For all the wrong reasons?

[pak-marine]

For all the wrong reasons?

BY SAJJAD HAIDER ON MAY 22ND

What are you doing protesting outside the KPT gates for? Go protest outside the GHQ instead.

I saw something on TV last night that got me all confused. An excited young man outside the KPT cried “we’re going to block all Nato containers here.” I was puzzled. Was my memory beginning to play games on me?

Having previously worked at a global shipping concern that manages shipping and logistics for Nato, I knew for a fact that the KPT does not have the operational capacity to berth large vessels because of shallow water. But I still called up my colleague and confirmed. Apparently, other than the occasional East-bound cargo, most Nato supplies still come in and go out through the Port Qasim Terminal.

It appears that our local ‘Che Guevara’ has got his guerilla tactics a little messed up . And here they were – thousands outside the KPT in what resembled a rock concert – blocking Nato supplies.

A lot of people (and most of my friends who attended this protest) would argue that it doesn’t really matter much since it is meant to be symbolic. Which leads me to the question: What does this ‘dharna’ really symbolise? The PTI website tells me it’s a protest against “US drone strikes.”

Let’s break that down: US – Drone – Strikes

US

Why should the US be allowed to poke their noses into your matters? It’s a question of sovereignty! Really?
Recent WikiLeaks cables reveal that the Pakistan army asked for increased US drone support. When your own military asks for it, it isn’t much of a US operation now, is it?

US Drone

So you’re mad at the fact that it’s a drone – an unmanned robotic jet. They should at least give you some respect and put a man in there! Would you rather have a Pakistani F-16 (US-donated) carrying out the same operations? It appears that something of that sort is already on the cards. Or will you prefer to wait until the time the country proudly produces its own fighter-jets – to bomb its own people?

US drone STRIKES

Aaah! So it’s the strikes that you’re protesting against. You think there shouldn’t be an operation at all – Pakistani or American! What about all those militants and insurgents blowing themselves up? And what about the TTP, that has declared war against Pakistan? Shouldn’t we be fighting our enemies?

Or do you support an operation against terrorism and militancy, but you don’t agree with the inhumane way it’s being carried out? If that is the case, then what are you doing protesting outside the KPT gates for? Go protest outside the GHQ and I might as well join you!

Or better still, maybe you should just all go home.

http://http://www.dawn.com/2011/05/22/for-all-the-wrong-reasons.html

 

[pak-marine]

Sense and sovereignty in Kafkastan

BY RAZA RUMI ON MAY 21ST, 2011

I just returned from Karachi, where the city was outraged at the unscheduled, endless power cuts. Everywhere, the energy crisis dominated the discussions. In certain areas, there is no power for the last three days!

But for Imran Khan and his supporters, the biggest issue appears to be drone attacks taking place almost a thousand kilometers north of the port city. Banners advising the citizens to join the protests against drones appeared almost surreal in a city where the criminal gangs, safely ensconced within the mainstream political parties, are perpetrating target killings. Even less worrying to Khan’s supporters is the presence of al Qaeda operatives and underground don who allegedly hide well in the multitudes of Karachi.

Are drones and war on terror really responsible for the plight of Pakistan? Amnesia is not uncommon in Pakistan especially when daily doses of violence have almost desensitised the society. Not to mention the fact that big cities have to function: people have to travel for work, earn livelihoods and find spaces for recreation and entertainment.

Drone attacks are reprehensible and arguably create more terrorists than they eliminate. However, the deeper question is why are we allowing them to happen. Khan’s supporters argued passionately the night before the new WikiLeaks were revealed by DAWN, about how US was imposing these strikes and challenging our national sovereignty. Late Thursday night was a surreal moment at its best. While listening to a rant on Imran-Khan-is-right, Twitter started flashing the headlines of what is now public.

No, forget the corrupt civilians. The holiest of cows – Pakistan Army – according to the new cables was privy and a participant of drone planning. Pundits and ‘informed sources’ within the media have been hinting at the coziness between Imran Khan and the security establishment these days. In particular, how Khan has been sparing the Military Inc on the drone crisis and holding the inept civilian government responsible for these attacks on our collective honour.

Whipping anti-Americanism helps concerned quarters; and is popular given the narratives of being let down by the super power time and again. But it also misleads, misinforms and diverts the public attention from the militants and the cancer of extremism that has engulfed Pakistani society.

To read this in a city gearing for an anti-US, anti-drone protest was surely stuff that makes a black comedy eternally appealing: “In a cable dated February 19,

2009, Ambassador Patterson … writes: “Kayani knows full well that the strikes have been precise (creating few civilian casualties) and targeted primarily at foreign fighters in the Waziristans.”

Dawn’s report on this issue also highlighted the gap “between private GOP acquiescence and public condemnation for US action” and spotted our favourite national pastime: double speak. The shrewd Patterson also wrote in that cable: “Pakistani leaders who feel they look increasingly weak to their constituents could begin considering stronger action against the US, even though the response to date has focused largely on ritual denunciation.”

The ritual has been done to death now. Countless TV shows, media mujahideen and Imran Khan have been ranting and raving on the drone strikes. Of late hundreds of legislators joined the chorus against drone strikes in the recent joint session of the Parliament condemning the unilateral action taken by the US to kill Osama bin Laden.

Recently, a sizzling report by the British newspaper Guardian also indicated that action against OBL was part of secret understanding between Gen Musharraf and the US. Of course, the wounded General has initiated legal action against the paper. Let’s hope that there is justice and truth comes out in its full form.

What is honour then? A game that the powerful play to dupe the people into accepting big fat budgets for security; expanding the nuclear programme when we beg the IMF for liquidity; and ‘appeal’ to the world community to manage our natural disasters. When the ungrateful international community asks us to raise taxes we cite the figures of how much Israel gets as US aid or how much is the US spending on the war in Afghanistan. God forbid, do we wish to be bracketed with Israel, notwithstanding the eerie similarities, or we want to be like the evil Amreeka – using war for private profit? Surely, the rich want no taxes and we need to expand our nuclear arsenal. How do we achieve this? By spreading xenophobia; and deepening the state of national insecurity.

As if this khaki enigma was not enough, the revelation that the PML-N’s leadership may have been complicit in ways to get rid of the Chief Justice in 2009 was a strong dose of reality-check. US Ambassador Anne Patterson commented “no leader in Pakistan really wants an activist and unpredictable Chief Justice”; and that discussions took place as to how to find a face-saving solution to get rid of the good judge. Amazing stuff. All in a day’s work!

True that these cables are diplomatic impressions often based on information gathered during conversations, they cannot be dismissed altogether. Anecdotes cannot be substitute for ‘hard’ data but the fact that such conversations take place in the Byzantine power culture says a lot about our civilian and military leadership.

Most importantly, will Imran Khan now do a sit in outside the GHQ? Or would he cite the WikiLeaks as another US conspiracy to defame and defang Pakistan?

Meanwhile, best of luck to Karachi wallas who will join the protests in scorching heat.

 

[Rafael]

^ Seems like you did not hear the speech last night

MQM is feeling the heat lol

 

[Rafael]

For all the wrong reasons?

BY SAJJAD HAIDER ON MAY 22ND

What are you doing protesting outside the KPT gates for? Go protest outside the GHQ instead.:agree

Its like saying to the anti war protesters - What are you doing protesting in your cities? Go protest in the war zone.

Idiocy knows no limits in Pakistan.

 

[pak-marine]

Imran Khan’s band of merry men

May 24, 2011

How can any sane person even think that Imran Khan should be the prime minister?
These days, the latest ‘it’ crowd in Pakistan are the Immy K revolutionaries. For those of you who do not know, these are pseudo-intellectuals who think they can help Imran Khan bring about an inqilaab (revolution) which will lead to khudmukhtaari (autonomy) and freedom from the West, just by standing on a road for a few hours, or even better, by liking a page on Facebook. I hate to break it to all who belong to this crowd, but quite frankly, you all are deluded.

Before I go further, I must admit that I have a huge amount of respect for Imran Khan as a cricketer and a philanthropist. But — how can any sane person think that Imran Khan should be the prime minister?

Now I hate our current government and the ones which preceded it, but I am sure there must be some better alternative than to get behind Imran Khan. He is yet to hold any position of notable power and his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), is a joke.

Fifteen years and not more than one seat in the parliament and somehow people actually think that he will be successful in the elections?

According to Mr Khan, the United States of America (USA) is the root of all our problems and if we get rid of its interference, we can get rid of the vices in our society. I am sorry to say this, but Imran Khan is living in denial. It is said that:

Kisi aur ko kuch kehne se pehle apne girebaan mein jhaanko

(Before blaming anyone else, take a look at yourself).

The US may be responsible for some of our problems but the truth is that the responsibility for Pakistan’s stagnation lies with its own people.

Have you ever considered that after Pakistan’s formation, it was our very own government which ignored the Soviet Union’s extended hand, just so they could strengthen ties with the US?

Or, that it was our own army and intelligence agency which helped create the Taliban who are now a cancer which we can’t eliminate?

Or, what would we be doing without the US’s financial and military aid?

Besides, you cannot blame a foreign power for all the corruption, nepotism, crime and other atrocities taking place in our society.

Mr Khan may complain all he wants about the drone attacks, but who are we to stop them if we aren’t even competent enough to eliminate extremists ourselves, as shown by the fact that we couldn’t catch the world’s most wanted man even though he was living less than a mile away from our army academy.

The PTI also protested vehemently for the release of Aafia Siddiqui who, by many accounts, was indeed a terrorist. But no reaction came from Khan when Mukhtaran Mai’s rapists were released without major punishment.

Also, Mr Khan has claimed that that many of Taliban’s atrocities have been exaggerated and it is the US and our government who are spreading false propaganda. Now, I don’t like either the US or our government but both of them are lesser evils compared to the Taliban.

The funny thing about all this is that people actually believe him. Whether it’s from listening to Zaid Hamid’s conspiracies or from watching propagandist documentaries like The Arrivals, a large section of our youth believes that the whole world is conspiring against innocent Pakistani Muslims who are incapable of hurting a fly.

Mr Khan’s political U-turns are also well documented. From supporting General Musharraf’s military coup to then bashing him, to calling Nawaz Sharif a “fascist” and then joining forces with him to overthrow Musharraf.

I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I urge my fellow Pakistanis to think realistically, for once, about the future of our country and the person they want to bring in power.

 

[shuakataftab]

Having previously worked at a global shipping concern that manages shipping and logistics for Nato, I knew for a fact that the KPT does not have the operational capacity to berth large vessels because of shallow water. But I still called up my colleague and confirmed. Apparently, other than the occasional East-bound cargo, most Nato supplies still come in and go out through the Port Qasim Terminal.

That's Hilarious maybe they did not find out that until the end of their protest

 

[Rafael]

According to Mr Khan, the United States of America (USA) is the root of all our problems and if we get rid of its interference, we can get rid of the vices in our society.

Ha! What an ignorant lier!

IK never said that America is the root cause of all our problems. All he says is that Pakistan should pull out of America's war or the terrorism would only increase in Pakistan. He kept saying this throughout 2006,07,08,09,10 and now its 2011 and the world saw that terrorism has only increased.

These Dollar worshipers (so-called analysts) need to get a life.

@ Pakimarine: Where did you get this piece of $hit? I mean whats the source? lol

 

[Leader]

honestly I believe some dudes do think that its amreeka that caused their birth not their respective/speculated fathers... so much fear of amreeka ?? so much jealous for PTI chair person, I mean the idiots dont even know that he is saying to get out of the war of amereeki interests, dharna against the drones was in peshawar, this was against the wot itself....so tomm they gonna cry why he is giving dharna in multan?, lahore, Islamabad ???

these pro-amreeki puffies are sick due to their envy and jealousy for Imran khan and his party....

 

[pak-marine]

According to Mr Khan, the United States of America (USA) is the root of all our problems and if we get rid of its interference, we can get rid of the vices in our society.

Ha! What an ignorant lier! IK never said that America is the root cause of all our problems. All he says is that Pakistan should pull out of America's war or the terrorism would only increase in Pakistan. He kept saying this throughout 2006,07,08,09,10 and now its 2011 and the world saw that terrorism has only increased.These Dollar worshipers (so-called analysts) need to get a life.

@ Pakimarine: Where did you get this piece of $hit? I mean whats the source? lol

So PA & GOP should stop taking part in WOT and surrender to TTP just because they have intensified their attacks and really proven their strength ??

who else could have written i guess another secretly jewish pakistani student working for kfc

 

[pak-marine]

honestly I believe some dudes do think that its amreeka that caused their birth not their respective/speculated fathers... so much fear of amreeka ?? so much jealous for PTI chair person, I mean the idiots dont even know that he is saying to get out of the war of amereeki interests, dharna against the drones was in peshawar, this was against the wot itself....so tomm they gonna cry why he is giving dharna in multan?, lahore, Islamabad ???
these pro-amreeki puffies are sick due to their envy and jealousy for Imran khan and his party....

why would any on be Jealous of Imran khan ? ... he is great cricketer , a good philanthropist !

 

[Rafael]

So PA & GOP should stop taking part in WOT and surrender to TTP just because they have intensified their attacks and really proven their strength ??

who else could have written i guess another secretly jewish pakistani student working for kfc

For how long PA and GOP fighting this maniac? 7 years and counting. Why don't we just pull out of American war and start dealing with Taliban on our terms? Think over it.

 

[Leader]

why would any on be Jealous of Imran khan ? ... he is great cricketer , a good philanthropist !

leave his successes in fields of cricket, social work, and politics apart, people are even jealous of his personality and confidence

 

[Rafael]

leave his successes in fields of cricket, social work, and politics apart, people are even jealous of his personality and confidence

More so after the successful dharna in Karachi

 

[Leader]

More so after the successful dharna in Karachi

yeah, it looks their jaws are still not in place

 

[pak-marine]

For how long PA and GOP fighting this maniac? 7 years and counting. Why don't we just pull out of American war and start dealing with Taliban on our terms? Think over it.

dealing on our terms lol ... when we will give up it will be their terms , try thinking your self

---------- Post added at 01:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:05 PM ----------

leave his successes in fields of cricket, social work, and politics apart, people are even jealous of his personality and confidence

Indeed he was a great pakistani