how to build a new Pakistan

[johnny boy]

These Steps could have been taken before itself when Pakistan started to tumble , but they did not ...what does it show ???

well...it's never late for right things .....

nah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! me thinks it's already too late...they just aint gonna destroy the mehsuds and the sayeed's

 

[TalibanSwatter]

Challenging the Military's Hegemony

Fahd Ali

On May 1/2, 2011 — depending on where you were in the world at that time! — Pakistanis were once again betrayed. Like many other instances in our short history, this betrayal came again at the hands of our beloved military. The betrayal here is not the fact that a raid by American Navy SEALs into Pakistan to kill Osama bin Laden was a direct challenge to our ever-elusive sovereignty. It lay in the fact that our military establishment continues to pursue policies that directly oppose the well being of our nation. It is rather preposterous to propel the idea that the military establishment was oblivious of Osama’s presence in Abbottabad. It is ridiculous to argue that our pervasive (and invasive) spying agencies had no clue about what was happening under their noses.

In the aftermath of the raid, Taliban militants have struck thrice in Pakistan: in Shabqadar near Nowshera, in Peshawar on the vehicles belonging to the US consulate, and just days ago in Karachi on PNS Mehran. One does not even have to wait to find out the reactions from the official channels. The armed forces and their various spokespersons inform us that the situation is under control and that it is entering its final moments. The civilian government (ostensibly the interior minister) keeps appearing on the media to beg people to get united against the terrorists. In the meanwhile, some story emerges in the media that claims that this or that ministry or department had informed the relevant security agencies a week or two ago about an impending threat or an attack. Yet nothing happens! The militants remain elusive and get more effective in their strikes and the national unity against religious extremism seems to figure nowhere on the horizon.

What the military and the ruling classes have failed to understand is that there cannot be any unified approach to fighting religious extremism and militancy unless the myriad political contradictions present within Pakistan’s federation are resolved first. The Baloch are up in arms against the state for more than five years. They do not want to have any truck with the current state and its military. Each day brings news of Baloch activists disappearing mysteriously, only to be later found dead on the roadside with their bodies either bullet-riddled or with marks of severe torture. If you are a Baloch, why would you even bother to heed the call of the military-political leadership in Islamabad to unite and fight religious militancy? The Baloch are more interested, and rightly so if I may add, to secure political and economic rights over their territory and resources than to help a state that has denied them these rights for six decades. Right now with the situation as it exists, a Baloch has more chances of dying at the hands of the military, ISI, and other agencies than religious militants. In Sindh the disenchantment with the Punjabi-dominated state runs deep. Their disillusionment with the state is again nothing new and their narrative contains similar complaints — of political rights and economic resources denied. They see the current state more as a usurper than as a protector. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lives under the tyranny unleashed on them in the past one decade by the Taliban and the state alike. People there are perhaps the only ones really looking forward to this mysterious unity against religious militancy.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the military and the ISI are no longer part of the solution — at least not yet. They are part of the very problem that afflicts this country. The military’s India-centric security paradigm and a penchant for jihad have made us vulnerable both internally and externally. Internally, the price of the propping up of our “unconquerable” defence (naqabal-e-taskheer difa!) and pursuing strategic depth in Afghanistan have resulted in a vast majority of the population remaining without basic necessities like education, health, and safety. The military’s most successful achievement over the years has been its complete dominance over any sort of political discourse on the mainstream media. Hence, we find ourselves in the midst of a situation where nobody — be it the mainstream politicians or most of the mainstream media pundits — is willing to challenge the military’s hegemony over the national security agenda. True, we hear from this or that analyst that the military’s grip over our foreign and domestic policies needs to be challenged, yet these voices remain largely isolated and conveniently ignored by the ruling class of the country. That, I would say, is the other achievement of the military establishment in Pakistan. The military no longer commands the political discourse because of the barrel of the gun that it possesses. It has also emerged as a formidable economic and business enterprise over the years in Pakistan. Since Zia’s dictatorship, the military has advanced its political and economic interests simultaneously. The business interest allows the military to maintain the vast network of patronage that is pursued and developed for its own ends and not for the general welfare of its jawans or of the people as commonly purported. The welfare effect now remains a by-product of the vast business empire that the military manages and operates. Its purpose (effectively speaking) is the political control over a coterie of politicians and businessmen that hang on to the military’s coattails.

Externally, the military’s myopic worldview has made us susceptible to all sorts of wrongdoings. We are popularly believed to be a nation of extremists that harbours and fans religious extremism all over the world. Even if it is just a bad stereotype (which it is) we normally find ourselves in a really tight spot to counter the argument that Pakistan has become a magnet for all the crazy jihadists in the world. It is here where they find a conducive environment that allows them to survive and grow (ideologically), coupled with the logistical support for their violent designs for the rest of the world. The ongoing trial of Pakistani-American businessman Dr Tuhawwar Rana in Chicago where David Coleman Headley has become an approver is a case in point. Headley’s revelations detail the involvement of the ISI elements, al Qaeda and other jihadi organisations in the planning and execution of the 26/11Mumbai attacks. What is generally shocking is how easy it was for Headley, Ilyas Kashmiri and others like them to operate and plan all this from within Pakistan. We may like to live in denial but the reality is that Pakistan is fast becoming (if it already is not) the land that outsiders perceive it to be — a hotbed of jihadi mentality and militancy. In such an environment it becomes increasingly difficult to dissuade external forces from interfering in Pakistan, militarily or otherwise.

Pakistan and Pakistanis find themselves in a space where their choices are fast disappearing. The choices to be made should be as clear as the writing on the wall. But, unfortunately, they are not. We must resolve Pakistan’s inner contradiction as we try to look for unity against religious extremism and militancy. The sooner we realise that challenging the military’s hegemony is just as vital as forcing politicians to do the right thing, the closer we can move to a Pakistan that is just and equitable.

 

[Rank]

First top to end kills hanng them all those who eat this nation from last 60 years... Nawaz Sharif, Zardari, Musharaf .. many other ministers and Military generals. hang them all ... so that when all these **** no longer in this world good people think to come into the politics!

Second immedialty change the policies and change every A-Z rules of engagement and policies with USA. USA, Isreal, India all are our enemies.. USA not actually our enemy but those who are sitting in US parliament and control USA are Anti Pakistani's. Better to re-draw all policies and if anywhere US threatened ... we have penalty of options to hit back!

Give massive super power to Supreme Court.. kick all current so called judges. Change Pakistan Law in which provide massive power to Supreme court. Remove this Establishment ... if we want to build new Pakistan. side ARMY very first ... because we have STATE WITH IN STATE call "ARMY". Army should do everything UNDER GOVT command not Govt do everything under ARMY COMMAND! we have seen performance of our Army from last 60 years and today where we are standing (suffering) this gift provided by us our Establishment Policies.

Made 2 - 3 Govt back end (Think tanks) organizations who have no contact etc with Army nor with anyone.. they are just working making strategies for Pakistan (ONLY PAKISTAN FAVOR).

Applied TAX on every each single Pakistani... according to their wealth

Check and balance on EVERY SINGLE PAKISTAN BANK ACCOUNT.. make powerfull organization who will working under Supreme court ... who can easily check any Pakistani citizen account.

RULE OF LAW IS THE MAIN ISSUE OF THIS NATION!!

OUR MINISTERS OUR SO CALLED RICHY PEOPLE... OUR MILITARY OFFICERS .. HAVE NO FEAR IF THEY ARE DOING CORRUPTION!

When u make powerful forces against all these organizations.. you will definlty get massive TAX which will be very very good for this nation economy... rest of when your all things are on line.. you will defintly able to control security and rest of other things...

right now you have only one thing

JUNGLE KA KANOON!

 

[U-571]

I'll drink to that

Pakistan has long suffered, it's due time for the taliban and other terrorist organizations to be wiped out with America's full support.

and what about taliban of your control areas??

About 200 launch cross-border attack on Pakistan post | Reuters

 

[U-571]

exactly if pakistan stick's to the above list it can definitely grow.

thank you, but we pakistanis understand much better our country and dont need an advice least from an indian

 

[lem34]

Challenging the Military's Hegemony

Fahd Ali

On May 1/2, 2011 — depending on where you were in the world at that time! — Pakistanis were once again betrayed. Like many other instances in our short history, this betrayal came again at the hands of our beloved military. The betrayal here is not the fact that a raid by American Navy SEALs into Pakistan to kill Osama bin Laden was a direct challenge to our ever-elusive sovereignty. It lay in the fact that our military establishment continues to pursue policies that directly oppose the well being of our nation. It is rather preposterous to propel the idea that the military establishment was oblivious of Osama’s presence in Abbottabad. It is ridiculous to argue that our pervasive (and invasive) spying agencies had no clue about what was happening under their noses.

In the aftermath of the raid, Taliban militants have struck thrice in Pakistan: in Shabqadar near Nowshera, in Peshawar on the vehicles belonging to the US consulate, and just days ago in Karachi on PNS Mehran. One does not even have to wait to find out the reactions from the official channels. The armed forces and their various spokespersons inform us that the situation is under control and that it is entering its final moments. The civilian government (ostensibly the interior minister) keeps appearing on the media to beg people to get united against the terrorists. In the meanwhile, some story emerges in the media that claims that this or that ministry or department had informed the relevant security agencies a week or two ago about an impending threat or an attack. Yet nothing happens! The militants remain elusive and get more effective in their strikes and the national unity against religious extremism seems to figure nowhere on the horizon.

What the military and the ruling classes have failed to understand is that there cannot be any unified approach to fighting religious extremism and militancy unless the myriad political contradictions present within Pakistan’s federation are resolved first. The Baloch are up in arms against the state for more than five years. They do not want to have any truck with the current state and its military. Each day brings news of Baloch activists disappearing mysteriously, only to be later found dead on the roadside with their bodies either bullet-riddled or with marks of severe torture. If you are a Baloch, why would you even bother to heed the call of the military-political leadership in Islamabad to unite and fight religious militancy? The Baloch are more interested, and rightly so if I may add, to secure political and economic rights over their territory and resources than to help a state that has denied them these rights for six decades. Right now with the situation as it exists, a Baloch has more chances of dying at the hands of the military, ISI, and other agencies than religious militants. In Sindh the disenchantment with the Punjabi-dominated state runs deep. Their disillusionment with the state is again nothing new and their narrative contains similar complaints — of political rights and economic resources denied. They see the current state more as a usurper than as a protector. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lives under the tyranny unleashed on them in the past one decade by the Taliban and the state alike. People there are perhaps the only ones really looking forward to this mysterious unity against religious militancy.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the military and the ISI are no longer part of the solution — at least not yet. They are part of the very problem that afflicts this country. The military’s India-centric security paradigm and a penchant for jihad have made us vulnerable both internally and externally. Internally, the price of the propping up of our “unconquerable” defence (naqabal-e-taskheer difa!) and pursuing strategic depth in Afghanistan have resulted in a vast majority of the population remaining without basic necessities like education, health, and safety. The military’s most successful achievement over the years has been its complete dominance over any sort of political discourse on the mainstream media. Hence, we find ourselves in the midst of a situation where nobody — be it the mainstream politicians or most of the mainstream media pundits — is willing to challenge the military’s hegemony over the national security agenda. True, we hear from this or that analyst that the military’s grip over our foreign and domestic policies needs to be challenged, yet these voices remain largely isolated and conveniently ignored by the ruling class of the country. That, I would say, is the other achievement of the military establishment in Pakistan. The military no longer commands the political discourse because of the barrel of the gun that it possesses. It has also emerged as a formidable economic and business enterprise over the years in Pakistan. Since Zia’s dictatorship, the military has advanced its political and economic interests simultaneously. The business interest allows the military to maintain the vast network of patronage that is pursued and developed for its own ends and not for the general welfare of its jawans or of the people as commonly purported. The welfare effect now remains a by-product of the vast business empire that the military manages and operates. Its purpose (effectively speaking) is the political control over a coterie of politicians and businessmen that hang on to the military’s coattails.

Externally, the military’s myopic worldview has made us susceptible to all sorts of wrongdoings. We are popularly believed to be a nation of extremists that harbours and fans religious extremism all over the world. Even if it is just a bad stereotype (which it is) we normally find ourselves in a really tight spot to counter the argument that Pakistan has become a magnet for all the crazy jihadists in the world. It is here where they find a conducive environment that allows them to survive and grow (ideologically), coupled with the logistical support for their violent designs for the rest of the world. The ongoing trial of Pakistani-American businessman Dr Tuhawwar Rana in Chicago where David Coleman Headley has become an approver is a case in point. Headley’s revelations detail the involvement of the ISI elements, al Qaeda and other jihadi organisations in the planning and execution of the 26/11Mumbai attacks. What is generally shocking is how easy it was for Headley, Ilyas Kashmiri and others like them to operate and plan all this from within Pakistan. We may like to live in denial but the reality is that Pakistan is fast becoming (if it already is not) the land that outsiders perceive it to be — a hotbed of jihadi mentality and militancy. In such an environment it becomes increasingly difficult to dissuade external forces from interfering in Pakistan, militarily or otherwise.

Pakistan and Pakistanis find themselves in a space where their choices are fast disappearing. The choices to be made should be as clear as the writing on the wall. But, unfortunately, they are not. We must resolve Pakistan’s inner contradiction as we try to look for unity against religious extremism and militancy. The sooner we realise that challenging the military’s hegemony is just as vital as forcing politicians to do the right thing, the closer we can move to a Pakistan that is just and equitable.

You know what. Why is it that Islam and Pakistans three greatest enemies namely India, USA and Israel hate the Pak Army and ISI. The actions of the Americans in May have been designed to hurt and humiliate army and ISI. These actions were borne out of frustration at Natos inability to defeat a load of people in pyjamas with obsolete weapons. They blame Pak army and ISI for their ill thought out strategies. Why do they want ISI help when they are encouraging several Indian consulates in Afghan ( Indian bases to undermine Pakistan). Even Kissinger has stated that Pakistan has a legitimate right to be concerned at its encirclement by enemies. We do not have democracy in Pakistan. Neither the PPP or PNA(N) are democratic. I am a Pakistani I can never see my 3 year old son leading either of these parties getting elected as prime minister or President. Both these parties support the Sharif or Bhutto families. I thought it funny that Benazir should leave PPP to her son in her will. One leaves property in a will not a movement. But then maybe these so called leaders (thieves supported and paid by USA) see the party workers as slaves. Anyway i digress. At least my 3 year old could join the Pak army and end up as C o C and take over pakistan and become President lol. If the army and ISI are to be blamed its for not trying our supposed civilian leaders for treason and if found guilty of hanging them.

 

[ashokdeiva]

You know what. Why is it that Islam and Pakistans three greatest enemies namely India, USA and Israel hate the Pak Army and ISI. The actions of the Americans in May have been designed to hurt and humiliate army and ISI. These actions were borne out of frustration at Natos inability to defeat a load of people in pyjamas with obsolete weapons. They blame Pak army and ISI for their ill thought out strategies. Why do they want ISI help when they are encouraging several Indian consulates in Afghan ( Indian bases to undermine Pakistan). Even Kissinger has stated that Pakistan has a legitimate right to be concerned at its encirclement by enemies. We do not have democracy in Pakistan. Neither the PPP or PNA(N) are democratic. I am a Pakistani I can never see my 3 year old son leading either of these parties getting elected as prime minister or President. Both these parties support the Sharif or Bhutto families. I thought it funny that Benazir should leave PPP to her son in her will. One leaves property in a will not a movement. But then maybe these so called leaders (thieves supported and paid by USA) see the party workers as slaves. Anyway i digress. At least my 3 year old could join the Pak army and end up as C o C and take over pakistan and become President lol. If the army and ISI are to be blamed its for not trying our supposed civilian leaders for treason and if found guilty of hanging them.

You will not say that INDIA is against Islam. We have the biggest Islamic population and we love them as brothers. We have a tradition where during Hindu festivals we share sweets with our Muslim Neighbors and my Islamic brothers inviting us to have Biriyani with them during Islamic festivals. It is your countries political setup and military establishment that is troubling the whole world. When Russia was change its Intelligence unit from KGB to FSB why don't you guys do the same denounce ISI and create a better intelligence service which does not abet terrorism

 

[lem34]

You will not say that INDIA is against Islam. We have the biggest Islamic population and we love them as brothers. We have a tradition where during Hindu festivals we share sweets with our Muslim Neighbors and my Islamic brothers inviting us to have Biriyani with them during Islamic festivals. It is your countries political setup and military establishment that is troubling the whole world. When Russia was change its Intelligence unit from KGB to FSB why don't you guys do the same denounce ISI and create a better intelligence service which does not abet terrorism

Yea remember Gujrat. Give me proof not propaganda that ISI involved. Why do conspiracy theories about Pak get stated as fact?

 

[Emmie]

In a nutshell eradicate terrorists and religious zealots... You have your Pakistan back.

 

[monitor]

Are we being cornered?By:Nazir Naj

The disclosure by Iranian President Ahmedinejad that America was out to sabotage Pakistan’s nuclear assets cannot be ignored. He claimed, “We have precise information that America wants to sabotage the Pakistani nuclear facilities in order to control Pakistan and to weaken the government and people of Pakistan.” He added, “The United States would then use the UN Security Council and some other international bodies as levers to prepare the ground for a massive presence (in Pakistan).”

There are concrete and effective sources to find out what some states are upto against other states and what operations they want to carry out against them. Since Iran and the US have been engaged in a virtual cold war for three decades, this must mean that they are definitely expending special intelligence efforts to find out about each other’s plans. Iran wouldn’t have needed any special effort to get this information about Pakistan. The sources they would have been using to discover America’s designs about their own nuclear assets must have led them to intel regarding Pakistan which was subsequently revealed by Ahmedinejad.

This news reaching Iranian sources may mean that whatever the US has in store for Iran, it can also be assumed that it has similar designs regarding Pakistan and that it is also bracketing Pakistan in the same slot as Iran. Both these countries are located in the same region and the posting of American forces in the Gulf, Afghanistan, Qatar, Iraq and the Arabian Sea is such that a joint operation in Iran and Pakistan could be conducted. It may be that the Iranian president did not reveal their entire findings out of expedient concerns but the room for the suspicion still remains that American policy with regards to nuclear assets has been devised or is being devised by lumping the two nations together.

The Iranian president also revealed that the US is going to use the UNSC for its proceedings against Pakistan’s nuclear assets. This is something for which open proofs are already available. Much has been made of sanctuaries of international terrorist organisations in Pakistan. The people making this noise don’t need more evidence to prove that the centres located in Pakistan are now being used to plan for terrorist activities outside Pakistan’s borders, to train and export terrorists to other countries and then supervise their goings-on. The UN has already called upon Pakistan government to take action against the illegal terrorist organisations present here. The UN itself has declared these organisations illegal and it has handed a list of organisations to the Pakistan government to move against.

No further proof is needed of OBL’s presence in Pakistan either. The only question that now remains is who were his aides and guardians? No one is ready to believe that a man unfamiliar with Pakistan’s languages and culture could be stationed right beneath the army’s nose for five years and conduct the affairs of his terrorist organisation with relative convenience. We shouldn’t treat OBL’s presence in the country like any other matter. This series of events will be taken to its logical end and many dangerous accusations can be levelled against Pakistan due to this.

Furthermore, the attack on the Mehran base has created many difficulties for us. This was an extremely sensitive installment. The security arrangements for this base weren’t less than the most stringent arrangement to be found in Pakistan. Still, highly trained and armed terrorist were able to infiltrate the base and then hit a live target from as close as a mile. It is true that four of the terrorists were killed but there is also the fact that two of them were able to escape.

As if this wasn’t enough, the most explosive news to come forward was that the navy itself had some Al-Qaeda cells in it. Ten members of a cell had been actually apprehended and the investigation was ongoing. Navy personnel had also negotiated with the terrorists but it was their demand that these people should not be punished and that they should be reinstated into their posts. What can be inferred from this? Obviously that Al-Qaeda has spread to an extent in Pakistan that not only is it capable enough to parley with our defence forces but also to demand that its sympathisers not be booted out of their jobs.

What will international defence analysts be speculating about this? Who can stop them from thinking that if there are Al-Qaeda cells in the navy, then the existence of similar cells in the air force and army is a definite possibility? Why can’t these sympathisers be from those deigned to protect these sensitive installments? The troublesome and unsettling speculation taking place in the international media after the Mehran base incident should make us very worried indeed. They should give us sleepless nights. These conjectures are positing that nuclear devices were present on the base and the fact that the terrorists did not reach them is either because of the fact that they do not want destruction on such a large scale or they were unaware of the presence of these devices.

We don’t know of all the facts but the US and the agencies of our enemy countries have cultivated a lot of resources in Pakistan to collect such information. If Al-Qaeda can create its cells in an institution like the navy, why can’t foreign agencies do the same? If moles of the US or any adversarial foreign agency provide this kind of intelligence (i.e. that which confirms that nuclear devices were present in the Mehran base), the US can then use it to go to the Security Council. The revelations of the Iranian President corroborate such reservations.

I don’t think America will be foolhardy enough to destroy our nuclear assets. That would be tantamount to unleashing mini-hell on earth. But what it can do is use the UNSC to place some very harsh sanctions on Pakistan and these sanctions can then be tightened to an extent that Pakistan is left helpless with no other choice but to give up its nuclear assets. After all, it’s no big deal now to accuse that the presence of extremist elements within our forces creates the possibility that they might hand over some nuclear device or part of it to terrorists. Such an accusation will set alarm bells ringing in the entire world.

In normal circumstances, China would be a reliable helper in this case. But if China can be convinced through proofs that the nuclear capability that the terrorists get through Pakistan may be employed against it, then this will create a situation where it will be very easy to convince Pakistan to give up its nuclear assets.

Many dangers seem to be looming large and heading straight for us. But the national unity and concord required to deal with such perils is nowhere in sight.



The writer is one of Pakistan’s most widely read columnists.

 

[Oldman1]

1. Get rid of your politicians and vote new leaders.
2. New leaders to declare total war against the terrorists.
3. Cut off aid to terrorists, these people are useless and dangerous to Pakistan, and also could lead to war with India if these terrorists keeps attacking them and being linked whether true or false.
4. Deny safe havens. Remember that they are training in Pakistan and committing acts of terror in Afghanistan as well as Pakistan even in broad daylight.

 

[jeypore]

Make ISI a Civilian organization...

 

[Zarvan]

I'll drink to that

Pakistan has long suffered, it's due time for the taliban and other terrorist organizations to be wiped out with America's full support.

Americas support has done the most damage to Pakistan and is still doing and because of America support Taliban will gain more power and will not get less in number

 

[Galaxy]

If everyone will do their job as per Law. Then possible.

Like - Army for Defence.
ISI - For Internal/External Securities.
PM/President - For Growth of the country.

PM/President should be most important one. He should decide everything with group of ministers. But it looks like everyone hates both.

One should select right party. A Voice against Government is critical. Pakistan needs strong Opposition, Law like Right of Information, Strong Media, Socialist like Anna Hazare, etc.

Army and ISI should be least bothered about Country welfare and growth. They should focus only on their respective Job. Army can do anything and not responsible too. But Political Parties do have responsibility. Do you know ?? In India, 99% People don't even know the Name RAW and Army Chief ? But They know more about ISI and Pak Army.

 

[indiatester]

If everyone will do their job as per Law. Then possible.

Like - Army for Defence.
ISI - For Internal/External Securities.
PM/President - For Growth of the country.

Excellent!!!