Who said crime doesn’t pay, just ask Dasti and prime minister
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Press Gallery
By Mohammad Malick
ISLAMABAD: To begin with, there wasn’t much to write about the house proceedings except for the simmering rage of Asfandyar Wali against the critics of Pakhtunkhwa and the sarcastic ramblings of Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat who mused whether the amendment would now end power outages and remove other killing hardships of the common man.
Or maybe a thing or two could have been penned about the confusing politics of my favourite Saifullah clan where MNA Humayun Saifullah cast his vote in favour of 18th Amendment on Thursday while on Friday his younger brother Senator Salim Saifullah, protesting against the same document, staged a protest boycott of Senate proceedings. But whatever feeble desire there was to write was literally demolished by an unbelievable news flash: Jamshed Dasti appointed adviser to the prime minister.
Barely 24 hours earlier, we had witnessed a historic moment in the making as the National Assembly started the process of transforming Prime Minister Gilani into one of the most powerful prime ministers of our history. Oh how we foolishly gloated and celebrated this unimaginable feat while dubbing it the mother-of-all-democratic-moments of our decimated democratic history. Today, sitting in the same hallowed precincts we heard of another unimaginable feat; that of the disgraced, self-confessed forger, proven liar and former MNA Jamshed Dasti being appointed prime minister’s adviser on livestock. Can you imagine, that only a few days back (March 25 to be precise) this man had admitted his crime of obtaining a fake degree before the Supreme Court and had resigned his assembly seat to escape conviction. And what happens less than a fortnight later? A man who should have gone to prison, hidden his face in shame, gets an exalted status of an adviser and will enjoy a higher status and greater government perks, paid for by idiotic taxpayers like you and me. What is he going to advise the prime minister on anyways, how to make and buy forged degrees? How to hide his ignorance of all things decent behind rude mannerism? And then this government wants us to believe that ‘crime does not pay’ (sic).
I don’t even know which feeling was stronger, disgust or rage? Was this sinking overwhelming feeling that of repulsion that I experienced watching such a despicable character walk away with greater political rewards? Or was it outright disgust at watching our newly strengthened and honoured prime minister serve a stinging slap on the face of every decent citizen, foolish enough to convince his children to grow into law abiding, honourable, and ‘honest’ Pakistani citizens.
And then this despair, or whatever you may call it, turned into outright depression when word spread about the possible fielding of the prime minister’s brother from the same constituency in the coming by-elections.
To be fair we must give the benefit of doubt to the prime minister till the confirmation or rejection of this news and I wish to God that this talk is not true but if it were to turn out so then surely we are doomed as an honourable society. Who can ever justify such a shameful quid pro quo? Are we living in a banana republic?
Oh please do not insult the goodness of the common man with such contemptuous disdain Mr prime minister or the day would not be far away when this nation will be forced to celebrate the arrival of another knight in the shining ‘armour’ with a fervour surpassing the one witnessed on this glorious Thursday.
I have always regarded Yusuf Raza Gilani as a decent man and an honourable politician and expected him to cut a mark after being bestowed with such power and privilege. What I didn’t expect him was to instead cut such a sorry figure, and so soon after his first sortie as a near all-powerful leader of 180 million people. If earlier he had the excuse of being saddled with Sardar Latif Khosa by the all powerful presidency, the same wouldn’t wash anymore. This Thursday changed it all. Everybody knows that Dasti is not the presidency’s man and everybody knows that already the presidency has become a shadow of its former self. So Dasti is a pure Gilani muck up, let’s all be clear on this including the prime minister.
I remember that the prime minister had justified Khosa’s advisership on the grounds of too many divisions and ministries being on his (PMs) watch and he needed someone to share that load. But interestingly in this case the livestock ministry already has a full-blooded minister in the shape of Humayun Kurd. And if Kurd really needs an adviser of Dasti’s calibre to deliver on his job then Kurd deserves to be dragged to the nearest backyard and shot.
Oh here is a news flash for the prime minister also. One of his advisers has been pestering some high tech possible winners to agree to pass on ‘his share’ of a US$5 million surveillance contract, which is still up for grabs. So much for the exemplary time utilisation of so-called advisers to the prime minister.
To err is human, and to err grossly and unashamedly is politician. And since Gilani is both a human and a politician his erring has to be of gigantic proportions but thankfully no man-made error of judgement is irreversible.
One can only hope that the prime minister too will realise the magnitude of this disastrous decision which will mar his reputation no end. This nation needs, and deserves a prime minister who is above the fray and sets examples to be emulated and not despised. Reverse this judgement Mr prime minister and go forward as an honourable leader. You still have the time and a chance to do so. These Dastis of the world belong in jails and not in the leadership roles reserved for statesmen.
