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Pakistan and Politics
The site consists of comments on Pakistans current political scene. It will highlight the controversies, the scandals, the political leaders and happenings vis a vis the countries present day politics.
THE LATEST COMMENTS ARE ON THIS PAGE.AFTER THIS TRY PAGES 21 , 20 ,19 and 18. THE OTHER PAGES CONTAIN COMMENTS ON EVENTS SINCE MAY 1997.
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Pakistan and Politics
by ikram ul haq
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NAWAZ SHARIF FAMILY IN CAHOOTS ON CRUISE STRIKES
THE AMERICANS BUST KASHMIRI CAMPS
THE AMERICANS GO HOME
THE MQM PROBLEM
RESHUFFLE, TRADERS/JEWELLERS STRIKE
THE END OF NEGOTIATIONS
FE ACCOUNTS, DEAVALUATION
MQM ACCEPTS DEFEAT AND WHY NO ONE KNEW OF STRIKES ON AFGHANISTAN
- The MQMm in an acceptance of total defeat finally opted out of the Sind coalition . This is the third govt that the MQM have joined and left. There attitudes in govt were always similar and their leaving is similar. However this time they had a major stake in the Sind govt and can obviously not escape the stigma of failure to control the karachi situation. The MQM has always suggested that the problems are someone elses responsibility. They only cry when their activists are killed. Whether somebody else gets killed is of no consequence them. In their last two days in office 10 people were killed in seemingly tit for tat murders. The party that has the biggest base in karachi has never been able to pinpoint the killers and has also been unable to avoid responsiblity for the terrible carnage that has taken place in karachi. Their reasons for leaving the govt are that it is unable to control the situation and that they have not been compensated enough and that their activists are still in jails. A pretty thin charge sheet as they had seven ministers and a speaker in govt. They had been given around 200 million in compensation and around 300 of their activists were released . However the MQM might still vote for Liaqat Jatoi and Sind could see a minority govt with a divided opposition.The PMLn reaction " It was becoming difficult to tolerate the MQM any longer"
- In a controversy that blackens Nawaz Sharifs face he continues to deny that he was aware of the cruise strikes.One wonders at the prime ministers simplicity and dumbness. A US army general was conferring with the army chief just a few hours before the strike in Islamabad and Shabaz Sharif was meeting top officials in Washington and the US had evacuated all its staff from Islamabad. Also US warships were stationed sixty kilometres outside pakistans coastline. What did the prime minister expect that the US would tap afghanistan on the shoulder. The pakistan army in a public statement reiterated that the primeminister had been informed. Nawaz however retorted that the army chief only informed him at 2030 hrs when the strikes were underway. Nawaz Sharif is obviously lying as the prime minister is usually in bed by 2000hrs. People had been discussing what form US retaliation would take several days before. One wonders what Nawaz is ingovt for if he did not realize what the US was going todo.??
- There seems tobe a radical realigning of political associations in the south asia region. The USA has publically gone into the indian camp while the russians are coming closer to the afghanistans taliban govt . The iranians too seem tobe in cahoots with the USA with only the senior leaders of the pakistani govt left to support US actions. The islamic countries too donot seem to approve of the USA at the moment.
- All foreigners are leaving afghanistan after the american actions. Foreigners are also pulling out of pakistan and organizations such as the ADB, WB etc are advising employees to stay at home in anticipation of pulling out of pakistan and negative public reactions.
- Nawaz Sharif has fired his intelligence chief for bad information and posibbly releasing info on Siddik Hoveida . The IB chief has been misling the prime minister on political sentiments prevailing in the country. There was a complete intelligence failure as no one anticipated/ expected a US attack. The govt also seems to have been totally unaware showing that Nawaz Sharif does not have an intelligence monitoring committee . However there are other reports which suggest tacit cooperation between the pakistani military-govt and the USA.
- Even senior military officers do not seen to understand how cruise technology works. Generally cruise missiles work on comparisions with sattelite area photos programmed into their computers. These photos are direction controllers when compared with photographs taken by onboard computer cameras. However such a system would be difficult to operate at night so the cruises were probably being directed by preprogrammed flight direction info or had night vision cameras. The other possibility is that the direction of the cruises was controlled by the the USA's new area pinpointer sattelite systems.
- Pakistan apparently needs $1.5 billion by the end of September to avoid declaring a moratorium on debt repayments.
.PAGE INDEXTo go back to the TopIn what is being seen in the islamic world as the biggest failure of the jewish dominated Clinton administration, the US armed forces blew up two kashmiri liberation training camps in afghanistan. Around 50 cruise missiles were fired at three sites in afghanistan and a pharmaceutical plant in Khartoum. The suggestion that the US was retaliating against arch foe Osama Bin Laden does bear out in reality. The camps cited as Osama Bin Ladens turned out to be those of the kashmiri liberation movements. It thus seems that the US under the guise of fighting terrorism has started to serve the Indian cause. One of the reasons being cited is that the US might be taking revenge for the disappearance of five americans in occupied kashmir. However since they have not mentioned that it means that the US has either acted in haste or that they have used the Nairobi bombings in which all the bombers reportedly died to help out the indians who see the kashmiri liberation movements as terrorists. The USA has therefore clearly distanced itself from the muslim world and become an instrument of hindu domination in the subcontinent. The islamic world would not have minded if the USA had moved against real terrorists. However there is a clear distinction between terrorist movements and liberation movements. The US has long been regarded by islamic hardliners as a foe of islam and the US seems tobe proving that right. The US has obviously not worked out the reasons for its attack as the investigation in the Kenya bombing is just inits initial stages and that proves that the attacks were probably carried out on indian requests. If this proves to be true than the US might as well give up its dealings with the islamic world and confine itself to areas of christian, jewish and hindu domination. One cannot differentiate between the killings of innocent people whether they be americans or pakistanis or kashmiris or afghanis or sudanis . One thinks that all humane people will agree that it must always be the perpretrators who are brought to justice and not others. Killing people at random just to prove military superiority will only cause longtime negative consequences.PAGE INDEXTo go back to the Top
- The americans finally went home. In the face of so called threats to their interests in pakistan the americans pulled out almost totally not even leaving behind an ambassador designate.They literally closed their embassy and their consulates as well as the three USIS centers. Almost 600 americans left. From the heydays in the 50's and 60's when the american handshake emblem used tobe on literally everything the american role in pakistani politics has ground down to an almost zero. The previous scalingdown had caused the end of american military and economic aid. After that the pakistanis could not muster much enthusiasm for the handshake or the bearhug. From the sabres, worldwar 2 tanks, f-104s, f-16s and a billion dollar per year aid in the early eighties the relationship has come to sad end with the americans evacuating. There will probably never be the old style relationship in which the american ambassador literally slept with Zia ul Haq and died with him too. Now probably the pakistanis have no use left for the americans. With terrorists having literally anti american labels plastered all over them moving in and out of pakistani areas the americans had little doubt that another blast was planned against them in pakistan. However the arrest of the supposed mastermind caused the americans to literally run away.
- it has been revealed that PMLn insiders withdrew around $100 million from FCA accounts in and around the May28 nuclear test. That caused the freezing of foreign currency accounts of around $11billion which have already been used by the pakistani govt without recompense or even a thank you. However despite the freeze the drawdown on Foreign Exchange reserves continued showing that the govt policy was not based on a proper foundation.
- Rotten Eggs and Tomatoes were thrown at Senator Saif Ur Rehamn and the pakistani attorney general when they appeared in court against Benazir Bhutto. A democratic method which was not acceptable to the undemocratic rulers landed the poor guy in jail and a court case was initiated against Naheed Khan, Benazirs secretary for wasting the precious commodity on dubious characters.
- The MQM coordination committee has withdrawn the resignation of the Speaker to the Sind assembly suggesting that it was not a personal move but part of the MQM's dubious politics.
- Pakistanis are reaching the sad conclusion that the iranians are not really good friends of theirs. After some iranians went missing in the mazar sharif takeover by the taliban the iranians accused and blamed pakistan and organized demonstrations outside the pakistani embassy in tehran. Clearly seen as unfriendly acts by observing pakistanis.Despite the pakistanis denial of involvement the iranians continued their negative attitudes. The iranians have taken a dislike to the taliban rulers of Afghanistan because of their strict sunni/wahabi beliefs as opposed to the iranians deviationist shiite beliefs. The iranians reportedly were heavily arming the taliban opposition and at least 30 iranian trailers and their drivers are reportedly in taliban custody. The iranians who have gone missing could possibly have been eliminated by advancing taliban forces. That could possibly result in an iranian invasion of afghanistan with possible counter moves by the pakistanis and afghanis. Once the iranians get into it openly the taliban too could invade iran though some regard pakistan as their next target.
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- Jan Jamali has been elected as the balochistan chief minister by 29 votes with the JWP/JUI abstaining and the BNP the only party in opposition with 4 votes. The BNP president Ataullah Mengal has filed for the removal from the provincial assembly of at least four of the dissident BNP mpas.The balochistan cabinet has been formed with 24 ministers with only three supporters not given a ministry which includes Zulfikar Magsi the PMLn party leader.
Things have taken a turn for the worse in the Govt-MQM relationship. The MQM whether in or out of govt behaves similarly as a semi opposition terrorist party with no responsibility for whatever occurs whether they do it themselves or not. The current situation developed after gunmen killed eight people in the MQM stronghold of nazimabad. The gunmen fired on people sitting outside a building apparently at random. Another KDA employee and MQM activist was shot in his office. That probably triggered the MQM angst which immediately blamed the govt agencies and the MQMh. In retaliation the MQM gunned down two State Bank employees in cold blood after offloading them from a bus. Chaudhry Nisar the provincial coordination minister for the first time rebutted MQM allegations that the armed forces or agencies were involved in such incidents. The situation obviously shows that the MQM is incapable of controlling karachi in a peaceful manner. In reaction the MQM opted out of the govt at the center and its minister for industries resigned. Later on the MQM Sind assembly speaker and one minister resigned from the sind cabinet. The situation resulted in chaos in karachi as a one day strike was called . Eight people were killed during the strike including a policeman. The MQM has been picking up people whom it considers as culprits and interrogating them by torture and finally killing them by gunshots or overtorture.Similar methods are employed by their opponents and reportedly by some underground police units, special services and army groups. There are also indian hit squads in operation and by some reports the indians are pointing out to their pakistani counterparts former agents and terrorists. The indians are however used to duping pakistanis which results in wrongful actions. There are also reports that certain high profile karachiites are also running terrorist groups.Whenever relations with india are tense the situation in karachi worsens causing many to think that the some of the strings controlling the mqm puppet are in indian hands which causes uncontrollable problems. The only thing causing the MQM not to leave the PMLn coalition is the thought of a coalition with the PPP which does not tolerate MQM mehods of politics. The PPP had offered them a mohajir chief minister but they opted for the PMLn who offered them control over karachi and hyderabad with compensation and release of their terrorists. In the present situation the PPP could form a coalition with other sindhis with the MQM in the opposition or it could form a coalition with the MQM and the other sindhis.A remote possibility would be a PPP-PMLn coalition in sind. Anyway in the National assembly the opposition has gown from a miserly 19 to around 50 which could result in a less autocratic govt style by the nawaz sharif regimeApparently pakistan police have apprehended a possible suspect in the Kenya-Tanzania american embassy bombings who landed in karachi on the day of the blast and was suspected tobe travelling on a fake kenyan passport- The pakistani govt has received around 23 million dollars of deposits in new Foreign Currency accounts in the lst 50 days.Expatriate pakistanis who were sending in 5 million dollars per day before the govt freezed FC accounts are vary of the govts unreliability and dual attitudes.
PAGE INDEXTo go back to the Top- Nawaz sharif has reshuffled his cabinet with his top three ministers exchanging portfolios. The only surprise is the dropping of Yaqub Nasir the minister for railwys and the sole Baloch representative. Otherwise the contentious Gohar ayub has been given water and power , Nadir Pervez the kalabagh pilot has been rewarded with communications and the economics failure Sartaj Aziz has been given Foreign Affairs.The prime minister has kept finance and hafiz pasha who made a hash ofit as deputy chairman planning commision becomes economics affairs advisor . Sheikh rashid has become minister for labour, overseas pakistanis and manpower losing tourism which might goto Ijazul Haq. The other possibility is that Khaqan Abbasi might shift from PIA to minister of state for defence production. Upto now only a reshuffle has taken place and no new appointments have been made probably to quiten rumours asto the primeministers suspect ability in decision making and appointments.
- The longest strike against GST by the countries jewellers continues and traders on a whole have gone on a three day strike. Generally traders have been the most loyal supporters of Nawaz Sharif but even they cannot tolerate his interference in their money making.
- Oil tankers have blockaded the Shell distribution network because they fear that Shell was going into the tanker business itself thus harming the interests of around 1600-2000 private tanker owners.
- Pakistan is to get around $700 million from the Islamic Development Bank for trade financing.
- The indian instigated firing on the line of control has ended after almost a week after the indians were categorically told that serious retaliation was being planned.
- Pakistans first women university was opened in the city of rawalpindi in the old State Guest House/Presidency/PrimemMinister House/ Sind House.
- In a surprise appointment relatively unknown Jan Jamali has been chosen as the next balochistan primeminister. He is related to Zafarullah jamali the chairman of the pakistan hockey selectors who was bypassed in the selection for the postof president of pakistan . Most probably Jan Jamali gets the nod to satisfy Zafarullah Jamalis annoyance. Before him two other jamlis, Zafarullah and Taj have been balochistan chief ministers.
- There is confusion and annoyance especially in the Punjab PPP at Benazirs policy shift on the kalabagh dam . Benazir is known to be supporter of the dam. She is reportedly doing so to corral Sherpao who was shifting to a totally ANP view. She now has two alliances one with the Punjab based PAI and the other with the pukhtun nationalists in opposition to the kalabagh dam. While such alliances might get her some support they become difficult to tolerate once in govt as both she and nawaz have found out.
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- In what can only be seen as an indicator the nawaz-vajpayee negotiations ended in failure with the indian foreign secretary saying that the pakistani suggestions are figments of their imaginations. Nawaz Sharif has been given the runaround by the indians again and hopefully his eyes will have been opened to their true intentions.The only way kashmir can be liberated is thru an armed struggle and negotiations only further the indian cause. Nawaz Sharif has been one of the few pakistani politicians who has been duped several times by the indians.Immediately after the failure of indopak talks the indians started almost continuous unprovoked firing along the line of control which has resulted in around eighty casualties. The pakistani armed forces are as usual doing a containment act which can only be deemed cowardice. There are however reports that if the indians donot stop the provocations a preemptive air strike or missile attack might be launched against some specifically indian target. One of the targets being mentioned is the indian capitol new Delhi.
- The pakistani financial situation has continued to deteriorate and Foreign Exchange reserves are at a low of around $400 million.A Kuwaiti loan of around $250million has reportedly arrived which might ease the situation. However the economic mismanagement displayed by the nawaz-sartaj duo has caused a crisis of confidence which might result in a reshuffle to ease public discontent.
- There are also reports of a cabinet reshuffle with several being mentioned for the slots of Foreign Minister and Finance Minister.The duo from NWFP currently in place ie Gohar and Sartaj are largely regarded as failures and might be moved to insignificant posts with nawaz loyalists and sindis reaping the rewards.Soomru and Chaudhry Nisar are mentioned for the prized slot of Foreign Minister and Ishaq Dar to front as Finance minister with Hafiz Pasha of the golden handshake fame pulling all the strings.Names being mentioned for various slots include Khawaja Asif, Khaqan Abbasi a failure at PIA, a repentent Ijazul Haq , Ghaous Ali Shah, Jaffar Iqbal,,Fakhar Imam, Rana Nazir Khan, Ejaz Shafi, Haleem Siddiki, Chaudhry Amir etc
- Zulfikar Magsi is poised to become the new chief minister of balochistan to head a PMLn, JWP, BNP coalition. The other contenders are Jaffar mandokhel,Saleh Bhotani and Mir jan jamali.
- There are reports that benazir butto may leave the PPP and join the ANP as she agrees with them on the kalabagh dam. She has also noticed that despite acknowledged corruption no cases have been initiated against ANP leaders. She surmises that opposing the kalabagh dam will get her of the hook too.Nawaz Sharifs political stock has taken a nosedive and people have started to discuss the options . There are not many contenders at the moment. A battered PPP leads the beaurocratic options of Farook Leghari and Imran Khan. Some even regard the armed forces as serious contenders. Than there are mavericks like Mustafa Khar who reccommend an impossible coalition of Wali as president, nawaz as PM, benazir as senior minister, COAS as defence minister and Ataullah Mengal roped in to represent balochistan..
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- A rangers operation has taken place in the korangi area where people were going at each other with automatic weapons and had constructed barricades and ditches. The rangesr moved in on armoured vehicles and removed all barricades and ditches to restore a semblance of order.
- Pakistan govt has formulated its policy on CTBT and has asked americans to remove sanctions. The americans however thought somewhat sympathetic are not too keen too help out. They have however indicated that they will not oppose IMF support under the ESAF plan.
- Sartaj Aziz has announced a new monetary policy in which he has devalued the rupee by around by 4.50 rupees. He announced a two tier exchange rate. One the official rate will be for six imports such as wheat, pharmaceuticals, petroleum products, fertilizers, pulses. Everything else will be imported at an average rate of the official and market rates. They have again allowed banks to issue FE for travel and educational at the new median rate.The freeze on old FC accounts continues. The discrimination against old foregn account holders continues. They have announced fixed term dollar bonds which can be bought by old FC holders. They will be encashaable after five years in FC. They have announced that no withholding taxes will be imposed on encashment of FC accounts if the rupees are kept in the bank.Restrictions have been imposed on transfer of FE overseas. Now State bank permission will be required if more than $10000 are tobe transferred abroad thru legal channels. No major resource collection measure has been announced apart from the reimposition of 225% duty on car imports of over 1800cc. The govt plans no new projects amd old projects will be slowed down meaning no kalabagh dam for the present. He also announced 20billion for social programs such as badly needed repairs of infrastructure in villages and cities. The measures in general donot seem very effective and will only complicate things. It would have been much better to devalue the rupee to Rs50 and enforce a fixed rate system
- Jewellers and Chemists are on strike all over the country against the new GST which will probably applicable to such shops.The govt envisages that initially GST will be applicable to around 3000 shops.
- Seven BNP ministers resignations from the cabinet of Akhter Mengal have been accepted. The 11 PMLn ministers have also handed over their resignations to their party chief. A change in govt in balochistan is almost inevitable but the sticking point is probably the selection of a new chief minister
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