The threat to the federation and the foreign policy

Any federation stands on three pillars. Parliament, judiciary and army establishment. They are walking on a tight rope that needs perfect equilibrium. To maintain equilibrium without encroaching on each other's jurisdiction needs mutual respect that is needed to keep the federation intact but at the same time it is also essential not to be so independent to be unaware of each others. There should not be political divorce. In Pakistan it may sound difficult. Since out of the three the only established institution is armed forces. The other two have to go through a long process to root itself in the soil. They are on shaky grounds. Extreme care should be taken, not to allow the last two institutions to be politicised. It will lead to a disastrous consequences in case. Unfortunately the situation is not that easy in Pakistan, as we consider. Army has been in politics since the inception of the country. To extricate army from political process and make them more professional is not at easy task. It needs high degree of brinkmanship and political acumen, we lack both. We have seen the recent most disastrous results of the politicisation of the army. The loss of more than half the country is a matter of the past but the recent loopholes in our security should be considered seriously. The involvement of the army in politics is always at the cost of professionalism, needed for the security of the country. The three debacles by Egyptian army had the same reason behind. And now we are experiencing the same phenomenon. It has exposed the country to external and internal threats. Uncertainty and sensitivity in of the public about the survival of the state has increased. Unfortunately the Judiciary has chosen the same path. The civic societies regained their sovereignty after a long struggle. It was the judiciary itself to surrender its sovereignty. Day to day problems of the common man are piling up while judiciary is busy to solve the political problems. This judicial adventurism will take some time. The jurists have to digest the newly found liberty and to do its introspection and define its exact role. The parliament and the government has to take a long time to assert itself. It is a fledgling civilian government. The constitutional amendments will have a significant positive repercussions in future if allowed to blossom but needs time. Turkey is the latest example of such change. In the present circumstances the balance is heavily tilted towards the military establishment and the judiciary is at play in this breach. The public feel exposed to internal and external threats and at the same time there is no impartial and literally free judiciary to deliver justice judiciously and inexpensively. Both pillars are eroded by politicisation and have lost professionalism. The parliament and executive are squashed between the two. They need to cleansed and made functional without fear of the two giants. The apex courts have become army garrison. The core commanders are to fall in line at the command. Few politicians have added a fourth pillar, journalism. TV cafe have been established for evening discussions, for those who cannot get audience any where else. It is another mode to ridicule the politicians. It is an electronic parallel government and courts. They have superseded the actual courts in dispensation of the cases and giving verdicts. In this drop back we are faced with diplomatic isolation. The external policy is the reflection of the internal policy. Not only to reflect each other but to supplement each other. We don't have both. Scandaliesm is the corner stone of internal policy and double game of the external policies. The civil and military leadership is scared to admit that our relations with US is equally important as with China. They both are equally critical in its nature and sensitive, having long term political repercussions. The trade with India and improvement of other relations is of vital interest to Pakistan . I can't make any sense to put all the other issues in the freezer, till Kashmir problem is resolved or we capture Delhi and raise Pakistani flag on Lal Qilla. There is a terrible lack of realisation that we can be friends with both as for as it serves our national interests. The same could be applied to to the neighbours. Our foreign policy is based on surrendering one friend for the sake of the other and the nucleus is in delhi. There was a time that we were so close to Iran that we handed over the defence of Karachi to Iran during 71 war. To please the Saudi we put Iran on ice slab. Our foreign and domestic policies are bring run on sectarian basis. The sectarian policies in and abroad are eating up the security of the state like maggots. No one puts all the eggs in one basket. USSR never use to carry it's cosmonauts in one car after return from the space due to fear of an accident on the road and loosing both. It does not need high degree of intellectualism and statesmanship but simply needs common sense, though it is a rare sense. Should we go for confrontation with US till they apologise? It is beyond any comprehension that we could impose our parliamentary suggestions on another country? Our military and civil leadership both lack courage to explain to the public that we need American as much as they need. The civil government is looking towards military establishment and establishment is in a fix because they have played a big role in the radicalisation of the public. Apology is not really the core issue but it is the fear of the known. Have we framed our policy to put it on the table for discussions? Without framing the future relations we have confined our policy to sovereignty and apology. I honestly feel,it is an exercise to divert public opinion. We would have buried both, if it could serve the interest of the establishment The electronic mafia has blown out every thing out of proportion. They have passed the verdict on PM before the process is complete. Mian bothers have taken the responsibility to implement the decision of the court. Both are ridiculing the courts. But our courts take so motto actions in "special" circumstances. The army is tight lipped. Mian sahib is about to start long march on Islam Abad. Sindh and southern Punjab is ready to march on Lahore. I am afraid India may decide to march in Pakistan to settle the issue between north and south as we have no Abraham Lincoln to settle the issues.If Zardari is threat to democracy, Mian is threat to the federation. Once tried he can be trusted again.. Dr. Khurshid Alam London. 27/4/12

The Foreign Policy of Pakistan in doldrums?

The Foreign Policy of Pakistan in doldrums? The international relations of a country are tailored according to the national interest. In the conduct of the foreign relations there is no foe or friend. Today's friend can be tomorrows adversary. The successful foreign policy is the one that create more friends,explore the market for the foreign trade and promote national credibility. We have no such thought out guide lines, the whole country is being run on ad hoc basis since its inception. Ad hoc ism is being defined as the addition of extraneous hypotheses to a theory to save it from being falsified. To save one falsified theory requires endless falsifications. The internal and external policies are formulated to supplement each others. Generally the experts set up the guide lines and the parliament rectifies. In our history, parliament has never been given this honour. The present parliamentary exercise was against the established code of conduct. The horse was tied behind the cart. The parliament formulated a policy and handed over to diplomats to implement. To involve the parliament on this occasion was not due to sudden change of mind set. Parliament was used as a scape goat because the establishment was licking its wounds. The professional image of the establishment was tarnished by successive lapses in the security. The attack on GHQ and naval Head Quarter had multi demential significance and was not easy to swallow. The subsequent two incidents that strained our relations with USA were picked up,for point scoring and public consumption, but handled foolishly. We are not in the present awkward state just out of the blue. There is a chain of events going back to Liaquat Ali. Neither the present incident was the first one of its nature. Our air force facilities in karachi were used in Suez canal conflict and the same facilities were given to Israel during Iraq-Iran war, in return Israel was helping and training mujahideen in Afghanistan. It is silliness to squarely blame US and let our rulers go scot free.. The American action is deplorable but not unexpected. We are strategic ally and US access to our air and ground facilities was an open secret. It was not possible without the tacit support of our rulers. Pakistan was a launching pad to attack Afghanistan. We were in bidding race with India. to keep her out and to rob them of any future regional role, particularly in Afghanistan. We were milking two cows at the same time, as a strategic ally and to be front line state but the front line province was totally ignored. If we presume that there was no memorandum of understanding withUS, then how our land and air facilities were used by USA for the last three decades? And why the establishment let it go unchecked? If the memorandum of diplomatic and strategic understanding was there that should be made public and we should stop to fool the public. After all ISI and CIA were involved in Afghanistan before the invasion of USSR and according to Gen. Hamid Gul, the game was started by Bhutto. USSR invasion was prompted by our rulers to jump in. It is intellectual dishonesty and rape of history that we attach the bloody big game in Afghanistan,to the invasion of Russia. Unfortunately the focal point of our foreign policy is lying in Delhi.The only guiding principle is to oppose any thing that is supported by Delhi irrespective of the ground realities. We as a nation suffering from the delusion of grandeur. We are eating barley but shooting rice. In the conduct of external relation the dependability and trust of the international fraternity are important factors. The responsibility that we have shouldered to be international warriors has discredited us globally. We have stretched ourselves beyond our limits. To us double game is the second name of diplomacy And every time we have been caught red handed. Our Afghan policy had four main aims. The first and foremost was to legitimise illegitimate governments. Second was to go for the lowest possible bid to exclude India. The third was to attain strategic depth. If the last one is not materialised, then, to have a stake in the future of Afghanistan. In other words to impose a government of our cronies and export a sectarian religious philosophy to Afghanistan. We wanted the success of our internal failures in an another sovereign country. And to cash Afghanistan instability to stabilise our country, ignoring that to milk the international players we have to pay back. Money does not speak but if it speaks, it says one word "bend." The most holy and sacred mission was kept secret. The rulers assumed that if the facilities are provided to US and in return whatever is given, will be used in Kashmir and khalistan liberation struggles and training of terrorists for this unholy cause. The terrorism was sown under official patronisation. We rented out our air and ground facilities and they promised to look after our defence needs. It was a straight deal and with no conditionality attached, you scratch my back, I will scratch yours. They were political dwarf to understand that rented launching pad has no sovereignty. Their political acumen of our leaders can be judged that in bipolar world they picked on a superpower that was having the closest proximity to us and now when the world is unipolar we have chosen to go for head on collision with the other super power that was once our saviour and non atheist bed fellow. We ignored a simple fact that if you marry a gorilla for the sake of money when the money is finished the gorilla will still remain gorilla. US played a very negative role. They helped in radicalising the masses and establishment of Pakistan. Though none of the fundamentalists are in power but still they are controlling the government, press and masses. In our this crazy ideological race we didn't even spare China, our great friend? India is of course a sworn in enemy. Our foreign policy is responsible for the brutal crushing of Muslims in eastern China and is creating socio-political problems for the Muslims in India. We defeated the cause of Kashmir due to our own follies. We claimed to be the champions of the right of self determination for Kashmir. The logic demanded that our political parties should keep out of Kashmiri politics. And let Kashmiris rule themselves. But we opted to have Kashmiri government subordinate to Islam Abad. That was self defeating and ferociously contradictory to our so called principled stand, on Kashmir. We should have contributed to the economical and social uplift on our side of Kashmir, to induce an urge and desire in Indian held Kashmir for unification. But it is the opposite, Indian held Kashmir have substantial autonomy and the election are held on regular basis. We should have proved ourselves better than Indian, but...? Siachin is another holy war against nature. One hundred and forty lives perished under the icy slab of snow. Our civil and military leadership is enjoying photo sessions and political scoring. I don't advocate that we are the sole wrong doers but comparatively we contributed more. India is also having Hindu fundamentalists. But there institution are so established and civil bodies are so strong that they have have gone far ahead of us in every sphere. They have six hundred million vibrant class of technically educated youths. They have a broad based strategy to build their economy and their agricultural and industrial growth is far ahead of us. It is beyond comprehension that if we cannot be friends with India, Israel, Russia and US why should we be the enemies? We can play a positive role in Palestinian cause if we are internally stable and internationally credible. Let us be honest to ourselves, can we engage US on air or ground? Who will be the looser? Or if we have trade relations with India, will we not get access to cheap technology? Who will be the beneficiary?If Saudi can understand this simple fact why can't we? The governments keeps on changing but the national policies are continued. We haven't learnt from yesterday, care less for tomorrow and play with today as there is no tomorrow. The three pillars of the government have divorced each other. The fourth newly born pillar, the free press, is adding fuel to the fire. Some time, patience for a while can thwart catastrophe. To blow out the two incidences out of proportion was the most ill conceived idea of point scoring. Our DG of ISI with complete disregard for the protocol, rushed to construct memo scandal and but unaware of two operations conducted in our air and ground spaces, each lasting for two hours. Doesn't it smell foul? The bigs confessed on the floor of parliament that they have the capability and expertise to counter such violations but need permission of the civilian government, as if they always sought the permission of the civilian government? It is the other way round. Had we pursued the path of quite diplomacy we would have avoided exposing our weak points. In my view, there were many options opened but we opted for the path of confrontation without considering the long lasting political repercussions. One of the option was joint action with US against terrorists hot spots. Or we should have taken the total responsibility to target them and asked for technical know how and financial help in return. This would have left US with no alternative but to apologise. It does not fit in any frame of logic that we stop them not to target the terrorist who are threatening their men and women in uniform and do nothing ourselves. Let us show a bit of serenity, logical approach and experiment with truth and honesty. Flexibility is a better alternative to rigidity as it does not lead to a point of no return. Dr. Khurshid Alam London 22/04/2012

Pakistan in diplomatic limbo

Pakistan in diplomatic limbo?

Hardly a day passes without breaking news on Pakistan electronic and printing media. It will be quite cautious statement that all the news on Pakistan's independent channels are breaking news.

US has yet to release his full official response to the revised parliament endorsed policy of Pakistan towards US. But Pakistan press has started the dissection of the expected response. Our so called free press and political pundits have created a chorus of hue and cry. Shouting hoarse about the double standards of US foreign policy.

According to Pakistani electronic media, US is probably offering a mild apology but refuse to accept the denial of hot pursuit policy of targeting the terrorist in Pakistan. The sectarian organisations and the parties to the right of the centre have jointly started the chorus.

The alternative could be that Pakistan take the responsibility to hit the points that threatens world peace. On what moral grounds can we stop another country not to hit the source of threat to their men in uniform? Another graceful alternative is to have joint strategy and avoid double game to restore our international image.

Whether it was Salala or Abbot Abad the opposition and the establishment were using as ploy to oust the Zardari government. Aerial violation is considered a naked violation of our sovereignty but ground violation is conveniently ignored for obvious reason. It was brushed under the carpet for the last ten years since General Musharraf gave it a green signal. None was ready to raise voice when Musharraf was in power.

The establishment started sabre rattling and said that they have the capacity and capability to protect the aerial sovereignty, if the government gives the permission. It was an unusual statement because routinely the military establishment hardly cares to seek permission from civilian government. The temperature soared so high that the COAS refused to receive the commander in chief of the armed forces on his return from abroad as demanded by the rule of business and to brief him on the new developments. The same mind set is visible in the attitude of the chief minister of the Punjab. One fine morning the army chief went on air and ordered the Jawans to shoot down any foreign plane violating the aerial sovereignty without prior permission.

The newly formed defence council of pakistan demonstrated their muscles in Karachi. Supported by all rightest organisations and ex ISI chief General Hamid Gul. It was unwarranted rhetoric. The Jim of Pakistan is going to fix all in three months time,so what is the hurry.

Let us give a benefit of doubt to the establishment that they were completely kept in dark about Abbot Abad incident but I wonder why they failed to intercept and engage US aircrafts who were in our air space for two hours. And military establishment claimed that they were in touch with NATO command. It shows two things either they had no capability or they were scared of the repercussions.

Our journalists adding fuel to the fire by quoting the incidence of Shah Rukh khan, an Indian film star that was quickly followed by an official apology from US. They lamented that our parliament decision were ignored. They fail to comprehend that it is not the individual or institution that matters but the international standing of a country.

The opposition scream hoarse that the parliament is a dummy parliament and the P.M. Is good for nothing. The national destiny is decided in president house. This time when they were asked to chalk out guide lines for the government to pursue its foreign policy. Now they are hands up and saying they have given their recommendations, now it is up to the government to implement. Implement what? To implement Pakistan's parliamentary decision on US government.

The bottom line is to order the Pakistan air force to intercept NATO air force. Can we? If we do it out of an impulse, what could be the repercussions. Are we ready to confront the probable situation? We are living in fools paradise. We are playing with fire. The opposition is pushing the country to an imaginable catastrophe. If the generals could read the political repercussions there would have been no institutions in the world except the armed forces.

What can one achieve by quite diplomacy, is usually not possible by showing of muscles. We are insulting ourselves. We are exposing our weaknesses to the friends and foes. We have become a laughing stalk internationally. Mian fired the nuclear deterrent against the international pressure but there was no foreign force involved. It was an internal policy.

We have taken the responsibility to behave like the international soldiers of holy war? Will it not be better if we confine ourselves to our geographical borders? Those who have invited this wrath must be tried in the court. This is the most important issue that needs the attention of our C.J to take so motto action. Red warrant should be issued against those who have rented out the country. It is not the time to settle personal scores but to save the country. Or otherwise the parliament should issue the orders to go for direct confrontation irrespective of the consequences. The later will be a more logical course of action to take collective decision and subsequent responsibility.

Dr. Khurshid Alam. London

15/04/2012

Pakistan in impasse

IMPASSE OF PAKISTAN.

Pakistan is in a grip of the most unfavourable circumstances both internally and externally. The free electronic media send signals that next morning that there is no tomorrow for Pakistan. No doubt the patient is critical but the obituary is being written by our anchors before the sad demise. Every critical patient needs an intensive care but it seems that none is available.

The electronic media is full of despair and disappointments. Sowing the seed of inability in the masses to rebel or struggle to live. We cry for better leaders but shrug our shoulders to lead ourselves. We want to be obedient but mischievous pliable followers. We are scared to take a dangerous but decisive steps. We blow out our miseries out of proportion to get sympathy. We have lost faith in ourselves to earn respect but demand respect irrespective of our attitudes. We deny every crime and we are caught red handed every day.

Our priorities are upside down and our preferences are at antagonising our expectation. Our present is at odds with our future like our past had the sole responsibility to land us in the present awful state. We shy away from our past and have no courage to challenge our future. We are looking for contractors to shape our destiny and walk away to pay the debts of the past.

We are scared to accept our responsibility and the greater responsibility is to choose to live. We want a system or a culture that ensure our right to speak out but at the same time to make the others deaf to what we utter. Because we are scared to look in the mirror. We criticise but refuse to rectify our selves. Self criticism is dangerously fatal to us without trying it.

None of us know our job but we are doing multiple jobs at the same time. We have made amendments in our constitutions but resist amendments in our intentions and attitudes. We contradict what we have done and accept the responsibility what we have never done nor have the courage to do.

We have no faith in the enormous capability of human mind. But we are always out for shopping to buy crutches to walk around. We live beyond our limits and aspire beyond our capabilities. The wide gulf between our expectation and aspirations is driving us crazy.

We want democracy without democratising our mind. Our words are always higher than our deeds. We are addict to self deception.

We want to live half life and expect the reward of full. We don't live with our full potentials but expect the harvest of the full potentials. We compete with incompatible and equate with unequal. This is the most difficult mental state to be treated. Self realisation is the key to our problems. We have lost self esteem to give us courage to accept the things we cannot change and the strength to change the things we can and the wisdom to differentiate between the two.

Our past is in the robes of divinity, we live in today by impulses and expect tomorrow to have a reality. Nature cannot follow our whims but have certain fixed rules and regulations. We don't obey nature, expect nature to toe our line.

We view things either totally wrong or totally right and resists that the two can exist together. We had some basic amendments in our constitution which will have long repercussion on our future but we are not ready to accept our failures in delivering good governance. We expect a short cut to the corridors of power and never miss a chance to demean the good with the bad and devalue the human values.

Our legislators are busy to do the job of local government but at the same time we forget to realise that majority of them are unaware of legislation. Electoral system is for the "haves" and is not tailored for "have nots." It is the only trade with no risk at all for loss. Invest to day in millions and get tomorrow in trillions. They were awarded the grants for this very purpose to take over the job of local bodies.

Our judiciary has no parallel in comparative history. It surrendered its freedom and was won back by lawyers and civil bodies. It is savagely politicised and Incapable of alleviating the problems of the general masses. They are deeply involved in political decisions. Unfortunately they are selective in that as well. Judiciary has taken an extra judicial responsibility of transfers and postings with additional responsibility to work as police, as lawyers, as jurists and as executioners.

The army is involved in protecting our ideological borders leaving the ground and aerial sovereignty of the country to ABABEELS. Instead of professionalism they dictate the foreign policy and are more worried about the allocation of funds. Nothing internally can be done without their tacit approval.

The journalists, particularly the electronic Taliban are running parallel courts, carry out character assassination and act as anti corruption judges and have sacred duty to demoralise the public to loose faith in the future of the country, preparing them mentally to surrender before the war has started. Their Pakistan is limited to three cities, Islam Abad, Lahore and Karachi. They are on "pay as you go contract." The composition of the panels is against the basic character of federation that shows their mind set.

We have a dummy government with chairs but no authority living on day today strategy to face scandals. Their incompetence has compounded the problems. The shadow cabinet is without vision supporting government when it comes to their interest and oppose for public consumption. The nation is cheated that without Jim no body can fix it. Jim is waiting for sonami to get momentum.

In this state of affairs, is there any possibility to think of better tomorrow? No sane person will call the present set up a democratic system. But one thing is sure that unlike dictatorship there will be no vacuum when the tenure is over.

It is the result of prolonged military rule that there is paralysis of thinking process and inability to frame a strategy for the long run.The masses cannot be fooled for more than twice. If every thing is washed away from Indian parliamentary history, Nehru will be remembered for establishing the parliament and till early eighties the members of Indian congress used to act as opposition. Froze Gandhi was one of the arch opposition leader to his father in law.

No doubt that problems are enormous but it is of utmost importance that public morale should be boosted rather than shattered. National wisdom and courage cannot be defeated. It is better to have incompetent civil rule than the competent dictatorship of the armed forces. Lame democracy is far better than general Franco stable government for thirty year.

Have we the moral courage as a nation to opt for life and stop to sign our death certificate before it actually happens?

Dr. Khurshid Alam

14/04/12. London

Pakistan in impasse

IMPASSE OF PAKISTAN.

Pakistan is in a grip of the most unfavourable circumstances both internally and externally. The free electronic media send signals that next morning that there is no tomorrow for Pakistan. No doubt the patient is critical but the obituary is being written by our anchors before the sad demise. Every critical patient needs an intensive care but it seems that none is available.

The electronic media is full of despair and disappointments. Sowing the seed of inability in the masses to rebel or struggle to live. We cry for better leaders but shrug our shoulders to lead ourselves. We want to be obedient but mischievous pliable followers. We are scared to take a dangerous but decisive steps. We blow out our miseries out of proportion to get sympathy. We have lost faith in ourselves to earn respect but demand respect irrespective of our attitudes. We deny every crime and we are caught red handed every day.

Our priorities are upside down and our preferences are at antagonising our expectation. Our present is at odds with our future like our past had the sole responsibility to land us in the present awful state. We shy away from our past and have no courage to challenge our future. We are looking for contractors to shape our destiny and walk away to pay the debts of the past.

We are scared to accept our responsibility and the greater responsibility is to choose to live. We want a system or a culture that ensure our right to speak out but at the same time to make the others deaf to what we utter. Because we are scared to look in the mirror. We criticise but refuse to rectify our selves. Self criticism is dangerously fatal to us without trying it.

None of us know our job but we are doing multiple jobs at the same time. We have made amendments in our constitutions but resist amendments in our intentions and attitudes. We contradict what we have done and accept the responsibility what we have never done nor have the courage to do.

We have no faith in the enormous capability of human mind. But we are always out for shopping to buy crutches to walk around. We live beyond our limits and aspire beyond our capabilities. The wide gulf between our expectation and aspirations is driving us crazy.

We want democracy without democratising our mind. Our words are always higher than our deeds. We are addict to self deception.

We want to live half life and expect the reward of full. We don't live with our full potentials but expect the harvest of the full potentials. We compete with incompatible and equate with unequal. This is the most difficult mental state to be treated. Self realisation is the key to our problems. We have lost self esteem to give us courage to accept the things we cannot change and the strength to change the things we can and the wisdom to differentiate between the two.

Our past is in the robes of divinity, we live in today by impulses and expect tomorrow to have a reality. Nature cannot follow our whims but have certain fixed rules and regulations. We don't obey nature, expect nature to toe our line.

We view things either totally wrong or totally right and resists that the two can exist together. We had some basic amendments in our constitution which will have long repercussion on our future but we are not ready to accept our failures in delivering good governance. We expect a short cut to the corridors of power and never miss a chance to demean the good with the bad and devalue the human values.

Our legislators are busy to do the job of local government but at the same time we forget to realise that majority of them are unaware of legislation. Electoral system is for the "haves" and is not tailored for "have nots." It is the only trade with no risk at all for loss. Invest to day in millions and get tomorrow in trillions. They were awarded the grants for this very purpose to take over the job of local bodies.

Our judiciary has no parallel in comparative history. It surrendered its freedom and was won back by lawyers and civil bodies. It is savagely politicised and Incapable of alleviating the problems of the general masses. They are deeply involved in political decisions. Unfortunately they are selective in that as well. Judiciary has taken an extra judicial responsibility of transfers and postings with additional responsibility to work as police, as lawyers, as jurists and as executioners.

The army is involved in protecting our ideological borders leaving the ground and aerial sovereignty of the country to ABABEELS. Instead of professionalism they dictate the foreign policy and are more worried about the allocation of funds. Nothing internally can be done without their tacit approval.

The journalists, particularly the electronic Taliban are running parallel courts, carry out character assassination and act as anti corruption judges and have sacred duty to demoralise the public to loose faith in the future of the country, preparing them mentally to surrender before the war has started. Their Pakistan is limited to three cities, Islam Abad, Lahore and Karachi. They are on "pay as you go contract." The composition of the panels is against the basic character of federation that shows their mind set.

We have a dummy government with chairs but no authority living on day today strategy to face scandals. Their incompetence has compounded the problems. The shadow cabinet is without vision supporting government when it comes to their interest and oppose for public consumption. The nation is cheated that without Jim no body can fix it. Jim is waiting for sonami to get momentum.

In this state of affairs, is there any possibility to think of better tomorrow? No sane person will call the present set up a democratic system. But one thing is sure that unlike dictatorship there will be no vacuum when the tenure is over.

It is the result of prolonged military rule that there is paralysis of thinking process and inability to frame a strategy for the long run.The masses cannot be fooled for more than twice. If every thing is washed away from Indian parliamentary history, Nehru will be remembered for establishing the parliament and till early eighties the members of Indian congress used to act as opposition. Froze Gandhi was one of the arch opposition leader to his father in law.

No doubt that problems are enormous but it is of utmost importance that public morale should be boosted rather than shattered. National wisdom and courage cannot be defeated. It is better to have incompetent civil rule than the competent dictatorship of the armed forces. Lame democracy is far better than general Franco stable government for thirty year.

Have we the moral courage as a nation to opt for life and stop to sign our death certificate before it actually happens?

Dr. Khurshid Alam

14/04/12. London

Arab awakening hijacked

ARAB AWAKENING. HAS IT BEEN HIJACKED?

Note: Being the regular reader of Mr. Umair Haque blogs I found a lot that is of interest to me. He normally writes on economic issues and I am a political worker but some times he gives words to my thoughts, "The great collision" was one of many blogs.The para from his blog are given at the bottom.

Arab awakening was the second great phenomenon in Arab history. The revolution by Jamal Abdul Nasir against king Farooq was a mile stone and has its own place in history. Nasir was an indigenous Arab and legendary person. He gave Arabs their stolen identity and status. His legacy will continue. It is not necessary that a legend should be a good politician. Charles de Gaulle was the other example in that period of time.

Nasir nationalisation of Suez and his anti US stance were his great achievements. It was followed by the collapse of monarchical era in middle east. To check his popular appeal of Arab nationalism Americans were quick to prop up king Faisal of Saudi Arabia but he was hardly a match to Nasir . Nasir ruled over hearts of the masses.

The present Arab awakening is a grass roots phenomenon. The rise of the tide was not unexpected but the ferocity was. The lull in Arab world was manifesting itself time to time in a sporadic fashion against the despots, who were vicious and cruel.

The most deadly factor in any circumstances is the fear from fear. The second problem attached with dictatorship is that it creates vacuum. In the vacuum the masses have paralysis of thinking process and the rulers take care that expression of ideas find no way to seep down to the roots of the society. The flow of information is curtailed and the right to assemble are denied. The denial of freedom to assemble and expression manifest itself in individual act.

Collectivity is replaced by individuality. The individual resolve is weakened by fear. This is against the basic human instinct. The human evolution is a natural intrinsic phenomenon that can be stalled but not stopped. As said that one can crush a flower but cannot stop spring to come in full boom.

The human society cannot be gagged. Evolution is basically a process of conscious thinking that result in a chain of events. When the process is ripe it results in change. If the change is suppressed by force, the law of nature comes in to action and there is equal and opposite reaction, that is most commonly accompanied by violence.

The vacuum created by dictators always invite an influx of anarchists. The saner elements are some times sidelined if not organised as happened in Iran. Emotion rides over logic because emotions are more appealing to masses compare to logic.

The present Arab awakening and mass uprising against shah of Iran are the two most recent examples. The shah of Iran was replaced by theocratic dictatorship. The history repeats itself, now international and regional thugs are going to hijack the Arab awakening.

The local repercussion are in the form of most heinous crimes against humanity.

The two important local players Iran and Saudi Arabia, have tightened the grip of terror on their subjects by executions of people on flimsy pretext and to fragmentise the mass uprising on sectarian basis. Iran is playing the Shia card while the Saudi is championing the Wahhabism. The capital punishment in the two countries have been multiplied many times to creat fear. The justice system is tailored to suit the rulers. The trial of late prime minister of Iran lasted for two minutes, a shining example of fair trial?

When Arab awakening started there was a mixture of hopes and despairs, joy and fear. The hopes and joy were inevitable but the fear of hijacking the movement had logical reasons. As mentioned above there was a huge vacuum created by a centuries old despotism. The lack of organisation, the absence of well thought strategy and the non existence of popular leadership were all pointing towards the realisation of fear and despair. We hope not, but it looks that the evil forces have succeeded in their nefarious designs. Our fear had some ground.

In Egypt the army is well dug in politics and is the biggest stake holder in the financial sector. It is holding roughly 25 to 40 percent share in national economy. They are bidding on all possible winning horses in presidential race. And have the advantage to have the final say.

It is least likely to surrender so easily to the history written in Tahreer Square. The Egyptians have to be ready for a second round. It seems the demand of history is more than expected, probably as a punishment for their long silence.

In Yemen the Saudi and US jointly thwarted the direction of mass uprising. The tribalism is the most organised tool to sabotage a national uprising. The late president made himself indispensable like any other dictator. In thirty years of his rule he planted his relatives in the most important and sensitive positions. If it is not impossible, but is certainly most difficult task for the present government to take the cleansing of the official apparatus to its logical end.

Bahrain sheikhdom is another example of US Saudi joint venture. The sting has been taken out of the movement. If there is some change it will be no more than a white wash in the white house. If the majority of Shia sect does succeed in its second attempt with the help of Iran, it will be another sectarian mole in Arab national body.

Libya is a basket of intra tribal rivalry. It is a lot easy to get freedom from a tyrant but it is extremely difficult to avoid another treachery. All factions are armed. To them the logic is the one which comes out with a big bang from the barrel.

The Syrian uprising was in fragments before it erupted. The breaches were fully exploited by the Saudi and Iran. Now it is a sectarian war and has been totally misdirected. The poor Syrian are the victim of the local evils, supported by international devils.

Is it some thing without precedence? No if I am forgiven for my bluntness. Any uprising or liberation struggle that has no properly groomed organisation on the back, with well thought out strategy and disciplined cadre is an easy prey to hijacker. They are bound to back fire. As the uprise is spontaneous and sudden so is its fizzling out. Individualism take the priority over collectivism. Revolution become an anarchy, an unlimited freedom of individuals not of the society.

The international power first try to retain the status quo as it is easier for them to deal with one person but if they fail to save the saviour then they thrive in instability and anarchy. Anarchy and instability provides market for the sale of arsenal, the biggest thriving industry unaffected by recession and gain on destruction and human misery. The humanity becomes the gun powder and is consumed by the evil process. Humanity instead of reaping the harvest of its sacrifices is being reaped by the devilish process.

"We want contracts that don't steal our future — but we're often unwilling to walk away from those that already have. Perhaps we feel a sense of moral responsibility to pay our debts — but I'd suggest the greater, perhaps greatest moral responsibility is choosing to live."

"The great collision isn't (just) tides of protestors crashing into barricades manned by helmeted riot police: nor is it billions of tiny choices to defect from yesterday's broken institutions; to no longer play by a viciously exploitative set of rules that, if obeyed to the letter, will probably leave one broke, miserable, and broken. It's not a global Arab Spring, nor simply the millions of human awakenings that must precede it — but a collision against the self that's the result of an inability to rebel; the collision of the conformist with the need to create the future."

Extracts from the great collision by Umair Haque

Dr. Khurshid Alam

14/04/2012

Terrorism and Libearation struggle

TERRORISM AND LIBERATION STRUGGLE?

Terror is an environmental state that induce fear in a society collectively or in an individual. It has become of paramount importance to draw a line between the two and has assumed more importance since the incidence of nine eleven and the collapse of USSR.

It is essential to differentiate between a crime and terror. A single act of a terror may be politely called a crime. Whether it is pre planned or an act of impulse. The non continuation of similar behaviour can be safely categorised as an act of aggression.

On the other hand terrorism is the commitment of atrocities with perpetuation and induction of fear. The element of an impulse is either minimal or non existing in terror It is a conscious and continuous process with high degree of sustainability and commitment with variable degree of continuity.

In my opinion any act that devalues the values of humanity is a terrorism. As Stalin said, one death is a tragedy but many deaths are statistics. If you look at this statement philosophically it is evident from the word "statistics" that human losses has been given a commercial meaning. This is a typical example of the devaluation of human values.

Terrorism and liberation struggle both have a victor and a victim or an aggressor and the aggressed. It is the mind set behind,which makes the difference. The terrorism have different forms like state terrorism or a group of loosely organised bandits to terrorise the society for their motives. But net result is the same that is the disruption of peace.

But to be less philosophical and more simpler, any aggression that deprive a section of humanity of its values or rob them to exercise their free will to live according to their wishes and whims, is terrorism. In addition, inhibitions on free process of thinking or imposition of a system or an ideology that is alien to their values and objective conditions is a part of terrorist philosophy. In other words intolerance to a peaceful dissent is terrorism even against an established state. We must differentiate between peace and silence.

The liberation struggle can be differentiated from terrorism by one point. The first one is a an aggressive act to acquire lost freedom of free thinking and to get control of power to run their home according to their own wishes and dreams. It is the struggle to get back the robbed human dignity and power without any intention to harm or hate others. An aggressive act to get rid of a more stronger and vicious aggression but with no designs to deny the same rights to others. In terror it is to capitulate and freedom struggle it is to end capitulation.

To equate a catapult or arm sling with tank and cluster bombs is also terrorism. It is not essential to be involved in violence. Providing a moral base to an immorality is an immoral terrorism.

Any aggressive act to impose alien ideas or a system on some one else and to rob freedom of movement and expression is terrorism. To acquire freedom from this aggression is a freedom struggle. The means are the same but the ends are different . The common factor is act of aggression. In one aggression is used to attain liberation and the second aggression is used to impose occupation. This occupation may be physical , mental , cultural or economical. The struggle to get these rights back, is liberation.

It is of no significance whether it is organised atrocities like state terrorism or loose when people resort to aggression. One has the element of compulsion, the other has the element of greed and hegemony. But the irony is that the victims in both cases is peace and prosperity.

Dr. khurshid Alam London. 5/4/2012

17- Dean Close E9. 6 ES

Happiness

HAPPINESS?

The intellectuals and philosophers have tried to define happiness or give a meaning to happiness. It is not an easy task because it is a state of mind or it is a feeling. It is hard to tailor happiness in words. It has no body and not measurable.

Oscar Levant thinks it is not some thing you experience but some thing you remember. If remembrance is happiness some times it is too painful. Happiness and pain is in contradiction with each other. The other intrinsic problem is that unless you can give a definition to some thing that is just the opposite of what you want to define it is difficult to make sense out of it. In this case we cannot define sadness or gloom. That is also a form of mental state or feeling.

To make a mental picture is a concept and to explain a concept about feelings is distortion of its originality. As some one has put it," that awareness of universe is called conceiving and what we know about universe is a conception." If we take this as the nearest statement to conception and conceiving, we have to ignore the process of evolution of universe and human mind. Ghani has rightly said that human mind is a child of a change. It invariably wants a change every time and is not contend in stagnation.

Happiness is not a station you arrive at but the manner of travel to the the station as said by a thinker. This statement leaves the discussion wide open.

Gandhi has described happiness when intentions, expression and achievement are at harmony with each other. If my understanding does not mislead me that means harmony between conscious and subconscious.

Dr Khurshid Alam London 5/4 2012

Pak US relations

PAKISTAN AND US STRAINED RELATIONS.

Foreign policy is always dictated by the internal situation in a country. There are certain factors that invariably effect the country's importance internationally. Every country tailor it's foreign policy according to its national interest except Pakistan, where it is tailored in the interest of the ruling junta.The reality of friends and foes on the international stage doesn't stretch beyond mare diplomatic gestures. A slight whim of wind can turn today's friends into enemies overnight. For historical references I would rather spare your intellectual faculties.

An effective foreign policy underpins essential factors such as geo strategic positioning of the country, the political and economic stability, its political reliability and dependability.

No doubt Pakistan has geo political importance in the present circumstances. Afghanistan is on fire, while Iran's extravagance, fundamentalism and its vainglorious posturing is threatening it's neighbours and world at large. Middle East is going through a turmoil. Central Asian states are having their own problems. China ever continuing economical expansion has made west more worried and uncomfortable.

Had Pakistan political stability and economic soundness it would have been the ripe time to exploit the situation to the best of its national interests. Unfortunately Pakistan is not in that position. It has a shaky political system. The institutions are at war with each others. None is bothered to remain in its jurisdiction. Financially it is a non viable state. Power shortage has shaken the industrial basis. And the common man sufferings are on increase.

Judiciary is not showing activism but is on the path of adventurism. The same is the case with so called free journalism they are running a parallel government. Our political debates are no more than cock's fighting. Army is not ready to accept civilian authority. Parliament has been made irrelevant. Good governance is not in sight. The last factor has two reasons. The government is corrupt and have no cohesive policy nor the statesmanship to steer out the country of the mis.

It is faced with scandals, accusations, adventurism of jurists and journalists. From memo scandal to NRO every thing is hanging on its head like a sword.

No institution is working in its jurisdiction but interferes in others. The weakest of all is the government. The law of nature that every thing flows in the direction where there is least resistance.

As a student of politics it is surprising for me that jurists are concerned with the security of the country, the army is worried about foreign relations, the opposition is visionless and is waiting for Jim to fix the things. Neither they quit the parliament nor has any alternative program to offer to allay the sufferings of a common man.

The important centres of the army are being targeted. The ground and air space is continuously being violated but our army is more concerned about foreign policy and allocation of foreign aid.

The lower judiciary is being eaten up paw by paw by corruption but the higher judiciary is too busy in political cleansing. There is phobia in the judicial institution. The CJ is like chief of Staff of the army the rest are expected to fall in line or face the consequences. Cleansing in the lower courts were done in Iranian style. No body was given a chance to prove his innocence but were asked to resign. C.J instead of putting his house in order is determined to take revenge from the government.

It is a load of rubbish to say that judiciary showed a lot of patience but were forced by the adamancy of the government to take a tough decision. They are least bothered of its fall outs and political repercussions. In reality they were waiting for the breach to appear between government and the establishment.

The present government of Pakistan has least power and most regularly condemned. Government is on receiving end from all three institutions. Government is under the barrels of guns from all sides. Establishment, judiciary, journalists, and opposition, who is ruling 64 percent of the country.

The central government is taking punches right in face from its own ally MQM. It is a beleaguered government keeping themselves in chair on the basis of daily strategy. The government did show its resilience in this odd circumstances. Zardari proved his political acumen.

The country is faced with internal insurgency in Baluchistan and terrorism waves are striking each and every nook of the country. There is hardly an institution without corruption.

The forces on the right and clergy is strengthening its grip on the government and masses. The defence council is yet another Jim of the establishment. Sonami and zalzala are the other two. Both signify destruction. But Jim will fix it in three months is still buzzing the atmosphere. The two hopes of the free journalists are Imran Khan and sheikh Rashid.

In this back drop I wonder is there any logic to have confrontation with Americans. Have we thought over it with sanity? Are we not providing an excuse for NATO to stay on our borders? Or we not inviting further violation of air space?

It makes me laugh to look at this height of stupidity to invite unwanted guests to violate our ground sovereignty but show such an abnormal sensitivity to air violation. It is important that our rulers should at least put the risk involved to have confrontation with USA and repercussions of stopping ground supply to NATO forces and leave it to the public to decide. Pakistan is digging it's own grave in my humble opinion.

The Americans too did not play its cards properly. They are also responsible for strengthening the rightists forces in Pakistan. US played in the hands of fundamentalists and establishment. The belligerent journalism played a terrible role. They blew out every thing out of proportion.

It is the time we should stop impulsive politics. We need Americans and they need us. If they find the alternatives then we will be on our knees. Our armed forces are totally dependent on US. We have no technical know how. Our economy is in shambles. Our institution are yet to be established. The peace in the country is yet to be restored. The power crisis and souring inflation are yet to be checked.

To add to all these problems we are going for direct confrontation with US. To down one drone or to put on fire 20 oil tankers can invite unimaginable wrath. It is like putting the integrity of the country at stake. If the Americans are not friends why they should be forced to become our enemies. If we further want to cement our relationship with China, it should not be by dumping America. It will be another silliness to take out eggs from one basket and putting all in another one. Was it not the fact that indian advance was stopped by Americans on Bahawalpur sector. When it was a matter of hours that india would have cut the railway line and would have divided the country in to two like Korea, in 1971-2

We are impulsive flock and shut to ground realities. If certain sectors are determined to disintegrate the country they should have the strength of character to come out and say it.

Prof. Khurshid Alam. London 4/4/2012