Hukumat Mela

This poetry has been written and sent to us by a dear friend… a sad but true commentary of our times…

We are posting it here for your reading pleasure

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FLOODS EXPOSE LEADERS -Dawn Editorial

Aug 5, 2010

The floods have washed away the thin veneer of respect with which the Punjab government had been treating the federal government. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has taken President Asif Zardari to task for undertaking a tour of Europe at a time when millions of Pakistanis affected by floods needed him at home. The same refrain is repeated by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif. The attack, which is consistent with the more critical approach the Sharifs have of late adopted towards President Zardari’s camp, worries the federal government. The PPP-led coalition in Islamabad can ill afford to take on the Sharifs at a time when it is confronted with so much, literally, from Khyber to Karachi.

Waziristan Strategy or Pakistan Strategy?

The battle in Waziristan is variously called “the mother of all battles”, war of ideas and the war for the meaning of Pakistan. Whatever one may call it, there is a little doubt that this is the most important battle Pakistan has ever been engaged in. we hereby present, in two parts, an analysis of how this battle became unavoidable and attempt to present a comprehensive strategy that is required for winning this war.

Waziristan today has come to symbolize the paradigm in which Pakistan finds itself. An epicentre of ‘terrorism’, a symbol of ‘Talibanization’ and now a field for what has been euphemistically called ‘mother of all battles’. Pakistan and Waziristan were not always like this. How we have come to this pass is crucial to analyse, but even more urgent is to assess that are we prepared enough to win this battle?

Is this just a battle or a war? Is the battle confined to South Waziristan? What are the implications beyond Waziristan? What lies beyond the battle? What will happen after South Waziristan has been secured? What are our plans after the area has been secured and captured? How are we going to treat captured combatants? What will be things be like in two, five, ten and twenty years from now?

Not an elitist media!

By Dr. Khalil Ahmad

If you attack the establishment long enough and hard enough, they will make you a member of it.

[Art Buchwald]

I

With the advent of electronic media and its proliferation, the war against the all powerful elite classes has acquired a new dimension in Pakistan. As the force and both reach and range of TV channels has no parallel in the history of communication technology, now the previously all important print media occupies a backseat or just follows suit. But of course it has its own uncontested place.

How Do People of Pakistan reply? Lets March on Them

The twin suicide blasts in Islamic International University in Islamabad has resulted in the killing of five people today. At first glance the attack leaves one puzzled and confused as to the motive of the attackers.

Why Islamic University? Why Hijaab clad girls?

But stand back and reflect for a moment and it all becomes crystal clear. The message is loud and plain.

If the terrorists can target the Abaya and  naqab wearing women in the Islamic University, then they can kill anyone, at any point.

Its a loud warning shot to the People of Pakistan.

They have shown once again that their main strategy is to maim and kill ruthlessly.

The purpose is to cause fear and expand this fear deliberately so that it acts as a restraint from daily life to critical decision making. It is to traumatize, pressurize and psychologically terrorize people, by creating pain, anguish, remorse, anger and fear.

For a terrorist morality of an act is not justified by consequences but by motivations.

This act is a clear attempt to make the people succumb to the ways of the terror and paralyze them. By targeting sense of security and hope of ordinary citizens the terrorists have raised the heat by a notch. The fear and terror of being hurt or killed is even more destructive than the actual killing itself.

Another purpose might be to create public opinion and pressure against the ongoing Army operation in lawless Waziristan.

So how are people of Pakistan going to reply ?

Can the ‘democratic government’ stop the hope and faith of people from dying?

Can the political parties unite to destroy the enemies of salamti (Islam)?

Do the religious political parties have any clear stance about terrorism or have the courage to reveal it?

Is anyone going to start a Million March or Dharnaa March ?

Zardari ? Gilani ? Sharifs ? Aitezaaz ? Ali Kurd? Imran? Qazi?

Anyone ?

Or are we going to simply shut our doors, stay in and wish it would all to go away.

No Sirs. We must act.

We must send a message to the terrorists- loud and clear.

We must continue with our daily lives. We must March together.

March on ‘Waziristan’.

No time for non-issues

By S.M. Naseem
Dawn- Saturday, 17 Oct, 2009

The National Assembly is failing in its role as a forum for serious debate. —File photo by APP

The challenges facing the Pakistani state — both domestic and external — continue to mount and periodically bring it to the brink of disaster.

Whether through an act of Providence or the delicate balance of forces which keep propping up the state, the ‘existential threat’ gets averted.

The last two years have been especially traumatic and have taken the nation on a roller-coaster ride of hope and dismay. Democracy by itself may not bring tangible rewards for the population in the short run, but it does rekindle the hope of future advancement and wellbeing for many. The February 2008 elections did raise such hopes.

Desperation OR Challenge- Pakistan must Act

When someone declares an open war, how must a nation react? How should they defend themselves? Have we forgotten the lessons from war with India? Why should we feel different now when we are being attacked from inside rather than from outside.

By attacking various institutions of Pakistani state (in attacks of more symbolic value than otherwise), Taliban has thrown an open challenge to our nation. But is it really so? Don’t mistake it because it seems more a sign of desperation on their behalf because they clearly are surrounded and trapped.

The recent attacks are more like a reaction of an animal that has been trapped and feels encaged and knows its time has come. These attacks are designed to create more psychological trauma and undermine the resolve of the people and state of Pakistan, than actually inflict any real measurable material damage.

Will Pakistan Army Wake Up Now ? Aey Mard e Mujahid jaag Zara

Would it be too rude to say that Pakistan Army had it coming? No, I mean, literally. As reported in the media, there were intelligence reports that the attack on GHQ was imminent and had been well planned.

Two facts stand out about the armed terrorists who attacked.

a. They knew they will not be able to come out alive from the heavily guarded military headquarters. These were highly trained and motivated terrorists who wanted to make a big impact by attacking the nerve centre of Pakistan Army.

b. The terrorist must have known that the attack was going to have more of a symbolic value than anything else. In fact this is akin to attack on Pentagon and World Trade Centre. In an irony some may say that GHQ can be seen as representing both the corporate and military interests in Pakistan.

This was an audacious attack, whose consequences and implications had been undoubtedly, thought through. However, most probably, where terrorists failed is that they may have hoped to prolong their action and inflict more damage and destruction then actually occurred.

But post GHQ attack, the most obvious and loudly ringing question is following: Will the Army wake up now to the fact that there are no more ‘good militants’ and ‘bad militants’ ?

This is not a Tehrik e Taliban but a Tehrik e Kharijaan ? These guys are ‘Zalimuun’ and ‘Mujrimuun’, and they must be treated as murderers and criminals.

Is the Army now going to draw a Line and say ‘No More’? Does Army now realise and understand that complete defeat and dismantling of TTP or TKP ( Tehrik e Kharijaan), is in its own best interest ?

Why should Pakistan not accept Kerry Lugar Bill?

Please take a moment to add your opinion

Zardari asks party leaders to defend Kerry-Lugar

Dawn

ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: President Asif Ali Zardari has urged PPP leaders and ministers to vigorously respond to criticism of party and government’s policies by political adversaries.

“We have been elected by the people through a democratic and constitutional process and our legitimacy coupled with good governance should be the chief weapons to fight back the opponents,” he said while addressing top party leadership at the Presidency during a discussion on the current domestic political situation on Monday night.

Pakistan and US aid

By Shahid Javed Burki- Dawn Editorial

DIRECTLY or indirectly the United States has been involved in helping Pakistan develop its economy. It is good to acquaint ourselves with the history of this involvement in order to prepare for what is likely to come.

The strategy of growth adopted by Pakistan in the early days of independence was a reaction to some of the measures adopted by India in dealing with its new neighbour. One element of this strategy was that it forced the country to industrialise quickly by seeking to become self-sufficient in the production of basic manufactured goods.

PAKISTAN BEWARE – India’s thirst is making us all wet

Published in NewScientist 03 October 2009

New Scientist discusses how Water is being sucked up in North India at astronomical rates. This is having considerable negative impact on the height of water tables in the area. Considering there exists a serious water dispute between Pakistan and India, and that how India has used its ‘water muscle’ in the past in an attempt to choke Pakistan, this reading is alarming for Pakistan.

ONE nation’s thirst for groundwater is having an impact on global sea levels. Satellite measurements show that northern India is sucking some 54 trillion litres of water out of the ground every year. This is threatening a major water crisis and adding to global sea level rise.