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Posts tagged with: PPP
Sep 6, 2009    |       34 comments

How a betrayer Lover and an unsuccessful Spy become PPP’s “Close Associate”

Guest Blog by Talkhaba

I’m unable to understand as why the news editor didn’t make heading of it. Was it important to tell that Brigadier® Imtiaz had once saved Nuclear Assets by arresting the failed lover cum spy, whose plans became known to Mr Bila only after when his annoyed beloved felt betrayed and not as result of extra ordinary efforts by our intelligence agencies or this fact is more meritorious for heading that the spy being arrested was set freed by PPP’s first government and he later joined the party?

After reading Rauf Klasra story about the failed love story which cost the US loose her spy being hired and trained as informer about Pakistan’s nuclear assets and his subsequent arrest, I even didn’t noticed the death and life imprisonment sentence as those were obvious. I thought the man; Rafique Munshi would have been hanged.

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Sep 5, 2009    |       13 comments

An Open Letter to CCPO Karachi, regarding Illegal License Plates

Dear CCPO Karachi,

Greatly appreciate your newspaper initiative of asking citizens to report crime and send pictures of suspicious looking persons and activities. (ccpo.khi@sindhpolice.gov.pk and mms 0333-222-8080). It would provide citizens a good opportunity and a good feeling to be a part of the crime fighting process of the Sindh Police.

You will appreciate that it is more difficult to detect a suspicious looking person as compared to a suspicious looking vehicle. While the former requires some understanding of psychology and human behaviour, the later is a comparatively simple affair, based on an individual’s ability to recognise if the moving object on the road is in fact a vehicle and if it is carrying or not, a registered number plate.

Just to give you an example, I find most politicians very suspicious looking. That is however not a good reason for me to report against them. However each time I leave my house, I easily recognise a large number of vehicles which have either no number plate or an illegal number plate such as “Zinda Hey BB“, ‘Laghari1‘, “Durrani 2“, ‘lashari 3“, “Bhutto 4“, “Junagarh 5“, “MNA“, “MPA“, “Chief of jhalayan tribe“, etc etc. In one interesting case some half a dozen vehicles owned by the same individual carry the same number plate “VII”. Most of these vehicles belong to ministers, parliamentarians and other powerful law breakers of the land. This blatant breach of law is visible to all those hundreds of policemen, who remain dutifully engaged in stopping the two wheelers for extracting their pound of flesh, but whose eyes are carefully trained not to recognise the violating vehicles of the powerful and unlawful urban militants.
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Aug 21, 2009    |       3 comments

Zardari facing the Minus-One Formula or Not?

Cyril Almedia is one level headed analyst who I take very seriously, his regular friday columns are a must read to get a decent idea of how the pulse beats within Pakistan’s political circus. This Fridays column for Dawn is a must read where Cyril analyses the various options that could possibly take Zardari out

The judicial option? NRO or no NRO, the fact is Zardari hasn’t been convicted of anything yet and as president has immunity in fresh criminal cases …… Perhaps later, once Zardari is out of his office, they [CJ Iftikhar and his team of non-PCO judges] will get their chance — but that doesn’t really help the minus-one brigade right now.

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Aug 14, 2009    |       3 comments

Killing of PPP’s JANISARS; The First by “terrorist” and second by “Police”

Why are all high profile murders always suspicious? One may call the narrative of these murders conspiracy theories but these are real theories on which if develop a case may lead us to the “real” culprit.

If look for similarities in Khalid Shehenshah and Waja Aqeel Ahmed’s murders , their Janisari for PPP occupies the top position in this list.

Khalid Shahenshah— who from student activist to PPP loyalist has vast experience of Janisari came to the limelight after the release of his video of suspicious movements on the stage in Liaquat Bagh where PPP’s BB was murdered.

He was made a member of the security team (Janisaran-e-Benzair) as he was a close aide of Munawar Suharwardy, another Janisar whose story ended in a target killing.
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Jul 17, 2009    |       6 comments

Kashkheli Victory – A step forward Against Feudalism in Pakistan

Kashkheli Protest against FeudalismI share with you Najam Sadeque’s email posted on the Peoples Resistance Network. It is with full pride that she share the sweet victory of the Kashkheli tribe in successfully wrestling out the feudalism in the region. I believe this is definitely an important incident to celebrate and also use as an example maybe even to empower oppressed rural villagers to rise up for their own rights. It may seem to be a very small in insignificant victory for a very small segment of the Pakistani population but I feel this small step is one giant leap in the battle against feudalism in Pakistan – read about the Kashkehli struggle here, here, here and here
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Jul 10, 2009    |       5 comments

The Carbon Tax Fiasco

oil tankers in pakistanCyril Almeida a columnist in Dawn has penned an excellent article on the recent controversy regarding the petroleum carbon tax. It is a fact that in March 2009 the government had imposed a Petroleum Developmental Levy which resulted in an increase in the price of petroleum goods by a few rupees. The then, newly restored Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry took matters into his own hands and reversed this developmental levy and rightly said “the welfare state had the authority to recover tax on petroleum but not to make profit”.

Having been forced to undo a lucrative indirect petroleum taxation by the Supreme Court the government returned with a new Carbon Tax piggy-backed onto the Finance Bill of 2009 which went through unanimous approval across the parliament with practically not a single politician objecting to this steep rise in petroleum prices in the debate. Interestingly once the Carbon Tax came into effect the Supreme Court knee-jerked to issue an immediate order to stop this implementation of the carbon tax which was actually going to result in atleast a Rs. 10 hike in all petroleum goods across the board.
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Jun 28, 2009    |       61 comments

Sindh Assembly honors Michael Jackson with a Minute of Silence

PAKISTAN-POLITICS-ASSEMBLY-SINDHAs I write this blog post I have been at a loss of words, I was shocked to read at the PKKH website that today [Saturday 27th June] the Sindh Assembly kicked off its session with a minutes silence in honor of Michael Jackson, yes you read that one correct ‘the moonwalking maestro – Jacko’ was honored with a minutes worth of silence, the logic, the rationality behind sending this message from our official public offices truly befuddles the daylights out of me

PKKH: Just when you think our so called ‘elected representatives’ can’t embarrass us anymore, they tend to prove us wrong. The Sindh Assembly this morning held a minute’s silence for Michael Jackson’s sad demise.

This news comes in close proximity to the controversy where the Presidency has allegedly removed the picture of the founding father of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah and replaced it with the various Bhutto-Zardari portraits
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Apr 13, 2009    |       2 comments

Another update on the peasants Land-Grabbing case & Hunger Strike

From the Peoples Resistance Mailing List

Child Protester along with the Peasants on hunger strike against feudalismAbout the peasants from Sanghar outside the Karachi Press Club for whom I had requested food, we have a temporary respite. The politicians and police made their appearance only after the damage was done — when the elder died and the Labour Party came en masse on the peasants behalf and created an uproar. But it was thanks to Karamat Ali of PILER and Justice (retd) Rasheed Rizvi who took up their case and stayed their for hours and advised them, that they refused to allow the dead body to be lifted until the case was registered to their satisfaction and the government conceded to some clearcut demands in writing.

It took 5 hours of negotiations — including the politicians and government making wild, verbal promises, and trying to convince the peasants to leave quietly without any written assurance (Shazia Marri’s lackey was actually captured on Dunya Channel saying that since the government had made a promise, there was no necessity of putting anything in writing. Since when have government promises meant much?) But one of the peasant reps stood his ground (also on camera) and said although they appreciated the government’s good intentions, they would not budge until they got everything in writing. You should have seen the expression on Shazia Marri’s face. It’s a rare occasion when a peasant can answer back without backing down. They then took two of the reps to the Chief Minister’s house to get this done with their new-found adviser in tow.
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Apr 12, 2009    |       10 comments

Statement on behalf of Concerned Citizens of Pakistan | Shanaakht Festival

Sign the petition condemning the violence at the against the violence at the Shanaakht Festival

shanaakht festivalThis great city of Karachi was the venue of the 2nd Shanaakht Festival held at the Arts Council, Karachi. Over 1000 exhibits of Art were received and featured at this Festival and it was open to the general public. On the first day [i.e. 8-4-2009] of the 2nd Shanaakht Festival, a small group of individuals entered the Arts Council, Karachi, disrupted the Festival and vandalized the exhibition at the Festival. The disruption and vandalism of the Exhibition was done on the ground that one of the exhibits was objectionable and disrespectful of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. It is important to note that these people never approached the organizers to launch a complaint or for the removal of the exhibit that they found objectionable. It is also been reported in the ‘The News’ on 10-4-2009 that a F.I.R. has also been initiated against the organizer of the Festival and artist of the objectionable exhibit.

Without defending the said exhibit of art and without deliberating on the issue as to whether the exhibit of art was objectionable and disrespectful or not, we respect the point of view of all persons who found the exhibit objectionable and disrespectable and we sympathize with them for their emotional distress. We also respect the right of all persons to peacefully protest and criticize any exhibit or piece of art which they deem objectionable. What we are concerned and disturbed about are the actions of some people, whatsoever the grounds maybe, who disrupted and vandalized the exhibition and endangered the life and security of the citizens present. What we are further perturbed about is the use of the criminal law against persons who have a different point of view.
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Apr 9, 2009    |       11 comments

Open letter to Sindh Minister for Culture | Shanaakht Festival

by Khawer Amir Khan shared via Facebook Note on his profile

Open letter to Ms. Sassui Palijo, Sindh Minister for Culture

shanaakht festivalMadam Minister,

I write this open letter to you with a heavy heart. Workers of your party have betrayed the message of Benazir Bhutto, who very recently gave her life but refused to be silenced. No person with a moral compass would question her courage in standing up to the forces of obscurantism and regression.

When her janisar and jiyalas behaved like stormtroopers and destroyed art at a festival that was meant to be about the identity of Pakistanis, they called into question their own understanding of Ms. Bhutto’s sacrifice.

It has been said by many, both supporters of your party and common citizens, that the organizers and curators of the festival are somehow to blame for provoking the sentiments of the people. It is being said that art is fine, but the festival is no place for politics. This proposition not only ignores the rich heritage of festivals as an articulation of resistance, the festivals born of the French revolution come to mind, but also completely ignores the fact that both the “objectionable art” and the festival concerned Pakistan’s identity. Hundreds died because of Ms. Bhutto’s refusal to be silenced, should be blame her then? You will join me in an empathic NO! Only the forces of regression and hate are to be blamed.
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Apr 8, 2009    |       5 comments

An Incomplete Revolution

by Ameer Bhutto son of Sardar Mumtaz Bhutto

Given the repeated sellouts and betrayals of politicians masquerading as awami leaders, it is a miracle that Pakistan has not only survived but still holds the possibility to flourish, given some measure of integrity and honesty in those who haunt the corridors of power. But though the country has somehow survived this mess, the price it has had to pay is debilitating regression, to the point where the economy, civic facilities and infrastructure, peoples’ wellbeing in the form of employment, law and order and opportunity, our foreign relations, national sovereignty and indeed the binding glue of nationhood stand corroded to a point of acute crisis.

Incompetence rules supreme in Islamabad. Those who hold the destiny of 170 million people in their hands can not even read a simple written speech. Gone are the days when a leader would address the nation live on television and radio. Now all speeches are pre-recorded and edited to prevent leaders from making fools of themselves. But when they can not escape having to make a live speech or choose to ad lib, their calibre and worth are immediately exposed, even though they hide behind portraits of Shaheeds to bask in borrowed glory and legitimacy. Zardari, in his address to the joint session of parliament, expressed the desire to give autonomy to Balochistan. Why just Balochistan? Have Sindh and NWFP not been clamoring for autonomy as well? Someone should have explained to him that provincial autonomy can only be granted by means of a constitutional amendment, which would apply to the whole country and not just Balochistan. He also talked about his administration’s respect for the freedom of the press and media. If such is the case, then did Geo Television go off the airwaves during the days of the long march by its own volition, causing Sherry Rehman to resign? Zardari has taken Orwellian doublespeak to a whole new stratosphere.
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Apr 2, 2009    |       26 comments

I Told You So – by Mumtaz Ali Bhutto

This article was sent via email claiming that it has been banned from publication in newspapers by the Zardari government, as it has issued directives to all news agencies preventing the publication of all articles by Sardar Mumtaz Ali Bhutto. His previous article Choas & Collapse was also prevented from going into print

mumtaz-ali-bhuttoReaders will recall my repeated warnings that a man with Zardari’s reputation, who has no educational or political background and lacks all the other prerequisites of leadership, will be an absolute disaster in a minor office leave alone the top position in the country. This has proved to be true in the short period of six months leading to a nation wide upheaval. His claim to fame rests entirely on being the husband of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and spending eight years in jail. Let us look at these laurels a bit closer: Shaheed Benazir, in her book “Daughter Of The East”, confesses to marrying him under relentless pressure from mother and aunts and his own perseverance in the face of repeated rejection, but hastens to add that there was no love or even affection involved. Of course it is also true that the last ten years of the marriage were spent in estrangement for reasons that are stated below. It is however surprising that she was unable to control him during her two terms in office when he went on a rampage for which he has acquired the internationally acclaimed and rather modest sobriquet of Mr. 10%.

For the veracity of this epithet let us not depend on the bouquet of corruption cases against him even though two, the Surrey Palace and money laundering cases, in Jersey and Switzerland stand proved, but recall the laments of the people at large and even Jialas. Accepting the principal that there is no smoke without fire and the fact that before marriage, the Zardari family had nothing to show but a cinema house in Karachi, many questions arise about his lifestyle not only in the country but more so abroad. The internet discloses mansions and lands in various countries, twenty seven bank accounts and forty five off shore companies, the minimum value of which is placed at over two billion dollars and this does not include the cash balances in the twenty seven bank accounts, which remains unknown.
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Mar 18, 2009    |       63 comments

Update: Sanam Bhutto waiting in the ranks

sanam-bhuttoIn light of the recent success of the Long March movement, which may have been a victory for the people of Pakistan, one person that has truly lost out is Mr. Asif Ali Zardari and along with it has also dashed the hopes and dreams of his party which he hijacked a year or so back. It is now rumored that Sanam Bhutto is feisty and has in no small words lashed out at her brother-in-law in an interview with Benazir Bhutto’s close confidant Daphne Barak. Though the contents of the interview are yet to be made public

Sanam Bhutto is acting as the watchdog of Bilawal, Bakhtawar and Assefa’s interests and is concerned that other members of Zardari family are working to derive benefits.

The News 18th March 2009: Sanam has been very upset with Asif Zardari’s handling of the PPP that is the most precious political legacy of her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and her sister Benazir Bhutto. He betrayed her sister’s promises to the nation about restoration of judges, caused political friction to the point that led Pakistan to the brink of civil war and caused historic damage to the popular Pakistan People’s Party to the maximum extent. Reportedly Sanam Bhutto has said, My father, my brothers, my mother all of us suffered and made sacrifices for PPP and Asif Zardari has usurped it.

Though the interview is yet to be made public but it seem this might be the start of the much talked about PPP breakup where the old guard finally sums up the courage to stand up against the usurper who has conveniently occupied the Presidential Palace

Update March 18th 23:00 PST: In a clarification issued by Sanam Bhutto The News carries an update clarifying that Sanam Bhutto, the sister of slain PPP leader Benazir Bhutto, denied reports of any differences in Bhutto family she is claimed to have cordial relations with President Asif Ali Zardari and there was no property dispute between the Bhutto family and the President. “Bhutto family stands by President Zardari to resolve the challenges facing the country,” she added.

Mar 18, 2009    |       12 comments

The Beginnings’ End

Guest blog by Kamil Hamid

While celebration is in order, the civil society movement and Pakistanis in general must understand that it is crucial this be used as a beginning for a new era of activism and the drive for justice. Sitting back at this point, and allowing “appropriate parties” to handle matters would be nothing short of disastrous.

As I write this, the general atmosphere among many of us is one of jubilance, celebrating our victory. After a two-year struggle, Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudry has finally been restored. Over the course of these years, Pakistan has faced some of its darkest times, the circumstances of which have still not changed greatly. We face a growing religiously motivated insurgency, not confined to the North but breaking out like an epidemic across the country. We also face a severe energy and food crisis, as well an economy that has nearly imploded; thanks largely to the reckless and irresponsible way it was handled for the past decade. Our largest city, the hub of our economy, is ruled by ethno-fascist thugs who have garnered genuine support among some of its citizens due to their frustration with the government’s lackadaisical attitude. The continual pounding of American drones on our Northwestern borders, as well as a bristling India to the East only makes matters worse.

Yet it would be incorrect to say that we have not come a long way: Musharraf has been forced out of power, and the military has been forced back into the barracks (hopefully, for the last time). A vibrant and energetic civil society has formed and proven to the world that Pakistan is not the nation of sleepers that it has often been mockingly called.
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