The Godfather Of Democracy & Justice

Detainee Abuse

In any country, the lion’s share of independency is always withheld by the respective government even though the country is said to be a modern democratic country. When we witness such an unjust specially on the name of ‘greatest national interest’, it means we’re deprived of our rights. This time it’s not directly the Pakistan or Pakistanis deprived of their rights. On this opportunity related to the Justice Department of US, the de facto greatest national interest is about the detainee abuse that the photos of detainee abuse wouldn’t be released in as much as, and as said by President Barack Obama, it could whip up anti-American sentiment overseas and endanger US troops abroad, mostly in Afghanistan and Iraq. It should be noted that absolute majority of the detainees are foreigners and not the US citizens.

In a wake of organized demands by American Civil Liberties Union from the US Justice Department, the Federal Law has recently been modified in the mid of November 2009 on the name of greatest national interest. The new Federal Law, as stated by the High Court of US, says that the detainee abuse pictures would be withheld by the US Government.

The country that is said to have been a high-mettled supporter of democracy and justice and thus preaching the rest of the world to promote democracy and justice has itself been convoluted in the breaching of its own set of rules and collection of laws. This is what we call an apex hypocrisy that is blotted out on the name of de facto greatest national interest.

As the President Barack Obama said that the pictures of detainee abuse would give a rise to anti-American sentiment overseas, I ask: even withholding the pics, does the government of US could help itself subduing the voice of all those who raise their voice against the atrocities of US for a de jure reason? From another point of view, a host of Pakistanis — supporter of enlightened modernization — presume that having anti-American views makes one a Jamat-e-Islami activist, a fundamentalist or an extremist. But the Ghairat Brigade of Pakistan, sometimes or rather often snub the fact that 52% of Americans, contemporarily, want all their troops back home — the troops fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Ghairat Brigade of Pakistan wouldn’t call American Civil Liberties Union as extremist, fundamentalist or Jamat-e-Islami propagandist. But endorsing the cause of American Civil Liberties Union i.e. raising voice against the atrocities of American Government would make a Pakistani one of these three: Jamat-e-Islami activist, a fundamentalist or an extremist. This is how we’re — the Illah MashaAllah Ghairat Brigade of Pakistan.

So far, the American Civil Liberties Union has said that it’ll continue fighting for the photos’ release. I’m supporting the cause of ACLU and raising the voice against the heinous crimes the Government of America commits. You may call me a Jamat-e-Islami propagandist, a fundamentalist or an extremist. I really don’t care.

Reducing Pakistan’s Cabinet

Yet another strange thing about Pakistan is the size of its cabinet. The figure of cabinet members are around 66. This is yet to be said as the biggest cabinet of any country in the world. Now since Pakistan is a matchless country, so having such a substantial cabinet is fairly a crackerjack.

When premier of Pakistan goes on an official foreign trip, the cabinet movs with him as if the cabinet is tied with his tail and without all or absolute majority of cabinet members, the premier can’t make headway and move a motion. It costs Pakistan a lot to disburse 10′s of cabinet members for their useless stay with premier on foreign visits, and specially when we’ve a big lot of those always loving to spend on lavishness and flamboyance. Such a bragging is strictly uncalled for, specially when the money is spent from the treasury of Pakistan — from the taxpayers money.

For sometime, our Prime Minister is acting discreetly. Due to that, many says that he has become palatable to the army establishment as well. Just recently, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has proposed an idea of diminishing the cabinet size to half or less than half even. He’s of the view that such a depletion is in regards with the pledge he took to better the economy of Pakistan.

The cabinet members are being contrived for reduction from its total of 66 to 30 or 35. Under this idea, some ministries would be merged with the other ministries to avoid duplication of work. The ministries like interior, commerce, defence, energy, information and law could see some changes.

This is a good proposal by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. But then, as was to be expected, many in the cabinet opposed this idea. But this is just an idea, the implementation on it isn’t scheduled yet. In as much as the economy of Pakistan could be bettered under this proposal, Prime Minister should execute this idea brusquely before long.

Dishonest Pakistan

On 8th June 2009 I wrote: Democracy, Dictatorship, Communism, Socialism, Monarchy, Anarchy etc. – all are names of different Political and Economic systems. All can be good and at the same time all can not be good. The imperative system is ‘Justice’ what everyone needs.

In short, there’s nothing like “A good dictatorship” or “A poor democracy” or vice versa. What all citizens want is a good system – a good law and order – a good sovereignty of country where government is liable to protect the rights of its citizens which no one ever does.

When anyone talks about Musharraf and favors Musharraf, when anyone talks about MQM and favors MQM, when anyone talks about Nawaz Sharif and favors him, when anyone talks about Jeye Bhutto and favors PPP – it always make me feel sad that how knavishly we keep on ignoring the wickedness of the favored leaders. I personally know a host of Pakistanis who’re victim of our poor leaders including MQM, Musharraf, PML-N, PPP etc. When was the dignity of Musharraf when he sold a horde of Pakistanis to US for $20,000 each for rendition purpose? These people are now known as ‘Missing Person’.

I sent Eid Greetings to Amina Masood Janjua last time on Eid and her response was: No Eid without my husband; no Eid until we don’t recover all Missing Persons. I ask the Ghairat Brigade of Pakistan, where is the dignity of ours when our favorite leaders were selling our innocent Pakistanis for dollars and none of the ethnic and national political party raised its voice.

To me, one wrong deed overcomes thousand right deeds. This is how it’s.

MQM did right for the people of Karachi, PML-N worked a lot in Punjab – but we snub the fact the there are so many victims suffered and suffering from MQM, PPP, PML-N etc. political parties acts. I’m not against a person, but I feel that I should, however, raise the voice and bring up the problems against the often bad actions and transgressions by our political parties.

My Pakistan starts from the shores of Arabian sea and ends at Himalayan Range – and till that range I see, by and large, we’re dishonest to ourselves. People talking about Musharraf breaching the constitution, and the sayers breach the traffic laws too; people talking about corruption by PPP while a horde of the sayers from awaam are morally corrupted too; people talk about MQM’s extortion while myriads of plaintiffs often don’t leave a single chance to bully the people.

For many of us, by and large, Pakistan is limited to their city or province. They don’t care about what’s happening in the other parts of Pakistan. We often miss to address the dark side of our leaders and portray their bright side just to blot out their hypocrisies. It happens in the case of MQM too, it happens with Nawaz Sharif too, it happens in the case of Musharraf too, it happens with ruling PPP too.

A guy I know personally whose mom died during an air-strike in Bajaur. Who carried out the air-strike? Musharraf. I again ask the Ghairat Brigade: who’s responsible for it? We, ourselves, absolutely. We give our leaders the license to do whatever they want. MQM, PML-N, PPP – all can carry substantial rallies when it comes to their ‘seat’, no one would carry a single substantial rally against such atrocities.

This is a botched up political system of Pakistan, and unfortunately we preserve this political system while keeping the status quo maintain instead of raising our voice in rallies as ardently as we do in the case of BB’s barsii or Youm-e-Tasees and so on. Is it too much that I’m asking, or rather this nation is asking?

This country was never made on the name of Democracy. Even Liaquat Ali Khan was confused whether to adopt Democracy or Communism during his early days of governance. This country, if anything, was made on the name of “Justice”, that we’d give equal rights to everyone, we’d do justice with everyone, and that Army would never interfere in politics – Quaid-e-Azam said.

So far, I admire COAS Kayani to a commensurate extent that he’s wiser than Musharraf seeing as how he has no lust of power at least, and that today political leader have steered country to the dark, but he had never shown his thoughts and intents, even for a moment, to impose any Martial Law. During Long March, he had all this opportunity to impose the Martial Law, but he never did, even though the whole country was jolted so much during those days. Instead he met with political leadership and convinced them to show some mercy on the country and find a quick way to get out of this national turmoil.

People talk about ‘education’ every instance when the topic ‘Pakistan’ is under debate. Only ‘education’ isn’t a solution to solve all the problems. I believe in “Character Education” more than ‘education’ itself. Educated ones do breach the traffic rules, do violate constitution of Pakistan, do breach civil rules – but a person with “Character Education” wouldn’t do that.

We’re always up to market the manifesto of our affiliated political parties – but why don’t we market the simple and dignified version of Jinnah and Iqbal, I ask??

PS: I’ve portrayed the role of Government and Awaam in the progression and regression of Pakistan. I majorly impute Awaam for the current situation of Pakistan; however, this doesn’t mean we should never voice our protest against the government. We can, always!

Ours For Others

Everyone thinks his problems are far greater than anyone else’s problems. Whereas, only the suffered ones can understand. On this Eid, I could make a sad face with a thought that I don’t wish to celebrate Eid — in regards of whatever problems I’ve or I’ve not. Celebration isn’t about rich dressings or ha-ha etc. There could be people other than me whose sufferings could be far much than me, still they laugh and smile. And while I see the smiling faces of others, I don’t feel like making a sad face that could make others feel dejected too. And that, to cheer myself up, I’ve become a part of this transition where people are so exuberant — smiling and celebrating — and a horde of them are those who’re celebrating for others and not for themselves. After all, this is all about it — the Eid — the life.

An Internationally Unpopular War

Sometimes surprises aren’t really surprises as they’re always expected in some way, but are delivered a bit late. Obama is going to reveal his new Afghanistan strategy on coming Tuesday during speech to the cadets at West Point. The top Democrats of U.S. including the Vice President Joe Biden has made it absolutely clear to Obama that he shouldn’t expect a friendly reception if he’s going to announce in favor of the troops surge strategy regarding Afghanistan. Ergo, Obama is under bare poles. As yet, Obama hasn’t informed members of his war council about the decision he’s going to make.

Senator Russell Feingold — another top Democrat — has coneyed his extensive reservations on the direction of president’s strategy. Senator Russel Feingold said: Devoting billions more dollars and tens of thousands more troops to Afghanistan is not likely to significantly improve conditions in that country, and it will not help — and could even hurt — our efforts to dismantle al-Qaeda’s global network with safe havens in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, North Africa and elsewhere.

Another interesting thing to note is that the most hawkish Democrats like Senator Carl M. Levin, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee — and and Senator John F. Kerry, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee — have also expressed their reservations on troops-surge strategy.

In fact Senator Kerry has raised his voice to follow the strategy of Kennedy — that instead of increasing the number of troops, it’d be better if more be done to train the Afghan Army and police and to teach them the counterinsurgency tactics and outfit them with advanced equipments.

The Republicans have endorsed every war-funding bill and strategy sine 9/11, but this time many Republicans also seem to averse the troops surge plus extra war-fundings strategy, while they raise the issue that U.S. — their own homeland — is having monetary trouble — the problematic economic crunch.

Just few days back I read a report on the number of American people opposing the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. As per the poll result — published in Washington Post some days back — 52% of Americans want their troops back home as they find the 8 years results of war futile.

Just today, the German army’s chief of staff has resigned over an air strike in northern Afghanistan in September in which civilians were believed to have been killed. If anything, two Nato countries including Canada and Holland are retreating their troops from Afghanistan soon after Obama is going to announce new war strategy on coming Tuesday. This has caused a bit panic in the Nato countries like Germany and Itlay, and the common perception is that other Nato countries are planning to decrease their number of troops or might retreat all of them. Germany and Italy are silent; simultaneously their silence speaks volume that fighting and elongating the war in Afghanistan is really not practical. Britain is playing an arch-role in swaying the Nato countries.

On the other hand, Pakistan is all wishing that U.S-led Nato forces shouldn’t vacate Afghanistan since it’ll make Pakistan surrounded by it’s arch-foe India from both sides. Indian army is said to have been located in Southern part of Afghanistan, and strategically position of Pakistan is weak, it’d be weak even then.

Some of the officialdom from U.S. say that U.S. is also having secret talks with Afghani Talibans for peace process and for that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are acting as an interlocutors. The recent visit of CIA’s chief to Pakistan and meeting with ISI’s chief, COAS and other Pakistani officialdom does substantiate the fact of U.S’s interest to handle this war in an another way. Afghani Talibans have recently put a condition that to want peace in Afghanistan U.S- led Nato forces should vacate Afghanistan; it’ll become all peaceful and Afghani Talibans would take care of their country in a well way.

As yet, the House of Representatives is echoing with anti-troops surge strategy. The war is becoming unpopular everywhere in the world while in 8 years it has served a literal no good purpose and now the war is about to get enter into its 9th year.

Obama has recently pledged that he’ll put this war to an end by the time he’ll leave the office as he said he’ll not render the Afghanistan war issue to his successor, instead he’d like his successor to deal with other core issues like economy. How could we believe on Obama’s promise now when we’ve just witnessed Obama breaching his own promise of late — when he said that Gitmo can’t be closed down by Jan 2010. Ostensibly, it was Obama’s promise to close down Gitmo and such places while he was on the road to become president — during the election campaigning — the hot campaigning debates and everything connected to it. But conspiciously, he has failed to fill the bill.

In any case, Obama should unite the people of U.S, and the rest of the world badly affected by the bloody war, while making any decision.