HONEST DICTATORS NEEDED....... MQM

HONEST DICTATORS NEEDED.

BY DR.KHURSHID ALAM. Khurshid.alam10@ gmail.com

After 2 years of civilian rule the talk of the town is to change of the government. Strangely this times the demand for dictatorship is from a section of treasury benches.

The morality demanded that firstly they should have accepted their failure and then demanded the change of government. The biggest anomaly in the demand of MQM is that they have chosen alternative before hand, which is the sole prerogative of the masses. It is the decision of the masses to go for honest generals, jurist, or technocrats their choice should not be restricted.

The masses may opt for in-house change or snap elections. Ironically suggestions are not in the political philosophy of MQM they always dictate full road map. Basic political acumen demanded that all that they should have done to accept their incompetence and quit.

The inbuilt weakness in the political body of MQM is that they cannot survive without power. Knowing their weakness well they preferred to give a road map where their accommodation is guaranteed and they are not left out high and dry. Lust of power is a terrible addiction and to detoxify some one from it is not an easy job.

It is a Mafia not a political organisation to understand political science. It is the biggest militarily organised and indoctrinated fascist network believing in a dogma where opposition to the divine leadership is demonstrated in a rucksack on the corner of a busy bazaar. You don’t have to ask its smell speaks. It is highly tight network. No doubt about their popularity in Behari section of Urdu speaking but the big boost to their voters margin is simply due to PHOBIA of the known as their past deeds are no secret. It is a philosophy more in resemblance with Zionism born out of so called victimisation and believing in terrorisation and victimisation.

It was rightly said by Maulana Fazlur Rehman that in their presence no Talibanization of Karachi is needed. It is such a huge Land Mafia that came from 1000 miles and squeezed out native Sindhies from three biggest cities, Karachi, Hyderabad and now Sukkur. It is reliably learnt that when in need Taliban turn to them for help.

Communism did not fail but the communist leadership failed resulting in dismemberment of U.S.S.R. So is the case of democracy in Pakistan. It is the leadership who failed to deliver. There have always been civil governments by the people but were never of the people and by people. It will be failure of the intelligentsia to make the people understand the difference between civil rule and democracy. The main difference is the accountability.

No doubt that present government is a complete flop by any standard. But the alternative has to be decided by the people of Pakistan.

To talk about bloody revolution is draconian idea. Altaf Husain statement is self-contradictory when he says that once the people are out on the street they will see Altaf Bahia on the roads of Karachi. In other words he is asking people to start the bloody game and he will be here. Any revolutionary change needs a leader on the ground that has gone through a process and is aware of ground realities and strike when iron is hot. Altaf Husain will be greatly mistaken to match himself with Imam Khomeini. There was political spadework for years in Iran by clergy and Khalq before Imam appeared on the scene. If the Khalq would have played their cards right the scenario might have been different.

A revolutionary struggle without a leader leads to anarchy. Is MQM preparing ground for anarchy?

The important question to be asked who will be select honest generals? Will it be the board of directors from MQM? Will they lay the criterion for honest and dishonest? Is GHQ aware of their fate?

Will it not be good idea to give time to this civilian wrangling and wait till it gives birth to an acceptable democratic set up. We do know that it is not even a lame democracy but a totally incompetent civil rule. Can we expect MQM to dissociate itself from it and start a mass movement not only in Karachi but also in Pakistan as a whole?

Will it be unfair to ask their leadership to end double loyalty and chose between the crown and Pakistan? Then they will have high moral ground to preach what they think. We as Muslim believe that the time of death is fixed and cannot be postponed for a second. For how long Altaf Bahia will remain in hiding from death if there is really such threat, which I doubt.

We know the special relationship of MQM with the army. They have several joint exercises in late East Pakistan and Sohrab Goth. His return will renew the old contacts and he will be better equipped to bring the desired changes, which he cherished so much for so long.

His time tested ally Muslim League (Q) is ready to join hands. I suggest they should not forget their patron Musharaf and try to convince him to bring to finish his incomplete mission.

I am not very comfortable to see certain people on the wrong side of the fence like Mushahid Husain and Maroti Memon in Q-league and Nisar in N-league but I can’t help. During this civilian anarchy if they were in a proper place and position they might contributed substantially and positively to thwart off the nefarious designs of our revolutionary Qaid.

Dated; 12^th Sep 2010

POST TALIBAN AFGHANISTAN

· POST TALIBAN AFGHANISTAN?

Afghanistan though a poor country, has always been of great interest for foreign adventurist because of its strategic position. As I said earlier in one of my article that if it was a gateway to India. It is a gang way to central Asia; a newly found golden sparrow for the western countries.

Afghanistan was punished for a crime, which they never committed. The importation of Osama, creation of warlords and setting of heroin Industries were all the doings of U.S.A. and United Kingdom. Even the invasion of Soviet Union was preceded by interference in Afghanistan by CIA and ISI. Soviet Union was provided pretext to invade to protect its soft belly while a loyal local surrogate Babrak Karmal was readily available.

There was hardly a section of the society that was not infiltrated by ISI. Pakistan’s growing interference and arming of warlords provided an opportunity to India and Iran to protect their own national interest. Saudi were not behind any one as financier and arms supplier. In this second big game there were many players with many agendas.

Afghanistan was put on fire with a presumption that it will not spread across the Durand line. A frame of mind was created in army and civilian organisations like J.I. that the only cure of the ills of Muslim Ummah and Pakistan is lying in bullet. Zia, Reagan, Mrs Thatcher and J.I were the key players. Afghan land was selected for these nefarious aims. It is a derision of Pakistani officials that they are the victims of terrorism. Yes no one doubts that but who started the game? Who created this frame of mind?

USA under the leadership of Mr. Bush tried his own invented cure of pre-emptive strike to take revenge of twin towers. Instead of punishing the culprit they levelled Afghanistan to zero ground instead of punishing Osama and his mentors. It was their bad luck that they were one of them.

Taliban were defeated but they refused to surrender to Americans. They felt betrayed by Pakistan and Saudi and thought that Pukhtoon state was handed over to non-Pukhtoons. It assumed a nationalist cum religious movement. The subsequent installed government led by Mr. Karzai failed to recognise the reason for insurgency in Afghanistan. They miserably failed or were forced to make this historical blunder not to recognise Taliban as a political force with strong military might and were having the strong military backing of I.S.I.

Mr. Karzai made another mistake to deviate from his own stance that the warlords and those who have any secret dealing with Pakistan will not be allowed to ascend to the power and no collaboration will be sought with them. This about turn resulted in a government that was corrupt from tip to toe and was loyal to their self-interest and the interest of Pakistan. They failed to deliver any thing worth mentioning to the gross roots of the people. An era of loot and plunder started and the public optimism faded away. The public started to lament for Taliban. I.S.I. was there in physically to take advantage.

Instead of talking to the real aggrieved party and opposition they started jirga with Pakistani officials. It was a historical paradox. Jirga is not known to any other nation in subcontinent India. It is one of the important pillars in the code of life of Pukhtoon. It was bound to fail. Had it succeeded Karzai would have given free hand to Pakistan to interfere in future in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.

To expect an undiluted democracy from Karzai is unjustified. These voices are heard from the old guard who are mostly from northern Mahaz. The irony of the fact is that people like Gulabzo, a staunch communist and former ambassador to U.S.S.R, support them.

Nowhere in the world there is undiluted democracy. U.N.O. Is plagued by veto, U.S.A. is having Dollars dictatorship as pointed out by one of the most decorated American writer and journalist. In the cradle of democracy like United Kingdom we have witnessed the most brutal attitude to Irish nationalists.

Afghanistan is a fledgling democracy with no established institutions and still faced with the monstrous insurgency and foreign interference from neighbouring country and having outside army since they have none of their own. It will take ages to have a democracy that is near to its definition. What is hurting is that what they could deliver, they have failed to do like eradicating corruption, nepotism, and provision of basic needs to the common man.

All the ills have stemmed from one great folly that they failed to engage Taliban in a constructive dialogue and to stop double standards visible in the streets. Pukhtoons are right to ask why Ahmad Shah Masood portrait was given the state honour and why Dr. Najeeb portrait was denied that status. This is what I saw, heard and noticed with my own eyes and ears.

I have a firm faith that if Mr. Karzai with all his political acumen, historical vision and knowledge of Afghan psyche can engage Taliban with sincerity and honesty in a national jirga all that is needed to build the bridges of trust. He will not only put his house in order but will cut he foreign hands interfering in Afghanistan internal affairs. Afghan rulers have provided this opportunity to others. If I may remind Mr. Karzai his own words that any one who comes to Afghanistan apparently for whatever reason has its own agenda to carry out. Only afghan can have Afghan agenda.

U.S.A. really wants to bring peace to Afghanistan and get out. They know in their heart that it is impossible for them to win this war. It is a war between two set frames of minds. But what they terribly lack as a nation that they have no knowledge of the psyche of other nations. Wherever they have been they have failed to spot the problem.

The ball lies in the court of afghan rulers. They must realise that they have done nothing for the people. To win the hearts of the people they will dry up the supply line to Taliban and to engage Taliban in a jirga they will gage the foreign interference. In that case they may not need the presence of foreign forces in their soil and will rob the opposition of a strong weapon.

I do realise Afghanistan need a master plan for reconstruction that need peace but we can have a peacekeeping force from nonaligned countries and those Muslim countries that have nothing at stake in Afghanistan. It is shear silliness to ask the foreign forces to leave and not apply the same rule on Osama and other militant organisations backed by Anti Afghan countries or their rulers.

History cannot wait any more. Destructive minds have played their role now the historical afghan sanity must prevail.

Prof. (Dr) Khurshid Alam Khurshid.alam10@gmail.com Dated.15th june2010

Pakistan contemptuous attitude towards Afghanistan?

Pakistan contemptuous attitude towards Afghanistan?

By Dr. Khurshid Alam khurshidalam44@hotmail.com

When the US administration used the term Afpak there was a huge hue and cry in Pakistan. It was considered as diplomatic insult to compare or equate a nuclear power with Afghanistan.

The same feelings were expressed in a diplomatic language by Mahmud Qureshi while having meeting with Hilary Clinton and US envoy to Afpak. In the same breath he asked Americans for mutual respect based on equality. He further requested the US administration to treat India and Pakistan at par.

I see a great paradox in the conduct of foreign relations by Pakistan’s foreign. On one hand equating itself with India and US on the other hand not ready to be equated with Afghanistan. While Afghanistan is a “Watan” mother land of 1000 years old history and existence in some form or the other while Pakistan is a country that has lost its 54% in 22years. Separatist’s movements plague the rest.

Afghanistan has stood the test of the time. Being in turmoil for the last 40 years for many reason but the foreign interventions by neighbouring countries are the main cause. The power struggle between theocracy and liberalism is playing the havoc supported by Pakistan and Iran. It is this tussle being exploited by the unfriendly neighbours. But when it comes to the geographical integrity of the country and national history Afghans are solid like a rock. No doubt Afghanistan is also multiracial country but their history is a binding force.

A person from Bihar has nothing in common with someone from rugged mountains of Khyber Pass rather they are sworn enemies of each other.

After 62 years of its life Pakistan is nonviable state with a failed government. Morally they have gone so low that they are requesting others to respect their sovereignty. On the other hand while Afghans have NATO forces in their land but whenever their national pride is challenged or their history is taken for granted they hit back with same ferocity.

A country or state without national honour has no right to exist. If nuclear capability could deliver strength, honour and superiority USSR would have never bogged down.

It is the national honour that is respected. Have we got any?

So for the nuclear capability is concerned it has become a liability. It is not only the threat from Taliban but also the same mind set in Pak armed forces that is giving sleepless nights to the western world. With that mind set Pak army is not only a threat to the region and world at large but to its own citizen. After the threat by Musharaf followed by the assassination

Chemistry of MQM.

THE CHEMISTRY OF MQM.

By Dr. Khurshid Alam. Khurshid.alam10@gmail.com

Unless you know the chemistry of a subject in discussion it is impossible to reach a logical conclusion. Those who migrated to Pakistan during partition always held themselves on high knob because of their sufferings during migration but more than that they were of the view that they are the companions of the founder of the nation, M.A.Jinnah considered themselves like Muhajirs of Makka in Medina. They viewed themselves more civilised and cultured than the native Pakistanis. No doubt they were more educated and had an advantage over the locals to occupy disks jobs and most of the diplomatic slots.

The emerging educated elite of the Punjab was annoying for them. They were apprehensive that army derives its strength from Punjab and if the educated elites also take their root from the Punjab they will be out of Muhajirs Punjabi alliance that was ruling Pakistan in the first ten years of post independence era.

They were true in their apprehensions and thinking. Roughly by that time Punjab took complete control of the country and the Muhajirs were shown the exit from sensitive posts. Pakistan assumed the shape of a greater Punjab and still maintains the same status. Even the bigger nationality was forced to suffer from minority complex and swim in their own blood to independence.

When I visited the then East Pakistan in 1965 there was hardly a local Bengali in railway and a D.C. from Pukhtoonkhwa told me that CSS officers are mostly from West Pakistan. In the early days of Pakistan the Muhajirs had a total control on white-collar jobs in Pakistan. Their frustration started as they started loosing the grip.

The shifting of the capital to Islamabad followed by the chiefs of armed forces and diplomatic staff did reduce a substantial source of income but Karachi is still the biggest revenue earner of Pakistan estimated roughly 70%. This did not come from heavens but Pakistan invested 80% of foreign loans cum aid were invested in Karachi.

The biggest anomaly of the economics was that both man and consuming powers were forced to chase the industry. Karachi had nothing of its own even the topsoil was to import from other parts of Sindh.

Initially the representative Organisation of Muhajirs was N.S.F. supported by Bengalis, Baloch, Pukhtoons and Arabs. It was a leftist organisation and had a federal character. They lost their hold to J.I. students wing and soon the underground currents of simmering frustrations gave birth to Muhajirs students organisation followed by MQM.

It was the first organisation based on linguistic hatred and believer of terrorism, as it was a child of frustrations. The loss of East Pakistan, the denial by Bhutto government to abolish quota system, and granting Sindhi language the status of national and educational language further increased the hatred and fear in young Muhajirs.

To tighten the grip on the organisation and public alike they militancy and terror was made a part of the party curriculum. They crushed the internal strife and external threats with inhuman brutality. Like Palestinians they killed more Muhajirs than their adversaries. Even someone with a different angle of thoughts was killed and bodies put in sack were demonstrated in busy roads.

Pakistan’s history is punctuated by political assassinations Like Liaquat Ali Khan, Dr. Khan Sahib, Dr. Maulvi Nazir, Mr Bhutto, Benazir and many more political workers particularly from democratic and nationalists schools of thought but there was never a political organisation with in built philosophy of terror and political assassinations. MQM was the first of its kind with experience in East Pakistan and then in Karachi.

With the above backdrop ii becomes very easy to analyse MQM chemically and know its chemistry.

- They consider themselves chosen people of God.

- They migrated from a different place and made a claim on some one else soil and declared it THE PROMISED LAND. The behaviour of the present governor during Musharaf rule speaks volumes on this delusion.

- Their demands are more than their share on population basis. They use olive branch and stick together to achieve whatever they want.

- Divinity, terror, and centralisation of authority are hallmark of their philosophy. To eliminate any dissension is a part of the game.

- The top leadership is always out of the country.

- The collection of terror tax is compulsory. Divinity is incorporated to silence any dissension.

- It was created on the basis oh hatred and now being run on the same.

Keeping all the above in mind it is a true copy of Zionism. The recent killing of Dr. Imran, after keeping him for two years out of politics and the absence of blood on the spot stinks foul. It will be too early to comment on it but it was a brutal act and must be condemned by all sane persons of any school of thought.

It is quite expected from MQM that to divert the attention they may attack the innocent Pukhtoons in Karachi. Pukhtoons should be ready for it mentally but must show maximum restraint and give time to British police to let the cat jump out of the bag. The government of Sindh must take the appropriate steps. Let the dust settle down and I feel that where our agencies failed, Scotland Yard will succeed.

Dated. 18^th Sep. 2010

Yet ANOTHER HOLI WITH PUKHTOONS BLOOD

FROM KABUL WITH LOVE

BACK FROM KABUL WITH LOVE.

BY PROF. (DR.) KHURSHID ALAM khurshidalam44@hotmail.com

It was another chance for me to visit my war torn fatherland. Though I went to attend a conference on non-violence and Bacha khan. We all returned with loads of love and MILLI IHSASAT.

Their hospitality, Love was overwhelming and left me with the feeling that water cannot be divided by sword.

This is the third big game being played on afghan soil. In the last two the players were either two or three but this time the players are countless and one finds difficult to recognise the real parties.

Every player has its own agenda and Afghans are the guinea pigs. On their blood they want to achieve their national vested interests in this strategically important country known as the heart of Asia.

As the President Karzai told us once that only Afghans can save their country because they will be having Afghan agenda.

I observed this time that there is a huge gap between what is said and what is being done. The discussions were scholarly, with intellectual depth but the ground realities were the same when I visited Kabul 3 years ago.

Afghans are out of political game. In most of the places they had boycotted the elections and instead of deciding their destiny by ballot they have opted for bullet. It is for the first time that Afghans lost its majority in the lower house. In the present situation the future is bleak. They are isolating themselves internationally.

The feelings of Afghans that they are subjected to MILLI SITAM were abundantly visible and palpable. The were vocal too.

The most painful aspect was the paralysis of political activists and think tanks to convert their aspiration in action. At times it looked to me that if they have surrendered without fighting a battle.

They were critical of President Karzai but had no alternative of their own. They were using their intellectualism as sand bags to hide from realities.

I got the impression that President Karzai is against the process of political process and organisation. I hope I am wrong but if it is to the contrary then it is further disappointing.

In the present scenario a government can be run but to steer out the country out of this mess with its geographical integrity looks impossible.

In my opinion the absence of political process and organisation have led to a political vacuum where there is no accountability, transparency to check corruption and nepotism in the government or the road map for the future. Good governance is unthinkable without political process and so the winning of the hearts and mind of the people. There is a huge gap between the ruler and the be ruled.

It will be silliness to question the ability and depth of intellect of Mr.Karzai. His hold on his national history is not in question. Deliverance to the people the fruit of good governance and to secure the future of the country by starting the political process and develop the culture of that in diversity there is unity cannot be ignored.

It is the political forums and institutions that could guarantee the future of the country. It needs teamwork. A single person is just like a king with a crown but no cabinet. The earlier the process of building the institutions is started and healthy political process starts rolling the future will remain bleak.

The priorities are to be sorted out according to its importance. Peace is the priority no 1. It was encouraging to note that every one had realised it, the government and even Second line cadre of Taliban that it is the necessity of the time. They have realised that unless the sword follows the book they are the ultimate looser. It is the time for Mullah Umar and Gulbadeen to listen the scream of history and their followers are duty bound to increase their pressure for national reconciliation.

On the other hand the government and the intellectuals on both side of Durand line need to exert their maximum energy for the same purpose. It needs a multi prong approach to the problem of national disintegration with the realisation that Pakistan and Iran can never be trusted and it is against their national interest to see Afghans national integration. Pakistan is milking USA in the name Anti terrorism while forgetting that this monster is their brainchild.

The security is the other issue. Afghanistan is standing alone between the two poisonous neighbours. They need a strong deterring force to protect aggression or interference from the unfriendly neighbouring countries. While the present training is on they should get the services of the armed forces raised during Dr.Najeeb rule. They had proved their ability to repulse Pakistan’s onslaught on Jalal Abad.

Afghanistan in its present is a truncated states unless it is restored to its historical shape it is an easy victim. Faced with enormous challenges but I am confident of Afghan’s national resilience and historical wisdom if used with care they can sort out their priorities as a nation they will come out with purple colour.

Dated.12/11/10