Islam & Pakistan! Technology & Me!
Posts tagged zardari
Where to from here?
43 years ago
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?
Pakistan Democracy fails us.. Yet Again!
53 years ago
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
© 2008. All rights reserved. Ammar360.com
Copying and distribution of this article is permitted provided this copyright notice remains intact.
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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
The SHOE had links to Pakistan!
12I got this humourous email and thought I’d share it here with you people.
The pair of shoes which was thrown at Mr. Bush in Iraq has links to Pakistan, said a statement from Pentagon.
They Pentagon says they have the following proof:
i) The journalist had visited Pakistan earlier this year. There he was inspired by the shoe throwing at former CM Sindh, Arbab Ghulam Rahim and former Law minister, Sher Afghan Niazi.
ii) He received his training of throwing shoes by a Pakistan based ‘Jihadi’ cobblers organization.
iii) The DNA sample of leather has revealed that the animal whose skin was used for manufacturing the shoe had traces of grass which is grown in North of Pakistan and this skin was collected by a Jihadi organization on Eid-ul-Adha earlier this month.
Hearing this and provision of such ‘concrete evidence’, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani have decided to ban the Jihadi organization and launched a country wide crackdown against all the cobblers in Pakistan.
It was also decided at a cabinet meeting that the cobblers will now have to register themselves with the Government of Pakistan and obtain licenses from the same.
That’s what happens when you make yourself a laughing stock for the rest of the world!
Zardari on his way out!
13 years ago
The following column was published in many leading newspapers of the world. Written by Laura King, it highlights the problems and challenges the President of Pakistan faces. What I make of it? That Mr. Zardari is on his way out! This government has pushed the people of Pakistan to the wall and a backlash is evident.
Long Live Pakistan!
Zardari’s crisis leadership questioned
By Laura King,
Los Angeles Times-Washington Post
Islamabad: A year ago, Asif Ali Zardari was a political footnote. He was best known as the corruption-tainted, polo-loving husband of Benazir Bhutto, the charismatic former Pakistani prime minister who appeared poised to make a dramatic return to power.
Now Zardari, who took over leadership of Bhutto’s party after she was assassinated in December 27 and became president three months ago, finds himself head of state at a time of extraordinary turmoil, even by Pakistani standards.
Stung by Indian accusations that Pakistani militants played a leading role in last month’s terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, the country has responded with an outpouring of nationalistic sentiment.
For the moment, that sense of affront and grievance is uniting Pakistanis of all political persuasions, but many analysts believe it could eventually backfire on Zardari.
A tough stance
To please a domestic audience, the 53-year-old president has taken a tough stance toward India, refusing to hand over suspects sought by New Delhi and expressing skepticism that the attacks emanated from Pakistani soil, despite mounting evidence from Indian investigators and Western intelligence.
No to the President, No to the Media
63 years ago
If there was to be a sequel to the movie Mr. Bean’s Holiday, it would be called President Goes to the USA. While Mr. President had a rendezvous half way across the globe with ex girl friends and beauty pageant winners, those back home wished he hadn’t left Islamabad in the first place. The media got its much alleged freedom, but how has that helped us? If the media is so responsible and its role is so vital, why have things gone as far as they have? WHERE IS THE MEDIA? Where are the anchors and the journalists who wanted to jump at every chance? They have the resources to interview sought after terrorists, but lack the guts to confront those in the government. Mr. President, if you want to be the savior you claim you are, stop playing in the hands of our enemies, bring about change, or it will force itself on you.
By Laila Sohail
Monday, 27th October – 2008
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