Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category

Excellency Mr. António Guterres,

Greetings.

There is no doubt that your excellency personally deserves the award of Nobel Peace Prize and I profoundly congratulate your excellency, on the re-emergence of UNO, under your dynamic leadership, as a potent and fearless organisation, which is firmly standing up against the genocide of the hapless people and Human Rights violations, all over the globe.

In the veracity of my above statement the following two monumental reports of UNO are living testimony of the sudden turnaround, being noticed in the performances of the UNO, with special reference to the attention towards the protection of the Human Rights of the weak and subjugated humanity.

1. First-ever UN human rights report on Kashmir calls for international inquiry into multiple violations

Link:- https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=23198

2. Myanmar military leaders must face genocide charges – UN report
Link:https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/08/1017802

In continuation of the above, an email was also sent (link provided below) addressed to the Prosecutor International Criminal Court dated 16 September 2018 titled “Fit case for war crimes trial of the leaders of the Indian government and its forces commanders/troops for genocide of Kashmiri population living in Indian Occupied Kashmir” contents reproduced as below:

Quote. “As it may be already very well in your knowledge that UN has described the 8,00,000 Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world, being tortured, displaced, faced travel and trade limitations, murders, now Rohingya Muslims face child-limitation policies as well.
Similarly, over 10 million Kashmiri Muslim population living since 1947 under Indian occupation forces, are the most persecuted MAJORITY in the world. The list of humanly unimaginable atrocities perpetrated for the last almost seven decades, is so long that its compilation will be more voluminous, than the final print edition of 2010 of 32-volume set of Encyclopaedia Britannica.

YOUR EXCELLENCY, LET NOT THE POSTERITY DOCUMENT THAT YOU SIDED WITH THE HOLOCAUST OFFENDERS OF INDIA AND FAILED TO USE YOUR INFLUENCE TO STOP GENOCIDE OF INNOCENT KIDS, WOMEN AND MEN DEMANDING THEIR LEGAL AND MORAL RIGHT OF SELF DETERMINATION.
REMEMBER KASHMIRI PEOPLE ARE NOT ASKING FOR THE MOON.”
Unquote.

Mr. Ban ki-moon Kashmiris are not asking for moon – An open letter to Mr. Ban Ki-moon
Link:- https://www.snayyar.com/ban-ki-moon-kashmiris-are-not-asking-for-the-moon-an-open-letter-to-mr-ban-ki-moon-secretary-general-of-the-uno.html#sthash.kOz2eXgF.dpbs

In continuation of the above, an email was also sent (link provided below) addressed to the Prosecutor International Criminal Court dated 16 September 2018 titled “Fit case for war crimes trial of the leaders of the Indian government and its forces commanders/troops for genocide of Kashmiri population living in Indian Occupied Kashmir” contents reproduced as below:

Quote.

“We invite your kind attention towards war crimes being continuously committed and perpetrated by the Indian Army’s leadership and troops under command and orders of the top Indian civilian government leadership in the geographical area of Kashmir under occupation of the Indian forces.

This illegal and unlawful Indian occupation of Kashmir, for a period of over seven decades, is an internationally and UN recognised dispute, as per the security council resolutions, which called for allowing/giving the right of self determination to the Kashmiri population, which is being continuously denied by the Indian government, despite of the fact that the UN military observers are posted both in India and Pakistan. As such, the presence of UN military observers proves beyond any shadow of doubt that Kashmir is NOT and has never been an internal issue/matter of India and that it needs to be resolved as per the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

During the above mentioned period of over seven decades, the Kashmiri population has been waging (as allowed under the UN charter) relentless struggle for their right of self determination, paying heaviest price in the history of mankind, in the shape of deaths, injuries, rapes, blindness by attack of pellet guns, abductions, jails and worst imaginable torture perpetuated by the Indian security forces.

In this regard, we take this opportunity to bring to your notice the latest case of war crime committed by the Indian occupying forces in the Indian Held Kashmir, as reported by the daily “The Express Tribune” dated 15 September 2018 titled “
‘Barbaric conduct’: Viral picture shows Indian soldiers dragging body in IoK

Link:- https://tribune.com.pk/story/1803947/3-barbaric-conduct-viral-picture-shows-indian-soldiers-dragging-body-iok/

Moreover, for the detailed study of the reports of the highly reputed International Organisations, about the unparalleled Human Rights violations and unimaginable magnitude of genocide/manslaughter of Kashmiris, committed by the Indian forces, on the orders of their civilian leadership, is duly chronicled and can also be perused at the links given below:

1…https://www.snayyar.com/ban-ki-moon-kashmiris-are-not-asking-for-the-moon-an-open-letter-to-mr-ban-ki-moon-secretary-general-of-the-uno.html#sthash.m7z4Mocn.dpbs

2…https://www.snayyar.com/stop-genocide-in-kashmir.html#sthash.EjvTJiMu.dpbs

In view of the foregoing, you as the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, are requested to immediately initiate necessary proceedings, as per laws of the war crimes, against the responsible Indians, on charges of worst possible human rights violations, in the history of the mankind; of the Kashmiris living under Indian occupation of their land.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
+923219402157
Lahore.”

Unquote.

Wither Human Rights – Kashmir
An appeal to the Prosecutor
International Criminal Court
Post Office Box 19519
2500 CM
The Hague
The Netherlands

Link:- https://www.snayyar.com/wither-human-rights-kashmir.html#sthash.Dmm16FZk.dpbs

Keeping in view of the fact that from today your excellency is visiting India, where the only untenable argument about Kashmir you are going to get is that it was an integral part of India and it was their internal matter.
Now the question is (even if their untenable argument is accepted for a moment) no law permits Indian authorities to subjugate Kashmiri people with unleashing worst holocaust for over seven decades, when Kashmiris have already decided to live with Pakistan, which is daily manifested by the fact that Kashmiris martyred (on daily basis) are burying their dead wrapped in Pakistani flags.

Moreover, if UN can decide and recommend war crimes trials of Myanmar Military Personnel (where Rohingya Muslims were already their internal matter as no UN Military Observers were posted in Myanmar) why not UN is recommending war crimes trial against the responsible persons of the Indian government authorities which is now using CHEMICAL WEAPONS against the hapless Kashmiris and where UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein has already stated in his report that there is an urgent need to address past and ongoing human rights violations and abuses and deliver justice for all people in Kashmir, who for seven decades have suffered a conflict that has claimed or ruined numerous lives.

Moreover, Indian argument also does not hold water (that Kashmir was their internal matter), because under the UN resolutions about Kashmir, the UNITED NATIONS MILITARY OBSERVER GROUP IN INDIA AND PAKISTAN is working; which is a undeniable testament of the fact that Kashmir is a disputed issue between India and Pakistan and all UN documents and Map’s show Kashmir as a disputed territory and not as an Indian territory, where millions have been killed by the Indian Forces over a period of seven decades, just because Kashmiris were and are demanding their Right of Self Determination, exactly as per the Charter of the UNO.

Your excellency it will not be out of context to inform that in the month of September 2018 the details of the casualties of Kashmiri youths caused by the of Indian forces are as below:

– 42 Killed.
– 231 Injured (including pallet gun injuries).
– 399 Arrested.

The above mentioned latest details of just a single month (September 2018) proves beyond shadow of any doubt that Indian government is determined to exterminate with impunity, from the face of this Earth, the entire youth and young generation of Kashmiris, in a systematic, planned and organised manner, even putting to shame the holocaust caused by Adolf Hitler.

In view of the foregoing, and considering that Kashmir has now become a flashpoint, between the two nuclear power neighbours, which has endangered the peace of the entire world, your excellency is requested to use your authority as the Secretary General of the United Nations, to immediately call a meeting of the Security Council, to address the following issues:

– Looming imminent danger of a full blown nuclear war between Pakistan and India over Kashmir crises.

– Initiative for commencement of war crimes trial against Indian government’s responsible personnel.

Concluding, it is also requested that your excellency may take any suitable action, applying your own independent mind during your current three day visit to India, without being influenced by the false propaganda of the Indians, who yesterday brought this world further closer to the brink of a nuclear armageddon, by firing on a civilian helicopter (legally flying much inside Pakistani territory) which on board had the Prime Minister of AJ&K’s government.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
03219402157
Lahore.

Just a misleading propaganda, where all the concerned knows that CSF payments are NOT aid, but reimbursements for use of GLOC facilities through Pakistani area, by the US and the NATO Forces.

Moreover, for Pakistan such unfriendly acts by the US governments are not a surprise. Few decades ago they not only confiscated F-16 planes duly paid in advance by Pakistan, but also demanded and got payments for storage of those confiscated F-16 planes.

Then Pakistani nation and it’s armed forces will never forget killings and maiming of our dozens of dozens officers and men by US bombardment of Pakistani post named SALALA, where these troops were specifically posted for eliminating the terrorists which were moving across the Pak-Afghan border. Those US military authorities totally forgot, before allowing the killings of Pakistani troops that how this very Pakistani Army shed their blood and sweat to protect the lives and honour of the US troops, who were under deadly attack and were being lynched in the streets of Mogadishu, Somalia.

The moral of the story is that if any nation wants to live in peace, it must not be a friend of the United States, because US has a history of not honouring promises with and remembering any sacrifices of a its friendly nations.

Moreover, we Pakistanis should also remember what the US is doing with Iran after signing of the framework for a Comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear program in 2015 by France, Germany, the European Union, Iran, United Kingdom, United States, China and Russia and above all, by even after certifications of IAEA inspectors reporting compliance of the agreement by Iran.

You give these Americans an inch and they will take a foot. As such, the Americans must be told to PAY MORE for all the due compensations (remember CSF payments were NOT compensations) of our sacrifices of men and material in the almost two decades old WOT (which is more longer time span than the length of the combined time of the WWI & WWII), including the free use of the airspace, which was many times more than the combined sacrifices of the 49 members of the NATO countries.

Last but not the least, the Pakistani leaders must keep in mind that America has completely lost the Afghan war, as per the definition of victory and defeat stated by Henry Kissinger that the conventional army (US Forces) loses if it does not win. The guerrilla (Taliban) wins if he does not lose.

Hence, we must play our cards smartly and boldly, to again do favour to our defeated friends, for an honourable exit from Afghanistan, which is not possible, without our help.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Pentagon cancels $300 million aid to Pakistan https://tribune.com.pk/story/1793273/1-pentagon-cancels-300-aid-pakistan-csf/

Dear Mr. Narendra Modi Sahab,

Greetings.

We in Pakistan, really appreciate the highly positive gesture of your telephonic call to our Prime Minister to congratulate him on his elections victory and the even bigger gesture of writing a very friendly letter, expressing very positive and warm sentiments in a true statesman like manner.

In this regard, I would like to suggest to the current leadership of both the countries, to take advantage of the conducive atmosphere prevailing in the region; and let India and Pakistan try a NEW APPROACH towards the peace: by first deciding upon a list of such core thorny issues, which are complicated and can only be resolved after full confidence, between the two nations is restored; and freeze all such issues or problems, for a short period of just one decade.

In the meantime, India and Pakistan should restore full friendly relations, by genuinely restoring confidence, by further pulling back troops from the LOC and start immediate cooperation in all the fields of economic activities, visa free, to and fro, travel (for all the cities) of citizens of both the countries, special facilities for the businessmen of the two nations for opening of trade offices, banks, business shops and show rooms, in each others country, removal of all restrictions on cultural and sports teams visits and full permission of the TV channels, to be viewed in each other’s country.

It will be just of a sort of a no war pact (which should also include 90% withdrawal of troops from the entire valley of Jammu and Kashmir and 100% withdrawal of troops from the Siachin area, for a limited period of ten years). 

Moreover, it should also be decided that in order to avoid any misunderstandings, on account of any illegal crossings from the LOC, joint LOC patrolling of Indo-Pak troops along with the UN observers, should also be considered as a part of the overall peace agreement, which is surely expected to work wonders, like a magic, in the economic emancipation of the teeming millions of both the countries.

Sir, hope you know very well that ordinary people of both the countries are fed up with the acrimony between the two closest neighbours; and earnestly desire hundreds of years of peace, for which the only impediment, is the lack of statesmen and visionary people in the policy making arena of both the countries.

Now, your and our leadership has got a golden chance of a life time, to jointly work for the peace of about 1.5 billion humanity.

Please extend your hands to meet the gestures of genuine peace, already offered by Prime Minister Mr. Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi Sahab, in his speech of 26 July 2018 by magnanimously offering to move two steps for peace towards India, if India takes one step towards Pakistan, to make the peace aspirations of the hundreds of millions of residents of the sub continent, come true.

Remember, may be this golden chance for the peace between the two nations, if missed now, may not come again, in decades.

Also please inform all those military and political planners in your country, not in favour of genuine peace with Pakistan that low intensity war named as offensive defensive operations, or other covert hostile methods, are no more a long or short term options for, as well as, against; a nuclear power, which reportedly possesses more military nuclear arsenal than India. 

All such paradigms are out dated being a ZERO sum game, in the ultimate nuclear scenario. 

Such policy planners have no business to stay in the past non-nuclear status frame of mind; and they must develop a NEW and FRESH vision, ruling out mutually assured destruction (MAD), to guide a major nuclear nation, like India.

Policy makers of nuclear powers must not have a mindset of a non nuclear state. 

And the foremost responsibility of these policy makers must be to ensure, at all costs, that under ALL circumstances, nuclear flare up or provocations under offensive defensive doctrine, MUST be ruled out: irrespective of the defined policy of no first use of nuclear weapons or retaliatory use of WMD’s.

Sir, if Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan and Kailash Satyarthi of India, can be jointly awarded Nobel Peace Prize for their noble campaign for peace through education and child rights, just imagine, how kindly the world will remember the immortal bold acts of Mr. Narendra Modi and Mr. Imran Ahmad Khan Khan Niazi, in ameliorating the hardships due to hunger, disease and illiteracy of more than 1.5 billion humanity of the entire region.

Please remember that war results only in devastation, deaths and destruction; whereas, dividends of peace are positivity, prosperity, hopes and happiness.

Last but not the least, it must be a very clear objective of the leadership of both the countries, to ensure that India and Pakistan must not live like divided Korea, rather, we should live, like the united Europe.

With best wishes and kind regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad 

Lahore

 
Basically amnesty schemes are for the rich of the rich by the rich.

These schemes are offered to legalise mega economic crimes of the ultra-rich, in the poor countries falling in the category of Banana Republic: and are never offered, in the developed nations, where the rule of law is supreme.

In fact, in the poor countries the first thing the big wigs do is to get the amnesty scheme immediately legalised from the parliament and the judiciary.

In this regard, writing off of mega bank loans of the rich and mighty defaulters is also an amnesty for the ultra-rich persons of the society.

Never ever, huge educational fees, fat medical expenses and high utility bills (which includes payment by the poor of the share of theft charges of the utility facilities by the rich and mighty) have been waived off for the poor, in Pakistan, by any government.

In typical Banana Republics the huge and sprawling residences and production units of the high and mighty, invariably indulge in thefts of utility facilities and taxes with issuance of SRO’s, the burden of which, is passed over into the bills of the poorest of the poor, even living in the ghettos: and to cover up their smart moves, a propaganda is unleashed that very few persons pay taxes in the country.

Further, the hitmen of the Banana Republic excellently use their brains to serve their masters and befool the masses, by ingenious ways of deception.

In this regard, the previous government of PMLn found two genius masters/ministers who reduced the amount of Pakistan’s government debt and poverty, respectively, with just a stroke of pen, by changing the definition of total government debt and arbitrarily amending the status of poor living below poverty line, by a Royal Decree that those earning less than one USD per day will only be considered poor in Pakistan of PMLN’s government, instead of the internationally accepted yardstick of two USD per day.

If we calculate the losses suffered by the country due to the issuance of SRO’s by the previous PMLN’s government, the nation will be surprised to know that it may open a Pandora’s box of biggest ever financial scam of the country.

Moreover, like devaluation of currency, the amnesty schemes, theft of utilities, issuance of SRO’s and loan waivers increases the number of poor persons living below the poverty base line: and similarly increases the number of persons legally living above the ultra rich category, who only pay 10% of the tax revenue compared with 17% share of the poorest 10% in Pakistan, just because indirect taxation is above 80% and direct taxation less than 20% in Pakistan.

The gist of the above analysis clearly explains that Pakistan must immediately get itself unleashed from the policies of the hitmen and develop a homegrown politico-socio-economic system specifically designed to serve the masses not the masters.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

An Urgent Appeal to Conscientious Pakistanis all over the Globe.

SAY NO TO CORRUPTION

To:

All the Pakistani politicians and rest of the Pakistanis in Pakistan or abroad, who staunchly stand for the cleansing of our government and society from the cancer of corruption:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

AoA.

The federal government and the ECP are separately going into appeal with the SCP against the decision of the LHC for the mandatory submission of all the details in the nomination papers of the candidates of the Elections 2018 about their assets, nationality, Iqama, businesses and other sources of income before being eligible for the elections.

Dear Pakistanis,

If this vital information is not provided before the elections in the nomination papers (which was mandatory in all previous elections and now being withdrawn for E18 onwards to circumvent the Articles 62 & 63 of the Constitution of Pakistan), it will encourage huge/mega corrupt practices in the Pakistani government and society, without any fear or hindrance and tear apart the remains of social fabric of the honest people in the society.

This will in-fact, open the flood gates of corruption in Pakistan.

It is apparently an ingenious move to sabotage the Articles 62 & 63 of the constitution; and will effectively render impossible, to prove any elected public representative, liable for actions under the Articles 62 & 63 of the constitution, which almost means the aforementioned Articles of the constitution have been check mated, in an indirect way.

As such, kindly support this cause in favour of the LHC decision in the SCP (don’t forget that the ECP lawyer originally supported this matter in the LHC hearing and which helped the Honourable Judge of the LHC to give her verdict in favour of retaining the provision of all information which was earlier required for the submission of nomination papers) with all the force and strength at your disposal, particularly, on the electronic and social media, to save our future generations, for which our martyrs have been shedding their blood to achieve a Pakistan which will be safe, peaceful, prosperous, just and corruption free.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
What’s app
+92 321 9402157

Sydney
————————————
I have launched a social media campaign on my Face Book and associated groups accounts, regarding total information requirement on candidates that has been curbed by last National Assembly.
If you like what I have please spread the word

We want to know “everything”….about the candidates we vote for in 2018
We will not go into elections, unless we have complete knowledge of every candidate.
PS: please copy and repost if you agree.
http://tns.thenews.com.pk/embarrassing-disclosures/#.WxMp9v9RWEc

In the name of electoral reforms, all the political parties collusively and cleverly ensured non-disclosure of essential details in nomination forms for the forthcoming elections. Whenever we write about the existence of an unholy, anti-people alliance amongst elites — militro-judicial-civil complex, politicians and businessmen — many think it is mere rhetoric or vent by the under-privileged against the rich and mighty. However, time and again, they have proved otherwise. The latest manifestation is passing of the Election Act, 2017.

In the name of electoral reforms, all the parties collusively and cleverly ensured non-disclosure of essential details in the nomination forms to be used in the forthcoming elections. They have failed to realise that this was a requirement of the supreme law of the land (fundamental right of the voters to judge their representative on the touchstone of Articles 62 and 63). Concealing vital information relating to payment of taxes and loan write-offs etc is in conflict with Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution, but till today neither any writ has been filed nor has the Supreme Court taken any suo moto action.

In the wake of 2008 and 2013 elections, the people of Pakistan thought that the rulers would respect their mandate by moving towards accountability of all and establishing an egalitarian society — the essence of people’s rule. What happened is just the opposite. Instead of showing any serious effort to reform the system, the elites are ensuring that financial matters are not scrutinised properly. Rather, these are totally eclipsed from public glare.

This concern is recently expressed by Tariq Malik, ex-Chairman of National Database & Registration Authority [NADRA] in an op-ed as under:

“Sadly, the Election Act of 2017 has clipped the powers of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to scrutinise candidates with regard to the declarations about their income, asset and loan status. Under the previous nomination forms all election candidates had to declare under oath that: “I hereby solemnly declare to the best of my knowledge and belief that (i) no loan for an amount of Rs2 million or more obtained from any bank, financial institution, cooperative society or corporate body in my own name or in the name of my spouse or any of my dependants or any business concern mainly owned by me or the aforesaid stands unpaid for more than one year from the due date or has been written off.”

Similar declarations were required with regard to the payment of utility bills and any criminal offences. Considerable administrative input has already gone into efficiently compiling this information and strengthening the capacity of the ECP to scrutinise candidates in the light of these public disclosures. There is clearly room for improvement, but it is ill-advised to do away with such public declarations altogether…….. The revised format for nomination papers would no longer allow ordinary citizens to access information on loan defaults and taxes paid by candidates. With regard to the former, there is a clear attempt by our political class to shelve the issue as a closed and shut case.

A legacy of the 1990s era, loan defaults were, in their essence, a political issue. Respective governments in this period used state-owned banks to grant loans to politicians masquerading as businessmen. In many cases, political clout was used to write off the loans of connected borrowers. In their seminal and landmark research on the subject, Asim Khwaja and Atif Mian, two social scientists, have already shown that politically connected firms during the 1990s and early 2000s were 45 per cent more likely to obtain a loan from government-owned banks and were 50 per cent more likely to default on these loans. Many of these beneficiaries should be clearly ineligible for public representation.

Many beneficiaries of loan write-offs are still part of parliaments though Supreme Court asked the government to punish them and their accomplices. Supreme Court in Suo Moto Case No. 26 of 2007 and Human Rights Case Nos. 2698/06, 133, 778-P, 13933 and 14072-P of 2009, while questioning the authority and jurisdiction of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to waive off loans, constituted on June 3, 2011, a three-member commission, headed by Justice Syed Jamshed Ali, former judge of apex court, to prepare a report in respect of recovery of written off loans from 1971 onwards.

The commission submitted its report in Supreme Court and a hearing was conducted on February 20, 2013. The Court in its order of the same date ordered: “the report of the Commission to be made public, which is available for inspection according to the Rules to all and sundry. However, the procedure for allowing inspection of the report shall be regularized by the office. The locked iron boxes are ordered to be kept in safe custody along with their keys.” A notice was also issued to all the learned counsels appearing in the case and all concerned for March 15, 2013.

The commission revealed that loans worth Rs2.38 billon were waived off between 1971 and 1991 whereas loans worth Rs84.62 billion were waived off between 1992 and 2009. The commission, while holding bankers responsible for extending short-term or long-term loan facility to borrowers on inadequate securities, had recommended action against willful defaulters who took benefit of SBP’s Circular BPD No. 29, which expired on April 14, 2003 although the banks continued writing off loans till 2011.

The commission also has given the names of companies and directors who were beneficiaries of loan waivers but no action has been taken till today. The commission could only probe 740 cases and proposed that 222 more cases should also be probed as Rs35 billion were waived off in those cases. The report found serious irregularities in loans given to politicians, civil and military bureaucracy, but could not get proofs about waiver on political basis, as bank officials allegedly “concealed the facts because they were afraid of the influential persons.”

The bankers, the report says, “have given only business reasons for writing off the loans.” The report consisted of three volumes — Volume I (Report of the Commission), Volume-II (Parts I to VII, synopsis of individual cases), Volume-III (Annexure of Volume I) — and the supplementary paper book (containing different correspondence).

The commission suggested four steps: (i) principal amount should be recovered less payment already made, if any (ii) tribunals comprising the on duty or retired judges of High Courts should be set up for the recovery of amounts (iii) legislation for the recovery of written off loans should be made and (iv) action should also be taken against the credit committees. As expected, the powerful vested interests resisted all the steps proposed by the commission. Till today, not a single rupee stands recovered from any big fish. Now they want to conceal these facts from voters as well in the nomination papers!

The inquiry into loans write offs by the commission revealed the modus operandi used for looting public money by the powerful segments of society. It is time that the plunderers of public funds are punished and money squandered by them is recovered as suggested by the commission without any further delay — it is essential for establishing true democratic polity and bringing about transparency in both the public and private institutions. If 2018 elections are held without such scrutiny, it will be nothing but another farce for the people of Pakistan.

It is a constitutional command that honest and truthful declaration of all facts, assets and liabilities by a contesting or returned candidate in his/her nomination papers, constitutes a benchmark for reviewing his/her integrity and probity in the discharge of his/her duties and functions as an aspiring or elected legislator. Statement of assets and liabilities along with other financial disclosures is a constitutional requirement and cannot be waived or relaxed under the Election Act, 2017 — a subordinate legislation. These disclosures are not only essential but represent fundamental right of voters for determining the suitability of any candidate.

By ANILA KHAWAJA

It’s been half a decade since the landmark jalsa at Minar-e-Pakistan when PTI’s leader, Imran Khan, raised the battle cry of “Tabdeeli”. After a many a twist and turn, Dharnas, court battles, and victories, many might wonder if Imran Khan has lost steam. Do Khan and his team have the same sense of urgency to bring about the transformation that the vast majority of the nation desperately desires? Does the movement have the same passionate potency in demanding Tabdeeli? Has the permanent disqualification of Nawaz Sharif from politics satiated Imran Khan to dampen his earlier resolve? Was it just a personal crusade against the Sharifs, and not really a call for deep surgery of the body politics in how the nation is governed for the betterment of the people?

Let’s be clear, the removal of Sharif from the office was a monumental moment that Khan could not help but savour. It would be inhuman to imagine that anyone who has struggled as long and as much he has, not to relish the herculean efforts to see finally bearing fruit. It is also true that much Tabdeeli has been achieved through PTI’s tenacious determination to achieve its agenda. It has mobilised the courts to respond to the people’s clarion call for accountability, especially with respect to high office holders and elected officials. Where there was once passive acceptance of the worst excesses by the powerful, today many of the once mighty face the full force of the accountability process. Few elected members of national and provincial assemblies dare assume that their status somehow precludes them from facing the law. The realisation by elected official of the peril that misuse of authority, financial or otherwise, might entail is one of the greatest Tabdeelis brought about by PTI. Many in power may decry this transformational change, but the people generally welcome as the first step of many towards better governance.

PTI’s single-handed campaign against the rigging of that most sacred right of citizens, which is the vote, has been much criticised by the chattering classes. The Dharnas were impolite affairs and not standard parliamentary politics, but that particular struggle did result in Judicial Commission that has highlighted many of the flaws in the electoral process. The incremental change brought about because of that struggle has made it much less likely for mass scale manipulation of the election process. The election commission has been put on notice. It has responded to the challenge by improving its processes of monitoring the ballot casting and counting. This has gone some way towards better securing the sanctity of the vote and validity of the mandate of the people. The upcoming elections will demonstrate how much this particular Tabdeeli has been embedded in the genetic code of the nation’s polity.

Not all Tabdeeli has the quality of operatic drama about it, and not all change necessarily need be tumultuous. There is much that has to be done in the realm of the prosaic, such as, a focus on an effective administration whose imperative is clearly defined to incrementally improve the daily lives of citizens. While PTI’s chairman has been concentrating his efforts in bringing major governance changes at the center, the PTI government in KP has done much to bring about Tabdeeli in the daily lives of people, for example, the administrative changes in KP police resulted in a significant improvement in the law and order situation in the province. PILDAT has ranked KP’s policing performance as the best in Pakistan on almost every metric. The tree planting ‘tsunami’ has meant over a billion trees have been added to the ecosystem, which will greatly help mitigate the environmental crises that the PTI government had inherited. Similar changes are being instituted in education and health.

Much Tabdeeli has come to pass in the last half-decade since the Minar-e-Pakistan event, and PTI can take credit for that. But the central question remains is the call for Tabdeeli still as potent for PTI, Imran Khan and its ardent followers as when the movement first started? The 29th April Jalsa, once again at Minar-e-Pakistan, will once again loudly demonstrate that yes it ever more potent and the urgency is even more intense. Here once again we will witness the vows of Tabdeeli renewed.

Pakistan desperately needs a sea-change in its governance. There’s the almost desperate necessity in the needs of the youth for more education/training and thus better employment prospects. In building power plants and metro buses does not lie the road to the betterment of prospects of this restless youth. A concerted effort to address the needs of the masses in terms of health, education, and justice gets ever more pressing with each passing day. A dire need to improve the productivity of the people so that Pakistan is competitive in the global market is imperative to stop the economy from imploding. A better and equitable taxation system to minimize crippling external borrowing this is the Tabdeeli imperative of the hour. It can be emphatically stated that the passion of Tabdeeli has not faded, but that fire of hope burns as brightly as it did half a decade ago.

link:- https://nation.com.pk/29-Apr-2018/592254

This article is a cross post from the daily newspaper “The Nation” and posted with permission of the writer.

The writer is the head of International Media Affairs, Central Media Department, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

A note originally written on 19 March, 2017.

Points to ponder..!

1. Should the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) be converted into a full fledged provincial unit (already it has a Hight Court, IG etc.) with MPA’s, CM and a governor?
2. After the current population census should the constituencies be reduced for better public service by bringing MNA to MPA level and MPA’s voters size reduced to half the current size?
3. Should the Senators be elected with direct public votes to avoid the instances of blatant corruption?
4. Since, everyone admits that the current system has 100% failed to deliver specially in the fields of justice, health and education; has the time come for converting all the divisions of the country into small provinces and reverting to presidential form of government?

5. Why not to create a reserved quota of 10 seats in all Provincial/National assemblies and Senate (5 men and 5 ladies) for only Pakistani nationality holder expatriate Pakistanis, where total expatriate voters are estimated to be almost 90 lacs?

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Written 3 years ago on 5 March, 2015.

A clarion call to the PM Pakistan..!
Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif,

AoA.

Sir,

Now today when your party has won every possible seat in the senate, it is not the time to rejoice. Rather, you must rise to the occasion with more humility and statesmanship to serve the nation in a unique way by uniting all the political forces and the stake holders, on a plan of charter of development for next hundred years for Pakistan, wherein, every aspect of economic activity affecting the poorest of the poor should be decided with consensus.

In this regard, all the national stake holders should decide now about all future plans (for the next hundred years these plans should be divided in 20 five plans) in the educational, health, infrastructure, science and technology, housing, social services, communications, IT and all other segments of civil and military sectors.

And after a consensus is developed amongst all the stake holders, on the charter of Pakistan for the next hundred years, for example, which dams, roads, ports etc., will be constructed during the next century; no politics should be allowed on this rebuilding of the country and all future governments must be bound (as per a law passed from the parliament) to adhere to this agreed plan in a most sacrosanct manner.

Sir, it must be made clear to all and sundry that during the last almost 68 years, our preferences of self serving politics, over the development of Pakistan (for example not allowing to build certain mega dams and projects) has practically made the nation bankrupt, where a stage has arrived that we have to take the loans to repay the loans; and against about $15 billion foreign exchange reserves, foreign debt stands above $70 billions.

As such, under the circumstances, denial for a consensus is not an option. If at this turning point of our history, the collective national leadership will fail the nation, then the following couplet of Dr. Allama Iqbal should also be remembered by replacing Hindustan with Pakistan:
نہ سمجھو گے تو مٹ جاؤ گے اے ھندوستان والو
تمہاری داستان تک نہ ھوگی داستانوں میں

Best Regards,
Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

5 March, 2015 (Exactly 3 years ago).