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Posts tagged zardari
Creeping American Occupation
Sep 18th
What we all used to warn of probably a year back is now actually happening. Pakistan’s sovereignty is no longer guaranteed. I will not hesitate to say that our sovereignty has been sold out for a few billion dollars of the IMF and to the so called ‘Friends of Pakistan’ (read: USA) who are yet to provide any substantial monetary assistance.
No Pakistani would ever want any single inch of our homeland to be given away to outsiders, and especially if the outsiders are American. In allowing the Americans to violate our airspace, in granting them land for an unnecessary expansion of the US embassy in Islamabad, in allowing Blackwater operatives to run freely in urban areas in Peshawar, Islamabad and Karachi – the so called democratic and elected government of Pakistan is involved in gross misconduct, a misadventure that is evidently making Pakistan BLEED! It is a massive violation of the people’s mandate and the votes that were bagged in the name of ‘Revenge‘.
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Loading ...I don’t like this. Sindh, Punjab – Where’s Pakistan?
Jul 18th
No I’m no pessimist. They met again yesterday. Nawaz Sharif the ‘Lion of Punjab‘ and Asif Zardari, ‘Jiyala-e-Sindh‘ at Nawaz Sharif’s residence in Raiwind. The meeting, as reported by all media channels and newspapers, lasted for over 4 hours. Zardari congratulated Nawaz Sharif on his acquittal from the Musharraf plane-hijacking case and appeared to be in a reconcilliatory mood.
This change in Zardari’s attitude is natural and was very much expected. He does not want to be blamed alone for the mess he has driven the country into. He wants the PML-N on-board and to be part of the government. With over 90 ministers and ministries already, how will the PML-N be offered portfolios (if any at all), and will Nawaz Sharif accept the offer?
I am not concerned about what they spoke about and what their joint declaration says. Tell me why Zardari went there dressed in traditional Sindhi clothes to play his Sindh card again like he did after Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. Was he there to threaten Nawaz Sharif that “If you plan to take me on – I have the power to try and (God Forbid) break Pakistan.”
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Amin Fahim & Ishaq Dar meet Musharraf in Dubai
Jul 13th
Well, it looks like things are not too bad after all. Or is it just that Amin Fahim and Ishaq Dar have a different personal point-of-view about him? Whatever the case, the recent meeting at a wedding in Dubai is definitely something both the PPP and the PML-N would not want to boast about. Here is what the Gulf News reports:
…Some interesting encounters were witnessed. A meeting between Musharraf and PPP stalwart Makhdoom Ameen Fahim raised some eyebrows as Fahim dashed to greet Musharraf just before he was leaving. They shook hands and exchanged a few words with broad smiles on their faces…
and
…Just a minute earlier, as Musharraf was leaving the reception hall, senior PML(N) leader Ishaq Dar, a close aid of Nawaz Sharif, also shook hands with Musharraf…
What happened Mr. Dar? Don’t you want him hanged for ‘treason’, like you call it?
Report Courtesy: Gulf News ( URL: http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/09/07/12/10330721.html )
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Wrapping up local governments
Jul 11th
Wrapping up the local government system PM sahib? Calling the system of local governance, introduced by former President Pervez Musharraf, illegal and unconstitutional the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Yousuf Raza Gilani intends to install ‘Administrators’ in each district instead. This means good bye to the strength certain parties enjoy in their districts of power. This also means all-out confrontation with some major political parties of Pakistan – even their allies. More >
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Where to from here?
Mar 22nd
I admit I have been silent (at least on my blog) about all the Long March/judge re-instatement drama for quite a long time now. The situation now is that we have Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry reinstated as the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the lawyers movement has been widely celebrated as successful.
But where are we headed towards now? Will the judiciary be really free and independent? Will it be free of corruption? I seriously doubt that! There is, however, no doubt in my mind that President Zardari is weaker as a President than he was before. Efforts to publicize the judges reinstatement as a PPP victory have almost failed to impress the general public.
Pakistan was headed for a major disaster had the Chief Justice not been restored. The dangerous Punjab-Sindh politics could have taken us anywhere in the wilderness. The Army’s timely intervention and cautious handling of the situation surely deserves appreciation and respect.
Another key observation that I have to share is the fact that the Sharif brothers are yet to receive anything for themselves out of this drama. The judiciary issue now stands resolved while they stand ineligible to contest elections. The only source of comfort for them is the verbal commitment from the government that the issue will be taken up again in the Supreme court and a review petition shall be filed. For now, following is the news on the issue:
Govt to seek suspension of SC order against Sharifs
ISLAMABAD, March 21: The federal government is again approaching the Supreme Court, this time to seek suspension of its Feb 25 order disqualifying the Sharif brothers from electoral politics until review petitions already filed against their ineligibility are decided.
“On the instructions of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani we are moving an application before the Supreme Court with a request to suspend the operation of its decision of disqualifying the Sharif brothers,” Deputy Attorney General Agha Tariq Mehmud told Dawn.
Are you telling me the reinstated judges and the Supreme court led by them will review a court ruling and let the convicted Sharif’s contest elections? Yeah! Anything is possible in Pakistan anyway!
What I would like to see is the NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) challenged and taken up by the Supreme Court. I would like to see it thrown out. I would like to see the Sharif’s told that “Sorry, You are Ineligible and cannot contest elections”.
Democracy is not meant for Pakistan. We do not have democracy in Pakistan. We are better off with dictators. But I’d say more on this some other time.
My questions remains. Where to from here?
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Pakistan Democracy fails us.. Yet Again!
Feb 28th
By Laila Sohail
Saturday, 28th February – 2009
How many times does it take to fool someone? Once? Twice? Over and over again? No, Mr Sharif is not the one I am referring to, no need to keep count for natural fools. I am referring to the people of this country. Fooled once, fooled too many times.
The ugliest face of Pakistani politics unmasks itself once again. Burning buildings, blocked roads and angry jiyalas: welcome to Pakistani democracy. First we had an incompetent government, and now we have an opposition to match. The current government is a failed one with only individual self actualization on its agenda, and the future one is sure to bring times that are as dark.
There is no plan for the economic crises. There may be an inflated cabinet in place and countless committees formed, but there is no policy for any issue we are facing on ground. With the newly begun wrestling match, things will only go from bad to worse.
During the current global economic recession, private companies are announcing budget cuts and cost cutting measures, and while the government budget deficit is alarmingly high, the extravagance is no less. Dinner parties, huge entourages and foreign trips, our elites know how to maintain their life styles, while the common man struggles to earn a decent meal with the rising inflation. PEPCO may run all the advertisements it wants on television, but how can you ask a man to minimize the use of the one light bulb he can afford in his house, while he sees those in the Capital residing comfortably in dazzling buildings.
The Tourism Minister Maulana Attaur Rehman has been sent for a visit to the beaches in South France and Switzerland, so that the romantic peaceful environment may help him think of more innovative ideas to attract tourists. Maulana Sahib here is an idea: start by cleaning the beaches, more tourists may be attracted if they are assured there is no danger of getting throat and eye infections at the Clifton beach. AND I did not have to go to France to think of it.
Corruption, favoritism and nepotism characterize power struggle. There is overstaffing in the government and semi government departments, even the PPP workers who had lost their jobs ten years ago are being reinstated. Cars with number plates that say NAZIM (translation: do not mess with me, I am king) rule the roads, as for the jeeps with dark windows; it is impossible to see what their number plates say as they go zipping past. Accountability is a word only found in the dictionary. The PIA building in Rawalpindi looks like an inartistically designed PPP poster. Coins and stamps with political leaders’ faces on them, Bhutto family pictures replacing the pictures of Quaid-e-Azam and a Prime Minister who says that he is a member of a party, and will follow the party decision, even if he disagrees with it…this is Bhutto land. So all that is important is that we keep remembering the great legacy of our rulers, the rest of the trivialities we are already used to.
A hand written undisclosed will determines the future of the biggest political party in Pakistan. A piece of paper called the NRO turned a man facing charges (including criminal ones) into the President of the country. The lust for power brought the two arch rival parties together, until they realized there was only one prize, and the same lust tore them apart. Mr Nawaz Sharif placed his bet on one Mr Iftikhar Chaudhery and the great lawyers’ movement, while Mr Zardari relied on the charm of his wide grin, and the PCO judges. Mr Nawaz Sharif will play his lawyers’ movement card now, and he wants the people to join him. In this battle of the courts, the final decision is yet to be made.
The lawyers’ movement has managed to get quite a bit of attention by the educated class and the media, because of its high claims of standing by principles and reinstating an independent judiciary. All that Mr Iftikhar Chaudhery will do for Nawaz Sharif is what Justice Doghar is doing for Zardari. The precedence set by the NRO will continue to be followed. The 3rd Nov actions may be unconstitutional, but even if the right principles are used for wrong reasons, they still remain wrong reasons. Replacing one pawn with another is not going to achieve the end of an independent judiciary.
So what does it matter if the courts gave a decision against the Sharif brothers? It is just another move in the game we call Pakistani politics. Its now all up to the power of the streets, and a match between the PPP jiyalas and the PML N workers. Mr Sharif is openly calling for policemen and other civil servants to revolt. Students are missing school and taking their energy out by causing violence and destruction on the roads.
The two parties are at each others’ throats again. And it wont really make a difference to any one of them. No matter who wins this round, there is always another one to follow. The only sufferers in this cat fight are the people of Pakistan.
“No one party can fool all of the people all of the time, that’s why we have two parties” Bob Hope.
How literally true for us.
Zardari may be nearing his end, but what is there to rejoice for if Sharif is his replacement?
Whether it is Zardari or Sharif, both are incompetent, and both belong to parties that are non democratic. Both have been given chances, Sharif twice before and Zardari currently {not counting his wife’s tenures} and at the end they have taken more than they have given and the country was better off before them. Both are products of dynasty politics, and neither of them deserves any share in the running of anything…be it the party, or the country. The only thing they can do for the country is to leave it alone, but that is too much to ask.
Unfortunately there will be more to follow. In a disgusting display of defamation and dirty politics, the economy is already being hit, and the security conditions can only worsen. Instead of tightening the belt, its all you can eat…and everyone wants a piece of the cake. So those who think Mr Sharif is some ray of hope…think again. He offers nothing different. He is a part of the same dirty system that brought us here in the first place. The lawyers’ movement is just another power tactic, and the only way to hope for some real change, is to say no to both these leaders. Whether it is from the public, the polity or the military, a third force needs to come up and fight for the interests of the people of Pakistan.
Laila Sohail is a young Pakistani commentator and can be reached at: blabbersboo[at]gmail.com
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Previous Columns by Ms. Sohail at Ammar360.com:
Time to go solo: Stop Begging, Start Building!
No to the President, No to the media
Wake up, we are already at War
Where there is a will – There is a way! Zardari’s Success Story
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