Loud Thinking

Archive for the ‘Pak – America Relationship’ Category

All the PML’s governments Hullabaloo may not be in the love of A.S (Dr.Aafia Siddiqui) but to placate the the American government on S.A (Dr. Shakeel Afridi).

An an eye opening exposé by the daily “Pakistan Observer” published today as below:

Smoke screen

US pressure working well
Ground preparing to let Shakil Afridi go, Afridi’s jail sentence set aside

Liaqat Toor

Friday, August 30, 2013 –

Islamabad—Though the Government has denied the recent approval by the Cabinet to sign the Council of Europe Convention on the transfer of sentenced persons has anything to do with the release of Dr Shakil Afridi, but the evolving events have indicated that ground is being prepared for his happy voyage to Washington.

It was officially said the Cabinet approval will pave way for repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui from the US, but it is a smokescreen with hidden agenda of releasing Dr Afridi who helped the US to track down Osama Bin London by launching a fake vaccination campaign in Abbottabad. At that time the US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta had confirmed Dr Afridi worked for CIA. Since then Washington has been putting pressure on Islamabad to let Afridi go. Diplomatic sources told this scribe during Secretary of State John Kerry’s recent visit to Islamabad, he discussed with Pak authorities for his release.

The events have started developing in sequence after the Cabinet approval of the Convention as on Thursday Commissioner Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) Sahibzada Mohammad Anees suspended the 33-year sentence of Afridi on the plea that the previous judge in the case had exceeded his authority and referred back the case to Political Agent of Khyber agency for retrial.

Afridi’s lawyer pleaded his client has no link with Lashkar-e-Islam, rather he was kidnapped by Lashkar-e-Islam in 2008 and ordered to pay one million rupees. At that time, the court had not entertained evidence relating to Shakil Afridi’s involvement with the CIA saying it was not under his jurisdiction.

Raymond Davis, a US agent responsible for killing of two Pakistanis in Lahore was finally travelled back to the US when Washington put pressure on Islamabad and found a way for his release.

The US will not a bandon Afridi who worked for CIA and helped them to kill their the most wanted enemy in Abbottabad.

The Prime Minister has directed the Interior Minister to fast track the process of the signing of the convention as after that the US government will be requested under the relevant provisions for the repatriation of Dr Aafia presently undergoing imprisonment in a US jail. Dr Afridi will also be the beneficiary, diplomatic sources said.

Afridi’s jail sentence set aside

Tariq Saeed

Peshawar—The FCR commissioner on Thursday set aside the sentence of Dr Shakil Afridi, who had allegedly facilitated the Abbottabad operation to hunt Osama Bin laden on May 2, 2011, a decision that may lead to opening new dimensions of the episode of Afridi who is enjoying full backing of the US government.

The Commissioner Peshawar Sahibzada Mohammad Anis, who also holds the charge of commissioner Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) ruled that the previous judge in the case exceeded his authority. He directed the Political Agent Khyber Agency to conduct new trial of Afridi who is undergoing 33 years imprisonment in central jail Peshawar amid tight security measures. He further directed that Dr Afridi could not be released before the orders of the Political Agent. This changed Dr Afridi status from convict to accused and fresh trial will be initiated against him.

Dr Afridi, who was arrested 20 days after the Abbotabad operation, was sentenced to 33 years imprisonment under 40 FCR in the court of Assistant Political Agent (APA) Khyber agency in 2011 apparently for having links with the militant organization and banned religious outfit Lashker-i-Islam.

Giving verdict on the appeal filed by Dr. Shakil Afridi lawyer against his conviction in the appellate court, the FCR commissioner observed that the court of APA has no authority to give his verdict in such a trial where as the lawyer of Mr. Afridi had also contended that the APA had no power to power to award punishment for more than seven years and that his client was not given opportunity for his defense. Shakil Afridi’s lawyer Samiullah Afridi advocate said whatever decision the Political Agent Khyber Agency may give against his client, he has the right to file appeal in the appellate court adding there was no need to shift Dr. Shakil Afridi to the Political Agent’s jail since number of prisoners from Khyber agency have already been going imprisonment in the Central Jail Peshawar.

It will be pertinent to mention here that the new Government of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa had further beefed up security around central Jail Peshawar, that is housing the doctor from Khyber agency as well as a few Taliban militants, in the first week of August.

Though apparently the step was taken following an intelligence alert and militants attack on a Dera Ismail Khan (D I K) central jail in the last week of July 2013, the insiders believe the PTI led government was more concerned about Shakeel Afridi as it has vehemently been asking the Federal Government to shift the former to some other place.

Sources believed that the Central Jail Peshawar does not only face threats from the militants specially the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) but also from the “well-wishers” of Shakeel Afridi who have repeatedly been calling for his release. Those benefited by Dr. Shakeel Afridi in getting closer to the Osama Bin Laden, the man continued to shatter the nerves of Americans for long years, may not face much difficulty to penetrate into Central Jail Peshawar and whisk away their facilitator with in no time.

Shakeel Afridi who, is alleged to have carried out a fake vaccination campaign to obtain DNA of Osama bin Laden and his family for the Americans facilitating the American Navy seals to get hold of OBL, it may be recalled had also gone on hunger strike last year when security around him was tightened extraordinarily after his reported interview with the representative of American Fox TV who somehow mysteriously managed to have access to him in Peshawar Jail.

Likewise, though the lawyers of Shakeel Afridi have constantly been denying his role in the Abbotabad operation, the American administration has been all praise for the doctor from Khyber agency and expressed their concern about his well-being so many times.

Even the spokesperson of US foreign ministry Victoria Noland is on record to have said that her country wanted early release of Dr. Afridi and protection to him adding detaining Afridi and putting him on trial would send wrong message to the world and that they were taking up issue with the Pakistani government.

Both US foreign minister as well as Defense minister have raised their concern about Dr. Afridi detention and called for his release which, many believe, is on the card.

امریکہ شرم تم کو مگر نھیں آتی

America! you don’t seemed to be ashamed of yourself..!

America wants to single out ONLY Pakistan in the whole world, for doing any trade with IRAN.

A sensational & eye opening news published by the “Times of Oman” on 28 August, 2013.

Oman, Iran gas supply deal valued at $60b

byAFP

August 28, 2013 , 8 : 25 am

Tehran: Iran signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday to export gas to Oman from 2015, in a 25-year deal valued at around $60 billion, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said yesterday.

Zanganeh said Iran and Oman had “signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of a gas pipeline” under the Sea of Oman, on the east of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the official Irna news agency said.

The construction would “soon” commence once “research on different routes” is completed, he said while hailing the agreement as “the largest economic deal” between Iran and Oman.

Zanganeh said the estimated value of the contract was around $60 billion, based on current gas prices. His remarks came after talks with Omani officials during the visit by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

Oman plants can produce up to 10.4 million tonnes of LNG a year but has not produced more than 8.8 million in the last five years and output fell to 8.4 million in 2012, according to Oman LNG’s latest annual report.

According to a working copy of the 2007 pact between the two countries, in addition to imports of one billion cubic feet per day of gas from Iran for domestic use, Oman would allocate two million metric tonnes per year in excess capacity at its Oman LNG plant to process Iranian gas for export.

Link:-
http://www.timesofoman.com/News/Article-21635.aspx

A must read letter published in the daily DAWN titled “Paris of East”: a US guidebook.

WE may gripe about things in Karachi and consider it a very crowded crime-plagued city. But that was not always the case. I recently chanced upon an information booklet about Karachi published for the benefit of American soldiers stationed here during World War II.

Entitled ‘A locally produced information booklet for US soldiers for Karachi’, published in 1942, it speaks of Karachi as the “Paris of the East” because it says it is “the cleanest city in the whole of India”.

After giving information about the city’s political status – capital of the Sindh government with a population of 400,000 – the guidebook says Karachi is called the ‘Gateway to India’ because as a port it serves not only Balochistan, Punjab and UP but also Afghanistan.

Very few of us know that Karachi used to produce grapes. While talking of the Gandhi Gardens, the guidebook says “grapes grown in the gardens are famous not only in Karachi but outside also”. Malir, now part of Karachi, is referred to in the booklet as being “12 miles from Karachi” and is “well-known for its fruits gardens”.

The Clifton beach “is considered by some as the best in the whole of India. It has a parade made of cement concrete and red stone. The beach extends about seven miles and is a very fine place for sea bathing and excursions in the moonlight”. It also dwells on Sands Pits and refers to Hawks Bay “as the best spot in Karachi”.

The museum the book refers to is still there where it was in 1942, but very few Karachiites know or it bother to visit it – at Burns Road. Called then Victoria Museum, it contained Moenjo Daro relics, a variety of fighting arms and tribal dresses for men and women.

Transport finds repeated mention in the guidebook and gives details of bus and tram routes and the fares. The newspapers then published were Sindh Observer and Daily Gazette, besides two evening papers — Karachi Daily and Sindh Observer’s evening edition.

Fascinating to read are advertisements. Some of the shops mentioned are still there, but many have disappeared. As for eating houses, old Karachiites will miss restaurants which have disappeared — Café Grand, Café Oxford and two Chinese restaurants — Chunking and Victory.

All that has happened to Karachi is not all negative. Karachi has flourished into a major industrial centre, it is a dynamic city, its educational institutions continue to increase, and it has an enviable philanthropic establishment. Let us work to restore Karachi to its glory and make it a crime-free city.

S. MOHAMMAD SIBTAIN Karachi

The daily “The News”  published the following on Thursday, 27 June 27, 2013 at page # 4.

Link:- http://e.thenews.com.pk/6-27-2013/page4.asp#;

Link:- http://images.thenews.com.pk/27-06-2013/ethenews/t-23752.htm

Mr. PM! There are three options to avoid IMF loan

ISLAMABAD: Renowned economist Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad has written an open letter to the Prime Minister Main Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, in which he has suggested three out of the box solutions to avoid taking loan from the IMF.

The following is the text of the letter:

H’able Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Sahib;

Salaam.

I am fully convinced that you still firmly believe in the content and spirit of the subject mentioned poetry (AY TAIER E LAHOUTI USS RIZQ SAY MAUT ACHI  JIS RIZQ SAY AATI HOO PARWAZ MEIN KOOTAHI), which was also the punch line of one of your elections 2013 advertisements.

However, I was really disappointed by the speech of Mr Ishaq Dar, which he delivered at the NA on Saturday, 22 June, 2013.

Hope you remember very well, how the timid Pervez Musharraf had told the nation that if he had not accepted the US demands of war on terror, Pakistan would have been bombed by the USA, to the Stone Age. Similarly, Mr Ishaq Dar had tried to scare the nation, by saying that if Pakistan doesn’t take further loan from the IMF, for the repayment of the old loans, it will go into default. By the way we’ve paid off the principal anyway, as have dozens of countries, some several times over. In any case, when Argentina, Ecuador, even Dubai, defaulted heavens didn’t fall.

Sir, perhaps you remember, in one of my recent emails it was stated that “Fatemi Sahab, don’t make Musharraf of Mian Nawaz Sharif Sahab. Remember, a timid person can be a ruler but he can never be a leader. It’s the duty of the advisors to never leave the PM or the president, in a state, where he is forced to make decisions under the influence of fear. This can only be done if the advisor informs the leader all the strong and weak points in a balanced manner.”

I also hope that Mr Ishaq Dar knows very well the dirty role of the world lending agencies as exposed in his famous book “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man” written by John Perkins and published in 2004.

According to his book, Perkins’ function was to convince the political and financial leadership of underdeveloped countries to accept enormous development loans from institutions like the World Bank and USAID. Saddled with debts they could not hope to pay, those countries were forced to acquiesce to political pressure from the United States on a variety of issues. Perkins argues in his book that developing nations were effectively neutralized politically, had their wealth gaps driven wider and economies crippled in the long run. In this capacity Perkins recounts his meetings with some prominent individuals, including Graham Greene and Omar Torrijos. Perkins describes the role of an Economic Hit Man (EHM) as follows:

“Economic hit men (EHMs) are highly-paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. They funnel money from the World Bank, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and other foreign “aid” organizations into the coffers of huge corporations and the pockets of a few wealthy families who control the planet’s natural resources. Their tools included fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex, and murder. They play a game as old as empire, but one that has taken on new and terrifying dimensions during this time of globalization.”

In 1988, economist Davison Budhoo revealed in his 22-page resignation letter – more of an expose of IMF ‘expertise’ – after his 11 years with it: “When we went on a mission, we did not even have the scope to innovate, to look at the country and make projections, that you thought were reasonable… there was already a briefing paper before we entered the country. We were told what we were expected to do, and give conditionality in terms of what the fiscal deficit was and how much it should be reduced; even before we entered the mission… we were expected to structure our findings in relation to the figures in the briefing paper, which were put there without any research, and were predetermined. So the conditionality was also predetermined… In this sense, every IMF mission is fraudulent even today…”

Mr. Prime Minister, not that I am only saying that your government must not take IMF loan to pay the old loan, which will be the biggest trap for our future generations; but I have also given three out of the box solutions (at the bottom of this write up) for Pakistan, to resolve this issue of old IMF loan payments, without taking fresh loans from the IMF.

As has been reported in the media, now a days, an IMF delegation is visiting Pakistan to offer fresh loan of $5-7 billion, to be mostly utilized by Pakistan, for the repayment of old IMF loan.

It is very surprising that PML-N’s government is not working on the lines to ask the IMF to have a heart; and be patient with our loan repayments, considering the fact that Pakistan has been totally destroyed during the last 15 years of war on terror, jointly fighting with 49 NATO countries as a major non NATO ally. Moreover, this war has inflicted more men and material losses on Pakistan than the combined losses of the 49 NATO countries. As such, Pakistan has a right to be given some moratorium in its repayment of IMF loans. Even otherwise, Pakistan has already repaid more than the entire amount of the loan by partnering the West in its WOT; and also by not demanding any penny from the NATO for the military over flights to and from Afghanistan. Here, the NATO must also be reminded that at the beginning of the Iraq war, NATO offered more than $20 billion to the Turkish government, for the over flights.

Mr. Prime Minister, every student of economics knows that never to use good money to chase bad money. Hence, there is no logic in seeking fresh loan to repay the old loan. This is a sure shot recipe for disaster, just like treating a cancer patient with fake medicines. IMF should be clearly told that Pakistan was well within its rights, to have asked for the write off, of the remaining unpaid amount of their loan. However, what we are seeking is just a moratorium.

Pakistan cannot afford to pay IMF’s remaining loan, over the peril of its economic demise.

In this regard, you may also order the Foreign Office to contact all the 49 NATO governments, to garner moral and financial support for Pakistan, so that we are also able to strongly look after their interests, in providing all the necessary facilities for their troops in Afghanistan. The USA and the NATO  should also be reminded that Pakistan is not charging a single penny for their military over flights, for which they offered more than $20 billion to Turkey, during the last Iraq war.

As such, Pakistan’s whole hearted cooperation in the WOT deserves matching reciprocal response in the shape of using their influence in IMF, to facilitate Pakistan by way of at least 20 years moratorium in the IMF loan repayments.

Just for your information, I am reproducing below my six questions to the then finance minister of Pakistan, Mr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, which remained un-replied till date, but are an eye opener, that how Pakistan was plundered by the past government.

1. Pakistan is repaying $7.6 billion to the IMF. Did we receive exactly this much amount or the total sum was less than this figure?

2. How much amount of interest Pakistan will be paying over the principle sum of this loan of $7.6 billion from the IMF? Or the IMF will be charging interest on the whole sanctioned amount of $11.3billion?

3. Did Pakistan pay and what was the total bill for the travelling, boarding and lodging of IMF delegation’s recent visit to UAE, for discussions with our economic team?

4. Besides the interest, how much service, handler’s commission and or other charges were deducted by the IMF, on its loan of $7.6 billion to Pakistan?

V.V. Important Question.

5. How much service charges or penalty was charged by the IMF to Pakistan, for not utilizing or obtaining the remaining $3.7 billion amount, from the originally sanctioned loan amount of $11.3 billion; because Pakistan got only $7.6 billion from IMF?

6. When will Pakistan get its overdue payment of $800 million from the Etisalat Telecom?

Sir, I apprehend that Pakistan was being forced to pay back the loan with penalties for not utilizing the sanctioned amount of $11.3 billion IMF loan.

Remember, we got only $7.6 billion from the sanctioned amount. As such, IMF and the West are treating Pakistan like a conquered country, rather than a major non-NATO ally in the world war on terror (WWOT).

As far as the question of generating foreign exchange is the issue, the concerned may be advised to proceed on the following lines:

1. Like India did many years ago, we may also keep our gold as a security, with some of friendly country(s), in lieu of obtaining matching amount of foreign exchange.

2. Recently Abu Dhabi helped Dubai, in its financial crisis, by providing 10 billion US dollars. We can also approach our friends to help us on the same terms.

3. As a last resort, if the West and the NATO countries have decided not to help Pakistan in our financial crisis, and they are forcing us to take the loan from the IMF, to repay its previous liabilities; and for which they are not even ready to reschedule our loans, as was done with Pakistan in the Pervez Musharraf’s era, when Paris Club loans of Pakistan were rescheduled, then instead of going for the default option, we should offer nuclear umbrella, in exchange of a reasonable amount of payment, to our friends in the gulf and the Middle East, from the Oman to Syria, who are always weary, of the Israeli nuclear blackmail. I know this will cause a lot of furor in the West led by the USA, Israel and India, but they can be told in plain words that if a nuclear Pakistan goes bankrupt, it will be more dangerous for the whole region and severely catastrophic for the world.  And after all, we will be going for this option only to repay their outstanding loans, so that the coffers of the West are kept full. As far Pakistan is concerned, it has already been forced to live in a Stone Age, fighting their imposed WOT, for the last more than a decade.

Email address: nayyar51@hotmail.com

 

Look at the level and difference of Pakistani government’s slavery to America, compared with Afghanistans.
Afghanistan’s government, which is an occupied country, stopped NATO supplies for 17 days (July 22 to August 07) into their own country from Pakistan, for non payment of a paltry sum of Rs.80 million i.e. Pak Rupees 8 Crore. 
In contrast to the Afghan government’s action stated above, Pakistani government doesn’t even thought of stopping NATO supplies, for the years of over due payments, of billions of US dollars. 
Even now, the US has not paid any amount, due since last June 2011. 
Under the circumstances, it can be easily said that, Pakistani government of a nuclear nation, has allowed the US to treat Pakistan, worse than the occupied Afghanistan, which doesn’t even have a regular army.
The moral of the story :- The sovereignty of a nation is not dependent on the nuclear power or the strength of its armed forces, rather, on the guts of the government.

Link :- http://dawn.com/2012/08/09/afghanistan-restores-nato-supplies/

QUETTA: The Afghan authorities restored on Wednesday Nato supplies after private companies paid a customs duty of Rs80 million.

Nanhiali Faizi, a senior official of Afghan Customs, said the issue had been settled and now there was no restriction on the entry of Nato containers into Afghanistan.

Later, 20 containers were allowed to cross the Chaman border into Afghanistan.

Pakistani officials in Chaman confirmed that the Afghan authorities had restored Nato supplies.

Afghanistan had put restrictions on the entry of Nato containers on July 22 for non-payment of duty.—Staff Correspondent (DAWN).

Turkey Approves Indictment of Israeli Commanders : Why Can’t Pakistan Try NATO Commanders?

A report published today (29 May 2012) in a news paper, tells that a Turkish court has approved an indictment, seeking multiple (8000 to 18000) life sentences, for the four Israeli military commanders, over their alleged involvement in the 2010 killings of nine Turks on a Gaza- bound aid ship. The indictment accuses Israel’s former COGS Gabi Ashkenazi & three other retired senior military commanders, of involvement in the raid on the Turkish aid ship. Turkey had previously said, it would try to prosecute all Israelis responsible, for crimes committed during the raid.

Now, coming to NATO Salala check post attack, which resulted in the killing of 26 & not 24 Pakistani soldiers and dozens others were injured, why can’t Pakistan also indict NATO commander and other responsible soldiers, for a far more serious crime than the Israeli attack on Turkish aid flotilla? Here, we must also remember that Pakistan has deployed its forces on the Afghanistan’s border, on specific request of NATO, to help them in their created WOT. So, by all means, killing the helping forces of Pakistan, attracts and deserves double the punishment, than in normal circumstances.

However, we hope that the news attributed in media to the Prime Minister of Pakistan (elected by 180 million Pakistanis), that the “Killed soldiers now can’t be back alive with US apology” is absolutely false. In the mean time, we are also hoping that the same worthy PM of Pakistan, will soon issue a defamation notice to the concerned news agencies, who reported that our PM during his latest visit to UK, purchased only 3 coats worth Rs.80/- lacs. At the same time, we are still waiting for the denial of the news, about the last time purchase in UK, of items worth about Rs.8 crores by the honourable wife of our P.M.

So, long live the cherished democracy in Pakistan, which is looking after our leaders and their families in a befitting manner. Long live our chosen democratic leaders.

For the dying poor Pakistani civil and military mortals “Democracy is the best revenge”.

Freedom is meaningless without dignity, in fact, its worse than slavery.

Pakistan should announce a head money on Raymond Davis (because as per their promise with Pakistan, the US government failed to take legal action against RD) of double the amount of $10 million, notified by USA on Hafiz Saeed.

And if, Americans say this has been done on the 26 November killings of US citizens in Mumbai attack, OK, then Pakistan has also the right to demand trial at International Court of Justice, of those US troops and their commanding general, who killed and injured dozens of Pakistani soldiers on 26 Nov. 2011 attack at Salala post.

What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. The process of justice must be a two way traffic.

We must remember no one can insult us without our permission or in other words we ourselves determine our level of insult. This is as simple, take it or leave it. Look what Iran did with US drone and what we did with the downed US helicopter at Abbotabad?

Peace prize and war crimes
By: Jalees Hazir | February 05, 2012 | 0
The Nobel Peace Prize winner and President of the United States, Barack Obama, confirmed last week that his country uses unmanned aerial vehicles to bomb targets in Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Though this has been an open secret, it was the first time that the international crime was publically admitted. He didn’t stop there and went on to defend these attacks that have killed thousands of innocent people in FATA. According to him, the US carries out these attacks to avoid more intrusive military action, that the bombing is carefully targeted and that these precision strikes are carried out to kill Al-Qaeda and its affiliates. He was not put on the spot about the innocent civilians, including women, children and the elderly, who have been killed by the US drones; not that it would have made him uncomfortable. Representatives of the wicked superpower have coined a standard term to justify that kind of thing. Very conveniently, they call it collateral damage.
The streets, fields and graveyards of Iraq and Afghanistan would give a good idea about what that collateral damage means. They are not the only examples of countries that have been ravaged by large scale death and destruction at the hands of the US, all in the name of high-flying principles like democracy and human rights and catchily-named fake bogeys like the war on terror and weapons of mass destruction. The badmash superpower doesn’t mind killing large numbers of people in whose name they wage these wars, people whose rights it seems so eager to defend and fight for. It doesn’t mind creating terror for millions of people on a daily basis to wage its spurious war on terror. It spends hundreds of billion dollars waging war in distant lands, killing innocent people, destroying their homes and cities, turning their lush fields to charred earth, but it has no money for its poor, no money for its citizens who might need the help of their country, supposed to be the richest on earth.
It is said that with great power comes great responsibility, but power seems to have produced strange results for the sole superpower that, instead of using it to create a peaceful and prosperous world, is hell bent to utilise that power to ride roughshod over the entire planet. And as it hurtles along on its dangerous mission, killing and destroying everyone and everything that stands in its way, manipulating societies to foment unrest and divisions so that the situation could be used to its advantage, it lectures the world about civilised behaviour and all that comes with it. In the case of the US, great power has brought with it hypocrisy and arrogance. The self-proclaimed torchbearer of humanity and human values has no qualms about saying one thing and doing another. It has the audacity to talk glibly about millions of precious innocent lives lost as collateral damage.
Of course, the US is made possible with more than a little help from accomplices in the targeted countries, whether they come in the form of pliant governments or disenchanted groups that are funded and armed to serve as tools of imperialism. In Pakistan, the most important ally of the US is the so-called democratic government. While we condemn the deaths and destruction, the loot and plunder, perpetrated by the US, it is important not to forget the support that it gets from those in charge of our destiny. According to confidential cables sent by the US Embassy in Pakistan and released by Wikileaks, President Asif Zardari is reported to have told US officials in a private meeting that they should carry on with their drone strikes and not worry about innocent lives lost. He is quoted to have said that collateral damage does not bother him. Officially, our stand is that these strikes are unlawful, counterproductive and unacceptable.
When a CIA agent posing as a US diplomat killed two Pakistanis in broad daylight on a crowded square in the centre of Lahore, our leadership engineered his escape from the country. When US commandos conducted their get-Osama raid deep inside Pakistani territory without so much as informing the so-called ally, our President congratulated the US in an op-ed piece published the very next day in a major American daily. What kind of signals are we sending to the US? The military leadership seems to have come out of the US hypnosis, but the government is obviously still ready to serve the two-faced master. Despite the unwillingness on part of the US to apologise for the death of Pakistani soldiers killed in the attack on the Salalah checkposts, or to even guarantee that it won’t happen again, government ministers are talking about re-opening the Nato supply routes after taxing the containers.
An elderly friend says that we should not blame the foreign invaders and colonialists for their crimes and exploitation, as they could not have been successful without help from local players. He is well versed in history and quotes many battles and intrigues to prove his point; the betrayals and selling out of insiders that made it possible for imperialism to thrive. Naturally, it gets worse if those willing to sell out the interests of their people are not few but an entire political elite, an elite that is so hopelessly sold out that it sees its own country and its people through the eyes of the imperialists, an elite weaned on loans and hemmed in by the framework of those who want to control what goes on in the country that it is supposed to govern, an elite that parrots what the master says and has no narrative of its own. We cannot hope to break the stranglehold of the global badmash with people like that calling the shots in Pakistan.
However, my elderly friend is only partially right. While citizens of Pakistan continue their struggle to rid themselves of colonial stooges pretending to be the leaders of a free country, and to put in place a government that will work for their interests, they must not turn a blind eye to the slithery machinations of imperialism that have been perfected over the years, complete with new divisions that it must sow to rule and new burdens of democracy and human rights that it must carry to the ends of the world. Whatever the crimes of our own elite, it does not absolve the leaders of the so-called free world of their crimes against humanity. President Obama’s drone attacks are a crime too big to be hidden by his Nobel Peace Prize.
The writer is a freelance columnist.
Email: hazirjalees@hotmail.com
This is a cross post from PakPotpouuri

As reported by the daily Tribune, President Barack Obama signed a sweeping US defense funding bill on Saturday, which includes new sanctions on financial institutions dealing with Iran’s central bank, and curtailing up to $850 million in aid to Pakistan. Link :- http://tribune.com.pk/story/314833/obamas-new-years-gift-signs-bill-freezing-aid-to-pakistan/

 

Now, (after President Barack Obama approved sanctions over Pakistan, effective 1st Jan. 2012), it is very appropriate time that Pakistan closes it’s air space for US and NATO planes, on the premise that sanctions are not imposed on friends.

 

It’s an extremely unfriendly act and sanctions means they consider Pakistan as enemy. So, we must also act in our own interest, in a firm and bold manner. Stand up Pakistan, its now or never.

 

If the US has no consideration of our enormous sacrifices of men and material, we should also not go with them any further mile in their imposed war on terror. Why should Pakistan suffer eternally, for the intelligence failure of American agencies in preventing 9/11 attacks on America, in which no Pakistani was ever found to have been involved. Moreover, if Osama Bin Laden was involved in 9/11 attacks, he too was a made in America product. All said and done, Pakistan is being  punished continously for the crime of  siding with America, in their imposed war on terror, for which no country on earth has suffered more than Pakistan.  

 

For Pakistan, enough is enough. America can’t have cake and eat it too.