THE SURVIVAL OF THE FEDERATION OF PAKISTAN

THE SURVIVAL OF THE FEDERATION OF PAKISTAN.
Pakistan has always been projected as a federal state, which it has never been in its 62 years of life. It has always been a highly centralised unitary state and run by a clique called establishment.
It is of no significance how does one define establishment? As a political worker I think that in case of Pakistan it is only and only the armed forces of Pakistan.
Basically there is no other institution in existence. The triangle of power and all others theories are for public consumption, whether they are in uniform or Jinnah cap but must have the support of this “only” establishment.
The civil beaurocracy is a subservient to the army and the army subsequently having close working relationship with Pentagon.
Since both derive its strength from the Punjab province, so it is considered as the bastion of power.
It is an utter dishonesty to confuse the public any more. I beg to disagree with Mr. Haroon Rashid blunt assumption that M.L. (N) mandate is stronger than PPP. Arguing if military would have not been involved against M.L. (n) the result would have been different. Can he show an example?
No election has been fairly conducted in Pakistan without the involvement of agencies, even the one conducted by Yahya. The gold and Guns were freely used in frontier and Baluchistan through an Afghan Parliamentarian.
It is on record that a military general confessed to Wali Khan, years later during Zia time and in his presence.
If Pakistan is confined to Punjab only then the claim of Haroon Rashid can hold ground but at the moment its mandate is regional and in practice behave in that way.
I would not hesitate for a moment to agree Javed Hashmi Sahib, the only celebrated democrat in PML (N); that gone are the days that one party will make a government in the centre, even if it gets absolute majority. There is complete breakdown of trust between the federates, as it was between East & West Wings of Jinnah’s Pakistan
The question frequently asked where does the Civilian leadership stand? Our journalists that they have to be, where they are asked to stand by our armed forces, they should create no shadow of doubt any more.
Even during the tenures of two most powerful civilian Prime Ministers, Z.A. Bhutto And Nawaz Sharif they had to consult first and then speak. The day they ignored the rule of the game, they met their logical end.
Broadly speaking Pakistan life history can be divided in three main phases.
1) From its creation to the take over by Ayub this was the tenure of conspiracies and civilian dictatorship with no constitution at all. The first casualty during this time was the dissolution of the provincial government of frontier government against the recommendation of British governor by Jinnah.
2) From Ayub to Musharaf was a naked Martial Law.
3) The above period was interrupted by two phases of civilian rules. The first one of late Z.A.Bhutto, followed by Benazir and Mian Nawaz. These were the periods marked by conspiracies, horse-trading with complete disregard for constitutions.
Let me clarify one point at this juncture that nowhere I have mentioned the word “democratic” in any article, honest to God that to me they were all civilian dictators. None of them had the slightest regard for democracy and human rights. Nor they could do any thing without prior permission of our Armed forces and their subservient civil beaurocracy.
To me these are worse than military dictatorship. It is ploy of Jinnah cap to rob people of their rights and divert the attention of the masses. It was always an open rape of democratic values.
In the last few years of Benazir’s life she grew up as a state person and weaned herself from her father’s cult politics and pursued her own vision but her voice was silenced before she could deliver some thing for the country and public.
If Pakistan’s survival has to be taken seriously then the reality on the ground should not be resisted. All our politicians should accept with open mind that it is a multi nations state. It must be delinked from the ideology of Pakistan. Pakistan resolution must be followed in words and spirit.
It needs a system and system with a federal and democratic constitution in true sense. Unless this is done and the quantum of power of each pillars of the establishment are defined; it will be impossible to hold the country. In present Pakistan is not viable State, it is insanity to dream of it.
If still some people like vicious Musharaf thinks that it is not 70 but 2009; then they should have a bit of common sense to realise that soon it would be 2010 for both sides. This is what we want to tell them that it is not 1972. Can they see the writing on the wall?
Every individual and Nation has the right to defend his survival by any means possible in the world and with the support of any one. That is immaterial when it comes to be or not to be.
No government can be given license to kill or do the cleansing of a nation. Gone are the days of rape of the Nations by military Juntas. World is a Global village.
Unless the role of different pillars is not defined, the doors are open to the encroachment on each other’s jurisdiction. Any opportunist and adventurist to derail the system can exploit the situation.
I am yet to be convinced that there was ever a movement in Pakistan for a democracy except two, that is the movement against Ayub khan and the recent movement of the Black coat community. The rest were all political Noora Kushti.
Another factor that is of utmost importance, it is not only the big parties that matter but the regional parties have assumed more significance and depth of vision. Their leaders and workers are politically more equipped and motivated. They are children of a process, not accidents
They must not be taken for granted but should be part and parcel of erecting a federal system. It is the system with the support of the regional parties, which can provide guarantee of the survival of the country. This is where I support the logic of Javed Hashmi Sahib.
The present Pakistan is extremely imbalance in its structure with the accumulation of all sources of strength in one federate. It is a lethal combination to disintegrate the country.
It is a waste of time and energy to keep on arguing that whether the present parliament is sovereign or not? Let us stop cheating ourselves that there has ever been a sovereign parliament in this country. We have to make one.
To argue is the exchange of ignorance and to discuss, is the flow of information. It is the flow of information, which is called knowledge. And one needs a bit of wisdom to apply the knowledge according to the objective conditions. The blanket statement could be disastrous.
We have to toe the line of the military for some time to come if the civilian government is left to mature and a system is established. In the circumstances prevailing in the region and globally; with the terrorist threat looming on world peace and the muscles of the terror has gained might; over the years it has changed the international scenario.
Those who matter in the world are under the dictates of their national interests to give more importance to the military establishments where the civil authority is not yet established as in the case of Pakistan.
Looking at the approach to the problem of Baluchistan, our leaders focus of mind is miles away of the target. They are putting the horse behind the cart as usual.
A clear line must be drawn between constitutional rights as a nation and their financial share in the kitty. The same is the case in Pukhtoonkhwa.
The Baloch leaders are asking for their constitutional, historical rights first to restore their national honour. They want that the government of Pakistan to show their intents on the ground. The package can be sorted out later.
Their stand is logical that without doing the first one first it will be political bribery or concessions. They are not asking for concessions but their national rights. To them their national honour is first than any concession.
In my view they rightly think that the litmus test of their national honour is; to bring all those to the court of law starting from Musharaf, the murderer, going retrospectively to the first invasion of Qalat in 1947, to stop military operation, compensation for internally displaced families and produce all those missing political workers.
Once they see that national rights are respected and cared for, and then they can sit to sort out their control on national resources.
They are not ready to fall in the trap of Pakistan to swap their rights for concessions. They are demanding not to mix up criminal acts of the establishment with their rights on their resources.
The very approach is totally wrong. If Pakistan claims that there is no military action in Baluchistan, then how they can justify Indian intervention in Baluchistan.
Pakistan has to confess that either they misleading the world opinion in foreign policy by blaming India, or they cheating its own public on domestic front. Pakistan has not much option.
The same tricks are being applied to Pukhtoonkhwa. Denying name to our Province in its historic perspective and as it is there in the name of Pakistan but we are asked to support them in 17th amendment or 58-2b.
As Hajj Ghulam Ahmad Bilour sahib expressed openly on ARY TV that the PML (N) is obstructing the quantum of provincial autonomy, the naming of the province and went to the extent that the Basher Bilour name was dropped for the slot of CM on the insistence of PPP.
The process of thinking can be judged and abundantly show the contempt of the two big parties for smaller nations. Their perception of the quantum of Provincial autonomy can be judged. It will be another exercise to do white wash in white house.
The million dollar question is, are the nationalist leadership ready to take the new head on assault? And are they alive to the political wrangling in the background?
The multinational countries have never been disintegrated by the bigger nations but it is always a small nation like Estonia that put the process of disintegration of Super Power, U.S.S.R.
Let us go for historical rights with the other small nations rather than to go for political concessions or bribery.
If these basic national rights are denied to us in Pakistan, is it worth living in Pakistan? Does it make any sense to fight a war of the integrity of Pakistan and convert our land in to dump of gunpowder for a country not recognising us?
Our national honour and the blood of our sisters, mothers, children, old and young’s are asking us this QUESTION? Is it my price that I am being sold?
BY. Dr. Khurshid Alam. Dated 20th November 2009.
Khurshidalam5@ hotmail.com

AFGHANISTAN.IS IT ANOTHER VEITNAM?

AFGHANISTAN. IS IT ANOTHER VEITNAM?
BY DR. KHURSHID ALAM. DATED16 NOV.09. khurshidalam5@hotmail.com
Hopes are receding with every passing day that an early solution of Afghan problem is in sight. Those who inflicting this weeping wound on the body of Global village must be licking their wounds but ultimately it is the poor Afghans who are paying the price.
Afghanistan once the most peaceful country in the world and a place of attraction for foreign tourist is now a graveyard to millions, home to million disabled, widows, orphans and in millions are scattered through out the world.
The country is totally destroyed there is a hardly a wall without having a bullet wound or the black scar of gunpowder.
Sectarian Hizbs or ISI either killed the majority of intellectuals. Those who were left managed to escape from the country to settle in other countries. Robbed of their national pride, history, peace and freedom they were the immigrants of second BIG GAME.
In the battle of capitalism and socialism Afghanistan was torn in to pieces. The Afghans and Afghanistan were left to bleed till their last drop of blood. UK and US packed up and left it to the local loyalist to play with brutalised and injured Afghanistan.
The global events were changing with a great pace. To the bad luck of the world Bush, Dick and Blair took the charge and after Iraq invasion Afghanistan problem was put in cold storage.
The electoral victory of Obama was a new chapter in the world history and changed the perception of people globally for better and peaceful world.
Soon after Obama take over and his diplomatic offensive and involvement of the local stakeholders were positive steps. The hopes were on increase.
In last 2-3 months the situation has turned for the worst. The NATO forces are meeting tough resistance and the number of causalities is on increase. The law and order situation is worsening. The hopes have dashed down.
American strategist must be studying the situation thread by thread. It is basically a military failure of ISAF forces led by US & UK. Apart from Afghanistan’s strategic importance American debacle in Afghanistan will put its international credibility at a stake.
Americans are trying to shift the blame of their failure to the Afghan government that is plagued by corruption and incompetency. This could be one of the reasons and must be accepted. But on the other hand the government could show its credibility if there were some means at their disposal. There is basically none.
The ground realities are responsible for American military debacle and Hamid Karzai political decline. He has a pleasant personality and talk logically but has failed to broaden the basis of his government.
There are many reasons like the presence of warlords, money launderers and corrupt people in his government. Another thing which I observed that the instead of solving the intra governmental problems, they are patching them temporarily and brushed under the carpet. In addition to them due to lack of education influential warlords and heroin growers fill the political vacuum.
Heroin is a double-edged sword, for those in government it is important to recruit political muscle, those who are opposing the government it is source to keep the monster of war rolling.
A big chunk of the aid is spent on administrative set up which goes back to the donor countries, a significant portion is lost on its way from Karachi to Kabul and the rest is either embezzled or not used at all or used without planning.
The most important factor in my view is the failure of Americans, British and Afghan rulers to take on board the real opposition to the present set up, which is Afghan Taliban. It is a point, usually avoided in political discussions in Kabul. This is my honest opinion that this is the problem no. 1. The more we avoid it the more will be this blood let.
It reminds me that once I asked a diplomat of USSR in Afghanistan Embassy in London that being a super power; how on earth they made such a blunder to look at Afghan tribal society with Russian’s eye and implementing an international system.
He laughed and said that he being a Russian will look at every thing from that angle and told me to ask my own leaders, why were they looking at their country with Russian Eye? I was made speechless by his comments.
I feel that Americans and Afghan leadership is repeating the same mistake. They must keep this in mind that no matter how poor they are but they cannot tolerate a foreign force on their land. This proud nation plays with their destiny to defend their pride.
It is a waste of time, resources and energy to invest in Pakistan. To organise a regional approach to the afghan conflict without taking all Afghans on board will be a futile exercise. They can be more productive if the real parties at war are taken on board.
It was surprising for me that the Taliban were more successful to exploit the Afghans, for they’re under represented in the government. They felt as if they were robbed of their history. Karzai administration was considered as anti AFGHAN in its composition and intentions. It was considered the duplication of the Prof. Rabbani government.
It did take me some time to take them in confidence but once they started talking they were in no mood to hide any thing. The businessmen told me that they couldn’t put the Photo of Dr. Najeeb in their shops windows, while Ahmad Shah Masood portrait is officially on all governmental building.
They were critical about the money being spent to construct the mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Masood. And criticised me too for visiting Ahmad Shah tomb and asked me sarcastically that have I visited the grave of Najeeb? Laughed loudly that Americans or Karzai is also paying me.
Some of them were bluntly to the point that the Americans toppled the government of Afghans and replaced it government by northern front. Hamid Karzai is just a figurehead and he is also scared to speak in Afghani on radio or TV.
When I told them that Pakistan might use it, to disintegrate the geographical unity of Afghanistan They just laughed it away that they have been cheated by this slogan by all rulers in the past.
One of the young government official told me that why it should disintegrate the unity of Afghanistan if we ask for all nationalities representation on population basis and insisted that we accept the right of all but not at the cost of ours.
I was surprised that I heard the same with equal ferocity in highly educated intellectuals, students, businessmen and even the third and fourth rank Taliban fighters. They all emphasized that it was America and Pakistan who gave our state to others and made us second-class citizens.
They were really annoyed by appointing Gen. Dostam as the chief of staff and reminded me that he will do the same to Karzai as he did to Dr. Najeeb. But one thing was common in them that they had contempt for Pakistanis and Americans and referred to Pakistanis by the name of Punjabis.
They showed their displeasure with our nationalist leaders, except for few adjectives for Mahmud khan Achakzai.
One of the very high officials told me that I must visit Afghanistan once again to listen to the missing links of our history, that who was the person to kill Taliban commander. When he expressed his wish to free Dr. Najeeb when they capture Kabul. On my request he told me that he was a Punjabi army officer and invited me to visit the shrine of that commander.
After my that visit I came to the following conclusions:
-If Afghanistan wants to solve the problems they should solve the nationalities question in their country
- If Afghanistan can talk to Pakistan why should not they talk to Taliban?
-Taliban struggle was basically afghan nationalist struggle but was hijacked by ISI and soaked sectarian hatred
-I cannot say about the top Taliban leadership, but I think they are mercenaries of ISI and Saudi but the younger commanders are mostly the descendents of Afghan Millat.
- Carrot & stick is the policy to be followed
- There can’t be peace if Americans are there. America should change the strategy and replace ISAF by Peace keeping force of those Muslim countries that are not stakeholders in Afghanistan problem or have never been involved.
-The western countries should prepare a master plan for reconstruction of Afghanistan
- Taliban is asking that American should vacate but it should be applicable to all mercenaries including Al Qaeda and all foreign nationals.
- The leadership on east of Durand line and FATA should be involved in the process.
- As President Karzai told us in his discussion that all foreign forces will come to Afghanistan with their own agenda only afghans will have afghan agenda. It should be implemented in words and spirit.
- The de franchise of Afghans must come to an end, without compromising the rights of other nationalities.

ZARDARI IN CROSS FIRE

ZARDARI IN THE CROSS FIRE
Watching Q & A program on ARY on good journalism conducted by PJ MIR with his guests Nazir Naji, Shami and the editor of the Nation tempted me to put my point of view to the public. The whole panel was of great imminent journalists.
This is by no means an attempt to prove myself equal to them but feel myself duty bound to put my point of view as Pukhtoon nationalist with conviction that justice and freedom is for all.
It was one of the real praise worthy program and it goes without mentioning that PJ deserve all the credit to bring these 4 giants on one platform. It was informative with palpable truth and honest analysis of the situation.
I believe Nazir Naji remarks that “PPP is not one of us”, with a deep meaningful smile, spoke volumes without saying any thing.
There will be hardly some one who will come out to support that Mr.Zardari has proved himself a good politician or a good administrator by giving the country a transparent government, free of corruption and nepotism.
The shortage of basic needs inherited from Musharaf, have turned for the worse and it seems that government has run out of options or better say, had no plans from the very beginning to deal with these problems.
But none of the provincial governments have put up a better standard. The constitutional matters are the domain of the central government but other problems faced by the common man is the duty of provincial governments.
This is the point where should stop and pause to ponder over it. Pakistan in a real sense is Punjab. Let me repeat my words that Pakistan minus Punjab is nothing but with Punjab is Maha Punjab.
ML (N) is the alternative if Zardari falls or removed. Have they put up better standards, transparency and governance?
The country is in the grip of problems of all sorts of problems and bad governance has further complicated the issues.
It is no excuse that since the army is engaged in a war of survival of the country, so nothing else can be improved.
To put the political system back on tract, to solve the basic issues like quantum of provincial autonomy, giving a name to Pukhtoons belt, to halt army action in Baluchistan and the blood let in Pukhtoons belt.
Military establishment is involved to do their duty and their needs have to be met. None of our politician is in trenches with the army jawans, as I witnessed in Kabul during Dr. Najeeb government.
It will be silly to say that a democratic set up is in place. It is a fledgling civil set up.
I will add to Naji Sb analysis that there is a civilian government toeing the line of Military and army in turn is toeing the line of Pentagon.
If a journalist or politician denies the fact that the formation of any government in Pakistan, in present conditions in the country and the region will be without “OKAY” from Washington, can be a dream of insane but never of a political worker.
If US can influence the election of West Germany and can turn the tables in UK election; Pakistan is nowhere in this scenario to make a government without the prior consent of US.
In support of my thinking I will request the analysts of Pakistan that they must keep a very important change in US administration.
Prior to Mr. bush presidency the hierarchy of power in US used to be White House, State Department and then Pentagon. This sequence of importance was changed and Pentagon took the second position.
So it is obvious that for a general it is much easier to talk to a general rather to talk to a parliament house. They tried to cling on to Musharaf but when it was no more possible, they made the necessary changes in the armed forces high ups, before agreeing to install the civilian governments
It can’t be expected in international diplomacy that behind the close door should be made public. It is easy to sit in opposition and claim tall but it is difficult to say it, when in government.
If I am wrong in my assumption then some one has to convince me, why Mian Sahib is delaying to occupy the seat of leader of opposition? The government and opposition are sailing in the same boat but the rhetoric is for public consumption.
Secondly what were the reason behind that forced the government most vicious criminal, Musharaf to leave the country ceremoniously. The sectarian parties have the same control hub, but it is through Saudi Arabia.
The reason that the so-called friends and foes; with the close collaboration of important anchor in electronic media is attacking Zardari that PPP is not out of them (Establishment).
Zia has created a huge gulf between the two. Who so ever is heading the PPP will listen to the same music. It is not out of love for democracy but hate for PPP. In other words it is not the love for ALI, peace be upon him, but the enmity of Maavia philosophy at work.
I just fail to understand some of the politicians and journalists, how morally they justify themselves to reap the harvest of both worlds, to get the privileges to be in government but not a party to the problems.
If they could tolerate military rule of 36 years (From Ayub to Musharaf) and conspiracies from Liaquat Ali to Sikandar Mirza, will it not be a good idea to give some time to the civil government. I am left to believe that the establishment (Punjab) cannot tolerate any one from smaller provinces in policymaking seat. In Pakistan the establishment and Punjab is synonymous.
As for the constitutional amendments’ are concerned, it could satisfy Punjab but for us 17th bill or 58b has no significance. The 1973 constitution is no more acceptable. We are not for amendments’ but for reframing of a new constitution. The power distribution between P.M. and President houses is important but not a top priority.
The question to be answered does Punjab want to keep the federation or not?
The first and foremost issue is the recognition of Pukhtoons identity, halting the military action in Baluchistan and agreement of quantum of provincial autonomy with “historical sanctity.”
If we were refused this time, Talibanization will take over from moderation. It will unarm the democrats and nationalists. There are no ifs and buts any more.
COD is a testimonial between two parties and one of the important signatory has been assassinated, the views of Mian Sahib are abundantly clear to us. We refuse to accept the right of Raiwand to give us a name. We will see that Pakistan is named as Pkistan.
Let it be on record that 2 Prime Ministers from Sind were killed in Pindi and Mr Junejo was still in the air to be told that he has been sacked. Dr. Khan Sahib dead body was sent to us from Punjab.
A group of journalists have joined the establishment to make mountain out of mole. The same forces of 70s are again in action. His master voice speaks again. We cannot imagine not being a part and parcel of a genuine democratic and federal movement but the present piecemeal amendments stinks foul.
We see no moral justification to suggest to any party who could be their inner or outer circle whether it comes from journalists or politician. It shows their typical Islam Abad mental make up.
By Dr. Khurshid Alam. Dated 14th Nov 2009. Khurshidalam5@hotmail.com

freedom of press in Pakistan

THE PRESS FREEDOM IN PAKISTAN
Let it there be no illusion in the minds of journalists, analysts and the democrats of Punjab and Karachi that Pakistani style democracy is the demand of small-deprived nations. Democracy? Yes, but with a big BUT.
Pakistan is an imbalance country where power of every kind and worth is limited to one federate. The rest are taken for granted or no more than colonies
It is not yet forgotten that Punjab punished a bigger nation in 1970, gave it a blood bath; though there was 1000 miles unfriendly India between the two. And was five times bigger numerically; the “crime” was the use of their ballot contrary to the wishes of Punjab. Baluchistan is being raped for the second third time since the days of Ayub.
So obviously our fear is understandable and carry logic. Numerically, putting all the three nations to gather, they are still no matches to Punjab.
On the top of numerical superiority they have on their back the power of military and civil bureaucracy, the agricultural and mechanized might. Our close proximity to their firepower is suicidal to challenge their supremacy.
Bengalese was the only nation out of five to vote for Pakistan. They were the people to vacate their seats in constituent assembly to accommodate Mr. Jinnah, Liaquat Ali and Ch. Khaliquz Zaman. But their sacrifices were forgotten when it came to the rights.
After the creation of Pakistan; our only exports were their jute and tea; the foreign currency earning from their resources were invested in Punjab and Karachi.
There was a big joke at that time in political circles that a Bengali came to see newly built Islam Abad and said innocently,” beautiful city “its roads smell like our jute.
When the dependence was no more needed. Millions were killed in cold blood and our armed forces left behind one million illegitimate children.
Army surrendered to Gen Aurora without firing a single bullet, when Indian army was entering the triangle of Dacca. One billion bullets (IMMUNITION) were given to India. If one bullet is one Rupee it was one billion in cash.
The total population of Baluchistan can be hardly 4-5 millions. The biggest Pukhtoons settlement is in Karachi.
In present state of geo-political set up whether it is military or civil law it will be Martial law by Punjab. Necessary arrangements must be made, backed by international guarantee, to alleviate the fears of small nations.
As I pointed out in my last article that instead of alleviating American concerns of our nuclear assets falling in rogue hands, Punjab is duty bound to alleviate the genuine concerns of smaller nations.
We honestly feel that the firepower with the state of Pakistan is in irresponsible hands as for as small nations are concerned. We have been the victims of this rogue force, several times in the past and Baluchistan is having it for the third time.
When American claim to be the leader of free democratic world and is responsible for global peace, showing their repeated concerns about Pakistan nuclear assets, they should also take in to consideration the smaller nations facing the Monster of military might.
Pakistan’s democracy is meaningless without declaring Pakistan a multi national state and every nation is the master of its own destiny. The future constitutions should be framed, with this idea in the back of mind. The so-called democracy in Pakistan is a power struggle between the elites of Punjab; we have been used as gunpowder.
I am afraid that we are being used once again, unless our nationalists’ forces close their ranks and make alliance with our natural allies of other nations.
The press is using its freedom for their ulterior motives. It is unfortunate that the smaller nations have no strong printing or electronic press of their own.
Every private channel is an electronic Madrassa of a particular political party, conveying their political philosophy. No one can prove that any political discussion on these private channels is federal in their composition.
The intellectuals of Punjab and Karachi are discussing the issues on national interests and particularly those that are vitally important for Pukhtoons and Baloch.
It is evident that the important and influential anchors not only giving more coverage to certain political parties but use political adjectives for them. The great beneficiaries are MQM and Muslim Leagues of all shades.
The central secretariat of MQM in London has become a sacred shrine; all private electronic media and even the government officials converge on it, to complete the pilgrimage. It is essential to go there for Tawafs.
We should not grumble more about their partisan attitude as the friends’ alike flock to gather. They share destiny with each other’s. The only objection is that they should not claim that their presentation is federal in Pakistani framework. It is unfair in true journalism.
This is the duty of our political leadership to give maximum attention, to give a voice to Pukhtoons and Baloch. It is painful that the outside world hardly knows about our problems.
Apart from political projection our cultural and historical projection is either ignored or twisted and distorted. ARY and GEO are masterminding this art.
So impalpably they are spreading the venoms that ordinary viewers are carried away by their journalistic mesmerism. Non-issues are made issues and issues are demeaned so badly that it looses its relevance.
To expect fair play from others is just like asking for artificial legs or crutches. Nothing can replace self-reliance. In Arabic they say nothing can scratch you better than your own nails.
The present freedom of press has damaged us more by ignoring the 62 years of long struggle of those were killed in the dark alloy of Pakistan chequered political history.
To most of them the struggle for democracy and social justice started at the end of Ayub regimen or started with Zia and Musharaf.
Like our politicians our journalists too, like to work in grey area for obvious reasons.
It was a strange co incidence that while I came to this point, PJ Mir came to discuss this topic with Nazir Naji, Nizami Sb, and Shami Sb. On ARY. Is it irresponsibility or over responsibility of the responsibility by the so-called journalists?
The politicians can go to any extent for their image making. They are illiterate but when journalists join this band of illiterates then it is more damaging and painful. They are supposed to be the history writers but are they?
By Dr. Khurshid Alam. Dated: 13th Nov. 2009 khurshidalam5@hotmail.com

PAKISTAN IN CRISIS

PAKISTAN IN CRISIS
A THREAT TO WORLD PEACE
By Dr.Khurshid Alam. Dated 10th Nov.2009 khurshidalam5@hotmail.com
Pakistan is in crisis. With every passing day the crisis are deepening. This is the only point that people of every shade agree. But no one is ready to take responsibility but waiting to offer the shoulder to a third party.
The grip is tight and the problems are political, economical and a horrible guerrilla war in its own boundaries. It is threatening the very foundation of the country. This war has been declared against the country by our own military intelligence agencies. The person, who is responsible, was given red carpet sends off by the present government.
The type of war, the army is fighting is 100 times more difficult than a conventional war. The army is chasing the shadows that have roots in all section of the society. This is army VS a frame of mind that can only be won if the whole nation is behind the army.
Virtually it is not the case. All sectarian parties particularly the JUI (F) and Muslim leaguers with any alphabet at the end are against the war. The logic behind is obvious that for electoral victory the importance of MULLAH and MILITARY is a guarantee to the corridors of power. In this type of war the internally displaced person is another social problem.
The war machine is consuming most of the resources to roll on. And those who have been internally displaced need to be helped and looked after. They are the real victims of our unaccountable rulers of Islam Abad.
In the country there is no political system, to steer the country out of economical bankruptcy and political mudslinging, which is going on hand in hand with the war. The fall out of the war are gaining ferocity, continuity and strength. The army kills those who want to stay in their homes, as their home and hearth have been made battlefield by their enemies in Islam Abad. If they flee they are internally displaced begging for help. They are massacred at home and outside for the survival of a country where the King of Raiwand is even refusing them their identity.
To me, it is an immoral question, if some one asks another person how to address his mother and how she should be dressed up. But to those who have no moral value it may not be some thing of significance.
Nawaz Sharif and his spokesmen carry fire and water both in their angles of mouth. They are in a great hurry that their C.O.D. should be adopted without waiting for the burial of 73 constitutions. It hurts us really in the core of our heart that the democrats like Javed Hashmi and Khwaja Sahib starts defending Nawaz Sharif.
Whatever the reservations, we may have about the incumbent government, but the alternative is worse and dreadful.
To be a political leader, one has to go through a process. Recruitment by a military dictator in a foundry can be a short cut to acquire more wealth but not make a politician. Politicians are not made but it is the by-product of a political process.
The incumbent government is creating crisis after crisis for itself and even do not take it’s allies in to confidence. It is neither presidential nor parliamentary system in its present form but the alternative is dreaded one.
The opposition is refusing to take its seats in the house, nor ready to play a role of a constructive opposition. Apparently they justify their impotent stand to block the third party but the secret contacts are in progress and hardly miss a chance to destabilise the government.
It is a political and moral bankruptcy to cash on self-imposed exile or to try to add the achievement of the black coat movement for independent judiciary to his credentials. Khwaja sahib might be true that the present government needs a push for every action but we have seen the tenure of NAWAZ MIAN as well. Who believes in bulldozing the minority like a white elephant?
Mian sahib should be frank to tell the people that he either cannot take part in election due to Saudi pressure or he is not competent to play the vital role of the leader of opposition in the present difficult circumstances. It needs courage and strength of moral make-up. He is the second leader of the league to surrender to a military dictator; the first one was barrister Qayum.
It is a bad luck of Mian Sahib that the military is busy in the most difficult task to fight and eliminate the beastly guerrillas. There hidden shoulder is available, but the user is not free at the moment. The bad governance owes its futility to the leader of the house and opposition equally.
With shattered economy and no political system in place the nuclear capability has become a liability and source of international concern. If India is not criticised it is because of the domestic policy. Secondly the huge gap of political acumen of the politicians of the two countries cannot be ignored.
The non-democratic parties cannot give birth to a democratic a government. The biggest question mark on our political stability is the holding of important meetings on national issues by our political leaders in foreign countries like London, Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Our so-called champions of democracy trust the Arab autocratic sheikhs more than their own people. It is the height of character defect. Every second day the political pimps start running between the power brokers and then some how the situation is taken care of.
Muslim Leagues of all shades and the sectarian parties think that by accepting the American aid with the present conditions is surrender of national sovereinigty. They are amnesic themselves and think the same about the public. They are in this assuming that we have still some shreds of sovereignty.
The country was half mortgaged with American since the days of Liaquat Ali and Musharaf, the vicious autocrat, completed the deal. His “yes sir” was so spontaneous that the state department was taken by surprise according to American press. All the subsequent aids were attached with the same type of conditionality but the deals were done in GHQ.
Still those who claim that Pakistan is dearer to them than their faith and life, they are humbly requested to bring one third of their wealth so that we return the loan. The deeds should speak louder than words.
We hate this begging bowl, which has been given to us by our own political leaders, who looted the wealth of the country during their tenures. When Mian sahib joined Zia government their family stake was two foundries and now they are about 24. It was news for me to hear on Pakistan TV that he is under loan of his son. Gandhi said and I quote,” if you look after your needs this world is a heaven but if you look after your greed’s the same world becomes a hell.”
I went through the article appeared in the New Yorker. There is hardly some thing new. Musharaf agreed to all these issues, even the attacks by drown from Pakistani soil. The Americans worry does not stem from the threat posed by Al-Qaeda and Taliban but from the rogue elements inside the Military establishment and civil bureaucracy supported by sectarian political parties and all shades of Muslim leaguers.
It is not a hidden fact but an open secret that this sort of group was inducted in military establishment during crooked ZIA. He had the tacit support of Saudi Arabia. He floated the ideology of fundamentalism and hatred for other religions in armed forces. He is on record about his philosophy while addressing a press conference. I am a witness to it. My ears and eyes cannot cheat me.
He openly said that if Israel minus Judaism is not thinkable so is Pakistan without Islam. The irony of the fact was that one of the allegations against Late Wali khan was that he has allegedly said that Pakistan is an Islamic Israel.
We cannot cocoon ourselves from the rest of the world. People do remember the words and actions of our dictators. It is beyond any shadow of doubt that these rogues have infiltrated our army and majority of them are in ISI.
The American have shown their concern about them. It doesn’t matter how many thousand of army Jawans or Officers are involved to protect our nuclear assets but it needs few men of that mental framework, to create havoc. That’s the reason that American is investing in those, who are protecting these assets.
We should not be oblivious to the fact that remotely it is possible. Let us not chew words but to say loudly and clearly that if a non-elected government in USA could use it against the elected Japanese government, after the surrender of Japanese, any vicious, wicked and irresponsible person can use it. I am sure that Pakistan cannot provide foolproof guarantee to the world.
If GHQ can be attacked and Pentagon can be hit, the fear of the destruction of the world cannot be ruled out. The world has become the unsafe place, after the disappearance of the counter devil, resulting in turning the cold war in to a hot war. The whole world is aflame
In our country, we are faced with the monsters. According to our military intelligence they are hardly 4 thousands in number and have engaged our two divisions of force. Americans on the other side of the Durand line face the same situation.
As I pointed out in my previous article that there is nothing in the stores of weapons, even of super power, to fight a frame of mind. With loose command they are nowhere but are everywhere. We have to be logical before we say something.

A KISS OF LIFE

A KISS OF LIFE.
“THE NEED OF PAKISTAN”
By Dr. Khurshid Alam. khurshidalam5@hotmail.com
In my previous article I discussed the issue whether Pakistan is factually a failed state or it is propaganda of the enemies of Pakistan. I am of the opinion that the best approach to out side world should be, not to make enemies but to win friends. International relations are framed according to the internal situation in any country. Stability or non-stability due to any reason is reflected directly in the external affairs. I am yet to see some one to create enemies except the rulers of Pakistan.
In my last article I did mention the role of the vital organs of the state and co ordination between them. We should be frank and honest to discuss issues with open mind, without fear or reservations. Even at the end, it turns out to be a propaganda, we have lost nothing but if a fact is ignored, it can cost the nation a lot and most of the time it will be irreparable.
In my previous article I have expressed my view without chewing words. It is my honest opinion when the vital institutions cease to work properly and there is a lack of co ordination, it is a sick system. A sick system can never give birth to healthy state.
Pakistan has another disadvantage that its deterrent strength has become its liability and due to internal instability has raised alarm in certain quarters. There is no doubt that these rogue organisations have the resources to buy or lay their hand on it.
Due to the non-availability of the institutions or the sick institutions, the persons and cults have taken over. This very factor has brought the country to the present state and is considered as a failed state, being kept alive by borrowed machines.
The lawmakers and the executers are going in different directions. The foreign and internal policy is antagonising each other.
The armed forces are deeply involved in politics and associated intelligence agencies are picking their own citizens and hand over to the foreign countries to be tried and executed there. General public is scared equally of terrorists and our agencies. The number of disappeared persons is alarming.
The causalities being inflicted on the armed forces by the terrorist would have been very low, had there been trust of public in armed forces and the intelligence agencies.
There is only one way to win the fight against terrorist mafia by a conventional army in shortest possible time, is the trust between public and intelligence agencies, to give a feed back to the combatant force. The number of casualties by the armed forces, point towards this lack of trusts and completes failure of agencies. One fails to understand about their failures, as these terrorists are the implants of our agencies. One would be expect much better results and feedback to the fighting force to reduce the casualties.
The failure of the complete break down of the government has flooded the newly liberated judiciary. The major political issues are yet to be heard or interpreted. In my view if this interpretation is further delayed, institutions will keep on encroaching on the domain of each other, the situation will slip from bad to worse.
The journalists should use their newly found freedom responsibly and federally. Dramatisation should be replaced by logic. They should accommodate the lesser also in their forum of discussion. They must abandon to use their freedom of making saint out of sinner and vice versa. I am yet to see the federal look or characteristics in their presentations and discussions on national issues.
The distribution of responsibly has to be determined before the country is plunged in to irreversible crisis. It is already in deep water.
The lawmakers must decide whether it is a federal democracy or presidential system. At the moment it is neither of the two.
The quantum of provincial autonomy has to be the top priority in the present imbalance Pakistan. It has to be either greater Punjab or federal Pakistan. Cheating in the name of religion, ideology of Pakistan and big brother concept must be brought to an end.
Unfortunately the forum of lawmakers has very few members deserving this title. The big majority achieved this status by the crazy use of wealth. They have done so for good reasons, to get good return, not out of love for democratic values, thanks to the lack of political process.
Unless there is legislation there can’t be interpretation. People are still waiting for a visible and palpable change. The more is the delay, the more are the chances of inviting adventurism. Our present opposition has good command in this art.
The disappointment of the public will be demonstrated by distribution of the sweets to welcome another adventurer. If unluckily that happens, it will be the last nail in the coffin of the country.
As a political student I am seeing that our so-called politicians are pushing the people against the wall. I hope I am wrong and pray that I am wrong but the circumstances are ripe for the adventure. It will be absurdity to call it derailment of the system, as there is nothing on the tract. I am sure that there are many to offer their shoulders.
The people have a sense of deprivation and helplessness. Every day one crisis gives birth to another crisis and emissaries starts running between the power brokers.
I think Mr. President must collect the courage to surrender his authority and rob the opportunists of their weapons of adventurism. The house should be kept in a continuous session, till a new constitution is drafted or a complete overhauling of the old constitution has been done.
The jurists should be readily available and the political parties of all shade whether they are in the parliament or not should be on board. The 73 constitutions minus the amendments of the military rulers should be followed till the new one is ready and enforced.
The accountability should start from present to the past retrospectively. In principles I do agree with MQM that it should be based on truth and reconciliation principles. But our own people should remember it in the case of Pakistan, crimes committed against humanity by dictators. They were under oath not to be a part of foul play against the constitution. This is a worse crime than apartheid system.
The lust for power should be suppressed for a while. Looking historically back we have paid an enormous price for it. According to Dr. Sheikh, Jinnah had arguments with lord Mountbatten on seating arrangements during oath taking ceremony, which cost us dearly in the distribution of assets and demarcation of boundary in Gurdas Pur area. The Indian National congress nominated him the first governor general of India is a proof of their political maturity.
The provision of protection of the smaller units is the key to the stability of the country. It is obscured to cheat the people by creating India phobia. We have threat to our existence from our own establishment, not from out side.
Looking at the mental calibre of our leadership, I personally feel that it is the 1000 miles long border with India and the hatred drilled in our mind for Hindu that is keeping the present Pakistan together.
We have our roots in hatred on religious basis and running the country on racial hatred. I think M.J. Akbar was right to say that in tension lays the existence of Pakistan.
Nehru was right to say that the unity of India is in its diversity but he failed to comprehend that if the diversities of huge magnitude, if contained in a small strongbox there is more chances of collision.
Apart from the shear size of India, it is the political buffering system that counts a lot, in spite of insurgencies in 4 places, neither it derailed the democratic set up nor the foreign militants made it a base to fight the Indian government.
If we want to give Kiss of Life to Pakistan, the only way is to clear our own domestic disk, accord foolproof guarantee to smaller nations, in a union of states or federation and evolve a full-fledged democratic system, to get rid of opportunists’ politicians.
We must not forget that there are physical and political breaches in Pakistan. The rogue elements are at work in these breaches whether they are internal or external posing threat to the very foundations of the country.
I do share the concern of the foreign powers about their fear about our nuclear arsenals, if they fall in to the hands of rogue elements. I fail to understand, why they fail to share our fear that unless there is democratic set up in Pakistan, the same arsenals can be used against the small nations, as Musharaf used it against 82 years old Baloch leader, Nawab Bugti. We feel unsafe even now.
It is the last chance; the history has given to the rulers and opposition of to day to give the “KISS OF LIFE” to Pakistan.

IS PAKISTAN A FAILING STATE?

IS PAKISTAN A FAILED STATE?
PROPAGANDA OR A REALITY.
The reality on the ground is the measure to prove or dismiss any analysis or impression. It’s of no significance whether it comes from a friend or foe.
To ignore the ground realities is the most naïve approach. If some thing cannot be proved by logic, is very unlikely to be true.
For the last few years this issue is the topic of discussion in vey serious circles in and outside Pakistan. Our rulers and intellectuals reject any opinion that is contrary to their process of thinking, without going in to the details of it.
Let it be the propaganda of our enemy, but sanity demands that is better not to reject it right away. No idea and analysis should be approached with a fixed frame of mind and preformed opinion. Fixed frame of mind and preconceived conclusion shut the mind to all logic and reasons.
Constant denial and rejection quite often, does lead to a disaster followed by remorse and resentment.
Will it not be good idea to take the matter seriously and sanity? If it is proved wrong, it won’t cost us anything. If it is true, it provides us a chance to chalk out our approach to the problem.
State is an organisation that runs a country according to certain rules. The state has 5 main pillars, law making, decision-making and judiciary. The free press and the armed forces are the two other major establishments. The duty of the last is to protect the external aggression and to help the government where the writ of the government is challenged.
Under the supervision of these top organs the whole country is run according to the law laid down by lawmakers, if there is confusion the judiciary is to do interpretation.
Lawmakers are the elected body of the people and have the delegated power of the people. The difference between delegated and absolute power is that in delegated power, one is answerable but not in absolute power. In a democratic set up the power lies with the people and exercised by the lawmakers on their behalf.
Is Pakistan a failing state?
This best way to approach this question is to analyse the functions of each pillar and the state of co ordination between them.
Looking right back to the birth of Pakistan, these pillars were neither built nor have been given the sanctity which they worth. Personal wishes, whims ran superior to law.
Even after a long authoritarian rule by two most vicious dictators, Zia & Musharaf the so-called politicians are following the same rules and ruling in the same way. This is what I call Islam Abad frame of mind.
The centralisation of authority in president house has left the parliament disabled and useless. Law making apart, the revival of 73 constitutions has been abandoned.
Judiciary is left to settle the prices of day-to-day commodities and the major issues are untouched.
The executive, the law enforcing authority in this lawlessness; without fear to obstruct the growth of the system and to loot as much as possible, urging the law makers too, to avail the opportunity.
In the normal circumstances the prime minister has to be the chief executive but all the powers are with the president, who is in the siege of self-seekers. He has completely lost his contact with the realities on the ground.
It reminds me the words of an Indian journalist who commented on the fall of Late Mr, Bhutto that he advanced with his armoured core, leaving his infantry behind, forgetting the fact, that it is the infantry who solidifies the occupation.
The armed forces are not physically there but have the ultimate say and works as a referee. At the same time they are busy in cleaning the dirt left behind by their seniors. They are engaged in the bloodiest fight where the enemy is not visible. It is a fight in pitch dark.
Basically there is no system, but the issues are rising every day, mostly by the governments because of its incompetence or loss of touch with the masses.
In the absence of system the government takes one step forward and then slips two steps back under pressure. So for all the decision made by the government have not been according to the book but under pressure.
The newfound freedom by press is being abused. In their political discussions on national issues there is hardly any representation of Pukhtoons, Sindhies or Baloch. According to their sweet whims they make prophet out of a sinner or sinner out of saints. To discuss the issue of Swat, FATA or Baluchistan they invite analysts and intellectuals from Lahore, Karachi and Islam Abad as if there is no sensible persons in the small nations.
Coming to the conclusion that if all the vital organs of a state are sick, it is bound to be a failed state. A failing government will always lead to a non-viable country. A non-viable state with nuclear capability becomes a liability and attracts super powers to interfere.
This is a simple logic that Pakistan is a sick state beyond any shadow of doubt and it does not need any knighted intellectual from Lahore or Karachi to diagnose it.
On third of November there was a feeling in the public that the state is about to go in coma. There were eclectic activities by military and civil servants, shuttling between presidency, P.M. house, Lahore, London and Saudi Arabia.
Those who claimed to be the friends were giving their valuable advice on a private channel. Those who were assuring that their shoulder would not be used by third party but were facilitating the same indirectly. The card house was about to collapse. The two had the same aim with different approaches. The interview for 30 minutes on ARY was more blunt than asking the president to resign.
There is a complete breakdown of trust and no co ordination between the vital organs of the state. The party in government, for the reason best known to them, cannot take a bold step and the opposition refuses to take seat in the house to dodge responsibility. Minus one, 234, NRO and FCO are the diseases eating the state.
As for we are concerned we don’t believe that 37 years old document of 73 can meet the challenges of today. It failed just after it was framed to stop the dissolution of two provincial governments. And even to stop the judicial murder of an elected prime Minister and subsequently the exile of two elected Prime Ministers.
But before the lawmakers go through the whole document, the 17th amendment and 6B should have gone by now and the process of accountability should have been started.
The house does give status to people but it is more dignified that the person himself gains that status. Sonia Gandhi is the shining example. By no means she is less powerful than Mohan Singh. The question arise, have we a politician of her status? The answer is emphatically.
We feel that the alternative in our present circumstances is much worse than the present one. The incumbent state apparatus should give immediately a kiss of life to the dying system and the further treatment can take its due course. The alternative is so horrible, it sends a cold wave in the spine of small Nations. Mian Sahib stance is evident about small nations identity
Dr. Khurshid Alam. Dated 5th Nov.2009 khurshidalam5@hotmail.com

THE THIRD NOVEMBER IN PAKISTAN'S CALENDER

THIRD NOVEMBER IN THE CALENDER OF
PAKISTAN.
We have left black 3rd November 2 years behind. The dictator who painted this day with black in the history of Pakistan is relaxing in Edgware London, sniffing the morning breeze of Pakistan. He was bid welfare with all pomp and show. His important skin of power was pealed off by black coat. But he left with his own skin, which he didn’t deserve to take.
Though we want to leave it behind but it never leaves us. It is the shadow of our political misdeeds and wrong doings. It is a reminder of a crooked dictator who brought the country to the verge of disintegration. If black coat would have not done it for our political leaders, they were impotent to dislodge him. Musharaf is a damn lucky person and clever too. He has left so many wounds on the body politics of Pakistan that the politicians will keep on licking them and will have no time to chase him.
The power base is like a rocking chair. The same system is going on. Apart from inflicting grievous injuries on the country, he has played so tactfully with the politicians, that instead of chasing him they are chasing each other’s. Every one is scared and suspicious of the other. There is total break down of trust between them.
No doubt they speak quite a lot but if it comes to reality the same rulers will sabotage the process. They are naked in political Ashram.
Election is one factor out of many, of democratic system. Democratic system is brought by election and is carried by forward by collective legislation, accountability, transparency, good governance and ultimately delivery to the people. The definition of democracy is changed in our dictionary, since the day it was created. It is occasionally put in to practice for international consumption and the elections are held. Manipulation of the electoral process by agencies is a normal phenomenon.
The civil government that comes in to existence is by the people but never of the people and for the people. It has always been like civilian Martial Law. The civil bureaucracy is more corrupt and the delivery system to the public becomes more ineffective. The people get fed up and the Military take over is always celebrated in Pakistan.
No one is ready to sit in opposition, even if the country existence is at stake. The government of the day creates a friendly opposition. So the very concept of accountability and transparency disappears.
The same situation exists to day, after the departure of Musharaf. No body can deny the shear incompetence of the incumbent government on legislative and executive side. The opposition is facilitating to slow down the growth of the process further and spare no opportunity to destabilise the government.
One to one meeting between different political leaders and military has become the political culture of the day. These meetings are widening the gulf between the so-called political parties. The mistrust is already there. The country is in the grip of constitutional, executive, political and social problems.
The state of war is consuming every thing. Hunger, absences of job opportunities, rising inflation, disappearance of the basic commodities have forced the people to sell their children and robberies and dacoits’ are on rampant. The professional killers have the most conducive opportunity. Killing and abduction for ransom is daily occurrence. Some of the hospitals lower staff is openly involved in selling the children’s. The only job left for the government is the transfers of public servants for no obvious reasons.
A very high proportion of the public money is spent on providing security to the VIPs. Police force is deployed to protect them and the rest of the society is left at the mercy of dacoits and murderers. Foreign nationals are caught with weapons and released under pressure.
The army has to show their resentment through press and so is the case with the retired chief justice of the Supreme Court. It is all the manifestation of Islam Abad mental framework. What a similarity in approach between a chief justice and military general.
The activity of the military is widespread .The representative of the military junta had to cover meetings with the government in Islam Abad, to see the other leaders in Lahore, London and then had to dash down to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This fury of activities is hair rising for any political worker.
The opposition is doing all this, not derail the democracy and the government is doing it, not to open many fronts at the same time. The public is looking to Allah, Army and America. A new factor is Saudi Arabia. 00966 are considered a dangerous number.
In this sort of prevailing circumstances some of the leaders have the cheeks to discuss the sovereinigty and national pride. Can sanity justify these questions?
Can we call it by any definition a viable government or state? Every decision is taken after a call either from GHQ, 0966 or 001. The present government is sitting on a volcano and has inherited an indoctrinated terrorist, shattered economy and completely demolished institution.
The politicians are shrugging shoulders from the responsibility and refuse to discharge their duties. The terrorists are blessing in disguise to keep the country together. In normal circumstances there is no logic that the country could be held together.
Those who wanted to put Kabul on fire, they never had any mental intelligence that fire cannot be contained in boundaries and bullets do not have a fixed target and terrain. What ever the precision of the latest weapons may be, the collateral damage cannot be avoided.
Mullah and military must be brought to the book. In any society or country where the sword has to lead and the book is bound to bog down. It is against the law of nature and viability is a big question mark. I will end my article by quote from Dr. Tariq Ali,” Can Pakistan survive?”
DR. Khurshid Alam khurshidalam5@hotmail.com dated Nov. 2nd 2009.

DEMOCRACY IN AFGHANISTAN

DEMOCRACY AND AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan had 30 long years of struggle, from decentralised cultural monarchy to the present fledgling democratic, soaked in blood, was the worst part of our history. The last 7 years were disappointingly painful.
In the presence of warlords, heroin growers and highly corrupt officials, transparency was highly unlikely. The eradication of heroin is impossible at this stage. When the countryside is under control of Taliban and they need this cash crop for their insurgency machine to roll and in the area under control of the government, has no alternative source of income for the masses.
Whether we accept it or not, Afghanistan has to evolve its own locally tailored system of governance, with representation of all nationalities on population basis. The reason of failure of Afghan’s successive governments is their failure to solve the questions of nationalities and accord them the sense of participation.
The majority of the analysts will disagree with me, but it is my honest belief that the present Taliban insurgency stems from this problem. It does not mean that I want to rule out other causes like US presence, corruption, warlord’s manipulations, and ISI involvement. What I want to convey that it is the feeling of deprivation by Afghans that they have been robbed off their centuries old government.
Whenever I have been to Afghanistan on different occasions I have returned with the same feelings. I could be the last Afghan to refuse the national rights to small nationalities but not at the cost of disfranchising the major nation or to go an extent that for political gain, the Afghans should be robbed. The real Sitam-e- Mille was borne by Afghans. Whether it was during monarchy, Sardar Daud, or socialist regimens.
I just can’t convince my mind, why the Afghans should have the phobia to tackle this issue and solve it forever. Like Pakistani rulers they are brushing it under the carpet with the hope that it will die down. They should have the strength of character and realise that every jolt to the system, will bring this problem to the surface.
It was strange that not only Afghan leadership but the leaders from our area were scared to death to talk about this issue, fearing that if it was brought to the surface, ISI will exploit it to their gains. Are they not doing it to day or were not in the past.
Afghanistan being a “WATAN” has much more historical intrinsic strength than Pakistan, to solve this problem. If Pakistan exploit it to its advantage they have to face the fall outs which will ultimately shake the foundations of Pakistan.
For a person like me it is of no significance whose mausoleum is being built or whose portrait is being displayed on important places with the president of the country but it provokes the ordinary Afghan and he feel, he is robbed of his history.
The swift run over by Taliban from Qandahar and capturing 90% of the country in a matter of few days was a manifestation of this ignored problem. The atmosphere of Kabul is pregnant with these feelings and still we deny that it does not stink and refuse to sniff.
Hamid Karzai re election cannot be considered an ideal one but idealism in a bleeding objective condition could not be expected. He can still broaden his basis by including Abdullah. His strong personality and intelligence can still be utilised by Hamid Karzai for the sake of Afghanistan. If Obama and Hilary can accommodate each others, why not these two, unless they are putting their personal cult and interest before the integrity and progress of Afghanistan.
Idealism does not exist anywhere. Even the house of global fraternity, UNO is most undemocratic in its nature. If Afghanistan has to survive, it has to evolve its own democratic values free of corruption.
Election is only one factor of a democratic system. It is the accountability, due representation of all sections of society, the feeling of participation and the deliverance to the public that really matters. The rulers or better-termed public servants must root out corruption, nepotism and must restore human dignity.
When I visited Afghanistan during late Sardar Daud rule; I did not hesitate for a moment to tell the high officials that I was shocked and surprised that the mountains of Afghanistan speaks Afghani but not the people and I never heard Afghani in offices. I was blunt to tell them. That we thought it is propaganda by Pakistan radio, in fact it is true.
It is an obscured notion that wherever there is election there is democracy. Is there democracy in Egypt, Syria and Pakistan? In third world countries in general and Muslim world in particular the people power is being rapped in the name of democracy.
An Egyptian doctor jokingly told me, when I visited Egypt that a man decided not to vote Hosni Mubarak and came home and told his wife. The wife in panic sent him back to change his vote. He rushed to the polling station and made an excuse that by mistake, he has done so and want to change. The returning officer told him, not to worry they have already changed it, but advised not to do it again.
Transparency and accountability; with freedom to speak, get-together, write and telecast independently is more important, even if the Electoral College is not the usual one.
At this juncture, personality clashes or instead of fair distribution of power to the nationalities; superiority of one ethnic group over the other, for political gains will be disastrous. Afghanistan cannot afford to have another Karmal or for that matter another Rabbani and Ahmad Shah Masood.
The last one must be given his due respect but not at the cost of others. ISI success in Afghanistan is due to this very fact to play with emotions of Afghans (PASHTUN). They are at work on this agenda for last 5 decades.
God forbid if Hamid Karzai failed this time in all aspects, whether it is corruption, transparency of the government, nepotism, to stop extravagancies or solution of national representation; Afghanistan will be doom forever. He has to pursue the policy of carrot and stick at the same time.
The jirga concept is there only Pukhtoons and Baloch, not in any other nation of subcontinent, India. If Afghanistan can have fruitless dialogue with Pakistan, then why not with Taliban.
Let it be fruitless, but I am sure at the Afghan wisdom will prevail at the end. The most important thing is the process of thinking. In Kabul, Peshawar, Quetta and Qandahar it should be the same, to compliment each other. Both sides should engage the FATA elders. The people like Fazlur Reman and Senator Orakzai should be ignored and exposed. The respected senator has no objection to Islam Abad interference but cannot tolerate Peshawar.
They should be nipped in bud. We wasted a long time, to bring them to mainstream but it is of no use to waste more time. Hamid Karzai is shrewd politician, as he told us that every one will come with his own agenda, only Afghan can have Afghan agenda. Time is the crucial factor.
Mahmud Khan Achakzai words should be taken seriously. Maulana should be asked in Jirga that he must snap his umbilical cord with ISI and snap ISI link with Taliban and FATA. The Eid controversy has exposed Maulana. He is playing this double game for long time. Enough is enough.
I do feel very uncomfortable to name some politicians. It is undiplomatic and uncultured attitude but if the future of our nation is at stake I don’t feel guilty to do so.
By Dr. Khurshid Alam Khurshidalam5@hotmail.com 2nd November 09.

BLEEDING AFGHAN BELT & U.S. POLICY

BLEEDING AFGHAN BELT & U.S. POLICY
Pukhtoons belt is a bleeding wound for the last three decades. The wound instead of healing is increasing in size and eroding the surrounding area too. The intensity of blood let and pain is increasing day by day.
The wound was inflicted on us by USA & UK with the help of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. These two acted as local surrogate states. According to an insider it was the illegitimate government of Zia who approached the Americans through Gen Fazle Haq in Scotland, that this is the time to take the revenge of Vietnam.
This adventure served the interest of both sides. Americans were on look for a place to take the revenge without loosing their army personnel. On the other hand Pakistan needed the legitimisation of the unlawful government in Pakistan, to acquire US arsenals for its armed forces and cash to run the subversive activities in India, Afghanistan.
In addition to the above; Pakistan would get the status of front line state, with associated perks. And to fulfil their long cherished desire to bring Afghanistan to its knees to accept the Durand Line as international border. The Pakistani rulers were thinking even more than that as one insider put it. By capturing Afghanistan it would provide the strategic depth to Pakistan, where they can hide their nuclear arsenals, to use some of the aid to liberate Kashmir and Khalistan.
It will be of interest to the readers that after the plane crash of Zia, when the annual budget was taken to President Ghulam Ishaq khan, he asked in anger where is the amount allocated for Afghanistan and said, “Afghanistan is our 5th province and must be included in our budget”. Trying to be more loyal to the king than the king himself.
In this second big game Saudi were also made partners. Their interest was to have a Wahabi mole on the neck of Shia Iran. Zia framework was put in to action. He was so deeply committed to this idea; he wanted to be physically involved in Khalistan fight. He took his cherished wish to the grave to offer thanks giving prayers in Kabul (Pule Charkhi). He was cunning like a fox, vicious like a snake and cruel like a bear.
He was a committed fundamentalist and used his tenure to promote his sectarian ideas in every section of his constituency, the armed forces of Pakistan. He included hatred and intolerance on religious basis at the level of kindergartens to post graduate level, in education system. With his masked face, he was the wicked person one can imagine.
It was during his rule that ISI was hugely expanded, operating in many countries at the same time abroad and against its own people inside the country. Right in the heart of Islam Abad, the red mosque was his creation and used to pray regularly there. He tightened his grip on other generals, by bribing them with plots and agricultural land.
His successor Musharaf used the same lot for the interest of US. The free world legitimised the two illegitimate rules in Pakistan for their international strategic interest, keeping aside their lofty ideals for democracy and human dignity.
During the rule of these two spiteful characters, most of the foreign aid and loans were diverted to army establishment, which were destined for developmental purposes.
It was during Zia rule that 6 billions dollars were donated for eradication of poppy cultivation but were diverted to the army and a big chunk was used for direct bribing of the generals. Those who have seen special documentary on BBC about a Japanese scout, will bail me out. It is a worth seeing documentary, how corrupt was this self proclaimed Caliph.
After the USSR left Afghanistan, the west led by USA left the area too. They were not aware of the fact that their double standard in foreign policy will land them once again in this area.
Afghans (Pukhtoons) on both sides of Durand Line were still under the effect of the first great game that the second was imposed on them by western democracies led by USA.
The US inexperience in conducting international diplomacy, combined by BUSH & DICK doctrine, landed US in their new Vietnam. It was a lethal combination.
I still remember the head line of the GUARDIAN in 1981, after the carpet bombing of the North Vietnam,” Hanoi survives in the caves”. It is true today on both sides of Durand line. The strategy has gone wrong. Since 2003 they have failed to make a significant dent in the terrorist’s campaign or their organisational set up.
Their sphere of activity is broadening and the intensity with ferocity is increasing. They have acquired more precision in their targets and are more devastating. Their response time has decreased and the counter attack hardly takes time.
Their selection of soft target is to create fear, stretch the government facilities’ to the maximum and thin down the protection of strategically important places. The public patience is also running out. The feeling of insecurity is at its maximum heights. This is what, these evil shadows wanted to achieve.
The US strategists are still pursuing the same old policy. The present visit of the secretary of state, Hilary Clinton, to Pakistan was a mass contact diplomatic offensive for public consumption.
I do appreciate their problem to keep Pakistan on board, to stop the cross border strikes and ensure the safety of the supply route to its forces. It is a good step in a right direction. But one fails to get a sense out of their approach. It is Peshawar and Kabul on fire and it seems, as if they are sending the fire brigades to Lahore and Islam Abad.
She should have better advised to visit Peshawar and have open discussions with the students and journalists there? They are the people in the thick of fire and know how it can be quelled. The evolutions of the process could be better gauged in the place, which is on aflame. I do realise the question of security but in Pakistan there is no safe place.
It would have been better that she had discussed with the cross section of society like elected members, intellectuals, students, civil societies and even religious scholars instead of going to Raiwand.
Lahore is as unaware of our social set up as Washington. In addition to this, Lahore has its own interest at stake in this bloody drama. It would have been more productive if there were a program, “HILLARY FACE THE UNIVERSITY OF PESHAWAR”.
I don’t intend to shift the weakness of our leadership, their failure to jump from back seat to the front and take the control of the events, which led to the fire that has engulfed us. She should have been told that our people were being used as the cheapest available fuel to keep the engine of death rolling.
To have peace on one side of Durand line and war on the other is lunacy. Either there is peace on either sides or war. There is no alternative. If Pakistan had declared it earlier that it was their war, the situation would have been different. They realised this fact, when in the words of Rehman Malik, it crossed the Indus and hit the main Land. By that time it was too late. Now Pakistan army is fighting a war of survival of Pakistan, we still have the doubts about the rogue elements in intelligence agencies.
They have yet to prove their professionalism. To make it easy for the army, it is there duty to do the spadework like chasing these shadows and finds those in their ranks who are with them under the compulsion of circumstances.
On the other side the NATO forces led by USA is receiving punches right in their face, every day without fail. No war can be conducted by sword only.
Even in the thick of war, the sword should follow the book. The reverse is disastrous both in war and peace. The back doors should always be kept open. While the army is in combat the intelligence agencies should look for those who have some sanity left. The success of one supplements the success of the other. It is almost impossible for conventional force to fight guerrilla warfare without competent and dedicated intelligence.
Afghan leadership must realise that without involving Taliban there is no way out. The government must be trust worthy, transparent, with due representation of all nationalities on population basis.
They must get rid of corrupt warlords, heroin growers and agents of ISI. The US strategists must involve the government of Afghanistan to show some realities on the ground and prove their worth.
To re read afghan’s psyche and put it in action is more useful than other options. Afghan rulers must realise that these warlords and corrupt elements will eat up the very foundation of the fledgling Afghan democracy, as it happened in Pakistan. It is better to go through pain initially for the gains later, to keep the state viable.
I do realise their will be some reverses initially but a continuous try and error will bear the fruit. It will accord some credibility to the government.
We must appreciate that the permanent presence of US forces will not be acceptable to any body on both sides of Durand line. There is public resentment in people all around the world, thanks to the double standards of foreign policy of US administration.
But priorities should be chalked out factually. Sine afghan government has no standing army like Pakistan. It is a must that the rogue foreign elements must be thrown out first without any exception.
It will be better that troops from the Muslim world are deployed through UNO. But care must be taken that those who had some sort of vested interest at stake in Afghanistan, should be kept out of multi national force, like Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
All these countries mentioned have their own camp followers in Afghan society. The aim of this new force should be to train Afghan army. I am of firm belief that ultimately it is the Afghan national wisdom that will prevail.
US must realise where the Afghan wisdom can be traced. Probably they will find it with the help of British colonial wisdom. Nothing can be forced on Afghans; their nation instinct should be addressed to.
By Dr. Khurshid Alam……… khurshidalam5@hotmail.com dated 1st Nov 2009.

Non Violence

Human beings have two in built instincts. Animalistic and Angelic. The former we share with all species of animal kingdom. For example eating, drinking and reproduction etc. Human beings are different than other animals by having higher centre. If we decapitate the higher centers; we will still be able to do all those animalistic functions mentioned above. Animals are only concerned about their own interest and achieve their needs with or without force. When it comes to the share in nature, it solely depends on their strength and the devastation capability. They are least bother about other's interest and least bother to care that the damage they inflict on nature can jeopardize the interest of other species in animal kingdom. It is because that the creator has deprived them from higher centers so they cannot perceive. The lack of perception exempts them from accountability and for their strong individualistic outlook.
Humans have been blessed by these higher centers. They have the power to perceive, feel, emotions, thinking and logical approach. It is in their capability to capture and take the control of most of the blessings, which Mother Nature has showered on us, even if they are many times powerful and stronger than human beings. It is the intellect and wisdom; if used logically and without any greed or individualistic attitude that can be of benefit of whole mankind. The intellect, logic and wisdom demand of them, to think of society as a whole, not just their own interest. That is the reason that they are called social animals. on one hand if they can capture the nature on the hand they have been made accountable to nature and society. In other words they have a price to pay for their higher centers. Their accountability to Mother Nature and fellow humans are equally important. They have been given liberty by the creator to use his knowledge and knowledge and wisdom for good or bad but to be prepared for punishment or reward depending on their use of higher capability. Nature has taught them broad principles that it is much better to use logic and settle the things by logic non-violently rather than brute force.
What is important today is to think where we stand to day? Why there is blood shed everywhere. Why the weaker are at the mercy of stronger. Why the resources of Mother Nature are possessed by stronger for their interest only?

LOVE!!!!!!!!

FREQUENTLY USED, MOSTLY ABUSED & COMMONLY MISUNDERSTOOD.....WORD.
THOSE INTELLECTUALS WHO HAVE TRIED TO DEFINE IT......
HAVE MISERABLY FAILED ....... THEY HAVE TERMED THE EFFECTS OF LOVE AS ITS DEFINITION.
AS A RUSSIAN PHILOSPHER DEFINED IT ,.......THE PEACEFUL CO-EXISTING BETWEEN TWO NERVOUS SYSTEMS..... THIS COULD BE THE RESULT OF LOVE BUT NOT DEFINITION. SECONDLY IT ENVOLVES A PROCESS............... IT WILL BE RATHER A GOOD DEFINITION OF FRIENDSHIP.
ON THE OTHER HAND GIBRAN HAS DEFINED IT AS A FREEDOM IN A REAL SENSE...... THE PERSON FEELS NOT BOUND BY WORDLY OR HEAVENLY LAWS AND INHIBITIONS. ......IN MY HUMBLE OPINION .....THIS IS ALSO THE EFFECT OF LOVE.......
OTHERS TAG IT WITH BEAUTY. IN MY OPINION THAT IS RUBBISH.
RATHER I WOULD AGREE WITH GREAT AFGHAN PHILOSOPHER, SCULPTURIST, ARTIST AND POET.... GHANI, WHO THINKS THAT BEAUTY IS A TEMPORARY WHILE LOVE IS ETERNAL.
SECONDLY BEAUTY HAS SOME CHARACTERISTICS, WHICH VARY FROM PERSON TO PERSON, FROM RACE TO RACE.
IN HIS VIEW LOVE CREATES BEAUTY & THEN THE CRAZY LOVE FALLS IN LOVE WITH ITS OWN CREATION.
WHY WE HAVE FAILED TO GIVE IT AN ACCEPTABLE DEFINITION??
LOVE IS A SOULAR BOND..........THE OFF-SPRINGS OF SOUL ARE FEELINGS AND IMAGINATIONS..............LOVE IS A BRAIN CHILD OF THESE THREE FACTORS.
NONE OF THE THREE HAS A GEOGRAFICAL BOUNDRIES LIKE HUMAN BODY.. ANYTHING WHICH HAS A DEFINED BODY IS BOUND TO PERISH ONE DAY.
SOUL,FEELINGS, IMAGINATIONS & SO LOVE ....ARE NOT BORN TO DIE........LIKE TIME, IT IS ETERNAL....... A PERIOD MAY END.....BUT THE TIME GOES ON.
LOVE IS BASED ON SO DELICATE & TENDER FEELINGS AND DERIVE ITS STRENGTH FROM THESE QUALITIES, THAT THE TIP OF A PEN CAN DENT IT... OR... THE BRUSH OF AN ARTIST CAN DISTORD ITS FACE.......AND......REALY SPEAKING , BY DOING SO IT LOOSES ITS MEANING.
LOGICALLY IT IS ALSO WRONG TO GIVE A SHAPE TO SOMETHING WHICH HAS NO SHAPE........... IT IS A STATE OF MIND NOT EXPLINABLE..
OWNERSHIP IS NOT ESSENTIAL FOR THE LIFE OF LOVE........MOST OFTEN THE LOSS OF ITS OWNERSHIP INCREASES ITS INTENSITY.
IN MY PERSONAL VIEW IT IS LIKE THE FIRST DAFFODIL OF THE SPRING WHICH SUDDENLY ERUPTS.......... AND THEN BOUND TO FOLLOW BY FULL SPRING AND ALL ITS SOOTHING EFFECTS ON A HUMAN MIND........MOSTLY THE THINKERS HAVE DESCRIBE THE SOOTHIG EFFECT OF THE SPRING......BUT HAS NOT DEINED LOVE. ......
ONLY MUSIC IS AN ART WHICH CAN REFLECT LOVE, COMPARATIVELY, MORE CLOSELY. THE REASON MAY BE THAT MUSIC WAVES SPREAD IN THE ATMOSPHERE....... THOUGH WE CANT SEE THEM BUT THEY NEVER DIE.............
.ANEES

WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE?

IT IS IS A FLOW OR EXCHANGE OF INFORMATIONS.
IN OLDEN DAYS THIS FLOW WAS KEPT RESTRICTED TO ARISTOCRACY TO RULE EASILY...................
THE KNOWLEDGE SHOULD BE ACQUIRED ; TO READ YOUR OWN MISTAKES AND NOT TO POINT OUT FINGER TO OTHERS


ARE WE PRACTICING IT?
NO.............. SO IS THE CHAOS.....BCOZ KNOWLEDGE IS ABUSED.
A PERSON MAY BE QUALIFIED..... BUT ..NOT EDUCATED.... .LIFE & OBJECTIVE CONDITIONS ARE GREAT TEACHERS TO GIVE YOU INFORMATIONS/KNOWLEDGE.................... BUT CANT GIVE U QUALIFICATION........IT IS INDEED UNFORTUNATE.......!!!!!!!!!!.
ANOTHER ANOMALY ........THE ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE IS WASTED................ THE SOCIETY WANTS QUALIFICATIONS.
WHAT IS WISDOM ?
IT IS ACQUIRED BY OUR HIGHER SENSES AND HAS GENETIC ELEMNT AS WELL.
WISDOM TEACHES US HOW TO USE OUR KNOWLEDGE FOR OUR OWN BENEFIT AND THE BENEFIT OF HUMANITY AT LARGE.
ANOTHER BLOW TO HUMANITY.......VERY FEW HAVE BOTH!!!!!
THOSE WHO HAVE OUR DESTINY IN THEIR HANDS.... ARE EITHER QUALIFIED WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OR HAVING KNOWLEDGE BUT NO WISDOM..
WHAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH MY FRIENDS THAT WITHOUT WISDOM 
KNOWLEDGE IS ABUSED NOT USED FOR USEFUL PURPOSES.
ONE CAN ACQUIRE THE KNOWLEDGE OF TWENTY YEARS IN 5- 10 YEARS ......BUT....... NOT WISDOM., NOT A DAY LESS THAN TWENTY YEARS..... AND...... FOR THAT ONE SHOULD HAVE PENETRATING EYES AND GOOD HEARING SYSTEM AND A PLACE FOR STORAGE..
PUTTING IT SIMPLY, EXPRIENCES. AND INCIDENTS TEACH YOU WISDOM..
WITHOUT WISDOM EDUCATION IS A USELESS TOOL. IF WE USE IT........ THERE IS A HIGH PROBABILITY WE MIGHT MISUSE IT ...IF WE DONT USE ....... IT IS WASTED.
UNFORTUNATELY OUR GLOBAL FUTURE IS EITHER IN THE HANDS OF QUALIFIED OR EDUCATED.... BUT... WITHOUT WISDOM........ SO IS THE ANARCHY IN THE GLOBE AND HURDLE
IN MAKING OF REAL GLOBAL VILLAGE
THE FUTURE OF YOUNG GENERATION IS LYING IN DOLDRUM.
CLOSING BY AN ARABIC PROVERB, .....THAT WISDOM IS LIKE A COMB YOU GET IT WHEN NOTHING IS LEFT ON YOUR HEAD.
ANEES

Why Peace is so difficult to obtain?

World has gone in to turmoil after cold war and disappearance of second super power. It is more bloody and cruel. People all over the world are longing for the era of cold war. The counter devil philsophy is being discussed in vey serious circles by very learned people. People whose opinion really matter.
The last one decade was the worst. Alot of human blood has been shed. The most painful factor is to put different price tags to human blood. It was disgusting.
The world was already devided it was further devided in to civil and non civil blocks.
In my view the main reason was the double standards applied by the so called civilised and demcratic world. The practice adopted by the civilised societies were diagonally opposite to what they preached. The ideals of democratic values were different for their domestic consumption and totally oppsite when applied to others.
Even the global house of human fraternity has been robbed of the values what it stands for. It is an art of mockery to fool the world.
The very concept of veto is anti democratic. The authority of the few has defrachised the whole world.They literally mean nothing.
UNO having no power to execute its decision has become a rubber stamp. Those who are working there in prevailing circumstances must be feeling really frustated to carry out their duties. The strategy of pre-emptive strike has further reduced its revelance to exist. This is totally beyond human imagination that something exist without a meanigful aim.
It was surprising for me that the countries of Gandhi,Nehru and Nelson Mandella should also aspire to attain that status rather than to work for eradicating this menace.
Fear and deprivation breed terror and terror against terror give strength to the evil forces. The clash of fundamentalism is growing strength day by day. The axis of evil is getting muscles to counter thr gang of devils. So the people were waiting for a change. It has yet to be materialised. There is a faint hope to cling on to. That one day the wisdom of american public will prevail for a real change leading to peace, prosperity and equality.
let us hope that sanity will prevail and develish attitude will be abondon to restore the sanctity of humanity and map of restoring human dignity will be chalked out before humanity succumbs.