Don't Remove Zardari, Vote Him Out

I never thought that a day would come when I will write some words of support for person called Asif Ali Zardari. Those who know me well are well aware of the fact that I am a worst critic of Pakistan People’s party and despise Mr. Zardari more than anyone else in the Party. In spite of  all this I am compelled to say that Zardari should remain the President of Pakistan and should complete his whole term. I am saying this because I don’t want to see the democratic process in Pakistan to be derailed.

Zardari is no good a President. He has committed horrible mistakes. From the issue of restoration of Judiciary to the recent subject of NRO , everything he has done  is nothing but a series of blunders. He could have gained the credit of restoration of judges if he would have done that in a timely manner. He could have avoid the idiocy of imposing Governor Rule in Punjab. He could also have retained his remaining presidential legitimacy by burning the issue of NRO before it became the hot topic for the press and the opposition. He didn’t do any of it. In addition to that he made a team of advisors that is as incompetent as Zardari himself; therefore, everybody in the government committed mistakes after mistakes. The result of all this  was pretty much expected: voices from every corner to get this man removed from the presidency.

If Pakistan were a stable democracy I would be the first person to second the voices for his removal. But given the fact the democracy is nascent in Pakistan, we can’t give it a blow by removing the president without completing the whole term. Pakistan had a stint of elected governments in late eighties and the whole nineties. During all that time the system was jolted again and again by premature removals of governments for different reasons. We can’t let that happen again.

It was us who put Zardari in power by voting for his party. And it should be only us to take him out of presidency by voting him and his party out in the next election. This should be the only way to get rid of Zardari. This is the only way we can let the seed of democracy grow in this country. The consequences of five years of Zardari in power will be harsh and unforgiving, but we have to sacrifice and live with Zardari for next five years for the sake of our long term benefit.

For Zardari, I believe, it’s still not all over. He can regain, to some extent, his lost legitimacy by giving up the presidential powers provided by the infamous 58-2-B,  and letting the government work from the parliament and through the executive instead of ruling while sitting in the presidency.  Therefore, his all attention should be focused on getting through the constitutional amendment as soon as possible. It’s up to Zardari now that how he wants to be remembered in the history…

Photo Credit: Reuters/File Photo, Retrieved from http://.dawn.com 

A Schoolgirl's Odyssey: An NY Times Documentry by Adam Ellick

Commenting on a latest Frontline documentary, Stephan Walt, asserted following lines: “One should watch most documentaries with a skeptical eye, because skilled filmmakers can easily slant the story by omitting any footage that doesn't fit the impression they are trying to leave and by shaping the story in ways that reinforce a particular conclusion.” I also had similar thoughts when I watched NY Times correspondent Adam Ellick’s recent short documentary about Post offensive Swat titled as “ A Schoolgirl’s Odyssey”. The video report has been critically acclaimed in Pakistani blogosphere as Kalsoom at Changing Up Pakistan wrote a post on it. In the comments section of the post, the movie is labeled as a “great piece of journalism”. On contrary, I believe it can’t be called “a great piece journalism” because Ellick is not presenting it without any intention to “reinforce a particular conclusion”

The Journey of Malala, the twelve year old girl from Mingora,Swat , from her home to her life as an IDP living at different places and back to her home after three months, is perplexing. I fell in love with her courageous attitude when she narrates that she has changed her dream from becoming a doctor to becoming a politician because she wants to fight the crisis in her country. Few moments later, I was bewildered when she said that “she is shameful” of Pakistani Army because Army used her school as a “Bunker” while fighting a war. Following that, Malala, further goes on to confusing the viewer by iterating that “Taliban destroyed us” while pointing towards a hole created in the wall because of the bullets fired through it, after reading the statement “welcome to Pakistan” written on the wall, supposedly, by the Army. After watching this I can say with certainty that there is an attempt to convey a particular message about Pakistan army by the filmmaker. The girl who was optimistic and wanted to be a politician with an aim in mind to bring reforms to this country full of problems cannot be ignorant of the fact that she has to sacrifice something to get her Swat and her School back from the miscreants. It is only because of the Army and the fact that they used her house as a military post that she is back to her school again and her school will be functional soon. Ellick manipulated the thoughts of the girl to make a point against Pakistan Army.

My point is further supported by another manipulation in the movie when Urdu text of a letter supposedly from Pakistan Army left for Ziauddin, Malala’s father, was read inaccurately in English “We have lost many dear and precious lives because of the negligence of Swati people”, says Ziauddin while reading the letter. On the other hand, those who can read Urdu from the shown letter content itself can tell that he is not speaking what is written there in the letter. I can’t translate the whole letter here, but the letter does not uses any such words that it is because of the people of Swat that the Army has lost these many lives.

In short, Mr. Ellick is trying to leave a specific impression by this documentary which is contradictory to many facts on the ground.

We Are Here to Stay

Last year on 14^th August most people in Swat didn’t put National Flags on their houses. A dictator was still sitting in the presidency. Chief Justice was ousted; the judiciary was neither active nor free. Even our cricket was going through its darkest days.

This year on 14^th August Swatis are celebrating the independence day and flags can be seen on the houses of the people who, few days ago, were in different IDP Camps. There is a big celebratory function in Saidusharif with all the music and festivity; this was impossible when Talibans were there but now they are on the run. I am not saying Swat is back to normal, but, at least, it’s back in the hands of Pakistanis. The fact that Swat is back has established that when our Army seriously puts an effort, it succeeds. And for this, Army deserves all the tribute.

The retired general, dictator, traitor is also on the run. Although he left the presidency with guard of honor, judgment of 31^st July against his act of cowardice has made it difficult for him to keep running as article 6 of the constitution will soon the activated against him. For the first time, there is a chance that a constitution breaker will face the music.

Chief Justice, the real Chief Justice is back in the court after a historic struggle which gives the hope to the nation that together they can achieve anything. Judicial activism has returned, with Supreme Court that is free and to which people of this land are looking with a lot of expectations.

Our Cricket Team has won the world championship in, at least, T20 form of the game, and look good enough to defend the title under the new captain.

All these events has given the gloomy nation a lot to cheer and think about.

All these events are telling us there is a lot of improvement at many fronts in Pakistan.

All these events tell us there is every reason to celebrate this Independence day with all the fervor and spirit.

But This independence day should be celebrated with a strong intent that we, the Pakistanis, will also solve all the reaming problems. And for this we will work hard and fulfill all the National Duties. Let's Rise and work like our Forefathers worked under the leadership of Jinnah and got this Gift of the "Land of Pure" for us. It's Time to get it where it is supposed to be.

To sum it up ,as Ayaz Amir says in his latest article:

“One thing we can't seem to get into our heads: Pakistan is bigger and more enduring than the sum of its military or political leaders. It is bigger than its dictators, bigger than its political failures. Our political and military scumbags will ...come and go but the Himalayas will always be there as will the Arabian Sea and all the land in between”.

Happy Independence Day & Pakistan Zindabad!

The Student Visa Abuse: Legtimate Students Are the Losers

Today, the Dawn featured an article concerning the abuse of student visa issued by British Government to Pakistani students. Dawn reports:

“Many Pakistani youngsters in search of greener pastures and who can afford it, use the UK’s student visa facility to purchase permanent passage to Britain.”

The questions arise here are that: what instigates these Pakistani youngsters to look for the “greener pastures” in UK by seeking a permanent passage into Britain, and what makes it possible for these students to be successful in their mission of seeking a permanent residency in UK?

As the response to the former question involves an analysis of many ground realities of the educational and socio-economical scenario in Pakistan, and I will address these issues in detail in my upcoming posts regarding the higher education in Pakistan; therefore, today, I will keep my post limited to answer the latter question.

I strongly believe the perpetrator of this student visa abuse is British Government itself. First, by following a blind visa policy witout any system of student tracking. Second, by letting a long list of bogus educational institutes to function in UK and by letting them invite hundreds of students, not only from Pakistan, but also from many other countries to United Kingdom in return of few thousand Pounds.

In 2003,United States implemented a new system called International Student and Exchange Visitor Program also known as SEVIS to track the students on F1 (Student) visa in United States. The system is excellent and almost foolproof. It is almost impossible for an International student in US to drop out from the university and start working illegally. I am telling this as a result of my personal experience as I, myslef, is an International student in US. On Contrary to that in UK we do not see any such program implemented to track the whereabouts of international student in Britain. This really makes easy for a student to drop out from the school after the first year and start looking for a job as a passage to permanent residency in UK.

In UK we also see hundreds of spurious institutions running whose representatives travel across many developing countries to recruit students. These institutions usually work with some agents in the countries of recruitment. The recruiters and the agents show the students that after getting the student visa, dropping out of school and finding a job is an easy thing to do, and all they have to pay is the first year of tuition. As a result many students from countries like Pakistan go to UK thinking that after the first year they will leave the college and will work to earn a good living.


The running of these institution without any system of check & balance and absence of any tracking system for international students have played a big role in the abuse of student visa system, and the biggest losers are the legitimate students who, very often, are robbed by these bogus institutions and also denied the student visas because somebody else has misused the system.

As the dawn reported:

“Only recently have British colleges been told to register with the UK Border Agency.Last month the Agency turned down 460 of the 2,100 colleges which had applied for licences to admit international students, because they were bogus establishments sponsoring students as part of an immigration
scam.”

More such steps are needed by British Government to stop this abuse of the system so that the legitimate candidates can have the opportunity to study in the educational system of the United Kingdom.

The Legendary Mr.Rehman Malik

Mr. Rehman Malik, yes, the legendary, Mr. Malik who was responsible for the security of Benazir Bhutto as his chief security officer, but he failed in his job, he failed miserably and Ms Bhutto was assassinated, and still no body know who did that shameful act. For Mr. Malik, in spite of the failure, it was not over. He came back, and this time he came back as the Interior Advisor to the newly elected Prime Minister of Pakistan and became the de facto head of all security apparatus under federal government. How he got that position: because of his credentials or because of his strong relationship with Mr. Zardari, the fortunate husband of Ms Bhutto and the president of Islamic Republic? I believe, every sensible person has the correct idea about answer.

Now Mr. Malik was there, but what followed, a wave of suicide attacks in every corner of the country with some major attacks on some major spots of chief importance. Weather it was attack on the Marriot in Islamabad or attack on Sri Lankan team, after every such incident, Mr. Malik appeared on national television and pledged that the culprits will be caught and will be prosecuted. We all know that this has still not happened. We still don’t know that who was really actually behind Marriot attack and who was responsible for the Lahore attack on Sri Lankan cricket team. So, Mr. Malik again represented a huge failure here.

And then we are here, on the March 30th, Lahore, once again under attack, this time a police academy, besieged by the terrorists and while siege is in progress Mr. Malik again appeared on television and advised the nation to stay calm and united to fight these terrorists.
Well, Mr. Malik, the nation is absolutely calm. Every Pakistani now know that these attacks are a daily routine now, and everybody is also aware of the fact that this time also Mr. Malik will be a huge failure. Despite that we caught a few attackers alive this time, we recognize that fact that we will not be able to see or catch the master minds behind this deadly attack because we know that the in charge of all this is a man whose history only represents a failure.

After Bombay attacks in November, Shivraj Patel, the Home minister at that time resigned while taking the moral responsibility of attack. But, in your case Mr. Malik, we know that morality does not even come anywhere near to you, and you will keep the charge of interior ministry without any feeling of shame. Therefore, I believe, it is useless to ask for your resignation. Only thing, I think, we can ask this time that we have a brilliant opportunity to get to know who is really behind all these acts of violence through the terrorist caught alive. So, Mr. Malik, for God’s sake, do Something and protect us.

To the Readers

Its been a long time since my last post on the blog. Because of extremely busy schedule, i decided in February that i will stop working on this blogging project till the spring semester gets over. But the events happening in Pakistan are really compelling me to express my opinion about them.So here is my new post, and from now on i will try to eradicate these periodic gaps in my posts.

The Paradox of Pakistan

Last night I turned on the TV as its quite been a part routine to watch the TV for some time before going to bed . The audacious Waqar Zaka of The Musik with his show "Living on the Edge" was doing his best to prove that Pakistani youth is as intrepid as anyone else in the world could be, and youngsters of Pakistan were busy in providing Mr. Zaka with astonishing and mind-boggling dares to make his statements. I watched the program for few minutes before taking the remote in my hands to change the channel. The next channel in the row was Aag TV on which a young, appealing and petite VJ Fuse was running her show in which she was taking requests of the songs from her viewers and playing them on her show. The program was giving the image that Pakistan is free-thinking and progressive with pop music is the sensation of the youth.

Just after few minutes, I took the remote again and changed the channel. The next channel on which I stopped was Geo News. The images running on this channel were completely different from the images on the two channels I just watched few minutes ago. The whole world was upside down. The Pakistan on Geo News was completely different from the Pakistan I just observed on The Musik or on the Aag. The news of five blasts outside a theater in Lahore was on air which was followed by a special report on the recent ban on the attending of schools by the female students issued by the insurgent militants in Swat valley. It was whole different story.

In just few minutes, I witnessed two Pakistans. One which is very progressive and enlightened where the youngsters are ready to go to any extent to show the world that they are as good as anybody else in the world, and the other which is very fragile and unstable, packed with and insurgencies and confusion among the citizens. The paradox of Pakistan was all evident.

I had a hard time when I thought about the situation. Which is the correct depiction of Pakistan? What Pakistan should I believe on? The Pakistan depicted on The Musik and on the Agg, or the Pakistan shown on the Geo News.

After careful thinking I concluded that the Pakistan depicted on The Musik or on Agg is only represented the top one percent of the country living in the Defense Housing Authorities or in the Cantonment areas. The real Pakistan was that shown on Geo News. The unstable, fragile, filled with militant insurgencies and an angry population which is facing a daily death from the extreme inflation and a feeling of insecurity is the real Pakistan.

The real Pakistan is right in front of me, but the question here is that why the real Pakistan is like that. Why Pakistan is unstable? Why militancy is deepening its root in this Pakistan? Why the citizens are seeing the worst inflation and economic uncertainty? Why we are at this corner of the history where the world is questioning our survival?

I have many answers to these questions. I believe every Pakistani with a proper mindset has the answers to the above mentioned questions. The question giving me a real trouble is that where is the action from our side to tackle this situation.

Please Bring the Old Swat Back!

My visit to Swat valley in the summer of 1999 is one of most cherished reminiscences of my childhood. I was just 12 years old when I took the trip with my parents from the scorching heat of Multan to the chilly hills of Swat Valley. We spent almost an entire week in the valley, and stayed at PTDC motels in Kalam and Malam Jabba Ski Resort. Although the weather and the young age did not allow me to enjoy the pleasures of skiing at the resort, catching a trout out from the ice cold water of Swat River was memorable fun. In fact, it was the only successful fishing experience of my life. When I look back to the Swat I visited a decade ago and the Swat of today, only a feeling of deep grievance takes me over.

Today Swat is the bolt hole of Taliban insurgency in Pakistan. It is like a state within a state. Few so called clerics, led by a 33 years old, Maulana Fazlullah, used FM radio to spread their influence and took over the state machinery. Fazlullah, also known as radio mullah, raised an army and formed a Taliban's Shura which implements his radical and politicized agenda in the valley. The situation is aggravating on day to day basis.

In November 2007, Pakistani security forces began its operation against the insurgents in Swat and by December they declared that the area has been cleaned by militants as they were on the run in the valley after the defeat. Soon after that the militants resurged and Swat was again in the hands of the Swati Talibans. The military operations against the militants has been continued since then with many halts in between. But the security forces operations represent a failure as the militant uprising is on its peak today.

The major victims of violent uprising of the Taliban's are the people of Swat. Swati people, consisting of Pashtun, Kohistani, Gujjar and Dardic ethnicities, are generally moderates. They used to send their daughters to school for education and mostly depended upon revenue from tourism industry for their livelihood. The Talibans destroyed the schools in the valley and stopped the parents from sending their daughters to the schools. Recently, the Shura issued the decree that women are not allowed to shop in the markets of the valley. Today, men buy all the stuff for the household as the Swati people have no other option than to obey the orders of the militants. People are now striped of their income as the businesses in the region are ruined with the destruction of the tourism industry.

Today, more and more people are adopting to obey the militant militants' so called government in the valley. "Most people in Swat are becoming regular listeners of the FM radio channel run by the Maulana Fazlullah-led Swati Taliban as they want to know about new threats or decrees issued by the militants," reported The News on January 5^th. Telling about why the Swatis are listening to the FM broadcast of the Taliban, a person qouted the following to The News anonymously , "to survive in Taliban-ruled Swat, we need to know about decisions being made by the Taliban Shura."

Along with Fazlullah, his student, Shah Duran is also using a nighttime broadcast on FM radio to spread the message of militant regime. He is known for using harsher language than Fazlullah when he speaks at the Radio. "On December 28, he claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing that killed 44 people, all civilians except two policemen and a government employee, at a polling station in Shalbandai village in Buner district. On another occasion, he proudly announced that Taliban had killed a female dancer, Shabana, in Mingora. Recently, he announced that anyone in Swat found using the new coins carrying Benazir Bhutto's image would be punished," reports Rahimullah Yusufzai for The News.

All these facts about Swat leave me in a bewildered state of mind filled with many unanswered questions. A person on FM radio is announcing that he was responsible for the murder of 44 people and the government is unable to catch him. Daily, in the evening, the terrorists go on air through FM radio and the government is unable to block their broadcast. The lives of the people of Swat is like an hell now and the government is issuing only statements.

I am also puzzled because I do not know what is the solution of this problem as military operations in the past have not worked out and the option of dialogue with the rogue militants seems to be impractical. But I want the people sitting in the corridors of power in the Capital to solve this issue.

I want to go back to the "Switzerland of Pakistan" again to refresh the cheerful trip of my childhood. I want the old Swat back.

Faislabad Roits: Energy Crisis Should be Solved Quickly

It was the first day of the year 2009 and the city of Faisalabad, one of the Pakistan’s main industrial center, was on fire. Vehicles were burning, private and public property was being ransacked, a bakery was torched and a leader's house from the governing party was being attacked. The people doing all this were very angry, and they were protesting strongly. They were not angry because their leader was assassinated. Neither they were protesting against a violent terrorist attack in their city. They were angry and protesting because they were one of the major victims of the current energy crisis in Pakistan. These poor laborers will be the first to lose their jobs when energy stricken textile mills in the city will be closed. They were taking all these violent actions because their only source of income is their job in the industrial sector, the sector which is on the brink of collapse because there is not electricity available required to run the factories. I believe the protestors were rightly protesting because the current government has not done anything of major impact to tackle the worst electricity shortage in the history of Pakistan.

It is not only the city of Faisalabad that is affected by this load shedding problem. In fact, almost every region of Pakistan is facing the same problem. Also, the effects are not limited to the industrial sector only. From small business to a common household everybody has been affected badly. And the worst thing is that the government has done nothing but issuing statements.

The current government has said that it has inherited this problem from the previous government which had done nothing in terms of increasing the production capacity of energy. In the summer the Minister of Water and Power Development, Raja Pervez Ashraf vowed numerous times that the electricity crisis would be solved quickly and by the end of the year there will be an improvement in this situation. But I believe nothing of that has happened in terms of improvement. In fact, the situation has aggravated. And now the current government does not have any lame excuse that it inherited this problem from the previous government because the time of eight months is more than enough to show the signs of improvement.

The electricity crisis is affecting the macroeconomy of Pakistan very badly. The government should stop making lame excuses and start working towards the improvement. To solve this an all of the above approach should be used. Government should exploit every means of power generation from coal to hydroelectricity.