Megalomaniac

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif raised a very important question while addressing the International Literary and Cultural Conference in Lahore the other day. He pointed out that inequitable and unjust distribution of resources has brought Pakistan to the present pass. Questioning the silence of the intellectuals who had vowed to bring a revolution in the 1970s, he asked the audience, “Where have those left-wing revolutionaries gone?” This is a very valid question and one that we must reflect over. The world today is in the clutches of strong imperialist forces, the US being the ringleader. When the entire world was hit hard by the recent global recession, everyone started to question the viability of capitalism. It has exposed its limitations as well as its cruel nature, which had been predicted by revolutionary thinkers centuries ago. In the words of Karl Marx, “ Après moi le deluge (After me, the deluge) is the watchword of every capitalist and of every capitalist nation.” Ex...

One of the founding members of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, the notorious sectarian outfit, is reportedly going to be set free soon after 13 years. Malik Ishaq, self-confessed hitman of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, who himself admitted to a local Urdu daily in October 1997 that he had been “instrumental in the killing of 102 people”, will be a free man if reports are to be believed. The plight of Fida Hussain Ghalvi is even worse than those hundreds of people’s families who have been killed by Malik Ishaq himself or at his behest. Ghalvi lost 12 family members when Ishaq and his seven allies attacked a majlis. Mr Ghalvi has been persistently fighting for justice since the last 13 years. In an exclusive interview with this newspaper, Mr Ghalvi recounted the hardships he has had to face in pursuing this case. From death threats to living a life in isolation, this journey has been an extremely painful one. The news of Ishaq’s release has obviously come as a shock to Mr Ghalvi and many others. It just goe...

On Friday, we saw Quetta as the scene of a sectarian killing first and then a follow-up suicide bombing. Gunmen killed Arshad Zaidi, a banker, as he was coming out of his office. He was the son of the chief of the Shia Conference Balochistan. Mr Zaidi’s body was taken to a hospital where hundreds of people, including a local parliamentarian and dozens of journalists, reached after hearing the news of this targeted killing. At least 11 people, including a journalist, were killed and dozens more were injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside the hospital. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has claimed responsibility for the attack. We witnessed a similar modus operandi in Karachi after the attack on the Chehlum procession followed by an attack at the Jinnah Hospital where the injured were taken. It seems as if the sectarian monsters have found another way of inflicting maximum damage. Like the rest of Pakistan, the scourge of sectarianism has not left Balochistan untouched. Sectarian attack...

The government and all the political parties in parliament have achieved a historical breakthrough with the passage of the 18th Amendment Bill in the National Assembly. As soon as the Senate passes the Bill, it will become an Act. The Bill has been welcomed by almost all quarters of society. The euphoria surrounding this Bill is justified but it would not be wrong to say that much more needs to be done before it can actually be a cause for real celebration. The government will have a momentous task after the passage of the Bill. According to a news report published in Daily Times , 40 of the 47 subjects in the Concurrent List are to be handed over to the provinces before June 30, 2011, the deadline set in the package. The framers of the 1973 Constitution had pledged to do away with the Concurrent List after 10 years and implement the clauses dealing with provincial autonomy. That pledge remained unfulfilled and, resultantly, a strong anti-Centre sentiment exists among the smaller pro...

Prime Minister Gilani congratulated the nation on the passage of the 18th Amendment Bill and praised the armed forces for supporting democracy and not interfering in political matters. Apparently, the military establishment has taken a backseat for a change and given enough space to the politicians to settle affairs. This is indeed a turning of the corner as far as civilian-military relations are concerned and a break from the past practices of the military establishment. Two years ago, Prime Minister Gilani had rightfully said that today’s world calls for a new and balanced relationship between the civilian and military institutions, based on mutual respect and dignity. In Pakistan’s context, redefining the contours of the civilian-military relationship is of utmost importance, considering that the country for the most part of its existence has remained in the throes of undemocratic rule because of the conflict emerging between the political and military class. This paved the way for ...

April 4, 2010, marks 31 years to the day when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged at the behest of a military dictator. Bhutto founded the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in 1967. The party’s doctrine to date is: “Islam is our faith; democracy is our politics; socialism is our economy; all power to the people.” ZA Bhutto will be remembered for giving a new direction to Pakistani politics by adopting a pro-people discourse of roti , kapra aur makan . This slogan touched a chord with the masses and still reverberates, albeit much more feebly, across the country. The PPP started as a left-leaning political party but somewhere along the line the party lost its way. Whether it can go back to its roots is a question that remains unanswered. ZA Bhutto has left a controversial legacy. That he was one of the most charismatic and popular leaders of Pakistan cannot be denied. His popularity came about because he gave voice to the masses’ aspirations. Bhutto made the public aware of their rights; with ...

In a landmark move, the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms has finally reached a consensus on the draft 18th Amendment bill on March 31. Senator Raza Rabbani, who headed the all parties constitutional reforms committee, handed over the draft to Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza on Thursday. Senator Rabbani said that despite differences of opinion, the members of the committee have proved that “as people’s representatives, they are capable of achieving anything for the sake of the nation”. Dr Mirza was hopeful that the two houses of parliament – the National Assembly and the Senate – would soon pass the bill. She said that the political leadership has proved that parliament is supreme. It would not be wrong to say that this consensus has been the most historic one to date since the 1973 Constitution. The draft bill would have been finalised on March 25 had it not been for the PML-N’s blunder. Mian Nawaz Sharif’s u-turn earned him a lot of criticism from all the p...

The Sharif brothers seem to be in habit of creating unnecessary controversies. And in doing so, they end up exposing their credentials rather baldly. In a press conference on Saturday, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif appeared to be unapologetic over his recent attempt at sabotaging the democratic process. Mr Sharif said that he had no regrets over his alleged u-turn on the constitutional reforms package and he stood by what he said on March 25. To the amazement of everyone, Mr Sharif blamed the PPP for the deadlock over the constitutional amendments by saying that the ruling party is “associating every issue with the 17th Amendment”. Maybe it is time to remind Mr Sharif that it is the PML-N itself that has associated every issue with the 17th Amendment and not any other political party. Being a two-time premier, Mian Nawaz Sharif is the only one who would be affected if that clause is not taken out of the 17th Amendment. Thus it does not make sense for the PML-N to blame this deadlock on the ...

Something is rotten in the state of Pakistan. Or so Mr Nawaz Sharif’s historic blunder on March 25 would have us believe. Mr Sharif failed to give a persuasive argument that day. Since there was no justification for his actions, the PML-N went into damage control mode right away. Ishaq Dar has now assured Raza Rabbani that the PML-N would sort out this mess in due course of time. The judicial issue has been laid to rest, to a certain extent at least, while the issue of renaming the NWFP is inching closer to an agreement. The PML-N must realise that this is important for the Pakhtuns and we should not disappoint them on this issue. It is still not too late to settle this matter. The rumour mills are abuzz with speculations that the ‘pressure’ on Nawaz Sharif emanated from judicial quarters. Whether this is true or not can only be ascertained once Mr Sharif comes clean about it. So far, he has not been forthcoming on this aspect of the matter. If true, it indicates that somebody tried to...

In the past week we have seen quite a flurry of activity on the sports front in Pakistan. First there was the whole cricket controversy where we saw the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) dishing out all sorts of lifetime and-years-long bans, levying heavy fines on players and what have you. Then the huffing and puffing stopped and the PCB backtracked on the lifetime ban issue. An official statement by the PCB said, “Some media channels have interpreted the first recommendation of the inquiry committee regarding Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan as being a life ban on these two players from playing for Pakistan. The PCB wishes to clarify that the recommendation of the Committee is not a life ban on these cricketers. As and when the PCB deems appropriate, these players will be considered for selection for the national team.” Phew, a sigh of relief there because this would have been too great a penalty for Mullah Yousuf (oops, I meant Muhammad Yousuf) and Younis (needs anger management classes) ...

The PML-N’s right wing ideology is an open secret. Thus it is not surprising if the party has now come clear on its stance vis-à-vis the militant outfits. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has finally exposed the real face of his party by giving an inane statement in a blatant show of provincialism. Taking a narrow provincialist stance while totally ignoring the national crisis, Shahbaz Sharif pleaded with the Taliban to spare Punjab from its terrorist attacks. He said that since the Taliban opposed foreign dictation and were pursuing the policy of terrorism to fight against a foreign invasion (i.e. the Americans) and the PML-N too opposed General Musharraf’s policies, Punjab ruled by the PML-N should be spared terrorist attacks. Mr Sharif said, “Musharraf planned a bloodbath of innocent Muslims at the behest of others only to prolong his rule, but we in the PML-N opposed his policies and rejected dictation from abroad.” The absurdity of these comments cannot be overstated. Not only...

Pakistan and the US are all set to meet for an important strategic dialogue on March 24 in Washington. “The objective of strategic dialogue is to enhance people-to-people relationships, which can bridge the trust deficit,” was how Prime Minister Gilani described the upcoming meeting. The Washington ‘meet’ will be of utmost importance for both the US and its frontline ally in the war on terror. A high power delegation from Pakistan will be meeting its American counterparts. The significance of this meeting can be assessed from the fact that apart from the prime minister, the foreign minister and other ministers and government officials, Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Kayani, will also be part of the delegation. General Kayani has already held a meeting with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to discuss the agenda for the Pak-US strategic dialogue. In the said meeting, the COAS exchanged views on matters related to Pakistan and India. If read between the lines, thi...

March 8 is celebrated as the International Women’s Day worldwide. This day holds special significance as it highlights the plight of women all over the world. Women may have come a long way from when they initially started the women’s movement in the early 1900s but even today their plight is far from over. Though many developed nations have accorded equal status to women as that of men, most of the developing countries lag far behind in this arena. Pakistan is a glaring example of how women are still struggling to get accepted as human beings and not just mere chattel. “The true republic – men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less,” was the motto of renowned women’s rights activist Susan B Anthony’s weekly journal, The Revolution , in the 19th century. These words still hold true for many societies in the 21st century, particularly Pakistani society. Pakistan got its independence in 1947. Sixty-three years down the line and our women are still not free f...

Prime Minister Gilani addressed the nation on radio for the first time this Friday. He did not say anything that was new; it was just another reiteration of the government’s ostensible achievements. Mr Gilani said that “the time is not far away when we will be able to clear our land of terrorists”. To this government’s credit, it must be said that it has brought about a sea change in public opinion on the war against terrorism. The Musharraf regime’s dual policy had created a lot of confusion, which was why when the Lal Masjid operation took place, it had to face public anger. The PPP government has been able to reverse the tide and has in effect strengthened the hand of the political forces and the military. Both the government and the military should remain steadfast and crush the terrorist network. Prime Minister Gilani said that during the two years that the PPP government has been in power, it has “made relentless endeavours to surmount the inherited problems”. He was obviously re...

President Zardari has signed the Services Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2010, repealed the Removal from Service (Special Power) Ordinance 2000 and Section 2A of the Services Tribunal Act 1973, a controversial clause that deprived redress to employees as they were not allowed to approach labour courts. Friday obviously turned out to be quite an eventful day for the PPP government. On the one hand the prime minister tried to plead the government’s case in his first monthly radio address to the nation while on the other hand, the president gave voice to the working class. The government has moved in the right direction by taking the PPP back to its original pro-people roots. When the PPP came into being in 1967, its manifesto aroused great enthusiasm amongst the working class and the peasantry as it promised them a bright future. The PPP manifesto gave an impression that all factories belonged to the workers while all land belonged to the cultivators. The PPP promised to implement land reform...

The US is a master at playing games, especially when it comes to a good cop, bad cop routine. Pakistan has been at the receiving end of this policy for decades. US special envoy Richard Holbrooke played the role of the good cop in Washington after his recent visit to South Asia. He said that his “greatest concern is to help the Pakistanis with their economic and energy problems”. Mr Holbrooke’s remarks are much appreciated since Pakistan is indeed going through its worst economic and energy crises. Besides, a country’s economy cannot be stabilised without addressing its energy needs. American help in this area would certainly be of great importance. Investors do not invest in a country with a weak justice system. We must formulate a policy framework to address this issue and make Pakistan an investment-friendly country. Richard Holbrooke further said that to help Pakistan deal with the water crisis, a water resources task force has been set up by the Obama administration. It is hoped t...

Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal made some very interesting remarks during Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Saudi Arabia. He said that Pakistan is a “friendly country” and Saudi Arabia was “worried” about the rising tide of extremism there. One would like to remind Prince Faisal as to the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in fuelling religious extremism in Pakistan. Being the custodian of Islam’s holy places, Saudi Arabia has great reverence in all Muslim countries. Add to it petro-dollars and the ‘reverence’ increases manifold. Pakistan has been a close ally of the Saudis for a long time for both reasons; some say that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto declared Ahmedis non-Muslims at the behest of the Saudis. Whether there is any truth to this cannot be said with certainty, but it is no secret that in order to counter the Soviets during the Afghan war in 1979, General Ziaul Haq got Saudi money to fund madrassas where the ‘ mujahideen ’ were trained to fight the ‘godless’ comm...

It is a matter of extreme concern that a provincial law minister has been seen pandering to a banned organisation’s senior leader. Rana Sanaullah, who happens to be Punjab’s Law Minister, either forgot his own designation during his recent visit to Jhang or was suffering from amnesia when he took Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) leader Maulana Muhammad Ahmed Ludhianvi on a ride in his car. He also visited the banned organisation’s madrassa . Is it not ironic that the law minister gave full protocol to a sectarian outfit’s leader, an organisation that has officially been banned by the government? Thus it was all but inevitable that there was an uproar over Rana Sanaullah giving official patronage to Ludhianvi in the National Assembly. Mr Sanaullah was on a by-election campaign for a provincial assembly seat in Jhang, but it cannot be said with certainty if he paid a visit to the seminary for electoral purposes or deep-rooted extremist linkages. Even if it was for purely electoral purposes,...

Since the inception of Pakistan, the federation has never respected the rights of the Baloch people and led them to a level of extreme frustration after which they felt compelled to take up arms. Despite the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package announced by the incumbent government, the Baloch are unhappy. The said package was rejected ab initio across the board by the Baloch, be it the militant nationalists, the moderates, or the public. The reason was simple: no government has ever been able to exercise its writ over the province and the military establishment calls the shots. President Zardari said the government will “initiate dialogue with exiled Baloch leaders after removing their distrust of the government”. With all due respect Mr President, removing that distrust may not be possible without initiating a dialogue with the dissidents. The president should initiate a dialogue right away with the exiled leadership and the Baloch nationalists in the country if he actually wants to...

The beheading of Jaspal Singh by militants has shocked most Pakistanis. He was kidnapped by unidentified militants from the Chora Tanga area of Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency about two weeks ago along with two others, Surjeet Singh and Gurvinder Singh. The militants had demanded a ransom of Rs 30 million to be paid by February 20. This is reportedly the first time a Sikh has been killed by militants. Another Sikh, Mahal Singh, has allegedly been killed in the Orkazai Agency by the militants. Officials have not confirmed the report. Rahimullah Yusufzai, a veteran journalist based in Peshawar, said that it has been reported that the relatives of the kidnapped Sikhs went to meet Mangal Bagh, a militant leader, asking him to mediate with whoever was responsible for the kidnappings. “Militants kidnap for ransom often and justify this in the name of jihad. Many people are kidnapped daily from Peshawar, Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore by the militants for extortion money,” said Yusufzai. About 9...