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Posts tagged with: Zardari
Sep 21, 2008    |       9 comments

Presidential speech, is he stalling everything or truly bringing reconciliation the soil, a critical analysis

Guest Blog by Amjad Malik

20th September 2008, ‘Land mark’ presidential speech to the joint session of the Parliament was overshadowed by a quick reminder of the menace of terrorism in the form of an explosive terrorist attack at Marriott Hotel, Islamabad which took over fifty three lives and scores were injured. This condemnable attack not only highlighted the kind of danger Pakistan is facing, the war of top security agencies in the region and on its soil, and the loss of many lives & families which are unaccounted during this on going struggle in order to find viable answers how to secure sustainable peace and calm to the region and in return to the world in general. So far no one has found the right key to success in this ongoing onslaught. Pakistan is caught between rock and hard place, on one side US anger over poor performance and asking them to do more, and if they do, the sheer resentment over foreign policy is visible by outlawed networks and Jihadists and expressed by the sophisticatedly hit targets which are normally pro West outlets. In Pakistan these suicidal attacks have crossed a century in number in only last 1 ½ years though this individual Non NATO ally is at the brink of facing the wrath in the form of unitarily inside strikes by the super power for their lack of will and action despite losing over 1000 soldiers at the rear border at Durand line. High value target though is missed by inches each time, but this faulty intelligence is causing an increase the collateral damage day by day, and that is the sad other side of the multi colour story full of blood.
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Sep 21, 2008    |       20 comments

Speaker Fehmida Mirza, hosting an Iftar in Marriott for Zardari

STRATFOR quotes sources in Geo News that the Speaker National Assembly Fehmida Mirza was hosting an Iftar dinner in Marriott today in honor of the President Mr. Asif Ali Zardari when the blast occurred at the Hotel but luckily Mr. Zardari was not there. With this information coming into light, one must look at this bombing not simply as a random attack but mostly an assassination attempt towards the new President

Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza was hosting an Iftar dinner reception in honor of President Asif Ali Zardari at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan, when the hotel was bombed Sept. 20, Pakistani Daily The News reported. Zardari reportedly was not at the dinner, but the report said other important figures were present, without giving names. GEO News reported that some 100 people may have been killed in the attack. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.


Though Geo News for the moment has a report at the moment quoting Hashwani, the owner of Marriott that “There was no VIP or foreigner affected by the blast as most of the guests present in the hotel were rescued“. Though the facts are still to be deciphered with the on going investigation, but seemingly it might be important for the government to not expose this lapse in VIP security i.e. if at all such a breach did actually happen.

Sep 19, 2008    |       30 comments

Aitzaz Ahsan explains his decisions

Guest Post by Samad Khurram

Friends and concerned citizens,

I am making public a few of my communications with Aitzaz Ahsan and his consolidated response to help put things in perspective. There have been a few questions that had been lingering in every one’s minds regarding decisions made at crucial junctions of the movement, Aitzaz’s decision to remain in the PPP – even when the party is the only hindrance in the restoration of the judges -, the end of the Long March and the lawyers silence on the casualties in the War on Terror and I hope this can address all of them. Many other answers are not part of these long emails but will be answered in due time.

I have been a part of this struggle only because I rationally believe in it. The decision is an informed, educated one so I have been constantly giving the leadership my input, criticizing whenever I think is appropriate but otherwise supporting them throughout. The decisions taken by the leadership itself have been very informed and well thought out and I would like to make some of the reasoning public as many people have had raised questions.

To start of I am making public my infamous, rather harsh email – that was even picked up in Off the Record by Kashif. It was written after talking to people following the end of the Long March and how things seemed very abysmal.It appeared unlikely that we would ever recover from the aftermath. Many of the things in the email were based on the collective sentiment of our activists who had come for a siege

However I become extremely occupied with things after the Ambassador incident and Aitzaz later wrote an article for me in the Newsweek to ensure I am not labelled into something I am not.
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Sep 19, 2008    |       35 comments

Between Allah Cracy and English Cracy

Guest Blog by Silence from Islamabad Observer

“May gaad give us the strent to save Pakistan”
Asif Ali Zardari
President
Islamic Republic of Pakistan

During Zia ul Haq’s dictatorship, Late Makhdum Sajjad Hussain, father of Shah Mahmood Qureshi (presently foreign minister) was appointed as Governor of Punjab. He was a very simple person, a feudal lord and a known ‘peer’ with millions of followers especially from rural Sindh. Whenever someone would approach Mr. Governor with any problem, “Allah Kracy” (God will Do) the Governor used to reply in Saraiki language and would raise his hands to pray, hundreds of followers sitting around would also raise their hands and pray with their peer cum governor.

Weather some one asks for transfer of his son or complains about poor condition of road or even a magistrate asks approval to arrest protesters, the answer was always same, “Allah Kracy” followed by raising hands. The joke around the province was that people of Punjab are sandwiched between ‘Bureaucracy’ and‘Allah Kracy. The requests from bureaucracy to pass orders helped little. Mr. Governor preferred prayer rather then passing any orders and always used Saraiki as language.
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Sep 17, 2008    |       10 comments

….and the US attacks again – killing five in South Waziristan

It is being reported that barely a few hours ago US Army launched yet another US Drones attack on the village of Baghar in South Waziristan near the Afghan border inside Pakistan killing five more people. The US army alleges that this attack was limited on a specific military training camp. But it was after all an attack on the sovereignty of Pakistan, It was only yesterday that Pakistan Army spokesperson Maj Gen Athar Abbas had threatened that if this were to happen yet again it would result in retaliatory fire from Pakistan Army in defense.

It seems any & all diplomatic effort initiated by Asif Ali Zardari is failing as it is on record that since the day of his accession to the throne of the Presidency, the US has upped the ante, and been on the offensive to bomb the northern areas of Pakistan. One does have to suspect that his election into office might have something to do with a free hand accorded to the US in their War OF Terror offensive.

As a Pakistani I fully condemn this attack on Pakistan and expect our Army to stand up and defend out country, no longer should we be willing to annihilate our people at their free will – as a Pakistani citizen its simply unacceptable to me any more

Sep 17, 2008    |       8 comments

Pakistan troops ordered to Open Fire if US raids continue

Pakistan’s military has ordered its forces to open fire if U.S. troops launch another air or ground raid across the Afghan border, an army spokesman said – APP. This order comes in light of the recent incursions by the US Army’s unmanned drone aircraft which has continued to make bombing runs into Pakistan. Though I doubt our ammunition will come at par to even be a threat to these aerial unmanned highly sophisticated aerial attacks but that said its still a positive step to taken by the Pakistan Army to at least have the gutts to stand up and say no, to their US paymasters

“The orders are clear,” Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said in an interview. “In case it happens again in this form, that there is a very significant detection, which is very definite, no ambiguity, across the border, on ground or in the air: open fire“

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Sep 15, 2008    |       9 comments

Humor: PPP’s Annual Press Release

Annual Report – September 15, 2008

Management Discussion and Analysis (MDNA) – Brief

The Permanent Plunder Party (PPP) Co. is extremely pleased to announce the results from the success of its “Say What You Don’t Mean” (SWYDM) pills that were designed to induce “hallucinations” and spur episodes of “selective amnesia” among the general public in Pakistan. The past year has witnessed an unprecedented level of success for SWYDM’s as they have been widely applied throughout Pakistan. “The development of these pills demonstrates the exceptional ingenuity of the research team of PPP Co and the far-reaching vision of its leaders,” stated Larry Rehman, Director of Mass Communication Campaign of the PPP.

The SWYDM’s are the culmination of a long and strenuous development process that spanned multiple continents as the research was simultaneously undertaken in Pakistan, Dubai, London and New York/Washington. As one of its architects, Mr. AAZ acted as a test subject. The initial dose induced multiple side effects; Stephen Reich, a psychiatrist from New York State, said “AAZ was unable to recall the birthdays of his wife and children and had thought about suicide,” and “I do not see any improvement in these issues for at least a year,” he wrote in a medical report.
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Sep 14, 2008    |       7 comments

Zardari is the best Revenge – Benazir’s Subliminal message

After the tragic assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, both Bilawal Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari have been drumming our ears with the democratic vision (?) of Benazir Bhutto. Bilawal Bhutto while addressing the PPP press conference on 31st December said

My mother always said, “Democracy is the best revenge” – Bilawal Bhutto [31st Dec 2007]

For starters we all played along, it seemed to be the new PPP war chant, it seemed to be the trump card for the ticket to a sweeping victory in the upcoming elections, it seemed all too innocently ‘democratic‘. But on 6th of September when Pakistanis watched Asif Ali Zardari accede to the throne of Presidency did we finally realize our curse. This cartoonist quite aptly sums up the feelings of an entire nation

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The subliminal [wikipedia] message for us fools here in Pakistan could have actually been

‘Zardari Democracy is the best Revenge’

Sep 13, 2008    |       339 comments

Sick of Musharraf lovers – a factual rant

Guest Post by Saira Ansari

I’m very disturbed, disappointed and sick to death to see the amount of facebook’ers on my list who think Musharraf’s leaving has been a catastrophe for Pakistan. Just because a new evil, a.k.a Zardari, is in the house does not mean that the previous evil is now a good man. A “leader” as some say. That’s our problem – as an entire nation. We forget and we repeat our mistakes over and over again.

People left right and centre have been levelling accusations at me, and countless others like myself, that we support Zardari. Unfortunately no one takes out 5 minutes to ask if that is so. Let me save you the time…we don’t. And no, he is NOT democratically elected. Hierarchic / Monarchic rule within the party does not ensure a democratic candidate, so stop ranting that its democracy that’s bad. We, the people, have been cheated again. The actual institution has been wronged.

I will get hate messages and mail after this because I get them often for my stance. Those who know me well know my passion for this country and its welfare so at least I can’t be labelled for propaganda as my other friends and colleagues are. But I must have my say – whether or not you bother to read the entire note.

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Sep 13, 2008    |       6 comments

Who is the TARGET: Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons or President?

Guest Post by Silence from Islamabad Observer

We have not forgotten the debate which centered on the Saddam Husain’s weapons of mass destruction, his quest to destroy the world and duties of ‘civilized world’ to act before the dooms day takes place. The ‘civilized world” acted with unprecedented might and fire power, leaving 500,000 Iraqi’s dead, 4 million displaced and entire infrastructure of the country destroyed. The weapons of mass destruction were never found, however United States successfully got controls over world’s second largest oil reserves. Iraq is going through a civil war but the world is safe, not a bad achievement for ‘civilized world’.

We have witnessed another era of false propaganda being peddled by Western media when former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, recognized the Taliban government. Once, the ‘darling of the west’, overnight became a ‘Princess’ and her husband, a ‘play boy’. All sort of allegations were leveled against the couple and circulated as cover stories by Western and local media. Her misery ended with her assassination followed by a nationwide mourning, which sent a strong message to ‘intelligentsia-at-war’ against her, that people do people do have their own perceptions.
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Sep 13, 2008    |       3 comments

A speech Zardari did not make

By Dr Muzaffar Iqbal
The News, September 12, 2008

Bismi’Llahi-Rahmani-Rahim
(In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Beneficent.)

My fellow citizens, assalamu alaykum. First of all, I am grateful to the Almighty for giving me the honour of serving a great nation as its president. It has become somewhat clichéd to say that today Pakistan stands at a crossroads, but today it is really so and I wish to turn the course of our journey towards a direction that is full of hope, vigour, and bright future for a nation that has been deceived, robbed, and cheated so many times.

Let me begin by stating that on Nov 3, 2007, a military dictator hijacked the entire system by serving a crushing blow to the judiciary. That one man can do so much harm to the system is in itself an indication of how bad things have become in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, but I will come back to that in a minute. First, let me share with you my decision to redress that action of Nov 3, 2007, by the military dictator. I have issued instructions to complete the legal process so that that the deed done by the general becomes null and void. Simultaneously, a process of accountability has started to bring to justice all those who have violated the Constitution, plundered national wealth, and the millions of American dollars given to Pakistan during the last nine years. Soon, you will hear more on this.
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Sep 12, 2008    |       16 comments

The President prayed ‘May God give us strength to save Pakistan’

Today our newly elected President Mr. Asif Ali Zardari came to Karachi for his first official trip since being elected into office. His arrival did lead to the usual ruckus of traffic mayhem on Shahrah-e-Faisal, but thats beside the point. Our leader did choose to pay homage to the father of the nation by visiting Quaid-e-Azam’s Mazar where he laid a wreath to commemorate the 60th death anniversary which falls on September 11th. Mr Zardari also signed the guest book at the mausoleum

APP published a news report which said

President Asif Zardari laid a floral wreath at the Quaid’s mazar. Recording his impressions, in the Visitors Book placed at the mausoleum, the President prayed ‘May God give us strength to save Pakistan‘

The funny bone within me some how laughs at the minor omission in the report, when signing the book I am damn sure he must have also signed his name – and I suppose that the message must have actually been

May God give us strength to save Pakistan — From Asif Ali Zardari

Im glad he was being very honest, to my pro-PPP critics I think you are right Mr. Zardari is indeed a changed man, at least he is being honest with us – LOL [Humor]

Sep 11, 2008    |       2 comments

Lost war and a lost cause

By: Amjad Malik

On the anniversary of tragic events of September 11, the statements of both Pakistan and US armed officers are frightening for Asia. New York Times reported today that ‘President Bush secretly approved orders in July that for the first time to allow American Special Operations forces to carry out ground assaults inside Pakistan without the prior approval of the Pakistani government’. The article reported that the American commanders in Afghanistan have complained bitterly that militants use sanctuaries in Pakistan to attack American troops in Afghanistan. He said that “I’m not convinced we’re winning it in Afghanistan,” However, Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday. “I am convinced we can.” Toward that goal, Admiral Mullen said he had ordered a comprehensive military strategy to address the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The commando raid last week and an increasing number of recent missile strikes are part of a more aggressive overall American campaign in the border region aimed at intensifying attacks on Al Qaeda and the Taliban in the waning months of the Bush administration, with less than two months to go before November elections.
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Sep 7, 2008    |       16 comments

Old don, or new dawn for Pakistan

Guest Post by Amjad Malik

Mr. Zardari despite all reservations and his past was duly elected by the Parliament on 6 September 2008 and it is a good sign for democracy that opposition legitimised the show by participating it and later whole heartedly accepting defeat. Congratulations to Mr. President and let’s bye gone be bye gone and restart a new chapter in Pakistan with an aim of parliamentary sovereignty, rule of law and economic alleviation in the country which is at the verge of institutional and economic collapse. The job which requires sheer wisdom and consultation may not be completed if President does not take himself above his party interest and venture to work jointly as envisaged in ‘ Charter of Democracy’ by his knightly wife Be Nazir as working single handedly may not remove the dark clouds on the civil system which carry a history of four decades.

I foresee four main issues which may take him from 5 months to 5 year rule. First of all his impartiality as his job requires him to treat all equally by genuinely promoting Federation and allowing the healthy opposition by invoking an idea of issue based constructive politics. If he can agree to disagree and allow this principle to be digested by his party and the political class in general, it will evaporate the politics of 90 and will promote tolerance which is in deficit in Pakistan. It will also strengthen the civil system and continue the political process. He must also consider giving his party position to that of his sister and or the sister in law whilst he is a head of state, of course with due consultation of his party.
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