Ticket to Heavens – at the tax payers’ expense

Posted on the People’s Resistance network by Naeem Sadiq

Is there a relationship between the corruption and mismanagement of rulers and the number of times they perform umrahs and hajj. While a formal research on this subject may yet not be available, the performance of our contemporary leaders provides some very useful insight.

Musharraf kissing the Hujr-e-Aswad stoneMr. Jinnah, the first head of the State acknowledged as a scrupulously honest person never indulged in any such exercise. However, each subsequent leader who came after Jinnah, excelled over the previous incumbent in matters of corruption, mismanagement or both – and interestingly their umrahs increased in the same ratio. Every time a leader performs a major act of corruption, mismanagement or damage, he/she must dash towards Saudi Arabia, with a plane load of cronies and apple polishers as if in a hurry to wash off the latest sin. Only two weeks after torpedoing the constitution of Pakistan, President Musharraf and his wife had taken off on a state sponsored umrah. Not to be left behind, the Caretaker Prime Minister, taking good care of his own self was on his way to hajj, within a few days of his becoming a caretaker. Even the apparently uninitiated and imported Prime Ministers like Moin Qureshi and Shoukat Aziz, did not deny themselves of these unethical state sponsored spiritual rides.


How come our leaders perform these blatant violations of state exchequer and get away without being sent to prison or at least being taken to court? These much choreographed umrahs and hajj at the tax payers’ expense are simply illegal and immoral. These holy images are nothing but self propagation and personal marketing at public expense. Can some one explain as to who is paying for the half page coloured advertisements that appear in all national newspapers showing President Musharraf kissing the Black Stone. Are there no concerned citizens in Pakistan, who will approach a court and take up this issue under public interest litigation. Perhaps I forget that it is the winter of 2007 and there is little hope for justice from those who have stealthily arrived in their chambers on the shoulders of the infamous PCO.

Comments

9 responses to “Ticket to Heavens – at the tax payers’ expense”

  1. Adil Avatar
    Adil

    First CLARIFY ! How do you know that Musharraf went on his own expenditure or state expenditure??? Umrah is b/w ALLAH and the servants….who are you to judge??? Your website seems Biased and not neutral.

  2. opinion Avatar
    opinion

    • 9 world class Engineering universities being developed and 18 Public universities already developed.
    • Private sector institutions have increased from 36,096 (in 1999) to become 81,103 (in 2006).
    • PAK is 3rd best in world Banking profitability.
    • PAK IT industry now values around $2 billion, including $1 billion exports and employs around 90,000 professionals.
    • About 80,000 direct & 500,000 indirect jobs have been created only by the Telecom sector.
    • Industrial Parks are being setup throughout the country for the first time! M3 estate, Sundar industrial estate, Chakri, etc.
    • Major Mega projects like the Saindak, Rekodiq, Marble production, Coal production and Mining & Quarrying are being pursued.
    • In 2006, GDP growth is 6%. Earlier in 1999 was 3.5%.
    • Foreign Reserves from $1 bn to $17 bn.
    • KHI stock market: from 700 points to 13,000 points.
    • Literacy rate improved by 11%.
    • Poverty decreased by 10%.
    • He made 4 dams: Mirani, Subakzai, Gomalzam, Khurram Tangi dams.
    • 6 Motorways completed or under construction: M1, M3, M8, M9, M10, M11.
    • Six major highways under construction.
    • GWADAR advance mega Sea port developed under his vision!
    • Historic 100% increase in Tax collection of $11 billion.
    • Large scale manufacturing is 30 year high, and Construction activity is 17 year high.
    • Newly found World class copper- gold deposits in Chagai will fetch $600 million per year.
    • A new Oil refinery with UAE will fetch $5 billion & will process 300,000 oil barrels a day.
    • CNG sector has attracted over $70 billion investment in last 5 years; and created 30,000 jobs.
    • Industrial sector registered 26% growth.
    • PAK in 1999 was a $75 billion economy; and now 2006 it’s $160 billion economy!
    • PAK economy is now the 3rd fastest growing economy after China & India.

  3. Uzair Ahmad Avatar
    Uzair Ahmad

    First be CLARIFIED to. Every public office holder is answerable to public. Huqoq-ul-Ibad is not between Allah and Man. Its between man and man. You cannot abrogate one’s right to question public office holders.

    If Musharraf is so clean, he should explain this. By the way, for what good of public he publish his ummrah pictures on media. Is it also between Him and God??

    Come on. Shah say zayada shah ki wafa dari…

  4. Uzair Ahmad Avatar
    Uzair Ahmad

    First be CLARIFIED to0. Every public office holder is answerable to public. Huqoq-ul-Ibad is not between Allah and Man. Its between man and man. You cannot abrogate one’s right to question public office holders.

    If Musharraf is so clean, he should explain this. By the way, for what good of public he publish his ummrah pictures on media. Is it also between Him and God??

    Come on. Shah say zayada shah ki wafa dari…

  5. Uzair Ahmad Avatar
    Uzair Ahmad

    Dear Opinion.

    Does all this development (?) merits Musharraf to undermine and manipulate law and commit self-serving surgery of Constitution.?

    By the way, please notice that a common man is not as stupid as Pro-Musharraf want him to be. Every person experiance the economic status and well being in daily lives. Why are you forced to make lists ?

    Enough. Please think again.

  6. Naveed Avatar
    Naveed

    Mr. Adil

    Well said that Hujj is between Allah and the person performing it. Yes I agree. But Allah SWT does see how has he acquired the resources to come to the sacred land for performing Hujj or Umra. If he has earned money through illegal ways / or authorised himself to perform umra or hujj on govt expense, than there is no use to this whole exercise. We have spend our own money in such ibadahs if we really intend to earn sawab from ALL SEER AND ALL KNOWLDGEFUL ALLAH.

    The onus of proving that he did spend his own money while performing umra lies with the dictator himself and not on us.

    Yes it may appear to be a biased site to you since truth is being propogated and you don’t seem to like it. You can’t see the tumbling Pakistan and the detention of judiciary in Pakistan. You can’t see civil society members being baton charged and pput behind the bars. You cannot see the detention of lawyers and the PBC’s high command put under illegal detention. You cannot see the free media in Pakistan being supressed and forced to bow down to the dictates of the dictator. You do not want to see Hamid Mir, Talat Hussain, Kashif Abbassi, Mushtaq Minhas, Shahid Masood’s program live. Who is stopping these anchor persons to continue with their programs? Is’nt it the dictator who does want himself to be exposed further? Now do you understand who ordered police to attack the GEO office in Islamabad? It is all crystal clear to us Pakistanis. May be some in Karachi do not like it because 12 May investigation by the SHC might have created difficulties for the MQM as well. Therefore, sacking of judiciary has benefitted MQM a lot so it is very happy. Saved atlast but till then?
    Naveed

  7. Chaudhry Avatar

    Uzair,
    What adil was talking above is that Umrah is “Huquq Allah” and not “Huquq ul-Ibad”. If you can’t prove that Musharraf went on govt expenditure or his own, pls do not spread rumors unneccessarily!

    It is the public who takes pictures with their Mobiles, and not asked by leaders to publish them. Why did you publish this picture if you disagree?

    Before 1999 we had only one channel PTV. Musharraf allowed 50 channels in PAK. Musharraf wants freedom of media but with regulations and rules. No person can be allowed to operate against the National Interest of Pakistan.

    Musharraf has opened the FIRST Media University in Pakistan. The first in Muslim countries and first in South Asia. This shows his sincerity to bring in refined and men of stature. Not cheapsters like Shahid masood, kamran khan, Syed Talat, Kashif abbasi, etc.

  8. Jawan Avatar
    Jawan

    Chaudhry

    You seem tobe a slave of the dictator. Are you from one of those involved in May 12 killings?
    Musharraf needs a media that is working under his guidance and presenting what he likes. Is it called free media? If Mr. Agha, a famous chamch” of the dictator can continue his programs why can’t the real journalists and anchor persons present their point of view? Must learn some manner before calling names to all those anchor persons liked by the people of Pakistan. We Pakistanis are awake and take care of pets of the dictator soon.