Well it seems that the government has added a feather into its empty basket of constructive acts – firstly by coming up with a package for Gilgit Baltistan along with the renaming of the area(although this has invited the wrath of Kashmiri leadership for not taking them into confidence) and 2ndly by holding the elections without any severe law and order situation(as this is the biggest priority in the prevailing time). I have stopped short of giving them the full credit of introducing true democracy in the hilly mountains because of the fact that even before the voting ended, eye brows have been raised regarding the transparency and fair conduct of the election.

Whether its pre poll or post poll, there have been severe allegation leveled against the PPP lead setup mainly by the opposition(PML-Q) and its own allies(MQM). Till the time I have written this stuff, it is clear that PPP has conquered the mountains of Gilgit Baltistan(well it remains to be judged whether by hook or crook).

There shouldn’t be any surprise in this regard. Don’t mix up the situation in mainland(I mean the center) with the results of GB. I say this because of two reasons

1) PPP has won the hearts by the initiative it has taken in this regard and they naturally had the edge

2) Being deprived for so long, one cannot expect the GB natives to produce an upset as it will definitely hit them hard in terms of the package they are expecting.

No need to go into the story of why PM Gilani (A unanimously elected PM as he claims) went on to address the gathering at such a crucial stage and in his granted power promised so much that it was considered a rigging. For the GB natives we wish u well for the dawn of democracy in your area and we sincerely hope that unlike us, you feel proud of it.

In the long evolution of history nations seldom find a situation,, where they find it better to hide their faces than to stand up and face the reality…….I hope that science very rightly never went so far that a mechanism could be invented where the travel from “past to the future” becomes possible……..especially in the case of Pakistan.

            Imagine on this 9^th November we are all glued to the screen,, not to watch a new debate on NRO or Kerry Lugar bill but to see a noble soul standing under the shadow of Minar e Pakistan and asking the 180million inhabitants of this “land of pure”……..what has got into you in the past 63 years? Where have you aligned yourself in this league of the fittest? Where has the blood of morality, humanity, dignity and justice disappeared from your veins?……..rest assured that their wont be a  voice to ring your bells because even Iqbal would not take the credit of saying “YEH HAI IQBAL KA PAKISTAN”?

            As I said in the start we have our faces to hide because this accountability is out of our league,, we have sunk so deep that even we have lost faith in ourselves,, our existence. On every anniversary all I hear is the same argument,, we have forgotten the philosophy and the message of Iqbal!!!!!!!Ahah,, I believe now that all those years it was right there,, it is just that we cannot face the reality of a mirror that Iqbal’s word will transform into.

            Excuses and allegation,, this is all our politicians and the masses have found to be the best tool, and I am no different. Great games, foreign appeasement bla bla…..so many excuses. Is it not that we have failed within our capacity to be a nation of which we would have been proud of? Dictatorship, democracy, free judiciary, civil war and Allah knows how much more……the only thing we have forgotten in all this evolution is our identity Pakistan and our religion, Islam……….

            Just start from bottom to top this time around. People and especially women passed away while fighting for a bag of flour,, a student lost his battle for future because there was no light for him to study,, a father left his son crying as the VVIP movement never permitted his ambulance to reach the hospital,, a mother’s son blew himself with neither she knowing why he did it nor the innocent who went with him………………IQBAL KA PAKISTAN!!

            They say at top that send a complimentary note to the imperial for granting us 1.5 billion $,, what is the big deal even if we surrender our existence?? Lets shut the trap of this media  because it is making the masses to rise for there foundation?? Let us welcome the “black/white/red water” into Pakistan,, aren’t we the part of global village………………..IQBAL KA PAKISTAN!!

            Be happy my fellows like me as there is no soul standing in the shadow to ask us about our deeds. Atleast on another 9^th we have been saved from accountability……….lets again talk NFC award………lets again bring NRO2………lets again make a march and return while Amina Janjua and her children sit outside the Supreme Court for there missing one to return………this is our Pakistan……….we have shaped this but for how long is the question now………IQBAL——Ahah

The coming few weeks will unfold what really has been decided behind the curtain, but for the time being it is clear that the reign of the “few” has been put to a hold by the popular will. In a single day many important events converged to setup the tone for the late night saga,, where the PPP(headed from the presidency) and its allies have to go back on their stance of passing “NRO” from the parliament. As translated earlier,, this whole attempt was no more than to pass from the most prestigious platform a law which is so shameful that the list of beneficiaries and there acts can still be found as a classified documents.
It was always clear that we will be taken back into the era of 1990’s in case this resolution was tabled in the parliament. PML-N as expected was to oppose this, but at the same time it was also in the air that some back door settlement was in the making. In the end it was a furious Mr Sharif himself who announced that the lines have been drawn and NRO will not be allowed to pass through the NA unchecked. The claims went much further when it was reported that a threat of another “long march” has also been issued.
Closely following were there former partners turned enemies PML-Q. Its leadership also raised the flag for the final showdown in case NRO was tabelled. This was natural as they knew it was there loop holes which allowed an ordinance like this to be issued in the first place under Musharaff. The showstopper performance of the day came from an unlikely source,, the MQM. As soon as news started floating that Mr Altaf Hussain, the very person who proposed the name of Mr Zardari as the Presidential candidate has advised him to resign; it was crystal clear that the “fairy tale” has been brought to a sudden close. There were claims followed by counter claims regarding MQM stance, but for observers it was clear that what Altaf expresses is a natural expression of the MQM.
Anyhow what followed is history, and in the end it was decided by the coalition that NRO wont be tabled in the parliament. With this the only news which has captured the centre stage is the (Minus 1). The only force which would have rallied the votes behind NRO was the presidency, and its collapse in this way clearly set the stage that the top office has lost its game. Many theories and conspiracies can be unearthed in this regard. Some say that Hillary’s visit was the “final nail” in this political coffin. Her tour clearly revealed to the Americans that there “YES” man has lost his credibility at home. Voices will be heard that why Americans have now dumped the setup which was designed by themselves for this land? The answer in short term can be simple that they have replaced an unpopular puppet with a person who has become even more unpopular with the passage of time. In long term its answer lies in the solution Americans so eagerly wants in our neighbouring Afghanistan.
In any case once again the popular will has played the vital role in turning the side. For president now it is a simple equation…………..whether a group will have to pack up or in the second case the entire system will have to follow them down the road??? These are the times where leadership is tested,, and owing to the previous record I have no doubt that the top office will try its best to out maneuver the masses once again,, but ofcourse like before it will be the top office which will be standing on the wrong side of the road………….

Well it is hard to expect a pleasant news in prevailing circumstances, but sometime the policy decisions just make you go “crazy”. The same was the case last night after reading a piece of paper stating that the government is all out to bring CNG prices in parity with the prevailing petroleum prices,, that will be around 60rs.
The conspiracy as I will term it was in the air for quite a long time, and it has been learnt that infact all clear has been given in this regard,, but the decision has been kept pending for the feared reaction of Supreme Court.
Now it can be anybody’s guess if this so called “strategic shift in energy sector” is the direct result of Kerry Lugar, IMF or World Bank. But like in any matter prior to this, it will be the consumer that will suffer. Lets put it this way around. For so long, may be a decade long campaign was undertaken to encourage this source of energy mainly for two reasons. 1st is the fact that it is available domestically and 2nd ly its environment friendly. Well heard somewhere that Pakistan has the 2nd largest consumers for this technology. With this been said, now we have our honourable planners deciding to do their best to discourage this sector and deprive the end user of this cheap commodity.
The pretext can be many. It was in the news that suddenly it has emerged that a severe shortfall will of natural gas will occur in this winter and for that load shedding,, price hike bla bla will be on the table……….Well isn’t it familiar with the situation we witnessed just an year back when our electricity suddenly disappeared? Like the power crisis the goal planning of this present setup has more to do with next 50 years rather than immediate relief. For months Pak-Iran gas pipeline captured centre stage in this regard, only to result in a deal which will first take years to turn from theory to reality and the price settled for the gas supply is still under intense debate. Like always one is left guessing how much effort has been made to enhance the current capacity of Pakistan’s own gas reserves? Ofcourse all we will get is a sorry face………..
May be like most of the cases, the formulators of this formula are those who have never witnessed the grass root dynamics,, how much difference the CNG introduction has made,, and whom will they serve by destroying a domestic industry in order to get dependent on an entity which we don’t produce at all….petroleum.
Anyhow it is still early to notify them in case they care that this step will be like the last nail in their coffin. You cant ensure security, cant provide electricity or sugar and now you are out there to add another feather in your hat by taking an essential item like CNG out of the masses reach!

Morning never felt pleasant after hearing that the wife of Legendary cricketer Wasim Akram, Huma has passed away. Through decades Wasim has been one of the geatest ambassador for Cricket Pakistan after Imran. The untimely death is a great set back for the family and the childrens. Wasim’s iconic personality is known around the world. For decades the “sultan of swing” has amazed everyone with his performance. He was part of the World Cup winning team in 1992. He has been hit by scandals many time in his career and as reports suggest Huma has been a great source of inspiration. May Allah rest her soul in peace and give patience to the family…….Ameen

Rumours are there and it is my noble pray that it should stay as a rumour that in his forth coming meeting with President Zardari,,PML-N Chief Mr Nawaz is going for a political suicide by compromising NRO for the 17^th Amendment. Well in politics(undoubtedly the dirtiest game) this maneuver might be a far sighted policy, but in the scale of morality and justice this will be a betrayal to the 180million people of Pakistan.

            In past we have also witnessed follies like these from Mr Sharif and one must hope that he has already learnt his lesson. I mean this can be translated in another words as

“you cannot do a right at the expense of a wrong………….and still claim pride for it”

 

Any how,, lastly like many times I have mentioned,, we are still stuck in the question that why terrorist are still making headways(like attacks on FIA, GHQ, IIU)…….and why there is a vacuum when it comes to decision making?  What stated earlier clearly explains their priorites……for them it doesn’t matter if our brothers and sisters die in a university or street,, they have other things to take care of.. With all this,, may be like always its time to pray from the Almighty to save us all!

A nation at war doesn’t mean that its only the soldiers who are out there dodging the bullets remain solely responsible for it and on the other hand its their families who should be in a state of repeated prayers for their safe return. It is a testing time for the nations where they have to show character and will. In past few days a bombardment of unknown messages(sms) has been witnessed, spreading hoax news. Sometime regarding a highly secret tip off regarding the new potential bomb blast about to occur in the coming 24 hours while on other instance its about some new terrorist that have slipped into our cities. Terrorism by definition is simply to promote one’s agenda by inducing fear into the natives, making them change the way they think or act and unfortunately by these action we are somehow harboring this ourselves. Just got a infuriated text stating that the casualities in yesterday’s attack on the IIU were more than 5 times than those stated by the media, and further that this bias act should be condemned. For God sake, the messages have become potentially free in regards to their tariffs but atleast one can take some time out before forwarding it to all the contacts. A contribution is required from everyone in their respective capacity. Safety comes first but atleast be assured that if there is something like this around, it will reach the masses through proper channel……….. May Allah bless us all, our brave brothers fighting on the front line and this land of pure…………Ameen

Better Than Fighting Taliban!

In case the heading caught you offguard, let me break this thrill at the start that it’s the US Marines in Afghanistan that I have addressed. As our 30,000 troops have entered one of the most significant battle ground in this entire “war on terror” i.e Waziristan, one would have expected the ISAF/NATO troops across the border to be on their toes for this final push. But see what is happening on the ground! They have found it better to vacate their key posts along the border. I can think of no other meaning than a solidarity gesture with Taliban. In other terms General Mccrystal has given the verdict………

“hey Taliban!,,,,feel at home in Afghanistan in case they have decided to uproot you”

            I am still stuck with the magical term “AFPAK” coined by Obama, as his new name will solve every thing. Just watch the pundits all around the clock on BBC and CNN talking rubbish, Pakistan tribal areas and bla bla. I wonder if they will come up with the theory that it was the noise pollution from Pakistani artillery which compelled them to take their troops out?

            The oldest democracy, its time that you stop yourself being fooled by this drama. The war or “crusade” started by Bush is still on the agenda. Your action of nobility will infact very soon bring the whole civilization to a brink of war, and if it happens God knows whose mediation will work? Wake up and ask your leadership what are they upto in Afghanistan and Iran. Else, Rome will be set ablaze and you will be asking yourself was it another 9/11?

            Buck up Pakistani army, May Allah grant you success on the mission you have embarked, and we are all with you by “heart and soul”………………..

The best comedy shows in recent history have undoubtedly presented by our politicians and there visionary acts. This is one entertaining lot which never stops short of giving you the ultimate thrill, and I must say they have become an expert with time.

            On one hand we have seen past two weeks as simply the “bloodiest” in this war against TTP and its fellow groups. The attacks shook every corner of Pakistan and made it more evident that “it hasn’t ended yet”. Swat is a success story but its Waziristan which has emerged as the mother of all evils. As I write this, our troops have moved into the valley some time earlier to go for the final showdown. The whole nation is backing them along with the media, but one is left guessing where our political folks have been kept busy?

            Ofcourse they didn’t find a better opportunity to play their cards, whether in the form of Kerry Lugar bill or the NRO. It is simply disgusting to see how they still try to act as magicians, bringing a smoke screen in order to hide what they are upto in reality. Its not about PPP or PML-N, but it’s the political culture of Pakistan which has not matured with time. Just imagine what we have at stake at this crucial time. On one hand we are fighting a war which has sent us back to the stone age, where people never knew where they are heading or more precisely in a situation where you don’t have an idea whose on your side. There is no question of a failure against TTP as it will reunite them and for which we have sacrificed so much.

            K-L is not simply a legislature, but infact it will show how Pakistanis would like the world to see them. We have two choices in real politics; either you are sovereign or a satellite. The third frontier is the NRO, which will decide whether we have learned from our past or like a coward we have preferred to close our eyes and ears. Those who forget the past have no future to dream for. Both these entities, NRO and K-L are infact governing documents for the 180million masses, or in simple terms they have every thing to do with us.

            Today, it’s a shame to hear that no political party is talking about Pakistan or the masses in regards to these two accords, but all we hear is the “number game”. The government it seems will add a feather into there cap if they let both these accords pass from the parliament, but only time will tell that this will be imprinted as a “stain” which no time or tide will able to remove. As mentioned earlier it’s the future of 180 million Pakistanis which hangs with the Kerry-Lugar, while NRO holds the past where we have been deprieved, neglected and abused. So if it is a democracy as you claim every day, bring both these accords/agreements to the “court of masses”. REFRENDUM is the only answer, where every Pakistani will decide the fate of his future and will do justice to his past. This is still a decent option and one which has a logic, or else tomorrow the gulf between the executive and the masses will be so wide that it will be crystal clear that our fate was and will be decided in Washington, so instead of PML-N or PPP keep an eye on the manifesto of Republican or Democrats?