37th anniversary of Iranian revolution celebrated

Continue reading →

India celebrating a lost war

Pakistan’s military victory over India in the war of 1965 was acknowledged from all pertinent quarters including independent international observers. 

Indian government has ordered its armed forces to organise a "carnival" to mark 50 years of a war with Pakistan in 1965 and is also set to re-ignite a debate on whether India lost on the negotiating table what it won on the battlefield.

It is a bizarre tactic of Indian government, trying to hide the humiliating facts of defeats in the 1965 war. It is a fact that both countries claim to come out as the winners of the war, but here are few excerpts from some leading newspapers which would give a true picture of the war.

The entire world was stunned over the success attained by Pakistan as a nation. Pakistan’s military victory over India in the war of 1965 was acknowledged from all pertinent quarters including independent international observers. London Daily Times, “India is being soundly beaten by a nation which is outnumbered by four and a half to one in population and three to one in size of armed forces”. Louis Karrar wrote in Times,” Who can defeat a nation which knows how to play hide and seek with death”?

R.D Pradhan who was an insider in the war writes in his book ‘1965 War: The inside Story’ described the cowardice of Maj Gen Niranjan Prasad, the Indian General who attacked Lahore. ‘When Pakistan defence forces counter attacked the intruding Indian military and the General fired upon on 6 September, he ran away. He was found by Lt Gen Harbakhsh Singh hiding in a sugar cane field.’ Lt Gen Harbakhsh Singh, Commander Western Command  notes in his book War Despatches  that Indian COAS Gen Chowdhri was so nervous as to be on the verge of losing half of Punjab to Pakistan, including the city of Amritsar.The London Daily Mirror reported in 1965: “There is smell of death in the burning Pakistan sun. For it was here that India’s attacking forces came to a dead stop. During the night they threw in every reinforcement they could find. But wave after wave of attacks were repulsed by the Pakistanis.” USA Aviation Week December 1968 Issue commented: “For the PAF, the 1965 war was as climatic as the Israeli victory over the Arabs in 1967. A further similarity was that India air power had 5:1 numerical superiority at the start of the conflict.In spite of hiding the facts of losing 1965 war, India should behave sensibly and should come on table for talks to resolve bilateral issues.

Jubilant Pakistani troops after capturing the Rajput Fort of Kishengarh Rajestan.

Army C-in-C General Mohammad Musa Khan at Khem Karan Railway Station after capturing of the town by Pakistani troops

Pakistani soldiers, proudly carrying aloft Pakistan’s flag, pass the custom house when they captured Munabao.

Munabao Railway Station in Rajhistan captured by Pakistan.

Khem Karan, the Indian market town, was the place from where Indians were to launch their thrust on Kasur and then on to Lahore. The milestone in the picture with Pakistani soldiers in the background in an eloquent footnote to India’s defeated ambitions. (1965 War)

Continue reading →

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.

Continue reading →

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.

Continue reading →

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.

Continue reading →

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.

Continue reading →

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.

Continue reading →