Over the years the scientists around the world are fighting to find
cure for AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), however our
Government has shown no interest in finding a cure to a similar
disease “Acquired Investments Deposited in Swiss banks” (AIDS)
Syndrome eating up the resources of this country for the last 62
years. Any thoughts on preventing the spread of this contagious
disease? —Islamabad
Manmohan’s tirade
Ruqaia Saireen
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is on a visit to USA holding
wide ranging talks with the American officials. And at the very
outset he has started playing upon issues of threats of nuclear and
terrorism to India emanating from Pakistan. Indian army chief Gen.
Deepak Kapoor also said limited war with Pakistan under nuclear
overhang is possible. They say that another terrorist attack against
India on the pattern of Mumbai was in the offing. Pakistan’s linkage
with Taliban is being played up. Pakistan is projected as a
terrorist and a failing state. ISI and Pakistan Army are being
maligned. They also say the Taliban are planning to attack Indian
nuclear installations.
The Indian and Jewish lobbies are all out with their guns towards
Pakistan. Their main focus is to seek greater benefits and
concessions from USA, which include permanent seat in UNSC and more
access to superior nuclear technology. More importantly they are
poisoning the minds of Obama administration against Pakistan. Indian
diplomatic staff seems to have done their hime mork well to energize
Congress, State Department, Senate and Pentagon so as to make the
visit a roaring success.Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street
newspapers, Time and Newsweek magazines together with electronic
media have come out with contrasting stories projecting India and
Pakistan divergently. Think tanks are writing scandalous and cooked
up stories about Pakistan military, ISI and our nuclear program.
America is blindly and myopically trusting India which is well-known
for its broken promises and double standards. It also has a poor
track record of military exploits be it wars with Pakistan and
China, its misadventure in Sri Lanka, counter insurgency operations
or UN missions. India excels only in intrigues and machinations. To
expect that India would stand up to Chinese challenge is like
wishing for the moon. Eight years of close collaboration with India
in Afghanistan should have been an eye opener for US leadership as
to what it achieved and what it lost. Like Israel, India too
wouldn’t mind if US sinks in the quagmire of Afghanistan —Rawalpindi
Post NRO revelations
Ali Malik
The biggest criminal and villain in this whole episode is Mr
Musharraf, who having usurped the constitution, than proceeded to
abuse his powers. An NRO was issued exempting people accused of
alleged crimes during the period Jan 1996 to 12 Oct 1999. In one
stroke of pen over 7000 criminal cases of murder, kidnap and bodily
harm were exempted from judicial prosecution, because the political
patrons of these alleged criminals supported Musharraf junta. It was
in Musharraf tenure that Pakistan was ranked as the 16 most corrupt
country by Transparency International in 2005. The question arises
what about corruption and crimes committed during Musharraf’s rule.
The corruption charges involve many former and serving khakis,
members of civil bureaucracy, and those mercenary politicians who
have made it a profession to join every government, be it civil or
military junta.
There are numerous cases of financial embezzlement that occurred in
the period 1999 to 2008, which range from the irregular allotment of
lands by CDA, Punjab Provincial Govt, Karachi City Govt, Cantonment
Boards, the Railway land and locomotive scam, Gwadar land scams,
kickbacks in PIA aircraft deal, irregularities in KPT, Steel Mills,
hundreds of billions of rupees in loan write offs, scores of
irregularities in defence procurement, DHA file scam, insider
trading irregularities in KSE, etc. Memories of state sponsored
killing in Karachi on 12 May 2007, murder of Nawab Bughti and
protection of those who raped Dr Shazia are still fresh. Money
laundering, illegal transfer of billions of US dollars to foreign
bank accounts etc. facilitated the corrupt during Musharraf misrule.
Hundred of gifts belonging to the State were bought for peanuts by
both Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz. The illegal allotment of federal
government lodges and real estate in Karachi by the city government,
a move opposed by Chief Real Estate Officer, caused losses to the
tune of Rs 1300 Billion. The prosecution of politicians alone will
not resolve the issue unless an across the board transparent review
of all those involved in financial malpractices, abuse of power,
irregularities in appointments and disregard of merit is done by an
independent body constituted of serving judges and few retired
judges like Baghwan Das, Saeed Uz Zaman Siddiqi, Wajihuddin.
A Special Public Prosecutor should be appointed jointly by Chief
Justice of Supreme Court and Chief Justices of all High Courts. No
process of accountability will bear any fruit unless the military
accounts and their auditing are scrutinised in camera, along with
accountability of our lower judiciary. No authority should have
powers of discretion to allot State lands to individuals, including
the CDA, LDA, Karachi City Govt, Cantonment Boards etc. No more than
one plot of land should be allotted to paid servants of the State
during their whole tenure for building a house. The State should
consider providing subsidised urban and rural land to the poor and
landless peasants. Merit alone must be the sole criteria for
appointments or recruitment in State owned corporation. —Lahore
Safeguarding national interests
M A Kamran
There is very thin line between safeguarding the national interests,
irrespective of what these are, and damaging and making the
information public which is highly sensitive and defense and
security related in more than one way. There is no denying the fact
that nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan had rendered invaluable
services and made highly appreciable contributions towards turning
Pakistan into a nuclear power, first among the Muslim Ummah. He is
not only respected but loved immensely by Pakistanis across the
country.But all this has bestowed greater responsibilities on the
shoulders of the prominent nuclear scientist with regard to
safeguarding the national interests in general and highly sensitive
and security concerned information about the country’s nuclear
programme.
Using the Washington Post story as an easy tool, a journalist
working for an English newspaper of Pakistan contacted Dr Abdul
Qadeer Khan who apparently quite innocently owned and confirmed the
contents of the Washington Post story. As a matter of fact, in order
to malign former President/ Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf, Dr
Qadeer Khan even gave out more sensitive information all of which
was used by the Pakistani newspaper without realizing that in this
manner some highly important and sensitive nuclear programme related
information is being made public quite unnecessarily thus serving
the interests of those who do not approve of a Muslim country,
Pakistan, possessing nuclear assets. In the interview, Dr Qadeer
Khan has availed every opportunity to malign General Pervez
Musharraf to the extent of blaming him having links with the Israel
only to level his old score with the former military ruler.
As a matter of fact, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan by confirming and passing
out even more information has only damaged the supreme national
interests. He would have surely done great service if he had
disclosed the same information to the country’s apex court for
preserving the same instead of confirming the contents of his letter
first to Washington Post and then to the Pakistani newspaper. And,
the journalist of Pakistani newspaper would have done due justice to
his profession and professional ethics if he had also tried to
contact General Pervez Musharraf to get his version of the whole
story. This one sided story has only harmed the national interests,
which are over and above of those of Dr Qadeer Khan and General
Pervez Musharraf rather than serving the safeguarding the same, to
say the least.—Lahore
NRO beneficiaries
Murad Ali Mohmand
The government has released the list of NRO beneficiaries. Now
question arises what will be the fate of these people because all
the prominent personalities, including ministers etc are insiisting
that they are innocent. If they are really innocent then they must
face the NAB and court of Pakistan. One thing is very clear if the
illegal money from all these people 8041 are restored I am sure
Pakistan can pay all his dues to the IMF and World Bank and can also
release their all outstanding loans received from international
agencies. One thing is really very strange i.e. the name of
President Zardari is also included yet people gives the references
of articles of the constitution and declaring him immune from any
punishment I don’t agree.
He is also the citizen of Pakistan and he must be brought to the
court of law if he is the guilty man. What I think is now the role
of Judiciary comes on the front of people, media and nation to take
immediate action over all individuals on top priority basis and to
bring them in the court of law, if there is any need special court
proceeding may please be arranged to punish all these people who
have eaten and taken the government national exchequer money, who
have eaten the money of poor people, who have done tremendous
corruption in their services and tenure and no excuse should be
given to any body. I want the Judiciary this time very very strong
and they must apply the rule of law irrespective of President, MQM
President, PM, Interior Minister, Top bureaucrats etc. If the
Judiciary and Government failed to take any necessary action against
all these people then this announcement will be totally useless and
rubbish. —Peshawar
