ansar Abbasi reported Indian has also been allowed to expand its

23

embassy in Islamabad. The same day, Federal Cabinet renamed Northern

Areas as Gilgit-Baltistan and accorded it the status of a province.
On 3rd August, it was reported that Jamil Khan of Balochistan who had
strayed into India in 1992 died in Jodhpur Jail. He was awarded six-year
imprisonment which was completed in mid 90s, but Indian authorities did
not release him. His relatives filed a petition in Indian Supreme Court which
ordered his release. Only a few days before his release on 23 rd August, jail
authorities had beaten him to death for establishing unauthorized people to
people contact. Next day, dead body of slain Jamil Khan was handed over to
Pakistani authorities as a confidence building measure.
ISI chief attended Iftar-dinner party hosted by Indian High
Commissioner on 10th September. Chidambrum met Hillary Clinton in
Washington and after the meeting he told media men that Pakistans nuclear
weapons could fall into the hands on terrorists.
As regards Kashmir, Indian occupation forces killed three Kashmiris
on 12 August. One person was killed and ten wounded in grenade attack on
bus terminal in Srinagar. US Ambassador to India demanded action against
Hafiz Saeed because dispensation of justice to Mumbai attackers was high
priority of Obama. India sought Chinas support against Jaish chief, Masood
Azhar.
th

On 14th August, Holbrookes visit to New Delhi was postponed second

time because India disapproved his frequent visits. India wants him to
refrain from extending his mandate beyond AfPak. Indian troops killed four
freedom fighters in a gun battle. Next day, Black Day was observed in the
Valley on Indias Independence Day.
Indian forces martyred a Kashmiri in Palwama on 16 th August. Next
day, Manmohan Singh claimed Pakistani militants were planning new
attacks in India; Pakistan protested Singhs statement. On 18 th August, IHK
officials admitted 34,000 disappearances.
On 21st August, India provided more information about Mumbai
attacks to Pakistani High Commissioner in New Delhi. Next day, strike was
observed in IHK to protest statement of Manmohan Singh about Kashmir.
Occupation forces killed two freedom fighters in Kupwara on 23 rd August
and four more were killed at undisclosed location. At least 26 Kashmiris
were killed in few recent days in fake encounters along LoC.
On 25th August, Interpol issued Red Notice for arrest of Hafiz Saeed
after issue of non-bailable warrants by Mumbai Court. Suspected LT man

24

was arrested in New Delhi. The protests against stepped-up state terrorism
paralyzed the Valley on 28th August. Next day, Singh said situation is not
conducive for dialogue with Pakistan.
Police baton-charged students in Jammu on 1st September and injured
12 of them. next day, five Kashmiri freedom fighters were martyred near
LoC and two Indian soldiers were killed in a separate incident. Yasin Malik
while departing from Lahore to New Delhi rejected Pakistan governments
decision to change status of northern areas. Five Kashmiris were killed by
Indian soldiers on 3rd September.
India accused Pakistan of dilly-dallying on action against those
involved in Mumbai attacks. On 7th September, Zardari signed GilgitBaltistan order. Net day, two Kashmiris and a major were killed in an
encounter near LoC. On 9th September, four freedom fighters were martyred
in IHK. Protests were held in IHK over killing of an activist.
On 10th September, Indian foreign minister said no talks with Pakistan
unless terrorism ends. Chidumbrum asked Hillary Clinton to press Pakistan
for trial on Hafiz Saeed. India completely blocked water of River Chenab.
Next day, India protested over change in Gilgit-Baltistan status; Pakistan
rejected the protest.
In Balochistan, three persons were killed in grenade attack on FC
post in Quetta on 12th August; two persons were wounded in roadside
bombing; and two bomb blasts were reported in Kalat. Next day, two
policemen were killed in attack on a check post in Quetta.
On 14th August, gas pipeline was blown up in Dera Bugti area and
bombs exploded in Quetta, Naushki and other places on the eve of
Independence Day. Sixteen people were wounded in cycle bomb in Hub. A
boy was wounded in bomb blast in Machh. Next day, seven people were
wounded in bomb blast in Khuzdar.
Nine more dead bodies of persons kidnapped from Nasirabad district
were found on 16th August; a policeman and four others managed to escape
from captivity. Power pylon was blown up near Dera Allahyar. Protest rally
organized in Karachi gave new turn to the killing of Rehman Dakait.
Protesters termed it part of atrocities committed against Baloch people and
demanded judicial inquiry. Next day, four people were killed in separate
incidents of targeted killings in Quetta.
Two persons, including a district officer, were killed in landmine blast
near Naushki on 18th August. Next day, Rehman Malik met Chief Minister

25

Balochistan. A grenade was hurled at security forces vehicle in Khuzdar;

eight people including three soldiers were wounded. One blast in Quetta and
two in Turbat were reported. Holbrooke disclosed that some Baloch leaders
have met him secretly and said Balochistan is Pakistans internal problem.
Kidnapped French tourist was freed in Balochistan of 21 st August. A
vehicle carrying 2,000 kg explosives was caught in Panjgoor on 23rd August.
Next day, two electric pylons were blown up near Sui. Security forces and
militants exchanged fire in Bolan Pass; two persons were wounded when a
bus came in cross-fire.
On 25th August, a grenade was hurled at a petrol pump in Quetta; three
people were wounded and suspects were killed in another incident. One
person was killed in firing on a trailer near Khuzdar. Chhattar police station
was subjected to rocket attack; five attackers were killed and three
policemen wounded. Gas pipelines were blown up at three places disrupting
gas supply to Punjab and Sindh. An application was submitted in a court in
Sibi for registration of FIR against Musharraf for killing Akbar Bugti.
Next day, strike was observed in Baloch areas of Balochistan on third
anniversary of Akbar Bugti; three people were killed and three wounded in
incidents of violence. Shahzain Bugti met Nawaz Sharif and the latter
demanded punishment of Bugtis murderers. Gunmen shot dead four and
wounded two more in Quetta on 27 th August. Next day, gunmen shot dead
one and wounded four persons in Quetta and five police men, including SP,
were wounded in last of the four bombs that exploded in the city. Electric
tower was blown up in Barkhan area.
Three FC men were wounded when a grenade was hurled at their
vehicle in Khuzdar on 30th August. Shujaat supported filing of FIR in Bugtis
killing and urged Gilani to visit Balochistan. Next day, dead body of a
Baloch leader was found in Lasbela. Two persons were wounded when a
grenade was thrown on a shop in Gwadar on 1 st September. BNF announced
three-day shutter down and wheel jam strike. Vehicle of PPPs leader, Mir
Imran Jang was attacked near Khuzdar.
Four policemen were wounded in a grenade attack in Quetta on 2 nd
September. On 4th September, the petition for registration of FIR of murder
of Akbar Bugti was rejected by Session Judge saying that the murder had
taken place outside the jurisdiction of Sibi District. Three soldiers were
killed by BLA near DG Khan; soldiers were proceeding on leave.
Four policemen were among 16 people wounded when two grenades
were hurled at City Police Station in Quetta on 5 th September. Next day, one
26

person was killed and seven, including two FC soldiers, were wounded in
Thump. One person was killed by unknown gunmen in Quetta on 7 th
September. Protest strike was held in Baloch areas of Balochistan over
yesterdays Thump incident.
On 8th September, Jamil Bugti filed a petition in BHC challenging the
Session Judge Sibis decision on request for registration of FIR for murder
of Akbar Bugti. Security forces recovered large quantity of hand grenades,
remote-control devices and explosives in a raid on university hostel.
Shahzain Bugti said save Pakistan or save Musharraf. ISPR said political
leadership has taken decision not to construct any new military cantonment
in Balochistan.
Two security personnel were killed in attack on a post in Jafferabad on
9 September. Two people were killed in rocket blast in Kalat district and
two people were killed in bomb blast in Soorab. Three pro-government
tribesmen were shot dead in Dera Bugti.
th

Shutter-down strike was observed in Balochistan on 10 th September

over Thump incident. Next day, Balochistan High Court accepted the
petition for registration of FIR for the murder of Akbar Bugti. The court
issued notices to Musharraf and all other accused named in the petition.

VIEWS
In Pakistan the murder of Baitullah Mehsud through US drone was
widely talked about. Kamila Hyat wrote: Baitullah Mehsud, the long-haired
militant whose images have only now begun to appear in the mainstream
media, was a creation of our own establishment. He has been brought in less
than five years ago as a rival to Abdullah Mehsud.
While it is possible he grew into a Frankenstein, beyond the control
of his own minders, rumours has it that even now there were attempts on
to reach a peace settlement in Waziristan Some are still reluctant to
abandon them. But it is essential that this policy be set aside and a new one
aimed at saving our country from militancy put in place.
The death of Baitullah makes it easier to move towards this. To do so
effectively we must avoid creating new militant factions to battle those that
have moved out of agency orbit or attempt to strike deals with commanders.
Instead we require a people-centric strategy, placing the needs of people
as the broad base standing at the bottom of the pyramid atop which we
construct our plans for the future.
27

Ahmed Quraishi observed: After the July 2008 meeting, the CIA
dragged its feet over Baitullah Mehsud. The Pakistani government also
appeared too indebted to Washington, for many reasons, to effectively
raise this and Indias terror outposts in Afghanistan. It was the militaryto-military channel between Islamabad and Washington that helped break
the deadlock. This is now William Burns was sent to New Delhi in June to
ask India to stand down. Around the same time, the CIA began sending
drones to Baitullahs territory.
So should we in Pakistan be grateful to CIA drones? Hardly. Our
problems will persist as long as the unjust and mismanaged Afghan
occupation continues. What is stunning is how the Pakistani government is
sanctioning the construction of probably the largest US embassy in the world
in Islamabad. In the past couple of weeks it has been reported that a security
officer of the US embassy had a run-in with a Pakistani police officer in
Islamabad. The diplomat reportedly cursed the country that is hosting him.
And this is before 1,000 US Marines reach Islamabad to guard the new huge
embassy.
Pakistans core contention with the US persists: how the US
turned Afghanistan into a hub for anti-Pakistan forces from within and
outside the region. US-occupied Afghanistan is a source of destabilizing
Pakistan, China, Iran and Russia. We want excellent relations with the
United States but an imperial-size diplomatic mission in the Pakistani capital
is a wrong start. Why is Mr Zardari sanctioning this?
Rahimullah Yusufzai commented: The TTP is unlikely to undergo a
transformation after Baitullahs death and, in fact, this could try and
pursue the same agenda with greater vigour to avenge his assassination. This
could take the form of suicide bombings and bomb explosions in Pakistani
cities and attacks against the security forces and law-enforcement
agencies
If the news of Baitullahs death turns out to be true, it would be the
biggest loss that the Pakistani Taliban have suffered since they first
emerged in 2003-2004. It would certainly weaken the TTP, but there is no
indication that the organization would collapse or Baitullahs demoralized
followers begin surrendering to the Pakistani authorities.
The government also appears in no mood to offer amnesty to the
militants as seen in the ongoing military operations in Swat, Buner, Dir,
Shangla and other parts of Malakand Division, where some captured Taliban
were reportedly executed and the houses of the rebels are being demolished.
28

In such a situation, the militants would have no option but to continue

fighting.
In case it was established that the US drone attack killed Baitullah,
the Pakistan government would be under obligation from Washington
for having eliminated its biggest enemy. For the US, Mehsud was just one of
the many al-Qaeda facilitators but for Pakistan he constituted the most
serious threat to its security. The US would henceforth find greater
justification for its policy to use drones to attack targets in Pakistani territory
and destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban hideouts. It would be difficult for Pakistan
to oppose the strikes by the US drones, though it might continue for the sake
of its own opinion to lodges verbal protests and ask Washington to provide
it the drone technology.
In another article Yusufzai wrote: The situation will remain
uncertain and confused until the TTP formally announces Baitullahs
death. The acts reportedly being carried out to avenge his death continue.
Also, the succession struggle has to be resolved and a unanimous decision
taken to appoint the new TTP leader before Baitullahs death could be finally
conceded. Or it is possible that the Taliban commanders would not do any
such thing and keep their detractors guessing. Whatever they decide and
whenever they make up their mind, it is obvious that certain TTP
commanders are positioning to take over Baitullahs place, even if it is one
of the most dangerous jobs in the world.
Talat Masood opined: Baitullahs insurgency was against Pakistan
and for that reason the Americans initially were not too keen to take
him on. The situation changed after the Swat/Malakand operation when it
became obvious to US policy-makers that Pakistan was serious in combating
terrorism. Moreover, they also realized that Baitullah had developed strong
links with al-Qaeda and Mullah Omar and was providing sanctuaries to
them. Now that Baitullah Mehsud is out of the way, Pentagon expects that
Pakistans military will reciprocate by carrying out similar operations
against those who are targeting NATO and US troops. This will put pressure
on our military as it does not want to open new fronts and will like to retain
informal links with powerful militant groups that operate in Afghanistan.
General McChrystal has already expressed his concern that the vacuum
created by Baitullahs should not result in increased influence of al-Qaeda in
SWA.
Precise and effective targeting by drones, especially after one of these
attacks successfully hit Baitullah Mehsud, has largely silenced the growing

29

opposition to drone attacks. The moral, legal and political dimensions of it

remain a dilemma for the government and parliament. It is difficult for
national pride of a nascent nuclear power to swallow that it allows frequent
infringement of its sovereignty by an ally. Yet we fail to see that the same
nuclear powers internal sovereignty has been smothered by a group of
radicals. The answer to this contradiction is not easy to resolve. An
agreement on sharing real time intelligence is possible but the operational
part would always reside with the US as it treats this as critical technology
and would not pass it even to its closest allies.
Saleem Safi wrote: The death of Baitullah is a huge loss to the
TTP However, it would be imprudent to think that his death will
abolish the TTP completely as despite all his capabilities, he was neither a
founder nor an architect of the TTP or Talibanization.
The militancy in Pakistani tribal belt is produced by bickering
between international forces operating in Afghanistan, and Pakistan,
especially the Pakhtoon belt on both sides of the border. Talibanization
cannot be abolished from the region until these international powers stop
their dirty game in the region.
Regardless of who is dead or alive, if these powers seriously agree on
elimination of insurgents, the militants would be no more visible in the
entire area. However, if these states kept playing for implementing their
respective agendas, no matter who is alive or dead, the insurgents will
rule the region and the Death Game.
Swat did not slip out of the focus. The extrajudicial killings in the
Valley did not disturb those who serving the interests of the US but patriotic
Pakistanis were perturbed. Rahimullah Yusufzai wrote: By now it has
become routine for many Swat residents to see unclaimed bodies dumped in
agricultural fields, by the roadside or on the banks of Swat River. According
to a count, 102 bodies have been recovered since July 13, when the first
group of IDPs, started returning to their homes
Like the Taliban before them, the executioners had left
handwritten messages with the bodies warning that this would be the fate
of militants. In their heyday, the Swat Taliban did exactly the same things,
executing, and sometimes beheading their rivals, soldiers and policemen in
their custody. Hanging bodies from lamp-posts was a tactic used by the
Taliban to spread fear and terrorize the population. Leaving a note with the
body warning that it shouldnt be removed until a specific time was to
remind everyone as to who was in control.
30

The media, lacking access to the frontlines and scared of both the
militants and the military, was until now simply reporting about bodies being
found in parts of Swat and failing to find out as to who was behind it. But
the regularity of appearance of bullet-peppered bodies almost every
morning alerted sections of the media and human rights activists The
presence of at least two mass graves at Kookarai village in Babozai tehsil
and a spot between Devlai and Shah Dherai village in Kabal area was
reported.
HRCP chairperson Asma Jehangir, who has just been awarded one of
Pakistans highest civil awards, Hilal-e-Imtiaz, for her meritorious services
in the struggle for human rights, in a press release noted that witnesses of
the mass burials reported seeing bodies of some Taliban in these graves.
It expressed the HRCPs grave concern on such a worrying development
and also over credible reports of numerous extrajudicial killings and
reprisals carried out by the security forces
As if on cue, activists of a networking group of civil society
organizations functioning in the conflict zones of the NWFP and put
together by the Aurat Foundation also came up with a charter of demands
that stressed the need for not depriving citizens in places like Swat of the
right to clarify their position and to be dealt with according to the law of the
land. The demand was obviously made in the light of reports of arbitrary
arrests and extrajudicial killings. It is important to note that progovernment notables and ruling politicians would try to settle scores by
using the military to go after their opponents. This has happened in
Afghanistan in disastrous consequences and efforts should be made that it
doesnt happen in Pakistan.
The NWFP-based civil society group also demanded a halt to
indiscriminate bombing and shelling on innocent civilians in the troubled
areas and opposed formation of lashkars, or armed volunteer forces, as it
could lead the society to future problems. Regarding establishment of an
army cantonment in Swat, it pleaded land demarcation in a way that doesnt
affect the civilian population.
The Army, through its spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas, has made it
clear that the men whose bodies are regularly found dumped in Swat werent
in the custody of the security forces. Claiming that the military had no hand
in the killings, he felt people who suffered at the hands of the militants
may have killed them to take revengebut it is hard to explain that 18 to
21 militants are killed in one go The widely held belief is that a sizeable

31

number of militants are in the custody of the security forces and lawenforcement agencies, and none has been formally charged or produced in
any court. Rather, the media cells run by the military almost on a daily basis
announce the capture of militants and in many cases the names of the
detained men are also released to the press.
The fact that the bodies of the 18 to 21 militants were found dumped
in Swat a day after the first suicide bombing in the district after a gap of
several months also created suspicion that these men were summarily
executed to send a strong message to the Maulana Fazlullah-led Taliban. The
suicide attack on the security forces check point at Waliabad near Khwaza
Khela on Saturday was followed by another one the next at Naway Killay in
Mingora, killing four soldiers and two civilians, and causing injuries to nine
troops Such attacks were to be expected and could continue for some
time, considering the fact that the militants know that for them to surrender
is no longer a safe option due to fears of being killed and dumped. Besides,
after the destruction of their houses by the security forces as part of the
punitive measures against them, the militants are in a vengeful mood
and ready to fight on.
Many Swatis and Buneris, particularly those who suffered at the
hands of the Taliban, support tough action against them, as they believe
durable peace cannot return to Swat and Buner unless the militants are
eliminated and their commanders are captured and executed But the state
and its security forces must not resort to extrajudicial killings as that was
something the militants were doing and in the process losing public
sympathy.
There is a strong argument that Pakistani courts cannot be expected
to punish the militants and could even bail them out. This may be partly true
but it still cannot justify extrajudicial killings and hanging bodies by lampposts because such actions violate the law and replicate the Talibans actions.
In fact, there is a need to send more fact-finding missions behind the
lines in the conflict areas to find the truth and highlight human rights
abuses. This wasnt done when the Taliban were in control of the situation
in Swat and elsewhere in the NWFP and tribal areas and the full story of the
human rights violations never came into public knowledge.
Adnan Cyprian from Riyadh opined: Disturbing news of brutal
extrajudicial killings coming from Swat is a grim reminder that perhaps
all is not well. It is understandable that the desire to take revenge against the
Taliban is a strong one. However, with a heavy heart, it should be stressed

32

that the Taliban should be given all the rights that are given to any other
Pakistani. If there are foreign combatants they should be given the rights
accorded under international law and the Geneva Convention. Leaning on
the doctrine of necessity which invariably results in an arbitrary
assumption that might is right and today we are seeing the result of it. Time
to stop has come.
The same day Rahimullahs article was published; the enlightened
editor of The News expressed his concerns over two suicide bombings since
start of return of IDPs and urged elimination of Taliban. Authorities say the
Taliban had been attempting to target Mingora as revenge, or
punishment, for the celebrations there on August 14. During the events held
to mark the day, music played out over loudspeakers and local singers sang
at the various functions staged in the city. The return of joy and of colour
in both literal and metaphoric terms to life in Swat marked another stride
towards normalcy. Observers note too that already, women and girls in the
area have begun to cast aside the blue burqas imposed by the Taliban and
some men have shaved off beards. Freedom has to some extent at least
flowed back.
But the threat to even such mundane liberties remains in place.
There is a need then to press on with the drive against the militants who
remain based in some areas of Swat and in neighbouring districts. They must
not be allowed to recognize. But the final success can be claimed only when
houses wrecked by conflict are rebuilt and people assisted in the task of
resuming lives.
Dr Masooda Bano opined: To date, the Pakistani government has not
even adequately explained to the Pakistani public who exactly are these
Pakistani Taliban, forget about presenting a comprehensive strategy to
eliminate the current signs of militancy. The very fact that 14 young recruits
of the community police training in Swat died in a suicide attack on the
police station shows the careless planning on all fronts to systematically
counter the militancy. Sending the army out to fight militants is in fact the
easiest response for any sitting government, more challenging is to design a
systematic response that takes into count all dimensions of the phenomenon.
It is time that the government gets in control of things. All signs are that
the calm in Swat is very temporary.
The News stressed upon need for the victory no matter how it is
secured. A lashkar shot dead three militants after an hour-long gun battle in
the Kabal tehsil of Swat. The area had been among those where militants

33

had the strongest hold. Elsewhere in Swat too we are hearing of people
identifying militants and in several cases handing them over to
authorities. The fear that the militants had exerted has clearly begun to fade.
For months local people had been unable to defy the Taliban. They speak
now of the kind of terror they suffered under for months, often with great
bitterness. We were also informed that support for the extremists was
widespread. Indeed even the ANP government had contributed to this
misperception by enforcing the Nizam-e-Adl regulation in Swat. It was said
people wanted Shariah law and that there was support for those who
advocated it.
The actions we are seeing now in the area suggest this is simply not
accurate. People are ready to act against militants and to take matters
into their own hands to do so. Most seem to hold little sympathy for them.
They are indeed ready to challenge them at some risk to themselves, as the
actions of the lashkar demonstrated. But there is also the fact that the
militants possessed sufficient gun-powder to hold out for a prolonged battle.
These are somewhat ominous signs to suggest there is a need to drive home
the victory that is being claimed.
The editor represents the cult of enlightened moderates and as such in
the context of terrorism that has never been defined tends to justify all
actions taken against so-called terrorists. These are condoned in the name
peace, sovereignty and writ of the state. The enlightened justify extrajudicial killings while harping about the merits of rule of law.
Khalid Khokar also falls in this category; he wrote: Pakistani security
forces have been charged with extra-judicial killings in the embattled Swat
Valley by HRCP chairperson Asma Jehangir The report by the HRCP is
based on conjectures narrated by unauthentic witnesses. All that has been
won at great cost of life and property in Swat and FATA became at stake
after human rights campaigners documentation. Now, this is a conscious
effort to indoctrinate public hatred against the armed forces of Pakistan.
There is an emergent need to condemn such type of irresponsible
reporting by such a renowned social worker who has just been awarded
Hilal-e-Imtiaz for her services in the human rights arena. It is also interesting
to note here that her statements against Pakistan security forces have
been given extraordinary coverage by Indian media cartels controlling
international media set-ups
In the light of Maj Gen Athar Abbass statement that the men whose
bodies are regularly found dumped in Swat werent in the custody of the
34

society forces, clearly proves that military has no hand in the killings. If it is
so, then who killed the Taliban? It is also true that many residents of Swat,
Buner and Dir have formed lashkars to defend their villages and take
revenge from Taliban, who were responsible for carrying out a series of
deadly terrorist attacks on their families in Swat Valley.
These executions were meant to send a strong message to the
Maulana Fazlullah-led Taliban. Many local lashkars believe that durable
peace cannot return to Swat and Buner unless the militants are eliminated
and their commanders are captured and executed (extra-judicially). Apart
from this, the security forces had on many occasions found mass graves left
behind by terrorists during operations in Swat and other parts of the
Malakand division.
Terrorists killed in the fighting were buried in these mass graves.
With the successful military operation in Swat and Malakand Division, a
move has been started to eliminate Talibanization in the region. The locally
organized lashkars onslaughts against the remnants are making them
ineffective to challenge the governments writ.
The locals are of the view that these militants might escape legal
system, therefore, these merchants of deaths should be brought to
justice through locals dark justice (What a shameless propagation of
extra-judicial killings by the enlightened that keep harping about rule of law)
The miscreants deserve no mercy, as they have committed
gruesome acts of executing, slaying and flogging of innocent citizenry. But
even then, extra-judicial killings are a heinous crime and even the most
barbarous of criminals deserve a fair trial. Pakistan Army is trying to achieve
morally legitimate objectives to right grievous wrong
The Pakistan Army has to take extra care of the local sensitivities.
It is a successful military operation against terrorists as actions of security
forces are distinguishable from the atrocities by the Taliban. The
international community has acknowledged the sacrifices and Pakistans role
in the war on terror by extending full cooperation to resolve the issues
confronting the country.
Dr Maleeha Lodhi opined: As for the Swat actions impact on
militancy beyond the region it has put the militants on the defensive, halted
their advance and reduced their ability to extend the war outside the NWFP.
A political climate has been created that is more favourable to conduct
counter militancy policies. This doesnt by any means imply that the
threat of militancy is over. The factors that fuel that threat and determine
35

the fate of the TTP go way beyond Swat and are inextricably linked to the
instability in Afghanistan which is worsening rather than showing any sign
of ending.
The News, representing the secular enlightened, seemed to be
commending the deceitful trapping of five leaders of TTP Swat. A detailed
report by a reliable and respected journalist in this newspaper has once again
highlighted the ambiguity of the relationship between the military and the
Taliban, and as events begin to unfold on Friday the 11th it is looking
increasingly like a win for the military and the government. Attempting to
extract the truth from the various reports and statements is slightly fraught,
as both the Taliban and the government are masters of the arcane art of
spinning. What does seem to be clear is that by whatever means guile and
deception or plain-old good intelligence the army has bagged within
twenty-four hours a significant slice of the Taliban upper echelon. The
biggest fish Fazlullah remains at large but allegedly minus a leg
according to the fitfully-reliable Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
The tale as originally told was that the Taliban has said that five of
their leading members were on a mission to do a deal with the military, and
that their previous attempts to do a deal with the civil administration had
failed because of a lack of sincerity on the government side, thus
precipitating what became the Swat operation The negotiations were
allegedly brokered in part by one Kamal Khan, a resident of Devlai
village in Swat now settled in America. A Major Abdullah was said to be
the contact person for undertaking the peace negotiations with the Pakistan
Army and moreover he had been thus engaged since June. By Friday
afternoon military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas was reported by a
private TV station as saying that Muslim Khan and Mahmood Khan had
been arrested by security forces during the course of a successful security
operation in Swat which is not quite the same as the story being parlayed
by the Taliban.
Definitive clarity does not at this stage appear possible and we must
wait for further statements and reports from all side, but what does seem
clear is that significant figures in the Taliban hierarchy are in the bag. A
Taliban spokesman named as Salman has hinted that there were suspicions
that the purported negotiations were a trap and what the army was
actually doing was running what has proved to be a successful sting
operation. If this does transpire to be the case then considerable credit
accrues to our military forces in accomplishing a result that millions of
dollars of head-money has failed to do.
36

Shireen M Mazari has been writing about ever-increasing US presence

in Pakistan. On 26th August she once again criticized that under heading:
Our leaders voluntary submission to colonization. In the first part she
briefly touched upon the US military presence and then discussed another
kind of presence of foreigners.
Now another threat, in the making for some time, is becoming more
overt. Pakistans precious and fertile agricultural land is up for grabs to the
highest foreign bidder. Pakistan is not alone in being targeted thus by rich
countries with little or no food resources. The UN has already condemned
this purchase of agricultural land as a form of neo-colonialism. Over the
past five years in a hardly-noticed wave of investment, rich agricultural land
and forests in poor countries are being snapped up by buyers from cash-rich
countries. Leading this grab of poor country resources are the rapidly
industrializing states and the oil-rich countries who have, between 20062009, either directly through governments or through sovereign wealth funds
and companies, already grabbed or are in the process of grabbing between
37 to 49 million acres of developing countries farmland
Mazari went on to explain her observation by quoting facts and
figures. She then added: The most worrisome aspect of such wheelingdealing is the governments decision to develop a new security force of
100,000 men spread across the four provinces to ensure stability of the Arab
investments. This will cost the Pakistani state around $2 billion in terms of
training and salaries and the real fear is that this force will be used to
forcibly eject local small farmers from their lands. Concerns have been
further heightened because no labour laws will be applicable to corporate
agricultural companies and there will be no sales tax or customs duties on
import of agricultural machinery by these investors. Nor will their dividends
be taxed and 100 percent remittances of capital and profits will be permitted.
So where there is an iota of advantage for the ordinary Pakistani as opposed
to the rulers?
With the US increasingly occupying Pakistan with their covert and
overt armed presence, and the Gulf States taking over our rich agricultural
lands our rulers are voluntarily making us a colony again as we were
under the British who used our men to fight their wars and our cheap labour
to ship the finished produce back to Britain!
Ansar Abbasi described some facts about Blackwater. While in
Pakistan there are growing reports of the presence of Blackwater personnel,
at home in America the US security agencys founder and former owner is

37

alleged to have used the company as merchants of death Erik Prince,

Blackwaters founder and former owner, is referred in the suit, filed by one
Susan Burke as a modern-day merchant of death, and she alleged that the
40-year-old created a culture of lawlessness and unaccountability at
Blackwater, where the excessive and unnecessary use of deadly force was
commonplace. In her motion, Burke also accuses Blackwater of war crimes.
The US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, in Alexandria,
Virginia, will now decide whether to take on Brukes civil suit.
Two former employees of the Blackwater, whose identity is not being
disclosed for fear of their lives, have said in their affidavits that the former
head of Blackwater Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims
and the Islamic faith from the globe. Erik Princes company turned into
an empire practically overnight, collecting more than $1 billion in revenues
from US taxpayers. Seventy percent of Blackwaters contracts with the
government were no-bid contracts. The companys most important
personnel, its fighters, who were known internally as shooters, were
recruited around the worldthe company proudly changed its name to
Blackwater Worldwide.
Burke now plans to call 40 witnesses to testify against Prince. If the
court agrees to hear her suitwitnesses to the various killings will be
summoned from Baghdad. In the United States, Burke, who made a name
for herself defending detainees subjected to abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in
Baghdad, will ask the court to subpoena several Blackwater employees,
including a former executive.
Meanwhile, a Pakistani expert on Pak-US relations deplored that
the Pakistanis used to indulge in politics of blame games. On condition of
not being named, he said in the presence of its army in Iraq, the US did not
need security personnel of its private companies to fight civilians or
dominate the host country. He said when the US missions or buildings came
under attack in Iraq, several innocent women and children of US citizens are
also killed. Similarly, he said it is possible that in retaliatory attack by the
security personnel civilians including women and children are killed. He
said such casualties do occur in the situation of war and they are always
unintentional. He said such killings should not be portrayed as campaign to
kill innocent Muslims.
Anjum Naz talked of Zardaris lust for money in the context of
submission to America. Writer Tariq Alis scathing commentary on
corruption in Pakistan is always fierce. In his recent column in the London

38

Review of Books he blames our political elite, our military and the Taliban
for our troubles. Obama too gets his share of the blame: The chief problems
are the United States and its requirements, the religious extremists, the
military high command, and corruption, not just on the part of President
Zardari and his main rivals, but spreading well beyond them. This is now
Obamas war. He campaigned to send more troops into Afghanistan and to
extend the war, if necessary, into Pakistan. These pledges are now being
fulfilled.
If Tariq Ali is right, then where does the minus one formula being
beaten to pulp in our newspapers fit in the present US configuration? The
answer becomes all the more urgent in the light of Tariq Alis replaying of
American ambassador Anne Pattersons disarmingly frank comments on
Zardari: While Musharraf had been unreliable, saying one thing in
Washington and doing its opposite back home, Zardari was perfect. He
does everything we ask According to Tariq Ali while Zardari may be a
willing creature of Washington, the intense hatred for him in Pakistan is not
just confined to his political opponents but is deeply embedded in the
countrys grassroots.
It is horror stories like the above that are giving FOP (Friends of
Pakistan) and SIP (Strategic Implementation Plan) nightmares. Mr
President stand up for Pakistan and fight our case with honour and
honesty not Ya ho ho ho and a bottle of rum as sung by a pirate in R L
Stevensons Treasure Island. Your forthcoming visit to America may be your
last chance to serve a down-trodden, terror-stricken and corruption-smitten
nation.
In yet another article Shireen M Mazari added: Now, once again, this
scribe as well as some electronic media hosts all of whom have been
exposing the increasing muscle flexing by the growing number of nondiplomatic Americans now in Pakistan (especially Blackwater now rechristened Xe Worldwide) are being targeted. Just for the record, whatever
has appeared in these columns regarding this group and the dubious Creative
Associates International Inc (CAII) has been gleaned from Western media
sources including the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA), but then verified
from reliable local sources.
Especially with the Blackwater issue refusing to die down in the
media despite a strange silence in Parliament and in spite of threats of
multiple types from the yet-to-be-expanded US embassy in Islamabad; new
revelations are made on daily basis about US shenanigans in Pakistan.

39

Here in Pakistan it has got to the stage where one is not sure who is an
official American and who is not. After all, the guard who abused Pakistan
and an SHO in the diplomatic enclave was a member of the US government;
but who were the three Americans who beat up a Pakistani citizen, Mohsin
Bokhari, in Islamabads Aabpara last week? After using violence against this
citizen they did eventually apologize, but the police refused to register a case
because they felt that if the case registered by the SHO of the diplomatic
enclave had no impact in terms of justice thanks to the pusillanimity of the
present MFA setup it would simply be a waste of their energy in the month
of fasting to register yet another case of violence by Americans against a
Pakistani citizen.
Further, as the growing disaffection hits the more conscientious
Pakistanis in officialdom, what should one make of the information (from
frustrated police officials) regarding four Americans initially arrested on Aug
25 at FIA Headquarters, Peshawar Morrh, Islamabad with unlicenced
automatic weapons (seven M1-6) and no identification although the
arresting officials say they were kala pani (Blackwater) personnel around
14:45. When they were brought to the Margallah police station, SP Nasir
Aftab, who had previously been serving in the diplomatic enclave, also
arrived, followed by US embassys security officer, a retired Pakistan army
officer, Captain Ijaz. The latter abused and threatened the policemen and in
front of Aftab had the four Americans, with no diplomatic identity, released
from custody. When the SHO protested, SP Aftab also adopted Captain
Ijazs tone and later confessed he was helpless as he had orders from
above for the release of the men.
So how much pressure will we all be able to endure and when will we
all be silenced one way or another? If the Americans understood us they
would realize that the Pakistani nation cannot be silenced into
submission despite its leadership.
Ahmed Quraishi observed: Two things stand out: unwarranted US
spying on Pakistans strategic weaponization programmes and more
importantly the preposterous US accusation that Pakistans defensive
capability risks attracting an arms race with India.
There is only one explanation for the mounting American
frustration: Despite seven years of intense pressures on Pakistan,
Washington is nowhere close to putting a leash on the Pakistani military and
its intelligence agencies. It does not know yet the exact location of
Pakistans nuclear bombs and warheads. It is no closer to neutralizing

40

Pakistans nuclear button despite the wild campaign to convince the world
that Pakistan was incapable of protecting its weapons. Pakistan managed to
deflect pressures and refused to turn itself into a walkway for American and
Indian boots. The latest episode in our political soap opera, where retired
intelligence officers have been used to divulge old secrets, is designed to
discredit the military.
While they distract the nation with their non-issues, there is no one to
question the rulers why they approved the construction of the worlds largest
US embassy in Islamabad when the American aid bill has not even passed
US Congress? There are signs that the politicians are quietly allowing
unprecedented US military and covert presence in and around the Pakistani
capital in order to change the balance of power inside Pakistan in a
permanent way. There are reports now that US military presence is being
formalized in both Sindh and Balochistan. The frequency and detail of these
reports mean they cannot be discounted as hearsay.
Two Pakistani political parties, Mr Zardaris PPP and Mr Sharifs
PML-N, both ironically created during the reigns of two different military
rulers, are taking the nation for a ride in the name of democracy. Thanks
to their non-performance in the past 19 months, Pakistan is staring at a huge
national failure, from foreign policy to Gwadar. Lost in this circus is any talk
about healthcare, education, highways or infrastructure. It is national
decline.
Some other aspects were also commented upon. Zafar Hilaly talked
about likely operation in Waziristan. Once again, the Pakistan Army is
being called upon to deliver this country from the hands of those who wish
to impose their way of life on us. This time, the numerical odds may favor
the army but the terrain and ferocity of the enemy makes up in spades for the
adversarys inferior number.
Waziristan is completely different war and the Taliban/al-Qaeda
combine a vastly contrasting foe to the adversary our forces have been
trained and equipped to fight. The outcome will depend not only on the
bravery of our forces but also crucially on their resourcefulness and their
battlefield skills. On the outcome will hinge the fate of Pakistan and perhaps
beyond.
Rahimullah Yusufzai wrote about Chinese concerns over Pakistanrelated terrorism. While Pakistan is keen to benefit from its friendship with
China, it cannot ignore Chinese concerns in the region. No other issue is of
greater concern to China than the separatist movement in Xinjiang and the
41

reported presence of some Chinese Muslim militants in Pakistans tribal

areas and Afghanistan. Without making it public, Chinese leaders and
scholars would want Pakistan to assist Beijing in tackling this threat and
preventing the militants or arms to be smuggled across the Sino-Pakistan
border. The number of the Chinese Uighur Muslim militants linked to the
East Turkestan Islamic Movement and hiding in Pakistan may not be more
than 80, but for China they constitute a constant danger, more so in the
backdrop of the recent violent ethnic riots in Xinjiang.
China is also concerned about the growing US and NATO
military presence in Pakistan as it believes some of the Uighur separatists
are getting help from America and its Western allies. Another matter of
concern for China is the safety of its workers employed on projects being
executed by Chinese firms in Pakistan and Afghanistan. A number of
Chinese workers have been killed and kidnapped in Pakistan despite stepped
up security measures undertaken by Pakistani authorities.
Pakistan would thus have to do its bit to sustain its friendship
with China. High-sounding statements like Sino-Pakistani relations being
higher than the Himalayas and deeper than the oceans make one feel good,
but the practicalities of life and the ground realities cannot be ignored in a
relationship that needs to be reoriented in the changing world situation after
having withstood the test of times.
In the context of Afghanistan, The News wrote on the eve of
elections: Although the polls have yet to open in Afghanistan, observers
and commentators are of the opinion that there is going to be no change at
the top and President Karzai, the least-worst option, will retain his seat for a
further term
Whichever way the poll goes the outcome will be influenced as much
by external as internal factors, for it is the eternal fate of Afghanistan to be
of interest to a range of nations beyond its borders. Its geographic position
has for centuries meant that it is the cockpit literally the place where cocks
fight to the bloody end. Indiais heavily engaged likewise Turkey, Saudi
Arabia and Iran, plus the US, NATO, Russia and China from a more global
perspective. The election will not bring stability to Afghanistan but it is
likely to provide continuity. Talking to the Taliban could be a useful next
step.
Zafar Hilaly opined: As for the likely consequences of the elections,
it is clear that Karzai, even if he wins, has been greatly weakened. His
dismal performance in office, his reputation for corruption, and the deal has
42

had to strike with odious warlords such as Dostum to stand a chance of

success has, in the eyes of Pashtuns, robbed him of much legitimacy. It is
doubtful whether he can serve as an effective interlocutor with the
Taliban in any negotiations that may eventually take place. The Taliban
surely regard him as beyond the pale, somewhat like Najibullah, the last
Soviet puppet.
Afghans, by voting according to their ethnic group, have shown that
the tribal nature of their society remains as strong as ever. In fact, differences
between the ethnic groups have sharpened, especially between the Uzbeks
and the Pashtuns, making the possibility of a coalition government surviving
an American departure virtually non-existent. As for democracy, it appears
to be an opportunity for the uneducated and poor to vote in the corrupt. It is
sadly an experiment in government that has not worked in Afghanistan.
For Pakistan, too, the omens from the election are important.
Reliable US Polls show that a majority of the Americans oppose the war
and, by a huge margin, the dispatch of more troops to Afghanistan. Bidens
silence on the subject says more than Obamas chants in favour of pursuing
the war. It is clearly only a question of time, perhaps two years at best, when
mounting casualties and Obamas domestic compulsions will bring about an
American retreat. We will have to deal with the Taliban on our own and had
best prepare for it.
A weakened Afghan President in Kabul, even if he survives an
American departure, will not have the wherewithal to keep the Taliban
off his back, let alone ours. Moreover, the Pakistani Taliban will, by then,
have achieved the strategic depth they need to continue their war against
Pakistan. Of course, if we are able to create a rift between the Afghan
Taliban and al-Qaeda and persuade the former to confine themselves to their
national agenda rather than that of al-Qaeda, a negotiated settlement may be
possible. But that seems unlikely. The hold of al-Qaeda on the Afghan
Taliban has been forged in blood and augmented by blood ties and kinship
between their respective leaderships seems solid. They now expect to
swim or sink together.
Pakistan, thus, has a limited amount of time to assert control
over our tribal areas, to root out insurgency and undo the Talibanization of
tribal society. But that by itself will not be enough. We also have to win the
ideological battle against extremism elsewhere in the country. Jihadis now
gaining strength in South Punjab will have to be rooted out. The nurseries
where they are spawned will have to be closed down or reformed.

43

For this, military measures alone will not suffice. A number of

other steps are required, the foremost being political and economic stability.
Also, it is important to make Pakistan financially viable so that it has the
means to pay for the fight against extremism both within and outside the
country.
If the flawed Afghan election does nothing else but draw our
attention to these urgently needed steps, they will have served a useful
purpose. Hopefully, someone in the Bastille-like Presidency in Islamabad
will alert the occupant to the formidable challenges we face and impress
upon him the need for action. It would be best if they do so before the
Americans withdraw from Afghanistan and leave us, once again, to fend for
ourselves.
Asif Ezdi wrote: A low-margin victory in the first round which is
tainted by allegations of large-scale vote-rigging would not give the winner
the legitimacy that is needed to exercise effective leadership. Washington
therefore favours a runoff which it feels will give greater credibility to the
political process and to the winner, besides cutting down a somewhat
recalcitrant president to size. Karzais view is that by presenting a stark
choice between a Pakhtun and a Tajik, a second round would divide the
country on ethnic lines. More important, a runoff would also be a blow to his
prestige and standing in the eyes of the Afghan public, and there is little
likelihood that it would be less messy than the first round.
Either way, Karzai will be without the strong public mandate he
needs to become the head of an effective government and to pursue
reconciliation with the Taliban. He will also find the Americans breathing
down his neck harder than ever.
Mosharraf Zaidi commented: In eight years the Pakistani state has
demonstrated no real awareness of its closest and most important neighbour.
It seems plausible to conclude therefore that Pakistan is not at all prepared to
deal with Afghanistan. Dealing with Afghanistan requires some crucial
adjustments in expectations in Pakistan.
The first is that national security in Afghanistan and in Pakistan is,
for the next generation, and maybe for longer, deeply inter-linked. The
second is that Afghanistans national security interests, for the foreseeable
future, will be tied to fiscal, operational, strategic and instrumental support
from two regional powerhouses, namely India and Iran.
The third, by deduction, is that the ambient dysfunction of
Islamabads relationship with New Delhi and with Iran needs to be
44

moderated. With India, in particular, Pakistan needs to get real. It needs to

stop pretending that Kashmir is still the core bilateral bone of contention,
because it is not. The core bone of contention between Islamabad and New
Delhi now, whether either side is able to admit it or not, is Afghanistan.
Underpinning these three deeply inter-linked geopolitical realities are
some hard-to-digest domestic policy nuts and bolts. Without dramatically
improved investments in the capacity of Pakistans civilian law enforcement
infrastructure, the military will have an overwhelmingly important role to
play in Pakistans international political future. As long as the GHQ has
a default seat at the table on issues that are primarily of a political nature
such as Kashmir, Afghanistan, Sir creek, the Indus River the balance of
power among Pakistans young, immature and under-nourished institutions
of public life will continue to be entirely out of whack.
The police in Pakistan has to be transformed in short order, from
a parasitical organ of political patronage to an instrument of thorough
professionalism that shoots bad guys and protects ordinary citizens. The
best reminder of how good the police in this country needs to be is what has
taken place in Swat over the last two years. No army in any country should
have to be responsible for the displacement of over two million of its own
people. Pakistan cannot sustain this imbalance between civilian and military
force capacity.
Charles Ferndale was of the view that Taliban were being used as
bogey in the context of terrorism. Over the last few days, two honest British
journalists have at last mentioned that during the eight years of our presence
in Afghanistan, there has been no improvement whatever in the appalling
conditions under which most Afghans live. Perhaps that was news to them,
but it is not news to any Afghan, nor to anyone who knows the region well.
Despite the billions of dollars that have poured into Afghanistan since
2001 (which has promptly poured straight out again), no help has been given
to the poor there. Actually the condition of the poor has got much worse
since 2001, which is why contrary to yet more dishonest statements by our
officials, a great many Afghans support the Taliban. The only reliable
experience Afghans have had of most NATO powers is that they break their
promises (under Mulla Omar, the Taliban did not break their promises). So
why should the NATO powers ever be trusted? And the plight of poor
Afghan women (outside the privileged families located mainly in Kabul) has
also got worse since the Taliban were overthrown (hard as this may be for us
to believe). But did we not invade to liberate them? John Simpson, two days

45

ago, was honest enough to say that had the money spent on the Afghan war
been spent on the poor, there would be no war there. At last we see a
glimmer of truth in the self-serving, meticulously disseminated, fog of war.
The fog exists in Europe and America, not in Afghanistan. The Afghans have
a perfectly clear, close-up, view of what we are up to: and what they see is
not pretty. They must think foreigners are all fools or liars.
When challenged on the failure of the NATO powers to do anything
to help ordinary Afghans, the usual response from officials in the NATO
countries is that the Taliban always prevent development projects from being
implemented. They call it the security situation. But the claim is another
lie. There are huge areas of Afghanistan suffering the agonies, deformities,
diseases and deaths caused by poverty, but those areas are untroubled by the
Taliban. Nevertheless, they have not seen a dime since 2001. These areas are
free from the troublesome Taliban, so anyone could visit them safely and I
confirm the truth of what I have just said, and so prove that what British
and American officials are saying is false; but few do.
Western officials talk little of the fact that when the Taliban were in
power from 1996 to 2001 opium production in Helmand was eliminated
completely. Newspapers allege, repeatedly, that the Taliban are financing
themselves with sales of heroin. The western medias favourite estimate of
the profit made by the Taliban from heroin sales is $100 million a year.
First question: which Taliban make this money? The so-called Taliban no
longer have a unified command (we saw to that). There are at least fourteen
different groups being called Taliban. Is the dope trade run like a welfare
state, with fair shares for all?
NATO officials are probably the source of most claims about the drug
trade in Afghanistan. Can they be trusted? I dont think so. Simultaneously
with claims that the drug trade is run by the Taliban, we are told that it is
run by Karzais war lords. But Karzai is Americas man. So it could be
that the drug trade is financing Americas men (as it did during the
Vietnam War and during the illegal, American-run, Contra war against the
elected Sandinista government of Nicaragua)? In any case, can these
commentators have it both ways?
Is the drug trade financing both sides? Maybe, maybe not. None of
these obvious and reasonable questions is ever asked in public in Britain.
Why not? Is the British public content to be told highly improbable
stories? Oh, how tiresome it is to be misinformed routinely by the countrys
supposed leaders and by lazy journalists. And what hope is there for

46

countries in which the electorate tolerates, as their leaders, people who only
ever seem to lie.
Rahimullah Yusufzai commented on Kunduz carnage. The mistake
would be regretted and some compensation money paid to the poor and
unfortunate Afghan families that lost members in the air strikes. The Afghan
government, as usual, would demand that it must be taken into confidence
before ordering such strikes.
But not much would change as far as the ground situation is
concerned. In fact, the Kunduz killings like others in the past would turn
public opinion even more against the presence of Western forces and help
radicalize many more Afghans. This in turn would lead to revenge attacks by
both the Taliban and the NATO forces. The cycle of violence would continue
and innocent civilians would suffer the most.
In the context of India, the regime, the opposition and the analysts
continue mentioning Kashmir issue lest anyone might allege that it has been
forgotten. Some political analysts keep suggesting, God knows to whom,
various solutions along with merits and demerits. Asif Ezdi also talked of
reshaping of Kashmir policy.
Musharraf departed from the old national consensus on
Kashmir when he proposed a settlement that would legitimize the present
territorial status quo. Even worse, he also betrayed the Kashmir freedom
movement, and did so at a time when a new generation of Kashmiris
tempered by two decades of resistance to the brutalities of the occupation
forces has taken charge. This generation is more determined than any earlier
one to wrest azadi from the Indian occupiers. The more India uses force to
suppress it, the stronger the freedom movement will become. India can delay
azadi for some time, maybe by a couple of decades or a little longer, but
cannot stop it.
This is the ground reality on which new national consensus on
Kashmir must be founded. Holding a dialogue with India on Kashmir
before forging this consensus would be like putting the cart before the
horse. First and foremost, there must be a rejection of the deal made by
Musharraf in back-channel talks with India. Since the present international
environment is not favourable for a just settlement of Kashmir, our aim in
resumed composite dialogue should be the maximum possible alleviation of
the conditions of Indian occupation in order to allow the Kashmiris to carry
on their movement peacefully.

47

As a signal of our support to the Kashmiri people, we should also

revert to our earlier policy, which Musharraf reversed in 2004, of providing
moral, political and diplomatic support to their struggle for selfdetermination and of mobilizing international opinion against Indian
atrocities and human rights violations. The prime minister should start by
raising these issues forcefully in an address to the UN General Assembly
at its next session in September.
India continued accusing Pakistan of cross-border terrorism. Singh
saw Pakistani terrorists planning another attack and The News commented:
The latest ball to come down the wicket from the Indian side is a statement
by Manmohan Singh, their prime minister. He has spoken of credible
information that militant groups based in Pakistan are planning more attacks
on India. He spoke also of Pakistani groups opposed to Indian rule in
Kashmir stepping up their efforts to infiltrate their fighters and said
there had been a surge in such activity. Those doing the infiltration are
allegedly better trained, armed and more battle-hardened than those who had
previously been involved in this activity, and their communication
equipment was also more sophisticated than hitherto.
All of this may or may not be true, and unless and until there
is upfront evidence which can be shared with a generally incredulous
Pakistani public, then the bottom line is that most Pakistanis are simply not
going to believe anything emanating from the Indian government. It is
understood that no nation is going to divulge the operations of its secret
intelligence services, but if there is to be any kind of trust built between
India and Pakistan then there has to be a reciprocity that extends to public
awareness. People really do need to know. They dont need to know
everything, but they need to know enough to be convinced that what they are
hearing bears some relationship to a truth untainted by diplomatic
circumlocution
Whatever the truth of the Mumbai tale and we are unlikely to ever
hear it all either we stay locked into this torpid dance or we do things
differently. If Mr Singh has the evidence, let him share some of it both with
our own intelligence services and a smaller amount with a wider public.
Conversely, we need to be a little more open regarding our knowledge of
RAW activities inside our own borders without compromising our own
security of course. If the Sharm el-Sheikh dialogue is to translate into
anything more than diplomatic nicety then both sides need to put more meat
on the bones of information they feed their people tossing out
substantiated claims to a population ill-disposed to believe it anyway
48

takes nobody anywhere. The message to both sides? Prove it, because
empty rhetoric proves nothing.
While Singh indulged in accusing Pakistan of terrorism a seasoned
journalist-turned-diplomat of Pakistan, Maleeha Lodhi, talked about IndoPak backchannel diplomacy. Three factors are important for Islamabad
to consider. First, the backchannel was intended in the past to work in
tandem with the front channel. Formal structured talks addressed a
multilayered, wide-ranging, eight-point agenda covering almost the entire
gamut of bilateral ties. The backchannel focused primarily on Kashmir (but
also other disputes: Siachen and Sir Creek), to explore the parameters of an
eventual settlement.
The idea was that progress achieved in the formal channel would be
reflected in the composite dialogue process. Decoupling the two therefore
makes little sense; the two tracks have to operate simultaneously, and not
sequentially. The backchannel is a supplement and not a substitute for the
composite talks.
Moreover if Delhi finds it difficult to resume the formal peace
process because of domestic compulsions, how will it summon the political
strength to show the flexibility that is required in what is envisaged as
dispute resolution track? If the backchannel is employed just to keep the
bilateral communication going, which is happening anyway, this will only
devalue a vehicle that is meant for more substantive negotiations.
Second, recommencing only the backchannel in the current
environment could turn this into a forum focused only on terrorism, in
line with what Delhi has already been hinting i.e. to recast the dialogue
around one issue. Even before Sharm el-Sheikh Indian officials had privately
been saying that talks with Pakistan will now be bound by new limits. On its
own any unstructured forum will enable this to happen more easily than a
framework for structured talks.
Third, re-launching the backchannel without the formal dialogue
in place will wrap the entire process of normalization in unnecessary
secrecy and will likely evoke public suspicion rather than support in both
countries. For quiet diplomacy to proceed and be politically tenable, formal
dialogue is essential, not least because this process lends legitimacy to
agreements that may be reached between the principals through their
interlocutors on the backchannel.
The two tracks are for good reason inextricably linked and must
therefore be in play together. There is also an opportunity to correct the
49

flaws that critics correctly identified in the manner in which the backchannel
was conducted in the past.
For Islamabad the most prudent course for now is to continue to
engage the Indians, while adopting a posture of studied cool, rather than
haste or over-eagerness to rush into talks, whatever the terms. Peace remains
the overarching objective, but the process of movement to sustainable peace
requires careful deliberation not unconsidered haste.
Ershad Mahmud expressed his views on renaming of Northern Areas
and the administrative reforms. Though, Islamabad replicated the AJK
template but a portfolio of Governor to Minister of Kashmir Affairs, even
though interim is being widely criticized. The appointment of governor
also raises doubts, widely respected Kashmiri leader Sardar Khalid Ibrahim
fears that the reforms package will transform Gilgit-Baltistan into a fullfledged province in the next step.
Pakistans official policy on the Northern Areas seems confused
and uncertain, particularly after 1980. The main reason was the strategic
importance of the region and hence a section of the government has always
wished that the areas be merged with Pakistan. Ever since November 1947,
the interior and foreign ministries have been thinking on these lines
particularly about the Gilgit Agency
The Foreign Office did not agree to the proposal at that time. It felt
that although it was nominal yet Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir exercised
authority over Gilgit. And thus Gilgit was not independent. There was also a
possibility of plebiscite under the auspices of UN. Then why should the
Gilgit Agencys vote bank be lost?
The above dilemma still persists, and can be seen in the initiatives
of various government organs in their respective spheres. Gilgit Agency is
sometimes shown on the survey maps as part of Pakistan while on some
other occasions it is clubbed in with the disputed state of Jammu and
Kashmir.
The relationship between Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan has
been de-emphasized at the very outset. The Ministry of Kashmir Affairs
blocked political parties of Azad Kashmir to run their political activities in
Gilgit and Baltistan. Late K H Khurshid was not allowed entry into Gilgit.
The founder president of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Sardar
Mohammad Ibrahim, once said that he was not allowed to visit the region
whenever he tried. Such actions by the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs were

50

considered to mean that people of the two areas should not be allowed to
forge close relations.
Islamabad, however, has not de-linked Gilgit-Baltistan from the
broader Kashmir dispute which is a positive development. However,
despite the reservations of Kashmiri leaders, there is no likelihood that in
future Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK can become one unit. This is the right time
for the government to dispel the apprehensions of Kashmiri leadership. At
least, the office of chief minister can be replaced with the chief executive
and the portfolio of governor can be abolished.
Rahimullah Yusufzai commented: This wasnt the first time that
reforms were announced for the region. Since 1970, when Gilgit Agency,
Baltistan district of the Laddakh Wazarat and the small states of Hunza and
Nagar were grouped together into a single administrative unit called
Northern Areas, attempts have been made to respond to the aspirations
of the people for an identity of their own. But Pakistans efforts to do were
hampered by the concern that altering the status of the Northern Areas and
giving its people a constitutional right as subjects of the federation of
Pakistan could dilute its demand for implementation of the UN resolutions
on Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan hasnt officially given up its demand for UN-mandated
plebiscite to enable the Kashmiri people to determine their future. In the
latest reforms package also, care has been taken not to make Gilgit-Baltistan
a province, even though certain political, legislative and legal institutions of
a provincial nature were being set up or upgraded in the region. Without
undermining Pakistans principal position on the final status of Jammu and
Kashmir, an attempt has been made to strike a balance by granting certain
rights to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. It is another matter that majority of
the population may not be satisfied with the reforms as they expected a lot
more. The urge to have a provincial status and representation in Pakistans
parliament has been strong among the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. None of
the reforms package to date for the region has answered this urge.
Tasneem Noorani wrote: Seeing the performance of the composite
dialogue for the last five years, there does not seem to be any justification to
beg for them. As for the Bombay carnage, Pakistan should have nothing to
hide. The non-state organizations, if involved, should be exposed and taken
to task. If the evidence provided by India is inadequate to do anything more
than is being done, it should be made public for all to see why nothing can
be done.

51

Asif Ezdi observed: Typically, the new law was not presented
before it adoption for public or parliamentary debate. Instead, the
government only held some closed-door briefings for the parliamentary
committee concerned and a few selected leaders from the Northern Areas.
Representatives of Azad Kashmir and the APHC were not consulted. The
government clearly still treats the matter as a bureaucratic issue to be tackled
bureaucratically.
The demand for provincial status for Gilgit-Baltistan will not go
away. The question that the government faces is not whether to give this
status, but how to do it in a manner that also leaves the UN resolutions on
Kashmir untouched and keeps intact Pakistans commitment to their
implementation. The government has to find a way to do all this in a way
that also takes Azad Kashmir and the APHC on board. Not an easy
undertaking but doable.
It should take the following steps: First, withhold promulgation of
the Self-Governance Order; second, start a public debate in Pakistan and
consultation with representative Kashmiris on both sides of the LoC on a
provisional accession of Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan; third, leave it to
the elected assembly of Gilgit-Baltistan to pass a law on an Interim
Constitution for the territory; fourth, ask the Azad Kashmir Assembly to pass
a resolution declaring provisional accession of the state to Pakistan pending
the implementation of UN resolutions; fifth, amend the Constitution to
provisionally admit Jammu and Kashmir to the Federation; sixth, and last,
ignore any protests, warnings and threats from India.
Jalaluddin Suhail from Islamabad commented on expulsion of
Jaswant Singh from BJP, which was the result of hatred for Pakistan
embedded in the psyche of Indian leaders. The one prominent Indian,
Jaswant Singh, who realyy took a substantive confidence-building measure
vis--vis Pakistan through his book on Jinnah, was unceremoniously shown
the door by his political party, amply exposing the deep-rooted prejudices
and animosity of a section of Indian society towards Pakistanis. They could
not even stomach some words of praise about our great leader and founder
of the nation, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who, in the words of Jaswant Singh,
was a self-made man and not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, as was
Nehru.
This is once again a reminder of the fact that no amount of CBMs
through cultural exchanges and import of Indian films will elicit any
favourable response from the Indians. Instead of running after the Indians

52

with hat in hand begging for a dialogue, we should concentrate on

enhancing our own defence capabilities and economic strength which will
be our ultimate saviors.
Sajid Hussain commented on Balochistan issue in the context of
composite dialogue. The Baloch have nothing to lose Pakistan has. Once
the Balochistan issue is included in the Indo-Pak talks, especially the
composite dialogue process as Prime Minister Gilani has demanded, events
in Balochistan will gain international attention. The world will more closely
watch nationalist protests, militant activities and government moves in the
strategically important region. This will bring a lot of pain for the militancyhit Islamic republic. Besides, the pressure will come from international
rights groups for hundreds of missing political activists, killing the Baloch
leaders, and other government measures to suppress the Baloch uprising.
This is the reason why some Baloch leaders believe that Indias
acceptance to allow the Balochistan reference is tactical. They argue that
there was not enough pressure on India to accept such a fate. On the
contrary, Pakistan was on the defensive when Gilani and Singh met in Egypt
owing to world pressure on Islamabad to act against the Mumbai attack
perpetrators. Before the Sharm el-Sheikh meeting, Singh had said that he
was expecting Gilani to assure him of dismantling the anti-India terror
infrastructure when they would meet in Egypt. However, in a surprise
development, rather than pressing Pakistan for action, Singh allowed a
mention of Balochistan in the joint statement. Whether Indias decision is
tactical or flawed, the disillusioned Baloch have pinned their hopes on the
latest developments. However, only time will tell who is going to benefit
from the Sharm el-Sheikh declaration?
Talat Masood wrote: The establishment of the Gwadar deep-sea port,
confirmed deposits of precious metals in the province and shared borders
with Afghanistan and Iran has given Balochistan a unique strategic position.
Gwadar has the potential of being a highly profitable communication link
between China and the Persian Gulf, and between Central Asia and Pakistan.
The US has a huge interest in the province to protect itself in Afghanistan,
and considers it important in the context of its potential rivalry with China
and poor relations with Iran. The power play of global and regional actors in
an insurgency-ridden Balochistan is a serious challenge for Pakistan.
Islamabad should realize that the peace, security and stability of the province
are closely interlinked with the integrity and future well-being of Pakistan.
And Balochi nationalism has to be assimilated and harmonized with the
overall national interest, and not allowed to remain hostile to it.
53

The News commented on the decision to abandon plan to have more

cantonments in Balochistan. The chief minister of Balochistan has informed
reporters in Quetta that the federal government has accepted a request from
the provincial government that the building of military cantonments in the
province be stopped. The agreement on this, we are told, has been reached
after much deliberation and is aimed at calming sentiments in Balochistan.
The decision to establish the cantonments, taken under President
Musharraf, had been fiercely opposed by all nationalist and most
political forces in Balochistan. It was, for obvious reasons, seen as an effort
to clamp down against nationalist elements, it was obviously no coincidence
that the cantonments were to be set up in the Dera Bugti and Kohlu areas
where the anti-government uprising of the Musharraf era was concentrated.
Indeed people in Balochistan have made consistent claims of
harassment by paramilitary forces posted along highways and they had
feared the cantonments would only add to this. The role of the army in
Balochistan is of course the deadly military operation in the 1970s. The scars
left by it have not vanished. The actions taken some three decades later
under a military dictator have only re-opened the wounds. We must hope
the move to abandon the building of the cantonments is not an isolated
gesture but an indication of a more sweeping change in thinking. The
problems of our largest province cannot be solved by the use of force. The
government must demonstrate a willingness to win the Baloch heart.

REVIEW
Baitullah Mehsud was used by the US primarily to force Pakistan to
accept that the ongoing war on terror was/is Pakistans war. The deceased
commander of TTP obliged the Americans in achieving this aim. Once the
US mission was achieved he was eliminated.
Baitullahs departure from the scene could provide a temporary relief
to Pakistan. His successor, Hakimullah, though not yet 30-year-old, has
extensive field experience, including the capture of 300 soldiers of Pakistan
Army. Thirty-five years old Waliullah, who studied in a madrassa in
Faisalabad, has been working closely with Baitullah and he would prove
useful to Hakimullah in mustering support of the Mehsud tribesmen. Hence,

54

while assessing the future prospects the character of two new leaders has to
be kept in mind.
The attacks on Mingora police station and Minister for Religious
Affairs in Islamabad indicate the things to come. Apart from targeting the
security forces, the militants would target that section of the ruling elite
which is quite active in demonizing the TTP. They seemed to have learnt a
lesson that attacks in which innocent civilians are killed as collateral
damage do not serve their cause; frequency of such attacks could decrease.
Instead of discussing the provision of night-vision goggles with
General Petraeus, General Kayani has to give thought to more serious
aspects of the ongoing military action. These devices are not vital for
winning the war on terror; the day-vision devices are the need of the hour.
And he should also not blindly work for fulfillment of promises made by
Zardari with the Crusaders during his foreign trips.
To this end he must take serious note of the extra-judicial killings in
Swat and those involved must be dealt sternly. There is no use, like most
political leaders did; to term the attacks like the one on Hamid Saeed as a
cowardly act despite the fact that it was daringly carried out in daylight in
the middle of a fortified capital. Not a word was said about when more than
forty dead bodies of militants found a day earlier in Swat. Perhaps, all of
them were bravely executed extra-judicially in hours of darkness. Pakistan
Army should in no way be party to these war crimes.
In short period of three months the regime and security forces seemed
to have outscored Taliban in their tally of atrocious acts and brutalities. It is
now indulging in deceitful conduct as is evident from the reported trapping
of five Taliban leaders. This will cast devilish shadow on the image of Army
in the long run, because no politician will own this after a couple of years.
Army should have asked the ANP government to use Kamal Khan on
its own with the help of police. No doubt, it reflects on the regimes resolve
to eliminate Taliban, but what army has to bear in mind is that trouble in
Swat was not caused by a few obscurantist militants as generally projected.
The number of militants killed, captured, surrendered and executed indicates
that it was certainly a mass uprising barring secular ANPs activists and
some affluent residents who had fled from the Valley.
As regards TTP, Muslim Khan, having been an ardent leader of PSF, a
students wing of PPP, should have known as to what the regime could do to
trap him and other TTP leaders. In the same context, it may also be inferred

55

that ANP government has also trapped the Army, or killed two birds with
one stone.
The investigators will certainly investigate the crime committed
right under their nose in Islamabad. The list of suspects involved in attack on
Hamid Saeed will obviously be restricted to TTP, but will they dare include
US mercenaries in the list of suspects, which are working in the garb of
contractors? General Kayanis intelligence network must look into security
implications of presence of armed Americans in Pakistan, which has been
termed as a step towards colonization.
Army must not be complacent about sinister designs of the Zardari
regime. No doubt, when PPP leaders are asked about the reported unusual
presence of Americans in Pakistan, they start boasting that PPP has always
been anti-America. They say the party lost its founder-father because of this
policy. What they do not say is more true and important.
Starting from ZAB, PPP leaders have been scared of Armys strength;
considered it as a threat to political rule and have been trying to counter this.
ZAB tried to raise a parallel force under the name of Federal Security Force,
but failed in achieving this goal. Benazir during her two tenures tried to
befriend India to negate the need for Pakistan to have a strong Army. She too
failed.
In the given circumstances, Zardari seemed to have found a solution
to the problem which only a seasoned scoundrel could. Learning from the
experience he has concluded that solution lies in befriending Americans at
any cost. To this end if Americans (armed) are allowed to entrench in
Pakistan on various pretexts, it could prove an excellent counter to internal
threat to democracy from the Army.
The Crusaders have been working for the last couple of years to create
an impression that Karzai was no more their choice as president of
Afghanistan. This was designed to ensure legitimacy for their puppet in his
re-election. They have succeeded in their endeavour in creating a semblance
of credibility for him as a choice of the Afghans and not that of the
occupation forces.
This will now be quoted repeatedly as strengthening of democracy in
Afghanistan, despite the reports of large scale rigging of the polls. Rigging
too will be utilized to pressurize the puppet. He will continue to act in
accordance with the wishes of the Crusaders under constant threat of being
axed.

56

The killing of fifteen Pakistanis in car bombing in Kandahar was

condemned by the Taliban. Soon after that another Pakistani engineer was
killed in Baghlan. These target killings confirmed the turning of the table on
Pakistan. Now Pakistanis are at the receiving end and not Indians; that too in
heart of Pashtun areas. But, this solved the problems of occupation forces
only partly.
As regards the composite dialogue with India, the story is quite
similar to Palestinian-Israeli peace process. In the Subcontinent, the peace is
the requirement of Pakistan and the process is in Indo-US control. The
Indian design behind this process is quite obvious, but Pakistans Prime
Minister has to go all the way to Libya to get some clues from Sri Lankan
President e.g., about funding of the terrorists in Pakistan.
The document signed by Zardari that changed the name of Northern
Areas will in fact change nothing on ground, but will have many political
and diplomatic implications. This action is meant to show to Pakistanis that
something is happening on the Kashmir front.
12th September 2009

DAYTIME HOWLING
Thirty-month long tussle between Executive and Judiciary is partly an
outcome of the Crusades waged by the White Christians against Islamic
fascists. Apart from other reasons the accordance of priority by the Supreme
Court to hearing of the case of missing persons in Pakistan has been the
main reason of the tension between the two pillars of the state.
Today, the people and judiciary want rule of law and the rulers want to
rule the law. More than 70 percent of Pakistanis want that the man who
violated countrys basic law must be punished, but the rulers have an
agreement with the Americans not to do so. For people of Pakistan the
57

meaning of Pakistan may be La Illaha Illellah, but for the rulers it means La
Illaha Illa-Amerika.
The howling of jackals in daylight during the last three weeks has
been part of the Zardari regimes design to block any effort for the trial of
Musharraf. The plan was unleashed and conducted with expertise typical of
Zaradri-led PPP. Trial-talk has been drowned in the howling of jackals.
The rulers, who have leased their self-respect to the US, want that the
masses too should be deprived of self-respect. To this end they invented
novel methods which were on display during the month of Ramazan. The
people were forced to stand in the long Queues for hours to buy a sack of
wheat flour or a small packet of sugar. These sales on rebate have stripped
them of their self-respect.

NEWS
Gilani issued yet another statement on 23 rd August to fool around with
Sharifs. He said nothing has been finalized between PPP and PML-N on
Musharrafs trial. Governor Taseer objected to CMs summary for
appointment of additional and assistant AGs.
With a petition accepted for hearing by higher judiciary, Altaf Hussain
staged a drama on 24th August to divert the attention away from May 12. As
he came out to address a press conference he wailed and cried like a woman
in remembering the MQM activists killed in 1992 and continued crying at
regular intervals during his video address to followers of his cult in Pakistan.
This happened only a day after Altaf-Nisar Khuro meeting and earlier
Sharifuddin Pirzada had also met him. Altaf blamed Nawaz Sharif for the
operation against MQM and sought his apology for not saving lives of
15,000 Urdu-speaking people and at the same time asked the CJP for judicial
probe.
Fauzia Wahab said if something wrong has had happened during 1992
that should be probed into. Hameesh Khan of Bank of Punjab and seven
others were declared absconders. Punjab pulled back police deployed at
sugar mills. Gilani said NRO has nothing to do with Musharrafs trial.
Next day, AG said NRO would die but not its benefits. Three PCO
judge of Karachi decided to move Supreme Court. MQMs Wasim
demanded protection of Brig Imtiaz against any harm, because he disclosed
the truth about Jinnahpur map and confessed it was planted. MQM also said
PML-N has lost its senses because of the latest revelations about 1992
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Operation. Lt Gen Naseer Akhtar had supported the claims of Imtiaz. PMLN warned MQM against character assassination of Nawaz Sharif. Gilani and
Kayani met Zardari at Chaklala Airport after he had unscheduled homebound diversion in his foreign tour. The two must have informed the boss
that operation to neutralize Nawaz had taken off very well.
On 26th August, Ansar Abbasi reported that the present media hype has
been stirred to put Nawaz Sharif on the defensive in the context of
Musharrafs trial. It is premature to say who is behind this get Nawaz
campaign to deter him from seeking Musharrafs trial under Article 6 of the
Constitution. Though the immediate suspect for many is the invisible,
military-led establishment, there are indications of involvement of some key
government players in this blame-game.
Brigadier Imtiaz, whose recent statements have created ripples and
upset the PML-N and its chief, however, denied that he has been playing in
the hands of the establishment or the government. He insists that he just had
the urge to share with the nation the past secrets, irrespective of who benefits
and who is damaged politically because of his revelations
The PML-N leader and partys spokesman Pervez Rashid is confident
that Brigadier Imtiaz is playing someones dirty game. Rashid said that Brig
Imtiazs interviews and MQMs Altaf Hussains statements are part of the
strategy to malign Nawaz Sharif and prevent him from pursuing Musharrafs
trial
Dr Shahid Masood of Geos Meray Mutabik told this correspondent
that the Brigadier approached him for an appearance in his programme.
Pervez Rashid endorsed Dr Shahid Masoods view and said that Brigadier
Imtiaz contacted different television channels, which in his view is a clear
indication of a well thought out strategy to malign the PML-N top leader.
Meanwhile London-based source confided to this correspondent that
a key Pakistani diplomat from Washington recently visited London to meet
Musharraf. It is believed that certain players in the government are in closest
liaison with the ousted dictator and want to defeat the bid to try Musharraf
on high treason charges.
The source said that a British national of Pakistani origin, who runs
spices business in London, is financing pro-Musharraf campaign and is
even organizing Musharrafs meetings with different media persons to
oppose the demand for his trial. Recently he organized Musharrafs meeting
with some pro-Musharraf media anchorpersons at the residence of a
Pakistani dentist there.
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Major (retired) Nadeem Dar, who had recovered the maps of

Jinnahpur in a raid of the office of MQM, said he had found the maps in
thousands. Talking to Hamid Mir in his Talk Show Nadeem said those who
denied it now were lying. When Mir said Brig Imtiaz present in his show has
denied it; Nadeem used harsh words and accused him of lying. When Mir
said Lt Gen Durrani was also present and said he knew nothing about the
map; Nadeem accused him, too, for telling lie. Finally, Mir said Lt Gen
Naseer Akhtar had also denied; Nadeem did not hesitate in calling him liar
and he further accused him of widespread corruption.
Lt Gen Durrani said that the debate on the existence of Jinnahpur map
was absolutely irrelevant in the context of operation in Sindh in 1992. He
argued that operation against anti-social elements in Karachi and dacoits in
interior Sindh had started much before the recovery of maps.
On another TV channel Fauzia Wahab cleverly disowned all that was
said by Imtiaz in last three days. She alleged that he was trying to patch-up
relations between MQM and PML-N. She leveled this allegation to create
an impression that Imtiaz was simply exercising freedom of speech and the
regime had nothing to do with it.
Meanwhile Lt Gen Durranis statement made headlines. He had
disbursed money amongst politicians for electioneering against PPP. The list
of recipients was submitted in the Supreme Court by Lt Gen Durrani some
years ago. Out of the recipients Abida Hussain wasted no time in confessing.
The reason was obvious; she being now in the folds of Zardaris party had
nothing to fear and it also proved that others have also received handsome
amounts of bribe.
Chief Justice of Pakistan said performance of NAB courts was not
satisfactory. He also said that larger bench would hear NRO cases. Salman
Taseer said every judge supports one party or the other. LHC sought reports
from government and sugar mills owners. Peshawar High Court ordered
release of three sons of Sufi Mohammad.
On 27th August, Zardari and Altaf met in London and agreed to
continue working together. Gilani said differences on Musharrafs trial with
PML-N were procedural only. PML-N and JI refuted Asad Durranis charges
of money disbursed to politicians.
The Supreme Court returned the petition of Zafar Ali Shah with
objections that the petitioner is not an aggrieved party and that as spelled out
in the July 31 verdict only the federal government can seek trial under

60

Article 6. In a petition, the Supreme Court was moved to review its July 31
verdict.
Mumtaz Malik, ex-director FIA said Imtiaz was a corrupt man who
has accumulated billions of rupees and kept those abroad. He alleged that
Imtiazs reappearance is part of the conspiracy to defame politicians. He
termed Imtiaz as an agent of US agencies.
Rana Abdul Baqi, who served under Brig Imtiaz in IB, said Imtiaz had
offered him promotion to become an approver and give false evidence
against Benazir Bhutto, Aitzaz Ahsan, Salman Taseer and Masood Sharif
whom he wanted to sue in a high treason case for passing classified
information to India.
On 28th August more judges in Lahore and Karachi filed petitions for
review of July 31 verdict. Zafar Ali Shah vowed to challenge the objections
raised by the Registrar of the Supreme Court by filing a petition to decide
the acceptance or rejection of his petition by a judge. According to Gallup
Pakistan 71 percent people wanted Musharraf to pay for crimes he
committed. Kaira was pleased over recent exposure of PPP enemies. Sheikh
Rashids name appeared in the ever expanding list of horses and mares
traded by ISI brokers; he was the only one named by Imtiaz to have given
him the cash.
Court ordered stopping of security protocol to Dr A Q Khan. While
expressing his happiness over the court decision Dr Khan was critical of the
treatment meted out to him by Zardari regime, which according to him was
worse than what Musharraf did to him. He also threatened to disclose secrets
if placed again under protective custody on the pretext of protocol.
Lord Nazir met Zardari in London on 29th August and discussed
Musharraf trial. Zardari asked expatriates to help resolve Pakistan related
issues. Saleh Zaafir reported that in the wake of recent happenings
Musharraf may strike another deal; he remaining quiet and PML-N not hotly
pursuing his trial. Tariq Butt reported that PML-N openly accused Zardari of
launching a concerted propaganda to defame leaders of the party and
threatened to tell 100 corruption stories.
Gilani said the recent campaign triggered by Brig Imtiazs statement
was aimed at discrediting politicians. He seemed to be happy as long as it
was a particular section of politicians. Fauzia Wahab asked chief justice to
take notice of ISI funding to politicians.

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Khar and Imtiaz appeared in ARYs programme. Khar alleged that

Imtiaz has received Rs5 crore from Zardari through Salman Taseer to
defame him. He also accused Imtiaz of working for foreign intelligence
agencies. Talking to Dr Shahid Masood Lt Gen Tariq Pervaiz (TP) said
Musharraf was in close contact with MQM and used to visit Nine Zero when
he was DG MO in 1992. He alleged that Musharraf used to warn MQM
whenever a major military action was planned and resultantly troops
invariably failed to find anything. TP also said that Musharraf used to meet
Sharif Brothers secretly when he was corps commander as part of PR for
promotion.
Supreme Judicial Council met in Islamabad and dismissed the case of
Justice Paracha of LHC because his resignation had been accepted. Justice
Somoro of SHC did not appear and he was given second chance to appear in
next meeting on 26th September.
On 30th August, Fauzia Wahab demanded that the case of ISI funding
ITI in 1990 filed by Air Marshal Asghar Khan, which has been pending in
the Supreme Court for many years, must be heard now. Ahsan Iqbal said
PPPs happiness shows as to who is behind Gen Durranis utterances. He
alleged that the general had always been a man of PPP. Family of
Communist Partys leader Nazeer Abbasi demanded retrial of his killers and
arrest of Brigadier Imtiaz. Ex-CJP Dogar decided to challenge the verdict of
July 31.
On 31 August, Ahsan Iqbal accused Presidency for the propaganda to
defame Nawaz and PML-N and gave 48 hours to stop this, including the use
of MQM for this purpose, failing which he threatened to disclose hundred
stories of PPPs misdeeds. Farhatullh Babar responded by telling Ashan
please yourself; do what you can. MQM leaders said they were not kids
that someone could use them and they claimed all allegations against their
party have been proved false.
Rehman Malik met Saudi King and requested asylum for Musharraf,
because his stay in England could result in filing of a case against him. The
need to pre-empt this was felt after Zardaris meeting with Lord Nazir. Saudi
royalty summoned Musharraf and sent the royal plane. Saleh Zaafirs report
seemed to be materializing in the form of another holy deal.
Muhammad Anwar of MQM applauded Imtiaz for correcting the
history. Brig Imtiaz pointed towards another feather in his cap; he claimed
foiling two CIA attempts at sabotaging Pakistans nuclear programme.
Media did not spare Dr A Q Khan; he too was dragged into the current
62

debate to correct history. Khan termed Musharraf a hypocrite and Brig

Imtiaz a lair. Maj Gen Safdar too joined in and said Jinnahpur maps were
discovered in Karachi. Attorney General said government wont as Supreme
Court for taking up Asghar Khans petition.
Soon after return from London, Zardari extended tenure of nazims till
December 31 as desired by MQMs holy man. Salman Taseer invited MQM
to be politically active in Punjab where the party has its second governor.
The LHC bench hearing a petition for BBs murder issued notices to
Musharraf, Rehman Malik, Babar Awan and Pervaiz Elahi. Musharraf
demanded trial of Nawaz Sharif on charges of treason because he removed
two army chiefs.
On 1st September, Musharraf arrived in Saudi Arabia to negotiate a
deal to avert his trial. He met the king late at night. Zardari consulted PPP
leaders on political heat and stressed the need for reconciliation. And, Gilani
within the deadline of 48 hours called Shahbaz from Tripoli and urged
restraint.
A petition was filed in SHC for arrest of Brig Imtiaz for sowing the
seeds of discord in the nation. PML-N leaders held a meeting in Raiwind
and decided to resort to tit-for-tat mud-slinging. Nawaz Sharif alleged that
current verbal row has been started to cover-up shady deals.
The news reporters and analysts affiliated with The News on 2 nd
September wrote on the ongoing mud-slinging bonanza. Ansar Abbasi
observed that all except Zardari have been losers and the main targets of
criticism were Army and ISI. Amir Mir reported that MQM shifted the
blame for 1992 operation from military to Nawaz. Brig Imtiaz said Nawaz
Sharif never asked him for character assassination of anyone.
Saleh Zaafir reported that that Rehman Maliks dash to Saudi Arabia,
arrival of Musharraf as royal guest and scheduled visit of Nawaz Sharif next
week point to serious political situation back in the country and reaching the
divide of the two major political forces to such a level where the Saudi
rulers role is left as the last resort.
The interlocutors of the former deal are again getting active and they
are trying hard to enter into another great deal that would ensure ten years
silent exile for the former President Pervez Musharraf. But the PML-N is not
in a mood to budge on the question of the NRO. The PPP is seriously
worried about the NRO annulment and it is keen to seek an assurance
against any move about the NRO. It would be asking for inclusion of the
NRO in the fresh deal.
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Dr Anwar-ul-Haq (former presidential candidate and a medical

practitioner) filed a petition in the Supreme Court for trial of Musharraf.
Zafar Ali Shah also resubmitted his petition challenging the objections raised
by the registrar of the Supreme Court. Siddiqul Farooq of PML-N said the
ultimatum of 48 hours has been withdrawn after contacts made by Prime
Minister. But, it must be inquired as to who used Brig Imtiaz to create
atmosphere of confrontation.
Shaukat Tarin followed the guidelines provided by his boss Gilani;
do the doable. About accountability of people involved in current sugar
crisis he said corrupt sugar barons were too powerful to touch. However,
after governments decision to import hundred thousand tons of sugar mill
owners were willing to sell their product at Rs45 per kg. Meanwhile, PMLN suffered another setback when one of its MNA manhandled a lecturer of a
college in Islamabad.
On 3rd September, Lahore High Court ordered the sale of sugar at all
outlets in Punjab at the uniform rate of Rs40 per kg. Mill owners vowed to
challenge the court order. Ex-AG Malik Qayyum left for Jeddah for
consultations linked to averting trial of Musharraf. The CJP ordered arrest of
Lt Col Jamshid; the ex-NAB official is involved in fraud case.
Saleh Zaafir reported that Musharraf failed to persuade Saudi
authorities to secure clemency from his detractors in Pakistan. Instead, he
was advised to seek pardon and unconditional apology for his
unconstitutional acts directly from the people who had to suffer due to his
actions during his days in power.
Ansar Abbasi dug out the newspapers of 1992 and discovered that it
was Nawaz Sharifs party which denied the existence of Jinnahpur
conspiracy and Benazir who blamed him of covering up. The present leaders
certainly know it better than any other; yet they prefer to follow their
spiritual leader who blamed Nawaz for murder of his brother instead of
Benazir.
Sugar disappeared from the market in Punjab a day after the court
order which mill owners refused to obey. Wattoo, on behalf of sugar barons,
threatened that soon Utility Stores too wont have any sugar. Shahbaz said
his government would implement LHC order on sugar price. Sugar barons
said you and your independent judiciary be damned! Punjab sugar mills
association said LHC has no business to fix price of sugar; it is done through
mechanism of demand and supply. The judiciary has no business to run
affairs of the executive; there is a prime minister for that.
64

In a blatant disregard to court orders sale of 50 acres of land in

Karachi was allowed to be regularized at throw away price. Farhatullah
Babar denied reports that Zardari has extended the tenure of local bodies till
December 31.
After Pakistan Steel Mills it is now the KPT in sight of the regimes
land-grabbing mafia. Kamran Khan reported that KPT was under
tremendous pressure from Islamabad to withdraw its claim of ownership
over 3.6 million square yards worth Rs72 billion in favour of less than a
dozen individuals. On 12th September, PAC Chairman took notice of KPT
land grabbing scam.

VIEWS
NRO and Musharrafs trial remained the most contested issue
between NRO beneficiaries and those who wanted to try Musharraf under
Article 6 of the Constitution. Asif Ezdi wrote: Until recently, this
government had a single-item agenda: to protect the beneficiaries of the
NRO. Now it has added another: to protect Musharraf from trial. There is
apparently a realization that if the ex-army chief can be brought to justice,
no one else will be immune from the legal process.
It is all being done in the name of preserving the system. Actually,
it is not the system but his hold on power that Zardari is concerned about.
Talk of the minus-one formula, brought into circulation not by the Islamabad
rumour mill but by his own ministers, shows how uncertain he feels about
his political future.
When the debate on trial of Musharraf was at its peak, the proMusharraf forces launched an excellent diversionary manoeuvre. The News
wrote: Elements within the establishment are engaged in an all-out effort to
discredit Nawaz Sharif, a man whose political career is said to have begun
with the support of the same lobby.
The purpose appears to be to save former president Musharraf
from trial and possibly by exposing or threatening to expose misdeeds
from the past pressurizing Sharif to abandon the strident position he has
taken on the issue. It has been alleged that key figures have attempted to use
the media to advance their stance and that a Karachi-based political party is
also being used for the same purpose.
The tussle is a fascinating one in many ways. The PML-N, which
insists it will not back down, has for the first time come up directly against
65

those with whom it is said, in the past, to have worked with hand in glove.
The accounts also suggest that as many suspect, the army is indeed keen to
save a former chief and by doing so keep intact the notion that the men who
wear khaki cannot be touched and ride above the law of the land. There have
been some suggestions that Nawaz Sharif may still have supporters in
powerful places who are willing to back him against Musharraf thus
opening up a distinct divide
There is a possibility, as the power struggle hinged around Musharraf
continues that more facts emerge from the past. These could help satisfy
curiosity and give the public more information about leaders. The risk
though of course is that accuracy will be lost amidst the effort to score
points. It is impossible for the present to predict who the winner will be in
the ongoing tussle. But what it does underscore is the powerful role the
establishment still plays in our set-up and how difficult it indeed is to
distance the military from events in the political sphere.
With reference to Gen Durranis revelations, the newspaper
commented: The statement of former ISI chief Lt Gen Asad Durrani before
the Supreme Court that he had transferred large sums of money to named
politicians, to bolster the IJI election campaign in 1990, is another
reminder of the close nexus between agencies and political
happenings Even if the stories that have suddenly started to emerge are
motivated by an attempt to silence Sharif as he continues to demand the trial
of ex-president Musharraf, they do inflict on him considerable damage. The
PML-N has long been seen as the front for the establishment; there are
those who believe its victory in the 1996 polls was also assisted to ensure
for it an overwhelming majority in parliament. The role for the party in
opposition to the military since 1999, when Sharif was ousted, was an
unusual one and in some ways at least remains so.
But this factor aside, the evidence emerging of the extent of agencies
involvement in political events is telling. It brings into question the very
nature of our democracy; we must ask how much of the expensive
electoral process we go through is in fact tampered with or manipulated.
Even politicians who have repeatedly taken the moral high ground on
various issues have been named on the latest list. They can attempt to justify
accepting the money which, ostensibly, came from the Karachi business
community. But the hard fact is that bribes were accepted and there is no
way of getting around this.

66

Now that these details have begun to surface, there is a need to

ponder certain issues. Somehow we need to distance the military from
politics. Its involvement makes the use of money to lure politicians even
more damaging then the corruption involving electoral funds that exists in so
many nations. Perhaps the fact that past misdeeds have now come out into
the open is also a reminder to politicians that they cannot expect to get away
scot-free with wrongdoing. This may serve as some kind of lesson for the
future and introduce an era of greater accountability in our politics.
Brig Asif Alvi from Karachi commented: There are three aspects
to this. The first is that on what basis can a former intelligence officer say
something in public something that should remain an institutional secret,
and why would he reveal it after so many years? The second is that if true,
how could the army chief carry out the operation without taking into
confidence the other organs of the state? The third is that is there any process
whereby classified decisions and actions subject to the law on secrecy can be
made public?
The fact of the matter is that what Brig Imtiaz has said has the
potential to cause serious destabilization and polarization in the
country. It is in our national interest that the government must provide truth
about the operation against the MQM and Nawab Akbar Bugti. The
reconciliation stage as being discussed in the print media is only possible
after truth is revealed.
Its time for the army also to reflect on its own internal systems and
volunteer surrendering of powers which few ambitious persons have
employed which proved detrimental for our country. Lastly, Brig Imtiaz
needs to reconsider upon his own conduct and stop indulging in selfglorifying acts as his conduct and ambitions are well-known to all of us and
by no means has been a true professional officer.
Bashir Malik from Islamabad observed: His sudden reappearance is
ominous considering the rise in political temperature in the country. I
wonder if Imtiaz has been recalled by some invisible hands to stir turbulence
with a view to derail the democratic process. His anti-PPP views are welldocumented. The PPP needs to set up a special cell to match the superspooky skills of the brigadier.
Brig Ali Raza Qizilbash from Karachi wrote: We seem to forget
why the army has intervened in this country not because it was powerhungry but because those in power, those who were chosen to represent the
will of the people, failed to deliver. Despite its follies, the army has always
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been, and is, the most reliable institution to which the government and the
nation look up to times of crises. May I ask the point in interviewing
people who wagged their tails when the master was feeding them, and
now bark at everything as the master is gone?
Babar Sattar opined: The PCO Judges Case might have buried the
judicial doctrine of necessity. But it could yet again be brought back to
life unless we also eliminate the political doctrine of necessity. This doctrine
be it in its political or judicial manifestation is simply the condonation of
any unconstitutional action justified as being necessary to protect the larger
public interest in extraordinary situations. The doctrine is invidious, for no
individual or institution has the mandate to conceive a definition of larger
public interest that in derogation of provisions of the Constitution. Is a
government that refuses to uphold and enforce provisions of law and the
Constitution under a political doctrine of necessity or reconciliation any less
culpable than a judiciary contriving a judicial doctrine of necessity?
If we set ourselves out to be purists, we would need to drag Gen
Ayub Khan and Justice Munir out of their graves. Instead of trying to resolve
lingering moral dilemmas, we need to move ahead by applying the law
and the Constitution as it stands today. Amnesty for the unconstitutional
acts of Gen Musharraf and his aides perpetrated in 1999 stands inscribed
into the Constitution. But fortunately there is no legal cover protecting his
plunder of the Constitution in 2007. Let us start here.
The PPP needs to realize that a policy of appeasement towards
khaki saviours-in-the-waiting is no recipe for longevity. May be events
such as the guard of honour presented by the army to the shamed Musharraf
at the time of his retirement, and the surfacing of an anonymous minus-one
formula to pressure an already weak PPP, the affidavits highlighting the
illegitimate creation of the IJI and the details of the 1992 military operation
against the MQM seemingly aimed at deflating the Sharifs have no unified
message. But if it is the establishments way of advising against the
Musharraf trial, it is a challenge that supporters of constitutionalism and rule
of law, and those who believe in the need for a continuous and unhindered
political process, must take up to help create a policy characterized by rule
of law.
A week after the start of jackals howling The News wrote: The
PML-N remains on the front-foot as far as its stance regarding the trial
of Pervez Musharraf goes, warning now that it will stage a long march if
the former president was let off unpunished. Perhaps the party is eager to

68

show that it will not bow down under the apparent attempts to dig up old
stories of corruption and the operation in Karachi to force it to give up this
demand.
But are we really to believe that some sense of new-found morality
has pushed the PML-N to take its current position? The party, after all,
hardly has a pristine past. Accusations of corruption and of deals with the
establishment to oust elected governments have followed it around
consistently for the past two decades, as they have the PPP. Not all of these
can be concocted. It is thus incredibly hard to believe that the strident
campaign the party has embarked on is not rooted in other factors.
The reality is that our political parties have consistently favoured
power over anything else. The interests of the country and its people have
frequently been sacrificed for the sake of political office, and this holds
almost equally true for all three of the parties that have held top office since
1988. Patience too has been short, preventing these parties for waiting for
the next legitimate opportunity to transfer power, through an election.
It is logical then to assume that the current strategy aims to serve a
similar purpose. It is possible, for instance, that the get Musharraf
demand aims to discredit the sitting government more than anything
else. A desire for justice or revenge is only a secondary motive. Certainly,
the Musharraf issue has already made the prime minister look even weaker
and ineffectual than usual, forcing from him a statement before parliament
that his party alone could do little to hold the former COAS accountable for
his misdeeds.
This has done nothing for his popularity with some new polls
indicating over 70 percent of people in the country wish to see Musharraf
brought to justice. The prime ministers own words condemning the minusone formula may also have come in realization of the possibility that not
just the president but the entire existing setup could become a target for
those who have orchestrated change in the past.
We hear now from Islamabad of anxious activity in many places. The
military too has been keeping a watch on events and may be keen to
prevent a situation in which a man who once led the army is made to face
trial. At the same time, it is said that the army wishes to see greater political
stability and an end to the state of perpetual crisis we now live in. There are
those in key places too who believe that Mian Nawaz Sharif would be a
better man to lead the country than those presently performing, or attempting

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to perform, this task. As has been the case before in our history, the ballots
cast by people matter not at all for these persons
Lt Col Mahmood from Lahore wrote: A lot is being written in the
press about the recent revelations by Brig Imtiaz and his statement about
Jinnahpur. It is quite logical that a man who could beg Indians in India to
undo the creation of Pakistan may well have had the maps of Jinnahpur
in his office also. The telling and forceful revelations by Maj Nadeem Dar
(the person who carried out the raid and got hold of those maps) are equally
stunning, and Brig Imtiaz could only manage a sheepish grin.
Lt Col Mukhtar Ahmed Butt from Karachi opined: Brig Imtiazs
credibility is zero, and his premature retirement from the army is enough
proof of his misdoings. If he has some respect for his parent institution he
should stop playing in the hands of those who are bent upon destabilizing
the political process. The fact of the matter is that these intelligence officers
have violated the Official Secret Act and such violations can never be in the
best interest of the country therefore action should be initiated against them.
M S Hasan from Karachi observed: Brigadier Imtiaz, who has
leveled serious allegations of corruption and money laundering, is being
branded as an incorrigible, habitual liar and deceit by the individuals he has
accused of being involved in selling their conscience and loyalties. To prove
that they are honest, upright and incorruptible individuals and that
allegations made against them are false, the alleged corrupt politicians
should file defamation suits against Brig Imtiaz and claim damages.
If in the court of justice, these alleged corrupt individuals are
exonerated, the brigadier could be taken to the cleaners. However, the very
fact that none of the alleged corrupt politicians has threatened Brig Imtiaz of
dire legal consequence for his accusations, and that nobody has filed a law
suit against him, proves the obvious.
On Musharrafs visit of Saudi Arabia, The News commented: It is
obviously no coincidence that the intervention has come as President
Musharraf visits the Saudi capital, where he has been extended full protocol.
There are a few simple facts that need to be spelled out here. The fact is
that President Pervez Musharraf has broken the law of the land. It would be
hard to find anyone with legal knowledge who would dispute this fact.
Indeed he made a mockery of the Constitution by violating multiple
provisions within it. Like any citizen, he should surely be brought to book.
There is no logical reason why he should be let off.

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The need to hold Musharraf accountable for his deeds is all the
more important given that at this moment in history Pakistan needs to
break with its troubled past. The military needs to be pushed back from
politics. Its role has for too long been a source of repeated upheaval and
instability. But this can be successful only if an unequivocal message is
delivered and a dictator is made to answer for his actions. If this does not
happen the way is paved for others to do exactly the same, knowing they
will go unpunished. It is also time for the people to assert themselves. They
must ask if we can truly allow a situation where events in our country are
dictated by others to continue.
It is true the Saudis have in the past been good allies. They have
come to Pakistans aid in times of need more than once. But should we
allow anyone to act as our masters? Are we not capable of taking the
fortunes of our country into our hands? Perhaps the time has come to
ensure that events that take place within the frontiers of Pakistan are
determined by our laws, our wishes and by the ordinary people who live
within the country and whose fortunes are tied in to political happenings
within it.
About the declaration of ceasefire between the two major political
parties The News wrote: Just as suddenly as it had moved into its vicious
offensive against the PPP, delivering ultimatums and warnings of dire
consequences if these were not met, the PML-N seems to have taken several
steps back. The ultimatum issued by the partys information secretary
has been withdrawn by the party chief who has laid down several
conditions in exchange for full support to the PPP. These consist essentially
of an undoing of the 17th amendment and the trial of former president
Musharraf. These of course are not new issues but have formed the core of
PML-N demands for many months.
It is hard to know what brought about the change. It has been
reported that members of both parties have been holding meetings
behind the scenes. There has also been concern that the animosity was
deliberately created by agencies in a game to weaken the democratic setup.
We have no way of knowing if this is true but certainly the hail of accounts
that suddenly emerged regarding past misdeeds is suspicious.
We do not yet know what new chapters have yet to unfold. But we
must hope that the parties will continue to show a great readiness to work
together. To do so they need to develop greater maturity. The question is not,
as Mian Nawaz Sharif put it, of being seen as a friendly opposition, but as

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evolving as one that is willing to work within the existing framework and
accepts that any elected government has a right to complete its tenure.
Criticism too should come but it needs to respect the bounds of
democracy and not take the form of threats.
Sheen Sehbai, Mazhar Tufail and Ahmed Noorani compiled a report
about launching of Brig Imtiazs diversionary move. They opined that
Zardari regime was behind it. The aim was to divert the national media
and political focus from the so-called Minus-1 and Minus-Zardari formulas
based on the NRO cases pending in the Supreme Court, the demand for a
trial of General Musharraf and the pressure to scrap the 17 th amendment.
According to their analysis the diversion would also serve a secondary aim.
This would ensure free flow of money from America which is presently
jittery and unsure about political stability in Pakistan.
The PML-N and certain media groups were established as the
forces behind the anti-regime campaign and were to be targeted as such.
The strategists reached the conclusion that it would be a good idea if the past
of the alternate leadership, which meant the PML-N and in a round about
way the military establishment, was exposed so that the aid-givers get the
message that whoever ruled Pakistan.
Thus the strategy evolved had to have several components
because of the all-encompassing nature of the aim. Resultantly, on a subtle
note presidential aides and cronies, and even some diplomats, started calling
their friends and media supporters bad-mouthing the intelligence agencies
and some top echelons of the army establishment
The ultimate component of the counter-Minus 1 plan was to
launch the Daylight Jackals. This would serve several purposes. It would
hit at the military establishment, the intelligence agencies and cut the
politicians who were now claiming to be larger than life to their size.
Resurrecting the Mehrangate scandal would be the ideal tactic. The main
character of the 1989 scandal, Brigadier Imtiaz Ahmed would be the best
person to stir this hornets nest.
In his mind Brig Imtiaz, who was close to Nawaz Sharif in the past,
was feeling left out after the PML-N staged a comeback in the 2008
elections and formed its government in Punjab. When everybody else from
the past had been accommodated; why not him. That was enough
grievances for him to settle some scores. It was time to strike back. He
agreed to join the planning and launching of the operation.

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On Aug 17, 2009 shortly after 12 noon, Brigadier Imtiaz walked into
the headquarters of Nadra, in Islamabad, to meet its Chairman Ali Arshad
Hakeem. A reporter of The News saw him being escorted by the PR
personnel of the Ministry of Interior. Enquiries revealed that the Brigadier
had been visiting Nadra for several days. Some of the known media cronies
of the presidency in Islamabad had also been seen visiting Nadra frequently
during these days while at night these guys would meet and plot their
strategy in an F-7 house, near Restaurant Civil Junction. A Radio Pakistan
executive had also allowed them the use one of the Radio Pakistan annexe in
sector H-8 to late night meetings and parties.
The background of the Nadra Chairman revealed more when The
News investigation moved forward Ali Arshad Hakeem is the son of
Major General Arshad Hakeem who was very close to Brig Imtiaz during the
late 80s, serving in Karachi. Ali Arshad Hakeem also has deep family terms
with Faryal Talpur, the sister of President Zardari and thus is very close to
Mr Zardari who appointed him as Nadra chairman, a highly sensitive
position in view of the database it controls.
Days after his meetings at Nadra, an important journalist of the
official news agency APP started calling TV anchors and media persons
on behalf of Brig Imtiaz and each time he handed over the phone to the
Brigadier who wanted himself on the screens. Many anchors have gone on
record to say the Brigadier was too eager and ready to spill the beans. One
anchor wrote that the brigadier said he wanted to explode a political nuclear
bomb. That he was going to spill the beans against his own self was
irrelevant and unimportant but this time he was trying to compensate the
PPP for Midnight Jackals against Benazir Bhutto.
The other members of the team would call up every friend and
interested media person to highlight the revelations of Brig Imtiaz and
for days and weeks nothing else should be discussed on the media. They
were quite successful in achieving that goal, while the presidency would
keep on denying that any cell existed in that house on the hill. Factually the
cell was not in the presidency.
The smell of the rat about his Nadra connections became pungent
when The News talked to him on the subject and tried to get on with the
subject and tried to get his version about why he was frequently going to
Nadra under escort of the Interior Ministry officials, a fact which the Interior
Ministry officially denied. He was also asked as to what were his relations
with the Nadra chairman.

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The wily Brigadier first denied any relations with the Nadra
Chairman Ali Arshad Hakeem. That was his first mistake. He said that
he had visited Nadra headquarters in mid August to get a new identity card
as his old CNIC had expired. He said he chose to visit Nadra headquarters as
other Nadra offices meant for this took a long time while Nadra headquarter
could issue the card in 24 hours. He said that two days he visited Nadra
headquarters for his CNIC and then later on he came to know that CNIC of
his wife had also expired so he had to visit Nadra for two more days.
His second mistake was that he claimed that he had no
relationship with Ali Arshad Hakeem and took appointment to meet him
through some other person. Another slip of the tongue was when he praised
Ali Arshad Hakeem and said he was an important part of the present
government and playing an excellent role in addressing different issues
However Ali Arshad Hakeemadmitted that Brigadier Imtiaz was a
close friend of his deceased father and we have close family relations. He
called him an uncle. He confirmed his meetings with Brigadier Imtiaz in mid
August in his office in Nadra headquarters but categorically denied
discussing any political thing with his uncle Imtiaz. But Hakeem confirmed
his close relations with President Asif Ali Zardari.
Hakeem confirmed that as his father was DMLA Karachi and
munawar Talpur, husband of President Zardaris sister Faryal Talpur, was
member of Majlis Shura, both families enjoyed close ties Hakeem also
admitted that he has frequent meetings with President Asif Zardari. But
on the record Hakeem only said: All these meetings are of professional
nature and have nothing to do with politics.
After these statements of Ali Arshad Hakeem, when Brig Imtiaz was
again contactedhe conceded having very close ties with the family of Ali
Arshad Hakeem when he was asked that a reporter had seen him escorted by
Interior Ministry officials, Brig Imtiaz denied having any links with the
Interior Ministry and started criticizing Interior Minister Rehman Malik
The nervousness and almost panic in the body language and talk of
Brigadier Imtiaz revealed more than he did. He did not need a third
person to get an appointment with Nadra chairman who called him uncle. He
did not need to make repeated visits to collect or get his or his wifes ID
cards. For uncles the cards are delivered at home. What else these meetings
were for hours discussing when cronies of the presidency were also present.
When the storm was unleashed by his statements and the military
establishment and the agencies were being targeted in the media, abused and
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humiliated, there was visible jubilation in the presidential camp. One

close aide of the president called TV anchor in Dubai, to claim that now the
focus has been diverted from Mr Zardari and at least for a few weeks we will
not have sleepless nights.
Others who had plotted the scheme to re-launch Brig Imtiaz were
celebrating the success in their own domains. An old media manager of IJI,
an important part of the Daylight Jackals, was heard by many congratulating
his associates and issuing warnings that much more was about to come if
President Zardari was attacked again.
The part of the plot to attack the legitimacy of the restored judges has
also been launched and sacked CJ Dogar has come on record saying he
would challenge his removal in the Supreme Court. The legal team of
General Musharraf has started its comings and goings and Justice Malik
Qayyum has flown to Jeddah to meet the former president where Interior
Minister Rehman Malik had been a royal visitor days ago.
The part of the plot to attack the media is yet to be implemented
as the operation is not yet over. Shaheen Sehbai went on to mention
suspicions and skepticism of Americans. He also enumerated the way
spokesman of the presidency Farhatullah, Information Minister Qamaruz
Zaman Kaira and Interior minister Rehman Malik denied any role of the
regime in Imtiaz episode.
The analysis remained incomplete as some the aspects were not
discussed comprehensively. Apparently spontaneous reaction from Altaf
Hussain was, in fact, a deliberate, pre-planned and well-rehearsed aimed at
blowing up the jackals howling out of all proportions. It pointed towards
PPP-MQM nexus. The launching of ex-judges and Musharrafs team of law
experts could not happen without Zardari-Musharraf collaboration. Lastly,
the visits of Rehman Malik, Musharraf and Malik Qayyum to Saudi Arabia
also indicated that Zardari and Musharraf were working in close
coordination. Hence it can be inferred that jackals howled in daylight with
the combined encouragement from PPP, Musharraf and MQM.
Ayaz Amir, unlike Shaheen Sehbai, pointed finger at Army and ISI.
For the army and intelligence agencies to conspire against democracy is
easy to understand, their aim being to reclaim lost glory. Somewhat harder to
fathom is why democratic elements choose to become willing players in the
games whose aim is to run down politicians and discredit democracy. Why
are they so ready to stand in the lists as their own worst enemies?

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If all it takes to muddy the waters is the ranting of a Brig Imtiaz, or

renewed talk of the ISIs shenanigans way back in 1990, then not much can
be said of the maturity or good sense of the political class of 2009. And if all
it takes to upset the political applecart are a few verbal broadsides, then
questions are bound to arise as to how secure and stable the present
democratic order is.
And this has happened in the space of just the last fortnight,
beginning with the quite needless scrap that we saw between the PML-N and
the MQM in the National Assembly a display of anger and vitriol on both
sides that was wholly uncalled for followed by the unleashing, from some
hidden corner, of Brig Imtiaz about whose existence or non-existence most
people would have been unaware of until all this happened.
Brig Imtiazs TV appearances after years of deserved oblivion he is
relishing the spotlight and the renewed focus on the ISIs 1990 payments
have completely distracted attention from other things. Musharrafs trial
under Article 6 of the Constitution and the question of repealing the 17 th
Amendment have receded into the background. If there is a department of
dirty tricks behind the spectacle the nation is being treated to, its leading
lights would be laughing up their sleeves, because the extent of the
distraction must surpass all expectations.
This not to deny that Pakistani democracy is facing a threat. But
it comes not so much from GHQ or the mysterious underworld of the ISI
and Military Intelligence as from (1) a spirited band of senior journalists and
columnists, among whom I count some dear friends, who are doing all in
their considerable power to spread uncertainty and confusion; and (2)
trigger-happy politicians, from either side of the divide, congenitally unable
to resist the temptation of shooting from their hips, especially when there is
no earthly reason to indulge this passion.
Is this perfect democracy? Only a fool will say it is. Are angels
dressed up as politicians? Question scornfully dismissed. But this much
should be plain: whatever we have, with all its glaring shortcomings and
imperfections, is a vast improvement on the discontent the nation suffered
during the Musharraf years.
So is it too much to ask the media cowboys and the trigger-happy
political sages to kindly take it easy? We have enough real problems to
deal with and can do without having to wrestle with invented ones. But
if, in a continued rebellion against common sense, the political leadership

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and media pundits insist on charging at windmills, they should not be

surprised if they are hoisted aloft on the arms of those same windmills.
On 10th September, when howling of jackals had virtually subsided,
Roedad Khan wrote: Those who resist Musharrafs trial, those who resist
the rule of law, those who resist the judicial revolution, are counterrevolutionaries. We must throw them out of the temple. Citizens! You have a
quislings, fifth columnists, foreign agents and traitors in your bosom.
Without them General Musharraf would have got his just deserts long ago.
Pakistan could never be a state of law if it failed to try and punish
Musharraf. The tree of Liberty, Jefferson famously said, must be refreshed
from time to time with the blood of tyrants. For us that time has come.
Isnt it a great tragedy that at a time like this, parliament, one of the
chief instruments of our democracy, is cowed, timid, a virtual paralytic,
over-paid, under-employed? I have never seen a parliament so impotent, so
clearly left without a shot in the locker. It has left the people under no
illusion that it will ever pass a resolution directing the government to initiate
the case for the trial and punishment of General Musharraf under Article 6
of the constitution. The PPP majority, often complicit in some of the
generals worst crimes, is so committed to protecting him that little action
can be expected from it. That leaves us with the Supreme Court and the
people of Pakistan. Both are way ahead of parliament and the presidency.
Today the nation is clearly at a fork in the road. We can follow the
line of least resistance, turn a blind eye to all the crimes Musharraf has
committed and continue to follow the road that has led us to where we are
today. Or we can choose the other road. We dont need pitchforks and guns.
If parliament is unable or unwilling to respond to public demands and
declines to take action against Musharraf in accordance with law, people
will, perforce, take the issue to parliament of man, parliament of the
streets, as they have done in the past.
President Zardaris aura has crumbled. His star is already burning
out, but he will stop at nothing to keep his lock on power. It seems that in the
death throes of his regime, Zardari will take Pakistan with him. As his
fortunes wane, Nawaz Sharifs star glows brighter and brighter. He has a
rendezvous with destiny to carry the revolution triggered by chief Justice
Iftikhar Chaudhry to its logical conclusion. Nawaz Sharif knows he is on a
winning streak, but he also knows that there are major battles to be fought
and won. The need for continued show of popular backing is, therefore, as
urgent as before. The only way to ensure victory is to wield the weapon

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which has brought the anti-Musharraf movement thus far: peaceful

demonstrations, rallies and marches.
Babar Sattar observed: The Musharraf case is the simplest, and yet
hard enough. It is simple because the apex court has already declared his
actions in question unconstitutional. It is hard because it involves the former
incumbent of an office that is reputed to be the most powerful in the country.
The NRO and the Musharraf case have the same fundamental issue in
common: is law the handmaiden of the mighty or is it equally applicable to
all citizens notwithstanding their standing in the society?
The restoration of judges was never seen as an end in itself. The ruleof-law movement was fuelled by the optimism that restoration would
resurrect an independent judiciary, which in turn would breathe life into the
sacred promises of our Constitution. The question before the court in this
new year is whether it will act smug on challenging legal issues or
discharge its responsibility in ensuring that the Constitution remains a
live social contract between the citizens and the state, and not a dead letter.
Khurram Dastgir Khan opined: Musharrafs trial for high treason
will not be a unique event. Chilean dictator Augusto Pinnochet was tried
shortly before his death. Many Argentinean generals were prosecuted for
their crimes during their countrys dirty war. Pakistan is not so fortunate.
Asif Zardari has neither the will nor the vision to prosecute the dictator
whose reign saw the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Prime Minister Gilani
on the floor of the National Assembly called it a dead issue, not doable.
The question is not Musharrafs person, not forgiveness, not
revenge, not even punishment it is justice. This issue is not dead because
Akbar Bugti and the victims of Jamia Hifsa are dead. In Karachi, burning of
lawyers and the casualties of May 12 are dead. This issue is alive because Dr
Aafiya Siddiqui and hundreds of missing persons are alive. This issue cannot
die because innocent victims of drone attacks and suicide bombings continue
to die. This issue lives because 170 million Pakistanis right to govern
themselves was taken away twice. These crimes are neither in Prime
Minister Gilanis nor in president Zardaris power to pardon.
We have it in our power to begin the world over again, wrote
Thomas Paine. Had he chosen to prosecute Musharraf, Asif Zardari could
have begun over again what was started by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1973: a
civilian-led constitutional democracy. The PPP has tainted itself forever
with its failure to prosecute Musharraf. It has also exposed itself, the

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nation, and a hard-won, nascent democracy to future takeovers by force.

NRO may forgive, but history will not.
Some issues other than the Musharraf trial were also commented
upon during the period. The News wrote on tussle between Governor and
CM over appointment of judges. Much as the hard-knuckle prize-fighters of
old would square off for a bout of fisticuffs we have a couple of grizzled old
battlers hard at in the boxing-ring of Punjabi politics. The prize they are
fighting over is the appointment of new judges to the Lahore High Court and
the scrap is beginning to look very directly indeed. Punjab Governor Salman
Taseer and Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif are trading citations in this
matter, with Mr Sharif citing Article 105 of the Constitution under which the
governor is bound to act on the advice of the chief minister in performance
of his functions in other words accept my recommendations for the
appointment of the new judges. Not likely, cries Mr Taseer as he hurls
back Article-193 of the Constitution which says that any judge of a High
Court shall only be appointed by the president after consultation with the
chief justice of Pakistan, the relevant governor, and the chief justice of the
High Court of whichever province.
The referee in the form of the Punjab government intervened on
Friday last by taking the unusual step of issuing a handout to the press on the
matter unusual because the recommendations of the chief minister
regarding any issue are never made public; and most certainly not publicized
in the form of a handout to the Fourth Estate. The referee had a citation to
hand as well Article 105 of the Constitution, the Punjab Governments
Rule of Business and a 1996 judgment of the Supreme Court concerning the
appointment of judges. Article 105 speaks of recommendations being made
on the basis of the proposed judges character, conduct and reputation.
Counterpunching, Governor Taseer said that only he had the constitutional
authority to advise the president on the appoint of judges under Article 193
and president is the competent authority to appoint judges in any provincial
high court with the chief minister featuring nowhere in the process. The
combatants are now back in their concerns being fanned with towels and
their foreheads sponged. The bell for the start of the round three will ring
early next week.
Shaheen Sehbai was of the view that everyone from Trioka or Quartet
has to act sooner than later. Behind the scene matters appear to be moving
in such mysterious ways and at such a dangerous pace that no political or
official spokesperson has been able to explain why and how of the

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developments. No one knows what was the urgent need for diverting the
presidential aircraft to Islamabad while flying from China to UK just days
ago and why president Asif Zardari stayed on the tarmac at Chaklala to meet
the prime minister and the army chief and then immediately took off for
Dubai and London. These happenings are not normal by any given
standard.
What the next few weeks hold in store for the country can be put
simply in this brief form:
The president has to decide, and decide quickly, whether he is going
to give up his powers under the 17 th amendment, which has become
a basic factor of the continuing political instability in the country.
The president has to decide whether he would continue with his
style of running the system like the US/French model with
presidential cronies surrounding him...
The prime minister has to make up his mind whether he wants to
say all the right things at all the right forums but is unable to deliver
and lose credibility with each statement he makes.
The limits of patience which opposition political parties have
shown towards the PM are about to end if Mr Gilani keeps waiting
forever for real power to fall automatically in his lap.
The army chief has his own compulsions He must be feeling
desperate because the political stability that he needed to fight these
wars, without caving in totally to outrageous demands of the
foreign powers involved, is not being provided by the politicians.
The army chief would also be worried because his own retirement
is just about a year from now and it would be giving him sleepless
nights when wondering whether he would have the national scene
in the hands of the current players with their incompetence.
The latest member of the quartet, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, has
the most crucial decisions to make as cases involving all the other
members of the previous troika come before him for judgment. His
words and decisions may bring down the entire system, if not
carried out in a proper, well-rehearsed and balanced way.
The chief justice also has to do a balancing act when matters
pertaining to the conduct of the army generals and the politicians

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come before it. Thus a hasty decision against Musharraf or a

sweeping reversal of NRO related benefits could further increase
tensions and the instability that may deepen to cause a collapse of
the system
There have also been whispers that president Zardari would not
give in to political or physical threats and would fight all the way, even if
that created an October 12, 1999-like situation. It would be better if nothing
more is said about these options.
In Pindi there is a general agreement that no one would like to see
the system collapse but some corrections are due and should be quickly
made. These include the end of the crony control and taking away a few unelected and unpopular associates of the president, which may satisfy
Pindi
The political parties sitting on the fence including Mian Nawaz Sharif
may also find their patience exhausted if things linger on indefinitely. The
smear campaign launched recently resurrecting the Midnight Jackals
can adversely hit the system. But the Supreme Court holds most of the
cards and in the new power equation with four instead of three troika
players, there could be a tie with two sides aligned against each other.
The bottom line is that the courts enjoy the support of the people, at
least until now, and Pindi holds the real physical power so in any such
eventuality, the losers may be the two big houses on the hill in Islamabad.
But the country may be the biggest loser if all the players do not realize
their grave responsibilities and act sensibly, and now.
Dr Maleeha Lodhi reminded the media of its responsibilities. The new
media in particular has to guard against three kinds of lurking dangers.
The first has to do with unwittingly promoting public cynicism of
caricaturing politics and public life. This exposes the media to the risk of
being wounded by its own weapon. If all politics is depicted as venal and all
political actors as conniving, self-serving and inept, this risks sapping the
publics confidence in the political process.
If every problem is depicted as a crisis, each crisis as a drama, a
setback as a disaster, and a difficulty in policy as an unmitigated failure, the
public cynicism that ensues is not just with the political process but directed
at the media, which is seen as biased and lurching between exaggerating and
trivializing issues. This can undercut the medias authority.

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A second danger arises from the pressures on a media that is

expected in the instant-information age to do too much and too fast.
Does such an environment encourage journalists to prize speed over
accuracy? Is impact given primacy over reliability? If the result is careless or
shallow coverage, this inevitably erodes public respect.
Media credibility can also suffer if it succumbs to the temptation
of relentlessly sensational reporting, with little substantiation. In an
inversion of the situation in countries under censorship where the officiallycertified truth has no takers, daily disclosures by a scandal-consumed
media will produce little political effect. This creates a real danger because
real exposes of official malfeasance will be trivialized and thus discounted
by the public.
Mixing fact with opinion in news reporting risks making journalists
vulnerable to the charge of compromising the search for the truth of cloaking
it in subjective comment. If journalism is the first rough draft of
history, that draft has to be based on facts and evidence.
Finally, credibility can be placed in jeopardy by partisanship from
where the media could be on a slippery slope to become a captive of vested
interests. This should not be confused with taking advocacy positions on
important issues. Partisanship means becoming a tool to promote a particular
political agenda. The moment the public discerns this to be the case the
medias words lose their import and its influence wanes as it is no longer
seen as impartial.
A credible and objective media is the sine qua non of a robust
democracy. But the media too has democratic expectations to live up to. It
should be able to take as much criticism as it dishes out and also set the
highest professional standards in upholding the truth.
Kamila Hyat wrote: We all know who has designed this maze. The
military and agencies that work under it have been active over the past few
weeks. The media is aware of this and that it is being used to drive the
campaign. But such is the force of habit that most find it impossible to
break free or defy the traditional bosses of life in Pakistan. Sadly, it seems
even the politicians are unwilling to do so, and this unwillingness means that
they risk being drawn further down into the quicksand as the trap set for
them is loaded.
The News opined that establishment has once again succeeded in
driving the wedge between the political forces. Who could have believed
that not so long ago, the two parties had sworn to stand together and work
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for democracy? Indeed, just weeks ago, the prime minister and PML-N
leaders happily broke bread together and spoke of the advantages of
understanding. So, what has happened to bring about so dramatic a change
in fortunes? It appears that the agencies have succeeded once more in
dividing political forces. The onslaught of revelations we have seen over
the past few days, from one ex-serviceman after the other, has had its impact
leaving the two major parties at loggerheads. This was the purpose of the
whole exercise.
What it means is that those behind whatever games are being played
will be better able to orchestrate matters. They are after all past masters at
this. By ending any possibility of cooperation between the parties they have
strengthened their own position. We still do not know if they have allies in
this form within the spectrum of parties. But regardless of whether or not
this is so, it is apparent that the establishment remains determined to keep
cards in its hand. The dream of military disengagement from politics is just
that a dream and nothing more.
Unfortunately it seems our parties too abide by the dogma of the law
of necessity. For all the talk, all the statements, they are unwilling to give up
their deep-rooted belief that to stay in power or to attain in the establishment
must be kept happy. They do not seem either to have realized that much
could be gained by standing together and working to build a tomorrow
where parliament and political representatives are truly sovereign. The
events we have seen recently show that external forces can still, quite
easily, determine how things unfold and this means we remain many
miles away from the true democracy that people seek.
Babar Sattar wrote: If we wish to usher in change through reform
instead of a revolution, we can neither wait for a messiah to emerge nor
hanker after the ideal of finding individuals with a completely untainted
past. We must unequivocally commit ourselves to constitutionalism, rule
of law, due process, transparency and public accountability, and then
allow a continuous political process to weed out those who are unable or
unwilling to rise up to heightened public expectations.
It might no longer be possible to audaciously justify wrong and get
away with extortion, embezzlement or cronyism through the use of stick or
carrot. But if the mysterious emergence of the minus one formula and the IJI
scandal or the rants of ruling party members against the media and judiciary
are anything to go by, it provides an insight into the perfidious mindset of

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the establishment as well as our political elite that is unfortunately still

refusing to acknowledge the winds of change.
The News commented on sugar crisis. The issue of sugar pricing is
one that is becoming more and more complex by the day. In Lahore and
other cities in Punjab more shortages have been reported since the LHC
verdict fixed the price at Rs40 a kilogram. The federal government has
said it cannot supply the commodity at that rate and has warned that supplies
to utility stores could soon dwindle too. The Punjab government has posted
police outside mills, warning that it will seize stocks if they are not brought
into the market. The situation is not sweet
It is hard for the moment to predict what the outcome will be. But
people for the present face a tougher and tougher time. The pricing of food
and the issues linked to it are looming larger than ever in a time of almost
unparalleled inflation. During a month in the year when consumption
increases in almost every household, the desperation of people grows. The
court ruling and the Punjab governments determination are there.
Both factors are intended to work for people. But they have also shown
up just how complicated the sugar crisis is.
The final outcome is still unknown. Some even forecast possible
violence at the mills. It has become impossible to know where the truth in
the whole matter lies. But it does seem that the efforts of some
unscrupulous people to enhance their own profits have created immense
hardships for tens of thousands and caused new animosities between
different players as debate continues on how best to tackle matters as they
now stand.
Mumtaz Ali Bhutto commented on completion of Zardaris one year in
presidency. As for the change of system, it seems that for the president this
means to replace all of the Musharraf eras favourite officers with his own.
The country is still caught in a highly centralized and dictatorial mode of
governance something which has led to its break-up in the past and which
is generating dangerous fissures now as well. Pakistan is no longer free. It is
sinking deeper into foreign control and into a war in its northwest which is
not of our own choice and can never be won. The writ of the central
government does not operate in Pakhtoonkhwa, Balochistan and Punjab,
while Sindh is in the grip of criminals as personified by the late Rehman
Dakait. The government is totally helpless and there is no better example
of this than its abject failure in controlling the price of sugar and advice by
ministers to eat less sugar (on the apparent grounds that it is bad for health).

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Some other shocking facts are: The country is barely surviving on

earnings of Pakistanis abroad and internal and external loans. No aid is
available despite the presidents overseas visits (with a begging bowl, of
course). The Friends of Pakistan Forum, set up to bail out Pakistan, has not
been forthcoming in its help and is also said to be having doubts on how
Pakistan will spend the funds given to it. As for aid from America, it is now
being promised in small installments and only after each installment has
been checked with regard to its utilization.
Transparency International has disclosed that in 2004 around 45
billion rupees were lost as a result of corruption and that by 2009 the figure
will have risen to 195 billion rupees. The Fund for Peace located in
Washington has placed Pakistan at number ten on the list of failed states
while previously it stood at number 12, reason for this being lack of
leadership and dubious measures such as NRO. This epitomizes one year of
Zardaris rule as president quite possibly the worst this unfortunate
nation has endured in its sixty-two years of existence.
Foqia Sadiq Khan talked of catching Nawaz Sharif. The big question
is whether rule-of-law forces won independence in the true sense where they
can take on some of their mentors as well? If yes, we should be able to see
flurry of activity in the Supreme Court to tackle Asghar Khans petition
which not only challenges the establishment and the ISI, but also challenges
politicians like Nawaz Sharif. There is no preordained one to one
correspondence between Asghar Khans case and the independence of
judiciary. It is an important litmus test, nonetheless.
Amid noise over various scandals Dr Farrukh Salim pointed towards
possibility of two Supreme Courts. Welcome to the judicial cartel. We
have a banking cartel, a cement cartel, a sugar cartel, a steel cartel and a
rental power cartel. Our czars are now sharpening their blades to deliver
a brand-new cartel the judicial. O! 170 million sheep, blades dont cut
other blades; these daggers are being sharpened for no one but you.
Just one Supreme Court isnt enough; just one chief for 170 million
isnt enough? We need another Supreme Court and another chief justice,
one with a waxen nose (the term waxen nose was first used by Justice
Bradley of the US Supreme Court and it means a person who is pliant and
easily influenced). O people, havent you read the Charter of Democracy?
Clause 4 under Constitutional Amendments reads: A Federal
Constitutional Court will be set up to resolve constitutional issues, giving
equal representation to each of the federating units, whose members may be
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judges or persons qualified to be judges of the Supreme Court, constituted

for a six-year period. The Supreme and High Courts will hear regular civil
and criminal cases. The appointment of judges shall be made in the same
manner as for judges of the higher judiciary. O people, a Supreme Court
toothless, blunted and neutered (from Latin, of neither sex). O people, a
Constitutional Court with a waxen nose. Can sheep smell a rat?
Next, the sugar cartel. Mian Nawaz Sharif is the sweetest of all
our sugar daddies. His kith and kin, his immediate plus his extended family
collectively own Abdullah Sugar, Brothers, Chanar, Chaudhry, Haseeb
Waqas, Ittefaq, Kashmir, Ramzan and Yousaf; thats a total nine.
Our second-most sweet sugar daddy must be left unnamed
because his near and dear ones till most of his vineyards and love as you
know knows all hidden parts. Hidden by dust, ashes and snow are Sarkand
Sugar, Ansari, Mirza, Bachani and Pangrio. Thats total of five but only thaw
can reveal what has been hidden by snow.
Of the 41 sugar mills in Punjab at least 20 are owned by
politicians of the PML-N and PML-Q. Chaudhry Shujaat, his kith and kin,
his immediate plus his extended family collectively owned four sugar mills
(there has been talk that Chaudhry sahib has sold his sugar mills and
diversified into milk). Humayun Akhtar, his kith and kin, his immediate plus
his extended family collectively own Kamalia, Tandlianwala, Miran and
Layyah. This year every man, woman and child in this country must cough
out an additional Rs550 so that the sugar cartel can make an additional Rs80
billion; a billion per mill.
Next, the banking cartel that pays five or six per cent to depositors
but charges 18 to 36 per cent on loans. On November 5, 2007, the
Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) took suo moto notice (CCP was
established on October 2, 2007). On April 10, 2008, the CCP imposed a
penalty of Rs3 million on Pakistan Banks Association and Rs25 million on
seven banks (the PBA obtained a stay order from the SHC).
Next, the cement cartel with 21 members. On May 8, 2003, the
cartel sat and hatched a scheme all in writing to rip off everyone who
uses cement in this country. In 2008, the CCP took suo moto action. On
August 27, 2009, the CCP imposed a penalty of Rs6.3 billion equivalent to
7.5 per cent of the turnover. On September 4, the CCP chairman was served
a termination notice.
Ever wondered why cartels are rich and three out of four Pakistanis
make an equivalent of $2 a day? Our rulers are in love with cartels; they
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think cartels are beautiful. Remember, if Jacks in love, hes no judge of

Jills beauty.

REVIEW
Imtiaz episode was started by Khushnood Ali, a pro-PPP anchor of a
private TV channel. Reportedly, he had boasted in front of Zardari that he
could defame Nawaz Sharif in no time. Zardari asked him to prove that and
Khushnood invited Imtiaz to his programme; the jackal howled.
It was a clever move by the PPP in which MQM was unleashed on
PML-N to kill many birds with one shot. Zardari regime launched fresh
offensive against its opponents to divert attention away from trial of
Musharraf; to save NRO; gain time to drag feet on 17 th Amendment; and
avert criticism on account of sugar, steel mills and flour crises. For MQM it
suited to draw the May 12 case away from the spotlight.
TV channels failed to act maturely. In fact, electronic media since
receiving applaud for its role in lawyers movement has been suffering sense
of self-righteousness like some young lawyers who have misbehaved with
police and journalists in public. Some reporters and anchors have certainly
been afflicted with similar ailment.
The howling of the blue-eyed Midnight Jackal in daytime drew
attention of all and sundry because jackals normally start howling just before
the dusk when they set out for scavenging. This triggered a seemingly
unending debate on its various aspects, including those the answers to which
were well-known.
The first question obviously pertained as to why the jackal was
howling at an unusual time. Time or no time, the jackal has set out on
scavenging mission. This jackal was no wild beast; it was once a welltamed beast. This led to a million-dollar question; who revived his
scavenging urge to a degree that he started howling at wrong time.
The answer lied in the carcasses that attracted the scavenger. He
seemed to have been tasked to target Nawaz brothers, Mustafa Khar, former
DG ISI Hamid Gul and so on; all very vocal critics of the regime. The list of
targets was a clear pointer towards beneficiaries; thus indicating clearly the
force behind it. It must be noted that some intellectual jackals have also been
hired to target critics like Roedad Khan and A Q Khan.

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It is also possible that Musharraf and his accomplices in Pakistan,

generals and politicians, have sponsored re-emergence of the jackal.
Musharrafs military friends might have helped in motivating Imtiaz to
speak truth. This is quite logical because many in Pakistan fear that they
might also be dragged into the court for abetting crimes of Musharraf.
It could also be a joint project of the main beneficiaries of NRO;
Musharraf, MQM and PPP. Whatever the extent of nexus, it has the backing
of America. It must also be remembered that present ISI boss is the
consensus appointee of America, Musharraf and Zardari.
Whatever the case might be, it is not a case of pricking of the
conscience. Nothing that Brig Imtiaz has revealed so far could be so sinful
for a sleuth of intelligence agencies that would prick his conscience any time
after its commission. In case Imtiaz still has his conscience alive after years
of service as spy master, even then there has to be some touching incident to
prick a dormant conscience so hard that it comes to life; that has not
happened.
Some of the related aspects need commented upon briefly. The
conspiracy against General Zia-ul-Haq, which Brig Imtiaz claimed to have
foiled, involved both Mustafas, Khar and Jatoi, but Imtiaz emphasized
Khars name and ignored the other as he is presently dormant. Khar was
singled out for being loud-mouth critic of the regime.
Imtiaz also did not mention the contact between General Kallu and the
arrested officers; the general was made DG ISI by Benazir after his
retirement. If the conspiracy has some element of truth, it proves the
involvement of PPP in anti-state activities in collaboration with RAW. The
perpetration of terrorism by Al-Zulfikar also bears testimony in this context.
From the foregoing it is evident that howling of the jackal could in no
way be the result of a prick of the conscience. It was a loud expression of the
urge for scavenging. All that has been said by Brig Imtiaz has to be seen
accordingly; he may be serving any of the vested interests except the
national interest.
As regards Lt Gen Naseer Akhtar, he has a personal grievance against
Nawaz Sharif. He aspired to become COAS but couldnt and held Nawaz
responsible for that. And Altaf who wailed like a seasoned woman while
pardoning of murder of his brother, forgot in the heat of the moment that he
was killed when Benazir was prime minister.

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Before visualizing the impact of howling of jackal it would be

appropriate to say few words about recovery of map of Jinnahpur and
disbursement of money to politicians. The recovery of map was absolutely
irrelevant as it occurred well after the commencement of operation against
MQM. The terrorism perpetrated by MQM was a reason good enough to
warrant launching of crackdown.
While brushing aside the map and money, it must be appreciated that
who-so-ever might have thought of rediscovering the jackal Imtiaz and
starting controversy afresh has an evil mind par excellence. Coming out with
an idea of cornering a tiger with the help of pack of jackals would be no
mean feat.
The timing of announcement of ceasefire by Gilani was excellent;
having achieved the maximum of its aims the counter-offensive from PMLN was nicely pre-empted and in the process Gilani also earned more
applause. Seen from another angle it can be said that once again Zardari has
played clever with PML-N. Having slung plenty of mud on Nawaz, he
announced ceasefire and will now wait for the next round.
It is difficult to think of any positive outcome of Imtiaz episode but
negative effects would be in plenty. First the Army, appearance of Lt Gen
Durrani and Brig Imtiaz and telephone conversation with Maj Nadeem Dar
and so on has embarrassed most soldiers, serving or retired. The COAS
should have taken cognizance of the situation and stopped this nonsense
merely to get Nawaz and save Musharraf. Reportedly, the COAS had
talked to appointment holders of ex-servicemens association; but that was
too little too late.
As already said, the targets and beneficiaries of the onslaught are very
clear. Zardari regime has forced Nawaz and PML-N on back foot. He may
not gain some points in opinion polls but Nawaz will certainly lose a few.
The consequences for the regime could even be graver; because the
impression that in Hamam called Pakistan everyone is stark-naked has been
reconfirmed. Both PPP and MQM could also become political collateral
damage of the attack on other political entities.
Media was quick in concluding and correctly too that Brig Imtiazs
urge to clear the burden on his conscience was aimed at distracting the
attention from real issues particularly that of Musharraf trial. Yet, private TV
channels remained completely engrossed in conducting debates and talkshows on whatever Imtiaz blurted out. This attitude of putting commercial
interests before national interests will cost the media its credibility. The acts
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of media men were proof that they are no different from politicians and
generals whom they criticize day in and day out.
Imtiaz episode seems to be fitting in Lt Gen Hamid Guls three Jeems
theory; Jihad, Jamhooriyat and Johari weapons. Gul says that these three
elements have been identified as strength of Pakistani nation. The concept of
jihad has been dubbed as terrorism by the Crusaders in the last eight years.
In the past the US pushed its agenda through military dictators and with
Musharraf-Benazir secret deal it is has gained control over democracy
(Jamhooriyat). Now it is focused on taking control of nuclear weapons and
for that the forces guarding it have to be neutralized. These forces are Army
and ISI and the recent howling of jackals has aided in demonizing the both.
The PPP leaders like Fauzia Wahab rattle out the familiar lines
whenever trial of Musharraf was discussed. They say we do not believe in
revenge and lets forget the past and move ahead. This past is only a year
old. Strangely enough she appeared on TV talk-shows after the revelations
made by Brig Imtiaz demanding probe and trial of those who took money
two decades ago. She ignored the fact altogether that scrounging money is
no crime under the holy pardon called NRO.
The truth is that both the coups by Musharraf had indirectly served the
interests of PPP. In October 1999, Musharraf overthrew PPPs arch political
rival and in November 2007 he paved the way for the return of PPP. In
between he kept prolonging the prosecution of corruption cases at home and
abroad ensuring that no one was punished.
Finally, he pardoned all the crimes committed by the PPP leaders and
also allowed them to retain the plundered wealth. Therefore, in the eyes of
all the criminals pardoned in the name of national reconciliation, Musharraf
has committed no offence. In all fairness, PPP leaders owe him a lot and
they are not lacking in expressing their gratitude.
The US, which has been arranging puppet shows in the region, also
wants to avert trial of Musharraf. Americans want to protect the old puppet
to assure to the new puppet that he will also be looked after, if needed.
Therefore, Zardari doesnt have to bother about demerits of being a US
puppet.
The July 31 verdict has established the illegality of the offences
committed by Musharraf on 3rd November, 2007 and thereafter. The court
has annulled those unlawful actions, but for conviction of the offender it has
asked the federal government to initiate the case. This judicial logic is

90

beyond comprehension. The apex court has to rethink while considering the
re-submitted petition of Zafar Ali Shah.
The superior judiciary must remain firm in dealing with the cases of
those who over the decades have got used to keeping the courts at bay from
interfering or securing favourable verdicts when the judiciary interfered.
This is said in the context of recent row over fixing the price of sugar.
Sugar barons have successfully created a crisis on the first place. They
exploited it by controlling its supply courtesy spacious go-downs and
resultant increase in its demand with the advent of holy month of Ramazan.
Sugar barons have now publicly vowed to defy the court order.
They have said that judiciary has no business in interfering in their
chain of demand and supply. The judiciary must summon them to explain
that how come that the price fixed in behind the door meeting between
Wattoo and sugar barons has become part of this mechanism? Who was
demanding and who was supplying?
Zardari completed one year of stay in the presidency a couple days
ago. The regime celebrated it with pomp and show that is usually seen after
a great victory. The PPP leaders sang the laurels for the great leader in
chorus; forcing others to assess his performance.
The assessment has to be carried out keeping in view the process that
brought PPP into power and led Zardari to occupy the presidency. The secret
of PPPs success lied in phrase the democracy is the best revenge, which at
the first place gave birth to NRO. It was midwifed by the United States, but
in the process of delivery PPPs leader died. Benazirs death brought Zardari
to the limelight and he fully exploited the favourable and sympathetic
atmosphere to reach where he is.
Despite the celever exploitation of the post-Benazir political situation,
Zardari remains a product of the United States. The have invented him as a
brand new puppet to replace the old one that had become rickety. His
performance, therefore, has to be seen as to how well he has delivered for
his masters; on that count he has certainly out-scored Musharraf.
As regards Pakistan, if Benazir had not been murdered, she would
have kept him as far away from her government in Pakistan as she did
during years of her self-imposed exile; she in Dubai and he in a flat in
downtown New York. His performance as President of Pakistan has to be
seen accordingly.

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One of the achievements of his one-year rule that has been quoted is
the preservation of the unity of PPP. It has little to do with leadership of
Zardari, but more to do with the type of politicians in the folds of the party.
Most of them are riff-raffs who have risen to the limelight due to PPPs
reputation because of the Bhutto family. They have stuck to the party
because they understand that without party affiliation they would be
nobody in Pakistani politics.
Another achievement that has been claimed by the regime relates to
military operation in Swat. Zardaris team says that victory has been
achieved due to superior strategy of their leader. The fact is that it is too
early to call it a victory. The impact of the Americas anti-Soviet proxy war
in Afghanistan was felt decades after the war.
The victory against Soviet forces that occupied Afghanistan was
definitely much brilliant achievement than what has been accomplished in
Swat, wherein Pakistanis were killed on either side. Yet, three decades latter
that victory against the Soviets is being criticized widely for its negative
consequences. Therefore, to assess the impact of America ongoing proxy
war one has to wait for two or three decades.
The most dangerous feature of Zardari rule has been the planned
encouragement of the anti-Punjab forces. From day one he has patronized
ANP in NWFP and MQM in Sindh. In Balochistan, he has allowed target
killings to go on un-checked. Hence; coalition of two Sindh-based and twoNWFP-based political parties with strong anti-Punjab sentiment is quite
damaging to the interest of sixty percent Pakistanis living in Punjab, who are
being forced to pay for their love for Pakistan.
13th August 2009

SURGE ELSEWHERE
During the period of last three months a slight surge in war against
terror was seen in Philippines and Thailand. But the most satisfying incident
for the Crusaders took place in Indonesia wherein a top al-Qaeda terrorist,
Noor-ud-Din was killed by the Indonesian security forces.

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Even more satisfying was the ethnic clashes in Chinese province of

Xingjian. Therein, the Crusaders were not against terror, but sponsoring
terror to kill two birds with one stone. First, it was to demonize China just as
it was done before Olympics and second to damage Chinas relations with
the Muslim World.
Nigeria experienced escalation of militancy beyond the oil war and
kidnappings. During third week of July, the worst clashes between police
and militants broke out and spread to three cities. Security forces succeeded
in crushing the Islamists uprising in which about eight hundred people were
killed.
Some of the Muslim countries in northern Africa, like Sudan and
Algeria experienced the violence as usual. The Crusaders, however, had
another visible success in Somalia, where one of the heli-borne killer
squads of the US killed Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, a top al-Qaeda militant. In
Europe and the United States, the homeland security was kept tight.

NEWS
The war against Islamic militancy in Far East kept fluctuating in
terms of its intensity. On 1st July, Muslim rebels in Philippines wanted truce
and resumption of peace talks. Four days later, bomb blast outside a church
killed five and wounded 36 people. On 7th July, six people were killed and
40 wounded in two bomb blasts in Jolo. Four days later, militants released
Italian hostage. At least twenty-two soldiers and twenty militants were killed
in a fierce clash in southern Philippines on 12th August.
Three people were killed in attack by militants in Thailand on 20th
July. Two people were killed in violence in the south about a week later. Six
people were killed in restive south on 22nd August. Three days later, at least
42 people were killed in car bomb blast. On 3 rd September, 11 people were
killed in violence in Muslim majority area and three days later, three
Muslims were killed in the south.
In Indonesia, two suicide bombers attacked American luxury hotels in
Jakarta on 17th July; nine people were killed and 40 wounded. Suicide attack
at the residence of Indonesian President was foiled on 8th August. A top alQaeda militant, Noor-ud-Din was killed in September. In Australia, four
young Australian of Somali and Lebanese origin were arrested for planning
terror attacks on military base near Sydney.

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In Mainland Asia, the Western powers succeeded in fanning ethnic

violence in China. On 6th July, Muslims of Xingjian province protested
against destruction of their culture. Chinese launched a crackdown when
protests persisted and by 6th July 140 people were killed and more than four
hundred wounded. Media in Pakistan was careful in reporting the killings
for fear of being dubbed of sponsoring terrorism. Those who reported
termed it an ethnic strife involving Uighurs.
Next day, tensions remained high in Urumqi, capital of Xingjian
province, as Han Chinese roamed in streets vowing to take revenge from
Muslim Uighurs; more than one thousand people were injured in clashes and
more than fourteen hundred were arrested.
Death toll in Xingjian crossed 150 on 8th July. Chinese President
returned from Italy after cutting short his visit linked to G-8 meeting. Turkey
was the first Muslim country to urge China to exercise restraint in Xingjian
and that too was not because of concerns for Muslim brothers but for
Turkish brotherhood with Uighurs.
On 10th July, China banned Jump congregations in all mosques of
Urumqi and ordered foreign reporters out of Kashghar. Next day, Turkish
PM condemned violence in Xingjian Province. In all, 319 people were
arrested for their involvement in recent violent protests.
President of Angushtia, Younis Beg, and his two guards were
wounded in car bomb attack on 22nd June. On 17th August, 20 people were
killed and 20 wounded in truck bomb blast in Nazran. Meanwhile, Russia
had turned to Islamic fundamentalism. It imposed ban on gambling and
closed all gambling points with effect from 1st July.
The happenings in Chechnya were reported with relative freedom.
Ten Chechen policemen were shot dead in an ambush by unknown gunmen
on 4th July. A renowned female human rights activist was kidnapped and
killed on 15th July. Pro-Russia regime was suspected for committing the
murder because she has been criticizing it for committing atrocities in
counter-insurgency operations.
Five people were killed in Groznyy on 26 th July. About a week later,
five Russian policemen were killed in an ambush. Four more policemen and
two militants were killed in a gun battle on 14 th August. Five days later, five
civilians were killed by gunmen.
Four policemen were killed in series of bomb blasts in Chechen
capital on 21st August. Four days later, suicide bomber killed four policemen.
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Four suicide bombers were held on 4th September. Two policemen were
wounded in suicide attack by a female bomber in Groznyy on 16 th
September.
In Tajikistan, forces killed five people near Afghan border on 17 th
July. Three days later, five foreign terrorists were killed in Dushanbe. Two
blasts hit Dushanbe on 27th July; ahead of summit conference of Pakistan,
Russia and Tajikistan. Three days later, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan
expressed their resolve to fight terrorism in the trilateral meeting. Tajik court
jailed five Islamic group members on 11th August.
On 2nd July, DPRK test fired four short-range missiles. Two days
later, DPRK joined in celebrations of Americas Independence Day by test
firing seven short-range missiles. Clinton visited Pyongyang to get two
American female journalists released; met Kim and delivered Obamas
message; White House denied the message part. On 5th August, Hillary
Clinton offered talks to DPRK while her husband succeeded in his mission
and brought back two US journalists from Korean jail. DPRK launched
space satellite on 25th August.
The Islamic countries in Africa continued experiencing foreign
instigated and funded militancy. In Algeria, militants killed 20 people in
Algiers on 18th June. Next day, 24 security personnel were killed in Algiers.
Eleven soldiers were killed in an ambush on 30th July.
In Nigeria, two oil pipelines of Shell were blown up in Niger Delta on
21 June. Nigerian rebels took the oil war to Lagos when they killed five
men in a village on 13th July. Three days later, main rebel group announced
ceasefire for 60-day. Kidnappings increased by 70 percent; more than five
hundred had been kidnapped so far in this year.
st

On 26th July, 42 people were killed in a clash between police and

militants. Next day, death toll in clashes reached 65. Security forces crushed
Islamic militants on 28th July, but not before the violence spread to three
cities and death toll crossed one hundred.
On 29th July, 43 people were killed in clashes with security forces in
northeastern state of Yobe. Next day, Nigerian troops attacked a mosque and
killed more that one hundred and arrested spiritual leader of Islamist rebels.
Death toll in five-day bloodshed crossed five hundred.
Nigerian police claimed victory over Islamic radicals on 31 st July after
killing their top leaders. Next day, dead bodies littered the streets of Nigerian
city of Maiduguri two days later security forces crushed the Islamists
95

uprising; the government spokesman said efforts were underway to pick up

the corpses. Death toll in clashes rose to 780.
At least 160 people were killed in tribal clash in southern Sudan on
3 August. Next day, death toll in tribal fighting rose to 185, including 12
policemen. Thirty people were killed in sectarian clash on 12th August.
About a week later, three militants were killed.
rd

At least 48 people were killed in factional fighting on 1 st September.

Four days later, at least 25 more people were killed in clashes. On 8 th
September, after Western medias hue and cry, the UN declared that verdict
of a Sudanese court violated international law. The court had convicted
women for wearing indecent dress.
In Somalia, a minister was killed in suicide bombing in Mogadishu on
18 June. Four days later, President declared state of emergency in Somalia.
Ethiopia sent its troops into Somalia on 23 rd June. On 5th July, 31 people
were killed in fighting in Mogadishu. Somali pirates hijacked Indian cargo
ship along with 16 crew members on 11th July. Next day, at least 43 militants
were killed in a clash in Mogadishu.
th

Two French journalists were kidnapped on 14th July. Six days later, the
rebels first banned and then raided offices of three UN organizations in
Mogadishu. On 23rd July, 16 people were killed and 50 wounded in clash
with security forces and al-Shabab rebels. Five days later, dozens of people
were killed in attack on AU peacekeepers.
Pirates freed German ship on 3 rd August after receiving ransom. Three
days later, at least fifteen Islamic militants were killed in Mogadishu. Clash
between two groups of pirates resulted in killing 17 of them on 8 th August.
Next day, seventeen people were killed in tribal clash. Five Pakistan
tablighis were killed in attack on a mosque in Puntland on 12 th August.
About a week later, pro-government forces killed 21 people. At least fifty
people were killed in clashes between government troops and rebels in
Mogadishu in last few days.
On 6th September, six people were killed and 18 wounded in a clash
between African Union and rebel forces in Mogadishu. Next day, five people
were killed and 25 wounded in attack by rebels in the capital. American heliborne troops attacked two cars on 15th September and claimed killing 28year-old Kenyan born Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan along with ten others. Saleh
was the most wanted al-Qaeda militant in East Africa.

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Following incidents of terrorism and counter-terrorism were reported

from Europe in the last three months:
One person was killed in car bomb blast in Spain on 19 th June. An
Egyptian woman, Marwa el-Sherbini, was murdered in a German
court on 5th July; next day hundreds of Muslims protested in Cairo.
Scotland Yard raised alarm on 6th July that British Muslims could be
targeted by the terrorists.
Next day, Rangzeib Ahmed, a Briton of Pakistani origin who was
tortured by intelligence agencies, accused MI5 of trying to offer
him inducements to drop his allegation that its officers colluded in
his torture.
On 13th July, Pakistan-origin German was jailed for 8 years for help
funding al-Qaeda.
UK freed two more Pakistani students on 17th July and declared that
they were no more a threat the Kingdom.
Bail application of seven Pakistani students was rejected by the
British court on 29th July. Dozens were hurt in car blast in Madrid.
British judge presented Independence Day gift by rejecting bail
application of Pakistani students accused of planning terror. The
students complained of maltreatment in prison, including serving
food mixed with human faeces. Their crime was that one of them
had used world Nikah, which was taken as a codeword for suicide
(British do have sense of humour). The police have been allowed to
retain them and present their case by March April 2010.
Two Pakistani students held in Britain decided to leave Britain
voluntarily after courts refusal to grant them bail. This was
precisely the aim of British authorities.
Scotland freed Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset Ali, on 20 th August
on compassionate grounds.
At least 90 people were arrested in Birmingham on 6 th September,
when a group protesting Islamic extremism and counterdemonstrators resorted to racially-charged violence.

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 Three British of Pakistani origin were convicted on 7 th September

and four acquitted for planning terror attack on trans-Atlantic
flights.
On 11th September, rallies were held in London for and against
construction of a mosque in Hero area; 30 protesters were held in
protective custody.
On 14th September, two Turks went on trial in Germany for
procuring equipment and funds for al-Qaeda groups. British court
awarded life imprisonment to three transatlantic plane bomb
plotters.
The United States kept its homeland security tight while waging
Crusades around the globe. Following incident were reported during the
period:
On 6th July, Richard Norton-Taylor reported that the US was
destroying the evidence of torture and abuse related to Guantanamo
Bay.
Three weeks later, Ahmed Omar Abu Ali was imprisoned for life for
joining al-Qaeda and plotting to kill Bush. Seven people were arrested
for their links to terrorists and receiving training in Pakistan and
Afghanistan.
The judge declared Aafiya Siddiqui mentally fit on 29th July and
decided to continue hearing the case.
On 14th August, Shah Rukh Khan, Indian film celebrity, was detained
at New Jersey Airport for two hour quizzing. He diplomatically said it
happened because of his Asian identity. He was intelligent enough not
to mention the real cause; his Islamic identity.
New York Times reported on 20th August that CIA hired Blackwater to
kill people claimed to be militants.
Next day, the US warned against heros welcome accorded to
Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset Ali.
Obama Administration signed a contract with Blackwater for shifting
and keeping under detention the prisoners of Guantanamo to secret
jails in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.

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 US Justice Department advised Obama Administration on 24th August

to reinvestigate cases of prisoners abuse by CIA. Mullen said US
efforts against extremism lack credibility.
Obama hosted Iftar-dinner party in White House on 2nd September to
show solidarity with Muslim elite.
A priest hijacked Mexican plane with 104 people on board using Bible
as fake bomb. It was no act of terrorism as the priest claimed that he
was on divine mission.
Speaking on the eighth anniversary of 9/11 Obama urged for renewal
of fight against al-Qaeda.

VIEWS
In the context of America, Dr Muzaffar Iqbal commented:
Thousands of articles and hundreds of books later, 9/11 remains an
unresolved puzzle. Beyond the pale of conspiracy theories, several basic
questions have never been answered by the US government. These
include, but are not limited to, the following:
How did two almost pristine passports of the hijackers in New York
and Pennsylvania survive when nearly everything else from the planes
was incinerated?
How was the US government able to provide to the media complete
biographical details of all the alleged hijackers so quickly after the
event?
Technically, the US authorities have never been able to explain how
so much debris from the plane that supposedly nose-dived in
Pennsylvania could be found so many miles from the crash site?

No one has explained how a large plane could disappear into such a
small hole in the Pentagon wall with no major debris left on the
lawn?
These and numerous other valid questions remain unanswered
because of the reluctance of the US government to properly investigate 9/11.
Several groups had to work hard to press the government to form the 9/11
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Commission in 2002 which was not headed by an independent and powerful

individual, but by the former New Jersey governor Thomas H Kean. And
when the 9/11 Commission presented its report, the immediate reaction by
none other than Lorie Van Auken of East Brunswick one of the most
ardent supporters of the creation of the 9/11 Commission was: We know
we never have learned the truth, its as simple as that (Even) members
and staff of the 9/11 Commission have said many of the questions raised by
the attacks have never been answered.
As regards the Crusades in Europe, Dr Haider Mehdi commented on
Sarkozys assault against Muslims by saying that the burqa is a violation of
womens dignity and freedomprisoners behind a screen, cut off from all
social life, deprived of all identity.
Mehdi wrote: This is a political conduct unbecoming the French
president after all, how much ignorance, arrogance and insensitivity can
one put on display but this is an act of a deliberate political move to yet
instigate another cultural war against the Muslim people.
For those Muslim women who choose to wear the burqa, niqab,
chaddar, khimar, shayla or hijab it is not only a sign of religious
zealousness; in fact, it is a declaration of ones identity. It is a statement
proclaiming personal freedom to ones individuality and absolute privacy a
statement vivid in its expression of servitude a statement in the affirmation
of local customs and culture a statement of solidarity with a communitys
values a statement that says: Respect for who I am, what I am, how I wish
to conduct myself a statement that demands tolerance and tells others
tolerate me the way I tolerate you a statement in the aesthetic nature of
the local dress code, and above all, in many cases, Muslim womens open
rebellion and response to the Wests cultural oppression and growing sociocultural crusade against Islamic values and traditions, a visible war against
the Western strategic plot to completely annul the Islamic way of life. In
simple and short terms, it is a war to preserve ones cultural-religious
identity.
What Sarkozy and other Westerners do not comprehend and cannot
understand (because of their obsession with self-centeredness and a
superiority complex) is that Islamic values and traditions offer a
radically different understanding of the human being which is
drastically apart from the Western materialism-based social engagement with
humanity.

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It would be instructive for the West to grasp that what is happening

with the Muslim people (including women wearing hijab in Australia and
the burqa in France, etc) is more than just politics: it is an attempt to shape a
new consciousness to escape from the most far-reaching pre-suppositions
of our timeand to escape from hegemony and rigidity of the Western
(added) mindset. The fact of the matter is that the Western paradigm of
socio-cultural values is being questioned anew. And that upsets the
Westerners badly.
The real issue here is of intolerance on the part of Western civilization
of the cultural diversity. The question is: why not let the Muslim women
(who choose to wear burqa, etc) in France choose a dress code for
themselves? How do they hurt anyone by wearing a burqa? Sarkozy
disapproves of the burqa because it is a cultural diversity from the
mainstream French lifestyle and dress code.
Now imagine of Pakistan, Afghanistan or Iran bans the Sikhs from
wearing turbans on the same grounds? The so-called western pseudo
liberals and the champions of individual freedom, personal choice,
individualism will hit the roof with the accusations of violations of human
rights. Rightfully so. But when the West itself violates the same rules, with
hypocrisy and contradiction, it wishes to be applauded. Does that make any
sense to anyone?
Perhaps the French president (and the rest of the western world) can
learn a thing or two on the affability of cultural tolerance from the Gulf
Emirate, the UAE. In Dubai and the rest of the Emirates, predominately a
Muslim nation, western women violate and practically defy the local dress
code and yet, the level of tolerance and respect of their individual
preference of how to dress (sometimes on the borderline of nudity) is
amazing: no one laments that we cannot accept that foreign women do not
dress like us and do not wear hijab or their partial nudity and cultural
habits are not acceptable here. This is a sign of superior Muslim tolerant
attitudes towards cultural diversity and what comes with it in a multicultural society. Isnt France proud of hosting multiculturalism? I guess not!
Let the French women walk stark naked on the streets if they wish to
do so and let the French men father children outside marriage if they choose
to do so, or if any French man or woman prefers a same-sex union, so let it
be but the point is that this is not our vision of humanitys emancipation.
We cannot share your values (and we cannot apologize for it) nor do we

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ask you to share ours. Dont force on us as we do not force on you.

Respect our choices as we respect yours!
Dress code is not issue: it is a much broader phenomenon of
humanitys philosophical existence in diversity! If you care to understand! It
is an issue that begs understanding a large chunk of humanity (the Muslim)
from a different angle by the West. The French president has just misstepped his way into conduct unbecoming of his high office by attacking
the sanctity of Muslim women! Stop violating us, the Muslim nation, with a
political plague of your making!
Shireen M Mazari commented on the killing of Marwa el-Sherbini. In
Europe the faade of tolerance and secular liberalism is so well maintained
it is easy to be fooled into believing this is the reality. In fact there is an
insidious social compact between the media, ruling elites and the white
Christian majority to sustain this faade at all times. That is why the murder
of Marwa el-Sherbini, the Egyptian Muslim lady in Dresden, Germany
simply because she wore a hijab barely found a mention in the European
press and the US media saw no reason to create fuss. Of course had it been
the murder of a Jewish lady specifically for displaying her cultural/religious
Jewishness, the western media would have gone to town crying foul and the
German government would have been put fairly and squarely in the dock.
The murder came shortly after French President Sarkozy gave his
secular fatwa against the burqa and it seems that now there is open season
on hijab-wearing Muslims in some parts of Europe those parts that
ironically see themselves as being more tolerant and liberal. In fact
European secular liberalism is being defined increasingly in terms of nonacceptance of the new multi-religious and multi-ethnic Europeans by the old
white Christian Europeans. When European leaders display this
characteristic in public statements, it gives leeway to the racist bigotry
that still pervades in Europe only now the Muslims have replaced the
Jews as the bete noirs.
In fact the case of Marwa el-Sherbini is frightening because her
only crime was that she wore the hijab. A year before her murder, a 28
year old man of Russian origin had insulted her by calling her a terrorist
and Islamic whore for wearing a hijab when she asked him to let her son sit
on a swing. At the time the man had been found guilty of abusing and
insulting Marwa and had been fined 780 euros. But he had appealed which is
why the parties were all present in a Dresden court room when the gruesome
murder took place in full view of Marwas husband and her three-year old

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son Mustafa. As Marwa, pregnant, was in the dock recalling the incident, the
accused walked across the court-room and plunged a knife into her 18
times.
What is even more horrific is that as her husband, Elvi Ali Okaz, ran
to save her he, too, was brought down, shot by a police officer who declared
that he mistook him for the attacker. Can anything be more ridiculous?
Two serious issues arise: One, why was a man known to be violently
disposed towards Ms Marwa Sherbini allowed to walk into the courtroom
with a lethal knife? Two, how could the policeman have mistaken her
husband for the attacker when he moved much later and separately or was
the attacker not taken into custody when he had begun his attacks? Why was
he allowed to stab Marwa 18 times? Where was the same policeman and
why did he not shoot at the accused when he was stabbing the lady?
Whichever way one looks at it, the acceptable racism cannot be
denied both at the official and unofficial levels Does that not make
one wonder if Muslim women in hijab are now going to be targeted with
impunity by extremists, racists and others of the lunatic fringe in Europe?
Why has the EU leadership not condemned this act of religious hatred? Is
Marwa el-Sherbini going to be the first of many headscarf martyrs as her
native Egyptian media is calling her of Europe, especially in the wake of
the Sarkozy statement? It would be a pity if the grand tradition of French
freedom and equality is reduced to a superficiality covering an underlying
intolerance towards cultural and religious diversity.
Perhaps the most shameful has been the reaction of the Muslim
World including Pakistan. Why have we seen no official condemnation
when we see the EU leaders and their media waste no time in issuing
condemnatory statements whenever any incident of a crime against women
or religious minorities occurs in Pakistan? It is good that they seek to act as
our conscience on these occasions, but there has to be reciprocity and we
should not shy away from (pricking) their conscience when they lose their
way or shy away from exposing such crimes! Interestingly, there was a very
high-powered electronic media delegation that had gone on the German
governments invitation to Berlin around this time. So why was this issue
not raised? In fact, as a protest the delegation should have given up this
summer freebie or at least have given the case due publicity at home. When
we can and rightly so take strong issue with the flogging of women by
the Taliban, can we not also condemn the equally vile act of murder
committed by a secular or Christian extremist? Or does a crime against a

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woman in hijab or against the Taliban not move our public in quite the
same way especially our elite?
Ethnic clashes in China in Xingjian Province drew the attention
of the world. The Dawn wrote: This was not an isolated incident of Turkic
Muslim Uighurs clashing with the Han Chinese. Last month the two
communities had been locked in violence in Shaoguan over a rumour of
ethnic assault. Hence the allegations by the authorities that the riots were
instigated by Uighur separatists abroad might appear a bit far-fetched,
though one cannot deny that the community enjoys the support of its
compatriots scattered all over the world.
Ethnic tensions between the Uighurs and the Han Chinese predate
the founding of the Peoples Republic. Although in 1955 Beijing attempted
to pacify the Uighurs by making Xingjian an autonomous region it didnt
help much because real political power was exercised by the Communist
Party that was controlled by the Han Chinese. Moreover, internal migration
later changed the ethnic ratio and the Uighurs no longer constitute a majority
in Xingjian. Far more disturbing for them is the fact that the Han Chinese
who have moved to Urumqi and other cities are better educated and fluent in
mandarin that gives them an advantage in the race for jobs. This has left the
Uighurs disgruntled.
Some separatist voices have been raised by elements seeking to
exploit the situation for political gains. More explosive could be the
religious issue, especially complaints by Uighurs that restrictions have been
exercised by the Chinese government on their practice of Islamic rites.
Given the rise of Islamic militancy in the region, one can understand
Beijings fears. But it would do well to investigate the matter before
reaching a hasty conclusion.
Daniel Nasaw commented: The Chinese government says the
mastermind behind the violent Uighurs and ethnic Han Chinese in Chinas
Xingjian region is a diminutive grandmother with long salt-and-pepper
braids living in exile in a suburb of the US capital. Once one of the richest
women in Xingjian and held as an exemplar of Chinas purported multiethnic harmony, Regina Kidder now heads two prominent Uighur exile
groups, speaking out against Beijings oppression of the Turkic-speaking
minority. Beijing has accused Kidder of organizing the protests
Kidders persecution by the Chinese and her stature as a public face of
the Uighur people have earned her comparisons to the Dalai Lama. Before
her exile, Kidder, 62, rose from poverty to become a successful entrepreneur,
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running trading companies and department stores. Beijing named her in

Chinas official delegation to the 1995 UN conference on women in Beijing
and to the countrys legislature.
By 1997 she had formed an organization to aid Uighur women and
had opened a Uighur language school, an action tinged with enough
separatism to earn her scrutiny from Chinese security agencies. In August
1999 Kidder was detained in Urumqi as she headed to meet US
congressional staff members. She was charged with passing state secrets
to foreigners and sentenced to eight years in prison. Her supporters
insisted she was jailed for speaking out against policies that oppressed
Xingjians indigenous Uighurs in favour of the Han Chinese majority.
The US government and human rights groups across the world
pressed for her release. In 2005, the Chinese government released her from
jail and put her on a plane to Northern Virginia to join her family. Two of her
sons remain imprisoned in China. On Monday Kadeer condemned Beijings
use of force against Uighur demonstrators and also denounced violence by a
small number of Uighur demonstrators.
Joelle Garrus observed: Resource rich and a buffer with Central Asia,
Xingjian is vital to Chinas economic and geopolitical interests. With an
economy based on mining, agriculture and energy, the vast area has
developed rapidly since the 1980s, attracting a wave of Han Chinese
migrants but leaving many local Muslim Uighurs on the sidelines
Xingjian has been Chinas nuclear test ground for decades and
hosts Chinas strategic missile base. Several crucial oil and gas pipelines
also cross from Central Asia through the region, helping meet the huge
demand for energy in the much more developed and populated eastern
coastal cities.
In addition, Xingjian last year overtook Shandong Province to
become Chinas second largest producer of oil With the increase in
reserves in Heilongjiang and Shandong, the strategic importance of Xingjian
and its untapped reserves grows every year, said Ren Xianfang, an analyst
at HIS Global Insight.
This importance has been reflected in Beijings increased investment
in the region since 2000 as part of its Go West campaign, which has tried to
rebalance the countrys economic growth. But always and many Uighurs
believe this investment has largely benefited the Han, Chinas main
ethnic group.

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Around 70 per cent of any extra investment is gobbled up by the oil

and petrochemical industries dominated by state-owned enterprises, said
Ren. There are very few Uighurs in the oil industry, said Jean-Frangois
Huchet, director of the Centre of French Studies on Contemporary China in
Hong Kong. The Uighur population has been stuck in the country-side in an
agricultural system that has little added value, he said.
But even there the region is a major grower of cotton Uighurs
struggle to gain economic power. A regional Quasi-military group, the
bingtuan, control huge tracts of farmland, employing more than 2.2 million
people there, the vast majority of whom are Han Chinese. In commerce, the
regions signification is also evident, often because of the Uighurs lack of
education.
Huma Yusuf wrote: Russia may have dismissed the recent violence in
Chinas western Xingjian province as an internal matter, but the ethnic
clashes between Uighurs and Han Chinese could have a long-term effect
on Sino-Pakistan relations. It may seem as if a showdown between the
minority Turkic-speaking Muslims and Han migrants to the province has
little to do with Pakistan. But the manner in which these ethnic tensions play
out in the coming months could fracture the all-weather friendship that
Pakistan and China have long enjoyed
Until now, Uighur Muslims protests against the highhandedness of
Beijing have been largely peaceful. Their demands can be complied with
within the framework of Chinas political system they want jobs, respect
for their cultural and religious traditions and the lions share of benefits
from the regions energy resources. Radical Islam has had limited
influence on the separatist wing of the Uighur community and they have not
articulated demands for Islamic statehood or called for jihad. Uighurs
practice a relatively pacifist strain of Sufi Islam and their activism is any
way curtailed by the Chinese governments restrictions on religious activity.
The extremism that has been witnessed among Uighurs since the
1980s when Chinese borders opened and Uighurs went on Haj or began
traveling to places like Pakistan and Afghanistan is opportunistic rather
than ideological Uighurs who have gravitated towards militancy have done
so in the hope that they could count on the Muslim world for political
support and funding to continue the struggle against Han Chinese
domination.
All this is now in danger of changing, particularly because Beijings
handling of the Uighur-Han violence has been poor. Fridays decision to shut
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down mosques, for example, gave a religious dimension to an ethnic clash.

The perception that Uighurs are being targeted for their religious beliefs, and
not simply being left behind because of their ethnic, linguistic and cultural
heritage, is easily exploited by militants
One of the reasons for this is the military operation currently
underway in northwest Pakistan. In 2001, it was reported that up to 10,000
Uighurs had arrived in Pakistan to receive religious education. Many of
these students were also believed to have received militant training and were
recruited by the Lashkar-i-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen to fight in
Kashmir.
They continue to have a significant presence in Afghanistan and
Pakistans tribal areas. As the Pakistan Armys offensive in FATA has
intensified, there have been reports of militants fleeing to the Gulf States,
Yemen and Somalia. There can be little doubt that many Uighur
militants will escape the current crackdown by returning to Xingjian
and resuming the struggle against Han domination.
Such an influx in tense times could transform the Uighurs
peaceful protest into all-out militancy. And a militant uprising stoked by
Pakistan however indirectly, through training, by militants on our soil
would be cause for Beijing to reconsider the terms of its engagement with
us
Under Gen Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan was able to preserve its
friendship with China by addressing the Uighur problem head on. Uighurs
as well as Uzbeks and Tajiks who sympathized with their pan-Turkic
movement, were hunted down. From the late 1990s to 2003, Uighurs were
expelled from madressahs and their businesses were shut down. In October
2004, Pakistani troops also killed ETIM leader Hasan Mahsum in South
Waziristan. This aggressive stance against the Uighurs made Islamabads
allegiance to Beijing on the Xingjian issue clear. It also set aside any
concerns that Pakistanis would want to extend a helping hand to their
Muslim brothers and sisters in China.
A similar level of commitment will be required of the Zardari
government to keep Sino-Pakistan relations intact. Given the volatility in
Xingjian, it is necessary for Islamabad to take extra measures to ensure that
none of the tumult in Pakistan exacerbates the militant threat to China. As
the offensive against the Taliban heightens in North and South Waziristan,
where most Uighur militants maintain bases, the Army should be extra
vigilant and aim to capture Uighur fighters for intelligence purposes.
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Pakistans relationship with China cannot afford to become a victim of

collateral damage in our war against terrorism, even if many of Xingjians
problems are Beijings own creation.

Nigeria experienced worst bloodshed with the Book Hiram uprising.

Dr Musooda Bano drew its comparison with militancy in Pakistan.
Northern Nigeria took the limelight from Pakistan during the past two
weeks in terms of global attention on Islamic militancy. A group of local
radicals, known with the name of Boko Haram, boko being the word for
secular schools established by the British during the time of their rule in
Nigeria, launched attacks on police and government targets in a bid to
advance their claim that modern western education is haram i.e.
inappropriate for Muslims and they should rely entirely on Islamic
education.
The group had its core base in Maiduguri in Northern Nigeria which
has a concentration of traditional Quranic schools. However, the profile of
the members of these groups and the way the Nigerian state had dealt with
the group raises some interesting comparative questions for militancy in
Pakistan.
In this case of Boko Haram there is no alleged link between Quranic
schools i.e. madrassas and militancy. The members of these groups have
been educated in secular schools and universities in Nigeria. However,
reportedly the group members burned their degrees and argued that it is in
Islamic learning that there is true salvation. Only in-depth research on the
group can shed proper light into the motives of the members, or the
incentives that propelled them to join such a group. However, from existing
reports it is clear that unemployment, corruption in the state system, a
sense of worthlessness of the degrees that fail to secure any jobs had a
role to play in mobilizing the members of this group. Islamic ideology in
such a case becomes just one of the many mobilizing forces to attract
frustrated youth. Just as in Southern Nigeria, where the country has been
faced with militant groups of another kind, the rallying call of the rebel
leaders is that the state is depriving the locals of the oil dividends accrued
from this region.
Thus, there is no mystery that in the context of such large-scale
deprivation as seen in countries like Nigeria and Pakistan where the public
also feels that the state is not committed to reforms, it becomes easy for
dissident groups to mobilize the youth. If there is a lesson, for the national
governments or the western donors who are keen to help Muslim countries
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fight militancy, the Boko Haram case provides yet another example that
militancy in many contexts (though definitely not in all cases) is not just an
expression of Islamic Ideology but is often a reaction of unjust state
systems, which are failing to cater to the needs of the majority.
The other interesting aspect of the Boko Haram case is the way the
Nigerian state dealt with the group. Like the government in Pakistan, the
Nigerian government had no qualms about sending in the military to
eliminate the group. The police was equally merciless in putting the
leader of the group to death. Whether or not such state action led to human
rights violations, which is a contentious debate in Pakistan today, the
interesting comparative aspect is that in this case the state went all the way
out and ensured that the leader of the group is eliminated and so are most of
the groups members. In Pakistan, on the other hand, the military and the
police repeatedly fail to get hold of the group leaders
True, in case of Pakistan, the militant groups have a much longer
history, and do not constitute only of young rebel rousers as was the case in
Nigeria, and thus they are more difficult to quell. However, the Boko
Haram case does support the general experience of militant groups that they
cannot normally sustain large-scale military operations on their own,
unless they have support either from elements within the state or from
external state actors Thus, curtailing the militancy in Pakistan requires a
more strategic plan of checking these internal and external elements that
provide support to these groups on the ground.
Peace remained elusive in Somalia. Huma Yusuf talked of the
strategy of Shabab and Wests counter-strategy. In recent months, Shabab
militants have killed government ministers, beheaded innocents, attacked
Sufi imams, arrested shrine caretakers and destroyed Sufi shrines across
southern Somalia.
The groups activities are sanctioned by Sharia Courts under Shababs
influence. (Interestingly, these courts sprang up in Somalia about a decade
ago to promote law and order in a stateless society with no efficient judicial
system sounds familiar?)
Shabab first emerged as the militant wing of the Islamic Courts
Union, which used to control Somalia. After 2006, the extremist group
launched an insurgency against Somalias transitional government and
Ethiopian forces that were stationed around Mogadishu to help preserve the
weak governments writ until January this year. Since 2007, Shabab has
claimed links with al-Qaeda and, fuelled by foreign support, recently
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adopted an expansionist agenda: militants have swept central and

southern Somalia recruiting fighters and striking deals with tribal clan
leaders to establish Shababs control across the country.
Indeed, the similarities between Pakistans northwest and Somalia
are so intense that, as military operations in Swat and FATA gained
intensity, dozens of al-Qaeda fighters fled the tribal belt and relocated to
Somalia. There, they will join the ranks of Shabab, which is currently
recruiting hundreds of foreign jihadis in an effort to topple the six-monthold moderate Islamic government of President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed.
Given the parallels, it would be worthwhile for the Pakistan
government to analyze developments in Somalia to make more informed
decisions about how to eradicate militancy from within our borders in the
long term. This process could begin with a close look at the role of Sufism is
playing in the weak Somali states struggle for survival.
As is the case with Pakistan, the West is banking on the devotees of
Sufi saints who comprise the majority of Somali Muslims, enjoy
grassroots support and unite people across tribal factions to push back
against Shabab. US-based think tanks like RAND and the Heritage
Foundation are counting on the Sufi message of love to counter Shababs
ever-brutal violence, for tolerance to stem hatred and for music and dancing
to triumph over coercion. But thats not how things are playing out in
Somalia
Huma stopped short of recommending that like Somali rulers,
Pakistanis should request to the Crusaders to send foreign troops into
Pakistan as Ethiopian forces were told to get into Somalia. In fact, Sufism
has been prescribed for the cure of jihadi virus spreading across Muslim
lands. Sufism is a tested antidote of Islamic militancy as during the eras of
subjugation of Muslim lands, the Sufism spread like opium-addiction spread
in China. RAND and Heritage Foundation want that Muslim militants
should be turned into half-naked, charas-smoking beggars called Malangs;
rest will be quite easy.
Huma went on to discuss Sufi-Wahabi clash, both in Somalia and
Pakistan, and then concluded: True democracies are invested in promoting
the freedom to practice whichever religion, and however, a person chooses.
Learning from Somalia, Pakistan should be making every effort to
minimize the spaces given to religion in the public sphere.
Asad Durrani wrote in the context of Pakistan, the main battleground
of the ongoing Crusades, but it is applicable to entire world. Jihad was a
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concept that expressed fortitude to fight ills in society ignorance,

illiteracy, bigotry and all the rest. The use of arms indeed had its place,
especially some would say exclusively in self-defence. No more. The
mere mention of the word can now send chill up our spines. No one even
dares suggest that jihad can also be waged sans arms, in its more sublime
form. The UN may sanction armed resistance against foreign occupation, but
if waged in the name of jihad it must be condemned, and a jihadi prosecuted
as a terrorist. You suggest it. Terrorism is the latest and the deadliest form of
this name calling game.
There were times one could sensibly discuss this phenomenon.
Remember how passionately we used to distinguish it from the freedom
fight, and insisted that state terrorism must also count for something! No
longer. Post 9/11, terrorism has become an instrument of state policy. Any of
them Chechens, Uighur, Hamas, Hezbollah, Kashmiris, and indeed the
Taliban of all hues straddling the Durand Line once labeled as terrorist
are fair game. In response, the non-state actors (NSAs), with little chance to
match the state in the war of semantics have improved upon the tactics
of war.
Yes. That is what it is. Terrorism, in its broadly accepted sense
deliberately targeting non-combatants to achieve a political objective has
been practiced as a technique by the state as well as by the NSAs. With
Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Vietnam, and recently Fallujah in Iraq and
Operation Balussa in Afghanistan, America leads the pack of states. The UK
with its carpet-bombing of Dresden is not far behind.
The NSAs in their war against the state, rightly described as a form of
asymmetrical warfare, target the non-combatants all the time. Inability to
effectively engage the combatants is their excuse. The state, whenever it
cares to rationalize such acts, blames the militants for hiding behind the
civilians, or shrugs them off as collateral damage. Overtime, the NSAs
have discovered the ultimate weapon. The human being embraces most
of the attributes desired in a perfect weapon system. He can carry a
warhead and manoeuvre around obstacles; is hard to detect and intercept;
can identify the target; choose the time to release his lethal cargo; and if
needed abort the mission without much fuss. There still remains though this
matter of motivating him to make the ultimate sacrifice. Depending upon the
individual, money, a cause worth its while, and indoctrination are some of
the tools available. In military terms, too, it is cost effective.

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No wonder, seeking a fatwa to exorcise suicide bombing does not

work. It has nothing to do with religion, only with achieving a war aim.
Though a myth of the 65 War, when it went around that some of our soldiers
tied to explosives would jump in front of the Indian tanks, we did not invoke
any religious injunction. Looking at terrorism as a war-fighting technique
may also explain its ever-expanding practice. Its usage has increased many
times over since we declared a war on terror.
We still have the right to disagree with the use of such means and call
the perpetrators names, even the ones not quite apt. The problem is that in
this clash of asymmetric forces, the dice is heavily loaded in the favour
of the irregular warriors. Those amongst them with adequate support
amongst the population can prolong it for years and decades. More often
than not, the state is forced to compromise and thus the terrorists of
yesterday become patriots of today and at times leaders of tomorrow. For
that reason alone, it was prudent to keep a window open for some of those
whom we had lumped under the Taliban. One has often wondered why a
dog has to be given a bad name before it is killed! It already has one.
Moreover, you are not supposed to kill bad dogs, only mad ones.

REVIEW
The violence in Xingjian Province of China has been the result of
ethnic prejudices and economic disparities. Han Chinese community gets
more favours from the government than Uighur Muslims. Yet, analysts like
Huma Yusuf while commenting on the crisis urge Pakistan military for
crackdown against Uighurs inside Pakistan.
It was the Western world that tried to give religious colour to the
violence. Chinese refused to buy their line and instead gave them a shut-up
call. China said that the Islamic World was not involved in Xingjian violence
and it knew who all were behind it from Munich to Washington.
The Islamic countries, however, have generally accepted the
hegemony of the US. They are now part of an empire ruled by an Emperor
sitting in White House. Like any empire of enormous size, the America is
experiencing some troubles here and there in the form of uprisings and
rebellions. But, it has been successfully curbing these uprisings and
rebellions with the excessive use of military might and with the willing
cooperation of those natives who always want to please the King.
19th September 2009

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DESECRATED EVERYDAY
In the new layout of write-ups, the war in the region comprising
twelve countries, i.e. Iraq, Palestine, Iran, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia,
Yemen, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey and, of course, is covered
under one heading. All the countries of this region, barring Israel, Iran and
Turkey, belong to Arab World.
In Iraq, the Crusaders have been able to secure themselves in fortified
bases. The task of fighting the insurgency and militancy has been generally
delegated to Iraqi Police and Army. The arrangement, despite the continued
violence, has provided the security to occupation forces and thus caused no
worry to them.
During the period under review, Muntadharal Zaidi was freed after
completion of sentence awarded to him for throwing his shoes at George W
Bush. Speaking at the reception arranged in his honour on his release he
briefly mentioned the reason as to why had thrown shoes at Bush: He could
not see his country being desecrated everyday.
Iran continued receiving special attention of the Crusaders. After
failing to make the Iranian presidential election controversial, the West has
raised the ante over Irans nuclear programme. However, Ahmadinejad
seemed to have stood firm on his ground.

NEWS
In Iraq, a bomb exploded near convoy of the US ambassador in
Baghdad on 12th July; no one was hurt. Four people were killed in attacks on
churches. Five people, including three policemen, were killed in incidents of
violence on 14th July. Next day, seven people were killed in suicide bombing
in Anbar Province.
Three US soldiers were killed in attack on US base in Basra on 17 th
July and four people were killed in bomb blast in Baghdad. Officials of US
Embassy were killed in helicopter crash. Next day, three policemen were
killed in roadside bombing in Baghdad. Five people were killed in roadside
bombing near Fallujah.
Two policemen were killed in bomb blast in Ramadi on 20 th July and
in another bomb blast in Mosul six people, including four policemen were

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killed. Next day, at least 16 people were killed and more than 30 wounded in
series of bomb blasts in Baghdad.
Five Iranian pilgrims were killed in firing on a bus in Baquoba on 22 nd
July and three persons were killed in other incidents of violence. Next day,
Maliki said the US troops could be required in Iraq beyond 2011. One US
soldier was killed on 24th July. Next day, elections for regional president and
the parliament were held in Kurdish region. Four people were killed in car
bomb blast in Fallujah. A US base in south was handed over to Iraqi forces.
Five persons were killed by gunmen in Baghdad on 26 th July. Next
day, Iraq showed interest in buying F-16 jet fighters as Robert Gates visited
Baghdad. Bank robbers killed eight people in Baghdad. Turkey, Iraq and the
US discussed steps to be taken against Kurds. The US may speed up
pullout of troops, said Robert Gates on 29th July.
At least 12 people were killed in two bomb blasts in northern and
western Iraq on 30th July. Next day, at least 27 people were killed in five
bomb blasts in Baghdad. Five people were killed and 17 wounded in car
bomb attack in Anbar on 2nd July. Maliki arrived in Iraqi Kurdistan to tackle
disputes. Turkey sought democratic path to end Kurd conflict. A cop and a
civilian were killed in bomb blast in Fallujah on 3rd August.
Five people were killed and eight wounded in bomb blast in Baghdad
on 5 August. Eleven pilgrims were kidnapped in Karbala. Two gunmen and
a policeman were killed in a clash in Mosul and a man was killed when a
bomb planted in his car exploded. In Ramadi, one person was killed in car
bomb blast.
th

One person was killed and three wounded in roadside bombing in

Baghdad on 6th August. Next day, at least 37 pilgrims were killed in a bomb
blast in a small town north of Mosul. British and Australian contractors were
killed in Baghdad on 9th August.
On 10th August, at least 50 people were killed and 230 wounded in
four bomb blasts; two each in Baghdad and Mosul. Next day, at least 15
people were wounded in bomb blast in Baghdad. On 13 th August, 21 people
were killed and 32 wounded in two suicide attacks in Mosul area.
On 16th August, eight people were wounded in a series of bomb blasts
in Baghdad. Next day, eight people were killed in two bomb blasts in the
capital. On 18th August, Maliki visited Syria and met Assad to discuss
security-related issues.

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On 19th August, 95 people were killed and more than 300 wounded in
six bomb blasts in Baghdad; two mortar shells fell inside Green Zone; Ban
ki Moon was grieved and Americans sitting in bases inside Iraq were pleased
because none of them was harmed.
Two people were killed and twenty wounded in bomb attack in
Baghdad on 21st August. Next day, three Iraqi soldiers were killed and three
wounded in two incidents in Baghdad. On 24 th August, ten people were
killed and twenty wounded in bomb blast in a bus in Kut. Death toll of US
soldiers in Iraq reached 4,335.
Two persons were killed in attack on a convoy in Baghdad on 26 th
August. Body of Shiite politician Abdel Aziz al-Hakim arrived in Iraq on
28th August; the cleric-politician had died of cancer in Iran. Next day, twelve
people, including five policemen, were killed and 40 wounded in two
incidents in northern Iraq.
Two persons were killed and 13 wounded in motor-cycle bomb blast
in Baghdad on 30th August. Four days later, two US soldiers died in accident
in Diyala Province. Iraq accused Syria of harbouring militant groups. Five
people were killed in shoot-outs in Mosul on 6 th September; a soldier and
two policemen were killed in drive-by shooting. One person was killed in
bomb blast in Baghdad.
Eight people were killed and 15 wounded in bomb blast in Ramadi on
7 September. Five people were killed and 20 wounded in suicide bombing
in Baquba. Next day, four US soldiers and a government servant were killed
in separate incidents in Baghdad. Nine policemen, including police chief,
were killed in attack in Kirkuk.
th

Eight people were killed in car bomb blast in Kirkuk on 9 th September.

Two people were killed in exchange of fire between militants and US and
Iraqi troops. At least 22 people were killed and 16 wounded in suicide attack
near Mosul. Next day, two people were killed and 25 wounded in two bomb
blasts in southern Baghdad.
Three persons were killed in two bomb blasts in Baghdad on 12 th
September. Three persons were killed in attacks in Baquoba and Diyala
areas on 14th September. Iraqis and many across the Arab world prepared to
welcome Muntasir Zaidi after his release on completion of sentence. He was
imprisoned for hurling his shoes on Bush.
On 15th September, Muntasir Zaidi received heros welcome on
release after completion of his sentence. He said, I am free, but my country

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is not. Joe Biden arrived in Baghdad and rockets rained on US Embassy.

The change from Bush to Obama era was quite visible; transformation from
shoes to rockets.
At least seven people were killed in bomb blast in a village near
Baghdad on 18th September. Two days later, two soldiers were killed and 12
wounded in helicopter crash. On 23rd September a US soldier was charged
for murder of a civilian early this month. Next day, sixteen al-Qaeda
detainees escaped from Tikrit Prison.
Three policemen were among 18 people killed in bomb blasts in
Baghdad on 28th September. Five days later, 150 people were held for their
suspected links with al-Qaeda. Six people were killed and 15 wounded in
bomb blast in Fallujah on 5th October. Next day the toll was reported 16
killed and 30 wounded. Five people were killed in bomb blast in Baghdad.
Samara base was handed over to Iraqi security forces on 7 th October. Four
days later, at least 19 people were killed in three bomb blasts in Baghdad.
For the people of Palestine the peace remained elusive despite the
comparative calm as could be seen from the events reported during the
period. On 13th July, Israeli settlers in West Band set fire orchards of apples,
olives and almond owned by the Palestinians. Two days later, an Israeli
soldier spoke of war crimes committed during Gaza offensive. Later, Israel
rejected US call to halt construction in East Jerusalem.
On 28th July, Obamas special envoy met Netanyahu and discussed
peace plan. Israel evicted two Palestinian families from east Jerusalem on
2nd July for construction of Jewish settlements. Next day, Israel passed
controversial law prohibiting the Palestinians, who fled during creation of
Jewish state, to reclaim their property.
Israeli war planes bombed suspected tunnels in Gaza Strip on 10 th
August. Four days later, at least 17 people were killed and about one
hundred wounded when Hamas police fired at suspected al-Qaeda men in a
mosque in Rafah. On 15th August the toll in mosque crackdown reached 22
dead, including the leader of pro-al-Qaeda group, and 150 wounded.
On 18th August, Mubarak urged Obama to force Israel to stop
expansion of Jewish settlements. A week later, three Palestinians were killed
in Israeli air strike in Rafah. On 26th August, US and Israel wanted
meaningful talks; the talks for the last six decades has been meaningless.
On 30th August, Hamas strongly condemned UN plan to teach
Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip about the Holocaust. Israelis and
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Palestinians resumed ministerial level talks on 2nd September. Four days

later, puppets Abbas and Mubarak met in Cairo to discuss peace process.
Hamas warned against Jewish settlements. Next day, Israel approved
construction of 450 more houses in occupied land.
Netanyahu arrived in Cairo on 13th September for talks with Mubarak.
Four days later, Israel rejected UN report that pointed out crimes committed
during last Gaza attack. On 18th September, US Special envoy returned from
Middle East after deadlock in US-Israel talks.
Two Palestinians were killed in Israeli tank fire in Gaza on 20th
September. Two days later, one Palestinian was shot dead in Jerusalem by
Israeli police. On 25th September, three Palestinians were killed and three
more wounded in Israeli air raid in Gaza.
At least twenty Palestinians were wounded when police used force
against them on 27th September. The Palestinians were resisting the attempt
by Jews to enter Masjid-e-Aqsa on Youm-e-Kapur. Four days later, Israel
warned the UN over its report on war crimes committed in last Israel
offensive against Gazans.
On 2nd October, Israel released Palestinian women prisoner in
exchange of video of its soldier held by Palestinians. Israeli Air Force
carried out a strike in Gaza to destroy tunnels and ended up destroying a
marble factory. Muslim leader Saleh was arrested by Israel on 7th October.
Obama Administration continued exerting pressure on Iran in the
context of its nuclear programme but the period under review began with
hanging of fourteen militants of Jandola Group on 14 th July and later
resignation of Irans nuclear chief. On 17th July, opposition held a protest
rally in Tehran, the government used tear gas and Rafsanjani condemned the
use of gas.
On 20th July, Khamenei asked opposition to back down after Mousavi
had passed harshest criticism on Iranian rulers including the supreme leader.
Two days later, supreme leader of Iran, Khamenei, rejected Ahmadinejads
choice for vice president. On 31st July, Iran blamed foreign governments for
Tehran killings in post-election protest rallies.
Iranian border security forces arrested three US tourists on 1 st August,
who had crossed into Iran from Iraq. Next day, Khatami criticized holding of
trials of protesters and warned that it would erode the confidence in the
rulers. On 3rd August, Khamenei backed Nejad and endorsed his second

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term. Two days later, Ahmadinejad was sworn in for second term; the US
recognized him but did not congratulate.
Tehran produced the Iranian employees of British and French
embassies before the court on 8th August and one of them confessed that
Britain was involved in post-election violent protests; Britain rejected the
allegation. Next day, Hillary admitted that the US was in league with
protesters in Iran. Top official of Revolutionary Guards called for trial of
former president Khatami and main opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi.
Iran freed French lady on bail on 17 th August; she was accused of
instigating violent protests in Tehran after presidential elections. Nejad
named three women as members of his cabinet. On 21 st August Tehran
allowed IAEA better access to its nuclear sites but the US wanted more.
On 3rd September, the Parliament approved appointment of 18
ministers out of 21 proposed by Ahmadinejad; a man and two women were
rejected. The new cabinet included a woman for the first time since
revolution. Six days later, Iran handed over its proposals on nuclear
programme to envoys of world powers.
Speaking at Quds Day Ahmadinejad said Holocaust is a big lie; the
US reacted by threatening to isolate Iran. On 25 th September after
commissioning of second nuclear enrichment plant in Qom the US, UK
and French leaders threatened to impose more sanctions if Iran failed to
cooperate by 1st October.
Iran tested two medium range missiles on 27 th September. Next day,
the long range missile Shahab was tested. On 1st October, the US held
maiden direct talks with Iran on nuclear issue. On 4th October, Nejad claimed
that all issues had been ironed out and UN would inspect Irans new nuclear
plant on 25th October.
Out of the remaining Arab countries, Yemen experienced militancy,
which was sectarian in nature and obviously supported by outsiders to keep
the Yemeni government under pressure. Unspecified number of deaths were
reported in violent protests on 8th July. Five days later, six Yemenis were
awarded death sentence for terror attacks.
At least 16 people were killed in a clash between security forces and
rebels on 23rd July. Next day, seven Yemeni soldiers were killed in attacks by
militants. Three soldiers were killed by militants in northern Yemen on 31 st
July. Eight people were killed in sectarian clash in Yemen on 8 th August.
Yemeni troops killed more than 100 Shiite rebels, including two of their
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commanders in an operation to recapture a small town in the northern

mountains on 23rd August.
At least 25 people were killed in clashes between security forces and
rebels in northern Yemen on 5th September. Eight days later, seven rebels
were killed and eight wounded by security forces. Seven soldiers and twenty
rebels were killed in clashes in northern Yemen on 14 th September. Three
days later, at least eighty people were killed air strike in northern Yemen.
Security forces killed 140 rebels in northern Yemen on 20 th September.
Nine days later, 29 more rebels were killed. At least 34 people were killed in
clashes on 3rd October.
In other countries of the region little happened worth mention. In
Lebanon ten terror suspects were arrested on 21st July. On 1st August,
Hezbollah flayed Obama for extending sanctions against Syria. Egypt
arrested 26 terrorists, including one Palestinian on 9th July; they were
accused of planning attacks on vessels cruising through Suez Canal. Turkey
preferred dialogue with Kurd rebels and the public opinion backed it.
Kuwait foiled al-Qaeda attack on US base and arrested six persons on
11 August. On 19th August, 44 al-Qaeda men, including foreigners, were
arrested in Saudi Arabia. Saudi deputy foreign minister was wounded in
suicide bombing in Jeddah on 27th August.
th

VIEWS
In Iraq, Muntadharal Zaidi was freed after completion of his
sentence awarded to him for throwing his shoes at George Bush during a
press conference. A reception was arranged in his honour soon after his
release. What he said at the reception reflected the feelings of majority
of Iraqis and was meant for entire Muslim Ummah in general and ruling
elite in particular; more so in that part of the world where rulers are in
competition to excel in serving the interests of the Crusaders. He talked in
Arabic, translated by Sahar Issa and published in The Nation.
In the name of God, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful: Here I
am, free. But my country is still a prisoner of war. Firstly, I give my thanks
and my regards to everyone who stood beside me, whether inside my
country, in the Islamic world, in the free world. There has been a lot of talk
about the action and about the person who took it, and about the hero and the
heroic act, and the symbol and the symbolic act. But, simply, I answer: What

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compelled me to confront is the injustice that befell my people, and how the
occupation wanted to humiliate my homeland by putting it under its boot.
And how it wanted to crush the skulls of (the homelands) sons under
its boots, whether sheikhs, women, children or men. And during the past few
years, more than a million martyrs fell by the bullets of the occupation and
the country is now filled with more than five million orphans, a million
widows and hundreds of thousands of maimed. And many millions of
homeless because of displacement inside and outside the country.
We used to be a nation in which the Arab would share with the
Turkmen and the Kurd and the Assyrian and the Sabean and the Yazid his
daily bread. And the Shiite would pray with the Sunni in one line. And the
Muslim would celebrate with the Christian the birthday of Christ, may peace
be upon him; and despite the fact that we shared hunger under sanctions for
more than 10 years, for more than a decade.
Our patience and our solidarity did not make us forget the oppression
until we were invaded by the illusion of liberation that some had. (The
occupation) divided one brother from another, one neighbour from another
and the son from the uncle. It turned our homes into never-ending funeral
tents. And our graveyards spread into parks and roadsides. It is a plague. It is
the occupation that is killing us, that is violating the houses of worship and
the sanctity of our homes and that is throwing thousands daily into makeshift prisons.
I am not a hero, and I admit that. But I have a point of view and I
have a stance. It humiliated me to see my country humiliated. And to see my
Baghdad burned and my people being killed. Thousands of tragic pictures
remained in my head, and this weighs on me every day and pushes me
towards the righteous path of confrontation, the path of rejecting injustice,
deceit and duplicity. It deprived me of a good nights sleep.
Dozens, no, hundreds, of images of massacres that would turn the
hair of a newborn white used to bring tears to my eyes and wound me. The
scandal of Abu Gharaib; the massacre of Fallujah, Najaf, Haditha, Sadr City,
Basra, Diyala, Mosul, Tal Afar, and every inch of our wounded land. In the
past years, I traveled through my burning land and saw with my own eyes
the pain of the victims, and hear with my own ears the screams of the
bereaved and the orphans. And a feeling of shame haunted me like an ugly
name because I was powerless.
And as soon as I finished my professional duties in reporting the
daily tragedies of the Iraqis, and while I washed away the remains of the
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debris of the ruined Iraqi houses, or the traces of the blood of victims that
stained my clothes, I would clench my teeth and make a pledge to our
victims, a pledge of vengeance.
I took it out of loyalty to every drop of innocent blood that has been
shed through the occupation or because of it, every scream of a bereaved
mother, every moan of an orphan, the sorrow of a rape victim, the tear-drop
of an orphan.
I say to those who reproach me: Do you know how many broken
homes that shoe that I threw had entered because of the occupation? How
many times it had trodden over the blood of innocent victims? And how
many times it had entered homes in which free Iraqi women and their
sanctity had been violated? Maybe that shoe was the appropriate response
when all values were violated.
When I threw the shoe in the face of the criminal, Bush, I wanted to
express my rejection of his lies, his occupation of my country; my rejection
of his killing my people, my rejection of his plundering the wealth of my
country, and destroying its infrastructure; and casting out its sons into a
Diaspora.
After six years of humiliation, of indignity, of killing and violations
of sanctity, and desecration of houses of worship, the killer comes, boasting,
bragging about victory and democracy. He came to say goodbye to his
victims and wanted flowers in response. Put simply, that was my flower to
the occupier, and to all who are in league with him, whether by spreading
lies or taking action, before the occupation or after.
I wanted to defend the honour of my profession and suppressed
patriotism on the day the country was violated and its high honour lost.
Some say: Why didnt he ask Bush an embarrassing question at the press
conference, to shame him? And now I will answer you, journalists. How can
I ask Bush when we were ordered to ask no questions before the press
conference began, but only to cover the event? It was prohibited for any
person to question Bush.
And in regard to professionalism: the professionalism mourned by
some under the auspices of the occupation should not have a voice louder
than the voice of patriotism. And if patriotism were to speak out, then
professionalism should be allied with it.
I take this opportunity: If I have wronged journalism without
intention, because of the professional embarrassment I caused the

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establishment, I wish to apologize to you for any embarrassment I may have

caused those establishments. All that I meant to do was express with a living
conscience the feeling of a citizen who sees his homeland desecrated every
day.
History mentions many stories where professionalism was also
compromised at the hands of American policymakers, whether in the
assassination attempt against Fidel Castro by booby-trapping a TV camera
that CIA agents posing as journalists from Cuban TV were carrying, or what
they did in the Iraqi war by deceiving the general public about what was
happening. And there are many other examples that I wont get into here.
But what I would like to call your attention to is that these suspicious
agencies the American intelligence and its other agencies and those that
follow them will now spare any effort to track me down (because I am) a
rebel opposed to their occupation. They will try to kill me or neutralize me,
and I call the attention of those who are close to me to the traps that these
agencies will set up to capture or kill me in various ways, physically,
socially or professionally.
And at the time that the Iraqi Prime Minister came out on satellite
channels to say that he didnt sleep until he had checked in on my safety, and
that I had found a bed and a blanket, even as he spoke I was being tortured
with the most horrific methods: electric shocks, getting hit with cables,
getting hit with metal rods, and all this in the backyard of the place where
the press conference was held. And the conference was still going on and I
could hear the voices of the people in it. And maybe they, too, could hear my
screams and moans.
In the morning I was left in the cold of winter, tied up after they
soaked me in water at dawn. And I apologize for Mr Maliki for keeping the
truth from the people. I will speak later, giving names of the people who
were involved in torturing me, and some of them were high-ranking officials
in the government and in the army.
I didnt do this so my name would enter history or for material gains.
All I wanted was to defend my country, and that is a legitimate cause
confirmed by international laws and divine rights. I wanted to defend a
country, an ancient civilization that has been desecrated, and I am sure that
history especially in America will state how the American occupation
was able to subjugate Iraq and Iraqis, until its submission.
They will boast about the deceit and the means they used in order to
gain their objective. It is not strange, not much different from what happened
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to the Native Americans at the hands of colonialists. Here I say to them (the
occupiers) and to all who follow their steps, and all those who support them
and spoke up for their cause: Never; because we are people who would
rather die than face humiliation.
And lastly, I say that I am independent. I am not a member of any
political party, something that was said during torture one time that Im far
right, another that Im a leftist. I am independent of any political party, and
my future efforts will be in civil service to my people and to any who need
it, without waging any political wars, as some said that I would.
My efforts will be toward providing care for widows and orphans,
and all those whose lives were damaged by the occupation. I pray for mercy
upon the souls of the martyrs who fell in wounded Iraq, and for shame upon
those who occupied Iraq and everyone who assisted them in their
abominable acts. And I pray for peace upon those who are in their graves,
and those who are oppressed with the chains of imprisonment. And peace be
upon you who are patient and looking to God for release. And to my beloved
country I say: if the night of injustice is prolonged, it will not stop the rising
of a sun and it will be the sun of freedom.
One last word; I say to the government: It is a trust that I carry from
my fellow detainees. They said: Muntadhar, if you get out, tell of our plight
to the omnipotent powers I know that only God is omnipotent and I pray
to Him remind them that there are dozens, hundreds, of victims rotting in
prisons because of an informants word. They have been there for years;
they have not been charged or tried.
Theyve only been snatched up from the streets and put into these
prisons. And now, in front of you, and in the presence of God, I hope they
can hear me or see me. I have now made good on my promise of reminding
the government and the officials and politicians to look into whats
happening inside the prisons; the injustice thats caused by the delay in the
judicial system. Thank you. And may Gods peace be upon you.
Tayyab Siddiqui wrote about Obamas policy and defiance by
Netanyahu regarding People of Palestine. Israel is committed to stopping
expansion of settlements and also to evacuating settlement out-posts built
since 2001 under the US roadmap of 2003. The settlements, nevertheless,
have continued. Israel claims that Bush had secretly agreed to expand Jewish
settlements. Today about half a million Jews live in more than 100
settlements in the West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem.

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Obama rejected Netanyahus position that construction should be

allowed to continue in existing settlements as part of the natural growth.
Netanyahu heading an ultra-right government took no time in rejecting
Obamas call as an unreasonable demand. In direct challenge to Obama
he announced that an existing West Bank settlement Efrat will be
extended by up to 2,500 homes.
Just as Obama entered the White House, a prominent Republican
pollster Frank Luntz, floated the Israel Project with an advisory board
including 20 congressmen. Once the settlement issue heated up, it promptly
released a document claiming that the Jewish settlements were not an
obstacle to peace accreting that those who backed the removal of the
settlement were supporting ethnic-cleansing and anti-Semitism.
Israel has in the past deflected pressure by energizing the Israeli
lobby in the US and by hurling accusation of anti-Semitism to force the
adversary to withdraw. Netanyahu has followed the same strategy. Israel has
succeeded in getting Capitol Hills support to the position that the
settlements are necessary for the security of Israel. The Anti-Defamation
League (ADL) recently took out a full-page advertisement in the New York
Times condemning Obamas pressure on Israel maintaining that the
problem is not settlement; it is Arab rejection.
Given the above background it appears that Obama and
Netanyahu are on a collision course. Obama is becoming conscious of the
sensitivity of the issue. The flurry of diplomatic activity with visits of
Obamas emissaries to Tel Aviv and European capitals hold the hope that the
issue may lose its confrontational character and offer itself to some kind of
compromise. It will, however, be safe to predict that such a compromise
would be on Israeli terms. The settlement issue is the first real major foreign
policy challenge that will test Obamas courage and character as a world
statesman.
Dr James Zogby commented on meetings on the sidelines of UNGA
annual meeting. In the days following the bilateral meetings, the trilateral
session and President Obamas speech to the General Assembly, reactions
were predictable. The Israeli side, taking their cue from Netanyahu,
crowed, while much of the Arab media both criticized Obama for caving in
in the face of Israeli intransigence, and decried the humiliation of Abbas
who was seen as having been abandoned by the US on the critical issue of
settlements.

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In the US, reactions varied, ranging from supporters of the White

House who keyed in on Obamas impatience and sense of urgency, to
critics who termed the presidents performance weak and indecisive. Zogby
went on to discuss various observations on Obamas performace to date
before concluding his analysis.
Because, as Obama continues to assert, a comprehensive regional
peace is not just an Israeli and Arab concern, but a matter of US national
security interests, he insists that he is redoubling his efforts to push his team
to get negotiations underway in the coming weeks. For now, Mitchell will
continue with US-Israel and US-Palestinian bilateral talks. As the president
made it clear, these intensive consultations will continue for but a short time.
By mid-October, Mitchell is to report to Secretary of State Clinton, who, in
turn will give a progress report to the president. Should the impasse remain,
and that is the likely scenario, many believe that Obama will need to step
forward making a long-awaited intervention laying a plan of his own. It
is at this point that the mettle of the Obama Administration will truly be
tested.
The bottom line to all this is that, as unsettling and confusing as the
New York events may have been, they are but a step in a longer process,
setting the stage for a more substantial challenge and, possibly, another
showdown in the weeks ahead, where another setback will not be an
option.

Iran was kept under relentless diplomatic pressure to the extent that
Russia was asked not to sell S-300 missiles to Iran. Yossi Melman wrote:
There is nothing that is or has to be clandestine about an Israeli prime
minister visiting Russia and meeting with its leaders. Every prime minister
since the 1990shas gone there.
The pattern is always the same: the premier travels to Moscow
armed with secret information emanating from Israels intelligence
community about some intention of Russias part to sell arms or nuclear
equipment to Iran and Syria. The Russians listen in silence to the Israeli
complaints. In cases where Israel fears that Russian weaponry has trickled to
Hezbollah via Iran, or that smuggled Russian technology has reached Irans
nuclear program, the Russians mostly deny it or ask for more information or
promise they will look into it. And there, more or less, the matter rests.
What Israels leaders fall to appreciate is that Russia has its own
Middle Eastern interests and policies, which usually do not correspond
with Israeli interests, aspirations and desires. Again and again, they fall into
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the trap of hoping that perhaps this time they will manage to persuade the
Russians. And then, of course, they are humiliated
They see Israels demand that Russia refrain from selling weapons to
Iran and Syria as presumptuous especially when it comes to the deal
involving the sale of S-300 surface-to-air missiles to Iran. Why does Israel
want to stop this deal? Because these weapons will make it difficult to
attack Irans nuclear facilities, and that is exactly what Russias foreign
policy aims to achieve.
The Nation talked of Wests nuclear double standards. Irans nuclear
tension with the US is showing no sign of easing off. The Obama
Administrations approach has now started to reek of the Bush regimes
designs of cowing down Iran with arrogant utterances. Although
phraseology like the Axis of Evil has been given up, it is quite disturbing to
see President Obama taking the path of confrontation in his address at the
UN General Assembly. He made no bones about keeping all options open
disappointing all those who were looking for a change he had promised.
As things stand, Iran is well within its rights to pursue a peaceful
nuclear programme under the NPT. The disclosure by Iran of another
enrichment plant should not alarm the world since it is geared to peaceful
purposes only. However, it appears it is being penalized for being a Muslim
country that has refused to bow before US hegemonic intentions. Ironically,
on the other side of the spectrum, we have Israel with its massive nuclear
arsenal loaded on sophisticated ballistic missile systems about which the US
does not even say a word. The Obama Administration must have a
rethink on its Iran policy. One hopes good sense will prevail. Sticking to
dialogue and interaction is more likely to pay dividends than an aggressive
posture.
Atul Aneja discussed the options and rejected the options of sanctions
and air strikes terming those as impractical. It is evident that the US and its
partners will run into a wall of resistance if they continue to push Iran
to halt nuclear enrichment or threaten it with more stringent sanctions, if
not worse.
On the contrary, acceptance of enrichment, but under watertight
international monitoring, which ensures that enriched uranium produced
by Iran is not diverted for military purposes, can pay attractive dividends.
For instance, the Iranians will be denied any credible argument against
signing of Additional Protocol to the NPT, which provides for surprise
inspections of suspect facilities, once it is permitted enrichment under full
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international surveillance. Irans failure to cooperate then will deny it the

moral high ground that it is presently inclined to take on all conceivable
national and international forums. Besides, its failure to comply would give
room for manoeuvring to undercut support for Iran among the large number
of nations belonging to the non-aligned group. Irans isolation can become
comprehensive, and the moral case for additional punitive measures can be
made impregnable, if Tehrans post-enrichment stance falls short of
international expectations.
There has been much talk in the West about the imposition of
punishing gasoline sanctions to force Iran to amend its stance on the nuclear
issue. Despite imports meeting 40 percent of their petrol demand, the
Iranians are unlikely to be sufficiently hurt by an embargo. Russia has
already declared that it opposes a gasoline blockade against Iran. It would be
hard to impose a petrol embargo on Iran without consensus among the
global powers. Even if the West goes ahead with sanctions, minus Russia
and in all probability China, it is unlikely to achieve much success.
Russia would still be in a position to sufficiently meet Iranian demand by
transiting gasoline along alternative routes.
Air strikes by Israel or the US are not a realistic option either.
Aerial bombardment of Irans widely dispersed nuclear infrastructure can, at
best, delay the progress of Tehrans atomic programme. But the risks
attached to such a military misadventure are enormous. Iran in all
probability will retaliate by mining the Strait of Hormuz the principal
gateway for transiting global oil supplies. Oil prices following an attack on
Iran are bound to surge to unprecedented heights. A recession hit global
economy, which is still in the doldrums and is likely to remain so for some
more time, will find it hard to withstand such a heavy blow. An attack on
Iran is also likely to trigger attacks on Israel by the Hezbollah, leading to a
much larger regional conflagration in an area which holds the worlds largest
deposits of oil. The October 1 talks open up a narrow path for progress. If
not treaded carefully by the global powers and Iran, there could be disaster
on a much larger scale.
Benjamin Kerstein was of the view that Israel was unlikely to attack
Iran. The final decision regarding Israeli military action will be taken
by Barak and probably by no one else. Certainly, Netanyahu could order a
strike, or veto one, but without Baraks support, he would be forced into a
very uncomfortable position. At worst, he would have to remove his defense
minister and replace him, thus also losing the Labour Partys participation in
the government at precisely the moment when political unity would be most
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necessary. For the same reasons, if Barak were to insist upon a strike, or
refraining from one, there would be little room for Netanyahu to refuse, even
if he wanted to.
This is significant in regard to the latest revelations about the Qom
facility because despite Netanyahu and Leibermans urgent statements,
Baraks personality and his previous actions suggest that an Israeli
strike is highly unlikely, precisely because of the current sense of political
urgency. Baraks is a legendarily mercurial and mathematical mind. One ofttold anecdote is that his favourite method of relaxation is to dismantle
watches and put them back together.
With one notable exception (the 2000 withdrawal from Lebanon) he
tends not to act rashly or emotionally; and plans his moves meticulously
beforehand. Along with this, however, he displays a strong affinity for the
unexpected stroke. As in the case of the Syrian strike and several surprise
evacuations of illegal Israeli settlements, he tends to strike when it is least
expected, and to deliberately avoid those moments when action seems
inevitable.
Paradoxically, then, the exhortations of Netanyahu and Lieberman, as
well as the dramatic revelations of Obama and other Western governments,
indicate that IDF action against Iran is decidedly unlikely at this time.
Certainly, they can do no harm, and may help build some political support
for the strike that is, I think, inevitable. Given who will actually be giving
the order, however, they actually make action less likely at this time. That
will only happen when the world is busy chattering about other things.
Paul Craig Roberts opined that there is no legal basis for action
against Iran. The Obama regimes claim that Iran is not in compliance
with the safeguards agreement is disinformation. Between the end of
2004 and early 2007, Iran voluntarily compiled with an additional protocol
(Code 3.1) that was never ratified and never became a legal part of the
safeguards agreement. The additional protocol would have required Iran to
notify the IAEA prior to beginning construction of a new facility, whereas
the safeguards agreement in force requires notification prior to completion
of a new facility. Iran ceased its voluntary compliance with the ungratified
additional protocol in March 2007, most likely because of the American and
Israeli misrepresentations of Irans existing facilities and military threats
against them.
By accusing Iran of having a secret nuclear weapons program and
demanding that Iran come clean about the non-existent program, adding
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that he does not rule out a military attack on Iran, Obama mimics the
discredited Bush regimes use of non-existent Iraqi weapons of mass
destruction to set up Iraq for invasion
After quoting some analysts to support his argument Paul Craig
added: As there is no legal basis for action against Iran, the Obama
regime is creating another hoax, like the non-existent Iraqi weapons of mass
destruction. The hoax is that a facility, reported to the IAEA by Iran, is a
secret facility for making nuclear weapons.
Just as the factual reports from the weapons inspectors in Iraq were
ignored by the Bush regime, the factual reports from the IAEA are ignored
by the Obama Regime. Like the Bush Regime, the Middle East policy of the
Obama Regime is based in lies and deception. Who is the worst enemy of
the American people, Iran or the government in Washington and the
media whores who serve if?
Alastair Crooke viewed it differently. To insist that Iran abandon
altogether the nuclear fuel cycle is now probably unrealistic. Iran
already has it. To set as an objective that Iran must never acquire the
technology that would allow it to speedily move to weapons capacity at
some future point in time is also unrealistic. But to bomb is even less a
solution.
It seems, then, that we are heading to increasing sanctions on
Iran. But these too are likely to be ineffective, as most specialists already
admit. Such a policy will again polarize the region, split it, increase tensions
and contribute to further isolating America and Europe in the Muslim
world.
Despite the rhetorical stance of some Arab governments, the Arab
and Muslim street and a number of states faced with western escalation
against Iran are more likely to perceive the conflict as one in which the
West is seeking to weaken a Muslim rival in order to maintain Israels
military hegemony. Sentiment will turn against the West and Israel.
In short, the US will again be boxed into an ineffective and unpopular
policy. Already, the nonaligned majority and most Muslim states support
Iranian rights under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. For the US to
elevate the nuclear issue to an ultimatum, while ignoring the new strategic
reality of a powerful Iran, is, as Ahmadinejad hinted, a course of action that
Obama may come to regret. The Pittsburgh theatrics may prove to have
been shortsighted.

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REVIEW
Iraq has been a war of choice, according to Barack Obama. His
decision to continue the occupation of the conquered land has also been a
matter of choice as the puppet regime in Baghdad and the rulers across the
Arab World dare not ask Obama to pullout his troops. But, that in no way
reflect the feelings on Iraqi people.
Feelings of Iraqi people were expressed by Muntadharal Zaidi after
his release from the prison. He (Bush) came to say goodbye to his victims
and wanted flowers in response. Put simply, that was my flower to the
occupier, and to all who are in league with him, whether by spreading lies or
taking action, before the occupation or after All that I meant to do was
express with a living conscience the feeling of a citizen who sees his
homeland desecrated every day.
The region, in general, experienced no unusual happenings, except in
Yemen. The country has been turmoil primarily because of its geographic
location. Both Somalia and Yemen are located on either side of the entrance
to Red Sea from the Indian Ocean. The power that claims that 21 st century
belongs to it has to keep the two countries embroiled in internal strife so that
non challenge is posed to external forces.
12th October 2009

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FOUR LETTER WORD

The victory in Swat has caused hesitation in the Army to carry out
another operation of such a large scale primarily due to the price at which it
was secured. Army doesnt want another victory at an exorbitant price of
nearly two thousand soldiers killed and more than five thousand wounded.
Hence, for the operation in Waziristan it has been focusing on isolating
belligerent Mehsuds and on elimination of militant leadership; the lessons
learnt from Operation Rah-e-Raast.
Meanwhile, the reports of extra-judicial killings from Swat kept
pouring in. Army cannot exonerate itself from the commission of these
crimes though most of these were being committed by lashkars of ANP or
on the pointing of local informers which too mostly belong to ANP. This and
the manner in which rehabilitation of IDPs has been undertaken are parts of
political consolidation.
Zardari remained out of Pakistan for almost half of the period under
review. His US Yatra ended with passing of a bill by the US Congress the
draft of which had been initiated by Shaheed wife of Zardari and was then
called Biden-Lugar Bill. The Kerry-Lugar Bill caters for the needs of the
US and India, but Zardari in the bargain has ensured that his interest of
thwarting threat to his regime from ISI and Army was acknowledged and
duly included in the Bill.
The failure of very first large scale operation after surge of troops in
Afghanistan has forced the Crusaders to rethink about their much hyped
strategy. Obama Administration has deferred dispatch of additional troops
despite the urgent demands of its military commander in Afghanistan.
The US has also decided to drop the term Af-Pak from its vocabulary.
Zardari may claim it as another victory of his government. Though it wasnt
a four letter word; yet its dropping will not make any difference in the
presence of an array of four-letter words in Yankees vocabulary.

NEWS
In Pakistan, 18 militants surrendered in Malakand Division in Swat
on 12 September. Curfew was imposed during visit of Chief Minister
NWFP to Swat. He vowed to eliminate militants. Swat Police freed wife
and daughters Sufi Mohammad; his three sons were shifted to Haripur Jail.
One person was killed and another wounded when police opened fire on
th

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IDPs in a camp in Mardan district. In Khyber Agency, 22 militants were

killed in air raids and 350 Khassadars were dismissed from service. Militants
in Darra Adamkhel killed two persons for spying.
Two policemen were among four wounded in suicide attack in Hangu
area. Law enforcers held 82 suspects in Lakki Marwat area. Jetfighters
bombed Ladda and Makin areas. A church in Sambrial was attacked over
desecration of Quraan; Gilani and Zardari condemned the attack. US refused
to give any money direct to Zardaris government.
Next day, a soldier was killed and three others including two
policemen were wounded when a grenade was hurled on a convoy in Swat;
attacker was shot dead and ten suspects were arrested. Muslim Khan and his
four companions were shifted to Peshawar Jail.
The News published another version of the Muslim Khan story. Its
correspondent reported that Muslim Khan and his four companions might
have surrendered after negotiating a deal. And in the bargain he provided
useful information about whereabouts of Fazlullah, who could now be
targeted in next 24 hours. Rehman Malik claimed surrounding Fazlullah and
that he would meet his end very soon.
Suicide attack was foiled in Malakand area when security personnel
fired at a suspicious car; two soldiers and three civilians were wounded in
resultant blast. Seven citizens of Maldeep arrested earlier were shifted to
Islamabad for interrogation. Top militant commander was killed in Lower
Dir. Three persons were wounded in remote-control bomb blast in Bajaur.
Tribal elder escaped a bid on his life.
Two policemen were wounded when a police van was ambushed near
Swabi. Three FC soldiers were killed in suicide attack in Khyber Agency.
Forces killed six militants and arrested ten. Two hundred more Khassadars
were dismissed bring the total to more than seven hundred. Rehman Malik
claimed that forces were closing on Mangal Bagh. In Kohat area, 22
suspects were held. Ten militants were killed and 15 wounded in strike by
PAF jetfighters in South Waziristan. A militant belonging to Swat was
arrested in Rawalpindi.
Two soldiers and 16 militants were killed in various incidents in Swat
on 14 September; two dead bodies were recovered and 105 militants
surrendered in Kabal area. Mian Iftikhar claimed arresting 40 suicide
bombers. A militant was killed in Bajaur and a soldier in Khyber Agency. A
policeman was killed and eight policemen and three civilians wounded in
bomb attack on police truck in Mansehra.
th

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Three Arabs were among four people killed in US missile strike near
Mirali in North Waziristan. DG ISPR said the government has directed Army
to launch operation in Waziristan. FATA official said up to 5,000 Uzbek
militants are present in tribal areas. Rehman Malik once again claimed that
al-Qaeda men were fleeing to Yemen and Somalia.
Hussain Haqqani had recently written a letter to concerned authorities
asking them not to refuse visas to certain Americans. Saleh Zaafir
investigated and found that all these individuals were involved in spying and
anti-Pakistani activities, yet Haqqani was more interested to retain his
neocon links. The SP who had picked up a brawl with agencies officials and
US Marines during routine checking at Peshawar Morrh, Islamabad was
reverted to Establishment Division.
Three militants were killed and 22 wounded in Swat on 15 th
September and five militants were killed in artillery shelling in Bajaur
Agency. One person was wounded in rocket attack in Peshawar. More than
fifty suspects were arrested in a crackdown in Karachi after an attempt of
terror attack last night on of Kaimari oil terminal. The arms and explosives
recovered after foiling of the attack was Russian-made which made their
way to Karachi from Afghanistan.
On 16th September, 37 militants surrendered and 17, including top
commander Sher Mohammad Qasab, were arrested in Swat. Eight militants
were arrested in Mohmand Agency; officials claimed killing 700 militants in
last year. Rockets landed in Hayatabad, Peshawar. Eleven militants were
killed in operation in D I Khan area.
US claimed that two top al-Qaeda terrorists, one Pakistani and the
other Uzbek, were killed in the last two US missile attacks in Waziristan.
Robert Masseh who was arrested in Sambrial on accusation of desecrating
holy Quraan, committed suicide in jail and Christian community accused
superintendent jail of murder.
Holbrooke alleged that al-Qaeda was seeking nuclear secrets from
Pakistan. He also said that Pakistans nuclear weapons were in danger of
falling into the hands of militants. The PAF had struck a deal with Ukraine
for supply of an aircraft used for air to air refueling and recently it had asked
for one aircraft for training purposes; Ukraine agreed to send the required
aircraft which happened to be in the US. However, before it could fly to
Pakistan, the US authorities on learning of its destination impounded the
plane. Earlier, the US had tried unsuccessfully to block the deal itself.

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Ahmed Quraishi reported that Ambassador Hussain Haqqani

deliberately leaked a classified communication which found its way to
CNN-IBN, an Indian television network in New Delhi. He added that the
leak is timed for maximum damage to Pakistans interests, because it
happened on the eve of Zardaris US visit.
In this letter, the ambassador had complained to foreign secretary and
DG ISI about a secret blacklist of US journalists and NGO-types and
strongly protested denying them visas to enter Pakistan. All those who were
refused visas were found involved in intelligence gathering and anti-Pakistan
activities.
Quraishi wrote: The leaked letter puts Haqqani in a positive light
before his friends inside the Washington establishment and refocuses the
American policy debate on Pakistans military and intelligence, both until
recently a regular target for the mainstream US media and think tanks.
Haqqani worked for both before he was appointed ambassador last year by
the ruling party.
Quraishi reminded Haqqani of the US media and thin tanks campaign
to demonize Pakistan; such a campaign preceded the US invasion of Iraq;
and that some US researchers and journalists violated the terms on their
entry visas. He then asked: Why does Ambassador Haqqani insist that
Islamabad should not have the right to choose who should enjoy the
hospitality of the Pakistani people, especially when the number of visas
denied to US applicants is insignificant compared to the number granted?
And should Ambassador Haqqani not defend this legitimate Pakistani
position instead of putting his own government under pressure on behalf of
Washingtons interest where it is undue?
Ten militants were killed when police fired at them during crossing of
Swat River on 17th September and later four more were killed in Bari Kot;
15 militants were arrested and 24 surrendered separately. Provincial agencies
informed the PHC bench that they did not know the whereabouts of the
former Commissioner Malakand. The court asked the answer to the same
question from MI and ISI on 30th September.
A woman was killed in Mohmand Agency when a shell landed at her
house. In Kohat, 16 shops were gutted and three people were wounded in
bomb explosion. Police arrested 12 militants in Quetta; they had come from
Afghanistan. NATO supply truck was attacked near Kalat. MQM activist
was gunned down in Karachi.

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Next day, four militants were killed; two arrested and 24 surrendered
in Swat. Demolition of houses and property of militants continued. Five
militants were killed in Sakhakot, Malakand Agency. Afghan refugees were
banned from leading prayers in Lower Dir District. In Tirah Valley of
Khyber Agency, 13 militants were arrested.
At least 33 people were killed and sixty wounded in a suicide attack in
a market near Kohat. Angry residents pelted stones on police as it arrived at
the scene of the blast. Three more were killed in firing at the funeral of one
of the victims of the suicide attack.
One policeman was killed and two wounded in attack on a mobile in
Kohat. District Nazim of Hangu was killed in bomb blast in a mosque
adjacent to his house where he was in Aitikaf. Ten militants were held in
Rajanpur. Three persons were killed and two dead bodies were recovered in
Karachi. Three hundred acres of land in Rahimyar Khan were reportedly
leased to UAE at nominal price.
On 19th September, two militants were killed, 52 surrendered and
seven arrested in Swat; three dead bodies were also recovered. Death toll in
Kohat bomb blast rose to 40. Turkistan Bittani along with his fighters was
detained by authorities in Tank.
Office of the private security company run by Captain (retired) Zaidi
was raided and US-made unlicensed weapons were recovered; Zaidi
escaped. His security company recruited guards for equivalents of
Blackwater operating in Islamabad. He also purchased land for US setups.
Ten militants were killed, 27 wounded and 22 surrendered in Swat on
20 September. Wounded Sher Muhammad Qasab died in captivity. Gilani
announced release of innocent people arrested during Bara operation. Three
persons were killed and two wounded in Hangu shoot out between two
groups. Authorities freed Turkistan Bittani along with 25 others.
th

Master-planner of suicide bombings was arrested in Swat on 21st

September. Rehman Malik said Fazlullah would be killed soon and
Hakimullah was dead and his death too would be confirmed soon. Four dead
bodies of young men were recovered from Nowshera. One terrorist was
arrested along with a large cache of arms and explosives, including 18 KK
rifles were recovered at Chaman border crossing.
Next day, eleven militants were arrested in Swat. Ten militants were
arrested in Buner. A militant commander was arrested in Shabqadar. Four
Swati militants were arrested in Nowshera. Three policemen were wounded

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in rocket attack on police station in Liyari, Karachi. The US passed a bill of

aid for Pakistan worth $2.37 billion. Holbrooke met Zardari and discussed
the mode of payment. The US decided to drop the use of term Af-Pak from
its vocabulary.
On 23rd September, 21 militants surrendered in Swat and two were
arrested with 44 thousand rupees. Is possession of cash an act of terrorism.
Five militants were arrested in Dir. Six soldiers were wounded in attack on a
convoy in Mattani area near Peshawar. Five militants were arrested in Darra
Adamkhel. COAS visited South Waziristan. Six policemen were among nine
wounded in gangsters attack in Lyari.
A 12-thousand strong lashkar has been raised in Swat; eight militants
and two Lashkaris were killed, four arrested and 45 surrendered on 24 th
September. Eleven tribal elders and eight militants were killed in an ambush
in Janikhel area. Two paramedics were arrested in Hangu area. US drone
attack killed ten people in North Waziristan. Tribesmen started moving out
of Waziristan in view of the impending operation in their area.
Friends of Democratic Pakistan decided to set up a fund to rebuild
Pakistans conflict areas. US Senate approved legislation for increasing aid
for Pakistan to fight terrorism and economic development; so, Zardari on
return to Islamabad would have something to boast about his begging
expertise. Munawar Hassan termed US Embassy mini Pentagon in Pakistan.
On 25th September, 44 militants surrendered and 8 were arrested in
Swat. Mules carrying arms and ammunition from Afghanistan were
intercepted in Bajaur Agency; one militant was arrested. Gunship helicopters
struck militants in Kohat and Darra Adamkhel areas; 14 militants were
arrested. Death toll in US missile attack rose to 12. At least 19 people were
killed in an operation in Tank area and four in Janikhel area. Five rockets
were fired at Jandola Fort; two FC soldiers were wounded. Inter Risks
owner, Captain Zaidi remained at large and his name was not put on ECL;
meanwhile it was reported that Zaidi was arrested on the day of raid on his
office but released on a telephone call from Interior Ministry.
Army killed seven militants in Swat on 26 th September; twenty
surrendered and ritual of destroying houses of militants continued. A militant
commander was arrested in Dir. Eleven militants were arrested in Bara;
Mangal Baghs head money was fixed at Rs5 million. At least 12 people
were killed and more than eighty wounded in car bomb attack in Peshawar.
Ten people were killed and sixty wounded in suicide truck-attack at a police
station near Bannu. Five militants were arrested in D G Khan. Bombs and
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firing in Gilgit killed five people. An activist of MQM-H was killed in

Karachi.
Ahmed Quraishi reported that the US has planned to build a coalition
of allies across Pakistani politics, media and academia to create a domestic
counter to the entrenched Pakistani policymaking establishment that is
resisting American efforts to force Pakistan to become a voluntary fullfledged second theatre of war after Afghanistan.
Kerry-Logar Bill has all the conditionalities which the US and India
have been talking about. It demands Army and ISI must severe their links
with terrorists; army must not interfere in political and judicial matters; and
civil government must tighten its control over Army. The bill specified that
Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad must be stopped from launching
terror attacks in neighbouring country; terror infrastructure operating from
Quetta, Muridke and FATA must be dismantled; and access should be
provided to personnel working in nuclear organizations of Pakistan.
A militant commander was killed in Swat on 27 th September. Five
people, including a tribal elder, were wounded in remote-control bomb blast
on their jeep near Hangu. Authorities asked tribesmen of Makin area to
vacate the area. Sunday Times reported that the US mulled attacking Quetta
to kill Taliban leadership. Rehman Malik said licence of Inter Risk was
cancelled over possession of illegal arms. Meanwhile, Zaidi succeeded in
getting his interim bail before arrest.
Ten militants were arrested and 11 surrendered in Swat on 28 th
September and eight were arrested in Dir. A woman was killed when a shell
landed on her house in Mohmand Agency and four people were killed in
other incidents. Peace committee chief was among five killed in suicide
attack on his car in Bannu FR. Death toll of blasts in Peshawar and Bannu
rose to 33. Army launched retaliatory offensive in North Waziristan and
killed 58 militants. US launched missile attack near Mirali; no casualties
were reported. One soldier was killed and five wounded in attack on a
military camp in South Waziristan; 15 militants were killed when soldiers
returned fire.
An oil tanker carrying fuel for NATO forces was set on fire in Quetta.
An activist of banned outfit was shot dead in Karachi. Fifteen MNAs of
FATA area submitted their resignation to PM; they demanded resignation of
NWFP Governor and more funds for development and IDPs. Maqsood
Tirmizi reported that Capt Zaidi, the owner of Inter-Risk, trained three

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batches of recruits in Rawat Industrial area under the label of Care and
Craft Auto Mobiles. Foreign trainers had been visiting the training facility.
Hillary Clinton said Pakistans efforts against terrorism were not
adequate. Samsam Bokhari said there was nothing against Pakistan in KerryLogar Bill; (Muridke and Quetta are located in India). Hussain Haqqani said
the bill imposed conditions on the US government, not on Pakistan.
At least three militants were killed, 27 militants and 16 surrendered in
Swat on 29th September. Amir Moqam held a press conference to express
grievances of non-ANP IDPs of Swat. He said the aid should be distributed
through Army as ANP was registering only those who flew red flags at their
houses. Greece blamed Pakistan for kidnapping of its citizen from Chitral.
Four soldiers were wounded in rocket fire at a post in Darra Adamkhel.
Six people were killed and five wounded in US drone attack in South
Waziristan. Mulla Nazir announced that he would remain neutral in
operation in the area. Five people were killed in US missile attack in North
Waziristan; it was third attack in 24 hours. Gilani agreed to change governor
as demanded by FATA MNAs. General Kayani visited Kabul to attend
tripartite meeting; on return he said there would be no US drone attacks in
Balochistan. Captain Zaidi was arrested by police from Chakwal; however,
records of his company and recruits went missing.
Musharraf advised America to send more troops to Afghanistan and
said withdrawal of US forces would be a grave mistake. Indian TV channel
reported that the US has decided to launch drone attacks in Quetta area after
consultation with RAW about whereabouts of Taliban leadership. Lady
Patterson said the US concern is whether Pakistan really controls its
territory. Rehman Malik handed over documents related to Benazirs murder
to the UN team. The team also met Nahid Khan, Safdar Abbasi and Shujaat.
Four militants were arrested and 12 surrendered in Swat on 30 th
September. Five militants were arrested in Mohmand Agency. Tribesmen of
Mohmand Agency told the Afghan refugees to leave their area. Close aide of
TTP chief was caught from Hangu area. Six people were killed in US missile
attack in North Waziristan. Four people were killed in incidents of firing in
Gilgit. Remand of Inter-Risk owner, Captain Zaidi, was extended as he
failed to show licences of arms recovered from his possession. Dr A Q Khan
said Blackwater has reached close to his house; he said that in the view of
the reports of hiring of 300 houses by the US in Islamabad.
US Congress passed the Kerry-Logar Bill unanimously without
debating; thereby belying the claim of Babar Awan, who had been arguing
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that it was premature to debate the conditionalities as there would be

changes in the Bill before it becomes a law. Punjab Governor, Salman Taseer
rejected criticism of Kerry-Logar Bill. He said all conditions tagged on to
the Bill were in line with our declared national policy on the issues which
also bother the US. It was a rare occasion when Salman spoke truth.
Two militants were killed and two soldiers wounded in Swat on 1 st
October; six militants were arrested and four surrendered. Three dead bodies
were found in Malakand region. Three militants were killed and 66 arrested
in Bajaur Agency. Four soldiers were among eight people wounded in
suicide car attack on a convoy in Bara area. COAS visited North Waziristan.
Hakimullahs brother was reported killed in one of the US drone attacks.
Lady Pattersons deputy said leaders of Taliban and al-Qaeda are
present in Quetta area; Pakistan must arrest them. He added that there was
no Blackwater in Pakistan and only one hundred houses have been hired in
Islamabad. He also said the US believed that licence of Inter Risk was still
valid because it is a very professional security agency. Meanwhile, police
arrested Zaidis co-accused, Jamil Abbasi, who had procured hundred
licences from interior ministry. In Washington, DG ISI met CIA chief who
provided intelligence about Taliban leaders presence in Quetta area.
John Kerry said the Bill would help decreasing Pakistanis hatred for
Pakistan. Shah Mahmood Qureshi urged the US not to pull out troops from
Afghanistan. He feared that Taliban would turn on to Islamabad after
pullout. A survey revealed that more than 80 percent are against being an
ally of America in the war on terror.
Three soldiers were killed, four arrested and seven surrendered in
Malakand Division on 2nd October. BBC showed a video in which Pakistani
soldiers were torturing the suspected militants. Sixteen militants were
arrested in Bajaur Agency. Two policemen were shot dead in Mardan. In
Tirah Valley, 27 militants were killed. More than 20 people were wounded in
two bomb blasts in North Waziristan. Decision to launch operation against
Mehsud tribe in North Waziristan was taken and for that purpose a deal was
struck with tribes of Southern Waziristan. Gilgit was handed over to antiterrorism force.
Maqbool Malik reported that Kerry-Lugar Bill was aimed at
Pakistans nuclear weapons. JI held protest rallies against Kerry-Lugar Bill
and a petition was filed against the Bill in SHC. Fauzia Wahab said the Bill
ensured provision of unconditional US aid. CIA mouthpieces warned
General Kayani that US strikes will impact Pakistan military.
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Inter-Risk owner went missing once again after US diplomat defended

his case. The Nation reported existence of American outpost in Rawat
Industrial Estate comprising several compounds with high boundary walls
and billboards indicating fake identity.
National Security Force (NSF) will be raised with the assistance of
Britain, which will be employed to fight terrorism. Zardari regime may have
designs to have it as a parallel force just as ZAB had tried to have one in the
name of FSF.
A boy was killed in bomb blast in Manglor area of Swat on 3rd
October. Man who lashed a woman in Swat was arrested from D I Khan.
Five militants were killed in shelling in Bajaur Agency and a progovernment elder was shot dead. One soldier was killed in suicide attack on
a convoy in Khyber Agency; 11 militants were killed in retaliation. In
another incident five people were killed when a shell landed on a house.
Rockets landed at Peshawar Airport.
One person was killed in factional fighting in Upper Kurram. US
intelligence sources said Hakimullah has been killed few days ago in a clash
with a rival group. Six soldiers were wounded in rocket firing and attack on
posts in Waziristan. Tribal elders of D G Khan also started raising lashkars
of Swat pattern to fight against their brand of Taliban. Seven vehicles were
set ablaze after a clash between two rival political groups in Karachi.
Sikander Shaheen of The Nation reported that the US was protecting
Inter-Risk by denying the investigators access to the guards recruited and
trained for the security of US setups and most of whom are deployed in
Peshawar and surrounding areas. Shah Mahmood said Kerry-Lugar Bill
would eradicate poverty and militancy in Pakistan.
Six militants were killed in Swat on 4 th October; 24 were arrested and
26 surrendered. JUI-F asked Taliban to give up armed struggle and adopt
peaceful means of protest. Two militants were arrested in Bajaur. Three
soldiers were wounded in attack on a post in North Waziristan. The US said
Pakistan was all set to launch operation in North Waziristan for it has been
suitably equipped (with night vision goggles).
One Afghan suspect was arrested in D I Khan and 40 suspects were
held in an operation in D G Khan. Eleven activists of banned outfits were
arrested in Vehari area. Two policemen were among five people killed in a
day-long gang-war in Karachis Layari area; six people were arrested.

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Shahbaz opposed aid under Kerry-Lugar Bill; Fauzia Wahab said

raising objections was a habit with PML-N. The reports that Zaidi went
missing proved incorrect. In fact, he was taken over by intelligence agencies
and interrogated at unknown place. Interior Ministry was annoyed about
handing over of the owner of Inter Risk to agencies; as a consequence the
SHO responsible was replaced and told to report to the Lines.
Ten militants were arrested in Swat on 5th October and 15 were held in
Buner. Two FC soldiers were among three persons wounded in a bomb blast
in Bajaur Agency. Five militants were killed in an operation in Khyber
Agency and two FC soldiers were wounded in rocket attack on a post. Two
militants were killed in shelling in Darra area. NWFP Assembly admitted an
adjournment motion for general discussion on Blackwater issue.
Four kids were among seven killed in clash between tribes in Orakzai
Agency. Hakimullah talked to journalists on phone to belie US and Pakistani
reports of his killing. Three militants in Waziristan and one foreign militant
in Gomal area were killed by security forces.
Five people, including an Iraqi, were killed and seven wounded in
suicide attack on the office of the UN World Food Programme in Islamabad;
the office is in close vicinity of Zardaris official abode. Zardari hosted lunch
for Gilani o discuss matters on interest, including the security.
Opposition in National Assembly demanded debate on Kerry-Lugar
Bill. Kaira said the bill is not applicable to Pakistan; its clauses are for the
consumption of American public. Earlier Salman Taseer had said the terms
in the bill apply only to security assistance.
Nineteen militants were arrested and eight surrendered in Swat on 6th
October and in Bajaur, 25 suspects were arrested. Five rockets were fired at
Peshawar. Six people were killed and 11 wounded in tribal clash in Orakzai
Agency. Seven people were killed in gunship attack in South Waziristan.
TTP owned attack on UN office; Fehmida expressed concern over security
of National Assembly building.
Islamabad Police detained two Dutch diplomats for carrying arms and
ammunition and bullet-proof jackets in a BMW car that did not have
diplomatic number plate. They consignment was being transported to the US
Embassy. The Dutch diplomats were later released on intervention of the US
Embassy.
Foreign Secretary confirmed that the US has asked for 18.5 acres of
additional land for expansion of its embassy in Islamabad. While appearing

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before NAs Standing Committee he showed no concern over it. He also told
that US was expanding its mission in Peshawar. About 250 houses acquired
by US in Islamabad he said no request was made to Foreign Office in this
regard nor it has any knowledge about it. He denied the existence of
Blackwater in Pakistan, but confirmed cancellation of licence of Inter Risk.
The government decided to stop the activities of US private security
company DynCorp International in Pakistan on reservations of countrys
political and security circles. According to a private TV channel, the Army
and intelligence agencies have strong reservations over acquiring the
services of the company and termed it as US efforts to try to set up its own
security.
Fazlullahs aide was among six killed in Swat on 7 th October and four
militants were arrested from Charbagh area. Three rockets fell near
cantonment board office in Peshawar. Six dead bodies were recovered in
Kurram Agency. Five people were killed in a clash between militants and
tribal lashkar in Hangu area. Three foreign militants were arrested in Bannu.
Five suspects were held in D I Khan. Four foreigners of European origin
were arrested in Sukkur.
Zardari regime at last was compelled by the circumstances to summon
Dutch Ambassador and US diplomat over gun-running in Islamabad and
asked them to explain the arms and ammunition recovered from Dutch
diplomats. NWFP Assembly unanimously condemned Gordon Brown for his
statement in which he called Pashtoon nation as terrorist.
Corps commanders met in Rawalpindi and expressed strong
reservations on some clauses of Kerry Lugar Bill terming it a threat to
national security. Army conveyed its viewpoint in writing to the government
and hoped that the Parliament would decide in the best interest of the nation.
Earlier during a meeting with General McChrystal in Islamabad the COAS
had conveyed his reservations on the Bill and also objected to statements of
US diplomats about presence of Taliban Shura in Quetta and the threats of
drone attacks. Reportedly, the US reacted by threatening General Kayani
with stoppage of military aid.
Chaudhry Nisar strongly criticized the Kerry Lugar Bill terming it
insult to Pakistani nation. He asked the government not to subjugate the
whole nation to the whims and wishes of the United States. He also alleged
that some clauses had been got inserted by the PPP leaders to avert military
intervention. While winding up days proceedings Gilani said he has taken
President and the COAS into confidence over the Bill; what a joke? Zardari
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had never taken Gilani into confidence when he and Haqqani got the Bill
passed by the US Congress.
Khursheed Kasuri said that according to his assessment Foreign
Office was not taken into confidence during the process of passing of the
Kerry-Lugar Bill. He also said that Altaf Hussain discussed the Bill with him
on telephone and during the discussion he told that MQM was not taken into
confidence. PML-Q demanded reversion of KLB.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is still in the US and has been
summoned to report back, said the problem is only with the language of the
Bill, but then, it is a document of legislation not a piece of literature.
Probably, Qureshi did not know that even if it was a piece of American
literature there would have still been problem with its language.
Zardari presided a meeting late in the evening to find ways and means
to protect his cunning moves made by him through Kerry Lugar Bill. Once
again he appeared to be stepping back from his assertion to defend the Bill
aggressively. He promised to address Armys concerns and respect decision
of the Parliament.
On 8th October, 45 dead bodies of militants were found at various
places in Swat; 17 militants were killed by the forces and seven arrested. ExCommissioner, Syed Javed was freed. He had been held in custody for his
links with Taliban. In Bannu, 22 militants surrendered. Four FC soldiers
were wounded in rocket attack on Razmak post. Eight suspects, including
four foreigners, were arrested in Jacobabad. Frequent landing and taking off
of large US transport planes from Islamabad Airport was reported.
The US State Departments spokesman said reservations of the Army
did not pose any threat to Zardari regime. The statement was a pat of
encouragement for Zardari so that he did not stagger while extracting
democratic revenge from the Army. In Islamabad Lady Patterson met
Zardari with similar intent and assured him that conditionalities in the Bill
would not be removed.
The timely support from the US had the desired affect. Zardaris
spokesman, Farhatullah Babar admonished the Army leadership for crossing
the line by publicly defying Zardari, the supreme commander of three armed
forces. He said that it would have been better if the reservations were raised
through proper forum. He also claimed that the hue and cry raised over KLB
was aimed at defaming Zardari.

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Despite all out US support the PPP failed to devise damage control
strategy on KLB and seemed to have been isolated on the issue. Altaf
Hussain demanded all parties round table conference on the Bill. Faisal
Saleh Hayat alleged that drafting of the KLB was assisted by Hussain
Haqqani. He tried to prove his point by quoting similarities of the language
in the Bill and his book Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military. In this
book Haqqani had tried to please neocons by criticizing the military and
opposing Pakistans nuclear programme. Asif Ahmed Ali advised the
Pakistani nation not be egoistic and forget about self-respect or Ghairat.
Two militants belonging to Kabal area were found dead in Swat on 9 th
October. Did they die of swine flu or ranikheit? No one pointed fonger at the
killers. Fifty people were killed and 120 wounded in suicide attack in busy
Khyber Bazaar of Peshawar. Seven NATO containers were burnt in
Peshawar. Three militants and a soldier were killed in a clash in Darra
Adamkhel. US admitted Star Lifter flights from Islamabad Airport and it
was impeding investigations into Inter-Risk scandal.
Zardari headed high-level meeting in Presidency sans Gilani to work
out strategy to defend KLB. During the meeting he commended his jiyalas
for defending KLB. Shah Mahmood joined the debate on KLB and tried to
passify MPAs. Lady Patterson admitted committing mistake by including
some clauses in the Bill.
On 10th October, terrorists wearing military uniforms stormed posts
No 1 and 2 of GHQ killing a Brigadier, a Colonel and six soldiers. They
succeeded getting into the premises through one of the gates and took more
than forty people as hostage in a directorate; four terrorists were also killed
in the ensuing battle. Two groups of the militants owned the responsibility.
Meanwhile police raided a house in Awan Town near Sihala and found out
that the attackers had been living there for the last two months. Mian Iftikhar
demanded military operation against terror infrastructure in Muridke and
other parts of Punjab.
In a high-level meeting in the Presidency attended by Gilani, Kayani;
Zardari appeared to be retracing his steps on KLB; he agreed to take up
unacceptable clauses with the US. How will he do this when most of these
clauses were included by his representative in Washington? Zardaris bacha
jamoora, Gilani also claimed that political and military leaderships stood
together on all issues. Maqbool Malik reported that Pakistan would demand
two-way flow on intelligence between Pakistan and US and included in the

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KLB. Zardaris men, however, kept defending the Bill. Salman Taseer said
there was nothing wrong it.
At 6 a.m., 11th October, Army commandoes launched final assault on
the terrorist holding hostages inside GHQ premises. They succeeded in
eliminating the two terrorists wearing suicide jackets and getting 39 hostages
freed; three of them were killed during the exchange of fire. Two
commandoes laid down their lives during the action and four more terrorists
were killed and their leader, Aqil alias Dr Usman was injured and captured.
Aqil, a resident of Kahota and ex-employee of Army Medical Store was
wanted in many high profile terror cases. Media claimed that he was a
Punjabi terrorist leader equivalent of Baitullah Mehsud.
The COAS visited the site and commended the troops which
participated in the operation. Politicians rushed to telephone General Kayani
for condolence of the deaths of soldiers and congratulate on successful
operation; even Zardari had good words for the Army.
Police and security agencies recovered several Pakistan Army
uniforms and explosive jackets during a raid on a house at Chach village
near Chakri and arrested owner of the house, whi is said to be the bodyguard
of a PML-N stalwarts brother. People in Multan brought out a Salam Pak
Fauj rally chanting pro-Army and anti-Army slogans; Zardari must not have
liked it happening particularly in the city to which his prime minister and
foreign minister belong to.
The US said the attack on GHQ has made the threats to security of
Pakistan very clear; therefore it is imperative that civil and military
leadership join hand to fight terrorism. Hillary Clinton said terrorist were
challenging the authority of Pakistani state. Reportedly, the US had told its
officials not to visit GHQ for next few days. Rehman suspected al-Qaeda
hand in the attack.
Four militants were arrested in Swat and one was killed in a clash
with locals in Buner. Ten tribal elders went missing in Bajaur Agency. At
least 130 Afghan refugees, including 14 prayer leaders, were held in a
crackdown in the suburbs of Peshawar. Security forces held nearly two
hundred suspects from Kohat and Hangu areas and 12 dead bodies were
recovered from Orakzai Agency. Jet fighters of PAF bombed militants in
South Waziristan and killed 21 of them. Six suspects were held in Mianwali.
Shah Mahmood was to go back to Washington for getting the KLB
translated into simple English. Gilani unleashed his favourite ploy of
consensus resolution and contacted leaders of political parties to seek their
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support for a resolution on KLB to be passed by the Parliament

unanimously.
In Afghanistan, 32 civilians, 19 Afghan security personnel, two
foreign soldiers and dozens of Taliban, including some Chechens, were
killed in clashes and air strikes in Kandahar, Uruzgan, Farah, Kunar and
Nangarhar provinces on 12th September. Brzezinski warned the West risked
replicating the Soviet Unions failure in Afghanistan without a fundamental
change in policy. Three Pakistanis who were traveling to Kurram Agency via
Afghanistan were shot dead by gunmen.
Next day, US-led forces launched massive attack in Farah Province
and killed fifty Taliban after five US soldiers had been killed in roadside
bombings. A British soldier was killed in attack on a foot patrol in Helmand
on 14th September and a NATO service member was killed in bomb blast.
Obama has no power to halt Afghan war, said Osama in his latest
audio tape. He asked Americans not to put their interests at stake for the sake
of Israelis. The analysts in Muslim World saw the release of tape aimed at
reviving Osama threat to check constant decline in public support for the socalled war on terror.
On 15th September, 27 Taliban were killed in gunfights and air strike
in Kandahar Province. Obama said Afghanistan is not Vietnam. A UK think
Tank accused Pakistan of causing Afghan insecurity. Next day, final result of
presidential election was announced; Karzai won by securing 54.6 per cent
votes.
At least 16 people, including six Italian soldiers, were killed when a
NATO convoy was attacked near US Embassy in Kabul on 17 th September.
EU monitors claimed that 1.5 million Afghan votes were rigged. Next day,
one US and one Canadian soldier were killed. David Petraeus in his article
published in The Times claimed that Afghanistan is hard but doable.
Karzai rejected EU claim of 1.5 million fake votes.
A Danish soldier was killed in an attack on NATO convoy on 19 th
September. Two days later, McChrystal demanded more troops and warned
that Afghan mission would fail in case additional troops are not provided.
He also disclosed that 14,500 prisoners were held in Afghanistan.
On 22nd September, two NATO soldiers were killed in separate bomb
blasts. Hillary Clinton termed tribal areas along Pak-Afghan border as hub
of terrorism. Pentagon deferred the decision to send additional troops to
Afghanistan. McChrystal said increasing Indian influence in Afghanistan
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was causing tension in the region. Shah Mahmood said arms and explosives
are pouring into Pakistan from Afghanistan.
Seven Afghans were killed in roadside bombing on 23 rd September.
Hizb-i-Islami claimed killing three NATO soldiers. Addressing the UN
General Assembly, Ahmadinejad held US responsible for instability of
Afghanistan. Two days later five US soldiers were killed; three in roadside
bombing and two in ambush of a mobile patrol in the south.
On 26th September, Afghan security forces claimed killing 18 militants
in northern city of Archi in Kunduz Province; Taliban claimed killing 20
soldiers. At least 12 Taliban were killed in Helmand Province. Next day,
convoy of Minister for Energy was attacked in Herat, four people were
killed and 15, including the minister, were wounded. One British soldier was
killed in roadside bombing and two US soldiers died of wounds in the south.
Three French soldiers died of lightening and drowning during an operation
and yet another was killed in roadside bombing near Sarobi and five more
were hurt.
US-led forces killed 40 militants in western province of Farah on 28 th
September. Obama Administration was yet to take its final decision on its
future strategy for Afghanistan. Next day, at least 30 people were killed
when a bus hit a landmine near Kandahar. A US soldier was killed in Khost
on 30th September. The US-led forces killed 24 militants in Farah Province.
Ban ki Moon removed the deputy of UN mission in Kabul.
On 1st October, nine people were killed in air strike in Helmand
Province. McChrystal said the situation was serious and deteriorating.
Germany agreed to send more troops to Afghanistan. Next day, US and UK
lost a soldier each in two bomb blasts in southern Afghanistan. On 3 rd
October, two US soldiers were killed and two wounded when an Afghan
soldier opened fire at a base in Wardak Province. US spokesman said
additional troops would be deployed in northern Afghanistan.
Eight US and two Afghan soldiers were killed and 27 more were
wounded when Taliban attacked and overran an outpost in Nuristan on 4 th
October. Next day, an Afghan minister said pullout of occupation forces
wont be acceptable. Taliban said Osama was killed in Tora Bora. Taliban
said they were ready for long fight. Hekmatyar said he was prepared to help
securing safe exit of occupation forces.
On eighth anniversary of invasion of Afghanistan Obama received
request for additional troops. At least seventeen Taliban were killed in
southern Afghanistan and 50 tons of drugs were seized. Spanish government
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confirmed killing of one Spanish soldier and injuries to five others. Next
day, at least 17 people were killed and 63 wounded in a suicide car bomb
attack on Indian Embassy in Kabul; Taliban owned the attack. On 10 th
October, Pakistan rejected Afghan charges of ISIs involvement in attack on
Indian Embassy in Kabul. Next day, US-led occupation forces claimed
killing more than a dozen Taliban in eastern Afghanistan.
India remained in confrontational mode. On 12th September, India
alleged that three rockets were fired into Indian village from across the
Wagah border; Pakistan denied. Two days later, opposing local commanders
held a flag meeting at Wagah border and exchanged accusations of rocket
firing into each others territory, but the meeting ended with condemnation
of such acts. India asked the US to monitor aid given to Pakistan.
Indian troops resorted to unprovoked firing across the border in
Sialkot Sector on 18th September; Pakistan protested. Zardari wanted India
to be included in Friends of Democratic Pakistan (man has exhausted all
shame). On 26th September, Indian and Pakistani foreign secretaries held
meeting in New York. The outcome could be judged from that the two
officials did not shake hands despite the request of media men. India planned
to purchase weapons worth $100 billion from the US.
India expanded its nuclear ambitions and planned to generate 500,000
MW electricity by 2050. On 2nd October, Indian border security forces fired
at Pakistani outposts in Sialkot Sector. On 11th October, the Governor GilgitBaltistan asked India to stop blame game.
Perpetration of state terrorism in IHK continued. Six people were
killed and ten wounded in car bomb attack on a bus carrying security
personnel in Srinagar on 12th September. Two days later, Mirwaiz was reelected as Chairman of APHC for two years. Pakistan asked India to share
real-time information on terror and rejected Indian proposal for increase in
diplomatic staff.
After India failed to provide actionable evidence, on 17th September
Zardari regime arrested Hafiz Saeed on charges of delivering antigovernment speech and collecting donations illegally. Next day, US wanted
arrest of Hafiz Saeed and trial of all those involved in Mumbai attacks;
Pakistan had arrested Hafiz Saeed before ordered by the US; whereas India
asked Pakistan to probe Hafiz Saeeds role in Mumbai attacks.
Two policemen were killed in Doda on 19th September. A team of
Kashmiris met Zardari in London. Rehman Malik handed over fifth dossier
on Mumbai attacks to Indian High Commissioner. After that he told that
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evidence provided about Hafiz Saeeds involvement was not sufficient. He

also said that the government was facing pressure from the relatives of
Samjhota Express martyrs for trial of those involved in terror attack in which
60 Pakistanis had died.
Seven accused of Mumbai attacks were presented before ATC on 20 th
September. Hafiz Saeed was placed under house arrest after midnight. Next
day, dozens of Kashmiris were injured when police used force on anti-India
protesters in the Valley. Chidambrum said that incriminating evidence about
Hafiz Saeed is there in Pakistan. He asked Rehman Malik to dig that out for
his trial.
One Kashmiri was martyred in the Valley on 22 nd September. Next
day, Punjab authorities said Hafiz Saeed has not been arrested; police has
been posted at his house for his protection. Four soldiers and two freedom
fighters were killed in a clash on 23 rd September. Five Kashmiris were killed
in Bandipura.
On 24th September, Hafiz Saeed moved LHC against cases. Next day,
four soldiers and four freedom fighters were killed in a clash in the Valley.
Manmohan Singh, while talking to media after attending G-20 meeting,
asked Pakistan to give up use of terrorism as tool of its foreign policy.
Foreign ministers of India and Pakistan held a meeting in New York
on 27 September; both agreed to meet again and talk. After the Meeting
Indian FM told the media that his counterpart had assured action against
those involved in Mumbai attacks. Next day, three Kashmiris were killed by
Indian troops. Zardari told Mirwaiz that there would be no sell-out on
Kashmir. LHC accepted the application of Hafiz Saeed for hearing. He has
challenged the cases registered against him. His lawyer said that Hafiz Saeed
had committed no crime by mentioning the word jihad in his speech.
th

Seven Kashmiris and three Indian soldiers were killed on 29th

September in the Valley. Two days later, a leader of National Conference
was shot dead Bandipore. Forty-eight Kashmiris were martyred in the month
of September. One Kashmiri was killed during protests on 2nd October.
Challan against persons accused of involvement in Mumbai attacks
was submitted in the court; they will be charged on 10 th October. India
decided to deploy all MiG-29 along Pakistan border. A Kashmiri was killed
and separately several people were wounded when police used tear gas on 5th
October.

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On 7th October, seven Kashmiri freedom fighters were martyred by

Indian forces in Kupwara area. India blamed Pakistan for encouraging cross
border terrorists. Three days later, Pakistan and Indian diplomats at UN had
a verbal scuffle over Kashmir issue; the Pakistani diplomats must have
missed services of Fauzia Wahab, Fidous Ashiq Awan and Farzana Raja.
Low-key insurgency kept simmering in Balochistan. Two children
were among four persons wounded in landmine blast near Dera Bugti on 13 th
September. A Bugti tribal elder was kidnapped from Dera Murad Jamali
area. Two days later, Gilani discussed Balochistan package with Asfandyar.
Railway track was blown up near Machh on 16th September. Next day,
three persons were wounded in landmine blast in Dera Bugti area.
Balochistan High Court ordered Ministry of Defence to direct MI and ISI to
cooperate in investigation of murder of three Bloch leaders.
On 18th September, 22-inch gas pipeline was blown up near Sui; BRA
owned the responsibility. Next day, six persons, including a policeman, were
wounded in two attacks in Quetta. Five people were wounded in rocket
attack on 21st September. Three days later, three suspected foreign terrorists
were arrested in Panjgur with dollars and euros.
FC check posts were attacked in Kohlu and Kech on 27 th September
and a boy was killed in landmine blast near Dera Bugti. Next day, a
policeman was wounded in landmine blast in Kohlu area. On 1 st October,
five people, including a lawyer and a police official, were killed in incidents
of violence in Quetta. PTI decided to observe Balochistan Rights Day on 9 th
October. Next day, Israrullah Zehri met Gilani and strike was observed in
Quetta over killing of a senior lawyer.
Two FC soldiers were wounded when a roadside bomb hit their
vehicle near Khuzdar on 3rd October and three were wounded in bomb attack
in Quetta. Baloch nationalists once again demanded trial of Akbar Bugtis
killer. Two people were killed in shoot out in Quetta on 5th October.
On 7th October five security personnel wounded in a bomb blast in
Quetta. Balochistan High Court ordered registration of FIR against
Musharraf, Shaukat Aziz and Jam Yousuf for murder of Akbar Bugti.
Rehman Malik assured support to court decision and no immunity to expresident.
One person was killed in bomb blast in Wadh near Khuzdar on 8 th
October. Next day, PTI held a rally to express solidarity with Baloch people.
On 10th October, Imran Khan visited Quetta, met Talal Bugti and demanded

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mid-term polls in Balochistan. On 11th October, Manmohan denied any

Indian involvement in Balochistan. HRCP urged withdrawal of forces and
initiation of political dialogue for resolution of Balochistan crisis.

VIEWS
Pakistan has turned into main theatre of War on Terror.
Successful Swat operation has been widely appreciated by the civilized
world, but observed it having no significant impact on easing of the situation
it faced in Afghanistan. Hence, it has been demanding a similar operation in
Waziristan.
After the arrest of top leaders of TTP The News commented:
Following the arrest of five senior Taliban commanders by the military, the
TTPs Maulana Fazlullah has said the organization no longer trusts the
Pakistan Army and will not hold talks with it. The Taliban have alleged the
commanders were held when they went for talks with the government. The
ISPR has denied this. The breakdown in relations between the two sides may
however be the best news to have come in for a very long time, from the
perspective of the ordinary people of Pakistan. The dangerous nexus
between agencies and militants has been commented on many times. Deals
struck with the Taliban have been instrumental in allowing them to grow
stronger and survive. The end of this courtship could then signal the start
of a new era when there is no ambiguity about the need to defeat the
militants and to act against them with all the force the state can muster.
The arrests are also important for several other reasons. They will
help to persuade people in Swat that the long hold of the Taliban is now truly
at an end. Scepticism had continued to be voiced about this even after the
Taliban defeat was announced. There are also suggestions of more and more
divisions within the Taliban, including a disagreement between Muslim
Khan and Maulana Fazlullah, the two men at the top of the hierarchy in
Swat. Fazlullah, through a spokesman, have already said the organization is
ill but that it will recover. The latest arrests may help to ensure this does
not happen. The capture of key leaders may also take authorities further
along the track to Fazlullah whose arrest would mark a symbolic
victory and signal the dawn of a brand new era in Swat.
The Nation People of Pakistan are footing the bill of the war
indirectly. Come the first of October and the stratagem would start working.
A six percent increase in the electricity tariff plus a corresponding rise in

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taxes would add to the discomfort of the citizenry already experiencing

frequent power outrages. Three months later, January 2010, the people
would find their endurance further tested, this time by doubling of the hike
(i.e. 12 percent), and again in April 2010, they would be given an additional
dose of six percent. The compound impact the raise in tariff and taxes
is estimated to be of the order of 30 percent.
The lollipop of getting over the crisis of power shortage by the end of
the current year would have wrought miracles as the public switches off its
appliances and begins life afresh in the mode of the pre-Edisonian days,
thanks to the government. The ruling leadership the decision-makers
would have gained unprecedented popularity, albeit with the IMF and donors
rather than the people. The IMF and its masters, watching the phenomenon
from the sidelines, would wonder at how easy it was to solve the ticklish
problem. All is well that ends well! Only the Pakistani nation is the loser!
David Ignatius talked about ISI-CIA mistrust after visiting ISI HQ in
Islamabad. At an operational level, the ISI is a close partner of the CIA.
Officers of the two services work together nearly every night on joint
operations against al-Qaeda in Pakistans tribal areas, perhaps the most
dangerous region in the world. Information from ISI has helped plan its
Predator drone attacks, which have killed 14 of the top 20 targets over the
past several years.
But on the political level, there is mistrust on both sides. The
United States worries that the ISI isnt sharing all it knows about Taliban
insurgents in Afghanistan. The Pakistanis, meanwhile, view the United
States as an unreliable ally that starts flights it doesnt know how to finish.
A test of this fragile partnership is the debate over the new
Afghanistan strategy proposed by Gen Stanley McChrystal. The ISI
leadership thinks the United States cant afford to lose in Afghanistan, and it
worries about a security vacuum there that would endanger Pakistan. But at
the same time, the ISI fears that a big military surge, like the up to 40,000
additional troops McChrystal wants, could be counter-productive.
ISI officials believe Washington should be realistic about its war
objectives. If victory is defined as obliteration of the Taliban, the United
States will never win. But the United States can achieve the more limited
aim of rough political stability, if it is patient.
In the ISIs view, America makes a mistake in thinking it must
solve every problem on its own. In Afghanistan, it should work with
President Hamid Karzai, who, for all his imperfections, has one essential
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quality that American strategist lack hes an Afghan. ISI officials suggest
that Karzai should capitalize on the post-election ferment by calling for a
cease-fire so that he can form a broadly based government that includes
some Taliban representatives.
ISI officials say they want to help America with political
reconciliation in Afghanistan. But they argue that to achieve this goal, the
US must change its posture moving from ruler mode to support
mode so that Afghan voices can be heard
As for American allegations that the ISI maintains direct links with
Siraj Haqqani, a key ally of the Taliban, the ISI officials insist it isnt so.
They do have a network of agents within the insurgent groups and tribes, but
thats part of a spy agencys job. Americas suspicion that Pakistan secretly
pulls the Talibans strings is many years out of date, they contend. One ISI
analyst loudly calls my name at the end of a briefing and then recites a
summary of Pakistani casualties since Sept 11, 2001, from terrorism. The
list totals 5,362 dead and 10,483 wounded. Trust us, says another ISI
official, referring to this casualty toll.
S R H Hashmi from Karachi wrote about drone attacks. In the past,
our government has been issuing statements, with the usual bluster, that it is
capable of settling the drone issue with the US government through
diplomatic means. Looks like the endeavour has not met with much success
because far from ceasing or even curtailing drone operations, the US
government is planning to expand them to include even Balochistana
big advocate for this is the US Vice President Joe Biden, on whom our
government has been showering honours while hailing him as our man in
Washington.
The American intentions do not come entirely as a surprise because
the US Defence Secretary Robert Gates had ordered fifty more drones some
months back, obviously, with something like this in mind. The story does not
just end there. Even Afghan government is buying Israeli drones that would
have to be operated by Israelis. In addition, the Australian government has
also expressed a desire to buy Israeli drones for use of its troops in
Afghanistan. So, if we are not careful, our skies could soon be overcast
with drones, like kites in the Basant season.
The Nation commented: Not for the first time, the US, through its
ambassador, and the Pakistan military have differing perspectives. While the
COAS, General Kayani has categorically ruled out US strikes in
Balochistan, the US Ambassador has had the temerity to hold forth on what
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are internal matters of Pakistan and hint at possible US action in

Balochistan. It is interesting to note the confusion that prevails in
Pattersons imperialist mind. On the other hand, she admits that the US
has little solid intelligence on Quetta, with no human or predator
intelligence. Yet, on the other, the US is convinced that Quetta is the
stronghold of Mulla Omar and his Taliban the so-called Quetta Shura.
Now where did they get such strong and authentic intelligence on this count,
given their own mission?
After all, the Pakistan military spokesperson, Maj General Abbas has
declared that there are no Taliban in Quetta and the militarys intelligence
would surely be more viable. But the US, it would seem, prefers to doubt the
Pakistan Army such is the level of mistrust between the Pakistan
military and its supposed ally, the US. Instead, the US believes its illinformed media and some Pakistani commentators whose livelihood
depends on saying and writing what the US wants to hear statements that
state the Taliban are in Quetta and are getting their logistic supplies and
weapons from there, regardless of the veracity of such a claim.
What makes matters worse is the strange silence of Pakistans
political government and leadership. Although the prevailing situation
demands they support the militarys claims and insist there can be no US
attacks on Quetta, they are chosen instead to maintain a silence that speaks
volumes about covert deals and dubious intents. That is unfortunate for
Pakistan because after the latest statements coming from Ambassador
Patterson, it does not serve Pakistans interests to have her remain in
Islamabad.
She has declared openly that Pakistan had made clear that its
priorities were different from those of the Americans. She has also asserted
that there are people who do not threaten Pakistan but who are extremely
important to us. Not only has she chosen to publicly challenge whether
Pakistan really controls its territory that, according to her, being a worry
for the US she has cast aspersions on the Pakistani leadership and nation as
well. As she declared imperially: You cannot tolerate vipers in your bosom
without getting bitten. It is time the Pakistani authorities understand
clearly who the viper in our bosom is who keeps biting us at every turn.
And this viper needs to be thrown out of Pakistan according to diplomatic
procedures of course which would be the clearest message we could send
to the US that there are certain red lines no diplomat or foreign government
representative can cross.

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David Ignatius visited the area expressed his views on forthcoming

operation in Waziristan. Maj Gen Khalid Rabbani, the army commander
here, is waiting for the ground battle to begin. Enough is enough, he says
of the Mehsud chiefs and their allies. Hes confident that his troops can
clear the area, but he worries whether economic development will come
fast enough to hold it.
The army has been squeezing South Waziristan for two months now,
blocking all roads into the Mehsud area, and Rabbani says the insurgents are
running out of food and fuel. About 80,000 noncombatants have left,
leaving an estimated 10,000 hard-core fighters.
The Pakistani strategy for rebuilding control here might be
termed back to the future. Once the Talibans hold is broken, the army
will work with the maliks to restore the old tribal power structure. The
maliks will get stipends for their jirgas, or governing councils, and for a
network of sentries, known as khassadars. The maliks will also revive local
militants that can defend against insurgents.
A beefed-up Frontier Corps will give the system some muscle. In
Peshawar, I visited the Frontier Corps Headquarters, housed in a fortress
called the Bala Hissar that dates to the Raj. The tribal recruits still dress in
their traditional tunics and baggy pants, but their officers are getting 21 st
century counter-insurgency training from about 80 US Special Forces troops
at a base nearby.
The burly commander of the Frontier Corps Maj Gen Tariq Khan,
sums up his philosophy of tribal politics this way: If you want to be
somebody, you must have a bigger caliber and a bigger wallet. Guns and
money are on Pakistans side in the coming showdown with the Mehsuds
and their brutal friends, but this is one tough enemy.
The Nation wrote: As for the impending launch of a conventional
military action in FATA, it is riddled with problems, not the least of
which is the fate of the local people already being held hostage by the
militants, especially the foreigners, on the one hand, and being killed in US
drone attacks on the other. Also, the timing of the operation is strange given
that winter is approaching. So a legitimate question is why now, when the
targeted attacks strategy was working? And why is General (retired)
Musharraf making sensational revelations on sensitive issues at this time in
the US when as an ex-president he should be more circumspect in ceding
Information? Stories in the US media are claiming that the military
leadership, on its latest Washington visit, agreed to the US demand for
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starting the conventional military operation in FATA. This would be a folly

given how the Americans are failing in their own strategy in Afghanistan and
are seeking to look to other options including dialogue. Could this be the US
way of undermining the Pakistani military?
In another editorial The Nation added: The resurfacing of Baitullahs
successor Hakimullah, with Waliur Rehman his alleged rival right beside
him certainly casts serious doubts on official claims that these leaders had
been killed. But a more pertinent issue arises on the strategy to deal with the
Taliban and other extremist groups perpetrating terrorism in Pakistan.
Clearly, the materialistic approach cannot work in isolation. Even when
the military clears one area of terrorists, they simply re-emerge elsewhere,
where the writ of the state is weak. Interestingly, there are also rumours that
most of the al-Qaeda leaders and the Taliban linked to them, have either died
or moved out into other Muslim lands, primarily Arab. So in many ways the
Taliban structures have become decentralized and functionally autonomous.
In such a situation, the militarys strategy of surrounding the militants in
FATA, using covert means to disrupt them from within and using positive
financial lures was a more comprehensive and viable approach.
Now the US is determined to undermine this and compel the
military into launching a full scale, conventional military action into
FATA which will have serious repercussions for the country including
impacting our security on the Eastern border with a presently belligerent
India. To make matters worse, Interior Minister Malik has declared that we
will fight till we have rid the country of the last Taliban. Such ridiculous
declarations make little sense since when will we know there are no more
Taliban in Pakistan? Can we devise a way to read peoples minds or see
what is in their hearts? The only way we can ensure the end of extremist
militancy and terrorism is to bring the marginalized people into the
mainstream, to ensure security for the ordinary people and to give them
access to speedy justice. Otherwise we will continue to see the backlash of a
singularly punitive approach in the form of acts of terror across the country.
The ever-increasing presence of Americans and locally enrolled
mercenaries in the garb of security guards posed a potent threat of
colonization. The issue was widely debated. Aasim Sajjad Akhtar opined:
It hardly matters whether Blackwater (or Xe or whatever else) is in Pakistan
or not. Blackwater and the likes are simply symptoms of a disease that afflict
us, a disease which is carried by parasites that are concerned only with
maintaining their power and privilege. The fundamental problem with the

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Zardari-bashers is that they are not criticizing the structure of power that
prevails in this country, just the person who apparently enjoys power at the
present time. If they are really concerned about growing American influence
in Pakistan, they should support some of the struggles that common people
are waging against injustice; it is these struggles that will help build a
constituency that can genuinely take on imperialism and its lackeys
The chattering classes have no problem with anything that happens in
Pakistan, let alone Americas domineering influence, except when it affects
their own cushy lifestyles. This is why, the Taliban were such a threat, while
aerial bombings that kill civilians in Balochistan and Malakand were never,
and will never be, a concern. The elite do not frequent thanas and
katcheries, the bane of ordinary Pakistanis existence. It does not have to
deal with standing in lines for atta and pulling children out of school for lack
of money.
Ours is a parasitic elite, like those elsewhere in the post-colonial
world. An elite that has been groomed in the best colonial tradition, with
one foot in the western world and one foot in the walled ghettoes within this
country that insulate it from the common hordes. This elite hates Zardari yet
loves itself, even though the only difference between the supposed excesses
of the much-maligned president and those of the elite is one of degree.
In many ways the concern that the chattering classes are voicing
vis--vis the growing American presence in Pakistan is little different from
the hollow sloganeering of the religious right. Both are content to maintain
the status quo, worried about how unexpected contradictions in the system
will affect them, and convinced that they are the best thing that has ever
happened to society. With these constituencies competing for intellectual
and moral leadership in the polity, it is no wonder that Blackwater is in
town.
The Nation wrote: The top US military commander, Admiral Michael
Mullen, fails to read Pakistans present predicament fully when he tells the
Senate Committee on Armed Services that it faces threat from two fronts,
one from the Indian side and the other from the militants. In one respect,
though, this evaluation could be regarded as an improvement on the previous
American stand that was literally blind to the threat that India posed and felt
that the militants were the only dangerous lot Islamabad should be worried
about. Yet, the Admiral conveniently overlooks a still more potent threat
that though long suspected is now emerging in a concrete form and that
as a military strategist, he should be well aware of: the threat from the

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United States, which is pregnant with serious implications for the country
and beyond the region
Admiral Mullen talks of the perception of the Pakistani military
when he refers to the threat from India. Clearly, the idea is to avoid ruffling
its feathers. And it seems that he grudgingly accepts that the US strategy
would have to accommodate these perceptions, including the pace at
which Pakistan is tackling the militant phenomenon.
His words of praise at the success of the military operation in
Malakand Division in a matter of months only reflect the reality on the
ground. One would expect that that should serve as a lesson to the huge
US and NATO force that has been operating in Afghanistan for nearly
eight years against an enemy that shows no signs of wilting. No doubt, the
use of firepower has its merits and demerits, as it almost inevitably entails
the loss of innocent lives, but excessive concern, to the point of
cowardliness, about the safety of the life of soldiers cannot win wars.
Abu Saad observed: The worst scenario develops with the deaf
government unwilling to value the louder voices of the majority of the
people of Pakistan who see these expansionist designs conforming to what
Richard N Haass calls a war of necessity. Besides the growing society and
media, the two prominent parties outside the Parliament JI and PTI have
only raised anti-American or anti-US expansionist slogans.
Isnt it the height of deterioration when on the one hand the US
Ambassador in Islamabad is meddling in Pakistani affairs, while on the other
Pakistans (US) Ambassador to US Hussain Haqqani did not even bother to
issue a two-line statement regarding the inclusion of Balochistan in the
state of citizenship column in the US citizenship and immigration
services form for Non-US residents
Now proving himself as USs Pakistani Ambassador to US, Mr
Haqqani has written a letter to the foreign secretary and chief of ISI
suggesting them that denying visas to US journalists would not only hurt the
countrys image but could also cost severely in view of the forthcoming
hearing about the US assistance to Pakistan. the Pakistanis smelling danger
in every move of Mr Haqqani have, rightly, termed it a pressure tactic from
our own ambassador to soften the process of the entry of US spies and
Blackwater agents, which our embassy and the ISI has started screening
after media speculations.
Going back as of August 21, 2009, our Foreign Office spokesman
was telling the world that media speculations on the US embassys
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expansion were not true. Speaking at a weekly briefing, he said that the US
had not yet formally asked for expanding its embassy compound or
deploying additional security staff
According to the news that first appeared in a section of the Pakistani
press and is now being highlighted by the Pakistani society, media and
blogosphere, the fortress-like embassy had to accommodate close to
1,000 additional personnel being sent to Islamabad as part of the US
administrations decision to significantly raise its profile in the country. The
new staffers will augment the current 750-strong American contingent
already based in Pakistan; this against a sanctioned strength of 350.
But the news of 1,000 additional staff was rejected by the
Pakistani government calling it an exaggeration of what they thought was
to furnace anti-American sentiments. Once again a US diplomat has
disclosed Americas plan to double the staff of its embassy in Islamabad,
which though is lesser than the actual number that was planned, but if
summed up with the present strength of 750 it will become 1,500. Almost
1,150 more than the sanctioned strength and just 250 less than what the
media had been speculating
The negotiations are on and no final decision has been made as yet.
According to the news story the deputy ambassador said: We are in contact
with the local security agencies, and similarly the discussions are underway
with the US agencies as well. The statement of Festine is a confession of
what the media had been speculating regarding Blackwater. The deputy
ambassador has partially confessed, but what to say about our leadership that
has put blind eye on what is happening in the country. From the central
leadership to our ambassador, all have made up their mind for selling
Pakistan. However, our media and civil society can transform the Pakistani
society into a sovereign state only if they wish to do so and make a sincere
effort for it.
After raid on Capt Zaidis outfit The Nation wrote: With the
presence of Blackwater in Pakistan confirmed by multiple sources,
despite government refusal to acknowledge the same, some serious issues
are raised relating to the mushrooming of private security companies in the
country and their possible connections to foreign security concerns who in
turn are used as mercenaries by the US government in trouble spots like
Iraq, Afghanistan and now possibly in Pakistan.
The first issue relates to provision of security for diplomatic
missions. Legally, this is the responsibility of the host country and in
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Islamabad there is a large security contingent that has been earmarked

specifically for this purpose. Nowhere in the world are foreign missions
allowed to import their own armed security contingents. Nor should private
security firms be they local or foreign be allowed to take over the job of
the host government. For the state to abdicate its responsibilities of
providing security to private companies will inevitably lead to the sort of
abuse that was discovered in the police raid on Inter Risk Security Company.
After all, prohibited weapons can slip in through the diplomatic route in the
face of no stringent checks on such companies.
The second issue that comes to the fore is the threat to the local
police that is presented by these private guards. The police of Margalla
Police Station were witness to the threats hurled at them by Captain (retired)
Zaidi, for doing their duty and arresting four illegally armed foreigners.
Earlier there had also been the incident of the SHO being roughed up by US
Embassy guards. The SP concerned has now been made OSD which reflects
the extent of US pressure on Pakistans security apparatus.
The third issue may be the most critical because it is concerned
with the safety and security of the citizens of Pakistan. Blackwater has
been known to carry out torture and murder in the line of duty for the US
government in Iraq. Rape became a common side activity for them. Who is
to ensure that innocent Pakistani citizens will not be subjected to similar
treatment by the private guards hired by the US in Pakistan? All these
concerns arise out of the gradual ceding of state responsibility.
Atta Rabbani, former ADC to the Quaid wrote: The projected
massive American diplomatic and marine presence on the soil of Pakistan,
their friendly advice to the various ministries, and the latest ploy of
initiating US$5 billion Marshal Plan for Pakistan to rebuild its battered
economy leads to one inevitable conclusion. Pakistan is reverting to the
pre-independence colonial era with sovereignty neutralized. The
Americans have replaced the British Crown
There is already strong public resentment against the growing
American interference in the affairs of the state, and with the new
developing scenario it is bound to increase. Then what are the options? One:
revolt against the American designs of using Pakistan as ghost state or as
the proverb goes if it is inevitable then relax and bow to the inevitable. The
last option is the worst.
The Nation observed: The US design to destabilize Pakistan is
becoming clearer by the day, even for the most blinkered Pakistani. As
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the US continues to be stalemated in Afghanistan, it has sought to move the

centre of gravity of the war on terror to Pakistan. Initially it was assumed
that this shift would be restricted to FATA, but now it is evident that the US
is seeking to engulf the whole of Pakistan in an asymmetrical conflict, which
will eventually pit the people against the state, especially the military.
Reports of a US plan to target Balochistan, including its capital city Quetta
are, in all likelihood, correct more so because the US has not issued even a
half-hearted denial on this count. Pakistani officials are admitting that the
US has sought to extend drone attacks to Balochistan, especially Quetta.
Given the present governments proclivity to accede to all US demands, it
should not come as a surprise to soon see these drone attacks taking place.
However, for Pakistan such a development will be suicidal, given the
prevailing instability in Balochistan and the continuing lack of trust between
the Baloch people of the federation. Worse still, Quetta is an urban centre
with a concentration of population. It is also a major military station with the
Command and Staff College as well as other formations present in the heart
of the city. How far is our military prepared to accommodate the US
desire to undermine the countrys sovereignty? After all, the drones will
push the separatists closer to their goal, while the US will think it can move
towards its concept of Greater Balochistan through the break up of Pakistan
and Iran. Unfortunately for the US, the Iranian leadership shows no signs of
falling prey to such US designs, unlike their Pakistani counterparts.
Again, if today drones are allowed to target an expanded area of the
country, what will stop the US from expanding into southern Punjab
next? With receding red lines, the whole country could be up for targeting
by the US in their growing despair over the inevitable failure in Afghanistan.
There are many fifth columnists in our midst now talking of southern Punjab
as the hub of al-Qaeda just as earlier they pointed to Pakistan in the same
manner. For those who had failed to connect the dots to the US grand design
of targeting Pakistan a year ago, it should be easier today. There are covert
US operatives now spread across the length and breadth of Pakistan; drone
attacks have increased in frequency since Obama took office; aids packages
are demanding unacceptable conditionalities; the military is being pushed on
all fronts, with India increasing its deployments along the eastern border
with Pakistan and aiding low intensity conflict through Afghanistan, and the
US demanding we withdraw more troops from the eastern border to FATA
and begin a premature conventional operation there; and the IMF and World
Bank pushing through threatening price hikes and taking charge of policy
making in Balochistan and NWFP. A disturbing question that comes to mind
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is whether the delay on the Balochistan package has to do with US intent in

that province.
Javid Husain felt: Pakistan needs to manage its relations with the US
in a mature and responsible manner. It is vitally important for us to preserve
and even strengthen our friendship with this great country. However, this
must be accomplished in a manner which safeguards and promotes our vital
national interests. Herein is the test for Pakistans diplomacy. We must make
it clear to Washington that while we attach high importance to our friendship
with the US, it cannot be at the expense of our domestic stability or our
friendship with other countries, like China and Iran with whom we
maintain strategically vital relations.
We must continue the struggle against international and domestic
terrorism not as a favor to the US, but because it is indispensable for our
domestic stability and for the success of our foreign policy. We should do all
that is possible to prevent interference in Afghanistans internal affairs from
our side of the border, while telling Washington that the solution of the
insurgency in that country lies in a new political dispensation which engages
the Pakhtoons, who constitute almost half of its population, and establishes a
just power sharing relationship among its various ethnic communities.
Finally, it goes without saying that our ability to manage our relations
with the US successfully will depend upon our success in ensuring
domestic stability and accelerating the countrys economic development.
The Kerry-Lugar Bill passed by the US Congress was the hottest
topic of the period. The stated aim of the Bill is Enhanced Cooperation
with Pakistan. It can be judged from the debate as to what kind of
cooperation has been aimed at by the Crusaders and their crony Zardari.
The Nation has been writing on the issue quite frequently. On 27 th
September, it commented: The text of the US aid bill, passed by the Senate
and now introduced in the House, belies the impression created by earlier
media reports that its revised version does not contain conditions, which
would by any interpretation be considered damaging to the sovereignty of
Pakistan and pregnant with dangerous forebodings. This bill is far too
intrusive for comfort and requires that Pakistan provide direct access to
Pakistani nationals associated with(nuclear proliferation) network, a
reference to Dr A Q Khan. Besides, Islamabad has to give a detailed account
of its efforts to prevent proliferation. These have been long-standing US
demands constantly harped on the Western media and think-tanks, which
Pakistan has rightly and steadfastly refused to comply. To abide by them, it
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might have to lay bare its nuclear weapons system before US investigators,
concede one point after the other and compromise the entire programme.
The American campaign launched against the ISI since it developed
differences with the CIA two years ago finds expression in the proviso that
for Pakistan to qualify for the aid, the US Secretary of State has to certify
that any elements within the Pakistan military or its intelligence agency
have ceased support to terrorist groups, particularly those active against the
US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. This should be none of the business of
the US or for that matter any other foreign power. The bill also goes out of
the way to please India when it conditions the aid on preventing Lashkar-eTaiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad operating from Pakistan and indulging in
cross-border attacks. There is also mention of the requirement of dismantling
bases of al-Qaeda, Taliban and other terrorist groups in places like FATA,
Quetta and Muridke when provided with intelligence.
In the backdrop of these crippling conditions one wonders what
justification Ambassador Haqqani had in affirming that the aid sent a
message to the people of Pakistan that the US was with them.
Interestingly, its amount ($7.5 billion spread over a period of five years)
looks peanuts when compared in terms of dollar value today with what
Pakistan received ($3.5 billion) during the operation against the Soviets in
Afghanistan. Yet the costs and sacrifices for Pakistan are far graver and
weightier today.
On 30th September, it commented: The US Senate has passed the
Kerry-Logar aid bill, with the passage timed to coincide with the Friends of
Democratic Pakistan summit in New York, and intended to beef up President
Barack Obamas position with reference to the pledges made at the summit.
The Bill, which passed the Senate on Thursday, the day of the summit, will
triple US aid to $1.5 billion a year for the next five years, for which it
provides a commitment. While there is little doubt that the Gilani
government will celebrate its passage, And President Asif Zardari will take
much credit, the nation as whole should ask what the USA is buying with
this aid, for it does not give away money. One indication would come from
what it has spent so far. The US money which has come to Pakistan so far
has been for its participation in the US War on Terror, and it has brought in
its wake not just unprecedented violence and suicide bombings, but also
soaring prices, and shortages of basic items like food staples. This is all
happening in a worsening economy, with jobs being lost rather than created.
Therefore, the War, which the Americans expect to last at least for the
duration of the aid package, will bring for Pakistan only more blasts,
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more shortages, more jobs being lost in a worsening economy. Before

becoming too passionate about the success of the government in getting this
aid bill, Pakistanis should consider whether the price being extracted, that of
continued front-line participation in the War on Terror, is worth it.
An aspect of the bill that needs careful consideration are the
conditionalities that might be tacked to it, if not now, then in the future, as it
moves further down the passage corridor, and as can be done by any member
of Congress who can muster enough votes to have it passed. As has been
seen during the passage of the current bill, the Indian lobby is active to have
conditions tacked on, which do not advance American interests, but Indian,
and at the expense of Pakistan. This particular aid bill has also seen attempts
to increase American control using the mantra of accountability, and the
passage of the bill, which still has to go through the House of
Representatives, and then receive President Obamas signature, will by no
means end this.
The passage of this aid bill was inevitability, given Pakistans
importance to the War. However, that does not mean Pakistanis need
welcome it, especially if all it leads to are more extravagance by
government, and a return to the free spending ways of the past. This aid bill
be judged by whether it achieves the economic growth denied Pakistan
by restricting market access, and how much independence it leaves to
Pakistan, which will probably not be more than at present, which is not very
much.
The same day, Shireen M Mazari, the editor of the Nation wrote
centre-page column. The three broad and troublesome conditionalities, in
the order of precedence as they appear in the bill are the following: First is
the continuing US obsession with and targeting of Pakistans nuclear
assets and the so-called suppliers network relating the proliferation. The
Pakistan government has categorically and repeatedly declared that the Dr
Khan and suppliers network issue are closed. So why does the US continue
to make that its number one priority each and every time it wants to give us
support, obviously in return for favours that they seek from us? Again, the
demand is that Pakistan should provide relevant information from or direct
access to Pakistani nationals associated with (proliferation) met works.
Ambassador Haqqani was quick to claim credit for getting Dr Khans name
removed from this clause but in fact the removal of Dr Khans name while
the conditionality remains is even more costly for Pakistan. Now there is no
time bound or person-bound limitation on this clause and it could be used
for the past, present or future. In other words, it is totally open-ended, to be
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exploited by the US as and when it deems fit. This clause should simply be
rejected in total by Pakistan, with no qualifications, unless we want to give
the US a foot in the door to our nuclear assets and their locations and
capability details. If this is the way Haqqani has done his business then he
has done no service to Pakistan.
The second conditionality demands that Pakistan shows a continuous
commitment in fighting terrorist groups basically the way the US seeks. This
requires Pakistan to ensure that it cease support, including by any elements
within the Pakistan military or its intelligence agency (they forget the
military has more than one intelligence agency) to extremist and terrorist
groups, particularly to any group that has conducted attacks against United
States or coalition forces in Afghanistan, or against the territory or people
of neighbouring countries (emphasis added). Again, Haqqani and our failed
lobbyists claims that they had Indias reference removed from the bill are
irrelevant, because this phrase obviously alludes to India. The question is,
did the US actually make fools out of the Pakistani leadership and its
minions or did Haqqani know what was going on and sought to fool the
Pakistani nation instead? After all, clause 2 (B) also includes a reference to
cross-border attacks into neighbouring countries again bringing in the
India factor.
Of course, part of the second conditionality also relates to ensuring
closure of terrorist camps not just in FATA but also across the country
including Quetta and Muridke thereby giving the US an open-ended
invitation not only to stop aid but to intervene militarily, through drones for
instance, whenever it sees fit! Has no one asked the US that if the Pakistani
state was aiding such activities, why would it be fighting these groups and
allowing our soldiers to die in the process? But logic has never governed US
imperialism.
The third conditionality is the most directly intrusive in terms of
interfering in Pakistans domestic politics and targeting the Pakistan
military. The US Secretary of State has to now certify that the security
forces of Pakistan are not materially and substantially subverting the
political or judicial process of Pakistan. Never before, in any Pakistan aid
bill, has such an offensive clause been included. Of course the people of
Pakistan do not want the military to disrupt the democratic process, but it is
not Americas place to take up this cudgel. Nor does it become our political
leadership to seek shelter behind the US to sustain democracy, rather than
relying on the people to stand up to dictators.

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As for the argument that the US does not want to seem as if it only
supports dictators in Pakistan, that can be proven clearly by the support it
gives through its foreign policy to democratic leaders rather than through
this intrusive and unacceptable interference in our internal matters. Under
the present circumstances, for any Pakistani leader or state representative to
applaud the Kerry-Logar Bill is nothing short of political absurdity and
an insult to the Pakistani nation.
On 2nd October, the newspaper wrote: Prime Minister Gilani has once
more revealed a rather confused mind, especially in the context of national
issues. He has declared that it was premature to take the issue of the
Kerry Lugar Bill to the Parliament. This is absurd because if anything it
is already late in that an early discussion of this Bill, with the debilitating
conditionalities, would have reinforced the Pakistani leaderships position to
seek their retraction before the Bill became law. In other words, backed by
parliamentary support, the government could have told the US Congress and
the Obama Administration that the Parliament was not prepared to accept the
intrusive and destabilizing conditionalities. Therefore, if the US wanted to
continue to seek Pakistans support in the war on terror it would have to
remove these conditionalities.
Now that does not be possible. In any event, contrary to what the
Prime Minister has stated, it is high time the bill was put before Parliament,
if the government is serious about bolstering the democratic process. Look at
the case of India where a most beneficial nuclear agreement with the US was
still tabled in parliament If the Pakistan Parliament were to discuss this
Bill and conclude that the conditionalities were unacceptable, it would not
only send a clear message to the US that it needs to renegotiate its
cooperation with us on more equitable terms, it would also provide the
government with political weightage to stand up more firmly to the US
Congress and the Obama Administration.
Nor is Gilani confused only on this point. He has also once again
referred to a foreign hand in the sectarian violence in Gilgit. Having used
this refrain so often, surely it is incumbent on Gilani to inform the nation as
to who these foreign hands actually are. We should know who our enemies
are and deal with the threat accordingly. Finally, Gilani has used the
security threat mantra to support the Punjab government by admitting that it
was the Centre that pointed out the security threat to the Sharifs and so
spearheaded the bye polls postponement again.

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On 6th October, The Nation commented: No monetary aid can make

such submissions as we are seeing our leadership make acceptable. In this
context, the remark of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif that no aid was
acceptable that came at the cost of our self respect, dignity and sovereignty,
is to be welcomed. Given the bizarre praise bestowed on the threatening
conditionality-laden Kerry-Lugar Bill earlier by Governor Taseer. It is
comforting to know that the CM is more in tune with ground realities
and the sensitivities of the nation.
In this context, one hopes the CM will take note of the extradiplomatic activities of the US representative in Lahore including his forays
into the sensitive parts of the province in southern Punjab often without
prior permission and certainly with no prior information. We already have
US diplomats in Islamabad openly contradicting Pakistani officials, and
some have also openly made threatening remarks against Pakistan. Yet the
Foreign Office has adopted a pathetic silence in response to this violation of
all diplomatic norms and practices. The nation has realized the US has
gone too far. When will the leadership understand the same?
Next day it added: While there have been welcome hints from
Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira that the government was ready to
place the KLB before Parliament for discussion, various official circles,
including Mr Kaira, seem to have launched a propaganda campaign to
promote it. They find nothing wrong in it and some have gone to the
ridiculous extent of claiming that it is absolutely free from conditions. Mr
Kaira himself was so confused that he declared, on the floor of the National
Assembly, that the conditions were for the consumption of the American
public as it is their legislation and wondered how anyone thought it could
be applicable in Pakistan. To rebut Mian Shahbazs charge that the KLB
was against our national pride, Governor Salman Taseer, ever out of his
depths, surprised the journalists he was addressing on Monday by equating
the bill with a loan the Punjab government had taken from the ADB and
questioned how the CM could stomach that loan, if he felt so bad about
the bill.
The bills conditions particularly the provision of access to nuclear
proliferators, an issue long dead and buried; the elimination of imagined
hideouts or abodes of militants hostile to the US, its allies and neighbours
(India); and the oft-denied suspicion of hobnobbing of certain rogue
elements of Pakistan military intelligence agency with the Taliban forces
have greatly hurt public feelings. Their acceptance in the present form

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carries grave and far-reaching implications, the government must

seriously consider taking up the issue with the US administration.
On 8th October, The Nation observed: PML-N chief Mian Nawaz
Sharif has said that he will soon return from abroad where he is at the
moment, to press for Parliament to give a definitive decision on the KerryLugar aid bill, as well as decide the bye-elections issue. Mian Nawaz said
this while talking to Nawa-i-Waqt in London, which he is visiting these
days. He said that if US Congress was to free to decide about the Bill,
Pakistans Parliament was also free to look at the benefits and damage
of the Bill, and to take a decision on whether or not to accept it accordingly.
However, Mian Nawaz did not make it clear about how a Parliament which
had yielded an executive which had accepted the Kerry-Lugar Bill would
decide any differently about it. He did not directly link his bye-election
decision to this, but said that he would decide this when he returned to
Pakistan.
By saying that those who had forced the personality who made
Pakistan a nuclear power to confess to proliferation were only capable of
provoking pity, Mian Nawaz again aimed a hard at Pervez Musharraf, but
this was also a criticism of the Bill, which demands Pakistani collaboration
in getting hold of Dr A Q Khan. Mian Nawaz may have the best of reasons
to be abroad, but at this critical juncture of the nations life, he should
remember that he is the leader of one of the countrys two largest
parties, and should be in Pakistan at the moment. True, his wife may be
under treatment, and all his children may be there, but that does not cancel
out his responsibility to be back in Pakistan to deal with issues that cannot
be handled by anyone apart from itself. The Kerry-Lugar Bill may provide
an example of how his party struggled to establish a definite opinion and
provide appropriate guidance to the nation, apart from being an example of
how the country is being treated by its rulers.
Mian Nawaz should realize that while he was in exile, the party
managed to survive, but it was badly battered, precisely because it had to
make do without his leadership. Now that he has returned to Pakistan, and
could re-enter Parliament through a bye-election, the situation has changed,
and any attempt to use the old methods of control, with the party present in
both Houses of Parliament and all four provincial assemblies, even in
government in one province, will not work except to create the very
confusion that Mian Nawaz disdainfully says is not caused by his party.
Mian Nawazs family may be very dear to him, and it has every right to
remain in any country that will have its members, but Mian Nawaz, if he
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wishes to lead his party at this delicate juncture of national affairs, must
do in person, and at home.
The next day, the newspaper added: There is now a national
consensus across the board in Pakistan that the present form of the KerryLugar Bill is unacceptable for Pakistan as it further compromises its
sovereignty; brings in neighbours into Pakistans affairs; puts all the onus on
Pakistan to prove that it has done what is expected of it; and targets sensitive
segments of the state, including the nuclear programme and the military, in
an intrusive and controlling fashion. Even in the context of terrorism,
Pakistan has been pronounced guilty as a starting point of the Bill! So the
aid that may flow from it simply has too many strings attached to it
conditionalities that the nation and most state structures are not prepared to
accept. The people including commentators, analysts and groups within civil
society rejected the Bill early on. Now the opposition political parties have
rightly raised a strong voice
This leaves the government alone in defending the indefensible. This
has led to so much confusion that while the information minister was
declaring that the KLB was never discussed in the cabinet, the prime
minister told the NA that the KLB had been presented before the House on
its recommendation. Confusion also prevails in the Presidency especially
in the wake of the army taking a strong institutional position against the
conditionalities attached to the Bill. Given the consensus that has shown
itself in Pakistan, the governments position on the Bill is untenable and
destructive for Pakistan.
The argument that if Pakistan does not accept the Bill, all aid flows
will stop is absurd given that the US needs Pakistan for its war on terror in
Afghanistan. Instead, our parliament should reject the bill given the
prevailing sentiments and ground realities and ask the US to redraft the Bill
which is as much its own need as it may be Pakistans. After all, the US
Congress had to rewrite the nuclear agreement with India after a strong
response from the Indian parliament. The nation and the state are one on
rejecting the KLB in its present shape. Only the Presidency and the ruling
party are isolated on the other side of the fence. Clearly, the time has come
for the elected leadership to decide whether it wants to be in synch with the
people and the state of Pakistan, or in synch with the US.
Azam Khalil observed: Certain elements in the Pakistani
administration were now insisting that the conditions attached with the
Kerry-Lugar Bill were the decision of the American administration and that

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the government of Pakistan was not taken into confidence by the Americans.
If this was to be believed then it would mean a serious failing of the
foreign office that at least knew that the Americans were in the process of
passing the piece of legislation which will have some consequences on PakUS relations. They also knew that an intense debate was being carried out in
the US Senate and the relevant house committee that fairly laid out the
proposals that were under discussion.
The media in the United States also highlighted some of the reasons
behind the attachment of stringent conditions by the United States, before
they agreed to provide financial assistance to this cash strapped country.
Even the US ambassador in Pakistan, in some of her statements, tried to
justify the imposition of conditions that were unprecedented even by
American standards, accusing the administration of General Pervez
Musharraf of misusing some American funds
As far as the Kerry Lugar Bill is concerned, it would be advisable
for Mr Yousuf Raza Gilani to try to renegotiate some of the strings that
have been attached with the financial assistance and try to convince the
American administrators that aid that can be withheld on flimsy grounds by
the Americans may not be acceptable to the people of this country. They
must tell the Americans in plain words that instead of seeking a certificate
from the Secretary of State it would be more appropriate if they receive a
certificate from the Prime Minister of this country that the financial aid
received by the government of Pakistan was money well spent and it was not
misused as they suspected on some previous occasions.
The Americans must also be informed that the financial burden
incurred by the Pakistanis of feeding Afghan refugees and the cost of
fighting the insurgency in some areas of NWFP and Balochistan was a
liability that squarely fell on America shoulders because the Pakistani
government was caught in a situation that was the creation of the Americans;
and therefore it was time that the American administration accepted that
responsibility and paid up for this financial burden that has resulted in
the crippling of Pakistans fragile economy.
Dr Ijaz Ahsan opined: Every year, the US aid will flow only after
the US Secretary of State has certified to the appropriate Senate
committees that the Government of Pakistan:
Has ceased support, including by any elements within the Pakistani
military or its intelligence agency, to terrorist groups, particularly to
any group that has conducted attacks against the US or its coalition
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forces in Afghanistan and against the territory or the people of

neighbouring countries.
(Has been) preventing al-Qaeda, Taliban and associated groups
such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad from operating in
the territory of Pakistan, including cross-border raids into
neighbouring countries.
Has closed terrorist camps in FATA, and is dismantling terrorist
bases in other parts of the country including Quetta and Muridke.
Has strengthened counter-terrorist and anti-money laundering laws.
That the security forces of Pakistan are not materially and
substantially subverting the political and judicial processes of
Pakistan.
That Pakistan is continuing to cooperate with the United States in
an effort to dismantle supplier networks relating to the acquisition
of nuclear weapon related materials, (and) providing direct access
to Pakistani nationals associated with such networks (an obvious
reference to Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan).
For determining Pakistans continuing eligibility for assistance, every
year the secretary of state shall submit, to the Congressional committees, a
record on the myriad subjects like civil liberties, political rights, voice and
accountability, government effectiveness, rule of law, control of corruption,
immunization rates, public expenditure on health, girls primary education
completion rate, public expenditure on primary education, national resource
management, business start-up, land rights and access, trade policy,
regulatory quality, inflation control and fiscal policy! (The only item left
out seems to be the relations between husbands and wives in the
country.)
After mentioning some more conditionalities Ijaz added: Needless to
say that if our government was unaware of the contents of this bill, it
shows their ignorance. However, if the bill has been prepared with their
knowledge and concurrence, it shows their abject surrender to American
dictation.
After reading about the conditions mentioned above, I could not make
head or tail of it until at last the penny dropped: the real government of this
country is in Washington DC. What we have in Islamabad is a local body,
reporting to and answerable to the former. The conditionalities of the Kerry171

Lugar Bill are such as even the federal governments; perhaps, do not expect
local governments to fulfill.
Having said that, money slips through our fingers so fast that at least
as far as expenditures on projects are concerned, we definitely need such a
straitjacket. In any case, it seems to me we should accept the fact that so
long as we have the kind of leaders we have, we will have to face such
humiliations.
Dr M Yaqoob Bhatti from Lahore wrote: The Kerry-Lugar Bill
promises US$ 1.5 billion annually for Pakistan. Lets compare it to the
proceeds from the much-delayed Kalabagh Dam which would have
produced power equal to 20 million barrels of crude oil every year valued at
US$1.4 million plus food and cash crops valued at US$1.6 billion. Thus
KBD would have given us US$3 billions annually and would have freed us
from our dependence on both IMF and US aid.
The economic independence of Pakistan can be ensured by
building just this one dam, a fact that simply hasnt sunk into the
consciousness of our policymakers. They are weaned too much on the IMF
handouts and free lunches from America. There are no free lunches in the
world. The KBD has to be built as soon as possible along with the Bhasha
Dam. The latter would take twice the time required to build KBD due to
multiple problems of road building to access the site and long transmission
line to consumer area.
Ikramullah observed: Prime Minister Gilani remarked that it was too
premature for him to comment upon the Kerry-Lugar Bill till it was enacted
and becomes law after the signature of US president. Generally speaking, the
people and the analysts condemning the bill have the disquieting feeling of
betrayal by the US for imposing the humiliating conditions against a
frontline state in the War on Terror, without consulting Islamabad. This
treatment is not acceptable because they cannot under any circumstances
compromise upon Pakistans sovereignty.
The US administration on the other hand claims that Islamabad was
on board since May 7, 2008 when the Foreign Relations Committee of the
US Senate approved the Biden-Lugar Bill during Gilanis visit to the US.
According to highly reliable resources in Islamabad, earlier there was no
question of any condition being imposed, dictated or inflicted on Pakistan as
various drafts related to the bill were constantly being exchanged and
modified resulting in the final draft which was accepted with a mutual
understanding and goodwill on both sides.
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Furthermore, according to diplomatic sources in both Washington and

Islamabad, the incumbent leadership as well as our embassy in
Washington are fully aware of all the contents of the Enhanced
Partnership Act with Pakistan (EPAWP). However, due to EPAWP, which is
that, any article of the Act can be amended or deleted at any stage by mutual
agreement. Moreover, it has also been incorporated in the Act or disassociate
itself from it whenever Islamabad may so choose.
Therefore, if at any stage certain clauses of the EPAWP are not
considered by the Parliament in the best interest of the Islamic Republic and
its people at large, the final decision to join the EPAWP and benefit from
the prescribed aid package shall always rest with the incumbent
leadership. According to the observers in Islamabad and Washington, the
EPAWP will work as a paradigm shift in the bilateral relationship between
the two countries, as the entire Partnership Act limits the aid package to the
civilian democratic government thus providing a guarantee to the
strengthening and establishing the countrys democratic system in future.
Jalees Hazir wrote: The swift passage of another lollipop bill through
both the houses of US Congress last week has thrown up two interlinked
debates here in Pakistan; about the Pak-US relationship and about the
dynamics of foreign aid from the free world in general. Because of the
crucial significance these issues have come to assume in todays Pakistan, an
open debate on the topics in the media is positive in essence. A dose of
reality would make it perfect; the larger reality of the US foreign policy
within which the US-Pak equation is one among many, and the reality of
skeleton-like African children with hopeless eyes bred by generations of
white-mans aid.
For a country that is responsible for actually manufacturing our
biggest monsters, the US has a lot to answer for. Yet it puts on the robes
of righteous perfection, dictating the direction we must take. As if it did not
will into existence and actively equip armies of fanatic militants in our midst
to counter the communist threat in Afghanistan
After discussing as to how the aid bill was evolved Jalees added:
Instead of bending over backwards to accept the promises of this petty cash,
the Pakistani government needs to look at the larger picture and re-evaluate
its relationship with the US. To pave the way for an early US withdrawal
from Afghanistan, Pakistan urgently needs to work with other countries that
share common boundaries (Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and
China) with the war-torn occupied country. These are the countries that are

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directly affected by instability in Afghanistan and have most to lose if the

US and its NATO allies are allowed to continue their mission in the country.
An impression has been created as if all hell will break loose if the
occupation in Afghanistan comes to an end. In fact, a closely coordinated
effort by Afghanistans immediate neighbours, countries that can actually
control what goes in and what comes out of the land-locked country, can fill
the welcome vacuum created by the withdrawal of US-led forces from
Afghanistan. This might be the only way to stabilize the region and to avoid
bigger wars.
Derrick Z Jackson observed: Harvard Kennedy School of Government
research fellow Azeem Ibrahim published a report further detailing how
America underwrites corruption in Pakistan with these unaccounted-for
billions of dollars. Ibrahim described Pakistan as a black hole for US
funds, enriching individuals while Pakistani frontier soldiers have been
seen standing in the snow in sandals, wearing World War I-era pith helmets,
and using barely functional rifles. He noted how Pakistans military received
$80 million a month even during cease-fires when troops were in their
barracks.
For a part of the world deemed so critical to our national security, it is
outrageous how these abuses go on and on with no sign of ending. It would
be easy to blame the Bush administration and other hawkish republicans, but
we are now eight and a half months into the self-proclaimed transparency
of the Obama Administration. Yet Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel
Mark Wright still told the AP in its story this week: We dont have a
mechanism for tracking the money after we have given it to them.
Until there is a transparent tracking mechanism, it is meaningless for
Kerry to talk about landmark achievements. It makes hollow the claim by
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that this fresh $7.5 billion gives Pakistan the
tools, support, and capability it needs to defeat al-Qaeda and other terrorist
groups. Pakistan should get no more money until it becomes serious
about accounting for the aid it receives. All Pakistan has done so far is toy
around with our tools.
Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari considered KLB an existentialist threat
to Pakistan. The people of Pakistan are grateful to the US for helping us but
will not exchange their freedom for money. Our sovereignty is not for sale,
not for $1.5 billion or $10 billion or $100 billion or more. We (the people
of Pakistan) want an end to corruption and desire good governance. We want
justice and democracy. We want to live in peace with all our neighbours,
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especially India and Afghanistan. But neither do we want sermonizing,

unjust accusations. Nor to be spoken to with a forked tongue, with the
Pentagon publicity lauding our tremendous contribution in the struggle
against terrorism and the State Department and Congress accusing those
same contributing organizations for duplicity and protecting terrorists in
Muridke, Quetta or Karachi. We are the worst affected by terrorism, mostly
puppeteered from India and Afghanistan and the US surely knows about it.
It was a sad spectacle to see President Obama and PM Brown sit
alongside one of historys most corrupt men, tainted with serious
allegations of high crime inter-mixed with similarly tainted ministers and
officials along with some members of the Obama Cabinet at the Friends of
Pakistan moot in New York recently. Did nobody advise the US president
about the past of such luminaries of our society? Or have the neo-cons also
wormed their way into the new administration?
Pakistan does face an existentialist threat today. The current state
of directionless-ness, corruption, mismanagement and bad governance
cannot go on for long. This produces more extremism which threatens our
body politics as well as neighbouring countries. Unwise policies sought to
be thrust on us because weak lackeys are willing to play ball breed counter
reactions in our people. We are losing the battle for the hearts and minds of
our own people throughout Pakistan. The Peace Act exacerbates the
problem. If Pakistan is in disarray and not wisely dealt with what will
become of NATO in Afghanistan? And will not be far behind.
The time has come for the people to face up to the critical
conditions that threaten our very existence. For the Parliament to show
that it is really sovereign and capable of protecting Pakistans sovereignty,
for civil society, for political parties and for political leaders not to be cowed
down and meekly submit but to stand up and say No to the NRO, say No
to corruption and mismanagement and one-mans rule; no to the
conditionalities and intrusive colonial era language of the Peace Act.
And USA and western powers have to deal with us as real friends
for our mutual desire to eliminate terrorism and its root causes. The policy
goals of rolling-back Pakistans nuclear programme while India continues to
be blessed with the most sophisticated technology violating long-held US
and Nuclear Supplies Group laws must come to an end. If we are a friend
then we must be treated as a friend. Only then the stated objectives of the
Peace Act be fulfilled, the root causes of terrorism eliminated and the
existentialist threat to Pakistan and the entire region removed.

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Inayatullah also urged the regime to say no. Whatever be the final
outcome of the controversy raging about the Kerry-Lugar Bill, the debate
on its pros and cons inside the Parliament and outside is bound to do the
nation a lot of good. For one, it has jolted the politicians into realizing what
desperate straits the country has been driven to.
The NRO spawned rulers led by Mr Zardari who till a few days ago,
were revealing in glory for netting $7.5 billion in the coming five years are
facing stiff opposition in the elected houses, the media and above all from
the army top brass. Its lapse in taking the major stakeholders into confidence
at various stages about different aspects of the conditionalities-ridden
legislation is taking its toll. It is surprising that the government took the
military command for granted and did not bother to carry it along.
One could see the president flying high, during his sojourn in New
York last month overly confident and even complacent while meeting US
dignitaries. The picture painted by our man in Washington about the
successes achieved the passing of the Kerry Lugar Bill being the crowing
piece had left hardly any possibility of a setback for anything done wrong.
Hence the tall and eloquent statements on return, claiming credit for an
unprecedented achievement. The US aid tripled!
The sharp adverse reaction back home was indeed shocking for
the presidency. The initial redress was the resolve to mount a campaign to
properly educate the public opinion. The opposition leaders speech in the
National Assembly, the uproar in the media, in particular on TV channels,
and above all the articulation of the strong reservation of the army
commanders upset the PPP applecart
After briefly mentioning the conditionalities, Inayatullah continued:
Reports afloat suggest that a number of such micro-management
requisites were possibly inserted in the Bill at the instance of the
Pakistani government. Attention has been invited to parts of the book
written by Mr Hussain Haqqani, our Ambassador in the US, in which he has
specifically advised the American administration to use aid as a lever for
influencing the policies of the Government of Pakistan. There also has been
talk about the contribution made by the Indian lobbies
Although the title of the bill: Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act
of 2009 is suggestive of a trusting relationship; the provisions relating to
monitoring, auditing and disbursing smack of a master-client
arrangement in which the client has been reckoned to be corrupt, inefficient
and untrustworthy.
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One can understand the manufacturing of a Bill of this kind by

Washington, taking fullest advantage of a tainted, fawning and vulnerable
government. What, however, is not so easy to comprehend is the failure
on the part of the US to realize that a number of significant
developments in Pakistan during the last two or three years the emergence
of the independent judiciary, an alert and assertive media, stirrings in the
civil society and a military disinclined to interfere in civilian affairs had
started to create a positive impact on the society which no longer was
willing to take things lying down.
It will do a lot of good and help in restoring a sense of self-respect if
the government decides to say no to the Kerry Lugar Bill, as worded at
present. One may here take note of the fact that according to conservative
estimates more than 40 percent of the aid being provided will be consumed
by American consultants, contractors and intermediaries. Moreover, much of
the assistance will be delivered not through the government channels but
funneled through American selected agencies and organizations
It is indeed ironic to find that Mr Zardaris much-trumpeted
conciliatory approach has landed him into the most unfortunate state of
tension with the military leadership. It will be advisable at this critical
juncture for the government to hold an open-ended extensive consultation
with all the stakeholders leaders all political parties, military top brass,
some of the leading think tanks specialists as well as the civil society
representatives and arrive at a national consensus.
The stakes are too high for an exposed political leadership alone, to
handle matters of crucial importance to the future of the country. The best
approach to ensuring effective civilian control of the military affairs is
to honestly work hard to establish good governance and institute a
workable delivery system capable of rendering real services to the people.
Fakir S Ayazuddin wrote: The Kerry-Lugar Bill has stirred a huge
controversy, pitting the president versus the Rest. This controversy has been
triggered by the incompetence of the sycophants surrounding the president,
which is symptomatic of a disease that infects all our rulers, and will soon
lead to his downfall. It is truly shocking that blunders have multiplied
bringing us to the abyss again.
The main support of the government, one being run today by a
handful of NRO-bathed bureaucrats, who have no following or vote bank,
and are operating on the Loot and Scoot agenda. Their support is
temporary, and will vanish at the first sign of a summons from any court.
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There are many cases waiting to be reopened. These born again bureaucrats
have one eye on the courts, and will be on a plane before the judgment is
announced. The worst part is that these officers, in extracting their pound of
flesh, have stopped deserving candidates from their rightful promotions
The Army has reacted strongly on this issue, for, scrutiny of army
personnel promotions, as stipulated in the Bill, is viewed as a serious
violation of our sovereignty. No foreign government can possibly be
allowed to interfere in the placements of our officers. In any country in
the world, backing of an officer by a foreign country would immediately
disqualify that officer, and would lead to his immediate dismissal. This
applies to every country of the world Worse, the journalists are hinting
that Haqqani was not alone, but there were others who assisted
The presidency has allowed its distrust factor to expand, and now
include the armed forces. The PPP has never been truly accepted by the
army, and now it will be seen as manipulating the US Congress into
including clauses that are against the very sovereignty of Pakistan. It is the
soldier who lays down his life to protect this sovereignty.
In Washington, President Obama and his aides must be very
perplexed, as they were given the impression of the shepherds, and their own
State Department officials that every word of the Bill was in consonance
with the Pakistani government. So when the sudden and violent reaction
hit the newswires, the White House decided to take a second look.
Pakistan is now a power centre. General Kayani is key player today, and
with his army they cannot be distracted from their crucial assignment, that
has been thrust upon him by geography. I am sure the Americans must be
reconsidering their options
Amina Jilani observed: The media entanglement in the Kerry-Lugar
Bill dispute continues unabated it is either black or white, there is no midground, no grey. The division is clear The Government of Asif Ali
Zardari versus the Rest. To give it its official title, the Enhancement
Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009, whatever else it may do or not do, it
serves the American national interest which is supreme and which the
Americans make no bones about.
The Rest includes Pakistans all-powerful army The relationship
between the army and the government, i.e. the Presidency is said to be
uneasy, despite the fact that the army, supported by the government, has
successfully dealt with the Taliban problem in Swat and Malakand earning
much due praise from Pakistans ally, the US, however, that praise has been
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somewhat neutralized by the Kerry Lugar clause which specifies: An

assessment of the extent to which the Government of Pakistan exercises
effective civilian control of the military, including a description of the extent
to which the civilian executive leaders and parliament exercise oversight and
approval of military budgets, the chain of command, the process of
promotion for senior military leaders, civilian involvement in strategic
guidance and planning and military involvement in civil administration.
It is unrealistic to expect the army to swallow this in its own
interest, let alone the national interest. Such language cannot be
acceptable to the generals, nor can the present government be expected to
exercise any control over the military, let alone effective control. Historical
precedents are right now too firmly entrenched.
Tallat Azim wrote: The point I am trying to make is that if the
Americans want to help us, they must do it with conditions that are
people friendly and without the accusatory/lecturing small print. It is for the
people to force the political leadership of Pakistan to keep its house in order
and not for the Americans to advise
Just as one would not like to see the military take over the country
again, one would also not like to see overt American interference in the day
to day running of Pakistan. The Americans cannot be telling us who should
be appointed as the Chief of Army Staff and neither can they afford to be
partisan on a divided opinion between the army high command and the
government. Granted that our political leadership has an unenviable track
record, there always comes a time when things change.
The victory of President Barack Obama in itself signified a sea change
that did not seem possible until it did happen. It made so many people
around the world idealists again. Similarly, the will of the people has
prevailed previously in Pakistan and can again. The people of this country
are good, so win their goodwill President Obama because if they win;
you and your country win too.
Ikramullah wrote: In a meeting with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf
Raza Gilani in Lahore the other day, I pointed out that it is not just out of
fear of the bill impinging upon the nations sovereignty, but primarily
because it imposes strong checks on the countrys security and nuclear
capability. I, therefore, strongly recommended to the prime minister that the
bill should be placed before Parliament for scrutiny, so that Congress is
apprised of the sentiments of the Pakistani nation with regard to the
implications of the three certifications that Secretary Clinton is required to
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provide to the Congressional Committees. The Parliament is the only and

best possible democratic forum to finally decide the fate of the Bill. And
also fix responsibility for the role and influence exercised by some major
players during its preparation. This is a defining moment for Parliament
upon which may depend the future course of our democratic journey towards
the goal of a modern, independent, democratic and Islamic welfare state.
Jalees Hazir observed: President Zardaris official spokesperson
Farhatullah Babar said last week that army commanders should have used
the proper forum of the Defence Committee of Cabinet to express their
reservations regarding the Kerry-Lugar Bill. Of course that is how things
should work under a democratic government. The problem is that while
preaching democratic propriety to the entire nation, the president that
Babar speaks for has broken every rule in the democratic book. Given
the tremendous influence he exercises on the government and his PPP, this
devious and undemocratic behaviour acts like a curse on the new democratic
setup reinforcing all the negative stereotypes about politicians.
There is no point in getting into the circular debate about whether the
politicians are democratically stunted due to periodic military takeovers or
the military intervenes because the politicians fail to measure up to the task
every time they get a chance to govern. Jalees then narrated as to how the
events unfolded and finally led to the revelation of Zardari through
combined effort of politicians and military dictator.
He concluded: It is clear that the guarantee not to restore the judiciary
that President Zardari talked about was given to the Americans, who
facilitated the PPP-Musharraf rapprochement. The negative role played by
the Bush and Obama administrations during the Rule of Law movement
became more than obvious when Holbrooke tried his best to dissuade Nawaz
Sharif from leading the Long March that finally resulted in the restoration of
judiciary. These all-out efforts by the mightiest state in the world could
not change a thing when the people of Pakistan made up their mind.
The Kerry-Lugar sermon about checking the military from intervening
in judicial matters is therefore laughable. Obviously, they have other tricks
up their sleeves. The democratically-elected President of Pakistan should not
align himself so closely to the Kerry-Lugar trickery. It should be clear to
him by now where the true source of power lies in a democracy.

Afghanistan has been a like a bone stuck in the throat of the lone
scavenger of the world. Its strategy of troop surge suffered setbacks soon
after its launching. This led to the debate whether to continue with the
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occupation or to call it a day and start pulling out its forces. The comments
of the analysts have been arranged under two sub-headings: first the nature
of occupation and ways and means to consolidate it.
The Washington Post wrote about prisoners in Bagram. The Obama
Administration deserves credit for proposing changes to the detainee review
process at Bagram Air Base. In theory, the changes should increase the
likelihood that only those who should be held will be imprisoned there.
But the administration inexcusably continues to resist necessary
reforms for those detainees among the longest held who were captured
beyond the Afghan battlefield. It also leaves open the possibility of future
renditions to Bagram of terrorist suspects captured outside Afghanistan. On
this front, the new proposal risks duplicating the lawlessness that came to
mar the detentions at the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The Defence Department proposal calls for Afghans captured on the
battlefield and sent to Bagram to have more leeway in challenging their
detentions. A detainee will be given an unclassified summary of the
evidence justifying detention and will be allowed to attend review
hearings and have the help of a personal representative in gathering and
presenting witnesses or evidence to contest internment. The representative
will be permitted to review the governments evidence, including classified
information. Detainees will have the opportunity to testify but cannot be
complied to do so by the government
The new proposal, however falls short in refusing to make allowances
for those few court records indicate 30 people; the Defence Department
says 10 who were captured in other countries, far from any recognizable
battlefield, and transported to Bagram. These detainees, as a federal court
judge ruled in April, deserve the right to challenge their detentions in federal
court? Yet the Obama Justice Department, following the lead of George W
Bushs administration, continues to contest this, arguing that allowing
habeas corpus review in these unusual and limited cases could open the
door to future court challenges even by those captured on the
battlefield.
Robert Fisk opined: Obama and Osama are at last participating in
the same narrative. For the US critics indeed, for many critics of the
Wests military occupation of Afghanistan are beginning to speak in the
same language as Obamas (and their) greatest enemy.

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There is a growing suspicion in America that Obama has been socked

into the heart of the Afghan darkness by ex-Bushie Robert Gates once
more the Secretary of Defence and by journalist-adored Gen David
Petraeus whose military surges appear to be as successful as the Battle of
Bulge in stemming the insurgent tide in Afghanistan as well as in Iraq.
No wonder Osama bin Laden decided to address the American
people this week Fisk went on to discuss prevalent situation in
Afghanistan and then concluded: And what do Americas Republican hawks
the subject of Osama bin Ladens latest sermon now say about the
Afghan catastrophe? More troops will not guarantee success in
Afghanistan, failed Republican contender and ex-Vietnam vet John McCain
told us this week. But a failure to send them will be a guarantee of
failure. How Osama must have chuckled as this preposterous
announcement echoed around al-Qaedas dark cave.
Amina Jilani while commenting on the art of deal-making in Pakistan
agreed with Fareed Zakaria, who wrote in Washington Post that deals are
neo-democratic manner of negotiation and they involve buying, renting
or bribing. Fareed Zakaria recommended this to solve the Wests problem
in Afghanistan as follows.
The focus must shift from nation building to deal-making. The central
problem in Afghanistan is that the Pashtuns, who made up 45 percent of the
population and almost 100 percent of the Taliban, do not feel empowered
Buying, renting and bribing Pashtun tribes should become the centerpiece of
Americas stabilization strategy, as it was Britains when it ruled
Afghanistan The deal-making should extend to the top In a few years,
Afghanistan will still be poor, corrupt and dysfunctional. But if we make the
right deals, it will be ruled by leaders who keep the country inhospitable
to al-Qaeda and similar terrorist groups that is my definition of success.
Tim Mcgirk observed: The few attempts by Karzai to reach out to
Taliban leaders fizzled largely because the Taliban wanted a third-party to
act as go-between. The President either sent his brother or a few Taliban
defectors who were distrusted by their former jihadi comrades. Mullah Omar
broke off talks through Saudi Arabia several months ago, saying that the
Taliban would only talk with Karzai once all foreign troops had agreed to
withdraw from Afghanistan. Taliban experts say that, if anything, the fraudtainted elections have damaged Karzais standing so badly that the Taliban
and their supporters in Pakistan no longer see the need for peace talks.
In other words, says Taliban commander Mullah: We believe we will win.

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I M Mohsin observed: President Barack Obama like a statesman

kept his cards close to his chest. Appreciating that reverses suffered by the
status quo in Afghanistan were instrumental in plunging the support for the
ongoing war, he advised prudence. Lately, even many Democrats have
voiced their disagreement with the administrations policy. The president,
however, opined that he would not say anything about any increase in the
US forces till the new strategy was finally decided. At best this could be a
breather. On the occasion of Eid, the Taliban appear to have tempered their
attacks. This could change drastically all of a sudden.
General McChrystals projected paradigm presages perilous
exposure of his troops to widespread attacks. While his avowed objective
of providing security to the Afghans exudes his professional commitment,
knowing Afghan culture it may boomerang as being too little too late. First,
the massive killings by the foreign forces over the last eight years have set
off such resentment which would not die down in the light of the Afghan
traditions. Second, a further spread of forces may prove to be a spin of the
dice. Such exposure entails enormous expenditure besides the possibility of
more deaths.
Third, considerable emphasis appears to be placed on the aggressive
use of money as well as CIA, like in Iraq, to woo the local people. This may
also become a moot point, as the Afghans frustration with the US is writ
large. Since the Bonn Conference dream turned sour due to the continuing
chaos to the extent that even foreign troops feel insecure, hoping for a
reversal of fortunes appears far-fetched.
Fourth, if casualties mount along with the expenditure, it would
complicate the US domestic scene. As is well known, Secretary Gates, being
an intelligence guru, does not relish expanding US footprints in
Afghanistan. This reflects his sense of history as well as unique knowledge
of the area. Lastly, the enthusiasm of the NATO forces appears to be discreet
besides their reported lack of latest equipment etc. This further haunts the
US forces.
President Obama will have to be wise today, its madness to defer.
Pakistan, though mired in distress and colossal suffering,
avoidable/unavoidable, may help Obama avoid making Woodrow Wilsons
fear come true: America cannot be an ostrich with its head in the sand.
Mushfiq Murshed talked of options after polls. The options available
to defuse the volatile situation are limited. An outright Karzai victory as
announced by the Independent Election Commission in the face of massive
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allegations of fraud has already been rejected by all the other candidates and
will only exacerbate existing tensions and instability. The investigations of
the electoral complaints will take several weeks and with beginning of the
winter snows a second round of voting will not be possible before March or
April 2010. Afghanistan just cannot afford the continuation of the
uncertainty till then.
Under the circumstances, the only viable option seems to be the
establishment of a national unity government. The US and the other
countries involved in Afghanistan are said to be quietly working behind the
scene to bring about such an outcome. However, these efforts have not
been helped by disclosures from the Karzai camp that Abdullah
Abdullah has asked for 12 ministries as the price for cooperation. This has
been vehemently denied by the latter who stated on September 12: A
coalition with a fraudulent regime? I wont find myself in such a system.
Those who voted for me wanted change.
Despite this rhetoric, there is no other alternative. If such an inclusive
government does eventually emerge, it will be an interim nature till a second
round of voting can be held. Furthermore such a dispensation will have to
reflect the ethnic map of Afghanistan. Despite constituting 44 percent of the
population, the Pushtuns have been sidelined in the present administration.
A balanced multi-ethnic government is indispensable for the stability of
the country.
James Movard observed: For eight years, the American people have
been fed one big lie after another regarding Afghanistan. Now when the
Pentagon is saber-rattling to vastly increase the number of US troops sent
there, a refresher course on the Biggest Lies is in order. James Bovard
quoted few of the lies before writing the concluding remarks: Both Bush
and Obama touted the US occupation of Afghanistan as promoting
democracy. But the election in August showed Afghan democracy as an
onion-layer of frauds. Peter Galbraith, a top United Nations official in
Afghanistan, estimated that a third of Karzais votes may have been bogus.
(He was fired after he refused to muzzle himself).
Some Obama Administration officials probably cringed at the scale of
the Karzais conniving. But it is only a question of time until we are again
told about our duty to defend democracy in Kabul. The elections did not
fool the Afghan people: they know Karzai is an American puppet. But
the election may help the US government con slow-witted Americans into
believing the war has a redeeming purpose.

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There are other perennial four-star howlers the claims that the US is
speedily building up the Afghan army, that the US is striving to make sure
Afghan opium no longer floods the world, that US experts are helping the
Afghan government become non-corrupt There is no reason to expect
the US government to ever become trustworthy on Afghanistan. At best,
Washington will rotate its lies, the same way it rotates the National Guard
units sent to the Afghan badlands. Americans need to recognize that, once
their government commences warring, truth will be target number one.
Kori Schake opined: Mr Obama owns the war in Afghanistan. He
bought it, on credit. But he is fulminating at the cost now that the bill is
coming due. Gen Stanley McChrystal has made clear what the bill be in
terms of additional troops. And the President now wants a review to
determine whether we are pursuing the right strategy
If the President turns off the spigot of American assistance in
Afghanistan, he will pay a substantial price for it. He will be going back
on his rhetoric about Afghanistan as the good war, a war of necessity. He
will cast the withdrawal from Iraq in a different light, endow the jihadist
with a public victory (which will only encourage future attacks), and make it
more difficult to achieve positive change in Afghanistan as well as collect
intelligence on terrorists. He may turn Hamid Karzais government into an
adversary. He will diminish our ability to help Pakistan fight terrorists, and
will likely make the US less trusted in the world. But those prices will be
less than the cost of sending young Americans to fight and die in a war the
President is not committed to winning.
The military is doing its job in Afghanistan. Its time the rest of
the government does its job. We need to turn our attention to the failures of
the non-military parts of our strategy and bring them up to the standard at
which our military is performing. Otherwise we will not be doing what is
needed to win.
I M Mohsin commented: General McChrystal appreciates the high
standards achieved by the insurgency which have upped the ante
apparently after the recent surge of troops in Afghanistan. It is no joke that
the Taliban opposed the surge while promising more attacks. This was
done with a dual purpose. First, to register their hostility to any such move
which they interpret as strengthening the occupation forces. Second, to
warn the Afghans not to participate in the presidential polls
The strategy, which runs counter to Joe Bidens mantra, is influenced
by his guiding principle that a foreign army alone cannot beat an
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insurgency. He would, therefore like to bend backwards to make sure that

his troops provide security to the Afghans whom they are guarding as a
priority. So far, the bunker mentality seems to have dominated the
conduct of the troops whereby their own safety denoted by force
protection mattered most. Such an attitude promotes disconnect between
themselves and the local people
President Obama has desisted from giving any definitive comment
about McChrystals strategy. After calling it a necessary war, his only
commitment has been to assure that national interest alone would influence
the final decision to the exclusion of home-politics. Speaking in NBCs
programme Meet the Press, Obama said: I am not interested in just being in
Afghanistan for the sake of being in Afghanistan or saving face or, in some
way you know, sending a message that America is here for the duration.
Until Im satisfied that weve got the right strategy Im not gonna be sending
some young men and women over there beyond that we already have.
The state of affairs in Afghanistan happens to be very shoddy.
While the Taliban talk tough the Karzai regime has further been hurt by the
August-election fiasco. With the outcome thereof in doldrums, because of
the massive complaints of rigging, the system, or lack of it, has been badly
belittled. This has demoralized the Afghans, generally, besides perking up
the Taliban who are seeing success lurking around the corner.
The Northern warlords had it good for quite a while after 2001.
However, personal rivalries and turf-wars had been gradually eroding
the united stand they took in siding with the US to remove the Taliban
from power. Now discontentment rules the roost in Baghlan/Kunduz
particularly. Even Governor of Baghlan, a one-time Karzai-crony, has been
bitter about the lack of funds for the area. By a quirk of luck Kunduz also
went awry due to the last months misuse of aerial bombing by the German
detachment to the chagrin of McChrystal.
As the land route from south/east has been under growing threat from
the Taliban, the Northern one was considered, though longer, a safe bet.
Presently, the foreign forces look ostracized from the outside world as
their supplies are held hostage by serious insecurity. The only way out is
an open like the Berlin air-lift which would raise the costs hugely.
The right wing loonies are running down Obama for his
statesmanship, who tends to behave like Thomas Jefferson. One such
blabbermouth called his wonderfully conciliatory speech at the UN General
Assembly basically a coup against America. Farid Zakaria in his article
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titled Obama the Gambler concludes: Obama is gambling that America is

strong enough to understand that machismo is not foreign policy and
grandstanding on the world stage wont succeed. Its a big, bold gambit. I
hope it works. Mr Obamas main ambition in life is to transform America at
home. The last thing he needs is a Vietnam, as Economist confirms.
The Nation wrote: President Barack Obamas remark on a recent visit
to the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in Virginia that he could
not rule out al-Qaeda attacking the US in the future recalls the same war
hysteria that his predecessor George W Bush created and kept trumpeting
during his two dismal tenures His motive in raising the scare of an attack
is obviously no different from Bushs: to regain domestic support for an
increasingly unpopular war (this time in Afghanistan) by instilling fear in the
minds of American citizens that abandoning it or planning an exit at this
stage carries a serious security risk for them. He clearly is preparing for
another surge of troops following General McChrystals alarm bells
sounding defeat with the present strength. Obama had better listen to
those who would counsel him that to recapture the public standing he
enjoyed during the period immediately preceding the election, he would
have to mark a clear break with Bushs aggressive stance that he had earlier
promised. Unfortunately, he seems to be falling into the neoconservative trap
of the previous administration.
Pakistan must also be concerned at the ominous implications that
another of US Presidents observation at the NCTC carried. He was
determined to hunt down al-Qaeda and its militant allies wherever they were
to be found. Read with the disclosure of the State Department spokesman
that those responsible for the tragedy of 9/11 have reached Pakistan there
remains little doubt that Obamas target was Pakistans territory. At
least this is one of the countries he feared from where an attack on the US
mainland could be planned
The drone attacks on FATA have left behind a trail of misery and
widespread hatred of the US. Their extension to Balochistan, as it has been
talked about lately, would create a huge backlash of public opinion and
prove counter-productive to the fight against militancy. The Pakistan
government must seriously take up the issue with Washington (the
armed forces are reported to have conveyed their strong opposition to the
idea of General McChrystal at a recent meeting) and make it clear that
neither the government nor the people would tolerate any such US
foolhardiness.

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Faiz Rehman wrote about Dr Maleeha Lodhi appearance before the US

Senates Foreign Relations Committee. During hearing she expressed her
views on the US strategy of surge of troops. Faiz wrote: Dr Lodhis
following five points against the proposed surge received a lot of attention
and discussion from the Senators. She said:
It will lead to a further influx of militants and al-Qaeda fighters into
Pakistan.
It will enhance the vulnerability of US-NATO ground supply routes
through Pakistan, creating what military strategists call the battle of
the reverse front. It will also overstretch Pakistans forces in having
to protect the supply lines.
It would produce a spike in violent reprisals on mainland Pakistan.
It could lead to the influx of more Afghan refugees, with further
destabilizing effects in the NWFP and Balochistan.
Most importantly, it could corrode the present fragile political
consensus in Pakistan to fight militancy.
Proposing a third option, she stressed the need for a politicomilitary strategy, which will allow a gradual US withdrawal from
Afghanistan: A precipitous withdrawal would repeat the strategic mistake of
the 1990s when the US abandoned Afghanistan to the chaos that nurtured alQaeda. Nor should the West risk being trapped in a Vietnam style quagmire,
a war without end and with no guarantee of success.
Jeffery Simpson wrote: What did NATO expect in a country with
no tradition of electoral democracy but a long history of warlords,
intimidation, bribery and decentralization? Of course Hamid Karzais regime
and its allies stuffed ballot boxes and bribed voters. Thats the way things get
done in Afghanistan through what we would call corruption, but what many
Afghans would say is the way things have been, with tribal strongmen
extorting money and power for themselves in exchange for distributing
crumbs of it to those dependent upon them. It isnt pretty, but its the Afghan
way.
Gen McChrystal and President Barack Obama (in his five weekend
interviews) now define the mission as preventing al-Qaeda from reestablishing footholds in Afghanistan. This important goal is long
removed from the early and persistent ones that were based on hopes
and myths rather than realizable objectives. If keeping al-Qaeda out is the
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goal, Gen McChrystal argues that more troops are needed. Becoming much
closer to the people should animate policy.
This is easier said than done. One reason that soldiers patrol in the
convoys and governments place caveats on where and when their forces go
is because they dont want troops killed. Thats why the Americans used
drones to fire missiles at suspected insurgent targets rather than sending
ground troops, killing many civilians in the process.
As for cutting off the insurgents supplies of money, how does this
get done when the sources are in Saudi Arabia, the Persian Gulf, Pakistan
and the poppy fields of the south? How do you patrol a PakistanAfghanistan border that is almost completely porous?
Gen McChrystals diagnosis is compelling: a weak state, a corrupt
government, Pakistani support for the insurgents, money from the drug
trade, extortion and intimidation, no working system of justice, endemic
poverty, a police force no one trusts and an Afghan army that must grow to
240,000 from a targeted level of 134,000 by next fall. Many years, not one
or two, would be required to turn around any of these factors, let alone
all of them.
David Ignatius commented with reference to Swat operation. There
are some lessons here for US troops across the border in Afghanistan. But
frankly, one of the most important truths is that the US, as an outside force,
simply cannot do some of the things that worked best for Pakistani
commanders. No matter how fervently Gen Stanley McChrystal speaks of a
population-centric strategy, its hard to implement if its not your country.
McChrystals strategy echoes some of the Pakistani percepts
more troops, more focus on the population, more security. But even with
an additional 40,000 troops, the US wont have the same popular support the
Pakistanis enjoyed in Swat. America is fighting what many Afghans will
always regard as a war of occupation. People arent going to fall in love
with US troops.
Thinking about the human dimension, you can see whats wrong with
the alternative counter-terrorism strategy favoured by McChrystals critics.
Basically, theyre talking about a high-tech campaign that zaps al-Qaeda and
Taliban fighters from the sky with Predator drones. Its an approach that
turns assassination into our national strategy. In world that its just
beginning to soften its anger towards America, that strikes me as a very bad
idea.

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The right Afghanistan policy begins with a frank admission that

this isnt American problem, its Afghanistans. The US needs to patiently
support the emerging Afghan government, keeping our troop levels firm and
reliable, until the Afghans acquire the tools and political consensus to secure
their country.
The Nation talked of increasing Indian influence in Afghanistan. For
the second time in recent days, American sources have come out with a clear
endorsement of Pakistans apprehensions about Indias growing role in
Afghanistan. First it was General Stanley McChrystal Now a former CIA
man at Islamabad, Milton Bearden, has acknowledged that Pakistans
feelings were not over-wrought, as previously assumed by the US
administration, but quite justified. Indeed, it is not difficult for any
strategist to conclude from New Delhis tactics in Afghanistan that
Islamabad would be extremely worried at the kind of encirclement it is
experiencing. The two countries have standing disputes between them
In the backdrop of the above scenario, good intentions could not
possibly be behind the establishment of Indian diplomatic missions on the
periphery of Pakistan. In fact, Pakistans security forces operating in the
troubled north are convinced that the sophisticated arms and equipment
the militants possess are made available to them by a hostile power.
There is credible evidence of Indian involvement in Balochistan as well.
Although it was the US policy of patronizing the Northern Alliance that
provided New Delhi a welcome niche to operate against Pakistan,
Washington must take these warnings from its own sources seriously. Not
only should its friend reduce its presence in Afghanistan, but also resolve
disputes with Pakistan amicably for real peace to come to the subcontinent.
M K Bhadrakumar urged more Indian involvement in Afghanistan.
At the present moment, what really worries Pakistan is that despite previous
assurances to the contrary, Washington may finally accept the new line-up
taking shape in Kabul under President Hamid Karzai that includes prominent
Northern Alliance warlords who had worked closely with India in the latter
half of the 1990s and right until the US ousted the Taliban regime in 2001.
Arguably, these warlords could play a useful role for the US in
stabilizing Afghanistan and in the Afghanistan of the war in a very near
term in a way that will significantly ease the pressure on NATO troops.
Actually, this could be an Afghan variant of the Sunni Awakening that the
US implemented with considerable success within a short timeframe in Iraq.

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Obama is indeed looking for ways of quickly retrieving the security situation
in Afghanistan and is working within a tight timeframe.
Pakistan worries about any proximity developing between the US
and the Northern Alliance warlords. Needless to say, Indias influence in
Afghanistan will take a quantum jump if the warlords are resurrected
by the US and put in charge of the Afghan security for battling a tenacious
Taliban. As longtime opponents of the Taliban, the warlords advocate a
tough line against the insurgency. As Mohammed Fahim, who is likely to be
the vice president in Karachis new government told New York Times: My
belief is the time for peace is when we are strong and the Taliban are weak?
Now would not be good time for Afghanistan to make peace.
Fahim said the government and coalition forces should hit Taliban
bases inside Pakistan and in southern Afghanistan. The method of
fighting should be studied very carefully; there should be a new strategy,
Fahim added. He is not opposed to the continued foreign troop presence in
Afghanistan, maintaining that it is a reality.
In short, if warlords are put in the driving seat of anti-Taliban
operations, Pakistan may be compelled to suffer the ultimate humiliation of
passively witnessing the warlords systematically ravaging the Taliban
cadres as only local Afghan militia can effectively do and reducing them
to a useless rabble or, worse still, force the residual elements to flee.
India, of course, can do a lot to help the US and NATO in such a
scenario by training the militia operating under the warlords and also
proving them with weapons. In sum, without military deployment in
Afghanistan, Delhi has the capacity to play a decisive role in crushing the
Taliban insurgency, which is what makes Pakistan extremely anxious in the
developing political scenario on the Afghan chess-board.
No wonder, Pakistan is watching with great anxiety any signs of
new thinking in Washington to the direction of co-opting the Northern
Alliance warlords in the fight against the Taliban. It is a close call. Opinion
is divided in Washington. The general perception of Afghan realities through
Western eyes makes the warlords appear a highly disagreeable
constituency to serve even as collaborators in the current desperate situation.
There is a serious mental block that needs to be overcome in the West in
comprehending the Afghan realities. Pakistan counts on that.
Secondly, Pakistan expects the Obama Administration to be
sensitive to its concerns vis--vis an Indian presence in Afghanistan.
Indeed, Washington needs to walk a fine line by not annoying Pakistan even
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while tapping into any help India can render. NATO has just urged Moscow
to be a partner in the Afghanization of the war despite the backlog of
Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. India, on the contrary, would be regarded
as a benign friendly power in Afghanistan. Yet, Washington has to make a
choice in favour of optimally getting Pakistans help, which is crucial, rather
than co-opting an Indian side show.
All in all, taking into account the distinct possibility that a friendly
Karzai-led government will be in power in Kabul for the next five years, the
mood in Delhi is increasingly that India should adopt a forward policy
toward terrorism in the region rather than allow itself to be bled
periodically. Influential sections of Indian opinion are stridently calling for
an outright India intervention in Afghanistan without awaiting the niceties of
an American invitation letter.
Interestingly, even as these manoeuvrings are edging their way to a
climax in the coming weeks, Delhi just hosted an international conference
titled Peace and Stability in Afghanistan, which was attended by among
others Lieutenant General David W Barno, who heads the National
Defence University in Washington The two-day conference in Delhi,
which was addressed by top officials of the Indian foreign ministry and the
Prime Ministers Office, ended on Wednesday. The Taliban struck at the
Indian embassy in Kabul on Tuesday. Maybe it is mere coincidence, maybe
it is not. In the world of John le Carres spymaster George Smiley, you can
never tell.
Frank Creel commented: The historians would expect Americans,
perhaps more than any other nation, to understand how it is possible for a
small, relatively poor country to inflict defeat on a world class imperial
power. That is precisely what we did to the British Empire at the apex of its
military might and political prestige. That is what Vietnam did to us at the
height of our military might and political prestige. There is a common factor
in all these historical events. The Brits and the Russians were fighting on
Afghan soil. The Brits were fighting on American soil. We were fighting on
Vietnamese soil.
There is no magic or strange power in dirt. The force to be reckoned
with in each of these cases is the strong attachment of the inhabitants to
their own national dirt. In all history, there is no more hated warrior, no
soldier more worthy of a violent, bloody end, than the one who is perceived
as an invader.

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It makes absolutely no difference how those invading, occupying

soldiers perceive themselves. Sure, it will make them feel good if they can
honestly tell themselves that they are fighting a global war on terrorism, or
exporting democracy, or building a nation. But feeling good about yourself
and your mission will not make much difference if an AK-47 round
sneaks through you body armours arm hole or just under the edge of your
helmet.
So, Gordon had the reason to call Pashtoons terrorists, but the editor
of The Nation did not like it. One really wonders if Britain, a major ally of
the US with a sizeable fighting force in the Afghan arena, feels that 90
percent of Pushtuns are terrorists what possibility of success in the war on
terror could it expect to have? Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who made this
scandalous remark, had earlier taken leave of his senses or must be having
an abysmally low sense of judgment. The unanimous castigation of Mr
Brown by the NWFP Provincial Assembly on Wednesday is fully
justified. Similarly correct is their demand that the central government lodge
a strong protest with the British government in this behalf.
Mr Brown, perhaps, did not realize that Pashtuns constitute the
largest ethnic community of Afghanistan and have a population percentage
of 45 to 50 percent. The question arises that if they were terrorists in such an
overwhelming majority, do the US-led troops intend eliminating them before
claiming victory and staging an exit? They must know that, on the
hypothetical assumption that they intend removing all terrorists (90 percent
of Pushtuns) from the scene in accordance with their declared policy, not
only would they miserably fail but also their own people and their friends
would turn against them
Mr Browns observation is also a clear testimony of how out of touch
with the reality of Afghanistans situation Britain is, despite the presence of
the past eight years and bitter historical experience. The truth is that
Pushtuns are not terrorists; they are largely peace-loving people. They have
become a resistance force to throw out the foreign occupiers by hook and by
crook, which to the invading troops appears as acts of terrorism Mr
Brown should be ashamed of the remark and apologize as well as
persuade the other countries with a presence in Afghanistan to plan an exit
strategy.
Robert Haddick saw increased role of the CIA in Afghanistan.
Popular discussions of US alternatives for Afghanistan focus on three
options: McChrystals beefed-up counter-insurgency campaign; a counter-

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terror campaign using special operations raids and drone strikes; and
abandonment. In reality, there is an entire continuum of options formulated
by US planners to achieve Obamas stated objective. Some of these options
would focus on training, equipping, and advising Afghanistans official
security forces. Others might focus on enhancing security at the local level
through village and tribal militias. Still others might attempt to turn the
clock back to 2001 and 2002, when the CIA and special operations forces
essentially hired Afghan warlords to fight the Taliban and al-Qaeda. And
there are many more options, all with varying degrees of plausibility.
One thing all of these options have in common is a requirement
for greater CIA participation. Options that have fewer US military forces
directly proving security imply more Afghans providing security. This will
require greater employment of US liaison officers and advisors from both
the US military and the CIAs clandestine service.
If Obama chooses McChrystals most military-intensive
recommendation, it seems as if the CIAs role in Afghanistan will still
increase both now and in the future. A successful military surge in
Afghanistan will eventually be followed by a drawdown and a handoff to
Afghan security forces. In the wake of this scenario, US military advisors
and CIA officers would maintain contact with Afghan security forces and
keep watch on the residual al-Qaeda threat. Afghanistan seems bound to
provide job security for the CIA.
James Hider had some suggestions for solving the Afghan problem.
The Taliban will not surrender any time soon. The leadership lives in
relative security and comfort in Pakistan and must be targeted there. NATO
has enjoyed some significant successes so far in killing more extreme
leaders, but little progress has been made in offering others a way out apart
from victory or death. They must be offered a third, real choice:
reconciliation.
As in Iraq, deals may have to be done with very dangerous
people with blood on their hands. One of those unsavory characters could
be Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, now aligning himself with the Taliban but who
has ideological differences with them. Efforts must be made to woo foot
soldiers with promises of reconciliation and jobs. Approaches must likewise
be made to their leaders inside Pakistan: Islamabad can open channels to
offer the guerrilla leaders a political option if they renounce violence.
Building up Afghanistans armed forces is the most direct way of
tackling the insurgency and creating jobs. But they must be better trained:
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Afghans are wary of their security forces, often accusing them of theft and
taking bribes. There is a clear need for more troops and better commanders
but they also have to be put to better use to deny the Taliban the freedom
to move in a friendly environment.
Politicians in the West have to understand that many Pashtuns the
countrys largest ethnic community see the Taliban as a way of
restoring their groups prestige. In a country that has suffered such
profound social breakdown as Afghanistan, people look to traditional ethnic
and tribal structures for stability. More must be done to address problems
through these means.
Nick Wilson wrote: The experts agreed that a better economy in
Afghanistan would help to stabilize the region, but disagreement circulated
over how to achieve it. Bearden suggested that the United States help
Afghanistan turn to its natural resources. Corker said that the way to win the
hearts and minds of the Afghans is through nation-building, to bring
modernization to the country.
But Coll disagreed that the United States should be directly involved.
The role of the United States is not to build that future, but to enable it, he
said. Lodhi supported the idea of stimulating the economy, and stepped back
to say that being perceived positively by the locals is important. She said
physical sanctuaries can be managed. She concluded: It is the
sanctuaries in peoples minds that we need to deal with.
Turki al-Faisal suggested that the US should do the following (in
brief): Overcome the misguided handling of Afghan President Hamid
Karzai, who was initially shunned and denigrated by the administration,
forcing him to reach out to unsavory politicos and warlords to win the
recent elections. If there were a viable opposition to Karzai, then you could
undermine him. But there is not.
Change the media theme from attacking the Taliban and calling
them the terrorists to concentrating on al-Qaeda and foreign terrorists. By
removing the stigma of terrorism from the Taliban, you can pursue
meaningful negotiations with them.
Fix the Durand Line. As long as this border drawn by the British is
not fixed, Pakistan and Afghanistan will be at loggerheads and always
suspicious of one another. A joint development project for the border area,
announced by both Pakistan and Afghanistan, and supported by the United
States and the world community, will direct peoples eyes to the future rather
than the past.
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Convene a meeting of the security-intelligence departments of

Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, China and Saudi Arabia to devise ways of
eliminating al-Qaedas leadership. China, Russia and Saudi Arabia have a
long-standing vendetta with al-Qaeda and will contribute intelligence and
other resources to rid the world of this cancer.
Push India and Pakistan to fix Kashmir. That is doable, once both
countries see a determined effort by the United States in that direction. Both
countries are beholden to the United States Pakistan for military and
financial support it receives and India for the nuclear energy agreement it
has signed with Washington.
Take on the heroin trade. The challenge can be met by a program
that America used in the 1960s in Turkey, where opium poppies were
extensively grown and processed into heroin. The United States bought the
entire crop from the farmers directly and allowed them to plant alternative
crops for their livelihood. There is no more heroin trade in Turkey.
Many observers and analysts stressed upon evolving an exit
strategy and implement it, because continuation of occupation served no
purpose. Ghulam Asghar Khan observed: On October 7, the US would enter
its ninth year of occupation of Afghanistan, equal to the time it was involved
in World War I, World War II and the Korean War combined. Obama
campaigned on his opposition to the war in Iraq, but pledged at the same
time to escalate the war in Afghanistan.
On his first Friday in office, Obamas military fired three Hellfire
missiles from a drone into Pakistan, killing about 22 people, mostly
civilians. And these drone attacks have become more frequent and more
lethal since after Obamas entry into the Oval Office. The surge of about
100,000 US and allied troops, this does not include the private Blackwater
mercenaries in Afghanistan that now outnumber the troops. Despite that,
General McChrystal is asking for more and more troops. Perhaps, he is
on a mission to outnumber the Afghan populace.
The year 2009, with 200 US troops killed so far, is by far the
deadliest year, while the unabated killing is still going on. The total number
of ISAF killings has crossed the 2,000 mark since the invasion was launched
in October 2001. These figures do not include the soldiers who were
seriously wounded or those who committed suicide after returning home and
have no account of Afghan civilians, police and army personnel that
certainly runs into tens of thousands. The militant attacks, according to the
recent reports, are also increasing in sophistication. So, it may be no
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surprise that more comparisons are being made now between

Afghanistan and Vietnam.
According to a recent CNN/Opinion Research poll, 57 percent of
those asked opposed the war in Afghanistan, surprisingly the highest
level of opposition since the war began in 2001. Among those polled, 75
percent of Democrats opposed the war that might explain recent statements
from the key congressional Democrats against sending more troops to
Afghanistan. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said: I dont think theres a great
deal of support for sending more troops to Afghanistan in the country and in
the Congress.
Obama has owned Bushs war on Afghanistan as his own.
Afghanistan, he said during the election campaign, was the war America
should be fighting. And so he is. He has dispatched tens of thousands of
additional troops to this graveyard of empires. Despite the huge
redeployment, Obama has not been able to convince his people and the
world at large that he was in a win-win position in Afghanistan. When you
cant tell whether youre winning or losing, youre certainly losing. It is one
thing to show a man that he is in error, and another to put him in possession
of truth, says John Locke.
Jacob G Hornberger commented: The US governments primary
justification for continuing the occupation of Afghanistan is to prevent the
Taliban from regaining power and providing a sanctuary for al-Qaeda.
Ironically, however, this is another example of the disastrous consequences
of imperialism and interventionalism, for it was the US invasion itself that
created the problem that now serves as the main justification for the
indefinite occupation of the country.
Interventionalists often delude themselves with respect to why
the US government attacked both al-Qaeda and the Taliban after 9/11.
They say that the Taliban had provided a sanctuary for Osama bin Laden
and al-Qaeda. Yet, what exactly is a sanctuary? Does it mean simply that
terrorists are living in a country when they are planning a terrorist attack on
another country? If so, then what about the 9/11 terrorists who were living
here in the United States prior to the attacks
If the US government had any evidence whatsoever that established
Taliban complicity in the attacks, dont you think it would have released
such evidence by now? Yet, 8 years after the attacks it still hasnt done so;
and the only possible reason for that is that no such evidence exists.

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After 9/11, Bush requested the Taliban to voluntarily turn bin Laden
over to the US. Does anyone think that Bush would have made such a
request if he actually possessed evidence that the Taliban had participated in
the attacks? Not a chance. If Bush had had such evidence, he wouldnt have
asked the Taliban to turn bin Laden over to the US. He would have simply
attacked both Afghanistan and al-Qaeda, perhaps even with the
constitutionally required congressional declaration of war.
In fact, if the Taliban had complied with Bushs request to deliver bin
Laden to US forces, it is a virtual certainty that the US would never have
attacked the Taliban regime and ousted it from power. Why didnt Bush
limit his military attacks in Afghanistan to going after bin Laden and alQaeda? Why did he use his military forces to also oust the Taliban from
power? Simply because the Taliban had refused to grant his request to turn
bin Laden over to the US. In a world in which the US government is the sole
remaining empire, third world regimes either comply with the Empires
requests or suffer the consequences
We also shouldnt forget the Taliban were nothing more than the
outgrowth of the very group that the CIA had funded and supported to
oppose the Soviet Unions occupation of Afghanistan. So, after having
previously supported the Taliban, by choosing to oust it from power when it
invaded Afghanistan the US government converted the Taliban into a force
that US officials now feel must be prevented from regaining power at all
costs, even if that means a permanent US military occupation of the
country. Its just one more interventionist success story in the life of the
US Empire.
Tariq Ali wrote: Obamas decision to expand the war by sending
more troops to Afghanistan and treating Islamabad as if it were Baghdad is
an extremely serious error. Disaster stares him in the face and no amount
of rhetoric, sweet-talk, PR initiatives will solve the problem. Washington
needs an exit strategy from that country but the longer it delays the greater
the chance that no serious exit strategy will work and that one day, finally,
US troops will have to be withdrawn Saigon-style leaving behind them a
country in ruins.
The Afghan Taliban are now an umbrella underneath which
Pashtuns of various political hues assembled to resist and drive out the
invader. Obviously this means that Washington is constantly trying to
negotiate with and split the Taliban as they did the resistance in Iraq,
but there they have met with total failure. The Pashtun nationalists are

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difficult to defeat via religion since the overwhelming bulk of them are
Sunni. They are difficult to defeat ideologically since they believe their
cause is just and the absolute failure to rebuild and re-equip the country has
meant more and more people agree with them, not that social reforms
necessarily work as the Russians discovered to their enormous cost in the
1980s.
The EU is a gutless and useless entity on the political level. It cannot
speak with one voice, but its citizens must learn not to emulate their weak
and pathetic politicians but demand with increasing vigour a withdrawal
of all European troops from Afghanistan.
Mohammad Jamil opined: Though the US has increased its forces
bringing the coalition total to 110,000; yet the situation is getting from bad
to worse. According to their own commanders, 400,000 fully equipped
troops would be required to win the war. Moreover, European strategists put
the number around 800,000, but at the same time no nation is ready to chip
in with more boots. Therefore, the US should prepare an exit strategy, and let
the people of Afghanistan decide their destiny because the US and its allies
have not only failed to protect the life and property of the citizens, but also
failed to make headway in nation-building process. The US has to give a
gesture of goodwill by giving a timeframe to withdraw from
Afghanistan, which will have a soothing effect on the majority of the
Afghan people the Pashtuns.
Iftikhar A Khan observed: Its appalling to note that quite a number
of columnists shun espousing the cause of Afghani people for they
apprehend being branded conservative and Taliban sympathizers. Muted,
they indirectly support the oppressors. None of us may like to live under a
Taliban regime, but at the same time none also must tolerate death and
destruction the foreign forces perpetrate in one of the poorest Muslim states
in the world. Sadly, our writers are far fewer than foreign writers expressing
their disgust against the imperialist policy in Afghanistan. Enlightened
moderate Pervez Musharraf recently branded Mian Nawaz Sharif a Taliban
at heart. Lets discriminate between being Taliban and being against their
annihilation, which definitely are two different issues. Thats why large
Muslim populations are not as much against the Taliban as are their
governments under US arm-twisting. Research reveals that about 58 percent
Afghans support the Taliban and about 97 percent of the area is under the
Taliban control.

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Western populations had so far sat smug that their valiant soldiers
were warring and winning against the bad guys in Afghanistan. They woke
up only when body bags draped in national flags began to arrive home.
To respect the dead soldiers blown up to pieces by the IEDs they use the
euphemism body bags just like they call the graveyard a cemetery and
torture centre a correctional facility.
Why Obama dillydallies to send more troops in the Afghanistan
theatre is because more troops would mean more exposure and more loss
of lives. Loss of local lives is irrelevant, but of the white lives counts in the
civilized world. A few weeks ago, a long line of Afghan war widows clad in
blue burqas queuing up for donation presented a heart rendering view.
Afghans are raising no brouhaha over the loss of lives of their dear ones, but
the Western world is.
None among the Afghan mothers who lost their sons because of the
coalitions bombing holds a placard in front of Karzais guarded palace as
does Cindy Sheehan in front of the White House. Bob Woodward cast
McChrystal in somewhat humane picture that the general wanted ISAF be
seen by the Afghans as guests out to hold them. One must say the guests
have outlived Afghan hospitality and must leave.
Khalid Iqbal wrote: Afghanistan is a strange black hole that can
smilingly suck in the entire American military might. It better be left
alone; at least militarily. As regards resolve and commitment, America as a
nation appears to be loosing both. Public appeal and support for continuation
of military operations is leaning out. NATO-ISAF gulf is widening. Most of
the countries contributing towards ISAF composition no longer harbour the
resolve to continue doing so for an indefinite period.
After discussing the problems faced by the occupation forces Khalid
concluded: This is the time to execute an exit strategy. Options are
foreclosing rapidly and delay in this regard would make it painful to end the
occupation. There is a need to cobble together a broad based government,
represented by each significant segment of the Afghan society.
General McChrystal correctly perceives that at the end of the day, the
missions success would, indeed, remain contingent upon winning the
Afghan hearts. People of the region need a healing touch and a hope of
enduring peace. Ending and not strengthening the occupation is need of
the hour!
Ehsan Mahmood Khan opined: Even after eight years of foreign
military presence led by the US under the banners of ISAF, NATO and US
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Army, the Taliban control better part of Afghanistan; in fact, they have
been able to extend their hold. The reason is three-fold. First, the
coalition does have capability (machines versus men and drones versus
donkeys) but manifestly lacks the requisite level of will. Secondly, military
strategy dominates the political strategy and guidelines. Polity is rather
looking towards the military commanders to deliver. Thirdly, strategic
oratory and rhetoric is not supported by tactical gains, something that is the
hallmark of guerrilla and counter-guerrilla warfare. The American forces
seldom come out of their hides to meet the Taliban guerrillas in the rockstrewn battlefields. Small raids on houses and mosques apart, any major
offensive by the allied forces has not been heard since the fall of Taliban or
since the Americans were virtually free from their business in Iraq in 2004.
While the US soldiers are spending, or even exceeding, their tenure
in steel hard bunkers, the Taliban are openly strolling across the streets in
most of Afghanistan and may start a quick march to Kabul if the situation
does not improve. Yet, the US officials, media and academic circles
continue to point their metaphoric blame-gun to Pakistan, something
that has been detrimental to the Pak-US partnership, a prerequisite especially
in this bleak environment.
After discussing the manner in which the Bill progressed through lawmaking process Ehsan concluded: One has to wait and see how the US
president finally reacts. And the next year would probably reveal how his
decision impacts on the two sides of the hill (the Hindu Kush Mountain
Range). Nevertheless, the US polity needs to dispassionately consider that
they ought to bring to the fore an all-intrusive political strategy, using
military strategy merely as means to meet the ends. Failing this, the
northwestern side of the hill would remain under the fear of militancy. The
Americans need to do this at the earliest before it gets too late even for
an honourable exit.
Jeff Huber wrote: The best way for us to not have foreigners shoot us
is to not put our soldiers in their country. The best way to keep foreigners
from coming over here to shoot us is to keep pressure on our Homeland
Security structure to do its job Things are different now: nobody wants to
be identified as the circle smirk who allowed another 9/11 to happen on their
watch.
Its time to bring our troops home. Theyre not doing any good.
Thats not their fault. At the tactical level, the level at which combat occurs,

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theyre unbelievably competent. But strategically, use of military force by

global hegemonic America has become a losing proposition.
We need to let the Afghanistan conflict blow itself calm at the
nearest opportunity. We can best do that by fading away and letting the
natural political forces that exist in that part of the world duke things out
among themselves. We dont need to send any more kids over there to get
killed or have their legs blown off, or to take part in the slaughter of
innocents that theyll experience trauma about for the rest of their lives. We
need to shut down this madness now.
Zardari desired that India should become part of FoDP. The Nation
commented: President Zardaris statement at the IISS in London, that he
wants India to become a part of friends of democratic Pakistan (FODP) and
would welcome Indian investment through that route, was badly timed with
major bilateral disputes still unresolved and India showing no interest in
moving towards conflict resolution or even restoration of dialogue Zardari
has to realize that public pronouncements on India have a sensitivity that has
to be handled with a deliberateness and caution.
At a time when India is deliberately holding up renewal of dialogue
and actively using aggressive diplomacy and propaganda against Pakistan, it
hardly becomes the President of Pakistan to contribute making unilateral
concessions. If India was to become a part of FODP, it would have a oneway access of investing in Pakistan. Of greater concern, however, is the fact
that this government seems to have accepted the US demand to set up a trust
fund under World Bank supervision and no Pakistani control, for
disbursement of FODP assistance for Balochistan and NWFP. This reflects
ceding sovereignty over financial decision-making relating to two sensitive
provinces. Through this route, Pakistan would have no say in what type of
Indian investment comes in and where it goes. India would gain overt and
unrestricted access to Balochistan and NWFP where Pakistan already
suspects it of covert destabilization. President Zardari simply has to realize
that decisions regarding state policy cannot simply be taken as if Pakistan
were a personal fiefdom.
Having been unable to break the status quo in Indo-Pak ties over
Kashmir Zardari regime tried its hand on fiddling with that part of Kashmir,
which according to the US and its strategic partner India, has been occupied
by Pakistan. The regime changed the status of Gilgit-Baltistan and created a
vacancy of one more governor.

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Marvi Memon commented: The most painful part of the package

when I was consulting with the people of Gilgit-Baltistan after the
announcement of the package was the complaint that the government had
not consulted with the people of the territory. A few PPP office-holders
who have vested interests and are beholden to the PPP cannot be constituted
as consultations. No national opposition political party was consulted and all
opposition central leaders made that clear. Even the nationalists who are
strong in Gilgit-Baltistan were not consulted. Kashmiri were critical too.
Their one statement sent the entire PPP government consulting with them
after the package was announced, and yet the people of Gilgit-Baltistan were
still not consulted. This treatment has been noted by them and will not be
forgiven. To-date the Order has still not been publicly distributed. So much
for transparency! The PML whitepaper was made after reading the press
conference reports. It is the governments job to provide Order drafts if they
want a full consultation.
No amount of paid articles to ridicule the valid criticisms can win the
people of Gilgit-Baltistan over. No amount of paid welcome parties for nonGilgit-Baltistan governors can give the impression that the people of GilgitBaltistan are with the PPP government. The protests of the nationalists, the
political parties and the disgruntled youth are a testament to the actual
feelings of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. Instead of listening to the real
voice of the people, the government is involved in discrediting campaigns.
Democratic governments dont run away from criticism; they welcome it to
fix their actions. In my last conversation with the prime minister on the eve
of the launch of the package, despite being in opposition I had committed I
would come back and report on the actual reaction of the people of GilgitBaltistan, so that he could fix the package. Instead the package was signed
by the president as is with no alterations. What is the profit of an opposition
trying to be constructive if government continues to deafen the voice of the
people. The glass ivory towers wont win the hearts of the people of GilgitBaltistan.
The Nation wrote about Manmohans statement. The Indian
leadership has continued with its aggressive posturing against Pakistan in the
US, where Indian premier, Manmohan Singh, declared that India would only
normalize relations with Pakistan after the latter altered what he saw as a
mindset of using terror as an instrument of state policy against New Delhi.
Coming from the Indian leader, this comment is rather ironical, given how
India has been using state terrorism against the Kashmiri people for
over sixty years in Occupied Kashmir
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As for Manmohans latest outburst, it seems intended specifically to

up the ante against renewal of dialogue. It is time Pakistan stopped showing
it was in a hurry to resume what has so far been a fairly meaningless
dialogue in terms of conflict resolution. After all things need to change and
for that there has to first be a change in the Indian mindset of using
terrorism as a normal tool of state policy.
Abdul Hayee Baloch wrote the situation in Balochistan. There is a
long list of overt as well as covert evidences available with the Pakistan
Government about the complicity of few angry tribal chieftains with India in
fomenting trouble in Balochistan. The statement of Brahamdagh Bugti,
grandson of late Akbar Bugti, was alarming when he revealed that he would
accept any moral help and material support from India to create mayhem in
Balochistan. During an interview on a TV channel telecast on July 4, 2009,
the Baloch rebel that American enslavement is better that Punjabi
enslavement because the Punjabis will come and occupy our lands for good.
The Americans will only steal our oil and gas, while Punjabis will obliterate
our national identity. There is strong evidence of Indian support in
planning, commissioning and preparing acts of terrorism in Balochistan.
This tactical manoeuvre yielded following multiple anti-Pakistan
purposes: (1) Proving Pakistans security apparatus guilty of killing in the
eyes of Baloch people. (2) Thwarting the possibility of reconciliation efforts
between the government and the angry nationalist leaders, by killing
Ghulam Muhammad Baloch a man responsible for playing a major role in
the release of John Solecki, Chief of the UN Human Rights Commission in
Balochistan.

REVIEW
Some of the conditionalities in the Kerry-Lugar Bill, like control
over military and militarys interference in political matters and judiciary
have been included on the request of Zardari regime through its neocon
ambassador in Washington. These were initiated by Bibi Shaheed when she
lobbied in the US to make a political comeback by reining in military
dictator Musharraf and his constituency, the Army.
She did not live to see it happening but her wish found place in the
Bill then called as Biden-Logar Bill. It will make easier to understand when
the dots are also connected to honouring of Biden with the highest civil
award on the very first visit during Zardari regime.

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These conditionalities are aimed at discouraging the Army from

interfering in political process. Zardari having grabbed the power has been
constantly working for consolidation of his hold. He got the conditionalities
related to Army included in the Bill to counter the threat from that quarter.
PPPs grudges against the Army date back to the era of its founder
father. Of late, Zardari had bitter experience of being forced to eat his
words on March 15, 2009. He had not liked and has not forgotten General
Kayanis role in reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. And in the
recent past the talk of Minus-One formula has also been linked to Army and
its agencies. He earnestly desired extracting democratic revenge.
Zardari hopes that these clauses will serve as deterrence for the Army;
that if it ever dares interfering, it will risk being targeted by the superpower.
And, if Army fails to mend its ways, the US could be tempted or even urged
by the regime to save the democracy by targeting Pakistans military. This
looks quite odd, but not more than the man behind it.
In fact, PPPs desire to weaken the Army also dates back to the era of
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. To this end, he had planned a parallel force by the name
of Federal Security Force. Zardari regimes plan to have National Security
Force (NSF) to be raised with the assistance of Britain, could be seen in this
contest.
The conditionality regarding Army not interfering in judiciary also
points out that Zardari has plans to take on judiciary if it dares hearing
petitions challenging the NRO. Thus, KLB marks the start of extraction of
democratic revenge from Army, ISI and even judiciary.
The inference that conditionalities were included on the behest of
Zardari regime is further supported by the PPP leaders avoidance to discuss
the Bill till it became a law. First, PPP ministers kept telling that they would
comment after the Bill was passed by the US Congress. Once that was done
the Prime Minister was asked to give a statement on the Kerry-Lugar Bill.
He declined to oblige by saying that Shah Mahmood would do that only
after the signing of the Bill by President Obama. That meant that the Zardari
regime wanted it to be a law without any change.
In fact, the Kerry-Lugar Bill is the product of a combined effort of the
US Administration; Indian diplomacy/lobbying and Zardari Regime. All
three have worked in unison to safeguard their respective interests with least
regard for interests of Pakistan.

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Conditionalities in Kerry-Lugar Bill can be sifted into three

categories. One category pertains to the US designs related to Pakistan.
These aim at escalating the war on terror in Pakistan and thus destabilizing it
for the fulfillment of ultimate objective of denuclearizing, de-militarizing
and de-Islamizing (through funding of NGOs) Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The second category relates to the interests of the strategic partner of
the Crusaders; India. These conditionalities aim at projecting Pakistan as a
rogue state and thereby securing its occupation of Kashmir by dubbing the
freedom struggle and its supporters as terrorists.
Lastly, there are conditions which have been bartered by Zardari
Regime in exchange of serving US and Indian interests. These
conditionalities relate to ISI, Army, political process and judiciary. The
Zardari Regime has aimed at securing and prolonging its rule.
In view of the foregoing it can be said that the critics who have been
blaming the regime for diplomatic complacence during the processing of
the Bill or those who have even been lenient to term it an oversight, are
wrong. The fact remains that this has been a deliberate act of subversion on
the part of Zardari regime.
A particular lot of intellectuals, analysts and journalists did not like
the press release issued by ISPR which raised security concerns. They
demanded of the generals to remain in their boots and dare not cross the line.
They pretended to be defenders of democracy, but some of them, like
Kamran Shafi, are basically anti-Army. They have no love lost for the
democracy, but only harbour some untold grudges against the Army.
In all fairness the act of the corps commanders, the first in the history
of Pakistan, deserved to be commended, because in the past Army never
issued a press release when politicians committed a mistake; they simply
sent their soldiers to kick them at their backs and throw them out of the
windows. The present Army leadership simply pointed out security-related
aspects and left it to the Parliament to decide in best of national interests.
In fact, the ISPR press release spoiled the Zardari-Gilani party of
rejoicing over the Bill, which was claimed as victory of the democracy.
Their conduct, of course unbecoming, once again unmasked the true faces of
the duo. The two should be seen in the perspective of Allama Iqbals poem
for children; Makhi and Makra (fly and spider).
In the present political setup the regime represents Makra and all
those who oppose it are Makhis. This being an enormous Makra, unlike

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Iqbals Makra, comprises two parts. Zardari is the deadly part which sits in
the centre of the web ever-waiting to entangle a fly and enjoy a feast.
Gilani, the second part, lures the flies by singing praise for them and
mostly uses the ploy of consensus giving an impression that the Makra
cares for the views of the flies. This arrangement has been working fine for
the Zardari regime and the flies of PML-N has been frequently trapped. This
may work in the case of KLB as well.
Before concluding the review of the KLB, it would be quite
appropriate to mention the name of Asif Ahmed Ali in the dispatches. Some
times ago he said in a TV interview that he was studying Sufism. God knows
what kind of Sufism he studied which taught him Baighairti as he now told
the people of Pakistan to forget about Ghairat. Asfandyar, being a coalition
partner owes an advice to PPPs Sufi from Kasur.
To conclude the review on KLB it may be said that the problem is not
that the critics have not understood its language, but the fact is that people in
general have not only understood its classic language, but also grasped the
nefarious designs of the evil minds in the regime that tried to get the job
done through US Congress. That is the worry of Zardari and his cronies.
While reviewing the militants attack on GHQ many of the recent
events have to be borne in mind. First, it must be seen in the context of
military operation in Waziristan, which the US has been demanding since
long. The attack has prepared grounds and justification for expediting the
operation. The recovery of arms and ammunition from car of Dutch
diplomats may also not be forgotten.
Terror attacks in Peshawar and at GHQ have to be seen in the
backdrop of Talibans attack at Indian Embassy in Kabul. Both the attacks
were carried out within three days of Kabul attack after which Karzai and
Indian diplomats had pointed accusing fingers at Pakistan. No matter who
attacks Indian interests any where in the world; Pakistan has to be punished.
These attacks have also to seen in the context of heated debate in Pakistan
over KLB. The attacks will certainly shift the attention of media and critics
away from the Bill.
And not the least these attacks came in the wake of claims of ANP
government in NWFP and PPP government in the Centre that they had
broken the back of the militants. PPPs jiyala minister, Rehman Malik and
red-capped follower of Gandhi, Mian Iftikhar owe an explanation to the
nation about the benefits of breaking the back of militants. Should it not be

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better to break the backs of these ministers and their-ilk so that they too
become deadly like the militants?
All seemed set for a fierce civil war in Pakistan and for fulfillment of
the ultimate aim of de-nuclearization of Pakistan. Pakistani Taliban have
been diversified as consequence of various forces in play in the region. The
Crusaders have their version of Taliban to fight against and at the same time
have fostered some to serve their interests. Indians are sponsoring their own
brand of Taliban to avenge cross-border terrorism.
Pakistan Army has foreign-funded to Taliban to fight against. PPP and
ANP have political Taliban to be eliminated for consolidating their political
gains. To this end they have raised variety of lashkars in entire FATA and
Malakand Division.
All the above verities of Taliban have all kinds of criminals in their
ranks, including political activists. All of them are armed and funded by one
or more sources. In addition, there are armed outfits in Balochistan which
are challenging writ of the State. Then there are Jihadi groups which have
been alienated by the State to please the Crusaders and India.
Last but not the least there are numerous private security agencies
having hundreds of thousands of armed guards across the country and to this
have been added the children of Blackwater. And, illegal arms are available
in abundance along with heightened tempers in all segments of the society
for various reasons.
13th October 2009

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ELUSIVE JUSTICE
Musharrafs exit under a deal was confirmed with the revelation made
by Zardari that America and Army had decided that Musharraf would resign
and play golf ever after. Musharraf, however, seemed to have changed his
mind about playing golf and instead preferred profitable occupation of
lecturing in the United States and at the same time labeling Nawaz Sharif as
an Islamic militant.
Nawaz Sharif virtually went missing after performing Umra and
meeting the Saudi King with his intelligence chief sitting besides him. This
led to media reports that the King had asked him not to take part in politics
till December 2010 as per the deal. The filing of a petition by Punjab
government in LHC for postponement of bye-polls granted some cedibility
to the reports.
With PML-N in dormant mode the ministers in ruling coalition had
time to spare for activities of their likings. PPPs Firdous Ashiq Awan had a
verbal bout with Kashmala Tariq on Waqt TV; Kashmala must have thanked
her stars that it was only a verbal encounter. ANPs Ghulam Ahmad Bilour
picked up a row with Mufti Muneeb over moon-sighting; the former accused
the latter of imposing Pakistani Eid on followers of Popalzai Islam.
The Supreme Court kept directing the government to sell sugar at
Rs40 per kg and all these directions fell on the deaf ears. Prime Minister
Gilani chaired a high-level conference to pretend respect for the court orders
but the sugar continued to be sold at higher price its availability also became
scarce. Sugar was just the sample of the elusiveness of the justice in the
Pakistani society as whole.

NEWS
Nawaz Sharif met King Abdullah on 13th September. Reportedly, the
King lectured Nawaz on democratic system and urged him to avoid nonissues and adopt reconciliatory approach. Musharraf said the King has
assured him that Nawaz wont press for his trial. The chattering lady, Fauzia
Wahab, said there would be no Minus-One formula; if need be then it would
be Minus-All.
A PPP MPA abused a traffic cop who had impounded his vehicle
parked in no-parking area in Peshawar. A Punjabi jiyala from Sialkot,

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however, outplayed his Pathan brother. MPA Tahir raided the police station,
thrashed police officers and rescued his brother jiyalas who had been
detained for misbehaving with two young girls.
Next day, Zardari hosted Iftar-dinner party for journalists. He told
them that America and Army had decided that Musharraf would resign and
play golf where ever he wants to. Hence, he as president of Pakistan has to
implement the decision of America and Army. Zardari also said that a
national reconciliation commission would be formed under chairmanship of
Asma Jehangir. Perhaps, this thing in mind she was honoured with civil
award on last Independence Day.
Musharraf unleashed offensive to counter those who have been
demanding his trial. He told the West that Nawaz Sharif wanted old
occupants of Lal Masjid back and he was funding reconstruction of the
mosque and Jamia Hafsa. Earlier he had dragged in generals, judges and
politicians by saying that they were involved in decision-making. This was
in line with Zardari regimes theory of Pandoras Box.
He made all these claims on the eve of his 40-day trip to the US where
he will deliver lectures arranged by Dick Cheneys company; so, the man
was still working for the neocons. He had also admitted that he diverted
American aid to enhance armys India-specific capabilities. This admission
negated his own philosophy of Pakistan First and was also in line with
Zardaris desire that no aid should be provided direct to the Army.
PTI said PML-N would soon back off from demanding Musharrafs
trial. President appointed 12 judges of Lahore High Court. Eighteen women
were killed in stampede during distribution of free ration packets in Karachi.
The philanthropist, who distributed charity in every Ramazan, was arrested
for criminal negligence.
On 15th September, Opposition leader in NA termed Zardaris
statement about safe passage to Musharraf as violation of national
sovereignty. He vowed to move disclosure motion and warned of mid-term
polls. Nabeel Gabol said Chaudhry Nisar may do what he wants and added
that Nawaz was on board in the deal for safe passage. On second thought
Zardaris mouthpiece sitting in the presidency clarified late at night that his
boss had never given any statement about safe exit.
Ansar Abbasi reported that the regime awarded Rs207 billion 1,050
MW Kohala Hydropower Project to a Chinese company without calling for
bids and following due process (Zardari has been visiting China as part of
the due process). Kaira was sworn in as Governor Gilgit-Baltistan;
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following the precedence set by Salman Taseer he will convert another

governor house into a kothha for holding mojras.
Next day, the PML-N deposited a privilege motion in NA Secretariat
over Zardaris statement on deal for Musharrafs safe exit. Presidency denied
any statement given by President on the issue. Senior journalists insisted that
Zardari had said all that was reported in the media; barring the TV anchor
Luqman who said all these failed to understand as Zardari spoke in English.
Luqman was the only man in the gathering, other than Zardari, who could
speak and understand the English taught in Cadet College Petaro. Observers
said the denial is the outcome of chronic habit of lying.
Gilani said only one person cannot be tried under Article 6; he also
fore-warned that President has the powers to remit any punishment awarded
by the court. CEC announced schedule of bye-elections of three NA and two
PA seats. Polls will be held on 7 th November. Marvi of PML-Q objected to
appointment of Kaira as governor as no member of parliament could be
appointed as governor.
The Supreme Court hearing on sugar price case sought NAB report
made two years ago during an earlier sugar crisis, besides directing the State
Bank to furnish details of loans provided to the mill owners and the mode of
repayment. Both the reports are likely to create problems for the petitioners;
the mill owners. The court also asked TCP and CCP to furnish details
regarding production and prices of sugar during the past three years. The
Court refused to issue stay order on implementation of the LHC decision
which had fixed the sugar price at Rs40 per kg.
On 17th September, Gilani chaired conference attended by CMs and
sugar mill owners representative to resolve the issue of sugar price. Chief
Minister blamed the Supreme Court for the crisis; whereas the price at Rs40
per kg was fixed by LHC. The federal government decided to go to the
Supreme Court as it showed inability to sell sugar at price laid by the LHC;
provincial governments supported the decision. Ashraf Javed observed that
sugar mafia, politicians and State Bank were in league on the issue.
Communist Party filed a petition in the Supreme Court for nationalization of
sugar mills.
Chaudhry Nisar denied any role of PML-N in striking secret deal for
the safe exit of Musharraf. He advised Zardari to stay away from politicking
or become Prime Minister. Before her formal appointment as chairman of
national reconciliation commission, Asma Jehangir decided to fight film

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actress Meeras case as a practice run for the job likely to be offered by
Zardari.
The government challenged LHC order on sugar price in the Supreme
Court on 18th September after millers refused to sell sugar at price fixed by
the LHC. Altaf Hussain said sugar crisis is because MQM leaders dont own
any sugar mill. Summary of ten additional judges was sent to the President.
Musharraf confessed that removal of the Chief Justice was a mistake.
Kaira said if the deal for Musharrafs safe exit is demanded to be made
public then other deals should also be made public. Salman Taseer insisted
that blasphemy law should be repealed. Anti-PPP rally was held in London.
Waqt TV anchor, Wahid tried a patch up between Firdous Ashiq Awan of
PPP and Kashmala Tariq of PML-Q, but both refused to budge from their
stand.
On 19th September, Lady Patterson said US had wanted safe and
respectable exit of Musharraf and the US has no regrets in this regard.
Contempt of court petition was filed in LHC against Wattoo over the issue of
sugar pricing. Army said it was neither for nor against trial of Musharraf.
True to its tradition, Masjid Qasim Ali Khan held a meeting for the
sighting of the Eid-ul-Fitr moon. Three ministers of ANP government
participated. Bilour said that he attended the meeting to ascertain the
authenticity of the witnesses as per Sharia. Six members of zonal committee
for moon-sighting were ordered by the ANP to be present in Qasim Mosque
but only one turned out.
The meeting took more than two hours after sunset to decide. Once
the decision was taken a cleric of Qasim Mosque read out the decision of
the Jiyad Ulema (three ministers of ANP, Bilour, Iftikhar and Nimroz
included) in Pashto that the Eid-ul-Fitr in Pakhtunkhawa will be celebrated
on Sunday the 20th of September and those who have only 28 fasts to their
credit they should fast on Monday to complete the count of 29. The entire
occasion lacked religious solemnity and seemed to be more a show of
Pakhtun solidarity and confrontation with rest of the country.
Next day, ANP celebrated its Eid in areas traditionally dominated by
Red Capped followers of Gandhis philosophy. People of Hazara Division,
Swat, Dir, Chitral, Dera Ismail Khan and Pakhtun community in Karachi
stayed away from ANPs Eid. Bilour, the train minister, issued Fatwa soon
after saying Eid Prayer as per Popalzai calendar. He declared that all those
who did not celebrate Eid are Ahmadis linked to Rabwa. Incidentally, Saudi

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Ambassador in Islamabad was included. Bilour also called Munibur Rahman

as Mufti of Punjab.
Mufti Munibur Rahman strongly criticized ANPs secular ministers
for interfering in religious matters. He asked Asfandyar to admonish these
ministers for stepping out of their mandate. When Muftis attention was
drawn towards celebration of Eid in three places in Lahore, he said they too
belong to the group of people which live in Pakistan but defy Pakistans
authority.
On 21 September, Chief Justice said his Eid prayer in Faisal Mosque
and then visited Adiyala Jail. During meeting with prisoners he ordered
release of 14 of them. Prime Minister said his prayer in his fortified official
residence. Zardari and Asfandyar were on their way to the US on Eid Day.
Geo TV kept rubbing the moon-sighting issue. On 23rd September,
Ghulam Ahmed Bilour demanded replacement of Mufti Munibur Rahman
with Shahabuddin Popalzai as head of Roet-ul-Hilal Committee. He dubbed
Mufti Munib as Baqiyat-i-Musharraf and wanted those to be eliminated. He
also added that the Roet-i-Hilal should not be taken on the basis of majority
as it would be a Punjabi decision every time. In other words it should
invariably be according to the dictates of Popalzais.
Mufti Munibur Rahman said ANP should close the shop of Shahab
and instead try to inculcate respect for national institutions. He also
reminded that Bilour that the COAS and Governor NWFP (in fact all four
governors) are relics of Musharraf, but ANP has no objection to their
presence. He said the solution rests in respect for national institutions, but
did not seem to be prepared to do that. Ijaz-ul-Haq said ANP wants to
celebrate Eid with Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan.
Next day, ANP organized a protest rally to oust Mufti Munib and have
Popalzai Mulla in his place. NAB submitted its report on sugar barons as
directed by the Supreme Court. The report prepared in 2006 blamed Nawaz
Sharif, Zardari, Humayun Akhtar and his brother, Shujaat, Jehangir Tarin,
Mian Azhar, Nasrallah Dareshik and Anwer Cheema for hoarding sugar. It
pointed out monopoly of politicians in sugar industry. State Bank in its
report said Rs21 billion loan was outstanding against mill owners which is
due to be paid in October 2009; the payment of which had been deferred in
some cases on orders of State Bank. Meanwhile, sugar disappeared from the
market and LHC issued contempt notices to Wattoo and a few others.
On 25th September, ten judges were sworn in SHC; Chief Justice
wanted 15 more. Another political brawl between PPP and PML-N in Punjab
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over appointment of Rana Maqbool as Secretary Public Prosecution

Department and appointment of 229 civil judges and placing them under the
direct control of the Lahore High Court. Governor has written a letter to
chief secretary on this count.
On 26th September, Raja Parvez filed a suit for Rs1 billion as damages
against Faisal Saleh Hayat. Once again SHCs Justice Afzal Soomro did not
appear before the Supreme Judicial Council; he was given another chance to
appear on 3 October. Next day, Malik Mumtaz, an ex-FIA director, once
again accused Nawaz Sharif of meeting Osama four times and receiving
funds from him to oust Benazir from power.
Punjab government filed a petition in LHC on 28 th September seeking
postponement of polls in NA-123 and NA-55. PTI decided to field its chief,
Imran Khan, to contest from NA-123. A petition was filed in the Supreme
Court begging for formation of new moon sighting committee with powers
to proceed against those who disagree with it. LHC bench hearing Benazirs
murder case issued notices to Musharraf, Babar Awan and Pervaiz Elahi.
Next day, LHC refused stay order on bye-polls and fixed October 2 as
next date of hearing. Sheikh Rashid claimed that PML-N was seeking
postponement to keep him out of the National assembly. The judges affected
by the July 31 verdict of the Supreme Court planned to launch a movement
with the help of bar councils against the sitting judges. Ali Ahmed Kurd said
the objectives of the lawyers movement have not been achieved. Mufti
Muneeb-ur-Rehman decided to abstain from media debate on moon sighting.
On 30th September, the Supreme Court issued detailed judgment of the
short order of July 31. The decision written by the Chief Justice declared
suspension of the Constitution on November 3, 2007, as an act of high
treason. The judges affected by July 31 verdict filed a review petition and a
larger bench was formed for the hearing.
Lahore police issued sketches of terrorists likely to launch suicide
attacks. Observers noted that it was done on the instructions of Punjab
Government which wanted postponement of bye-elections. Dependence on
IMF started showing its impact; electricity price was increased by six
percent from 1st October.
Next day, association of sugar mills owners withdrew their application
from the Supreme Court. The court ordered all provinces to sell sugar at
Rs40 per kg. The latest IRI survey indicated that Zardari was up by 6 points
and Nawaz down by 8 points in their popularity; the two stood at 25 and 67
respectively. Sheikh Rashid violently reacted to Gilanis statement which
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supported Punjab governments stance on bye-polls. He urged Chief Justice

to take suo moto notice of the statement.
On 2nd October, the Supreme Court constituted a commission for
fixing sugar price; to this end it obtained the willingness of all stakeholders.
The hearing was postponed till October 14 and till then sugar is to be sold at
Rs40 per kg. ECP told LHC that there is no need to defer bye-polls.
Bashir Bilour wanted to have control over electricity produced at
Tarbela. He said if he had the control he would cut the supply of other
provinces. ANP moved a privilege motion against Mufti Muneeb in
provincial assembly; opposition leader supported the motion.
On 3rd October, Hamid Mir, while appearing on a programme of
Duniya TV said Nawaz Sharif has been warned that Zardari could get him
killed. PML-N decided not to field Nawaz Sharif; instead Malik Pervez will
contest from NA-123. Sarfraz Nawaz sought PPP ticket to contest against
Nawaz Sharif from NA-123; by all standards he deserved to be a Jiyala of
BBs party. He also claimed to be having secret information about Imran
Khan which could lead to Imrans disqualification. PTI too decided not to
field Imran Khan in bye-polls.
Hafiz Salman Butt of JI met Salman Taseer and sought PPPs support.
After the meeting Salman Taseer ridiculed Nawaz Sharif by saying that like
soldiers never shying away from a battle, politicians too never shy away
from polls. He said: I am ready to go with him who-so-ever is scared of
going to public gatherings.
Punjab government positioned police at godowns of sugar mills and at
the same time held talks with their owners to ensure compliance of court
orders. Despite these efforts the sugar remained scarce in the market. Pervaiz
Ashraf did not appear before ATC in Rawalpindi as summoned, after which
the court issued non-bailable warrants of arrest for him and Shehzadi who
had indulged in contempt of court in the past along with Naheed Khan. The
Supreme Judicial Council dismissed Justice Afzal Soomro and sent the
summary to the President.
On 4th October, a news channel claimed that Saudi King has told
Nawaz Sharif not to contest election and abide by the deal in which he had
bargained his exile to Saudi Arabia and promised to stay away from politics
till December 2010. PML-N termed it part of disinformation campaign.
Shahbaz confirmed the threat to Nawaz Sharifs life from Presidency. Sugar
continued to be sold at Rs50 per kg.

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On 5th October, the Supreme Court served a contempt notice to all

those PCO Judges who had defied July 31 verdict. Hearing of Judges
petition was adjourned till 12th October. Senate favoured establishment of
Islamabad High Court. PML-N decided to compile and issue a White Paper
in three days on Rental Power Projects. Punjab government appointed more
than one thousand judges to punish those shopkeepers who do not sell sugar
at Rs40 per kg. PPP decided not to field its man in NA-123.
It was reported on 6th October that Shahbaz and Nisar had met the
COAS a few days back. NWFP Assembly summoned Mufti Muneebur
Rehman to appear before it for violating the code of Popalzai Islam. Next
day, twenty judges of SHC were served contempt notices on the direction of
the Supreme Court; two of them apologized. All the PCO judges of LHC
were also served contempt notices and ten of them mulled resigning.
On 8th October, ten PCO judges of LHC and two of SHC sought premature retirement. A petition was filed in the court challenging of two
offices by Zardari. Shahbaz ordered nabbing of sugar hoarders in 24 hours.
Next day, LHC deferred bye-polls in NA-55 and NA-123.
On 10th October, Chief Justice of LHC warned lawyers to be watchful
of conspiracies hatched against judiciary. A student, Muhammad Shahid, of
Quaid-e-Azam Law College of Punjab University refused to accept his gold
medal from Governor Salman Taseer during the convocation ceremony. He
said that he snubbed the Governor for not condemning MQM over May 12
carnage. University administration blamed the student for seeking cheap
popularity. On 12th October, 21 PCO judges rendered unconditional apology
and 11 decided to take their petitions back. The PML-N held rallies across
the country in protest of October 12 military takeover by Musharraf.

VIEWS
The debate over Musharrafs trial started dying as revelations
about the deal were made. Rahimullah Yusufzai wrote: Pervez Musharraf,
we are told, left Pakistan after a deal worked out by international players.
Mushahid Hussain Sayed, the PML-Q secretary general who came close to
Musharraf after suffering at his hands following the military coup against the
democratically elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in October 1999, made
it clear that the deal guaranteed protection to the retired general.
The so-called international players who obviously include
Americans, Saudis, the British, the Hariris of Lebanon and the UAEs ruling
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sheikhs, are happy to guarantee that the military usurper remains unharmed
even if he committed treason, not once but twice, under Article 6 of the
Constitution. They have no respect for Pakistans Constitution and laws
because we Pakistanis and our institutions dont have any regard for
those legal niceties, either.
Musharraf, visibly unfazed in keeping with his stubborn character,
also hinted at those deals when he claimed in a recent TV interview that
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia had assured him that PML-N leader Nawaz
Sharif wont press for his trial under Article 6. Though the PML-N
leadership has issued a denial and the Saudi Arabian authorities, in keeping
with their discreet style of working, are keeping quiet, there should be little
doubt that the Saudis are once again playing an important role in sweeping
vital Pakistan issues under the carpet and averting confrontation between the
major political forces in Pakistan. If this wasnt the case, why would
Musharraf and then Nawaz Sharif present themselves in the Saudi royal
court, showing obeisance as seen on television screens to King Abdullah in a
manner that gives one the feeling that they owe everything to the Saudi
monarch. As if the American and British meddling in Pakistani affairs
wasnt bad enough, we now have to contend with Saudi involvement in
Pakistans politics, not for anything concerning Islamabads national interest
but for the purpose of protecting a former military dictator from
accountability or getting a sacked prime minister released from jail and
offering him refuge in Saudi Arabia.
If all these countries and their rulers were Pakistans true friends,
they would have advocated the case of the people of Pakistan, instead of
those of some powerful individuals, and taken steps to promote respect for
the countrys laws and institutions. Saving one former ruler and protecting
another goes against the interest of the Pakistani people. This creates doubts
in the minds of the people about the intentions of those professing to be
Pakistans friends. The Saudis, in particular, appear sincere in wanting to
help and stabilize Pakistan and their economic assistance to the country in
times of need is no secret. But they need to befriend the people of
Pakistan, and not individuals who wronged their nation and now want to
escape accountability with the help from the generous and forgiving Saudis.
The manner in which Musharraf is putting up his weak case in his
media interviews to defend himself against a plethora of charges is
provocative, to say the least. He stressed that nobody could touch him
because he didnt act alone while taking major decisions such as plotting the
1999 coup, imposing emergency rule on Nov 3, 2007 and ordering the
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attacks that killed Baloch politician Nawab Akbar Bugti. According to

Musharraf, all those who mattered in the Pakistan Army were involved
in the coup against the Nawaz Sharif government. His subsequent
actions, if one were to believe him, were also taken with the consent of
everyone in the armed forces and the government. This is plausible because
in Pakistan there arent many people who are ready to stand up to their boss
and suffer the consequences. Even if most of those in uniform and
government werent consulted, or didnt like the arbitrary and sometimes
self-serving actions of the impulsive Gen Musharraf, none had the guts or
the conscience to raise objections to his misdeeds, or resign.
To his credit, though, the outspoken Musharraf said a few things
recently that again testified to his forthright nature. If by any chance he were
tried under Article 6, the retired general would like all the superior court
judges who assisted his Nov 3, 2007 actions by consenting to the emergency
rule and taking oath under the PCO to be put in the dock with him.
Obviously, he doesnt want to go to the gallows alone
Musharraf also conceded that he imposed emergency rule because
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had made up his mind to
declare him ineligible for the presidential poll. If he had his way, the chief
justice would not have allowed Gen Musharraf to contest the election
for president while still in army uniform. Only someone like Musharraf
would be willing to admit that he had this ambition to ride roughshod over
any legal and constitutional hurdle and re-elect himself as president. And
only the irresponsible Musharraf could say even now that he expected
justice from Chief Justice Chaudhry in case he had to face the treason trial.
Musharraf also was not far from the truth when he insisted that there
was no major difference in his policies and those of President Asif Ali
Zardari vis--vis the United States. If anything, the PPP-led government has
become even more vulnerable to Washingtons pressure than the Musharraf
conceded. Another thing that Musharraf conceded, and one felt he should
have shown discretion on this issue, was the issue of US military supplies
against India, even though those arms were meant to be used in the so-called
war on terror.
Returning to the issue of the deal-making that plagues Pakistani
politics and provides outside powers the chance to dictate decision-making
concerning vital issues at the expense of the people of Pakistan, one has to
accept this fact of life until the ruling classes learn to live within our
means and measures are taken to reclaim our sovereignty. What can one

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expect from military generals who lied to the nation when the US drones
first started attacking targets in Pakistani territories and they were insisting
that those missiles were being fired by Pakistans armed forces? How can
one trust JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rahman who kept criticizing the
Musharraf regime while keeping him in power and is now critical of the PPP
government policies but is happy to remain part of the ruling coalition?
How on earth can one repose confidence in the MQM which has been
in power five times in the recent past, changing partners as it sees
convenient and paying lip-service to democracy while backing every
undemocratic step of Gen Musharraf? Is it possible not to be suspicious of
the PPP when one after another avoidable crisis is hitting the country and
stories of corruption are again making the rounds? Can we believe the
PML-N when it says would make Musharraf accountable and that it is a
genuine opposition party while being in power in the countrys biggest
province as part of some deal with the PPP? And what about the ANP that
won the 2008 general elections in the NWFP by promising peace and instead
delivered war and is now at the centre of never-ending allegations of
corruption in the province?
The News commented: The fact that President Zardari has spoken out
about the Musharraf deal raises further issues. He says his party had never
accepted the ex-COAS as president. The PPP needs then to explain what part
it played in the agreement which apparently guaranteed him safe exit and
security from prosecution afterwards. The covert negotiations that allow
such matters to be finalized are a slap in the face of democracy. It is
shocking that political parties who claim to stand for the cause should
participate in them. For that matter, the PML-N too needs to tell us why it
has softened its calls for Musharraf trial and why it feels compelled to
follow orders delivered from beyond the borders of the country. Our
political leaders must take a long, hard look at themselves and determine
where their loyalties lie.
In another editorial the newspaper added: Farhatullah Babar has
tried to gloss over President Zardaris confession regarding the deal
underwritten by foreign guarantors for the safe exit of General (retired)
Musharraf; but it does not wash. In fact, no one could misunderstand a
reference to a discussion regarding political parties conferring amongst
themselves to get rid of Musharraf on the one hand and reference to a deal
relating to Musharrafs safe exit on the other. Media persons are even more
tuned in to nuances and implications of what is said and what is left unsaid.
But clearly there is a brazenness with which the Presidency is now trying to
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erase the Presidents confessional in an unguarded moment. And it makes no

sense for Babar to hide behind the now rather worn out refrain of a
conspiracy of vilification against the Party leaders.
The fact is that the Presidency only felt the need to resort to some
form of deniability when the PML-N decided to play its proper role as
an effective and questioning opposition. The repercussions of the unguarded
remark began to emerge more clearly for the Presidency and the thought of
Parliament being asked to give details of the deal must have sent a
nightmarish vision to the President and his burgeoning bureaucratic
cavalcade. In fact, by raising the Musharraf deal issue in the Parliament, the
PML-N can help realize and strengthen parliamentary accountability without
which the parliamentary system remains meaningless substantively.
At the end of the day, the clarification has only brought out the
confusion that prevails in the Presidency and the culture of deal-making
that pervades our polity. The public is not as stupid or gullible as Mr Babar
tries to assume in this ridiculous effort to backtrack on what is now an
assumed reality: That Musharrafs safe exit was a demand of the US and
Britain and, like most of their other demands on our state, this was also
fulfilled. The Presidents statement helped many understand why the PPP
was going around in circles on the issue of Musharrafs trial under Article 6
of the Constitution. That the President was honest enough to state the truth
was a welcome change. It is too bad that his advisers want to take that away
from him also.
Farrukh Khan Pitafi opined: The public misperceptions about the
president and many of his close allies are not exactly a hidden secret. In such
a scenario it would have been quite effectual had the government showed
some desire to conduct its affairs more openly. But perhaps to the fear that
more information may only empower further its critics, the PPP
administration has kept its cards close to its chest. Had there been the
winning cards in its hand, one should not have objected that vociferously.
But unfortunately transition to democracy is seldom accomplished
without cutting humungous embarrassing deals. And such deals have the
potential of waylaying the best of the reputes what to mention of an
administration struggling under the negative weight of the NRO.
Lack of transparency then has reinforced the negative
perceptions in the worst possible way. Not a day passes without an urban
legend being narrated to us regarding the exploits of the presidents men.
And the miserable economic conditions ensure that the current government

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has to take all the slack. In such conditions when someone comes up with a
story worth a fairy tale book about corruption one cannot help but buy it
without much compunction. And the worst bit is that when a government
minister is asked about these allegations what one has to contend with is a
tirade of unfounded accusation instead of and answer.
And what should be done regarding strengthening the perception that
the countrys territory is being sold brick by brick to the foreigners may they
be the Americans, the Indians or the Saudis? It must be said that the PPP
leadership has always been dubbed by some circles in the country as a
threat to national security. Unfortunately, there exists no mechanism
available to fight such impressions. When a government official is
approached for clarification what you get is a solemn denial. But everything
is denied in the Islamic Republic and the bad part is that no one buys these
denials any longer. When a government official says that Blackwater or Xe
does not exist in the country, it is usually believed that either the government
is bluffing or else it is no longer in control. In either case everyone is
compelled to wonder if such democracy is needed at all?
But this again is the bad part. We all know how important democracy
is for healthy institution building. If democracy is derailed now again
Pakistan will have to suffer and it will reinforce the Indian propaganda that
Pakistan is the part of the problem rather than a solution. We cannot afford
that either. And those in our political class that think that if the current
administration goes they will have a chance at government formation,
should shun such delusions. Any change at this stage will not be democratic
or else temporary in any case. On the contrary, national security may force
many to accept another dictatorial regime in this very short span of
time.
Then what should be done on the government front. The PPPs state
mercifully is not beyond recovery. Believing that the government might be
doing constructive things too, one can only urge it to be more open,
transparent and more forthcoming on information. If the president really
warms up to the media and shuns omnipresent sycophancy, he may find that
professional and principled media outlets can be more sympathetic to the
cause of better governance than any bunch of sycophants. Simultaneously
the government will have to re-examine its choice of the media
managers too; for the current lot right now is proving to be a liability.
M Wasim Elahi from Islamabad wrote: Mian Muhammad Nawaz
Sharif is in Saudi Arabia for performing Umrah and meeting the Saudi King.

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Nawaz Sharif must not accept any indemnity that the Saudi King may
ask for Pervez Musharraf. Musharraf had recently been here to meet the
King and he had disclosed to the press after the meeting that he would be
back in politics by the end of the year I am astonished by the unwarranted
interference the Saudi royalty is making in the domestic affairs of Pakistan.
They are indirectly ruling the Pakistani politics.
Pervez Musharraf is a criminal who has done a lot of harm to
Pakistani democracy, economy and polity. He must be tried in a court of law
and given appropriate punishment for his crimes. The Saudi royal family is
received in the Muslim Ummah. They must not abuse that reverence.
The Nation commented: The so far unsuccessful effort by the PPP
hierarchy to cover up President Zardaris admission of a deal backed by
foreign guarantors for the safe exit of General (retired) Musharraf, has led
to a plethora of statements that can best be described as bizarre. First there
was the official denial of something that had been said in front of host of
senior media people. This was followed by an even more confusing
explanation by Governor Taseer, again at an iftar, that while there was no
written deal as such, there was dialogue that led to an arrangement for
Musharrafs safe exit. Taseer also confirmed that there were foreign
guarantors involved in the negotiations. So one can surmise that while there
was nothing in writing, a verbal deal backed by foreign guarantors, was in
place
With all these ridiculous efforts to detract from what President
Zardari had in fact truthfully stated, one can only assume that the aim is to
hide away the reality amid a dense cloud of confusion. Problem for the
government is that it is not working. Instead, all that is happening is that
whatever credibility remains of the leadership, it is fast eroding. Surrounded
by a bulging team of Lilliputians, the President has not been served well on
this latest controversy. With the MPL-N determined to now play a strong
oppositional role and hold the leadership accountable through Parliament, it
would be far better for the President and his band of advisors to
acknowledge the deal, admit the error and exercise the right to
backtrack on it in the national interest.
During the month under review there were many spectacles of
governance under democratic rule, which in the West is known as
government of the people, by the people and for the people. The first
spectacle was related to shortage and high price of wheat flour. In Karachi,
several women died in a stampede during free distribution of flour.
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The News wrote: Chaudhry Iftikhar has distributed free flour before
Eid for the past ten years without any trouble, and he cannot have
anticipated the rush that would come this year. If he has sinned at all, his
sins are of omission rather than commission. The police say that he
should have notified them prior to the event and they would have ensured
security. Maybe; and a very big maybe at that. Perhaps the token system
could have been better organized and perhaps it was not wise to have access
to distribution via a narrow staircase. But there again the token system had
worked in the past and there had not been any serious difficulty of access
either why should things be different this year?
What turned Chaudhry Iftikhars act of generosity and philanthropy
into a human tragedy was probably something beyond his knowledge or
ability to plan the physical hunger and desperation of poor people linked to
the ineptly managed national distribution of flour and that the prices that
those in poverty are unlikely to afford. Anecdotal reports suggest that there
are more women attending the bachat bazaars this year than last, and that
their demographic is different there are women from lower-middle-class
households for the first time, an indicator that poverty and food insecurity
is spreading upwards through the social order. Some of the women
caught up in the melee were not jobless they had jobs but did not earn
enough to feed the family.
The crush was in all likelihood triggered by women fighting among
themselves either to get to the front of the queue or to take flour one from
the other. Hungry people get desperate, and desperation breeds violence and
a breakdown of order. Attempts by the organizers to manage the disorder by
shutting doors were woefully inadequate and today we count the cost in lives
lost and families further impoverished. Poor people are being priced out of
the food market by inflation and profiteering. Millions are malnourished.
Eventually they are going to fight to get food. The Kohri Garden tragedy
was an indicator of what is yet to come.
Mrs Nusrat Ali from Lahore wrote about the ladies bout which was
telecast live. I wonder why people are reacting angrily against the heavyweight lady federal minister of PPP, who used unparliamentary language
against Ms Kashmala of PML-Q in a talk show recently. In my opinion since
the minister was speaking in a talk show and not in parliament she was at
liberty to use unparliamentary language. Her language might have been
more dirty and filthy if the talk show was not going live. It is the greatness
of the PPP minister that she observed patience and did not pour out worse
unparliamentary vocabulary. Instead of appreciating her perseverance,
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viewers are criticizing her. This I believe is against the spirit of freedom of
speech and freedom of expression. After all, this is the class, which is
ruling us. Please bear with them.
Fida Muhammad from Peshawar expressed his views on mischiefseeking moon sighter. The demand by federal Minister of Railways that
Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, Chairman of the Central Ruet-e-hilal Committee,
should be replaced by mufti Shahab-ud-Din Popalzai of his native Peshawar
is irrational. He is recommending the case of a controversial person who has
been running a parallel and unauthorized Ruet-e-Hilal committee for years
and usually records witnesses of moon-sightings a day earlier than the
central committee every year. He has been defying not only the present
chairman but almost every chairman that headed the central committee. Due
to his stubborn intent for subversion, he has never allowed the people of
this country to celebrate Eid on one day. This year too, he called a
meeting on September 19, knowing fully well that rest of the country had
only completed 28 days of fasting. The local met office had also announced
through a press release that there was no possibility of moon being sighted
on that day, but lo and behold, Mufti Popalzai did.
The ANP leaders are unnecessarily making the moon sighting a
political issue even though it is a religious matter entirely. That is why they
are being roundly condemned by one and all in the country. I for one cant
understand why our government is so helpless before a man who, merely for
the sake of creating a controversy that gives him prominence, uses the forum
of the Qasim Ali Khan Mosque to divide the nation. He invites mischiefmongers of his own ilk to give evidence about moon sighting; usually on
mere illusion, if not pure falsehood. No such mischief is done in any other
part of Pakistan. This issue crops up only in NWFP and only at a particular
mosque.
Muzamil from Sukkur talked of land grabbing in Karachi. Land
worth over Rs72 billion that belonged to KPT is up for grabs at present for
Karachis powerful land mafia. Their self-confidence can be gauged from
the fact that despite live coverage of their occupation of the property on
September 9, 2009, the Karachi police and KPT security were both helpless.
The KPT officials present on the scene were threatened by these armed
gangs allegedly having backing of an advisor to CM Sindh, Dr Dinshaw
Ankelsaria and Azam Afridi. The perception is that everybody in Karachi
and Islamabad knows that these people enjoy patronage of the man
responsible for handling the interior ministry of Sindh who is a close friend
of the man occupying the highest office in Islamabad.
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This perception has assumed the force of reality because the armed
occupation of this real estate continued until a truce was worked out and the
property handed over to police instead of the KPT. The way things look, the
CEO of KPT would probably be forced to withdraw his institutions claim
on this land and surrender it to the powerful land-grabbing mafia. This mafia
is as powerful today as they were during Musharraf era. The only hurdle in
their way is the judiciary as other custodians of the state have seemingly
decided to hand over the asset in question to them. This is what had
happened in the case of the 55-acres Kidney Hill public park too.
Allah Bakhsh from Sargodha observed: Our nation is great: Saturated
with corrupt rulers, corrupt police, corrupt bureaucrats, corrupt generals,
corrupt judges, corrupt journalists, corrupt businessmen, corrupt traders,
corrupt shopkeepers, corrupt clerks and corrupt peons. Yet it is surviving. In
the past 60 years not a single big fish has been punished on corruption
charges. Rather they are proud that they have been in jails for years but
nothing was proved against them. Of late chairman of the PSM was
sacked on corruption charges; just sacked. And that meant go home and
enjoy the booty. No case of corruption, no punishment. More interestingly
we have been hiring crooks from outside to loot us what a country?
Shireen M Mazari commented on formation of National
Accountability Commission to replace the existing NAB. After discussing
the manner in which accountability has been made acceptable to the corrupt
she concluded: The cherry on the cake is Article 26 which provided
indemnity to all holders of public office who may have been corrupt as
long as they did something in good faith or in pursuance of or in exercise
of powers vested in him or believed to be vested in him and so on. So if a
commission was taken in good faith, the holder of public office cannot be
touched!
The law is equally interesting for what it leaves out in that it does not
deal with issues of bank default, loan write offs or crimes by ordinary
citizens. One thing is for certain. There will be no future barters under
benign titles like National Reconciliation since there will be nothing to
reconcile. So goodbye accountability and welcome legitimized loot and
plunder for all times to come.
Javed from Karachi expressed his views Zardaris plans about Asma
Jehangir. Wishing to establish a Truth & Reconciliation Commission, the
President desires Asma Jehangir to head it. From the very name of it, it is
crystal-clear what kind of commission he wants and what practical outcome

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would it produce? Though probably a bit too far in the future at present, if
this commission does indeed materialize, I wish to be the first person to
appear before it to record my protest on the word truth in its name.
Zafar Hilaly wrote: What then is it about Mr Zardari that makes
him so unpopular with all and sundry? It cannot be his record of alleged
wrong doings because there are politicians whose lists of misdemeanors and
felonies are no less long but who are not remotely as unpopular as Mr
Zardari; nor do they evoke the raw hostility that he seems to. Besides, as Mr
Zardari has pointed out, he has paid his dues. Eleven years of incarceration
and exile is long enough by any reckoning, even that prescribed by the law,
for crimes for which he was never convicted.
Is it then the crass insensitivity that this regime has displayed on
occasions? Not so. Dictators were far worse and his civilian opponents no
better. Is it that Mr Zardari is taking all the flack for the unpopular American
alliance? Perhaps, but this is hardly fair. The alliance is scarcely one of his
creations; and it is just as well, considering what dire straits Pakistan is in,
and how crucial the American alliance has become for our economic
survival, that he is attending to it conscientiously.
Why also is every allegation of corruption leveled against Mr
Zardari taken as the gospel truth? And every act of bad governance laid at
his doorstep? And what about the mindlessly evil and despicable whispering
campaign that he was somehow responsible for the murder of his wife? Of
course, Mr Zardari has not helped himself by choosing the company and
heeding the advice of cronies who are by all accounts an intellectually
vacuous lot with atrocious habits and tastes. But surely that cannot be the
only reason for the extreme antipathy that even normally sensible and
moderate folk maintain for him.
Mr Zardaris supporters say that the answer can be found in the
dislike of his party and person and everything they represent in the
powerful Punjab-centric media. This animus over a period of time, they aver,
has become irrational, pathological and all consuming.
In my view the reasons are somewhat different. First, unlike the
Bhuttos Mr Zardari does not have the ability of consummate politicians to
make lies sound truthful and murder respectable and to give the appearance
of solidity to pure wind. In comparison to the Bhuttos his communication
skills are non-existent. He also lacks charisma that indefinable quality that if
you have you do not need anything else and if you do not it really does not
matter what you have. His wife had it. She lit up a room.
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As a result Mr Zardari, even though he is said to be a loyal friend, a

generous man, a loving father and brave to boot appears to the public as just
another run of the mill devious politician or at best sincerely bogus. He
provides the perfect grist to the propaganda mills of the media. John F
Kennedy once said that the great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie
deliberate contrived and honest but the myth persistent, persuasive and
unrealistic. Mr Zardaris unsavory reputation may well be more myth
than reality but outside a court of law, where perception and not evidence
counts, he stands condemned.
However long he is at the helm the best Mr Zardari can hope for is to
be judged on what he has delivered rather than by what TV anchors or the
print media have to say. If he stops trying to be popular rather than
effective history may yet judge him kindly. Any way he wont get a
second chance. You cannot make a souffl rise twice.
Nur-ul-Huda Kazilbash from Jhang observed: Within a very short
span of time, the present democratically elected government has done many
a miracle. The President has achieved the distinction of making countless
trips abroad and has even surrendered, as per promise, all the powers he had
to his Prime Minister. He has also taken steps to sue the ex-President,
effectively forcing him to bring back all the stolen wealth. Meanwhile, he
has himself been paying the taxes on his own wealth as honestly as you
would expect. Thus, the canal that runs through Lahore, the one that only
had bhal and dirty water in it, now overflows with milk and honey. Crime
has been eliminated totally and the lion and goat are often seen
Our beloved Prime Minister has an acute case of austerity. He shuns
all things expensive, be they foreign three-piece suits of designer variety, or
imported shoes, ties and perfumes. Even his shades are the cheap plastic
ones you buy from Lohari Gate. Being an awami leader, you wouldnt ever
catch him dead in a bullet-proof car. Neither do any of his ministers use the
cars of bulletproof kind. That is why a philanthropist bought all the
bulletproof limousines of government at 76 percent discount. The money
will go to the national exchequer so that our wazir-e-khazana could bewilder
IMF and World Bank by returning all our loans this spring. One little
problem with the country, though; none of the PPP ministers are appearing
anymore on talk shows of the private TV channels. No wonder there is
neither an amusement for the public nor any entertainment.
Passive approach of the PML-N to issues facing the nation brought it
to the scrutiny by the critics. Dr Maleeha Lodhi wrote: A different set of

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reasons may lie behind the PML-Ns less than robust political role; one,
its leaderships deep suspicion of the establishment and two, an
acknowledgement of its political limitations. The first is self-evident, and is
reflected in frequent allusions by its leaders to unspecified conspiracies
which they vow never to succumb to. The perception of the establishment as
a greater political threat to the PML-N than the PPP seems to have translated
into an ultra-cautious, almost passive political approach which has
unintendedly undercut its effectiveness. This also explains why the party
does not feel bound to engage the government in any rigorous policy debate.
Despite having a more media-savvy team, the PML-N has often been driven
by TV anchors into taking positions on issues ranging from rental power
projects to the US drone attacks.
The second factor may be the leaderships evaluation of the limits of
its political power. Mr Sharifs personal popularity doesnt translate into
decisive political strength for the party. This is because first, the PML-N
remains a Punjabi-based party. Second, despite the provinces numerical
weight in the power equation, an effective national role needs allies from the
rest of the country. Today the PML-N is bereft of allies. Instead it has
troubled relations with MQM and the ANP. In contrast the PPP has shown
itself adept in the working with allies, co-opting groups, sharing power and
occupying the political space ceded by the PML-Ns go-it-alone approach.
The PML-Ns political limitations also arise from the fact that the
PML-Qs parliamentary party is still a factor: twice the size of the MQM
membership in the National Assembly. Its recent splits have yet to erode this
parliamentary strength as the breakaway members are all unelected. So the
PML-N is unable as yet to match the PPP-led coalitions political reach and
power.
This raises important questions for Mr Sharifs party and its
political future: about its identity, character, programme, and its
relationship with other political parties. As he has often correctly stated,
Pakistans problems are no longer amenable to partisan solutions and need
consensus building to fashion national remedies. But are the PML-Ns
political endeavours focused on creative thinking on issues and forging
political relationships on shared policy approaches to practice what it is
preaching?
Mr Sharif needs to give his party a fresh vision and challenge the
PML-N to think innovatively about how to address the imposing challenges

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that will determine Pakistans future. Not to do this could convey an

impression that the partys pursuit of power is shorn of public purpose.
The PML-N needs to clarify its ideological centre of gravity in the
countrys changed circumstances to day and also inspire followers beyond
its loyal vote bank. Such a process of redefining and reinvigorating itself
will renew its image as a party of the future and not just one that aspires to
office on the basis of having been wronged in the past.
The Nation commented: Newspapers have carried reports that point
to a real player behind the scene i.e. the Saudi government. It has been
stated that during a meeting with the Saudi King last month Mian Nawaz
was reminded of the undertaking he had given while getting out of Pakistan
in December 2000 that the two brothers would abstain from participating in
politics for 10 years. The Saudis had been, so goes the story, one of the
guarantors of that commitment. They had overlooked Mian Shahbaz Sharifs
standing for election, but would not take Mian Nawazs attempt unkindly.
Besides, he was told that his party should not press for the trial of
former President Musharraf.
However, PML-N leaders have strongly reacted to this piece of
disinformation and discounted that any such discussion took place between
their leader and the Saudi monarch. Its Central Secretary Information, Ahsan
Iqbal, attributes the report to the fear, both here and abroad, of PML-Ns
popularity that might go against their interests. Both Senators Raja Zafar-ulHaq and Pervaiz Rashid have termed it baseless and mischievous. It is for
Mian Nawaz to clear the mist. Whatever the true picture in this case, it is
well known that foreign parties have been interfering in our affairs and that
interference continues unabated and more intensely. However, it should be
clear that the dictates of sovereignty and the countrys self-respect do not
envisage that our leadership should look for foreign help in sorting out
internal affairs.

REVIEW
Zardaris statement about Musharrafs safe exit under a deal and the
subsequent denial was yet another example of his habit of eating his own
words. It was an important deal for him not because it resulted in
Musharrafs exit, but because it ensured Zardaris entry into presidency.
With such acts he keeps pointing tauntingly at those political analysts,
who repeatedly point at military dictators for serving the American interests

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to prolong their respective rules. The political observers have yet to

acknowledge that he can do more than what any military dictator could ever
think of.
The latest in the deal-making has been the Kerry-Lugar Bill. It has a
condition that military should not interfere in matters of judiciary. This has
been got inserted, not for proceeding with Musharrafs trial, but the
scoundrel nurtures evil designs to take democratic revenge from the COAS
for what he did on March 15, 2009 and from the Chief Justice if dared
fiddling with NRO.
This is the beauty of democracy. More of this beauty was exposed by
Firdous Ashiq Awan. She and Kashmala Tariq of PML-Q appeared in Waqt
TV programme anchored by Wahid. During the discussion Kashmala called
Firdous a Lota to which the latter reacted violently saying that some
persons have made to the National Assembly via (); causing aspersions
on the character of Kashmala. The younger lady was wrong in calling the
older a Lota as she deserved to be called minimum of a Chatti (a large
earthen pitcher used for blowing curd).
Wahid tried to patch up between the two ladies in a subsequent
programme, but both refused to budge from their stand. Kashmala told that
Prime Minister and Fauzia Wahab had called her on telephone and felt
sorry about what was said by Firdous. The very fact that the two (Gilani
and Fauzia) have the time for seeing such TV debates just to assess
performance of PPP leaders compromises their feelings of sorry. Keeping
the performance of Fauzia in view it can be said that she must have
appreciated the beauty of Firdous Ashaq Awan.
Eighteen women were killed in stampede during distribution of free
ration-packets in Karachi. The philanthropist, who distributed charity during
every Ramazan, was arrested for criminal negligence; whereas Zardari
should have been held as he has set the new trend of stampeding for charity
collection.
He misses no occasion to ask every foreign visitor about what he has
brought and when he departs, Zardari again asks the visitor as to what he
was leaving behind as charity. At governance-level millions of Pakistanis
have been enlisted as regular recipients of charity under Benazir Income
Support Fund. The sole aim remains the consolidation of PPPs vote bank.
These actions of the PPP drew PML-N leadership into competition.
Shahbaz Sharif invented Sasti Rooti Scheme followed by Sasta Bazaars and
sale of wheat flour on cut-price. This attracted the Zardari-like professional
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beggars to converge on to these sale points thereby out-numbering the needy

people and thus causing stampedes, suffocations and deaths.
They are Zardari-like because if he can kill his own countrymen to get
some charity from the Western countries, the professional beggars like him
in the length and breadth of the country have every right to kill a few in the
process charity collection. It has happened in Peshawar, Murree, Gujar
Khan, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Sahiwal and more deaths will come if this
nonsense aimed at earning cheap popularity is not stopped.
The manner in which moon-sighting was organized and announced in
Peshawar was reflective of Red Cappers urge to defy central authority. It
was an out-right rebellion against anything that could be called Pakistani and
at the same time to assert Pakhtuns independence. ANPs decision was
politically motivated and completely devoid of religiously inspiration.
In other words, ANPs backing of Masjid Qasims clerics is not
because of its allegiance to any particular Maslik. It is the outcome of its
chronic disease of defying anything that originates from Islamabad or has
the stamp of Pakistan. The symptoms of this illness become visible off and
on e.g. opposition to Afghan War and Kalabagh Dam; insisting on renaming
the province; and now moon-sighting.
This is ANPs Gandhian way of Fisad-fil-Aradh. It is the same
syndrome from which the Taliban are accused of suffering from: only our
version of Islam is valid. Of late the Red Cappers have been boasting of
defeating Taliban in Swat; they may now feel proud of outplaying Taliban
by declaring entire Pakistani nation as non-Muslims.
The nation was formally informed for the first time about the
existence of yet another sect in Pakistan; the Popalzai Sect. And more so it
was told that this sect has been existing for more than three hundred years.
Somehow Popalzai moon always comes wearing burqa; exposing itself only
to mahrams. It also belied ANPs claim of secularism; its as secular as was
Gandhi.
As regards ANPs desire to celebrate Eid with Saudi Arabia and
Afghanistan, it is half truth. The followers of secular Gandhism are not
pushed about Saudi Arabia. They want to celebrate Pakhtun Eid in
Pakhtunkhawa. The ANP leaders use the name of Baitullah (Saudi Arabia) as
a cover for shifting their Qibla from Islamabad to Kabul. It is to assert their
identity with Kabul and at the same time reject that of Pakistani.

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Observers believe that by feeding information about possible suicide

attacks during bye-polls, the PPP government in the Centre has once again
trapped PML-N to commit yet another mistake by going to the court for
postponement of elections. PPP leaders, who have been taunting at PML-N
by calling it a regional party, now say that it was scared of elections even in
Punjab.
PPPs allies like ANP and MQM, which are regional parties in the true
sense of the word and also linguistic and ethnic in nature, join in calling
PML-N a regional political outfit. But the PML-N leadership has to blame
its passive approach for earning this ridicule instead of accusing its political
opponents.
The PML-N leadership must always remember that by virtue of
becoming a regional party, it would also restrict Pakistan to the limits of
Punjab. All other parties prefer harp about regional interests than the
national interests. Even Zardaris PPP will talk about Pakistan as long as it is
in power in the Centre.
PML-N must never forget that the moment PPP loses majority, it
would come out with the slogan of its founder father; uther tum, ither hum.
These political parties which harbour dangerous prejudices wont mind
pushing Pakistan where it belongs. The PML-N leadership has the national
responsibility to guard against it.
14th October 2009

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ENHANCED WAGES
The last week saw hectic activities on the war front. After GHQ and
Shangla, Lahore experienced triple terror attacks; on FIA office, Manawan
police training school and on police training facility at Bidian. The security
forces claimed killing all attackers but the daring actions of terrorists belied
the government claims that militants were on the run after victory in Swat.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi shuttled between Islamabad and Washington
in search of suitable interpretation of the KLB. Once he got an
explanation from the authors of the Bill he dashed to Islamabad and rattled
out American viewpoint in the National Assembly and as soon as he finished
his speech, the Speaker prorogued the session sine die. That was how the
views of National Assembly were bulldozed or rolled back.
The regime wasted no time in obliging the US once the wages of the
mercenaries were enhanced. Gilani chaired a high-level meeting in which
the COAS briefed the participants about the latest security situation. It was
decided that much awaited ground offensive in South Waziristan must be
launched; the troops moved out immediately.

NEWS
The war in Pakistan intensified. On 12th October, at least 41 people,
including six soldiers, were killed and four soldiers were among 54 wounded
in a bomb attack in Shangla. Sixteen militants were killed in air strikes in
Bajaur and six in South Waziristan. Ten suspects were arrested in Bannu.
Three more commandos, who were wounded during operation, expired and
24 suspects were arrested from Rawalpindi area and Lahore. An American
with ammunition was detained at Islamabad Airport. Three policemen were
killed in firing outside an anti-terror court in Faisalabad. MNAs demanded
sacking of Hussain Haqqani and resignation of Shah Mahmood Qureshi,
who had left for Washington early in the morning.
The Nation published a special report on delay on the part of the ISPR
to brief the media on details of the complete operation that ended the
terrorist attack on GHQ. According to the report, the Army was still
considering/discussing some important issues. First, there is the issue of the
origin of the weapons, especially the guns, which were all of prohibited
bores. The general conclusion is that the source of these weapons is
Afghanistan. Second, there is the issue of linkages between this attack, the
attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul and the Peshawar blasts. Another
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linkage that is being discussed is whether the attack had any connection to
the position taken by the Corps Commanders meeting on the Kerry Lugar
Bill.
Third, there is a growing view within elements of the military that
there needs to be a strong, clear and hard hitting response to the terrorist
threat not only in terms of targeting the immediate culprits but also of going
beyond in a decisive fashion to deal with the foreign sponsors of the
terrorists targeting Pakistan, particularly the security forces, and supply tail
of weapons coming in from Afghanistan including what are seen as stolen
supplies from US and NATO depots.
Five militants were killed and 33 surrendered in Swat on 13th October
and six were killed in air strike in Mohmand Agency. In Peshawar, 110
Afghan refugees were arrested. Air Chief attended the roll-out ceremony of
first of the 18 F-16 jetfighters in Texas. During his visit to Beijing Gilani and
his Chinese counter-part agreed to work on anti-terror strategy.
Qureshi conveyed concerns of Pakistan over the KLB, which Zardari
and his aides have been praising day in and day out. Amid reports of him
being fired Haqqani threatened to reveal reams of Pakistani secret
documents that could embarrass the forces aligned against him. His sacking
could open up controversies that the government would not appreciate,
which he might do if forces to defend himself after being fired. PML-Q and
PPP MNAs exchanged abuses in the National Assembly; PML-N joined
PML-Q in protesting.
Turkish Army chief visited Swat on 14th October, Nine militants were
killed in air strike in Laddah area of South Waziristan and two terrorists
were held in Hangu. A police station was damaged in bomb blast in
Mansehra. In Rawalpindi, 28 suspects were held and two suicide bombers
were held in Lahore. Karachi-based US Council visited Quetta and
announced presence of Taliban in the area.
Kerry met Qureshi and said afterwards that there was nothing wrong in
the KLB, only some people have misinterpreted it. The US would make
those people understand it for which US Congress attached an explanation to
the Bill. The sacred document of KLB remained unaltered to the liking of
the Zardari Regime for which Qureshi thanked Kerry and party. Holbrooke
and Kerry planned to visit Islamabad for further tutoring on the Bill and
assure Zardari not to worry about Army. Nawaz cancelled the PML-N
meeting called for discussing the Kerry-Lugar Bill.

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Five militants were killed, five surrendered and 14 were held in Swat
on 15th October. A boy was killed and 12 people wounded in car bomb blast
near the official residence of deputy home secretary in Peshawar; 48
Afghans were arrested by police in a crackdown. At least 11 people were
killed and 22 wounded in suicide car bombing on a police station in Kohat
and 27 militants were killed in air strikes in South Waziristan. Nine people
were killed in US drone attacks near Miranshah, North Waziristan. Two
suicide bombers were arrested in Islamabad.
Lahore was subjected to three terror attacks. In first incident, two
policemen, four civilians and the attacker were killed in attack on FIA office.
In second attack on Manawan police training school 11 policemen, four
civilians and four attackers were shot dead and 27 people, mostly trainees
were wounded. In third attack on another police training facility at Bidian
five terrorists and a police officer were killed and nine people were
wounded. Weapons of Indian origin were recovered from the terrorists.
Reaction of the Elite Force was commended by all and sundry.
As Shah Mahmood Qureshi set off for Islamabad, Obama signed the
KLB and turning it into Kerry-Lugar-Berman Law. PML-N rejected KLB
after terming it contrary to countrys sovereignty, security and honour. PTI
of Imran Khan also rejected the new US law. Fauzia Wahab said KLB is
gift for Pakistan.
In a high-level meeting chaired by the Prime Minister on 16 th October,
the government decided to launch the much awaited ground offensive in
South Waziristan after the COAS briefed them about the latest situation.
Thousands of tribesmen moved out of the area.
Two suicide bombers, a man and a woman, attacked CIA office in
Peshawar; 14 people were killed and 21 wounded. Military camp in South
Waziristan was attacked by militants; three soldiers were killed and four
wounded. Thirteen militants were killed in air strike. Police arrested 23
suspects from Lahore and Faisalabad. Salman Taseer said Lahore attacks
were the result of negligence on the part of provincial government. Two
wounded militants were arrested from a hospital in Karachi.
Hussain Haqqani served a legal notice of Rs1 billion against the
Editor-in-Chief of The Nation for publishing a report titled, If Fired,
Haqqani Threatens to Unveil Reams of Pakistans Secrets. Haqqani,
however, spared the US publication which was the first to report this.
Richard Burns, who was in New Delhi on 17 th October, assured India that
conditionalities in the KLB remained in place.
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Meanwhile, Shah Mahmood summed up the debate on KLB in the

National Assembly by rattling out American viewpoint and as soon as he
finished his loud speech, the Speaker prorogued the session sine die; thus the
views of National Assembly were rolled back or bulldozed away.
Operation Rah-e-Nijat, which had been planned in June last, was
launched in South Waziristan on 17 th October but its formal announcement
will be performed by Prime Minister later on. As troops marched to secure
launching area for an offensive, thousands of people moved out of the battle
zone. The intelligence estimates put the militants strength at ten thousand,
including 1,500 foreign fighters. More than forty militants were killed in
air strikes and artillery shelling and four soldiers were killed and 12
wounded in skirmishes. Three soldiers were killed when a convoy was hit by
roadside bomb in North Waziristan. Capital Police arrested 34 activists of
Hizb-ut-Tehrir. Shahbaz Sharif urged national unity to cope with terrorism.
On 18th October, military claimed the first victory in Rah-e-Nijat;
village of Hakimullah was captured. At least 65 militants and five soldiers
were killed in the operation in which street-fighting was reported. More than
one hundred thousand tribesmen migrated from the area. Weapons kept
flowing into Waziristan as US and NATO failed to choke the inflow.
Militants positions were shelled throughout the night. Around one
hundred suspects each were held each in operations in Rawalpindi and
Lahore. Six madaris were raided in Islamabad. Selected categories of
schools were closed as a new wave of terror attacks was feared. John Kerry
arrived in Islamabad to take classes on interpretation of KLBL.
In Afghanistan, at least twenty Taliban were killed in Kandahar
Province on 12th October. Ethnic clashes were reported from Faryab
Province. Divisions between Democrats and Republicans were deepening
over Afghan strategy. Obama Administration decided to deploy 13,000
additional troops in Afghanistan quietly. On 14th October, Britain decided to
send five hundred more soldiers to Afghanistan.
On 15th October, advisor to Spanta said Pakistani spy agency was
stoking violence in Afghanistan. ISAF commander demanded 15,000 more
troops. France refused to send additional troops. Next day, four US soldiers
were killed in roadside bombing and a woman and a girl were killed by the
US-led forces. Italy denied British troops that its troops bribed Taliban to
maintain peace in their area of responsibility.

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Three US soldiers were killed in a bomb blast on 17 th October and 25

Taliban were killed in Khost Province. Head of Anti-Terror Police in Kabul
was sacked. Work on extension of Police Academy began. For the first time
Karzai hinted at runoff polls. Next day, one US soldier was killed in roadside
bombing in southern Afghanistan. Kerry said it was too early to send more
US troops to Afghanistan.

India tested two nuclear capable missiles on 12th October. Next day,
Rahul Gandhi said he had no time like BJP to talk about Jinnah who is gone
and finished. Lahore High Court dismissed all terror cases against Hafiz
Saeed; India criticized.
In Balochistan, JWP leader was gunned down in Quetta on 13th
October and two FC soldiers were wounded in grenade attack. One security
personnel was killed and four wounded when a grenade was hurled at their
vehicle in Quetta on 15th October. Gunmen killed a man of Hazara
community in a separate incident of violence. One person was killed in
bomb blast in Gwadar.
A policeman was killed by unknown gunmen in Kalat on 17 th October.
Next day, the house of Information Minister of Balochistan was attacked
with hand grenade in Quetta. Three persons were wounded when a grenade
was thrown at security forces vehicle.
Ahmedinejad said the attack near the border was plotted by Jundullah
inside Pakistan. Iran summoned Pakistani ambassador and lodged the protest
over attack. Will the clause pertaining to neighbouring countries in KerryLugar Bill apply in this case; not at all, because the attack was sponsored by
the Crusaders and hence was part of the holy war?

VIEWS
In Pakistan the war on terror raged with all its ferocity and drew
the due attention of observers. The Nation wrote: The terrorist attack on
GHQ turned out to be much graver than had been initially given out. That it
was dealt with efficiently and with least amount of lives lost reflects on the
professionalism and competency of the Pakistan military from whom the
US and NATO forces could learn a few lessons in asymmetrical warfare,
rather than the other way round. Nevertheless, there are some disturbing
issues that raise, beginning with the issue of a security lapse. Clearly
intelligence reports had pinpointed to such an event happening and a news
item to this effect had even been printed in the media. So what went wrong
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to allow a security breach to occur? The hostage crisis may have been
resolved effectively, including the successful taking out of a potential suicide
bomber, but the fact that the hostages were taken in the first place raises
concerns about security surrounding such a sensitive area.
Valuable lives of military men and some hostages were also lost in
the process, including two officers which show that the Pakistan army
commands from the front. The links are not simply a straight line to
Waziristan; rather there are too many interconnections and trails,
especially in terms of weapons (which will provide the clearest clues
regarding the actors involved), leading to foreign players. Therefore it is
time the state of Pakistan put greater controls over all foreign entities of their
activities. With too many foreign covert boots in and around Islamabad and
its surrounding areas, the threat of such operatives accessing sensitive targets
and the people in them has been multiplied.
Equally disturbing has been the absence of the Interior Minister
from the scene of the attack. He remained in Lahore throughout Saturday
and then departed for Singapore in the midst of crisis. He may have needed
to attend the Interpol Assemblys annual Ministerial Meeting in Singapore
on 12 October, but it could hardly be more relevant than being in Pakistan
and on the scene? This has an eerie air of similarity to his disappearance at
the time of Ms Bhuttos murder. On the one hand, the government has been
desperately seeking to bring the military under its total control some would
say even attempting to use the US for this purpose as reflected in the
Haqqani-KLB drafting connection but at a time when the civilian Interior
Ministry should have been in the forefront of handling the GHQ terrorist
attack and its fallout, including handling the media, its Minister decides not
to cancel a foreign trip. How does this reflect on the priorities of the
government?
In a subsequent editorial the newspaper added: The TTP continues to
have some hidden pockets of support among the local people. However, the
sophisticated arms and equipment the terrorists are invariably found to
possess; the caves (sanctuaries or housing and training militants) that could
not have been dug into the mountains without the use of heavy machinery;
the logistical support available to them; and the easy flow of finances need
to keep their dastardly activity going all these are bewildering to the mind
and raise the valid question as to what source or sources could be at
their back.

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If Swat is more or less secure and South Waziristan is virtually

cordoned off from three sides of Pakistan, the only source of help to the
militants ensconced there would be Afghanistan that is under occupation of
well over 100,000 US and NATO troops. And then there are reports of
weapons stolen from the allied forces openly on sale on this side of the
border. Added to these hidden realities that are sabotaging Pakistans efforts
to contain the terrorist threat is the recent outcry about the presence of the
so-called Quetta Shura without furnishing relevant intelligence. Could these
noises be designed to pave the way for launching drone attacks on
Quetta and its environs create further unrest in Balochistan or, along with
the resurgence of the terrorist phenomenon; scare Pakistan into accepting the
humiliating conditionalities of the Kerry-Lugar Bill?
Islamabad has to vigorously take up the matter with Washington to
get a positive response to these worrisome issues as well as impress upon it
to take effective steps to put an end to Indias questionable activities in
Afghanistan to which the top US commander on the ground, General
McChrystal, has himself alluded.
In another editorial it commented: 'As the frightening scenario
demonstrates a well-organized and coordinated character of the attacks, it
becomes clear that the reports of dissensions in the top ranks of the TTP
following the death of its leader Baitullah Mehsud in a drone attack last
August, leaving it weakened, are quite exaggerated. But what keeps it alive
and kicking is a big and puzzling question on the face of it. Strangely,
though, the humiliating Kerry-Lugar Bill stipulates action against Lashkar-iTaiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad but makes no mention of Tehrik-e-Taliban
Pakistan, the most active agent of militancy in Pakistan and death of the
people. But then the level of trained manoeuvring of its suicide bombers, the
quality of their equipment and the wherewithal that is required to keep the
organization well-oiled, which is what the TTP obviously is this is enough
evidence to show that a resourceful party, out to destabilize the country or
keep it under intense pressure to make it serve its designs, must be at the
back of it. India is one of the countries to which the finger is being
pointed though the involvement of others that are active in the region
cannot be ruled out.
In yet another editorial the newspaper wrote: The recent terrorist
attacks reveal a new breed of terrorists who are well-trained and well-armed
with highly sophisticated weaponry. Further, as the Interior Minister himself
admitted, these terrorists are mercenaries, being paid for their dastardly acts.
So there is no religious thread here at all. If one connects the dots, the
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pattern that is emerging is one where a deliberate trail of destruction is being

created across Pakistan, which will create a situation desired in the US
design outlined in a US Army Journal article entitled Blood Borders
published in the wake of 9/11.
It is a mere coincidence that Quetta and Muridke have been targeted
in the KLB Act and all religious groups identified by name but for the TTP?
It is also a mere coincidence that the new spate of terrorism has begun at a
time when there is attention focused on the covert US operatives
spreading across Pakistan; when the US is seeking to target Quetta with
drones; when there is growing evidence of an Indian hand in Pakistans
terrorism? Perhaps the most obvious pointer to a larger hidden anti-Pakistan
agenda behind the terrorism is the US pressure for military action also in
southern Punjab. This is a recipe for civil war. Already the centre of gravity
of the war on terror has been shifted, first from Afghanistan to FATA and
now to the centre of Pakistan, Punjab itself. Unless the Pakistani state sees
the larger picture, our detractors plans will succeed.
On 18th October, The Nation commented: The carte blanche to select
an appropriate time to launch a ground offensive in South Waziristan, which
the countrys political leaders gave to the army on Friday, was, it seems,
exactly the signal the top brass was impatiently waiting for, as the morning
after the world woke up to learn that jawans, laced with their fighting gear,
were already marching in. One can confidently conclude that General
Kayanis briefing at the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Gilani and
participated by various parties from across the political divide centered on
making a case for an urgent operation up the challenge.
One should have thought decision-makers would avoid an
unseemly haste, in the backdrop of various humiliating reverses that had,
three times in the past, resulted in ceding to the militants demands and
acknowledging their hold over the Agency, rather than tamely cave in to the
US pressure. Washingtons interests, while they coincide with ours as far as
the principle of seeing an end to the forces of extremism is concerned, could
at the same time be at variance on how to go about doing it. The US not only
fighting a losing battle in Afghanistan but also is unable to persuade most of
its NATO allies to commit their forces to trouble spots; and for
movement
A lot more serious are the questions of the safety of those innocent
patriotic citizens who find themselves caught up in the crossfire and the fear
of their alienation. Absolute care is also called for to ensure that those who

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feel compelled to join the militant bands out of fear of reprisals are isolated
and only those who show flexibility in not accepting the writ of the state are
targeted. The spate of suicide bombings the country witnessed in the past
few days could panic ordinary souls but governments must find the
loopholes that defy security checks and weigh the options of going
headlong into a risky venture.
S M Hali commented on attack on GHQ. Lets begin with the
rationale for the attack. The TTP in Swat and Malakand have been routed
by the Army-Air Force COIN Ops and the TTP survivors may be seeking
revenge for their humiliation and loss of lives and territory. Baitullah
Mehsud, erstwhile head of the TTP was successfully targeted and eliminated
in Waziristan. His successor, Hakimullah Mehsud, an equally brutal fighter
has sworn vengeance for the execution of his mentor. The assailants on GHQ
were demanding from the army the release of TTP prisoners in custody of
the security forces. It is also being construed that the Pakistan armed forces
are contemplating an attack on Waziristan. The timing of the attack has not
been declared yet. There are two opinions on this: one that the TTP is trying
to deter the army from undertaking this operation and the other a conspiracy
theory that since the Pakistan Army is demurring from undertaking the
operation, the US may have perpetrated the attack to propel the army into
action.
If the Indian hand is to be considered, a number of probable
motives appear. India is trying to destabilize Pakistan through Afghanistan
in Balochistan, Swat and FATA, for which the Government of Pakistan has
presented compelling evidence. Besides the revenge for Mumbai attacks, it
is plausible that an attack on GHQ may be extended in reasoning that
Pakistans nuclear assets are unsafe and terrorists could get hold of them. If
the miscreants could enter GHQ and keep the forces at bay for nearly 19
hours, they could perhaps breach the heavily guarded nukes and create
havoc internationally so they must be commandeered. Indian prime minister
prematurely dissociated India from the terror attack on GHQ perhaps under a
pang of guilt, since the Pakistani media or state agencies had not named
Indian hand in the attack yet.
The militants assault also comes as US President Barack Obama
continues to ponder shifting his war strategy in Afghanistan to focus on
al-Qaeda rather than the Afghan Taliban as the largest threat to American
security. The administration seeks to distinguish between the global terrorist
network al-Qaeda and fundamentalist Taliban groups based in Afghanistan
and Pakistan driven by a local agenda. Al-Qaeda, the Taliban in Afghanistan,
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their cousins in Pakistan, both in the tribal belt and Swat, appear to have
joined hands with splinter groups of the defunct Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Jaish-iMuhammad and Lashkar-i-Taiba.
There may be foreign vested interests exploiting local renegades to
destabilize Pakistan through sedition, subversion and insurrection. Pakistan
has long been targeted by its own conspirators, who have been made use of
by enemies of the state. The attack on GHQ was rather well planned and
executed with precision. A familiar pattern is emerging; this fidayeen tactic
killing until killed was also deployed with chilling effect on March 30 this
year, when Taliban attackers wearing police uniforms stormed a police
uniforms stormed a police academy just outside Lahore, leading to an 8-hour
fire fight before paramilitary troops and police commandos eventually
overwhelmed the attackers. That attack came just weeks after gunmen
assailed the visiting Sri Lankan cricket team in the heart of Lahore.
In both instances, while the operation was surely orchestrated from
South Waziristan, the attackers were traced to southern Punjab, where the
presence of Taliban-linked militants is burgeoning. Earlier last week, the
Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing of the World Food
Programmes office in Islamabad, killing five people. Chillingly, the attack
on the WFP offices was also carried out by a militant masquerading as a law
enforcing official dressed in Frontier Constabulary uniform. The militant
group is also believed to be behind a devastating suicide bombing in a
Peshawar market-place The prognosis to the real culprits is quoting Wall
Street Journal: There are no Good Taliban and Bad Taliban. Theyre
all Taliban.
Farooq Adil from Nowshera wrote: 'As expected, the West has
started shouting from the rooftops that Pakistans nuclear arsenal is not
safe. The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton and British Home Secretary
Alan Johnson in a recent press conference seemed at pains dispelling the
impression but they were, actually, only highlighting this issue indirectly.
The first reactions from the Western countries also lead the people of
Pakistan to believe that Saturdays attack on our GHQ was not the
handiwork of any terrorists but that of our so-called friends currently
making the hullabaloo about the safety of our nukes. That is why one tends
to believe findings of the Punjab Police about the mastermind of the attack,
Aqeel alias Dr Usman.
This terrorist has been the sole survivor of Saturdays carnage and
presently in critical condition in police custody. Punjab Police thinks the

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man is an Indian agent trained by RAW who was working under the
umbrella of Mehsud group. That automatically extends links of the attack on
GHQ to centers of mischief based abroad. The coming days could unfold
the remaining whole of this drama that has been conceived abroad and
staged on the international scene to implicate Pakistan in the nuclear
proliferation network. The purpose, quite plainly, is to call its security forces
too weak to guard its nuclear and strategic assets. Our media has to play its
due role now and our people need to be united against these conspiracies.
Amjad Habib Mirza from Lahore observed: 'WFP Islamabad and now
GHQ are the targets. It is not just deplorable but also quite shameful that we
have been unable to secure these highly sensitive places in our capital even
as we make tall claims of eradicating terrorism. We have mostly dismissed
it as a mere security lapse and promptly moved on with Rehman Malik
going on with his usual harangues on TV channels. Meanwhile, the
terrorists have been able to infiltrate deep and far into our country.
M A Niazi opined: 'In this scenario, India would like to target
Pakistans GHQ, and have probably done so. However, there is one factor
that has been neglected about the India-Taliban nexus, and that is the very
existence of nexus. The Taliban got their first worldview from the army men
they were to contact with, during the Afghan jihad, and this contained an
unswerving opposition to India. Either they have overcome that to accept
Indian help, or they have been convinced that India is right, not Pakistan. In
either case, whatever happened does not speak much for the skill of their
initial contacts. However, if India is removed as an instigator, as all
enlightened moderates would probably like, very little motive remains,
certainly not enough to launch such an attack.
The government and the military must shed their pro-American tilt,
which is only acting to favour India, because the USA is pro-Indian. At the
same time, more serious measures need to be taken to prevent future terrorist
incidents. The attacks in Lahore make it clear that symbols of the state are
being attacked. The leadership of the state is bound to rally the nation
around itself to combat this threat.
Simon Tisdall was of the view that America was pushing Pakistan
towards full-scale war. Pakistans Taliban leader, Hakimullah Mehsud,
who replaced Baitullah Mehsud after the latter was killed in a US drone
missile strike in August, said in a recent video that attacks such as in
Lahore would quickly cease if the government stopped behaving like a
US lackey and broke its American alliance. If that happened, Mehsud said

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he would turn his guns on India, presumably in Kashmir. To many

Pakistanis, that may not sound such a bad idea.
The realization that Washington is stoking a conflict approaching allout civil war is gradually dawning in the US. New York Post columnist
Ralph Peters drew a comparison with post-invasion Iraq. Civil war never
quite happened (there). Yet no one seems to notice that were now caught up
in two authentic civil wars one in Afghanistan, the other in Pakistan, he
said. By lumping the two together in one Af-Pak policy, the Obama
Administration had effectively made both problems worse.
Neither extra US troops, nor extra aid, nor more hugs-not-slugs
counter-insurgency nonsense was the answer, Peters argued: The only hope
for either beleaguered territory (these really are territories, not authentic
states) is a decision by its own population to fight and defeat the
Taliban.
The impulse, fanned by this sort of imperial hubris, to get out of
Afghanistan, or at least to narrow the fight to a counter-terrorism campaign
against al-Qaeda, has gathered US adherents in recent months. But a
Washington Post editorial argued this week that with al-Qaeda much
reduced, the Taliban in both countries now constituted the main enemy.
Pakistan was moving towards full-scale war, it said. Pulling back in
Afghanistan could have disastrous, possibly fatal consequences there, too.
By this measure and others, only one conclusion is possible: Pakistan is
already so destabilized by US actions since 9/11 that it cannot be left to fend
for itself. In such tortuous logic is found the death of empires.
Ikramullh talked of Waziristan operation. The green signal by the
Government of Pakistan has finally been given to the armed forces. The
internal and external challenges, involving, besides many other factors, had
created such a critical situation; culminating in a national security crisis, that
hardly any other option was left before the government. The federal
government, led by the Pakistan Peoples Party, could not possibly take such
a decision without taking all the major political forces in confidence, both
inside and outside the Parliament.
Ikramullah went on to narrate the recent events that influenced the
decision-making and then concluded: The operation is likely to end
successfully and hopefully before the start of the New Year. It is estimated
that over a lac and a quarter population is likely to be evacuated to safer
areas in NWFP, Punjab and Balochistan. The Army is likely to place the
entire area of South Waziristan under surveillance in order to prevent any
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outside intervention in the operational area. This has put the government
as well as the armed forces under the most critical test since the birth of
Pakistan. To come out victorious the armed forces will need undivided and
total support of the entire nation.
The devil called Kerry-Lugar Bill received its due on daily basis.
On 13th October, The Nation wrote: Foreign Minister Qureshi has dashed
back to the US, apparently to formally inform the Obama Administration
about Pakistans reservations over the main conditionalities on the Bill.
He will also persuade President Obama not to sign the Bill in its
present form but to get the controversial clauses removed. Of course, it is
not possible for the Obama Administration to be uninformed by the
Pakistani reaction to the terms and language of the KLB. It now
transpires that the military had conveyed its misgivings on the bill much
earlier but the Zardari government chose to ignore them some would say,
elements within the government actually connived to have the military
related clauses put in.
Even now, while the Presidency has accepted that it must seek a
revision of the bill, Zardari loyalists both inside and outside of
Parliament continue to eulogize the KLB. Surely it is time they stopped
defending the indefensible, now that even President Zardari has recognized
the KLB problem. What is important is that Qureshi assert himself in
Washington as an elected representative of the Pakistani nation and serve
Pakistans cause, by conveying to the Americans, Pakistans absolute
rejection of the bill in its present form.
One positive development has been the growing consensus within
decision-making circles that Ambassador Haqqani has to go from
Washington. Unfortunately the damage he has already done to the
country cannot be undone but at least he can be prevented from doing
more harm. His removal would also confirm what many have been alleging
all along: that he was directly responsible for the controversial clauses
relating to the Pakistan Army, the countrys nuclear programme and India.
Javid Husain opined: Having said that one should step back a little
bit and try to see which of these security-related conditionalities would
be objectionable if they were not part of the Bill passed by the legislature of
a foreign power. Should Pakistan allow the illegal activities of nuclear
supplier networks? The obvious answer to this question is an emphatic no
keeping in view the likely repercussions of such a misguided policy.
Considering the damage from which we have suffered from terrorism both
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internally and externally, shouldnt the Government of Pakistan make

sustained efforts to defeat this menace which is eating into the vitals of our
society?
Considering our past record of repeated military takeovers, which
have stunted the political evolution of the country on democratic lines and
inflicted incalculable damage on the country both internally and externally,
and Musharrafs attempt to subvert the countrys judicial process through the
proclamation of the unconstitutional emergency on November 03, 2007 in
his capacity as the chief of the army staff, why shouldnt the nation
demand that henceforth the Pakistan armed forces should refrain from
the violation of the constitution in accordance with their oath of honour? In
a nutshell, the US is telling us how to manage our affairs primarily because
we have historically failed to manage them in our own best interest in the
past. So instead of criticizing the US, we need to look at our past record
critically to become wiser for the future.
The malaise of dependence syndrome from which we have suffered
for the past five decades is the other major factor responsible for the
objectionable parts of the Kerry-Lugar Bill. The dependence syndrome
manifests itself in various forms: In the chronic habit of a nation to live
beyond its means resulting in the begging bowl diplomacy, in its
unwillingness or incapability to use its own efforts to manage its affairs and
resolve its problems which leads to the atrophying of its institutions, and a
loss of dignity in its international conduct allowing foreign governments to
take advantage of its vulnerabilities.
Pakistan currently suffers from all the consequences of the
dependence syndrome. One just has to look at the conduct of our
governments, past and present as well as the civilian and the military, to
reach this conclusion. Hopefully, the Kerry-Lugar Bill, which is like a
mirror showing us our unattractive image, will shame us enough to
correct our individual and collective conduct.
Tarik Jan wrote: Under the circumstances the minimum Zardari
administration can do is to ask his envoy Hussain Haqqani to quit. He is
too close to the US for our nations comfort. His stay as the nations
ambassador to Washington despite clash of interests will continue to
traumatize us.
Malik Tariq from Lahore commented: Much of the rumpus over this
bill is because of the lack of credibility and poor governance of those who
rule us, and this includes all, be they civil, khaki or part of the political
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ruling establishment. The conditionalities portray the mediocrity that

dominates our choice of embassy to the world and their lack of
commitment to Pakistans national sovereignty. The very process that makes
a democratic system more effective has been scuttled by crony-dominated
kitchen cabinets that have replaced the Parliament and its various democratic
platforms. The recent controversies surrounding the horrendous large scale
pilferage in Steel Mill, PIAC
Why all our political leaders should live abroad and maintain their
vast assets in those foreign countries, everyone is asking now. Those who
want to play a role in deciding the destiny and fate of Pakistan must be
willing to put at stake the future of their family and fortune with the destiny
of this nation. It is the denial of sense of participation of the masses in the
so-called fruit of development, which has led to their alienation from the
public. The widening divide between the vast majority and a few who have
benefited from years of denial, corruption and plunder, has made the masses
easy prey for the vultures who have exploited miseries of the poor. It was
this pent-up frustration of years that recruited our poor youth to lures of
place in heaven in the life after death. Pakistans sovereignty can only be
defended by the people of Pakistan, through their participation in
government and the development process, not by these rulers, nor by this
military.
B A Malik from Islamabad observed: Kerry Lugar Bill is the hottest
topic of the season. Freedom of media being as it is, many commentators are
airing their opinion even without reading text of the Bill. The supporters
claim, and rightly so, that there is nothing in the legislation that is contrary
to the national interest of Pakistan. The clauses relating to terrorism,
democracy, proliferation and economic development do not impinge
upon the sovereignty of the country.
The Army has also publicly confessed that Parliament is the best
forum to take a final decision on the matter. The militarys acceptance of
the principle of civilian supremacy symbolizes the finest moment in the
62-year history of this country. I salute the armed forces for this monumental
paradigm shift. The opponents of the Bill are using the rubrics of
independence, national security and self-respect allegedly compromised in
this American offer but that is a smoke screen to hide the signal they are
giving to the security forces to dislodge the civilian dispensation.
Even the erstwhile Kings Party who, we know, has no idea of what
national independence means is shouting full-volume a gibberish that

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loosely transcribed means that KLB demeans the philosophy behind the
creation of Pakistan. The mysterious demeanor of some of the opposition
parties that claim to be anti-KLB is the best joke of the year. The ISPR
spokesman by issuing a press statement about some unspecified reservations
of the top brass over the bill in question has provided grist to the anti-KLB
lobby; they were probably only waiting for a signal to cry wolf so that the
democratic process could be subverted. The press has not lagged behind in
this raging controversy of power politics shorn of principles. The print and
electronic media are projecting the army as a parallel government and trying
to create a wedge between the civilian and military leadership.
Next day, Shireen M Mazari wrote: The Kerry-Lugar Bill has woken
Pakistanis up to the realities of debilitating conditionalities that accompany
US aid. The Americans love to claim, there is no free lunch, but no one in
Pakistan thought that the cost of supporting the US in its War on Terror
would be so high for the nation. Apart from the human lives lost of
Pakistanis, there have been the economic costs of becoming a front line state
with all that that implies in terms of foreign investment and export orders
lost, higher costs of insurance and related matters. However, the most lethal
cost has been in terms of the destruction of our societys social fabric with
the polarization, the violence and the extremism. It is not that the seeds of
these conflicts were not there before 9/11, but certainly their fruition has
been a direct result of the Pakistan leaderships hasty embrace of the US War
on Terror.
The irony is that with all these costs, has the US shown an iota of
understanding for the Pakistani nations predicament? The simple answer is
No. But be it in terms of understanding our militarys limitations, our
nations psyche, or our neighbour Indias historic designs on Pakistan, the
US has simply not comprehended what Pakistan is all about. Instead, it
has tried one leadership after another, tried to broker political deals in order
to push its own agendas and its vision of what Pakistan should be, and
increased its aggressive approach towards this nation directly in proportion
to its worsening position in Afghanistan. Somehow there is a feeling within
the US decision makers that if they drag us down the road of their failures
we will become as entrenched in a quagmire and more vulnerable to their
imperial diktat.
The KLB is in a way a culmination of their neo-imperialist
approach to Pakistan which ironically increased in pace after the Obama
takeover. Nor in Pakistan being isolated for such treatment. What is being
done to us through the KLB has been done to many other US close allies
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before us and continues to be done to many others. Therefore, it is good to

understand the inherent imperialist trait that forms part of the American
psyche. And the best way of understanding this is to see how the US
continues to behave towards some of the states in Latin America which it
has regarded as its own backyard since the days of the Monroe Doctrine
when even the League of Nations was not allowed to intervene in dispute
settlement in this region.
Mazari went on to quote examples of Colombia and Mexico to
explain his line of argument and then concluded: Unless our leaders
understand and imperialist mindset of the American state, which has
overwhelmed even the outsider Obama and brought him into line not only
with continuing the Bush policies on Afghanistan and Pakistan but of
accelerating them especially in their punitive context. That is why it is
critical for Pakistan to declare enough is enough and rid ourselves of the
miniscule 3 percent of the budget that KLB would contribute to if the whole
$1.5 billion actually went into national development rather into the pockets
of consultants, advisers, firms, individuals and others of their ilk! Surely, the
costs for this amount of addition are too much. Can we not finally focus on
self-help, ending corruption and actually developing our rich resources and
most importantly, ridding ourselves of our tried, tested and retried failed
leaders?
On 15th October, Mowahid Hussain Shah wrote: The American
politicians and pundits who are adamant in inserting inflammatory
conditions on the disbursement of the US aid to Pakistan should be gently
asked whether they would be similarly inclined to attach strings on the
aid to Israel. Reputable sources estimate that Israel receives $15 billion
worth of US aid all of it without discussion, debate, or argument. It goes to
a country whose actions in Gaza have been defined in a UN report as a war
crime and one whose policymakers associated with the atrocity are hesitant
to travel to Europe because of the fear of being apprehended as war
criminals, according to the front page story of the Washington Times of
October 13.
The Nation commented: Pakistans Foreign Minister has received an
immediate and negative response from the US in terms of seeking removal
of the intrusive and unacceptable clauses of the KLB. He had barely landed
and put forward, one assumes, the Pakistani reservations on the Bill; when it
was made clear by none other than one of the architects of the Bill, Senator
John Kerry, that only a document would be attached to the Bill stating
Pakistans perspective and objections. That is neither here nor there, because
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it will alter nothing in terms of the offensive conditionalities that will

remain very much intact.
In fact, the US reaction to Qureshis visit has been to attack the
Pakistan Army for opposing the bill, going so far as to state that the army
in that country (is) misinterpreting the legislation to serve its own interests.
Clearly, this should be a signal for the Pakistan Army to reassess its
extensive cooperation with the US, which has led to so much loss of life of
its soldiers. Qureshi has also been informed that President Obama believes
the bill is appropriate in its present form with all the conditionalities
The Parliament needs to defend Pakistans interests and send a firm
message to the US. There is a national consensus on rejecting the KLB in its
present form and the Parliament must play its role as the peoples voice. The
government also needs to shift its priorities from taking US diktat to
reflecting the voice of the nation. If the leaders lead from the front, the
nation will also make the sacrifices as always. Given the realities on the
ground, it seems unlikely the US will stop all aid if Pakistan rejects the
KLB, since it needs Pakistans cooperation desperately in Afghanistan,
including from the military that it continues to despise and distrust.
Interestingly, Pakistans Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin has also
come out strongly against the bill, saying that the intent behind it was to
identify Pakistan as a terrorist state. He also voiced strong objections to the
presence of a US Inspector General to be based in Pakistan overseeing all
the GoPs internal workings. What will prevent them from asking for access
to Pakistans nuclear setup also? The present government has run out of
dialogue options with the US on the KLB since it has been categorically
snubbed by Washington. The time to make a firm choice has come and
Pakistans future as a viable sovereign nuclear state will be decided by the
decision taken by its leaders on KLB.
Farooq Hameed Khan supported Armys stance on KBL. The army
and the ISIs stiff opposition to some of the controversial clauses in KLB is
understandable. In no way can foreign aid be accepted at the cost of
sovereignty, dignity and honour. If national security interests seem to be
compromised for a few billion dollars, should the army silently watch
Pakistan and the institutions future being put at risk?
The ISPRs press release may be interpreted by some as overstepping
its authority, but in a democratic system the voice of every national
stakeholder must be heard with tolerance and respect. The fact that the press
release advocated a parliamentary debate on KLB to generate a national
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response clearly highlighted the militarys commitment to democracy

and submission to the supremacy of the Parliament.
All stakeholders, in particular the armed forces should have been
kept in the loop all along so that any clauses or provisions detrimental to
our interests would have been taken care in a coordinated and transparent
manner. Perhaps this lack of coordination and follow-up resulted in the last
minute changes in KLB by the US authorities becoming too late for us to
react or undertake damage control.
Why the extra emphasis in KLB on effective civilian control of the
military particularly the chain of command and the process of promotions of
sensitive officers of the Pakistan Army? The president and prime minister
are already involved in the decision-making process to nominate the COAS
and the CJCSC. Why do the Americans want greater intrusion into the
armys well-established system of promotions to the ranks of major
generals and lieutenant generals? By politicizing the armys senior
leadership and eroding the army chiefs authority and unity of command,
would perhaps help our enemies partly achieve their cherished goal to
weaken this institution
The US is well aware that Pakistan Army is the custodian of the
countrys nuclear and strategic weapons programme. There is a complete
national consensus and unity on the development and safety of our nuclear
and other strategic assets. Make no mistake the Pakistani nation will defend
its nuclear programme to the last drop of its blood.
To the US it should be abundantly clear by now that playing
mischief with the Pakistan Army and ISI is like playing with fire. While
Pakistan has a declared national policy not to allow its soil to be used for
terrorist activities against any other country, the reference to Quetta and
Muridke Any US drone attack on an imaginary Quetta Shura will be taken
as an act of war and will not serve the cause of joint Pak-US efforts to
counter terrorism in Afghanistan. The US must understand that it cannot
succeed in Afghanistan without the support of the Pakistan Army and the
ISI. Is it prepared to risk the humiliation that befell the Soviets?
Why the exponential upsurge in the army and ISI bashing since the
change of guard in our embassy in Washington DC last year? Why the
deliberate US effort to cut to size or target the army and ISI, Pakistans
premier national security institutions? Why the sudden, intense and negative
focus on our strategic weapons programme by the US and their think tanks?

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It is a fact that thousands of dollars are doled out by our embassy

every month to lobbying firms in Washington DC to pursue and safeguard
Pakistans interests and counter Indias anti-Pakistan lobbying offensive and
propaganda on Capitol Hill Will the Foreign Office investigate the
details of all expenditures incurred on lobbying including payments made
to whom with what results?
The KLB came as a bombshell to our national pride. One wonders if
this Bill was drafted in Washington or New Delhi. An insult to the
Pakistani nation, the KLB in its present form needs revision. The
Parliament would do a national service by examining and debating the KLB
and redeem our national pride. Those responsible for the KLB fiasco must
be held accountable to the state.
Next day, The Nation wrote: 'Perhaps it was too much to expect the
Foreign Minister to assert Pakistans interests before the US decisionmakers. But one did not expect him to succumb to the pressure so totally
that he moved on to declaring what is now the Kerry-Lugar-Berman Law
(KLBL) as a historic law. Certainly it is historical in that never before has
Pakistan had to suffer such intrusive conditionalities in its security
sphere at a time when it is supposedly an ally and frontline state in the USled war on terror. Additionally, the US is now trying to dupe the Pakistani
nation by declaring its intent of publishing a so-called Joint Explanatory
Statement which will be appended to the Law but have no impact on the
KLBL in legal terms.
This Statement is neither a law nor issued under a statute,
therefore, it has no legal value when measured against the US Federal Law
that is about to be signed. The joint statement cannot override the express
provisions of the US Federal Law and in view of the same whatever it states
will in any case yield to the categorical sections of the Federal Law.
Moreover, the damage done to the strategic interests of Pakistan under the
language of the law cannot be undone through a political statement. The
provisions of the law have effectively indicted Pakistan. There is a
legislative charge sheet that will now remain permanently preserved in a
statutory language and will give a whip in the hands of enemies of Pakistan
for bashing in various forums. So, effectively, the explanatory statement will
be worthless for all but the political researchers who may find it in the
Library of Congress along with the Law! For the Pakistani nation this
merely reflects one more way in which the US is seeking to make a fool out
of them, abetted by a compliant leadership.

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The net result is undoubtedly bad for the future of Pakistan, but
it bodes ill for the US also in that it undermines further the trust factor or
what is left of it in its relationship with Pakistan, a vital ally for the US in
Afghanistan. Given the time spent in formulating this legislation and the
money spent on lobbyists, the big question mark that remains is whether the
debilitating text of the whole KLBL has a design and intent behind it, and
involves fifth columnist Pakistanis also? Because valid Pakistani concerns
about KLB have been summarily dismissed thanks to American political
arrogance, a subservient ruling elite in Islamabad and a controversial
Pakistani ambassador in Washington, the KLBL, will always remain as a
major factor in the rising trust deficit between the US and Pakistan.
Dr Haider Mehdi opined: 'Last but not least is the fact that the
Presidency in Islamabad and the Pakistani ambassador in Washington have
willfully orchestrated a defacto oligarchic centre of the decision-making
management of foreign policy all unto themselves. However, national
policy in a democratic setup is made by a consensus of all institutions in the
country; on top of that, it must be fundamentally responsive to general
public sentiment. Obviously, in present day Pakistan, this has not been
happening. But the good news is, thanks to the armys expression of serious
concern, the nation will not take it any more.
The Pakistani public has reached the end of its patience. The game is
about to end! There is a storm gathering in the wind! People are crying,
Foul everywhere, in every inch of Pakistan! Listen carefully, if you will!
They are saying no more of this clandestine, veiled, illicit and
manipulative US-Pak alliance politically organized by the vested interests
on both sides!
Isnt it curious that every time the Pakistani nation unites to
debate an important national issue, terrorist activities become
increasingly bold and vicious? Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that
terrorism in this country is funded by external actors interested in the
continued destabilization of this country prolonging the so-called War on
Terror and the prevailing military-economic status quo. Listenthe people
of Pakistan are saying: War is not Peace, freedom is not slavery I support
the armys expression of serious concern to the KLB because it is a
window to the sentiments of the Pakistani people and what they are thinking,
feeling, saying, and suffering!
On 17th October, The Nation commented: All that Pakistani Foreign
Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi achieved by resumption of his US trip,

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was an Explanatory Note attached to the bill by its three architects not the
US Congress, now an Act. Pakistans objections to it are not answered
even an iota of this piece of paper; not that the Obama Administration
showed the slightest desire to do so. While Mr Qureshi will be stopped by
the Pakistani people from rejoicing too loudly over the passage and now
signing of the law, there is nothing to stop the USA from claiming that it has
done enough for Pakistan, and now expects it to fully support it in its War on
Terror.
Meanwhile, the PML-N, which appeared ready to play the role of a
genuine opposition and place itself at the head of the popular opposition to
the Bill, has placed the matter in committee, which is tantamount to
making it a non-sense. PML-N President Mian Nawaz Sharif presided over
a consultative meeting of senior party leaders on the issue, but by placing the
matter before a party parliamentary committee, opened a route through
which the party could flee. That it did flee was reflected by the fact that the
committee, which did meet on Friday, broke up without any result and
certainly without the national action plan it was supposed to form.
Fakir S Ayazuddin observed: The remnants of the Bush doctrine have
continued to the present, and the flaws are only now surfacing. The clauses
of the Kerry-Lugar Bill that have caused so much angst in Pakistan at all
levels, are considered to be as odious as the NRO Bill which has served to
unite all political parties against these two bills, and of course the US
administration. This fallout could be prevented if the true picture had been
relayed back to the State Department. It seems to be unfortunate, that the US
has invited this anger towards itself, when it seemed to be doing so well.
The US military command was working well with General Kayani, but the
KLB may have stopped the euphoria short of a victory. Unfortunately,
slippery Sams compulsion to being too clever and secretive is costing the
country dear.
The Americans should realize these two bills have the potential to
poise a handful of people against the whole country all the political parties,
the religious parties, the MQM, and now the armed forces stand united. The
Americans also stand isolated not realizing that this real world mirages can
look inviting, but can be disastrous if the wrong choice is made. Islamabad
is famous for its sycophants who have successfully derailed many leaders,
by convincing them that they were invincible. For the US to continue on
this path spells danger for the region and the lives of thousands of people.
The time has come to heed the voice of your partners.

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On 17th October, Inayatullah wrote: The Kerry-Lugar Bill, more than

anything else, brings into bold relief the federal governments
remarkable characteristics and capabilities (in brief):
Their obsession with begging. Give us otherwise we will die of
starvation You are free to attach any condition, just promise us a
free flow of dollars.
We are apprehensive of the militarys influence. So please help us
control their ambition.
We have no objection to your interrogating our nationals involved
with our nuclear programmes With friends like you why should
we worry about the protection of our national assets?
We have no objection to your monitoring activities of Pakistanis in
places like Quetta and Muridke. Please help us to stop them using
our territories against our neighbours A friend in need is a friend
indeed.
Knowing that it is your money, it is only fair that we let you use it
the way you think it is best for us We are sure that your plans and
designs will bring us prosperity and success. Whether you do it or
we do it, after all the beneficiaries will be Pakistanis.
Why should we object to the 50 percent or so of the funds going
back to your country Partnership indeed implies benefits on both
sides.
We are a democratic government elected by the people of Pakistan.
Therefore, there was no need for us to consult the opposition, our
coalition partners and the military as far as the Kerry-Lugar Bill is
concerned.
What is most disconcerting is that the opposition, military,
judiciary, media and even the Americans do not trust us.
Next day, Jalees Hazir commented: The apologists of Kerry-Lugar
Bill have tried to paint its critics as emotional and devoid of reason while
presenting themselves as rational and realistic. Other than a disdain for their
country and countrymen, these politicians, academics and media
commentators have another thing in common: they are all prisoners of a
dark past and refuse to see the new Pakistan that grows stronger and
stronger around us each day.

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One consistent argument they advance in support of the KerryLugar curse is that its nothing new. As if pained by the opposition to it,
they point out again and again how US aid to Pakistan has always been tied
up to conditionalities A wrong committed in the past, no matter how many
time, does not give it an unchallengeable sanctity
Instead of responding to the public pressure that basically asks the
government to put its house in order and be more creative in the
management of our bountiful resources, the present leadership has shown
itself to be completely clueless when it comes to alternatives. Bred on doleouts, they cry themselves hoarse trying to convince us that this meager
money from the US is of utmost importance for our national development.
They have shown themselves to be pathetic cripples, incapable of
running the country without foreign financial assistance, unwilling to
even start thinking about such a possibility
Camouflaged as pragmatic discourse, other boot-licking arguments of
the apologists are equally misleading. They are eager to point out that the
conditionalities only apply to military aid as if it is of no significance. Is the
civilian government not supposed to watch out for the interests of the
countrys defence forces? Demonizing and ridiculing the military and its
intelligence agencies is hardly the way to go. In fact, for a civilian
government eager to exercise control over a powerful military establishment
and dependent on its successful operations against militants for remaining in
the good books of its foreign masters, it is necessary to make sure that the
military requirements are met.
In their defence of the bill, its proponents distract our attention
from the ominous black cloud to illusory silver linings. They say that we
are a corrupt and inefficient society and monitoring would make our
government accountable. It doesnt seem to matter to these pseudodemocrats that monitoring under the bill would make the government
accountable to the US government and not the electorate in whose name it
exercises power. They are happy about the conditionalities regarding civilian
control of the military, ignoring the fact that it has created more tensions in
the civil-military relationship that was otherwise headed in a democratic
direction in any case. At a time when the institutions of the state should be
working together, even this patently divisive tactic of the divide-and-rule
masters is viewed by them as a victory of democracy.
There are many problems with the case advanced by the apologists of
the bill that try to convince us that we are beggars and therefore cannot

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choose. They do not seem to make any distinction between the massive
public opinion that has rejected begging as a means of national survival and
the leadership that insists on defying the national mood and continue in its
begging mode. And then, with mouth watering at the very thought of it,
they gloatingly remind us that we do not have to give this money back. It
is free. This is their most misleading argument. When the Europeans arrived
on the shores of the American continent, they presented blankets to the
guileless and gullible native-Americans. The blankets were free but the
invaders had ensured that their free gifts carried enough germs to kill those
who received them.
On 19th October, Eric Margolis observed: Alarmingly, violent attacks
on Pakistans government are coming not only from once-autonomous
Pashtun tribes (wrongly called Taliban) in Northwest Frontier Province, but,
increasingly in the biggest province, Punjab. Recently, the US Ambassador
in Islamabad, in a fit of imperial hubris, actually called for air attacks
on Pashtun leaders in Quetta, capital of Pakistans restive Balochistan
province.
Washington does not even bother to ask the impotent Islamabad
governments permission to launch air attacks inside Pakistan. Along comes
the Kerry-Lugar-Berman Big Bribe as most irate Pakistanis accuse the
government of being American hirelings. Washington seems unaware of
the fury its crude, counter-productive policies have whipped up in Pakistan.
the Obama Administration keeps listening to Washington-based
neoconservatives, military hawks, and experts who tell it just what it wants
to hear, not the facts. Ottawa does the same.
As a result, Pakistans military, the nations premier institution, is
being pushed to the point of revolt. Against the backdrop of bombings and
shootings come rumours the heads of Pakistans armed forces and
intelligence may be replaced.
Pakistanis are calling for the removal of the Zardari regimes
strongman Interior Minister Rhkman Malik. Many clamour for the head of
Pakistans ambassador in Washington, my old friend Hussain Haqqani, who
is seen as too close to the Americans. One suspects Haqqani is also angling
to get the US to help him become Pakistans next leader.
The possibility of military coup against the Zardari regime grows.
But Pakistan is dependent on US money, and fears India. Can its generals
afford to break with patron Washington?

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Khalid Iqbal opined: Pakistan squeezing would not bring any

dividends; it will only curtail American leverage. Allies must work in an
atmosphere of trust and harmony for a win-win finale. All the options for
Afghanistan need Pakistans endorsement, as indeed its active participation.
The eyewash of attaching a Congressional explanatory appendage
to KLB is not enough. There is a need to put in place a credible damage
reduction mechanism to curtail the mounting trust deficit. Let it not be said
that the pincer attack by arrogance and curiosity took its toll on America as
well!
The

Crusaders remained indecisive about their strategy in

Afghanistan. Sardar Rahmanoghly suggested that elections should be
rerun. The UN essentially failed to do its job of ensuring the Electoral
Commissions independence, and then compounded the offence by
withholding its own extensive information on fraud while expecting Afghans
to report it, despite threats to their lives. Peter Galbraith had to leave this job
a fortnight ago. That says it all.
There is now only one realistic way forward. The fraud is a reality and
the Independent Election Commission must acknowledge this it must
accept that no candidate has secured the 50 percent of the votes necessary to
win outright on the first ballot. As Article 61 of the Afghan Constitution
requires, there should be second round of voting. Given that the
constitutional mandate of President Karzai has now expired, a caretaker
administration will be required to run the country until such a second round
can be held.
The heads of the remaining pillars of the Afghan state and the United
Nations at the New York level should agree on an appropriate candidate as
caretaker, who should seek a vote of confidence from the Parliament. To
support this, the Supreme Court can be tasked with developing clear
guidance on the duties and responsibilities of the caretaker administration
which should, obviously, not be allowed to interfere in the electoral process.
And then, after proper preparations and reforms in the electoral
machinery, a transparent and fair second round should be held.
It is only in this way that we can ensure the continuity of
constitutional and legitimate government in Afghanistan the only means
we or anyone has to stabilize the country. By being seen to preside over
fraud, the UN is discrediting the international communitys engagement
in Afghanistan, undermining any democratic green shoots and encouraging
extremism. Is that what British soldiers are meant to be dying for?
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The Nation commented: The view that the Afghan presidential

election held on August 20 had been marred by massive fraudulent practices
is being so persistently echoed in informed circles, both within Afghanistan
and outside, that it can no longer be characterized as a piece of
disinformation or an outright lie floated by the rival candidates of the
incumbent President Hamid Karzai. That puts into serious doubt the
credibility of the so-called preliminary results according to which Mr Karzai
romps home easily with 55 percent of the votes cast and the next highest
vote getter Abdullah Abdullah secures barely 28 percent
The most recent to come out in public with the charge of significant
and widespread fraud is the UN envoy in the country, Mr Kai Eide. He
would not, however, express any opinion about the extent of the fraud,
saying that it was being determined. Obviously, he was referring to the
investigations being done by the electoral Complaints Commission and an
audit of suspicious ballot boxes by the independent election commission.
The allegations range from so much stuffing of the ballot boxes that the
vote-count turned out to be bigger that the total number of registered
voters in a given area, to the existence of ghost centers returning hundreds
of thousands of voters, almost all for President Karzai while instability
made it unlikely that these centers could open.
For certain obvious reasons Mr Karzai has little popular appeal,
and his being a Pushtun does not help. Installed initially with the support
of the US, he had to give more than due share in government to its allies i.e.
former leaders of Northern Alliance, setting the stage for Pushtun hostility
towards him. Widespread corruption, whose chances increased with the
availability of reconstruction funds and cronyism that inflicted bad
governance on the people, added disrepute to unpopularity. It is, however,
necessary to keep in mind that in the Afghan society where ethnic preference
overrides most important factors, peace and stability in the ultimate analysis
(when the foreign occupation of the country ends), would depend on the
majority Pushtuns getting their rightful place in running the affairs of the
government. Any democratic dispensation must ensure that.
Selig S Harrison suggested that regional players should be involved
and India be given main role. The key to getting out of Afghanistan without
turning Kabul over to the Taliban lies in replacing the failed US Af-Pak
strategy with a new regional approach in which India, Iran, Russia and
China all opposed to a Taliban takeover join with the United States and
NATO in stabilizing the country.

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The Af-Pak strategy is based on the false premise that Pakistan and
the United States are both opposed to Islamist influence in Afghanistan. In
reality, Pakistan has long supported the Taliban insurgents there for what it
considers a compelling strategic reason: to counter the influence of India in
Kabul. Despite this, the United States continues to give military aid and
$800 million in annual cash subsidies to the Pakistan Army, supposedly for
the express purpose of fighting the Taliban.
Until this pretence is ended, the United States will remain mired
in a stalemate with Taliban fighters. Equally important, Islamabad will be
increasingly emboldened to demand the exclusion of Indian influence from
Afghanistan as the price for cooperation there. Given Indias strong
opposition to Islamist forces, this would directly conflict with US interests
and goals.
Defenders of aid to Pakistan argue that she has given the CIA valuable
information about al-Qaeda. Another compelling reason for US reluctance to
threaten a cutoff of subsidies and aid is that Islamabad could counter by
denying transit through Pakistan to supply US forces in Afghanistan.
To escape from this trap, the United States should make three policy
changes. First, the administration should make clear that it recognizes
the right of India, as the preeminent South Asian power, to be a major
player in Kabul. The spokesman of the Pakistan armed forces, Major
General Athar Abbas, criticizing the over-involvement of Indians in
Afghanistan in a July CNN interview, specifically warned against any
Indian role in training the Afghan Army. But such a role could be a valuable
supplement to the current faltering US/NATO training efforts. Indian aid to
Kabul has so far been limited to $1.2 billion in economic aid.
Second, the Obama Administration should seek Pakistans help in
negotiating peace agreements with local Taliban factions, following up
earlier Saudi Arabian initiatives. To get Taliban participation, such
agreements would have to include a timetable for phased withdrawal of most
US forces from all but the major cities and highways of Afghanistan.
Third, local peace agreements should be linked to a larger peace
process negotiated at regional conferences attended by India, Iran, Russia
and China in addition to the United States, NATO, Pakistan and Saudi
Arabia.
India feels encircled by Islamist forces operating out of Bangladesh
and Nepal as well as Afghanistan and Pakistan. Shiite-majority Iran opposes
the Sunni Taliban, and China, facing an Islamist uprising in Sinkiang, is
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increasingly wary of Taliban rule in Kabul. Bringing these nations into

Afghan affairs would offset Pakistani for the Taliban so that its influence
remains confined to its strongholds in the ethnically Pushtun south and east
and it does not become dominant in Kabul.
A peace process that leads to a phased withdrawal of most US
forces would end the dependence of the United States on Pakistani
supply lines. It would then be possible, at least, for the United States to use
its enormous aid leverage in Islamabad effectively. If the al-Qaeda
leadership is still in Pakistan and if she provides actionable intelligence that
facilitates its destruction, then the existing US payoffs to her should
continue.
But if al-Qaeda is no longer centered in Pakistan, as some suspect, or
if Pakistan is unable to provide actionable intelligence, then the United
States should restrict its aid to Islamabad to large-scale economic
assistance focused on development and education. Maintaining friendly ties
with Pakistan as a major Third World country and a nuclear weapons state
should continue to be a US priority.
America must end the wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, said statement
from the Campaign for Peace and Democracy. some excerpts are
reproduced: This may be a turning point for the expanding US wars in
Afghanistan and Pakistan, a time when speaking out clearly and
unambiguously against war can make a crucial difference. Today we see
signs all too reminiscent of the step-by-step deepening of the US
commitment to the war in Vietnam in the 1960s. In response, we declare
ourselves firmly against military escalation in the region and for the
withdrawal of all US and NATO forces from Afghanistan and Pakistan now.
We also call for an end to drone attacks in both countries.
There are currently 108,000 US/NATO troops in Afghanistan In
view of the wars growing unpopularity, Obama may very well abandon
troop escalation. Reportedly, some in the Administration even recommended
reducing US forces and focusing more on strikes against al-Qaeda in
Afghanistan and Pakistan. But even a scaled-back military presence
constitutes an illegitimate occupation, one that wreaks havoc on the lives
of innocent civilians and can only strengthen the Taliban and terrorist
networks such as al-Qaeda.
Americans are increasingly disillusioned with the war. According
to an August CNN poll, 57 percent oppose the Afghan war, a 9 percent
increase since May, and there is growing unease in Congress. The cynical
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spectacle of Afghanistans fraudulent presidential election has further eroded

what little domestic and international credibility the corrupt Karzai regime
retained. In both Afghanistan and Pakistan the action of the United States
and its allies serve to strengthen fundamentalist forces.
Fearing unpopular NATO troop casualties, the US relies heavily on
air power, which inevitably results in the death of innocent civilians. Far
from eliminating terrorist networks, these air strikes only deepen popular
hostility to the US/NATO war effort; pushing growing numbers of Afghans
and Pakistani toward the Taliban.
The statement went on to mention negative effects of drone attacks; the
US strategy to assert itself using military means; devastation of Afghanistan
in last eight years; and blamed Pakistan for playing double on war on terror.
It then added: If the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan have any chance of
defeating fundamentalism, fighting misogyny and winning genuine
democracy, the US can help mainly by calling off the inhumane and unwinnable war on terror, by whatever name, and replacing it with a
radically different policy of massive foreign aid and an end to support for
elites and governments that perpetuate gross inequalities. Democratic forces
may be weak, but they will never grow stronger while the US occupies
Afghanistan, sends missiles into Pakistan and bolsters corrupt governments
in both countries.
Withdrawal should not mean that the US abandons any effort to
help the people of Afghanistan and neighbouring states. Washington
ought to lend political support to regional negotiations and to a broader
settlement of the disputes between India and Pakistan, which continue to
stoke the violence in Afghanistan. Above all, the US should provide largescale humanitarian aid to the desperately poor Afghan population which,
aid agencies note, is hindered by being intermingled with military
operations.
Afghanistan is badly fragmented on ethnic lines. If there is any
progressive solution to these divisions it probably lies in regional
negotiations among Afghanistans neighbours. We cannot foresee what
form this solution might take, but we know it must not include any political
dictation by Washington or the continuation of US troops or military
operations in Afghanistan or Pakistan.
Ending US military intervention in Afghanistan and Pakistan now
is not only, right in itself, it is also indispensable as a way to begin
countering the bitterness and hostility in Muslim countries that breeds
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terrorist threats to our own security, threats that arise from networks that are
not limited to any specific geographic location.
In addition to ending military intervention in Afghanistan and
Pakistan, the United States should withdraw its forces from Iraq, Central
Asia and the Persian Gulf. It must end all support to Arab autocracies and
police states and give real support to Palestinian statehood. A truly
democratic US foreign policy is desperately needed to address the
misery and inequity in Afghanistan, Pakistan and many other countries,
but we can only begin to do so by diverting our countrys vast wealth away
from militarism and the drive for full spectrum dominance of the world.
USA Today opined: McChrystal is expected to ask for as many as
40,000 more troops in addition to 68,000 already in Afghanistan. But mere
improvement is not an end point. The counter-terrorism approach seems
equally open-ended. It would focus more on al-Qaeda, which is based in
Pakistan, and on al-Qaeda leaders who masterminded 9/11. It would rely
more on drone attacks and on pressuring Pakistan. It would concentrate
less on defeating the Taliban, more on preventing them from taking
political power. The argument, appropriately, is that al-Qaeda is more of a
direct threat to US interests and that the Taliban is splintered, might be open
to negotiation and is not a direct adversary. That approach would require
fewer troops, but the definition of success is not yet evident.
Certainly, the latest developments have made the stricter counterterrorism approach look more problematic. The Taliban last week launched
terror strikes across Pakistan, capped by an assault on Pakistans Pentagon.
It signaled that the Taliban, with long-standing ties to Pakistan, could be
very dangerous to US interests and even aim for power in nucleararmed Pakistan. This is not to say that the fight should be abandoned.
Obliterating al-Qaeda must be the final consequence of its 9/11 attacks. But
it is a warning against mistakes of the past of assuming victory can be
achieved with half way measures, the error in both Vietnam and Iraq.
Building up a government in splintered, poor and tribal Afghanistan is
not going to happen soon, particularly because the recent re-election of
President Hamid Karzai was riddled with fraud. Yet the need for clarity of
mission is more pressing than ever. US popular support for the war is
waning, and the cost in US lives and treasure is soaring. The worst
response the politically tempting one would be to pick a mission and not
back it adequately, which is what the US has been doing for the past eight
years.

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I M Mohsin observed: The history of the US war effort, particularly,

till the recent change of the high command, was generally, dominated by
considerable disregard for the locals. By design or by default, it was
projected that the lives of the Afghans did not matter. As the writ of the
warlords held sway, all kinds of excesses took place. The anguish of the
Afghans got expanded exponentially by the indiscreet use of air power
despite protests from their acolyte, Hamid Karzai. Over the years many
innocent civilians have perished including women and children in such
questionable raids. Ostensibly a couldnt care less approach on the part of
the foreign forces, generally, may have produced the same besides a
psychotic concern for their own safety. Giving them the benefit of doubt,
one can conclude that the American forces did not know that a murder has to
be avenged as a matter of duty by an Afghan tradition. If the enemy is
strong, one has to wait for an opportunity to settle the score unless the
offence is pardoned by the aggrieved party as per the mandatory procedure.
At times such revenge killings span a century or more. The United States
does not know what it is sowing if tradition is any guide.
General McChrystal being a brilliant soldier, like General Petraeus,
knows where the shoe pinches. He is, therefore, banking on following a
revolutionary change in the mindset of the foreign troops. Unluckily, he like
General Petraeus is inspired by his experiences in Iraq where they scored
some short-lived kills. Both the learned commanders forget that in Iraq they
were courting the beleaguered minority of the Sunnis. In Afghanistan they
are up against the Pashtun majority, generally where ethnicity remains a
daunting challenge. Since General McChrystals style looks humanistic, one
wishes he had come much earlier to Kabul. At present it is like saving Troy
after the Greeks had entered it through the Trojan Horse. Russian
Ambassador Kabulov also thinks that but Im afraid at this stage it will be
very difficult for him to change the direction.
The Afghan war has become a goldmine, like Iraq, for the foreign
industrialists and contractors. However, United Nations has repeatedly
highlighted that the corruption benefits more foreigners than the locals.
Awful misery, unemployment and insecurity define the usual mess. The
dreams woven by the Bonn Conference of 2002 have gone awry as per New
York Times. The alienation of the locals to the foreign apparatus appears to
be menacing. Charles Ferndale, a psychologist of Oxford University, in a
recent article Westerners tending to the needs of the Afghans in Kabul
earn at least $300 a day (danger money though they are not in danger),
while Afghans starve and die on less than $ a day. However, Fareed
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Zakaria, in his article in the Washington Post, agrees with the status quo
wherein al-Qaeda is dithering. Till US President Barack Obama speaks
out, Pakistan will worry and wonder.
Gwynne Dyer wrote: Last week, General McChrystal again tried to
pre-empt Obamas decision, insisting that more troops are needed in
Afghanistan in a speech at the IISS in London and in an interview on the
TV current affairs show 60 Minutes. But this time Defense Secretary Robert
Gates rebuked him, saying that all of us taking part in these deliberations,
civilians and military alike, should provide our best advice to the president
candidly but privately.
Most of the European NATO countries, who still provide almost half
the troops in Afghanistan, have grown disenchanted with the mission.
Canada, which has lost a higher proportion of troops committed there than
anybody else, is bringing its army home in less than two years. Only 26
percent of Americans believe that more troops should be sent to
Afghanistan, and support for the war in Congress is fading.
This is Obamas last and best opportunity to escape from the
futile war he inherited on taking office. In practical terms, how could he
go about it without suffering too great a level of political damage
domestically? And how can he avoid what happened in Vietnam, where twothirds of American casualties were incurred during the five-year search for a
way to leave without losing face after the US had already decided to
leave?
The first steps are to reject McChrystals demand for more troops,
and to make US displeasure at Karzais theft of the Afghan election public.
The long-term strategy must focus on dismantling the misleading narrative
that is used to justify the war in Afghanistan and indeed the whole Global
War on Terror. Washington is full of senior intelligence officials, and senior
military officers whose careers have not become indissolubly linked to the
GWOT, who would be delighted to assist Obama in that task. Turn them
loose.
Meanwhile, start putting together an alliance of non-Pashtun
warlords who can make a deal with the Taliban on the division of power
in Afghanistan. Go down that road, and with a little luck all the US troops
could be out of Afghanistan before Obama has to face the voters again. But
first he has to choose the right road.
Philip Giraldi opined: In Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan,
Obamas view of the conflict is reported to be very much in play even
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though he has backed himself into a corner rhetorically speaking by referring

to the fighting as a war of necessity. As the president has already ruled out
withdrawal or reduction in forces, the options he is looking at range from
the status quo to a huge increase of 60,000 soldiers, virtually doubling the
US commitment at a time when Washingtons European allies are looking
for a way out. What is particularly disturbing about Obamas deliberative
process is that he does not consult with anyone who was opposed to the Iraq
and Afghan conflicts from the beginning, narrowing his options to those
advocated by the liberal interventionist and nation building wing of his own
party, a perspective that differs little from that of the Republicans. Divergent
views are unwelcome. The Israeli lobbys torpedoing of Charles Freeman as
head of the National Intelligence Council in February 2009 eliminated a
possibly independent voice over fear that he might chart a reality-based
course in the Middle East and elsewhere.
As all the choices the White House is likely to consider are bad, those
of us in the anti-war community should perhaps ponder whether the status
quo is a better outcome than a new surge, which would undoubtedly kill
even more Americans, Afghans and Pakistanis. Will the Nobel Prize nudge
Obama towards deciding against more soldiers? If it influences his thinking
in that way it would be a positive step, even though it remains a bad option
that hardly puts an end to the imperial ventures in Central Asia. By the same
process, Peace Nobel Laureate Obama might likewise be less inclined to pull
the trigger on Iran and more willing to let negotiations play out against the
wishes of a bloodthirsty congress and media, not to mention his own State
Department. If the Nobel Prize is even marginally instrumental in
slowing the rush towards a new war, it would have to be regarded in
positive terms.
Addressing India Khalid Iqbal said blame-game and dialogue can
never go together. If India and Pakistan are to achieve a sustainable relation,
they have to evolve a robust bilateral mechanism for crisis management.
There is a need to look into the possibility of a bilateral standing
commission to handle emergent situations under an institutional umbrella.
Unnecessary alarming actions could be avoided through such conflict
management arrangements.
Whenever India is able to evolve a prudent Pakistan policy, it shall
always find Pakistan ready for sustainable constructive management.
However, Pakistan cannot go on insisting on resumption of composite

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dialogue, unilaterally, forever. It will be unfortunate if Pakistan runs out of

patience and assumes a tit for tat posture writ dialogue.
There is a need to go beyond the bounded rationale to surmount
obstructive inhibitions. Nevertheless, it is a matter of reciprocation of good
intentions and actions from both sides. We need to move ahead and avoid
returning to square one position again and again!

REVIEW
Those who have objected to the admonishing language of the KerryLugar Act forgot that one of the important principles of successful beggary
is not to be discouraged or deterred by the admonishes. Zardari knows it
well and the critics ought to acknowledge and admire his skillful use of
begging bowl.
John Kerry came to Islamabad especially to admire Zardari. He also
availed the opportunity to tell Pakistanis that KLBL was a US law, made by
the US law-makers and for the US administration. Pakistanis must refrain
from interpreting it without the assistance of a US tutor, because they utterly
lack experience in law-making and law abiding.
To Pakistanis the aid that will come under KLBL may appear to be
charity, but for Americans it is the wages of the contractors contracted to
wage a war. Hiring the services of 0.15 million trained and well equipped
soldiers for $1.5 billion a year to fight Americas war is not a bad bargain;
with likely deductions it is as cheap as about $50 per soldier per month.
Soon after contracting the services of mercenaries and initiation of the
Waziristan operation, the Crusaders sponsored launching of a terror attack in
Iran using territory of Balochistan. Tehrans strong protest and Rehman
Maliks equally blunt reply fit into the Crusaders plan of isolating Pakistan
before triggering of the internal turmoil.
The recent spate of terror attacks has forced the Zardari regime and
the enlightened segments of the society to curse those who perpetrated these
attacks. Hasan Nisar was one of those, who called the militants beasts and
as per standard reaction of the enlightened he refused to call them Muslims.
They were the beasts because they killed innocent people.
In view of the live coverage the carnage there was nothing grossly
wrong with this kind of reaction. The wrong was somewhere far away from
the artistically and tastefully arranged Choraha. Has he or a team of TV

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cameramen seen or covered live the bombing, rocketing and strafing of

villages in tribal areas by the PAF jetfighters and Armys gunship helicopters
his views might have been sobered.
But no team of TV camera-men has bothered to cover dead bodies of
militants found in Swat in hundreds what to talk of reporting the beasts
which killed them in hours of darkness. As regards the routine ritual of
doubting the militants of not being Muslims, the militants have the same
feelings, and much stronger, about the forces they are fighting against. Only
God knows who is right, but one thing is certain that they are not fighting
alongside the Crusaders.
19th October 2009

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DEFENDERS BEWARE!
All eyes are set on the Operation Rah-e-Nijat, which so far has been
claimed to be progressing well. Zardari regime and others of its ilk, which
felt relieved over Army-related provisions of Kerry-Lugar Act, are waiting to
see the Army sufficiently exhausted so as not to think of interfering in
democratic dispensation in Pakistan.
America and NATO are waiting to see as how much of their war in
Afghanistan is sucked into Pakistan. Abandoning of the border posts by
them is part of the facilitation of the sucking-in process rather than any
tactical move to trap fighters of al-Qaeda and TTP.
India is gleefully watching the security forces of Pakistan sinking
deeper and deeper into the quagmire of war on terror. The instability so
spread in Pakistan provides justification to India to show concern over the
safety of Pakistans nuclear arsenal.
Pakistani masses are waiting to see that the code name of the
operation is literally translated into a reality. They, apart from the Army, are
the only party which sincerely hopes for the return of peace and stability.
However, by virtue of the backlash of Operation Rah-e-Nijat they seemed to
have been disappointed.

NEWS
In Pakistan, at least 18 militants were killed in Rah-e-Nejat mainly
in air strikes on 19th October; two soldiers were also killed in fighting and 12
were wounded. General Kayani sought the help of Mehsud tribes in an open
letter. It was reported that US-led forces closed eight border posts instead
of increasing along Waziristan as soon the operation started, thus, allowing
free movement across Durand Line; and some posts along Bajaur and Chitral
were also abandoned. COAS raised this point with the US. General Petraeus
met General Kayani, Mullen rang up and NATO chief welcomed the
operation.
Seven militants were killed in air strikes in Orakzai and 20 in
Mohmand Agency, four children were also killed when a shell landed at their
house. Fourteen militants were held in Swat. More than hundred suspects
were arrested in twin cities and five foreigners were held in Kashmor.
Fazlur Rahman rang up Zardari from Doha and protested raids on
madaris in Islamabad. Ulema said the US was behind raids on seminaries.
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The Nation reported presence of an arms warehouse of Blackwater in

Islamabad. Sikander Shaheen reported that US pressure continued to stop
probe into Inter-Risk issue. TTP commander was among four arrested in
Karachi along with arms and explosives.
Commandant of Sihala Police Training College wrote a letter to IGP
and sought clarification of the status of Americans stationed inside his
institution for the anti-terror training. He informed the government that
the stronghold established inside the institution for the safety of American
and arms and ammunition stored therein is a security hazard where even the
commandant cannot enter.
Kerry met Prime Minister, COAS, Nawaz Sharif and Zardari and
tutored them on how to interpret KLBL. Gilani asked the visitor to have
regard for the feelings of people of Pakistan, Kayani declined to accept any
help in Waziristan operation, Nawaz complained about the difficult
language used in the new law and Zardari thanked US and must have
enquired about early payment. While going back to Kabul without
completing the schedule of his visit he said the government and Army were
satisfied with the explanation of KLB.
On 20th October, 12 militants and four soldiers were killed in
Operation Rah-e-Nijat. Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee asked his
British counterpart to seal Pak-Afghan border. Two militants were killed and
two arrested in Khyber Agency. Eight militants surrendered and three were
arrested in Swat. Eight suspects were held in Faisalabad. CID arrested three
TTP operatives in Karachi. Shah Mahmood said Americans were responsible
for spread of terrorism in the region.
Two suicide bombers attacked International Islamic University in
Islamabad; eight people including two girl students and two foreign students
were killed and 29 including 25 girl students were wounded. Rehman Malik
was stone-pelted by students when he visited the site. All education
institutions across the country were closed.
Fifteen militants and three soldiers, including an officer, were killed
and seven soldiers were wounded in Operation Rah-e-Nijat on 21 st October
as intense fighting was reported in Hakimullahs hometown. Three people
were killed in drone attack in North Waziristan. Fourteen Afghans were held
in Hangu. In Kohat, 27 Afghan refugees and five member of Swat Shura
were held. More than six hundred Afghans were hauled up in Mardan. Three
FC soldiers were wounded in a bomb blast in Bajaur.

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Angry protesters focused on US and government and alleged that

targeting of Sharia Block was a deliberate act. Eyewitnesses claimed the
death toll much higher than reported. IGP claimed arresting several suspects
in IIU blasts. Weapons were recovered from four Americans during checking
in Islamabad. Ten suspects were held in Gujranwala. More than 40
foreigners were arrested in a crackdown in Sukkur. Bus full of foreigners
was held near Ghotki.
Reportedly, Rehman Malik was annoyed with Nasir Khan Durrani,
Commandant Police Training College who sought clarification from the
Interior Ministry and Foreign Office about the terms and conditions of US
security officials presence as well as the duration of their stay in the college
premises. Malik wanted US presence with high explosives hushed up.
US Congress mulled tougher restrictions on military aid to Pakistan.
Pakistans embassy in the US has issued 26 diplomatic visas to American
diplomats, 1200 to US army officials and 2500 to US citizens traveling for
Afghanistan during last 15 months.
On 22nd October, 24 militants and two soldiers were killed in
Operation Rah-e-Nijat and six soldiers were wounded. General Mirza Aslam
Beg while talking on Aaj TV said that the very night decision about
launching of Operation Rah-e-Nijat was taken in Islamabad two US
helicopters landed in South Waziristan and evacuated 16 persons who could
be leaders or foreign advisors of the militants.
Seven militants were arrested from Charsadda area. Three militants
were arrested in Lower Dir and in Swat three dead bodies were recovered
and nine militants were held and two surrendered. Nine militants were killed
and three arrested in Mohmand Agency and one militant was killed in
Bajaur. Rehman Malik promised no more raids of madaris. One Taliban
operative was held in Karachi.
An Army jeep was attacked by motor-cycle riders in Islamabad;
Brigadier and his driver were killed and one soldier was wounded. Security
forces launched a crackdown and arrested around three hundred suspects.
Barricaded US enclave inside Sihala Police Academy is being used for
spying on Kahuta. Hillary said US was keeping an eye on Pakistans nuclear
programme.
Thirteen militants, including six Uzbeks, and two soldiers were killed
in Operation Rah-e-Nijat on 23rd October; seven soldiers were also wounded.
Gilani chaired high-level meeting to review security situation. General

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Kayani told the meeting that Operation Rah-e-Nijat was progressing fine.
Gilani vowed to crush militants.
Six suspects were arrested in D I Khan at check post on road to
Razmak. Three militants were killed, 15 arrested and seven surrendered in
Swat. Five militants were killed in air strike in Bajaur Agency. At least 19
militants were killed, 14 wounded and 41 arrested in ongoing operation in
Khyber and Mohmand agencies. Fifteen people, mostly women and
children, were killed when a coaster carrying a marriage party hit a landmine
in Mohmand Agency. Imam was among three held in Mardan.
Three suspects were held in Peshawar and later 15 people were
wounded in car bomb blast in Hayatabad. Two women were among four
arrested at Attock Bridge along with weapons and one was held in Wah
Cantt. Eight people were killed and 13 wounded in suicide attack at check
post at Kamra. In Rawalpindi, 65 people were held. Two hundred Afghans
were arrested in search operation in Bagh. Two suspects were arrested in
Lahore and four in Sheikhupura. Jamaat held referendum on KLBL and Go
America Go rallies; 99 percent people opposed KLBL.
On 24th October, 21 militants were killed in Operation Rah-e-Nijat as
Army claimed overrunning Talibans bastion; three soldiers were also killed
and eight wounded. In reply to a question during media briefing DG ISPR
said the issue of vacation of border posts has been raised with NATO, but no
reply has been received as yet. Three militants were arrested from Charsadda
area and six in Charbagh. One militant was killed in Swat. Crackdown was
launched against Afghan refugees in Mansehra.
At least 27 people were killed in US missile attack in Damadola; ISPR
said it wasnt a missile attack but a blast due to mishandling of the
explosives. Reportedly, Faqir Muhammad of TTP was targeted who had left
the site a few minutes before the strike. In addition, security forces killed 12
militants in the Agency area. Two officers were among six killed in crash of
MI-17 helicopter; two others were injured.
One person was killed when a shell landed at his house in Mohmand
Agency and four suspects were arrested. A policeman was killed in suicide
car blast on motorway near Kallar Kahar. Punjab Police arrested 170
suspects from Bhakkar, Farooqabad and Sheikhupora. KLBL was challenged
in the Supreme Court.
Fifteen militants and one soldier were killed in Operation Rah-e-Raast
on 25 October; three soldiers were also wounded. COAS visited South
Waziristan and said this operation would decide the fate of the war against
th

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terror. Pakistans able defence minister spoke at last and claimed Taliban
would be flushed out in a month. Ten militants were killed in Bajaur Agency.
JIs Baloch alleged that US private security agencies were involved in
terrorist acts. Salman Taseer and Shahbaz discussed security arrangements
during Hillarys visit. After the success of KLB, Pakistan increased
spending on lobbying in the US.
Report on probe into rigging of presidential polls in Afghanistan
was issued on 19th October declaring votes of 210 polling stations null and
void and bringing vote share of Karzai to 48 percent. Indian Defence
Minister vowed to fight Taliban at any cost. Next day, it was announced that
runoff presidential polls will be held on November 7.
Interior minister was accused of enabling the provision of arms and
ammunition for the north-based militants by the Pashtun police force. He
was also sending reinforcements from Helmand Province. British helicopters
were helping in transporting those with the hope of reducing number of
insurgents in Helmand.
According to Sherwood Ross since taking office, President Obama
has sanctioned at least 41 CIA drone attacks in Pakistan that have killed
between 326 and 538 people, many of them, critics say, innocent
bystanders, including children, according to reliable reports. The drone is a
remotely controlled, unmanned aircraft. Pentagon decided to send three
brigades and a squadron of aircrafts to Afghanistan.
On 23rd October, Boston Globe urged Obama Administration to give
up on Karzai and back Abdullah Abdullah. Cheney criticized Obamas
Afghan policy; White House rejected that. Next day, two US soldiers were
killed in southern Afghanistan. United States sought Chinas support to
resolve Afghan issue. On 25th October, Afghans demonstrated in Kabul over
burning of a copy of Quraan by occupation forces during an operation in
Wardak.
In India, Singh placed security forces on high alert on 20th October
anticipating terrorist attack. Two days later, another dead body of a Pakistani
killed in Indian jail was received at Wahga border. On 23 rd October, Indian
Foreign Secretary expressed concerns over safety of Pakistans nuclear
weapons after suicide attack in Kamra.
In IHK, Police used force to disperse protesters in Srinagar on 19 th
October. Three days later, Farooq Abdullah claimed Kashmiris would never
leave India; like father like son. And in Pakistan, the Supreme Court

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imposed fine worth Rs10 thousands each on Punjab and Federal

governments for delaying reports in Hafiz Saeeds case.
One Kashmiri was martyred by Indian forces in Sopore on 23rd
October. Next day, India accused Pakistan of violating ceasefire along LoC.
During meeting with his Chinese counterpart Singh raised the issue of
undertaking projects in AJK.
After a terrorist attack in Iran that originated from Balochistan,
Zardari rang up Ahmadinejad on 19th October and condoled over the bomb
blast and promised full cooperation in investigation. Iranian intelligence
agencies claimed that terrorist of Jundullah group have been trained in
Balochistan by the US and UK. Investigators will visit Pakistan and provide
the evidence to their counter-parts. The government ordered crackdown on
Jundullah, despite Rehman Maliks statement that Rigi was not in Pakistan.
Jam Yousuf and Nowsherwani filed a petition in the Supreme Court
challenging inclusion of their names in FIR on murder of Akbar Bugti.
On 20th October, Foreign Office also said that whereabouts of Rigi
were not known. Political forces urged the government to address Iranian
concerns. Next Day, two persons were killed and four wounded in two
incidents of violence in Khuzdar and Mastung areas. Rehman Malik said
Rigi was in Afghanistan.
IB Inspector was shot dead in Quetta on 23 rd October. Iranian Interior
Minister met Rehman Malik and handed over the list of wanted Jundullah
operatives. The host said Rigi was in Afghanistan and the list should have
been handed over to Afghanistan.
A militant was killed by FC in Khuzdar on 24 th October. Iranian
Interior Minister Mustafa Najjar met Gilani. Education Minister of
Balochistan was shot dead in Quetta on 25 th October; Baloch Liberation
United Front owned the responsibility. SHO was shot dead in Khuzdar.

VIEWS
In Pakistan, military operation in South Waziristan was launched as
part on the war on terror; the war which was started more than 150 years
ago and is now being waged by Zardari regime on the behest of United
States. The operation code named Rah-e-Nijat and its backlash drew keen
attention of the observers, who kept commenting on daily basis, but other
events related to the war were also covered.

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On 20th October, Anatol Lieven wrote: Three questions hang over

the operation South Waziristan in: Will it succeed? Will it help the
Western effort in Afghanistan? And will it reduce terrorism in Pakistan,
which has surged in recent weeks in response to the militarys actions?
If the Pakistani armed forces put forth their full strength, they can
gain control of Waziristan in the sense of breaking up open Taleban armed
groups. This will not end the insurgency, but it will drive the local Taleban
underground or across the border into Afghanistan.
Will it help the fight gainst the Tablean in Afghanistan? Only to a
limited extent and indirectly. No doubt some Pakistani militants who would
otherwise have gone to fight there will be killed; but the Afghan Taleban,
while linked to the Pakistani Taleban, are also separate from it, with their
own bases of support in both countries. These include Jalaluddin Haqqani
and his clan based in North Waziristan, and the leadership of the Taleban in
the Quetta Shura in northern Balochistan. These groups have not attacked
Pakistan, and their leader, Mullah Omar, has repeatedly called on his allies
to stop attacking Pakistan and concentrate on the Western forces in
Afghanistan.
To have a major impact on the war in Afghanistan, the Pakistani
Army would have to attack the Afghan Taleban on Pakistani soil. This is
what the US will expect Pakistan to do next but Washington is likely to be
disappointed.
Not only are these old Pakistani allies, and the only allies
Pakistan has in the unfolding Afghan civil war; but most Pakistanis draw
a distinction between the increasingly condemned Pakistani Taleban and the
Afghan Taleban, who are seen as gravely flawed but fighting for the
liberation of their country from enemy occupation
Attacking the Afghan Taleban in northern Balochistan would also stir
up the so far peaceful Pashtun population there and undermine Pakistans
struggle will ethnic Baluch rebels to the south. Pakistani officials therefore
hope that instead they will be able to capture some al-Qaeda leaders in South
Waziristan and hand them over to Washington. That would please the US
and might reduce the pressure on Pakistan.
Finally, will the offensive reduce terrorism in Pakistan? In the
medium term, almost certainly not. While some terrorism has been planned
by the Taleban leadership from South Waziristan, there is also evidence of
the growing involvement of Sunni extremist groups from Punjab, and
especially the sectarian group Lashkar-e-Janghvi.
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But terrorism and insurgency are different things. Terrorism can exact
a terrible toll, but it cannot destroy a state and may even strengthen it. What
would have destroyed Pakistan would have been the extension of Taleban
authority from one region to another. The Pakistani military have already
proved in Swat that they can prevent this and they are going to prove it
again in South Waziristan.
The Nation commented: The South Waziristan operation in itself
has already begun to have a fallout on the country, in terms of a raised
threat level with schools being closed and security being heightened all
around. In addition, we are seeing another tide of displaced persons,
numbering 100,000 already, and there seems to be little preparation to
receive them. Then there is the weather factor also. For all these reasons, the
question that continues to haunt us in terms of the domestic environment is
whether this operation may have been premature, given that the fallout of the
Swat operation had yet to be brought under control in terms of the spread of
terrorism across the country especially the targeting of those who are
meant to protect the nation.
But it is the adverse external environment that is being created
deliberately to coincide with the SWA operation, which raises larger
questions of whether we are falling into a trap created by the US to
destabilize the country to such an extent that the nuclear assets can be taken
under US control and Pakistans map redrawn? Is it simply a coincidence
that the moment the SWA operation begins, the US and NATO vacate their
critical check posts on the Afghan border with Pakistan, when everyone
knows that the TTP is being supplied weapons from Afghanistan? Is the real
US intent to allow enough supplies to continue flowing to the TTP so that
the Pakistan Army gets bogged down in SWA and Pakistan gets even more
engulfed in terror attacks across the country?
Perhaps most dangerously, the US has once again activated the
terrorist group it sponsors against Iran, Jundullah, into launching suicide
attacks of terrorism against Irans security forces and using Pakistans
sensitive province of Balochistan for these terrorist activities
Allowing the US territory from which it can plan terrorism in our
friendly Muslim neighbour Iran is unacceptable and mere words of
condemnation will have little impact. It is time for the Pakistani state to
show by deeds that it is not party to the US terrorist policies against
Iran. We have too many historical, cultural and religious ties to destroy just
to appease the US and its murderous regional agenda.

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Perhaps most important, though, our leadership really needs to re-

examine, in the light of what the US has been doing to our external
environment while pushing us to launch the SWA operation, whose interests
it is serving. In other words, is the US really an ally or a covert enemy,
determined to cut nuclear Pakistan to size?
Tariq Osman Hyder observed: The now passed Kerry-Lugar Bill
contains clauses detrimental to Pakistans self-respect which should have
been modified. However, the controversy missed the main point that if
America and its Western allies are serious about defeating terrorism the
assistance must be at least three to five times more in order to help
Pakistan overcome this threat, part of a global terrorist network strengthened
by their occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. Pakistan must also diversely
incoming assistance, lessen dependence on American military assistance,
expand and add value to its exports to generate its own resources. Our
window of vulnerability lies in our deficit balance of payments, between that
what we earn and what we spend, which necessitates external assistance
from the International Financial Institutions and bilateral sources with
inevitable conditionalities, which circumscribes our freedom of manoeuvre
and policy choices.
Without adequate multinational economic and military equipment
support and also action by the Extra Regional Forces to control the border
from the Afghan side, the battle in Pakistan will take far longer. It is also
in Indias interest to live up to its declared objective of wanting good
relations with a stable Pakistan. Certainly, if there is evidence to the contrary
it must be made public by our government.
Zaheer Asghar Khan from Lahore recalled: The Swat operation has
obviously failed completely. Having cause widespread displacement and
destruction, it has not been successful in eliminating, or even thwarting
somewhat, the terrorists. All we are hearing are the usual, and useless,
condemnations by the President, PM, the ever-so-vigilant Interior Minister
and oh-so-indispensable Altaf Hussain. I hope the government understands
that our war to eliminate Taliban is not like two armies fighting face to face,
soldier can be recognized as a friend or a foe.
Next day, Shireen M Mazari wrote: There is a dangerous pattern
connecting the events happening in and around Pakistan today. Unless
we can see this larger picture, we will be overwhelmed by the fallout and our
detractors like the US will have fulfilled their agenda for their nuclear

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capable country. The roots of this US agenda go back to Musharrafs hasty

embrace of the US war on terror
What has been the strategy for implementing this agenda? To create
enough chaos and violence in Pakistan so as to be able to justify coming
in and seizing control of the nuclear assets, reconstructing a new state
model for the country, which could include bringing it under Indian
hegemony. How would this agenda be implemented?
First, through shifting the centre of gravity of the war in
Afghanistan to Pakistan The beginning was made by allowing the alQaeda and Taliban to escape from Afghanistan Destabilization of Pakistan
began through drone attacks India was given a free run in Afghanistan
A new entity emerged with its own violent agenda; the TTP Increased its
covert presence in Pakistan beginning with Tarbela and the so-called
trainers Sought to operationalize its covert operations against Iran
Continuing with its do more mantra The ISI especially was singled out
for attack while the nuclear assets kept coming in for the periodic targeting
by the US media.
The Musharraf-US alliance would have continued, but for the people
of Pakistans desire for justice and freedom which spurred the judicial
movement when Musharraf overplayed his hand. But once again the nation
was short-changed because the US cleverly managed a new partner linked
through the NRO. In Zardari they found an even more cooperative
leader and with democratic credentials to boot! If Musharraf had begun
the granting of unfettered access to the US, the Zardari regime has taken it
beyond all limits.
The second phase of the US implementation strategy has now
begun to be operationalized that is, to destabilize Pakistan from within
by increasing acts of terror carried out in Pakistani cities through welltrained and well-equipped groups centering on TTP which finds no
mention in the Kerry-Lugar Act. Alongside, the military has been tied down
in military operations, first in Swat and now in SWA which has its own
fallouts in terms of terrorism and displacement of the population. It has also
become necessary to isolate Pakistan from its neighbours and hence the
extensive terrorist attacks on Irans security forces in Siestan province
bordering Pakistans Balochistan, so that Iran-Pakistan relations are
destroyed Iran being the only friendly neighbour apart from China.
The US covert presence in Pakistan has also now been put in
place like a web beginning from Sindh and Balochistan in the south and
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southwest, to Punjab, to the capital, to Peshawar. There are now US armed

covert operatives along with overt marines surrounding the Pakistanis and
their nuclear assets. The Kerry-Lugar Act merely gives formal recognition to
what has already happened in practice submission to US diktat.
Only one last phase of the US agenda has to be operationalized, but
that will be the toughest. This is to push the country into a civil war-like
situation by threatening to target Quetta and southern Punjab as well as
Muridke. First there was pressure on the army to move into Swat; now it is
SWA and the new mantra of moving the Army into southern Punjab has
already begun! Overstretch the military and create civil-military fissures so
as to totally destabilize the country. When there is a state of total chaos, the
US can pressure the UNSC into allowing it to takeover Pakistans nuclear
assets what will euphemistically be termed under international control.
But the big problem now is that too many in the corridors of power in
Pakistan are beginning to see the light while the people have also woken up
to the lethal American agenda for Pakistan. Unless we can see the whole US
game plan, and connect all the dots we will continue to fall prey to this
destructive design.
On 22nd October, The Nation talked about confusion in the ranks of
rulers. With an ongoing military operation and rampant terrorism across the
country, the first priority for the government should have been to establish
clarity of purpose and strategy. Unfortunately, that is still missing and this
weakness stands exposed today as never before. A mere glance at the babble
of the statements coming forth from government personnel, shows the
confusion and panic gripping those who should be allaying peoples
fears and providing credible leadership. After the Islamic University blast,
the Interior Minister declared that it was a security lapse. However, by
evening he had altered his mind and declared that there had been no security
lapse at the IIU because it was out of the security zone. Was he implying
that only certain elite areas, the security zones, was meant to get extra
security, while the rest of the country remains a soft target for terrorists?
The confusion was also apparent when the Foreign Office
spokesperson declared that the Jundullah leader was not in Pakistan and he
did not know where he was, while the Interior Minister declared
categorically that he was in Afghanistan. This disconnect goes to the top.
The PM told the nation that Pakistan has voiced its concerns over the KL Act
to Senator Kerry; Foreign Minister declared his unqualified praise for the
Bill as enacted into law. Interestingly, he also declared the US responsible

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for terrorism in the region, which while truthful, has not been his
governments policy line.
With such confusion abounding, it is hardly surprising to find the
public fearful and uncertain about what is happening to the country and their
lives The state is unable to deliver on any count except in
subservience to US diktat. Not only is the average Pakistani blighted by a
daily threat of terrorism, he/she has to contend with ever rising indirect
taxation whereby the state taxes the poor to pay for the rich. Once again we
are also facing a large population being displaced as a result of military
action. This time round there are no facilities for them as the UN is falling
short on assistance because the international community has not delivered.
Kamalud Din Qamar from Lahore wrote: The government has not
shown any concern for the civilians of Waziristan, though. Since all
residents of Waziristan are not terrorists nor all of them have given refuge to
terror suspects, the civilians should be spared consequences of the operation.
But the government seems to have made no plans to save civilians from the
negative impact of operation. Like Swat, whole hordes of people are likely
to be displaced to other areas but the government has neither announced any
relief package for them nor given any facility for their safe passage out of
the harms way or eventual resettlement in safer environs.
In fact, the security forces have clamped curfews right when the
residents are attempting to evacuate the area. The Waziristan area itself has
been cut off from the outside world. Even the telephone service has been
terminated. The government should have first evacuated people to safe areas
before starting the operation. The military also needs to be careful,
especially during air raids, that it targets precisely the militantsminimize
civilian casualties and complete the mission as soon as possible.
Next day, The Nation commented: After the attack on the
International Islamic University Islamabad, the fear seems to be getting the
better of us. Initially, the panic was so intense that we could not help but
shut down education centres throughout the country. The nation is going
through a real bad patch but should we allow fear to sway us hither and
thither? Does that mean the government would soon be asking the general
public not to venture out of their homes, not even for jobs out of fear of
some attack? This would amount to playing into the hands of the enemy.
It also transpires that the army has launched the South Waziristan
offensive without considering the fallout: the spooks and trouble-makers
would disperse all around, unleashing a new wave of attacks. Rather than
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bailing the nation out of the crisis, this approach can make things worse.
Granted, the army has an upper hand in the ongoing face-off with the
militants in South Waziristan. But, despite all that, it is clear that the security
establishment is lacking an intelligence mechanism strong enough to
forestall mass-casualty attacks in the urban centres; hence, the option of a
nationwide closure of the academia.
Given this backdrop, some steps are in order. After all, the parents
worry eating their hearts out needs to be taken into account. Already, a
minister in Punjab Assembly told the House that schools and universities in
the province run the risk of becoming targets owing to poor policing. So
rather than showing cowardice and asking the students to stay away from
schools and colleges, the state must provide them with the security and
motivation they need to lead the nation forward.
Farah Deeba Mirza from Islamabad wrote: After the attack on the
International Islamic University in Islamabad, all the educational institutions
in the country have been closed. What a remedy to combat terrorism and
save lives of the citizens! If this is the remedy we have, we should have
closed all cantonments after attack on the GHQ. After the attack on police
station, we should have closed all the police stations. After the attack on
Marriott, we should have closed all the hotels in the country. I salute the
students of IIUI who shouted slogans against the Interior Minister and those
who pelted stones and shoes on him. How long can people digest the
hackneyed statements of Rehman Malik like, This is conspiracy against
Pakistan, a conspiracy against Islam, a conspiracy againstetc, etc. And
how long can the people of Pakistan read the hackneyed messages of
President has condemned, Prime Minister has condemned. Tom has
condemned. Dick has condemned and Harry has condemned. This
government is a total disgrace.
Douglas Rushkoff visited the ground control station at Creech Air
Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada to have the glimpse of drone warfare.
After the visit he wrote an article titled Soldiers Play Videogames, Real
People Die. He discussed how the technology has taken over the task of
killings in war and then summed up:
Traditional warfare demands working on the scale of a nation state,
in concert with national leaders, and firmly on the side of centralized
powers. When fighting a decentralized enemy in a society steadfastly
resistant to central control, a decentralized, low-maintenance and fully

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reconfigurable Internet era war machine may prove better for the job
than armoured vehicles carrying operators made of human flesh.
So whats the problem? Even after a couple of days watching this
process and identifying with these guys and their mission intuitively,
instinctually, I cant help but reject any effort to make war more
convenient, removed, or inhumane than it already is.
The development of Industrial Age killing machines in the 20th
century led to massacres several orders of magnitude greater than we had
ever seen before ones conducted at various levels of remove, and whose
true impact was only experienced later, if at all. Todays remote technologies
offer us an even greater ability to disconnect our soldiers and the viewing
public from the human consequences of our policy decisions. Mistakes will
continue the byproduct of detachment, with an exponentially negative effect
on the cause. In a word thats getting smaller and more technologically
sophisticated every day, the drone strategy, no matter how wellintentioned, may come back to haunt us.
David Ignatius observed: Until a few months ago, Pakistani officials
often used the term miscreants when they described the Taliban fighters
operating from the western tribal areas. This moniker conveyed the sense
that the Taliban was a nuisance a ragtag band of fanatics and gangsters
who could be placated with peace deals rather than a mortal threat to the
nation. The state of denial appears to be over. This weeks offensive
against Taliban sanctuaries in South Waziristan is the latest sign that
Pakistan has awakened to the seriousness of its domestic terrorism problem.
David explained the awakening before concluding: Pakistan has
pledged action against the Taliban in the past, only to make peace
agreements when the fighting got tough. Its too early to say whether the
early resolve this time will carry through the harsh winter, as the army
confronts the notoriously tough Mehsud tribesmen. In the tribal areas,
people are always on the winning side. They wait and see the outcome,
says Abbas.
If the Waziristan campaign does succeed, it would create an
important new dynamic in the region. Rather than a weak Pakistan that
doesnt control its Afghan border, we might see a strong Pakistan that by
securing its tribal areas can be a more effective partner in neighbouring
Afghanistan. That would be a big boost for the United States
On 24th October, The Nation wrote: A far more serious threat that
has become more visible is the access the US has gained physically to
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vicinities close to Pakistans sensitive installations, including nuclear

installations. The case of Sihala is simply one such instance and one is at
loss to understand why the government, despite the issue having come into
the open, continues to allow this unwarranted access to the US. Alongside
this, it is disturbing to find that import licences were given to the US by the
Interior Ministry, without proper procedure being followed, for importing
guns into the country.
Now it is the same Ministry that is pressurizing the Pakistani
commandant of Sihala Academy for telling the truth and voicing his
concerns as a nationalist Pakistani, rather than exposing US antics in the
American Enclave in Sihala and removing their presence from this sensitive
area. In linked issues, the same Ministry is also trying to end the Inter-Risk
and DynCorp cases as well as refusing to admit the presence of Xe
Worldwide (Blackwater) in Pakistan despite glaring evidence. By all
accounts, the Ministry of Interior seems highly sensitive to safeguarding
US interests even where they do Pakistan harm. Why?
Yashfeen Zafeer opined: A lot needs to be done in this context.
Priority must go to coordination between different agencies in exchange for
any intelligence about terrorist activity. Investment in new hi-tech
equipment is also the need of the hour as not a few of the presently
installed metal detectors are good for nothing and can hardly detect
anythingnot the stuff that can win us War on Terror. The ministry
concerned must give their import preference to bullet-proof cars.
Ending the operation is not an alternative; we have to prevent its
backlash. The government must adopt a holistic approach where national
consensus is required to establish and maintain the writ of the state; there is
a need for an effective political and security strategy, community
mobilization and a unanimous resolve to fight back. The ulterior motives of
the international political players involved in this region must also be
exposed and checked. The government should muster the courage to be
vocal about it and ask the international community for support.
Failure to check deterioration in law and order is another
rankling sore amidst government failures. If the ruling parties want to
stay in power they must direct all efforts towards formulating a
comprehensive strategy to deal with these security concerns; this can be
done by putting the security on red alert, as intelligence is received and not
after the terrorists have struck.

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Next day, Samson Simon Sharaf wrote: US cooperation with the nonPashtun Northern Alliance and drone attacks in Pakistan have
deliberately coalesced ethno-religious resistance which over a period of
time has married up with other diverse militant organizations as also with
foreign intelligence agencies.
The interplay of such conflicting dynamics within the politic fabric is
now Pakistans own war for survival. The war that began in 1975 through
Bhuttos espousing of Afghan student leaders has now entered the final
phase and a do or die situation. Its bloodiest chapters will be fought in
South Waziristan and Punjab with the US keen to open a face-saving in
Balochistan. This is where the true test of Pakistans sovereignty will lie.
Pakistans only choice is to militarily defeat these radical groups bred
in intolerance, savagery and a stand-alone romantic notion of religion.
Pakistani nation will have to fight this war on its own terms not only with
the militants but also with supposed friends in the hybrid zone of neither
friend not foe. Every deal with a weak hand is a bad deal. No more deals
please.
Ikramullah commented: Unfortunately, no one cared to calculate the
strength of the foreign soldiers in the capital which exceeded the normal size
of a brigade force in Islamabad for aid to the civil power in case of any
emergency. The indifference by the federal government towards the
implications of this alarming situation is awful; to say the least it is nave to
suggest that this inadvertent oversight was in good faith. Be that as it may by
restoring the situation in Swat and Malakand areas, Pakistan was saved by
the grace of God through prompt action by the armed forces. The ongoing
Operation Rah-e-Nijat presently underway is the final act of the same
drama of blood and fire being enacted by the extremists on the behest of
their masters to make the last bid to undo Pakistan. having been encircled by
the security forces in Waziristan, their remnants who have succeeded to
escape from Malakand, Swat and FATA areas to various sympathetic dens in
Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab are in action, wherever and whenever they
find an opportunity to spread fear amongst the population through suicide
bombings. But the depression of the terrorists is apparent as they can see
their horrific fate drawing closer and closer by the day in Waziristan.
S R H Hashmi from Karachi wrote: The same military team that
destroyed Iraq, under leadership of Mike Mullen (with an extension) and
that old hawk Robert Gates, is fully involved at present in the Af-Pak
operation. Their real intentions should not be a secret to anybody. As for

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President Barack Obama, despite his famous speech to the Muslim world, he
has shown clearly where his sympathies lie when surrendered to the Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on settlements freeze. The events
show the American government is basically running amock in this region to
placate fears of the state of Israel which thinks Pakistan is an even greater
threat than Iran. One is absolutely astounded at the complacency of both
our government an opposition despite these very disturbing portents.
Dan Pearson and Kathy Kelley opined: Military offensive that
promise to smash or eradicate the bad guys may accomplish shortterm success by locking up or killing armed resisters and promising that
the military will provide peace and security
Meanwhile, US drone attacks continue, in both Pakistan and
Afghanistan. Using eyes in the skies by piloting UAVs or drones, the US
attack suspected Taliban or al-Qaeda fighters, along with anyone else who
might happen to be in the vicinity. But the UAVs wont help us understand
the acute need for humanitarian relief, diplomacy, negotiation and
dialogue in a region already overwhelmed by attacks, counterattacks,
bloodshed and death.
Whether it is in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq or even in the US, as we
have seen in recent years, war takes its heaviest toll on the poorest. It is a
profound mistake to believe that military force is a solid foundation for
peace.
On 26th October, Khalid Iqbal wrote: Emerging perception has it that
the Americans have plans to stay in Afghanistan, militarily, for times to
come. The strong military presence is governed by their long-term national
objectives in the region. Stationing of a heavy military contingent would
need proportionate justification. Continued instability could provide
requisite raisen detre. Hence, sustenance of status quo in the ongoing
turmoil in this region is being perceived as a sought after line of action.
Pakistan is paying the price of faulty COIN strategy that the
Americans have been executing in Afghanistan. The operations have been
aimed more at causing an exodus of extremist elements to neighbouring
countries (read Pakistan) than at eliminating them. This passing on of buck
has resulted in causing perpetual mayhem in our tribal areas and beyond. It
is because of this reason that Afghanistan appears calmer than Pakistan.
As regards operational competence of the occupation forces, they
have practically fortified themselves and are operating under the
shadow of fear. Local agreements have been reached at a number of places,
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whereby the occupation forces have withdrawn to hardened garrisons, after

handing over day-to-day administration of such areas to Taliban. By and
large, the initiative has passed on to Taliban. Conversely, Pakistan is under
the pressure of the do more mantra.
Recovery of small arms of American origin from the extremist
elements fighting Pakistani troops in the Malakand Division points towards
the state of discipline and morale of the occupation forces, as well as
incongruence of American and Pakistani objectives.
Another factor that needs our attention is that Afghanistan is
getting indianized at a pretty fast speed. It would be difficult to repudiate
this encroachment after the departure of the Americans, if at all they decide
to quit. General McChrystals Initial Assessment takes note of the negative
effects of this menace being radiated into the Pakistani territory. This
proliferation of Indian influence has conveniently been ignored by the
Americans over the previous years.
Moreover, in the context of recently initiated Operation Rah-eNijat, the American attitude was of indifference when it came to
collaboration at operational and tactical levels. Some of the vital border
check-posts on the Afghan side, adjoining the operational area, have been
abandoned by NATO-led security forces. This is likely to facilitate transborder influx of personnel and logistics in support of extremists.
Furthermore, a high profile suicide attack in Siestan-Balochistan
province of Iran targeting the high command of Iranian Revolutionary
Guards by an allegedly American biased outfit, Jundullah, could not have
come at a worse time. This has caused an uncalled for bad taste between
Pakistan and Iran.
America as a nation appears to be losing resolve and
commitment towards GWOT. Public appeal and support for continuation
of military operations is diminishing. Most of the countries contributing
towards ISAF composition no longer have the stomach to continue doing so.
There are disturbing reports that some components of ISAF have been
paying protection money to Taliban!
There are glaring contradictions vis--vis dubious American designs
and Pakistans overly simplistic and unconditional association with
American objectives. Hence, there is a need to initiate a national debate
to reassess the viability of our Pak-US policy in Afghanistan context, and
take corrective actions.

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Kerry-Lugar Act also remained in the focus during the week. The
Nation wrote: As acute discontent over the Kerry-Lugar Act continues
unabated in the country despite the explanatory statement that was appended
to it, and the opposition circles and political analysts keep warning the
government that the statement is mere eyewash, which would have little
legal relevance, high-ranking American political and military figures are
descending on Islamabad to do their bit to calm down the widespread
concern
Apart from Senator Kerry and Mr Holbrooke, head of CENTCOM
General Petraeus and ISAF top commander General McChrystal have
already arrived in the federal capital. The generals would be adding their
voice to the words of encouragement and, indeed, pressure of Admiral
Mullen, Chief of Joint Chiefs Staff of Staff, who telephoned COAS General
Kayani on Sunday to discuss the army action in Waziristan. But as their
agendas would definitely include an appreciative appraisal of the KerryLugar Act, it is hoped that our leadership would not be taken in by their
explanations and would put across their point of view forcefully.
During Kerrys visit the newspaper commented: Mian Nawaz Sharif
voiced his concern to Senator Kerry over KLAs conditionalities, though the
point that his party should still be reviewing the explanatory statement is not
comprehensible. The objectionable clauses have been discussed threadbare
and its implications are no longer hidden. And it is quite obvious that the
explanatory statement could not dilute the Act, notwithstanding what its
apologists might say. The KLA has now become an Act of Congress. In the
eyes of the law, which only matters when it comes to the crunch, the
explanation does not dilute the constrictive nature of conditionalities. It is
not only our foreign policy but also internal affairs of crucial importance that
have come under their grip.
Mr Kerrys view that the language of the KLA cannot be changed at
this stage is hardly plausible. What he actually was trying to convey was that
the US administration was not willing to amend it; the truth is that if it really
wanted it could persuade the Congress to remove those clauses even now. If
Pakistan is in dire straits economically and needs help, the US cannot
expect to win its life-and-death struggle against terrorism without
Pakistans support. Our leadership must grasp this point and exploit it to
the fullest advantage of the country. Senator Kerry must not go back with the
impression that he has been able to win us over. The US should know that it
has lost many more friends in the process of inflicting this iniquitous law.

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In yet another editorial The Nation added: If anyone in Pakistan had

any doubts about the hostile US intent towards this country, especially its
defence institutions and capabilities, the move in the US Congress to impose
new restrictions on US military aid to Pakistan should set them straight. The
Indian hand in this move is clear because one of the rationales is to
ensure that this aid does not upset the balance in the region. This is
certainly absurd, coming from the Americans who have deliberately sought
to upset the strategic nuclear balance as well as the conventional one
between Pakistan and India by providing India with nuclear assistance,
missile defence systems and a range of conventional state of the art weapon
systems through its defence agreements post Clintons Vision document.
Ironically, the military assistance to Pakistan, meager as it is, is
purely tactical and serves little purpose against the conventional enemy.
After all, night vision devices, a few cobra helicopters and such like are
hardly a balance for Indian armour, artillery, planes and missile defence
systems. So this aid, such as it is, is intended to help the Pakistan Army fight
where the US had failed, in its so-called war on terror. For this puny
amount of aid Pakistan has been totally destabilized and rent asunder.
In addition, our leadership, both past and present, have subjugated the
country to US diktat against the wishes of the whole nation
While our military, thankfully, has over the decades ended its reliance
on US military systems, there is one area in which one has a terrible sense of
dj vu. This is the F-16 order which we have once again placed
commercially as before which may be a source of blackmail by the US.
Since we allowed the US to stop our deliveries and paid a vast amount for
nothing, we have set a bad precedence. It is time to set the record straight
with the US and before our military gets bogged down in SWA, it needs
to take the lead in giving a fitting response to this latest Congressional move,
before it is concretized.
Shiza Shahid and Karin Von Hippel in their article Kerry-Lugar Act:
Less an assistance programe than a treaty of surrender, remarked about the
explanatory statement: The joint statement is likely to appease the military.
The opposition political parties are continuing to raise objections, but other
issues will soon distract them. The storm is dying out. What will remain
are important lessons for the United States on engaging with Pakistan.
Establishing a relationship of mutual respect and trust is the premise of the
new administrations policy in Pakistan, but a history of mistakes and
mistrust will not make this easy. The aid bill is a genuine chance at a new
beginning: if the people of Pakistan see aid money coming in and making a
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real impact on the development, they will finally see the United States as a
friend and a benefactor.
Inayatullah wrote: A word about the present status of the bill so far as
Pakistan is concerned. Rather abruptly the government has used the Cabinet
to endorse its acceptance. The Parliament has yet to debate it and arrive at an
appropriate decision. It is also not quite known how far the COAS has
been influenced by Washington to reconcile with the dished out
interpretation of the objectionable clauses of the bill.
This scribe is of the view that even the so-called unconditioned part
of the bill relating to the civilian matters is unacceptable. How can agents of
a foreign country be given the powers to choose projects, select
individuals and organizations for implementation thereof and disburse
money directly to them, defiantly bypassing the government concerned? It is
already known that around 50 percent of the promised funds will go back to
the US in various ways.
The news of new conditionalities being tagged on to the defence bill
being considered by the US Congress and of required assurances on the part
of Pakistan that aid will not upset the balance in the region, makes it all the
more necessary that the whole question of relations with Washington
should be discussed at length in the National Assembly and the Senate. If
this is not done the feeling will grow that the present government is a party
to a new wave of colonialism in this part of the world. This must be resisted
by the political opposition, the civil society and the media.
Obama, who had been quite vocal in claiming that war in
Afghanistan was a war of necessity, continued taking time in finalizing
his strategy. The delay in the decision led to debate for and against the troop
surge and other related aspects of the occupation.
Independent wrote: It would be fatal for the NATO mission in
Afghanistan if these elections came to be regarded as a sham. Western
countries would find it politically impossible to send more troops (or indeed
keep their existing ones in place) to support a crooked regime. Barrack
Obama is unlikely to make a decision on the 40,000 reinforcements
requested by his commander, General Stanley McChrystal, to protect the
Afghan population from an increasingly aggressive Taleban until this
political stalemate is broken.
The expectations in the West about the sort of society that can be
built in Afghanistan need to be rolled back. But they can only be rolled

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back so far. Western electorates will not tolerate more of their troops dying
to prop up an illegitimate government. The drumbeat of those calling for
withdrawal is growing louder. It will grow louder still unless this crisis is
resolved.
President Karzai has nightmarish problems to grapple with at
home. But he needs to understand that by refusing to address doubts about
this election, both in Afghanistan and abroad, he is only creating further
problems for himself and jeopardizing anew his countrys future.
General Mirza Aslam Beg has been saying that the US has no option
but to quit Afghanistan. The American and the NATO allies have lost
their nerves and want to exit from Afghanistan at the earliest. The only
country, which can provide a safe exit, is Pakistan and the only people, who
can guarantee such exit, are the Taliban the winners. The Indians who were
brought into the foray as part of the strategic alliance to contain and curb
the rising power of China and Islamic extremism have proved a
disappointment for the Americans. The Indians, therefore have been warned
to restrain themselves. Yet, they may try their best to retain their influence in
Afghanistan, once the exit begins
It is therefore evident, that the so-called Pakistani Taliban are a
different entity altogether, whereas the Afghan Taliban are the arbiters of the
destiny of the people of Afghanistan. And rightly the Americans have
already developed contact with them, who are demanding a time-frame for
withdrawal as the pre-condition. Both, the USA and Pakistan, therefore
need to support the Taliban, and not to let them be cheated of their right
to form the government, as it happened in 1990. They are the winners and
so deserve their due place in power sharing. Pakistans support for the
Taliban, therefore, is important the diplomatic, political and military
support as much as for the Americans, for their exit.
The Europeans and the Americans have burdened Obama with the
Nobel Peace Prize, which he did not deserve but the award puts moral and
psychological pressure on him to perform and find peace in Afghanistansomething Pakistan should whole-heartedly welcome. One of the declared
objectives of President Obama, therefore is to bolster Pakistan, militarily and
economically, so that Pakistan could play the desired role to provide
Americans the safe exit as well as protect their interests in the region
He suggested that under the circumstances and looking
dispassionately at the option of helping in the US exit, Pakistan should
take the following steps (in brief):
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 Improve relations with the Taliban and re-establish the past

goodwill Indias negative influences in Afghanistan must be
challenged to avoid the two-front war situation we are facing now.
Not allow the Taliban, being the majority, to be cheated of their
right to form government. Some neighbours of Afghanistan in
particular must be kept at a distance because in the past they played
a negative role in the establishment of a broad-based government.
There are over three million Pushtuns in Karachiduring the last
military regime; our relations with them were tarnished, which must
be repaired now to the level to provide the foundation for the
formation of the Union of three countries
China must be taken as a friend, hand-in-hand to undertake
diplomatic initiatives, as the fleeting moments of opportunity
appear, which we must seize to make the best of them.
India would act like a wounded python after meeting setbacks in
Afghanistan and would flex its military muscles to frighten Pakistan
and intimidate, by acts of terror and actions, such as stopping the
fresh water of the rivers flowing into Pakistan. We have to take
these provocations coolly; ready to challenge India, in our own
time.
We have to play a very aggressive diplomatic and political role, to
help Afghanistan find peace. Essentially the steps that need to be taken to
achieve the objective are:
Occupation forces in Afghanistan to give a timeframe for withdrawal
and declare cease-fire. Start dialogue with the Taliban and Northern
Alliance to form the Loe Jirga to decide the main issues.
Formation of the Interim government for a period of three years;
holding a census; framing a Constitution; rebuilding institutions;
reconstruction of the infrastructure and re-creating ethnic balance,
which has been disturbed since the Bonn Conference of 2001.
Holding elections in the year 2013.
Elise Jordan wrote: Policymakers must accept the reality of todays
Afghanistan and communicate the basics of our continued support to the
Afghan people. We speak of winning hearts and minds and strategic
communications. But if you are trying to win hearts and minds,

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discussions of surgical strikes and withdrawal trickle down into Afghan

press without any context or defense, raising difficult questions.
Furthermore, todays strategic engagement with Afghans lacks a
basic understanding of cultural norms. Trust in the intentions of your
partner is a cultural notion of importance to Afghans. The pattern of
landing in country for a few days every month, visiting the host countrys
polling site on Election Day with a heavy security detail, and airing
grievances privately expressed to the press tantamount in Afghan culture to
the public shaming in an elide is counter-productive at best. There must
be someone (from America) to reply to all of these rumours about America
and Afghanistan and provide the right picture to our illiterate society, says
an Afghan friend who survived the Soviet invasion, civil war, Taliban and
current conflict.
In short, Americans deserve an Oval Office address from President
Obama on Afghanistan and our way forward. But all the eloquence in the
world will mean nothing if we do not follow through with a message that
speaks to the Afghan people in their own context, and in terms they can
understand.
M A Niazi opined: The run-off election on November 7 is proof not
of the triumph of democracy in an undemocratic land, but of the rigging
attempts by supporters of incumbent, and also reflects the failure of
Afghanistan to go by American rules, which foresee an occupation being
succeeded by a democracy which looks up to the USA for guidance. This
also reflects the failure of the USA in reversing historical trends by a
successful occupation of Afghanistan. The failure of this occupation
succeeding should send signals not only to Pakistans rulers, who stand fully
committed to the USA, but also to the militants, and both should realize that
the USA will increase all efforts to continue its occupation and to meet its
goals in the region, which have to do with its ultimate survival. Neither
should think that the USA is engaged on a mere whim.
Robert Dreyfuss was of the view that to secure international support,
the United States must defer to the United Nations to convene a conference
in which Afghans themselves hammer out the new way forward. The world
community must pledge its support of Afghanistan financially for years
to come. And this must occur against the backdrop of an unconditional
withdrawal of the US and NATO forces.
Accordingly, the first step for Washington must be to abandon the
idea of a decades-long counterinsurgency. Fire its advocates including
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Gen Stanley McChrystal and Gen David Petraeus, architect of the

Counterinsurgency Field Manual and admit that the multi-headed
insurgency in southern and eastern Afghanistan cant be defeated by military
means.
At the same time, the Obama Administration will have to give up
its massive nation-building project, dismantling the empire of US
departments, agencies, provincial reconstruction teams and the rest now
overseen by Richard Holbrooke, the US special envoy. Instead, the United
States should prepare to channel a substantial flow of international
development assistance and humanitarian aid to Afghanistan through newly
reconstructed, rebalanced Afghan government.
In addition, President Obama should declare that the United States
has achieved its principal objective in Afghanistan, namely, the near-total
destruction of al-Qaeda as an organization. With the agreement of the
Afghan government, a limited US intelligence and counterterrorism mission
designed to monitor the remnants of al-Qaeda can remain in Afghanistan
Then comes the tricky part: the president should encourage the
convening of an international Bonn II conference involving the UN, the
major world powers and Afghanistans neighbours including Iran, India
and Pakistan to support the renegotiation of the Afghanistan compact. At
the table must be the representatives of all of Afghanistans stakeholders,
including Taliban and their allies.
Robert then explained as how to get all these on a table and then
concluded: The United States must take the lead in creating a global
Marshall Plan to help Afghanistan rebuild its war-shattered economy,
build a passable infrastructure and establish the rudiments of a national
government. The United States must be realistic about what it can
accomplish and what it cannot. It cannot remake Afghan society, change
its cultural mores, modernize its religious outlook, educate its women or
reshape the tribal system that prevails in its rural villages. It can break alQaeda and, as it exits, leave behind at least the possibility that Afghans will
begin to create a sustainable society. But it must recognize, above all, that
what it leaves behind wont be pretty.
Indian expressed concerns over safety of Pakistani nuclear weapons
and The Nation narrated the instances exposing the vulnerability of Indian
weapons and concluded: Given this background, for India to raise issues
about the safety of our nuclear weapons has an air of absurdity about it. But
India has been seeking to exploit our internal situation whichever way it can.
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If it was truly concerned about Pakistans welfare, it would help fight

terrorism by stopping its own indulgence in state terrorism not just in
Kashmir but also through Afghanistan into Pakistans Balochistan and
FATA. But it has shown no intent to do so on these counts, especially when
its ally the US seems to have given it carte blanche in this area.
Given the exploitive policies of the Indian state, it is unfortunate that
in a recent interview where both the Indian and Pakistani envoys to the UN
were present, our envoy maintained an inexplicable silence when the
Indian alluded to Pakistan as a snake pit of terrorism. It is envoys, such
as the ones we have in the US, which undermine our national cause,
especially in international forums.
Shireen M Mazari commented on Jundullahs terror attack in Siestan.
The suicide bomb attack targeting the Iranian Revolutionary Guards has
been claimed by The timing of this act of terrorism, which killed seven
commanders along with 42 other personnel, is interesting because it comes
in the wake of the Pakistan Armys launch of operation Rah-e-Nijat in South
Waziristan. The question that arises is why the US would want to create
another issue for Pakistan at this particular time, given how Iran is the
only friendly neighbour Pakistan has at this moment
Unfortunately, the US has abused its access to Balochistan in
Pakistan to use it for covert operations against Iran. Ironically, the Jundullah
is to Iran what the BLA has become for Pakistan and both are linked through
the US-Afghan connection.
Iran has been complaining to Pakistan to arrest the Jundullah
leadership and appeared that Pakistan had been moving in that direction with
the arrest of Abdolahmid Rigi, brother of Jundullah leader Abdolmalik Rigi,
early this summer and his handing over to the Iranian authorities, as reported
by Iran Press/TV. For some reason the Pakistani authorities chose not to
make this public. Abdolhamid Rigi admitted in a court in Zahedan that
Jundullah was being financed by the US and Zionists as he put it. So
what has altered now to make the Iranian President lash out at Pakistan and
declare that the planning of the terrorist attack was done in Pakistan?
To begin with, the US has become more aggressive in using
Jundullah through Balochistan to destabilize Irans Sistan Province and
the perception is that the Pakistan government has been unable or unwilling
to deal firmly with the US on this issue despite the fact that Pakistan itself
is facing a terrorist threat in Balochistan. Both Pakistan and Iran that Kabul
harbours most of the Jundullah and BLA leadership under US patronage but
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Iran sees Pakistan as a US ally and, therefore, has expectations that Pakistan
would be able to curtail American propensity towards terrorism against Iran.
Unfortunately, the Pakistani leadership has not even been able to curtail US
excesses within Pakistan.
Second, Irans initial expectations from the Obama regime are
dying down as Obama seems to have become a victim of the US
hardliners on Iran. In that context, the covert operations against the present
regime in Iran have been accelerated, and the territory of Pakistan has
become a launching pad for some of the deadly acts of terror. That Pakistan
has maintained a muted response to the US destabilization of Iran through
Siestan Province. It is more in frustrated anger that President Ahmadinejad
has accused Pakistan of allowing its territory for the planning of the present
act of terrorism
The latest incident of terrorism against Iran should compel Pakistan
into ensuring that it is the US that is isolated on Iran in this region, not
Iran. After all, apart from the OIC, Iran is our partner in CEO and has a
common interest in the SCO. Let us put right our regional priorities that
were artificially distorted in the wake of 9/11.

REVIEW
In its new-found love for democratic dispensation, the military
leadership has to guard against any harm that can be caused to the country
by a democracy sans accountability. But first of all military leadership has to
guard against negative effects on the rank and file of armed forces, because
the US-led war on terror has to be almost as unpopular in the Army as it has
been in general public.
It has been repeatedly established through opinion polls that a vast
majority of the people of Pakistan dislike war on terror and Pakistans
alliance with the Crusaders. Soldiers cannot remain unaffected by the
sentiments of the general public. This has been confirmed by many incidents
of terror in which soldiers have directly participated.
These incidents reveal that this sentiment has seeped into the armed
forces and the demands of discipline have failed to check its manifestation.
Some loud and clear expressions were seen in assassination attempts on
Musharraf in which soldiers of his own commando unit and personnel of
PAF were involved; suicide attack in commando unit in Tarbela was carried
out by the soldier of the same unit; FC soldiers were involved in attack of

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WFP, Islamabad; and even the attack on GHQ was led by a deserter of
Pakistan Army. There could be other cases as well which have not yet been
established categorically.
Army leadership must not take it for granted that the demands of
discipline would be enough to pre-empt rebellion of larger magnitude.
Many in the rank and file of the armed forces not only disapprove the war
being fought as an ally of the Crusaders, but also dislike the excessive use of
force in the form of air strikes, attacks by gunship helicopters and firing of
artillery barrages which invariably result in collateral damage.
At some stage the Army has to convey to the political leadership that
they have to come forward and find a solution through dialogue. The right
moment was soon after military operations in Bajaur Agency and Malakand
Division, but it is not too late even now. After operation Rah-e-Nijat, the
baton of fighting terrorism must be handed over to democratically elected
representative government through dialogue.
In the two large scale operations in Malakand and Waziristan the
Army must have seen the inroads made by the enemy intelligence agencies
in these areas that have filled the gap that was created by the retreat of ISI
under US pressure. Army must come out of apologetic defensive mode that
has caused a lot of harm to Pakistans interests.
The Army leadership must also convey to Zardari regime firmly that it
must not join hands with those who are conspiring to damage Army and ISI.
It must be borne in mind that if Zardari regime could be willing to
compromise on sovereignty and national pride to the extent spelled out in
Kerry-Lugar Act for $1.5 billion per annum or $7.5 billion for five years
what all it could be willing to surrender if the price is raised. Imagine terms
on which Zardaris bid of $100 billion would materialize?
PPPs leaders may be cautioned against wasting time in securing false
sense of security. In fact, they must be told that if they sincerely want to
keep the Army at bay, they must throw Zardari out of Presidency. As long as
he is there the threat to democracy will continue looming large.
26th October 2009

BIBI HILLARY
On Wednesday, the 28th of October, when Pakistans Foreign Minister
and the US Secretary of State prepared for yet another round of diplomatic
interaction in Islamabad, the Taliban struck a guesthouse in the heart of

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Kabul city, killing nine people, mostly foreigners. On this side of the Durand
Line the unknown militants struck in the heart of Peshawar city killing and
wounding more than three hundred people.
The clouds of dust and smoke rising from the old city obscured the
victory claimed in Operation Rah-e-Raast and the masses wanted Rah-eNijat to be translated on the ground. But, spilling of blood did not take the
smiles away from the faces of Shah Mahmood and Hillary Clinton. It was
very brave on the part of Shah Mahmood to conceal the agony of Pakistans
inter-action with the US, but Hillary seemed to have literally enjoyed as she
laughed her heart out when the journalists showed extraordinary exuberance
to ask her the first question.
Next three days saw hectic engagements of Bibi Hillary to charm the
people of Pakistan and make them believe that all the death and destruction
perpetrated in their homeland for their good. She also told them time and
again that this war on terror was their war; the US was, however ready to
help them to take to the logical end. Only Zardari and his aides could shed
some light on that logical end as they seemed determined to continue with
fighting to make the world safe; whose world?

NEWS
In Pakistan, 19 militants and six soldiers were killed in
Operation Rah-e-Raast on 26th October; 20 soldiers were also wounded.
Gilani demanded effective check on infiltration by the US and NATO.
Rehman Malik said India and some other external elements were financing
Taliban in Pakistan. Kerry said Pakistan could turn into a bastion of
terrorism posing a threat to entire world.
Four soldiers were killed and six wounded in a clash with militants in
Orakzai, air force was used to kill 15 militants. Munawwar Hussain and
Sirajul Haq led an anti-US rally to Bannu; they were stopped from entering
the city by using police force and arresting 35 activists. Munawwar accused
Nawaz, Asfandyar and Fazlur Rehman of serving US interests.
Fazlullahs aide, Ali Shah, was arrested in Swat. A journalist in
Islamabad received threats after reporting on US activities. Nine suspects
were arrested in Bhakkar. Education institutions reopened, but many
remained closed for want of security arrangements. In anticipation of
receiving share through KL Act a PPP minister went to South Africa and
poached a lion paying $30 thousand.
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Ahmed Qureshi reported that in 2006 the US had set up a transmitter

in Afghanistan for the radio broadcast of US political and military
propaganda in that occupied country. Four years later, now this moved to
Pakistan after the Zardari regime quietly allowed VOA to expand its media
propaganda network to include Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation.
At least 42 militants and one soldier were killed on 27 th October as
Operation Rah-e-Raast progressed slowly and steadily. COAS and Gilani
called on Zardari to discuss security situation and show solidarity on the eve
of Hillarys visit. More than 200 thousand IDPs were officially registered. In
D I Khan, police baton charged them during distribution of food.
Air strikes were carried out in Kurram Agency. Police arrested 65
suspects, mostly Afghans, in Peshawar and 157 Afghans were handed over
to Afghan authorities at Torkham. Three FC soldiers were killed and five
wounded in attack by militants on a post in Mohmand Agency; nine
militants were killed and 14 wounded in retaliatory fire. Two militants were
held in Lower Dir.
Staff car of a brigadier was attacked in I-Sector of Islamabad by motor
cyclists; nobody was hurt and attackers escaped. Four Americans dressed as
Afghans possessing arms in two cars with fake diplomat number plates were
held in Islamabad and released after establishing that they were above law. It
was sixth incident of this nature involving Americans and Rehman Malik.
Ishtiaq, the mastermind of attack on GHQ, was arrested by security
agencies and seven more were held on leads provided by him. An Afghan
was among four suspects held in Nankana. Three Afghans were arrested in
Kandhkot. Fifty-seven Afghans were rounded up in Chaman.
Hillary arrived in Islamabad on her maiden visit as Secretary of State.
Reportedly, Haqqani decided to stay away from Islamabad during Bibi
Hillarys visit. PBC clarified that PBC-VOA cooperation was as per law and
The Nation asked; why not with China? PML-Q submitted motion to discuss
VOA-PBC deal. PTI condemned the deal.
On 28th October, 25 militants were killed in Operation Rah-e-Raast as
Army inched towards militants base in South Waziristan. ISPR said
militants were fleeing to the north. Hundred-fifty kilogram of explosive
placed in an Alto car was detonated through remote control device in Meena
Bazaar of Peshawar City killing 104 people and more than 200 others.
Taliban denied carrying out the terror attack. Arrests of Afghans, foreigners
and other suspects continued across the country; two were held in Peshawar,
27 in Bannu, fifteen in Chaman, seven in Panjgur, eleven in Jacobabad and
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two in Karachi. Dr Imran Munir who was admitted in PIMS on orders of the
apex court managed to slip away despite the presence of police guard.
A UN human rights investigator has warned the US that its use of
unmanned drones to fight militants may violate International Law against
summary execution. Why may violate; why not is a clear violation?
Journalist Fawad Ali Shah spoke of threats from Blackwater and said if
something happened to him or his family US Ambassador to Pakistan and
US Consular General at Peshawar would be responsible.
For Hillary-Qureshi joint press conference the questions of Pakistani
journalists were vetted by Foreign Office and Nawa-i-Waqt was not allowed
to ask the question as its correspondent refused to disclose the question. The
correspondent from Jang Group was booed when he asked the question.
Bibi Hillary slapped at the face of Zardari regime by saying that had
there been a debate earlier, the language of Kerry-Lugar Act would have
been different. In other words she told Zardari that he would have taken
leave from begging and attended to these matters.
About pulling out of troops from the posts along Durand Line
opposite South Waziristan she said it was necessary because the US and
NATO were not prepared to pay the price of their retention. She was not
ashamed of denying the presence of any US soldiers and contractors inside
Pakistan.
On 29th October, 82 militants and six soldiers were killed bringing the
death toll of Rah-e-Nijat to 192 militants and 23 soldiers. Troops found
passport of Said Bahaji, a German national who provided funds and logistics
to 9/11 plotters. The US decided to provide ten MI-17 helicopters and some
spare parts for F-16 aircrafts for use in operation in South Waziristan.
Hillary talked to students in Lahore and later met Nawaz and Salman;
media observed that Nawaz failed to raise important issues of drone attacks
and KL Act. JI held protest rally during her visit. In Rawalpindi, she met
Kayani and discussed Waziristan operation, earlier she had said al-Qaeda
was present inside Pakistan and it was not believable that Pakistan did not
know its whereabouts. Reportedly, COAS raised issues of drone attacks and
abandoning of NATO check posts.
Hakimullah blamed Blackwater for Peshawar blast as death toll rose
to 117. Kaira proposed ban on live coverage of terror attacks. One
intelligence operative was killed in Mattani. Six militants were arrested in
Swat. More than fifty suspects, mostly foreigners, were held in Karachi.

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On 30th October, 14 militants and two soldiers were killed in

Operation Rah-e-Nijat; three soldiers were also wounded. The Times wrote
that Pakistan has taken a brave and correct stance in the battle in South
Waziristan. It deserves the support and help of Western governments. Singh
wished Pakistan success in its war against terror. Hillary paid tributes to
Pakistan military by saying that al-Qaeda was present inside Pakistan and it
was unbelievable that the military did not know its whereabouts.
Two schools were blown up in Hangu area. Eleven militants were held
in Swat. An elder of peace committee was shot dead and in retaliation
security forces killed two militants and wounded three in Mohmand Agency.
A vehicle full of explosives was held in D G Khan.
Hauling of suspects mostly from mosques and madaris across the
country continued; 18 Afghans were held in Chitral, two in Lower Dir, 43
Afghan Imams were arrested in Mardan, 22 were held from Jamrud area,
two Afghans were held in Sargodha, more than 240, mostly foreigners, were
detained in Karachi in last 36 hours.
Rehman Malik, who gave looks of a Majawar rather than a minister
when he escorted Hillary to Bari Imam, contradicted statements of
Hakimullah and IGP of NWFP. The former had denied involvement in
Peshawar blast and the latter had alleged involvement of India, Afghanistan
and Israel. Malik insisted that it was an act committed by TTP who have
degenerated from Taliban to Zalimaan and now Kazibeen.
On last day of her visit Hillary was once again confronted with
questions on drone attacks which amounted to executions without trial of
those killed. She was asked to define terrorism and differentiate between
killings in drone attacks and bomb blasts. Earlier MNA Marvi Memon had
declined the invitation to meet Hillary. Bibi Hillary assured Bibi Fahmida
that the US would continue supporting democracy.
She also visited Police Lines, Islamabad and paid homage to those
who sacrificed their lives in the war against terror. She urged the rulers of
Pakistan to get out of the safety of their palaces and meet the families of
those who laid their lives. About Hillary-Nawaz meeting Akram Zaki said
she met him to thank him for reiterating not to destabilize Zardari regime as
per his promise with Kerry.
On 31st October, 33 militants were killed and four soldiers wounded as
troops entered Sararogha in South Waziristan. Army helicopters were fired
upon in Orakzai-Kurram area and PAF jetfighters retaliated and killed 12
militants. Seven soldiers were killed and 15 wounded in roadside bombing
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in Khyber Agency. Crackdown across the country against suspected

militants continued; 11 were arrested in Swat, four were held in Charsadda,
17 in Kohat, three Afghans were among seven arrested in Sargodha and 161,
mostly foreigners, were held in Karachi.
Dr Imran Munir who had slipped away from PIMS returned from
Lahore and complained that police had not provided him the security as per
orders of the apex court. He decided to run away to register his protest. Dr
Imran was one of the missing persons who were traced out when apex
court grilled the agencies over the issue.
Another missing person, Dr Aafiya, came to the notice of Senator
Talha Mahmood, Chairman Standing Committee; not for any humanitarian
concerns but to screw a very vocal critic of the regime. He summoned
former interior minister Faisal Saleh Hayat and former secretary interior,
Kamal Shah to appear before the committee and help solving the mystery
of her disappearance.
Nine militants and two soldiers were killed on 1 st November in South
Waziristan as troops cleared half of Kanigurram. Uzbek fighters were
reported fleeing. Shah Mahmood, who was on visit to Fareast, said most of
the objectives of the operation would be achieved by late December.
Crackdown against militants and suspects continued; three militants
were apprehended in Swat, 27 in Shangla, 45 suspects were held in Wah
Cantt, 13 Afghans were detained in Sargodha and 54 were held from Quetta
and surrounding area. Sunni Tehrik demanded rejection of aid under KerryLugar Act and removal of its name from the terror watch list.
In Afghanistan, four US soldiers were killed when a Chinook
helicopter clashed after leaving a compound where 14 Taliban had been
killed in a firefight on 26th October; Taliban owned responsibility. Three
diplomats and seven US soldiers were killed in another crash in Badghis
Province.
Next day, an American diplomat resigned over Afghan war. Eight US
soldiers were killed in bombings in Kandahar Province. Karzai said he was
pressurized to accept run-off polls. Foreign ministers of China, India and
Russia, who met in Bangalore, demanded role in Afghanistan.
Nine people, including six foreigners, were killed in attack on UN
guesthouse in Kabul on 28th October; three attackers were also killed.
Rockets were also fired at Serena Hotel. Karzais brother denied being on
the pay-roll of CIA for the last seven years. Next day, it was reported that the
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US held secret talks with Afghan Taliban. On 30 th October, eight people

were killed in roadside bomb blast in Nangarhar Province. Next day, the US
welcomed South Korean decision to send troops to Afghanistan.
On 1st November, Abdullah Abdullah announced that he would not to
participate in November 7 run-off polls. Former deputy special
representative of the SG UN, Peter W Galbraith said the run-off vote would
be a fraud. Kerry signaled renewed confidence in Karzai. US sought help
from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for facilitation of talks with Taliban. Ban ki
Moon sought enhanced security for UN; earlier he had accused NATO of
negligence in attack on UN guesthouse.
Despite fencing of the border, India had increased cross-border
terrorism. On 27th October, an Indian spy was arrested from Kasur, who
admitted his involvement in terror acts. Next day, large quantity of Indian
made explosives was seized in Karachi. Yet another RAW spy was held in
Kasur on 30th October. On 1st November, Chidambaram gave last warning
to Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism.
In IHK, two Kashmiris were martyred by Indian soldiers in Shopian
on 26 October. Next day, Kashmiris observed Black Day to protest illegal
occupation of the Valley. Hurriyat factions remained divided over Singhs
offer of dialogue.
th

Singh arrived in Srinagar on 28th October and said India was ready to
for talks with Pakistan on all issues. Complete strike was observed in the
Valley. Next day, he Singh said Pakistan must control terrorism before the
start of dialogue. Geelani urged Singh to recognize ground realities.
Six Kashmiris were martyred by Indian troops on 30th October.
Protests were held over attempts to change demography on Baramula. Salahud-Din vowed to continue armed struggle. Next day, one Kashmir was killed
in Sopore; two policemen were shot dead in a separate incident. Occupation
forces killed 46 Kashmiris in the month of October.
In Balochistan, complete shutter-down strike was held in Quetta to
protest killing of PPP leader Shafiq Ahmed on 26 th October. Security forces
detained and then released 12 Pasdaran for trespassing Pakistani territory.
One person was killed and three wounded in bomb blast in Dera Bugti on
28th October. An electric tower was blown up in Quetta.
Two employees of Cadet College Mastung (both settlers) were killed
by unknown gunmen. Six Iranian Kurds were arrested in Zhob area while
traveling to Lahore via D I Khan without valid travel documents. Bar Baloch
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reported that Iranian border has been destabilized. Gilani approved bulletproof cars for MPAs of Balochistan. Secretary BISE, Hamid Mahmood was
shot dead in Quetta by unknown gunmen on 31 st October. Two persons were
wounded in bomb blast in Kohlu.

VIEWS
Americas war on terror in Pakistan raged with increased ferocity
since the wages of the mercenaries were enhanced. The analysts while
waiting for the hopefully positive outcome of military operation in South
Waziristan kept expressing their concerns of US activities inside Pakistan.
On 28th October, Ahsan Nisar observed: The government is in
continuous denial of reality about the existence of Blackwater (now known
as Xe) but the audaciously organized attack on GHQ has once again
confirmed the suspicion of their existence. The attack on GHQ has
served two purposes. On the one hand, it was a message for the army to
shut their mouth on the issue of the Bill and on the other, it was a basis to
justify the North Waziristan operation. Just like a wise ruler invents enemies
and then slays them in order to control his own subjects, similarly, the
apparently counterproductive bombings, arrests, torture, kidnappings and
disappearances are intended not to eliminate the Islamic threat but to
contain it within manageable limits and to spawn the next generation of
terrorists.
Shireen M Mazari noted that there are certain questions that are
beginning to come to ones mind the more one sees targeted attacks
against the military in Islamabad. While soldiers and officials have been
targeted by the Taliban which has now become such an all-encompassing
category that it defies explanation and allows so many elements to exploit
the label for their own ends primarily in the areas of the ongoing military
operations, there is a new pattern that needs to be identified and discerned.
To begin with, is it simply a coincidence that the GHQ was targeted in the
immediate aftermath of the armys press release expressing concerns over
the then Kerry-Lugar Bill (now Act)? That attack effectively derailed the
debate going on in Parliament and allowed Shah Mahmood Qureshi to do his
Munich style appeasement and sell out the Pakistani nation to Washington.
The opposition got diverted and the formation of a strong resolution got lost
somewhere in the terrorism cloud. Soon after the GHQ attack, we saw
Brigadier Moins targeted killing in Islamabad and on 27th October another
Brigadier was targeted outside his home. Now both these attacks were not
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the usual Taliban-style terrorism and the young motorbike riders did not
look like the typical Taliban either according to eye witnesses. Then there
is the question of how they managed to disappear and remain hidden, even
though the police managed to get their pen sketches made. It is very easy to
slip into any of the 250-plus houses in the capital.
Linked to these questions is the claim made by the TTP that they had
carried out the GHQ attack. This is interesting because the TTP is the only
terrorist outfit that is not identified by name in the Kerry-Lugar Act.
We also know that the TTPs weapons are coming from Afghanistan and to
top it all off, the Pakistani nation and military have been shocked at the
US/NATO withdrawal from their check posts along the Afghan side of the
border with Pakistan immediately when the Pakistan Army began its fullscale action in South Waziristan. Given how the US had been pressuring
Pakistan into commencing this action, why would they then decide to vacate
their check posts and thereby create an enabling environment for arms flows
to the TTP? These are the questions that when linked up pinpoint to a
questionable US design vis--vis the Pakistan military.
However, there is also another link that needs to be highlighted.
That is the shenanigans, in Islamabad, of US diplomats What are these
diplomats doing carrying weapons to and from their embassy? Whom are
they delivering these weapons to and who are they taking these weapons
from? When linked to the illicit weapons caches of Inter-Risk and arms
licences being given to the US embassy without following proper
procedures, there is a very real issue about US involvement is questionable
covert actions in the capital and beyond. This becomes even more tenable
when one goes back to the Inter-Risk companys training of at least 200 exservicemen for the US, whom the US refused to hand over for questioning to
the Pakistani authorities and instead tucked them away in safe houses.
These trained guards were also supposed to have been given some of the
illicit weapons.
Finally, returning to the attack on GHQ, the attackers were not
random militants but well-trained men also adept in deception,
especially their leader, Aqeel alias Dr Usman, who almost got away by
mingling with the crowd after the siege had ended but for a guard who
recognized him and hit him from behind.
Given the serious concerns that are only growing over what exactly
the US is up to, especially with some journalists like SFA Shah from
Peshawar facing life threats from US operatives in the city, it is the time the

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state sought to re-examine the multidimensional terrorist threats emanating

from different sources. Only when we are clear about whom we are
contending with on different fronts, can we formulate effective policies to
fight the threats. It is a dangerous reductionism to simply lay every act of
violence and terror at the doorstep of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. Even here,
which Taliban group are we talking about? The US has mesmerized the
Pakistani state into simplifying everything and thereby glossing over the
American game plan in this region, especially vis--vis Pakistan. For this
naivet we are continuing to pay a heavy price, not only in lives lost but in
institutions undermined.
Next day, The Nation commented on Hillarys visit. Hillary Clintons
visit has not brought anything new for the Pakistani people. In fact, the visit
seems like a PR exercise but who will buy what the US is selling is
difficult to imagine, beyond the already complaint government.
Unfortunately, she began her visit with the usual targeting of Pakistans
nuclear arsenal by declaring how worried the US was about nuclear-armed
terrorists and proliferation. Now if that was really the case the US would
hasten to shore up its own rather weak command and control mechanisms,
given how its nuclear weapons have a tendency to going missing and are
discovered on their air force planes without any authorization. As for
proliferation, after the US-India nuclear accord, the US itself stands guilty of
breaching the NPT; and there is continuing proliferation from the US to
Israel that no one seems prepared to discuss. She also wants Pakistan to
work with the US on the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty despite the fact that
Pakistan has serious reservations on the US draft, which needs to put
Pakistan at a permanent disadvantage to India in terms of fissile material.
But what was worse was the rather obvious effort by the US
Secretary of State to send some sort of a message to the Pakistani
military, not only through her nuclear diatribe but also her overuse of the
democracy reference! In terms of concrete offerings, there seemed little
beyond some 10,000 tube wells, although usual promises of working for
development and so on were there! Unfortunately, our Foreign Minister
seems so beholden to the Americans that he goes into a spasmodic mode of
gratitude in their company and yesterday was no different. He declared the
US a great friend of Pakistan but refused to demand of this friend that it
stop the flow of weapons coming to the TTP from Afghanistan. Given that
the Peshawar blast had occurred before the joint press conference, it did not
become our Foreign Minister not to have raised this crucial issue. After all,

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post-9/11 there is a terrorist incident every 40 hours in NWFP and this

cannot happen without the supply of weapons and money from Afghanistan.
On our energy problem, Ms Clinton merely declared that the US is
committed to addressing the issue; but if its way of dealing with it is to
demand that we end subsidies and abandon the Iran pipeline project then we
are better off without their help. If the US is serious it should sign an Indialike civil nuclear deal with Pakistan but who out of the present leadership
will demand this and stick to it? And that is the problem with Pakistans US
relationship. The US approach towards Pakistan was summed up in the
visual of Holbrooke slumped in his chair, chewing gum nonchalantly in the
talks. After all, they have what they want from Pakistan. Our tragedy is
that amongst all the US-groveling, there is no one left to speak for
Pakistan.
Azam Khalil wrote: Recently several important members of the US
administration have been seriously considering recommendations of a think
tank that has recommended that the Americans should fight a bigger war
than the one it is currently engaged in, in Iraq or Afghanistan, if it wants
to revive its sinking economy. The recommendations have relied on the
established fact that it was the American economy which earned more than a
trillion dollars after the Second World War and gained global dominance
after achieving so much of economic muscle. It was on this premise that the
American policy makers were entrenched and were doing everything in their
command to encourage and prop up the Indians; and, that, they felt could
only be done if they put Pakistan in a position where it was left with no
choice but to accept Indian dominance in this region.
To achieve this strategic goal the Americans have not hesitated to
once again play foul with this country and that has resulted in creating a
seriously awkward position for the democratic forces in Pakistan. The
American policy makers must understand that by penalizing Pakistan
they may never achieve any advantage that they are pursuing at present. In
case Pakistan is further weakened and its armed forces do not command the
full support of the people of this country, time may soon run out for the
Americans and the extremist elements may get an opportunity to capture
power that could lead to catastrophic consequences not only in this strategic
region of the world. An extremist government in Pakistan could well become
a serious threat to the peace of the world, which will not serve any purpose
for anyone least of all the Americans.

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It would therefore be advisable that the Americans follow an even

handed policy vis--vis Pakistan and India; that can only be done if Pakistan
has a strong economy and vibrant armed forces. A stable Pakistan would
be in the interest of the international community and therefore trying to
damage or weaken Pakistan would be counterproductive and create a
situation that could become extremely dangerous not only for this region but
for the entire world. One hopes that the Americans stop playing tricks with
Pakistan and use their influence to stop the flow of money and arms from
Afghanistan into the Northern Areas of this country. the Americans must
also pressurize India to stop stoking the fires of insurgency in Balochistan
and force them to accept the United Nations resolutions on the Kashmir
issue; otherwise this region will continue to be a boiling pot with its chances
of overflowing becoming greater with each passing day.
Chris Floyd commented on drone warfare. I have often admired Jane
Mayers reportage. She has helped expose several elements of the dark side
of Americas worldwide Terror War. Her latest article in the New Yorker
outlines the CIAs use of Predator drones to kill people by remote control
in Pakistan. As the magazine notes, the Obama Administration is relying
on these covert drone killers more and more, as it escalates Americas
military attacks in Pakistan ostensibly a sovereign nation allied to the
United States.
Mayers article relates a chilling story of suburban killers many of
them stateside, firing their missiles from comfortable cubicles before
heading home for dinner with the family operating in a secret program
outside all traditional lines of legality and accountability. For example,
part of the program has been outsourced to private companies, who are
killing people including hundreds of innocent civilians for profit, with
American tax money.
American officials defied all the arguments related to illegality and
morality of the drone warfare and instead pointed out another set of
sufferers. Floyd wrote: the interviewer and Mayer focus on one set of
victims who are genuinely suffering from the drone program: the brave
suburban warriors sitting on their well-wadded behinds in cozy offices and
well-appointed command centres as they push a button and blow up a house,
a street, a village: You mention in your piece that drone pilots, who work
from an office, suffer from combat stress.
Someone sitting at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, can view
and home in on a target on the other side of the world with tremendous

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precision, even at night, and destroy it. Peter Singer, who wrote a book on
robotic warfare, said that cubicle warriors experience the same stress as
regular warriors in a real war. Detached killing still takes a tremendous
emotional toll inside our borders. Oh yes, may the Lord protect and
preserve all of our detached killers from the tremendous emotional toll
inflicted upon them by their noble work!
Again, the point here is that a truly serious and sophisticated analysis
of the situation would have stopped at the very beginning: We are killing
hundreds of innocent civilians, with robots, in a country were not at war
with one of our allies, in fact. What in the name of all thats holy and
all thats human is driving our nation to commit these monstrous crimes,
and how can we stop it? That would be the issue under discussion. A truly
and sophisticated analysis would not accept the hideous assertions and
assumptions of state terrorists at face value, would not itself with the
process by which imperial factions fight it out for the honour of
perpetrating these atrocities and would certainly not offer as its conclusion
the earnest hope that the authors of these war crimes will find some way of
doing them better. What would the outlines of a more transparent drone
program look like?
Michael Walzer, the political philosopher, has noted that when the
United States goes about killing people, we usually know who they can kill
and where the battlefield is. International lawyers are calling for a public
revelation of who is on this list, where can we go after them, and how many
people can we take out with them. They want to know the legal, ethical
and political boundaries of the program.
International lawyers want to know just how many people we can
take out when we launch missile attacks in civilian areas. Our political
philosophers want to know the ethical boundaries of assassinating
someone who is suspected of being part of a group that our government
currently does not like or find useful for its purposes. This program of
systematic extrajudicial murder and mass slaughter of innocent civilians
often by private contractors whose profits depend on war and death raises
interesting legal questions, Mayer says. Such are the depraved parameters
within which our most serious and sophisticated indeed, our most
liberal and progressive political analysis now takes place.
On 30th October, The Nation commented: It is a moment to ponder on
the insensitivity of the Pakistani leadership that it failed to observe a sense

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of mourning over the Peshawar carnage with its official banqueting on

Wednesday. But the leadership has never been overly sensitive to the people,
except perhaps at election time. However, the US Secretary of State could
have been more responsive to the tragedy since she was on a major PR
exercise targeting the people of Pakistan. Yet, despite the tragic shadow of
the Peshawar carnage, Ms Clinton has continued with what is now
clearly solely a PR exercise aimed at winning over hearts and minds; but
with what? A few sanitized meetings with selected media people, students
and the right civil society members?
And let us not forget the photo ops at the correct religious symbols
Sufisms Bari Imam and the historic Lahore symbol, Badshahi Mosque.
Clearly the US does not understand the Pakistani nation, which is neither
purchasable nor so gullible. Just because Ms Clinton declares that she likes
Pakistani food, or visits a Sufi shrine will hardly endear the US and make
up for the loss of Pakistani lives in drone attacks; nor will it make us
forget the present quagmire we have become stuck in as a result of this war
on terror which has unleashed a rein of terror on the Pakistani people across
the whole country.
There are, therefore, core issues of contention, if not outright conflict,
between the US and the Pakistani nation at least, if not the leadership.
Unfortunately, Ms Clinton chose to remain silent on them when they
were raised even in the sanitized settings for her. For instance, on the
drone attacks, she declared she did not want to get into it. Earlier she had
stated that in a war weapons like drones are used but she should have
realized that one uses these against an enemy state not against an allied
states territory!
Again, when asked about the illegal activities of US diplomats in the
capital she simply declared she did not know anything of this. Now given
that all US diplomats come under the State Department and Ms Clinton is
the Secretary of State, it is astonishing to find that she was ignorant on what
has become a major diplomatic issue in Pakistan. All in all, if Ms Clinton
really wants to win over the Pakistani nation to thinking positively about the
US, she will have to tackle these contentious issues as well as stop the
diatribes and warnings regarding our nukes.
In another editorial it talked about IDPs. The IDPs from South
Waziristan have not attracted the media attention that is their due. It is
not that the newspapers and TV channels lack the interest. What has actually
happened is that the government has banned the entry of journalists in the

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war-zone. They are not even allowed to venture beyond D I Khan, ostensibly
for security reasons. Put simply, this amounts to curbing freedom of the
Press.
But the result is pretty obvious. The refugees who are trapped and
those feeling South Waziristan are being neglected despite the fact that their
misery is as deep as the IDPs from Swat. Relief and rescue efforts in D I
Khan beggars description. The Rs2.5 billion announced by Federal
Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira are but peanuts when compared with the
real disaster Likewise, reports of mounting civilian casualties resulting
from indiscriminate aerial attacks are also rife. This raises a big question
mark on the militarys strategy. They should have thought a good deal before
opening up a front the size of South Waziristan.
Next day, the newspaper added: If Secretary Hillary Clinton
suspected Pakistan hiding the truth about al-Qaeda, she would have known
by the time she left for home that those with whom she had interacted here
has not been so enamored of her rationalization of questionable deals
between the two governments. They had been, in fact, put off by her
evasiveness when confronted with questions of concern to them and
doubted her explanation in equal measure.
Imagine as high a US official as Secretary of State visiting a frontline
state in the war on terror, who is unfailingly kept abreast of important
developments by the vast official propaganda machinery! And then imagine
Ms Clinton being unaware of the incident of US diplomats caught roaming
around with arms She must have felt embarrassed while pleading
ignorance, no doubt, though schooled in diplomatic norms first as the First
Lady and now as the top US diplomat she managed to hide embarrassment
well. But she must have felt that her remarks cut no ice with the audience.
The same story would hold good for her assurances that the Kerry-Lugar Act
did not impinge on Pakistans sovereignty.
When Secretary Clinton met PML-N leadership, including Mian
Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif and Chaudhry Nisar Ali
Khan, during her visit to Lahore on Thursday, she found the discussion
centering round Washingtons disregard of Pakistani nations sensitivities.
Be it the drone attacks that callously destroy innocent lives, occasionally
taking out an al-Qaeda operative, or the humiliating conditionalities of the
Kerry-Lugar Act, or be it the loose canon Xe Worldwide (Blackwater) and
its sudsidiaries all reflect painful onslaught on Pakistans sovereignty.
In the face of stark facts, her denials just did not work. Apart from

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expressing reservations on these issues, which Mian Nawaz asked Ms

Clinton to remove, he also drew her attention towards President Obamas
thesis (now lying buried under the Indian pressure) that peace in South Asia
hinges on a just solution of the Kashmir dispute.
However, if she had thought that at some forum at least she would
run into people on the same wavelength as the US policymakers, she was up
for a bitter disappointment. The businessmen Ms Clinton met at Governor
House Lahore had their own grievances about accessing the US market. Her
recipe for Pakistan economys fast growth by opening up trade with India
was not so appetizing for them. Looking at the objective of removing
misconceptions of Pakistanis for which Secretary Hillary Clinton had taken
the trouble of coming here, one cannot help feeling that it was an abortive
exercise and she went away fully conscious of that failure.
Inayatullah observed: Interesting that there is no clear American
policy for Afghanistan yet an announcement is expected after November
07 re-run elections an elaborate policy and programme for tightening
control over Pakistan has not only been designed and announced but
also legislated. Noteworthy indeed, that the pliant government of the day
has already welcomed it; also that a well designed public diplomacy
onslaught has been launched with the first salvo in the guise of Hillarys
fairly successful charm offensive.
Does the opposition have the imagination, intelligence and guts to
take up the whole question of a review of Pakistan-US relations, in the
Parliament and outside? Does it have the will and resources to mount a
public diplomacy programme in USA to effectively communicate the
feelings, thinking, concerns and expectations of the people of Pakistan? Will
the media and the civil society take the lead to influence the government and
the opposition to rethink our foreign relations and redesign a foreign policy,
which protects and promotes our real national interests?
On 1st November, Jalees Hazir wrote: Did the US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton really think that she could win the hearts and minds of the
Pakistani people with her glib talk and fake honesty? Anyone half as
intelligent as her should have known that it would take more than that to
douse the fire of the anti-US sentiment spreading in the streets of the country
shed come to charm. After all, how could the US hope to turn the page on
its relations with Pakistan without reformulating its flawed policy and
affecting changes on the ground on issues that have earned it hostility in the
first place?

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Apparently Ms Clinton had thought it would suffice to give audience

to different sections of the society and repeat the hypocritical and hollow
pronouncements of friendship and her administrations good intentions
She had nothing substantial to say on issues that needed to be addressed
most urgently. When asked about the drone attacks, she refused to comment
on any particular tactic or technology used by the US in the ongoing war
Her responses to other questions agitating the minds of Pakistanis were
equally unconvincing
Her arrogance is not entirely misplaced, as so far her administration
has had to deal with only servile representatives of the puppet government
managed for it by President Zardari. Yet it is surprising that she did not have
sense enough to realize the difference between the government
representatives, who seem to have sold out, not only their hearts and minds,
but also their souls to her administration, and the politically alive media and
civil society that shed come to win over. With her experience she should
have known that already weakened by a brief that lacked substance, her
arrogance was unlikely to win her any converts. Obviously, her trip was
a PR disaster.
To be fair to her, any other person in her shoes would have fared as
badly. After all, it is impossible to sell an unchanged US agenda in the
region to Pakistani citizens, even with the most delicious sugar-coating. The
US might have a pliant government based in the presidency to help it in its
imperial designs, but everything else in cotemporary Pakistan is going
against it. The strength of Pakistans civil society and important institutions
offer hope for an independent polity geared towards guarding the interests of
Pakistani citizens. Rather than fighting the change, it is advisable for the
US to listen to its rumblings and embrace it
So far, Ms Clinton and her administration have refused to read the
signs and continue to tread the path of their predecessors. Even their
response to the reaction against the Kerry-Lugar-Berman Act betrays a
propensity to continue with their policies while hoping to manage the public
opinion in Pakistan through meaningless actions, like the explanatory note
added to the Act and Ms Clintons high-profile PR exercise. Given Ms
Clintons vast experience as a democrat, one hopes that her experience here
would result in appropriate inputs in the reformation of policy currently
underway in the White House, so that the next time she comes around to win
the hearts and minds of Pakistans politically aware citizens she has
more than gloss to offer them.

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Dr Haider Mehdi commented: Has the entire Pakistani leadership

(save for Imran Khan, a few political analysts and the electronic media) gone
blind not to notice that the proxy war on behalf of the US is being
unleashed on its own people, on its own soil, against its own kith and
kin? Why has the word kill become part of the establishments daily
vocabulary and a common usage in our ruling elites regular political
discourse? Why are we bombing our own villages and human dwellings?
Why are we not pursuing peace negotiations? Why are we engaging our
military at such a level of war footing?
The nation will now allow the political ruling pundits to bring
this country to a political abyss where begging becomes the national
modus operandi for survival. Let it be understood, this nation is not for sale,
nor will it compromise its dignity and self-respect this warning is equally
directed at the ruling class in Pakistan as well as at their patrons, the US and
Europes political establishments.
Haider Mehdi listed ten points which must be clearly understood in
this context. These are reproduced in brief as follows:
The insurgency in Afghanistan and Pakistan is a direct result of
US-NATO occupation of Afghanistan.
The fundamental question that needs to be asked and responded to
with absolute clarity by the US-NATO is: why are they in
Afghanistan? Why are drone attacks being carried out in Pakistani
territory?
We need to separate fiction from reality: not a single Afghani,
Pakistani, Pathan, Punjabi, Sindhi, Balochi, or for that matter
Muslim political outfit, was involved in the 9/11 attackthen why
are Afghani and Pakistani people militarily and politically targeted
by the US-NATO alliance?
9/11 was an inside job disguised as a pretext to attack Iraq and
Afghanistan. Bush had planned a military invasion of Iraq months
ahead of 9/11.
The US lied to the entire international community about Iraqs
WMDs prior to its military invasion. We must also be mindful that
it was not the first time that the US lied to invade a foreign country.

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 The entire US-Western perspective that the so-called terrorists in

Afghanistan and Pakistan can or will manage terrorist attacks
against their countries is pure myth.
Osama is also a myth, kept alive as a symbolic slogan to make the
American people remain on war footing and hate the entire Muslim
World.
Obama is a warmonger and will continue to be so. His peace
credentials are also a myth.

The American-Western political establishments are full of hopeless

contradictions,
hypocrisy,
self-justifications
and
selfaggrandizements in their inter-state political discourse with nonWhite nations.

The US-Western leadership is hopelessly irrational, unfair,

deceptive and decisively selfish and egocentric in its geo-political
relationship with the Third World.
The Pakistani leadership needs to do the following urgently:
An unequivocal demand to end the US-NATO-India occupation of
Afghanistan. Once the occupation ends, the insurgency will end.
An end to the present status quo of Pakistan-US-Western politicoeconomic alliance including the fundamentals of military
engagement on the so-called War on Terror.
An urgent need to give peace a chance peace dialogue with
estranged groups in Swat and the rest of the country.
But foremost and above all, the ultimate acts of sagacious virtuosity
to save the nation will come only by a serious, selfless and in-depth
reflection of their own political behaviour by the Pakistani ruling elite and
making necessary changes in their narcotic opiate mindsets. They have no
other choice: the Pakistani people are not going to take it anymore.
Next day, The Nation wrote: The military, while it continues with its
inroads into the area, should also be attempting to not only divide the
militants but also seek the opening of a dialogue with those who are
prepared to lay down their arms and accept the writ of the State. This
will not only isolate the diehard militants from their support bases but will
also reduce the casualties on both sides, as well as amongst the trapped
civilians. After all, army action is never an end in itself but has to be
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followed by political strategy for peace to be restored in a lasting fashion.

However, perhaps the most urgent need for wrapping up the military action
quickly is to prevent the army from getting bogged down in a sort of
entrenched warfare a la the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
A most disturbing factor has been the new US demand on the
Pakistan military to expand Operation Rah-e-Nijat into a multidimensional
operation expanding into Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan as well.
Clearly, the US would like to keep our military stretched for its own
purposes. The US also cannot be ignorant of the underlying suspicions the
Baloch harbour towards any form of military action. So why would they
deliberately want to create greater civil-military cleavages in Pakistan,
unless that has been their intent all along. This is one of the most
compelling reasons why the Pakistan military cannot allow itself to be
caught in any prolonged military action within the country. If the US realizes
the need to talk to the good Taliban, why should the Pakistani state not
open dialogue with those who want to talk; while the externally supported
militants are exposed for what they are: paid mercenaries targeting the
Pakistani nation.
As Obama Administration kept dragging its feet on announcing its
new strategy for the war of necessity in Afghanistan debate on the
justification of occupation of an ungovernable country continued. The policy
or strategy was expected to be announced after re-run of presidential polls.
Eric Margolis commented on the presidential polls. Washington just
arm-twisted Karzai into agreeing to a run-off vote that will likely be as
bogus as the last one. In Afghanistan, ethnicity and tribe trump everything
else. Karzai is a Pashtun, but has almost no roots in tribal politics.
The suave Abdullah, who is also in Washingtons pocket, is half
Pashtun, half Tajik. But he is seen as a Tajik who speaks for this ethnic
minority which detests and scorns the majority Pashtun. Tajiks will vote for
Abdullah, Pashtun will not. If the US manages to force Abdullah into a
coalition with Karzai, Pashtun 55% of the population wont back
the new regime which many Afghans will see as western yes-men and
Tajik-dominated.
Abdullah also has some very unsavory friends from the north:
Former Afghan Communist Party bigwigs Mohammad Fahim and Uzbek
warlord Rashid Dostam both major war criminals. Behind them stand the
Tajik Northern Alliance and resurrected Afghan Communist Party, both
funded by Russia and backed by Iran and India.
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Ironically, the US is now closely allied with the Afghan Communists

and fighting its former Pashtun allies from the 1980s anti-Soviet struggle.
Most North Americans have no idea they are now backing Afghan
Communists and the men who control most of Afghans booming drug
trade. If Hamid Karzai really wants to establish himself as an authentic
national leader, he should demand the US and NATO withdraw their
occupation forces and let Afghans settle their own disputes in traditional
ways.
Michael OHanlon expressed his views on Abdullahs boycott of
runoff polls. If, as reported, Abdullah Abdullahpulls out the race, it
will be a major mistake. Karzais re-election will then be generally
considered legitimate despite Abdullahs protestations even though the
legitimacy he gains in the process will be somewhat tainted by Abdullahs
decision. But the latter amounts more to a concession than a principled
stand. While Karzai has many other things to do to gain legitimacy, mostly
in the area of governance, he will have done enough to be seen as the
rightfully re-elected president of the country.
Abdullahs complaint is that some members of one of Afghanistans
independent election boards are too friendly with Karzai, and thus not
trustworthy as arbiters of the election outcome. On the merits of the
argument, he may have at least a partial point. But the other election board is
by all accounts reputable and the two of them together, aided by the
international community, ultimately returned some rigor and reason to the
first round of the presidential race. They found evidence of fraud and
stuffing of ballot boxes and threw out lots of votes as a result. It was this
good and honorable work that led to the situation where the November 7
run-off was needed...
On balance, the Afghan election process while ugly and far from
perfect has been a glass 52 percent full. Yet Abdullah, sensing inevitable
defeat perhaps, has refused to see it that way. Most expected that Karzai
would win around 60 percent of the vote in the runoff; Abdullah, knowing
he has almost no chance, has instead apparently decided to make himself a
political martyr. But that decision hurts Afghans young democracy more
than is warranted by the circumstances. President Karzai is hardly out of the
woods. The crisis of legitimacy he faces among his fellow Afghans
remains, due to poor governance more than electoral fraud.
Arif Ayub wrote: What makes the problem even worse is that,
besides the deficiencies in the overall strategy identified in General

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McChrystals report, the US has failed to find credible and capable

interlocutors who could communicate and interact with the majority of
Pashtun population. McChrystals report does not even mention the
problem of ethnicity. The result has been a vacuum in the Pashtun areas and
the Taliban have taken advantage of this alienation of the majority
population by chennalizing popular grievances to the advantage of their
movement. Their armed struggle for the last 30 years, under Nabi
Muhammadis Harkat and their alliance with Haqqani and Yunas Khalis (and
now his son), have enabled them to plant deep roots in Pashtun society and
protect themselves as genuine representatives of popular resentments.
Buoyed by their recent success the Taliban are displaying their
unusual bravado and over-confidence by refusing to negotiate with President
Karzai or the US, despite their efforts to reach out to the reconcilable
elements in the Taliban. The US surge in Afghanistan may provide some
breathing space but, as during the Soviet occupation, the second Afghan
conflict so far has all the aspects of a guerrilla war which experience has
shown ends in success for the guerrillas. Statistics, while important, are
not sufficient in resolving what essentially is a complex political,
economic and social issue.
The US military, political and economic policies have so far proved
to be inadequate to deal with the problem, so it is doubtful if a mere increase
in numbers would be the answer. The McChrystal report mentions the
importance of regional influences in determining events in Afghanistan but
fails to make a concrete recommendation in this regard. What might be more
beneficial would be a renewal of the 6+2 framework of the nineties, under
which the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan plus the US and Russia,
would meet regularly in order to try and stabilize the situation. The Afghan
problem is too complicated for the US to resolve alone.
I M Mohsin observed: Shorn of party politics, the fact remains that
Afghanistan is turning into a quagmire for the US with the Taliban gaining a
distinct upper hand since 2006. The ground realities appear to have become
more depressing with the order of a run-off on November 07 of the
presidential election in the aftermath of a rather disreputable exercise held in
August. General McChrystal, who replaced McKiernan, has put up a new
strategy to reverse the situation in Afghanistan. He was advised by General
Petraeus to define the goal and link the strategy of the same. In sum, the
general wants more troops to be able to follow new tactics for winning the
hearts and minds of the people. This is to be achieved by shifting the focus
from force protection to providing security to the Afghans. It also
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expects greater interaction between the troops and the people in their lingo
to foster goodwill.
The White House is currently seized of this vital problem. President
Obama forced a run-off on Karzai to give the election process some
respectability besides improving the image of the winner. If the Taliban are
not able to repeat their attacks like it happened in August, some good may be
the result thereof. Obama has been having feverish consultations with his
security officials to finalize the new strategy to be followed in Afghanistan.
As is well known, the Democrats are divided on the matter. Joe Biden
wants reducing US involvement but would like to resort to extensive drone
attacks on the insurgents to cripple their fighting capacity. Secretary Defence
Gates is also wary of increasing US footprints in Afghanistan, perhaps being
conscious of its history. The Republicans, generally, want to win the war at
all costs despite having failed themselves since 2001. As usual, a certain
lobby arranged leaks through The Washington Post to pressurize the
president who had to advise caution to all concerned. The people appear to
be getting fed up with a war which portends danger and defeat for the US.
Nathan Freier, Maren Leed and Rick Nelson wrote: The utility of the
Iraq surge as a model is predicated on the assumption that it actually worked
from a strategic standpoint. This is the most fundamental flaw in the proAfghan surge logic. History is still being written in Iraq. Therefore, we
should be cautious about prematurely declaring strategic victory over what
in hindsight may come to be seen as US tactical and operational success
squandered by Iraqi political intransigence.
In the end, what the US surge in Iraq did not do was lead Iraq
toward the kind of sweeping political reconciliation that guarantees its
future success. The security increases were a step along the road to greater
stability, and it remains to be seen how far down this path Iraq will progress.
The story as to whether subsequent political, economic, and social actions
created a sustainable foundation for Iraq, consistent with our national
objectives, is still unfolding. Judging the ultimate outcome of our actions
there will take time. The known known is that we are on a path to leave
Iraq having expended a great deal of US blood and treasure. The known
unknown is how the 2007 surge contributed to the long-term stability and
political viability of Iraq and the region as a whole into the future. Therefore,
its validity as a success to emulate in Afghanistan should be scrutinized
intensely.

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Fiaz Rehman observed: This week after losing almost two dozen US
troops in Afghanistan and a senior US diplomats unprecedented public
resignation with a four-page demoralizing explanation, President Obama
faced a military audience and told the anxious soldiers that he would not
rush the solemn decision of sending you into harms way. He added: I
wont risk your lives unless it is absolutely necessary. Just a year after
uttering the fateful words of the war of necessity before the cheering
voters, the supreme commander is not so sure of the degree of the
necessity of the war. His former rival and now a close confidante, Vice
President Joe Biden, has openly opposed any surge and given overt support
to the liberals who have called for a timeline for a withdrawal from
Afghanistan, including to his former colleague Senator Russ Feingolds
similar demand on the Senate floor.
Mathew Hoh, one of the bravest sons of the soil, a decorated marine,
a highly praised State Department senior official, in his highly publicized
resignation letter and media interviews much to the chagrin of the
administration has asked Americans to oppose the war in Afghanistan as, I
feel that our strategies in Afghanistan are not pursuing goals that are worthy
of sacrificing our young men and women or spending the billions were
doing there. The following passage from Mr Hohs resignation letter is a
must read which many in the region will find intriguing.
I find suspicious the reasons we ask for bloodshed and sacrifice from
our young men and women in Afghanistan. If honest, our stated strategy of
securing Afghanistan to prevent al-Qaeda resurgence or regrouping would
require us to additionally invade and occupy western Pakistan, Somalia,
Sudan, Yemen, etc. Our presence in Afghanistan has only increased
destabilization and insurgency in Pakistan where we rightly fear a toppled or
weakened Pakistani government may lose control of its nuclear weapons.
However, again, to follow the logic of our stated goals we should garrison
Pakistan, not Afghanistan. More so, the September 11th attacks, as well as the
Madrid and London bombings, were primarily planned and organized in
Western Europe; a point that highlights that the threat is not one tied to
traditional geographic or political boundaries.
Victor Sebestyen opined: There are many in Washington now calling
on President Obama to cut his losses and find an exit strategy from
Afghanistan. Even if he agreed, it may not be an easy business. When
Mikhail Gorbachev became Soviet leader in March 1985 he called
Afghanistan our bleeding wound. He declared that ending the war was his
top priority. But he could not do it without losing face.
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The Nation observed: By any reckoning, the scenario is daunting.

Barrack Obama spends long hours taxing the minds of his aides and his own
mind to figure out how best to get out of the mess. Should he positively
respond to General McChrystals SOS for 40,000 more troops that, the
commander believes, would wrest the initiative from the Taliban? But how
would he counter the US citizens resentment that must grow in proportion
to the number of deaths in the battlefield and the agony of the survivors? He
calls upon his lieutenants to give other options on the troop level, but the
Republican side puts the blame on him for dithering. Dick Cheney feels
little qualms for the deepening Afghan quagmire that he is largely
responsible for creating and does not hesitate to point a finger at the
President for indecision. Obviously, he would blame inadequate
commitment if the mess were to lead to another Vietnam, something Obama
would not like to happen on his watch. The way out is not clear but it is
difficult to imagine anything other than packing up and going home.
Managing it honourably would call for the best in President Obamas
political far-sightedness.
Li Qinggong talked about Chinas stance on Afghanistan. The US-led
war may probably prove to be a never-to-be-won. The erstwhile Soviet
Union once had a 10-year-long war in the Islamic nation and finally ended
up with withdrawal of its troops. Since the end of World War II, the US has
launched a total, of four wars in Asia, from the Korean Peninsula and
Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan. The failure the US suffered in the other
three battlefields indicates that withdrawal of its troops is possibly the best
choice for the US to get out of the Afghanistans quagmire. However, both
the former US administration of Bush and incumbent Barack Obamas think
the other way.
It is Chinas consistent stance that the Afghanistan issue should be
resolved in a peaceful manner and it only pursues cooperation with other
countries under this precondition. As a neighbour of Afghanistan, China is
willing to cooperate with the US, the initiator of the war, on the premise
that the US withdraws its troops from the country and return its people
peace.
Also, China and the US could play a more active role and push
for convening an international conference on Afghanistan to help the
parties concerned sign a peace accord and include the countrys security and
stability in the framework of the UN Security Council.

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Theodore Sorensen wrote: US leaders say we must win to establish

sufficient control in Afghanistan to prevent our enemies from ever again
meeting to plan, plot, and train anywhere in that vast, ungovernable country.
Every bomb we drop, antagonizing more civilians, makes that goal
unrealizable. The main al-Qaeda forces have already left Afghanistan
why have not we? The cost of Afghanistan in American lives and dollars
has steadily risen to the point where the American people, as LBJ discovered
regarding Vietnam, want no more. I erred in predicting at the outset of this
essay that Afghanistan could become, in the future, Obamas Vietnam. If
hawkish advisers prevail, that will quickly become true.
Khalid Iqbal talked of Indian influence: Indianiztion of Afghanistan
is proceeding on a fast pace. Though initial entry was made under the garb
of development works and services, proliferation into other domains has
been pretty fast. Purpose built consulates all along our Afghanistan border
are the bastion of projecting Indias state-sponsored separatist and terrorist
activities. Evidence of Indian involvement in supporting the extremists in
cash and kind is snowballing.
India is also working hard to get a toehold for stationing its military
contingent in Afghanistan. However, this government-to-government unholy
alliance is short-lived. The man sitting in the presidential palace does not
command and control the hearts and minds of the Afghan public at large.
People of Afghanistan have begun to view the Indian presence as an
appendage of occupation forces. Hence, if ever the Americans decide to
depart, Indians would, by default, inherit the wrath of a common
Afghan, not an easy thing to tackle.
The Nation commented on murder of Minister for Education of
Balochistan. Our enemies outside are feeding this terrorism in
Balochistan and exploiting the peoples resentment towards the state. Kabul
continues to house the militant leadership. A critical question our leaders
should pose to the US is why it, as the major occupation force in
Afghanistan, is unable or unwilling to prevent the militants from using
Afghanistan for launching of operations against Pakistan? Or is it a
deliberate policy of the US to keep Balochistan destabilized, so as to hinder
cooperative ventures like the Iran-Pakistan pipeline to be operationalized;
and also to allow themselves space for launching terrorism through
Jundullah into Irans Siestan Province?
The fact of the matter is that Balochistan presents a far graver
problem than FATA in terms of Pakistans future security and integrity.
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Because the terrorism and militancy in Balochistan is more targeted and

focused on security personnel, strategic plants and those seen as government
collaborators, national focus remains diverted to the more sensational nondiscriminatory and more lethal killings through suicide bombings and bomb
blasts that are thought to emanate from the Taliban militants of FATA. But
the fast-paced alienation of the Baloch from the state of Pakistan requires a
rapid politico-economic response from the state.
By allowing ourselves to be diverted to FATA under the usual
pressure from the US, we are tending to ignore the Balochistan problem
even as external forces are exploiting this situation and giving ample succour
to the militants who they hope will ignite the fissiparous tendencies within
the province. It is time the state offered to welcome back the Prodigal
Balochs who are prepared to accept the state and negotiate with it. It is time
the green and white crescent and star flew all over Pakistani Balochistan
again and was raised across the province by the people of the land itself.

REVIEW
About four decades ago the founder father of Pakistan Peoples Party,
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, whom jiyalas of PPP prefer to call Shaheed, made a
promise with the people of Pakistan that he would provide them rotti, kapra
and makan. He and his daughter were elected to power twice each, but the
promise remained unfulfilled, because according to them, the supply was
interdicted by the military dictators.
Two years ago, ZABs daughter another Shaheed like her father
made a promise with the Americans for facilitating a deal with Musharraf to
allow her return to Pakistan and contest general elections and subsequently
team up with the dictator as prime minister so that she could fulfill her
promise. That promise was to deliver on Americas war on terror far better
than what Musharraf had done.
She was killed or martyred by murderers who were yet to be
named before she could deliver. This provided an opportunity to her
husband to prove to the world that he had the ability to deliver what had
been conceived by her wife. And, he did that remarkably well.
In about a year in the Presidency, Zardari has more than doubled on
the successes of Musharraf achieved in seven years, at least in terms of
number of soldiers, civilians and militants killed. In the process he has not

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only earned rewards in the form of Kerry-Lugar Act, but also succeeded in
demonizing the militants.
Hillary Clintons visit to Pakistan seemed an acknowledgement of the
services rendered by the mercenary hired to replace Musharraf. She came to
tell the people of Pakistan that Zardaris services for the US were also quite
beneficial for Pakistan as well. They said she was on mission to charm them.
During the joint press conference Hillary seemed to have enjoyed
finding Pakistan in situation to her liking. She said assuringly to Shah
Mahmood that Pakistan was not alone in fighting the war on terror. It must
be recalled that it was the same war at the start of which the US had asked
Pakistan to allow use of its ground facilities and air space for Bushs holy
war on terror.
Eight years later, she traveled from other side of the globe to tell
Pakistan that it was not alone in fighting the war on terror. It would have
certainly pleased her immensely to hear Qureshi saying that for Pakistan
defeat was no option; the words Bush had uttered repeatedly. In three days
of hectic interaction not once she owned this war but repeatedly said that
we will help Pakistan in fighting its war on terror.
Hillary Clintons interaction with students in Lahore was an absurd
attempt of PR, despite the fact that regime had done an excellent work in
selecting the students for interaction with the Bibi Hillary. The accent in
which they asked questions left no doubt as which particular segment of the
society they represented. It was also revealing that some students were
balding before finishing their studies.
The questions asked by them also seemed to have been carefully
vetted. Most questions were aimed at projecting the close relationship
between Zardari and Obama regimes. Despite this careful scrutiny Clinton
found herself in embarrassing situation on more occasions than she might
have expected. Imagine what would have happened if there were some
students present in the gathering of Jamiat, which was holding a protest rally
against her visit?
There are two more points worth mention regarding Hillarys visit.
She twice slapped at the face of Zardari regime; once by saying that the
language of KL Act would have been different, if the debate had been held
earlier; secondly, just before her departure she asked the rulers to come out
of the safety of their palaces and meet the families of people who have laid
their lives. Surely, Zardari must have taken each of the slaps on his cheek as
a pat of love and affection.
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The other point relates to the impact her visit is likely to have on her
and Obamas perceptions about the performance of Zardari in the context of
improving the image of the US among people of Pakistan. She must have
noted that their puppet was highly unpopular and an unpopular puppet
cannot help improving the image of the master. Hence, the US may ask him
to either mend his ways or tell him to tighten screw around electronic media
which has polluted the minds of the Pakistanis.
2nd November 2009

NRO IS DEAD!
Of late Zardari and his team of law-breakers tested their skills in lawmaking. They taught the US Congressmen, who are themselves
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accomplished scoundrels, how to draft a law to tighten screw on Pakistan;

their own homeland. Pakistanis saw the foul play and booed the regime.
Foreign Minister Qureshi hopped around like a proverbial monkey.
After his last hop from Washington to Islamabad, he boastfully told peoples
representatives in National Assembly the story of his anaiyn-janiyan or dordhoop (running around). He also sung in praise of the Kerry-Lugar Law.
Many sitting in the House had their reservations, but the Speaker
commended Qureshis efforts by proroguing the session sine-die.
Encouraged by the successful tutoring of international bullies of
Capitol Hill, Zardari asked his men to go ahead and make a law that would
turn him and his team of criminals into gentlemen. But this could not be
done by proroguing the parliament; it had to be passed by the majority of
lawmakers sitting in the Parliament.
Zardaris legal advisers like Babar Awan had been assuring their boss
that such a law could be made. They, however, failed even tabling the
proposed law before the Parliament; yet they did not seem embarrassed at
all. Like hardened criminals who are never embarrassed eating hundred
onions or hundred blows of leather sole, Zardaris team of scoundrels got
down to planning yet another feat.

NEWS
The court accepted the apology of 42 judges on 13th October. The 14member Supreme Court bench dismissed petitions of PCO judges, who
sought review of July 31 verdicts. The government tabled 26 ordinances of
Musharraf era in the Senate; NRO was not included.
Next day, Zardari once again postponed decision on the fate of local
bodies. Memberships of Faisal Saleh Hayat and Jamshaid Dasti were
suspended for a day and for entire current session respectively for using
abusive language in the House. On 15th October, it was reported that sugar
prices were likely to rise to Rs60 per kg against the court orders.
The government tabled the controversial NRO before both houses of
law-makers amid slogans of shame, shame. A few days back Attorney
General Latif Khosa was quietly appointed as adviser to Prime Minister.
This change was not liked by Zardari but when he was informed that
Khosa had deen taking bribes from various people in the name of judges Mr
Ten Percent kept quiet.
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The Supreme Court again asked the government to ensure sugar price
at Rs40 per kg, but it went missing from markets with the government least
pushed about the court orders. Punjab government informed the federal
government that sugar crisis could worsen in next three month; the warning
was based of the report of the experts.
On 17th October, Nawaz objected to presentation of NRO in the
Parliament. The SC was urged for taking suo moto notice of Latif Khosa
receiving bribes in the name of SC judges from the judges sacked as a result
of July 31 verdict. Inquiry report revealed that the Steel Mills suffered a loss
of more than Rs22 billion in year ending 30 th June. The Steel Mills chief was
sacked by the Prime Minister but corruption continued resulting in
additional loss of Rs6 billion.
On 19th October, Pervaiz Elahi visited Karachi and said PML-Q would
oppose NRO in and out of the Parliament. Next day, arrest warrants of
Hamesh Khan were issued through Interpol. The Chief Justice said he has
started receiving applications from those sentenced to death seeking
remission under the provisions of NRO. He added that this would create
serious problems for the judiciary. During hearing of the petroleum prices
case the CJP said that an array of taxes on oil was unjustified and the court
refused to endorse the pricing formula.
Latif Khosa appeared in the Supreme Court on 21 st October in a case
of corruption against him. He blamed the CJP for his removal. His request
for in-camera hearing was turned down but he was given two weeks to
prepare his reply. After the hearing Khosa recalled his contribution in
lawyers movement which resulted in restoration of the Chief Justice and his
Jiyala supporters chanted slogans in his favour.
On 22nd October, the Chief Justice again directed the government to
ensure sale of sugar at Rs40 per kg. Nawaz Sharif said one-man rule was
leading country to devastation and then accepted the invitation to attend a
dinner in Presidency. Next day, the Supreme Court set the deadline of
October 29 for the government and sugar owners to settle sugar price.
On 24th October, Chief Justice asked High Courts to monitor lower
courts output. Contempt of court notices were served to Salman Taseer and
LT Gen Muhammad Akram (Chancellor and VC UET Lahore) over a
petition filed by Assistant Registrar of the University.
On 26th October, Nawaz and Zardari met to discuss issues of national
importance; Gilani and Nisar were prominent absentees. In post-meeting
briefing Zafar-ul-Haq said PML-N requested early action on 17 th
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Amendment, NRO and KL Act were not mentioned at all and all other
national issues were discussed threadbare. Sheikh Rashid remarked Zardari
has administered a pill to Nawaz 11th time. Zardari, however, complained
about Nisar-Shahbaz secret meeting with the COAS.
Zardari presented a wooden piece of calligraphy as gift to Nawaz. The
verses chosen meant that Allah does not burden anyone more than his
capacity. The scoundrel used verses of Quraan for taunting; some rulers have
been doing that from the days of Yazid. In the US, Kerry said democracy in
Pakistan was facing numerous threats.
Next day, Dogar submitted his reply to contempt charges through his
lawyers Ahmed Raza Kasuri and Naeem Bokhari. Two petitions, one of
them challenging the constitutional position of the Chief Justice Iftikhar
Chaudhry, were also filed with the reply. In the evening, Dogar held an hourlong press conference to press home his viewpoint. It was a unique instance
where not a statement but a press conference was held to comment on a sub
judice case. Former Justice Hamid said all this has been done on the behest
of Zardari regime to undermine the credibility of the superior judiciary
before it dares taking up NRO case.
Forty-seven out of 65 PCO judges had either resigned or apologized
and the hearing of the contempt case against the remaining began. LHC
dismissed a petition against drone attacks. Election Commission suspended
membership of 68 parliamentarians for not filing their Income Tax returns.
Kaira said Zardari was willing to surrender some of his powers.
On 28th October, the Supreme Court returned two petitions of Dogar
on technical grounds. Hamid Khan Group swept Supreme Court Bar polls;
Qazi Anwer will be new president. Next day, hot words were exchanged
when discussion on NRO started in Standing Committee for Law and
Justice. PML-Q and PML-N demanded details of NRO beneficiaries. Fazl
said Nawaz Sharif also benefited from NRO. Chief Justice expressed
displeasure over the sugar price report presented by acting AG before the
bench; the court directed finance secretary to evolve consensus of all
stakeholders on sugar policy.
On 30th October, the standing committee of law and justice approved
the NRO Bill, after amending it so that it doesnt look a particular class
specific. The bill was approved on majority vote in which members of PMLN and PML-Q walked out and MQM and Riaz Fitiana did not vote. The lawmaking process began with a typical move having touch of Zardari; Chief
Justice was offered a plot but he rejected. Political observers noted that the
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bill would either cement the PPP-MQM relationship or break their marriage
of convenience. Imran Khan vowed to oppose NRO in courts and streets.
As directed by the court federal secretary submitted an accord reached
between the government and sugar mill owners. Mill owners had agreed to
sell 30 percent of the stocks at Rs40 per kg. A petition was filed in LHC
against Nawaz for meddling in Punjab governments affairs. Next day,
Nawaz Sharif regretted bulldozing of the NRO by the standing committee.
He vowed to launch protest against it. Shujaat said PML-N would facilitate
the passage of this law.
On 1st November, Zardari invited coalition partners and PML-N and
PML-Q summoned party meetings to formulate strategy over NRO Bill.
Imran Khan announced anti-NRO drive from November 6 and asked other
parties to join him.
Next day, Altaf Hussain asked Zardari to give sacrifice to save the
democratic system. Ishrat denied that Altaf suggested Zardari to resign.
Farooq Sattar said MQMs stance on NRO Bill would be announced later.
Kaira said the government and Army are not obliged to abide by the advices
and Fauzai Wahab announced that the bill would be placed before the
Parliament in two days.
Meanwhile, both Q and N held meetings separately and decided to
oppose NRO Bill in and outside the Parliament. PML-F also opposed the
proposed bill. Religious and secular forces from NWFP took time to take
positions publicly to assess the possible losses and benefits.
In the evening when NA session started Khwaja Asif of PML-N and
the Speaker exchanged hot words over NRO Bill. The opposition later
staged walk-out and MNAs from FATA and some from the PPP joined the
walk-out; the former had rejected the bribe of Rs200 million from Zardari to
support NRO Bill.
After adjournment of NA session for the day, Altaf Hussain denied
advising Zardari to resign. He said he had only suggested him not to table
the NRO Bill. Chaudhry Nisar met Pevez Elahi. Zardari held a meeting with
his coalition partners and one-on-one meetings with Farooq Sattar and
Fazlur Rehman. He finally decided not to table NRO Bill in the Parliament
and instead find other ways to wash his filth, possibly through another
Ordinance.
Outside political arena, the court accepted the apology of 18 more
PCO judges, but Dogar was among 12 who decided to contest contempt

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cases. One of the sitting judges of the Supreme Court, Justice Zahid Hussain
will also explain his stance over taking oath under PCO.
On 3rd November, lawyers observed Black Day all over the country to
condemn Musharrafs unconstitutional actions two years ago. Gilani said the
government has decided to let the court settle NRO issue. MQM said its
position on NRO would not hurt relations with PPP. Dogars petition was
accepted for hearing; meanwhile, Supreme Court asked him to vacate
official residence.
Passenger train collided with standing goods train in Karachi; 17
people were killed and 42 were wounded. The driver seemed to be suffering
from sighting problem, but Bilour did not blame Mufti Muneeb for
spreading the epidemic. Afzal Bajwa reported that Zardaris associate,
Irfan Puri, was using influence to remove top management of the PSO which
is blocking his dubious deals as a local agent of international suppliers.
Ishrat met Zardari on 4th November and the host complained about
MQMs stand on NRO and that too without discussing. Fazlur Rehman
announced that his party would oppose NRO Bill, but he said it only after
Zardari dropped the idea of tabling it in the Parliament. PML-N demanded
presentation of NRO in the Parliament and vote for its rejection.
First time after his restoration the Chief Justice took up the case of
missing persons for hearing and asked Interior Ministry for progress report
before next hearing. LHC said government cant dictate A Q Khan on
security issue and ordered settlement of security and personal freedom
dispute. The government issued instructions about security of Chief Justice.
Is the scoundrel up to some mischief?
Privilege Committee of NWFP summoned Mufti Muneeb to appear
before it in connection with moon-sighting row and threatened to issue his
arrest warrants if he did not comply; Mufti refused to comply. A Gill and
Laura Wells in their report to The Nation mentioned Zardaris stay in
Roosevelt Hotel in New York in a $6,000 per night Presidential Suite. They
also said that nobody knew the exact nature of Zardaris assets.
On 5th November, Zardari moved on multiple axes to woo the estrange
partners in and outside PPP. He remembered Aitzaz Ahsan and desired a
meeting with him, who first met Gilani and then went to Presidency after
green signal from Gilani. Aitzaz was reportedly offered the post of AG, a
ticket for NA-55, or Governors post in Punjab. Aitzaz asked for two days to
select one out of wide range of offers.

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He had lengthy discussions with MQMs MNAs whom he had invited

for a dinner. The two sides bargained on NRO and local government issues.
MQM will get an additional ministry, Interior or Local Governments, for
which the deal will be struck in Dubai. Zardari also summoned Sindh CM
for further instructions on the need to take MQM along in the province.
CDA sanctioned Rs39.05 million for fencing Zardari House in
Islamabad. MPAs in Punjab Assembly belonging to either side of divide
hurled allegations of corruption on each other. PM rejected the proposed
amendments in PEMRA and assured the House that there would be no curb
imposed on media. Pro-PPP or journalists like Nazir Naji embedded
through various incentives, formed a cell to defame Army the critics of
regime including TV anchors.
In Sindh, Chief Minister was on the rampage perpetrating corruption
of his brand. After re-employing dozens of former bureaucrats who were
known for corruption, he exempted dozens of serving officials the condition
of passing examination for the purpose of promotion. Two of the sons of
innocuous looking Amin Fahim were the beneficiaries among other near and
dear ones of PPP leaders. These officers were also inducted without going
through the process of examinations.
Next day, PML-Q announced to table a bill Pakistan Sovereignty Act
2009 asking the President to issue a certificate in each House of the
Parliament on the sovereignty of the country in January every year.
Unfortunately, Pakistans lawmakers think sovereignty can be guaranteed by
rendering a certificate and that too by a man like Zardari.
The government was working on another bill in which
accountability of Army and Judiciary would be included. The bill has been
named as NRO-2 by the media. This makes easier to understand Zardaris
massive effort to win over coalition partners and estranged party leaders, in
this effort he has been ignoring Gilani.
Governor Sindh and Rehman Malik, the two giant beneficiaries of
NRO, arrived in deal-making workshop called Dubai. After first round of
talks between PPP and MQM Rehman Malik said all issues would be
resolved soon. In Islamabad, Zardari met ANP delegation.
In an informal talk to a delegation of Pakistan Federal Union of
Journalists Zardari boasted of foiling three attempts at his removal. He
vowed foiling such attempts in future and to continue working for
strengthening the democracy in the country. Zardari also said that
Constitution would be amended by March 2010; Presidency denied.
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About Sangjani land scam Fauzia Wahab said there was nothing
constitutionally wrong with that. He is business partner of Pakland and
Constitution does not prohibit President from indulging in profit-making
business. Khosa objected to presence of Justice Ramday on the bench
hearing his case; later Ramday withdrew from the bench. Robert Farms
remained in the focus during hurling of corruption charges between PML-N
and PML-Q in Punjab Assembly.
On 7th November, Gilani said NRO was buried for ever. He also
denied making any offer to Aitzaz Ahsan. Reportedly, Aitzaz has rejected the
post of Attorney General and refused to defend NRO in the Supreme Court.
According to media reports about five thousand cases of NRO-beneficiaries
were missing.
Zardari remembered CoD and reassured his commitment to the
document signed by his wife. Defence Minister informed the National
Assembly that till June PIA had suffered Rs76.54 billion. Before Chief
Justice of Pakistan addressed LHCBA some PPP lawyers shouted slogans
against him as part of propaganda to defame judiciary.
Next day, Gilani met Shahbaz and demanded more slots for PPP in
Punjab cabinet. Later he said the decision on NRO should not be taken as
defeat; time would tell who has been defeated. PPP have reportedly tasked
its law experts to formulate strategy to tackle fallout of NROs withdrawal.
Imran Khan said PML-N as opposition was no different from Fazls JUI. He
criticized government for removing banners of his party. Sugar mill owners
refused to import raw sugar as decided by the government and the sugar
disappeared from the market and was not available even at Rs70 per kg.
On 9th November, Aitzaz said his affiliation with PPP are quite strong
and there is no harm in accepting a party post. Zardari urged the nation to
follow teachings of Allama Iqbal. Altaf Hussain warned Punjab government
against provocative action against workers of MQM. Imran was operated
upon in Shaukat Khanam Hospital. Ahle Sunnat Ulema criticized ANPs
attitude towards Mufti Muneeb and expressed solidarity with him.
Next day, the Supreme Court put two cases of Zardari for hearing on
November 16 and 17. MQM leader complained that his party was being
ignored since its stand against NRO as Presidency did not ask it to
participate in a meeting held to discuss Karachi-related issues. Munawar
Hasan alleged that Zardari regime was working on NRO Bill No-2. New
president of SCBA, Qazi Muhammad Anwar said the court can summon
President. He also accused the regime of attempts to defame judiciary.
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Responding to media reports Salman Taseer said governors vacancy

was not available; however, two vacancies for malis (gardeners) were
vacant. The sit-in protest by 15 families comprising 38 members in front of
the Supreme Court in open sky for the last nine days failed to move any
quarter of the government, but exposed their haplessness and of superior
judiciary.
On 11th November, Prime Minister said his government would accept
any decision of Supreme Court on NRO. Dogars petitions were dismissed
by the Supreme Court; Naeem Bokhari said the game was not yet over.
Zardari and Nawaz had telephonic contact and observers saw another parley
in near future.
Some faithful of Zardari suggested that for destitute children Zardaris
name should be inserted in fathers column. It would be appropriate if the
proposer should have has own form filled in the opening ceremony because
he seems to be most deserving destitute. Zardari should have no objection to
the proposal, because larger the family, bigger the need to expand his
business enterprise to look after his newborns and the proposer should be
decorated with highest civil award.
On 14 November, sugar mills owners confessed before the
Competition Commission that they had conspired and collaborated for
increasing sugar price. Aitzaz reiterated his interpretation of Constitution;
his party boss Zardari, being President, enjoys immunity to criminal
proceedings. Ali Ahmed Kurd said masses remain disappointed and there is
need for another long march to get them justice.

VIEWS
Zardari regimes attempt to turn NRO into a law invited bitter
criticism and the media led the offensive against the proposed draconian
legislation. Ten days before the Standing Committee discussed the proposed
bill and pushed it through, The Nation wrote: Mian Nawaz Sharif has asked
Parliament not to approve the NRO as it would be a permanent stigma on the
legislators who would be held responsible for legitimizing corruption.
In fact, clearly reflecting on what happened in Parliament on the
KLB Act, Sharif has called on the government not to test the
parliamentarians by putting the Ordinance before the House. However,
Parliament is the right place for approval or disapproval of these Ordinances

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and one expects the Opposition to play its proper role in holding the
government accountable rather than one hiding behind the now-outlived
cry of friendly opposition so as not to rock the boat
That the Supreme Court pushed the government into seeking
parliamentary approval of the NRO is to be welcomed because it is time this
nation found out exactly where its legislators stand in terms of corruption.
Are we going to see corruption validated for the political elite, and that too
within a specific framework, or are our elected representatives going to do
us proud by ensuring that they and their leaders are not above the law in
terms of corruption or any other crime? The call by Mian Nawaz Sharif not
to put the NRO before the Parliament reflects little faith in the legislators
because the assumption is that the NRO Ordinance will be passed by
Parliament. That would be a sad day for this country because then the
parliamentarians will stand totally exposed. But some would say that has
already happened when the Parliament was prorogued not with a bang, but a
whimper.
On 30th October, Dr Ijaz Ahsan urged: The parliamentarians should
reject the NRO outright to win back the esteem of the masses. If they
cannot do that, they should free all the prisoners in the country and close
down all the jails. The people are dead against the NRO because of its
grossly discriminatory nature; they could punish their MNAs come the next
elections if they falter. Never mind the elections, the legislators could be
greeted with black flags when they return to their constituencies after
passing the NRO as law. In fact, people should take delegations to their
MNAs and ask them: if this ordinance was so good, why did it have to be
kept secret from us for seven years?
Even if the Parliament passes the NRO as a law, the Supreme
Court of Pakistan could strike it down as in conflict with equal rights
under the law granted by the constitution. The legislators will then have pie
on the face; people will remember that when the time came to stand up and
be counted, they failed the test.
The Nation opined: We Pakistanis can revel in the dubious distinction
of being the only country in the whole world, where corruption and
corrupt practices have been the acknowledged norm, but will now be
ratified by a Parliament that has amongst its members: a credit card thief
caught on camera while making a purchase on the stolen card, and an
attorney general under trial in the Supreme Court of Pakistan for accepting a
three million rupee bribe. This ratification of corrupt practices will now

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enshrine Pakistan as the only country in the world to have admitted to and
exonerated those politicians and bureaucrats who were under criminal
charges.
The danger in the passing of the NRO will lead to revulsion for
the leadership by all sectors of the Pakistani society. Including the
650,000 man Pakistan Army, who are very much part of the social fabric of
our country. Being barricaded in Fort President will not protect the
beneficiary or his cohorts from punitive action that awaits a chink in the
presidential armour.
Next day, the newspaper added: In the revised draft, which would be
presented before the National Assembly for approval, the restriction on the
timeframe has been lifted and its scope has been extended to cover even
ordinary citizens. Thus an attempt has been made to neutralize the criticism
from opposition parties and fellow parliamentarians, who had earlier been
left out of its purview and could have been expected to create hurdles to its
passage. Yet even the revised text merits outright condemnation since it
legitimizes corruption and crime.
The question now is: would the PLM-N stick to its stand of firmly
opposing the ordinance? Although during the debate in the standing
committee, PML-N members bitterly opposed it, Mian Nawaz Sharifs
reaction has been rather muted If PML-N wavers in its resolve, the
PML-Q will probably stand alone in opposition. The MQM would fall in
line with the government.
On 3rd November, the paper wrote yet another editorial. Amid blasts,
military operations, spiraling prices and sugar shortages, the government has
decided to legitimize the black NRO through Parliament. The timing
certainly could not be worse, not only for the country but also for the
government. The country is reeling under the growing terrorism that has
come to occupy centre stage and created uncertainty and fear in every
household as schools have had to be closed: and the next generation of the
country has had to grow up prematurely. The growing anger towards the
state is also increasing as people perceive it as being completely
unresponsive and out of synch with them.
It is this growing disconnect that is reflected in the government
seeking approval of the NRO when it should be reaching out to the
people and resolving their issues rather than aggravating them by following
external diktat be it from the US and IMF and World Bank. The main
opposition party in Parliament, the PML-N has been see-sawing between
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playing a hard oppositional role, holding the government accountable on all

issues, and being a friendly opposition prepared to tolerate the growing
government absurdities in order to save democracy.
However, a strong democracy requires a strong opposition because
that is what enables effective accountability. Also, a strong opposition gives
the nation a voice, beyond elections, which can be raised against the
excesses of the ruling party. Within a parliamentary system, it is equally
incumbent upon the elected opposition to raise the alternate voice within the
Parliament, including casting negative votes on the issues which it opposes
as being counter to the countrys interests. It is simply not enough to stage
walkouts and allow things to slip through; nor is it enough to make grand
statements on the media alone. Opposition must be seen through actions
within the Parliament.
This has not happened yet, despite spirit-rousing speeches of the
opposition members. Instead, we saw no resolution passed against the Kerry
Lugar Act which has reduced us effectively to a vassal state before the US
and in the case of the NRO, the PML-N walked out of the NRO
Committee. In fact, we have had long marches, train marches, boycotts and
so on, some extremely effective; but where it is most needed, that is the
Parliament itself, the opposition has lacked the vibrancy and determination
that would make democracy strong and responsive. At this critical juncture,
Parliament needs a strong opposition in order for the voice of the
Pakistani people to be heard.
Next day, it added: The presidency needs to move beyond political
wheeling and dealing, and address the very real issues afflicting the nation.
A beginning needs to be made with the promised but constantly postponed
constitutional reforms to restore the balance of power back to the Prime
Minister from the President. Asif Zardari cannot continue playing semantic
games with the people; as the NRO issue has made it clear that there is little
tolerance left for willfulness and expensive indulgences on the part of the
leadership when Pakistanis are being denied the basics of sustenance and
being killed either by acts of TTP terror or US drone terror
The NRO issue has shown the political vulnerability of the President
and his party. Yet the leadership seems unable to get a grip on ruling
effectively. All that happens when the ruling party suffers a political setback
is that the Prime Minister reiterates past commitments made. But nothing
happens beyond the rhetoric. This time also the Prime Minister has declared
his partys intent of moving fast on the constitutional reforms. It is time the

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Zardari-Gilani combo realized that their words have little credibility;

they will have to convince by deeds. That is where they have been found
wanting to date.
On 5th November, Nuzhat Iqbal from Gujrat opined: Like every
undemocratic government, this one is also getting edgy about the media.
As the mistakes being committed by the incompetent minions are being
highlighted by the media, the PPP has started bristling. We heard the PPP
government was about to offer Rs32 crores to turncoats to support the NRO
in the Parliament. It is not clear whether every MP was to get this much
money or this was for the entire lot. Even the PM mentioned this amount
while speaking in the Parliament. I have a simple question to ask. Was this
amount of money to be doled out of taxpayers kitty or from the personal
coffers of Mr Zardari?
If the judiciary is free, as some claim that it is, can it help us get the
following information: (1) Who were the people who got their loans written
off? We need names with the total amount of each written off loan? (2) What
is the source of income of Mr Zardari and how he accumulated this fabulous
wealth? (3) Who were or are the beneficiaries of the NRO? What great acts
they had committed that were pardoned through the NRO? As a first step to
make us feel that judiciary is free, kindly provide us all this
information.
Farooq Hameed Khan observed: NRO defies the charter of UN
Convention against Corruption, signed by Pakistan in 2003, that calls for
accountability of the corrupt, not letting them off in the garb of
reconciliation. While interacting with our foreign counterparts at
international anti-corruption forums, we faced embarrassment when the
NRO would sarcastically be referred to as a unique law, unheard of in the
past. This was enough to lower our heads in shame.
What did Musharraf achieve through the NRO? Instead of
securing his five-year term, he was forced to leave the Presidency within one
year of the NRO. If only he had upheld the nations interests and allowed
NAB and the law to take their natural course, perhaps Pakistan would have
been spared of the traumatic and agonizing times that is passing through in
the last two years or so.
Is NAB preparing to remove the dust from the well-preserved
NRO record? Will the above mentioned overseas investigation cell be
revitalized? With its investigation and prosecution capacity reduced by

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almost 70 percent, will NAB reopen and pursue the NRO cases with the
same vigour and commitment as seen during its glorious days?
In the absence of the original diehard investigation officers and
experienced prosecutors who handled the NRO cases in the country and
abroad, can those newly inducted prosecutors appointed on short-tem
contracts with little anti-corruption expertise, handle the complexities of
such massive white collar corruption cases?
With NABs conviction rate plunging from a peak 65 percent in early
2008 to around 55 percent in 2009, doubts have arisen about its ability to
successfully prosecute the NRO cases with its present team. Perhaps the
Chairman NAB may consider appointing a team of senior independent
lawyers so that the chances of any form of collusion are minimized and fair
play and justice is ensured.
With its conscience finally awakened, the nation has rallied
against the NRO. No self-respecting nation including its Parliament could
ever dare to give passage to such a law. The NRO will most likely be
comprehensively shot down by the Supreme Court (on the pending petitions)
for the sake of the countrys future and prestige.
Like the few thousands terrorists, a few hundred corrupt cannot be
allowed to impose their will and defy the aspirations of 170 million people.
This is yet another defining moment in our history. A new and even stronger
Pakistan has emerged, thanks to a brave and fighting media, a vibrant civil
society and a courageous and truly Pakistani judiciary. The NROs defeat is
the countrys victory. Is the party over?
Next day, The Nation wrote: Corruption has not only become
endemic in Pakistan today, there is also shamelessness with which
nepotism and corruption are indulged in by the ruling elite at any given
time. There is nothing too petty, or too unattainable. While corruption and
nepotism have always been features of the governing class in Pakistan, over
the decades, the levels have altered qualitatively and there is a new
brazenness about it all. Scandals that are being exposed daily seem to have
no impact; while those standing their ground against pressure and blackmail
are being harassed through covert and overt threats and false cases even. As
for jobs going on political expediency rather than merit, it has now become a
disease and no one expects merit to be criterion any more for jobs in the
public or even quasi-public sector. This results in inept and unqualified
people holding jobs while the qualified but influence-deprived remain
unemployed. How can the country progress in such an environment?
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Now the new law envisaged to replace the NAB will give a blank
cheque to bureaucrats and public office holders to indulge in these activities.
So while the NRO has been removed from being placed before
Parliament, the new accountability law is even worse because in its nondiscriminatory character in terms of time span, it gives permanent protection
to the corrupt corrupt being seen holistically, not just in money terms. That
is why the Prime Ministers decision to make public the list of NRO
beneficiaries is to be welcomed, especially if the alleged crime or crimes for
which they have been pardoned are also made public. But that is just the
beginning. What is needed is to develop some mechanism whereby all those
pardoned also bring back their wealth to the country and give back to the
nation what may have been wrongfully taken from them.
If Prime Minister Gilani is serious about leaving his mark on history
in a positive fashion, he should ensure a complete end to this epidemic of
corruption and nepotism that is destroying the very fabric of our society. For
that, the past cannot simply be written off; instead, accountability or
return of ill-gotten revenue has to be mandatory for the future to being on
a clean slate. But, what of the non-financial corruption, including nepotism?
How will those injustices of the past be rectified? And what of the murders
and other criminal offences that may come under the NRO purview? While
the courts can take up these issues again, how much can we burden our
courts with the past, when their present case loads are already excessive?
These are issues that need the ruling elites attention if we are ever to move
out of the debilitating cycle of corruption that surrounds us today.
Inayatullah asked a few questions about NRO. What is NRO? What
does it stand for? The answer is; it epitomizes a satanic mindset. A wily
dictator, an imperial power and venal politicians forged a stinking bargain to
share power. An unprecedented deal was struck. One can understand the evil
which crept into the minds the minds of a threatened despot and a cabal of
greedy politicians conspiring to have their black deeds washed away with
the promulgation of an arbitrary piece of legislation.
How to explain the conduct of a great democracy which prided
itself on the principles of justice, probity and high moral ground? What
lesson was it imparting to a developing country? What may one make of the
eloquent exhortations of the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when she
sermonizes on the values and norms of a democratic order, knowing as we
do her countrys role in the evil deal designed to blow to smithereens, rule of
law and demands of justice. If her government thus became an active partner
in corrupting another countrys rulers for ulterior and unholy motives, what
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credibility is there in the claim that doling out dollars and cents will ensure
good governance and peoples welfare?
On 8th November, The Nation wrote: Zardari has shifted positions
to counter the growing political opposition to his stance on the NRO and
his governments acquiescence, in fact effusive embrace, of the Kerry Lugar
Act. He is now attempting to create a new divide in an already divided polity
by declaring that he has survived three attempts at his removal and that
political conflicts amongst the parties may be used to undermine democracy.
He is also known to be venting his anger amongst his close cronies against
the military within the confines of the Presidency.
It is unfortunate that a civil-military divide is being artificially
created at a time when none exists and when the military, at the behest of
the civilian government (which acted on US pressure), is conducting a
sensitive operation in South Waziristan. This is being done despite US
impediments in the shape of the vacating of US/NATO military posts on the
Afghan side of the Pakistan-Afghan border, which has allowed an easier
flow of arms to the TTP.
Unfortunately, the Presidents statements also lack credibility because
he is presently the major source of weakening democracy by not
restoring the balance of power in favour of Prime Ministers office through
the requisite constitutional reforms that are being sought by the majority of
the political players, including the main political parties. The Presidents
declaratory statements ring hollow because of his failed promises regarding
the Charter of Democracy. Until the constitutional balance is restored
through Parliament, democracy will continue to suffer
Nor is this all. When a political crunch comes, more wheeling and
dealing takes place with coalition partners and the Opposition. Quick
trips abroad and clandestine meetings continue to cast their shadow over our
political edifice. But even with his coalition partners, the Presidential
charm has waned and unless concrete actions take place, no one will be
fooled anymore especially with the growing revelations of corruption and
nepotism that are now becoming public. Effectively, the leadership is unable
to deliver to its citizens on any front, and that is a most critical source of
democracy remaining weak. If the democratic forces are unable to govern,
then how will the democratic culture be bolstered? So President Zardari
should stop creating ghostly threats and begin delivering, if he wants to
secure democracy in Pakistan.

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Amina Jilani commented: The latest target, with the presumed death
of the NRO is its prime beneficiary, the President of the Republic, Asif Ali
Zardari. He has succeeded brilliantly in doing away with the PPP of both his
father-in-law and wife, gone with the bitter winds that have blown for so
long, and creating the PPP-Z with its headquarters in the plush presidency in
which he is bunkered.
A head of state should command respect though not necessarily be
liked Zardari has managed with his performance over the past 11 years to
dispel any vestige of respect from any source and if what we hear and read is
accurate he is not even liked. He has been somewhat of a disaster right
from the moment of his swearing-in with Hamid Karzai sitting beside him,
a man in the same boat as Zardari as far as respect or trust is concerned.
Twice, once from the presidency and once in Parliament, Zardari told
the nation that he intends to be unique as a president and relinquish powers
bequeathed to him. This has not happened and signs are that it will not
happen. For the 17th Amendment is to Zardari what his army uniform
was to Musharraf. Once the latter had taken off his uniform he was to all
intents and purposes a dead duck. The same applies to Zardari remove the
amendment and what is left?
And we have, equally shorn of respect or killing, his various dubious
lieutenants who are making merry with the nation, its assets and its laws.
They are too numerous to blame. Rehman Malik, not one of whose words
can be believed. He is in the same league as military spokesman Major
General Athar Abbas, likened in the American press to Baghdad Bob,
described as a prevaricator without a peer. With the daily number of
Taliban killed one wonders if there is land enough to provide graveyards for
the bodies.
Our wooden prime minister soldiers on, widely regarded as
Zardaris pawn, rendered helpless by the kings dominance. He presides
over a Cabinet which is a joke and a national shame, both in number and in
content, and for sure he will not be able to recall the names of all those
appointed. Altaf Bhai of London Town calls his own shots and for once, with
the NRO, has done right. Asfandyar Wali, pride of the ANP, wisely stays
safely away from Peshawar and his province. And sad to witness is the
performances of Farhatullah Babar and Fauzia Wahab, once honest and
upright members of the erstwhile PPP who now but mouth excuses for and
praise of the false partys co-chairman.

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On 11th November, Farooq Azam from Rawalpindi wrote: Although I

never voted for the PPP and wont be doing so in future probably, I believe
that General Musharraf promulgated the NRO to save his own skin instead
of strengthening democracy. One of the main beneficiaries of this black law
is none other than Mr Zardari. So why is General Musharraf now calling Mr
Zardari a criminal and fraud? Instead of bad-mouthing President
Zardari, Musharraf should have the moral courage to come back to
Pakistan and face the cases against him. Let the people of Pakistan decide
who is a criminal and whos not.
Maj Zahid Salam from Rawalpindi commented: Musharraf has
used derogatory language against someone he helped by promulgating the
NRO to save his own neck. It seems that Mr Zardari has reneged on his
promise to protect Musharraf and his interests, hence the Generals
outburst.
Next day, Gulsher Panhwer Johi from Dadu opined: The most
appalling opposition on the NRO was of the MQM, PPPs coalition partner
in Sindh and federal government. The MQM Chief Altaf Hussain actually
had the gall to call on the President and some of his close aides to step down
in order to save democracy. But that was seen in light of the history of
MQM with its allies which is replete with blackmailing. Throughout its
alliance with both the PPP and PML-N governments during the 90s, and also
during its coalition with the dictator Musharraf, MQM kept playing ducks
and drakes with them. It threatened almost every ally several times with
walking out of government on Kalabagh Dam, Balochistan, this issue and
that. It never resigned, though.
Moreover, during the backroom wheeling-dealings, it usually ended
up demanding only more and more perks from each of the hapless
government it was blackmailing. That way, it always ended up extracting
maximum benefits in the name of fighting for burning national and
provincial issues before it, finally, joined up the main table again with
feigned reluctance.
During its partnership with the Musharraf-led government when
NRO was being signed, it never protested and observed a deceptive silence
through out. Having kept quiet all these years while taking full benefits from
the controversial ordinance by having hundreds of cases with drawn against
its leaders and workers, it has now made a complete volte-face. Seeing that
Mr Zardari is under fire from all sides, MQM has once again done the
familiar act of stabbing its partner in the back. Its recent opposition to the

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NRO is not the principled stand Mr Altaf Hussain would have us believe to
be. Rather he is trying to kill two birds with one stone.
MQM is expanding its outreach to interior of Sindh, Punjab and now
even Gilgit-Baltistan. So it is trying to posture as a clean and principled
political party that opposes the odious NRO. That not only fetches some
extra votes for it in the upcoming election but also helps it in blackmailing
the PPP government for still more concessions.
Ineffective governance has been the hallmark of Zardari regime. It
only excelled in manufacturing crises, one after the other. The Nation
commented on the crisis of petroleum products pricing. The Supreme
Court of Pakistan resumed hearingon prices of petroleum products The
Chief Justice noted that the Court had kept the case adjourned for three
months in the hope that the government would take notice of the prices, and
would act in the light of the Commissions report, but it had been obliged to
resume hearing of the case.
The bench also took notice of LPG prices, and asked the Secretary
Petroleum to provide the names of those who had benefited and received
lucrative LPG quotas. That those who had earned massive profits on these
quotas were not determined was not received lightly, or with any pleasure,
by the court. The next hearing was fixed for October 29; with the Court
remarking that it was to give a decision soon.
Though the Supreme Court may take a decision around the end of the
month, when OGRA is due to set the petrol price again, it should keep in
mind the fate of its decision fixing the price of sugar, which has led to the
disappearance of that commodity from the market, and that too on appeal
from a Lahore High Court decision. If the Supreme Court tries to fix the
petrol price, there is very little possibility of its disappearance, but it could
lead to a showdown with the Executive Branch, which is responsible for
setting the petrol price, whereas it is not responsible in that way for the sugar
price
The Court, which was restored this year after a long lawyers
movement which took President Pervez Musharraf in its wake, has filled in
the gap where the Executive shows deficiencies. Until the Executive
Branch understands that it is no longer untrammeled by the Constitution and
law, these judicial interventions will continue, especially where staples and
basic commodities are concerned.

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Farrukh Khan Pitafi talked the failures of democratic regime of

Zardari. The first mistake of this government was not to disclose the
terms of its return to power. If there were any preconditions it should have
desisted from signing documents like the Bhurban Declaration. Yet since it
did neither it has managed to alienate almost all of its pre and post poll
allies. It can most certainly be argued that PML-N never actually considered
a natural ally (no matter whatever this phrase means), yet you cannot deny
that the PPP leadership repeatedly offered the N-league golden and indeed
tempting opportunities to capitalize on the public sentiments.
The second mistake was to start acting insecure. The dismissal of
the Punjab government, the presidents refusal to even engage the critics of
his decision to retain his party position and even the rumours of a
competition between the president and the prime minister have most
certainly not helped it. This insecurity had another adverse effect. An
insecure government cannot be transparent at the same time. In the
environment of insecurity the rumours originating mostly from the
disgruntled ambitious few are adding to the perception that there is
widespread corruption going on. A touch of more forthcoming facts and at
least a few good examples of transparent transactions were enough to
debunk such vilifying campaign but even that seems hard to come.
Another huge problem is the apparent lack of moral courage in
the government. When your sole purpose is survival in the power corridors
realpolitik takes the front seat and the original priorities are relegated to the
backyard. For instance let us take the example of the US ambassador to
Pakistan. We all know that she is a relic of the past as she was sent by the
Bush Administration to a Pakistan ruled by Musharraf. During and
immediately after the elections her role was viewed by many Pakistanis as
offensive. She is generally believed to have meddled in several national
issues of critical import. And the US mission under her leadership has failed
to quash the rumours/news of the US growing military presence in our
country and a widespread feeling of siege and invasion is gripping our
nation. It flows naturally then that Pakistan should have asked for her
replacement especially because neither Musharraf nor Bush is in power any
more. And her presence damages the US image in this country but the
government for the reason known best to it has not shown even this much
moral courage. The purpose of any mission, after all, is to strengthen
bilateral ties not weaken them.
And finally there is this widespread perception of ineptitude hanging
about. There is hardly any point in bragging about foreign aid or money in
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other forms coming to the country if the people do not find themselves to be
the immediate beneficiary. And since the burden of inflation and poverty
appears growing only too onerous these days it is plain that the government
is in no condition to celebrate. On the contrary when the money comes to the
government and yet the people find no solutions the rumours and fears of
corruption are bound only to increase. Perhaps even at this stage if the
government realizes what is lacking it can pull itself from the brink of
precipice.
Inayatullah noted: It is sad to find the PPP government failing to
provide the leadership expected of it. The president and the prime
minister are, so to say, absent from the scene. In fact, the supreme
commander should have been spending time with our brave soldiers
somewhere on the front, while the prime minister should have been visiting
hospitals and homes of the victims of terrorism. Moreover, this leadership
vacuum should have been filled by PML-N. It could have made a good use
of the rulers inadequate and disappointing performance and vulnerability.
The question is: Can Nawaz Sharif stage a come back, lead the nation
upfront and mobilize a fight against the legitimization of NRO. Or will he
fall to external pressures and foxy machinations emanating from the
presidency? If he opts to compromise, to apparently save democracy and
take Zardaris bait once again, he will be preparing the ground for
another tragic take over from another quarter.
Jalees Hazir opined: The hype being created about the impending
take-over by the army is also rooted more in the insecurity of Zardari
and his dubious coterie than anything else. It is obvious that the president
and his henchmen would like to continue in their undemocratic behind-thescenes style of decision-making that is extremely damaging not only to the
military but every other institution of the state. Though the military did
assert itself over the Kerry-Lugar Bill, these fake torch-bearers of democracy
have found a convenient way to deflect any resistance against this
personalized and unaccountable style of governance, no matter where it
emanates from; the media, the opposition or the judiciary. The knee-jerk
response has been to pander for sympathy by blaming the military
establishment for conspiring against democracy.
The real and imagined tensions between the civilian military
leadership are not difficult to overcome. The solution lies in more
democracy. It is a tall order to expect from the present dispensation built
upon undemocratic cultist political parties, but things can at least start

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moving is that direction. Shifting the centre of civilian gravity from the
dictatorial presidency to a more democratic Parliament would be good
beginning.
Amina Jilani observed: General Kayani is largely praised for having
stayed away, since the elections, from straying into the political field. But it
must be remembered that the worthy general is highly versed in politics,
having headed the fearsome ISI, been party to all the negations and
deals struck between President General Musharraf, Benazir Bhutto
and the US. As army chief he also, undoubtedly, played a part in the deals
struck between the US and Asif Ali Zardari when he accidentally took over
from his wife. He is no stranger to political wheeling and dealing.
Kayani needs all his wits about him right now because he is making a
brave face of fitting in the essential principle of public service that it is
elected governments which set policies and generals which implement them.
He finds himself with an elected government incapable of setting any
policy. He is publicly adhering to the constitutional convention of not
voicing his concerns with the failing government (apart from the KerryLugar outburst) and is giving the impression that what he is doing is with the
consensus of the elected representatives.
However he is isolated, in our case wars will have to be run by
generals as the constitutional head of the armed forces cannot in any way
decide how best to safeguard the country and the peoples security. The
president cannot dictate strategy to his commanders neither he can lay out
any decisions to be implemented. Ashfaq Kayani is out there on his own,
and if we are to have faith in anyone, it will have to be him.
Zardari-Nawaz meeting marked yet another milestone in the golden
history of Zardari regime as it was held just before tabling on the NRO Bill
in National Assembly. The Nation commented: If reiteration of the
commitments by the PPP leadership to undo the 17 th Amendment and put
into effect the principles outlined in the Charter of Democracy could be
classed as an achievement for which President Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N
leader Mian Nawaz Sharif were required to get together with high-level
delegations in tow, then the people should feel satisfied at the outcome of the
meeting. Cynics, however, would give out a sneering laughter at the
perplexed public that was naively expecting a breakthrough and the
newspaper headlines hinting at a tacit understanding reached at the
meeting. Hasnt Mr Zardari repeatedly given the assurance of removing

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all constitutional distortions and then made deliberate efforts not to live
up to them?
As it is, optimists have been put on the defensive. They had thought
that since Mr Zardari found himself politically cornered he would come out
with a concrete move to retrieve the situation. For instance, there are
growing signs of discontent within the party, his personal popular rating has
been persistently low because of the pursuit of the policies inconsiderate of
the needs of the people, and the charge of toeing the American diktat against
him sticks. However, such analyses went awry. Even though it did not result
in any specific achievement, the meeting opened the door for ZardariNawaz interaction in the future. They will meet in the coming weeks at
Mian Nawazs residence in Murree.
Apparently, the NRO issue was not raised by PML-N (and its
Chairman Raja Zafar-ul-Haq says that not a word was spoken about it) since
it was not its concern. The PPP and other beneficiary parties should be
worried about giving it a legal cover within the timeframe (till November
27) given by the Supreme Court. Whether that passes the test of
constitutional legitimacy is, of course, a disturbing matter for them. The hue
and cry that the PML-N leadership has been raising against the unjust
ordinance is for public consumption, and perhaps, the tacit understanding
reflects PML-Ns quiet endorsement of it in the hope of 17 th Amendments
removal, thereby, lifting the ban on the number of terms one could serve as
prime minister. Thus the amendment has to go before November 27 for the
PML-N to be certain that its reticence on the NRO paid off. The PML-N
would also reportedly tone down its critical rhetoric of the Kerry-Lugar Act.
The absence at the meeting of PML-N President Mian Shahbaz Sharif and
leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Ch Nisar, known as PMLNs hardliners, and the spirit of compromise visible during the discussion
reinforces the point that outside pressure has worked. It is time our leaders
woke up and started resisting such pressures and gave priority to
national interests.
In another editorial The Nation added: Kaira has said that the
President is willing to give up his powers under the 17 th Amendment The
President should be more aware than anyone else of the need to give up
these powers. He is also aware that giving them up is a relatively simple
matter of passing the relevant legislation through Parliament. The requisite
two-thirds majority is available if the government coalition, plus the PMLN, was to deliver its votes. Therefore, the only thing preventing the
requisite legislation is President Zardaris own decision. This must be
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reversed, and the constant refrain of the government, that it is building on

democracy, must be lived up to.
There is probably no way the other members of the coalition can
force the President, so this task must be fulfilled by members of his own
party. They must make it clear to the government, which he installed, and of
which Mr Kaira is a part, that the present situation is unacceptable,
especially as it can be changed. President Zardari will merely have to fulfil
a solemn promise to revert the Constitution back to its original
parliamentary form, under which his office has only the powers of a
figurehead, and nothing more.
M A Niazi observed: The meetings agenda included two items of
prime importance for the president, the 17th Amendment and the NRO.
A quid pro quo offered. Smooth passage for the NRO, in exchange for the
abolition of the 17th Amendment. The president is interested in the NRO
because he was a beneficiary the PML-N cannot really stop the NRO from
going through, but it could make an issue of it. Fear of its being made an
issue has prevented its being even presented in Parliament so far. The 17 th
Amendment is important for two reasons. First, the presidential powers of
dissolution (of the National Assembly, and thus the government) and the
appointment (of the service chiefs, which creates the extra-parliamentary
nexus of the president with the chiefs). Then is the two-term ban.
Though he has not dissolved the National Assembly, nor made any
appointment to the office of COAS, President Asif Ali Zardari does not wish
to give up these powers, and even though the issue was raised during the
meeting, and though end-December has been mentioned as a cut-off date
for the passage of the needed 18th Amendment, the president gave no
commitment. Apart from the presidents powers, Mian Nawaz Sharif was
probably more motivated by the ban on more than two terms as prime
minister. Moreover, apart from Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the only other
person to be affected by this Musharraf-era provision when it was made,
Mian Nawaz Sharif also still falls under the mischief of this provision. He
does not want this provision to be still on the books, and thus in his way,
when the next election takes place.
At present, the opinion polls show that the PML-N chief is not only,
despite not holding any official post, holding his own against the president,
but is actually likelier to win the next election. In fact, the prospect of a
PML-N win is the best guard against President Asif Zardari dissolving
the present National Assembly. Mian Nawaz Sharif is virtually certain not

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to become the prime minister in this Parliament, no matter how closely he

associates with the president. However, he appears likely to impose himself
as PM in the next Parliament, as well as the party candidate for president.
The opinion polls were at the forefront of the meeting, even if the topic was
not raised, and informed all that was discussed.
Another factor that was present in the meeting, even if not raised,
was the PML-Ns backing of the lawyers movement, which led to the
PPP government accepting the restoration of the judiciary, especially the
return of Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to the office of chief justice.
There were lessons from that for the PPP. First, though the PML-N was not
primarily a party of street power, it could carry out the required
mobilization. Second, it needed a developed movement first. The natural
corollary is whether there is any movement behind any of the present
demands. As there is no street movement, and as the PML-N does not have
the needed parliamentary majorities, the PPPs natural inclination would be
to meet the PML-Ns demands only when it either finds that they suit it, or if
American pressure is applied. That is how the judicial crisis was ultimately
resolved, and that is how the 17th Amendment issue will be resolved.
Ashraf Mirza commented: An evaluation of the PPP governments
performance over the past one and half year presents a depressing
scenario. The issues of poor diplomacy, state of insecurity, economic
stagnation and escalating terrorism and militancy apart, the government has
failed to overcome even the energy, sugar and atta crisis. Like Musharraf
and his predecessors, it has also not focused on hydel power generation. Its
option for the rental power projects is widely believed to have been
prompted by financial motivation like the independent power projects
PPP Co-Chairman and President Zardari has not implemented the
Charter of Democracy. He restored the chief justice and other judges only
after the Nawaz Sharif-led Long March and the COAS intervention. The
government has thus not been able to deliver in accordance with public
expectations. It is thus time for us all to rise above personal and party
motives and respond to the imperatives of national interests. The country is
in a state of war since the Pakistan Army is engaged in military operations
against terrorists in various parts of the country.
The problems that the country faces are no doubt intricate:
Balochistan is in a state of turmoil; the economy is in shambles; the security
of citizens life, honour and property is virtually extinct; the cost of living is
breaking the back of the people. Pakistan is thus pitted against heavy odds

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but with a collective effort on the part of all stakeholders, there is reason that
the nation could steer out of the woods. Isnt it time to pause and ponder for
the establishment of a national government to deal with the difficult situation
staring the nation in the face?
On 5th November, The Nation commented on corruption reports.
Zardari is facing pressure about the corruption issue not solely through the
NRO, but by reports of alleged corruption involving him personally. If one
case is about the purchase of land in Islamabad, the other is about the
running of the PSO, and the alleged kidnapping of one party. These are the
latest examples of the malaise that is afflicting Pakistan under President
Zardari: unchecked corruption. It is also interesting that both cases involve
previous investigations, with the land purchase and one of the main culprits
in the PSO case both subjects of Ehtesab Bureau investigations. In the land
purchase, a large tract of land is involved, no less than 307 acres, bought
through a middleman for Rs62 million, even though the land was valued at
over Rs2 billion by CDA. In the alleged kidnapping, the running of PSO is
at stake, with Irfan Puri, who replaced Shakeel Haroon Rehmane as agent
for a foreign oil company allegedly through the Presidents personal
intervention, and who did plea bargain of Rs300 million to get away from
the Ehtesab Bureau, trying to get rid of a PSO director. Mr Puri, who was
formerly a travel agent, claims to be a business partner of the President, but
apart from that, also has connections with two Cabinet ministers and the
Presidents Adviser on Petroleum.
While the President might claim, as he does in both these cases, that
the allegations are false, it is not right that such allegations should afflict
the highest office in the land. The President, who while the Prime
Ministers husband, was notorious for corruption, should not claim, as then,
that none of the allegations were proved, because now one is dealing with
the holder of an office of which the holder should be above suspicion. Such
dubious characters should not be allowed into the Presidency, and the
President himself should understand that he cannot afford to associate with
all the friends of his past; otherwise he runs the risk of being associated with
various unsavoury types.
The President needs to be very careful not just for himself but also of
his children. In the Islamabad land case, which involves the purchase of land
at such lower price than normal, not only is the President involved as a
shareholder in the purchasing company, but so is his son Bilawal, who is the
real inheritor of the mantle of his mother and is PPP Chairman. This
spreading of the taint of corruption to the next generation should be the real
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cause of concern for the President. He must act to dissipate the

atmosphere of corruption over the Presidency.
Maryam Ibrahim from Mirpur wrote: It was another sad day due to
the bombing in Rawalpindi. It is absolute failure of the PPP and its
coalition partners who have failed to deliver the goods due to
incompetence, corruption, loot and plunder.
It is time for the PPP government to resign immediately to save
Pakistan from being enslaved by India and USA. It is time Mr Zardari
resigned so that we had a mid term election, we need a neutral caretaker
government of honest Pakistanis to oversee the election.
The Nation urged rulers to talk less and govern more. There is
growing talk of a national government, of the Minus-1 formula, and so on.
Not to be left behind, Governor Taseer has jumped into the fray with a
warning that those seeking the minus-one formula would actually see
unfolding a minus-342 formula effectively the dismissal of the National
Assembly which he says will never happen and the government will
complete the tenure. All these rumours and speculations create a further
uncertain political climate at a time when the country is seized with
more critical issues of terrorism and spiraling prices. The need is to have a
government governing effectively alongside a strong opposition holding this
government accountable within Parliament
The present leadership can help eliminate the political uncertainty by
persuading the President to actually moving fast in restoring the balance of
power to the Prime Minister through the constitutional amendments on
which there already exists a national consensus. By focusing more on actual
actions relating to constitutional reforms and desisting from making
declaratory statements that are ringing increasingly hollow, the President
may restore some of his lost credibility. By focusing more on actual actions
relating to constitutional reforms and desisting from making declaratory
statements that are ringing increasingly hollow, the President may restore
some of his lost credibility. There is a need to move towards actually
implementing the Charter of Democracy rather than belittling it by
merely making positive references of intent which after over a year and a
half are becoming ever more farcical.
Ahmad Saeed Durrani from Vihari wrote: I wonder why there is so
much fuss about the presidency and about the performance of our President.
The other day, I heard Ms Fauzia Wahab on a private TV channel saying that
whenever PPP government comes, conspiracies are started against it. She
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was right. Ms Wahab also praised the sense of tolerance and perseverance
of the President through which he gets things done. Look at how he took
only twenty months to get in touch with Aitzaz Ahsan.
He took more than a year, though, to reinstate the judiciary. He is also
taking his time restoring the original constitution. Every step he takes is in
the right direction. Some people complain that he has not changed the
governors appointed by the dictator. I think the President does not want to
change them in haste because haste makes waste. I shall therefore request
the media not to paint the wrong picture of the president. He is, in my view,
the best civilian president we have had.
Dispensation of justice is major part of governance. The Nation
commented on Chief Justices speech at LHCBA. We have seen that the
judiciarys image in the wake of the lawyers movement for the rule of law
has improved a lot. It has gained a muscle in terms of asserting itself as a
vital organ of the State. However, one also expects it to set things right at its
own end. As it, provision of inexpensive and prompt justice to the
average Pakistani remains a nagging worry. It cannot be just wished
away. It is comforting to know that the Chief Justice is striving to give the
legal system a fresh lease of life in order to make the institution fully
functional and effective.
The way forward lies in taking on certain challenges firmly those
are at the heart of lower judiciarys lackluster performance. Among
other things, meritocracy with respect to the appointment of judges,
corruption in the subordinate courts, judges salary structure and
infrastructure are all longstanding issues plaguing our judicial system. What
is even more important is the slow disposal of civil and criminal cases, an
evil that has turned out to be the real bane. On an average, it takes four years
for a case to be resolved and it is commonplace to see the cases outliving the
litigants
The litigants ought to be pulled out of this sticky wicket. Increasing
the number of lower courts, especially in the districts, with capable and
handsomely paid judges will indeed be a step in the right direction. This
would also mean that the cases would be heard and resolved in time. Having
said that, a mechanism of checks and balances aimed at ensuring
transparency is also the need of the hour. How far the lower judiciary is
corrupt can be gauged from the concern that is frequently expressed by the
Chief Justice himself. One wishes him well in his venture of ensuring cheap
and timely dispensation of justice.

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Roedad Khan wrote in praise of Zardari. All presidents fall from their
honeymoon highs, but no elected president in history has fallen this low this
fast. All presidents are opposed, of course, and many are disliked; but few
suffer widespread attacks on their personal integrity or veracity. President
Zardari is one of those few. Zardari knows well the man responsible for
the trouble he is in. He looks at him everyday while shaving.
Talking about despotic rulers, like himself, Mussolini said just before
he faced the firing squad: Have you ever seen a prudent, calculating
dictator, they all become mad, they lose their equilibrium in the clouds,
quivering ambitions and obsessions and it is actually that mad passion
which brought them to where they are. Absolute power, unrestrained by
law, must make people mad. Power is a heady substance; how else one can
explain Zardaris erratic behaviour and his massive blunders?
Sometimes, once in the long while, you get a chance to serve your
country. Today, President Zardari is the Atlas on whose shoulders the state of
Pakistan rests! Few people had been offered opportunity that lay open to
Mr Zardari. He blew it. No wonder, the country is gripped by fear and
uncertainty. If Zardari remains in command of the ship of state, we will all
go down like the Titanic.
At a time when the country is at war Mr Zardari, the Supreme
Commander, spends almost his entire existence in the confines of a bunker
which he seldom leaves these days. Mortally afraid of his own people and
the sword of the NRO hanging over his head, he is more concerned about
protecting himself and his power rather than protecting the country or the
people of Pakistan.
Mr Zardari is so swathed in his inner circle that he has
completely lost touch with the people and reality. He wanders around
among small knots of persons who agree with him. His blunders are too
obvious, his behaviour too erratic, his vision too blurred. He has painted
himself into a corner.
A year after he captured the presidency, Zardari seems to have lost
his mandate of heaven. At a time when leadership is desperately needed
to cope with matters of vital importance to the very survival of the country,
Pakistan is led by a president who lacks both credibility and integrity. What
is worse, he seems oblivious to the realities of his awesome responsibilities
and is only interested in perpetuating himself.
Khan went on to mention peoples expectations and disappointments
in these critical days in Pakistan; he then added: For Mr Zardari, the
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accidental President of Pakistan, the moment of truth has arrived. His

presidency is collapsing all around us; the wolf is at the door The Zardari
aura is crumbling. His star is already burning pout, but he will stop at
nothing to keep his lock on power.
Azam Khalil commented: So far Nawaz Sharif has been very tactful
and has been consistent on the issue of supporting the democratic forces, but
this could dramatically change once the 18th Constitutional Amendment was
put in place by the government. He is expected to immediately call for midterm elections soon thereafter. It would, therefore, be entirely proper in
case Mian Sahib provided acceptable guarantees that there would be no
change in the present policy to support PPP even after the 17th
Constitutional Amendment is scrapped by the Parliament. This will not only
allow a swift passage of the 18th Constitutional Amendment, but would bring
about political stability that would be productive for the entire country.

REVIEW
The prevalent situation reminds the article written after Musharrafs
failed attempt at extracting resignation from Chief Justice Iftikhar
Mohammad Chaudhry. It was mentioned in the introductory lines of that
article that the dictator had felt uncomfortable with chirping of the hooded
bird.
Iftikhars no triggered historic lawyers movement which culminated
into his reinstatement against the wishes Musharrafs successor. This
brought the bird back to the garden in close vicinity of Presidency from
where even a whispering chirp could cause lot of discomfort to the new
neighbour. His July 31 chirp was far louder than a whisper.
Since then the successor of Musharraf has been trying to find ways
and means to pre-empt any more chirping. Their first attempt in that context
converting NRO into a law however was foiled. The manner in which
the effort was aborted could have caused embarrassment to any one.
But, Zardari and his aides are far more hardened criminals than their
predecessors. Zardari is capable of acting more arrogantly than Musharraf.
He has already tasked his legal experts to formulate a strategy for
negotiating the judicial obstacle. This is in addition to the multi-pronged
effort launched to defame Iftikhar-led judiciary as was evident from Dogars
petition, anti-CJP slogans in Lahore and so on.

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Hence, it was difficult to believe Gilani when he said NRO was dead.
One would tend to believe what was not said: NRO is dead, long live the
NRO. It is not the past corruption that is on Zardaris mind; he has lot of
business to do as his faithful aide Fauzia Wahab said business of propertydealing, or any business for that matter, is not prohibited for the President in
the Constitution.
Analysts say Zardari could go to any limit to hang on to Presidency.
He would prefer to follow what a Pakistani poet prescribed to one who was
caught taking bribe. The poet had advised him rishwat laity pakra gia
rishwat dey kay chhoot ja (caught while taking bribe and get free by giving
bribe).
He knows that support of Fazlur Rehman can be bargained any time
and not at very high price. The Ghairat of red-capped grandson of Sarhadi
Gandhi, the so-called Ghayoor-e-Azam, can be purchased by payment of
royalty and renaming NWFP. Zardaris belief in this context was confirmed
by Asfandyars silence over Kerry-Lugar Act, NRO and presence of
Americans inside Pakistan.
Zardari has saved a valuable bargain-chip for MQM for a situation
like this. He has been delaying the decision on local governments fate.
Zardari, however, tends to over-estimate his abilities; in MQM the scoundrel
has a match. His vision has been blurred by his cunningness rendering him
unable to see that Altaf is no Nawaz Sharif.
On Iqbal Day, Zardari and Gilani in their messages asked Pakistanis to
follow Allamas teachings. It was Allama who held Mulla, Sultan and Peer;
responsible for all the ailments of Muslim Ummah. Presently, the latter two
are bent upon getting rid of the former and as per Allamas diagnosis
Pakistanis should get rid of the remaining two, Sultan (Zardari) and Peer
(Gilani).
12th November 2009

CRIMINAL AND A FRAUD

While addressing the corps commanders conference the COAS
borrowed words from ANP leaders and dubbed militants as cowards for
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killing civilians. He said it despite the fact that only a few days earlier
during attack on GHQ militants had reached MI Directorate, just a barrack
away from his office. Soon after his statement, more than seventy soldiers
and policemen were lost to militants, killed or missing, in two days on
November 12 and 13.
Americas war on terror continued raging in Pakistans backyard,
while Obama Administration took time in formulating or revising Afghan
policy. This allowed the observers and analysts to comment on the issue of
Afghanistan to the satisfaction of their intellect.
As the pressure on Obama increased not to send additional troops to
Afghanistan, Seymour Hersh reminded him of the ultimate goal of the holy
war in the region. He drew Obamas attention towards Pakistans dirty
Islamic bomb and its falling into the hands of religious extremism, which
according to Hersh was spreading fast.

NEWS
In Pakistan, 12 militants were killed and six soldiers wounded in
Operation Rah-e-Nijat on 2nd November. Army displayed Indian arms and
ammunition captured during the operation and said the details have been
sent to Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Four militants were killed and seven
wounded in air strike in Salarzai area. Ministry of Interior accepted before
the Senate Standing Committee that the US has hired 312 houses in
Islamabad.
In a suicide bomb blast in a bank, where soldiers were collecting their
pay and pension in Rawalpindi Cantonment, 35 people were killed and 63
wounded. Two suicide bombers blew themselves up when they were stopped
at police check point at motorway exit in Lahore; one policeman was killed
and 25 others wounded.
One soldier and 21 militants were killed in South Waziristan 3 rd
November as troops entered Sararogha. Taliban said they vacated some
positions as per strategy. British CGS met CJCSC to discuss issues related to
war on terror. A suicide bomber accidentally blew himself near Kohat. One
militant and a police inspector were killed in separate incidents in Swat.
Hauling of militants and suspects continued; one militant was held in
Dir, two militants surrendered in Bajaur, 30 Afghans were detained from
Shamshatu refugee camp, two suicide bombers and 16 suspects were
arrested in Chakwal, more than fifty suspects were held in twin cities, one
355

was held in Lahore, 16 Afghans were detained in Zhob, four militants were
held from super highway near Karachi.
Nisar Mehdi reported that out of the 274 passengers, who boarded
Islamabad-bound PK-786 from Heathrow Airport, 202 were foreigners but
they were fluently speaking Urdu. The officials on duty at Islamabad
Airport said: we had instructions to allow the foreigners entry without
custom procedure.
Thirty militants were killed and eight soldiers, including two officers,
were wounded in operation Rah-e-Nijat on 4 th November as troops entered
Ladha. Fazlur Rehman demanded ending operation in South Waziristan,
rejected aid under Kerry-Lugar Act and cancellation of allotment of lands to
the US in Islamabad and various cities.
In Swat, 24 militants were arrested, two surrendered and one soldier
was wounded. Two female teachers were killed in Bajaur and three militants
were arrested. One activist of Sunni Tehrik and three of MQM-H were shot
dead in Karachi and police apprehended 127 illegal immigrants.
A day after a plane-full of foreign mercenaries arrived in Islamabad
who were allowed to enter without any check, Rehman Maliks ministry
warned all the four provinces to increase security of sensitive areas with
particular attention towards foreign journalists and security personnel. The
areas pointed out in the letter were mostly were nuclear installations are
located; so the man has fore-warned all concerned as usual. These
operatives were also active in FATA areas in the garb of journalists.
Next day, 28 militants and 5 soldiers were killed in South Waziristan;
two soldiers were also wounded as troops entered Ladha Fort. Six people
were killed in the US drone attack in North Waziristan. Twelve militants
were held in Swat. Two persons linked to Kamra attack were arrested.
Twenty Afghans were among ninety held in Rawalpindi. FC troops killed
five kidnappers near Chaman. One Taliban commander was held in Karachi.
Blackwater was employing ex-servicemen on hefty amounts. Hillary
said Pakistan must address US concerns and Mullen urged sustained ties.
UN Commission wrote a letter to the government seeking permission for
quizzing some Army and ISI officials in connection with murder of Benazir.
On 6th November, 21 militants were killed in Operation Rah-e-Nijat as
troops entered Makeen. Two FC soldiers were killed in firing at FC Fort
Hangu. A professor was kidnapped in Kohat along with his car. One TTP
commander was among five militants killed in Swat; two militants were

356

arrested and three surrendered. Two people were killed in landmine blast in
Mohmand Agency. Another Brigadier was shot at and wounded in Islamabad
and ninety people were hauled by police.
LHC accepted a petition for hearing in which against the US and
Dutch diplomats who were caught with weapons but Interior Ministry let
them free. The court summoned IGP, Islamabad and Interior Ministry to
appear during next hearing. Dr A Q Khan said Musharraf got a list made
from him of all nuclear installations and assets and then handed that over to
the US. He wanted trial of Musharraf and death sentence.
On 7th November, 12 militants were killed and two officers were
among five soldiers wounded in South Waziristan as battle for clearing
Makeen continued. According to UN the number of IDPs exceeded 0.35
million. One militant was killed, three wounded and ten were arrested in
Kurram Agency. Three soldiers were killed in attack on a post near Hangu.
In Swat, eight militants were arrested and one surrendered. Three militants
were killed in shelling in Bajaur Agency.
After holding meetings with various government officials the US
Consulate in Peshawar sought a meeting with Chief Minister, but Candace
Putnam was told by the CRMs Secretariat to approach through Foreign
Office. US team was reaching Pakistan to hold talks with Governor NWFP
and CM for provision of US-made weapons for law enforcing agencies.
In South Waziristan, 20 militants were killed and 8 soldiers wounded
on 8 November. At least 16 people were killed and 42 wounded in suicide
attack in Mattani near Peshawar. Nazim, who had been targeted many times
earlier for raising a tribal Lashkar, was among the dead. Eight militants were
arrested and three surrendered in Swat. In Mohmand Agency, militants
attacked a convoy and killed two soldiers and ten militants were killed in
retaliatory shelling. Police arrested 14 suspects in Attock. Police at a post in
Islamabad shot dead a suicide bomber and his two companions fled away.
th

The New Yorker published an article in which Seymour M Hersh the

writer had claimed that a plan to take control of Pakistans nuclear assets in
case of any threat to their security; Foreign Office condemned the biased
views. US Envoy in Islamabad denied any US intentions to seize Pakistans
nuclear weapons.
Eight militants were killed and 13 held in fighting in South Waziristan
on 9 November; four soldiers died in landmine blast. Fazlur Rehman said
the decision for military operations in Swat and South Waziristan was taken
in GHQ; the political government, of which he is part, is not responsible.
th

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Nine militants were killed as PAF jetfighters pounded their hideouts.

Four persons were killed and five wounded in Peshawar when a militant
blew himself at a police check post. Two militants were arrested and one
surrendered in Swat. In Lower Dir, 13 militants were held. Two soldiers
were killed in roadside bombing in Bajaur Agency. The incident of shooting
dead a suicide bomber by Islamabad Police turned out to be fake encounter,
which was carried out to improve image of police efficiency. CJCSC said
foreign access to Pakistani nukes was out of question.
Nine militants were killed in Operation Rah-e-Nijat on 9 th November
as Army claimed control over 80 percent of Mehsud tribes territory. PAF
jetfighters killed nine militants in Kurram and Orakzai agencies. Five
suspects were held in Hangu.
At least 32 people were killed and about one hundred wounded in car
bomb blast in Charsadda. People shouted anti-government slogans when the
wounded did not get prompt medical attention. Gilani saw no let-up in
terrorism because this is guerrilla war.
Three militants were arrested in Buner and in Swat 3 surrendered and
two arrested. Five Levy men were wounded in an attack in Bajaur; in
retaliation one militant was killed and 45 arrested. Three-member US
delegation met Zardari who reminded them for early payment for his
governments services. Japan approved $2 billion aid for Pakistan to be paid
in installments over next five years.
In his talk with Shaheen Sehbai and Dr Shahid Masood Hersh rejected
all criticism on his article. When asked about Musharraf calling Zardari a
criminal and a fraud he said Musharraf said much more than that.
Meanwhile, the State Department said the US had no intention to seize
Pakistani nukes.
Seven militants were killed in South Waziristan on 11th November and
five in Orakzai Agency. Police arrested 13 suspects in Kohat and three were
held in Charsadda. Five militants were killed in Buner and in Swat three
were arrested and three surrendered. Four CD shops were destroyed in a
blast in Lower Dir. Local commander told a foreign journalist visiting
Bajaur that US-led forces in Kunar were not stopping militants crisscrossing the Durand Line.
Ten soldiers were killed and 32 were reported missing in Mohmand
Agency; security forces retaliated with artillery shelling and gunship strikes
killing 35 militants. Sixteen Afghans were held in Chakwal. Islamabad

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Administration avoided investigating killing of suicide bomber. Two

activists of TTP were arrested in Karachi.
Next day, 22 militants and 17 soldiers were killed in Operation Rah-eNijat; eight soldiers were also wounded. Gilani and Zardari discussed South
Waziristan operation. Parliamentarians from FATA met Zardari and
demanded removal of Governor Owais Ghani. In Lower Kurram, 12 FC
soldiers were injured in road accident.
Director Public Relations of Iranian Consulate, Peshawar was shot
dead by unknown gunmen, killers could be those who enjoy diplomatic
immunity. Senior al-Qaeda leader in Afghanistan blamed Blackwater for
Peshawar blast. Ministry of interior formed one more team to probe into
cases of missing persons.
Interior Ministry and Islamabad Authorities differed on the incident of
suicide bombers killing by police. Seven militants were held in Karachi and
300kg Indian-origin explosive was recovered. Ahmed Quraishi reported that
life threat has become a new weapon to silence US critics; after Fawad
Shah now Kaswar Klasra of The Nation has received threats.
Six militants and 12 soldiers were killed in South Waziristan on 13 th
November. Seven policemen and a prisoner were killed and 25 wounded in
suicide attack on Baka Khel Police Station in Bannu. In Peshawar, seven
soldiers were among ten people killed and 50 wounded in a truck suicide
attack on office of ISI. One commander was among four militants held in
Operation Rah-e-Raast. Fifteen suspects were held in Khar. Five
Afghanistan-bound oil-tankers were set ablaze near Machh and a driver was
killed. Three persons perished in target-killings in Karachi and four activists
of Sunni Tehreek were arrested.
General Kayani said Indian presence in Afghanistan would hamper
achievement of war goals. He told this to US National Security Advisor
General James Jones who called on him in GHQ. When the visitor called on
resident of Presidency he was reminded about payment of $1.6 billion for
development of FATA.
Seven militants were killed in Operation Rah-e-Nijat on 14 th
November; four soldiers were wounded. COAS visited the operational area
and IDPs in D I Khan. Gilani said military operation is not the solution to
problems of FATA; so, Kayani seemed not listening to him. Petraeus claimed
Pakistani forces were close to uprooting Taliban. Twenty militants were
killed and 22 wounded in air strike in Orakzai Agency and five suspects
were held in Hangu.
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A suicide bomber blew himself up at a police check point in Peshawar,

killing 11 people and wounding 28 others. TTP threatened more suicide
attacks. The death toll of attack on ISI office rose to 17. Thirty Afghans were
deported in Khyber Agency. At least 13 militants were killed in Operation
Rah-e-Raast. Two militants were killed and six wounded in Mohmand
Agency. In twin cities, 45 suspects were held in yet another crackdown.
In his latest TV interview Seymour M Hersh said the team that flew
from America in response to false alarm about Pakistans nuclear weapons
and went back from Dubai was now present on the soil of Pakistan, or an
equivalent of it. General Hamid Gul confirmed Hershs statement while
talking to Dr Shahid Masood. He added that in addition to the known links
of Inter Risk he pointed out three more places on Simili-Barakao area where
farm houses have been converted into forward bases around Nilor and
Kahuta. And, all this is happening with the consent of Zardari regime and as
per terms of NRO. The government denied any threat to Pakistans nuclear
arsenal.
On 15th November, five militants were killed in South Waziristan and
Gilani hoped early end to Operation Rah-e-Nijat. PAF jetfighters killed 16
militants in Orakzai Agency. Three militants were killed near Peshawar;
nazim survived attack. Four militants were killed in Swat and 22 dead
bodies were recovered in Buner and Swat. Rockets were fired at a post in
Khar. One operative of banned outfit was held in Islamabad. Night time
movement of Blackwater operatives, between 11p.m. and dawn, caused
worries to residents of Sector G-6/3.
On 2nd November, Hillary said the result of run-off polls would be
accepted despite boycott by Abdullah Abdullah. Election Commission of
Afghanistan declared Karzai as President of Afghanistan. Kerry cleared
Wali Karzai from allegations of his involvement in drug trade. Next day,
Karzai offered olive branch to Taliban brothers; Taliban threw that back in
his face.
An Afghan policeman shot dead five British soldiers and wounded
eight others in Helmand on 4th November; Gordon Brown said it was done
by Taliban in police uniform. UN warned Karzai of losing world support.
Next day, UN decided to move its 900 workers out of Afghanistan. Australia
decided to send no more troops to Afghanistan. Brown and Ban wanted
corruption-free government and the US gave Karzai six months for reforms.
Two US soldiers were killed and two NATO soldiers went missing in
southern Afghanistan on 6th November. Afghan Army claimed killing 90
360

Taliban in northern Afghanistan. Ban ki Moon denied reports of decision to

pull out UN staff from and Brown vowed to continue war in Afghanistan.
NATO forces killed four Afghan soldiers and three policemen in
friendly air strike during an operation carried out to find two missing
soldiers of the coalition in Badghis on 7 th November. In southern
Afghanistan 14 Taliban and 3 soldiers were killed in a clash. Three women
were among eight killed in an air strike opposite Chaman.
Next day, at least 17 Pashtuns were killed by US-led forces in Zabul. A
British soldier was killed in a blast in Helmand. British chief said the
responsibilities in Afghanistan cannot be handed over to Afghan security
forces before 2014. Musharraf said pullout from Afghanistan would not be a
good option.
On 9th November, occupation forces claimed killing 130 Taliban in
recent offensive in Kudzu. Osama is alive, claimed Hekmatyar in a video
message. Next day, one US soldier was killed in roadside blast in southern
Afghanistan. Mulla Toor a commander of Afghan Taliban said Afghan
Taliban have nothing to do with TTP. Taliban were reported using captured
US arms and ammunition against the occupation forces.
On 11th November, two persons were killed several wounded in suicide
attack in Zabul. According to latest survey majority of Americans opposed
sending more troops to Afghanistan. US Envoy to Kabul conveyed his
reservations to Obama about sending more troops to Afghanistan, He was of
the view not to send any more troops until stringent steps were taken to
control corruption. US and EU wanted anti-corruption body in Afghanistan.
Three US soldiers were among six wounded in suicide attack near
military base in Kabul on 13 th November. Next day, three American soldiers
were killed in roadside bombing in eastern Afghanistan. US-led forces killed
8 Taliban in Wardak. Gordon Brown urged Obama to send more US troops
Afghanistan urgently. Morale of US troops was reported to sinking.
Abdullah was not willing to join unity government. Hillary ruled out longterm stake in Afghanistan.
As regards India, on 3rd November, Rehman Malik presented the
evidence regarding Indian involvement in terrorist activities inside Pakistan;
the committee recommended that the government should place this evidence
before the UNSC. Indian Foreign Minister said there was no effective
government in Islamabad.

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On 5th November, India sought international pressure on Pakistan to

implement its stated commitment on terrorism; Pakistan regretted Indian
statement. Two days later, ATC Rawalpindi-1 directed prosecution to
provide confessional statement of Ajmal Kasab of Mumbai attacks.
On 8th November, Singh was worried about spread of terrorism in
Pakistan and Afghanistan. India has developed superpower like vision. How
will the US react when one day India expresses concern over Central
American states? Three days later, India raised alarm in five states located
along western coast as according to intelligence agencies about hundred
terrorists planned to enter India. On 14 th November, Singh said peace is vital
for Pakistan and India.
In Kashmir, Indian forces killed four Kashmiris near LoC on 4 th
November and Syed Ali Geelani was arrested. Two days later, the puppet
government banned use of pre-paid mobile phones which can be used for
triggering explosives; the users of telephones held a protest rally.
Security forces killed a youth and when Kashmiris protested on 7 th
November police used force and injured several protesters. Kashmiris on
either side of LoC agreed to enhance the scope of bilateral trade. Two days
later, two Kashmiris were martyred by occupation forces in two incidents in
Doda and Kishtwar. Six Kashmiris were martyred by occupation forces in
Baramula area on 15th November.
Gilgit-Baltistan entered mainstream politics as electioneering started
with PML-N and MQM holding huge election rallies on 5 th November. On
10th November, the last day of electioneering, Prime Minister Gilani bribed
the voters by announcing development projects.
On 11th November, Opposition criticized the government for meddling
in polls. Out of 1.1 million population of Gilgit-Baltistan 0.7 million were
registered as voters; yet some parties had complained that names of their
supporters were missing from the lists. This percentage of eligibility for
voting merit mention in Guinness Book. Despite this, Kaira claimed that
polls would be fair and, of course, free.
Next day, PPP won 11 out of 20 seats in polls. Opposition blamed the
government for rigging; harsh criticism came from MQM and PML-Q; the
latter also hurled accusations against PML-N. Polls were held peacefully,
except one incident of violence in Diamer in which two persons were killed.
On 13th November, PPP leaders disdainfully rejected allegations of
rigging in Gilgit-Baltistan polls. Next day, protest rallies were held in Gilgit-

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Baltistan by candidates who lost in elections. Protest rallies against rigging

continued on 15th November and supporters of PPP and PML-N clashed in
Sakardu; Section 144 was imposed. In Islamabad, Farooq Sattar and
Mushahid Hussain criticized government over rigging.
Unrest in Balochistan persisted. On 3rd November, Prime Minister
invited Nawaz Sharif and Chaudhry Nisar for a briefing by the
Parliamentary Committee on Balochistan. The same day, Iran hanged
Abdolhamid Rigi, brother of Jundullah chief.
On 4th November, Talal Bugti alleged that the gunmen who killed two
persons of Cadet College Mastung were employees of agencies as people
caught them and recovered documents pertaining to their identity. Strangely,
they thought it wise to carry those documents when on target-killing
mission. Next day, a professor of Balochistan University was shot dead in
Quetta. Three Iranians were held in Quetta and arms were recovered. In a
terrorist attack across the border three Iranian Revolutionary Guards were
killed by terrorists.
On 6th November, Deputy Head of Revolutionary Guards of Iran
alleged that Pakistan arrested Jundullah leader and then released after
intervention of intelligence service. Next day, two teachers were among
three persons wounded in grenade attack in front of a girls school in Quetta.
Later in the evening 15 persons, including four soldiers, were wounded in
another grenade attack on FC post. JSQM took out a rally in Karachi to
press its demands for the rights of Sindhis.
Gas pipeline was blown up in Hub area on 8 th November. Three days
latter, two persons were wounded by gunmen riding motorcycles in
Jaffarabad and Dera Allahyar. On 12th November, Gilani and Nawaz met and
discussed Balochistan. Nawaz suggested that Baloch leaders should be taken
into confidence and the Indian involvement be raised with UN. Next day,
four people were wounded in grenade attack in Gwadar. On 14th November,
a settler shopkeeper was wounded in grenade attack on his shop in
Dalbandin. Next day, passport office was attacked in Quetta.

VIEWS
Pakistan kept reeling under pressure of the Crusaders and its own
Taliban. The government and media watched the progress of operation in
South Waziristan eagerly, but remained aloof from the plight of the IDPs.
Basil Nabi Malik observed: As the South Waziristan operation progresses,
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both sides can be seen hurling allegations and claims of repulsing the
advances of the other. However, one thing that remains undisputed is the
heart wrenching difficulties and problems that the IDPs of these areas are
facing, and will further have to face until Waziristan is cleared of the
militants. It has been noted by many that the humanitarian response to these
IDPs has definitely not been as impressive as that of the overwhelming
response given to those of Malakand. Many reasons could be attributed to
the response of all concerned, including the civil society.
One of the reasons maybe that most official sources indicate that the
suicide bombers are coming from Waziristan; and in addition to this, the
currently precarious security situation as a result of the numerous suicide
bombings has left many residents hesitant in taking in strangers, especially
those with the last name Mehsud. In the same vein, the administration in
Bannu has claimed to have instructed the people not to rent out any vacant
place to the IDPs for the sake of security. Other than that, it has been
reported that the migrants from the Agency have been complaining that
locals in areas such as D I Khan are refusing to assist them, if not showing
downright hostility. The misperception is that all those arriving from
those areas are involved in terrorist activities. According to reports, the
local police have also been given orders to keep an eye on those arriving in
the settled areas, as many are believed to be supporters of the Taliban.
Needless to say that the government must play its role in not only
addressing the issues of the IDPs, but bringing about general awareness
within the larger community concerning the needs of these displaced
Pakistanis and how the people can help them in their individual and
collective capacities. At the moment, the government seems content in
towing the line that the tribesmen dont need the governments help because
they are fiercely independent and would prefer to live with host families as
per their traditions. However, the government cannot escape from the
obligations of providing them all necessary help, by citing lack of
resources or tribal customs as reasons for not being as proactive
Hillarys visit remained in the focus. The Nation wrote: Hillary
Clintons love affair with Pakistan was short-lived. Back in the US she
flatly denied the charge that India was sparking unrest in Balochistan. She
also observed that since Pakistan could criticize the Kerry-Lugar Bill, the
US also had the right to protest al-Qaedas presence on its land and demand
action against it. Furthermore, she went to the extent of saying that
Islamabad had gone into the fight against militancy of its own accord out of
the threat if faced from the terrorists.
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The tone and tenor of her words convey the usual tendency of
viewing Pakistan with a jaundiced eye. Keeping in view her trip, her
interaction with people from all walks of life, many fell prey to wishful
thinking. Some might have even assumed her assurance of turning a new
page on Pak-US relations was genuine. Her posturing has now brought all
those living in a fools paradise back to reality. But the sight of the US
Secretary of State or any other official for that matter spewing venom
against Pakistan should not worry us anymore. This is part and parcel of the
old practice of ditching and stabbing us in the back
Focusing on Pakistan and labeling it as the centre of all terrorist
activity was a much more convenient way of doing away with the
Afghanistan syndrome. Equally distressing was to see her laugh away the
Balochistan crisis and Indias role in it. Couldnt she recall US Gen Stanley
McChrystal, who had observed that increasing Indian influence in
Afghanistan would exacerbate regional tensions and would encourage
Pakistan into countermeasures? At this point in time, if our leaders look
around, there is no dearth of countries, which have carried themselves with
integrity and grace in their relationship with the US. A rethink of our
friendship with the US is definitely in order.
Keith Jones opined: Clinton encountered widespread popular
anger over the USs treatment of Pakistan its support for a succession of
military dictatorships, its bullying and repeated violations of Pakistani
sovereignty, and readiness to push Pakistan toward civil war in pursuit of
victory in the Afghan war
Clinton is the highest ranking Obama Administration official to visit
Pakistan. the ostensible purpose of her visit was to address and meet with
ordinary Pakistanis as well as government, opposition, military and business
leaders, so as to overcome a trust deficit in US-Pakistani relations. By
reaching out to a broad section of Pakistanis, Clinton was trying to put
some distance between the current administration and that of George W
Bush, which to the dismay of ordinary Pakistanis feted the dictator General
Pervez Musharraf.
The reality is that the Pakistani-US partnership has for decades
been a conspiracy against the Pakistani people in which Washington has
used the Pakistani state, above all its military, as a linchpin of USs
imperialist interests in the Middle East, Central and South Asia. And the
venal Pakistani bourgeoisie has been more than willing to offer its services,

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although, like any mercenary, it haggles over the price and resents the
arrogance and cut throat manner of its overlords.
In the case of the Pakistani elite, there are all manner of resentments
and concerns that the US drive to subjugate Afghanistan has destabilized
the shaky Pakistan federal state, increased the already yawning gulf
between the people and the ruling class, and is undercutting Pakistan in its
rivalry with India. The latter fear is compounded by the USs courting of
India as epitomized by the Indo-US nuclear accord as a strategic
counterweight to a rising China
During his campaign for the presidency, Obama suggested a possible
quid pro quo in which the US would assist Pakistan in arriving at a
settlement with India over Kashmir in return for Pakistan doing the USs
bidding in the Afghan war. But when India reiterated its fierce opposition to
any US involvement in mediating the dispute, the Obama Administration
quickly backed off.
Khurshid Akhtar Khan wrote: Clinton has done her job. She has
worked through her strength of public speaking and strong personality to
unambiguously state her governments policy without giving away and has
removed any illusion of our governments capacity to influence it in any
way. Our government has also done its job. It has leaned on our public
to communicate its sentiment to the Americans that our highly paid
lobbyists, ministers and minions were too weak, timid or too obedient to
convey to their handlers in Washington.
The US has successfully manoeuvred taking their war into the hearts
of our cities and has ingeniously driven us to a stage where our public was
left with no alternative except to own it. Notwithstanding the diatribes of
Imran Khan or the religious parties, the success of the NATO forces in
stabilizing Afghanistan and the success of our armed operation against the
militants with strongholds in Washington have now become interlinked with
our own survival and well being. Our unending petty domestic bickering,
faltering economy and armed forces overextended on too many fronts have
rendered us too ineffective to enforce a meaningful foreign policy and have
totally isolated us internationally and from our immediate neighbours. God
helps those who help themselves. We are just relying on the US that has
transformed itself into the devil to whom we have sold our soul.
M A Niazi opined: The public diplomacy aspect of the visit shows
what is probably wrong with the concept. Probably with the best of
intentions, mostly associated with security, the secretarys interactions were
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all carefully choreographed. However, that meant that Secretary Clinton

was faced with audiences that consisted of the already converted. Even
those audiences proved fractious, showing that if faced with a genuine
audience, the secretary would find that Pakistanis were less than enthralled
by her presence. However, that is probably the case with all public and semipublic situations for the secretary of state. By controlling the audience,
officials are handed the opportunity to construct a Potemnik village. US
officials, like any others throughout the world, are not foolhardy enough to
give up the opportunity. As an inquiring First Lady, Ms Clinton was
probably reasonably well acquainted with this, so apart from the differences
in protocol, she must be aware that all her audiences were sanitized in
advance.
Though the visit might have brought almost nothing, not even
assurances of fulfillment of past promises, it was probably useful to those
presently in office, because it presented an assurance of continued US
support. Whether or not to continue that support is something that Secretary
Clinton would report on when she returns. Thus those who hold office
should not be so sure about the visit, which was not entirely a positive, even
from their point of view. It was not, as far as the great mass of Pakistanis
was concerned, who did not find Secretary Clintons assurances of support
particularly reassuring.
Dr A H Khayal wrote: American secretary of state has gifted us a
sack-full of promises. It is not something new. The Pakistan American
friendship is as old as Pakistan itself. The entire history of friendship is a
history of promise making by America. Generally, the promises were not
made to be fulfilled. However, sometimes America did fulfill a promise by
mistake or absent-mindedly. Pakistan regards this occasional lapse on
Americas part as a rich compensation for the unfulfilled promises.
Pakistan doesnt mind if America has not fulfilled most of its
promises. It is proud of the fact that it keeps getting promises from the
greatest power of the world. Even a blow in the face from the greatest power
would be a matter of great honour for an ordinary country. The day
America stopped making promises would be the day of extinction of our
friendship with America.
Our friendship with America is a creation of the aid which America
sometimes jokingly pours into our mouth. The aid is a mysterious potion. To
our tongue it tastes extremely delicious. But as soon as it gets into our
bloodstream, we begin to wobble dangerously. America joyfully watches our

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wobbling. In order to redouble its enjoyment, it pours another dose into our
mouth.
Dr Haider Mehdi commented: Though Hillary Clinton came to
Pakistan with the professed mission to build bridges with the Pakistani
masses at large, she did nothing of the sort. The reason for this terrible
failure is that she (and her America) does not have the slightest inkling
of who the Pakistani people are, what they want, where they stand on the
so-called happy marriage of the US-Pak elite alliance, what they feel about
this terrible war on terrorism, how they judge the American role in
Afghanistan, Iraq and the rest of the Islamic world, why they are against US
military-political interventions all over the world, how they view the recent
American tilt towards India, what assessments they have made about the US
agenda towards Pakistans nuclear arsenal, what they find appalling in
Americas policy contradictions in political conduct in general and particular
to Pakistans present situation, and how they evaluate American global
political behaviour and corporate economic doctrine (neo-capitalism)
fundamentally as a threat to world peace and stability. In a nutshell, Hillary
Clinton and her America, in their typical arrogance, are completely ignorant
of this nations culture, sociology, psyche, changing political trends. They
are absolutely unaware of the Pakistani publics understanding of the present
state of political affairs and how they perceive the prevailing deteriorating
socio-political situation as directly linked to US meddling in the internal and
external politics of their country.
One does not come to a host country to scold, demean, insult,
patronize and give ultimatums to its people. Hillary Clinton did all of that.
No civilized nation can be allowed to conduct itself in this manner not
even the sole superpower.
Nosheen Saeed wrote: It is clear that Pakistanis dont want their
country to be run by the Americans or President Obamas special envoy to
Afghanistan and Pakistan, Mr Richard Holbrooke. They take exception to
the demeaning expression AfPak wich turns them into a part of the problem;
they dont want their country micromanaged through puppet regimes; they
dont want to be a client state toeing US orders; they dont want US aid with
humiliating conditions; and they dont want to be slaves. They only want to
be masters of their own destiny. That is all we want.
The Nation talked of the need for policy shift. The almost daily
targeting of Peshawar and other cities of the NWFP by terrorism should have
made it abundantly clear to everyone in the country that the war on terror

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has spread across the country to the urban centres and the destabilization of
the country is progressing as designed by our external detractors and their
local supporters. Unfortunately, the government seems unable or unwilling
to even consider revising course by formulating a more effective and
holistic policy to deny spaces to the terrorists and delink them from the
populace at large.
Worse still, the targeting patterns are also altering. Now the security
organizations, personnel and offices are becoming the prime targets so that
those who are supposed to provide security to the citizens and to deal with
the terrorists, including through intelligence gathering, begin to look inwards
to protect themselves first. The targeting of the security and law and
order personnel has a two-fold effect: First, it sends a message out to the
citizens that their protectors are unable to protect themselves, so how can
they provide security to the people at large. This means that for the ordinary
person, it may become difficult to deny access to militants if confronted by
them since they cannot rely on the state for protection
The state has to create an enabling environment not only for
dialogue from a position of strength, but also for people to isolate the
militants from their midst by understanding the worth of the peace and
security dividend. The quickest way to create a positive operational
environment is to create space between the Pakistani state and the US. This
will immediately alter the ground dynamics and allow our state to gain the
trust and support of the people which will create space denial for the
militants. Without shifting to this new course, we will see no end to
terrorism across the whole country.
Dr A P Sangdil from Norway talked of Blackwater. The (former)
Blackwaters chairman Erick Prince reportedly enjoys a US carte blanche to
eliminate critics at will without any questions asked, be it Iraq or Pakistan.
Our public is deluded by the propaganda that Taliban are responsible for all
the mayhem taking place at present in our metropolis. But somebody has to
answer the following questions: What is former Blackwater doing in this
country and, more specifically, what is it doing in Sihala Police Academy in
the vicinity of the Khan Laboratories? Why is it renting houses in Peshawar?
The public deserves to know the answers.
Obama Administration took unexpectedly long time to formulate its
strategy regarding Afghanistan. The Crusaders have been blaming Karzai
and Pakistan for deteriorating security situation in the region, but they could

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not blame the two obvious culprits for the undesirable delay in decisionmaking; yet Peter Galbraith indulged in Karzai-bashing.
Before the election, Karzai was seen both at home and abroad as
ineffective and tolerating corruption. Now, many Afghans see him as
illegitimate while large parts of the public in the troop-contributing countries
consider him irredeemably tainted by the fraud. Western leaders say they
will work with Karzai, as they must, but he cannot be an effective
partner in Obamas enhanced counter-insurgency strategy. And without an
effective Afghan partner, the strategy will not work.
With support from some key countries, Kai Eide is now promoting a
new compact between Karzai and the Afghan people. Elections are, of
course, the normal way to establish such a compact. More promises, which
will not be honored, cannot paper over the consequences of dishonest
election. Afghanistans winner-take-all presidential system is ill-suited to
a country that is so geographically and ethnically diverse constitutional
change providing for meaningful power-sharing and greater local
accountability is essential if there is to be a credible Afghan partner.
For now, however, Karzai is not a legitimate partner to the west
and there is no immediate prospect of necessary change. Under these
circumstances, sending more troops to Afghanistan to implement a counterinsurgency strategy is a waste of precious military resources. Hamid Karzai
was determined to win Afghanistans presidential elections without regard to
the cost to his country and to the international military mission. He
succeeded, and Afghanistan and its foreign friends will now pay the very
steep price.
Graham Usher talked of reasons of getting Karzai elected unopposed.
The US and UN knew that without reform of the IEC, the November 7
poll was likely to be as fraudulent as August 20. But neither the US nor the
UN had the stomach to fight Karzai. On October 29, the IEC said it planned
to increase the number of polling stations for the run-off, once more raising
the spectre of non-existent polling stations. The ECC wanted fewer. The
solution was to scrap the second round.
A second reason was turn-out. According to DI, out of an electorate
of 15m only 4.3m Afghans actually voted on August. With the Taliban
resurgent and alienation growing, there was a fear that the next Afghan
president would be elected on less than 20 percent of the suffrage.
The third reason was fear. Last month the Taliban warned that
anyone engaged in organizing the soap opera election would be targeted.
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On October 28, three gunmen attacked a guesthouse in central Kabul: five

UN workers and three Afghans were killed as were the gunmen, after a twohour siege. Of the 25 UN staff staying at the hotel, 17 were election
officials.
The conclusion was obvious. The Taliban could strike at will,
including, for the first time, at the UN. And neither they nor the US nor
NATO was prepared to risk more lives for a president who defied the law
and stole elections. It was after the attack on the guesthouse that the idea of a
second round became untenable.
What next? The US and UN had been working on a power-sharing
deal in which Abdullah stands down in return for influence in certain key
ministries. Karzai has ruled out a coalition but is under pressure from NATO
to make his next government as inclusive as possible.
However, the US focus is not on governance. In the next month
Obama will decide by how much he will augment the 68,000 US troops in
Afghanistan. Few expect him to cede his military commanders request for
40,000 more soldiers. But all expect enough of a surge to secure the main
cities and roads. The aim will be to deny al-Qaeda a foothold and to so
degrade the Taliban that the Afghan army can deal with them, said an aide
to Obama recently.
It seems ambitious. Last month The Washington Post published the
resignation letter of Mathew Hoy, a senior US civilian officer in
Afghanistans Zabul province. Like the Soviet Union in the 1980s, the US
and NATO were shoring up a failing state, he wrote. Like during the
Soviet period, foreign occupation was not containing the insurgency but
fuelling it. After Afghanistans election charade few surely can dispute the
first point. How long before the Obama Administration accepts the second?
Patrick Cockburn opined Afghan government was more of a racket
than regime. 'Eikenberry expresses frustration over the lack of US
money allocated for spending on development and reconstruction after
Afghanistans infrastructure has been wrecked by 30 years of war. The
ambassador has not even been able to obtain $2.5b for non-military
spending, this though the cost of the extra 40,000 US troops requested by
Gen Stanley McChrystal, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan,
is put by army planners at $33b and by White House officials at about $50b
over a year.
This is one of the absurdities of the Afghan war. Afghanistan is one
of the poorest countries in the world. Some 12 million out of 27 million
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Afghans live below the poverty line on 45 cents a day, according to the UN.
Yet the lower estimate for each extra 1,000 US troops is $1b a year.
The much maligned and rightly maligned Afghan policeman
earns around $120 a month. In return for this he is forced to do a more
dangerous job than Afghan soldiers, some 1,500 policemen being killed
between 2007 and 2009, three times the number of deaths suffered by the
Afghan army. Compare this money and these dangers with that of a US paid
consultant earning $250,000 a year and with the cost of his guards,
accommodation and translator totaling the same amount again lurking in
his villa in Kabul.
'Eikenberry is rightly skeptical about the dispatch of reinforcements to
prop up a regime which is more of a racket than an administration. The
troops may kill more Taliban, but they will also be their recruiting
sergeants. As for the Afghan government, its ill-paid forces will not be
eager to fight harder if they can get the Americans and the British to do their
fighting for them.
In a lengthy article Aram Roston discussed the faulty system of
contracting adopted by occupation forces in Afghanistan. He was of the
view that Taliban also benefit from this monetarily. In concluding the article
he wrote: The chief public affairs officer for the international forces in
Afghanistan said that military officials are aware of allegations that
procurement funds may find their way into the hands of insurgent groups,
but we do not directly support or condone this activity, if it is occurring. He
added that, despite oversight, the relationships between contractors and their
subcontractors and others in their operational communities are not entirely
transparent.
In any case, the main issue is not that the US military is turning a
blind eye to the problem. Many officials acknowledge what is going on
while also expressing a deep disquiet about the situation. The trouble is that
as with so much in Afghanistan the United States doesnt seem to
know how to fix it.
Robert Fisk opined: After Disneyworld elections, they are on the
Karzai-government side against the Pashtun villagers of southern
Afghanistan among whom the Taliban live. Where is the next Mai Lai?
Journalists should avoid predications. In this case I will not. Our Western
mission in Afghanistan is going to end in utter disaster.
The Independent wrote: It has been suggested that US President
Barack Obama is delaying his decision on reinforcements to put pressure
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on President Karzai to sack corrupt ministers and officials. If so, such an

approach makes sense. The West will never have a pristine partner in Kabul;
but it must have a vaguely credible one.
President Obama is ultimately right to demand that the strategy
for stabilizing Afghanistan must be clear (and a realistic troop exit
scenario laid out) before more troops can be committed. And the US
President is also to argue that it remains far from clear whether such a
strategy is yet in place.
Khalid Iqbal was of the view that the region is expected to stay
turbulent till the time the exodus of extremists from Afghanistan to
Pakistan is stopped, India is restrained from interfering into Pakistans
internal matters and the occupation forces give a withdrawal timeframe.
Moreover, acceptance of elections and owning of its results by the people of
Afghanistan is a benchmark for the viability of the reconstituted
government, and its ability to achieve the objective of good governance.
Now multi-track intra-Afghan negotiations should be the starting
point, with military option going in the background. All moderate and noncommitted elements should be invited to join the post elections
dispensation, and hence own it.
Only a strong government, that is, a broad-based dispensation,
enjoying the confidence of all significant elements of Afghan society, would
be able to govern effectively and accrue a withdrawal timeframe from the
occupation forces; which is vital to sustainable regional peace. The
occupation forces need to seize the opportunity to avail their last chance
for a face saving exit.
The Nation wrote: Whatever the causes of failure of the US-led
forces, and there are more than one, the Obama Administration should
seriously consider the offer of talks made by Mulla Wakil Mutwakkal,
former Talibans foreign minister, contingent upon the foreign forces leaving
Afghanistan. While Washingtons stress on administrative reforms aimed at
rooting out corruption and inefficiency is not questionable from the point of
view of smooth running of the country, it is illogical to put the entire blame
for the growing strength of the resistance on these factors. The foremost
among the causes is the Afghan spirit of independence that the US has either
failed to grasp or is deliberately ignoring in the belief that superior militarymight could crush it. Aggravating the situation is the injustice that the UScontrived political dispensation in the country has done to the Pushtun
majority. And one should not forget the indifferent attitude of most of the
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NATO allies. In the backdrop of these complex factors, the surge would not
be able to cut much ice.
In another editorial the newspaper wrote: The 64 percent of the
British population that holds, according to a recent BBC survey, that the war
in Afghanistan is unwinnable seems to be wiser than the leaders, who
despite eight years of deadly and fruitless fighting, balk at the idea of the
withdrawal of troops from the country. As the Afghan resistance becomes
more fierce and a higher number of British casualties are reported, the
percentage of those who are losing heart keep rising; only last July 58
percent of the people thought that the war could not be won. Top British
commanders, including army chief Sir David Richards, have also learned, to
their dismay, that the way the war on terror is being fought is clearly set to
turn out to be a losing battle.
'Currently, the military and political circles of the UK are debating the
idea that they should concentrate their energies on main population centres
and pull out the troops from the outlying areas. Viewing this thinking in the
light of the opinion of 49 percent of respondents in the same survey, who are
opposed to the stationing of troops in southern Afghanistan, would suggest
that a sizeable number of the British people feel greatly worried at the rising
death toll. It is noteworthy that 232 British servicemen have lost their lives
so far, out of which 95 were killed only this year, the highest number in a
year since the war began in 2001.
Although public opinion the world over, not only in countries
engaged in fighting in Afghanistan, has become frustrated at this virtually
endless war, the British have an extremely bitter taste of what war with the
Afghan people means. The so-called Taliban (read Pashtuns) whom the
allied forces are fighting are not alone in seeing the end of foreign
occupation; the countrys other communities, equally known for their valour
and dogged resistance, are one of them. One would very much wish
President Obama worked on an honourable exit strategy rather than
considering the option of inducting more troops.
I M Mohsin observed: The Afghans, generally, tend to be suspicious
of any foreign force. With more than eight years of corrupt governance
which developed warlordism, the rule of injustice dominated by non-Pashtun
bias, degrading unemployment, grinding poverty and highhanded tactics to
suppress usual suspects, the Afghan pot is bubbling. The position will be
worsened by the installation of Karzai as the winner. As the US
announces its new strategy, the die would appear to have been cast.

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Hillary did hint at accommodating the repentant Taliban

fighters. This could mean dialogue with the insurgents under some cover.
Both Karzai and Pakistan have advocated such a way out in keeping with the
local traditions. Obama, with his mature worldview, also signaled the same
by delinking al-Qaeda from Taliban. From now on, the latter would be the
principal enemy.
As Afghanistan assays for stability, Pakistan would be crucial for US
as is being openly asserted by the administration. The latter is waging a war
whose cost may render the aid promised under Kerry-Lugar Act to a measly
fraction. In addition, alleged Indian help to the extremists is a dangerous
landmark. While worsening the existing threat, it miffs the Pakistani people,
victims all the way against the US too. The US must clearly define her
mission in Afghanistan while pursuing the political portal seriously. Pakistan
would help but it cant fight fully facing back-stabbing. By Hillarys
analogy, dark has been replaced by daylight under Obama. What a
bleak day for Pakistan!
The Nation commented: The growing strength of the Afghan
resistance ought to have brought home to the US and allies, shortly
completing the eighth year of their turbulent occupation of Afghanistan, that
they can neither hold their own for long nor peace could return to the
country as long as they stay there. The fighting has, in fact, led to the
spread of the militant phenomenon to the tribal region of Pakistan and
the rest of the country, something US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has
acknowledged
For Muslim countries in the region particularly Turkey, Iran,
Afghanistan and Pakistan it is a moment of reflection. With the
American and foreign troops on the ground, widely regarded as a hostile
presence, and the use of forces, the circle of violence cannot be brought to
an end. It is a poor judgment that pins the hope for success on a massive
surge of troops. The idea tragically lacks historical perspective as well as the
understanding that the pusillanimous public opinion back home would only
like to hear of conquests but not encounter the sight of body bags.
While the Afghan tradition of valour in defence of independence is
legendary, the occupation armies lack the spirit of sacrifice. Daisy cutters
can pulverize mountains but have failed to kill the spirit of the Afghan
people. It is a win-win situation for the resistance. A dispassionate
assessment should inform the US that nothing goes in its favour. Sooner or

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later it has to leave. But who shall fill the gap to calm down the situation in
this society that prolonged outside intervention has made highly divisive?
Here lies the test of political leaderships in Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan
and Pakistan. The interests of these countries, located in around this arc of
raging turmoil, can be best served by acting in unison. Having common faith
and traditions, they should sink their differences, whether sectarian or of
another nature, and focus on a common future that ensures peace and
prosperity. No doubt, each has ticklish issues to settle, which have been
made intractable by continuous hostile foreign meddling. But joining hands
and sitting together to work out solutions, beginning with Afghanistan, they
can gradually overcome them.
Ilya Kramnik looked at from Russian point of view. For the time
being, Russia can remain outside of this war, limiting itself to providing
transit services, and perhaps even make a profit for example, by selling
helicopters. At the same time, it is obvious that Russia should refrain from
direct involvement in the conflict by, for example, sending helicopter units
of the Russian Air Force to Afghanistan. The Afghan people do not support
the NATO operation and most of them are against the alliances forces,
which can explain the Talibans advances in recent months.
If NATO is unable to find a solution to the current situation that is
acceptable to most of the countrys population in the foreseeable future, then
the alliance will be forced to leave Afghanistan in the coming three to four
years. Although the consequences of such a withdraw are unknown, it is
most likely that the Taliban or another decidedly anti-western power will
come to power. And in this case, it would be much easier for Russia, as a
country that did not participate in the war, to negotiate with the new
leaders of Afghanistan than it would be for the recently expelled occupiers.
John J Mearsheimer opined: In Afghanistan, there is little reason to
think that the United States can decisively defeat the Taliban, mainly
because they can melt into the countryside or go to Pakistan whenever they
are outgunned, returning to fight another day (just as they did after the initial
US victory in 2001). Furthermore, the Karzai regime, corrupt and
incompetent, stands little chance of ever truly being able to rule the country
and keep the Taliban at bay, which means that the American military will
have to stay there to do the job for many years to come.
John went on to prove that Pakistan is the source of all militancy
equating it with neighbours of Vietnam and then added: In Afghanistan, as
in Vietnam, it simply does not matter whether the United States wins or
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loses. It makes no sense for the Obama Administration to expend more

blood and treasure to vanquish the Taliban. The United States should accept
defeat and immediately begin to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan.
Of course, President Obama will never do such thing. Instead, he will
increase the American commitment to Afghanistan, just as Lyndon Johnson
did in Vietnam in 1965. The driving force in both cases is domestic
politics. Johnson felt that he had to escalate the fight in Vietnam because
otherwise the Republicans would lambaste him for losing Vietnam the same
way they accused President Harry Truman of losing China in the late
1940s.
Obama and his fellow Democrats know full well that if the United
States walks away from Afghanistan now, the Republicans will accuse them
of capitulating to terrorism and undermining our security. And this charge
will be leveled at them for decades to come, harming Democrats at the polls
come election time. The Democrats have no intention of letting that happen.
The United States is in Afghanistan for the long haul. As was the case in
Vietnam, more American soldiers and many more civilians are going to die
in Afghanistan, and for no good reason.
Nick Turse wrote a lengthy article titled What is Pentagon up to in
Afghanistan? Excerpts are reproduced: While Washington has put modest
funding into civilian projects in Afghanistan this year ranging from small
scale power plants, to public latrines, to a meat market the real
construction boom is military in nature. The Pentagon has been funneling
stimulus-sized sums of money to defence contractors to markedly boost
its military infrastructure in that country.
In a fiscal year 2009, for example, the civilian US Agency for
International Development awarded US$20 million in contracts for work in
Afghanistan, while the US Army alone awarded $2.2 billion Nowhere has
the building boom been more apparent than Bagram Air Base, a key military
site used by the Soviet Union during its occupation of Afghanistan in 1980s.
In its American incarnation, the base has significantly expanded from its old
Soviet days and, in just the last two years, the population of the more
than 5,000-acre (2,023 hectare) compound has doubled to 20,000 troops,
in addition to thousands of coalition forces and civilian contractors.
In the near future, notes Pincus, The military is planning to build a
$30 million passenger terminal and adjacent cargo facility to handle the flow
of troops, many of whom arrive at the base north of Kabul before moving on
to other sites. In addition, according to the Associated Press, the base
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command is acquiring more land next year on the east side to expand
even further.
The bases population will also increase in the near future, thanks to a
project in progressby a team of more than 1,000 Filipinos, Indians, Sri
Lankans and Afghans. When completed, it will consist of 19 buildings and
16 guard towers designed to hold more than 1,000 detainees on the
sprawling base, which has long been notorious for the torture and even
murder of prisoners within its confines.
While United States officially insists that it is not setting up
permanent bases in Afghanistan, the scale and permanency of the
construction underway at Bagram seems to suggest, at the least, a very
long stay. Nick further narrated the military related works in Kandahar city
and other provinces like Nuristan, Helmand, Farah and Nimruz. In southern
provinces the focus is on construction of infrastructure that will enhance air
mobility and video-game warfare. Australia was also taking up similar steps
for longer stay of its troops.
He concluded: Forget for a moment the debates in Washington over
Afghan war policy; if you just focus on the construction activity and the
flow of money into Afghanistan, what you see is a war that, from the point
of view of the Pentagon, isnt going to end any time soon. the US militarys
building boom suggests that, in the ninth year of the Afghan war, the
Pentagon has plans for a far longer-term, if not near-permanent, garrisoning
of the country, no matter what course Washington may decide upon.
Alternatively, it suggests that the Pentagon is willing to waste taxpayers
money (which might have shored up sagging infrastructure in the US and
created a plethora of jobs) on what will soonbe abandoned runways,
landing zones and forward operating bases.

India took advantage of Pakistans difficulties to settle old scores.

The Nation commented: Given the abiding animosity that India harbours
against Pakistan, dating back to the days of the freedom movement, one
should not be too surprised at the discovery of further evidence of its
involvement in aiding the militants in South Waziristan whom the Pakistan
Army is engaged in eliminating.
As all indications, some concrete and some circumstantial, that India
is fishing in troubled waters has been available for quite some time, the
only surprise is that Islamabad has not taken up the matter, with the firmness
that it merits, with New Delhi, Washington and other capitals, which
routinely blame it for their woes in Afghanistan. They have been pointing to
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the support that al-Qaeda sanctuaries in the tribal belt allegedly give to the
Afghan resistance as one of the main causes of their failure to defeat it.
Therefore, it is only appropriate that not only these countries but also other
friendly powers, which are equally eager that Pakistan put an effective end
to the terrorism phenomenon, should have been suitably briefed and told that
India must stop its nefarious activities if positive results are required.
The nation now expects that the government would take all
necessary countermeasures against the latest concrete evidence found by
the army when it was clearing Sherawangi area located near Kaniguram. At
a joint press conference the Interior Minister and ISPR spokesman revealed
that a huge quantity of Indian arms and ammunition, literature, medical
equipment and medicines have been recovered. And Minister Kaira held out
the assurance that Pakistan would take it up with India through diplomatic
channels. One hopes the matter would be pursued at the international level
as well. New Delhis false accusations against Pakistan stick because its
propaganda machinery works at full blast, while Islamabad manages, as in
several other areas, to raise only feeble cry that is drowned in the overall
noisy allegations that Pakistan is the epicenter of militancy and extremism.
In another editorial the newspaper added: The foreign political and
media circles, which counsel Islamabad against perceiving New Delhi as a
threat, are either too nave or have ulterior motives to promote. Their
perception could be flawed also because of an inadequate understanding of
the historical animosity that has existed between the two countries. Or they
might not be following the clever moves that India has all along been
making in an attempt to take advantages of Pakistans hard times that,
unfortunately, have hardly ever been in short supply. The present, when
Pakistan is confronted with dire challenges militancy and its offshoot
insecurity, political uncertainty, economic meltdown is perhaps the most
critical juncture for it since the East Pakistan tragic event and it thus creates
an ideal opportunity for India to fish in troubled waters.
Investigation into the various acts of terrorism and the armys inroads
into militants stronghold of South Waziristan have thrown up
incontrovertible evidence that the Research Analysis Wing, Indias spy
agency commonly called RAW, has been actively engaged in fomenting
trouble for Pakistan, whether in FATA, Balochistan or elsewhere, aiding
and even providing training to the elements responsible for creating
violence. The use of Indian made weapons and explosives in terrorist acts
has been established. Not only that. The militants taken into custody by
Pakistani authorities have revealed their links with Indian intelligence
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puppeteers. The Indian containers that take weapons and other goods for the
ISAF in Afghanistan have on their return been carrying huge quantities of
explosives and weapons when they should be empty. It was quite odd to
discover some time back that more than 100 Afghans, some dead and others
unconscious, were cooped up in containers that were on their way back from
Afghanistan to India.
It is incomprehensible that despite the fact that evidence against India
began emerging in 2006, our authorities took it lightly. They raised the issue
only feebly, perhaps overawed by the false charge of our role in the Mumbai
attacks. Nevertheless, the recent revelations have compelled even the US
Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mullen to admit that it was not
possible to wish away Pakistans concern of Indian doings. He should be
doing much more than that to make sure that New Delhi stops its deadly
meddling in Pakistans affairs.
Frank Schell suggested: India should be engaged and brought to
the table. Thus far, it has been largely a spectator, probably fearing that the
Kashmir dispute might be internationalized. As a first tier global economic
power, India needs to accept the responsibilities and risks that come with
that stature. Its economic achievements as a democracy give it moral
authority not seen since the 1950s when it was initially non-aligned, and its
armed forces each rank among the worlds top five. Anything India can do in
form or substance to decrease tensions with Pakistan to deploy resources to
the western front. Even a symbolic pullback from the Kashmiri Line of
Control would be useful, along with some effort to assuage Pakistans fears
of rising Indian influence in Afghanistan and in the Pakistani province of
Balochistan. While thus far the debate has been about the US and NATO
commitment to Afghanistan, the stakes are higher across the border.
Elections in Gilgit-Baltistan were marred by rigging allegations.
Inayatullah was of the view that the very idea of changing the status of the
area was ill-conceived. Eyebrows were raised when suddenly the PPP came
up with a reform package for the Northern Areas administration renaming it
Gilgit-Baltistan and appointing the articulate information minister as its
governor. Kashmiri leaders protested at the move. They feared adverse
repercussions for the larger cause of the liberation of Kashmir. Parliament
was ignored.
Now elections have been held. Almost all the political parties have
accused the PPP government of rigging it. Why is the party bent upon
doing things which further defame it? Moreover, even the high-walled

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presidential fortress cannot protect our president from stories of his past
deeds, hitting the media. A French journalist has come up with allegations of
kickbacks of millions of dollars received by him in the purchase of three
French submarines
What he possibly can do is to begin reforming himself, stop using
the presidency for objectionable party purposes, return the powers that
rightly belong to the chief executive and Parliament, stop issuing uncalled
for statements on sensitive policy matters, get rid of undesirable elements
which only demean his standing and make a serious effort to honestly act as
a responsible head of state and a true symbol of unity. More than the
damage done to the institution of the presidency, it is the party that has borne
the brunt of is doings.
A B Tiwana from Sargodha wrote: PPP has scored yet another
victory. Gilgit and Baltistan have been conquered. With so many tales of
PPP corruption, inefficiency, nepotism and mismanagement circulating in
the country and not a single day passing without a bomb blast somewhere,
the PPPs victory in Gilgit-Baltistan elections is nothing short of a miracle.
But this miracle proves two things: one, either the people of Gilgit and
Baltistan are immune to corruption. Two, the PPP has a special kind of
jhurloo, better than the one used by other ruling political parties.
The killing of Iranian diplomat in Peshawar is linked to motives of
foreign interference in Balochistan. The Nation commented: The latest
target killing in Peshawar, unless the culprits are caught soon, may push us
into the Zia-era pattern of targeted killings of Iranian diplomats in various
urban centres. This sent our bilateral relations into an unstoppable downward
spiral from which we are still recovering. Iran is our one friendly neighbour
with whom we not only have historic and cultural links; we also have no
intrinsic conflict. Whether it is energy, trade or strategic issues, the two
countries have a major interest in developing close ties and partnerships. Yet
for some inexplicable reason we are hostage to our external players
agendas. So the gas pipeline project has been delayed, not from the Iranian
side but from ours; the plan to purchase electricity from Iran for our border
areas is also up in the air. One has to wonder why our leadership is allowing
vested interests to hold Pakistan-Iran relations hostage.
Pepe Escobar wrote: In case of a hypothetical balkanization of
Pakistan, Balochis and Pashtuns would go separate ways. Quetta, the
provincial capital, in terms of population and business activity, is already
dominated by Pashtuns. Balochistans internal politics are complex

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What is now Balochistan and Sindh in Pakistan was conquered

centuries ago by the Balochi Rind tribe. They never submitted to the British.
During the Ronald Reagan 1980s, Balochis tried in secret to strike a deal
with the US for an independent Balochistan in return for the US controlling
regional Pipelineistan. Washington procrastinated. Balochis took it very
badly. Some decided to go underground or go for armed struggle.
Islamabad still doesnt get it; Washington may.
If the Pashtunwali the ancestral Pashtun code is still king (dont
threaten them, dont attack them, dont mislead them, dont dishonour them,
or revenge is inevitable). Balochis can even more fearsome. Balochis as a
whole have never been conquered. These are warriors of ancestral fame. If
you think Pashtuns are tough, better not pick a fight with a Balochi.
Even Pashtuns are terrified of them.
The geopolitical secret is not to antagonize but to court them, and
offer them total autonomy. In an evolving strategy of balkanization of
Pakistan increasingly popular in quite a few Washington foreign policy
circles Balochistan has very attractive assets: natural wealth, scarce
population, and a port, Gwadar, which is key for Washingtons New Great
Game in Eurasia Pipelineistan plans.
And its not only oil and gas. Reko Diq (literally sandy peak) is a
small town in the deserted Chaghi district, 70km northwest of already
remote Nok Kundi, near the Iran and Afghanistan borders. Reko Diq is the
home of the worlds largest gold and copper reserves, reportedly worth more
than $65b. According to local English daily, these reserves are believed to be
even bigger than similar ones in Iran and Chile.
Reko Diq is being explored by the Australian Tethyan Copper
Company (75pc), which sold 19.95pc of its stake to Chiles Antofagasta
Minerals. Only 25pc is allocated to the Balochistan Development Authority.
Tethyan is jointly controlled by Barrick Gold and Antofagasta Minerals. The
Balochis had to have a serious beef about that: they denounce that their
natural wealth has been sold by Islamabad to Zionist-controlled
regimes.
Washington is focused on Balochistan like a laser. One of high
summers blockbusters will be the inauguration of Camp Leatherneck, a
vast, brand new US air base in Dasht-e-Margo, the desert of death in
Helmand province in Afghanistan. Quite a few of Obamas surge soldiers
will be based in Camp Leatherneck a cross-border, covert ops stones
throw from southeast Iran and Pakistani Balochistan.
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Under Gen McChrystal, the US and NATO top commander in

Afghanistan, one should expect a continuous summer blockbuster of
death squads, search-and-destroy missions, targeted assassinations,
bombing of civilians and all-out paramilitary terrorization of tribal Pashtun
villages, community leaders, social networks or any social movement for
that matter that dares to defy Washington and provide support for the Afghan
resistance. Black Ops McChrystal is supposed to turn former Chinese
leader Mao Zedong upside down he should empty the sea (kill and/or
displace an untold number of Pashtun peasants) to catch the fish the
Taliban or any Afghan opposing the US occupation).
American journalist Seymour Hersh has detailed how Gen
McChrystal directed the executive assassination wing of the Pentagons
Joint Special Operations Command. No wonder he was a darling of former
vice-president Dick Cheney and former secretary of defence Rusted. The
Obama Administrations belief in his extreme terrorization methods
qualifies as no more than Rumsfeldian foreign policy.
And Gen McChrystal still has the luxury of raising any amount of
calibrated hell in Balochistan to suit Washingtons plans be they to
provoke Iranians or incite Balochis to revolt against Islamabad. According to
Pakistani writer Abd al-Ghafar AzizBalochis (are) orphans without shelter
and without protection.
Neighbouring Iran is taking no chances; it is testing sophisticated
border patrolling techniques this week in its southeast province of SiestanBalochistan, along the 2,500km of border with both Afghanistan and
Pakistani Balochistan. One of Tehrans ultimate national security nightmares
is US-cross border covert ops launched from Pakistani Balochistan, the kind
of stuff thats music to McChrystals ears. Theres little doubt Obamas
surge will fail. Washingtons Plan B is also lame
Thus a Pakistan not unlike an Iraq still under US occupation broke
up into three parts now starts to emerge as a distinct possibility. Unless an
improbable Pakistani popular revolt, backed by middle-ranking Pakistani
soldiers, rumbles on to make the top heads of the army/security/politico
establishment roll. But drones, not guillotines, are the flavour of the
moment in AfPak.
The media and diplomatic offensive against Pakistans nuclear
assets had been mostly covered under the heading of war on terror being
fought inside Pakistan. It would be more appropriate to view it under the
heading of India where it belongs to because of anti-Muslim Indo-US
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strategic partnership. One of the aims of that partnership is to project India

as veto wielding power and for that balance has to be tilted in favour of India
by denuclearization of Pakistan.
The latest cry for securing Pakistan nuclear weapons raised by
Seymour M Hersh, is part of the same strategy. Excerpts from his article are
reproduced. He built up his argument around the incidents of terrorism
including killing of a Brigadier in Islamabad and rounded up his preamble:
The assassins clearly had advance knowledge of the generals route,
indicating that they had contacts and allies inside the security forces.
Pakistan has been a nuclear power for two decades and has an
estimated eighty to a hundred warheads, scattered in facilities around the
country. The success of the latest attacks raised an obvious question: are
the bombs safe? He went on to mention concerns of Clinton and Obama in
concealed and some times not so concealed and then talked about reaching
US-Pakistan understanding.
The secrecy surrounding the understandings was important because
there is growing antipathy toward America in Pakistan, as well as a history
of distrust. Many Pakistanis believe that Americas true goal is not to keep
their weapons safe but to diminish or destroy the Pakistani nuclear
complex.
He wrote, consultations on nuclear security were intensified after
announcement of Af-Pak policy. And, on 21st May, Mullen told the Senate
Committee: We have invested a significant amount of resources through the
Department of Energy in the last several years to help Pakistan improve the
controls on its arsenal. They still have to improve them, he said.
Hersh then mentioned some interviews he carried out in Pakistan. He
said some officials denied and others opined that both sides are lying to
each other. He claimed that high-level cooperation between Islamabad
and Washington on the Pakistani arsenal began at least eight years ago
and resultantly safeguards have been built into the system.
But the safeguards meant to keep a confrontation with India from
escalating too quickly could make the arsenal more vulnerable to terrorists.
Nuclear-security experts have war-gamed the process and concluded that the
triggers and other elements are most exposed when they are being
moved and reassembled at those moments there would be fewer barriers
between an outside group and the bomb.

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The triggers are a key element in American contingency plans. An

American former senior former senior intelligence official saidthe unit,
which had earlier focused on the warheads cores, has begun to
concentrate on evacuating the triggers, which have no radioactive
material and are thus much easier to handle.
Hersh went on to mention the modus operandi of evacuation of
triggers and persistent official denials by Pakistan. He also quoted Zardari
rejecting American concerns about Pakistans nuclear arsenal. It was
quite intriguing that a man who has fixed a price tag worth $100 billion on
nuclear assets brushed aside American concerns. In the later portion of the
article, however, Hersh cleared the mist by quoting Musharraf: Asif Zardari
is a criminal and a fraud.
He strengthened his argument by quoting Rahimullah Yusufzai who
had feared that tactical victory won in Swat could prove to be strategic
failure; thereby implying that it could cause spread of militancy. He then
regretted that Americans were not permitted access to Dr A Q Khan and said
any plan based on information provided by Pakistanis cannot guarantee
success.
He then chose Hamid Gul to name one of those retired Army officers,
who oppose Americas war on terror, and blamed them for spreading
radicalism. Of course, the argument could not be complete without
referring to Indian concerns and for that Hersh went to New Delhi to
extract some supporting statements.
The rise in militancy is a sensitive subject, and many inside Pakistan
insist that American fears, and the implied threat to the nuclear arsenal, are
overwrought Others are less sure. Nuclear weapons are only as safe as
the people who handle them, Pervez Hoodbhoysaid in a talk. Hersh
chose the right person to quote as no anti-Islamic bomb statement could
be complete without borrowing words from Hoodbhoy.
Hershs intellect, however, failed at the end when he chose a flimsy
indicator of the spreading militancy. During my stay in Pakistan my first
in five years there were undeniable signs that militancy and the
influence of fundamentalist Islam had grown. In the past, military
officers, politicians, and journalists routinely served Johnnie Walker Black
during our talks, and drank it themselves. This time, even the most senior
retired Army generals offered only juice or tea, even in their own homes.
Hersh certainly did not include Presidency in homes.

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The Nation commented: Yet another revelation has come out from a
US journalist on secret deals between the US and the Pakistani state
regarding US access to Pakistans nuclear arsenal all in the name of
security. There have been the usual denials and protests from the
Foreign Office and other quarters, but there is a larger problem here.
This is not the first time such revelations have come from US official and
journalistic sources. Periodically, the news erupts of some secret
understanding between the US and Pakistan regarding our nukes. Nor will
this cycle ever end, unless there is a total reversal of policy relating to
dealings with the US.
The first issue that needs to be dealt with is that of access. Why do
we continue to give so much access to US journalists when we know their
intent? The Foreign Office now claims that Hersh revealed his well-known
anti-Pakistan bias. If that was the case, why was he given a visa? Once he
did manage to arrive, why did the Foreign Office not ensure he was denied
access to the Presidency? Should they not be briefing the president to ensure
nothing untoward gets said or gaffe committed? All US journalists provided
access unlimited in Pakistan go back to do damaging stories of Pakistan
based on half-truths, lack of understanding and playing to the Western
gallery. Yet officialdom in Pakistan continues to fawn over these people and
giving them all manner of facilities and sensitive access.
Another more pertinent issue is unless we come clean on what sort of
access we have been giving the US on the nuclear arsenal, rumours and halftruths will continue to find a ready audience, because our state has given
exceptional access to the US across the country, post-9/11. To simply give
meaningless denials with no real substance in them beyond the usual
semantics does not convince anyone. After all, it is not just the foreign
journalists who are referring to secret understandings between the US and
Pakistan, beginning in the Musharraf era; US officials are also hinting at the
same in a guarded fashion. So what we need to know is how much access?
It will be far better for the state to tell the nation the truth and then ensure
that no further access is granted.
Finally, the military needs to distance itself from the US, even if the
political leadership cannot do so for their own interests. Surely by now it
should realize that the US seeks to weaken the institution of the Pakistan
military so any form of cooperation will have a hefty price to pay. It is
time to create a distance between the Pakistan and US militaries and see how
the latter fares in Afghanistan. Unless this distancing is done, the American

386

Establishment and its journalists will continue to play mind games with
Pakistan over the nuclear issue. For the nation that is unacceptable.
In a subsequent editorial the newspaper added: What many of us had
suspected for some years now, that the US wanted to take out our nuclear
weapons one way or another, has been confirmed by a senior US journalist,
Seymour Hersh. It was never feasible for the US to take out our weapons by
military targeting, so their aim has been to create enough instability in the
country and thereby justify taking the nukes in their custody. They are
seeking access to our triggers and weapon systems sites but have failed so
far. The Hersh account also talks of an erroneous alert whereby the US
mobilized a rapid response force which actually arrived in Dubai before
realizing the alarm was false.
Now the US must think we are really stupid for no matter how much
the Pakistan military will give any access to the US in terms of our actual
weapons or even their whereabouts. But unfortunately, Musharraf and the
Presidency and Farhatullah Babar, who was for many years working with the
PAEC at a time when security was more lax. By collecting enough hints of
information, the US can connect the dots, especially if they also have
boots on the ground for physical surveillance and purchase of information.
Hersh is right in talking about the US plan to grab our nuclear
triggers but trying to claim it as a bilateral agreement with the military is
false and meant to undermine the military as well as hope that in its denials
some further revelations may be made. The aborted action in Dubai by
special US forces was more likely a dry run than an aborted mission. The
growing presence of covert US personnel around Islamabad and in the US
mission is a direct security threat for Pakistan One is not sure how much
the government has compromised on our nuclear assets with the US since it
continues to provide shelter to these covert operatives in their questionable
activities. But why has the military adopted such a tolerant approach to this
blatant US intrusiveness? It is probably true that the team meant to seize
our nuclear assets is already housed in the US Embassy. Surely it is time
for the government to come clean and send these Americans back before it is
too late if it is not already so.

REVIEW
In the recent past Terror attacks focused on targeting Peshawar and
surrounding areas. This led the observers to ponder about the factors

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precipitating this trend. As usual their intellect drew variety of inferences.

According to one opinion it was the work of anti-Pashtun forces, because
ANP has been supporting the cause of Pakhtunistan in the past.
This inference has two aspects; one, regarding anti-Pashtun forces and
the second is implied one that ANP has abandoned the idea of Paktunistan.
In first case, the armed forces, which are responsible for defending the
territorial and ideological integrity of the country, are most likely suspects of
these terror attacks. As regards the second, it will be wrong to assume that
ANP has abandoned the idea of Pakhtunistan.
ANP still seems to be working for that by further destabilizing
Pakistan. The preference of its leaders to use force, despite being followers
of Gandhi, fits in the strategy worked out in consultation with Karzai and his
Indian backers. It must be recalled that ANP first tried to tackle militants in
Swat by arming party activists; this did not work and instead invited the
wrath of militants. Thereafter, ANP pressed for military operation and since
then its activists have indulged in extra-judicial killings.
The matadors of ANP, two Bilours and Mian Iftikhar, come out after
every bomb blast and start waving the red rag to the already furiously
fuming bull. This religiously performed ritual of giving meaningless
statements gets the reward it deserves; no sooner their voices start drowning
another blast occurs either in home town of Bilours, or Charsadda the home
town of Asfandyar.
It reminds one the recent accord among some private TV channels to
abide by a code of conduct for the coverage of gory incidents of terrorism. It
would have been quite appropriate if telecast of the statements issued by
such rulers were prohibited in that code. Nothing irritates, frustrates, agitates
and annoys more than these condemnatory statements.
In the context of recent terror attacks, one should not Blackwater or
Xe Worldwide while analyzing the causes. Its presence in Pakistan clearly
poses security problems; directly or by establishing nexus with militant
groups. And, it could be part of US-Zardari regime plan to keep Army preoccupied and thereby neutralize threats posed to their respective interests.
These mercenaries working in collaboration with hordes of CIA
agents already operating across the country can effectively undermine the
effectiveness of ISI. They may do it by operating as parallel more
appropriately as rival intelligence outfit. Alternately it can also penetrate
Pakistani intelligence networks and at the same time indulge in subversive
activities.
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Notwithstanding the discussions and resultant recommendations by

some to Obama Administration, the US intentions to stay in Afghanistan for
long have remained unchanged. It would be too optimistic to think that the
US would pullout when not one ruler in Islamic World has demanded this. In
fact, all of them have reconciled with the presence of the Crusaders in
Afghanistan and Iraq and in case of Pakistan the Zardari regime has been
seducing US to increase its presence in Pakistan using clandestine means.
Since the occupation of Afghanistan the US has been repeatedly
condemned for abandoning the country after the withdrawal of Soviet forces.
Even some American leaders, including Hillary Clinton, have conceded on
this accusation. The manner in which the Crusaders have conducted their
holy war it appears that they have realized their mistake of granting freedom
to Muslim countries after the World War II. They now seem to be busy
undoing that mistake.
As regards highhandedness of PPP during Gilgit-Baltistan polls, it
would have been better if Mr Kaira had done more than what is reported so
that MQM had realized that what it did during every poll in Karachi was not
correct. Nobody knows better than leaders of MQM that in the final count it
is the opinion of only those matters who cast their votes, no matter how that
vote is cast.
The result of polls in Gilgit-Baltistan belied all the popularity related
surveys absolutely wrong. PPPs victory has proved that Zardari stood head
and shoulder above his rivals where it mattered in a democratic system.
Critics would point towards the irregularities committed during the polls, but
it has always been and will remain a regular feature of all elections.
Hersh has revealed no big secret about US intentions regarding
Pakistans nuclear weapons. He has only projected a line of thinking to
press the US administration for de-nuclearization of Pakistan for which he
carefully selected the statements of various persons to strengthen has
argument.
His claims about Pak-US cooperation for the safety of Pakistans
nuclear weapons have been vehemently denied by Pakistans foreign office
and CJCSC. But, like Hershs attempt at building his case, Pakistans denials
also lack credibility because of the unusual activity of US personnel in
Pakistan.
The issue of safety of nuclear weapons was raised by the US right at
the start of war on terror, which was seriously pursued after the so-called
unearthing of A Q Khan Network accused on involvement in nuclear
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proliferation. The then President Musharraf, who is known for bravely

surrendering to American demands, must have accepted the US offer for
help.
It must be recalled that General Kidwai visited US to discuss the steps
taken for the security of nuclear weapons. The system for control so evolved
was vetted by the US, which was necessary for the satisfaction of the US.
But, mere theoretic discussions with the help of slides could not have
satisfied the US; hence, the quantity of nuclear assets and their dispositions
on ground must have come under discussion.
Hersh said the efforts to reach Pak-US understanding were intensified
in March this year. Much of what has been achieved as result of the renewed
effort remains untold, except that the price demanded by Zardari is $100
billion. And, operations in Swat and South Waziristan have been an indirect
result of pressure on account of Pakistans nuclear arsenal.
American apprehensions, not entirely unfounded, about possibility of
rebellion or mutiny in the armed forces of Pakistan must have come up in
addition to remote possibility of Taliban threat. America must have offered
military assistance to secure the weapons in such a situation, and it is not
believable that Musharraf would have refused to accept that.
Hersh identified Islamic fundamentalists in rank and file of
Pakistans armed forces as the real threat to its nuclear arsenal. It must be
remembered that in the beginning of this year the Taliban had knocked at
the door of Islamabad to the liking of outside forces on the lookout for a
pretext to justify that Pakistans nuclear weapons run the risk of falling into
the hands of extremists and thus posing serious threat to world peace.
Military operation in Swat, however, pushed the Taliban away and
eliminated that threat to world peace.
This led the Crusaders to revert back to working on the pretext on
which Musharraf was convinced to accept the US assistance to deal with a
situation in which nuclear weapons could fall into the hands of extremists. It
must, however, be remembered that reasoning was not mandatory for
convincing the brave commando, who could be coerced through a longdistance telephone call.
During Musharraf era a battalion of Baluch Regiment had
surrendered to militants in South Waziristan, because its officers and men
disapproved the killings perpetrated in fighting Americas war. They adopted
a passive approach, but someone else could have acted differently, or may do

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so in future. It has been explained in one of the previous articles that

symptoms of soldiers dislike for this war have been seen in plenty.
These symptoms were enough for Musharraf to believe that chances
of mutiny in the Army could not be denied and extremists within the Army
could get hold of nuclear weapons. The brave commando agreed in
principle to accept help in the form of the US rescue team, but he was
shrewd enough not to concede all that the Americans wanted.
Zardari regime seemed to have provided much freer hand to the US in
this context. He was quite receptive and cooperative to American commands
during the days of Long March (the period referred to by Hersh) when he
seemed fully prepared for restoration of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry
over his dead body. Some clauses of Kerry Lugar Act confirmed the
willingness of Zardari regime to cooperate on the issue of Pakistans nuclear
programme. Like an idiot these terms have been taken as guarantee against
military intervention.
Since publication of Hershs article no politician in the government
has said anything about it. All the talking has been left to foreign office and
CJCSC, which implied that Army is still in charge of Pakistans nuclear
assets. This is the only silver lining in the clouds of gloom. That is why
Hersh has apprehended that a plan based on information provided by
Pakistan has little chance of success. In other words, he feared that some
information about weapons dispositions must have been held back.
16th November 2009

STILL IN THE MAKING

General James Jones, Security Advisor of US administration in his
recent visit to Islamabad delivered a letter to Zardari. After receiving the
letter in which do more was written boldly, Zardari reminded Obama
through his messenger for early payment of dollars. This time he was asking
money for expanding military action against al-Qaeda and Taliban to other
391

parts of Pakistan, or in other words the compliance of the terms under which
NRO was facilitated.
Obama kept the world waiting for his new strategy for Afghanistan,
but he seemed in hurry to destabilize Pakistan with an obvious intention of
de-nuclearization it. Meanwhile, Fauzia Wahab said there were differences
between Zardari and COAS on threat perception. According to her the great
leader of the PPP wanted to make Pakistan an economic power after getting
rid of security syndrome.
Before embarking on the US visit, Manmohan Singh announced that
the status of Kashmir was irreversible. During the visit he and his host
focused on Pakistan, the epicenter of international terrorism. Back home in
India Singhs defence minister expressed Indian concerns over Pak-China as
first JF-17 rolled out from Kamra.
The period under review ended with Zardari delegating his powers
related to National Command Authority to Prime Minister. And on the same
day Gordon Brown talked to Zardari. This was intriguingly followed by the
statement of Indian COAS that Pakistans nuclear weapons could fall into
the hands of terrorists.

NEWS
With the surge of troops in war against terror inside Pakistan, there
was an obvious rise in casualties suffered by Army and paramilitary forces.
The exact number of these casualties became difficult to be established
accurately, because media was not allowed to enter the battle zone and Army
preferred to withhold requisite information, or release it in bits and pieces to
avoid adverse affects and unwarranted reaction to a war being fought on
the behest of Crusaders.
Troops consolidated their positions in South Waziristan on 16 th
November. Israeli weapons were captured from the possession of militants.
In response to letter delivered by James Jones, Qureshi said we will decide
when and where. Prime Minister said no talks with killers of our people
and a similar statement was issued by the US in Washington. Imran Khan
said those supporting military operation were enemies of Pakistan. Maqsood
Tirmizi, however, reported that Gilani has said that exit policy from
Malakand and South Waziristan has been finalized as military option was no
solution to any problem.

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In Malakand Division, four militants were killed in Swat and four held
in Dargai. Six people were killed and 45 wounded when suicide bomber
blew himself at police check post in Peshawar. In police crackdown, 84
Afghans and 20 other suspects were held. ANP leader was shot dead in
Nowshera. Three hundred illegal Afghans were held in AJK.
Photojournalist of Nawa-i-Waqt was detained by police for 45 minutes for
taking snaps of house hired by Blackwater in Islamabad. Hearing of missing
persons case was adjourned till 18th November. The court ordered the
government to provide list of missing persons.
On 17th November, Prime Minister visited South Waziristan and
commended efforts on sacrifices of soldiers; in Operation Rah-i-Nijat 70
soldiers and 550 militants have been killed. BBC claimed that most of
militants fled away from South Waziristan, but it did not mention that some
of them were heli-lifted by the US.
A policeman was killed on Ring Road Peshawar by gunmen riding a
motorcycle. Three militants surrendered in Swat. Fazlullah said he has
reached Afghanistan safely. Chief Minister Hoti has not yet asked Uncle
Karzai for handing over the Mulla to his government. Five militants were
killed and four wounded in Lower Dir. MQMs local leader was shot dead in
Mirpurkhas.
Next day, six militants were killed and two officers were among eight
soldiers wounded in South Waziristan. TTP claimed that withdrawal of its
fighters was a trap for troops. US drones fired two missiles near Mirali; five
people were killed and three wounded. Tribesmen staged sit-in on a highway
near Hangu to protest killing of six civilians in artillery shelling. At least 17
militants were killed in air strike in Orakzai Agency.
Curfew was lifted in Swat and unknown gunmen killed two persons.
Rehman Malik rejected the reports about Fazlullahs escape to Afghanistan
and in the second breath he said Pakistan would seek Kabuls help if the
reports were correct. Three militants were killed, five wounded and 35
surrendered in Bajaur Agency; one soldier was also killed. JI held Go
America Go rally in Islamabad. At Chaman crossing point, 17 Uzbeks and
Afghans were detained. Larger bench of the Supreme Court will hear the
cases of missing persons on regular basis.
At least 20 people, including three policemen, were killed and 49
wounded in suicide attack near judicial complex in Peshawar on 19 th
November. Later at night a police mobile patrol was attacked by remotecontrol bomb; two policemen were killed and six wounded. Two suspicious
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foreigners wandering in the guise of journalists and having no required

documents were arrested soon after the first attack. A man and a woman
were soon boarded on a UN vehicle and driven towards US Consulate.
Earlier, police had also nabbed two foreigners who were wandering in guise
of Spanish journalists after a suicide attack.
Seven militants were killed in South Waziristan. At least 23 militants
were killed in Hangu, Kurram and Orakzai areas. Eight militants surrendered
in Swat. Two foreigners were among 11 militants killed in air strike in
Bajaur Agency; earlier four soldiers were killed when militants attacked a
border post. Seven militants were held in Mohmand Agency. Kashif Ali
Abbasi reported the existence of another Blackwater (Xe Worldwide) den. A
woman was among four Uzbeks arrested in Muridke. A Shia cleric was shot
dead in Karachi.
Five militants were killed and seven wounded in South Waziristan;
one soldier was also wounded. Eight people were killed in US missile attack
near Mirali. Five militants were arrested from Hangu area. Eight militants
were killed in Bara area. Three militants surrendered in Swat and Razi alMalik, who was arrested a year back, was freed. Two commanders were
among 12 militants killed in Bajaur Agency; five militants were arrested.
Hoti, who was all praise for Karzai when he was elected as Chief
Minister and had said all that Karzai was doing was for the good of his
country; now Hoti said terrorism was being planned and funded from
outside. He did not disclose any intention to approach Uncle Karzai, or
Mama Karzai to stop this good work.
Mastermind of attack on WFP in Islamabad was arrested and seven
Afghans were held in Multan; they had fled from South Waziristan. Two
persons were wounded in attack on a convoy carrying NATO supplies near
Mastung. Leader of a banned outfit was shot dead in Karachi by unknown
gunmen. The LHC bench hearing petition regarding Blackwater asked
Interior Ministry to submit report by 4th December.
Western agencies and media have now seen Mulla Omar in Karachi.
This was follow up of letter delivered by James Jones. Director CIA, Leon
Panetta arrived in Islamabad and met Zardari, Gilani and ISI chief. Gilani
urged US Afghan policy to address concerns of Pakistan and DG ISI
confronted him with evidence of use of Afghan territory by Indian for
perpetration of terrorism in Pakistan.
On 21st November, 14 militants and six soldiers were killed in South
Waziristan and four soldiers were also wounded. Militants attacked FC camp
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in North Waziristan and four soldiers, including an officer, were killed and in
retaliatory fire six militants were killed. Rehman Malik said more troops
would be sent to Waziristan. He also said DynCorp was training Pakistani
security agencies and he would resign if Blackwater was found in Pakistan.
One man was wounded in rocket attack on office of an NGO in Peshawar.
COAS visited Swat where 550 soldiers lost their lives and more than
1,500 got wounded while treading Rah-e-Raast. At least 16 militants were
killed in Bajaur. Fifty-five suspects were held by police in Dhamial,
Rawalpindi and 80 suspects were rounded up in Sheikhupura. Three
militants killed themselves in AJK after police surrounded them. Three
MQM activist were shot dead in Karachi.
Five militants were killed in South Waziristan on 22nd November. At
least 20 people were killed in ground and air action in Hangu and Orakzai
Agency. Militants attacked a post in Bajaur and in retaliatory action 16 of
them were killed. Four armed Americans were detained at police check post
in Peshawar and as usual freed after a telephone call.
Nine militants were killed and three soldiers wounded in South
Waziristan on 23rd November. Troops backed by tanks and artillery entered
Orakzai Agency. Mortar fire from Tirah Valley landed in Landikotal killing
seven people and wounded 19, including 7 soldiers. Militants positions
were shelled in Mohmand Agency. Thirteen militants were held in Lahore
and three were arrested in Faisalabad. Three NATO oil tankers were set
ablaze near Jaffarabad.
During hearing of the case the Chief Justice wanted full particulars of
the missing persons from the petitioners. The government informed the court
that 31 persons have been traced out of 157 still untraced and more
importantly the government said most of the missing persons were sold to
US in Afghanistan.
Two militants were held in South Waziristan on 24 th November. In
Orakzai Agency, 14 militants were killed and 13 wounded. In Bara, security
forces killed 18 militants, arrested six and destroyed 12 vehicles. Three
militants were killed in a raid in Swat and one was arrested in Lower Dir.
On 25th November, five militants were killed and nine wounded in
South Waziristan. Nine rockets were fired at Ladha. Five militants were
arrested in Kurram Agency. Nine militants were killed and 14 wounded in
Orakzai Agency. COAS visited wounded civilians admitted in hospital and
Police Lines Peshawar and paid rich tributes to NWFP Police. One person
was killed in attack on oil tankers in Peshawar and 104 Afghans were
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rounded up. Three militants were killed in Swat. JI activists, mostly students,
held a rally in Islamabad to protest US and Indian perpetration of terrorism
in Pakistan.
Troops spent 26th day of November in consolidating their positions in
South Wazirstan. A militant commander, Abdullah Mehsud, with head
money was arrested from Tank. Rehman Malik said he was receiving
messages from Taliban requesting for truce, but they have only two options;
death or leave the country.
Fourteen militants were killed in Kurram and Orakzai agencies. One
policeman was killed in Peshawar in firing on a post near Shamshatu and a
police car was blown up by remote-control bomb injuring three persons.
Thirteen militants were killed in Tirah Valley. Three militants were killed in
Swat. Head of peace committee was kidnapped after attack on his house in
Mohmand Agency; his son was killed in firing.
On 27th November, 15 militants were killed in South Waziristan.
Seventeen suspects were held in Bannu and four were killed in air strike in
Orakzai Agency. Three foreigners were among 19 killed by security forces in
Khyber Agency. Anti-Taliban elder was killed in bomb blast in Khar. Interior
Ministry informed Punjab that 15 terrorists had entered Lahore.
Next day, one soldier was wounded in rocket fire on a post in Wana
and four militants were killed in retaliatory action. In Bannu, 23 suspects
were held. Eight militants were killed and four wounded in clash with
security forces in Orakzai and eight more were killed in Khyber Agency.
One militant was arrested in Ghaziabad and another in Lahore. Nawaz Sharif
visited Lady Redding Hospital in Peshawar to meet wounded people under
treatment. In twin cities, Gilani preferred to combine the visit to wounded
soldiers with call on inmates of Adiala Jail. Brown telephoned Zardari and
asked him to do more on the war of terror and Zardari asked for Iedi for the
IDPs. The COAS and Air Chief spent the second day of Eid with troops in
South Waziristan and four militants were killed in fighting and six more
were killed Kurram Agency. Eight militants were killed in Bara area.
Only those killings in Afghanistan were reported in which Taliban
could be incriminated, directly or indirectly. Killings by the occupation
forces were not reported officially as a matter of policy. One British soldier
was killed in southern Afghanistan on 16th November and in separate
incidents eight policemen were killed in attack on a post and three children
were wounded in rocket attack on a military base. Next day, four guards of a
construction company were killed in Kunduz.
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US Ambassador in Kabul, Eikenberry and Mulla Mutawwakil held

talks secretly in suburbs of Kabul. The US, reportedly, offered to Taliban to
allow imposition of Sharia in six provinces on conditions that Taliban wont
attack occupation forces and cooperate in hunting al-Qaeda. Miliband asked
Karzai to reach out to senior Taliban leaders.
On 18th November, Zardari went to Kabul to attend the installation
show of fellow puppet, Karzai; the two puppets vowed to take Pak-Afghan
ties to new heights. Zardari regime warned against hasty US exit from
Afghanistan. A commander was among five soldiers killed in roadside
bombing in Spin Boldak. British troops were reported using bribery as new
weapon against Taliban.
Next day, Karzai was sworn-in as President of Afghanistan for second
term. Saleem Safi observed that during Karzais speech in Darri Zardari did
not wear microphone providing translation facility. When he heard Karzai
saying Brother Zardari he tried to fix the gadget in his ear but he did not
know how to switch that on; Hillary helped him. Safi remarked that the two
puppets do not meet each other for improving relations for the betterment of
two peoples, but to please their common master; the US.
Rehman Malik said the issue of Fazlullah was not raised during Kabul
visit and only a day earlier he had demanded the Mulla back. Two US
soldiers were killed in car bomb in Zabul and ten people were killed in
suicide attack on a convoy in Uruzgan Province. Miliband urged Karzai to
set a new contract with the Afghan people. Hillary urged Karzai for
crackdown on rampant corruption. On 20th November, 18 people were killed
and 36 wounded in suicide attack in Farah Province.
Four oil tankers were destroyed in Nangarhar on 21 st November. Four
people were wounded in rocket attack on Serena Hotel in Kabul. Occupation
forces killed 23 Taliban in southern Kandahar Province. Official authorities
reported that 80 Taliban were recruited in police after they surrendered. Next
day, five border guards were killed in attack on a post in area opposite
Chaman.
On 23rd November, four US soldiers were killed in three incidents
across the country. Three Afghan soldiers were killed in a bomb blast.
General Kayani said the US cannot sideline Pakistan on Afghan policy.
Singh met Gates and discussed AfPak situation. Singh opposed pullout from
Afghanistan as it would strengthen Taliban. Secret talks between the US and
Taliban were held and Pakistan was also represented; Holbrooke denied.

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One US soldier was killed in southern Afghanistan on 24 th November.

Obama discussed AfPak situation with Manmohan Singh and during press
conference revealed that he would announce new strategy soon in his
address to the American people. Next day, six people were killed in remotecontrol bomb blast in Khost. Mulla Omar rejected Karzais offer for talks.
On 26th November, German army chief and deputy defence minister
resigned over the incident of killings of civilians in Kunduz. Hekmatyar said
the US was at the verge of defeat in Afghanistan. Next day, Mulla Omar said
Americans must leave Afghanistan instead of staging drama of dialogue
after the darma of election. He warned all the groups resisting occupation of
Afghanistan to be watchful against those who have been infiltrated into their
ranks for perpetrating civilian casualties. However, he did not disapprove
suicide attacks against the occupation forces.
On 28th November, Taliban were among 23 prisoners which escaped
from a jail in Farah. One government official and a Red Cross worker were
killed separate incidents in Tucker. Next day, 27 Taliban were killed in
retaliatory action after attack on a post in Khost. An Afghan soldier shot
dead six fellow soldiers in Nimroz.

India handed over confessional statement of Ajmal Qasab and

evidence related to seven held in Pakistan on 16 th November. Ashraf Javed
identified some similaries in Khyber Bazaar blast and Samjhota Express
carnage. Two days later, the US and China agreed to help improve Indo-Pak
relations, but Obama Administration refused to mediate.
Foreign ministers of Pakistan and India met in Kabul on 19 th
November. Qureshi said Pakistan might have to reconsider its policy if India
kept avoiding dialogue. Some breaking of the ice was reported in Track-2
diplomacy. Next day, Hindu extremists of Shiv Sena attacked CNN-IBM TV
channel to teach it to remain within limits; more than 25 persons received
injuries. Manmohan Singh accused Pakistan of using terror as an instrument
of state policy; Qureshi felt sorry over Singhs statement.
On 22nd November, Shah Mahmood Qureshi accused India of fuelling
terrorism in Pakistan and evidence about Indias involvement in Balochistan
and FATA was being compiled. Manmohan Singh said Pakistan was not
sincere in fighting against Taliban. Next day, India tested nuclear capable
missile and Indian COAS said possibility of limited war with Pakistan could
not be ruled out. Inquiry indicted Vajpayee and Advani in Babri Mosque
razing, but recommended no action against anyone.

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Singh met Obama in Washington on 24th November and the host once
again said US wont play any role in resolving Indo-Pak disputes, in other
words, the two largest democracies in the world have no noble intention
regarding Pakistan. The two leaders discussed expansion of nuclear
cooperation while vowing to fight proliferation jointly.
On 25th November, Manmohan Singh said India is no threat to
Pakistan. An Anti-Terror Court in Rawalpindi indicted seven suspects
involved in Mumbai attacks. On 27th November, Indian Defence Minister
expressed his concerns over defence cooperation between China and India.
Pakistans Ambassador in Kabul said India was helping terrorists rather than
lending helping hand in war on terror. Next day, Canada struck a nuclear
deal with India during Singhs visit. On 29 th November, Indian COAS said
Pakistans nuclear weapons could fall into the hands to terrorists.
In Kashmir, one Kashmiri was martyred in Kupwara on 17th
November, and Syed Geelani was arrested. Majid Nizami demanded razing
of all Indian structures on Pakistani rivers. Indian media reported that
Mirwaiz had held secret talks with Indian Interior Minister in New Delhi
three days earlier. Two Kashmiri freedom fighters and an Indian soldier were
killed in a clash on 22nd November. Two Kashmiris were martyred by Indian
troops on 26th November.
Fauzia Wahab snubbed MQM over allegations of rigging. She said
MQM has no place in Gilgit-Baltistan; even Altaf Hussain wont get more
than five votes. On 24th November, Zardari met elected Jiyala from GigitBaltistan. And gave them some tips about good governance.
Baloch MNAs and MPAs from Balochistan met Prime Minister on
16 November, and they were briefed about Balochistan package to be
delivered in three stages. The government agreed to constitute a commission
to probe into murder of Akbar Bugti. The Baloch leadership, which had
boycotted elections, had serious reservations on the manner in which the
package was being offered. Next day, one person was killed and eight
wounded in attack on Police DIG in Quetta. Three suicide bombers were
arrested in the capital and two power pylons were blown up near Mastung.
th

Shahbaz went to Quetta on 18th November, met his counterpart and

announced construction of a hospital Quetta worth Rs2 billion, increased
seats for Baloch students in Punjab from 160 to 250 and construction of
power plant in D G Khan to be run on coal mined in Balochistan. He also
accused India of creating unrest in Balochistan and Waziristan. Rockets

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landed in two places in Quetta. BNP termed package a bribe to halt their
movement.
Five people were hurt in rocket attacks in Quetta on 19th November.
One person was killed and another wounded by unknown gunmen in
Mastung. Next day, shutter-down strike was held in Baloch areas of the
province on second anniversary of Balach Khan Murri.
Khuzdar Radio Station was attacked on 21st November. Two days
later, two policemen were shot dead by unknown gunmen in Quetta and gas
pipeline was blown up in another incident. Balochistan package was
presented in the National Assembly on 24 th November; pullout of Army,
release of all political prisoners and inquiry into murder of Akbar Bugti by a
High Court judge were proposed. Nationalists rejected the package terming
it charity.
On 26th November, Gilani invited nationalist Baloch leaders, including
those abroad, for meaningful talks. Two days later, at least 15 Bugti
tribesmen released by the government returned to their homes in Sui-Dera
Bugti area. On 29th November, three policemen were abducted at gunpoint
from Awaran police station of Khuzdar. Vast areas of Balochistan went
without electricity due to disruption of distribution lines by militants action.

VIEWS
As regards the war on terror in Pakistan, The Nation wrote about
General James Jones the passenger pigeon. Now the US wants to
formally create a war zone in the whole of Pakistan. That is effectively the
message General Jones carried for President Zardari according to the New
York Times. The do more mantra simply continues and now the demand is
for the military to do Americas work for them that is, fight the groups
fighting the Americans in Afghanistan, but who the US insists are using
Pakistan as a haven. Strange, given how the US is the one that is allowing
the arms and supplies to flow from Afghanistan into Pakistan by vacating its
posts along the international border. Now why did the US ignore Pakistans
need for increasing the posts along the international border when the troops
were moving into SWA? Again, the surge of more US troops into
Afghanistan is being done despite Pakistans fears about more Taliban
fighters coming into areas cleared by Pakistan army. Under these
circumstances, and the growing threat being conveyed to Pakistan regarding
its nuclear assets, surely it is time to put an end to the madness of going

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along with the US agenda and demands. We do need to deal with our
terrorist and militancy problem but it should be in keeping our own ground
realities not US imperatives or diktat. We have already paid too heavy a
price for this Musharraf commitment taken up by the Zardari government.
S M Hali commented: Obamas stance of the US asking more from
Pakistan in Terror War appears more akin to the oft repeated parrot like do
more of the Bush era. Under the present circumstances, with the Pakistan
Army fighting ferociously in the mountainous theatre of war in Waziristan,
engaging the TTP in do-or-die battles, asking them to do more is like
preaching to the choir.
Shireen M Mazari opined: Clearly by now the president should
realize that no matter what he and his government do for the Americans,
more demands will always be in the pipeline until the US has what it
wants our nuclear assets and a truncated and pliable Pakistani state and
nation respectively.
For anyone who thinks otherwise, the time has come to remove the
blinkers. In this connection is it not strange that only now the CIA has
revealed to the US media who says they function independently of their
Establishment how the ISI used its funds to build its new headquarters?
After all, that building has been up for some years now so what took so
long for the revelation?
The Americans are simply playing up the civil-military suspicions
in seeking to get the present regime to undermine the whole military
organization including its intelligences set up. Why else would the US
covertly push for restructuring of the ISI with a civilian at its head? After all,
the ISI already comes under the Prime Minister. It seems a trifle absurd to
insist that a purely military organization which is what the Inter-Services
Intelligence (ISI) is, have a civilian executive as its boss beyond the prime
minister. Do the Yanks assume a civilian is by definition more pliable or
accessible? That in itself is a fatal assumption and will serve them ill in the
long run.
Just as it is dangerously false for any Pakistani leader to assume he
can survive no matter what he does to this country or its people, as long as
the US backs him. One does not have to go too far back in our history to see
this for the falsehood that it is. Musharrafs fate is the clearest example
despite his most lasting compromise of the NRO. And look at the indignity
he has suffered since simply because he refused to listen to the voice of his
nation when the crunch came and relied on the US. But, after all, he had
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done whatever they had asked of him! Is it not time for the present
leadership, then to put a stop to the US do more mantra which is
destroying our country?
Farooq Hameed Khan felt the need to develop a national response.
When was the last time that the Defence Committee of Cabinet (DCC) met
to deliberate upon the threats to our national security and integrity? Given
the grave challenges to Pakistans security, a national security strategy is the
urgent need of the hour. Notwithstanding Musharrafs failed National
Security Council, the establishment of a national security and defence set up
under the democratically elected prime minister comprising all stakeholders
including the top political and military leadership is essential to develop a
national response to internal and external threats in a holistic and
institutionalized manner. The Pakistani nation is fully aware of the
conspiracies against the state. The nation stands united to defeat all such
threats in this hour of trial. For the leadership and the government, it is time
to act; and act now!
Dr Ijaz Ahsan talked of Americans in Pakistan. A friend has said
some thing that has made me sit up and take notice. He said: When the
security situation deteriorates in a country, embassies close their doors and
evacuate their non-essential personnel. The exact opposite is the case with
the American Embassy in Islamabad, as it is expanding like never
before. Unfortunately, it is truth
In my opinion, the Obama Administration probably feels that it is not
easy for them to get the nukes physically. Therefore, they want to create
instability so that they can defend their action of taking our nukes in
their custody. And it is to make this more feasible that they want their men
on the ground all over the places The American administration desires to
strengthen India by neutralizing Pakistans nukes.
Dr Ijaz mentioned some other activities of Americans in Pakistan
before concluding: If our friends are actually working to bring that about,
the possibility of their having a role in the repeated attacks on the city of
Peshawar does not look too far-fetched. In this background, when one hears
about the people getting caught with weapons and released on orders from
above, and about the activities of DynCorp and Xe Worldwide, it is natural
for Pakistanis to feel threatened and defenseless. The authorities should
wake up to the growing threat before it is too late.
Ata Rabbani wrote: The other angle is the dubious activities of the
private military contractors, Blackwater (renamed Xe Services LLC
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DynCorp), in recruiting and training anti-terror private security force

ostensibly to guard American diplomats. This is causing alarm amongst
the public and politicians alike in Pakistan
It is also reported that Musharraf had permitted Blackwater to
carry out operations in the cities of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and
Quetta. In the light of this report, the arrival in Pakistan on November 04,
2009 of 202 Blackwater personnel from Heathrow Airport by PIA Flight PK
786 is significant. These Blackwater personnel who speak Urdu fluently are
ostensibly hired to guard American diplomats; however, there is more to it.
Recently, some former SSG commandos have also come up with
horrific stories about these contractors recruiting and training young men at
Sihala Police Training College. These commandos now in the service of the
US contractors were unaware of the objectives they were hired for, but have
been trained for the unexpected. Besides this, Blackwater has also
established a number of check posts in the villages around Kahuta. How
and for what purpose are these check posts being used for is not known
These high profile US activities in Pakistan have generated much
public resentment and the American ambassador had to come out with a
strong rebuttal. The ambassador gave her side of the story in a press briefing
held on August 28, 2009. The versions of the two sides (US and Pakistan)
are at extreme variance and cannot be reconciled. One of the two is
obviously bluffing and the question is who? I, for one, believe that the
ambassador is not telling the whole truth.
Ata concluded: Intellectuals, critics, most politicians and the public is
much agitated at the growing American interference in the internal affairs of
Pakistan and the new developing scenario because of the projected marines
deployment and antics of Blackwater. But, then what are the options for
Pakistan? One: revolt against the American designs of using Pakistan as a
ghost state. Two: as the proverb goes, if it is inevitable then relax and bow
to the inevitable. The last option will be a disaster. The choice is yours. I,
for one, will revolt because sovereignty has no price tag.
The Nation felt it was time for plain talking with the US. Now with
the visit of the CIA chief to Pakistan, the military through the ISI has
directly raised the issue with its US counterpart, the CIA, and given
evidence of Indian Shenanigans in Afghanistan and possible US
involvement in and support of these covert activities. This position has also
been reiterated by the Prime Minister, who not only strongly took up these

403

issues with the CIA chief, but also pointed out the necessity of involving
Pakistan in any Afghan strategy being devised by the US.
The fact of the matter is that Pakistan has to stop pussyfooting on
the questionable role the Americans are playing to the issue of terrorism
in Pakistan and in terms of their dual approach towards the Pakistan military.
On the one hand they realize that without the support of the Pakistan
military they will be in an even bigger mess in Afghanistan; but they also see
the Pakistan military as a bulwark against their designs for Pakistan,
including its nuclear status. Their inability to penetrate Pakistans nuclear
defences had further aggravated them.
But it is time for our leadership to stop pussyfooting around the
Americans and tell them exactly what is wrong with their present policies
and actions. The country has been violated as a result of the US-led war on
terror and we cannot tolerate the double games the US is playing with regard
to India and clandestine support for the Pakistani militants. The US is unable
to comprehend the issues involved for Pakistan seeing as it is so used to a
compliant leadership post-9/11 in Islamabad. This needs to change if we are
to reverse the tide of violence and death here. Plain talking has to be the
start.
Zahrah Nasir opined: Admittedly, understandably to a degree, if one
takes serious note of all the politically motivated shenanigans woven in to
the threads of their daily lives over the past 30 years, some of these, largely
uneducated tribesmen, have fallen victim to the unrealistic promises of the
foreign mercenaries they mistakenly welcomed, under their time
honoured code of traditional hospitality, after they were driven south from
Central Asia and Afghanistan but they ultimately, and not before time,
learned their mistake and are trying to make amends by forming lashkars to
turf their former guests out, paying a dreadful price in the process, a price
some obviously feel is not high enough.
Persecuting the, hopefully, innocents, the old men, women and
children who have been forcibly relocated among us for the duration of
what is, in all respects, a civil war on their home territory, is no way in
which to move forward towards the peace and harmony of a secure future
for us all; as, by treating these people like pariahs we run the risk of
alienating generations to come, an alienation that could manifest itself in a
far more terrifying scenario than the one we currently endure.

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Lisa Curtis wrote: There are many policies the US can pursue that
can support and encourage Pakistan in its transition from tolerating to
fighting the various militant groups on its territory (in brief):
The US should continue to support Pakistan with its military
operations in the tribal border areas and in developing hold and
build strategies that establish government writ in the region.
The US needs to convince Pakistan that cases against terrorists who
attack India should be treated no differently than cases against
terrorists who act in other parts of the world.
We should work with Pakistani civilian leaders to build a consensus
within Pakistan against extremist messages and ideologies that
foster terrorism.
An essential part of stabilizing Afghanistan and Pakistan involves
encouraging Indian and Pakistani officials to develop a different
security paradigm for the region that is based on regional economic
integration and trade.
President Obama revealed that he understands the conundrum of
South Asia when he said he wouldnt seek to directly mediate the IndoPakistan dispute but would make efforts to help both countries feel secure.
Improving the countrys sense of security may seem like a Herculean task,
but when it comes to Pakistan, Washington simply has no other choice.
The lengthy deliberations on Obama Administration for revising the
strategy for Afghanistan invited comments from the observers on daily
basis. On 17th November, Iftikhar A Khan pondered about American pullout
and implications for Pakistan. While bullish military generals demand for
more troops, their civilian counterparts advise against it. Even the hawkish
Defence Secretary, Roberts Gates, is weighing the strategy of compromise
with the Taliban. Conceivably, the US is on the verge of losing the war in
Afghanistan, hence the furtive moves to negotiate with the good Taliban.
However, the problem is how to distinguish between the good and the
bad Taliban, as both share the common goal of ridding their country of the
occupation forces.
Anyway, when the US considers negotiating with the Taliban, it will
exert immense pressure on us (Pakistan) against making peace agreements
with the tribesmen in FATA. But what is good for the imperialist power may
not be good for us. Undoubtedly, we are bearing the brunt of the war in the

405

tribal areas as elucidated by Destabilizing of the country is progressing as

designed by our external detractors and their local supporters which must be
a matter of serious concern for the nation. Who are the external
detractors and who are their local supporters is the question that needs
to be answered.
The US-led NATO forces might quit Afghanistan without facing longterm consequences because western powers neither share common
boundaries nor religious ties with the Afghan people. But our situation is
different. We share common heritage and religion with the tribesmen in
FATA who have part and parcel of the nation. What would be the point to
change policy, which we will have to, after we had suffered death and
destruction? Therefore, shift in policy as advised is the only way out.
Next day, General Mirza Aslam Beg wrote: Obama designed the
AfPak strategy to fight a new kind of war, but failed. So he now stands at
the crossroads, puzzled by the demands of the powerful defence industries
lobby to continue funding their coffers with over $700 billion defence
budget; and the demands of his field commanders for new surge to win the
war because loosing the war would mean a great loss of image for them and
their NATO allies and victory for the Taliban, who would establish a radical
Islamic state, destabilize Pakistan, envelope the Gulf and destabilize the
Central Asian region. The Indian and the Jewish lobby want to extend their
game of regional espionage, conspiracies and intrigues, with the support of
the occupation forces. Thus, Obama is engaged in his servile act, prepared to
push military levels breaking the back of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. His
new AfPak strategy, therefore, is to serve the interests of the lobbies mainly
leading to fallacious new strategies based on three clichs, such as COIN,
COTE and AMBRIDGE.
Counter Insurgency (COIN) operations will be launched against the
Taliban who can be separated from the al-Qaeda and defeated by holding the
population, communication centres and airbases strongly, while surgical
strikes, with predators, gunship and aircrafts will be launched Counter
Terrorist (COTE) operations are to be carried out jointly by the occupation
forces in Afghanistan and the armed forces of Pakistan Reportedly,
Obama wants a clear picture of the American Bridge (AMBRIDGE) A
fourth option has been added only in the past few days, which he would
like to keep up sleeves, as: is simply not convinced yet that you can do a
lasting counterinsurgency strategy if there is no one to hand-it-off to you.

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Thus, the new AfPak strategy growing out of this confusion is

doomed The steps, therefore, those needs to be taken now are:
The occupation forces must give timeframe for the withdrawal and
declare a ceasefire. Start dialogue with the Taliban and NA, to form
the Loe Jirga to decide the main issues.
Formation of the interim government for a period of three years,
which will be responsible for holding the census to determine who is
who for the impending elections; framing new constitution
Holding of general elections in the year 2013 and transfer of power.
The centres of power Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban must be
taken into cognizance, as the main arbiters of peace. Taliban have won
their war against the occupation forces decisively and so has Pakistan
against the terrorists, establishing the writ of the government. Both are
winners, who can provide a safe and honourable exit to the occupation
forces, as they did in 1989, facilitating a safe exit to the Soviet occupation
forces. Let history repeat itself for the cause of peace in the AfPak region
and beyond.
On 19th November, I M Mohsin commented: Obama has to use the
soft power for a settlement. Pakistan remains the lynchpin while Saudis
can help. Ambassador Eikenberrys sterling advice should prompt a
definitive diplomatic discourse. First, the US must create goodwill by
defining its mission as suggested by General Petraeus. Second, Obama had
said that Dostums mass murder and persecution of the Taliban prisoners
shall be investigated. It has been downgraded like the Israeli settlements
issue. Third, the US must release evidence to convince Afghans about the
9/11 official version. Fourth, assure reconstruction to AfPak caused by the
destruction during the last nine years regardless of the domestic politics to
promote peace at home and abroad. If peace returns such obligation should
not be treated as a free lunch. US bolted out of AfPak after the collapse of
the Soviet Union to crown itself as the sole superpower, today it is paying
for the same senile step.
The may be facing furious fire constantly in Afghanistan, but
Pakistan could be equally worrisome. Much against the soap operas, it has
the capacity to cope with known challenges as former British Ambassador
Barrington asserted. Its elected government is dogged by existential issues
as per CBS News. Obamas call to do more appears a sham. He should
heed the comment of a CIA officer published in Los Angeles Times on
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November 15: They have people dying almost every day. The official
added: Sure, their interests dont always match up with ours. But things
would be one hell of a lot worse if the government there was hostile to us.
As Bible bespeaks blithely; friend go up higher!
Samson Sharaf wrote: Why and who in USA is doing what it does?
The answer is Southern Front. However, in entirety this policy is confronted
(as long as India is co-opted) with challenges from Islam as the centerpiece
of Pakistans Ideology; the armed forces that will rise to the call of the last
battle; and Pakistans nuclear capability. The three are conjoined by the
people of Pakistan and will be a force multiplier when push comes to
shove. If that happens, it will be the mother of all wars.
The sentiments of hate rife amongst Pakistanis are not religiously
motivated. They are a reaction to the hate strategy unleashed on the region
after 9/11. Talibanization and al-Qaeda are broad dumping grounds for all
types of resistance and crime. A hail of cruise missiles, daisy cutters, bunker
busters and air strikes were unleashed on the Pashtuns of Afghanistan.
Pakistan, through well timed mobilization by India, was prevented from
sealing its borders with ethnic proximate Afghanistan. The entire backwash
flowed into Pakistan. Within a generation, the most valued ally was reduced
to where all roads cross.
The USA feels that short of a general outpouring, at an opportune
time they would have a Chalabi in Pakistan to facilitate their objectives. But
USA elects to ignore that in long drawn wars of attrition, the Forgotten
Social Dimension of Strategy calls the final shot.
Now while Pentagon goes hunting good Taliban for reconstruction
from the cinders of the pyre, it engages the very people it maimed with daisy
cutters. Some even delink them from al-Qaeda; which has now moved to
sanctuaries of Pakistani militants (an aggregate of militants, local chieftains,
warlords and sectarian militant outfits some led by western/Indian trained
agents). Through crafty constructs, USA disgraces Pakistan and its
institutions that have served it best for many decades. The latest tirade
against Pakistani institutions was beefed up by a letter from Obama, to the
President of Pakistan asking to raise the intensity of operations pending
increase of force levels in Afghanistan So what do people and statesmen
of Pakistan make of all this. I would say: Seek peace with pride, but if
absolutism strikes, be prepared for.
Next day, Peter Spiegel and Yochi J Dreazen talked of shift on to exit
strategy. As President Obama searches for an exit strategy for
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Afghanistan, WSJs Peter Spiegel says its becoming clear that this wont
necessarily involve a firm timetable, but will more likely involve other
measures for determining withdrawal. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on
a visit to Kabul on Wednesday to attend Mr Karzais inauguration Thursday,
continued to pressure the Afghan president to overhaul his government to
make it more responsive to the electorate
A military official briefed on the US deliberations said the issue of
timelines is likely to affect the mix of how additional forces are used
between three different missions: direct combat, securing urban areas to
protect local populations, and training Afghan security forces. A decision to
push for a quick ramp-up of Afghan forces may lead more of the
reinforcements to be deployed as trainers for Afghan army and police units,
the official said.
Another military official said a sped-up training effort could lead to
an effectively sized Afghan force by 2013, which would allow NATO
troops to concentrate on training and providing support to domestic security
forces. There are of course many factors that could influence this
including what the enemy and population do not hedge their bets against
an established withdrawal date, which is why we generally dont like to
discuss timelines, said the military official of the 2013 goal.
On 22nd November, David Bercuson urged Obama on: If a unified
and achievable political objective can be agreed upon among the fighting
members of NATO, a very different and successful exit strategy could
emerge. That strategy would almost certainly combine a series of very hard
kinetic blows to the Taliban and a long (three to five years?) counterinsurgency operation in Afghanistan, with continued efforts by the Pakistan
Army to destroy Islamist power in Pakistans northwest.
Such a series of blows would have to be hard enough to greatly
degrade the Talibans ability to run a drug trade and thus significantly
disrupt their use of drug money to conduct a war of terror. Constant military
strikes on drug-smuggling routes, combined with incentives for farmers to
grow other crops, and improvement of the means to get those crops to
market, and could work, given persistence.
The blows would also need to be hard enough to make it very
difficult for Taliban leaders to plan and carry out sophisticated military
operations unhindered by fear of their own death and destruction. At the
same time, every effort should be made and incentives offered to get
rural triggermen and local bomb planters off the Taliban payroll and on to
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the US/NATO/government payroll. The locals are true weak link in the
Taliban chain of command.
Such blows cannot be struck at once, nor can they be done quickly.
But they can be carried out with resolve and a unified political strategy. That
is what happened in Korea from the early winter of 1951, when the UN
forces there were on the brink of defeat, to the end of the Korean War in
July, 1953.
What can be achieved thereby is a series of solutions overlapping
in time, which would bring greater security than insecurity, and greater
stability than instability, to most of the people of Afghanistan most of the
time. Such an outcome would at least give the people of both Afghanistan
and Pakistan time and opportunity to choose the best way for themselves,
which is most assuredly not to live under the tender mercies of the Taliban.
A third exit strategy would be to announce withdrawal timetables
now (or soon) before the military momentum has been shifted away from the
Taliban. This would merely hasten defeat. One likely result would be that the
Taliban would increase their attacks and try to create an even greater
momentum toward their victory. Such a strategy would be an admission that
no successful outcome is possible for the US or NATO because, despite
Gordon Browns desires, no Afghanistanization of the war can be achieved
until a working police and justice infrastructure is put into place. That is
surely years away.
When the talk of exit strategies is closely examined, the real choices
emerge. And they are stark. Fight this war to a successful outcome
understanding that success does not mean victory, though it must mean
stability and security for most of the people of Afghanistan or choose the
pace of defeat. War is both terrible and complex but one age-old dictum still
applies. If you are attacked and you are defeated, you will pay significant
consequences. The West was attacked and cannot lose the war in
Afghanistan with impunity. That is an exit strategy with a high degree of
risk and even more punishment in the long run.
Next day, John V Kalulanga disagreed with Bercuson. The western
powers need to remember that their mission there is not to organize elections
or to build roads or choose who should govern Afghanistan. These questions,
of road construction, organizing elections, deciding the nature of the
administration etc should be entirely the responsibility of the loya jirga
and/or of the people of Afghanistan. The focus of the west should be
entirely limited to work with whichever regime is in power and to
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intensify or escalate the search for al-Qaeda and its cells. This means
working out a long-term strategy and mechanisms aimed at ensuring that
Afghan territory will never again be used as a sanctuary or stepping stone for
terrorism on other nations.
Dr Ved Pratap Vajdik wrote: Several officials of the Obama
Administration and almost everybody who met me in Washington DC asked
only one question can America get out of the quagmire of Afghanistan? In
reply to this cardinal question, I have devised a five-point strategy (in
brief):
Obama should not send more soldiers to Afghanistan. He must also
announce a definite date for the withdrawal of his army from the
troubled region.
At least a National Army of half a million Afghan soldiers and a
police force should be raised immediately instead of sending new
soldiers from the western countries, the friendly Asian and African
countries can be approached to do the needful.
Afghanistan is the worlds largest producer of opium. If they clamp
down on illegal wealth obtained through opium, the Karzai
government cannot only break the back of the militants, but can also
get rid of many rogue politicians.

There is no control or accountability of the billions of dollars that

pour into Afghanistan Not only the foreign aid but also the overall
control over foreign troops and their operations should be in the hands
of the central government of Afghanistan.

The dialogue with the Taliban should be conducted by the Afghans

and not the Americans.
Khalid Iqbal commented: If one raises two cardinal queries
regarding the war on terrorism in the context of our region, for instance
which is the country that is putting in maximum resource effort and which is
the country helping the sustenance of extremist fighters economically;
ironically, the unanimous answer to both these queries would be, of course,
the United States of America is performing both feats simultaneously.
This proverbial burning of the candle at both ends is the fundamental
fault line undermining war on terrorism. The other one is a state of
deliberate ambiguity in the mission statement as well as the timeframe
opacity regarding likely stay of foreign troops in Afghanistan. These
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contradictions in the stated and actual positions are not letting the bigger
picture take a recognizable format.
Khalid explained these ambiguities and resultant affect on war on
terror, particularly in the context of Pakistan; and the strategy of surge. He
then adds: Carrying on an insurgency is a resource intensive activity.
Any such operation would soon lose its steam if finances and logistics are
cut off. Extremists are thriving financially as US dollars are reaching them
indirectly, though continuously through security companies engaged for
protecting American logistics convoys moving in Afghanistan.
These security outfits do not fight the would-be ambushers; they
instead pay the protection fee. Taliban provide protective escort to American
convoys through their respective area of responsibility, in exchange for
protection fee ranging between 10 and 20 percent of the cost of protected
consignment. This is further supplemented by percentage based extortions
on drug and timber trades. Put together, booty makes a decent percentage
of what Pakistan is getting through the embarrassing Kerry-Lugar
arrangement!
Another dichotomy is that despite proclamations regarding an early
exit from Afghanistan, there is a mammoth expansion related infrastructure
development in progress. Most of these structures are of permanent and nonmoveable category. This trend is an indicator of proliferation in terms of
military capability and long-term presence.
These conspicuous fault lines are resulting into strategic and
operational level contradiction; whose multi-dimensional fallout is desynergizing the counter terrorism effort. Important allies are increasingly
becoming weary of each others and tend to behave like estranged
bedfellows. Within this psychological environment, the major beneficiaries
are the extremist elements; who are now posing a catch me if you can
dilemma. Here in Pakistan, the forthcoming American strategy for
Pakistan and Afghanistan would be eagerly contrasted against its ability
to address these fault lines.
On 24th November, Hendrik Hertzberg wrote: Any counterinsurgency campaign, were told, requires a very long commitment. Is the
voluntary association of democracies called NATO, organized to deter war
more than to wage it, capable of sustaining a twenty or thirty years
war? For that matter, does the United States a decentralized populist
democracy struggling with economic decline and political gridlock have
that capacity? And what about Pakistan?
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The President has come under heavy criticism for taking the time to
ponder the improbable. The urgent necessity, a respected Washington
columnist wrote the other day, is to make a decision whether or not it is
right. Really? Does the columnist suppose that a country unable to find the
patience for weeks (even months) of thinking could summon the stamina for
years (even decades) of killing and dying? What Obama seems to have
discovered is that this is no longer the war that began eight years ago?
That war was an act of retribution and prevention. But now who are we
punishing? The old narrative is broken. The fifth war is becoming a sixth?
Dr S M Rahman opined: In nutshell, Americas military might has
been dwarfed by the rag-tag Afghan freedom fighters and its economic
model is under great stress. The hegemonic arrogance of USA cannot linger
any further. It needs renunciation of the desire to dominate over the
world particularly Eurasia, of which AfPak policy is a crude reflection.
Engagement with impoverished nations and respect for diversity are the
imperatives.
Javid Husain observed: The US is now at cross-roads. The ongoing
review of the Afghan strategy by the Obama Administration provides
Washington with a useful opportunity to change course with a view to
eliminating the threat of terrorism posed by al-Qaeda to the US security and
taking political initiatives to bring the conflict in Afghanistan between the
Pashtuns and the non-Pashtuns to an end. The use of force against al-Qaeda
and its allies should continue to overcome their threat to global and regional
security.
At the same time, the US should open lines of communications to the
Taliban to engage the moderates among them and to isolate and weaken the
extremist elements. One way to achieve this objective would be to convene
a conference of the leaders of the various Afghan communities, tribes
and political groups under the UN auspices to evolve a political framework
which has the consensus support of the different Afghan political forces.
This political framework should be inclusive in character so as to establish a
just formula for power sharing among the various Afghan communities and
political groups.
The political framework should have the endorsement of the
regional countries, particularly Pakistan and Iran, and the UN to enhance its
legitimacy and chances of success. The US failure to take a political
initiative on these lines to ameliorate the conflict in Afghanistan will

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condemn it to prolonged fighting in that country with the growing risk of

destabilizing the whole region.
Next day, William R Polk in a lengthy open letter to Obama covered
various aspects on the Americas ongoing global war. About Afghanistan he
wrote: On our occupation, we need to consider three issues. Does our
presence lead towards a sustainable result after our withdrawal? Can the
occupation be maintained without turning a large part of the Afghanistan
population and others against us? And can we afford it? I think the answer
to all three is no. Consider these factors.
First, it is rare that insurgencies end with the establishment of a
regime favoured by the occupier that was the experience of the British and
Russians in Afghanistan, the Americans in Vietnam, the French in Algeria.
Governments acceptable to the foreign occupier may last a short while, but
almost always, those who fought hardest against the foreigner take over
when he leaves.
Second, US military intervention in Afghanistan has not only
solidified the Taliban as an organization but has also created increasing
public support for it. There is much evidence in Afghanistan, as there has
been in every insurgency I have studied, that foreign soldiers increase rather
than calm hostility. The British found that to be true even in the American
Revolution (where the two sides were cousins, shared the same religion
and spoke the same language).
Third, the cost of casualties may not rise to the level of Vietnam or
even Iraq, but the financial cost is unlikely to be less. My hunch is that the
real cost to the US economy will be $3 trillion to $6 trillion, calculating
overall, not just Congressional appropriations. So the Afghan campaign
could derail your plans for America, as Vietnam derailed Johnsons Great
Society.
On 26th November, Ahmed Rashid opined: To avoid a regional
debacle and the Taliban gaining even more ground, Obama needs to fulfill
the commitment he made to Afghanistan in March: to send more troops
so that US-NATO forces and the Afghan government can regain the military
initiative as well as civilian experts, and more funds for development. He
must bring both India and Pakistan on board and help reduce their
differences; a regional strategy is necessary for any US strategy in
Afghanistan to have a chance. The United States needs to persuade India to
be more flexible toward Pakistan while convincing Pakistanis to match such
flexibility in a step-by-step process.
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Next day, Leslie H Gelg discussed the possible contents of Obamas

new strategy to be announced soon and then conluded: Its unclear at the
moment just how tough Obama will be with Pakistan. In effect, Islamabad
has provided a safe haven for Afghan Taliban for more than a decade as
a hedge against Indian encroachments into Afghanistan. As a result,
Pakistan urges the United States to stay and fight in Afghanistan to keep the
Indians out, but provides succor to the Taliban to hedge against an American
withdrawal. So, the Pakistanis want us to stay in Afghanistan and help the
Taliban to kill our troops. Its hard to see how Obamas new strategy can
work unless Pakistans leaders are brought to see for themselves the terrible
consequences (the strengthening of the Pakistani Taliban extremists) of
pursuing this duplicitous course.
All in all, and with its inevitable uncertainties, this new Obama
strategy offers enough prospect of progress, if not success, for
Americans to give it their support. As long as the president keeps his eye
on the ball and transfers the main responsibility to friendly Afghans
themselves that is, making the war their war hes got my backing as
well.
Excerpts from Singhs interview to Christian Science Monitor read: I
am not a military expert and so dont claim to know the right size of troop
level that should be deployed in Afghanistan. But Im quite clear in my mind
that Afghanistan requires the sustained support of the global community
if it is to return to the path of peace, freedom, and an environment in which
fundamentalist terrorist elements do not have the sway they had some years
ago before 9/11.
There is no doubt in my mind that if the Taliban and al-Qaeda group
of people succeed in Afghanistan, it would have catastrophic results for the
security and stability not only of Pakistan, but for all of South Asia, where
1.8 billion people live. Also, it will affect the course of evolution in the
Middle East, Central Asia, and possibly even beyond these regions.
On 28th November, Ulrich Rippert commented: The new war
strategy will have catastrophic consequences for the population of
Afghanistan. The increase in troop levels will lead to an expansion of the
conflict and a corresponding higher level of civilian victims. The
strengthening of the status of regional clan leaders and warlords will
increasing paralyze the country and plunge it into even more tribal and civil
conflict. The incessant manipulation of regional conflicts reduces the
country in the long term into a plaything for imperialist interests. In his own

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presumptuous manner, Guttenberg terms this a self-sufficing security

structure. In fact it is the oldest tactic in the colonial war book: divide and
rule.
The true character of the Afghanistan war is becoming ever more
evident. The issue was never democratization, nor the driving out of the
Taliban or the punishment of al-Qaeda, whose supporters in Afghanistan are
currently estimated at only a few dozen. The issue at stake is imperialist
control of a country that for decades has been the great geopolitical
importance due to its location between Iran and the Indian subcontinent and
the two most productive oil regions of the world, the Gulf and Central Asia.
The Nation wrote: Prime Minister Gilani has voiced Pakistans
legitimate concerns over the expected US military surge in Afghanistan,
especially with regard to a troop surge in Helmand Province which
threatens to inundate Balochistan with escaping militants. Given the
poor track record some would say a deliberate policy of the US and
NATO to seal borders, any expansion of a US presence in Afghanistan poses
an immediate threat to the country. At a broader level the US cannot simply
take decisions relating to Afghanistan without consulting Pakistan, given
how there is a direct linkage between the two in terms of fallout.
Furthermore, Pakistan is a frontline state in this US-led erroneous
war in Afghanistan and it is Pakistan that also continues to pay the biggests
cost of this war in terms of the destruction of its civil society and
environment. Costs are not simply in terms of the qualitative change in the
terrorist and militancy threat confronted by Pakistan post-9/11; there is the
continuing cost of the Afghan refugees which again are on the increase. The
US and Afghan government are in no mood to take back these refugee
Afghans and the international community has shown niggardliness in
helping to shoulder the burden of these refugees effectively leaving
Pakistan on its own.
At a strategic level, Pakistan needs to be more assertive in
protecting its interests. The leadership needs to take a firm stand on the
surge issue and insist on being consulted before the US makes a paradigm
shift in its Afghan policy. So far Pakistan has never been asked to give inputs
into the US Afghan policy; we have simply been confronted with the
consequences and effectively told to accept them regardless of the costs for
our country. this has to end and Pakistan presently has the ability and space
to impact US decisions on Afghanistan since without our cooperation the US
will suffer even greater losses in Afghanistan.

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Tarik Jan urged Pakistans power operators not to forget India-US

alliance. After describing the inept leadership and resultant lack of
governance, he commented: India and its strategic partners have realized
the spill over effect of the unimaginative policies of our successive secular
governments.
They also know it well that gap between the constitutional
proclamation for an Islamic State and the practices of the power apparatus
in Pakistan has created rage as well as disenchantment in the masses,
which can be utilized to their benefit. Let them fight between themselves
and bleed seems to be the Indian policy. Moreover, the Indians are
convinced that the Kashmir, eruption can cool down, if Pakistans armed
forces are made to bog down in Waziristan and Balochistan. In addition, the
Indians would like to prolong the US stay in Afghanistan, and thus keep
Pakistan embroiled in its turbulent domestic situation. Manmohan Singhs
November 6 appeal to the US not to consider withdrawal from Afghanistan
gives support to such an evaluation.
In this backdrop, our power operators should not forget India-US
alliance, which among others calls for joint plans against what the two
conveniently call the cauldron of terrorism in Pakistan, the jihadi-military
axis and Islamic fundamentalism. Playing on this plank of the strategic
alliance, India is continuously projecting Pakistan as the centre of
international terrorism, which they urge must be dismantled. Together with
the rising crescendo of Pakistans nuclear programme being unsafe; for
obvious reasons the latter appeals to the US.
Therefore, the power wielders in Pakistan must improve
governance. By that I mean, synchronize human and material resources for
growth; give citizens a sense of belonging by prompt official responses to
their needs. Two, wipe out corruption as soon as possible. Three, avoid
undermining Islam by grafting secular values on the social scene. Four,
employ military force where necessary, but use negotiation channels to
defuse conflict and thus de-escalate armed action. Five, move fast on the
Baloch scene and declare the Balochistan package now rather than wait for
the constitutional package. The constitutional amendment can come later.
The News wrote: For some time now the government has publicly
been conceding that India has been meddling in Balochistan by aiding the
militants and providing weapons and succour to them both in Pakistan and
outside Why has the issue no been raised in international fora like the
UN and bilaterally in the capitals where our ambassadors are meant to be
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doing exactly this kind of activity exposing Indias role in terrorism in

Pakistan. Given how the Indians are still continuing their aggressive
diplomatic Mumbai offensive against Pakistan across the globe, it is absurd
for Pakistan not to expose the real face of India.
Equally important, why are we not raising the issue with the US,
given that it is effectively in charge in Afghanistan as much as any
power is in that insurgency-rent and foreign occupied country. There is
nothing hidden about the Indo-US strategic partnership and the desire of the
US to allow India a greater role in Afghanistan. So Pakistan needs to ask its
ally hard questions including whether the US really seeks the elimination
of militancy in FATA and Balochistan. There already exist doubts over the
real Afghan side of the border just as the Pakistan Army was moving into
South Waziristan.
However, at the end of the day foreign powers are able to interfere
in our sensitive areas because we provide them that space. The best way
to deny space to foreign meddling and to foreign powers trying to start and
sustain low intensity operations is to assert the writ of the state effectively.
That requires good governance, which presently is missing across the land.
Chief Minister Punjab has hit the nail on the head in terms of identifying
Indias nefarious role in Pakistans unrest. Now he must ensure that his
province does not fall prey to this external meddling. Let him provide the
much-needed effective governance and grass-roots justice so that space
denial is effected in the sensitive areas of the province.
Shireen M Mazari observed: Encouraged by its strategic partnership
with the US, which has allowed India all manner of leeway to continue its
hostile Pakistan posturing, India is in a new muscle-flexing mode which
one has not seen since the days of Indira Gandhi. Pakistan would do well
to remember what happened when India was allowed, by our ruling elites
own follies, to find the space in what was then East Pakistan to fulfill its
hostile agenda towards Pakistan. Let us not allow India the same space again
in either Balochistan or FATA especially now that India has a militarystrategic partnership with the US which has a nuclear component also. If
India is unwilling to dialogue let us not plead for the same.
But we need to continue pressing the US to ensure that the Afghan
government under its occupation does not continue to allow India the use of
its territory for covert operations against Pakistan. Even more important, we
need to ensure stability in Balochistan by removing the un-monitored US
clandestine activities in that province, and by reaching out to the Baloch

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people and delivering on their political and economic demands. Indias

aggressive designs have never been clearer. Are we as clear, not only in
our counter strategies but also in devising some proactive policies to counter
this threat from the eastern front?
The Nation commented: Indias military leadership has once again
raised the issue of Limited War being a viable option within the overarching
nuclear environment. This is part of a renewed belligerency on the part of
the Indians India has been searching for a way of rationalizing war
fighting in the post-nuclear strategic environment and had spun the Cold
Start Doctrine earlier of a rapid ground/air assault to achieve a limited
objective and then assume the international community would intervene to
prevent the other side (Pakistan) from responding in nuclear terms.
Of course, the principle of limited war is always an option for
countries; but keeping the war limited is a major problem and within a
nuclear environment the danger is far greater. Mutual nuclear deterrence in
South Asia has created an interesting and dichotomous security scenario
between Pakistan and India. That is, on the one hand the mutuality of the
nuclear deterrence has made both sides realize the futility of engaging in an
all-out traditional war with each other for territorial gains. But the same
logic has allowed both sides a greater freedom to intervene covertly in
existing conflicts. Both sides also see a greater flexibility of fighting limited
military engagements which they know they must keep limited because of
the overall nuclear deterrence. And hence the greater danger of either of
these states playing a game of brinkmanship that can go out of control
unintentionally and result in catastrophic unintended consequences.
Both Pakistan and India need to realize that nuclear antagonists
cannot be locked in a zero sum game environment. Their survival is
linked together now. So nuclear deterrence requires the prevalence of
conflict and common interest between the two sides. This can push in either
of two directions: First, compel the stronger side to take advantage by taking
calculated risks knowing the nuclear-related concerns that prevail. This
course is dangerous and potentially fatal. Second, move both actors towards
cooperation without the smaller state being overwhelmed by the larger one
and away from risk-ridden policies like limited war and first strike.
Finally, it has to be remembered that within the context of South
Asia, it is not technology denial that will address the issue of nuclear
stability, but political will. Clearly, India is still lacking that needed

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political will to move out of its spirit of adventurism into a mode of

behaving like a responsible nuclear state.
In another editorial the newspaper added: The way Obama has
ignored the Kashmir issue shows how hollow his rhetoric was. The proIndian lobby in his administration has deftly been able to sabotage the
agenda chalked out during the campaign, but again the fault lies with the US
supreme commander who ought to have stood his ground against these
challenges. To all intents and purposes, this particular class is pulling the
strings, making him not even revert to what he once had in mind regarding
the Kashmir conflict. The sad thing is that while hundreds of Kashmiris in
Washington were protesting the US indifference towards them and pointing
out the human rights abuses by the Indian security forces, President Obama
was having a tte--tte with the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in
the White House. It is quite clear that the US would not do anything that
could irritate the Indians, even if it means letting them carry on with their
atrocious occupation of the Valley. What is more, the US position on
Kashmir is quite deceiving. Could it hope to bring normalcy to the region
while sidestepping the Kashmir imbroglio? Things would never change
unless New Delhi is told not to suppress the peoples right to selfdetermination anymore. Truth is that ensuring safety of the subcontinents
security system requires much more than patronizing the Indians, a policy
aimed at containing hostile states like China. If India is a nuclear state then
so is Pakistan, whose geopolitical position is far more important. Throwing
the entire region, especially Kashmir, into chaos just for the sake of
achieving its strategic interests that centre around supporting a hegemon
state, would serve no useful purpose.
S M Hali opined: The US is free to make whatever alliance it seeks
in the region as long as it ensures long term peace but if it is to be duped
by the glamour of India Shining, which is a farce, then surely it is making
the wrong choice Pakistani analysts and intellectuals fail to note that
economic interests of the two great democracies are not restricted to what
is happening inside India. Their strategic partnership has hegemonic designs
wherein they have common desire to dominate Islamic World and use its
resources for their economic well-being.
Dr Manmohan Singh is resorting to the usual rhetoric of Pakistan
not doing enough to curb terrorism and Pakistani nuclear weapons are
unsafe, expressing suspicions of the US partnership. If the US is sincere in
bringing peace to the regions, it must heed to the evidence being

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provided to it by Pakistan and make decisions pragmatically, as to who is

sincere in curbing terrorism and who is not?
Inayatullah observed: The soft spoken, almost meekish Manmohan
Singh has demonized Pakistan in his statements on the eve of his visit to
USA and later in Washington. He has virtually accused Pakistan of using
terrorism as a state policy, dubbing it as a country where the government
does not have any control over the military and where the nuclear assets
could fall into the hands of terrorists.
Notice also needs to be taken of the recent surprisingly odd
remarks of the Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor. Said the
General: A limited war under a nuclear overhang is still very much a reality
in the Indian subcontinent. Rightly the Pakistans Foreign Office
spokesman called upon the international community to take notice of
General Kapoors veiled threat and Indias long-term intentions
Having mentioned India fuelling terrorism Inayatullah came to
Obama-Singh interaction. To make a good guess as to what Singh must
have injected into President Obamas ears, one may have a look at the words
uttered by him in response to Newsweeks editor Fareed Zakria in an
interview. Mr Zakria asked Singh what his thinking was about of the lasting
impact of 26/11, at the international level. Manmohans answered: At an
international level it has solidified the understanding that Pakistan remains a
deep source of problems relating to terrorism. Even right after 9/11 people
were not aware of Pakistans role in supporting the Taliban. This
understanding does not mean it is easy to do something about it, because
Pakistan is like the bandit who comes into your house and says I am
going to hold you up and if you object I am going to blow my brains all over
your carpet.
The Indian prime minister in another statement sought to insinuate
that Pakistan was not sincere in the coalition policy towards Afghanistan
and counseled USA to stay on in the country as otherwise Pakistan would
revert back to a pro-Taliban relationship.
Zardari regime came out with a package to solve Balochistan crisis.
The Nation commented: Mr Gilani told the meeting of his governments
commitment to consensus is good However, the package should not be
held hostage to a consensus being evolved on it, and this must not be used
as an excuse for delay. Though the government is making the right moves, it
should realize that it needs to move faster if there is to be any weight given
to the apology by President Asif Zardari, tendered to the Baloch people, for
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past mistakes. The government has a unique opportunity to bring a lasting

settlement to Balochistan, and it should not stumble at it, not when it finds
support not just among the Baloch of all opinions, but also among other
national political forces, at the present moment, as shown by Mr Gilanis
meeting with a PML-N delegation headed by Mian Nawaz Sharif recently.
Inayatullah wrote: While Ms Hillary Clinton was visiting Pakistan,
Mr Manmohan Singh flew to Srinagar and publicly stated that India was
desirous of holding a dialogue with Pakistan without any preconditions. The
talks, however, are nowhere in sight. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will
be visiting Washington on a state visit starting from November 22.
According to US Under Secretary William Burns, it will be a historic visit:
ties with India can change history.
Has Pakistan done its homework to anticipate gains New Delhi
will be making during this visit how it will affect and impact on
Pakistan, its standing and policies? With a tainted and weak central
government, Islamabad lacks the stature to pull its weight. American,
money, arms, intelligence and security personnel stationed inside the
country, drone missiles violating our air space and killing civilians (besides a
few al-Qaeda leaders), a bloody war raging in the North West, another
province alienated, suicide bombings taking place every other day,
deteriorating law and order, rampant corruption and worrisome economic
conditions all this taken together has reduced the country close to the
position of a failed state. It would, therefore, be unrealistic to expect much
from the federal government. The opposition, the judiciary, the media and
the civil society could to some extent make the difference. A spineless
government must be made to stand up and safeguard Pakistans national
interests. Good that the army so far has more or less kept itself away from
politics and civilian management.
The US needs to be told that for Pakistan, safeguard of its
national interests comes first, that Pakistan shall not allow itself to be
manipulated further and Red Lines marked by it must not be violated. One
wonders if the opposition has the imagination, determination and the guts to
rise to the occasion and face the threats and the challenges.
The last article ended with discussion on nuclear issue and this article
ends with activities of Blackwater in Pakistan. Jeremy Scahill compiled a
lengthy investigative report on the subject for The Nation (US) which was
published on 23rd November and reprinted in Pakistani edition on 26th
November. Some excerpts from his report are reproduced.
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In the opening lines he wrote, at a covert forward operating base run

by the US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) inKarachi,
members of an elite division of Blackwater are at the centre of a secret
program in which they plan targeted assassinations of suspected Taliban
and al-Qaeda operatives, snatch and grabs of high-value targets and other
sensitive action inside and outside Pakistan.
Bulk of his report pertained to working of Americas clandestine
operations apparatus and how it has infiltrated into Pakistan using modernday Trojan horses. It gives insight as to how a contracted war is carried out
by Blackwater. This is a parallel operation to the CIA, said the source. The
program puts Blackwater at the epicenter of a US military operation within
the borders of a nation against which the United States has not declared war
knowledge that could further strain the already tense relations between the
United States and Pakistan. In 2006, the United States and Pakistan struck a
deal that authorized JSOC to enter Pakistan to hunt Osama bin Laden
with the understanding that Pakistan would deny it had given
permission.
A former senior executive at Blackwater confirmed the military
intelligence sources claim that the company is working in Pakistan for the
CIA and JSOC, the premier counter-terrorism and covert operations force
within the military. He said that Blackwater is also working for the
Pakistani government on a subcontract with an Islamabad-based
security firm that puts US Blackwater operatives on the ground with
Pakistani forces in counter-terrorism operations, including house raids and
border interdictions, in the NWFP and elsewhere in Pakistan.
This arrangement, the former executive said, allows the Pakistani
government to utilize former US Special Operations forces who now work
for Blackwater while denying an official US military presence in the
country. He also confirmed that Blackwater has a facility in Karachi and
has personnel deployed elsewhere in Pakistan.
While writing about The Counterterrorism Tag Team in Karachi he
added: The main JSOC/Blackwater facility in Karachi, according to the
source, is non-descript: three trailers with various generators, satellite
phones and computer systems are used as a makeshift operations centre.
Its a very rudimentary operation, says the source: I would compare it to
(CIA) outposts in Kurdistan or any of the Special Forces outposts. Its very
bare bones, and thats the point.

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Blackwaters work for JSOC in Karachi is coordinated out of a

Task Force based at Bagram Air Base in neighbouring Afghanistan,
according to the military intelligence source. While JSOC technically runs
the operations in Karachi, he said, it is largely staffed by former US special
operations soldiers working for a division of Blackwater, once known as
Blackwater SELECT, and intelligence analysts working for a Blackwater
affiliate, Total Intelligence Solutions (TIS), which is owned by Blackwaters
founder, Erik Prince.
In Pakistan, Blackwater is not using either its original name or its
new moniker, Xe Services, according to the former Blackwater executive.
They are running most of their work through TIS because the other two
(names) have such a stain on them, he said. Corallo, the Blackwater
spokesperson, denied that TIS or any other division or affiliate of
Blackwater has any personnel in Pakistan. The US military intelligence
source said that Blackwaters classified contracts keep getting renewed at
the request of JSOC. Blackwater, he said, is already so deeply entrenched
that it has become a staple of the US military operations in Pakistan.
One of the concerns raised by the military intelligence source is that
some Blackwater personnel are being given rolling security clearances
above their approved clearances Blackwater, therefore, has access to
all source reports that are culled in part from JSOC units in the field.
Thats how a lot of things over the years have been conducted with
contractors, said the source: We have contractors that regularly see things
that top policy-makers dont unless they ask.
The military intelligence source said that the Blackwater/JSOC
Karachi operation is referred to as Qatar cubed, in reference to the US
forward operating base in Qatar that served as the hub for the planning and
implementation of the US invasion of Iraq. This is supposed to be the brave
new world, he says: This is the Jamestown of the new millennium and
its meant to be a lily pad. You can jump off to Uzbekistan, you can jump
back over the border, you can jump sideways, you can jump northwest. Its
strategically located
In addition to planning drone strikes and operations against suspected
al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in Pakistan for both JSOC and the CIA, the
Blackwater team in Karachi also helps plan missions for JSOC inside
Uzbekistan against the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, according to the
military intelligence source. Blackwater does not actually carry out the
operations, he said, which are executed con the ground by JSOC forces.

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Jeremy then discussed what he called Pakistans Military Contracting

Maze. He wrote: Blackwater, according to the military intelligence
sources, is not doing the actual killing as part of its work in Pakistan.
The SELECT personnel are not going into places with private aircraft and
going after targets, he said. Its not like Blackwater SELECT people are
running around assassinating people. Instead, US Special Forces teams
carry out the plans developed in part by Blackwater.
While he concurred with the military intelligence sources description
of the JSOC and CIA program, he pointed to another role Blackwater is
allegedly playing in Pakistan, not for the US government but for
Islamabad. According to the executive, Blackwater works on a subcontract
for Kestral Logistics, a powerful Pakistani firm, which specializes in
military logistic support, private security and intelligence consulting. It is
staffed with former high-ranking Pakistani army and government officials.
While Kestrals main offices are in Pakistan, it also has branches in several
other countries.
For years, Kestral has done a robust business in defence logistics
with the Pakistani government and other nations, as well as top US defence
companies. Blackwater owner Erik Prince is close with Kestral CEO
Liaquat Ali Baig, according to the former Blackwater executive Working
with Kestral, he said, Blackwater has provided convoy security for defence
Department shipments destined for Afghanistan that would arrive in the port
of Karachi.
Blackwater operatives also integrate with Kestrals forces in
sensitive counter-terrorism operations in the NWFP, where they work in
conjunction with the Pakistani Interior Ministrys paramilitary force, known
as Frontier Corps. The Blackwater personnel are technically advisers, but the
former executive said that the line often gets blurred in the field. Blackwater
is providing the actual guidance on how to do (counter-terrorism operations)
and Kestrals folks are carrying a lot of them out.
Blackwater, he said, is paid by the Pakistani government through
Kestral for consulting services. That gives the Pakistani government the
cover to say, Hey, no, we dont have any Westerners doing this. Its all local
and our people are doing it. But he gets them the expertise the Westerners
provide for (counterterrorism) related work. The military intelligence
source confirmed Blackwater works with the FC.
While investigating, Who is Behind the Drone Attacks Jeremy
observed that Obama Administration has now surpassed the number of
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Bush era strikes in Pakistan. He mentioned a secret CIA airbase in Shamsi

and that the agency uses a secret base in Jalalabad. Some strikes attributed
to the CIA are actually JSOC strikes. Some of these strikes are attributed to
OGA (Other Government Agency). Thesources also confirmed that
Blackwater continues to work for the CIA on its drone bombing program in
Pakistan, as previously reported in the New York Times, but added that
Blackwater is working on JSOCs drone bombings as well.
In addition to working on covert action planning and drone strikes,
Blackwater SELECT also provides private guards to perform the
sensitive task of security for secret US drone bases, JSOC camps and
Defence Intelligence Agency camps inside Pakistan, according to the
military intelligence source.
Under the heading of JSOC: Rumsfeld and Cheneys Extra Special
Force Jeremy wrote: Colonel Wilkerson said that he is concerned that with
General McChrystals elevation as the military commander of the Afghan
was which is increasingly seeping into Pakistan there is a concomitant
rise in JSOCs power and influence within the military structure.
From 2003 to 2008 McChrystal headed JSOC which is headquartered
at Pope Air Force Base and Fort Bragg in North Carolina, where
Blackwaters 7,000-acre operating base is also situated. JSOC controls the
Armys Delta Force, the Navys SEAL Team, as well as the Armys 75 th
Ranger Regiment and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, and the
Air Forces 24th Special Tactics Squadron. JSOC performs strike operations,
reconnaissance in denied areas and special intelligence missions.
While JSOC has long played a central role in the US counterterrorism and covert operations, military and civilian officials who worked at
the Defence and State Department during the Bush Administration described
in interviews with The Nation an extremely cozy relationship that developed
between the executive branch (primarily through Cheney and Rumsfeld) and
JSOC. During the Bush-era, Special Forces turned into a virtual standalone operation that acted outside the military chain of command, and in
direct coordination with the White House. Throughout the Bush years, it was
largely General McChrystal who ran JSOC.
Wilkerson said that almost immediately after assuming his role at the
State Department under Colin Powell, he saw JSOC being politicized and
developing a close relationship with the executive branch. He saw this begin,
he said, after his first Delta Force briefing at Fort Bragg. I think Cheney and
Rumsfeld went directly into JSOC. I think they went into JSOC at times,
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perhaps more frequently, without the SOCOM (Special Operations)

commander at the time even knowing it. The receptivity in JSOC was quite
good, said Wilkerson.
Wilkerson said the JSOC teams caused diplomatic problems for
the United States across the globe: When these teams started hitting capital
cities and other places all around the world, (Rumsfeld) didnt tell the State
Department either. The only way we found out about it is our ambassadors
started to call us and say, who the hell are these six-foot-four white males
with eighteen inch biceps walking around our capitals? So we discovered
this, we discovered one in South America, for example, because he actually
murdered a taxi driver, and we had to get him out of there quick. We
rendered him, we rendered him home.
As part of their strategy, Rumsfeld and Cheney also created the
Strategic Support Branch (SSB), which pulled intelligence resources from
the Defence Intelligence Agency and the CIA for use in sensitive JSOC
operations. The SSB was created using reprogrammed funds without
explicit congressional authority or appropriation, according to the
Washington Post. The SSB operated outside the military chain of command
and circumvented the CIAs authority on clandestine operations.
The significance of the flexibility of JSOCs operations inside
Pakistan versus the CIAs is best summed up by Senator Dianne Feinstein,
chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Every single
intelligence operation and covert action must be briefed to the Congress,
she said. If they are not, that is a violation of the law.
At the end Jeremy discussed presence of Blackwater in Pakistan under
heading: Blackwater: company Non Grata in Pakistan. For months, the
Pakistani media has been flooded with stories about Blackwaters
alleged growing presence in the country. For the most part, these stories
have been ignored by the US press and denounced as lies or propaganda by
US officials in Pakistan.
But the reality is that, although many of the stories appear to be
wildly exaggerated, Pakistanis have good reason to be concerned about
Backwaters operations in their country. It is no secret in Washington or
Islamabad that Blackwater has been a central part of the wars in Afghanistan
and Pakistan and that the company has been involved almost from the
beginning of the war on terror with clandestine US operations. Indeed
Blackwater is accepting applications for contractors fluent in Urdu and
Punjabi.
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The Christian Science Monitor recently reported that Blackwater

provides security for a US-backed aid project in Peshawar, suggesting the
company may be based out of the Pearl Continental, a luxury hotel the
United States reportedly is considering purchasing to use as a consulate in
the city Reports of Blackwaters alleged presence in Karachi and
elsewhere in the country have been floating around the Pakistani press for
months.
The Nation cannot independently confirm these allegations and has
not seen the Pakistani intelligence report. But according to Pakistani press
coverage, the intelligence report also said Blackwater has acquired
bunglows in the Defence Housing Authority in the city Blackwater is
receiving help from local government officials in Karachi and is using
vehicles with licence plates traditionally assigned to members of the
national and provincial assemblies, meaning local law enforcement will
not stop them.
The use of private companies like Blackwater for sensitive operations
such as drone strikes or other covert work undoubtedly comes with the
benefit of plausible deniability, that places an additional barrier in an
already deeply flawed system of accountability. When things go wrong, its
the contractors fault, not the governments.
But the widespread use of contractors also raises serious legal
questions, particularly when they are a part of lethal, covert actions (Lt
Col) Addicott added: If we were subjected to the International Criminal
Court, some of these guys could easily be picked up, charged with war
crimes and put on trial. Thats one of the reasons were not members of the
International Criminal Court.
If there is one quality that has defined Blackwater over the past
decade, it is the ability to survive against the odds while simultaneously
reinventing and rebranding itself. That is most evident in Afghanistan,
where the company continues to work for the US military, the CIA and the
State Department despite intense criticism and almost weekly scandals.
Blackwaters alleged Pakistan operations, said the military intelligence
source, are indicative of its new frontier. Having learned its lessons after the
private security contracting fiasco in Iraq, Blackwater has shifted its
operational focus to two avenues: protecting things that are in danger and
anticipating other places were going to go as a nation that are dangerous,
he said.

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REVIEW
The lovers of democracy have been criticizing military leadership
since corps commanders conveyed their reservations on Kerry Lugar Bill
through ISPR press release. The same lovers have been telling the military
leaders that they were no more than security guards employed for the
homeland and therefore they must remain in those very boots.
What corps commanders did was exactly within the purview of their
duties as guards. They saw an act of burglary being committed in the house
they were guarding and raised the alarm. In fact, they could have, or should
have, shot the burglars and then informed the residents of the house.
By any liberal count six to seven hundred militants have been killed in
Operation Rah-e-Nijat out of originally estimated number of ten to twelve
thousand. Obviously, the rest have been scattered in the rugged terrain along
Durand Line or have hid themselves in built-up areas, in some cases.
Nevertheless the Waziristan-based TTP has lost its main abode where
it had established underground facilities through years of sustained
hardwork. Pakistani Taliban will now need considerable time to regroup and
re-establish their base but, perhaps, they would never be able to regain their
lost strength.
General James Jones reportedly delivered Obamas letter to Zardari.
Do Obama and Zardari really need to exchange letters for expansion of war
on terror to other parts of Pakistan? Not really, the war will keep escalating
as long as the US remains in occupation of Afghanistan and continue
interfering in Pakistans internal affairs. Therefore, could there be more in
the letter than what has been reported.
On the eve of Eid-ul-Azha, the supreme commander of armed forces
of Islamic Republic of Pakistan quietly transferred his powers regarding
National Command Authority for Pakistans nuclear assets to Prime
Minister through a letter/ordinance. Delegation of this responsibility was
quite unusual for a supreme commander. Analysts read it as beginning of the
feather-shedding season.
Optimism is a great virtue, but this event demands a deeper look,
because only a couple of days ago he had ruffled his feathers quite hard. It
has also to be seen with Singhs aggressive anti-Pakistan diplomatic
approach during US visit; the telephone call from Brown of Eid Day; and
the statement of Indian COAS alleging that Pakistans nuclear weapons
could fall into the hands of terrorists. The question that needs to be answered
429

is that has Zardari too been identified as security-risk like his wife? Better
late than never, because he has already demanded $100 billions for these
assets.
Hamid Karzais installation ceremony as President was held in
Kabul. Zardari was honoured to attend the ceremony; whereas other
puppets like Maliki, Abbas, Egyptian president and Saudi king were ignored.
No doubt Zardari is the pick of puppets, yet it would have been better if
birds of the same feather were flocked together on this solemn occasion.
Karzai was installed despite his mentors have been accusing him of
corruption. Blaming Karzai for corruption who has been dubbed as Mayor of
Kabul is quite unfair; more so, when most of the funds are spent under
supervision of donors or NGOs of the choice of occupation forces.
Moreover, when Karzai decided to take action against two governors
and a cabinet minister, America and its ally intervened; in one case it was
Obamas buddy Brown who asked Karzai not to take action against the
minister. The imperial forces, indeed, like the birds called puppets, because
the feather of corruption is common to all of them.
The internal and external enemies of Pakistan have worked for
decades with an eye on natural wealth of Balochistan, not for its just
distribution for the betterment of Baloch people, but to grab it to serve their
interests. The successive governments in Pakistan have failed to highlight
the sinister designs of outsiders and the Baloch chieftains; thus enabling
them to bring the situation where it stands today.
The strategy of packages, or in other words payment of ransom, is
not likely to work. Those who have worked so hard on brewing an
insurgency would like to bring to the logical end. That is why most of the
nationalists have rejected the package.
The war that started as Americas holy war with the invasion of
Afghanistan has now been virtually passed on to Pakistan. By passing the
responsibility to ally Pakistan, the US has ensured that it wont be defeated
in this war; whereas victory would entirely belong to the US, Pakistan would
be responsible for the defeat and suffer the consequences.
Another intriguingly interesting feature of the war being fought inside
Pakistan is the vast array of enemies pitched against Pakistani troops. It is
widely publicized that Pakistan Army is fighting against Taliban. Yes, it is
fighting the Taliban but not the Taliban who were toppled in Afghanistan by
the Crusaders. They have never targeted Pakistanis in the last eight years.

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The Taliban against whom Pakistan is now pitched are those who have
been created, fostered and funded by various players in the region. The
skipper of these players is the United States. The key players of its team are,
of course, Afghanistan, India and Britain. There are others willing to play
minor roles. Indeed, Pakistan is pitched against great odds.
At the end a few words about Blackwater; a brain child of imperialist
mind of the capitalist world wherein privatization of all major industries,
including war, is preferred. The purpose behind having an apparently
civilian outfit is to carry out warlike tasks without formal declaration of war.
Its deceptive appearance facilitates infiltration deep into targeted territories
and without being accused of interference.
It specializes in targeted killings, or in other words, it can commit war
crimes in such a way that the US Administration cannot be blamed for those.
No country in Americas ongoing holy war qualifies to be a better choice
than Pakistan for Blackwaters activities. Hence, America has committed
extensive resources and only Zardari regime can shamelessly deny its active
presence inside Pakistan.
30th November 2009

FRONTLINE TO EPICENTRE
Obama announced new strategy for Afghanistan on 2 nd December, but
there was not much new in the strategy that was deliberated upon for over
three months. He decided to send two-thirds of reinforcements demanded by
General McChrystal and the troops so dispatched would start coming back
home after eighteen months.

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He acknowledged that the Afghan war cannot be won without

Pakistans help, but observed heavens for terrorists existing along Durand
Line. He, in fact, termed the one time frontline state in war on terror as
epicenter of terrorism. He demanded that Pakistan must destroy the known
infrastructure of terror on its soil.
Addressing Karzai he declared that time for blank cheques to
Afghanistan was over. Afghan president must take stringent measures to
eradicate corruption. McChrystal warned Taliban to make peace or die;
Taliban promptly responeded by vowing to intensify their resistance.
The same day Indian home minister announced plans to start pulling
out troops from IHK. The optimists rushed to draw pleasant conclusions;
where as it seemed to be part of well-coordinated move of two strategic
partners, which could soon be followed by a demand on Pakistan to shift
more troops to western border.
On 4th December, Pakistan Army received the hardest blow since it
joined as frontline mercenary in Americas war on terror. This, however,
suited the US for energizing Pakistans resolve to fight the terror and also for
the Zardari regime to secure a fatwa declaring militants kafirs and thus
baptizing mercenarys holy acts.

NEWS
In Pakistan, Two soldiers were wounded in separate incidents in
South Waziristan on 30th November. One policeman was killed and another
wounded in attack in Bannu. Ten militants were arrested in Kurram Agency.
Deputy Commandant of FC NWFP displayed before media the weapons of
Indian origin captured during clearance of Bara area. Three policemen were
wounded in firing on a police patrol in Peshawar. Nine suspects were held in
Swat. JI leader was wounded in attempt to kidnap him in Karachi.
Obama offered expansion of partnership with Pakistan including
additional military aid, but warned that use of insurgent groups to pursue
policy goals cannot continue. He also threatened to take military action
against militants along border if Pakistan failed. Brown urged Pakistan to
track down Osama.
Four militants were killed in South Waziristan on 1st December.
Twelve militants were arrested in Kurram Agency and 37 in Bannu district.
Four militants were killed by security forces in Bara area. An American was
among two foreigners held at Torkham. Peace committee head was shot dead
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in Mohmand Agency. Gilani and Merkel discussed war on terror and the
German Chancellor asked the guest to mend ways to improve quality of
governance. LHC was moved to search US Embassy in Islamabad for
hoarding of illegal weapons.
Victims of ANP struck back with vengeance by killing Provincial
Minister Dr Shamshair along with his brother and wounding ten others in
Swat. The suicide bomber acted in the same spirit that Mian Iftikhar and
Bilours boast of: war will continue until killing of the last terrorist. They
also tend to forget that Fazlullah too has vowed to hang ANP leaders like
hanging of Dr Najib in Kabul.
Next day, one soldier was wounded in firing at a post in South
Waziristan and two were killed in Kurram Agency. Nine militants were held
in Khyber Agency and five were killed in Malakand. Six militants were held
in Bara and four suicide bombers in Peshawar. Thirty suspects were arrested
and two dead bodies were found in Swat. Two militants were killed in
Bajaur and fire was exchanged in Mohmand Agency as well. A suicide
bomber blew himself at the gate of Naval Complex in Islamabad killing two
sailors on duty and wounding ten others, including a child. Gilani announced
that Benazir was killed by Baitullah; were UN investigators listening?
In his speech, Obama expressed his concerns about safety of
Pakistans nuclear weapons. Concomitant to announcement of new Afghan
strategy, Obama ordered intensification of drone attacks on targets in
Pashtun areas, including those in Balochistan. Kaira said drone attacks in
Balochistan wont be allowed. Islamabad sought US guarantees against
fallout of troop surge and Washington assured that new strategy would have
no negative impact on Pakistan. Lady Patterson said all power centres in
Pakistan, including the president, were taken into confidence on new
strategy. Hillary wasted no time in pursuing Obamas strategy; she urged
Pakistan to do more against terrorists.
Riaz Khokhar inferred that by saying that Pakistan has to act against
known terror outfits, Obama wanted that Pakistan should arrest Osama,
Mulla Omar and other militant leaders wanted by the US. Kamran Bokhari
said that for dialogue with Taliban the US needs help from ISI.
Ten militants were killed in South Waziristan on 3 rd December and
two suicide bombers were arrested in Razmak. Six militants were killed in
air strike in Orakzai Agency from where 70 percent tribesmen have moved
out to safer places. Hillary accepted that there were differences between

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Pakistan and the US over strikes or use of force, in FATA area. Majority of
Pakistanis expressed concern over Obama strategy.
Three militants and a tribesman were killed in clashes with security
forces in Kurram Agency and five suspects were held in Parachinar.
Seventeen suspects were held from different areas of Kohat district. A
policeman was wounded in roadside blast in Peshawar and security forces
held 13 suspects in Bara. Barrister Baachaa Khan said new strategy would
further destabilize the region.
Five militants were arrested in Malakand and fifteen were killed in
Swat; 34 were held and 6 surrendered. Seven militants were held in Bajaur
and the US provided furniture for schools. A militant commander was killed
in Mohmand Agency. Hillary and Robert Gates said al-Qaeda has
established itself in FATA. Gilani met Brown in London and during the joint
press conference it appeared that guest was ready to take all the insult for
170 million pounds; not a bad bargain by Zardari-values.
Six militants and a soldier were killed in South Waziristan on 4 th
December; eight militants and two soldiers were wounded. Three tribal
elders were kidnapped in Kurram. PAF jetfighters killed eight militants in
Orakzai Agency. Kohat police arrested 47 suspects. A militant in police
custody was killed when accomplices opened fire at police van in Peshawar.
Five people were killed when a coach hit a landmine in Mohmand Agency.
Eight militants carried out GHQ-like action on mosque in Parade Lane
opposite Race Course Ground Rawalpindi Cantonment. Maj Gen, a
Brigadier, three Lt Cols and two majors and three soldiers and 16 children of
army officers were among 40 people killed and 86 others were wounded;
many retired officers, including General Yousaf, were among wounded. Four
attackers were killed during clearance operation. TTP owned the
responsibility.
One soldier was killed and seven militants were killed and eight
arrested in South Waziristan on 5th December. Five commanders are among
35 militants held in Kurram Agency and eight were killed in Orakzai. Three
people were killed and 15 wounded in bomb blast on University Road
Peshawar. Three commanders were among thirty militants held in Khyber
Agency and nine were held and four surrendered in Swat. Eight militants
were killed and two arrested in Lower Dir.
Ulema obliged Rehman Malik by declaring suicide bombing haraam.
Malik was not satisfied and demanded that terrorists be declared kafirs. Will
Ulema dare giving fatwa that Crusaders and mercenaries employed by them,
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who kill innocent women and children and dub that as collateral damage, are
also kafirs? Mufti Muneeb said fatwas are not given on orders of rulers and
Fatwa about suicide already exists in which killing of innocent people by
any means is haraam. Gilani and Rehman Malik at last attended a funeral of
the victims of their rental war, but Zardari was still of the view that attending
funerals was not worth it.
Three militants were killed in South Waziristan on 6 th December. One
militant was killed and six held in a raid on a mosque in Nowshera area. A
policeman was wounded when unknown gunmen fired at police van in
Mardan. Two suspects were held in Swabi. Two foreigners were among four
arrested in Khyber. Taliban commander was among five militants killed in
Swat. Two persons were killed and two wounded in a bomb blast in Bajaur;
jetfighters fired at militants hideouts. Four soldiers were wounded in
roadside bombing in Mohmand Agency.
In Afghanistan, on 30th November, a British soldier was killed in
bomb blast in Helmand. Britain announced that it would send 500 additional
soldiers and helicopters to Afghanistan. Italy and Macedonia also decided to
contribute additional troops. Differences in US Senators persisted on the eve
of Obamas announcement of new Afghan strategy.
On 1st December, Obama telephoned Singh for last minute
consultation with strategic partner on new Afghan strategy and then Karzai
was taken into confidence. General James Jones rang up Gilani to take him
into confidence, or for granted. Zardari was the last to be informed, because
a machine that complies by inserting coins need not be consulted. Pakistans
foreign minister urged US to stay in Afghanistan for five years. He also said
Pakistans reaction to new US policy would be shown after its
announcement by Obama.
Next day, the US and NATO decided to send 30,000 and 5,000
additional troops respectively. France and Australia supported the bold
step of Obama. Taliban vowed to accept the challenge by intensifying the
resistance. McChrystal said it is the last chance for Taliban to return to
mainstream by laying down their arms. Musharraf opposed US exit from
Afghanistan.
On 3rd December, a Taliban commander was reported killed in air
strike in Kunar Province. Karzai said he was ready to meet Mulla Omar for
the sake of peace. Obama approved deployment of three thousand additional
troops making it 33,000 in all. This move appeared to be meant to make-up
NATO shortfalls. Holbrooke accepted that Afghan war was unpopular but
435

hoped NATO allies would send more troops. He added that 18-month
timeframe has been misreported. Mullen clarified that decision on pullout
would be taken keeping the ground realities in view. US Congress, however,
remained worried over Obama plan.
Next day, US Marines and Afghan troops launched a big offensive in
Nowzad Valley of Helmand. NATO allies backed Obama plan and offered
7,000 additional troops. Taliban, however, claimed that the US and NATO
were not on the same wavelength. On 6th December, a US soldier was killed
in roadside bombing and 16 Pashtuns were killed in the ongoing US-led
offensive in the south. Six militants were killed in Laghman province.
Occupation forces arrested Shura chief in Paktia.
In India, court dismissed Kasabs defence lawyer on 30 th December
for lack of cooperation. Gilani said General Deepaks statement was
irresponsible. Next day four soldiers were killed in a bomb blast in Jullundar
Cantonment. India tripled budget to Rs12.01 billion for road construction
and fencing along Pakistani border. On 6th December, Rehman Malik said
India was involved in terror inside Pakistan. Israeli military chief visited
India.
In the month of November 28 Kashmiris were martyred by occupation
forces in Indian Held Kashmir. On 4th December, Yasin Malik and others
were detained to stop them from taking part in rally to protest arrest of a
spiritual leader.
In Balochistan, two persons were killed and several wounded by
unidentified gunmen at picnic spot of Pir Ghaib near Quetta on 2 nd
December. Next day, Foreign Office said sufficient proofs of Indian
involvement in Balochistan were available. Nabeel Gabol said recent terror
attacks in Peshawar were planned by RAW; world must take notice of it.

VIEWS
Two events regarding Pakistan, but both happening outside one in
London and the other in Washington were widely commented on. The
Times wrote about Gordon Browns statement. Mr Browns call came at a
difficult time for President Zardari. His weak authority was undermined

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further at the weekend by the lapse of the immunity granted to him and some
8,000 others facing corruption charges by the former President Musharraf.
In response, and to offset calls by his political rivals for a curb on his
powers, he transferred control of Pakistans nuclear weapons to the Prime
Minister, Yusuf Gilani. This may avert pressure from the restless army,
which has little trust in Mr Zardaris leadership. But to much of Pakistan it
only signals further the crumbling clout of Benazir Bhuttos widower, a
man still widely despised for his earlier reputation for corruption.
Mr Zardari will survive only if he can demonstrate the robust
leadership that his country needs. That means not only pursuing overdue
reform at home but committing himself more intensely to the elimination of
al-Qaedas leadership from his country. Britain is right to keep up the
pressure.
The Nation commented: As the misnamed war on terror has brought
home to the people of this region and beyond, Britain is never found
wanting in toeing the American line, unquestionably. It was precisely for
his studious pursuit of the policies that George W adopted, that Tony Blair
was termed as his poodle by his own people. Brown because of his facial
size is bigger than a poodle.
In a similar fashion, the Pakistan authorities ought to take serious
exception to the present UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown who has been
haranguing themto capture Osama bin Laden and his deputy Ayman alZawahiri who, according to the Western propagandists, are presently hiding
in the unruly region of FATA, most probably in South Waziristan. Suddenly,
a couple of days before President Obamas address that his publicists have
pre-judged as historic and in which he is going to reveal the answer he and
his top-heavy Afghan review team have found to General McChrystals
demand for 44,000 additional troops and the chaos the anti-terrorism war has
caused all around, Mr Brown thundered, If we are putting our strategy
into place, Pakistan has to show that it can take on al-Qaeda. The
imperialist streak lingers on though the hollowness of the command comes
out clearly in the loss of foreign possessions and global clout.
Forgetting that it was the Americans that let, according to their own
Senate report, the feared Osama slip away from his pulverized Tora Bora
mountain hideout, Mr Brown remarked: We have got to ask ourselves why,
eight years after September 11, nobody has been able to spot or detain or get
close to Osama bin Laden(and) Zawahiriwe have got to ask the
Pakistan authorities and security services, army and politicians to join
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us, in the major effort the world is committing resources to, not only to
isolate al-Qaeda, but to break them in Pakistan. The major effort that the
world is committing comprises US and UK and some troops from Italy and
Macedonia so far; the world seemed to have shrunk to less than half a dozen
countries. .
Mr Brown has told President Zardari on telephone that he would
press the point when Prime Minister Gilani meets him next Thursday. Mr
Gilani should confront him not only with the bin Laden escape but also
ask him the reasons for the US forces not to have targeted Baitullah
Mehsud on several earlier occasions when the Pakistani intelligence had
tipped them about his whereabouts. The way Pakistani armed forces have
made gains militants in the past few months should shame their British
counterparts in Afghanistan who have been engaged in trying to save their
skins for eight years now.
Azam Khalil wrote: Keeping in view the ground realities of the
present insurgency and the attitude of both the British and American
administrations, it is extremely unfair for the British prime minister to
demand from Pakistan that it should commit more forces against,
elements of al-Qaeda while at the same they have taken up a position that
virtually amounts to providing a helping hand to the cause of Mr Osama bin
Laden not only in Afghanistan but also in some areas of this country.
A vast majority of the people in this country strongly feel that the
time has come for the Pakistani government to take up this issue of
deception and duplicity with all the concerned governments which includes
the Americans, the British and the Indians, so that the world at large knows
the level of commitment of each country against the war against terror. It
would therefore be safe to assume that during his visit to the United
Kingdom, Mr Yousuf Raza Gilani will take up the issue of the recent
outburst of Gordon Brown and provide him with the factual picture of the
ground situation so that the British government, instead of toeing the line
of the Indian lobbies in its country, try to follow a more fair course, in
their diplomatic moves. The Government of Pakistan should also demand
compensation from the British government for the losses incurred by
Pakistanis for fighting this war against terror and feeding millions of
displaced persons first during the Russian occupation of Afghanistan and
then the NATO occupation of that country.
One hopes that the Pakistani prime minister will also forcefully
present the case of Pakistani students who are deprived of higher education

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due to unfair restrictions imposed them by the British government and also
demand a fair share in the British market for Pakistani goods. Will all this
be achieved during the present visit of Mr Yousuf Raza Gilani? The
answer probably is going to be in the negative, keeping in view the onetrack-mind policy of the British Prime Minister Mr Gordon Brown.
Browns remarks were prelude to the event of the week, which was
announcement of Obamas new strategy for AfPak. Parvez Iqbal observed:
More surprising than the recent statement of British Prime Minister Gordon
Brown asking Pakistan to do more is the surprise that our Foreign Office
has shown on this statement. Similar statements have simultaneously
emanating from Britains cousin, the United States.
In a letter addressed to our president, personally delivered by
Obamas national security advisor James L Jones, the US president has
asked for Pakistan to take action against five extremist outfits: Al-Qaeda, the
Afghan Taliban, the TTP, the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Haqqani group. He
went on to say that ambiguity in Pakistans relationship with any of them
could no longer be ignored
Add to all this the announcement by Obama about additional troops
for Afghanistan, and one does not then have to ask the US to define its future
strategy for that country. Every piece of that strategy is falling into place.
Remain ready to move into Pakistan if needed. Obama had just not being
alluding to this possibility in his election campagn speeches and interviews;
he had referred to it directly time and again. His broad smiles appear
perceptive now.
Before our Foreign Office gets surprised again, we should have
our strategy and contingency plans ready for any eventually that might
develop with US forces moving across the border if Pakistan fails to
deliver. Our forces are already taking care of the TTP in South Waziristan.
The other two groups, al-Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba, are underground and
other than covert actions like physical capture or targeted killings through
drone attacks, overt large-scale conventional military action against them is
not possible.
So if the US military planners have been asked to keep contingency
plans ready for ground offensive into Pakistani territory, it would most
likely be initiated first into North Waziristan against the Haqqani
group, which is being blamed for the attacks on US and NATO forces in
Afghanistan. What would the options be for Pakistans response, other than a
statement of surprise from the Foreign Office, of course?
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Protest statements like those for the drone attacks, would be futile.
Even school kids can by now tell us that Drone attacks are one matter,
territory and sovereignty are another. To divert the attention of our military,
even the smallest of misadventures by India on our eastern borders, with or
without American elbowing, would really complicate matters. The dilemma,
or call it a catch-22 situation, if you will, would be whether to continue the
support to the US in its war effort, or openly tell them they are on their
own. If the Haqqani group gives them a bloody nose, will we say so be it?
The possibilities are more complex and more in number than a dice with six
sides can cope with.
Shafqat Mehmood opined: If the Americans have any chance of
winning this war, they have to win the Pakhtuns. Thirty thousand more
troops and more firepower would not do it. At best, it would provide better
security for some towns and cities in the south. Only a real sharing of power
between Pakhtuns and other ethnic groups in Afghanistan will defeat the
Taliban and their ideology.
One can only hope that there is some recognition of this. Maybe the
talking with good Taliban line is an acknowledgement that the Pakhtuns and
their fighting arm have to be talked to. It is also noticeable that Obama has
given the defeat of al-Qaeda as an objective, and not the Talibans if this
means that there is going to be a serious intent to talk to the Pakhtun/Taliban,
then there is a glimmer of hope.
But, in the meantime, the prsesure on Pakistan will keep
increasing. There will be threats of drone attacks in Balochistan if the
Afghan Taliban and the so-called Quetta Shura are not taken on by the
Pakistan military. This might appear contradictory, because if there is intent
to talk to the good Taliban why do the Americans want Pakistan to target
them, assuming that they are here.
There are two ways of looking at this. One, that the Americans feel
unless the Afghan Taliban are under pressure, they will not seriously
negotiate. This is a plausible explanation and an essential element of the
talk-talk, fight-fight strategy. It is for this reason that Pakistan is
considered indispensable to the success of the Obama strategy in
Afghanistan.
There is, of course, also the conspiratorial explanation. Americans
really want an opportunity to ingress their troops into Pakistan and take
control of its nuclear arsenal. It is noticeable that, for the first time, Obama
has made frequent references to a nuclear Pakistan. If in the process the
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country is split apart, say the conspiracy theorists, so be it. The US would
rather dismember Pakistan than let it remain a potential nuclear proliferators
and a threat to the world, and in particular to Israel.
Whatever the real motives, and one would like to believe that they
are nothing more sinister than getting a better bargaining position in
Afghanistan, it presents a difficult challenge for the Pakistani
government. It can continue denying that there is any Quetta Shura or
Afghan Taliban in Pakistan and if they are not here who should its military
fight.
Or if they are indeed there to take the fight to them. The problem
with this hypothetical situation is that there are very few pro-Pakistan
elements in Afghanistan. The non-Pakhtun ethnicities have been lost after
we put all our eggs in, first the Pakhtun/Hekmatyar basket and later the
Taliban. The only ones left with any degree of comfort with Pakistan are the
Pakhtun Afghan Taliban. Taking them on means taking on our only
potential allies in the future.
Secondly, the Afghan Taliban have delinked themselves from their
Pakistani pretenders. In the ongoing South Waziristan operation, it is
obvious that commanders like Maulvi Nazir and Gul Bahadur, who have
close links with the Haqqani Afghan Taliban faction, stayed neutral. Taking
on the Afghan Taliban would mean creating an alliance between them and
their local namesakes. This would mean adding enormously to the
difficulties in fighting the insurgency in FATA and the Frontier province.
Lastly, the Americans clearly dont want to be in Afghanistan for
long. Obama does not want to have the Afghanistan war around his neck as
the next presidential election comes around. Already by this escalation he is
having problems with his core constituency of liberal democrats.
If the Americans are not here for the long haul, what kind of a
message does it send to Pakistan: that they should turn every possible
Afghan group against them and have no leverage left in Afghanistan after
the American leave.
This would suggest that the new American strategy in Afghanistan
has it and Pakistan at cross-purposes. This could have negative
consequences for both, but a far greater potential of damage to Pakistan. The
only win-win situation is for them to collaborate.
Pakistan can help the Americans enormously by using their
influence and knowledge of the Afghan Taliban to sponsor a serious

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dialogue between the two sides. This is the only viable exit strategy for the
Americans. And this is the only way in which both countries can focus on
their shared objective of eliminating al-Qaeda.
Ayaz Amir observed: If Obama had said that no matter what the cost
in blood and treasure the US would hold the line in Afghanistan, it would
have been a different matter. The approach might have been criticized but
American resolve at least would not have been questioned. But Obama
suggested no such thing. His speech implied no open ended commitment
but the eventual trimming and rolling back of the present commitment.
If anything, this will spur Afghan corruption as an insurance policy against
rainy days.
It is important to take this point to heart if Pakistan is to chart the
right course for itself. For too long we have gone with the flow, driven not
by our own necessities but the compulsions arising from our American
alliance forged in haste and, for the most part, unthinkingly by Pervez
Musharraf. It should take little genius to figure out that as Americas
difficulties in Afghanistan mount, the victory is no more within reach This
is where we need to preserve our cool. Any operations we undertake in our
tribal areas must strictly be calibrated to our own reading of the situation
rather than be a knee-jerk response to American pressure or demands.
To label Pakistan as an American satellite is to do injustice to
ourselves. We have been less pushed around than readily allowing ourselves
to be pushed around. If we have been foolish about many things it was folly
we chose for ourselves. No one pushed General Zia into the Afghan jihad.
He was messianic about it himself, a full year and a half before the
Americans came into the act. No one drove Musharraf out into Americas
arms. Later he did his best to window-dress the decisions he took by saying
that Pakistan had no other choice. But it is not too farfetched to suppose that
a political government much as we choose to malign our civilian leaders
might have opted for a more calculated response.
So we must learn to think more clearly for ourselves. We are in this
war together with the Americans. Geography leaves us with no other choice.
But in this new Vietnam War we must not become another Cambodia, a
country which has still not fully recovered from what America did to it 3040 years ago. Our military must do what is necessary in South and North
Waziristan and perhaps beyond. But, under American pressure, it must not
allow itself to become over-extended.

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The higher direction of war is where our greatest weakness lies

because while our military, recovering from the malaise of the Musharraf
years, has finally got his act together, giving a good account of itself both in
Swat and South Waziristan, our political front, given the weaknesses of the
government, is not as well covered as it should be.
This leaves the military principally, the army very much on
its own. There should be a surer political hand on the tiller but with the
Presidency mired in rumour and scandal and the Prime Minister yet to
acquire the look of a war leader, we have to throw up a collective prayer as
much for a spell of rain because the present drought if it lasts will have
killer consequences as for a miracle of slightly more inspired leadership.
Dr Masooda Bano wrote: Given how extremely the US has
intervened in the political and military sphere in Afghanistan since 9/11, it
cannot simply announce its withdrawal from the country without
shouldering some responsibility for the current state of affairs. In such a
context, it makes sense from the US perspective to increase the troops in
Afghanistan in the immediate future. It enables the US to claim a
commitment to bringing peace in the region while also allowing it to exit the
country. In terms of military strategy, this also allows the US forces in
Afghanistan to go for a one final aggressive assault against the Taliban.
From a US perspective, this position makes good strategy and
political sense. However, chances that things will actually change in
Afghanistan in the next 18 months are remote. The allied forces continue
to fail to eliminate the militant groups. For example, in case of Pakistan, it
seems the military strategy does not draw very effectively on the intelligence
sources. At the same time, the authority of the government of President
Karzai is quite restricted beyond Kabul. The expectations that by 2011, the
Karzai government will develop a strong civilian, administrative structure
and the police and the military forces will be well trained are likely to be
proven unrealistic
This is where the Pakistani government has to think more clearly
about the future. The US presence in Afghanistan or Iraq did not help
things. Launching military attacks on these countries as a response to 9/11
has not proven to be the best way to tackle the threat of Islamic militancy.
However, the problem is that after the US has intervened in a country or
region for years while dictating most of the institutional reforms, it is
simplistic to argue for its complete withdrawal

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Pakistan, however, must brace itself for the negative effects, whether
the US stays in Afghanistan or withdraws. If the operations of the allied
forces on the Afghan side actually do intensify after the deployment of
30,000 US troops, then it is likely that more militants from Afghanistan
might attempt to cross over into Pakistan for this period. This, of course,
wont make it easier for the Pakistani government, attempting to curtail
militant activity at the Pakistani side of the border. At the same time, even if
the US withdraws Pakistan faces severe challenges as living next to a
war-torn and ungovernable neighbour threatens Pakistans own stability.
What is clear is that the militarist route chosen by the Bush Administration is
leaving some countries and regions even more ungovernable than before.
This does not clearly help curtail militancy.
Mushahid Hussain observed: Pakistan finds itself in a fortuitous
position thanks to a confluence of geopolitics and American strategic
necessity. And unlike Bush, Obama has relegated India to the second tier
after China and Pakistan. In fact, in again underlining his belief in a nuclearfree world, there may be a hint in Obamas speech of a delusion of his
commitment to pushing the Indo-US nuclear deal through.
Over the years, Pakistani leaders have developed a bad habit of
whining all the time, dependent on dole and overly suspicious of every
gesture, even one which may be friendly. Obama says he wants to help
Pakistan. Well, lets take him at face value; his extended hand should be
grasped, not spurned. Ultimately, we alone will have to clean up our own
mess. The opening offered by Obama provides another opportunity to
do so.
Arid Miami opined: In the evolving scenario Islamabads biggest
strategic dilemma is to stick to its present policy in the region without
incurring the wrath of the US. President Obama has a lot at stake in
Afghanistan and after announcing his new strategy it is no longer Bushs,
but Obamas war. With the resurgence of the Taliban at its height and the
heavy casualties being suffered by NATO forces his political future and that
of the Democratic Party is at stake. The war costing $3.6 billion a month is
also a huge drain on the US economy already in deep recession.
A desperate US administration could possibly authorize incursions,
including boots on the ground, into Pakistans war-torn tribal areas.
According to US media reports, the CIA has been authorized to increase
drone attacks over Balochistan. A majority of Pakistanis, despite being
subjected to a constant and consistent wave of suicide terror attacks by the

444

Taliban, views Pakistans war. Hence any overt incursion by the US will
have disastrous consequences for the already fragile Pakistan. With options
running out, Pakistan will be inexorably sucked into a war of attrition with
al-Qaeda and the Taliban of all hue. Islamabad is between the rock and
the hard place as it is becoming virtually impossible for its strategic
stakeholders to resist the pressure to change.
Animal Khan wrote: Pakistan is going through the same critical
situation that it faced soon after the 9/11 when US left the then leadership
with no option but to side with it. Whether the Wests concerns are real or
perceived ones, the Pak-US relations have reached a critical stage after
President Obamas recent warning to Pakistan.
In his two-page hand-written letter to his Pakistani counterpart,
President Obama has sent a stern warning and urged him to stop using
militants as strategic tools The increasing external pressure on Pakistan
for do more against the militants and the emerging internal security
challenges due to the militancy and ongoing operation is creating a very
delicate and complex situation.
Khan went on to discuss issues on Dips, talks with Taliban, Indian
interference in Pakistan and the US pressure on Pakistan to ease tension with
India. He then concluded: Whether the new US policy of troop surge is a
step in the right direction or will it further complicate the situation in
Afghanistan? How will the regional state actors respond to it? How the US
will succeed in taking on board two of its most important, though hostile,
allies Pakistan and India?
After failing to show any significant progress militarily as well as
politically during the last eight years, now the US and its NATO allies have
limited options in Afghanistan. The time factor is also very important.
They will have to show their performance and deliver before their pullout in
2011.
Maleeha Lodhi opined: For Pakistan Obamas new strategy poses
two especially taxing challenges. The first is the risk that the public
consensus against militancy forged with so much difficulty can shatter and
unravel with the expansion of the war. Stepped up Drone attacks could
increase civilian casualties. The covert air war will not just inflame opinion
in Pakistan but also unite militants of different stripes. This will compound a
fragile security situation.
Second, Washingtons demands on Pakistan to play an active role in
its hammer and anvil strategy will stretch the capability of Pakistans army,
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already engaged in operations in a number of tribal areas. Pushing Pakistan

into multiple military engagements can undercut its own countermilitancy efforts and jeopardize recent gains.
Military escalation on its border (two additional US brigades are
being deployed in southern and one in eastern Afghanistan) is fraught with
four more risks for Pakistan:
It could produce a spillover of militants and al-Qaeda fighters into
Pakistan and an arms flow across the border.
It will enhance the vulnerability of US-NATO ground supply route
through the country as supply needs increase exponentially.
Protecting these supply lines will over-stretch Pakistani forces, at
present engaged in quashing the Pakistani Taliban.
The surge could also lead to an influx of more Afghan refugees,
which can be especially destabilizing for Balochistan.
It could also provoke a spike in violent reprisals in mainland
Pakistan already being rocked by the bloody backlash from the
military operations.
It is therefore imperative for Islamabad to seek to minimize the
negative fallout and try to persuade the US to modify its strategy to
accommodate Pakistans concerns. President Obama has described the
partnership with Pakistan as the third prong of his strategy that he says is
inextricably linked to success in Afghanistan.
He can make good on his rhetoric of seeking a partnership based on
mutual respect by listening to Pakistan. Unless this indispensable partners
doubts and misgivings about the new strategy are allayed and Washington is
prepared to adapt its policy accordingly, the relationship will run into more
problems and tensions. Cooperation has to be predicated not just on
common objectives but the strategy and tactics needed to achieve them.
Ikram Sehgal observed: The major problem with the current
analysis about the situation in the region is that instead of looking at it
objectively, every study looks at the situation from its own particular point
of view. The net result is that the options are tailored towards a particular
solution rather than the options providing the best course towards a correct
solution.
Is the new strategy likely to be effective? The exit strategy is very
revealing. It starts in July 2011, about the time the candidates start gearing
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up for the presidential elections the following years. The plan to complete
the withdrawal from Afghanistan is nearly timed to coincide with the
November 2012 elections 18 months later. What will happen if the Taliban
are still not brought to heel? As President Lyndon Johnson was advised for
Vietnam by a senior retired US general, does the US simply intend to
declare victory and go home?
It is a complex selection that requires intricate negotiations between
the Afghans themselves. One agrees with the surge, and though its
success will create more problems for Pakistan, if it brings the Taliban to
the table maybe a peace can be worked out that includes all the stakeholders
in Afghanistan, and satisfies their supporters in Pakistan.
Pakistan should be ready to bear more pain in the foreseeable
future, the question is, even though the US is ready to reciprocate, can our
leadership stand up and ask for enough in return as compensation? We need
to not only mitigate our continuing pain but ensure that a stable and
prosperous Pakistan does not remain vulnerable economically and politically
to the various vicissitudes we are facing presently.
Bassam Javed wrote: Why Pakistan is finding it difficult to be at
home with the fresh US strategy? As said earlier, the sensitivities of what
has not been said in the speech openly while deliberating on Pakistan, makes
it ponder on the ultimate aim of this strategy. One issue that is very sensitive
is the issue of Indian activities in Afghanistan against the stability of
Pakistan, for which ample evidence exists and that will be put across in days
to come. There are reports of un-declared efforts that are underway in the US
to give some role to India in stabilizing the Afghan security. India has put in
over a billion US dollars in improving the Afghan communication
infrastructure, so the centrality to US Afghan strategy must keep India to
that end, if it must. However, the efforts to give some role other than
reconstruction and bring it on the same table with Pakistan are quite
worrisome.
The idea of placement of Indian troops in Afghanistan to fill the void
when the Western forces leave Afghanistan and in the lead time slowly place
them in the theatre would certainly be a perfect recipe for a regional
disaster. US chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Mullen said the order day that
Pakistans focus on the east with India has to be changed to get the best out
of Pakistan
There have been irresponsible statements emanating from Indian
corridors of power, like General Deepak Kapoor commented that possibility
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of war exists with Pakistan. Cold strategy they want to put in practice
without calculating the forceful and matching reaction from Pakistan. There
have been other threatening overtures from Indian establishment. Obsessed
as they are with Pakistans nuclear programme, the Indian media hyped the
Obamas theory of nuclear material gettable by Taliban and spent the
whole day with rejoicing over the issue.
What has rung the alarming bells in Pakistan? There have been too
many firsts to his credit as president of the United States with respect to
Pakistan. For the very first time he publicly linked Pakistan and Afghanistan
as the epicenter of terrorism. He is the first president who mentioned five
times safe havens across the border in Pakistan. He established a link of alQaeda with Pakistans nuclear arsenal saying that they are in pursuit of the
same. He forgot that at every forum his heavy weights in the administration
and his generals have acknowledges many a time that the nuclear command
and control in Pakistan is solid and cannot be undone. The putting of idea
that some elements may support extremists getting the hand on the nuclear
arsenal also does not go along a visionary president that he has been titled
often.
In the backdrop of Obamas speech, time has come for Pakistan
when it must renegotiate its partnership with the US as the pledge has
been made by the United States of forging a new and lasting relationship
with Pakistan.
The News commented on attack on Parade Lane Mosque. There is
now a growing sense that the militants may have links to the security
apparatus. There have been unconfirmed reports that former police or army
personnel could be involved. This is something that needs to be examined in
some depth. It is possible that the brainwashing that in the past used jihad
as a motive has somehow become distorted and is now being used against
the state of Pakistan. Over the past years we have seen many terrible scenes
of death. The time has come to contemplate what can be done to ensure a
better future. We must consider a program to de-brainwash the affected. We
must reach into The question is whether our government has the ability,
the competence and the will to chalk out a plan to solve these problems and,
by doing so, raise the hope that we can escape the violence that has
overwhelmed us.
In another editorial the newspaper wrote: The awful events that have
occurred give rise to important questions. Did the militants have links that
made their task possible? How did they have so much information about the

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layout of the mosque? How were they able to get past the security shield
reported to have been in place? These queries have come up before most
notably after the siege of the GHQ. This latest massacre resembles that
attack. Perhaps it could have been averted had we tried harder to honestly
answer the questions that had come up previously.
The attack comes just a day after the attempted bombing on the Naval
Headquarters. The bombing that killed an MPA in Kabal in Swat seems to
have been a part of this new wave of terrorism. Some link to the
announcement of the US troop surge in Afghanistan. Others believe it is
simply a continuation of the pattern we have seen for months. What is
clear is that amidst us remain persons willing to unleash the most fearful
violence. They are capable of the most organized of sanctions. The operation
waged in FATA has apparently not weakened them and it seems we are no
closer than before to engulfing the Hydra-headed monster that threatens to
consume our nation.
The implications of Obamas new strategy for Afghanistan as well
as Pakistan were deliberated and commented upon. The News wrote: After
weeks of waiting we finally have The Speech which may ultimately define
the presidency and legacy of Mr Barrack Obama. The president made his
pitch before an audience of cadets at West Point, Americas premier military
academy, and it was something less than a vintage performance. He touched
a lot of bases in the 4,635 words he spoke including several references to
Pakistan
America is set to begin its withdrawal from Afghanistan by 2011 but
there is no date for final disengagement, no commitment in what
timeframe the troops will go. All will depend on the ground situation. This
by implication means nothing, as a pullout has just been mentioned but is
not actually intended. The extra forces that will be deployed are not expected
to defeat the Taliban but only try to reverse their momentum and create a
space for the Afghan forces to take over.
President Karzai has been told to clean up his act (again) and
Pakistan has had the stick waved at it (again) by being told that safe
havens for terrorists will not be tolerated. The totally unnecessary
reference to Pakistani nukes and its control was in bad taste and could have
been avoided. It was like rubbing salt in open wounds. This is not how
hearts and minds can be won.
Mostly, the speech was about the bricks and mortar of warfare. What
was missing was a description of the bricks and mortar that would go
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into nation-building and there lies the weakness at the heart of the Obama
strategy It is not the failure to win the war that will ultimately define the
outcome of the battle for Afghanistan, it is the failure to fight for, win and
hold the peace. Unless and until the same resources and determination are
devoted to winning the peace there is no point in trying to win the war.
The Taliban will now sit on the sidelines, waiting for the US will and
determination to exhaust, because as the Taliban are fond of saying: You
may have the watches, but we have the time. It is but certain that
Washington and Obama will have to revisit this strategy a few months
down the line. And when that happens the costs, both political and financial,
may be way higher than Obamas liking.
Mosharraf Zaidi observed: At West Point on Tuesday, President
Obama was least like himself than weve ever known him. He was
guarded, defensive, and less than entirely convincing. The biggest reason for
the speechs failure is that it deliberately skirted around the central issue that
plagues the American war in Afghanistan.
If there is one overwhelming area of consensus among pundits that
think about these things for a living, it is concerning where the epicenter of
Americas problem in Afghanistan lies. That place is Pakistan (Obama
mentioned it, but in different context). More specifically, it is Pakistans
willingness and its ability to take on and defeat, decisively, those terrorists
that would either themselves, or through proxies, seek to harm the United
States.
President Obamas speech almost entirely ignored this aspect of his
countrys Afghanistan strategy. Where he didnt ignore it, he fudged the
issues so grandly that his talking points were eerily similar to some of
the most emphatically unrealistic analyses of what is going on in Pakistan
these days. In the most distressing part of Obamas speech, he repeated the
spurious link between extremism and the security problems in Pakistan,
saying as innocents have been killed from Karachi to Islamabad, it has
become clear that has become clear that it is the Pakistani people who are
the most endangered by extremism
It is true that Pakistanis are getting killed at the hands of FATA-based
terrorists, and that Americans (soldiers) are getting killed at the hands of the
same militants. That is about where similarities end The Kandahari
Taliban represent an even more complex creaturepragmatists in the
Karzai camp, as well as among both US military and diplomatic circles,

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known that the end-game in Kabul will require accommodation with such
Taliban.
President Obama could have tried to outline these broad strokes to his
audience at West Point and around the world in his speech. Instead, he chose
to continue a dangerous tradition of dealing with Pakistan clandestinely.
This is a deeply fascinating choice of strategy. Constant efforts to buy coerce
or cajole Pakistans military and political elite into doing things that they
consider suicidal simply has not worked. Pakistans government will take
the money, but it will not deliver the product
Of course, Pakistan enjoys no moral authority whatsoever in
Afghanistan. But it does enjoy being the only other country that
Pakhtuns call home. It does enjoy an extremely long border with
Afghanistan. It does enjoy clandestine services that have 30 years of
experience in cultivating and leveraging assets in Afghanistan that have a
demonstrated record of strategic success. Ethically, geopolitically and in
terms of intelligence, Pakistan has an insurmountable advantage in
Afghanistan
Continued reliance on the Northern Alliance to provide good
governance, on the US military and NATO to hold territory, and on Pakistan
to take on the Kandahari Taliban are all delusions. President Obamas
refusal to recognize the immobility of Americas position in his speech is
his greatest failure to date.
Moez Mobeen from Islamabad wrote: President Obamas new
Afghan policy has received a mixed response from the American public
and politicians. The biggest critics of his ambitious health care reforms, the
Republicans, are the strongest supporters of his new Afghan policy. His own
party forms the staunchest and critical opposition to the new troop surge in
Afghanistan. This dichotomy of opinion, especially from his own party,
forced President Obama to announce a withdrawal timetable. It made him
appear weak as he announced the escalation and the end of the conflict at the
same time. This strategic weakness was pointed out by Republican Senator
John McCain when he said: The way that you win wars is to break the
enemys will, not to announce dates that you are leaving.
What Mr Obama was confronted with was a dilemma of either
satisfying the domestic opinion or addressing his foreign audience, both
allies and foes, who wanted to gauge American commitment and strength.
He chose the former by bowing in to the public opinion at home and
making a pledge of withdrawing American troops by the middle of 2011,
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something everybody knows closer to political rhetoric than reality. What

the Pakistani rulers and policy-makers need to learn is how the power of the
public opinion forced the magical orator and a cunning politician like
Barack Obama to change his policy, at least in public. In fact in this very
example lays the solution to Pakistans problem of the war on terror. I think
Pakistans political parties need to rally the masses on the streets and launch
a strong movement against the US-sponsored war on terror.
The politicians should derive their strength from the support of the
people who are vehemently anti-American and wary of American designs
for the region. An all-parties conference against the war on terror
should be called which should announce dates for public rallies across the
country creating the sort of political favour which was seen at the time of the
lawyers long march. This should give the policy-makers and the muchneeded political strength and the mandate to radically change Pakistans
foreign policy, end its alliance with the US and resist international pressure.
Otherwise, Pakistan should brace another 18 months of deadly violence and
destruction and never-ending demands of do-more from an increasingly
belligerent US.
The Balochistan package continued to be discussed. Kamila Hyat
commented: The package for Balochistan is indeed a first step on this road.
It at least opens up discussion on the issues of the province, in parliament
and at other forums. This means that views from Balochistan are being heard
in the mainstream media and, as such, introduced to people who have long
remained largely oblivious to the province.
Murtaza Ali Shah observed: The Baloch were hoping that the package
would make radical announcements about the ongoing military operation
besides giving the reassurance that no acts of human rights violation will
take place in the province in the future. Only it turned out to be a damp
squib for them, as it didnt set any dates or acknowledge the brutal facts
which have driven the Baloch up the rugged mountains from where they can
launch action against what the once called their own army.
In the series of interviews, TNS learns that the exiled Baloch leaders
have drawn certain important conclusions for them: a) the civilian
government is completely helpless, and b) it is the military that actually
pulls the strings and can rampage unchecked whenever and howsoever it
wants to. Nearly all of them said they were never consulted or taken into
confidence on the package proposals.

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Murtaza then produced views of various Baloch leaders. According to

Hyrbyair Marri the package was a farce and an insult to the Baloch nations
intelligence. Khan of Kalat, Mir Suleman Dawood said that 63 years of
trust deficit and injustice cannot possibly be addressed in a package.
Nooruddin Mengal, a regular speaker on Balochistan issues at the UN
forum and UK think tanks, said Baloch nation was not struggling for
meaningless packages, but for independence. Ahmer Mustikhan, the head of
American Friends of Balochistan, said the package was a sugar-coated
poison for our future generations.
Dr Naseer Dashti, a London based Baloch intellectual and physician,
said there was nothing substantive in the package that will please the people
of Balochistan. Samad Baloch, secretary General Baloch Human Rights
Council, said the latest package didnt have anything substantial for the
Baloch people and the government had created hype about the package to
divert the attention of the Baloch.
Muhammad Ejaz Khan reported views of Senator Waseem Sajjad
expressed by him in interview to TNS. Waseem Sajjad says the proposed
package should have been discussed in Balochistan Assembly before it
was taken up by the parliament: The people of the province have the first
right to analyze the package and discuss its pros and cons. Their suggestions
and feedback would have been of vital importance and helped make the
package more comprehensive.
He also thinks the government should have shown generosity and
announced a general amnesty for all Balochs instead of considering cases on
individual basis. This step is necessary to build trust between the Centre and
the people of the province who have always complained of being victimized
and neglected
Waseem says it would have been an ideal situation if the
constitutional package had been announced simultaneously. A number
of issues such as grant of autonomy and that pertaining to concurrent list are
likely to be addressed in the constitutional package, he says, adding that if a
breakthrough had been achieved on these fronts, the package would have a
much greater impact.
He also suggests that the office of Gwadar Port Authority be moved
from Karachi to Gwadar: There are fears among the people of Balochistan
that the development of Gwadar will do nothing good to them. This may
never be so, but their fears are very well-placed, considering the history of

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cities developed in the past. Waseem opposed allowing people of other

provinces to settle in Balochistan.
Shahzada Irfan Ahmed observed: The PPP leadership believed the
announcement of the rights package for Balochistan was a long desired
step towards the solution of the basic problems faced by the people of the
province. According to Senator Raza Rabbani, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza
Gilani will himself monitor the implementation of the package so as to avert
any bureaucratic hurdles on its way. The federal government has assured that
the constitutional committee is working to finalize the constitutional
package for all the four provinces and that the package will also be
introduced in the joint session of the parliament soon. But the nationalist
groups in Balochistan believe that their problems cannot be resolved
unless a constitutional package is drafted that grants the provinces the
right to the resources that are produced on their land.
I A Rehman opined: The Musharraf era has been the darkest phase
for the Baloch because in his period the government excesses started
directly affecting the common citizen. The grabbing of the Gwadar land hit a
large number of people who were not sardars. The exclusion of the Baloch
from the beneficiaries of development projects radicalized the educated and
jobless youth. The Baloch were humiliated in unprecedented ways. None of
the politicians who crossed Gen Musharrafs path was humiliated the way
Sardar Akhtar Mengal was
The Baloch have reached their present state of alienation because
the centre has proved to be unworthy of their trust. The present
government started making gestures of goodwill towards Balochistan but it
has been found wanting in capital to deliver on its promises. Its latest
package is unlikely to generate a meaningful debate.
There were many occasions in the past when open-hearted dialogue
could lead to healing of the Balochs wounds. But killing Nawab Akbar
Bugti was preferred to negotiations with him and Nawab Khair Bukhsh
Marri was kept in prison instead of talking to him. Now that the Baloch
youth have been alienated Islamabad wants to talk to any Marri, any Bugti,
any Mengal or any Bizenjo, but neither the senior nor the younger leaders
of the Baloch resistance are listening. They will not respond positively so
long as their support among the youth continues to grow.
The real problem Islamabad faces today is that it lacks both the
intellectual strength and the authority needed to establish a discourse with
the Baloch youth. The situation will not improve till a fresh election is
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held in Balochistan but elections cannot be held until the Baloch peoples
over-riding concerns about missing persons and displaced people are
addressed and decision-making powers are restored to civilian, elected
representatives of the people.
Adnan Adil wrote: The Balochistan National Movement comprises
two planks. The secessionists, who openly call for an independent
Balochistan dismissing any resolution within the framework of Pakistan,
include leaders such as Brahamdagh Bugti and Hyrbyair Marri. Some of
them are living in Afghanistan and London and campaigning to take up the
issue in the United Nations, at the pretext of human rights violations against
the Baloch people by the state agencies. It was expected that they would not
accept any reform plan announced by the government as they even
dismissed participation in the electoral process within the federal framework
and considered it harmful to their struggle for complete independence. The
strength of these separatist groups lies in the support base among the Baloch
youth and the covert support they are allegedly receiving from international
actors interested in keeping Baluchistan on boil for their own interests in the
region.
For the time being, the situation is in favour of the Baluch
nationalist leaders who can up the ante against Islamabad and it is certainly
not helping the establishment since the military is already busy in the tribal
region, fighting the Taliban insurgents.
The alleged presence of Pakhtun fighters in Balochistan makes the
Baloch a natural ally of the international community because of the
inherent possibility of expansion of the Afghanistan war theatre.
Consequently, neither can the establishment use ruthless force nor can it
withdraw from Balochistan because of regional security situation. That is
why the Baloch separatists are increasingly seeking international support to
attain their political rights as could be seen from the recent statements of
leaders like Brahmandagh Bugti.
What little support Islamabad could hope for was to be got from
moderate Baloch politicians such as Hasil Bizenjo, Abdul Malik and Abdul
Hayee Baloch, but even they have rejected the governments policy as
inadequate and insufficient. Some of them have even expressed the doubt
that the proposed steps will actually be implemented
One major reason why the government plan has come under fire is
that it does not contain any substantive promise for provincial autonomy as
demanded by the Baloch nationalists. The kind of autonomy the moderate
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nationalists are seeking borders on confederation. The want all powers,

barring three or four subjects, to be transferred to the province. The
proposed package does offer increased provincial powers by abolishing the
concurrent list in the Constitution but this is, obviously, very little compared
to what the Baloch nationalists have been asking for.
Doubts are cast even on the promised autonomy as it concerns
constitutional amendments, which again is a complicated issue. Cautious
optimism about the success of the proposed relief measures rests with their
successful implementation.
Dr Ishtiaque Ahmed observed: Balochistan nationalist parties criticize
the role of police, FC and other law enforcement agencies on the issue of the
missing people, which is one of the root causes of resentment of the
people against the security agencies. The visible security apparatus,
including police, FC, levies. Coastal guards, etc in Balochistan reflects the
amount of political turmoil, lawlessness, and instability in the province.
These issues have weakened the state
It is due to the missing people that the situation in Balochistan
deteriorated. The vendetta of the Baloch nationalist parties is growing
because the Baloch nationalist leaders have not been taken into confidence.
It is obvious in their reaction.
According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, behind
every war there is a violation of rights. So, it is now an established fact that
Baloch nationalist parties have been facing deprivation for the last six
decades. Today army, which is an important institution of the state, is
disliked by common people because the citizens in Balochistan have only
seen the men in khaki committing cruelties, killing their near and dear
ones. In this bleak security situation, police has suffered the most. They have
lost many precious lives while providing peace and security to the citizens of
this province. Many others have lost their body parts and are now living
disabled lives.
It is the right time for the government to promulgate
constitutional laws so that one day there is no need of the security
personnel patrolling in the A and B areas of the 26 districts of Balochistan,
consuming funds from the national exchequer.

REVIEW

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Gilani visited London soon after Gordon Brown had yelled at Pakistan
to do more. It was hoped that Gilani would give suitable reply to his
British counterpart, but as usual he disappointed his countrymen back home
by the manner in which he answered questions of media men during the
joint press conference.
His usual goat-like mein-mein reflected lack of confidence and
determination with which the viewpoint of people of Pakistan was being
presented at international level. In reply to a question from a British
journalist who had alleged that two-third of terror attacks in this part of the
world were planned in your country, Gilani in his frequent mein-mein forgot
the question he was answering. The host came to his rescue.
A shrewd and forthright leader would have said: I have no data on
terror attacks in your part of the world, but you have the right to have your
viewpoint. However, in my part of the world people strongly believe that
hundred percent terrorism in their part of the world is because of the acts and
neglects of leaders of your part of the world. But such a reply could have
come from a leader whose eyes are not glued to the Pound Sterling held in
the hand of Brown.
As regards Obamas new surge strategy one would tend to agree
with the views of analysts like Rana Athar Javed. According to them that
troop surge in Afghanistan and resultant escalation of violence could reverse
the recent gains of Pakistan military in Swat, Bajaur, Bara and Waziristan.
In case the surge strategy backfires, Obama Adimistration may decide
to punish Pakistan because it is fully aware that majority of the people of
that country hate anti-Muslim policies of the US. Perhaps, dispensation of
such punishment is the unexpressed but earnest desire of the Crusaders.
Rehman Malik blurted out routine statement over Parade Lane terror
attack and then asked Ulema to issue fatwa declaring the militants kafir. He
cunningly tried to pass the blame on to those who opposed US imposed war.
Would he like to seek a fatwa declaring them kafirs, who kill innocent
women and children for few dollars paid through disgraceful bills like KLB?
The people of Pakistan have no doubt that they have been surrounded
by kafirs from out side and their collaborators from within. The question that
Rehman Malik would have answered was could the Pindi terror attack be a
reaction to the killing of four Indian soldiers in Jullundar?
The induction of 35,000 additional Crusaders into Afghanistan in next
six months and start of their return in 18 months meant a year of intensive

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use of military might as a last attempt to subjugate Pashtuns of Afghanistan.

But Obama seemed absolutely unsure about his plans or he deliberately tried
to pretend as such to conceal his real intent.
Time taken in deliberations to formulate new strategy and the contents
and the delivery of speech reflected glaring lack of faith in and commitment
to what he was saying. This was further confirmed within hours of the
speech when his team members had to trace back the steps on the 18-month
timeline for pullout of US troops from Afghanistan.
From the contradictions in his speech it could be inferred that his
surge strategy was all about crushing Pashtuns on either side of the Durand
Line. As regards al-Qaeda, he knew nothing about it except that its heavens
were somewhere on Pakistani side of the Durand Line. He saw al-Qaeda
across the border but all his threats were hurled at Afghan Taliban.
He acknowledged that the war cannot be won without Pakistan, yet
Pakistan was informed at last minute before announcement of the strategy.
This had to be said so to claim victory and in case of reverses Pakistan has to
take almost entire blame. The timeframe for pullout, though ambiguous, has
been given to counter Talibans demand, which they have been placing in
response to every call for dialogue.
The news of Indian decision to pull out troops from IHK was seen by
some analysts as a positive step towards solution of the disputed territory,
which amounted to jumping to the conclusion. The fact remained that after
delivering crushing blow on freedom movement, with the cooperation of
Musharraf and his successor, India can afford to cut down the troop level in
the Valley.
The most dangerous aspect of this move can be visualized when it is
seen in conjunction with Singh-Obama joint statement in which the two
strategic partners vowed to fight jointly against the terror. Successful joint
military ventures can only be undertaken when one has adequate troops for
the purpose and this could be a step towards that.
The federal government, or the most often blamed Punjab, may be
responsible to some extent for the economic deprivation of Balochi masses.
Yet, the real culprits are the Baloch sardars, who exploited and suppressed
them for centuries. Even now they continue exploiting the masses in the
name of nationalism with their eyes on the natural resources of the land that
are being harnessed.

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Sardars know that these resources could not be harvested only with
the investment of Balochi wealth; the funds spared by the federation, of
which the bulk has been contributed by Punjab through taxes, have made the
significant contribution in this regard. They never tell this to Baloch people,
because they want to keep their attention away from the real exploiters. It is
for this reason that no package-policy would solve the problems of common
Balochi unless colossal reformation of the Sardari system is carried out.
7th December 2009

ALL BECAUSE OF NRO

In a press conference law minister disclosed that under the NRO 83
corruption cases against Zardari and 248 politicians and ex-bureaucrats and
3576 criminal cases against Altaf and others were withdrawn. Talking to PJ

459

Mir on ARY channel, Rehman Malik claimed that all the sunshine in
Pakistan today was because the NRO cleared the sky.
It was the NRO that paved the road to democracy, because BB forced
Musharraf to strip off his uniform. It was the NRO that facilitated the return
of Nawaz Sharif. It was NRO that cornered Musharraf to resign. The
judiciary was restored because of the NRO. Virtually, he said that agar NRO
na hota tu kochh bhi na hota (There would have been nothing if there was
no NRO). And, the anchor, being an employee of one of the beneficiaries
listened to him approvingly.
The hearing of petitions challenging the NRO nine days after expiry
of grace period granted on July 31 by 17-member full bench of the
Supreme Court started on 7th December on daily basis. Meanwhile, the
Zardari regime remained busy in collecting and destroying the incriminating
evidence and the Anaconda called corruption kept swallowing and crushing
bones of Steel Mills, PIA, PSO, OGDC, and so on.
During deliberations on constitutional amendments ANP proposed
change of Pakistans name from Islamic to Peoples Republic of Pakistan;
MQM and PPP supported the proposal but the idea was dropped after strong
opposition from other parties. The incident made the intentions of the redcappers quite clear.

NEWS
Gilani and Nawaz met on 12th November to discuss Balochistan
package. Nawaz suggested that Baloch leaders should be taken into
confidence before formal announcement, but he demanded action on issues
of constitutional amendments and implementation of CoD within days.
President and Prime Minister discussed cabinet reshuffle. President
sent reference against six PCO-judges to the Supreme Judicial Council in
pursuance of verdict of July 31. Jiyalas of PPP held protest rally in Lahore
against Musharraf, who had called Zardari a criminal and liar. They
demanded Musharrafs trial for abusing Zardari or the Constitution? PTI
wanted the names of NRO beneficiaries on ECL.
On 15th November, Like-Minded accused PPP of failing to deliver on
all fronts. Sindh Council reposed confidence in Zardari and condemned
conspiracy against him. Next day, Central Executive Committee of PPP met
and reposed confidence in their great leader, Asif Ali Zardari. Raja Riaz led
anti-Musharraf rally in Lahore and used a chappal to thrash Musharrafs
460

effigy. Shaukat Tarin warned nation to be prepared for 20 percent increase in

power tariff. Haris Afzal, a culprit in Punjab Bank scam, was arrested in
Malaysia with the help of Interpol.
A student of a private university in Faisalabad refused to accept medal
from Salman Taseer (he might have regretted to be a governor and not a
mali). ANPs minister announced that in future Eid in NWFP would be
celebrated as per decision of the zonal committee; Red-cappers were steadily
acquiring an identity independent of Pakistan.
On 17th November, ANPs Popalzai mullas and coerced Zonal
Committee of NWFP met in Peshawar to sight Zil-Haj moon for Muslims of
Pakhtunkhwa. They did not sight the moon and Mufti Muneeb thanked them
not to do that on 28th of the lunar month. Probably, release of Rs10 billion
had a restraining effect on moon-sighting.
Like-Minded led by Khurshid Kasuri visited 90 and invited Altaf Bhai
to organize MQM in Punjab. Qaim Ali Shah said attitude of media was
improper and indecent. Pakistan progressed by five steps in corruption in
one year; according to Transparency International it stood at 42 nd position in
the world. The Supreme court acquitted in two cases, one of corruption and
the other a criminal plea. UN Commission probing murder of Benazir held
quizzing of Musharraf.
Talking to Kamran Khan on Geo TV on 18 th November, Akram
Shaikh apprehended that the PPP government was likely to do what it did
during second tenure of Benazir Bhutto. She had appointed prosecutors who
went to the courts and told that all the references sent by Ishaq Khan during
BBs first tenure were false lacking any evidence and those were dismissed;
the same could happen after 28th November; (Khail khtam, paisa hazam.)
Chairman Competition Commission, Khalid Mirza apprehended that
Ordinance on CCP would lapse on 28th November and it would happen by
design on the part of Zardari regime.
Next day, Gilani planned to order probe into not abiding by his
instructions on provision of list of NRO beneficiaries in the National
Assembly. He also vowed to resign if it was proved that his had benefited
from NRO. Only billions, not millions, constitute a case of corruption.
During hearing of a case the Chief Justice remarked that massive
embezzlement of billions of rupees in price fixing mechanisms for
petroleum products since 1999 was deducted.
Reportedly, on 20th November, Zardari laid December 31 as deadline
for end to 17th Amendment, but the committee seemed in no hurry. Next day,
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Law Minister Afzal Sindhu held a press conference to disclose names of the
beneficiaries of NRO. In all, 3,478 cases were swept under the carpet of
NRO benefiting 8,041 corrupt and criminals. Zardari has seven cases of
corruption, but Altaf Hussain topped the list with 72 criminal cases,
including 31 murder cases. Faros Sattar is second to his spiritual leader with
23 cases. Other beneficiaries included a governor, several federal and
provincial ministers, advisors, three ambassadors and so on.
After providing the lists, Sindhu said only 34 politicians benefited
which is no more than salt in the flour. He added that all these cases were
false as these were politically motivated, particularly against PPP leaders. He
quoted Nawaz Sharif and CoD in this context and when the minister was
reminded that most cases were made by Farooq Leghari, he replied that he
wont even like to take the name of Leghari. In reply to a question he said
PPP government would respect the decision of the Supreme Court on
reopening of the cases.
Safdar Abbasi of PPP said all office holders appearing in the list,
except Zardari, should resign and face the courts. Some PPP leaders seemed
unhappy over inclusion of their names in the list. Khwaja Asif of PML-N
said all the cases cannot be labeled as political victimization. They must face
the case in courts and names of corrupt Generals and media tycoons like
ARY should also be included in corruption cases.
Mushahid Hussain said Gilani must take steps to regain the lost
credibility. Zardari should regret, repent and refrain from corruption in
which he still seemed to be indulging. Gilani government needs Operation
Clean-up. Haji Adeel said persons named in the list should step down from
official positions and face cases in courts, except Zardari because he is a
Mazloom (victim). Haider Abbas Rizvi said Alhamd-o-Lillah no corruption
cases against MQM, only criminal cases. Justice Wajihuddin Ahmed
apprehended lack of prosecution on the part of government.
On 22nd November, Governor Sindh approached NAB and federal
government for deletion of his name from the list as there was no case
against him; similar action was initiated by Salman Farooqi and many others
cribbed against inclusion of their names in the list. Akram Shaikh said some
names were missing from the names; he pointed out Benazir and some of
her foreign co-accused. Corrupt has no right to rule, said Imran Khan and he
demanded mid-term elections.
On 23rd November, Advisor of the Chief Minster Punjab, Saeed Mehdi
resigned to face the charges of corruption in court. Shahbaz accepted his
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resignation and appreciated his decision that set a good example. PML-N
demanded resignation from all beneficiaries holding public offices and
appointment of independent prosecutors for pursuing the cases in courts.
Presently all the prosecutors in NAB belong to PPP, who were appointed by
Farooq Naek.
Gilani met Zardari and the latter rejected the suggestion that ministers
listed as NRO beneficiaries should resign and he asked for revision of the
list. After the meeting Gilani said he had no differences with Zardari.
Meanwhile, reports claimed that evidence of the cases was being destroyed.
A petition was moved in the Supreme Court for early hearing of the
pleas against NRO. Ahmad Mukhtar said NAB was destabilizing democracy,
in other words accountability was being blamed for being anti-democracy.
Nawaz Sharif said the country would be out of the present predicament soon.
Zardari regime delivered first blow on hostile media men by shutting
down Dr Shahid Masoods programme on Geo-TV. Zardari approached the
rulers in Dubai for not allowing the telecast of his programme from their
soil. Dr Masood also revealed that he has been receiving threats to his life.
The Supreme Court bench hearing Punjab Bank case was informed by
Sheikh Afzal that Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Zaheerud Din
Babar had accepted Rs35.5 million as bribe to help acquit him and his
family. He, however, submitted his apology and agreed to pay back the
entire loan taken without fulfilling legal requirements.
The court ordered release of Afzal Nisar, son of one of the accused, as
there was no case against him. After the hearing lawyer of the accused said if
his client could be arrested from abroad in a case of Rs9 billion, why cant
Musharraf be arrested for writing off Rs54 billion?
Hussain Haqqani moved the court against inclusion of his name in
beneficiaries of NRO. The other Excellency in London, Wajid Shamsul
Hasan, told Kamran Khan that if our dead have been dug out, then dads
of Nawaz Sharif would also be dug out and he added that wisdom demanded
reconciliation. Meanwhile, intimidation of hostile TV channels continued
as Royal TV network received threatening calls and a bomb scare in Lahore.
On 25th November, Zardari addressed the Pakistan Khappy rally held
on 43rd Foundation Day of PPP and said his party leaders were real
politicians whereas others were merely actors, or political clowns seen on
TV screens. He accused Geo TV channel, without naming it, of fixing rates
and vowed not to let that happen. He warned these actors not to derail the

463

system and no one should dare intimidating him. He also claimed doing
things which have never happened before. I have cleansed Pakistan for
Bilawal. After displaying his own capabilities, Zardari asked his party MPs
to be aggressive; there was no need to be defensive.
JI termed the speech unconstitutional as Zardari spoke as party head
from the Presidency. Earlier Chief Minister Sindh and Interior Minister
Zulfikar Mirza had addressed the rally and the latter had said that PPP would
play the Sindh Card with pride when required. And, the former said Nawaz
Sharif had gone out of country under an NRO.
COAS visited civilians wounded in bomb blasts in hospital in
Peshawar and later on visited Police Lines. Addressing the police officers he
said Pakistan can never be separated from Islam; was he conveying a
message to ANP on its recent proposal about changing the name of Pakistan?
Nawaz Sharif and Gilani met at airport on their way back from New Jatoi.
Nawaz said meetings at national level should be result-oriented and
productive.
FIA submitted its report to the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief
Justice hearing the corruption case of Pakistan Steel Mills. The report
blamed former Chairman PSM for taking commission on purchase of raw
material and making embezzlement of billion of rupees. Babar Awan, who
was accused of accepting money for bribing judges in Punjab Bank Scam,
blamed Qadiani Lobby for conspiring against him.
After reporting a day ago that Sindh government had recruited
policemen with criminal record, Kamran Khan said children of four PPP
leaders were appointed as commercial attaches without following the due
procedure in which a test by LUMS is mandatory. And in the same
programme, he talked to CM Punjab who claimed to have carried out 36,000
appointments on merit.
Larger bench of LHC upheld the decision on postponement of byelections. Restriction on third term of prime minister was challenged in the
court. Justice Bhagwandas was appointed as Chairman Federal Public
Services Commission. Amir Muqam met Musharraf in London.
On 26th November, Zulfikar Mirza raised war cry against MQM. He
urged the judiciary to take up 3,500 criminal cases, which according to him
were cleared through a fraud. He also accused MQM of paralyzing Karachi
on May 12, 2007 on orders of Musharraf. MQM responded by firing a salvo
and asked Chief Justice to take suo moto notice of the rioting after murder of
Benazir which paralyzed entire Sindh for days.
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Late at night, Zardari talked to CM Sindh and told him to end the
verbal bout with MQM. Meanwhile, ANP demanded inquiry into May 12
carnage. And, on second thought Zulfikar clarified that by saying
establishments conspiracy he did not mean Army.
PML-N said PPP is not serious about completing its tenure. Imran
Khan once again demanded mid-term elections. Court issued arrest warrants
of Shoaib Bhutta for leveling false accusations against Jang Group and
judiciary. Bhutta was employed in PTV by PPP high-ups. Sindh High Court
directed the government to advertise summons of Musharraf in UK
newspapers.
On 27th November, Altaf welcomed Zardaris instructions to his
Sindhi Jiyalas asking them not to give statements against MQM. Zardari
tasked Rehman Malik to keep MQM on board. President (re)promulgated 28
Ordinances of Musharraf era, including one for Competition Commission
and the other regarding National Command Authority. The Supreme Court
had ordered that these Ordinances should be enacted by the Parliament by
28th November; once again Zardari regime disregarded court orders.
Next day, Qaim Ali Shah said minor misunderstanding between PPP
and MQM has been resolved. On 29th November, Rehman Malik met Altaf
Bhai in London and conveyed goodwill messages of Zardari and Gilani
while Zulfikar Mirzas rhetoric was still echoing. Back home, Zardari
telephoned Nawaz Sharif to say Eid Mubarak.
On 30th November, Babar Awan attempted at creating an impression
that constitutional amendments were delayed due to rigid stand of PML-N
on renaming of NWFP. PML-N proposed Khyber as new name for NWFP.
Rehman Malik ruled that cases closed under NRO cannot be re-opened.
Gilani during visit to Germany said there was no leadership crisis in
Pakistan; Im, not Zardari, leading the government. Punjab lifted control
on sugar price and it will now be sold at market price; thus, sugar barons
won a significant victory over independent judiciary.
On 1st December, Babar Awan said that from 1985 to 1993 and from
1999 to 2003 loans obtained from 30 banks and financial institutions were
written off. The minister, who has been tasked by Zardari to blunt critics
offensive on account of NRO by leveling counter allegations, described the
waving off of the loans as Mother NRO. The details of loan write-offs
worth Rs100 billion are available in record of NA Secretariat, which
according to him include three prominent political families.

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Petition for reopening of NRO cases was filed in the court and at the
end of the day a larger bench of Supreme Court was constituted to hear
petitions of Dr Mubashar and Roedad Khan on 7th December. Meanwhile, Dr
Javed Kanwal reported that Wajid carried out mission in Geneva and as a
result the proofs of money laundering case, stuffed in 12 cartons reached in
custody of the Pakistan government. Accused of Punjab Bank scam showed
willingness for out of court settlement; NAB was likely to accept the offer.
Sugar price increased by Rs16 per kg.
Ansar Abbasi questioned, regarding accident of a police vehicles
escorting the CJP a day earlier, was it an attempt on Iftikhar Chaudhrys life.
Athar Minallah also smelled rat in the incident, in which the CJP and his
family narrowly escaped what could have been a serious accident when an
Islamabad traffic police vehicle was suddenly found blocking the way of the
VIP motorcade. As a result, over six vehicles, including five of those in the
motorcade, collided with each other, some even turned over. A daughter of
the chief justice got minor injury while others remained unhurt.
Next day, NAB said the documents containing evidence retrieved
from Swiss lawyer were in its safe custody, but the investigative reporters
were not sure about their whereabouts. These documents were retrieved
under personal supervision of Pakistans HC in London, Wajid Shams-ulHasan, one of the benficiries of NRO.
In his statement taken under oath, Shaikh Afzal said that Babar Awan
was paid in a hotel in Dubai in the month of Ramazan; while receiving the
money Babar had said that he was fasting and was later seen having lunch in
the dining hall. He also disclosed that he had paid Rs2 million for shopping
by his family.
A representative of PPP appearing in a panel discussion on Express
TV got fed up while defending against charges of corruption. He said that
we have been elected by the people and corruption is our democratic right,
or words to that effect. He at last found solace in speaking truth.
The list of loan write-offs about which Babar Awan talked was not
available in NA Secretariat. The staff said it was placed on record some time
ago but then removed. The government decided to defend NRO in the
Supreme Court during hearing of petitions challenging it. Arrest warrants of
Liaqat Jatoi were issued by Sindh government after recovery of a rocket
launcher from a gas stationed owned by him. IRSA stopped river water
supply to Punjab.

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On 3rd December, the Supreme Court constituted 17-member full court

to hear petitions challenging NRO. The court will be headed by the Chief
Justice. The National Assembly was informed that more than 100 billion
rupees were written off in last decade. The record of period between 1985
and 1999 was destroyed in fire. Rauf Klasra reported that most the money of
a nation surviving on aid and loans was scrounged by Chaudharies,
Saifullahs, Jatois, Legharis, Tawakals, Saigols, Jams and, of course
Generals; two of them got around a billion each. Hundreds of these
bankrupts had no shame in accepting the currency of Islamic Republic on
Pakistan bearing words: rizq-e-hilal ain ibadat hai. Rehman Malik advised
these loan write-off beneficiaries to return the money. PML-N wanted trial
of defaulters.
Next day, Zardari restored CEC membership of Aitzaz Ahsan to dilute
opposition to the NRO and possibly to utilize his services in defending the
black law. The entire senior diplomatic staff in Pakistan High Commission in
London distanced themselves from the Geneva mission of their boss. It was
also suspected that one of the staff had tipped the media to catch the Don on
camera. Some of the written-off loans were granted even without checking
the ID cards. The petition challenging the restriction on third term was
accepted for hearing by LHC. Nawaz and Shahbaz have differences over
party stand on Zardari.
On 5th December, petition of JI challenging NRO was accepted for
hearing. Ansar Abbasi in his report feared that the evidence with NAB may
not be safe from saboteurs. The government reportedly decided not to
contest NRO case in the court. Aitzaz wanted NRO ministers out. All police
officials nominated as accused in Murtaza Bhutto murder case were
acquitted honourably by the SHC; PPP-SB held protests against the court
decision in front of Press Club and to challenge the court decision in the
Supreme Court. Some section of foreign press reported that Zardari might
opt to become prime minister.
On 6th December, Nawaz wanted the looters punished. Shahbaz said
Punjab would move court for recovery of loans. Pervaiz Elahi showed bank
clearance certificates to the media and asked Sharifs to do the same. Rauf
Klasra pointed out another issue where PPP and PML-N could confront each
other e.g. the DHA ordinance to give more autonomy to the authority to run
the real estate business. PPP was willing to oblige the Army, but PML-N was
not. Tariq Butt reported that the government was planning to protect the
corrupt by issuing a new ordinance to save NRO beneficiaries.

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Next day, the hearing of case of infamous NRO by the full bench of
Supreme Court started. During the hearing the Chief Justice termed NRO
discriminatory and asked about the law under which the beneficiaries of
NRO were allowed to sit in assemblies. Justice Ramday said NRO may not
be for national reconciliation but it is certainly reconciliation with
corruption. The court asked the list of NRO beneficiaries with detailed
record of each beneficiary. The court allowed reporting of the proceedings
without comments and barred debates on TV channels.
Kaira promised to probe into the loss of list of loan defaulters. War of
words was reported between Wajid and NAB over Swiss cartons. NAB
started probe against General Shahid Aziz, ex-chairman of NAB, who had
been very active of late telling media how Musharraf closed the cases to
strike a deal with Benazir.
On 8th December, the NAB submitted list of NRO beneficiaries in
court as ordered. The court was told that Zardaris disclosed assets were
Rs144 billion. The court observed that the NRO was a washing machine.
Justice Ramday remarked that hundreds benefited from the NRO but there
was no one to defend it.
Kaira-Awan duo appeared before the media and held press conference
in defence of their corrupt boss, Asif Ali Zardari. They alleged that
manipulated record was given to the Supreme Court. Despite pressure, the
NAB refuted government claims that figures presented before the court were
baseless or fabricated.
Nawaz Sharif said no corrupt person should go scot-free. Zardari said
PPP has chalked out a plan, political and moral, to manage fallout of NRO.
Rehman Malik said he was never involved in yellow cab case; bring proof
and Ill resign. Punjab was denied water from River Sindh at crucial period
of wheat sowing/growing; Shazia Marri claims the river for Sindh.
Next day, Advocate General of Sindh submitted 186-page record in
the Supreme Court as directed, but it was incomplete. NAB failed to reply
satisfactorily as to why and who ordered shifting of case record from
Geneva to London; and expressed concern over the safety of the evidence.
The court once again ordered not to hold talk-shows on the NRO case.
Ansar Abbasi observed yawning gap between the assets of Zardari
estimated by NAB and those declared by him in 1996-97, i.e. Rs140 billion
against Rs12.7 million. Tariq Butt reported that while not wholeheartedly
defending the NRO before the court, Zardari and his advisers have decided
to forcefully fight their case outside the court.
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Wajid said he went to Geneva to collect cartons on orders of Foreign

Office and NAB. Former Senator Saifur Rehman vowed to act if
government failed in producing whole evidence or deliberately withheld the
proof about the corruption cases of Zardari. Rauf Klasra reported another
scam; this time it was a subcontracting case in OGDC worth $30 million by
Benazirs cousin.
On 10th December, the Zardari regime engaged ex-Sindh governor
Kamaluddin Azfar to appear before the full bench to plead the case of the
federation. The court refused to make Zardari party in the NRO case. PMLN also applied to be party in the case by reviving petition of Mian Shahbaz.
Chairman NAB was summoned once again. Chief Justice remarked the
judiciary has no intention to derail system.
Gilani at last cleansed his turnips by shuffling three ministers who did
not merit holding a ministerial post at the first place. Aitzaz Ahsan was
summoned to Presidency for consultation, certainly not for making the
riasat maan kay jaisi. They held discussions for two hours yet the NRO and
job-offer remained missing from the agenda.
LHC, Rawalpindi hearing petition for registration of FIR of murder of
Benazir ordered ex-parte action as Musharraf, Pervaiz Elahi. Lt Gen Hamid
Nawaz and Brig Cheema did not appear before the court. Spokeswomen of
Punjab accused IRSA of doing what India has been doing to render Punjab
into desert. Mahesh Khan was arrested in the USA.
Next day, the nation got the NFC Award with consensus after 19
years. The award envisaged distribution of resources on the basis of
population, poverty, revenue collection and land mass. Three provinces will
get additional resources every year on one pretext or the other. The Big
Brother, or Big Chef in words of Shaukat Tarin, has to pay one way or other.
Tarin admired Shahbaz for baking delicious cake for the guests from
other three provinces who enjoyed eating it to their fill. He was appreciating
Punjab for making sacrifice for the sake of the unity of federation. The
guests left, not to live happily ever after, but to return soon to demand more
helpings of the cake as was indicated by CM Sindhs remarks that he
expected a bigger chunk in the future. He was the one who had been
demanding division of the resources on the basis of collection of taxes rather
than generation of the resources. This amounted to distributing major portion
among the labour-room staff rather than sparing it for the parents who
generated the newborn.

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Qaim Ali Shah succeeded in scrounging five percent on the collection

basis; Rs6 billion per annum. It was claimed that agreement on NFC Award
was possible because of the democracy. It is the democracy in which three
chief ministers representing 40 percent Pakistanis coerced a chief minister
representing 60 percent of people of Pakistan mainly by threatening the
unity of federation. The cake referred to by Shaukat Tarin has cost Punjab
Rs40 to 50 billion per annum.
The Supreme Court directed NAB and FIA to take legal action against
Islamabad Chief Commissioner Fazeel Asghar for facilitating Sheikh Afzal
of Haris Steel Mills to flee from the country. The government reacted fast
and made him OSD. The court also took exception to transfer of DG FIA
Tariq Khosa who probed into the case honestly to bring the culprits before
law. NAB summoned Babar Awan, Sharifuddin Pirzada, Malik Qayyum and
Ali Sajjad son of Senator Wasim Sajjad in connection with probe into getting
millions of rupees for securing verdict from the court in favor of culprits of
Punjab Bank Scam. Tariq Khosa was the one who also unearthed corruption
in Pakistan Steel Mills.
After Zardari-Aitzaz meeting Tariq Butt reported that Senator
Islamuddin Sheikh said Aitzaz has now become the closest adviser to
Zardari. Sheikh was present during meeting of the two. Saleh Zaafir
observed that Aitzaz was turning out to be a rescuer of Presidency.
Ansar Abbasi reported how Mom and Pop Company made profits
from funds allotted for rehabilitation of earthquake victims of NWFP. The
federal government asked NWFP to take action against Nair Adam who ran
a family business with relief funds; however, CM Hot has been reported to
be protecting him.

VIEWS
NRO and its beneficiaries remained the focus of analysts. Some
of the selected comments are reproduced in chronological order. On 14th
November, Tall at Adam wrote: The MQM has done to the NRO what it
does best. Given it the resounding blow that is reserved for those who
oppose them in the elections in their stronghold constituencies. Come
November 28 and the NRO will become null and void. This is when quite a
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few of those currently enjoying the perks of power will seek pre-arrest bail,
because the cases against them will stand revived. In a country where things
seem at such a standstill, at least the lawyers will be back in business big
time.
Fakir S Ayazuddin commented: A case in point is the NRO debacle
while the N-League dithered; Altaf Husain demanded the Zardari step down,
threatening to leave the coalition. The PPP government immediately backed
down and withdrew the notorious NRO giving the MQM a spectacular
victory. The timing of the move was brilliant, and showed the hollowness of
the PPP position. The MQM has managed with only 26 members against the
PPPs 125 into submission. The MQM, having benefited the most under the
controversial law, decided wisely that the NRO was indeed dead, and the
benefits already taken were more than enough. The PML-N was prating on
about their no benefit position while the MQM were having their cake and
eating it too!
Next day, Ikramullah wrote: 'It would be nave to imagine that the
withdrawal of the NRO from the debate in Parliament would benefit the
democratic system already in doldrums. Nawaz Sharifs bid to oppose the
NRO in Parliament was evident, but it was Brutus who stabbed Caesar in the
back. It was not the opposition who fired the first shot at the president. It
came from the coalition partners in support of the ruling party. So, the rest of
the partners lost no time in backing out thus leaving the PPP isolated
The presidential umbrella shall, no doubt, provide protection to Mr
Zardari who is a major beneficiary of the NRO and not the other
beneficiaries that include 913 politicians and over 60 other public figures
and bureaucrats. The big question is who is going to prosecute these
dignitaries? Normally, it is the function of the government. But since these
beneficiaries are in fact the government, will the sitting government
prosecute itself? Not likely in the normal course unless and until other
pressures are brought into play by the opposition. And will the opposition go
all-out to adopt this course which may turn suicidal for the opposition itself?
Certainly, a large number in the opposition and the bureaucracy are also
beneficiaries from the NRO.
Further, the opposition has been, by and large, behaving as a friendly
opposition on the noble plea of not toppling the democratic apple cart.
Contrary to that, it cannot be without PML-Ns knowledge that several
petitions are ready to be moved in the Supreme Court against Zardaris
eligibility as president. Hence, it is up to the court to prosecute or reject

471

them since the president has never been convicted on such grounds. But I
for one shall not bet on what the CJ may decide.
As a final word, accountability under the NAB is going to play a
crucial part in a long drawn battle ahead. Can Pakistan afford this sort of
political battles at a time when the armed forces are engaged in a state of war
against insurgency in many parts of the country? It is up to Zardari and
Nawaz to go for the luxury of legal and political battles or instead of the one
going for the other, they may both decide in their wisdom to call for a
ceasefire while the system is at stake and wait for better times to resume the
unfinished mutual political strife. In addition, if both the major political
parties preferred to enjoy the benefits of the ordinance the chances of the
present system getting derailed cannot be ruled out.
On 17th November, Dr Haider Mehdi cautioned: Be mindful that
Aitzaz Ahsan was on a visit to the US when he was urgently summoned
back to Islamabad by the prime minister for successive meetings with the
president and the army chief. Do you see the emerging scenario? The
attorney generals offer to him is a hoax to gain time. The political theatrics
of the drama entitled Some will lose their nights sleep unfolds as follows:
On November 13, Aitzaz Ahsans membership is restored by the
Peoples Party Central Committee.
Behind the doors, work starts on yet another masterly crafted NRO
out of public view and in absolute secrecy.
The president resignsZardaris and his friends massive assets are
saved. The deal is hailed as a victory for the fledgling Pakistani
democracy. Not a bad arrangement for the incumbent president, his
associates, Aitzaz Ahsan and the PPP.
The PPP elects a new party chief from Sindh. This person could be
even Mumtaz Bhutto.
The ruling party and all the opposition in Parliament elect Aitzaz
Ahsan as the new President of Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif, Altaf Bhai,
rest of the political leadership and the army all celebrate the victory
of democratic forces over the evil powers that had besieged
Pakistan.
A new saviour, the messiah, in the person of Aitzaz Ahsan, is born
and presides over the nation.

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 American patronage continuesarms and money keep pouring in

as military aid and socio-economic grants. Neo-capitalism
continues steadfastly on its forward march.
The Pakistani democracy is saved. PPP completes its five years in
power. Hail Caesar: a divine intervention gives Pakistan a new head
of state honourable, dedicated, poised, determined, charismatic,
honest and patriotic. Suddenly, Pakistan turns into a Heaven on
Earth.
Not so fast, though. A vital question in a change of political power
structure (whatever that maybe) in todays Pakistan is: Will the present day
political status quo continue in the country? Will US-NATO stay on a
course of military solutions for purely political problems in Afghanistan and
expand it further into Pakistan? What is Seymour Hershs theory on
Pakistans nuclear assets is not proven wrong?
Aitzaz Ahsans ascendancy to political Messiah will be a welcome
development in Pakistan, but is he up to the challenge? But Barrister
Ahsans American baggage is a thorn in the equation! Fellow Pakistanis!
Heaven was not made in a day. Present and future NROs must cease to exist.
US-NATO must pack-up and go away. Begging must stop. Self-reliance on
our own resources and people is the only recipe for our future survival.
This has been an imaginative and innocuous piece of writing to
envisage what might be coming our way in Pakistan in the next few days!
But I have a serious question: Will this nation live with yet another
concealed and camouflaged NRO? That is what would ultimately shape
this nations destiny!
On 21st November, The Nation wrote: Prime Minister Gilani adopted
the high moral ground by declaring if his wife had been a beneficiary of the
NRO, he would resign. The NAB also issued a clarification but the
disturbing question is why the name was there in the first place if she never
was a NRO beneficiary on her loans issue. The PM himself used the legal
recourse of the courts to fight the cases of graft against him and clear his
name. Whatever his shortcomings, the Premier certainly is not in the same
shadowy league of the NRO beneficiaries; and his emphasizing this
difference also reflects his negative view of the NRO.
However, the whole issue relating to the beneficiaries list revealed
once again the chaos and lack of direction that prevails in the
government. There are simply too many centres of power it would appear

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and no central governing authority. So the list which the PM wanted to give
to parliament was instead kept under lock and key by Law Minister Sindhu
by his own admission. Now how did he arrive at this decision and why was
he not privy to the PMs publicly stated intent? One could be cynical and
attribute this to the PM and his cabinet as a deliberate attempt to confuse and
fool the people, were it not for one factor. This is the same chaos and
mismanagement that had been evident in the immediate aftermath of the
Mumbai terror incident; that cost Pakistan dearly in terms not only of image
but also of revealing to the other side the decision-making incoherence
prevailing in Pakistan.
Unfortunately, despite the passage of time, no lessons have been
learnt by the decision makers and their managers in terms of governing
and administration. The dysfunctional syndrome continues to define the
government today. There is a disconnect within the government itself
amongst its various component parts. In its wake it embarrasses those who
should not have any murky shadows haunting them; but this
dysfunctionalism also causes more serious and substantive governing
problems which add to the perception of a total absence of governance.
Next day, Najam-us-Saqib Panipati from Sialkot commented: When
the Prime Minister announced closure of the NAB in Parliament there was
loud thumping of desks by the ruling party members. It was apprehended by
many at the time, though, that this was only being done to buy time to
destroy files of the corrupt against whom cases of unimaginable
misappropriation of wealth were pending. The PMs announcement, they
say, only helped save the skin of loan-defaulters. This is now proved true as
the NRO beneficiaries seem totally unruffled these days. News have also
appeared in the media that attempts to tamper with the evidence have been
made and the tampering done too.
What good the invalidity of NRO would be if there is no evidence
and, indeed, no record? The Governor Punjab has said that the cases of
corruption against government are nothing but an effort to derail democracy.
According to the Governor, there is no corruption and this is just media
hype that we are all afflicted with. I can assure the Pakistanis that the NRO
or no NRO, no one can harm the corrupt in Pakistan.
On 23rd November, Gulbaz Khan from Akora Khattak wrote: So cat is
out of the bag. The list of beneficiaries of the great NRO has come to light.
Now Pakistanis know who is who. Interestingly not even one of the
beneficiaries agrees or admits that he is a beneficiary. There are persons who

474

have committed or been involved in a number of murders and indulged in

loot, plunder and arson. They too will soon claim they are innocent. And
their disciples, sycophants will issue statements after statements that their
masters are totally innocent and angels.
The Nation observed: Of course these are not the only people guilty of
embezzlement, murder and other such crimes. The rich and the politically
powerful, along with the entrenched bureaucracy, have always been
indulging in questionable activities while considering themselves above law.
Cases of corruption are difficult to prove while murder charges also
tend to go unproven legally when the strong terrorize possible witnesses.
But never before have we had to see such a whitewashing of crimes still to
be decided by the courts.
What message goes out to the people about their ruling elite? That
they can have themselves pardoned without due process of law while the
poor go undefended and often punished wrongfully? Worse still, the vast
amounts of money involved could have saved this country the trials and
tribulations of going to the IMF and the World Bank. Clearly, if one looks at
the potential amounts involved in the alleged corruption and embezzlement,
this is a rich country which has remained undeveloped because of the
successive loot and plunder by its elite.
For all those who had a hand in underwriting the NRO, they should
also shoulder the responsibility of circumventing justice for the elite. They
have done the nation a great disservice by making this backroom deal. The
brazenness with which the NRO beneficiaries are strutting about claiming
that nothing was proven against them is shameful. If they really were
innocent, as they claim, why did they need the NRO? They should have
allowed the legal process to clear their names
Only in Pakistan can political elite sustain itself despite being so
heavily tainted with allegations of corruption and murder. Anywhere else,
even a hint of such allegations would have led the political leadership to
resign or opt out until their names had been cleared through due process of
law. But today the NRO and its high profile beneficiaries are a nations
disgrace a nation that has defiantly held its head high in the face of many
adversities, today has had to hang its head in shame because of its NROtainted leadership.
Next day, The News commented: As expected, the release of the list
of NRO beneficiaries has provoked a plethora of reactions. While quite a
few of the prominent political figures, whose names appear in the list, are
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pleading innocence, claiming to be victims of political foul play, certain

affected politicians within the PPP are unhappy at Minister of State for Law,
Afzal Sindhu, for showing indecent haste in making the names public
through a press conference
On the other hand, those outside the purview of the NRO are calling
for a proper process of accountability and even mid-term elections. Punjab
Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif voices the general sentiment that these
persons ought to be called to account for looting the national wealth that, he
believes, has kept the nation poor. The public at large is rightly outraged
that such a vast number of people entrusted with the political, administrative
and economic future of the country should have been let off without due
process of law taking its course. After all, these persons are accused of
various crimes, as heinous as murder and as corrosive as corruption, and
should have been properly tried. Only those found innocent should have
been let off the hook, the rest duly punished and asked to bring back the
looted wealth.
Decency demands that all those accused; who are holding official
positions of replacement of political leaders in case of resignations and midterm elections would be a needless luxury. tender resignations. However,
there is absolutely no justification for holding mid-term elections, as called
for by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan. The countrys
Constitution lays down a clear procedure.
On 25th November, Ghareeb Turabi from Naudero observed: The
NRO list made public by the PPP Minister of State for Law says that Altaf
Bhai has committed more than thirty murders. I do not believe this. He is
not a serial killer. He is a thorough gentleman who is leading a pious life
of seclusion in a deserted and remote area of London. Leaving ones country
is no joke. He has been in England for over a decade without any job and
legitimate source of earning. Those who think he is a criminal have a
criminal bent of mind. How can a civilized country like UK allow any
criminal to stay in UK.
We have now been told that the PPP would soon issue a revised list of
the NRO beneficiaries as the first list missed the names of some very high
profile beneficiaries like Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. I hope the revised list
would have her name in it while the name of Altaf Bhai would be elected.
Likewise, I pray names of the other MQM ministers and Governor are also
removed from the list. Publishing names of the MQM members is suicide
for the PPP. Imagine if the MQM withdraws its support from the

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government, where would the PPP be? The PPP would have to buy fresh
lotas and that would cost billions. And to think that even the money
promised under the Kerry-Lugar Bill has not arrived yet!
Next day, Azam Khalil opined: It has now to be seen as to what would
be the reaction of these forces in case the persons affected by NRO win their
cases in the courts; or what would be the course of action if the courts do not
take swift action to resolve this issue. It would be in the fitness of things in
case a bipartisan committee is formed which then decides to withdraw all
those cases from the purview of the courts that were instituted by various
governments to victimize their political opponents. Only those cases should
be left in the courts for adjudication that are considered to be fairly
constituted and as such require the intervention of the courts. As far as cases
which are of heinous nature like murder, kidnapping or dacoity, they should
be taken up by the relevant forums in the judiciary and they should be
allowed to run their normal course as per requirements of the laws of this
country. Even if the committee thinks that certain persons were falsely
implicated in these cases, it should recommend the withdrawal of the names
of those persons at least who were innocent, according to the findings of the
committee. Azam has recommended soft approach towards corruption cases
and allowed the committee to pass judgment before the court.
In case the circus of NRO continues for a long period of time it
will have serious and adverse effects not only on the institution of
democracy but could result in sharp polarization in the country, which will
not be in the interest of anyone. The country cannot afford to create another
serious crisis when its hands were already full with issues like terrorism,
economic restructuring, law and order and provision of basic facilities to its
people. On its part, the government should also move forward to resolve the
outstanding issues and fast track issues related to constitutional reforms so
that it can pay the required attention on pressing issues that will alleviate the
sufferings of the poor people of this country. Alternatively, in case foot
dragging continues both by the government and the opposition and the
issues are not resolved quickly, it may result in the present fragile
democratic set up which may tilt in the favour of anti-democratic forces.
This will then once again provide a conducive atmosphere for an
intervention by the army which will push back not only the democratic
forces but could result in the total ruination of the economic structure of
Pakistan. Therefore, one hopes that all the concerned parties must realize
that they have very little time on their hands because not only are they
running out of time but also out of viable options that can steer the country
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out of its present problems. To achieve this, maturity and political sagacity
are required which unfortunately are rare commodities in the country at the
present point of time.
On 27th November, Mahmood Ghaznavi from Sialkot wrote: The list
of the NRO beneficiaries is only one side of the story. People of Pakistan
now also want to know the names of countless beneficiaries that were
forgiven their loan-defaults. After all, the money usurped by the influential
and criminal through default of loans is also truly massive. Through this
letter, I urge the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the Prime Minister to release
that list also. If the money is retrieved from these big shots, that would be no
less a contribution than the one we expect from the Friends of Pakistan.
Ikram Sehgal commented: While there is reasonable ambiguity and
doubt whether those accused by NAB, the government institution meant for
accountability of individuals, can continue to hold office until the courts
absolve them of all the accusations, the legal situation is arguable and
subject to SC review. However, it is certainly a moral obligation.
Lists proliferating the great many assets that Asif Ali Zardari
supposedly owns all over the world, include numerous bank accounts.
Such a colossal fortune without a known inheritance or mega business
transactions (or even his wifes kitchen money) would be impossible. One
cannot react to every ludicrous claim; their validity can easily be undercut
by Zardari declaring his actual assets
Some of the accusations are clearly orchestrated by Zardaris political
opponents for political purposes. Outrageously, some even make him out to
be a mafia don. A person is innocent until proven guilty and cannot be
railroaded out of office by motivated accusations that surface from time to
time in the media. This will be a bad precedent for the future
Now that the Chief Justice (CJ) of the SC has thankfully got the crude
attempt to remove him by other means out of the way, the SC is entitled to
take suo motu cognizance of any matter with reference to any of the
fundamental rights conferred by the constitution, even without any formal
petition Considering that the highest office of the head of the state could
be unlawfully and unconstitutionally held by the present incumbent, there is
nothing more important to the destiny of the nation. In case there is no
movement from the presidential bunker, invocation of the suo motu
powers of judicial review will be in the fitness of things.
One lives with the belief that when they were out in the cold, the CJ
and his fellow judges meant business when they said that for them there was
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nothing more important than the vital interests of Pakistan and its citizens,
and all the hoopla about the rule of law was not just rhetoric for public
consumption. Unfortunately, it is not the NRO alone that needs
adjudication.
On the day the Supreme Court started hearing NRO, Roedad Khan
wrote: I am in despair about Pakistan. My fear is that the corrupt will get
off again. There is an air of dj vu about it. Who will prosecute these
corrupt rulers? They are the ones who will appoint the prosecutors? Who
will produce evidence against the accused persons if they remain in control
of the administrative machinery? Who will come forward and pose against
the high and mighty? It is unrealistic to expect anyone to testify against them
in an open court of law I can hear them laughing. As many times before,
history too will laugh and stick out its tongue at us.
Flashback to the failed experiment in accountability in 1990. The
president had dissolved the National Assembly and referred six glaring cases
of corruption, nepotism, favourtism and abuse of power against Prime
Minister Benazir Bhutto, and another nine such cases against her federal
ministers, to special courts established under the law. The president was
assured that the court proceedings would not take more than three and four
months. The prosecution had no doubt the outcome as all the references
were supported by unimpeachable documentary evidence. They were in for a
big shock.
In spite of our best efforts to expedite the proceedings, none of the
six references against Benazir Bhutto could be decided one way or the
other for more than two years. Adjournments were frequently asked for and
freely given. No opportunity was missed to delay the proceedings. Why
should the respondents have expedited the proceedings when they knew that
time was on their side; that witnesses who could prove the cases against
them may forget, or lose interest out of sheer disgust, or be won over, or
most important of all the political situation may undergo a favourable
change?
We soon realized that we had got off the main track. We were
horrified to learn that every interim order passed by the special court in the
course of the inquiry could be appealed against. The proceedings in the
special courts could thus be brought to a standstill, pending disposal of the
appeal.
We soon realized that under our existing judicial system it takes
longer to get an answer from the accused than it takes to send a man to the
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moon and bring him back. There are so many loopholes in the system that
the final judgment could easily be avoided for years. On one pretext or
another, Ms Bhutto successfully evaded submitting her reply to the
prosecution case made out against her after a long, tortuous, and dilatory
process in which some witnesses were cross-examined for months. No
wonder, some of them became nervous wrecks. With no support from the
federal government, the fate of the references was sealed and the result was
a foregone conclusion.
Once Benazir Bhutto returned to power, all references were
decided in her favour with lightening speed. The objective situation had
changed. Benazir Bhutto was now occupying the Prime Ministers House
once again. The word accountability was not uttered or heard again in the
corridors of power as if it were a dirty word.
What conclusions could be drawn from this failed experiment in
accountability? First and foremost, that nobody in this country, neither the
government nor the opposition, is interested in accountability as it is
understood in the West. Secondly, people lost faith in the integrity,
objectivity and impartiality of the judiciary, the watchdog charged under the
Constitution with the responsibility of keeping a strict watch on the excesses
and arbitrariness of the executive and the conduct of holders of public office.
Thirdly, accountability has been reduced to a farce and most important of all,
no matter how honest, upright, and well-intentioned you may be, your
chances of bringing the guilty under the existing judicial system are almost
nil.
The objective situation has undergone a favourable change with
the triumphant return of Chief Justice Iftikhar Choudhry, in honour and
dignity, to the Supreme Court, on a wave of popular support. The
relationship amongst the three pillars of the state has shifted dramatically.
The nexus between the Generals and the superior judiciary has snapped. An
era of deference by the Supreme Court to the Executive has given way to
judicial independence, if not judicial supremacy. The Supreme Court, the
guardian of the Constitution, has undergone a major transformation. It has
been baptized in the waters of public opinion. After years of subservience, it
is on its feet and holding its head high. The days of subverting the
Constitution and treating it like a scrap of paper are over.
The nation is looking up to the Supreme Court, the only ray of light
and hope, amid the gloom, to ensure ruthless accountability of those who
betrayed the peoples faith, who bartered away the nations trust and who

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plundered the countrys wealth. Unless the men at the top are called to
account now and those found guilty among them sent to prison, the entire
democratic process will be reduced to a farce once again; clean politics and
an honest democratic government according to the Constitution and law will
remain an illusion.
Shamshad Ahmad observed: Today, the 9th December, is World AntiCorruption Day. In Pakistan, it is a strange coincidence, though ironical
one, that the month of December this year also assumes corruption-related
special significance in the context of the miscarried NRO. More than 8,000
beneficiaries of this politically-motivated let bygones be bygones defunct
law now face reopening of their cases in courts of law.
Selective amnesty to public office-holders facing charges in different
corruption and criminal cases between July 1986 and October 1999 in the
name of national reconciliation and political harmony was blatantly
discriminatory to the fundamental right of equality of citizens before
law and for protection under law as guaranteed under Article 25, and any
law inconsistent with fundamental rights conferred in the Constitution shall,
to the extent of such inconsistency, be void as per Article 8 of the
Constitution.
It is not important how many politicians or how many bureaucrats are
included in the NRO beneficiaries. What is important is that they are all
Pakistan citizens, some accused of criminal acts while others are alleged to
have enriched themselves in varying degrees at the states expense.
Allowing them amnesty is a circumvention of judicial process and
negation of political justice. Even if the applicability of NRO amnesty is
extended to include other persons besides public office-holders, the
malafide nature of this insidious crime-laundering law would still remain
questionable under the Constitution.
Shamshad went on to discuss the deal Musharraf secured for himself;
the NRO; Pakistans flawed judicial system; the rampant corruption in
Pakistan. He also mentioned UN Convention against Corruption and latest
yearly report of Transparency International. He then concluded: In Pakistan,
corruption has been a source of serious concern from the very beginning of
our independent statehood. In his presidential address to the Constituent
Assembly on 11 August 1947, Quaid-i-Azam had warned us against what
he called the evils of bribery, corruption, black-marketing, nepotism
and jobbery. He wanted the government and the assembly to take
adequate measures to put these evils down with an iron-hand.

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We, as a nation, have not only failed to grapple with these challenges
but are in fact living remorselessly with these problems as an integral part
of our society. Governments and the Assemblies have been part of the
problem rather than solution. Aversion to the rule of law is endemic. Poor
governance is our national hallmark. There is constant erosion of law and
order in the country. Crime and corruption are rampant and galore both in
scope and scale. The only hope for fixing the fundamentals before it is too
late now lies with the Supreme Court. Or should we wait for a Harry Potter
to come and save us?
Anjum Niaz opined: Its premature to declare the champions in fight
against corruption. Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif have teamed up to
face their formidable opponents, the intelligence agencies and the
judiciary. Who will carry the Grand Slam that we dont know.
Notice the timing of Wajid Shamsul Hasan swiping valuable
documents from Switzerland and the sudden re-appearance of Shahid Aziz,
the man fired in July of 2007 by Musharraf from chairmanship of NAB. He
was sacked because he had the dope on some including Zardari, Nawaz
Sharif, Shahbaz, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Humayun Akhtar. Now you
understand why the Sharif brothers have opted to partner Zardari in
his battle against the establishment
The current NAB Chairman Navid Ahsan knows that the proof
against Zardari and Nawaz Sharif is secure. But he will never unfold the
leaves of graft because he has already once sold his soul to the devil
(Musharraf). He fears he may get fired by the present president were he to
expose him.
A lot of water has flown under the bridge since the exit of NAB
supremos Azia and Afzal. Musharraf is gone, Zardari has returned and
Nawaz Sharif is president-in-waiting and more recently AZs partner in
fighting corruption charges. They appear very comfortable in their skins.
Anjum discussed how the NAB has been used to serve political ends of
the rulers rather than curbing corruption. She then concluded by quoting
from one of her previous articles. NABs wantonness, I wrote in a column
just before Benazir returned to Pakistan, fits perfectly the description of a
hooker: with a sly wink; long gaze; flip of the hair, lip purse, furrowed brow
and finger tap, the lady is a tramp! With its moral compass directed towards
the Army House, NAB today has lost all its credibility. Will the embryo
called Accountability being cross-hatched by Zardari and the Sharifs
live or perish?
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Different aspects of governance continued to be criticized and

Zardari stole the show. Farooq Zaman from Lahore observed: Zardari
boastfully claimed the other day that three attempts were made to remove
him from the Presidency but all were foiled. Considering his track record of
broken promises and creation of multiple life-threatening crises for Pakistan,
it is understandable that some forces in the country want his ouster.
Mr Zardari has survived all attempts so far but, surely, it was not due to
something extraordinary on his part. His survival is, in fact, a Divine
retribution on the people for having elected him President in the first
place.
Azam Khalil was of the view that if Army intervenes, Shahbaz Sharif
would be responsible. It was expected that Mian Shahbaz Sharif and some
other members of his party would have gained some experience while
hobnobbing with the army, but it seems they have forgotten to learn any
lesson from their personal experiences and history and have continued to
play the same game in an effort to promote their political career even if it
is at the cost of democracy. As political things stand out today the rumour
mill is working overtime and the clouds of uncertainty have gripped the
entire country. In case there was an early demise of democracy, Mian
Shahbaz Sharif would be apportioned a share in that event, without any
doubt at all.
The News commented on suggestion to rename Pakistan. The
proposal floated by the ANP at a Parliamentary Reforms Committees
meeting in Islamabad to change the name of the country from Islamic
Republic of Pakistan to Peoples Republic of Pakistan is uncalled for and
apparently an attempt to divert attention from pressing problems plaguing
the country. The MQM and the PPP are both supporting the suggestion.
What is at stake right now are bigger issues
The ANP in particular should ponder over what it should be doing to
protect one of its most important constituencies of Peshawar from the spate
of masscasualty attacks that have become a daily occurrence. With the
ruling dispensation turning a blind eye to all that is happening, a perception
is bound to evolve that it is alienated from reality. There are interesting
parallels between our political bigwigs busy choosing the countrys
name and the Lilliputian characters squabbling whether the boiled egg
should be cracked from the big end or the small end.
Amina Jilani reverted back to Zardari. The president is in a place for
as long as he serves Uncle Sams purposes, until he can no longer deliver,
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or until the US realizes the depths of his unpopularity. And, most

importantly, he is there until an equally pliant and op-ed to influence
replacement is found for him that may not be such a difficult one as our
politicians are famed for their ability to swing with the gift-bearing winds.
The Nation found Zardaris speech marred by his belligerent tone. At
a time when the nation is confronting problems of basic survival and living
under the shadow of the threat of terrorism, seeing the head of state
cloistered in safety, unwilling to face the people directly, was hardly a
comforting image. President Zardari was addressing from the Presidency
the PPP loyalists long distance in Sindh on Wednesday.
However, if the image was negative, the message was far worse.
There was no mention of the struggle waged against terrorism, the crises
being dealt with and the challenges being confronted. No mention was made
of the soldiers dying in FATA, the actions against militancy or the promise of
removing the constitutional anomalies imposed by dictators. All talk of
reconciliation and compromise were also thrown by the wayside. There was
nothing statesman-like at all; in fact there was nothing rational either. He
derided the Quaids Pakistan and lashed out at everyone in the hysterical
manner of another party leader living in exile. The Presidential harangue
was personal bordering on abusive and in almost undignified manner he
took on the media and other opponents using base language and reducing his
presidential stature to the level of local street brawlers.
The irony is that the Presidents problems are all self-created. He has
failed to deliver on all fronts and on all commitments, so much so that there
now exists a huge trust deficit between him and almost everyone else. The
main opposition leadership is now reluctant to even meet him because of the
run around Mian Nawaz Sharif has been given by him on issues like the
Charter of Democracy and the constitutional amendments. The goodwill
and leeway Zardari had when he became president was almost
unprecedented but he has lost it rapidly. Unable to improve the lot of the
people; unwilling to move substantively on political issues; and totally tied
in to a suspicious US agenda; the Presidency shows no leadership, only
intrigue.
Given how this was a rare Presidential address, it was a wasted
opportunity. The nation needed to see a leader in control who would inform
them of the policies of the government aimed at leading the country out of
crises. They wanted to be comforted by seeing a leader in charge of
things. Instead what they got was a beleaguered leader, yelling at his

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opponent, hurling accusations at all and sundry but saying nothing of

consequence. He may have been addressing a partisan PPP crowd but his
audience was the whole nation and beyond. He did not one pound.
Fakir S Ayazuddin opined: As in all fairy tales, we are never told if
Prince Charming and Cinderella did have fights over the washing up, or the
new maid in the scullery, but in the Zardari saga, the dirt is being thrown
about constantly. With a powerful no-nonsense judiciary that has one eye on
the future destiny and realizes their important significance in the present
history being written, will thus ensure that they deliver on their contribution
to a just and honourable future for all Pakistanis. President Asif Zardari
needs to pay heed to the new judiciary.
Dr Haider Mehdi wrote on an attempt at Zardaris image building.
Islamabad, November 11, 2009, the host of a TV news talk show disclosed
to his viewers that the President of Pakistan has directed the concerned
authorities in the government to compile a complete list of all orphan houses
in the country along with names of fatherless children (meaning fathers
unknown) and prepare their national identity cards. The president has
directed the concerned administration to put his name, Asif Ali Zardari, in
the space for Fathers Name for all those children falling into this category.
Indeed, a remarkable act of humanitarian concern. Isnt it?
What the presidential loyalists and PPP stalwarts do not understand
is that the president and his entire government have lost credibility, with
the public, nationwide. It is not going to be restored with such insidious and
inconsequential acts of craftless public relations management: this
presidency has to come up with far more imaginative, functional, proactive,
consequential, substantive, dynamic and result-effective tools of national
crisis management to continue to justify its public mandate than to
demonstrate such poor capability at image-building
The question is: Who conceptualized and conceived of the idea of the
Father of the Nation (as I call it) campaign in the presidency? Do the
image-making managers in the President House believe that this nation
and its entire public can be railroaded, with such cheap trivial paltriness?
Anjum Niaz was of the view that Zardari is suffering from malignancy
of mind. Two days earlier, the president exhibits signs of schizophrenia,
(a split personality) in attacking his visible (MQM) and invisible (GHQ?)
enemies. He gives a nod and a wink to his crony Zulfikar Mirza (the man
who whizzed around in a showy Mercedes with Mirza 1 as his number
plate during the PPP reign last century) to chew up his coalition partners
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portraying them as the greatest scum bags. Next day, the president is buddybuddy with the MQM making light of the aggressive attack the Sindh home
minister makes a day earlier.
Such extreme behaviour shows serious fault lines in a persons
psyche. It makes for an interesting case study for anyone wanting to write a
guidebook on Psychiatry for dummies with follow-up series on the
sickness of presidential minds, past and present.
Notice our supreme act like a man spurned. In the video address to his
jiyalas in Karachi from his Islamabad fort where he is bunkered, Zardari
bellows, screams and plays the Sindh card. In sum: he plays the victim.
He presents himself as faultless, his work as immaculate and his morals
impeccable. But the dogs of war are out to get him, he yells. Psychiatrists
call such emotions a persecution complex. The president is convinced that
he is loved, valued, respected and wanted by the people of Pakistan. Its only
a small minority that wants my democracy to fall.
Anjum reproduced a para from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders, to strengthen her argument. An exaggerated sense of
self-importance; preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power,
brilliance, machismo; believes he is special and can only be understood by,
or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions);
requires excessive admiration; has a sense of entitlement; selfishly takes
advantage of others to achieve his own ends; lacks empathy; is often envious
of others or believes that others are envious of him; shows arrogant, haughty,
patronizing or contemptuous behaviours or attitudes.
Does the current occupant of Awan-e-Sadr betray any of the
above symptoms? If you think hes free from such malignancies of the
mind, then we must celebrate, thank the good Lord for His small mercies
and look forward to another three swinging years of joy, prosperity and
cheer under his rule. However, theres this small matter of court papers
containing signed affidavits by two New York psychiatrists who did
diagnose Zardari as recently as 2007 with a range of psychiatric illnesses
Benazir Bhuttos chief sponsors, former President George Bush and
his fawning Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (who once made a
Freudian slip by calling Bush her husband), her spouse would step in and
run Pakistan. The Americans are famous for contingency plans. And they
knew well that Zardari suffered from serious problems. Still, they chose to
disregard the danger and welcomed his appointment as our president. Now
Zardari has become Obamas migraine
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American king makers hold an atrocious record of gifting the people

of Pakistan with unworthy presidents and prime ministers who follow the
script handed down to them from Washington. These foreign implants fall
from grace because they develop the Narcissistic Personality Disorder
(NPD) while in office The imagine people conspiring to humiliate them;
punish them; seize their wealth; force them to action (or to inaction);
surround and besiege them; even kill them.
The consequences are even scarier. Some narcissists withdrew into
their sanctuaries avoiding all social contact, except the most necessary If
we were to go down the list of our presidents and prime ministers, almost all
have suffered from NPD. Heres just one small example: General Musharraf
has fled and dare not return to Pakistan. All because he wanted to remain in
power long after the constitution allowed it
Almost all VVIPs have betrayed narcissistic delusions of
grandeur. Their grandiose-magical convictions led them to believe that they
were important, omnipotent, omniscient, irresistibly charming, brilliant,
perfect, deserving of special treatment (entitlement), or a historic figure of
cosmic messianic significance. But note what happened to them. Zia got
bumped off, Bhutto was hanged, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif were
sacked twice and Musharraf was banished.
The News observed: The Zardari presidency is clearly crumbling
before our eyes and the president has little chance of avoiding this disaster,
which is of his own making. Domestically he has lost the support of the
media with but a few diehard exceptions. He has scant support by the
military and is being harried by an effective opposition. At the grassroots his
popularity is at rock-bottom. Internationally, the US is said to be fearful of
presidential collapse and he is under intense pressure to scrap the 17 th
Amendment Foreign media, particularly in the US, speculate about the
weakness of the presidency and how that reads across the difficulty faced by
America and others to determine the future shape of policy on Pakistan. To
say that Mr Zardari is the wrong man in the wrong job at the wrong
time understates the case by several orders of magnitude.
But what is happening to President Zardari needs to be seen as part of
a process and not an isolated political event. The process is that of transition
and it is neither smooth nor quick. The shape of the state has become
distorted over decades, as have the roles of the institutions of state, and
resorting them to their rightful shape is painful and difficult. Currently we

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may be seeing the beginning of the long end of dynastic politics, in one of
the prinicipal political parties and it may eventually follow in others.
Power is moving back to the prime ministers office, the eventual
death of the 17th Amendment will restore some parliamentary function and in
the short to medium term the process of transition will be complete. There
will be a pause for consolidation and institutionalization of the change
process before moving forward again. The president is not going to go
quietly and he will fight to retain what he can of his power and position,
but the die is now cast it is a matter of when and not if. It could have
been so different had he kept a few more promises and not lost touch with an
electorate that in reality was voting for his slain wife and not him as the
leader of the hour. But it was not to be and the president who should never
have been will be another sad footnote in our political history.
Dr Zafar Qureshi from Lahore spelled out some options for Zardari.
The first option is to resign from the office. Considering Mr Zardaris past
behaviour pattern, he may view this as an affront and therefore may find this
unacceptable. The second option is for him to become a figurehead devoid
of all power exercised by his predecessor. This, too, will not go well with his
person since this may hurt his ego. Third is to present himself for scrutiny by
the Supreme Court. This is a very risky option given the evidence which is
emerging from different sources regarding his perceived implications in
corruption cases. The fourth and final option is to go on a long medical leave
by passing on the baton to someone from the CEC of the party. This will
require courage which leaders must show. I am sure Mr Zardari will do
everything that will help create unity at the top of our governance pyramid.
Shamshad Ahmad wrote: President Zardari has been in office just
little over a year but history with its moral force is already registering its
accounts, and is judging him fast. It is between history and Zardari now.
He already carries an excess baggage of his past. The NRO overhang now
adds another ominous dimension. The other day, a televised address from the
bunkered presidency showed him huffing and puffing in an unpresidential
manner. He didnt have to do that.
Perhaps there was nobody around him sincere enough to tell him
that he would have been better off without that performance. If he had a
message for anyone, he could have used more appropriate alternative means.
He also didnt have to highlight his vulnerability by making unnecessary
assertions on his eligibility to hold the highest state office and his ex-officio
indemnity.

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One thing is clear. Nobody wants to derail the system. President

Zardari himself admitted this. But the system must return to the 1973
Constitution as it stood on October 12, 1999. The 17 th Amendment must go.
He must uphold the rule of law and revert to what PPPs real leaders, the
Bhuttos, stood for. That alone will reinforce his moral and legal authority but
only as a nominal constitutional head of state.
Raoof Hasan opined: One does not need any soothsayers to tell us
that there are hardly any options left for the aberration in power. The
little legitimacy that it carried into the annals of authority has been grossly
eroded through a spate of allegations relating to lack of governance,
corruption and adoption of policies that are perceived as detrimental to the
national interests. The fact that the PPP government is unwilling to take the
remedial course stems from a perception that more damage may have been
done than can be possibly repaired. It could also emanate from a deep fear of
the inevitable while making the most of it all as long as it lasts. On both
counts, it is the country and its people which are being forced to bear the
brunt, with the life becoming more unbearable with every passing day.
One understands that there is genuine concern across the board for
saving the system. One also understands that wrapping it up may not lead to
any quick-fix solutions. But it is also obvious that the current style of
governance that lacks in substance, form, style and mechanics cannot
continue as it is bound to bring further disasters. The least that should have
been done after the governments failure to push the NRO through the
parliament was to respect the judgment of the house and ask those who
stood tarnished with the stains of the infamous legislation to quit.
That not having been done, it appears the PPP leadership, or those
whom fate has brought to the fore, is bent upon pushing with a concoction
that has lost the trust of the people as well as the institutions that are going to
matter in the events as they unfold at a rapid pace over the coming days.
This is a gung-ho approach symptomatic of a mindset of individuals who are
fully aware of their shortcomings as well as their inability to remedy them in
an orderly manner. While the rightful place for repairing the damage
would have been the parliament, it is left to the judiciary to address it
now. That being a tragedy of immense proportions in itself, one cannot but
hope that the apex court will move quickly to sort out the mess and rid the
country of a plethora of contradictions and conflicts.
Ameer Bhutto from Larkana wrote: Nothing Mr Zardari or his
minions do should shock the nation anymore because we have all come to

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expect the worse from them. At their recent rally in Karachi, they claimed
that the Quaid-e-Azam too used the Sindh card by getting the Pakistan
Resolution passed by the Sindh Assembly. The fact is that the Quaid-e-Azam
did not use the Sindh card. He used the Muslim card and he used it in the
movement for national liberation. The present rulers want to use the Sindh
card for their own personal agenda, without any benefit accruing to Sindh.
No legitimate parallel can be drawn between the two situations, much less
between the two leaders. After all, the present-day rulers used the Benazir
card to get into power, but what have they done to apprehend and punish her
killers?
It is high time they stopped using various cards solely for the
sake of preserving their pointless hold on power, from which the nation
benefited not one iota, and either started giving the people real relief from
their back-breaking burdens or made room for someone else who could
make an honest effort in that direction.
The News commented on a Don-like criminal act committed in
Geneva. The latest such incident has unfolded in Geneva, where the
Pakistani high commissioner to the UK, accompanied by a former deputy
attorney general, took away a carton-load of documents related to cases
under the NRO. The two men had flown into Switzerland for the purpose;
and in scenes played out by Geo TV which would have been comic had
they not been tragic in terms of the crimes of corruption committed by
the powerful refused to answer questions about what they were doing.
However, there is nothing very mysterious about this. As this
newspaper and Geo TV have reported, a visit was paid to a Swiss lawyer
who held the documents pertaining to corruption cases against Pakistani
politicians. These cases had been dropped from the Swiss courts on the
orders of the Pakistan government under then president Pervez Musharraf
when he put the NRO into effect. We all know that President Asif Ali Zardari
is the key person behind all this. Quite apart from his alleged corruption of
which ample evidence have been destroyed one must also wonder at his
frightening lack of acumen. Evidently, Mr Zardari has failed to realize the
actions such as the one in Geneva mean only that he is held in still greater
contempt by the people of Pakistan.
More and more among us wonder how we can continue with a man
around whom so much controversy swirls as our head of state. The brave
efforts to defend the president, essentially on the basis of the fact that he was
democratically elected, are waning in view of his total inability to change his

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image or to learn from past mistakes. Indeed, by misusing the powers he

possesses, to dispatch government officials to seize materials from lawyers,
Mr Zardari demonstrates what appears to be a complete unwillingness to
charge his ways. It is also obvious that the president is a scared man.
Perhaps, he sees the net closing in around him. He has in fact been helping
to draw it tighter through antics such as the Grand Document Snatch in
Geneva. One day we may laugh at these events. Today we must mourn at
being governed by leaders who think only of themselves and are willing
to do almost anything to save their own necks.
Shaheen Sehbai produced an unwritten script for post-Zardari period.
As the super large bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan begins the
fateful hearing of the NRO on December 7, the writing on the wall is getting
clear that Pakistan is quickly entering the post-Zardari phase That the
noose around Mr Zardaris neck (this expression should not be taken in
physical terms as many do in his camp) is tightening is evident from the
panic and desperation inside the presidency
The fact that Mr Zardari got so desperate and cornered that he hit at
some media persons, including me, as a counter attack The fact that the
007-Geneva operation ordered by Mr Zardari and conducted by otherwise
respected Wajid The fact that the boxes of hard evidence of the Swiss
money laundering cases collected in Geneva and airlifted to London the
same day have disappeared and no one is ready to own them, despite mute
claims by NAB, shows how scared the Zardari camp is fearing the fate is in
store. That these cases may be reopened is a high possibility.
The fact that Zardaris closest ministers and cronies (Babar Awan for
one) are now being publicly named in multi-million rupees scandal The
fact that a front-man of Mr Zardari has come on record to state that he had
actually bought the Islamabad land years ago and kept it as an amanat
(sacred trust) of Mr Zardari The fact that Zardaris point-man for Pakistan
Steel, infamous business manipulator Riaz Laljee, has escaped is now
enjoying life in Dubai That Riaz Laljee was not put on the ECL was also
noted by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry in a recent suo moto
case on the Pakistan Steel.
The fact that as the NROs fate is decided in coming days and weeks,
many more cases challenging the qualification of President Zardari will
be filed The fact that all the other cronies of Mr Zardari, who are not
protected by any ammunity will have to face the music once NRO is struck

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downrats are jumping the sinking ship. Dr Asim Hussain of NRB and
Petroleum Ministry is the latest example. Laljee has already escaped.
The fact that Zardaris closest partner Zulfikar Mirza has already
launched the Sindh cardwill Sindh pick up arms to separate from
Pakistan for the ajrak or cap, is not even debatable question. The fact that
the military and civilian establishment has now dealing full time with
Prime Minister The fact that during his historic Afghan strategy Obama
speech and interviews later by Hillary Clinton nowhere was the government
or Zardari offered any support or protection.
The fact is that despite all his political gimmickry and manipulation,
Zardari had to sign away his powers to keep the nuclear button under his
thumb and the NCA was transferred to the PM There may be many more
such facts, which have eaten away Mr Zardaris moral political and
executive authority to call the shots, as he had been doing in the last 18
months. His power tenure is almost over and the country has to move on.
At such a crucial stage enters Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani with
full powers. Here lies the most serious challenge to the countrys
developing and nascent democratic set-up. Mr Gilani will have to show
that he is up to the job and will have to quickly get out of the shadows of Mr
Zardari to remove the impression that he was being remote-controlled from
the presidency.
For this the script writers already have a sketch of how he should
move quickly This unwritten script for Mr Gilani could be the ultimate
yardstick to judge where Pakistan will go. Firstly, without losing a day, Mr
Gilani will have to get rid of the tainted and corrupt cronies of Mr Zardari
Then he has to get the 17th Amendment out of his way The next task of Mr
Gilani would be to let the chips fall where they may by allowing the courts
to judge the NRO beneficiaries Gilani should be ready to nominate and
get a new president elected, as soon as possible, someone with integrity and
having a moral face to provide respect to the system.
The most important task of the PM would be to show good
governance and cut corruption The present set-up of challenged
bureaucrats has to go immediately If Mr Gilani does not handle this
properly his government will soon fall short of space Gilani has also to
convince Mian Nawaz Sharif to immediately get himself elected tothe
Parliament to lend it strength and supportand strategic depth to the elected
government.

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This is critical as Pakistan has to face the new American strategy

in Afghanistan, fight off the terrorists at home, control the desperate
helplessness of the people who have lost all hope and are being crushed
under the burden of spiraling inflation and unemployment. The money
flowing into Pakistan has to be spent for the people, in a transparent and
effective manner.
Mr Zardari has already wasted his chance to become a national
visionary leader who could take the country forward But it is now Mr
Gilanis neck on the line and he has to rise and fill the big shoes. He needs
the support of all those who want the democratic system to work and the PM
has to show vision, tolerance and patience to accommodate all points of
view. He has to be upright and transparent in his dealings. Mr Gilani has
tons of unwanted debris lying at his doorstep, thanks to Mr Zardaris
tunnel vision, arrogance, corruption and incompetence.
Talat Masood observed: President Zardari has tried to benefit from
Bhuttos legacy but that can only take him that far, beyond which it is
becoming counter-productive. People are looking for leaders that are resultoriented. The civilian government and political leadership will not have the
professional competence and moral standing to assert and assume its
constitutional role of exercising control over the military. As a result, the
predominance of the military in the state structures will continue and
adversely affect the development of democratic institutions. Moreover, the
military leadership expects the civilian government to ensure transparent and
effective governance, economic progress and socio-political stability,
because it wants to ensure that the defence system of the country is not
compromised.
The media and the civil society are also building pressure on
President Zardari and as the general awareness in the country is high, it is
not feasible to brush this force aside. Granted that the media has overplayed
its hand and at times has been unfair and personalized in its criticism of the
president and the PPP-led coalition government but in principle, it is their
duty to inform the public of the wrong-doings of the government
functionaries and act as a bastion against corruption.
The demand for the resignation of the president and the ministers
are slowly picking up and could gain momentum. It is common practice
in democratic countries that ministers resign when there is a major failure of
governance or if there is any allegation of corruption against them personally
or within their ministries. The idea behind this is to prevent any distraction

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from governance, and to defend their person or position without using undue
influence of the government. This is also to set an example to others that
politicians in power are not above the law of the country.
The best and most honorable course for President Zardari is to
move fast on the promises that he made, repeal the 17th Amendment, and
ask the ministers who have corruption cases against them to resign and
defend themselves. If acquitted, they should be allowed to rejoin the cabinet.
In this way, he can save the system, improve his credibility and strengthen
democracy.
Babar Sattar was of the view that Zardari should be tolerated for the
sake of democracy despite all his ills. The unfortunate lesson that
Zardari seems to have learnt from the manner in which he elevated
himself to the presidency is that one does not need genuine political support
resulting from an attractive agenda and the ability to implement it effectively
in order to sustain oneself in office. What is required instead is the
unconditional loyalty of cronies and superior skills in wheeling-dealing,
together with active support from the US and acquiescence of the army.
Only such a myopic mindset can explain the Zardari-led PPPs apathy
to expounding a consensual vision and agenda for the future of the country,
unconditional adherence to US diktat, continuing reliance on inept and
tainted buffoons to run key government departments, and further enrichment
of our corrupt political ethic of making hay when the sun shines, while
denouncing the deafening calls for accountability and transparency in
government as conspiracies against democracy
As for the security establishment, there are at least three obvious
reasons why it dislikes Zardari: one, his approach to peace with India and
insistence that Pakistan perceives no threat from its eastern neighbor is in
conflict with the countrys strategic and operational defence strategy; two,
his offer to adhere to a no-first-use nuclear policy contradicts Pakistans
doctrine of minimum nuclear deterrence in relation to India; and three, his
eagerness to interfere with the working and control of ISI and willingness to
subject the functioning of the army and the state to greater US scrutiny.
Babar went on to reject armys viewpoint on all the three issues despite
the fact that Zardari is capable of selling any or all of them if someone is
ready to pay adequately. There is absolutely no reason why the military
should have a monopoly over how we perceive (note the shift from Zardari
to we), define and secure our national security interests or why our
intelligence-gathering machinery should not be subjected to effective
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civilian oversight. Our civil-military imbalance and the absolute autonomy

traditionally enjoyed by our army high command are inimical to both
democracy and constitutionalism in Pakistan
Notwithstanding the widespread desire to see Zardari go, let us
remember that there is no legal mechanism to oust a president other than
through the impeachment process laid out by our Constitution The fact
that Zardari is able to run the government from the Presidency is because the
prime minister has willingly surrendered his legal authority to Zardari, the
party head. This, in turn, highlights an ill larger than Zardari, Gilani and the
ruling regime: the automatic nature of our political parties and the
peremptory political culture they instill where disengagement with the top
party leader is tantamount to disloyalty.
Zardari might be an undesirable president, but his incumbency will
not result in the sky caving in and his removal is not an exilir likely to
prolong our life and prosperity as a nation. In the immediate term we should
amend Article 248 of our Constitution and rid the president of the
extraordinary protections afforded to him against legal liability and bring
pressure to bear on the prime minister to take responsibility for the exercise
of powers that he has out-sourced to the presidency. In the long term, we
need to establish effective civilian control of the military, undertake reform
of our political institutions and strengthen democracy.
But none of this is possible if we circumscribe the political process,
the continuity of which is desirable not because it comes with the promise of
instantly transforming compromised politicians into angels, but because it
provides a mechanism to rid ourselves of such politicians over time and
nurture and groom better ones. But we value democracy, rule of law and
constitutionalism; we do not have the luxury to get impatient with due
process, even if that means enduring Zardari for an extended period.
Rahimullah Yusufzai observed: The PPP and the MQM have been
mostly involved in a love-hate relationship. In fact, their ties bear little
love and more hate if one looks at their past attempts to work together as
part of a coalition government.
The PPP-MQM alliance often appears unnatural. It seems the two
reluctantly agree to stay together, enduring an uneasy relationship to
stay in power. All this, while they are drifting apart until a complete break.
This has happened in the past and there is no reason to believe that the
situation would be any different this time. However, such opportunistic

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alliances in Pakistan often survive until shortly before general elections

because the coalition partners want to remain in power as long as possible.
Yusufzai discussed the history of opportunism of MQM and PPP and
then added: Though a kind of ceasefire seems to be in place, the issue is far
from resolved. The uncertain ties between the PPP and MQM have
suffered damage and their trust deficit has increased. There never really
was much trust among the two parties in the first place. Though the PPP
leader and minister of state for ports and shipping Nabeel Gabol insisted that
his partys alliance and understanding with the MQM was intact, there are
certain issues that are sources of friction between them. One major source of
friction was the fate of the NRO
The PPP could manage to run the Sindh government with a simple
majority in the provincial assembly even if the MQM were to pullout of the
coalition. It was a wise idea to take the MQM along and give it a share in the
coalition government in Sindh as the representative party of the Urduspeaking Mohajir with a strong vote bank in urban centres
The PPP also needed the MQMs votes in the parliament to lend
stability to the federal government. It may not be able to afford the parting of
ways by the MQM, particularly at the Centre where its other smaller
coalition partners are forever demanding their pound of flesh in return for
support to President Zardari and the federal government. The MQM too
would want to remain part of the government and this was evident from its
relatively less aggressive reaction to the PPPs verbal assault against it. It is,
therefore, likely that the two parties would try to mend fences and
attempt to remain allies as long as possible. However, things could go
wrong, more so if a serious move is made by the forces of establishment to
remove President Zardari from office or drastically curtail his powers.

REVIEW
Before reviewing the main issue, the NRO, three events of varying
significance are briefly commented upon. Rallies against Musharraf for
calling Zardari a liar and criminal and demands of his trial indicated that
for PPP jiyalas Mr Ten Percent is more sacred than the Constitution of
Islamic Republic of Pakistan which was abused by Musharraf twice.
As regards renaming Pakistan, ANP has objections to most things
related to Pakistan, directly or indirectly. It wont be a surprise if ANP
suggests more new names like Republic of Popal Mata (equivalent of Bharat

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Mata). It may also suggest that Mohammad Ali Jinnah should not be called
Quaid-e-Azam and instead he should be named as Bacha Khan of Pakistan.
As regards MQM, it would prefer to call it Altafic Republic of
Pakistan. And PPPs leaders from Sindh would say that Sir Syed Ahmed
Khan and Allama Mohammad Iqbal should not be called founders of twonation theory. In fact, Raja Dahar, whose pirates instigated Hujjaj bin Yusuf
to invade Sindh, was the true founder of the two-nation theory. There are
some Sindhi nationalists who already regard him as a national hero.
The Executive used the issue of sugar pricing to demonstrate its
might and expose limitations of the Judiciary. The matter was taken up LHC
with the noble intention of providing relief to the masses, which were being
exploited by sugar barons mostly belonging to the ruling elite. The price was
fixed by the court at Rs40 per kg as against Rs48 per kg decided by mill
owners in collaboration with Manzoor Wattoo. The Executive (owning bulk
of sugar mills) taught a lesson to judiciary by blocking sugar supply to the
market. Resultantly, sugar was sold for Rs70 per kg and that too in trickle.
The Judiciary could do no more than watch haplessly.
The NRO overwhelmed all the events during the last month. Only a
few days before announcement of the list of beneficiaries on NRO, Gilani
said that he would resign if his wifes name was in the list. The analysts tried
to stretch their imagination too far about possible implications of Gilanis
statement.
They thought that on the analogy put forward by Gilani all
beneficiaries of the NRO, including Zardari, would or should quit if they
were holding any public office. But, they missed noting that Gilani had
managed clearance of his wife through out-of-the-court settlement by paying
Rs45 million for accumulated loan-cum-interest amount of Rs550 million.
His party-men clearly understood the discrepancy in Gilanis words and
action; so why would they resign?
The formal announcement of the names of NRO-beneficiaries
annoyed the PPPs top leadership. Amid the atmosphere of anger Pakistan
Khappy rally was held to show-off the Sindh card. Zardari and his Sindhi
cronies made no secret of their intention of playing this card.
Zardari said we made Pakistan and we saved Pakistan. PPP
leadership, from Presidency to Karachi, openly and virtually threatened to
destroy Pakistan by playing Sindh card. It showed that Zardari and his
cronies feel that they have been pushed into a corner from where they could

497

retrieve only by using the ultimate weapon. In other words, if there is no

Zardari, there will be no Pakistan. This is in line with philosophy of the
founder-father of the PPP, who had preferred parting ways with Awami
League rather than sitting in Opposition in a united Pakistan.
He took on his critics and avoided mention of any of the issues
confronted by Pakistan or his regime. This is the true nature of his
commitment to Pakistan. On the day he decided to display Sindh card from
Presidency, the COAS visited wounded civilians in Peshawar hospitals.
Zardari boasted that he had come to power after going to the people and
seeking their consent. Having come to the power he preferred to speak
hiding in the fort called Presidency to the audience in Karachi.
Zardari did not criticize Nawaz Sharif but his crony; CM Sindh did
that while addressing the rally in Karachi. He focused on media men, but
later on his Sindhi leaders turned on to the MQM, which had undermined
PPPs attempt to make NRO a law. The mistake was soon acknowledged;
Zardari and Altaf, the two Dons of their respective domains, realized that
their salvage lied in cooperation, instead of confrontation.
For the scavengers wearing different garbs Pakistan is already dead
or at best it is about to die. Keeping this in mind Punjab may have to
reconsider its future course before it is too late. It has to decide that for how
long and how much price it is prepared to pay to keep three other provinces
under the flag of Pakistan in which these provinces seemed to have stopped
drawing any pleasure or pride. For them Pakistan is virtually dead and they
are around only to scavenge its dead body while making notice like vultures.
As regards reopening of the cases, the law minister pledged to
respect the decision of the court, but regimes seriousness to prosecute these
cases was evident from the ministers declaration that all these were
politically motivated. Minister said politicians are no more than salt in the
bread; taste of salt, however, always dominates the taste of flour. Haider
Abbas Rizvi thanked Allah for no case of corruption agains MQM; perhaps
it doesnt consider extracting Bhatta as monetary corruption.
Solely on the basis of the medical certificates submitted in the Swiss
court, any petition challenging Zardaris eligibility should be upheld,
provided the judiciary is truly independent and gives preference to the spirit
of law rather than the letters. Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan as
well as Muslim history is clearly against Zardaris eligibility. If medical
certificates submitted in the court were correct, Zardari stands disqualified

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on medical grounds and if these are fake, then he is ineligible on moral

grounds.
With a view to deflecting criticism Babar Awan dug out Mother of all
NROs in the form of loan write-offs. The move was aimed at diluting the
negative effects of NRO on its beneficiaries. Babar strengthened his
diversionary attack with accusations against PML-N for deadlock in
constitutional amendments.
In addition to Babar Awans diversionary moves, Zardari regime
wasted no time to take care of evidence. In a video footage Wajid Hasan
was seen in Geneva receiving a dozen cartons full of documents containing
incriminating evidence in a corruption case against President of Islamic
Republic of Pakistan. He looked like a Don from underworld rather than
High Commissioner. Standing on a street corner, wearing an overcoat and a
cap with collars rolled up; smoking a cigar with hands in the pockets he
outclassed best of the scenes in bollywood movies.
The gracious period given to government on the NRO expired on the
day people of Pakistan celebrated Eid-ul Azha. Some observers and analysts
out of sheer excitement started talking of the onset of Qurbani season;
thereby inadvertently equated slaughtering of sacrificial animals and corrupt
beneficiaries of NRO. Nothing could be more incorrect that this.
Qurbani is Sunnat-e-Ibrahimi observed by slaughtering high quality
halal animals like goats, sheep and cows reared or purchased with halal
money. It cannot be, not even sarcastically, equated with culling of swines
and dogs fed on filth or purchased with stolen wealth. Could the
slaughtering of these swine have any semblance with a man willing to
slaughter his son on the command of Allah?
In the end a few words about America and corrupt rulers of
Pakistan. In Afghanistan, the US and its European allies repeatedly
condemn Karzai of corruption; quite strangely, the same countries facilitated
the Zardari-led corrupt to come into power in Pakistan. The have been given
licence to loot Pakistan.
The minister of state for defence production rightly said on a TV
channel that the PPP has the right to indulge in corruption. The party can
claim the existing Pakistan as its creation because Quaids Pakistan was
demolished in 1971 to carve out this one. In Quaids Pakistan Bengalis were
in majority because of which Bhutto saw no chance of coming into power.
But, while all this is happening, by remaining silent, how much Nawaz
would like Pakistan to pay for his third term?
499

12th December 2009

FRONTLINE TO EPICENTRE - II
At last the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces of Islamic Republic
of Pakistan, President Asia Ali Zadora was forced by the critics to come out
of the security of his fortress on 7 th December. He was airlifted from the
Presidency to Combined Military Hospital Rosalinda. He undertook this
arduous journey to see men and children wounded in attack on the Parade
Lane mosque.

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The terror attacks had negative effects on mental health of many

political leaders out of whom two need to be mentioned by name. Fatwacrazy Rehman Malik ran from Islamabad to Karachi to urge ulema to declare
the terrorists kefirs, hoping that it would help eliminating terrorism. Altaf
Hussain waited for no lemma and himself decreed that offering prayers in
Imamat of those, who do not condemn Taliban, is haraam.
Pakistan continued suffering from the consequences of a war it has
been fighting on the behest of United States. Obama has formulated a new
strategy for this war in which Pakistan would be asked to do far more and
suffer far more than it has been doing and suffering in the last eight years. It
is irony that Pakistan, because of the mistrust, was being informed in bits
and pieces about what it has to do or suffer.

NEWS
In Pakistan, the US said it was pressing
Taliban and al-Qaeda on 7th December. Two
Nowshera; four were killed in Swat; and eight
different incidents. A soldier was among two
Mohmand Agency.

Pakistan to move against

militants were held in
were killed in Bajaur in
killed in bomb blast in

Eleven people were killed and 48 wounded in bomb blast in District

Courts Peshawar. Bashir Bilour said India and the US were not involved,
though his Chief Minister had views to the contrary. Imran Khan said use of
gun solves no problem; instead it increases militancy. In two blasts in a
market in Lahore, 40 people were killed and 31 were in critical condition out
of 150 wounded. Mufti Muneeb advised Ulema to exercise caution in
issuing fatwas.
Next day, two Arabs were killed in US drone attack in North
Waziristan. The US also threatened to carry out hot pursuit ground
operations. Three suicide bombers were among 44 suspects arrested from
Jehlum district. Two militants attacked a check post in their attempt to blow
up ISI office in Multan Cantt; they blew their vehicle short of the target
killing 12 persons, including four soldiers, and wounding 43 others.
Death toll in Lahore attack rose to fifty; two hundred shops and 25
vehicles were also destroyed. Altaf tried to take political mileage out of
terror attack in Lahore and called a rally in Karachi. In his address he vowed
to eliminate terrorism in ten hours if people vote MQM to power. He also

501

issued a fatwa declaring offering prayers haraam behind the clerics which
do not condemn terrorists.
The able Defence Minister of Pakistan told the House that the US was
using Jacobabad and Pasni air bases without any agreement. (Not using, but
are in occupation since the brave commando surrendered these to the US.)
The American intelligence sleuths stationed in Pakistan were interrogating
Maj Abdur Rehman to ascertain his links with al-Qaeda.
On 9th December, ISPR said 589 militants and 79 soldiers were killed
in South Waziristan. Four rockets were fired and 11 militants were held in
Kurram and police held 17 in Hangu. In Peshawar, police raided a madrassa
and arrested all the inmates; 183 in all. Father and brother of Parade Lane
bombing were arrested in Dir. Three militants were killed in Bajaur.
The founder father of Blackwater, Prince, claimed that his operatives
were twice in position to assassinate Dr A Q Khan but US administration did
not permit. Imran Khan offered to mediate between government and Taliban.
Qureshi said Pakistan was being consulted on new US Afghan strategy.
Fifty suspects were arrested in Rawalpindi and 47, including 17
foreigners, were held across Punjab. Five Pakistani-Americans held in
Sargodha were wanted by FBI. Four US diplomats were stopped at Sherpao
Bridge, an entry point into Lahore Cantonment, for security check but they
refused to oblige. They created commotion for four hours and as usual were
let off after intervention from the top; US embassy denied arrest of any
American. US investigators visited the Moon Market; why this case only?
One soldier and five militants were killed in South Waziristan on 10th
December. Eight militants were held by security forces in Mattani area on
Peshawar-Kohat road. Ten militants were killed by security forces in Khyber
Agency and two were killed and 11 arrested in Bara area. A militant
involved in attack on PAF bus was arrested by Sargodha police. FBI team
interrogated Americans arrested by police. Two more dead bodies were
recovered from debris of Moon Market bringing the death toll to 63.
The US Congress approved $1.5 for Pakistan for 2010. Democratic
Representative Dennis Kucinich called for withdrawal from Afghanistan and
Pakistan (quite revealing as many thought only Afghanistan was in
occupation). Foreign Office said Pakistan awaited details of new US AfPak
policy. Munawwar Hasan demanded end to military operation; he accused
government of acting as US front-man against its own nation. Imran
received positive response from Taliban and deaf ear from the government.

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On 11th December, two soldiers were wounded and 35 militants

arrested in Operation Rah-e-Nijat. It was claimed that Abu Yahya al-Libi
was killed in drone attack in Waziristan a few days ago; he had escaped from
Bagram jail in 2005. Robert Gates said US intelligence reports revealed alQaeda was fleeing South Waziristan. Ex-MNA was among five wounded in
bomb blast in Lakki Marwat.
Nine militants were killed by gunship helicopters in Orakzai Agency;
two were killed and ten arrested in Darra Adamkhel; nine were killed and 87
arrested in Bara area; three were killed and two arrested in Swat; and two
suspects were held in Mansehra. In Gujrat, 443 Afghans were rounded up in
last two days. Three Americans were held making video film of sensitive
installation, but as usual released without taking any action. The American
vehicle checked a day before had fake number plate and non-diplomatic
persons were sitting in it.
On 12th December, Gilani announced that military operation in South
Waziristan was almost over and next operation would be in Orakzai Agency.
Fifteen militants and three soldiers were killed in Kurram Agency and four
were held in Hangu. Four militants were killed in Lower Dir and 19 were
held in Bajaur. Two land cruisers were yet again stopped at two different
check points in Lahore and then let go as usual. Al-Qaeda denied its
involvement in terror attacks inside Pakistan.
Reportedly, US military has joined CIAs drone war in Pakistan (as if
it was not the case previously). And US said it was a Somali, not al-Libi,
who was killed in drone attack. Obama asked Pakistan to cooperate more,
while Hillary said the US wont impose its preferences on Pakistan.
Patterson met Zardari and discussed issues concerning bilateral relations.
On 13th December, Gilani ruled out talks with terrorists and Petraeus
asked Pakistan to exert pressure on Afghan Taliban. Ten militants and two
soldiers were killed and three soldiers wounded in Kurram Agency and
tribesmen started fleeing Orakzai Agency after Gilanis statement about
impending operation there.
Four militants were killed in a clash in Swat and Fazlullahs driver
was arrested. Four militants were held in Karachi and two policemen were
shot dead in separate incident. Ulema exchanged hot words during a meeting
held in Lahore for discussing security during Muharram. Qazi said suicide
attacks are un-Islamic and coalition with America is haraam.

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As regards Afghanistan, on 7th December, Germany decided to pay

compensation for victims of Kunduz carnage. Mullen feared casualty rise.
Next day, NATO denied killing any civilians in Laghman. McChrystal
vowed to reverse Taliban momentum. On 9 th December, Karzai surprised
Robert Gates by saying that it would be 15 to 20 years before his country
could afford its own security forces.
Three people were killed in suicide bombing in Paktika on 11 th
December. Afghanistan Gordon Brown paid a surprise visit to Kandahar on
13th December and met Karzai at the airbase. Five Taliban were killed by
US-led forces.

India and Russia signed nuclear and defence deals on 7th December.
Robert Gates feared al-Qaeda might provoke Indo-Pak conflict. Rehman
Malik said evidence regarding Indian involvement in cross-border terrorism
has been handed over to Foreign Office. Salman Taseer disagreed and said
the US and India were not involved.
Next day, five kg enriched uranium was recovered from unnamed
persons in Mumbai. Was it being smuggled for al-Qaeda and then blaming
Pakistan? It is established fact that more contrabands slip away than the
captured quantity. On 9th December, Interior Minister said four truck loaded
with weapons of Indian origin were captured from Bara alone; Foreign
Minister said four trucks did not make enough evidence. India test fired
ballistic missile, Dhanush, on 13th December.
The debate on the package for Balochistan started on 7th December
with demands for Musharrafs trial. Formation of a committee was agreed
upon to talk to angry Baloch MPs. Ten people were wounded in remote
control blast in GOR area in Quetta. Next day, the government ordered
Army to pullout from Kohlu.
On 9th December, Mullen said the US had taken up Pakistans
concerns with India over interference in Balochistan. Prime Minister
announced incentives for Balochistan; Sui Cantonment and seven posts were
closed; withdrew 89 cases including those against Baloch leaders; reiterated
desire for dialogue with estranged Baloch leaders; promised jobs to all
graduates; and lowered education standard for recruitment in Coast Guards.
Families of missing Balochs held a rally in Quetta on 10 th December.
One person was shot dead in Loralai. Foreign Office contradicted its own
boss by saying that evidence about Indian involvement was available. Next

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day, Jamali said India alone is not involved in Balochistan insurgency; there
are other forces active in the province.
In Kashmir, Syed Ali Geelanis was injured when his vehicle was
subjected to tear-gas shelling on 11th December; the people protested and
police used force injuring nine people. Mehdi Shah was sworn in as first
chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan.

VIEWS
The war on terror being fought in Pakistan was commented upon
daily. On 8the December, Mir Jamilur Rahman commented on Parade Lane
Mosque carnage. Interior Minister Rehman Malik has urged the ulema for
the umpteenth time to issue a fatwa against suicide attacks, who have always
obliged proclaiming that terrorists cannot be Muslims because they are
murdering the same. Malik calls them kafirs but such statements have
becoming hollow and reflect growing frustration on his part. This is
understandable because which minister would not feel frustrated when he is
clueless regarding how and where a suicide bomber is trained, and how the
security cordon around Rawalpindi and Islamabad is breached.
It is illogical to think that a fatwa can restrain suicide bombers
from killing those of the same faith as them. Many murders, kidnappings,
rapes and highway robberies take place every day in Pakistan, all committed
by Muslims against Muslims.
If terrorism can be stopped with the power of the fatwa, then the
interior minister should also try issuing fatwas against just about any
criminal in the country, thus bringing about peace in the society. Malik will
agree that this is wishful thinking because human nature never changes.
Muslims have been killing Muslims since the early days of Islam and will
probably continue to do so till the end of time.
However, Muslims are not the only ones killing those who share
their faith. In fact, Christians have been far ahead than Muslims in this
respect. For example, European Christians killed 16 million co-religionists
during the First World War and another 60 million during the Second World
War
It is true that the Taliban cannot take over Pakistan but they have
shown that they can mount a suicide attack whenever they want to.
Previously, they would just send one suicide bomber to carry out the
mission. Now they send out anywhere between three to five tainted
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bombers. They have been brainwashed to die rather than get arrested which
is why not a single has been arrested so far.
The Taliban will never be able to take over Pakistan but they will
continue to terrorize us. It is imperative that the government formulate a
comprehensive plan to battle them. The barricades that our security
personnel have put up all over the place do nothing except blocking traffic.
They cannot restrain suicide bombers. May be, the government should seek
the help of friends, who know how to deal with terrorism effectively.
Otherwise, this current war could go on for another decade.
Next day, The News wrote: Washington is clearly eager to keep the
focus on the war against terror in Pakistan, and not to be diverted from
this target by other happenings in the country. US envoy for Afghanistan and
Pakistan Richard Holbrooke has called on Islamabad to end Taliban safe
havens in the country, and warned that a failure to go all out against the
Afghan Taliban is affecting the effort against militancy in that country. We
do not quite know what the government and military tactics are and whether
any distinction continues to be made between Pakistani and Afghan Taliban.
It must be hoped this is no longer the case.
Once upon a time the Afghan Taliban were allies; the good and evil
of that partnership has been debated at length. But there can be no doubt at
all that today the militants are out to destroy the state of Pakistan and all
that it represents. It has become impossible to distinguish between the
different branches of militancy. All the forces that make it up have
amalgamated; in some places the nexus is loose; in others tightly tied
together. It is necessary to destroy all forms of militancy if this network is to
be broken.
On 10th December, Ikram Sehgal opined: In the face of the Obama
Doctrine, a few facts need elaboration:
The Taliban support for al-Qaeda is a common cause against a
common enemy.
From the South Waziristan Agency the Taliban are not engaged in
cross-border operations into Afghanistan, Mehsud mercenaries
providing a protective cordon for the al-Qaeda hierarchy.
The Indian RAW virtually took over the mainstream Afghan
intelligence agencies after 2001, instigating the so-called Taliban
in South Waziristan to open up a western front for Pakistan, and
ease the internal pressure in occupied Kashmir by actively
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supporting the Baloch insurgency and the TTP in Swat. The 64,000dollar question, given the substantial evidence about Indian
machinations against Pakistan, is: why is the US afraid?
Pakistans catch-22, Indian propaganda has managed to convert a
genuine freedom struggle in occupied Kashmir into a terrorist
increment, an enduring perception exists internationally of our
intelligence agencies actively aiding the Taliban in Afghanistan, at
the very least having a benign attitude towards the jihadists.
Asif Ezdi commented: The AfPak policy announced by Obama on
Dec 1 can be summed up in two words: escalate and expand. Firstly, it
signals an escalation of the war in Afghanistan and of pressure on Islamabad
to take tougher action against terrorist groups allegedly enjoying safe havens
in Pakistan. Secondly, it forebodes the expansion of drone attacks and other
US covert operations in Pakistan.
That is the bottom line of the new Afghanistan strategy. The rest is
mostly either salesmanship to make it palatable to an increasingly
skeptical home constituency or a combination of sticks and carrots to win
the cooperation of Pakistan. The threat of sticks is immediate, while the
carrots the offer of a long-term bilateral partnership and the possibility of
a more active role in promoting a resolution of Kashmir are for the
future
Asif proceeded to discuss American casualties and their impact;
Obamas dilemma of expectations of his domestic constituency; the likely
impact of deployment of additional troops in Pashtun areas; possibility of
pullout and its likely impact; and expansion of covert and overt operations
into Pakistan. He also touched upon the mention of Pakistans nuclear assets
by Obama.
He then concluded: Pakistan should now make it clear that it
would take the offer of strategic partnership seriously only if it includes
access to civilian nuclear cooperation on the same terms as those given to
India. This should have been spelled out in the reply sent by Zardari to
Obamas letter. The issue should now be taken up by the prime minister in a
letter to Obama and brought to the forefront of bilateral agenda with
Washington.
But we should stop requesting US involvement in a resolution of
Kashmir, because any such intervention at the present time would be for a
settlement on the lines of the deal that Musharraf was negotiating with

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Manmohan Singh and which would have legalized Indias occupation of the
state.
Zafar Khalid Farooq wrote: For too long, many of us in the media
have been battling the ultranationalists, conspiracy theorist and Taliban
deniers. We have been arguing forcibly that the Islamist threat is our
problem and our war. That our nations denial of personal responsibility in
this war its them, not us (them being Hindus, Jews, Americans, etc) has
crippled our growth and ability to tackle the problem. This toxic victim
narrative embedded in the minds of many Pakistanis, and propagated by
some in the media, has proved alarmingly resilient to rational argument.
Well, our job has just got a lot harder.
Blackwaters presence will only reinforce the belief that this is
Americas war not ours. Thanks to these policies, credence has now been
given to those who argue, like Imran Khan, that its the drone attacks and
American intervention in Pakistan that is fuelling the extremism engulfing
our country. Winning the hearts and minds of Pakistanis and reducing the
trust deficit has now become far more difficult.
Next day, Shafqat Mahmood condemned Imran Khan for his
opposition to use of military force. Imran Khan says that he is ready to
mediate between terrorists and the government. By saying this, he puts
them on the same pedestal as the state and anoints them with a
respectability they dont deserve. And what is there to mediate? Mediation
means give-and-take, while their agenda is to take over the state. What is it
that can be offered to them?
Has Imran paused to consider that how come these people are so
well-armed and organized; and this in Pakistan, nor anywhere else? Why
were they building up strength in this country; to fight Americans? Are
Americans occupying Pakistan? Americas collaborators are in occupation
of Pakistan.
In any case, how can a state, any state, tolerate lethally armed and
organized militant groups within its territory? (Obviously, Shafqat does
not consider drone-wielding Americans as militants or lethally armed). Our
tragedy is that governments in the past not only allowed this but also
actively encouraged it. We are reaping this harvest today.
Shafqat discussed the dangers hidden in Obamas strategy of surge
because of the presence of various militant groups inside Pakistan. He then
remarked: Pakistan is in great difficulty and it is likely to get worse. The
Americans have already started to blame Pakistan for lack of success of the
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surge that is at least six months away. The sound bites from Washington
seem suspiciously like a prelude to extending the drone attacks to
Balochistan. It is unlikely but the possibility of physical incursion of
American troops also cannot be ruled out.
At this stage when we face the prospect of a very challenging time
ahead, these people are trying desperately to break the will of the
Pakistani people and erode the state from within. Is this in any way
compatible with their stated goal of fighting the Americans?
Imran Khan wants precisely the same which Shafqat Mahmood has
desired: preservation of the will of the Pakistanis. The strategic partners
the US and India want the same will to be broken by funding and using
those Pakistanis who are extremely angry over Pakistan teaming up with the
Crusaders. They are the ones who are eroding Pakistan from within and its
rented-rulers have become party to it because of their perceptions similar to
Shafqat Mahmood.
Ayaz Amir opined: So on the shoulders of the military success
achieved thus far some sort of political victory has to be built, or we will
keep on fighting with no end in sight. And our cities, as has been
happening in the recent weeks, will continue to be the target of terrorist
strikes. This war is spreading. We need to contain it.
Defeatism? No, rather a call to realism. We cannot afford to be tied
to Americas apron strings the way we are at present. We have to fight
this war on our own, within our borders, without being seen as an American
appendage. It is time to loosen, not tighten, the American connection.
Dr Masooda Bano observed: This has led to the sorry situation where
the civil society in Pakistan has no voice on the issue of causes of current
militancy and no suggestions on how to deal with it. The country is steadily
slipping more and more into violence, but there is no voice from within civil
society that is based on solid facts and sound reasoning to either support or
counter the Pakistani or US governments claim about the causes of the
current violence in the country. The result is that the same circular debate on
causes of militancy in Pakistan continues to dominate the domestic and
international agenda, blocking any move towards an alternative perspective
to resolve the problem. The US think tanks are more active in producing
reports on Pakistan, even though they are often based on very weak
evidence, and shaping public policy vis--vis the country. The Pakistani
intellectuals and think tanks are hardly showing any sense of

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responsibility towards contributing to this discourse and help bring some

sense to it based on reliable research and data.
The only movement that has become visible during the recent years
is that run by the families of the missing people. Even here the mainstream
NGOs have played little role in supporting these families advance their
claims or in putting pressure on the government to stop such a practice.
Apart from the HRCP, few NGOs or human rights groups have tried to
systematically record the excesses to which these people have been exposed.
The civil society actors need to seriously consider the role they should be
playing in finding facts and possible solutions to the problem of militancy,
which threatens the life of each and every Pakistani. The current quiet is
definitely very disappointing.
Dr Muzaffar Iqbal wrote: This is, indeed, a very serious situation, but
the failure of the state to fully admit its seriousness is almost greater than the
callousness of those who have brought this random act of violence to the
homes of ordinary citizens. This is so because in this failure lies the
failure to tackle this situation. As long as the government and its agencies
remain in the state of denial, there is no solution possible. The first need
there is, thus, simply to acknowledge what is written on the wall: those who
are being attacked in Swat and FATA have the will, the means, and the
operational skills to attack state and semi-state agencies anywhere in the
country and such attacks cannot be prevented by deploying more soldiers
and guards and police and by establishing more check points. Because of the
callousness and cowardice of those who are willing to kill ordinary citizens,
there is no way to prevent suicide bombings.
Then there is a psychological price being paid for these loathsome
acts of violence by Pakistani citizens. Even those who are not directly
attacked are paying the price. And those who lose their loved ones have their
bereavement and suffering. All of this must be admitted openly, publicly and
boldly at the highest level of state and government. Only after this
admission, the state and the government will be able to face the next stage of
this nightmare: what is to be done to stop these acts of terrorism.
Once acknowledged openly with courage, the step will be to develop
a national consensus on how to tackle this situation. There are several
possible solutions. Some of these have been tried in other situations and
other countries. None of the tried and proven solution, however, involves
lack of admission and nauseating statements after every act of violence. To
tackle a very serious situation, the state needs to be serious and one cannot

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think of steps needed to resolve the crises until one admits ground
realities.
On 12th December, Babar Satar belongs to the class of intellectuals
who are very critical of Zias support to Afghan jihad against Soviet
occupation. After usual condemnation of jihadis Babar wrote: The US war
in Afghanistan and Musharrafs decision to take a sudden U-turn vis-vis our Afghan policy certainly fuelled the fire raging across Pakistan. But
collecting the timber and sprinkling oil over it was our own doing. This war
between the jihadi infrastructure and the security agencies would have
kicked off in any event whenever the state changed its security or foreign
policy in a manner that did not correspond to the jihadist worldview.
The terms on which Musharraf allied Pakistan with the US after 9/11
and his simultaneously two-timing the jihadists and the Americans certainly
contributed to our misfortunes. But a conflict between our home-grown
jihadists and the state was waiting to happen.
The root cause of our plight today is not that we withdrew our
support for the Taliban government in Afghanistan under US pressure or that
we decided to exercise control over the tribal areas. But that we formulated
an ill-conceived national-security policy built on the premise that
exercising direct control over Afghanistan would further our national
interest, used jihadists as an instrument to implement this policy in the
mistaken belief that we would have the sustained ability to control the genie
even when it came out of the bottle, allowed distorted religious doctrines to
be used for promotion of flawed security policy and housed and trained the
jihadists within a part of our country where we allowed lawlessness to foster
for six decades
The talk of finding political compromises to subside the present wave
of violence is thus a non-starter. We are presently fighting anarchist
groups inspired by an intolerant and violent brand of religion who seek
revenge from the state and society for their allegedly turning sacrilegious.
The Pakistani Taliban can thus not be compared with the Baloch separatists
or similar ethnic groups in other countries primarily seeking political
autonomy, economic empowerment or social justice, that turn to violence
merely to realize such political goals.
The Afghan Taliban, for example, are akin to such a force for they
seek to end the occupation of their country by the foreign forces and wish to
reclaim their government. The Pakistani Taliban have articulated no such
political programme. If they have one at all, it is to impose their intolerant
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brand of religion on the rest of the country and acquire control of this
state to wage jihad against the US-led western world. By its very nature, this
is an anarchist group not amenable to political compromise.
The Obama plan for Afghanistan the surge together with the exit
strategy has provided Pakistan with another opening to undo some of
its past mistakes in its relationship with our western neighbour. While the
Americans might be able to sustain another blunder in Afghanistan, Pakistan
cannot change its geography and consequently has no room for error.
Instead of bending backwards to appease the US or itching to slip
back into the godfather mindset of the 90s and offering unconditional
support to the Taliban, we need to urgently reconfigure our nationalsecurity policy that is geared to protecting the internal security of Pakistan
and is flexible enough to accommodate all possible outcomes of the US war
effort in Afghanistan.
Arif Nizami commented: There is no doubt that the nation is in a
virtual state of war. However, there seems little realization at the top of the
gravity of the situation. Neither the squabbling politicians nor the
government in Islamabad is on the same page on how to bring the country
out of its present morass. As a result we lack a coherent policy to deal with
terrorism, and if there is one it is certainly not working.
In order to effectively deal with terrorism, both short-term and
long-term measures are required. For starters, we need an Afghan policy
on which all the stakeholders agree. For the time being we have none. The
top brass does not approve of the cosines between Zardari and the US,
whereas Washington is increasingly viewing the civilian government as
weak and vulnerable. The contents of President Zardaris reply to the terse
letter written to him by Mr Obama to do more, although not known,
hopefully spell out Islamabads concerns.
It is axiomatic that a comprehensive Afghan policy should include a
holistic approach to combat the menace of terrorism. For this to happen, the
civilians should bring the military on board instead of persisting with
their present detached approach. The military, on the other hand, should
welcome such an initiative if and when it is taken by the president and the
prime minister, instead of considering them a security risk.
This will be an uphill arduous and time consuming task requiring
the politicians from the ruling party and the opposition and the security and
intelligence apparatus to bring their heads together. Even retired but highly

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respected military personnel with a broad world view and expertise in the
field of counter terrorism and security can be involved in the exercise.
The terms of reference for such a body should be to propose ways
and means to deal with the menace of terrorism, as well as to evolve
Islamabads own exit strategy from the Afghan imbroglio. Pakistan is
facing the dual problem of incremental pressure from the US to do more
and at the same time a sharp upsurge in the present wave of terrorism.
The US is threatening Pakistan with an invasive attack within its
borders if it does not deliver the Taliban and al-Qaeda to them, but
simultaneously has announced a drawdown strategy of its troops from
Afghanistan. Islamabad might be left in the lurch like after the earlier US
abandonment of Afghanistan post the Soviets exit. Hence it needs to open its
options to negotiate rather than merely try to militarily defeat the Taliban.
Next day, Tariq Ali observed: The frequent terror strikes seem to
have caused visible shifts in public opinion. Militants and their political
supporters are losing popular support against the backdrop of an emerging
anti-private jihad consensus in the country. But the fact is people are afraid
of the invisible enemy and avoid making open statements against insurgents
for fear of reprisal.
Analysts say there are several positive signs. The security
establishment has shunned it earlier policy of appeasement or support to
militants. Much of the political leadership has also given up its familiar
reluctance to act against the militants. Religious-political parties, forced by
the heat of anti-extremist sentiments, have reconciled their strategies and
abandoned their Jihadi tones. There is increasing support to the security
forces in militancy-hit zones. Jihadi charity boxes have disappeared from
markets. Religious scholars avoid Jihadi sermons. Most of the illegal FM
radio stations, the biggest tool of extremist propaganda, have gone silent and
so on.
Rahimullah Yusufzai opined: Confronted with the prospect of defeat
in Afghanistanthe Obama Administration is now working overtime to
seek greater cooperation from Pakistan in avoiding such an eventuality. It
wants Islamabad to continue its military operations against the Pakistani
Taliban and extend the action to those tribal and settled areas where the
Afghan Taliban and al-Qaeda members are believed to be hiding
The US is keen that military operation is undertaken in Northern
Waziristan, Orakzai and Kurram tribal regions and the so-called Quetta
Shura of Afghan Taliban in Balochistan is dismantled. It would be like more
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Pakistani troops to be moved from the border with India to the western
boundary with Afghanistan and more check-points to be built to prevent
infiltration of militants across the Durand Line to attack US-led coalition
forces.
Another US worry is the security of the NATO supplies passing
through Pakistan via the Torkham and Chaman border crossings to
Afghanistan. Up to 80 percent of these supplies meant for the 106,000 US
and NATO forces are sent through Pakistan despite Washingtons recent
agreement with Russia and some of the Central Asian countries to use the
northern route to Kabul to ferry non-lethal goods. The quantum of supplies
would increase when more US and NATO troops are deployed and a greater
number of Afghan soldiers and cops are recruited and trained as they too
would have to be provided arms and ammunition for training and use. The
NATO supply convoys through Pakistan have come under increased attacks
in recent months and greater resources would be needed to protect the
supply lines and compensate Islamabad.
It is, therefore, obvious that the success of the US mission is
dependent to a large extent on Pakistans cooperation. The US is offering
carrot and using the stick to seek Pakistans help in achieving its objectives.
But it seems the Americans have still not found the right formula to get
wholehearted cooperation from Pakistan and win the hearts and minds of the
Pakistani people.
Rustam Shah Mohmand was interviewed by Delawar Jan; when asked
that would the troops surge put an end to the Afghan war he replied: No, but
can definitely further complicate matters in Afghanistan. In the beginning, I
think, the US will be able to hold sway of and stabilize big cities like
Mazar-e-Sharif, Ghazni, Hirat, Jalalabad and others. But conflict in the
surroundings of cities will go unabated. In my opinion, the US will increase
aerial bombings which will cause an increase in collateral damage.
The strategy will aim at building pressure on insurgents and other
stakeholders to talk to the US. Secondly, the Americans will use dollars to
buy the loyalties of important people involved in the resistance. Thirdly, they
will bypass Kabul and establish direct contacts with the provinces and
warlords which, I think will cause tension between the central government
and the US.
This policy will continue for year and half till 2010 congressional
elections in the US. Since they would have brought some stability to cities,
the democrats will try to convince the American nation that their Afghan
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policy is working. They may win election on the basis of this temporary
success. So this policy is more US people-specific instead of exploring a
solution to Afghan war.
He was asked about the possible impact of the surge on support for
Taliban in Pakistan. Rustam replied: We are not fighting the Afghan war.
The Afghans are leading their own insurgency. Taliban have no regular army.
They are paying no salaries. Common people are fighting the US aside from
doing their business and jobs. You can see there, for instance, that a man
takes part in war and then comes back to run his shop. As far as the
Pakistani Taliban are concerned, the Afghan Taliban have already
disowned them. They dont call them Taliban.
The News wrote: There is now no doubt that the Americans are
going to get increasingly tough with us over the matter of tackling the
militancy, and if we are not seen to be responding appropriately then we can
expect hot pursuit. A New York Times report on Tuesday, citing unnamed
American and Pakistani officials, said that the get tough message was
delivered in November
When does hot pursuit become an incursion and an incursion an
invasion, even if only in small part? Nobody is suggesting that America is
about to invade Pakistan in any large-scale sense, but it certainly has the
will and the capacity to make small-scale raids and perhaps take
temporary occupation of areas where militants are believed to be, as part of a
wider strategy of attack and pursuit. The imminent surge in US troops in
Afghanistan will inevitably have a blowback effect on our tribal areas and
beyond as Taliban fighters disperse to their rear echelons in Pakistan. It is at
this point where boots finally come onto our ground that the matter of
sovereignty becomes a real issue rather than a piece of contrived populist
rhetoric.
The drones that operate over Pakistan are there with our knowledge
and tacit agreement some will take off and land within our borders. We
may not like it, but we live with it. Expanding their operational envelope is
going to increase the chances of collateral damage and hot pursuit is going
to require logistical support. Those doing the pursuing will require insertion
and extraction by helicopter in all probability and air strike capability
if they get bogged down or cornered and outnumbered. The thin end of the
wedge has just been presented to us (as it was to the Cambodians) along
with just a single option do more, and moreover do the more that

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America wants, not necessarily the more that we as a sovereign state want.
The screws just tightened.
In second editorial, the newspaper commented on ulema joining the
war on terror. Prominent ulema, at a seminar chaired by the interior minister
in Lahore, have said that all acts of terrorism, not just suicide attacks,
are un-Islamic. This is, in some ways at least, significant. The joint voice of
a number of prominent scholars may help remove some of the doubts that
still exist in the minds of people over the doings of the Taliban and the
question of whether they can be defended. The ulema have unanimously
agreed that it cannot. The ambiguity which still lurks over this issue needs to
be dispelled
The ulema present at the seminar have shown courage and a
willingness to lead from the front. We hope that others will follow in their
footsteps. The emphasis by some that suicide attacks were a social rather
than religious issue rooted in poverty and deprivation needs to be heeded by
the government. There is an undisputed truth in this. The government now
should build a broader front against terror by uniting the ulema, the
international community and ordinary people as a force that can take on the
terrorists and, in time, defeat them.
Shafiq Ahmad compiled a comprehensive report about various
militant groups operating in different tribal areas. There are several splinter
groups of Taliban in the tribal areas some of them are so-called progovernment while the others are not known to the public. Each group has
its own strengths and interests, but all of them have only, one agenda
to oust the US and the NATO forces from Afghanistan.
Taliban can broadly be divided into four major categories. The
first category comprises those that are attacking Pakistani security forces and
law-enforcement agencies, and are involved in most of the attacks in the
country. But this category of Taliban is apparently no more interested in
fighting against the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. The second
category of Taliban has no role in fighting against the Pakistani security
forces, but is concentrating on ousting the US and the NATO forces from
Afghanistan. The third category comprises Arab militants that have links
with al-Qaeda, while the fourth group is composed of Central Asian
militants including Uzbeks and Chechens.
The first category of this group is led by TTP, now headed by
Hakimullah Mehsud. The TTP in recent years got the support of Islamic
Movement of Uzbekistan led by Tahir Yeldoshev and other Central Asian
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Republics fighters, mainly ChechensLashkar-i-Jhangvi, Sipah-i- Sahaba

Pakistan and Ghazi Force. And these are mainly responsible for suicide
attacks The TTP is mainly based in the Mehsud areas of South
Waziristan
Last year, the Pakistan government attempted to create groups
within the Taliban with the purpose of splitting them. The government
supported Malik Turkistan Bhittani in the Frontier Region of Tank and
Abdullah Mehsud Group led by Misbahuddin known as Toofan Mehsud.
However, the government has not been able to achieve desired results.
The second category of the Taliban group is led by Muqami Tehrik-iTaliban, which is headed by Hafiz Gul BahadarMaulvi NazirSadiq
Noorand al-Qaeda linked Arab fighters. Although Ilyas Kashmiri, alQaedas so-called 313 brigade head, also had presence in North
Waziristan besides the support of his Punjabi militants, he has not been
seen since September this year He was killed in a US drone attack the
same month. But so far there are no official words to confirm his death.
Abu Okash has his own group in the North Waziristan. According
to the tribal sources, Abu Okash is Iraqi but studied in a madrassa in Multan.
He is also very fluent in Sraiki language and has supporters from the Saraiki
belt of Southern Punjab. However, these sources say, he has been banished
from the area, negating rumour that he was hiding there.
Sources in North Waziristan say Afghan commander Sirajuddin
Haqqani has influence over most of the Taliban groups and, in particular,
has close links with Hafiz Gul Bahadar. He played an important role in the
unification of Taliban in the tribal regions. Haqqani, who is second to Mulla
Omar in the Afghan Taliban hierarchy and the operation commander of the
four provinces of Afghanistan including Paktia, Paktika, Khost and
Ningarhar, pushed these Talibanto form Ittehad-i-Mujahideen Islam.
Orakzai has become the main hub of Taliban and there are
several militant groups, but all of them have links with the TTP. Zakiur
Group led by Qari Zakiur Rehman; Sakhi Group headed by Commander
Sakhi and Arif Group of Arif Afridi are smaller groups in Orakzai. Tariq
Group is considered the most powerful in lower areas of Orakzai. Led by
Commander Tariq Afridi, who belongs to Darra Adamkhel, the group is
involved in many attacks on the Pakistani security forces. Tariq Group also
claimed responsibility for kidnapping and slaughtering Polish engineer
Pioter Stanczak earlier this year.

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However, the TTP mainly supports Fidayeen-e-Islam or Farooqi

Group headed by Aslam Farooqi who has recently been appointed as
general secretary of Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, NWFP. Aslam Farooqi was
appointed head of Fidayeen-e-Islam by Qari Hussain Mehsud, the master
trainer of suicide bombers and the first cousin of TTP chief Hakimullah
MehsudTribal sources say Qari Hussain Mehsud was a leader of Lashkari-Jhangvi
Ghazi force, named after Ghazi Abdul Rashid, the brother of Red
Mosque leader Maulana Abdullah Aziz, also has presence in this small and
poor tribal region. Sources say the Ghazi force runs terror training camps
in Orakzai and has conducted several suicide attacks in Islamabad. The
group is led by Maulana Niaz Raheem, former student of the Red Mosque.
The Kurram tribal region, which faced the worst sectarianism in the
last two years, has two groups of Taliban; one of them is headed by Maulvi
Rafiuddin, who was arrested by the security forces a few years ago. This
group has a strong presence in the Sunni area of Kurram Agency and has the
support of the TTP chief, Hakimullah Mehsud.
Another group, known as Haydari Taliban and led by Abdur
Rehman, was established by the Shia community of Kurram Agency. This
group has supporters among Shia population areas, including Parachinar,
headquarters of the tribal region.
There is a small presence of TTP fighters in Khyber Agency where,
presently, a military operation is underway against different militant groups.
This tribal land has three main groups including the fearsome Lashkar-iIslam of Mangal Baghin Bara tehsil Ansarul Islam Group of Mehboobur-Rehmanin the Terrah tehsil, whereas Abdullah Azam Group has some
presence in the Landi Kotal tehsil of the tribal region.
The TTP supports Omar Khalid, who still has presence in Safi,
Ambar, Khwaizai, Baizai and Pandyalay tehsils of the Mohmand tribal
region despite last years military operation against his fighters.
The TTP also has its main commander Maulvi Faqir Mohammad in
Bajaur tribal region. In addition to TTP, this tribal land has two more
major groups Ismail Group, led by Dr Ismail Khan, and Zaki Group of
Afghan militant Zakiur Rehman. It is still not known whether Zakiur
Rehman has any direct link with the Afghan Taliban supreme commander
Mulla Omar, but majority of this group fighters are from Afghanistan. A
small group of Jaish-e-Mohammad headed by Waliur Rehman has its own
activity in the tribal region.
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On 14th December, Ayesha Ijaz Khan suggested: For too long, we

have allowed our religion to be hijacked by forces that have interpreted it in
ways that is killing our society. In order to rectify it, the army will have to
continue its battle until these forces are militarily defeated, the government
will need to regulate both mosque and madrassa, as well as work on
governance issues so that poverty is not become a feeder for terrorism. The
opposition will need to make sure it does not confuse the people on these
sensitive issues critical to our survival as a nation-state, the judiciary will
need to deliver justice and punish the perpetrators of terror, the civil society
will need to actively organize and condemn cultural practices that make the
environment conducive to such malaise. But, most of all, the media will
have to play a big role in addressing this is Pakistans biggest problem; yes,
bigger than corruption and sovereignty issues. Media owners and managers
need to be serious about not allowing their outlets to be used by forces that
misinterpret religion or encourage any sort of intolerance.
Munir Akram opined: Pakistans response to the US strategy
should reflect its own national interests and the sentiments of its people.
It should be formulated in consultations between the Government,
Parliament and the armed forces.
From Pakistans perspective, it would be unwise to agree to a
blanket escalation of military and police action simultaneously against all
Taliban and militant groups. Pakistans priority must be to finish the job of
putting down the anti-Pakistan TTP militants. Pakistan must also display
determined opposition to wider, unilateral US air strikes on its territory and
insist on joint control of all strikes against jointly determined al-Qaeda
targets.
Even within these parameters, Pakistans cooperation should be
offered only in exchange for tangible and immediate US support for
Pakistans national objectives: an end to India-Afghan interference in
Balochistan and FATA; a Kashmir solution; a military balance between
Pakistan and India; parity with India on nuclear issues; transfer of equipment
and technology for counter-terrorism; unconditional defense and economic
assistance; freer trade access.
At the same time, Pakistan, in its own interest, should take the
lead to promote a political solution to the Afghan and Pashtun
insurgency. This could be in the form of reconciliation initiative with all
Pashtun and Taliban groups. Such an initiative would need to be undertaken
through credible intermediaries, e.g. a commission consisting of respected

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Pashtun and tribal leaders and some other eminent Islamic personalities.
Through such mediation, agreements could be evolved with the Taliban and
other insurgent groups for a cessation of hostilities, support for economic
development, creation of a genuine Afghan national Army, a decentralized
political governance structure in exchange for the progressive and
complete withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan and continued
economic support for Afghanistan and Pakistan. a political plan for
Afghanistan, based on such a reconciliation effort, should be discussed and
agreed, specially with Saudi Arabia, Iran and other Islamic countries as well
as Pakistans consistent geo-political partner China.
The outcome of this approach may be messy. It may not respond to
Western values. But it stands a better chance of restoring peace in the
region, dismantling al-Qaeda and securing the graceful exit of foreign forces
from Afghanistan which are now part of the problem, not the solution
than the new US strategy.
As regards Afghanistan and the surge strategy, Rahimullah
Yusufzai opined: Once the initial enthusiasm about the renewed war effort
subsides and the NATO mission gets prolonged, the strong opposition in
every western country to deployment of forces in Afghanistan could become
still stronger. The most recent public opinion survey in Germany is
instructive: two-thirds of the respondents wanted their soldiers to be pulled
out of Afghanistan as soon as possible.
It is obvious that President Obamas hand was forced by his military
commanders to send more troops to Afghanistan. The delay in his making
up his mind underscored the presidents dilemma in choosing a course
that would escalate fighting, cause more death and destruction, cost the
limping US economy a fortune and still fall short of ensuring success
The president tried to appease everyone: the Pentagon and the
Republicans, who wanted the troops surge, Democrats who were opposed to
an open-ended conflict and the vocal anti-war lobby that accused the
military-industrial complex and the neo-conservatives of landing America in
another un-winnable war.
Despite being vague, his exit strategy marking July 2011 starting the
withdrawal of the 30,000 surge forces was designed to placate the
Democrats and liberals, but it appears unrealistic and may not work.
Besides, it has provoked the Republicans into accusing the president of
endangering US troops and emboldening the Taliban fighters who may
simply opt to retreat and wait out the 18 months before the American
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soldiers start pulling out from Afghanistan. Such a Taliban strategy would
also provide the US and its allies an opportunity to claim that attacks by the
insurgents have gone down and most of Afghanistan has been stabilized and
thus it is time to start sending their troops home.
A clever politician, President Obama didnt promise outright
victory to Afghanistan, even though he spoke forcefully about the need
to defeat al-Qaeda Since victory is Afghanistan cannot be achieved
without Pakistans cooperation, as US government functionaries say,
reaching that elusive goal would require strengthening Islamabads ability to
fight the terrorists and curb the militancy through both military and nonmilitary assistance. This, indeed, is a tall order and will require patience
from the US where voters are growing impatient that America is in the midst
of its longest war
The outnumbered and outgunned Taliban and other resistance groups
in Afghanistan know they cannot fight such a large and well-resourced
military force. As has been their practice, they will retreat instead of
fighting head-on, melting away and regrouping whenever opportunity
arises to inflict painful blows on the coalition forces. They could follow the
principle laid down by one Afghan Taliban commander who famously
remarked that the Americans have the watch and we have the time.
The Taliban have shown determination until now in facing a
superior enemy, and they will try to wait out this period while still
keeping the resistance alive, in the hope that the foreign forces will leave
eventually or offer them a negotiated political deal.
Zafar Hilaly observed: President Obama has made his move. The
surge in Afghanistan is the final throw of the dice. If it works American
forces will leave with their heads erect. If does not, they do so with their tail
between their legs. Both ways they leave?
Actually, no. a rump force of a few thousand US troops will probably
remain well after 2012 sheltering with the Northern Alliance and ensuring
that the Tajiks are propped up and the Taliban contained. Comprising Drones
and Special Forces they will sally forth whenever an unusually tall man is
observed in some valley of the Suleman Range. In essence this is the Biden
strategy. It cuts costs and casualties. It enables the US to keep an eye on
al-Qaeda and beat up on the Taliban every now and then for the foreseeable
future.
Such a strategy threatens to splinter Afghanistan Americas exit
would unleash a dynamic of its own. Afghans would be compelled to talk
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to each other. They may choose to fight or do both at the same time. They
may even finally be forced into the terrible hand of the Taliban who, for
many, are sycophants. But that is the concern of the Afghans. The world
after all watched impassively for years while Idi Amin ate his friends for
dinner. General Suharto butchered Pakistan has nothing to fear from
extremism that is if it wishes to cleanse itself of this affliction. And if it does
not it will pay the price. For how long can another country or society save
another people from themselves.
America too has every right to protect herself but not in a
manner that ends up destabilizing the subcontinent, robbing the Afghan
nation of deterring their own future, of settling their own feuds by imposing
on them a system that does not suit their genius and foisting on them corrupt
puppets as leaders. For how long can a whole nation be held hostage for the
sake of 100 criminals and be occupied and despoiled.
Obamas intentions are of no consequence. His actions are and
these are proving devastating to life and society in Pakistan and
Afghanistan. If America wants democracy and freedom for Afghanistan and
wants it to take root in Pakistan it should argue and counsel and not shout,
shoot and bomb.
Rizwan Asghar wrote: Obamas new strategy rests on the assumption
that in the next 18 months the Afghan National Army (ANA) will be
strengthened to the point where it is able to take charge of the security
situation in the country. But this is likely to remain a pipedream for a
number of reasons.
There is much evidence indicating that Afghan soldiers are in
collusion with the Taliban and nurture sympathies for them. No officer
of the Afghan army has been killed in the battlefield so far. The Afghans
immediate concern is to get rid of foreign occupation. Recently reports have
surfaced that some NATO troops have been found bribing the Taliban so that
their convoys do not come under Taliban attacks. Moreover, the recruitment
of the majority of soldiers from non-Pakhtun population has widened the
ethnic differences among various communities.
Some analysts have even said that Obama has sanctioned the troops
surge because he did not want to appear a weak president. But the question
that arises is whether the Afghan war is worth the amount of money and
lives which will be spent during these 18 months. One argument in favour
of the American presence in Afghanistan is that the US cannot leave this

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mess behind. But has the US done much to improve the situation in
Afghanistan, in the past eight years it has been fighting there?
The surge will cost the US Treasury at least additional $30
billion. Today, because of President Bushs imperialistic wars the US
economy is in tatters. But President Obama is still treading the path of his
predecessor. According to Congressional Budget Office, the deficit for the
2009 fiscal year has come in more than $1.4 trillion, which is about 11.2 per
cent of the US GDP, while so many citizens of the worlds richest country
are denied the basic necessities of life.
The war in Afghanistan is totally directionless and the US should
think of withdrawing its forces from Afghanistan as soon as possible.
President Dwight D Eisenhower once said: Every gun that is made, every
warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from
those who hunger and are not fed
Athar Naqvi commented: Regional state actors are engaged in an
interesting interplay of foreign policy decisions and their execution,
when it comes to Afghanistan. Over the years, especially after 9/11, India,
among others, has shown its willingness to exercise influence over Kabul
and in not just helping out in efforts of reconstruction and governance.
Reportedly, Afghanistan receives the largest chunk of aid India
offers to any country in the world. The bomb blasts, targeting the Indian
embassy early this year in Kabul, point to a situation which is both
complicated and precarious. A considerable addition to the number of
Pakistan troops on the eastern Afghan border, which is most likely, will
certainly mean an added strain on Pakistan security forces fighting militancy
on the Pak-Afghan border. What is that likely to unfold for India and other
regional countries? Would that be an opportunity to put pressure on an
already overburdened US ally Pakistan?
While the India government has been saying that a stable Pakistan is
in Indias own interest, how it can avoid falling into a blame-game trap with
its neighbour in the most critical of times, only time will tell. For now,
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs recent visit to Washington and
Indias getting closer to the US as its key ally in the region could have a
meaningful bearing on not just Afghanistan but its crises-hit eastern
neighbour, too
China is certainly not oblivious to what is happening beyond its
backyard. The development of the Ainak Copper Mine is stated to be the
largest single foreign direct investment in Afghanistans history. China is
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also in the process of constructing a $500 million electric plant and a railway
link between Tajikistan and Pakistan. Will China step in to protect its
investment in Afghanistan? This is also critical since the Sunni Taliban have
posed a threat to Chinas South Western Province of Xinjiang. Given this
backdrop, Afghanistan holds an important strategic position for China in the
region for its security issues and vast natural resources.
Russia may have healed its wounds it received in Afghanistan while
fighting its way out from a country it had attacked for warm waters in the
1980s, but it is not unmindful of the stakes it still has in its backyard a
place where the United States looks determined to play the great game, as it
is sometimes called, sitting on the worlds largest oil reserves in the Central
Asian states and the Caspian Sea. A Taliban victory in Afghanistan or a
situation that spins out of control is a threat to the Kremlins position in
Central Asia and Afghanistan by extension. More so as the Russians are
having to confront militants from Chechnya, Dagestan and Central Asia.
Understandably, since the situation has drastically changed after 9/11, Russia
does not have the choice of pitting a northern alliance against the Taliban. It
is not in a position to safeguard its economic interest either due to a tough
competition among the regional powers for a foothold in the region.
Moeed says: Russia and Iran will not see eye to eye on
Afghanistan because their interests will be pitted against Pakistan. Russia
sees its absence from Afghanistan as being tantamount to a carte blanche to
Central Asian Republics (CARs) to gain a monopoly over energy transit
from the country. Iran, on the other hand, loses its sphere of influence if the
Taliban force their way in again. Moreover, it loses economically if the
CAR-Afghanistan-Gwadar energy shipment link takes off. In essence,
ideally both Russia and Iran want to see the Taliban marginalized. However,
since Moscow and Tehran lack a genuinely popular partner in Afghanistan,
both are likely to keep channels open with the government in power while
simultaneously backing the anti-Taliban forces, elements of the so-called
Northern Alliance being the most obvious choice. The US could have
partnered Iran against the Taliban but that could not happen for other
reasons.
Moeed maintains that the US withdrawal will not be good news for
India: Were a pro-Pakistan government to take control of Kabul, India is
likely to see a reversal in fortunes in Afghanistan. A greater stake for
Pakistan implies that the Indian presence will be challenged. At the very
least, the Indian goal of bypassing Pakistan to reach South Asia will remain
unfulfilled despite Iranian and Russian support. Much of the recent
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investment in the uneconomical, circuitous trade routes through Iran will

constitute a sunk cost.
Moeed maintains that it will not be a smooth sailing for Pakistan: At
the cost of being simplistic, Pakistans interests diverge substantially from
the other players in the field. Pakistans natural advantage of having an
influential partner in the Taliban and its geographical affinity gives it an
edge over others. However, it is unrealistic to expect a return to the 1990s
some would argue that is not even desirable not only because the Taliban
have matured over time and will not be amenable to blatant manipulation but
also because Russia, Iran, and India see the costs of allowing a total
Pakistani domination over Afghanistan as prohibitive. In fact, the Taliban
could, with some sophistication, even begin to play various regional actors.
Ikram Sehgal opined: Of the initiatives laid out in the new Obama
doctrine for Afghanistan, the civilian surge is perhaps the most
important. Military successes in the field will amount to nothing if not
followed up closely by addressing the root causes of public disaffection
McChrystal recognizes that all ethnicities, particularly the Pashtuns,
have traditionally sought a degree of independence from the central
government, these and other factors result in elements of the population
tolerating the insurgency and calling to push out foreigners. Nevertheless,
the Afghan people expect appropriate governance, delivery of basic
services, and provision of justicethe weakness of state institutions, mala
fide actions of power brokers, widespread corruption and abuse of power by
various officials, and coalitions own errors. The Afghans do not trust the
government or that they will provide their essential needs, such as security,
justice and basic services. This crisis of confidence, coupled with a distinct
lack of economic and educational opportunity, has created fertile ground for
the insurgency
Some issues are critical to a civilian surge: (1) the so-called Quetta
Shura Taliban (QST) provide major elements of governance in the areas they
control and/or contest; (a) a body receives complaint against their own
officials and acts on them and (b) Sharia courts deliver swift and enforced
justice, providing security against a corrupt government, government and
coalition forces, criminality, and local power brokers; (2) major insurgent
groups use their Pashtun identity to deliver immediate and enduring
messages, out performing government and coalition at information
dissemination. The perception of inevitability of their victory is a key source
of their strength; (3) major insurgent groups use violence, coercion and

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intimidation against civilians to control the population. Inflicting casualties

on coalition forces, they deny them freedom of movement and access to the
population, while defending vital terrain; (4) the insurgent groups adopt
social strategies that exacerbate the breakdown in Afghan social cohesion;
and (5) some local and regional power brokers are current or former
members the government, their financial independence and loyal armed
followers gives them autonomy from the government, this further hinders
efforts to build a coherent Afghan state.
McChrystals view of the regional actors is interesting: Indian
political and economic influence is increasing in Afghanistan, increasing
Indian influence in Afghanistan is likely to exacerbate regional tensions and
encourage Pakistani counter-measures in Afghanistan or India. Iran plays an
ambiguous role in Afghanistan, providing developmental assistance and
political support to government. While Iran does not pose a short-term
threat, it has the capability to threaten the mission in the future.
Afghanistans northern neighbours have enduring interests in, and influence
over, particular segments of Afghanistan. They pursue objectives that are not
necessarily anonymous with the Coalitions mission.
What is missing is the recognition what Pakistan means to
Afghanistan. To quote Kim Barker: Najibullahs fall from power is a
reminder that the fate of the Kabul government is closely tied to what
happens in Pakistan (Najibullah remained in Afghanistan and was killed by
the Taliban in 1996). As much as he was able to compromise and negotiate
with his adversaries, he ran up against an even stronger opponent in
Pakistan, which offered sanctuary to his enemies and a great deal of funding,
weaponry, and logistic support to groups that opposed his rule. The road to
Kabul lies through Islamabad and these days even more through Peshawar,
where the Pashtun insurgency has its base.
Kim Barker has it right when she states: The future of Afghanistan,
then, is not about military strategy, about which side the Afghans like more
or about democracy and human rights. It is about who the Afghans think will
be strongest in five or 10 years; it is about picking the winning side, about
survival. If Afghans believe that the Taliban-led insurgents plan to be around
longer than the more powerful West and are stronger than Afghan
government security forces, Afghans will tilt toward the Taliban. And if
Taliban leaders and their underlings begin to sense this, they will have no
incentive to negotiate or reconcile with the Afghan government or the USled coalition. If the civilian surge gets the Taliban to the table, the
Obama Doctrine will work.
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Kuldip Nayar from India wanted Pakistan to do more. It is

unfortunate that India and Pakistan are not on talking terms. Islamabad may
find New Delhi intransigent. But when the latter has a feeling that the
Pakistan rulers use terrorism to further the state policy, they have to do more
than issuing statements to convince New Delhi. Therefore, there is a vacuum
which the America is filling. Both New Delhi and Islamabad are allowing
Washington to do so because their mistrust in each other has been deepening
since independence. Mistrust is the core of problem, not Kashmir. Unless the
mistrust goes, there would be yet another Kashmir to keep them distant even
if they are able to solve the current Kashmir problem.
Tayyab Siddiqui commented on Balochistan package. To create the
right ambiance for meaningful negotiations, measures such as a general
amnesty and cessations of military operations should be implemented
forthwith. For composition of committees and commissions, referred to in
the package, a definite timeline be indicated. Time is of the essence. Any
further delay would only complicate and compromise national unity. Had
Mujibur Rehmans six-points for East Pakistans autonomy been given
consideration and an honest national debate in the context of unified
Pakistan was held, we might have been spared Pakistans break-up. let
history not repeat itself.
The News wrote: Some within its ranks are reported to have been
disappointed by the initial response from Baloch nationalists to the
governments package. What they need to understand is that building peace
will invariably be a long and slow process. No swift results can be expected.
The hostility and distrust that has built has grown gradually, from year to
year, from decade to decade. It will not melt away overnight. The important
thing is to keep up the effort. For the sake of the Federation, Balochistan
needs to be brought back into the equation.
A consistent demonstration of sincerity on the part of the central
government is necessary to achieve this. The people of Balochistan have
seen too many promises made and broken to believe all that they hear.
Individuals within the province can also play a part. Suggestions on what
steps the government will take could help provide direction. A hand of
friendship has been held out. Both sides now need to continue walking
towards each other so that hands can be clasped and a future built together.

REVIEW

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The pattern of terrorist attacks, in terms of areas targeted and nature of

targets selected, is quite indicative of the intentions of the attackers and
prospects of their success. Before drawing any inferences on these two
counts one has to have a fair idea of the forces which are behind these
attacks.
The forces widely accused of these attacks comprise the militant
groups that have been pointed out by the US and India i.e. al-Qaeda, Taliban,
and groups which once supported freedom movement in IHK. Pakistan has
dared not to add or delete any of those. The other bunch, which is suspected
by the majority of people of Pakistan of aided and abetted by the US, India
and Karzai-led Afghanistan, perpetrate these attacks, inadvertently, for
fulfillment of evil designs of those who sponsor them.
In the case of militant groups the selection of security forces and their
supporting intelligence outfits as targets is quite understandable. That is how
it should be in war, conventional or unconventional. But, of late they have
been attacking purely civilian targets, which is quite contrary to the
principles of guerrilla warfare.
The other force that keeps singing the do more rhyme is interested in
continued perpetration of terrorism inside Pakistan enough incriminating
evidence is available. This serves dual purpose; strengthening of Pakistans
resolve to remain Americas partner in war on terror; and causing continuous
attrition on the Pakistani fighters, in uniform or civilian militias; thereby
facilitating the achievement of sinister designs of its enemies.
As regards aims of respective forces interested in destabilizing
Pakistan and chances of their success; the militants, by targeting purely
civilian targets have lost public sympathy and this surely marks the
beginning of their defeat or at least temporary demise of their armed
struggle. The other force is certainly making gains in terms of causing
attrition by perpetuating the perpetration of terrorism. It is for this reason
that it will try its best to sponsor the militants to keep them alive and active.
14th December 2009

FALL OF HAMMER
Little more than thirty-eight years ago on 16 th day of December,
politicians and generals had brought shame on the people of Pakistan that
would continue weighing heavy on their hearts and souls for times to come.
This year on the same day, 17-member bench of the Supreme Court of
Pakistan remedied another kind of shame brought on the nation by the
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daughter of the then leading politician and Musharraf a military dictator in

the boots of Yahya Khan; both acting for satisfaction of their lust for power
by striking a deal part of which was promulgated as National Reconciliation
Ordinance. The verdict triggered a wave of jubilation in the country.
During the hearing of petitions challenging the so-called National
Reconciliation Ordinance counsels of all the petitioners not only argued for
declaring it void ab initio, but also begged for such court orders that would
ensure prosecution of the culprits who benefited from it. Only one counsel
of a petitioner a convict in a murder case but having the courage of
conviction argued in favour of the NRO and begged that its scope must be
extended to all the culprits.
All this happened when Zardari regime decided not to contest the case
despite having drawn unprecedented benefits from the black law. And, main
beneficiaries in the ruling coalition (PPP and MQM) did not have a regular
Law Minister and Attorney General. Above deficiencies were felt during the
hearing and the regime tried to make it up by inducting a mentally deranged
lawyer: Kamal Azfar.
The court order will put to test the wisdom behind (or cunningness)
the decision not to contest the case at the start and then trying to do it
through third party. It will also be a test for the PPP as to how much it
tolerates the independent judiciary for which it claims to have made many
sacrifices. And, above all, what measures the judiciary takes to ensure that
its verdict does not meet the fate of court order on sugar pricing.

NEWS
On 12th December, the lawyer of petitioner Dr Mubashir challenging
NRO prayed to the court not to allow the ex-governor, Kamal Azfar, to be
party in the case for defending interests of the government, which had
decided not to contest the case. He also disagreed with line of argument
taken by Hafeez Pirzada. NWFP government at last sacked Mom & Pop DG
from PERRA.
Next day, PML-Q alleged that Aitzaz was going to sell the
achievement of lawyers movement. Shaheen Sehbai reported that Zardari
was on his own after the US pulled back from supporting him. Ansar Abbasi
reported that a whispering campaign to malign the Chief Justice over the
recent accident. The whispers said the car was driven by his son Arsalan
Iftikhar, but police denied that in its report.

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On 14th December, the court asked Kamal Azfar as to who had added
or asked him to add the para regarding destabilization in his petition. The
petitioner replied that he had written it himself and I did not mean blaming
judiciary, but feared that GHQ and CIA were destabilizing the government.
The petitioner requested for deletion of the paragraph, but the court asked
the counsel to file the written statement on alleged threats. Usman Manzoor
observed that in Courtroom No 1 Azfar turned into the elephant of Porus.
The NAB informed the court that Zardari was sentenced for six
months in jail by the Swiss Court for not appearing before it. The court
asked the NAB to produce all the documents retrieved from Geneva and
held in Wajid Archive established in Pakistan High Commission in London.
Babar Awan presented his resignation to Zardari (not Gilani) to
contest his case in the court. Zardari told him to continue as minister as
corruption allegation was no big deal. Observers saw it as a fixed bout; if
he were serious then the resignation should have been submitted to Gilani.
Babar also told Zardari the threats he was receiving for defending him. He
mentioned a telephone call from ex-deputy director of a secret agency urging
him to stop defending Zardari.
Aitzaz accepted that he had received Rs15 million as fee from Haris
Steel Mills for their case in high court, but denied making any promise of
acquiring favourable decision. He also said that he had rejected Musharrafs
offer for highest office (Zardari has been making similar offers).
Salman Taseer said Zardari would complete five years and its
immaterial who holds constitutional powers; president or prime minister as
they were from the same party. He said the real issue is not Presidents
powers but third time PM. He also criticized four or five TV
anchorpersons.
Article 248 of the Constitution was challenged in Supreme Court
being un-Islamic. The Article grants immunity to President against any legal
proceedings during the period he holds the office. Zardari hoped for no more
judicial murders in future. US asked for evidence against Hamesh Khan.
Next day, the court took notice of Zardaris statement in which he had
said that judiciary wont be allowed to murder democracy in future. Kamal
Azfar disowned his statement about GHQ and CIA and in fresh statement he
said General Kayani is a gentleman and the threat is from Taliban. Saleh
Zaafir reported that Gilani was annoyed over Azfars statements in the court.

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Details of bank accounts of Zardari, Nusrat and Benazir in

Switzerland were presented by the NAB; more than $58 million were held in
these accounts. Documents regarding award of sentence to Zardari, other
pending cases and withdrawal of cases for which Malik Qayyum was sent to
Geneva were also produced before the court.
After the hearing, Malik Qayyum disclosed that cases of moneylaundering, in violation of Swiss law, were still pending before a court as
Pakistan could not withdraw those. Hafeez Pirzada expected that the court
would give verdict on NRO within a day or two and if the NRO is undone
then all the cases would reopen. I consider it as honour to be a beneficiary
of NRO. Alas! My name is not there in the list, said Salman Taseer.
Aitzazs name was not there in the confessional statement of Haris
Steel Mills owners, but was added on the behest of someone Salman
Taseer or Babar Awan. Sharifuddin Pirzada, Malik Qayyum and Babar Awan
sent their written replies to the NAB to allegations leveled by Haris Steel
Mills, only Commissioner Islamabad appeared before the court.
The regime succeeded in securing the issue of Red Warrants from
Interpol for the arrest of Saifur Rehman. Only last night he had talked to Dr
Masood in his programme and gave details of Zardaris corruption cases and
he had shown his intent to appear before the court with documentary
evidence when so required. Gilani abolished two ministries and interchanged faces in three others. Pakistani cricket team was meted out insulting
treatment in New Zealand.
On 16th December, Salman Farooqi and Law Secretary appeared
before the court but failed to answer the question as who ordered withdrawal
of Swiss cases. It seemed that the then AG, Malik Qayyum had written a
letter to his Swiss counterpart letter on his own for withdrawal of cases and
apologized. In fact, he had done so on the orders of Law Minister Farooq
Naek but the record was not produced before the court. Naeks predecessor
had refused to do so. Malik Qayyum once again stole the show by taking
all the blame on him for petty monetary gain.
The full bench of Supreme Court declared NRO an unconstitutional
act. Court orders in brief are as under:
The NRO is declared to be an instrument void ab initio being ultra
vires and violative of various constitutional provisions.
All orders passed by whatever authority, any orders passed by the
courts of law including the orders of discharge and acquittals recorded
531

in favour of the accused persons, are also declared never to have

existed in the eyes of law and resultantly of no legal effect.
All cases in which the accused persons were discharged or acquitted
under Section 2 of the NRO orshall stand revived and relegated to
the status of pre-5th of October, 2007 position.
The appellate and the revisional courts are ordered to summon the
persons accused in such cases and then to proceed in the respective
matters in accordance with law from the stage from where such
proceedings had been brought to an end in pursuance of the above
provisions of the NRO.
The Federal Government, all the Provincial Governments and all
relevant and competent authorities includingare directed to offer
possible assistance required by the competent courts in the said
connection.
All cases which were under investigation or pending enquiries and
which had either been withdrawn orshall also stand revived and the
relevant and competent authorities shall proceed in the said matter.
Any judgment, conviction or sentence recorded under section 31-A of
the NAB Ordinance shall hold the fieldany benefit derived by any
person in pursuance of Section 6 thereof is also declared never to have
legally occurred.
All acts of Malik Qayyum due to which cases in foreign courts were
closed were declared to be unauthorized, unconstitutional and illegal.
As closing of these cases was illegal, therefore the Federal
Government and other authorities are ordered to take immediate steps
to seek revival of the said requests, claims and status to ensure revival
of those cases.
For the offences committed by ex-AG the Federal Government and all
other competent authorities are directed to proceed against the said
Malik Muhammad Qayyum in accordance with law in the said
connection.
The court recorded its displeasure about the conduct and lack of
proper and honest assistance and cooperation on the part of the
Chairman of the NAB, the Prosecutor General of the NAB and of the
Additional Prosecutor General of the NAB. It is therefore, suggested

532

that the Federal Government may make fresh appointments against

the said poststill such fresh appointments are so made, the present
incumbents may continueThey shall, however, transmit periodical
reports of the actions taken by them to the Monitoring Cell of this
Court which is being established.

A Monitoring Cell shall be established in the Supreme Court

comprising the chief Justice or a Judge of the Supreme Court to be
nominated by him to monitor the progress and the proceedings in the
above noticed and other cases under the NAB Ordinance.

The Secretary of the Law division is directed to take immediate steps

to increase the number of Accountability Courts to ensure expeditious
disposal of cases.
The reaction of various people was quite predictable. No question of
President resigning, said Farhatullah Babar. Nabeel Gabool said the entire
system should go, not President alone. Salman Taseer boasted that PPP knew
how to face cases in courts and vowed to provide evidence in cases of
money laundering by PML-N leaders. However, Presidency vowed to
respect the verdict and Prime Minister desired enforcement of the court
order in letter and spirit.
Senior counsel, Hafeez Pirzada said the verdict has provided to the
nation the motivation for survival. Qazi, a petitioner, observed the verdict
marking beginning of new era; he demanded recovery of looted wealth and
expected Zardari to resign even without being asked. PML-N leaders
demanded Zardaris resignation. Imran Khan said Zardari has lost on moral
grounds and he must resign. Musharraf refused to comment on miscarriage
of his ill-conceived NRO baby.
The cabinet adopted austerity plan; foreign tours of President and
Prime Minister to be curtailed, size of the government to be reduced and no
Haj at official expense. Babar Awan was appointed as Law Minister in
addition to his existing portfolios; he must have been tasked to salvage the
maximum in aftermath of the court verdict.
Ahmad Noorani reported: Five constitutional experts, in their
interviews with The News, held a unanimous view that foreign cases against
President Asif Ali Zardari and Rehman Malik in Switzerland, Spain and
England will stand revived; the federal government will have to take steps in
this regard and those federal or provincial ministers wanted in any

533

corruption case, closed under the NRO, could be arrested from Wednesday
night by NAB or other relevant government agencies.
On 17th December, the Supreme Court issued contempt of court notice
to Interior Minister and cancelled notification issued by the ministry
regarding formation of its team to investigate Rs22 billion corruption cases
in Pakistan Steel Mills. The court also ordered immediate restoration of
Tariq Khosa as DG FIA.
Zardari discussed court verdict with legal experts. He blamed Nawaz
Sharif for going back to politics of 1990s and said he was being targeted for
his liberalism. Zardari and Altaf also discussed the court verdict. Sindh
Assembly reposed confidence in Zardari for the third time in a short period.
Chief Minister blamed critics for targeting a Sindhi president and warned of
dire consequences.
Most cases have been formally and names of accused except Zardari
were placed on ECL. Ahmed Mukhtar became the first to be stopped from
proceeding to China as part of a delegation. Process of freezing of assets and
bank accounts was also initiated. Swiss government refused to revive cases
against Zardari unless the cases in Pakistan were re-opened.
PML-LM wanted a retired Supreme Court judge (hope not Dogar, or a
Dogar-like) to head NAB and asked NRO-beneficiaries to step down. Aitzaz
asked NRO-ministers to quit. Kaira said the accused holding public posts
wont be removed. Babar Awan was elevated to Law Minister. After issue of
Red Warrants the teams were formed to arrest Saifur Rehman. Mullen said
NRO is Pakistans internal matter. British High Commissioner met Zardari.
Next day, PPPs top leadership met in the Presidency and Gilani also
talked to media men. He said the man has already been punished for 12
years; he should not be punished again. He was not for reopening of Swiss
cases. Rehman Malik arrests others, who can arrest him? As regards Babar
Awan he recited famous Persian verse Babar beh aish kosh keh alam dobara
naist. Rauf Klasra reported that Gilani seemed ready to take on the Supreme
Court.
Rehman Maliks warrants were converted into summons. Gilani
suspended Interior Secretary, a director and two inspectors of FIA over
placing Defence Minister on ECL. The news about reversion of DG FIA was
rejected. Salman Farooqi secured temporary bails in two cases. NAB was
placed under Babar Awan only few days after he had submitted explanation
to the NAB in connection with a probe into Punjab Bank scam. NAB cleared
Aitzaz but served notice to Babar Awan.
534

Leader of Opposition saw the government moving towards

confrontation and confusion. Justice Ghulam Rabbani was appointed as incharge of Monitoring Cell constituted as per December 16 verdict. The
Supreme Court was moved for disqualification of NRO beneficiaries. Ansar
Abbasi reported R10 billion fraud in selling of wood at throw away price by
the NWFP government.

VIEWS
During pre-verdict period the observers kept commenting on
events in and out of the courts. Raza Rumi wrote: Pakistans survival is now
dependent on its internal political solution. Contrary to the conspiracy
theories, no foreign power wants a country with nuclear weapons and
lashkars of jihadis and its state dismantled. By fueling systemic instability,
our unelected institutions are yet again creating uncertainty and hindering
economic progress; about time that we recognized this imperative and move
on.
The News wrote: Rarely have rebuttals come in as quickly as they
have in the case of Barrister Kamal Azfars surprising statement They
seem to echo feelings in the presidency, where conspiracy theories of
various kinds have been doing the rounds for weeks. The president and
his aides are eager to save themselves by alleging that there are attempts at
destabilization. The Sindh card too has been dealt out. Mr Azfars remarks
simply play into this mood. It is hard to believe he made them in complete
isolation, and without some kind of subtle backing. The voicing of suspicion
that an attempt is on to force change adds to the crisis we have been facing
for some time. It also places the government in an extremely awkward spot.
It is to be seen what it says in the written statement the court has sought
from it on the issue.
The situation that has now emerged is unfortunate. Once more an
attempt seems to be on to pit institutions against each other and to divert
attention from real issues by creating discord. The problem is that the
comments of the kind made in the court add turbulence and damage the
political equilibrium. They are inherently destabilizing, and quite regardless
of the intentions of any institution or group of individuals, will act to reduce
confidence in Pakistan. The impact of this lack of confidence is already
visible on the economy and indeed also on other sectors of life. Somehow
we need to persuade our leaders, and those who act on their behalf, that we
need most of all is stability. The comments from Mr Azfar serve no good
purpose and have simply added to the chaos that surrounds the government.
535

This makes it even less likely that the order that this country so badly needs
will take hold or good governance will be offered to people by a government
which now faces further turmoil.
Raoof Hasan also commented on Zardari regimes plea before the
court through Kamal Azfar in which the court was asked to limit itself only
to the contours of the original submissions by the petitioners. The plea is
seriously indicative of the cracking up of nerves of the beneficiaries
under incessantly mounting pressure. Whether it comes in response to the
present submission that is before the Supreme Court, or it would unfurl in
response to any fresh application that may be moved in the future, the matter
is not going to end just with the NRO being declared void ab initio. It would
go beyond that. It would touch the realm of what would be the fate of the
benefits passed to over eight thousand people under the NRO and where
would the cases relating to loot, plunder, even murder stand that have since
been written off. Having displayed a total absence of morality so far, the
beneficiaries continue in their elevated public offices and appear determined
to try every trick in the bag to put off the dreaded adjudication.
Raoof made a mention of absence of justice in Pakistan for six
decades and then added: True to dictatorial parlance, there are orchestrated
murmurings emanating from the vested quarters with regard to the danger to
the democratic system in the event an adverse adjudication is announced by
the Supreme Court There was no danger to the system. There would be
no danger to the system if the Supreme Court throws the NRO out and reinstitutes the cases that were earlier waived off under the draconian law. On
the contrary, abolition of this infamous enactment would only lead to the
cleansing of the system and the strengthening of the institutions. If there is
any danger, it is to the survival and the continuing machinations of a select
bunch of people who have amassed unbelievable personal wealth by looting
the national resources. They feel threatened and, in their desperation, are
trying to nurture the spectre of a non-existent danger to the system, or to the
democratic institutions. As a matter of fact, a fair and transparent judgment
at this stage would provide the long-delayed adrenalin to the starved veins of
a nation that is now looking up to the apex court in hope.
The system is not at stake. What is at stake is the monumental
illegal empires that a coterie of depraved individuals has erected by
depriving millions of others of their right to live, to breathe, to have a roof
over their heads, to have two meager meals a day, to be able to send their
children to schools and their sick ones to hospitals. What is at stake is the
opportunities available to a select few to continue indulging in large scale
536

loot and plunder so that a predominant cross-section of society should

remain underprivileged and deprived of the basic needs and amenities of
life. What is at stake is the despicable concept of inequity and inequality that
pervades the spectrum. What hurts is the deep-rooted discrimination that
separates those who have abundant and those who have nothing. This vast
gulf, unfortunately, has continued to increase through all the years that
Pakistan has been around as an independent and sovereign country
While a few may be balking at the prospect of the judiciary throwing
out an immoral, illegal and unconstitutional enactment, it is the bulk of the
Pakistani population that awaits eagerly for this to happen and for the advent
of genuine rule of law in the country. In the process, no recourse to
unjustified immunities should be considered a hindrance to revive the
cases written off under the NRO because, if such discrimination persists, it
would only perpetuate a feeling of deprivation and injustice. That would not
be the right indicator for a society to start addressing its numerous inherent
aberrations including the gospel of militant philosophy that it is caught up
in.
Asif Ezdi commented on the new accountability law. The opposition
parties, PML-N included, have kept an eloquent silence on the other
provisions of the government bill meant to benefit the corrupt, (in brief):
First, the offence of corruption has been redefined to exclude the
misuse of authority to seek a benefit and possession of unexplained
wealth (one of the charges against Zardari).

Second, the accountability commission will be stripped of the power

to arrest the accused and to freeze his assets This will facilitate their
absconding.

Third, the investigative powers of the accountability commission will

be severely restricted. The power to seek the assistance of foreign
governments has also been curtailed.
Fourth, an accused will be automatically acquitted if he returns his illgotten gains. Even if convicted, the maximum punishment is only
seven yearsafter five years...he will be again free to hold elective
office, including that of President.
Fifth, another dirty trick is that when the trials of those accused of
corruption under the NAB Ordinance are resumed, they will take
place under the far more lax provisions of the new law.

537

Clearly, the new accountability law has been tailor-made for the
corrupt politician. And if he happens to be the President, the law will not
even apply to him because the definition of holder of public office does not
cover a serving president. This means that Zardari will not be liable for any
acts done by him while he occupies the Presidency.
After dwelling of Zardari for a while, Asif added: Zardari is
mistaken if he thinks he can avoid criminal cases by claiming immunity
under Article 248 and hang on to the presidency. The presumption of
innocence can only be claimed by those who are willing to prove it in court.
The options before Zardari are not many. The most honorable, short of
resignation, would be for him to agree to an immediate repeal of the
constitutional immunity given by the constitution and face trial. If he is
found guilty, he would be vindicated. But the trouble is that he himself
probably does not believe in his innocence.
The transition to a post-Zardari political configuration has
begun. The only question is whether it will be quick or slow, smooth or
bumpy. If Gilani plays his part, it can be short and relatively trouble-free,
which is what Pakistan badly needs. He is the only one who has the requisite
constitutional authority to take the country out of the present muddle. If he
does not rise to the occasion, the crisis will only deepen further.

Post-verdict period ought to be inundated with comments on

historic judgment. On 17th December, the News in front-page editorial under
the title Moral Renaissance Begins, wrote. The author of the black NRO
has already fled the country More important than the legal interpretations
and ramifications of this verdict, and there shall be many, is the clarion
message sent out by the court today: corruption shall no longer be tolerated,
and if you commit a crime you shall be made to pay your debt to the society.
The political monopoly game of Pakistan has just lost its free get out of jail
card. On the contrary, the time has come for many to start preparing for their
jail yatras.
Hopefully, the adamant NRO beneficiaries including ministers and
super bureaucrats, still clinging to their power perches, shall read the
emblazoned writing on the wall telling them to resign. And resign they
must if they possess the slightest modicum of decency or any sense of
ethical propriety. They would be doing themselves a favor by taking a cue
from the court ordered action against a former attorney general and the
immediate sacking of the NAB chief prosecutor and his deputy. The mills of

538

accountability have started to grind slowly, but surely. And this is just the
beginning.
While the real implications of the judgment shall be revealed in the
yet to be released detailed order, the contours of all that would, or should,
be coming are fairly visible from the tenor and substance of the Dec 16 th
verdict. Among other factors, the court has also shot down NRO for
clashing with Article 62 of the Constitution, pertaining to eligibility
qualifications of a parliamentarian which incidentally also apply to the
president, this has added a new and worrying dimension for the incumbent
president.
On top of that, the courts laudable direction to the government to ask
the Swiss authorities to revive the corruption cases against President Asif Ali
Zardari, has already unleashed academic speculations about the future of
Article 148 itself which grants immunity to an incumbent president from any
legal action within Pakistan. a fresh petition, making the current decision a
basis and challenging this very Article as being tantamount to violating the
now settled concept of all being equally accountable before law, could well
sire another historic decision; hardly good news for an increasingly
concerned President Zardari. Let there be no doubt, moral renaissance
has begun in the shamelessly looted and criminally misruled Islamic
Republic of Pakistan.
The News in its routine editorial page wrote: The judgment is truly
a landmark. The SC has rid the nation of an ignominy that had tried its soul
for long. The ordinance that it has set aside was never a law; for it to be a
law, this country would have to be without any sense of decency, morality
and character. We can proudly proclaim today that this is not the case, that
for all the rampant corruption that has wreaked havoc on almost all aspects
of social and political life in this country, we are morally alive. The
judgment will open the gates of opportunity a chance for accountability to
finally strike at the very heart of the political and bureaucratic establishment.
There is a chance that we may finally be beginning to repair the battered
fabric of the body politic, to cleanse the corridors of power. It will not be
quick or pretty and there will be casualties along the way. The Supreme
Court has done much to restore the dignity of the judiciary and we expect
the reaction by the general public to this landmark decision to be nothing
other than positive. There will of course be those who are less than delighted
with the decision, as well as those for whom the decision is a shot across the
bows, a warning that the future is going to be a little different for those who
traduce the offices of state. We the people hold our heads a little higher
539

today and anticipate a rolling of a few of those heads for whom it is long
overdue.
Tariq Butt observed: President Asif Ali Zardaris constitutional
immunity from criminal prosecution available in the Constitution of
Pakistan will not apply in Switzerland The most important questions
before the Swiss courts after the receipt of a request from the Pakistan
government to reopen the cases, earlier withdrawn, against him would be
whether a foreign head of state could be tried, and whether the law allowed
revival of cases once terminated on the request of the concerned
government.
Another SC observation will have a far reaching effect in the
days to come that the NRO was violative of Article 62, and the persons of
dubious character, who were given clean chit to become members of
Parliament for not being sagacious, will have to face the music.
While writing to the Swiss government, Pakistani authorities would
mention in their letter that the president enjoyed exemption in Pakistan from
prosecution in its constitution. It will be a unique letter, seeking trial by
the government of its head of the state.
It is clear that that as long as Zardari is president he cant be tried on
a criminal charge in any Pakistani court because of the constitutional
immunity, but after he is out of the Presidency, he will face all the cases. A
major political problem for Zardari will now be that he is an accused
person sitting at the Presidency, noted constitutional expert Wasim Sajjad
said. This is the biggest loss he has suffered for the time being, he opined.
Tariq elaborated the illegality and immorality of the NRO and then
came to Malik Qayyum. It is not clear how proceedings would be
initiated against former Attorney General Malik Qayyum and who
would do so as directed by the Supreme Court. The short order said that he
addressed unauthorized communications as attorney general, which had
resulted in unlawful abandonment of claims of the Pakistan government,
inter alia, to huge amounts of the allegedly laundered money lying in foreign
countries including Switzerland and the federal government and all other
competent authorities are directed to proceed against him in accordance with
law. Proceedings may be initiated against him by the Pakistan Bar Council.
The government cant take any action against him as he is not a public
servant.
It will be an uphill task before the Supreme Court to ensure the
implementation of its ruling in letter and spirit when the government of
540

day is hardly interested in seriously pursuing the cases against its own
members under the NAB law. There is every likelihood that a clash may
occur between the government and the apex court over the mode and speed
of implementation of the judgment because it is the government which is the
prosecutor and the court cant assume this role. Additionally the government
has made up its mind and is in consultation with the opposition parties to
make a new law to replace the remnant of Pervez Musharraf called the NAB
Ordinance whereas the court ruling wants trial of the revived cases under the
NAB law.
The way the NAB top guns half-heartedly contest the NRO case in
the apex court and were found unprepared annoyed the judges and earned
marching orders. This team had been selected by former President Pervez
Musharraf. This court order has provided an opportunity to the
government to appoint people of its choice, who would in any case not
be interested in pursuing the cases.
Ansar Abbasi wrote: Much worse is the scenario for Interior
Minister Rehman Malik and several others, who immediately become
absconders of law as they were on and before October, 2007. Our interior
minister is now prone to be arrested by police. The judgment raises serious
question over his fitness to continue to be a federal minister as his election
as Senator becomes controversial because of the revival of his pre-October
5, 2007 standing before the court of law. If not declared convicted in
absentia, he was a fugitive of law before his return to Pakistan after several
years of self exile. Was he eligible as a fugitive of law to become the
member of the Parliament?
The apex court did neither reflect on the presidents eligibility to
become the head of the state nor disqualified him from his office. However,
still the judgment has really pushed Asif Ali Zardari against the wall as
all his cases within Pakistan stand revived to the pre-NRO situation.
Though he enjoys constitutional immunity and could be tried in these
revived criminal and corruption cases till the time he is sitting at the
Presidency, there is no such protection available to him in the foreign cases
that the apex court has directed the federal government to get revived too.
The short order did not discuss any of the NRO beneficiaries
including the president but it did make him the accused president. Legally
speaking President Zardari can stay at the Presidency because of the
constitutional immunity but on moral ground he cant. Already the

541

demand for his resignation has been voiced and most importantly it comes
from the PML-N.
While the Supreme Court has evolved a sound mechanism to
monitor the implementation of its order vis--vis the proceedings of the
revived cases within Pakistan, in terms of the foreign cases the government
has been ordered to take immediate steps to seek revival of these cases and
their status.
Next day, The News said: Several former legislators, some members
of political parties and many former bureaucrats find themselves facing legal
action. For some, who had been convicted, jail doors possibly stand agape.
Action has already been ordered against former attorney general Malik
Muhammad Qayyum. Others will be hurriedly calling up their lawyers to see
where they stand. The fact that a genuinely independent court now exists to
monitor the cases of corruption means this time round the accountability
process may be quite different to the exercises seen in the past.
The hardest thinking should be taking place at the presidency,
though there is doubt if much capacity for this exists. The president now
appears a cornered man. As the biggest beneficiary of the blackest ordinance
imposed on this country, he faces a plethora of cases Demands are already
pouring in that the billions of dollars retained overseas by Zardari be brought
home. Many believe he has few options but to resign and vanish, aboard a
private plane, into the sunset. Most would wave a glad goodbye. The
question of whether or not he will do so is likely to dominate discussion over
the coming days. He is not legally bound to do so; morally he has no other
path to opt for.
The exuberant response to the scrapping of the NRO has brought
expectations that we could now be moving towards establishing a society
which is somewhat less corrupt than the one we know today. The fact that
corruption of the elite translates into poor governance and facilitates the
existence of corruption at the middle and petty levels is well-documented.
This corruption has an adverse impact on the life of almost everyone. But
the abolition of the NRO will not, on its own, end corruption, for this
monster exists in many places. Not all those believed to have indulged in
wrongdoing were covered by the law.
The next step then should be the setting up of an accountability
mechanism that is effective and unbiased. The dramatic events of the past
24 hours may have acted to bring home to politicians, civil servants and
others who walk the corridors of power that it is not always possible to get
542

away the wrongdoing. The next step must be to establish systems that can
help us take yet another stride towards creating an environment within which
there is less space for corrupt practices of every kind.
Shafqat Mahmood observed: The Supreme Court decision
promises to be the first step towards making merit the sole criterion of
governance. This may sound idealistic and it is, but without a proper and
determined intent how can anything be achieved? What the decision has
done is to put on notice all those who have been indulging in corruption or
dream of making easy money in the future.
The times gone are no longer another country and there is no
such thing as past and closed transactions. All the old deeds and mistakes
have been opened by this decision and everyone is accountable. It reminds
of Faizs wistful refrain 'bahar aiye to khul gaiy hein naye sire se hisab
saray or that spring has arrived and with it have opened accounts of
associations past and all the pains therein.
This Supreme Court decision is indeed like a breath of fresh air, a
whiff of the good possible, a possible way out of the darkness. Where does
it leave President Zardari; a man who never understood the moral
underpinnings of leadership? He always saw power as an opportunity for
private gain not for public good and that is so sad. So much was possible by
the late Benazir Bhutto.
I have little doubt that within days applications would be put in
court questioning his eligibility under Article 62 of the Constitution and his
disqualification under Article 63. Out of all the commentary by eminent
lawyers after the decision, the one issue that stood out for me was that the
court has held the NRO to be in violation of Article 62.
This prescribes qualifications for a person to be a candidate for office
of the president. If this has come open, it allows for a challenge to Mr
Zardaris eligibility to be a candidate. It is true that all the qualifications in
this article such as being a good character, righteous and pious etc are
subjective but this very fact will allow the presidents linen to be washed
in public.
His opponents will bring out his alleged foreign accounts, his
properties abroad and within the country, his tax returns, his travels and
spending habits, indeed everything that relates to his finances will be dug up
and paraded before the country. This will be done to prove that Mr Zardari
indeed is not a pious and righteous man and thus unfit to be president.

543

Is Mr Zardari prepared to go through all this? It seems so

because all indications are that he has no intention of resigning. The
problem is that if he chooses to go through what amounts to a public trial, he
may not only end up losing his office but get so sullied in the public eye that
any future role for him in politics will finish.
Alternately, he could resign and claim that he would clear his name
in the courts of law before seeking public office in the future. This will give
a modicum of respectability to his departure and evoke a degree of sympathy
for him. He would thus be able to metaphorically live and fight another day.
These are not easy choices and he has much to think about. For
all others who have been beneficiaries of the NRO, the path is more clearcut. They should be sacked if they hold a public office and they should be
made available for accountability.
It is now clear why someone like Tariq Khosa was kicked upstairs.
He was the long arm of the law and those anticipating this NRO decision did
not want to face it. The onus is now on the federal and provincial
governments as they have been put on notice by the court. If they dont
act on its direction or try to create obstacles on the street, a much bigger
punishment awaits them.
Excerpts from the article of Ayaz Amir are reproduced: So if the
money-laundering and bribery cases for that is what they are stand
revived against one Asif Ali Zardari, what becomes of His Excellency Asif
Ali Zardari, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Supreme
Commander of its Armed Forces? This is a fine mess we are in. The
dignity of the Republic! We shall have to redefine the term.
The president may enjoy immunity from criminal proceedings and
from appearing in the court. But what becomes of the authority that he is
supposed to command? His position was already diminished. It stands
further eroded after this judgment.
He wont quit or step down. Of that we can be sure. He steps down
and he will either become a fugitive from justice (decamping abroad) or he
will be running from one court to another. If for nothing else, to secure
himself from this fate he will stick to the Presidency, invoking Article 248
of the Constitution of which we are already hearing so much which
grants him immunity. But this doesnt leave him with much of a shine, does
it?

544

Senior military commanders (let no names be taken) already look at

Zardari with a certain look in their eyes. It is a distant look, or call it a look
with the eyes slightly screwed up. This look is not going to improve after
this devastation visited upon the NRO and its beneficiaries. For who is the
biggest beneficiary of them all? The Supreme Commander of the Armed
Forces. Not a pretty picture for the Republic or its armed forces.
In many respects, although certainly not all, Zardari has led a
charmed life. So far he has stayed one step ahead of his past. Now finally
it has caught up with him. If there was ever an Emperor without his
clothes, we are witness to the spectacle now, part entertainment, part bitter
tragedy. It takes guts to stick to the throne in such circumstances. But a
certain kind of guts we have to hand it to the man Zardari has always
had.
We can cry ourselves hoarse that these are the workings of
democracy. Zardari is elected president, which he is. But consider the
malevolence of fate. The wheels of democracy turn and what do they throw
up? The spectacle we are seeing. Why is our chalice half-laced with such
deadly poison?
But life goes on. The presidents companions hit by the NRO
judgment will twist in the wind. Will they quit while this exquisite form of
Chinese torture goes through its various progressions? My guess is, they
wont. We are dealing with a tough breed of characters here. Salman
Farooqi and my friend Rehman Malik didnt get to where they are by being
over-scrupulous about things. Qualms of conscience? Leave that to the
angels.
My friend Dr Babar Awan as a colleague in Parliament he is a
friend holds a doctorate from Montecello University, a university whose
existence even the keenest geographers have had a hard time discovering.
Still the doctor insists his doctorate no doubt in higher jurisprudence
is genuine.
It has now been revealed in a deposition before the Supreme Court by
the principal defendant in the Haris Steel Mills case that Dr Babar Awan
received four crore rupees, from any angle not a piddling sum, half in legal
fees and half on the assurance that the Dogar Supreme Court alas, no more
would deliver a favourable verdict. Instead of denying the allegation, or
explaining it in some other way, as lesser morals might have done, Dr Babar
Awan says this is all a Qadiani conspiracy against him because he is such a
champion of the Khatam-e-Nabuwat movement.
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From now on, if the NRO beneficiaries are on trial, so is Gilani.

Can he emerge from the shadows and be his own man? Somewhere in The
Possessed Dostoyevsky says that the second half of a mans life is a
repetition, or replaying, of the first half. The challenge Gilani faces is to
prove this dictum wrong.
Dr Mustafa Iqbal opined: The short order passed by the 17-member
bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar
Mohammad Chaudhry, is nothing less than replacement of the NRO by a
No-Return Order an order that has changed Pakistan fundamentally by
reinstating the writ of law in a lawless land. It is an order that surpasses
even the history of that very august house of justice itself from which it
issues forth like a fresh wind blowing from a new sky over this unfortunate
land which has remained mired in corruption for so long that everyone has
forgotten how to live an honest life.
It is an order that changes the tradition of convenient validations
of military coups and sends positive signals to the hopeful hearts that all is
not lost in the Land of the Pure. That there are men in this land who can live
up to the standards of courage demanded by their profession and prove their
strengths by affirming higher morals. Dec 16 which has for the last 38 years
reminded Pakistanis of the dark night on which the Pakistani army
surrendered the East Wing of the country to India, now has a silver lining.
By declaring the NRO null and void, the Supreme Court of
Pakistan has simultaneously established a new NRO, No-Return
Order, which states that no court can henceforth be part of any
unconstitutional game, and the credit for this goes not only to the men who
passed this ordinance but also to the Black Coats, who braved the last
dictator of the land to re-establish the very court that has now passed this
historic order.
Even though it is an order based on principles and is not specific to
any individual, certain individuals have now to decide their future course of
action. An honourable thing for them is, of course, to admit what they
have done, return the looted money and disappear from the public
scene. Most of them have enough money to last them and their next
generation, so they will not be out on the street begging.
This is, of course, an ideal solution, and the world being what it is,
one does not expect ideals to prevail, especially in the land where corruption
has become so prevalent that anything other than corruption seems
abnormal. Thus, the thorny road ahead has many ifs and thins; what if the
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heads which are supposed to roll strike back? What if no effective change
takes place in the system and the repeal of the NRO merely becomes an
academic exercise through some maverick trick, as has happened in previous
situations? What if those who have stolen public money find ways to survive
the storm? And what if loopholes are found in the ruling, resulting in nonimplementation of the order at least in practical terms?
These are all justified concerns as the Supreme Courts ruling
affects some of the most influential and powerful men and women of the
land. Even if the cases are reopened, they can drag on for years, as we all
know. In such a scenario, what are the possibilities of a just resolution of the
situation? After all, justice delayed is justice denied.
One of the most urgent and immediate needs for an effective
implementation of justice is total transparency and opening of detailed
records to the public. After all, it is the right of every Pakistani to know who
looted them and the access to information is considered one of the basic
rights of citizens. The second step is to establish special court benches to
effectively deal with the flood of reopened cases in a timeframe that is not
years but months. The third step towards an effective and timely
dispensation of justice is for the Supreme Court of Pakistan to remain
vigilant regarding its own order of Dec 16, 2009, and, in the greater interest
of the country, not let anything stop its full implementation within a
stipulated time.
Once opened, the corruption cases will neither be simple nor
easy; after all, we are dealing with a group of experienced looters who have
plundered public money with finesse and tact. The legal cases being what
they are, they will require evidence and evidence will not be easily
forthcoming after all these years.
Yet, despite all these ifs, thins and buts, the decision of the
Supreme Court of Pakistan is still a landmark in Pakistans history and, if
implemented with full force, it might help to recuperate some of the lost
ground. The media will be a very important component of the
implementation process. Each and every case will have to receive its due
share of public attention and this cannot happen without a vigilant media,
ready and willing to recreate history through its own active participation in
the process which is about to begin.
This new opportunity also comes at a time when there is an
increasing disillusionment with the friendly opposition that has so far
remained paralyzed despite repeated violations of public trust and hopes by
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the rulers from the non-implementation of the Charter of Democracy to the

lack of transparency in granting huge contracts. Just as the Supreme Courts
activity has created a small hope, Pakistans political scene needs to
receive a similar dose of hope from some yet unknown quarter. The
entrenched leadership neither has the intellectual caliber nor moral capacity
to create that hope.
Dr Masooda Bano wrote: It is true that political victimization is
standard practice in Pakistan and cases of corruption or improper
behaviour can become a means for the establishment to put pressure on
politicians. However, it is true that giving blanket immunity to all political
figures or senior bureaucrats involved in legal cases at the discretion of a
military general is not an acceptable way to solve the problem of political
victimization or forge a national consensus as was alleged by Gen Musharraf
at the time of the passage of the NRO. Neither can one man be given the
right to decide at his own discretion whether or not to write off cases against
political figures, nor can it be assumed that all cases that were closed under
the NRO were actually a result of political victimization.
In a country where the judiciary has for long played the role of
upholding the constitutionally unlawful actions of the military on the basis
of a doctrine of necessity, this unanimous decision of the Supreme Court
reconfirms public confidence in an increasingly independent judiciary. It is
now critical that the cases revived after this decision are subjected to proper
course of law. It might be true that many of these cases have already been
prolonged for many years, but this in itself does not mean that these cases
can thus be closed or expedited, as is argued by some
Of course, this is not to say that it is fair to have a judicial system
where cases linger for years Independent decisions by the judiciary in
these cases will help build further confidence in the judicial system and
help establish the much needed pressure on the senior officials and political
leaders that no one is above the law The NAB is the classic case of a
state-led effort to provide perverse incentives.
It introduced a model where the culprit could return a small fraction
of the embezzled amount and be cleared of all charges. Rather than awarding
punishment for crime it actually introduced a model of providing a legal
cover for the crime. The culprits were allowed to keep a major portion of the
embezzled state resources and also retain their social status. It is critical that
all such measures for protecting crimes of the elites that have been promoted
by the previous government be removed from the system and justice be

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allowed to prevail. The Supreme Court decision to declare the NRO

invalid is a positive step towards that. It is critical that all decisions on
these cases be taken in the courts of law under legal and public scrutiny.
On 19th December, The News observed: The hands of the clock have
suddenly turned back. Dead convictions have sprung zombie-like back to
life. It is too early to say where the process will end, but the disinfectant
smell of accountability is strong in the air. The judgment of the Supreme
Court has caught the zeitgeist and the public mood is perceptibly lifted.
Those untouched by NRO will doubtless be making their own calculations
and we may expect changes and slippage in the strata of governance. Time
just shifted, and it is quite apparent many do not like this turn of events at
all.
For the future, much will depend on how the government handles
things. In the changed environment people will not be ready to accept
convicts as decision-makers. The right thing of course is for all those who
face cases to step down; at least until a verdict comes in. It is unfortunate
that this has not already happened. The complications we face are a direct
consequence of this failure. If the situation persists, only more
embarrassment lies ahead. Incidents like the defence minister being unable
to fly to China to sign a defence deal will not do much for Pakistans
international standing.
There is another facet to all this. Already, the sitting government
has earned a reputation for large-scale corruption. Allegations of
wrongdoing in the energy sector continue to pour in. those in Islamabad talk
of set rate for any work at a ministry. Indeed many report desperation to
make as much as possible in as little time as possible. While there has been
much recent talk, from lawyers and more recently from ambassador to the
US, of a threat to democracy, it would appear the biggest threat comes from
within rather that without.
Democratic governments largely depend on support from people.
When this is withdrawn, they weaken. At present, the popular standing of the
elected setup has hit a low. People are disillusioned and displeased with its
working. The rather belated efforts by the prime minister to distance himself
from the presidency have been, at best, only partially successful. The
government must consider what it can do to save its image.
Anjum Niaz wrote: A fly on the wall heard the incumbent on the hill
tell a lawyer friend, Im not scared of going to jail but this time do char ko
lapait ker jaon ga. The sentence is loaded, so better to leave it at that
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Meanwhile, haunted by a demon for over two years, we are finally free.
Our nightmare is over. Weve been rescued by knights in shining armour,
seventeen of them who have slain the beast called the NRO. For the grievous
wrong perpetrated on us by planning and executing the NRO, America and
Britain stand guilty. The 190 million Pakistanis have a right to be
compensated for the financial and emotional damages caused by the two.
The NRO in October 2007 brought back thugs, low-life,
murderers and absconders from law to rule Pakistan. Every selfrespecting citizen suffered humiliation, anger, helplessness, mental torture
and low self-esteem. The billions of dollars stolen from the people by the
NRO beneficiaries got forgiven. And their frozen bank accounts and seized
properties around the world handed back to them on a golden platter. Do you
call this reconciliation? Do you call this democracy?
Our hero today is the Supreme Court and the seventeen judges led by
Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. Before we begin the
accountability process, the man on the street, the housewife in the kitchen,
the petty shop-owner, the labourer, the lawyer, the honest civil servant, the
small fry in the military, the hardworking professional, the intellectual and
the academic needs to question the ingenious role played by Washington
and London in summer of 2007. No not even a dullard, a duffer, a moron
among us was duped into believing that for democracys sake, we needed the
NRO.
Babar Sattar observed: Had the Supreme Court not struck down the
National Reconciliation Ordinance as unconstitutional, we would have had
to rethink the fundamental values that inform our fundamental law and our
union as a nation. But the manner in which the apex court dealt with legal
challenges to this revolting piece of legislation and the outcome of the
proceedings provides ample cause for optimism and cheer. This ruling
addressed a constitutional question that had both legal and political
facets. By seizing the NRO conundrum the Supreme Court has established
that it will not shy away from its obligation to interpret the Constitution and
uphold rule of law even in relation to the most controversial issues. But by
confining itself to tackling legal aspects of the problem in a manner that
doesnt produce partisan outcomes, our apex court has struck the right
balance between activism and restraint.
Our reconstituted superior judiciary is putting to rest the fears of its
detractors. The NRO proceedings were extremely fair and transparent,
and the Supreme Court finally delivered a short order that responds to

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Pakistans shrieking need for accountability while being jurisprudentially

sound. The Chief Justice constituted a 17-member bench to hear the NRO
petitions, which is unprecedented in our judicial history. Chief Justices have
often exercised their authority and discretion to compose benches as a means
to manipulate the outcome of judicial proceedings. By enabling the entire
Supreme Court to sit and rule over an issue, the Chief Justice effectively
took away his ability to control the outcome of the NRO hearings. For his
judicial authority in this matter was no more than that of any other member
of the bench. And the fact that the entire court spoke with one voice on an
issue of crucial constitutional, moral, political and social significance cannot
be overemphasized.
Babar appreciated the contents of the verdict especially interpretation
of the Constitution and role of Tariq Khosa before adding: Faced with this
dilemma the Supreme Court has done three things through the NRO
trial. One, it has caused the disclosure of ugly details of corruption of public
office holders and brought into public space information that no other
tribunal or court could have forced out of the government. This will limit the
ability of the government to hide facts from courts that will now be seized of
the reopened NRO-related cases and encourage the media and civil society
to scrutinize the conduct of government in view of the available information.
Two, not being able to rely on the government to assiduously implement
court orders and conduct effective prosecution, it has put in place a
monitoring mechanism to supervise the progress of the NRO case that now
stand revived.
And three, by declaring that the chairman and prosecutor general
NAB are liable for misconduct and that Malik Qayyum acted unlawfully in
withdrawing the Swiss cases against Zardari and should be proceeded
against, and by publicly rebuking the acting Attorney General for hampering
justice, the court has warned that the-dog-ate-my-homework-routine will no
longer work and public servants will be held personally accountable for
exercise of legal authority vested in them.
Babar went on to comment on moth-eaten machinery for
accountability; the pretext of destabilization and the need to establish
effective civilian control of the military. He then concluded: In this
moment when we have rightly refused to be held hostage by a president
and his cronies negotiating with the country by holding a gun to their heads,
let us not forget that the author of the NRO is still running amok and needs
to be brought back to justice.

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Arif Nizami commented of statement of Kamal Azfar in the court. It

is generally acknowledged that the government legal team put up a very
weak and haphazard case in front of the 17-member full bench. Its
attorney general cut a sorry figure in front of the court, whereas the court, in
its short judgment has censured the maverick former attorney general, Malik
Qayyum, and has ordered action against him. But the mea culpa was the
stunning statement by its lawyer, Kamal Azfar, before the Supreme Court
that the GHQ and the American CIAs involvement could derail democracy
in Pakistan.
Mr Azfar, a senior politician and a barrister of considerable standing,
is surely well aware of the implications of remarks made in front of the full
bench of the highest court of the country. Despite his saying that the GHQ
has been a bad boy in the past and that Kayani is a gentleman, his remarks
inexorably damaged the already weak case of the government.
Expressing his apprehensions about the democratic system Mr Azfar
unwittingly exposed the fragile nature of relations between the military and
the civilian set up and the US role in influencing events in Pakistan.
Admittedly, Mr Zardari and the military top brass have not had
a smooth sailing. The first indications of fault lines in the relationship
emerged when in March of this year the Presidency was forced to restore
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on the intervention of Chief of the Army
Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani in the wake of the long march call given by
the Nawaz Sharif-led opposition.
Sania Nishtar talked of anti corruption reforms. The legislature must
do five things:
One, in the forthcoming 18th Amendment to the Constitution, it must
aim for the right separation of powers and structure-appropriate
institutional checks and balances between the executive, judiciary and
the legislature and ensure that constitutional restraints upon the
elected government are in order.
Second, it must revisit the freedom of information law the oxygen of
democracy which has to do with access to information and
disclosure, which can enable public discourse in larger national
interest on issues of governance.
Third, the parliament must strengthen its Public Accounts Committee
and empower it as an engine of oversight with active engagement with
the civil society and expert groups.
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 Fourth, it must revisit the Competition Commission law to enable the

commission to function independently, as it is playing an important
role in creating a level playing field for businesses and weakening
economic interests that promote state capture
Finally, there is a set of imperatives for the executive, or the
government. Theoretically speaking, there are many things in that fold
that need to be undertaken revival of the National Anti-Corruption
Strategy, strengthening of several institutions that have a role to
playwhich can have a knock on effect on transparency, civil-service
reform, changes in public-finance management, procurement reform
and many other areas.
Shaheen Sehbai observed: This is now the new script for the coming
weeks and months but it is no different than the unwritten fate everyone
already knows. The Government has been left in shambles with very little
moral authority. Its fate will depend on how it reacts.
There appears to be a determined power struggle within the PPP
ranks to keep the vital law enforcing agencies under the politicians. The
disciplinary actions of the PM against his Interior Secretary, and other FIA
officials, reflects this mood. Giving the law ministry to Mr Babar was
another strong message. But the judges are also not in a mood to relent.
In this scenario the PPP leadership meets on Saturday to lick its
wounds, do some damage control and think collectively on how to regain
the loss of dignity, respect and credibility. The task is monumental if not
impossible. After a long time Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan will be part of the
discussion in the PPP CEC and what he will say will be heard in pin drop
silence.
The options before the PPP are not many, but the few that are
available are painful, like surgery, may be without anesthesia. The party
has long been run by arrogant people who would not listen to any sane
advice. President Zardari has been singly responsible for the dire straits in
which his presidency, the prime minister, his cabinet, the parliament and the
PPP have been pushed.
The Prime Minister, who has now come to a point where he either
takes responsibility and sheds the unwanted baggage or sinks with them, will
have to move quickly because President Zardari can no longer be
trusted to make the major political decisions as his vision and judgment is
too narrow and self-centred, as seen in his two year track record.

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The CEC can decide whether it would be the collective party

wisdom that will make decisions or whether the hold of the Zardari group
will be allowed to sway every sound advice. In that case the CEC would be
practically taking a decision that they all will go down with their corrupt
leaders. Whether the largest political party of the country wants to sacrifice
all it has for a few who damaged the party for their own personal gains is for
the party elders to decide.
What would happen in the coming days and weeks is; however,
already clear, no matter what decision the PPP CEC takes. If the party
decides to take on the judiciary and, as some sources are saying, Mr
Zardari is bent on fighting it out till the last, the country may be in for
another big round of clash of institutions.
In addition to comprehensive analyses by experts the citizens also
expressed their views crisply. Maj Surkhab Pasha from Chakwal wrote:
December 16 was so far remembered for the unfortunate military surrender
and the loss of countrys eastern wing. But henceforth it is going to be
remembered for the Supreme Courts momentous decision to strike down the
most shameful document in national history the NRO. The court, by
rewriting history to bring the corrupt mafia in the legal dragnet, has
lifted the pal of gloom over the citizens dismayed at the break-up of the
country. Hats off to the honourable judges!
While people rejoice over the decision, they also demand
accountability of the NROs architect, Gen Musharraf. He must be
brought back to face cases against him. According to reports, the British
government too had shown willingness to extradite him if the Pakistan
government so wanted. If the NRO is declared a duplicitous document, why
spare its architect? Let this nation make a new beginning by booking the
high-profile culprits for their misdeeds.
Dr Parvez Hassan from Lahore: The important fact is that the apex
court decision was unanimous. In the past decades, some decisions of the
Supreme Court were seen in the ethnic and provincial context. But Chief
Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry has brilliantly led the Supreme Court,
heralding the rule of law and independence of the judiciary while purging
provincialism from it. This decision will be remembered for the fact that
the entire Supreme Court spoke with unity.
Nabeel Anwar Dhakku from Chakwal: The apex court by throwing
the NRO into the dustbin of history once again has proved that no one is
above the law. Mr Zardari should resign from the countrys highest office. It
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remains to be seen, however, whether all the corrupt people will be brought
to book. The question is: who will take these crooks to task?
Dr Afzal Siraj from Gilgit: I want to ask the court whether the
looted money will ever be returned back or more money will be wasted
in long trials. I request the honourable chief justice to monitor the whole
process himself. Reliance on NAB and other agencies is not advisable. If the
cases are going to be reopened then they must conclude and the culprits
should be punished. Otherwise, there is no need to spend the poor nations
money on never-ending investigations.
Khalid Mustafa from Islamabad: I hope that a speedy trial of the
NRO beneficiaries will be ensured. I was ready to quit the law profession
after the promulgation of the NRO, but waited for the final verdict on it by
the apex court. Now I have decided not to quit this profession.
Mubashir Mahmood from Karachi: An honest man should be
appointed as NAB prosecutor-general who can act honestly and without
taking any pressure from the government. In my view the NRO-ed ministers
should resign and clear their names from the courts. I also thank the print
and electronic media which played a vital role in creating awareness among
the people about the demerits of the NRO.
Mazhar Abbas from Islamabad: It is also time the Supreme Court
reopened the Mehran Bank case and Asghar Khans petition. The NRO
was rejected because it was not only against the basic concept of justice but
provided relief to a select group of people. Justice for selective politicians
alone is against the spirit of the independence of judiciary for which we have
all struggled.
The question of morality also came up before the court. While sitting
in the courtroom, I looked at some of the lawyers and wondered, look whos
talking?, because among those talking of morality were the ones who
have defended dictators and people accused of corruption. But its a
different debate.
The co-chairperson of the PPP should step down as president of
the country and either get himself cleared of all corruption charges or quit
the party. It will not only help the party of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir
Bhutto but also leave a strong PPP for Bilawal. It will be the real tribute to
the martyred chairperson on her second death anniversary. Its time for a
clean up operation within the party and its leaders should lead from the
front.

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Shahzad Khalil from Sialkot: If our politicians want democracy

strengthened, they must uphold the rule of law and present themselves for
transparent accountability. There needs to be an across-the-board
transparent accountability of all civil and khaki establishments and
individuals in positions of authority An elected president or prime
minister or their ministers cannot enjoy the powers of emperors or princes
with their word as law. They all must submit to the constitution and not
transgress rules.
Asif Pathan from Quetta: With reference to the NRO quashing by the
Supreme Court and the revival of old cases, I want to say that it is a test for
the courts. They should deliver verdicts quickly since most of the NRO
beneficiaries have already fought their cases in courts for the last 10 to 15
years. Otherwise, mere revival of these cases will mean nothing.
Brig Asif Alvi from Karachi: There is no denying the fact that the
recent judgment of the Supreme Court will affect governance in many ways.
This one act has enhanced the image of the country manifold. Every
Pakistani must feel pound of the fact that the law in this country is
effective Now we do not have to search examples from the West of how
they apply the law.
M Mohammad from Jhang: The battle is not over yet and it has to
go on. It has to be won by eradicating corruption and recovering every
penny looted to free the country from the slavery of the IMF and World
Bank. Mr Zardari should resign and face the judicial process.
Hussain Siddiqui from Islamabad: A large number of federal
ministers and others holding senior posts in the government, who were
beneficiaries of the NRO, have not demonstrated moral courage so far
and refrained from submitting resignations. Now that their eligibility to
hold a public office has become questionable, should they not quit?
Iftikhar Shaheen Mirza from Islamabad: Those who have looted and
plundered public money are no more sacred cows and must be brought to
book. The ruling also sent a clear message to people of other countries that
the rule of law prevails in Pakistan and that the judiciary can take bold
decisions.
Dr Zafar Qureshi from Lahore: He has to seriously ponder over his
probable choices. First, if he were to continue to hang to power, would he
be able to command respect of the nation that he is leading? The answer is
clearly in the negative. Second, he must realize now, if he hasnt already,
that power alone never protects its wielders. Many who, while at their
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thrones, thought they were invincible had a freefall from the high pedestal of
power. Therefore, Mr Zardaris fight from the presidency to meet the current
challenge in his life would not be of much help.
What is his second option? In my view he should seriously think
what kind of legacy he might like to leave for the posterity. This is where
Mr Abbass suggestion becomes very relevant. Not only should he quit the
presidency but he should consider leaving his position in the party if he
wishes to see it emerge strong from the current situation. Now is the time for
the prime minister to show that he stands for the rule of law without
exception. Instead of keeping his tarnished and bruised cabinet he has to let
go of those whose names are on the ECL.
Qudsia Maroof from Karachi: Im an unlikely supporter of the tired,
inane, annoying argument presented by apologists of Asif Ali Zardari, but I
am. Why single out an individual when we criticize corruption, which is
rife in Pakistan? Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar has defiantly
announced that Mr Zardari is not going to resign despite the Supreme
Courts landmark judgment on December 16. According to Mr Babar, the
government isnt even worried by the development which is one of
those claims of his which are a little hard to accept.
Mr Zardari ought to make an exit, in the name of self-respect, if
nothing else. And given the jiyala rhetoric that is the most distinguished
example of his courage, he should face all those unproven cases pending
against him. Brave rhetoric by a besieged man. And blared from inside the
bunker that the presidency has become, might prove his courage to the
jiyalas, but his facing the courts can be only way for him to clear his fair
name.

REVIEW
The auctioneers announce finalization of deal with the fall of a
hammer. Judges too have hammers in their courts, but for different purpose.
In a court the hammer is usually struck to remind the audience about the
decorum of the court. However, on 16th December, without formally
applying the hammer available to them, the judges of the Supreme Court
announced that the deal has been done (or should one say: undone).
This was not unusual in a country where its rulers, military generals or
civilian politicians, are fond of deal-making. But, this was a different kind of

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deal; it had no secret clause, because it was finalized strictly in accordance

with the supreme law of the land; the Constitution.
The party affected by this deal, whenever questioned, kept repeating
familiar line: morghay ke aik tang (chicken had one leg). Its leaders rattle
out their sacrifices for democracy; that they have mandate for five years; that
the cases were part of political victimization and that these could not be
decided in a decade. Of late, they have started hurling threats of Sindh card.
After the verdict, PPP leadership adopted the same line which
Musharraf took post-July 20, 2007 verdict. Overtly it claims to respect the
verdict, but the real intent of the Zardari-led PPP started becoming readable
within 48 hours. The cheerful mood in which Gilani chatted with media men
after a meeting at Presidency indicated that NRO-ed forces have a strategy;
and they seemed united and determined to implement that successfully.
The aim is to blunt the judiciarys offensive that was launched on
December 16. Some elements of the strategy have become clear. Zardari will
be defended with application of Doctrine of Double Jeopardy as announced
by Gilani; for the rest the legacy set by Benazir Bhutto during her second
tenure as prime minister will be followed. Sindh card will be superimposed.
It must be recalled that the cases from Swiss, Spanish and British
courts were not withdrawn on the basis of a letter written by the then AG.
This was coordinated by the US, UK and Pakistan with respective countries
at highest level; otherwise the cases of money laundering and kickbacks are
not closed in civilized world so easily particularly during period in which it
is fighting global war against terror. And, the regime may once again seek
help of the Crusaders in keeping the cases in foreign courts frozen.
Counter-offensive will be two-pronged; inside the courts and out of
courts on issues not tenable in a court of law. The evidence relating to
revived cases will be tempered, destroyed and held back, while tendering no
resignations and making no arrests. Most of the evidence must have already
been taken care of and the rest will be looked after by Law Minister, Babar
Awan, who now has NAB under his charge despite a case against him being
probed.
The court verdict will be taken as blessing in disguise by the accused
persons. The difficulties resulting from it will be availed as an opportunity,
as Bush used to say. Judiciarys inherent limitations in the context of
implementation of its own decisions will be exposed so as to be seen by all
and sundry.

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They would like to defeat the judiciary by applying the strategy of

scoundrels as was done in case of sugar-pricing. Wherein the net result was
that sugar is ultimately being sold at the rate higher than the sugar barons
wanted; Rs 60 per kg. Everything is in favour of the so-called political
victims for similar results. Hence, the cool breeze that many observers
felt after the court verdict has the potential to turn into gusty gale of gloom.
As regards the issue of morality; asking Zardari regime to act in
accordance with the dictates of morality amounts to seeking moon from him
and his men. This issue of morality has been raised quite frequently without
considering the fact that perception of morality of criminals murderers,
plunderers and looters is quite different from the concept of common
citizens.
At the end a few words about Army and America. The ongoing
political dispensation and that of dictatorial rule reflect on a difference
between military and political (democratic) dictator. Military dictator acts
arrogantly against his opponents, primarily to cover up his weakness;
whereas political ruler ignores his strength and prefers to bank upon his
meanness to stab at the backs. As regards America, the verdict is no less than
a slap on its face for being a facilitator of NRO deal.
19th December 2009

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AROUND GLOBE II
The global war on terror was dissipating barring its epicenter spread
between Palestine and Pakistan. The Nobel Peace Prize Committee,
however, surprised the non-Christian world on 9 th October by awarding the
prize for the year to the President of United States, Barack Obama. About
two months later, Obama received the Prize and after the ceremony he
delivered a speech on virtues of, not peace, but war.
On 5th November, a Muslim major of US Army killed 13 soldiers and
wounded 30 more at Fort Hood, Texas. The shooter belonged to Stress Reset
Centre and later Obama asked the Americans not to jump to conclusions
about Major Hussain Nidal. Without jumping, as advised by Obama, it was
certain that the killer and the killed were the victims of Bushs holy war,
which Obama seemed determined to continue waging.
Americas war is obviously against Islamic fascism and that is good
enough justification for the award. Yet, the Grand Mufti in Hajj Khutba
asked Muslims to condemn suicide bombing and terrorism and warned them
against enemys efforts to disunite the Ummah. Did he want Muslims to be
doomed in unison without resisting the Crusaders?
One hears lot of talk of the wealth of natural resources in Muslim
countries, particularly, the oil wealth in Arab World. On 20 th December, a
Unite Nations report said that 140 million Arabs live in poverty. It would
have been appropriate if the Grand Mufti had also pointed out all those who
were responsible for their poverty and asked the audience to unite against
the oppressive rulers on Islamic World.

NEWS
The terror war in Fareast almost died down, except some flares in
Philippines. Two US and one Pilipino soldier were killed in landmine blast
on 29th September. Gunmen killed 21 people in southern Philippines on 23 rd
November. Next day, emergency was imposed as death toll in the south rose
to 46 and it further increased to 57 as 11 more dead bodies were found on
25th November.
Martial Law was imposed in restive provinces in Philippines on 5 th
December. Five days later, militants in southern Philippines released 17
hostages out of 75 held by them. On 13 th December, militants attacked a jail

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in the south and got freed 31 prisoners. Militants also released dozens of
hostages after dialogue with the government.
In Thailand, one Muslim was killed in the south on 29th September. A
week later, two persons were killed in firing by militants in Thai South. On
14th December, Japan announced withdrawal of its two naval vessels
deployed in Indian Ocean on refueling US warships operating their as part of
the war on terror effort. On 13th November, Bangladesh arrested three
Pakistani militant suspects, who were planning to attack American and
Indian targets in Dhaka.
Nothing of much significance was observed in rest of Asia; except
that two Russian policemen were reported shot dead in Chechnya on 26th
October. In China, six more sentenced to death in Xingjian on 15th October
and eleven people were killed in firing in Hunan Province on 12 th December.
South Korean forces were placed on red alert on 1 st October on the pretext of
nuclear threat from DPRK. Naval forces of two Koreas clashed in the Gulf
on 9th November.

Africa too remained relatively calm. However, militants in Nigeria

broke the ceasefire by attacking an oil pipeline on 19 th December. Four days
later, more than 30 people were killed in clashes. In Sudan, more than
hundred people were reported killed on 21st September in air strike couple of
days ago. On 19th October, Hillary Clinton said US would evolve
comprehensive strategy for tackling Darfur problem which would include
incentives and sanctions. Earlier Irish aid workers, who were kidnapped
couple months ago, were freed. A month later, 45 people were killed in tribal
clashes in southern Sudan.
In Somalia, on 20th September, Al-Shabab asked schools to scrap UN
textbooks. The Somali group also called for more suicide attacks. Next day,
17 people were killed in eastern Somalia. Eight people were killed in
Mogadishu fighting on 23rd September. Somali pirates captured a British
ship on 27th October. Somali pirates captured a Spanish boat on 2 nd
November. Four days later, they threatened to kill three of the Spanish
sailors. They captured two more ships on 11th November and a Saudi oiltanker for ransom nineteen days later.
Suicide bomber attacked a graduation ceremony being held in a hotel
in Mogadishu on 3rd December; three ministers were among 19 people killed
and several others, including two ministers, were wounded. Next day,
Shabab movement and its Hezb al-Islam allies denied carrying out deadly

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bombing on a convocation ceremony. Somali pirates held a Pakistani fishing

trawler along with the crew on 9th December.
On 17th December, Somali militant group shut down UN mine agency
aftrer suspecting that the acency was surveying sensitive areas under control
of al-Shabab. Three days later, seven people were killed in mortar fire in
Mogadishu. Eight people were killed in bomb blast and shelling in the city
on 21st December.
In Europe, a make-shift Jungle camp of illegal immigrants was
demolished by security forces in France on 22 nd September; 278 immigrants
were detained. On 4th November, Italy convicted 23 US agents in CIA
kidnap trial. A week later, German court awarded life imprisonment to the
man who killed Egyptian woman Marwa El-Sherbini inside a court.
In a referendum in Switzerland at the end of November, 97 percent
voted for banning the construction of minarets of mosques. On 1st December,
UN human rights chief slammed scare-mongering Swiss ban on
construction of minaret of mosques. On 14th December, ten Pakistanis were
convicted in Spain on metro hit plot.
In America, Obama addressed the UN General Assembly on 23rd
September and told the world to defeat terrorists or pay the price. On 6 th
October, Obama vowed relentless pursuit of al-Qaeda. Robert Fisk reported
that in addition to economic recession and continuous dollar-drain due to
war on terror the US was facing another potent threat. Gulf Arabs were
planning along with China, Russia, Japan and France to end dollar
dealings for oil, movining instead to a basket of currencies including the
Japanese yen and Chinese Yuan, the euro, gold and a new, unified currency
planned for nations in the GCC.
On 9th October, Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize 2009; the world,
including the awardee, was surprised. Five days later, Bill Van Auken wrote
that the combined US troop deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan have now
reached a higher level than existed at any time under the presidency of
George W Bush. This surge past the record set by its predecessor marks
another grim milestone in the Obama Administrations escalation of
American militarism.
Millions of people voted for Barack Obama last November in the vain
hope that his election would reverse the escalation on militarism initiated
under bush. Their votes, like the growing popular sentiment against the

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afghan war, have been dies regarded as the Obama Administration continues
this escalation in the interest of the financial oligarchy that it serves.
On 5th November, a major of US Army, a Muslim, used automatic rifle
to kill 13 soldiers and wounding 30 more in Fort Hood, Texas, Americas
largest military base in the world. The base, which the Home of US Armored
Corps has other facilities like the centre for processing foreign deployments
of US soldiers mostly in Iraq and Afghanistan and has the stress reset facility
for soldiers afflicted by stresses of combat zone deployment.
The shooter, reportedly, belonged to Stress Reset Centre and he killed
the soldiers in Process Centre where troops were going through medical
check. Authorities captured the wounded shooter but failed to establish his
motive. Media speculated that he did not want to be deployed in Iraq, or he
was a victim of racial abuse, or suffering from acute stress. It could be any
as all these are characteristics of the civilized world.
Two days later, Obama asked the Americans not to jump to
conclusions about Major Hussain Nidal. The observers, however, said that
major was ridiculed by his colleagues for his Middle Eastern background
and he resented his planned deployment in Iraq. Muslims received threats
from Christian Americans and they sought security from the government.
On 10th November, Obama went to Fort Hood to pay tributes to slain
soldiers. Within couple of days after the Fort Hood incident, John Allen
Muhammad, the sniper who paralyzed Washington region in 2002 was
executed in Virginia. On 18th November, Obama said Guantanamo Bay
facility cannot be closed in January as promised earlier.
Prosecutors charged a Pakistani-American on 8th December with
helping in Mumbai attacks by identifying possible targets and landing sites
and reporting back to a Pakistani-based militant group. Headley, the accused,
changed his name from Daood Gilani. The American intelligence sleuths
stationed in Pakistan were interrogating Maj Abdur Rehman to ascertain
his links with Headley and al-Qaeda.
On 10th December, Obama received Nobel Peace Prize; in post-award
speech he said America is at war, obviously against Islamic fascism and
that is good enough justification for the award. Five days later, two
Pakistanis were sentenced to 17 and 13 years in prison by a court in Atlanta
for conspiring to support terror groups. On 21st December, the US handed
over 12 inmates of Guantanamo Bay to their respective countries;
Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia.

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VIEWS
Two events in America were widely commented upon; the first was
award of Nobel Peace Prize to Obama. Paul Craig Roberts wrote: It took 25
years longer than George Orwell thought for the slogans of 1984 to become
reality. War is Peace, freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength. I would
add Lie is Truth. The Nobel Committee has awarded the 2009 Peace Prize
to US President Barack Obama, the person who started a new war in
Pakistan, upped the war in Afghanistan, and continues to threaten Iran with
attack unless the Islamic republic does what the US government demands
and relinquishes its right as a signatory to the non-proliferation treaty.
The Nobel Committee Chairman, Thorbjoern Jagland said: Only
very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the worlds
attention and given its people hope for a better future. Obama, the
committee gushed, has created a new climate in international politics. Tell
that to the two million displaced Pakistanis and the unknown numbers
of dead ones that Obama has racked up in his few months in office. Tell that
to the Afghans where civilian deaths continue to mount as Obamas war of
necessity drones on indeterminably.
No Bush policy has changed. Iraq is still occupied. The
Guantanamo torture prison is still functioning. Renditions and
assassinations are still occurring. Spying on Americans without warrants is
still the order of the day. Civil liberties are continuing to be violated in the
name of Oceanias war on terror.
Apparently, the Nobel committee is suffering from the delusion that,
being a minority, Obama is going to put a stop to Western hegemony over
darker-skinned people. The non-cynical can say that the Nobel committee is
seizing on Obamas rhetoric to lock him into the pursuit of peace instead of
war. We can all hope that it works. But the more likely result is that the
award has made War is Peace the reality.
Obama has done nothing to hold the criminal Bush regime to
account, and the Obama Administration has bribed and threatened the
Palestinian Authority to go along with US/Israeli plan (on) the UNs
Goldstone Report on Israels inhuman military attack on the defenceless
civilian population in the Gaza ghetto. The US Ministry of Truth is
delivering the Obama Administrations propaganda that Iran only notified
the IAEA of its secret new nuclear facility because Iran discovered that US

564

intelligence had discovered the secret facility. This propaganda is designed

to undercut the fact of Irans compliance with the Safeguards Agreement and
to continue the momentum for a military attack on Iran. The Nobel
committee has placed all its hopes on a bit of skin colour.
War is Peace, is now the position of the formerly antiwar
organization, Code Pink. Code Pink has decided that womens rights are
worth a war in Afghanistan. When justifications for war become almost
endless oil, hegemony, womens rights, democracy, revenge for 9/11,
denying bases to al-Qaeda and protecting against war becomes the path to
peace. The Nobel committee has bestowed the prestige of its Peace Prize
on Newspeak and Doublethink.
The Nation commented: The big news is that President Barack
Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize for which the nominations
had closed 12 days after he had entered the White House. But bigger
question is: For what? Sweet rhetoric? Talking the ideals of peace and
harmony the world has lost hope to achieve? Has there been any concrete
movement towards those goals or is there a real possibility of any
meaningful progress, given the reality of the complicated conflicts of
interest in the international community? Hardly! Or is the award a pat on
the back for putting greater vigour and determination into the aggressive
policies his predecessor George W Bush was pursuing, despite his repeated
avowal to reverse them? Sounds yes as a most probable answer!
The truth is that on more than one crucial challenge to a global peace,
Obama has already come up against formidable setbacks and one should not
be surprised if his resolve were to begin to wane. Granting him the most
prestigious global prize without waiting to see whether he is able to
withstand the strong crosswind is too early, too rash a conclusion. The
powerful Jewish lobby, for instance, without whose support US presidents
have little scope for manoeuvre on issues even remotely connected with
Jewish interests would not forsake the stubborn Benjamin Netanyahu, who
is refusing to halt the construction of settlements that was Obamas initial
move to turn the tide of Israeli-Palestinian hostility. And havent we
witnessed his interest in solving the Kashmir problem peter off
The surge of troops in Afghanistan he has effected has reinvigorated
the Afghan resistance, and as his chosen commander General McChrystal
hankers for GIs in the war arena, the Pentagon should prepare itself to reap
the whirlwind. We might be witnessing the beginning of the end of Vietnam
unless better sense prevails in the councils of White House. The wish for a

565

nuclear-free world is not something that Obama is the first leader to

entertain Had President Obama turned down the award, he would
have added to his prestige and perhaps prompted the Nobel Committee to
stop politicizing a noble motive.
Howard Zinn opined: People should be given a peace prize not on the
basis of promises they have made as with Obama, an eloquent maker of
promises but on the basis of actual accomplishments towards ending war,
and Obama has continued deadly, inhuman military action in Iraq,
Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Nobel Peace Committee should retire, and
turn over its huge funds to some international peace organization which
is not awed by stardom and rhetoric, and which has some understanding of
history.
M Shaikh from Islamabad wrote: Nobel Peace Prize, unlike the
Nobel Prize in any of the scientific disciplines, was never a very nonpolitical or non-controversial. It was therefore not much of a surprise, nor
any added feather in eyes of the non-western world, when Barack Obama
got one. The words Nobel and Peace might still have a glitter, but peace
prizes in politics are given these days only for doing some service to the
imperial powers, or usually when a future favour is to be extracted from
somebody to advance the imperial agenda. Being a prize of western origin,
Nobel Peace Prize cannot go to any Muslims except someone like Anwer
Sadaat for dumping the Palestine issue.
Award of Nobel Prize to Obama would probably not even delay
sending of the American troops to Afghanistan for few weeks, such being
the nature of politics and the rightness of being of the Prize itself. It might
rather hasten sending of troops in the name of peace troops. In brief, it
means nothing. A white President of USA after Bush might have been more
secure and more assertive in ending wars taking place in the world. But
Barack Obama is a Neocons dream come true. He has to reassure America
about continuity of killing of Muslims everyday in order to prove he is
one of them.
After Obama received the Prize Aasim Sajjad Akhtar commented: In
the final analysis, history will recount that a wartime president of the United
States was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009. For all of his attempts to
counterbalance the interests of the pro-war lobby with those of his person
and party by announcing withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in 2011, the
wartime president will never be an advocate for genuine peace. The troops
of his great United States of America continue to occupy more than 150

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military bases around the world, and they will remain in Afghanistan long
beyond 2011.
One of the most vilified men of the 20 th century, Fidel Castro, has
noted that Bolivian President Evo Morales a poor, non-white cocoa farmer
is one of the most unequal and racist societies in the world who, after
becoming president, has taken on the Bolivian ruling class and truly
advanced the cause of peace will never be nominated for the Nobel Peace
Prize because he is not the president of the United States. And he is right.
Morales will never wage morally justified wars, or enforce sanctions against
Iran or North Korea. Morales does not defend the Empire, he chooses to
fight against it. If I had a peace prize to hand over, I, like Fidel, would
give it to Morales.
Shamshad Ahmad opined: Obamas new hawkish doctrine must
have embarrassed the Nobel Committee for having made a mockery of
this years prize. Even American analysts were filled with self-reproach on
seeing their president being given an honour that he didnt deserve. They
found it difficult to digest Obamas new belligerent message which was
clearly at odds with the spirit bequeathed by Alfred Nobel. He was receiving
an honour for peace that is nowhere. As a warrior president, perhaps George
W Bush would have made a more deserving Nobel Laureate.
Since he became president, Obama has only escalated CIA-operated
drone attacks into Pakistan. Even though they are aimed at suspected alQaeda or Taliban havens, they constitute blatant violation of Pakistans
territorial integrity. Only days before receiving his Nobel, Obama had
ordered fresh military surge of additional 30,000 troops for Afghanistan.
No wonder, he was booed by thousands of anti-war protesters outside the
Oslo City Hall where he was receiving the prize.
Inside the Hall, it must have been a jarring moment for the selected
audience when Obama, in the midst of the ceremony, spoke rather
nonchalantly of his troops in Afghanistan: Some will kill. Some will be
killed. He also claimed that force is sometimes necessary and that we will
not eradicate conflict in our lifetimes. Earlier this year, he said the US will
maintain a nuclear arsenal as long as these weapons exist. Obamas
overbearing candidness must have challenged the Nobel Committees
wisdom.
By reaching back to the concept of just war, Obama tried
unabashedly to impress his audience by saying that his Nobel credentials
were not undeserved. He also signaled to them that after nearly a year in
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office, his views about the need to resort to force had begun to harden. It
was almost certainly not the speech that the Nobel Committee would
have expected to hear, nor the one that Obama himself would have
imagined delivering six years ago when as a state Senator; he had vocally
opposed the Iraq war.
In Oslo, Obama justified the use of force in self-defence or to
come to the aid of an invaded nation, on humanitarian grounds. What he
did not mention in this context is that the UN Charter (Article 2) obliges
all states: to settle disputes by peaceful means, to refrain from the threat or
use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of any
state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United
Nations.
After pointing out how the US violated the UN Charter since 9/11
Shamshad added: Obamas Nobel moment seems to have come too
soon To prove himself worthy of the prize, Obama must establish his
peaceful credentials. He could do so only by ensuring US withdrawal from
Iraq on a schedule, ceasing drone strikes across the Durand Line, preparing
the ground for withdrawal from Afghanistan to eighteen months as
announced, and getting the Palestinians a state by the end of 2011 even
through unilateral recognition.
The other incident that was widely commented upon was shooting at
Fort Hood. The Nation wrote: While Major Hasans motives will be known
once the investigation has been completed, the American Muslim
community as a whole has become acutely fearful of backlash of the
killings. This is quite understandable in the light of their past experience
since 9/11, which showed that even innocents were not spared. Theirs has
been an unsavory and difficult life in general; encroachment on privacy
through constant surveillance undue harassment and even incarceration and
torture.
Efforts are already afoot by the countrys known Muslim
personalities and institutions to clear the air and tell their non-Muslim
counterparts (what they have all along been saying) that such wanton acts of
brutality are not sanctioned by any religion. And therefore, the whole lot of
the faithful could not be blamed. They have made singular contributions to
American life, something that President Obama has acknowledged. Nidals
cousin Nader Hasan has been quoted as saying, our family loves America.
We aresaddened by todays tragedy. However, side by side while urging
the fellow Americans to remain calm, the Muslims have been compelled to

568

take precautionary measures and have sent out word to fellow Muslims to
beef up their personal security and that of mosques and other religious
institutions.
Much would depend on the US administration and how it
provides the maximum possible protection and security to Americas
Muslim citizens. That would be in line with President Obamas desire to
build bridges with the Muslim World, which he expressed in his landmark
speech at Cairo early this year.
Tim McGrick observed: Most army psychiatrists now have a full
caseload of men and women returning from combat zones with PTSD. A
survey by the Rand Corp last April revealed that one in five service men and
women are coming back with post-traumatic stress and mental depression.
Previously known as combat fatigue or being shell-shocked, PTSD was
only diagnosed as an illness in the 1980s, but it has been around for as
long as men have been killing one another and undergoing fearful
experiences. It can lead to outbursts of rage, emotional numbness, severe
depression, nightmares, and the abuse of alcohol and pain-killers. In extreme
cases, PTSD sufferers have committed suicide and murder. Since the late
1980s, doctors have also learned that over time, along with drugs and
therapy, PTSD is curable.
As part of their therapy, PTSD sufferers are typically asked to dredge
up their worst wartime memories. Hearing these nightmarish experiences
can stir up powerful reactions in even the most seasoned therapists. One
Colorado sergeant, diagnosed with PTSD, who had served as a dog-handler
in Iraq, told me how his psychiatric counselor had broken down sobbing
after the soldier described how he had been sent out to find the remains of
his close friend, a helicopter pilot, shot down in southern Iraq. I looked up
and there she was crying, the sergeant says. I didnt want that from a
shrink.
But there is a major difference, says Veteran affairs Zeiss, between a
therapist being moved by combat horror stories and being traumatized by
them though it can happen. Psychiatrists are trained to notice their own
reactions and emotions, and if theres something hard to deal with, they
should turn to their peers, she says. But according to some news reports,
Hasans unprofessional conduct was red-flagged early on; at Walter
Reed he was given a poor performance report, but that did not hinder his
transfer to Fort Hood.

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And for even the most hardened army psychiatrist that would be a
grueling assignment. Fort Hood has the highest suicide rate of any army
base in the country, largely because so many servicemen and women
stationed there have undergone severe trauma while deployed in Iraq
and Afghanistan, at Fort Hood, in other words, there was no shortage of
horrific tales that could have set loose the demons in Hasans mind.
Anjum Niaz commented: If you have a Muslim name, do watch out.
The media in America likes to smoke out Muslims who go off the rails. But
more importantly, why do people fall off the wagon in America? What are
the forces that drive these malcontents to the point where they pick up a gun
and start shooting indiscriminately? The press is so sensation-driven it cares
a whit why an army psychiatrist goes ballistic killing 13 of his own. All that
the media wants is to tell the world that the alleged killer is a Muslim!
Has anyone in the media analyzed how American Muslims are ragged by
their colleagues in the military? Has anyone wondered how they are
humiliated because of their religious beliefs?
Anyone called Malik and Hasan has it coming for him. I mean,
if they happen to land on the shores of America, God help them. They would
have joined the unfortunate company of Muhammad, Husain, Khan and
others hauled up for secondary questioning by the US immigrations and
grilled until they start to fry. Their sin? Their names match those of the
terrorists wanted by the US. Therefore, come prepared with convincing
answers, or else youd be shunted off on the next flight back home.
Hasan, pronounced Hassaan, is a hated name in the US today.
Was he a radical fanatic, a Taliban in the garb of a doctor helping fellowsoldiers suffering from mental trauma? By all accounts, Hasan was devout,
writes The Los Angles Times. He worshipped at the mosque each day at 6
a.m. and often prayed their five times a day, especially during the holy
month of Ramadan. One of Hasans classmates in the programme said he
doubted the mans commitment to the military
To avoid such a horrible replay in the future the US military must
pay heed to religious sensitivities and ethnic diversity: either dont enroll
Muslims or discharge them before the ragging by fellow soldiers drives them
to madness. And Fox News needs to be told to stop stereotyping Muslims.
Surely there are Jews in the US military? Surely they must practice their
faith openly? Get kosher food to eat; do they then become an object of mass
ridicule by their colleagues? Why target Muslims only?

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Mowahid Hussain Shah opined: Sometimes, painful tragedies carry

within the seeds of remedy. Just the other day, this writer was asked to
address honour students at the American University in Washington, DC, at a
forum hosted by Prof Akbar Ahmed, where Western-Muslim tensions and
the Fort Hood killings figured prominently. The young American students
were more interested in seeking a pathway to understanding than in being
condemnatory. Their remarks and feedback centred on these core
observations: Muslim voices in the US are infrequently heard; the demand
placed on US Muslims to denounce violent acts by Muslim individuals is
tantamount to the disenfranchisement of the Muslin community and also to
tarnish the whole group for individual acts; America needs a shift in
consciousness in that it needs to rebuild trust; the US needs to do more to
combat Islamophobia; there should be more humanitarian aid to affected
Muslim areas; and, most fundamentally, continuous efforts need to be made
to improve Western-Muslim relations.
The indicators are there that an influential segment of the educated
American youth has doubts about the direction of their country. But it is the
American Muslim youth which has yet to demonstrate the visibility and
vigour proportionate to its size and potential significance. It sends a
message of weakness. The abiding lesson of the human condition is that the
powerful preys upon the powerless.
Christopher Vasillopulos wrote: Although tragedy often involves
the sad or the unfortunate, it more properly refers to human shortsightedness
coupled with hubris. Hubris can be understood as overweening pride or
arrogance. An act of hubris attempts to overcome fate, transcend necessity or
otherwise deny human limitations by an act of indomitable will. Fort Hood
was a tragedy in this correct sense. Dr Nidal Malik Hasan was not, however,
the tragic hero, flawed though he may have been. The tragic hero rather
was the American belief that aggressive war can build nations, force
acceptance of modernity, create legitimate governments or otherwise cure
the existential conditions of backward people like the Iraqis or Afghanis.
Allow me to place this proposition in the context of my experience as a
professor.
Like Dr Hasan, although not nearly to the same extent, I have heard
horrific stories of crimes and atrocities committed by American soldiers
in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of these have come first hand from students
who were deployed overseas. Some have come second hand from their
friends. Some of these stories simply depicted the horrors of the battlefield.
Some stories were much more troubling to me and to the storytellers. These
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described Americans, often drunk, raping and torturing villagers in their own
homes. I have no idea how common these stories are.
If reporters like Dahr Jamail are to be credited, they occur much
more often than any American is likely to believe. He has reported that
sexual assaults of American women soldiers by American soldiers are
common. It is difficult to believe that soldiers would treat Iraqi or
Afghani women with more respect. Allow a personal example. About eight
years ago, I had a wonderful man as a student. Intelligent, alert, curious, full
of energy and hope, he was all things bright and beautiful. After three
deployments in Iraq he returned to class depressed, somber and withdrawn,
separating himself from me and his classmates as much as he could. Unable
to write an academic paper, he submitted instead a confession replete with
the horrors of war. It left me with the feeling that much was left out. This
young man did not show up on any casualty list. I hope he never will, but he
is a casualty nonetheless. He will never trust the world again. He will never
trust himself again. How do we measure such losses?
Like Dr Hasan, these soldiers should be held accountable for their
actions, whether they were mentally deranged or simply criminal. My point,
however, does not center on the culpability or the weakness of individuals,
least of all those subject to enormous stress. These are not tragic figures.
They have not committed tragic acts. The tragic hero or villain of these
stories is the conviction that aggressive war can be justified as an effort
to impose modernity or democracy or any other value on a recalcitrant,
immature people. Aggressive war is hubris. It manifests an arrogant belief
that, far from being the fatal flaw of humanity, violence can cure the human
condition of poverty, ignorance, superstition and fanaticism. Like Dr Hasan,
I am angry at the men whose beliefs so casually destroy the lives of others. I
am angry at those who maim and kill the men, women and children of other
nations in wars of choice. I am enraged at those who sacrifice the bodies and
minds of some of the best of their youth to the idols of hate and bloodshed. I
have not yet acted out my anger. I hope I will continue to reduce my rage to
print. For now I am succeeding.
Wen Xian was of the view that to date, what people have learned is
that the 38-year-old Hasan is a descendent of Palestinian immigrants; he
adopts the firm Islamic belief; he differs widely with the US government on
its ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; and he is conflicting or even
frustrated for the possibility of being sent to Afghanistan. Out of 553,000
active-duty troops in the US army, according to statistics, 1,977 men and
officers have openly expressed their strong belief in Islamism. The Fort
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Hood massacre has once again provoked a heated debate in American

society on the social justice of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and interreligious relations in the United States. American media, however, openly
call for investigations into the faith or loyalty of American servicemen to
Islamism. And some people rebutted or gave sharp retorts immediately.
In fact, general public in the US has for some time turned restless
with anxiety on the issue of Afghan War. Detrimental or unfavorable
battleground situation has been reported with constant casualties at
frontlines as well as the rise of antiwar sentiment inside the US.
Furthermore, American society has turned more divided and even
antagonistic over this issue of the Afghan War owing to hesitation of the
US government in the related decision-making.
A US military official familiar with the Army Criminal Investigation
described Maj Hasans shootings by saying that he acted alone and had no
help. The occurrence of the massacre, however, has given rise to a string of
inquiries and mulling. Some 34,000 American soldiers have been diagnosed
with post-traumatic stress disorder since 2003, according to US media
reports and, from early this year, 117 active-duty army soldiers were
reported to have committed suicide Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have
slit or torn through American society, and a deep scar of war was left on
its social psychology. So the Fort Hood massacre has once again cast a
shadow in the United States.
In addition to the Nobel Peace Prize and Fort Hood killings, some
other issues were also talked about. Sajjad Shaukat commented on effects of
war on US economy and concluded: After fighting a different war for eight
years, American cost of war which has already reached approximately 6
trillion dollars will further increase decline of dollar and acute recession
inside the country are likely to give a greater blow to the US economy
vis--vis other developed countries. Intensity of the problems will lead
America towards downfall. In this context, disintegration of the British
Empire and the former Soviet Union offers a drastic lesson to Washington.
Now, by including Balochistan in its strategy of drone strikes, America is
likely to face the same fate.
Jacob G Hornberger remembered Bush. I dont know how President
Bush and the Pentagon came up with the idea of establishing a new judicial
system for trying terrorists, but there is the distinct possibility that they got
the idea from German Chancellor Adolf Hitler.

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Yes, I know, there are going to be those who resent such a

suggestion, exclaiming, just because the idea might have come from Hitler
doesnt necessarily mean its bad. They might point, for example, to the US
Interstate Highway System, which was inspired by Hitlers autobahn system.
Or they might point to Franklin Roosevelts New Deal, whose programmes
were remarkably similar to the socialist and fascist programs of Hitler as
well as those of Benito Mussolini and Joseph Stalin.
Indeed, such people might even point out the fact that Social Security
under Hitler and Roosevelt had a common root Otto von Bismarck, the socalled Iron Chancellor of Germany, who himself had gotten the idea from
German socialists.
In any event, in 1933 soon after Hitler had become chancellor, the
terrorists fire-bombed the German parliament building, the Reichstag,
destroying most of the building. As you can imagine, the attack threw the
nation into a major crisis, just as 9/11 did for the United States.
The crisis in Germany became graver when it was discovered that the
suspected terrorists were communists, for that meant that Germany was now
facing two major threats to national security at the same time: terrorism and
communism. (To get a sense of the magnitude of the crisis, combine the US
Cold War against the communists with the subsequent war on terrorism.)
Hitler immediately sought a suspension of civil liberties from the
Reichstag to deal with the national emergency. National security is at
stake he exclaimed. In this time of national crisis, when the security of our
nation is in jeopardy, we cannot afford the niceties of civil liberties, he said.
I need temporary emergency powers to deal with this crisis.
The Reichstag granted Hitlers request, suspended civil liberties,
and gave him the temporary emergency powers he sought to deal with the
crisis. Civil liberties could and should be temporarily sacrificed to preserve
the nation, the reasoning went.
In the meantime, the people who had been charged with the terrorist
strike on the Reichstag were brought to trial in Germanys regular,
constitutional judicial system. Only one of the defendants, however, was
convicted. All the rest were acquitted.
Needless to say, Hitler was not happy with the courts verdict. These
were terrorists and communists, after all! Hitler and the Gestapo had said so.
What more proof did the courts need than that? How dare German judges

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threaten national security by releasing terrorists and communists back on

the street?
Hitlers solution? To ensure that this didnt happen again, he
established a new-fangled judicial system for handling terrorism cases.
It was called the Peoples Court. This new judicial system had the trappings
of Germanys regular judicial system but with one big difference: There
would be no more not guilty verdicts for people that German officials said
were terrorists. No more threats to national security by releasing terrorists
back on the streets. Moreover, under the guise of protecting national
security, the proceedings could be held in secret to preserve government
secrets.
Are the circumstances and reasons for establishing a new tribunal
system in Germany similar to those for establishing a new post-9/11
tribunal system in the United States? Before concluding, Jacob explained
the similarities between Hitlers judicial system and the one evolved by
Bush to deal with terror cases: Was Hitler the inspiration for the post-9/11
US tribunal system, as he was for Americas Interstate Highway System? I
dont know, but given the similarities in the goals, nature and circumstances
of Hitlers Peoples Court and the US post-9/11 tribunal system, its certainly
a question worth asking.
Anum Raza Hasan urged the world to act against the ongoing war,
but it seemed more relevant for the Muslim World. People all over the
world must rise up to influence their states for the savagery committed in
foreign lands. Hold your government accountable for murdering my people
following their foreign policy prescriptions. Western governments are trying
to reinstate democracy at the expense of eroding the virtues of peoples
power in another state only to be credited as champions of human rights and
civilization. The tragedy is that we live in such a divided world despite
pretentious claims of solidarity to benefit capitalist and imperialist gains
only so that ignorance to most comes so easy while another innocent here
at home dies on the frontline as a result of their apathy.
Today, were breathing the frontlines not for our sake but for a
mindless war thats hand down waged on the Empires miscalculations and
hegemonic ferocity. You know what Huntington said about the power
dynamics: The West won the world not by the superiority of its ideas or
values or religion but rather by its superiority in applying organized
violence. Westerners often forget this fact, non-Westerners never do. I mean

575

obviously we cannot forget as this organized violence is shaping our lives

into an obscene culture of blood, trauma and fear.
Farooq Sulehria commented on what he called The Swiss Shame,
but turned around to condemn Muslim states. The Swiss banoffers an
opportunity to the Muslim World for some soul-searching. There are few
Muslim countries that do not discriminate, if not persecute, their religious
minorities. Saudi Arabia, the Vatican of the Muslim World, does not permit
non-Muslim immigrant workers even to carry a copy of the Bible or the
Geeta, let alone allow the followers of these religious to build churches or
temples. Hence, the reaction to the Swiss ban was a deafening silence by
totalitarian rulers right across the Muslim World.

REVIEW
It must be a rare occasion in the history of Nobel Peace Prize wherein
a recipient, in his formal speech, talked in praise of war instead of peace. In
fact, the award was endorsement by a Judo-Christian organization of
Obamas strategy of troop-surge. It was to urge him on to continue fighting
the holy war initiated by Bush eight years ago for killing of Muslims,
considered essential for the peace of the civilized world.
As regards, shooting by Major Hasan at Fort Hood, it was obvious
that the major had been talking to patients of stress disorder almost on daily
basis. The stories told by his patients must have taken the toll of his own
psychological order. The exact nature of the stories of first hand experience
in the battle zone is not difficult to imagine.
War involves killing of fellow human beings at quite a large scale.
This is not easy for an average human being to bear, may he be from any
country or race, because everywhere in the world the people grow up
adhering to values that prohibit harming fellow humans. It is not easy to
convince them about righteousness of the divergence from so widely
practiced values.
Military drills, disciplining, obedience to lawful command can only
serve in teaching the art or science of killing, but for its manifestation
something more is required and that is called motivation. The motivation
themes vary in times, places and situations but most killings have always
been carried out in the name of race and country for political and economic
gains in the garb of self-defence.

576

The killings of fellow human beings affect minds of the killers, no

matter how holy their mission of waging war is projected. The effects are
quite taxing as they see innocent women and children killed and then the
crime is brushed under the carpet of collateral damage. This deception may
save the countries waging war from criticism, but it provides no relief from
the guilt to soldiers, who cause are instrumental in causing collateral
damage.
Islam prohibits all killings for any reason; race, colour, political,
economic and so on. Allah has ordained fighting obligatory only in self
defence and in defence of ones faith. Even in such battles one would be
guilty of committing a crime or sin if he causes any kind of collateral
damage for any reason and under any circumstances.
One must avoid killing someone under a fit of rage triggered by
enemys act of causing injury to ones ego. Killing of another human being
has to be strictly in accordance with limits laid down by Allah; the example
was set by Hazrat Ali, who let the fallen enemy go after he had spate on Alis
face. Only this kind of motivation can save the human beings from any
feeling of guilt. All other forms of motivation for waging war do not
guarantee protection from damages of guilt.
Confession provides psychological relief and psychiatrists use this
method extensively. Hasan must have heard numerous stories of soldiers
guilty of committing crimes in war on terror. These stories provided relief to
the tellers, but had their toll at the listening end.
Hasan must have been enraged by the stories of these soldiers from
civilized world revealing what they had bee doing in Afghanistan and Iraq to
push the people of the two countries back to Stone Age. Resultantly, he was
so enraged that he too was driven by his anger to act irrationally.
23rd December 2009

577

FALL OF HAMMER - II
During the week a delegation Rawalpindi District Bar Council called
on the Chief Justice. While talking to members of the delegation the Chief
Justice politely brushed aside the criticism of December 16 verdict. He
narrated an anecdote wherein the losing party says that the judge did not
understand the case.
But, in this case it wasnt so. Zardari-led PPP was quite conscious of
the fact that the judges had fully understood the case. They also knew the
ramifications of courts order. Hence, instead of repeating what is said in the
anecdote, Zardari and Gilani borrowed the idea from women of the areas
they belong to.
In those areas when women habitual of stealing are caught red-handed
and are subjected to or fear body search resort to counter allegations. They
raise false alarm about attempt at their molestation. Zardari-led PPP did
exactly the same when it raised hue and cry about 17-member bench of the
Supreme Court accusing it of attempting its political gang rape.
The ploy of pretending as a victim along with the threat of desertion
the Sindh Card worked in averting the body search and in diverting the
attention away from the crimes committed. In addition, it has so far helped
in pre-empting possible political fallout of the Supreme Court verdict as no
new petition has been filed to date.

NEWS
On 19th December, warrants of Babar Awan were issued and then bail
was granted when he dashed to the court in Rawalpindi. Rehman Malik filed
bail pleas in two references. A petition challenging Article 248 of the
Constitution being un-Islamic was filed. Another petition was filed for
revision of the court verdict in which government was directed to write for
revival of cases in Swiss courts.
Zardari met Aitzaz before presiding over partys CEC meeting in the
Presidency; reportedly he asked Zardari to avoid clash with judiciary. Imran
Khan urged Gilani to support Pakistan instead of Zardari. Zardari vowed to
fight back; no resignation on mere allegations; and the party reposed
confidence in him and vowed to contest cases in courts. Benazirs death was
condoled and condemned terrorism. Party also decided to pursue Mehran
Bank and other corruption cases. Saleh Zaafir reported that the PPP has

578

preferred confrontation over reconciliation. Reportedly, Sindhi

parliamentarians, Khurshid Shah, Wasan and others vowed to choose
Zardari over Pakistan.
NAB chief refused to meet new Law Minister and attend a briefing at
the Law Ministry. NAB also sought relief from the Supreme Court over its
placing under Law ministry. Tariq Butt observed that 60 percent of NAB
posts were vacant and the rest were occupied by officials appointed by the
PPP government.
Next day, Interior Ministry said Farooq Sattar and Babar Ghauri were
not on ECL. Rehman Malik in his interview to CNN said he and other
politicians facing corruption charges were victims of politically motivated
opponents. The allegations are false; therefore, Im not worried at all.
Forces started marshalling as Zardari-led PPP embarked on the path of
confrontation. Ex-judges and lawyers lent their support to Monitoring Cells
established by the Supreme Court. Munawwar Hasan said JI would go all
out to defend the Supreme Court and announced holding a march for
implementation of anti-NRO verdict. PML-N had no immediate plans to
press Zardari for resignation.
Acting attorney general said the Supreme Court had not asked for
Tariq Khosas return to FIA. Ansar Abbasi reported that the NAB was eager
to if ordered to reinitiate probes and file fresh references, but the government
was reluctant to issue such orders. The way Safdar Abbasi defended Zardari
while talking to Dr Shahid Masood, indicated that he has converted from
Bhuttoism to Zardariism. Only Aitzaz is remained to be seen. Raja Riaz of
PPP said in a public meeting that Punjab has gifted two dead bodies to Sindh
and no more of that: now it would be one from Punjab.
On 21st December, Gilani and Shahbaz met and decided to continue
following the policy of reconciliation. They discussed post-NRO situation;
scrapping of 17th Amendment; and expansion of Punjab cabinet
accommodating PPP MPAs. PML-N promised not to support illegal action
against President.
After returning to Islamabad Gilani rushed to Presidency and briefed
Zardari about his meeting with Shahbaz. They also discussed ways to
implement Supreme Court verdict and appointment new NAB chairman.
Fazl, Ahmed Mukhtar and Baloch leaders also met Zardari. Spokesman of
Presidency said PML-N has assured that it would not demand resignation of
Zardari. Gilani promised the nation good news soon. Saleh Zaafir observed

579

that PPP has once again promised the moon for PML-N in the form of
scrapping 17th Amendment and 58-2(b).
Salman Taseer blamed judiciary for targeting the PPP and Zardari. He
also said Shahbaz was working as chief minister on a stay order from the
court. Fauzia Wahab said experts have some reservations on Supreme
Court verdict regarding Swiss cases. Naheed Khan urged PPP to file review
plea against the Supreme Court verdict. PPP held rallies in Peshawar and
Lahore in support of Zardari.
Names of all the beneficiaries of NRO were removed from the ECL.
Qazi feared crisis if Supreme Court verdict is not implemented. Boston
Globe asked Obama to stay neutral in Pakistans internal affairs. Rehman
Malik was summoned by Accountability Court in Rawalpindi to appear
before it on 2nd January 2010. Rauf Klasra observed that intent and
determination of Chaudhry Nisar as Chairman of Public Accounts
Committee has been put to test as 31 charges of corruption and misuse of
power have been listed against Deputy Auditor General of Pakistan.
Authorities traced back that threatening SMS to Ansar Abbasi was
sent by Ali Wahab son of Fauzia Wahab (like son, like father, or should it be
like mother). Once informed the mother apologized and her son did that
through SMS. In PPP meeting at Lahore Geo TVs Kamran Khan, Ansar
Abbasi, Shaheen Sehbai and Dr Shahid Masood were warned of dire
consequences for being siasat kay thekeydars, or power brokers.
The appeal of Shaikh Rashid regarding holding of by-polls was
accepted by the Supreme Court for hearing. Chief Justice remarked that
Governor could hold by-polls if Punjab government failed to do so. The
Supreme Court cancelled protective bail of Seth Nisar, co-accused in Bank
of Punjab Scam.
LHC summoned Attorney General and Advocate General Punjab
while hearing a petition filed in 1997 in which the petitioner had prayed for
freezing of foreign banks accounts of 22 top politicians and recovery of
illegal assets accumulated by virtue of their public offices. Some of the
persons nominated in the petition are Zardari, Benazir, Nawaz Sharif,
Shahbaz Sharif and Imran Khan.
Next day, while hearing of a case about loan write-offs Chief Justice
asked the heads of banks to hold a meeting and frame policy for the recovery
of loans of last 38 years. The Chief Justice remarked, if anyone says court
has crossed its limits, we are ready to take the blame in best interest of the
nation.
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Not unexpectedly, a postmaster was the first to be punished after

declaration on NRO null and void; he got five years in jail and Rs1 million
fine. Rehman Malik appeared before LHC; court suspended his sentence and
granted bail in two cases. Salman Farouqi submitted surety bonds in
Accountability Court in Rawalpindi. NAB filed applications in ACs for
withdrawal of cases against Zardari taking a plea under Article 248. Rauf
Klasra reported that Zardari kept foreign gifts worth Rs62 million in one
year as against Rs160 million by all the presidents in the past.
Chaudhry Nisar said Farhatullah Babar should desist from being
spokesman of PML-N. No guarantee could be given for not demanding
resignation from Zardari. Mohammad Anis, however, reported that PML-N
wont demand resignation if Supreme Court verdict is implemented in letter
and spirit. Rana Sanaullah said PPP has never found some bandey da putar
for the post of governor; he was talking to media men over Salman Taseers
statement yesterday. Ranas remarks were softer Punjabi version of popular
American slang of SOB.
In Hamid Mirs Capital Talk, Asma Jehangir bitterly criticized the
verdict of the Supreme Court. She termed it politicized verdict; no wonder
Zardari had proposed her name for heading Reconciliatory Commission. Ali
Ahmad Kurd was also quite critical in his usual style. Musharraf admitted
that promulgation of NRO was a mistake, but it was done in consultation
with politicians in power at that time. LHC removed restrictions on A Q
Khan imposed in the name of security. The US government-run radio feared
coup in Pakistan. US court rejected bail plea of Hamesh Khan.
On 23rd December, while speaking to a delegation of Rawalpindi Bar
Council the Chief Justice said that every judgment of the court is welcomed
by one party and criticized by the other. The party on the wrong side usually
comes out with an excuse juj ko case samaj he nai aya (judge did not
understand the case). During hearing of a case the CJP observed that
everybody seemed busy plundering national assets. The Supreme Court
advised the government to employ eunuchs for recovery of loans. New
Attorney General, Anwer Mansoor met the Chief Justice.
PPP MNA Gul Muhammad Jakhrani dubbed Kamran Khan, Shaheen
Sehbai, Dr Shahid Masood, Ansar Abbasi and Saleh Zaafir as Israeli agents.
Probe into threatening SMS messages was being cooled down on
instructions of the government to FIA. Jiyalees of PPP held a rally in favour
of Zardari in Islamabad. FATA MPs assured support to Zardari when they
met him in Presidency. COAS met President and Prime Minister and

581

discussed security issue. The US termed the present Pakistan government as

legitimate but wont interfere if Zardari is edged out.
Detailed judgment of reference against Justice Iftikhar was published.
Chaudhry Nisar criticized bulldozing of DHA Bill by the Defence Standing
Committee. Altaf advised Zardari to immediately cease his hostile antics
pertaining to the judiciary and the media. PML-Q warned PPP against
confrontation with judiciary and media.
On 24th December, Prime Minister summoned TV anchorpersons as
part of his endeavour for their perception correction. He made some
interesting revelations to create an impression that it is he who has been and
continues to be taking all important decisions. He told them that it was he
who restored the Chief Justice and other judges on 15 th March and added
that neither he nor Zardari had asked COAS to talk to Aitzaz Ahsan (Yet,
both of them had dared not asking the general why did he talk to Aitzaz?).
He defended Zardari blamed for resisting reinstatement of the CJP.
Gilani indicated that he was in no hurry about sending a letter to
Swiss courts as directed by the Supreme Court. He admitted that Kamal
Azfars statement in the court damaged governments case. He once again
justified governments decision not to try Musharraf on oft repeated pretexts.
Senior minister of Punjab, Raja Riaz boasted that no general could
dare blackmailing PPP. Rehman Malik appeared before Supreme Court in
contempt notice and was told to submit his reply in writing. Zardari blamed
mercenary elements for targeting government on TV channels. Iqbal
Haider in his comments said the Supreme Court judgment did not cross
constitutional limits. NAB sent necessary documents to the US for
extradition of Hamesh Khan.
On 25th December, Zardari went to Dubai and took Rehman Malik
along, who was on ECL even in the shortened revised list of 165. Kaira said
four journalists were destabilizing the system. Shahbaz said the Supreme
Court decision wont endanger democracy. G A Bilour and Fazl were sent to
Lahore to meet Nawaz and Shahbaz respectively to assess the mood of
PML-N leaders. Adeel of ANP said Pakistan should be called Republic of
Pakistan instead of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

VIEWS
The views are compiled date-wise. On 20th December, The News
commented: The Prime Minister, by coming out in support of an evidently
582

sinking President Zardari, would seem to have loyalty ahead of wisdom.

Despite the growing signs that power is slipping away from the PPP
government as NAB asserts a new-found independence and courts follow
the directions chalked out by the SC in its landmark ruling on the NRO, the
PM has signaled he could be opting for the path of defiance So, we
have here a script for potentially open confrontation. Aspects of this are
comic. But the whole thing could end in a terrible tragedy as institutions
engage in an ugly clash. We have seen this happen before. The maturity and
selflessness that could have averted this is not being seen.
The way out is simple: the president must step down; others in the
government who are NRO beneficiaries must follow. Most citizens would
favour this approach. The widespread acclaim for the SC ruling has made
this quite apparent. The court too is a powerful one and has repeatedly
demonstrated that it is not ready to play the role of rubberstamp. We have
then a situation totally different to that which has existed at any time in the
past. But the approach taken by the PM suggests we will have only more
uncertainty. When he accuses others of acting against the interests of the
state, Mr Gilani does not realize that he himself is doing so by failing to
respect institutions within it and allow them to perform their role. Indeed
neither he, nor the president, seem to recognize the dangers they are
exposing their country to. Further instability is the last thing we need at the
present time. Yet this is what could lie ahead if the present dangerous dance
proceeds without check.
So, who can act as a voice of restraint and wisdom? We have at the
helm of the State a man who himself is accused of serious crimes. The role
traditionally assigned to the president, as a mediator and as an individual
able to help iron out wrinkles in the system, cannot come into play this time.
Those who surround him themselves seem to favor battle rather than the use
of good sense. The PM too has opted to side with the presidents camp.
This may be a decision he may come, in time, to regret. It is to be seen if
from within the PPP any voices of wisdom will be heard. Certainly, there are
people who realize where we are headed, and that to put on the brakes once
the descent down a slippery slope begins is no easy matter. Only if the step
in swiftly can further mayhem be warded off and the chances of the
democratic order remaining intact raised.
Ghazi Salahuddin wrote: I am particularly concerned about how the
Pakistan Peoples Party would respond to the present situation. Here,
again, I feel burdened with a paradox. I have been a supporter of the party
since its inception, when as a young man I was thrilled by the awakening of
583

the masses by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Until the traumatic assassination of

Benazir Bhutto, I would argue for the partys invincibility in the political
arena.
Alas, the ascent of Asif Zardari and the manner in which he led the
party cannot be easily endorsed. His decision to become the president of
the country was, in my view, not good for the party. My disenchantment
with the PPP has been a refrain in my columns. In May 2008, with the
heading of PPP: beloved infidel, I began my write-up with this sentence:
Is this the beginning of the end of the Pakistan Peoples Party? there was
another column
This is not the occasion to go into any details about why I have felt
jilted by the party. What I want to stress now is that this party, deprived of its
characteristic leadership, is still the only party that can steer the country
towards a liberal and people-friendly dispensation. Irrespective of the recent
derelictions of its present leadership, the party retains a vast reservoir of
emotional and ideological sympathy for its basic stance. No other party is
so national in its reach. There is presently no other refuge, in a political
sense, for open-minded and socially progressive individuals.
Hence, when we talk about a new beginning for the country, we must
also be concerned about the possibility of the PPPs survival and renewal.
How it can come about is a challenge and the party leaders must attend to
this with a sense of great urgency and commitment. Many of PPP
supporters do feel discouraged by the quality of its leaders who are
assigned to hold the party banner and defend its present actions and
policies.
In the immediate context, of course, the party has to contend with the
NRO-related issues that have involved some of its leaders, mainly the
president. The argument that the president enjoys constitutional immunity is
legally sound. But it is about time we injected some morality into politics
and it is valid not just for Asif Zardari.
Dr Farrukh Saleem was of the view that President Zardari is up
against the following scenarios:
Scenario 1: Status quo. President Zardari in essence is a pro-status quo
player meaning that he would love the same dance, the same tune to
continue, let joy be unconfined and his power matrix fully intact.
The problem is that both the PML and the establishment are antistatus quo players; the PML and the establishment are bent upon

584

changing the tune. On top of that the judiciary has now added an
awfully heavy moral imperative on to Zardaris sinking ship.
Scenario 2: Impeachment. Under Article 47, the president can be
impeached on a charge of violating the constitution or gross
misconduct but such a resolution has to be passed at a joint sitting by
the votes of not less than two-thirds of the total membership of Majlise-Shoora (parliament) This is a numbers game and the numbers at
this stage favour the president (especially when the PML thinks that
riding the establishments bandwagon is not in its interest).
Scenario 3: Resignation. Under Article 44, the president may, by
writing under his hand addressed to the speaker of the National
Assembly, resign his office. Zardari may see no reason to throw the
baby out with the bath water but who wives for a dower, resigns his
own power.
Scenario 4: How about a new dance, a new tune? President Zardari is
not a cuckoo with just one song. Could he not dance to a new tune?
Perhaps; a defanged president living in a fiddlers house where
dancers dance even without music because necessity teaches even the
lame to dance.
Pakistans judiciary is bent upon adding a moral dimension to our
state and society the brightest of stars ever witnessed in our sky. But,
our political sparrows have somehow failed to gather the critical intellectual
reservoir necessary to compete with our uniformed cranes. Our sparrows
therefore cannot dance with our cranes, because sparrows have short legs. To
be sure, the civilian government isnt going anywhere but sparrows must
hustle to tunes set by cranes.
Roedad Khan opined: It restored the majesty of the Constitution; it
proved the independence of the judiciary; it confined to the dustbin the
odious agreement between a military dictator and an ambitious politician
which was motivated purely by the desire of each to retain or gain political
power. The court also directed that criminal proccedings against all the
beneficiaries of the NRO should be continued from the stage at which they
were withdrawn andWhile doing all this, the court did not exceed the
limits of good jurisprudence and stopped short of actually assuming the
role of a trial court and proceeding against any particular individual. It did,
however, insist that the names of the beneficiaries should be disclosed, no

585

matter how high and mighty they may be, and the amounts they had stolen
be shown to the court and the public.
Will this landmark decision, which the revitalized Supreme Court has
handed down, arouse the conscience of a nation which has become
accustomed to a social and political order where corruption, tax evasion,
fraud and dishonesty were never condemned? Indeed, an order where
wealth, no matter how it was acquired, enhanced the social status of the
individual, where it opened up doors to the corridors of power and where it
was an object of envy rather than revulsion. Unless the judgment leads to
the arousal of the nations conscience, unless it generates a re-evaluation
of the moral standards which have prevailed till now, it will be no more
than a one-off event that gives temporary satisfaction, but in due course,
give way again to the rotten order.
After recalling the events how the nation reached this milestone Khan
concluded: Those of us who took the initial steps now need the support of
civil society as a whole to see that the spirit of the Supreme Court judgment
is carried through. We must be ready to join in actions which ensure that
thieves and robbers never again take the destiny of the nation in their hands.
They must atone, they must be cast aside, they must not be allowed to enjoy
the tainted wealth that they have acquired. It is our duty to ensure that the
judgment of the Supreme Court is put in full effect in letter and spirit.
Aasim Sajjad Akhtar wrote: It is likely to reinforce the trend towards
fragmentation. In Sindh there have been reports of unrest, although not yet
widespread. Despite considerable opposition to the Pakistan Peoples Party
(PPP) and Asif Zardari, a wide cross-section of Sindhis nevertheless is likely
to feel that any NRO-motivated attempt to undermine Zardaris position is
no less than an attack by the establishment on elected rule and Sindhs
right to share power.
And this is the crux of the matter. The SCs decision is significant not
because it will actually force a change in the structure of power (and
political culture that prevails in the country) but because of what it means for
the future of Asif Zardari and the incumbent PPP government. In short, the
real political implications of this verdict are the reinforcement of shorttermism, the furthering of palace intrigues and confirmation amongst
ordinary people that cynicism is perfectly rational.
I do not want to speculate on what will happen to Zardari and the
PPP. I would like instead to open up a major bone of contention which
relates to how the whole NRO drama has been depicted in the media and
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romanticized by the defenders of law and principle. In doing so I hope to

get to what I believe is the heart of the matter.
If my memory serves me correctly, the actual negotiations that
produced the NRO involved, among others, the then DG ISI, and
current COAS. The good general represented the establishment and lay
down the conditions that the PPP and others eventually accepted and for
which Washington acted as Guarantor.
While much has been said by talk show hosts, parties such as PML-N
on the traitor Musharraf and the imperative of invoking Article 6 against
him, no one has even muttered the name of these other actors. Directors
never represent their personal interest, and in any case, effect dictatorship
through the institutions of the state Musharraf represented the army. So why
all this talk of hanging Musharraf and no talk of accountability for others
involved in the negotiations.
The military establishment remains Pakistans strongest political
force And so the guardians of our ideological frontiers seek as always, to
cover up their own failings by invoking the tired argument that politicians
are corrupt, and by extension reinforcing the very carefully crafted image of
the men in khaki being incorruptible. The overt nature of the contradiction is
made clear when Kamal Azfar announces in the SC that democracy faces a
threat from the GHQ and the CIA.
A discussion on the extent to which the Supreme Court has by default
shown itself to be partial in this struggle is beyond the scope of the present
article. What matters is that the overturning of the NRO is hardly a
simple matter of constitutional principle. And unfortunately it has been
depicted in extremely simple terms. Much like when the Chief Justice was
restored in March, the overturning of the NRO will prove to be a big
disappointment for those who have hyped it into the stratosphere.
Pakistans long suffering people deserve a genuine politics that goes
beyond slogans and functional attempts to secure personal interest. They
need to be inspired and the NRO (whether when it was being promulgated or
now that it has been killed) does the exact opposite. We need accountability
and we need an end to corruption. but the structures that produce one bad
apple after another need to be interrogated and eventually replaced.
There can be no shortcut to justice, and the rule of law brigade would do
well to bear this in mind.
Fasihur Rehman opined: In these circumstances, the malicious
campaigns would be avoided whose only objective is to create morass and
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despair. Why dont we understand that the masses want their representatives
to work on development projects and to deliver good governance.
The firebrands among anchorpersons as well as among other
categories of media must take the lead by discussing governance,
projects and by giving specific, practicable guidelines. That is the need of
the hour. This is needed for greater national harmony.
By hitting at the top leader of one of the most popular and one of
the largest political parties of all the four provinces, nobody is doing any
good to the cause of national harmony, the same harmony the way for
which has been paved with the blessing of SC verdict.
Instead of taking it as a defeat of one leader or his party
colleagues, we should all take it as a blessing which has put the country on
the straight path. And we should play our positive role in consolidating this
straight path. That is possible only by adopting a sensible, tolerant approach
towards all the political forces.
Dr Najeeb A Khan from Islamabad wrote on suspension of FIA
officials. I am surprised at the decision of the prime minister to suspend
three FIA officials for stopping the defence minister from going to China.
Obviously the officials did what they were told to do by their bosses.
Even the interior secretary deserved the benefit of the doubt as the
situation following the Supreme Courts decision on the NRO demanded
specific instructions from the Prime Ministers Secretariat as regards the
ECL.
Omer Zia from Islamabad observed: The way our prime minister
reacted on the ECL issue speaks volumes of the rulers mentality which must
be changed. The law of the land should be the same for everybody. Anybody
whose name is on the ECL should be stopped by the immigration authorities.
Why should the law not apply to the defence minister if his name was on the
list the FIA officials were provided with?
Muhammad Amir Khan from Karachi wrote: Ideally speaking, the
prime minister, instead of suspending the people who followed the law,
should have asked the defence minister to step down and fight the legal
battle as a common man.
Next day, Zafar Hilaly commented: Orchestrated campaigns such
as that in the Sindh Assembly of Friday to save Mr Zardari now seem
futile; it is a bit like rearranging the furniture on the deck of the Titanic. The
only question that remains is how and when Mr Zardari will depart.

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So great has been the erosion of his moral authority and public
support that the legal aspects dont really matter. When riding high our
leaders never let their great achievements suffer from any taint of legality.
Mr Zardaris attempt to hang on to power gives the impression, to borrow
another quote that he does not care in which direction the car is traveling as
long as he remained in the drivers seat. In Mr Zardaris case, however, it
is not the drivers seat that he is occupying, but rather the slippery
bonnet.
Nevertheless, for some, it will be a sad day. As sad, for the PPP, as
the spectacle of its founding members, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada and Mubashir
Hasan, cavorting and hugging each other with joy outside the Supreme
Court following the verdict. Their celebrations could be short-lived. What
follows could be worse. It has nearly always been so
Zafar talked of governments actions since the verdict; that Benazir
did not need NRO; and Zardaris decision to play Sindh card, before
concluding: Alienation in Sindh is conjoined with that which already exists
in Balochistan and would have lethal consequences for the Federation.
Moreover, the Sindh card, which is what Mr Zardari will be playing,
once played cannot be retrieved: The gods themselves cannot recall their
gifts. Thus, for many there will be no turning back. And the question then
arises: in how many places and to confront how many insurgencies can the
army be deployed?
Now that battle has truly been joined between the Supreme Court and
the government, following the courts advice to the government to prosecute
the former attorney general for writing to the Swiss Courts to withdraw the
case against Mr Zardari an order that could only have issued from Mr
Zardari himself. He can either flout the order of the court, which would
create a constitutional crisis of the first magnitude, or, perhaps, call for
fresh elections, which in the present circumstances, and given the mood of
the country, he will lose.
Once again, it seems that the courts and a regime are at
loggerheads, and once again something must give. The short odds are that it
will be Mr Zardari. And once again, the army is being asked to play a role
that it is wholly unsuited for, considering it is fighting a war, but which it
will take on grudgingly.
Excerpts from Ameer Bhuttos comments: The court has provided for
monitoring bodies at the federal and provincial levels headed by judges of
the Supreme and High Courts, but the prosecuting authorities remain either
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those who themselves stand accused or officers appointed by them. This is a

clear conflict of interests. Already, the prime ministers remarksgive rise
to suspicions that, despite his earlier commitment to fully complying with
the Supreme Court verdict, the government may not, in fact, go out of its
way to do so.
This governments primary justification for throwing the ball of
investigating Benazir Bhuttos murder into the UNs court was that the
impartiality of any investigation carried out by local authorities under a
Peoples Party government may be called into question. The same principle
applies here. If the people could doubt the authenticity of the murder probe
of the PPP chairperson by a PPP government, then why should they be
expected to accept the self-prosecution of senior members of the PPP
government? Transparency will be impossible with a number of accused
heading the very ministries responsible for prosecution.
In the aftermath of the Supreme Court verdict, the continuation of
power of a government that elevated men with tainted pasts to positions of
high authority, and one which seems to be adopting a belligerent posture
against the NRO verdict, is not just in bad taste but seriously harmful to
the country and the present system.
National prestige is reduced to a mockery around the world when our
ambassadors in the United States and Iran cannot return home without facing
arrest on corruption charges, their legal status having reverted to the preNRO position of their being absconders. Regardless of the legal or
constitutional position, this government and especially the president,
stand thoroughly discredited.
There also remains the issue of Zardaris eligibility to contest
elections of public office, since he had already been convicted of
absconding and been sentenced to six months imprisonment. As such, his
candidature was in violation of Article 63-1(p) of the Constitution.
It is self-evident that, having evaded accountability on the basis of
plethora of excuses, including certificates of mental illness, the web of
circumstances and law is now tightening around Zardari. In realization
of this fact, instead of brandishing an imaginary Sindh Card or talking of
being wheeled out of Aiwan-e-Sadar in an ambulance, the only honourable
course of action open to him and his cronies is to resign and spare the nation
the humiliation and agony of further legal wrangles in and outside the
country. This tough-guy bravado of facing the storm, as Zardari refers to it,

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is totally misplaced. It is one thing to face political adversity with heroism,

but this is nothing of the sort.
The crisis he faces is not political but legal and constitutional, and
dragging the dignity and sanity of his office through mud will not make him
a hero. To the contrary, it will jeopardize the future of democracy. Zardaris
failure or refusal to see this is, to quote Oscar Wilde, the rage of Caliban not
seeing his own face in a glass. A poor Third World country like Pakistan
being ruled by an unabashed billionaire president, a fact confirmed by the
NAB as well as Forbes magazine, which lists Zardari as the tenth-richest
head of state in the world eight of the nine heads of state preceding him
being royalty, is a cruel joke this nation cannot stomach.
Zardari and his minions seem to be operating under a rationale of
aprs moi le deluge (after me the deluge) that could sink the country. The
collective will of the nation cannot be held hostage to one mans lust for
fame and fortune. They say lessons not learnt in blood are soon forgotten.
How many times must we learn our lessons in blood for the memory to
stick?
Chris Cork wrote: There can be little doubt that Pakistan grew a
little last week; perhaps even more than a little. There was a sense that
order was in the process of being restored and the distorted shape of the state
adjusted to something more closely resembling a functional democracy.
There was the clearest of signals that our judiciary was up and running, that
they were busy with their work and that we may once again repose our trust
in them. There is no hint of a military coup despite rumours being fanned to
that effect and the army remains (mostly) disengaged from day-to-day
politics. ATM machines still work. The country staggers on under its
innumerable burdens. The state has not failed nor, in my not-particularlyhumble-opinion, will it.
Commentators are fond of using the word crossroads at a time like
this. I prefer transition. A crossroads involves making a choice about the
road to take but what the Supreme Court has done is demonstrate
orderly transition via due process and the road ahead is both cleared and,
perhaps, more difficult for them having done so.
Tehmina Afridi from Abbottabad urged: This time around the process
of accountability must be thorough and just. No one should be spared in
the name of democracy, immunity or national security. We dont want
thugs to run the government, the judiciary, the military and the bureaucracy.
Those who say that the process of accountability will derail the democratic
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system should remember that the country is already on its way to total
destruction.
Mahabat Khan Bangash from Peshawar wished: I hope the
implementation of the Supreme Courts NRO judgment does not meet the
fate of the decision the honourable court passed in the sugar price case
which was not implemented by the government. Circumstances and recent
developments indicate that the government is not in a mood to take action
against the beneficiaries of the NRO.
On 22nd December, The News wrote: The PPP has decided to fight
back against what the president says are conspiracies being hatched
against it. However, at the meeting of the partys CEC, some voices of
reason prevailed over less rational ones, and it was decided not to defy the
courts but to contest cases before them. Suggestions that minister against
whom cases remained pending step down were, rather unfortunately,
rejected. A fresh start may have been just what the PPP needed at this
point. The display of belligerence from Mr Zardari, who accused some
elements of plotting against the PPP, is hardly encouraged.
The editor mentioned the statements of Salman Taseer and Rehman
Malik before concluding: The PPP CEC has so far stood by its leaders,
but there is a possibility that new divisions could emerge. The comments
from the president and those closest to him suggest some signs of panic. The
public mood meanwhile remains hostile to the government. How things will
pan out over the coming days is difficult to predict as the political drama we
are witnessing continues to unfold.
Jamilur Rahman observed: The victory gained in the Supreme
Court is being frittered away by an exchange of invectives between the
opposing parties. Raja Riaz Ahmed, senior minister in the Punjab cabinet
and divisional president of the PPP, said in a rally in Faisalabad: Sindh had
received two dead bodies (ZAB and Benazir) but now the next body will be
destined for Punjab. The process of elimination would reveal the identity of
the third body.
It is a very serious turn of events that the PPP and the PML-N have
adopted a confrontation course. If it continued, the SC verdict would lose its
electrical effect. The best course for both the parties would be to respect the
verdict and carry out its injunctions in letter and spirit.
Ankit Gurkh from Canada wrote: I am a Canadian Sikh whose father
was born in Sheikhupura. It gives me a sense of great relief and pleasure that
Pakistan has started the process to eradicate corruption and award exemplary
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punishment to those civil servants, politicians and men in uniform whose

hands were found in the till. The annulment of the NRO by the Supreme
Court of Pakistan will go a long way in restoring the image of a country
tainted with allegations of corruption by Transparency International.
News reports published on the internet and in local papers of Toronto have
revealed that even a sitting minister was not allowed to leave the country
because his name was on the ECL. This is a very good precedent and bodes
well for ushering in a true democratic government where all men are
considered equal before the law.
Holders of public office must be scrutinized and their assets
probed, since they decide the fate of a nation. In the developed societies
of the West, corruption that entails pilferage of state funds, kickbacks in
procurements funded by the state etc is considered to be a conspiracy against
the state and culprits are given severe punishment along with confiscation of
all assets and bank accounts. This will go a long way in restoring foreign
investors confidence in Pakistan. Shrewd PPP leaders wont like to share
perceptions of a Sikh.
Dr Najeeb A Khan from Islamabad opined: I would like to comment
upon the views of some of PPP CEC members reported in your paper on
December 20. There is no substance in the allegation that the PPP is
being singled out for accountability by the judiciary. The Supreme Court
has previously given verdicts against the last government in the cases of
Steel Mills, missing persons and the emergency promulgated by Musharraf
in November 2007. These decisions by the apex court were against the
actions of Pervez Musharraf, not the PPP. Similarly, the NRO was a
brainchild of Musharraf rather than the present government. Unfortunately,
some of the PPP members have been aggressively trying to use the Sindh
Card. May I ask them whether Ahmed Mukhtar, Rehman Malik and Babar
Awan belong to Sindh? In fact, the list of NRO beneficiaries reveals that a
majority of them are non-Sindhis.
Some people are also suggesting that courts should not transgress
their jurisdiction by taking administrative matters into their hands. The
courts have to act when rules are flouted and aggrieved parties knock at the
doors. The only way for the administrative machinery to avoid judicial;
intervention is to refrain from corrupt practices. Those who claim that
the judiciary is taking over the role of the executive should go through the
rulings of the Supreme Courts of the US and India and see how the
administrative rules were interpreted and executive matters adjudicated
without any eyebrows raised over the question of judiciarys jurisdiction.
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M S Hasan from Karachi wrote: The current ruling junta and the rest
of NRO dignitaries have now got together to brazenly defy the order
and related instructions of the Supreme Court. Going by the defiant
statement of the prime minister on December 19 it is evident that the PPP is
going to take the superior judiciary head on. Mr Gilani in his defence of Mr
Zardari is joined by PPP cronies, sidekicks and some unscrupulous mediapersons. The moral bankruptcy of the ruling junta came out glaringly in the
open when Mr Gilani made a statement on the possibility of the arrest of his
interior minister. The elevation of the holder of a dubious PhD degree as
federal minister for law and parliamentary affairs, who would also be
minister in charge of NAB, is yet another effort to subvert the process of
transparent accountability. The presidential immunity mantra may be
defended in a court of law, but not in the court of conscience where there is
no immunity or amnesty for the corrupt regardless of their position and
status.
Excerpts from Hamid Mirs comments in which he warned Zardari,
You cannot afford more mistakes. President Asif Ali Zardari is definitely
under a lot of pressure but he is in a fighting mood. He is waiting for the
detailed verdict of the Supreme Court on the NRO and then he may come
out openly not only against some judges but also against some elements
within the armed forces.
He is under lot of pressure to resign after the Supreme Court of
Pakistan rejected the NRO on December 16 but he was loudly asking: If
NRO was bad then why nothing has been done about the person who
issued NRO. What Zardari forgets is that the same Supreme Court has
already declared Musharraf a usurper on July 31, 2009 but it was Zardari
who never tried Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution for treason
due to the fear of Pakistan Army.
Apparently the Supreme Court declared the NRO unconstitutional
and ordered the government to restart cases against Zardari cannot be tried
inside Pakistan as he enjoys constitutional immunity as president. But still
the PPP appears to be in a state of panic that was visible in its CEC
meeting PPP, in which a senior leader Khurshid Shah made a profound
statement
Rightly or wrongly but Zardari is sure that some people within the
judiciary, Army and also in the media have hatched a conspiracy to
overthrow him in December. He informed some of his friends immediately
after the court verdict: I know they are putting pressure on me to resign

594

because they cannot impeach me but I will not resign, I will fight, and I
am ready to die like my wife Benazir Bhutto.
Recently, Zardari was disappointed when once Nawaz Sharifs
accountability Czar Saifur Rehman broke his silence after many years and
said that cases filed by him in Swiss Courts against Zardari were based on
solid evidence. Zardari sent a message to Nawaz Sharif asking if this was his
(NS) style of reconciliation in which Saifur Rehman had been unleashed.
Sharif responded through a messenger saying: Trust me, I am not part of
any conspiracy against you, I am not in touch with Saifur Rehman for a long
time. In the meantime PML-N MNA Shahid Khaquan Abbasi was given
the task of silencing Saifur Rehman.
The political survival of Zardari and Gilani now is in the hands of
Nawaz Sharif. No political change in Pakistan could take place without the
support of Nawaz Sharif. Right now Nawaz Sharif in London for medical
checkup of his wife and will come back soon to meet Zardari. Both are
planning to introduce a new constitutional bill to remove the dirt which
was placed by Musharraf into the constitution through the 17th Amendment.
If they can remove this dirt in January, then half of the troubles of Zardari
will go because the whole media focus will shift from Zardari to PM Gilani.
President Zardari also agreed in front of some of his friends that the
Supreme Court verdict had actually united his party again and his prime
minister is now fully on board with him to face any situation. Some
members of the PPP from Sindh proposed to him that PPP should resign
from the government and should sit in the opposition and see how the
Supreme Court, the Army and the media run the country.
Zardari should not listen to these hardliners. He should think of
fighting the Supreme Court. The best course would be to implement the
court verdict on one hand and implement the famous Charter of Democracy
on the other hand with the help of Nawaz Sharif.
He should agree on a deadline with Nawaz Sharif for the
implementation of CoD. All the powerful intelligence agencies will be
accountable to the Parliament after the implementation of CoD. This
historical document signed in London is the best solution for all the big
political problems of Pakistan.
Zardari must also be aware that people like Punjab Governor Salman
Taseer, who are creating misunderstandings between him and Nawaz Sharif,
belong to the Musharraf era and this baggage is a serious threat to
democracy. Is it not? People like Salman Taseer are behaving like suicide
595

bombers. Zardari must distant himself from all these political suicide
bombers who have a record of ditching the PPP again and again.
Shaheen Sehbai attempted at finding out inside story of PPP CEC
meeting. Senior PPP leaders have started to worry about the future of the
party as the six-hour long meeting of their CEC last Saturday, a landmark
event in many ways, has left them with the gnawing feeling that the party
is fighting a losing political battle with the top leadership badly disfigured,
tainted and compromised.
A session with PPP leaders from Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad
revealed that the outcome of the meeting was more depressing for them as
there was hardly any vision or strategy to save the party other than how
to save Asif Ali Zardari from the embarrassing situation he has landed in
because of his own blunders and wrong doings after the Feb 08 elections.
Although the co-chairman was behaving like a changed person as
compared to his attitude and display of arrogance in the previous CEC
meetings, what he wanted from the meeting was pre-determined and the
proceedings were manipulated to achieve that goal.
His entire focus was to avoid people who would raise questions
about his leadership and to allow cronies to dictate the agenda. But some
party heavyweights were impossible to avoid and so floor was given to
Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Senator Safdar Abbasi, Raza Rabbani but was
denied to Nawab Yusuf Talpur. Makhdoom Amin Faheem conveniently had
some trouble with his eyes and stayed away from the meeting.
Details of the marathon session emerging slowly indicate that a
continuous attempt was made by managers of the meeting to bulldoze
the proceedings, but was foiled by party seniors several times. Zardari,
however, succeed in pushing things and Secretary General Jehangir Badr
was asked to brief the media even before the meeting was formally closed.
Zardari also quickly obtained a clean chit and laudatory resolutions from
uninterested CEC members. At least three senior leaders did not vote for the
resolutions.
No serious discussion was held on critical issues to evolve a party
strategy as the line had already been decided by the co-chairman. Important
points raised by Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, Senator Safdar Abbasi, Sherry
Rehman and surprisingly Raza Rabbani were ignored in the final outcome.
Shaheen described the details how the hawks hijacked the outcome of
the meeting in the form of resolutions. He then added: The prime minister

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did not want to speak but he was pushed by leaders to brief the CEC on
what was going on. He took most of his time on irrelevant issues and ended
his comments but it was Zardari who told him to get up again and talk about
the current situation.
The president wanted a clear loyalty declaration from his PM. He did
that in a vague and ambiguous way, as if to save his job even if it was done
at the cost of his co-chairman. it was typical Multani speak, a CEC
member later commented
Senior leaders who analyzed the CEC meeting later were deeply
worried that the strategy adopted by the PPP would harm the party more
than it would help. They think Mr Zardari is too badly damaged and his
refusal to improve his image would ultimately take him down. They do not
think the Sindhi Card will work and they dont know who will lead the
PPP if Mr Zardari is forced out by the judicial or political challenges he
faces.
One consensus among these top PPP leaders was that one person
could still save the sinking ship but that person was not interested and too
scared to come forward at this time. She is the recluse, Sanam Bhutto, now
in London.
Faces of these CEC members glowed when one of them said she
could be persuaded to come back and lead the party, even symbolically, if
the threat she feared was removed. She fears Mr Zardari and if he was no
longer in power she could be persuaded to again make a Bhutto available for
the PPP. A high-powered steering committee could then run the party But
all agreed that it was almost an impossible thought at this stage, yet it
was something to think about.
On 23rd December, The News talked of Nawaz Sharifs dilemma. The
PML-N faces something of a dilemma. It wishes to play a constructive role
in opposition, but at the same time it must also be seen to be doing the right
thing. It is quite obvious that people wish to see Mr Zardari step down.
This has nothing to do with politics or the legalities of the situation but
simply with morality and public perception of the need to act on principle.
There is little doubt that, on this basis, people believe strongly that the
holder of the highest office in state should quit.
For now the PML-N has acted wisely. Its maturity and its refusal to
engage in undignified baying for blood should help bolster its public image.
It is also coming across as a loyal ally, determined not to hit the president
when he is down. If it succeeds this time round in getting rid of the 17 th
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Amendment, this will be a huge service in itself. The PPP must realize it can
no longer continue to make promises it is not willing to keep and now must
do away with the amendment and the extraordinary powers it bestows on the
president. If it fails to do so once again, the PML-N may find itself left
with little choice but to adopt a somewhat different strategy.
In another editorial the newspaper commented on threats to
journalists. Legally speaking, Raja Riaz can be booked for making such a
real and blatant threat, which was one made in a moment of unguarded fury
but was the logical culmination of a longwinded argument which preceded
the ominous warning. Threats are nothing new for us. We have faced rough
weathers, suffered hardships, seen business closures and undergone
incarcerations. We have seen it all. But so far such behaviour had
predominantly remained the forte of successive uniformed despots. No
longer, it seems. A culture of elected autocracy sired by moral
bankruptcy and growing political isolation appears to be taking roots
within the ruling dispensation.
It would be advisable for Raja Riaz and his ilk to put their own house
in order, provide good governance and fight corruption to improve their
political standing instead of threatening journalists. We can take care of our
principles and ourselves. Though the seriousness of the threat does not
escape us, we cannot help being amused by this shameless display of
sycophancy, in which threats are being made in Lahore to actually score
loyalty points in Islamabad. What remains worrying is that these
sycophants do not know where and when to stop.
Anjum Niaz observed: The prime minister is defiant. He has spurned
the Supreme Court judgment. Ministers in Sindh call the December 16
judgment a conspiracy against their province. Its minister for interior, whose
bi-polar outburst and hyperbole are commonplace, warns of an East Pakistan
repeat. In sum, the 17 judges are being painted as the dividers of the
country, while the PPP ministers and their mouthpieces are presenting
themselves as the great uniters. Some are openly committing contempt
of court by attacking the judges. Emboldened by the support received
from a section of the media, well-respected columnists and human rights
activists, governor Punjab Salman Taseer is in the chorus asserting that chief
Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry too faced allegations but he didnt resign. Taseer
has a point here. Had the CJ resigned, we would have lost him forever.
Instead he chose to fight and win his case.

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Anjum mentioned Barrister Jawaid Iqbal Jafrees petition to

strengthen her argument against corruption and also establishment of
monitoring cells. She then talked about Asma Jehangir, a newly convert to
anti-judiciary schools of thought. The lady had tried to divert focus away
from corruption by initiating an academic debate on clauses of the
Constitution during Zia era regarding eligibility of members of Parliament.
She then added: Pakistanis too need a bailout, not the type of the
IMF, the World Bank or phony Friends of Pakistan offers, but a political
bailout from the corruption that has turned us into a basket case. Islam
advocates the severest punishment for those who steal. Instead we allow our
leaders to steal. We reward the robbers by re-electing them not once but
many times over. As I write, our leaders hands are in the till Im
advocating a complete breakaway from the failed political system that
has plundered us since our independence.
Pakistan must change the way it selects, elects and chooses its
leaders. We cannot allow 30 per cent of people to elect leaders who are serial
liars, lotas and convicts. They buy votes with their billions. Once in office
they multiply their wealth. No, we dont want this kind of democracy.
Let our constitutional experts, political scientists and thinking heads hold
moots on which political system is best for Pakistan.
Say goodbye to men and women who have made this country a mess.
I have seen these foxes and vixens operate through the decades, using
their skills, wealth, family name and social status. The list includes fat-cat
lawyers who have been in and out of governments while raking it in and
selling their soul to the ruler of the day; politicians who have changed
loyalties and blackened their faces but still continue to come on talk shows;
media practitioners who have enriched themselves with plots and pelf
abusing the leaders when out of power and kowtowing to the same when in
power.
Roedad Khan opined: Today we are engaged in a great battle for the
rule of law and corruption-free politics. With the demise of the NRO, we
have won the first round, but the fight is not over. In fact, it has just
begun. All the robber barons are clinging to office like a dirty old piece of
chewing gum on the leg of a chair. In this country, nobody vacates office
voluntarily. It is not a part of our political culture. They have found in
democracy, the perfect Trojan horse for attaining and preserving power. It
has provided a shell under which they plunder and beggar their people. They

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will not easily. They have to be hounded out. But do we have to wait for
Armageddon to hound them out? This is the question.
In every period of political turmoil, men must have confidence that
the superior judiciary, the guardian of the Constitution, will be fiercely
independent and will resist all attempts to subvert the Constitution. It is our
good fortunate that after years of subservience to the executive, the Supreme
Court is now back on its feet. Pakistan too has woken up. It has raised its
head, stands tall and erect. Sadly, the people hope that was sweeping
Pakistan soon began to fade. As apprehended, the euphoria, the excitement
that accompanied the Dec 16 verdict has been overtaken in short order by
cynicism, fear, doubt and anxiety.
There are already worrisome indications that the executive is
determined to defy the apex court. The first threats have already begun to
appear. However, it is the last desperate gamble of a hated and doomed,
corrupt fascist autocracy which fortunately, is soon due to make its exit
from the stage of history.
Khan discussed the democracy in Pakistan mired by corruption; the
crisis of leadership; cases against Zardari and the constitutional immunity, he
then added: When politics or politicians fail to resolve, or even to address,
the great issues people face, what often happens is that civil society rises up
to change politics. Historians call such moments great awakenings
which often lead to big changes in society. Today Pakistan may be on the
edge of such a time with a younger generation of lawyers and civil society as
its cutting edge, ready to face the challenges and issues that weigh so heavily
on this great country. They must urgently organize themselves throughout
the length and breadth of the country at all levels tehsil, district, division,
province and the federal capital.
With all the challenges we Pakistanis face: anarchy from within,
irresistible pressure from without, American drone attacks, killing innocent
men, women and children, a proxy war, an all-pervasive fear, abject poverty,
more than half the population living on less then a dollar a day, a national
embarrassment called Zardari, nothing has mobilized public opinion in
recent history quite like the infamous NRO.
If people want a change, they will have to vote with their bodies and
keep voting in the streets over and over and over. A regime defying the
Supreme Court can only be brought down in the streets. This is what the
regime fears most, because it either has to shoot its people or quit. A

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bloodless revolution but a mighty revolution that is what we need

today.
Shamshad Ahmad wrote: It should have been a welcome opportunity
for the ruling party to use this historic verdict for its much needed facelift
through honourable means. The problem with us is that we just do not
have capacity to digest good things. In 1970, we had the first-ever, and
perhaps the last-ever, free elections, and thereafter, thanks to political frenzy
ignited by udhar tum, idhar hum political catchphrase, we lost half the
country.
The nation is not ready for another politically-impelled Dec 16
disaster. The PPPs reaction to the Supreme Courts NRO ruling was
uncalled-for. The verdict was an opportunity to have the partys leaders
exonerated honourably through due judicial process in the courts of law.
The ruling was not against them; it was against the unconstitutionality of the
NRO. There is no threat to the system unless the politicians themselves mess
it up. We cannot afford anymore hara-kiris or blind forays into points of no
return.
Any attempts to cry foul in ethnic tunes and threatening political
rivals will only discredit the political parties and their leaders beyond repair.
Some of their political illiterates are fuming insanity which may only
lead the country into yet another phase of political chaos and
instability.
Politicians are again proving themselves unworthy of running the
country democratically and constitutionally. Attention is already shifting
to alternative centres of power. What our political gnomes today forget is
that an independent judiciary is their strength, not weakness. They must
respect its verdicts and enforce the rule of law, before it is too late.
Next day, Ameer Bhutto rejected the idea of using Sindh Card. Sindh
is not a card. It is a proud nation which boasts a rich heritage and culture. It
cannot be used like the ace of clubs in a dirty game of power poker to satiate
the egos of a few tainted politicians. This nation has been let down by its
own representatives who too readily and too often offer it at the altar of
power like a sacrificial lamb. It produces over two-thirds of total national
income but remains a backward mess with its people living prehistoric lives
in filth and squalor, deprived of even the most basic life sustaining essentials
like clean water and medicines. It is a land engulfed by desperation and
hopelessness, where harsh realities compel men to commit suicide while
mothers are forced either slaughter or sell their children because they are
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unable to make ends meet. In such hellish conditions, a brazen

announcement on the part of a failed government to continue using these
suffering millions as pawns in their selfish power struggle is humanly cruel
and displays blatant disrespect and disregard for the people of this golden
soil.
The people of Sindh had a unique relationship with Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto that transcended ordinary political relationships.
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto often spoke of his love affair with the people. It is
because of the remains of that bond that the Peoples Party is in power today.
But such relationships cannot be sustained by a one-sided flow of energy.
They need to be fueled with reciprocity, which the current Peoples Party
leadership is not capable of. The flow of energy has, therefore, fizzled out.
For Zardari to expect, as if by some divine right, the same measure of
adoration and exaltation from the people of Sindh as they extended to
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto is just absurd. He has done
nothing to deserve it.
Shakir Lakhani from Karachi wrote: It was shocking to read that the
PPP Punjab president, Rana Aftab, and the senior provincial minister, Raja
Riaz, have threatened to chop off the hands of some senior journalists. The
punishment of amputation is for thieves and looters, not for those who
expose thieves and looters. But, it is Islamic Republic of Pakistan ruled by
an agent of the Crusaders.
Kamila Hyat opined: The sense of euphoria over the SC ruling is
understandable. The NRO was, quite obviously, an indefensible law. But the
question now is what the future is to be. Is an ouster of the PPP desirable?
Do we have options to choose from? Is there indeed another party with the
same ability to draw in votes from across the nation? Is there one that has a
manifesto that can be endorsed as liberal or progressive? The answers give
some insight into the extent of our desperate political poverty.
How can this be alleviated? There are no immediate solutions. Just
a brief look backwards into time highlights the dangers of confrontation and
the rapid removal of governments. Through the 1990s, the failure to allow
elected parties to complete terms contributed to the instability and
uncertainty we face today. Repeated interventions in the system left it
immensely weakened; deliberate manipulations ensured success was not
allowed. The resulting chaos enabled a dictator to once more cease power.
There was optimism sometimes from unlikely quarters that General
Pervez Musharraf would usher in genuine change. Nine years later, we find

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more ruins everywhere and a menacing threat from militants which threatens
to engulf us. The scenario is a desperate one. But the fact that we stand here
makes it all the more vital that we strive for democracy to be kept intact.
This though must take the form of some kind of real democracy,
and not one that exists in name alone. When a political party which bases its
popular standing on the goodwill of people loses this support, it in effect
places a noose around its own neck. This noose must not be tightened. But to
loosen it, the PPP too needs to reform itself. There are individuals within
the party who possess both acumen and foresight. One the immediate
crisis is over, they need to step forward and speak up, so that we can set
in place some momentum towards sustainable democracy which can serve
the needs of people desperate for some kind of change.
After having discussed forces for and against judiciary, Basil Nabi
Malik cautioned: The judiciary must be careful. There are players in the
system who would love to paint the picture of a biased judiciary to suit
their ends, whereas there are others who would love it to do their dirty
work.
All such pressure tactics are ill-advised and quite unfortunate. For the
court to take such factors into consideration before coming to a decision
would be a catastrophe, considering that it was political considerations and
popular sentiments which resulted in the birth of the doctrine of
necessity. It is hoped that after its struggle, the judiciary will ensure that we
do not return to those times. Let justice be done, though the heavens fall!
Heavens never fall when justice is done.
Ikram Sehgal explored options for coming out of the crisis. A few
options exist for the solution of the present situation without putting the
country into turmoil and dragging it down into chaos, unless that is the real
intention of those affected by the Supreme Court ruling (in brief):
Option One: calls for the president to remain in place while the NRO
beneficiaries resign with immediate effect and face the due process of
lawgovernance will probably function better.
Option Two: would not have the president resigning. But, a viable
modus operandi would be to replace Gilani with another PPP leader
Aitzaz Ahsanto deal with the prevailing crisis of governance.
Option Three: president may have to go on leave of absence and the
Gilani government, minus the convicted and/or the accused can keep
functioning.
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 Option Four: president to resign and the chairman of the Senate

takes over as acting president and new president acceptable to and
respected by allis elected.
Option Five: desperate measures; dissolve National Assembly with or
without request from Gilani and seek mid-term elections. This gamble
will certainly create turmoil.
Option Six: judicial activism to go an extra mile; the president is
declared ineligible; acting president makes national government and
accountability runs its full course.
Ikram concluded: By declaring the NRO null and void ab initio the
Supreme Court set in motion the long (and slow) process of instilling good
governance in Pakistan. Without commenting on their culpability or
otherwise, the moral authority of those in power to charge any citizen with
breaking the laws of the land has certainly been eroded. The aftermath of the
Supreme Court verdict has put on display a mindset of their contempt for the
rule of law, undercutting the credibility of civil authority and, thus, good
governance. Those recommending confrontation with the judiciary are
scrambling for survival not out of love for Zardari but out of a dire need
for their own self-preservation, in the process they may be fatally damaging
Zardaris presidency.
The Supreme Courts verdict has raised hopes among the people
of Pakistan for good governance, with the prospect of accountability of the
rulers becoming a matter of routine. One does not see the men of character
and substance in the Supreme Court flinching because so-called democrats
trying to escape justice, come hell or high water, are hell-bent upon putting
the Supreme Court on trial.
On 25th December, The News devoted the entire space of editorial
column on crisis created by the Zardari regime in aftermath of SC verdict.
Those personally affected by the judgment of the Supreme Court setting
aside the ignominious NRO and re-opening cases that were hushed up under
it, have reacted with yet more ignominy that consists of doing everything
that the country has been harmed by in the sixty-three years of its existence.
They have defied the court. They have tried to pit institution against
institution. They have sought to fan the flames of ethnicity. They have
threatened to amputate the limbs of those in the media who expose their
corruption. They have done everything except the one honourable thing for
them to do; to resign and face the courts. What they have done and are doing

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may be despicable, but it is not unexpected. It is in perfect harmony with the

character shown and the deeds done by this lot for the past two years that
they have been in power.
The same cannot be said about some others whose integrity and
commitment to the ideals of justice and good governance we do not doubt:
they have been in the forefront of the struggle for human rights and for the
democratic Pakistan. Some of them were vigorously active in the judiciarys
struggle against a brutal dictatorship. That is exactly why we find it ironic
that they now have chosen to judge the SC judgment in a manner that has
little to set them apart from how Musharraf and his minions saw the present
judiciary or how Zardari and his henchmen are trying to defame it. They
have found the judgment biased, as targeting specific individuals, as
persecuting a particular party, as going beyond the pale.
And what have they to offer in the way of argument? Precious little.
Having a problem with a short order and with the unanimity of the judges
(or wondering why the judges were not divided on the issue?) who passed
the judgment amounts to actually nothing. Asking why was not mentioned in
the judgment takes guts though. For the question is being hurled at a
judiciary that made a history fighting that man in uniform, while some of
these critics were, at least for a while, busy trying to make people see
that the struggle was one mans quest for glory and had little to do with
the independence of the judiciary.
This question is apparently also being posed to defend those who
actually committed the affront of blocking the reinstatement of the judges, of
aiding and abetting the former dictators escape from the country after they
had presented him with the guard of honour. If it is not easy today to bring
Musharraf to justice, the accusing finger has to be pointed at Zardari and his
men and not those who still cause Musharraf enough worry not to return to
the country. And playing the Musharraf card does nothing but adds to
the nervous shrieks of those who were his loyal partners then, and are in
power now. How does that serve the cause of democracy?
Making much of the perception problem with reference to Sindh is an
obscene exercise in opportunism. Scoundrels are said to find last refuge in
shallow patriotism. The NRO beneficiaries have fallen even lower in their
desperation and are trying to start an ethnic fire; obviously not with an aim
to serve the serfs they themselves have held the bondage for long. But to
think that this would resonate with those who should know better! Which
part of the SC judgment discriminates between Sindhi and non-Sindhi NRO

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beneficiaries, between those belonging to the PPP and those who do not?
The NRO list, it should be remembered, was issued by the law ministry
under the PPP. Perceptions, particularly those created with criminal intent,
are not sacred. They must be fought against and not fallen for.
The annulment of the NRO ab initio logically entails that all cases
closed under it be reopened. Complaining of the judiciary going beyond its
bounds and then accusing it of ignoring other alleged cases of corruption
is foolishly contradicting oneself. Nobody is stopping Zardaris
sympathizers, both outside and within the government, from taking these
cases to court or causing them to re-open. Maybe, reconciliation will be
invoked to counter this point: but this country had better be rid of
reconciliation of the corrupt. Honour among thieves is an honour that suits
only them. The most glaring of all contradictions that the well-wishers of
Zardari/the PPP/democracy (they seem to be having a hard time telling
which is which) triumphantly run into is when they wish to see politics
determining the SC judgment by stressing that the judges should have taken
into account the political implications of their judgment. And by not doing
so the judges have overstepped their bounds? They obviously set no such
limits for politics.
Refusing to see the obvious, they have come to be haunted by a
spectre. To them, the judges are now a part of a conspiracy to topple not just
the government but democracy, aided in this task by the media! This boggles
the mind. Since when a few individuals, with allegations of corruption
against them, have become synonymous with democracy? In effect, what
they are saying to the millions who go hungry in this country while the
democratic lords of misrule serve each other with reconciliation is that
corruption is the new god they should bow themselves to. In a society where
poverty and squalor have bred the most obscurantist kind of extremism, we
pray this perception of democracy does not take root, for this means the
end of all.
If there is a conspiracy at work, it is being hatched by those who,
sensing they may fall from position of power and privilege on account of
their past, perceived or real, misdeeds, would rather cause the whole order to
go down with them, instead of proving their innocence or giving way to
those whose past and present are not as tainted as theirs. Those who are
pained to see democracy under question would do an immense service to
this country by trying to persuade these individuals to do the right thing,
rather than crying wolf like the shepherd who chose to do it so many times

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for fun that there was nothing to make his cry credible when it really
mattered.
Shafqat Mahmood observed: The prime minister has clearly stated
that he does not intend to write to the Swiss courts to restart cases against
President Zardari. And, despite specific direction by the Supreme Court,
no progress is visible regarding changes in the NAB hierarchy or starting
legal proceedings against the former attorney general, Malik Qayyum.
Some voices from the civil society and opinion writers are
questioning aspects of this decision But while this luxury is available to
the general public and the media, the government is duty bound to
implement the court decision, in letter and spirit. Under Article 190 of the
Constitution, all state authorities have to aid the Supreme Court. Not doing
so is a violation of the Constitution and an offence that has seen
governments dismissed in the past. By taking this route, the Gilani
government is on the path of self-destruction.
Some government people have argued that since President Zardari has
immunityfair enough. If the government genuinely feels that there are
difficulties in implementing the court decision, it should move an
application before it or ask for a review of the judgment. What it cannot
do is to unilaterally choose which aspect of the decision to implement and
which not to.
If governments start to judge court decisions themselves to
determine their legal veracity, there will be chaos Within a day or two,
either someone will move a contempt application before the Supreme Court
or the court itself will take notice of the non-implementation of its decision
and seek an explanation from the government.
If the court is not satisfied, the onus will clearly be on Prime Minister
Gilani and he will have to answer the court. Let us not forget that in 1998 the
Supreme Court summoned Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and he appeared
before it. The same thing may happen again
Some of the allies have been roped in to further this strategy.
Fazlur Rehman, the man with the ample girth and a huge ability to keep
filling it, said in one of the talk shows that the Supreme Court is acting on
the behest of the army. Others directly or indirectly affiliated with the
government have also begun to say similar things. I suppose that, given our
history, conspiracy theories are inevitable. But it stretches the imagination to
believe that the 17-member bench of the Supreme Court has no mind of its
own as Fazlur Rehman implies
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There is a theory making the rounds in Islamabad that President

Zardari has decided that if he goes down, he is going to take everything
down with him. Prime Minister Gilani to resign in case he is disqualified
and perhaps something similar may be done in Sindh. If Gilani resigns the
entire government collapses, leaving a huge vacuum.
If this is indeed true, we are heading for a potential breakdown of
the system. No one knows whether it will never come to President Zardaris
disqualification, but if it does, are we headed in the direction of total chaos!
That is the last thing we need at such a difficult time for the nation.
Ayaz Amir wrote: They (media men) rail against corruption and
talk of cleansing the national stables but their real target is President
Asif Ali Zardari. We all know that with his colourful past and his familiarity
with Swiss bank accounts, Zardari makes for an easy target. But the point
lost on our new jehadis is that our national woes did not begin with him and
will not end with his departure from the office he holds.
There is another uncomfortable truth to confront, Zardari, whether one
likes him or not, is elected President of Pakistan. And he was elected by no
process of chicanery but by the freely-expressed wish of a large majority of
the presidential electoral college, a choice not forced upon parliament and
the provincial assemblies but a choice they freely made. We can regret the
choice but we have to live with it
Zardari is going to do so us no Roman favour. He is not going to fall
upon his sword. He is not going to take a helicopter out of the Presidency
and catch a plane for Dubai. This is not going to happen. So the temperature
of things should come down. And we should return to the working of the
Constitution and the logical playing out of the political process.
It would help if Zardari and government were to conduct themselves
better and curb the urge, which periodically overtakes them, to shoot
themselves in the foot. But even if this tendency is not checked it doesnt
mean we cripple or traumatize the political system
Zardari has a past. But who in the current pantheon politician,
tycoon or even jurisprudential giant is without some kind of a past or the
other? All their lordships in the Supreme Court once-upon-a-time were
counted as PCO judges, taking oath at the altar of Musharrafs first PCO.
But no one is saying that because of that they should commit hara-kiri. On
the contrary, the nation is wishing them well and urging them to do their best
in the performance of their duties (although, at the same time, earnestly

608

wishing that their lordships would refrain from the temptation of fixing the
prices of such things as sugar and petroleum).
Theres another thing we shouldnt forget. When Benazir Bhutto was
assassinated many political parties thought that there was no point in
participating in the elections. Even the PML-N, thinking that an election
under Musharraf would be an exercise in futility, was in favour of a boycott.
At that juncture the most powerful voice urging everyone to participate
was Asif Zardaris. Bizarre as it may seem, if there has to be a father
chosen for the Feb 2008 elections it is Zardari
Politicians have been shortsighted in the past but for the most
part they are behaving maturely now. Like every party, the PML-N has its
share of hawks who see things in black and white. But the overriding
sentiment within the party is that come what may, and whatever the charge
sheet against an individual, the country cannot afford another derailment of
democracy. The person who has done the most to hold the line is Nawaz
Sharif. He may have been anything in the past, and his record may have
much that may be open to criticism, but in the afternoon of his years it is
hard to deny that he is conducting himself like a statesman.
On 26th December, Hamid Mir compiled his views on Gilanis meeting
with media men. Prime Ministerinvited more than three dozens TV
anchors and journaliststo the PM House and tried to impress upon them
that: I am the government and my government is strong, I am not threatened
by any conspiracy. There is no conspiracy going on.
It was his sheer bad luck that the same evening in Bilawal House,
Karachi, President Asif Ali Zardari was saying something totally
different. Zardari was saying: Certain mercenary elements are involved in
conspiracies to topple the government. We will foil all these conspiracies.
Same day senior minister of PPP in the Punjab government Raja Riaz
condemned the conspiracies hatched by generals against democracy.
Both Zardari and Gilani claimed on Thursday that they respect the
Supreme Court verdict on NRO but their actions are speaking louder than
their words, which are in direct conflict with each other When one of
us reminded him that the Supreme Court had ordered the federal government
and all other competent authorities to proceed against former attorney
general Malik Muhammad Qayyum, he hid behind the smoke screen: We are
waiting for the detailed judgment of the court.
There is no reason for anyone to wait for the detailed judgment
after the categorical directions given in the short order The Supreme Court
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suggested making changes in NAB on December 16. The very next day
Gilani reshuffled the top bureaucracy and appointed six new federal
secretaries. Not a single change was made in the NAB.
One week after the verdict, the prime minister changed the Federal
Law Secretary Justice Riaz Kiyani. He was the one who cooperated with
Supreme Court during the hearing of the NRO cases. It was Riaz Kiyani
who produced a file in the Court, which proved that NAB officials were
actually trying to hide some very important facts from the Court.
It is believed that Riaz Kiyani was punished by the prime minister
because he embarrassed the NAB officials in front of the 17 judges. The
prime minister and the president have been appointed a new attorney general
but they have not listened to what the Supreme Court has suggested in its
short order. Is it not a violation of the order? How can we believe that the
prime minister respected the Supreme Court verdict? If Prime Minister
Gilani is under pressure from President Zardari not to take action against
Malik Qayyum and not to make changes in NAB then Gilani must resist and
try to convince him
Clash between institutions could create a new crisis in which any
provincial government will have the right to invite army under article 245 in
the name of help. One mistake will lead to more mistakes. One disaster will
be followed by bigger disasters. This scenario has forced many allies of the
government to stand at some distance from all those who are saying one
thing and doing entirely a different thing.
PML-N is still ready to help Gilani for saving democracy but both
Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif are reluctant to trust PPP and
Zardari. They are extremely worried why the federal government is not
implementing the Supreme Court verdict yet. One top PML-N leader
admitted to me recently that the army leadership was fed up with Zardari and
wanted to get rid of him but the PML-N is not ready to support any
unconstitutional action against Zardari.
Some people are even saying that Zardari is already history and
have started throwing new names This situation may force one powerful
institution to ruin all other weak institutions. Gilani and Zardari must realize
that the survival of one institution lies in strengthening the other institutions.
Parliament must respect the Supreme Court and if these two are united and
strong no third institution can even think of crossing its constitutional
limits.

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Mir also mentioned that PM started talking about Army without being
asked by anyone. Gilani politicized the army chief very innocently in
his typical Multani style. He said it again and again that the month of
March will also pass and our government will still be there. We reminded
Gilani about the statements of Nawaz Sharif just a few days before the
military coup in October 1999 when he was claiming that his government
was not facing any threats
Hamid concluded: Gilanis interaction with media gave us an
impression that the PPP leaders have yet to formulate a strategy to avert
a clash between institutions. Time is running out very fast. The federal
government must act swiftly to implement the Supreme Court verdict
without waiting for the detailed order.
Zardari and Gilani must fix a deadline for the implementation of
Charter of Democracy in consultation with the PML-N as soon as possible
otherwise the PML-N will be no more in a position to rescue the PPP
government this time. Gilani must remember his own words that a clash
between institutions will ruin everything.
Dr Masooda Bano wrote: If the party is delivering on the ground,
there is much less of a chance that the public will be interested in following
the anti-government discourse generated by a few people. Thus, there will be
less of a need for the party senior ranks to feel irritated and go after
individual journalists. Second, the party which is delivering will indeed have
some senior journalists on its side to counter-balance the views of those who
are critiquing it. Thus again, rather than entering in a mudslinging match
with the journalists, the leadership of a national level political party has
many other ways of dealing with any critique it is being subjected to in
the media.
The PPP senior leadership would do well for itself if, rather than
lashing out at individual journalists for attempting to destabilize the
government, it tried to analyse why the public is willing to believe the
critiques of the PPP made by these journalists. Pakistan for sure does not
need another military intervention. In order to avert any chances of such an
intervention, it is very important that the political leadership acts
responsibly. Prime Minister Gilani is responding well to the crisis faced by
the PPP leadership. The other members need to follow the same course. If
PPPs leadership responded to criticism by implementing a real programme
of development, it would have to worry much less about what journalists are
saying about it.

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Zafar Hilaly observed: Mr Zardari has proved a veritable political

Houdini. From being written off politically he has emerged unassailable. He
has played the Sindh Card and thrust Sindh into the lobe of his
opponents on the point of a political lance. His message, actually a
challenge, is clear. Put up with me or risk losing Pakistan.
He has dared the Supreme Court to remove him and in the process
warned off the army and Nawaz Sharif. Neither, it seems, feels it politic to
take him on, at least for now; of course, it helps that neither of the other two
contenders for power get on. But even if they did the outcome would be no
different. Pakistan craves political stability not uncertainty and turmoil,
as any fool knows.
How, then, did Mr Zardari an ethnic Baloch, a lackluster speaker
with as much charisma as a pregnant llama and who, but for the fact that he
was Benazir Bhuttos husband would not have stood out more than the
proverbial pimple on the hindquarters of an elephant prevail in Sindh has
had it up to its gills with the establishment. Incensed that Mr Zardari was
being singled out as the target while others are being let off, Sindh defiantly
claimed him as their own.
Mr Zardari would be prudent not to let his newfound popularity
among Sindhis carry him away. His mores, no less than that of his rivals,
appalls them. Those with whom one spoke in Hyderabad had little regard for
him; it is just that they dislike his rivals more. Interestingly, most said that if
Mr Zardari were to be replaced by another Sindhi from within his party the
hurt would be less.
Apart from forcing a great many of his critics to eat crow about his
bleak future prospects, what else does Mr Zardaris newfound stature
convey? To begin with, it shows that Pakistans febrile democracy is
strengthening; respect for mandates is gaining traction; a dysfunctional
government is being allowed time to become less so and that contrived or
forced ousters of elected governments are not a remedy for what ails
Pakistan.
At the same time it reveals how uncomfortable the populace is with
the proposition that an individual should have blanket immunity for all
wrongs committed by him merely because he is the top gun. They find it
difficult to understand why allegations nay, virtual proof of theft are
dismissed before, rather than after, due process. And many worry that Mr
Zardari may not smart enough from the narrow escape that he seems to have

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had, and instead becomes wise in his own conceit, because that would be
disastrous for him as much as Pakistan.
Zafar went on to compare Obamas plight similar to Zardari in the
context of differences between US administration and American people over
Afghan war. He then concluded: Mr Zardari has an opportunity to lend his
voice to the overwhelming majority of his own countrymen, and a majority
of Americans calling for an American withdrawal from Afghanistan. Mr
Zardari should not squander the extra life that he has received from his flock
in Sindh merely to importune Obama for more largesse. His countrymen will
forgive Mr Zardari a dozen times a week and reconcile eagerly with his past
if he summons up the courage to look Obama in the eye and speak his mind.
This is his chance to emerge from his wifes shadow and become his own
man.
Talat Masood urged: Prime Minister Gilani should seriously
consider seeking the resignation of the ministers that are involved in
corruption cases and replacing them with politicians with better reputation
and capabilities to mitigate the damage. Surely, they could return to power if
cleared by the courts. In any case, the prime minister has wanted to reshuffle
the cabinet and bring new faces and this provides him with an opportunity of
having leaner cabinet and competent ministers.
The president can partially diffuse the pressure that is building on
him by agreeing to repeal the 17th Amendment and transfer his powers to
the prime minister. By taking these actions the situation will stabilize.
Otherwise, the good that was suppose to come out by declaring the NRO
void would be lost. The power vacuum would be filled by the military
asserting more influence over foreign, defence and domestic policies and
militancy will get a new life and democracy will once again receive a serious
setback.
Meanwhile, international concerns and pressures will intensify.
Washington, taking advantage of the prevailing uncertainty, will ratchet up
its pressure on the Pakistan military to expand the area of operations to
North Waziristan despite the fact that it may not be in Pakistans best
interest. India could also intensify its diplomatic and political offensive that
Pakistan reign in its militants, realizing well that it would not be possible to
open up several fronts. The domestic and international challenges indeed are
very grave and demand a concerted national effort and prudent leadership at
many levels.

REVIEW
613

Main thrust of noisy reaction of the Zardari-led PPP to the verdict of

Supreme Court was primarily diversionary as has been pointed out in the
introductory lines. The party leaders tried to give political colour to purely a
judicial matter. They pretended to be victims, not only of the excesses of
judiciary but also political opponents, the Army, and the media. The fact is
that all criminals, when caught up by the law, become victims.
Zardaris prediction that more conspiracies would be hatched in future
indicated that he feared some petitions to be filed in the Supreme Court,
including the ones seeking his disqualification. All the hue and cry raised by
the jiyalas was aimed at pre-empting the filing of such petitions as well as
intimidating the judiciary to desist from being too eager to be fair and
independent.
PPP jiyalas like Salman Taseer argued that the past must be forgotten
and a fresh start should be taken as the nation was facing many challenges.
They strengthened the argument by insisting that all cases were fabricated. It
amounted to saying: lut dey jao tey lung dey jao (loot and loiter away).
The reaction of Zardari-led PPP was quite similar, in its belligerence,
to that of its founder father in 1971. He had threatened those who wanted to
go to Dacca by saying tangeen tor dainge (break their legs). Today jiyalas
talk of haath tor dainge (ampute their arms). They also used Sindh Card,
thereby threatening; no PPP, or no Zardari, no Pakistan.
Sindh Card has proved significantly effective in serving the cause of
looters and plunderers. The vested interests have drummed up that the
unanimous verdict of 17 judges of the apex court has been biased,
prejudiced, faulty, targeting one person only and aimed at destabilizing the
democracy. They have been quite aggressive in propagating their line.
The regime has also quietly acquired the services of a section of the
media men who operate on insert-a-coin technology. At the same time, the
aggressive approach has put the docile elements, which are quite sentimental
about Pakistan, on the defensive. They avoid speaking truth forthrightly lest
the thieves turn into gun-wielding dacoit.
The situation once again serves a reminder to Punjab to rethink as to
for how long it has to carry the Cross of Pakistan. Its leaders must let those
forces know who condone plundering that at least 60 paisas of each rupee
looted belong to Punjabis even if worked out on per capita ownership and in
actual fact it could be more than sixty percent.

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The only compliance to the courts short order has been in terms of
some of the NRO beneficiaries appearing before various courts after revival
of hearing of their respective cases. Here too, the element of arrogance was
quite conspicuously demonstrated; reminding one Ibrarul Haqs Jat going to
the court (kitchery).
Rehman Malik, Jehangir Badar and Babar Awan appeared before
courts with touch of grandeur, pomp and show with no sign of regret,
remorse or shame. They talked to media men, had photo-op sessions and
boasted about their innocence; thereby announcing their acquittals before
the courts did. One of them was seen making victory sign; victory against
whom? No doubt, any hardened criminal would like to defeat the justice
system, or the rule of law.
Before concluding, a few words about Aitzaz Ahsan. No doubt he has
been advising his party to adopt saner approach of not defying the court
orders, yet he has been creeping into the folds on Zardari-led PPP. Aitzaz
should know better that Zardari is not the man who would work for making
the state maan kay jaisi (mother-like).
If that be the case, then does he think that he could escape the
judgment of the history in which he would be placed as one of the aides of
Zardari. In retrospect even former law minister of Musharraf era, has been
claiming that he has been rendering saner advice to his boss but it wasnt
heard. This hasnt helped him in avoiding being placed with Musharraf and
Aitzaz could be no exception from being similarly placed with Zardari.
To conclude it must be acknowledged that counter-offensive launched
by the Zardari regime has successfully diverted attention away from the
hearing of corruption cases. The media and other watchdogs have been
distracted from the quality of prosecution being presented by the culprits
themselves. At the end of the day, the looters may be vindicated: all cases
were fabricated by the opponents of great leaders of a popular political party.
It will turn into an even greater tragedy if all kinds of looters and
plunderers join in with PPP. Such a league of looters, or looters in league
with each other, would try to turn the devils into angles. Only PML-N
leadership can avert formation of a nexus of the corrupt.
26th December 2009

615

SCREAMING SCOUNDREL
On 27th December, scared and irritated co-chairman of the PPP
addressed the gathering of the members of his party at Naudero on the
second anniversary of Benazir Bhutto. He screamed belligerently and vowed
defeating all his enemies; none of whom he had dared naming specifically.
But, despite the deliberately created vagueness by using the words as
smokescreen the message from the screaming scoundrel was very clear.
The message was: Im democracy and I see dangers looming all
around me. His aides already having the move of Sindh Card made the
message read as concluded in the last article if no Zardari, no Pakistan.
Those who have read the message feel sorry finding Razia (Pakistan) amidst
scoundrels?
There were some very conspicuous omissions in the speech. He did
not say a word about the NRO; December 16 verdict of the Supreme Court;
its implementation by the Executive; abrogation of 17 th Amendment;
spiraling prices of government controlled energy sources; and not fulfilling
numerous promises he made. All these things, perhaps, do not fit-in the
democracy symbolized by Zardari.
Nevertheless, Zardaris aggressive manoeuvre seemed to have worked
at least for the time being. The observers were distracted from the issue of
implementation of the Supreme Court verdict. They started talking of Sindh
Card and clash between national institutions which could have disastrous
implications.

NEWS
On 26th December, Nawaz Sharif headed the PML-N meeting held in
Islamabad during which a committee was formed to rename the province of
NWFP. After the meeting he talked to journalists telling the government to
remove the NRO beneficiaries from public posts. Nabeel Gabool promptly
reacted by asking Nawaz to close his political shop.
Nawaz said his party would support democracy, not the corrupt. He
wanted implementation of the Supreme Court verdict in letter and spirit. He
lamented governments failure to repeal 17th Amendment and refused to
support any move to cut tenure of Chief Justice.
Kaira said the constitutional amendments would be finalized in a few
weeks. Jehangir Badr urged the Supreme Court to summon Musharraf over
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NRO promulgation and other offences committed by him. Speaking at the

anniversary of Benazir Bhutto Zulfikar Mirza said the party was all set to
break Pakistan, till Zardari raised slogan of Pakistan Khappay.
MQM delegation led by the Governor met Zardari to iron out
differences over local governments. Two parties decided to defer the matter
but after the meeting MQM was confident that Mustafa Kamal would stay as
nazim of Karachi. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists condemned
governments plan to financially cripple Jang Group of newspapers. Bankers
feared lengthy litigations once the court orders recovery of loans between
the 1971-1997 period. Musharraf claimed writing off loans of poor people
only.
Next day, Zardari raised war cry against all his adversaries within and
outside Pakistan. Speaking on the occasion of second anniversary of his wife
frightened and angered Zardari referred to an array of enemies without
naming them and while remaining ambiguous about nature and extent of the
threats. He vaguely mentioned the threats posed to the country by non-state
actors; threats to stability of the system by political actors; threats to
democracy by the actors on tenure posts and conspiracies to weaken
constitutional institutions. In short, most threats were from imaginary actors
to a frightened man scared of taking cognizance of hard ground realities of
the real life.
Ahsan Iqbal said there was no conspiracy against the president and if
president thinks he was facing threat from certain institutions his
government is responsible for it and the contents of his speech did not suit
the status of president. Mushahid dubbed it as the speech of a confused,
frightened and angry person who sees enemies all around and preferred to
see himself as victim rather than an accused. Shujaat saw no conspiracy
against PPP.
Qazi said it was a speech of a frightened person, but it was not clear
who he feared exactly. Munawwar Hasan termed the speech a charge-sheet
against the armed forces by their supreme commander and declaration of
was against other constitutional institutions by a man talking of
reconciliation. Ajmal Niazi termed it as farewell speech and compared it
with Nawazs speech before dismissal of his government. Haroon-ur-Rashid
said Zardaris speech was a reflection of a weak mind. He urged Army not to
take note of his utterances.
Kaira said Zardari did not criticize Army. Farhatullah Babar vowed to
save national institutions. Babar Awan said non-state actors were hatching
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conspiracies. Altaf Hussain saw the pearls of wisdom in Zardaris speech

and welcomed it. Rehman Malik wasted no time in thanking Altaf for
appreciating the speech. Amended petition against constitutional immunity
to president was filed again in the Supreme Court. PPP accepted all but three
PML-N proposals on new NAB law.
Zardari spent the day of Ashura in lodging his complaint with Wall
Street Journal in which he alleged that some actors were implicating him in
twelve year old cases. On 28th December, Nawaz Sharif said undemocratic
attitude of the government was a threat to democracy. Gilani vowed that the
government would bring even Musharraf back if ordered by the court.
Salman Taseer said it isnt easy to remove Zardari. Zardari pledged to wage
jihad against those who had murdered Benazir Bhutto and were destabilizing
the country.
While appearing in Mohammad Mallicks TV programme Aitzaz
Ahsan betrayed his conscience while defending Zardari. Perhaps, it is a
universal truth that conscience has no place in politics and he was speaking
as a politician of PPP, not as leader of lawyers movement. It was
unfortunate that the host did ask him as to did he see Zardari as father figure
when he wrote riasat ho ge maan kay jaisi (state will be like a mother)?
On 30th December, Prime Minister with several federal ministers, four
chief ministers and cabinet of Balochistan assembled at Gwadar to sign NFC
Award on the deck of PNS Babur. Gilani in speech repeated old promises to
make Musharraf pay for killing Akbar Bugti and abrogating Constitution etc
and added yet another by promising removal of third time bar on PM. The
Supreme Court set aside LHC verdict and ordered by-election in NA-55.
APNS vowed to take steps to safeguard Jang Groups interests.
Next day, Zardari vowed using his political weapons if and when
needed. He also said that political forces want ISI under civilian control. He
also claimed that Karachi bombing was a reply to his Naudero speech.
Nawaz Sharif asked the government to bring back money from Swiss banks.
The government ordered Chairman NAB to remove the DG operation.
He has been targeted for issuing order for immediate implementation of the
Supreme Court order on the NRO. Reportedly, some provincial officials of
the NAB were also on the hit list of the Ministry of Law for similar reasons.
On 1st January, Taseer lashed out at Sharif brothers saying that they
too were money launderers as they were charged with $22 million in
Hudabia Paper Mills case. Zardari said he was being targeted for supporting

618

Balochs. Hamid Mir reported that Gilani and Mukhtar were likely to mediate
between Zardari and Kayani. Electricity price was increased by 12 percent.

VIEWS
The verdict of the court and governments lack of interest in
implementing it either in letter or spirit continued to be widely commented
upon. On 27th December, Rahimullah Yusufzai opined: There wasnt any
real national reconciliation that was supposed to happen once the NRO was
implemented. It was reconciliation between Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto
arranged by the Americans and then British during their talks in Dubai,
London and Washington. The NRO didnt overcome the distrust that
Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto had for each other and before long both
sides were convinced that this wasnt going to last. It bought temporary
benefits only to the two deal-makers. It may have enabled Musharraf to rule
a little longer or Benazir Bhutto to get rid of court cases and return home.
But the price they had to pay in terms of damaged credibility and
accusations of unprincipled deal-making was much higher than their gains.
Pakistan and its politics would have been better-off without the NRO.
The News commented on detailed judgment of July 20, 2007 and
Musharrafs regret over promulgation of NRO. As talk centres on the
issue of crime and punishment, the question of whether Musharraf should be
allowed to get away completely with the wrongs he committed remains an
open one. This matter has come up before and been shoved aside by the PPP
government. The detailed judgment reminds us of the fact that bringing
Musharraf to trial could have set in place an important precedent,
making it clear to leaders now and in the future that they must not make
attempts to infringe on the independence of the judiciary. But beyond this,
the sordid saga detailed in the judgment and the observations of the three
judges who have signed the verdict underscore how much an independent
judiciary can do to serve the country. The laying out in the public domain of
the facts behind the events of 2007 would never have been possible if the
judiciary had not staged a battle to claim its rightful role in the state.
The ruling also straightens out other matters. It holds that judges are
not immune from accountability, but also states the president must act as
something more than a mailbox when forwarding a reference to the Supreme
judicial Council. It suggests that he must use his own reasoning to judge if
such an act is legitimate or not. This helps clarify some contents of our
Constitution and chalks out the path for the future. The process of
619

straightening out of the distorted role of state institutions continues, and

this should play a useful part in the process of decision-making in the
future.
Gibran Peshimam talked of Minus Two option after correctly
identifying the limitations of Gilani. Now that Zardari is ready to shed his
powers, putting Gilani solely in the drivers seat, the question is: our current
PM the best man for the job? Popular political discourse is missing the point
on the eve of the return of the parliamentary system. It is not whether AZ
should stay or go once hes shed his powers. It is whether Gilani should
stay once he has them.
I A Rehman observed: Unfortunately, the post-NRO problems have
surfaced at a critical time for Pakistan. The state is fast moving towards a
total chaos. The government has lost its grip over the levers of authority.
The economy is gasping for breath. While pretenders to the gaddi have
become strong the political parties have shriveled. The situation demands a
strong government, not in terms of its coercive power, but in terms of talent,
skill and capacity needed to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.
In order to pull the state back from the brink and ensure the survival
of democracy a great deal will have to be done by all parties and
individuals, beginning with Zardari. He has every right to go down
fighting but his right to drag the PPP down with himself is not clear. His exit
from politics will not necessarily amount to an admission of guilt, the step is
necessary to quell mischief (rafasharr).
On its part, the government must start acting as a government. It has
to be firm without being stubborn in dealing with the legislature and the
judiciary. High-pitched rhetoric and declamations full of platitudes are no
substitute for efficiency, earnestness and commitment to public good. It
must unburden itself of the tainted figures and lay the foundations of a
sober discourse with the opposition and the public at large.
The PPP has to make hard choices in the shortest time. Let
Bilawal Zardari Bhutto continue as the partys patron but its leadership must
be passed on to a prominent party member enjoying the confidence of
workers. The party will face hard times and may not do as well in the next
election as it did in 2008 but it will be able to turn the corner if it is
organized as political parties should be put together. All other political
parties need to realize their own stake in the democratic system. The anemic
body of Pakistan may not survive another flirtation with authoritarianism.

620

Farah Zia and Waqar Gillani interviewed Hina Jilani, one of the critics
of the Supreme Court for going beyond the limits of its domain. Replying to
the question seeking her views on short order of the court she said: The
Supreme Court to the extent of its jurisdiction has to sometimes deal with
provisions that are contrary to the Constitution. And, therefore, I dont think
in holding the NRO ultra vires of the Constitution the Supreme Court did
anything wrong. The problem is not with the judgment itself. The
problem lies in the scope of the judgment. The scope is much beyond what
the Supreme Court should be doing.
When asked about the limits of domain in this particular case, she
replied: NRO had a big problem that it gave impunity on a discriminatory
basis. You can strike it down. If you want to go a step ahead, you have to see
what you do in your domain. The NAB courts are under the scope of
judiciary. The Supreme Court can give them guidelines and scrutinize
their working. If the NAB courts want some information, the lawyer or the
NAB executives dare not conceal that. These cases have been running for
twelve years, why was nothing done in these twelve years? There was no
NRO then. This amount to saying that is a correct thing was not in the past
it must not be done now.
She was asked that some people say that by invoking the basic
features of doctrine, the Supreme Court has pre-empted a possible decision
of political leadership of having a separate constitutional court as specified
in the Charter of democracy. She replied: I havent seen it from this
perspective. This idea of having a separate constitutional court has been
experimented in many places in the world in the hope that the integrity and
independence of anybody determining constitutional matters is enhanced
and it has. These experiments have been quite successful.
In reply to query about doctrine of past and closed transactions, she
said: This is a difficult decision. Maybe it will be justified at some other
time because of the other truths that we come to know of, but at this point I
dont think you can play with constitutional and legal principles that are
so global and so intrinsic.
About possibility of an appeal she said: There could be a review but
it will be the same people and weve seen their level of commitment to this
subject, in their view rightly, in my view self-righteously. A self-righteous
judiciary is no an independent judiciary. Judiciarys independence
means that you rise above bias and subjective ideals.

621

Next day, Asif Ezdi commented: The reaction of the Zardari camp
to the Supreme Court verdict declaring the NRO unconstitutional is not
surprising. It is not so much the striking down of the ordinance that has set
alarm bells ringing in the Presidency as the specific steps ordered by the
court for the implementation of its decision.
The government had already resigned itself to the annulment of the
NRO by the court. It could also have lived with the consequential revival of
the corruption cases because prosecution would have been left to the NAB
which government controls. To leave nothing to chance, the government
has now also placed it directly under the law minister, the illustrious (Dr)
Babar Awan, who only a few days earlier had defied the NABs orders to
appear before it in a case of alleged bribery.
What Zardari had not bargained for was that the Supreme Court
would also give directions to ensure the proper investigation and prosecution
of corruption cases in accordance with the law and establish a monitoring
mechanism for this purpose. The courts strictures on the conduct of the
officials, as well as the suggestion for their replacement by persons of
competence and integrity, was a further indication that business as usual
would not be tolerated. Worst of all, from Zardaris point of view, was the
courts order directing the government to take steps to revive requests to
Switzerland and other foreign countries for mutual legal assistance in money
laundering cases, one of which implicates Zardari in graft amounting to $60
million.
Zardari has sensed that if the Supreme Court judgment is fully
implemented, his continuation in the presidency would be seriously
jeopardized. The fact that he has been reduced to taking the cover of
presidential immunity under the Constitution underscores that morally he
does not have a leg to stand on. As the prosecution of his cronies proceeds
under the watchful eyes of the media, his position will become even more
untenable. And a conviction by a court in Switzerland or any other foreign
court would be fatal, because it would not be possible to blame it on his
political adversaries, the establishment or politicized judiciary. It would not
only lead to a loss of power but also of hard-won millions, something that
Zardari treasures even more.
So the Zardari camp has resorted to a desperate strategy. Its
central plank is the effort to discredit the Supreme Court, while
selectively implementing only those parts of its verdict that do not directly
affect him. The government is trying to buy time by taking the position that

622

it would await the detailed judgment before

implementation. This is to be accompanied by a
institutions such as the army and the media. In
reaching out to the PML-N, to temper the hostility
party.

taking steps for its

scapegoating of other
parallel, there is to be
of the main opposition

The assault on the Supreme Court is being left to second-ranking

PPP leaders. Salman Taseer, who has been badly rattled recently by
Zardaris offer of the Punjab governorship to Aitzaz Ahsan, is evidently
taking great pains to win back Zardaris favour. He also has the advantage
that because of his constitutional immunity, he cannot be punished for
contempt to court.
Asif then argued against unwarranted and unjustified criticism of the
verdict. He rejected Asma Jahangirs observation (in fact accusation and
contempt of court) that the judgment was politicized. He also disagreed with
her that it violated the principle of separation of powers; referring the NRO
back to parliament in July 31 verdict and her bemoaning over courts
reference to Article 62(f) which lays down conditions for a parliamentarian.
Asif also criticized Zardaris endeavour to have new NAB Ordinance/Law
and Gilanis Fauzia Wahab-like attempt at defending Zardari.
Asif concluded: The Supreme Courts decision signals the
beginning of the end for those forces which opposed or obstructed,
sometimes openly and sometimes clandestinely, the struggle for the rule of
law which was launched when Musharraf declared emergency in
November 2007.
The nation has won major victories during this period over deeply
entrenched opposition: the ouster of a discredited military dictator; the
restoration of the lawfully constituted judiciary; the annulment of the PCO;
and now the striking down of the NRO. Two immediate tasks remain: to
remove from the highest offices of state those who have been looting the
countrys wealth and to bring them to justice; and to undo the deformities
introduced in the Constitution by Musharraf. We must give priority to the
former. If and only if, it is accomplished will the latter be possible.
Nasir K from Peshawar wrote: Only recently all private TV channels
gave live coverage to the attempt of an adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister
when he tried to forcibly occupy KPT land in Karachi. What stopped the
president, the prime minister or the Sindh chief minister from intervening
immediately and instituting criminal charges against the individual? Is it
kosher for an elected government to nominate an allegedly corrupt
623

individual as the head of Steel Mills, and then allow Rs22 billion to be
pilfered in spite of press reports pointing out the irregularities? The same is
the situation at other state-owned organizations. What action has been taken
against those guilty of corruption during the past 16 months to send out a
message that the elected government wants to have a fresh, clean start? The
biggest threat to the stakeholders in the present democratic set-up is
their own wrongdoings and failure to learn lessons from history.
Pakistan can no longer allow its elected or unelected elite to plunder and
pilfer state assets and then transfer those to foreign bank accounts.
Rahimullah Yusufzai commented on one of the remarks of Zardari
made in his speech. Warning his opponents not to weaken constitutional
and national institutions as this would be harmful for Pakistan, he mentioned
Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia as examples of countries that suffered due to
weakening of institutions. And in the heat of the moment, he claimed that
Afghanistan now has no army, police and municipality. President Zardari
was wrong. His friend Hamid Karzai, re-elected after the August 2009
presidential election marred by vote fraud, would be angry if he knew what
the Pakistani president said about Zardari was also wrong when he
insisted that Afghanistan has no municipality.
Ansar Abbasi made some revelations: At least three close associates
have been identified as those poisoning the top man against the Pakistan
Army and the superior judiciary. They are also said to be encouraging
him to play the disastrous Sindh Card. Sources confided to The News that
two doctors, one from interior Sindh and the other from Karachi, and a PIA
pilot, hailing from Sindh, are the three characters, who have been heard by
different sources while telling President Asif Ali Zardari that the Pakistan
Army is all out against him and would target him anytime.
This group of three, the sources said, usually surrounds the president
and keeps on poisoning him with the kind of threats that do not exist in
reality. However, it makes the president fearful of his fate and leaves him
with no option but to say strange things publicly like that no one would
force him to quit and that he could be removed from the Presidency in an
ambulance.
Some journalists too have been approached by the president, sharing
his various fears about the Pakistan Army. President Zardari has been made
mistrustful allegedly by this group of three to the extent that he even does
not hesitate to tell people even on phone that army is coming to target him
(Zardari) Sources, however, said that the president is told that besides

624

army the superior judiciary is also against him. The government

reluctance to follow the Supreme Court judgment on NRO in letter and spirit
is also said to be the consequence of the unfounded fears that the judiciary
has made up its mind to remove Asif Ali Zardari from the Presidency.
Although President Zardari has never publicly supported Sindh Card,
it is discussed in the Presidency quite often than seldom. The provocative
statements issued by Dr Zulfikar Mirza, Raja Riaz and other PPP leaders are
said to be part of a strategy to pre-empt the fear-based future happening
It is, however, generally believed that the conspiracy mantra of the
Presidency is an effort to divert the peoples attention from serious
implications of the SCs judgment that has left the president really worried
as the reopening of Swiss cases would possibly lead to his political death.
No matter what the president and his associates say, there is hardly
any one to believe this as judiciary is performing in a wonderful manner
whereas the military has shown no sign of disapproval to the democratic
system rather has been fully supporting it so far. Many see President
Zardari and his style of governance as major threat to the system.
Shaheen Sehbai saw it as an open declaration of war. It was an
outburst of a beleaguered man who could not hold it any further, yet it
was not impromptu. He thundered, made sarcastic digs, portrayed himself as
the biggest victim (although just one year ago he was the biggest beneficiary,
politically and financially), positioned himself as the ultimate fighter and
launched the pre-emptive first strike after weeks and months of thinking. His
words were very calculated and measured, prepared by speech-writers and
advisers.
Unfortunately his words confirmed many conspiracy theories,
which until now were considered and attacked as mere media speculation
and uneducated guesses of some antagonists. For instance, he confirmed that
there was a serious ongoing confrontation between him and the Pakistan
Army and all attempts by the Generals to resolve the situation had failed.
The recent meetings, it is obvious, did not produce any positive outcome.
He also confirmed that his survival was at stake and it was the most
important challenge he faced because he did not talk about any other burning
political issue, the NRO, the SC judgment, the 17 th Amendment etc included.
He confirmed that in his tunnel view democracy meant Zardari and if
he was nabbed through the judicial or legal process, democracy in Pakistan
would be derailed.

625

He confirmed that he was scared of the process now inching towards

its logical end and it was in his best strategic interest to politicize the fight,
energize his cadres, rally Sindhis as if there was a conspiracy to throw Sindh
out of Pakistan and take the fight to the GHQ before the soldiers were
asked by the courts to intervene.
He confirmed that there actually was a much bigger conspiracy
against him and the entire strategy of targeting four media men, Geo and The
News journalists including me, was nothing but a lame excuse to find
scapegoats. When the leader could not hold his guns, he burst out and now
all those who have been blaming the media, day in and day out, look no
better than stupid buffoons.
He confirmed that he was about to be cornered not by the barrel of a
gun but through the legal and judicial process, which he had successfully
subverted for years during his incarnation, he never let any court give a
verdict and when the Swiss court had reached that point, the NRO was
signed. He now knows that the only option left is to go on an offensive.
Obviously he has no defence.
But the key question is now that the president has declared war,
what would the other players do? It was just 72 hours ago that Prime
Minister Gilani had told dozens of media persons that there was no
conspiracy against democracy going on and had even promised to admonish
his cabinet ministers who were indulging in media bashing. Mr Gilani now
looks like a man lost in the maze. A similar message was given by the
Opposition elder Mian Nawaz Sharif 24 hours ago.
Will the Naudero attack stop the judges from proceeding on the path
that they had chosen to restore credibility of the judicial system? Will the
civil society and establishment stop supporting the judges who were restored
after a major upheaval in the country? Will the media now back off because
the thunderous threats of gouging out the eyes, imputing the hands and
breaking heads have now been officially authorized by the head of state?
Will the huge banners in Islamabad and Rawalpindi blaming some media
men, including me, now be spread all over the country? Will Minister Qamar
Zaman Kaira now start looking physically for journalists to beat them up
after slandering them on every channel that he could get on?
These questions will wait answers but Zardari has taken the
entire debate to a whole new level a battle for survival with the
establishment, precisely the Pakistan Army led by General Ashfaq Pervez

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Kayani. After all, against whom was the specific mention of tenure posts
directed at if not the army chief?
The best response to this paranoid offensive would be for all
others to ignore the rants and quietly and firmly continue the cleansing
process, which has been started by the judiciary and take it to its logical end.
What should not be done is interference in the affairs of the institutions,
including the presidency, but every one should be very careful and watch
against misuse of any powers by any institution.
The situation also increases the responsibility of the other
political parties and the seniors of the PPP to behave in a mature manner
and take steps, which are needed to keep the democratic system going. Mian
Nawaz Sharif should quickly call a meeting of all political parties to
consider the situation and evolve a political response
The Supreme Court should quickly release the detailed judgment
of the NRO case so that the excuse of the government, a waiting game, to
implement the SC judgment is no longer there and either action is taken or
denied, with matching consequences.
The prime minister should immediately invite four other key men
in the country President Zardari, General Kayani, Chief Justice Iftikhar
Chaudhry and Mian Nawaz Sharif for a session to thrash out issues,
informally and privately. If someone there adopts a stubborn and arrogant
attitude, it would become clear who is threatening the system.
There is no threat to democracy as such but democracy should not
mean protecting thieves, plunderers and looters. Convicting them through
due process of law would strengthen all institutions, which is badly needed.
No threats or warnings should be taken seriously as they are mere shrieks of
cornered people.
M Saleh Zaafir observed: The president targeted the people having
tenure posts (the army commanders and judges of the superior courts are
among the dignitaries who enjoy tenure posts). The fiery speech has ended
the brief lull in the atmosphere and it is certain that the political
temperature would rise sharply but it would hardly deflect the popular
demand for eliminating corruption and merciless accountability of the
corrupt.
The political observers in the federal capital heard the presidents
address with extreme care and termed it an ultimatum to all those who are
striving to eradicate corruption. Asif Zardari, who spoke as the leader of

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the ruling PPP, happens to be the head of the state. The tone and tenor of his
speech was unbecoming of a president. Footage was shown on a big screen
of a defiant speech of late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and a provocative poem (Yeh!
I am rebel), recited by late Ms Benazir Bhutto in April 1985 on her return
from her first long exile, provided the setting for the presidents rhetoric.
The president, acting on the advice of his cronies, lived up to the
expectations of those who advised him to talk tough because they are fully
aware of the writings on the wall.
The observers are of the view that the unnamed targets of the
president could be the United States, the armed forces, the judiciary, media,
the PML-N or leaders of civil society. The spokesman of the Presidency
though has insisted that the president did not target any specific person or
organization but he was talking on all the anti-Bhutto forces, which have
gelled together to destroy the PPP government.
Asif Zardari had two options, either talk reconciliation and offer olive
branch to his adversaries in line with the philosophy of late Ms Bhutto, or
challenge them so that the whole attention could be diverted to the so-called
clash of the institutions. He opted for the latter. The language that was used
by him was not befitting the head of the state; the sentences and words
were not orderly delivered but the anger was clearly visible from the
expression.
The observers feel that Zardaris friends sitting across the Atlantic
have started ditching him. They consider him a liability because of his
failure to deliver. Important world capitals are of the view that Pakistan is
being run by a person who lacks moral and political authority because of the
impression about him at home and abroad. He is trying to protect himself
and his cronies to save the ill-gotten money accumulated over a period of
time. The world capitals are desperate to help Pakistan and its people who
have suffered hugely in the war on terror but the dilemma before them is that
the enormous amount of money that would be provided to Islamabad could
land into wrong hands and they are suspicious about the use of money so
provided.
The observers have pointed out that reference to the clash of the
institutions is insubstantial because the institutions are working within
their spheres without bothering about the things Asif Zardari has referred to.
The Supreme Court has given its verdict on NRO but the Presidency wants
to implement it selectively In these circumstances allegation against the
armed forces loses substance. The Presidential Palace, it seems, wants to

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take on any institution so that the attention of the people could be deflected
from corruption and demand for complete inquiry into the foreign accounts
including the Swiss accounts, the observers said.
On 30th December, The News commented on Zardaris speech. The
fact that Mr Zardari chose not to spell out who these forces may be simply
adds to the mystery behind his rant. Many of those who witnessed it now
must be wondering with more gravity as to the ability of Mr Zardari to head
the state. Certainly, the paranoia many close to him say he suffers from
seems to be growing by the day. What is more, he appears to be unable to
handle the running of the state with anything resembling the poise or
maturity expected of the president. His latest outburst will only add to the
growing unease with his presence in the highest office of state. Pakistan
faces enough problems as it is without complications being created by
ramblings that in many ways make very little sense.
We do not quite know who the presidents closest advisers are. But
certainly his aides have been unable to offer him wise advice. Major issue
for Mr Zardari has been that of his image. His performance at Garhi Khuda
Bux did nothing to add positively to it. Indeed the speech may raise more
questions than it answers about quite what the president is trying to achieve.
What we do know is that new national divisions have been opened up;
fingers have been quite unnecessarily pointed and the possibility of all the
components making up the system being able to work smoothly together
has been further reduced. Yet, the fact is that today Pakistan needs all its
institutions to work in harmony. At the moment, as furious debate rages over
the contents of the unexpected address we seem to have moved even further
away than before from any possibility of smooth sailing.
The question that needs to be asked now is if there is any possibility
at all of salvaging the situation and avoiding the upheaval that appears to
loom ever closer. There have been suggestions that the president, the prime
minister, the army chief and perhaps other key players should sit together
and thrash out matters. The proposal is a sound one but such a scenario
seems unlikely. The wisdom from the presidency that could have brought
this about seems missing and this brings us perilously close to calamity
with each passing day.
Shamshad Ahmad opined: if Zardari, as co-chairman of his party,
must occasionally resort to such behaviour, he should seriously consider
giving up the office of president, which by its nature must epitomize serenity
of mind and tenderness of soul. In any case, it is not democratic on his part

629

to be simultaneously holding the two offices. It is also a violation of

tradition and an ethical code established by Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali
Jinnah in 1947 when, as governor general, he refused to remain head of the
Muslim League.
An elected president, a Bhutto successor, is not even embarrassed
that he is wearing his dictator predecessors worn out shoes. Zardari had an
opportunity of his life to be a man of destiny in Pakistans history. But
unlike the real Bhuttos, he could not connect himself with the masses, and
has had no interaction with the suffering common man. The nation is fast
coming to the conclusion that politicians are just not capable of steering its
destiny.
What puzzles the nation most is the warnings of threats to
democracy. Who is threatening it? Also, where is the democracy that is
under threat? Democracy is nowhere in sight or in practice in Pakistan. And
yet, the PPPs politically illiterate provincial spokespersons are tirelessly
ranting about conspiracies while senselessly lashing out at unnamed
enemies of democracy. They are fuming insanity, threatening the very
existence of Pakistan if anyone tried to oust the PPP government or its
leadership
After eight years of a dictators rule, the people expected real
democracy to return to the country and gave a mandate to their elected
political leaders to bring about change. The change never came. The
dictator is gone but dictatorship stays put in the form of his notorious 17th
Amendment, which is still hanging out there in the Presidency. We have an
elected government and an elected president, but without the original 1973
Constitution, democracy remains elusive in Pakistan.
In less than two years, the politicians have proved themselves
unworthy of the trust and confidence the people had reposed in them in
February 2008. Our present system, which is neither parliamentary nor
presidential, is without parallel in political philosophy or contemporary
history. The dysfunctional parliament is no different from Musharrafs
rubberstamp 2002 parliament which elected him twice while he was in
uniform.
The same breed of shapeless and motionless wooden marionettes that
are always at the beck and call of their master are sitting in our present
parliament. It does no legislation, except passing the annual finance bill with
deficit to be funded from external charity. No wonder we are endlessly lost
in what could pass for a puppetry drama where actors made of flesh and
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actors made of wood are together producing a constant comedy of

errors with a surrealist, weirdly hilarious quality
Shamshad concluded: We are fast drifting into an abysmal political
chaos and uncertainty. But politicians are lost in the mire of conspiracy
theories. They must rise above their narrow factional and clannish interests.
Pakistan is on fire. Karachi is burning. We are already killing ourselves. No
one knows what lies ahead for this tortured nation, which stands completely
torn apart and emotionally shattered. This politics of fire and fury must come
to an end before all is burned to ashes. It is never too late to come together
and collectively heal our wounds. Soul tending is what we need at this
time.
Raoof Hasan wrote: Since the announcement of the Supreme Court
decision declaring the NRO void ab initio, the PPP has taken one somersault
after the other. One point that it has consistently and arrogantly refused to
acknowledge is that the SC has adjudicated well within the rights
entrusted to it by the constitution of the country. In the process, the
demand for recovering the looted billions of the state which is being
wrongly and injudiciously equated with an attempt to derail the system,
damage democracy, even witch-hunting the PPP leadership, most notably its
co-chairperson. The parallel escapes all shades of logic as well as political
wisdom.
While overtly professing to adhere to the SC injunction, the
government (read PPP) is bending over backwards to stall the
proceedings against its leaders, some of whom are sitting ministers of the
incumbent dispensation. The morality aspect, some individuals accused of
committing various irregularities actually head the ministries that would be
entrusted with the task of proceeding against them under the law
There is one inherent flaw in the way PPP is going about what would
eventually be done: it is trying desperately to create a perception that the
judgment of the SC is aimed at targeting its leadership and that, if
implemented, it would derail the system. This is as erroneous as it can get
and is only a self-driven attempt to create a blatantly false impression about
the operative dynamics. In the process, the PPP is also hitting out at all
institutions it perceives to be adversarial: the army, the judiciary, the media
and civil society being the principal components of its hate drive.
Mr Zardaris ranting from Naudero on the second death anniversary
of Benazir Bhutto is all but indicative of a thinking pattern that sees a foe in
every institution and every individual. It reflects a mindset that is
631

completely under siege of its own demons. One fails to understand how
that would help the PPP, its image and its ultimate objective of salvaging a
political legacy that stands grossly tarnished on account of the misdeeds of
its own leaders. As a matter of fact, by filibustering on taking the necessary
steps to implement the SC decision, it would further jeopardize its long term
interests, even its constitutional basis for staying in power. Wouldnt it then
follow automatically that it may become necessary to put an operational
mechanism in place, parallel to the government, to implement the SC
injunction in its totality? In the event that happens, of which there is a fair
chance if the current PPP shenanigans continue, where would that leave the
party and its future prospects?
The PPP has got it all wrong. Having failed to honour its avowed
stance to respect the SC adjudication, it has driven itself to be caught in
a blind alley. Now, if it decides to proceed belatedly with implementing the
SC injunction, it runs the risk of having some of its leading lights declared
ineligible for holding public office. In addition to nullifying an earlier
position taken, restraining any of its leaders from resigning their offices, this
would also cast a deafening spell for the future of its co-chairperson
particularly with regard to the Swiss and other cases pending against him
outside Pakistan. If, on the other hand, it decides to continue procrastinating,
or refusing to implement the decision, it runs the risk of committing
contempt of court and would then be held accountable for matters in
addition to the cases that are already pending before various accountability
courts. This paints a debilitating picture for a nature with additional
emerging challenges to the PPP government, more particularly its cochairperson
Raoof concluded: What is simply unacceptable is that the future of a
few individuals against whom there are serious allegations of corruption and
misuse of authority is being equated with that of the state, or the system.
There is absolutely no parallel and no effort can establish one. The two are
separate entities: individuals, no matter how important and elevated in
authority, who commit crimes, would be punished, but the state would
outlast these punishments. As a matter of fact, transparent and equitable
dispensation of justice would further strengthen the institutions that provide
sustenance, substance and meaning to the state. Is it that we are on the
threshold of re-discovering a nation?
Next day, Zafar Hilaly observed: There was little in Mr Zardaris
actual speech that deserves scrutiny, because not once could one detect in it
the use of an argument. He appeared to be firing one of those multi-barreled
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Stalin Organs of Soviet WWII fame in the general direction of the enemy;
only this time, instead of pointing up, they seemed pointed down, at his own
feet. Alas, the effect was more sad than spectacular. Even the audience of
seated jiyalas (imagine jiyalas being seated and behaving sensibly) did not
know what to make of it. They clapped tepidly, instead of gyrating furiously,
arms akimbo. There was something bogus about the meeting. It seemed
imitation PPP, and the poorest of all imitations, at that.
Mr Zardaris critics, who now number in the legions, were quick to
allege that his motives for spouting what he did were transparently base and
meant solely to divert attention from his own troubles. Indeed, Mr Zardari
seems in serious trouble. The ripples of the "consequential" Supreme Court
decision are forming a wave which, when it breaks, may sweep him from
office. And Mr Zardari, who is neither blind nor deaf, can have few false
notions about his popularity. It is not surprising, therefore, that Mr Zardari
should appear a worried man, desperately attempting to shape the political
battlefield to avoid the fate that many feel is in store for him.
But none should underestimate Mr Zardari. He has proved a
consummate tactician and in the past he has played a weak hand well. And
here too he is displaying a virtuosity that few expected of him, and that is
nothing short of exceptional.
The sentiment that Mr Zardari conveyed in his speech, rather than the
words in which they were couched, was arresting. It contained what we have
known for a long time but fearfully left unsaid. Namely, that the federation is
not working; there is mistrust, bitterness, a sense of injustice on the part of
the smaller units and, worse, hopelessness. The fact that Mr Zardari said it
because he is slowly being cornered is not relevant. He knew that he would
be accused of speaking irresponsibly. He knows that as far as the public is
concerned it is better to speak irresponsibly and be right than to speak
responsibly and be wrong. The smaller units of the federation do indeed
demand a better deal
Mr Zardari intends to keep all options on the table for the battle
ahead. He certainly does not want to break the federation, but he knows that
he will be lost if he appears scared to go to the brink. So he is positioning
himself in such a way that although he appears willing to sacrifice the
federation, the blame for the breach will be laid on the door of his
opponents.
The seeming paranoia and panic that some say have Mr Zardari
in their grip is mostly contrived. He remains cool and collected. He knows
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that the public is aware that many before him, in the same office, did as the
Romans do and got away with it. Some were, in fact, lauded and their rule
remembered as the halcyon days when Pakistan counted. Their mindboggling corruption and chicanery to stave off democracy did not bother the
courts; nor did treason, not even judicial murder. In fact, one of the culprits
who allegedly connived in the murder of Mr Zardari's wife received a guard
of honour on his departure. What all these men had in common was that they
were not Sindhis. On the other hand, Mr Zardari, an honorary Sindhi, spent
11 years in jails for crimes of which he was never convicted.
As for his critics, Mr Zardari believes that those who spend most of
the time designing mausoleums for their enemies may actually end up
finding their own bones interred in them. And, being the supreme
pragmatist that he is, Mr Zardari believes that if two wrongs do not
make a right, why not try three. Because if that buys time for Pakistan to
acquire the desperately needed political stability to confront the formidable
challenges it faces, then everyone benefits.
Mr Zardari is banking on the fact that his opponents are made of
the same stuff as he is. They are birds of a feather albeit that never flocked
together. Now they need to, to save Pakistan. He is hoping that they will and,
in the process, save his hide. He is right, because so also are the people.
While reviewing various events of year 2009 Dr Maleeha Lodhi wrote
about the NRO: The divided political reaction to the latest display of
judicial activism encouraged the PPP-led government to insinuate selective
justice and play victim in an effort to obfuscate the public debate about
the accountability of elected officials. Meanwhile, the apex court's verdict
elicited criticism from an unexpected quarter prominent liberals who
argued that the court had taken a step too far; grounding its judgement on
reasoning that encroached on the domain of other state institutions.
In a year of judicial activism, critics depicted the Supreme Court's
actions ranging from striking down the NRO, inquiring into loan write-offs,
determining the price of sugar and questioning the pricing of petroleum
products as evidence of populist grandstanding and injudicious overreach.
While the political manoeuvring that followed the NRO judgment
reflected the Zardari-led government's efforts to rally support it also
betrayed its deep insecurity. This lack of confidence revealed itself during
2009 in the president's continual reading of criticism as conspiracy. It
was also exemplified by President's Zardari's combative speech on the
second anniversary of Benazir Bhutto's assassination.
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These actions left the country in the midst of a profound sense of

foreboding about the future. An uneasy calm prevailed at the dawn of the
new decade. The prospect of a jittery government distracted by the
aftershocks of the NRO verdict triggered widespread public fears about
instability at a time of unparalleled challenges for the country.
Ikram Sehgal opined: President Zardari's speech marking Ms
Bhutto's second death anniversary was really disappointing. Was this the
same man who raised the Pakistan Khappay slogan on Dec. 29, 2007, and
limited irreparable damage to the federation by calming the volatile anger on
the streets? And why is he intent on trying to provoke the army? Is this a
desperate ploy by NRO-affected Zardari associates to confuse an honest-togoodness judicial verdict by turning it, as Haqqani implied, into the start of
a military coup? Is the Zardari game plan to somehow provoke the
army into reaction, thereby converting their accused of corruption
status in public and (more importantly) international perception to being a
victim of anti-democratic forces? That is the thrust of the president's op-ed
article in international media!
While things must be on a short fuse and even though one feels an
ultimate provocation may be in the offing, the army must keep its cool. I
don't even dare mention it, lest it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy! The
2010 resolution for the army: confine themselves strictly to their
professional military obligations and let the Supreme Court do its job. It is
well on course to ridding this country of the corrupt and will not be deterred
by all the shenanigans of the NRO beneficiaries. The political posturing and
the needless/heedless innuendos by the head of state underscore what was
written on Jan 1, 2009, The office of the president should preferably not be
a political one, he (or she) must be directly elected by exercise of adult
franchise, unquote.
To be truly credible, accountability must not be selective and should
be applicable to all. The corrupt among the judiciary and the armed forces
must not escape justice. My Jan 1, 2009, remark on corruption is still
applicable on Jan 1, 2010: Corruption and accountability thereof remain
a major challenge. Even-handed accountability of all without exception is a
must to strike at the roots of corruption without bias. The National
Accountability Board (NAB) must be under the superior judiciary, its anticorruption mechanism not compromised by selective application for
personal and/or political purpose. Justice must be made simple and
inexpensive. What is the reason for extremism except lack of fair play in
justice and frustration at seeing the corrupt prospering?
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The real tragedy is that the Gilani-led government seems hell-bent

on committing political hari-kari. Putting at risk the goodwill and
confidence of the establishment and the opposition parties Yusuf Raza Gilani
has gained by his mature politics. If the NRO beneficiaries, most of them
Johnny-come-lately in the PPP, are disassociated from governance. The
Gilani-led PPP coalition will survive (and even flourish) for its full five-year
term, and that will be good for democracy.
On 1st January, 2010, Ayaz Amir commented: Zardari can also be his
own worst enemy. Who told him to deliver the speech he did at Naudero on
BBs second death anniversary? There were things in it which were best left
unsaid. Those whom the gods would destroy they first push into such
speech-making. But it is also true that Zardari has been driven into a corner.
The mandate he got constitutionally it bears remembering is being
nullified by other means.
Next day, Arif Nizami wrote: Presently the president, the prime
minister, the speaker of the National Assembly and the chairman of the
Senate belong to the PPP. It is the ruling party at the federal level as well as
in three provinces, and a coalition partner in Punjab. For it to invoke the
Sindh Card simply does not make sense unless the present party
leadership is bent upon converting the party into a nationalist party of Sindh.
Much earlier, when Hafeez Pirzada and Mumtaz Bhutto tried to play the
Sindh Card party chairperson Ms Bhutto did not hesitate to show them the
door.
Instead of painting himself into a corner, President Zardari should
take a more proactive and pragmatic approach to the present crisis.
Admittedly, Ms Bhuttos second death anniversary was an emotive occasion
for him and the party. But mere emotional outbursts will not resolve the
issues which are of a serious nature and hence threaten his position as
president and possibly the evolving democratic system.
The best approach will be to embark upon a consensus-building
exercise across the political spectrum. Prime Minister Gilani is the bestsuited person for this job. Repeal of the 17th Amendment is a promise made
too often. The month of December, the latest deadline given by Mr Zardari,
has also passed. Probably under the present circumstances his close political
consorts will be advising him not to yield any constitutional powers. To
empower the parliament and the prime minister, however, is the best recipe
for strengthening the system and obviating the possibility of extraconstitutional formulas being applied.

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Standards of good governance and transparency need to be

upgraded by the presidency as well as the prime minister. The present
culture of incompetence corruption and cronyism is eating into the entrails
of the present system and has given way to general cynicism about fruits of
democracy.
Measures that could symbolically indicate a change in direction need
to be taken urgently. This could include bidding farewell to some of the
known incompetent and corrupt members of the team. If at some stage
President Zardari has to make a personal sacrifice to set an example, he
should not hesitate to do so. The PPP secretary general, Jahangir Badar,
claimed the other day that the army and the PPP are natural allies. However,
the reality is different. It is time serious efforts are made to resolve
differences between the civilian leadership and the military. And for that
President Zardari should take the initiative.
Abid Hasan opined: Revisiting this matter and recouping written-off
loans for all write-off beneficiaries from 1971 to 2009, will be an almost
impossible challenge considering the long elapsed time and difficulties in
retrieving records and revisiting history. However, a selective approach
targeting the large defaulters may hold the promise of recovering some
of the taxpayers moneys. The Supreme Court may wish to consider
establishing a Blue Ribbon Committee headed by an eminent banker with
high integrity and comprising forensic auditors, lawyers, etc to review
loan write-off cases of the top, say 500, defaulters and all those (and their
immediate family members) who are currently holding public offices and in
leadership positions in political parties.
The committee would be tasked to determine, within three-four
months, the following: (i) whether fraudulent and collusive means were
used to obtain the loans in the first place, and whether companies were used
to enrich owners at the expense of the banks; (ii) the reasons for the default
and whether there were adequate public interest reasons to let the
borrowers off the hook; (iii) how much of the written-off amount can be
collected now either in cash or shares of the company considering the
current wealth and income levels of the beneficiaries, and profitability of the
companies.
As part of its review, the Supreme Court may consider invoking the
appropriate laws to debar from holding public office all those (including
their immediate families) who are unable to fully pay back their written-off
loans within 60 days. This action, along with the above targeted approach,

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would: (i) send a clear signal to large and politically well connected
borrowers that they have to not only treat bank loans with responsibility but
also return taxpayers funds wrongly provided to them; (ii) convey an
unambiguous message to politicians and their immediate families that rule of
law equally applies to them, thereby strengthening democracy; (iii) establish
a precedence to curb future policymakers from using taxpayers monies
imprudently; (iv) assure taxpayers that wasteful use of tax monies to benefit
the few, at the expense of the many, will be scrutinized by the court.
Overall, recovering unjustified written-off loans would strengthen good
governance as well as the banking system.

REVIEW
Observers are almost unanimous about Zardaris speech that it was a
speech of a scared man, who was calling bluff as a last resort. He tried to be
convincing and pretending to be determined, but remained unimpressive. He
tried to roar like a confident, upright and truthful person, but ended up with
stammering screams of shaken and scared liar.
He pointed his accusing finger on all directions while recounting his
proverbial thousand and one enemies. He alleged that his enemies were
jealous of his successes, which he had scored in a very short period of about
year and a half. He was angry, but he never mentioned the real cause of his
anger and frustration.
Without picking up the moral courage to name anyone of his
adversaries specifically, Zardari was in fact raising war cry against the Army,
the ISI, the judiciary, his critics in media, PML-N leadership and so on. He
warned those who were threatening democracy, but he seemed to be afraid
of true democracy which demands public scrutiny and accountability.
The most intriguing part of his belligerent posture was that he as cochairman of the PPP cursed Zardari the supreme commander of the armed
forces. It was intriguing on two counts; one, by blaming Army he was
admitting his own failure in controlling his command.
Two, by raising a war cry against Army he did what no politician in
power had done before him. This brings in the statement of Defence
Minister who had said that Army wont interfere in politics as it was
extensively pre-occupied in fighting war on terror. There is also a fact that
Army leadership understands that a military coup, no matter how urgently
necessary, will not be in the interest of the country.

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Taking cognizance of these ground realities Zardari has dared

challenging the Army openly in ridiculing manner. From the day one the
regime has been finding ways and means to push the Army to a place from
where it posed no threat to Zardaris democracy. In this context pushing
Army into military operation one after the other has worked according to the
plan in taking sweet democratic revenge, by rendering the Army politically
incapacitated.
The threat of using Sindh Card proved to be more effective as
compared to other actions of Zardari and his team. They threatened the very
existence of the federation, acting like a bullying playmate, with whom the
boys of neighbourhood refuse to play. He threatened: No play, if I dont play.
In Punjabi it is said; naan khedna, naan khedan dena.
Twenty four hours after his speech the Karachites saw the Sindh Card
ablaze. There was message in this for those, who showed keenness to play
card-game with their province, about the consequences. Or, was it a way of
playing Sindh Card? The possibility cannot be ruled out because people like
Zulfikar Mirza had tried it in 2007 when Benazir was murdered.
All the above is like writing on the wall which can be read by anyone
interested in reading. But, these are symptoms not the real ailment. What is
his agony that made him scream publicly to draw attention of the people of
Pakistan? One has to look back to dignose it.
Zardari was nominated as PPPs co-chairman through undemocratic
and suspicious process. He was then elected as President of Pakistan purely
out of sympathy. These were two political blunders committed by
democratic forces in the fit of jubilation over defeating dictatorship.
Zardari lacked credentials political and moral for both the jobs.
Resultantly, the PPP and Pakistan both have suffered grossly.
Allah has His ways to tighten the noose around the necks of those
who cross the limits laid down by Him. Zardaris sufferings make an
interesting case in this context. He was elected by the nation as President of
Pakistan circumstances and other factors aside. Since election he has been
in agony every moment despite being at the top. Why has it been so?
His placing in the Presidency could not save him from constant
pricking of the conscience no matter how lifeless it might have been
rendered by his misdeeds. A thought must have been passing through his
mind ceaselessly reminding him how he had plundered the wealth of a poor
nation and in return, how the same nation has honoured him in sympathy
over the loss of his wife.
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This thought must have been hurting him more often than not; yet, he
did not seem to have mended his ways. Resultantly, despite the perks and
privileges of being head of the state, he has been denied the respect and
honour even equivalent to that earned by an honest peon. Irony is he is
unable to share calls of his conscience with anyone; this is the source of his
perpetual agony.
His agony is further aggravated by his fears. Fear is Divine way of
dispensing punishment. What is he afraid of? He fears that the Supreme
Court might entertain a petition challenging his eligibility for Presidency.
And, after due process he may be declared ineligible in view of last two
constitutional verdicts and cases of corruption in Swiss courts. He is
genuinely afraid of losing the grandeur of his position while already having
no genuine honour and respect.
His fears can be explained in yet another way. During night in the
battlefield, a soldier guarding his area of responsibility starts suspecting an
enemy behind any bush if he focuses on for too long. His apprehension
seems to be turning into reality; he sees the otherwise static object moving.
A trigger-happy soldier wastes no time in opening the fire.
Zardari has been afflicted by his own fears and apprehensions. His
fears dance around him like cannibals continuously frowning at him making
gestures to eat him up. Zardari considers himself as a great political schemer,
but he cannot scheme himself out of his fears. He schemed to reach where
he today is, but cannot get out of it unless Allah, the Greatest Schemers of
all ordains.
In less than year and a half he must have realized that the time he
spent in jail was less torturous than that being in the Presidency. That is why
he said that his place is either in Presidency or in jail. It is because of that he
at times talks of pulling eyeballs of his enemies out of their sockets. At
another moment he screams like a Bania who sat on the chest of a Jat and
cried for help.
Is there a way out for him to get out of his agony? Yes, there is a way
and the only one that passes through regret, remorse and repentance and
ends up in instilling the fear of Allah in his heart. He will be free of all fears
and the need for screaming in public, if he sheds some tears presenting
himself before Allah in solitude.
Will he do that? Only Allah knows better whose doors of forgiveness
are never closed, but repentance is the only precondition followed by
mending his ways. Failing which he will continue fearing his imaginary
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enemies, who according to him are jealous of his political exploits and
adventures.
2nd January 2010

FRONTLINE TO EPICENTRE - III

The debate on Obamas strategy of troop surge, which intend at
formally turning a frontline state in war on terror into epicentre of terrorism,
was not yet over when militants struck twice within four days. They

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seemed to be welcoming friends of the US into the year of Obamas surge

strategy.
The first attack, bombing at the main Ashura procession in Karachi in
which nearly fifty people were killed, was followed by a fit of rioting
peculiar to that part of the country. Market after market was set on fire by
familiar ghosts that raged for more than 24 hours gutting about four
thousand shops. The authorities were quick to claim that it was an act of
suicide bombing, who later turned out to be a volunteer Boy Scout, but
police and Rangers knew nothing about the ghosts.
In second attack more than hundred people were killed in remote
district of Lakki Marwat. This was a first deadly attack on a playground in a
small town as previously only major cities have been targeted. This seemed
to be conveying a message that in case of surge strategy the ally of the US
has to defend every nock and corner of its territory.
Across the Durand Line Taliban celebrated New Year by killing eight
Americans and five British soldiers in two different attacks. Taking
advantage of Pakistans plight General Kapoor flexed his muscles almost
simultaneously with peace initiative launched jointly by the Jang Group and
The Times of India.

NEWS
In Pakistan, five militants were killed and two soldiers wounded in
South Waziristan on 14th December. TTP blamed secret agencies for
terrorism and asked ulema to visit affected areas before issuing fatwas.
Seven militants were killed in Kurram Agency and four dead bodies were
found in Orakzai Agency.
Army started reconstruction of Swat. Two militants were killed in
Bajaur. LHC ordered that five Americans arrested from Sargodha shouldnt
be deported. The FIR of kidnapping of Aafiya and her children was at last
registered in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. UN team was given three more months to
probe into BBs murder.
Obama has not allowed drone attacks in Quetta area for fear of
civilian casualties; Nabeel Gabool claimed the US request for attacks on
Quetta has been rejected. General Petraeus met COAS and Gilani and
discussed Pakistans tasks in new strategy of troop surge. Pressure was being
built on Pakistan to take on Haqqani Group.

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Next day, two suspects were held in South Waziristan. Foreign Office
said Pakistans concerns about drone attacks have been conveyed; this was
in addition to Armys reservations on action against Haqqani Group. In
Kurram Agency, a commander was among 23 militants killed and four
wounded by security forces and at least 22 were killed and 16 wounded in
Orakzai Agency.
Seven militants were killed in gunship attack in Khyber Agency and
four were killed in Malakand. Two militants were killed and 18 held in
Bajaur and 17 were arrested in Swat. Twenty-eight people were killed and
more than ninety wounded in car bomb blast in a market in front of Zulfikar
Khosas house in D G Khan. Two oil tankers carrying NATO supplies were
torched near Quetta.
Admiral Mullen arrived in Islamabad and met General Tariq Majid to
coordinate safe passage of equipment and logistics for deployment of
additional US troops in Afghanistan. He said defeating Taliban and al-Qaeda
must for peace. Holbrooke said all Taliban need not be killed. JI held antiUS and India rally in Chakwal.
On 16th December, a commander was among six militants killed in
South Waziristan; one soldier was also killed and two wounded. Two
suspected militants were killed in North Waziristan. In Kurram Agency, 27
militants were killed in gunship attacks and 17 soldiers were wounded
separately. A commander was among seven held in Hangu. In Bara, one
person was killed and 22 wounded when a grenade was hurled at a music
function and security forces arrested 23 suspects and sixty more were held in
Peshawar. Two suspects were held in Swat and one in Mardan and three
more were held in Bajaur.
Mullen and Kayani visited Kalam where the US instructors are
training Pakistanis and in the evening met Zardari amid reports that the
government has authorized COAS to deal with matters related to new
Obama strategy. Zardari and Kayani also had one-to-one meeting. Earlier
Gilani had told Mullen that drone attacks were spoiling government efforts
against militants.
Next day, at least 16 people, including 7 foreigners, were killed in US
missile attack in North Waziristan in which ten missiles were fired at two
targets. At least 23 militants were killed and 26 wounded in gunship attacks
in Orakzai Agency. Two soldiers and three militants were killed in Khyber
Agency. A suicide bomber was held in Batkhela. A NATO oil tanker was set
ablaze near Sibi.
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Reportedly, America wanted to exchange Hamesh Khan with five

Americans held by Punjab police and stopped by the court from their
extradition. Saifullah Paracha, an inmate of Guantanamo Bay, held video
conference with his wife in Karachi. She told media that her husband has
suffered heart attack thrice and heart by-pass has been recommended but he
refused because of unsatisfactory arrangement available in the prison.
Mufti Muneebur Rehman, Liaqat Baloch, Secretary General of JI and
seven other ulema fainted after eating poisonous sweets (Sohan Halva) at the
residence of JUI-F Senator at Parliamentary Lodges. The halva was gifted
by someone for the ulema attending a meeting. Have the Bilouri Popalzi
clerics struck? They had been demanding removal of Mufti Muneeb to
solve the issue of moon-sighting.
At least 12 people were killed when US missiles hit a funeral near
Miranshah on 18th December. Imran Khan urged judicial probe into drone
attacks killings. One soldier was wounded in firing at a post near Razmak.
Tribal elder was shot dead in Orakzai Agency and 15 militants were killed in
PAF air strike. A militant surrendered in Swat. In Dir, 12 people were killed
and 26 wounded in suicide bombing in front of Police Lines.
ISI clearance was made compulsory for foreigners seeking visa. US
blamed Pakistan for delaying visas to officials and contractors. The US
media accused Pakistan of harassing diplomats. UN Commission probing
Benazirs murder summoned former governor Punjab Lt Gen Khalid
Maqbool to Islamabad.
One soldier and six militants were killed in South Waziristan on 19 th
December. Ten militants and two members of tribal lashkar were killed in
Orakzai Agency; 11 militants were also wounded. Dead bodies of 13
militants were found in Darra area. Six militants were killed in retaliatory
attack in Khyber Agency. In Swat, 46 suspected militants were arrested.
US linked $1 billion to visas for its auditors. The US Embassy sought
registration numbers for 800 vehicles. A large number of lawyers reached
Sihala Police Training College to probe presence of Blackwater, however,
1,000 police contingent did not allow them enter the premises.
Next day, ANP expressed its reservations on operation in South
Waziristan. Three militants were killed in Orakzai Agency. Two militant
commanders were among 17 suspects held in Hangu area and 20 were
arrested in Lakki Marwat. Four militants killed in Malakand and four more
in Buner. ANP governments decision to postpone by-polls in Swat was
criticized. Two suspected suicide bombers were held in Mianwali. Two
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NATO oil tankers were set ablaze in Quetta. JI held Go America Go rally
in Rawalpindi.
Six militants were killed in South Waziristan on 21st December. Next
day, four more were killed in the area. Seven people were killed in air strike
in Orakzai Agency. Four suspects were held in Lakki Marwat. Three people
were killed and 18 wounded in suicide bombing at Press Club Peshawar.
PHC asked Peshawar corps commander to clear his position in the forced
disappearance case. Six militants were killed in Buner and three were
arrested in Bajaur.
French army chief called on President and Prime Minister; the former
wanted military assistance and the latter urged enhanced Pak-NATO
coordination. Fazlur Rehman said if the government rectifies the perception
of being US ally, suicide attacks would end in a day.
A member of peace committee was shot dead in Lakki Marwat on 23 rd
December. Nine militants were arrested in Bara area. At least 8 militants
were killed in clashes in Bajaur Agency. Two suicide bombers were arrested
in Bhakkar along with explosive laden vehicle.
Three soldiers were killed and four wounded in road accident in North
Waziristan on 24th December. Dead body of a Taliban commander was found
in Malam Jaba. Five people were killed and 26 wounded in suicide bombing
in Peshawar Cantt. Four militants were arrested in Mianwali. A girl was
killed and two persons wounded in foiled suicide attempt at a shrine near
Islamabad.
Ten civilians were killed in as collateral damage in an air strike in
Orakzai Agency on 25th December. Six suspects were arrested in Hangu.
Judicial complex of Bannu was blown up in explosion at night. Two
policemen were killed and a school was blown up by militants in Peshawar
and 18 tribesmen were kidnapped by militants in Bara.
Fazlullahs aide was held in Nowshera. Swati Taliban wanted Imran
Khan as their mediator; as four militants were killed in the Valley. Fazlur
Rehman said talks with Taliban were not possible. Two suspects were
arrested in Batkhela and one was held and 3 surrendered in Bajaur Agency.
Three soldiers were wounded in attack on a post in Mohmand Agency.
On 26th December, six people were killed in US drone attack in North
Waziristan. Military regretted the collateral damage in Orakzai. Five
suspects were held in Hangu. Five militants were killed in factional clashes
in Tirah Valley. A Taliban commander surrendered in Buner and 16 militants

645

were held in Swat and 4 surrendered. Fifteen people were wounded in

explosion of a remote controlled bomb in a car along the route of Moharram
procession in Karachi. US Embassy asked the government to provide
bulletproof vehicles for its staff deputed in the country.
Next day, the death toll in US drone attack in North Waziristan rose to
14. Political Moharrer and five members of his family were killed in bomb
attack at his residence in Kurram Agency. Militant commander in Kohat and
25 suspects were held in Peshawar and 14 suspects were detained in Swat.
Ten people were killed and eighty wounded at Imambargah opposite CMH,
Muzaffarabad. Several NATO trailers were torched near Khuzdar. Thirty-one
people were wounded in a blast in Muharram procession in Karachi. PM
said one more month was given to UN team probing Benazirs murder.
On 28th December, 15 militants and two soldiers were killed in South
Waziristan; three soldiers were also wounded. Senator Afrasiyab claimed
that Waliur Rehman held a press conference in Press Club located inside
Miranshah Fort. Seven militants were killed by gunship in Orakzai Agency.
Seven tribesmen and 13 militants were killed in a clash with tribal lashkar.
Four militants and five lashkaris were killed in a clash near Kohat. One
militant was killed in Bara area.
Bombing at the main Ashura procession in Karachi left 32 dead and
more than eighty wounded. The authorities were quick to claim that it was
suicide bombing and even issued sketch/photo of suspected suicide bomber
who turned out to be a volunteer Scout for maintaining order in the
procession. The terror attack triggered violence in which more than four
hundred shops and fifty vehicles were gutted. The fire was raging well past
the midnight.
Fifteen militants and a commander were killed when they attacked a
post in South Waziristan on 29th December. Thirteen militants and nine
lashkaris were killed in clashes in Orakzai Agency. Five militants were
killed in Jungle Khel area near Kohat. Seven militants were held in Bara. A
commander was killed and 16 militants were held in Swat. Two militants
and a lashkari were killed in Dir. Levies official was killed in Bajaur and
four children were killed when a shell landed at their house. Seventy
suspects were held in Muzaffarabad.
Death toll of terror attack in Karachi rose to 44 and more than
hundred people were wounded. Torching of more than three thousand shops
caused loss to private property worth billions. The victims raised antiRehman Malik slogans when he visited the site.
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Four militants were killed when their explosive laden vehicle

exploded in Orakzai Agency on 30th December. Three bodies were found and
15 suspects held in Swat. Ten militants were killed in Mohmand Agency and
two were killed shelling in Bajaur.
Federal government approved Rs1 billion for the victims of terror
attack and subsequent rioting. TTP claimed the responsibility of Karachi
bombing. More facts were reported about rioting that resulted in burning of
more than three thousand shops and not a single bullet or tear-gas shell was
fired or one rioter was arrested. Munawwar Hasan said the same people were
behind My 12 carnage and Ashura tragedy.
Six militants were killed in a raid on a private hospital in Wana on 31 st
December. Three people were killed in drone attack near Mirali. More than
700 civilians and five al-Qaeda men were killed in 44 drone attacks in 2009.
Five militants were killed in Swat. Two schools were blown up in Bajaur and
a boy was killed in landmine blast.
The government ordered closure of US camp located inside Police
Training College Sihala. Police was likely to ask a court to charge five
Americans arrested from Sargodha for planning to wage jihad inside
Pakistan. TTP denied Karachi bombing and police claimed to have arrested
18 people involved in rioting.
Two civilians were killed in US drone attack in North Waziristan on
1 January; and a tribal elder was killed a day earlier. Five militants were
killed in Orakzai Agency. Two would-be bombers were killed in Hangu area.
At least 83 people were killed and 40 wounded when a truck loaded with
explosives was rammed into a volleyball ground in Lakki Marwat. Taliban
protested extrajudicial killings in Swat by ANP government and security
agencies. A tribal elder was among six people killed in a bomb blast in
Bajaur Agency.
st

Strike paralyzed Karachi and Rehman Malik announced Ashura attack

was no suicide bombing. Saheen Sehbai reported that serious rift existed
between PPP and MQM over handling of the situation after Ashura
bombing. He said bigwigs in PPP government were already planning to
acquire the sites of burnt markets to build multi-storey plazas.
Death toll in Lakki Marwat bombing reached 105 on 2 nd January
2010. Four militants were held in Swat and two more schools were burnt in
Bajaur. Next day, militants and 2 soldiers were killed in South Waziristan.
Three foreigners were among five killed in US missile attack in North
Waziristan. PPP leader and former minister Ghani and three others were
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killed in remote control bomb blast near Hangu. A suspected suicide bomber
was held in Buner. Two militants each were killed in Swat and Bajaur. A
policeman and a civilian were killed in grenade attack in Rawalpindi. Altaf
Hussain demanded Supreme Court probe into Ashura tragedy, but not May
12 carnage.
In Afghanistan, eight policemen were killed in attack on their post
in Baghlan Province on 14th December. Seven policemen were shot dead by
their colleague in Helmand; the two shooters were arrested and the third
surrendered. Mullen expressed concern over al-Qaeda-Taliban collusion.
The UK planned to spend $248 million to protect troops in Afghanistan.
Next day, eight people were killed and 40 wounded in a bomb blast in
Kabul. One US soldier was killed in the south. President of Vietnam hoped
that the US would not repeat the same mistakes in Afghanistan it
committed in the war in his country over 30 years ago.
At least 18 people, including four NATO soldiers were killed in
various incidents of violence in Nangarhar, Kandahar and Herat on 16 th
December. Next day, seven civilians were killed when their car was hit by
IED in Kandahar Province. The US Envoy said no deadline for troops
withdrawal.
On 19th December, Karzai unveiled the choice of his cabinet; mostly
old faces backed by the Crusaders. Two persons were killed in a suicide
attack in Paktia on 21st December. Twenty-four militants were reported
killed in incidents of violence in Helmand, Kandahar, Ghazni and Wardak. A
British soldier was killed in southern Afghanistan. Mulla Sangin of Haqqani
Group, with $0.5 million head money, said his group didnt need Waziristan
as base to operate inside Afghanistan, it is well-established inside
Afghanistan.
An Afghan Senator, a British soldier and five others were killed in
various incidents on violence on 23rd December. Next day, eight persons
were killed in suicide car bombing outside Continental guesthouse in
Kandahar and a Canadian soldier was killed in roadside bombing.
On 31st anniversary of USSR invasion the Taliban asked the US to
quit Afghanistan before meeting Soviet fate. One US soldier was killed and
several militants were killed in Zabul Province. Two security personnel
were killed in attack on a post in western Afghanistan on 28 th December and
ten civilians were killed in US-led operation in Kunar.

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One US and two Italian soldiers were shot at and wounded by an

Afghan soldier on 29th December at an undisclosed place; a British soldier
was killed separately. Tripartite meeting was held in Kabul to deliberate over
making military operations along Durand Line effective. Next day, eight US
soldiers were killed in a bomb explosion in Khost and five Canadian soldiers
were killed in a separate incident in southern Afghanistan. Afghan probe into
Kunar incident found that civilians were killed by foreign troops.
A Briton two Taliban and 13 civilians were killed in various incidents
on 1 January 2010; seven civilians were killed in air strike in Helmand
Province after a British soldier was killed in bomb blast. Five civilians were
killed and six wounded when their vehicle hit an IED in Nimroz on 2 nd
January 2010. Pakistans defence minister said the US could not decide to
withdraw from Afghanistan unilaterally. Next day, 18 militants were killed
and 19 wounded in Kunduz in an air strike called after an encounter with
militants.
st

On 14th December, it was reported that India was developing missiles

with Israeli help. Four days later, Ajmal Kasab recanted and alleged torture.
He said at the time of Mumbai attacks he was already in the custody of
police. The scenes for implicating him in this crime were filmed separately.
He also said he has never seen a rubber boat or AK-47 rifle.
On 20th December, Pakistani High Commissioner in New Delhi
criticized India for going back on commitment to dialogue. Next day,
Pakistan agreed to allow Indo-Afghan transit trade. Ajmal Kasab once again
denied his involvement in Mumbai attacks and killing any police officer. On
22nd December, Ajmal Kasab said he never got training at LeT camp.
Kasabs retraction created problems for prosecutors in Mumbai-linked
trial in Pakistan. On 26th December, hundred Indian fishermen were handed
over at Wahga border. On 30th December, Indian COAS said India was ready
for war with China and Pakistan. Next day, The Jang Group of newspapers
and The Times of India issued a joint statement for peace between India and
Pakistan.
On 1st January 2010, General Kayani in response to his Indian
counter-parts muscle flexing said, proponents of conventional application
of military force, in a nuclear overhang, are chartering an adventurous and
dangerous path. Next day, General Tariq Majid gave shut up call to General
Kapoor. Assef Ahmed Ali said war with India was possible over water.

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Five persons were wounded in bomb blast in Turbat, Balochistan on

18 December. Next day, a DSP was among three shot dead in Quetta. A
policeman was wounded in a bomb blast in Hub. On 24 th December, about
300 armed men attacked a police station near Usta Mohammad and got three
persons freed from police custody. On 30 th December, Rehman Malik said
RAW was behind unrest in Balochistan. UC Nazim was among two killed in
Khuzdar.
th

In IHK, three Kashmiris were martyred by Indian troops on 14 th

December. Next day, APHC leaders were arrested by police as protests
against killing of women spread. India accused and Pakistan rejected claim
of ceasefire violation. On 16th December, a woman was killed and 50 people
wounded in incidents on violence.
India formally announced on 18th December the withdrawal of 30,000
troops from IHK; APHC leaders termed it a move to deceive the world. Five
days later, World Bank declined to give funds for IHK as requested by New
Delhi arguing that it was disputed territory.
Five soldiers were wounded in landmine blast in Samba area of IHK
on 26 December. More than fifty people were wounded when police used
force on Moharram procession. In 2009, 382 Kashmiris were martyred by
Indian occupation forces.
th

VIEWS
Rahimullah Yusufzai discussed the situation in tribal areas of
Pakistan. It is wrong to say that all militants or their top commanders
Hakimullah Mehsud, Waliur Rahman and Qari Hussain who fled South
Waziristan are now hiding in Orakzai and Kurram Agencies. Other places
where the TTP fighters could find refuge are the neighbouring North
Waziristan, parts of Wana are and even the districts adjoining the tribal areas
and in major cities. Many could still be in the remote valleys, villages and
forests in the Mehsud tribal territory in South Waziristan where the security
forces havent reached. As the military outposts in the captured territory are
now being attacked with rockets and light arms, it is evidence that some
militants are present in the area and able to launch guerrilla attacks.
Hakimullah Mehsud has threatened to strike back in January when
the mountainous South Waziristan starts receiving heavy snow and his
fighters have regrouped. The snowfall in the parts of South Waziristan began
on December 9, but it seems the TTP leader and his men arent ready yet to
650

stage bigger and more frequent attacks. It will not be easy for him to come
back into battle after having lost his strongholds and left behind arms and
ammunition.
His TTP will never give up and will retaliate with bombings in urban
centres but it is clear that its strength has been significantly degraded after
having lost their strongholds in Swat, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber and South
Waziristan. Public opinion has turned against the TTP and the people living
in areas controlled by the militants are waiting for the government to offer
them protection, compensation and basic needs of life. Carrying out military
action in every tribal area and bombing all those places where the
militants once had their hideouts shouldnt be standard government
policy. Each place has its own dynamics and much of the collateral
damage including civilian casualties, destruction of properties and largescale displacement of the population could be avoided by improving
intelligence, undertaking political work and isolating the militants.
Kamila Hyat recommended tackling of militancy through economic
well-being. There are many examples around the world that we can learn
from. The question is whether we will do so before it is too late. Terrorism
threatens to devour our country. We already live in a place that has, for
many, become a kind of hell. Poverty condemns people to unimaginable
hardship. Escape lies for them only in the hope of reaching heaven once they
cross that divide between life and death. This is the promise used by the
ruthless to trap those who live without any optimism or any confidence
of an improvement in the quality of their lives.
The government needs to challenge them not by propping up
religious scholars who condemn terrorism. Most ordinary people are already
rational enough to know it is inherently wrong to kill the innocent. Instead
change must be created by offering them something that makes life
worthwhile and persuades teenage boys that it should be lived, rather than
hankering after the hoors that they are told will surround them after death.
Alam Rind had some more tips for combating terrorism. Terrorist
safe heavens are not confined to religious seminaries. Now the terrorists
have been able to fan out to less conspicuous places. The evidence is that
large chunks of explosives have already been dumped at different locations.
Probably it is beyond the capabilities of the law enforcement agencies to be
able to spot all such sites. But the custodians of such sites would behave in
abnormal manner, like disallowing acquaintances to visit their residences,
shops and warehouses, minimizing their interaction with the local

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community and being visited by the strangers at odd timings. Such activities
can only be monitored by locals through establishing close interaction with
each other. To institutionalize the whole process village and mohalla
committees can be constituted having liaison with law enforcing agencies.
The initiative for the formation of such committees has to be taken by the
people themselves.
The war has changed its form. It is being perpetrated by our enemies,
the powers that want to see Pakistan weak, denuclearized and, if
possible, undone. With the changed modus operandi the country is being
weakened from within through terrorist activities. Therefore, the method of
combating the activities has to be re-tailored. The presence of disguised
enemies in our ranks and files demands greater cohesion between civilians
and the law enforcing agencies. We need to be fully conscious of the
urgency of the situation and the pressing requirement to take immediate
actions.
The best way forward is mobilizing and empowering people.
They should be mobilized to constitute committees at the level of villages,
mohallas, shopping centres, towns and cities, and in remote areas, to monitor
unusual activities while having communication with police for quick
response. Service providers like property agents, transporters and taxi
drivers need to be very careful so as not to be deceived by the terrorists.
Besides this, every Pakistani must take the responsibility of being
vigilant all the time and to report any unusual activity as soon as it is
observed. In the short term, the government should start an awareness
campaign to educate people as to how they should fight this menace. In the
long term, there is dire need to invest in education, especially targeting
underdeveloped areas and initiate projects aimed at sustained development
and poverty reduction to improve living conditions of the deprived sections
of the society.
Mashhood Babar Khan from Lahore found Rahimullah Yusufzais
reasoning in his analysis interesting. The first point he makes is that it is not
advisable to talk to a fallen adversary. His second assumption is that the PPP
and the ANP governments cannot, and will not; allow an opposition leader
like Imran Khan to get any cookie points for doing the good deed.
His first point doesnt have any gravitas because even as he
recommends no action, our American friends are sending out signals that
they will very much like to talk to the Afghan Taliban albeit from a position
of strength. In other words, only after the Taliban are rendered weak and no
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longer feel sure of a victory over the NATO forces. The question is: whether
this possible American line of action has any relevance to our situation.
The two occasions he refers to on which talks were held between the
state and the rebels in Swat were when the state was on the back foot and the
Taliban were riding high. Things as he himself points out are different
now. The Taliban are on the run and itd be advisable to engage them in a
dialogue from a position of strength. The Taliban are the proverbial
prodigal sons and must be brought back into the fold. Itd not be wise to
alienate our own citizens beyond the point of no return. A rehabilitation
process must be started through which these wayward elements are
indoctrinated to realize their folly.
Also, as Imran Khan has pointed out many times, our own
disgruntled people who may have picked up the gun because of real or
perceived wrongs can thus be weaned away from the foreign elements in
service of their regional and/or global masters. So far its still unclear as
to how many groups are active in this insurgency and who all the players
are. While we can and should talk to our own citizens no matter how
misguided their behaviour, we must not talk to the foreigners involved in the
anti-state activity.
His second point hasnt got anything which identifies the peace effort
as being wise or unwise desirable or not so desirable. Instead he points out
the fact that the PPP and the ANP are not liable to allow this nation to
benefit from this process simply because while helping this nation it may
also benefit Imran Khan. What can one say in this regard except to pray that
Allah may bless our leaders with the wisdom to put the good of the
nation ahead of their personal and selfish agendas.
Ikram Sehgal urged equal partnership with the US. The US seems
endlessly to find fault with Pakistan despite our many more sacrifices,
suffering military and civilian casualties at more that a 10:1 ratio. Does it
serve US interests to threaten Pakistan time and again unless it does more?
We can never be equals and Pakistan has more to lose because it cannot walk
away from the region as the US has done before. Pakistans greater stake
evens the imbalance of this relationship. For the new Obama Doctrine to
succeed the US must understand that the roads to peace literally give
through Peshawar and Quetta.
Far more effort is being put into Afghanistan (at the present moment
a ratio of more than 30 to 1 in $ cost) than in Pakistan. For the Obama
Doctrine to succeed the on-off temporary relationship must have more
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permanence. An effective partnership can only be formed if the US can gain

the confidence of the people of Pakistan that the relationship has long-term
benefits, and that the US will sustain it. Any partnership that is unequal has
the element of failure inherent and no amount of rhetoric can paper over the
imbalances in such a relationship.
The initiatives enunciated in the Obama Doctrine incorrectly put in
order of priority the most important, an effective partnership with Pakistan,
after the military surge and the civilian surge. The US recognizes that
Pakistan is central to any lasting solution in Afghanistan, yet there remains
a yawning gap (and reluctance) to translate rhetoric into reality. Failure
to rectify this major anomaly will render gains made in Afghanistan
reversible, as has happened in the past in this unfortunate country.
Tariq Nazir Syed from Rawalpindi talked of drone attacks and
Blackwater. The government has denied its consent in the issue of US drone
attacks in FATA despite enough proof. Similarly, it denies the presence of
Blackwater/Xe in Pakistan despite clear evidence suggesting the contrary.
When will the patriotic forces stand up against America and put a stop to its
activities within Pakistani territory? The US is using the war on terror to
undermine our very existence as a sovereign state. American interference
needs immediate and resolute action. Otherwise, it will be too late.
Ijaz-u-Haq observed: Pakistan has failed to evolve its own
indigenous Afghan policy based on national interests and popular
aspirations. We have instead been able to formalize only a counter-terrorism
policy. We seem happy at being bracketed with Afghanistan as AfPak.
Does it imply that, like Afghanistan, Pakistan is also under US military
occupation? Is this attitude befitting a nuclear armed sovereign state? At best
we have been able to create the NCTA (National Counter-Terrorism
Authority) without credible capacity, capability, qualified manpower,
equipment, structure and even terms of reference. It will be sheer waste of
effort and money, like so many other such undertakings.
The mere announcement of a surge has maddened terrorists, who
are playing havoc even in previously peaceful areas in southern Punjab.
Attacks to take over the GHQ and sensitive installations are meant to
announce that the terrorists can traverse the most difficult terrain and
territory. They are far ahead of our intelligence mechanism and security
apparatus. With relative ease they penetrate into highly protected zones and
cordons. The government claims they are on the run. Instead, with amazing
ability and perfect precision, they locate, identify, and engage high-profile

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targets and disappear in their leisure, leaving a lot of blood behind but no
tracks for them to be traced. The surge in US forces will send further fatal
shockwaves inside Pakistan.
Despite being UN-backed, the war against terror has turned into a US
war on Afghanistan. The fight being put up inside Afghanistan by the
Afghan Taliban has acquired dimensions of a resistance or a liberation
movement against the occupation of their country by US-led foreign forces.
The Afghan Taliban are deeply religious and deplore the killing of innocent
Muslims. They have publicly distanced and dissociated themselves from the
TTP fighting against Pakistani security forces. They have an agenda
altogether different. Mulla Omar, Haqqani and Hikmatyar, wherever are
they hiding, are all sympathetic to Pakistan.
Then, who is providing the TTP weapons, resources and
replenishments for years to wage war against our valiant soldiers? Who is
providing them sophisticated weapons, communication devices, gadgetry,
intelligence and guidance to our nerve centres and sensitive targets? The
weapons seized by security forces have been found to be of Indian origin. A
planeload of weapons meant for some unspecified destination in South
Asia was seized by Thai authorities at Bangkok Airport.
Pakistan has vital interests and serious stakes in Afghanistan. Those
detesting the doctrine of strategic depth (since abandoned by our so-called
contemporary strategists) may draw pleasure by playing opposite; the
initiative has been wrested by India. Located geographically to our east,
India has moved physically and strategically towards our western borders as
well. It has established a strong base to cause us afflictions. Twisting our tail
it can hit the nail in our head. Only a simpleton could consider India to be a
threat no longer. It is an illusion. With north in snow and south in sea, India
now occupying both its eastern and western flanks, Pakistan can illafford to be content or complacent for its security concerns.
Instead of fighting the US war and sinking further and deeper into the
quagmire, Pakistan must:
Evolve its own Afghan policy based on national interests, popular
aspirations and collective wisdom through parliament.
Seek OICs assistance as was done in the 80s against the Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan. Saudi Arabia and China can help
coordinate and contribute in out efforts for peace in Afghanistan.

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 Approach the UN for deployment of its peace-keeping force

(instead of NATO-ISAF) to stabilize Afghanistan internally
preferably (from) Muslim countries.

Convince the US that by becoming its ally, Pakistan, as in the past,

has suffered enough. We have paid a heavy priceprevail on India
to resolve our longstanding mutual disputes, including Kashmir.

Ijaz concluded: Musharraf sold and surrendered our sovereignty with

stated aims to (a) safeguard our nuclear assets and (b) keep the Kashmir
issue alive. Mr Zardari and his dispensation, before going into oblivion
after being de-throned, seem poised to surrender these two, too.
The Nation commented on disclosure of a NATO officer that the
Americans forces had carried out at least four raids inside Pakistan. Four
boots-on-the-ground raids between 2003 and 2008 bode ill for the
fractious relationship we have with Uncle Sam. It is going to reinforce
and beginning to find their way into the political mainstream as well as the
popular and populist media. Unfortunately, the Americans are going to
play themselves further into the hands of the extremists because it is clear
that they are planning to expand the drone strikes, are satisfied that the
Quetta Shura is a reality that we are not doing enough to counter so they just
might and that Balochistan more generally is a safe haven for the Taliban
and al-Qaeda. Our own reaction is reportedly angry, as well it might be. A
senior but unnamed Pakistani official is quoted as saying that there have
been 60 joint operations between the CIA and the ISI in NWFP and the tribal
areas in the last year a very significant degree of cooperation. American
generals are said to believe that we are playing a double game by turning a
blind eye to the Afghan Taliban in Balochistan as they are seen as future
strategic assets in our wider bid to limit Indias (now considerable) influence
in Afghanistan. This is a tale set to run, and it seems that no matter how we
do, whatever we sacrifice, it is never enough to satisfy America.
The News commented on terror attack and subsequent violence in
Karachi. Within minutes of the Karachi blast TV news teams had been
attacked, police vehicles burned along with private cars, Edhi ambulances
destroyed, shops set ablaze and general rioting went on far into the night.
Compare that reaction to that following any of the bombings in
Peshawar. Is there widespread public disorder? Rarely. Destruction of
public property not connected with the explosion? No. What the Peshawaris
do, time and time again, is pick themselves up, tend to the wounded and
bury the dead, then get on with rebuilding shattered lives and livings.
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Similar is the case with Lahore or just about anywhere else that gets attacked
but Karachi is different. Karachi is the powder-keg of ethnic and religious
tensions like no other city in the country
We may never know what the real intention of the attack was
whether it was to spark sectarian conflict or more broadly destabilize the
city. Time will tell on both counts, but what is clear is that despite Karachi
having thus far escaped the worst it is in reality as vulnerable as anywhere
else. Foolproof security exists only as a fantasy. The bombers know
this and, they have left their calling card, we may be certain that will be
paying a return visit foolproof security or not.
Dr Muzaffar Iqbal wrote: Why every single day brings Pakistan closer
to an internal collapse? Why there is no end to the havoc? Why thousands
of security men in their uniform cannot find the culprits? Why do we have
institutions like the police and the intelligence agencies and the army and its
long payroll if they cannot stop this unending series of blasts? Why do we
have an administration and administrators who cannot perform?
Another set of why's include: Why do we have people who are ready
to die the way they are dying, with explosives strapped to their bodies? Why
do we have an unlimited supply of young men who are ready to blow up
themselves and everyone else who comes in their way? Why do they do
this? Who sends them out there among the citizens going around doing their
everyday tasks? Who is behind this unending series, and why?
Then there are lots of how's: How is it possible that these criminals
have an unending supply of ammunition and explosives, vehicles and
money, access to roads which are supposed to be blocked, easy access to
public places which are supposed to be protected? And how is it that these
people can strike at will wherever and whenever they wish?
These are mighty questions, and no one has an answer; for if there
were answers, we would not have this problem, to start with. What is
obvious, however, is the height of the graph, recording these incidents and
the blood on the ground, even though no one seems to be counting the dead.
The green flag of this Land of the Pure is now drenched in blood, and even
though it is hard to establish a direct causal relation between the two, there
are enough clues to link the red line of blood in our cities to the blood being
spilled in the north.
The havoc being wreaked in the north on both sides of the Durand
Line remains underreported, but anyone who can read between the lines and
listen to the pulse of the land knows that the devastation being caused to it
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and its people in the north is huge, explosive and impossible to curtail within
any confines. This situation has arisen through a series of misdeeds of
the rulers. The north was not what it is now prior to the arrival of the US
soldiers in Afghanistan. The north has become what it has become through
its direct relationship with what is happening in Afghanistan, and through
the unwise decisions of those who sided with the Americans when they
arrived in our region, arrogantly vowing to send our neighbours back to the
Stone Age. Our military dictator thought he could save us by joining them;
he was utterly wrong.
Turkey saved itself from a similar situation when the US leadership
attempted to coerce it into its Iraqi venture. Pakistan did not. The difference
between the two decisions is the difference between the quality of the two
leaderships: Turkish leaders took the matter to the parliament; the parliament
voted against any direct involvement in Iraq and the United States could do
nothing. The Pakistani ruler acted like all dictators do a self-referential,
self-centred decision that led the country into a marsh from which it has yet
to emerge. Is there anyone who would investigate this greatest misdeed
of a man who had broken all laws of the land and ruled for almost a decade,
and who left the country as a shattered polity wounded in the heart?
If anyone can read the writing on the wall, he or she can clearly read:
disengage from the affairs of the US-led interminable war of terror and
you will find a solution to the chaos, confusion, and terror on this land. A
conscious and sincere decision to mend fences with the men in the
mountains is required to heal our wounds. Yet the great irony of Pakistan's
contemporary situation is that we have a dysfunctional parliament and
Senate and a political leadership that is anything but leadership.
In the absence of functional political institutions and morally sound
and politically sagacious rulers, and in the absence of any intellectual force
capable of analyzing the morass, all that is left is blasts and more blasts,
each leading to more confusion, more chaos, more wounds.
Mosharraf Zaidi opined: The challenge of indiscriminate bullets and
bombs in our markets, our universities, our places of worship and our police
stations is not going to be met with verbal diarrhea. Yet, thats all we can
seem to muster in the face of this challenge. The problem is not that Pakistan
is incapable of responding to this challenge. The problem is that too many
Pakistanis, especially in government, seem to want to counter live bullets
and detonating bombs with speeches about the ideological and existential

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nature of this threat. Tom Jones adjures us to fight fire with fire. Pakistans
generic response to this challenge seems to be to fight fire with spitballs.
What lies behind the obsession of right and left, progressive and
traditional, liberal and conservative to collectively want to mutilate this
conflict into an ideological war that it is not? Perhaps it is the
overwhelming instinct ingrained in an irrational public discourse.
Forget conceiving of a viable response to the challenge, Pakistans
national discourse doesnt even have a widely agreed upon nomenclature to
describe the conflict. Serious people, for example, would not use the word
Taliban in every sentence, because the term Taliban is a deeply imprecise
and inaccuratethe plethora of terrorists that the Pakistani state (among
others) has helped gift to the Pakistani people
After discussing militant organizations and requirement of
corresponding strength of police Zaidi concluded. In the absence of a
coherent, cogent and organic CT strategy, it is no surprise at all that
Pakistanis on the progressive side seek the comfort of an ideological war,
and Pakistanis on the traditional side seek comfort in the bosom of
conspiracy theories. In the aftermath of killing fields that truly stretch from
Khyber Agency to the gates of Karachi, it doesnt really matter who is
killing innocent Pakistanis. It matters that they are being killed. The
killing needs to stop. The prime minister is in charge. And stopping the
killing is the job of those in charge.
The News wrote: The New Year has begun with more tragedy. At least
90 lives have been lost as a suicide bomber drove his truck into a ground in a
Lakki Marwat village where a volley ball match was being played, and
detonated it. The mutilated bodies, the spreading stains of blood, the efforts
of under-equipped rescuers and the grief-stricken faces in homes as the news
of the tragedy spread have all been encountered before. We fear this will not
be our last tryst with violent death. The year that has just passed was the
deadliest in terms of terrorist attacks in our history. We hope the toll will
fall in 2010. But there is no guarantee that this will indeed be the case.
Ghazi Salahuddin opined: It is easy to see that what happened in
Karachi was unique in many ways and its impact is bound to be severe.
This means that while we try to understand why it happened, some very
sensible and far-sighted steps must readily be taken to ease the pain that has
been caused to the traders and the owners of the property that was
destroyed.

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One reason why ordinary people are so destructive, even if they are
unwittingly supporting a conspiracy, could be that they have lost their faith
in the system and feel that they have no stake in it. It is also possible that
they are not conscious of the role they are required to play in the campaign
against terrorists and religious extremists.
With all these nagging issues that refuse to go away, it is hard to share
greetings for a New Year and decade. Also, as I write these words, I am
unable to monitor the impact of about 50 demonstrations in different cities
of Pakistan to celebrate Solidarity and Peace Day under the umbrella of
Aman Ittehad on Friday, January 1. Ultimately, it will be the responsibility
of the civil society of Pakistan to salvage hope from the debris of
destruction that we have suffered. A new year is a good time to launch our
struggle for survival.
In his article published prior to perpetration of terror in Karachi Dr
Muzaffar Iqbal had written: Pakistan at the end of 2009 stands at a
crossroads like it never has. The new realities of Pakistans increasingly
tragic and volatile situation are emerging so rapidly that all forecasts and
strategic planning falls off the tracks by the sheer force of events. Those who
played the gods and brought Benazir Bhutto back through a deal had thought
they have a perfect second-run on home ground. Her sudden departure and
equally sudden rise of a man they never wanted to deal with made short
work of their strategic planning, but the change did nothing to avert the
integration of Pakistans future with Afghanistans past. In fact, it
accelerated the process through an ever-expanding engagement of the
Pakistani army in the conflict that remains, primarily, a war arising out
Afghanistans occupation of by a foreign army in the centuries-old tradition
of invaders of that unconquerable land.
One cannot expect much by way of foresight and strategic vision
from the Pakistani leadership if sixty years of Pakistani history are any
indicator. But one hopes that the illusion of victory through a possible surge
of troops is, deep down in the hearts of President Obama and his team, just
that: an illusion.
That both the historical depth and on-ground realities can teach them
that with each passing day, they are sinking in a marsh, even as they might
have the illusion of swimming; that they are, in fact, digging their heals in
sand deeper and deeper and the only logical outcome of their stay in
Afghanistan is a catastrophic expansion of the locale of this war of death and
destruction further south, into the very heart of Pakistan. And if this is

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allowed to happen for an extended period of time, no one will be able to

put this genie back in the bottle.
The Afghan-Pak genie may already be out of control, but one hopes,
against hope, that this is not the case. That there is some way of putting it
back in the bottle and that American thinkers will recognize that what they
have not been able to do in Afghanistan cannot be done by the Pakistani
army in the south.
One hopes that there are enough minds and hearts in the inner
chambers of the White House (even though it was not meant to be occupied
by such people, in the first place) and the Pentagon who realize this
fundamental reality of the Afghan quagmire. One hopes that what is
written on the wall is legible for those who are making decisions of
immense proportions and consequences for generations to come.
In the context of Afghanistan and Obamas new strategy Maleeha
Lodhi observed: The breathless pronouncement by American military and
political leaders in the media and in testimonies before key congressional
committees have, so far, tended to deeper rather than demystify the fog of
war. The more officials have clarified, the more questions have been raised
and conflicting signals sent.
The key points that have now emerged about the strategy are as
follows:
The timetable for withdrawal in July 2011 is neither a deadline nor a
firm exit plan.
It is flexible and is envisaged as a transition point, when security
responsibilities will begin to be transferred to Afghan forces.
This will in any case be reviewed by the end of 2010.
The mission in Afghanistan has been downsized from defeating
Taliban to reversing the Taliban momentum and diminishing the
movement.
Doing this requires dismantling the Taliban sanctuaries in Pakistan.
Degrading the Taliban is aimed at creating time and space for the
Afghan state and security forces to be built to enable them to manage
a weakened Taliban threat once Western forces start leaving
Afghanistan.

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 The principal US goal remains to defeat, dismantle and disrupt alQaeda. Osama bin Ladens capture or elimination is deemed essential
to the organizations rout according to General Stanley McChrystal.
Officials have said little publicly about the Pakistan part of the
strategy but inspired leaks in the American media indicate that the
Administration is readying to ratchet up Drone-launched missile
strikes in Pakistan, and mulling over expanding these to Balochistan.
Leaks also suggest that Obama signed off on a plan by the CIA to
expand its activities in Pakistan that calls for more strikes against
militants by Drone aircraft (and)sending additional spies to
Pakistan.
Maleeha went on to discuss views of some Democrats, Republicans
and media men and then concluded: However hotly contested the
arguments in a debate taking place far from a region in turmoil what
concerns Pakistan and Pakistanis, who bear the brunt of these policies,
is what the leaks about a threatened escalation portend for the country.
If implemented such a course of action will have serious ramifications for
national stability and security.
Leaks are not policy. But the pattern of the leaks is much too
familiar for Islamabad not to take urgent notice and undertake a careful
evaluation of the risks ahead. The immediate danger even before any
planned escalation materializes is that this coercive diplomacy-by-leaks
can reinforce official and popular Pakistani suspicions about US intentions,
intensify public alienation from the West, and promote more anti-American
rage.
By contributing to such a toxic environment this strategy of leaks
can badly backfire making it infinitely harder for the government to
cooperate fully with the US, as President Obama is asking Islamabad to do.
This should give the sources of these leaks much pause for thought.
Rahimullah Yusufzai made some observations on Karazis new
cabinet. Under pressure from the Western nations that have invested heavily
in blood and money to keep him in power, President Hamid Karzai has
retained ministers favoured by the US and its allies in his 23-member
cabinet and appointed new ones reportedly untainted by corruption. It was a
tough balancing act for the beleaguered Afghan leader as he had to
please not only the western capitals but also powerful Afghan warlords who
had backed him in the recent presidential election. As if this wasnt enough
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of a challenge, he needed to keep in mind the interest of the competing

political, regional and ethnic groups brought together in a broad and
unwieldy coalition to confront the growing challenge by the Taliban.
Karzais choice of ministers has generally been welcomed in the
western capitals. Richard Holbrooke, the US special representative for
Afghanistan and Pakistan, has said the Obama Administration can work with
the new Karzai government. Several ministers have been educated in the
West and have worked and lived there. Some hold dual nationality, which
has become an issue in Afghanistan and is being debated in parliament as
lawmakers want such people to give up citizenship of other countries if they
want to serve as ministers in the Afghan cabinet. In fact, there has always
been resentment among many Afghans, particularly the former mujahideen
and their supporters, against those who lived comfortably in the West at a
time when their countrymen were resisting the Soviet occupation forces and
later the Taliban.
Rahimullah discussed the composition and chemistry of the new
cabinet. Some of the features are as under:
Incumbent ministers favoured by the Western governments and
retained in the cabinet include Defence Minister General Abdul
Rahim Wardak, Interior Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar and
Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal.
Eleven incumbent ministers have been retained and the other eight,
along with the three above mentioned, didnt lose their jobs due to
their generally good reputation and support from western
governments.
The lone exception could be the Tajik warlord Ismail Khan, a former
governor of Herat considered close to Iran and respected by the
Afghan mujahideen for his role in resisting the Red Army.
Some of the warlords such as Ismail Khan and the two vicepresidents, Muhammad Qasim Faheem and Karim Khaliji, are back in
influential positions in the Karzai administration and others like
General Abdul Rasheed Dostum and Muhammad Muhaqqiq have
been able to induct their nominees in the cabinet.
The two ministers who lost their jobs due to corruption charges are
Minister of Mines Muhammad Ibrahim Abdel and Religious Affairs
Minister Siddiq Chakari. The former was accused of taking $20

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million bribe to give the Ainak copper mining project of $3.2 billion
in Logar Province to a Chinese firm (Chinese firm was the real
allegation).
The nomination of Sayed Hamid Gilani as the head of the important
border and tribal affairs ministry is interesting due to the fact that
someone with influence among the Pashtun tribes in southern
Afghanistan is needed to erode support for the Taliban.

Expansion in the cabinet is certainly a possibility as various political,

regional and ethnic groups are dissatisfied with their representation.

Rahimullah concluded: It seems President Karzai has passed the

first test set for him by the Western governments by cobbling together a
cabinet containing acceptable figures. The US was concerned that it cannot
win the war against the Taliban if it didnt have a dependable partner ruling
Kabul and capable of overcoming corruption and regaining confidence of
the Afghan people.
Karzai has tried to respond to the challenge and made a cabinet of
ministers with relatively clean reputation. But corruption has become so
pervasive due to the availability of easy money sent to Afghanistan as
foreign assistance and also lack to imagine that ministers and public servants
would not be tempted to pocket some of it. All this talk of fighting
corruption and making government functionaries accountable would
surely be heard for a while but before long it would be business as usual.
Shafiq Hussain observed: Time is running out for Washington and its
allies in Afghanistan. It was none else but senior NATO officials in Kabul.
Who in a recent media briefing, admitted Taliban militants have spread there
influence across the country. A NATO official revealed that in 33 out of 34
Afghan provinces, Taliban have established a shadow government.
Noted Pakistani analyst, Ahmed Rashid, tells TNS that a US-based
dialogue between the Karzai government and Afghan Taliban would be
a good exercise. I am not aware of any such talks, but yes it would be a
good thing, he thinks. He says there will have to be a give and take during
the talks and a new situation will have to be created which can help resolve
the conflict, he says.
However, some analysts believe that any settlement between the
United States and Taliban would have negative fallout for Pakistan. Brig
(retd) Mehmood Shah said there was every possibility that negotiations
between Taliban and US could be going on. He said that the US-Taliban
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talks could have negative impact on Pakistan. Any development in

Afghanistan affects Pakistan and the US exit before durable peace would be
problematic for Pakistan, Shah said.
While writing about India M Saeed Khalid talked about its warrior
diplomacy. The warrior brand of diplomacy has become a convenient
vehicle for India to rule out resumption of the composite dialogue process,
which India feels has run its course. It is inclined to use the option of a
limited dialogue as it suits her domestic considerations. Alongside, New
Delhi has unleashed a propaganda campaign through public diplomacy at the
highest levels. This desire to become both the prosecutor and the judge
should not be lost on the outside world.
Pakistan has reasons to be frustrated with Indias demands for tough
action against the militants while putting off the dialogue. Surprisingly, the
Pakistani media which gives generous coverage to Indian accusations seems
to have forgotten that action against the perpetrators of the Samjhota carnage
is pending in India. The leadership here links that by suspending the
dialogue, India is not countering the militants design of heightening mistrust
between the two neighbours.
The prevailing Indian stance mirrors views in certain circles,
contending that the security establishment has not abandoned its optic of
good and bad Taliban. They argue that by exerting pressure on Pakistan
through the US, Islamabad may take some decisive action against the
movements targeting India. Washington is not in a position to persuade
India to revive the dialogue because it has no carrot to offer in return.
While Indias propaganda receives coverage in international media,
including our own, Pakistans calls for resuming the talks does not receive
proper coverage in India and elsewhere. Even if Pakistan goes an extra mile
to placate Indian concerns, the most likely outcome would be: do more.
Time has come for a major review of ways of countering the warrior
diplomacy being pursued by India. This does not mean that we should not
consider taking steps that may be conducive to blunt the charge that India
could be targeted by some jihadi attack, which in turn could be used as
pretext for retaliation. India too should recognize that she can gain
Pakistans confidence and cooperation by returning to a framework of
negotiations rather than continuing public diplomacy with all guns blazing.
Maleeha Lodhi commented on Kashmir issue. Announced amid
much fanfare last week the pullout of two infantry divisions from Kashmir
was greeted with deep skepticism by Kashmiri leaders, and by public calls
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for an independent verification. Many leaders said they saw no visible sign
of any reduction in the military presence
The drawdown may well represent little more than a seasonal
rotation of troops. In the past, too, such claims have produced a recycling
of forces, often necessitated by the need to address the stress and strain of
prolonged counterinsurgency duties and the obvious effects on troop
morale.
Even if in this instance the troops are not replaced, the numbers are
still a modest proportion of over 600,000 occupation forces present there.
According to a Kashmiri commentator, if Indian officials claim there are
only a few hundred militants left, what is the need to maintain such a heavy
military force?
Moreover, a troop withdrawal is not the same as demilitarization
if the culture and infrastructure of repression remains intact. In the
absence of a move to meet key Kashmiri demands repeal of repressive
laws, especially the AFSPA, end to arbitrary detentions and search-andcordon operations, release of all political killings and a halt to the human
high abuses the atmosphere of coercion will not be significantly
transformed.
Indias Defence Minister AK Antony made it clear in making the
drawdown announcement that the AFSPA will remain in force, because
without its powers the military will not be able to act effectively. The act
gives sweeping powers to the security forces to act with impunity shoot,
arrest or search without warrant and kill on suspicion.
In this back drop, the pulling out of a few thousand soldiers actually
means little. It will hardly alleviate Kashmiri demands or, for that matter,
address the roots of recurring tensions in the Valley. Delhi has of late sought
to engage leaders of the APHC in talks. But these ostensible overtures have
been made absent by any concessions that can form the basis for serious
negotiations. This strengthens the impression that the move is designed to
divide rather than negotiate with the movements leaders.
For his part, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has set a number of conditions
for Delhi to meet before formal talks can proceed. They include creating a
conducive atmosphere for meaningful talks that entails a number of steps,
especially an end to human rights abuses.
Meanwhile, with the Pakistan-India dialogue process suspended for
over a year now Indian officials insist that terrorism is the only issue they

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are interested in discussing with Islamabad in any future talks. By taking this
position Delhi is signaling a singular lack of interest in pursuing a
negotiated solution of the Kashmir dispute on terms other than its own.
None of this holds promising prospects for a people whose fate has
so tragically been shaped by a history of conflict, repression, injustice and
denial of the right of self-determination and whose future has been stolen by
the obduracy of an occupation force. Until there is a wider international
acknowledgment that the road to peace in the region runs through the Valley
of Kashmir, the people of that land may yet have to witness more
Shopians.

REVIEW
Three days before the end of the Year 2009 Karachi lost more than
forty people in a bomb blast in main procession of Ashura. There was
nothing extraordinary about the terror attack both in number of fatal
casualties and the method used for perpetrating terrorism. This is the kind of
war Pakistanis have been fighting for the last so many years.
What happened after the bomb blast was quite different from
terrorists way of doing such things. It was followed by rioting, looting and
burning of about four thousand shops in numerous markets. The manner in
which this destruction was carried out by the law violating gangs in the close
watch of the law enforcing agencies had touch of the activists of two main
beneficiaries of NRO; PPP and MQM.
The militants were not to lag behind from the acts of state-sponsored
terrorists. They struck on the very first day of Year 2010 in remote district of
Lakki Marwat, as if they did not want to be outclassed by political activists.
An explosive laden truck detonated in a play ground killing more than ninety
people. This attack indicated as to what the New Year holds in store for the
people of Pakistan.
There was yet another suicide attack on the other side of Durand Line.
A double agent turned into a suicide bomber and attacked CIA base in Khost
killing eight operatives and wounding seven more. The US vowed to take
revenge and the terror outfit suspected of carrying out attack operates from
Pakistani tribal areas.
These are like tremors prior to activation of the volcano of Obamas
troop surge policy for Afghanistan. This is the third installment of the review
of this policy which will complete the process of transforming Pakistan from
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frontline state against war on terror to epicenter of terrorism; with that

Pakistan will sink deeper into the quagmire called Americas war on terror.
To understand as to how Pakistan has been progressing towards
attaining this status change one has to recall some events since the advent of
this war. Most of it has been said and heard many times, yet recalling some
of that would facilitate better comprehension.
Pakistans slide deeper into the quagmire has been a never-ending
process, which has turned Bush-Mush war into Obama-Zardari war. Bush
masterminded the ongoing war with explicit aiding by the think tanks of
neoconservatives. He first called it Crusades and on second thought named it
as holy war; lest it became too obvious that the war was out-rightly against
Muslims. Thereafter, the war was given many other names, the intent
remaining unchanged.
In fact, this war has always been the Crusades despite bearing many
other names and it continues to be the Crusades till today. It was never a
holy war. It has been an ugly war since its inception and has been turning
uglier with every passing day; degeneration continues.
Fighting against the evil of terror is not something new for the
Americans. They always named their adversaries as terrorists or evil forces
for daring to oppose Americas exploitive and oppressive policies.
Throughout their history they have been fighting against terrorists of
different kinds.
Going backward from the present war one would find them fighting
the evil of communism in Afghanistan; Vietcong were terrorists; Koreans on
the other side of the Parallel were terrorists; Hitler was a devil; Japanese
were terrorists and Red Indians were terrorists. Even the Bison were evil for
they provided sustenance to the Red Indians in terms of food, tents and
clothing.
Americans know only one way to defeat the evil of terror. To defeat a
monster they try to be mightier and more lethal monster and aim at complete
annihilation or extermination of the adversary following the principle of all
is fair in love and war. They succeeded in some cases and disengaged in
others.
Most successful war on terror was fought on American soil, in which
Red Indians and Bison their funding source were almost exterminated.
The only other war that surpassed this in terms of comprehensive success
was waged against Passenger Pigeons, though it has not been established as

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to what kind of terrorism they perpetrated, except picking seed grains from
some fields.
When 9/11 happened, the Bush-Blair combine received Divine
command to wage Crusades against Muslims and push those back to Stone
Age as they opposed the Christian White. A war has to have a strategy to
produce desired results and strategy is based on various factors out of which
correct identification of enemys strengths and weaknesses or vulnerabilities
is very important. The strategy that undermines enemys strength and
exploits its vulnerabilities to maximum has better chance to succeed.
As regards Muslim states these hardly have any strengthen requiring
its undermining. On the other hand they have plenty of weaknesses which
could be exploited even with long distance telephone call rather than using a
couple of ICBM. In short, Muslim ruling elite, barring few, could be told to
bend backward and or forward as the need be.
The resistance to the Crusaders could come from non-state actors. But
they had nothing to match the military might of the West; no warships, no
warplanes, no tanks, no guns, no standing army, no war industry and no
economy of their own. But, these are tangibles and the outcome of war is not
dependent on tangibles alone.
These non-state actors had one thing which could not be measured
using any known scales and that was not possessed by any ruling elite of
Muslim World. This strength lied in the will, commitment and the resolve to
wage jihad. This was seen in display in Afghanistan against the Soviets and
Americans were witness to it. But then this strength was used by the US to
defeat the Soviet Union.
Things changed rapidly after Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan and
12 years later Bush and Blair were now on the opposite side and they had to
find ways to undermine and counter the spirit of jihad. The first thing to be
done in this connection was to identify the institution that has sustained this
more than fourteen hundred years old concept.
No Muslim state had practiced this concept; hence had no need to
have an institution for instilling the spirit of jihad. Then who was sustaining
this concept. The experience of Afghan War had revealed that it was the
institution of Mosque and Madrassa run by the Mulla through charity as the
State had disowned these during imperial rule in Muslim World.
The source of trouble was established fairly accurately. It seemed
Bush had read Allamas poem Iblees ki Majlis-e-Shora and as his operative

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he understood the message of Iblees (Devil). The next step required to be

taken was how to neutralize this source. It could not be done through headon tackling; as such approach could earn a violent reaction from Muslims.
It had to be done cleverly by using a two-pronged onslaught. One
prong was to demonize Mulla, Mosque and Madrassa. It was launched soon
after the decision to invade and occupy Afghanistan was taken and
vigorously pursued thereafter. Once some headway was made by the
propaganda second prong unfolded in the form of pitching state (Pakistan)
against the Monster created out of Mulla and his students.
Having formulated the strategy and operational plan for its
implementation the execution began with contacting the brave commando
ruling Pakistan. He was asked to do few things and the Crusaders found him
willing to do more than they had expected. He later claimed that he had
volunteered to do that to save Pakistan and, of course, he had a definite
personal interest.
When Musharraf jumped to the side of the Crusaders, the plan to sort
out Pakistan was deferred. It was to be frozen for the time being and put into
micro-wave oven once the grounds for cooking its goose were prepared.
Already sandwiched by two neighbours, Afghanistan and India, it could be
implicated any time.
Herein, it is interesting to note that the Taliban of Afghanistan had
opted for honourable, but violent sudden death by accepting the challenge of
the Crusaders with faintest chance of surviving. Musharraf had secured a
disgraceful lease of life with no surety of survival in the long run. Today
Mulla Omar is still a force to be reckoned with by the Crusaders and
Musharraf has been dumped in the large dustbin called UK like many
Muslim puppet rulers in the past.
Once Afghanistan was occupied Pakistan was asked to stop movement
of militants across the border and dismantle infrastructure of terrorism on its
soil. This was the beginning of preparation of grounds to implicate Pakistan.
Pressure was built to strangulate Mulla, Mosque and Madrassa, a trio
considered as mainstay of the infrastructure of terrorism.
Musharraf was asked to take some administrative measures to
strangulate the talk of jihad in these institutions; change their syllabi; choke
their funding and so on. But this was not easy as Mulla and his Madrassa
had not done anything grossly wrong that warranted such punitive measures.
This institution enjoyed the respect of the people despite the propaganda.

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In view of the above Musharraf found it difficult to comply with the

instructions the Crusaders. He feared backlash from the people. This
sympathy issue had to be resolved, or undermined to be precise. Propaganda
was intensified; enlightened moderate segment of the Pakistani media and
civil society were mobilized.
More importantly, actions were initiated to instigate Mulla and his
students so that they act in a manner that is disapproved by masses in
Pakistan. The Crusaders used their drone-launched missiles to attack
madrassas killing innocent students in Mohmand and Bajaur agencies. The
brave commando owned these attacks; cynics are right in saying that there is
very little difference between bravery and stupidity.
These attacks were enough to create wedge between Mulla and
military. Within days first major retaliatory attack was launched at an armys
training unit located in Dargai Fort. Despite these initial provocations the
reaction of militants remained restricted to targeting military men. This was
not sufficient for achieving the desired aim of the Crusaders.
Musharraf, the enlightened dictator keen to earn US favours, was
seduced to act against the obscurantist Mullas right in the capital. Mulla
Brothers were accused of challenging on flimsiest pretexts. The enlightened
section of media played major role in demonizing them and their
institutions.
The use of ruthless and excessive force in Lal Masjid operation
enraged Mullas and their students to the extent of insanity and they started
reacting in a manner that cared little for avoiding civilian casualties, or
collateral damage as civilized people prefer to call it. (By the way, no one
has been accused of challenging the writ of the state on account of what
happened on 28th December.
The Crusaders did not bank entirely to Mullas and their students to
commit irrational acts on provocation. They instigated them to commit some
irrational acts and thus create a situation wherein the Devil himself could
dance unchecked and undetected. To this end the US infiltrated their
operatives into the ranks of Islamic militants. This too was done with
Devils cunningness.
The operatives could not be infiltrated as long as the hold of political
administration in tribal agencies and ISIs intimate links with the people of
these areas remained intact. The Crusaders needed to establish desirable
contacts with the militants and the tribesmen amongst whom they lived so as
to get the needful done by utilizing their militant faculties.
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This could happen only if ISI and political administration in these

areas were pushed away to create space for the Crusaders operatives. In
case of ISI, the pressure was built by blaming it for helping the terrorist
outfits. The pressure kept increasing till ISI was forced to curtail its
activities; to put its agents in sleep-mode; to freeze inter-action and, of
course, curtail the spending of black funds.
It resulted in creating opportunity for the Crusaders to take over those
in the ranks of militants who operate on insert-a-coin-technology. CIA
availed the opportunity for fulfillment of its evil designs. Musharrafs
consent in allowing American intelligence agencies to operate freely inside
Pakistan came handy for them to take over the charge of militants activities.
This intelligence offensive was fully aided by India. In fact, overall incharge of this operation has been an Indian general located south of Kabul.
As regards political administration in tribal agencies, maliks or elders
have been the backbone of this system. They were targeted and eliminated
with ruthless precision and Taliban were blamed for this. No doubt many of
them must have been killed by angry Taliban; yet operatives within the ranks
of Taliban were used for elimination of those elders who were not liked by
the US because they have been seeking peace.
In addition to the US and Indian agents there were plenty of criminals
present in these areas. Tribal agencies have been traditional sanctuaries for
absconders from all over Pakistan. They could be hired as killers and that
could still be cheaper than what is spent in maintaining a GI in Afghanistan
for a few months. Resultantly, the tribal agencies are left with no
administrative setup even for the bare minimum of day-to-day dispensation
of governance.
All this happened with the willing or coerced consent of the brave
commando ruling Pakistan. No doubt, Musharraf at times tried to cheat
Americans as the tasks he was to undertake were clearly against the interest
of Pakistan. However, that was not easy for a ruler who lacked legitimacy
and credibility in his own country.
A stage came when the Crusaders felt that Musharraf had outlived his
usefulness for them. He could not deliver what was required of him. It was
time to find his replacement, despite the commendable services he had
rendered to the Crusaders. The plan to recruit a fresh mercenary was
launched.
Musharraf seemed to have run out of ideas about serving the cause of
the Crusades. To them it seemed that puppet has started showing signs of
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fatigue and wearing out. Limbs of the puppet were not responding to the
commands quickly and efficiently to the commands sent through the strings
attached to them.
Another reason for seeking change was that despite the campaign to
demonize Mulla, Mosque and Madrassa, the people of Pakistan had still not
obliged the Crusaders as there was no noticeable opinion change. One
reason for this not to happen was that Musharraf did not have a political base
which he could mobilize in this context.
Musharraf, despite fighting as frontline mercenary, had not owned
the Crusades as Pakistans war. He had been only doing it to please the US
and earn rewards in cash and kind most precious of these being his extended
stay in power. Americans now wanted a ruler who was willing to embrace
the Crusades as Pakistans own war. Only then the tempo of perpetrating
death and destruction in Pakistan could be raised to desirable level.
This kind of leader was already hopping across Atlantic and loitering
in the streets of Washington. Benazir was trying to draw attention of the
Crusaders about the merchandise she had for bartering a deal. Her party had
public support; she was more progressive and enlightened than the dictator
and she vowed to deliver far more and much efficiently on the war on terror
than Musharraf did.
She succeeded in attracting the Crusaders with her salesmanship (or
saleswomanship). They decided to solemnize political marriage of
Musharraf and Benazir with a view to utilizing their military and political
strength respectively. The terms of marriage were negotiated and finalized
secretly and marriage contract was formally announced in the form of NRO
(National Reconciliation Ordinance); rest of the terms, including the fee of
marriage bureau, were kept secret.
When the bride arrived in Pakistan where the groom was lodged in the
Presidency she received rather hostile welcome in the streets of Karachi in
October 2007. This was beginning of the end of this unholy union. Little
more than two months later, she was killed in a terror attack in Rawalpindi.
Her killers remained untraced even after the lapse of two years. Analysts
differed on this count as they suspected that the killer could be any of the
three apart from militants: the marriage bureau, her political groom, or her
husband in real life.
Here is another irony; one of the suspects remembers her as Shaheed;
Shaheed of what? No doubt, some Hadiths tell that even a person who dies

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under a collapsing wall is a Shaheed. But he cannot be equated with Shaheed

who would rise on the Day of Judgment with prophets of Allah.
With the killing of Benazir a new player emerged in this game of
global significance. He was, and still remains, Mr Zardari the husband-cumheir of Benazir. The schemers who had schemed political marriage of
Benazir and Musharraf, perhaps, would have never thought that this man
would henceforth play a pivotal role in the scheme of things.
The end of unconsumed political marriage marked the beginning of
transition of power in Pakistan from General Musharraf the Tablanawaz
(drum player) to Mr Zardari, the Ten Percent promising no change for better
for people of Pakistan.
Zardari availed the opportunity provided by the sudden demise of his
wife with opportunism matched only by Bush, who had taken full advantage
of 9/11 tragedy to fulfill his ambition to sort out enemys of the US. Zardari
availed it to dispense democratic revenge. The transition was completed
with the resignation of Musharraf and election of Zardari as his successor,
which he considers as a great success of his expertise at politicking, political
scheming, or political maneuvering through false promises.
The bearded under secretary of the US of that time had remarked that
Washington shall never find better man to rule Pakistan. He was, in fact,
rejoicing over finding a perfect puppet as replacement of Musharraf. He was
happy like a Yankee on gold-hunt who had discovered a goldmine.
Zardari has not disappointed them. He has permitted the Crusaders to
carry out drone attacks far more freely than they did during Musharraf era.
This was done despite the political parties unanimously opposed these
attacks. He allowed the influx of Blackwater security agents with permission
to roam about across the country unchecked. He sabotaged peace initiatives
with militants which previously Americans had to do through lot of armtwisting.
He obliged the Crusaders by carrying out large military operations in
quick succession and has shown appetite for more. Operations have resulted
in killing and maiming thousands of Pakistani soldiers and also militants;
massacres of tens of thousands innocent civilians in retaliatory terror attacks;
and displacement of more than four million people from Bajaur, Swat,
Buner, Orakzai, Kurram and Waziristan in a single year.
He has allowed US agents to position themselves around sensitive
nuclear installations. He has attempted more than once to bring ISI under

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civilian control as per long standing demand of the Crusaders and still
nourishes that ambition. He went a step farther than the decency demanded
by requesting America to include some conditions in Kerry-Lugar Law to
facilitate civilian control over military and ISI.
He tried to play friendly with India as desired by the Americans and
his hidden political design to weaken Army as potential threat to
democracy. The US has been asking Pakistan not to be India-centric so that
it could establish its strategic partner as global power. It has been urging
Pakistan to shift more troops to western border. Zardari even risked
compromising the nuclear deterrence doctrine maintained through the threat
of first use.
What General Kayani said while addressing to his Indian counterpart
was actually meant for his own boss, the supreme commander of the armed
forces, who has been saying in the past things like that Pakistan faces no
threat from India and Pakistan will not use nuclear weapons first. It is
unfortunate that Zardari, the supreme commander of armed forces of Islamic
Republic of Pakistan is more willing to trust India than Pakistan Army.
Zardari has indeed tried to deliver more than Musharraf, as had been
promised by his late wife, though in some cases the conceived ideas ended
up in miscarriages. More importantly he has kept the political forces at bay,
which could pose problem to the Crusaders in fulfillment of their goals.
He and his coalition partners have been quite vocal in supporting
Crusaders plan to demonize the militants. Ministers in coalition government
rally out after every attack to issue fatwas declaring the perpetrators as well
as their sympathizers as kafirs. The utterances of the coalition members
create impression that they seem to be interested more in political point
scoring than defeating terrorism.
Ask ANP leader like Shahi Syed sitting in Karachi about bombing in
Peshawar, nine out of ten times, he would blame Sirajul Haq of JI. Ask the
same question from MQMs Imam sitting even farther than Shahi Syed he
would issue instant fatwa, with his political opponents in mind like Shahi
Syed, declaring that offering prayers behind them is Haraam.
And, of course, Rehman Malik excels all his partners. But, not for a
moment a thought flashes in their minds that while condemning everyone as
kafir, they themselves stand with the Crusaders as hired mercenaries. In last
eight years Pakistans rulers have proved themselves more loyal to the cause
of Crusades than the Crusaders.

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Unfortunately, this is the leadership chosen by the people of Pakistan.

They cannot stretch their expectations beyond the sincerity and capabilities
of their rulers. They cannot hope for miracles. While visualizing as to what
the Year 2010 holds for them, they have to constantly bear in mind the
prevalent situation.
As a result of persistent dependence on commands of their master,
Pakistani rulers like all slaves have lost their ability to think and act on their
own. When they get no instructions from the master they look towards each
other hoping someone would come out with viable line of action. And when
that doesnt happen they pass the baby on to military to act as deemed fit.
Resultantly, military has plans for fighting and winning battles, but
Pakistan has no plan to fight and win the war. The rhetoric that the war
would continue till elimination of last militant cannot guarantee success; for
that there has to be a strategy. No strategy can be a winning strategy without
deliberate input from the politicians.
The rulers call for declaring each and every person suspected of
supporting or not condemning militancy vehemently as kafir. That cannot
facilitate the task of those fighting against militants. It appears that some
rulers have strong conviction that if kufr is spread all over the country the
problem of militancy could be solved once for all.
Today CIA has more operatives inside Pakistan; even Indian RAW
and Afghan RAAM may be outnumbering Pakistani intelligence agents. The
US and its Indian and Afghan partners have more intimate links with
militants to aid and abet their acts rendering ISI and political setups
ineffective.
The rulers do not want drone attacks to be stopped and indeed desire
to acquire this missile technology to use themselves, of course, not against
Afghans or Indians. They also do not want the Crusades to end and instead
beg Americans not to pullout from Afghanistan unilaterally; because they
fear the enemies they have created all around.
This has not happened accidentally. It is the result of their
complacence and failure to learn what was very clear right at the outset of
ongoing Crusades. That lesson was summarized by a commoner in
concluding lines of his very first article after 9/11.
The Americans, having achieved their mission, will once again
betray Pakistan, as they have done in the past, more than once. The Yankee
hero will turn his coat inside out, from blue to red, pack his possessions and

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vanish into the Wild West whistling tunes of democracy, freedom and
justice.
Pakistanis, like Red Indians, will keep wondering as to what wrong
they might have done, to deserve that fate. They will be sitting exhausted on
rubble and in smoke and dust created by war. When dust will settle, they
will find themselves in the company of hostile neighbours.
The Yankee hero will march on to abode of some other Red Indians
followed by yet another. The game will go on. Can this be averted? Yes,
Muslims must unite and prepare themselves for their defence as Allah has
told them to do. They should prepare in a manner that their preparedness
causes fear in hearts of their enemies.
Ordinary Muslims however can only wish this. Their leaders are
complacent as ever. Presently Americans seem to be following instructions
of Allah more religiously. They, with their readiness for war, have caused
terror in the hearts of many rulers of Islamic states. 26th September 2001.
The result is before the people of Pakistan. Army has regained control
of lost territories, but there is no political backup for consolidating their
gains. Pakistan is no more a frontline state in war on terror. It has been
turned into epicenter of terrorism. Today, Kabul and New Delhi can claim
the status of frontline states with America standing at their back.
The past and present must be kept in mind while pondering to answer
the most important question: What kind of war Pakistanis could expect in
the Year 2010? People of Pakistan should expect only that much from the
rulers they have elected which they are capable of delivering.
Before raising their hopes they must recall the glimpses of
Ghairatmand Pathan, Asfandyar, with a Gairatmand Baloch, Zardari, sitting
as representatives of Islamic Republic of Pakistan in front of Crusaders
Obama and Brown like beggars sitting outside marriage party tents for
receiving food in charity. They should not expect from such leaders more
than few crunches of bread as they could not afford even a traditional shellshaped begging bowl and sat there without that.
Their expectations must correspond to what could be expected from a
coalition of the corrupt or coalition of criminals. Their hopes must tally with
the past record of the three coalition partners which have their patriotism
stained substantiated or not substantiated. The ANP has the stain of
Pakhtoonistan; the MQM has Jinnahpur; and the PPP has the largest of all in
the form of Bangladesh and it now vows to play Sindh Card.

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It must be remembered that PPPs founder father had preferred to

break Pakistan over sitting in opposition to Bengali majority. The present
leadership could try to play the Sindh Card, despite the fact that Sindh is not
East Bengal. Sindh does not belong to Sindhis alone; urban areas are
dominated by Mohajirs; areas west of River Indus are inhabited by ethnic
Balochis as is Zardari. Nevertheless, PPP leadership is quite capable of
creating a bloody mess as was seen in Karachi on 28th December 2009.
Expect only that much from the leaders who prefer to bleed to death
cowardly than opting for honourable sudden death. People of Pakistan
should not hope for better, even if Army successfully regains control of all
the tribal agencies, because their rulers are incapable of consolidating on the
military gains as long as they remain faithful to the Crusaders.
What the Year 2010 holds for them was sampled out in terror attacks
in Karachi and Lakki Marwat. In Pakistan, civilians will continue to be at the
receiving end and perpetrators will be a mix of militants, jiyalas and
matwalas. And the latter two have proved time and again that they are not
less deadly than the former. However, it would be different on the other side
of the Durand Line as attack in Khost indicated. In Afghanistan the militants
will continue attacking prime targets like a base of CIA.
Is there a way out for the people of Pakistan? Yes; they must rein in
their own rulers. First, they must be forced to disassociate from a war that
aims at pushing the Muslims back to Stone Age. One cannot ascend to
Shangri La while galloping downward on road to a hole of death and
destruction.
Secondly, if peace and tranquility is the ultimate goal, it cannot be
achieved without showing large heartedness. Someone has to be the first to
rise and say, I forgive the murder of kin. Remember everyone in Pakistan
has blood on his hands, even if he has been hiding somewhere for eight long
years.
Initiative must be taken to extinguish the raging fire of revenge. To
forgive one needs larger heart than taking revenge. And, it is the state or
those running the affairs of state that are expected to show large heartedness
without waiting for attainment of upper hand.
But, it wont be easy to rein in Pakistans rulers who cry for dialogue
with Indians, but despise the same when it comes to talking to their
estranged brothers. In fact, they undo peace agreements on behest of the
Crusaders, making excuses like the one narrated by Asfandyar.

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He took months to put forward the excuse that agreement with Sufi
Mohammad was signed because two suicide bombers stood by the sides of
ANP leaders. If it was so they should have refused to sign agreement risking
their lives rather than reaching one and then undoing it and resultantly losing
thousands of lives.
It is the kind of rulers people of Pakistan have by choice. They must
rein in their leaders no matter how difficult it might be. They cannot afford
making excuses like their rulers and if they do, they must at least stop crying
after every bombing till Rehman Malik and Mian Iftikhar announce that last
militant has been killed.
4th January 2010

MIDDLE EAST II
Iraqis have been left to kill each other and they are doing that quite
efficiently. In 2009, about 4,500 people were killed showing improvement
from the previous years. For statistics crazy experts, daily average killing of
a dozen people was a sign of improvement.
Palestinians, like much of the rest of Muslim Ummah have been left
to observe anniversaries of all sorts. These anniversaries are usually to
remember some tragedies inflicted upon them. At the end of December,
Palestinians observed first anniversary of Israeli war crimes committed
during invasion of Gaza Strip.
The defiant Ahmadinejad-led Iran continued to be subjected to various
kinds of threats. The latest threat of air strike on Irans nuclear installations
was hurled by Commander CENTCOM, General Petraeus. And, after failed
attempt of terror attack on Delta Airline, Yemen also drew the attention of
the US as al-Qaeda heaven.
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NEWS
In Iraq, eight people were killed in three bomb blasts in Karbala on
14 October and eight more were killed in a blast in Baghdad. Two days
later, at least 12 people were killed and 98 wounded in bomb attack in
Mosul. At least 14 people, including six soldiers, were killed in a suicide
attack in Fallujah on 17th October. Next day, a bridge was blown up near
Ramadi.
th

On 19th October, eight people were killed and 29 wounded in two

bomb blasts. Six days later, more than one hundred-thirty people were killed
and 600 wounded in two suicide car bombings in Baghdad. On 26 th October,
death toll in Baghdad blasts rose to 155. Obama condemned the blasts and
its perpetrators, but refrained from commending General McChrystal who
had used his death squads to trigger sectarian strife in Iraq.
On 1st November, eight people were killed and fifty wounded in three
bomb blasts in three different towns. Three days later, a policeman was
killed in bomb blast. On 9th November, two US pilots were killed in
helicopter crash. A week later, six persons were killed and ten wounded in a
bomb blast. Iraqi Parliament passed the long-awaited election bill under
which the forthcoming polls will be held in January 2010.
On 24th November, inquiry began into the circumstances under which
Britain joined Americas invasion of Iraq under false pretext of WMDs. Next
day, at least 25 people were wounded in two bomb blasts in Karbala. On 3 rd
December, senior security official was among 8 killed in a bomb blast in
Baghdad. In Mosul, two soldiers were killed in firing on a post.
Four policemen were killed by gunmen in Abu Ghraib area on 6th
December. Next day, at least 16 people, including six students, were killed in
three incidents in Baghdad. Five car bombs exploded in Baghdad on 8 th
December; 127 people were killed and 448 wounded. Next day, Prime
Minister removed security chief of Baghdad.
Two soldiers and three policemen were among seven killed in
incidents of violence on 11th December. Two days later, four people were
killed in bombings in Fallujah. Nine people were killed in bombings in
Baghdad on 15th December. A mass grave was discovered in Kirkuk and 185
dead bodies were dug out.
Four people were killed and 32 wounded in a bomb attack in Baghdad
on 23 December. Two people were killed and five wounded in similar
rd

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attack on a church in Mosul. Next day, thirty people were killed and more
than one hundred wounded in bomb blasts in Karbala and Baghdad.
At least 18 people were killed and more than fifty wounded in various
incidents of violence on 25th December in Mosul, Baghdad and Diyala
Province. Next day, six persons were killed and 8 wounded in incidents of
violence in Baghdad and its outskirts. Seven people were killed and 19
wounded in incidents of violence on 27th December. Two days later, five
persons were killed and six wounded in Baghdad.
On 30th December, 30 people were killed in two bomb blasts in central
and western Iraq. Decrease was noticed in civilian death toll in Iraq in 2009
as only 4,500 lost their lives. Five people were killed when a US military
vehicle traveling in the wrong lane rammed into a bus near Baghdad on 6 th
January 2010. Seven people were killed in three bomb blasts in Baghdad on
8th January. A few days later, American court acquitted Blackwater men
involved in massacre in Baghdad; the UN and HR bodies slammed the
decision.
As regards Palestine, Fatah signed unity deal on 15th October, but
Hamas waited to sign the accord negotiated by Eygpt. Next day, Goldstone
Report was voted out in Human Rights Council and forwarded to UNSC; it
supported by 25 votes in favour and 6 against; 13 members abstained. Both
Israel and Hamas were to now investigate on incidents of war crimes. Israel
rejected it terming it biased.
On 18th October, Tayyab Urdzgab asked Israel to end state terrorism
against Palestinians and lift blockade of Gaza Strip. Three days later, the US
and Israel held joint air exercises to prepare for thwarting Iranian missile
attack. On 24th October, Hamas rejected the proposal of Mahmoud Abbas.
Next day, Israeli police entered the courtyard of Masjid-e-Aqsa resulting in
pelting of stones by Palestinians and use of stun grenades by the Israelis.
On 27th October, Israel demolished a house in Jerusalem constructed
without permission. A Katyusha-type rocket from Lebanon hit northern
Israel and in retaliation Israel fired a salvo of missiles into southern
Lebanon. Four days later, Hillarys bid to revive Middle East peace talks
faltered when Abbas refused to sit on the table with Israel unless total freeze
of Jewish settlements.
On 1st November, OIC demanded emergency UNSC meeting over
Israeli aggression against holy places. Two days later, Israeli settlers seized a

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house of an Arab in east Jerusalem. On 4 th November, US demanded

permanent end to Jewish settlements in West Bank.
UN General Assembly voted on 6th November for probe into war
crimes in Israels Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. Next day, two Palestinians
were wounded and houses destroyed by Israeli police. On 22nd November,
Israel carried out three air strikes in Gaza Strip wounding eight people.
Three days later, Mahmoud Abbas decided not to contest in January
elections.
On 26th November, two Israelis were wounded by a Palestinian and he
too was wounded by police, next day, four Palestinians were wounded in
Israeli tank fire and air strike in Gaza. Three days later, Solidarity Day with
Palestinians was observed. On 12th December, Palestinians in Gaza
celebrated completion of 22 years of Hamas.
On 16th December, a British court issued warrants of arrest for Israeli
leader of Kadima Party Tpisi Livni for war crimes committed during last
Gaza offensive. One Israeli was shot dead in West Bank on 24 th December.
Two days later, Israel killed six Palestinians in West Bank and Gaza Strip;
this was retaliation to the killing of Jew couple of days ago.
On 27th December, Gazans observed first anniversary of Israels
deadly war. Two Hamas men were among three killed in bomb blast in
Beirut on 27th December. On 6th January, 2010, Egyptian police and
international pro-Gazan activists clashed at Rafah crossing point when about
200 vehicles relief convoy led by British MP Galloway was stopped entering
Gaza; 50 activists and 12 security personnel were wounded and earlier an
Egyptian manning the border post shot dead by unknown gunman.
Three Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strike in Gaza Strip near
Egyptian border on 8th January. Two days later, three Palestinians were killed
in Israeli tank fire in Gaza. Three Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strike
after rocket firing from Gaza on 11th January.
In Iran, at least 42 people, including seven senior army officers and
several tribal elders, were killed in suicide bombing in near Pak-Iran border
on 18th October; Jundullah owned the responsibility. Iran summoned
Pakistani ambassador and lodged the protest over originating of the terror
attack from Balochistan.
On 26th October, supreme leader rejected direct talks with the United
States. Three days later, IAEA received reply from Iran. On 1st November,

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Turkish Prime Minister criticized nuclear-curbs on Iran. Nejad said West

was still untrustworthy over nuclear talks.
Iran charged three Americans under detention with espionage on 9 th
November. Nine days later, Tehran once again rejected nuclear fuel deal. On
22nd November, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, a top Iranian reformer, was
sentenced to six years in jail for agitating after June polls.
On 24th November, during his visit to Brazil, Ahmadenijad said US
and Israel dont have guts to attack Iran. Next day, ElBaradei said there
was no proof of covert nuclear sites. Seven Jundullah men were held by
authorities. India was among 25 countries which voted in Vienna on 27 th
November against Irans programme for enrichment of uranium.
On 29th November, Iran announced that it has decided to install ten
more uranium enrichment plants. Next day, Iran detained British boat along
with five sailors for trespassing into Iranian waters. Tehran released five
British sailors on 2nd December.
On 8th December, Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki alleged that the
US kidnapped Iranian scientist Shahram Amiri who went missing in Saudi
Arabia in January this year. During Opposition-inspired students protest the
founder Khomeini was insulted by some angry protesters on 13 th December.
Khamenei warned Opposition leaders to stay away from the protests.
Several protesters were held on 14th December for tearing pictures of
Khomeini. Two days later, Iran tested long-range missile. On 18 th December,
Iraq blamed Iranian forces for cross-border incursion. Two days later, Iran
removed its troops from oil wells near the border on Iraqi side. Grand
Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri died at the age of 86.
On 21st December, Police and mourners clashed after Montazeris
funeral. Next day, Nejad dismissed deadline given by the US for nuclear
deal. On 23rd December, tensions mounted after death of Montazeris death
and police warned opposition of fierce confrontation. Next day, seven
people were killed in clashes between Yemeni troops and militants.
Mousavis nephew was among four persons killed in clashes between
police and protesters in Tehran on 27th December. Next day, eight people
were killed in Tehran in Ashura-linked violence. On 29th December, Iran
summoned UK envoy in Tehran over fanning unrest in Iran. Nejad also
blamed Israel and the US as death toll was reported reaching 15.
Pro-government rallies were held across Iran on 30th December. At
least 16 people were killed in Saudi air strikes in Yemen on 4 th January,
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2010. On 9th January, the US was preparing new sanctions against Iran and
Nejad dismissed those in advance.
On 10th January, General Petraeus said Irans nuclear facilities can be
bombed. Two days later, Massoud Ali Mohammadi, a nuclear scientist, was
killed in bomb blast in Tehran; Iran blamed US and Israel; Washington
rejected the charges. Observers saw Obama moving towards regime change
in Iran.
Fighting inside Yemen spilled over in Saudi Arabia resulting in to
border clashes. Saudi soldier was killed by Yemeni infiltrators on 4 th
November. Next day, Saudi Air Force retaliated by striking Yemeni rebels
and by 8th November Saudi forces got its border area cleared. On 10th
November, Yemeni rebels claimed capturing Saudi soldiers.
Three Saudi soldiers were killed on Yemeni border on 22nd November.
Three days later, five persons were killed in clashes in southern Yemen. At
least 70 people were killed Saudi air strike on a Yemeni village on 13 th
December. Four days later, Yemeni security forces killed 34 al-Qaeda men
and arrested 17.
On 20th December, Yemens Shiite rebels said Saudi air strikes killed
54 civilians. Two days later, it was reported that since the start of fighting in
November along Yemeni border 73 Saudi soldiers have been killed, 470
wounded and 26 were missing. Al-Qaeda vowed more revenge for Yemeni
victims.
Yemen claimed killing thirty-four al-Qaeda men who had gathered for
a meeting on 23rd December. The US backed Yemeni air strike to kill alQaeda cleric linked to Major Nidal Malik who carried out mass killings at
Fort Hood. Eleven people were killed in clashes in northern Yemen on 1 st
January 2010.
The US and UK closed their embassies in Yemen on 3 rd January. Two
days later, five al-Qaeda men were arrested in Yemen as its forces launched
crackdown in three provinces. On 6th January, Yemeni security forces
arrested al-Qaeda chief and foreign missions reopened. The US turned its
diplomatic focus on to Yemen after failed attempt to blow up Delta Airline
plane and links of Nigerian terrorist with al-Qaeda in Yemen.
On 10th January, Yemen showed willingness to talk to al-Qaeda. Next
day, 25 people were killed in fighting in northern Yemen. Two days later, at
least 17 people were killed in clashes in Yemen. On 13 th January, security
forces killed an al-Qaeda leader in northern Yemen.
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As regards other countries of the region, after four-month

negotiations the coalition government was formed on 9th November in
Lebanon which included Hezbollah. Five soldiers were killed and several
wounded in attack on a post in Central Turkey on 7 th December. Three days
later, nine Kurds were killed in clash with Turkish forces. Agitation by
Kurds in Turkey continued for three days during last week of December. On
12th January, a government official said 82 Saudis were killed in recent
clashes with Yemeni rebels.

VIEWS
After turning Iraq into smoldering heap of debris of death and
destruction the ever cunning Brits have started making moves to exonerate
themselves from the Devil-like act. The daily Telegraph wrote about one of
those acts: Evidence will be taken for the first time in public by the inquiry
into the Iraq war. Chaired by Sir John Chilcot, a former Whitehall mandarin,
it is not expected to report until well after the next general election. A good
deal has come to light about the invasion of Iraq that raises troubling
questions.
Those who supported the removal of Saddam Hussein as a dangerous
tyrant armed with weapons of mass destruction who posed a threat to the
stability of the Gulf long ago had to come to terms with the failure to
discover his WMD. It is also impossible to make any positive case for the
post-war planning that took place before the invasion: the calamity inflicted
on Iraq in its aftermath is testimony to the failure of those responsible to
look beyond the toppling of the Bhaathist regime.
The leaked documents reported in this newspapermake the case
not merely for the inquiry itself, but for as much of its proceedings as
possible to be held in public. This was, of course, not the intention when
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced in the summer that he was
establishing the inquiry. It was initially proposed apparently at the request
of Tony Blair, the former prime minister to hold it in secret, a decision
quickly reversed. Blair whose hopes of becoming the first EU President
were dashed last week partly because of his role in the Iraq invasion, will
inevitably be the principal witness to the inquiry. The precise details of
when he and former American President George W Bush decided to go
to war will be among its most eagerly awaited findings, as will a credible
explanation of why there was a complete absence of any plan for post-war
reconstruction or for the maintenance of law and order.
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The mishandling of the Iraq conflict remains the most serious

blot on Blairs dwindling reputation. His efforts to portray himself as an
international elder statesman dispensing wisdom around the globe have
begun to pall, just as the riches he has accumulated seem out of all
proportion to his achievements. The purpose of the Chicot inquiry is not to
act as a show trial of Blair, and nor is it a court of law; but that does not
relieve the former prime minister of a public responsibility to answer some
of the outstanding questions about this unhappy chapter in British foreign
policy. Neither we nor the families of the servicemen killed in Iraq should
have to wait for his memoirs to be told.
As regards Palestine, the report on Israels war crime came in the
focus. Counterpunch commented: 'The double standard under which the
Israeli government operates is too much for everyone except the
brainwashed Americans. Even the very Israeli Jerusalem Post can see the
double standard deployed by all of Israel now speaking in one voice against
the Goldstone report.
This is the Israeli notion of fair deal: Were entitled to do whatever
the hell we want to the Palestinians because, by definition, whatever we do
to them is self-defence. They, however, are not entitled to lift a finger against
us because, by definition, whatever they do to us is terrorism.
Thats the way its always been, thats the way it was on Operation
Cast Lead. And there are no limits on our right to self-defence. There is no
such thing as disproportionate. We can deliberately destroy thousands of
Gazan homes, the Gazan parliament, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of
Interior, court-houses, the only Gazan flour plant, the main poultry farm, a
sewage treatment plant, water wells and God knows what else. Deliberately.
Why? Because were better than them. Because were a democracy and
theyre a bunch of Islamo-fascists. Because ours is a culture of life and theirs
is a culture of death. Because theyre out to destroy us and all we are saying
is give peace a chance.
The Goldstones of the world call this hypocrisy, a double
standard. How dare they! Around here, we call it moral clarity. A person
would never read such as this in the New York Times or Washington Post or
hear it from any US news source. Unlike Israeli newspapers, the US media is
a complete mouth peace for the Israel Lobby
Dr James Zogby wrote: I had the distinct honour to have lunch a few
weeks back with Justice Richard Goldstone. I say honour because, not only
was he the first justice appointed by President Nelson Mandela to South
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Africas Constitutional Court, he is a legend in the human rights community

for his work investigating and prosecuting war crimes in the former
Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Despite being in the centre of a storm, he is a
remarkably composed man. As a jurist, his words are weighed, his
observations are precise, and his judgments informed.
As he has made clear in interviews, he expanded on the Human
Rights Councils limited mandate to include, in his investigations, not
only the Gaza War, but the events leading up to the war, holding all parties
involved accountable for their behaviour. In order to prepare the report,
Goldstones team spent considerable time in Gaza conducting a few hundred
interviews, reading thousands of pages of reports, and conducting public
hearings in the Middle East and in Geneva. In all, they investigated 36
specific events, providing an exhaustive narrative report on their findings,
and then a review of applicable human rights law and conventions.
Many incidents covered in the report will be familiar to those who
followed the December/January Gaza War. It examines, for example, the
attacks on hospitals and mosques, and the widely reported killings of Gaza
civilians. The report also looks at the incidents that are not so well known,
several of which are covered in a section titled Attacks on the Foundation of
Civilian Life in Gaza: Destruction of Industrial Infrastructure, Food
Production, Water Installations, Sewage Treatment, and Housing. These
include: the total destruction of the al-Bader Flour Mill, the bulldozing and
systematic flattening of the Sawafaery Chicken Farm (killing all 31,000
chickens), and the bombing of the raw sewage lagoons of the Gaza Water
Sewage Treatment Plant causing 200,000 cubic meters of raw sewage to
contaminate neighbouring farmlands. These, the report concludes, were not
military targets, and were instead evidence of, unlawful and wanton
destruction, not justified by military necessity and, hence, war crimes.
Now that the report has been voted out of the Human Rights Council
and forwarded to the UN Security Council, the gamesmanship continues.
The Israelis will throw another temper tantrum, the US will attempt to
dismiss the entire discussion as a false choice between human rights and
peace, and the US Congress will no doubt get into the competing Palestinian
parties will continue to see the report as a club to use against one another.
I dare say that while its authors believed that the Goldstone Report
would create a debate, they did not anticipate this firestorm. That it is back
centre stage is a good thing. But the problem remains. With all the political
posturing and the heated debate, sadly, in all probability, the report will not

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be acted upon, nor will it be read. It should be, for there is much in it from
which all sides can learn.
Tayyab Siddiqui commented on the warrant issued by a British court
for arrest of former Israeli foreign minister. Last week a British court issued
the warrant of arrest against Tpisi Livni who was due to visit London to
address the Jewish National Fund Conference, but postponed her visit after
being tipped off about proposed action. The warrant was issued at the
request of lawyers representing Gaza victims.
The episode, nevertheless, has shaken the Israeli government. Prime
Minister Netanyahu rejected this absurdity and has mounted extreme
pressure on the British government to withdraw court powers under the illdefined legal concept of universal jurisdiction on which this warrant was
based. Britain is a staunch supporter of Israel. The episode has,
therefore, immensely embarrassed the UK. Foreign Secretary Miliband
assured Israel that Britain will no longer tolerate legal harassment of Israeli
officials.
This was not the first time that British courts have issued such a
warrant. In September a similar warrant was issued against Israels defence
Minister Ehud Barak under the 1988 Criminal Jurisdiction Act which gives
the court in England and Wales universal jurisdiction in war-crime cases.
Being a cabinet minister of Israel Barak escaped arrest invoking his
diplomatic immunity.
The concept of universal jurisdiction is an extremely useful tool to
pursue and punish perpetrators of war crimes. It, however, needs refinement
and clarity. Legal experts are of the opinion that due to this legal remedy and
high-profile visitor involved in a military or anti-terrorist operation would be
scared to visit a country that has such a provision in its constitution which
could, in times to come, blossom into an internationally accepted legal norm.
Earlier, a Swedish court under the same provision had issued a warrant
against Ariel Sharon, Israels defence minister. The concept is the evolution
of humanitarian laws and conventions to fix responsibility of war crimes
on the leader rather than the soldier. The International Criminal Court in
The Hague, now trying the leaders of Serbia and Yugoslavia, has drawn
strength from this concept.
On the first anniversary of Israeli war-crimes committed during Gaza
offensive Tayyab wrote: A human tragedy of enormous proportions has
been continuing over the last year in Gaza, and yet it has not stirred the
conscience of the international community and those responsible for global
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peace. The western media has also been a part of this conspiracy of silence.
On Dec 27, some 1,200 international activists from 40 countries gathered
in Cairo to enter Gaza to display solidarity with the suffering
Palestinians. However, this show of sympathy and support by peace
activists is significant only in symbolic terms. International NGOs and UN
agencies occasionally raise this issue, but find no resonance because the
victims are Palestinian and the oppressor is Israel.
Tayyab quoted excerpts from reports of Richard Falk, Amnesty
International and from article of Oren Yiftahel, an Israeli professor and then
added: Israel's acts of genocide and crimes against humanity are
reprehensible. Equally unacceptable is the silence and apathy of Muslim
governments and the self-styled champions of human rights. Most Muslim
countries failed to speak out forcefully against the aggressor, notable
exceptions being Turkey, even though it has diplomatic and security
relations with Tel Aviv, and Iran. Denouncing the Israeli barbarities in Gaza,
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded that Israel be barred from
the UN for showing its contempt for the organization. Iranian president
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad urged Islamic countries to break your silence on the
catastrophic events and the massacre taking place in Gaza.
Pakistan foreign policy of late seems to have relegated the
questions of Palestine to low priority. The initiative taken by Musharraf in
building contacts with Israel has sullied the image of Pakistan, once
considered one of the staunchest allies of the Palestinians. This may explain
why Pakistan was not invited to summits of the Gulf Cooperation Council
and the Arab League last year, in which Turkey and Iran participated on
special invitation.
The Organization of the Islamic Conference must raise the issue of
the Israeli genocide in Gaza in the International Criminal Court. If Slobodan
Milosevic of Serbia can be tried on similar charges, why not Israel's
leaders? By taking such a symbolic initiative, the OIC can have a semblance
of relevance to the Muslim Ummah.
After Hillarys visit to the Middle East, Gideon Levy wrote: Now is
the time to say to the United States: Enough flattery. If you dont
change the tone, nothing will change. As long as Israel feels the United
States is in its pocket, and that Americas automatic veto will save it from
condemnations and sanctions, that it will receive massive aid
unconditionally, and that it can continue waging punitive, lethal campaigns

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without a word from Washington, killing, destroying and imprisoning

without the worlds policeman making a sound, it will continue in its way.
Illegal acts like the occupation and settlement expansion, and
offensives that may have involved war crimes, as in Gaza, deserve a
different approach. If America and the world had issued condemnations
after Operation Summer Rains in 2006 which left 400 Palestinians dead
and severe infrastructure damage in the first major operation in Gaza since
the disengagement then Operation Cast Lead would never have been
launched.
It is true that unlike all the worlds other troublemakers, Israel is
viewed as a Western democracy, but Israel of 2009 is a country whose
language is force. Anwar Sadaat may have been the last leader to win our
hearts with optimistic, hope-igniting speeches. If he were to visit Israel
today, he would be jeered off the stage. The Syrian president pleads for
peace and Israel callously dismisses him, the United States begs for a
settlement freeze and Israel turns up its nose. This is what happens when
there are no consequences for Israels inaction.
When Clinton returns to Washington, she should advocate a sharp
policy change toward Israel. Israeli hearts can no longer be won with
hope, promises of a better future or sweet talk, for this is no longer
Israels language. For something to change, Israel must understand that
perpetuating the status quo will exact a painful price.
Israel of 2009 is a spoiled country, arrogant and condescending,
convinced that it deserves everything and that it has the power to make a
fool of America and the world. The United States has engenders the entire
Mideast and Israel itself. That is why there needs to be a turning point in the
coming year Washington needs to finally say no to Israel and the
occupation; an unambiguous, presidential no.
Daniel Levy saw the peace in limbo. The Obama Administration
still seems to be pushing the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian
negotiations as the key goal. Under the current circumstances, that would
be a hard pill to swallow for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas,
especially if Palestinian elections are on the horizon. But even if talks were
restarted, many in the Middle East are struggling to see the point of yet more
negotiations after all these years. The issues and their solutions are largely
known, but the expectations that negotiations would deliver anything
meaningful are nearly non-existent. Another option for the US would be to
initiate back-to-back talks with the respective parties this approach may
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actually be more productive than bilateral talks between two parties who
have proven that they cannot resolve this conflict on their own.
After all of my questions, it is worth recognizing the question that is
actually being asked of America from the citizens of the Middle East
themselves: When will there be a serious American implementation plan
for the two-state solution that recognizes the asymmetries of power and
vital needs of each party and that is determinedly pursued by an
administration which has, from day one, made Israeli-Palestinian peace a
strategic American priority? On this question, we are all still waiting for an
answer.
Shmuel Rosner wrote about the person who was preferred by the West
as successor of Yasir Arafat. Mahmoud Abbas was chosen as leader of
Palestinians to serve the interests of Israel and he did that to the best of his
abilities. Having done that for more than five years look what he has earned:
When Abbas was first appointed in 2004, Israeli expert Danny Rubinstein
described him as the default leader, the person one dates on the rebound, a
consolation lover for a time after a hard separation, until a true lover
appears. Five years later, not much has changed. And until a more nimble
paramour enters the dating pool, Israel will be relegated to spinsterhood for
the foreseeable future.
Daily Star talked of settlements issue. The news this week that the
Israeli government has approved a further 900 new buildings in an East
Jerusalem settlement deals another hammer blow to the already waning
peace process. Not only does the expansion of the Gilo settlement show a
complete disregard for international law, it shows once again a preference
for expansion over peace on the part of the Israel
It is not as if the United States and the EU are unable to influence
the Israeli government. The US especially has enormous influence to exert
by simply withholding part of the massive economic support it gives each
year to Israel, without conditions.
Israels dogged refusal to freeze settlements has major
implications in the region, for itself and for the United States. Attempts by
the US to foster ties with Iran and build better relations with countries
throughout the Middle East are set back every time more settlements are
approved.
The Nation observed persistence of Palestinians tragedy. According
to an Israeli human rights group, BTselem, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
has claimed almost 8,900 lives during the past two decades. Quite obviously,
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the main victims have been the Palestinian people, they lost 7,398 men,
women and children in that period, and among them, the number of minors
alone stood at 1,537. For these poor Palestinian people, 2009 that has still
more than a month to go has become the bloodiest year since 1989, with
the losses totaling 1,033, including 315 minors Part of the credit should
be given to Peace Prize winner.
The hope, which Obamas overtures to the Muslims of the world and
his specific utterances on the Palestinian issue had raised in the initial period
of his presidency, has all but died out. His intentions might be noble and
well meaning when he asked the Israeli leadership to halt the settlement
work in the interest of peace, but he came up against the dogged refusal of
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, fully backed by the powerful
Jewish lobby. One really wonders whether he would be able to exercise
enough influence on those who created one hurdle after another in the
implementation of the previous agreements Oslo Accords and Wye River
Memorandum so painstakingly arrived at, and persuade them to come to a
just settlement of the issue that takes care of Palestinians concern about
their land, Jerusalem, refugees and sovereignty of a separate state.
In the context of Iran Anoush Maleki opined: Soon enough, the
White House will have to come to terms with the fact that Tehran will not
abandon its nuclear program, as the government and Iranians in general
whole-heartedly believe that the nuclear right is an inalienable one. The
nature of Irans foreign policy, despite its anti-capitalistic values, is peaceful.
The country has neither attacked any other nation nor threatened to do so in
decades.
Its leadership and the people deem the use of weapons of mass
destruction as unholy and against the rule of Islam. Therefore, the notion
that Iran may one day decide to acquire weapons of mass destruction, use
them to wipe out another nation, or hand them over to terrorists is pure
nonsense.
Robert Kagan wrote: Many of us worry that, for Obama, engagement
is an end. We worry that every time Iran rejects one proposal, the president
will simply resume negotiations on another proposal and that this will
continue right up until the day Iran finally tests its first nuclear weapon,
at which point the president will simply begin negotiations again to try to
persuade Iran to put its nuclear genie back in the bottle. Russia, meanwhile,
will continue to be accommodated as a partner in this effort, on the
perpetually untested theory that if Obama ever did decide to get tough with
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Iran, Moscow would join in. Russia thus reaps all the rewards of
engagement without ever having to make a difficult decision.
For the clerics, an endless negotiating process is not merely a means
of putting off any real concessions on its nuclear program. It is also, and
more important, a way of putting off any Western sanctions that could
produce new and potentially explosive unrest in their already unstable
country. That is the best card in Obamas hand right now. Its time for him to
play it or admit that poker is not his game.
Glenn Greenwald wrote on murder of Irans nuclear scientist,
Massoud Ali Mohammadi. Although the Iranian government has issued a
statement blaming the US and Israel for this rather sophisticated and wellexecuted assassination, there is no actual evidence yet of who is responsible.
Its possible that the killing is related to Irans complex internal conflicts
rather than its nuclear programme. There is, however, ample evidence that
the US covertly provides various means of support to extremist groups
which have previously carried out violent terrorist attacks inside Iran
which, in other contexts, is called being a state sponsor of terror. In the
very recent past, other Iranian nuclear scientists and officials have
disappeared and ended up in the custody of the US and its allies either
abducted or defected, depending on who you believe.
Whatever else is true, this murder of Professor Mohammadi is rather
clearly an act of pure terrorism Just as is true of our covert military
actions in Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen, the extent of our involvement with
Iranian extremist groups remained undiscussed by our Government,
notwithstanding the numerous public, credible reports detailing some of it,
including as Seymour Hersh put it the Democratic leaderships
agreement (in 2007) to commit hundreds of millions of dollars for more
secret operations in Iran. As Hersh wrote regarding a Presidential Finding
signed by George Bush: designed to destabilize the countrys religious
leadership, which included plans involving possible lethal action inside
Iran
Those claims now, whether true or not, continue to rebound to the
benefit of the Iranian regime precisely because our policies are so secret and
opaque, our media so uninterested in what our Government is doing, and the
citizenry trained to accept that most of the significant actions should take
place without the knowledge, let alone any debate or vote. Whether the US
is involved in any way with actions like the murder of this scientist
whether directly or through its support for Iranian extremist groups is

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genuinely unknown, but the question merits much more attention than
its likely to get.
The Washington Times wrote: Time is running out. Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave the Obama White House a year to
make progress with Iran, and instead, the situation has grown worse.
Israel repeatedly has stated that it will not tolerate a nuclear Iran, and the
Jewish state in receiving significant behind-the-scenes encouragement from
Sunni Arab states wary of the possibility of Iranian regional hegemony.
Preparation for possible conflict is ongoing. This week, a biologicalwarfare-preparedness exercise is being held in Tel Aviv and other cities.
Starting late next month, gas masks will begin to be distributed to every
Israeli citizen; similar measures were undertaken before the first and
second Gulf wars
The coming conflict will not be an overnight, air strike followed by
bellicose language, like the Israeli attack on the Syrian nuclear site in
September 2007. Disrupting Irans nuclear program will require Israel
to undertake a sustained campaign. Iran will launch reprisal attacks
through its proxies in Gaza and Lebanon, encourage Syria to respond,
foment chaos in Iraq and Afghanistan and potentially order terror attacks on
Western attacks.
US policymakers are mealy-mouthed about the possibility of conflict
with Iran. Admiral Mike Mullen chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
summed up the conventional view when he said that Iran developing a
nuclear weapon is potentially a very, very destabilizing outcome, but
taking military action to prevent it also has a very, very destabilizing
outcome. Washington prefers the third way, a mix of sanctions and
diplomacy, in the hope of somehow preserving stability. But soon, the
choice will be made by others, and the real question is what role the
United States will play when war comes.
The Crusaders once again shifted on to Yemen after Nigerian youths
attempt at blowing up Delta Airline plane. Farooq Sulehria wrote: Yemen
has become the focus of media attention in the wake of the foiled attempt to
blow up a US airliner by Umar Farooq Abdul Muttalab on Dec 25. The US
mainstream media is busy portraying Yemen as a failed state, and hence a
legitimate target for US aggression.
Yemen is the poorest of all Arab countries, with 40 percent living
below the poverty line, and the writ of government is hardly in existence

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there. Ninety of the 200 detainees now held at Guantanamo, we are told, hail
from Yemen. Footage of picturesque Ribat Baashen, Osama bin Ladens
ancestral village, spices up the coverage to reinforce Yemens image as a
safe haven for Al-Qaeda.
A tribal society of 23 million, with 60 million guns, Yemen, it
seems, will be Empires next front. American corporate media, in unison
with the US establishment, are suffering from amnesia-as-usual. Hence, no
mention is made of the fact that during the Cold War Washington backed the
Islamist regime in North Yemen against socialists rule South Yemen, which
has since merged with the North. Similarly, thousands of Yemeni citizens
reached Afghanistan to fight back the infidel Reds.
In the countrys 1994 civil war, Yemenis returning from Afghanistan
helped secure the rule of incumbent president Ali Abdullah Saleh, in power
since 1978. For these Afghan veterans, suppression of godless South Yemen
was a logical continuation of their victorious jihad in Afghanistan.
True, the present focus on Yemen owes to Republican criticism of the
Obama Administration over the evident security failure despite an alarm
raised by the Nigerian suspects father. A military action is likely to offer a
distraction. However, it is Yemens highly strategic location that interests
Empire. Adjacent to Saudi Arabia (the worlds largest oil exporter) and the
Red Sea (controlling access to the Suez Canal), Yemen also borders on the
Gulf of Aden, the westward shipping route for much of the oil leaving the
Persian Gulf.
From the Red Sea, some three million barrels of crude oil are
shipped daily to the West. US military forces are already deployed in
Djibouti, to oversee this passage. In view of Yemens strategic location in
the ongoing war on terror, which translates into occupation of strategic
Muslim countries in western Asia, the $11 million US military assistance to
Yemen in 2006 had by 2009 quadrupled to $70 million. The US Congress is
likely to approve $150 million for 2010.
What also worries Washington is that 40 per cent of the countrys
population is Shia Muslim, receiving support from Iran in an insurgency
(which rendered 175,000 homeless since August) against Sanaa. Riyadh,
however, is even more worried. Hence, it lent Yemen $2 billion last year and
committed its forces last November to quell the Shia insurgency.
Meantime, Americans have been closely watching Yemen. Only last
summer CIA deputy director Stephen Kappes and David Petraeus, head of
the US Central Command, which is responsible for the Middle East, called
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on President Saleh. In September John Brennan, Obamas advisor on antiterrorism, paid a visit to Sanaa. These visits resulted in a US-Yemeni joint
air and ground offensive against presumed Al-Qaeda camps near the
capital and in the provinces of Shawbah, Al-Jawf and Abyan.
Abdul Muttalab, it is believed, boarded the Detroit-bound flight to
avenge these attacks. With Yemen having exhausted its oil reserves and
facing an acute water crisis, the countrys dictator needs US money as well
as US protection. For Saleh, Al-Qaeda is an excuse to secure US
patronage. After all, he himself has been patronizing Al-Qaeda in the past.
His real worry is the Shia insurgency and a secessionist movement in the
south.
Yemens analogy to Pakistan under Musharraf is indeed striking:
blowback from the Afghan war, dictatorship in need of US patronage, writ of
state largely missing, an ideal terrain for guerrilla warfare (as in Pakistans
north) and a society seething with anti-Americanism. This is a recipe for
perfect disaster.

REVIEW
Statisticians claimed that only 4,500 deaths through violence in the
last year was a clear sign of improvement. Iraqis would certainly not agree
with this. The real improvement that was intended by the invaders, however,
lied somewhere else. Iraq practically divided into three states within a state
and continuously bleeding posed no threat to the supreme US interests and
Israel.
Despite the hype of high hopes not a single step was taken to provide
any kind of relief to Palestinians living in Gaza Strip. However, the civilized
world was kind enough to mention commission of war crimes against
Gazans by Israelis a year ago. As regards Muslim World, it has virtually
forgotten the Palestinians.
The US, despite extensive use of eagle on its national emblems, is a
vulture-like scavenger. General Petraeus has threatened Iran of air strike but
vultures, which prefer the dead meat, are not likely to go for a live nation.
Yemen has also drawn US attention and here too it would not swipe for
different reason; Yemen has no flesh.
14th January 2010

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SCREAMING SCOUNDREL - II
To wash out the label of bunkered president attached by the critics
Zardari spent most of the last fortnight in Sindh making two dashes in
between to Muzaffarabad and Syria. The provincial government arranged
few functions to dispel the impression of an isolated head of state, but
hopping from one bunker to another hardly helped in altering the perception.
He and his aides kept crying about threats to democracy which helped in
securing some reassurances from various quarters. The Army Chief called on
Prime Minister and President to assure of his support to democracy, which
seemed to have some calming effect, or perhaps, it was due to something
more than mere assurance. A conspicuous change was that Zardari vowed to
fight for Kashmiris right of self-determination for thousand years.
Holbrooke went a step farther than assurance. He, on behalf of the
United States, said his country was prepared to intervene in internal issues of
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Pakistan, if asked. Miliband also dashed to Pakistan with similar intent.

Resultantly, the reassured Zardari regime did not bother to take a single step
to implement verdict of the Supreme Court.

NEWS
On 2nd January, Zardari vowed to fight internal and external plots.
Gilani saw no rift between government and army. Asfandyar put ANPs
weight behind Zardari regime and challenged those having reservations to
bring in impeachment motion against him. Kaira said that those wishing to
topple the government were living in fools paradise.
Sugar price shot up to Rs70 per kg in various parts of the country.
Nawaz urged the government to meet challenges seriously. A civil judge in
Rawalpindi issued non-bail-able warrants of Federal Minister Raja Pervaiz
in case picking up a row with the registrar of LHC in 1998. Rehman Malik
appeared before Accountability Court without protocol and security.
Next day, Gilani talked to Nawaz on telephone to discuss new
accountability law. Nawaz said 17th Amendment must go first and ban on 3 rd
time PM could stay. Kaira rejected selective trial of PPP and demanded
accountability of judges and generals first. Meanwhile, top PPP leaders
reinvigorated offensive against their critics in media. PPP government
planned to split Karachi into two for the purpose of local government.
On 4th January, Nawaz Sharif visited Quetta, met Akbar Bugtis son
and demanded trial of his killers. He also said that democracy and corruption
cannot go side by side. Kaira admitted that demanding trial of generals and
judges while in government was a technical nonsense.
Ansar Abbasi reported that NAB has decided to do things at his own
despite the SC verdict; no case of Zardari has been reopened and no bank
account frozen so far. Accountability Court in Rawalpindi observed that the
SC in its verdict has directed the courts, not NAB, to reopen the cases.
Next day, Gilani and Kayani had detailed one-on-one meeting in PM
House. Nawaz arrived in Karachi and saw no conspiracy against Zardari.
Observers noted Zardari breaking the bunker and exposing himself in
Sindh and AJK to match judicial activism. NWFP Assembly reposed
confidence in Zardari. PML-N sought Salman Taseers medical examination
Asma Jehangir called the parliamentarians as idiots. Earlier, Raja Riaz

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wanted age limit for parliamentarians to be reduced to 20 years so that his

nephew Bilawal could become prime minister.
On 6th January, Nawaz told Zardari his party may desert him but I
wont. Gilani was informed about another Rs12 billion loan write-off
benefiting 368 industrialists and politicians. Federal government decided to
probe Sasti Roti scheme through NA standing committee. NAB sought more
funds to fight reopened cases. Justice Javed while hearing petition of
missing persons remarked the system is on the verge of disaster and
someone has to intervene. He added that democracy without human rights is
meaningless.
Next day, General Kayani met Zardari in Presidency and discussed
security matters; perhaps, including conspiracy theories. Saleh Zaafir
confirmed that discussions went beyond the ongoing military operations.
Zardari also met Salman Taseer to discuss political strategy.
The Supreme Court ordered that all public prosecutors should be
appointed by Public Service Commission; however, present prosecutor could
continue for two months. Holbrooke said, we are watching with sympathy
and support the civilian government in Pakistan. He added that although
the United States is not intervening in internal issues of Pakistan, but if
asked and if helpful it will be ready to do so. Gilani said he would rise and
fall with Zardari. Fauzia Wahab said differences between MQM and PPP on
LG remained unresolved.
After MQMs request for Armys help and Rehman Malik ruling out
any role of Army in Karachi, the issue of lawlessness in Karachi took
political turn. On 9th January, MQM demanded separate seats in the houses
of Parliament. Ansar Abbasi reported that half truths were being spread
over CJPs recommendation about appointment of Justice Ramday as ad hoc
judge after retirement. Gilani rang up Nawaz to assure him once again about
implementation of Charter of Democracy. Taking lead from Holbrooke
Miliband, who was in Islamabad, also put his entire weight behind Zardari
regime after terming last two years as exemplary since the advent of war on
terror and declaring no threat to democracy.
Judiciarys past was hyped again as on 10 th January; Babar Awan
talked of reopening of Zulfikar Ali Bhuttos case. Rumours were also spread
about Shahbaz-CJP secret meeting to distort the image of the judiciary.
Next day, Opposition leader said Zardari has done nothing to deserve
reposing of confidence in him. Shahbaz said PML-N doesnt trust Zardari.
He added that Pakistan is lucky to have pro-democracy Army Chief. Salman
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Taseer declared Zardari would stay in Presidency for 12 years equivalent to

the period he spent in jail.
Kamran Khan reported that despite the court orders the accused
continued to run affairs of Pakistan Steel Mills and Rauf Klasra wrote
corruption in the Steel Mills was being regularized. Former Navy Chief
confirmed kickbacks received by Zardari in Agosta submarine deal. The
Chief Justice remarked during the hearing that robbers of public money
wont be let off the hook. He asked for early extradition of Hamesh Khan.
On 12th January, Justice Ramday retired. Gilani held meeting of
parliamentary parties and recounted achievements of his government. Sugar
price increased by Rs7 per kg. People protesting the non-supply of gas and
electricity blocked GT Road at Shahdara for hours. PML-Q extended
support to Shaikh Rashid in bye-polls in NA-55. Election Commission
announced schedule of bye-elections in NA-123, PP-82 and PP-284.
Kaira wanted Supreme Court to take suo moto notice of reported
meeting between Shahbaz and Chief Justice. He tried to give new spin to the
report 24 hours after it had been denied; therefore it earned a strong
rejoinder from the Supreme Court that termed it as an attempt to politicize
the judiciary. Saleh Zaafir reported PPPs plan to make the present Supreme
Court ineffective with total implementation of CoD.
Kamran Khan reported that Kalashnikov bazaar was thriving under
parliamentary umbrella. About forty thousand licences of prohibited bores
have been issued since last week of March 2008. Most of the licences were
issued through quotas allotted to MPAs; some of these when acquired
through arms dealers cost Rs200,000 per licence as premium charges.
Kamran estimated that this trade has cost Rs20 billion. As regards corruption
in Steel Mills, Laljees daughter was given official protocol to escape from
the country. Reportedly, former chairman of PSM went missing along with
his family.
Next day, the bunkered president arrived in Salman Taseers trench
while elder and younger Sharifs were in China and Turkey respectively. PPP
blamed PML-N for engineering protests in Shahdara in view of Zardaris
scheduled visit to the town. Foreign Office denied Qureshi-Musharraf
meeting in Dubai. Former chairman PSM, Moeen Aftab was arrested from
Karachi. Waqar Hamza reported PSM imported substandard iron ore from
India and Zamir Sheikh reported that jiyalas were now out to ruin PSO.
Eight school children were killed when a van was over run by a train at a

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level-crossing near Mian Channu. Railway Minister when contacted said it

was fault on those killed in the accident.
Zardari held jiyalas meeting in Governor House, Lahore on 14 th
January. He promised to spend a week with them every month. Remorseless
and shameless Railway Minister (Bilour), devoid of any humane feelings,
had no words of sympathy for the families of school children killed at
railway crossing. Meek-looking arrogant ANP leader said if people get on to
track again they would be killed and trains do no not go off track to kill
people.
Zardari met media men second time in Governor House, Lahore on
15 January. He said no bargaining with PML-N over ban on third term for
Prime Minister. He also informed the media men that COAS is no threat to
democracy and that he would inform them about conspirators as soon as he
got the addresses of conspirators.
th

Raja Riaz cribbed about inadequate security for Zardari and Rana
Sanaullah said Zardari faced threat from jiyalas. The Supreme Court asked
NAB to explain the position of prosecutors termination. Former Attorney
General, Malik Qayyum prayed to the Supreme Court to review decision
about action against him.

VIEWS
Zardaris screams, heard and unheard, continued to be commented
upon widely. On 3rd January 2010, Adnan Rehmat observed: Zardari is
now hinting that there are threats to democracy and conspiracy to undo
the public mandate again and he leaves little to the imagination as to who
is principally involved the establishment and its lackeys, including the
militant groups that want to stay on its toes defending itself and dealing only
with day-to-day governance rather than implementing five-year policies
promised in the manifesto.
How true this is, is open to debate but putting oneself in Zardaris
shoes the view thus: on the brink of a sensational electoral party victory and
political rehabilitation after over a decade in wilderness, its leader Benazir
Bhutto was killed in, ostensibly, first an attempt to cancel the elections, and
then to pre-empt the inevitable. After he tried to change the system too
fast, too soon and too alone he has been threatened with a technical
ouster, the NRO (the story isnt over yet).

701

In at least four instances over the past several months, the

establishment transparently butted in to pre-empt major policy decisions by
the PPP: (i) declaring India a non-enemy (by Zardari) in an attempt to pave
the way for greater deployment of troops on the western border with
Afghanistan; (ii) agreeing to send the ISI chief to India to answer questions
over the Mumbai terror attacks; (iii) formally putting the control of ISI to the
civilian fold (the interior ministry); and (iv) beefing up procedures to
strengthen the civilian control over military appointments and aid disbursals
under the Kerry-Lugar aid law. On each of these four attempts by the PPP,
the establishment either forced the government to itself reverse its decisions
or publicly rebuked it. All this is as strong an indication that the
establishment is reasserting its control over the civilian policy as ever.
The problem is that Zardari refuses to address his own partys
weaknesses before attempting to change the system. He is rightly worried
about threats to his life he realizes that he is a thin substitute for a genuine
Bhutto until his son is ready to assume the mantle formally. Zardari also
understands that if something happens to him both Bhuttoism and, in all
probability, the PPP will be dead.
The trouble is that Zardari is going the wrong way asserting
Bhuttoism and the PPPs goodwill and political might. He is looking back
at the past for comfort in order to survive, whereas he needs to make new
friends now and marshal the political forces through keeping his word. In a
single stroke implementing the Charter of Democracy will not only force
Nawaz Sharif to put in his lot with Zardari and PPP (the only other two
parties that matter ANP and MQM already support it), but also help prop
up Benazirs legacy for long enough to give room to Bilawal to replace him
in the next elections.
PPP needs to stop playing the victim (even if it is one). Zardaris
and PPPs solutions lie in the present, not the past (Bhutto and Benazir) or
the future (Bilawal). He should stop being a leader (of PPP) and become
statesman. He should drop fear and try hope and try hope, implement the
Charter of Democracy, remove the 17th Amendment, allow greater provincial
autonomy and let Prime Minister Raza Gilani run a clean and lean
government. Then at least he would have tried and failed. And then at least
history will treat him kindly.
Next day, Asif Ezdi commented: Zardaris speech at Naudero on the
second anniversary of Benazir Bhuttos assassination was that of a
frightened man who has got himself into a corner and, finding no way out of

702

his predicament, flails at everyone and everything around him. He spoke

of unspecified threats and of conspiracies from unnamed quarters. But he
also held out a warning of his own. If anyone casts an evil eye on
democracy, he declared, we will gouge out their eyes.
If Zardari did not disclose whose threats and conspiracies he was
worried about and who he was warning, he did reveal what he is afraid of.
There were, he said, only two places for him: the Presidency or the jail. In
plain words, his fear is that if he leaves the Presidency, he would also
have to face the courts and possible conviction and the loss of wealth
allegedly accumulated by him.
In most democracies, losing power means giving up office, maybe a
stint in the opposition and the possibility of a return to government when the
political tide turns. In Pakistan, loss of power often takes the form of
ouster from office and usually also brings disgrace. Therefore, our rulers
cling to office, if they can, long past their use-by date.
For Zardari, the stakes are even higher. It is, as he himself put it
graphically, a choice between the Presidency and the jail. It is therefore no
wonder that he is prepared to put everything at stake to keep his office. If
the country suffers in the process,; that is just too bad for the country.
To stay out of jail, Zardari had two options: to fight the corruption
cases against him in the courts and prove his innocence; or to evade trial
through political manoeuvring. He chose the second course. After the
Supreme Court judgment annulling the NRO, the only protection left against
resumption of prosecution is the constitutional immunity under Article 248.
But this might be of little avail in case the Swiss courts resume
hearing, because they will be guided by their own domestic law rather than
that of Pakistan. The government is therefore stalling on the
implementation of the Supreme Courts orders to revive moneylaundering cases in Switzerland and other countries.
In an article carried in The Wall Street Journal on Dec 27, Zardari
wrote that his ministers would defend themselves in the courts if necessary.
But Zardari must be aware that if any of his close associates is convicted, his
own political position would be further weakened and the pressure on him to
face trial would also mount. Therefore, he is not taking any chances and
action seems to have been initiated already to protect them from
conviction.

703

Administrative control over NAB has been transferred to the law

minister and Babar Awan has been appointed to head that ministry.
Personnel changes are also being made in NAB to fill key posts with
loyalists who can be trusted to work for the exculpation of those who are
close to Zardari. There are also disturbing reports that key evidence
against them may be destroyed or withheld from the courts.
To shore up his political support, Zardari has been claiming that he is
being victimized because he stands for civilian supremacy over the military
and for the rights of the smaller provinces against a Punjabi-dominated
establishment. While he has left it to his underlings to play the Sindh card,
he has tried to project himself as the champion of NWFP and
Balochistan. In recent days, he has charged that the establishment wanted to
remove him because of his support for renaming NWFP as Pakhtoonkhwa
and because he wanted Balochistan to be given its due rights.
There is a real danger that to get out of the logjam in which he
finds himself, Zardari may try a civilian coup as he did last March. The
object then was to take over the Punjab government and put the Sharif
brothers out of action from the political arena. The attempt failed and a facesaving solution was found with the army playing a moderating role. Though
Zardari claimed in his Naudero speech that he wished to prevent a clash
between the institutions of state, he may actually be preparing to take on two
of them the army and the judiciary in his effort to hang on to power.
Such a course will not save Zardari, but it is bound to shake the present
political system to its foundations. Short of a replacement of the army chief,
there could be a fresh move to place the ISI under the interior ministry or
even to appoint a civilian party loyalist to head the agency. As for the
judiciary, it is possible that the government will refuse to request a reopening
of the Swiss case.
Zardari has cut himself off from sane counsel. Within the PPP, there
is hardly anyone who could restrain him from taking the path of
confrontation. Prime Minister Gilani could have played that role but he has
allowed himself to be completely sidelined. The present situation has
similarities with that in early November 2007 when Musharraf declared his
emergency, plunging the country into a prolonged crisis.
In these circumstances, other political parties from the ruling
coalition as well as the opposition have a responsibility to step up to the
plate and stop Zardari from making any move that would pitch the
government against the army or the judiciary. The ANP has an interest

704

that Zardari should not rock the boat when the army is engaged in a messy
fight against terrorists in the tribal areas.
The present crisis would probably not have arisen if our Constitution
did not give the president immunity from criminal proceedings. Zardari
would then have had no choice other than to bow before the courts and
try to clear his name.
In South Africa there was a lively debate in 2008 over the question of
immunity for the president. Some of the supporters of Jacob Zuma, the
popular president of the African National Congress who was then facing
corruption charges, called for a constitutional amendment to prohibit the
prosecution of a serving head of state. One of the arguments given by those
who opposed the move was that if such immunity was given, the president
might not want to leave office because as soon as that happened, he
might be prosecuted.
This is precisely the problem we are facing. All political parties
should therefore be cooperating to amend the Constitution to limit the
presidents immunity to official acts only. This is a more urgent matter than
the repeal of the 17th Amendment or of the third-term ban for a prime
minister. The old principle that Caesars wife must be above suspicion
applies here. The presumption of innocence is a sacred rule of criminal law.
But ethical standards for a president and ministers must be higher than those
for common offenders.
Pakistan has a history of autocratic rulers going berserk when
their hold on power weakens. And when they finally go down, they pull
down the institutions of state with them. Musharraf was the last example;
now Zardari is following the same disastrous course in order to keep his
wealth and power.
Few Pakistani rulers have quit power without a lot of kicking
and screaming. Since Naudero, we have been hearing plenty of screaming.
The kicking is likely to follow soon. We should brace ourselves for some
hard blows and try to limit the damage.
Saleem Rizvi wrote: In Pakistan, the apex court is being confronted
with enormous challenges. While the court needs to assert its
constitutionally given authority, it should also be cognizant of the fact that it
is bound to step into many legal gray areas, where no clear-cut constitutional
direction is readily available. This is exactly where the real challenge for the
court lies. It is yet to be seen if the Court will manage to navigate through

705

high tides with vision, vigour, and impartiality in a consistent manner on the
long and perilous journey ahead.
On 5th January, The News replied to accusation of damaging
democracy leveled against media. The government and the PPP leadership
need to get themselves a reality check. They may be surprised to learn that it
is the job of the media in a free and democratic society which we are sure
they regard this country as being to criticize the government, its officers
and institutions. There does not seem to be any evidence that has been
presented thus far to support the idea that 'the media' wishes to undermine
democracy indeed the opposite is the truth. The media generally, and
certainly as it is constituted in the Pakistan of today, has a strong vested
interest in the preservation of democracy, and would be one of the first to
suffer if democracy were undermined or collapsed. Far from undermining
democracy the media is doing much to foster it by exposing those who
claim to be democrats but still seek to perpetuate feudal rule. The media
questions ineptitude at every level of governance. It challenges misleading
or unclear statements by ministers and bureaucrats. It lays bare our social ills
and even offers remedy for some of them. Robust criticism should not be
mistaken for a lack of commitment to democracy and its institutions and
processes. And those who cannot bear the heat of scrutiny shouldn't be in the
political kitchen anyway.
Moeen H Cheema and Shahzad Akbar recounted the assertions of the
critics of the Supreme Court verdict like undue focus on the corruption
cases; the court went out of its way to nail President Zardari and scrutiny
of the progress of hearing of cases before concluding: We seek to clear the
smoke and dust thrown up by the indiscriminate usage of high-sounding
catchphrases such as 'judicial activism' or 'judicial adventurism'. The critics
of the Supreme Court have indulged in fear mongering and have sought
to create an impression through the use of such jargon that the court is
threatening to destabilize the political system. Judicial activism suggests that
the court is going beyond established precedents and practices to develop
new juristic concepts. Judicial adventurism suggests that the court is simply
playing politics and is aggrandizing its own powers in disregard of the
adverse political consequences that might entail.
This Supreme Court cannot be accused of either judicial activism or
adventurism. In the NRO judgment the Supreme Court merely confined
itself to elaborating on the logical consequences of the unconstitutionality of
the NRO, a position that was unanimously adopted by all parties appearing
before the court. As far as fancy labels go, the court does deserve to be
706

commended for its judicial 'pro-activism' in that instead of sitting back and
waiting for numerous writ petitions to be filed before the High Courts
challenging the manner in which cases previously covered by NRO might be
compromised by prosecutors seeking to favour powerful politicians and
bureaucrats, the Supreme Court developed a novel administrative
mechanism to ensure a degree of transparency. Perhaps it is the
transparency that is the cause of such unease!
Next day, S Khalid Husain wrote: It is hard to think of the NRO
without some kind of emotion swelling inside. Just the thought of what it
might have been rattles the senses: if there was no corruption, or at least not
on as monumental a scale as there was. Whatever is being written on the
NRO and by whoever, a bit of lament, some traces of anguish, some anger,
get woven into the contents. It is probably not possible to bury the inner
feelings on the NRO entirely. One recommended way to reduce pain is to
make light of it.
The public and the media focus on President Zardari has to be seen in
the light of the totality of the NRO the ordinance, the Supreme Court
verdict, the names on the list, and all else that went with it and how all
these coalesced to turn the NRO into a mega-production, a life-size epic,
with a cast of thousands, literally. And Asif Ali Zardari, whose name was a
legend for what the NRO is essentially appears as the sole legatee of the
NRO, it is because he symbolizes the NRO, and is looked upon as Mr
NRO himself.
The News wrote: Suddenly we have a president who is both visible
and mobile. There can be little doubt that the presidency has been stung by
the criticism leveled at it from across the entire spectrum of the media,
namely that an invisible president sends the wrong message to the nation. It
is also a recognition by the PPP that it was suffering more generally as the
president's approval ratings dropped like a stone; and it remains to be seen
whether his new charm offensive is going to be anything other than a flash
in the pan. Appearing in public may be a step in the right direction, but what
the president says during his appearances has yet to be harmonized with
reality as experienced by the rest of the population. He is on safe ground
when speaking of matters concrete and tangible, and unveiling a plaque at
the Chief Minister's House at the initiation of the Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas
dual carriageway road project is about as safe as it gets. A photo-call with
our sailors is likewise safe and a deserved recognition of their service for
the navy, which sometimes seems not to get its fair share when it comes to
credit being distributed.
707

Matters become a little more tricky when he speaks extempore.

Recent references to various theories of conspiracy aimed at undermining
democracy as well as past statements in which he claimed to know who it
was that murdered his wife but was not telling anybody until the time was
right do little to enhance either the man or his office. Our politicians have a
long and sometimes honourable history of unscripted speaking but they
also have a history of making statements unsupported by facts, making
claims and accusations that are unfounded and generally pandering to the
lowest common denominator. We are at a time when our politics is
dominated by schism rather than unity, and although schism is part and
parcel of the political process unity in the face of adversity should bridge it
and the president, who should be above party politics, is the person in whose
office that responsibility sits. People would also like to see him addressing
us in a manner that appears to be underpinned by coherence, logic and
a sense that he is a president for all. A good speech writer may be of
assistance as well.
In second editorial the newspaper added: A mysterious outbreak of
self-awareness and honesty has developed in some parts of the political
establishment. The most prominent affectee appears to be the prime
minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, who has said that his government committed a
serious error by not moving swiftly to implement the Charter of Democracy
when the PPP won the 2008 general elections
That the prime minister is now saying that the government is
working on a package of constitutional reforms in line with the CoD is a
welcome development, as is his recognition that the failure to work more
closely with the opposition parties in the period immediately after the
election contributed to the polarities that hamstring political development
today. There was a brief window of opportunity in the weeks immediately
following the election when it looked like old rivals might have decided to
bury the hatchet in the ground rather than in one another's backs. But it
was not to be, default positions were resumed and we are now at a political
stalemate. The Charter of Democracy, if implemented in letter and spirit,
remains our least-worst option for fixing a lot that has been decades in
the breaking. If the political will to do so can be found among the scrapping
parties, then this important document may eventually have life breathed into
it.
On 7th January, Barrister Babar S Imran from Peshawar commented on
the demand on Raja Riaz. Some members of the PPP have been quoted as
saying that the minimum age limit for becoming prime minister should be
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brought down to 20 years so that we can have Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as our
next head of the government. I appeal to the legislature to amend Article
193 of the Constitution of Pakistan to bring down the minimum
appointment age from 40 to 25 years so that I can also compete to become
a member of the bench as soon as a post falls vacant.
Mehtab Khan Bangash from Peshawar wrote: As students of political
science in college, we were taught that the head of state should be a person
who has attained the age of maturity and should be at least in his late thirties
as only then a person becomes sufficiently mature and experienced to handle
state matters soberly and responsibly. I dont see any such qualities even in
President Asif Ali Zardari, let alone Bilawal, whose actions and statements
are quite childish, immature and irresponsible.
Dr Irfan Zafar from Islamabad commented on remarks of Asma
Jehangir. Prominent lawyer and human rights activist Asma Jehangir, when
asked to comment on the refusal of PCCR members to remove Clause 62-f
which was inducted in the Constitution during Ziaul Haqs regime, called the
parliamentarians idiots and said: they are uloo kay pathay. Doesnt she
think the people of this country are bigger idiots, for they have elected
these parliamentarians in the first place?
The News wrote: 'Threats to democracy, real or imagined, fly thick in
the air these days. As observed by Justice Javed Iqbal the case of the missing
persons poses a far greater and more tangible threat to democracy than do
the ephemeral 'threats' conjured from the either by politicians discomfited by
the judiciary and the media. The restoration of the judiciary was a
considerable victory for both popular sentiment and the rule of law, and
since the judges' reinstatement we have seen the courts working to right
many of the wrongs of the Musharraf era. Those years were a time when 'the
agencies' held sway and were allowed to be above the law. If they
'disappeared' a few hundred people here and there, so what? There was
nobody to hold them to account or question what they did, and the judiciary
then was in the pocket of the government. But times have changed and
fresh breezes of accountability are beginning to stir the covers placed
over many a dark deed. We the people need to know where those 'missing'
are being held, by whom and for what reason. And the judiciary is right to be
irritated at the tardiness of 'the agencies' in their compliance with its wishes.
In second editorial the newspaper added: The committee meets under
Senator Raza Rabbani and is now five months into its deliberations,
reviewing the constitution article by article. Given the length of the

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constitution we could be here till doomsday at the rate the committee is

going; and Senator Rabbani, speaking to the press on Tuesday, refused to be
drawn as to a timeframe for the completion of a draft of the revised
constitution. Which brings us to the much-postponed matter of the 17 th
Amendment (which was itself an amendment to the 13 th Amendment, little
wonder that our constitution is in poor shape) and its repeal. One of the
electoral pledges of the PPP was that there would be a swift end to the 17 th
Amendment and like so many other pledges it has proved an elusive goal.
The president had himself said it would be repealed in December, it wasn't
and now the goalposts have moved again and perhaps it will be March, or
August, or next January. The power to dismiss parliament and effectively
sack the prime minister is a useful tool in the box of a president whose grip
on power is fading and whose popularity is not something we can envy. The
slow pace of the work in the committee chaired by Senator Rabbani in that
respect works much to the favour of the president, and we take with a pinch
of salt Senator Rabbani's statement that the committee is in fact working
very fast. We request these gentlemen to hurry and rid us swiftly of
this legacy of dictatorship.
Roedad Khan opined: This country had sunk into avarice and
political corruption, from which nothing but some major act of folly and
madness on the part of government, such as the NRO, could arouse it.
History will record that the true gains of the agitation for the restoration of
deposed judges, and the public outrage against the NRO, have been the
unification of the people against despotism, high-level corruption, the sharp
awakening of the political conscience of the nation and the dawn of the
realization among the people that they, and only they, are the true
guardians of our country.
Today, Pakistan sits between hope and fear. Hope for a political
possibility that would lead to a sovereign and democratic Pakistan ready to
regain its place among the nations of the world. Fear that a thoroughly
corrupt regime would manage to survive and perpetuate itself.
Khan discussed the history of threats to democracy before
concluding: The path out of the current predicament is to ensure full
implementation of the landmark Supreme Court judgment in letter and spirit.
If necessary, people must take to the streets and demonstrate in ever
larger numbers in support of rule of law. The more the people advance,
the more the authority retreats. We must reclaim the path on which we
journeyed before we succumbed to civil and military dictatorship. People
must revisit what Pakistan was and where it was going, to gain a better grasp
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of what it is and where it can and should go. This is how Pakistan's path to
its rightful future may be regained.
At this moment, when the nation is standing on the escalator of
corruption and anarchy, right-minded citizens cannot afford to stand frozen
in disgust and dismay. We cannot merely look upon the political
development in sorrow and upon our politicians in anger. The problems
facing the country have to be faced and their solutions sought without delay.
We are racing against time. A problem avoided turns into a crisis, and the
crisis not mastered can turn into a disaster further down the road. Honest and
knowledgeable members of civil society must reverse the decision, to
which they have adhered for so long, of opting out of the democratic
process. I still remain hopeful we can rouse ourselves to save our country.
But the time is growing short.
Fasi Zaka observed: Things are heating up. Everyday veiled
statements emanate from the Zardari-PPP camp about thinly hidden forces
that are alleged to be conspiring against them. Who they are depends on the
day of the week: sometimes the finger is pointed at the media, the west or
the army.
The crux of the conspiracy is the allegation that the president has
his hand in the cookie jar rather than his heart on the job. The other
aspect that the PPP uses to lend credence to the bias against it is the
conspicuous overlooking of the achievements of the government, like the
NFC award, dealing with the Taliban with more seriousness than any other
government, working the international community to get concessions and
aid.
Fasi analyzed the factors leading to decline in Zardaris popularity and
concluded: There is an enormous amount of pressure building up, and it
needs to be let out to prevent from the vessel of democracy from cracking.
More and more it looks like it would be solved by a graceful exit of the
president with face saving by still retaining the chairpersonship of the PPP.
Next day, The News wrote: In some highly pointed remarks on the
existing system and the threat to it, a three-member SC bench has observed
that the issue of missing persons is a far bigger one than that of the
NRO. The SC also noticed that after its ruling on the NRO an upheaval had
been created, threatening to throw the country into turmoil. The court's
observations should make all of us take note. The issue of missing persons,
and the involvement of key agencies in it, is one that has gone on now for
years. It involves ordinary people taken away from homes or public places.
711

The apparent threat the taking up of this matter poses to the establishment
was evidenced by the fact that the November 2007 dismissal of the court by
the former regime of President Pervez Musharraf came just days after the SC
summoned heads of key agencies in the case.
We must now see what the elected government's real commitment to
democracy is and how much it believes in the slogans it has raised. The fact
is that the system can only be strengthened by strengthening democracy and
all that it stands for. The question we must ask is if our government has the
wisdom and good sense to recognize that stability can be gained only by
squarely addressing issues such as that of the missing persons. This also
raises issues of credibility. The prime minister has already stated in
parliament that the missing persons would return home. This has, except in a
handful of cases, yet to happen. Unless it does, matters in Balochistan will
remain volatile and there can be no hope of winning back the trust of the
people of that province.
The SC has also noted that the issue of the system appears to be
raised whenever it suits the government. Experience over the past years
shows how true it is. What is also sad is that each time a problem is
pointed out by the courts it tends to be taken amiss by governments.
This has, in the past, led to a clash between institutions. That threat is again
with us today. The need is for action to be taken in the national interest. In
no genuinely democratic system should people be 'picked up' and held
illegally for years. The apex court has taken the initiative by pointing this
out again.
Shafqat Mahmood opined: No one would like democracy to be
destabilized. The nation as a whole has fought long and hard for it. But is it
only a court decision against a particular individual that undermines it? What
about those who are threatening to resist the courts, or saying that they will
not resign and take the whole system down if a decision comes against
them? Are they also not destabilizing democracy?
The wrap of prudence has to be worn by everyone. The courts
have to remain within the confines of law and the Constitution. This is
almost a tautology, because by definition courts are interpreters and
defenders of the rule of law. They become irrelevant if this is undermined.
At the same time, those anointed by the will of the people to
constitute a government and hold high offices in the land also have a
responsibility towards democracy. Whether a decision goes against them or
in their favour, they have to accept it, abide by it and implement it. That is
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the only way to build democracy. Going in any other direction means
destroying it.
Politicizing court verdicts may be clever tactics. President Zardari
has done a great job turning the focus away from his alleged wrongdoings
towards the survival of democracy. Some of his supporters have also raised
the spectre of dangers to the federation.
It is also a political masterstroke to get the provincial assemblies of
three provinces to give him a vote of confidence. Nawaz Sharif has also
declared his everlasting love for Mr Zardari, going so far as to say that even
if his party deserts him, he will stand by him. These are astute political
moves and, if there was a danger of direct military intervention,
possibly very effective.
But the situation we face today is not a looming danger of another
martial law unless there is a constitutional deadlock and a complete
breakdown of the democratic system of governance. If that happens then
the army, whether it likes it or not, will have to intervene. All the
political moves will come to naught in that case.
The real danger then is a clash of institutions and that has to be
avoided at all cost. It can be done by not attacking the Supreme Court or
politicizing its decisions. Every issue that comes before it must be fought,
but by legal arguments and within the confines of the court. That is the
definition of democratic behaviour. Any other way, is a recipe for trouble.
The next few months will be a challenge. For the government, for the
courts, and for everyone else taking positions one way or the other. The only
way forward is strict adherence to law and the Constitution. And
someone please sack this cricket board. Its failures are a pain too much.
Dr. Masooda Bano wrote: The issue is not whether Zardari is clean
or corrupt; the issue is whether or not he heads the PPP that won a
major public mandate to run the affairs of the state. To make demands on
the government and to deliver on basic public needs is a legitimate demand.
However, to start a campaign to derail the democratic process by initiating a
campaign against Zardari should have no support. This country stands at the
brink of disaster because of the repeated military interventions displacing
democratic governments. Then, in order to build international legitimacy,
they put their obedience at the service of foreign powers. No western
government is able to win undue concessions from Indian politicians, yet the
military generals ruling Pakistan sell the people to western interests without

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giving them a trial in the country and allow all kinds of interventions in
Pakistan to secure their own rule.
In a country with such an entrenched military and intelligence
system, if a civilian president is finally willing to talk against military
intervention and the US, the commentators have the responsibility lend
support to the civilian institutions rather than creating grounds to
justify another military intervention. An independent media that wants to
be viewed as part of civil society and has public credibility cannot afford to
support a sustained attempt at marginalizing a civilian president vis--vis the
military agencies.
On 9th January, Anjum Niaz wrote: The question is: when, who,
where, which and how the process of accountability can begin? The
Supreme Court judgment cast the first stone, but since then a babble of
dissenting voices is muddying the waters and stalling the process in its
embryonic stage. Untrusting of the NAB secretariat, the Supreme Court is
playing the role of a supra-auditor, scrutinizing the progress reports on
corruption cases.
Somebody has to do it! NAB should either be disbanded or purged of
its top officials, who are too busy saving their jobs. We should get back the
sacked NAB Chairman, Lt-Gen (r) Shahid Aziz, who probed the
corruption by government functionaries and oil industry people in the
pricing of petroleum products which caused a loss of Rs83 billion to the
nation from 2001-2006. His findings were never made public.
Sardar Mumtaz Ali Bhutto expressed his views on probe into
Benazirs murder. What has really made the current setup the target of
suspicion and doubt is the declaration that democracy is the revenge for the
murder of Benazir Bhutto. How can a corrupt, meaningless and dubious
democracy, being run by individuals with criminal cases against them, be a
revenge for Benazir's murder? It is clearly visible to most that this
expression, along with recourse to Scotland Yard first and then the United
Nations, is merely a faade to delay proper investigation and diffuse the
situation, the real intention being not to open the Pandora's Box of Benazir's
murder . But the trick is not working. With each passing day more and
more questions are being asked and fingers pointed.
Babar Sattar talked of reforming khakis; excerpts are: Any sensible
definition of an effective and functional democracy requires effective
civilian control of the military. But the military in Pakistan has traditionally
been more powerful than all civilian institutions put together. This civil714

military imbalance remains a fundamental fault line that imperils both

democracy and rule of law.
The khaki mindset has multiple facets. The first is an undaunted
sense of righteousness. This indoctrinates the military with the belief that
its vision and definition of national security and national interest is the
perennial manifestation of wisdom and truth. Any involvement of civilians
with matters deemed to fall within the domain of national security is seen as
unwarranted interference with exclusively military matters and an affront to
its interests. This protective sense encourages the military to guard its
proclaimed territory as a fief.
The second facet of the khaki mindset is the military's saviour
instinct. Despite being a non-representative institution, the military has
assigned to itself the role of deciphering aspirations of Pakistanis and
protecting them when they are perceived to be threatened by a corrupt
civilian government or an activist judiciary. This provides a justification to
intervene in the domain of civilian institutions that are seen by the military
as malfunctioning. And the most insidious facet of this mindset is the
unstated sense of being above the law that binds ordinary citizens.
The civilian sector has been equally responsive to the khaki
mindset. Its acquiescence has in fact entrenched this mindset further.
Successive civilian governments have made no effort to review and
streamline the military's scope of work as an institution, strengthen its
capacity to perform its external and internal security functions and curtail its
involvement with political and commercial activities.
The focus instead swings between two extremes: finding ways to
control the top generals and interfere with purely operational matters such as
military promotions and postings, or findings ways to appease these generals
through sycophancy and by adding to their already lengthy and undesirable
list of prerogatives. Demands for military accountability are a mere
reaction to calls for political accountability. They are essentially meant to
deter what is seen as military-instigated witch-hunt of a civilian government,
and not rooted in the principle that public office holders in all state
institutions must be held equally accountable for graft or abuse of authority.
The status of khakis as untouchables is not compatible with rule
of law and constitutionalism. This nation has a collective interest in
ensuring that power is widely divided amongst state institutions as
prescribed by the Constitution, civilian institutions steadily recover their
legitimate authority and influence annexed by the military, and the
715

usurpation or abuse of authority produces penal consequences irrespective of

whether the usurper is a civilian or khaki. This claw back of civilian
authority is not only desirable but also mandated by rule of law
While the Supreme Court has still not fixed for hearing the ISI case
that was filed by Air Marshal Asghar Khan a decade-and-a-half ago, a
recent ruling suggests that the apex court will not always look the other
way when abuse of authority implicates khakis. Babar quoted the Supreme
Court ruling in Makro-Habib case in which land of Ministry of Defence was
leased to AWT for a period on 90 years at the annual rent of Rs6,070, which
in turn rented it out to a private commercial enterprise, the Makro-Habib
store, for a 30-year period at the annual rent of Rs17.5 million.
On 13th January, The News commented on rampant corruption. A
story in this newspaper details massive corruption in the Pakistan Steel
Mills. Another discloses a plan to cover it up and allow the top management
to get away with looting the organization. Meanwhile, a former naval chief
has confirmed that a deal to purchase submarines from France did indeed
involve kickbacks for key officials in office at the time. Among them of
course was a certain Mr Asif Ali Zardari. These are not matters that can be
easily dismissed. There seems to be no getting away from the corruption
which is eating away at the soul of our country like a cancer.
It continues despite directives from the SC to move against it and the
increased outrage of people who watch helplessly as they see immense sums
of money vanish into pockets even as hardships grow for most citizens. The
chief justice, in comments while hearing the Bank of Punjab case, has
reiterated previous warnings that corruption will not be tolerated and anyone
guilty of robbing public money would be punished. But even as these
aspirations are expressed Prime Minister Gilani and his team are, it seems,
determined to help the corrupt escape penalty.
It is true we have come to accept wrongdoing in public office as a
fact of life. But this is something that needs to change. The revelations
regarding the role of the prime minister in all this are especially shocking.
He has apparently played a key part in protecting those accused of theft at
the PSM and removing those who exposed them. We are led by men who
have, it seems, no integrity and no sense of morality. They resort time and
again to rhetoric promising action against the corrupt but mean nothing of
what they say. This is frightening. Pakistan today faces all kinds of
problems. These can be solved only by those ready to demonstrate
commitment and character We will be able to shake it off only if we find a

716

way to genuinely combat corruption wherever it exists and remove those

guilty in any way of promoting it.
Raoof Hasan opined: The presidential bunker's defence strategy,
based on a fundamental flaw of equating the future of an individual with
that of democracy or the 'system' has backfired. The collateral efforts to use
the 'Sindh card' also fell through, leaving little meaningful impact. Amid the
frenzy of a possible departure of Mr Zardari, tempers reached boiling point
and one even heard a confessional statement from a close associate of the
president, a sitting minister from Sindh, for having thought of "breaking up
Pakistan". This only signifies the growing pressure for making critical
adjustments with regard to the president and co-chairperson of the party.
Where the PPP leadership faltered badly is the nature and intensity of
response to the calls for the resignations of some of its leaders, including a
few ministers, pending decisions by the accountability courts. Mr Zardari
feared that, if allowed, the guns would subsequently be turned towards
him and there would be demands for his resignation as well. The parallel
was not only ill-conceived, but grossly over-stressed.
Raoof went on to discuss how the PPP endeavoured to protect Zardari
before concluding: Keeping them in bondage as the government remains
humiliatingly pre-occupied with efforts to save a besieged president is
tantamount to snatching their right of access to even the basic needs of
survival. Their demand for enacting a transparent accountability system and
for ensuring a mechanism for its impartial and non-discriminatory
enforcement, therefore, merits respect.
It is in this context that the role of the state institutions should not
only be viewed, but encouraged so that the concept of equity and
equitability, so deeply enshrined in the constitution, becomes a barometer to
judge the performance of the government and people associated with
managing its affairs. If the judiciary, therefore, is leading the way to the
fulfillment of this most critical aspect for the sustenance and empowerment
of the state in preference to safeguarding the interests, legitimate or
otherwise, of an individual or a few of them, it should be fully supported and
encouraged in its endeavours. As a first step in that direction, it is
incumbent upon the government to implement the SC adjudications in
letter and spirit without exception. It is only then that we would be finally
on course to finding an enduring solution to the gruesome anarchy that we,
otherwise, are sinking into.

717

Next day, The Nation commented on efforts to resolve PPP-MQM

differences after targeted-killings in Karachi. The formation of a peace
committee, headed by the Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, to remove
the cracks prevailing between the PPP and the MQM in order to restore
normalcy to Karachi, is a step in the right direction. However, the
squabbling that occurred during its first meeting is the negation of the very
purpose for which the initiative was taken. The committee, which would be
meeting every fortnight, cannot hope to achieve peace in an atmosphere
of such belligerency.
The meeting was important in that the high command of both the
parties was present at Bilawal House. Altaf Hussain made himself heard
through the telephone. Thankfully, both the sides decided that that the
coalition should stay intact, thanks to their art of survival and staying in
power. President Zardaris blunt observation that both the parties must
cease-fire is significant for a number of reasons. It is a scathing criticism of
the turf wars between the PPP and the MQM that for the past many days
The cause behind the mayhem appears to be their decades-old rivalry aimed
at laying claim to the soul of the countrys financial hub. The failure of the
various ethnic groups in Karachi to evolve into responsible political entities
and usher in an era of peace and security for the people continues to stare us
in the face. The President also urged both the sides to bury the hatchet and
learn to co-exist as friends. One hopes that the bickering members of the
peace committee would heed the advice and do their best to curb violence.
Broadly speaking, as peoples elected representatives, it is obligatory upon
them to act responsibly and fast in this volatile situation.
On the other side of the spectrum, Interior Minister Rehman Malik
who was also present in the meeting has strange notions of all that is
happening. The Presidents frank statement that there exists a tussle between
the PPP and the MQM, that has upset the political temperature in the
metropolitan, has failed to open his eyes to the reality. TV footage clearly
shows well-organized groups of thugs sparking unrest in the city with deadly
precision and planning. This was the prelude to the spate of targeted killings
with rival political groups spilling blood with impunity. It is completely
wrong on Mr Maliks part to dub the happenings as Taliban
insurgency.
On 16th January, the newspaper added: President Asif Zardari did not
have an auspicious start to the tour of the Punjab, but he himself did not help
with his pronouncements. The citizens of Lahore, or a select gathering from
among them, got an inkling of the high-pressure security environment in
718

which the President functions, from the environment that President Zardari
brought with him. It was as if he had moved from one bunker to another,
from Islamabad to Lahore, where he did not move beyond Governors
House. A potent symbol of the bunker mentality was the mistreatment of
party workers on Thursday at the gate of the Governor House. Party
workers who merely wanted to see their Chairman, were denied the
privilege. This is not the main reason why a president should not be head of
a political party, but it does supplement the other reasons adduced. President
Zardaris desire to use this tour to practice popular politics will founder
because of this fixation with security.
This is where his pledge, made to a carefully screened audience, to
hold open kutcheries in the province every month, will also founder. Once
the element of security is introduced into them, they will no longer remain
open to all, and the desire of the President to reach out to the public will
come to naught The President and those who plan his visits should make
sure that his time, which belongs to the people of Pakistan, is used more
fruitfully than at present. Jaunts at home should not be a substitute for those
abroad, especially not for the President.

REVIEW
The diversionary move to give political colour to purely a judicial
matter seemed to have served the immediate purpose of the Zardari regime.
Pretension of victim is always the last resort of all criminals. The trick of
leveling counter allegations, like a woman caught stealing, has paid off.
T he trick seems to have worked despite the fact it was played other
way round than the conventional. In this case it was a thief who cried police,
police and kept the thanidar at bay. May be it was due to the degree of
madness in which they barked at everyone as was evident from Kairas
utterances. One day he demanded trial of generals and judges and the next
day he conceded that it was silly on his part to demand this.
Another reason behind regimes hue and cry was its own performance.
The government knows that the last elected parliament completed its full
tenure under the umbrella of a dictator, but it has no such umbrella. It can
survive purely on the basis of its performance and the fact that its

719

performance is wanting on many counts left it with no choice but to cry of

conspiracy theories.
The NRO beneficiaries applied this tactics to divert the attention of
their critics. Having done that Zardari came out of his presidential bunker
but did not go to any court as was expected by many good-natured
Pakistanis. He, instead, went to Sindh, which he considers as his den from
where he continued making diversionary moves.
Encouraged by the effect of these moves, Salman Taseer exclaimed
Zardari will stay in Presidency for 12 years because he remained in jail for
the same period. Why not agree with the logic of this PPP genius and get a
man undergoing life sentence and make him President for life and settle the
issue on long-term basis?
The issue of morality was raised quite frequently without considering
the fact that perception of morality of criminals murderers, plunderers and
looters is quite different from the concept of common citizens. Gilani,
however, closed the debate on the issue by giving shut-up call to those
demanding resignation of NRO beneficiaries in his cabinet. He ruled that
morality has no place in politics/governance.
In these circumstances the chances of something positive to happen
remained quite bleak. It is more so when even the men like Aitzaz Ahsan
have opted to sit in the court of Zardari to save their party memberships.
Aitzaz, who has been singing riasat ho ge maan kay jaisi in every town of
the country, seemed to have reconciled that such a riasat can be fathered by
Zardari. Aitzaz is wrong; it can be a riasat but not mother-like.
The rampant corruption under patronage of the Zardari regime is the
proof that this change to democracy is not for better for the people of
Pakistan. And, the manner in which the regime is allowing the plundering of
the national wealth it appears it wants to democratic revenge in shortest
possible time. And, regimes concern for the people was amply demonstrated
by Railway Minister, GA Bilour while his tender feelings over the death of
school children on a railway level-crossing.
16th January 2010

720

KARACHI TO KHOST
Ashura attack in Karachi caused no worry to the Crusaders because
incidents of terrorism in the epicenter of terrorism ought to be something
usual occurrence. Without attacks like that and subsequent rioting Pakistan
could not be called an epicenter or safe heavens of militancy.
The incident of Crusaders concern happened four days later and away
from but in close proximity of the epicenter. A Jordanian doctor of
Palestinian origin married to a Turkish woman, who was working as double
agent, took the final decision for which he had come to this part of the
world. He blew up CIA base in Khost by carrying out a suicide attack. He
single handedly caused shock and awe in Americas prime terror outfit.

721

America reacted in the way it knows to react to such attacks; outclass

the terrorist through perpetration of more atrocious terrorism. Immediately
after the Khost attack there was increase in intensity of drone launched
missile attacks in Waziristan and Americans made a bee-line to Islamabad to
exert pressure for operation in North Waziristan.

NEWS
General McChrystal visited Islamabad on 4th January, praised
Pakistan Army and sought more cooperation. Militants destroyed 30
houses in Orakzai. A driver was killed when a NATO trailer was ambushed
in Peshawar. Two suspects were held in Swat. Seven militants were killed
and two arrested in various incidents in Bajaur Agency and in Mohmand
Agency militants killed two volunteers. In 2009, 256 men perished in
Karachi in targeted killings.
Ten houses and a shrine were blown up by militants in Orakzai on 5 th
January. Eleven suspects were held in Bara and two militants were killed in
Dargai. Security forces arrested 110 suspects in an operation in Swat and 12
were held in Bajaur. The Supreme Court asked the government to submit
report within two weeks regarding missing persons and the bench considered
hearing the case on day-to-day basis.
Next day, US drone struck twice in an hour in Dattakhel area of North
Waziristan killing 15 people, including two militants. Acting Iranian consul
general said US acts of violence in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran have no
match. Zardari informed the visiting British parliamentarians that as
supreme commander of armed forces he was winning the war against
militants. Corps commanders met in Rawalpindi and reviewed security
situation.
One soldier was killed and two wounded in rocket attack in Razmak
on 6 January. Security forces killed seven militants in separate encounters
in Swat and two were killed in Bajaur. Three soldiers were killed and 11
wounded in a terror attack (bomb explosion) at an army training school in
Palandri, AJK.
th

On 7th January, announced incentives package for was affected

NWFP; Centre would bear reconstruction costs of militancy-hit areas; small
agriculture loans written off in Malakand Division and gave staggering tax
relief. US lawmakers called on Zardari and the host asked them to stop

722

drone attacks; remain on Afghan side and send money. Senator McCain
visiting Kabul said drone strikes were effective part of US strategy.
Five militants were killed in an explosion in Kurram Agency and 23
were held in Bara. Four militants were killed in Malakand Division.
Gunmen riding motorcycles in a target killing spree shot dead eight and
wounded 13 others in Karachi. Lady Patterson announced $12 million for
Bolton Market victims. US Embassy, after checking of a vehicle in Gwadar,
expressed concern over checking of its vehicles.
Next day, seven persons were killed when a vehicle was hit by drone
launched missiles near Miranshah. Gilani once again demanded drone
technology. Six militants were killed in gunship strikes in Orakzai Agency. A
suicide bomber attacked a base of rival militant group and killed ten
militants in Tirah Valley. Six kids escaped from Taliban captivity in Swat.
Two militants were killed in Bajaur and a boy in bomb blast in Mohmand
Agency. Key member of Parade Lane massacre was arrested; group of local
students was involved in the terror attack. Case was registered against
personnel traveling in US diplomatic vehicle which was checked in Gwadar
and found with fake number.
Eight militants were killed in a blast in house rented out to them;
weapons and grenades were recovered from debris. Rehman Malik ordered
Afghanis to leave Karachi immediately. MQM asked the Chief Justice to
take suo moto notice of Ashura rioting. Two dead bodies were found in
Kharadar, Karachi and gunmen shot dead seven more people in Lyari; MQM
called Rangers and Army to maintain order in the city. Rehman Malik saw a
plot to pit MQM against PPP.
On 9th January, five more people were killed in yet another dronelaunched missile attack in North Waziristan. Three militants were arrested
from suburbs of Islamabad. Nine more people fell to targeted-killings in
Karachi. Rehman Malik ruled out any role of Army in Karachi.
On 10th January, Senator Lieberman said Pakistan Army may go into
North Waziristan. Miliband met Zardari and the host told the visitor to check
the threat emanating from Afghan soil. Fazlur Rehman was invited to attend
NATO meeting on Afghanistan being held in Brussels. ANP lawmaker
survived bomb attack in suburbs of Peshawar. NATO supply trailer was
attacked near Khuzdar. Eleven more people were killed in target killing
spree in Karachi; the toll reached 38. PPP and MQM leaders met and
decided to tackle the situation together.

723

Next day, one soldier and eight militants were killed in Operation
Rah-e-Nijat and three soldiers were wounded. Six militants were arrested
and four surrendered in Swat. A Swati Taliban commander was arrested in
Karachi. Ten suspects were held in Lyari operation as death toll in targeted
killings crossed fifty. Residents protested and three PPP MNAs staged
walkout from National Assembly in protest. CM Balochistan rang up his
counterpart in Sindh and expressed concern of killing of Balochs.
Munawwar Hasan said Karachi was suffering because of PPP-MQM tussle.
Senate demanded judicial inquiry in to Karachi killings.
On 12th January, DG ISI briefed NA body on Obamas Afghan policy.
A think Tank in UK said Pakistan was becoming more Islamists and anti-US.
Holbrooke arrived in Islamabad after attending Dubai meeting. Dr Aafia said
on the day her trial began that she has no faith in US judicial system.
Meanwhile, six suspects were held in Swat. One soldier was killed in attack
on a post in Mohmand Agency and two militants were killed in retaliatory
fire.
Raza Rabbani was among PPP Senators who walked out of Senate to
protest operation in Lyari. Zardari presided over PPP-MQM meeting to
discuss situation in Karachi and remove differences between coalition
partners. He ordered immediate stoppage of operation in Lyari and ordered
action against criminals in entire city. PPP-MQM peace committees were
formed. Rehman Malik said gangsters were involved not the Blackwater.
Next day, one Boy was killed and five wounded in a remotecontrolled bomb blast in a playground in Tank. One suspect was arrested and
a soldier was wounded in exchange of fire in Khyber Agency. Seven
suspects were held in Lower Dir. The Supreme Court directed AG to ask
Interior Ministry to establish Special Help Desk for families of missing
persons.
Three militants were killed and eight arrested in Operation Rah-eRaast. NWFP government asked Chief Justice to appoint Qazis in Malakand
Division and prepared list of about four hundred officials for taking
disciplinary action against them because of their links with militants. This
fits in the scheme to sort out political opponents.
Holbrooke and Qureshi held joint press conference; the visitor said the
US was not in direct contact with the Taliban, but Afghan government was
ready to talk to good Taliban. To another question he said new security
procedures were neither Pakistan specific nor discriminatory. Later, he met
Gilani who reminded him about outstanding payments. The US pledged
724

release of $200 million under CSF and agreed to give $1 billion for six
energy projects and asked Pakistan to abandon gas pipeline accord with Iran.
On 14th January, several attacks of militants were repulsed in South
Waziristan and three militants were held. Ten people were killed in drone
launched missile attack in North Waziristan; Hakimullah was reported
among dead, but Taliban denied. To the surprise of many, Gilani talked in
defying tone and said US cant win in Afghanistan without Pakistans
support and termed drone attacks counter-productive. US Senator said
Pakistani leaders privately back drone strikes. Three militants were arrested
in Malakand Division. Holbrooke visited Swat and also met General Kayani;
he also held some unofficial meetings. Tribal elder was killed and six
people wounded in remote-controlled bomb blast in Mohmand Agency.
Eleven people were killed in two drone launched missile attacks at
two places in North Waziristan on 15th January. Taliban confirmed that
Hakimullah was wounded in an earlier missile attack. Four militants were
wounded and four held in Bara.
Holbrooke met all political parties representatives in Islamabad at
breakfast and he lost temper at criticism of the US. Fauzia Wahab supported
Holbrooke and said everyone should think before speaking. Later he went to
Lahore and met Zardari in Governor House and the host conveyed his
concerns over drone attacks and new security procedures.
Next day, two militants were held in South Waziristan. Hakimullahs
audio was released to refute claims of his killing in US missile strike.
Holbrooke said drone attacks were reducing tribesmens support for Afghan
Taliban. ISPR said US missile strikes were making Pakistan Armys job
difficult.
Seven militants were killed and four soldiers wounded in a clash in
Bara area. A dispensary was blown up in Landikotal. Six militants were held
in Rawalpindi area. One soldier was wounded and another wounded when a
suicide bomber hit their vehicle near Rawalakot.
One militant was killed in South Waziristan on 17 th January. Twenty
people were killed in US missile attack in North Waziristan. Four suspects
were held in Kohat area; one Taliban commander in Buner. Two militants
were killed in Swat and 25 arrested. Anti-Taliban elder was killed in Bajaur.
AJK launched crackdown against illegal Afghans and arrested 250 of them.
A British and four American soldiers were killed in separate incidents
in southern Afghanistan on 4th January. Next day, 14 militants were killed
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in Kunduz when a bomb planted in their minibus exploded. The suicide

bomber who killed eight CIA men in Khost was being recruited by CIA to as
double agent to infiltrate al-Qaeda. The US sought arrest and extradition of
Commander Ilyas Kashmiri over Khost attack. He belongs to pro-Kashmir
chapter of Harkatul Jehadul Islami.
On 6th January, four soldiers were killed in landmine blast in
Nangarhar. Hizbi Islami claimed killing 14 US soldiers and destroying a
tank in Kunar Province. Brother of suicide bomber who attacked CIA base
was arrested in Jordan. Next day, eight people were killed and 24 wounded
in suicide bombing in Gardez. Acting governor was among four wounded in
bomb blast in Khost.
Two NATO soldiers were killed in roadside bombing in western
Afghanistan and rockets were fired at US Consulate, Heart on 9th January.
One US soldier was killed in southern Afghanistan. Three US soldiers were
among six soldiers of occupation forces killed in southern Afghanistan on
11th January.
Next day, delegates from 40 countries gathered in Dubai to consider
ways and means to support the US mission in Afghanistan. Qureshi
requested that Afghan War shouldnt spill over into Pakistan as if it has not
happened already. US-led forces killed nine people protesting desecration of
Holy Quraan in southern Afghanistan. Two US and five Afghan soldiers
were killed in bomb blast in eastern Afghanistan on 13 th January. Several
people were wounded in truck bomb attack in southern Afghanistan.
On 14th January, 20 people were killed and 12 wounded in suicide
bombing in a market in Uruzgan Province. Next day, two coalition soldiers
were among seven people killed in incidents of violence. Foreign ministers
on Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan met in Islamabad on 16 th January. In the
joint statement issued after the meeting they said troop surge was no solution
of the Afghan problem and they opposed foreign solution to Afghan conflict.
Two British soldiers were killed in bomb blast in southern Afghanistan and
another coalition soldier was killed in separate incident. Parliament rejected
names of some minister proposed by Karzai. On 17 th January, a governor and
five policemen were killed in an ambush laid by Taliban in Herat.
Elsewhere, an Afghan was shot dead as his car neared a convoy of
occupation forces and two Chinese were kidnapped.
Zardari as chief guest at commissioning of Navys Midshipmen on 4 th
January, with reference to India, said desire for peace is not a weakness.

726

Two days later, it was reported that Indian water experts planned to visit
Pakistan (to assess the success of their dam-strategy).
On 13th January, National Command Authority meeting was chaired
by Prime Minister and statement of Indian COAS was termed irresponsible.
Foreign minister of Pakistan telephoned Indian counterpart and raised the
issue of statement of General Kapoor. Dead body of a Pakistani fisherman
was handed over to Pakistan on 15th January.
Robert Gates on the eve of his visit to New Delhi talked of boosting
military cooperation with India. Holbrooke said the US has no intention to
facilitate resolution of Indo-Pak disputes. He advised Indo-Pak dtente
because Pakistan Army was stretched very thin. He left very little to
imagination in demanding that Pakistan must accept Indian stance on major
issues.
As regards IHK, Kashmiris observed Self-Determination Day on 5th
January. Zardari while talking to joint session of AJK Assembly and
Kashmir Council in Muzaffarabad said peace in the region was linked to
solution of Kashmir dispute. Two Kashmiris were martyred by Indian
occupation forces on 8th January and two days later two more were martyred.
An Indian soldier was killed in Poonch area on 11th January. Gilani
sought US help for resolution of Kashmir dispute. Occupation forces
vacated schools, colleges and hospitals as part of the plan to lower their
profile in IHK. Two Kashmiris were martyred by occupation forces on 14th
January. Jan Jamali said by stopping water of rivers India wants to make
provinces of Pakistan fight with each other. Two people were killed and six
wounded in attack on a police station in Sopore on 15 th January and two
soldiers, including an officer, were killed in outbreak of fire in Udhampur.
Shabbir Ahmed was arrested by police.
Rockets landed in Governor House, Balochistan and in a hospital in
Quetta on 5th January. Two dead bodies were found in Quetta on 8 th January.
The Supreme Court rejected pleas against registration of Akbar Bugti
murder FIR. Next day, ministers driver was shot dead in staff car by
gunmen. On 15th January, complete shutter-down and wheel-jam strike was
held across Baloch areas of Balochistan to protest killings on Balochis in
Karachi.
Four people were killed in targeted killing on 16 th January in
Balochistan. High alert at airports in Balochistan after intelligence reports
about plans of separatists to hijack a plane. Next day, two dead bodies were

727

recovered from Quetta and Taftan. BNA protested targeted-killings of

Balochs.

VIEWS
Ikram Sehgal recounted successes and failures of Pakistan in war on
terror and then concluded: The government has been a major failure in
countering terrorism despite the military destroying their mountain bases.
The tragedy is that the local Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) have tried
their best, giving many sacrifices, particularly in the NWFP. They have
unfortunately been hamstrung by atrocious leadership at the federal level.
Rehman Malik is good at politicking and squirreling his way into the
position he presently occupies.
His SHO mentality believes that Pakistan is one big thana (police
station). In a macabre way, the hapless public laughs at his incredibly inept
performance and gross incompetence highlighted by his constant mediaposturing. Being indispensable to Zardari, Rehman Malik should be placed
in some other post, may be commerce. After all, he is good at making 'oil for
food' type of deals. Why is the Zardari regime putting to test Murphy's Law
by putting the worst possible person in a critical slot of vital national
importance?
Terrorism constitutes an immediate threat to the people of Pakistan
and the sudden violence a hindrance to our lives. Zardari is good at 'Pakistan
khappay' so why doesn't he reinforce success keeping in mind the NFC
Award, counter-insurgency efforts and creation of G-B? To convert their
failure into success, the Zardari-Gilani duo must use the formula that
works, select the best person to lead and give him (or her) a suitable team.
The News commented on Gilanis package for NWFP: The
'development package' announced by the prime minister for the conflict-hit
areas of NWFP and FATA appears to have been put together rather hastily
perhaps because Mr Gilani felt compelled to make an announcement on his
visit to Peshawar. He had put forward a development plan for Swat on a visit
to Mingora late last year. It has yet to materialize in any meaningful form.
The latest plan comprises essentially relief measures
Indeed, the UN has warned the worst may not be over. It says that
while the displacement crisis is seen as a thing of the past, the fact is that
some of the 2.3 million forced last year to leave their homes have yet to
return. Reports in the media have mentioned widows who have lost homes
728

as among those who cannot return. People from Orakzai and other tribal
areas who are still displaced have also received less help than those from
Swat. This is a terrible situation to be in. Our government has still to wake
up to its gravity. As a nation we desperately need to escape the scourge of
terrorism that has torn apart lives and destroyed all semblance of normalcy.
Unless we succeed in this there can be no hope of an economic revival or a
wider change in fortunes. Only a full-fledged plan to change people's lives,
in the north and indeed in other parts of the country, can achieve this.
Creating opportunities for employment and opening up the doors to
education are central to this. The new development plan falls well short of
what is required and can thus have only a minimal impact.
Later on the newspaper also wrote on MQM-PPP gang war in
Karachi. The spate of apparently politically motivated killings in
Karachi seen over the past two days has prompted a high-level meeting of
administrators. They have also led to accusations from the interior minister
that a deliberate effort is being made to spark a conflict between the MQM
and the PPP as part a conspiracy to destabilize the country.
These are worrying developments. The mysterious appearance of
bodies in gunny bags is not an unknown phenomenon in Karachi. Neither is
the terrible violence between rival political gangs that has crippled our
largest city in the past. The recent fires that destroyed wholesale markets and
now the warnings from a major party of trouble brewing in certain localities
simply add to the growing sense of fear. The city has seen ethnic mayhem
before. It has also seen chaos of other kinds. A reversion to such horrors
would be a tragedy we simply cannot afford at this juncture.
It is, right now, hard to say precisely what is going on. But all the
major players in Karachi need to sit down together and assess the situation
The focus must be on ensuring that there is no flare-up in the city and
that calm can be retained. We must hope all the players involved have the
good sense to work towards this end with full commitment and without any
attempt to engage in further game-playing that has already caused a great
deal of damage to political and social harmony.
On the eve of Holbrookes visit Anjum Niaz wrote: A Pakistanwatcher in Washington DC says that the media back in Islamabad must
ask Holbrooke tough questions on the estimated $7.5 billion projected as
aid to Pakistan. Here are some questions Holbrooke must be asked, he says:
who will determine where the money should go? How much of it will
actually be allocated to health and education? How much will go towards

729

development? Who are the US contractors coming to Pakistan to set up the

various projects? Who will be the local NGOs that will get chosen to be
given the funds and for what?
USAID in Islamabad too needs to answer questions from the
Pakistani media. Amy Meyers, who literally controlled the agency in
Islamabad for four years, and was known to have become 'arrogant', has
suddenly been eased out. Why? Perhaps Holbrooke has the answer. He
should be asked at least. He may not give us a straight answer.
Conversely, Obama's special representative expects an honest answer
from our leaders both military and civilians regarding the threats voiced
by the Indian military chief. General Deepak Kapoor boasted that India
could take on Pakistan and China simultaneously and bring it to a
satisfactory conclusion in 96 hours. Holbrooke is unwilling to believe the
statement unless President Zardari and General Kayani tell him to
'read our lips'!
By the same token, our leaders too must engage in some bluntspeak. They must question Peter Chamberlain's nerve-jangling assertion that
the The US has decided that to win the war in Afghanistan, it must attack its
closest ally in the war, because allegedly, Pakistan is the state sponsor of the
Afghan Taliban. Chamberlin, a defence analyst determined to expose the
'lies' of the American government, makes even more appalling allegations
blaming the 'American motives and CIA dishonesty as the primary source of
problems in this war. His weblog, Therearenosunglasses's, carries
inflammable stuff.
In his latest article Image of the Beast, he writes: Obama's minor
investigation into agency shortcomings demonstrated during the underwear
bombing incident (Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab who tried to blow up a
jetliner over the US filled with Christmas travelers), the destruction of the
CIA drone centre in Khost and the scathing NATO report on US intelligence
shortcomings, on the heels of the Eric Holder investigation of CIA torture.
All of these ongoing problems scream of an out-of-control spy agency. We
have entrusted the CIA to lead this intelligence-driven war and time
after time, but the egomaniacal spooks have consistently dropped the
ball.
Pakistanis have every right to question such flagitious conspiracy
theories. And should Holbrooke worry about US aid to Pakistan being
pilfered, he must be told that while the US wants to disburse aid through its
own official agency, the USAID, the corruption and ineptitude of its
730

contractors is well-documented. So, for once Pakistan should not be faulted

for corruption, says the Pakistan-watcher in Washington, The US
contractors are the ones who are corrupt. And by the way, half the funds
allocated as aid to Pakistan never leave the US, according to development
experts!
The Nation commented: Finally state representatives have begun to
voice the fears that many others in Pakistan have been voicing for some time
now that Afghanistan is being used to fuel terrorism and militancy in
Pakistan. Now no less an authority than the DG ISI, General Pasha, has
informed the Parliamentary Committee on National Security of the same
fact. According to him, the drug mafia in Afghanistan is supporting the
terrorists within Pakistan. But he also knows only too well that the support
extends beyond the drug mafia to foreign powers like India of which
Pakistan has been stating for some time it has substantive proof. Clearly,
Afghanistan has become a source for terrorism within Pakistan and the
government needs to formulate a cohesive policy to deal with this
threat.
The DG ISI also discussed Obamas Afghanistan-Pakistan policy and
the fallout on Pakistan and its sovereignty. The Chairman of the Committee,
Raza Rabbani, in a debate on Karachi in the Senate, asserted that imperialist
powers were deliberately trying to thwart the governments efforts to
bring about the required paradigm shift in its national security policy,
by creating law and order problems in Pakistan through terrorist acts and
violence across the country. The clear reference to the US by the use of the
term imperialist denotes that even members of the ruling party are well
aware of the US designs for Pakistan. India too has now become a neoimperial power in the neighborhood of South Asia and that was not missed
by Senator Rabbani, an astute observer of the region.
Yet the government continues to maintain a strange silence on the US
problem in Pakistan from drones to their support for India militarily in the
region especially in Afghanistan, and in the nuclear field. In fact, the
Interior Minister continues to be in a strange form of denial regarding
the mercenary security operatives employed by the US in Pakistan,
despite ample proof to the contrary. It is time for the government to seriously
get down to formulating a cohesive national security policy that delinks
itself from that of the US in the region, so that our indigenous roots of
terrorism can be dealt with more effectively; while at the same time taking a
cold hard line on the US role in Afghanistan where certain forces are
fomenting terrorism within Pakistan.
731

Finally, it makes little sense for the Foreign Minister to now

declare that the Afghan war should not spillover into Pakistan when that
has already happened. Instead, he should be countering US declarations,
unfounded on any evidence so far, that the al-Qaeda leadership is in
Pakistan. He should also be projecting the Pakistani concerns over drones
and other issues related directly to US policies in this region. Now that
officialdom is admitting to external sources of threat to Pakistan, it is time
the state acts to neutralize them also.
On 15th January, the newspaper commented on Holbrooke-Qureshi
press conference. While one would not doubt that Foreign Minister Qureshi
discussed with US Special Envoy Holbrooke some clear red lines in the
American-Pakistan relations, it is evident that his interlocutor treated
them with little respect. In fact, he simply rubbed them off, when he
insisted that the screening of Pakistanis on entry into his country was in the
interest of the security of all concerned. Mr Qureshis plea that innocent
Pakistanis felt they were being treated as terrorists did not hold with Mr
Holbrooke. Nor should one expect that the red line he drew across the
intensification of drone attacks would figure anywhere in the reckoning of
US policymakers. The US Envoy just did not consider the subject important
enough to be mentioned in the joint press conference. Only the other day,
visiting Senator McCain, the Republican presidential candidate who lost to
President Obama, was outspoken about it. Mr Qureshis choice of the word,
expansion in voicing Pakistans opposition to drone attacks is revealingly
suggestive that Islamabad had either given its nod to these attacks, as the
Americans have been maintaining, or has now come to terms with them.
It should be obvious to the government that things would not change
unless it puts its foot down to make the US realize how the key ally in the
war on terror ought to be treated. And we would continue to receive pledges
of immediate dole-out of $200 million or so as against $2 billion, the amount
due from the US under the Coalition Support Fund. Although Prime Minister
Gilani pointed out to Mr Holbrooke that Pakistan needed immediate
financial help for the reconstruction of Malakand Division if it wanted to
win the hearts and minds of the local people, it is hard to believe that more
funds would be forthcoming any time soon.
We must not be duped by the declaration of a billion dollar of
help in the execution of energy projects; the quid pro quo should be
simply unacceptable. It is to sacrifice the Iranian gas pipeline project, as
reportedly Mr Holbrooke demanded at the time of making the offer of
assistance. Cheap, readily available in ample quantities, the natural gas from
732

Iran would make a major contribution to bridging the supply-demand gap,

while the promised alternative from Tajikistan does not look promising for
various reasons. Not only would it be a costlier venture, but risky also since
it has to pass through a strife-torn Afghanistan that hardly looks like
returning to peaceful conditions in the foreseeable future, given the presence
of foreign troop there.
The next day, the paper added: Prime Minister Gilani seems to
finally be realizing the negative blowback of the US policies and
behaviour towards Pakistan ranging from the drone attacks to the
screening of Pakistani citizens entering the US and a host of offensive
policies in-between. That is why he came out strongly against these policies
and stated in no uncertain terms that Pakistan was not interested in aid at the
cost of its dignity and sovereignty; and, in any case, it was trade not aid that
was being sought. The Prime Minister also declared that no official
delegation from Pakistan should visit the US until the country was removed
from the special screening list. Another first from this leadership was
Gilanis condemnation of the discriminatory manner in which the US gave
India all manner of weapons technology and trade facilities, while for
Pakistan the do more mantra was constantly being put forward. The Prime
Ministers speech in parliament followed from his chairing of the NCA
meeting on Wednesday where again a strong nationalist position was taken
on critical nuclear issues.
Alongside the new national awakening of the Prime Minister, in
terms of the damaging US policies, has been the strong position taken on the
drone attacks and overall US policy towards Pakistan taken by the
Parliamentary Committee on National Security, headed by PPPs old guard
Raza Rabbani. This Committee has demanded the government review its
US policy; and, in relation to drone attacks and US private security
companies, effectively acting as US mercenary forces, it has also put
forward strong recommendations.
While the Parliamentarians and Prime Minister have been
condemning the drone attacks, a powerful US Senator, Carl Levin, Chairman
of the Senate Armed Services Committee has, after a visit to Pakistan and
Afghanistan, stated that privately Pakistans leaders are backing the
drone attacks. It is time for the government to come clean on its drone
policy because so far it has little credibility in terms of its public
condemnations of the drone attacks on Pakistani soil especially since the
drones allegedly still seem be flying out from Bandari airbase in Balochistan
while being controlled from the US.
733

So, while the Prime Ministers new declaratory statements on the US

are to be welcomed, his government needs to operationalize these words
into actions, beginning with the halting of delegations to the US, while
also asking US officials to stop visiting Pakistan for a while till issues are
sorted out clearly. He also needs to put a halt to the drone attacks, by use of
the PAF if necessary, so that there is no ambiguity in the message conveyed
to the Americans. As the Prime Minister has finally realized, the US cannot
win in Afghanistan without Pakistans support. It is time we demanded the
right price for this support rather than continuing to sell ourselves short.
Inayatullah observed: Last Wednesday the Prime Minister of Pakistan
on the floor of the National Assembly spoke about sovereignty of the
country. He said: We do not want aid at the cost of national respect and
sovereignty. The prime minister repeated his earlier condemnation of drone
attacks. He referred to his belief that the United States could not fight the
war in Afghanistan without Pakistans cooperation and support. He also
protested against the recently clamped security measures at the airports in
USA for Pakistanis, inclusive of stripping and body search. This he said
amounted to subjecting Pakistan, an ally and partner in the war against
terrorism, to outright humiliation. It must be stopped.
After discussing some relevant aspects to the topic of sovereignty
Inayatullah added: The recommendations of the National Security
Committee headed by Raza Rabbani have seen the light of the day. He has
disclosed that the recommendations had already been sent to the prime
minister. However, no action appears to have been taken by the
government except for the news that these will be taken by the Foreign
Office to the 28th conference on Afghanistan in London.
The committee has interalia recommended that the drone attacks
inside Pakistan must stop, further that the activities of foreign security
contractors must be transparent and should be regulated by Pakistani laws.
The committee has stressed that there should be no compromise on
Pakistans sovereignty and national integrity. Can we expect the desired and
effective action from a weak and vulnerable government which owes its very
existence to a deal mid-wifed by the Americans and which keeps begging
Washington for doles to sustain its financial viability. A government which
excels in mismanagement and which has beaten all records of bad
governance by turning the financial capital of the country into a veritable
hell by the way it handled the recent mayhem and carnage. With such
credentials, performance and vulnerabilities, can it be expected to take

734

up the issue of sovereignty, seriously, with Washington? Is the opposition

playing its due role to rectify the situation?
Umer Qureshi from Abbottabad wrote about Americas statesponsored terrorist outfit. According to various media sources, the
Blackwater (now called Xe Worldwide Services) is in the running for a
Pentagon contract to train the police in Afghanistan. The contract for
training police is expected to be awarded soon and Xe is among the five
companies eligible to compete.
This despite the fact that it is no more a secret that the private
mercenary firm has been guilty of killing many innocent Iraqis. The media
accuses Xe of covert assassinations, manslaughter, lawlessness and grave
human rights violations in Iraq. Recently in Afghanistan, two former
Blackwater contractors were arrested on charges of murder for shooting two
Afghans in a traffic spat last year. All this, though, has not dimmed the
companys prospects in Afghanistan.
The presence of this international terrorist organization in Pakistan,
as well as in a country that shares such long border with us, is a matter of
grave concern for Pakistanis with reference to our national security. America
always claims herself to be the international custodian of human rights. But
its policies in the war on terror do not support that claim. The dual standards
the Muslim World may result in an increase in anti-American feelings all
over. If that happens, the Clash of Civilizations would be a realistic
possibility. War has been on for more than eight years and people like
Umer still think it could turn into Clash of Civilizations. The Crusaders
know that the Muslim World with its ruling elite of the day can never dare
turning into a clash; it would remain a one-sided affair.
Barrister Baachaa Khan from Peshawar wrote: The US Senator Joe
Liebermans statement after meeting the COAS General Ashfaq Kayani that
Pak Army may go to the North Waziristan Agency belies the claim of those
who call it our war. The US wants us to open a new front in North
Waziristan to kill more (which is what they mean by do more) of our
own innocent men, women, and children and displace millions more to
make IDPs in the name of the War on Terror.
On 17th January, The Nation wrote: Richard Holbrooke has lived
true to form and has once again used an imperial approach towards
Pakistan and its political elite on his latest visit here. Over a breakfast
meeting with politicians from different parties, he flew into a rage over the
attitude of Pakistani politicians who he felt always criticized American
735

politicians. Actually, the Pakistani politicians were simply putting forward

the overriding Pakistani perspective on US policies and US discriminatory
attitude towards Pakistan in the region. This is a reality for us here,
especially with the increasing drone attacks, the refusal of the US to give
Pakistan preferential trade access to its markets, the targeting of Pakistani
travelers to the US, and the growing Indo-US strategic partnership which
includes a dangerous nuclear deal as well as the revelations that India is
using Afghanistan to aid and abet terrorism in Pakistan at a time when that
country is effectively under US/NATO occupation.
Instead of understanding anything, Mr Holbrooke flew off the handle
as he felt Pakistanis were unappreciative of the good that the US has done
for their country! Perhaps that is because the good in not particularly
visible in the Pakistani landscape while the negative fallout of their policies
is clear now even to the leadership here. The final barb by Holbrooke was
his declaration that Pakistan has a choice to either take US aid or reject
it since no one is forcing aid down its throat! But Mr Holbrooke again
forgot that so far his country still owes Pakistan a vast amount of money for
services rendered already in the US-led war on terror. Also, as the leadership
has pointed out again, Pakistan is seeking trade not aid; and on that he was
categorical that Pakistan would not get any free trade agreement.
However, the real issue, apart from the diverging Pakistan-US
interests and the rising costs of cooperation with the Americans in their
misguided war in this region, is the manner in which Mr Holbrooke treated
the political leaders of his host country. The same points could have been
made in a civilized manner rather than the rude and clearly imperial
manner in which he spoke to our elected representatives. The pity is that
the latter chose to listen to his diatribe rather than walk out Holbrooke and
the US embassy have a lot to learn about how to win friends and influence
people. Or, perhaps, in their neo imperial mode, they do not really care.
Jalees Hazir opined: The logic is that since the US is giving us some
million dollars, we should all shut up and not complain about innocent
Pakistani citizens being killed by drone strikes that are remote-controlled
from Langley, Virginia. Since the US will help us dig some tube wells, we
should allow Americans to go around freely in our cities and countryside,
armed with illegal weapons and riding cars with fake number plates. Since
the US has promised to finance electricity generation in Pakistan using some
of the dirtiest technologies for producing electricity from coal, being fast
discarded the world over, we should accept it as our master and dance to its
every jarring tune. Clearly, this is bad logic.
736

Some friends absolve the so-called sole superpower of any

wrongdoing and say that we should be taking over government to task for all
that is wrong. After all, they say, the US would do what is in its national
interest. It is the Pakistan government that should be watching out for
the interests of its citizens, and our wrath should be reserved for those
calling the shots in the smelly corridors of power in Islamabad. They do
have a point there, but things are not so simple.
It is true that ultimately it is the Pakistan government that is
responsible for what goes on in Pakistan and for defining our foreign policy.
It is also obvious that if you tie up the management of the countrys
economy with dole coming from US-controlled international financial
institutions, and your countrys development to what the US throws in, you
leave little room for an independent policy in any other domain. It is a
matter of grave concern and an indicator of the poverty of vision on part of
the much-hailed and much-saved democratic government that it decided to
go down a road that is now well known for taking you to hell.
Amina Jilani observed: The anti-Americanism, fuelled on daily
basis, has much to do with chips on shoulders, the complex resentment
against those from whom one begs and then receives. This is not likely to
decrease with the ever-growing economic woes. Neither will the suspicions
of the outside world about Pakistans commitment, despite its great strategic
geographical advantage, because of the perceived ambivalence of the army
towards the Taliban. The leap into a sustained serious campaign against what
is now seen to be the worlds worst enemy is not complete victory and
defeat are blurred.
The official Pakistani standing-up-to-the-US and telling it what is
what is but official. Our bluffers and blusterers who flex their verbal muscles
have all pleaded with the US to tolerate their rhetorical outbursts for
Pakistani public consumption, a sort of lifebelt for survival, just one
example being the recent telephone exchange between the Pakistani
President Asif Zardari and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad when
both agreed to mutually defuse enemy plots against them the un-named
enemy obviously being the USA.
Since the US sees no alternative replacement for the Zardari
government, it has agreed to go along with it all. Whilst the firebrands
spout, the US is trying to figure out how best to deal with a muddied and
muddled Pakistan. Meanwhile, 2009 gave us 3,021 deaths due to militant

737

activity, an increase of 50 percent over 2008, and 87 suicide bomber attacks,

a 45 percent increase. What will 2010 bring?
Shaikh Karam Elahi from Khanewal wrote: Lady Fauzia Wahab of
PPP has defended Richard Holbrooke and strongly criticized all those
responsible for offending him. Mrs Wahad thinks that since the US is giving
us so much money, we should give some respect to the Americans. I think
she is right. As they say, the money makes the mare go. Mrs Wahab is of
the view that if they are giving us money, we have lost all claim to selfrespect, dignity, sovereignty and other such nonsense. For that unique
insight, I think she deserves a medal from the President since he had recently
given one to Babar Awan also.
Shireen Mazari commented on Christian Lambs story on Pakistan
entitled: Elite US Troops Ready to Combat Nuclear Hijacks. She observed
that her story was part of deliberate lies and distortions encouraged by
the US and UK using journalists to target Pakistani nukes. Point by
point Lamb has either presented or quoted outright lies or distorted facts.
First: She has cited a retired CIA source, who had worked in the US
energy department intelligence unit, as declaring that Pakistan had the
highest density of extremists in the world! Now how has this statistic been
acquired? Was any research done? Where did the 9/11 hijackers come from?
What do the mean by the term extremist? Are those who elect extreme
right parties in Europe not extremists also? And so on.
Two: The same source is quoted as claiming that there have been
attacks on army bases which stored nuclear weapons and a suspect source,
Shaun Gregory, has been used to substantiate this baseless claim. Yes, army
targets have been there but nowhere close to any nuclear base or site.
Three: Gregory had, a while back, written in a US military journal on
counter-terrorism, documenting three incidents connecting acts of terror in
Pakistan to nuclear targets. None of these match the facts on the ground
Three incidents mentioned were attack on PAF bus near Sargodha; suicide
bombing in the Kamra air base and attack at the gates of the POF Wah.
Four: Lamb then goes on to cite a fourth attack supposedly targeting
our nukes which took place on the GT Road at the turning for Kamra As
for Lambs assertion that last August a 6-man suicide team was arrested in
Sargodha but there is some confusion as to whether this was the same group
that included the 5 US citizens of Pakistani origin who were arrested much
earlier than when the story of their arrest broke in the Pakistani media. Lamb

738

cites the latter case as an additional one and then refers to the map of
Chashma that they had
Five: Lamb then in a show of either feigned or genuine ignorance
refers to the suicide attack at the gate of the Naval Housing Complex in E-8
as an attack on the naval command centre. The latter is not in Sector E-8 at
all, which is only a naval residential colony!
Six: She sees the attack on GHQ also as a targeting specifically of
our nukes although this would be like declaring that the 9/11 attack on the
Pentagon was specifically to target US nukes! So 9/11 made US and their
command and control insecure and unsafe by this logic!
Seven: then a really old issue is raised again that of the scientist
Bashir Mahmood, who was arrested in October 2001, after he had retired
from being a power plant engineer in the nuclear power sector, for having
met Osama bin Laden and because he had set up a Muslim charity. Again
what Lamb conveniently refuses to mention is that the man had been
interrogated and the case had been closed. Certainly he had met OBL but so
many CIA people had also been meeting OBL when they thought he could
be set up to work for them, before 9/11 of course.
All in all, clearly this story has been planted and Lamb used, once
again to put forward lies and factual distortions to drum up a scare about
Pakistans nuclear assets. Is it also a mere coincidence that the story has
come in the wake of the growing differences between the Pakistani civil and
military leadership with the US administration? It is unfortunate that a paper
like The Sunday Times failed to verify the contents of the story first.
As regards Afghanistan, Rahimullah Yusufzai wrote: It isn't hard
to imagine the anger that these US missile strikes will cause in North
Waziristan and other parts of country, not only against America but also the
government and armed forces for their inability to protect Pakistani citizens
and territory, and for continuing to side with the US. Sections of the Pakhtun
youth on both sides of Pak-Afghan border have already been radicalized,
and more would be tempted to take the same emotional route as the US
drone programme in Pakistan's tribal areas escalates and the military surge
ordered by President Obama in Afghanistan leads to more fighting.
There is no doubt that the December 30, 2009 suicide attack on the
CIA station in Khost at the Forward Operating Base Chapman was a historic
blow as it was the deadliest ever in the spy agency's history. In one incident,
seven CIA operatives who for years had been hunting key al-Qaeda and

739

Taliban figures were dead and six others wounded. Those who were killed
include the CIA station head, an unidentified woman in her 30s, who since
1990s had been part of the team unsuccessfully chasing Osama bin Laden.
They were probably the best CIA assets working in a dangerous place, hiring
and cultivating Afghan and Pakistani informants, coordinating the drone
attacks in Pakistan's tribal areas and collectively possessing the most
comprehensive knowledge about the al-Qaeda and Taliban. The eighth spy
killed in the suicide bombing was a Jordanian, Captain Ali bin Zeid, from
his country's intelligence organization, Mukhabirat. He is the first soldier
from Jordan, which along with Turkey, UAE, Kazakhstan and Albania are
the Muslim countries with troops deployed in Afghanistan as part of the USled coalition forces, to die in battle in the war-battered country. His presence
also explains the fact that spies from Middle Eastern countries are an
essential part of the CIA campaign.
Perhaps bigger than the loss of its experienced agents was the
embarrassment caused to the CIA and the US army of the security lapse at a
base as secure as the old, Soviet-built Khost airbase where the suicide
bomber was able to strike. The Afghan Taliban were obviously proud of
the feat and they wasted no time in claiming that a double-agent Afghan
named Samiullah was the suicide bomber, a CIA informant, allowed
unhindered access to the base.
It was clear that the Haqqani Network, named after the legendary
Afghan mujahideen and Taliban commander Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani but
now run by his son Sirajuddin Haqqani, was behind the suicide bombing
even though the Pakistani Taliban commander Qari Hussain unconvincingly
claimed responsibility for the attack to avenge the assassination of Baitullah
Mehsud. The US army, or the CIA to be specific, and the Haqqanis were
already involved in a deadly war of revenge against each other and their
blood feud has now become deadlier and personal. In the 80s, the elder
Haqqani and CIA cooperated with each other fighting the Soviet occupying
forces in Afghanistan. Today, they are rivals.
The US Special Forces and CIA have killed scores of Haqqani's men,
women and children in secret operations and drone strikes in Afghanistan
and in North Waziristan, where the family migrated from Khost after the
Soviet invasion in December 1979. The CIA will now try harder to
eliminate the Haqqanis, who control one of the most powerful Taliban
groups in Afghanistan. To succeed, the CIA will make more frequent use of
drones in North Waziristan and other Pakistani tribal areas, and hire a larger

740

number of informants, (better screened to prevent incidents like the recent

suicide bombing at Khost).
Aware that escalation in US drone strikes will further destabilize
Pakistan, Islamabad is urging restraint on part of Washington. But the US,
upset that Pakistan hasn't taken any action against the Haqqanis and the
Afghan Taliban's Quetta Shura, is unlikely to heed this advice. More drone
attacks could also cause the collapse of the critical peace deals that the
Pakistan government has made with powerful, non-TTP Pakistani Taliban
commanders Hafiz Gul Bahadur in North Waziristan and Maulvi Nazeer in
Wana to prevent them from joining forces with the Hakimullah Mehsud-led
militants in South Waziristan.
It seems the US prefers this scenario so that Pakistan's armed forces
are forced to launch military operations in both Wana and Shakai in North
and South Waziristan. This will widen the battlefield and result in more
retaliatory suicide attacks by the militants in Pakistani cities. In case
Islamabad decides under US pressure to cut off its links with the Afghan
Taliban, particularly the Haqqanis, it means creating more enemies at a
time when Pakistan is finding it difficult to put down an insurgency fed by
Pakistani Taliban and other home-grown jihadis.
Rahimullah also dug out some facts about attack on CIA base in
Khost. There are lessons to be learnt from the recent suicide bombing at
the secret CIA station in Afghanistan's Khost province bordering Pakistan's
North Waziristan tribal region. A Jordanian medical doctor of Palestinian
origin with a Turkish wife teamed up with other Arab nationals from alQaeda and sought the help of Pakistani, and possibly Afghan, Taliban to
carry out this attack and inflict the heaviest loss to the premier US spy
agency in 26 years. It showed how widespread the animosity is among
Muslims against the US given its policies and explained the way Islamic
militants transcending borders are increasingly joining hands to fight what
they perceive as a common enemy.
One is sure no lessons will be learnt from this event. In the manner
of the 9/11 attacks, the US would embark on another costly mission to hunt
down the attackers. The CIA has pledged to avenge the loss of its seven
agents who were killed in Khost, and the six others injured and apparently
out of action for a long time. There would be more missile strikes by the
CIA-operated drones in Pakistan's tribal areas and greater pressure on the
Pakistan military to launch action against the militants in North Waziristan.
Already, influential US Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman after

741

recent meetings with top Pakistan government officials are saying that
Pakistani security forces are preparing to undertake some action in North
Waziristan. In the heat of the moment, no thought would be given to the
consequences of such a militaristic approach to the already volatile
situation.
Dr Humam Khalil Abu Mulal al-Balawi, the Jordanian suicide
bomber came all the way from Zarqa to Waziristan to attack CIA's Khost
base. It isn't clear if he came via Afghanistan or Pakistan, but the way he
gained unchecked access to the CIA station was evidence enough that he
already knew his Jordanian handler, Captain Ali bin Zeid, an operative of
his country's intelligence agency and member of the royal family who was
also killed in the suicide attack, and through him the CIA agents. It is
possible he had already paid visits to the CIA base in Khost and earned the
trust of his handlers. The Jordanian and American spies thought they had
someone in their control who could lead them to al-Qaeda leaders,
particularly Dr Ayman al-Zawahiri who has figured as the real or imagined
target in most US missile strikes in Bajaur and Waziristan in recent years.
The more plausible explanation is that he had been infiltrated from
Afghanistan into North Waziristan, and from there to South Waziristan
where his farewell video tape, while seated beside the Tehrik-e-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP) head Hakimullah Mehsud, was recorded.
It was a properly done tape with Balawi first holding a weapon
outside and then shown sitting in a room with Hakimullah and making his
statement in Arabic and English. The young bearded man in military fatigues
is seen describing the CIA and Jordanian intelligence as enemies of the
Muslim nation and arguing that God's combatant never exposes his
religion to blackmail and never renounces it, even if he is offered the sun in
one hand and the moon in the other. And then he describes late TTP leader
Baitullah Mehsud as his amir (head) and tells him that he won't be forgotten,
and his blood would be avenged in and outside America. Balawi then says
that Baitullah paid with his life for offering to protect Osama bin Laden if he
came to South Waziristan.
From Balawi's statement, it seems as if he was being offered money
to spy on the militants and assist the CIA and Jordanian intelligence in
tracking down important al-Qaeda and Taliban figures. Taliban sources are
claiming that Abu Dujana al-Khorasani, the name Balawi used as a fighter,
rejected Jordanian and American intelligence offers of millions of dollars for
spying on the 'mujahideen.' They also insist that he shared US and Jordanian
state secrets with the militants. Both the CIA and the Jordanian spy
742

agency suffered embarrassment due to the intelligence failures and

security lapses in this incident. As if trying to cover up, the CIA Director
Leon Panetta claimed in a recent article that Balawi was about to be
searched when he detonated his explosives.
By trying to lure or manipulate Balawi and use him to track down alQaeda figures, the CIA and its allied spy agencies also revealed their
desperation. They haven't made any major breakthrough despite years of
efforts to infiltrate the militant organizations such as al-Qaeda and Taliban.
Offers of record rewards for capturing the wanted men are also not making
any headway. It was thus a desperate move to trust someone like Balawi
with a history of sympathizing with al-Qaeda and start believing that he had
changed and could be used to get the world's most wanted man bin Laden,
his deputy Dr Zawahiri and others. It shows that all talk of Bin Laden or
Zawahiri hiding in this or that place in the Pak-Afghan border areas is
mere speculation as there has been no confirmed sighting of these
individuals since December 2001 when they reportedly escaped to Tora Bora
in eastern Afghanistan and then vanished
The Pakistani Taliban as one of their commanders Qari Hussain
claimed may have facilitated Balawi in carrying out the suicide bombing at
the CIA's Khost base and the video in which the bomber and Hakimullah are
seated together is evidence of their close ties, but it is difficult to believe that
they could have accomplished the mission without the support of Afghan
Taliban, particularly the powerful Haqqani network dominant in Khost. It
could have been a joint operation with Balawi having links to al-Qaeda
receiving explosives and some training from the Taliban and then
embarking on a mission that was primarily facilitated by the unwary
Jordanian and CIA intelligence agents.
It should worry the US and its allies that Muslims the world over find
it difficult to trust western nations. This is benefiting the militants and
providing justification to their cause. The CIA agents were attacked because
they were directing US drone attacks that kill some al-Qaeda and Taliban
members and many more civilians in Pakistan's tribal areas. The fact that
Islamic militants from different countries and cultures have been
planning and conducting joint operations against western targets should
be a matter of concern for the US and its friends. There should be some
soul-searching on the part of all sides to the conflict to think of other and
preferably peaceful options instead of embarking on revenge and continuing
this vicious circle of death and destruction.

743

S Ishfaq suggested: Afghanistan needs development, not troops.

The past eight years have shown that foreign forces equipped with modern
weaponry could not establish their control beyond Kabul. The Americans
could have learned from the British, who avoided direct control of the tribal
areas after assessing that the people of the tribal belt cannot be tamed or
subjugated. Thus, in those times too Afghanistan was used as a buffer zone.
Since force is not a solution to any problem, the US and its allies must adopt
a developmental approach and also ask India to stop its anti-peace activities
at once. Or else, Afghanistan will prove to be another Vietnam for America.
The Nation commented: In the post-9/11 scenario in our region, the
presence of extra-regional forces has played havoc with the internal security
not only of Afghanistan but also its two critical neighbours, Pakistan and
Iran. Accusations and counter allegations have been flung across, with all
three countries accusing each other of aiding militancy and general
interference across their borders in the others territory. So it was a welcome
development to have the three foreign ministers of Pakistan, Iran and
Afghanistan meet in Islamabad and sign the joint Islamabad Declaration
focusing on regional cooperation and security and development
Much of the success of this Declaration will depend on the
implementation process, but the fact that the Afghan side actually made a
reference to India when it stated that Afghanistan should be kept out of the
tensions bigger countries have with each other, is a positive step forward.
Whether this message gets across to India remains to be seen but by
excluding India from this regional meeting a strong message has gone
out from Afghanistan and its neighbours to a meddlesome power.
Equally important was the recognition by the three that terrorism
posed a common challenge and that a regional approach, including in terms
of intelligence sharing, was the more effective way of dealing with this
problem. Unfortunately, the US has tended to leave Iran out of the
equation which has led to increasing destabilization of the region as a
whole. Also, not only as neighbours of Afghanistan but also as countries that
share ethnic and linguistic ties with groups in Afghanistan, both Pakistan and
Iran have a legitimate interest in ensuring peace and stability in that country
as well as ensuring that forces hostile to the two countries do not gain
ascendancy aided by external powers. The recognition in this trilateral
meeting of the negative aspects of Obama's Afghan policy is also a much
needed reality check.

744

This is also the right time to extend the trilateral framework to

include Turkey another country that shares a cultural linkage with
Afghanistan and has been involved directly in ISAF and now through its
membership of NATO. Involving Turkey in a regional context, will allow the
evolution of a consensus to help facilitate an early US departure from
Afghanistan given the fact that the US/NATO presence itself is a major
factor for the violence and instability in this region. That should be the next
logical progression of a regional understanding on Afghanistan.
Khalid Iqbal commented with reference to forthcoming London
initiative. Demography-wise, Afghanistan is a multi-ethnic polity. Each
bordering country also houses at least one such ethnic group, and the number
of such ethnic groups living in adjoining states is larger than that living in
Afghanistan. Thus, regional demographic composition embraces all
destabilizing factors associated with such diversity. Therefore, what goes on
inside Afghanistan disturbs the bordering states as well, especially the
ones inhabited with the troubled ethnic groups in Afghanistan.
Traditionally porous borders make unregulated interstate movement easy,
whereby it is difficult to ascertain who's who. It would require a concerted
effort to regulate interstate borders, needing international economic and
technical support in the domains of installation of biometric systems,
fencing of borders and the like. It would be appropriate if the conference
comes out with a workable action plan for plugging this inadequacy.
Beside other factors, rise of extremism in this region has its roots
in the mismanagement of human resource. Development projects aimed at
creating jobs for the youth would help in reducing the appeal of extremist
elements, and their recruitment would decline sharply.
What's more, India is carrying out a mammoth effort for carving
a permanent niche for itself in post de-occupation Afghanistan. It is
utilizing its oversized diplomatic presence in Afghanistan for supporting and
sponsoring subversive activities in the border areas of Pakistan, adjoining
Afghanistan. This sets into motion a vicious destabilization process in
Pakistan as well as in Afghanistan; this monstrous development needs
attention of the comity of nations.
We in Pakistan view with hope any initiative aimed at infusing
stability into Afghanistan, and as a corollary in Pakistan. London's
initiative has once again aroused hope in the region. It must take a fresh
and holistic look at the imbroglio and come out with some 'out of the box'

745

recommendations. Mere reiteration of the current policy, strategy and

stereotyping would indeed be a disappointment.
Dr Maleeha Lodhi talked of provocative military doctrine of India.
In remarks reported last week, Indian army chief Gen Deepak Kapoor
reaffirmed that India was evolving a new military doctrine, and he outlined
some of its key elements. The changes in the strategic environment held out
by this pronouncement have significant implications for Pakistan and should
give the country's security managers much pause for thought.
In November India's army chief spoke of the likelihood of a limited
war under a nuclear overhang in the subcontinent. His latest remarks go
further to indicate that:
The Indian army is revising its five-year-old doctrine to meet the
challenge of war with China and Pakistan.
The development of the cold start strategy is progressing
successfully.
Five thrust areas will determine the new doctrine:
o Dealing with the eventuality of a two-front war.
o Countering both military and non-military facets of
asymmetric and sub-conventional threats.
o Enhancing strategic reach and out-of-area capabilities to
protect India's interests from the Persian Gulf to the Malacca
Strait.
o Attaining operational synergy between the three services.
o Achieving a technological edge over adversaries.
The emerging doctrine appears to be both aspirational and
emulative. Aspirational because its breadth and sweep reflects a mindset
that seeks to create "big power" dynamics by projecting India as a rival to
China and aiming to develop a capacity to act in two combat theatres
simultaneously. How and whether this can actually be attained is another
matter.
The doctrine also emulates the US Pentagon's Quadrennial Defence
Review undertaken every four years and borrows superpower language to
assert the need to build out of area capabilities and acquire strategic

746

reach. This is the most presumptuous tenet of the doctrine which employs
the idiom of big powers without, however, the capability to back it.
It raises other questions. What exactly are the interests that these
capabilities are intended to defend? Protecting the littoral states of the Indian
Ocean against whom? Will the pursuit of "strategic reach" not run up against
the strategic interests of other powers in the Persian Gulf?
For Pakistan several aspects of the doctrine have serious
implications that need to be assessed. The cold start doctrine seeks to
counter the Pakistani argument that, however limited, a war is not possible
between two nuclear-weapon states an argument that was validated by the
2001-02 military standoff between the two neighboursthe doctrine tries to
build the case that India does have a war-fighting option cold start under
a WMD overhang.
This seeks to convey to Pakistan and the world that the capability
being developed to wage limited war will enable India to operationalize its
forces within 96 hours to strike offensively against Pakistan without crossing
the nuclear threshold.
The concept of limited war in the cold start strategy is dangerous
strategic thinking. As Pakistan's army chiefhas emphatically pointed out
The notion of limited war will push the subcontinent onto a slippery
slope and heighten the danger of escalation. India's strategy aims to
achieve surprise and speed in a conventional strike against Pakistan. It
overlooks the fact that in a crisis the nuclear threshold will be indeterminate.
The threshold cannot be wished away by speed in mobilization.
In fact, the shorter the duration needed for a mobilization the
greater the risk of escalation and the likely lowering of Pakistan's nuclear
red lines. Squeezing the timeframe will only make the situation more
dangerous and unstable. The long fuse in a crisis provided by the time
required for assembly and deployment of forces has so far helped to avoid a
catastrophic war.
If operationalized, the cold start doctrine will force Pakistan to
re-evaluate its policy of keeping its nuclear arsenal in separated form
and move towards placing its strategic capability in a higher state of
readiness, including deploying a mated capability i.e., mating warheads to
delivery systems. The action-reaction cycle will move the subcontinent to a
perilous state of hair-trigger alert.

747

Similarly destabilizing would be the espoused goal to secure a

technological edge by India's effort to acquire a missile-defence shield and
build its PAD (Prithvi Air Defence) capabilities. India may feel that the
acquisition of anti-ballistic missile (ABM) systems (possessed by only the
US, Russia and Israel) will give it the capability to neutralize Pakistan's
missile capabilities. This would be a dangerous presumption.
The deployment of ballistic missile defence (BMD) capabilities is
likely to enhance fears that an offensive pre-emptive strike, conventional or
nuclear, could be undertaken behind the BMD shield. Such a capability in
the context of the cold start doctrine would increase the possibility of a
military adventure by providing an illusion of comfort.
This would enhance the incentive for Pakistan to multiply the
numbers of missiles and increase operational readiness This is a recipe
for a costly and unnecessary arms race. A much better option is to pursue
the strategic stability regime offered by Islamabad to Delhi that would
stabilize nuclear deterrence by, among other steps, the mutual commitment
not to develop or induct BMD systems into the region. But this does not
seem to fit into India's ambitions.
As for the threat from China, the Cold War-like language of the
Indian doctrine seems out of sync with the times. It indicates Delhi's
continuing desire to play the role of a balancer or strategic counterweight to
China and employ its burgeoning relationship with Washington to counteract
Beijing's rising influence.
But the international environment is at present not favourable to
the fulfillment of this strategy. Unlike its predecessor, the Obama
Administration seems not to buy into fanciful schemes to contain China by
promoting countervailing power centres. Instead, it is more interested in
deepening the engagement with Beijing in an era being referred to as the G2
partnership, an alliance of overlapping US and Chinese interests. The
symbiotic relationship between the two countries is today the pivot of the
global economy.
The emerging Indian doctrine seems to over reach in seeking a
capability to deal with a two-front war. This becomes even more apparent
when seen from the perspective of the experience of the world's most
powerful military. The US has struggled to simultaneously prosecute, much
less successfully conclude, two protracted wars (in Iraq and Afghanistan)
despite It is therefore rather rich for India to claim that it can acquire the

748

capability to deal simultaneously with two fronts, and that too against two
nuclear powers. This is reckless translation of rhetoric into doctrine.
Given how unrealistic it is to think that such a capability can be built,
is the purpose of the doctrine, then, to use the China threat to acquire the
latest military technology from the West? This raises another question: is
that capability intended to be eventually deployed against Pakistan?
Once the full dimensions of India's military doctrine have been
evaluated Islamabad will need to review its own options and reassess its
operational plans and assumptions. Its strategic calculations should entail
a careful reading of Indian capabilities and intentions while also making a
distinction between ambition and reality. Gen Kapoor's enunciation of a
provocative doctrine is one more reason why Pakistan cannot ignore the
more enduring challenge to its security, even as it confronts the urgent
internal threat posed by terrorism and militancy.
Ayaz Amir did not like undue response to General Kapoors
statement. Gen Kapoor's two-front war assessment has been read in
Pakistan almost as a declaration of war, and everyone responding to it has
done so with a mixture of anger and heightened alarm. From Gen Kayani
has come this warning: Proponents of conventional application of military
forces, in a nuclear overhang, are charting an adventurous path, the
consequences of which could be both unintended and uncontrollable. The
foreign minister has been livid as has been the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs,
Gen Tariq Majeed.
Has all this wordiness been necessary? Are we such an insecure
nation that a single misinterpreted statement can so unsettle us? If a
riposte was necessary, a one-liner from the Inter-Services Public Relations
would have served the purpose. Something like, Everyone is entitled to his
fantasies, delivered with an ironic curl of the lips.
Philip, Alexander's father, sent Sparta a message: If I enter Laconia,
you shall be exterminated. He received just one word in answer: If. When
French marshals turned their backs on him in Paris, Wellington merely said,
I have seen their backs before. The cultivation of calm and brevity would
improve our tone as a nation.
Shamshad Ahmad commented Aman ki Asha project. At the same
time, mistrust and apprehensions on both sides are deep-rooted and will not
evaporate simply by the flames being blown out. India and Pakistan will
have to extinguish the fire at its source. Dialogue and constructive
engagement are today the only acceptable means of resolving disputes.
749

Progress in this direction could perhaps be facilitated atmospherically by

Aman ki Asha project, but eventually high-level political engagement
between the two countries will be required.
In the ultimate analysis, however, the success of this process would
depend entirely on the freshness of political approach that both sides
would themselves be ready to bring in with sincerity of purpose. What
should be clear to them by now is that, in today's world, there will be no
military solution to their problems. Given the unique political history of
South Asia and the particular social and cultural proclivities of its
inhabitants, this region needs stable peace, not confrontation.
India-Pakistan rapprochement becomes reality it will benefit not
only the peoples of the region but also the world at large in terms of
economic opportunities. Durable peace between the two countries would not
only be a factor of regional and global stability but would also enable them
to divert their resources to improving the lives of their peoples and
eradicating poverty and backwardness from the region.
Depending on progress on Kashmir and in mutual confidencebuilding through nuclear and conventional restraint, the two countries in due
course could also explore a no-war treaty with a mutually agreed mechanism
for conflict-prevention, conflict-resolution and peaceful settlement of
disputes. This would be the sum total of visionary statesmanship that we
need in our region to enable our two peoples to live together in peace and
harmony. Meanwhile, the newly arrived India-Pakistan non-state actors for
peace deserve our full support.
The News commented: The NCA meeting on Wednesday finally
gave Pakistan a clear direction in terms of policies relating to nuclear
issues ranging from arms control and disarmament to maintenance of the
regional strategic stability. Pakistanis have watched with concern Indias
growing nuclear arsenal and efforts to rationalize war fighting within a
nuclear environment. The silence of our leadership on these issues has been
a cause for even grater concern; as has been the seeming drift in our
approach to nuclear arms control issues. Now a critical issue, fissile
material, is being discussed in the Conference n Disarmament in Geneva and
our position has been confused. So it is a relief to see the NCA declare
unequivocally that Pakistan wants to see a Fissile Material Treaty (FMT),
which implies reductions in existing stockpiles of fissile material, in addition
to our earlier support for an international verification regime. Clearly, given
the altered scenario after the Indo-US nuclear deal and the subsequent Indian

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nuclear deals with France and Russia, the NCA has moved Pakistans
position on the fissile material treaty beyond merely accepting the Shannon
Mandate of 1995.
The NCA has also declared that while it is committed to
nonproliferation and nuclear disarmament, it will only accept
nondiscriminatory measures that do not undermine our strategic security. It
has also demanded that Pakistan, with its fuel cycle capability be considered
as an equal partner in any international measure dealing with this issue.
Perhaps most important, it has made clear that Pakistan expects to be treated
as an equal partner on nuclear issues and demands that the reality of its
nuclear weapons capability be recognized so that progress can be made in
the field of nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament. Now that the broad
parameters of Pakistans nuclear arms control policy has been defined by the
highest relevant authority for this purpose, the NCA, it is hoped, it will be
less easy for individuals to arbitrarily alter these basic red lines.
The NCA has also voiced its condemnation of Indias efforts to
bypass nuclear deterrence and recklessly talk of aggressive war fighting
doctrines while it amasses a wide-ranging nuclear arsenal. Such a stance has
rightfully been seen as a strategic destabilize for the region. Ironically, the
US, Russia and France, through their deals are allowing India to up the
nuclear ante in the region, by giving her access to her own un-safeguarded
and now liberated fissile material to be diverted to more weapons. As the
NCA has made clear, Pakistan will have to keep these factors in mind if it is
to keep its deterrence at a credible minimum level, even as it avoids a
nuclear arms race. The institutional approach to sensitive nuclear policy
will allow Pakistans nuclear posture to gain greater credibility
externally and send a reassuring message to the nation also.

REVIEW
The militants exploded a bomb in Ashura procession killing more than
forty people, but what happened afterwards was the work of terrorists in
the ranks of two main parties in Sindh government. The jiyalas of Bhutto
and matwalas of Altaf Bhai put the militants to shame.
As result of that and subsequent hurling of accusations it seemed that
PPP and MQM coalition would crumble. But leaders of the two parties did
751

not react impulsively they instead had lengthy discussions and finally
reached the conclusion that staying together and remaining in power was
more important for their political interests than controlling the bloodshed.
In a country where the rulers seek such laws which grant immunity to
their wide-ranged criminal acts and protect their political supporters
indulging in criminal activities, the crime ought to flourish. What Pakistanis
saw happening in Karachi, was the result of this attitude towards law and
morality. Every political party in Karachi patronizes one or two out of an
array of mafias i.e. land mafia, drug mafia, weapon running mafia, human
trafficking mafia of course bathaa mafia.
All these have hardened criminals in their folds and protected by one
political party or the other. Most people agree that solution lies in deweaponizing the city. However, MQM with its idiotic reasoning is the only
exception which insists that de-weaponizing should start from the north of
the country.
Holbrooke arrived in Islamabad with standard US agenda of pressing
Pakistan to do more. He must have been little surprised to note a change in
the attitude of a mercenary who has been obeying commands without any
reservations. Pakistan Army seemed to be unwilling to further expand its
operations to other areas.
Tri-lateral Islamabad Declaration by foreign ministers of Iran,
Afghanistan and Pakistan seemed a positive move to find regional solution
to the militancy. However, it raised two important questions. Have the three
countries provided another Axis of Evil to the Crusaders? Has Pakistan been
tricked about Indian presence in Afghanistan as it wont be able to object to
Indian presence and activities therein?
18th January 2010

WHO BLINKS FIRST

Zardari kept firing salvos at the conspirators, while shifting his
position from bunker to bunker. From Bilawal House, Karachi he moved to
Governor House, Lahore from where he had to hurry to Islamabad after the
release of detailed judgment on NRO by the Supreme Court.
The detailed judgment issued by the Supreme Court late in the
evening on 18th January had nothing Zardari-specific as feared by him and

752

his cronies. Nevertheless, the pen prepared the grounds to take the
scoundrels to task as and when so sought by some petitioner. The scoundrels
were clever enough to read that and they kept defying implementation of the
verdict.
Resultantly, even after the lapse of more than seven weeks no action
has been taken by the executive on orders of the superior judiciary. ANP also
closed ranks with PPP on the issue and from Peshawar Asfandyar shouted at
the judiciary to behave and forget about the NRO.

NEWS
On 16th January, exactly a month after the verdict on NRO, the federal
government filed a petition in for review. Zardari said he was watching the
conspirators with eagles eye and countering their moves well in advance.
He also said forthcoming local bodies elections would tell which party
enjoys the support of masses. Gilani attended days proceedings in Governor
House. Next day, Zardari talked of Marshall Plan while addressing leading
citizens of Lahore. Shahbaz advised Zardari to leave party post to reduce his
problems.
On 18th January, poor visibility denied the bunkered President the
safety of air travel, but on the same count he sneaked through the fog to
Faisalabad to perform some inaugurations and address a public meeting.
Workers of looms industry held a protest rally when Zardari was in the city.
Zardari once again lashed out at conspirators. Gilani claimed that
there was no confrontation with any institution and government-judiciary
ties were excellent. Chief Justice said no one would be allowed to malign
judiciary. Supreme Court summoned AG on Kairas TV statement.
Talking to Hamid Mir on his Talk show, Pervaiz Elahi claimed foiling
Musharrafs plan to fire at entourage of Chief Justice near Kharian in 2007
when he was moving by road from Islamabad to Lahore. He said Musharraf
had complained on telephone about his preventive measures.
Accountability Court No 4 rejected an application of NAB requesting
not to reopen two cases of corruption Ursus Tractor and Polo Ground
against co-accused of Zardari. Asian Bank audit report said Rental Power
Plants were contracted in hurry and without going into its negative effects.
Next day, late in the evening the Supreme Court issued detailed
judgment on its verdict on NRO. Within minutes the TV analysts started

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commenting on the 287-page judgment. Most interesting comments came

from Asma Jehangir, who said: it is not the court judgments but something
else that comes in hours of darkness.
Earlier in the day, Zardari had said that government would respect
court verdicts. His buddy Fazlur Rehman said he wanted independent
judiciary but no belagam (unsaddled) judiciary. The Supreme Court asked
government to fix responsibility in a week about Kairas statement on CJShahbaz midnight meeting. Latif Khosas son was booked in Lahore for
being drunk.
On 20th January, Gilani said his government was consulting
constitutional experts on detailed judgment of the Supreme Court. Zardari
cut his Lahore visit short and returned to Islamabad. Gilani rang up Aitzaz
for whom Zardari had no time during an extending camping in Governor
House, Lahore.
The detailed judgment of the Supreme Court on NRO had nothing
different from its short order upon which the executive had not taken any
action despite the lapse of five weeks. However, Justice Sardar Muhammad
Raza Khan added a note spelling out that architect of the NRO should be
held accountable.
The government planned to file another appeal for review while
showing no signs to implement courts orders. Meanwhile, pro-government
media forces were unleashed to ridicule the judgment on flimsy counts like
court quoting examples of Nigeria and verses of poetry. Even Musharraf
lobby came into action by terming it a politicized verdict.
Leader of the Opposition advised government not be clever in
implementing courts verdict. He also asked Army to clarify its position on
revelations made by Pervaiz Elahi, who had mentioned about Musharrafs
plan to kill Chief Justice in 2007. Majid Nizami urged Chaudhry brothers
and Sharif brothers for unification of Muslim Leagues to save Pakistan from
the onslaught of jiyala culture. Asfandyar boasted about sabotaging
Kalabagh Dam project.
Next day, Zardari went to Talagang to perform ground breaking
ceremony for construction of a dam on River Swaan. He was received by
jiyalas chanting ek Zardari, sab per bhari. In his address he mostly talked
about conspiracies against him dams too have history of conspiracies in
Pakistan he said pen and bayonet wont be able to kill him. Chief Justice
said justice would be dispensed whatever price might have to be paid.

754

Reportedly, Zardari camp contacted the evil genius in misinterpreting

the Constitution, but Farhatullah denied any contact with Sharifuddin
Pirzada. Shujaat met Gilani to restart political bargaining. The NYT reported
that Zardari has regained some space by rallying PPP and he is likely to
survive in power. Imran Khan urged the government to abide by the
Supreme Courts verdict. He said no law justifies immunity to Zardari. A Q
Khan submitted his version as ordered by the court.
On 22nd January, Gilani met Zardari and the tone changed after the
meeting but intentions remained mala fide. Five weeks after the issue of
verdict Gilani ordered its swift implementation less the reopening of cases
against Zardari because of the constitutional immunity. Aitzaz also met
Zardari and gave him tips how to make riasat mother-like. He, however,
declined the offer to plead governments case on NRO review petition.
Parties of ruling coalition met in Presidency to formulate strategy for
implementation of verdict of the Supreme Court; JUI-F boycotted. Shahbaz
Sharif urged respect for court decisions. Jamshaid Dasti held superior
judiciary responsible for the crisis confronting the country. NAB ordered
freeze of assets of Zardaris front man in land purchase case. Leghari said
there is no difference between Zardari and Nawaz; Zardari was involved in
murder of Murtaza Bhutto and he has come to Pakistan with a deal with the
US to roll-back Pakistans nuclear programme.
Gilani met Shahbaz in Lahore on 23rd January, the two leaders ruled
out mid-term elections and agreed to stop giving provocative statements.
Raisani arrived in Lahore and met Shahbaz in connection with PPP-PML-N
patch-up. Chief Justice, while addressing delegations of lawyers, reiterated
that there is no place for corruption, as a civilized society abhors such
things. President returned the summary in which Chief Justice had
recommended LHC Judge Saqib Nisar to be elevated to be a judge in the
Supreme Court. President did it on the advice of Prime Minister who in turn
was advised by the Law Minister, Dr Babar Awan.
Next day, Gilani said no clash between institutions would be allowed
to happen. Lawyers met in Lahore and decided to observe strike on 28th
January to support Chief Justices summary on appointment of a Supreme
Court judge; Fauzia Wahab termed the call gidar bhabki (rhetoric). Maulvi
Iqbal Haider submitted an application in Election Commission requesting
disqualification of Zardari. Afgan said Muslim League factions would unite
under Musharraf. PML-N said Musharraf would face trial on account of
murder of Amber Bugti and detention of judges.

755

On 25th January, Asfandyar put his weight behind Zardari and asked
judiciary to remain in its shoes. He said as political worker he has not been
able to understand judiciarys hue and cry on action related to an ordinance
that had expired its life. He further added that judiciary has no powers to
amend Constitution.
The Supreme Court rejected the reply of Rehman Malik in contempt
case related to change of investigation team regarding corruption in Pakistan
Steel Mills. Chief Justice remarked its a classic case of executive
interference in judicial affairs. Hafeez Pirzada met Gilani, who sought legal
advice to find way out of NRO quagmire. Secretary Interior Qamar was
restored. He was suspended when defence Minister was stopped from
proceeding to China.
Jiyala lawyers termed the call for strike a conspiracy. PML-N also
opposed the call for strike. Lt Gen Qadir Baloch, who had joined PML-N
sometime back, was declared elected after disqualification of his opponent.
Imran Khan threatened of another Long March.
Next day, three persons were arrested in Steel Mills canteen
corruption case. Rehman Malik said he should be informed as to which court
order has not been implemented. Faisalabad court granted him the bail and
LHC rejected plea for appearance exemption. Jiyala lawyers on LHC Bar
foiled attempt to pass resolution against NRO by occupying the stage and
raising slogans against SCBA President. While addressing an election rally
in Mansehra Shahbaz said delay in implementation of NRO verdict was
harmful. Secretary Establishment failed to produce the criteria for out of turn
promotions as asked by the Supreme Court.
On 27th January, National Assembly passed anti-money laundering
bill. Gilani said Parliament was delivering in murky conditions. Cabinet
okayed eight rental power projects. Chief Justice of LHC expressed his
anger over delay in appointment of judges summary for which was pending
for the last two months. Lawyers deferred strike till February 14. Taseer
pleaded the same law for Shamaila Rana and Rana Sanaullah.
During hearing of a case of promotion of 54 federal government
officials on 28th January the Chief Justice in his remarks ruled out clash
between institutions. In hearing of the case of missing persons the court
rejected the report submitted by the Ministry of Defence. Rana Sanaullah
alleged that Taseer committed an act of subversion of the Constitution by
holding back the summary of appointment of judges of LHC.

756

Gilani needed interpretation on some points of the court verdict on

NRO. ANP retained PF-83 seat with PML-Q and TI trailing behind. Zardari
promised party-based Local Bodies polls in four months. Athar Minallah
was contacted by Riaz Laljee twice in the recent past for legal advice. Riaz
in one of the main culprits in one of the corruption cases related to Pakistan
Steel Mills. Sindh Assembly passed a resolution urged shelving of ChashmaJehlum power plant to avoid threat to the solidarity of the federation.
Next day, the Supreme Court was moved to hear quickly the plea
against Article 248. Nawaz said President should go to court despite
immunity. Gilani said there was no rift with PML-N over Presidents
immunity. Zardari asked PPP Sindh to get ready for LG polls. PML-N
warned to move Supreme Court against RPPs. PML-Q staged walked out
from the National Assembly over rigging in Swat by-polls. JUI-F won NA21 by-poll in Mansehra defeating five-time winner PML-N. The leaders of
PML-N were forced to carry out some soul-searching.

VIEWS
On 17th January, The Nation commented: At President Asif Zardaris
meeting with senior journalists of Lahore at Governor House on Friday, the
PPP-PML-N relations and the issues that have an adverse bearing on them
came up. Although the interaction hardly revealed anything new of note, it
would be worthwhile analyzing them. The 17th Amendment and 58(2)b
might be dead as far as their practical application was concerned, as the
President maintained, suggesting that he had no intention of using them.
Nevertheless, their very existence on the statute book constitutes an ugly
patch that distorts the very character of the Constitution, which is
parliamentary democracy. When consensus about their abrogation already
exists among the various political parties, it looks quite strange that they
should have been made part of a much bigger constitutional reform package,
which contains some contentious issues as well. Therefore, it is difficult to
avoid the impression that a deliberate attempt has been made to let the
issue drag on; for, apparently, the President does not like to lose the option
available to him under them. Besides, had the amendments been removed,
there was no need for him to discount the feeling that the PPP intended to
use them as bargaining chips in its dealings with the PML-N. He assured the
journalists that there was no question of the PPP using them as bargain over
anyone wanting to become prime minister for more than two terms. He

757

would not stand in the way of anyone, who has been prime minister or chief
minister for two terms, occupying these slots again, if successful.
As the President told the journalists, that included senior columnists
and anchormen, that the PPP practiced the politics of reconciliation. When
he was asked the reason for that policy not being in evidence in its relations
with the PML-N, his answer was, We have to do our politics and they are to
do theirs. Let both of us do our respective politics. The truth seems to be
that it is the governments reservations on implementing the Charter of
Democracy, especially the promised repeal of the 17 th Amendment and
58(2)b, that has muddied the waters between the two. Had Mr Zardari
honoured his commitment at Burbhan, the political climate would have
been entirely different.
Logically speaking, if these constitutional aberrations have lost their
practical value, they should be straightaway excised. That would suddenly
and radically change the internal political scenario of tension and bickering.
Reluctance to dispense with them would continue to give rise to the
suspicion that the President wants to retain them.
Next day, the newspaper wrote: Zardari has completed four days of
his visit to the provincial metropolis, but his visit has not yet ended.
However, he has already shown that a country can continue to run with
its president out of the federal capital, even though he has still to begin his
tour of the provincewhich he will undertake for the first time. And for his
party men, his visit to the provincial capital will be most memorable for the
mistreatment of party workers outside Governor's House, where the
President holed up, rather than for anything else.
That mistreatment was another problem caused by the President
combining the roles as head of state and head of a party. The party men had
come to see their Co-Chairman, not the President, but were exposed to the
security surrounding the latter. Another risk that materialized was the
absence of the Chief Minister, or of any other minister, because the PML(N)
would naturally not give an escort to the PPP Co-Chairman. The above are
practical difficulties, which do not take account of any of the improprieties
inherent in the President, and not the Prime Minister, devoting his time, and
this at the taxpayer's expense, to purely party affairs, not national.
The problem can easily be solved, by President Zardari letting
the Supreme Court's NRO verdict take its course, and leaving office. If
he were to do so, not only would he be following the traditions of

758

democratic countries the world over, but he would also resolve the dilemma
in which he places both party and Presidency by continuing to head both.
On 19th January, Javid Hussain commented on the menace of
corruption. If we wish to root out the evil of corruption from our midst,
we must establish the rule of law and equality before law. Everybody,
whether a politician, a bureaucrat, a military officer or a businessman, must
be held equally accountable in the eyes of law. Nobody should be allowed to
get away with violations of law just because of his/her powerful position in
the government or in the society. Sooner or later everybody must face the
legal consequences of his/her illegal acts.
Transparency in the working of the governmental institutions is
another indispensable condition for the elimination of corruption.
Important government decisions must be made in a fair and transparent
manner on the basis of law and merit rather than personal interests and
connections. An independent judiciary must play its own role in checking
the excesses of the executive authorities in the performance of their
functions. Finally, the media and the civil society must exercise constant
vigilance to identify and stop malpractices by the executive.
Above all, we need to strengthen our moral fibre through the
reform of the educational system and inculcating the moral values of
honesty, integrity and truthfulness among the members of our society be
they in the government or outside. After all, corruption, though rife in the
government, is not limited to government officials. A businessman when he
evades the payment of taxes due from him is also guilty of corruption. An
industrialist who is guilty of adulteration or other illegal practices is no less
corrupt than others. A shopkeeper who uses faulty scales to weigh less than
what is due to the customer is also corrupt. A teacher who does not do a
good job of teaching in the hope of making extra money through tuition after
school hours is again guilty of corruption. A doctor who is negligent in
treating his patients is also corrupt. An engineer who constructs structurally
flawed buildings and bridges thus endangering the lives of others is no less
corrupt. Thus, each and every member of the society must also do some soul
searching to examine his/her conduct, if we really wish to rid our society of
the menace of corruption.
The Nation commented on ADBs views on RPPs. The ADBs refusal
to approve water and power ministrys 2250 MW electricity generation plan
through 14 rental power projects on the ground that it would raise the
tariffs by 45 percent and would require at least $5 billion for

759

completion, which would greatly burden the national exchequer, is a real

slap in the face of the governments strategy on the RPPs. Much to the
chagrin of the federal water and power ministry, the ADB was selected as a
third party to analyze the governments contracts with the RPPs. The honest
assessment has exposed the Federal Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, who had
been telling a cock-and-bull story about the RPPs, presenting them as a
panacea to the menace of load shedding.
Now that the ADB has itself found the ministrys power programme
to be full of flaws, the governments criticism of media and other quarters
for trying to create a negative hype about the RPPs earlier would appear to
be totally unjustified and baseless. So much so the government had started to
say that its failure to meet the deadline for the elimination of load shedding
was because of the media, which had offered a stiff opposition to the RPPs
ultimately delaying the projects. In this point in time, it stands to reason that
the poor masses would not be able to afford this much expensive electricity.
Already there has been an increase of almost 300 percent in tariffs during the
past few months and raising them further by 45 percent would turn out to be
a recipe for social unrest, intensifying the ongoing power riots. Since the
RPPs are furnace oil based, they would greatly increase the countrys
import bill by $1.2 billion per annum on account of oil supplies.
What is more, the generators are old and worn out and there are fears
that they might not be able to function properly. Now that the so-called
trouble-shooters in the water and power ministry have been rightly rebuffed
by the ABD, the governments only saving grace lay in the fact that
rather than setting up rental power plants, it should explore other
options to tackle the energy crisis. The bank has suggested that the Pakistan
government must instead rely on the IPPs and hydroelectric projects to close
the demand and supply gap. Comparatively speaking, there is not much
difference in terms of the time required for ending load shedding. While the
rental programme for all its flaws and high cost would take one year to meet
the existing demand, the second option of IPPs would take two years, the
report says. Rather than further wasting time and dithering, the government
must immediately gird up its loins to implement the ADBs suggestions in
letter and in spirit.
Excerpts from Dr Haider Mehdi comments: The national and
international media have reported that the Pakistani incumbent prime
minister has categorically stated that there is little justification for anyone
within his political management team to resign on the basis of moral
and ethical considerations. If the media reports are true, one is baffled at
760

the political mindset and philosophical conceptualization of politics by the

incumbent PPP leadership at its very top. To disassociate morality from
politics is truly the kind of logic that believes a square root is a genetically
modified potato! There is not a shred of reason or even a simple sense of
political correctness in this kind of thinking. It is an outrage.
Perhaps, the honourable prime minister, had a momentary
imaginative lapse and confused the wordThe entire Islamic political
thought is based on a single most important element: the exercise of
moral ethical imperatives every step of a state actors personal behaviour
and in the institutional conduct of state functionaries.
It is the prime ministers moral, ethical, legal, political and national
duty to make sure that the accused associates step aside from the positions of
power and governmental decision-making. The prime minister must keep in
mind the fact that the evidence produced so far against the accused
incumbent members of his ruling team is quiet formidable and convincing;
the doubts have to be cleared.
Let me remind the prime minister: The public confidence in the
present political management team and its leading managers is absolutely at
ZERO level the contemporary chaotic conditions in every aspect of
national life speak of volumes of political mismanagement and failure of this
administrations performance in national policy making. On top, the nation
is told: There is no potential harm in keeping the national status quo as it is
and let the political actors who have lost credibility continue to run the show.
After all, they have a five-year public mandate! Does it make any sense?
To rub salt on the wounds: the rules or guidelines governing how to
make ethical/moral choices in politics is of no consideration to the
incumbent political administration in todays Pakistan; the land of the
pure! A square root is a genetically modified potato, claims the
mainstream leadership in the government! Thats what they are saying, but
isnt it absurd? The fact is that a potato is a potato and a square root is a
different thing altogether!
Dr Shahid Qayyum from Lahore wrote: Our country is ruled by
dynasties even in this day and age. The heir apparent is preparing to take
over the reigns from his illustrious father at the raw age of 20. The
courtiers are talking of relaxing the age limit for the PM just for that end. No
wonder the President is talking of setting a darbar in Lahore every month
to listen to the voices and grievances of his subjects. The country is their
family silver.
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Next day, The Nation commented: Contrary to the common

perception, based on the government ministers, PPP leaders and workers'
open and repeated criticism of the Supreme Court verdict on the NRO, the
Prime Minister somehow feels that the government respects the courts and
their verdicts and its ties with the judiciary are excellent. As for the
judiciary, it is, indeed, overly cautious, and consistent with the imperative of
impartiality and conventions that 'the courts should speak through their
judgments'. It has not gone public over this highly unseemly conduct of high
government functionaries. Minister Kaira, who resorted to obtrusively
uncalled-for utterances, even though the SC had denied that Chief Justice
Iftikhar Chaudhry had met Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz, has however to
face the music and appear in a contempt of court case. Despite all that, it is
strange that the Prime Minister should be taking the nation to be so nave as
to accept his contention. The factual position, unfortunately, points to an
entirely different direction. The people cannot ignore what they see on the
TV screen or read in the papers. They would treat such assurances of the
PM as no more than rhetoric.
The Prime Minister, who was addressing the National Assembly on
Monday, also underlined certain laudable objectives that, he maintained, the
government wanted to achieve. We will try to strengthen the institutions.
We have the responsibility to fulfill all the requirements of good governance.
All the institutions are working in their spheres. The objectives of
strengthening the various institutions of democracy and the provision of
good governance are simply unassailable. The pity, however, is that the facts
on the ground hardly bear out the plea that his government is serious
about realizing these objectives
It might be under the same writ that the SC asked the government to
reopen the case against President Zardari in the Swiss court. In another
development, the Swiss government has given an indication that it is
ready to reopen the case, if the Pakistan government so demanded. The
Chairman of British Lawyers Association believes that under Article 190 of
the Constitution the government has no other choice but to approach the
Swiss authorities in this regard. One hopes it would take up the matter soon.
The question of establishing the ownership of $60 million raised by our
High Commissioner at London Wajid Shamsul Hassan is balderdash.
In second editorial the newspaper added: The confusion on account
of President Zardari's latest round of shadow boxing in front of a
gathering of party workers and a hapless awam in Faisalabad, aimed at
showing that he has the heart to step out of his bunker and take on
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opponents, continues to prevail. If that was an attempt at displaying

charisma, copying the party's founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, he did not
succeed.
Basically, he was beating about the bush. The speech was a repetition
of his address at Naudero, where he had warned that anyone daring to cast
an eye on democracy would be dealt with severely. It remains anybody's
guess who is his enemy, busy hatching conspiracies against democracy and
the PPP. It has been quite some time now, but he has yet to unmask the
hidden face, the ominous monster working against him
His statement that it was the right of the people of Faisalabad to have
electricity was a sardonic one with a tinge of irony. Clearly, he was rubbing
salt on the people's wounds in Faisalabad who have been hit hard by the
power crisis. Popularly known as the Manchester of Pakistan for its textile
mills, the industrial hub is now on the brink of an economic collapse. By
saying that he would lower the electricity tariffs in the days to come, he
fought shy of telling the public that he was going to give them an electric
shock. The RPPs which the government plans to install would raise the rates
by 45 percent.
President Zardari has to come clean on a number of issues from
restoring powers to the Parliament and the PM to following up on his words
and promises with definite moves. But most important this conduct,
unbecoming of a head of the state, must be given up.
Farooq Hameed Khan was of the view that the NAB's role will be
crucial towards the just and fair implementation of the SC directives.
However there remain many doubts about its role in the prevailing situation.
With NAB under tight government control, the accountability process, in
general, and follow-up of NRO cases, in particular, cannot be expected to be
fair and transparent.
How can NAB's prosecutors, appointed in early 2009 with known
political affiliations and lacking anti-corruption expertise prosecute their
party high-ups, both in and out of power? Is the fate of NRO cases already
written on the wall? The SC's monitoring cell needs to devise a strategy to
take care of the above mentioned variables and ensure fairplay. It may
also review all non-NRO corruption cases that were closed by NAB in
2008/09. If the cases against the NRO beneficiaries stand restored, then the
cases of many other co-accused (not falling under the NRO) who had
obtained acquittals also need to be reopened.

763

Previously, Zardari has been to Lahore on brief trips primarily to cheat

Sharif brothers or to teach them politics as he had boasted sometimes back.
This time he had gone to encroach upon their political support in the largest
province of Pakistan. On 21st January, Azam Khalil looked at his visit from
this angle.
While in Lahore Mr Zardari made certain moves not only to
revitalize his tottering Peoples Party in Punjab but also sent a sharp signal
to his political adversaries that the days of the Party were far from over
in Punjab. That it still retained the capability to pull out a surprise in the
coming local government elections. In a veiled threat to Mian Nawaz Sharif,
Mr Zardari announced that the outcome of the coming local government
elections will establish as to what popularity various political parties
command in the country. There was some meat in the threat of the
incumbent president because if the PML-N and PML-Q contested the local
government elections as independent units there would be a substantial
benefit for the PPP that can then become the single largest party in these
elections.
Another factor that may help the Party in the coming local
government elections would be the hostility of the Punjab Chief
Minister, Mian Shahbaz Sharif, towards the system of local government
who was more inclined to look after this tier of government by the
government appointed administrators from the bureaucracy. Certainly, no
one can deny the fact that Mr Shahbaz Sharif had valid reasons for his
thinking to replace the nazims with civil servants. This was because a vast
majority of the local government set up was so deeply mired in corruption
If the PML-N was able to establish its citadel in this form of government it
will become easier for them to contest general elections and to win more
seats then be possible for them to capture without a strong base in the local
government.
On the contrary, Mr Asif Ali Zardari has demanded that the local
government elections should be held within the stipulated 90 days period as
provided under the existing laws which will provide an advantage to the PPP
because the opposition against them would be divided and fractured. Mr
Zardari was also aware of the fact that he was being double crossed by
Nawaz Sharif though the leader of PML-N had more than once pledged to
safeguard and strengthen the institution of democracy. At the same time, a
selected lot of the PML-N leaders were carrying out a vicious campaign of
slander against the federal government with the help of certain vested
interests in the media
764

While this decision of Mr Zardari will help to rejuvenate the Peoples

Party in Punjab, his maverick Governor, Mr Salman Taseer, has over a
period of time established himself as to be the main rallying point for the
Party during the absence of any first-rate leader in the province.
Unfortunately, this weakness has remained in the Peoples Party since its
establishment and no real effort has been made by the top leadership of
the party to allow good people to be elevated to various party positions.
Therefore, during the Governor's Rule, Mr Taseer was handicapped by the
absence of quality leadership within the party ranks in Punjab.
Moreover, while the circus of the Peoples Party continued in the
Governor's House, the absence of both the Sharif brothers from the country
re-established the notion that either they were playing the traditional cat and
mouse game with democracy or were following a secret understanding with
the Party that would ultimately end up with the establishment of the 'two
party system' in the country. Most of the politicians who criticize Mian
Nawaz Sharif on being too soft with the Peoples Party and Mr Zardari to
award political concessions to the PML-N, the leadership could be left in
the lurch in case the understanding between Zardari and Nawaz
blossoms along with the institution of democracy.
The Nation commented on the detailed judgment on NRO. With the
Supreme Courts detailed judgment on the NRO now out, the government
can no longer put up any excuse for foot-dragging on putting it into
effect. critics, who contended that the directives were quite clear and
specific, did not press the point, however, for one thing that the detailed
judgment was in any case expected in the near future; and, for another, high
government functionaries were declaring that they would abide by the
judiciarys decisions
But in implementing the verdict, lies the rub! No less a person
than the President finds all cases against him that the NRO had whitewashed
reappear in their stark form, whether these cases were within Pakistan or
outside. The charge of stashing away $60 million in Switzerland would stand
revived, as the government is directed to take up the matter with the
authorities there. The then Attorney General Malik Qayyum would have to
be proceeded against for transgressing his authority to withdraw the cases
against Mr Zardari in Switzerland The judgment also throws open the
question of presidential immunity and eligibility for office.
Would the government quietly and decently honour the verdict, in
letter and in spirit? Or are we up for a period of a clash of institutions and

765

political turmoil? The public utterances of the President as well as the Prime
Minster, vowing respect for the judiciary, suggest the happier course.
However, the post-short order scenario, which is filled with the threat of the
use of Sindh card and the exercise to get provincial assemblies and public
backing for Mr Zardari, comes as a prelude to defiance. One must wish that
wiser counsels prevail and an institutional clash that can endanger the
nascent democratic experiment is avoided at all costs. It is in obeying the
rule of law and accepting the judicial interpretation of the constitution that
lies the hope for the country's retrieval from the abyss, moral, social as well
as political, that unscrupulous rulers have led it to.
Next day, the newspaper wrote on post-verdict scenario. The
countrys political scene, in the wake of the Supreme Court judgment on
the NRO, is filled with tentative remarks from PPP leaders.
Constitutional and legal experts, media men and the politically conscious
sections of society are continuously debating the options before those whose
cases stand revived, and are speculating on the governments future course
of action, especially with regard to President Zardari. However, political
analysts are making intelligent guesses
PML-Ns Ch Nisar fears the government is playing tricks. Justice
Jawad S. Khawaja, in an additional note to the main judgment, rightly says
that the order provides an occasion for the innocent victims of political
vendetta to clear themselves and Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan
would like the maker of the NRO to be taken to task.
It seems that the government, having filed a review petition against
the short order, would go in for a review of the detailed judgment as well.
Although it would be hard to predict the official reaction in case the plea is
turned down, one might venture to conclude, from the at times acerbic
attitude of the ruling political leaders since the short order that the
government would not easily give up. Would that it realizes the far-reaching
consequences of any confrontation between the two pillars of the state. The
damage it would cause to the democratic system, desperately trying to put
down roots in the Pakistani soil, would be incalculable, and the general
public, that views adherence to the rule of law, as symbolized by the
acceptance of judicial decisions in right earnest, as the key to resolving our
multifaceted crises, might react in an unpredictably harmful manner.
Dr Farooq Hassan took the verdict as a stunning rebuke to corruption.
In a country where praetorian, feudal and colonial norms determine social
thinking and public behaviour, democracy remains susceptible to anti-

766

democratic challenges. Playing the role of a knight in the service of

democracy in Pakistan is neither easy nor follows any set practice since
polemical rhetoric or the borrowed and fake robes of a martyr are always
seen through by the masses who are being made the target of such an
adornment. The people have become as suspicious of the calls of
democracy being in danger as they are wary of slogans such as Islam in
danger or stability at any cost or Pakistan first. The weaknesses in the
case of those gunning for the independence of judiciary are clearly visible
but its defenders need to see that the task in front of the Supreme Courts
handling of national causes is both delicate and difficult.
The apex courts ruling against corruption in the NRO matter is
the clearest affirmation of the wishes of the people and the demands of
the Republican nature of our constitution. Those given the tasks of
defending this dangerous addiction of the people in power, only have the
spurious argument to put forth that it is an elected government and so we
must leave it alone. How irrelevant can they be? Do not they know that even
in admittedly working democracies, the law must prevail and even elected
governments must yield to change in office when found to be corrupt?
Election is not a cure for the malady of corruption. Recent
political events may be cited for this proposition; the present Japanese PM
lost popularity within a couple of months of winning a general election and
the US president has not even completed a year in office and his approval
ratings are down to less than 50 percent and the media is criticizing him for
many faults of commissions and omission of his administration.
Ending corruption is a noble and popular cause that in the past
has been used in Pakistan to undermine democracy by usurpers and not
really to strengthen the basic norms pertaining to representative institutions.
In October 1999 Musharraf came to root out corruption; he left eight years
later leaving behind a corruption mess which would take all our national
energies for cleansing our public life of this terrible disease! If Pakistani
democracy is to survive, our judiciary must uphold legal action against the
allegedly corrupt and the media must criticize the elected leaders as this does
not undermine the democratic system or is tantamount to overturning the
mandate given by the people in a general election.
I must submit that our main political parties are not apparently
cognizant of their basic political duties to the nation in respect of such
national tragedies. There seems to be a conspicuous lack of unanimity over
the issue of corruption as well. I keep on hearing that despite corruption

767

allegations against the PPP leaders, PML-N is not really averse to the
continuity of the present political set up
Farooq went on to discuss the attitude of various political forces
towards this issue and then concluded: Let us therefore play our heartfelt
tributes to the judiciary for its clear stand against the corrupt and move on to
establish democracy in this country.
Aisha Jamali from Lahore wrote: Who are the enemies of
democracy? Enemies of the rule of law, supremacy of constitution,
supremacy of parliament, transparency, accountability, merit, independence
of judiciary, institutional integrity and above all, enemies of the poor. They
are the Mir Jaffers & Mir Sadiqs who sell their country to foreign powers for
a few pennies or in an effort to perpetuate their illegal hold on power or to
continue their un-abatable plunder. Every nation has to remain alert about
these traitors.
Aamir Saeed from Islamabad observed: Pamphlets against judges of
the superior judiciary have been distributed amongst lawyers in Lahore
accusing the superior judiciary of corruption and the Chief Justice of
Pakistan of meeting politicians, as reported in a section of media. It can be
rightly observed that after the NRO verdict by the Supreme Court, a
deliberate upheaval and commotion is being created by some unknown
forces as well as some callous politicians. The attempt is to make the
superior judiciary controversial.
The government is also encouraging these forces by its illmotivated actions like blocking the appointments of new judges and
ignoring the recommendations sent by the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the
CJ Lahore High Court to the President and the governor Punjab respectively.
The government has also filed a review petition in the Supreme Court
regarding the NRO verdict, contrary to its previous stance. Qazi Muhammad
Anwar, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, has alleged that the
government is ridiculing the apex court verdict.
It seems a conspiracy is being hatched to create a rift between the
government and superior judiciary by some vested interests. Some kind of
mafia may be involved in this blame game because an independent judiciary
does not suit them The government should also come forward with a
clear-cut policy to dispel the impression that it is encouraging the elements
involved in such heinous activities against the superior judiciary.
Z I Rahimullah from Hyderabad opined: Mr Zardari, it appears, has
created a new country and is, perhaps unintentionally, but surely making
768

people to forget about Pakistan. The way he keeps drumming Bhuttoism in

every speech, no matter what the occasion, he might want the countrys
name changed tomorrow to something like Bhuttoistan or Benaziristan.
On 23rd January, The Nation commented: Although the month-long
gap between the Supreme Court short order and detailed judgment on the
NRO had not done much to tone down the angry rhetoric of PPP leaders,
including the President, there was some hope that, as the realization to
accept, without demur, judicial verdicts sinks in, the reaction would mellow
down. After all, there is so much noise in the air raised by them and their
coalition partners, warning of dangers to the democratic system, and, if
anything, respect for the rule of law and Constitution is an imperative
requirement for this system to grow and stand on its feet.
Unfortunately, an attitude of blaming the media and political
opponents for their insistence upon leadership to conform to this
fundamental practice in vogue in democracies the world over is very much
in evidence. Theories of conspiracies of the pen an obvious reference to
newspapers and snipers a probable allusion to the opposition have
been voiced by no less a person than the President himself. While his
remark, We did not come into power from the backdoor, is unquestionably
correct, it does not relieve the rulers of the absolute necessity to abide by the
law. Rather, it should be even more obligatory for them to remove any dark
shadow on their conduct; theirs is an example for the rest of the nation to
follow. Recounting the good deeds of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the context
of nationwide criticism hardly seems pertinent.
Pakistan is caught up in a mesh of crises, both external and internal.
With the so-called friendly US coming out in true colours and constantly
breathing down our neck, it simply cannot afford to have another crisis that
could threaten the countrys stability. For that, the President has to restrain
himself and not throw caution to the wind. His utterances have farreaching meanings and ought not to be based on flimsy arguments. One
should expect Mr Zardari to lead the way towards the goal of establishing
democracy on a firm footing.
Fakir S. Ayazuddin observed: The Judiciary has finally broken free
of its shackles which had made it prone to attacks by the unscrupulous
elements in the executive. One still remembers the briefcase full of crores of
Rupees being flown on a Punjab Governors plane to Baluchistan to split the
Judges of the Supreme Court a move that eventually led to the isolation
and removal of Justice Sajjad Ali Shah an eminent and incorruptible Jurist.

769

The bearer of the crores was rewarded by being elevated to the Presidency of
Pakistan.
In this instance the NRO was drafted as a law to give sanction to
corruption committed by the PPP hierarchy. Any corrupt act was bundled
together as political victimization. How the Chairman of Steel Mill could
claim political victimization as Crores of Rupees were recovered from the
lockers of his family. How the Chairman of a Textile Quota Management
Authority could garner a sum of 200 million Rupees, and abscond to enjoy
his loot traveling around Europe. How the Chief of Naval Staff picked up
Millions of Dollars as kickbacks for buying the right submarines? The list
goes on and on. Every one of the claimants under the NRO has used the
plea of political victimization. How any of the above could be called
political victims is indeed a mystery which has been denied them by our
Supreme Court.
The difficult part will be the recovery of the looted billions. Our
President has been written up on the internet as the seventh richest leader in
the world without a country or a business to his credit, or a source of
income. The shameful role has been that of the US and the UK Governments
in the drafting and brokering of the NRO in ramming this unpleasant and
illegal law onto the Justice Department of Pakistan. Mr Lyall Grants father
must be turning in his grave. It is just as well that the name of Lyallpur has
been changed. Yet the FO officials visited Pakistan regularly to drum up
support for the NRO, and must have been shattered by the Judgment of the
Supreme Court. Justice Raza has in his notes included the need to punish the
authors of this nefarious document. A story doing the rounds includes the
likelihood of these same officials of HMG and Negroponte, and Boucher
being charged in their respective countries for abetment in the criminal
attempted robbery of state funds of Pakistan. They could also be charged
for violation of anti-corruption laws in the US and the UK who have both
signed the Anti corruption and Corrupt Practices Act.
There can be serious charges against all the officers named above,
with serious prison sentences, for abetment. Perhaps the Pakistani court can
also charge the above for abetment in Pakistan. It would be ironic if an
international law could be used to prosecute foreigners here in Pakistan, and
that too by Transparency International, an institution that has for too long
lectured us on how low we rated on their list Ad nau-seam comes to mind.
Yet it was the State Department and of course the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs that actually drafted the NRO, and sold it to General
Musharraf.
770

Inayatullah opined: It was the Supreme Court judgment on the

NRO case that jerked Mr Zardari out of the palatial bunker to hop over
to the colonial heritage Governors House in Lahore. Apprehensive as he
was, of the dreaded reopening of criminal and corrupt cases against him, he
took to mobilizing the jiyala brigades against the so-called conspirators.
He used verbal jugglery to win sympathy and project himself as champion of
the cause of the deprived and oppressed
Now that detailed judgment has come, Mr Zardari would do
himself a lot of good if he were to carefully read it. It will enormously
educate him and also convince him about the evil nature of the law in
question. How could, a political leader collude with a military ruler to
whitewash past misdeeds and thus prepare the ground for the party to
capture power? Rightly has the Supreme Court rebutted the notion that the
so-called NRO was aimed at national reconciliation in the country? It was
in fact promulgated as a result of a deal.
Citing an extract from one of late Benazirs books, honourable
judges came to the following conclusion: the NRO, 2007 was designed to
benefit a certain class of individuals. Thus we, prima facie, hold that the
NRO, 2007 was not promulgated for achieving the object of national
reconciliation as according to its substantive provision i.e. Section 2, it was
meant to extend benefit to the accused persons, against whom cases were
registered between 1st January, 1986 to 12th October, 1999. Likewise
Inayatullah produced some more extracts from the judgment and the
added: If the president carefully peruses the judgment, fully realizing his
responsibilities as the head of the state and a symbol of national unity, he
will certainly realize that it was improper to have indulged in the kind
of language used by him? When he says that we cant be killed by pen or
bayonet and uses unnecessarily strong language, he certainly is not
rendering any service to the party or the nation. His record of reneging on
solemn pledges to restore the judiciary is well-known. He would indeed be
doing a good turn to his party and the cause of civilian supremacy, if he
takes steps to faithfully implement the courts directives. In case he persists
in his ill-advised ways to defy the court, he will be adding incalculably to
the harm already done by him to the body politic and the political process.
Indeed, Mr. Zardari will be putting his qualities of head and heart to
good use if he repents and resolves to defend the Constitution of Pakistan.
As the head of a truly national party, he can make a historic contribution to
help the country face the formidable internal and external challenges. In

771

Nawaz Sharif, he has available, a ready support to translate the Charter of

Democracy into reality. As for cases against him revived after the demise of
NRO he should fight for his acquittal if he believes that he is innocent.
Next The Nation wrote: The indications that the President intends
fighting back on the issue of the Supreme Court verdict on the NRO apart,
one can foresee pressure building up, from different directions, to
compel him to discard the conspiracy theories that, he says, are being
hatched against him. As for the presidential immunity under Article 248 of
the Constitution, the contrasting legal opinion would not exclude the
possibility of his trial till he holds the high office. PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan
believes that the Article provides foolproof guarantee against any trial of a
president during incumbency, but other experts like former Law Minister
Khalid Anwar and former Supreme Court Bar Association President Hamid
Khan disagree Gilani should know that the claims like the President
enjoying the support of Parliament do not hold water in case of court
proceedings.
There is little doubt also that the political support Mr Zardari
enjoyed earlier today stands eroded on account of various reasons, what
with poor governance by the PPP-led set-up, the runaway inflation, charges
of corruption, and now with the NRO judgment. One of PPPs top leaders,
Central Executive Committee Member Nafees Siddiqui, sees no conspiracy
against the President, nor does he view the court verdict as directed against
any individual. He may not be the only PPP member to assess the situation
differently. Mr Siddiqui is absolutely right in calling for the resignation of
NRO-tainted Ministers. That would not only serve the interest of the Party,
as he holds, but also of democracy.
A new element of moral pressure, albeit indirect because it emerges
from a court case in a foreign country, would also soon come to haunt the
President and his supporters. A French judge has asked the British and Swiss
authorities to furnish him as much information as possible on the allegations
of embezzlement by Mr Zardari. That is in the context of a case about the
death of 11 French engineers in an attack on a bus at Karachi in 2002. The
attack was supposedly in revenge for the refusal by France to honour an
alleged kickback deal in lieu of the purchase of submarines by Pakistan.
Under the circumstances, the interest of the country would be best served
with the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict without any
reservations. That would, in fact, allow all accused, including the President,
to have their names cleared, and in case they enjoyed popular support,
occupy positions of authority.
772

Jalees Hazir commented: It has been reported that President Zardari

is delaying the appointment of 64 judges to the superior judiciary. The
extremely unpopular president who does not tire of harping upon his awami
credentials has been sitting on recommendations from the chief justices for
months, hampering the ability of the under-staffed courts to dispose of the
large number of cases pending before them. Apparently, the president and
his yes-men, who used every trick in the book trying to stop the restoration
of an independent judiciary, have still not reconciled with the idea of being
accountable to an independent authority. As they maliciously pontificate
about the need for institutions to stay within their limits, it is important to
remind them that the constitutional limits apply to every institution of the
state and not just the judiciary; and that the most glaring example of
crossing constitutional parameters is the presidency under President
Zardari.
During his visit to Lahore last week, he once again thundered against
his invisible enemies Rather than creating insecurity amongst the
people and fuelling the rumour mills, why doesnt he do something
about these evil conspirators? After all, he is the president. In fact, he is
also the chairperson of the party that is heading the government. So if he has
credible information about the conspiracy and its perpetrators, he should not
find it difficult to punish them for any illegal and unconstitutional activities
that they might be engaged in. As president, he should be calming nerves
rather than inflaming emotions and raising the political temperature.
One does not have to be a constitutional expert to see how President
Zardari has distorted the office of president by retaining his position as
the chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party after his election. Ironically
his PPP, that had fiercely opposed the functioning of the presidency under
Musharraf, has no issues with its president following the same path. It
objected to the rubber-stamp parliament under Musharraf but has no
problem with Zardari calling the shots from the presidency. It cried murder
when Musharraf held meetings with the PML-Q leadership in the presidency
though he did not hold any party office but has no problem with Zardari not
only holding regular party meetings at his official residence but also
retaining the PPP chairmanship. What was not good for the goose seems to
be good for the gander as far as the PPP-herd is concerned.
Notwithstanding their hollow rhetoric about respecting the
independence of judiciary and its verdicts, the president and his loyalists
have consistently tried to undermine the institution through their statements
and actions. More recently, they have tried to create an impression that the
773

judiciary is overstepping its constitutional role Just like any other holder
of public office, the elected representatives are supposed to perform their
duties in service of the people. The people elect them for a certain function
and they are provided privileges to help them perform that function Can
we say that the elected representatives are performing their duties according
to their constitutional role? And if they are, do we have to suffer their
abuse of power and wait for the next elections to make them
accountable?
Theres nothing wrong with criticizing the elected representatives for
doing all these extra things that are not a part of their constitutional role. And
if the media or the judiciary make them accountable and demand from them
that they play their constitutional role rather than using their office for
forwarding their personal agendas, they are actually performing their duties.
And helping the elected representatives perform theirs. Perhaps those
championing democracy today have forgotten that before the rule of
law movement, there was no hope for democracy. The historical support
that the movement generated across the length and breadth of Pakistan was
not for any political party or personality, but for the supremacy of the
constitution rather than arbitrary and personalized governance, and for
accountability of those holding public office. For the people of Pakistan, that
is the essence of democracy, not some personality-cult driven political
party.
It is unfortunate that the president, for his own reasons, is trying to
deepen the divide between the elected representatives and institutions that
are supposed to watch over them and hold them accountable. He would like
us to believe that the elected representatives have no obligations other
than winning elections. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In
healthy democracies, the conduct of elected representatives is scrutinized
very closely between elections as well, and they are answerable for any
irregularity or misconduct that is reported. Given the documented evidence
being produced in the media, doesnt the president feel that he needs to
declare his assets and owes the people of Pakistan an explanation about how
he earned them?
On 25th January, The Nation wrote: There is reason for the issuing of
a handout by the Law Ministry detailing this information, that the public
record be kept in the hands of the President, but the processing of judicial
appointments has hitherto been kept secret. The unprecedented action may
be valid under the Constitution, but it shows the tendency of the
government to interfere where it can in the working of institutions
774

The government has declared often enough that it intended to respect the
Supreme Court verdict, and was a great respecter of institutions. However,
even though the Supreme Court is supposed to fill its own vacancies through
the Chief Justice, the government would like to both express its own
displeasure and interfere in the process of an institution it does not control.
Whatever the result of the process, delay is inevitable, and will mean
the situation in the Punjab, where the PPP-appointed Governor is sitting on
the appointments of judges of the Lahore High Court, will reach the
Supreme Court. One effect of accepting the Presidents rather pointed advice
would be to complicate matters there, as the LHC CJ, who advised the
names of those deserving elevation to the Bench, would himself be elevated
to a higher court, with a longer tenure, but where he could not make such
recommendations.
However, it has become even clearer than the delay in the LHC
appointments, that the government has chosen the path of confrontation.
This is extremely unfortunate, for the Constitution clearly prescribes the
interpretation of all law as the duty of the superior judiciary, not the
executive, which alone the PPP heads. As such, the NRO verdict was for the
Supreme Court to make, for the case had been lodged, just as it is hearing
the missing persons case. It was a verdict for the government to obey,
without regard to any individuals being affected. The government should
have followed the spirit of the Constitution in obeying the verdict and
prosecuting whoever it has been told to, without regard to which individuals
were affected.

On 27th January, Khawaja Muhiuddin from Rawalpindi wrote: A

question is often raised by the followers of Mr Zardari that why the Supreme
Court is after him only when some 8,000 or so other persons were also
beneficiaries of the NRO. The answer to this question is simple; the NRO
was created and signed by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed with the
former President Musharraf. Its main aim was to protect Benazir and her
husband Mr Zardari from charges of massive corruption they were facing at
that time. The other beneficiaries were like scavengers. So if the PPP thinks
that the Supreme Court is pointing a finger only at Mr Zardari, there is
nothing wrong with it. Since Benazir is no longer there, Mr Zardari has to
face the music.

775

On 29th January, The Nation commented: Finally, the Prime Minister

has put to rest the widespread speculations about the governments sincerity
in carrying out, in all its respects, the Supreme Court judgment that nullified
the totally discriminatory National Reconciliation Ordinance. Speaking on
the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday, he made it clear that
while the Law Ministry had been advised to reopen the cases in the NAB,
there was no justification for making any move to reopen the case against
the President in a Swiss court since he enjoyed immunity under the
Constitution. Thus, the pessimists, who did not give much credence to the
remarks Mr Gilani had made earlier, following the court order, in which he
held out the assurance that the judgment would be implemented in full, once
again turned out to be right, as they have been so many times in the brief
history of Pakistan. In fact, the utterances and attitude of government and
PPP leaders since the court decision have been marked by defiance.
Mr Gilani also left those legal experts unconvinced, who are of the
view that not only is the presidential immunity not a blanket privilege and is
tied to certain conditions; but also it is irrelevant as far as Switzerland is
concerned. Non-compliance with the court verdict, which clearly directs
the government to reopen the case in the Swiss court, cannot be viewed
with equanimity, and the words of Mr Gilani that the government has full
respect for the judiciary and its decisions would look bizarrely inconsistent.
It is not clear what the scenario portends for the country though it
certainly points to uneasy times, if not turbulent days, ahead. The mere
rhetoric of respect to the judiciary and full implementation of its orders,
while the actual actions underline the contrary, would not be able to avert
some sort of a clash, though Mr Gilani and many others discount such a
possibility. Should the government continue to take shelter behind the
immunity clause, without getting a clear verdict from the apex court about
this position that some legal experts consider necessary, it would have
serious consequences. The Prime Minister seems to be challenging the
Supreme Court by saying that he does not feel apologetic for asserting
the immunity clause, as he interprets it. Someone has also initiated a case
questioning the eligibility of Mr Zardari as president. It all depends upon
how the apex court reacts to this complex situation and how the government
responds.
Next day, the newspaper added: While the Chief Justice of Pakistan,
Mr Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, has declared that no clash of
institutions was possible, Prime Minister Yousaf Reza Gilani has told
Parliament that the Supreme Court's NRO judgment needed interpretation,
776

which only the Court could do He also said that the Supreme Court would
defend the parliamentary system, and strengthen democracy. Mr Gilani's
response, contained in his address to Parliament, was that the President had
immunity under the Constitution, and if anyone wanted a clarification, they
were free to go to the Supreme Court. In short, the Chief Justice had given
the assurance that the system would not be toppled, as was being busily
propagated by PPP cadres as a consequence of the striking down of the
NRO.
But the PM had declared that the government was insisting on its
view, and was challenging those who view with distaste the ending of all
cases under the NRO, including corruption cases, to go again to the Supreme
Court for a ruling on the presidential immunity that is claimed. The Supreme
Court had ordered Mr Gilani's government to prosecute the cases, which
included money laundering cases against the President. Mr Gilani was
trying to explain why his government was delaying the prosecution of
the President. He did not mention that the President had handpicked him to
head the government.
The government has obviously chosen the path of confrontation,
or rather of not obeying the orders of the Supreme Court, just so that it
may continue to provide protection to the President. If it was facing genuine
difficulties over the prosecution, it would itself go to the Supreme Court, but
it has left this to anyone else, choosing instead to use the immunity argument
to protect itself and continue to defy the Supreme Court's orders. At the same
time, it has Mr Gilani to proclaim, not just to Parliament, but wherever he
can, that the Court is being obeyed. If a party other than the government
goes to the Supreme Court, it could raise the question of the conduct of the
government, which itself includes ministers affected by the judgment.

REVIEW
The forces upholding the rule of law and the violators of law in
Pakistan are standing eyeball to eyeball since the short order on NRO
rendering the entire nation spell-bound. People of Pakistan wait
apprehensively to see as to who will blink first and in their heart they wish
well for the forces in favour of rule of law.
In case the judiciary blinks first all will be lost. It would be a victory
for the evil forces of corruption, which presently form the executive. These

777

forces would play havoc with whatever assets of this poor nation are left.
And, they seemed determined to defeat the forces of law.
If the violators of law blink only some of the corrupt would be the
losers, but the scoundrels would resort to manifesting the threat they have
been giving off and on. They would try to create conditions in which
Pakistan would be made to pay heavy price for the conspiracy of its judges.
So far the evil forces have not made any inroads in defeating the
conspirators. Dr Babar Awan has been trying diligently to create rift
amongst the judges but so far he seemed to have failed. That is why the big
scoundrel has been talking of Shahadit, but the people know that even if he
fell in this battle he wont be worth the dust on the boots of a Shaheed.
The evil forces have made some adjustments in their strategy. They
have lower the tone of confrontation and belligerence and instead resorted to
quiet defiance while waving white flags. Let the courts revive the cases, but
ensure no incriminating evidence is produced against any NROs jiyala
beneficiary. Do not take any action on court orders where the person of
Zardari is involved on the pretext of constitutional immunity. Ignore courts
insistence and resort to delaying tactics till court orders some stringent
action against Zardari and then pretend as victims of conspiracy of pen.
Despite the fact that Zardari regime has sunk quite deep into the selfcreated crises, its main political opponent, Nawaz Sharif cannot seek any
consolation in PPPs troubles. People disapprove the passive and dormant
approach of Nawaz towards the problems faced by the nation. This was quite
evident in the result of by-election in Mansehra.
If the people of Pakistan are really interested in rule of law they must
not sit back and let the embattled forces to decide the issue on their own.
They must also not be mislead by the scoundrels sweet-talk. Beware; their
intentions could be extremely sinister when they start talking sweet. People
must stand behind the forces fighting for the rule of law.
30th January 2010

778

URGE FOR PEACE

The Crusaders have been talking about troop surge in the context of
AfPak until recently. But, at the same time they have been utilizing services
of Saudi Arabia and India in pursuing dialogue with the Taliban and
Hikmatyar to secure peace and also face-saving in more than eight-year
long war. Therefore, the new-found urge for peace did not surprise the
observers.
The peace talk, however, always ended when it came to Pakistan
where terrorists have safe heavens. Herein the Crusaders have been
continuously demanding expansion of military operations to other areas.
Resultantly, their unreasonable attitude earned what it deserved; Pakistan
Army declared that no new operation would be initiated for one year.

779

After hectic diplomatic interaction in New Delhi, Robert Gates arrived

in Islamabad to find the mercenaries here in different mood. His hosts
opposed any enhanced role for India in the context of Afghanistan. This
forced the Crusaders not to raise this issue during London Conference.

NEWS
In Pakistan, three militants were killed and three soldiers wounded
in South Waziristan on 18th January and ten were killed in Lwara Mandi area
of North Waziristan. Three militants were killed when fixing explosives on
Primary Health Unit in Kurram Agency. Two militants were killed in Swat
and seven were arrested in Mianwali along with 410kg explosives.
Remand of five US nationals was extended. The US was withholding
payment of $1.8 billion now on the pretext of non-issue of visas to certain
Americans. PML-Q walked out of Senate in protest over grant of transit
facility to Indo-Afghan trade. JI held rally and demanded release of Dr
Aafia. Her son said her mother was kidnapped along with her children by
FBI men and his younger brother was killed by the kidnappers.
Next day, six people were killed in drone launched missile attack in
North Waziristan. In South Waziristan, 16 militants and two soldiers were
killed. Four foreigners were arrested from Chaman area. In Karachi, Judge
Anand Ram Hotwani sentenced kidnapper of NATO contractor to death. Dr
Aafia yelled at the first prosecution witness for telling lies. She was rushed
out of court. Senator McCain observed Zardari on shaky ground and Gilani
pro-US. Government sought ban Dr AQ Khans movement and contacts with
media; LHC summoned Khan to plead his case.
On 20th January, five militants were held in South Waziristan. Mehsud
jirga agreed to hand over 378 wanted militants, including Hakimullah, to the
government and announced full support to peace and reconstruction process.
An ANP MPA was among five people wounded in remote-controlled bomb
blast in Peshawar; Bashir Bilour remarked Taliban have exhausted their
stock of suicide bombers. In Swat, 20 suspects were arrested and five
militants were killed in Mohmand Agency. US equipment remained in place
in Sihala but its users went into hiding. Two terrorists were held in Quetta.
Two bombers were arrested in Hub and one person was killed and six
wounded in rioting in different parts Karachi.
Next day, Robert Gates met his Pakistani equivalent and thereafter
met the COAS, Prime Minister and President; the latter demanded drones
780

and dollars. The visitor slapped on the face of Rehman Malik by telling the
media men that Blackwater and DynCorp were operating in Pakistan; Malik
would take it as affectionate pat.
However, Gates threats issued during his visit to India failed to
intimidate Army. It decided to take on the ever demanding global bully.
When the visitor reiterated the need to eliminate safe heavens in North
Waziristan, it told the visitor that securing South Waziristan was more
important and it would take a year to do that. Army also asked the US to
provide latest equipment and helicopters for effective counter-terror actions.
One suicide bomber was arrested in Hangu. Five militants were killed
in Swat and nine more in Mohmand Agency. Two MQM-H men were among
three dead in targeted killings in Karachi. Babar Ghauri said drone attacks in
Karachi were possible because of presence of Taliban commanders in the
city.
FBI told the court that Aafias finger prints were not found on the gun
with which she tried to kill American soldiers after snatching that from
them. In Karachi, documentary proofs of her arrest from the city were
produced before a local court. The Supreme Court directed the government
to expedite diplomatic efforts for recovery of missing persons, majority of
whom were sold to the US by Musharraf.
On 22nd January, Robert Gates in his address at National Defence
University said the US has not intention to occupy an inch of Pakistani
territory or have control over its nuclear assets. Three militants were killed
in operation Rah-e-Nijat and five in Rah-e-Raast. Gunship helicopters
attacked targets in North Waziristan and killed two militants. Four suspects
were held from Jamrud area.
Robert Gates guarded revelations about presence of Blackwater in
Pakistan were enough to revive the debate on the issue. PML-N Senator
demanded resignation of Rehman Malik for lying to the nation. NA Standing
Committee has decided to seek explanation. The Information Minister,
however, remained uninformed about Robert Gates remarks and Gilani did
not agree with Gates. In Peshawar, Bashir Bilour said ANP government had
asked US Consulate about Blackwater and the consulate denied.
One policeman was among five people killed in suicide attack on
police station in Tank on 23rd January. At least 15 militants in Kurram
Agency and 9 in Orakzai were killed. Militants destroyed NATO oil tanker
near Peshawar. One suspect (Indian spy) was held in Nowshera. Rehman
Malik stood his ground insisting that there was no Blackwater in Pakistan.
781

Next day, two militants were killed in South Waziristan. US pilot-less

spy plane crashed in North Waziristan; militants claimed shooting it down.
Five people were killed in North Waziristan for spying for the US. Police
held 22 suspects from Junglekhel area near Kohat. One soldier was killed in
Bara area. One Taliban commander was among two militants killed and
seven held in Swat. Three persons were killed in mortar fire in Mohmand
Agency. During recruitment of constables in Islamabad bearded candidates
were abused and ladies harassed. Police arrested four terrorists Jundullah
group for their involvement in Ashura bomb blasts in Karachi.
Two militants were held in South Waziristan on 25 th January. Three
policemen were wounded in rocket attack on a police station in Bannu
district. Security forces killed one militant and arrested six in Swat. NA was
informed that more than 12 thousand Pakistanis were killed in last nine
month in war on terror. Pakistan rejected nuclear material cut-off talks.
Next day, tribesmen of North Waziristan claimed shooting down
another US UAV. Fifteen militants were killed in Kurram Agency. Four
policemen were wounded in militants attack on a police station in Bannu
District. Three militants were killed in gunship attack in Bajaur Agency. Two
MQM men were killed by gunmen in Hyderabad. Motion filed by Aafias
lawyers on the ground of her mistrial was rejected by the judge.
On 27th January, two policemen were killed and five others wounded
in firing on police mobile in Mardan. Three boys were killed in bomb blast
in Dir. One pro-government militia leader was shot dead by militants in
Bajaur. One person was wounded in attack on NATO container near Qila
Abdullah. On the eve of London meeting General Kayani urged NATO to
understand Pakistans strategy.
Next day, four terrorists were killed in South Waziristan. Sihala was
still not vacated by Rehman Maliks foreign trainers; they rejected new
location at Karachi and wanted to move to Simly Dam so as to be close to
the site of their ultimate training mission. Three trailers carrying NATO
supplies were ambushed and damaged in outskirts of Karachi. Forensic
report revealed no evidence of gunfire from M-4; the weapon alleged to be
snatched and fired at US soldiers.
On 29th January, five people were killed in US missile attack in North
Waziristan where Taliban have allowed opening of music shops. Security
forces used air power to kill 24 Taliban in Bajaur Agency. NATO fuel tanker
was attacked in Khyber Pass. UN report exposed the myth of Quetta Shura.
It was concocted by the US to malign Pakistan. The report also said that
782

dialogue with Taliban was assisted by Indian Consulates, particularly with

Hikmatyar. Dr Aafia refuted charge of attempted murder of US soldiers.
Death toll in missile attack in North Waziristan rose to 15 on 30 th
January. Two tribesmen were killed for spying for the US. Seven militants
were arrested in Nowshera. Two soldiers were among sixteen killed and 23
wounded in suicide bombing on a post in Bajaur.
Next day, Taliban warned of big war if truce violated. Ninety people
were killed in US drone-launched missile attacks in January. Army was
investigating reports of Hakimullahs death of wounds received in one of the
missile attacks. Taliban denied the report. Fifteen suspects were held in
South Waziristan. Jets and gunship helicopters pounded militants positions
in Bajaur Agency. Two soldiers were killed in road-side bombing in
Mohmand Agency.
In Afghanistan, twenty Taliban fighters carried out an attack in the
heart of Kabul on 18th January, at a time when oath was being administered
to Karzais new cabinet; five attackers, a civilian and four security personnel
were killed in the ensuing fighting. Tripartite meeting was held in Chaman.
State Department Inspector General was all praise for Blackwaters
performance in Afghanistan.
On 22nd January, Karzai government banned manufacture, trading and
storage of Ammonium Nitrate fertilizer. Romania decided to send six
hundred soldiers to Afghanistan. Seven civilians were killed in explosion of
a blind bomb in northern Afghanistan.
Next day, four soldiers were killed when convoy of provincial
governor was ambushed near Ghazni. A district police chief and two others
were ambushed and abducted in Kunar. Two US soldiers were killed in
roadside bombing. Twelve militants were killed in Helmand and Taliban
killed three women in Paktika. Tripartite meeting held in Rawalpindi agreed
on enhanced intelligence sharing.
Polls for the parliament scheduled in May were postponed for five
months on 24th January. Miliband said dividing Taliban has been part of the
strategy. Three US soldiers were killed in two incidents in southern
Afghanistan. Next day, Turkish, Afghan leaders met in Istanbul and vowed
to fight Islamic militancy. General Petraeus said Afghanistan would take
longer than Iraq to stabilize. UN sought dropping some Taliban leaders
names dropped from terrorists list, including Wakil Muttawakil, Mulla
Zaeef and Hikmatyar.

783

Four policemen were killed in southern Afghanistan on 26 th January.

Nine people were wounded in suicide attack outside US base in Kabul.
Germany agreed to send 500 additional troops. Regional players in Istanbul
supported Karzais strategy of dialogue with Taliban. Next day, five Taliban
were removed from UN blacklist. Taliban termed the so-called reintegration
plan a trick.
On 28th January, participants of London Conference decided to hand
over security responsibility to Afghan security forces in five years. India was
kept out of the plan for the time being and Pakistan advised Taliban role in
Afghan government. Israeli drones were in complete control of Afghan
skies. Next day, six militants were killed in Helmand Province. On 30 th
January, four Afghan soldiers were killed in Wardak Province in friendly air
strike of occupation forces. NATO decided to contribute $500 million to
bribe Taliban. Karzai renewed call for Taliban to reconcile.
With the visit of senior US diplomats to the region, India upped the
ante. On 18th January, Indian BSF fired at a Pakistani border post in Sialkot
Sector; the Rangers retaliated. Ajmal Kasab said all the attackers on Taj
Hotel were Indians; one each from Kashmir, Gujrat and Mumbai.
Holbrooke, who is special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, arrived in
New Delhi to harp do more mantra.
Next day, in open bidding for cricket players for the third edition of
IPL not a single bid was offered for any of the Pakistani players. On 19 th
January, Robert Gates speaking from New Delhi, on behalf of the Indo-US
strategic partnership warned that after next Mumbai-like terror attack India
has every right to lose patience. He also said jihadis were the greatest threat
to peace in South Asia.
On 20th January, leader of the Opposition announced in the Parliament
that MNAs on PML-N wont form part of scheduled visit to India in protest
of Indian attitude; the government cancelled the visit. Next day, Pakistan
Kabadi Association decided not to send its team on its scheduled tour of
India. Pakistan and AJK cable operators announced boycott of IPL matches.
Indian media reported that IPL auction was pre-planned.
On 22nd January, red alert was raised on Indian airports after reports
that al-Qaeda and Jihadi outfits has planned to hijack a plane. These reports
poured in soon after Robert Gates remarks on Indian patience. Next day, the
government stopped CEC from proceeding on visit to India. Indian Supreme
Court told Muslim women between veil and right to vote.

784

River Chenab was reported rendered completely dry for last few
months and the government in Pakistan seemed aloof to the grave situation.
However, Indians remained busy in drying up River Jehlum and Gandhis
disciples in NWFP were jubilating over successfully ditching the Kalabagh
Dam project. Indian Interior Minister said Pakistan would be responsible if
another Mumbai like terror attack occurred.
BSF fired at Pakistani border posts in Sialkot Sector on 26 th January to
celebrate Indias Republic Day. Pakistan Foreign Office called Indian High
Commissioner and protested this kind of celebrations. Gilani, however, stuck
to the policy of his boss; he wanted friendly relations with India. Punjab
Assembly passed a resolution against grant of transit trade facility to India
when it was drying up Pakistani rivers by resorting to water theft. On 28 th
January, Indian HC called on Nawaz Sharif and the host urged resolution of
Kashmir dispute.
In Balochistan, two BSO students were killed in FC firing in Khuzdar
on 18 January; opposition in the Senate walked out in protest. Names of
Baloch sardars were removed from ECL. Next day, Police station and
residence of SHO were attacked Kalat and Khuzdar respectively.
th

Two persons were killed on 20th January in a clash between two Bugti
sub-tribes in Jaffarabad area. Three persons were wounded in grenade
attacks in Khuzdar and at the residence of a Senator in Naushki. Next day,
militants attacked FC post in Nasirabad; two soldiers were among four
wounded in the attack. One person was killed and another wounded in firing
in Dukki area. Unknown gunmen killed one and wounded another in Turbat
area.
One police man was killed and six people wounded in two blasts in
Hub and Basima on 22nd January. Next day, two soldiers were killed in
attack in Khuzdar. Two persons were killed and one wounded in three
incidents of violence in Balochistan on 24th January. Next day, one person
was killed and nine wounded in bomb blast in Panjgur. Three thousand
policemen held protest rallies in Quetta demanding pay increase like NWFP
and Punjab.
On 26th January, DPO was among seven people wounded in bomb
blast in Quetta. Four hundred policemen were booked after their unruly
behaviour in Quetta. On 28th January, a doctor and another person were shot
dead in Khuzdar. Two persons were killed and 18 wounded in bomb blast in
Jaffarabad District. Next day, three people were killed by unknown gunmen

785

is suburbs of Quetta. On 30th January, a boy was wounded in firing at a

vehicle of security forces in Quetta.
In IHK, Indian occupation forces violated LoC in Keil Sector on 19 th
January; one soldier was killed and another wounded in the firing. This
happened on the day when both Robert Gates and Holbrooke were in New
Delhi. The strategic partners were sending clear warnings to Pakistan, or was
it a friendly signal to their friend in Presidency in Islamabad? Seven
policemen were wounded in two attacks by freedom fighters.
On 20th January, Pakistan lodged protest over killing of its soldier.
Military court indicted two army officers and two civilians for holding
membership of banned outfit Hizbut Tahrir. One Kashmiri was killed and 12
wounded in police used force in Srinagar on 22nd January.
One Kashmiri was killed by police in IHK on 23 rd January. Next day,
thousands of Kashmiris held protest rally over killing of an innocent civilian.
Kashmiris observed Black Day on Indian Republic Day. A Kashmiri youth
was killed and eight others were wounded when police used force against
protesters in Srinagar on 30th January.

VIEWS
The war against terrorism in Pakistan continued to be commented
upon on daily. On 19th January, M Ali Riaz from Lahore wrote: The
government of the PPP, the opposition parties including the PML-N and the
allies in coalition like the ANP have to address the issue of foreigners on our
soil openly as their failure to do so shows that the whole scenario has been
choreographed with their tacit support. And if that be so, the people of
Pakistan would never forgive them. To me, they all seem part and parcel of
this conspiracy.
The Blackwater is clear and present in Pakistan but the everyday
incidents involving the Americans are being hushed up with complicity of
them all. The media has made some hue and cry, numerous talk shows
having been held on the subject but it is very frustrating that the anchors
themselves are too scared to openly question the politicians on this blatant
violation of our integrity. The time has come for the whole nation to
understand seriousness of the current situation. The Americans have
spent over a trillion dollars by last count in Afghanistan and Iraq on
maintaining their unjustified occupation of these countries. They refuse to
learn from history. The CIA, RAW and MOSSAD are one on the agenda to

786

destabilize Pakistan, or more precisely, to destabilize Pakistan enough to be

able to take over our nuclear assets. They must come prepared, though, as
this is not Iraq. The trillion they have spent on occupations and fighting on
another countrys soil should have been spent on building defenses around
their homeland, a virtual shield around the US.
Next day, Shireen M Mazari opined that the two-front threat has been
emerging since Indo-US nexus in the garb of strategic partnership. She
visualized that part of it would be unfolded at forthcoming London
conference by requesting India to train Afghan security forces. She wrote:
In view of these developments, what are the immediate options for
Pakistan which will protect its interests as well as signal an effective
message to both the US and India?
First and most immediate, Pakistan needs to move its troops back to
its Eastern front and cease operations in FATA. We need to distinguish
between our militancy problem, which is certainly threatening and very real,
but has multiple dimensions, and the misguided US War on Terror. On the
Western front, it needs to realign its forces along the Chaman border area
with Afghanistan where it is expected US boots may enter Pakistan on the
ground.
Second, it needs to tell the US in no uncertain terms that it will not
tolerate these Indian military incitements and may well up the ante also
choosing its own time, place and type of response. Third, Pakistan needs to
categorically refuse to participate in the London Conference if the plan to
train the Afghan National Army by India is even discussed informally. In
fact, under the circumstances, if India participates in the Conference,
Pakistan should consider the option of boycotting it. Let us see how far the
US and UK get in Afghanistan without Pakistans active cooperation!
Fourth, it is time to demand that Indian operatives move out of
Afghanistan and Indian consulates in Afghanistan along the border area with
Pakistan be closed. The fact that the Indian aggression has come
immediately in the aftermath of the discussions between the Indians and
visiting Americans including Defence Secretary Gates, and following on
the heels of the visit to Kabul by Indias DG MI, shows only too clearly the
Indo-US nexus in terms of presenting Pakistan with a possible two-front
threat.
In her second analytical review on the day, Shireen M Mazari
observed: There are a series of events unfolding, seemingly delinked from
each other, but in reality connecting to form a larger picture which bodes ill
787

for Pakistan. First, there is the Pakistan-Iran relationship which is being

undermined by US pressure. For instance, when Iran has already built the
gas pipeline up to the border with Pakistan, why are the Pakistanis delaying
the project and, that too, at a time when this country is in the grip of a
growing gas shortage? Some argue that the price has become too high but
the pricing mechanism had been agreed to and incidentally Iran is already
supplying gas to Europe including Turkey and a Gulf state as well.
There seems to be no logic beyond US pressure which already
worked on India and led her to back out of the Iran pipeline project. But for
India the pressure was feasible because the US was providing nuclear fuel
and plants to help India overcome its energy deficit. In the case of Pakistan,
it is simply pressure with no alternate commitments in terms of a lucrative
nuclear deal. Although given how the US has yet to pay up what it owes
Pakistan in terms of the Coalition Support Fund, US commitments for
Pakistan have a declining credibility. So why would our leaders give up a
concrete gas project for vague US promises in the conventional energy
sector?
Equally critical is the Pakistani leadership's hesitation in taking up
the Iranian offer of supplying initially 1000 mw of electricity on to the
national grid Anyhow, it is not just on Iran that we are turning the
positives into negatives. On Afghanistan also we are in danger of falling
into another trap, this time to give India a de jure greater role in Afghan
affairs something it already has covertly, with US blessings
The issue right now is that with all the multiple forums on
Afghanistan, where different countries are playing differing roles, there is no
clarity of purpose on what should actually be done for the reestablishment of
stability in that occupied country. Also, it undermines the interests that direct
neighbours of Afghanistan have in seeing stability return so that refugees
can return and militants cannot be used by external interests in neighbouring
states. Pakistan should focus on a contact group comprising only the
direct neighbours of Afghanistan so that one main forum is made central
to the whole Afghan problem. Presently, it is being said that the Holbrooke
visit to this region as well as the Gates visit from India to Pakistan is to
pressure Pakistan into accepting a more direct Indian role in Afghanistan
to be suggested in London.
Which brings up another development impacting Pakistan and
involving the US, Afghanistan and India; this is the Afghan transit trade
issue which the US was using to push Pakistan into granting the land route

788

trade access to India. Now some concerned quarters in Pakistan fear that the
Commerce Ministry may give India indirect access through granting access
to Afghan trucks to come through Pakistan into India! Apart from raising
all manner of security and smuggling problems, it makes no sense to
give this access to India at a time when the latter is upping the conflictual
ante with Pakistan.
Finally, in all this plethora of critical developments, there was the
visit of the Indian DG Military Intelligence, Lt General Loomba at the time
that Holbrooke was berating Pakistanis in Islamabad. The visit ties in with
the US-India discussions on a greater Indian military role in Afghanistan and
Loomba is said to have met with Afghan, NATO and US officials as well as
the Indian covert operatives tied in with the Afghan National Army in the
guise of trainers. After the Loomba visit, Holbrooke and Gates were said
to have held a meeting with the Indians specifically to discuss Indian
troops for Afghanistan.
So the more one comes to know of developments relating to this
region and the questionable role of the extra-regional players especially with
India, the more one can see a dangerous connectivity amongst them all and
the threat that all this poses for Pakistan. Let us hope the Pakistani
decision makers can also look beyond their Washington blinkers.
On 22nd January, The Nation wrote: Defence Secretary Gates has
arrived in Pakistan with an inexplicably large delegation, after visiting India.
Bringing nothing new, he has admitted to the presence of independent
operations by Blackwater and DynCorps in Pakistan and hinted that the US
is merely considering giving drone technology to Pakistan. Gates visit to
India coincided with the Indian militarys unprovoked firing against the
Pakistan military across the LOC and along the working boundary. There,
speaking the Indian language, he declared that India would not be patient in
case another Mumbai occurred; and that Al Qaeda could provoke a nuclear
war between Pakistan and India
His visit comes at a time when the US approach to Pakistan is
becoming ever more offensive and should by now be unacceptable to its
leadership as it is already unacceptable to the Pakistani nation. There is the
continuing withholding of the money owed to Pakistan for the costs and
losses it has incurred in supporting the US war on terror although a vast
extent of these costs are incalculable in terms of destruction of the social
fabric and economic potential of this country. Now the US is holding this
money, which effectively belongs to Pakistan by right, hostage to Pakistan

789

issuing visas to US nationals without proper procedures and checking. On

top of this, the US continues to increase its drone attacks and use various
forms of pressure to undermine the countrys interests ranging from
opposing the Iran gas pipeline project to demanding a unilateral concession
of the land trade route to India despite the security and political issues
involved.
Gates seems to have come with the same do more mantra and
brings no good news on the offensive discriminatory screening procedures
for Pakistanis. The same stale demands on Pakistan in terms of militant
bases along with an effort to silence US critics especially on the drones are
being reiterated. An additional agenda seems to be to compel Pakistan to
concede ground to India, especially in Afghanistan. But why should Pakistan
continue to pay the price of following destructive US policies? The recently
departed Holbrooke declared imperially that if Pakistan did not want aid it
did not have to take itUnder the prevailing circumstances, it is time for
Pakistan to chart a new direction in its relations with the US.
Najeeb A Gul from Islamabad observed: The fundamental question
still unanswered is why dont the Americans get it? This is not an
insurgency that can won by applying military lines of operation; it rather
calls for a unique strategy for each theatre, each sector and each pocket.
Some may require military surge while some have to be tackled with some
sort of beginning of the socio-political-economic reforms. Mere
declaration of it as global insurgency has not worked and will not work in
future either. All politics is local. So no matter how large-scale the terrorism
or insurgency may be, local political solutions will have to be sought
locally.
F Z Khan from Islamabad wrote: US Defence Secretary Robert Gates
has warned that if another Mumbai-like attack occurs, Indians may run out
of patience One must remind Mr Gates of four major incidents of
terror for which Pakistan was initially blamed but the later investigations
revealed that forces within India itself were to be blamed for these attacks.
After the September 29, 2008 synchronized bomb attacks in
Malegaon (Maharashtra) and Madosa (Gujarat), that killed 5 and
injured 80, the blame was put on ISI. Later when 11 people were
arrested, including a Hindu Sadhu named Dayanand Pandey and
another Sadhu Pragya Singh Thakur. The interrogations revealed
that they were doing these acts of terror at the express instructions
of a retired Major of the Indian Army, Samir Kulkarni and
790

Lieutenant Colonel Srikant Prohit of Indias Military Intelligence.

Further investigations established that RSS, VHP, World Hindu
Council, BJP, Abhinav Bharat were behind this entire racket.
Colonel Srikant Prohit was also involved in the February 17, 2007
Samjhota Express bombing in which 68, mostly Pakistanis, were
killed and 200 injured. Initially the blame was put on ISI but the
Malegaon-Madosa bombings inquiry exposed the Prohit-led racket
and turned the tide.
In April 2006, the Nanded explosion killed two Shiv Sena activists,
the blame of which was put on Pakistan again but investigations
provided evidence of extensive involvement of retired Indian
military and Intelligence Bureau personnel.
Similarly in December 13, 2001 attack on Indian Parliament case,
the Indian Supreme Court, in its August 3, 2004 pronouncement, set
aside the charges of Pakistans involvement. Mr. Robert Gates
should know that if any such attack does, indeed, take place again,
India itself would be the most likely culprit because raising the
bogey of terrorism against Pakistan has paid rich diplomatic
dividends to India.
Shireen M Mazari commented on statements about Blackwater. It is
not just Rehman Malik who lied on Blackwater. Robert Gates has also
cleverly admitted the presence of Blackwater and DynCorp but then
declared that they are here in their private capacity. This is not factually
correct at all and letters exchanged between the US embassy and the
Interior Ministry and Foreign Office as well as letters from DynCorp to the
Interior Ministry reveal that these contractors are here very much in tandem
with the US State Department and hence the US embassy.
The Nation is printing copies of some of the relevant letters to make
the point that Mr Gates is also covering up the real activities of these
mercenaries who are once again acting on the behalf of the US government
as they were doing in Iraq. The fact that the PS to the State Minister for
Interior is in FIA custody for taking bribes in connection with the prohibitive
bore licences for DynCorp also shows how the US embassy was
interfering in the working of the Interior Ministry and offering hefty
bribes for illegal actions.
A brief look at the letters sent will reveal how the US private security
concerns in Pakistan are here working officially for the US embassy and not
791

in their private capacity at all So effectively the weapons had come into
Pakistan before the licences were granted.
So Mr Gates, the facts from US official sources alone establish
without any doubt that the private contractors are in Pakistan working for the
US government alone. As for Rehman Malik, it is time to resign for all
the lies he has been feeding the Pakistani people despite the reality on the
ground.
On 24th January, Samsan Simon Sharaf talked of continuous
deepening of Pakistans security problems. Following military operations
Pakistan holds more ground in troubled areas. However, in a counter
insurgency operation, ground is not always the most vital. In a conflict
lacking manoeuvres and firepower, the insurgent has the option to melt away
and float in the milieu like fish in water. The method, time and target to
strike are always flexible, invariably punctuated with surprise. In contrast,
the security mechanism remains stretched to limits, predictable and static.
Devoid of any noteworthy economic and moral support, for how long will
the country be able to sustain an ongoing asymmetrical conflict that is now
costing more than all the wars in the past combined?
The effects of the Afghan conflict on Pakistan are damaging on all
counts The military to some extent may succeed in dominating the
geographical and cyber space, but what of the individuals whose mind
cannot be reached and tamed and who have the capacity to proliferate? They
inevitably matter in a society fractured by poor economic conditions,
sectarianism, crime and population explosion Tragically, a national
policy to win hearts and minds in general and at the grassroots in
particular is conspicuously missing. For how long can we play the flute
while Pakistan burns?
Barring military operations daringly led by young officers, all other
indicators of a national well being have gradually plummeted The GDP
other than the incidental 1.1 is virtually at a halt. Barring the import bill,
Pakistans economic downturn does not appear to be affected by the global
recession. The question arises that despite positive home grown indicators,
why Pakistans economy is being allowed to slide into shortages,
hyperinflation and dependency?
Just like the insurgents need a cause and outside support to
sustain themselves, countries fighting them also need a powerhouse to
defeat them. Even the best military plans are doomed to fail in the absence
of an all encompassing national strategy. So far the entire might of ISAF and
792

USA with full international support and massive resources has only resulted
in ceding more areas to Taliban
Gratitude to Pakistan in this disowned conflict usually makes
headlines in form of leaks by the American and British media reflecting an
uneasiness with Pakistans nuclear capability and complicity with terrorism.
This propaganda is followed by statements of US and UK officials
synchronized with threatening statements and posturing from India and their
military establishment. With the Baghliar Dam in operation and numerous
run of the river power generating units on rivers leading to Pakistan in
place, India manipulates water flow at will.
What has the government done to formulate a cohesive national
policy? Rather than venture on an all-encompassing national austerity
programmethe government seems to adopt and pursue policies to the
contrary Rather than channelise all efforts into the conflict and nation
building, resources are being wasted on issues not of immediate
significance. It appears that Pakistans policy makers have willingly chosen
to recluse the nation to backwardness. Presidents recent tirades are
unequivocal in that if we go, everything goes with us. This is indeed a
very poor reflection of a country and its leadership at war.
Next day, The Nation commented: The US is clearly in no mood to
accommodate Pakistans interests or sensitivities as it goes about its
already-failed military-centric war on terror in this region. Having failed to
push the Pakistan Army into a premature and disastrous operation in North
Waziristan Agency (NWA), it has now decided to increase the already
intolerable drone attacks against Pakistani territory and people And one
should not forget the insult hurled at the Pakistan military by Gates when he
declared in the now-common US imperial approach that they were mulling
over giving Pakistan some drones the reference was clearly made to
outmoded and pretty useless Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) which will
serve little purpose for Pakistan! But for some strange reason the Pakistani
leadership, both civil and military, has adopted a strange silence instead of
giving a befitting response at the declaratory level at least!
Nor is this all. Many non-Western European and US diplomats are
already writing off the London Conference on Afghanistan as merely an
event staged to pursue the US agenda. Part of that agenda poses a direct
threat to Pakistan - that of enhancing the Indian military presence in
Afghanistan For Pakistan that is simply unacceptable. Given the general
sense of what will happen in London, it would serve Pakistans interests to

793

simply boycott London and focus on the trilateral regional cooperation

amongst the immediate neighbours of Afghanistan, expanding this to include
all the neighbours. Walking knowingly into a political trap would be
inexcusable on the part of this already beleaguered government.
Khalid Iqbal opined; If corrective action is not taken, anti-America
sentiment would rise exponentially. Pakistan may decide to even walk-off
from some portions of American strategy towards Afghanistan. Instead of
arm-twisting, the Americans need to be responsive towards the
sensitivities of Pakistan and carry it along as a trusted ally. Unnecessary
pampering of India is bound to have negative fallout on the Pak-US
relations.
Sending droves of neither drones nor visitors would solve the
problem. The Americans have to take into account the ground realities as the
time for a military surge is over. Likewise, arm-twisting maybe
counterproductive for coaxing Pakistan into any arrangement that is
perceived by the people of Pakistan as incompatible with its national
interests. America needs to measure its brinkmanship in keeping with the
gathering storm of the anti-American sentiments in Pakistan.
The Pak-US bilateral relations and associated multilateral
interactions are beneficial to both. These must be preserved and
sustained on a long-term basis. The onus surely rests on American
statesmanship; it is time to make a departure from Bush era policies and
follow an objective and constructive approach.
Elisabeth Bumiller observed: Nobody else
Administration has been mired in Pakistan for as long as
Robert M. Gates. So on a trip here this past week to
countrys growing rancor toward the United States,
punching bag tested over a quarter-century.

in the Obama
Defense Secretary
try to soothe the
he served as a

Are you with us or against us; a senior military officer demanded

of Mr Gates at Pakistans National Defense University, according to a
Pentagon official who recounted the remark made during a closed-door
session after Mr Gates gave a speech at the school on Friday. Mr Gates, who
could hardly miss that the officer was mimicking former President George
W. Bushs warning to nations harboring militants, simply replied; Of course
were with you.
That was the essence of Mr Gatess message over two days to the
Pakistanis, who are angry about the Central Intelligence Agencys surge in
missile strikes from drone aircraft on militants in Pakistans tribal areas,
794

among other grievances, and showed no signs of feeling any love. The trip,
Mr Gates first to Pakistan in three years, proved that dysfunctional
relationships span multiple administrations and that the history of
American foreign policy is full of unintended consequences
Mr. Gates, who repeatedly told the Pakistanis that he regretted their
countrys trust deficit with the United States and that Americans had made
a grave mistake in abandoning Pakistan after the Russians left Afghanistan,
promised the military officers that the United States would do better.
On 28th January, The Nation commented on attempts at Afghan
reconciliation and American attitude towards Pakistan. While the reality
on the ground has brought round the Americans to back Mr Karzais
reconciliation efforts, the have continued with the sinister looking policy
of pressurizing Pakistan to expand the military operation to highly sensitive
areas that could spell disaster for the countrys stability. Since their own
troops are not involved, they are turning a deaf ear to Islamabads response
that its forces are currently overstretched and engaged in consolidating the
gains in the existing areas of operation.
Whether it has Washington's blessings or not, Pakistan would have to
devise a plan of winning over the angry tribesmen that serves its national
interests. The US would do well to honour its commitments about
development projects in FATA. It is close to four years when President Bush
first talked of reconstruction opportunity zones, but still the US Congress
has not passed the required bill. If the US and Western allies are sincere in
seeing Pakistan develop, they must listen to its repeated calls for
investment in the country and provide it market access.
Next day the newspaper wrote: General Kayani has done some much
needed plain talking at the two-day NATO meeting in Brussels, where he has
told NATO members to understand Pakistans strategy and the
comprehensive approach to the problem of FATA similar to what the US
and NATO were now contemplating in Afghanistan. He also pointed out that
unless there was cooperation between NATO and Pakistan, the enemy could
not be defeated. General Kayanis remarks come at a time when the US
leadership seems to have forgotten the vital fact that Pakistan is a vital
ally for its efforts in Afghanistan, because President Obama in his latest
State of the Union address chose to completely ignore this critical allys role
in support of the US in Afghanistan.
Also, at a time when the US military is becoming increasingly war
weary with General McChrystal stating that as a soldier, my personal
795

feeling is that theres been enough fighting with reference to Afghanistan

and US Defence Secretary Gates recognizing that the Taliban are part of the
political fabric of Afghanistan. The UN has moved to remove five Taliban
leaders from the Terrorist List and Karzai has gained support for dialogue
with the Taliban in Afghanistan from the neighbouring states. So, unless
there is a covert agenda for Pakistan, the US call for Pakistan to continue
on a suicidal military-centric approach in FATA has little rationality to
it.
Beyond this, General Kayanis reiteration of the need for NATO to
recognize Pakistans role in the fight against Al Qaeda and to give it a bigger
role in finding a solution for Pakistan was also timely. Pakistan, as a
neighbour of Afghanistan and as a state that has paid the heaviest price
for the US-led war there post-9/11, has to ensure that its interest are not
sacrificed. It also has to ensure that its hostile neighbour India is not allowed
space in Afghanistan. Unless the US and NATO are prepared to concede this
ground, Pakistan will find it difficult to continue its vital cooperation. Also,
as General Kayani pointed out, to have the vital trust between NATO and
Pakistan, there has to be meaningful intelligence sharing. Kayanis blunt
message to NATO on military matters needs to be emulated by the political
leadership for strategic cooperation with NATO in Afghanistan.
London Conference was a major event in the contest of Afghanistan.
The views of the observers during the period are reproduced with reference
to this conference. During pre-conference period the Independent wrote:
The attack by the Taliban on the heart of government territory in
Afghanistan is strategically significant the latest in a series of increasingly
bold strikes on Kabul. Its gunmen penetrated the very heart of the heavily
protected capital and got to within a hundred meters of the presidential
palace in which Hamid Karzai was swearing in members of his new
Cabinet.
What the timing of this well-planned and coordinated assault shows
is that the Taliban are a group with a long-term political plan rather
than just a fractious coalition of warlords bent on defending their patch. It
underscores the extent to which this hardline Islamic movement has
regrouped, and despite ever-higher numbers of foreign troops, has steadily
extended its influence. Vast parts of Afghanistan are today vulnerable to
levels of violence which the country has not seen since before the US
invasion of 2001.

796

It all shows how fragile is the political situation not just in

Afghanistan but throughout the Pakistan areas which straddle the border
into Pakistan a country with nuclear weapons which the international
community fears might one day fall into the hands of the Taliban or their alQaeda allies. And it underlines that there is no real alternative to the Wests
present approach to a dramatic increase in the number of its troops while at
the same time increasing efforts to bring greater social and economic
development to the area
The one reassuring element about attacks was that Afghan
security forces took the lead in responding and, from all accounts, did so
reasonably competently, bringing the situation under control within hours.
But the Taliban are proving themselves to be formidable political as well as
military adversary.
It is why, for all the Wests reservations about the petty bribery,
nepotism, clannishness and clientelism of the Karzai regime, it has not much
option but to continue to support it. It is a case, to quote Hilaire Bellor, of
keeping hold of nurse for fear of finding something worse.
New Statesman opined: On 28 January, foreign ministers from
around the world will gather in London for a conference on Afghanistan.
The aim is to mobilize international efforts behind a plan for how to
deploy military and civilian resources on the ground On 18 January,
Taliban gunmen and suicide bombers launched a spectacularly brazen attack
in the heart of Kabul, killing five people, wounding more than 70 others and
striking a blow at the image that NATO forces and the Afghan government
have tried to propagate: of a country heading towards peace, calm and
normality
Can the Taliban insurgency be defeated on the battlefield? One of the
most senior British commanders in Afghanistan is sceptical. In terms of
whether we can defeat them, no, Lieutenant Colonel Nick Kitson told
reporters in Helmand this past week. Anyone who studies counterinsurgency will know that you are not going to win by military means
alone, and therefore our focus is on the population, the security of the
population, and generating the pre-eminence of the Afghan government.
Yet there is little positive news on the issue of governance, either.
The Afghan government is far from pre-eminent and lacks popular
support. Hamid Karzai, after all, was re-elected in a presidential election
marred by the discovery of millions of fraudulent votes. He will arrive at the
conference in London having failed to fill nearly half the positions in his
797

cabinet after the Afghan parliament rejected most of his nominees.

Legislators have rejected the president's picks twice this month; 11 of the 25
seats remain vacant
If the British government and its allies think a conference in London
will resolve the political and military crises in Afghanistan, they are deluded.
Listen to the outspoken Afghan MP Malalai Joya (interviewed on page 28):
I don't expect anything positive from the London conference at all. Since
2001, there have been a number of conferences. They have only pushed
Afghanistan further into the hands of the occupying forces and their local
agents. She is right: Britain should be making plans to withdraw.
Ijaz Khan Yousafzai opined: The current war scenario in
Afghanistan shows that within few years Taliban will take control of
Kabul. Because NATO air strikes have increased the death tool of civilian
that has caused anti-American sentiments among the civilians. Besides
civilians bloodshed at the hands of NATO forces, there are so many other
factors that contribute pessimistically in the failure of US-led coalition
forces in Afghanistan; The invasion of foreign forces over Afghanistan was
aimed to abolish the government of Taliban and the militants of Al-Qaeda
but they didnt succeeded in countering the strength of Afghan militants.
Firstly, because Taliban have got a new momentum to fight against the US
and its allies; and secondly, the foreign forces have failed to stop the drug
trafficking in Afghanistan that was almost totally eradicated by the Taliban
during their tenure. That foreign forces didnt plan to establish any proper
economic plans till Oct 8, 2001 for rehabilitation of the destructed areas, this
could be another factor behind failure of NATO troops. Many banks and
companies have been defaulted and unemployment rate, as predicted by the
American experts, would rise up to 9.5 per cent in the middle of 2010 which
was 8.8 per cent last year.
In such crucial economic conditions, US should revisit to its
policies and must follow the mediating way to face the problems. US
should also treat Pakistan as it treats India and provide sophisticated military
equipments including F-16 jets and Drone technology to Pakistan on soft
conditionality, because Pakistan possesses a very significant strategic
position.
Bruce Loudon opined: After the assault on Kabul, will the new plan
for reconciliation work? Can Taliban be bought off? Or in their frenzied
devotion to Islam, are they irrecuperable? those who have been drafting the
plan say that while Taliban big fish are targeted in the plan, its main focus is

798

on the so-called little Ts or reconcilables mainly lower and middle

ranking Talibs who are seen as potentially liable to inducement.
The problem for Karzais plan now, however, is that the Taliban
is doing better than ever. The assault on Kabul was an indication of that.
There is no hint of the military tide turning against it in a way that might
make its fighters consider the blandishments on offer. Its not just in Kabul
where they are doing well: in provinces across the country, the Taliban hold
sway
There is another major element in the equation, too: the
widespread dismay over Karzais corrupt administration. Significantly, a
UN public opinion survey published this week shows that almost 60 percent
of Afghans view public dishonesty as a significantly bigger concern than
security.
So if Karzais reconciliation plan does not work, what is the
alternative? Its probably worth a shot. But it would be wrong to expect too
much, for the reality is that after almost a decade of waging a battle against
the most massive odds, there is no sign of Mullah Omar and his cohorts
being defeated, much less of them abandoning their battle.
The Nation wrote: General McChrystal, in an interview with Britains
Financial Times has stated very categorically that they are looking towards a
negotiated peace with the Taliban in Afghanistan. This is merely a reflection
of US Defence Secretarys admission last week that the Taliban were part of
Afghanistans political fabric. Of course McChrystal thinks that with the
troop surge, the US can create an arc of secure territory that will allow the
US to negotiate from a position of strength with the Taliban but
regardless, one can expect some dialogue to begin with the Afghan
Taliban.
Interestingly, Britains Miliband has made it clear that his country has
reverted to its old colonial policy of divide and rule and has made it a
part of their strategy to divide the Afghan Taliban presumably to talk to
the so-called good Taliban! Whatever the strategy, both the US and Britain
have come to a clear conclusion that without a dialogue with the Taliban,
there can be no peace in Afghanistan. Given how Britain eventually even
negotiated with the IRA, despite its massive terrorist attacks that extended to
England and also killed a member of the Royal Family, Lord Mountbatten;
negotiating with the Taliban is something that should not pose a problem for
them

799

While the US and UK are evolving strategies to talk to the Taliban in

Afghanistan, the top UN Envoy in Afghanistan has urged Afghan officials to
seek removal of senior Taliban leaders from the UN terror list; and the US to
review the detention of 750 Bagram prisoners a major grievance of the
Taliban. So is the ground being prepared for a US-Taliban dialogue and will
Pakistan once again be left with the destructive remains of a failed US
policy?
On the eve of London Conference MK Bhadrakumar commented:
Clearly, the focus of the London conference has shifted from the original
focus on the Afghanization of the war. NATO's troop surge has become a
sideshow. French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday ruled out any
deployment of additional combat troops. That eases pressure on Germany
too. The Karzai plan for reconciliation with the Taliban has instead become
the centerpiece.
However, just like in Bonn eight years ago, the London conference
is an exclusive gathering of victors, while the vanquished Taliban
remain excluded. The only difference is that the victors who gather on
Thursday have been badly mauled in the past eight years and are terribly
fatigued and almost bled white. They are determined to search out the
vanquished and to talk real peace.
Karzai may outline a five-year reconciliation plan. Evidently, the
London conference will only set the ball rolling in an engrossing game
that promises to stretch to the final lap of Obama's second term, should he
get that far. Yardsticks of success and failure do not apply to a cliffhanger.
Brown may be the only winner at the present stage.
I M Mohsin wrote: President Barack Obama, as a statesman, appears
to know where the shoe pinches in this war. His strategy unveiled before the
cadets at West Point highlighted a likely settlement whereby the US troops
can start flying back home next year. However, there are things which
neither Obama nor Karzai can apparently control. First, is the corruption
which is haunting the state. A recent report affirms that the Afghans have to
pay $2.5 billion under this heading to various agencies to try to survive.
Second, while efforts are being planned for reaching out to the Afghans who
join the Taliban to earn a living, nothing much is mentioned about those who
are fighting for the Taliban to avenge some dear or near ones killed by the
indiscriminate bombing of 'targets'. The US must understand that this
segment of fighters would be harder to appease.

800

Like other powers who got entangled with AfPak, due to the
geopolitical paradigm or otherwise, the US cannot conquer this area.
Secretary Gates on his recent visit bemoaned the mistake made by his
country in the 1990 when it abandoned its 'partners' against the Soviets;
being flush with the excitement of becoming the 'only superpower'. He
assured the people of Pakistan, like Hillary Clinton did on an earlier visit
that the US would stick around this time in a friendly and helpful role.
The game is now swinging towards diplomacy, despite the faade
of expansion of the US troops. Both the sides are trying various tactics to
get their pound of flesh. While the US is the superpower, the other party has
stood by their history/tradition. Peace and justice must team up. USA's focus
on India and China notwithstanding, only Pakistan can help the US out;
more so if it has transparent governance.
Spiegel Online interviewed Russian ambassador to NATO; excerpts
are reproduced. In reply to question about Russian support to NATO
presence in Afghanistan Dmitry Rogozin said: First of all, allow me to say
this: Our support is tied to conditions. It is not blind support. The Taliban do
not pose a direct military threat to Russia. But Afghan heroin does
present a major problem. Each year, 30,000 human lives are lost in Russia
because of Afghan heroin. That is why we demand that our partners also
support the fight against drug
When asked about a lesson that could be learnt by NATO from
Russian experience in Afghanistan he said: One should never engage in a
long-term military deployment in Afghanistan. Troops should only be
used if they are there to perform clearly defined tasks. Afterwards they
should immediately withdraw. In no event should one be allowed to get
pulled into the internal machinations between the various clans or commit to
certain politicians.
Answering another question he said: For the Soviet Union,
Afghanistan was at least a neighbouring country. So it was a lot easier for
Soviet ideologues to explain: The border was threatened. But Germany
shares no border with Afghanistan and neither does the United States. As
long as there are no conclusive arguments about way NATO is engaging in
Afghanistan, the deployment will become increasingly unpopular. Many
already say that the war only has one purpose: To secure the US
military presence in a region that is rich in natural resources.
About London Conference Dmitry said: Currently, a large number of
countries are involved in a mission in which neither victory nor substantial
801

progress is identifiable. The burden and responsibility for a failure will be

shared. But we have absolutely no interest in that. However, the conference
must stress the importance of economic and civil measures needed to
stabilize Afghanistan. The course of action for battling drugs must also be
set in London. We are prepared to take a cooperative approach with the
West in order to prevent its defeat in Afghanistan.
The Nation observed: Apart from the Taliban issue, there was little
else that was new at the Conference and again the very real issue of maladministration and corruption was simply skimmed over and no real effort
was made to tackle it head on. It is also unfortunate that Iran did not attend
because without the support of all the neighbouring states, peace cannot
return to Afghanistan. Iran, like Pakistan, is not only a neighbour that has
sheltered Afghan refugees since the Soviet invasion but also has cultural and
historic links with Afghanistan, and it cannot be ignored on Afghanistan's
future. Afghanistan said at London that it would seek Pakistan and Saudi
help to bring in the Taliban into dialogue but Iran cannot be sidelined either.
Effectively the most important aspect of the London Conference lay in this
being the first move towards paving a respectable exit for the US from its
failed Afghan policy.
Anand Gopal talked of Obamas secret prisons; some excerpts from
his article are reproduced. Sher Khan, a former prisoner, says: They
(Americans) tied my hands to a pulley (above) and pushed me back and
forth as the bar rolled across my shins. I screamed and screamed. They then
pushed him to the ground and forced him to swallow 12 bottles worth of
water. The people held my mouth open and they poured water down my
throat until my stomach was full and I became unconscious. It was as if
someone had inflated me, he says.
In the secretive US detentions process, suspects are usually nabbed in
the darkness and then sent to one of a number of detention areas on military
bases, often on the slightest suspicion and without the knowledge of their
families. This process has become even more feared and hated in
Afghanistan than coalition air strikes. The night raids and detentions, little
known or understood outside these Pashtun villages, are slowly turning
Afghans against the very forces they greeted as liberators just a few
years ago.
Former Bagram detainees allege that they were regularly beaten,
subjected to blaring music 24 hours a day, prevented from sleeping,
stripped naked, and forced to assume what interrogators term stress

802

positions. The nadir came in late 2002 when interrogators beat two inmates
to death.
Night raids are only the first step in the American detention process
in Afghanistan. Suspects are usually sent to one among a series of prisons on
US military bases around the country. There are officially nine such jails,
called Field Detention Sites in military parlance. They are small holding
areas, often just a clutch of cells divided by plywood, and are mainly used
for prisoner interrogation.
Chris Marsden observed: In truth, the carrot is being offered to
the warlords, while the stick will be applied to insurgents and Afghan
civilians alike. This effort to militarily demoralize the Taliban and
incorporate sections into government is conceived of as spanning at least
three years, with Afghan forces only taking responsibility for physical
security within five years. Even so, Brown repeatedly refused to give a
timetable for withdrawal, insisting that this depended on meeting conditions
so that security can be taken over by the Afghans in the provinces in which
we operate.
The London conference was testimony to how anxious the worlds
major powers are to demonstrate their readiness to lend support to the US
intervention in Afghanistan. Despite growing concerns that the occupation is
becoming a quagmire, sucking in troops and costing vast sums, no one wants
to openly antagonize Washington or be excluded from establishing his own
influence within strategic oil and gas-rich regions neighbouring Afghanistan.
Washington remains to a large degree dependent on Karzai, whose
corrupt regime is massively unpopular and remains in power only thanks
to Western-sanctioned electoral fraud.
The Taliban are far from demonstrably losing the military struggle,
and are a long way from accepting a role as a US proxy. A Taliban statement
denounced the London conference as a waste of time aimed at justifying
foreign occupation. It declared: The recent attacks in Kabul were, in fact, a
message for the London conference that the Taliban are not ready to
negotiate and do not desire to set up a regime in collaboration with those
who bear the marks of slavery to the occupiers The most dangerous
factors threatening the plans of Obama, Brown, et al are the broad
opposition among the Afghan people to the occupation and the massive
unpopularity of the war amongst the working people of the US and Europe.
Ikramullah commented on Brussels and London conferences.
Noticeably, the Americans find it hard to linger onto the War on Terror
803

much longer. Instead of a replay of Vietnam, Washington has decided on a

strategy of an honourable exit. During this difficult period the only reliable
force to retain the militants is the Pakistan army who are constantly asked to
do more for providing a safe exit for the US/NATO forces. Unfortunately,
instead of providing adequate resources and necessary tools for this task to
the Pak Army, the US administration wishes to have an alternative force in
hand to do the job by training the Afghan army by India, should the
Pakistani administration not play the game as required by Washington.
Surely every one can see through this game, except the Pakistani
authorities.
Nevertheless, General Kayani rightly has expressed his reservations
about the military strategy presented at Brussels, and the grand political
strategy presented at the London Conference, as both were prepared in
Washington. However, no one in these conferences expressed any concern
about the speculated Indian role in Afghanistan. In this backdrop, it
remains to be seen whether our Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi
voiced any protest about the Indian role in Afghanistan or raised the issue of
Kashmir, as the core issue for restoration of permanent peace in South Asia.
The Nation observed: Clearly the US is confused over what to do
Afghanistan. The confusion is becoming ever more evident with some
declaring that they will have to talk to unsavoury persons in the process of
dialoguing with the Taliban while Ms Clinton has declared that the US will
not talk to the really bad guy! Such absurdities will continue to come forth
from the US side while they adjust to the reality that they have lost militarily
in Afghanistan and have no alternative but to dialogue with the Taliban at
least those who are prepared to do so at this stage. The initiative has been
taken away from the US.
Pakistan, too, can win back the initiative from the US, if it can find
the psychological strength to move on that count. Recent examples have
proven that when Pakistan chooses to, it can assert its interest be they in
the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva or at the recent London
Conference. It is time to move resolutely in terms of the US and India.
Khalid Iqbal urged the occupation forces to rethink, rebuild and
leave. It would be appropriate to re-mandate and recompose ISAF as UN
peacekeepers and force trainers. Contingents of such rejuvenated ISAF
should be drawn from Muslim countries and those other countries that have
maintained a neutral stance on Afghanistan since its invasion. Such interim

804

force would ensure an orderly transfer of security responsibility to viable

national security agencies, in a regulated manner.
The hardcore professional training of the Afghan security personnel
needs a careful handling. Rumours of assigning this responsibility to
Blackwater category agencies are a matter of grave concern. Due to
widespread notoriety, such outfits are not likely to be accepted as role model
trainers. Likewise, any effort to push-in. Indian trainers is also likely to
backfire due to regional dynamics. In this context, Pakistan could help
America in imparting advance level training to the personnel of Afghan
national army and civil armed forces by schooling Afghan contingents in
Pakistans military and paramilitary training institutions. In the long run,
Pakistan could go to the extent of helping Afghanistan develop its own air
force, configured for a typical counter-insurgency role.
Due to historic links with the people of Afghanistan, Pakistan feels
the urge of playing a very effective role in all the domains of development
related activity. If compatible financial cover is made available, talented
pool of Pakistani personnel can recast Afghanistan as they did in the case of
various Middle East states. The United States has an obligation to leave
behind a viable and stable Afghanistan. Hence, the Americans need to
realign their strategic gyros and rework functional modalities for a
composite partnership with Pakistan.
Sholto Byrnes talked of Afghanistan: the Saudi connection. Taliban
chief was trapped by the enthusiasm with which the community of radical
Muslims around the world, and particularly in Kandahar, had greeted the
twin attacks. How could the leader of Afghanistan's Islamic revolution
now disavow the man who had become the most admired jihadi on
earth?
Prince Turki flew to Kandahar to confront Mullah Omar, who
claimed that there must have been a translator's mistake I never told you
we would hand over Bin Laden, he said and then went on to declare Saudi
Arabia an occupied country because of the presence of US troops on its
soil. That was it. Official relations between the two countries were severed.
Concludes Lacey: It was the end of the last and best practical chance to
protect the world from the destructive anger and ambition of Osama Bin
Laden. But Prince Turki's parting words to the Taliban leader were also all
too true: You must remember, Mullah Omar, what you are doing now is
going to bring a lot of harm to the Afghan people. And this was in 1998.

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So, one may conclude that the Saudis got it wrong, or were outmanoeuvred by Bin Laden. But I believe that their instincts that the Taliban
were people with whom the world could do indeed, must do business,
were correct. President Karzai's efforts to win over and detach moderate
Taliban must surely be supported.
The Saudis, let's not forget, can bring figures of considerable
religious authority to the table. And they now have a king who is
personally austere and respected (no playboy prince, he). They have the
stature and, of course, the money to play a very valuable role. Bearing in
mind what happened in the past, they may feel they have especial reason for
wishing to do so.
As regards India, The News cribbed about Indian duplicity. Former
COAS Gen (retd) Aslam Beg has rightly identified the most recent Indo-Pak
peace movement as sponsored. As if to provide proof to this statement,
which came in the course of a talk with a newspaper, the Indians violated the
Working Boundary between Sialkot and Jammu by firing, making nonsense
of all attempts of peace between the two South Asian neighbours. General
Beg expressed grave doubts about the provenance of the current 'Aman ki
Asha' (Peace Wish) campaign
General Beg also noted that the Indian COAS had made threatening
statements, which had to cease if there was to be peace. He said the current
movement was meant to hide the serious crimes that India was
committing and to throw dust into our eyes. He was accurate in predicting
that peace was only possible when the Kashmiri people get their right of
self-determination, and the American occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan
comes to an end.
No one in Pakistan, least of the government, should be fooled by
the Peace Wish Movement, nor should they in any way use it as an excuse
to weaken the Pakistani stand on Kashmir, which is both principled and
practical. In fact, Pakistan should use this incident to distinguish friend from
foe, and tailor its policy accordingly.
The Nation commented on a deliberate act of ridicule on the part of
Indians. The field of sports could have been used to heal the wounds
inflicted by a hostile relationship. The Indian prejudice was clearly evident
in the guilty silence of the franchises and big shots of Bollywood while the
names of Pakistani team members were called out. It is also a sad pointer
that the so-called peace initiatives like Aman ki Asha championed by famous
actors like Amitabh Bacchan are mere eyewash. The IPL drama must wake
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us up. We must set things right at our own end. Maybe we should try to
set up a League following the IPL model. Given plenty of sponsors in
Pakistan willing to donate funds, this is very much in the realm of
possibility.
The news paper also talked about US insensitivity. US Defence
Secretary Roberts Gates was given a clear cut message from the Pakistan
military that it will not extend its operations into North Waziristan as South
Waziristan will take at last a year to secure. Additionally the Pakistan Army
has made it clear that it does not want to be over-stretched. This is especially
critical with the renewed upping of the military ante by India. Gates has
admitted to US mistakes in the past but that is neither here nor there since
the Americans continue to repeat those mistakes in the context of Pakistan.
To begin with, Gates insisted that those critiquing the US were the same
enemies threatening both Pakistan and the US within the context of
terrorism. Clearly Mr Gates is unaware of the growing anti-US sentiment
across the civil society and political divides of this country. He is also
unaware of the fact that many see the US as an additional source of threat to
this country. But most pertinent, Gates showed the never-ending
insensitivity to Pakistan that has marked all US officials and politicians
dealing with Pakistan, including President Obama despite the Pakistan
connections of his youth.
That is why Gates identified the Pakistans relationship with India as
one of the four main issues on which the US seeks a strategic dialogue with
Pakistan. The other issues related directly to Afghanistan and the war on
terror. This ham-fisted attempt to bring India into an equation that
Pakistan cannot accept does little to rebuild trust in the US. Already it
has been revealed by members of Parliament that Pakistan is under great
pressure from the US to give India access to the land trade route - something
Pakistan cannot afford to do till there is some movement on conflict
resolution n Kashmir. Nor has Gates made any commitment to treat Pakistan
more equitably, as in the case of India, on nuclear-related and other arms
issues. So effectively the widening gap between the US and Pakistan has
now been exposed in its entirety. There is little purpose in meandering down
the same cooperative path when the trust is simply not there. Most
important, the interests are also at complete variance, especially in the
context of India. It is strange that while Gates wants the Pakistan Army to
expand its operations in FATA, he is unable to realize that Indias new
military aggression and limited war doctrines against Pakistan are pulling
the Pakistan Army back to its full power deployments along the Eastern
807

border and LoC. Unless the US can understand the Pakistan-India dynamics
from Islamabads perspective, it can never create the trust it needs to further
its contentious regional agenda.
Harsh V Pant approvingly commented on the statement of Indian
COAS. The Indian army chief stated the obvious recently when he
talked of India preparing for a two-front war. It is the job of the Indian
armed forces to prepare for such wars given the security threats that India
faces from its neighbours, just as the Pakistani and Chinese military take
into account the possibility of a future conflict with India.
But it must be kept in perspective that unlike in Pakistan and China,
strategic policy-making in India is the sole preserve of the political
leadership and Indian policy-makers are yet to sign on this much talked
about new doctrine.
The Nation also wrote on water theft by India. A recent report, which
warns that water theft by India on the river Chenab on a wide scale,
involving diversion of thousands of causes of water could result in crop
failure on 10 million acres of land on Pakistani soil, is alarming. This
particular form of water theft is being carried out with the help of powerful
pumps installed across the border along the rivers and their tributaries
flowing into Pakistan. Basically, it speaks volumes about the cunning
ways, which our arch-enemy can invariably conjure up when it comes to
doing us harm. Reportedly, these pumps have cut off 48 thousand cusecs of
water flowing into Pakistan and crops, including wheat and sugarcane, are at
serious risk of getting spoiled. It goes without saying that if these Indians
machinations succeed; we are in for a big trouble. The pity is that the
government with its India Water Commission appears to be in a state of
denial, not taking up the matter with the Indians in the manner it ought to
be.
This is hardly the time for dithering. The possibility of destruction of
crops on account of water theft on River Chenab means that a food crisis of
elephantine proportions is heading our way. The country is still bearing the
scars of last years wheat crisis. Another one should be avoided at all costs
as its effects would cripple the economy. What is worse, it is not just
Chenab but all the rivers where India has reduced the water flowing
into Pakistani territory by diverting and storing them in various dams built
in contravention of the Indus Waters Treaty.
Currently, it is building 50 more dams in the occupied valley so as to
completely turn us into an agricultural wasteland. Already a number of
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important canals and tributaries acting as a lifeline to the countrys

agriculture have dried up- because of these frequent water thefts. Farmers in
the countryside are in a virtual catch-22 situation The water crisis is no
laughing matter. For the moment, Pakistan must answer New Delhis
dilatory tactics by seeking the arbitration of the World Bank.
Brigadier A Q Anjum talked of accomplices of thieves within. A
parliamentarian belonging to PML-N, Javed Ali Shah wanted to speak on a
point of order in the Senate. According to an English daily, the
parliamentarian had barely mentioned the world Kalabagh dam when there
was an uproar in the Senate and a number of Senators from Sindh and ANP
created a furor saying that Kalabagh dam was a dead issue that could not be
discussed. It may be recollected that in the past also, virtually all
parliamentarians from three smaller provinces i.e. Sindh, NWFP and
Balochistan have been standing against this project of great import and
significance. The subject, therefore, has become a taboo. This has become a
matter of ego for some, notwithstanding its overwhelming necessity for the
future of Pakistan. It is high time we shed our prejudices that are based
on sentimental or parochial notions for the good of the entire country.
The Nation also commented on latest aggressiveness attitude of India
towards Pakistan. It is time Pakistan took a clear cut and strong position on
all legal and military infringements India is indulging in at will. The dark
shadow of US support also looms behind these infractions of India since the
former has not said a word in protest to New Delhi despite being a strategic
partner of Indias. Pakistan needs to also put the US on notice regarding
India. Pakistan should take every threatening move by India seriously as
our history has shown India never wastes an opportunity to undermine our
existence. Nothing has changed in Indian psyche.
Bassam Javed felt India must talk to Pakistan. India needs to come
to terms with Pakistan as its no talks mantra has become a total
counterproductive in whatever it is demanding. There is a rule of law in
this country and nobody can be taken to gallows without sufficient evidence.
By this childlike stand of not talking to the neighbours for the benefit of
peace by one of the biggest democracies of the world has catapulted both the
countries to slide further apart rapidly than one could imagine. The vacuum
thus created has only fuelled jingoist pronouncements by the Indian agencies
and the rhetoric is not serving anybodys interests. To put a stop to the
unending mistrust there is a need of restraint from all quarters not to indulge
into the game of accusations and exploiting events that otherwise could be
presented before the respective masses in more of positive overtures and
809

tones. Media in both the countries has a role to play to effectively contribute
in the pursuit of sub-continental peace and harmony. Negativities apart, the
initiative of Aman ki Asha is a welcome step in bringing the people of the
two countries closer through mobilization of popular pressure for peace and
seek to create conducive environment to enable conditions for resumption of
the stalled dialogue and its consequent success.

REVIEW
Pakistan, ever-obedient mercenary, at last expressed its unwillingness
to expand the war on terror on its soil. But it is too early to draw any
conclusion about the causes of this reluctance. It could be out of exhaustion
or fatigue; it could be reaction to delayed disbursement of remunerations; or
it could be a sign of some life and self-respect still left in it.
Signs of fatigue also became visible in occupation forces in
Afghanistan, which talked of troop surge until recently. These forces have
become vocal about reconciliation with the Pashtuns (Taliban). This peace
talk sounds soothing to the ears of listeners, but sinister design of the
occupation forces remained unchanged; it is to cause split in the forces
resisting the occupation of their motherland.
A prolonged dry spell aggravated the water crisis in Pakistan that has
been accumulating over decades. This has been a warning from the Nature to
be cognizant of the gravity of the threat posed by India. Pakistan has no
choice but to take firm stand and launch aggressive diplomatic effort till
forcing India to give up its plans.
Stern action must also be taken against all those who have been
working from within in unison with India to multiply the crisis that threatens
the very existence of Pakistan. These forces working in connivance with the
Indians ought to be dealt with sternly without fearing the play of any card.
These forces in NWFP, Sindh and Balochistan claim ownership of
water of River Indus and are willing to share it with Punjab only on the basis
of the decisions of a Commission in which they enjoy the advantage of
three-to-one and expect Punjab to surrender its share as and when so desired
by the Sindh. They are least pushed as to what happens to the water of River
Chenab and River Jehlum; but they demand free movement of the wheat
grown in Punjab.

810

Another event in which India expressed it hatred for Pakistan was an

open bidding for cricket players for the third edition of IPL. Not a single bid
was offered for any of the Pakistani players, despite inclusion of their names
on the request of Indian clubs. The IPL drama must wake us up. We must
set things right at our own end, wrote The Nation.
Telecast of this news by Geo TV in a cribbing tone was rather strange
for the proponents of Aman ki Asha. The doves of peace should see the fire
in the eyes of Indian hawks rather than closing their eyes to the danger
instead of telling others to do the same. When Amitabh recites Kabadi
Kabadi Khelain he appears to be referring to favourite sport on either side
of Wahga border, but his cynical smile means something else. He seems to
be referring to the contest of tanks and guns.
One would tend to remind the rulers and peace doves in Pakistan
again that presently peace is the need of Pakistan and on the other hand India
sees advantage in belligerence. Zardari must realize that Indians failed to see
a bit of Indian in any of 11 Pakistani cricketers. Perhaps, these were not the
Pakistanis Zardari had in mind when he said every Pakistani has a bit of
Indian in it. But Zardari, with the mindset he has, must have taken it in
right spirit and said, friends are never sold or purchased.
31st January 2010

811

SIX FIVE ZERO

What is six five zero? Is it newly discovered, highly unstable,
extremely dangerous material with atomic number 650? Is it balance of a
commodity available in a large warehouse for sale? Is it Butt No of a rifle of
an army unit? Is it a year of Stone Age?
It is partly everything mentioned above. It sounds like an unusual
atomic number of a newly discovered fissionable material, which somehow
renders harm only to the civilized world. The manner in which it is sought
after by the American intelligence agencies indicates that they consider it
potentially as harmful as were Saddam Husseins weapons of mass
destruction; whether or not they ever existed.
For the brave commando, who once ruled Pakistan and volunteered to
fight as mercenary in George Bushs holy war, it was a commodity; a
commodity stocked in the warehouse called Pakistan and available for sale
to Americans. Todays Americans are also well conversant as to how their
ancestors hunted, captured, transported and auctioned Niggers of the Dark
Continent in markets of Virginia and other port cities of East Coast.
The only difference was that the Niggers were sold in open auction
earning handsome sale proceeds for the forefathers of todays civilized
Whiteman. But the commodity under discussion was sold secretly at a price
spelled out not by the seller but was determined by the purchaser.
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It also has some relevance to Butt No of a rifle. In Pakistan Army the

butts of rifles in a unit are serially numbered for convenience of recognition
by the weapon-holder. May be US Army has adopted this British legacy and
there is a rifle in some Yankee Unit in Afghanistan bearing Butt No 650.
It could also be inferred that it is a Year Number of Stone Age era of
the human history to which the Holy warriors of the Crusading world want
the Muslims to be pushed back. The absence of letters BC and AD tend to
create an impression that it refers to that pre-historic period.
One could keep stretching the imagination to find more similarities
and draw parallels or equations with other things. Nevertheless, all the
equations would fail to unveil the mystery called 650. For a prisoner of
Guantanamo Bay facility, who has also been in Bagram Base jail it was
number of a prisoner there.
This prisoner had heard the screams of Prisoner No 650, who was a
woman. He heard her screaming whenever she was tortured. Years passed
but this prisoner did not forget No 650 as her screams kept echoing in his
ears. The mystery, however, remained unresolved; the question as to who
she was remained unanswered.
After release from the Guantanamo Bay this prisoner met female
investigative journalist, Yvonne Ridley, and could not resist mentioning the
plight of Prisoner No 650. He did that to relieve the burden on his
conscience hoping that the screams he heard years ago may stop ringing in
his ears.
This sensitive human being passed on his agony to another sensitive
person, who being a woman felt it more hurting for her soul. Ms Ridley
already had some clues and after hearing about the screams she took upon
her to find out who No 650 was. She succeeded in unveiling the mystery.
The dots were linked and ultimately it was found out that it was Dr Aafia
Siddiqui of Pakistan about whom she was the first to report a few years back
when she had gone missing from Karachi along with her three children.
Who is Dr Aafia Siddiqui? How did she land in Bagram Jail in Kabul?
Aafiya hails from Karachi with respected family background. She went to
the United States for higher studies and acquired PhD degree from MIT. She
is one of about a dozen neuroscientists in the world. She married, divorced,
married again and has three children.
During her stay in the United States she earned reputation as proPalestinian activist and a critic of Middle East policy of the US. Once

813

George Bush waged the holy war she took part in anti-war rallies and raised
anti-war slogans; she was bound to appear on radar screens of the US
intelligence agencies tasked to detect Islamic fascists.
Probably, it was Khalid Shaikh Mohammad who named her during
interrogation by US intelligence agencies. At that time she was in Karachi
from where she was kidnapped by agents (of Bush or Mush or both), along
with her children while traveling in a rickshaw at that time. She was
reportedly taken to airport and then to Peshawar along with children. There
the Americans, with notorious record of human trafficking, were ready to
take over the possession of commodity the price of which was paid to
Pervez Musharraf.
The Americans were prepared to receive the consignment as per
payments made, but they were surprised by the generosity of Pakistani rulers
as they were handing over three children free of cost. This was far more than
to what Americans were accustomed: buy one and get one free.
Reportedly, Americans declined to accept extra baggage with the
wanted lady as they were not prepared for this kind of clearance sale in
which you buy one and get four. They should have known that human beings
are a very cheap commodity in Islamic countries, particularly in those ruled
by dictators who are known to be American touts.
They reluctantly accepted Aafia and her two older children; a son and
a daughter, but refused to take over five-month old son. Obviously, he was
considered a liability being an infant. The sellers too were not prepared to
retain the baby boy with mindset of clearance sale; considered necessary
for creating space in the warehouse.
Nobody knows better than the Americans how to dispose off
unwanted and undesirable commodity. The baby boy is believed to have
been killed by the recipients being undesirable surplus to the bargained
consignment. It would have been a no big deal for a burly American to twist
the neck of a baby.
He must have squeezed the life out of the baby boy like squeezing
water out of soaked handkerchief. A hanky, however, could be used after
drying but the child of a human being with darker skin had no re-cycling
value. The Yanks must have thrown him away like used tissue paper.
Dr Aafia was transported to Kabul where she was imprisoned in USmanaged jail. There she was given new identity; she was allotted Prisoner
No 650; thrown into a cell and referred as such thereafter. It was important

814

because calling her by name had the chance of arousing human feelings in
the caller. Her new identity also meant that she was to remain in oblivion for
the international community. So was the fate of her two children despite
getting no fresh identity.
Her family in Karachi raised the issue of her kidnapping but
authorities refused to register a case. Ms Ridley and some media men helped
them so that their voice could be heard. They were quickly silenced by
making false promises as well as intimidation. Nobody in the international
community cared about their grievance nor Pakistanis heard about her for
years to come, till Ms Ridley claimed that Prisoner No 650 whose screams
were mentioned to him by Moazim Baig was in fact Dr Aafia Siddiqui.
She traveled to Pakistan and held a joint press conference with Imran
Khan in July 2008 wherein she told the Pakistanis that their missing sister
was imprisoned in Bagram. She informed them that Aafia was also known as
Grey Lady. The US ambassador in Islamabad, Lady Patterson, vehemently
refuted claims of Ms Ridley and denied the very existence of 650 and
accused Ridley of day-dreaming. She then denied everything in writing in a
letter published in major newspapers of Pakistan.
At that time Zardari was busy applying his political acumen to outwit
Musharraf and Nawaz simultaneously to sneak into the presidency through
skillful use of democratic expedients. He had no time to think about a Grey
Lady. He was focusing on the mission of her own Fair Lady, who had
promised to Americans to deliver better than Musharraf but she was killed
before delivering.
What was Aafias crime? Nobody knows the exact nature of her crime
which merited her abduction along with her children followed by their
illegal trafficking and imprisonment without going through due legal
process. While the crime remained unknown or undisclosed the
administration of punishment began instantly.
It started with execution of her five-month old son. She was separated
from the remaining two children and was tortured by the skilled
interrogators for five years. There was no let in the torture as they failed to
extract a voluntary confession which was necessary in the absence of any
incriminating evidence.
The only crime she had reportedly committed was raising slogans in a
rally against the holy war waged by Bush against Muslims. This was enough
to label her as fanatic, a jihadi, or an Islamic fascist. She was hunted for

815

opposing the Crusades and of suspected links with al-Qaeda and at last
captured by Musharrafs men for Bushs men.
Aafia, despite being in prison and constantly tortured, was luckier
than her separated son and daughter at least on one count. Even in solitary
confinement in a cell of Bagram Jail she had unseen and unfelt company of
other inmates who heard her screams and one of them broke that
information to the outside world. But, nobody ever saw tears or heard cries
of her separated children, who were detained at unknown place for their
mothers crime of harbouring anti-war feelings.
Years passed before a prisoner released from Guantanamo talked to
Ms Ridley about the ordeal of Prisoner No 650. For the world, civilized or
not civilized, it meant just about half a decade, but Ridley knew that it meant
nearly two thousand days, more than forty-five thousand hours, about 2.7
million minutes, or 162 million seconds of agony.
Ridley earnestly worked to the end the agony of 650. She even coproduced the documentary In Search of Prisoner 650 with film-maker
Hassan al Banna Ghani proving that Grey Lady of Bagram was Dr Aafia
Siddiqui. Apart from having sympathy for another woman, she being from
the civilized world must have been put to shame by the treatment meted
out to a woman by her fellow civilized people who never get tired of talking
about rights of women.
Her sympathy for 650 must have multiplied every time a thought
flashed in her mind about the respect with which she was treated by Taliban
during her captivity. Her concern and efforts for the lady whom she had
never seen bore fruit and No 650 was identified and acknowledged as Dr
Aafia Siddiqui of Pakistan.
She was helped by the media, which by then had recovered from the
shock and awe perpetrated by the brutality of Bushs Crusaders. By then
Musharraf had also lost his grip as military ruler of Pakistan. For everyone
from US ambassador in Islamabad to military commanders in Afghanistan
and to US administration in Washington, who had been shamelessly denying
that Aafia was in Bagram Jail, this time it was difficult to withstand media
onslaught initiated by a woman. But confirmation of Aafias abduction and
detention in Afghanistan caused no embarrassment to Bush-Mush duo.
Lies, as they say, lead to more lies particularly when the liar finds it
hard to confess. In this case the US kept lying till realizing that it could not
hide the captivity of Aafia any longer. US forces in Afghanistan were tasked
to concoct more lies for admitting that Aafia was held in their custody.
816

No big deal must have been the reply of the US commander in

Afghanistan. One day media was told that Aafia was arrested in Ghazni
while roaming around the residence of governor in suspicious manner and
carrying literature for making bombs. She had entered Afghanistan without
legal travel documents with evil designs of waging jihad. There were no
words about her children.
Her capture years after her kidnapping from Karachi led to
commission of another crime. She was accused of snatching a rifle from a
guard and attempting to kill US soldiers. Astonishingly, she was the only one
to receive multiple bullet injuries. In fact, she had never committed this
crime and instead a US guard had fired at her.
With the increased Aafia-focused journalistic activity the United
States decided to shift her away from the AfPak region to the city of New
York. Meanwhile, the US kept denying any information about her children.
True to the civilized traditions one fine morning the existence of her elder
son was acknowledged and few days later he was handed over to Pakistan
Embassy in Kabul and then transported to Pakistan and handed over to sister
of Dr Aafia. The US remains in state of denial about her remaining children;
instead, it alleges that two children have been kept at some secret place by
her sister.
Once shifted to America framing of charges against Aafia was
expedited because her speedy trial had become necessary due to her
prolonged detention. For years there was no charge against her and as soon
as her presence in US custody was detected charges were framed with
urgency for securing her conviction.
In all, seven charges were framed against her; 12-member jury was
appointed and her trial was completed in quick time within 16 days. At the
end of trial proceedings the judge reminded the jury about the purpose of
trial as they retired for deliberations. They returned the verdict of guilty on
all charges. Thus; she fell as another victim to the unjust war waged by
Bush, which is now owned by the rulers of Pakistan as their own.
Aafia was present in the courtroom when the judge announced
historic verdict of guilty. She heard it with calmness that indicated as if she
knew it already. She said it wasnt the verdict of American people and that
she knew as to who was behind it. She was hinting at US administration that
is considered a hostage of Zionist lobby.
Reaction of her mother and sister in Karachi was even more
composed on hearing the verdict at midnight. Both said that this was an
817

unjust verdict which marked the beginning of the end of the United States.
Her mother refused to seek mercy and instead vowed to launch movement to
secure justice for her daughter.
Zardari regime was informed by the defence council through its
ambassador in Washington that Aafia was likely to be convicted. Therefore,
its response was well-calculated, as it should have been for a puppet
regime. It revolved around the pleasure of its mentor; the United States.
Foreign Minister Qureshi declared that the Government of Pakistan
would respect the decision of an ordinary US jury because it was in
accordance with the cherished American values. Though at home his
government was not prepared to respect the verdict of Pakistans apex court
on NRO; an illegitimate outcome of US-Musharraf-PPP interaction.
For the people of Pakistan mired in atrocious war on terror it was just
another tragedy; they were once more hurt grievously. They had wished that
Aafia would get justice despite all odds against her. Alas, wishes have never
been horses and Aafias case was not to be an exception. They now want to
help her after the verdict of guilty but in the absence of leadership they do
not know how to do it.
Reaction of Pakistani expatriates was a true reflection of the feelings
of Pakistani masses. In UK, Lord Nazir wrote letter to Obama warning him
about the consequences of unjust verdict in Aafias case. Association of
Pakistani lawyers in England offered to the Government of Pakistan its
services to take Aafias case to International Court of Justice. And, a young
Pakistani went on hunger strike in New York.
In Pakistan, Zardari was quick to grasp the situation and directed the
government to evolve new strategy in view of the massive reaction. Within
48 hours the people were mourning the killings in twin bomb blasts in
Karachi forgetting Aafia for the time being. JI leaders alleged that
Blackwater, present in Pakistan with explicit permission of the regime, was
behind Karachi bomb blasts.
Gilani met mother and sister of Aafia; her sister wanted progress in
ten days failing which she threatened to organize sit-in in front of Parliament
building. Two days later, Sikander Shaheen reported that the US government
used Indians with malafide intentions and prejudice in order to bring Dr
Aafia Siddiqui to justice. He was referring to appointment of IndianAmerican Preet Bharara as Federal Attorney of New York.

818

With the passage of time more facts would come to the light about
US-India-Israel nexus, while the regime would keep pacifying the Pakistanis
in general and Aafias family in particular. Gilani has already said that his
government would use its friendly ties the US. One of his ministers has
vowed to defend Aafia till last hearing of her case.
Comments on Aafias ordeal ought to begin with America. It has been
said so many times by so many people that Americans have two sets of
values; one for the Americans and civilized people having white skin and the
second set of values is for other races most of whom have savages amongst
them. They are treated as lesser human beings and at times even denied that
status altogether.
This perception, or misperception, of the humanity is based on the
Darwins theory according to which the Whiteman is the final masterpiece of
evolution. All other coloured races remain close relatives of the
chimpanzees; thus only the Whiteman qualifies to be called human being.
Justice is one of the important values of a society. In America this
value could not remain unaffected from the inherent prejudices so deep and
widespread in that society. This was amply displayed during the trial of Dr
Aafia Siddiqui.
Let us consider the most hyped charge against her. She was accused of
attempting to kill US soldiers by snatching a rifle from one of them. When
she committed this crime she had already been in US captivity and no charge
was ever framed against her clearly. This fact was seldom mentioned by any
American official.
Before, proceeding further it must be said on the basis of her career
and conduct that Aafia is an extra-intelligent person with strong beliefs.
Such persons are usually labeled as rigid, uncompromising and
unaccommodating. Some people dub them mentally sick, extremists,
belligerent, militants and terrorists depending of the evidence comprising
their suspicious acts or utterances.
Aafia was subjected to torture for years merely because of suspicion
that arose from her chanting of slogans against war on terror. Her second
husband, who is under arrest for his links with al-Qaeda, probably, also
corroborated this evidence by revealing to the US intelligence agents that
she nurtured strong Islamic beliefs. The frightened Americans apprehended
that she must be having links with al-Qaeda; either as its operative or in
funding that outfit.

819

Nothing could be established for years and once her captivity was
known to the world the charge of attempting to kill US soldiers was cooked
up. It was so flimsy a charge that even a kangaroo court would have
hesitated in returning the verdict of guilty, because rifle used had no finger
prints of Aafia; no bullet was fired from the rifle; no fired cartridge was
produced; no one was wounded despite the alleged incident taking place at
close range. And irony was; only Aafia received multiple bullet injuries.
Her injuries were not emphasized by the prosecution because these
were inflicted by US soldiers. The show of trigger-happiness is common in
American forces, which is the outcome of a new doctrine of Force
Protection often practiced in Afghanistan and Iraq. US soldiers resort to
shooting and killing anyone getting close to their post or vehicle lest it posed
a threat to their security.
Aafia too seemed to be a victim of Force Protection Doctrine. There
could be several situations in which a US soldier could have resorted to
firing at her; the most likely was the panic over her some gesture mistaken
as an attempt to escape. The soldier reacted in well practiced manner and
exercised the right of self-defence.
The jury disregarded all these loopholes in the evidence produced by
the prosecution. The judge and jury, to prove their patriotism, could not rule
that charges against her were false. They had to find her guilty of
attempting to kill US soldiers. The Americans who displayed unflinching
commitment to uphold the rule of law in this case continue to act quite
contrarily in the context of their murderous drone-launched missile attacks
in tribal areas of Pakistan.
In these attacks more than eight hundred innocent people have been
killed to date. No culprit has been held accountable; no jury has been
appointed; no charges have been framed what to talk of returning a verdict
of guilty. All the heinous murders of women and children are condoned by
the use of cleverly concocted phrase of collateral damage.
In Aafias case the implications of guilty or not guilty were very
clear. If she was guilty then Americans stood acquitted of all crimes
committed against the person of Aafia from her kidnapping along with
children and to her torture for nearly seven years. And, if she was not
guilty then Americans and Pakistani mercenaries were guilty of all crimes
including possible murder of her two younger children.
Decision for the jury was written on the wall for the jury. It must
have been ensured during composition of the jury that all members could
820

read such messages even if they could not hear the statements of witnesses.
In spite of that the judge left nothing to chance and reminded them that
acquitting Aafia would mean passing a verdict of guilty against US
intelligence operatives and US soldiers. The result was a remarkable display
of patriotism by the members of jury.
If the US version is accepted then it was a unique incident in the
history in which a woman proceeded to wage jihad with her three children
without carrying a weapon. This family was presumed to have posed grave
threat to the supreme national interests of the United States, including her
youngest child who was about a half year old. This infant was to become the
first to be martyred by the Crusaders in Aafia-episode.
Her real crime was seldom mentioned; it was her persistent proPalestinian stance throughout her stay in the United States. American
intelligence agencies were certainly convinced about Dr Aafias anti-US and
anti-Zionist inclinations, but they had no proof of her involvement in any
particular act of terrorism.
The verdict should also be seen with another recently passed verdict
in which all the Blackwater men involved in a massacre in Iraq were
acquitted honourably. This would help understanding the true nature of
American justice; in one case all the benefit of doubt was given to the
defence and in the other to the prosecution; in either case the beneficiaries
were Americans.
Yet another aspect was the judge to whom Aafias case was assigned.
He had controversial past, being more a Jew than juror. The accused had
objected to any Jew as judge or member of jury and that was ignored
altogether. The fact that the Judge Richard Berman is an orthodox Jew has
barely been noticed in international community and media.
Before proceeding ahead, it would be unfair not to mention the
positive role of Ms Ridley and Moazim Baig in the tragic story of Aafia. If
they had not been moved by the screams of Aafia or not cared mentioning
those to the world, she would have remained in the oblivion like thousands
of victims of the war on terror.
The pain of Aafia was felt by the two for their personal experience
under contrasting circumstances. Moazim shared the pain of Aafia for
having been prisoner in Bagram and Guantanamo. Ridley was imprisoned
by the Taliban during last days of their rule in Kabul. She was treated
humanely therefore her reaction was not only out of pain but also regret and
shame.
821

Having mentioned Ridleys commendable effort it is appropriate to

read her views after the verdict even at the risk of repetition. In her first
post-verdict article she wrote: Many of us are still in a state of shock over
the guilty verdict Even some of the US media expressed discomfort over
the verdict returned by the jurors there was a general feeling that
something was not right. Everyone had something to say, everyone that is
except the usually verbose US Ambassador Anne Patterson who has spent
the last two years briefing against Dr Aafia and her supporters.
She mostly focused on Americas lies on the issue. Aafia had been
gunned down virtually at point blank range in an Afghan prison cell jammed
full of more than a dozen US soldiers, FBI agents and Afghan police. Her
Excellency (US Ambassador) briefed the media that the prisoner had
wrested an M4 gun from one soldier and fired off two rounds and had to be
subdued. The fact these bullets failed to hit a single person in the cell and
simply disappeared did not resonate with the diplomat.
As Dr Aafia Siddiquis trial got underway, the US Ambassador and
some of her stooges from the intelligence world laid on a lavish party at the
US Embassy in Islamabad for some hand-picked journalists where Ive no
doubt in between the dancing, drinks and music they were carefully briefed
about the so-called facts of the case. Stooges like Hoodbhoy must have been
among Pakistani journalists.
Interesting that some of the potentially incriminating pictures taken at
the private party managed to find the Ambassador was probably hoping to
minimize the impact the trial would have on the streets of Pakistan proving
that, for the years she has been holed up and barricaded behind concrete
bunkers and barbed wire, she has learned nothing about this great country of
Pakistan or its people.
I really dont think we can blame the jurors for the verdict - you see
the jury simply could not handle the truth. Had they taken the logical route
and gone for the science and the hard, cold, clinical facts it would have
meant two things. It would have meant around eight US soldiers took the
oath and lied in court to save their own skins and careers or it would have
meant that Dr Aafia Siddiqui was telling the truth.
The jury couldnt handle the truth. Because that would have meant
that the defendant really had been kidnapped, abused, tortured and held in
dark, secret prisons by the US before being shot and put on a rendition flight
to New York. It would have meant that her three children two of them US
citizens would also have been kidnapped, abused and tortured by the US.
822

I think even Her Excellency Anne Patterson recognizes that fact

which is why she is now keeping her mouth shut. If she has any integrity and
any self respect left she should stand before the Pakistani people and ask for
their forgiveness for the drone murders, the extra judicial killings, the black
operations, the kidnapping, torture and rendition of its citizens, the waterboarding, the bribery, the corruption and, not least of all, the injustice
handed out to Dr Aafia Siddiqui and her family.
She should then pick up the phone to the US President and tell him to
release Aafia and return Pakistans most loved, respected and famous
daughter and reunite her with the two children who are still missing. Then
she should re-read her letter of August 16, 2008 and write another one of
resignation.
Coming back to screams of Dr Aafia, these never had similar touching
impact on the rulers of Pakistan during the era of Musharraf and his
successor Zardari. Musharraf and his ruling junta said few words of
consolation and created false impression of her early return only to check
her family and its sympathizers from embarrassing the US by protesting in
streets and knocking doors of the superior judiciary.
Present rulers have surpassed their predecessors in lying to the family
of Aafia. Rehman Malik kept promising good news soon. Pakistans
Ambassador in Washington personally assured the family that he would
accompany Aafia when she travels to Pakistan as free person. Gilani also
made mention of her here and there. But none of them sincerely worked for
her freedom; all that was said or done was to save the image of America
from any harm so that dollars keep trickling in.
In view of these realities it is extremely hard to expect that the US
would return Aafia for whom the rulers of Pakistan have been duly paid.
Even raising the issue on the basis of human rights instead of religious or
Pakistani, as proposed by Mazhar Qayyum, wont be of great help. Mazhar
presumes that the US and others from civilized world consider Muslims
and Pakis as human beings; this is wrong presumption. Aafia is no human
being when compared to Daniel Pearl or at best she is far lesser human being
a close relative of chimpanzees.
Mazhar probably thought that she being a female may arouse some
interest in the civilized world. Here too he overlooked that the civilized West
is interested in rights of Muslim women only when there is something which
could be exploited to malign Islam and its followers. Therefore, Aafias
abduction, captivity and torture in a prison cell in the suburbs of Kabul were
823

of no concern to the civilized world as compared to an Afghan woman seen

freely roaming in the city of Kabul.
And, on the same count it would be height of optimism to expect from
the present quartet of ruling coalition in Pakistan to fight for securing
freedom of Aafia as they have come to power under a deal with America.
Zardari, Altaf Hussain, Asfandyar and Fazl are no better than Musharraf
despite bearing democratic label.
Their sordid mindset reminds one a Pashtun anecdote narrated by
Barrister Baachaa Khan some years ago. A villager was asked about the
cause of his happiness and he replied that today Khan of the village has
called him dalla (pimp). For them president of the United States is Khan of
the global village and there is not much difference in a front-liner, a front
man, or a pimp. They all work for Khan one way or the other.
Zardari regime, however, will do everything to keep Aafias family
and their supporters away from street protests to save the image of the
United States by making fresh promises to do everything possible. It could
also oblige American lawyers by doling more dollars at them.
The people of Pakistan, whose pride and self-respect has been
grievously hurt, must not expect something redeeming from the successors
of Musharraf, who had no shame in selling a daughter of the soil. There are
many Pakistanis who have been involved, directly or indirectly, in
kidnapping and extraditing Aafia and the democratic regime of Zardari has
been hiding the truth about their involvement.
These staunch practitioners of the holy book called Official Secret Act
have been protected by the regime only to deny information to the public.
They never cared about the captivity of Aafia. It was Moazim Baig, former
Guantanamo detainee and Ms Ridley, former captive of Taliban who took
upon them to trace out Aafia while a nation of more than 160 million people
had almost reconciled with her shameful tragedy.
Optimism in expectations from the regime would also be foolish on
account of the fact that the rulers of Pakistan had accepted her elder son,
who had been mentally devastated by his captors, without a word of
resentment. He was drugged so that he lost partial, if not total memory. No
ruler ever asked as to where he had been for years not to talk of devastating
him physically and mentally.
If Pakistanis really want to help their sister they must first marshal
some sisters like Ms Ridley and brothers like Moazim Baig, who can hear

824

Aafias screams ringing in their ears. There are many and they must launch a
relentless movement till justice is secured for the daughter of Pakistan. It
would require extraordinary commitment to sustain such movement in an era
of bombings and murderous price hike?
People of Pakistan should begin with pressurizing their own
government to disclose the facts about abduction and extradition of a
Pakistani citizen with her children. What was the nature of crime committed
by her which warranted adoption of such illegal course in irrational haste?
Most importantly, what were the crimes committed by her three children?
If they succeed in extracting the facts from the rulers further pursuit of
their task will become that much easier. They will get concrete clues about
her two missing kids. And, if they are still alive they can be recovered
through organizations like Red Cross/Crescent. And, those who kidnapped
the children and handed them over to the US must be brought before the law.
Having achieved that, the quest for justice for Aafia would be
facilitated a great deal. If they cant do that then they have no right to ask the
US administration for dispensation of justice. The accountability has to start
at home first.
Presently, Zardari regime seems inclined not to go beyond the lavish
use of money for hiring defence counsel for Aafia. It has spent $20 million
so far and has vowed to spend any amount. Spending of money has a side
advantage; it is an investment for future as it earns goodwill through
establishment of contacts, which in future could be handy for criminals in
the present regime.
At the end a few lines about prediction of Aafias mother that the
verdict of the jury has marked the beginning of the end of the United States.
Some, particularly those who worship the might of the US, would laugh at
wishful thinking of the old lady. For them America is too big a power to
collapse on the wish of a woman who could not save her daughter from its
wrath.
There is no doubt that the United States is like a large cloud looming
over the global village. However, it must be remembered that nothing
remains on the horizon after a cloudburst, no matter how large the cloud
might have been. For an empire injustice is the first sign of the eminent
cloudburst.
America is undoubtedly a big military power with no match and it has
sound economic base. But its commonalties with great empires in the history

825

end here. Greatness of empires and civilizations has to have many other
characteristics and in the absence of those the greatness remains hollow.
Americas greatness is a myth and its hollowness a reality. Lets
quickly glean through history to understand the point. America was
discovered by European sailors who roamed in oceanic wilderness in search
of riches. It was followed by large scale migration from Europe in lust of
wealth of the newly found continent.
The migrants then exterminated the natives to possess their lands and
other wealth. After elimination of Red Indians they fought with each other
for the same reason and this contest for riches of the New World continued
for more than three centuries, despite the fact that it had surplus to all the
needs of all of them. Second World War resulted in building Americas
military might.
It is said that one gets what one strives for. America got the wealth
and the military might. The lust of Americans, however, remained
unfulfilled. Even today they eye others wealth and resources and wage wars
to snatch those on noble sounding pretexts. Not only the wars, even their
goodwill gestures as donors have sinister designs; they rightly say that
there is no free lunch in American traditions.
Today America has finest killing machines to dispossess weaker
nations of their resources. Possession of these resources becomes Americas
supreme national interest which is served through coercion and use of
military force when so required. The force is applied under pretexts of
promoting peace, democracy and/or justice. Such perception of greatness,
built around blatant lies, cannot last for ever; the bubble had to bust.
It would be pertinent to recall that only hours before the jury passed
the verdict, a suicide bomber killed three American soldiers in northern
Pakistan whose presence was repeatedly denied by the US and its puppets in
Islamabad. The killers and the killed fall in different categories; the killer
was a savage and the killed were civilized and enlightened people.
The difference between the savages and the enlightened, is quite
glaring. Savages care for their self-respect and are prepared to lay their lives
for that; whereas the enlightened are prepared to sell their self-respect and
honour and often very cheap. If enlightened rulers get rid of their fears
America would cease to exist in Islamic World in no time.
13th February 2010

826

NO MATCH
General Kayani informed Pakistani journalists on 3rd February that no
nation can match the sacrifices of Pakistan in war on terror. After placing the
comparative data of casualties he added he had told the NATO countries that
Pakistans military planning would remain India-centric. He declined to
answer any question related to Zardaris recent outbursts, which showed the
existence of differences between Presidency and GHQ despite Gilanis two
attempts at reconciliation.
The same day, an American jury returned a guilty verdict against Dr
Aafia Siddiqui on all seven charges against her. People of Pakistan resented
the pre-determined verdict, but burden of earning the livelihood and security
environments kept them away from participating in protest rallies in large
scale. Only some segments of the civil society organized rallies.
A few days after ISPRs declaration that there would be no opening of
new front in tribal areas there were reports that the government has planned
limited operations in North Waziristan and Orakzai agencies. At the same
time there was repeated telecast of a video by some TV channels in which
Toofan Khan was shown lashing a person in Orakzai Agency. This report
and the video tape are quite similar to what happened before the launching
of military operation in Swat.
On 10th February, James Jones arrived to announce that security
conditions inside Pakistan worse than Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. On the
other hand, Americas strategic partner, India, saw improvement in the

827

environment and invited Pakistan for talks after a lapse of about a year and a
half. James was aiming at expansion of military operation and India wanted
to dilute Pakistans opposition to its increasing role in Afghanistan.

NEWS
On 1st February, general Kayani talked to foreign correspondents on
return from Brussels. He rejected the perception that Pakistan wants to
control Afghanistan. Pakistan wants to stabilize Afghanistan and for that it is
prepared to train Afghan army and police. Meanwhile, Obama proposed $1.2
billion for Pakistan Army.
Two militants were arrested in South Waziristan and 20 suspects were
held in Kohat area. An oil tanker carrying fuel for NATO forces was
attacked and set ablaze in Peshawar. Yet another American was caught
without travel documents from Landikotal area. Seven militants were held in
Swat. Maulvi Jamal-ud-Din was appointed as new TTP chief in Bajaur after
resignation of Faqir Mohammad. Security forces used air power to kill 34
militants in the Agency.
Six more died in targeted-killings in Karachi; while the killers roamed
freely the agencies harassed citizens of Bengali origin. Opposition in Sindh
Assembly staged a walkout in protest. Hearing of Dr Aafias case closed and
the jury adjourned to deliberate on verdict.
On 2nd February, the US drones fired 18 missiles at three targets in
North Waziristan killing 17 people. A militant was arrested in South
Waziristan. Eight militants were killed in gunship helicopter strikes in
Orakzai. One militant was held in Swat. Fourteen militants were killed on air
strike in Bajaur bring the toll in ongoing air offensive to 80. Former MNA
from the area urged government to restart talks with militants. Two members
of peace committee were killed in roadside bombing in Mohmand Agency.
Arrested US nationals accused FBI of torturing and sought help from media.
Driver of a NATO tanker was killed in attack near Quetta.
Next day, General Kayani while talking to Pakistani journalists said
no nation can match the sacrifices of Pakistan in war on terror; Pakistan lost
2273 soldiers as compared to allied forces losing 1582 in Afghanistan and
Pakistani intelligence agencies lost 73 operatives as compared to 11 lost in
Afghanistan. He also said that he had told the NATO countries that Pakistan
cannot ignore Indian threat; its military planning would remain India-centric.
He declined to answer any question related to Zardaris recent outbursts.
828

A girls school constructed with USAID and Americans visiting the

school in Lower Dir were targeted by a suicide bomber. Ten persons,
including 3 US soldiers and 4 students, were killed and more than hundred
wounded mostly in the collapse of school building. The incident was
misreported by official media; first it was said that foreign correspondents
were killed and then they were reported as workers of USAID. Taliban
owned the attack.
Death toll in yesterdays missile attacks in North Waziristan reached
31. Five militants were killed in Bajaur. NATO warplanes violated Pakistani
air space in Zhob District. An American jury returned a guilty verdict against
Dr Aafia Siddiqui on all seven charges against her.
Four foreigners were among 12 militants killed in Bajaur Agency on
4 February; eleven were arrested from Damadola area. Three militants
surrendered in Swabi. After killing of three US soldiers, police in Islamabad
arrested 30 suspects as precautionary measure. Three persons were wounded
in attack on a NATO tanker in Mastung. Kayani and Gilani met Zardari and
discussed security situation. Earlier in the day Commander NATO Training
Mission in Afghanistan held discussions with General Kayani.
th

Countrywide protests were held over US verdict in Aafias case.

Diplomatic and legal steps were demanded. Imran questioned governments
stance and held PPP and PML-N responsible for all the chaos. Aafias family
wanted NATO supplies shut. Mushahid proposed Imran-led All Parties
Delegation for Aafias repatriation. Sharif Brothers abstained from issuing
any statement. Zardari asked government to spend more dollars on American
lawyers in next round to secure justice for Aafia. Qureshi said decision of
the US court has to be respected.
Next day, ANP leader Zahid Khan said his party was not averse to
dialogue with Taliban. Security guards of French Embassy thrashed FC man
in Islamabad. NATO oil tanker was attacked near Quetta. At least 25 people
were killed and more than hundred wounded in two bomb blasts within two
hours in Karachi; third bomb placed inside reception of the Jinnah Hospital
failed to explode. Punjab Assembly passed a resolution terming Aafia
verdict as height of US tyranny.
On 6th February, it was reported that the regime has planned limited
operation in Orakzai and North Waziristan agencies. At least 30 militants
were killed in Bajaur Agency as security forces seized back the control of
Damadola. Bashir Bilour said that he never denied the presence of
Blackwater in NWFP. Fazl met Zardari and urged halting of operation in
829

tribal areas. He claimed that more than six hundred madrassas had been
destroyed in the operation.
Death toll in Karachi bombings rose to 33 as seven more wounded
people expired. City remained shut to mourn the dead. MQM demanded
talibanization of the city be stopped. Investigations revealed influx of
Jundullah activists. Malik ordered registration of FIR by respective police
stations in missing persons case.
Lord Nazir wrote letter to Obama warning him about the
consequences of unjust verdict in Aafias case. Association of Pakistani
lawyers in England offered to the Government of Pakistan its legal services
to take Aafias case to international Court of Justice. A young Pakistani went
on hunger strike in New York. In Pakistan, Zardari directed to evolve new
strategy in view of the massive reaction of the masses. People mourned
killings in twin bomb blasts in Karachi forgetting Aafia. JI leaders alleged
that Blackwater and RAW were behind Karachi bomb blasts.
Next day, one person was killed for spying for the US in North
Waziristan. Police held 22 suspects in Kohat area. Two soldiers were among
three kidnapped in Bajaur. The Times reported that bombings in Dir exposed
US secret war inside Pakistan. Brig (retd) Mehmood Shah said Blackwater is
major US operative in NWFP.
Bomb disposal officer who talked of inadequacy of equipment for
detection of bombs was transferred to Sukkur. Rally was held in Lahore over
Karachi bombings; earlier the speakers demanded curtailment of activities of
Blackwater inside Pakistan.
On 8th February, Rehman Malik once again denied presence of
Blackwater in Pakistan and also forced Bashir Bilour to backtrack his
statement on the issue. NA body said Blackwater was present in Pakistan;
Secretary interior denied. A girl was killed as mortar shell fell on her house
in Khyber Agency. One person was killed in bomb blast near Jund. Six
militants, including a suicide bomber, were arrested in Lahore; they
belonged to the group of Mulla Nazir of Waziristan.
Gilani met mother and sister of Aafia and her sister wanted progress in
ten days failing which she threatened to organize sit-in in front of Parliament
building. Azam Khan reported that governments lack of interest, despite its
tall claims for early release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, can be judged from the fact
that no one from Pakistans Embassy attended Dr Aafias hearing in the New
York court. PTI held rally in Karachi over Aafias conviction. Next day,
Taliban confirmed that Hakimullah is dead; he succumbed to injuries while
830

being evacuated to Karachi for treatment. Four suspects in Khyber Agency

and two militants were held in Lahore.
On 10th February, the day corps commanders reviewed security
situation, a suicide car bomber attacked a post near Jamrud killing 18,
including 11 Khasadars, and wounded 12 others. A Brigadier and two more
officers were killed in ambush in Khyber Agency. Cobra helicopter crashed
in Tirah Valley; two crew members were killed. Four militants were killed in
air strike in Bajaur Agency. Use of dynamite was banned in Punjab. James
Jones arrived in Islamabad and announced that security conditions in
Pakistan were more worrying than Iran and Afghanistan.
In his interview to Nasim Zehra Gilani resorted to Multani-style
politely told half-truths. About Blackwaters presence in Pakistan he did not
say yes or not, but said what Rehman Baba says is the government policy.
Leaving the issue of Blackwater aside the Pashtuns should take notice of
equating Malik with Rehman Baba. About drone attacks he said we have
publicly told America to refrain from such attacks; he did not tell what has
been said privately. About Aafia he said his government would use its
friendly ties with the US for her release.
Haqqani arrived in Pakistan and apprised Gilani of his performance in
Aafias case. Skinder Shaheen reported that the US government used Indians
with malafide intentions and prejudice against Pakistan in order to bring Dr
Aafia Siddiqui to justice. He was referring to appointment of IndianAmerican Preet Bharara as Federal Attorney of New York.
Next day, nine policemen were among 12 people killed and 15,
including DPO, wounded in two suicide bomb blasts in Police Lines Bannu.
Zardari flanked by civil and military leadership confronted James Jones and
talked of drones and dollars. Biden said Pakistan remained his biggest worry.
Minister Malik Amad said government would defend Aafia till last hearing
of her case.
On 12th February, three FC men were wounded in rocket attack on a
post and warplanes struck militants positions in Bajaur Agency. Both the
suicide bombers on Bannu were Uzbeks. Three soldiers were killed and two
wounded when NATO trailer turned turtle over vehicle of security forces
near Chaman. Governor NWFP claimed fifteen thousand paid militants were
fighting in Pakistan.
On 14th February, seven people were killed in drone-launched missile
attack in North Waziristan. A US official termed FATA as part of the war
theatre. Eleven terrorists were held in Bara. Four suicide bombers were
831

killed in Bajaur when their belts exploded accidentally. Aafia was shifted to
the cell meant for dangerous prisoners. Her mother demanded early action
from the regime.
In Afghanistan, four policemen and six protesters were wounded in
fresh clashes over killing of a boy on 2 nd February. Next day, two US
soldiers were killed in bomb blast in southern Afghanistan on 3 rd February.
Pakistan told UK that regional approach on Afghanistan would backfire.
Next day, three Afghan soldiers and 32 Taliban were killed in fresh
US-led offensive in Helmand Province. Afghan forces killed seven
Pakistanis at Chaman border. Three persons were killed and 31 wounded in
bomb blast in Lashkargah on 5th February. A US soldier was killed in bomb
blast in western Afghanistan. Taliban rejected any deal with Kabul or West.
On 6th February, Foreign Office in Islamabad said Indo-Pak ties would
impact Afghanistan. Next day, four policemen were killed and two civilian
wounded in bomb blast in Kandahar. Two Swedish officers and their
interpreter were killed near Mazar-i-Sharif. NATO prepared for offensive in
Helmand Province and residents started fleeing the area.
On 8th February, two NATO soldiers were killed in southern
Afghanistan. Next day, occupation forces claimed killing ten Taliban.
Taliban claimed to have invented a bomb for roadside attacks which cannot
be detected by mine sweepers. Several US troops were wounded in a bomb
blast in Paktia on 12th February. James Jones met Kayani; the visitor was
told that there should be no negative impact of Helmand operation in
Pakistan.
First major operation as part of surge strategy was launched in
Helmand on 13th February. The occupation forces attacked Marjah, a
stronghold on Taliban located southwest of Helmands capital city
Lashkargah; 20 Taliban and a British soldier were killed. Three Americans
were six foreign troops killed in a bomb blast. Next day, 12 Afghans were
killed in missile attack during Marjah operation. One coalition soldier was
killed in bomb blast. Mullen said the operation was progressing well but it
was too early to predict the end result.
On 4th February, India agreed to have talks with Pakistan. Pakistan
welcomed Indian offer for dialogue. Chidambaram said an Indian could be
involved in Mumbai attacks. Meanwhile, Foreign Office said Pakistan has
the option to go to ICJ if India vacillates on water issue. Next day, Pakistani

832

High Commissioner met India Foreign Secretary to discuss agenda of

forthcoming bilateral talks.
On 6th February, Indian delegation arrived in Pakistan only for site
inspection and not to hold any talks on the water issue. it would focus on
assessing the success of Indian design to turn Pakistan into desert.
Meanwhile, reportedly India started construction work on Swalkot Dam on
River Chenab. New Delhi said talks offer to Pakistan is a calculated
initiative.
Next day, India demanded that Lakhvi and others should be handed
over to and Chidambaram declared that terrorism would be at the top of
agenda in next round of talks. Pakistans foreign office said talks for the sake
of talks would be futile. The visiting Indian team inspected Balloki and
Sadhnai headworks to see if any drop of water was still trickling into
Pakistan. India test-fired nuclear capable Agni missile.
On 8th February, Qureshi said talks would focus on water as against
Indias claim of focusing on terrorism. Next it was reported that India has
planned to divert more water. On 1oth February, the visiting Indian water
commissioner, Ranganathan said there would be no Indo-Pak war over
water, because Indo-Pak Treaty was being implemented in letter and spirit.
He inspected four Pakistani barrages during the visit and refused to provide
details on dams constructed or under construction over in IHK. He argued
that current low flow of water was because of dry spell.
Lawyer of a co-accused in Mumbai attacks was shot dead in Mumbai
on 11 February. Next day, Foreign Office wanted talks on Kashmir
dispute and water issue; while Gilani instructed foreign secretary to ensure
purposeful dialogue during 25th February meeting in New Delhi.
th

Four foreigners were among 8 killed in bomb blast in Pune on 13 th

February. Lawyers pointed finger at Indian establishment over the killing of
Shahid Azmi, a defence council for accused of Mumbai attacks. Next day,
BJP criticized the government over talks with Pakistan after Pune attack.
New Delhi wanted terror to be the agenda of talks. Manmohan Singh,
however, was not sure what to and to whom to talk because of the situation
in Pakistan.
In IHK, 35 Kashmiris were wounded when police used force to
disperse protesters on 1st February. Twenty-two Kashmiris were martyred in
the month of January. Two more Kashmiri youths were martyred on 3 rd
February and Shabbir Shah was detained. Next day, curfew was imposed in
Srinagar and Kashmiri leaders detained as protests gained momentum. On
833

the eve of Solidarity Day Majid Nizami urged waging jihad for liberation of
Kashmir.
On 5th February, rallies and seminars were held on Solidarity Day with
Kashmiris in Pakistan. Life in IHK brought to standstill by police action.
Mirwaiz was dismayed over worlds attitude. Next day, people chanted
blood for blood during funeral of second teenager killed by occupation
forces in IHK. One policeman was killed and two wounded in attack on a
police station in Sopore on 9th February. Protest rally was held in Srinagar
over killing of a teenager. On 11th February, Gilani said India wants Kashmir
issue of the table. Three Kashmiris were martyred by occupation forces on
14th February.
In Balochistan, shutter-down strike was observed in Makran on 4 th
February against FC posts in the area. Next day, one person was killed and
two policemen were among five wounded in two incidents of firing and
bomb blast in Gwadar and Quetta.
Three security men were among ten people wounded in bomb blast in
Quetta on 6th February. Two days later, gas pipeline was blown up near
Machh. Railway line was blown up near Quetta on 11th February. Three
people were killed and 15 wounded in bomb blast in Dadu; Lashkar-eBalochistan owned the responsibility; a PML-N leader was reportedly being
questioned for involvement.

VIEWS
In Pakistan, Dr Aafia Siddiquis conviction was widely criticized
and condemned. Shireen M Mazari wrote: The New York jurys decision
finding Dr Aafia guilty on seven charges did not really surprise anyone
familiar with the vindictive mindset of the US public post-9/11. Yet as the
trial progressed, some hope seemed to appear since most of the crucial
evidence against her proved false or confused. There were no fingerprints on
the gun allegedly used on the US soldiers for instance. Other accusations
also proved inconsistent so one thought that perhaps the US citizens on the
jury would not show the bias and bigotry shown to so many Muslims in the
US post-9/11. But alas that was not to be. Despite serious doubts about the
evidence - the most obvious one being her weak physical frame, which
would never have allowed her to snatch the heavy gun and target the US
soldier -the jury convicted her.

834

But the main issue is that the Pakistani state and government were
complicit in this judicial farce. They chose not to assert their right to demand
Aafia be sent back to Pakistan. Since 9/11 it has been abundantly clear that
the Pakistani rulers will not raise a finger to help the ordinary Pakistani
citizen. In fact, they will sell their people for US dollars and allow all
foreign powers to kill these innocent citizens at will. That is why the drone
attacks continue to kill innocent Pakistani citizens and the state of Pakistan
does nothing to stop these killings. That is why Pakistani citizens have
disappeared and the state is unable or unwilling to alleviate the sufferings of
the families of these persons.
The Dr Aafia episode is a shame on the state of Pakistan and its
leaders, including its present democratic ones I all of whom dare not take
issue with the US even as it continues to mistreat, abuse and kill Pakistanis
with impunity. Our ambassador to the US has failed to protect a Pakistani
citizen and her rights and should be removed forthwith.
Talks of appeals and so on are irrelevant. There can be no justice
for Dr Aafia in the US and certainly not in the state of New York. Even
though the perpetrators of 9/11 were not Pakistanis, we are the easiest
scapegoats for America that is still vengeful and wants to make all Muslims
pay for 9/11. Would it be too much to ask the Pakistani state to arrest the
representatives of the US government and charge them with the murder of
ordinary Pakistanis in FATA through drone attacks? Let our legal system
also take its course. Perhaps the higher judiciary can take suo moto notice of
what the Americans are doing to our citizens. International relations are
based on reciprocity - and that is not always positive. It is time for the
Pakistani nation to stand up for its rights and ensure that rulers represent
them and not foreign interests. Until that happens, anyone of us can become
an innocent victim like Dr Aafia Siddiqui.
The Nation commented: When the statistics are added up, it will be
found that Pakistanis have been the worst victims of 9/11 and the US
military crusade targeting many Muslim states and people in the wake of
that September act of terror. Whether it is in the number of dead as a result
of terrorism both at the hands of sub-national actors; and the state
terrorism that has been rained on Pakistans tribal belt through drone attacks;
whether it is in economic costs incurred in terms of trade losses and
investment opportunities forfeited after becoming a frontline state for the
US; whether it is in terms of destabilization of the countrys social fabric;
whichever statistical framework is applied, Pakistans suffering has been the

835

worst. The irony is that no Pakistani was involved in 9/11, but that is a fact
the Americans paper over conveniently.
The biggest price has been paid by the ordinary citizens of
Pakistan, many of whom have been sold or rendered into the US captivity
- be it Guantanamo Bay, the US mainland or Bagram base in Afghanistan.
For the rest, they have seen their countrys rulers increasingly kowtowing
before US neo-imperialist demands. So it should not have surprised anyone
to find Dr Aafia in the dock in a courtroom in New York City, where the
trauma of 9/11 was probably most palpable, after having been battered,
bruised and abused for an indefinite period in Bagram airbase, Afghanistan.
For anyone who thought she would actually get justice, the jury decision on
Wednesday should have cleared that little misconception about the US and
its jury-based judicial system. Despite all evidence to the contrary, she was
found guilty by the jury on seven counts. Yet on each charge the evidence of
the defence (prosecution) was riddled with gaping holes. But justice had
nothing to do with the issue. It was all about one more vengeful act for
9/11!
The shame is that the Pakistani government chose to pussyfoot
around the Americans on the Dr Aafia Siddiqui issue when they could have
been more assertive and demanded her return home. The state has also made
no effort to come clean on how she landed in US custody in Afghanistan and
what has happened to all her children. After all, the US may also be guilty of
murdering one of her children. But who will file a case of murder against the
US military? We have watched a Pakistani woman effectively being killed
slowly by the US government while the Pakistani state, a frontline ally of the
US in its misguided war on terror, has chosen to do nothing beyond a few
declaratory protests. Today Dr Aafia is not just one Pakistani victim of
9/11; through her, the whole nation stands abused and victimized for a
crime they did not commit. As for the state, it has died for all but the ruling
elite of Pakistan.
In a subsequent editorial the newspaper added: Dr Siddiqui is the
citizen of a country supposedly a US ally, but it has done little enough for
her, or the recovery of her missing children. The President may have ordered
the government to contact the family and provide all possible legal aid for
her appeal, but it will be noted that he did so only after the whole country
erupted in protest over the verdict. If the verdict does not remove any last
vestiges of trust in the American justice system, then the question arises as
to why the government reserved for the appellate stage, as now, what it
did not provide at the trial. The President has expressed confidence in the
836

American justice system, which may be interpreted as saying that Pakistan

will not demand, as it should, that Dr Siddiqui be tried in Pakistan. If she can
be tried in the USA over events in Afghanistan, because the alleged assault
was supposed to have taken place on American citizens, by the same token
she can be tried in Pakistan. Instead of viewing this demand as an expression
of lack of confidence in the American justice system, its rejection should be
seen as an expression of no-confidence in Pakistans. But this needs, first of
all, for the demand to be made, not expressions of confidence.
Among the many prominent voices raised in her favour is that of
Lord Nazir of Britain, who has decided to launch a movement against the
unfair trail she has gone through and that too of a false case and has
demanded her release. In a letter to President Obama, he warned that unless
a retrial takes place and independent lawyers and media are allowed to
attend, serious questions would be raised about the American judicial
system. Her continued detention would also have an adverse impact on
the security of US personnel in the region.
The case serves as a reminder that Pakistani citizens were betrayed
by their own government, and handed over to the USA. For that
surrender of sovereignty combined with putting its own citizens at risk of
torture, no one has been punished so far. The recovery of such persons has
not happened, and though it has reached the Supreme Court, only now has
the Interior Minister ordered that FIRs be registered. The government must
put its citizens first, and must review the relationship with the USA, which
at present does not stop them being abused.
Yvonne Ridley preferred to talk about the truth about US justice.
Many of us are still in a state of shock over the guilty verdict returned on Dr
Aafia Siddiqui.
The response from the people of Pakistan was predictable and
overwhelming and I salute their spontaneous actions.
From Peshawar to Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and beyond they
marched in their thousands demanding the return of Aafia.
Even some of the US media expressed discomfort over the verdict
returned by the jurors there was a general feeling that something was not
right.
Everyone had something to say, everyone that is except the usually
verbose US Ambassador Anne Patterson who has spent the last two years
briefing against Dr Aafia and her supporters.

837

This is the same woman who claimed I was a fantasist when I gave a
press conference with Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan back in July 2008
revealing the plight of a female prisoner in Bagram called the Grey Lady.
She said I was talking nonsense and stated categorically that the
prisoner I referred to as 650 did not exist.
By the end of the month she changed her story and said there had been
a female prisoner but that she was most definitely not Dr Aafia Siddiqui.
By that time Aafia had been gunned down at virtually point blank
range in an Afghan prison cell jammed full of more than a dozen US
soldiers, FBI agents and Afghan police.
Her Excellency briefed the media that the prisoner had wrested an M4
gun from one soldier and fired off two rounds and had to be subdued. The
fact these bullets failed to hit a single person in the cell and simply
disappeared did not resonate with the diplomat.
In a letter dripping in untruths on August 16 2008 she decried the
erroneous and irresponsible media reports regarding the arrest of Ms Aafia
Siddiqui. She went on to say: Unfortunately, there are some who have an
interest in simply distorting the facts in an effort to manipulate and inflame
public opinion. The truth is never served by sensationalism.
When Jamaat Islami invited me on a national tour of Pakistan to
address people about the continued abuse of Dr Aafia and the truth about her
incarceration in Bagram, the US Ambassador continued to issue rebuttals.
She assured us all that Dr Aafia was being treated humanely had been
given consular access as set out in international law hmm. Well I have a
challenge for Ms Patterson today. I challenge her to repeat every single word
she said back then and swear it is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but
the truth.
As Dr Aafia Siddiquis trial got underway, the US Ambassador and
some of her stooges from the intelligence world laid on a lavish party at the
US Embassy in Islamabad for some hand-picked journalists where Ive no
doubt in between the dancing, drinks and music they were carefully briefed
about the so-called facts of the case.
Interesting that some of the potentially incriminating pictures taken at
the private party managed to find the Ambassador was probably hoping to
minimize the impact the trial would have on the streets of Pakistan proving
that, for the years she has been holed up and barricaded behind concrete

838

bunkers and barbed wire, she has learned nothing about this great country of
Pakistan or its people.
One astute Pakistani columnist wrote about her: The respected lady
seems to have forgotten the words of her own countrys 16 th president
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865): You can fool some of the people all of the
time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the
people all of the time.
And the people of Pakistan proved they are nobodys fool and
responded to the guilty verdict in New York in an appropriate way.
When injustice is the law it is the duty of everyone to rise up and
challenge that injustice in any way possible.
The response so far has been restrained and measured but it is just
the start. A sentence has yet to be delivered by Judge Richard Berman in
May.
Of course there has been a great deal of finger pointing and blame
towards the jury in New York who found Dr Aafia guilty of attempted
murder. Observers asked how they could ignore the science and the
irrefutable facts there was absolutely no evidence linking Dr Aafia to the
gun, no bullets, no residue from firing it.
But I really dont think we can blame the jurors for the verdict you
see the jury simply could not handle the truth. Had they taken the logical
route and gone for the science and the hard, cold, clinical facts it would have
meant two things. It would have meant around eight US soldiers took the
oath and lied in court to save their own skins and careers or it would have
meant that Dr Aafia Siddiqui was telling the truth.
And, as I said before, the jury couldnt handle the truth. Because that
would have meant that the defendant really had been kidnapped, abused,
tortured and held in dark, secret prisons by the US before being shot and put
on a rendition flight to New York. It would have meant that her three
children two of them US citizens would also have been kidnapped,
abused and tortured by the US.
They say ignorance is bliss and this jury so desperately wanted not to
believe that the US could have had a hand in the kidnapping of a fivemonth-old baby boy, a five-year-old girl and her seven-year-old brother.
They couldnt handle the truth it is as simple as that. Well I, and
many others across the world like me, cant handle any more lies. Americas

839

reputation is lying in the lowest gutters in Pakistan at the moment and it

cant sink any lower.
The trust has gone; there is only a burning hatred and resentment
towards a superpower which sends unmanned drones into villages to
slaughter innocents.
It is fair to say that Americas goodwill and credibility is all but
washed up with most honest, decent citizens of Pakistan.
And I think even Her Excellency Anne Patterson recognizes that fact
which is why she is now keeping her mouth shut.
If she has any integrity and any self respect left she should stand
before the Pakistan people and ask for their forgiveness for the drone
murders, the extra judicial killings, the black operations, the kidnapping,
torture and rendition of its citizens, the water-boarding, the bribery, the
corruption and, not least of all, the injustice handed out to Dr Aafia Siddiqui
and her family. She should then pick up the phone to the US President and
tell him to release Aafia and return Pakistans most loved, respected and
famous daughter and reunite her with the two children who are still missing.
Then she should re-read her letter of August 16, 2008 and write
another one of resignation.
Iftikhar A Khan observed: Then theres a case of tyranny against Dr
Aafia Siddiqui, a daughter of the nation, which is in the vanguard of the US
war on terror. She was abused in every possible manner during her
incarceration (2003-2008) at Guantanamo-style torture centre at Bagram
before her rendition to the land of justice. Dr Siddiqui was charged for
snatching M4 rifle from a burly US soldier and trying to kill other US
soldiers and FBI agents who had come to interrogate her. The charge against
Siddiqui looks most frivolous if not outright risible. However, the jury in
New York consisting of both genders found her guilty.
One of the charges against Siddiqui was that she carried manuals on
bomb-making when she was found loitering around the Afghan capital when
the Afghan police arrested her. Ostensibly, the documents she carried
revealed plans to bomb New York City, Statue of Liberty, and other
landmarks. The charge boggles the mind. How could she be in a country
whose language she didnt understand or speak and that too along with
her young children, two of whom are still missing?
As expected, the jury didnt have the courage to go against the
prosecution. Had it declared Siddiqui innocent by turning down the
840

fabricated charges against her, the whole mendacity would have been
exposed, and US soldiers who were the witnesses would have stood as a
bunch of liars. Therefore, the jury was already determined to indict Siddiqui
than to pronounce the case a sham. Is it not a proven case of tyranny against
an innocent woman by the white mans system of justice? Moreover, setting
Siddiqui free would create serious complications as she would reveal the
names of the local and foreign actors involved in the perfidious drama.
Perhaps its the reason why many missing persons are not being set free
despite the Supreme Court orders to produce them.
MA Niazi opined; Dr Aafia and her fate represent why Pakistanis are
less than enthusiastic about supporting the USA in its War on Terror. This
also explains why the Americans are determined to punish her. She
symbolizes the might of the USA, and its relentlessness in punishing all its
enemies, even if they are in the form of frail mothers of three. And it shows
that it will not only punish women but also children it has decided to
make an example of. Dr Aafia is being tortured, and her kids have
disappeared, so that Americans may escape the effects of terror.
Sikander Shaheen uncovered US-India-Israel nexus in Aafias case.
The coming together of the US, Israel, and India, in an unholy alliance to
tighten the noose around a Muslim lady reflects the new realities of global
power politics. The prejudiced decision against Dr Aafia Siddiqui traces
its roots to the active involvement of Israel in collusion with Indians like
Preet Bharara who hold powerful legal positions in the US, under the
support and shelter of the US.
Why Aafias case was assigned to a judge with controversial
prejudiced past, who was more a Jew than juror, is too obvious to seek a
reply. It is also astonishing that the burning news regarding Judge Richard
Berman, being an orthodox Jew, and a member of jury who convicted Aafia
has barely been noticed in international community and media. Apart from a
few select forums, the issue was not raised elsewhere
The reason why Dr Aafia had requested that the trial must not to
be conducted by any Jew in the Jury was because she had already
smelled the rat. Her request was turned down as the stage had already been
set to malign her. Adding fuel to fire, some propagators of freedom of speech
called her Lady al-Qaeda after jury deemed her guilty. The same term was
coined by venomous newspaper, New York Daily News that does not help
preaching what US government says, in its front-page articles and
editorials.

841

The New York Daily News is widely believed to be a puppet at the

hands of the US government that keeps blowing the trumpet of US military
command. The newspaper quoted US Army Captain Robert Snyder; a
practicing Jew who had testified against Aafia, as saying, US Army captain
described the savage look on her face when she opened fire on a roomful of
military personnel in Afghanistan. She was very determined, very agitated,
Capt. Robert Snyder testified. It was clear in my mind what her intent was.
A vision of hatred...shooting at us. Shooting at me. Hype was created by
those who testified against Aafia in collusion with jurors that they saw
somebody approaching them in darkness aiming a gun at them, only to give
an impression that Dr Aafias accomplices were trying to kill them. But no
such accomplice was traced, arrested or produced in court. Richard
Berman talked to the witnesses in private and simply believed in what
they said
One may recall here that US Federal Attorney of New York, Pareet
Bharara had welcomed the Jurys controversial decision calling it supremacy
of justice. Justice is served today, Bharara had cheerfully exclaimed after
the decision was slapped on Aafia. Bharara one of the prejudiced
Indians, who had played an instrumental role in judicial harassment of
Dr Aafia.
Apart from Aafia, the victim, other aspects of the war on terror were
also commented upon. The Nation wrote: True, the West must be told in no
uncertain terms to compensate Pakistan sufficiently for providing a
yeomans service in its war. But the government must also realize that it is
finally the time to break ranks with the Americans. While they are packing
up and leaving, given the humiliation that they have to suffer in Afghanistan,
they want us to keep playing those ugly games. The drone attacks are
intensifying a severe backlash. Reportedly, the US intends to continue the
strikes for many years to come. The Foreign Minister must realize that this is
a ploy to keep Pakistan embroiled in the conflict. The situation calls for
removing these foreign policy dilemmas.
David Ignatius observed: US officials were frustrated last year that
although Islamabad blessed attacks on the Pakistani Taliban fighters who
were setting off bombs at home, the Pakistanis were reluctant to strike
insurgents linked with the Afghan Taliban, such as the Haqqani network and
the so-called Quetta Shura, who were killing US soldiers. This still concerns
US officials, but they note some expansion of targets.

842

The Pakistanis now recognize that there is more of a blending

together and a co-location of these groups, the senior official explained.
There's much more mingling, and to us, it demonstrates the collusion. He
said the Pakistanis, too, had come to recognize that militant organizations
are operating across groups...
The collaboration comes despite public accounts of friction, as was
the case during the recent visit to Pakistan by Defense Secretary Bob Gates.
Officials from both countries said Tuesday that those reports had been
overdrawn. A Pakistani military official said, for example, that a day after
stories that the Pakistanis would delay any offensive in North
Waziristan, they launched an air strike there. North Waziristan has also
been a target for the Predator salvos.
American military involvement in Pakistan surfaced in a bloody
incident Wednesday in which three American soldiers were among those
killed by a car bomb in a border district known as Lower Dir. The soldiers
were part of a group of about 80 Special Forces members who have been
training the Pakistani Frontier Corps, which operates in the tribal areas. The
Frontier Corps has been stepping up operations against insurgents in
tribal areas such as Bajaur, Orakzai, Kurram and Khyber, a Pakistani
source said Tuesday.
The tensions in the US-Pakistan relationship remain, and it's
unlikely that Islamabad will be trumpeting publicly the success of the drone
attacks. But the slaughter of Pakistani civilians and the brazen attacks on the
country's military have made the Pakistanis want to fight back.
Drone attack has become a vernacular phrase in Urdu, but it may
not be spoken with quite as much vituperation today as it was a few months
ago, before the suicide bombers went about their bloody work in Pakistan's
cities and towns.
Mowahid Hussain Shah observed: Stripped of the finery of unctuous
rhetoric, the infatuation between the US and India is based on something
more basic. Muslim-baiting neo-cons in the US discovered that India,
though poor, was rich in its depth of anti-Muslim prejudice, therefore,
making it a useful ally.
The neo-con blind spots ensured Americas downward slide from its
unipolar ambitions into the post-9/11 world of multi-polar reality, which has,
according to the New York Times of January 25, impelled US Defence
Secretary Gates to concede that: We are in this car together, but the
Pakistanis are in the drivers seat and have their foot on the accelerator.
843

Pakistans geo-strategic salience is an established fact. What remains

to be established is the performance of the Pakistanis in accordance with
their potential. The high-profile Indian presence in America may be doing a
favour by sending a compelling message to US-based Pakistanis to do
some soul-searching and strive to matter where it matters.
Moez Mobeen from Islamabad wrote: The death of three US marines
in a bomb blast in Lower Dir has confirmed what up till was being rejected
as conspiracy theories that a very strong US military footprint exists on
the Pakistani soil. Moreover it reinforces the notion that this war is
Americas war, as is evident from the US military, economic and intelligence
commitment to it. The cover up stories of humanitarian work by USAID or
guys on training assignment for the Frontier Constabulary notwithstanding, a
clear pattern is increasingly evident that the Pakistani rulers and
policymakers are working closely with their US counterparts to secure
US interests in Pakistan at great, far too great a human, economic, political
and military cost to the Pakistani people.
The Nation commented on another issue. The Blackwater issue is
fast descending into a shameful farce at the level of the government.
Despite all evidence to the contrary, the Interior Minister and his Secretary
continue to push the lie forward that there is no Blackwater in Pakistan. But
on Tuesday the Interior Secretary really topped the lying by declaring,
before the National Assemblys Standing Committee on Interior, that
neither Blackwater and DynCorp nor any other such security agency is
operating in the country. Yet the record of the Interior Ministry will show
licenses of prohibited bores being requested for DynCorp by the US
embassy and the company representative in Pakistanand the US embassy
accepting that DynCorp was working for them. The whole Inter Risk case
was linked to DynCorp also. Interior also knows of other such US security
companies affiliates working in Pakistan, often with Pakistani partners. So
why all the lying, even to Parliament? Even when ex-CIA operatives and the
Blackwater issues investigative journalist Scahill has provided extensive
evidence of these companies operating in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and
NWFP officials as well as Pakistani investigative journalists have done their
own bit of fact collection and exposes, Rehman Malik and his Secretary
refuse to budge from their increasingly overt falsehoods. And this is despite
the arrest of Interior Minister of States private secretary by the FIA in the
Inter Risk case and issuance of prohibited bore licenses. What is so harmful
regarding these companies agendas that the Interior Ministry is prepared to
lie to all concerned? Or is it all because of the scandals and US pressure?
844

In a ridiculously arrogant move, the US embassy has had the

audacity to lodge a complaint because the law enforcement officials are
enforcing the law against US embassy employees (not holding diplomatic
immunity) carrying unlicensed weapons and breaking other laws of the land.
Clearly the US seeks to place their embassy employees, including Pakistani
nationals, above the law of Pakistan. But what is shameful is that the Prime
Minister himself has taken up the US complaint and actually seen fit to
constitute a committee. The members of the Committee include the DG ISI
who should not be dragged into local law enforcement matters that are the
domain of the police and three federal secretaries as well as Rehman
Malik! If only this committee had been constituted to look into the missing
persons issue, the nation would have been more assured of its leaderships
commitment to the wellbeing of Pakistanis.
In the context of Afghanistan, on 2nd February Javid Husain
observed: A spate of recent international conferences at Istanbul and
London have signaled that the Western countries led by the United States are
engaged in a serious reconsideration of their strategy and options in dealing
with the Afghanistan situation by placing increased emphasis on opening
channels of communication with the Taliban who are mostly Pashtuns, while
continuing with their military operations so as to gain a more advantageous
position in the prospective talks with the insurgents. Hopefully, this
emerging trend in time will lead to full-fledged talks on national
reconciliation in Afghanistan. If so, it would be a welcome development, as
durable peace in Afghanistan can be restored only on the basis of
national reconciliation and an agreed formula for sharing of power among
the various warring groups including the Pashtuns
After discussing it further and concluding that at present neither the
Taliban nor the coalition forces are in a position to prevail, Javid added:
Admittedly these initial tentative moves for starting talks with the
Taliban are loaded with conditions and marked by uncertainties. The
Karzai government has called upon the insurgents to renounce violence, cut
ties with Al-Qaeda and accept the Afghan constitution for the
commencement of talks on national reconciliation. As for reintegration, it
plans to offer security, jobs and other financial benefits for wooing the
moderate Taliban away from the hardcore elements. Obviously, the real
purpose is to weaken the insurgency by luring away the moderate elements
from among the insurgents. On the other hand, the Taliban, in the past,
repeatedly rejected the possibility of any talks before the withdrawal of
foreign troops. However, their definitive response to the latest Karzai
845

invitation for talks within the framework of the loya jirga is still awaited. In
view of the complexity of the situation and the uncertainties surrounding it,
it is premature to say that one can see the light at the end of the tunnel. What
remains to be seen is whether the Afghan government and its Western
supporters as well as the Taliban would have the wisdom and the courage to
show the necessary flexibility for starting the process of dialogue aimed at
genuine national reconciliation and the establishment of a broad-based
government reflective of the ethnic composition of Afghanistan.
Ron Moreau wrote: Most Taliban feel comfortable only in the
backcountry villages, where their world view is essentially shared by locals.
There's a huge and growing disconnect social, economic, and perhaps
even spiritual between the cities and the countryside. In villages where
the Taliban have a strong presence, there is little or no conflict between
Taliban virtues and local customs, from the wearing of long beards to
heeding the call for prayer, keeping the sexes separate in public, adhering to
Islamic law, and not tolerating crime. Especially in the countryside, most
ordinary Pashtuns regard themselves as the big losers in the past eight years
of Karzai's rule and foreign military presence. As they see it, accurately or
not, their ethnic rivals the Tajiks, Uzbeks, and Hazara have received the
spoils of the Taliban's defeat, while Pashtun villages have suffered from
official abuse, corruption, neglect, and war
Most Taliban seem genuinely convinced that they are carrying
out the will of God. One sign of the faith is the apparently endless supply of
suicide bombers. The Americans still seen not to have grasped the full
import of this. The Taliban are not fighting for a share of power; they want
to restore Islamic law throughout the country, with no talk of compromise.
They despise their nominal ally Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who has said that
suicide bombings are not justified under Islam and who talks of possible
power-sharing deals with Karzai. A son of dollars, the call him: someone
who cannot be trusted, someone who does not share their goal of reimposing Sharia over all of Afghanistan.
Karzai is hopeless. He reads from a script he knows will please
his Western patrons: new drives for good governance, transparency,
narcotics suppression, the building of the Afghan security forces, economic
development, etc. nevertheless, for the past eight years he and his appointees
have been incapable of delivering a fraction of what he has promised, and
theres no reason to think the next year or two to think the next year or two
to think the next year or two will be any different. Hes a nice guy, is not
corrupt, and doubtless means well. But he is not a leader or a judge of men,
846

and he has no vision. He promises everything to everyone, as he did in the

last election, but nothing comes of it. No one in his administration gets fired
or jailed for egregious behaviour. The hardest punishment for malfeasance is
transfer to a perhaps less lucrative position.
The London Conference was a futile exercise. Once again
Washington and its allies are looking for solutions that dont exist: a new
Karzai, bribing the Taliban, negotiating with the Taliban. No Taliban leader
of any stature seems to have entered into negotiations thus far. UN Special
Envoy Kai Eide reportedly met in Dubai on Jan 6 with Afghans who claimed
to represent the Taliban and said they could pass messages to the Quetta
Shura, but its unlikely that their mission was actually sanctioned by
someone in the senior leadership. The United Nations has made a big deal of
removing the names of five supposed Taliban from its blacklist, but the
Taliban couldnt care less. Theyre not itching to travel to Geneva or New
York or open bank accounts. Theyve got a war to fight at home.
Next day, Christina Lamb argued against dialogue with reference
to Mulla Zaeefs book. The Zaeef worldview is alarming for someone
regarded as a moderate by those who believe the Taliban can be divided into
good and bad. He describes the British as diabolical and the US as a
monster that is selfish, reckless and cruel. Yet it is on so-called reconciled
Taliban such as him the foreign secretary, David Miliband, rest. Zaeef
believes the plan will fail. This reintegration process will further strengthen
the Taliban, he said last week.
On 4th February, General Mirza Aslam Beg commented: The United
States of America and their allies are faced with a situation in
Afghanistan, similar to the one the Soviets faced in 1989. Having suffered
defeat, the Soviets asked for a safe exit, which was provided by the
mujahideen and the Pakistan government. Obamas new strategy in fact, is a
veiled request for their safe exit. It is a gamble. The price of victory will be
high and the price of failure is incalculable (Simon Tisdol). Exit they will,
along with their allies and peace would prevail over the entire region. Thus
the foreign aggression now is on the retreat, which has continued unabated,
since 1979 killing over six million Muslims in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran,
Somalia, Palestine, Lebanon, Kashmir and Pakistan.
Times have changed and such brutal state terrorism against the
world of Islam must come to an end. And, to safeguard our interests, the
first major step that must be taken is, to form the Union of Pakistan, Iran and
Afghanistan, as the bastion of power, to repel aggression and establish

847

peace, as a gift of Unity the Strategic Depth, of the Muslim world. It is

surprising that, in a recent interview with Farid Zakria, Holbrook
vehemently opposed the concept of strategic depth and suggested that
Pakistan should first put its own house in order and then talk about creating
the three nations union. This is the strange logic, working since 1989,
against this concept and purporting to create dissensions and doubts to
forestall the movement.
Maulana Jalaluddin Roomi, the founder of the Whirling Dervishes,
says: Giants come forth from Afghanistan and influence the world (extract
from Idrees Shahs famous book The Sufis). His prophecy is coming true.
He quotes Doctor Johnson, who was not favourably predisposed towards
Islam, but had to acclaim about Roomi. He makes plain to the pilgrims, the
secrets of the Way of Unity and unveils the Mysteries of the Path of the
Eternal Truth. The unity is in the offing and in a quiet moment, one can
hear the rustling sound of the wind of change sweeping the region.
Harsh V. Pant wrote: The risks to global security from a failure in
Afghanistan are great. Abandoning the goal to establish a functioning
Afghan state and a moderate Pakistan would place greater pressure on Indian
security. Pakistani intelligence would be emboldened to escalate terrorist
attacks against India once it is satisfied that the Taliban would provide it
strategic depth in Afghanistan. This would surely force retaliation from
India. Yet a peace deal that gives Pakistan and its Taliban friends a
dominating role in Afghanistan is an unwelcome development for New
Delhi. India fears rewarding bad behavior would only embolden more
hostility, a reasonable conclusion because of its past experience, making
New Delhi even more reluctant to pursue a peace process with Islamabad.
Next day, Hekmat Karzai and Michael Honda opined: The
development agenda needs rethinking as Afghans see a foreign disinterest
in the building of their countrys capacity. When $14,000 per day is spent
to provide security for a private contractor to survey a project, when
Provincial Reconstruction Teams import overpriced water and food from
abroad when legitimate options exist locally, and when an initially funded
$3m project lands on the ground with only $300,000 to show for it due to the
multiple sub-contracting and skimming, Afghans are understandably
unimpressed.
Afghan alternatives like the governments Community
Development Councils, which fund locally elected councils to design and
manage their own projects should be the focus instead. In order to build

848

Afghan ownership and capability, contractors may need to forego the

actual building and instead redistribute the funds into Afghan
institutions and initiatives like the CDCs as foreign affiliation with the
CDCs will put council members at immediate risk.
The key to the main challenges facing the country is to build
Afghan acceptance and ownership. When 80 percent of all foreign aid
dollars circumvents the Afghan government entirely, and when the same
amount leaves the country in contractor hands not Afghan ones, locals
question the motive of the US. If we want to win the Afghans, then we must
listen to what they want.
Mikhail Gorbachev wrote: Russia could become an important part
of the Afghan settlement process. The West should appreciate the position
Russias leaders are taking on Afghanistan. Far from gloating and letting the
West bite the bullet while we wash our hands of the whole thing, Russia is
ready to cooperate with the West because it understands that it is in its own
best interests to counter the threats coming from Afghanistan.
Russia is right in asking why, during the years of US and NATO
military presence in Afghanistan, little or nothing has been done to stem the
production of narcotics, large amounts of which flow to Russia through its
neighbors porous borders. Russia is also right to demand access to
economic opportunities in Afghanistan, including reconstruction of dozens
of projects built with our help and then destroyed during the 1990s. Russia is
Afghanistans neighbor, and its interests must be taken into account. The
logic seems self-evident, but sometimes a reminder is in order.
On 7th February, I M Mohsin observed: The Taliban reaction
appears to be, as usual, calculated. While their spokesman promised to
announce their feedback on the issue, one statement also alleged that this
was a trick by the occupation forces to break the momentum of the
Taliban attacks on them. Being used to sustained fights, more so against
foreigners, suspicion of the enemy is a part of their tradition. A famous
proverb emphasizes: The cobra turns on its back and then strikes.
Meanwhile, the foreign troops keep dying along with the locals. In
a bizarre aerial bombing last week in Wardak province, six members of the
Afghan armed forces and four Americans were killed besides some civilians
reminding one of the Kunduz massacre prompted by Germany which led to
the resignation of the defence minister and the chief of staff under the US
pressure.

849

The US forces claimed to have come under fire but indiscriminate

killings are going to aggravate the ground realities. Recently, four more
US troops got killed. If a ceasefire is not negotiated by the US, an exitstrategy could be doomed.
Afghanistan is not Vietnam. Here people are bound to take
revenge, regardless of timeline, against any offence committed unless, of
course, the wrong-doer offers an apology and seeks a settlement worked out
by a jirga of elders. That is why Karzai also wants to convene a loya jirga
whereby he hopes to pacify the Afghans on behalf of the US/himself for the
death and destruction caused since 9/11. By tradition, compensation agreed
between the parties supplements the public apology to bury the feud once
and for all.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have been trying to work out
something for the foreign troops. The Taliban would like to get their pound
of flesh, post-settlement. Pakistan has special sensitivities superimposed on
her mindset by the colossal sufferings of her people the US must cultivate
Pakistanis on a long-term basis so that viable peace returns to AfPak.
Dallas Darling wrote: When it comes to spending money and
resources on militarism and war, it is evident the US has learned merely to
negotiate out of fear, instead of never fearing to peacefully negotiate.
This kind of mentality and ideology will cause more economic and social
poverty, and it will kill more people than al-Qaeda and the Taliban ever
could.
But if lying is speaking or behaving in such a way as to intentionally
deceive others, then perhaps there is a deeper malady. Maybe both leaders
found themselves, along with their Compassionate Conservatism and
Change We Can Believe In, held hostage by powerful institutions that are
not that democratic after all and a culture designed to reward not only lies,
but self-deception. Right from the start, and in place of truth and its own
complicity, has America always blamed others for starting wars and for
committing atrocities? If America and Americans continue to lie, how
many more thousands will die?
On 11th February, I M Mohsin talked of impending offensive in
Helmand. Insisting on winning the hearts and minds of the people by
providing them viable security, no matter what is the cost, and sincere
implementation of reconstruction programs to alleviate sufferings of the
people who are subjected to death and destruction over the last 30 years. In
pursuance of the same, he is planning to launch attacks on Helmand where,
850

as usual, the enemy holds sway. Forces have been rushed there amid lot of
fanfare despite the fact that the security situation all over the country
remains murky. The Taliban, being in a defiant mood, have reacted
accordingly. No wonder they are also getting ready while saying, as the
Pashto proverb goes: it is better to be torn by a loin than to be loved by a
jackal.
The upshot of all such moves is that the local population is seriously
disturbed about their security. Many are migrating to other areas to escape
more suffering. Being an internally displaced person poses many challenges
but the Pashtuns dislike it as a fall-out of war. So such saber rattling by
foreign troops would alienate the people even further.
The above dimension also runs counter to the scheme of things
formulated in the London Conference recently. While Karzai is going
around trying to win over his disenchanted brothers, his mentors are,
perhaps, unconsciously, working at a tangent. It runs counter to the spirit
of Defence Secretary Gates recent statement accepting that the Taliban are a
part of Afghan political spectrum.
Helmand has been a graveyard of foreign forces. Kipling advised
in 1898: When youre wounded and left on Afghanistans plains; And the
women come out to cut up what remains; Just roll to your rifle an blow out
your brains; An go to your Gawd like a soldier. The British Defence
Secretary Ainsworth has warned of the expected casualties! Helmand
hardcore heeds its horrid history!
On 13th February, Inayatullah observed: The USAs strategy in
Afghanistan hinge on three points. One, to bring in more troops and make
a last full blast attack on the Taliban strongholds. Two, prior to this surge,
divide, woo and weaken the Taliban and their Pakistani Pashtun supporters.
Three, training at more than three hundred thousand strong Afghan Army to
fight along with the American and NATO forces and then help the
Afghanistan government to exercise control of the territory after exit. To
successfully launch the first two objectives, Washington needs Pakistans
support. However, this depends on the Pakistan armys willingness to
upscale operations on the Pakistani side of the border. For reconciliation
with Taliban and their reintegration Washington, besides Saudi Arabia,
would be leaning on Pakistan because of the influence it enjoys with the
resistance in Afghanistan and Pakistan. General Kayanis offer to train the
Afghan National Army too may have to be factored into Washingtons
thinking on the subject.

851

Next day, Johann Hari talked of Obama's secret prisons in

Afghanistan. Once you vanish into this system, you have no way to get
yourself out. The New York lawyer Tina Foster represents three men who
were kidnapped by US forces in Thailand, Pakistan and Dubai and bundled
to Bagram, where they have been held without charge for seven years now.
She tells me there have been shockingly few improvements under Obama:
The Bush Administration rubbed our faces in it, while Obama's much
smoother. But the reality is still indefinite detention without charge for
people who are judged guilty simply by association. It's contrary to
everything we stand for as a country... I know there are children (in there)
from personal experience. I have interviewed dozens of children who were
detained in Bagram, some as young as 10.
Today, Bagram is being given a $60m expansion, allowing it to hold
five times as many prisoners as Guantanamo Bay currently does. Gopal
reports that the abuse is leaking out to other, more secretive sites across
Afghanistan. They are so underground they are known only by the names
given to them by released inmates the Salt Pit, the Prison of Darkness.
Obama also asserts his right to hand over the prisoners to countries that
commit torture, provided they give a written assurance they won't be
abused assurances that have proved worthless in the past. The British
lawyer Clive Stafford Smith estimates there are 18,000 people trapped in
these legal black holes by the US.
As Obama warned in the distant days of the election campaign, these
policies place us all in greater danger. Matthew Alexander, the senior
interrogator in Iraq who tracked down Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, says: I
listened time and time again to captured foreign fighters cite Abu Ghraib and
Guantanamo as their main reason for coming to Iraq to fight... We have lost
hundreds if not thousands of American lives because of our policy. The
increased risk bleeds out onto the London Underground and the nightclubs
of Bali. I oppose these policies precisely because I want to be safe, and I
loathe jihadism.
President Obama has been tossing aside the calm jihad-draining
insights of candidate Obama for a year now. Whenever Obama acts like
Bush, listen carefully you will hear the distant, delighted chuckle of
Osama bin Laden, and the needless stomp of fresh recruits heading his
way.
In the context of India, Momin Iftikhar commented of the situation
in IHK. A generation, raised on the diet of Indian atrocities and thoroughly
852

alienated from India has come of age. Catastrophic from Indian perspective,
this generation is beginning to understand the power of mass non-violent
protest and the moral authority that comes with challenging the writ of
tyranny. As explained by Parveena Ahangar, a founding member of the
APDP, whose son was picked up during a night raid on August 16, 1990:
Actually the fear is basically only damaging when you allow it, when you
wallow in it. But once you fight back the fear loses its power.
The Kashmiri armed struggle by a small number of freedom
fighters has played a major role in keeping alive the hope of throwing
away the Indian yoke some day for over two decades. Their struggle has
been rewarded in a way that while they were few in number in challenging
the might of the Indian state now the entire Kashmir stands awakened.
Kashmiris are losing the fear of the Indian bayonet and embracing
the power of mass non-violent resistance to assert their will. On the
Solidarity Day this year one wishes the young Kashmiri generation, at the
forefront of the non-violent mass resistance, god speed in their endeavours.
The Nation wrote: A conference at London, organized jointly by the
Nawa-i-Waqt group and the all-parties group of the House of Lords on
Wednesday, on the eve of the Kashmir Solidarity Day, stressed the urgent
need to settle the festering dispute of Kashmir in line with the peoples
wishes, as outlined in UN resolutions India would do well to listen to
the voice of reason that was loud and clear at the conference, rather than
creating another dispute stopping the flow of water into Pakistan which
could further disturb the peace between two nuclear powers. The conference
emphasized the need for India to act with sanity.
With the world attention virtually monopolized by issues like
terrorism, which is fuelled by its misconceived, heavy-handed response
rather than brought to a close, the Kashmiris fate has been mercilessly left
to the brutal Indian forces in forcible occupation of the state. It was time
to highlight the tragedy of daily atrocious assaults on human rights in the
Valley in an attempt to shake the world conscience. But the question is
whether it would care to spare a thought for the poor Kashmiris or treat them
with indifference to remain on the right of India that holds the lure of
economic gains. It would have contributed to peace and stability of the
region, if it chose to get serious about resolving the issue. Conversely, it
would have displayed not only rank callousness to human suffering, but also
political shortsightedness pregnant with dangerous consequences.

853

In another editorial The Nation added: In the backdrop of Indias

refusal, as revealed by Prime Minister Gilani to reporters on Tuesday, to take
up the Kashmir dispute at the talks it has offered to hold with Pakistan, the
only option left for Islamabad is to turn down the offer. Kashmir lies at
the root of all contention between the two countries: be it terrorism the
freedom struggle began to be so viewed by the post-9/11 world, to the
delight of India, and to the misfortune of the beleaguered Kashmiris or be
it Indias disruption of water that flows from Kashmir into Pakistans rivers,
or be it the Siachen problem. Kashmir is a vital issue that drove the two
nations to wars and without its just resolution, durable peace in the
subcontinent is out of question. Foreign Minister Qureshi is, therefore,
absolutely right in saying that without Kashmir and water there is no point in
holding the talks.
Our ambassador in New Delhi, currently in Pakistan in connection
with discussing the offer, is obviously wrong in believing that the Indians
have agreed to resume the composite dialogue. There is undoubtedly a
serious disconnect between top official circles. Similarly, the thinking, in
favour of unconditional talks with India, at the meeting chaired by President
Zardari and participated by the concerned civil and military officials, is no
more than a pipedream, taking into account the past experience. It would
get us nowhere, and the Foreign Office spokesmans observation that it
would ultimately make for Kashmir to be taken up amounts to deceiving
oneself
There is little doubt that Indias offer to revive formal contacts
comes under Washingtons pressure because it solicits Pakistans active
and full-scale military engagement in the FATA, as a back-up support for its
revitalized military campaign following the surge of 30,000 troops. We must
make it clear to the Americans that we do not find ant logic in sitting on the
table and not sorting out the real cause of all our troubles. They must tell
New Delhi that it can no longer sidetrack Kashmir and its offshoot water and
simply wail about terrorism. Pakistan itself is continuously menaced by it, so
is India from so many disaffected elements from within the country, and
indeed, many parts of the world. There must be assurance that this time
round a solution consistent with the UN resolutions would be found for
Kashmir.
Indians and their likes in Pakistan have launched two-pronged
offensive aggravate the water crisis. Zafar Israr from Karachi urged
challenging the Pakistanis, who have bit of Indian in them. Recently Sindh
Assembly passed a resolution asking Punjab to stop the hydroelectric project
854

being built at the tail of the Chashma-Jehlum Link Canal. The Sindh
Assembly has threatened to declare a war on Punjab on the issue of water if
it proceeded with this project. It appears none of the members of Sindh PA
bothered to consult any hydel engineers to find out how this project would
affect the water supply to Sindh. They just want an excuse to prepare a
case for autonomy, and then secession. This provincial assembly is
infested with separatist elements like Zulfikar Mirza who is still there
despite his rabid, madcap statements and is infecting others.
On the other hand, Islamabad seems to have no interest in at least
offering even an explanation that this project would not affect water supply
to Sindh. The current rulers of Islamabad are themselves promoting
ethnic divisions by addressing people in provincial languages. What good
can be expected from them? As a layman, I can understand that in a
hydroelectric project, water is diverted to a place where generators are
installed and after turning the generators, it goes back to the water stream it
had come from.
If this is true, how can the water supply to Sindh be effected? I
request hydel engineers to give their comments so that the separatists of
Sindh can be silenced. We regret the day General Yahya Khan broke up
One-Unit and created provinces that are now threatening the very
existence of the worlds sole Muslim nuclear power, much to the delight of
India and Israel.
The Nation talked of water terrorism perpetrated by India. Pakistan
should talk on terrorism with India, but put forth its own agenda on this
subject, with water terrorism as the first item. After all, how else does one
describe Indian efforts to deprive Pakistan of its water life line? Not only is
it going ahead with Baglihar, it is also actually stealing water through pumps
so that Pakistan becomes a desert, and totally dependent on Indian
agricultural products. The worst act of state theft and terrorism by India is its
stealing of the Chenab waters. It is now in the process of constructing the
646 ft high Swalkot Dam on the river - a dam far larger than Mangla and
Tarbela. This will ensure that Pakistan gets not a drop of the Chenab
water
It is time to deal with the waters issue on a war footing as our
survival as a sovereign nation depends on access to the waters life line from
Occupied Kashmir. For anyone who thinks Kashmir is merely an emotive
issue for Pakistan, think again. It is essential to our survival. Already this
government has been conceding ground to India in terms of trade and a

855

strange silence over its growing support to militancy and terrorism in

Pakistan through Afghanistan. But the water issue is literally a matter of
survival for Pakistan and we have to ensure that Sialkot Dam does not get
built.
State terrorism by India has to be highlighted by Pakistan and
ended. So, if India is not prepared to resume the composite dialogue but
only wants to talk on terrorism, this is Pakistans opportunity to begin this
dialogue with Indias water terrorism against Pakistan. After all, depriving a
state of its internationally guaranteed waters life line is terrorizing a nation
into starvation and death.
The newspaper also talked of the problems within. Water is, indeed,
a serious matter, a matter of life and death, and the blame for either
adamantly sticking to parochial views, turning a blind eye to the overall
national interests, or inaction in the face of Indias usurpation of our
birthright to water, should squarely rest with the political and military
leaderships that have ruled in the past or been ruling the country for some
time.
The failure is massive, both in the case of water and power.
Kalabagh, a rare gift of nature in that the dam there would have a virtually
endless life since it would receive sediment-free water, unlike other dams in
the world, is a standing rebuke to the short-sightedness of our
squabbling leadership. And showing little interest in accepting the Iranian
offer for the supply of 2,000 megawatts of electricity, while power shortage
is causing economic meltdown, is an evidence of criminal subservience to
foreign diktat. It is high time we behaved like a mature and self-respecting
sovereign country.
The Nation commented on Indian offer for talks. For too long the
Pakistan-India has skirted around the substantive conflictual issues. This
must alter if the dialogue is to have any meaning at all. While dialogue is
always welcome, a meaningless one, merely to placate allies, can become
diplomatic liability, creating despondent polities on both sides. The costs of
a situation of no war no peace serves neither Pakistan nor India in the long
run.
In a subsequent editorial the newspaper added: It is unfortunate that,
in response to Indias calibrated moves towards Pakistan, making new
demands while seemingly conceding to a revised-agenda dialogue, the
Pakistani leaderships response is clumsy, confused and damaging to its
interests. The latest reflection of this is Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood
856

Qureshis declaration in a Times of India interview that issues like the water
dispute will take precedence over what he refers to as traditional fault lines
like Kashmir. And Qureshi calls this a clear roadmap for talks with India!
By this one statement alone, Foreign Minister Qureshi has made a
number of revelations that reveal that Pakistans disadvantages in terms of
external negotiations lie primarily with the leadership, not the cause. First,
the Foreign Minister has revealed his ignorance not only on the multiple
aspects of the Kashmir dispute but also on the crucial waters issue. The fact
is that the water dispute is a direct outflow of the Kashmir dispute and
therefore unless Kashmir is resolved, the water issue will continue to be
used by India as a tool of blackmail. So Qureshi needs to be properly
educated on Kashmir and the water issue. In the case of the latter, there are
international guarantors and the option of international arbitration available
within the Indus Waters Treaty but these are options Pakistan has been
ignoring over the last few years, despite information that India was
contravening the Treaty. India made its intentions on the Chenab water very
transparent since 2008, but the government chose to ignore the threat. So the
other implied revelation by Qureshi seems to be that the present
government is preparing to make some trade off on Kashmir in order to
get some temporary concessions on the water issue. We are already
familiar with Qureshi and his support of the Kerry Lugar Act. Is there a
similar conceding of strategic ground on Kashmir now in the offing? Yet,
there is no need to make any concession on the water issue since we have an
internationally guaranteed agreement; and as long as Kashmir remains
central, its resolution will automatically resolve many other disputes rooted
in this core issue.
Jalees Hazir wrote: Once again, India has deemed it appropriate to
talk to Pakistan. This time it has suggested open-ended talks focusing on
terrorism and security-related issues, instead of the broader composite
dialogue that it called off in the aftermath of Mumbai attacks in 2008.
Considering Indias track record on talks with Pakistan, the present
initiative comes across as yet another excuse to put the burning issues
souring Pak-India relations on the backburner. So as India joins the
American do more mantra on terrorism, and refuses to talk about
anything else until it is satisfied on that count, we are expected not to bring
to the discussion bilateral issues that are of grave concern to the state and
people of Pakistan.

857

To the longstanding issue of Kashmir have been added increasing

violations of the Indus Water Treaty and evidence of Indian involvement in
the unrest in FATA and Balochistan, but our neighbour thinks that these
issues can wait until we have conclusively put the genie of terrorist groups
back in the bottle and it has been certified by India. Should Pakistan allow
itself to be bullied into this recent trap of talks? Or are there other
options?
After discussing the issue raised in these question Jalees concluded:
Rather than being too obsessed with normalizing its relations with India
according to the American script, Pakistan would do well by strengthening
ties with its other neighbours. In time, this might be the best course for
improving relations with the bully next door.
Shireen M Mazari opined: Pakistan first has to evolve a clear-cut
strategy of dealing with Indias diplomatic games. After the failure of its
war-mongering and threat-issuing strategy, India has realized the need for
dialogue but it now wants to alter the framework of this dialogue. For
Pakistan that should simply be a non-starter on two counts: First, the
composite dialogue and its framework have already got national consensus.
India has also consented to this. So it stands to reason that it is this
framework that needs to be re-started unless the Indian demands for dialogue
have a covert agenda. Second, the composite dialogue contains all the issues
India seeks to discuss, including terrorism. The framework is flexible and
does not seek equal progress on every issue, but it does seek some progress
on every issue. And it is through this framework that substantive CBMs have
been negotiated, especially on nuclear issues.
Perhaps the most important point, though, that Pakistan needs to keep
reiterating to India till it sinks through even the most communalized of
Indian mindsets, is that Kashmir really is the core issue from which all other
critical issues arise. Be it terrorism, or water or Indian state terrorism all
these are rooted in one way or another in the Kashmir dispute. So if the
Indians are seeking a one-item agenda for dialogue it logically has to be
Kashmir before all else. After all, India wants to discuss terrorism, so does
Pakistan. Indias terrorism issue, as they see it, is linked to Occupied
Kashmir; Pakistans terrorism issue is linked to state terrorism by India on
the water issue and in Occupied Kashmir as well as now increasingly within
Pakistan. Since India will not accept the earlier agreed-upon blueprint for the
resolution of Siachin, resolution of the Kashmir dispute will resolve this
automatically. As for Sir Creek, with a decreasing trust deficit if Kashmir is
resolved, this border dispute will also resolve itself. So whichever way one
858

looks at it, rationally Kashmir is the core issue that needs to be discussed
first if India wants to move away from the composite dialogue framework.
Let us not waste time on back channel diplomacy which has no credibility in
the Pakistan-India context historically and now with the US as its main
backer!
Finally, unless the government is clear on its agenda and red lines,
and policymakers well informed, there is no need to commence a dialogue
in haste. The Indians are prepared and we must also prepare ourselves for a
long haul. We waited endlessly with constant offers for the renewal of
dialogue; now it has become a necessity for India. Let it wait for a while
too.
A M Ali from Sahiwal wondered: What softened Indians at this
point of time for talks? Their national interest, of course, which our rulers
serve by ignoring our own vital national interests, be it the matter of
Kashmir or Baglihar. It appears we approached the International Arbitration
Commission only to concede legitimacy to the illegally-constructed
Baghlihar dam. What dereliction of duty caused it to be made with us
unaware and what incompetence forced us to agree to accept it with only a
few minor design changes recommended by the arbitrator. I presume the
same ignominy and defeat is in store for this incompetent government with
our incompetent lead man Jamaat Ali Shah who blundered once, and shall do
so again while claiming to be strictly following the articles of Indian Basin
Treaty. Will the opposition, PML-N, PML-Q, TIP, JI, jurists and civil
society, rise to the occasion and protect our national interests? They must
make an effort to remove this anti-nation, anti-poor cartel of rulers which
has devastated Pakistan in the last two years of its misrule.
Inayatullah wrote: There is little doubt that Indias offer for talks, to
a large extent, is due to American pressure. What influenced Washington
was its deep concern about its failure in Afghanistan to defeat the Taliban
and how its hold on Pakistan was slipping, as is indicated by the Pakistani
militarys refusal to extend operations to North Waziristan and also General
Kayanis plain-speaking in his address at the NATO meeting in Brussels.
Kayani did not mince his words when he said that the armys battle
readiness remained India-centric and it is not so much Indias intention
(whatever these be) but its military capability which really mattered
As for the resumed talks with India, Islamabad has to ensure that the
dialogue deals with not only items already included in the composite agenda,
but also Indias designs to reduce the quantum of river waters flowing into

859

Pakistan as well as Indias involvement in subversive and terrorist activities

in Balochistan and FATA. Undoubtedly, talks on Kashmir are a must. And
we just cannot afford to let India concentrate on the issues of terrorism, trade
and transit facilities only. (No transit facility for goods meant for
Afghanistan and Central Asia please US pressure on this count must be
resisted). It will indeed be advisable that after the first meeting of foreign
secretaries, Pakistan government undertakes an intensive and in-depth
examination of various aspects of the agenda items and prepares well
thought out strategies on each of them anticipating the possible moves on the
part of the Indians.
One may add that it is highly desirable that statements about India
and the talks come only from the foreign office. Moreover, such statements
should be measured and well-worded. Indulgence in loud-mouth rhetoric
must be avoided. While the GHQs consultation is necessary and it must
remain on board, the temptation for making policy statements by the top
brass should be eschewed. It needs to be realized that of late, Pakistans
value and standing have risen considerably to play in the last phase of the
American war in Afghanistan. This important factor needs to be put to
proper use.
Ton 13th February, The Nation commented: It is strange to see the
Pakistan government agreeing to foreign secretary level talks with India as
early as 25 February when no less a person than the Prime Minister has
revealed that India does not want Kashmir on the dialogue table. Now that
the most pressing issues all arise out of the Kashmir dispute, it seems
absurd to commence a dialogue casting aside the agreed composite
dialogue formula as well as agenda and to embark on a new venture where
India has already declared what it wants to discuss. Why is Pakistan in such
a hurry to get to the dialogue table with India when there is little substance
in terms of conflict resolution that India is in a mood to concede to? What
are the pressures on Pakistan? Surely it would have been better to get a
national consensus through parliament before embarking on such a dicey
dialogue track? But once again, the Foreign Minister, whose unseemly haste
in welcoming the Kerry Lugar Act is still vivid in most Pakistani memories,
seems almost desperate to accept Indias terms for a dialogue.
Equally ridiculous is the Foreign Offices declaration that Pakistan
will hold talks with an open mind given how India has already closed it
mind to any suggestions for an agenda on the part of Pakistan. So, under
these circumstances, and open mind would merely denote an
acceptance of Indian diktat, beginning with the agenda. As for the
860

argument that the dialogue is necessary because of the critical water issue,
this is an effort to fool the people. First, the water issue cannot be resolved
without resolution of Kashmir since the seeds of the dispute lie within this
larger political conflict. India would like to discuss water outside of Kashmir
so as to create an artificial disconnect between the two inextricably linked
issues. Second, and linked to the first point, is the fact that if India wants to
discuss water outside of the Kashmir dispute, there is already a mechanism
inbuilt into the Indus Water Treaty so there is actually no need for the
commencement of dialogue between the two sides to push for resolution of
the waters dispute. After all, the Treaty has international guarantors who
should now be called upon to play their role since they forced the rulers of
the time to sign away Pakistans rights to three crucial rivers. Finally, the
water issue has effectively moved into the area of state terrorism on the part
of India so perhaps it can also be discussed under that head as part of the
composite dialogue. Otherwise once again India will present Pakistan with a
fait accompli in terms of illegal dams.
Under these circumstances, and seeing the deteriorating situation in
Indian Occupied Kashmir, where the Kashmiri people have protested Indian
occupation with a complete shutter down strike and protest rallies once
again, it makes no sense for Pakistan to rush into a meaningless, illthought out dialogue on 25 February in New Delhi.

REVIEW
In the context of war on terror along western border conviction of
Aafia Siddiqui has been the most tragic event for the people of Pakistan
during the period under review, but not unexpected for the Zardari regime.
This tragedy has been discussed in some detail in the previous article which
was exclusively devoted to Aafias ordeal.
Apart from that the regime as usual remained interested in dollars as
was evident from Zardaris relentless begging for payment of remunerations.
This time he reminded James Jones. Nevertheless, the regime also kept
condemning drone attacks and on the other hand the US kept urging
expansions of military operations in Pakistani tribal areas.
General Kayanis long due plain-speak at NATO Headquarters in
Brussels and during subsequent briefings to media men in Islamabad about
Pakistan militarys India-centric mindset had the desired effect. The US and
its European allies dropped the idea, at least for the time being, about
increased role of India in Afghanistan.
861

Press briefing also made the differences between GHQ and Zardarioccupied Presidency glaringly clear. The COAS refused to reply any of the
questions which were in any way related to Zardari. The differences are as
deep and wide as these should be between an enemy and a friend of India.
Kayanis plain-speak had a side effect. India was forced to change its
approach for achieving its Afghan-related aims. It realized that it could not
bulldoze its way in this context; hence, it offered dialogue. India, however, is
in no way interested in resolving any issue; it only wants more concessions
from Pakistan; while creating an impression that it called Pakistan to New
Delhi to seek its explanation on terrorism.
Meanwhile, Indias water offensive started showing its adverse
effects. Hind, with the help of Sind and ANP, has moved close to achieving
its aim of drying up the most extensive irrigation system in the world.
Foreign Office said Pakistan has the option to go to ICJ if India vacillates on
water issue. India has never hesitated from vacillating on any issue;
therefore, Pakistan has to prepare itself going beyond the ICJ.
15th February 2010

862

SCOUNDREL AND SAGE

Politicians and political observers have been holding quite contrasting
opinion about Zardari and Gilani. Zardari, despite his frequent talk of
reconciliation, has been seen as a scoundrel who is prepared to strike any
one to guard his interests. Gilani on the other hand has been portrayed as a
sage, despite the fact that he has always stood by the side of the scoundrel.
No sooner the recent round of MQM-PPP political tensions and spate
of targeted-killings in Karachi showed the sign of withering away Zardari
summoned his Masheers namely to the Presidency to evolve strategy to
counter judiciarys stance on appointment of judges. They decided to remain
on the offensive.
Disregarding the recommendations of the Chief Justice, the President
signed a notification appointing Chief Justice of LHC as Supreme Court
Judge and Justice Saqib Nisar was appointed as Acting Chief Justice of
Lahore High Court. It was mentioned in the notification that these
appointments were made in pursuance of principle of seniority. The Supreme
Court issued a stay order within hours.
Gilani, the Sage, while addressing the Parliament two days later
claimed that all the good things in the last two years have happened because
of him. Speaking in the language of his scoundrel partner he blamed PML-N
for moving towards confrontation and vowed to accept the challenge. He put
the scoundrel to shame when he announced that the Chief justice Iftikhar
Chaudhry and other judges were reinstated under an executive order, which
required approval of the Parliament.
The next three day the people of Pakistan remained spell bound
because of the looming clash between the Judiciary and the Executive. This
drama, however, also culminated in familiar fashion. The Scoundrel and the
Sage staged a retreat. According to Chief Justice of LHC back door
diplomacy helped resolution of the dispute.

863

NEWS
On 30th January, Nusrat Bhutto and former FBR chief were summoned
by a court in Cotecna reference. Another court exempted Rehman Malik
from appearance in person. Taseer said law of jungle prevails in Punjab; he
remarked with reference to Sanaullahs illegal construction of Plaza. Targetkillings claimed 15 lives in Karachi.
Next day, Chief Justice of LHC took suo moto notice of rioting in
Faisalabad prison. Chief Secretary Punjab proceeded on leave and Sharif
brothers and PML-N leaders visited the family of deceased Colonel
Ikramullah, who was killed in accident with a car of chief secretarys
entourage. Seven people were killed in targeted killings in Karachi.
On 1st February, Zardari agreed to appoint Justice Saqib Nisar as judge
of the Supreme Court as recommended by the Chief Justice. Salmaan Taseer
broke the inertia on summary for appointment of judges of LHC; he sent the
summary to Ministry of Law. Chief Justice said judiciary must provide
speedy justice.
Aitzaz said impeachment is the only way to remove the president. He
added that even if court disqualified him the final decision would be taken
by the Parliament. Hike in oil prices provoked protests all over the country.
Zardaris effigy was burnt and reversal of the decision was urged.
PPP and MQM agreed to name non-partisan administrators. Nawaz
declined to contest by-poll from NA-123. PML-N mulled going to court
over rigging in NA-21 by-polls. In Rawalpindi, two candidates of PPP
withdrew their papers from contesting by-election in NA-55.
Eleven more people were killed in Karachi on 2 nd February and in the
month of January 123 were killed. Targeted-killings by the political activists
led to usual verbal bouts between leaders of PPP and MQM. PPPs two
ministers passed scathing remarks in Sindh Assembly against political
badmaashs and wished to hang them in public; MQM staged walkout in
protest.
It was followed by a spate of allegations leveled by MQMs Anis
Qaimkhwani. He accused Zulfikar Mirza of recruiting hundreds of Rehman
Dikaits men in police for targeted-killings of MQM activists; freeing
Gabols son who was caught with weapons; and planning rioting on Ashura.

864

The reaction of MQM resulted in meeting between Zardari and Gilani.

Zardari rang up Zulfikar Mirza to serve him displeasure over his speech in
Sindh Assembly. Gilani talked to Qaim Ali Shah and instructed him to stop
PPP leaders from giving any statements. This was followed by deployment
of Rangers with police powers in 26 police stations; Lyari was not included.
Aitzaz said time should be given to the government to implement
orders of the court and he declared that he was an ordinary worker of
(Zaradris) PPP. The Supreme Court was informed that Rs256 billion loans
were written off in last 38 years. The Supreme Court summoned report on
Rana Sanas plaza. Punjab Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution
rejecting reservations of Sindh on Chashma-Jehlum power project.
Next day, PPP and MQM leaders remained busy in leveling
allegations and counter-allegations and at the end of the day the Dons of
MQM and PPP contacted each other and announced ceasefire till the
demarcation of their respective domains above and under ground. Familiar
encounter terminated into familiar end.
While visiting Rahimyar Khan Nawaz said wrong policies were
damaging country. He demanded implementation of courts verdict on NRO
and denied reports that he was not contesting by-poll because of some secret
foreign deal. PML-N MPA Nasir was disqualified for having fake academic
qualification.
Rehman Malik was acquitted in a case of misuse of powers. Now Law
Ministers sickness caused delay in appointment of judges. President
SCBA issued defamation notice worth Rs100 million to Barrister Baachaa
Khan, his opponent candidate. Ex-judge of PHC Sardar Khan was shot dead
in Islamabad.
On 4th February, Nawaz Sharif said country cannot be run by
disobeying courts and reiterated his demand for implementation on NRO
verdict. He also talked of another Long March. Kaira responded by saying
that action was being taken in this context. Zardari said PPP wont indulge in
political wrangling. Punjab Assembly adopted Local Government
Amendment Bill 2010; opposition walked out.
MQM accused ANP of patronizing land mafia and ANP said MQM
was carrying out targeted-killings. MQM ended boycott of Assembly;
Rehman Malik and Qaim Ali Shah received them on arrival. In the evening
two parties enjoyed successful execution of targeted-killings over a feast
arranged by Babar Ghauri. The US prosecutor sought solid evidence for
extradition of Hamesh Khan.
865

On 6th February, the federation filed fresh plea to review NRO verdict.
Nomination papers of PML-Q candidate for NA-123, Akhtar Rasool, on the
basis of his involvement in the Supreme Court attack case. Next day, Gilani
arrived in Karachi and announced Rs2 billion package for Sindh and in turn
Sindh demanded abandonment of Chashma-Jehlum Link Project. After
Zardari-Altaf agreed on ceasefire Altaf and Asfand established contact for
similar arrangement.
On 8th February, two masked gunmen attacked Shaikh Rashid as he
arrived in his election office; three persons were killed and three wounded.
Shaikh Rashid also received injuries in the stampede. Raja Basharat wasted
no time in pointing finger at PML-N. PML-Q and Rashid also pointed
fingers at PML-N while Zardari, Gilani, Altaf and sympathized. Shahbaz
condemned attack and rang up Rashid. Kabir Wasti said the attack was a
conspiracy to defame Nawaz Sharif.
Advisor to Prime Minister, Latif Khosa said government was in no
hurry to appoint Supreme Court judges. Advisor Zardari, Aitzaz Ahsan said
NRO verdict cannot be implemented because the Supreme Court has not
given clear instructions. PPP-S threatened to avenge killings of Pashtuns in
Karachi if government fails to punish the killers.
Next day, speaking at full-court reference to honour retiring Justice
Raza Khan Chief Justice said judiciary is bound to get its verdicts
implemented. AG termed judiciary the weakest organ of State. Barrister
Akram Sheikh filed a petition against the procrastination of judges
appointment in the superior judiciary. President and Prime Minister agreed
to judges appointment issue. LHC refused lifting ban on kite flying.
Salmaan Taseer may have to travel to Amritsar to celebrate Basant.
Meeting held under Zardari and Gilani discussed development
projects in Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan. Three chief ministers attended the
meeting and Shahbaz was not invited. During the meeting the PPP sought
uniform LG system for all provinces. Shaukat Tarin was reported to have
resigned; presidency denied.
Imran Khan alleged pre-poll rigging in PF-75 and sought intervention
from Chief Justice. Salmaan Taseer visited Lal Haveli to condole with
Shaikh Rashid and then indulged in campaigning for him by telling the
people of Rawalpindi to take democratic revenge through ballot box. Chief
Minister appointed a joint team to conduct fair probe. Meanwhile relatives
refused autopsy of dead bodies.

866

On 10th February, Nawaz held party leaders conference in Rawalpindi

to assess situation after attack on Shaikh Rashid. He regretted point-scoring
over attack on Rashid. Media men were roughed up by PML-N workers as
they arrived to cover press conference of Hanif Abbasi. Media men
boycotted, Hanif apologized but they demanded action against culprits. The
Supreme Court hearing Shahbazs eligibility case asked ECP to submit
record JUI-F won PF-75 by-polls. NAB okayed plea bargain to owner of
Haris Steel Mills in Bank of Punjab scam. Rehman Malik was granted bail
before arrest in a Peshawar court in the case of illegal exit from Pakistan.
Next day, the laid down 30-day period for appointing a judge after
retirement of Justice Ramday expired. The Supreme Court accepted two
petitions for hearing on delay in appointment of judges. Meanwhile,
constitutional reforms body headed by Raza Rabbani failed to evolve
consensus on judges appointments.
Chief Justice during hearing of the case asked under which law NAB
resorted to plea bargain in Bank of Punjab scam. The court also observed
that court orders in NRO verdict were not being implemented and vowed not
to tolerate mockery of court orders. In another case the apex court rejected
reports of Interior and Defence Ministries on missing persons case. An
appeal was filed in SHC with prayer review courts order regarding
registration on of FIR against police officers for killing Rehman Dakait in an
encounter.
Hanif Abbasi said the attack on Shaikh Rashid could have been due to
his acts during Musharraf regime. In a press conference held in Rawalpindi
he said Shaikh had played his part in Lal Masjid attack and handing over Dr
Aafia to the United States. PML-N and ANP discussed new name of NWFP.
Pakistan sought and got about $540 million from UN out of funds earmarked
for failed states.
On 12th February, Shahbaz said his government wont compromise on
getting its water share. Raza Rabbani asked prime minister to convene
Council of Common Interests to resolve the water issue. Qaim Ali Shah said
Sindh wanted water not the dispute over it.
Shahbaz met Kayani to discuss security related matters of Punjab. It
was quite possible that Shahbaz sought Armys help in investigation of
attack on Shaikh Rashid. Nawaz met Gilani and said government-judiciary
rift could harm the country. Two-member bench of the Supreme Court heard
the petitions on delay in judges appointments. The bench sought
governments reply and recommended constitution of larger bench.
867

On 13th February, Zardari summoned his Masheers namely; Gilani,

Farook Naek, Babar Awan and Latif Khosa to the Presidency to consult them
to make a move in reply to acceptance of petitions for hearing about
appointment of judges. They decided to remain on the offensive against
judiciary and soon after the meeting the strategy so formulated started
unfolding.
Disregarding the recommendations of the Chief Justice, the President
signed a notification appointing Chief Justice of LHC as Supreme Court
Judge and Justice Saqib Nisar was appointed as Acting Chief Justice of
Lahore High Court. It was mentioned in the notification that these
appointments were made in pursuance of principle of seniority.
Having thrown pigeon amongst the judiciary and ever-impatient
electronic media the Presidency did not bother to wait and see the reaction
and made another. It announced that as Chief Justice of Punjab has been
changed the action on summary forwarded by him for appointment of judges
has been deferred awaiting recommendations of new Chief Justice of LHC.
The reaction to first notification was spontaneous, but clearly divided.
TV channels got busy in soliciting views from legal experts of their choice.
Some channels had lined up experts in favour of Executive and others
against its decision. Two cases of jumping the ship (from judiciary and
executive) were quite conspicuous; Fakharuddin G Ibrahim (Fakhuruddin
jumped back after issue of stay order) and Ali Ahmed Kurd praised and
supported the notification.
Justice Saqib Nisar, who was asked to take oath in Governor House on
14 February, refused to do so; soon after the Chief Justice LHC also refused
to abide by the notification. At Islamabad, the Chief Justice composed a
three-member bench to consider the notification and the bench headed by
Justice Shakirullah Jan issued a stay order on the implementation of the
notification.
th

Meanwhile, political parties started showing the reaction. JI and PTI

leaders said they were not surprised over Zardaris actions, but PML-N was
as usual shocked over it. Mushahid Hussain termed Zardari as political
suicide bomber. ANP deliberately avoided comments and ever-ready to
speak MQM kept quite and Mulla Fazl of JUI waited for the envelop. At
the same time there were hectic consultations on various options to counter
the reaction.
Once again media was inclined to single out Gilani as good cop. It
reported that Gilani and coalition were ignored in decision-making. Kaira
868

insisted that appointments were as per Constitution. Fauzia Wahab as usual

seemed to be enjoying media hype over notification and ruled out
institutional confrontation. The government was contemplating to file
petition against stay order. Meanwhile, Accountability Court in Rawalpindi
issued arrest warrants of Nusrat Bhutto and six others in Cotecna reference.
On 14th February, PML-N leaders met in Rawalpindi to evolve policy
to counter Zardaris unconstitutional act regarding appointment of judges.
After the meeting Nawaz briefed the media men during which he termed
Zardari a threat to democracy. He vowed not to allow attack on judiciary to
save one person and demanded bringing the looted money back to the
country. He remarked that Pakistan has become a circus.
He advised the government not to tread the path of a dictator and
refrain from confrontation. He demanded implementation of NRO verdict
and asked all the accused to resign from government posts. Meanwhile,
SCBA also held marathon discussion over governments action; all the four
Bars of provinces participated. They decided to stand behind the Bench and
announced complete boycott of courts on 15th February.
PPP Jiyalas and Jiyalis held rallies in support of Zardari in Peshawar,
Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Karachi and interior Sindh. In
Lahore, Rana Aftab and in Karachi Zulfikar Mirza led the rallies which
shouted slogans against judges and PML-N. In Lahore, effigies of Chief
Justice and Nawaz were burnt as per plan and then Zardari advised PPP
activists not to indulge in such mean things. Country wide protests were also
held in support of judiciary. In Karachi activists of PPP and JI clashed.
Latif Khosa specifically stressed upon the point that the notification
was issued with explicit advice of the Prime Minister. Attorney General said
the present chaos was due to ignoring his advice on appointment of judges.
Gilani, however, told him to convey to the Chief Justice that the differences
in constitutional experts must be kept in mind while dealing with the issue.
And, AG delivered the serious message of Gilani to Chief Justice.
Zardari and Gilani spent a busy day in their respective bunkers
planning next moves and counter moves. Gilani also established contact
with Aitzaz who promised to continue advising on the issue. He told media
men that every wrong has a remedy and he ruled out any threat to
democracy or country and that judges issue is not like Kashmir issue. Altaf
expressed concerns over confrontation. Salmaan Taseer sent flowers to
Nawaz Sharif on Valentine Day.

869

On 15th February, Bars across the country boycotted the courts to

show solidarity with the bench; jiyala lawyers, however, disturbed the bar
proceedings during passing of resolutions. PPP lawyers chanted pro-Zardari
slogans and others in support of the Chief Justice. Division amongst lawyers
was quite clear despite the success of boycott.
Opposition Senators walked out over judges issue. PML-N members
walked out of constitutional reforms committee meeting. Imran Khan
addressed election rally in Rawalpindi. During hearing of the case of out of
turn promotions the court was requested not to reverse decision of the
government. The court reserved its verdict. Security of Chief Justice was
being enhanced.
In the evening, Gilani while addressing the Parliament claimed that all
the good things in last two years have happened because of him and PPPs
reconciliatory approach. And blamed PML-N for treading the path of
confrontation and vowed to accept the challenge. He also announced that
Chief Justice and judges were reinstated on executive order and it would
require approval of the Parliament.
He however kept the escape route open by saying that his government
would accept court verdict on the issue. PML-N walked out of Assembly in
protest. Earlier, Kaira had also leveled similar accusations and singled out
Chaudhry Nisar for political confrontation.
Zardari summoned PPP parliamentarians to Presidency and lectured
them to stay cool and assured that the government would complete its tenure
and there would be no midterm elections. He stopped party leaders from
bringing out rallies. Amin Fahim and Safdar Abbasi did not attend the
lecture. Zardari talked to buddy Altaf during the lecture.
Next day, LHC dismissed the petition challenging the eligibility of
Nawaz Sharif. Prime Minister congratulated him on telephone. The
government decided to defend restriction of third tenure on prime minister
during hearing of a petition seeking removal of the restriction. Nawaz
withdrew his nomination papers from NA-123. He demanded probe into deal
of French submarines.
Presidential notifications regarding appointment of judges were
challenged in the Supreme Court. Altaf rang up Gilani and Zardari and asked
them to resolve judges issue amicably. Gilani returned to the Parliament to
announce that judges did not need Parliaments approval. Zardari summoned
coalition leaders to discuss the present crisis and on their advice he ordered
his party not to hold any rallies. Without a formal invitation Prime Minister
870

attended the dinner hosted by the Chief Justice in honour of Justice Ramday.
He promised good news at 1500 hours on 17th February. Imran Khan said
Gilanis statement in Parliament exposed governments ill-will.
On 17th February, Chief Justice went to PM House after consulting his
colleagues. Reportedly, judges differed on Chief Justices meeting with the
Prime Minister. After the meeting Prime Minister announced that the
Executive agreed to all the points of judiciary i.e. appointment of Justice
Saqib Nisar, Asif Khosa, Justice Ramday and appointments of new judges in
LHC and SHC. During question-answer session he added that he and Zardari
has always on the same page and today as well. He refused to take action
against legal advisers, who were affectionately called by Khwaja Asif as
three idiots. There was no mention of implementation of NRO verdict but in
reply to a question he rattled out, it would be fully implemented.
Reportedly, some PPP MPs played their role in ending the crisis.
Imran Khan said it was all because of one man trying to save his ill gotten
wealth. Saleem Saifullah wondered as to what was the need for this
malicious drama. Mushahid Hussain judged it as hat-trick of blunders.
ANPs Haji Adeel, however, appreciated the sagacity on the part of Gilani.
A petition was filed in Accountability Court in Rawalpindi for
reopening of corruption cases against Sharifs. Government of Punjab
requested to be party in judges case because Salmaan Taseer has acted
against the Constitution by deliberately delaying the processing of the
appointment of judges. In Karachi, mob lynched two robbers to death; they
did not have the immunity.
Next day, Attorney General appeared before the five-member bench
and produced documentary evidence that the government has appointed
judges as per consultation process. He then begged the court to dismiss all
the petitions as those were based on mala fide intention. The court asked the
AG to refrain from using such language. The petitioners argued that petitions
must be heard because there are issues other than appointment of judges
raised in petitions and a large number of vacancies in high courts still remain
unfilled. The court, however, dismissed all the five petitions.
Two new judges and an adhoc judge of Supreme Court and nine of
Sindh High Court were sworn in. Chief Justice of LHC said backdoor
diplomacy played key role in resolving judges issue. Farooq Naek said he
did not render any advice on judges issue. Accountability Court in Karachi
reserved judgment in corruption reference against Siraj Durrani. Two people

871

were killed when police fired at people displaced by Bhasha Dam were
protesting.
On 19th February, the Chief Justice admonished Chairman NAB while
hearing a case. The CJP ordered freeze on his pay and allowances if Swiss
courts were not approached for reopening of the cases within 48 hours. Chief
Justice said unity of judges averted November 3-like situation. Chief Justice
of LHC blamed advisors for the crisis. Gilani denied any deal with judiciary.
PPP core committee met to discuss the post-crisis situation and it was
followed by one-to-one meeting Zardari and Gilani. Committee expressed
concerns over the quality of advisors but endorsed Gilanis initiative on
judges issue.
A candidate filed a reference in CEC for postponement of bye-polls in
NA-55 for security reasons. Problem of water shortage was debated in
Punjab Assembly and in the streets of Hyderabad and interior Sindh after
federation asked the provinces to sort out the dispute over water issue.

VIEWS
On 31st January, the Nation commented: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza
Gilani should be listening to the sound advice given by PML-N leader Mian
Nawaz Sharif to end the run of self-contradictory and utterly meaningless
observations he has been making about how his government views the
Supreme Court judgment on the NRO. Mr Gilani asserts that as the
President enjoys immunity under Article 248 of the Constitution, certain
directives of the verdict pertaining to him could not be pursued in a court of
law
Mian Nawaz, who was talking to journalists at Peshawar on Friday,
was also emphatic that the NRO decision should be respected without ifs
and buts. His remark that the rule of law and Constitution should be strictly
adhered to in order to let the democratic system flourish in the country is
plain commonsense. However, one does not get the impression that the
government intends going along with this view. The Prime Ministers plea,
for instance, that the case against the President in the Swiss court cannot be
reopened because he enjoys immunity, supports that impression. Mr Gilani
somehow ignores the fact that the apex court specifically asked for its
reopening. It is logical to assume that the government should have sought its
clarification about whether the element of immunity covers the case before
speaking on the subject. Nevertheless, an application challenging the

872

provision of presidential immunity was filed in the court on Friday, and one
expects that the question whether it is a blanket privilege or is subject to
some conditions would be finally settled.
Unfortunately, both the tone and the tenor of official utterances do
not inspire confidence about smooth sailing, should the Supreme Court take
a different view of the immunity clause from that of the government. Yet,
one would like to hope that the judicial verdict would be taken as final
and respected and the dreaded institutional confrontation is avoided.
Jalees Hazir opined: To be fair, the present government is only
partially responsible for this state of affairs. In recent times, all successive
governments have followed the same path. Whether it was the Islamic
dictatorship of Ziaul Haq or the quasi-democratic governments of Benazir
Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif that followed, or the moderate-dictatorship of
Musharraf or the Q-government that he gave birth to, those at the helm of
affairs have shown a similar poverty of vision when it comes to managing
the countrys economy and the abundant resources at their disposal. They
come with new mantras and programmes, but beneath the shallow surface,
nothing changes on this count. Those in charge of the future of the Pakistani
people have shown a propensity to become willing partners in their
exploitation at the hands of investors, states and multilateral financial
institutions. Together, this evil partnership has made a rich land poor,
turning its gold to dust.
Granted that the present government has inherited much of this
legacy from its predecessors, there is still no excuse for continuing with it,
especially when the cost has become too high for the people of Pakistan to
bear. More than millions and billions of dollars that the government is
breathlessly running after, what is actually required is a political vision
that appreciates the true worth of this land and its people.
Amina Jilani observed: The NRO did no good for its main
beneficiaries. For them, it was the unluckiest piece of legislation. Benazir
Bhutto was assassinated before she could take from it the slightest benefit,
and Pervez Musharraf was ousted within a year from a presidential seat he
had planned to occupy for five years. Asif Zardari and his NRO companions
are now caught up in a sordid web, transformed by a legal decision into
political zombies, the democratically elected government is in a flat spin
pondering upon how to extricate itself and its many involved minions, and
the nation cries out for justice seen to be done.

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Salahuddin K Leghari from Lahore wrote: Drastic situations call for

drastic measures. The situation we find ourselves in today is beyond
drastic. It is alarming. There is an urgent need for the heads of various
political parties to sit together do some serious soul-searching and come up
with viable solutions to the host of problems surrounding us. In doing so,
they should rise above their official party lines and put the national interest
above all other considerations
As a way out of the mess we are in today, and as a step towards a real
national reconciliation, I suggest the following steps need to be taken
urgently:
The PPP co-chairman, who is also President of the country and the
head of the PML-N should transfer all the illegal money stashed up in
their foreign and local bank accounts to the government account with
the State Bank of Pakistan. The title of their properties abroad,
acquired through illegal means, should also be transferred to the
government of Pakistan.
After the above steps have been taken, the government should
withdraw all corruption cases against these individuals and no further
legal action should be taken against them. The suggestions contained
above, if implemented in good faith, would lead to the real national
reconciliation.
The example set by two of the most influential leaders would
encourage others who have been guilty of corruption, to bring their illgotten wealth back and deposit it in the government treasury. If they
do not follow suit, the law should take its course.
Next day, Dr M Yaqoob Bhatti from Lahore wrote about water crisis
and provincial prejudices. The ANP stalwart Asfandyar Wali has again
declared that his party would never agree to a dam on Indus River at
Kalabagh. Perhaps he is not aware that the only possible way for his
province to get its share of 14 percent of water as per the Water Accord of
1991 is from a new dam on Indus, which could only be the Kalabagh Dam.
At present, his province has only 5 percent irrigated area of
Pakistan while even Balochistan has more, about 7 percent of the total
irrigated area of Pakistan. the Chashma Right Bank Canal at present is the
only source of water for NWFP but the cost of lift irrigation from it is Rs
15,000 per acre as per estimates of former WAPDA chairman, Mr Shams-ulMulk, due to land plateau being higher than the canal.
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At present there is no dam to store the water of River Kabul after its
confluence with Indus River due to which it flood water goes waste to sea in
summer. The narrow parochial policies of ANP deprive the D I Khan
lands from supply of water from Kalabagh Dam in the event of its nonconstruction. May be the ANP is afraid of development of D I Khan lands
where the JUI prevails. Meanwhile, Maulana Fazlur Rehman is blissfully
silent over deprivation of his constituencys share of water from Kalabagh
dam which would have more than doubled its irrigated area. Our people are
so unfortunate to have these leaders.
Hashim Abro from Islamabad commented: The lawyers have been
leaders of the national struggle, both for the creation of this country and the
restoration of its judiciary. However, the guiding principle for lawyers
should be to accept personal moral responsibility for the consequences of all
their professional acts. To satisfy this principle, the lawyers conduct needs
to be consistently charitable and pro-people. If all lawyers start seeing
themselves as officers of the court, they would act with greater responsibility
and would feel even more strongly obligated to pursue the cause of justice.
On 3rd February, Aneela Chandio from Sukkur commented on
targeted-killings in Karachi. What is happening in Karachi is worse than
the killings in Swat or Waziristan. People are being killed in Karachi in the
presence of police, Rangers and a functioning government while our
political masters are playing poker with the chips of lives of innocent men,
women and children. The ethnically motivated killings by thugs riding on
motorbikes is followed by verbal rhetoric of those who stage manage these
killings. Karachi bleeds as its so-called elected and unelected Dons claim
their pound of flesh. What is happening under a democratic setup is no
different from what happened under Musharraf or Zia-ul-Haq.
Next day the newspaper commented on situation in Karachi. As the
whole of Karachi goes into the charge of Rangers to bring sanity; the
political climate in the city remains tense and tenuous, with both sides trying
to exercise restraint. MQM continued its boycott of the Assembly session for
the second day, as its MPA Faisal Sabzwari said that their reservations had
not been addressed. There have been targeted killings, however, though only
three were reported dead on Wednesday, raising the tally of the previous six
days to 41, with Tuesday claiming as many as 13.
At this critical phase, any political commotion in the country is
viewed with alarm. On the Presidents instructions, the Prime Minister asked
party men to stop making provocative speeches in order to defuse tension.

875

His contacts with MQM leader Altaf Hussain, which elicited assurance for
defusing tension and continued support to the PPP, with Sindh Chief
Minister Qaim Ali Shah and other leaders in this context, have raised the
prospect that at least for the time being the coalition would survive, but
smooth sailing would be hard to bet. One hopes that the Rangers succeed
in their mission to eliminate the ugly drama of human slaughter and
peace soon reigns supreme in the city.
On 5th February, Dr Ijaz Ahsan belatedly felt that the deal between
Mr Zardaris spouse and Musharraf is costing the nation dearly.
Witness that a proper solution in Afghanistan is a matter of life and death for
us; yet, while as many as 70 nations have been debating in London what to
do with that country, our rulers energies have been wholly directed towards
saving themselves from prosecution for criminal activities.
Next day, Inayatullah commented on PML-Ns unsatisfactory role.
The PML-n had a great opportunity to mount pressure on Gilani and Zardari
for defying the Supreme Courts judgment on NRO. Except for sporadic
expression of disappointment at the PPP government dragging its feet on
various issues of national importance there is little that Nawaz Sharif has
done. He wants to project himself as a statesman keen to save the system not
realizing that Zardaris open defiance with his image of the niceties still
sticking, coupled with stories of corruption currently making the rounds
could have tempted a willing top brass to wind up the much valued restart of
the democratic set up.
The losses in the by-elections reflect weakening of the PML-N
standing and Nawaz Sharifs popularity. The only way to recover the partys
position and his stature is for him to build an opposition which calls a spade
a spade and is unsparing in denouncing the governments bungling,
stumbling and indiscretion. He must rise to become a champion of
peoples rights and their legitimate demands as well as mobilize pressure
to make the government give up its devious, dubious and disorderly ways.
On 7th February, The Nation commented on killings in Karachi. The
tragic scenario brings another painful reality into sharp focus: The
callousness with which the countrys ruling classes treat the ordinary people.
When the leaders come out of their secure niches, their frightfully expensive
bullet-proof limousines are escorted by a large contingent of security
vehicles, keeping at a safe distance commuters, whether healthy or direly
sick needing immediate medical attention, and causing long queues of
vehicles that would inevitably remain stuck on the roads as a result of hours

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of wait and blocking all other connected arteries of transportation. In the

face of all sorts of safety measures that they take for themselves, the
common man is left to the dangers the rulers policies have given rise to; left
to him, he would never have designed such policies or even endorsed them.
The continuing blood-soaked drama is a clarion call to the leaders
conscience that their policies are taxing the peoples nerves beyond
endurance, putting their lives and properties at peril. It is time for a
serious review of them.
Amina Jilani observed: The fault lies not with Zardari, but with
those who voted him in. Now they are all stuck in their arguments on, once
again and forever, the interpretation of the constitution which seems to
thwart all, be they layman or lawman. The much discussed Article 248
would seem to imply that the President of the Republic, his governors and
assorted ministers are not answerable to any court for the exercise of powers
and performance of functions of their respective offices or for any act done
or purported to be done in the exercise of those powers and performance of
those functions.
Fine, none of these most honourable gentlemen or ladies can be held
up for anything they do whilst in office. Does this cover murder,
manslaughter, robbery, and whatever other crime one can come up with? If
so, then all we can say is so be it. But does it also cover past misdeeds?
When the Zardari camp claims, as it must, that he is endowed with perfect
immunity are they saying that if in the past he stands accused of having
committed a crime, then the immunity holds whilst he is in office? The antiZardari camp claims that he does not have immunity from any alleged past
misdeeds and that he should lawfully be taken to task. Does Article 248
automatically wash away all past contraventions of the law or does it
only cover the period of the holding of office?
Amidst all the counter claims is there no one in the country who is
capable of interpreting this mangled and mauled constitution which holds us
is its throes so as to sort out exactly what the immunity is and what it covers
and does not cover? The Supreme Court of Pakistan has not enlightened
us. Should it not have, and should it not? What is its interpretation of this
immunity article? We need to know
Anyhow, and whatever, lets face it - whether Zardari and his troupe
are with us or not with us makes not a whit of difference as there is no
acceptable or viable alternative that we know of right now. There is another
national argument taking place as to whether the country deserves and

877

should have mid-term elections in view of the mess in which the current
government finds itself and its perceived contempt for the people over which
it rules. What can mid-term elections bring in? The same old rot, the
same old faces, the same old feudal, tribal, provincial mindset. The present
lot will either come back or the other lot that has been around with us for
some quarter of a century will have another turn.
We do not have elements of change. The status quo, as always, will
be maintained a fractious political scenario, a dangerous economic
situation, poverty, a population explosion and accompanying illiteracy which
the feudal tribal mindset goes out of its way to fuel, and all the ills and
crimes against the people that go hand-in-hand with politics as played in
Pakistan, civilian or military.
The Nation commented on 11th February on chief ministers
conference held in Presidency sans Shahbaz Sharif. A meeting was held in
the Presidency on Tuesday where apart from the President and Prime
Minister, three Chief Ministers were also present and the meeting, amongst
other issues, focused on local government elections. But conspicuous by his
absence was the Chief Minister of Punjab, who had not been invited. This is
an unacceptable politicization of the Presidency just as Governor
Taseers canvassing on behalf of Shaikh Rashid is inimical to his office.
Whether the President likes it or not, by his office he is representing the
nation as a whole, not simply one political party. Furthermore, like it or not,
the Chief Minister of Punjab cannot be excluded from decision making that
relates to the provinces Exclusion of Punjab meant exclusion of more
than sixty percent Pakistan.
There are norms that have been formulated through the Constitution
and through practice that need to be observed when making decisions
relating to the nation. While heads of political parties can be idiosyncratic in
the way they run their parties as long as the members are accepting such
behaviour, the country is nobodys personal fiefdom to be dealt with
according to personalized whims. If the Prime Minister and President
want to take up provincial issues with the Chief Ministers then all four
of the latter must be consulted regardless of personal or party likes and
dislikes of the national leaders. As it is, the need has been seen for the
convening of the Inter-Provincial Coordination Committee but the manner in
which this decision was arrived at will certainly do nothing for interprovincial harmony, or for province-centre harmonious relations. Or, is that
the intent?

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On 13th February the Nation added: Punjab Chief Minister Mian

Shahbaz Sharif was right in saying that court decisions had to be obeyed,
displeasing as that might have been to certain quarters to hear it coming
from him. This came at the same time as the Chief Justice of Pakistan
observed, in a Supreme Court case, that the Courts decision in the NRO
case was not being obeyed, as he noted that the NAB Chairman had not been
replaced as directed, and pointing out that those not obeying the Courts
orders could be put behind bar. This was; the clearest hint so far that the
Court was thinking of its contempt jurisdiction.
Mian Shahbaz made his remark while addressing the second session
of the Nazria-e-Pakistan Workers Trust three-day Conference on the
Ideology of Pakistan, while Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry
made his while hearing the Bank of Punjab fraud case. The Supreme Court
also took up on Friday the petitions for the appointment of judges to the
various high courts, and to the Supreme Court, which have been delayed by
government inaction, but the three-member Division Bench recommended
the constitution of a larger bench, and adjourned the case to February 18.
Despite his saying that his government stands against any
destabilization of democracy, Mian Shahbaz has thus indicated that the
Punjab government might not continue supporting the central
government in its confrontation with the judiciary, symbolized by the
delay in the filling of various vacancies of the superior judiciary because it
does not wish to honour the recommendations of the Chief Justice
The NRO verdict also included a direction for the replacement of the
NAB Chairman, and the Chief Justices hint indicates that the contempt
sentence might be used to enforce the judgment. The government would be
well advised to use the time it has in the judges appointments case, less
than a week, to put its house in order, by making the appointments that
have been recommended, replacing the NAB Chairman, and making those
against whom there is any accusation, especially of corruption, leave their
high offices until their names have been cleared. Without this
acknowledgement that the law is supreme, and the Supreme Court is its
interpreter, the government might find that a future, and inevitable,
acknowledgement might prove to be more galling.
Fakir S. Ayazuddin observed: The people have suffered too much for
too long, and have realized that the politician is just another charlatan out
to make money from the masses, and the only betterment he wants is for
himself. The time has come for a few good men to rise to the front, and to

879

lead the way. But first must come the cleansing. This is the dread in the
hearts of the incumbent leadership. What they have not realized is that a
corrupt leadership has no place in Pakistan.
In this backdrop, it is the PPP that needs to cleanse itself then only
will it be acceptable. For the rank and file, who have struggled for the hope
offered to them, have seen the sham and will create a new leadership on the
ashes of the old. We will see a new vibrant dynamic youth that will be lawabiding, and will bring a clean prosperity built on hard work. A 'clean'
leadership will not be bullied by any other nation, and will fight for its
very soul. But a nation riddled with corruption and marching to anothers
tune can never succeed. For the bully nation will insist on furthering its
own agenda even if it runs counter to our own requirements.
Nevertheless, our military leadership has much at stake for we are a
nation at war, and this leadership will not find itself comfortable when
questions of propriety are raised by the troops. The soldier would not like
to offer his life for a leadership of doubtful credentials, and that is why
the cleansing process is so vital. Hence, the role of the chief justice becomes
so important for Pakistan now and for the future.
Excerpts from comments by Roedad Khan are reproduced. In a
president, character matters more than anything else. Zardari lacks
both integrity and credibility, faces grave charges of corruption, and would
be in serious trouble today without the cover of Article 248. A Japanese
prime minister in such circumstances would have resigned and committed
hara-kiri.
This president doesn't mean what he says. With each word he
speaks, Zardari digs his own grave a little deeper. We now know what his
objectives are and what he stands for. We also know where his line in the
sand is. We know what his priorities are and who this president really is
The American footprint in our country is growing larger and
heavier by the day. Nuclear Pakistan is now an American colony and is
used as a doormat on which the US can wipe its bloodstained boots.
American military personnel cross and re-cross our border without let or
hindrance. Their drones violate our airspace with the agreement of our
government and kill innocent men, women and children. No questions
asked. No public outrage. No protest demonstrations. No self-respecting
country, big or small, would tolerate such intrusions.
These are critical days in Pakistan. There is no steady hand on the
tiller of government. The survival of the country, its sovereignty, its stunted
880

democracy, its hard-won independent judiciary, all are on the line. In these
dangerous times, anything is possible. Today the country is as close to
anarchy as a society can be without dissolution
Today we have a disjointed, dysfunctional, lopsided, hybrid,
artificial, political system a non-sovereign rubberstamp parliament, a weak
and ineffective prime minister appointed by a powerful accidental president.
Not surprisingly, Pakistan is rudderless and sliding into darkness. It is like a
nightmare in which you foresee all the horrible things which are going to
happen and can't stretch out your hand to prevent them. Such is the feeling
conjured up by the inept rulers of Pakistan as it enters a period of great
uncertainty and sinks deeper and deeper into the quagmire
Today the only ray of hope is the Supreme Court. People must rally
round it and defend it; the first threats of counter-revolutionary activity have
already begun to appear. Attempts are being made to subvert the people's
will and overturn the judicial revolution. If people don't speak up in its
defence, the present corrupt order will acquire the mantle of legitimacy and
permanence. Pakistan must therefore make a historic choice. Either we
throw out the Capons and turn back from the dead end towards which we
have been heading and we do it soon or else we continue in this direction
and Pakistan simply ceases to exist.
Next day Shireen M Mazari commented: Once again, the desire for
authoritarian power on the part of a democratically elected government
threatens the system. Instead of strengthening democracy by building up
the state institutions and norms and procedures of governance, the
government and President have reduced Pakistan to a personal fiefdom. The
President is not prepared to accept any limitations on his power and is ready
to risk the countrys stability for personal aggrandizement. The result is an
uncalled for and deliberate confrontation between two key pillars of the state
- the judiciary and the Presidency. This is unfortunate since there was no
reason for this if the rulers had accepted the constitutional limitations to their
power.
But the independent judiciary is something alien to the Pakistani
ruling elite which has tended to regard this state institution as its appendage.
However, things have changed in Pakistan and the people, through their
struggle and commitment, have ensured that the judiciary will be
independent in Pakistan. The judiciary knows there can be no turning back
from this assertion of people power and support.

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It is too bad the leaders are so far behind the people in this
regard. That is why the Presidency is seeking a confrontation where there
should be none. He and his government have refused to enforce the SC
judgments on the NRO and he is fearful of the outcome of various petitions
against him and his holding of the office of President.
Will all this undermine democracy or strengthen it? If sanity prevails,
the clash will strengthen the democratic culture; but if the political
leadership continues on its suicidal path, the nation will again see a fatal
weakening of democracy. After all, the judiciary is bound to uphold rule of
law and the constitution. But if the President is fearful of the outcome of the
NRO cases against him and thereby hell-bent on confronting the judiciary
with political power, he will push the nation to the brink. Is this what
democracy is going to be reduced to in Pakistan?
On 15th February, The Nation wrote two editorials one on errant
President and the other on the man who called him biggest threat to
democracy. In the first editorial it commented: Unfortunately, the
Presidents efforts to collide head on with the Supreme Court have been
given tacit support by the Prime Minister despite his apparent
disagreement over the Presidents action. Barring a few minor exceptions,
the nation and the mainstream political parties and leaders have shown their
disapproval of the Presidents action and unfortunately we can now see a
political confrontation also brewing with only the Prime Minister having the
ability to defuse the situation. He is not an NRO beneficiary and can adopt
the high moral ground by removing all NRO beneficiaries from the cabinet.
Eventually he will also have to take on the President who has been treating
the country as his personal fiefdom. The PML-N leadership has also finally
moved away from playing the role of merely a friendly opposition a fact
that has given President Zardari far too of a comfort zone to do as he
pleases.
The fact is that accountability of the powerful will have to take place
and it is sad to see those accused of corruption guiding the President into a
self-created confrontation that bodes ill for the country and democracy. The
timing also seems to have been carefully selected to coincide with the
commencement of the US operation in Helmand which is going to occupy
the Pakistan Army to ensure that the fallout does not land up in our tribal
areas. Clearly, the present leadership has absolutely no concern for the
country at all only for its own survival. The coming days are crucial for
Pakistan. Will the judiciary assert its rightful independence and uphold
the Constitution, the law of the land, accountability and the rights of the
882

people; or will a democratic authoritarian reign of corruption and

personalized rule manage to undermine the nation once again in the worst
tradition of military dictatorships?
In the second editorial it wrote: Mian Nawaz wanted the government
in unequivocal terms that it could not have its way on the issue of judges
appointment nor would it be given a chance to indulge in corruption. He was
unhappy at the string of unfulfilled promises made to him by the PPP
leadership, beginning from Burbhan, and regretted that his clear warning not
to delay the acceptance of CJs recommendation had not been heeded. The
question is: does the government really grasp the dangers inherent in its
illogical adamant attitude?
Next day, the newspaper added: Mian Nawaz Sharif, who had become
almost an apologist for the President in the vain hope of providing the
system some stability, has finally reached the end of his tether and been
compelled to declare that Zardari was the biggest threat to democracy. It is
time now for saner voices to prevail and take the lead and never has the
country needed its Prime Minister to show some sanity and some mettle in
the face of deliberate confrontations being hatched in the Presidency.
The Judiciary must be allowed to play its due role and assert its
independence. Things cannot go back to being what they were before the
nations movement for the restoration of the Chief Justice. The dynamics of
inter-institutional responsibility and interaction have altered and no ruler can
bypass legal reforms and procedures in the course of governance. This is
what is actually troubling the present leadership of the country. The nation
is paying the price for the leaderships refusal to comprehend the new
ground realities of Pakistan, its people and the essential pillars of the
Judiciary and the media.
On 17th February, Dr Farooq Hassan urged: It is need of the hour that
the Pakistans preservation must somehow take into account the
rudimentary significance of such simple notions in government: honesty,
ability rather than encouragement of sycophancy for public offices, a
modicum of pride in nationalism and transparency of purpose in policies.
Hanif Baloch from Quetta wrote: Musharraf sent the judiciary, lock,
stock and barrel, home with the stroke of a pen for he considered the
constitution an instrument of his executive powers. Our elected PM today
stood up in the National Assembly in the emulation of that dictator to say
that he had restored the judiciary through an executive action that needed to
be endorsed by the Parliament. And in true dictatorial traditions, he also
883

indicated that the judiciary can be sent packing home yet again through
(yet another) executive order.
So what has changed? Dare one ask the elected PM, or does he
consider himself to be the Viceroy of the President, who in turn might equate
himself with the Monarch of the Raj, that how did the executive action of
the dictator, with an approval of the Parliament, acquired such a legitimacy
even though his act was in violation of the constitution? If so, this
constitution is a unique document that can be used whichever way
required to rule the ordinary subjects, but the elected monarch and his
Viceroy are beyond its jurisdiction. Is the superior judiciary so fragile even
in a democratic environment, that it can be treated like a toilet paper?
Rajinder Garewal from Edinburgh observed: Today, our rulers can
prevail upon not just the filthy politicians, but others too. This new
technique of using street-power for personal gains was invented by
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the last days of Ayub Khan. Bhutto knew how to
build street-power. He humiliated the army generals to get the Jawans to fall
in line behind him. He did the same with the police upper hierarchy to win
the constables. He denigrated teachers and professors to get the students to
support him. He insulted the haves to get the have-nots behind him. He put
the industrialists behind bars to get the labour to shout slogans for him. He
nationalized industry and ruined it completely. He nationalized banks and
destroyed it completely, nationalized education and ruined it to the core.
With all this street power going to his head, he became a law unto himself.
No rules were rules for him, no regulations in his way. This politics of the
PPP founder became the hallmark of all PPP governments that came into
power after him.
The Jiyalas take a cue from the leaders and are never bound by any
discipline, except orders from the leader. A total free for all prevails in the
country in partys attitude towards resources and the institutions of the
country. Bhutto wanted to kick the Chief Justice of the Lahore high court
upstairs so he got a law passed that refusal of a transfer order by a judge
would be deemed his resignation. The Chief Justice refused/resigned and left
the scene. Now his son in law, Zardari, is trying the very same tactics.
Benazir, by the way, had improved upon that method. She had transferred a
not-quite-pliable Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court to the Shariat Court.
The next incumbent was sent packing to the Supreme Court for the same
reasons. Then she picked a junior to head the court. Thereafter, the judges
who were appointed in their dozens were those who had never seen the
inside chambers of a high court. Cronies became guardians of justice.
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Finally, the so-called Daughter of the East married the man who has
today ruined the image of Pakistan throughout the world. Pakistan never
recovered from all these shocks.
The Nation commented: To a nation already baffled and angry at
the ruling leaders waywardness, the Prime Minister announced on
Monday, from as authentic a platform as Parliament, that the restoration of
the deposed judiciary, nearly a year ago, still lacked parliamentary
approval Indeed, there are aspects of the working of our rulers minds that
the brightest in the country do not have the faintest idea about!
The PML-N staged a walkout from the National Assembly and
marched up to Constitution Avenue to register its solidarity with the
judiciary. Its leaders vowed not to let a one-man show prevail, alleging that
the entire game was being played to save a single person. Meanwhile, there
were countrywide public rallies in support of the President and against, and
protests by the lawyers community, which had earlier issued a call for strike
on Monday. The unity that the lawyers had demonstrated while fighting
for the restoration of the judiciary and the rule of law was, however, no
longer to be seen. Noisy scenes were witnessed at their general body
meeting. A sizeable section stood with the government.
The country stands at a crossroads, desperately in need of
direction for the right course to take. If we want to turn the corner, there is
no other course in sight than to strictly abide by the rule of law and judicial
decisions. At this juncture, we just cannot afford to fritter away our energies
on points of ego. Instead of keeping the entire nation on the edge, the crisis
ought to be straightaway defused and the recommendations of the Chief
Justice accepted.
Shireen M Mazari observed: When the judiciary struck the NRO
down, the beneficiaries suddenly saw their past coming to haunt them
again hence, the self-created new judicial crisis. But times have altered
and the people fought a long hard battle to get an independent judiciary just
as the media fought a long hard battle for its independence - and neither is
going to sacrifice their victory at the altar of greed, corruption and a
whimsically authoritarian mindset the top leadership has.
The polity has been divided and polarized along yet more fault lines
and the violence that is being unleashed now has little to do with Taliban
terrorism but everything to do with the ill-thought-out policies of the rulers.
All institutional decision-making has been destroyed and the president
has personalized his rule in a fashion similar to Musharrafs with all
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issues being seen in a them versus us mode. Whenever rulers personalize

their political opposition, it ends in disaster both for the ruler and the
nation and creates unlikely and often undeserving martyrs. Perhaps
defending ones large foreign accounts and properties whitewashed through
the NRO can be a major reason to understand the presidents bizarre
behaviour on the judges issue, but the prime ministers flip flops are making
less sense with each new statement he issues. Why is he being compelled to
defend the indefensible when knowledgeable sources insist he was opposed
to the president issuing the controversial notifications of Saturday 13th
February? Just when one thought sanity was prevailing in prime ministerial
quarters at least with the issuance of Gilanis statement that the government
would accept the Supreme Courts decision on the judges issue, strange
sound bytes began coming from the PM. First it was a totally unnecessary
and meaningless declaration that the judges issue was not Kashmir! Not
only was this an absurd statement, it sent a wrong signal to India that
Pakistan really did not expect the issue of Kashmir to be resolved!
However, the latest sound byte although by now there are probably
more gems coming the way of the hapless nation was too much. Gilani
declared imperiously that the restoration of the judges had not yet been
ratified by Parliament. Does he not know that the judges never accepted
the executive order of Musharraf that removed them? But in any case, an
illegal executive order through an equally questionable emergency, once it is
overturned by a legal executive authoritys order, requires no Parliamentary
ratification. So who is the prime minister trying to fool?
It is no wonder, then, that our foreign detractors are playing
games at our expense. India is blowing hot and cold over the start of a new
dialogue framework, while we are showing indecent haste to get to New
Delhi for any kind of talks it appears. The most threatening though is the
latest edict from Senator Kerry, who obviously loves coming here to satisfy
his imperial urges, who has not only flung the do more mantra once again
at Pakistan but has pushed the Indian agenda forward by telling us that
Kashmir should not be part of the initial dialogue between Pakistan and
India.
Next day The Nation commented on the drop scene. It seems our
political leadership thrives on functioning in a cyclical process
comprising conflict, crisis and then resolutions of the crisis by rescinding
its action that had created the crisis in the first place. This is an unhealthy
way of governance and one that is unstable, creating uncertainty and
polarization within society. The pattern has now played itself out in the latest
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judicial crisis where the Prime Minister has done remarkable somersaults in
a matter of few days. Finally the Prime Minister declared that a
constitutional crisis in the making had been resolved.
However, the more pressing question is why the whole country has
been held hostage to the whims and fancies of one man the President
and his badly informed advisers who continue to ill advise him? If all
institutions are actually allowed to function properly and within their spheres
according to the Constitution, and no one personalizes their power, the
country cannot only be governed smoothly but also governed well.
Unfortunately, the Pr4sidency has not allowed that to happen. Instead, until
issues reach a crisis point and threaten to go over the brink, erroneous
decisions continue to be made consciously and stands are taken which have
no locus standi, constitutionally and within the norms of good governance
and accepted procedures.
This is not something new since all leaders in this country both
democratic and dictatorial have tended to govern in a highly personalized
fashion, assuming the judiciary to be an appendage of the executive. This
has now altered for good and it is time the government realized this basic
new ground reality. There is now an independent judiciary and judicial
activism in the interests of the people of this country is a healthy developing
trend. The government must adjust to these new realities so that the
cycle of confrontation, crisis and retreat can be broken and some
cohesive governance can be seen. The next test will be action on the NRO
decision of the SC, where again the government is vacillating. PM Gilani
should move on that count too without going through dizzying somersaults.
On 19th February, the Nation commented: If there was any doubt
about the present governments penchant for brinkmanship, the handling of
the case of judges appointment, in total disregard of constitutional
provisions, should put that at rest. The issue of the deposed judiciarys
restoration was another striking example that had kept the nation in nervous
suspense for so long, and one can, perhaps, also point to the short-lived
precipitous decision to send the ISI Chief to India without consulting the
relevant quarters. Consistent with the psyche of those who are prone to
taking matters to the edge of a precipice, indulging in doublespeak at the
same time, but when pressure to back down refuses to relent tamely
surrendering. So the Prime Minister felt no humiliation in finally accepting
the recommendations of the Chief Justice. The official apologists might
term the act of correcting the mistake Mr Gilanis words that continue
to ring in the ear as a sign of greatness. But the truth is that the defiance of
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judicial opinion that is based on the Constitution and established democratic

traditions constitutes a serious danger to the present order established after a
long and hard struggle. Apart from that, the cost to the country of such
policies is incalculable.
M A Niazi recalled: The problem lies with the Presidency and
Prime Minister-ship of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Apart from (as PM), being the
first person to be Pakistans elected prime minister, he was also the first (and
only) member of Ayub Khans Cabinet to succeed him. Ayub may not have
been contemptuous of the judiciary, though he did have a Chief Justice of
the East Pakistan High Court resign on him because of an appointment over
which he was not consulted, but as the head of a military dictatorship, he
certainly presided over a state in which the executive was over-mighty.
While Zia and Musharraf used the military to provide them personnel to
rule, Ayub used the bureaucracy, the instrument which the Raj had used
exclusively till it began its experiment with democracy which ended with
independence and partition.
The PPP had thus been used to a strongly individualistic and
quasi-dictatorial style of governance. This led to an attitude towards the
judiciary which does not allow for the kind of judicial activism presently
being carried out as a matter of course. It was perhaps inevitable that
Benazir would carry her fathers attitude, but for her widower to have the
same attitude was an indication that the entire party had this attitude, which
neither coincides with the requirements of the people, nor the intentions of
the judiciary.
There has been some speculation that the government intends to
change the procedure for appointing the judiciary through the 18 th
Amendment, which will abolish the 17th Amendment, especially the powers
of the president. However, this neglects the fact that the power of governing
at the centre and three provinces may have been given to the PPP, but it can
only amend the constitution by joining hands with the PML-N. Now the
PML-N has shown, by its award of presidential tickets that it has an
awareness of the needs of the judiciary, and it can be expected not to commit
to voting for any amendment which places the judiciary at the disposal of
the PPP. However, the PPP has never been deterred from bringing a
constitutional amendment just because it lacked the votes to pass it, as
shown by the 13th Amendment Bill, which provided for the gutting of the
judiciary, whereby a mere accusation would automatically entail suspension.
For obvious reasons that Bill was not passed. However, it did serve a
number of purposes, among them showing the PPPs attitude towards the
888

judiciary, which is not solely influenced by Bhuttos experience under Ayub,

but also by the partys socialist experiment, which does not see the party as
one competitor among several for the control of the executive and the
legislature, but as a vanguard party which must control all elements making
up the state. That is the reason why the PPP never accepts electoral defeat,
and at once cries out against rigging, because a socialist party always has a
monopoly of power once it attains office. However, this approach, while it
may pass muster in electoral politics, does not go down well with the
judiciary, which finds the PPP, not politicians in general, as its sole
competitor for the power of making judicial appointments. Then again, the
PPP can still recoup.
After making sure that the 18th Amendment includes nothing
affecting the judiciary, it must ensure total obedience to the judiciary,
including the Supreme Courts NRO verdict. It must not be forgotten that
the NRO verdict, which affected the president, in what has started the
present round of an ongoing confrontation spread over nearly two decades.
The PPP has a responsibility to letting the judiciary be
independent if it wants the Constitution operationalized and a chance at
executive and legislative power periodically. The permanent guarantee was
thrown out with the socialism so distasteful to the USA, the PPPs present
patron.
Next day, Anjum Niaz commented on the latest episode. Excerpts in
praise of Gilani are reproduced: A brain scan may be the answer. We
should arrange for scanners to be sent to the presidency and the Prime
Minister's House. No, make it to the house of the Senate chairman, law
minister and adviser to the prime minister on law, as well. The five need to
be psycho-analyzed in the light of why they acted as they did, last week.
Any good psychiatrist would declare their spat and later 'friendship' with the
Supreme Court over judges' appointment to be weird; abnormal and
irresponsible. For sure they'd be declared unbalanced and therefore unfit for
the titles that the five helmsmen hold.
Prime Minister Gilani is a prime example of a 'good cop/bad cop' all
in one. I hate this clich but for the lack of a better example, do bear with
me. It's like being a friend and foe at the same time. In the classic definition,
there is a team of two interrogators. The 'bad cop' takes an aggressive,
negative stance towards the subject, making blatant accusations, derogatory
comments, threats, and in general creating antipathy between the subject and
himself. The good cop appears sympathetic, supportive, understanding, and

889

cooperative. Gilani was the bad cop on the floor of the house directing his
threats towards the apex court. The following day he became the 'good cop'.
He crashed into the Supreme Court dinner party thrown by the chief justice
in honour of Justice Ramday
Was Gilani trying to lure the superior judiciary to relent on the NRO
when he became the 'guest who came to dinner' at the Supreme Court? Was
he trying to negotiate an unmolested full term for Zardari so that he is able
to continue ruling us without the blot of being accused of corruption? The
government may have given in on the judges' appointment, but it's the NRO
question that is on everyone's mind. How that will pan out in the coming
days is the $1.5 billion question!
Our rulers at the centre and in the provinces have thus far flunked the
morality test. We hear that NAB is now investigating into the corruption
cases of the Sharifs. How come it's doing it now and at whose instance? Has
NAB, whose chairman Navid Ahsan cannot be sacked, so says Gilani, been
given government orders to go after the Sharifs? If so, this amounts to a
'shut-up call' to the Sharifs from the Zardari camp.
Abdullah Hussain from Lahore wrote: I like Asif Zardari. He is
straight, knows what he wants and goes for it, and once he grabs it, holds on
to it for dear life, making no excuses. Criticism of him is not fair. He is a
political innocent, just does what others, who are equally stupid, tell him to
do. The real bulwark of the realm is the man from Multan the land of
big mazars and equally big majawars, people who haven't done a day's
work with their hands, brought up on the pennies of the hordes of mureeds,
the wretched of the earth, and keeping them happy by sleights of hand,
gaining unrivalled experience in sophistry. Does anyone realize that this
man, the prime minister straight-backed, bull-necked, and, as Colin
Cowdrey once said of a young Ian Botham, built like a shithouse door
using his silky smooth trickery, by which he once deceived even the
hardened newsmen, who put their trust in him for too long before seeing the
light, has now put the chief justice into a tight fix: if the CJ shows an iota of
leniency in the very difficult cases against the government, he is a fallen
man.
Babar Sattar commented: Would the government not have conceded
had the chief justice politely refused to visit the prime minister to conclude
the consultative process in a personal meeting? Could the chief justice's
decision to meet the prime minister and the outcome of such meeting
influence the judicial outcome of the judicial appointment case had the apex

890

court been required to decide it on legal merits? Did the chief justice and the
prime minister decide any other legal issues pending adjudication before the
Supreme Court, especially that of out-of-turn promotion of senior
bureaucrats? Was there any conversation on the timing and mode of
implementation of the NRO case, as well as the government's foot-dragging
over the Supreme Court's instructions in relation to the Swiss cases?
We will never know the answers to these questions definitively. But
the fact the meeting between the chief justice and the prime minister has
given birth to such questions and concerns is what pains proponents of rule
of law who believe they have a stake in upholding the Constitution and
protecting the credibility of the institution primarily responsible for
interpreting and implementing it.
The detractors of the ruling regime argue that U-turns on sensitive
policy issues is a part of the PPP's preferred governance strategy. Given
its murky record over the restoration issue, the PPP has no credibility when
it comes to its commitment to the rule of law and an independent judiciary.
That, combined with the marked absence of any sense of disgrace
over its repeated flip-flops, places the ruling regime in a unique position
where it has nothing to lose in such crises and climb-downs. The position of
the chief justice and the Supreme Court is, however, different. The restored
judiciary has garnered tremendous credibility and respect over the last
couple of years. Even the suggestion that any considerations extraneous to
the law and established judicial norms (such as expediency, public approval
or even opprobrium) influence the conduct of the apex court and its chief
justice, threaten to take away some of the shine and glory that the judicature
presently basks in.
One takes comfort from the fact that the issue of judicial
appointments was resolved in accordance with principle and the position that
the chief justice had previously taken. Further, the decisions and tone of the
Supreme Court in matters presently pending before it and in getting
implemented the decisions already rendered will hopefully allay fears that
social niceties have the propensity to affect judicial functions of the apex
court.
But now that the impending crisis has dissipated, the Supreme
Judicial Council should probably consider the events of the last few days
and lay down within the judicial code of conduct the permissible means
of consultation between the executive and the judiciary in relation to
administrative issues.
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While the meeting between the chief justice and the prime minister
can be condoned as an extraordinary singular incident, there is need to
ensure that consultation between the heads of the executive and the
judiciary does not acquire the form of negotiation going forward. The
other lesson from the last few weeks is that our system for appointment of
judges to the superior courts is broken and needs to be fixed. Over the years,
by virtue of creative judicial interpretation of relevant provisions of the
Constitution together with the definition of consultation written into Article
260 of the Constitution by Gen Musharraf, consultation between the chief
justice and the president has come to mean binding advice by the former to
the latter
Both judicial appointments and composition of benches are
intricately linked to judicial independence and impartial dispensation of
justice. Vesting such discretionary power in an individual makes it amenable
to abuse and retards institutional development. The honourable chief justice
could show many others the light by voluntarily relinquishing personal
discretion to strengthen the institution he heads with such distinction.
Arif Nizami recommended: According to media reports the PML-N
has recently disassociated itself from the Raza Rabbani Committee drafting
the 18th Amendment. It will be in the fitness of things for the PML-N to
go back in the deliberations and insist upon, including the process of
appointment of judges in accordance with the CoD in the agenda of the
committee. Its time our politicians put their heads together for the good of
the people rather than merely fighting their turf wars.
Sania Nishtar suggested: Two key instruments need to be reshaped
in order to institutionalize a system of checks and balances between the
three pillars of the state; one the Constitution and two, a holistic
accountability frame work. The potential within these norms if
appropriately cascaded into implementation to shape the destiny of this
country must be under-estimated.

REVIEW
Money and power are always sought by almost all politicians in
Pakistan. Money, easy money to be specific, has been the ultimate goal and
the power the ultimate means to acquire such money. This has never been so
shamelessly practiced as has been seen in the last three years.

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Other than that, the entire hum about democracy is farce. Patriotism,
good governance and social welfare are as fake slogans as are roti, kapra
and makan. These hollow rhetorics are meant to befool the masses to
acquire the nod in their favor for five-year loot.
The present rulers had returned to Pakistan under a deal that condoned
their corruption and criminal cases under noble sounding National
Reconciliation Ordinance. Only one person, Asif Ali Zardari, was allowed to
retain Rs165 billion accumulated through corruption. He then politically
manoeuvred to dislodge Musharraf and occupy Presidency.
The scoundrel who had scrounged such a large sum of money knew
that his wealth was not safe as long as a petition challenging the NRO was
pending in the Supreme Court and it would be against his interests if the
petition was heard by a Supreme Court headed by Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.
He, therefore vehemently resisted reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar.
He unleashed his Jiyalas and Jiyalis to portray Justice Iftikhar as a
controversial personality unfit for an important post of Chief Justice of
Pakistan. He, however, lost the battle when his Prime Minister was forced to
sign surrender document; an executive order reinstating the Chief Justice.
And the inevitable happened when the apex court heard the petition
and declared NRO void ib initio. The Scoundrel in possession of billions of
rupees feared losing them, but he was not going to let it happen so easily. He
launched multi-pronged reinvigorated campaign to malign the Chief Justice.
Post-verdict hue and cry about conspiracies was meant to draw
attention away from the implementation of the court verdict particularly that
part which related to his ill-gotten money deposited in foreign bank
accounts. He, however, never forgot the nudge of the scabbard at his back
and thus; tried other means, including an attempt to bargain with Nawaz, to
rein in Chief Justice. As usual services of an Arab ambassador in Islamabad
were acquired to act as broker; to woo Nawaz in return of lifting ban on third
tenure of prime minister.
Zardari regime also used the prevalent instable law and order situation
for distraction purposes. When the situation seemed normalizing, the unrest
was engineered as it happened in Karachi. Apart from the distraction
Karachis annual budget was also a big attraction. The PPP has set its eyes
on Nazims slot in next LG elections, but MQM having exercised exclusive
control for so long wont give that up easily.

893

While fiercely contesting for the grab, they have stepped back from
the brink of parting ways for quite a few times. But not once any of the
coalition members named the criminals of other parties involved in targetedkillings, despite knowing them well. This reflected strict adherence to
unwritten moral code of the criminals.
Attempt was made to exploit even the attack on Shaikh Rashid by
creating a hype to keep the media looking the other way. Rashid had been
part of Musharraf regime and him becoming the target of vengeance of
victims of Lal Masjid massacre was and will remain a possibility. But
sympathies of PPP leaders led by Salmaan Taseer served the purpose of
distraction from implementation of NRO verdict.
Apart from defaming the superior judiciary, efforts were made to
retard its efficiency by delaying appointment of judges. Actions of 13 th
February were display of arrogance by the regime wherein recommendations
of the Chief Justice were disregarded and principle of seniority for
appointment of judges was preferred. On the other hand, it was defending a
case of out of turn promotions of bureaucrats in the Supreme Court?
Some observers believed that Shahbaz Sharifs meeting with COAS
might have hastened the issue of notifications by Zardari. In fact, he was
encouraged by the results of taking belligerent posture on NRO verdict that
made the critics of Zardari cautious to avoid chaos; he decided to stick to the
policy of confrontation.
According to Iqbal Haider Zardari had tried to kill two birds with one
stone. He thought the two judges would refuse and they could be dismissed
for disobeying orders. He did not visualize that the Chief Justice would react
so quickly on a week end. (Musharraf also used to take such actions on week
ends with similar evil intent.) The regimes spokesperson, Fauzia had good
enough reason to criticize courts working at night.
After the issue of stay order Nawaz called Zardari a threat to
democracy. Khwaja Asif compared Zardaris legal advisers Farooq Naek,
Babar Awan and Latif Khosa with three idiots for rendering wrong advice.
Khwaja ignored the fact that Zardari likes to listen to only that advice which
tells him the way to secure his wealth; for him legality or morality of the
advice does not merit consideration.
True to the psyche of a scoundrel, after implementation of notification
was summarily stalled by his nemesis Zardari turned to doing things he
knows better. He ordered his jiyalas and jiyalis to resort to street agitation.

894

Rather than sitting back and indulge in reactive protests PPP took the
initiative targeting Nawaz and Justice Iftikhar.
Gilani, the Sage, while addressing the Parliament on 15 th February
claimed that all the good things in the last two years have happened because
of him. He spoke in the language of his boss and blamed PML-N for moving
towards confrontation and vowed to accept the challenge.
The Sage put the Scoundrel to shame when he announced that the
Chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and other judges were reinstated under an
executive order, which required approval of the Parliament. It was a clear
threat to the judiciary; the Sage undoubtedly outclassed the Scoundrel. He,
however, kept the escape route open by saying that his government would
accept court verdict on the issue.
Within 24 hours there was an unexpected twist in the events, when
Gilani arrived at Justice Ramdays farewell dinner in the Supreme Court
uninvited. Aitzaz might have suggested this move to undo the damage
caused by three idiots. Like Gilani, who has been doing damage control in
the wake of political blunders, Aitzaz has been kept in the bind to perform
similar duty on judicial front.
Dr Shahid Masood, being strong critic of the regime, could not bear
the sight of Gilani sitting with the Chief Justice. He observed that the Chief
Justice was flanked by Prime Minister and Aitzaz Ahsan; whereas the chief
guest, Justice Ramday should have been sitting on the dinning table in place
of Aitzaz Ahsan. He inferred that all that seemed to have been pre-arranged.
It was quite natural for them, who hold the present judges in high
esteem for their sacrifices for independence of the judiciary, to be
apprehensive about Gilani meeting the Chief Justice. They thought it was
below the dignity of a judge like Justice Iftikhar to meet a litigant like
Gilani.
After the dinner, the Sage invited the Chief Justice to his house; the
invitation was accepted. The Scoundrel, meanwhile, remained busy in
consulting his coalition partners. During the consultation he ordered
pullback of the jiyalas from the streets and putting them on leash.
Before proceeding further a few words about Aitzaz Ahsan. He
searched for a mother-like state, but instead he has found father-like
president in Zardari. Unfortunately, there is nothing to feel proud about the
find. Nevertheless, he has come out of the cocoon of Lawyers Movement
and since then been fighting as frontline soldier of father Zardari.

895

During the movement he had once argued against constitutional

immunity to the President during hearing of the case for restoration of the
Chief Justice. He quoted the example of Hazrat Omar. Today the same
person argues in favour of immunity. After all, Zardari is democratically
elected president and Aitzaz, perhaps, holds him in much higher esteem than
undemocratic Musharraf and maybe also Hazrat Omar.
Aitzaz must be thinking that he has been rendering prudent advice to
his party leader, but it seemed to have not occurred to him that his party boss
does not believe in sanity, sagacity, morality, legality, or rationality. It should
have known to him that he prefers to listen to the advice from idiots like
Latif Khosa and he also has plenty of idiosyncrasies like Fauzia Wahab,
Ashiq Awan and Asma Alamgir. (One would like to avoid using the words
idiot or idiocy as a mark of respect for the ladies.)
Zardari uses these ladies as women-shield (not human-shield) for his
protection. Persons like Fauzia Wahab are ever-ready to use their tongues
and temper to maul the critics, who transgress the taqaddus (sanctity) of
Zardari. Those who survive are killed with smiles. Astonishingly, this lady
has objection to judiciary working at night, but forgets that she too has been
indulging in nocturnal political activity and when she was reminded in a
TV debate she had reacted violently.
If reports are correct, then Aitzaz has done no service to judiciary by
staging the drama of Gilani sneaking into the Supreme Court dinner and the
resultant visit of the Chief justice to PM House. Unfortunately, in Pakistan
the heroes (idols) usually disappoint their fans (worshipers) by indulging in
something unbecoming to perform something extraordinary; like Shahid
Afridi biting the cricket ball for this purpose.
Coming back to Prime Ministers invitation to the Chief Justice, the
purist rightly believe that it should have been politely declined upholding the
judicial tradition set by his predecessor who refused to meet Liaqat Ali
Khan. And, Gilani when compared with Liaqat Ali Khan does not emerge
even as dwarf. In fact, he too is a scoundrel in the attire of a sage. It is he
who is solely responsible for not implementing the NRO verdict.
If a meeting was inescapable it should have been held before the issue
of notification for appointment of judges. And it should have been held in
the Supreme Court or Prime Ministers office, but not in a drawing room
with Benazirs photograph in the background. May be Chief Justice wanted
to be decent in accepting the invitation.

896

The decency, however, should be reserved for decent people; not for
scoundrels as they are bound to take it as a sign of weakness. Decency in
the context of invitations from Executive to judges of superior judiciary lies
not in acceptance but in polite refusal.
Another, angle to look at the meeting in the PM House is that it was a
discussion between heads of two important institutions of the State to defuse
prevalent tensions. It was not a bargaining session between a judge and a
litigant. Nevertheless, Chief Justices stepping into PM House could mark
the beginning of erosion of his image.
For the last two years Zardari and his aides have been trying to make
the Chief Justice controversial but failed. It is to the credit of the Sage that
he has done it with innocuous looking reconciliatory move and also got
another lease of political life. According to some observers, he has caused
first dent in the image of the Chief Justice.
The nation waited impatiently like an expectant father out side a
labour room to hear about the good news. At last, the nurse (Gilani, the
Sage) emerged and made the announcement: the good news is that Chief
Justice came to PM House as part of the consultative process. He had no
shame in putting the horse behind the cart. What purpose was served by
consultations four days after the issue of notification?
The Chief Justice and the litigant Prime Minister spent nearly two
hours in one to one consultations which appeared to be excessive when
seen in the context of short statement of what was achieved. It cannot be
ruled out that the Sage tried to bargain on saving the ill-gotten wealth of the
Scoundrel. What was the reply of the Chief Justice remains to be confirmed.
The use of words good news indicated that the Scoundrel and the
Sage fully understood the negative impact of their actions in terms of
causing torture to entire nation. Who will be held responsible and made to
compensate for that torture? It amounted to saying; I shot to kill the
system; the good news is; I missed.
The best comments on this episode should be no comments, but
when everyone is commenting there is no harm in saying few words. It must
be acknowledged that the retreat had become unavoidable. The Scoundrel
and the Sage realized their mistake of providing enough grounds to the
Supreme Court even to go to the extent of disqualifying both of them; hence
the raising of arms.

897

This was no act of shame for the successors of Musharraf, who used
to go back on his words quite often. He was criticized for taking U-turns
and at times using translation of vernacular quote, spitting and licking. But
democratic leaders have outdone the dictator by replacing p of spitting with
h to give added stink to the phrase.
The retreat would strengthen the (mis)perception about reconciliatory
approach of the regime. It has bought time to strike back at an opportune
moment. During the next stand-off if the Chief Justice shows rigidity in
sticking to his principled stand he would be blamed for not allowing the
system to work despite Executives reconciliatory approach. Meanwhile, the
regime would try to neutralize the Chief Justice by including a clause in
constitutional amendments by having two chief justices.
There should be no doubt that regimes retreat is absolutely devoid of
any sincerity. It has simply managed to live to strike on another day with
vengeance. It is time for those, who have been saying that Gilani is different
from Zardari, to see that the two are the same thing like Natha Singh and
Prem Singh; or at best two sides of the same coin.
The damage Zardari is capable of causing is best explained by a
Punjabi phrase, ondha kamad mein ghos gia, (wildboar in sugarcane field);
like beasts they would eat some but destroy in plenty. This carries warning
for the people of Pakistan in general and for Justice Iftikhar and Nawaz
Sharif in particular.
The Chief Justice should not be misled by utterances of the Sage;
instead he must act only after pondering over the possible evil intention
behind his utterances. He must insist on implementation of NRO verdict and
never allow out-of-court settlement or NAB-like plea bargain. He seemed to
be sticking on to this for the satisfaction of the masses.
Nawaz Sharif must accept that he is primarily responsible for
Zardaris arrogance and belligerence. Having termed Zardari a threat to
democracy he must not lower his guard. If he lowers the guard allowing the
Scoundrel to hit-back, then he has rightly earned the title of turnip. He
must also blunt regimes plan to neutralize Chief Justice through 18 th
Amendment making Charter of Democracy a pretext.
While concluding, it must be reminded that the sinister motive behind
all the moves of Zardari has been the protection of the looted wealth. And, in
a country where ordinary scoundrels kill for ten rupees; he could be
expected to do anything. He would protect his wealth like the proverbial

898

serpent of a treasure; hissing and spitting fire till its head is crushed or the
treasure is retrieved.
The people of Pakistan must not forget the talk of redrawing of maps
of the region entailing dismemberment of Pakistan. The analysts have been
evolving various hypotheses under which America may try to achieve this
goal, but one thing that has been seldom mentioned is that America seemed
to have already arranged it without direct intervention. Benazir-Musharraf
deal that culminated in Zardari occupying the Presidency could be the
beginning of undoing Pakistan.
A new and most damaging factor of institutional confrontation
threatening the solidarity of Pakistan has been added to provincial, racial,
linguistic and sectarian differences that have always existed and at times
turned into prejudices. The present ruling coalition has played major role in
fanning the differences/prejudices into hatred.
20th February 2010

SCOUNDREL AND SAGE - II

The Scoundrel and the sage kept working in unison. On 22 nd February
the Sage went to Lahore and met Nawaz Sharif at breakfast to present yet
another olive branch; one never knew that so much olive was grown in
Multan. After the meeting he said the he would go by the book on
reopening of the Swiss cases. Couple of days later the Law Ministry stopped
Chairman NAB from approaching Swiss government.
Meanwhile, Zardari launched fresh maligning assault on superior
judiciary by terming a 4-foot 3-inch person as killer of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Ansar Abbasi reported that intelligence reports generated in recent past
indicated that the Chief Justice could be embarrassed by miscreants.
In its revised review petition the government alleged that the court
had given relief to petitioners beyond their prayer. The updated review
petition was more of a charge sheet against the judges of the Supreme Court
than a prayer for review. It termed them indirect beneficiaries the NRO;
Justice Iftikhar had validated military takeover of 1999; the judges have
misinterpreted Islamic history; and that the NRO was promulgated in the
spirit of Misaq-e-Madina.
While defying the court orders the regime did not leave the political
arena open to its opponents. PPP and JUI-F fully supported Shaikh Rashid in
bye-election in NA-55, but he lost to comparatively unknown candidate of
PML-N. Towards the end of the period under review, the Serpent after
899

hissing and spitting fire at snake-charmers of judiciary, dashed to London to

check safety of his treasure.

NEWS
The Chairman NAB after having been admonished by the Chief
Justice sacked Additional Prosecutor General on 20th February. Reportedly,
Zardari signaled the government for reopening of Swiss cases. Addressing
the judicial officers of Lahore region the Chief Justice asked them to
dispense justice or lose the job. No meaningful progress was made in
meeting held to resolve difference between Punjab and Sindh over
distribution of water.
Punjab was once again blackmailed and on 21st February it
surrendered fifty percent of water of its share to Sindh. People of the
province have not given mandate to Shahbaz Sharif to earn PPPs goodwill
at the cost of their rightful legal rights. Fazlur Rehman said there would be a
package for appointment of judges soon.
On 22nd February, Gilani met Nawaz Sharif at breakfast in Raiwind to
present yet another olive branch. The host urged letting actions speak louder
than words. After the meeting Gilani said he would go by the book on
Swiss cases. The Sage was referring to constitutional immunity to the
Scoundrel. Rauf Klasra reported that the government appeared to be opting
for contempt of court rather than taking action for opening of Swiss cases.
PPP MNAs from Punjab and NWFP differed on Kalabagh Dam.
Generous Punjab government asked IRSA to stop water flow in ChashmaJehlum Link Canal. Khurshid Shah said Punjab government would be asked
in writing to comment on reported contacts of Rana Sanaullah with banned
Lashkar-i-Jhangvi. Electioneering in NA-55 ended at high note as Nawaz,
Rashid, Munawwar and Imran addressed public meetings.
Chief Justice, during hearing of Punjab Bank case, snubbed NAB
officials for taking commission on loan recoveries. Newly appointed
Ambassador Raisani in Damascus sacked entire staff of Pakistani school and
hired services of sisters, daughters, sons-in-law, nephews, grand-daughters
and cousins.
In reply to letter of Chairman who had sought clarification on
reopening of Swiss cases, Law Ministry stopped him from approaching
Swiss government on 23rd February. Meanwhile, Prosecutor general of NAB

900

refused to resign. The Supreme Court returned NRO review petition to the
government with objection.
According to Rauf Klasra the federal government in its updated
review petition had said that the court had erred in ordering reopening of
Swiss cases. As under the relevant laws of Switzerland, a case once closed,
could not be reopened after ten days of its closing. Moreover, it tantamount
to putting grave of Benazir Bhutto in Ghari Khuda Bux on trial in addition
to trial of ailing Nusrat Bhutto and it is against all norms of justice,
decency, morality and law as Zardari was only co-accused.
Constitutional reforms committee agreed on appointment of judges
through judicial commission and parliamentary committee. The Rabbani
committee, however, dropped the idea of two chief justices as envisaged in
Charter of Democracy. Gilani accepted Shaukat Tarins resignation and he
also resigned from the Senate seat. Zardari looked at Nasim Baig and Gilani
at Makhdoom Shabuddin as successor of Tarin.
Next day, Shaikh Rashid started the day by casting his vote in his
favour and then announced his defeat in typical style of Pakistani politicians
i.e. by hurling accusations of rigging. Shakeel Awan, comparatively
unknown candidate of PML-N defeated son of soil supported by Zardari,
Shujaat and Fazlur Rehman; hence Rashid ended the day hurling accusations
of rigging and also blaming Hamid Mir for exposing him at last minute and
Gilani for having breakfast with Nawaz. Nawaz Sharif dashed to Rawalpindi
to congratulate his party workers. PTI and JI got performed below the
expectations by securing about three thousand votes each.
Rauf Klasra reported that the federal government in its updated review
petition has told the Supreme Court judges that they too were indirect
beneficiaries of the much condemned NRO because had late Benazir Bhutto
not negotiated it they all would have neither been released from detention
nor restored. Other points in the petition more of a charge sheet against
judges than a petition worth mention were that as member of the bench
Justice Iftikhar had validated military takeover of 1999. Judges have been
accused of encroaching upon powers of Parliament. The self acclaimed
scholar, the Law Minister, has pointed out that the judges have
misinterpreted Islamic history. He argued that NRO was promulgated on the
grounds of Misaq-e-Madina.
Chairman NAB submitted his reply in the Supreme Court 15 minutes
before the expiry of the deadline given to him. He sought more time
regarding the re-opening of Swiss cases, while smartly conveying that the
901

delay in this respect was on part of the government. In the evening, he

submitted his resignation to Gilani. At night the legal experts of the regime
briefed Gilani that cases against Zardari could not be reopened under Swiss
laws.
UN Commission probing murder of Benazir Bhutto met Zardari. It
failed to submit the report as per deadline and was granted three more
months to complete the assignment. British High Commissioner also met
Zardari to discuss matters of mutual interest.
On 25th February, Zardari launched fresh maligning assault of superior
judiciary by terming a 4-foot 3-inch person as killer of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
He indirectly said that if something happened to him judiciary would be
responsible. LHC ordered arrest of two MPAs of PML-N for hindering
implementation of court orders regarding eviction from forcibly occupied
land of a lady. Barrister Baachaa filed petition in the Supreme Court against
Qazi Anwar, President SCBA, for contempt. Election Commission reserved
judgment in Zardaris eligibility case. UN Commission probing Benazirs
murder met General Kayani and Rehman Malik.
Ansar Abbasi reported that intelligence reports generated in recent
past indicated that the Chief Justice could be embarrassed by miscreants.
Rauf Klasra reported that Malik Qayyum has suddenly gained huge
importance in the eyes of the legal gurus of the federal government trying to
find reasons and logic to defend his act of writing to the Swiss authorities
to close down the money-laundering cases against Zardari. This was
happening when a new battle seemed imminent when the Supreme Court
would take up review petition against NRO.
Next day, Zardari apologized to woman who gave birth to a baby in a
rickshaw because of traffic closure on his arrival; but Gilani said it is not
unusual as births do take place in planes and other places. The most
disgusting part of this was that the elite listening to Gilani applauded his
remarks by clapping.
The Supreme Court referred the corruption case of Latif Khosa to the
Pakistan Bar Council for action within 30 days. The Court was informed that
Rs5.6 billion had been recovered in Punjab Bank Scam; the Chief Justice
remarked that this recovery must be made precedent in recovering Rs256.6
billion written off loans.
On 27th February, Zardari sent Rs500 thousand to parents of the baby
born in rickshaw and Gilani followed Sunnat-e-Zardari by announcing that
the child would be educated up to BA at government expense. Zardari went
902

to London on some secret private mission. ANP decided to adopt Pashtu as

medium of instruction for primary education.
Next day, Zardari and Miliband discussed issues of mutual interest.
Rauf Klasra reported that the government in its revised review petition has
said that the court has given relief to petitioners beyond their prayer. PML-Q
decided to support JI in NA-123 by-polls. SCBA rejected the proposed
system for appointment of judges by constitutional committee.
On 1st March, Election Commission dismissed the plea challenging
eligibility of Zardari. Gilani at last dared removing Phulpoto, the managing
director of PSM. Ansar Abbasi reported that NAB was dragging feet on the
instructions of the government using various excuses. Salman Faruqui
appeared before Accountability Court in corruption case and demanded
action against those who framed charges against an honest man like him.
Appointment of two judges of LHC and Justice Ramday was
challenged in the court. Nawaz Sharif addressed a public meeting in NA-123
and vowed to bring back the looted money. Meanwhile, TV cameras showed
Kundas hooked on to main power line in the vicinity of site of public
meeting and PML-N was accused of committing theft of electricity.
The family of baby born in rickshaw turned out to be Afghan refugee
and rumours said the family was asked to return the money. Prime ministers
goodwill gesture, however, indicated that the government visualized that
Afghan refugees would stay in Pakistan for another twenty years till
completion of babys graduation.
On 2nd March, Chief Justice addressed district judiciary and judges of
High Court in Peshawar and urged them to decide cases on merits. He said
nation suffered whenever Constitution was flouted and said the nation is
backing judiciary and no one can weaken it. Justice Azmat Saeed refused to
be on the bench hearing Zardaris eligibility case because he had been his
defence counsel in the past.
Former secretary of Larkana Bar Council filed a petition against Ayaz
Somoro, Law Minister Sindh alleging that the minister is drawing Rs 35,000
per month while living in government accommodation. PML-N was cleared
of electricity theft allegation, but some TV channels kept beating about it.
Gilani talked to Shahbaz on telephone and then announced that PPP wont
contest by-poll in PP-111.
The government submitted in the court hearing missing persons case
the lists of six thousand Pakistanis in jails in nine countries. Counsel of Dr

903

Aafia said submission of details of her kidnapping from Karachi could

secure her release. Attorney General said it was too late now. The court told
him that under the US law this could be done at any stage. The court
directed that secretaries of Defence, Foreign Affairs and interior should be
present in the courtroom. In Karachi, inquiry officer submitted incomplete
inquiry arguing that it cannot be completed without access to Dr Aafia. The
court returned the probe report and ordered its completion.
Raza Rabbani disclosed that Constitutional Reforms Committee has
proposed a system for appointment of judges in which there would be no
role for executive. Judicial commission headed by the Chief Justice would
recommend names and Parliamentary Committee would approve those.
Shaheen Sehbai reported that one of the purposes of Zardaris private
visit to London was to meet Pakistani High Commissioner in whose custody
were 12 boxes retrieved from Switzerland. Gilani in interview said that he
would submit progress report on to the Supreme Court on 12 th March. The
Sage has misconstrued courts directive to NAB for flouting court verdict.
On 3rd March, members of Sindh Bar Council accused the government
of opening up its kitty to buy lawyers with a view to taking over bar
councils. Chief Justice said no stone would be left unturned for Constitution
and law; the courts would not render nation hopeless. Akram Shaikh wrote
to Raza Rabbani that the role of Judicial Commission and Attorney General
as envisaged in the proposed amendment meant that the government was not
relinquishing its control on appointment of judges. In London, Zardari
checked the contents of boxes retrieved from Switzerland and presently
guarded by Wajid Shamsul Hasan; the High Commission denied.
Next day, Rehman Malik became the first NRO beneficiaries to be
acquitted by Accountability Court of charges of corruption and misuse of
authority. He, and many others of his ilk, hoped for more acquittals in future.
Murtaza Ali Shah reported that 12 boxes containing Swiss moneylaundering evidence were shifted to High Commissioners residence.
On 5th March, Gilani addressed the nation and claimed that his and his
partys conscience was clear and they would present themselves before the
people for accountability after completion of five years. Usman Faruqui
became the second person to be acquitted in PSM fraud case. NAB admitted
that in the absence of independent prosecution it would lose all cases.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan took suo moto notice of public flogging
by police in Chiniot; he remarked that law of jungle seems to prevail. Chief
Justice of LHC visited Rahimyar Khan Bar and left without distributing
904

awards because of rowdy behaviour of two factions of the lawyers. Salman

Taseer accused Punjab government of releasing two convicted terrorists of
SSP to get support in the forth-coming bye-polls in Jhang. He demanded
action against provincial law minister.

VIEWS
Despite the retreat, Zardari remained under critics cursor. On 21 st
February, The News commented: The courts have demonstrated that even
after their accord with the government they have no intention of going slow
in their efforts to tackle corruption and the other issues that have become a
prime concern for all citizens of the country. A three-member bench of the
Supreme Court headed by the Chief Justice has, in no uncertain terms,
rebuked the chief of the NAB for failing to open key cases of corrupt
practices that remain pending for now. The courts attitude should make it
clear to the government and its functionaries that the Supreme Court has
every intention of carrying on the good work that has acted to raise its
status in the eyes of the people. This is something all of us will welcome.
But what we most urgently need is better governance and greater ability to
bring the corrupt to book. Even more than practical factors, this can have a
huge psychological impact by dispelling the despondency that holds back
hope in our country and leaves people pessimistic about the future.
By making it clear to the NAB chief that it is determined to see
orders implemented, the court has taken another stride towards delivering
the access to justice that is so badly needed. We can assume it intends to
walk further along the same path. It is now obvious that the new spirit of
friendship with the government will not hold back the courts from
continuing the excellent services they have so far meted out through the
refusal to compromise or cave in to the considerable pressure they have
faced from time to time. We hope too that NAB will no longer drag its
feet and immediately begin work to implement court orders. Doing so
could save us all from the unholy era of wrongdoing that has engulfed us.
This of course is vital to the psyche of the nation and to building the
foundations that can lead to change.
With the anti-climax of executive-judiciary confrontation the focus
shifted to appointment of judges of superior judiciary. Answering a question
on fair and clear transparent procedure for appointment of judges Hamid
Khan replied: On behalf of the lawyers we have already given a draft of
amendment in which we have proposed a national judicial commission
905

which will consist of seven judges. Six lawyers and six parliamentarians is
the body we have proposed. But for that you will have to introduce a
constitutional amendment. In the CoD, they accepted a portion of that
proposal. But now they seem to be going for parliamentary committees
which is not the agreeable thing, in my view.
There was a proposal in judicial commission that said that there
would be a seven-member committee for the candidates public hearing.
Anybody can raise objections on the candidature. These are the proposed
names and anybody can object and point at any professional misconduct.
There is transparency in that proposal. But unless there is no new law, you
cannot defy the current procedure.
I A Rehman wrote: In Pakistan, the late Justice Dorab Patel was
among the first authorities to suggest a change in the process for the
appointment of judges. He proposed that the countrys Chief Justice should
be chosen by the head of state in consultation with the leader of the
house and the leader of opposition in the National Assembly. Recently, the
issue was taken up by the late Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif. The
CoD signed by them proposes a scheme of broad-based consultation for the
appointment of judges. The parliamentary committee on constitutional
reforms is reported to be working on this proposal.
Perhaps, a less cumbersome process than the one suggested in the
CoD could be helpful in resolving the issue. It is this direction that all
those who believe in a fair separation of powers need to adopt, otherwise
storms like last weeks will continue to spoil the judiciary-executive
relations, and possibly at the cost of justice.
Farah Zia observed: We have come to a point where consultation
does not mean what it should but that it is binding on the executive. The
al-Jihad case interpreted the word consultation contrary to the accepted
principle of interpretation of statutes that words should be taken to mean
as they are ordinarily understood
The government may have appeared to stand on a slippery ground
when it issued the two illegal notifications, it did manage to take the debate
ahead where it stood, even, if inadvertently. Now, the imbalance in the
system is there for all to see. The political parties may decide to bring the
matter before the parliament and shape up an alternate mechanism
CoD or an independent commission which is more inclusive and
incorporates the principle of checks and balances.

906

Asma Jahangir said: Rather than the judiciary becoming a more

unified force and taking the system forward by definitely keeping the
executive in check which is expected of it, they have become partisans
themselves. It should have remained a neutral body that we wanted it to
be so that we could have fought against the executive all the time.
Next day Muhammad Amir Khan from Karachi wrote: One may not
completely agree with the decision of the Chief Justice to meet the prime
minister, but it does not mean that he did something unconstitutional or
accepted any unjust demands of the government. I think it was the fault of
the government that created such a situation where the Chief Justice had to
meet the prime minister to trying to diffuse the tension. Some people are
trying to use this meeting to malign the Chief Justice and the judiciary,
which was exactly the aim of those who created this situation in the first
place. Those corrupt people who are being held accountable by the judiciary
want to malign the Chief Justice. Almost every person agrees that the Chief
Justices decision on the appointment of judges was right. Had the
government agreed to it earlier the crisis wouldnt have developed to that
extent.
I dont think the Chief Justice or other judges will ever compromise
on justice. In the coming days their decisions and actions will show the real
picture. Cases of corruption, especially Swiss cases, are going to be opened
soon. So we should expect further conspiracies by the corrupt rulers
against the judiciary. But justice will prevail and the nation will support
the brave judiciary in all difficult times.
On 23rd February, The News commented on Nawaz-Gilani meeting.
The prime minister has once more promised that the 17th Amendment
will be done away with soon. He has also spoken of the Charter of
Democracy. The question, however, is if these pledges hold any real
meaning. They have not done so in the past. For all the pledges, and the
wiles, the government seems to have had no compunction about simply
ignoring them.
Certainly, it is astonishing that the 17th Amendment remains intact,
even though we have heard so much about the sovereignty of parliament and
the presidents willingness to curtail his own powers. It seems obvious now
that he is not really ready to do so. Already, the reluctance to do so has
resulted in what is a devastating breakdown in trust and goodwill. The
atmosphere of heightened political tensions that now exists in many ways
hampers effective work. This has been most obvious in Punjab, where the

907

governor and the government have consistently clashed. The federal

government has repeatedly refused to intervene. The time has come for the
prime minister to demonstrate that he is indeed a man of substance.
Now that the matter of breakfast hospitality is over, he needs to
show he is capable of translating promises into actions. After all, the
patience of the PML-N cannot last indefinitely. The party has a right to
expect that it will not repeatedly be deceived or offered false reassurances.
At present it is quite apparent that the prime minister holds great
responsibility. He must then show that he is capable of acting independently
and honourably. If this does not happen we will face only further political
turmoil as the sense of goodwill between parties essential for the effective
working of any democracy begins to crumble.
M A K Lodhi wrote: If the PPP government has to run the business of
government in the coming days, Mr Zardari will have to accept his
dormant role from now on, so that Mr Gilani could squeeze some quantum
of sympathy for him by sharing power with the PML-N, and lend the
presidency a face saving.
This is the last option available. If Mr Zardari remains adamant
he will miss this bus, too. Till now the president, somehow, connotes the
existence of democracy with his missteps and serves a feigned notion that if
he is not at the helm of affairs adventurers will take over; it is the gravest
fallacy of thought prompted by his mediocre advisers.
The president may note that a parliamentary democracy has an inbuilt system to evolve. The day is not far off for the PPP to lose majority in
the National Assembly if it continues to remain in the doldrums and delivers
precious little. A system of democracy hijacked by a single person is in itself
a negation of democracy. It will not last for too long. As it is said, time and
tide wait for no man. Mr Zardari will have to hurriedly shed all of his
extra weight.
Next day, The News commented: The rather unpleasant sound of feet
being scuffled along the corridors of power seems to be audible all around us
once again. Despite its recent overtures to the courts and the repeated
reassurances that it wishes at all costs to avoid a clash of institutions, the
government has made no effort to implement the Supreme Courts verdict.
In particular, there seems to be no attempt whatsoever to re-open cases in
the Swiss courts pending against President Asif Ali Zardari, despite direct
orders from the apex court to NAB to do this by writing to the relevant
authorities in Geneva. It is quite conceivable, then, that the final showdown
908

between the executive and the judiciary, that has been feared for so long,
may still lies round the corner.
What we have seen over the past few weeks could just be the lull
before a more dramatic event. The president and the henchmen who
surround him seem determined to shelter behind the shade of immunity for
the man at the top. But consensus is building that this, in the final analysis,
may not prove to be very solid after all. There are many legal experts who
are convinced that the president is indeed answerable for misdeeds in
financial matters. Certainly, as far as public opinion goes, most people
believe that justice can be served only when the same rules apply to all and
there is some measure of accountability regardless of office.
There is another angle to all this. The emerging scenario shows that
NAB is unable to act on its own. Nobody subservient to government can
carry out a proper act of accountability. To approach the Swiss, NAB
must go through the law ministry. For obvious reasons that ministry will
hardly be eager to act. But in all this, the government, and especially the
prime minister himself, who is constantly being quoted by presidential aides
as emphasizing that Mr Asif Ali Zardari has immunity, must consider what
the refusal to comply with the court orders is doing for the image of the
current setup. There is, after all, a limit to how much damage it can sustain
before it suffers wounds that cannot be repaid. And, of course, it is also
important to avoid inflicting injury on the relations that exist between our
institutions, for any tussle between them would cause damage from which
recovery could prove extremely difficult for our nation.
Raoof Hasan wrote: the last couple of years and the dramatic
happenings that have taken place, including the exit of the usurper and the
elevation of the judiciary to its deserved place in the wake of a historic
struggle waged by the legal fraternity, the civil society and some political
forces, constitute potent indicators of a change that has taken place: a change
that is conspicuous by its commitment to uphold the rule of law under all
circumstances. With the passage of time, this change has become even
more pronounced and deep-set. This is not likely to alter now or in the
future. If a democratically elected ruler subscribes to the continuation of
policies enacted and chartered by a dictator, he should not be surprised if he,
too, is dubbed a dictator, or is likened to one. The line between democratic
conduct and undemocratic indulgences has been clearly drawn.
Unfortunately, for the present, Mr Zarfari stands on the wrong side of the
divide!

909

Saleem Safi observed: In cases of Justice Saqib Nisar and Justice

Khawaja Sharif, his spokesman talked about the principle of seniority, but
when it came to his own party, Mr Zardari never followed this principle.
Seniority became the undoing of his partys senior leadership, and a curse in
the sense that all such people were ignored and sidelined. Similarly, his
unnecessary delay in the re-instatement of judges not only became a cause of
public protest, but also invited the ire of leaders of the movement for
independent judiciary.
Saleem went on to describe Zardaris political adventures in which he
committed mistake after mistake and annoying various segments of the
society and state and then added: The medias position was that despite
standing for Mr Zardaris accountability, it does not wish to derail the
democratic process. These voices saved President Zardari. After this
episode, one might have expected him to have revisited his past mistakes
and learned from them. But sadly, once again Zardaris bravado added to his
misplaced confidence. Instead of thinking that he was saved because of
the other players compulsions, he thought that he won because of his
skills and shrewd politics. As s victor he first attacked the Jang group,
slapping it with a ban of official advertisements.
With a new vigour and lust for revenge, he again took on the
judiciary by starting with issuance of notifications of appointment regarding
Justice Khawaja Sharif and Justice Saqib Nisar against the advice of the
Chief Justice of Pakistan. I am certain that after this ill-advised move, his
cronies would be admiring him. But this time he is badly entrapped.
Detractors are no doubt sanguine, but Zardaris unnecessary bravado
smacks of his wish for political martyrdom. As a Pashto adage goes, a
clever bird is seldom trapped, but when it does, both its feet are tied. In the
present circumstances, this adage holds true for President Zardari. He may
feel that he has once again gotten away from the trap but this will be a false
sense of security. This recent crisis was his last chance. It has brought all his
foes onto a common platform with a single agenda. He should not test the
camels back with the last straw.
On 25th February, The News wrote: When basic morality and broad
principles of justice are abandoned, all that is left behind are legal
inanities and lacunae. The refusal to implement the Supreme Courts orders
to re-open the Swiss cases against President Asif Ali Zardari has already
caused a great deal of damage to the governments image. But the
government now seems determined to maximize this injury by taking what
can only be described as a remarkably foolish stand. While NAB is eager to
910

enforce court orders, the law ministry has so far acted only to prevent them
from being carried out in the matter of writing to Swiss authorities. There is
argument over who is authorized to do so. The attorney general, under acute
pressure from the government, is stated to be quite ready to resign rather
than back the official stance. This is ironic, for he is the official who would,
under normal circumstances, be entrusted with the task of penning the
necessary missive asking the cases to be re-opened.
There is still more absurdity. In a plea to the court the government is
reported to have argued that the cases are time-barred, and that it would
somehow dishonour the late Benazir Bhutto to revive them. This makes no
sense at all. There is an air of growing desperation creeping in. the intense
meetings with the attorney general who is looking like an extremely
harried man are evidence of this. Quite obviously the government is
seeking any means possible to escape the court verdict. The routes appear to
be closing off rapidly. The government seems increasingly trapped while
NAB maintains that it is indeed eager to follow through on what the court
has said. Perhaps the leadership had imagined that the judiciary would slow
down on its efforts against corruption following the accord reached with it.
Principle, after all, is not a word we often hear in circles of power.
Lately it seems to have vanished altogether. Presiding over the entire mess
is the man in the presidency.
Saleem Rizvi feared that the truce between executive and judiciary
could prove temporary. While the presidency is currently in hibernation, the
PM took hold of the reins and called the shots. Or so it appears. Given the
use of similar gambits by the presidency in the past, one feels
apprehensive about the sudden change of heart. The display of an olive
branch can be a welcoming sign, as long as there is no dagger hidden behind
it. One should hope that the acceptance of the chief justices
recommendation for the judges appointment is not just a tactical manoeuvre
by the presidency. The manner in which the decision to concede was
pronounced is cause for skepticism.
Not only was it the prime minister who met the chief justice, the
president was nowhere to be seen. What is the meaning of the presidents
absence throughout the consultative process? Doesnt Article 177 of the
Constitution provide that a judge of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by
the president after consultation with the chief justice?
Why has the president been so reluctant to be involved in the
requisite consultation with the chief justice as mandated by the

911

Constitution? It was the non-compliance of this specific obligation by the

president that caused the storm to brew. Instead of the PM, why didnt the
president himself come forward to reconcile the differences?
One wonders how the president will continue to perform his official
duties when he is not even willing to have a working relationship with the
head of the superior judiciary. The right to have a divergent policy outlook
and the freedom to lobby for it is a basic tenet in a democratic polity. But
when the difference of opinion lacks substance or genuineness, or is
simply engineered to serve personalities rather than national interests,
misapprehensions develop and crises develop. Saleem went on to say that
Pakistans past and present has not been good in this regard and he
recommended steps to ensure that such things do not happen in the future.
Khalid Husain commented on the provision of immunity. It can be
argued that the heads of state of most countries in the world, barring the
Islamic Republic of Iran, Malaysia and few other Muslim states, have
constitutional immunity against criminal proceedings. However, the
substantive part of their constitutions is not Objectives Resolution as is
the case with Pakistan, nor are they Islamic Republics.
The rationale for immunity to heads of states in these countries is that
their prosecution will interfere with the performance of their constitutional
functions. The purpose of immunity to the heads of state is to enable them to
perform their functions without fear that their decisions and actions, which
are deemed to be in national interest always, will make them personally
liable for criminal proceedings. Nowhere does the immunity represent a
privilege for personal benefit.
It is also understood and taken for granted that anyone becoming
the president will not arrive with heavy, and excessive baggage of past
allegations, charges, court cases and a singular national and worldwide
reputation for financial transgressions of a magnitude that would set the
toughest bankers heads spinning, and that once in office, he will not seek to
use for personal benefit, the constitutional provisions on immunity, or any
others, which are there in national interest.
Any truly sovereign and self-respecting parliament worth its salt,
if it was faced with actions by a head of state contrary to above stipulations,
would promptly act to amend, suspend for at time, or repeal the
immunity provision, not stand up to dutifully its misuse for personal
benefit.

912

Roedad Khan as usual urged the people to act. Zardaris failed

attempt to reverse the judicial revolution reminds me of a conversation
between Hitler and Goring. Hitler was replying to a complaint by Goring
that the judges had behaved disgracefully in the Reichstag Fire Case. You
would think that we were on trial, not the Communists, said Goring. It is
only a question of time, said Hitler. We shall soon have those old fellows
talking our language. They are all ripe for retirement anyway, and we will
put in our own people. Zardari was never very comfortable with the reborn
Supreme Court. His main concern was, as is, how to subjugate it and do
away with the rule of law. Not surprisingly, he did exactly what Hitler had
done more than 70 years ago. He resorted to court packing. But the attempt
failed.
Khan discussed the point of court packing in some detail and then
added: The time has come when the ultimate sovereign the people of
Pakistan must assert itself. At long last we have a chance to throw off the
rubberstamp parliament and a thoroughly corrupt and discredited presidency.
The situation offers endless possibilities for all patriots and men of vision.
The centre of gravity has shifted to the Supreme Court. It must, therefore,
rise to the height of the circumstances, press home its advantage and enforce
full implementation of its judgment on NRO.
One man, one man alone, is responsible for the mess we are in today.
At this time, all those who see the perils of the future, whatever their
political orientation, must draw together to pull our country back from the
edge of the abyss. We need to reinvent Pakistan. Our ship of state has hit
rough waters. It must now chart a new way forward. If we do not act, and act
now, the mess we are in will get even bigger, deeper and grimmer. We are
standing on a burning platform. If we dont work quickly to extinguish the
blaze, the country and all of us in it would sink into the sea. The country
demands change and change now. Strictly speaking, its long past.
Next day The News commented: The NAB Chairman had been under
considerable pressure since the Supreme Court declared the NRO
unconstitutional and directed NAB to reopen the Swiss cases against
President Zardari. The government now has to find a replacement that
satisfies the opposition and the judiciary. Neither is likely to give its
blessing to any appointment that may act as an enabler for the government if
it tries to wriggle out of any attempts to hold it accountable. This is part
precipitated the resignation of Mr Ahsan who removed the prosecutor and
deputy prosecutor of NAB on the directives of the Supreme Court (they had
been foot-dragging in implementation of the NRO judgment) only to find
913

that the government tried to slide in loyalists as replacements in order to

protect its interests and those of the NRO beneficiaries. The draft of the new
Accountability Ordinance, proposed replacement of the NAB Ordinance of
1999, suggests that a retired superior court judge can become NAB chairman
but not without the consent of the PML-N, which with a by-election win in
the bag and a weakened presidency is probably surveying the wreckage of
the government with a degree of equanimity.
Shafqat Mahmood discussed the need for change of the nature of
Pakistani politics. After describing the undemocratic texture of the prevalent
party politics he concluded: In this scenario, party democracy is
impossible because the leader cares very little about what the members
think. Today, people like Rehman Malik, Babar Awan and Latif Khosa are
hated more by PPP members that their opponents. Yet, does it make any
difference? Same was the case with people like Saifur Rehman when Nawaz
Sharif was in power.
It is this environment that makes life very difficult for people who
want to move forward in politics. They either learn soon to suck up to
leaders or remain perpetually marginalized. And if to this difficulty is added
the huge amount of money required to do politics, it is not a surprise that
very few young people of talent are attracted to this field.
This kind of darbari environment also makes policy discussions
very difficult. Let me state again that not all leaders are the same, but in
general it is very difficult to disagree with the views of the leader or criticize
him or her. Even with the utmost of loyalty, great skill is required to put the
correct perspective across without causing offence.
This ensures that only a certain kind of person rises to the top in
politics; a person more skilled in the art of flattery than having any
engagement or policy-making abilities. And that is a shame because if
democracy had to move forward, as it must, it needs to put its best foot
forward.
The political process also needs to attract the best and the brightest in
the nation if democracy has to take root and stabilize. At the moment the
urban middle class intellectually subscribes to it but has only contempt for
the politicians that come riding on its charger. It is this malaise that
translates into impatience with system and allows an extra-constitutional
intervention to find acceptability; unless this changes democracy will
remain fragile.

914

On 27th February, Anjum Niaz commented on PPPs jobbery politics

with reference to Pakistans Ambassador in Damascus. The yellow sticky
post-it became Benazirs Achilles Heel. Its alleged that she would use
them whenever she didnt want to leave a permanent record on the files. As
prime minister, she often appointed people based not on merit. President
Farooq Leghari knew what was going on. He was from her party. But when
he had had enough of jobbery, he dug out all the yellow stickies and
prepared a dossier based on them to dismiss her government.
Prime Minister Gilani and President Zardari are today following
the same unethical practice of a spoils system. The ambassador to Syria is
the latest howler. Hes Zardaris appointee. A mere graduate, were told.
Ambassador Aminullah Raisani has carted his whole extended family to
Damascus and provided them with jobs at the Pakistan International
School The only one left out is the ambassadors dog! a former
ambassador to Syria tells me. And if the ambassador should deem fit to
appoint his dog at a princely salary, there is nothing anyone can do. The
ambassador has the sole authority to deal with the affairs of the school as he
pleases. You can write as many columns as you want, the sad truth is that no
one can do a thing to take the ambassador to task. Hes a non-career
diplomat. Hes a direct hire of Zardari. The Foreign Office is thus helpless.
What a shame!
But the sacked teachers of the school in Damascus have taken the
Pakistan embassy to court. Apart from the ambassador making a mockery of
his position abroad, imagine how much of our valuable foreign exchange
will now be sunk in defending the ambassadors blatant nepotism. If the
news report is true, does a starving nation, surviving on the fruits of
democracy as Zardari says, deserve to have such people as Raisani
represent them abroad?
Arif Nizami expressed his views on result of by-poll in NA-55. The
trouncing of the maverick Sheikh Rashid by the PML-N candidate in the
NA-55 Rawalpindi bye-election is being celebrated as a resounding
reaffirmation of the partys popularity. Mian Nawaz Sharif, making a
surprise appearance at the victory celebrations, did not hesitate to take an
unnecessary swipe at Mr Zardari by declaring Rashid the candidate of Ali
Baba and the Forty Thieves.
Apart from being in poor taste it was bad strategy for the PPP to
support a candidate like Rashid who is a hated figure amongst its rank and
file for his vitriolic and personal attacks against the late Ms Bhutto in the

915

past. However, when a broad consensus on the repeal of the 17th

Amendment is emerging, it serves no purpose for the PML-N to raise the
ante. According to PPP circles the agreed package to repeal the 17th
Amendment in all probability will be placed before parliament much earlier
than March 23 to enable President Zardari to address the joint sitting of
parliament.
Mian Sahib should also revisit his present strategy that has
rendered him a part-time politician. For starters he must enter parliament
by getting himself elected from a safe constituency in order to play his role
as leader of the opposition, instead of waiting for the two-term restriction for
prime ministers to go.
Governance issues are not restricted to the federal government only.
There is need to rethink the prevalent practices in Punjab which has become
a financially deficit province in less than two years. Hence, reading too
much into the NA-55 victory by the PML-N will only create a false sense
of security amongst its rank and file.
Babar Sattar commented on PPPs sense of entitlement to violate
laws of the land. The ruling governments blatant obstinacy over
implementing the NRO decision in relation to the Swiss cases is not just
misconceived but almost malicious. The government is contriving yet
another legal crisis by propping up issues that have no relevance to the
order of the Supreme Court.
The view that the ruling partys legal wizards have conceived a
shrewd strategy to thwart the apex court ruling is extremely charitable. A
more realistic assessment would be that the governments motley legal
crew is marred by incompetence and mischief. These attributes, together
with a larger sense of entitlement infesting our society which bolsters the
belief that the elites and pseudo-elites are above the law and can defy it at
will, is responsible for the PPPs foolhardy policy towards rule of law and
court orders.
In the NRO case the Supreme Court ruled that the letter written to the
Swiss attorney general forfeiting Pakistans status as civil party in
proceedings pending against Asif Zardari, revoking the request for mutual
legal assistance and forfeiting the states claim to the allegedly laundered
$60 million, was an unauthorized, unconstitutional and illegal act of Malik
Muhammad Qayyum. Consequently, it held that the federal government and
other concerned authorities are ordered to take immediate steps to seek
revival of said (mutual legal assistance) requests, claims and status (as civil
916

party). What the apex court held with regard to suspension of

proceedings in the Swiss cases is therefore different from the revival of
cases within Pakistan.
The cases in Pakistan that were discharged under the National
Reconciliation Ordinance stood revived when the NRO was declared
unconstitutional and void ab initio. In this instance there was no legal
question with regard to the validity of the process through which these cases
had been terminated. Withdrawal of the Swiss cases stands on a different
pedestal. Here the court held that, separately from the question of whether
or not Pakistan could concede its status as civil party under the NRO, the
process through which such request was made was unauthorized and thus
illegal.
As Malik Muhammad Qayyum had simply not been authorized by
the federal government to withdraw Pakistans request for mutual assistance
and its claims to the allegedly laundered money, the communication he sent
to the Swiss authorities must be deemed to be no communication at all.
Consequently, the federal government and other authorities concerned have
been instructed to communicate to the Swiss authorities that Pakistan
has not forfeited its claim, withdrawn its request for mutual legal
assistance or ceded its status as civil party. The questions whether Asif
Zardari as president enjoys immunity under Article 248, and whether or not
investigations in cases pending against him in Switzerland can be reopened,
are simply not relevant to ensuring compliance with the NRO ruling.
Had Malik Qayyum been properly authorized to withdraw the Swiss
cases in accordance with law, the PPP government might have been able to
make a frail argument that the federal government is barred from initiating
proceedings against the president under Article 248 of the Constitution. In
the present case, however, it only needs to communicate to the Swiss
authorities that the state of Pakistan never withdrew its request for
mutual legal assistance or forfeited its status as civil party, and the letter
written by Malik Qayyum had no legal effect and was of no consequence
whatsoever. Such communication is not a request for initiation of
proceedings, but simply the communication of a factual statement.
Whether as a consequence of such communication the Swiss
authorities reinitiate investigations against Asif Zardari is for them to
determine under Swiss law. In the event that the Swiss do elect to initiate
proceedings on receiving such communication from Pakistan, can Asif
Zardari seek a suspension of such proceedings so long as he is president

917

under Article 248 of the Constitution or by asserting sovereign immunity?

Asif Zardaris counsel in Switzerland can certainly take up such pleas. But
any possible defence that Asif Zardari might or might not be able to raise in
Switzerland has nothing to do with the federal government communicating
to the Swiss authorities that the previous missive they received from Malik
Qayyum must be disregarded.
The only question to be determined by the federal government after
the Supreme Courts unequivocal ruling was who on behalf of the
government would write to the Swiss. Section 21 of the NAB Ordinance
clearly authorizes the chairman of the NAB to communicate with
foreign authorities in seeking mutual legal assistance or status as civil
party in other jurisdictions. The NAB chairman has been vested with such
authority under a federal law. While the federal government can also
authorize an additional person or authority to engage in communications
with foreign authorities under Section 21 of the NAB law, neither the law
minister nor even the prime minister can deprive the NAB chairman of his
lawful authority.
The ministry of law has no legal and administrative control over the
functioning of the NAB, which was specifically created as an autonomous
statutory body to remain independent of the influence of the federal
government in operational matters. Consequently, the law minister has no
authority to issue instructions to the NAB chairman and the NAB is
under no obligation to seek legal opinion from the law ministry prior to
implementing binding instructions of the Supreme Court.
There should have been no complication in implementing the NRO
ruling with regard to the Swiss cases. As the NAB has the power to initiate
such communication under the NAB Ordinance, the federal government can
specifically authorize someone to make such communication, and the law
ministry and the foreign ministry are also authorized to initiate such
correspondence under the Rules of Business.
The PPP governments legal wrangling over this issue thus seems
to spring from the conceited view that elites are above the law and can
get away with its defiance. This sense of entitlement pervades our society
and is inimical to the very concept of rule of law and constitutionalism. The
PPPs obduracy towards the binding instructions of the highest judicial
forum of the country has the potential of deepening this abhorrent sense of
entitlement that rubbishes the idea of legal equality before law and promotes

918

the view that power springs from brute force and not legal authority and that
individuals are larger than the law and legal institutions.
This sense of entitlement slaps you in the face when you return to
Pakistan and find minions of state agencies sprawled next to airport entry
doors to help those with influence jump immigration cues. It is apparent
when a traffic sergeant is hurled with abuse when he attempts to issue a
ticket to anyone higher than him in state hierarchy, or even someone who
has access to the holder of an influential state office. It is apparent when the
courts issue summons to senior khakis who not only refuse to show up but
are enraged at the audacity of a civilian court to issue process and assert
jurisdiction. And it is apparent when the newly empowered Black Coats
gang up to ensure that law is enforced against all except one of their own.
This loathsome sense of entitlement has become so pervasive that
even the reactions of state institutions responsible for law enforcement
are influenced by it. Police officials, except for some insane exceptions,
apologies for their desire to enforce the law when confronted by someone
who is able to offer recommendatory introduction (taarruf). Likewise courts
are loath to applying the law when it comes to bigwigs and holy cows. This
culture of entitlement is not compatible with the concept of
constitutionalism. If we wish to be a society where law is king, we will have
to root power back into legal authority, ensure that legal instruction of a
magistrate is as weighty as that of a Supreme Court bench, and that
accountability for acts and omissions of individuals flows automatically
notwithstanding the incidence of their birth or station in life.
Next day, Faisal Siddiqi wrote: The potential of constitutional
conflicts becoming constitutional breakdowns is present in the current
democratic setup because on one hand, you have the superior judiciary
united under one leadership with both a constitutional vision and
institutional plan and with the courage to fight for its institutional right
whereas on the other hand a divided political class unwilling to struggle for
legislative autonomy and sovereignty on the judicial issue. Unless the
political class rises above its party interest and struggles for legislative
autonomy and sovereignty by sending a message of legislative unity, we will
see the balance of power tilting against the legislature-executive. Mere
constitutional reforms without a shift in the balance of power may simply be
struck down by the judiciary as an encroachment on judicial power because,
ultimately, the judiciary will interpret and validate whatever is legislated.

919

Once this political class unites on the issue of legislative

autonomy and sovereignty, the balance of power will shift in its favour.
Thereafter, any constitutional and legal reforms vis--vis the judiciary would
reflect a rational balance of power between the judiciary and the legislatureexecutive. This may not necessarily bring an end to contradictions or
conflicts but would certainly go a long way in, perhaps, avoiding
judicial/constitutional warfare.
On 1st March, Asif Ezdi termed it another failed coup on the part of
executive. Zardaris purpose in notifying the appointment was to assert
absolute power to make appointments to the higher judiciary, if
necessary to the recommendations of the Supreme Court chief justice. If
Zardaris decision had been implemented, his second move would have to
fill the vacancies in the Lahore and Sindh High Courts, a total of about 70,
mostly with PPP loyalists who could be counted upon to give judgments
favourable to the party.
After these appointment, the next step as Gilani blurted out in the
National Assembly on Feb 15 and as Zardari said at a meeting with PPP
parliamentarians that evening would likely have been to ask parliament to
approve the governments decision last March on the restoration of the
judges dismissed by Musharraf. With the support of the PPPs coalition
partners, this endorsement would have been denied, giving Zardari the
political justification to defy the NRO verdict or so he seems to have
calculated.
This ill-conceived and half-baked scheme failed because of prompt
action by the Supreme Court to suspend the presidential notification It is a
matter of relief that a full-blown confrontation was averted by last-minute
backtracking by the government in the face of overwhelming legal and
public opinion. Once again, as in the crisis created last March by Zardaris
dismissal of the Punjab chief minister, it has become evident that the highest
consideration that guides this governments actions and policies is to protect
Zardari from legal process. All else the Constitution, the norms of good
governance, even the preservation of the democratic order is subordinated
to this supreme objective.
Asif described some of the instances and Gilanis role therein and then
added: Gilanis inability or unwillingness to perform the role of prime
minister means that what should be the most vital organ of state in a
parliamentary democracy is not functioning according to the
Constitution. It is no wonder that foreign governments do not take him

920

seriously. The most glaring example is the insistence of the European Union
that our side at the Pakistan-EU Summit next April must be led by Zardari,
not Gilani, as our government has decided
Now another crisis looms as Zardari defies the Supreme Courts
judgment on the NRO. We need a strong and steady pair of hands to steer it
through the coming storm. Gilani has to decide whether he wants to serve
the country or Zardari. It is to be hoped that he will choose the country. But
if Gilani does not rise to the occasion, others will step in. this happened in
March last year. It was not Gilani but Kayani who defused the crisis then. If
Gilani fails again, the judgment of history will be very harsh to him.
Waheed Muhammad from Islamabad observed: Cronies of President
Zardari have started exploiting the sentiments of people by saying that the
re-opening of Swiss cases against Benazir Bhutto is tantamount to
dragging her out of her grave. On the contrary, I think, if they are sincere
with their slain leader, it is their duty to ask the court to take up these cases
to get her name cleared from false corruption charges only this will make her
soul rest in eternal peace.
Mian Muhammad Amin from Islamabad wrote: How could the
government find any similarity between any similarity between Misaqe-Madina and the NRO? Neither the objectives nor the beneficiaries of the
two pacts have any similarity. The legal brains of the government have made
an absurd comparison. Mirza Ghalib had probably Babar Awan in mind
when he wrote: huey tum dost jis kay dushman us ka aasman ktun ho. Who
has been equated with the prophet Muhammad (PBUH)?
Next day, Dr Ashfaque H Khan commented to resignation of Finance
minister. The economy continues to remain in intensive care unit and is
breathing thanks to the injections from the IMF, World Bank and Asian
Development Bank. The economy is not on the radar screen of the
government and as such the economic managers have no relevance in the
current political set up. The exit of Shaukat Tarin is a classic example. At
least he tried his level best to inject financial discipline but paid the
price of teaching prudent financial management. No matter who replaces
Shaukat Tarin, the economy would continue to lurch from one crisis to
another until and unless the government brings the economy at the centre
stage.
On 3rd March, Anjum Niaz commented: Pakistan is without a finance
minister! Zardari is holidaying (probably attending to his millions) in
London at state expense. Notice his luxurious residence there. In a photo
921

showing him talking to British Foreign Secretary Davis Miliband, one sees
an easel, the kind artists use to put their canvas on, standing behind the
sitting Zardari. It holds a propped up Jinnahs portrait. A Pakistani flag on
the presidents right completes the picture.
Does our VVIP think that by sporting a makeshift portrait of Jinnah
and a flag, he can impress the hardboiled British and convince them of his
patriotism and sincerity to serve the poor and starving of Pakistan? Wearing
ones religious or patriotic beliefs on ones sleeves smacks of hypocrisy
and guile.
At home, his prime minister rings hollow on accountability
vowing hell catch the corrupt. Gilani puts up an act of Mr Clean telling the
media that he has no taxable income except the salary! Give us a break.
Ones told that his family is busy taking loans from banks for setting up
industry. Being VVIPs, these bounty-hunters will, naturally, not be required
to repay the loans. Thats the name of the game!
On 5th March, Ameer Bhutto wrote: People expect the prime
minister to play a constructive role beyond repeatedly bailing Zardari
out of trouble. He finds himself in the impossible position of having to
defend the indefensible and is reduced to repeating promises he knows he
does not have the power to fulfill. If he takes the lead to champion what is
right and true, the nation will follow him. But he seems either incapable of
such grand gestures or unwilling to risk his job. Instead of providing
leadership, he throws the ball into parliaments court on every count. On the
issue of restoration of judges, he said only parliament could restore them,
until forced to do so with one stroke of his pen in the middle of the night. He
claims that Musharraf cannot be prosecuted until parliament so desires, a
dangerous precedent to set since every criminal would henceforth demand
similar action from parliament before he could be held accountable for his
crimes. Recently, he said only parliament could authorize the appointment of
judges on the recommendation of another judge, until forced to back down
once again. Perhaps he was not familiar with Article 177 of the Constitution
until he gate crashed the chief justices dinner. It is becoming difficult to
take him seriously anymore and the nation is losing faith in him.
Next day, Babar Sattar commented on governments move on
appointing judges through constitutional amendment. The Rabbani
Committee deserves compliments for proposing a transparent and
deliberative mechanism for judicial appointments. In determining the
composition of the judicial commission for the first stage of the appointment

922

process, it seeks to include the right mix of expertise to find and assess
judicial nominees, gives the judiciary a predominant voice in the process,
but not a veto, and provides representation to the executive and the bar
council. --- In a sense, the proposed mechanism assimilates the strength of
the present system by endowing the judiciary with the primary responsibility
of identifying lawyers with legal acumen and potential for elevation to the
bench. But by requiring the judicial members of the commission to take
along either the nominee of the bar or the representatives of the executive it
ensures that the process will be more consensus-oriented, the judiciary
will be unable to bulldoze patently unreasonable nominations and no one
individual or institution will have unfettered discretion in selecting judges.
In the second step of the nomination process, the parliamentary
committee will be unable to block nominations of the judicial
commission on partisan basis. The threshold for rejection has been kept so
high that the mainstream parties will have to come together in a non-partisan
manner to block the nominees of the judicial commission. This will probably
happen only if the nominations are extremely egregious. Thus, if both
mainstream political parties in parliament, together with the federal and
provincial government, are of the view that appointing an individual to the
bench will be an unmitigated disaster, the parliamentary committee could act
as a safety valve.
The imposition of a stringent timeline on the parliamentary
committee for consideration of judicial nominees will discourage the
committee from using procedural delay as a negotiating tool with the
judicial commission to influence its choice of nominees. In the ultimate
resort, the parliamentary committee stage in the judicial appointment process
will enhance accountability of the choices made by the judicial commission
through disclosure and the glare of publicity that this process will attract.
There are two sets of criticisms likely against this proposed
mechanism. The first is that judicial nominees should not be required to
attend public hearings conducted by the parliamentary committee, for such
publicity will impinge on the privacy of the nominees and allow members of
parliament to settle scores and malign the un-favoured candidates even
without the ability to block their elevation. Part of this concern is legitimate,
especially in relation to the elevation of serving judges from the High Court
to the Supreme Court. In such cases it would be preferable to have in camera
proceedings that protect the credibility of the judicial office such candidates
continue to hold.

923

But in relation to new appointments, such objection is mostly rooted

in mistrust of democracy and a conceited view that members of parliament
would know no better. There is, however, no reason in principle why
nominees to high judicial offices should not be publicly questioned about
their integrity and their approach to interpreting and implementing the law
and the Constitution. The judiciary is neither representative nor accountable
to the public, and its members are granted security of tenure and legal
protection against personal criticism once in office. It would therefore be
preferable for the system to err on the side of caution in selecting who gets
to sit on the bench.
The second criticism is that diluting the authority of chief justice in
selecting future judges would undermine judicial independence. This
viewpoint springs from a fundamental misconception about judicial
independence. Independence of the judiciary is meant to ensure that in
performing judicial functions a judge is capable of acting as a neutral arbiter
of the law, free from considerations of fear or favour. Such independence is
instilled primarily by constitutional security of tenure. Allowing judges to
select future judges by no means enhances judicial independence.
It does not matter who selects judges, so long as the process is
transparent, sifts out unworthy candidates and picks individuals on the
basis of integrity and merit. To the extent that serving judges are better
placed to gauge the integrity and expertise of the lawyers appearing before
them in courts, it makes sense to make them an integral part of the
evaluation process. But while giving them a decisive say in excluding
undesirable elements makes sense, vesting in them the arbitrary discretion
over who must be included, does not. The proposed judicial nomination
process is a step in the right direction. It distributes the discretionary powers
of the chief justice more widely amongst his peers, marks a move away from
the concept of pater familias to making the chief first among equals, and
introduces a public accountability process that will encourage all
stakeholders to support the best candidates for judicial positions.
At the end views of Ayaz Amir of PML-N, who is an intellectual, of
the same class to which Musharraf, MQM, ANP and PPP belong when it
comes to religious identity of the state of Pakistan. This class supports
secularism. In his article he identified that Islam is the reason behind
miseries of Pakistanis. On the eve of Eid Miladul Nabi, he despised too
much emphasis on Islam: If someone were to read our Constitution, with its
repetitive references to Islam, or if someone were to read our court judgment
wherein our learned judges are hard put not to deliver extended lectures on
924

Islam, and He, in fact, argued that having acquired a country in the name
of Islam, there should be no mention of Islam in that country.
Ayaz blamed Islam for delay in addressing Pakistans political
problems. Soon after independence we should have been able to frame a
constitution. But our attempts at constitution-making were side-tracked by a
never-ending debate about the role of Islam in our collective life. It was
amidst the cacophony of this debate that Prime Minister Liaqat Ali Khan
moved the objective Resolution in the Constituent Assembly.
What is this resolution? Read it and it is hard to escape the
impression that it is a tribute to needless rhetoric. Many years later, General
Ziaul Haq, not famous as a respecter of constitutions, made the resolution a
substantive part of the 1973 Constitution, his move another Islamization
gimmick at which he was so good.
The secular Ayaz said half truths both in case of Liaqat Ali Khan and
Ziaul Haq as none of them acted at their own; both were forced by the
circumstances to do what they did. Objectives Resolution was evolved after
an attempt was made to pass a resolution similar to one under which India
became a secular state. That would have negated the Two Nation Theory; the
very basis of Pakistans coming into being. Thus, that attempt was foiled by
the passage of Objectives Resolution.
When Bhutto regime drafted the 1973 Constitution he included the
Objectives Resolution in the Constitution as preamble. He had not done it
for the love of Islam but under the same spirit under which he declared
Ahmadis as non-Muslims and banned alcohol a few years later. During Zia
era in case the Supreme Court refused to pass a judgment in the light of
Objectives Resolution declaring that preamble could not be taken as part of
the Constitution. It was after this that the Parliament adopted it as part of the
Constitution.
Ayaz continued listing Islams irrelevance to solution of Pakistans
problems. In 1971 Islam failed to keep the country together and today also
religion alone is irrelevant to the grievance of Balochistan. He blamed
Islam even for pollution and untidiness of Pakistans cities because
Pakistanis while remaining religion-centric neglected the need to have
better municipal services, an adequate system of solid waste disposal
He went on to add: We dont look a happy people. Other things may
abound in the Islamic Republic but not the spirit of joy. There are people
who celebrate life. There are people who carry a cross all the time and
mourn about life. We fail in the second category. Partly through choice,
925

partly through the sheer force of circumstances, we have elected to become a

killjoy society.
This is not what we deserve. People laugh and cry. Tragedy triggers
sorrow. But that is not the whole truth. When the shadows of tragedy depart
people still have a yearning for some fun. This is part yearning for some fun.
This is part of our inheritance as human beings, an alienable aspect of the
human condition. But since the Islamic Republic, and what we have made of
it, frowns upon the outward expression of joy, things to do with joy and
happiness have been driven indoors.
Ayaz also had reservations on veil. He then mentioned the real
problem of Pakistanis; religious as well as secular. Hypocrisy as a national
characteristic, an all-pervading phenomenon, is not a good thing. It makes a
people sick and stunted. It makes them less free.
Having mentioned hypocrisy inadvertently, Ayaz dared equating
Hudood Ordinance with plastic shopping bags which are the main cause of
environmental pollution. Forget about universal solutions. Forget about
appeals to revolutionary arms. This wont happen. In the season of our
discontent if only two small miracles can happen getting rid of the plastic
shopping bag, more of a long-term threat that the Taliban; and the Hadood
Ordinance Pakistan will look a cleaner and healthier place. Along with the
social police state, the frontiers of morbidity will also contract. His
concluding paragraph truly reflects the degree of tolerance the secular
intellect has for others.

REVIEW
The Sage has done a great service as Nanny of the Scoundrel; a baby
that has been wetting his diapers quite frequently like any other with good
appetite. The Nanny has been changing diapers dutifully to save the
Scoundrel from dying of political pneumonia.
The Nanny, however, has been spending her energies only on pamperchanging; whereas the situation demanded that something was done to
control the diet of baby. After all baby-setting is not all about pamper
changing. At times the Nanny has to be stern for babys own good.
Lack of diet control is the result of PPPs new democratic concept of
accountability. The party believes that after electing their representatives
the people should wait for completion of the five-year mandate without
raising any question. They are entitled to hold their representatives
926

accountable by taking democratic revenge only through the ballot. If they

feel that they had elected wrong people; they can elect the new leaving the
old ones to enjoy fruits of democracy.
It is in pursuit of this concept of accountability that the regime also
wants that the judiciary must control its urge for dispensation of justice.
While defying the judiciary, it did not want to share the fruits of democracy
with its main political rival as was seen in the bye-elections in NA-55.
This bye-election proved that there is no place for ghairat in politics
and instead beghairati is its hallmark. Fazlur Rehman supported the coaccused of Lal Masjid massacre on advice of Zardari; son-in-law of Zulfikar
Ali Bhutto, who disgraced Maulanas father. Zardari on his part supported
Rashid who had once called his wife a taxi (call-girl) in the Parliament.
The worst of democracy, which according to some is better than best of
dictatorship, was starkly on display.
The pattern of voting in NA-55 promised no change; it was not any
different from February 2008. PML-N vote bank remained intact and so
were Shaikh Rashids and PPPs. JI earned nod only from its hardcore
supporters, but PTI performed well below the expectations of those who
wanted to see a change.
Imran Khan and his party leaders need to rethink and evolve strategy
to manifest its public support in terms of votes. They must begin with
accepting that it is difficult to encroach upon PML-N and PPP vote banks.
The leaders and the led of these parties have stuck to each other because of
the similarities of their interests and notions.
The brighter side of the picture is that they are hardly 35 to 40 percent
of the total voters as indicated by the percentage of turnout. PTIs support
lies in the 60 percent of voters who stay away from the polling booths and it
has to find ways and means to mobilize them; instead of hurling occasional
threats of long march.
At the end a few words about court verdicts on two cases of NRO
beneficiaries. Rehman Malik and Usman Faruqui became the first and
second person acquitted in corruption, misuse of authority and fraud cases
and the NAB unofficially declared that it would lose all cases. In fact, with
prosecuting evidence in governments control the Accountability Courts
have virtually become quarantine facility for cleansing the corrupt from
contamination of charges.
6th March 2010

927

GAME CHANGE
Security apparatus of Pakistan has visibly turned the tide of militancy
in tribal areas and resultantly reduced the terror attacks in settled areas
across the country. This is purely a military success, which is of no
consequence if not reinforced with political and economic inroads.
Economic and political moves are yet to be made.
As regards Afghanistan there seemed to be a major shift in Pakistans
policy. Pakistan has arrested many Afghan Taliban leaders in recent past,
which may prove game-changer, according to Zafar Hilaly. It is a ploy
meant to appease the Americans and to convey to the Taliban the message
that in the current attempts to broker a settlement Pakistan means to be heard
by them, he added. But, this move could end up earning animosity of
Afghan Pashtuns.
After Pakistans strong opposition to Indias increased involvement in
Afghanistan America shelved the project for the time being, New Delhi was
constrained to revert back to dialogue. Even in going back on its stance on
talks with Pakistan Indian arrogance remained intact. It summoned
Pakistans foreign secretary to New Delhi to receive three more dossiers.

928

NEWS
In Pakistan, General Kayani visited South Waziristan on 15th
February and assured tribal elders that Army wont abandon them. Four
people were killed in US missile attack in North Waziristan. Dr Aafias sister
met Shahbaz Sharif in Lahore. Five more people, including a Haqiqi man,
were gunned down in Karachi.
Next day, eight militants were killed in air strike in Bajaur and 12,
including nine women perished in shells landing at their houses. Earlier the
FC troops had killed mother and niece of former JI MNA, Haroon-ur-Rashid
and demolished his hujra. It was reported that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar
was arrested ten days ago in joint CIA-Pakistan operation.
Dr Aafias sister met Nawaz Sharif who assured her that he would
raise the issue at all levels and forums. A rally was held in Lahore to show
solidarity with Aafia. Haqqani visited Aafias mother in Karachi and he had
to be rescued when protesters surrounded her house.
John Kerry met Gilani and Zardari; the former talked about Aafia and
the latter asked about payment of dollars. The guest told him that no money
without audit. Senate Standing Committee on Defence demanded immediate
release of $2 billion owed to Pakistan from Coalition Support Fund. IMF
promised to release $1.5 billion but called for mini-budget. US UnderSecretary of Defence met General Kayani to discuss bilateral security
relationship.
On 17th February, four people were killed and three wounded in US
missile attack in North Waziristan. Four militants were held in Lahore and
30 Afghans in Sukkur. The government confirmed that Mulla Baradar was
arrested from Karachi. New York Times termed it as a strategic coup for
Pakistan. Richard Armitage arrived in Pakistan and met Pakistani leaders
including General Kayani and Shahbaz. Holbrooke also arrived in
Islamabad.
Next day it was reported that Haqqanis son (brother of Siraj Haqqani)
was among four persons were killed in US missile attack in North
Waziristan. A JCO was wounded when a military vehicle was fired at in
Kohat. At least 30 people were killed and hundred wounded in bomb blast in
a mosque in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency. Fourteen militants surrendered
in Bajaur. Nine al-Qaeda-linked militants were arrested in Karachi.
The US media reported arrest of two more Taliban commanders from
Pakistan; Mulla Mir Mohammad and Mulla Salam. Qureshi claimed that
929

these arrests were proof of Pakistans sincerity. Holbrooke met Zardari and
the host asked about payment of remunerations and, for a change, he also
talked about Dr Aafia.
On 19th February, five militants were killed in Bajaur Agency and five
surrendered. A woman was killed and a soldier was wounded in separate
incidents in Mohmand Agency. Two persons were killed and two wounded
in bomb blast in Gur Mandi, Peshawar.
PAF jet fighters pounded suspected positions and killed 30 militants
in South Waziristan on 20th February. Six militants were killed in Orakzai
Agency. Security forces held 27 suspects from Kohat and Darra areas. Four
militants were killed in Swat. SHO was killed and seven policemen
wounded in attacks on two police stations in Balakot, Mansehra District.
Next day, eight militants were killed in clash with security forces in
Darra area. Militants in Bara area killed one of the three kidnapped Sikhs.
Twenty-four militants surrendered in Swat and Bajaur. NWFP police and
security forces arrested 167 suspects and Afghan refugees in fresh
crackdown. Policeman was among five persons wounded in a grenade attack
in Gilgit. Pakistan established additional border check posts in view of
Helmand operation. US media reported arrest of another Afghan Taliban
leader Maulvi Kabir, former governor of Nangarhar. CIA sought custody of
Mulla Baradar.
Security forces arrested 17 suspects from Hangu area on 22 nd
February. Government officials did not confirm arrest of Afghan Taliban
Maulvi Kabirs arrest as reported in US media. Indian Foreign Minister
condemned beheading of Sikh in Bara and Police arrested 94 suspects from
the area. Gilani announced award of Hilal-e-Esaar to five districts for
hosting IDPs. A soldier was among 13 people killed in bomb blast in
Mingora; 25 people were also wounded.
Maulvi Amanullah Mehsud, one of the top ten commanders of
Haqqani Group, was arrested from Karachi. The US had claimed that he was
killed in one of the drone-launched missile attack. Shahi Khan seemed to be
helping in cleansing of Karachi as ANP did in Swat. Senate passed a
resolution urging the government to secure release of Aafia. General
Petraeus called on Zardari, who reminded the visitor about the obligations.
On 23rd February, five militants were killed and five wounded while
planting an explosive device in Kurram Agency. Lashkar-e-Islami executed a
murderer in public. General Petraeus visited Swat. Gilani announced 45
percent cut in development budget because of war on terror. Fifteen militants
930

surrendered in Bajaur. National Assembly asked Punjab to stem jihadists in

the province.
Next day, nine Punjabi militants were killed and two wounded in
drone-launched missile attack in North Waziristan. One soldier was killed
and three wounded when MI-17 helicopter crashed in Tarbela. Pakistan
agreed to hand over Mulla Baradar to Afghan government and requested
handing over of Aafias two children on humanitarian grounds. The US paid
$349.3 million as CSF against a bill of $1.350 billion.
On 25th February, it was confirmed that Qari Zafar with $5 million
head money was killed in yesterdays drone attack. He was involved in
killing of US diplomat in Karachi. Police arrested 70 suspects in a
crackdown in Bannu and 17 in Darra area. Five security personnel were
wounded in a clash near Peshawar. Security forces held five hundred
suspects in Mingora bringing the tally to 1,500. New York Times reported
that CIA has extended its anti-terror operations to Peshawar and Quetta.
Pakistan issued visas to the US auditors.
Security forces killed 17 militants in an encounter in FR Kohat on 26 th
February. Under pressure to clear Charsadda (seat of ANPs boss) of
militants, security forces mistakenly killed four of a family in a village.
Fazlullahs nephew was arrested in Nowshera. In Swat, 33 policemen were
arrested for their links with Taliban. Four suspects were held in Larkana and
three militants of a banned outfit were held in Karachi.
Next day, two soldiers were killed and one wounded when militants
attacked a post in South Waziristan. Five people, including three policemen,
were killed and 22 people wounded when two suicide bombers attacked
police station in Karak. Militants death toll in coordinated operation in FR
Kohat and Peshawar reached 25; PAF jetfighters were used during the
operation. Firing and rioting was reported on Eid Milad-un-Nabi; 7 people
were killed and 35 wounded in D I Khan and five people were wounded and
20 arrested in Faisalabad and no casualty was reported from Multan. Fifteen
militants were arrested from Bahawalpur area.
On 28th February, 17 dead bodies of militants were found near
Kohat; they were probably killed in air strike. Security forces killed one
person in Naway Killey. Amir Mir estimated that as result of recent arrests,
Pakistan has eliminated half of so-called Quetta Shura. More than hundred
vehicles were burnt in D I Khan and Faisalabad and 130 people were held by
police.

931

Two FC soldiers were among three killed by militants in North

Waziristan on 1st March. Security forces rescued two kidnapped Sikhs;
several militants were killed in the operation. NATO oil tanker was blown up
and the attacker killed on Ring Road, Peshawar. Security forces killed five
Taliban and arrested 70 Afghans in Swat; dead bodies of two Taliban leaders
were also found.
On 2nd March, seven dead bodies of militants were found in Lower
Kurram Agency; these were probably killed in factional clash. Mulla Rafiq
along with his companions was held hostage by Mulla Tufan in Orakzai
Agency. Ten people were wounded in explosion of a planted device in
Hangu area. Security forces claimed killing two militant commanders in FR
Peshawar. IGFC claimed complete control over Bajaur Agency and arranged
visit of media men to the area. He alleged that Hujra of Haroo-ur-Rashid had
become hub of Taliban activities and Afghan governor of neighbouring
province was backing militants.
Six militants surrendered in Bajaur on 3rd March. Three militants and
a soldier were killed in a clash in Mohmand Agency. Security forces dropped
pamphlets in Waziristan alleging that Israel, India and al-Qaeda were
funding Taliban. Dr Aafias sister addressed district bar council in Islamabad
and accused the government of inaction to secure release of her sister. She
also participated in the rally held in the capital. Rahimullah Yusufzai
reported that Pakistan has refused to hand over top Taliban leaders arrested
recently. The US agreed to supply smart bombs to Pakistan with the
condition that these would be used to kill Pakistani people only.
Next day, three persons were killed in a bomb blast in Lakki Marwat.
Death toll in factional fighting in Kurram Agency reached 12. Three
militants were arrested in Landikotal. Militants attacked security forces in
Mohmand Agency and killed two soldiers and wounded four; in retaliatory
action 31 militants, including two commanders, were killed. Mulla Omars
son-in-law and two others were arrested in Karachi.
At least 12 people were killed and 35 wounded in suicide attack near
Tall on 5th March. Security forces killed five militants in Swat. Senior
commanders of Taliban, including Faqir Mohammad, Abdul Wali, Qari
Ziaur Rehman and Omar Rehman, were reported killed in gunship attacks.
Holbrooke said he wasnt sure that Pakistan has really turned against Afghan
Taliban. Haqqani said Pakistan is committed to war on terror.
Task Force, reportedly, has achieved major success against terrorists
based in the interior of the country. The plan developed on the basis of
932

information extracted from the terrorist captured alive during attack on GHQ
has resulted in capture of dozens on important terrorists of afghan, Tajik,
Uzbek, Egyptian and Sudanese origin. The operation is still in progress.
On 6th March, six-member delegation of MNAs from FATA refused to
go through full body scanning at Washington Airport and canceled their US
visit. The Frontier Constabulary officials dismissed 903 personnel in
Peshawar for disobeying orders regarding deposit of weapons.
On 7th March, seven people were killed and four wounded in air strike
in South Waziristan. Pro-government elder was killed in Orakzai Agency.
Duniya Gul of Jamrud was released from Guantanamo Bay after four years.
He was arrested when he went to Afghanistan in search of job. Gunmen shot
dead a woman in Swat. Eight militants were held in Bajaur. Al-Qaeda
spokesman Adam Yahiye Gadahn of American-origin and one of the top ten
most wanted men by FBI was arrested near Karachi.
New York Times gave a new twist to Aafias chronicle. It claimed that
uncle of Aafia gave a written affidavit saying that Aafia had met him in
Islamabad in January 2008. The paper also claimed that her first husband has
said that her two younger children have been seen in the house of her sister
in Karachi. The paper quoted a senior Pakistani official acknowledging that
her case was impossible to defend in a court of law; a Western diplomat
comparing her with Dr A Q Khan and a Pakistani columnist, Rafia Zakria
accusing her of putting her children in harms way for a second marriage.
On 15th February, coalition forces reported stiff resistance from
Taliban in their Marjah offensive in Afghanistan. Death toll of Taliban in
first two days was 35 as five more people were killed in air strike. Next day
it was reported that progress in Operation Moshtarak was retarded by
bombs, IEDs, booby traps and landmines.
On 17th February, 12 Taliban were killed in air strike on eastern
border. Taliban were blamed for using human shield to blunt Operation
Moshtarak. Two NATO soldiers were killed in roadside bomb blast. Next
day, seven policemen were killed in NATO air strike in Kunduz. NATO said
its troops would require a month to take control of Marjah.
On 19th February, six Coalition soldiers were killed in various
incidents and 13 people were killed in attack on a police post. Next day,
foreign troops killed an Afghan in southern Afghanistan thinking that he
was running towards them with a bomb. Taliban once again rejected Karzais

933

peace offer. Dutch government collapsed over whether to extend 1,600

strong Afghan mission.
Three coalition soldiers were killed in roadside bombing on 21st
February. Holbrooke visited Almaty and sought help for Afghanistan. Next
day, at least 15 people, including a tribal elder, were killed in suicide attack
in Nangarhar. Occupation forces killed 33 people, including women and
children in air strike; Mullen said, yes we have done it. Taliban claimed
killing 22 soldiers in Helmand Province and capturing three US soldiers.
On 23rd February, eight people were killed and 25 wounded in suicide
attack in Lashkargah in which a military convoy of occupation forces was
targeted. One Coalition soldier was killed in the ongoing operation in
Helmand. Kabul was rocked by two bomb blasts as militants attacked a hotel
near Indian Embassy on 26th February; 17 persons, including six Indians,
two coalition soldiers, Italian diplomat, and three policemen, were killed and
36 people were wounded. Taliban owned the responsibility of the attack.
On 28th February, 11 people were killed in explosion of a device in
Helmand. Next day, four NATO soldiers were killed in various incidents in
southern Afghanistan. A policeman was killed and 16 people wounded in
bomb blast in Kandahar. Four people were killed and several wounded when
militants attacked a NATO convoy on Kandahar-Chaman highway.
A British soldier was shot dead in Helmand on 2nd March. Five
Pakistani engineers working with Japanese on road construction project were
killed in southern Afghanistan on 4th March. Saleh Zaafir observed that
Indians were settling the old scores. Mulla Omar appointed successor of
Mulla Baradar. UN Envoy in Kabul wanted talks with Taliban.
On 6th March, Gordon Brown dashed to Lashkargah to tell British
soldiers that his government would do everything to provide funds and
resources required by them. next day at least 60 militants and 19 civilians
were killed in clash between Hekmatyars Hezb-e-Islami and Taliban in
Baghlan Province. Amid clashes many defected militant groups and joined
government. Two NATO soldiers were killed in roadside bombing in
southern Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Karzai visited Marjah.
As regards India, on 16th February, Riaz Pirzada wanted that all the
experts be punished, who inspected the Baglihar Dam on invitation of India
but did not raise any objection. Aftab Sherpao said, Pakistan is winning the
war on terror but losing war for water. In Sindh Assembly, Nawaz League

934

was condemned with chanting shame, shame for release of water in

Chashma-Jehlum Link Canal.
Next day, Krishna said composite dialogue was not on Indias agenda.
Pakistan has been called to New Delhi for talks only. Foreign Office in
Islamabad did not like this blunt statement of facts. On 21 st February,
Pakistan agreed to vote for India for non-permanent seat of UNSC; this is in
appreciation from Zardari for drying up River Chenab.
On 23rd February, National Assembly demanded taking the water
dispute with India to International Court of Justice. And, Foreign Office
wanted meaningful talks with India and US hoped revival of composite
dialogue. Next day, Indians fired across the border in Sialkot Sector to add
meaning to the talks. Last minute changes in the composition of the
delegation led by foreign secretary were made. Reportedly, on demand of
India the members, who would have discussed terror and water issues, were
dropped from the delegation.
Indo-Pak foreign secretaries met in New Delhi on 25 th February; after
the meeting Indian foreign secretary the media and said great deal of
discussions related to terrorism. She said the talks in no way meant that
Indias concerns about terrorism have diminished. India gave three dossiers
on terrorism demanding action on some new outfits and also reiterated need
for action against Hafiz Saeed.
Afghanistan was not discussed, but Pakistan raised the issue of
Balochistan and India replied that allegations were baseless; India had no
intention to interfere in Pakistans internal affairs. Pakistan requested for
resumption of composite dialogue but was told that time was not ripe for
that. Pakistan also mentioned water issue and that would be resolved as per
Water Treaty.
Pakistani foreign secretary said talks were useful and constructive,
yet he accepted that the gap between India and Pakistan was widening. He
mentioned the same points highlighting Pakistani version. He stressed upon
not to link talks with terrorism. He also said that Pakistan has given a
proposal for the solution of Kashmir dispute. The two sides, however, agreed
to continue the process of talks.
On 26th February, India increased its defence budget by 24 percent.
Salman Bashir summed up the outcome of New Delhi talks by saying talks
for the sake of talks are of no use. Two days later, Indian Minister of State
said Saudi Arabia could be viable interlocutor between India and Pakistan.

935

Hanif Khan reported that in the recent talks in New Delhi Salman
Bashir told India that Pakistan is not Bhutan. Certainly, Pakistan is far
bigger that Bhutan, but if Indian is willing to grant Zardari the status of king,
he wont mind Pakistan treated as Bhutan.
On 1st March, Manmohan Singh addressed Saudi Shura and said India
would take ten steps if Pakistan took one step. He sought help to prevent
cross-border terrorism. Saudi Arabia and India agreed on strategic
partnership covering security, economic, defence, technology, political and
terrorism. Meanwhile Indian defence minister alleged that 42 militant camps
were operating in Pakistan. On 5th March, Singh announced that there would
be no progress in talks unless Pakistan controlled the cross-border terrorism.
In IHK, occupation forces martyred three Kashmiris on 15 th February.
Pakistan protested ceasefire violation along Line of Control. Next day, Kerry
said America was ready to facilitate dialogue on Kashmir and water issues.
On 22nd February, at least 12 people were injured in clash between anti-India
demonstrators and police.
On 23rd February, three soldiers including an officer were killed by
freedom fighters. Next day, five Kashmiris were martyred by occupation
forces. Police used force against protesters in Sopore and injured 12 of them
on 25th February.
Only couple of days after Indo-Pak talks in New Delhi, Manmohan
embarked on visit to Saudi Arabia on 27 th February and announced that his
government was ready to talk on Kashmir issue. On 1st February, Indian
troops violated ceasefire along LoC in Rawalakot; two children were
wounded. Two days later, Singh told the Lok Sabha that there was no change
in Americas Kashmir policy.
In Balochistan, four NGO officials were kidnapped from Qila
Saifullah area on 19th February. Next day, a soldier was killed and two others
wounded in landmine blast in Bolan Pass area. One person was wounded in
a bomb blast in Quetta on 23rd February. Next day, Zardari arrived in Jhal
Magsi to inform Balochs that he had apologized to them for sins of others.
On 25th February, Zardari told the dissident Balochs that they were on
the right path. Three days later, six people were killed and three wounded by
unknown gunmen in Quetta. Two students were killed in firing in Khuzdar
University on 2nd March. Two FC soldiers were killed and one wounded in
grenade attack in Quetta on 5 th March. A PML-N leader was shot dead in
Khuzdar on 6th March. Three persons were wounded in bomb blast in Dera
Bugti on 7th March.
936

VIEWS
As regards Pakistan, Rahimullah Yusufzai commented on the
extrajudicial killings of mother and niece of former MNA Haroon Rasheed
of JI. It had been snowing around noon on February 15 when army and FC
troops arrived in Gang village, located about three kilometres from Bajaurs
principal town and headquarters, Khar. According to Rasheed, the troops
accompanied by some US soldiers came in 15 military vehicles and
armoured personnel carriers, searched several houses in the village and
found nothing objectionable and then planted 72 kilograms of explosives to
blow up his hujra. He explained that the hujra was sited in the middle of a
compound containing his house and those of his three brothers and it was
obvious that the adjoining houses would be damaged if the guesthouse was
dynamited. He said he had shifted his family to Peshawar while his brothers
and their families were all living in their homes in Gang. He alleged that the
troops didnt give sufficient time to his family members, including his old
mother, and women and children to shift to a safer place despite requests by
villagers and caused a huge explosion with a remote-control device while
leaving the village.
The hujra was razed to the ground but the blast also brought down
the verandah of the adjacent house, burying Rasheeds mother and
niece under the debris. Another woman, the wife of Rasheeds relative,
Salim, and her three-year-old son were injured and brought to Peshawars
ICRC Hospital. The villagers later pulled out the two bodies and performed
the burial rites in pouring rain and heavy snowfall in Rasheeds absence. The
former lawmaker has been unable to return to Bajaur due to a curfew and
insecurity and is receiving well-wishers offering condolences to him at the
Peshawar headquarters of the Jamaat-i-Islami.
This indeed is a tragedy as two innocent women lost their lives in an
incident that could have been avoided However, the occurrence of Bajaurlike tragedies, the accusations of human rights violations and extrajudicial
killings against the security forces and the growing presence of US soldiers
and spies in the area would continue to fuel the conflict and negate efforts
to make Pakistan peaceful and stable. The lack of credible information
about the situation in the conflict areas and the unawareness of most
Pakistanis of the human suffering in places like Bajaur and Waziristan have
prevented this tragedy from becoming public knowledge.

937

Rasheed, articulate and determined, also raised fundamental issues

with regard to the ongoing military operations in FATA and the rest of the
NWFP. He claimed that more than 90 per cent of the 7,000 people killed in
the military action in the region since 2004 were civilians. In his native
Bajaur, he contended that 99 per cent of the 3,000 tribes people who lost
their lives in the military operation were women and children and, therefore,
innocent. Rasheed is ready to face punishment if his family is found
involved in anti-state activities but he also wants those making accusations
against him and his relations to be made accountable if they are proved
wrong. Moreover, he wants a judicial probe into the civilian deaths in the
military action and the US drone strikes in the Frontier. He is seeking an
independent probe by judges, political leaders, the media and human rights
activists into the so-called "collateral damage" resulting from the military
operations and is willing to defend his viewpoint on all forums. On his part,
he believes his hujra was demolished and his mother and niece were killed to
punish him for consistently opposing since 2004 the military action in the
NWFP and FATA. He considers it as an act of revenge, a claim that the
security forces and the government would never accept. Is there someone in
the government and the military to accept Rasheeds challenge?
Dr Maleeha Lodhi observed: Militancy has been dealt a lethal
blow, but one that is not fatal yet. The necessary, though not sufficient,
conditions have been created to turn the tide. The loss within six months of
two leaders Baitullah and Hakeemullah Mehsud has left the Tehrik-eTaliban Pakistan in confusion and disarray. The assault on the TTPs
stronghold in South Waziristan has degraded the organizations capability.
But its continued ability to strike in the mainland suggests it has more than
just a residual capacity and is using its connection with other groups to
orchestrate the attacks.
Among the daunting tasks ahead are to dismantle the militants
syndicate that remains intact, disrupt its supply line and flow of financial
resources which are also intact and destroy its intelligence assets. Also
critical is to halt the flow of recruits into the ranks of the Pakistani
Taliban, even though this has been affected by its loss of physical space.
That the threat may be becoming more dispersed is indicated by the nexus
the TTP has established over time with proscribed organizations or their
splinters beyond FATA.
While the top leaders have been eliminated as part of a decapitation
strategy the rest of the TTP leadership are still at large. Many melted away
into the adjoining areas in pursuit of new hideouts, which necessitated
938

cordon and search operations in Orakzai, Khyber and beyond. The leader of
the Swat Taliban, Maulvi Fazlullah, is said to have fled to Afghanistan.
She enumerated the successes of the Army and the goals yet to be
accomplished and then added: The tribal areas remain volatile. The
intensification of military action in Bajaur, and to some extent Mohmand, is
a response to resurgent militant activity increasingly launched from across
the border. This reflects a reverse safe haven phenomenon, which is a
potent reminder of how instability in Afghanistan continues to jeopardize
Pakistans counterinsurgency efforts and also of the fact that militancy
cannot be defeated in isolation to the security situation next door.
The US/NATO offensive in southern Afghanistan can also
adversely affect Pakistan. Both push and pull factors push (militants
being driven to Pakistan from Afghanistan) and pull (expecting the
Pakistani army to act as an anvil) can strain the militarys capacity and
detract from its anti-militant efforts.
Especially as the campaign is at a delicate juncture. While TTP
militants are on the run, having been deprived of a base to train, regroup and
operate from, this has not led to a halt in their activities. The loose network
has shown a capacity to regenerate even after the loss of its leaders and
recover from fierce internal struggles. It may now be adapting to mounting
pressure by dispersing and coordinating actions with sympathetic groups
outside FATA.
A more diffused threat with the means to cause disruption in the
countrys mainland will need a different response from military assaults
to secure territory. They will require effective law enforcement, improved
policing, better intelligence and, of course, sustained public support.
This means replacing a fire-fighting approach with a comprehensive
and multilayered strategy that employs a diverse toolkit for what most
certainly will be a long haul. When army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani
recently described the present phase as transitional, he seemed to call for an
approach in which the states civilian organs take a lead role.
The key question is whether a capacity can be generated for such a
civilian surge even as the various law enforcement agencies take sustained
steps to dismantle the syndicate of terror that still operates in the country. In
the longer run the neutralization of this network will also rest on bringing to
an end the conflicts and disputes in the region that have motivated and
nourished the forces of militancy.

939

Zafar Hilaly commented: Except Obama, just about every American

who has anything to do with Pakistan and could find a seat on a plane or
hitch a ride has been here to cajole, prod, threaten, and inveigle Pakistan
to do America's bidding in Afghanistan. Even Richard Armitage was
fished out from some think tank or another.
Such saturation tactics have paid off. An army that has been assigned
the near-impossible task of fighting on two fronts, at opposite ends of the
country, while keeping an eye on the squabbling politicians, has decided to
bite the bullet. Recent developments suggest that we are now squarely in
the American camp despite ostensible differences and the reservations of
many on America's Afghan policy.
There were indications, which some of us missed, that conjoining
with the Americans was in the works. The arrest of Taliban high-ups, the
near-perfect targeting of militants by American drones in Waziristan
revealed the quality and depth of the intelligence cooperation that now
exists. Likewise, the remarkably successful operations in the two
Waziristans, although an exclusively Pakistani affair, were much aided by
devices not obtainable earlier.
All of which also explains why the American lexicon has changed
in the depiction of Pakistan's current role in the war. Even the abrasive
Holbrooke was over the moon in his praise of Pakistan, and Hillary Clinton
likewise. The Pentagon quartet of Gates, Mullen, McCrystal, Pertraeus are
no less profuse, and so too the ex-Pentagonian Jones, now advising Obama.
We expect quick release of Coalition Support Funds of almost $2
billion that are due, beginning next week, with an installment of $360
million. Sixteen F-16s are expected by July and perhaps more to follow.
Drones of a type more potent than what were on offer are on offer now. And,
just possibly, down the road, a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement
similar to that concluded with India; at least, that is what Christine Fair, who
in her earlier incarnation was a Pakistan-basher, has proposed. Meanwhile,
the civilian package will be speeded up with the visa issue close to
resolution, and perhaps augmented with dollops of dollars.
Such good news was accompanied by caution from American
ambassador, Nanny Patterson, who (talking to the FCCI in Karachi) could
not resist scolding us for our over-reliance on foreign assistance, but that is
her wont. She once insinuated to a Benazir Bhutto who was justifiably
alarmed about her security that she should calm down and get on with the
business of cooperating with Musharraf.
940

Never downcast, Mullah Omar, raising the telescope to his blind eye,
is telling the world through his spokesman that the horizon holds no danger
for the Taliban, though inwardly he must be seething at the arrest of his
henchmen in Karachi and Quetta. It marks a turnaround from earlier
policy which, even by Afghan standards, must appear stunning. The fact
that there may have been an unspoken agreement from the Musharraf era
allowing the "friendly" Taliban unmolested access to Pakistan no doubt
compounded Mullah Omar's rage.
Actually, the recent arrests of Baradar and the shadow Taliban
governors Salam and Mir Mohammad may prove game-changers. Some
say that it is a ploy meant to appease the Americans and to convey to the
Taliban the message that in the current attempts to broker a settlement
Pakistan means to be heard by them or else; and that eventually the arrested
officials will be released.
Be that as it may, it is unlikely to succeed. The Americans will want
us to catch more and will keep an eye on Baradar. Besides, the blow to
Taliban vanity will not be easily appeased. The Taliban only forgive an
enemy against whom they cannot strike back, whereas Pakistan is an
easy target. In any case, for them war is just God's way of teaching them
geography. They will not stop warring or seeking revenge for their
imprisoned countrymen.
Talk of Pakistan retaining a mediatory role after the arrests
appears overly optimistic, perhaps even naive; and so too our policy of
treating the TTP and the Afghan Taliban as distinct entities; or, for that
matter, the Jaishes and Lashkars and Al Qaeda as being apart from the
Taliban. Just as we have conjoined with the Americans, notwithstanding
important differences in perceptions, so will these groups conjoin with each
other, despite their contrasting agendas.
Increasingly, it appears, McCrystal's desire, expressed to the media
in January that Pakistan and America develop a joint campaign plans so that
we approach the entire problem together, is being realized. So too his
conviction that they undertake joint military action against the Taliban (by)
launching coordinated attacks on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border; such
as, presumably, the successful air strike by the PAF against militants on our
side of the border on Feb 20, which reportedly accounted for thirty of them.
India must be delighted that the Americans have finally managed
to pit Pakistan against the Afghan Taliban. And, because America, Karzai,
India and Pakistan now have a common enemy, logically Pakistan cannot
941

object to India being allotted the task of training Karzai's army. Of course,
Pakistan will object; and also because logic is often the first casualty when it
comes to handling India. A pity; because given the volatile ethnic
composition, divided tribal loyalties and a rate of desertion that is the
highest in the world, training the Afghan army seems a Sisyphean labour
which one could only wish on an enemy.
Now that we seem embarked on a war that may well span a
generation, and have unpredictable and unintended consequences, one can
only hope that those who have brought us to this pass have not only the
measure of their enemy but also of their ally. It is not that America will cut
and run, although America has announced that it will begin to withdraw
soon, and often that amounts to much the same thing. But, more importantly,
whether the American commitment to fund the war and provide the
weaponry required, and share the long-term economic cost that it will entail
for Pakistan, will be honoured by a Washington that is becoming
increasingly mired in debt. On that score one can only hope that our
leaders have read the tea leaves correctly.
The consequences of a war that has every possibility now of
intensifying and spreading could be traumatic for Pakistan. Terrorism has
virtually destroyed Pakistan's economy. It is conceivable, therefore, that as
the energy shortfall and water scarcity take hold, food prices soar and
joblessness grows and poor governance continues, public disquiet, already
fairly high, will spill over on to the streets, in which case the mix of our
travails could prove lethal.
Most wars have an outcome. There is a victor and a vanquished
side, except in Afghan wars. In these wars the enemy will flee when
confronted by an overwhelming force but will return to attack when the odds
are better. One is never able to say whether one is winning the war or not.
But assuming we prevail, our victory will be of little consequence
unless the Taliban and their murderous allies are defeated not only in
Pakistan but also in Afghanistan. And, frankly, it is impossible to
countenance a Taliban defeat in Afghanistan at the hands of the ragtag army
Karzai will have at his disposal. Actually, what is more probable, nay,
certain, is the defeat of Karzai's forces at the hands of the Taliban once the
Americans depart.
Where does that leave Pakistan? Stuck between an unfriendly
Afghanistan under the Taliban and a hostile India which is precisely where
we do not want to be. Hence the reason why, some felt, that a negotiated
942

settlement in Afghanistan, preceded by an American withdrawal, was

the best solution for all concerned especially Pakistan.
We have made this task infinitively more difficult for ourselves
by aligning so closely with the departing Americans and seemingly
unable to resist their urgings for joint action against the Afghan Taliban. Our
only alternative now, it appears, is to decisively win the ideological and
military battles against the united Taliban and other extremists at home and
hope that someone will do the same in Afghanistan. And, meanwhile, to
rethink the basis of our six-decades-old mindset towards India, which has
thus far been, but can no longer be, our sole strategic preoccupation.
The News wrote: There are significant and far-reaching shifts in the
way in which the ruling establishment perceives and interacts with the
Pakistani Taliban and the Afghan Taliban. Until very recently they were seen
as discrete entities, separate but having complementarities and some shared
interests. Today, there is a recognition somewhat belated but no less
welcome for all of that that both the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and
the Quetta Shura Taliban (QST) are essentially one and the same; jihadi
organizations which have the overthrow of the state of Pakistan as well as
Afghanistan as their core objective. Over the last eight weeks we have seen
nine of the eighteen key members of the Quetta Shura detained by our
security forces in several parts of the country. Whilst it is not possible to
second-guess what will come next, it may be reasonable to assume that other
detentions will follow, and if so, this will weaken the QS and by extension
the TTP which is a very long way from the position long-held wherein a
benign linkage was maintained with both groups as a hedge against the
future withdrawal of coalition troops in Afghanistan.
When viewed together the TTP and the QS are a large, flexible,
adaptive, resourceful and well-equipped single entity that has the capacity to
inflict death and destruction to a wide range of targets. Together, they are
now seen to represent an institutional threat to our country. They have the
ability to terrorize and destabilize large parts of our sovereign territory, and
to threaten our infant democracy. That we today recognize this is not just
because the Americans have demanded it, but because we have recognized
that it is no longer in our best interest to maintain this dubious dark alliance.
Other regional players, closer friends than Uncle Sam, have had a role in our
rethinking of the concept of strategic depth. It is alleged that the Saudis have
played a part, and if true we may have much to thank them for in the future.
Now is the time to move away from old and increasingly irrelevant
doctrinal positions towards positions that reflect new and emerging
943

realities. Understanding that the TTP and the QS are conjoined is a step in
the right direction for both us and Afghanistan, and can only strengthen our
hand in fighting militancy and terrorism.
Ahmed Quraishi urged the regime to raise its price. Pakistan has
agreed to hand over Afghan Taliban's number 2, Mullah Abdul Ghani
Baradar, to Afghanistan. How about asking for the dismantling of the
Afghan-based terror infrastructure targeting Pakistani Balochistan? Though
Afghanistan's role as a base for anti-Pakistan operations over the past seven
years seems to be gradually shrinking, it is not completely over yet. The
rollback in that role is directly linked to what the US wants. Its recent
change of heart regarding Pakistan's role and legitimate regional security
interests are the result of the Pakistani military standing its ground, not any
genuine change of heart in US policymaking circles. This is why you did not
see any US official jumping in excitement at the idea of the Pakistani
military training the Afghan National Army.
So the change in the US position may be tactical, forced by
Pakistani straight talk But there are still some tensions below the surface.
A Time magazine story over the weekend tried to de-link US connection to
the Jundullah terrorist group and throw the entire responsibility at Pakistan,
targeting Iranian paranoia by suggesting a Pakistani intelligence support for
Jundullah 'as a tool for strategic depth.' Enough of the demonization of
Pakistan that the US media unfortunately spearheaded over the past three
years, apparently through some kind of semi-official patronage. If US
officials can bluntly accuse their Pakistani counterparts of sponsoring 'antiAmerican articles' in newspapers, whatever that means, surely Islamabad
can pose the same question, especially when Pakistan's case is stronger.
The same goes for the admirable US nudge to India to resume
peace talks with Pakistan. Had things not gone wrong in Afghanistan for
the grand US project, Washington was all set to introduce India as the new
regional policeman in Afghanistan following the eventual pullback of NATO
and US militaries from that country. Pakistan was being pushed to accept
this as fait accompli and Mr Zardari's pro-US government was more than
willing to play along. Again, a Pakistani public opinion that is not ready for
such a major one-sided Pakistani concession probably threw a spanner in the
works.
Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir must be commended along with his
team for stating the Pakistani bottom line. Forget the US statements on the
need for peace between Pakistan and India. The fact is that the US played

944

the two countries against one another in Afghanistan in the past eight years.
If Pakistan accepts, a photo-op would work just fine for Washington as it
does for New Delhi. We'd be asking too much if we think anyone in New
Delhi or Washington is really itching to help Pakistan resolve its grievances
with India. It's just that the regional dynamic is helping us at this point in
time.
So let's make the most out of it while we retain the initiative. Instead
of the theatrics, we must ask for something substantial this time. No more
prolonged people-to-people exchanges. There is no problem between our
peoples. And please, no more equating Pakistan's responsibility for peace
with India's responsibility. The onus is on India. It is the bigger country. It
can change the entire mood in the region by taking small steps to alleviate
Pakistani insecurities. It can do so by taking steps in the water dispute, in
improving how it treats Pakistani visitors, and by reducing tensions with the
Kashmiri people on the ground. Bottom line: Enough of selling ourselves
cheap over the past eight years. Pakistan should secure its interests and
accept nothing less.
Saleem Safi wrote: In response to Karzais praise for Faisal Mosque,
I told him that this symbol of heavenly love is open for a warm welcome to
the president if the journey to Islamabad takes the shorter route via Torkham
and not Washington. In a lighter mood, he retorted that one should also offer
the same advice to Islamabad. Sarcastically, I told him that we used to call
Karzai a mayor of Kabul, having no control on the rest of the country. But
now the facts seem in reverse gear, Kabuls writ is spreading out of the citys
bound towards far-flung provinces, while our president wears the mantle of
Islamabads mayor. Factually, being imprisoned in a five-star hotel called
the Presidency and accessible to few men, the latter cannot even claim to
be a mayor of Islamabad.
Dr Aafias ordeal continued to be commented upon. Aijaz Zaka Syed
wrote: The biggest and most obvious absurdity of this case is the fact that
Aafia was presented before the world as a dreaded terrorist and al-Qaeda
mastermind but she has been tried on the charges of assaulting US officials
with the intent to kill. If she was a terrorist why she was not tried on
terrorism charges and why on using a gun to attack US soldiers?
Where was Aafia hiding or hidden between 2003 and 2008, after she
was picked up in Karachi? How did she end up in Ghazni? What happened
to her children? And if she had indeed been planning terror attacks, would
she be moving around with the incriminating evidence of bomb-making

945

material in her bag? And if she had really been on a murderous mission,
would she set out with her three young children in tow?
I mean the authorities could have at least demonstrated some
common sense and ingenuity in framing and setting up Aafia. This is an
insult to the intelligence of ordinary Americans and the rest of the
world. I am no Sherlock Holmes or Perry Mason. But it doesnt take an
extraordinary mind to unravel this cock-and-bull plot against a helpless,
innocent woman. This whole thing stinks it stinks even at this distance.
Lets face it: If Aafias imprisonment and persecution all these years was an
affront to all that America claims to champion, the guilty verdict against her
following this sham of a trial is the ultimate mockery of justice and due
process of law.
It just beats me how the New York court and jury returned a guilty
verdict despite Aafias first person account of her frame-up and subsequent
persecution and her physical condition. Moreover, there was absolutely no
evidence linking Aafia to the gun, no bullets, no residue from firing it.
Yet they found Aafia guilty and the minimum sentence Aafia faces on the
ridiculous charges brought against her is life in prison
If Obama is indeed keen to turn a new leaf with the Islamic
world, he could do so by setting Aafia free. He should use his
extraordinary powers to put an end to this poor womans terrible, terrible
nightmare. Aafia has become the most potent symbol of injustice across the
Islamic world and all that went horribly wrong with Bushs War.
Talat Farooq observed: The Aafia case is complex and cannot be
seen in black and white. The grey lady is grey precisely because of her
murky past and the question mark hanging over her alleged links to
militants. After all, she was not a run-of-the-mill housewife. Her familys
silence during the years of her disappearance and her ex-husbands side of
the story certainly provide fodder to the opposing point of view that does not
consider Aafias case as a straightforward one.
The right-wing parties and their supporters have once played the
card of anti-Americanism to attain their own political ends while
simultaneously denouncing the human rights organizations for their silence.
Our hatred for America, based on some very real grievances, also serves as a
readily available smokescreen to avoid any rational thinking on any issue of
national importance.
The response of the religious political lobby to Aafias plight is
symbolic of our social mindset. We, while throwing stones at others, refuse
946

to speak up for the downtrodden right under our nose. Aafia has been
dubbed as Pakistan ki beti; one wonders why the same right-wing lobby
is imperious to the plight of many betis in Pakistan who denied access to
justice within the Pakistani judicial system.
Fasi Zaka wrote: The judgment against Dr Aafia by the US court
doesn't appear to be fair. And this is why despite these caveats of intention
those who doubt her guilt have a strong case, too. The story of how she was
nabbed in Afghanistan appears unlikely. From being behind a curtain,
stealing a weapon placed at the foot of a soldier and then being shot in
retaliation when they knew she was there is a weird accumulation of
circumstances. Then, of course, getting tried and being found guilty for it
rather than the allegations of involvement in terrorism is another. On top of
it a Pakistani citizen who could possibly have been in illegal detention in
Afghanistan by the US supposedly commits a crime in Afghanistan and is
then tried in the US for an incident which is not what she was initially
wanted for?
There is also the possibility that she is not mentally fit to
understand what is going on around her. Her recent photos speak of
tragedy and hardship. Plus, she happens to be described as some sort of
brilliant scientist at the disposal of Al Qaeda by the western media, whereas
her research for her PhD was anything but something that could be used for
terrorism (she contributed to the theory that man learns by imitation).
With all this in mind, it's good that the government of Pakistan spent
money on her defence. She is someone who very likely could have been
handed over to the Americans in violation of all our laws if she was truly in
captivity all this time. Her case is worth pursuing because it is not an
open-and-shut one that the courts in the US have decided against her.
Despite all of this, there are still some troubling issues. She isn't
someone randomly picked up in a massive miscarriage of justice; she
was on the radar of the US as early as 2002. In addition, even a UN
Commission alleges that she was a member of Al Qaeda. Apparently it was
Khalid Sheikh Mohammad who gave up her name in 2003 when he was
arrested - that of course cannot be verified thanks to the illegal detention
center that Guantanamo is.
The court record says that her lawyer confirmed her second
marriage to a man already in custody who is supposedly an al-Qaeda
operative. Her previous husband alleges that her children are not missing
but actually in the custody of her sister and that she has not been detained
947

for five years by the US before the shooting incident. Most troubling is an
account of her uncle who claims to have met her in the period when her
supporters allege she was in the US custody. The journalist Declan Walsh
wrote a very prescient piece which noted that the key to understanding the
truth would be to know where Dr Aafia was for the five missing years
before her arrest; was she illegally and inhumanly held by the US or was she
working for Al Qaeda? One person who could answer this is the son of Dr
Aafia, but his testimony or presence has not been forwarded by Dr Aafia's
family in whose custody he is currently.
For either side, those who believe in her guilt and those who don't, to
say something conclusively is impossible at this stage despite their claims.
Guilt needs to be established beyond reasonable doubt, but this case sets a
long shadow with many unanswered questions. Her defence therefore is
imperative to prevent a miscarriage of justice which has probably happened
with the guilty verdict she has been handed down. Her sentencing is still left,
and the inevitable appeal. But the US won't be pressurized by a government
like ours which it can easily ignore. For those campaigning for a fair shake
to Dr Aafia the key will be involving the US media to give more scrutiny to
a case it has largely ignored given its obsessive attention to the recession and
domestic issues.
In Afghanistan, Operation Moshtarak drew attention of the
observers. General Mirza Aslam Beg commented on the battle of Marjah.
observed: It is obvious that the outcome of the battle of Marjah would be a
stalemate and the heavy casualties, the coalition forces are likely to suffer. In
no way it would help the peace process in Afghanistan. Sagacity demands
that the USA and their coalition partners show greater sincerity of purpose
for peace and give up the idea of use of force for gains, at this belated stage,
when the Taliban enjoy clear ascendancy over the occupation forces, and
with each passing day, more and more tribal are joining them. Attempts are
being made to separate the al-Qaeda from the Taliban who would not
abandon them. if they could, they would have handed over Osama to the
Americans nine years back and saved themselves from the ravages of war.
Furthermore, there are no good or bad Taliban either. They are all the
same, and follow Mullah Omar. No amount of money can buy them
because they are not a saleable commodity. Let us, therefore, accept the
reality and initiate the peace process in real earnest.
Special modalities, therefore, are needed for bringing peace in
Afghanistan and to ensure an honourable way out, for the US and its allies,

948

and a smooth transition to the civil order, without triggering bigger chaotic
conditions. There are terrifying prospects of defeat in Afghanistan
hence the need for a comprehensive strategy and an exit strategy,
which is the only viable option, to be supported by an aggressive political
and diplomatic policy for peace in Afghanistan.
The steps, therefore, those needs to be taken are: The occupation
forces must give a timeframe for withdrawal and declare a ceasefire. Start
dialogue with the Taliban and Northern Alliance, to form the Loe Jirga, in
order to decide the main issues, such as the formation of the interim
government, for a period of three years, which will be responsible for
holding the census to determine who is who, for the impending elections;
framing of the new constitution; rebuilding of institutions; massive
reconstruction of the infrastructure and recreating ethnic balance, which
remains disturbed since the Bonn Conference of 2001 and holding of general
elections in the year 2013 and finally transfer power to the elected
government. As a final word, the centres of power Pakistan and the Afghan
Taliban must be taken into cognizance, as the main arbiters of peace and
the immediate neighbours Iran and China must also be on board.
S M Hali wrote: Operation Moshtarak and beyond must take into
consideration that there is no blowback to Pakistan, at the same time,
trusting and enabling Pakistan, allowing it space to manoeuvre and operate
while avoiding direct or indirect destabilization of Pakistan. The USAs
responsibility is spelt out by Gordon Duff, a marine Vietnam veteran and
former UN diplomat. He said: The US must take into cognizance that 25
million Pashtun live on just the other side of the border in Pakistan. With the
right help for Pakistan, the right economic programmes and leadership, both
countries could be helped and lives, perhaps millions, could be saved
without pouring billions of useless dollars into the pockets of defence
contractors infesting the halls of Congress, some with the arrogance and
blatant insensibility of our actual elected leaders.
Yvonne Ridley observed: The bottom line is that the war in
Afghanistan is not being waged to liberate women: instead it is turning them
into widows. Nor does the war have anything to do with domestic security
the Taliban pose no threat outside their borders and never have. Can
anyone tell me the last time an Afghan was engaged in terrorism outside his
country?
The Taliban have not launched a global jihad, but they are simply
doing what the previous generation of mainly Afghan Pashtuns did

949

during the time of the Russian occupation they are putting up a resistance
to foreign occupying forces and a hostile Afghan army and police. The ANA
and the police do not represent interests of the Pashtun people who are the
majority ethnic group in the country.
If driving out Pashtun populations from their homes under
Operation Moshtarak is not ethnic cleansing, Id like to know what legal
advisers in The White House, Downing Street and NATO call it. And if
NATO forces hold the same reservations as me then it is their duty not to
obey illegal orders.
M Mohsin wrote: The Helmand operation is facing tough opposition
from Taliban. All media reports underline the fact that Marjah is littered with
landmines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) which demoralize the
foreign forces. In addition, the Taliban treasure of weapons appears to have
improved which enables them to fire with more sophisticated arms. This
again forces the foreign army to tread carefully which bars any quick
progress. While Admiral Mullen held that the operation had got off to a
good start, he had a good sense to realize that it is safe not to count ones
chickens before the same are roosted. However, another officer claimed that
when they tried such vicious bombing in Fallujah, Iraq, the local
resistance collapsed like the proverbial nine pins. It is nave to compare
the two situations. Iraqis may have fought bravely but there were three
basic differences between the two situations. First, the Afghan topography is
daunting for any aggressor; more so a foreign one. Second, the way the
Afghans keep on fighting may not be possible for many people in the world.
Third, the tradition of defeating the foreign forces without any consideration
for time and losses is a distinct characteristic of the area. As tradition dies
hard, one finds a repeat of what may have been done during the Middle Ages
or even earlier.
The confusing approach makes it a doubtful proposition. It has been
drummed during the last two months that Karzai would try to mollify his
estranged brothers while the US would keep its fight against al-Qaeda. If
reconciliation is pursued and backed up by genuine reconstruction projects
to win the hearts and minds of the Afghans, then such adventurism has
little relevance. Currently, the whole Helmand must be seething with the
urge for revenge against the killing of their own people, as well as their
sufferings. This could easily prove to be a way to hell charted by good
intentions.

950

Nevertheless, the US is waging a war with no rational goals. It

appears to be hangover of the Bush-Cheney obsessions which, certain
vested interests at home, are keeping alive by demeaning their president on
the slightest pretext. This way US appears to be killing a huge number of
Muslims which will be difficult to wash out. Even subterfuges like the clash
of civilizations do not make much sense. The current US policy appears to
be inciting radicalism among Muslim countries that even in a country like
Pakistan, which has considerable goodwill for the US, is dithering under
various pressures. The Pakistani people are starting to believe that the policy
of their governments since 9/11 has been a failure.
No wonder Secretary Robert Gates was amazed at the criticism
leveled against his country during the course of inter-action with some
representative societal institutions. The US has to realize that their stakes
vis--vis AfPak have become colossal following their involvement in the
area since the 70s. Repeating a mistake is never considered a sign of wisdom
in the worldly affairs.
The News comments on killing of civilians. In a tragic incident on
February 21, 27 Afghan civilians, including four women and a child,
perished in a NATO air strike. The victims had been traveling in minibuses
when the air raid hit them in southern Afghanistans Uruzgan province, to
the north of Helmand province where the US-led coalition troops launched
the largest offensive against the Taliban on February 13 since the war began
over eight years ago. It was the third mistaken attack in a week. On February
18, an air strike missed its target and killed seven policemen in Kunduz
province. Similarly, on the second day of the offensive named Operation
Moshtarak, 12 civilians died when rockets hit a house in Helmand. Among
the dead were six children. President Karzai brandished a photograph of an
eight-year-old girl as he opened parliament on February 20, saying she was
the only one left to recover the bodies of her 12 relatives. The cabinet
condemned the attack as unjustifiable and the top US and coalition
commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, apologized hours
after the deaths. But such condemnations and apologies have already begun
to ring hollow, since they have been made so many times they seem
tantamount to mocking the helplessness of the Afghan people.
Talat Masood commented on arrest on the impact of arrest of Afghan
Taliban leaders. It is time a serious policy reappraisal is undertaken for
reasons of our internal stability as well as for benefiting from a long term
strategic partnership with the US. Pakistans military with the consent of
Afghan government could use its unique position to persuade Afghan
951

Taliban to agree to President Karzais reconciliation offer. A negotiated

settlement would provide the US with an exit strategy and help in
establishing Afghanistan which is crucial for Pakistans own fight against
militants. It is likely that Mulla Baradar could become a collaborator and
help in the reintegration policy of the US and the reconciliation efforts of
President Karzai. Islamabads interests are best served if it widens its
engagement and interests with other power centres in Afghanistan and no
confine it to only Taliban as was the case in the past. Taliban, too, have to
grasp the reality that even in the event of their military victory, a war torn
Afghanistan will not have peace or economic viability without support from
the international community at least in the foreseeable future.
Asad Munir opined: With Obamas plan of withdrawal from
Afghanistan in 2011, Pakistan has to make some readjustments in her
Afghan policy. Pakistan would not like a hostile government in Kabul once
NATO forces withdraw from Afghanistan. Pakistan would like to be a part of
any negotiations held with the Taliban. Pakistan would like to be consulted
in any new arrangements planned for Kabul in a post withdrawal scenario.
Pakistan, for internal security reasons, may not like Afghanistan to return to
a system of government which was in place in the pre-9/11 environment.
Pakistan would also want the Durand Line issue to be resolved
before the withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan. These are the likely
objectives which Pakistan would like to achieve, and the recent detentions of
the Taliban leaders in no way indicate that there is a shift in Pakistans policy
towards Afghanistan.

India summoned Pakistans foreign secretary to New Delhi and the

so-called talks were widely commented upon. Before the talks, The Nation
apprehended: As a bakery at Pune is hit by a bomb blast, just about two
weeks before the Secretary-level talks scheduled for February 25, the Indian
intelligence agencies are trying to find clues of involvement from the
Pakistani side. In this context, New Delhi ought to reckon the fact that acts
of terrorism by those fighting any one of the numerous insurgencies on its
soil, are a routine affair. Buffeted by crises from all sides, including
terrorism, Islamabad would not be promoting it elsewhere. In fact,
considering the mindset of hawkish elements in India, one should not be
surprised if Pune were also be blamed on us. It bears repeating that
without Kashmir and water, Pakistan should turn down the offer of talks.
The idea that discussion would automatically lead to these real issues will
find no takers in New Delhi.

952

Khurshid Anwer from Lahore wrote: There is a general

misconception about the Indus Basin Water Treaty. In 1948, India
stopped the flow of Ravi and Sutlej rivers to force Pakistan to pay New
Delhi for irrigation water accrued for its lands that were previously under the
command area of these rivers. All negotiations with India by the government
of Liaquat Ali Khan from 1948 to 1951 failed as did efforts of the
subsequent governments. The issue was taken to the World Bank where after
two years of negotiations (from 1955 to 1957), the Indus Water Treaty was
hatched. The Pakistan delegation did not accept the Treaty as it did not wish
to concede on Pakistans demand for a share in the eastern rivers. Both East
Pakistan and Sindh rejected the World Bank proposal of funding of the
Mangla dam to compensate Pakistan for the waters lost to India. However,
Ayub Khan felt that the stalemate could not be allowed to continue any
further, with Pakistan buying water for its ever increasing irrigation needs.
He decided to opt for the best of a bad bargain in face of the collusion
between World Bank and India. Possession being nine-tenth of the law, the
same situation prevails today in Kashmir and some day a settlement will
have to be reached with India, perhaps not entirely to our satisfaction, as was
the case with the division of Punjab. In 1960 Ayub Khan signed the Treaty
which guaranteed ten years of uninterrupted water supply while WB helped
finance the replacement projects.
Mangla, Warsak and Tarbela dams were built along with eight link
canals for transferring water from the western rivers to the canals in south
Punjab and upper Sindh which were previously under the command area of
the eastern rivers. Also five barrages and a gated siphon were built under the
Treaty. Mangla and Tarbela dams brought about a green revolution in
Pakistan, which in turn also gave an industrial revolution to us which would
have continued till today if we had not stopped building dams. The Treaty
has restrained India from building mega dams on our rivers with very grave
consequences for the agriculture of Pakistan. Also it is this Treaty which
facilitates Pakistan in going for arbitration in case of the violations being
indulged in by India right now. We must be watchful when condemning
this Treaty out of hand as India is looking for an opportunity to back
out from it. A lower riparian has to forever look up the river in fear.
The News commented: Regardless of the gloating from the hawks
and others who had been eager to see the talks fizzle out and fail, we should,
however, hang on to hope. At least some kind of contact has been
established. Perhaps, in time, it will grow. But if this is to happen with any
degree of satisfaction, it is important that the two sides develop a means to
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move closer on terrorism and the issues related to it. So far the gap stays
wide open. We know that Kashmir and Kabul are in many ways linked. India
needs to realize this and find realistic ways to address the question of
terrorism and the tensions it generates. In the meanwhile, the effort to
normalize relations must continue in both capitals. There is a great deal to be
gained from this. The evidence from the encounter in New Delhi suggests a
need for more work behind the scenes. The base for dialogue must be laid.
This means the building up of trust which, for now, seems to have faded
away. The process will take time. But it must be attempted so that we can
move towards the improvement in ties that would better the future of the
entire region.
Zafar Hilaly wrote: Notwithstanding their parlous state IndianPakistan relations are far too important to be written off by the casual
keep in touch gesture that the Indian foreign secretary favours. Many a
time the peoples of the two countries have been told to sit down, but today
they mean to be heard. And there are signs that, notwithstanding the raucous
braying of some Indian anchors, they are being heard.
At least Manmohan Sigh appears to be listening. True, having wisely
rejected once, at Sharm al-Sheikh, the notion that peace should be held
hostage to terrorism, he then backtracked. But one senses that he now wants
to retrace his steps. He may actually be doing so in his own fashion and at
his own pace, or else the foreign secretaries would not have met. But Mr
Singhs gait is slow, and his manner vacillating and hesitant. He will find
greater reward in a more decisive and less inhabited approach when it comes
to dealing with Pakistan.
Arif Nizami observed: The Indian political establishment is bent
upon bleeding Pakistans already emaciated economy by keeping the
pot boiling, and to further intimidate Islamabad the Indian generals have
recently unveiled their cold start war strategy. In this scenario, barring a
miracle, nothing much is going to be achieved in future talks. The only silver
lining on the horizon is that no matter how meaningless it is, both sides have
agreed to continue with dialogue. The Indian foreign secretary has been has
been invited to Islamabad, while the prime ministers of the two countries
will meet on the sidelines of the SAARC summit due next month in
Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan.
But these talks, in the absence of a framework and without the
political will, are going to be nothing more than a charade to keep the
facilitators of the process at bay. In the meanwhile an economy-driven

954

agenda to bring prosperity to the hapless poor of the subcontinent will

remain a pipedream to be continually sacrificed at the altar of the myopic
thinking of the hardliners and hawks on both sides of the divide.

REVIEW
It has been hyped since London Conference that Pakistan militarys
plain speak deterred the US and NATO from assigning major role to India in
Afghanistan. There can nothing more wrong than this perception. In fact, the
US and NATO have successfully coerced Pakistan by using India Card.
Pakistan was forced to pay price for keeping India at bay. It has been
forced to act against Afghan Taliban and since mid February half of
members of the so-called Quetta Shura have been arrested by its security
forces. This indicated a major shift in Pakistans policy regarding Afghan
Taliban. Pakistan has now fully owned Americas war on terror.
This means that Pakistan is prepared to earn animosity of Afghan
Taliban and Pashtuns in general. This change of heart after resisting it for
more than eight years of the war on terror is quite a massive shift in the
policy. This is certainly a heavy price for keeping India away from
Afghanistan only for the time being.
McChrystal strategy has also started showing results inside
Afghanistan. Like Iraq, he has been able to trigger factional fighting
amongst the groups resisting occupation forces. The clashes in Baghlan
between Taliban and Hekmatyars Hezb-e-Islami could just be the beginning
of more bloodshed.
India is not concerned at all about stalling of its increased role in
Afghanistan. In fact, it should be happy if its interests are looked after by the
US and NATO. This is evident from its arrogance. Previously India used to
hand over dossiers through diplomatic channels, but this time it summoned
Salman Bashir to New Delhi to receive dossiers in person.
8th March 2010

955

CHHITROL IN CHINIOT
During first week of March somebody used his mobile phone and
captured Punjab police in action on its camera. After having caught the
police off-guard in Chiniot, he provided the video footage to a private TV
channel. The film was telecast as breaking news.
The video showed a burly policeman applying chhitrol; a favourite
torture technique to extract instant confession from the suspects in a crime.
The video caused widespread stir from TV anchors to governor, chief
minister and to prime minister; each one of them pretending as if they did
not know that such incidents are a daily routine in police investigations.
Even the Chief Justice could not resist taking suo moto notice.
This incident over-shadowed all other happenings in last two weeks;
including continued defiance of the regime to implement apex courts
verdict on NRO. The superior judiciary seemed helpless against the biggest
thief in Pakistan, therefore, it tried to justify its existence by taking notice of
the incident of Chiniot.

NEWS
On 6th March, Gilani addressed party workers in Lahore and in a
meeting Jiyalas demanded parting ways with PML-N in Punjab; Gilani

956

advocated policy of reconciliation. Salman Taseer demanded action against

PML-N for seeking support from banned outfits.
Punjab police higher ups ordered all police stations to remove
chhittars and other implements of chhitrol from their premises. Chief Justice
said 100 percent objectives have not been achieved following restoration of
judiciary. He added that Parliament has been given chance to end black laws.
NWFP provincial minister, Iftikhar, said the Constitution should be
respected because it has Wali Khans signatures.
According to Akram Shaikh Zardari during his recent visit to London
hired a firm to study the evidence contained in 12 cartons held with
Pakistani High Commissioner. He also said that a close associate of Zardari
told him that Zardaris assets now amounted to more than $8 billion. Ahmad
Riaz Shaikh, a convicted officer was appointed as anti-crimes chief FIA. He
is friend of Zardari; another convict.
Justice Javed Iqbal remarked during hearing of a case on 8 th March
that corruption in PSM that it was like a big dacoity; he wanted the looted
money retrieved. The judge also questioned appointment and promotion of a
convict, Riaz Shaikh, as DG FIA. Rehman Malik was directed to submit a
detailed report on how and why this happened. Chief Minister found fault
with proposed list of PHC judges-to-be. He surely wanted some red-capped
judges who respect Constitution because it bears Wali Khans signatures.
Nawaz wanted input from Chief Justice in Rabbani Committees proposals.
Salman Taseer received tit-for-tat reply to his letter to Shahbaz about Rana
Sana; in fact it was more tat than tit.
At APNS award distribution ceremony on 9 th March Zardari once
again said something and meant something else. He had meant by the end
of March when he said that 17th Amendment would be repealed by the last
week of next month. Gilani claimed that economy was back on track.
Zardari approved increase in judges salaries.
Supreme rejected the plea for stay order for bye-polls in NA-123, but
directed Election Commission not to announce results till court decision.
The judge hearing Cotecna case re-issued arrest warrants of six foreign
directors. On third anniversary of lawyers movement SCBA resolved to
move the Supreme Court for implementation of its verdict on NRO.
Justice Tassaduq Hussain opted out of heading disciplinary body to
dispose of Latif Khosas case in thirty days as ordered by the Supreme
Court. PBC requested for appointment of new judge. Riaz Shaikh, who has

957

been appointed as director FIA, is the only man other than Zardari whose
NRO case has not been re-opened by the NAB.
On 10th March, PCB severely punished the cricketers for aping their
political and bureaucratic leaders. They were found guilty of indulging in
money- making without delivering on the mandate assigned to them and that
too without becoming jiyalas and arranging for an NRO.
NAB chief was sent on long leave. Ansar Abbasi reported: Navid
Ahsans timing to disappear from the scene and the governments decision to
oblige him by approving his long leave although he has already tendered his
resignation comes at a time when Ahsan was summoned on March 12 to
brief the SC on the implementation of the NRO decision.
The Cabinet approved restructuring on PIA, PSM, PEPCO, PR, NHA,
PASSCO, TCP and USC to bring about financial discipline, revival and
good governance. This is in pursuance of report prepared by a Shaukat
Tarin with the hope of plugging the holes through which Rs250 billion are
pilfered annually. Will the corruption stop or continue with no finger
pointing at the regime?
Chief Commissioner, Islamabad, Shahid Mahmood was removed for
taking prompt action on NRO verdict by freezing of 2,400 kanals of land in
Islamabad which was controversially transferred to Zardari and his son.
Accountability Court, Rawalpindi rejected acquittal plea of Suleman Faruqui
in ATY Gold reference. PML-N won bye-elections in Lahore and Jhang; PPP
in Jaffarabad and PML-Z in Fort Abbas.
On 11th March deputy chief of NAB submitted progress report on
implementation of NRO verdict in pursuance of directive of the Chief
Justice. The progress report was precise; action on some points was in hand
and on others legal experts were being consulted. (Catch me if you can).
After cricket, PPP regime achieved another milestone in its pursuit for
democratic revenge; Pakistan hockey team won 12th position (12 out of 12)
in World Cup. It was an exclusive performance of PPP as hockey setup was
working under Gilani and Jiyala Qasim Zia. Supreme Court ordered closure
of cells and warned of action against high officials. Supreme Court acquitted
two accused in attack on Musharraf. Phulpoto returned to office in PSM as
notification of his removal was not published.
On 12th March, acting chief of NAB appeared before the Supreme
Court and the court rejected his explanation. Justice Javed Iqbal remarked
that only Supreme Court can interpret the Constitutional provisions about

958

immunity to President. The court also asked explanation of reports regarding

tempering of evidence; told NAB to take over the record and directed it to
write to Swiss court for reopening of the cases. The court, however granted
another 15 days to show progress on implementation of NRO verdict.
Zardari appointed seven additional judges of PHC. LHC bench was
reconstituted for case of Zardari holding dual office. Shakeel Anjum
reported that five senior officers of NAB have left since arrival of Zardari
and the start of deterioration in this department. Analysts felt that JI and PTI
should join hand with PML-N, if they cannot mobilize the majority of
electorate that has stayed away from polling stations. This is must to throw
the corrupt out of corridors of Power.
On 13th March, Zardari served displeasure to PPP Punjab on poor
performance in by-polls. Nawaz ruled out alliance with MQM. Next day,
workers of PML-N and PML-Q clashed during election campaign in PP-111,
Gujrat. DSP Imran Babar Jamil refused to release dacoits under pressure
from high-ups in Lahore. Former hockey players resolved to launch Hockey
Bachao Mohem. They wanted to protect hockey from democratic revenge.
Speaking at International Conference on Sufism on 15th March Zardari
once again made indirect remarks about conspiracies against him. He said he
was not scared; in fact, he was waiting for the death. TV channels continued
buzzing throughout the day with loud criticism on Shahbazs statement
requesting Taliban not to attack targets in Punjab.
DSP Imran went to High Court to seek redress of his grievances and
meanwhile Police Department issue details of cases against the DSP. PPP
ministers threatened to resign from NWFP coalition government if they were
not treated at par with ANP ministers. Chief Justice directed Attorney
General to request Gilani to resolve differences on appointment of Chief
Justice of AJK.
Lawyers celebrated Youm-e-Iftikhar across the country on 1st
anniversary of reinstatement of the judges on 16th March 2009. In Karachi,
the proceedings were suspended after lawyers resented Aitzazs statement
terming July 31 verdict as controversial.
Zardari signed NFC award in the presence of prime minister and four
chief ministers and claimed his two-year rule better than twenty years. After
Zardari it was Taseer who addressed International Conference and preached
about merits of Sufism whisky-inspired Sufism not the traditional Bhang
inspired Sufism.

959

Lahore High Court ordered judicial inquiry by Session Judge on

petition of DSP Imran. AJK Supreme Court barred Pakistans prime minister
from reviewing its chief justices appointment. Chaudhry Nisar threatened
that the PAC would stop working from 22nd of March because top guns in
NA Secretariat were creating hurdles in its smooth functioning. Rauf Klasra
reported that Mr Clean (Musharraf) used FWO to benefit relatives and
friends. Ansar Abbasi observed that gravely sick PSM was almost ready for
scavengers.
On 17th March, on the eve of MQMs 26 th birth anniversary, four
persons of MQM-H were shot dead. Observers noted it as a warning to
Haqiqi whose leader Aamer was likely to be released on bail. Musharrafs
remarks about Nawaz in which he equated him with Taliban were wellreceived by MNAs of MQM and ANP. PPP MNAs refrained from
commenting but smiled approvingly when asked to comment.
PAC sought lodging of FIR and freezing of assets of directors of four
telecom companies for evading taxes i.e. Dencom, Global Telecom, Union
Communication and World Call. Chief Justice of Pakistan said Supreme
Court can hear case against CJ AJK. DSP Imran said Zardari is friend of
friends and he has been on duty for five months when Zardari was in jail.
Zardari donated all his body parts while signing the law on the subject but
did not spare a penny from his billions.
ANP and PML-N MNAs exchanged hot words in National Assembly
on 18 March after the former alleged that Pashtuns were being arrested in
Punjab after Lahore attacks. Ansar Abbasi reported that Chief Justice of
Federal Shariat Court was reluctant to administer oath to newly appointed
judges of his court against his recommendations.
th

A student was seriously wounded alongside 21 others and seven

policemen when police used force against people protesting the increase in
bus/wagon fares in Islamabad/Bara Kahu. In D G Khan, people attacked a
police station and got a murderer released, killed him and burnt him in
pursuit of speedy justice.
On 19th March, one of the three newly appointed judges of Federal
Shariat Court, Malik Mumtaz Mahfooz, declined to be the judge after
objections raised over his political affiliations with the PPP on whose ticket
he had been Senator from Balochistan; other two have not been invited yet
for swearing in ceremony by the CJ FSC.
Ansar Abbasi reported that senior lawyers and former judges were
smelling rat in Rabbani Committees proposals regarding nomination of
960

judges of superior judiciary. Instead of sniffing smell of a rat, it would have

been better had they seen political camel intruding into the tent of the
Judiciary. Akram Shaikh asked Nawaz to stop conspiracy against judges.
LHC re-issued notices on a writ petition seeking disqualification of Salman
Taseer on the charges of holding profitable offices and turning the Governor
House into office of the PPP.
Protesters and Police fought pitched battles on second consecutive day
in no-mans land between Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Rehman Malik
chaired a meeting to review the situation and directed security agencies to
show zero tolerance for miscreants. Universities in Peshawar were closed
after the student agitation over the death of a student who was injured few
days ago in a clash with students of Islami Jamiat. ANP-backed students
resorted to violence and demanded imposition of ban on Islami party.

VIEWS
On 6th March, Hafsa Khawaja from Lahore condemned public
flogging by police in Chiniot. The recent videos of our police brutally
beating people remind one of another video that emerged last year showing
the Taliban lashing a girl in public. It seems that there is no difference
between the Taliban and the police, except that the latter are in uniform.
Public beatings not only violate human rights but also prove how barbaric
our police are. Such incidents are common in our police stations. Why has
no action ever been taken against them?
In an interview on a private TV channel, a victim of police barbarity
told viewers how policemen would pour water mixed with spices down his
nose for hours making him unable to breathe. This is the treatment meted out
to detainees in Guantanamo Bay. The policemen concerned should be
punished. Rather than improving their performance after the raise in
their pays, policemen have turned into wild savages.
Syed Umair Javed from Islamabad wrote: We believed that only the
Taliban were barbaric. When the video of a girl being lashed in Swat
surfaced last year, we vowed never to give in till our people were liberated
from the barbarians called the Taliban. Several videos of police torture have
surfaced recently. What is our collective reaction to them? One of them,
which is available on YouTube, shows a uniformed officer interrogating and
beating ruthlessly several aged civilians at a police station in Swat. Which
law permits the officer to torture civilians?

961

Mahabat Khan Bangash from Peshawar commented: Sometime ago

terrible scenes of a public lashing were shown on TV channels. Recently
similar horrible scenes were witnessed in a series of footages showing
lashing by law-enforcement agencies. I do not see any difference between
the Taliban and the police. Why should I censure the Taliban only since
our state acts in no different way?
Next day, Saleha Javaid wrote: Pakistans police force has a critical
role to play in meeting the security needs of the people. It must stop from
denigrating its own reputation by brutalizing civilians with belts, badges and
guns. They should aspire to evolve into a professional force rendering their
expertise in facilitating communities while sustaining international standards
across the country.
Policing standards in Pakistan need to be changed and security
institutions reformed. Its the fundamental right of every law-abiding
Pakistani to enjoy absolute security within their homeland. The government
should take foolproof measures to ensure stronger oversight and
accountability, so that disgraceful incidents of police violence in any single
jurisdiction dont come to the fore. They must warrant strong punishments
for those involved in trampling upon civil rights of citizens entitled to
protection by officers whose job is to prevent not perpetrate crime.
The News commented on remarks on the Chief Justice. There is a
particularly disturbing feature about the images of the public and less-thanpublic beatings being administered by police officers. It is that in each case
the implement used to beat the victim is very similar and had clearly been
designed for the job it was being used for. This was not a random belt or
stick found lying around; this was a piece of equipment that in all likelihood
is on the inventory of the police station it is being used in. Somebody in the
police service ordered this paddle-shaped flogger and paid to have it made. It
did not arrive in the hands of the police by accident, nor did it arrive
yesterday or the day before. We may deduce from this that torture of this
nature is routine, and that the equipment needed to administer the
torture is readily available as is the knowledge of how to use it to best
advantage. A culture of extra-judicial beatings likewise does not grow up in
the space of days. Nor is it an occasional aberration on the part of rogue
officers operating without the knowledge of their superiors it is a part of
the culture of policing, institutionalized and common practice across the
country. Small wonder that the populace has little time for the police who
are supposed to protect them.

962

Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry observed on March 5

that 'the law of the jungle prevails in the country' in which he is absolutely
correct. In many places the rule of law has either broken down or been
subverted by corruption, or is simply non-existent. Police officers are
regularly found complicit in fraud and other crimes, and are 'bendable' to
political will and whims. The high and mighty are largely above the law
everywhere and the common man the inevitable victim of a system which
uses the law to its own ends rather than the common good. Into this arena
has stepped a mighty leveler the media, working closely with the common
man who has in his hand the common mobile phone, camera attached.
Whilst some may complain about the imagery we see in the print media
and on TV, the emerging truth is that we are seeing accountability in
action and that citizen journalism, supported by the media and the judiciary
may just become the change-agent that reams of legislation never were or
will be. The ubiquity of modern methods of communication and the way
they have been embraced by our society offer a hope that the malice in the
minds of those who police us is public property, and there is no hiding place
from accountability.
In another editorial the editor cribbed about the culprits who are
exempted from going through the Chiniot like investigations. Those that
have the unenviable task of running the National Accountability Bureau are
eternally chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Or, seen from
another perspective, chasing the possibility of a prosecution and subsequent
conviction that is going to survive political interference and see a crook
behind bars. To the surprise of nobody there is despondency in the NAB
ranks at the vanishingly small possibility of them winning any of the
recently re-opened NRO cases. Indeed, there is a sense of resignation that
the NAB-bers are set to lose anything labeled 'NRO' that they might get to
within shouting distance of a court. If recent cases are anything to go by
their despondency is entirely justified. A nameless (they always are, the
entire bureaucracy goes through life without benefit of a name) NAB official
opined that the criminal justice system was being manipulated to the benefit
of the accused, and that unless the present NAB prosecutors were replaced
by prosecutors of a more independent frame of mind the gates of freedom
would magically open for assorted alleged miscreants.
It appears that although the chairman of NAB is empowered to
replace all prosecutors with the exception of the prosecutor-general, he is
doing nothing of the sort. The anonymous source said that the chairman
danced to the government tune, and that whatever might be in the public
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interest was certainly not in the interest of interested parties currently in

positions of power and influence. When questioned, the nameless deputy
prosecutor-general argued that where NAB prosecutors failed to press
charges against the accused it was for valid legal reasons and nothing to do
with the sense of mutual adoration that the parties felt for one another. Thus
we have the likes of Rehman Malik being acquitted on March 4 by a NAB
court in the 'Bitumen' case, and the spotlessly-clean and corruption-free
chairman of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM), Usman Farooqi, walking away
from the corruption case he faced with head high and an unblemished
character. The reason for the acquittal was that the case was of mala fide
intent and had no relevance to Mr Farooqi; allegedly. If these men are able
by whatever legal gymnastics to take themselves out of the frame of
accountability, what, one wonders, is the point of having an
accountability court in the first place? The Supreme Court has already
expressed its displeasure at the foot-dragging of NAB, there seems little
chance of conviction or transparency and once again we have thrown good
money after bad in pursuit of the dream of accountability. You win some
you lose some.
On 10th March, Anjum Niaz cribbed about corruption. The only
common thread running among our politicians and bureaucrats of all
shades and stripes in the centre and the provinces is money. All the
biggies are raking it in with both hands. The proof of their corruption is in
black and white carried in headlines by the print media everyday. Asked to
explain how their personal wealth grew by leaps and bounds over the last
one year, each one of them has had a cock-and-bull story to tell. They may
silence the anchors questioning their assets but they cannot fool the viewers.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhrys hope of catching the corrupt is
beginning to look like a distant dream; a mirage, if you please. How can
one man go around the country from Khyber to Karachi netting the
corrupt? He is no bionic man with supernatural powers. Our lordship can
only pass judgment; not move mountains. The two men Malik Qayyum
and Navaid Ahsan of NAB against whom the full bench of the Supreme
Court headed by the chief justice passed a judgment on December 16 go
about their business unhindered. Interestingly, NAB courts are clearing cases
against Rehman Malik and Usman Farooqui for the lack of evidence. What a
joke! Imagine the amount of money frittered by NAB in making up cases
against these people, only to now declare that they are innocent.
Raoof Hasan talked of culture of violence. If anyone was shocked
over the humiliation of hapless naked victims lying prostrate under the wild
964

swings of the police personnel in broad daylight and before an audience, I

would be surprised. It was only an open exhibition of a culture of violence
that has penetrated deep through various tiers and echelons of our
society. It was the portrayal of the belief that such treatment would elicit the
desirable confessions from those alleged to have committed crime. Nothing
could be more vicious, more distorted and more demeaning.
The germs of this culture of violence can be traced back to the
days of the Raj when any semblance of resistance to its dictates was
brutally subdued. This was perpetrated through a string of local appointees
who became eager instruments in the hands of their foreign master to inflict
humiliation on their own people. The Raj disintegrated having outlived its
utility and relevance, but the culture of violence not only survived, it caught
roots because there was continuing need of its use by those who barged in.
In essence, we only had a change of faces while the system not only
survived; it became even more brutal and penetrative. The public exhibition
of people being flogged with mikes placed before them so that the vast
audience could hear them shrieking and begging for mercy under this sick
and weird administration of justice afflicted the national psyche in a
manner from which it still has not been able to recover, and possibly would
not for a long time to come. It, in fact, has become a sustaining trait of our
character and large chunks of our society do not hesitate a bit in owning it
up. This was amply demonstrated by the presence of an approving audience;
who, in some cases were the alleged motivators of this blatant display of
brutality.
In a way, it also reflects the lack of respect to the rule of law by
our leaders. When those entrusted with the supreme responsibility of
managing the affairs of the country and ensure and respect rule of law in all
their dealings are seen seeking immunity, one cannot expect ordinary
citizens to show any concern when they see the law being trampled right
before their eyes.
When the cameras catch the top associates of the regime decamping
with hardcore evidence against their principal leader in sheer violation of the
law and the orders of the Supreme Court, how could one expect that the
police would behave any differently? The affliction has penetrated deep.
What is required is a massive surgery that entails replacement of major
organs.
But, there is another aspect that may be even more important: a
change in the discriminatory manner in which justice is dispensed. While

965

there is one rule for the rulers and their illegal, immoral and
unconstitutional pursuits, there is a totally different rule when it comes
to ordinary citizens. While the law dealing with the rules is geared to
defending them and their ill-gotten reservoirs stacked throughout the world,
the one dealing with the plebeians envisages a lack of access to even the
basic portals of justice.
A fundamental change in mindset has become essential. If we
continue to suffer the (lack of) governance of those who have publicly
broken law and against whom there are serious cases of a variety of crimes
outstanding in various courts, there is no way lesser mortals could be
sensitized to observing either the rule of law, or the legitimate chain of
command. There is every likelihood that such grave transgressions may
ultimately plunge the country into a cauldron of unmanageable anarchy.
Next day, Shaheen Sehbai wrote: With the fairly substantive and
meaningful shake-up in the top hierarchy of the Pakistan Army now
complete, the key issue of Lt Gen Shuja Pasha continuing as the ISI head
being the last major decision, it can be said without doubt that the
politicians have surrendered the policy control and initiative on all key
national and security issues, back to The Establishment, with a capital
E
The key issues on which the politicians have lost a handle are the
Afghan policy, the Indian policy, the war on terror, relations with
Washington and NATO, all interlinked, plus major national political issues
that have the potential to destabilize the system like confrontation between
institutions, amending the Constitution to balance the powers between the
president and the prime minister and, unfortunately, keeping the political
system going (read managing the coalition partners) despite the best efforts
of politicians to dismantle it because of their greed, incompetence and lack
of vision.
After elaborating Zardari factor Sehbai added: Now the Army chief
is handling the war on terror, the American policy, the policy on India in
which he has skillfully demolished the ill-considered and unwanted theories
presented by President Zardari, off and on, on how to proceed in Indo-Pak
relations. He receives the US Army and NATO generals quietly in the GHQ
so frequently as if they are part of the Pakistan Army. He visits all important
capitals to explain and present the Pakistani point of view and will be in
Washington later this month for the same purpose. When he leaves his home

966

to attend a dinner for Karzai at the Presidency, it is a headline on all TV

channels.
But while the Army chief has to be involved in such huge national
security issues any way, the quiet return of the political wings of the
secret agencies into action is a recent development. They have, of late,
started to play the traditional role seen during the unfortunate days of
Generals Ziaul Haq and Pervez Musharraf.
Informed insiders say recently in Karachi, spooks of these agencies,
senior and junior, from all over the country, gathered in a brain-storming
session to discuss the options and their responses, especially in the political
arena. Two days were reportedly devoted to these discussions and everything
was put on the table. Strategies were presented, theories deliberated and
some broad decisions were taken.
The developing situation, in which a beleaguered president is stuck
between the deep sea and a hard rock, or surrendering his constitutional
powers and becoming a Rafiq Tarar or facing a political upheaval on one
side and a judicial stick on the other, was the main subject of this unusual
spooks gathering but issues were identified and responses were discussed
and even rehearsed.
This meeting instantly leaked to some allies of the PPP government
and one immediate reaction was the mad rush of Sindh Governor Dr
Ishratul Ebad to Dubai a couple of days back where he holds all strategic
talks with the MQM high-ups of London, sometimes when Londoners fly
into Dubai and at others on telephones lines, which are not monitored by at
least Pakistani agencies.
The consensus of political observers watching these developments is
that the president has to quickly decide what route he has to take,
because time is of the essence. One weighty view is that Zardari has been
trapped by his own prime minister because of the March 23 deadline for the
18th Amendment.
This has put him on the spot because either way, he faces a further
loss of his authority or attack on his castle by an enlarged army of opposition
politicians, judges, media men and angry elements within his own party. So
the Freudian slip of Zardaris tongue at the APNS dinner that the 18th
Amendment would come by the end of April, was not just a slip. It was the
truth about the real mindset slipping out in a moment of laxity.

967

With the president in such a dire strait and the PM waiting whether
he would actually get some authority, even to nominate a minister of his
choice, the affairs of state are now being run by those who should only be
helpful associates of the politically elected government.
The situation is back to the stage where the chowkidar is running
the household, only this time discreetly, from the main gate. But if the
homeowner is only interested in protecting his locker full of cash, someone
else has to run the house.
On 14th March, Raza Rumi commented: The central question is if
political elites have learnt their lessons. The evidence is sketchy and
unclear. There is substantial evidence to suggest that an unwritten
consensus exists on letting the system work and allowing the elected
governments to complete their tenure. On the other hand, there are terrible
signs that many among the ranks of the politicians are not averse to a
doctored change, either through the judicial diktat or through a street
agitation. We can only hope that the latter is a fabrication of some twisted
minds.
Pakistans survival and stability requires a democratic framework
within which its various provinces have a voice and that a transition to
democratic rule is achieved through a regular, robust, and transparent
electoral process. Other solutions are non-options. This is why 2010 is an
important year. It might surprise or actually the skeptics please the usual
suspects. We can only hope that it proves the anti-democratic forces wrong
by letting the political parties agree on a common governance framework in
line with the consensus 1973 Constitution.
The News on Sunday (TNS) edition focused on police in the context
of Chiniot incident. Aoun Sahi wrote: With excessive torture the order of the
day, police force remains a complete stranger to modern investigation
techniques Amnesty International says every year more than 100 people
are killed in Pakistan due to police torture. According to the HRCP annual
report 2007, as many as 147 cases of torture in police custody and at least 65
cases of death in police custody were reported.
Alyan Bhutta opined: Young policemen are rarely informed about
legal implications of soliciting evidence by means of torture. He also noted:
Police officials also regularly receive monetary incentives from the
complainants of a case to use excessive force against the accused which
further exasperates the situation.

968

Salman Aslam observed: Disciplinary action is seldom taken

against the guilty cops and the inquiry proceedings are often shelved.
Transfers and suspensions are just routine measures to buy time. Cases are
swept under the carpet before long as public memory is short and the media
outcry short lived. And according to his second column 150 private torture
cells exist in Lahore to interrogate the accused.
Mushtaq Yusufzai was of the view that a major cause of police
torture is the unending pressure from top bosses, judiciary and
politicians for early arrests and culprits, recovery of missing people, quick
investigations, early challans and providing protection to VIPs.
Waqar Gillani opined that the common torture methods employed
by police can be traced to the ancient past. He quoted Abdul Majeed
Olakh saying Punjab is master of such innovationsthere should be
community level monitoring of police lock-ups to prevent torture.
Justice (Retired) Wajihuddin Ahmed commented on proposal for
appointment of judges by Parliamentary Committee for Constitutional
Reforms (PCCR). Appointments for constitutional and subconstitutional tribunals are missing from the PCCR suggestions. These
appointments may be made at the federal level with the consent of the Chief
Justice of Pakistan and at the provincial levels with like approval of the chief
justice concerned.
A public and parliamentary debate would further elucidate the issue.
Hopefully, if due attention is accorded to the proposed constitutional
dispensation in line with the above a much needed institutional
framework will evolve. That would be difficult, if not impossible, for an
adventurer to overturn.
The News commented on Supreme Courts remarks on delay in
implementation of NRO verdict. The three-member Supreme Court bench
that it is running a case of fraud has made it clear that it is running out of
patience with NAB and the government. It has asked NAB to quit playing
hide and seek and to take into custody documents pertaining to the Swiss
cases of corruption against President Asif Ali Zardari. The court has made
it clear that it has no sympathy with the plea that Mr Zardari enjoys
immunity and has once more asserted its view that no individual can be
considered above the law. One wonders how long NAB and the government
hope to continue using delaying tactics of various kinds to hold up court
action. They must realize that this can lead them nowhere at all. If anything
it will just lead the country and its people down the road to further trouble as
969

institutions inch towards a clash with each other. The anticipation of this has
already contributed greatly to the instability and uncertainty we face today.
The question is how to find a way out of this crisis. There is only one
answer. The government must quit protecting individuals and instead set
a precedent of justice and fair play that can inspire us all to rise above the
corruption and lack of integrity that has held us back for decades. Indeed,
rather than attempting to protect himself by arranging for vital documents to
vanish or be tampered with, the president needs to lead the way himself.
Instead of hiding behind the cover of immunity bestowed by office, he
should present himself for accountability. He would then be doing the nation
he claims to serve a great service, setting an important example for others to
follow and also averting the difficult situation that we see evolving now,
with the government repeatedly holding up efforts to implement the orders
of an obviously determined court.
Next day, Asif Ezdi commented on progress made by the
Parliamentary Committee for Constitutional Reforms. In an award
distribution ceremony of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) on
March 9, Zardari expressed the hope that with the finalization of the
constitutional reform package by the end of the month, the constitution
would be restored to its original shape. But he also added that the
Parliamentary Committee engaged in this task had to carry out its task
unanimously. Zardari might still have been banking on a deadlock in the
committee on the remaining contentious issues that would save him from
having to part with his powers. There is one that he absolutely loath to give
up: that of appointing the army chief. A vacancy is occurring later in the year
and Zardari clearly feels that by dangling an extension in service before
Kayani, he can exercise leverage over the most powerful institution in the
country. He would do well to recall that two earlier civilian rulers in the
country, each with large parliamentary majorities, who made this calculation
or miscalculation, eventually came to grief.
There are three main contentious issues before the committee on
which the media has focused attention. Besides the question of appointments
to the superior judiciary, there are two other raised by the smaller provinces:
provincial autonomy and the renaming of NWFP. In addition, a proposal was
made to the committee that the creation of a new Seraiki province should be
part of the constitutional package. But since the committee does not include
any member from the Seraiki speaking belt which incidentally is home to
nearly one-eighth of the countrys population this demand was not
discussed. Some members of parliament from this region have now
970

announced that they would not vote in favor of a constitutional package that
does not provide for a new Seraiki province. These demands by small
provinces or linguistic groups are valid and must be addressed.
Asif discussed all the above issues in some detail and then concluded:
The 27 wise men who comprise the self-styled Parliamentary Committee
on Constitutional Reforms were tasked to make recommendations for the
implementation of the Charter of Democracy. Instead, they gave themselves
the job of overhauling the Constitution in order to meet the democratic and
Islamic aspirations of the people of Pakistan. The result of their labours
spread over a period of eight months is not just disappointing but also
disturbing. It is a product of deals made behind closed doors to advance
narrow party interests. If it is passed into law, the country will have not just a
downsized but crippled federal government and legislature and a politicized
judiciary.
The 1973 Constitution, the precious political legacy of Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto, will have been mutilated beyond recognition. Our political class will
have shown once more that they are incapable of seeing beyond their noses.
The principal culprits before history will be Gilani for his failure to
exercise national leadership as his post requires and Nawaz Sharif for his
inability to look beyond the repeal of the 17th Amendment.
Roedad Khan wrote: No authoritarian or corrupt ruler can afford
an independent judiciary. The two cannot coexist and are bound to collide.
Without an independent judiciary, the Republic cannot be made to endure.
But when government falls into perfidious hands, it becomes itself the
instrument of counter-revolution. No wonder, all those who do not believe in
the rule of law and all those who represent the forces of darkness and
counter-revolution have joined hands once again to reverse the judicial
revolution triggered by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.
The proposed constitutional mechanism for selection of judges is
a thinly disguised attempt to undo the gains of the judicial revolution.
Counter-revolution does not give up easily. With the restoration of the
deposed judges we though we had reached the summit and our problems
were over. Alas, the ascent of one ridge simply revealed the next daunting
challenge. In retrospect, it seems it was naivet to have imagined that the
restoration of judges alone would defeat the corrupt system and criminals
and Mafiosi who have found in our democracy the perfect Trojan Horse for
preserving their power.

971

In Pakistan, as in all federations, the Supreme Court plays a crucial

role. It is the sole and unique tribunal of the nation. The peace,
prosperity, and very existence of the federation rest continually in the hands
of the Supreme Court judges. Without them, the Constitution would be a
dead letter. It is to them that the executive appeals to resist the encroachment
of parliament; parliament to defend itself against the assaults of the
executive; the federal government to make the provinces obey it; the
provinces to rebuff the exaggerated pretensions of the federal government,
public interest against private interest, etc. they decide whether you and I
shall live or die. An awesome responsibility rests on the shoulders of the
Supreme Court. Their power is immense. But they are all-powerful only so
long as the people and the government consent to obey the laws.
In every period of political turmoil, men must, therefore, have
confidence that the superior judiciary, the guardian of the Constitution, will
be fiercely independent and will resist all attempts to subvert the
constitution. It is our misfortune that from the countrys first decade, our
judges tried to match their constitutional ideals and legal language to the
exigencies of current politics. The superior judiciary has often functioned
at the behest of authority and has been used to further the interests of
the rulers against the citizens.
Khan described some of the failings of the judiciary in the past and
then raised few questions before concluding. Why disturb the status quo?
Why circumscribe the discretion of the chief justice? What is wrong with the
present method of selection of judges? It has stood the test of time and has
the full support of the people. Why involve the law minister, the attorney
general and the Bar Council in the selection judges of the Supreme Courts?
Why involve parliament and the political parties in the selection of judges?
Why politicize the judiciary? Is the proposed method for selection of judges
consistent with the principle of separation of powers enshrined in the
Constitution? Why not leave the matter to the discretion and good sense of
the chief justice, as is the case today? Why reopen the controversy? The
reason is not far to seek. Independent judiciary suits nobody in this
country. It only suits the people, especially the poor and the exploited
Today there is hope for the country. The President may slip, without
the state suffering, for his duties are limited, Tocqueville wrote in 1837.
Congress may slip without the Union perishing, for above the Congress
there is the electoral body which can change its spirit by changing its
members. But if the Supreme Court came to be composed of corrupt or rash
persons, the Confederation would be threatened by anarchy or civil war.
972

This is exactly what would happen in this country if the proposed

mechanism for the selection of Judges is adopted.
The judicial revolution triggered by Chief Justice Iftikhar
Chaudhry is irreversible. Let there be no doubt about it. Any attempt to
undo it will be resisted. The people have planted an independent judiciary in
the path of our turbulent democracy. No longer would the executive be a law
unto itself. Today there are many now willing to spill their blood to defend
their heart-earned independent judiciary. Try to destroy the independence of
judiciary, and the moment is not far off when this beautiful country will be
plunged into a civil war.
On 17th March, Shamshad Ahmad drew parallels between Western and
Pakistani democracy and wrote: In Pakistan, elections are not an occasion
to judge the rulers on their performance. They are a means to come to
power by hook or by crook and by the same old feudalistic antics. With the
passage of time, our people are forgetting what they had voted for in 2008.
They now do have an elected civilian leadership brought to power with an
overwhelming majority and a clear mandate for change in the country. It was
a vote of no confidence against Musharraf and for an end to dictatorship.
The people dont see any change or difference from that they had
gone through during the Musharraf era. The democracy dividend
continues to elude them. President Zardari made many promises and solemn
pledges that he never kept. But who cares? His prime minister makes no
promises at all. He believes in saying things that can be interpreted in many
ways and can also be conveniently disowned with finesse. He wears a new
designer suit every day. Yet, as chief executive, he gives the impression of
being totally helpless if not clueless.
The only thing this government can be credited with is the
consistency with which it is harbouring Musharrafs dictatorial legacy,
the notorious 17th Amendment. We have been hearing it will go soon but one
can never be sure of anything in this setup. There is a parliamentary
committee that has been busy all this time to see how this Amendment could
be sugar-coated with democracy under the label of the 18 th Amendment. We
are masters in devising constitutional aberrations.
It is over two years since this political system has been in place. Its
performance has been dismal. No miracles were expected but at least
some vision and direction should have been made visible in the actions
and policies of the government during this period. The larger issues of
terrorism, poverty, illiteracy and unemployment, will no doubt take decades,
973

if not longer, to be addressed have been made to alleviate the daily hardships
of the common man.
Next week, we celebrate yet another anniversary of what we call
Pakistan Day We are no longer an independent, peace-loving democratic
country that our Quaid had left for us as the fortress of our pride and dignity
as a self-respecting nation. Today, regretfully, Pakistans name raises
instant fear and concern among the nations of the world. Terrorism is our
sole identity now. We are described as the most dangerous and most
violent nation on earth. We are also considered the most insecure and most
unsafe country in the world. Ours is the only country where Muslims are
killing Muslims. We have become a suicidal nation and are killing
ourselves.
Poor governance is our national hallmark. There is no law and order
in the country. With our continued domestic political instability and the
precarious extremism-led violence, we remain unable to harness the unique
asset of our geographical location for our economic growth Meanwhile,
the plunderers, profiteers, and the looters, murderer and the killers could not
have a safer haven anywhere else in the world. No other country is familiar
with the practice of forgiving as a matter of rule the elite loan-defaulters and
the known highly placed plunderers of the national exchequer. The culture
of power and privilege is thriving on patronage, graft, bribery, extortion,
nepotism, cronyism, influence-peddling, fraud and embezzlement.
Next day, The News commented on DSP Imran. The suspension of
DSP Imran Babar of Lahores Rang Mahal Police Station over his refusal to
release two alleged robbers once again reinforces the perception that the
police department has no place for officers devoted to duty. That the
suspended police officer started facing pressure from his seniors to release
the soon after their attests shows how well-connected criminals and the
police department are. Employees of any organization usually look up to
their high-ups for redressal of their grievances, but Babar has chosen to
knock on the door of the LHC, requesting a judicial inquiry into the
disciplinary action being taken against him. This betrays a lack of trust in
a setup of which he has been a part for about 15 years.
As if waking from a deep slumber, the police authorities are now
saying that the suspended DSP has been involved in criminal activities. They
say Babar was dismissed from service as an inspector on serious charges in
1999 and was reinstated in September 2001. Fraud cases were lodged
against him in 2006 and 2007 and he was also booked in eight cases in

974

Rawalpindi. Besides, they say, he was involved in registering fake cases. All
these charges may or may not be true, and it is hoped the LHC will get to the
bottom pf the matter. But we wonder why the authorities put up with so
corrupt a police officer for so long. Or is it that they have sprung into
action now that an officer has fallen out of favour with them by refusing
to obey their orders?
In either case, its the entire police department that stands exposed
once again. The latest case also throws into question the role of those
bureaucrats, industrialists and politicians ruling or otherwise who bribe
the police into torturing people, harassing opponents, protecting criminals
and lodging fake cases. It is a shame that the crime rate has gone up over the
past two years despite, or under, the democratic setup, particularly in Punjab.
A massive overhaul is needed.
Fasi Zaka took on Shabaz Sharif. Given the PML-N is, for all
purposes, a government in the waiting, its narrow-sightedness is worrisome.
Thanks to the PPPs self-destructive incompetence, the PML-N needs to
stand up and be ready to be a national party. It cannot do that by asking
for special concessions for Punjab from terrorists, or for that matter, having
law ministers cavorting with sectarian organizations in public.
Despite the PPP dragging its feet on the Taliban, it finally committed
itself to battling them. If we are to treat Shahbazs statement as a Freudian
slip, then it bodes poorly for the strides made in battling the cancer that is
the Taliban. This desire to negotiate is based on a perverted world view that
these murderers have something holy about them. Yes, say no to foreign
dictation. But also say no to domestic terrorists.
Shaheen Sehbai wrote: When President Asif Ali Zardari claims,
almost unabashedly, that his two years of government are better than the last
two decades, one just cannot but shake his head in utter disbelief at the
audacity of the man to insult the collective intelligence of the nation and
the world at large. The president forgets so many things as if these never
existed. He has just made his monumental contradictions, U-Turns,
deceptive and almost fraudulent promises, commitments and flip-flops
disappear magically.
As he treats politics as a business venture, he forgets the great
damage he has done to the political system, the political parties in general,
his own PPP in particular and to his credibility, so much so that people have
now started doubting whether democracy is the real solution, if this is what
democracy means
975

In fact, he could have made any other unbelievable tall or taller claim
because when he stands before the TV cameras he does believe he is
talking to goofs. He does not remember that all the big claims he is making
were decisions taken under duress or ultimate pressure, none willingly. He
just speaks out his mind and that, more often than not, is either politically
incorrect or a total lie or a misguided belief, which exposes and embarrasses
him even more, cutting his credibility even further.
So how should the nation handle such a politician? Where the
president and the nation are stuck are numerous conflicts of interest, which
are beyond the capacity of Zardari to resolve. If he takes principled
positions, which as an elected, honest, upright and dedicated leader of any
nation should, Zardaris own future is put at stake. In other words, he is
expected to commit political suicide.
The dilemma of Pakistan is that the president is the executioner (as
head of state) and he is the criminal in the dock (as the man charged of the
most indefensible cases in Pakistans history). He cannot be both, simply
speaking. Some of these conflicts of interest and crimes can be
enumerated as:
As head of state, who claims to have restored an independent
judiciary, he is required to respect their verdicts, in letter and spirit.
But if he does that, he is the man who gets politically and criminally
convicted and jailed. So how can he do that? (This is the NRO
dilemma).
As a democratically elected President of Pakistan, who is supposed to
respect the countrys Constitution, but who enjoys powers of a
dictator, he is required to cut his own hands and feet and return the
powers to the prime minister. If he does that, he decimates himself. If
he does not, he pits himself against everyone else. (This is the 18th
Amendment crisis).
As a leader of the nation, he is required to support and promulgate
laws, which bring accountability for all and reduce or eliminate
corruption. If he does that, he and his cronies are the ones who get
caught under the same law. So how is he supposed to try himself, or
his friends, because he is the one who knows what money who has
minted in what case in the last two years? (This is the conflict of
interest in the new NAB law).

976

 As head of state he is supposed to build and strengthen institutions

like the executive and the judiciary. But if he does that, he and his
cronies, facing the highest profile cases, may get nabbed for crimes of
commission and omission. If he inducts honest judges and allows
courts to function freely, he will be the first one to get convicted.
Honest officers will not help him. (This is the crux of the battle for
appointment of new judges).
As a popularly elected president of the country, his life and career
should be an open book for younger generations to seek inspiration
from. But if he declares his real assets and how these were acquired,
he would look like a Mafioso. (This is why the Swiss cases cannot
be reopened).
As a democratically-elected leader, he is supposed to protect the
freedom of the press and independence of the media. But if he does
that, he is the one who gets smacked as the free media has to rake up
old and buried, but yet undecided, cases against him exposing his
deeds and misdeeds, which he cannot defend. (This is his biggest
complaint against a section of the media, including this Group).
As the supreme commander of the armed forces, he is supposed to
strengthen these forces and build their image. But if he does that,
comparisons will become obvious and he faces the prospect of the
people liking the new military faces more than him or his brand of
forced but democratically elected leadership. (This is why he has to
run down the Army vis-a-vis the political forces).
As head of the state, he has to ensure that merit is observed as the
cardinal principle for every citizen to get a job and a decent
livelihood. But as leader of the largest political party in the country, he
has to oblige his own party followers and supporters, no matter how
blatantly he has to violate the principle of merit. (This is the dilemma
of holding two offices).
As head of the state, which is in the front line of the war on terror, he
has to ask the world leaders to support and fund Pakistan. These
countries know and agree and are ready to pay. But when these
leaders find a man of highly doubtful integrity as the only financial
handler of their billions, they shy away at the last minute. (This is the
problem with the Friends of Pakistan as not a dollar has been paid

977

in two years, except probably China, which deals with the states, and
not individuals).
As de facto ruler of Pakistan (the prime minister being the chief
executive only on paper, constitutionally), he has to protect state
assets and enterprises, which have lost hundreds of billions in the last
two years. But instead of protecting these national institutions when
he appoints his own cronies who further suck oxygen from these
organizations, he is not only violating his oath to defend the state
interests, he becomes directly responsible for loss of national wealth.
(This is his crime under the garb of an elected leader).
As a leader under oath to protect Pakistan and its interests, when he
ignores the dire economic state of the country and only takes
decisions to benefit his party workers and supporters, restoring tens of
thousands of workers (sacked only in previous PPP tenures) to their
jobs and paying them billions in arrears, he is committing a crime
against the state economy. (This is his political agenda, knowing
that nothing else will help him in the short run, no matter how
devastating his decisions are for the country and its economy).
These are only the few major acts of omission and commission in
the last two years, which Zardari claims to be the best in the last 20
years. Who on earth is he trying to fool? There are countless more such
decisions and mistakes, involving losses and loot of billions, which the
people of Pakistan have tolerated only because he came into power as result
of the shock and awe that somehow could not be avoided after Benazir
Bhuttos sudden death.
But now the time has come for the people and the decision makers,
mainly the political stake-holders in the system, to decide whether they will
continue to ignore the loot, plunder and absolute cronyism and nepotism
which Zardari has unleashed, eating into the vitals of the economy and the
moral, financial, political and administrative fabric of the state. Is Zardari
not systematically burying the sacrifices of his late wife under the debris
of his follies? Is he trying to permanently put the ghost of Benazir to rest?
If this is the shape and type of democracy that Pakistanis will
have to endure, just for the sake of keeping the so-called system intact.
If they resist, will they face the wrath of the Sindh Card, which also includes
breaking up the country? The people have to calculate what kind of losses
and destruction will have been dumped on them if the current lot of so-called

978

leaders are not checked now and are allowed another 3 to 4 years before the
next election.
Will there be anything left for the people to salvage by then? Is
the system going to survive when the institutions, freedoms, justice and the
people living in the country cannot? This is the argument why there has to be
a Minus-1 in Pakistan, of course, politically not physically.
On 19th March, Javed Pasha from London expressed his desire to
benefit fro Zardaris generosity. I would like to bid for Donor President
Zardaris fingers, as his fingerprints will enable me to access his Swiss
accounts. If that becomes possible, I will thank the president now.
Shafqat Mahmood wrote: The problem described here is not confined
to one province or one government. It is endemic. The crisis of governance
that everyone refers to is embedded in these unwieldy and non-performing
structures of the state. To many this is a boring subject, but it is here that
the future of the nation will be decided.
Unless a sustained effort is made to take a hard look at government as
a whole and something done to bring about a change, we are doomed. This
requires the leaderships serious attention and a commitment to change.
Doing nothing is not an option, because every day the situation is getting
worse.
On 20th March, The News commented on violent protests in
Islamabad. What we may have witnessed over Thursday and Friday is that
most unusual of events a spontaneous outpouring of public anger.
Demonstrations of any type are normally orchestrated by one of the political
parties or a special interest group, and the common man rarely takes it upon
himself to raise his voice individually. But people today are angry, angry
enough to come on the streets without being called or harangued. They see
the ineptitude of a government that has left them without power, poorer and
less able to afford the necessities of life. Anger may not always be controlled
and it sometimes boils over and this is only the start of a very long, very
hot, summer.

REVIEW
Chhittar is a Punjabi word for shoe or footwear. It is especially used
for semi-used and exaggeratingly large size. A product of cottage industry;
made by the cobblers using crudely finished leather ought to be rough. The

979

villagers, instead of using shoe polish, apply mustard oil on it during initial
days of wearing to reduce its abrasive effect.
Majority of rural population works as labour linked to farming in one
way or the other and because of the nature of work people wear shoes
sparingly. They prefer to work bare-footed; thus the chhittars generally
remain hard and dry. The feudal lords found this as an effective appliance for
establishing their writ by using it to administer chhitrol.
Chhitrol is not like the modern trend of throwing or hurling of shoes.
It is physical beating of someone with a chhittar. This has been an effective
means to summarily dispose off minor offences committed in the domain of
a feudal lord and has been tolerated by his subjects with little resentment.
This was also practiced to assert authority or to establish his writ in
territorial limits of his domain.
When the British arrived in the land of five rivers they studied the
social structure as had been their routine to identify strengths and
weaknesses of their new-found subjects. One of the things they liked was the
institution of feudalism. It was recognized and accepted as a tool for
effective governance at grass-root level.
The usefulness of this tool in serving the interests of the colonial
rulers demanded that feudalism must be strengthened and preserved. All the
available feudal lords bearing varying nomenclature were incorporated into
the governance system of the British Raj and the gaps were filled by
appointing numberdars and zaildars.
These workers of the Raj were paid nominal monetary benefits but
were rewarded when they rendered special services for the King or the
Queen. Apart from routine administrative functions like revenue collection,
intelligence gathering and maintenance of law and order they performed
historic roles in massive recruitments in two world wars and provision of
logistics on the line of march for British forays into Afghanistan.
Police was directed to work in close coordination with this institution
and chhittar was adopted and developed into a device for police to extract
information and confession from suspects named in a crime. It was a gadget
provided at public expense and held on the inventory of every police station
and issued to investigation teams on as required basis.
The improved version of the conventional chhittar was a far more
lethal and effective in accomplishing the desired tasks. The effectiveness of
chhitrol was aptly described by Younis Butt in his TV programme that when

980

applied on a four thousand year old skeleton about which scientists knew
nothing the skeleton told everything they wanted to know.
Mostly, professional or habitual burglars and cattle-lifters, often
patronized by feudal lords, were subjected to this kind of treatment under
pressure from rivals, particularly from those in power. Most of these feudal
lords patronize these professional criminals and known as rasagirs. Even
today many of the sitting parliamentarians have proud family background of
rasagiri.
These criminals are hauled up on the basis of those named in the FIR
and held at random from the vicinity of the crime scene on basis of the
record of their criminal history. They are put through the process of chhitrol
till confession about crime was extracted from someone.
This investigation technique is used behind closed doors in specially
earmarked place inside the premises of police stations, which bear
affectionate names like the one used in drama serial of PTV; the drawing
room. When police teams went outstation to perform such duties, they
enjoyed free boarding and lodging at the expense of complainant or the
numderdar (headman) of the village.
The troika of numberdar, thanidar and patwari, despite being the
lowest paid in the hierarchy of colonial rule, delivered most efficiently on
the aspects of governance in which the rulers were most interested i.e. land
management, revenue collection, enforcement of law and maintenance of
order. When Pakistan came into being it inherited the British legacy
absolutely unharmed by the turmoil of partition of the subcontinent in
general and Punjab in particular.
The beauty of the beast lied in the fact that subjects of the Raj had not
only reconciled with the brutal methods of colonial powers, but were also
full of praise for the quality of governance provided by the British. The
people ignored the use of brute methods, because Frangis administrative
skills were delivering in the context of maintaining law and order.
The new rulers, most of them from higher echelons of feudalism, did
not feel the need to change the administrative structure as it was best suited
to serve their interests and with the independence they acquired complete
control over it. Thus, the system survived with the consent and willing
support of the feudal lords. The only thing the democratic rulers ensured
was that they had government servants of their choice posted in their
respective domains.

981

There was no material change during military rules as well because

dictators focused on establishment of military courts for speedy disposal of
carefully chosen cases and awarding stricter punishments prescribed in
MLR. They ignored the need to reform investigation system and left it
untouched. Resultantly, the influence of feudal lords remained intact even
during martial laws.
Had the military dictators utilized the services of police which has
acquired expertise in extracting confessions; many looters like Zardari
would have confessed all their crimes and voluntarily brought back the
looted wealth. Alas, this idea did not occur to military dictators.
This system has been delivering to the satisfaction of the rulers for the
last six decades, till an ugly aspect of it came to the limelight. It happened in
Chiniot located on the bank of River Chenab and as already said chhitrol is
part of the culture along banks of the rivers.
Police in Chiniot was guilty of being careless in dispensing chhitrol in
the open. Thanks to hand-held cameras in the form of mobile telephones
which can collect video footage like close circuit cameras; this incident was
filmed by someone and handed over to a TV channel and was viewed by all.
It must be taken for sure that chhitrol in Chiniot was administered under
pressure from some big shot and at the same time it was brought to the
notice of TV channels by the opponents of that big shot.
TV channels telecast the footage repeatedly and held discussions as if
they were not at all aware of the practice of chhitrol by police. It is for this
reason that the act of policeman in itself was not as shameful as were the
pretensions by others showing that they had come to know about chhitrol for
the first time.
In fact, these habitual pretenders, for whom perceptions matter more
than the reality, had reconciled with the brutal legacies of their masters to the
extent that they never felt anything abnormal in their existence in the society.
If someone ever dared resenting these he was simply ignored by looking the
other way.
These segments of the society, which became enlightened after
Musharraf joined the holy war against Islamic fascists, have different
perception of punishments awarded by the obscurantist Taliban. They have
been and continued to be maligned for administering primitive
punishments like lashing.

982

It seems that there is no difference between the Taliban and the

police, except that the latter are in uniform, wrote Hafsa Khawaja. It is not
so; the difference is quite unambiguous. Taliban administer it as punishment
awarded through some legal process; whether or not the enlightened accept
the validity of that process.
One can challenge the process of awarding punishment, but not its
administration. In the second case, flogging (chhitrol) is used by police to
extract confessions from the suspects in a crime. The suspects go through the
agony of this pre-trial punishment, the concept of which exists only in
colonial societies not in free nations.
Any act of obscurantist Taliban, obviously merits condemnation by
the enlightened. It does not matter for them if such methods of punishment
have been prescribed in Islam, because religion has to be kept out of state
affairs. What happened in Chiniot had become condemnable only because it
was brought to the limelight by TV channels; otherwise, being a Sunnat-eFrangi, it was quite acceptable practice.
This Sunnat-e-Frangi will remain in practice, despite the statements of
the rulers and directives of the superior judiciary taking due precautions
against being recorded by hand-held cameras. This is the need of the feudal
society which pretends to be democratic. The rural Punjab has lived with it
for centuries and it wont be easy to give it up overnight.
It is because of this that amid hue and cry over Chiniot incident one
heard some people murmuring about the usefulness of chhitrol. Only Imran
Khan was vocal about it when he demanded in public that it should be
applied against bigger thieves like Zardari. It has to be that way in
democracy which is said to be the government of the people, by the people
and for the people. Imrans demand becomes more justified after the thiefs
boasting that his last two years have been better than last twenty years.
20th March 2010

983

GAME CHANGE - II
The New York Times reported that America has established a private
organization in Pakistan under Furlong to execute people. This might have
been a revelation for Pakistanis, but the rulers seemed to be fully aware of
various practices of extra-judicial killings. Some of these, like dronelaunched missile attacks, have their explicit permission and so could be the
case with Furlongs setup as there has been no denial from the government.
As the war inside Pakistan, with all its ugly facets exposed, continued
unhindered. It was time to take on political forces opposing the war;
Shahbaz Sharif provided the opportunity by indulging in loose talk. He told
Taliban not to attack Punjab, because they and the PML-N have ideological
similarities. This was enough to let the hell lose on him and his party.
Karzai visited Islamabad to tell his Pakistani brothers that India is
his best friend. He has been insisting on action against Taliban and when
Pakistan hauled up about half on Afghan Taliban leaders he did not approve
of it. Pakistan, however, had acted in close coordination with the US leaving
the observers pondering over this major change in its stance regarding

984

Afghan Taliban: Were the contacts with the Taliban leaders for talks
established only to ascertain their whereabouts and finally arrest them?

NEWS
In Pakistan, five persons were killed in drone launched missile
attack in North Waziristan on 8th March. Suicide bomber once attacked
police intelligence setup in Model Town Lahore killing 13, including 9
policemen, and wounding seventy people. Petraeus commended Pakistans
wider anti-militancy resolve. General Kayani met Zardari and discussed
security matters.
Next day, two children were killed as a mortar shell landed at their
house in Orakzai Agency. Seven militants were held in Swat. One militant
was killed in Bajaur and at least 160 houses of militants were demolished in
a single day in Mohmand and Bajaur Agency. Death toll in Lahore blast
reached 15. UK agreed to provide 60 million pounds for rehabilitation
activities in FATA. Kaira said it was not necessary to demand release of Dr
Aafia.
Fourteen people were killed in drone launched missile attacks at two
places in North Waziristan on 10th March. Sixty suspects were held in Hangu
area. Two militants were killed in Bara and a khasadar was kidnapped in
Jamrud. Two militants were killed and one arrested in Buner. Two women
were among six people killed in attack by gunmen on NGO office in
Mansehra district. Dr Aafias family appreciated Rehman Maliks request to
Karzai for tracing out Aafias two children.
Four people were killed and 21 others wounded in an attack on FC
convoy in Bara area on 11th March. A soldier was among three killed in
Bajaur. Mufti Saeed and his son were among nine gunned down in Karachi
in an attack that seemed to be targeted-killing.
Karzai said India is his best friend and Pakistan happens to be a
brother. He vowed not to allow proxy war on Afghanistans soil and
politely declined Pakistans offer for training Afghan Army as his friends
were doing commendable job. He denied drone strikes from Afghanistan and
hinted at third country. In joint declaration the two countries reaffirmed to
boost ties.
In the wake of Brother Karzais departure his Pakistani brothers in
Lahore were grievously hurt by two suicide bombers who attacked military
vehicles in Lahore Cantonment on 12th March; five soldiers were among 43
985

killed and more than one hundred were wounded. The weapons and
explosives recovered from the site had visible Indian Cryptogram.
At night the militants teased the authorities responsible for security by
exploding five devices in the city of Lahore at short intervals. NGOs
threatened to stop work in NWFP for security reasons. Rally in Karachi
demanded arrest of Mufti Jalapuris killers. Gilani and Kayani discussed
security situation.
On 13th March, a militant was shot dead in Bannu area along with his
brother and driver. In North Waziristan, seven people perished in targetedkillings in less than a week. Nine militants were killed by a rival group in
Hangu area. Two pro-government elders were killed in Tank and Peshawar
and the third survived in Shabqadar.
Loans of residents of Malakand Division were written off. At least 14
people, including two soldiers and two policemen, were killed and 53 others
wounded in suicide attack in Mingora. Three militants were killed and seven
wounded in Mohmand Agency. Death toll in Lahore bombings rose to 57.
Next day, sixteen people were killed in gunship attacks in Orakzai
Agency. Four people were killed in various incidents of violence in Khyber
Agency. Police arrested 19 Afghans from Sukkur. Maulana Abdul Ghafoor
expired of his wounds received couple of days ago in attack by gunmen in
Karachi. Two militants of TTP were held in Karachi. Karzai telephoned
Zardari and Gilani to condole killings in Lahore and Mingora and also
availed the opportunity to remind brothers about the need to have
common strategy against terrorism.
Mastermind of Lahore Model Town attack was arrested from southern
Punjab, who revealed that terrorists received training and funds from Indian
Consulate in Afghanistan. Addressing participants of a meeting in Jamia
Naeemia in Lahore Shahbaz Sharif urged Taliban not to target Punjab as like
them PML-N was also against foreign intervention and hegemony. This
logic is not valid for those who are trained in Indian consulates as reported
above.
Militants killed two persons in Bara area on 15 th March and security
forces killed three militants in Swat. Capital police recovered large quantity
of explosives and 1,500 kg were recovered in Lahore. Kayani met Zardari
and later Shahbaz met the general to discuss security matters in the context
of latest attacks in Lahore.

986

Lady Patterson wrote a letter to the government to provide foolproof

security to US diplomats. The New York Times reported that private
intelligence network has been established under a former CIA chief in
Pakistan to capture and kill Islamic militants. Salman Taseer condemned
Shahbaz for issuing PML-N-Taliban Bhai Bhai statement. He called
Shahbaz as heir of General Zia. PPP and PML-Q in NA also strongly
criticized Shahbaz.
Next day, seven people were killed and three wounded in dronelaunched missile attack in North Waziristan. Four militants and one soldier
were killed and four soldiers wounded in a clash near Mattani. Taliban
responded to Shahbazs remarks by saying they would stop attacking if
Punjab government stopped action against them. Police recovered 3,000 kg
explosives in Lahore. US spy chief called on President, Prime Minister and
COAS. Reportedly, Obama took credit for Pakistans anti-terror gains. The
US provided a squadron of Cobra helicopters.
At least ten persons were killed in two separate missile attacks by US
drones in North Waziristan on 17th March. Five security personnel were
wounded in attack on a post near Peshawar and six militants died in
retaliatory fire. A militant commander was killed in Bara area. Two kids
were killed in Khyber Agency when a shell landed at their house. Five Swati
militants were killed in Kohistan. In Bajaur, 26 militants were held. Five
Americans were indicted on terror charges in Sargodha. Gilani defended
governments decision not to launch any new operation in FATA and said his
government was working on Armys exit strategy.
At least twenty people were killed in factional fighting in Kurram
Agency on 18th March. Rana Sanaullah strongly criticized the use of term
Punjabi Taliban by Rehman Malik. Three hundred visas were granted to
US officials in the month of February. UN Commission probing Benazirs
murder met Mumtaz Bhutto. Pakistans Naval Chief was awarded Legion of
Merit by the US for his services in war on terror at high seas. McChrystal
met General Kayani and discussed war on terror.
Gilani presided meeting to finalize his governments line in strategic
dialogue with the US; COAS attended the meeting. After the meeting Gilani
and Kayani met Zardari and the troika decided to demand pay back of $35
billion losses suffered in war on terror. Money remained the ultimate goal of
strategic dialogue.
Justice Javed Iqbal heading the bench hearing the case of missing
persons delayed the announcement of verdict to give time to the judicial
987

commission to trace out the missing persons. He also remarked that the
Parliament is supreme. The government got clean chit in Aafia case.
Six militants were killed in a clash with tribal lashkar in Orakzai
Agency on 19th March and three more perished in air strike. A soldier was
wounded in Darra Adamkhel area. Intelligence agencies discovered RAWTTP nexus in execution of Sikh by militants of Bara area. A Taliban
commander was arrested in Karachi. The US held back visas of 34 Pakistani
officials to bargain visas for two hundred more US officials. Holbrooke
said strategic dialogue has broad and complex agenda.
Fourteen militants and three lashkaris were killed in a clash between
militants on 20th March and tribal lashkar in Orakzai Agency and nine
militants were killed by security forces. Curfew was imposed in Swat during
visit of the chief minister. Lashkar and Levies burnt 104 houses of militants
in a joint operation in Bajaur Agency. Three soldiers were wounded in
militants attack in Mohmand Agency.
Malik cancelled fake arms licences. Hoti telephoned Shahbaz to
express concerns over misbehaviour of Punjab Police with Pashtuns.
Maryam (formerly V Ridley) criticized Pakistani media for not playing its
role in Dr Aafias case. Terrorist with head money was among for held in
Karachi.
Eight people were killed in US missile attack in North Waziristan on
21 March. Four persons were slain for spying for the US. At least 25
militants were killed in gunship attacks in Kurram and Orakzai agencies. A
wounded militant escaped from ICRC hospital in Peshawar. Two women and
a child were wounded when a shell landed at their house in Mohmand
Agency. A NATO tanker was blown up in Chaman. Aafias mother and sister
met Rehman Malik. Maryam Ridley urged media and the government to do
more the release of Aafia.
st

In Afghanistan, three policemen and a civilian were killed in

roadside bombing near Spin Boldak on 9th March. Robert Gates arrived in
Kandahar and announced tough fight to come. Afghan government
demanded extradition of Taliban leaders arrested by Pakistan. Absar Alam
reported that Pakistan and the US have agreed on new set-up for Afghanistan
details of which are being negotiated through Mustafa Zahir, grandson of
former king Zahir Shah. Musharraf said US should withdraw only after
winning war in Afghanistan.

988

Next day, five policemen were killed and four others wounded in
suicide attack on a base in Paktika; no foreign soldier was killed or
wounded. In a similar suicide attack in Khost two NATO soldiers were
killed. Five civilians were killed in two roadside blasts in Marjah area.
Ahmadinejad visited Kabul and termed the West as an obstacle to Afghan
peace. Karzai visited Islamabad and urged increased economic cooperation
with Pakistan.
Two NATO soldiers and five civilians were killed in separate
incidents of violence on 11th March. The US House rejected pullout from
Afghanistan. Next day, three policemen were killed in attack on a post near
Gardez. India decided to send more troops to Afghanistan to protect its
interests.
On 13th March, at least 30 people were killed in four suicide bombings
in southern Afghanistan. Next day one Pakistani was killed and six wounded
in roadside bombing in Kandahar. Six Pakistanis were killed in roadside
bombing in Kandahar province on 15th March and in another incident three
security guards were killed in similar incident.
Next day, four Taliban were among 13 people killed in bomb blast.
Aide of Karzai said his boss was very angry over arrest of Mulla Baradar by
Pakistan with the assistance of the US because he was holding talks with
him. The Afghan government denied this report. Obama and Karzai
discussed talks with Taliban on telephone. On 17 th March, two Brits were
among 39 killed in various incidents. Operation to push Taliban out of
Kandahar was launched.
On 19th March, former UN Envoy alleged that arrests of Afghan
Taliban leaders in Pakistan have halted peace talks with them. Next day,
Taliban denied contacts with the UN. Kabul said arrests of Taliban leaders
have negative impact. On 21st March, ten people were killed and nine
wounded when a suicide bomber attacked a coalition convoy in Helmand.
Two persons were killed in a bomb blast in Khost. A man was shot dead by
occupation forces in Wardak.
In India, the Supreme Court directed the Centre on 8th March to
deport all Pakistani prisoners who have completed their sentences. Next day,
Indian border security forces opened fire in Sialkot Sector. Lahore High
Court, Rawalpindi bench dismissed acquittal plea of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.
On 12th March, Putin signed agreements with in
New Delhi; Russia will build 16 nuclear reactors in India, bilateral
trade will be boosted to $20 billion per year by 2015 and Moscow will
989

supply 29 MiG 29K fighters. Chidambaram said Pakistan must re-invent

itself as a genuine democracy and a responsible neighbour. Next day, Indian
forces fired 12 rounds on a Pakistani village in Sialkot Sector and New
Delhi gave go-ahead to another mega hydro-electric project on River
Chenab.
On 14th March, World Rivers Day was observed with Mangla Dam at
dead-level and Tarbela Dam only a foot above that level and India approving
another dam over River Chenab. US welcomed Indo-Pak talks while urging
Pakistan to rein in terror groups as demanded by India. Holbrooke said
Pakistan has pulled one hundred thousand troops from eastern border and
deployed in western border. Indian minister teased Pakistan by making offer
for another round of talks.
Next day, Chief Justice of LHC blamed India for recent bombings in
his remarks during hearing of a case. Nirupama ruled out Indo-Pak talks
under present situation. On 19th March, General Deepak Kapoor accused
Pakistan of backing terrorists. India tested BrahMos cruise missile on 21 st
March.
On 9th March, strike was observed in IHK in protest against policies
of the puppet government. The strike continued next day. India denied its
involvement in Lahore blast. Six policemen were wounded in an attack in
Srinagar on 14th March. A week later, a Kashmiri youth was martyred by
Indian troops in Pulvama.
In Balochistan, one person was killed in grenade attack in Quetta on
15 March. Next day, gunmen shot dead a policeman in Khuzdar. Five
people were killed and four FC soldiers wounded in different incidents in
Quetta and other areas on 17th March.
th

Two persons were wounded in bomb blast in Dera Bugti area on 18th
March. a policeman was killed and four others wounded when gunmen
attacked a police party in Quetta. Next day, two employees and a student of
Cadet College Mastung were killed by gunmen.
Militants killed three persons near Quetta on 20th March and two fell
victim to targeted-killing in Turbat. Next day, DPO Khuzdar was targeted in
bomb blast in Quetta, his driver and gunman were among three killed and
ten others were wounded. Four people were wounded in bomb blast that
targeted police post in Hub.

VIEWS
990

Rahimullah Yusufzai talked of preventing the comeback of militants

in Pakistan. On 9th March, he wrote: The Taliban evicted from Swat,
Buner, Shangla, Malakand Agency and the two Dir districts first sought
refuge in Bajaur and then relocated to Mohmand and certain districts in the
down country. Likewise, their fellow fighters, after losing their strongholds
in South Waziristan and Frontier Region Bannu, mostly fled to North
Waziristan, where an uncertain peace agreement between the government
and non-TTP militants led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur is still intact.
The uprooted Taliban militants from Khyber, Kurram and Darra
Adamkhel sought sanctuaries in Orakzai Agency, where government
presence is almost non-existent. Orakzai has reportedly attracted fleeing
militants from other places too due to its strategic location and remoteness.
The Tirah valley in Khyber Agency has become the favoured hideout of all
kinds of militants, ranging from TTP cadres to those affiliated to Mangal
Bagh's Lashkar-e-Islam and his rival Ustad Mahboobul Haq's Ansarul Islam.
The once quiet scenic valley is now a battleground for armed men
competing for space and influence.
Talking to members of the foreign media flown to Bajaur recently to
enable them to see the gains the security forces had made in the militants'
stronghold of Damadola in Mamond area, Maj Gen Tariq Khan, the
inspector general of the Frontier Corps, mentioned Orakzai and Tirah as
likely new targets of military action. However, full-fledged military
operations of the kind seen in Swat, Bajaur and South Waziristan are
unlikely in Orakzai and Tirah. Limited action is likely in these places to push
back the militants and deny them unchallenged control of ungoverned
territory.
Similarly, despite US demands, major military operation is
unexpected in North Waziristan in the foreseeable future. Though military
spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas had said that no new offensive was
planned for the next six months to a year in North Waziristan, or anywhere
else in the tribal areas, this timeframe too seems more of a general statement
and not part of an actual plan. The military high command would not like to
open new fronts, and instead consolidate the troops' positions in the existing
areas of operations to enable the civil administration to eventually take
control of the situation
Bajaur's Salarzai tribe, which was the first one to raise a lashkar
against the militants, knows pretty well the price it will have to pay for
standing up to the Taliban. It suffered 51 deaths in suicide bombings and
991

roadside bomb attacks and the tribe's armed volunteers are still required to
guard their villages and roads.
The mountainous and porous border between Bajaur and Kunar
is another challenge, with Pakistani and Afghan Taliban easily moving
across the Durand Line to seek refuge and mount attacks. Maj Gen Tariq
Khan, the Frontier Corps inspector general, has been accusing the governor
of the neighbouring Afghan province of Kunar, Fazlullah Wahidi, of
supporting militants who are active in Bajaur. It is strange, though, that he is
alone in making this accusation as neither the military high command nor
the Pakistani government and its foreign ministry has specifically accused
Governor Wahidi of funding and sheltering the Bajaur militants. (Mr Wahidi
lived for years in Peshawar running a German-funded non-governmental
organization.)
It would be odd if the US military, which has a strong presence in
Kunar, knew this and still did nothing to stop Governor Wahidi from
pursuing such a policy. In fact, it appears unbelievable that an Afghan
governor is able to do things that harm the spirit of the US strategy based on
increased cooperation between the NATO and Pakistani security forces to
deny space to militants on both sides of the border.
For 18 months or so now, the security forces have been busy trying to
defeat the militants and stabilizing Bajaur. Almost a year ago also, there
were muted celebrations that Bajaur has been won back and government
functionaries started advising displaced Bajauris to return home. It was bad
advice and before long the returnees were again uprooted and on the road to
makeshift relief camps in Dir Lower, Peshawar and Nowshera as a new
round of fighting started in parts of Bajaur.
Many tribal households have now been displaced more than once and
are thus wary of returning to Bajaur. In any case, the destroyed
infrastructure, damaged houses and the new security guidelines banning
reconstruction near the main roads and rebuilding of certain villages are
forbidding enough for Bajauris to think of returning in the near future. The
sufferings of the internally displaced persons will continue to haunt the
country for years to come
The militants are no doubt in disarray and the TTP is no longer able
to operate and pose a major security threat. But the state needs to do a lot
more to improve conditions of life for the people by making the system of
government and justice responsive to the needs of the population. This could
create conditions to prevent a comeback by the militants.
992

Ayaz Wazir opined: FATA has all along remained an autonomous or

semi-autonomous area in the region. It would be in the interest of the
country to give it the status of a province, like that given to GilgitBaltistan. By doing so we would not only provide the inhabitants an
opportunity to exercise their democratic right of electing members to the
council/assembly but also enable them to bring changes in the FCR in
accordance with their customs and traditions. Let the people become
stakeholders in the affairs of their area, its communication system and
strategic infrastructure which will help ensure safety and security, not only
FATA or NWFP, but the country as a whole.
Two days later, The News wrote: Tap the side of any vessel and the
sound you hear will tell you that whether it is full or not. The sound of an
empty vessel being tapped was being heard as President Karzai of
Afghanistan (more correctly president of parts of Afghanistan and
particularly those run by his relatives) paid us a visit. The hollowness of his
words was never more evident than at the press conference held before he
left. He managed to say next to nothing beyond the repeated use of words
like brotherly and shared whilst looking meaningfully at Prime Minister
Gilani. He gave the impression that so far as India was concerned
Afghanistans relationship with our neighbour was limited to the economic
sphere; whilst its relationship with us was closely linked to the political
stability of both countries which at least had the value of being patently
obvious, so he was on safe ground there. He also wanted to leave us with
assurances that he would not allow Afghan soil to be used against Pakistan
which suggests that his connection to the real world is somewhat
tenuous.
There may or may not be a role for us in the training of Afghan
armed forces (heaven forbid that this is a role that India might like to try its
hand at) and there may or may not be developments on the water and power
fronts. But definitely not there was any sense that Mr Karzai is a man with a
vision and a future outside hackneyed expressions of fraternity and shared
values. Afghanistan is today no more secure or stable than it was when
the Taliban were overthrown
Whilst we may not be joined in the AfPak sense of Holbrooke-speak,
what happens in Afghanistan has reverberations far beyond the borderlands
and NWFP generally. What all Afghans need, whatever their tribe or ethnic
origins, is a truly representative government that is inclusive and which,
when tapped, has the ring of solidity to it. Difficult it may be, impossible it
is not. Hollow sounds are not what we need to hear.
993

The newspaper also commented on violence in Karachi. Five persons

were killed in Karachi on Thursday in separate attacks on two leaders of
religious parties. Saeed Ahmed Jalalpuri of the Alami Majlis-e-Tahafuz-eNabuwat, his teenaged son and two associates were gunned down in one
attack. Earlier in the day, Maulana Ghafoor Nadeem of the defunct Sipah-eSahaba Pakistan was injured and his son killed by gunmen. There is no way
of saying if the attacks on the two men both leaders of hard-line religious
parties were in any way linked. There was also no clue as to who may have
carried out the attacks. The killings, however, immediately triggered panic in
Karachi, a city that has in recent months seen a cascade of sectarian-based
violence. There is no way of knowing if this is a continuation of the trend.
The tendency in Karachi for violence to flare up swiftly after such incidents
also caused alarm, with fears that unrest could spread. There is conjecture
that these were revenge killings. But it is also not impossible that their
nature was more personal with enmity of some kind involved.
Whatever the motive behind them, the killings highlight the dangers
of keeping alive the culture of hatred in society. This hatred has already
taken a heavy toll. We have over the years seen many murders, often carried
out to settle scores. It is unfortunate that despite these banned groups such as
SSP continue to operate. Most have simply altered their names. This defeats
the entire purpose of the action against them. It is also true that beyond the
ban, very little has been done to eradicate hatred which continues to be
perpetuated in many ways. The various kinds of violence we see in our
cities are tied together. Elements in Karachi have in the past exploited
shooting incidents of the kind we saw on Thursday. We need then to focus
on addressing all these various dimensions of unrest in a holistic fashion. It
is important that outlawed outfits are not allowed to operate. However, it is
just as important that those shooting down individuals on the street be
brought to book. There is a desperate need to improve law and order and
ensure that the calm required in our cities and towns can prevail without
repeated interruption.
Babar Sattar commented on Rana Sanaullahs contact with Maulana
Ludhianvi for bye-polls in Jhang. Other than the legal implications of the
Punjab law ministers indiscretion, this ugly episode raises searching
questions about the PML-Ns politics and ideology. Do considerations of
electoral success justify all kinds of compromises? Will ends continue to
justify means of the PML-N that otherwise makes loud noises about
introducing politics of issues and principles to Pakistan? But more

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disturbing than the question of ethics is that of ideology and its

implications on the fight against religion-inspired violence and terror.
There can be at least two divergent visions for the future of our
country that can be pursued by political parties. The first is that we need
to reform our polity urgently: within the political arena we need to foster an
electoral culture that focuses on issues, and not alliances based on bigoted
sectarian, tribal, and ethnic identities; as a society we must shun
obscurantism and intolerance preached and practiced in the name of religion;
and as a state we must develop an effective security policy that is grounded
in our indigenous economic and military strength and promotes our strategic
interests without relying on jihadists and mercenaries.
The other is that we will continue business as usual. Politics will
continue to be defined by opportunism, where winning by any means, fair
and foul, will be the norm. Our social ethic will remain rooted in hypocrisy
and we will allow self-appointed protectors of our faith to inspire intolerance
and hatred, and consequently divide us further. And as a state, we will
continue to breed and protect jihadists, while putting them on various
national terror lists to pay lip service to the concerns of the international
community on terrorism subsidies. Unfortunately, the electoral strategy of
the PML-N vis--vis the Jhang by-election and its larger approach towards
militant organizations still thriving in Punjab betrays obliviousness to our
urgent need to rehabilitate our state and society.
Amir Mir wrote: Western diplomatic circles in Islamabad say keeping
in view the ongoing action against the Quetta Shura, the message from
Pakistani establishment is simple and clear: any future dialogue with the
Afghan Taliban leadership has to be conducted through the proper
channel, to be precise the ISI. And the decision-makers in Pakistani
establishment are certain that it is not too much to demand in view of the
services they have been rendering for the former rulers of Afghanistan, both
before and after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Therefore, the Pakistani
establishment seems in no mood to let Uncle Sam steel the crown jewels
key members of the Quetta Shura Taliban especially when the hour of
glory is nearing and the Americans are already planning their exit strategy
for Afghanistan.
The bitter truth for Washington is that Pakistan is now in a
strong position to make or break the Obama Administrations muchtrumpeted AfPak strategy because it holds the trump cards now ten key
members of the Quetta Shura to be delivered to the negotiating table in any

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US-sponsored talks between the Karzai regime and the Quetta Shura
Taliban. The intentions of the Pakistani establishment can well be gauged
from the recent refusal of Islamabad to hand over Mullah Baradar and other
detained Afghan Taliban leaders either to the US or to Afghanistan. The
Pakistani refusal has left little doubt its establishment intends to keep
physical custody of the key QST members in a bid to influence the pace of
peace negotiations in Afghanistan and the ultimate terms of a settlement
with the Taliban.
On 15th March, Zafar Hilaly commented: Sophistry and illusion is
what Mr Karzai peddles on his visits abroad. Politics for him is the art of
dissimulation. It is not that he lies; he just does not tell the truth. His
description of India as a close, good friend in contrast to Pakistan, which
he described as a brother, nay conjoined, inseparable twins, may have
endeared him to his Pakistani audience. But it did not explain why the two
brothers opt for fratricide rather than brotherly love when it comes to settling
their differences.
Or, perhaps for a change, Mr Karzai did mean what he said when he
described Pakistan and Afghanistan as twins; because separating conjoined,
inseparable twins, so that both may have an independent existence, is a very
difficult medical procedure leading, more often than not, to the demise of
one twin or the other. And that of Pakistan, as presently constituted, has been
an old Afghan demand and is what Mr Karzai in the dim recesses of his
mind must dearly want.
Of late Mr Karzai has been eager to distance himself from America.
His cabinet appointments and those to the Election Commission, in defiance
of American opinion, reinforce such a perception. So too the welcome he
afforded Ahmadenijad in Kabul last week. And the platform he provided the
Iranian president to pummel the Americans, even as Robert Gates was
telling his forces in Marjah why they should risk their lives to keep Mr
Karzai ensconced in Kabul. All this must have irked Washington. As does
Mr Karzais outspoken willingness to talk to Mullah Omar, who has a
multimillion bounty on his head.
But much of Mr Karzais utterances are posturing. And indeed, to
many at the press conference in Islamabad, his responses sounded as if he
believed that half of his audience were fools and the other half
hypocrites. Nevertheless, his remarks throw into relief the very contrasting
approaches of Karzai and the Americans to the question of engaging with
their adversaries

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Perhaps what scares the Americans more is Karzais

reconciliation and reintegration initiative. They fear that in his
enthusiasm to reconcile with the Taliban he may end up appeasing Al Qaeda
and giving the two second wind in Afghanistan. But Washington need not
worry. Karzai desperately wants to keep his job; nor does he want to forfeit
his life. The fact is that Obama and Karzai are stuck with each other. Its far
too late for either to disown or forsake the other.
What was surprising during the visit was the importance our
government attached to a leader who is, after all, an American satrap.
Turning out the entire cabinet to receive him at the airport, along with the
chairman of the Senate, seemed excessive. Why bother about Mr Karzai
whose power does not extend beyond the porch of his presidential palace in
Kabul when Pakistan has ready access to his masters? Or, was this because
Mr Zardari is enamoured of Mr Karzai, who like him, is an accidental
president and both have the same mentor. Or, merely that Mr Zardari,
wanting to appear hospitable overdid it? The answer is none of the above.
From the very inception of his presidency Mr Zardari has made it a
point to show special regard for Mr Karzai. By inviting Karzai, the only
foreign leader to share his joy on the occasion of his oath-taking, he sent a
powerful message to Karzai and his own establishment that he had not only
discarded Musharrafs distaste of Karzai but also, more importantly, that he
meant to ensure that the establishments very manifest suspicions of the
Karzai regime would no longer influence Pakistans Afghan policy. This
was probably part of the deal that allowed Benazir Bhutto to return, and
Mr Zardari wants to live up to it.
Had Mr Zardari not been under such an obligation, new to the job or
over-confident about his ability to bring about change, and less prone to act
first and think later, he would have known better. Mr Zardari seems to have
developed a fetish to become wise after the event.
He will soon discover that our establishment shares not a mite of Mr
Zardaris enthusiasm for the Northern Alliance coalition that Mr Karzai
leads. And when it becomes known that the awarding of contracts to Indian
firms for the construction of strategic highways bordering Pakistan are
exclusively due to Mr Karzais personal intervention, and contrary to the
advice of his own counselors about riling Pakistan further, their suspicions
will grow and harden.
To make matters worse, there exists in Pakistan the profound and
widespread conviction that India has been targeting Pakistan from
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Afghanistan with the express or implied concurrence of Mr Karzai. And,

frankly, it was difficult to believe, as Mr Karzai claimed, that he is ignorant
of Indias antics. When Mr Karzai, as he once said, can keep abreast of the
going rate charged by the handlers of suicide bombers through his
intelligence chief, he must surely have tapped the same source for an inkling
of what India is up to in Balochistan.
Shorn of verbiage and nuance, the driving force of Indian and
Pakistani foreign policy has been the maxim the enemy of my enemy is my
friend. Mr Karzai, who holds an Indian degree in political science, did not
need help to arrive at the conclusion that his very pronounced Indian tilt
would drive Pakistan towards his adversaries, including the Afghan Taliban.
It is another matter that India, ah, perfidious India, abandoned Mr Karzai
and supported his rival Abdullah Abdullah in the Afghan presidential
polls. But, then, that is Indias wont
Rather than focus exclusively on Karzai we should support
people and processes that can unite Afghanistan. How is it possible, the
late King Zahir Shah once asked me in Italy, that a country like Pakistan
with a sophisticated state structure supports a one-eyed, uneducated and
barbarous mullah? And, were he alive today, he may well ask, How can
you support an Afghan quisling in preference to the legitimacy that my
lineage offers? One had an answer of sorts then, but would have no answer
today.
Two days later, The News wrote: The Punjab chief ministers unusual
appeal to the Taliban, asking them to spare Punjab has, quite predictably
stirred up a storm. Shahbaz has had to offer up an explanation and,
according to reports, has received a rebuke from the army chief during an
unscheduled meeting. It seems apparently that Shahbazs explanation of the
media contorting his comments has not convinced too many. Certainly he
has blundered. His unusually and exceptionally inappropriate remarks
suggesting that Punjab was opposed to drone attacks against Taliban targets
and that they should thus avoid targeting the province lays down a narrow,
rather ugly, parochial vision. We need to build a sense of unity that causes
people in Punjab to be left disturbed when there is a blast in Peshawar or
Karachi or Mingora. The fact is that this is not currently the case. Over the
years we have become more and more split and divided as a nation.
Events in Sindh no longer bother those living in other provinces. A blast in
Kohat causes nothing more than a few raised eyebrows in cities further
away. There has been little concern over the fate of those missing from
Balochistan in other parts of the country.
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This state of affairs needs to change. It is the duty of key decisionmakers to pave the way towards greater harmony and a sense of nationhood.
Mian Shahbaz Sharif has spoken thoughtlessly and rather insensitively.
He needs to ensure the same mistake is not made again as this can cause a
great deal of damage. Punjab needs to set the example that all the smaller
provinces can follow. It must play a part in developing national unity. All of
us, as citizens of one country with common interests and a common future,
should have a broad approach that sees the nation and all its territory as a
whole.
On 18th March, Ikram Sehgal commented on forthcoming strategic
dialogue: The present incumbent (Hussain Haqqani) is not worthy of
comment. With such people representing Pakistan in a crucial, country
like the US, what does Pakistan expect in a strategic dialogue? Kayani
should have had the good sense and propriety not to meet with Haqqani
recently, Mr Haqqani is now going around claiming he got Shuja Pasha the
years extension and has ensured Kayani as COAS. Hopefully Kayani wont
take him along into the Pentagon discussions. God knows what else he is
likely to claim!
The US is supporting Pakistan generously. Unfortunately it is not
enough, neither economically and certainly not in military aid. In key areas
of economy, agriculture, power sector, communications and telecommunications, health, etc we require massive injection of funds. Above
all, we need to be brought in from the nuclear cold to overcome dire energy
deficiencies. Vital to US success in Afghanistan, Pakistan is getting only a
fraction of what it should get, comparatively others get much more for doing
much less. The strategic dialogue should be a joint national security strategy
session for comprehensive mutual interests in geopolitics and economics.
The strategic dialogue is crucial for the regions stability, as well
as for peace and prosperity in Pakistan. The armed forces have changed
the equation with their magnificent performance on the ground. However,
this could not have been possible without the democratic dispensation in
Pakistan today, however ugly it is. It is important that the system must stay.
The US can stay on top of the game in Afghanistan, and the region, by
betting heavily on the proven successful formula, the Pakistan army and
Pakistan.
Next day, Ayaz Amir took on his party leader. The terrorism we are
now fighting is not a provincial subject. It is not confined to any one
province. It is a composite whole, organically tied together, growing not

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from any isolated virus but from a sickness of the mind and soul which had
the whole of Pakistan, or at least its strategic quartermasters, in its grip.
If Pakistan is to become something, realizing its dreams and
potential, if it has to enter the real world and leave the world of dreams and
fantasies behind, then there is no course open to it except to tackle this
sickness, no matter what it takes and what sacrifices it entails, without
ifs and buts, and without any misconceived appeals to the Taliban.
On 20th March, Babar Sattar also commented on the same statement.
If the PML-N is so eager to find non-military solutions to our militancy
problem, what political and development efforts has it proposed or supported
to establish sustainable peace in Swat? In this backdrop, notwithstanding the
true intent of Shahbaz Sharif and the unpersuasive defence his party has
been instructed to mount on his behalf, the Jamia Naeemia statement of
the Punjab chief minister is injurious and alarming for at least three
reasons.
One, it exposes the PML-N's facile approach to the scourge of terror
and the strategy required to confront this challenge. Will withdrawing the
army from the tribal areas automatically return peace and serenity to
Pakistan? Will a hostile relationship with the US transform the Taliban and
members of other militant outfits into tolerant law-abiding citizens? We need
to find the roots of terror, but our inquiry must extend beyond hate for the
US.
The infrastructure of terror in Pakistan is built upon a violent brand
of religion nurtured by the state, non-performing structure of governance, an
illogical and unaccountable national security doctrine, subservient foreign
policy and an intolerant cultural ethic. If we are serious about addressing
terror, we must start by confronting the religion inspired ideology of hate
and violence shared by the Taliban and other militant organizations across
Punjab.
Two, by pointing the finger at the US and holding a foreign country
responsible for all our ills, Shahbaz Sharif has chosen to accentuate our
psychological disempowerment and our sense of paranoia as a nation.
Throughout our history, our elites (civil and military) have elected to eagerly
forge a close relationship with serving US administrations when in power,
while continuing to lay the blame for unpopular and harmful national
policies on the Americans. This mastery over running with the hare and
hunting with the hounds has cultivated a sense that we are mere agents
acting on foreign commands and are therefore neither autonomous beings
1000

nor responsible for our actions. Borrowing a leaf from the Jamaat-e-Islami
and the Jamiatul Ulama-e-Islam and attempting to derive political mileage
by riding the current wave of rabid anti-Americanism is neither constructive
nor becoming of a popular political party.
Three, Shahbaz Sharif's outburst threatens to confuse public opinion
and shake the national resolve to fight militancy that was forged after it
claimed over 30,000 precious Pakistani lives. This is especially troubling,
given that the PML-N is the main centre-right party in the country, which
has the ability to come together with centre-left parties and form a centrist
consensus to fight terror.
The PML-N's dithering and reluctance to attack the thought process
and the ideology that breeds violence and terror could very well polarize the
country across ideological lines. This is the moment of truth for Pakistan.
We need leaders who understand the complexity of our militancy
problem, have the ability to rise above the prejudices and ill-informed
opinions of their traditional constituents, and the wisdom and courage to
shape public opinion, rather than follow it.
The News on Sunday, March 21 focused on terrorism in the context of
Punjab. Adnan Adil noted that it is not possible to check terrorist
activities without bursting the infrastructural support to the militants.
He added: Given the nature of Pakistans state and the opposition of the
world community, the Taliban conglomerate is also not in a position to
capture state power but it has the potential to cause further bloodshed.
Amir Mir observed: The Punjabi Taliban are believed to have spread
their tentacles across the province through the networks of sectarian
organizations, the veterans of Jihad-e-Kashmir and those of Jihad-eAfghanistan. He added: investigations reveal that many of these largely
South Punjab-based jihadi and sectarian groups have now become
entangled with al-Qaeda-linked militants who are currently operating
under the banner of the TTP.
Farah Zia wrote: The historical roots of PML-Ns ideology can be
traced more recently in the political legacy of Ziaul Haq which was all
about Islamization through state and hence it alliance with conservative
social trends. She added: PML-N today is at a juncture where it has
become only necessary to judge which side of the divide it stands by.
Waqar Gillani interviewed Rana Sanaullah, who said, not all banned
outfits and organizations are involved in terrorist activities. He alleged
that there is a media cell functioning in the Governors House and a private
1001

television channel which are constantly propagating against PML-N and its
leadership.
Zeenia Satti commented on US political plan for Afghanistan after
Operation Moshtarik. Any government in a box that the US generals are
ready to roll out after clearing an area will be a government that is not born
of legitimate political practices i.e. is not democratic government. Going by
the Afghan tradition of dealing with illegitimate governments, there is every
reason to expect the Taliban will return once the NATO troops move out of
Marjah and other areas of operation throughout the country.
The ideal solution would be for the US troops to leave
Afghanistan, followed by fresh and fair elections under US auspices. With
foreign troops gone, combat fatigue will make the Afghans turn to nationbuilding. Just a fraction of US war capital could help a truly elected
government build schools, hospitals and infrastructure with the same
sincerity which galvanizes the amazing Afghan resistance. There has been
no Stinger missile display in Afghan resistance that would point to foreign
hand equipping it. That is why the American media has started talking about
the Afghan resistance with respect. The medias focus on Afghans
commitment to their independence has now replaced the focus on latters
stupid involvement with Osama bin Laden ten years ago.
The departure of US troops can only be facilitated through a
dialogue. Unfortunately, the Afghan resistance lacks a sophisticated
leadership capable of handling the complexities of dealing with the US to
Afghanistans benefit. Already, a very auspicious moment has been missed.
The first six months of Barack Obamas ascent to office, followed by
Washingtons acknowledgment that 70 percent of Afghan Taliban were not
US enemies, was a propitious time for the Afghan resistance to start
negotiating, with the caveat of resuming combat in case on unacceptable
terms
Zeenia went on to discuss the Afghanistan situation in the context
Pakistan, India, Central Asia and Americas long term interests and then
concluded: The US is not telling that it wants control of an energy
corridor through Afghanistan. It is presenting, instead, fake goals such as
dismantling of al-Qaeda because it has pitched its oil seeking wars of
aggression as defensive. If Washington spoke the truth, instead of being
funny and offering money to the fighters to capitulate, maybe the Afghan
resistance would acquiesce to an arrangement of mutual benefit.

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If violence continues, genocide is the only logical conclusion of

Obamas Afghan surge. If resistance starts to prevail, B52s will roll in. any
other goal setting by Pentagon is a delusional venture into imaginary
successes denied by reality. The tragedy can be averted but for lack of local
leadership.
Saleem Safi commented on Pakistans new diplomatic approach in
ties with Karzai-led Afghanistan. The US tried in vain to introduce, test and
support other personalities against Karzai. In this endeavour, the US and its
allies went to the extent of supporting even Gul Agha Sherozai, Governor of
Nangarhar Province. But every effort met with failure, and ultimately the
alliance of those opposing Karzai chose Dr Abdullah as their favoured
candidate.
The United States itself demanded that Pakistan support Abdullah.
Every American diplomat in Islamabad insisted on this, but Pakistan did
not oblige and stood by Karzai to the end. Knowing that Saudi Arabia and
Turkey supported him in the re-election bid due to Pakistans efforts, Karzai
was grateful to Pakistan for its support in his victory.
In opposition to Pakistan, India and Iran extended all-out
support to Abdullah. Kabuls intelligence chief, occupying this position
thanks to US support, also openly supported Abdullah against Karzai. This
situation pushed Karzai away from these countries and towards Pakistan.
Before the elections, the United States had been certain that Karzai
would be unable to secure more than 50 per cent of the votes in the first
phase. But Karzai exceeded this percentage. After the initial election results,
the powers opposing him decided to make the election results controversial.
In this phase, Pakistan again stood by Karzai while the US was firmly
behind Dr Abdullah. It was the first occasion that Pakistan did not listen
to American dictates regarding its policy towards Afghanistan.
In the whole scenario, the work done by Pakistans ambassador to
Kabul, Muhammad Sadiq, was important After describing how the
ambassador achieved this by contacting various Afghan groups Safi added:
The rapprochement between Pakistan and Karzai has had a positive
influence on his anti-Pakistan allies. Therefore, this leadership came closer
to Pakistan due to Karzais active role as a peacemaker. Karzais efforts for
the patch-up continue.
The aforementioned factors ultimately transformed Kabuls attitude
towards Pakistan. And this trend may very well continue if Islamabad and
Kabul avoid future blunders. To avoid any problems, Afghanistan and
1003

Pakistan must discuss all issues on bilateral level, without any third-party
mediation. Such a policy will push the United States, India and Iran out of
the equation and pave the way for durable friendship between the two
countries.
Afghanistans problem stems from persistent foreign interventions.
Karzai needs to hold direct talks with the Taliban and must satisfy their
demands, including the demand for ouster of foreign forces from Afghan
soil. The Taliban and other Islamist forces must reciprocate Karzais positive
overtures. The realignment of these opposite camps will bolster Karzais
confidence to deal with foreign forces from a position of strength.
Pakistan has legitimate interests in Afghanistan and, as such, Karzai
should heed Islamabads calls for the protection of Pakistani interests.
Reciprocally, instead of exploiting Karzais weaknesses, Pakistan must
play a positive role in the development of reconciliation between the
Taliban and Kabul.
Unity among Afghans is a recipe for peace in their country.
Intervention by foreign elements will always ignite fires, instead of helping
to end internecine wars in that country. A durable peace between Islamabad
and Kabul can only be ensured through direct bilateral talks by pushing out
India, the United States and Iran from the equation.
Munir Akram observed: There is as yet no clear vision, on any side,
of the purpose, process and content of a negotiated peace with the
Taliban. Four major questions need to be addressed and answered: who is
peace to be negotiated with? When should negotiations take place? How
should they be conducted? And what should be the terms of a settlement?
Munir observed that the US has realized that peace has to be
negotiated with Taliban. However, the McChrystal Plan envisages that
negotiations would be held after the American troops surge and inflicted
serious military reversals on the Taliban. The Americans belief in this
strategy may have been revived following their reported success in clearing
Marjah and, even more, the capture of Mullah Baradar. Mullah Omars chief
of military operations, and several other Taliban leaders by Pakistani
intelligence
Pakistan will need (in brief):
First, to ensure that negotiations with the Afghan Taliban do not
compromise its priority objective of subduing the TTP, who have
shadowy relationships with Afghan and Indian intelligence.
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 Second, a clear vision of a desirable and achievable outcome will

need to be formulated. While both the US and the Taliban will seek
peace on their own terms, Pakistan should evolve a plan that can
prove acceptable to both sides.
Third, US acceptance will have to be secured for such an outcome.
There will be resistance from militarists and other lobbies in
Washingtonenhanced intelligence cooperation between Pakistani
and the US may indicate that a measure of understanding may well
have been reached regarding the future order in Afghanistan.
Fourth, it will be necessary to ensure that the negotiating option is
not jeopardized by competing interventions from India or other
neighbouring or regional countries
Since President Obama also wants to withdraw US forces as soon as
possible and the US considers the Taliban a part of the Afghan political
fabric, a deal with the Taliban appears to be eminently possible, unless
extraneous factors and forces intervene to prevent this. A negotiated
outcome could contain the following elements:
One, a US commitment to a withdrawal of all foreign forces, linked to
a timeframe or realization of certain benchmarks.
Two, a veritable Taliban commitment to severance of all ties with alQaeda.
Three, an agreement for the early cessation of hostilities.
Four, formation of a coalition or national unity government in Kabul
including nominated Taliban representatives exercising
decentralized control over locally governed provinces.
Five, transfer of power at the provincial and local levels to Shuras or
Councils composed of tribal and Taliban leaders.
Six, acceptance by the Taliban of reconstruction and development
projects, executed with local and, where necessary, external
participation.
Seven, creation of a genuine Afghan National Army, with at least 50
per cent Pakhtun representation, including soldiers from among the
ranks of the Taliban.

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A political settlement along these lines is not ideal far from it. But a
negotiated peace, however, imperfect, is palpably preferable to the
alternative: a prolonged and purposeless conflict in which the central threat
from al-Qaeda survives.
The prospects of negotiating such a settlement are likely to be
better if pursued earlier rather than later. The Taliban have suffered
some tactical reverses and are under threat of the impending surge. But the
McChrystal Plan, once implemented, will inevitably result in intensified
fighting and higher casualties, including among civilians. It will make
conciliation and compromise more difficult. And, if, as is quite possible, the
surge does not succeed decisively, the US-NATOs negotiating leverage
would be considerably reduced. The Taliban may then conclude that to win
all they need to do is survive and wait for Western patience to run out.
Therefore, rather than pursue further tactical objectives, like Marjah,
and the planned offensive in Kandahar, it would be advisable for the US and
NATO to open early and serious contacts with the Afghan Taliban, utilizing
Pakistans intercession, to evolve the broad parameters of an eventual
settlement. A negotiated peace will be good for Afghanistan, for the US
and its allies, and for Pakistan and the region.
The News commented on the statement of former UN envoy on arrest
of Taliban leaders. Sometimes cats and bags part company in spectacular
fashion. A mass feline liberation has recently been performed by somebody
more famed for his reticence than his loquacity Kai Eidie, the former UN
envoy to Afghanistan who stepped down a month ago. In a detailed
interview broadcast by the BBC he told of UN contact with the Quetta Shura
(an entity whose existence was long denied by ally) about a range of military
and humanitarian matters, and of talks about talks with senior members of
the Taliban in Dubai and elsewhere. These precursor talks had been going on
since early in 2009 and came to an abrupt end with the arrest of Mulla Abdul
Ghani Baradar in Karachi, the result of a joint Pakistan-US intelligence
operation. He was highly critical of this and other arrests and made it
clear that they were a significant impediment to establishing a dialogue
that could lead to a peace process in Afghanistan.
At this point differing agendas come into view. The UN, working
with the Afghan government, had been pursuing dialogue with the Taliban.
There is an upcoming jirga at which it was expected that Baradar would
have a significant role. This is not the agenda that the Americans are
pursuing. Their perspective is that they have the Taliban on the back foot

1006

and that now is the time for fighting not talking. It is inconceivable that
the Americans and we are unaware of the back-channel communications
between the Taliban and the UN; and hence the question of whose agenda
has primacy comes into focus. America has long pressured us to do more.
Thus, we cooperate with America in the arrest of members of the
Quetta Shura, almost certainly in the knowledge that by doing so a nascent
peace process will get stalled, if not killed off entirely. Is this in our best
interest? It is if it is added to the credit side by the Americans who daily tot
up the trust deficit, it isnt if we are to look to our own future relationship
with the Afghan government and our part in any emerging peace in
Afghanistan. The Americans will be gone in five years at most. Pakistan and
Afghanistan will still be neighbours a century from now. Whose agenda do
we really need to prioritize and when do our own needs and interests
assume primacy?
As regards India, Dr Maleeha Lodhi commented on talks and IndoPak relations. The immediate outlook for Pakistan-India relations is marked
by uncertainty with ties prone to crisis. Three scenarios can be postulated for
the near term. The first is a prolonged diplomatic deadlock or standoff with
no mitigation of mutual suspicion and a risk of confrontation accompanied
by a zero-sum approach to ties. In this scenario erratic or sporadic dialogue
becomes a means to score points, not reduce tensions. It is also the most
volatile scenario for its potential to replace into an escalation of tensions,
heightening the risk of an uncontrollable crisis.
The second scenario is one of managed tensions. In this differences
and disputes continue in a no-war, no-peace situation but where both
political will and diplomatic means are available to ensure tensions do not
spin out of control. This helps to avoid a confrontation or breakdown in the
relationship. This scenario provides space for normalization of some aspects
of the relationship. For part of their troubled history Pakistan and India were
able to evolve such a regime but this has always alternated with periods of
heightened tensions, confrontation and conflict.
The third is the most desirable scenario but in the immediate future
the most improbable. In this both countries adopt a problem-solving
approach and engage purposefully to find a negotiated resolution of
their disputes while identifying and building on areas of governance in an
effort to achieve a strategic equilibrium. Efforts are directed at confronting
and addressing the causes not the symptoms of the conflicts between them.
This is the scenario that is urged by the compulsions of the regions
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nuclearization especially as strategic relations between the two neighbours

remain undefined and potentially unstable. It is also the only model of
relations that can deliver durable peace. For now Pakistan-India relations
have reverted to the wearingly familiar pattern of the first scenario with all
its attendant risks while the costs of non-resolution of disputes continue to
mount for both nations.
Ahmed Quraishi observed: South Waziristan is an Indian outpost
on Pakistani soil with a religious version of Mukti Bahini in place, the
terror militia created by India in 1969 before its full-fledged and unprovoked
invasion of East Pakistan two years later. The similarity is in using proxies.
This is not an outlandish theory but an emerging fact anchored in hundreds
of pieces of information and intelligence that Pakistani security forces have
gathered from the western strip of Pakistan stretching from Balochistan and
all the way to the tribal agencies in the north.
To simplify this, lets start with the series of attacks on Lahore in the
past fifteen months. Attacking Pakistans military and attacking Lahore
has been an old Indian obsession. The link was first made by Indian
analysts associated with Indian military and intelligence. They theorized that
since Pakistans military is mostly drawn from Punjab province, it only
makes sense that the best way to punish it for involvement in occupied
Kashmir is to attack that part of Pakistan where the families of Pakistani
military officers live. Indian propagandists have long been promoting this
flawed line of thinking. Explaining Pakistan in lingo-ethnic terms is
something New Delhi turned into an art form after 1971. Thats when it
successfully exploited this lingo-ethnic card to invade East Pakistan. Our
Indian friends later took the same idea to Soviet Moscow to encourage them
to meddle in Balochistan and NWFP using Afghan soil.
But after 9/11, this flawed theory was taken by the Indians to a new
place: Washington, along with the ideas of independent Balochistan,
Pashtunistan and the alleged lingo-ethnic divide in Pakistan. Some US
powerbrokers took fancy to this theory. To cut a long story short, thats
how US medias anti-Pakistan bias in the past five years was heavily tinged
with this Indian theory on Pakistan. It is also one way of explaining why
Afghanistan gradually turned into an anti-Pakistan territory and India was
empowered at Pakistans expense despite being celebrated by US officials as
a major non-NATO ally.
It is interesting to see an overlap between this Indian security
mindset and the TTP. This so-called Pakistani Taliban group attacks the

1008

same targets today that New Delhis security establishment has been focused
on for decades: the army and Lahore.
Punjabi Taliban is another misnomer that serves the same
agenda of forcing Pakistanis to see one another through lingo-ethnic
glasses. There is no such thing in Pakistan. Those Pakistanis who
volunteered with the Afghan Taliban or with Kashmiri freedom groups
during the 1990s came from all linguistic backgrounds [Punjabi, Kashmiri,
Sindhi, Pashtun, Urdu-speaking, and Balochs]. To lump all of them together
in one Punjabi Taliban is wrong and malicious.
It is also part of the indirect desire to attack the geographic position
of the Punjab province, where much of Pakistans strategic installations and
military units are based. It would also mean taking the war to the heart of
Pakistani militarys base as defined by the Indians who see it as Punjabfocused.
Pakistans political and military leaders should tell their friends in
Washington that freezing the expansion in Indias role in Afghanistan is not
enough. It should be accompanied by a cleansing within US policymaking
circles to remove the poisonous Indian theories on Pakistan that so many
within the US academia and media have embraced. Washington should
understand that strategies such as inserting pro-US elements into power in
Islamabad to contain Pakistan from within wont work. A better course of
action is to genuinely understand and respect Pakistani strategic concerns
and interests and work with them, not covertly undermine them when the
time is right and grudgingly accept them when the tides are rough.
Pakistanis will also have to understand that they will pay a heavy
price for insisting on securing their own interests in the region. And its not
hard to identify the culprits. India wont just roll over with punches. And
there are lobbies in Washington that wont simply let go of Afghanistan
after experiencing the sweet taste of regional imperialism.
All terror in Pakistan is linked to South Waziristan, where Pakistanis
are recruited, brainwashed and then used to kill other Pakistanis. South
Waziristan has been turned into Pakistans Tibet or Xinjiang. Our strategists
understand this. It is time for our public opinion to see this reality without
the distortions created by the multimillion dollar media campaigns by
foreign governments that want us to see our problems through their eyes.
On 22nd March, Zafar Hilaly wrote: Militarily, the protagonists seem
to be readying themselves. India has completed and Pakistan is in the midst
of, air, sea and land exercises meant to coordinate responses against an
1009

attack from the other country. The use of live ammunition in these
exercises speaks a lot for the seriousness and immediacy of the threat.
Coincidentally, a US think tank has just produced its latest
estimate of what would be the consequences of a nuclear exchange
between Pakistan and India. It estimates 20 million dead and a fastspreading nuclear cloud that could endanger world agricultural production,
with dire repercussions. What makes almost despondent those who once
hoped that peace between India and Pakistan would somehow break out are
the political limitations of the two countries leaderships.
In India we have Manmohan Singh, a well meaning Sikh in a
Brahmin stronghold, with little political clout or independent political
standing. A boffin turned politician. And however respected he deservedly is,
as an economist and the leading spirit behind Indias economic revival, his
hold on the hearts of the masses is non-existent. Besides, where Pakistan is
concerned Manmohan Singh has shot his bolt. He has used up all his credit
by refusing to attack Pakistan after Mumbai and has nothing left to oppose
those who will bray for war when the next terror attack occurs.
His sponsor, Sonia Gandhi, is a foreigner who sensibly declined
taking office as prime minister, knowing that India is a state where being fair
is prized but being white is not. A former countryman of hers once said that
the practice of politics in India, as in Italy, has always been the systematic
organization of hatreds. Sonia Gandhi cannot, even if she wants to, buck
the attack-Pakistan consensus that has India in its grip.
In our case we have Mr Zardari who, for all the good and noble
sentiments he has expressed about furthering relations with India, is about
as credible as the proverbial male ant which, when discovered crawling
up an elephants leg and asked of its intent replied: 'Rape. Hence politicians
and an establishment that have in the past preferred delusion to reality have
the floor in both countries. Stopping them playing out their delusions will be
hard. But not to do so would be disastrous.
Of course, the communal factor is the great and ever-present
overhang. We have a surfeit of demented Indophobes, and so does India of
men who bristle at the mere mention of Pakistan. And who have, over the
course of the last six decades, reduced the status of Muslims in India to that
of the untouchables. Not that Pakistans record when it comes to the
welfare of its minorities is much better.
Notwithstanding the belated prattle of the Indian minister of state for
defence denying that India proposes to conduct surgical strikes on
1010

Pakistan, the stage seems to be set for a conflict. And this time to hope that
others will step in to pluck our chestnuts out of the fire is delusory. But what
is not a delusion, but a stark, sad, idiotic reality, is that the power to decide
war or peace has passed from governments to terrorists. O Lord! With how
little wisdom are we governed?

REVIEW
During his visit to Islamabad Karzai matched his host in pretending
that he was in complete control over Afghanistan. Perhaps, this is the
illusion every puppet suffers from. When he went back he left behind a trail
of death and destruction in Lahore, the heart of Pakistan. This forced grieved
Shahbaz Sharif to talk to Taliban from Jamia Naeemia.
His carelessly worded statement in which he urged Taliban not to
attack targets in Punjab provided an opportunity to opponents of PML-N to
equate the party with religious extremists. Salman Taseer termed it as a party
that lacks national outlook. Others, particularly leaders of ANP, accused him
of cowardice.
The statement was wrong on two counts. One, only hours earlier the
security agencies had alleged that the Lahore attacks were planned and
funded by Indian consulates in Afghanistan; if that be so, the request was
addressed to a wrong party. Moreover, he should have borne in mind that the
logic behind his argument was not convincing, because it is Pakistan
(Punjabi) Army that is fighting with Taliban.
Secondly, asking them to stop attacks only in Punjab smacked of
provincial prejudices rather than patriotism. He must accept that his
carelessly worded statement has resulted in Punjabi-bashing in general and
causing aspersions on his political party in particular.
PML-N should focus on its responsibility of providing good
governance in the province in which it has been mandated to form the
government. It should look after the interests of Punjab just as governments
in other provinces are supposed to safeguard interests of respective
provinces. No doubt all the provinces must not ignore national interests, but
responsibility of protecting national interests rests primarily with the federal
government.
The record of last two years reflects PML-Ns utter failure in this
regard. It seemed to be protecting the interests of party leaders at the cost of
provincial interests. So far it has only surrendered Punjabs share whether in
1011

the form of NFC award or to resolve the issue of water shortage. Sharif
brothers can of course afford such surrender of resources but most of the
Punjabis are not better off than masses of other provinces.
Sharifs must understand that they cannot secure political support for
PML-N through the display of such generosity. The nationalists ruling the
three provinces will simply not let that happen. Sharifs should not be fooled
by few words of praise each time Shahbaz makes a gesture of generosity at
the cost of poor people of Punjab. Inwardly, these nationalists rejoice over
each generosity by taking it as fruits of their blackmailing the Punjabi
leaders.
Shahbaz should read the intent of these nationalist forces from their
onslaught after his only loose-talk in two years when he tried to contest
Talibans rationale for attacking targets in Punjab. No doubt, he has been
careless, yet it did not merit an all-out onslaught from those who miss no
opportunity to talk ill about Pakistan. His meek stance in the face of his
criticism was more condemnable than his statement.
How can they dare maligning a party that has been mandated by the
people of Punjab to provide governance in their province? They have no
reason to blame Punjab for relegating the national interests. Shahbaz should
have the courage to tell these loose mouths to shut up. He should have
reminded the PPP that Punjabis (leaders and the led) have never thought of
using Punjab Card. They, in fact, impose upon themselves Sindhi feudal
lords as rulers by voting on the basis of unfounded fascinations for those
who died long ago without fulfilling any of the promises.
He should have bounced back on ANP to put the record straight that
there has never been and would never be a Punjabi Gandhi. Those who work
in unison with India to starve more than 60 per cent Pakistanis by converting
Punjab into desert, have no right to show concerns for Pakistan than
Punjabis have.
These nationalist forces have been maligning the defenders of
Pakistan simply because majority of them hail from Punjab. It was after
Taliban tightened the screw around them (with Indian money and weapons)
in settled areas of NWFP that they were forced to cry for help and only then
they realized the importance of Punjabi (Pakistan) Army. The Punjabi
soldiers laid their lives to protect Pashtun nationalists who insist upon
renaming the province for fulfillment of their age-old anti-Pakistan designs.
How can MQM, which has virtually carved a state within a province,
cast aspersions on patriotism of Punjabis? How can Balochis be critical of
1012

Punjabis? Never in the history Punjabis have resorted to targeted-killings of

Balochis; whereas such killings continue unabated in Balochistan. Shahbaz
should have had the courage to tell these empty kettles that the cross of
Pakistan has always been carried by Punjabis. They have been on the forefront in fight against all kinds of terrorism whether at home, NWFP, or
Balochistan.
This statement will haunt Sharifs and their party for long time to
come. It would be better to stick to his stance rather than rendering
apologetic explanations. If Pakistanis can go to New Delhi to talk to Indians,
why cant Shahbaz address Taliban indirectly? But, this can happen only if
Shahbaz and his party do not believe that the way to power in Pakistan
passes through Washington.
22nd March 2010

FAILED TO FOIL
Politicians felt that their limousine of democracy had been mauled in
several collusions with military trucks. They assembled a team of denters
and painters led by chief mechanic Raza Rabbani in workshop of proprietor
Zardari to repair and bring it back as close to its original shape as possible.
They spent about nine months in accomplishing the task.
When the limousine was about to be rolled of the workshop Nawaz
Sharif, a share-holder in democracy, noted couple of discrepancies in the
work done by the Rabbani team. In fact, the team on the behest of Zardari
had tried to push through two controversial items along with 93 others upon
which consensus had been achieved. Nawaz objected to the proposed
composition of the judicial commission and had reservations on renaming of
the NWFP.
The item of judicial commission was included at later stage of
committees deliberations with the intention of extracting democratic
revenge from judiciary which had been causing embarrassments to Zardari

1013

regime. Renaming of NWFP was part of PPP-ANP deal for forming

coalition government in the Centre but the issue was not discussed by the
committee, nor was any deliberate attempt made to resolve it otherwise.
Nawazs objections resulted in repainting of these two spots.
These developments rang the bells in the judicial arena because
intentions of the regime had become quite clearer. By the time it had already
exhausted its patience on non-implementation of NRO verdict even after the
lapse of 14 weeks. The Supreme Court could wait no more and Riaz Sheikh
became the first victim of implementation of NRO verdict. Nevertheless,
the regime kept flouting court orders regarding the real culprit.

NEWS
Nawaz Sharif met Qazi Anwar on 20th March and demanded change in
judicial commission; dropping of law minister and attorney general its
membership, adding a retired judge and making recommendations of the
commission binding. The judge of SATC strongly objected to imposing of
Section 7 ATA on the people protesting increase in transport fares. Siraj
Durrani was also acquitted in NAB reference.
On 21st March, Qazi Anwar said independence of judiciary is
indigestible for the sitting PPP. One of the constitutional reforms said judges
validating military coup would be tried for high treason. G A Bilour asked
PML-N to come clear on renaming of NWFP.
Next day, once again a day before the expiry of deadline given by the
court, the government filed a petition in the Supreme Court for review of the
NRO verdict. The government argued that everything good that has
happened in last two years has been because of the NRO. About reopening
of corruption cases in which Benazir and Nusrat Bhutto were involved it
argued that it would amount to an act of blasphemy or words to that effect.
Senators from opposition and some from the treasury staged walkout
after the government bulldozed passage of Anti-Money Laundering Bill.
PML-N formally demanded change in the proposed process for appointment
of judges. The CCP fined PSM to pay Rs25 million the charges and the
culprits named were similar to those mentioned in FIA report.
The Supreme Court upheld conviction of ex-MPAs of PML-N in the
case of attack on judiciary during Nawaz rule. Ghulam Ahmad Bilour
threatened that ANP could go to any extent on renaming NWFP. The

1014

Supreme Court questioned Latif Khosa capacity to appear in the court as

counsel of MNA Dasti for being advisor to Prime Minister.
A lawyer slapped civil judge in Faisalabad after refusal of bail to his
client involved in a default case; 45 judges of the area resigned in protest.
Ijaz Butt told PAC that Army and Judiciary grabbed PCB land. Dr Shama
was appointed governor of Gilgit-Baltistan. One person was killed and seven
wounded in attack on JUI-F election office in D I Khan.
On 23rd March, Rabbani Committee accepted suggestion of the PMLN to appoint one additional member, a retired judge, on the proposed judicial
commission, but refused to drop law minister and attorney general. Gilani
and Zardari discussed constitutional package.
Ansar Abbasi reported that jurists and judges apprehended another
confrontation between the Supreme Court and the Executive. DSP Imran
Babar was arrested couple of days after the judicial inquiry termed his
allegations against his superiors as baseless.
PML-N in Gujrat and PPP in D I Khan won by-elections on 24 th
March. PML-N agreed to show flexibility, Zardari will address Parliament
on 26th March after tabling of bill for 18th Amendment. Dismissal of plea
about Zardaris electoral eligibility by ECP was challenged in the Supreme
Court. Forty people were injured in people-police clashes in Mirpur, AJK.
NAB Prosecutor, Hasan Raza Bokhari, resigned while complaining
about pressure from PPP. He said he was forced to sign reports never made
by him. Prime Minister was compelled to block multi-million dollar
scanners deal with China after media reports about hazards in use of
scanners; he ordered inquiry into the deal. Contempt notice was served to the
lawyer who slapped the civil judge.
Till late evening on 25th March, nobody was sure whether Zardari
would address the joint session of the Parliament as announced by Law
Minister, Babar Awan; Prime Minister denied issue of any summary for
convening of such session. In fact, Zardari regime in its usual style tried to
hoodwink other political parties on some critical issues out of which the
formation of judicial commission was quite conspicuous.
Nawaz Sharif chaired his partys meeting in Islamabad and while
briefing the media he advised Gilani not to table the draft till consensus
reached and he wanted him to talk to the Chief Justice to iron out the
differences. He claimed that his partys proposals were thrown out by the
constitutional reforms committee. He declared that renaming of NWFP was

1015

not the real issue. Because of this development the signing ceremony of the
draft, scheduled for the evening, was put on hold.
Nawaz Sharifs statement was resented by all the coalition members
of the government; mostly for political point scoring as Zardari regime
wont mind further delay in passage of constitutional reforms. However,
ANP was disappointed, because its leaders were sounding quite confident
about their success in blackmailing PML-N on the issue of renaming NWFP.
Dilshad Azeem reported that apart from PML-Ns disapproval of the
judicial commission there were over a dozen dissent notes. Almost all
political forces, except the ruling PPP, attached disagreeing points with the
package, i.e. complete deletion of concurrent list. Un-extendable term for
tenure positions including military chief, uniform education, Senate powers
equal to the National Assembly and abolishing presidential powers to remit
Hudood and Qisas punishments.
Rauf Klasra observed that PML-N leaders have conveniently let
down Gilani. This time the PML-N leaders seemed to have settled all the
previous scores by giving Prime Minister Gilani a surprise by refusing to
back these reforms in the House at the eleventh hour. Mayed Ali reported
that PML-Ns observations on the reforms was the result of some important
afternoon developments, shared only by the Sharifs and their couple of
confidents.
MNA Jamshed Dasti of PPP, MNA Nazir Jatt of PML-Q and PPP
MPA from PP-63 resigned after the start of the hearing of petitions
challenging their education qualifications. Dasti, who as chairman of NA
standing committee has been quite hyper in the recent past to set things right
in cricket, put up very poor show before six-member larger bench of the
Supreme Court. As a degree holder of eight-year Islamic course he could
not answer a single question regarding Quraan; he could not even name first
three surahs of Quraan and finally he chose the option of resigning.
Ansar Abbasi wrote that senior officers of law ministry have protested
in writing against Law Minister Babar Awan for violating laws and rules of
government business. Awan, meanwhile, has taken full control of NAB and
directed its senior officials not to file any reference against any government
official without his permission.
Returning officer held back results of PP-111 after PML-Q
complained of rigging and held rallies in protest; Shujaats brother and son
led the agitation. Two MPAs of PPP were elected unopposed. Zulfikar Mirza
claimed that PPP was gaining in popularity.
1016

Arrest warrants of the lawyer who slapped the civil judge were issued
after he failed to appear before the court. Judges of many other districts
joined the strike. The Supreme Court was moved against ad hoc
appointments of Justice Ramday and Justice Rabbani. Maulana Aziz was
acquitted in CDs burning case.
On 26th March, PCCR rejected proposals made by Nawaz Sharif.
SCBA also rejected Nawaz proposals on judicial commission. Gilani showed
willingness to play role to break deadlock and offered to meet Nawaz if so
desired by Rabbani committee. Mayed Ali observed Nawazs fears
unfounded. Rauf Klasra reported that a European country and the Army
were behind Nawazs U-turn. Ansar Abbasi was of the view that Nawaz
Sharif has to backtrack to avoid brickbats.
Asfandyar said he was ready to meet Nawaz on renaming NWFP
anywhere anytime. Renaming of NWFP was short-listed to two;
AbaseenAfghania and AfghaniaAbaseen. Zardari signed Anti-Money
Laundering Act. Judges in Lahore carried out protest rally against lawyers
behaviour. PML-Q carried out rally in Gujrat despite imposition of Section
144.
On 27th March, the Supreme Court returned NRO review petition with
objections that the petition was time barred and no application was filed for
the condoning of the petition. Some of the documents filed with the petition
were drafted in Swiss language and those were supposed to be filed in
translated versions. The omissions on the part of crook like Babar Awan
were deliberate to waste as much time as he could.
Nawaz said judicial commission was acceptable sans law minister. He
insisted that no heavens would fall if Chief Justice was consulted by the
Prime Minister. He demanded cut in Presidents powers in one go and
termed reforms half-baked. Miliband rang up Nawaz to discuss
constitutional reforms and to ask him to resolve the deadlock. Raza Rabbani
feared subversion of the whole constitutional reforms exercise. Qazi Anwar
said smugglers in the Parliament could not be allowed to appoint judges.
Judges strike in cities of Punjab continued.
On 28th March, Bashir Bilour threatened PML-N not to delay
acceptance of new name for NWFP failing which ANP wont sign
constitutional reforms package. Amir Muqam said PML-Q would oppose
Pakhtunkhwa. Usman Mansoor reported that General Nadeem Ijaz, who
pressed the CJP to resign in March 2007, was also behind the mess created
regarding appointment of AJK chief justice.
1017

Rauf Klasra reported that the details of LPG scam were placed before
the cabinet. Pakistan lost $1 billion because contract was awarded to highest
bidder while ignoring the lowest bid of the Fauji Foundation and the
multinational energy firm, Vitol. Naveed Qamar defended the award of
contract while Shaukat Tarin said he was kept in the dark.
In interior Sindh, a police inspector carried out pistol shooting
practice by using the bottle placed on the head of a constable as target. The
inspector shot the policeman in the neck and killed him instantly. Shirmila
Farouqi, advisor to CM wanted job for the son of the deceased in police. Is it
compensation or in-house arrangement for shooting practice by the future
inspectors? Thanks God Taliban have not yet resorted to drawing pleasure
from such shooting practices.
On 29th March, Nawaz Sharif held a press conference in Islamabad.
He rejected the assumption that his observations on judicial commission
were a sudden last minute change in his stance. He said Ishaq Dar had
written a note of dissent a day earlier. He insisted that judicial commission
should have 3-2 composition in favour of judiciary. He also said that law
minister was nobody to announce the signing schedule.
The Supreme Court issued show cause notices to heads of the NAB,
Interior Ministry and Establishment Division for failing to implement the
verdict on NRO. The bench was hearing the case of Riaz Sheikh. During the
hearing the Chief Justice deplored a deliberate propaganda against superior
judiciary and asked acting chairman of NAB to ensure action on NRO
verdict within 24 hours failing which be-prepared to go to jail. The court
wanted implementation on all issues, including reopening of the cases
against Zardari.
Umar Cheema reported that the court raised serious questions about
the retention of a convicted officer, reprimanded the NAB for not reopening
his cases and directed the FIA and Interior Ministry to explain how Riaz
Sheikh had managed a promotion and elevation to an important position, his
conviction notwithstanding.
Sheikh who received rapid promotion within a year, first from BS-18
to BS-19 and then in BS-20, now stands de-notifiednot only this, he also
stands dismissed from the service and his conviction has been restored
bringing him back to the pre-NRO position. Umer also reported that Riaz
was appointed by Aslam Hayat Wattoo to oblige his father who reportedly
worked on Wattoos agriculture farm in Haveli Lakha.

1018

Riazs wife is PPP MPA in Punjab Assembly and his 25-year son,
Hashaam, is presently employed in the Presidency and fetches a salary of
MP-1 scale, which is three times more than what a federal secretary draws.
These facts compelled the judge to remark as to why cant the government
find persons other than having criminal record for appointment on
government jobs.
Ansar Abbasi reported that in yet another act of defiance NAB barred
the most efficient of its prosecutors from appearing before the apex court in
the case to be heard on March 30. Spokesman said Abbas was not available
due to workload. Tahir Khalil reported that the government was considering
the handing over the record of Swiss cases to the UN.
G A Bilour said give us Pakhtoonkhwa or opt for Bengali Model. He
also vowed to set right the conduct of Nawaz. Gilani assured ANP over
implementation of the renaming deal. Shujaat rejected all new names for
NWFP. In the evening, Zardari chaired PPPs core committee meeting to
discuss Nawazs stance. Dilshad Azeem observed that the PPP coalition with
the help of PML-Q could pass the reforms leaving PML-N high and dry.
The court disposed off A Q Khan case after government reached an
understanding with him; Dr Khan will inform authorities a day before
proceeding outstation and an hour before in-station outings. The
membership of the lawyer who slapped a civil judge was restored after he
rendered an apology. A privilege motion in the Senate was held in order
against Qazi Anwar calling the parliamentarians thieves and smugglers.
National assembly also rebuked him.
Next day, the court ordered arrest of Riaz Sheikh after he withdrew
his appeal from the court. He was sent to jail for five years. He left the court
surrounded by police officials smiling and saluting as if he was performing a
victory lap. The court inquired as to who did not allow NAB to implement
NRO verdict. When the court was about to decide the fate of top NAB
officials; one last chance was requested and 24 hours were granted. Fate of
five senior bureaucrats who sat on promotion board of Riaz could also be
decided in couple of days on charges of contempt.
Most importantly when the NAB Chairman Navid Ahsan said that
President Zardari enjoyed the constitutional immunity the Chief Justice
snubbed him asking him why he was pleading the case of the government or
the president and said No one has come to us so far to get a verdict on
whether any one enjoys immunity.

1019

Nabeel Gabol criticized the Supreme Court by quoting Urdu proverb.

He said the Judiciary is like lion, the king of jungle. It may lay the egg or
give birth to a baby. The lion, however, can do none of the two. Fauzia
Wahab wondered as to why Riaz, a friend of Zardari, was sent to jail despite
having completed his sentence.
Sajjad Haider could be the next after Riaz Sheikh, observed Umar
Cheema. His case quite similar to Riaz as he too was dismissed by Tasneem
Noorani in October 2001 and then reinstated by Kamal Shah in July 2008
with retrospective effect. He is presently serving as staff officer of Rehman
Malik, his co-accused in yellow cab case.
Most parties agreed on dropping law minister from the proposed
judicial commission. Accountability Court in Karachi acquitted Siraj
Shamsuddin, former staff secretary of Benazir, in reference against him.
PML-Q formed a committee under Amir Muqam for renaming of NWFP.
On 31st March, draft of constitutional reforms was finalized and
signed after agreement reached on renaming of NWFP as Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa and as regards judicial commission the law minister will stay
but the retired judge will be named by the Chief Justice instead of the
Executive. Sherpao and PML-Q also wrote notes of dissent on renaming of
NWFP bringing the tally of notes of dissent to twenty. Nawaz telephoned
Rabbani and commended work of the committee. After the signing
ceremony Raza Rabbani thanked committee members and the media.
NAB informed the Supreme Court that a letter for reopening of Swiss
cases against Zardari has been written; it would reach there in two days.
Swiss Prosecutor General said his government would reopen the cases once
the issue of immunity is resolved. NAB was told to appeal pursue against all
the acquittal cases wherein the prosecutors had not contested. Action should
also be taken against the guilty prosecutors. Five senior bureaucrats who
promoted Riaz Sheikh were given three weeks to submit their replies. Navid
also informed the court that action against Qayyum Malik was being taken
and the NAB had written to the Law Ministry for its opinion in this regard.
Tariq Butt reported that when the entire nation was thinking that a
crook was meeting his fate by going to jail, President Asif Zardari was so
shaken and stunned that he sent four of his key aides and assistants to meet
and convey his support to the disgraced FIA official, Ahmed Riaz Sheikh,
arrested and jailed on the orders of the Supreme Court two days ago.
One of the presidents friends, Dr Qayyum Soomro, even escorted
Sheikh to Adiala Jail. According to sources close to the president, Mr
1020

Zardari was himself prepared to visit Sheikh in the police lock up if the
presidential protocol and security had not come in his way.
Sources say that the PPPs relations with Sheikh started strengthening
after he, under the supervision of Rehman Malik during their days in the
FIA, had showed matchless courage in arresting Mian Mohammad Sharif,
the father of the Sharif brothers, in a crude manner As Sheikh was shifted
to the jail, he was lodged in its hospital and not in the prisoners cell. And,
within 24-hours of Riaz Sheikhs landing in Adiala Jail his friend in
Presidency revived two FIRs lodged by Musharraf government against
diehard activists of the judicial movement.
Sajjad Haider, staff officer to Rehman Malik and a Riaz-like FIA
eagle, was unceremoniously removed for taking benefit of NRO. Umar
Cheema observed that Sajjad has gotten his due, the former secretary
interior Kamal Shah, who had Sajjad reinstated in grave violation of the
rules and his political boss who pressured Shah into doing this, remain
untouched.
Babar Awan vowed not to allow the trial of Benazirs grave. Dr Awan
seemed to have shifted focus from Tahafiz-e-Risalat to Tahafiz-e-PPPs
Shuhada. Aamer Khan of MQM-H offered olive branch to Altaf Hussain but
not to Afaq Ahmad.
On 1st April, the Attorney General while answering the questions of
the judges on the bench alleged that Law Minister was the hurdle in
implementation of NRO verdict. This led to the summoning of the law
secretary to the court who told that the letter of NAB was with him and that
has not been sent to Swiss government. The court instructed law secretary to
write letter with the approval of the government by 5th April.
Ansar Abbasi observed that the resolve of the Supreme Court seemed
to have unnerved Presidency. Zardari has unleashed local and foreign
propagandists to malign the apex court, particularly the Chief Justice.
Hussain Haqqani has succeeded in getting anti-judiciary stories published in
the US media.
Raza Rabbani presented the reforms committee report to the Speaker
of National Assembly. Gilani met Nawaz in Raiwind and asked him to allow
PML-N join his cabinet. He expected that Nawaz wont decline the offer
because all issues have now been settled amicably. ANP celebrated renaming
of NWFP.

1021

NAB team brought back documents pertaining to Swiss cases from

London. The Supreme Court took notice of LNG scam and summoned Rauf
Klasra to appear before it along with documentary evidence. Musharraf
summoned his loyalist politicians to Dubai to hold consultations for forming
a new political party. Dubai government has, reportedly, given a building for
establishment of party office.
On 2nd April, Attorney General resigned for lack of cooperation from
Law Ministry on implementation of NRO verdict. He refused to oblige the
government to resign on personal reasons. Abid Zuberi, who was directed
by the Supreme Court to assist in writing to Switzerland, declined to assist
NAB for this. Two NAB officials, A Hamid and Jehangir Khan were posted
out to Law Ministry. Swiss attorney general said the request for reopening of
cases against Zardari would be returned to Pakistan.
Constitutional reforms package was tabled in National Assembly and
Senate wherein Chaudhry Nisar were conspicuous in their absence.
Distortions caused by dictators like 17th Amendment, 58-2(b) and LFO 2002
will go with passage of the Bill. Power will shift from Presidency to Prime
Ministers House. Ansar Abbasi asked a million dollar question; will the new
king with unchecked powers deliver? As reported
by Asim Yasin and Muhammad Anis reform committees package
contains 100 recommendations to restore the 1973 Constitution. It has
recommended that Suspension and holding of the Constitution in abeyance
should be declared an act of high treason. Article 58-2(b) should be repealed.
It proposed that the President could dissolve NA when a vote of no
confidence is passed against the PM and no other enjoys the confidence of
the House.
Concurrent list should be abolished. Formation of CCI should be
revised with PM as its chairman and it must meet once in 90 days. NWFP
should be renamed as Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa. Size of the cabinets should
be restricted to eleven per cent of respective parliaments.
Education to the age of 16 should be made free and compulsory. It
proposed insertion of Article 10A to ensure a person shall be entitled to a
fair trial and due process. A bar should be imposed on Attorney General on
doing private practice. The right of access to information should be granted
without any hurdle.
There should be no restriction on the number of terms for the offices
of PM and CMs. A dismissed person on charges (almost of all kinds) should
be eligible for MP after three/five years. Rehman Malik will benefit from
1022

this amendment and so shall be PML-N leaders who were punished for
assault on the Supreme Court.
PM in consultation with the leader of the opposition should
recommend three names for appointment as chief election commissioner to a
parliamentary committee. In case the two do not agree; both should forward
three names each. Parliamentary committee, not exceeding 12 members,
should comprise 50 per cent from either side of the divide.
Chiefs of armed forces should be recommended by PM. Chairman of
federal public service commission shall be appointed by the President on the
recommendation of PM and chairmen of the provincial public service
commissions should be appointed by governors on the advice of CMs.
Proclamation of emergency in provinces should require resolution
from respective assemblies. In case President acting on his own imposes
emergency it should be referred to both houses of Parliament in ten days.
Caretaker PM should be appointed by the President in consultation with PM
and leader of the opposition and same will apply to governors in provinces.
The judges on the Supreme Court should be appointed by judicial
commission headed by the Chief Justice and comprising two senior most
judges, law minister, AG, a senior advocate of the Supreme Court and a
retired judge nominated by the Chief Justice. For appointments in High
Courts and Shariat Court the respective judicial commissions should have
similar compositions. Islamabad High Court should be revived.
Four seats, one from each province, should be allocated in the Senate
to minorities. Working days of Senate should be increased from 90 to 110. A
bill could originate in any of the two houses of the Parliament and passed
onto the other house. Bills presented in the house but not passed within 90
days of laying shall be considered in a joint sitting of Parliament.
Zardari rang up Nawaz Sharif and thanked for cooperation in
finalization of constitutional reforms and he invited him to joint session to
listen to his presidential speech. TTP sent a threat to Latif Khosa and he said
Punjab government would be responsible if something happens to him.
Rauf Klasra told the Supreme Court that ISI was approached by
aggrieved parties to intervene in $1 billion LNG scam. The Chief Justice
was satisfied with the briefing and directed Ministry of Petroleum, Shaukat
Tarin, MD Fauji Foundation and the Finance Ministry to submit their
comments and fixed April 12 for next hearing. Standing Committee of

1023

National Assembly also summoned Rauf Klasra for help in probe into the
scam.

VIEWS
One of the most talked about issues during deliberations on
constitutional amendments was provincial autonomy. On 22nd March, Asif
Ezdi wrote: The debates in the National Assembly at the time the
Constitution was being drafted also contain no record of a commitment to
abolish the concurrent list. A senior member of the committee who was
involved in the drafting of the original constitution has confirmed that this
issue did not figure in the preparatory work. We do not even know if any
such promise was made privately by ZAB. Even if it was, that was personal
commitment between individuals. It is hardly relevant to the current political
issues which must be settled by the present political leadership in the light of
the present situation.
A day after the Independence Day, Roedad Khan wrote: The
independence of Pakistan is a myth. By succumbing to American pressure,
we managed to secure a temporary reprieve. But at what price? Everyday
American aircraft violate our airspace and bomb our villages. In 2009 alone,
they killed 667 innocent men, women and children with impunity. No
questions asked. No protest. No remorse. Today Pakistan is splattered with
American fortresses, seriously compromising our internal and external
sovereignty. American security personnel stationed on our soil move in and
out of the country without any let and hindrance. Pakistan has become a
launching pad for military operations against neighbouring Muslim
countries. We have been drawn into somebody elses war without
understanding its true dimension or ultimate objectives. Nuclear Pakistan
has been turned into an American lackey, currently engaged in a proxy war
against its own people.
Parliament is one of the chief instruments of our democracy. Today, it
is cowed, timid, a virtual paralytic, over-paid and under-employed.
Parliamentary membership is the key to material success, a passport and a
licence to loot and plunder. Who says it is a check on the arbitrariness of the
executive? Nobody takes it seriously. Today it is the weakest of the three
pillars of state. It has suffered a steady diminution of power and prestige.
Its image is tarnished and has been turned into a fig-leaf for unconstitutional
and illegal practices.

1024

To no nation has fate been more malignant than to Pakistan. With

few exceptions, Pakistan has long been saddled with poor, even malevolent,
leadership: predatory kleptocrats, military dictators, political illiterates and
carpet-baggers. With all her shortcomings, Benazir Bhutto had undoubted
leadership qualities charisma, courage political acumen and articulation.
After her tragic assassination, Mr Zardaris sudden ascension to the
presidency caused panic among the people. His record since then hasnt
exactly been an exercise in the glories of Pakistans democracy.
To settle back into your cold-hearted acceptance of the status quo is
not an option. The present leadership is taking Pakistan to a perilous place.
The course they are on leads downhill. This is a delicate time, full of
trepidation. Today it is political and moral imperative for the patriotic
Pakistanis to fight for our core values, to resist foreign intervention in our
internal affairs and to destroy the roots of evil that afflicts Pakistan. That is
the best way to celebrate March 23.
On 26th March, The News commented: A NAB prosecutor has
resigned due to the pressure faced by him from the PPP government. This is
an ominous development. It indicates that the body for accountability in
our country is neither free nor fair. According to a report in this
newspaper, other members of the NAB setup have also faced similar
attempts to coerce them into making particular decisions. This is a disturbing
state of affairs. We hear that the acquittal of persons accused by NAB in
various cases is also based on their connections to those in power rather than
on their innocence. It is quite conceivable that evidence has been
deliberately concealed and courts left with no options but to free those
accused.
This of course is hardly a new phenomenon. Each body set up for the
purpose of accountability has been accused of wrongdoing along the same
lines. This is a disaster. Nations that have dealt successfully with
corruption have gained a great many benefits. Pakistan needs to find
ways to join their ranks. The only way to do so is to put in place an
accountability body that is genuinely free from government control. And this
of course is something that no government is keen on doing, for reasons we
are all aware of. But the issue of corruption has now become one that
involves national progress at many levels. The links between good
governance and development are well-established. We need to set up sound
accountability bodies that can serve the interests of their country and not just
their political masters.

1025

Zafar Hilaly wrote about resilient Zardari (excerpts only): If one

were to wager today whether he would complete his term, the odds that
he would not would probably be quite high. All that, however, is a far cry
from the odds that were on offer a short while earlier. Then, it seemed, a nobrainer. His departure was expected momentarily. There were discussions as
to how he would leave. A quick and surreptitious getaway to Dubai was the
most popular conclusion.
But we were wrong. Mr Zardari has emerged after two years battered
and bruised, no doubt, but still intact. He continues to successfully preside
over a curious revolution in the politics of Pakistan, which can perhaps best
be described as an abrupt change in misgovernment. Even as he has grown
stronger in office, things have gone from bad to worse. It is a puzzling
phenomenon and quintessentially Pakistani. Just as there is no explanation
for this paradox there are many others which are equally inexplicable.
Mr Zardari started off standing on his head and appears to have
finally landed on his feet. And it goes to his credit that he will shortly
preside over the dismantling of an amalgam of laws that had created a
constitutional dictatorship. No man elected with dictatorial powers has
divested himself of such powers quite as completely and rapidly as Mr
Zardari will have done (although some argue that he had no option) while
retaining office.
The question often asked is, what next? And the answer to that
depends on another question. Can Mr Zardari, who will shortly be hardpressed to grant an extension to his cook (if he is a government employee),
be able to exercise power over himself? Will he be content to become an
empty suit and open flower shows? Or will he try to seek power where it
now rests with the prime minister?
In these two years Mr Zardari should have come to some definite
conclusions. Hopefully, he would have recognized that governance is not his
forte. Moreover, his judgment and ability to make important decisions on
imperfect knowledge in a limited amount of time--the art of politics, so to
speak--is not up to the mark. Besides, he has all the qualities which create
bad publicity. In any case, administrative ability and the management of men
are not skills that can be learnt on the job. Charisma too, of which he is
sorely deficient, cannot be acquired. Nor is Mr Zardari a gifted speaker. And,
while it is true that of the present crop of Pakistani leaders all suffer from
similar deficiencies and, in the case of some, in even greater measure than

1026

Mr Zardari, that is small consolation and not enough reason to seek public
office.
Mr Zardari would be better advised to trade power for influence.
He has a party to run and the party is, frankly, badly rundown. Besides it is
no longer the Presidency where power resides but rather in grooming and
choosing the next crop of party candidates for future elections. Another
reason is that the PPP happens to be the only national party left in Pakistan.
A heavy defeat for the party in the other provinces, excluding, of course,
Sindh, would rob the party of its national complexion, and the federation of
an important, nay, crucial, binding force. And that would be a far greater loss
to all of us than his decision not to hang on as a figure head president.
Ameer Bhutto commented on governments petition filed for review
of verdict on NRO Excerpts only). On March 22 the government filed a
revised review petition in the Supreme Court against the NRO ruling. It is
moved on the premise that the government was denied the chance to be
heard, which is not true as the government voluntarily waived its right to
present a defence. It is contended in this petition that the NRO allowed for
the restoration of democracy and national reconciliation, allowing the exiled
leaders of main parties to return and contest elections. It also argues that the
NRO was responsible for the removal of a military dictator.
Democracy, meant to be the revenge for the murder of Benazir
Bhutto, has turned into revenge against the hapless nation which the
people can no longer suffer. As for reconciliation, it was only between the
erstwhile prosecutor (Musharraf) and the prosecuted (corrupt politicians)
under the tutelage of their mutual foreign masters. The nation never entered
into the equation, but the NRO facilitated the return from exile of the PPP
leaders
The petition purports that the nation as a whole has benefited
from the NRO. Pakistan has paid a very heavy price for the return to power
under the NRO of such elements that should have been barred from politics
rather than be unleashed on the nation again. Since this government took
over, prices of basic essential commodities have skyrocketed. The nation has
faced crippling shortages of water, power, sugar and flour. This coupled with
rising unemployment and lack of opportunity has pushed many into the
abyss of desperation, leaving them no option but to sell their children in
open markets or commit suicide. According to a recent PCRWR report, 84
per cent of the people in this country are drinking contaminated water unfit

1027

for human consumption. Violent crime has dramatically increased and the
common man is unsafe even behind locked doors.
It is further contended in the petition that, in ordering the reopening
of the Swiss cases, the Supreme Court failed to take cognizance of the order
of the public prosecutor of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, dated 25
August 2008, in which he ordered the closure of the proceeding not due
to the attorney general's letter but on the merits of the case. This is not
so. The Swiss Prosecutor General, Daniel Zapelli, is quoted in New York
Times (27 August, 2008) as saying, For money laundering to be proven,
you have to show it was the product of a crime. But since Pakistan's
attorney general made it clear in his letter that Pakistan no longer wished to
prosecute Zardari, Mr Zapelli went on to add that we don't have any
evidence for a crime committed in Pakistan. That can hardly be called an
innocent verdict. Daniel Devaud, the Swiss judge who initially investigated
the money-laundering allegations, was shocked at the termination of the
proceedings, saying that the withdrawal of the cases should not be
interpreted as a sign of Zardari's innocence. He said: It would be very
difficult to say that there is nothing in the files that shows that there was
possibly corruption going on after what I have seen in there. After I heard
what the general prosecutor said, I have the feeling we are talking about two
different cases.
It is prayed in the petition that the NRO ruling be set aside because
it adversely affects the supremacy of parliament. Firstly, parliament in a
federal system with a written constitution cannot be supreme. Secondly,
there is nothing in the NRO verdict that can be perceived to be an
infringement on parliament's legislative authority. A grievous wrong was
perpetrated against the nation in the form of the NRO and the Supreme
Court simply sought to undo it and the illegal consequences arising from it
that some benefited from.
Instead of buying some time by filing review petitions or hiding
behind an immunity that is as unethical as the NRO itself, the NRO
beneficiaries would do well to accept the apex court's ruling as a death
knell and call it a day. But, of course, they will not.
The people will have to rise and save the country from an
unimaginable fate. Change can come through a number of ways but only
change brought about by the people is morally appealing and durable. Even
though a cloud of complacency sits over the nation at present, things can
change very quickly. In 18th century France, aristocrats used to hunt poor

1028

peasants with their dogs. More recently, the Shah of Iran seemed unshakable
with firm US backing. But a sudden awakening of the masses changed the
course of history in both instances almost overnight. If ideology and
principles fail to move us, then maybe hunger will. All the lofty ideological
revolutionary rhetoric notwithstanding, has hunger not been the primary
driving impetus behind revolutions in history?
Next day, Babar Sattar commented: While there are no quick fixes
for the multifarious problems afflicting us, it doesn't take a rocket-scientist
to identify the direction of desirable reform. Let us start with the three
major fault lines that bedevil our polity and inspire fear, hate and
violence: our civil-military imbalance; the center-province divide; and the
conservative-liberal disconnect.
If Pakistan is to be a stable sustainable democracy, the army chief
simply cannot continue to be the most powerful individual in the country.
Notwithstanding scandals of corruption and the low esteem in which our
khakis hold our politicos, the principles of democracy and constitutionalism
require that our generals must be completely accountable to us through our
elected representatives. The prerequisites for readjusting the distorted
balance between civilian and military institutions in Pakistan include an end
to the army's monopoly over Pakistan's national security discourse, and
rationalization of its commercial interests and jealously guarded control of
vast public resources including land. Pakistan's transformation to a welfare
state will not begin so long as the contours of national security and national
interest are defined exclusively by khakis.
If Pakistan was envisioned as a union of Muslim majority provinces
and is described as a federation under the Constitution, the federating units
must be afforded necessary freedom and autonomy. Will this reduce the
ability of the center to control the provinces and what they do within their
boundaries? Will reorganization of the concurrent list cut the federal
government to size? Absolutely. Is that not what the concept of a federation
is fundamentally about? Must we continue to nurture the paternalism
inherited from our colonial masters and predict doom if heaven forbid the
provinces become the masters of their fortune?
And if Pakistan is to emerge as a peaceful and tolerant Muslim state
do we not urgently need to disband the self-appointed guardians of
morality and religion who believe they have a monopoly over the
understanding of God's scriptures and the right to impose their will on
others? Can our parliament really emerge as the bedrock of democracy

1029

unless the primary focus of MPs shifts from dispensing patronage to writing
laws? Can the chief justice single-handedly defend the constitutional rights
of each citizen, notwithstanding the number of suo moto actions he takes
each day, if district courts remain in the state of disarray that they presently
are? And can any government convert a predatory state into one focused on
citizen welfare when budgetary allocations for education and public health
remain miniscule and PSDP is the expense of choice to get slashed in face of
any deficit?
As a state and a society we need to give up our obsession with
control and get comfortable with difference of opinion and dissent. We need
to build the foundations of a peaceable society on an education system that
engenders tolerance and a justice system that defends the constitutionally
guaranteed rights and choices of each citizen. But none of this will come
about so long as we await a messiah to come along and rescue us from
evildoers. Citizens will have to take responsibility for auditing the
performance of state and political institutions and actors even outside the
formal representative processes. The hope for change primarily springs from
the unwillingness of Pakistan's youth (that forms a majority of our
population) to squander and sacrifice its future to the corrupt and bigoted
social and political ethos that our older generation has grown comfortable
with. And it is citizen movements such as Aman Ittehad that have the
potential to become agents of change.
S Khalid Husain took on Nawaz Sharif. Why did Nawaz Sharif, after
everything was agreed, and all seemed honky dory, spill the cup brought so
near his lips by the Raza Rabbani committee on its constitutional reforms
proposals is something no one, not even Nawaz Sharif himself, can
logically explain.
As always happens in such strange goings-on, speculations take over.
So they have in this case, and however farfetched some may appear, in the
game of Pakistan politics, nothing can be ruled out. Some of the
speculations, entirely credible judging from the track record of those
involved, are:
Nawaz Sharif would rather have President Zardari with his present
powers, so would Zardari prefer to remain, than an all powerful Prime
Minister Zardari, which Zardari would most likely become if the 17 th
Amendment is scrapped. In a last-minute deal between the two, the
change of the governor of Punjab was thrown in as a bonus for the
PML-N.
1030

 Nawaz Sharif is running scared because of the recent positive

happenings for the PPP, such as Gilgit-Baltistan as a new province,
the Balochistan package, the financial accord between the provinces
and positive signals from the US of on-going Strategic Dialogue,
and he did not wish to add more feathers to the PPP cap.
Nawaz Sharif, who is smarting from the highly adverse impact of his
party's energy theft for his public meeting, and Shahbaz Sharif
pleading with the Taliban, acted impulsively in a bid to deny the glory
of constitutional reforms to the PPP. He did not, as a habit, think of
the blowback consequences to his party.
Nawaz Sharif is seriously concerned about the PPP's manoeuvring in
all possible ways to gain a measure of control over the judiciary. He
will negotiate to support the constitutional reforms against the PPP
backing off its hidebound doggedness to subdue the judiciary. And the
speculations go on.
The News also saw shades of grey in this context. It is hard at the
moment to fathom quite what Mian Nawaz Sharif is up to. There is so much
grey in the picture that it has become hard to distinguish black from
white. But the PML-N chiefs last-minute announcement whatever the
motives behind it has certainly acted to dampen spirits and hold up a
package of constitutional reforms that could have put us in stride towards a
brighter future. Most of us are quite bitterly disappointed. Indeed, even
within the PML-N there was an element of surprise and perhaps disquiet
over what happened. Sharifs call for consensus made little sense given the
mode for the appointment of judges was one agreed to by his party with the
PPP at the time they signed the Charter of Democracy. This of course is a
document that Sharif has repeatedly and vociferously demanded should be
implemented at all costs. It is true that differences continue to exist on the
matter of a new name for NWFP, with the PML-N and the ANP not seeing
eye to eye. But of this divide in opinion we had known for weeks. Nothing
had occurred to alter the scenario.
Why then the last-minute stalling? Are we seeing a case of the
opposition playing its traditional role and acting to ensure that the
government cannot succeed in what would have been a historically
important achievement? Or is there something more sinister afoot? There is
really no way of saying where the truth lies. But as things stand, we, as
citizens, have been denied a change that could have helped correct some of
the ills that have gradually crept into our political system and so badly
1031

distorted it. The passage of the 18th Amendment would have reduced the
president once more to the ceremonial role he should play in a parliamentary
system. This measure alone would go a long way in clearing up the distrust
and suspicion that currently mar our politics.
We must hope matters can be sorted out and the joint session of
parliament, which had been scheduled for Friday according to media reports,
rescheduled for a later date. The situation we have at present will only add to
the tensions in the air. This is bad for our nation. For once, its interests need
to be put ahead of everything else. Our politicians regardless of their
affiliations must accept it as vital that they sacrifice their own interests for
the sake of Pakistan. It is now in too precarious a state to withstand too
much game-playing. What must be considered by all the parties is whether
the proposed package of constitutional reforms can benefit the country. If it
can, this is sufficient reason for parliament to pass the bill. Nothing else
should stand in the way of this and no intervention permitted.
The newspaper also wrote about three MPAs who resigned after
having been caught with fake degrees. The issue of requirement of a degree
in order to sit in the assembly is also one that has come up before. It appears
in many ways to go against all the natural laws of democracy particularly
in a country where nearly 50 per cent of people remain illiterate or almost so
and as such is an issue that needs to be resolved after a debate in
parliament. There is no firm evidence that the educational requirement for
MNAs imposed by General Musharraf has in any way acted to raise the
standard of debate or discussion. Indeed, what we need more than
education is the raising of ethical standards within our assemblies.
The three men now ousted from the assemblies violated basic rules of
election. In doing so, they set a terrible example. The claim of one MNA that
he had quit merely to change parties is impossible to believe. The fact that
the other two representatives claimed to hold 'degrees' from religious centres
also once more raises the issue of accepting these as being equivalent to
certificates awarded by institutions of higher learning. This single step in
itself has paved the way for fraud and deceit of all kinds.
It is important that our representatives set the right precedents. The
declining ethical standards in our country have had a quite disastrous
impact on many aspects of life. It is also alarming to see how far standards
have slipped. Those who knew Pakistan in its earlier decades of existence
report far better practices at work; in business, in the educational sector and
in other spheres of life. Our parliamentarians need to play some part in

1032

restoring such norms of honesty. This alone can play a huge part in
introducing the reform we need. It is possible that other such people sitting
in the assemblies have not been caught. Perhaps they should consider
quitting voluntarily, saving themselves the embarrassment faced by their
peers and setting an example for others everywhere to follow.
Anjum Niaz talked about Chinese scanners. Interior Minister
Rehman Malik had earlier denied any commission or kickback in the
scanners deal. I have warned the dealing agents from both sides Pakistan
and China that severe action will be taken if any individual or company
was found involved in such illegal activity, he is reported as having said.
Well now, the cat is out of the bag and someone was about to walk away
with a cool $12 million plus as kickbacks. Who is that someone? While it's
not rocket science to name those involved, the prime minister pretends he
does not know. So, he has appointed his three musketeers for the voyage of
discovery. They are 'Dr' Babar Awan, Amin Fahim and Dr Hafeez Sheikh.
What special qualifications do Messrs Awan and Fahim hold in the field of
forensic finance? Will they be able to follow the money trail and more
tellingly name the villains?
On 28th March, The News wrote: The PML-Ns stance now means it
is likely that we will have a two-barreled name for the province. There is of
course nothing fundamentally wrong with this. We will all, in time, learn to
live with the province of Pakhtunkhwa-Khyber, or Pakhtunkhwa-Abaseen,
the two names that now seem most likely to be chosen from. But there is a
question: in the democratic times we live in, wouldnt it have been a good
idea to give the people of NWFP a say in the matter? A referendum
would not have been difficult to organize. For now, we must hope the
matter is indeed amicably resolved. There are after all many more pressing
issues to focus on. The PML-N says it has raised the issue of recognition for
the diverse groups living within NWFP. This is not enough. We must go
beyond the issue of mere names to doing more to acknowledge and protect
the rights of these people.
Aasim Sajjad Akhtar opined: The PML-Ns banter about superior
judges and judicial commissions does not even begin to scratch the surface
of what is required to actually make the judicial system accessible and
guarantor of justice. Again the PML-N is not alone in being relatively
unconcerned with the broader structural questions One might argue that,
to some extent, the present constitutional amendments, whatever their final
form, will mark some progress for our hapless democracy. Even if this is
true, much more is required. Rather than pontificate about the Nawaz Sharifs
1033

and Asif Zardaris of the world, or sit around and watch the Pentagon and
GHQ run circles around us, we need visionaries to step up to the plate. We
need to broaden our horizons.
Gibran Peshimam commented: There is absolutely no other reason
for the N to have done what they have. The renaming of the NWFP that
they have brought up at the eleventh hour is an issue that could have
been resolved earlier. The reservation on the appointment of judges comes
after their point of view on the issue had already been incorporated. It hurts
the politically and unnecessarily. Unless, of course, they have some
guarantees of their own. They have been used in a Hitchcock-style
agonizingly late twist in the tale. It makes no sense otherwise.
It remains to be seen whether his ambush on the constitutional
package will be irreparable; if this is indeed the final step of a complete
siege. For the sake of political progress, of democracy, one hopes not. Surely
the process has come too far to be stymied now. They say a leopard never
changes its spots. I agree. Nor does a tiger change its stripes.
Somayya Athar from Peshawar wrote: Changing the name of
NWFP is not enough. The provincial government has focused only on
this issue for two years. The ANP should concentrate on other issues like
terrorism, economy, water, education, electricity and poverty as well, rather
than wasting time on irrelevant matters.
On 30th March, Rahimullah Yusufzai wrote: Ignoring the aspirations
of the Pakhtun people (15.42 per cent), who form the second-largest ethnic
group in Pakistan after Punjabis (44.15 per cent) and refusing to provide
them an identity in the renaming of their province, would be both
undemocratic and unjust.
Mosharraf Zaidi observed: With the most significant constitutional
change anticipated in decades, the Noon League has gone ahead and
undermined the last, and most significant pillar of its political strength in the
country. It has built its entire politics since March 2009 around restoring the
Constitution to a form that reflects its origins, and conforms to the Charter of
Democracy. Instead of seizing the opportunity to remove the militarys
fingerprints from Pakistans constitution, it has handed a massive
victory to those very fingerprints.
As per pattern of course, it has done so in the most ugly and
politically damaging way. One of its problems is the name of the NWFP
province. By opposing the ANPS proposal it claims it is standing for
speakers of the Hindko and Potowari languages. Can speakers of Brohi,
1034

Seraiki and Urdu as their first languages also expect this kind of moral
probity from the PML-N for their languages? Of course not.
Over ten years ago, Nawaz Sharif was wrongly ejected from power.
An over-centralization of decision-making and a habit of not listening to
dissent within and outside his party made his government in 1999 immune to
change. So much has happened since October 1999, but perhaps, to
Pakistans great misfortune, very little has happened in Raiwind. The Nawaz
Sharif League it seems is still, immune to change.
Naeem Sadiq wrote about fake education qualifications of the
members of the Parliament. The government departments and the Election
Commission have chosen the path of least resistance and opted to look the
other way. While Article 62 of the Constitution stipulates many subjective,
difficult-to-verify moral and religious requirements, the least we must do is
to verify what is obvious, objective and easy.
One hopes that the Supreme Court will move beyond the polite stepdown options for fake degree holders and go for the root cause the
ineffective Election Commission. Shouldnt the Election Commission itself
be held accountable for failing to verify the bona fides of these unethical
individuals?
The News commented on corruption through award of LPG contract
to highest bidder. The story in this publication about a scam by the
petroleum ministry which cost the nation a staggering $1 billion is enough to
cause many hearts to sink. Those of us and the number of such citizens
runs into millions who genuinely feel for this nation and its plight can only
wonder at the mindset of those who think nothing of stealing away even the
dwindling assets this country still has and leaving its people even more
deprived than they already are. But beyond corruption, the story of how a
lucrative contract for Liquefied Natural Gas was awarded to the highest
bidder, a French firm, rather than the lowest, the Fauji Foundation and a
reputable multinational who had bid jointly says something too about the
working of our system. Mr Shaukat Tarin, the finance minister at the time,
has said the lower bid in fact never appeared before the Economic
Coordination Council (ECC) when it made its decision. Surely some
mechanism should be in place to ensure all bids reach the right quarters and
are not suppressed. Tarin apparently learnt of the Fauji Foundation bid
only when he received a call from the head of the organization. By then
it was too late to act.

1035

As things now stand, the matter is before the federal cabinet. The
petroleum minister claims the rejected lower bid was 'unsuitable'. We
need experts to tell us how true this is. But the fact is that the reputation of
the sitting government, as far as foul play goes, is so bad that all rumours
and insinuations will stick. There are many who believe rampant corruption
will be a key factor in undermining democracy as indeed has been the case
in the past. For the country this is a tragedy. The belief that those in
government are lining their pockets through shady deals angers people and
adds to the distrust that has created a yawning chasm between the people and
their political leaders. Now that the affair is out in the open, the government
needs to act. The cabinet must examine the facts before it and do so in an
open and transparent way. Anybody found guilty must be penalized under
the relevant law. It is important to set examples. In Islamabad, rumours float
of all kinds of other scandals. Even the power crisis is linked to a desire to
make money. Once perceptions are created they are hard to wipe away. But
it is also true that smoke rarely exists when there is no fire. It is vital to
douse the flames if there is to be any hope of cleaning up the atmosphere.
Next day, the News wrote on court proceedings against one of the
NRO beneficiaries. Like a dragon unleashed, the Supreme Court is
breathing fire. It has quite evidently lost all patience with the constant
foot-dragging by the executive on the NRO and the blatant flouting of the
apex court verdict. The promotion of Ahmed Riaz Sheikh, a man convicted
in 2001 and removed from service in 2002 as FIA's additional director
general, even after the NRO was declared null and void, appeared to be the
action that particularly infuriated the court. Certainly it demonstrated total
disrespect for the verdict. Sheikh had previously been among those
reinstated under the terms of the NRO. As a result of their failure to offer a
satisfactory reply to the six-member bench, which had made it clear it was in
no mood to be trifled with, the chairman and the acting chairman of NAB
were warned that they would be sent behind bars for failing in their duty to
comply with the orders of the court. Notices requiring their compliance had
been issued to them the previous day; and the failure to comply constituted
contempt of court. Eventually, with the threat of incarceration hanging over
them, the court gave the chairman and the acting chairman of NAB twentyfour hours to comply. The chief justice pointed out to the NAB chairman
that he had already had 80 days to comply with the ruling but instead had
chosen to go on leave something the bench clearly took a dim view of.
The Supreme Court is determined to ensure that its orders are
implemented, and this is indeed what it must do. It has asked pointed
1036

questions why the Swiss millions remain un-recovered or what guarantees

there are that the documents pertaining to the cases will not be tampered
with. As to the issue of presidential immunity, the bench has suggested the
court could sort out any confusion on this count. These words alone should
cause some tremors within the presidential palace. The message from the
court is quite clear. No one is above the law. There is anger that the
executive appears to consider itself above court orders and the strong signal
sent out by the court makes it clear that this is unacceptable. A further
indication of the determination of the court to see the rule of law ascendant
was the sight of Ahmed Riaz Sheikh leaving the court flanked by police
officers, loaded into the back of a police truck and taken away, back to the
prison he thought he had cheated courtesy of the NRO.
What will happen next? The political temperature in the country has
been rising consistently for some time now. It is hard to believe that the
boiling point will not be reached soon. The clash between institutions that
we had hoped had been fended off or at least deferred looms ever closer.
There is in this an inherent danger for the whole country. What we see today
is the outcome of stubbornness and sheer folly. In any democracy, the law
applies with equal force to everyone. The attempt by some individuals to
flout it in order to retain their own hold on power has inflicted terrible
damage. The fact is that to have any kind of working system, respect for the
law is paramount. This is a basic principle. Interfering with judicial working
to avoid this simply aggravates matters. The Supreme Court is clearly
determined to drive home its message. It is to be seen now if the message is
taken heed of at the places that matter before a still graver situation engulfs
us all.
Anjum Niaz commented on shortage of energy. How many more
summers of discontent are we to bear? Our rulers have no conscience.
Power-cuts don't affect them. Because they don't have power-cuts! The
presidency, the PM House, the National Assembly, the MNA hostel, the
Diplomatic Enclave, the ministers, judges and generals colonies, and the
Embassy Road (did I miss anyone?) are exempt from load shedding.
Additionally, giant generators keep the gaudiness of their chandeliers going
and their cooling uninterrupted. So why should they care? Let the citizenry
go to hell.
The inhabitants of these hallowed homes are the Capital's Brahmins.
The rest of us are the shudras or the untouchables. Our rulers have put a
curse on us: to live in the perpetual Stone Age. It's about time we put a
curse on our rulers.
1037

Anywhere else in the world, had the citizens suffered long power
outages for 27 non-stop months, the government of that country would have
fallen. But not in Pakistan. We are an odd bunch: the rulers and the ruled.
While the rulers are made of skins as thick and impenetrable as an elephant's
and hearts made of rocks, the ruled are endowed with the limitless
patience of Job, the biblical figure who took his sufferings stoically,
telling himself this too shall pass.'
But don't count on the citizens' patience. It has to run out. So
what's the answer? Hold mass prayers every Friday asking the Almighty to
rid us of our corrupt rulers? Hold peaceful protests everyday in different
parts of Pakistan showing placards saying 'In the name of God, do
something!'? Mobilize civil society to come under one umbrella for the
restoration of power, as it did for the restoration of the judiciary? Appeal to
America to give us power, not arms?
The man who can save us from eternal darkness (now don't roll your
eyes and raise your brows, all you armchair pundits) is Army Chief General
Ashfaq Pervez Kayani: I told Senator John Kerry and Senator Richard Lugar
that in order to make sure that Pakistan's economy and energy needs are met,
we are willing to forgo the military equipment that we have asked for, he
told Pakistani reporters at the end of the strategic dialogue in Washington
Three cheers for General Kayani! Can the Americans step up to the
plate and send us the promised $125 million for energy, urgently? But who
will manage the cash once it comes into our central bank? Who will ensure
that power generation is distributed equally and fairly across Pakistan? Will
it be left to the army chief to monitor? Our rulers can't be relied upon for
transparency. A scam a day appears in the media involving cabinet members
and others close to the presidency entangled in graft and bribery
Anjum went on mention a few; i.e. LNG scandal, Rental Power Plant,
IPP ETC. She then added: The joke going around town is the sale of curses
available in the market for people to relieve their anger. How else to vent
one's frustration against our rulers who are shamelessly enriching
themselves at the expense of the masses? You want to abuse and curse
Musharraf, Shaukat Aziz and the present gang of thieves for our torture that
gets unbearable with the heat of summer staring us. The blackouts have
turned this country into Sub-Saharan Africa.
As a friendly warning to the ministers for water and power and
petroleum, while their president and prime minister may forgive them for
their omissions and commissions, the people of Pakistan will not. I'm not a
1038

scaremonger, but the power of a curse can be lethal. When it's collective
and comes out of 170 million lips, day and night, imagine its intensity to
hurt. For the powerless (a double entendre) this is the only weapon available
to them. Dair hai, andhar nahien (there may be a delay in the Court of the
Creator, but never injustice).
Imran Khan keeps promising us that he will organize protests against
power-cuts. When will that happen? As for Mian Nawaz Sharif and his
sweaty henchmen, (did you notice them finishing a box of tissues wiping
their sweat at a press conference?) they too must act if they want to avoid the
heat. Their dithering and whiffing is dangerous. If they don't move now, it
may be too late.
We don't want a revolution-like scenario playing out on the
streets. But when the oppression becomes unbearable, mob hysteria
breaks out and mayhem follows. We don't want that. What we want instead
is an organized protest as a means of creating awareness among the people
that it is possible and worthwhile to demand change. For that we need
leadership that can act as the catalyst.
Ameer Bhutto opined: By and large, the 18th Amendment package
prepared by the PCCR is a good body of work. Musharrafs laws must be
repealed forthwith. On this, unwavering consensus exists. There is no need
to scrap the whole package just because a difference of opinion has reared its
head on a few points. If further discussion and debate is needed on the
formula for the judicial appointments and renaming the NWFP, then there
should be no loss of face in returning to the negotiating table. But to make
consensus on these issues a prerequisite for the repeal of the 17th
Amendment and Article 58-(2)(B) is totally unnecessary and absurd. The
government must present those recommendations of the PCCR on which
consensus exists in the form of the 18th Amendment while continuing
work on the remaining recommendations.
Dr AA Khan and Dr SB Khan from London wrote about fake
education certificates. A 29-year-old British woman, Rihannon Mackay,
falsely included A level in her CV and got a job in the Plymouth Hospital.
The hospital examined her CV and discovered that she had lied about her A
level and took her to court. Ms Mackay was jailed for six months and got
a bad record for life. This happened only three days ago.
We have dozens of unethical liars who are MNAs, MPAs and senior
members of the cabinet. One of them has even been awarded an honourable
award. Something is grossly wrong with our society. Have we lost sense of
1039

honour, respect and dignity? It is the responsibility of parents, religious

leaders and teachers to instill morality and principles in a child. But it is
quite evident that we have completely lost our way and do not even realize
that we are doing anything wrong.
Abdul Rauf from Fateh Jang observed: This has become almost a
routine that a legislator is disqualified after found guilty of holding a false
degree. I believe this should be taken as a crime and a proper FIR should be
registered against the disqualified person. Millions are spent on byelections which should be recovered from the fraudster. At the same time
the political party concerned should be fined heavily for not bothering to
check the candidates credentials at the time of the general election.
Abid Mahmud Ansari from Islamabad commented: In a reportit
was alleged that as many as 10 Pakistani politicians were holding dubious
degrees. On top of the list were the names of the President of Pakistan and
the minister for law and justice. Now the question arises: how should we
deal with such persons, as they lack moral courage and will not step down
themselves? The only solution seems to be in snubbing these despicable
liars publicly.
On first April, The News commented on immunity issue. The issue of
presidential immunity has surfaced again. The Supreme Court appears to
have made it clear that the matter is not as cut and dried as the
presidency would have us believe, and that it will, in the final analysis, be
decided by the court. There are, after all, many ways of interpreting law and
in doing so broader principles sometimes hold sway over specific clauses.
One principle we can all agree on is the need to mete out justice evenly and
fairly, and ensure that no one in the state is completely above the law. This
of course is what all or almost all citizens seek. The matter of immunity
coincides with key developments on other fronts. The flurry of action we
have seen in the past few days, with key officials facing jail and an
ultimatum given to NAB, changes the tint of the glasses through which we
have been looking at matters. And the Swiss may be looking through a
different set of glasses. Late on Wednesday evening the Swiss ProsecutorGeneral Daniel Zappelli stated that President Zardari as a head of state
enjoyed immunity from prosecution and that anyway the Swiss had not,
contrary to statements by NAB, received a request from Pakistan to reopen
the case. Matters will doubtless clarify in coming days.
All this comes against a distinct background. The fact of the matter is
that people, more than anything else, seek good and competent governance.

1040

They have seen little of this over the past two years. It is quite true the PPP
cannot entirely be blamed for all that has gone wrong; much of the chaos is a
legacy of the Musharraf years. But then it is also correct to say that little has
been done to amend this. The general impression is one of indifference on
the part of leaders to the steadily worsening plight of the people. Citizens
attribute this to the focus on making money rather than offering leadership.
This too is the reason why the judges, who have attempted to amend the
situation, appear as heroes. The situation is not an unprecedented one. We
have, sadly, seen similar ones in the past. Corruption is not an unfamiliar
scourge. But it is one many would like to confront head-on. The case of the
president and the immunity extended to him, without doubt, has legal
complexities. There is division among experts on the matter. But there is
also no doubt that sorting it out would help clarify matters as they stand and
also give a voice to people who demand justice and understand that this is
linked to much that they seek in terms of an improvement in their quality of
life.
Ansar Abbasi commented: The war between crime and justice has
intensified. The Supreme Court that rose in the wake of popular struggle is
fearlessly busy in demolishing powerful idols, whereas those with some
clout in the government are endeavouring not only to save them but also to
glorify them as heroes. The government has emerged as the biggest hurdle in
the way of justice. The accused, counsels and prosecution have all joined
hands to weaken the judge and make him toothless. Efforts are afoot to
murder justice and courts are made the butt of criticism.
The only crime of the Supreme Court is that it is determined to
bring to book every criminal regardless of his position, connections and
his office. It beats ones imagination that when a corrupt officer like Ahmad
Riaz Sheikh is sent behind the bars, PPP leaders start issuing anti-judiciary
statements. Nobody bothers to ask how a corrupt person who earned
notoriety because of his corruption could be laundered of all his black deeds
through the NRO. Not only that he was reinstated, and too within one year,
he was given promotion from BS-18 to BS-20 and made in-charge of a very
important department the Economic Crime Wing.
To elevate such a person as head of a department meant for
eradicating corruption was a hoax played on the people of Pakistan
Now when the Supreme Court has ordered to handcuff him, restored his
sentence and ordered that he be sent to jail, a hue and cry has been raised. A
particular class has become nervous when the SC is asking the powerful
secretaries as well as the NAB chairman as to why they were defying the
1041

apex courts orders instead of implementing the same, and as to why they
should not be sent behind the bars for the same. Now voices are being raised
against such treatment against senior and big officers.
Perhaps, we do not like to come out of the pit of mental
degradation where only the weak and voiceless people can be punished
and there was no concept of bringing the rich, the powerful, the big
bureaucrats, and rulers in the dock. Now when the winds of change have
started blowing and we are witnessing the birth of a new Pakistan, this class
has started screaming. Previously, one felt shame on being punished for
corruption, but after restoration of his punishment by the Supreme Court,
Ahmad Riaz Sheikh was seen saluting the media, making victory signs. One
felt as if he had won some laurels in the court.
On his way to jail from the police station, the criminal said that he
was with Asif Ali Zardari yesterday, and he was still with him today. This
statement alone was sufficient for proceeding against a government official.
One is at a loss to know what was special in this official that three advisers
of the Presidency Fauzia Habib, Rukhsana Bangash, and Farahnaz
rushed to the police station to meet him.
Similar attitude is being shown in case of resignation of PPP
MNA Jamshed Dasti. An influential minister of the incumbent government
said the Supreme Court was unjust to Dasti. When asked whether it too was
unjust that our political leaders, who should be our role models, should
return to assemblies on the basis of fraud? The minister had the cheek to say
that the court should not have insulted the MNA and he should not have
been told either to resign or to go to jail. I was at a loss to know why the
minister was oblivious of the insult the said MNA had meted out to the
people. He had ignored the lie on the basis of which he had sat in the
National Assembly.
The Supreme Court reprimanded the NAB on another fraud and
directed it to take disciplinary action against the prosecutors who, with their
silence, helped some NRO beneficiary big guns to be acquitted from
accountability courts. It is a mockery of justice that a counsel appearing
against the accused should be subordinate to him. When the NAB works
under the government and the Law Ministry, how can it speak against the
accused who are part of the government? We have been clamouring since
long that as long as the NAB prosecutors are under the thumb of the
government, courts will continue to be cheated and the murder of justice
cannot stop.

1042

Forget me; forget the Jang Group because we are prejudiced in the
eyes of the government. Just read the Dawn of Wednesday in which it has
been reported that the NAB did not oppose the appeal for acquittal of Siraj
Shamsuddin, former principal secretary of PM Gilani, and the court
acquitted him. Reporting about the acquittal of Agha Sirajud Din, Sindh
Minister for Local Bodies who happens to be very close to President Zardari,
the paper writes that NAB prosecutor submitted in the court that he had no
proof against Agha Sirajuddin and this led to his acquittal. The same paper
writes in the same news that Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Principal
Secretary to the President Suleman Faruqui, his brother and ex Chairman
Pakistan Steel Usman Farooqi and Agha Siraj Durrani are among those who
were acquitted because of silence of NAB. A few days ago, in response to
my question, the NAB told me that they were not going to appeal in higher
courts against any of these acquittals of influential persons and those close to
President Zardari. The Supreme Court ordered the NAB on Wednesday
that appeals should be filed in these cases too.
This is going to cause hue and cry. However, all were mum at that
time; the NAB was mum; and criminals were being acquitted. This class of
people wants the return of Dogar era when all the big guns, capitalists,
bureaucrats, ministers, and rulers were safe, all their crimes notwithstanding.
The courts even paid them respect. But now a change has come to Pakistan
and we must learn to live in a changed country.
Amar Jaleel talked of political leadership with which Pakistanis have
been blessed. Chronological happenings in ones life are not recorded on a
videotape. You cant rewind it, review it again, and delete the unpleasant
events you do not like. You can regret what you ought not to have done. But
you cant get rid of your past. It haunts you for the rest of your life. This is
how Providence ordains the span between our arrival and departure from the
world. We live and die between our deeds and misdeeds, omissions and
commissions, and vices and virtues.
Prior to his becoming president, Asif Zardari was not a popular
person in Pakistan. Political analysts hold him responsible for Benazir
Bhuttos two-time exits from the Prime Ministers House. His
unaccounted-for fabulous wealth has contributed to his infamy. After
burying his wife he promptly took stock of the political situation in
Pakistan.
With an invisible wand he won over his former enemies. He
mesmerized politicians like Altaf Hussain, Asfandyar Wali and Nawaz

1043

Sharif. His philosophy of good governance is simple: eliminate the

opposition. He buys his adversaries with ministerial postings, advisory
consultancies, ministries of state, lucrative postings, fabulous increases in
pay, allowances and fringe benefits, allotments, and swollen purses.
He has literally purchased the entire opposition in Pakistan. What he
unfortunately doesnt know is the Sufi view about his dubious philosophy:
One who believes he can buy anything and anybody happens to be a
vulnerable commodity for sale.
Kamila Hyat wrote about Nawaz Sharif. The fact is that, within an
hour, Nawaz Sharif, whose popularity has risen to coincide with the slide of
the PPPs, has plummeted steeply downwards in terms of public standing.
People exited by the prospect of major constitutional amendments that
would have gone a long way towards setting straight a document that had
lost all balance as a result of the ceaseless tampering with its contents are
angry with the PML-N. President Zardari, who for now retains his powers, is
no doubt pleased. The PPP has emerged as the hero in this latest chapter,
even if the prime ministers denials that there is any misunderstanding at all
are a little unconvincing.
Fasi Zaka talked of blackmailers from Peshawar. The macho chestbeating of the ANPs Ghulam Ahmed Bilours over the issue of
Pakhtunkhwa that they may choose the Bengali model evokes some of the
unarticulated and historical fears about why the rest of the country may
want the name change. But its rich posturing from a man whose partys
leader fled his hometown to avoid dealing with the Taliban, leaving the
residents defenceless, or from a party happy to let the Taliban have Swat so
they could keep their heads in the sand. Talk is cheap, but sadly it can be
incendiary.
My own preference would have been, on an ideological basis, that
the Pakhtuns give up their demands to accommodate a minority in a
show of inner federal behaviour, demonstrating that they would not do
what the centre has historically done to the smaller provinces, and in this
case not to do to a smaller ethnic group inside the province what has
historically been done to them. Sadly that wont happen in Pakistan, at least
now.
Mahabat Khan Bangash fro Peshawar wrote; Why did the ANP
leadership issue such an offensive statement when the party claims to be a
champion of democracy and non-violence under its manifesto? Mr Bilour
who comes from a non-Pashtun, Hindko-speaking family of Peshawar,
1044

seems more loyal than the king in renaming Sarhad. Does Bilour find
himself in a position to go ahead with the Bengali Model? How many
Sarhadis would follow him?
For Ghulam Mustafa from Kohat It was heartbreaking to hear a
federal minister that either accept his demand or face another Bengali
Model. Can an issue like renaming a province be made a pretext for the
disintegration of the country? Its absurd and outlandish. If democracy
serves only to break our country, then I think people will be compelled to
welcome dictators. I protest at federal ministers remarks and request
every patriotic Pakistani to raise their voice against such opportunist
politicians.
Dr Khurshid Khattack from Abbottabad wrote: Reading Mr Bilours
statement about the Bengali Model on the front page of your newspaper
was horrific. If a change in the name of the province is a must then we
should prefer Abaseen rather than Pakhtunkhwa. But no one should be
allowed to use the ethnic card in future. Disintegration can never be an
option.
Col Nazir Ahmed from Islamabad observed: in their recent
statements, Bilour Brothers of the ANP have hinted at the break-up of
Pakistan if their demand of renaming NWFP is not met. I wonder how many
citizens of the province share their view. The solution to renaming
provinces lies in making basic changes in our administrative structure.
Forming smaller provinces roughly conforming to the old commissionaires
named after the principal cities would end the present controversies.
Next day The News appreciated the finalization of constitutional
reforms package. The PCCR and its chairman Raza Rabbani deserve a
round of applause. A task that had at the start seemed impossible has
been achieved with goodwill and consensus. The few disagreements that
inevitably surfaced during the drafting of the 18 th Amendment have been
included in the draft a somewhat rare show of magnanimity given the
history of law-making in the recent past. The PPP too deserves credit. The
promise of parliament with greater powers has been delivered on. Key
player have been taken along in this task. This is a big achievement. Some
analysts already hold it as significant a step in our constitutional history as
the 1973 document itself. Only time will tell if this assessment is correct.
But there can be no doubt that a huge stride forward has been taken, and this,
alone, is reason enough to celebrate.

1045

Harris Khalique wrote: Credit should be given where it is due. The

two-year-old elected parliament of the country has taken a significant step
forward when its representative committee on constitutional reforms has
finally proposed 95 amendments to the Constitution. It is hoped that these
amendments will be passed by parliament and signed off by the president of
the republic. Such consensus among political forces with a few dissenting
notes but an overall agreement is a reflection on the success of the
democratic process. We may not see the daily lives of people being
changed soon but it is now up to us, who subscribe to the idea of an
egalitarian, modern and developed Pakistan, to continue our effort for
radical changes in the economy and polity of the country and use any
opportunity created by the democratic process to further our aims.
Dr Muzaffar Iqbal opined: The hope generated by the enactment of
new amendment, restoring a semblance of balance of power in the state
affairs in favor of elected representatives is indeed invigorating, but one
cannot consider it to be the solution in itself. Pakistan has a long way to go
before any form of representative government can come into existence.
A government representing the true vision of the country as it came to
existence. There are already enough secular elements in the system to thwart
any attempt to restore the spirit of the Constitution, the Objectives
Resolution, the historic March 23, 1940 event and all that has gone into
making the Islamic Republic of Pakistan where Islam is taken as a token.
Whatever hope this new amendment generates, however, should not
be set aside, not now, when the nation is really short on hope. So, let us
hope that the process that started on March 31, 2010, will come to its
logical conclusion and will bring a better future for this beloved,
wounded land.
On 3rd April, Hamid Mir observed that Zardari still has powers and the
Charter of Democracy has not been followed in true spirit. The 18 th
Amendment bill is no doubt a historical breakthrough Interestingly, the
case of provincial autonomy was fought by Senator Abdul Malik Baloch and
Senator Afrasiab Khattak in the constitutional committee whose elders were
allies of Sheikh Mujib in 1970. Pakistan could have been saved by giving
this autonomy in 1970 to Sheikh Mujib.
Consensus on the 18th Amendment bill is definitely a collective
victory of all the political parties but two big parties, the PPP and the
PML-N, were not able to fulfill some of their promises made in the
Charter of Democracy. The basic objective of CoD was to restore all

1046

powers of the prime minister and turn the president into a show piece
according to the 1973 Constitution. The 18 th Amendment bill does not serve
this objective.
The president is not a lame duck if the amendment is passed as
approved by the Rabbani Committee. Zardari would not be like a former
showpiece President Chaudhry Fazal Elahi or Rafiq Tarar. He will still retain
many powers in violation of the CoD.
Complete implementation of the CoD was not in the interest of both
President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. Both
president and chief justice are the beneficiaries of violation of the CoD.
The constitutional reforms committee left some powers for the President in
violation of the first clause of the CoD, which said: The 1973 constitution as
on 12th October 1999 before the military coup shall be restored with the
provisions of joint electorates, minorities and women reserved seats.
According to the real 1973 Constitution and clause 2 of the CoD the
appointment of the governors, three services chiefs and the CJCSC shall be
made by the chief executive. The constitutional committee never agreed
to implement clause 2 of the CoD in its true spirit. The 18th Amendment
bill proposed changes in Article 101 of the Constitution that there shall be a
governor for each province, who shall be appointed by the president on the
advice of the prime minister.
According to the new bill, the president is still the Supreme
Commander of the Armed Forces and the President shall, on advice of
the Prime Minister appoint CJCSC and three services chiefs. The 18 th
Amendment bill has definitely curtailed the discretionary powers of
President in the appointment of governors and three services chiefs because
the advice of the prime minister will be binding but this new proposed
amendment is also a violation of CoD.
The president still enjoys 50 percent powers in the appointment of
governors and services chiefs. It is learnt that Senator Raza Rabbani
consulted with President Zardari in detail and some powers were left
for president with the consent of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
The Clause 3 of the CoD says that the recommendations for
appointment of judges to superior judiciary shall be formulated through a
commission headed by a chief justice who has never previously taken oath
under the PCO. In the light of this clause, Justice Iftikhar was not eligible
to become the head of the judicial commission because he took oath under
the PCO in 2000. The 18th Amendment bill gave him this relaxation. Now he
1047

could become head of the judicial commission in violation of the CoD. It is

also important that the 18th Amendment bill has introduced some changes in
Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution in the light of the Supreme Court
verdict in the NRO case.
The Supreme Court made some remarks about Article 62(f) and
63-1(h) in the detailed judgment of the NRO case The Clause 62 (f)
says that a person shall not be qualified to be elected or chosen as a member
of parliament unless he is sagacious, righteous and non-profligate and honest
and ameen. Now the 18th Amendment bill has proposed to add some new
words in it and these are: He is sagacious, righteous, non-profligate, honest
and ameen, there being no declaration to the contrary by a court of law.
The 18th Amendment bill has deleted article 62(g) completely
which says that a person shall not be qualified to be elected or chosen as
a member of parliament unless he has not been convicted for a crime
involving moral turpitude or for giving false evidence.
The Supreme Court verdict on the NRO also said that Articles 63(h)
and 63(i) have been made ineffective by NRO. The 18 th Amendment bill has
changed the Article 63(h) but not touched 63(i). The original version of
Article 63(h) says that a person shall be disqualified from being elected
member of parliament if he has been convicted by the court of competent
jurisdiction on a charge of corrupt practice, moral turpitude or misuse of
power or authority under any law for the time being in force. According to
the new version of Article 63(h), now a person shall be disqualified from
being elected member of parliament if he has been, on conviction for any
offence involving moral turpitude, sentenced to imprisonment for a term of
not less than two years, unless a period of five years has lapsed since his
release.
According to some experts, this new article may help President
Zardari in future from disqualification or impeachment. Sources in the
constitutional reforms committee claimed that members of Jamaat-i-Islami
and the JUI-F opposed major changes in Articles 62 and 63 but members
from PPP, PML-N, PML-Q, MQM and also ANP supported changes in
articles inserted in Constitution by former military dictators.
The ANP wanted that FATA be included in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
according to clause 8 of the CoD but FATA representatives in committee
refused to become part of the Pakhtunkhwa province. They want a
separate identity. Now the PPP and the PML-N can claim that they have

1048

washed the name of General Ziaul Haq from the Constitution but they
cannot claim that they followed the CoD in its true spirit.
Correspondent of the News observed: Some may laugh and some
may not, but the hidden and not-so-hidden changes that the 18th Amendment
proposes in the Constitution have a lot to cheer A somewhat out of sight
change is that persons dismissed from government service like Interior
Minister Rehman Malik (already a senator) and others, who want to be
members of the Parliament, have a lot to be pleased as their disqualification
to be in the legislature goes if five years had elapsed after their termination.
The recently re-dismissed official, Sajjad Haider, and still continuing
as executive director at the World Bank, representing Pakistan Javed Talat,
even just imprisoned Ahmad Riaz Sheikh and some other NRO
beneficiaries will also be thrilled over the constitutional amendment as
convicts are now qualified to be MNAs or senators after the lapse of five
years.
PML-N leaders including Sardar Nasim, Tariq Aziz (Neelam Ghar
fame), Mian Munir, Akhtar Rasool and Chaudhry Tanvir convicted for
contempt of court in the famous Supreme Court storming case of nineties
will also be delighted because their disqualification, which was sticking for
the last eleven years, goes as any person sentenced for propagating any
opinion or acting in any manner prejudicial to the ideology of Pakistan or
the sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan or the integrity or
independence of the judiciary of Pakistan or which defames or brings into
ridicule the judiciary or the armed forces of Pakistan, can now also be
elected.
It will no longer be constitutionally mandatory for political
parties to hold intra-party election to elect their office bearers and party
leaders although these entities continue to stake huge claims to democracy.
This will curb democratic culture within the political parties. Heads of
political parties have been armed with another power, as it will be they, not
the chiefs of the parliamentary parties in the National Assembly, who will
make recommendation to the National Assembly speaker or the Senate
Chairman for unseating of any defecting MP.
A positive change that the 18th amendment seeks to bring about is that
a presidential ordinance can be issued only twice. It will be repromulgated for the second time only after a resolution will be passed by the
National Assembly. There are umpteen examples showing that ordinances
had been issued for countless times, and even the first Benazir Bhutto
1049

government lived on issuance and re-issuance of ordinances because it could

not do any legislation for having no support in the Senate of the time.
Another healthy amendment is that the speaker or the chairman
has to take a decision on a question of disqualification of a member
within thirty days otherwise the case will stand referred to the Election
Commission for a decision within thirty days. Many such references always
die in the office of the speaker or the chairman as they take no decision and
just consign them to the dustbin.
A somewhat odd amendment will allow the ministers of an
outgoing government to be members of caretaker setups but they would
not be eligible to contest the forthcoming elections. In Pakistan, a highly
detrimental precedent was introduced by AK Brohi and Syed Sharifuddin
Pirzada when they continued to practice as lawyer despite holding the
offices of the attorney general or the federal law minister. This was a classic
example of conflict of interest. The attorney general has now been banned to
do so.
The package particularly accords the well-deserved acclaim and
compliments to the four eminent judges including Saeeduzzaman
Siddiqui, all hailing from the Sindh, who had defied Musharraf and refused
to take oath under his PCO, which was especially promulgated to bar them
from hearing an extremely important petition against him.
The News wrote: On Tuesday the NAB Chairman told the Supreme
Court that letters requesting that the Swiss authorities reopen cases against
President Zardari had been dispatched. Whatever means was used to convey
them, it was slower than the usual route of the diplomatic courier because by
Thursday they had only reached the private house of the law secretary. This
came as something of a surprise to the Supreme Court, which was clearly in
no mood to be trifled with and started asking key players difficult questions.
It would appear that the letters on arrival at the desk of the secretary law and
justice came to a sudden halt in their forward progress. He told the court that
he had opened one of the letters which was addressed to him and left the
other two unopened. He now sought 'time' from the court in order that he
might consult relevant tomes of the law as to what he should do with the
unopened letters. The law secretary then made a mockery of himself, and by
extension of the government, asking the court if he should open the letters
sitting on his desk; to which he got a terse reply from the chief justice: It's
your job and we want implementation of the court's verdict of December 16,
2009. Indeed it is, and he was given until the April 5 to report more fully,

1050

but both the Supreme Court and the secretary law and justice got
overtaken by events of Friday afternoon.
It was clear that the attorney general was in an invidious position. He
had probably perjured himself, albeit unknowingly, by saying that the letters
to the Swiss were en-route when they were actually taking a break from their
travels on the desk of the law secretary who was disinclined to do much
about moving them onwards, open or unopened. We may suppose that he
was acting at the behest of 'other figures' in government who have no
desire for any letter to go in the direction of Switzerland. It also
transpires that the content of the letters was controversial, in that they did
not reflect 'ownership' of the case by the government, an ambiguity
doubtless inserted to further muddy the waters if and when they ever get to
Switzerland. To call this charade preposterous understates the case by
several orders of magnitude. It was clear that the complaint of Attorney
General Anwar Mansoor Khan that his efforts to comply with the directions
of the court were being frustrated by the law ministry were well-founded and
by Friday afternoon his position, ethically and professionally, was untenable.
He resigned after meeting both the president and the prime minister and
becomes one of the more high-profile casualties of the struggle between the
rule of law and the rule of a feudal plutocracy. The Supreme Court appears
determined to stand four-square behind the rule of law and holds the moral
high ground and the government a position not much above the gutter.
Babar Sattar talked of immunity. It is only fair that Asif Zardari
should be required to face the law like all other citizens of Pakistan. But
so long as he is president this is not what our Constitution prescribes.
The viewpoint that the Constitution should not afford blanket protection to
the president against criminal proceedings is also weighty. But then again,
under our scheme of separation of powers, it is for parliament and not the
courts to write the wishes of the people into the Constitution. The
constitutional reform committee has just finalized its recommendations to
introduce substantive amendments to the Constitution. And yet no political
party has even proposed that the scope of presidential immunity be
revisited.
The Constitution is an unfolding narrative. Like the rest of us, our
judges also have a right to disagree with the wisdom of its provisions in their
personal capacity. But if they allow such personal preferences to inform
judicial interpretation of the Constitution, they would certainly be
crossing a red line.

1051

By Shaheen Sehbai was of the view that a quick verdict on Swiss

accounts has become imperative. Someone, somewhere, and quickly, will
have to intervene to stop the farce that the country is facing in terms of
conflict of interest between the top ranking accused and the top level
executioners, who unfortunately are the same people sitting in high
offices. The conflict has already turned Attorney General Anwar Mansoor
into a casualty.
This conflict is at the root of the current high profile cases against the
countrys head of state in the Supreme Court, which has almost paralyzed
the government and threatens to prolong the uncertainty, which has gripped
the country for a long time. I call it a farce because the SC issues orders and
gives judgments against the corrupt but these very people are required and
supposed to implement these judgments against themselves, something
which cannot happen.
This issue came into the national limelight last Thursday in the
Supreme Court when the countrys Attorney General told the apex court that
the Law Minister and the Law Ministry were the main obstacles and were
not providing him with evidence and documents so he was helpless. The
court recorded his statement and summoned the federal law secretary and if
he does not appear, the law minister will have to. The casualty was
obviously the weaker party.
Nowhere in the world such a situation is allowed to linger on but
Pakistan is an exception in almost all such matters. If there is even an iota
of suspicion against any public office holder, the first thing which happens is
that the office holder steps down to face the law to clear his or her name. In
Pakistan, such a tradition does not exist and if provision of immunity exists,
it is so forcefully invoked as if that immunity will wash away the charges or
the crimes.
What is hurting the country and the political system is that these
lingering cases seem to have no end because the government is reluctant to
accept the authority of the SC and the restored judges want to establish that
the rule of law will henceforth be supreme in the country.
The issue of Swiss cases and whether the president has immunity is a
legal matter, which will have to be decided by the Supreme Court. It may
take weeks and months. Even if the Swiss cases were to be opened today
in Geneva, no decision or judgment should be expected in months and
probably years as the process will take its time, given the history of tactical
delays, including fake medical certificates What is clear is that so far in
1052

Pakistan there is no money laundering case against President Zardari or if

there is one, it has not yet come to the high courts or the Supreme Court.
Until such a case gets on the SC docket, the issue of immunity will remain
undecided.
What we have on record on the Swiss accounts issue so far is the
official testimony of the Citigroup Chairman John Reed before the US
Congressional Sub-Committee on Money Laundering in November 1999.
Reed, who was also the co-chairman of Citibank, admitted at the hearing
that controls over Citibanks private banking unit, which deals with clients
who have assets of $3m or more Citibank has been unable to confirm
whether bank employees verified that Zardari had a level of wealth sufficient
to support the size of the accounts that he was opening, the congressional
committee report said.
The most talked about case is that of $60 million in Citibank
belonging to Zardari. Most of the evidence in the 12 Swiss boxes also
pertains to these accounts. The fact is that Zardari has never denied that
he owned that account or the money parked there. When this story was
first broken by me in July 2002, Benazir Bhutto herself had been
interviewed by me and she had denied that any Citibank account existed but
then she had more to say.
Shaheen quoted Benazirs statement in which she had termed 60
million dollars story as baseless and similar statement Farhatullah Babar in
December 2009 and then added: No one talked of where the money came
from although all details of how the accounts were opened and who was
involved were given by the Citibank chairman. This is the issue which the
Pakistani courts have to decide. As Zardari had, at least, $60 million, they
have to ask him where the money came from, whether it was transferred
legally out of Pakistan, whether it was illegal and was the result of
kickbacks, whether he had paid taxes on it and whether he had declared it as
his genuine wealth.
Until this issue is cleared within Pakistan, and now it appears the
Supreme Court will have to do this quickly, the uncertainty will not be
wished away. The easiest, or probably the most difficult thing for Zardari
would be to come clean on his own and let the people know now. Because if
we follow the pattern that we have seen in his last two years, he finally gives
in at the very end, when the crunch comes and by that time a lot of damage
has already been done. And he never gets any credit at the end.

1053

The president will have to come clean and declare that he is not
guilty, no matter if no one could prove any case against him in the last many
years. The other solid argument is that he has not been proven innocent
either. No one took his cases to any logical end and they remained pending
and open until the NRO came when these cases were withdrawn or forgotten
and now they have been reopened. They need a quick closure, a verdict
whether Zardari is guilty or not.

REVIEW
The stated aim of the constitutional reforms was to undo the damage
caused by the two military dictators; General Ziaul Haq and General Pervez
Musharraf. Rabbani Team identified 95 parts of the limousine called
parliamentary democracy which needed urgent repairs; however, all these
damages were not caused by the dictators. Some of the alterations were
required for the enhanced comfort of democratic riders of the limousine.
These repairs were of two types. Category one related to the needs of
the rulers or rulers-in-waiting at provincial level; most of whom are
primarily nationalists. They have been vigorously demanding optimum
provincial autonomy entailing complete control over natural resources and
deletion of concurrent list in the Constitution. They hope these changes will
make the ride quite joyful for them.
The provincial autonomy is a noble sounding aim as it ought to be for
mustering public support in respective provinces. The provincial leaders,
who cannot make it to the national level, want to have the hold on resources
at local level, of course, in the name of welfare of their people. In fact, they
want to do the same with these resources what rulers in the Centre do;
plunder, an unshared plunder.
The issue of autonomy has been more or less agreed upon by the
committee to be implemented in stages. This has been done despite the
apprehensions that the grant of optimum autonomy under the prevailing
security environment could be damaging. The only issue on which PML-N
had some reservations was the renaming of NWFP and it has nothing to do
with the provincial autonomy.
Renaming of NWFP has been part of the manifesto of the red-cappers.
They got it included in the deal struck with Zardari at the time of formation
of coalition government at the Centre. Since then Zardari has been referring
to the province by the name demanded by ANP. He being President of
1054

Pakistan and custodian of the Constitution was not supposed to use any
name other than those given in the Constitution.
Bilours, Hindko-speaking red-cappers, have been on the forefront of
the campaign for the new name of NWFP. They planned to get it done
through blackmail. When G A Bilour said give us Pakhtoonkhwa or opt for
Bengali Model, he was playing the Pakhtun Card on behalf of the
followers of Gandhism. While doing that he had vowed to put right the
conduct of Nawaz.
Opposition to the proposed name has been because of its similarity
with Pakhtoonistan, which smacks of anti-Pakistan feelings because of its
history. ANP backed by Kabul and New Delhi has been propagating for a
homeland for Pakhtuns; hence the opposition to this name from patriotic
political elements.
PML-N wanted to dilute the negative effect of the proposed name by
adding to it Khyber or Abaseen, not realizing that a prefix or suffix to
Pakhtunkhwa wont have the intended effect because the second name will
seldom come in daily use. Nawaz has blundered in succumbing to pressure
of blackmailers on this count.
This time, however, the price has not to be paid Punjab alone but by
all those who long for the solidarity of Pakistan. ANP has used this name in
the past to jolt the very solidarity of Pakistan and there is no guarantee that it
wont use it in future on the behest of its friends or masters in Kabul and
New Delhi.
Utterances of Bilouri blackmailers are thus far more harmful for the
solidarity of Pakistan than militancy of Taliban. In other words, the red-caps
are bigger threat to the solidarity of Pakistan than black turbans. It could be a
step towards the ultimate goal of establishing a Gandhi Nagar in the memory
of Bachaa Khan. Considering that it was not advisable for Nawaz to have
bargained for Kala Bagh Dam as some people were of the view.
Zardari has never been touchy about the solidarity of Pakistan. He
approved of the new name for NWFP right at the outset with the intent of
extracting democratic revenge as and when so required. His wife had once
threatened of taking revenge from Pakistan and her husband seemed to be
accomplishing that by loosening the binds of the federation through huge
package of provincial autonomy.
The much hyped transfer of powers from President to Prime Minister
(Parliament) wont make any material difference in the existing political

1055

dispensation. The answers to following questions could explain the point.

Can Gilani refuse if Zardari tells him to dissolve the Parliament? Can Gilani
appoint a general as COAS, who is not liked by Zardari? It is just not
possible for a man who cant visit rest room to attend the call of nature
without an explicit permission of the party chairman.
Wearing presidential, dictatorial or parliamentarian mask will make no
positive difference as long as the ugliness of the monster of feudalism
behind the mask remains unscratched. The reforms provide no guarantee that
criminals sitting in Parliament to Presidency will be punished for their
actions and omissions, in fact, some the changes are criminal-friendly.
Only the boot-lickers like Riaz Sheikh will be sent to jail. His was a
unique case wherein a government employee was dismissed from service
and imprisoned on charges of corruption and then Dogar court released him
on the basis of NRO. After 16 December he should have been put behind the
bars once again, but Zardari has his own style of flouting the rules.
Riaz was not only re-instated but also got double promotion in
addition to privileged position of his wife in Punjab Assembly and his sons
in the Presidency. These reasons were enough for him to leave the court
surrounded by police officials smiling and saluting as if he was performing a
victory lap. He had to pledge loyalty to Zardari.
NAB Chairman, AG and Law Secretary appeared before the court and
gave contradicting statements regarding reopening of Swiss cases. They
seemed to be deliberately committing contempt with touch taunting
defiance, or perhaps, they were cutting April Fool jokes at seven judges of
the countrys apex court. Yet, so far no big shot has been taken to task.
The court did not ask NAB Chairman or Law Secretary as to why they
could not write a letter of few lines in more than three months. The Supreme
Court could compromise its credibility by giving unnecessary latitude to
known offenders and criminals. It cannot leave it to them to resign under
fear or pressure of their conscience like Dasti and AG respectively. The court
has to punish them and punish them soon. It could start with learned Babar
Awan against whom there is sufficient incriminating evidence.
To conclude it can be said that the limousine of democracy has been
armoured plated for protection against accidents with odd dimension heavy
military vehicles to ensure safe journey of the political rulers; even for those
who have criminal record. It has also been re-modified to make the journey
comfortable and enjoyable. But, the modified vehicle of democracy can be
compared with the especially vehicle in which Benazir died.
1056

Arrangements have also been laid for protection and preservation of

the supremacy of the Parliament (not Constitution) against infringements
by the judges sitting in the apex court. The pre-emptive assault on the
judiciary is two pronged.
One prong relates to having docile judges appointed by judicial
commission on which the persons with criminal record, like Babar Awan,
will be deciding as to who deserves to be on the bench. Main consideration
will be his/her understanding of the compulsions of the criminals.
Second prong relates to eligibility for being a parliamentarian or the
law-maker. The criminals wont be kept away for long from being eligible to
be members of Parliament. It has been ensured that there would be no bar on
the convicted criminals, like Riaz Sheikh, for sitting in the Parliament and
performing the duty of law-making. To this end some sub clauses have been
added in the Constitution which should have been left for criminal procedure
codes or books of rules and regulations.
The course has been set for Executives open confrontation with
Judiciary and steps have been initiated for Judiciarys ultimate submission.
This is the long term objective of the corrupt politicians who do not want
independent judiciary. The immediate aim of drawing attention away from
the implementation of the NRO verdict has already been achieved.
The PML-N which administered oath to its law-makers to pledge for
struggle for the independence of the Judiciary two years back, despite doing
so much, has finally succumbed to unseen pressures or temptations of third
terms for Sharif Brothers. PML-N seemed to have failed in foiling Zardaris
mission regarding Judiciary.
3rd April 2010

STRATEGIC DIALOGUE
Soon after Pakistan appeared on the world map it accepted the United
States as its master. Despite a voluntary embrace of slavery it has been
demanding friendly relations with the master and after six decades of
slavery, out of which nearly one-third period has been spent in fighting as
mercenary, a team of civil and military officials representing Zardari regime
went to Washington to determine the nature of relationship between two
countries.
An intriguing development during the period related to the report of
the UN commission that probed the murder on Benazir on the request of
Zardari. Hours before it was to be made public Zardari approached the UN
1057

and collection of additional evidence. The observers wondered as the report

has already been considerably delayed.
Two other events that drew attention of the media were announcement
of marriage of Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik with Indian tennis player
Sania Mirza and dropping of an eleven-year-old girl at the house of Dr Aafia
Siddiqui in Karachi. Both events unveiled characteristics, mostly negative,
of various actors in two incidents.

NEWS
In Pakistan, one Taliban commander was held in Buner on 22nd
March. Police arrested two potential suicide bombers in Islamabad; both are
deserter of Frontier Constabulary. Kayani and Petraeus met in Washington
and agreed to boost ties. Next day, five people were killed in drone-launched
missiles in North Waziristan.
There was no change in the modus operandi as Pakistan Army
launched major operation in Orakzai Agency on the eve of the strategic
dialogue in Washington. Tanks, artillery guns, gunship helicopters and
jetfighters came into action despite that ISPR had said no major operation
would be initiated this year. Dead body of one of the six tribal elders
kidnapped two days ago from Hangu area. Ten suspects were held in Bara.
Qureshi met Holbrooke and Kayani discussed defence and strategic ties with
Robert Gates.
At least 21 militants were killed in gunship attack in Orakzai Agency
on 24 March. Twelve suspects were arrested in Bara. US drones flew over
Chaman. Hillary vowed to increase energy, defence and trade ties with
Pakistan; the US pledged $125 aid for three thermal power units and agreed
to reimburse Pakistans military expenditure in two installments.
th

Security forces killed 48 militants in Orakzai Agency on 25 th March to

strengthen its argument in strategic dialogue. Two more dead bodies out of
six tribal elders kidnapped from Hangu were found in the Agency. A TTP
commander of Bajaur Agency was held in Nowshera. Former governor of
Uruzgan and his aide were arrested in Karachi.
Joint statement issued after the much-hyped strategic dialogue said
sun would continue rising from the east and setting in the west. It said the
US will work for enhanced access to Pakistani products; ROZs legislation
will be finalized soon; dialogue elevated to ministerial level and next
round will be held in Islamabad.
1058

Mariana Babar reported that the US had snubbed Pakistan on demand

for civil nuclear energy deal. Washington Post termed General Kayani as star
of the delegation. Mullen said the US needs Pakistans cooperation and
Robert Gates said the US wants to raise military aide to Pakistan.
Lt Col was among five soldiers killed and six wounded in Orakzai
Agency on 26th March. Thirty-two dead bodies on militants, including
Uzbeks and Arabs were found as death toll of militants on fourth day of
operation rose to 120. Two Afghans were killed in Hangu and six militants
were arrested in Bara. Biden assured long-term support to Pakistan.
Next day, four militants were killed and eight wounded in dronelaunched missile attack by the US in North Waziristan. US justified drone
strikes in Pakistan and Somalia. At least 13 more militants were killed in
gunship strikes in Orakzai Agency. Six dead bodies of truckers were found
in Tall area. In Bajaur, 28 militants surrendered.
Eleven militants were killed on 28th March in the ongoing operation in
Orakzai Agency. Police arrested 28 suspects in Kohat area and 17 militants
were held in Bara. Five people were wounded in bomb blast in a CD shop in
Peshawar. A militant commander was held in Nowshera and 28 militants
surrendered in Mohmand Agency. Ministry of Interior claimed 40 out of 55
wanted militants have been killed.
A resident of Swat, who claimed to have prepared the fake video of
flogging of a girl termed and revealed that he received Rs0.5 million for
doing so before the launch of military operation Rah-e-Rast. After the
operation this man along with the children seen in the footage and the
woman who was flogged were arrested and the woman revealed that she had
received Rs0.1 million for enacting the drama. The project was financed
through an Islamabad-based NGO. (But, Chhitrol in Chiniot was no drama,
or was it?)
Qureshi termed strategic dialogue success as there was no do more
mantra from US (because Pakistan was already doing the utmost). The US
lost interest in establishing economic zones in tribal areas of Pakistan and
instead offered free trade contract for these areas.
Two elders were killed in suicide attack in Tank on 29 th March and
dead bodies of three elders were found in Hangu area. Eight militants were
killed and four held in Orakzai Agency. Two dead bodies of militants were
found in Bara area and one militant was held in Swat. A senior progovernment elder was killed along with his aide in suicide attack in Bajaur
Agency and five others were wounded. Eleven militants surrendered in the
1059

Agency. Holbrooke telephoned Gilani and assured him of early release on 41

billion and Zardari rang up Karzai. On 30 th March, 39 militants were killed,
46 wounded and 7 arrested in the ongoing operation in Orakzai in which air
power was being used effectively. Two militants were held in Hangu and
five were arrested in Peshawar. A worker of a religious party was killed in
Karachi. Pentagon official said about 200 US soldiers were present in
Pakistan.
Zardari addressed the officers of NDU and reiterated that designs of
non-state actors must be frustrated. Professor Khursheed Ahmad demanded
investigations into the news report that incident of flogging of a woman in
Swat was fake. Chairman Senate directed Rehman Malik to investigate, who
could have funded the NGO that prepared the fake video.
The Iranian intelligence agents said that they in a successful cross
border operation brought home the Iranian diplomat, Hashmatollah
Attarzadeh, who was abducted in Peshawar in November 2008 allegedly
with the help of the US and Israeli intelligence. No details of the operation
were given. Islamabad was still drafting its comments.
The UN commission probing murder of Benazir, delayed submission
of the report till 15th April on the request of Zardari. He wanted statements of
certain foreign dignitaries included in the report who had expressed concerns
over security of the deceased. Azim Ahmad Mian noted that although the
report has to remain secret till released, but it is strange as to how Zardari
has come to know about its contents and asked to delay the release.
On 31st March, a US drone launched two missiles at a target near
Miranshah; no casualty was reported. At least ten militants were killed and
ten wounded in air strikes in Orakzai Agency. Four persons, including two
women, were killed when a shell landed at their house and in another similar
incident nine people, including five women, were wounded. Militants of
Lashkar-e-Islami attacked Jhansi Camp near Bara and killed six FC soldiers
and wounded twenty more; FC claimed killing twenty militants in retaliatory
action. Five militants were killed and a soldier wounded in attack on a post
in Mohmand Agency.
On 1st April, a message from the COAS was read out in jirga in South
Waziristan in which he thanked Mehsud tribes and announced that time to
return has come. Eighteen militants were killed, mostly in air strike, in
Orakzai Agency. US urged Pakistan to act against Taliban in Punjab. Two
TTP militants were arrested in Karachi. Mariana Baabar observed that the

1060

UN and Zardari regime were at odds as the UN refused to reopen the

independent probe into Benazirs murder.
Next day, six militants were killed in Orakzai and militants destroyed
a degree college, technical institute and a school. Two dead bodies were
found near Landikotal. Ten militants surrendered in Bajaur. Troika discussed
Pak-US strategic dialogue. The US decided to change the way of security
screening at airports.
On 3rd April, 30 militants and 6 soldiers were killed in clashes in
Orakzai Agency. Three policemen were among 11 killed in an encounter
with miscreants. Next day, four militants were killed in clash between two
groups in North Waziristan. Two dead bodies were found in Kurram Agency.
At least 37 militants were killed and 18 wounded in clashes in the ongoing
operation in Orakzai Agency. Two persons were shot dead in Bara area; two
militants were held in Akora Khattak and three militants were killed in
Malakand Agency. Qaumi Jirga blamed the state for destruction of Swat and
demanded an apology from Zardari. Four militants were killed and 28
surrendered in Bajaur Agency and three lashkaris and two militants were
killed in Mohmand Agency.
Some unknown people dropped an 11-year-old girl at the residence of
Dr Aafia Siddiqui in Karachi. The intelligence agencies took her finger
prints and blood sample and confirmed that the girl was not the daughter of
Dr Aafia. The mystery about unknown persons remained unresolved.
In Afghanistan, coalition forces claimed killing 40 Taliban in a
fight in Musa Qala area of Helmand Province on 22 nd March; 12 soldiers
were also killed. Taliban confirmed the fighting but refuted claims about
casualties. Hizb-e-Islami delegation was reported in Kabul for talks with the
US and Afghan government. Next day, Hizb-e-Islami denied talks with
Kabul regime.
On 24th March, two NATO soldiers and two Afghan mine clearers
were killed in two separate incidents in southern Afghanistan. Two days
latter, eight coalition soldiers were killed in bomb blast in Kandahar area on
26th March. Taliban spokesman Zahidullah Mujahid said Afghan Taliban
could reconcile with India. Pakistans foreign minister said his government
did no want Taliban to rule Afghanistan.
A British soldier was killed in Helmand on 27 th March. Taliban
claimed Indians were fighting in Afghanistan in civilian clothes. Next day,
Obama arrived in Kabul on a surprise visit; He met Karzai and asked him to

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do more to control corruption and drugs. Russia urged the US to eradicate

Afghan opium. Mulla Omar appointed two deputies in Mulla Baradars
place namely; Rauf Khadim and Akhtar Mansoor. Six people were killed and
five children wounded in string of roadside bombings in the south.
Five civilians were killed in roadside bombing in Herat on 30th March.
Mullen arrived in Marjah. Next day, 13 people were killed in a bomb attack
at market place near Lashkargah. India was reported cutting its staff in
Afghanistan fearing attacks. Karzai accused the UN of vote fraud during last
elections.
One British and three German soldiers were killed in two separate
incidents on 2nd April. Five security guards were killed in various incidents
in Khost and Farah provinces. Two days later, a NATO soldier was killed in
southern Afghanistan and four civilians were killed in Ghazni when their
vehicle hit a landmine.

India warned the US against any talks with Pakistan on civil nuclear
programme on 22nd March. Two persons were killed in a bomb blast in
Banglore. Next day, spokesman of the US Embassy in New Delhi said no
nuclear deal with Pakistan yet. The State Department said the US would
keep encouraging India and Pakistan for talks and the US would engage the
two countries in resolving the water issue. Zardari regime conferred Sitara-eImtiaz on late Nirmala Deshpande in recognition of her services in
promoting friendly relations between Pakistan and India (as a result of which
water obstacles have been dried up).
On 25th March, six Indian fishermen with two launches were held by
Pakistan. Two Indians were held in Chitral. Next day, India released 17
Pakistanis who were languishing in Indian jails even after completion of
their sentences. ATC Rawalpindi refused to declare Ajmal Kasab a
Proclaimed Offender and dismissed government application on 27 th March.
India tested two short-range missiles. Five Indian fishermen were held by
MTS Pakistan.
Indo-Pak delegations met in Lahore on 28th March on the platform of
the Permanent Indus Waters Commission. Pakistan proposed installation of
telemetry system on rivers and Indian agreed to consider the proposal.
Next day, Pakistan and India held flag meeting after Indians resorted to
cross-border firing in which one civilian was killed.
On 29th March, Lockheed Martin assured India that F-16s to be
supplied to India would be more advanced than those given to Pakistan.

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Seventy-five people were wounded in Hindu-Muslim clashes in Hyderabad,

which has 40 per cent Muslim population. Indo-Pak talks on construction of
dams on rivers in IHK remained inconclusive.
On 30th March, Indian and Pakistani delegations failed to resolve the
water dispute. India rejected the allegations of water theft. The two sides
decided to meet again in New Delhi. Next day, International media reported
that David Headily, an accused in Mumbai attacks, named three officers of
Pakistan Army and ISI for their involvement; ISPR denied. On 1 st April,
Indian-Americans group asked the US to seize nuclear weapons of Pakistan
as part of the war on terror.
Since the day marriage of Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza was
announced, some Indian did not like this method of people-to-people contact
or expression of Aman-ki-Asha. Observers wondered as to why Shiv Sena
had refrained from expressing its reaction. On 2nd April, it told Sania Mirza
to marry an Indian boy or leave India. Indian media joined hand with Hindu
extremists by digging out a wife of Shoaib, namely Ayesha Siddiqui, and
brought her family on TV channels.
France stopped supply of spare-parts for JF Thunder jetfighter worth
$1.6 billion. On 3rd April, ATC Rawalpindi ordered producing Kasab on
April 17. Next day, India showed the desire for another round of meeting;
probably it has another dossier on terrorism ready. Pakistan hailed Saudi
mediation for resumption of composite dialogue with India.
Ayesha, alleged wife of Shoaib Malik, got a case registered against
Malik in Hyderabad on charges under three sections of Indian Penal Code.
Police chief said Shoaib cannot leave Hyderabad without permission. Ten
soldiers were killed in roadside bombing near Patna.
In Balochistan, Professor Fazal Bari was shot dead in an incident of
targeted-killings in Quetta on 22nd March. One person was killed and one
wounded in bomb blast. Rehman Malik told the Senate that India was
behind unrest in Balochistan and 45 of the missing persons were in
Afghanistan.
Two persons were wounded in bomb blast in Kohlu on 26 th March.
Next day, shutter down strike was observed in Balochistan. Violence was
witnessed as accession to Pakistan day marked as Black Day in Baloch
dominated areas was observed. A trucker was killed in rocket attack when
he was on his way to D G Khan on 28th March.

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On 29th March, Interior Ministry ordered removal of five FC posts in

Khuzdar. Two days later, two coast guards were shot dead in Pasni. Grenade
was lobbed on to FC vehicle in Panjgur on 2 nd April. Next day, three people
were killed in various incidents in Quetta and Kalat. FC soldier was among
four people injured in two incidents of violence in Khuzdar on 4th April.
Two Kashmiris were martyred in IHK by occupation forces of 24th
March. Pakistan sought US engagement on Kashmir and the US backed in
depth Indo-Pak dialogue. Three days later, Indian troops claimed killing nine
militants in three incidents in Keran Sector, Rajouri Kishtwar.
Four Indian soldiers and four freedom fighters were killed in a clash
in Rajauri on 31st March and next day, six more fighters were killed. Two
more freedom fighters were martyred in Reasi District on 2 nd April; fighters
blew up railway track between Baramulla and Qazigund. Two Kashmiris
were martyred in Kupwara on 4th April and two children were wounded in
blast of landmine planted by occupation forces in Rajauri area.

VIEWS
Selected comments on events related to Pakistan are enumerated datewise. On 23rd March, Mosharraf Zaidi wrote: The proper American
response to a strategic dialogue with Pakistan should have been to ask
Pakistan to develop an approach to the dialogue on the basis of a robust
parliamentary debate. America could then have expected Pakistani
parliamentarians, including both the coalition and the opposition, to own the
dialogue. That dialogue may not have been quantitatively very different
from what is being presented in Washington DC today. This is because of the
generic lack of confidence of parliamentarians, and the resulting ownership
of the policymaking function by bureaucrats, rather than politicians. Still,
such a process would have had the same stamp of legitimacy that secretary
Clinton so desperately seemed to want to invest in when she visited Pakistan
last year.
Instead, the agenda for Washington DC has been scripted by the
geniuses that presided over eight-years of Gen Musharrafs authoring of
history here since 1999. That the chief of army staff is a member of the
touring party will perhaps raise a few eyebrows among those interested in
the construction of a sustainable democracy.
This is the problem with the construction of a war narrative. Once
constructed, we have no choice but to actually back it up with action. People

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must not be fooled by the smoke and mirrors of energy, education and
health. Those issues are strategically unrelated to the interests of both the
US and the Pakistani state. The only instrument of war in Pakistan is the
Pakistani military. As much as this is Pakistans war, it happens to be
Americas too. You cant demonize a countrys military and intelligence
services, and then expect them to fight their war, like it was your war.
So, of course, the Americans are going to engage with, egg on, subsidize and
endorse whatever requirements the Pakistani military has in this PakAmerican war against terrorism. This convergence of interests is the exact
opposite of a synergetic confluence.
Next day, Shamshad Ahmad wrote: For Pakistan, a realistic
expectation from this dialogue at this stage should be its immediate
transformation into a strategic partnership at par with one of the US
has with India, with clearly defined, time-bound sectoral goalposts and
priorities to be pursued jointly on the basis mutual benefit. Pakistan now
wants the dialogue to be structured at three tiers moving in tandem on an
expanded list of sectoral tracks covering agriculture, economy, energy,
education, health, science and technology, defence, strategic stability and
non-proliferation, counter-terrorism, and public diplomacy
Foreign Minister Qureshi and his high-level team, instead of using
the walkie-talkie phraseology, should be aiming at making the strategic
dialogue more meaningful and converting the process into genuine
strategic partnership that Pakistan deserves to have with the United
States as its unrivalled non-NATO ally, playing a pivotal role by fighting a
full-scale war on its own soil and against its own people, and paying a heavy
cost in life and limb.
In the ultimate analysis, if both sides showed seriousness of
purpose, the Washington meeting could augur well as an opportunity
for them to re-fix the fundamentals of their transactional relationship into a
more substantive strategic partnership based on multifaceted common
interests and mutual benefit.
On 25th March, The News commented: The agenda for the talks
between top Pakistani and US officials in Washington is becoming clearer.
Pakistan's foreign minister has pulled from his pocket a list of issues on
which Pakistan seeks US assistance. These include helicopters, drone
technology and help in the energy sector. It has also sought US mediation on
the Kashmir issue. Meanwhile, at least one senior US official has clarified
that Islamabad should not expect a 'big' announcement but approach

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the talks as an exercise aimed at chalking out a sound future for the two
countries. This is significant because, traditionally, talks that lead to such an
announcement are denounced at home as a 'failure'. This is something the
government will need to guard against. It is also becoming apparent that one
of the matters that Pakistan aims to bring up is of civilian nuclear plants. The
agreement reached under the Bush administration with New Delhi on this
count has long been a sore point with Islamabad. It would desperately like to
draw even by striking a similar agreement. The US secretary of state has
acknowledged that the issue will come up during the talks. However, she has
also made it a point to emphasize that it is not one that will necessarily be
resolved easily in Pakistan's favour.
There are somewhat complex issues to grapple with here. With good
reason, Pakistan feels aggrieved that it has not been sufficiently awarded for
its role in combating terror. Whereas this struggle should be considered one
waged for its own people and its own survival as a state, the reality is that
to some extent at least the promise of thick rolls of greenbacks has
played a part in deciding policy. To be fair, Pakistan cannot fight on its
own what has become a Herculean battle against militants. This country has
rendered tremendous sacrifices. We have seen our soldiers killed in battle
and we have seen men, women and children tumble and fall like ninepins on
the streets. There is some justice in holding that it is now payback time. But
it is important also to consider another reality. There is still a trust deficit
that has not been filled in completely. Washington is not entirely convinced
that Pakistan is totally committed to the war against militancy. The matter of
groups based in southern Punjab has been raised more than once. New Delhi
alleges 'jihadi' groups in Kashmir remain untouched. There is also the issue
of possible terrorist acquisition of nuclear weapons. No matter how farfetched the scenario, it lives on in US minds. This will make the task of
pushing any kind of deal involving nuclear technology through US Congress
all the harder. What Pakistan needs to focus on for now is filling in the gap
that exists in trust. This must be a focal point for its team. Only when trust
exists can progress be made, and it appears Pakistan will need to concentrate
on that vital first step while hoping for something more tangible from its
mission in Washington.
Ikram Sehgal wrote (excerpts only): The Obama Doctrine for the
region had incorrectly put in order of priority a Pakistan surge, an
effective partnership with Pakistan, the most important element, to come
after the military and civilian surge in Afghanistan. The US has belatedly
recognized that Pakistan is central to any lasting solution in Afghanistan, a
1066

yawning gap (and some reluctance) remains in translating rhetoric into

reality. The Strategic Dialogue intends to correct this major anomaly.
Failure would render gains made in Afghanistan reversible.
Sehgal discussed various facets of the relation sought after and about
economic support he wrote: Glaring deficiencies need overcoming and/or
rectification for lasting economic stability. In a recent memo to the
Executive Council of the American Business Council, IBM's Humayun
Bashir noted that "energy shortages are choking. Pakistan needs short-term
and long-term help in the following order: (1) onetime help to overcome
circular debt, (2) rental power plants, (3) nuclear plants like India, and (4)
water and hydel power (projects), Basha, etc." The Executive Council
echoed his suggestions about (1) effective policing for better law-and-order
enforcement, (2) job creation, with emphasis on the IT sector, (3) agriculture
promotion in order to double the yield in five years, (4) effective healthcare,
and (5) developing the railways as the transportation backbone to reduce
freight charges.
The change in US mindset has been bought and paid for by the
precious blood of our soldiers in the battlefield and our innocent bomb
victims in the streets of Pakistan, not by duplicitous glib talking or by
endless posturing in the media while rendering endless bogus last warnings
to the Taliban. Describing Hillary Clinton's visit last October, The ultimate
defining moment: it came at an 'interesting time' internally for Pakistan. It
could turn out to be of great importance for the Pakistan envisaged by the
Quaid, if not the Pakistan we know presently. The impending Strategic
Dialogue confirms the visit really made a difference!
An effective partnership is only possible if the people of Pakistan
gain confidence that the US is genuine about sustaining a meaningful longterm relationship, which is going to be long-term, and that the US will
sustain it. Any partnership that is unequal has the element of failure inherent
and no amount of rhetoric can paper over the imbalances in such a
relationship.
Tayyab Siddiqui observed: The Pakistani delegation should keep the
focus on the core concerns. Two major issues that should engage its attention
should be the economy and security. The commitment made in the PakistanUS joint statement should be revisited. The American should be reminded of
the promised steps in particular the conclusion of a bilateral investment
treaty and need for fast-tracking an agreement. Relevant with these issues is
the nature of assistance and disbursement.

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The amounts committed and actual disbursement also need to be

identified and the arrears due to Pakistan reimbursed in time. The
particulars of economic assistance package have overlapped other
commitment creating confusion in public mind as to the exact amount
pledged. Funds should be released when due and not held up for any reason.
It should also be conveyed firmly that discriminatory treatment
between Delhi and Islamabad is not acceptable and access to civilian
nuclear technology must be made available on the same terms as it is to
India. Pakistan must remind the US that should the US persevere in its
policy, Pakistan will not be in a position to sign the CTBT or FMCT.
The US political leadership and the military command agree that
no strategy for Afghanistan could succeed without Pakistan's
assistance. Pakistan must make use of this window of opportunity and draw
full political and economic mileage. Pakistan hence is in a commanding
position and must negotiate from a position of strength based on immutable
principle of reciprocity.
Foreign Minister Qureshi in his press briefing on the issue
sounded very emphatic and determined. If his statement was not for home
consumption then we are on a threshold of a genuine partnership that, in the
words of Obama, is built on a foundation of mutual interest, mutual respect
and mutual trust.
Next day, Shafqat Mahmood wrote: The optics after the first round
of the strategic dialogue in Washington are better than the results
announced. If ever a picture said a thousand words, it was that of a beaming
Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan's foreign minister, and the American
secretary of state, Hillary Clinton. No stiff body language here; much
camaraderie, many words of friendship.
The results at first glance appear meager: a few energy projects,
assistance for the Benazir Income Support Programme and a fast track to
some military hardware. Also, an apparent firm no to nuclear power plants,
and hands off on an American role in promoting India-Pakistan dialogue.
This does not seem like a breakthrough or the beginning of a new
strategic relationship. If anything, after the hype that preceded the dialogue,
it seems more like a stalemate. But there is obviously more to it than meets
the eye. A few ground realities have to be recognized. The US needs
Pakistan and Pakistan needs the United States.

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Shafqat went on to discuss considerations and compulsions and then

added: The game is to leverage advantages and play on the
vulnerabilities to gain the maximum. There are no friends among nations,
just a coming together of mutual interests. There seems to be recognition on
both sides that such congruence is possible. Hence, the happy optics.
A few words on the process; according to press reports, Pakistan, for
once, did its homework and prepared a comprehensive document, as
many as 56 pages, to outline its interests. This was made available to the
Americans well before the talks giving, them time to circulate it within their
system. This ensured proper consideration and well-thought-out responses.
The management of the dialogue was also done better. Instead of
cursory meetings with various centres of power and little cohesion, the talks
were attended by all the principle agencies and interlocutors. The fact that
the secretaries of state and defence, plus representatives from the military,
the National Security Council and aid agencies, were present made the
process meaningful.
The presence of Gen Kayani from the Pakistani side was equally
important. This was reflected in the meetings he had prior to the talks,
which prepared the ground for a meaningful military cooperation. It may not
correspond to pristine notions of democracy, but the military is the most
powerful institution in Pakistan. The participation by its chief gave the talks
the necessary gravitas to make them consequential.
What happens next? Are we entering a new and more substantive
phase of Pakistan-US relations? The truthful answer is that it is too
early to tell. Some broad principles may be agreed to in the Washington
talks, but this will just be a beginning. It is the follow-up, working-grouptype meetings that will determine the outcome.
Reports are that the next phase is likely to be in April, and probably
in Islamabad. My guess is that this will not be as high-level as the current
meeting, but more detailed, and will get into nuts and bolts. It is only then
that the final contours of any long-term strategic partnership will become
visible.
Ayaz Amir opined: If there's a cross on which Pakistan has found
itself frequently crucified, it is the one carrying the legend 'strategic'.
What follies have we not committed in the pursuit of strategic goals? Even
our present preoccupation with terrorism is a product of our strategic labours
in times past (hopefully, never to return). So when a fresh batch of graduates
out of higher strategy school speak of a 'strategic dialogue' with the United
1069

States our principal ally and, often, the cause of our biggest headaches
there is reason to be wary.
We have been here before, traveled down this route many times, our
obsessive insecurity driving us time and again into American arms, each
time to be left high and dry when the initial enthusiasm, or necessity, had
passed. But we never seem to learn and each time begin our quest for the
holy grail of permanence in our American connection as if there were
never any heartbreaks before.
Barely six months ago the US viewed Pakistan through sceptical,
even distrustful, eyes. The army had yet to go into South Waziristan and the
phrase Quetta Shura was on the lips of every half-baked security analyst
across the Atlantic. South Waziristan, the unspoken acceptance of drone
strikes and greater cooperation with the CIA in nabbing shadowy Taliban
figures in Pakistan changed all this. American faces now light up at the
mention of Pakistan, no smile more beaming than on the face of Gen David
Petraeus.
Ayaz described how the change has occurred and then complained as
to why the worldview of the COAS focused on Afghanistan and India (why
not Uruguay and Paraguay focused?). Kayani, as I have said, is a smart
man. But there is too much of India and Afghanistan in his world-view.
More than with the US, we need to be conducting a strategic dialogue with
ourselves. Why can't we rid ourselves of the fixation of managing things
in Afghanistan? We can't manage ourselves, yet we want to fix the
neighbourhood. Managing Afghanistan may be a worthy ambition. But it is
poor compensation for mismanaging Pakistan.
GHQ is aghast at the thought of the Indians training the Afghan
army. In Kayani's phrase, even when trainers depart, they leave their
mindset behind. Given the vehemence of our position on this point, maybe
the Americans give us ground on this. And we will hail it as a major victory.
But we should be playing for higher stakes instead of tilting at windmills.
We should have been gunning for something tangible. We are a
debtor nation, strapped for cash. It is money we should have been asking for.
In concrete terms; a writing off of all our debt. A one-point agenda,
clearly stated and firmly put, without all the mumbo-jumbo of a 'strategic
relationship'. Water, energy, India and Afghanistan were best left out of our
wish list, more an exercise in fantasy than anything to do with the real
world.

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This government is too scatterbrained and too preoccupied with other

problems to have been able to get things right and concentrate on the
essentials of this 'strategic dialogue' right. The vacuum created by its
ineptitude was filled by a GHQ pluming itself on the laurels won in Swat
and FATA. But for all its slickness under Kayani, GHQ, alas, remains
trapped in the morass of its old conceits and prejudices.
So the old questions remain: how to emerge from the darkness
into the light? How to manage Pakistan's affairs better? Most important of
all: whence will come the liberation of the Pakistani mind? One thing is for
sure: not from GHQ. Afterthought: the army had denounced the Kerry-Lugar
Bill. What's so great about the 'strategic dialogue'?
On 27th March, Dr Masooda Bano observed: The reality thus is that
the Obama administration has failed to turn a new page in its
relationship with Pakistan. The Bush administration worked through
patronizing Musharraf rather than building relationship with the people of
Pakistan; the Obama administration is doing the same by patronizing the
sitting government. The strategy is exclusively that of the use of military
force; mechanisms for ensuring long-term development of Pakistan, or
gaining trust of the ordinary Pakistanis are still nowhere in sight.
Next day, The News commented: There has been a quite distinct
change in tone during the high-powered dialogue in Washington. A softer
note has been struck compared to the past There are solid reasons for
this change. Pakistans military action in the north-west has won it respect
in many places. There is less and less doubt about the degree of resolve to go
out against the militants. Washington is also aware of the sacrifices Pakistan
has made to do so. The benefits of the action and the commitment from the
civilian government that has underpinned it may, finally, have begun to
come in.
There appears also to be greater realization on the part of Washington
that not a great deal can be achieved by simply pouring in aid, or through
simple pats on the back, for action against militants. Pakistan desperately
needs help in many other sectors. It is when people see such help that
prevailing attitudes towards the US will change. For now, it remains billeted
in most minds as the bad guy. It is uncertain what it will take to alter this.
Perhaps help (and not just the promise of it) in the energy sector can do so
It seems both sides are ready to work for this. The yawning gap in trust
seems to have narrowed. This is important in itself. The political realities
of our times mean that it is, in the short term at least, vital for both countries

1071

to work together. Pakistan must endeavour to ensure they can do so as

equals; a role of subservience is unacceptable. Important steps have been
taken in Washington. What is important now is to build on them.
On 29th March, Ahmed Quraishi observed: Seeing the official
Pakistani wish list fort the Strategic Dialogue youd think Pakistans
managers are outsourcing Pakistan to America. If Washington is supposed to
solve all of our energy, educational, strategic, military and economic
problems, what are we here for? To get commission on aid grants?
The United States came to the Strategic Dialogue with a gun to its
head. We are grateful to Washington for giving us a fair hearing. But can we
force a change of mindset in Washington just because the US is facing a
temporary setback in Afghanistan and needs Pakistan again to cut its
losses?
The Bush administration caused a lot of damage to Pakistans
geo-strategic environment in the past eight years. Far from receiving any
benefit, we saw our ally empowering our enemies. Even now, our ally
reluctantly launched a strategic dialogue. The fear is that Pakistan is being
taken again for a ride just as George W. Bush did when he dubbed us a
Major Non-NATO Ally promising a new day that never came. This is why
Pakistans military commanders need to be congratulated for driving a hard
bargain on Pakistans role in any new arrangements in Afghanistan. This
snatched some victory from the jaws of what looked like sure defeat.
But our bargain is still not hard enough We need to strengthen the
hands of Pakistans friends in Washington and work with them to roll back
the damage done to Pakistans interests. But for this our political and
military leaders need to level with their American counterparts on a number
of major issues. Will the US:
End its policy of encouraging the expansion in Indian military
footprint in the region?
End its policy of demonizing Pakistan in the media?
End efforts to create pliant governments in Islamabad cultivate
political proxies?
End efforts to contain Pakistans military and intelligence
infrastructure?
End efforts to make Pakistans interests subservient to those of
Indias in the region?
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 End its policy of ignoring Kashmir?

End its policy of not accepting Pakistans nuclear power status?
There is no hint on any one of these issues in the joint statement
issued at the end of the talks How can we convince anyone of our
arguments when clear divisions exist in Islamabad on major issues? A public
event sponsored by some of the coalition members in the Pakistani
government a few days ago in Peshawar actually called for increasing CIA
drone activity inside Pakistan. Pakistani officials are also yet to take a stand
on the fact that key leaders of terrorism inside Balochistan continue to enjoy
the Afghan safe haven. The United States is yet to take measures to curb
this.
Seen in the right perspective, the US-Pakistan strategic dialogue
should correct the imbalances of the initial deals that framed the joint
cooperation after 9/11. The next rounds of the dialogue should deal with
these major flaws in the US-Pakistani alliance instead of creating the
impression that we are outsourcing our problems to American bureaucrats.
Next day, Dr Maleeha Lodhi commented on strategic dialogue.
Aimed at setting a new strategic direction for Pakistan-US relations and
overcoming mutual mistrust, the recent talks in Washington were more
significant for their atmospherics than any tangible outcome. Dialogue,
of course, is a process, not an event. But the expectations raised by both
sides about the fourth round had exceeded what was achieved in the two-day
talks.
What emerged from the Washington encounter was already
committed assistance for some development projects and a pledge to fasttrack delivery of military hardware for Pakistan. Important, however, were
the assurances conveyed to the Pakistani delegation that America's long-term
strategic interests were consistent with Pakistan's security, and that these lay
east of Afghanistan.
But despite the well-orchestrated pageantry, the strategic
dialogue made little, if any, visible progress on the big-ticket issues that
topped Pakistan's priorities: preferential trade, addressing the troubled
Pakistan-India equation and securing access to civilian nuclear technology.
While the US didn't want to say no to Pakistan's requests, it didn't say yes
either.
The high-powered engagement was driven principally by US
compulsions to secure Pakistan's cooperation as the Afghan endgame
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approaches and for the continuing fight against Al Qaeda. While the effort in
the dialogue was to accord primacy to bilateral relations, Afghanistan
remained the most pressing concern.
The dialogue nevertheless sought to broaden the relationship beyond
a focus on security. But the agenda's expansion to ten sectoral tracks
raised doubts about the wisdom of adding to a strategic dialogue multiple
issues that are already the subject of ongoing discussions. This risks
scattering the focus and detracting from pivotal matters.
The anodyne joint statement issued at the end of the talks was
more important for what it did not say than for what it did. Absent,
despite Islamabad's efforts, was any reference to US support for the
resumption of formal peace talks, or composite dialogue, between Pakistan
and India or the need to resolve disputes Kashmir and water among them.
There was silence on further engagement on civilian nuclear
energy. American officials told the Pakistani delegation that this was not the
time to press the issue. Pakistan's minimum expectation to secure in the
communiqu some kind of formal recognition of its status as a nuclearweapons power did not materialize.
As for trade, the vague US assurance to work towards enhanced
market access fell short of a firm commitment on trade concessions,
much less hold out any prospect of a future free-trade agreement.
Considering Washington has for years been unable to deliver the modest
trade access under the Reconstruction Opportunity Zones initiative,
Pakistani expectations of preferential trade access will have to be squared
with this reality.
Nevertheless, the Pakistani delegation saw a marked change in the
mood in Washington. Maleeha elaborated the points mentioned above and
then concluded: Pakistans decision-makers should draw an important
lesson from the talks. Given the limits on Washingtons capacity to address
Pakistans concerns just as there are constraints on Pakistans ability to
support all of Americas geo-strategic interests Islamabad needs to change
its US-centric mindset, learn to mobilize its own resources, rather than look
to Washington to solve all its problems and fashion a foreign policy that is in
sync with the multi-polar world we live in.
On 1st April, Talat Farooq opined: The common man has hardly, if
ever, benefited from American aid in the past. A great deal is being said
about how this particular dialogue is a new beginning in US-Pakistan

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relations. The truth is that the nature of this relationship will change only if
the Pakistani leadership decides to alter course and make it people-specific.
Over the decades what has passed for governance is nothing
more than the manifestation of the feudal mindset. For this particular
mindset the only priority is survival through the manipulation of power
dynamics. Thus, whenever a civilian setup is in power, a hybrid system of
power-sharing gains ground which creates some legroom for the politicians
to deal with the issues not directly at variance with the military's views. It
suits the military to call the shots on important policy decisions while
remaining in the background and it suits the politicians to carry on with their
political gimmicks and lucrative projects. The politicians lack the courage
and the scruples required to initiate meaningful political change and find it
more convenient to acquiesce.
It is, therefore, hardly surprising that despite Pakistan's present
status as a theatre of war against terrorism, no civilian counterterrorism policy is in place. No homeland security bill has ever been tabled
or passed by our parliamentarians to cope with the most crucial national
issue at hand. Hardly any civilian infrastructure worth its name or any
doable plans in this regard are in place to support the military effort in Swat
and FATA. This exposes both the inadequacy of the civilian setup as well as
the historic legacy of military rule
Even as the ongoing military action in Pakistan is required to ensure
immediate security, it cannot alone arrest the spawning of the terrorist
mindset. No strategic dialogue or partnership with other countries can
help Pakistan defeat terrorism without a paradigm shift from national
security to human security. It is time for the elite to enter into a strategic
dialogue with the people of Pakistan.
The News commented on Zardaris request regarding UN probe
report. Alice's exclamation 'curio-user and curio-user' was made as she saw
her feet recede while she grew to nine feet high during her Adventures in
Wonderland. She had just drunk from a bottle labeled 'drink me' not
knowing what its contents might do, and we may be similarly wondering
just what Mr Zardari thought was going to be in the bottle when he called for
a United Nations inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of
Benazir Bhutto. Two hours before the publication of the report, which had
already been delayed by three months, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
acceded to a request from President Zardari that publication be delayed until
April 15. The reason for the delay, according to the presidency, is to

1075

enable the inquiry commission to question two unnamed heads of state

who had warned Benazir Bhutto of the serious threats to her life. One may
be forgiven for wondering why this had not already been done in the course
of the inquiry and why at this late stage such further inquiry was necessary.
The UN had ordered the closure for three days of all its offices in
Pakistan ahead of the publication of the report in anticipation of a possible
backlash at its findings, and there are now some immediate questions,
foremost being who owns the report? It was commissioned by the UN at
the request of our government and conducted by a reputable international
panel. Is the report the property of our government or of the UN and can
either or both choose to suppress its contents? Do the people of Pakistan
have a right to see the report? Can the UN decide to unilaterally release the
contents of the report whether or not our government so wishes? Any
definitive truths regarding Ms Bhutto's death were obscured from the
outset by the refusal to allow an autopsy for one and for the swift
destruction of evidence at the scene of the crime for another. It could be that
the 'missing' evidence is germane to the inquiry and will add to its
completion. It may also be that the government has foreknowledge of some
or all of the contents and for reasons unknown has chosen to delay its
publication. Either way, the curiosity of the world, not just Pakistan, is going
to have to wait two more weeks to be satisfied. The Wonderland that Alice
traveled through appears relatively normal compared to day-to-day life
here.
Rauf Klasra observed: President Asif Zardari is said to have quietly
given names of four international personalities US ex-secretary of state
Condoleezza Rice, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Saudi Arabia
intelligence chief Prince Muqrin and the UAE intelligence chief to the UN
inquiry commission to ask them: How did they know the secret in advance
that Benazir Bhutto would be killed?
The sources said President Zardari believed that inside information to
be shared by these four personalities might greatly help the inquiry
commission to identify the real killers whose secret plans somehow reached
the intelligence agencies of Afghanistan, the USA, UAE and Saudi Arabia,
and which turned to be prophetically correct.
The sources said Condoleezza Rice was also a potential witness
because the US had provided a steady stream of intelligence to Benazir
Bhutto about threats against her and advised her aides on how to boost
security. The source said senior US diplomats had multiple conversations,

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including at least two private face-to-face meetings, with top members of the
Pakistan Peoples Party to discuss threats on her life and review her security
arrangements after a suicide bombing marred her initial return to Pakistan
from exile in October, 2007. The intelligence was also shared with the
Pakistani government.
An American intelligence officer was quoted soon after the
assassination of Benazir Bhutto that she knew people were trying to
assassinate her. One official said now Ms Rice would be asked point blank
to respond that how she knew that Benazir Bhutto life was under threat
and she would be killed. The intelligence agency chiefs of the UAE face
familiar questions from the commission as this might resolve the mystery
that who had killed Benazir Bhutto and what were their sources of
information.
Mariana Baabar was lost in determining as to how and when Zardari
approached the UN to request delay in making public the probe report into
Benazirs murder. She quoted Mushahid Hussain: Is this a cover up? What
does the president know that we dont? The government owes an
explanation to the people of Pakistan for asking for a delay in an
independent report that was about to be made public. It is the taxpayers
money in million of dollars that is being paid for this report. It is indeed
shocking that President Zardari has put brakes over the report which was
being eagerly awaited the world over particularly in Pakistan.
On 3rd April, Anjum Niaz wrote: An editor of a Washington daily
received a phone call three days before Benazir Bhutto was to land in
Karachi not to accompany her as he would get killed. He backed out and
called BB in Dubai to excuse himself Asif Zardari once said he knew who
killed his wife. It was the last time he made such a statement. Now a book is
out by the crime reporter of this newspaper revealing many hidden secrets
on Benazir Bhutto's assassination. Another book was launched last week by
Fatima Bhutto on her father's assassins. Wait for another few years, and
you'll get potboilers by a crop of foreign authors and journalists
reclaiming the truth on the Bhutto murders.
While the delayed UN report will not name the
person/persons/countries/ agencies/governments involved in BB's
assassination, ask average Pakistanis who killed Benazir Bhutto and
you'll get answers. What hits the bulls-eye is impossible to judge. Even
before BB was buried, conspiracy theories raided cyberspace. There was an
SMS from her home in Dubai, said some, that asked her to acknowledge the

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crowds by sticking her head out of the sunroof. Her security chief scooted
off as soon as the blast occurred. He specially had a sunroof installed for BB
in her bullet-proof Land Cruiser. No security agency in Pakistan was willing
to allow a sunroof because it would leave BB vulnerable. Her Blackberry
was immediately removed from her purse on the orders of 'someone' and is
till today in his possession. All this is idle chatter, kind of red herring meant
to deflect the people from the truth with misleading clues such as the above.
Let's move to America and specifically President George W Bush's
secretary of state, Condi Rice. The lady needs to answer a lot of
questions. It is unthinkable that the UN team investigating BB's murder did
not bother to question the woman who manoeuvred BB's return to Pakistan
in October of 2007. According to someone in the know in America, the Bush
administration did not give access to BB when she was in Washington
during the summer of '07. Nobody seemed interested in meeting her, says
my source. It was only the US ambassador to the UN, Zalmay Khalilzad,
who would meet her. But when BB died Bush praised her saying that she
knew that her return to Pakistan put her life at risk. Yet she refused to let
assassins to dictate the course of her country. He condemned the
assassination as a cowardly act by murderous extremists.
How did Bush know that she was killed by murderous
extremists? According to my source BB was on to something very sensitive
regarding General Musharraf's secret agreement with a foreign power: She
was planning to investigate further when she arrived in Pakistan and later
become the PM. But she also knew she had to tread cautiously for fear of
being killed.
Apart from Condi Rice, the other three personalities who knew that
BB would be eliminated, according to a report in this newspaper by Rauf
Klasra In a way BB's revelations form her last will and testament and
Karzai's disclosure to the UN team should be apocalyptical. Mumtaz Bhutto
wants to see some arrests. "What good is a mere report if it does not lead
you to the murderers, he tells me when I ask him what exactly he told the
team when questioned. I told them what I knew. But even the UN can be
manipulated by governments. Haunted resonance is all we'll likely hear
on April 15.
The News commented on Washingtons pipeline politics. The US is
understood to be displeased with the idea of Pakistan obtaining gas from
Iran and has indicated that such a deal is not 'appropriate' at this time. We all
know why this idea has surfaced. Washington is quite evidently eager to

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see Pakistan playing along with its strategy to isolate Iran and add to the
pressure it has faced for refusing to bow down to external dictates. This is a
blatant case of tampering with Pakistan's internal affairs that it must resist at
all costs. At present, more than anything else, Pakistan needs energy. The
lack of gas and power has already crippled many sectors of the economy. It
has also added to the distress of people. Islamabad needs to direct urgent
attention to solving the problems the energy crunch has created. Indeed too
much time has already been lost. Impatience is growing. Tehran meanwhile
asks why its offer of power, at rates cheaper than those put forward by
anyone else, is not being accepted. It is quite possible the answers lie in
Washington.
Islamabad needs to convince people in the US capital that it is
interference of this kind which makes the US a nation seen with
immense suspicion within the country. As a neighbour to Iran, Pakistan
has a great deal to gain by maintaining close ties with it and indeed by
building on the foundation that already exists. The pillars which hold this up
must not be allowed to crumble. There is another facet to all this. Islamabad
must place the interests of its people on a higher priority than the interests of
another country. The pipeline is potentially of prime importance to the
people. There is every reason then to go through with it, indeed to step up
endeavour in this regard, and by doing so send out a clear message to the
world that Pakistan is a sovereign nation which does not take orders from
anyone else.
On 5th April, Secretary General of Tehrik-e-Insaf, Arif Alvi wrote
about his partys viewpoint regarding Taliban. The terror situation in
Pakistan is getting worse every year. If the number of killings and suicide
bombings are any indicator, statements by many politicians and by
government functionaries that the terrorism is the terrorists last stand is
based more on optimism than reality. Mr Imran Khan offered to negotiate
peace much before the Americans started to talk to the Taliban in
Afghanistan, but our lobby supporting the War-on-Terror accused him of
being a Taliban sympathizer.
The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf is not a supporter of the Taliban. Far
from it; we condemn the violence perpetrated by the Tehrik-e-Taliban or
any other group against innocent people. The PTI condemns those who
murder and slaughter people. However, we believe that the Taliban label also
encompasses those who are reacting to the US presence in Afghanistan.
They fight the army and target the civilian population because of the US
presence in Pakistan. What are referred to as Taliban also include
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fundamentalists who believe that Sharia should be imposed, even against the
wishes of the people, because of disillusionment with the present system of
justice in Pakistan. Meanwhile, many who suffered the wars collateral
damage are out for revenge. This is not to mention local and outside
agencies (the latter including those sponsored by India), and criminals
belonging to land and drug mafias who want to take advantage of the strife.
The PTI and Imran Khan have advocated efforts to understand
the problem, not support to the Taliban. We equally oppose this War on
Terror, which is not a primary solution. When the army, prompted by
foreign interests, calls the shots in an area infested by terrorists and in a
situation with political-religious elements to it, its action will always lead to
heavy-handed treatment of civilians and killing of innocents. This, in turn,
increases hatred, ethnic polarization and overall worsening of the situation.
The army, which bears the brunt, has lost countless brave soldiers, and
innocent civilians have been killed, in the so-called Taliban areas and
throughout Pakistan.
The civil government is not calling the shots because it is under USPentagon pressure, from foreign officials in remote lands running a joystick
war. Temporary gaps in this battle lull us into thinking that things are
getting better. Justifications for the war will become untenable in a few
years, but by that time we will have caused enormous damage to the
Pakistan polity. A war on terror presumes tremendous collateral damage.
Far from justifying terror and offering excuses for it, the PTI and
Imran Khan merely emphasize its multi-factor origin. We continue to be
in a time warp of our own although, looking for solutions, even our US
masters have started to identify the differences among the Taliban. Our
policies and our elite opinion are just delayed echoes of Washington. The
PTI believes that once we understand the reasons for the malady, we will
come up with viable treatments for it, before the disease becomes terminal.
Somebody has to talk to what are labeled as Taliban and seek out
their grievances. There are thousands of Taliban prisoners in Pakistan. The
media should reach them and find for us the root causes of their frustration.
We have adopted in our discourse about the problem the Bushism that they
are simply against our freedoms and liberties. The elite in Pakistan believe
that the Taliban have an extreme Sharia which they want to impose on us.
This may be true of some groups, but I am also sure that if the media is
allowed to hear them out and then inform us of the point of views of even
the arrested criminals, we will be closer to understanding the reason for the

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phenomenon. If we choose to see only an extremist face, then the sight can
only prompt extreme solutions.
A Rand Corporation study published in 2007, which had surveyed all
terrorist situations from 1968 to 2006, concluded that military force has
rarely been the primary reason for the defeat of terrorist groups. The
phenomenon can only be handled through a range of policy
instruments, which include negotiations. Army action has glaringly failed
in Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention Palestine the original War on Terror.
Pakistan is in trouble on too many fronts to be able to bear the
colossal cost in human, political and financial terms. Like all Muslims since
9/11, Musharraf, while condemning terror, wanted to focus world
attention on the causes of terror. Tragically the same argument was
promptly forgotten when we ourselves were hit, becoming the victims of
this senseless conflict too.
Let us not take dictates, because foreign dictation involves our
losing our own perspective. Terror has no doubt also become our problem,
but with reasons that remain beyond our borders. We should use our own
medicine for this disease. Instead we are forced into entering the vicious
cycle of terror begetting terror.
Talks and efforts for understanding do not exclude army action. But
today it is more stick and little carrot. The PTI and Khan only advocate more
carrot and less stick if we are to find a real solution. In any case, we will
start talking sooner rather than later, since our masters have already begun to
change course. They are no longer reluctant to commit the heresy of
grading the Taliban into different groups, the ultimate result of which will be
talking to the enemy. Let us likewise be open to possible solutions for
which we may need a paradigm shift and some lateral thinking: in the
beginning no one has a clear solution, ourselves included. It would be a long
path to peace.
We believe in a Pakistan envisioned by Jinnah in his speech of Aug
11, 1947, and an Islam as understood by Iqbal in his well enunciated
Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam. Pakistan should be a nontheocratic country, though steeped in its Muslim tradition of humanity,
emancipation, equal opportunities, welfare and freedom for all to practice
their respective faiths.
Rahimullah Yusufzai commented on strategic dialogue in the context
of Afghanistan. For obvious reasons, the US doesnt want to let the

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Taliban off the hook at this stage. Rather, it is applying greater pressure on
the Taliban through its military and civilian surge in Afghanistan to weaken
them to such an extent that they no longer are able to dictate terms to the US
and its NATO allies, and instead, agree to peace talks and a deal on terms
dictated by Washington and Kabul. For this reason, President Karzai was
allowed to offer reintegration involving money and jobs to low-ranking
Taliban commanders and fighters willing to stop fighting. There is no offer
of reconciliation at this stage as that would involve talks with the ranking
Taliban leaders and could possibly lead to a power-sharing deal. The US-led
western strategists dont envisage such scenario both in the short and long
term, as the priority right now is to defeat and evict Taliban from their
strongholds and strengthen the Afghan government and security forces in the
captured territory to keep the militants out.
The big offensive in Marjah in Helmand Province involving NATO
and Afghan soldiers would be replicated in Kandahar, the Taliban birthplace
and spiritual capital, and also in far away Kunduz province in northern
Afghanistan and elsewhere in the militants strongholds. If Marjah is going
to be the model for the upcoming NATO-Afghan Army military operations,
it cannot inspire much hope as the 15,000 heavily-equipped troops backed
by more than 400 jet-fighters and gunship helicopters took almost a month
to capture the small market town and are still neither fully in control nor able
to inspire confidence among the insecure populace. With the focus on
military operation, it would be nave to expect any serious initiative by
the US and its allies for engaging in talks with the Taliban and finding a
political solution to end the Afghan conflict. In such circumstances, the
claim by the former UN special envoy Kai Eide about his contacts with the
Taliban was, therefore, at best a side-show incapable of achieving anything.
In a subsequent article Rahimullah wrote: There is no doubt that the
US military commanders during the strategic dialogue and in bilateral
meetings with General Kayani and Pasha would have probed them about
their next moves in the battle against the Pakistani Taliban. They would also
have asked questions about the recent arrests of Afghan Taliban leaders in
Pakistan and the prospects of getting Mulla Mohammad Omar and certain
al-Qaeda figures. In fact, the US sees the arrests of Afghan Taliban
leaders as the key to the success of its Afghanistan mission as putting out
of business top militants commanders such as Sirjuddin Haqqani, Akhtar
Mohammad Mansoor, Abdul Rauf Khadim and Abdul Qayyum Zakir would
affect the morale and supplies of Taliban fighters in the frontlines.

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Just like the Americans who are keeping close to the chest the details
of their military and political plans for Afghanistan, the Pakistani generals
too would not have shared everything with their US counterparts. In
fact, the kind of trust needed to share such secrets is still absent in the visibly
warm ties between the two sides. The government knows that the task of
training and equipping the Afghan security forces to take over from NATO
troops is going to be far more difficult than it has been anticipating. Failing
to accomplish this task would delay the dates in July 2011 for the start of
withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and create political problems for
the Obama Administration.
Apart from the mission of reversing the Taliban momentum through
big military offensives and triggering defections in the militants ranks by
buying them off under President Karzais reintegration plan, the US would
be depending on Pakistan to a large extent to stop the flow of Taliban
fighters across the Pak-Afghan border and bring the Afghan Taliban leaders
to the negotiating table. As result of the strategic dialogue and meetings
between the US and Pakistani military commanders, Washington has agreed
to expedite delivery of military hardware to Pakistan military and clear the
accumulated bill for the coalition support funds that had withheld. Pakistan
failed to win US support for help in resolution of its disputes with India on
Kashmir and water resources or a deal on civilian nuclear cooperation like
the one Washington has signed with New Delhi. Islamabads desire for a
broad-based relationship with Washington so that the latter caters to its
needs in both security and economic and development sectors wasnt going
to be realized in one strategic dialogue. It is an ongoing process as the next
round of the dialogue would take place in Pakistan most likely in September.
As has been its policy, the US would like to assist Pakistan in installments
and that too on the basis of Pakistans help in accomplishing its
Afghanistan mission.
Saleem Safi talked of solution. Certainly, the strategic decision to
initiate a new process for reconciliation and peace in the region rested with
the Americans and its Western allies, but the keys to such an objective lies
with regional players. All the stakeholders would like the Western alliance to
clearly define various interests of stakeholders and then take genuine
initiatives to address them systematically. They must be involved in strategic
decision-making at the regional level. After accommodating these interests,
the initiative for reconciliation process must be handed over to the
Kabul government and the insurgents. This initiative needed to be a

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purely Afghan initiative between Afghans and the stakeholder, except that
Pakistan should be kept out of the negotiation process.
All previous attempts show that when stakeholders were involved in
the reconciliation process, the process failed due to the inability of the
stakeholders to trust each other. On the negotiating table, everyone would
lobby for his favoured proxies. This entire scramble leads to a non-durable
solution.
However, there is one exception, Pakistan, to this rule. History, close
relationship with Afghan Mujahideen, proximity and consequent fallouts of
all Afghan wars, huge sacrifices, frontline role in fighting the terrorists and
security concerns places Pakistan in a unique position. Its ability to influence
any Afghan event is matchless. Among all stakeholders in the region and
immediate neighbourhood, Pakistan is the only country which is equally
suffering from terrorism and bloodshed alongside Afghanistan. On his
recent trip to Pakistan, President Karzai rightly dubbed both countries as
conjoined twins who are destined to prosper and suffer together.
Recognizing this fact, the Obama administration had hyphenated
Pakistan with Afghanistan in its Af-Pak strategy. Why not Af-Iran or AfIndia, because the world also considered Pakistan the equal sufferer. Thats
why the wise people suggest that only Pakistan should be make part of the
reconciliation process with Afghan factions.
The News wrote about Obamas visit to Afghanistan. Whilst we
cannot know exactly what passed between the two men and the members of
the Afghan cabinet who were also present, it is reasonable to assume that
President Obama delivered to a do more message. Do more to counter
corruption in both federal and provincial governments, do more to cut the
narcotics trade which is where much of the money comes from which fuels
the Taliban and do more to interdict the border with ourselves which is not
so much porous as simply open for much of its length. It makes a
refreshing change to hear the do more mantra being spoken to a state
other than Pakistan, and it will not have escaped the notice of President
Karzai that President Obama was fulsome in his praise for our own efforts
against the Taliban and al-Qaeda. Nor will it have escaped the notice of
India, which will be viewing the prospect of an American withdrawal with a
degree of anxiety the more so as Pakistan appears to be increasingly
ebullient and confident after all sides seem to agree was a successful
meeting in the last week. President Obama came in the darkness and left in
the darkness, but he shone a powerful light on President Karzai who is a man

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who has to do more, much more, if the efforts of the Americans and a host of
other nations, ourselves included, are not to have been in vain.
The News had also commented on murder of an educationist in
Quetta, Balochistan. We need action. Balochistan needs to be made a
priority and placed at the apex of the list of national problems that must be
solved. This is vital to the future of our nation as a viable federation. It is
also vital to the people of Balochistan. They must regain some of the sense
of security and normalcy that is crucial to the conduct of ordinary life. For
the present much of this has been lost.
With reality there is also perception. The people of the province feel
that they have been deprived of rights and neglected by the centre. Whether
or not this is true, the belief held by people adds to the sense of anger that
swirls all around Balochistan. It is pointless to deny that exists. The rage of
people and their feeling of being isolated need to be addressed.
Otherwise it will lead to more pointless murders such as the one we have
seen now and the loss of lives that need to be saved for the sake of
Balochistan and the nation as a whole.

REVIEW
The strategic dialogue has an interesting connotation; the slave
demands establishment of relationship with the master on the basis of
equality. Obviously, the master has to be reluctant to chalk out such
partnership. This is more so when the master has struck strategic
partnership with India,
Partnership between India and The United States is partnership
between global Brahmins aimed at keeping other castes of the world
subjugated especially the Shudras; the Islamic countries. Therefore, even if
the US shows an inclination towards Pakistan in view of the services
rendered, India wont allow Shudras to sit along with Brahmins.
Zardaris request for delaying the release of report of UN commission
that probed murder of Benazir led to speculations. It appeared that all the
possible suspects; Musharraf, Zardari and the US were on the same page to
compile evidence to put the blame squarely on terrorists.
As regards dropping of 11-year-old girl at the hours of Dr Aafias
family, it wont be difficult to guess as to who had cut this cruel joke with
Aafias family. If the girl is confirmed as daughter of Dr Aafia, one must

1085

recall request to Karzai during his recent visit to Islamabad for tracing out
the two missing children and the drama staged by the intelligence agencies.
If not, then it is certainly a very cruel joke.
5th April 2010

MIDDLE EAST III

Elections were held in Iraq during the period under review. The US
puppet, Maliki, like his counterpart in Afghanistan was not happy with the
result of the polls. The elections also triggered fresh wave of bloodshed,
especially in Baghdad, which has continued to date.
Obama Administration miserably failed in achieving even the
consolatory fulfillment of what he had promised in the context of Palestine.
The failure led to pretensions; a Noora Kushti between the US and Israel
over Jewish settlements in occupied lands was an obvious choice of the
pretenders.

1086

Whereas the Noora Kushti had become necessity for the JudoChristian hegemonic forces to pursue their aims in the Middle East, the row
with Iran has been turned into a stalemate by the defiant Ahmedinejad.
Obama found it difficult to muster support from China and Russia for
pressurizing Iran through clamping of additional sanctions on Iran.

NEWS
In Iraq, 15 people were killed and 80 wounded in three bomb blasts
in Najaf on 14th January. The court sentences 11 Iraqis to death; they were
involved in bombing in Baghdad. On 20th January, 33 people were wounded
in suicide car bombing in Mosul.
On 25th January, Saddam Husseins cousin Chemical Ali was hanged.
In a series of bomb blasts in Baghdad 36 people were killed and more than
seventy wounded. Next day, 18 people were killed and eighty wounded in
suicide bombing in Forensics Centre of Baghdad. Death toll in yesterdays
three bombs reached 41.
On 1st February, a woman suicide bomber attacked Shiite procession;
41 people were killed and 106 wounded. Two days later, at least 20 people
were killed in bomb blast in Karbala. On 5 th February, 41 people were killed
and 120 wounded in bomb blast in Karbala.
Next day, 17 people were killed in bomb blast in Baghdad. An
American contractor in Baghdad went missing. Iraq wanted the Blackwater
guards be punished. On 11th February, Iraq expelled 250 foreign security
personnel that had links with Blackwater. This action was taken in reaction
to acquittal of Blackwater men involved in massacre in Iraq.
Five people were killed in a clash of US and Iraqi forces with militia
group near Basra on 12th February. Six people were killed and 35 wounded
in two bomb blasts. Iraqis were apprehensive over elections without Baath
Party. Eight Christians were killed in northern Iraq on 14th February.
Eleven people were killed and 21 wounded in bomb blast in Ramadi
on 18 February. On 21st February, five policemen were killed and one
wounded in roadside bombing in northeastern Iraq. Next day, gunmen shot
dead eight of a family in Baghdad. On 3rd March, 35 people were killed and
55 wounded in suicide bomb attacks on two police stations and a hospital in
Baquba.
th

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At least 17 people, including five Iraqi soldiers, were killed in suicide

bombings and bomb blasts in Baghdad on 4th March. Next day, British Prime
Minister appeared before inquiry and insisted that Iraq War decision was
right. Elections were held in Iraq on 7th March and 38 people were killed and
60 wounded in election related violence.
The US troops shot dead a husband and wife in Baghdad in exercise
of force protection on 11th March. next day, Maliki was reported leading
marginally in poll results. Two people were killed and 19 wounded in two
bomb blasts in Baghdad on 14th March.
On 16th March, eight people were killed and ten wounded in two
bomb blasts. Next day, Ayad Allawi took lead in poll count and Maliki cried
fraud in vote. A US soldier was killed in combat operation in Baghdad on
18th March. Maliki acquired slight lead in vote-count.
Thousands rallied outside White House on third anniversary of
invasion of Iraq. Anti-war protesters demanded immediate withdrawal of US
forces from Iraq and Afghanistan. Maliki asked for recounting of votes as his
opponent took slight lead. He also warned of violence. Four people were
shot dead in Baghdad on 22nd March.
Six soldiers were among ten killed in various attacks on 24 th March.
Two days later, at least 42 people were killed in two bomb blasts in
Baghdad. Secular challenger Ayad Allawi edged out Maliki, who said he
would challenge the poll results. On 27th March, the death toll in Baghdad
bomb blasts rose to 57. Next day, six people were killed and 15 wounded in
four bomb blasts in Anbar.
A senior government official was killed at his residence in Baghdad
on 1 April. Two days later, gunmen in army uniforms killed 25 people south
of Baghdad. At least 42 people were killed and 188 wounded in three bomb
blasts in front of various embassies in Baghdad on 4 th April. Next day, six
people were gunned down in Baghdad.
st

At least 35 people were killed and more than one hundred wounded in
six bomb blasts in Baghdad on 6 th April. Two days later, two US soldiers
were killed and five wounded in attack by gunmen on 8 th April. On 11th April
three children were killed in blast of roadside bomb. Maliki camp claimed
that the fraud might have cost them 0.75 million votes.
Far, far away from Palestine, on 17th January, Indonesians held anti
US-Israel-Egypt rally against laying siege on Gaza. Amnesty International
said Israel was collectively punishing Gazans. Israel killed top Hamas
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commander, Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, by poisoning him in Dubai on 29th

January. The deceased had taken active part in Palestinian uprising in 1980s.
The report was silent on assistance provided to Israel by the Arabs of Dubai.
On 1st February, an Israeli general was reprimanded over shelling
civilian areas during Gaza invasion. (This is a move to pre-empt any demand
for action against those who committed war crimes. It would provide a
pretext that action where required has already been taken.) Four days later,
Dubai police vowed to pursue Israeli Prime Minister for killing of senior
Hamas leader by poisoning him last month.
On 16th February, Dubai issued arrest warrants of 11 Europeans
identified by police and suspected of killing of top Hamas commander;
involvement of Israel was not ruled out. About a week later, Dubai said it
has 15 new Western suspects, including six Britons and three French, in
murder of top Hamas leader, Mahmud al-Mabhouh.
On 2nd March, entry of Jews into Dubai was banned. Next day, Dubai
police decided to seek the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu over
murder of Hamas leader. Meanwhile, Arab foreign ministers backed
Palestinian-Israeli indirect talks.
On 5th March, Israeli police and Palestinian protesters clashed after
Juma prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque. During his visit to Israel, on 11th March
Biden announced unconditional support for Zionist cause and then
appealed for resumption of Middle East peace talks. Three days later, Israel
arrested Hamas leader from West Bank.
On 16th March, police and protesters clashed in eastern Jerusalem and
eight Palestinians were injured when police used rubber bullets and 42
Palestinians were arrested. Israeli Prime Minister rejected US pressure and
decided to continue construction of settlements. Robert Gates promptly
reacted by saying US ties with Israel wont be affected.
A Thai farm worker was killed in Israel in rocket attack from Gaza on
18 March; Israel threatened strong and appropriate reply. The US froze proHamas banks and TV assets. Next day, Israeli Police used force to disperse
Palestinians, who protested after Juma prayers.
th

Israelis shot dead two Palestinians on 21st March. Ban ki Moon visited
Middle East and urged Israel to end blockade of Gaza. Two days later,
Britain expelled Israeli diplomat for misusing its passports for killing Hamas
leader. (Note, he is expelled not for murder but for desecration of British

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passports). Two Palestinians were wounded in Israeli air strike on 26 th

March. Two Israeli soldiers were killed in bomb blast in Khan Younis.
On 27th March, four Palestinians were killed by Israelis. Arab leaders
met in Sirte, Libya and Qaddafi told the guests that people were waiting for
action, not words. On 29th March, Israeli minister blamed the US for
boosting Arab hardliners. Next day, one Palestinian was killed and 12
wounded as Israeli troops opened fire at Land Day demonstrators near the
Gaza border. The US desired four-month freeze on construction of
settlements (and thereafter it would be free again).
Three Palestinian children were wounded in Israeli air strike in Gaza
Strip on 2nd April. For the first time in three-year blockade of Gaza Israel
allowed a shipment of clothes and shoes on 4th April. Three days later.
Turkish prime minister branded Israel as main threat to Middle East peace.
On 9th April, Israel announced that Netanyahu wont attend nuclear summit
in Washington.
Five plus one met on 17th January to discuss additional sanctions of
Iran but failed to reach consensus as China said talk of sanctions was
premature. A man blew himself up in front of governors office in
northeastern Iran. Two days later, Iran warned to hit Western warships if
attacked. On 27th January, an Iranian intelligence official said German
diplomats were involved in rioting in December.
Iran launched satellite rocket on 3rd February. Five days later it was
reported that Iran had started manufacturing drones and enrichment of
uranium to 20 percent. On 9th February, France and the US agreed to impose
additional sanctions on Iran after it started enriching uranium to 20 percent.
On the 31st anniversary of Islamic Revolution Ahmadinejad declared that
Iran has become a nuclear power.
On 16th February, Hillary Clinton arrived in Saudi Arabia at the end of
her visit to the Middle East to muster support against Iran. Nejad said
dialogue on Irans nuclear programme was not closed. Next day, Nejad
vowed to respond to new sanctions. Hillary said the US has all options open
for action against Iran.
Iran arrested Abdulmalik Rigi from Zahidan on 23 rd February and said
he had recently returned after meeting NATO chief for which he had
traveled on Afghan passport provided by the US; the US dismissed the
charges. Next day, Iranian Envoy in Islamabad thanked Pakistan for helping
in nabbing Rigi.

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On 25th February, Nejad visited Syria and the two leaders vowed to
defy US attempts at weakening Iran-Syria alliance. The visitor asked the US
to stay out of Middle East affairs. Next day, Abdulmalik Rigi confessed his
links with the US. On 4 th March, Brazil opposed sanctions against Iran. Italy
arrested seven people, including two Iranians, over arms smuggling and
espionage; Iran strongly condemned the arrests.
On 8th March, Iran accused US and UK of terrorism in the region.
Next day, Iran test fired long range anti-ship missile. Pakistan and Iran
signed gas deal in Turkey on 16th March. On 1st April, Mullen accused Iran
of sending arms to Afghanistan. Next day, Obama contacted Chinese leader
for sanctions on Iran; Iranian negotiator also contacted the Chinese. On 7th
April, Ahmedinejad warned of tooth-breaking response to Obama. Five
days later, Iran demanded UN probes into Afghan and Iraq wars.
On 14th January, Saudi Arabia asked Iran not to meddle internal affairs
of Yemen. Next day, six militants, including three al-Qaeda men were
killed in US air strike in Yemen. On 16 th January, Britain announced to call
international conference on Yemen. Three militants were held by security
forces.
Shiite rebel commander, Abdul Malik al-Houthi was reported
seriously wounded on 19th January. Next day, air strikes were carried out
north of capital; Britain cancelled all flights to Yemen. On 24 th January, three
soldiers were killed in attack on a check post in southern Yemen.
On 27th January, Obama approved secret operations in Yemen. Three
days later, two suicide bombers were held and rebels accepted government
terms for the truce. On 31st January, Yemeni security forces clashed with
rebels and killed 20; rebels rejected the ceasefire offer. Three days later, a
commander was among 16 Shiite rebels killed.
Two children were killed in Saudi Strike in northern Yemen on 8th
February. Next day, ten rebels were killed. On 11th February, Yemeni
President ordered stopping of military operation in the north. Next day,
Yemeni Interior Minister escaped bid on his life; militants denied their
involvement. On 14th February, ten soldiers were killed in helicopter crash.
An army officer was shot dead by rebels on 17th February.
Hospitalized al-Qaeda man killed two guards in an attempt to escape in
Yemen on 7th March. On 16th March, three al-Qaeda men were killed in air
strike in the south. Two days later, militants released 127 soldiers.

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Elsewhere in the region, Turkey held 120 al-Qaeda suspects in raids

on 22 January. Two months later, Turkish Kurds threatened to renew
fighting. On 24th March, Saudi Arabia claimed destroying al-Qaeda cell of
more than one hundred operatives.
nd

VIEWS
Chicots inquiry was an interesting move for the British people in the
context of Iraq war. Adrian Hamilton wrote: The interests of the Iraqi
people in all this were just taken for granted, which was why there was never
any proper planning for the post-war. Why bother with it when the aim was
to unseat a tyrant and all the natives would be grateful for your doing it? We
and Britain is just as guilty in this as the Americans for all the efforts to
slough off the blame on them never understood the consequences for the
same reason that we gave tacit approval for Saddam Hussein to invade Iran
in 1980, failed to stop him invading Kuwait in 1991, didn't take advantage of
the First Gulf War to depose him in 1992 and then went along with a decade
of sanctions that starved his population, led to the deaths of tens of
thousands of children and actually increased his hold on power.
It was why the intelligence services and the Foreign Office were so
pathetically bereft of knowledge or understanding of the Iraq we
invaded. Blair and Bush didn't invade Iraq to help its population, they did it
to remove a regime and thereby it was hoped reshape the politics of the
region.
Chicot's inquiry reveals just the same mindset as Blair and Bush.
It's being conducted from witnesses and documents coming solely from the
government nexus. There is not one member of the committee that has any
direct knowledge of the Arab world nor one witness called from the country
whose interest we claimed we were promoting. It's as if the Iraqis don't exist,
an amorphous mass without names or views whose interests we could, and
did, decide for them.
It would be nice to think that we had learned at least some
lessons from this debacle. The experience, and that of Afghanistan, has at
least taught the politicians and public (most of whom knew it anyway) that
war isn't the cake- walk that western predominance of technology and
resources would imply, that invasion and occupation have consequences that
require an understanding of people and place to predict.

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But there is no real sign that the fundamental lesson, that war can
only be an instrument of last resort tried when all else has failed and then
only under the most precise circumstances, has been learned, as Britain
desperately tries to earn favour with Washington by backing with forced
enthusiasm every US move in Afghanistan. Gordon Brown talks of what he
demands of the Afghans in the way of anti-corruption and deals with the
Taliban for all the world as if he was a Victorian viceroy. And David
Miliband lectures the Yemenis on what they must do to earn our aid. Chilcot
certainly isn't going to teach our political class otherwise.
As for Blair, there really isn't any need for Chilcot to report at all.
The former PM is now pinioned with responsibility for a disaster, a man
guilty of a grotesque misjudgment that has left him discredited in his own
country and in many parts abroad. One might wish it was for more. But for
the moment it will suffice.
Mohamed Khodr observed: Tony Blairs lies to the British people,
despite their immense opposition to the war, and to Parliament have been
aptly documented. But this arrogant war criminal, ironically a MidEast
peace envoy told the Chicot Inquiry that he did not lie about his
justifications for war and unconscionably stood by his false assertions for
the devastating illegal war. He was unrepentant and unremorseful for the
millions of dead, injured, and displaced Iraqis. Nor was he unrepentant for
the sacrifice of British soldiers. In true narcissistic and pathological fashion
he said he would make the same decision to invade Iraq again today. Even
Saddams death wouldnt have stopped their messianic psychosis to invade
Iraq. Got to do it for Oil and Israel. Blair quotes that reveal a pathological
liar with no conscience but possessing a hypocritical racist soul, much like
all Israeli leaders, including todays war criminal du jour, Netanyahu
Tony Blair's arrogant testimony to the Chicot Inquiry is a blatant
genocidal example of a western leader trying to justify the unjustifiable.
Both Blair and Bush knew beforehand that Iraq had no WMD's and that their
falsified intelligence came from an alcoholic liar (Curveball) and Iraqi
dissident, Ahmad Chalabi, whose lies gave Blair and Bush the weapons
for mass destruction of Iraq. The British Intelligence even plagiarized
statements from a U.S. PhD students thesis on Iraq which included the
outrageous claim that Saddam can launch WMDs within 45 minutes.
Blair in true contempt to truth and history used Bushs fallback
position that 9/11 changed their outlook on world affairs and became their

1093

pretext for a world war on terror. Blairs testimony showcased that the
best defense was a good offense.
Not satisfied with the bloodshed in Iraq, Blair has the audacity to call
for the same devastation of the Muslim nation du jour, Iran, thereby joining
the Israeli motivated policy of next stop, Tehran. Iran, like Iraq, poses no
threat to either, the west or Israel, even if it does possess nuclear weapons.
Would Iran commit suicide or would it insanely nuke Israel thereby
committing a holocaust against Palestinians, the very people Iran loves and
defends? Would it destroy Jerusalem, while causing massive nuclear
radiation in the entire region and risking massive nuclear retaliation from
Israel, a state in possession of hundreds of nuclear weapons and a nonsignatory to the Non Proliferation Treaty? Blaming, then bombing Muslims
seems to be Blair's, Obama's, and Israel's policy. Nuclear Israel,
demonstrably a criminal nation, is untouchable while non-nuclear Muslim
nations are bombable. Justice lies in the eye of the criminal.
Karen Armstrong wrote: As we watch the unfolding drama of the
Chilcot inquiry, we should be aware that this is not simply an act of
domestic cleansing. Whatever the implications for our political and judicial
institutions, it is crucial that the British people learn how we came to go to
war. But Muslims are also waiting for the outcome of the investigation, and
this makes the inquiry an opportunity that can ill afford to lose.
Karen discussed Bush and Obama Administrations disregard to
viewpoint of Muslims and concluded: The Chilcot inquiry hasraised
hopes. If there is any hint of whitewash or cover-up, the consequent
disillusion will only exacerbate an already inflamed situation. In Cairo, we
discovered that a frank acknowledgment of culpability could turn things
around. In our dangerously polarized world, we may not get such an
opportunity again.
Paul Craig Roberts commented: Now a secret and personal letter to
Prime Minister Blair from his Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, has surfaced. In
the letter, the Foreign Secretary warned the Prime Minister that his case for
military invasion of Iraq was of dubious legality and was likely as false as
the argument that removing Saddam Hussein would bring Iraqis a better
life.
Blair himself must now testify. He has the reputation, whether
deserved or not, as one of the slickest liars in the world. But some
accountability seems to be heading his way. The Sunday Times (London)
reported on January 17 that the latest poll indicates that 52 percent of the
1094

British people believe that Blair deliberately misled his country in order
to take Britain to war for the Americans. About one quarter of the British
people think Blair should be put on trial as a war criminal.
Unlike the US, which takes care to keep the government
unaccountable to law, Britain is a member of the International Criminal
Court, so Blair does stand some risk of being held accountable for the war
crimes of President George W. Bushs regime and the US Congress. In
contrast, insouciant Americans are content for their government to
behave illegally. A majority supports torture despite its illegality, and a
McClatchy-Ipsos poll found that 51 percent of Americans agree that it is
necessary to give up some civil liberties in order to make the country safe
from terrorism. As our Founding Fathers warned, fools who give up liberty
for security will have neither.
Henry Kissinger opined: The outcome in Iraq will have profound
consequences, above all, in Saudi Arabia, the key country in the Persian
Gulf, as well as in the other Gulf states and in Lebanon, where Hezbollah,
financed by Iran, is already a Shiite state within the state. The United States
therefore has an important stake in a moderate evolution of Iraq's domestic
and foreign policies.
The Obama Administration is stalemated in negotiations with
Iran to contain the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Whether the nuclear
issue is settled by diplomacy or other evolutions, the stability of the region
will be crucially affected by the ability to bring about a political and
strategic equilibrium between Iran and Iraq. Without such an arrangement,
the region runs the risk of living indefinitely on top of a heap of explosives
toward which a smoldering fuse is burning.
The formal expressions of administration policy on Iraq primarily
concern the rate of withdrawal. Even President Obama's reference to Iraq in
his State of the Union speech was largely in that context. Few high-level
Iraqi leaders are invited to Washington, and their reception is reserved.
America needs to remain an active diplomatic player. Its presence must
be perceived to have some purpose beyond withdrawal. An expression of
political commitment to the region is needed. In executing an exit strategy,
we must make sure that strategy remains linked to exit.
The News wrote: It began on March 20, 2003 with President George
W Bush saying: On my orders, coalition forces have begun striking selected
targets of military importance. Baghdad was being bombed and the Iraq war
was upon us. This March 20 marked the seventh anniversary of a war that
1095

nobody seems keen to memorialize any more and it went un-remarked in

much of the world. Even the White House declined to make a statement, and
considering it was the White House that ignited this war one would have
thought they would have the decency to at least acknowledge it. Who
remembers the 'Weapons of Mass Destruction' that never were? Or the
declaration of victory by Bush that was both hollow and wrong? The hauling
down of the statue of Saddam Hussein? Most people in the world with
access to electronic media will have at least some memory of the war
that is now seven years old, and many will remember the governments of
the day telling us it was 'not about oil' and was really all about 'the spread of
democracy and the overthrow of a dictator.'
Piffle. Utter piffle. There are plenty of ways of overthrowing odious
dictators without bringing together a fractious coalition of warriors who
have varying degrees of willingness; and then embarking on a military
campaign of vast expense in treasure and blood The cost of deploying a
single American soldier for one year to Iraq is $390,000 and the cost to
America of conducting the war was calculated as $5,000 per second in 2008.
Today, Iraq is riven by conflict, unstable and heavily reliant on the
international community to keep it afloat. The politics of violence
dominates despite the trumpeted success of recent elections and it all
could have been so different. No, not forgotten and yes, it really was all
about oil.
Richard Neville recalled some of the ugly features of the holy war
waged by Draculas called Bush and Blair; he did that after release of a video
of incident in which journalists were killed in Baghdad by gunship attack.
He wrote: A few days ago, the former head of the UNs chief nuclear
agency, Mohammed ElBaradei, told the British Guardian, that those who
launched the was in Iraq were responsible for killing a million innocent
people and could be tried under international law. Mmmm. The culprits
are legion. George Bush, Tony Blair, John Howard and a slew of soldiers,
advisors, lawyers and security aides.
Despite the claims of valiant WikiLeads editor Julian Assange,
several dark videos have surfaced over the years on the internet, while the
knee-jerk pro-war media kept its eyes firmly averted. A positive outcome of
this aversion has been the rapid rise of the online anti-war community,
including WikiLeaks. Even as their horror story was breaking worldwide,
CNNs FrontPage was still desperately promoting its vital scoops on Tiger
Woods and Apples I-Pad, as amusingly captured here.

1096

Whats the big deal? This was a typical comment after the video
release. Its all a haunt from the past. Move on and kill them all; even if
they had pointed sticks in a war zone or an apple cart full of grenades. War is
war. It is not going for a coffee at Starbucks or walking on eggshells
anymore. Laughing at the dead is nothing new. Thankfully, a significant
number of war veterans return home from their tours of duty with seasoned
eyes, and speak out against the injustices and brutality they witnessed.
Instead of trying to shield viewers from the impact of Collateral Murder, a
hefty chunk of it should have dominated the news. It is not the medias job
to minimize the brutalities of the war and the crimes of commanders. Oh,
sorry, it is their job.
In this first decade of the 21st century, it is time to ask what kind of
war machine the West has created. From the little we are allowed to know, it
appears to be lawless, tech obsessed sadistic and dumb. It is an army of fat
Draculas sucking the blood from the throats of the dispossessed, the
impoverished, the ill educated, fueled by an annual US investment of $607
billion on weapons of death.
Robert Fisk wrote about war crimes committed by Israel against
Palestinians in Gaza Strip. As it happens, I met Goldstone after he was
appointed head of the war crimes tribunal for ex-Yugoslavia in The Hague.
A palpably decent, honest man, he said that the world had grown tired of
allowing governments to commit war crimes with impunity. He was talking,
of course, about Milosevic. He wrote a look on the same lines, warmly
praised by Israel. But now he is the earthquake beneath Israels legitimacy. I
dropped by the eminently sensible Israeli army reserve Colonel Shaul Arieli
at his NGOs office in Tel Aviv yesterday afternoon and discussed the
attempts to arrest Israeli military officers for war crimes if they visited
Britain and other European countries.
All this is much more disturbing to us today than it was a few years
ago, he said. We are afraid of this trend after Operation Cast Lead. It affects
the image of Israel all over the world, not just for military officers. If they
were charged, it would show that the state of Israel couldnt protect its
soldiers. I am sure that the Goldstone Report affects these things. All of
which suggests that the real earthquake beneath Israel, the real danger to
its image and standing and legitimacy, is a nation called Israel.
The News commented on murder of Hamas leader in Dubai. The
Dubai police have now identified 26 suspects in the murder of the senior
Hamas official, Mamoud al-Mabhouh. It is widely and credibly assumed that
1097

the assassination was carried out by Mossad and would have probably
disappeared as a news item were it not for the extensive use of false
identities by those who carried out the hit. A total of 12 British passport
holders have now been named as having their identities stolen, along
with six Irish, three French, three Australian and one German. The
Australian government was sufficiently incensed to call in the Israeli
ambassador for the diplomatic equivalent of a smack in the mouth, the
British have expressed outrage via their foreign secretary and just about
everybody else with anything to say on the matter has condemned the use of
the identities of innocent people in a political murder. The ordinary men and
women who now find themselves caught up in an international intrigue are
likely to find themselves added to assorted watch-lists in the future and
their lives potentially blighted for years to come.
This is, from the Israeli perspective, a success, from the Hamas a
temporary setback and for the rest of the world a wake-up call as the
vulnerability of any document of identity carried by virtually anybody
anywhere. Covert warfare has always employed operatives who assume
multiple identities and in the context of todays wars, which may be
conducted in cyberspace as well as on the battlefield, vast amounts of
personal data are held online in circumstances that are perhaps not as secure
as may be wished as a recent hacking of Google China email service
exemplifies. We may assume that Israel, and any other states engaged in the
spiders web of interlocking conflicts that now span the world, will fight by
whatever means they can and strike wherever they choose. This time it was
Dubai. It could have been Copenhagen or Caracas or Dahomey or Paris. We
should not be surprised that it happened but perhaps might wonder at the
clumsiness of an operation that was so quickly exposed.
Farooq Sulehria wrote about Bidens visit of Israel. During his recent
visit to Jerusalem, the US Vice President Joe Biden, expressed absolute,
total, unvarnished commitment to Israels security. Simultaneously,
showing a stark disregard for the Middle-eastern realities, he warned Iran
against acquiring nuclear weapons. The US support for Israel is not limited
to hollow statements only; it has translated into 39 US vetoes at the UN to
shield Israel. Instead remains the largest recipient of US aid ($3 billion
annually) and protecting Israel remains a major US concern.
The US aid recognizes Israels potential to curb revolutionary
movements outside its borders. Hence, the amount of $3 billion from US
tax-payers money is spent as payment to Israel for policing US interests in
the region. And the prime US interests in the region are: oil, oil and oil.
1098

Earlier, the Zionists had to serve the British imperial interests, as after all, in
the words of the British governor of Jerusalem, the new Zionist state was
meant to serve as a little loyal Jewish Ulster in a sea of potentially hostile
Arabism
Israel, a symbiosis of Zionism and British imperialism, for its
existence needed imperialist protection. To ensure this protection, it has to
play the little loyal Jewish Ulster in a sea of potentially hostile Arabism.
When Uncle Sam replaced Uncle Bull in the Middle East at the end of
WWII, he knew that the Arabs did not want the US presence in the Middle
East, and after having their way with the Jews, they would attack the US
position.
Hence, the US needs in an uncertain Arab world a well-to-do
educated, modern community that is permanently at war with her
neighbours to hold them in control. An Israel that does not fight Arabs has
no use for Washington. That is why an absolute, total, unvarnished
commitment to Israels security against stone-throwing children is
necessary.
Dr Muzaffar Iqbal expressed his views on Jewish settlements in East
Jerusalem and Sirte Summit. This weekend, many Arab leaders will be
meeting at Sirte, Libya, for one more meaningless, impotent, and
ultimately pointless summit, this time at the invitation of none other
than the man who has often ridiculed these summits Libya's maverick
dictator Muamar al-Gaddafi in order to rescue Jerusalem. One wonders
how they would rescue it from the ever-expansionist plans now firmly in
place, in violation of all international commitments by Israel. What would
these leaders actually do to the 1,600 new homes for settlers, which will
spring forth in the next few months and will be barricaded, cordoned off, and
protected by armed soldiers, and then, in a very short time, these will be
recognized as established old settlements?
Once these settlements have become old, Israel will bring forth
another plan, already leaked last week, to construct 8,000 more homes in
East Jerusalem. The world, including the United States, will condemn again.
The Arab leaders will meet again, and the settlements will be settled again.
This process of routine condemnation has become standard procedure by
now. This time, Joe Biden, the vice-president of the US, first condemned
Israel for approving plans to build hundreds of new settler-homes, then, a
day later, urged Israel and the Palestinians to restart direct peace
negotiations, saying the only path to finally resolving the permanent status

1099

issues, including borders, security, refugees and Jerusalem, are direct talks.
And then he specifically said: The US had no better friend than Israel.
Case closed.
The secretary general of the 22-member Arab League, Amr Mussa,
rushed to add his two cents, suggesting that all peace talks with Israel, direct
or indirectly through US mediation, be suspended, as if this would also stop
the construction plans. Hagit Ofran, a settlement expert at Israeli group
Peace Now, compiled a list of planned East Jerusalem settlements that are at
one of the several stages of approval. She counted 8,253 proposed homes,
including the 1,600 new homes announced on March 23, for the ultraOrthodox settlement of Ramat Shlomo.
Israel has done an amazing job of bypassing the entire world.
Amidst the uproar against the 1600 homes, it has "leaked" to the world plans
for as many as 50,000 more homes, which are said to be in various stages of
planning and approval for East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967
War and declared it as its sovereign territory, which is not recognized by the
international community.
And amidst this new uproar, I also recall the taxi driver who took me
to al-Khalil two years ago for a visit to the graves of Prophet Ibraheem and
Prophet Ishaq, upon them peace. He spoke of the difficult times and the
impossibility of peace in the Holy land due to the extremists who do not like
peace. He himself, he said, would love to have peace in the Holy land, but he
did not know what was wrong with the Arabs, who just crowd and mess
around. There are so many Arab countries around Israel, he said, why don't
they take a few million Palestinians, who live like animals in crowded and
infesting homes in Gaza? As for himself, he has nowhere to go, he said. He
was born in Jerusalem and that is the only place on earth where he can be. It
is true that his parents came from Poland, but that was before he was born.
But Arabs, they can go anywhere; there are so many places in the world. He
was absolutely convinced that the only way to have peace was a
reduction in population and the only way to have a reduction in
population was for the Arabs to leave!
We had to suddenly stop at the checkpoint. He rolled down his
window, showed his official card, speaking in Hebrew. The soldiers looked
at me, asked him a few more questions in Hebrew and then let us go. They
just wanted to know who you were, he said once we had passed the
checkpoint very nice soldiers. They stand here day after day, protecting our
lives.

1100

As we approached al-Khalil, we started to see Palestinians going

about their daily routines. An old woman crossed the road in front of the
taxi; that infuriated the driver. Do you see this, he said, how they walk.
They have no sense of how to cross the road; they walk so gingerly as if they
have the whole day to cross the road. These Arabs.
The road narrowed and then came to an abrupt end near a bazaar. The
driver parked the taxi and we started to walk through the bazaar to reach the
shrine. As I walked silently reciting the darud, many shopkeepers invited us
to have tea. The driver walked a few paces ahead of me in his agitated state.
Fast forward two years later to March 27, 2010: the Arab leaders
have concluded their summit at Sirte. They have issued one more
proclamation, which is thrown in the dustbins the next day. They have gone
home. New homes have been built in East Jerusalem. Soldiers stand at the
entrance. Palestinians are further squeezed. One more settlement has been
established. New plans are announced for new homes. The Arab leaders plan
one more summit; they gather in their impotent rage, fume, fight over words
of the resolution, eat enormous amounts of food, and then go home.
The News wrote: During his terse visit to the US last week, Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not just strike a defiant note when
he rebuffed the Obama administrations demands that Israel freeze the
construction of 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem and return to the
negotiating table. He went a step further as he insisted Jerusalem is not
a settlement; it is our capital and warned before his talks with President
Obama that the peace process risked being blocked for a year if the US
supported the unreasonable demand from the Palestinians for a freeze on
settlements. This snub followed the embarrassment caused earlier this month
by the Israeli governments announcement of building new homes in the
occupied territory during US Vice-President Joseph Bidens visit to the
country. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton accused Tel Aviv of insulting
Washington. Netanyahu regretted not the provocative announcement but its
timing. On March 26, his country vowed its policy would not change on
Jerusalem, whose eastern part it annexed from Jordan after the 1967 war.
There is no indication to suggest that the US will take any concrete
action other than diplomatic nudging to help resume the peace process
stalled by the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip 15 months ago. In pursuit of
its interests, it wants to be seen as an honest broker in the Middle East by its
Arab allies whose support it might need in case it decides to take on Iran
militarily. An increasingly defiant Israel may stymie such US designs and

1101

strengthen anti-American sentiment. In the recent weeks, Israeli troops have

killed several Palestinian protesters and areas of the West Bank have been
declared closed military zones. But the US cannot put much pressure on
Israel, which has been its closest ally for decades. Its failure to stop Israel
from stealing Palestinian land and economically stifling the residents of the
West Bank exposes the falsity of its claim to be a friend of the Palestinians.
If the situation is allowed to continue simmering, we may soon witness a
repeat of the Gaza offensive. It would be impossible for the US to absolve
itself from the blame for such an eventuality.
M Shahid Alam commented (excerpts only): The US love fest with
Israel appears to have run into a spot of trouble. In a reversal of its
previous policy, the US is insisting that Israel suspend new settlement
construction in East Jerusalem to pave the way for peace talks with the
Palestinian Authority. For a change, the US is countering Israels No with
tough talk not heard in a while.
What has occasioned this open rift between two spouses in a
heavenly marriage? There have been tiffs before between them, but never
before has a US administration told Israel that its policy endangers American
troops or American interests in the Middle East? This talk is serious. It belies
decades of rhetoric that has boosted Israel as Americas unsinkable aircraft
carrier in the Middle East.
It appears that its past is beginning to catch up with Israel.
Adversaries it had long suppressed, forces it had harnessed for its
expansionist policy, blowbacks from decisions made in hubris have now
converged to limit Israels options. Is the Zionist logic that had brought
endless successes in the past now working in the opposite direction? Is Israel
running out of its fabled resourcefulness?
He briefly covered the past of Israel and then added: When Al Qaeda
struck on 9-11, Israel saw opportunity. The Zionists began to press full steam
for the US to invade Iraq and succeeded. Few Israelis worried that the
chickens would come home to roost. In April 2008, Netanyahu said: We
are benefiting fromthe attack on the Twin Towers and Pentagon, and the
American struggle in Iraq.
Now, some ten years later, the chickens are coming home to roost.
The Iraq war has achieved little for Israel. It removed a defanged Saddam
Hussein, but extended Irans influence into Iraq and it has brought Iranian
proxies to its northern and southern borders. Iran now uses Palestine to
undermine pro-US Arab regimes.
1102

More ominously, the US military has now spoken. It has warned that
Israeli policy raises tensions in the Middle East and endangers US troops on
the ground. It will not be easy for Israel and its backers to shout down US
generals with charges of anti-Semitism. That is why so many Zionist
commentators look alarmed. One Israeli commentator warns that Obama
and Netanyahu are at point of no return. Others are saying worse.
It appears unlikely that this flap between the US and Israel will
blow over soon. If it does not, attacks by Jewish groups inside and outside
Israel against Obama will become more frequent and nastier. The loyalty
of some Americans, both inside and outside the Congress, will be tested. It is
hard to predict where this will go. However, this much should be clear.
Even if US-Israeli differences over the Middle East are finessed for now,
that will not be the end of it. The pressures that have persuaded the US to
insist on a solution to the Palestinian problem will persist. The realities that
have produced the present flap are not going away.
About Iran John Hughes observed: While both Israeli and US
leaders have warned that a military strike against Irans nuclear installations
remains an ultimate option, it would produce havoc with regional and global
order. It might also trigger negative, nationalistic reaction from the very
Iranian protesters presently challenging the regime. For Obama, forceful
diplomacy with like-minded allies must be the immediate course against the
Iranian regime. But democracy lies in the hands of the Iranian people.
The New York Times wrote: Some experts say the government is so
weakened that the United States should withdraw its offer to improve
relations and focus solely on regime change. No one has put forward a
compelling plan for achieving that, but military action would be a disaster.
As we saw in Iraq, talk of regime change can be an unpredictable and
dangerous game.
Iran is already, predictably, claiming that the homegrown opposition
is a tool of the West. That is absurd. President Obama needs to speak out
more strongly on behalf of Iranians who are peacefully seeking change. But
the United States and its partners also must be very conscious of the fierce
pride and independence of the Iranian people. Squaring that circle will be
extremely hard, but it must be done. Meanwhile, the centrifuges keep
spinning.
Tehran Times commented on US anti-missile system in Persian Gulf.
If the U.S. is really concerned about the security of the Arab nations of the
Persian Gulf, it must stop providing unconditional support to Israel, which
1103

has a stockpile of at least 200 nuclear weapons and poses the greatest
security threat to the region. It is obvious that the anti-missile systems are
only meant to protect US bases in the region and to provide logistical
support for Israels intrigues.
On the eve of Nuclear Security Summit Dr James Zogby wrote:
Surely, no one wants to see an Iran with nuclear weapons weapons they
also can never use without insuring that massive devastation be visited upon
their country. But the best way to insure that a dangerous arms race does not
occur in this region is to move towards a nuclear free Middle East. The way
forward is to drop the shield of secrecy that surrounds Israels
programme, insist that Israel join the world community and sign the NPT,
and negotiate a comprehensive peace with its neighbours. This is how to end
nuclear madness and advance the presidents vision.
Manouchehr Mottaki commented: It is deplorable that despite the
wish of a majority of the NPT members for nuclear disarmament, the
existence of nuclear arsenals all over the world, and above all the mentality
to use or the threats to use these inhuman weapons, still threatens the entire
international community We have to bear in mind that the NPT was
formed around three main pillars, namely nuclear disarmament uses
of nuclear energy and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. But what
happened to these pillars?
Mottaki discussed how the haves exploited the treaty against havenots and then added: It is the right time to find solutions for these main
problems and challenges which are rooted in injustice and discrimination.
The following practical steps can help restore the original balance
among the main pillars of the NPT and subsequently save the credibility
of NPT (in brief):
Firstly, the full and non-discriminatory implementation of all NPT
provisions would, undoubtedly, benefit all states parties.
Secondly, achieving the universality of the NPT by adding incentives
for membership of the Treaty and putting pressure on the outsiders,
instead of rewarding them, is an urgent need.
Thirdly, the nuclear weapons states should fully abide by their
obligationsfor nuclear disarmamenton a fixed timetable for total
elimination of nuclear weapons.

1104

 Fourthly, formal renouncing of nuclear weapons from the defence

doctrine of all nuclear weapon states is prerequisite for nuclear
disarmament.
Fifthly, there is a delicate balance between the rights and the
obligations in the NPT There is no pretext for depriving member
states form of right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes,
including the fuel cycle technology.
Sixthly, all parties to the Treaty should facilitate, and have the right to
participate in the fullest possible exchange of equipment, materials
and scientific and technological information for peaceful uses

REVIEW
Maliki should not have cribbed about the fraud in elections. He should
have known that Western democracy has in-built weakness for
manipulation and that is why it is so vehemently prescribed for the countries
like Iraq. Capitalists can get the desired results by spending some of the
accumulated capital.
After having acted as puppet for years, he should have also known
that the puppeteers always keep some puppets in reserve to replace the ones
already in use. This is necessary for tightening and strengthening the strings
of those in use to ensure that they produce the desired response and at the
same time the show must continue during the repair work by bringing the
reserves into action.
Obamas peace overtures have proved to be nothing more than a hoax.
Netanyahu has snubbed Obama more than once to keep him in the shoes of
US President. Even the UN inquiry into war crimes committed by Israeli
troops has not been able to work as a word of caution.
The events following the killing of Hamas leader proved two things.
One; the number of passports used by the Israeli agents once again
confirmed that the entire Christian World is at the back of Zionist regime in
perpetration of holy terrorism. Two; the resentment by the Brits over use of
their passport indicated that this document is more sacred for them than the
blood of an Arab.
14th April 2010

1105

SANITORY STAFF
After the hard work of nine months the democratic sanitary staff led
by Raza Rabbani claimed to have cleared the mess created by the military
dictators. This team of garbage collectors seemed to have painstakingly
shoveled the garbage into the truck called constitutional reforms package

1106

and then at the end in typical Pakistani style sped away the truck scattering
the garbage all over.
They might have cleared the mess created by the military dictators,
but in doing that they have created plenty of democratic mess. There are
numerous heaps of filth so created, but uncovering of the soakage pit called
Pakhtunkhwa, stands out stinking. Whereas others will take time to show
their effects, this one has polluted the atmosphere instantly.
Polluting of the atmosphere suited Zardari the most in diverting
attention away from corruption spree of past and present. He used this
historic document as pretext to remit the sentence of his faithful Ahmad
Riaz Sheikh. The people of his ilk locked in jails across the country started
demanding similar remissions.

NEWS
On the eve of ZABs death anniversary Zardari once again declared
that he was not scared of pen, jail or death. This time bayonet was not
mentioned by him. CEC of PPP met and declared Swiss cases, if opened,
would disgrace ZABs grave. It decided to empower Zardari despite 18 th
Amendment; all important decisions will be taken by Zardari. It also
declared to reopen Bhuttos judicial murder case with the hope of bringing
(dis)grace to ZABs grave.
Babar Awan said action on nine points of NRO verdict has been taken
and the allegation of blocking the implementation is baseless. PPP MNA
Noor Alam alleged that Babar Awan deceitfully took Rs1.2 million from him
for contesting his case in election tribunal but did not appear even for once
in the court. Gilani was reportedly annoyed with Babar Awan over
resignation of the AG.
Orders of the Supreme Court on Swiss cases were challenged by
petitioner Barrister Zafarullah Khan. Analysts observed that the petition has
the potential for leading to judicial interpretation and determination of the
Presidents immunity from criminal prosecution.
Salman Taseer claimed that Nawaz has returned to right path by
supporting 18th Amendment. The US media once again started terming Chief
Justice as sympathizer of Islamic extremists. AJK Chief Justice was booted
out after serious allegations including blasphemy, personal gains and
bringing its court in direct conflict with the Supreme Court.

1107

Speaking from the family graveyard at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh on 4 th

April Zardari vowed to follow ZABs policy for the welfare of the people.
Ansar Abbasi observed that having failed to find any legal or moral excuse
not to obey the Supreme Court order on the NRO, and after using the socalled Sindh Card, Zardari and his cronies have decided to play the
emotional card use Benazir Bhuttos grave as a shield to protect their
millions in Swiss accounts.
Rauf Klasra reported that the top leadership of the PPP including
Zardari, Gilani, Aitzaz, Raza Rabbani and others were made to stand up
from their seats during the charged and emotional proceedings of the CEC to
say loudly in one voice that none of them would allow anyone to put the
grave of Benazir Bhutto on trial, allow judicial murder of ailing Nusrat
Bhutto and reopening of cases against co-chairman of the party. It was an
oath similar to the one administered by PML-N for fight for independence of
the Judiciary, but this one was to challenge the Supreme Court.
Babar Awan told his colleagues that he would go down fighting. AJK
Chief Justice and adhoc judges were restored by the President of AJK and
declared orders of the acting president null and void. Niazi said Musharraf
would return soon after announcement of formation of his political party, All
Pakistan Muslim League, and partys office would be established in
Islamabad.
5th April, Zardari delivered his annual address to the Parliament and
urged the members to approve the reforms without delay. Air surveillance
was carried out during Zardaris presence in Assembly Hall. Earlier, PML-N
decided that Nawaz should not attend the joint session of Parliament; thus
deprived their leader the pearls of wisdom that were showered by Zardari in
his speech. Sharifs, however, justified their absence from joint session of
the Parliament; Nawaz was not invited and Shahbaz though Zardari was not
behaving as President.
Outgoing Attorney General Anwar Mansoor said differences between
him and Babar Awan had emerged right from the day he assumed the duties
of Attorney General. Ansar Abbasi quoted him saying that he believed that
the proposed judicial commission, even if approved by Parliament, would be
struck down by the apex court.
AJK Supreme Court disregarded the directive of the President and the
Chief justice appointed by acting president heard the cases in Court Room
No 1. AJK virtually has two chief justices. Ijazul Haq challenged PPP to

1108

reopen ZABs trial case. The report on steps taken to implement NRO
verdict was submitted with the Registrar.
In four districts of Hazara Division, the people protested on fourth
consecutive day against the renaming and blocked the KKH for hours. The
killings in suicide bombing in Timargara turned the celebrations into
mourning as ANP announced three-day mourning.
Federal government in its interim report submitted to the Supreme
Court said that Prime Ministers consent is required for writing to reopen the
Swiss cases. It also alleged that initiation of cases in 1997 in Switzerland
was incorrect as it was not authorized by Nawaz and his cabinet. Meanwhile,
Law Secretary was granted 15-day leave as part of the delaying tactics of the
regime. Meanwhile, the NAB refused to give Swiss cases record to Law
Ministry.
Deputy Attorney General Shah Khawar refused to assume duties at his
new post in Peshawar. Reportedly, Khawar and KK Agha were posted out
from AGs office because they did not received Babar Awan at the gate of
Supreme Court when he arrived to visit AGs office. Interestingly, both
officers are PPP supporter.
Justice Ijaz of LHC withdrew from sitting on the bench hearing
petition challenging eligibility of Shahbaz, because he had been defending
him in 1996. Lawyers in Faisalabad attacked a police station in Faisalabad
and got freed their colleague who had been arrested for misbehaving with a
woman.
Gilani announced that no balance of power was possible without
Zardaris will (consent). Shaukat Tarin and MD Fauji Foundation jointly
confirmed to the standing committee that serious irregularities were
committed in the award of LNG contract. Acting chief justice of AJK
struck down presidential order. Both, Justice Riaz and Justice Manzoor,
attended offices as AJK CJ. Such a situation is the natural outcome where
Manzoor Wattoo in charge.
Protests against renaming of NWFP intensified in Hazara Division on
7 April. PML-N, reportedly, asked ANP to review the issue of renaming the
province. Special secretary of Ministry of Petroleum told the standing
committee probing LNG case that the minister Naved Qamar had ordered
that he would personally handle the case (LNG Scam).
th

AJK President filed reference against two judges; AJK now had two
chief justices and two supreme judicial councils. Muslim Conference

1109

constituted two committees to resolve the crisis. Nawaz conveyed to Gilani

that his government should not interfere in matters related to AJK judiciary.
Manzoor Wattoo was admonished for creating the mess in this regard.
Rauf Klasra and Tariq Butt reported that governments assertion in
interim report submitted in the Supreme Court was wrong. Nawaz Sharif had
made Pakistan a party to Swiss cases and Benazir and Zardari had
challenged the letter in SHC and their petitions were set aside. Aamer Khan
and Afaq Ahmad of MQM-H were sentenced for imprisonment for life.
MQM-H alleged that court awarded the sentence under pressure on MQM.
The National Assembly adopted 18th Amendment on 8th April with no
vote cast against it; however 20 votes were cast against renaming of the
NWFP during clause-wise voting and Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and Khwaja
Saad Rafiq did the same when the house voted to abolish elections within
political parties. Zardari claimed the passage of bill showed political wisdom
and observers said it wont boost Zardaris popularity.
Sindhi nationalists held protests against 18th Amendment as it did not
address concerns of Sindh over water and natural resources. They resented
sharing of resources with the federation. Sariaki and Urdu speaking joined
people of Hazara and demanded separate provinces like them. Haji Adeel
while appearing in a discussion on Express TV said ANP is pound of
opposing creation of Pakistan. Chief Minister vowed to take opponents of
renaming NWFP into confidence. Shahbaz urged Gilani to release funds
for Punjab.
SHC issued arrest warrant of former official of FIA, Chaudhry Sharif,
who was acquitted in a corruption reference by Accountability Court last
month. Kyrgyz revolt echoed in Pakistani media with unsaid desire of aping
it simmering beneath it.
A contempt plea was filed against Babar Awan in the Supreme Court
on 9 April for blocking implementation of NRO verdict. Rehman Malik
was criticized in Senate for lying and Senators staged walkouts over load
shedding and renaming of NWFP. NA was informed that ambassadors-atlarge carried out 38 foreign trips costing Rs1.038 billion.
th

Gilani appointed Jamshaid Dasti as his adviser for livestock after he

resigned to avoid disqualification. Well son! If you cant be good student try
hand on being chhairo (Shepherd). Nawaz favoured more provinces and
urged address of reservations of people of Hazara. Saraiki speaking of DI
Khan and Hindko speaking also made demands like people of Hazara.
MQM-H moved Supreme Court against targeted killings.
1110

Next day, prisoners in Lahore and Hyderabad jails protested and

demanded remission in punishments in all crimes; one in Hyderabad, while
talking to a TV channel said, if punishment of Riaz Sheikh could be remitted
why not others? According to Ansar Abbasi Riaz had completed only 10
months and 11 days whereas the government claimed that he had completed
4 years, 8 months and 7 days and he could be released as soon as letter is
received by jail authorities.
Tariq Butt observed that power to dissolve assembly has been
transferred to party leaders in a modified form. Even prime minister could be
unseated on the complaint of party leader to the Speaker National Assembly
that he/she has violated party discipline.
Naveed Qamar turned the table on Rauf Klasra; the LNG deal has
resulted in saving Rs1.33 billion contrary to the allegation of Rs one billion
loss. Reportedly, Shaukat Tarin in his letter to the Supreme Court has
suggested cancellation on LNG deal.
In violation of the Supreme Court directive to Law Ministry to write
letter for reopening Swiss cases, NAB faxed the request sans requisite
evidence. Swiss Attorney said cases against Zardari could not be opened on
such a request. He also referred to international law regarding legal
proceedings against heads of states. Joint Secretary Akbar Achakzai of Law
Ministry resigned because he found it hard to work with Babar Awan.
Protests against load shedding intensified in Lahore and other parts of
Punjab. Chief Justice expressed satisfaction with implementation of National
Judicial Policy. ANP supported Seraiki province but rejected Hazara. The
NAB told Senate that Nawaz paid millions after 2000 to secure his freedom
and to proceed on exile.
On 11th April, Justice Wajihuddin urged the apex court to take notice
of the letter written for reopening of Swiss cases contrary to its directive.
Section 144 was clamped in Abbottabad to control protests against renaming
of NWFP. Shujaat said Nawaz betrayed people of Hazara on renaming of
NWFP. He said PML-Q would oppose renaming clause in the Senate.
Protests continued against load shedding in Lahore and Gujranwala.
Three persons were wounded when protesters resorted to stone-pelting.
Nawaz warned of intensified crisis if load shedding not controlled. Raja
Pervaiz cautioned against politicizing the issue.
On 12th April, protests in Hazara Division against renaming of NWFP
turned into bloody violence due to two instigating moves; one, PML-N

1111

decided to hold a convention to counter PML-Q and ANP decided to replace

local police with police from Mardan and Swabi (ANP-dominated areas).
The police resorted to use of force right from the start of the day resulting in
killing 7 and wounding more than 100. Protesters also resorted to violence
and set ablaze a police station, two police vehicles and an ambulance.
The killings resulted into accusations and counter accusations. Nawaz
said the people of Hazara should be convinced with logical argument
instead of bullets. His party took another U-turn, from Khyber to Hazara, on
renaming NWFP. Iftikhar Husssain said his government wont allow lashon
ki siasat (politics on dead bodies). ANP government ordered judicial inquiry
into the killings.
Chaudhry Nisar advised the government to reconsider the renaming
issue. Saleem Saifullah said the killings were question mark of restoration of
democracy. GA Bilour saw it as fallout of PML-N-PML-Q tussle. Maqsood
Tirmizi termed it a trick to divert attention from real issues. Nader Buneri
suspected some elements exploiting situation; soon the suspicion will be
diverted towards agencies. In Karachi, celebrations over the renaming were
presided over by Shahi Said.
Opposition leader, Wasim Sajjad, opposed the move as Raza Rabbani
tabled the 18th Amendment Bill in the Senate. Meanwhile, demands for
creation for creation of three more provinces; Qabialistan, Seraiki and
Bahawalpur were submitted in the Senate. Raza Rabbani spent a busy day
mustering support for the 18th Amendment. As 18th was still in the labour
room, Marvi hinted at conceiving 19th.
Protests against power load-shedding spread to Kasur, Muridke,
Faisalabad, Burewala and Vehari. Protesters set two vehicles of WAPDA on
fire. Authorities decided to cut electric supply to private steel mills to reduce
load shedding periods.
Chaudhry Nisar said Zardari granted remission to prisoners only to
benefit Riaz Sheikh. Prisoners in Hyderabad Jail again protested and
demanded remission like Riaz Sheikh. Reportedly, Punjab government
refused to accept Zardaris remission orders regarding Riaz.
The regime did not care appearing in the court to represent in LNG
case; the proceedings were adjourned till 14th April and the court sought
LNG contract record. Two joint secretaries were arrested for issuing fake
arms licences during their tenure in Interior Ministry.

1112

On 13th April, two shops of arms dealers were looted by protesters in

Abbottabad; accusing fingers were raised at activists of PML-N. Offices of a
minister and PML-N MNA were set ablaze in Haripur. Three more people
died and DIG and DCO were removed. ANP MPA from Haripur, Qazi Asad
submitted resolution in NWFP Assembly for creation of Hazara Province.
NWFP government tasked four ministers from Hazara Division to mediate
for cooling the tempers.
Nawaz closed ranks with ANP and telephoned Hoti to urge restoration
of peace. He also dropped the proposal of Hazara-Pakhtunkhwa after PPP
and ANP did not support. Like-minded decided to back Hazara movement.
Mushahid Hussain said renaming was a bid to divide country. Zardari
discussed the issue with his cronies.
Mian Iftikhar held a press conference and accused PML-Q for the
unrest. He named Gohar Ayub, his son and Chaudhry Shujaat for instigating
people to violate Section 144. He also criticized them for accusing police
from Swabi and Mardan. He alleged that PML-Q was trying to sabotage 18 th
Amendment. Participating in Capital Talk of Geo TV, Ilyas Bilour, on
insistence of the host, said he was sorry for those killed after all they were
our brothers, not Punjabis.
Protests against load shedding spread across country. NAB showed its
inability to act against Babar Awan because it was under the Law Minister.
During proceedings of the case of issue of fake arms licences names of more
senior bureaucrats surfaced. Governor Salman Taseer sought explanation of
the Punjab government for not obeying Zardaris remission orders regarding
Riaz Sheikh.
On 14th April, Section 144 was lifted in Abbottabad and the
government decided to release all detainees. Judicial inquiry was ordered
into deaths. Nawaz Sharif rushed to Hazara to cool down the tempers, but
went to Srikot located on the bank of River Indus. Due to cunning scheming
of ANP and PPP (Asfand and Zardari) Nawaz now found himself defending
the cause of ANP. Tehreek-e-Hazara rejected Nawazs stance on renaming
issue. PML-Q decided to support creation of more provinces.
SM Zafar appeared in the court in LNG case to defend Navid Qamar;
the court ordered stay in contract signing ceremony. Jamil Abbasi of InterRisk Security Company was released on bail while the Chief Justice asked
FIA to expose big guns. A petition was filed in the Supreme Court
challenging immunity of the President under Article 248.

1113

Punjab government bowed before Zardari and issued orders for the
release of Ahmed Riaz Sheikh saying such remissions would result in
increase in corruption. The man who arrested father of Sharif brothers was
free. Southern Punjab was almost paralyzed by wheel jam strike against load
shedding, price hike and other anomalies of governance.
Next day, Senate adopted 18th Amendment Bill unanimously; 12 votes
were cast against renaming of NWFP. Prime Minister announced award of
Nishan-e-Pakistan to Constitutional Reforms Committee. PML-Q and PMLN Senators walked out of Senate in protest against ANPs Haji Adeel, who a
day before had celebrated the occasion by passing derogatory remarks about
Quaid-e-Azam. Red-cappers celebrated adoption of the Bill on drum beats.
Hazara movement decided to observe Black day on 16 th April. Imran Khan
said PML-N should also be renamed as Qalabazi League.
On 16th April, the SCBA challenged in the Supreme Court the
formation of judicial commission for appointment of judges. The Chief
Justice said the Judiciary can reject any law on the basis of conjunctions of
the Constitution. Maqbool Malik observed that the new accountability law
would help in saving overseas assets. Imran Khan supported the idea of
creating more federating units.

VIEWS
The constitutional reforms became the main attraction for the analysts.
On 4 April, Gibran Peshimam wrote: There is one school of thought that
believes that Nawaz did it to try and grab as much credit as possible for
the historic move given that the credit, at that moment, was going solely to
the PPP and its allies. He wanted his role to be magnified because in reality
he had only a small role. If anything, whatever credit the N deserves ought
to go to Ishaq Dar. However, I still give weight to speculations that Nawaz
Sharifs ambush had more sinister motives to it, and was not just simple
dissent or a thirst for credit. The risk factor was just too great.
th

Whatever the reason may have been for him to take the initial U-turn,
the backlash was so intense in the media and in political circles that he
had to back off. His move to come back on board was hardly a benevolent
one. He would have milked it if he could have theres no denying that.
As I have argued before, the PPPs political fate was tied to this bill
and sabotaging it would have, on the face of it, been an ideal way for the N
to demolish their principal political opponents. However, the attempt was

1114

bungled, and conversely threatened to destroy the N politically due to

political isolation no matter the partys arguments to the contrary.
That is why the N took yet another U-turn from the stance having no
two options on the two issues. The question remains, what did Nawaz
want, and/or on whose behest was he acting? This is burning question that
still needs to be resolved.
Meanwhile, all eyes will now be on the joint sitting of Parliament
Despite the PPPs escape act, he (Zardari) remains compromised in the face
of the Swiss cases, while his other associates have managed to get
themselves cleared by the courts. The PPP stands stronger that it was a
year ago but the weakest links remain. The must move fast.
I A Rehman expressed his views on Nawazs refusal to allow PML-N
to join Gilanis cabinet. It is not impossible that Mian Nawaz Sharif was
advised to distance himself from the governments sinking boat or that
the Get-Zardari operation was going to enter the final round. If there is any
truth in such conjectures, one will be surprised at Mian Nawaz Sharifs
inability to notice the flaw in the line of his advisers argument. As a
politician, he is not expected to abandon fellow politicians for the sake of
hatchet men who target all politicians without any distinction. In any case,
the outcome of the Presidents encirclement will be known within a few days
and only time will tell as to how many politicians will remember Bulleh
Shahs warning against celebrating the demise of ones rivals.
The News commented on AGs resignation and Swiss cases. The
significance of the events we are watching now should not be underplayed.
There are observers who forecast that much drama could yet lie ahead
on our political theatre. This is something we simply do not need. There
must be stability if any kind of progress forward is to be made. This is
difficult on such shaky ground. The government and those who determine its
affairs must carefully gauge the impact of events; they must rationally assess
how the handling of the Swiss cases has affected them. The SC is clearly
determined to press ahead with its quest to ensure the NRO verdict is
implemented. Already, this has led to the exposure of a great deal and
revealed key players involved in attempts to cover up wrongdoing. The AG
perhaps left with little choice has acted on principle. We wonder if there
will be others who follow him as the saga of the Swiss cases continues to
unfold.
Next day, The News commented: The messages coming out from
Naudero were somewhat mixed. In his speech...Zardari vowed to uphold
1115

democracy at all costs. The CEC meanwhile stated that despite the 18 th
Amendment the president would continue to decide all national affairs.
While it is too early to say if this will translate into anything in real terms,
both the undemocratic sentiment and the sycophancy are disturbing. The
repetition by the CEC of views expressed earlier by the party that reopening
the Swiss cases amounts to desecrating the grave of Bhutto is also rather
meaningless. While the gathering to mark the 1979 hanging of the man who
still defines the PPP is always an emotive occasion, it is hard in rational
terms to find any link between cases of corruption against Mr Zardari the
son-in-law Zulfikar Bhutto never knew and the grave of the late premier.
There is also argument in favour of the view that the legacy of the
PPP, as a party of the poor, would indeed be better served by bringing those
who loot public money to book. The time has perhaps also come for the
party to learn that it needs to move on, beyond the troubling events that took
place over three decades ago and live in the tough times of today. Many
would not disagree with the opinion expressed at the CEC that the
execution of Mr Bhutto amounted to judicial murder, but we must ask
what the reopening of the case at this juncture would achieve. This is all the
more true given the fact that the mysteries surrounding the murder of Mr
Bhuttos daughter remain unresolved, even though her party holds power.
Credibility is not a quality that would mark its tenure.
The assertion by the president that he would never take steps to
betray democracy and efforts for national reconciliation would continue are
welcome. The success in building the consensus that allowed the 18 th
Amendment Bill to be tabled in parliament is rare in our country. Mr Zardari
would do well to build agreement on a still wider range of issues. He has
also once more spoken of doing all that is possible to combat terror and
with this too there can be no dispute. The question though is if the
government possesses the vision to move beyond the military operation and
tackle militancy in a more holistic manner. The president spoke too of
conspiracies against his government and his determination to defeat
them. He must remember this will be possible only if promises are
delivered on and the PPP works towards translating into reality the hope that
still brings hundreds of thousands to Naudero each year.
Asif Ezdi commented on the proposed deletion of the concurrent list
from the Constitution. The abolition of the concurrent list would be justified
if we reached the conclusion, after a nation-wide debate, that the country no
longer needs uniformity in the main principles of civil and criminal law and
that there is no need for federal regulation of matters which extend beyond
1116

one province. But the committee not only failed to discuss these aspects, it
also seems to have failed to comprehend the issues. The government too
provided no guidance to the committee on what the abolition of the
concurrent list would entail.
Even worse, neither Zardari nor Gilani seem to care or be aware
of the consequences of taking such a radical step. Zardari is evidently
much too preoccupied with saving himself from corruption cases to concern
himself with matters of state. But Gilanis total non-involvement in the work
of the committee is shocking. Coming from the head of government, it is
nothing but culpable dereliction of duty.
For your benefit, Prime Minister, here is what the deletion of the
concurrent list will do. First, parliament will for the first time in the
countrys history lose the power to legislate (except for the Islamabad
Capital Territory) on the countrys penal code, criminal procedure, civil
procedure, law of evidence, and other major branches of substantive and
procedural law such as marriage and succession. The single legal space that
the country has had so far will be history. There will be not one but five
penal codes and the same number of criminal procedure codes, civil
procedure codes and law of evidence, one each for the four provinces and
another one for the Islamabad territory. Similarly, the country will need not
one but five new accountability laws to replace the NAB Ordinance and five
anti-money laundering laws, to give just a few examples from recent
legislation.
The authors of the Charter of Democracy who demanded the
deletion of the concurrent list obviously did not realize the
consequences. If they had, they would have proposed not one but five
independent accountability commissions to replace NAB. Aitzaz Ahsan, the
legal genius who drafted the Charter, has some explaining to do.
Second, parliament will lose the power to legislate on a number of
matters which can best be regulated at the federal level, such as drugs
and medicines and environmental protection. The result will be quintuplicate
at best and chaos and large-scale evasion of the law at worst.
The overall result of abolishing the concurrent list will be
confusion and inter-provincial disharmony. To cater for greater provincial
autonomy, a better approach would be to retain the list but give the
provinces the power to modify federal laws passed on concurrent matters
What our parliament needs to do now is to retain the concurrent
list but amend Article 143 to lay down (a) that a provincial law would
1117

override a federal law on a concurrent subject if the provincial assembly

passes it with a majority of its entire membership; and (b) that such a
provincial law may be modified by a later federal law if it is passed not only
by the National Assembly but also by a two-thirds majority of the total
membership of the Senate. This would be a sufficiently high bar to reassure
the smaller provinces. Such an amendment would ensure that in matters on
the concurrent list, the provinces will have the last word, except in the rare
case when the Senate decides, by a two-thirds vote, that there should be a
uniform law for the whole country.
If we adopt such an amendment, we will have a win-win solution.
While enhancing provincial autonomy, it would preserve a viable federal
structure and the benefits of a single legal space on matters in which
countrywide uniformity or inter-provincial coordination is required. The
move is yours to make, Prime Minister.
On 6th April, Humayun Akhtar Khan observed: Years of mismanagement, political manipulation and corruption have made
Pakistans civil services incapable of providing effective governance. The
last regimes devolution plan led to further confusion. Reforms of the civil
service should be prioritized for it to become a more effective and
accountable institution. The recommendations of the National Commission
on Government Reforms, which was set up by the last government in 2006
and which presented a report to the prime minister in May 2008, could be
the starting point for the debate to reform the civil services.
The 18th Amendment, a good effort, is necessary, but certainly not
sufficient. If we really want to strengthen democracy, let us start delivering
to the people and let us learn to protect the interests of the state rather than
our own. What happened in Washington should be an eye-opener: only two
years after the election, the red carpet was rolled out for our army chief, with
politicians nowhere to be seen. Such is the level of vacuums we create,
which of course take no time being filled.
Rahimullah Yusufzai commented on renaming of NWFP. The
strongest reaction to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, as expected, has been in
Hazara division, particularly in its headquarters, Abbottabad. There have
been some protests in Mansehra, the second biggest city in Hazara, and
Haripur, and apparently none in Battagram, where more than 80 per cent of
the population is Pashto-speaking, and in Kohistan, where Kohistani is the
dominant language and many people also speak Pashto.

1118

The demand of protesters in Hazara is for provincial status for

their region. Even the JUI-F has joined the movement, and so have local
leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, PTI and other parties. Some PML-N leaders too
are being compelled to back the demand for Hazara province in view of the
growing support for the idea.
Creation of a new province isnt going to be a priority in a presentday Pakistan plagued by serious security and economic problems. However,
a popular movement cannot be ignored for long. The agitation in Hazara
hasnt reached the stage of a movement and the ruling political parties are
hopeful that the protests will subside. Rather than making an effort earlier to
seek support for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in Hazara and elsewhere, the ANPled government in the province is planning to do so now. Already, there
have been demands that the net hydel-generation profits the province is
receiving from Tarbela Dam should be given to Hazara, where the project
is located.
Some serious political work needs to be done to control the
damage and keep the province intact by listening to those offended by the
name Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. For years the demand for Hazara province had
been championed by fringe political elements, but the bigger parties and
known politicians now demanding it cannot be ignored for long.
Next day, Anjum Niaz wrote about regimes campaign to malign the
Chief justice and the Supreme Court. If you go by what our TV swamis,
some well-known names, preach from their nightly pulpits, you would think
the nation is no longer in awe of Our Lordship. Our senior editor/TV
commentator of a private channel swears on the head of his source that
Nawaz Sharif was instructed by the chief judicator not to accept the 18 th
Amendment unless the composition of the judicial commission tilted in the
CJs favour. The story was of course leaked to the Time Magazine. The CJ
and his bench of learned judges, according to such naysayers, are
overstepping their boundaries; are doggedly hounding any persecuting the
ruling party and its co-chairman; are letting the PML-N cheats off the hook;
are bullying the federal secretaries and threatening them with dire
consequences; are going after the president when he enjoys immunity and
cannot be touched.
Joining in the anti-judiciary chorus are human rights power horses
who feel that the judiciary is going too far and thereby inviting trouble. The
trouble they mean martial law. Aiding and abetting our armchair pundits in
the print and electronic media are government factotums, especially those

1119

whose NRO cover has been blown off, rendering them unprotected. A
malicious campaign against the Court is being mounted by our officials
in Washington DC who have hired expensive lobbyists to denounce Justice
Chaudhry in leading US newspapers.
The News commented on Zardaris address to the Parliament.
Despondency hovers everywhere: the allegations of corruption fan it on and
people have increasingly lost faith in their leadership. It would also be wise
for the president to remember the last year and a half, during which his
office, has resulted in his standing tumbling in the eyes of people. Speeches
to parliament alone, no matter how eloquently worded, will not restore this.
We need to see action as well. Once the 18th Amendment is passed, much of
the responsibility for this will rest with parliament. But in his role as head of
state and of his party, the president too needs to lead the way and
demonstrate that he is committed to living up to the words he delivered
before a nation that hopes to see real change.
Ameer Bhutto opined celebrations could be premature. At a time
when the Peoples Party should be riding the crest of a wave upon the
introduction of the 18th Amendment in parliament, they instead find
themselves having to explain the resignation of their handpicked attorney
general More damaging than his resignation is the damning
indictment of this regime borne by Mr Mansoor's not altogether
surprising but nevertheless devastating disclosure that the law minister is
the biggest obstacle in the implementation of the NRO verdict.
As if that was not enough, on April 3 at Naudero, the Peoples Party's
Central Executive Committee (CEC), in the most manifest and direct
challenge to the authority of the apex court thus far, reportedly pledged
a solemn oath not to allow the Swiss cases to be reopened, come what
may. This comprehensively dashes all hopes that better sense might prevail
and a clash between the highest organs of state might be averted.
The CEC of the Peoples Party declared that reopening the Swiss
cases would be tantamount to putting Benazir Bhutto's grave on trial. The
Bhutto name and legacy are to this government no more than a
convenient political cash machine, from which they make withdrawals
whenever they land themselves in trouble. This government owes its
existence to Benazir Bhutto but did not even bother to file an FIR for her
murder. Instead the ball was tossed into the UN's court in expectation that it
would take as long to complete the inquiry as the Rafik Hariri's murder

1120

inquiry (six years). But now that the UN Commission has prepared its report
much earlier than expected, it has been blocked by Zardari.
The declaration to reopen the murder case in which Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto was hanged has become a routine occurrence on his birthday and
death anniversary, but despite reveling in power for over two years even the
process for reopening this case has not been initiated. How can this be
regarded as an illustration of their fidelity to the slain leaders? All the
Bhuttos get is meaningless lip service while the disreputable and
disgraced feed off their legacy and hide behind their name.
The issue at hand is not that of putting anyone's grave on trial, but
saving the skins of those who are very much alive and basking in
undeserved fame and fortune. This government finds itself in the unique
position of being the prosecutor and the accused at the same time. It is
logically absurd to expect that they will assiduously prosecute and punish
themselves. As such, this impasse over the NRO verdict was inevitable. The
only way that law and justice can run their course is if the NRO
beneficiaries, irrespective of any unethical immunity they may enjoy, are
removed from the office and made answerable before the law under an
impartial administration.
Against the backdrop of this crisis revolving around the
implementation of the NRO verdict, the 18 th Amendment proposal put
together by the Parliamentary Committee for Constitutional Reform (PCCR)
can be seen as an exercise in damage control and distraction. This
government never does anything unless it absolutely must. The restoration of
the judges, lifting of governor's rule in Punjab and the restoration of the
suspended Punjab Provincial Assembly was ordered only when the PML-N's
long march threatened to upset the whole apple cart. The appointment of
judges was not ordered until the government was faced with an obvious
contempt of court. Similarly, the PCCR did not kick into a higher gear till
the NRO verdict was announced and the government needed a distraction
and something positive to their name. Of course, they had not counted on the
resignation of the attorney general to turn the tables on them once again.
The Peoples Party's CEC meeting at Naudero also decided to
empower Zardari on all issues of national importance, even if the 18 th
Amendment is passed by parliament. What this means is that the 18 th
Amendment will be stillborn, having been strangled by the Peoples Party's
CEC in the womb, and all hopes of a return to a genuine parliamentary
system will have to be put on ice once again. This lends credence to

1121

suspicions that repealing the 17th Amendment and Article 58(2)(B) was
merely a ruse. The 18th Amendment was actually meant to bring the
judiciary under executive control by giving the powers of judicial
appointments to a parliamentary committee. The malicious intent of the
government is exposed by the fact that whereas the powers of the chief
justice for judicial appointments are severely restricted, the executive is
unleashed to run amok at will without any constraints or checks. Whereas
not a single corruption case has been filed against any high ranking
government officer over the last ten years, there is a concerted effort afoot to
discredit, intimidate and hamstring the judiciary for exposing loot and
plunder and striking down the NRO.
Furthermore, the proposed amendment seeks to make it easier for
convicts, even those found guilty of propagating opinions against Pakistan
and the judiciary, to find their way into public office and requirements on
political parties to hold intra-party elections have been done away with.
Changing the law is the easy solution for this government to have its
crooked way in every matter. Since Zardari apparently possessed no college
degree, his partner in the NRO deal, Musharraf, was prevailed upon to
remove the minimum literacy requirement. If the NAB cases are a thorn in
the side, then what could be easier than changing the NAB laws to legalize
and institutionalize corruption?
Mercifully, this attempt was foiled by the hue and cry raised over the
issue. If the judges are not cooperating, then the authority to appoint them
must be transferred to the executive to ensure the appointment of friendly
judges. Those who are dancing in the streets over the 18 th Amendment
should hold on to their hats for now. Nothing this government ever does is
straightforward or above board. There are always ulterior motives. Beware
of jiyalas bearing gifts. The euphoria generated by the supposed consensus
over the new NFC Award has been quashed by the Sindh chief minister's
revelation that the concessions made to the provinces have been left out of
the presidential order. Similarly, there is much in the 18 th Amendment that
does not meet the eye. Much of its content is in conflict with the spirit of the
constitution, which provides for an independent judiciary, separation of
powers and genuine democracy. It is liable to be brought before the courts of
law even if it is passed by parliament.
After the stand taken by the Peoples Party's CEC, it is no longer a
matter of just the law minister committing contempt of court. It is the whole
regime that stands in bellicose rebellion against the law and the constitution.
After arduously blocking all avenues of military adventurism in their various
1122

verdicts, particularly the PCO verdict announced on July 31, 2009, their
lordships may feel disinclined, on moral if not constitutional grounds, to
invite the army to act in their aid under the Article 190 of the constitution.
However, when confronted with a government that is hell-bent on perverting
the constitution and destroying the institutions that are the foundations of
our fledgling democratic system, a resort to extreme action is not beyond
reason. Their lordships will have to make some very difficult decisions in
the days to come to salvage the writ of the institutions that are the pillars
of state and save the state from sinking into a quicksand of anarchy. The
nation has had just about enough of this vengeful variety of democracy.
On 8th April, Kamila Hyat wrote: The 18th Amendment, now in
parliament allows hope for the future. Despite the sycophancy displayed
at Naudero, where the PPP voted to allow President Zardari to retain his
powers, it sets in place a greater balance in the political system and gives
rhythm to a pendulum which had been swinging askew. In this there is
something to look forward to.
BA Malik from Lahore pointed towards the segment of the society for
which it promises hope. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Malik Ahmad
takes the cake. He expressed ignorance about this whole affair in the Senate
whilst this school in Syria had been the talk of the town since The News first
broke the story a few weeks ago. One wonders what kind of
parliamentarians we have; fake degree-holders, allegedly corrupt, NRO
beneficiaries and liars. No wonder the government is bogged down in
charges of unbridled corruption, nepotism and cronyism.
Ansar Abbasi was of the view that when President Asif Zardaris
point man in Sindh, Zulfikar Mirza, says the PPP is ready to face judicial
dictators, he reflects not only the thinking of his boss but the fears of all his
cronies who themselves fear if Zardari submits before the SC, they would be
in the dock and in jail within hours and days All these close aides of the
president are going to be directly hit by the SC decisions and if President
Zardari cannot resist, they feel they are gone. So in a concerted effort they
have created a wall of confrontation to bring the SC down and damage the
reputation and image of the judges. It is a direct do or die situation.
Roedad Khan wrote: A written constitution makes sense only if
people genuinely believe in its sanctity and supremacy and are prepared
to protect and defend it. It makes no sense if people withdraw their support
of the Supreme Court, the guardian of the constitution and are not prepared
to defend it. A written constitution makes no sense if what it says in one

1123

thing and what actually happens in practice is another. It makes no sense if

citizens allow it to be periodically abrogated, suspended or held in abeyance
by people who have sworn to defend and uphold it. It makes no sense if it is
treated as a parchment of dried leafs and torn to pieces whenever it suits the
rulers. If that is how we are going to treat our written constitution, why have
a written constitution at all? Wither, then, are we tending?
The Supreme Court should be the barrier that protects the citizens
from the winds of evil and tyranny. If we permit it to be desecrated or
demeaned, and it crumbles, who will be able to stand in the winds that
follow? Obviously we have learned nothing from history. Isnt it a great
tragedy that today the democratically elected government has virtually
declared war on the Supreme Court and is determined to defy it? This is the
challenge that all of us now face. Every citizen of Pakistan must search
his soul and decide where he stands. It has been rightly said that those who
do evil are bad, but good men who do nothing to oppose it are equally so.
Next day, The Nation commented: It is a matter of increasing concern
for the right-thinking people of the country that our leaders have developed a
highly damaging tendency to take constant pot shots at the judiciary, without
any justification or provocation. Strangely, they do not seem to be conscious
of the consequences of their aberrant behaviour. Railway Minister Ghulam
Ahmad Bilour (ANP), while heaping laurels on President Zardari for the 18 th
Amendment on the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday, suddenly
went off at a tangent and warned the judiciary against making fun of
Parliaments decisions. For, otherwise, it would be difficult for us to
respect their decisions, he observed.
Apparently, the ANP has been too happy, and euphoric, at the new
name proposed for the NWFP in the constitutional reforms package, to
contain itself! It should rather be concerned over the adverse reaction the
proposed name has provoked, in the form of an abiding alienation of the
non-Pashtu speaking and nationalist-minded communities of the province.
Mr Bilour should have known that while Parliament is supreme, as he
pointed out, other pillars of the state also have constitutional obligations and
duties to perform. And a most important function of the Supreme Court is
that it is the guardian of the Constitution. It is the only institution authorized
to interpret it. There is no court of appeal against its decisions on
constitutional and legal matters. Its decision on the outlandishly bad law, the
NRO, must be unquestioningly accepted. The ANP policy makers should
understand that disrespect for the verdict that the government and its
henchmen have been showing by evading its implementation, under flimsy
1124

and questionable pretexts, has grave implications for the political system
under which Parliament has the sanctity and importance it enjoys. Respect
for Parliament and the government would automatically follow, as they
function to promote the national interest, not when they are seen to be
putting up excuses to protect loot and plunder. The SC decision on the
NRO is an attempt at setting things right and strengthening the
democratic order.
Taking issue with the apex court on any matter about which it has
clearly and unambiguously pronounced, is neither good for democracy, nor
for the person who joins the band of its critics. Mr Bilour would do well to
counsel the government, of which he is an important part, not to hesitate to
faithfully put the court verdict into effect without further delay. There is no
point in trying to gain time, when that tactic damages the system.
Arbab Alamgir from Hoti, Mardan expressed his views on renaming
of NWFP. This Khyber-Pakhtunkhwah is like taking the joke too far. A few
visionless people should not be allowed to distort history and the age-old
facts. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwah is not a name, its a joke, a practical joke
on people of the province.
Michael Karolus from Lahore wrote: The recent revolt in
Kyrgyzstanshould be an eye-opener not just for our rulers but also for the
general public in Pakistan. The corrupt ruling class and their friendly
opposition are both equally responsible for the current situation in our
country. It is clear as crystal that their only interest is to mint money, even if
it is at the cost of the countrys sovereignty and rights of the people. Things
would get worse till they cant be any worse unless the people wake up
and take their destiny in their hands.
Farooq Hameed Khan pondered: Can the accountability process be
saved from total collapse? Perhaps following steps need to be taken to
restore the situation:
The Supreme Court should order a high-level judicial inquiry into
NABs affairs including the prosecution scam, NRO acquittals, loss
and tampering of vital record etc.
A new Chairman NAB, preferably a retired Supreme Court Judge, and
Prosecutor General (both neutral and non-political personalities) be
appointed as per NAB Law to end the state of uncertainty and put the
organization back on track.

1125

 NAB should be immediately removed from under the Law Ministry so

as to end government interference.
All politically appointed prosecutors be replaced with non-political,
experienced lawyers with good repute.
Monitoring Cells of Supreme Court and High Courts must clamp
down on unethical practices during court proceedings of corruption
cases.
The opposition, especially the PML-N, must pressurize the
government to table the draft Independent Accountability Commission
Act Bill in the parliament on priority.
Farooq did not specify or expected as to how the regime could take
such actions. He concluded: When vows of over my dead body make the
rounds of the Law Ministry, is it planning a major confrontation with the
Supreme Court? All those who mattered in the current stand-off seem to
have wisely jumped the boat, seeing the approaching storm. Is the option of
invoking Article 190 that may seek the ultimate authoritys help to
implement the SCs decision already on the Honourable Chief Justices
table?
On 10th April, Inayatullah commented of PML-Ns role in 18th
Amendment. PML-Ns performance in this process left much to be
desired, as was highlighted suddenly by Nawaz Sharif questioning some of
the clauses relating to the appointment of the judges and the re-naming of
the NWFP. (It is amazing how PML-N failed to foresee the way the media
reacted. Indeed, the episode exposed the poor media management by the
party).
Mian Sahib did try to retrieve his surprise intervention by holding a
number of press conferences; however, the damage to his stature and
standing of the party had been done. Had he taken a well considered and
firm stand against Pakhtunkhwa, it would have been possible to take the
necessary time to turn the issue into a matter of vital national importance.
Nawaz could have done so with his local party leaders mobilizing
protests in Hazara and other places prior to the Constitutional
Committees decision. But, the manner in which Kyber Pakhtunkhwa was
conceded and the compromise on the name itself, did little credit to the party
leadership one must compliment PML-Q for voicing its serious reservations
in this respect

1126

Can PML-N jolt itself out of its somnolent state, join hands with
vocal change champions like Imran Khan in order to launch a movement
for better policies and people-friendly programmes, as well as strive to hold
the corrupt and the crooked accountable for their misdeeds (with the
cooperation of the media). Last but not the least, mobilize parliamentary
committees to keep a vigilant watch on the working of the executive.
Fakir S Ayazuddin observed that Babar Awans statement of over my
dead body was part of the regimes policy of confrontation. In the mission
to protect themselves from the inevitable, and having been placed in the
presidency, the focus has shifted to bringing the judiciary into disrepute.
Even some well known commentators, including a highly respected human
rights activist, have suddenly started running down the Supreme Court
accusing it of judicial activism. All this from a lady who has up till now been
at the forefront of the independence and freedom of the judiciary to the
extent of having been on the receiving end of many police actions. Has this
lady have undergone a complete reversal to her earlier highly and effectively
fought ideals? The whispers speak of the ideals being shed at the altar of
reality PPP style.
Nevertheless, the main thrust is the confrontation between the
executive and the judiciary. Can we afford a showdown between the most
publicly supported judiciary in the history of Pakistan? Can we stand by and
watch the Supreme Court that has an unblemished team unknown in the
nations history being vilified by media men of questionable backgrounds?
We are also witnessing an immense movement to eradicate the criminal past
of some of our politicians so that corruption is condoned as being part of the
political system. So the question is, if we had fought so hard for the
supremacy of the courts why then, would we allow these politicians to make
billions of rupees out of political opportunities that are certainly illegal, and
criminal? Indeed, this defence of the corrupt politicians may eventually
bring about a confrontation between the people and the politicians. That is
being witnessed daily in the public protests all over Pakistan. In any case,
the threat is growing and may engulf Pakistan while the leadership is busy in
their myopic self-defence.
The Nation commented on constitutional reforms. There has been
much rejoicing over the reassertion of the supremacy of Parliament.
However, this should not be taken as undermining the place of the
judiciary which some parties are already trying to do. After all, no one
can be above the law including parliamentarians. It was strange also to find
in all the applause and mention of the critical role of the media in upholding
1127

democratic norms. It is also unfortunate that while Parliamentary supremacy

has been so central to the members of the National Assembly, their avowed
democratic aspirations vanished on the issue of asserting the democratic
principles within their own parties through elections, especially now that
party leaders as potential prime ministers will play such crucial national
roles. It seems that we are destined to pursue hereditary politics within our
political parties with only a few truly democratic spirits standing apart.
Ironically, now that power is going to be concentrated in the hands of the
Prime Minister, let us hope we do not become a UK-like parliamentary
democracy where Parliament effectively has ceded so much ground to prime
ministerial power that it is effectively he rather than parliament that reigns
supreme.
Again, while one has no objections to the democratic method used
for the renaming of the NWFP, the protests that are taking place reflect
clearly the lack of consensus within NWFP itself on this issue. That is
why it would have been more democratic to have allowed a referendum on
the issue. Finally, while the new Bill gives protection against dictatorial
takeovers and their validation by the courts, we must accept them as dark
moments of our history that we as a nation cannot and should not be allowed
to forget. Unless we accept our past with all its blemishes, we will never
truly move on or learn any lessons from history.
Next day, The News commented: The prime ministers thanks to
Army for steering clear of political affairs and not interfering in the passage
of the 18th Amendment is not an entirely surprising comment in the context
of Pakistans recent political history. The military has after all stepped in
again and again at the crucial junctures. One wonders though whether the
remarks were required. The military under its current COAS has acted
consistently with dignity and professionalism. It is uncertain why the
public call for applause was then needed or what purpose it serves. There
had been an argument in recent days that a sole authority wielding power
such as the president suited certain vested interests far more than a
sovereign parliament. It is after all easier to coerce one man than it is to
exert influence over a whole body of people. The apprehensions that
attempts could be on to try and stall the passage of the 18 th Amendment
stemmed essentially from this knowledge and had been fanned on by the
sudden pullout from the deal by the PML-N chief.
We must hope though that the tradition of army interventions
that has marred democracy is finally at an end. The omens are good.
What Pakistan needs more than anything else is a long, uninterrupted
1128

democratic spell. This is essential to iron out the wrinkles that currently
prevent the smooth running of the system. When people get an opportunity
to throw out legislators who they feel have disappointed them and reward
others by casting votes for them these problems will begin to disappear. This
is possible of course only if all the institutions stick to their specified roles
and perform their functions as laid down by the Constitution. The military
still the most powerful of our institutions has done just this by taking on
the Taliban across the northwest.
Adnan Rehmat observed: Theres nothing in the 18th Amendment
that is not an improvement on the original 1973 Constitution. However,
the change even though they number about 100 dont go far enough.
Considering the political factionalism and growing demand that fundamental
rights be ensured for all citizens, it is clear that the parliament has gone for
the basic minimum changes to the constitution. While this is understandable
and has been achieved, the new Pakistan which is set to grow from 185
million to 300 million by 2030; where today the average Pakistani is a 23year-old, does not even have a high school certificate, is looking for a job
and to start a family; where energy, water and food shortages are becoming
difficult to handle; where poverty, unemployment and sickness have
assumed critical mass; the constitutional reforms of the 18 th Amendment
alone will not help Pakistan survive politically.
What is needed is another political compact (building on the 18th
Amendment) on good governance (more transparency and accountability);
greater and more equitable generation and allocation of resources (a vastly
improved taxation system that does not just tax the poor and barely rich) and
dramatically enhanced capacities of managing them (better civil service,
more youthful, more business-like); more provinces (PML-Q demanded
making the process easier to create new ones but was turned down); leaner
and smarter governments (the new reforms put a cap on cabinet size but do
not offer a mechanism that can bring right/qualified stewards to ministries
rather than cronies); greater political ownership and responsibility (the
governors and armed forces chiefs should also be appointed through
parliamentary commissions rather than just the prime ministers whims);
building a knowledge economy (100m Pakistanis are under 25 years of age
if they cant benefit from the information technology age then Pakistan is
already doomed no matter what we do); building and strengthening
university-industry interface (skill driven job demands and creation); and
facilitating and supporting a massive push for entrepreneurship (for jobs,

1129

skills and wealth creation); and a big, big push for volunteerism (we must
stop relying on the government to do everything).
Raza Rumi talked of missing amendments. The reforms
committee and the parliament have ignored two issues. First, the status of
FATA has been left untouched. What were the reasons for not addressing this
war zone and global hotspot by the maverick political elites of Pakistan? if
they were scared of the national security apparatus, they could have engaged
with the GHQ, as they generally do at the drop of a hat. Second, the Islamic
provisions unlawfully inserted by General Ziaul Haq are very much there,
keeping Zias ghost alive and kicking, even though his name has been
deleted from the basic document. For instance, the condition of the Prime
Minister being a Muslim is completely unjustifiable. Given that Pakistan is a
Muslim-majority country, why should such a provision be retained in the
basic governance document? This is just a simple case of pandering to the
mullah lobby and the process since 1948 remains unchanged. Comments
generally stink of secularism.
Ghazi Salahuddin opined that if the impression that we have made
a new beginning in establishing democracy in the country is valid, we
should expect many things to change. While we applaud the political
maturity of our legislators in working out this consensus on constitutional
matters, we should also remind them of their responsibilities to further
the cause of democracy with their performance.
SKH from Karachi wrote: The immunity clause, and the
Objectives Resolution, which is also part of the Constitution, seem to
conflict. If there is no immunity in Islam for the ruler, there cannot be in
Pakistan under the Objectives Resolution, which states nothing repugnant
to the spirit of the Quran and Sunnah will be part of the Pakistan
Constitution. Comment on this by law professionals will be useful.
Rahimullah Yusufzai talked of protests in Hazara Division against
renaming of NWFP and tried to pass ANPs buck to PML-N. The most
crucial role in pacifying the angry protestors in Hazara Division would
have to be performed by the PML-N. However, it may not agree to
undertake this role if it realizes that the reaction by those leading the
agitation in Hazara would be hostile.
Masood Hasan in his typical style commented on renaming of NWFP.
I say the time has come that we officially adopt Trivial Pursuit not only as
the national game of Pakistan but also its national pastime. We should get rid
of cricket, hockey, squash, football and various other nationwide waste-of1130

time activities. We should convert all grounds into parking lots and ask the
chief justice to make it mandatory for all Pakistanis to play Trivial
Pursuit and nothing else.
The most inspirational event that has hit our air waves recently has
been the renaming of NWFP with something more in line with the real
nature of that province. For years, NWFP has suffered because it started
with a bad name. Even Mr Jinnah let NWFP down by not calling it
something else like Timbuktu or Goofy land. Had the name been right
from day one, we would have seen spectacular development in that province
but there was a huge conspiracy hatched most probably by Zionist elements
and that forever hidden Indian hand which will not reveal itself to man or
beast and is most likely the hand that belongs to the Yeti.
Finally good sense has prevailed and after months, nay years of
frustration and gnashing of the molars, we are rid of that word. So NWFP
has been renamed as Khyber and the rest I cannot write because my
Editor who is a man without much humor has cut it out for lack of
space. The news of this amazing development has been greeted with great
enthusiasm by some people who chose Easter day to blow up nothing (as it
turned out in the end) at the American Consulate in Peshawar. Some poor
guards who are always in the line of fire lost their lives in this rather
senseless attack but elsewhere the Taliban had better luck and bombed an
ANP rally in Lower Dir that was celebrating the new identity of NWFP. That
left 45 dead and injuring over 100 others. This is of course one way to
declare your support of a name change and we have to give it to the Taliban
who have such an uncanny understanding of things that really matter. That
they eventually killed no one but their own must rank as a sacrifice to end all
sacrifices. Since the Americans were not doing the jitterbug in Dir, Lower or
Higher, it makes great sense for the Taliban who have not seen straight for
some years now, to attack their own people. There is a message here but I
am not sure what it is.
For the legislators and various other fish that are elected to represent
the people, this renaming business has quite rightly remained their top most
priority. In the meantime such routine and largely unimportant matters like
education, healthcare, infrastructural development, water supply, roads,
power, environment, increasing graft and corruption at every tier in the
Khyberetcetc province must take a back seat in fact as far away as possible
from the capital of Khyberetcetc as is humanly possible. Having a new
name is all that matters and the rest can go to the dogs if the dogs will
consider having what is offered.
1131

This country from one end to another is completely locked into

everything that is harebrained and nonsensical. From the federal heights
of Islamabad down to the lowest of the lows, everyone has the same agenda.
Spot the trivial and cotton on to it then don't look left or right but stay
steadfast. Pakistan or NWFP does not need any development. It needs things
like a new name, which is why the playing of Trivial Pursuit must come into
force as soon as possible
On 12 April, ZI Rehmatullah from Dubai wrote: The post-18th
Amendment disturbances in Hazara region were not unexpected. As you
might recall, the ruling coalition cartel of MWM, PPP, MMA and ANP had
designed the agenda in such a way that issue of the name change of NWFP
was relegated to the eleventh hour of CRC discussions.
An ugly controversy ensued and although it was temporarily
resolved, there was an immediate rejection of the name Pakhtoonkhwah in
Hazara regions the moment it was announced. The malafide was crystal
clear to people because for the past many months the PPP, particularly
President Zardari himself, had started calling the province
Pakhtoonkhwah even in official meetings.
That was ultra vires of the Constitution. All this has resulted into
further division, polarization of the nation. Look at MQM, though, which
has lost no time at all in calling for a break up of Punjab by creating a
Seraiki province in a transparent attempt to give Zardari an opportunity to
play footsy in Punjab.
I think as long as President Zardari holds the duel offices of party
head and head of the state, he would continue calling the shots and would
poke his irksome nose in every affair of the state on a day to day basis. It is
imperative that the Parliament puts a stop or the Supreme Court of
Pakistan takes suo moto notices to bring an end to the presidential
violations of Constitution.
Next day Javed Husain talked of incompetence and corruption. If as
rule of thumb we assume that incompetence and corruption account for our
federal budget, not a very unrealistic assumption considering the daily
stories of corruption and cronyism that one hears from the media; the cost to
the national exchequer of these two factors would be as high as Rs772
billion. Just to put this figure in perspective, our total development
expenditure during the current financial year, both at the federal and
provincial levels, is likely to be less than Rs 400 billion. By increasing the
efficiency of our government sector and eliminating or at least minimizing
1132

corruption, we could triple our development expenditure, provide the much

needed educational and health facilities and other economic necessities to
the people, and also build up our physical infrastructure and accelerate our
economic growth.
The enactment of the 18th Amendment is likely to increase the
pressure on the government for good governance. Prime Minister Gilani
henceforth will have no excuses for the governments failings in this
regard. If he has to come up to the peoples expectations, he must
immediately reconstitute his cabinet to get rid of the dead wood and corrupt
elements and undertake a major overhaul of our creaking governmental
structure to give the pride of place to the principles of merit and efficiency
and to eliminate corruption in its working. Considering the angry mood of
the people, he does not have too much time left for this purpose. His
inability to provide good governance and resolve the serious problems
confronting the nation may destabilize the country both politically and
economically.
The Nation commented: The issue of renaming is a critical one and
it may eventually halt the Constitutional 18 th Amendment Bills progress
in the Senate, where some of the opposition parties have vowed to oppose
this particular clause as well as some others. This is part of the democratic
process and for the ANP to point accusatory fingers at parties like the PMLQ for threatening to oppose the renaming clause as being behind the
violence in Hazara Division is unacceptable. The ANP knows full well that
there is widespread opposition to the term Khyber Pukhtunkhwa in the
Hindko areas. That is why some saner voices were suggesting a referendum
on this issue. As it happened, in the haste to get the Bill through Parliament,
there was never an extensive debate on the issue.
The PML-Ns role on the renaming of the NWFP was also
confused with the leader of the Party first seeking to oppose this, then
throwing his support on the issue and now after its passage through the
Assembly, again talking of the concerns and rights of the people of Hazara.
The ANPs agenda also raises serious issues, especially its latest
pronouncement that it would support a Seraiki province but not a Hazara
province. Why the discrepancy? In any case, the present time with crises like
food shortages, load shedding, water scarcity and spiraling prices, is hardly
the correct moment for starting on the debate over more provinces
important though this issue is.

1133

With the protests inn Hazara Division showing no signs of abating

and with the death toll now moving into double figures, the government and
the major political parties in parliament need to do some soul searching and
find a peaceful and viable solution to the renaming of NWFP issue. Such a
solution has to be supported by all the major ethnic and linguistic groups of
the province not simply be imposed in what presently has been a
dictatorship of the majority. A referendum still seems a more viable
alternative.
On 14th April, The Nation commented: Now that enough blood has
been spilt and politicians have had enough of their wheeling and dealing, it
is time to pick up a neutral name especially one that doesnt rake up the
unpleasant memories of the time of independence when secessionist
elements were averse to the idea of Pakistan and wanted to divide the newly
formed state. The focus must be on reaching a settlement that offends no
one, particularly not one that carries political overtones. If not controlled, the
events of the past few days, combined with the prevailing resentment over
load shedding and poverty could prove to be a catalyst for a turbulent era.
Next day, the newspaper added: There is little need to bring out the
point that the politicians, who pandered to the wishes of the ANP and
endorsed the new name of the NWFP in the Constitutional Reforms
Committee and later in the National Assembly, showed poor sense of
history as well as of the consequences that their move might entail. The
events of the past several days in Abbottabad and other parts of Hazara
Division have already put that fact into sharp focus
In this context, the attitude of Mian Nawaz Sharif by giving in to
ANPs pressure was the most unfortunate. This was supposed to be the
quid pro quo of ANP agreeing to drop the clause restricting prime
ministership and chief ministership to two terms. As the PML-N that he
heads is the flag bearer of the Pakistan Muslim League of the Quaid-i-Azam,
his decision should have reflected the sentiments of the mother party at the
time of independence. Those sentiments were in line with the feelings of a
majority of the people of the province. Strangely, however, Mian Nawaz has
been shifting his position, reacting to the developing situation in the
disturbed area, while one expected a seasoned politician to be able to foresee
the coming events; especially as the opposition to the Pakhtunkhwa
appendage among the non-Pashtu speaking people of the province has
always been very strong. The strength of these feelings can be judged from
the fact that PML-N leader Mehtab Abbasi and his son Shamoon Abbasi
were beaten up by the demonstrators the other day. Mian Nawaz first agreed
1134

to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; later, changed his mind to suggest HazaraPakhtunkhwa to placate the protestors, who had lost their kith and kin, and
fearing that his party might lose support of his vote bank. Now, for unknown
reasons, he is ready to drop the new name as well.
In the meantime the situation, with complete shutter down of
businesses, continues to deteriorate and threatens to open a Pandoras Box
of the clamour for new provinces. At a time like this, when the country is
overwhelmed with multiple crises, there is need of statesmanship to rethink
over the proposition of changing the name. The best course is to stick to the
old name and, at best, hold a province-wide referendum.
On 16th April, The Nation commented: The people of Hazara
Division would not be able to reconcile themselves with the new
nomenclature of their province. It evokes anti-Pakistan memories of the
past. They are calling for a separate province of their own. The cry for more
provinces carved out of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan would go up, as a
consequence. An amendment demanding the creation of Bahawalpur,
South Punjab or Seraiki province was presented, but turned down. We
find some political opportunists raising their voices in favour of further
divisions, not bothering about what it would entail in terms of administrative
disturbance, additional financial expenditure and inter-provincial tussles.
A most dubious role was played by the PML-N all through. After
having endorsed it in the committee, it woke up in reaction to the turmoil in
Hazara Division. Shifting positions, expressing reservations and losing face,
in the process, it was sad to see Mian Nawaz Sharif continuing to go along
with the ANP and the PPP. As in the National Assembly, the PML-N voted
for it in the Senate as well. At the time of voting, the PML-N simply
overlooked the furor, which the appendage of the word Pakhtunkhwa to
Khyber had caused in the country, the mourning for the dead and the
anxiety for the wounded in Abbottabad
The reopening of a settled issue in the fractured politics of todays
Pakistan was a grave mistake, especially when it was obvious that the
unsavoury memories associated with it cannot but generate anger and
opposition in the country. In this context, the observations of Chairperson
Hazara Front Dr Laila Perveen are worth noting: the ANP, through the name
of Pakhtunkhwa, is promoting the Indian Congress agenda and Bacha Khan
never accepted the existence of Pakistan.
The newspaper also wrote about another issue: Punjab Law Minister
Rana Sanullah is right in saying that the presidential pardon to thousands of
1135

prisoners, actually meant to seek the release of his crony Ahmed Riaz
Sheikh, would fuel corruption and crime. It should also be mentioned that
the act is basically a part and parcel of the PPP-led set-ups tendency to
subvert the court orders.
Mr Sheikh, who was released on Wednesday and became the
Messiah for scores of prisoners languishing in Adiala and District Jail
Lahore, had been put behind bars on the orders of the Supreme Court over
corruption charges. His wifes claim that the release marks the completion of
his 5-year sentence is false because four months are still remaining. To avoid
censure from the media, President Zardari announced this general amnesty
hoping that nobody would know the prime motivation, a plan that has only
dealt a blow to his sagging reputation. The statement by the Presidents
political secretary that this act of generosity towards the prisoners was
actually taken to celebrate the restoration of the constitution to its original
form is an attempt to give the remission a gloss of moral sanction. What
can be said with certainty is the fact that the PPP government has been in
one way or the other disregarding the authority of the judiciary. It has deftly
defied the court orders on the case of the missing persons so far and various
deadlines have failed to force the Interior Ministry into positive action.
The cat and mouse game it is playing with the apex court over the
implementation of the NRO verdict leaves little doubt that it wants to
double-cross the judiciary and that it is least interested in promoting the
rule of law. In particular, despite SCs directions to open graft cases against
the President in the Swiss courts, nothing has been done. To top it all, a
number of PPP ministers have been indulging in verbal shadow boxing with
the judiciary. With acts like these, the partys standing has suffered a
decline.
Next day, Inayatullah commented: The first two fallouts of the 18th
Amendment are: One, the growing violent unrest in Hazara triggering
demand for more provinces. Two: the questioning in the Supreme Court of
the new method for appointing senior judges.
There is already talk about the 19 th Amendment. As for the new way
of appointing judges, it remains to be seen how the Supreme Court
views it and arrives at a verdict. In case it declines to approve of the new
process, there is bound to be a sharp reaction from parliamentarians with
media reveling in putting one viewpoint against another.
In all this hullabaloo, the net winners so far, have been the PPP,
ANP and MQM. More than others, it is Mr Zardari and his close associates
1136

who have on the one hand won credit for achieving a consensus amendment
of the constitution, while on the one hand and on the other, succeeding in
deflecting attention from spotlight on the NRO cases opened up by the
historic Supreme Court judgment. For ANP Pakhtunkhwa is an enormous
windfall. For PML-N the 18th Amendment is a mixed bag achievement of
certain objectives and a considerable loss of face.

REVIEW
The activity of constitutional reforms started at snails pace, but ended
in indecent haste. Analysts had reservations on the manner in which the
Parliament passed the Bill. They felt that voting should have been carried
out after thorough debate on each clause.
Observers also noted that majority of the members of Parliament had
not read the text of proposed reforms for which they voted. There was an
exception; Kashmala Tariq was the lone participant in the debate in National
Assembly during passage of historic amendment of the Constitution.
It was in fact one-to-one dialogue between her and Raza Rabbani. She
kept raising objections and suggesting changes and Raza kept turning those
down. After the session she said that many members of the Parliament had
come to her to commend what she said and thanked her for saying what they
too had wanted to say.
Politicians went hoarse boasting about the cleaning of the
constitutional mess created by the military dictators. They, in fact, have
created a mess of their own. In many cases the constitutional amendments
will result in deformities rather than any reformation.
One of the deformities that have started causing pain even before the
completion of the process of adoption of the Bill is renaming of NWFP.
Some analysts were of the view that the discussion on this issue was
deliberately delayed till the last moment. In fact, it was never discussed; and
instead pushed through by blackmailing. If at all there was any discussion
that was secretly done between Zardari and Asfandyar well before the
formation of Raza Rabbani Committee.
Zardari and Asfandyar knew that the renaming meant revival of an
issue which is contradictory to ideology of Pakistan; therefore they
conspired to do it through blackmailing. They, however, did not visualize the
reaction seen in Hazara Division. And astonishingly ANP still remained
unperturbed.
1137

Mian Iftikhar said his government wont allow lashon ki siasat

(politics on dead bodies); whereas, this is what the ANP has been doing from
the day one starting from Swat, Malakand, Dir, Bara, Darra Adamkhel and
Kohat. Maybe, ANP was punishing people of Hazara for defeating its design
of joining the Union of India.
Red-cappers of ANP are, undoubtedly, the true followers of
Gandhism. Just as Gandhi had thirst for the Muslim blood while pretending
to be preaching Hindu-Muslim unity ANP has exhibited the same in last two
years. Remarks of Ilyas Bilour that four dead bodies were no big deal
reflected the devil that resides inside a Gandhist. They must be proud that
the colour of their cap would now be redder after it has been soaked in the
blood of the victims of Abbottabad.
Ilyas Bilour was cornered by Hamid Mir to render an apology for his
remarks four dead bodies are no big deal. His apology was reflected even
more of Gandhist character. He said he was sorry for those killed after all
they were our brothers, and not Punjabis. He could not control his
prejudices and hatreds from gushing out even while regretting.
The foregoing proved that while the committee has cleared the mess
created by the military dictators, it has created plenty of democratic mess.
Out of the heaps of filth so created, the uncovering of the soakage pit of
Pakhtunkhwa has started stinking from far and quite offensively.
There should be no doubt in any ones mind that ideologically, even
the extremely militant Taliban have softer corner for Pakistan than the most
enlightened red-cappers, the followers of philosophy of Gandhism, have.
The people of Hazara now seemed to be turning the table onto ANP; the
royalty of Tarbela Dam would belong to Hazara Division, if created a new
federating unit is created.
Nawaz Sharif too was not aware of such reaction when he consented
to renaming. He has risked losing political support in Hazara Division where
most of the elected parliamentarians belong to PML-N. His political
opponents exploited the situation to their advantage and today people of
Hazara virtually equate Nawaz with red-cappers of ANP.
In an attempt to retrieve the situation he went to the wrong direction
and landed in Srikot located far away from Abbottabad on the eastern bank
of River Indus. Nawaz should have gone to Abbottabad or simply stayed
back; given up his ambition for third term and announced support for
creation of Hazara Province.

1138

Many observers are of the view, with reasons solid enough; that the
Federation of Pakistan has been nearly transformed into a confederation.
This happened under the shock and awe created by the nationalists about
solidarity of the federation. The members of the committee succumbed and
acted just like the dictator who had agreed to do more than what a longdistance caller had expected.
It was a classic case of collective intimidation and blackmailing,
though working out of the consensus has been projected as hallmark of the
democratic system. In fact, the threats hurled by nationalists for getting their
due share of natural resources proved effective beyond their expectations;
the committee met the requirement of provincial autonomy by generously
doling out the natural resources to the provinces.
While doing that the committee forgot that with resources placed at
the disposal of provinces whose Abu (father) will pay back debts of the
federation turned confederation? And by giving to the nationalists more than
they wanted the committee has done what it wanted to avoid; it has set
Pakistan on course to disintegration. Therefore, a question arises as to who
represented the federation during the deliberations over this issue?
Constitution of judicial commission for appointment of judges is a
classic example of creating purely a democratic mess which is designed to
compromise separation and independence of Judiciary. Judicial commission
is not an ordinary deformation but a malignant growth that could result in
the demise of independent judiciary.
Law Minister and Attorney General by virtue of the spectrum of their
duties will often be defending or prosecuting cases in the court and it would
be unique in the history that they would be participating in deliberations for
appointment of judges. The composition of the judicial commission seems to
be part of the extraction of democratic revenge from the superior judiciary.
Formation of the judicial commission, therefore, is part of the scheme
of defying the rule of law. The scheme was formally made public by the
CEC of PPP, which met at Naudero and vowed to that all important decision
would be taken by Zardari and the party wont allow disgracing Benazirs
grave by reopening the Swiss cases. Not realizing that cases when not
opened shower no grace on graves of Bhutto family. The disgrace has been
bestowed upon them by none other than the son-in-law of ZAB; Zardari.
It was in this event that Aitzaz Ahsan sat in between Rehman Malik
and Salman Taseer. Sitting in the sweet company of these stalwarts of his

1139

beloved political party Aitzaz should have recalled the days of Lawyers
Movement and sang riasat ho gi maan ke jaisi.
Dr Devil, whose mind is working overtime, should have also sat
besides him and sang his favourite line over my dead body. He has served
Zardari more than Aitzaz in gaining time through delaying tactics. The time
gained has been utilized to launch diplomatic effort. Resultantly, Swiss
Attorney declared that cases against Zardari cannot be opened because as
head of the state he enjoys immunity, astonishingly, even in moneylaundering cases.
The time gained has also been utilized for launching a constitutional
manoeuvre in the form of constituting judicial commission. This has allowed
the camel to intrude into the tent of Judiciary with the inclusion of two
representatives of the Executive in its composition. This is not the end but a
beginning for achieving the ultimate objective of negating separation of
executive and judiciary. Soon the camel will push the chief Bedouin in
Judiciarys tent out in the open.
By striking down the clause related to elections within political parties
the committee paved the path from military to family dictatorship and
indirectly provided it the constitutional cover. The path has been paved for
Bilawal, Hamza and Moonis. Dictators in future will be installed after DNA
test and not on the basis of their rank. It is in the same spirit that a provision
of appointment of a non-elected person as minister for six months has been
inserted. .
Yet another deformity that went un-noticed by most observers related
to the clause for removal of difficulties, which was done quite cleverly.
Even at the time of promulgation of 1973 Constitution this clause was
enforced for three months to remove difficulties encountered with simple
majority vote, but herein it has been enforced for one year.
This would mean that the status of amendments will remain uncertain
for at least one year. Zardari and his coalition partners having the required
simple majority would keep Nawaz Sharif on the leash at least till April
2011. Even his third term could evaporate into the air if he misbehaves.
Another cleverly engineered deformity was incorporated while
mending the clause for which military dictators have been condemned the
most. This related to Presidents power to dissolve National Assembly. This
has been substituted by granting power to party leaders, who can now write
to the Speaker to unseat any member. Zardaris constitutional front man,

1140

Raza Rabbani, has rendered commendable service to his boss, who as party
leader can still unseat Gilani, if he misbehaves.
Another example of the cunningness, as well as PPPs ability to befool
others, is the clause pertaining to the restriction imposed on the size of
cabinets in the Centre and provinces. It was surprising as to how the
oppositions representatives agreed to its enforcement after next elections.
Democratic credentials of PPP, right from the days of its founder
father have touch of defiance. It was ZAB who did a unique thing after 1971
elections by defying the majority and forced Mujeeb to revolt. This reforms
package, an outcome of bargaining and blackmailing, has similar anomalies
and thus fits into Zardaris scheme of democratic revenge.
As regards deleting General Ziaul Haqs name, no name once
recorded in history can be deleted. The names, however, can be eclipsed by
others excelling in performance; present rulers lack this ability. Therefore,
Zia will be remembered longer than his cronies and their offsprings, who
have claimed deleting his name for the pleasure of their new bosses.
Four days before the adoption of the reforms bill by the National
Assembly Zardari spoke at Naudero and wanted to leave his mark in the
history. He will surely have the mark in history but in terms contrary to his
wish; he will be placed with greatest plunderers and looters sans qualities of
a Robin Hood.
People of Pakistan will always be disappointed if they leave their
destiny in the hands of Aitzaz, Iftikhar, or else. They must take their destiny
into their hands as people of Kyrgyzstan did. They have to kill the
plunderers of their country or force them to flee. The Chief Justice can pay
back the people by impinging the constitutional immunity of the President.
17th April 2010

AROUND GLOBE III

The war on terror away from its epicenter seemed to have lost the
impetus. In Fareast, Thai people remained engrossed in toppling its rulers
which did not have much to do with the war on terror. In Mainland Asia,
Russia and Kyrgyzstan experienced some violence. Elsewhere it was all
quiet except sentencing of five persons on charges of perpetrating violence
in Xinjiang Province; and two Koreas exchanged fire during last week of
January.
1141

In African Continent, Nigeria, Sudan and Somalia remained in the

grip of violence of fluctuating intensity. Other than these three countries,
seven people were killed by gunmen outside a church in Egypt on 7th
January. Police and Muslim protesters clashed in Kenya on 15 th January over
detention of a Muslim cleric.
The Crusades was stuck in stalemate, but the United States and
European countries did not relax on strengthening the homeland security.
The most important aspect of this security remained the crackdown on
Muslims on all fronts. Muslim elite in the Islamic World, however, seemed
to have reconciled with the Crusaders onslaught called war on terror.

NEWS
In the Far East, a commander of Abu Sayyaf group was among six
militants killed by security forces in Jolo Island of Philippines on 21st
February. Eleven people were killed by militants on 1 st March. Five days
later, 11 soldiers were killed in an ambush by rebels in the south.
In Thailand, four people were killed in the south on 27 th December
and a soldier and an insurgent were killed on 6th February. One security
personnel was killed in grenade attack in the south of Thailand on 21 st April.
Amid weeks long protests there were four bomb blasts in Bankok on 22 nd
April in which 50 people were wounded. Next day, Red shirts offered
dialogue to end impasse.
In Indonesia, six suspected militants were arrested by police in North
Sumatra on 11th April. Next day, police claimed killing an Islamic terrorist
and arresting three others in Aceh. Five Muslims were sentenced in
Australia for terms of imprisonment varying from 23 to 28 years for
planning acts of terrorism. Bangladesh arrested top Harkat-ul-Jihad alIslami from Sylhet on 18th April. Bangladesh-born British citizen, 55-year
Golam Mostafa had been released on bail.
In Mainland Asia only Russia experienced some incidents of
terrorism. Six Russian policemen were killed and 16 wounded in suicide
bombing in the capital of Dagestan on 6th January, 2010. Four days later, five
militants were reported killed in two incidents in Dagestan.
Five soldiers were among 11 killed in gun battles in Chechnya on 5 th
February. Six days later, Russian forces killed ten militants in northern

1142

Caucasus. At least twenty people were killed in a clash near Chechen border
on 12th February.
At least 39 people were killed in two suicide bombings in Moscow
Metro on 29th March; the bombers were identified as two women from
Caucasus region. Two days later, at least 12 people were killed in suicide
attack in North Caucasus. Chechen rebels owned responsibility of Moscow
attack. Three people were killed in bomb blast in Ingushetia on 5th April.
Kyrgyzstan experienced political violence. On 7th April, protesters
overthrew the government; interior minister was among 100 people killed;
president fled the country, prime minister quitted and deputy was held; and a
former foreign minister was appointed as new head of the state and
opposition leader as head of the government. The protests were triggered
due to human rights violations and economic mismanagement and raise in
power tariff becoming the immediate cause.
Next day, new Kyrgyz leader hailed Russian stance and talked of
closing the US base. UN chief dispatched its special envoy to Kyrgyzstan.
On 13th April, the immunity to the president was expunged in Kyrgyzstan;
the government asked Bakiyev to surrender. Next day, the ousted ruler of
Kyrgyzstan met US ambassador and sought help from his country and the
interim ruler sought help from Moscow.
Pro-Bakiyev rally was fired at on 15th April. The ousted president
arrived in Kazakhstan. America vowed to continue using the air base. Two
days later, Kyrgyzstans new rulers rounded up Bakiyevs supporters. By 20 th
April, Interim government was struggling to control violence in which
Russians and Turks were also targeted.
Muslim lands in Africa continued experiencing violence. On 29th
December, people protesting exploitation of oil resources of Nigeria by the
West clashed with police and 38 people were reported dead. Next day, death
toll rose to 70 in clashes between Nigerian security force and militants.
A Colombian and three Brits were abducted in Nigeria on 12 th January
2010. A week later, about two hundred people were killed and eight hundred
wounded, mostly Muslims, in Christian-Muslim clashes in the town of Jos.
On 20th January, death toll in Christian-Muslim clashes in the town on Joe
reached three hundred.
On 22nd January, Nigerians held protest rallies over long absence of
the president away from the country on medical grounds. They demanded
his resignation. More than seven weeks later, on 7 th March, at least two
1143

hundred people, including women and children, were killed in renewed

Christian-Muslim clashes near the town of Jos.
Troops were called in on 8th March as death toll in Jos clashes reached
five hundred. Three days later, women of violence-hit Jos area organized a
protest rally. More than ten people were burnt alive in troubled area of Jos
on 17th March. Two days later, Nigeria called back its ambassador to Libya
after Qaddafi said Nigeria should split on religious lines.
On 7th January, 39 people were killed in tribal clash in southern
Sudan. Six days later, rebels in Darfur attacked government-held town in
the Jabel Marra area. Air force and artillery struck rebel targets in western
Sudan on 16th January. Six days later, at least 24 people were killed in a
clash between rebels and Sudanese army.
Protest rally was held on 15th February over kidnapping, torture and
killing of a student in Darfur. Next day, seven Pakistani soldiers on UN
mission in Darfur were wounded inn an ambush. On 23 rd February, 30
people were killed and 35 wounded in clashes in southern state.
On 7th March, 21 people were killed in tribal clashes in Darfur. At
least 13 people were killed in tribal clashes in southern Sudan on 19 th March.
About four weeks later, nine people were killed in violence of the last day of
Sudanese polls.
In Somalia, eight people were killed in violence in Mogadishu, on
25 December. Four days later, at least 38 people were killed when militants
clashed with African peacekeepers in the capital. On 2nd January 2010,
Somali pirates hijacked two more ships.
th

Pirates freed Pakistani vessel on 5 th January. Three police officers

were wounded in attack on police station in northern Somalia on 13 th
January. Five days later, pirates released Greek oil tanker after receiving
record ransom ($5.5 to $7 million). At least 21 people were killed in a clash
between security forces and militants in Mogadishu on 1st February.
On 9th February, Somali pirates released Indian ship after receiving
ransom. Six days later, a minister escaped attempt on his life in Mogadishu.
On last day of February, Islamic militia banned WFP works in Somalia.
Pirates freed Thai vessel after payment of ransom on 7 th March; the ship was
hijacked in October last.
On 11th March, at least 43 people were killed in a clash between
militants and peacekeepers in Mogadishu. Three days later, at least 15
people were killed in factional fighting in area north of the capital. Pirates
1144

hijacked Iranian ship on 27th March and next day Spanish ship was hijacked.
On 30th March, it was reported that Somali pirates have captured more than
100 Indian sailors.
Al-Shabab captured Baidoa Province of Somalia and declared
establishment of Islamic Republic and 11 people were killed in clashes in the
south on 14th April. Four days later, ten people were killed in Somali
violence. Pirates hijacked a Panamas ship on 21st April.
In Europe, a Somali was charged for an attack of Danish cartoonist
on 2 January 2010. Danish newspaper re-published blasphemous
caricatures during second week of January. Two persons of Pakistani-origin
were indicted on 15th January for role in terror plot in Denmark.
nd

Eight people were reported on 28th January to have died in Europe

after smoking Anthrax contaminated heroin. The report could be aimed at
scaring heroin-addicts. Next day, Swiss politician Daniel Streich, who
campaigned against minarets of mosques, was reported to have embraced
Islam.
On 3rd March, Pakistani woman was barred from boarding a flight to
Pakistan when she refused to go through a new naked full-body scanner
check on religious grounds and her companion did it on medical grounds.
A week later, Swedish media performed periodic ritual of publishing
blasphemous cartoons. Muslims were annoyed over the British Army using
miniatures of mosques on firing ranges. France and Belgium were poised to
ban Islamic veil. Muslim woman was fined for driving in veil in France and
earlier Madrid high school had banned a student from attending classes
wearing veil.

America remained vigilant about homeland security. Some of the

incidents reported during the period are enumerated:
On 25th December, an attempt to blow up Delta Airline plane failed
because the explosives carried by an al-Qaeda man did not explode.
Obama blamed al-Qaeda far Delta Airline attack.
On 14th January, US judge barred prosecutor from linking Dr Aafia
to al-Qaeda or any other terror organization. Next day,
FBI said Osama might have trimmed his beard and used photo of a
Spanish politician to depict Osama. Spanish politician mulled going
to court for putting his life in danger.

1145

 On 4th March a gunman opened fire at Pentagon security and

wounded two officers. The gunman identified as John Patrick
Bedell is one of those who believed that the US staged 9/11 attacks.
Nejad called 9/11 attacks big fabrication.
On 25th March, Osama warned the US against execution of Khalid
Sheikh and threatened to kill the US prisoners in retaliation; the US
dismissed thread as absurd.
A Pakistani taxi driver was charged with aiding al-Qaeda in
Chicago on 27th March.
The US decided to remove term Islamic extremism, but the war
on ground will remain as hither-to-fore.
US and Russia signed nuclear arms treaty and agreed to reduce 30
per cent of their respective stockpiles. Obama warned that alQaedas bid to go nuclear is top threat.
Jeremy Scahill wrote that assassination policy of White House is
extrajudicial.
American-Muslim, Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari, was imprisoned
for ten years on 21st April for funding terrorist training.

VIEWS
Overthrow of pro-US government in Kyrgyzstan was worrisome
for the Crusaders deployed in Afghanistan. Alexander Rahr and Mikhail
Logvinov opined: The overthrow of Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev
has confirmed the old truth: All authoritarian regimes are eventually
overthrown by a wave of public wrath if they are unable to resolve internal
political problems peacefully and do not encourage political and socioeconomic modernization.
At the same time, the revolt in Kyrgyzstan is a bad sign for the
other Central Asian regimes, first of all Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and
Turkmenistan. There are reasons to assume that public uprisings there are
only a matter of time unless their governments change their policies.
Moreover, the opposition in Kyrgyzstan is secular, while the opposition
forces in the above three countries will be Islamic.
Analysts agree that different Islamist movements in Central Asia
have created stable structures that, unlike the governments, are supported
1146

by the people. It is particularly alarming that Islamist movements and views

have gained a foothold in the Fergana Valley, which has recently become a
hotbed of poverty, instability and Islamic radicalism.
Islamists have also achieved considerable success in other Central
Asian regions. There are several players that may see the Kyrgyz revolt
as a call to action. The most important of them is Hizb-ut-Tahrir (the Party
of Liberation), which has over 20,000 supporters in the region. Its goal is to
combine all Muslim countries in a unitary Islamic state (caliphate) ruled by
Islamic law (Shariah) and with a caliph head of state elected by Muslims.
Hizb-ut-Tahrir has rejected the use of military force against
governments. The first colour revolutions in the region have convinced the
movement that local governments can be overthrown through public
disobedience, as evidenced by the revolt in Kyrgyzstan. Although the
supporters of Hizb-ut-Tahrir do not embrace the idea of a global jihad, they
do not reject the possibility of military resistance either, but only to protect
an Islamic state after the uprising of Umma, all the Muslims.
An example of social engineering with a religious tilt is
Akromiya, an organization formed in the Fergana Valley in Uzbekistan in
1996. It is dangerous because it has learned to infiltrate local businesses and
municipal policy in order to legalize the Islamic order it is upholding.
Unlike Akromiya, Hizb-un-Nusrat (the Party of Assistance)
consists of tried and tested members of Islamic resistance. Another
dangerous organization is Tablighi Jamaat (the Society for Spreading Faith),
a transnational religious movement founded in India in 1920s. Its
proclaimed goal is to create an Islamic state in Central Asia. Threat is also
coming from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), the Islamic Jihad
Movement (IJM), and the militant groups of the United Opposition of
Tajikistan, which have been fighting in Afghanistan and/or Pakistan in the
last ten years.
Although their objectives have changed with time, they still
prioritize the overthrow of governments in their countries. Tahir
Yuldashev (IMU), Abdullo Rakhimov (a former opposition field commander
in the Tajik civil war after independence) and other leaders have contributed
greatly to the fight for Islam outside their countries and can now launch the
struggle at home.
Militant Islamic organizations are preparing for a long but
effective offensive against the Central Asian regimes. The battle is
unlikely to be difficult for Islamic revolutionaries, because the regional
1147

countries are underdeveloped socially and economically, and their elites are
highly corrupt. If the attackers join forces and use both military and
peaceful resources, the local regimes will stand very little chance. This is
why the Central Asian governments are worried by the new strategy of
Washington, which plans to hand since 2011 responsibility for security in
Afghanistan down to local authorities.
The regional elites think, wrongly, that Afghanistan is responsible for
all their problems. That is not so; the United States war in Afghanistan drew
the Islamic resources away from Central Asia. When they return to the
region, it will become a new center of Islamic resistance.
David Stern observed: In the immediate aftermath of Kyrgyzstans
violent government overthrow this week, American interests in the
strategic Central Asia region may suffer a profound blow, while Russias
authority appears ready to increase If Kyrgyzstans new leaders who
promised democratic measures such as constitutional reform and fresh
elections in six moths turn out to be more pliable to Russian demands, it
would be the second victory for the Kremlin this year in the tug of war for
influence between east and west. In February, Ukrainian voters turned out
the anti-Russian government
Kris Kotarski opined that the urge for revenge was the motivation
behind double suicide bombings in the capital of Russia. On April 2, just
four days after two suicide bombers devastated the Lubyanka and Park
Kultury metro stations in Moscow killing 40 rush hour commuters, the
Guardian published an article entitled Massacre in woods that brought war
to Moscow's metro. Luke Harding, a veteran Guardian reporter based in
Russia, outlined the story of brothers Adlan, 16, and Arbi, 19, Mutsaev
whose friends were killed by Russian commandos while picking garlic in the
countryside near the Chechen town of Achkoi-Martan this February.
According to interviews conducted by the human rights group
Memorial, security forces ambushed the garlic pickers and four of them
were executed on site after being wounded by the initial salvos. Adlan
was wounded, but managed to hide in a ditch for two days before making his
way toward a nearby village. Meanwhile, Arbi was told to drag the wounded
bodies of his friends through the snow before their execution, but he himself
was spared and was eventually released by the commandos after 48 hours in
custody.
Harding profiled the case because following the Moscow attacks
carried out by two female suicide bombers popularly known as Shahidkas or
1148

"black widows," Chechen insurgent leader Doku Umarov claimed that the
attacks were revenge for the killings of the garlic pickers and the
mutilation of their remains. Harding noted that these events certainly fit
the pattern of vicious and ever-escalating violence perpetrated by the
insurgents and the security forces, and the increasingly precarious situation
of civilians in Chechnya and in Moscow caught in the middle of this
conflict.
The case is interesting because it illustrates motivations behind

suicide terrorist attacks that are not often mentioned by western politicians.
In 2006, psychiatry professor Anne Speckhard from Georgetown University
and psychology professor Khapta Akhmedova from Chechen State
University profiled the Chechen black widows like Dzhennet
Abdurakhmanova, 17, and Markha Ustarkhanova, 20, who attacked the
Moscow metro. Looking in depth at a sample of 26 female bombers, they
concluded that the death of a brother, a father or the rape of a female
relative at the hands of Russian soldiers had traumatized every woman
in their sample, and formed the motivation for their behaviour: They do not
appear coerced, drugged or otherwise enticed into these acts. On the
contrary, they are self-recruited on the basis of seeking a means of enacting
social justice, revenge and warfare against what they perceive as their
nation's enemy. All the women in our sample had been deeply personally
traumatized and bereaved by violent deaths in their near families or all about
them, and we believe this formed the basis for their self-recruitment into
terrorist organizations. Kris mentioned another case that occurred in Paktia
Province in Afghanistan to illustrate the dynamic of revenge.
In the context of America, Dr Mazaffar Iqbal observed that it was
Mr Bush all over again. Mr Obama has shed all his colouring and now talks
exactly like Mr Bush. His words state what Bush used to: all other human
beings are somehow less human than Americans. Had that not been the case,
Mr Obama would have stopped the drone attacks in Pakistan in respect of
the lives of innocent women and children. He would have apologized for
what had been done to the prisoners of war in that outpost of humanity
called Guantanamo Bay; he would have gone to Iraq and wept at the graves
of Iraqis mercilessly killed by American bombers. He would have read out
loud the dark record of covert CIA operations all around the world a record
that no other nation can match.
The News wrote: Thirteen days after the attempt to bring down an
airliner as it was coming in to land in Detroit, a report has been published on

1149

the intelligence failures that so nearly led to catastrophe. There are few
surprises, and most of its contents were either in, or close to in, the public
domain already. The report was immediately owned by President Obama
and his response both privately and publicly was blunt and unequivocal.
American security and intelligence agencies had the information that would
have allowed them to deduce that there was an imminent threat, they had a
named individual as a suspect, and they failed to join the dots.
Unacceptable, said President Obama, and we cannot allow this to happen
again. There will be adjustments that we will never see as they will be in
the secret world but there is already a very visible adjustment
The adjustment that the Americans have made as well as a number
of other European states though with less fanfare is to issue a list of states
whose nationals will now be of special interest when they travel to the US
from anywhere in the world. All of the countries on the list are either
Muslim or have a Muslim majority population Are the Muslims unfairly
targeted? Yes; as it is only a tiny minority of extremists that are holding a
gun to the head of the rest of the Muslim world by their actions which
have the consequence of Muslims everywhere being penalized. The rest of
the world will seek to protect itself in the face of a perceived threat which
has translated into explosive reality uncomfortably often since 9/11. And the
consequence of that is a tighter border, fewer visas, longer queues and a
further erosion of the amity that binds the comity of nations and faiths
together.
John Taylor opined: Sometimes the Obama Administration lashes
out at the Muslim world in ways that are difficult to comprehend. In the
wake of the failed underwear bombing, the TSA named 14 countries whose
citizens would receive full-body pat-downs before boarding U.S.-bound
aircraft: Afghanistan, Algeria, Cuba, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria,
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, and Yemen. Obviously, any
suspicious passenger ought to be selected for special screening, but the
TSAs message seems to be that if someone hails from Syria or Algeria, they
possess murderous intent, thus confirming to millions of Muslims that the
U.S. is deeply prejudiced against them.
As long as the Obama administration believes it can bomb, starve,
invade, occupy, and intimidate the Muslim world into submission, and as
long as the administration willingly makes Israels enemies Americas
enemies, the U.S. will be a terrorist target and locked into endless wars in
faraway places.

1150

Marwan Bishara opined that the conduct of war on terror was proving
to be zero sum strategy. As military adventures kill, maim and destroy lives,
they create, nurture and build animosities and alliances among most
unlikely allies, such as a young rich Nigerian that studies in London, a
Jordanian doctor that studies in Turkey and an Arab-American soldier
trained by the Pentagon, all whom were ready to die to hurt America. And
likewise, counter-terror tactics and intelligence work has made it ever more
difficult for public diplomacy to win hearts and minds. Instead of listening
to people of the region, it has been spying on them and instead of reading
them their rights, it has tortured them in far-away prisons. And instead of
hearing out their concerns and fears, Washington has underlined its own
above all others.
In that limited and limiting spirit, for example, mostly impoverished
Yemenis that suffer from war in the north, intensive conflict in the south and
three decade autocratic regime, must now worry about US fears, and cater to
US interests above their own. Which brings us back to our initial question:
al-Qaeda is winning only as far as Washington is running a selfdefeating war. However, one needs to remember that in the self-defeating
war on terror, winner and loser is one and the same.
As long as America puts its security pre-occupations and political
interests about those under its military and strategic domination, the
Pentagon and al-Qaeda will feed into one another and the Americans.
Arabs and Muslims will continue to be the ultimate losers.
I M Mohsin commented: The USAs major strength still is not its
military juggernaut which projects her as the evil one. It is the
intellectual freedom to amass and disseminate knowledge. The leadership
has to gel their diversity and commonality of interests to an optimal level.
Only then would it shed its current stigma.
Iftikhar A Khan observed that Bush wars are without heroes. The war
in Iraq has entered its seventh year and in Afghanistan its ninth year. Yet
both imperialist wars have so far failed to produce any war heroes to
extol These forces only pick up their dead and grievously wounded
soldiers to ship them back home. The dead are given a quiet burial without
eulogizing their achievements in the battlefield.
In fact, to portray the nation as humane and civilized, the US has
banned showing the pictures and footage of dead heroes reaching home in
body bags. Does it depict Wests guilt instead of pride in waging
unprovoked, unjustified wars against an invisible enemy? Otherwise,
1151

why would the two imperialist powers downplay their heroes? Even the
wounded soldiers grumble about maltreatment by the civilians.
Former British chief of general staff, Gen Richard Dannit,
complained that retuning soldiers often felt devalued with a sense of
alienation measured in alcohol, drug addiction, divorce, suicide and
imprisonment. Sometimes the civilians mock the returning soldiers. Now
theres stark difference between a national war and a corporate war. National
wars enjoy the support of the majority of their population; corporate wars
are driven by the naked greed of military hardware manufacturers, oil
corporations, security companies, and entities that profit from massacring
innocent men, women and children of the weaker nations. The corporate
wars are ventures in which politicians particularly in the US democratic
system, who decide to launch wars, are indebted to corporations, which
donate funds for their election campaigns. Were such sleazy donations
prohibited, the war scenario would change, sanity would prevail, and
victimized nations spared the bloodbath
Therefore, these wars will not produce heroes. Can a CIA operative
in the US who pushes the joystick button to launch hellfire missiles by a
Predator or a Reaper drone to kill mostly innocent people in mud hamlets in
FATA be called a war hero? If such an operator is killed, as were the seven in
Khost recently, how would he be eulogized; how would his requiem sound
like? Similarly, if Worldwide XE mercenaries known as the defence
contractors, whose strength in Afghanistan exceeds regular US troops, are
killed, how would they be honoured with medals of valour? Perhaps the time
has come when, instead of uniformed soldiers being decorated for gallantry,
nameless, faceless operators of intelligence agencies will embellish the
medals of honour on their chests. Even the drones could lay claim to
gallantry awards.
Lisa Karpova discussed similarities with Obama and Gorachev before
concluding: Economically, the US isnt in a recession its in a collapse.
Dimtry Orlov outlined the process in his book Reinventing Collapse about
the parallels between the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the
prospects for demise of the US as currently constituted.
Mikhail Gorbachev presided over the Soviet dissolution. In the USA,
the outcome this time might not be very appetizing. It would be one of the
supreme ironies of history if it turned out that the US was incapable of
ending its most self-destructive rackets peacefully and bloodlessly, while
Russia made her transition in a peaceful, orderly manner. Time will tell.

1152

Eric S Margolis opined: US military spending gobbles up 19 per cent

of federal spending and at least 44 per cent of tax revenues. During the Bush
administration, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars funded by borrowing cost
each American family over $25,000. Like President George Bush, Obama
is paying for Americas wars through supplemental authorizations i.e.
putting them on the nations already maxed-out credit card. Future
generations will be stuck with the bill. This is the height of public
dishonesty. Both the president and congress share the blame. Americas wars
ought to be paid for through direct taxes, not book-keeping fraud. If US
taxpayers had to actually pay for the Afghan and Iraq wars, these conflicts
would quickly end. America needs a fair, honest war tax that allows them to
understand the true costs of their military operations around the globe.
The US has clearly reached the point of imperial overreach.
Military spending and debt servicing are cannibalizing the US economy,
the real basis of Americas world power. The US also increasingly resembles
the dying British Empire in 1945, crushed by immense debts incurred to
wage WWII. It is increasingly clear President Barack Obama is not in
control of Americas runaway military juggernaut. Sixty years ago, the great
President Dwight Eisenhower warned Americans to beware of the militaryindustrial complexs growing power. Six decades later, partisans of
permanent war and world domination have joined Wall Streets
moneylenders to put America under their power. Increasing numbers of
Americans are rightly outraged and fearful of runaway deficits. But most do
not understand their political leaders are spending their nation into ruin
through unnecessary foreign wars and a vainglorious attempt to control
much of the globe what neoconservatives call full spectrum dominance.
If Obama were really serious about restoring Americas economic health, he
would demand military spending be slashed, quickly end the Iraq and
Afghan wars, and break up the nations five giant banks. He certainly cannot
continue running a world empire on borrowed money.
Jack Hunter opined that the US interventions are the catalysts for
recruitment of terrorist. In the ongoing war of words over who's more
willing to fight the War on Terror, former Vice President Dick Cheney says
President Obama has made us less safe, while Obama says the policies of
Cheney made us less safe. Obama's right Cheney did make us less
safe. And Obama continues to make us less safe precisely because he
continues the policies of Bush/Cheney. Arguing between the two is like
debating whether it was mistress No. 4 or 40 that finally made Tiger Woods
less safe from his wife's lawyers.
1153

But at least Woods, deep down, had to realize his behavior might one
day come back to haunt him. And now Woods is learning the hard way about
that nasty constant in human nature: retribution. Cheney and Obama, on
the other hand, have learned nothing. Ignoring that 9/11 was caused
primarily by Islamists seeking retribution for constant U.S. intervention in
their holy land something Osama bin Laden made perfectly clear
Bush/Cheney launched a pointless war in Iraq , giving al-Qaida its best
recruiting tool in its history. In his tenure, Cheney did absolutely nothing to
fight the terrorist threat his administration invested in it. Heavily.
Obama's wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and
whichever country next strikes his fancy, is a jihadist's dream a new
American president, who despite promising "change" seems hell-bent on
continuing with the same foreign policy as the last president. When former
CIA terror expert Michael Scheuer was asked on CNN's State of the Union
last week whether US efforts had succeeded in diminishing the terrorist
threat, he said bluntly: I think it's stronger than it was before 9/11, certainly
because the support and opposition across the Muslim world to American
foreign policy is far greater today than it was on 9/11.
This phenomenon of opposition to American foreign policy
translating into terrorist activity is so well-established, the CIA created
the term blowback to describe it. Cheney and Obama not only refuse to
address blowback, but instead squabble over who's more willing to use
torture or increase airport harassment, a conversation which does nothing to
address the root problem of why terrorists want to attack us in the first place
or why there are more terrorists now than before 9/11.
Our leaders in Washington refuse to look at motive or patterns
when it comes to trying to prevent terrorism. Instead, we are told
terrorists simply "hate our freedom," as Bush put it. Obama might not
employ the same language as Bush something some Republicans
laughably find weak but to date has still not offered a more substantive
explanation. Canada is far more libertine culturally than the US, and this is
precisely the sort of freedom that supposedly gets the Islamist's goat. Yet
strangely enough, Canada does not find itself constantly having to worry
about Islamic terrorism because terrorists don't find Canadians en masse
on Islamic land.
It is past time to ask the big questions. How can invading and
occupying a nation stop an individual or a collection of individuals from
carrying out terrorist acts? How can invading and occupying a nation, or a

1154

handful of nations, stop a terrorist network that exists in over 80 countries?

What could our presence in Iraq, stepping up the war in Afghanistan, drone
strikes in Pakistan, or a new war in Yemen possibly have done to deter the
so-called underwear bomber on Christmas day? Would the Nigerian,
would-be suicide bomber have been radicalized, or would a terrorist network
be as available to accommodate and encourage his radicalization, if the U.S.
did not have such a massive presence in the Middle East? Do terrorists
simply hate our freedom or is there indeed a correlation between U.S.
intervention and terrorist recruitment and activity? Hell, let's get extreme:
would completely annihilating the Middle East through nuclear war finally
eliminate the terrorist threat or create the greatest terrorist threat in our
history? Might such genocide make the Islamic world mad? Or just
freedom?
Trying to fight terrorism by opening up more battlefronts is like
trying to fight alcoholism by opening up more bars. It doesn't make any
sense. No doubt, the five-deferment, Vietnam-draft- dodging Cheney still
thinks his belligerent rhetoric makes him some sort of a tough guy, but it
doesn't. It makes him stupid. And sadly and at the expense of our safety
if the definition of stupid is doing the same thing repeatedly and
expecting different results, both Cheney and Obama's foreign policies
certainly fit that bill.
Muslims in Europe in general and in Britain in particular were on
the receiving end of White Christians hatred. The Nation commented on a
report from Britain. The UKs National Association of Muslim Policemen,
in a secret memorandum to the British parliamentary committee on
terrorism, has strongly criticized British policies on Islam, and warned that
they could lead in future to racial violence.
The Association, which was founded in 2007 to create solidarity
among Muslim police officers, spread correct information about Islam, and
remove anti-Islamic prejudice which blamed Islam for acts of terrorism,
also said those policies were against British values. As was implicit in the
very purpose of the Association, they also are professional. It was perhaps
inevitable that they regard the problem from the point of view of their
profession, as a policing problem. This reflects not just the explosiveness of
the situation caused by the policies of the government, but also the large
number of Muslims now present in the UK.
The Association also said in this memorandum that the most real
danger to British values came from anti-Muslim racists and extremists.
1155

This conclusion deserves attention because it has been made by a

professional body which is intimately concerned with keeping the peace.
The memorandum also noted that the interrogations of those
convicted of terrorism had shown that they were not interested in
implementing Islam. Again, this is not evidence that should be dismissed by
the British as anything but professional, and it should be noted that it was
adduced from normal police work, and was not a piece of special pleading.
The Association should not be dismissed as an organization which
represents a particular community, but an organization committed to a
peaceful UK.
The Associations position has been a cause of embarrassment to the
UK, because it highlights the viscerally anti-Muslim prejudices of the
average Briton, and from an informed point of view. However, it cannot
simply be brushed under the carpet precisely because it is informed. This is a
test of the very values to which it appeals.
Christopher King considered the evidence which indicates that
murder of civilians and state-sponsored terrorism are tools of US policy
in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and argues that unless Britain leaves
Afghanistan immediately, it will not recover morally or economically and
will not be on the path to control its destiny.
You have probably seen the Wikileaks collateral murder video of an
American helicopter gunship crew killing 12 Iraqis, including two Reuters
journalists, the details of which had been concealed by the Pentagon. Its
something that everyone should see, particularly those British
politicians who voted for the Iraq war and are now, before an election,
attempting to persuade us that they are fit to govern our country.
Gordon Brown in particular is trading our soldiers lives for the sort
of multi-million dollar payoff that Tony Blair got by backing Americas
adventures in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Like most of our Members of
Parliament, he also voted to invade Iraq and enthusiastically supported
Barack Obama in Afghanistan. What our politicians call re-engaging with
the public, something they only attempt at election time, is futile because we
know them to be self-serving liars without morality. Incompetent too, but
what else would one expect? Enough of them for the moment.
We should note that the occasional cross-border US drone attack into
Pakistan has gradually escalated to regular attacks, and a respectable-sized
local war, US ground involvement and a CIA presence in Pakistan. Surely

1156

the Pakistanis have wondered what the US plans are for their country and
nuclear stockpile?
We can see why the US needs Europe to back its war crimes. The
US public doesnt like troop casualties so if theyre shared with Europe and
then spread over a dozen European countries theyre not so noticeable.
Involvement of other countries also makes criticism from them very difficult
and gives a kind of legitimacy. And the wars are spreading. Pakistan and its
nuclear weapons next I imagine, then Iran. So when will they leave Iraq or
more to the point, will the US ever leave Iraq? Ive said years ago that
theres no chance until the oil is gone. Look at whats happening.
The level of bombing in Baghdad has been increasing recently, just
as the Americans are supposed to be getting ready to leave Iraq Bombs
explode every day but we only hear about the worst cases. Violence is such
that the US has developed contingency plans to keep a high level of troops
in Iraq to maintain security. The Washington Post regularly worries about
the welfare of Iraqis after the US leaves. Leaves? Even when the US
nominally leaves Iraq, 50,000 trainers will remain as well as 4,500 Special
Forces and tens of thousands of para-military contractors. Barack
Obamas pledge to leave Iraq was really a fraud to get elected.
Lets pause to think about the continuing violence and bombing in
Iraq that is providing the excuse for the US to remain. Attacks against
Americans are now very rare. Most of the bombs have been in Shii areas
against Shii civilians or police. This doesnt make sense for two reasons.
Firstly, it gives the Americans an excuse to stay when everyone wants them
to leave. Secondly, they serve no useful purpose to any Iraqi group. It can do
the Sunnis no good whatever to provoke the majority Shiah into open civil
conflict that they will lose. Al-Qaeda? Why should they attack Sunni
civilians when the hated Americans are conveniently at hand to kill? There
arent many Al-Qaeda in either Iraq or Afghanistan anyway. Thats official.
And if Al-Qaeda or anyone else should have a plan to foment trouble as
a prelude to taking over the country it would be best to let the
Americans leave first. In short, theres no advantage to be had by any Iraqi
faction in bombing Shii areas.
The question is always 'To whose advantage is it?' Theres only one
group that could further its ends by continued violence in Iraq; the
United States. Unbelievable, you say; not at all. Let us recall that the US
Congress made USD 400 million available for black operations intended to
destabilize the Iranian government (we know nothing of its budgets for

1157

subversion of other countries). Although it claims not to support terrorism,

Adolmalek Rigi, the leader of the terrorist organization Jundallah, captured
by the Iranians, says that the US Central Intelligence Agency has been
supporting him.
The CIA of course is the black operations arm of the United States.
Lets review what we know about them. Its undeniable public knowledge
that among other things, the CIA:
Kidnaps thousands of non-Americans;
Transports kidnapped persons to third party countries and own secret
prisons for the purpose of torture;
Without legal process, imprisons, tortures, tortures to death,
disappears and assassinates thousands of non-Americans;
Subverts sovereign governments and supports coups, revolutions and
dictatorial regimes that are sympathetic to the US;
Arms and funds rebel and terrorist organizations such as Jundallah in
order to destabilize sovereign governments;
Interferes in other countries politics by bribes and funding opposition
organizations;
Is part of the drone assassination scheme in Afghanistan and Pakistan;
Recently has approval to assassinate Anwar al-Awlaki, an American
citizen.
In short, the CIA is undoubtedly the worst criminal and terrorist
organization on the planet. It is the means by which the United States
government achieves its ends when normal, legitimate means fail. To return
to Iraq: The US has no intention of leaving Iraq and its oil, so continued
instability is needed as a public excuse for remaining. Providing instability is
what the CIA does.
I suggest, therefore, that the CIA is arranging most, if not all, the
bombing and attacks in Iraq by supporting local terrorist groups that it
has probably created itself. Suitable candidates could easily have been
identified from past army operations that had local groups such as the
Awakening Councils on the US payroll. The CIA demonstrably places no
value on human life nor does it accept any moral or legal constraints. That is
its nature by intent.

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But bombing innocent people intentionally would be too much even

for the CIA; you protest. That is what I thought a week ago. It was while
watching the Wikileaks video in full that it occurred to me that the CIA was
intentionally bombing civilians in Iraq. Try the idea while watching the
video. Call me nave, but until then I did not believe that people could do
such things, even knowing what I do about the CIA.
A letter has been published from two US soldiers who belonged to
the ground unit that was on the site at the time of the collateral murder
shooting. One of them carried two children from the scene. They apologize
to the Iraqi people and those who lost loved ones. They also say: From our
own experiences, and the experiences of other veterans we have talked to,
we know that the acts depicted in this video are everyday occurrences of
this war: this is the nature of how US-led wars are carried out in this region.
How can one adequately express one's revulsion that the US presumes to
issue human rights reports on every other country in the world, while in its
own dealings with other countries it outrageously violates almost every
criterion by which it judges them.
The US is not engaged in a defensive war. It is furthering its
economic and geopolitical aims by murder and the UK and Europe are
colluding with it. In fact, UK personnel have been trained in drone
assassinations, killing on suspicion, as in the collateral murder video. The
Royal Air Force is now using lower-grade staff with basic training to operate
drones rather than expensive fighter pilots. The best operators are considered
to be young video-game players. A video-game format now enables extrajudicial murder-on-suspicion.
The US now trains more drone operators than pilots because it is
cheaper, safer and killing is easier than using conventional aircraft. No-one
is safe in Iraq, Afghanistan or Pakistan now. United States crimes have no
boundaries. How can one adequately express one's revulsion -that the US
presumes to issue human rights reports on every other country in the world,
while in its own dealings with other countries it outrageously violates almost
every criterion by which it judges them.
Talk, therefore, of the US leaving Iraq and Afghanistan is nonsense. I
believe that CIA operatives have the same mentality shown in the collateral
murder video that enables them to murder Iraqi civilians in order to create
instability and stay. Until I saw that video I thought that such a state of mind
was possible only in cases of criminal insanity. Perhaps that is what is
needed to be a CIA operative, or perhaps it is induced. Of 30,000 US

1159

suicides per year, 20 per cent 6,000 or 16 per day are veterans. This
undoubtedly says something about Americas wars.
In the current UK elections, we need the opportunity to vote to
leave these murderous endeavours that show no sign of ending. There
are several good reasons:
Simply, morally, it is wrong to invade other countries, murder their
people and steal their wealth. The rule of law derives from morality.
Our present government seeks to circumvent law, not keep it.
The military looting of foreigners and domestic over-taxation as the
basis of an economy is bound to fail. We have a militarized
government of well-demonstrated incompetence. It has a robber-baron
culture rather than one of research and industrial and trading
development.
Holding onto the illusory economic and defence benefits offered by
the United States has not only led the UK into its present moral and
economic disaster, it has paralyzed the UK, preventing it from
following its own path of development.
The assertion by Prime Minister Gordon Brown that our participation
in the USs invasions of the Middle East protects our way of life is a lie. He
and most of our politicians voted for the Iraq war and can only attempt to
justify their untenable positions by lies or, as my own Member of Parliament
Richard Ottoway does, by blaming Anthony Blair for deceiving him. It
would be a joke it were not so serious. Anthony Blair, Gordon Brown and
the Joint Chiefs of Defence Staff are war criminals by the criteria of the
Nuremberg Principles.
The first step in UK moral and economic recovery is to leave
Afghanistan immediately. We need to take that step because until we do and
we disengage from Americas murderous policies, we will not be on the path
to control of our own country and future.
Tariq Ramadan observed that Europe is failing its Muslims. If you
listen to what is said in the European countries, the perception is very bad.
Seventy-five per cent, for example, of French people are associating Islam
with violence. The perception is that Islam is a problem and that
Muslims are creating problems. They are not really perceived at home in
Europe.

1160

And then we have lots of debate. Every day we have a new debate, a
new controversy. Every single European society has its own debates, its
own controversies, around the Muslim presence. So what is happening?
This is where I want to tackle the issue, Europe is failing its Muslims, at
five different levels.
The first one is the way Europe is defining itself, the self perception,
the perception of the self. The current discourse, and the general discourse,
is that Muslims are not European citizens The Muslims who are
Europeans for generations and centuries are not perceived as Europeans.
The Bosnian people are not Europeans; it's as if because they are Muslims
they are less European
If you come to the more recent history, when we speak about
economic contribution, the fathers and mothers of the people who are now
Europeans, who came to help the countries to be built after the Second
World War or in-between the two World Wars, are missing in our self
perception.
Our politicians very often they speak about their fellow citizens as if
they don't know who are these new citizens, who are Muslim and they are
living with them Muslims in our societies are facing unemployment,
discrimination, and racism, and it's not because they are Muslims, it's
because they are facing class discrimination, segregation, and wrong social
policies. So this is where this confusion is not helping to understand the
sense of belonging to the country: you think that you have a problem with
somebody because of their religion and not because they are citizens dealing
with the job market, with unemployment, with the same violence they are
the same victims
At the cultural level, it's as if the new visibility of the Muslims is
just showing that they don't want to integrate. In fact it's exactly the
opposite. The opposite: they are visible, millions are visible it means that
they are at home. So, when you have mosques, when you have
organizations, it's not because you don't want to integrate. It's exactly the
opposite: you feel at home, you build your mosques. Even this is also a very
important point in the reality: so, it's the opposite. When it comes to food,
curry and couscous that's fine. When it comes to money, Islamic banking,
that's fine. But when it comes to dresses, when it comes to colour, when it
comes to something which is different, it's not fine. So we are selective in
our integration. Money and food, welcome. Colours and dresses, no.

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When it comes to the media, it's as if here we are only dealing with
problems. We are dealing with these controversies every day. We are
talking about violence, the minarets, the headscarf, all the problems not
talking about what is done at the grassroots level, the positive actions of the
Muslims, and the presence of millions who are silent and are constructive
and contributing to the reality of our country. This is not good. So, what we
have today is a very bad perception, and it's an us versus them mindset that
we are creating: the Muslims are undermining the very essence of our
culture. They are outsiders within our society, perceived as the other,
and Islam and Muslims are perceived as problems.
Now, this is where we are failing: we are nurturing the perception
that Islam is alien to Europe, that Muslims are not Europeans. Islam is a
European religion and Muslims are citizens. And if you go from all these
controversies showing that we are failing to what is happening at the
grassroots level, many things are very positive.
At the local level, Muslims are Europeans, they are citizens, and they
are building. And let me say something which is important. While we are
talking about this, at the grassroots level the Muslims are understanding
the West and Europe much better than before. They are understanding
and rediscovering their religion much better than before, and they also are
coming up with new answers. This is completely neglected in the current
political discussion, in the religious discussion.
Intellectuals in Muslim World commented on various issues.
Mohammad Ali Salih wrote about his own one-man jihad: The five
Muslim Americans who were arrested in Pakistan last month for alleged
terrorism recently told a Pakistani court that they were not members of alQaeda, did not want to harm Pakistan and were on their way to Afghanistan
to wage jihad against Western forces there. One of them declared: We are
not terrorists. We are jihadists, and jihad is not terrorism. Their lawyer
added that they only wanted to help the helpless Muslims.
This sparked me to resume my own jihad in front of the White
House. During the last days of the Bush Administration, I started standing in
front of the White House on weekends, silently holding a banner that asks on
one side; what is Terrorism and, on the other side; what is Islam?
I have lived and worked in Washington since 1980 as a correspondent
for Arabic newspapers and magazines in the Middle East. Since Sept 11,
2001, I have felt sadness, anger and frustration because of what I had come
to believe were President George W Bushs subtle wars on Muslims.
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Because I had no outlet for this opinion in US newspapers, I launched my

one-man campaign.
I was not a stereotypical demonstrator. No shouting, arguing and
marching. I was not wearing jeans and raising handwritten slogans; nor did I
camp in front of the White House or chain myself to the fence. Believing
that my conduct was part of my message, I dressed in dark suits, refused to
engage in discussions, and only briefly and quietly answered questions.
In small print at the bottom of my sign, I wrote: I will be here until I
die. My plan was to get enough media attention and to collect enough
donations online that I could quit my job and start a daily vigil. That would
have disrupted my wifes plan for us to retire in Florida, but I figured I could
take off winters and, being self-employed, could set my own schedule. When
I became older and perhaps could not stand, I thought, I would use a
wheelchair. I actually envisioned myself dying in front of the White House
holding my banner.
But I stopped planning and ended my vigil when Barack Obama
became President. I believe in his campaign promises to end Bushs
militaristic and antagonistic foreign policies, to change the tense political
atmosphere in Washington, and to soothe the American people and give
them some hope. When Obama went to Cairo lat summer, he extended a
peaceful hand to the Muslim World and called on Israel to stop its
expansionist policies. He was even reported to have ordered government
officials not to use the term war on terrorism.
But after watching Obama in the White House for a year, I have
come to believe that he is a typical politician who makes promises in order
to be elected and, once elected, starts planning to be reelected. This may
explain why he doesn't seem to have the courage to peacefully engage the
Muslim world or to end the injustice the United States inflicts on Muslims in
the name of its war on terrorism.
I recognize that not all Muslims support Obama or want to work with
him; some continue to resist U.S. occupation of two Muslim countries
(Afghanistan and Iraq), resent U.S. bombardment of two Muslim countries
(Pakistan and Somalia), resent U.S. threats to bombard two Muslim
countries (Syria and Iran) and resent U.S. military intervention in another
Muslim country (Yemen).
I believe Obama's basic problem with the Muslim world is his
inability to understand or perhaps his denial that the Koran tells Muslims

1163

to stand up against injustice, particularly if they are treated unfairly by nonMuslims, which stands out in the form of blatant military occupations.
This brings me back to the five Muslim Americans who wanted to
help the helpless Muslims. I am not arguing about whether they are
jihadists or terrorists, would-be martyrs or traitors, or whether they
should stand in front of a civil or a military court when they return to the
United States.
But I believe, as they do, that jihad is not terrorism. As the sign I held
in front of the White House implies, terrorism hasn't been clearly defined.
Even the United Nations hasn't agreed on a definition. And the Koran, which
says a faithful Muslim is closer to God than a non-devout one, clearly asks
the faithful to sacrifice their time, money, family and/or life to end injustice.
I am not faithful enough to sacrifice with my money (I barely make
ends meet), with my family (I want them to be near me) or my life (I don't
think I have enough left). So this weekend I will resume my jihad in front of
the White House peacefully, silently and alone.
Khaled Abu Toameh asked Why are they hiding the newest truth? In
announcing the death of General Intelligence officer Captain Sharif Ali bin
Zeid, the Jordanian government said that he was on a humanitarian mission
in Afghanistan. The officer was killed together with seven CIA employees
when a Jordanian citizen blew himself up in the eastern Afghan province of
Khost.
The suicide bomber, identified as Hammam Khalil al-Balawi, had
duped the Jordanian authorities into thinking that he had important
information that could lead them and the CIA to Al-Qaeda's second-incommand, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Why are most of the Arab dictators afraid or
reluctant to publicly admit that their countries are at war with Al-Qaeda and
other Islamic fundamentalist groups?
Failure to acknowledge that they are part of this war underscores the
state of fear and denial that the Arab dictatorships continue to live in with
regards to the threat from Islamic radicals. These rulers and their
governments, the majority of whom are unelected, are actually afraid the
Arab and Islamic masses. They are afraid of exposing their connection to the
US because, for decades, these dictatorships have been telling the masses
that Israel and the US are their real enemies, and not Al-Qaeda and the
terrorists who have hijacked Islam.

1164

Additionally, these dictatorships are afraid of being accused by Arabs

and Muslims of participating in a war of Crusaders and infidels against
Islam. This is because the majority of the Arab and Islamic regimes have
been telling their constituents that this is actually a war waged by the West
against Islam.
There is also no reason why the US should be helping these regimes
in concealing the truth. The battle against Al-Qaeda and Islamic terror
groups cannot be won as long as Washington's allies in the Arab and Islamic
world continue to hide the truth from their people. It is time for these
dictatorships to stop their double talk and to openly admit that moderate
Muslims are at war with a tiny minority of thugs and murderers who have
hijacked their religion.
The Jordanians are not alone in trying to hide the fact that their
security services are actively involved in the war against Islamic
fundamentalism. The Palestinian Authority, whose security forces are
waging a war on Hamas supporters and extremists in the West Bank, has
also been doing its utmost to hide its security coordination with Israel. In
fact, the Palestinian Authority continues to insist that it never helped Israel
during the last war in the Gaza Strip although Israeli security officials have
confirmed that such assistance had been provided.
Moreover, the Palestinian Authority maintains that the massive
crackdown that its forces have been waging against Hamas in the West Bank
over the past few years is solely directed against criminals and outlaws.
Similarly, the Saudis, Egyptians, Moroccans and Yemenis have also been
very reluctant to expose their close ties with the CIA and other Western
intelligence agencies involved in the battle against Islamic fundamentalism.
Forces belonging to these countries have been involved in the fight
against radical Islam on various fronts such as the border between
Afghanistan and Pakistan and the one between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Rahimullah Yusufzai collected some facts about the story of Dr
Humam Khalil Abu Mulal al-Balawi, the Jordanian suicide bomber came all
the way from Zarqa to Waziristan to attack CIA's Khost base. Before
embarking upon the mission Dr Humam Khalil recorded a farewell tape and
Rahimullah narrated the factors that motivated him to take this long journey
to accomplish his self assigned mission.
Balawi had to say what he said in his farewell video-taped message,
but the statements made by his Turkish wife, Dafne Bayrak, are instructive.
The young woman who married Balawi while studying in Istanbul in 2001
1165

holds a degree in journalism and has written articles for Islamic publications
and also a book entitled Osama bin Laden: Che Guevara of the East. She
expressed pride in her husband's mission and recalled that he regarded the
US as an enemy. Denying that Balawi was an American agent, she argued
that he only could have used America and Jordan to reach his goal.
However, she declined to call Balawi a martyr and instead prayed to Allah to
accept his martyrdom. This is how a highly educated, scarf-wearing woman
from secular and westernized Turkey, which is the only Muslim country to
be a member of NATO, thinks about the US and admiringly looks at the
fight being waged by militants against America and it's allies.
Balawi's father Khalil al-Balawi also said he was proud of his son
even though his death broke his heart. He appeared satisfied that his son
killed some of those in the intelligence agencies who manipulated him.
Balawi, he reminded, was a doctor who saved lives, but was sucked into the
whirlpool of the intelligence agencies instead of being able to serve his
people. This was not only the anguish of a father, but also a strong
indictment of the working of intelligence agencies that manipulate and
blackmail people into doing unwanted spying work.
Reports in the Arab press explain how Balawi was radicalized by
the US occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. His wife said that in
particular he was disturbed by the US treatment of Iraqi prisoners in
Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison and the destruction of Fallujah city in
November 2004. The Israeli war on Palestinian territory of Gaza, often
described as the biggest open air jail in the world, also upset him. He
reportedly tried to go to Gaza to offer medical care to the Palestinians but
was stopped by the Jordanian authorities. This is believable since his family
originally belonged to Beersheba in Palestine, from where Israel under its
ethnic and religious cleansing policy since 1948 has been uprooting
Palestinians and annexing territory with backing from Western countries. It
isn't surprising that Palestinians have been radicalized to no end and many of
them have been active in hard-line organizations ranging from Fatah to
Hamas and even Al Qaeda.
Mowahid Hussain Shah opined: The establishment in both the West
and the Muslim World is equally responsible for the present mess. The
crushing incapacity of Muslim elites to govern honestly at home, and to
frame counter-arguments and fight for legitimate rights abroad, has left
ample space for militancy to flourish.

1166

So far, the US establishment, by pointing fingers at foreign devils,

has done a good job at blacking out discussion on the root causes of antiWestern militancy. It may have avoided answering the corps question,
Why? But it may find it difficult to change the lethal trajectory of its
impractical policies.
Fariddun Harmuzji from Karachi wrote: Several You-tube videos
circulating on the internet confirm that 911 was the biggest fraud of the 20th
century. One video, with a commentary with it, amply defines how the US
intelligence maneuvered to create this drama with the purpose of using it as
an excuse to attack Afghanistan and Iraq. That is why they had raised the
bogey of Al-Qaida, Osama and Taliban. The US then invaded Iraq on the
pretext of WMDs that were never there from day one. Another report on
internet suggests that not a single person saw the two planes ramming into
towers though hundreds of people saw them falling. According to this
theory, the planes hitting the two towers were a computer simulation. No
planes hit the towers, the report says. That is why nobody among the
detectives sifting through the rubble found even a scrapping of these planes.
The same goes for the so-called plane that hit the Pentagon. Not even
its black box could be found. Interestingly, all these reports and video
analyses are emanating from United States itself. Success of this drama is
that the whole world was befooled and the US was allowed to kill over
100,000 Muslims in Iraq. And the massacre in Afghanistan is still continued.
Meanwhile, US has been pilfering the Iraqi oil for more than eight years.
Unfortunately, none of the leaders from the Muslim world had the courage to
call a spade a spade. Only Mahatir Muhammad of Malaysia said plainly
without mincing his words that the whole 911 episode was a demolition by
dynamite from inside. But he too said that after he had retired from being
Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Dr Muzaffar Iqbal visited Tehran and reported on one of the lectures
in Tehran University. When did they leave; she said in a manner which
clearly indicated that she was not asking a question. I looked at her veiled
face and long black abaya and quickly realized that I had made a blunder in
front of a gathering of five hundred plus students who had come to the main
auditorium of the Tehran University to listen to the evening's lecture on
Empowerment.
They did not really, I corrected myself, but most post-colonial
narratives have this make-believe phase, which states that we are living in a
post-colonial world. One can even say that this 'post-colonial' world is

1167

more colonized than the one that existed prior to World War II. The routes of
colonization are now far more insidious than those of their precursors. She
said in her even tone, this time in the microphone, which one of the
volunteers had handed over to her in the few seconds which I took to
respond.
Indeed, there is compelling empirical evidence that the economic,
cultural, political, and outright military control and the consequent
disempowerment of the people of the so-called less-developed world has
never been so harsh as it is now in this first decade of the twenty-first
century. Thus, your statement about 'realities of daily life in the post-colonial
era' raises serious problems.
She stressed my words realities of daily life in the post-colonial era
with a certain degree of relish; I felt the grinding words echoing back and
realized that her intelligence and quick perception had a certain degree of
experiential truth which has sharpened her vision.
I agree with you, I had to admit, the myth of the post-colonial era is
just that a myth repeated so many times that we often fall prey to the
phantom. There has only been a change of technique, she said, conclusively,
and the new techniques are far more devastating, because most people
cannot even recognize that they have been disempowered. The control is so
deadly that people now happily send text messages, thoughtlessly and
needlessly use their cell-phones, without realizing that each time they do so,
a certain amount of their life and national wealth goes out to their past
colonizers the masters of their fathers and forefathers, who said to them
one day: here, we are giving you freedom and leaving your country. And
now so many nations of the world have their founding fathers, fathers of the
nations and so on.
It is all a make-believe chimerical faade. Do you know who controls
the uranium resources of the world today? Who controls the air traffic on the
skies? The waterways in the oceans? Who has the control of the gold and
copper ores? Who controls the motorways? And the airwaves over which
happy-go-lucky men and women bring their mantra of expertise on millions
of TV screens in all these banana republics spreading throughout South
America, all the way to the Gambia, taking in the entire Middle East, Asia,
and Central Asia?
Her eloquence had made everyone breathless. By now, she had taken
over the floor and the question-answer session had become a mini-lecture in
itself. I do not mean to deliver a lecture, it is your lecture, but I expect our
1168

intellectuals and leaders to pay attention to ground realities of the world in

which we are living. Look at the state of Israel; it has been exponentially
expanding ever since the day it was established by the European Jews in the
heart of a land which had never belonged to them in the entire history of
humankind. Is it not strange that the settlements are said to be opposed by
the godfather called the United States of America and the godmother called
the European Union and yet, this banned activity takes place in broad
daylight and no one actually moves a little finger? Is it not strange that the
disempowered, rather dismembered, Palestinian nationhood--and whatever
that word may mean remains a still-born child that no one wants to own?
I was in the Gambia recently and I went to villages where the mere
appearance of a white man or woman still creates awe and terror and people
are ready to bow down to these men and women just because they carry the
stamp of terror unleashed on the world during the past three centuries. We
cannot go on like this, in these isolated auditoriums, cut off from the
realities. We need to go out and see with open eyes what life is like in those
parts of the world which our intellectuals and political leaders happily call
the post-colonized world, misleading everyone. Qul, seeru fi'ld-ard," the
Quran tell us, say, travel through the lands
I am sorry, I am not an intellectual, just a student of history, but our
teacher has taught us that we must remain objective if we want to study
history in order to learn from it. Our teacher has taught us to look at the
reality as it is, and he says that in reaching this conclusion he has been
inspired by the most noble Messenger, upon him blessings and peace, who
asked his Lord to show him the nature of things as they really are. When
she sat down, there was pin-drop silence in the auditorium and all I could do
was to pray for light and guidance.

REVIEW
The holy war on terror in Far East and Mainland Asia has almost
gone into the mode in which it was at the time of 9/11. Direct involvement
of the Crusaders in the war in Dark Continent was nearly nonexistent. The
noble cause of the followers of the Christ is generally pursued through
proxy.
Homeland security in the United States, Europe and even in Australia
was remained on alert primarily because of the fear of retaliatory strike; the
fear that springs out of the guilt of atrocities committed by the Crusaders

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around the world. Thus, the global war has been confined to a few selected
regions of interest.
In the main theatre of the war, after having destroyed Afghanistan,
Iraq, and Pakistan less its nuclear assets and allowing Israel to deliver
destructive blows on Gaza and Lebanon, the war is being fought primarily in
Af-Pak region. Here too, the Crusaders exuberance seemed to have
dissipated.
The reason has been rightly identified by Iftikhar A Khan; these wars
wont produce any war heroes. The wars which primarily aim at committing
crimes cannot be expected to produce heroes, but only war criminals. This is
not good for sustaining the exuberance.
25th April 2010

NOT ZARDARI
Military operations in Orakzai, Kurram and Khyber agencies were
extensively supported by Pakistan Air Force during the last three weeks.
PAF matched the Crusaders in causing collateral damage in Tirah Valley of

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Khyber Agency. The damage in terms of human lives was so extensive that
COAS was constrained to render an apology to Kukikhel Afridis.
The report of probe into murder of Benazir was released by the UN
Commission on 15th April. She was murdered after she returned to Pakistan
under a deal to deliver more on war on terror than Musharraf and then had
developed differences with deal makers. The UN report said nothing more
than what had been already known.
The commission found that the attack on Benazir could have been
averted with better security measures and that the police did not to take the
desired interest in investigations fearing that intelligence agencies might
have been involved in the murder. The commission also expressed surprise
over the present regimes lack of interest in investigations; however, the only
thing said categorically said in the report was that Zardari regime was not
involved in the murder.
On the eastern front, Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza defied Indian
policy peaceful interaction with Pakistan. The two sports persons were tied
into matrimonial union leaving the Hindu extremists fuming over such
intimate people to people interaction between two countries.

NEWS
In Pakistan, 45 people were killed and more than hundred wounded
in bomb blast in Timargara on 5th April where red-cappers had arranged
celebration over renaming of NWFP. In four districts of Hazara Division, the
people protested on fourth consecutive day against the renaming and
blocked the KKH for hours. A few hours later, militants attacked US
Consulate in Peshawar and eight people were killed and 18 wounded in the
three bomb blasts within 20 minutes. Zardari announced murder of Benazir
would be probed in Pakistan as well; thereby showing dissatisfaction over
UN probe.
Former ISI official, Col Imam, Khalid Khwaja and UK journalist
Assad Qureshi went missing in South Waziristan where they had gone to
make a documentary on Taliban. Eight militants were killed in ongoing
operation in Orakzai agency. A militant commander was held in Lahore.
Western media accused Pakistan Army of extra-judicial killings. Such
incidents have been reported since operation Rah-e-Rast in Swat.
Thirteen militants were killed in air strike in Orakzai Agency on 6 th
April. Col Imam and two others remained untraceable. Two militants were
1171

killed and four arrested in Mattani area and two were held in Peshawar. US
personnel were shown inspecting and collecting evidence from the site of
yesterdays attack on a TV channel while on another channel Rehman Malik
was denying US involvement in the investigation.
Five suspects of Dir blast were arrested in less than 24 hours. This
quick action is because of the fact that any anti-ANP person can be termed a
terrorist and hauled up. In Bajaur, 15 militants surrendered and two were
held in Mohmand Agency. Police retrieved four bombs from Hub River
Road and an inspector was wounded when one of the bombs exploded.
Australia blocked shipment of scientific equipment fearing their use in
WMDs.
Next day, a child died and three persons were wounded when a time
bomb exploded setting ablaze in Khyber Pass. Four militants were killed in
Swat. No casualties were reported in a bomb blast in parking area of Jinnah
Super Market, Islamabad. Federal government rejected Punjab governments
request for Rs3.5 billion special grant for anti-terrorism.
The US asked Pakistan to give land on lease for repair of aircraft. The
request was placed by David T Johnson during his meeting with Rehman
Malik, who in turn has assured to provide the land for the purpose. Can the
aircraft be repaired on an open piece of land?
Ten militants were killed and ten more wounded in Bara area on 8 th
April and three were killed in Matta area of Swat. Dozens of houses of antiANP people were destroyed in Lower Dir as punishment after Timargara
blast. Greek national was released in Chitral after successful talks. Australia
refused early release of scientific cargo. The US said no civil nuclear deal
with Pakistan right now.
At least 24 militants were killed in Orakzai and Kurram agencies on
9 April. Two suicide bombers blew themselves up in Lakki Marwat when
they were encircled by police. Rehman Malik announced operation in Kala
Dakka, Mansehra. Fazl had telephoned to Gilani from China to stop this
operation and Gilani had said that there would be no operation in that area.
th

Next day, at least ten people were killed in Sararogha area of South
Waziristan on 10th April. Gunship helicopters struck in Tirah Valley and
killed 60 civilians; security forces claimed killing 35 militants. A suicide
bomber blew himself near Bannu without causing any damage. Gilani
embarked on mission to acquire civil nuclear technology but Manmohan
Singh reached Washington before him.

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The DNA report of the girl dropped at Dr Aafias house in Karachi

was handed over to police; Fatima was confirmed as Maryam, daughter of
Dr Aafia. Rehman Malik and Senator Talha Mahmood held press
conferences the latter said she was kept in a cold and dark room in the US
base at Bagram. Both insisted that the government of Pakistan did not know
who brought her to Pakistan and how they dropped her at Aafias house.
Two soldiers were killed in an encounter and 23 militants in gunship
attacks in Orakzai Agency on 11th April. One police inspector was killed
when militants fired a racket at mobile patrol in Bannu area. Ten militants
were killed in Tirah Valley. Rehman Malik said Maryam was not recovered
from Bagram (Americans dont do such things). Washington Post claimed
that Pakistan released two Afghan Taliban commanders around the period in
which Mulla Baradar was captured. Obama was set to call for global action
to secure nuclear stockpile during nuclear summit on 12th April.
Five people were killed in US missile attack in Dattakhel area on 12 th
April. Two soldiers were killed in landmine blast in South Waziristan and
one person was killed and two wounded in bomb blast in Bannu. At least 38
militants and two security personnel were killed in Orakzai Agency. Six
militants were arrested in Lower Dir and four were held in Mohmand
Agency. NATO container hit roadside bomb in Kalat District; two persons
were injured. Fourth suspect in NYC bombing was held in Pakistan. Gilani
and Obama met and Qureshi declared the meeting a success as two sides
decided to move beyond security.
Next day, two NATO containers were set on fire near Quetta. Bomb
exploded near boundary wall of FG Women College, Islamabad in the
evening. Reuters reported that the US military in FATA on training mission
was performing expanded role. Nawaz visited US Embassy and attended
lunch; Nisar, Javed Hashmi, Ishaq Dar and Iqbal Ahsan accompanied him.
Nawaz asked the US to stop drone attacks. Obama called on world leaders
not simply to talk, but to act to secure or destroy vulnerable stockpiles of
nuclear materials. Media asked Gilani about Osama and nuclear weapons.
Four people were killed and two wounded in drone-launched missiles
in North Waziristan on 14th April. Five Afghan fighters were captured in
Lower Kurram and produced them before the media. Governor NWFP
apologized for collateral damage due to bombing by PAF fighter planes in
Tirah Valley on 10th April. In this strike no damage was inflicted on enemy
but 63 men and women of pro-government Kukikhel tribe were killed and
more than 80 wounded. The apology also came after the media showed the

1173

injured women in hospitals of Peshawar. Gilani said no dictation needed on

nuclear plan. Obama termed Pakistans presence in the summit vital for
nuclear security. Singh said India wont object Pak-US nuclear deal.
Next day, Taliban faction, Asian Tigers, claimed kidnapping Col
Imam and British journalist and demanded $10 million ransom. Twenty
militants were held in Khyber Agency. Two personnel of civil defence were
killed and one soldier wounded in separate attacks by militants in Swat. Four
militants were arrested in Bajaur and one TTP operative was held in Karachi.
US banned al-Akhtar and al-Rashid trusts; froze their assets and declared
their proprietors as al-Qaeda operatives.
Four people were killed in US missile attack in North Waziristan.
Eight militants were killed, five wounded and three arrested in Orakzai
Agency. Two DSPs and a journalist were among 11 killed in suicide attack
in civil hospital Quetta during the visit of MNA Agha Nasir on 16 th April;
Nasir had gone to hospital to see Arshad Zaidi who fell victim of targetedkilling; 35 people, including MNA were also wounded. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi
owned the responsibility. CIA-linked company owned LNG terminal at Port
Qasim Authority, reported Sikander Shaheen.
The UN report on murder of Benazir was released. The commission
found that attack on Benazir could have been averted with better security
measures. The report blamed Musharraf regime for the security lapses and
expressed surprise over the present regimes lack of interest in
investigations. It categorically said that Zardari was not involved, yet it
demanded thorough investigation from the Government of Pakistan.
Spokesman of Musharraf rejected the report. Zardari regime was
cautious in giving its reaction to report and its future line of action. Sajid Zia
was of the view that the report would widen the already existing schism.
Observers noted that in investigation by the government could face hurdles.
Security forces backed by jetfighters killed 25 militants in Orakzai
Agency on 17th April. A remote-controlled bomb blast followed by suicide
bombing at the camp of displaced Orakzai tribesmen near Kohat killed 41
people and wounded 70 others. COAS apologized from Kukikhel Afridis
for killings of civilians in Tirah Valley; the enormity of the collateral
damage was too grave to be brushed aside. Blackwater chief was indicted in
weapons charges.
Nawaz saw nothing new in UN report and Pakistans envoy to UN
said his country was unlikely to initiate actions suggested in the report.
Jamaat-e-Islami alleged that the UN report has protected the killers of
1174

Benazir. Jehangir Badr urged Musharraf to come back and answer the
findings of the UN Commission.
One soldier and 13 militants were killed in a clash in Orakzai Agency
on 18 April. Seven people were killed and 32 wounded in suicide attack on
a police station in Kohat. Three militants were killed in Swat and three
activists of TTP were arrested in Islamabad. Gilani witnessed army
manoeuvres in Bahawalpur and he asked for worlds help in fighting war
against terror. A Sunni leader was killed in Karachi along with two others.
th

Core Committee of PPP recommended action against all those named

in the UN report, including Musharraf. Babar Awan vowed implementation
on UN report within 24 hours. Former ISI and IB chiefs and 11 bureaucrats
were placed on ECL. A member of UN Commission denied exonerating
Zardari in its report.
Video of Col Imam, Khalid Khawaja and British journalist was
released by the so-called Asian Tigers. All three of them were on their way
to North Waziristan when they were kidnapped and had stayed a night with
Ibrahim Paracha. Two kidnapped former ISI employees said they had met
General Aslam Beg and General Hamid Gul before embarking on the
mission to help making a documentary on Taliban.
Peshawar was targeted twice in the day. In first bomb blast outside a
school a student was killed and eight others wounded. In the evening a
suicide bomber attacked a protest rally against load shedding in
Qisakhawani Bazar; 23 people were killed and 27 wounded.
Six suspects were held in search operation in Karak area. Three
NATO tankers were burnt in a bomb blast in Landikotal and Taliban
kidnapped a security personnel. Security forces detained 110 suspects in
Bajaur Agency and two were held in Mohmand Agency. Kaira said Benazirs
killers would be brought to justice. Punjab relieved five police officers in
pursuance of federal governments action as per UN report.
Three security men were among four people killed in bomb blast in
Hangu on 20th April. Wife of Khalid Khwaja claimed that CIA ordered the
kidnapping of two former ISI officers. Army senior officers visited the
victims of collateral damage caused in Tirah Valley and distributed cheques
to win back their hearts and minds. TTP denied its involvement in Peshawar
blast.
The US hoped that Pakistan would join fissile material talks. General
Asad Durrani said that the actions initiated by Zardari regime on the basis of

1175

UN report (which is not a criminal investigation report) are aimed at

pretending that actions against the culprits have been taken.
Next day, seven militants were killed in Orakzai Agency. JI held ANP
responsible for Peshawar suicide bombing. Four militants were held in
Mardan and four were killed in Swat. COAS visited Bajaur Agency. General
Hamid Gul blamed the US for murder of Benazir; US Embassy strongly
rejected the allegation. Spokesman of the Embassy warned TV anchors
against telecast of such allegations against the US. It was a clear threat to the
anchors which Hamid Gul condemned. The US said grilling of Mulla
Baradar has yielded useful intelligence.
Two soldiers were wounded in North Waziristan when their convoy
was attacked on 22nd April and 20 people were held in Miranshah for
violating curfew. Security forces killed 30 militants and wounded 23 others
in Orakzai Agency. Twenty militants were arrested in Lower Dir.
No investigation has been carried out even after six years of
registration of Aafias missing case. The US conveyed its concerns over
thousands of detainees held by Pakistan Army. Sikander Shaheen reported
that former CIA chief Frank Carlucci was behind the contract for
gasification and terminal installation at Port Qasim.
On 23rd April, six militants were killed in South Waziristan; nine
soldiers including an officer were killed and 16 wounded in attack on a
convoy in North Waziristan and four US spies were slain in separate
incident. In Orakzai Agency, 41 militants were killed in a clash. Six
suspected militants were held in Mardan. Targeted killings in Swat revived
Taliban fear.
Nine people were killed in drone launched US missile attack in North
Waziristan on 24th April. Eleven more militants were killed in the ongoing
holy war in Orakzai Agency. TTP commander was arrested in Swat. Ten
policemen were wounded in suicide attack in Lower Dir. In Mohmand
Agency, 37 militants surrendered.
Militants attacked NATO oil tankers in Talagang; 12 tankers were
destroyed, four policemen killed and attackers escaped. General Petraeus
said extremists in Pakistan were fighting back. Gilani formed a fact-finding
body to probe hosing down the crime scene after murder of Benazir. The
body includes a General and it has to submit report within a week.
Next day, seven militants were killed and 11 wounded in Orakzai
Agency. In Kohat area, 24 suspects were held. Reportedly, Army sought

1176

joint probe into hosing of crime scene in which involvement of former DG

MI has been suspected.
On 5th April, President of Afghanistan threatened to join Taliban
and stood by his remarks on vote fraud. Next day, the occupation forces
claimed killing 27 Taliban in southern Afghanistan and five civilians were
killed in air strike. One US soldier was also reported wounded. NATO
warned Karzai over undermining Afghan public support for the efforts of its
forces for peace and security.
A NATO soldier was killed on 7 th April bringing tally to 146 in 2010.
Next day, a UK soldier was killed in southern Afghanistan. Afghan police
claimed arresting five suicide bombers. Taliban released video of US soldier
in their captivity. In response to Karzais threat to join Taliban the US
alleged that he has lost his mind; in fact, he is a drug-addict. Kyrgyzstan
turmoil threatened NATO supplies for its troops deployed in Afghanistan.
Four occupation soldiers were killed when a helicopter crashed in
Zabul on 9th April. The US tone became milder regarding Karzai. Two days
later, five people were killed and 13 wounded when their vehicle hit a
landmine. A NATO soldier and four Afghans were killed in separate
incidents. Afghan soldier fired at and wounded a Polish soldier and ran
away. Three Italians were among nine suspected suicide bombers held in
Helmand. Karzai threatened to cancel the planned operation in Kandahar
after consultation with elders of the area.
On 12th April, the US troops sprayed a passenger bus with bullets in
outskirts of Kandahar killing five civilians and wounding 18 more. Angry
people shouted death to America and death to Karzai and NATO regreted.
Karzai summoned Grand Peace Jirga from April 29 to May 3. The US
planned a parallel Ministry of Border and Tribes in Afghanistan for
increased interference in Pakistans affairs.
Seven people, including three NATO soldiers and step-brother of
Karzai, were killed in suicide bombing in Kandahar on 15 th April. Next day,
four Afghans working with the UN went missing. Afghan intelligence top
officials were, reportedly, bribing US officials for favours.
On 17th April, two Coalition soldiers were killed in roadside bombing.
NNI reported that the Pentagon has increased its use of the militarys most
elite special operations teams in Afghanistan, more than doubling the
number of the highly trained teams assigned to hunt down Taliban leaders.
Next day, a NATO soldier was killed in Uruzgan.

1177

On 19th April a security personal was killed in bomb blast in Kabul

and nine suspected suicide bombers were held. Three children were killed
and five wounded when a bomb tied on a donkey exploded in Kandahar.
Next day, NATO troops opened fire on a vehicle in Khost and killed four
unarmed persons. Four children were killed in cross-fire near Kandahar.
Malalai Joya wrote a memorandum to the US asking it to stop killing
Afghan people. US pressed for shipment of fertilizer from Pakistan.
Six Taliban were killed by NATO forces in Docheena area on 22 nd
April. Next day, two NATO soldiers and five Taliban were killed in Logar
Province. Leaders of Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan refuted Western media
reports that they were ready for dialogue; talks with invaders of Afghanistan
are impossible.
On 23rd April, one militant commander and a fighter were killed in air
attack in Kunduz and another commander was killed is separate air strike in
the same province. Next day, three policemen and several militants were
killed in a clash in Kunduz.
On 25th April, three people were killed and seven wounded in suicide
attack in Zabul. About fifty girls of a school in Kunduz fell unconscious;
authorities blamed militants for poisonous gas attack. Protest rally was held
in Kabul against killing of three civilians in Logar. Postponement of jirga by
the US was causing skepticism.
Electronic media in India spent busy day on 5th April in covering
Shoaib Maliks scandal with Maha and Pakistani media extended a helping
hand. Police questioned Shoaib at Sanias home, confiscated his passport
and said he could be arrested if the need be. Indian government seemed to
have put its weight behind Ayesha. Pakistani High Commissioner was
directed to remain in contact with Shoaib.
Next day, media of bridegroom and brides respective countries kept
fighting for and against the marriage of Shoaib and Sania. Shoaibs brotherin-law, Imran Malik was pounced upon by hordes of Indian media men as
soon as he arrived in New Delhi. He complained of receiving fist blows
from behind. Urdu-speaking ulema of UP joined hands with BJP to block the
matrimonial ties of two sports celebrities; the one in Kolkata went a step
farther by issuing a fatwa against Shoaib. Bookies also started betting on
Shoaib-Sonia marriage to earn few millions. Meanwhile, Maoists killed 75
soldiers in two attacks on 6th April. Nexilites activities have increased in
Bihar, Orisa, Jharkhand and Maharashtar.

1178

On 7th April, police formed five teams to collect incriminating

evidence against Shoaib while Indian media reported that Shoaib and Sania
have already married in Dubai only reception has to be arranged. Pakistan
sought clarification on confiscation of Shoaibs passport. In the evening it
was announced that the dispute was resolved through mediation/arbitration
by two elders from either side. Shoaib agreed to divorce Ayesha/Maha; she
received Rs2.5 million (some reports say Rs150 million) for successfully
blackmailing a young cricketer; and Indian media made hey in tarnishing the
image of Pakistan and Islam.
Next day, Sania Mirza started to pay the price for her decision to
marry a Pakistani. Bengal government cancelled the allotment of land to her
as prize. Dairy Products Company cancelled its marketing contract with her.
Ayeshas family claimed that Shoaib has agreed to pay Rs150 million;
Shoaibs family denied.
Shoaib and Sania were tied into matrimonial knot on 12 th April. Next
day, Indian forces fired across the working boundary in Sialkot Sector; it
was not part of Nikah ceremony. Three India fishing boats were seized and
17 members of crew were detained on 14th April. Protest rally was held in
Sopore after killing of a Kashmiri youth.
After 18-year research and development India successfully launched a
satellite station on 15th April, but lost it in the space. Ten people were
wounded in two bomb explosions outside cricket stadium in Banglore on
18th April. Three days later, Indians fired across working boundary in Sialkot
Sector. On 23rd April, US warned of possible terror attack in New Delhi.
Gilani hoped Indo-Pak talks soon; India said no Gilani-Singh talks in
Bhutan.
Next day, Pakistan issued fresh threat of going to World Bank over
Kishan Ganga Dam; what a threat? Rehman Malik met Indian Deputy High
Commissioner and then briefed media men. He said replies to six out of ten
dossiers have been handed over to India and 124 offices and 16 accounts of
Jamaat-ud-Dawa closed. Pakistan demanded extradition of Ajmal Kasab.
SSGC official was shot dead by unknow gunmen in Quetta,
Balochistan, on 5th April. Next day, two people were killed and four
wounded when their pick-up hit a landmine near Pirkoh. Non-Balochis in
Baloch-dominated areas of Balochistan have been targeted by Baloch
militants aided by their foreign sponsors. Since January 428 non-Balochis
fell in targeted-killings and thousands of families have migrated.
Government servants were applying for posting to their parent provinces.
1179

Government official was gunned down in Quetta on 8 th April. Next

day, JUI-F leader and three others were shot dead in Nasirabad. A
policeman was among three wounded by gunmen in Quetta on 11th April and
a trader was abducted in separate incident.
Two persons were wounded in grenade attack in Quetta on 13 th April.
Next day, three persons were killed and four wounded in shoot out in Hub.
Two pro-government tribesmen were killed in Dera Murad Jamali on 15 th
April. Three persons were killed in two incidents in Sibi and Qila Saifullah
on 18th April. Next day, one person lost life as a result of targeted-killing in
Quetta. A hand grenade was thrown into a school.
Two soldiers were killed and one wounded when their vehicle hit a
landmine in Bolan Pass on 20th April. More than hundred suspects were
rounded up in Quetta. Ten people were wounded in a bomb blast in Sibi on
24th April. Two persons in Hub and one in Panjgur were gunned down. PPPs
Senator Lashkari Raisani declined to accept the highest civil award, Hilal-ePakistan, because of the injustices to Balochistan.
As regards IHK, three Kashmiris were sentenced to death by an
Indian court on 22nd April, on fake charges of planting a bomb in 1996. Next
day, strike was observed in IHK to protest award of death sentence to three
Kashmiris. More than hundred Kashmiris were arrested on second day of
protests. Occupation forces martyred five Kashmiris on 24th April.

VIEWS
Pakistan remained in the focus in the context of war on terror and
its implications. On 5th April, Dr Maleeha Lodhi wrote about confidence
deficit regarding security. Widespread apprehension about the present and
the future has drained hope that generates confidence. The dominant
dynamic is a lack of faith that the future would be better given the publics
protracted experience of poor governance and deterioration in public
services. This is borne out by opinion polls that confirm this gloom.
Hope gives countries the confidence to countries to confront
challenges and equips them to purposefully tackle problems. But hope
cannot be conjured out of a hat. Building a national narrative of hope that
can unleash the promise of Pakistan requires vision, energy and a track
record of improved governance. It means policy actions that create a sense
of national purpose and foster the belief that the capacity to overcome

1180

challenges lie within and not without. The empowering effect of national
pride should not be underestimated.
Building confidence is not easy especially in a sea of trouble. But
it is necessary first step to self-empowerment. This needs above all a
credible leadership that is both inspired and inspiring. Intellectual leaders
also have a pivotal role in transforming a culture of despair into that of
optimism and enabling hope to trump fear. Without this meaningful progress
is well nigh impossible with the country left rudderless.
The News wrote: It is difficult to say where the truth lies. The image
of a haunted, imbalanced woman possibly driven to a state of mental and
physical ruin by torture and solitary imprisonment will stay with us for a
long time. The question of what became of her children brings up still more
nightmares. Whatever the story of Aafia herself may be, there can be no
doubt her children had committed no crime. Aafias family has said her
youngest child, an infant, had died during her disappearance and detention.
The father of the children has raised questions about all this. It is also
unclear why more effort was not made to raise the case of the kids with US
authorities. People must be told the whole truth about the role of Pakistani
agencies, US authorities and other players in the whole saga. But he must
also discover the full story about Dr Siddiqui. The route that took a
scientist to a jail cell is one that we need to follow to better understand
the forces shaping our society and the events that take place within it.
On 9th April, SRH Hashmi from Karachi commented on the
revelations made by the US official regarding works in FATA area to
enhance mobility of security forces, provision of land for repair of aircraft
and the presence of DynCorp in Pakistan. What are the Pakistanis supposed
to conclude from these disclosures? That we are also providing facilities to
them while they are here and that includes land access to our sensitive areas
to enable the US authorities to establish a vast network of bases, large and
small, here. These bases might come handy for all sorts of subversive
activities and might even enable the foreign power to launch irregular wars
on the soil of Pakistan whenever it so wishes. Our Parliament has a cause
to be delirious at the achievement of having tabled the 18 th Amendment
but what good will it do if decisions as important as concessions for the US
military contractors, concessions that might endanger the very existence of
our country, are made by officials in obscure meetings without any
discussions in the Parliament?

1181

The Nation wrote: The successive Pakistani leaders continuing calls

for a civil nuclear deal, on the pattern of the Indo-US nuclear deal is fast
becoming a bad joke. The previous and present US administrations have
continuously and clearly been stating that such a deal was no feasible nor
was the US thinking on these lines. Yet the Pakistani leaders refuse to accept
the obvious and now it is being given out that China will back Pakistans
demand for a civil nuclear deal with the US. Why would China do such
thing when it can help Pakistan itself and has been doing so in the civilian
nuclear field throughout and all of this cooperation is subject to IAEA
safeguards?
Ironically, just when Prime Minister Gilani was repeating the state
mantra of seeking a civil nuclear deal from the US at the Washington nuclear
security summit, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs,
Cowley, had already declared in response to a question by an Indian
journalist that while the US was focused on Pakistans energy needs, right
now that does not include civilian nuclear energy.
On the eve of Nuclear Security Summit in Washington Khalid Iqbal
wrote: Practically, these nuclear weapon states have lost the option of
going into even a limited conventional conflict, without the fear of
escalating it into a nuclear shoot out. Theoretically speaking, denuclearization on these conflict-harbouring regions would unleash
conventional wars for settling these disputes. Therefore, these regional
conflicts must be resolved to the satisfaction of all the stakeholders before
pressing for the elimination of nuclear weapons. The envisaged nuclear
world order must take care of the overall security matrix of all nations.
Shireen M Mazari observed that the dice is already loaded against
Pakistan According to a Reuters report and information from other
sources, are already talking of how India and other anti-Pakistan forces are
planning to gang up on Pakistan by not only once again raising the bogey of
the so-called Dr Khan network but also of anti-Muslim fears focusing on
religious extremist groups in Pakistan. For the first time a political platform
has been provided which brings a number of states critical of Pakistans
nuclear programme together to target Pakistan at a political level
Having discussed the bias against Pakistan, Dr Mazari suggested that
Pakistan needs to at the very least raise the following points at the
Summit:
One: The illegality of the 123 Agreement in terms of the nonproliferation regime unless the US is killing the NPT.
1182

 Two: A demand to have criteria-based concessions on nuclear trade

in the Nuclear Suppliers Group rather than country-specific
exceptions.
Three: Assert the right of all countries to develop peaceful nuclear
energy.
Four: Support the idea of the IAEA nuclear fuel bank.
Five: Suggest modification of the NPT to allow Pakistan and India
to join the Treaty as nuclear weapon states. After all an NPT
Review Conference is around the corner.
Six: Absolutely refuse to allow a discussion on Dr Khan - Pakistan
needs to assert that that issue is closed and should walk out if
discussion ensues.
Seven: Demand the US improve its nuclear command and control
system.
Eight: All countries, including India and the US, with records of
missing fissile material improve their nuclear safety and allow the
IAEA to inspect these improvements. (Pakistan has no record of
any missing fissile material; such is its level of safety).
The Nation wrote: Even before the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS)
commenced, suspicious noises are coming out of Washington that should
put Pakistan on alert. First, there has been the usual deliberately-timed US
think-tanks chorus of Pakistans nuclear weapons being under threat from
non-state actors with Bruce Reidel, who seems to have a psychological issue
with Pakistan in general, again in the lead claiming that Lashkar-i-Taiba will
grab Pakistans nukes, despite his own acknowledgement of Pakistans
extensive nuclear security set-up. Accompanying this has been a strange
statement coming from Secretary of State Clinton that the US is seeking to
limit Pakistan and Indias nukes in terms of numbers as well as ensuring that
the nuclear stockpiles of the two countries are well tended to! Now, given
how the US itself is directly aiding Indias increased nuclear weapons
production through the 123 Agreement which liberates a substantial amount
of un-safeguarded fissile material from Indias civilian reactors to be used in
weapons production, clearly Clinton must be intending to focus on Pakistan.
As for the whole security issue, again the record shows that while India has
had a few problems with missing fissile material and nuclear radiation leaks,
Pakistans record on these fronts has been absolutely untarnished.

1183

Unfortunately, one of the worst records in terms of nuclear safety and

missing fissile material has been that of the US itself, so perhaps at the NSS
Pakistan and others can raise these concerns with President Obama and hope
that he takes measures to improve US nuclear security.
Finally, there has been the whole drama of the White House actually
seeking to explain why it has invited Pakistan to the NSS given its so-called
proliferation record! Undoubtedly all this is to put Pakistan on the
defensive and we have reacted predictably with the Foreign Office
unnecessarily having to declare once again that Pakistans nuclear assets are
absolutely safe when we should have been exposing the expansive Indian
and US proliferation records. Unfortunately, while all these dramas are being
enacted to have a defensive Pakistan at the NSS, the Pakistani leadership
cannot see beyond the ridiculous and stale mantra of wanting a civilian
nuclear deal with the US - which we neither need nor should seek. There is
expected to be an effort to get a commitment from all NSS participants to
secure their nuclear materials within four years as part of the final document
commitment; and the US intends to use this to demand that Pakistan allow it
to undertake the security of Pakistans nukes. One hopes that on this count
our leadership will not make any fatal compromise. Obama has achieved
none of his nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation goals so far and we
need to ensure that his only success does not come at Pakistans expense.
The newspaper also commented on recovery of Dr Aafias daughter.
To abduct a five-year old girl and subject her to torture and the most
inhuman treatment, just because her mother is accused of a certain crime, is
heinous child abuse, a violation of international law; it reeks of a most
ignoble form of vengeance, and constitutes an affront to human
decency. Thats what has been, for seven long years Maryam was
indoctrinated by her captives to call herself Fatima but the DNA test leaves
little room for doubt that she was, indeed, Dr Aafia-Dr Amjad Khans
daughter. Kept in a dark room in solitary confinement, she is unable to stand
the broad daylight. Once the public outcry against her disappearance has
seen her release, even the most nave can see that the girl, now 12, stands
traumatized.
Heading the criminal band of perpetrators was the superpower US, the
indefatigable champion of human rights: two other governments, Pakistan
and Afghanistan, whom the official moralists at Washington never tire of
blaming for human rights violations, were complicit in the crime. Nothing
could be more hypocritical and shameful. Rather than adopting all available
means to get the custody of Dr Aafia and her children, even resorting to
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cutting off the supply line of US and NATO forces, as urged by Senator
Talha Mahmood, Chairman Standing Committee on Interior, the Pakistan
government chose to cooperate with the US Administration in this
blatant act of outrage. Pakistans complicity is also evident from the childs
removal from Pakistan to Afghanistan way back in 2003 and now her sudden
reappearance in Karachi. Neither of the acts could have been committed
without the clear knowledge and cooperation of our intelligence agencies.
Afghanistans dirty role comes out not only in the fact that she was kept at
Bagram airbase, but also from President Karzais admission, while he was
last at Islamabad, that the children were in his country.
No less chilling is the story of Dr Aafia herself. Her agony is not
merely the ordeal, physical as well as moral, she is going through but the
suffering, unknown to her, that her minor missing children might have had to
bear. One of them, a son, was released last year, but another, also a son, still
continues to be missing. Prime Minister Gilani, at present in Washington,
is supposed to be meeting President Obama. He must strongly demand
their immediate release before Dr Aafia is awarded any punishment.
On 14th April, Shireen M Mazari prayed: Let us hope Pakistan does
not get trapped into signing on, on any commitment relating to external
interventions in securing nuclear stockpiles. Despite Obamas hospitality,
we are under no obligation to auction off our nuclear future. As in
Afghanistan, Obama needs this Summit more than Pakistan in fact,
Pakistan did not need this at all a first political summit focusing purely
on nuke security in which there was a build-up to target Pakistans nukes.
But for Obama this is his last stand to retain some credibility on the nuclear
issue and his pre-presidential pronouncements on nuclear non-proliferation.
Next day, The Nation wrote: The Summit leaders also vowed to work
together to stop illicit nuclear trafficking and to ensure safety in
transporting nuclear material. The language of the final communiqu is also
not precise, and does not bind states to its goals. Unfortunately, the Summit
failed to consider proliferation by states like the US to Israel. It also failed to
consider the dangerous first-use nuclear doctrine that the Obama
Administration has recently propounded and which Secretary Clinton
reasserted very vividly by declaring that the US would use nuclear weapons
against a threat of any WMD! The nuclear threat, in reality, is far less
from non-state actors, and far more from use of nuclear weapons by
states like the US and India both of whom have asserted the right to firstuse of nukes against any WMD threat.

1185

The problem for Pakistan in terms of its nuclear assets does not
end here. The Summit had barely ended when the White House counter
terrorism chief, John Brennan fired yet another official salvo against
Pakistan by linking up Al Qaeda, its alleged search for nuclear weapons and
Pakistan. He gave out that Al Qaeda may attempt to gain access to nuclear
material and hinted rather obviously that Pakistan was seen as the weak link
in the chain which they could exploit.
Such an assumption is irresponsible as well as being false since so far
there has been no fissile material reported missing from Pakistan as
opposed to numerous reports of such material going missing from the US,
India and even countries like Japan. Basically, the US continues to use a
punitive approach to dealing with a problem that is more acute within its
own country than anywhere else if hard ground evidence is anything to go
by. Moreover, Obamas aggressive and Bush-like non-compromising attitude
towards Iran on the nuclear issue is a marked failure to generate a global
consensus on a new consensual nonproliferation road map. Iran and North
Koreas exclusion deprived the Summit of two critical nuclear players while
the Israeli leaderships refusal to participate allowed it to evade a muchneeded censure. It is time President Obama paid heed to his own words
of acting not just talking about nuclear security and disarmament.
In reaction to allegations of killing civilians by Pakistans security
forces Lubna Umar from Islamabad wrote: Here is a question I would like
to ask this Human Rights Commission; why cant they present any statistics
on the US administered drone attacks? Have the monitored the killings in
massive numbers of innocent people through drone hits whose credit
belongs entirely to the US and US alone? And I wonder whether this
administration would ever take its own administration to task for its
part in that ongoing murder spree for free of the century, this thing
they call the war on terror.
Lubna was justified in showing resentment but reports of civilian
deaths are not entirely baseless as was obvious from killings in Tirah Valley.
However, the US is least pushed about deaths of Pakistanis; it has only put
the matter on record so that when in future someone in Pakistan points out
collateral damage caused by American troops, he could be told to keep shut
saying that Pakistani security forces were not more humane in this context.
First there was news that the US is upping its military involvement in
FATA, which many in Pakistan already knew to be the case; now a more
sinister design is coming to the surface. This is the US intent of setting up a

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parallel Ministry of Border and Tribes in Afghanistan. Clearly, the mission

is to intrude directly into FATA not only militarily but also politically
and economically. According to sources cited in this paper, this Ministry
will be responsible for operations on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghan
international border and the personnel will be especially trained in
intelligence operations and will work directly with tribal elders on both sides
of the border. There is also going to be massive amounts of funds that will
be disbursed on both sides, with no government of Pakistan check on where
and how these will be spent. In fact, the US intent is to form a parallel
structure to the Pakistani state in Pakistans territory and delink the tribes
further from the state of Pakistan.
It is not simply an issue of the increased difficulties in sealing or
fencing this international border which Pakistan has been seeking to do
and the Afghans have been actively disrupting that such a US move will
give rise to, although that in itself should be an issue of serious concern for
Pakistan, especially its military. Even more threatening is the larger design
of sidelining the Pakistani state within its own territory something that the
US is also seeking to do through providing aid and assistance directly to
NGOs in Pakistan rather than the state of Pakistan. Yet the Pakistan
government is so mesmerized by the US leadership and its flirtations
with individual Pakistani leaders, that it has lost all rationality in dealing
with the multiple level threats not only to Pakistans sovereignty (which has
been lost in the drone attacks) but its very existence as an independent state.
And we have yet to see the Kerry Lugar Act becoming operationalized with
all its intrusive conditionalities.
With an increasing US military presence in Pakistan, it is strange
to find the Pakistan military so sanguine on these fronts or has it
compromised on national integrity for a few hi tech military toys? Is there
no one within the Pakistani state who will resist the lures and/or threats the
US is meting out to our decision makers? If the US design for a parallel
governance structure for FATA is allowed to mature, it will merely be the
start of a journey that, with its intelligence ops intrusions and armed US
military personnel, will end at our nuclear assets. Can no one see the larger
picture?
The Nation commented on the report of the UN Commission: The
much-awaited UN Commission Report on Ms Bhuttos murder has finally
been released. As expected, it states very clearly that the duty of carrying
out a criminal investigation, finding the perpetrators and bringing them to
justice remains with the competent Pakistan authorities. In fact, the
1187

Commission found it surprising that the present government took over a

year and a half of being in office before beginning further investigations into
Ms Bhuttos murder. While the Commission does not pinpoint the actual
murderers, its findings are revealing
Despite having a limited mandate, the Report is a damning
indictment of the Pakistani state and its Establishment. It is incumbent
upon the government and the state institutions to ensure that Ms Bhuttos
killers and their abettors are exposed and brought to justice - if the state and
its ominous Establishment are to ever redeem even a modicum of
credibility.
The same is true of the present government. President Zardari has
time and again boasted that he knows who the real murderers of Ms Bhutto
are and he would expose them at the right time. Well, never was there a
more apt time than now. After all, his party has also come in for some
stringent censure. The UN probe has cost the country plenty from its scarce
resources. Its Report cannot simply be put away in some dingy filing
cabinet. Instead it must be the catalyst for seeing the proper closure of the
tragic killing of a national leader.
The Economist commented: the report highlights the debilitating
effect on Pakistans institutions of its periodic spells of military rule. It also
suggests the contempt the countrys uniformed leaders display towards their
civilian counterparts. Yet this is clearly not all. The report, which was kept
under wraps for two weeks at the timorous request of Zardaris government,
raises serious questions about the role in the killing played by
Musharrafs regime. Whether these mysteries will be cleared up is another
matter in a country where political murders are rarely solved.
On 19th April, The Nation commented: The UN report, for which the
Pakistani taxpayer paid heavily, has pointed the finger at the murdered
leaders own party. It was perhaps inevitable, now that the party held the
reins of power, that it should try to slide over that part of its findings which
mention as responsible for neglect, if not actually responsible for
premeditated actions, people now holding high office. That the UN report,
for which the PPP campaigned vigorously, should remain unimplemented
even only in part, would be waste of the tax money which paid for it, and
would enable the murderer or murderers to get away with their crime.
However, it should be noted that the report also left a number of loose
ends which the PPP must tie up. The emphasis of the government must be on
this, and thus it must ensure that those pinpointed as having some complicity
1188

in the murder, should be brought to justice. If this is not done, not only
would it astound the international community, but it would also show that
former Prime Ministers can be murdered with impunity. The PPP may have
developed a culture of protecting the guilty, but it must not do so in this case.
It should be remembered that it was not just a party leader who was
murdered, but a former prime minister, and that was why the UN got
involved. It must also not be forgotten that if the PPP had not come to
power, the UN would not have been invoked, and thus the PPP must honour
the report made on its leaders murder, in which the whole country has a
natural interest. It is because of this that the government must not treat the
murder as an internal party matter, as it seems to be doing, but as the
national matter that it is.
On 20th April, Moez Mobeen from Islamabad commented on UN report
on murder of Benazir. It is ironic that the UN investigation on Ms Bhuttos
assassination has missed the most glaring dimension of this event that
concerns the role of colonial powers in controlling and directing Pakistans
internal and external politics. Our local analysts are also not ready to accept
the international dimension of Ms Bhuttos assassination. It is an open secret
that a power-sharing deal had been brokered between Britain and US
oversaw the political marriage between one of our most corrupt politicians
and one of our most brutal dictators. The infamous NRO was promulgated to
consolidate this opportunistic power-sharing deal. It was, perhaps, Ms
Bhuttos refusal to honour the deal, an action she did on the urging of
British, which led to her political assassination at the hands of pro-US lobby
in Pakistan.
Renowned US journalist, Seymour Hersh, in an interview with an
Arab TV broke the news of a secret death-squad directly under command of
the US Vice President Dick Cheney that, Hersh said, was tasked to carry out
political assassinations in the region. He disowned these comments later for
obvious reasons. So Ms Bhutto was actually a victim of disagreement
Ms Bhutto and Pervez Musharraf represented interests of two superpowers,
Britain and US, rather than the common masses of Pakistan. It is no surprise
that the government that came into power afterwards has even staked its
popularity in pursuit of protecting the Western interests in the region. How
else can the current alliance with US in the disastrous war on terror be
justified?
Tim Black commented on Nuclear Security Summit. Obama believes
that terrorists might get uranium and nuke-building technology from
some of those unreliable Third World states. So once again, the argument
1189

is that there are some countries irresponsible, unstable countries, full of

unstable terror-loving people where access to enriched uranium is simply
too easy. Which is why Obama came up with the idea of a UN international
fuel bank, a means to monitor civil nuclear programmes and supply lowenriched, safe uranium for the purposes of electricity generation. Thus the
UN can prevent certain countries from developing their own fuel-enrichment
programmes; because, unlike the US, they cant be relied upon to manage
them properly.
Yet one signal fact remains, despite the oft mentioned threat of
nuclear terrorism, a threat that has grown in the imagination since the end of
the Cold War, there has been not one stance of fissile material being used in
a terrorist attack. Planes, bombs, yes but enriched uranium; No. as the US
and its Western allies bask in the warm, righteous glow of moral
responsibility, it is necessary to remind ourselves that there is still only one
nation that took it upon itself to incinerate tens of thousands of people
with an atomic weapon.
Next Day, Azam Khalil commented on UN report. Inspector General
of Police at the time of the murder did not visit the site of crime for at least
five days, raising many an eyebrow at that time. When questioned as to why
he had failed to visit the scene of the crime, he lamely came out with an
explanation that he was discouraged to do so by his bosses. The United
Nations commission has failed to pinpoint or fix any responsibility on
the Inspector General of Police who failed to proceed against the officials
who ordered the washing of the scene of the crime, which resulted in the
removal of vital evidence that could have helped resolve the murder. It is
now being reported that a close relative of General Pervez Musharraf, who
was heading a sensitive agency, may have been instrumental in the issuance
of orders that resulted in the washing of the vital evidence that could have
been collected from the scene of the crime.
Strangely enough, the police blocked the autopsy of Benazir Bhutto,
which could have also provided better clues to the investigating officials. It
must be remembered that all murder victims must be subjected to an autopsy
as per requirement of the law, which was violated. No one was ever asked
to explain the reasons for this violation but, on the contrary, even the
courts trying the accused did not raise any objection to the half-baked
evidence that was produced before them by the prosecutors in this case.
The responsibility now squarely lies with the government of Prime
Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani who must ensure not only a transparent

1190

investigation but also endeavour that these who investigate this case get to
the bottom of the mystery and track down the culprits even if they are
holding or were in important positions in the government. While this is
going to be a tough call the people of this country will not accept any casual
attitude and it would be in the interest of the government and the country if
everyone associated with the investigation of this case came out clean on the
issue. On the other hand, in case the proceedings drag on unnecessarily it
would raise suspicions in the minds of the people and several wild rumours
that are already circulating in the country may find credence, which will not
be beneficial for everyone.
One can only hope that the reinvestigation of the assassination of
Benazir Bhutto would not become the same story that has been repeated in
this country over the years, and the issue is not put under the carpet. Those
who are responsible for her tragic death must be punished. The government
must also be very careful that none of its actions should smack of
victimization or vendetta and the government should not interfere in the
professional investigations that should now be conducted by a team of
professional and competent officials. Otherwise, the blame for failure will
have to be accepted by the top leadership of the Pakistan Peoples Party, a
proposition that will not be seen kindly in the history of Pakistan. Azam is
expecting too much in hoping that Zardari regime would listen to his saner
suggestions.
On 23rd April, Farooq Hameed Khan analyzed the UN Report. The
UN Commissions Report is in line with its Chairmans Heraldo Munoz
initial statement that he made last year: Our report would not be a smoking
gun. We would not tell the names of the perpetrators, we will look into the
facts and circumstances of the killing. The responsibility for investigating
the crime and prosecuting the perpetrators remain with Pakistani authorities.
After quoting the statement of Heraldo, Farooq discussed some of the
points mentioned, or not mentioned, in the report. The findings in paras 236
and 259 of the Report regarding the controversial exit of senior PPP leaders
in the black Mercedes Benz car should genuinely upset the PPP and its top
leadership. These paras state: The rapid departure of the only backup
vehicle in which Mr Malik and other senior PPP leaders rode was a
serious security lapse. Ms Bhutto was left vulnerable in a severely damaged
vehicle that was unable to transport her to the hospital by the irresponsible
and hasty departure of the bullet proof Mercedes Benz, which as the backup
vehicle was an essential part of the convoy.

1191

Most surprisingly, the Commission is silent about the possible

involvement of vested international forces in BBs murder. Pakistanis
remain convinced that BBs tragic death was indeed the result of a
conspiracy which had international dimensions with strong domestic
linkages. This conspiracy aimed to destabilize Pakistan and plunge the
country into anarchy leading to its possible balkanization.
When we recall the lightning speed with which state assets were
systematically destroyed within no time of BBs death, especially in Sind,
which remained cut off from the rest of the country for a few days, it pointed
towards a preplanned agenda of violence by the masterminds. Why did the
Commission not take into account this critical aspect of the post
assassination scenario?
Para 211 of the report brings out an interesting fact. It talks of the
Director CIA, Mr Michael Haydens allegation in a Washington Post
Interview of 18 January 2008 according to which, Ms Bhutto was killed by
fighters allied with Baitullah Mehsud with support from Al-Qaedas terrorist
network. The US government did not permit the Commission to meet
US intelligence officials to ascertain the basis of Mr Haydens assertion.
Was this allegation a misinformation or a decoy to put us on a wrong track
right in the initial stages of the investigation?
While the strange onstage gestures of Shahenshah, (BBs personal
bodyguard) in the Liaqat Bagh public meeting did attract public attention,
more mysterious was his murder few months later. Para 73 of the report,
however connects Shahenshahs murder to his alleged links with the
underworld thus dismissing the commonly held suspicion that he was
deliberately removed from the scene. But then the question arises, why
would BB keep as her bodyguard someone with underworld
connections?
As is evident from para 224 of the Report, the Commission brushed
aside the many persistent conspiracy theories related to possible
involvement of BBs associates including those closest to her. While this
may not satisfy some of BBs diehard loyalists, yet it will certainly relieve
some in the top PPP hierarchy. But the Commission made its point by
stating: The proper response is an unfettered criminal investigation - a
meaningful search for truth, which has thus far been frustrated.
The report does smell of the typical western mindset and bias
towards Pakistans elite intelligence agencies specially the ISI. The
Commission repeatedly refers to the pervasive role of our intelligence
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agencies in influencing national activities including the electoral process,

wiretapping etc, some facts which cannot be denied. But paras 248 to 258 of
the report appear to over exaggerate these aspects, remaining in line with the
wests traditional ISI bashing agenda.
The Commission expresses its satisfaction in para 49 about the special
visit of then DGISI in the early morning hours of December 27 to convey
the ISIs concern about a possible terrorist attack against her. The DGISI had
urged BB to limit her public exposure and to keep a low profile at the Liaqat
Bagh public meeting later that day. If the head of the countrys top
intelligence setup had personally warned the countrys top leader about
the imminent threats to her life, why were his advices ignored?
The UN Commission report raises more questions and fails to
quench our thirst for answers. Given that President Zardari had openly
declared last year, we know the killers, the nation, the PPP and BBs
followers in particular, will not settle for anything except bringing the
masterminds of BBs murder to justice. Only then will BBs soul rest in
peace. As a sovereign and nuclear-armed nation we must learn to trust our
own investigation experts.
Next day, Inayatullah commented that the facts and factors which
make the mystery behind Benazirs assassination most intriguing and
confounding are:
Benazir had accused certain persons of complicity in her (threatened)
killing including the then head of state.
Lack of proper security provided to her even after the horrendous
attack at Karachi.

Almost deliberate negligence on the part of the party stalwarts in

regard to the desired security arrangements.

The strange behaviour of Benazirs security advisor and Babar Awan

after they had heard the bomb blast.
A senior military officer asking the local police chief to hose away the
remains of the evidence from the scene.
Zardari insisting on refusing postmortem and police officers
disregarding their legal duty to have it done.
A military officer holding a press conference confirming that Benazir
died because of an iron bar that hit her head.
1193

 Zardari publicly claiming that he knew who killed Benazir and not
identifying the person till today.
PPP government refusing to order an enquiry into the ghastly murder
of its beloved leader.
The UN reports out-of-the-way certification of Zardari as not being
involved in the crime.
The reports finding that the commission was obstructed in its
attempts to contract military and intelligence officers.
The fact that the present PPP government owes a lot to Musharraf
because of the NRO deal.
Talat Azim observed: There has been a furore against Musharraf once
again after the report with some people baying for his blood. Implicating
him in Benazirs murder would be the same as implicating Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto in the murder of Ahmed Raza Kasuris father, I think, because it
is an indirect link. There is also the big question mark on the hosing down of
the place where Benazir was assassinated, within a short time after the act. If
memory serves, a similar hosing of evidence was also done at the place
where Murtaza Bhutto was gunned down in Karachi, at a time when BB was
prime minister of the country. Both the cases need to be solved and solved
by our own people, not outsiders who can never fully comprehend all the
different factors involved.
The Nation wrote on detainees held because of the war on terror. Just
as more details filter through of the Dr Aafia Siddiqui case, showing that she
was kidnapped, it has also been reported that Pakistan continues to hold
thousands of prisoners in detention, prisoners of the military which
cooperated with the USA in arresting so many of the inmates of Guantanamo
Bay and making sure they ended up in US custody. The Dr Aafia case is the
cause of so much interest, not just because she was a mysterious detenu, but
because she is the mother of three children who also shared her
imprisonment The government must stop its cooperation in the
Americas War, and ensure the release of prisoners by all state agencies.
Holding persons without trial is bad enough at any time, but with the
Supreme Court considering the missing persons case, this is an even worse
time than usual.
On 25th April, The newspaper wrote. The PPP-led government has
been evading Dr Aafia Siddiquis issue as if it was fearful of the US.

1194

However, the-God fearing people from within the country and the world
over have been making their voices heard, strongly condemning the US
highhandedness and its imperialist agenda for the Muslim world that
demonized an innocent woman as a terrorist as part of its vilification
campaign against Islam. The sight of civil society members in Lahore on
Friday protesting against her imprisonment was reassuring in that it provided
some hope that Dr Aafia would soon make it to freedom. Apart from the
demonic way, the entire drama leading to her arrest was fabricated
against her leading to a sham trail that only made a travesty of justice,
the torture she has suffered at the hands of the FBI reflects poorly on the
state of democracy in the USA. More importantly, it lays bare the truth
behind the American penal system.
But while this collective voice of the public is undoubtedly a ray of
hope, it is a matter of grave concern that Islamabad is not playing its
part. In the face of popular anger, Federal Minister for Information and
Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kairas remark that the government may not
demand her release shows that the rulers do not care a fig about the people
and their suffering. The government must realize that its paramount duty is
to ensure the safety of its citizens. Failing to come to her rescue at a time
when the people are all rage at the shameless act by the US will further
destroy its reputation as a representative government.
Samson Simon Sharaf commented on UN Report. Much before the
UN investigation, every Pakistani was convinced that all investigations
into the tragedy are deliberately misleading. Scotland Yard appears as
much an accomplice in the cover-up as the Handle Theory. It appears that
even the most incriminating video released by Channel Four through CNN
and a Pakistan television network was deliberately blurred and edited to
create confusion. This fact alone warrants expanding the ambit of inquiry to
handlers outside Pakistan.
There is no doubt that Benazir was abandoned and left vulnerable
by the state security apparatus and by her very own stalwarts. Her chief
of security merits inquest solely on the basis of his changing statements in
the hours following her murder. As it turns out, he and Babar Awan were the
get away men who fled the scene in Benazirs reserve vehicle. The most
loyal Khalid Shahanshah who had probably lost that element during his
visits abroad was the first to jump into Benazirs vehicle and also to jump
out and bolt to Zardari house, only to be gunned down in Karachi.

1195

After Benazirs rally security was stand-down. There were no senior

police officers befitting the presence of a two-time prime minister and VVIP.
The much touted Elite Force instructed to make a box bolted well before the
murder. Stays behind parties were either blocking the turning to the left or
mere spectators; some at their own peril rubbing shoulders with the suicide
bomber and the shooter. There was no chivalry in their death.
The news broadcast by channels within the first two hours of the
incident need to be replayed. There were eyewitness accounts by doctors of
RGH that Benazir had received one to two fatal gunshot injuries. Suddenly
everything changed and the doctors were made helpless by police and
district administration. Even Sherry Rehman sings no more.
Cell phone communication through towers close to RGH will also
reveal conversations of doctors and paramedics eagerly disclosing to friends
and families the extent and type of Benazirs injuries. By morning everyone
including cell phones was quite and shift doctors quarantined.
As regards Afghanistan The Nation commented: British Foreign
Secretary David Miliband has given his assessment of the Afghan situation
and we know no more than we did before. But strictly speaking, two
conclusions could be drawn from his analysis. First, the occupying forces no
longer have the strength to resist Afghan determination and resolve to drive
the aliens away from their land. Second, his confession that a solution to
Afghan conundrum was impossible without Pakistan shows that they have
finally realized that we are part and parcel of the Afghan equation.
His comments stressing the need to find a political solution of the
conflict instead of a military one and the role of the neighbouring countries
is a tacit approval of the fact that military means have only aggravated the
imbroglio and that finally Pakistan would have to be relied upon as a
trustworthy ally to help normalize the situation. But the catch is also
obvious. The UK, and the US for that matter, now wants Pakistan to
deal with the fallout on its own and suffer the consequences as it did after
the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. He also amplified our concern that
whatever happens in Afghanistan is highly important for Pakistan and its
security and therefore hard for it to downplay the threat posed by New
Delhis presence there. After all it has been proven time and again that India
is using Afghanistan as a launching pad to stage acts of terror in Pakistan.
He stopped short of admitting that all this was happening under the watchful
eye of the US and NATO. So their acceptance of our indispensability is only
skin deep.
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Though he is of the view that with the help of parliamentarians and

making the Karzai government more strong, peace in Afghanistan can be
ensured in two years, the ruling class in the saddle today, including cohorts
of President Karzai, who largely consist of warlords and thieves, are no
remedy to the malaise that plagues the nation. Besides, it is common
knowledge that it was years of infighting among them, which provided space
to the Taliban. Undoubtedly, the welfare of the Afghans is of trifling
importance to the West.
David Swanson wrote: If the top mastermind (of al-Qaeda) is in
Yemen, what the hell are we doing building quagmire in Afghanistan?
Dont ask. But notice this: we have dramatically increased the use of missile
strikes to assassinate in Afghanistan and Pakistan. And we have increased
the use of murderous night-time raids to such an extent that we now kill
more civilians in that way than we do with drones. Theyre the wrong
people, or neighbours who came to help, or family members clinging to
loved ones. Sometimes theyre young students with their hands tied behind
their backs Civilization is on the march.
IM Mohsin commented: In nine years the Americans have not
understood the colossal enmities that get provoked by the killing of innocent
civilians. Kandahar saw a crowd chant death to America, death to Karzai,
death to this government, on Monday after the NATO troops killed many
civilians. The Afghans believe in revenge and they can wait for their chance.
After Kyrgyzstan, the US better wake up!
Ben Arnoldy opined: While current US counterinsurgency doctrine in
Afghanistan broadly conforms to historical best practices, the Taliban enjoy
a slew of advantages that historically correlate with insurgent success,
according to a new study of 89 past and ongoing insurgencies worldwide.
Based on his analysis of these case studies he concluded: More than
half the insurgencies studied ended with some negotiation, even in cases
with clear winners and losers, but for Afghanistan that does not represent
an easy way out. This is an extremely complicated negotiation theory
problem, says Stephen Biddle, a counterinsurgency expert at the Council on
Foreign Relations in Washington. If you were to say 'I am going to be
strategist king and I am going to design the perfect solution,' it's like
designing a mission to Mars the complexity of it is really quite great.
And expectations among experts about the final outcome in
Afghanistan have clearly scaled back, particularly since the fraud-riddled
fiasco of Mr. Karzai's reelection. I doubt anybody is going to get their ideal
1197

best case out of this. The Pakistanis are very unlikely to get their Taliban
government in Kabul to puppet from Islamabad. The US is very unlikely to
get a strong centralized, western-style democracy, says Mr. Biddle.
President Obama's effort to speed up the resolution in Afghanistan by
planning a draw down in 2011 elicits concern from Connable. He says that
in cases where a foreign power like the US sponsored an embattled
government, the premature withdrawal of support tended to result in the
government losing. ...Without addressing the root causes of the insurgency,
without insuring the government could stand on its own two feet then the
governments tended to lose, he says.
M K Bhadrakumar commented on Holbrooke-Karzai difference. A
war in which the general doesn't know his enemy is a war lost. The
manner in which the Barack Obama administration is handling its equations
with Afghan President Hamid Karzai suggests Karzai is the US president's
enemy number one in the Hindu Kush, not the insurgents.
The number of dogfights between US special representative Richard
Holbrooke and the Afghan government is now legion. The tussles are
watched in regional capitals with amusement as Holbrooke tirelessly
wages his war with Karzai's leadership. While it is unclear whether this is
part of Holbrooke's personal agenda or Obama's brief, he does carry the
Obama administration's imprimatur.
Holbrooke's latest salvo was his suo moto (on his own initiative)
announcement in Washington soon after returning from a visit to Kabul that
the jirga, or peace council, Karzai was planning to hold on May 2-4 now
stands postponed until after the Afghan leader's visit to Washington on May
10-14. Holbrooke then went on to announce that the jirga would be held on
May 20.
By all indications, the Afghan government is seething with
resentment over Washington's announcement. Why did Holbrooke usurp
the Kabul government's prerogative to release such details? There can
be two reasons. One, Holbrooke is aging fast and has a failing memory and
he genuinely slipped up, which can happen when people get physically and
mentally worn out. Two, he cleverly undercut Karzai to make the latter look
very foolish in the Afghan bazaar.
There is not a shred of evidence that Holbrooke (who celebrates his
69 birthday this Saturday) is becoming senile. The logical conclusion to be
drawn is that Holbrooke deliberately put Karzai on the mat and decided
th

1198

to do a bit of grandstanding by asserting it is Washington that calls the shots

in the Hindu Kush in matters of war and peace.
Does Obama really need this exasperating vanity contest?
Conceivably, Obama's priority at the present moment ought to be to win
the war with a measure of credibility so that the US's image as a
superpower doesn't get tarnished. In the process, Obama could emerge
having fulfilled his own pledges in the 2008 presidential election to bring the
war on terror to a successful conclusion and preventing the US from
engaging in such futile and costly military adventures in the future.
The yardstick Obama needs to apply is whether Holbrooke's
AfPak diplomacy is actually operating in sync with his political agenda.
In this regard, Holbrooke has clearly personalized his struggle with Karzai to
an unnecessary extent. This began after a disastrous banquet in the
presidential palace last year when Karzai showed him the door the US
envoy had attempted to convince the Afghan leader to walk into the sunset.
Ever since that humiliation, Holbrooke has taken it to heart that if the
Afghan leader has a plan of national reconciliation, it must be rubbished and
sabotaged. Thus, the US took a contrary view of the jirga plan while
European powers, which have a sense of urgency about the Afghanization
of the war politically and militarily were much more favorably inclined.
Karzai's plan aims at reintegrating as many moderate,
reconcilable elements as possible with the national political mainstream.
On that basis he plans to form a broad-based coalition that steers the country
towards elections in September that hold reasonable prospects of creating an
elected parliament. The new government may even enjoy credibility in
Afghan popular perceptions, giving a boost to the peace process.
At a minimum, the US should give Karzai a fair chance to go
ahead with the plan to hold the peace council. No harm can come of it,
even if Karzai's effort ultimately proves to be less than perfect. After all, if
only to a minimal extent, the broadening of the national political mainstream
can still only help isolate irreconcilable elements.
Bhadrakumar explained the point further in historic perspective and
the added: The jirga stands in contrast to the manner in which the US
embassy in Kabul is manipulating Afghan lawmakers to make parliament
a focal point of opposition to Karzai. The theater of the absurd is being
stretched too far. A fistful of dollars can indeed take Uncle Sam very far in
the Hindu Kush today. But the issue is to what end the US strategic interests
are served by egging on Afghan parliamentarians who dread the dissolution
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of the current parliament (which has outlived its constitutional lifespan) and
the election of a new legislative body?
Clearly, the bulk of Afghan parliamentarians may face serious
difficulties in getting re-elected. House Speaker Yunus Qanooni may be
feeling that his own political future looks uncertain. Thus, the American
embassy in Kabul has a good chance to persuade the current parliament to
put obstacles on Karzai's path on any conceivable issue. But does
Afghanistan need such a constitutional crisis at this point?
Karzai has agreed to a request from the United Nations for two
foreigners to serve, with veto powers, in the election commission for the
upcoming parliamentary polls. Karzai has also appointed a credible figure to
chair the commission. These acts underscore Karzai's willingness to be
reasonable and to go the extra mile to win international legitimacy for the
Afghan democratic process. These are remarkable steps towards
transparency in power-sharing and constitutional rule by an embattled
leader standing at the barricades.
In fairness to Karzai, Obama should give him a free hand to
enhance his image among his own countrymen as an Afghan leader rather
than as Holbrooke's sidekick. The upcoming meeting at the Oval Office
offers a final opportunity to steer the Afghan political process as a
collaborative venture between the US and the Afghan government, while
giving it the appearance that it is genuinely Afghan-led.
Holbrooke's media performance in Kabul last week was
appalling and any self-respecting Afghan leader would resent such
behavior from foreigners. Holbrooke unilaterally read out Karzai's visit
itinerary. As a professional diplomat, he would know that Afghanistan has a
fully fledged Foreign Ministry which would have liked to be seen as
formally outlining the itinerary for its head of state's visit to the US capital.
American novelists William J Lederer and Eugene Burdick had a
famous term for how US viceroys sometimes look in the eyes of foreigners:
The Ugly American. That was a long time ago in 1950s Southeast Asia. But
the image persists. The sad part is that the image of the ugly American is
diametrically opposite to the extraordinary perceptions in world
opinion of Obama himself as a statesman and a humanist.
Dr M Anwar wrote about Pakistani prisoners in India. Recently, the
Indian Supreme Court had to issue orders stressing upon the government to
immediately release 16 Pakistani prisoners who had completed their jail

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terms. The apex court had noticed that despite its clear instructions the
Government of India was not releasing Pakistani prisoners on the plea that it
was a political matter and that it has to ask Pakistan to release Indian
prisoners as a matter of political bargain between the two countries.
As the Indian government has been forced to release these prisoners
who have completed their jail terms, Indian officials and media are
clamouring the New Delhi id releasing Pakistani prisoners. The credit, at
least should be given to Indian government for implementing courts
decision without cribbing about courts interference in its foreign policy.
There are media reports that many more innocent Pakistanis are still
illegally detained in different prisons in India including Agra, Jodhpur,
Naini, Sangrur, Varanasi and Tihar. They are neither being produced before
the courts nor allowed to proceed home, as there is no evidence of their
involvement in any criminal case. Indian BSF, police and other officials
derive pleasure and psychological satisfaction from keeping Pakistani
prisoners in their illegal detention. Moreover, Indian political class
deliberately propagates the idea of hate Pakistan. Resultantly,
expressing any human concerns for Pakistani nationals especially for
prisoners is considered a sign of disloyalty to the state. Indian designs like
playing games with the innocent prisoners at the cost of Pakistan hostility
will one day prove harmful for India.
Amaresh Misra commented on Mumbai attacks. With the row over
India getting access to David Headley growing acrimonious each day, the
CIA's double agent saga seems all set to open up a can of incredible
worms. First, the case unmasks the pro-US face of the Indian English
media. When the Headley saga first came to light, Vir Sanghavi of the
Hindustan Times carried an editorial piece claiming that if 'Headley is CIA,
and knew about 26/11, the CIA knew about the attack.' In other words,
Sanghavi accepted the 'conspiracy theory'which in the eyes of the English
media was 'peddled' by Aziz Burney and this author during the terrible
aftermath of 26/11that the event was a CIA/Mossad/RSS/ISI plot.
In November-December 2008, Vir Sanghavi and his cohorts in the
English media attacked both Aziz Burney and this author for spelling forth
the 'conspiracy theory'. Then after Headley's name surfaced, they changed
tune, without of course admitting their debt to Mr. Burney or this author.
The fact of the matter is that in the 2009 Parliamentary elections,
the English media was all set to project Lal Krishna Advani as India's
next Prime Minister. It was the feverish anti-RSS, anti-Mossad work done
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by Aziz Burney and this author that went a long way in ensuring the victory
of Congress and secular forces. Now when the CIA hand behind 26/11 is
slowly being unraveled, the English media is seeing red. It is again trying to
portray Headley merely as a Lashkar operative, severing thus his links with
the CIA.
This highlights the second point, that basically Headley and the
CIA cannot be de-linked. Thank God the government of India put into
place the NIA, a new National Investigative Agency. The NIA was set up, as
the IB and other Indian agencies, especially the IB, had not only gone antiMuslim-they had gone anti-India. This was proved in the case of Azamgarh
boys picked up in and around the Batala House encounter on various bomb
blasts charges. Most of the boys were products not of madrassa, but modern
schools. They were youngsters in their teens; they had made a mark for
themselves in professional courses and were holding jobs in the new,
professional sector of the economy.
When Shri Digvijay Singh, the General Secretary AICC and the most
secular leader of the India, went to Sanjarpur (under the banner of AntiCommunal Front) in Azamgarh to find out the facts for himself, he was
shocked to find that Zeeshan, a boy from Azamgarh who on the fateful
day of the Batala House encounter was giving his exams, had more than
50 cases slapped over him in more than three stateswhich meant that his
parents could go on fighting cases for more than 100 years and yet Zeeshan
would be in jail.
There are dozens and hundreds of Zeeshans from Azamgarh and
other districts of UP, Gujarat and Maharashtra languishing in various Indian
jails on unsubstantiated charges. This in fact is India's Guantanamo Bay
storythat right here in the world's largest democracy the Indian security
services like the IB have secret detention and torture centres where innocent
Muslim youths are tortured and put to death. The IB today has been
infiltrated heavily by RSS, Mossad and CIA. In fact, this one agency is an
anti-national agencyit is obstructing the work of NIA and secular Indians
like Shri Digvijay Singh. Soon, in India's interest, the IB will have to be
closed down. All its communal officers will be hunted down and tried in a
court of just law.
The IB knew about Headleythis is proved by the fact that the SIM
cards used by the ten 26/11 terrorists were purchased by an Intelligence
Bureau (India) (IB) informer. Till date, the investigations into the 26/11 case,

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which the IB is handling, have been unable to state as to how the ten
terrorists got hold of the SIM cards.
The State IB chief of Maharashtra told a very senior Mumbai Police
Officer just after 26/11 that he was entirely in the dark about 26/11
investigations as Delhi (meaning the chief IB office) was handling it'. Basic
information about 26/11 was not shared with secular Indian officers. The
Headley lead would never have come to the fore had the NIA not
stepped in.
Now comes the news that the IB has set-up training camps in
Gorakhpur, where it trains criminalsand then uses them to kill Muslim
under-trials. The name of Chota Rajan is used as a convenient scapegoat. It
is in this manner that dozens of accused in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts,
several other such accused in other cases, Muslim businessmen and men of
influence have been eliminated on a systematic basis in Maharashtra. The
latest in the long list of victims killed allegedly by IB is Shahid Azmi, the
lawyer defending the accused of the 2006 Mumbai train blasts. Shahid had
hit upon evidence which proved the innocence of the accused-and that is
why he was bumped off, again by criminals with NepalGorakhpur links!
In fact, the state of Maharashtra holds the dubious distinction of
almost institutionalizing the extra-judicial killing of Muslim youth and
personalities. Headley was in India months and years before the 26/11
attack; he even surveyed Pune where a blast took place as late as February
2010. It beats ones imagination as to how the IB did not know about
Headley and his movements. There can only be two scenarios: that the IB is
totally incompetent or that the IB is heavily infiltrated by CIA and
Mossad: the agency knew about 26/11 and did nothing to stop it.
This places the IB at par with Headley, as executioners of 26/11 and mass
murderers. There can be no other honest conclusion. Headley holds the key
to the fact that 26/11 was not just a mere Lashkar operation that it was a
joint Mossad-CIA operation, conducted with possible ISI and RSS help.
If the charge-sheet against Raj Kumar Prohit and Sadhvi Pragya,
accused in the Malegaon and other blasts, is read, it is clear that there was
always some sort of collusion between the RSS and the ISI. The so-called
nationalists, the Hindutva forces, took money to the tune of crores of rupees
from the ISI! The IB knows about this transaction but is keeping quiet!
The Headley saga has links to Abhinav Bharat and pro-Hindutva
terror groups. The pro-Hindutva terror groups are widely believed to be
behind the Pune blasts where a combination of RDX and Ammonium
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Nitrate was used. Right after the visit of Shri Digvijay Singh to Maharashtra
in February 2010, the state home secretary spoke of the possibility of the
involvement of Hindutva groups in the Pune blasts. Other officers, including
the ATS chief Raghuvanshi, purported to be an RSS/opportunist also spoke
of this possibility. But then RR Patil, the Maharashtra Home Minister whose
role during 26/11 was disastrous and who was removed from his post in the
wake of the attack on Mumbai (but who was restored after the 2009
assembly elections), made amazing statements that those who take the name
of Hindu organizations in the Pune blasts will be punished!
How can a Home Minister make such a statement? Now we hear that
Rakesh Maria, a notorious anti-Muslim officer, with pro-Israeli links, a man
who has killed and tortured innocents, has been made the new ATS chief and
Raguvanshi has been promoted! Secular organizations in Maharashtra were
demanding that Raghuvanshi be removed and that an honest, secular officer
be made the ATS chief so that Hemant Karkare's seminal work in cracking
the shell of Hindutva communalism could be promoted!
But Rakesh Maria is even worse than Raghuvanshi. It seems that the
NCP in Maharashtra has taken a clear anti-Congress, anti-national line. RR
Patil, who is a third grade, uncouth, thoroughly communal, NCP leader
should be removed from his post. The Maharashtra chief minister should act,
because if the NIA gets access to Headley, the latter's links with
Hindutva organizations and the whole RSS-Mossad-CIA-ISI-IB
nexuswill be exposed. This nexus is working overtime to destabilize the
Congress government and undo the commendable work done by the party
under the secular leadership of Sonia Gandhi.
SM Hali opined: Under the circumstances, we Pakistanis can only
question when will wisdom prevail for the pretenders of secular India,
which claims to be the greatest democracy, if it has only feeble and petty
excuses to offer to the US president for not returning to the dialogue table
but has itself been constantly engaged in destabilizing Pakistan.
Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri has been claiming that during Musharraf
era Pakistan and Iran had reached close to solving the Kashmir dispute. The
Nation commented on his latest overture from the forum of Amn ke Asha.
Any deal that barters the right of a people to decide about their own
future for getting a contentious issue out of the way, would fail to bring
the desired outcome of peace and satisfaction. The Kashmiris, who had
been promised by New Delhi, the aggressive and ruthless occupant of their
state, a free and fair plebiscite under the UN auspices to choose whether they

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wished to join Pakistan or India, have given away tens of thousands of their
lives for the cause in the past two decades since they felt convinced that it
had reneged on the commitment. The attempt of the then Foreign Minister
under Musharraf, Mr Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, to persuade Syed Ali
Gilani, the intrepid Kashmiri leader, to compromise on that fundamental
principle of freedom of choice was, therefore, doomed to failure.
Mr Kasuri made the claim at a seminar at Lahore on Friday on Amn
ki Aasha the hope for peace (between Pakistan and India) that a
settlement of Kashmir was at hand and could have been made, had the
judicial crisis not erupted in the country and, with it, not brought the
legitimacy of the Musharraf regime into question. Before making that claim,
one would have liked him to assess the consequences of an unjust
resolution. Of what good would have been Musharrafs quaint outline
of settlement, which, according to Mr Kasuri, had found acceptance with
India, if the people at large had rejected it? Besides, Pakistan is a party to the
dispute and has a stake in its rightful solution; it cannot let down Kashmiris.
The seminar was also addressed by a number of Indian and Pakistani
enthusiasts of the idea.
The hope for peace is a chimerical pursuit unless the core issue of
Kashmir, the main bone of contention, is resolved, and the settlement
answers the aspirations of the people. Mr Kasuri gave details of the so-called
solution agreed to by India and Pakistan, without referring to Musharrafs
inglorious suggestion to set aside the UN resolutions that told the whole
story of a sell-out deal he had in mind. Giving up the UN resolutions, which
are the moral and legal basis of our stand, and had given hope to the people
of the occupied state of acceding to the country of their choice, was a clear
indication that he was making a deal to barter away their fate to achieve the
objective of normalizing relations with India. One could even question,
howsoever academic its value, Mr Kasuris claim of an impending solution.
Had the Indians been serious about it, they would not have taken shelter
behind flimsy charges of Pakistans involvement in Mumbai mayhem not to
take up the issue from where the Musharraf regime had left off. After all,
they could have benefited from the peace dividend as well.

REVIEW
Before reviewing the main event of the period some other events are
commented upon. ANP regime organized celebration over renaming of
NWFP, which was targeted by a suicide bomber in Timargara. When Zahid
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Khan was asked by a TV channel about security measures taken, he replied

that it is against the Pakhtun tradition to use scanners when people come to
someones hujra.
It is pertinent to mention that the meeting was not being held in a
hujra but in the government rest house. The black turbanned militants had
reminded the red-capper of the age-old Pakhtun tradition. Pakhtuns do not
act as puppets of the foreigners but resist their presence in their homeland.
The DNA test proved that the girl dropped at Dr Aafias house in
Karachi is Aafias daughter Maraym. This confirmed that the government
had enacted drama whose operatives reached Aafias house on the heels of
those who dropped Maryam with the help of a policeman.
The government of Pakistan, however, kept pretending that it did not
know as to who brought her to Pakistan and how they dropped her at Aafias
house. This pretension of ignorance is a big fraud. The government knew
that she was kept in Bagram Base, it requested Karzai, he obliged by
delivering her; how is it that it did not know how she reached Pakistan?
The daughter of Dr Aafia speaks English fluently. It means that she
was kept at a place where the people around her spoke this language. Her
eyes cannot bear the glare of the daylight, which means that she was kept in
a dark dungeon. Karzai and Zardari, the slave kings of modern era, keep
saying what their master has ordered: They do not know where she had been
since her abduction.
The kidnapping of Col Imam and two others by the so-called Asian
Tigers remained quite intriguing till the release of their video. The only thing
the two former ISI veterans of Afghan war had to say was that they had met
General Aslam Beg and General Hamid Gul before embarking on the
mission of making a documentary on Taliban. This clearly indicated the
purpose of their kidnapping; both the generals named by them are known for
their criticism of Americas war on terror.
Perpetration of water terrorism by India has taken enormous
proportions and Zardari regime is as oblivious to its devastating effects as it
has been about implications of fighting Americas war on terror. More than
three months ago the government was to nominate two persons for
settlement through arbitration of the dispute over Kishan Ganga Dam which
was then likely to be completed in nine months. It has not been done and the
file is lying with Ministry of Law.

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After completion of the dam in six months, Pakistan will be left with
no legal course for redressing of its grievances. As is evident from the
attitude of the regime, it is incapable of taking measures to check the
situation from further deterioration; what to talk of reversing the situation. It
is rejoicing over Shoaib-Sania marriage ignoring the manner in which Indian
authorities and media had expressed their Aman ki Asha (desire for peace).
Since the murder of Benazir, the focus of efforts of all concerned from
hosing the site by Musharraf regime; endorsement of the findings of
Pakistani authorities by the Scotland Yard to Zardari regimes reluctance to
investigate, has been on obscuring the face of real killers. UN Report
prepared by the high-level commission kept up the trend. All the
investigators or those responsible for finding the culprits seemed interested
in hiding something.
The UN Commission took advantage of its mandate that it was not
carrying out criminal investigation, deliberately avoided naming any culprit.
It was done despite the fact that CIA chief, Musharraf and Zardaris prime
minister had categorically named Mehsud for killing Benazir. Instead, it
resorted to generalizing with special emphasis on the intelligence agencies
using language that according to General Hamid Gul is similar to that of
Kerry-Logar Bill.
It said that better security measures would have saved the life of
Benazir. Forming such opinion did not require an inquiry of that level; even
a man in the street would have gurgled similar pearls of wisdom. This,
however, carried a message in between the lines to implicate Musharraf and
his intelligence apparatus. It has cleverly thrown feelers of suspicion towards
Musharraf and intelligence agencies, which have been the target of the
Crusaders and the Zardari regime.
The probe which was meant to find out those involved in planning,
execution, abetting and funding the murder of Benazir came out with only
one solid finding. It exonerated Zardari regime of any involvement in the
murder and that was the purpose of whole exercise and in the same spirit
there no mention of the US. Jam Yousaf had reasons to thank the United
States, instead of the UN, for cooperation in the investigations.
Zardari was absolved from commission of the crime despite the fact
that conduct of gang members was termed as most intriguing. There is also
an interesting omission; there is no mention of contradictory statements of
Rehman Malik and Babar Awan immediately after the murder and most

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significantly no specific mention of the drivers of Benazirs vehicle and the

back-up car, one of them is now a driver of Zardaris sister.
Hamid Mir speaking on a TV channel said that in his interview to
the UN Commission the well-paid investigators seemed interested more in
soliciting opinions rather than collecting and correlating evidence to arrive at
their own findings. Mir said that on the basis of evidence he had he informed
the commission that Zardari was not involved but the same could not apply
to Musharraf. Mir should now be on the list of Zardaris friends.
To get a finding like that Zardari had not struck a bad bargain for
nearly a billion rupees paid from the national kitty. Zardari regime is now in
hurry to proceed against those named in the Report, despite the fact that it is
not a criminal investigation. Babar Awan, one of the suspects who ran away
in the back-up car from the scene of crime, vowed to implement the report
within 24 hours. Perhaps, Dr Devil thinks that former Chillean ambassador
is the real Chief Justice of Pakistan.
In less than a week Zardari claimed that 90 percent of those involved
in murder have been taken to task. This has happened without holding
criminal investigation what to talk of a trial in a court of law. This indecent
haste speaks of Zardari regimes intent to close the case here and now.
The only criminal investigation ordered so far related to probing the
hosing down of the crime scene. This event has been chosen in isolation
because in this the then DG MI could be implicated. There are many other
events, like disappearance of back-up car, which need fact-finding probes,
but those have been ignored, or may be the regime has planned more probes
to buy another two years or so to keep the real culprits hidden.
Khalid in his letter from London to The Nation published on 21 st April
rightly equated Zardari with the notorious Chicago Mafia godfather AlCapone, who was not convicted of any of his gruesome crimes of murders,
robberies and gang warfare but was jailed in 1931 for evading taxes and that
ended his criminal career. Let us follow the same example.
Everyone, including Benazir, was fully aware of the risks to her life
when she returned to Pakistan in October 2007. Prudence demanded that
those who facilitated a deal for her return leading subsequently to her
ascend to power must have a reserve for person set on a dangerous course.
Who was that reseve?
When the US and Musharraf developed differences with Benazir and
she disappeared from the scene suddenly, Zardari was launched in no time.

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He seemed mentally prepared for taking over the charge showing no illeffects of the tragedy that had struck him; as if he had been fore-warned
about it.
Zardari masterminded the conspiracy of Benazirs will and renamed
his son to acquire a degree of legitimacy. He did not request postponement
of elections and after winning polls he followed the policy of Musharraf
which had been dictated by the United States.
All this and more prove that he was fully prepared to act as Benazirs
replacement. He had already planned to get rid of Benazirs baggage and
made-up his mind about his team of trusted people. The men with criminal
record or having criminal tendencies were preferred.
The foregoing implied that the possibility of involvement of the
United States cannot be brushed aside. The analysts have discussed many
factors which might have led to murder of Benazir, but an important one has
not received the attention it deserved. This relates to winning public support
for Bushs war on terror.
The murder of Benazir carried out in a manner that the Taliban could
be implicated could turn the public and political opinion instantly against
them. That has had happened instantly after her murder. The uneasy political
marriage between Musharraf and Benazir might not have produced similar
results.
Blinded by her lust for unshared political power, Benazir could not
read the game plan and failed to understand that those who had brought her
back could also eliminate her if she tried to betray them. She committed the
blunder of violating the terms of deal forgetting that the lone superpower of
the world had assassination squads already operating in the region.
Benazirs departure from the political scene would have made no
material difference for Pakistanis had she not left behind the rubbish
comprising her husband and his gang of criminals. They have benefited
maximum from unnatural death of Benazir and they would like to perpetuate
that by all means.
To this end they intend using the UN Report to get rid of as many
adversaries as possible. For example, Senator Abadi while appearing in Dr
Shahid Masoods TV programme tried to implicate General Hamid Gul in
the murder. Such a move will be quietly supported by the US.
If intention to catch Musharraf succeeds the cycle of Mokafaat-e-Aml
would be complete. He had carried out the Lal Masjid massacre and Benazir
1209

had commended that; both acting for the pleasure of the Crusaders. But, the
US may not allow legal proceedings against Musharraf. Moreover,
implicating Musharraf through General Nadeem Ijaz would automatically
implicate General Kayani the then COAS; can Zardari afford that?
26th April 2010

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