Resignations and PTI lawmakers

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday said that its lawmakers would appear before the Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Wednesday along with their resignation from the National Assembly.
PTI spokesperson Dr Shireen Mazari said that the party’s decision to resign from the National and Provincial assemblies was final. She said that the party chief Imran Khan had convened PTI’s parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday. She said that the party would not budge an inch from its stand on resignation from the assemblies and prime minister’s resignation. Meanwhile, PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the decision to resign from the assemblies had been taken unanimously after threadbare deliberation over it in party meeting.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) has finally decided to quit the National Assembly. The resignations of its 25 MNAs were lying with the Speaker for the last two months almost and in spite of his repeated requests to the PTI leadership to follow parliamentary rules, none of the resigning legislators felt the need to tender their resignations singly. Speaker of National Assembly was interested to call all the who were interested to resign, one by one to his chamber to confirm the will of the member regarding resignation, but PTI strongly criticized this act and was of the view that all the members of PTI in the parliament would present united to the speaker. Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Friday sent one final notice to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers to personally verify their resignations in his chamber otherwise all the resignations will be accepted.
Now, after a final notification from the Speaker, they will go en masse to the National Assembly today to do the needful. The government did not want to accept the resignations and had been waiting to ease the tension between the PTI, PAT and the incumbent government but after multiple tries of failure to do so, but months of patient waiting has done nothing except increase Imran’s obduracy in not settling for anything short of the prime minister’s resignation. Speaking at a rally in Gujarat on Friday evening, Imran Khan said that their resignations should be accepted immediately.
“Who are you to not accept our resignations,” he said while referring to PM Nawaz. “We will not go back in Parliament, and will cancel the party membership of anyone who opposes our decision.” It seems that resignations of PTI parliamentarian would be accepted. PTI will resign from the Punjab and Sindh Assemblies as well, and in consistent vein will not contest any by-elections. However, the party has decided to retain its government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). For the next four years, the party will sit outside parliament and still play the role of an opposition. After Muharram 10, the PTI will conduct two rallies every week in different cities. How long this process will continue, its hard to predict.  PTI has also announced that representatives of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf would be protesting in front of the building of Election Commission of Pakistan, on daily basis.
The PTI’s departure from parliamentary politics to the politics of agitation is a unique example of such politics. This is hardly an effort towards a Naya (new) Pakistan. Other than adding more issues to the ever increasing list of problems, Imran’s agitation will serve no purpose. If he is concerned about Pakistan, he should go back to parliament and conduct politics through the mandate given to him by his supporters in the 2013 elections. On the other side, incumbent government must also realize that it would not be for the parliament if the elected members would keep resigning from the parliament for whatever the reasons are.

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Refrain from ethnic politics

Clinging to Leader of the Opposition Syed Khursheed Shah’s statement in which he characterised the word migrant as a swear word and said that any political party must stop its politics of the name of muhajir. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) criticized the statement very severely and ultimately they observed a ‘black day’ to show their angriness against the PPP. Though the rest of the country completely ignored it, parts of urban Sindh did oblige the MQM’s call as certain cities witnessed a complete shutter down and a few demonstrations here and there.
Since Shah made that statement, MQM is insistent on painting the issue in a religious hue by calling it blasphemous as the word muhajir carries a historical significance in Islam. MQM keeps on tapping the sensitive subject of ethnicity. In accordance with its earlier demand of dividing Sindh into more administrative units, this time it has announced to drive a countrywide campaign asking for 20 provinces in the country. Politicians must not bring religion in the political matters and when Khursheed shah has asked for an apology then there was no point to make the matter worst. If MQM wants more provinces they should gain the political majority and should not use the other path.

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Black Day against Indian occupation of Kashmir

Kashmiris across the world observed ‘Black Day’ on Monday against the Indian atrocities in Occupied Kashmir. A complete strike was observed in the region on Black Day. Kashmiri leaders have demanded India to stop her stubbornness over the Kashmir issue and move forward for resolving the crisis. The leaders have also said that India must stop its human rights violation in Occupied Kashmir if she wants to hold talks for solving the disputed issue.
Prime Minister of Pakistan while addressing to the General Assembly of United Nations asked for the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir according to the resolutions of the United Nations. According to a Gilani Research Foundation Survey carried out by Gallup Pakistan, 86% Pakistanis support the Prime Minister’s decision to solve the Kashmir issue in the General Assembly; 13% oppose. A nationally representative sample of adult men and women, from across the four provinces was asked, “Recently Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while speaking at the General Assembly, expressed his desire to solve the Kashmir issue and give the Kashmiris the right of self-determination. Do you support or oppose the Prime Minister’s decision to solve the Kashmir issue in the General Assembly?” In response to this question, 86% respondents said they support the Prime Minister’s decision to solve the Kashmir issue in the General Assembly, while 13% respondents said they opposed the decision and 1% did not respond.
Pakistani nation is united for Kashmir cause and incumbent government has also taken a principled stand on Kashmir issue. We believe that the issue be resolved in accordance with the UN resolutions keeping in view the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. Our diplomats must remind to the world community about the promises made with the Kashmiris for resolving the issue under the United Nations Security Council resolutions. Nation must put aside all personal difference and asked to stand united for the solution of disputes such as Kashmir. Kashmir is a significant dispute and Kahmiris must be given the prerogative of self determination. United Nations Organization (UNO) is an international organization and if referendum can take place in Scotland then why not in Kashmir. Islamabad has told New Delhi multiple times that it believes dialogues are only way to resolve Kashmir issue despite the fact that our armed forces are fully capable to deal with any adversity at borders. Islamabad made it clear to India not to consider its desire for peace as weakness. Pakistan armed forces are fully capable to thwart any aggression but always demonstrated maximum restraints. Islamabad wants resolution of Kashmir issue as per the aspirations of the Kashmiri people while Indian leadership not only refused to accommodate Kashmir’s leadership in the dialogue process but keep insisting occupied Kashmir as integral part of India. One can easily differentiate the Indian approach towards resolution of the core issue of Kashmir through negotiations. Narendra Modi since assuming the office continuesly claiming that Pakistan has been taught a “befitting lesson” with the Army “shutting their mouth”, alleging they will not dare to repeat it again. Ironically, Modi not only accused Even the Congress Party is criticizing Narendra Modi for escalating tension alongside Pakistan borders but what appeared to be part of election campaign, Mode continued singing anti-Pakistan songs to win the elections
Making mockery of UN’ resolutions should be a matter of concern for the UNSC but it never took the issue seriously. The J&K valley has been illegally occupied by the Indian forces since 1948. Pakistan has raised the issue in United Nations which not only termed it as “Disputed territory” but also called Indian to resolve the issue through negotiations acceptable to all. But India never accepted the Kashmirs disputed territory and sent over 7 lac fifty thousand troops to suppress the Kashmiri people struggle for getting rid of foreign occupation. Pakistan considers Kashmir as its jugular vein but despite unprovoked violations of the Indian security forces, Islamabad demonstrated maximum restraints and only responded to the situation to avoid civilian casualties. Pakistan had always raised the just cause of Kashmiris on national and international level but the world community failed to live up to its commitments. But New Delhi must not forget that Pakistan armed forces are fully capable to respond to any aggression with full might when it comes to defending the country against any aggression and safeguard the territorial integrity of Pakistan. Modi must have to understand that negotiation is the only way to resolve the issue. Instead of relying on its military might, Modi should demonstrate maturity and sincerity and stop blame-game and point scoring. The UN has failed miserably to resolve the issue and being dictated by Washington that has the present centre of global politics. There is a dire need to send a clear message to Indians as well the world community that enough is enough.

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Local government elections: Hour of need

It seems that politicians are not willing to hold local body election in the country, the issue of local government elections has been delayed for years with the pretext of one to another lame excuses. It is ironic that Supreme Court of the country is pushing for the local body elections but the politicians don’t seem in the mood to do so. Just to make sure that the provincial governments of Sindh and Punjab hold local government elections in time, the Supreme Court (SC) has given another reminder to both the provinces to take it on a serious note.
This trend has to be changed that for every positive act, someone has to push us with force to do it. We are, as a nation not learning the lesson to fulfill our responsibilities. We are setting wrong trends; it is the time politicians must show some seriousness for the devolution of power by organizing the local body elections, which would provide the rights to the common people to redress their grievances on their own. A mayor has stakes to serve his people locally, because the he would understand the problems of people in a better way and would try level best to solve them to get votes to return to office. The court has sternly asked the ECP to complete its job in 45 days. Punjab government would take one more week to pass the Punjab Local government Amendment bill but taking advantage Sindh government has passed the Sindh Local Government Amendment Bill 2014. In the case of Punjab and Sindh, completion of the legislative process is the first step to organise local body elections. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is planning to organise local bodies elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in three phases. The elections will be held in last week of March 2015. Election Commission would start the process of preparing voter lists next month. After which, the election schedule for KPK would be announced in January next year. Around 120 million ballot papers and one million nomination papers will be printed. It would be great that electronic electoral system would be used in the election in KPK.
Although, Election Commission of Pakistan has requested the court to give it five months to conduct local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but court eliminated the request and ordered to ECP and also to the provincial government to submit their progress report within a month. It is mandatory for the provincial governments to conduct local government election, article 140 directs it. Punitive actions can be taken against the provincial governments if they would be found using the delaying tactics for not fulfilling the constitutional requirement.
Considering the inefficiency of the politicians, it seems that laws are made to be violated. Matter of local body elections is not an exception. If there could have been genuine democratic tends implemented, the Supreme Court would not have had to intervene to force the provinces to conduct local bodies polls. It seems that taste of power is more delicious than respect for the rule of law or the constitution; the courts were left with no option but to intervene and force our prevaricating rulers to do the necessary acts they were supposed to do. It is amazing that on the one hand, politicians keep defending the democracy in the country for the progress of the nation but on the other side they are not willing to give the rights to the people at the grass root level by dissolving the right of power, which is the soul of true democracy. Supreme Court has been intervening time and again but politicians seem not willing to fulfill their responsibilities to the people whose votes have sent them to parliament.

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Dilemma of increasing polio cases in Pakistan

Once again International Monitoring Board suggested more hard international travel restrictions on Pakistan. Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) is the board which suggested international travel restrictions on Pakistan and World Health Organisation (WHO) implemented it. Most alarmingly, Pakistani government has failed to implement the recommendations of IMB. It is pertinent to mention that IMB works on behalf of the international donor agencies and it issues reports regarding performance of the countries after every six months. In November 2012, IMB recommended that travel restrictions should be imposed on Pakistan and finally those recommendations were implemented on May 5. Over 200 polio cases have been registered in Pakistan in the year 2014 more than previous year, still few months to go to reach 2015. With 500,000 children yet to be vaccinated, Pakistan stands at a deplorable position on this year’s World Polio Day where it adds 85 percent of polio cases to the world. Such escalation of the disease creates many doubts about the stat’s measures and their outcome. Pakistan has been the major contributor to confirmed polio cases in 2013 as compared to Nigeria and Afghanistan – the only three remaining endemic countries. The polio eradication campaigns in Pakistan have been suffering from continuous setbacks as 27 polio workers have been assassinated since December 2012 during anti-polio immunization campaigns. Lack of an efficacious regime to tackle this pandemic was not enough, there had to be a conspiratorial element to further depreciate all the efforts. According to the 2013 World Health Organization report, 74 polio cases have been reported in Pakistan. However, 51 (69%) of the polio confirmed cases are from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), identifying it as the single major poliovirus reservoir in Pakistan. Moreover, the polio immunisation teams whose workers carry out door-to-door vaccinations should be killed as they are part of this sinister conspiracy against Muslims. Since this narrative got out, a series of attacks have been carried out targeting polio teams and killings dozens of health workers, mostly in the troubled areas of Khyber Phakhtunkhwa, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Balochistan. As a result of which the most challenging issue for the government is how to retrieve the lost public trust where people in these areas now refuse to get their children immunised. The Government of Pakistan has highlighted multiple reasons for the growing polio endemic in Pakistan citing primarily militancy and ‘refusal families’. Militancy, especially in the Federally Administered Tribal Authority (FATA) and North Waziristan areas of Pakistan, may have compounded the polio campaign further by putting many children at risk. In spite of multiple supplementary immunization campaigns, the majority of confirmed polio cases identified in Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces in 2013 were from zones considered as low-violence areas.  This observation strongly contradicts the perception of militancy alone as an impediment for polio eradication in Pakistan. Lack of accurate polio vaccination coverage estimates and unaccountability of responsible officials are major reason for new polio cases in areas unaffected by violence. The example of measles epidemic in the southern part of Sindh (considered violence free zone) also contradicts the poor security viewpoint and highlights the failure of public health preventive strategies as the primary culprit. The 306 deaths and 14000 reported cases attributable to measles in 2012 highlights the poor immunization infrastructure, fraught with incorrect reporting. In 2012, Egypt health authorities found polio virus strains in two of its sewerage systems. Samples of this polio virus were traced to the environmental samples in Sukkur in Northern Sindh province of Pakistan again a low violence area. In 2013, the same strain from Pakistan found its way both, in the Palestinian and Israeli sewerage system via Egypt. Recently, 17 polio cases detected in four major cities of the war affected country of Syria have also been linked to the wild poliovirus strain from Pakistan.

A report suggests that all of the six polio cases reported from Quetta were solely because of their parents’ refusal to get their children vaccinated. Despite many edicts being issued by different clerics and religious scholars to unequivocally endorse the necessity of these immunisations, no adequate narrative seems to be in place and after having all these alarming facts in front of us, one wonders why the government has not adopted an effective policy on a war footing. Its contagiousness poses a threat to the rest of the world that is polio-free. Surely, we do not want to isolate ourselves from the rest of humanity. It is not only for our own sake but in order to be an active member of today’s dynamic global world that we need to get rid of this affliction as soon as possible.

Specific strategies related to anti-polio immunization campaigns in security compromised areas are urgently needed, close monitoring of anti-polio immunization campaigns is essential to ensure accountability and to overcome factors behind poor coverage.

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Tharparkar: People left at the mercy of politicians

Wednesday two more newborn babies died in Mithi Hospital in the drought-hit Tharparkar thus raising the death toll to 36. Mostly infants and teenagers have lost their precious lives in the month of October. Both the children died at Mithi Hospital and they were not more than a week old. Over 100 people, including 40 children, are still being treated at the Mithi Hospital. Over 461 children have died in Tharparkar during the past nine months while the provincial government remained unmoved. CM Sindh Qaim Ali Shah and his cabinet miserably failed to save the precious lives as no concrete measures have been taken so far that could provide food, potable water to these “ UNFORTUNE” children. The PPP-led provincial government utilizing each and every possible resources to “Regain” the party’s popularity graph which is very much on the decline. Billions of rupees have been spent on the processions of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in order to revive the Bhuttoism. Only rupees two billion were spent to arrange the PPP’s procession at Mazar-e-Quaid to bring the people. The provincial government also at dagger drawn with its allied party MQM which has quit the ruling alliance in protest of derogatory remarks passed by PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto and Khursheed Shah. Thousands of people in drought-hit Tharparkar are dying of starvation. People are force to drink water from the nullah where the animals also quench their thrust. On the other side a relief inspection team that visited the Civil Hospital in Mithi Wednesday and seized hundreds of sacks of staples including bottles of water stocked in the store. The mysterious disappearances of Mobile Health Units equipments even the tires which was gifted by Japan to help local authorities meet the requirements is a condemnable act. This shows the level of corruption on the part of those sitting on the helm of affairs. The Chief Minister Sindh who recently visited the drought-hit area did attended the meeting but most of the time he was caught sleeping. This shows how serious Qaim Ali Shah and his party is when it comes saving lives of the innocent people.
The drought has been further aggravated by the total lack of failure to understand what needs to be done. It is not simply a matter of distributing wheat or vaccinating children after malnutrition and disease have set in. The main issue is livestock which needs to be saved as the local people depend on this livestock. Clean drinking water is also an essential to save not only the people but also for the survival of the livestock.
Despite many promises made by the federal and provincial governments, the people of the area have been left at the mercy of provincial as well federal governments as despite making tall claims nothing significant has been witnessed on the ground and the condition of the dwellers have been worsened with each passing day.
Khan said the absence of a strategy to deal with drought in Tharparkar is reflective of a complete failure of successive governments to plan proactively for the welfare of the ordinary citizens of the country.
Even today despite daily reports of deaths due to the drought our rulers remain unmoved to act on an emergency basis. The callous attitude of the provincial and federal governments is a shameful reflection of the distorted priorities of the provincial as well Federal government. Hospitals in Tharparkar district are crammed with drought-affected people, mostly children. Residents have slammed lack of help from the government.
The ongoing drought in Thar which is leading to what could be avoidable deaths through malnutrition and starvation, especially of women and children as well as suicide by women out of despair when unable to provide food for their children.
CM Sindh Qaim Ali Shah is running the Sindh government more than twelve years but failed miserably to serve the masses. It is a matter of shame for the provincial government that could not installed the water filtration plants which were supposed to be named after Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. People who used to respect Bhutto’s family are now openly criticizing the party over its failure to save their lives. Asif Zardari had announced setting up Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s centre where the needy people could at least drink clean water and enjoy food regularly. Sharjeel Memon also made numerous promises but both failed to live up to his words.
The ruling party facing numerous problems due to bad governance and its failure to fulfill the promises.. Taking corrupt practicee to the task, ending nepotism, VIP culture and provision of cheap and speedy justice to the common man were the promises he and his party leaders made to the people. The PML-N government is also not paying any heed to the plight of drought-hit Tharparkar’s residents. It is a matter of shame that innocent people are dying due to malnutrition in a country which is full of natural resources.

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Unity must to save the country from hidden enemies

The MQM has parted its ways with the PPP government and seems in mood to accept any pressure by the provincial government. PPP leader, provincial minister Manzoor Wassan reportedly told media men the party would bring back MQM in the government within 14 to twenty days. Wassansaid all we have o do is to offer a ministry and some advisors’ posts to the MQM. It is a very serious statement which means a lot. This statement has put the MQM’s credibility on the line. MQM Chief Altaf Hussain seems very angry with the CM Sindh who according to him pushing party’s leadership against the wall. Altaf Hussain complained that Karachi operation is being launched against the MQM. He had told the provincial government not to test the ‘our’ patience. The PPP government has already clrafied that operation is not against any particular party. Police and rangers have been given free hands to deal with the criminals. The rangers have also made it clear that they would not succumb to any pressure and would not succumb to any succumb to any political pressure.
Altaf Hussain. MQM chief has called COAS Raheel Sharif to launch investigations against the presence of black sheep in the police as well other law enforcement agencies, claiming that extra- judicial killing of MQM workers continued unabated. He alleged that Muhajirs are being pushed to the wall and rangers force is active against the MQM. He went extra miles by saying that it is not the military’s job to break the parties. He said the military should be pulled back from politics arguing that he backs the military but will not support the misdeeds. He said that the MQM has always backed the military in difficult times, alighted lamps for martyred soldiers and organized a million marches in support of the military. The MQM is staging protest rallies and sit-ins in Karachi due to which all sorts of routine activities have come to halt.
MQM also came hard on the provincial government for subjecting its activists to worst kind of state terrorism. The Federal government is also being blamed for not taking any interest to end the injustice. The MQM leaders are also accusing the federal government of double policy. They alleged that the activists of PTI and PAT and whosoever attacked the parliament building and PTV headquarters haven’t been arrested yet while on the other side
MQM workers, leaders who were busy in holding party session are receiving all sorts of threats.
The situation is very alarming as Rangers are being accused of conducting operation in Karachi against Muhajirs. Karachi operation was launched with the consensus of all political parties and MQM was very vocal with regard to the deteriorating law and order situation. The MQM chief was the first person who kept pressurizing the federal government to handover Karachi to army. The operation was aimed at purging the country’s financial hub from anti state elements, bhutta mafia, target killers and other anti social elements that had made the lives of the citizens nothing less than a misery. The federal government gave free hand to Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and assured all out support in making the operation a success. But unfortunately, the Captain of the operation (CM Sindh) appeared to have some more priorities than bringing back normalcy in the metropolitan. Despite giving extra powers to Rangers, the Sindh government continued influencing the operation systematically. Shahid Hayyat, the former chief of police is back on the job but this time he had been appointed DG operation. He was sacked after he gave deadline to some political parties to handover the wanted person otherwise police would have no choice but to raid their offices. Now he is back and people are expecting things going to get better in the crime-infested city.
eThe federal government on various occasion advised the provincial government to gear up the operation to achieve the desired results. PM and Federal Interior Minister made numerous visits to see the progress of the Karachi operation. But unfortunately the provincial government started criticizing the federal government of interfering into provincial matter. Now situation is very grave as rangers, being a para military force is being accused of launching operation against MQM. This is very dangerous trend and forces must not be blamed to such extent as it would only help the anti state forces to destablise the country. The law and order situation in Karachi has badly damaged the country’s economy. Innocent people have lost their lives in terror-related incident. Attacks on Karachi airport, bid to break-in Central Jail and rising incidents
of target killing are very alarming. It is the duty of each and every politician either sitting in or outside the parliament to shun their differences. Armed forces are successfully carrying forward operation Zarab-e-Azab. Situation on our eastern and western borders is very tensed. The time has come to safe the country and it is only possible when we all stand shoulder to shoulder with each other.

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