“All these references (about granting of extension to DG ISI) are nothing but disinformation,” the Prime Minister said while talking to media men upon his return from Davos after attending World Economic Forum there. …

Read more » The News

….. All the misdeeds and misdemeanours of the army here have gone unchallenged and mostly misreported or under-reported. One cannot expect bumbling civilian prime ministers who regularly eat crow after blurting out against the army to hold them to account. The judiciary dilly-dallies on missing persons and kill and dump issues because it has never been people-friendly. Atrocities and injustices are possible because people have become too docile and too obedient and have abdicated their right to protest.

Howard Zinn rightly said, “Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience. Our problem is that people are obedient all over the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity, and war, and cruelty. Our problem is that people are obedient while the jails are full of petty thieves…(and) the grand thieves are running the country. That is our problem.”

As long as the people continue to accept injustices and atrocities being perpetrated against them or others, the ‘grand thieves’ will remain in power everywhere and atrocities will not cease. The plea of ‘negligent dereliction of duty’ will always come in handy to the perpetrators if those judging them are of their ilk. Only when people will give up their docility and obsequiousness will justice be done and be seen to be done. And therein lies the solution to the injustices and atrocities anywhere in the world.

To read compete article » Daily Times

Read more » Finnair

Businesses owned by militaries around the world pose unique corruption risks to the sectors in which they operate, a new report found.

The report, released Thursday by Transparency International’s U.K. Defence and Security Programme, looks at how military-owned businesses are structured, what the inherent corruption risks are for these firms, and why and how the countries have made reforms to their military-owned companies.

“Once the military begins to engage in economic activities, it is often difficult to end such practices. In most situations, corruption becomes rampant and a major problem which (sic) harms the state and the national economy as well,” the report said.

Introducing a profit motive into the military increases the chance for distraction, the report said. Looking at case studies in China, Indonesia, Turkey and Pakistan, the report found that distraction often leads to outright graft, and in the more extreme cases that manifests itself in the form of embezzlement of state funds, tax fraud and even brutal coercive practices on workers. …..

Read more : The Wall Street Journal

The Pakistan’s current political crises, is the most horrific tussle among its top institutions, has morphed grievous consequent deadlocks for the running of the affairs of the state. In order to understand its fundamental reasons, here, we would need to analyze its background circumstances.

1). The Pakistani military is no more a mere security agency , but an industrial and business corporation, in real terms. The economic and business positions of the army Generals, has over taken in many folds, the volume of the civilian business enterprises  on the basis of these economic interests, being a class in stalk ,the political privileges, advantages and access to power or supremacy over the political dispensation is for now realized to be an oxygen for them . Therefore , military, as a class no way can afford any civilian government to deliver things  independently without their prior approval .

2). Among ,the many businesses of the army, apart from industries and import -exports , “JEHAD” is adapted to be the most credible business corporation ,which has been for long greatly flourishing in leaps and bounds , under US imperialist’s patronage for the last 40 or so many years ,as a result almost all 5 stars Generals and Major Generals have turned billionaires and down to the rank of Majors ,have become Millionaires ,in quite short span of life.

3). The Obama’s administration ( democrats ), seems interested to work out some settlement for the Afghan issue, in order to cut down its colossal expenditures , there . They earnestly aspire for to have been successful in installing a US amicable government in Kabul, which would mean for the Pakistani Generals to wash off hands from the Jihad dividends . Consequently, the Generals have to resort, applying every means to keep up the past madcap policy on Afghanistan intact, so as to let the Jihad business go on . The present elected government, has opted, greatly, a US harmonious policy on this issue.

4). There is also, exists a profound contradiction between the army and the civilian government over the establishment of relations viz a vis, India concerned . The Pakistani government desires to normalize relations with India, which is a total opposite perspective to the basic policy stand of the Generals. Keeping the Kashmir issue alive at all costs to legitimate the false security apprehension from India, so as to justify the persistent un-auditable increase in military budget and its personnel strength . This is subject to keep intact the security state, status of Pakistan, through enhanced empowerment and role granted to play by the military institution.

5). There exists another substantial difference between the civilian government and the army, over the policies of Pentagon /Republicans viz a viz concerning Iran . We understand ,that there are two power centers in America . One is White House and the other is Pentagon . Similarly, in Pakistan too ,two power centers have been evolved ; the presidency ,supported by the parliament and the progressive ,liberal democratic forces of the society ,where the GHQ ( General Head Quarters ) is the second power center ,which enjoys the overwhelming support of the Judiciary ( Supreme court of Pakistan ) ,the coterie of the extremist religious fundamentalists and the center of the right forces of the country .

The fore mentioned differences between the two power centers has reached its climax ,and its further deterioration is a wide reason ,that Pentagon ,one of the power centers in America ,seeking ,under afresh terms and conditions ,the logistical support and help of the Pakistan army ,in the wake of possible military action against Iran . Where the civilian government, trying to somehow tactfully maneuver ,the White house, in effort to divert the impending US military doom against Iran . At the same time ,the failure in the considered strategic depth policy of Pakistan regarding Afghanistan and the enhanced role due under play by India ,there is high reason for the Pakistani Generals ,to express deep abjection to White House ,also .

There does not exist even an iota difference between the civilian government and the Pakistani Military establishment about the IMF and world’s bank imperialist economical policies .

The supreme court of Pakistan has morphed into being a de-facto respondent, readly knuckles to put to trial the civilian government ,in almost every pretext able situation in order to default the civilian dispensation ,at all costs . But ironically it is totally numb and dumb in matters of public interests ,the military operation ,genocide in Baluchistan ,the thousands disappearing of the political workers and their subsequent heinous murders and the ISI undue interference in the political affairs of the state . That’s why, now a greater majority of the conscious Pakistani polity has started calling “Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Choudhry , the Lieutenant General Iftikhar Mohd Choudhry”.

The way, the current government has resorted to run the affairs of the state in utter political inability, nepotism , corruption, along with the diktats of the world’s economic and imperialist institutions, has resulted in sky rocketing inflation, and catastrophic crises in the services and production sectors are due to unfold.

Every time, when, there is in power, an elected government, then the progressive left and Communist forces, do evolve joint strategies for binding the government to democratic dispensation as well as finding ways to relieve it from the pressures of imperialist economic institutions and military establishment’s dictates. At the same time , the military bureaucracy starts hatching conspiracy pretexts for bringing down the government, in which scenario ,the pro-people forces have to step back and put into force every strength to protect the elected system. If,  in case the government is brought down prematurely, then these progressive and left forces, have to take two steps back from its class struggle front, in order to fight against dictatorship, forging in unwanted alliance with the rolling class. Because ,the dictatorial regimes not only strangulate the public’s democratic rights , but also kick off the notorious “JEHAD” business corporation by staunch reorganization of the obscurant and Jehadi militants . The whole society engulfs into religious sectarianism. In our point of view, the rolling Junta must be allowed to complete its due term, the deposing authority from power must lie with the people, either through vote, mutiny or whatever. In the current critical situation, there is not only looms a substantial danger for the elected government, but the army has tasked to assemble together all the so called moderate religious (extremist obscurantist ) forces, in the name of change, under the leadership of Imran khan. And on the other hand, at the same time, around “Jumat-u-ddawaa” ( Lashkar-e-tayeba ), the drive for unification of all JEHADI political and Center of the right forces, in the name of “Pakistan’s defense council” would greatly end up quite soon in making Pakistan a medieval theocratic state. Internally in Pakistan, lives would be further greatly endangered for progressive and democratic individuals. Similarly, interferences in the region by the religious forces would boom up and as a result Pakistan would become an epicenter of the devastating crusades . Present in the society, Center left, center of the left , left, the left nationalist forces of Baluchistan, Shiaa and other religious minority forces support the current government, only for the obvious above stated reasons and do raise their joint voices for election only in time , matured . They are now facing harsh persecutions, threats, intimidations and oppressions, at the hands of the religious extremist forces. On one side ,there is an armed institution along with its armed to teeth Jehadi bands ,fully backed by the supreme court of Pakistan against the meek unarmed progressive secular democratic forces ,believing in the popular strength of vote . This collision is fast intensifying. Due to default economic policies of the elected government, the forces for democracy ,ironically sticking to a very loose pitch.

In this situation ,we resort to the real popular front i.e. trade unions , peasantry movement ,women and students, ought to be organized to fight back these audacious fascist forces . The Communists should reorganize its various fronts ,according to the prevailing circumstances ,in order to provide an alternative political force in the society, where the left forces should unite on minimum program ,for holding workers conferences, peasantry conferences, students, youth conferences and women conferences, highlighting the struggle for their rights, is to be the core objective agenda for Pakistani political culture .

For the 3rd stage ,showing the strength ,the left forces must develop inter mutual working relationship along with the other secular democratic forces of the country for tracking forward the elected system towards true stable democratic dispensation for future and peace in the region and beyond .

Communist Party of Pakistan, International department.

Courtesy: Pakistani e-lists/ e-groups, January 29, 2012.

In Hyderabad, the workers of Sindh Bachayo Committee took out a rally from Hyder Chowk to SP Chowk, during that the protesters clashed with the police and the same situation was occurred in Karachi when a crowd of  ethnic elements (gundas) on Motor cycles  tried to stop the marching Sindhiyani Tahreek activists on M.A. Jinnah road but the brave Sindhiyani Tahreek workers handled the situation … Two women activists injured.  In other parts of Sindh nearly 117 workers were detained in the crackdown operation against Sindh nationalist parties by the police.

Received via email.

Last weekend saw the widespread condemnation and sustained social media campaign against Maya Khan culminate with the firing of the contentious host from Samaa TV. ….

Read more » Pak Tea House

By: Israr Ahmad

RAWALPINDI – A passenger was arrested by Airport Security Forces (ASF) for misbehaving with an airhostess, as she stopped him from smoking in the plane here on Saturday.

The arrested passenger, Wajid Saleem, a resident of Kotli Satian, was being interrogated by the ASF while police have also been called by Benazir Bhutto Islamabad International Airport (BBIIA) management. As per details, the flight of Pakistan International Airline (PIA) PK-308 was coming from Karachi to Islamabad when a passenger lit a cigarette in the plane. The airhostess, Sanan Arbaz, barred him from smoking in the flight which made the passenger angry and he started misbehaving with the airhostess.

The flight staffers also tried to stop the passenger from misbehaving with airhostess but in vain. On this the pilot of the flight informed ASF, which took the passenger into custody after landing the flight.

Courtesy: The Nation

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/national/17-Apr-2011/Man-held-for-misbehaving-with-airhostess

Via – Twitter

By Asad Jamal

In a press release issued on January 25, 2012, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) expressed its concern over the convening of the inquiry commission for the so-called memo affair. The ICJ, while calling for respecting the rights of former ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, said there are legitimate concerns that in doing so the “SC may have overstepped its constitutional authority and that this action could undermine the ongoing Parliamentary inquiry”. Can the honourable judges of our apex court ignore the views of the ICJ?

A well-reputed international organisation whose responsibilities include ensuring respect for international human rights standards through the law, the ICJ has many internationally acclaimed jurists as its members. It is important that its views on this issue do not go unnoticed.

The global legal fraternity fully supported Pakistan’s legal community in its struggle for the restoration of judges. The ICJ was one international organisations which issued a number of statements from 2007-2009, in support of the Lawyers’ Movement and issued a particular one in 2009 upon the restoration of the chief justice. The growing international scrutiny and criticism of certain recent actions of the Supreme Court is thus disturbing; more so, because an impartial judiciary needs recognition from its peers abroad for credibility.

There has also been adverse reaction to barring Mr Haqqani from travelling abroad, even though no charges had been filed against him and he is not an accused person but only a potential witness in the probe ordered by the Supreme Court.

The political developments in Pakistan have also attracted negative international media attention. The ICJ’s observations must be seen in the light of what is being published in the international media which, interestingly, is drawing its analysis from quotes by lawyers within Pakistan. This only affirms the existence of a deeply divided bar on how the Supreme Court is conducting its affairs. For instance, in an article on January 23, titled, “Pakistan Court Widens Role, Stirring Fears for Stability,” The New York Times spoke of how the court has now “ventured deep into political peril” and faces “suspicions about the court’s impartiality”. Praising the iron-willed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, who had initially championed rule of law, it says recently, “the court has taken interventionism to a new level, inserting itself as the third player in a bruising confrontation between military and civilian leaders.”

The New York Times attempted to give the arguments of the court’s supporters as well. “The court’s supporters counter that it is reinforcing democracy in the face of President Asif Ali Zardari’s corrupt and inept government,” it wrote. The paper quoted Justice Chaudhry as saying that the court’s goal was to “buttress democratic and parliamentary norms,” in an environment where deep-rooted corruption was curtailing justice.

But there is criticism from within the leading lawyers of the country. “In the long-run this is a very dangerous trend,” The New York Times quoted Muneer A Malik, a former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association who campaigned for Justice Chaudhry in 2007, as saying: “The judges are not elected representatives of the people and they are arrogating power to themselves as if they are the only sanctimonious institution in the country. All dictators fall prey to this psyche — that only we are clean, and capable of doing the right thing”.

Similarly, The Washington Post wrote a scathing editorial criticising the court of becoming the third force in a political power struggle. “Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry has had outsize political ambitions ever since he helped depose former president Pervez Musharraf. He has sought since 2009, to prosecute Mr Zardari for corruption, even though he enjoys immunity as president”.

One response to such international criticism could be: invoke xenophobia and claim that foreigners have no right to comment on our judicial decisions or to question the wisdom of our judges. But, as said earlier, the international legal community including the ICJ, as well as the international media, had strongly supported the movement for the restoration of judges. If their comments were welcome at that time, can they be ignored or dismissed now?

Courtesy:  The Express Tribune, January 29^th, 2012.

By Asghar Azad

KARACHI: A complete shutter-down and wheel-jamed strike was observed in Sindh, excluding a few localities of Karachi, on Saturday.

The strike call was given by an alliance of Sindhi nationalist parties, ‘Sindh Bachayo Committee (SBC), against the 20th Constitutional Amendment bill which was tabled in the National Assembly by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and was approved for discussion. The nationalists feared the bill was aimed at dividing Sindh.

The nationalist parties, including Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, Jeay Sindh Tahreek, Sindh United Party, Sindh National Front, Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party, Awami Tehreek and National People’s Party condemned the proposed amendment. Professional bodies, human rights activists and writers’ organisations had announced their full support for the shutter-down strike as no public transport was available, causing severe difficulties for commuters to carry out their day-to-day work.

A protest demonstration was held in Hyderabad while roads were also blocked at various places.

All business activities came to a grinding halt in big and small cities of the province, including Sukkur, Nawabshah, Larkana, Khairpur, Dadu, Naushahro Feroze, Moro, Faiz Ganj, Gambat, Ranipur, Rohiri, Ghotki, Pir Jo Goth, Wada Machoon, Babarlo, Therrhi, Kumb, Padedan, Thatta, Golarrchi, Choohar Jamali, Badin, Fazil Rahou, Talhar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Mirpurkhas, Mithi, Islam Kot, Sakrand, Dolat Pur and Umer Kot.

The strike was also observed in various localities of Karachi, including Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gadop Town, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Bhens Colony, Abdullah Goth, Pipri, Sindhi Goth, Gaghar Phattak, Chakra Goth, Bilal Colony, Gulshan-e-Mehran, Mehran Town, Bhittai Colony Korangi, Sachal Goth, Safora Goth, Mosmyat, Memon Goth, Liyari, Baloch Goth and Baloch Colony of Orangi, Malir, Maripur, Bhitiabad, Dhani Bux Khaskhekli Goth, Rashidi Goth, Razaq Abad, Peer Goth and Bin Qasim Colony.

Workers and supporters of the nationalist parties staged rallies and sit-ins at several places, including Indus and national highways, Sehwan Bypass, Khairpur Bypass, Rohiri Bypass, Larkana-Khairpur Bridge Bypass, Faiz Ganj and Hyderabad.

Meanwhile, SBC convener Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah said that the people had given their verdict against the amendment and it was not acceptable to them in any shape. He appreciated business and traders’ communities for cooperating and participating in the strike.

Talking to Daily Times, Shah said that “the makers of the 1973 constitution, though complied with the first provision of the Lahore Resolution that there would be four provinces in the new federation and did not confer any power on parliament to create new provinces, but they violated the second provision of the Lahore Resolution, which says the federal government could only be given four subjects including, defence, foreign affairs, currency and customs”.

“We can safely say that though the constitutions of 1956 and 1962 were based on total violation of the two provisions of the Lahore Resolution, the 1973 constitution fulfills the first part of the Lahore Resolution of giving protection to the unity and integrity of provinces,” he said, adding that it gave the federal government more subjects than envisaged in 1940 resolution. Shah said, “Again an attempt is being made by centralists to violate the Lahore Resolution by giving parliament the power to create more provinces.” It may be mentioned that the MQM has submitted a proposal in the National Assembly for the formation of new provinces in the country.

Courtesy: Daily Times

Through this petition, we urge the Federal Government and the Government of Punjab to immediately take notice of, intervene and put an end to this ongoing hate campaign against its fellow citizens.

The least the government can do is protect its citizens. We urge the government to provide adequate security to the vulnerable Ahmadis under attack on Sunday.

News: http://alufaq.com/pakistan-hate-campaign-ahmadis-satellite-town-rawalpindi

Read more » http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-the-ongoing-anti-ahmadi-hate-campaign-in-rawalpindi

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta still believes someone in authority in Pakistan knew where Osama bin Laden was hiding before U.S. forces went in to find him, he said in a TV interview to air Sunday.

Intelligence reports found Pakistani military helicopters had passed over the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan where U.S. Navy SEALs discovered and killed bin Laden last year, according to excerpts of an interview Panetta gave to CBS News.

“I personally have always felt that somebody must have had some sense of what was happening at this compound. Don’t forget, this compound had 18-foot walls… It was the largest compound in the area.

“So you would have thought that somebody would have asked the question, ‘What the hell’s going on there?’“ Panetta told CBS.

The Pentagon chief said that concern played a significant factor in Washington not warning Pakistan officials of the impending raid: “it concerned us that, if we, in fact, brought (Pakistan) into it, that– they might…give bin Laden a heads up,” he said. ….

Read more » alArabiya

Excerpt;

…. Pakistan must invest foremost in education with renewed vigour. The lower education must focus on improving quality, while the HEC must be supported to raise Pakistan’s knowledge workers’ level to world standards. Any other direction will be suicidal for Pakistan’s education.

The writer is chairman of Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission. Email: jlaghari@hec. gov.pk

To read complete article » The News

Sweeping protests around the world made it an extremely difficult year for the media, and tested journalists as never before, the annual report into press freedom reveals.

The annual report by Reporters Without Borders has been released, showing the United States fell 27 points on the list due to the many arrests of journalists covering Occupy Wall Street protests.

The slide in the United States places it just behind Comoros and Taiwan in a group with Argentina and Romania.

Reporters Without Borders said the heightened unrest around the world resulted in a significant shake-up of the group’s annual Press Freedom Index, which assesses governments’ commitment to protecting media freedoms.

The Paris-based non-governmental Reporters Without Borders has named “crackdown” the word of 2011 in an assessment of global media freedom during a year in which journalists covering sweeping protests were tested as never before.

The non-governmental organisation seeks to defend journalists’ freedom to work and combat censorship internationally. ….

Read more » daily Mail. co. uk

Afrikaans Kathaar, Catalan càtar, Czech Albigenstí, German Katharer, Eesti Katarid, Spanish Catarismo, Esperanto Katarismo, French Cathares, Italian Catari, Dutch Katharen, Norwegian Katarer, Polish Katarzy, Portuguese Catarismo, Slovenian Albigénstvo, Finnish Kataarit, Swedish Katarer.

The Cathars were a religious group who appeared in Europe in the eleventh century, their origins something of a mystery though there is reason to believe their ideas came from Persia by way of the Byzantine Empire, the Balkans and Northern Italy. Records from the Roman Catholic Church mention them under various names and in various places. Catholic theologians debated with themselves for centuries whether Cathars were Christian heretics or whether they were not Christians at all. The question is apparently still open. Roman Catholics still refer to Cathar belief as “the Great Heresy” though the official Catholic position is that Catharism is not Christian at all. ….

Read more » http://www.cathar.info/

» YouTube

by Michael Parenti

When I recently went to Alta Bates hospital for surgery, I discovered that legal procedures take precedence over medical ones. I had to sign intimidating statements about financial counseling, indemnity, patient responsibilities, consent to treatment, use of electronic technologies, and the like. ….

Read more » Common Dreams

(Includes ATDT Excerpt on Backdrop for Asghar Khan’s Petition)

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday fixed February 29 to hear the petition filed by Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Asghar Khan 16 years ago pertaining to Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) distributing money among politicians.

Meanwhile, the former ISI chief Gen. (Retd) Durrani submitted an affidavit confirming the accusation.

The petition has called upon the apex court to punish the politicians and political groups who have been receiving pots of money from the agency.

Various politicians had demanded the petition to be heard.

Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan, in 1996, wrote a letter to then chief justice Nasim Hasan Shah against former army chief Mirza Aslam Baig, former ISI chief Lt-General (retd) Asad Durrani and Younis Habib of Habib and Mehran Banks, relating to the disbursement of public money and its misuse for political purposes.

Aboard the Democracy Train Excerpt (P. 27)

Elections Were the Tip of the Iceberg

As a guest of the interim Prime Minister Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, I had witnessed how state funds and propaganda were used to defeat Benazir. But I was still an onlooker, without inside knowledge of what had transpired in the inner circles. Then still an inexperienced reporter, I couldn’t guess how the establishment defeated the PPP, which, right or wrong, had the support of the masses.

In 1996, some clues emerged. Retired Air Marshal Asghar Khan filed a case in the Supreme Court, alleging that the powerful secret service wing of the army – the ISI – had rigged the 1990 election. Based on Asghar Khan’s petition, former ISI chief, Lt. Gen. Asad Durrani took the stand in the Supreme Court and provided an affidavit that the army had indeed distributed Pkr 140 million (USD 1.6 million) to anti-PPP candidates, only a few months before the October 1990 election.

The anti-PPP candidates banded in the IJI comprised feudal, Islamic and ethnic parties that resolutely opposed Benazir’s populist rule. Subsequently, we learnt that the care-taker President Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, who had stayed mum while Chip probed him – had actually taken PKR 5 million (USD 59,000) from the ISI. Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif – who was ushered in by the military to succeed Benazir as prime minister – was revealed to have received PKR 3.5 million (USD 41,000) from the spy agencies.

Apparently, the army was so scared that Benazir would be elected back into power that their IJI coalition distributed state funds among various interest groups to prevent her return.

As I covered national politics, Asghar Khan talked to me in earnest, as though I was a player rather than a reporter. Then in coalition with the PPP, he told me that Benazir and Nawaz ought to unite to repeal Article 58-2(b). This was the constitutional clause introduced by Gen. Zia ul Haq that allowed presidents like Ghulam Ishaq Khan to dissolve the assembly.

Although, I shared Asghar Khan’s desire for principled politics, it surprised me that he seemed clueless about Benazir’s approach of doing whatever it took to return to power.

Courtesy: Aboard The Democracy Train

http://www.aboardthedemocracytrain.com/court-revives-investigation-on-isi-money-for-politicians

By Nandalal_Rasiah

(Via SepiaMutiny Newsfeed):  A Malayali civil engineer and  former software developer, Shemeer Padinzjharedil, came to a conclusion that many BPs have already done through deduction: India is likely a dangerous place for women relative to the Western world.  Inspired to debunk the results of a Thompson-Reuters poll of gender ‘experts’ perception of danger to women, where three of the five worst offenders were south asian countries, Shemeer thought the reported statistics would paint a different picture.  Given the survey  combined questions about statistics with reporting bias problems (sexual assault, trafficking, non-sexual assault) and factors (cultural and religious) for which one could combine statistics about which I would be more comfortable citing (maternal mortality, female literacy and other health stats), he faced a difficult task.  Given that the solid numbers are unambiguous, Shemeer decided against deconstructing this picture and sought, instead, to flesh it out with self-reporting by building a site where anyone can report violence: www.maps4aid.com  The site is in it’s infancy but you can already see some trends: centers of population and urbanized areas report the most violence regardless of the category.  A second site, blogs4aid, has handy bar graph breaking it out by state.  For 2010 you may find a few surprises:

Read more » Brown Pundits

MQM was the only political party that had not signed the NFC Award for over five years. It was the MQM that opposed the Kalabagh Dam project because the people of Sindh had rejected it.

“Which political party had presented the bill on Karo-Kari, Women Rights in the National Assembly? Will be people of Sindh not think about it and remain helpless before the feudal lords and thieves?”

“It is the time for the people of Sindh to decide that they will get elected candidates from middle class nominated by the MQM and inflict a crushing defeat on the feudal lords.”

Addressing the so-called Sindhi nationalists he said, “Your politics of divide and rule has come to an end. The Urdu-speaking Sindhis and the Sindhi-speaking Sindhis have united like an iron wall. Today’s public meeting has driven the last nail in the coffin of the so-called nationalists, and it has rejected hatred.”

“We all need peace, love and brotherhood and this was the message given by Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai.”

“The province of Sindh contributes over 70 per cent in the national exchequer. If it is given its due share according to its population and according to its contribution, feudalism, barbarism and injustices prevailing in Sindh will come to an end. Schools will be opened, educational institutions will be established, centres for women development will be built, and technical universities would be set up. The people of Sindh will work hard and provide a life of dignity and honour for their children.”

“If the province of Sindh is given its legitimate share, no one will remain unemployed here. We have to make Pakistan strong by making Sindh prosperous.”

“The MQM manifesto embodies the Last Sermon of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). The rich and the poor, the black and the white, and the servant and the master are all equal before Allah.”

“When Altaf Hussain speaks about the revolution it means bringing a change. It means abolishing the age-old and rotten feudal system and breaking the status quo. The change means giving the reign of power in the hands of the poor and middle class people and doing away with the culture of dynastic politics.”

“How long will the people of Sindh continue to lead a life of helplessness before the feudal lords and not think about bringing a change in their circumstances? Today Sindh needs a genuine leadership instead of thieves and robbers.”

“We should remove the distinction of new Sindhi and old Sindhi by embracing each other. We are all Sindhis. Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had said that The Muslims are free to go to their mosques, the Hindus are free to go to their temples, and the Christians are free to go to their Churches and the religion is a personal matter.

“I say to the people of Sindh, particularly the younger generation, and I humbly request that the law and order situation in Sindh should be improved. Incidents of kidnappings for ransom and tribal feuds should be finished.”

“Sukkur has always been neglected. Federal and provincial governments must allocate additional funds for development works in Sukkur. The federal and provincial governments should contribute equal funds for building a hospital with modern facilities in Sukkur.”

“There is no university in Sukkur and other adjoining areas hence a university should be established in Sukkur for the promotion of higher education. A medical college and Polytechnic institutes should also be established. The condition of Ghulam Muhammad Mehr Medical College should be improved for imparting medical education in a better way.”

“Electricity and gas supply in Sukkur and the adjoining areas should be ensured. Railways system in Sukkur has also worsened. Special funds should be made available for the rehabilitation of the Railways system in Sukkur.”

Mr Hussain announced one million rupees for Sukkur Press Club and called for establishing an institution for giving training to the journalists.

Mr Hussain said that doctors were killed in Karachi under a conspiracy and Shia, and Sunni lawyers were being killed. He sympathised with the bereaved family members and said that the people of Pakistan would frustrate the nefarious conspiracy to create Shia-Sunni strife by remaining united.

Mr Hussain said that if the religious and political parties want Pakistan to survive and prosper, they should raise the slogan of finishing the feudal system.

» YouTube

All of the time, in more ways than one. So, first to our blow-hot, blow-cold prime minister who has executed another dizzying U-turn. This time on his statement that the Sipah Salaar-e-Azam (an honorific bestowed upon the Sipah Salaar by Akram Shiekh, who is also Mansoor Ijaz-of-the-Murky-Memo’s counsel) and the DG ISI had acted improperly in submitting a reply to the SC without the government’s approval.

We are now told that he had said what he said under “a unique situation when there was no clarity”, but that now, “since there is clarity and now we have all met … that (remark) does not pertain to these two gentlemen”. I don’t know if your head is spinning reader, mine surely is. It’s so bad actually that I am now going for a walk with my beloved Labrador, Mister, to try and clear my head. I only hope I can get this piece done by my deadline.

Now, that was good! A crisp sun shines down on a Lahore that was freezing till yesterday — no gas, thank you very much. While the walk was bracing, my head is still buzzing at the extent of Makhdoom Sahib’s naiveté. However, here goes another effort at writing.

So then, the three protagonists met and clarity came, eh? Was it in the form of a demand that the PM withdraw his remarks and mayhap the army would let the government off the hook? Or were there any other quid pro quos to off-set the PM’s humiliation? And if there weren’t any, why? Should one of them, indeed, not have been ISPR’s withdrawing its harsh and insolent statement against the PM? Once bitten twice shy they say, but he simply will not learn: I’ll bet the PM will be bitten again.

And now to Mamogate or Meemogate, depending on which TV channel you prefer. I attended the first hearing of the Commission and, even before proceedings started, told my nephew who was with me that this was going to descend into a complete farce. And what do you think made me say that? Only the fact that whilst a twice-elected former prime minister accompanied by seven senior leaders of his party, all former chief ministers and federal ministers (two of them flying in from Karachi for the hearing) attended; whilst senior Grade-22 ‘bloody civilian’ bureaucrats attended, two army officers, one Grade-21 and one Grade-22 did not deign to attend. All had been issued like summons. The portends were clear from the start.

Look at where we are today; just look at what the world is saying about us Pakistanis, our politicians, our army, our intelligence services, even our superior judiciary. Just read reports in the international press from the Christian Science Monitor to the Washington Post to the Wall Street Journal. Indeed, see what the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has said. In short, that we are an irresponsible, unfair, inequitable, capricious, bitter people.

Neither are we stopping here. On the very day that some of these negative stories came out accusations were made against the interior minister no less, of planning to murder Mansoor Ijaz no less, if he came to Pakistan. The purported reason for the belief: that he was Benazir Bhutto’s ‘security chief’ the day she was killed! I ask you! The Commando was in power then, Rehman Malik, good bad or ugly, was not in government then. For God’s sake, what is going on? How many self-inflicted wounds can this poor country suffer?

Someone had it right the other day on TV, talking about the various shenanigans going on: “Who will want to visit a country: investor, tourist, anyone, when in the highest of the country’s courtrooms allegations of ministers committing murder are being bandied about”? Let me add: “Who will wish to visit a country where the government, the army and the judiciary are seemingly at each other’s throats, and no one knows whether he/she is coming or going”?

We Pakistanis can still recover some dignity, save some little face if we grow up. That is all I will say on this theatre of the absurd. But for the particular reading of the Sipah Salaar-e-Azam and his men I give here an excerpt from the Christian Science Monitor story of Januaray 25th: “But Ijaz’s criticism is not limited to the civilian leadership, with whom he has developed a high-level of personal animosity. Asked whether Pakistan’s traditionally pro-military judiciary should be doing more to probe his allegations that ISI chief General Shuja Pasha met with Arab leaders to discuss the possibility of a coup, Ijaz responds: “You’re damn right they ought to ask that question. If the Supreme Court is not willing to, you can be sure [I will].” Warning: this may well develop into a Hoar Choopo Gannay situation, sirs.

In the end, let me go back a little. On the day that the Supreme Court took up regular hearing of the Mamo/Meemogate petitions with Asma Jehangir arguing, I met my friend and (junior) schoolmate, Khawaja Asif outside the court. When he asked me what I was doing there, I said, “I am here to witness the collective suicide of the political class”. I stand by what I said that day.

P.S. I haven’t slept well since watching the video of the beastly TTP shooting fifteen personnel of the Frontier Constabulary in cold blood just a few days ago. What I still cannot fathom is the extent of the cruelty of the murderer making a speech while the poor unfortunates stand there waiting to be shot in the back of the head. Might one ask why when there is much breast-beating when Nato kills our soldiers, there is not a squeak out of anyone when the TTP does likewise?

Courtesy:  The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2012.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/327621/making-absolute-fools-of-ourselves/

While many of us are working to ensure that the Occupy movement will have a lasting impact, it’s worthwhile to consider other countries where masses of people succeeded in nonviolently bringing about a high degree of democracy and economic justice. Sweden and Norway, for example, both experienced a major power shift in the 1930s after prolonged nonviolent struggle. They “fired” the top 1 percent of people who set the direction for society and created the basis for something different.

Both countries had a history of horrendous poverty. When the 1 percent was in charge, hundreds of thousands of people emigrated to avoid starvation. Under the leadership of the working class, however, both countries built robust and successful economies that nearly eliminated poverty, expanded free university education, abolished slums, provided excellent health care available to all as a matter of right and created a system of full employment. Unlike the Norwegians, the Swedes didn’t find oil, but that didn’t stop them from building what the latest CIA World Factbook calls “an enviable standard of living.”

Neither country is a utopia, as readers of the crime novels by Stieg Larsson, Kurt Wallender and Jo Nesbro will know. Critical left-wing authors such as these try to push Sweden and Norway to continue on the path toward more fully just societies. However, as an American activist who first encountered Norway as a student in 1959 and learned some of its language and culture, the achievements I found amazed me. I remember, for example, bicycling for hours through a small industrial city, looking in vain for substandard housing. Sometimes resisting the evidence of my eyes, I made up stories that “accounted for” the differences I saw: “small country,” “homogeneous,” “a value consensus.” I finally gave up imposing my frameworks on these countries and learned the real reason: their own histories.

Then I began to learn that the Swedes and Norwegians paid a price for their standards of living through nonviolent struggle. There was a time when Scandinavian workers didn’t expect that the electoral arena could deliver the change they believed in. They realized that, with the 1 percent in charge, electoral “democracy” was stacked against them, so nonviolent direct action was needed to exert the power for change.

In both countries, the troops were called out to defend the 1 percent; people died. Award-winning Swedish filmmaker Bo Widerberg told the Swedish story vividly in Ådalen 31, which depicts the strikers killed in 1931 and the sparking of a nationwide general strike. (You can read more about this case in an entry by Max Rennebohm in the Global Nonviolent Action Database.)

The Norwegians had a harder time organizing a cohesive people’s movement because Norway’s small population—about three million—was spread out over a territory the size of Britain. People were divided by mountains and fjords, and they spoke regional dialects in isolated valleys. In the nineteenth century, Norway was ruled by Denmark and then by Sweden; in the context of Europe Norwegians were the “country rubes,” of little consequence. Not until 1905 did Norway finally become independent.

When workers formed unions in the early 1900s, they generally turned to Marxism, organizing for revolution as well as immediate gains. They were overjoyed by the overthrow of the czar in Russia, and the Norwegian Labor Party joined the Communist International organized by Lenin. Labor didn’t stay long, however. One way in which most Norwegians parted ways with Leninist strategy was on the role of violence: Norwegians wanted to win their revolution through collective nonviolent struggle, along with establishing co-ops and using the electoral arena.

In the 1920s strikes increased in intensity. The town of Hammerfest formed a commune in 1921, led by workers councils; the army intervened to crush it. The workers’ response verged toward a national general strike. The employers, backed by the state, beat back that strike, but workers erupted again in the ironworkers’ strike of 1923–24.

The Norwegian 1 percent decided not to rely simply on the army; in 1926 they formed a social movement called the Patriotic League, recruiting mainly from the middle class. By the 1930s, the League included as many as 100,000 people for armed protection of strike breakers—this in a country of only 3 million!

The Labor Party, in the meantime, opened its membership to anyone, whether or not in a unionized workplace. Middle-class Marxists and some reformers joined the party. Many rural farm workers joined the Labor Party, as well as some small landholders. Labor leadership understood that in a protracted struggle, constant outreach and organizing was needed to a nonviolent campaign. In the midst of the growing polarization, Norway’s workers launched another wave of strikes and boycotts in 1928.

The Depression hit bottom in 1931. More people were jobless there than in any other Nordic country. Unlike in the U.S., the Norwegian union movement kept the people thrown out of work as members, even though they couldn’t pay dues. This decision paid off in mass mobilizations. When the employers’ federation locked employees out of the factories to try to force a reduction of wages, the workers fought back with massive demonstrations.

Many people then found that their mortgages were in jeopardy. (Sound familiar?) The Depression continued, and farmers were unable to keep up payment on their debts. As turbulence hit the rural sector, crowds gathered nonviolently to prevent the eviction of families from their farms. The Agrarian Party, which included larger farmers and had previously been allied with the Conservative Party, began to distance itself from the 1 percent; some could see that the ability of the few to rule the many was in doubt.

By 1935, Norway was on the brink. The Conservative-led government was losing legitimacy daily; the 1 percent became increasingly desperate as militancy grew among workers and farmers. A complete overthrow might be just a couple years away, radical workers thought. However, the misery of the poor became more urgent daily, and the Labor Party felt increasing pressure from its members to alleviate their suffering, which it could do only if it took charge of the government in a compromise agreement with the other side.

This it did. In a compromise that allowed owners to retain the right to own and manage their firms, Labor in 1935 took the reins of government in coalition with the Agrarian Party. They expanded the economy and started public works projects to head toward a policy of full employment that became the keystone of Norwegian economic policy. Labor’s success and the continued militancy of workers enabled steady inroads against the privileges of the 1 percent, to the point that majority ownership of all large firms was taken by the public interest. (There is an entry on this case as well at the Global Nonviolent Action Database.)

The 1 percent thereby lost its historic power to dominate the economy and society. Not until three decades later could the Conservatives return to a governing coalition, having by then accepted the new rules of the game, including a high degree of public ownership of the means of production, extremely progressive taxation, strong business regulation for the public good and the virtual abolition of poverty. When Conservatives eventually tried a fling with neoliberal policies, the economy generated a bubble and headed for disaster. (Sound familiar?)

Labor stepped in, seized the three largest banks, fired the top management, left the stockholders without a dime and refused to bail out any of the smaller banks. The well-purged Norwegian financial sector was not one of those countries that lurched into crisis in 2008; carefully regulated and much of it publicly owned, the sector was solid.

Although Norwegians may not tell you about this the first time you meet them, the fact remains that their society’s high level of freedom and broadly-shared prosperity began when workers and farmers, along with middle class allies, waged a nonviolent struggle that empowered the people to govern for the common good.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License

George Lakey is Visiting Professor at Swarthmore College and a Quaker. He has led 1,500 workshops on five continents and led activist projects on local, national, and international levels. Among many other books and articles, he is author of “Strategizing for a Living Revolution” in David Solnit’s book Globalize Liberation (City Lights, 2004). His first arrest was for a civil rights sit-in and most recent was with Earth Quaker Action Team while protesting mountain top removal coal mining.

Courtesy: Common Dreams

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/01/26-3

by Nadeem F. Paracha

Excerpt;

…. Political Islam’s consequent failure to produce the desired results that its intellectuals had promised, and also its doctrinal involvement in the armed “jihad” in Afghanistan, generated the creation of modern-day Islamic militancy.

This militancy too faced the same problems in trying to triumph with a singular concept of Islam and the sharia in the face of the social and religious complications that run across Muslim countries.

So much so that by the late 1990s, Political Islam had devolved into what we now call “Islamic fundamentalism,” and/or stripped clean off its intellectual moorings and reduced to being an ideology of pure terror and having a myopic and narrow understanding of Islam and of the West. Entities like the al Qaeda, Tehreek-e-Taliban and the many militant outfits that were active in Kashmir (Harakat ul-Mujahedeen, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba), are clear examples.

So it was heartening to hear Kashmir leaders like Bhatt and Yasin distancing themselves from those aspects of the movement that have caused nothing more than bloodshed, pain and chaos, more at the cost of the Kashmiris’ rather than their ‘occupiers.’

Read more » DAWN.COM

WASHINGTON — President Obama is losing the war in Afghanistan to the Taliban, argued Rep. Louie Gohmert after listening to Tuesday’s State of the Union address. So he proposed one way to win: create a new, friendly state within the borders of neighboring Pakistan.

The Texas Republican took issue with Obama’s assertion that “the Taliban’s momentum has been broken.” He said he had just visited Afghanistan and came away with a very different sense from talking to members of the Northern Alliance, a multiethnic confederation of warlords and other forces who led the U.S.-backed ouster of the Taliban in 2001.

Gohmert argued that, far from being broken, the Taliban are feeling powerful enough to demand that members of the Northern Alliance apologize before the United States leaves in 2013. “If you look at the objective facts … they’re not on the run,” Gohmert said.

His solution was first to supply more arms to the Northern Alliance. But then, he said, the Afghan border with Pakistan needs to be shored up.

“Let’s talk about creating a Balochistan in the southern part of Pakistan,” Gohmert told The Huffington Post, referring to a region of Pakistan that constitutes nearly half that vital if troublesome ally.

“They love us. They’ll stop the IEDs [improvised explosive devices] and all the weaponry coming into Afghanistan, and we got a shot to win over there,” said Gohmert, who accused Obama’s national security advisers of giving the president bad intel on Afghanistan.

“His strategy of working from ignorance and thinking we have them on the run is no way to go through life, son,” Gohmert said. “I’m about to borrow from an ‘Animal House’ line, but anyway, that’s no way to go through life when you’re that ignorant of what’s really going on.”

The White House did not answer a request for comment, and Gohmert’s office did not elaborate on how the United States could even discuss carving off Balochistan from a country that is both an ally and a nuclear power.

The United States recently has been talking about a truce with the Taliban. Gohmert, a member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security, characterized such efforts as begging, backed by an offer to “let all these Taliban murderers” go free.

Courtesy: Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/25/louie-gohmert-afghan-strategy-balochistan-pakistan-taliban_n_1232250.html

By Abdul Hafeez

Karachi: As Pakistan’s civilian government and military establishment are mending ties which strained after memogate controversy, ISI chief is likely to be given extension by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

However, sources said the spymaster who was given extension twice after reaching the age of retirement in 2010 and 2011, is reluctant to continue his job.

A Pakistani newspaper claimed that civilian and military leaders had decided to lower temperature in the ‘national interest’ and it was evident from General Kayani’s visit alongside Let Gen Pasha to Prime Minister House on Tuesday.

Sources said that Pasha during corps commanders meeting had offered his resignation and was unwilling to continue. However, Gen Kayani has desire that Pasha should get extension for another term.

In case, Pasha refused to get extension, the prime minister after consultation with the army chief would appoint new ISI head in March that might be Let Gen Zaheerul Islam, currently working as corps commander Karachi, or Major Gen Naushad Kayani, now working as Director Gen Military Operations.

However, sources told The News Tribe that Major General Sahibzada Asfandyar Pataudi, a paternal uncle of Indian film star Saif Ali Khan might be appointed ISI chief.

Indian media, shortly after the US raid in Abbottabad that killed Osama bin Laden, had published reports, speculating that Saif Ali Khan’s uncle might be a new ISI chief if Pasha resigned from the post.

Interestingly, Saif Ali Khan is going to release his new movie Agent Vinod, in which he played RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) Agent and Kareena Kapoor, a leading bollywood heroin would be playing ISI agent role. One could imagine how Saif would deal with the ISI spy.

Courtesy: The News Tribe

http://www.thenewstribe.com/2012/01/26/pasha-likely-to-get-extension/#.TyFfVIHZXTp

The distressing 11.56 minute footage, circulated through YouTube, is quite evidently a trophy video, the guards happy to pose as they strip their victim, tie his hands and feet, and beat him mercilessly while discussing among themselves other severe options of dealing with him. …..

Read more » The Hindu

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/article2826161.ece

Top Judge

Passport please – By Dr Mohammad Taqi

The Supreme Court must clarify if Husain Haqqani’s passport was taken away on its directive or with its knowledge. Nothing unlawful has been proved against him and Article 9 must be upheld now

MIA — Mansoor Ijaz absconding! Well, at least so far the man has been living up to every expectation: megalomania, narcissistic tantrums, a desire for media attention (the Americanism for which is rather impolite to quote here) and the prediction that when the time comes, he will go MIA.

The so-called Memogate case was a farce from the word go but has really become a circus now with the main petitioner not willing or not interested in pursuing the charges and the star witness — not the accused — absconding. Even in the old Urdu/Persian adage ‘muda’ee sust, gawaah chust’, it is the accuser who is slack (in pressing the case) while the witness is overactive or oversmart. Okay, Mansoor Ijaz is the accuser-cum-witness but an absconder all the same. Let’s face it, the only potential smoking gun in this case could be a voice recording, which, had it existed, would have surfaced by now. Minus that, Ijaz will remain a no show. Indeed, the only party that now remains overzealous is the superior judiciary.

After Mansoor Ijaz played hooky, the judicial commission headed by Balochistan High Court’s honourable Chief Justice Qazi Faez Issa said that the commission will not travel abroad to record Ijaz’s statement but will send its secretary to meet him aboard his flight to Pakistan. Directives were issued again that ‘foolproof security’ be provided for his ‘arrival, stay and departure’. And just in case they have to wait on him this third time as well, the commission will write to the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan requesting an extension in its four week deadline to finish the probe. Is Mansoor Ijaz’s plane Air Force One now? Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani was not that off the mark to question the vice-regal protocol Ijaz has been demanding.

What if he says no to the gracious offer to be interviewed mid-air, citing concerns — say about surface-to-air missiles — will the lordships, in their full regalia, proceed to the tarmac to record his words of wisdom? What about the scores of attorneys and their legal teams to represent Ijaz or cross-examine him; will they tag along too? Are the umpteen petitioners and their uncle also going to accompany them?

One can only wish that the Pakistani superior judiciary, restored through toil and blood, had shown similar interest and perseverance in clearing the backlog of over 1.5 million cases pending at various levels of the legal system. Some diligence — at least in an inquisitorial role — to probe the parallel justice system of ‘Dar-ul-Qaza’ set up by Mullah Fazlullah and Sufi Muhammad, might have gone a long way to give reprieve to the people of Malakand when they had needed it most.

The perception that the judiciary is increasingly becoming part of the problem, and not the solution, is being echoed consistently by the leaders of the successful lawyers’ movement, the outspoken Ali Ahmed Kurd being the latest. The two most important concerns are that firstly, the judiciary is expanding its jurisdiction beyond the ‘ancient mere stones’ and secondly, how fundamental rights are being rendered subservient to state security while holding the latter to be synonymous with the public interest.

That great torchbearer of the separation of powers, Thomas Jefferson, had aptly noted: “Judicial activism makes a mere thing of wax in the hands of judiciary, which it can give the shape as it wishes.” The pronouncements from the august SC bench in the recent past have raised serious concerns about what shape the lordships wish to give things in Pakistan. Some of the verbiage in the December 30, 2011 Memogate judgement should have raised not just eyebrows but red flags. Alas, that seasoned campaigner, Asma Jahangir, was the only one to point out that the drastic mutations being (re)introduced will come back to haunt everyone.

In his conforming note, honourable Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan wrote: “Security of person is one of the most important fundamental rights. It is inextricably linked with the security of the state…Security of person in the absence of a strong, secure and stable state would be inconceivable. It would be as imaginary as drinking water from a mirage. Therefore, fundamental right of person would stand infringed the moment something tending to imperil the security of state is done.”

This note has an uncanny resemblance to the language used by the late Justice Munir in support of his validation(s) of the Ayub coup d’état. In addition to claiming, “That which is otherwise not lawful, necessity makes lawful,” Justice Munir had also introduced two other perversions: 1) salus populi suprema lex (the safety of the people is the supreme law) and 2) salus republicae est suprema lex (the safety of the state is the supreme law). He had additionally cited cases dealing with appropriation of citizens’ property or liberty for defence of the realm. In essence, this abhorrent anomaly — which even Hans Kelsen had to distance himself from — has provided cover to every military adventurist in Pakistan and contributed to the national security state paradigm where the ‘realm’ can take away the individual’s rights to liberty, property, adult franchise and self-governance.

Unfortunately, the very first casualty of this reincarnation of Justice Munir was Husain Haqqani’s fundamental right to liberty in the present case. The court has virtually flipped on its head Article 9 of the constitution that “no person shall be deprived of life or liberty save in accordance with law”. While convoluted reasoning was presented to justify why the petitioners’ fundamental rights were infringed, Haqqani’s rights were trampled upon.

Some analysts have dismissed that there was any nexus between the army, the petitioners — especially Nawaz Sharif — and the judiciary. Maybe they were not in cahoots and it is all merely a confluence of interests. But from what some of us have gathered, the plan to drag Husain Haqqani into court and put him on the exit control list (ECL) was well underway before he landed in Pakistan. In fact, his flight home was being monitored by the brass via the defence attaché at the Pakistani embassy in Washington, DC. No sooner did he land than his travel documents and passport were snatched away. The question is: on whose orders and by whom?

The SC must clarify if Husain Haqqani’s passport was taken away on its directive or with its knowledge. Nothing unlawful has been proved against him and Article 9 must be upheld now. The SC must return Haqqani’s passport please — or say that they do not have it.

The writer can be reached at mazdaki@me.com. He tweets at http://twitter.com/mazdaki

Courtesy: Daily Times

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=20121\26\story_26-1-2012_pg3_2

“Husain Haqqani faced a vicious media trial following which the Supreme Court of Pakistan on a petition filed debarred him from travelling abroad, despite the fact that he has not been charged with any crime,” said Sheila Varadan, International Legal Advisor at the ICJ Asia-Pacific Regional Office. “Husain Haqqani continues to receive threats and has been painted as disloyal to the country. There is, though, no proof of any betrayal of his duties as an Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States.”

“We are calling on the Pakistani Authorities to respect Husain Haqqani’s right to be presumed innocent and to remove the restriction on his right to leave the country and any other restrictions on his right to freedom of movement,” added Varadan. “They must also ensure his personal safety at all times and respect his right to a fair and impartial hearing throughout the Inquiry process.”

Courtesy: Pakistan Today

A morning show broadcast in Pakistan on Jan 17, 2012, on Samaa, a Pakistani television channel, has catalysed what could well be the beginning of a media consumer rights movement.

In the show, Subah Saverey Maya kay Sath (Early Morning with Maya), the host Maya Khan, charges through a public park looking for dating couples to interrogate. With her is a battalion of other women, who join her in self-righteously lecturing the couples they come across – does your family know you are here, why don’t you meet at home if you are engaged, and, most outrageously, if you are married, where is your nikahnama (marriage certificate)?

When the harassed couples ask for the camera to be turned off, the Samaa team pretends to acquiesce but carries on filming with sound. As several people have pointed out, this intrusive behaviour could result in putting those couples in life-threatening situations in a country where forced marriages and ‘honour killings’ continue to be the norm. ….

Read more » Beena Sarwar

Courtesy: ARY News Tv » YouTube

Sindh Assembly

SA thumbs down to any change

By: Ramzam Chandio

KARACHI – The Sindh Assembly on Friday sent a clear signal not to accept any amendment in Article 239(4) of the Constitution, relating to two third votes of provincial legislature mandatory for altering/creating new province within any province.

The law minister while supporting the proposed resolution of a lawmaker from NPP promised before the House that the resolution would be taken up in the Assembly for discussion on the next Monday. The Sindh Assembly, which met at 11:30hours, against schedule of 10:00am, with Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, consumed over ten minutes on arguments and counter arguments on a request of Masroor Ahmed Jatoi from NPP, who wanted to move a resolution out of turn, opposing any amendment in Article 239 (4) of Constitution. After question-hour session, NPP MPA Jatoi, stood on his feet and urged the chair to allow him to move a resolution out of turn. The proposed resolution of Mr Jatoi was also distributed among the media persons in press gallery, carried signatures of lawmakers of the ruling PPP, PML-F, NPP and ANP. ….

Read more » The Nation

A whistle blowing hero to some, a villain doing the Pakistan military’s dirty work to others, Ijaz is above all a mysterious anomaly.

By Issam Ahmed

Islamabad, Pakistan – A multi-millionaire American businessman at the center of a political crisis in Pakistan refused to travel to Islamabad Monday to testify before a Supreme Court commission, saying he feared for his personal safety. ….

Read more » csmonitor

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2012/0125/Who-is-Mansoor-Ijaz-The-US-businessman-behind-Pakistan-s-Memo-gate

THE high drama over memogate has given way to low farce. Yesterday, the high-powered judicial commission formed to assist the Supreme Court ascertain the ‘origin, credibility and purpose’ of the memo tried several times to convince a reluctant Mansoor Ijaz to travel to Pakistan and appear before the commission. ….

Read more » DAWN.COM

It seems at the first sign of cracks in a democratic setup in Pakistan, a battle cry goes out from media pundits, back-door politicians and professional pontificators alike to end or derail the democratic process. As the knives and bayonets are sharpened, headlines like “End the farce”, “Noose tightens” and “Government isolated” dominate in the media.

Many affluent Pakistanis, enjoying the fruits of Western democracies, hypocritically chime in to denigrate democracy and espouse the benefits of a return to strict authoritarian rule or a managed democracy for the unwashed masses in their native land. The mainstay of their argument is that a “controlled” political process can deliver peace, order and stability which the country desperately needs and which the natural chaos of a parliamentary democracy cannot hope to emulate. “The man who has gotten everything he wants is all in favor of peace and order.” Jawaharlal Nehru

The propagandists and doomsayers who predict the end of democracy are helped by the macabre political situation prevailing in the country. The Prime Minister is being held in contempt and has had to appear before the Supreme Court for balking on writing to the Swiss courts to reopen the President’s past corruption cases. A former envoy to the US has taken protection in the PM House, possibly seeking protection from the country’s security services who may seek to harm him for allegedly instigating a memorandum inviting foreign intervention to check the power of the country’s military.

The government has been forced to have a pro-democracy resolution passed by the “sovereign and supreme” Parliament requesting all institutions to respect the primacy of democratic institutions. It is a wonder that a democratic government, constantly watching its back, is also expected to focus on urgent issues facing the country like poverty, hunger, unemployment and the sorry state of government hospitals and schools.

Conditioned by years of playing second fiddle to autocrats and their henchmen, politicians and civil society are reluctant to stand together to fight the misleading allure of authoritarianism or a managed democracy. This is surprising because the non-democratic road in Pakistan is well travelled, taken a great toll on the country, and shaken its foundations to the core.

A strong case can be made that the three long periods of dictatorship in Pakistan’s history, Ayub 1958-69, Zia 1977-1988 and Musharraf 1999-2008 greatly contributed to the disintegration of the country and the spread of a retrogressive Islamic ideology, sectarianism and violence. The “men on horseback” trained in a unitary environment failed and will continue to fail because they are unable to understand the discordant demands of a multi ethnic society.

There is also little evidence that a “controlled” political environment is any less corrupt or can ensure long-term economic prosperity when compared to a parliamentary democracy. It can be argued that whitewashing authoritarianism every few years, does not remove its intrinsic violence and corruption and the way its tyrannies intrude into ordinary lives.

It seems ridiculous to imagine that a command decision made by an unelected leadership can be implemented without question in a complex nation of a 180 million people. History has proven time and time again that changes needed for the betterment of the people require discussion and consensus and not heavy handed approaches to be effective. Given the opportunity, the people will support liberal democracy and its ideals of tolerance, due process and constitutional rights.

Governmental legitimacy should continue to be derived from the ballot box. A silver lining often ignored by pessimists is that Pakistan has legitimate political parties, an increasingly independent judiciary and vibrant media, which are prerequisites for preserving and enhancing a democratic society. Pakistanis also have a history of fighting dictatorship and checking obscurantism through democratic means when allowed.

The critical issues of corruption and poor governance, disillusioned populace and a young population with few economic prospects have to be addressed quickly. This requires Pakistan to come up with a new generation of leaders, who are capable of relaying the foundations of State in crisis and who are also capable of defending its populations’ interests better, based on unwavering respect for different State institutions.

Courtesy: Pak Tea House

http://networkedblogs.com/t98py

By Myra MacDonald, Reuters

One of Pakistan’s most bizarre political dramas appears to be running out of steam.  What began as an unsigned memo seeking American help to rein in the military escalated into a full-blown power struggle between the civilian government and the army after Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz accused then ambassador to Washington Husain Haqqani of writing it. Haqqani, who denied involvement, resigned and returned to Pakistan to clear his name.  But that did nothing to stem a crisis in civilian-military relations which carried uncomfortable echoes of the 1990swhen government after government were dismissed in a decade which ended in a coup in 1999.

With Haqqani now living in virtual house arrest in Pakistan, the so-called “Memogate” affair is far from over – it remains subject to judicial and parliamentary enquiries. But after weeks of drama, from coup rumours to allegations the army had already sought Gulf backing to take over - both denied by the military – to unusually spirited criticism of the army by the government, to the more farcical circulation of an old video featuring Ijaz commenting on naked female wrestling – the media feeding frenzy triggered by the memo appears finally to be satiated. Ijaz, meanwhile, has said he is unwilling to travel to Pakistan to testify, citing fears for his safety, diminishing his utility as a star player.

As things stand, not only has the government led by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) of President Asif Ali Zardari survived, but it may even be on course to pull off an unprecedented feat in Pakistan – to serve its term, hold elections and hand over power to another democratically elected government. And while elections are not due until 2013, it is widely expected to hold them early with a real possibility of winning enough seats to stake a claim to lead a new coalition. Pakistan’s constituency-based system makes it hard for outsiders like the Tehrik-e-Insaf Pakistan (PTI) of rising politician Imran Khan to break the traditional grip of the PPP and its main rival, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Yet to suggest that the civilian government has come out on top in its confrontation with the generals would be to vastly overstate the significance of  “Memogate”,  and to grossly underestimate the distribution of power in Pakistan.

Step away from the minutiae of Memogate and look back over the period since the civilian government took office in 2008. It began its term hoping to improve relations with India, a crucial factor in determining the civilian-military imbalance within Pakistan. The rivalry with India has traditionally helped the army to bolster its power as it soaks up resources in military spending to counter what it sees as an existential threat. It has also fuelled support for Islamist militant groups to counter India in Kashmir and Afghanistan – groups whose relationship with the Pakistani state ran  through the army’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, again increasing its power relative to the country’s civilian politicians.

Conversely, peace with India would expand the space available to a civilian government by increasing trade,  allowing a greater share of a growing economy to be used on non-military spending, and cutting off the oxygen which helped Islamist militant groups to flourish.  You might even argue that the government’s desire to improve relations with India was as much to do with countering the power of the army at home as it was to end a bitter divide dating back to partition in 1947.  Extend that argument further and you can begin to understand why the army, whose DNA is configured to confront India, might have been genuinely alarmed by the memo, which not only talked of clipping its powers to manage Islamist militants, but offered to bring Pakistan’s nuclear weapons under international supervision.

Indeed, back in 2008 Zardari even went so far as to suggest that Pakistan could adopt a policy of “no first use” of nuclear weapons - a huge encroachment on the power of the military which considers nuclear weapons its own preserve, and sees the credible threat of first use as necessary to offset India’s conventional superiority.  The suggestion enraged the army – one diplomat told me that the language used by senior officers  to describe Zardari’s offer, particularly after a good few glasses of Scotch, did not bear repeating.

The November 2008 attack on Mumbai by Pakistan-based militants put paid to any idea that civilian politicians could carve out an independent foreign policy as both the military and the civilian government closed ranks in defending the country against Indian outrage.  From then on, the government more or less ceded the space to the army in setting foreign and security policy.

Occasional attempts by civilians to assert themselves – the army blamed ambassador Haqqani in 2009 for provisions in the U.S. Kerry Lugar aid bill giving the government greater power over the military – were quickly beaten back.

Meanwhile, the United States made clear its principal interlocutor in setting Afghan policy was the army;  it feted its chief, General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, in Washington, while the government took the rap for the kind of cooperation with the Americans that was becoming increasingly unpopular at home.  Far from winning the struggle with the military, the civilian politicians ended up in a worse position, with responsibility but no power, while the army had power but no responsibility.

It did not help that the political elite was widely seen as corrupt -  to a Pakistani public struggling to understand the peculiar relationship between the United States and Pakistan, and dealing with the spillover from the Afghan war in the form of gun and bomb attacks -  by far the easiest explanation was that the country had been sold out to U.S. interests by crooked politicians.

The government appointed by Zardari survived, almost against all expectations, by cutting one political deal after another with opposition politicians.  Yet the flexibility which allowed Zardari to make deals was also his downfall – the government seemed unable to see anything through and to the charge of corruption was added incompetence in governance.  After two consecutive years of devastating floods, a global financial crisis and a turbulent relationship with the United States (how much easier it was, the critics would say, when Washington simply had to pick up the phone and speak to the general in charge), the government’s track record is not looking good.

The country is fragmented by a competition for power between the military, the government, the judiciary and the media, among others.  Even some of the old certainties are breaking down. The “Military, Mullah, Militant” nexus which gave a semblance of stability to past military dictatorships has been challenged by groups like the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and their Punjabi allies who are fighting the same army which once nurtured the cause of Islamic jihad. Even the Lashkar-e-Taiba, traditionally the militant group closest to the military establishment, appears to have gone its own way in the execution of the Mumbai attacks.  The trope that Pakistan could be defined by the three A’s – “Army, Allah and America” – makes little sense any more when Washington and the Pakistan Army are at each other’s throats and its people killed by those who claim to fight in the name of Islam.

Meanwhile, the country faces a bitter separatist insurgency in Baluchistan,  and continued violence in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) bordering Afghanistan. The urban middle classes – squeezed like middle classes everywhere else in the world by the global financial crisis – are in little mood to share even more of their declining incomes to pay for Pakistan’s rural poor let alone to fund economic development in areas like Baluchistan and FATA which have long been seen as peripheral to the country’s Punjab heartland.

Ultimately, and frustratingly for those of us who prefer facts over propaganda, substance over politics, perception rules. Whatever the underlying reasons, when Pakistanis look back at their latest experiment in democracy over the last three years, their perceptions – at least as far as individual self-interest is concerned – will be negative.  And bear in mind, in Pakistan’s previous cycles of military and civilian rule, the yearning for order has  eventually triumphed. Military coups were always welcomed.

What happens next? We don’t know. The country is in some ways ripe for European-style fascism to pull its many fragmented parts together – think Italy, a country united for only 60 years, linguistically divided, economically struggling, harking back to the glory days of the Roman Empire and finding common ground only in religion, when Benito Mussolini rose to power.  But since history never repeats itself exactly, the model will be different. If such a sudden shift happens, it will likely be born out of a 150-year old Islamist response to British colonialism in South Asia.

Or Pakistan will quite literally “soldier on”. Elections will be held; a new civilian government will take office; and the army will continue to define foreign and security policy. It may even eventually take over again if the next government ends up being as disappointing – at least by its own definition – as the current one. The expected crisis, or failed state, will never quite materialise, but nor will Pakistan become successful. Then as the United States gradually withdraws from an unwinnable war in Afghanistan, Pakistan will be forgotten by all but those who live there or in the neighbourhood.

And historians will puzzle over why so much ink was spilled over “Memogate”, and why so much airtime was so loudly filled.

Courtesy » Reuters

http://blogs.reuters.com/pakistan/2012/01/25/obituary-of-a-scandal-a-first-draft-on-pakistans-memogate/