This is with reference to the discussion on the media role
especially vis-a-vis war on terror. Unfortunately the media whether
its print media or electronic media remain unsupportive in this war.
The media always portrays negative things about the war but never
shows how much havoc is being played by the terrorists. Media only
tried to shows the collateral damage and always supporting the view
to justify these terrorists acts but now what happened when these
terrorists done so much damage to our country in terms of losses in
innocent lives, property, government writ, international reputation,
and defaming of Islam and Pakistan, the government of Pakistan with
full support of the people finally decided for the military action
against the terrorists.
The media attempt to avoid military action failed and the people of
Pakistan has to make this decision in order to save Pakistan as they
have already played havoc with our beloved country. I will say that
media failed to recognise the national interest in this regard and
its opposition for the military action proved to be wrong. It was
commonly said in public that media is ‘Half Taliban’. But now it’s
no more protector of Taliban. —Mardan
Missile strikes
Waqar Marwat
As many as 54 (but perhaps 83) have died as a result of two
ruthlessly coordinated strikes. The first was on the compound of
commander Khozhwali. Subsequently, and during his funeral prayers
which were being offered at the home village of Baitullah Mehsud
Shobikhel in South Waziristan Agency; there was a second strike on
the assembled mourners. Two missiles were allegedly fired killing
perhaps as many as sixty and wounding perhaps sixty others.. Both of
these strikes were clearly aimed either at killing Baitullah Mehsud
and/or his close associates. A Taliban spokesman later said that he
had been ‘in the area’ but was not hurt. We will never know if the
drones missed by an inch or a mile. There can be little doubt that
the drones which carried out this operation were American, though
whether they were flown form a base inside or outside Pakistan
remains a mystery now the question is that Where are the drones
launched from?
A senior U.S. lawmaker, Senator Dianne Feinstein, told. that drones
were being operated and flown from an air base inside Pakistan.
Pakistan denied that, saying there was no permission for the
strikes, nor had there ever been. Google Earth reveals secret
history of US base in Pakistan. The US was secretly flying unmanned
drones from the Shamsi airbase in Pakistan’s southwestern province
of Baluchistan as early as 2006, according to an image of the base
from Google Earth. This Shamsi airfield is, also known as Bandari,
about 200 miles southwest of the Pakistani city of Quetta.
US special forces used the airbase during the invasion of
Afghanistan in 2001, but the Pakistani Government said in 2006 that
the Americans had left. Both sides have since denied repeatedly that
Washington has used, or is using, Pakistani bases to launch drones.
Pakistan has also demanded that the US cease drone attacks on its
tribal area, which have increased over the last year, allegedly
killing several “high-value” targets as well as many civilians.
Google Earth’s current image of Shamsi — about 100 miles south of
the Afghan border and 100 miles east of the Iranian one —
undoubtedly shows the same airstrip as the image from 2006.
Americans were using another air base in the city of Jacobabad for
logistics and military operations. Pakistan gave the US permission
to use Shamsi, Jacobabad and two other bases — Pasni and Dalbadin —
for the invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001. —Shahbaz Khel
Legislatures involved in scam of urea
Qazi Zaheer Ahmed
“Urea distribution dictated by Wattos” is the lead story appeared on
the font page of a national daily. According to the report the
National Fertilizer Marketing (NFML) a subsidiary of agriculture
ministry, has disclosed that the imported urea is not being supplied
directly to the farmers through open market sale but is being issued
to the sons of federal agricultural Minster and also to other
higher-ups. Those who receive the urea earn rupees 100 per bag as
they sale the same in market at rupees 810 as against the
government’s approved rate of 710, thus mint billions in one deal.
Astonishingly those whom large numbers of urea bags were issued are
parliamentarians; from treasury as well opposition benches and some
of them are even sitting ministers of cabinet as the names suggest.
It is disgraceful that parliamentarians whom people have voted to
corridors of power so as to alleviate their tribulations are
themselves part of their miseries. They are on the one hand enjoying
luxuries in the shape of allowances, perquisites which run into
millions on the other hand they are minting money at the cost of
their electorate; the hapless people of Pakistan. The disclosure of
‘Urea Scam’ is a proof that government’s claim of providing support
to the agriculture sector is just a lip service. I therefore,
request the Prime Minster to taken notice of imported urea
distribution scam and after investigation if the names pointed out
in the news are found correct take stern action against those
parliamentarians and cabinet members forthwith as they have not only
violated oath of their office but have betrayed the trust of their
voters reposed in them.
Furthermore I also urge the Prime Minster to look into the affairs
of overall urea distribution throughout the country. In the province
of Sindh the farmers do not get even local urea on the official
rates. The distributors with the connivances of factories have made
their cartels. They store entire stock immediately after receipt
from the factory and show it as sold. Later on they offer the
commodity for sale to the growers on premium. The growers because of
the paucity of time are compelled to purchase the urea on the
offered price. Thus these ruthless distributors and the
manufacturing companies earn billion of rupees at the cost of
hard-pressed grower.
If the prompt action is not taken against the “lawmakers” who are
found violating the laws and the profiteers, the grower who is
exposed already to the unpredictable climate, shortage of water and
moreover is left at the mercy of market forces, now joined by the
ministers and parliamentarians, time is not far off when
agriculture, the only hope for the survival of country will also
suffer irreparably. Hyderabad
International peace movement
Muhammad Umair Raheel
The event of 9/11 has opened the doors for the multiple issues in
the world. There has been a huge debate about the security concerns
around the globe. The word ‘terrorism’ has never been used that
often prior to the September 2001 attacks on World Trade Centre.
Pakistan being a strategic ally of America supported the American
government in its war against terrorism at domestic as well as
international level. Military operation in Waziristan and the on
going operation in Sawat district are a few prominent examples in
the efforts of Pakistan to eliminate the roots of terrorism from the
country. Our foreign policy, followed by the 9/11 event, also
reflects the emphasis of our government to enhance the positive
image of Pakistan in front of the international community.
There has been a great debate about the necessity and importance of
peace establishment in the world. This made me think what role the
international organizations are playing in this scenario. The main
objective behind the establishment of the international body, U.N.
considered to establish peace and harmony in the region and to avoid
injustice and any further war. But unfortunately the American
invasion in Afghanistan followed by the war in Iraq which resulted
in the massive killings and bloodshed of thousands of innocent
people, witnessed the failure of the International peace keeping
organizations. The contemporary status and happenings in the world
makes a lay man thinks that we are still trapped in ‘might is right’
rule. The powerful countries have been fulfilling their vested
interests on the cost of weaker states and they justify their brutal
actions by claiming it as a war against terrorism and peace
movements. And the international organizations like U.N. and ICJ are
reluctant to play their role to intervene in the matter as they are
financially supported by the World Powers. —Karachi
Politics of constituency
Aneela Chandio
The first priority for Quaid-i-Azam after attaining independence in
1947, was the formation of a Constituent Assembly, with the task to
expedite and frame a constitution, so vital for a modern democratic
welfare state. After his death, few ambitious men deliberately
delayed this vital task, in their bid to create a constituency of
their own. In this betrayal of the Quaid-i-Azam, they had conspired
with bureaucracy and those who had opposed the creation of Pakistan.
Under hand deals were made with members of Unionist party and
remnants of the British trained civil and uniformed bureaucracy. As
happens with such ambitious projects, motivated by basic animal
instinct to attain power, irrespective of betrayal of basic
principles and ethics, fate had its own script. In this jungle it
became a battle of survival, where brute force and cunning
strategists alone survived, while the philosophy of Allama Iqbal and
the vision of Quaid-i-Azam became a casualty of ambitions. Pakistan
, a country created by educated men mostly from the legal
fraternity, through a constitutional struggle, became a haven for
conspirators, thugs and dictators.
The IDPs from Swat, Buner, Dir etc are suffering because of the sins
of others. They have lost their homes, their standing crops, their
livelihood and lives of many of their kith and kin. It is tragedy
that these sons and daughters of Pakistan are being denied access to
parts of Pakistan, where they want to live with their kith and kin.
It is again a battle to retain the political constituencies of few,
in whose view Muslims living in India, Burma etc are welcomed to
come, but not those who may pose a threat to their political
constituency. All this is happening in the full know of Islamabad,
members of National Assembly and Senate, our khaki establishment and
the judiciary. I am sure this is not what the Quaid-i-Azam or Allama
Iqbal envisioned Pakistan to be reduced to. We are paying the price
for the sins of those that were party to the conspiracy to delay the
formation of Constitution in the critical post 1947 formative years.
Pakistan’s national security cannot afford to further aggravate the
sense of betrayal of our Baloch and Pakhtun brethren. —Sukkur
