If anything the recent 29 run loss at Mohali, of our Cricket team must serve as a sign for many in our hyper religious society. Some of our own, shamelessly run any and everything in this "religious blender" to play with the emotions of our naïve masses.
The SMS's on mobile phones were being circulated requesting the recipients to recite a certain "Ayat e Kareema" for Pakistan's win, is just a tip of the iceberg. The religious leaders suggesting a "tasbeeh" and "duaey haajat" for a potential win. The country coming to a total stand still and special prayers being held for our team's win, some how beg some collective thinking.
This scribe by the grace of Almighty is a Muslim. However the scribe is of the opinion, that religion and sports are two different things and need not to be mixed with one other. Because one thing is for sure, religion is not a game. But some in our so called religious circles, were hell bent upon making the religion a game. It always suits their agenda. Keep the masses under the opium of religiosity, and take their ability to think independently away forever, is their goal.
We were reminded of the major armageddon being played at Mohali, between "Haqq" and "Baattil." We were assured that "Haqq" always triumphs over "Baatil", no matter what. We were reminded of our major battles of the past, where we were supposedly bruised and battered, yet we were able to emerge as victors, only because of our faith. The irony is that these emotions are peddled on a constant basis, at every juncture of our lives, Cricket or otherwise.
The entire country came to a stand still, including our local governments declaring it a holiday. The channels were flooded with experts from all over, the columns were filled with commentaries and the sentiments were running on full throttle. Heck even our "Independent Judiciary", took time off to indulge in some fun. There is nothing wrong with the frenzy, but when it gets to go over the sense and sensibilities, it becomes an issue.
Either our prayers were lacking the requisite purity or we were totally blind sided by our emotions. It appears that our passionate and often senseless emotions impacted our rational thinking. The people who totally mortgaged their brains and fell for such antics, must not doubt their faith or deity. It is not their faith, that was on the pitch of Mohali, but the skill set of their players was on the line.
Cricket much like any other sport is a game of skills and strategy. Undoubtedly, the Indian team had set a significant target of 260 runs. Having the home turf advantage and playing with better skills, tact and strategy, they were able to bring Pakistan down.
Why is it such a big deal, to accept and give credit to the Indian team, where it rightfully deserves. Our egos tend to get in our way. We tend to bring our faith, and our reasons from parting from India, in the game as well. Whatever transpired in 1947 is history, the more important aspect is to determine, how history will be written from 2011 onwards.
Indian PM Manmohan Singh's invitation to his counterpart, PM Gilani to watch the match live, was a welcome gesture. Of course it sparked a whole new discussion of the infamous, "Cricket Diplomacy", if it means anything. Looking back at the track record of Zia and Musharraf, one could disregard it with absolute ease. The PM took his entourage to cash in on the "Mohali Mania", to restart the stalled dialogue with the neighbors. As anticipated, it was a good opportunity for the photos, some hand shakes and news blips. Who in their right mind thought, that 63 plus years of grievances and issues, could potentially be resolved with a significant break through in 90 minutes of discussion.
Pakistan played with full coordinated effort and did put up a great fight, which of course is highly commendable. The squad under Afridi with such a herculean lead was able to perform with tact and effort. The low run rate per over, is what really became the reason for our defeat.
So did Bhagwan get to triumph over the Almighty ALLAH? Perhaps not, it is the better sportsmen who got to win. Winning and losing is all part of the game. In the end, its all a game. If that's the case then Bhagwan must have been on a major high, when India trounced Lanka in the final by merely 3 runs. Again, it was not a match of ALLAH, Jesus or Bhagwan. India deserved to win, based on their performance and that's about it.
The take away from this episode for general public is to focus on the strategy, skills and tact in the future. Next time when we are in a showdown of similar nature, we need to sit back and relax and chant this to refresh our brains, "the best team gets to win, no matter what." And yes regardless of what their faith or nationality.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Friends "In Deed"
If anything British PM, David Cameron has proven one thing for sure with his recent visit to Islamabad, he is an astute politician. He has shown very brilliantly how to keep both "Raam and Raheem" happy, when visiting their respective domains. A few months back, he had ruffled many feathers here, by singing the anti Pakistan tune from New Dehli with special emphasis on the "T" word. The "T" word of course stands for very sadly, what Pakistan has been associated with lately, you guessed it "Terrorism. "
Reversing course in Islamabad and what is labeled as "succumbing to galleries", back in UK, Mr. Cameron, eluded to certain wrongs, committed by the Great Britain in the past. Needless to say, it did not bode well with his countrymen back home.
The uproar in the UK was focused on why revisit the past and apologize for something that’s history. There are plenty of wrongs committed by everyone including the "British Raj." The world should move on, much like the Brits have. To some extent, the Brits may be right, but those who were offended by Cameron’s comments conveniently forgot that a career Politician never misses a chance to secure an applause. They thrive on it, whether they are at home or abroad.
The Brits really had an opportunity to fix a lot of their wrongs in Sub Continent, at least at the time, when they finally decided to leave India and granted independence to India and Pakistan. The concept of partition was well and good in theory, but in practice without proper monitoring it turned out to be the one of the worst blood baths in the history of mankind. The process of migration of people from both sides, should have been monitored with certain conditions. The sheer haste, that Brits demonstrated to leave India and subsequent chaos, which ensued in the aftermath is shameful. The inequitable division which led to the formation of two very hostile neighbors, is no secret.
Cameron’s U turn in Pakistan is based upon the harsh realization that how significant Pakistan is, in terms of Global War on Terror. Pakistan has taken a huge toll internally and externally by becoming the foot soldier for its Western allies. The fact is, with or without the wrongfully dubbed, “America’s War”, Pakistan is fully involved in Afghanistan, to maintain its infamous “strategic depth.” The show of such depth is integral for Pakistan’s survival, in order to counter any major move of its arch rival in neighboring Afghanistan. Even if US were to leave the Afghanistan tomorrow, the net effect on Pakistan will probably remain the same. Those who think by reversing the course and readopting the Talibans would be the best strategy for Pakistan, are really mistaken.
When Mr. Cameron was busy “pleasing the galleries” here in Pakistan, there was a congressional panel in Washington, recommending President Obama to abandon Pakistan and embrace India. According to some of the panelist, Pakistan is on “life support”, so to speak. It would be prudent for the US to align itself with the emerging and somewhat rightly labeled, “Shining India.”
The strategy of abandoning Pakistan in the midst of all this, will perhaps back fire, much like it did for US back in the early 80’s, when it left Afghanistan in shambles, upon Soviet retreat. The world witnessed its horrible repercussions and still trying to struggle with the aftermath of such ill conceived strategy.
There are certain conflicts where force is not the most effective solution. At least not in a uniquely placed country like Afghanistan, where conflict is the other name for survival. The country has a long history of such conflicts and survival of the “strongest” seems to be the over arching principle. In this scenario, the best course of action is to play a constructive role in bringing an ideological paradigm shift both in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The US, UK and other Western allies should concentrate on the end game in Afghanistan. All military conflicts have to come to an eventual end. This particular one has been quite taxing on the economies of their respective countries. If anything, the conclusion of this game depends on political maturity in both countries along with a vigilant security, which prevents any questionable threat to materialize.
The "cut and run theory" did not work in the past for Brits and for the Americans in their respective venues. The real change is witnessed by all, when their is a stable government, thriving economy, freedom of religion and opportunities. If US, UK and other western allies, really want to see a good return on their investment, so to speak, then they should be focusing on these initiatives. If they are our true friends indeed then, they have to demonstrate such measures. The empty stomachs and lack of hope is what gives people reasons to deviate. The Af-Pak region has seen too much of a downhill flight for too long, its time to alter its trajectory.
Reversing course in Islamabad and what is labeled as "succumbing to galleries", back in UK, Mr. Cameron, eluded to certain wrongs, committed by the Great Britain in the past. Needless to say, it did not bode well with his countrymen back home.
The uproar in the UK was focused on why revisit the past and apologize for something that’s history. There are plenty of wrongs committed by everyone including the "British Raj." The world should move on, much like the Brits have. To some extent, the Brits may be right, but those who were offended by Cameron’s comments conveniently forgot that a career Politician never misses a chance to secure an applause. They thrive on it, whether they are at home or abroad.
The Brits really had an opportunity to fix a lot of their wrongs in Sub Continent, at least at the time, when they finally decided to leave India and granted independence to India and Pakistan. The concept of partition was well and good in theory, but in practice without proper monitoring it turned out to be the one of the worst blood baths in the history of mankind. The process of migration of people from both sides, should have been monitored with certain conditions. The sheer haste, that Brits demonstrated to leave India and subsequent chaos, which ensued in the aftermath is shameful. The inequitable division which led to the formation of two very hostile neighbors, is no secret.
Cameron’s U turn in Pakistan is based upon the harsh realization that how significant Pakistan is, in terms of Global War on Terror. Pakistan has taken a huge toll internally and externally by becoming the foot soldier for its Western allies. The fact is, with or without the wrongfully dubbed, “America’s War”, Pakistan is fully involved in Afghanistan, to maintain its infamous “strategic depth.” The show of such depth is integral for Pakistan’s survival, in order to counter any major move of its arch rival in neighboring Afghanistan. Even if US were to leave the Afghanistan tomorrow, the net effect on Pakistan will probably remain the same. Those who think by reversing the course and readopting the Talibans would be the best strategy for Pakistan, are really mistaken.
When Mr. Cameron was busy “pleasing the galleries” here in Pakistan, there was a congressional panel in Washington, recommending President Obama to abandon Pakistan and embrace India. According to some of the panelist, Pakistan is on “life support”, so to speak. It would be prudent for the US to align itself with the emerging and somewhat rightly labeled, “Shining India.”
The strategy of abandoning Pakistan in the midst of all this, will perhaps back fire, much like it did for US back in the early 80’s, when it left Afghanistan in shambles, upon Soviet retreat. The world witnessed its horrible repercussions and still trying to struggle with the aftermath of such ill conceived strategy.
There are certain conflicts where force is not the most effective solution. At least not in a uniquely placed country like Afghanistan, where conflict is the other name for survival. The country has a long history of such conflicts and survival of the “strongest” seems to be the over arching principle. In this scenario, the best course of action is to play a constructive role in bringing an ideological paradigm shift both in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The US, UK and other Western allies should concentrate on the end game in Afghanistan. All military conflicts have to come to an eventual end. This particular one has been quite taxing on the economies of their respective countries. If anything, the conclusion of this game depends on political maturity in both countries along with a vigilant security, which prevents any questionable threat to materialize.
The "cut and run theory" did not work in the past for Brits and for the Americans in their respective venues. The real change is witnessed by all, when their is a stable government, thriving economy, freedom of religion and opportunities. If US, UK and other western allies, really want to see a good return on their investment, so to speak, then they should be focusing on these initiatives. If they are our true friends indeed then, they have to demonstrate such measures. The empty stomachs and lack of hope is what gives people reasons to deviate. The Af-Pak region has seen too much of a downhill flight for too long, its time to alter its trajectory.
Obama's U Turn On G Bay
Undoubtedly the recent U turn of President Obama on the trial of the 09/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Muhammed and a few others will stir a new controversy. Initially, the plans were to try KSM in New York, where the horrific day of 09/11, not only brought down the twin towers, but in essence altered the world we live in for ever.
It seems like based on the advise of his security experts, he has weighed in on the pros and cons of such a trial in New York and opted for a military trial at Guantanamo Bay. The much hyped closure of Guantanamo Bay, was on his agenda, when he was eyeing for the White House, back in 2008. Apparently, not all promises are meant to be fulfilled.
Interestingly, the announcement came on the same day, when he officially launched his re election bid on BarackObama.com, for 2012. Many would call this another failure and add it to his long list of such. Simply said, it is not easy being in the shoes of Barack Obama. What he inherited from his predecessor, fixing that by all means, is not even a ten year gig, let alone four. Obama received a monumental recession as a "signing in bonus", at his job. It was a foregone conclusion, that he will face some insurmountable challenges.
Reviving that nearly dead economy is a herculean task, he has tried everything in his sleeve along with Bernanke to switch the course. To illustrate his efforts and the real outcome , one may have to draw a parallel with lighting a candle in a major twister. Yes the Wall Street wants us to believe that we are heading in the right direction. But the world events are not in the hands of the Fund Managers of the Wall Street. On the other hand, there is red ink all over, as far as the US Government is concerned. The holes in the Titanic are way too many, so to speak.
Obama may need more than the social media to galvanize his core base of young voters this time around. Many are disheartened by the sluggish pace of the economy, despite the tall claims and positive Wall Street spin. He will needs lots of luck for 2012. Going by the reelection infomercial on his website, Obama has delineated the job of re igniting his previous passion and momentum to his core base. Many political pundits had termed him a "single term President", and perhaps they had a fairly accurate crystal ball on their hands.
Any time a politician has to go about face on his campaign promise, there has to be some real good rhyme or reason. The repercussions of any such move are enormous and cost can be fatally high, when an opponent can exploit it as a major political weakness. Holding the KSM trial at Guantanamo Bay, must not have been an easy decision.
Although the Attorney General, Eric Holder has outlined the reasons for holding such a trial at Guantamo Bay for these characters, but spin zone will still be in action. Calling it a gross violation of policy, justice and so on and so forth. The opponents of such move, of course are rightfully arguing about civil liberties.
Spin and emotions aside, like many other people, I would want this trial to be open and fair as well. But bringing these characters to New York City, would literally be inviting the madness to reign for that period of time. The life in the crowded city will become a major challenge and overly perilous at the same time. Revisiting the same issue for the New Yorkers would perhaps be equally traumatic.
Looking at another recent shameful incident where Pastor Jones and Sapp burned a Holy Quran and its reaction in Afghanistan where UN workers were murdered, supposedly as a response, one has to really tread with caution.
Besides, rationally thinking, what difference would a jury trial in the heart of city would make? Do you think any one in his or her right mind would not convict KSM who has admitted not only being the mastermind of the infamous day, but also beheading Daniel Pearl with his "blessed" right hand?
Lastly, besides the media frenzy the security of the city would be a major nightmare. Especially the wanna bees who glorify KSM's would perhaps try to go the usual way to vent. So all in all, even though I disagree with the move, but I understand why it may be necessary.
After all this is said and done, I hope Mr. Obama would stick to his words and close the G Bay for good. Only if he gets to stay in White House is the key question here. If the Reds win the White House back as many are expecting, G Bay may remain open forever.
It seems like based on the advise of his security experts, he has weighed in on the pros and cons of such a trial in New York and opted for a military trial at Guantanamo Bay. The much hyped closure of Guantanamo Bay, was on his agenda, when he was eyeing for the White House, back in 2008. Apparently, not all promises are meant to be fulfilled.
Interestingly, the announcement came on the same day, when he officially launched his re election bid on BarackObama.com, for 2012. Many would call this another failure and add it to his long list of such. Simply said, it is not easy being in the shoes of Barack Obama. What he inherited from his predecessor, fixing that by all means, is not even a ten year gig, let alone four. Obama received a monumental recession as a "signing in bonus", at his job. It was a foregone conclusion, that he will face some insurmountable challenges.
Reviving that nearly dead economy is a herculean task, he has tried everything in his sleeve along with Bernanke to switch the course. To illustrate his efforts and the real outcome , one may have to draw a parallel with lighting a candle in a major twister. Yes the Wall Street wants us to believe that we are heading in the right direction. But the world events are not in the hands of the Fund Managers of the Wall Street. On the other hand, there is red ink all over, as far as the US Government is concerned. The holes in the Titanic are way too many, so to speak.
Obama may need more than the social media to galvanize his core base of young voters this time around. Many are disheartened by the sluggish pace of the economy, despite the tall claims and positive Wall Street spin. He will needs lots of luck for 2012. Going by the reelection infomercial on his website, Obama has delineated the job of re igniting his previous passion and momentum to his core base. Many political pundits had termed him a "single term President", and perhaps they had a fairly accurate crystal ball on their hands.
Any time a politician has to go about face on his campaign promise, there has to be some real good rhyme or reason. The repercussions of any such move are enormous and cost can be fatally high, when an opponent can exploit it as a major political weakness. Holding the KSM trial at Guantanamo Bay, must not have been an easy decision.
Although the Attorney General, Eric Holder has outlined the reasons for holding such a trial at Guantamo Bay for these characters, but spin zone will still be in action. Calling it a gross violation of policy, justice and so on and so forth. The opponents of such move, of course are rightfully arguing about civil liberties.
Spin and emotions aside, like many other people, I would want this trial to be open and fair as well. But bringing these characters to New York City, would literally be inviting the madness to reign for that period of time. The life in the crowded city will become a major challenge and overly perilous at the same time. Revisiting the same issue for the New Yorkers would perhaps be equally traumatic.
Looking at another recent shameful incident where Pastor Jones and Sapp burned a Holy Quran and its reaction in Afghanistan where UN workers were murdered, supposedly as a response, one has to really tread with caution.
Besides, rationally thinking, what difference would a jury trial in the heart of city would make? Do you think any one in his or her right mind would not convict KSM who has admitted not only being the mastermind of the infamous day, but also beheading Daniel Pearl with his "blessed" right hand?
Lastly, besides the media frenzy the security of the city would be a major nightmare. Especially the wanna bees who glorify KSM's would perhaps try to go the usual way to vent. So all in all, even though I disagree with the move, but I understand why it may be necessary.
After all this is said and done, I hope Mr. Obama would stick to his words and close the G Bay for good. Only if he gets to stay in White House is the key question here. If the Reds win the White House back as many are expecting, G Bay may remain open forever.
We Are The Cannibals!
Like many I was disgusted and shocked, when cannibals among us were discovered. These were two villagers in Punjab, who indulged in this inhumane and abhorrent act. The public disdain towards this madness was very natural. The electronic and print media rightfully reported and condemned such deplorable and pathetic act.
Of course mental illness can be the only rational explanation for such a demonic act. What kind of sadistic pleasure, can one derive by killing and consuming their own?
But somehow, our condemnation only stops right there. We rarely demonstrate similar objections, when it comes to our own behavior, similar to those demented individuals. For those of you, who may be confused a bit by my statement, ought to observe and examine our personal behavior on a daily basis.
Holy Prophet (PBUH) has warned us against backbiting and trying to dig into the private lives of others. He termed it being equivalent to eating the flesh of your brother. Again, I am the first one to admit, that I have committed this sin almost every day, perhaps without even giving it much of a thought.
In one of the forums, when someone dug some juicy dirt of someone's decade old blemish, it really got me thinking. When I repeatedly objected to this, I got a whole sleuth of responses. It was "public's right to know", about some one who is considered a celebrity in media. I was told that, when you are supposedly a well known person, nothing is off limits.
My contention was and will remain the same. The public's right to know is limited to the on screen persona of the individual. In private life, whatever one does, is his or her personal business. The public's right to know does not apply to what faith one practices or otherwise. If one claims to be practicing a certain belief system, but in real life chooses another one, it should not be my business. Yes, he or she may be a hypocrite, but who has given me the right to judge their morality?
The professional or ideological shortcomings of an individual should be solely what public really needs to know. The blemishes surrounding, one's opinion, which can be misplaced or erroneous, need to be debated and analyzed. The reason is plain and simple, the repercussions may be quite fatal, in some cases.
Strangely at the same forum, some people were awfully concerned with French Burqa ban. (Sorry Raza Raja Bhai, not trying to steal your thunder here). Some had strong opinion about, why women had to be covered, based on our faith and so on and so forth.
So covering a lady takes precedent over uncovering someone's private life. We are quite shallow and hollow. I had a faint idea, but the behavior of many at that forum really endorsed it. I expressed my opinion on this issue in the forum and on Raza Raja Bhai's write up as well, so I will refrain from repeating that.
We often tend to conveniently disregard, the commandment of GOD towards women to be modest is equally applicable to men as well. Because the men are supposed to limit their gaze and not repeatedly stare at other women. How many including myself follow that one?
Of course mental illness can be the only rational explanation for such a demonic act. What kind of sadistic pleasure, can one derive by killing and consuming their own?
But somehow, our condemnation only stops right there. We rarely demonstrate similar objections, when it comes to our own behavior, similar to those demented individuals. For those of you, who may be confused a bit by my statement, ought to observe and examine our personal behavior on a daily basis.
Holy Prophet (PBUH) has warned us against backbiting and trying to dig into the private lives of others. He termed it being equivalent to eating the flesh of your brother. Again, I am the first one to admit, that I have committed this sin almost every day, perhaps without even giving it much of a thought.
In one of the forums, when someone dug some juicy dirt of someone's decade old blemish, it really got me thinking. When I repeatedly objected to this, I got a whole sleuth of responses. It was "public's right to know", about some one who is considered a celebrity in media. I was told that, when you are supposedly a well known person, nothing is off limits.
My contention was and will remain the same. The public's right to know is limited to the on screen persona of the individual. In private life, whatever one does, is his or her personal business. The public's right to know does not apply to what faith one practices or otherwise. If one claims to be practicing a certain belief system, but in real life chooses another one, it should not be my business. Yes, he or she may be a hypocrite, but who has given me the right to judge their morality?
The professional or ideological shortcomings of an individual should be solely what public really needs to know. The blemishes surrounding, one's opinion, which can be misplaced or erroneous, need to be debated and analyzed. The reason is plain and simple, the repercussions may be quite fatal, in some cases.
Strangely at the same forum, some people were awfully concerned with French Burqa ban. (Sorry Raza Raja Bhai, not trying to steal your thunder here). Some had strong opinion about, why women had to be covered, based on our faith and so on and so forth.
So covering a lady takes precedent over uncovering someone's private life. We are quite shallow and hollow. I had a faint idea, but the behavior of many at that forum really endorsed it. I expressed my opinion on this issue in the forum and on Raza Raja Bhai's write up as well, so I will refrain from repeating that.
We often tend to conveniently disregard, the commandment of GOD towards women to be modest is equally applicable to men as well. Because the men are supposed to limit their gaze and not repeatedly stare at other women. How many including myself follow that one?
The Telephonic Revolution Mantra From London
Like every political party in Pakistan, MQM is in search of new avenues and trying to embark into new territories. In a democracy, every political party has a right to tap into a new voter base and bank.
In our beleaguered nation, we are a divided lot, based on ethnic and linguistic lines. The usual bickering about Punjab being the most populous and being the real "center of power", goes around the country. No one can really deny that, yes Punjab plays a very vital role in the formation of any government and being most populous province, can naturally be advantageous to the potential candidates.
General Zia Ul Haq in his tenure, created his political descendant, called Mian Nawaz Sharif, who formed a faction of Pakistan Muslim League, to divide the PPP strength in Punjab. Over the years, PML-N was able to develop and gain its terrain in the province. People still remember the infamous slogans of, "Jaag Punjabi Jaag", which were once raised by N League to awaken the souls of Punjabis in deep slumber. (At least from N League's view)
Often denied but rightly attributed is another act of the infamous General, the facilitation of the formation of the MQM. The motive was to further divide the PPP strength in Karachi and urban Sindh, by creating a party of"Urdu Speaking" majority. There is no denying that MQM has come a long way, with its trials and tribulations in Karachi and urban Sindh to establish its base. How it gained its footing there is common knowledge and many long term Karachites have many stories to share about this metamorphosis.
After making a significant advancement in Karachi and in urban Sindh, MQM is eyeing for the real power center of Punjab. The recent rally of MQM in Lahore is another attempt to make room for itself in the stronghold of the N League. One may laud their tenacious effort, but realistically speaking it is an uphill battle for MQM.
The only problem is that Altaf Bhai is hung up on this idea of a magical revolution. He tends to repeat the same mantra over and over again. Of course the country needs good, stable and lasting political and economic process, more than any revolution. A strong and stable government with emphasis on law and order, the rule and respect of law is revolutionary in itself.
There is a lot of rhetoric and emotional gibberish that emanates from the fiery speeches of the Supremo. There is very little detail provided, how the 18 or for that matter any points will be accomplished by the "party of the educated ghareeb awam."
Last thing that Pakistan needs is any kind of unrest. Unlike many Middle Eastern countries, as fragile and flawed it may be, it has a democratic set up. MQM should play its role in strengthening the process and make a clear pitch of how it plans on accomplishing its goals. As rightfully said, "devil is always in the details." It should define its clear strategy to sell to the public. The sloganeering has a very short life cycle, as reality tends to catch up with it rather expeditiously.
In our beleaguered nation, we are a divided lot, based on ethnic and linguistic lines. The usual bickering about Punjab being the most populous and being the real "center of power", goes around the country. No one can really deny that, yes Punjab plays a very vital role in the formation of any government and being most populous province, can naturally be advantageous to the potential candidates.
General Zia Ul Haq in his tenure, created his political descendant, called Mian Nawaz Sharif, who formed a faction of Pakistan Muslim League, to divide the PPP strength in Punjab. Over the years, PML-N was able to develop and gain its terrain in the province. People still remember the infamous slogans of, "Jaag Punjabi Jaag", which were once raised by N League to awaken the souls of Punjabis in deep slumber. (At least from N League's view)
Often denied but rightly attributed is another act of the infamous General, the facilitation of the formation of the MQM. The motive was to further divide the PPP strength in Karachi and urban Sindh, by creating a party of"Urdu Speaking" majority. There is no denying that MQM has come a long way, with its trials and tribulations in Karachi and urban Sindh to establish its base. How it gained its footing there is common knowledge and many long term Karachites have many stories to share about this metamorphosis.
After making a significant advancement in Karachi and in urban Sindh, MQM is eyeing for the real power center of Punjab. The recent rally of MQM in Lahore is another attempt to make room for itself in the stronghold of the N League. One may laud their tenacious effort, but realistically speaking it is an uphill battle for MQM.
The only problem is that Altaf Bhai is hung up on this idea of a magical revolution. He tends to repeat the same mantra over and over again. Of course the country needs good, stable and lasting political and economic process, more than any revolution. A strong and stable government with emphasis on law and order, the rule and respect of law is revolutionary in itself.
There is a lot of rhetoric and emotional gibberish that emanates from the fiery speeches of the Supremo. There is very little detail provided, how the 18 or for that matter any points will be accomplished by the "party of the educated ghareeb awam."
Last thing that Pakistan needs is any kind of unrest. Unlike many Middle Eastern countries, as fragile and flawed it may be, it has a democratic set up. MQM should play its role in strengthening the process and make a clear pitch of how it plans on accomplishing its goals. As rightfully said, "devil is always in the details." It should define its clear strategy to sell to the public. The sloganeering has a very short life cycle, as reality tends to catch up with it rather expeditiously.
Missing The Old City Of Karachi
The city once known as "City of Lights", has literally turned into a city of sheer darkness. This is not just another usual rant, that you get to read, here and there, but heartfelt and real.
The Karachi I grew up in was devoid of the linguistic and ethnic demarcation. It was 70's, we were all multi ethnic in the neighborhood. Sindhis, Punjabis, the Pathans and Muhajirs (back then refered as Urdu speaking), use to band together as one. Of course you had to know the Karachite slang to fit in. Without that you were like a fish out of water. As we used to say, that you needed "super sharp antennas" to keep up with the slick Karachites. Any relative from Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad used to come to Karachi and it was hard for them to keep up with its hustle and bustle. But they were in total awe of the glitz and charm of the beach and neons.
Heck at school, it was like the entire United Nations of religions. Christians, Parsis, Hindus, Bahais we were all Pakistanis. There was something magical about those days. Some spirit of nationalism, which was like a gel, bringing us altogether. Ah yes it was the ZAB era and we were all trying to elevate the remaining Pakistan.
Back in those days, I remember right after the infamous 1971 war, Shahnaz Begum sang Aali Sahib's song like,
"Mauj barhey ya aandhi aayey, diya jalayey rakhna hai
Ghar ki khatir sau dukh jhailey, ghar to aakhir apna hai
Well then came the 1974 Islamic Summit and our city was glowing, even though the actual summit was being held in Lahore. Spectacular illumination, were seen around Karachi like Inter Con, Baradari Gardens, Beach Luxury, PIDC House, Saddar and Clifton were literally glowing.
The decade of 80's was not so blissful for the city. From the 1977 post election unrest to Bushra Zaidi incident, I believe it was 1985 or 1986 and the city literally transformed. We used to have occasional Shia Sunni bout in the 70's, which was reprehensible and shameful. The Karachi University had a firing incident in late 70's which or very early 80's which was a major turning point.
From mid 80's on it seems like the city went to dogs. The unity that we had as typical Karachite has been lost. Today's Karachi has been divided and subdivided into linguistic turfs. Extortionist literally run the city and the first question that is on everyone' s mind is, "Will I make it back to my home safely or not?"
BTW, with shrinking world and people reaching far away lands, the thrill of Port City has taken major toll as well. The relatives from other cities want to stay away from Karachi and they tend to say, "No way, do you think I am crazy to take this kind of risk to come to Karachi?"
Sad but true.....
The Karachi I grew up in was devoid of the linguistic and ethnic demarcation. It was 70's, we were all multi ethnic in the neighborhood. Sindhis, Punjabis, the Pathans and Muhajirs (back then refered as Urdu speaking), use to band together as one. Of course you had to know the Karachite slang to fit in. Without that you were like a fish out of water. As we used to say, that you needed "super sharp antennas" to keep up with the slick Karachites. Any relative from Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad used to come to Karachi and it was hard for them to keep up with its hustle and bustle. But they were in total awe of the glitz and charm of the beach and neons.
Heck at school, it was like the entire United Nations of religions. Christians, Parsis, Hindus, Bahais we were all Pakistanis. There was something magical about those days. Some spirit of nationalism, which was like a gel, bringing us altogether. Ah yes it was the ZAB era and we were all trying to elevate the remaining Pakistan.
Back in those days, I remember right after the infamous 1971 war, Shahnaz Begum sang Aali Sahib's song like,
"Mauj barhey ya aandhi aayey, diya jalayey rakhna hai
Ghar ki khatir sau dukh jhailey, ghar to aakhir apna hai
Well then came the 1974 Islamic Summit and our city was glowing, even though the actual summit was being held in Lahore. Spectacular illumination, were seen around Karachi like Inter Con, Baradari Gardens, Beach Luxury, PIDC House, Saddar and Clifton were literally glowing.
The decade of 80's was not so blissful for the city. From the 1977 post election unrest to Bushra Zaidi incident, I believe it was 1985 or 1986 and the city literally transformed. We used to have occasional Shia Sunni bout in the 70's, which was reprehensible and shameful. The Karachi University had a firing incident in late 70's which or very early 80's which was a major turning point.
From mid 80's on it seems like the city went to dogs. The unity that we had as typical Karachite has been lost. Today's Karachi has been divided and subdivided into linguistic turfs. Extortionist literally run the city and the first question that is on everyone' s mind is, "Will I make it back to my home safely or not?"
BTW, with shrinking world and people reaching far away lands, the thrill of Port City has taken major toll as well. The relatives from other cities want to stay away from Karachi and they tend to say, "No way, do you think I am crazy to take this kind of risk to come to Karachi?"
Sad but true.....
Bhuttos's Reference: Right or Wrong?
April 04, will always remain a dark day in the history of our beleaguered nation. The unprecedented day when a democratically elected Prime Minister was hung in the wee hours of the morning at Rawalpindi Jail. When the clemency requests of many heads of states around the globe were rejected. His family members were harassed and he was given perhaps the most undue treatment in his jail cell. Never in the history of any nation, one can find such a biased execution of justice carried against an elected Prime Minister. By any stretch of any imagination, a person could not be executed on circumstantial and questionable evidence.
As controversial Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto may be, his worst critics agreed on one thing about him, he was a genius. Only a genius of his stature, could uplift the spirits of a defeated nation. Only a man with his wit, could charm the worst rivals at Simla and negotiate the return of thousands of sons of our soil. It was ZAB who made the Green Passport, once only meant for privileged class, available to a common man. Only his sheer brilliance could gather the entire Muslim Ummah under one platform and bring Pakistan at the forefront of this world.
Zia had underestimated the power of Bhutto. He thought by hanging Bhutto, he could silence the voice of masses and dissent. By jailing thousands and awarding lashes to many as an exemplary punishment, he was not able to kill the spirit of their revered leader. Come to think of it, ZAB refined the meaning of politics in Pakistan. From there on it has always been either Bhutto or anti Bhutto. People who align themselves with Bhutto, want this country to be modern, progressive and democratic. The anti Bhutto clan bands together and finds everything in the world to steer Pakistan away from that direction. This is the reason why the spirit of Bhutto lives on, even after 32 long years. Because Bhutto is not a name, it is a sensation. The sensations never die, they penetrate and permeate in the souls and live forever.
At this juncture, where PPP led government is struggling to maintain its rather loosening grip, the invoking of Article 186 of the Constitution, by the President, should not come as a surprise.
The Zardari led PPP government was hesitant in reinstating the deposed Chief Justice. The PML-N swept the accolades for its much touted "Long March", which led to the midnight executive order of the reinstatement of the Superior Judiciary. From there on, there has been an unspoken tug of war between the "Independent Judiciary" and the Executive.
The judiciary has often stepped into the arena of legislature and the executive in the name of public interest. The tussle between the "newly independent judiciary" and the Government is no secret. It more or less seems like the two institutions are often seeking the one up man ship. High emotions on both ends seem to take center stage. The elements who really want these institutions pitted against one another, truly enjoy this. Because in the end, in most cases its the "law that prevails." Law is synonymous with the Judiciary.
Giving this adage a new dimension, PPP's recent move towards introduction of a reference in the Supreme Court to supposedly make a historical wrong finally right, deserves special attention. 3 years into the government and a good 32 years late into the saga of ZAB, of course it raises all kinds of eye brows. Keeping a veil on a more recent murder and the suspects of Benazir Bhutto, PPP has decided to take a new route.
As widely known, and rightfully termed "judicial murder" of ZAB, can only be linked to the whims of an iconic dictator, General Muhammed Zia Ul Haq. It does not need a brain of some 007 to figure out, that the judiciary was subservient to the uniformed President. The verdict was an expected outcome based on the directions of the GHQ. The same judiciary that stamped the unconstitutional coup of Zia as "doctrine of necessity."
The list of historical wrongs in our nation is way too long. It starts even prior to the day of our independence and it perhaps takes a pause at Bhatti's brutal murder. The key word here is "pause." Sadly it will continue without a closure to many gross and abhorrent wrongs.
In the midst of all this, the revival of ZAB 's closed, critiqued and buried case will not bring any feathers to the cap of the President or his hawkish Law Minister. The proponents of this move give the glaring precedent set by Mian Nawaz Sharif's acquittal from his case of alleged hijacking of PIA flight carrying the infamous General Musharraf. The critics of that acquittal term it as a payback by the current "independent judiciary" for the not so "long of a march" by PML-N, which enabled the restoration of our independent judiciary.
No matter which way you dice or slice the situation, it pretty much leads to a course of collision. A course of collision, which may not be pleasant for the Government. The opponents of the Government, some hidden and some visible are sitting on the sidelines, watching this new seemingly volatile situation unfold. These are people who can hardly wait till 2013. As always, the patience is running thin for most of them. The need of the hour, is to avoid any new wrongs, which may lead us to the rather darker avenues.
ZAB's ultimate mission was not to get a certificate from the "independent Judiciary." His dream was to create a modern, progressive and self sufficient Pakistan. It is high time that his vision is adopted by his party in letter and spirit.
As controversial Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto may be, his worst critics agreed on one thing about him, he was a genius. Only a genius of his stature, could uplift the spirits of a defeated nation. Only a man with his wit, could charm the worst rivals at Simla and negotiate the return of thousands of sons of our soil. It was ZAB who made the Green Passport, once only meant for privileged class, available to a common man. Only his sheer brilliance could gather the entire Muslim Ummah under one platform and bring Pakistan at the forefront of this world.
Zia had underestimated the power of Bhutto. He thought by hanging Bhutto, he could silence the voice of masses and dissent. By jailing thousands and awarding lashes to many as an exemplary punishment, he was not able to kill the spirit of their revered leader. Come to think of it, ZAB refined the meaning of politics in Pakistan. From there on it has always been either Bhutto or anti Bhutto. People who align themselves with Bhutto, want this country to be modern, progressive and democratic. The anti Bhutto clan bands together and finds everything in the world to steer Pakistan away from that direction. This is the reason why the spirit of Bhutto lives on, even after 32 long years. Because Bhutto is not a name, it is a sensation. The sensations never die, they penetrate and permeate in the souls and live forever.
At this juncture, where PPP led government is struggling to maintain its rather loosening grip, the invoking of Article 186 of the Constitution, by the President, should not come as a surprise.
The Zardari led PPP government was hesitant in reinstating the deposed Chief Justice. The PML-N swept the accolades for its much touted "Long March", which led to the midnight executive order of the reinstatement of the Superior Judiciary. From there on, there has been an unspoken tug of war between the "Independent Judiciary" and the Executive.
The judiciary has often stepped into the arena of legislature and the executive in the name of public interest. The tussle between the "newly independent judiciary" and the Government is no secret. It more or less seems like the two institutions are often seeking the one up man ship. High emotions on both ends seem to take center stage. The elements who really want these institutions pitted against one another, truly enjoy this. Because in the end, in most cases its the "law that prevails." Law is synonymous with the Judiciary.
Giving this adage a new dimension, PPP's recent move towards introduction of a reference in the Supreme Court to supposedly make a historical wrong finally right, deserves special attention. 3 years into the government and a good 32 years late into the saga of ZAB, of course it raises all kinds of eye brows. Keeping a veil on a more recent murder and the suspects of Benazir Bhutto, PPP has decided to take a new route.
As widely known, and rightfully termed "judicial murder" of ZAB, can only be linked to the whims of an iconic dictator, General Muhammed Zia Ul Haq. It does not need a brain of some 007 to figure out, that the judiciary was subservient to the uniformed President. The verdict was an expected outcome based on the directions of the GHQ. The same judiciary that stamped the unconstitutional coup of Zia as "doctrine of necessity."
The list of historical wrongs in our nation is way too long. It starts even prior to the day of our independence and it perhaps takes a pause at Bhatti's brutal murder. The key word here is "pause." Sadly it will continue without a closure to many gross and abhorrent wrongs.
In the midst of all this, the revival of ZAB 's closed, critiqued and buried case will not bring any feathers to the cap of the President or his hawkish Law Minister. The proponents of this move give the glaring precedent set by Mian Nawaz Sharif's acquittal from his case of alleged hijacking of PIA flight carrying the infamous General Musharraf. The critics of that acquittal term it as a payback by the current "independent judiciary" for the not so "long of a march" by PML-N, which enabled the restoration of our independent judiciary.
No matter which way you dice or slice the situation, it pretty much leads to a course of collision. A course of collision, which may not be pleasant for the Government. The opponents of the Government, some hidden and some visible are sitting on the sidelines, watching this new seemingly volatile situation unfold. These are people who can hardly wait till 2013. As always, the patience is running thin for most of them. The need of the hour, is to avoid any new wrongs, which may lead us to the rather darker avenues.
ZAB's ultimate mission was not to get a certificate from the "independent Judiciary." His dream was to create a modern, progressive and self sufficient Pakistan. It is high time that his vision is adopted by his party in letter and spirit.
Bhuttos Never Die
I have very clear memories of the day. Our class teacher was a bit shocked, a bit disturbed. But she held herself well. She was Christian and her voice had deep regret. All she did was without giving any reason, dismissed the school early. She said it was being done as a precautionary measure as, there was fear of violence around Karachi. Per the strict policy of the school, we were not allowed to indulge in any political conversation.
My heart sank and I slowly and gradually left the school building. My pace got faster as I wanted to reach Empress Market as swiftly as possible. There was the usual crowd circling around the morning newspapers lying on the floor. Daily "Musawaat", had a picture of Chairman Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto behind bars, with his face telling a thousand tales. His family minus his sons were on the other side. This is the same photograph that Late Benazir Bhutto, had in her book, "Daughter of Destiny" also known as "Daughter of East."
I boarded the public bus and there came a hawker, yelling off the top of his lungs. I wanted to shut him up so bad, but he was a poor lad, trying to sell the Supplement, which had just gotten off the press. His voice is still fresh in my ears. " Bhutto ko Phansi ho gayee." I gave him whatever change I had and grabbed that Supplement. It said exactly what the boy was yelling. I wanted to tear the Supplement in rage, but it would have been an exercise in futility. The date on that one sided supplement will always remain imprinted on the tablet of my memory. It was April 04, 1979.
Prior to this dreadful date, I also remember leafing through the "Daily Jang", where one of a kind character, called Zia Ul Haq had rejected the clemency appeal of ZAB, filed by Begum Bhutto or perhaps his sister. He had cited the saying of Prophet PBUH, "If Fatima Binte Muhammad (PBUH), would have committed a crime, she would have gotten her due punishment." That news item left me totally flabbergasted at the age of 14.
How in the GOD's name did Zia come up with that one? ZAB's crime was not even proven to the extent, that it was worthy of such a harsh sentence. To say the least, you don't hang some one on purely circumstantial evidence. You don't just hang someone, for who the heads of states reach out and request clemency. The names of global leaders and their list was long enough. The people of Pakistan perhaps were shocked, what was being done to their former PM. Thousands were jailed, and given a third degree treatment, just for showing their dissent.
The same PM, who gave them hope after a shameful defeat. Where Pakistan lost its significant half. Where thousands of its sons were taken as Prisoners of Wars and it was Bhutto who demonstrated his magical skills at Simla to bring them back. It was him, who gave the first real constitution to the country after 26 years of its independence. It was Bhutto who rebuilt this shattered Pakistan, who gave common man a voice. A green passport to a laborer so he or she can go to distant lands and provide much needed remittances and live with dignity. It was ZAB, who brought the entire Muslim Umma to Pakistan for a Summit in 1974. The same city of Karachi was glowing during those days. PIDC House, Inter Con and Baradari with spectacular illumination gave the glimpse of a modern Pakistan.
Zia really underestimated the power and legacy of a Bhutto. Bhuttos never die. Their spirit lives on. From the gallows of Rawalpindi Central Jail, where Tara Maseeh was forced to pull the lever, to the serenity of Garhi Khuda Bux, the spirit of Bhutto lives on. If you look very closely, even till this day, the adversaries are scared of that spirit.
In Pakistan there are only two schools of thought in Politics, one is Bhutto and the other is anti Bhutto. The side of Bhutto sees the power of common men and women, and the anti Bhutto wants them to be subservient forever. Bhuttos never fear death, they embrace it like martyrdom. This is the reason why the chants of " Jeeyey Bhutto", go on till this day. Bhutto is not a name it is a sensation. The big question is, who's side are you on?
My heart sank and I slowly and gradually left the school building. My pace got faster as I wanted to reach Empress Market as swiftly as possible. There was the usual crowd circling around the morning newspapers lying on the floor. Daily "Musawaat", had a picture of Chairman Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto behind bars, with his face telling a thousand tales. His family minus his sons were on the other side. This is the same photograph that Late Benazir Bhutto, had in her book, "Daughter of Destiny" also known as "Daughter of East."
I boarded the public bus and there came a hawker, yelling off the top of his lungs. I wanted to shut him up so bad, but he was a poor lad, trying to sell the Supplement, which had just gotten off the press. His voice is still fresh in my ears. " Bhutto ko Phansi ho gayee." I gave him whatever change I had and grabbed that Supplement. It said exactly what the boy was yelling. I wanted to tear the Supplement in rage, but it would have been an exercise in futility. The date on that one sided supplement will always remain imprinted on the tablet of my memory. It was April 04, 1979.
Prior to this dreadful date, I also remember leafing through the "Daily Jang", where one of a kind character, called Zia Ul Haq had rejected the clemency appeal of ZAB, filed by Begum Bhutto or perhaps his sister. He had cited the saying of Prophet PBUH, "If Fatima Binte Muhammad (PBUH), would have committed a crime, she would have gotten her due punishment." That news item left me totally flabbergasted at the age of 14.
How in the GOD's name did Zia come up with that one? ZAB's crime was not even proven to the extent, that it was worthy of such a harsh sentence. To say the least, you don't hang some one on purely circumstantial evidence. You don't just hang someone, for who the heads of states reach out and request clemency. The names of global leaders and their list was long enough. The people of Pakistan perhaps were shocked, what was being done to their former PM. Thousands were jailed, and given a third degree treatment, just for showing their dissent.
The same PM, who gave them hope after a shameful defeat. Where Pakistan lost its significant half. Where thousands of its sons were taken as Prisoners of Wars and it was Bhutto who demonstrated his magical skills at Simla to bring them back. It was him, who gave the first real constitution to the country after 26 years of its independence. It was Bhutto who rebuilt this shattered Pakistan, who gave common man a voice. A green passport to a laborer so he or she can go to distant lands and provide much needed remittances and live with dignity. It was ZAB, who brought the entire Muslim Umma to Pakistan for a Summit in 1974. The same city of Karachi was glowing during those days. PIDC House, Inter Con and Baradari with spectacular illumination gave the glimpse of a modern Pakistan.
Zia really underestimated the power and legacy of a Bhutto. Bhuttos never die. Their spirit lives on. From the gallows of Rawalpindi Central Jail, where Tara Maseeh was forced to pull the lever, to the serenity of Garhi Khuda Bux, the spirit of Bhutto lives on. If you look very closely, even till this day, the adversaries are scared of that spirit.
In Pakistan there are only two schools of thought in Politics, one is Bhutto and the other is anti Bhutto. The side of Bhutto sees the power of common men and women, and the anti Bhutto wants them to be subservient forever. Bhuttos never fear death, they embrace it like martyrdom. This is the reason why the chants of " Jeeyey Bhutto", go on till this day. Bhutto is not a name it is a sensation. The big question is, who's side are you on?
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