Tariq Ali speaks about Pakistan Current Situation

Guest Blog by Yaseen Khawar of Pakistanic.com

Tariq Ali s a renowned Pakistani intellectual of world reputation resides in U.K but visits Pakistan from time to time. Recently he gave an interview to Amy Goodman, It is presented here:

Amy Goodman: Recently Pakistani border security forces have stopped American army to cross the Pak Afghan border and do an operation in Pakistani territory but Pakistan’s army open fire on their helicopter. How would you comment on this?

Tariq Ali: I think circumstances have become quite dangerous. It is the point of discussion in American administration since last year whether to do operation inside Pakistan’s territory but there is a strong lobby inside U.S administration which says that if U.S operated inside Pakistan it will benefit those elements against which U.S is doing operation.

Amy Goodman: How?

Tariq Ali: When pushtoon population of North West Frontier Province will see that America has started operation against them, they will join Taliban inside Afghanistan to strengthen resistance.

Amy Goodman: Senator Obama has clearly said that American forces should enter Pakistan territory to search for high valued targets because Pakistan’s government has failed to do a powerful operation against them.

Tariq Ali: I think Obama has done a blunder to give this statement . I think he has not briefed well about the situation in Afghanistan. On the other hand , it is a historic fact the whenever America fails after attacking a country it puts all the allegation for its failure on the neighboring country and thus also attacks its neighbor as well to justify its attack. After its failure in Vietnam it attacked Cambodia . The same it is doing with Pakistan and is killing Pakistanis whereas the real problem is in Afghanistan and war in Afghanistan which has been badly complicated.

Nevertheless,7 years have passed of American takeover of Afghanistan and in those 7 years the condition has got bad to worst every year. American been killing more innocent people every year but not been able to win war and now to deceive Afghan people they are trying to widen this war even to Pakistan which will make the conditions even more worst.

Amy Goodman: What is your opinion about Asif ali Zardaari?

Tariq Ali: He talks of progress of democracy which seems very interesting to me. Particularly about his own democratic reputation that he has become the Co-chairman of of his party according to the advice of Mohtarma Benazir wheres chairman is his young son. Moreover, the only foreign personality who sat with his was Afghan President Karzai.

Amy Goodman: Nawaz Sharif separated from PPP government because of judiciary . Why not Zardari restore the judges?

Tariq Ali: Zardari is reluctant because Iftikhr CH is an extremely liberal minded judge and the western countries which are currently supporting Asif Zardari are also against the restoration of Iftikhar CH. I tell you a story . A poor women approached him and said i have lost my only son and i don’t know where he is gone and no one is telling me where is he? On this chief justice summoned the Chairman FIA and questioned about her son . He said i don’t know about him , on this chief justice ordered to produce her son within 48 hours in the court or be ready to go behind the bars. such harsh language has never been used before nor heard in Pakistan about bureaucracy.

The son of that poor women was produced inside 48 hours in court. Chief justice asked about the proof against him. FIA chairman said there is no proof against the boy but U.K and U.S wanted his arrest. Chief justice ordered his immediate release.

Amy Goodman: If there would have been direct Presidential elections ,what do you think who would have won?

Tariq Ali: Iftikhar CH, no doubt with landslide majority or perhaps Nawaz sharif.

Amy Goodman: you have written “THE DUEL” named book in which you have shown Pakistan and America in comparison . Do you think its indeed like this?

Tariq Ali: In this book i have tried to reflect the half century old struggle of Pakistani people which has consistently been hi- jacked by military dictators and corrupt politicians ,and 200 million people remain devoid of basic necessities of life. Regardless of health and education they been kept from two time meal. Whereas every military dictator had got full support and backing from America .

Amy Goodman: Where is Musharraf gone?

For time being he is inside Pakistan and in full protection of Army but very soon he will starts going outside the country. Particularly America in Chicago where his one brother is doctor. Now there is role of his in Pakistani politics.

Amy Goodman: During Musharraf period Pakistan got billions of dollars from America but where it all goes? and whether America will keep giving such dollars to new government?

Tariq Ali:This i dont know where all those dollars went . Although such money given to Pakistan’s political elite has always been ruined like this.

Amy Goodman: You been writing about Latin America ,Tell us about those countries political situation in detail.

Tariq Ali: In Bolivia,Venezuela and Chili, America is being fully rejected. Although nothing can be send about Columbia. Bolivia has ousted the American Ambassador for conspiracies against its elected government by calling him Unlinked person and in joining hands with Bolivia ,Venezuela has also ousted American Ambassador . Now America has to think hundred times before taking any such decision.

Comments

13 responses to “Tariq Ali speaks about Pakistan Current Situation”

  1. jawad Avatar
    jawad

    Her name is Amy Goodman, not “Emmy”. Here is the complete transcript of the interview
    http://www.democracynow.org/2008/9/16/tariq_ali_on_the_duel_pakistan

    Since Tariq Ali gave the interview to Goodman’s show Democracy Now, at not to Teeth Maestro, I think you should have included the link. It seems that Yaseen Khawar posted most of it from memory, since the two transcripts are quite different.

    BTW, I am constantly disappointed in the quality of writing about Pakistan by Pakistanis. Tariq Ali remains a bright exception. Here is a review of his book on CounterPunch.

    http://www.counterpunch.org/jacobs09272008.html

  2. Teeth Maestro Avatar

    @Jawad

    Thank you for sharing the link and the typo error – I have corrected them both – if you still see some errors please update me or the guest author yaseen khawar

  3. yaseen ch Avatar

    well, jawad i think you are basically right for your first point about quality of writing because i am just a student as long as your point that i transcript this interview by memort is not right. i basically translated it from an urdu paper in which it appeared.
    Thanks to DR AWAB for publishing . i will continue to send you more i hope you will be kind .

  4. KarimG Avatar
    KarimG

    I am going to look at the original interview to see what did he say precisely, but his views on Zardari are rather surprizing..

  5. yaseen ch Avatar

    yaseen ch are yaseen khawar are one man name.

  6. Adnan Siddiqi Avatar

    As Yaseen Ch mentioned in his blog too that Karzai calls Mullah Omar to come back and give a nice hug and save Afghanistan. We Karzai can meet Mullah Omar then who are we that we are being “Begani Shadi mey Abdullah Dewana” to kiss up Americans?

    Will it not be good if we try to settle down things by initiating dialogues with FATA tribes(not intruders in form of Indian agents and Afghan agents) and make them believe that they are our brothers and they re not lesser Pakistani then us? How long we would be used as guinea pigs for others? Best thing is that let Karzai and Taliban form govt and we support it by every mean before US and India take the lead and make them more against us. It’s like living in fools paradise or making drawing room discussions that we can defeat these FATA guys. Even McCain in his debate with Obama admitted that its not possible to defeat and capture the FATA region since noone could sustain its victory for long. It’s time that our so called liberal govt make some sense and use democratic power to resolve filth created by last dictator in past 8 years otherwise would just get doomed and would be divided in Mohajiristan,Pakhtonistan and Punjabistan.

  7. guYasir Avatar

    I did like to read his interview from its jawad given link.
    He gave very profound interview about current cabal of politics in Pakistan.
    I’m agree fully with his few points like Obama incendiary remarks about full attacks in FATA of NATO while he doesn’t fully aware of Afghanistan and FATA situation.
    If I’m not mistaken He also gave incendiary remarks to attack Mecca. isn’t he said that? He’s basically a communist
    He who say He and his VP Biden would be good 4 pakistan will be an illusion.
    2nd Tariq Aziz said about Zardari that He wouldn’t be in president seat if it was a direct election.Its true he wouldn’t be selected and I at least wouldn’t like to see him on dis ruling post his party to which I call Perverse Peoples Party dancing on washington tune.

  8. Irtiza Avatar
    Irtiza

    Mr Yasir changed the whole interview……sorry after now I am not coming on this website….

  9. guYasir Avatar

    Pakistan is a failed-state because of Kleptocracy which exercise under the guise of democracy.
    Zardari is a biggest kleptocrat of Pakistan history as Tariq Ali also mentioned his corruption and he wouldn’t be on president seat if it was a direct election.
    Benazir Bhutto was a kleptocrat in a hermes scarf
    By Jemima Khan
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2007/10/21/do2102.xml

  10. guYasir Avatar

    @Irtiza

    What did i change? i may wrote Tariq Aziz instead of Tariq Ali

    what else i change?

  11. karachikhatmal Avatar

    @adnan siddiqui

    i'm so sick of your incessant rants about the liberal government, liberal elite, liberal this, liberal that.

    i understand that you think any thought that is not inherently linked to bashing the USA is sacrilegious. but does that mean that you have to be so divisive? there is a rational way of explaining your point of view without seeking the refuge of generic stereotypes like liberals. what does liberal even mean? if someone supports education for women, it means they hold a liberal position vis-a-vis pakistani society. does that make them reprehensible? i don't always disagree with what you say, but your manner is quite acidic.

    moreover, here is something i do disagree with you on. you said:

    " It’s like living in fools paradise or making drawing room discussions that we can defeat these FATA guys."

    thats well said, but you think that having a karzai-taliban grand coalition is NOT a fool's dream? can you imagine uncle sam going, "oh you want to ally with the taliban? ok, then we'll leave if we're no longer wanted."

    lets be honest about such realities. moreover, how do you identify which tribal is not an indian agent and which one is? remember that a lot of people settled tribal rivalries in iraq and afghanistan by reporting their enemies as supposed terrorists to the coalition forces. how would we prevent that from happening here?

    and on an unrelated note – whoever translated this: "Why not Zardari restore the judges?"

    Superb.

  12. Aliarqam Avatar

    Tariq Ali’s informations about Pakistan….unfortunately are based on electronic media perceptions….
    His analysis of NWFP is amateurish….and his views of Zardari,Iftikhar Ch and Nawaz mian are populist….
    Iftikhar Chauhdry is no liberal,no progressive….
    Most of Taliban Commanders fighting in Swat are those released by him….as Ibn e Ameen…or Khan Khitab….

  13. Aliarqam Avatar

    His recent speech at Toronto can be viewed….He has sympathies for Taliban….and is suggesting Pakistani nations…to find his place in south asian union….having question marks against Pakistan future….