Reports of thousands of Pakistanis being stuck in Saudi Arab, unable tp escape and working without wages began to surface a while ago. Doctor Moeed Pirzada invited over a prominent analyst and commentator, Mr.Irshad Arif to offer his comment on the scenario.
Mr Arif said that these failures depict the inability and disinterest of the bureaucracy. He said that the government is least interested to extract those stranded individuals or offering them any reliefs.
Indian government, on the other hand, is much more responsive and attentive to the matter. The Indian government sent their Minister for Labor to the Saudi officials to negotiate an exit. The Saudis have ensured them that they would be sent safely back home. Pakistani system, contrarily, has not reached out once.
Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Pakistanis stranded in Saudi Arab !!!
Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: The Model town massacre and PAT protests!
Mr. Salman Ghani, Head of Political affairs, Roznama Dunya and Senior Analyst, expressed his views on the protest rallies being conducted all across Pakistan by the Pakistan Awami Tehreek in light of the model town massacre.
Mr.Ghani said that the government, establishment and judiciary did not do justice to the carnage, treating it with utmost neglect and misshapen procedures. The investigations were not followed through with conviction, leading to the escape of one of the Prime suspects.
The analyst was also of the opinion that the investigation reports and the verdict of Justice Baqir, which was the evidentiary document in this case, should have been made accessible to the masses so that people could decide for themselves and transparency could have prevailed.
What is Dr. Tahir ul Qadri up to?
I was watching Dr. Tahir ul Qadri’s today’s unusual speech (20th Aug, 2016) to the workers and supporters of his movement, Pakistan Awami Tehrik, (PAT). This was part of his overall Qisas Movement that seeks justice for the victims and punishments for the perpetrators of what is now known as “Model Town Massacre” of 17th June 2014 in which 14 people were killed and almost hundred were shot by Punjab Police. I found his speech and its context very unusual. Let me explain why?
During the ‘Model Town Massacre’ police was caught on tv cameras shooting straight onto the faces of unarmed men and women. Punjab government has since then suppressed the Judicial Commission Report by Justice Baqir Najfi that had apparently (according to leaks in 2014) blamed Punjab government for taking actions ultra-vires of law and for instigating violence against political opponents with malafide intentions. Punjab government’s controversial ‘Second JIT’ has exonerated all those high ups who are considered the real culprits by PAT and most across Pakistan.
Dr. Qadri’s speech and its overall ambience was unusual for various reasons: first, it was live across 105 cities in Pakistan, which was a totally new and innovative thing; second, he managed to bring out crowds of varying sizes which were quiet substantial in several cities including Faislabad and he raised some very interesting and pertinent questions. But this is not why I consider it unusual. I think: this public show, this organization, this discipline and defiant tone was unusual mainly because Dr. Tahir ul Qadri has not been able to achieve anything, absolutely nothing against Nawaz Govt and in a country and system where all politics is built around privilege and benefits,the notorious pork and barrel, the only things, the only real things, he has gifted to his workers and supporters are ruthless beatings and straight bullets by brutal Punjab Police.
I personally witnessed the brutality of Punjab Police that was brought in to Islamabad in August 2014; I saw their savage actions on constitution avenue, on adjacent streets and inside the premises of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. Hundreds, if not thousands of his followers were arrested in 2014, were often thrashed on roads and mercilessly beaten in jails and languished in prisons for month and months, many still have cases pending against them. Many of them had earlier clashed with police across GT Road in June 2014 and had injured policemen and cases against them are serious. Qadri has been accused by politicians, media and civil society of being a fraud and swindler who arrives from Canada for launching political movements, creates a high drama and then disappears – something which PMLN leader Tallal Chaudry again accused him immediately after his speech on 20th Aug.
No one, at this stage, expects Qadri and his followers to achieve anything against a Nawaz Government, which according to Qadri’s own admissions is deeply entrenched in the system: controls police, bureaucracy, judicial forums, election machinery and all institutions of the state where an aggrieved party can go to seek redressal. And Qadri admits or accuses that Nawaz government is supported by important countries of the west and by India. He accuses that India had invested for at least four years for bringing Nawaz into power before 2013 elections. When Imran and Qadri challenged Nawaz government in 2014 then the support of international media, Indian media, financial institutions, donors and development community was all on the side of Nawaz; they declared Imran (whose party took 8 million votes in 2013’s controversial elections) and Qadri as threats to democracy; a conspiracy against the democratic right of the people. And since United States, West and India are all on the side of Nawaz, the room for any maneuvering in the political field by Pakistani military establishment is also very restricted if not non-existent all together. Analysts also argue, with some credibility, that this constellation of international and regional forces that are aligned with Nawaz are actually strategically arraigned against Pakistani military. Target is Pakistani Military. So Nawaz then becomes the poster boy of international establishment against Pakistani establishment. So what is this crazy Maulvi or erudite scholar of Islam up to?
As soon as the speech ended, Dunya News anchors took PMLN leader, Talal Chaudhry online to get his response on allegations and questions of Qadri. Tallal makes interesting television; he provokes, he challenges and makes people angry but unlike some of his other colleagues he is seldom angry. He enjoys infuriating people. But today was different. He got infuriated; he was upset, he lost it totally and banged phone on young news anchors on questions which were pretty relevant. I was surprised. This too was unusual. Why such nervousness? why such desperation and lack control?
What were those questions? News Anchors merely asked him what Qadri had leveled as accusations and raised as questions. These were: Is federal cabinet working to bring amendments to Pakistan Criminal Procedure Code? Qadri is repeatedly alleging that Nawaz Govt wants to amend the CrPc of 1897, to take away the right of private parties to push their FIR complaints through judiciary; he accuses that Nawaz govt. wants to give powers to junior functionaries of police to throw out FIR’s. If true, if government is really working on such amendments, then its important; it will have implications for hundreds of cases, but it will have direct bearing on cases related to Model Town Massacre of June 2014.
Qadri had also raised the point that Nawaz government has taken the loans up to Rs. 20,000 billions, at current trends these loans will balloon to Rs. 30,000 billions which will roughly equal Pakistani economy; Qadri argues that such a scenario will lead to Pakistan’s bankruptcy, it will necessitate ‘western bail out’ (read United States) and such a bail out will have severe conditions. Many argue that such an eventuality will have bearings on Pakistan’s defense and its nuclear posture. They fear that ‘mounting loans’ are a well thought out trap for Pakistan. Qadri’s allegations on ‘Indian investment’ into Nawaz are quiet fancy and colorful but few months ago, an Indian analyst, in a Times Now program, locked into a fierce discussion with his Pakistani counterparts – during a debate on Panama Files Scandal – who were demanding that why Indians are so interested in Nawaz blurted: “because we have invested in Nawaz Sharif”. He meant that Modi government has invested politically in Nawaz Sharif and Nawaz is seen as an ally. Three years ago, in 2013 and before, this did not matter; there was a different scenario in South Asia with some one as sedate as Manmohan Singh in power in India but now things have changed. Now Modi has become a factor in Pakistani politics and allegations against Nawaz are mounting. News Anchors wanted answers to these and similar questions but some one as cool as Tallal Chaudry banged the phone.
Before banging the phone he protested that why listen to a character like Qadri? “he is only a ‘Karay ka Maulvi’ (Maulana on rent) someone who is not even a Pakistani citizen, someone who is a Canadian citizen, someone who takes a flight here for protests and then leaves…someone who cannot even win councillor elections…” Most of these accusations may be true but I suspect mood is changing across Pakistan, elections as a mediative process have lost much of their trust, much of their credibility, things have moved beyond the climate of 2014; western and Indian support to Nawaz government may still be there; but within Pakistan more and more people, more and more young people will be listening to Qadri carefully. He may not succeed in agitational politics, he may not even do that this time around, but he has a message and he has receptive ears; he will create some sort of impact. What that will be? No one knows. Govt is strong, very strong, at least for now.
[Moeed Pirzada is a TV Anchor and Editor Strategic Affairs with Dunya News Network. He has worked in Central Superior Services, has studied International Relations at Columbia University, New York and law at London School of Economics, Twitter#MoeedNj ]
Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: PAT Tehreek-e-Qasaas!!
Doctor Moeed Pirzada was joined by Mr. Khurram Gandapur, General Secretary of Pakistan Awami Tehreek, to express his views on the bout of fresh protests erupted by the political party in commemoration of the model town carnage.
Mr. Gandapuri said that the model town massacre is the first of its nature, as it was the only police brutality count which was covered by media channels, providing more than enough evidence for the authorities. Minhaj Ul Quran, he said, has not produced this videos on it’s own, the evidence was spread all over.
Mr. Gandapuri accused the provincial government for facilitating the escape of the supposed murderers. He said that the chief minister’s contradictory statements, the dubious investigation report and the proposterous reaction by the authorities is testimony to the fact that the Punjab government is guilty.
Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Orange Line Train Mega Project Hurdles !!!
Amber Shamsi, a renowned activist and journalist joined Doctor Pirzada to comment on the Court verdict against the Orange Line metro train project in Lahore. The verdict has forbidden the government to pursue the project as it is affecting the city’s heritage sites.
Miss Shamsi said that the basic issue is of inheritance. 9 million people own these heritage sites. She says although the orange line project would prove beneficial for the wider benefit, the route plan is damaging the heritage sites and that is a cost that cannot be borne.
Miss Shamsi also said that the government has taken a soft loan off a chinese bank for the project. She said that gradually the cost of the project has also increased, adding another reason for the project to be opposed. The court verdict, the analyst pointed out, is that the train line is supposed to be at least 200 feet away from the heritage sites.
Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Pak Afghan Border and Modi’s theatrics!!
Mr. Jan Achakzai, senior Journalist, commentator, former central spokesperson of JUI-F and the current advisor to the Chief Minister Balochistan, joined Doctor Moeed Pirzada via sattelite link to share his expertise on the Indian hostility and the Afghan intervention.
Mr. Achakzai said that India and Afghanistan have been facilitating the TTP with financial and logistic support since the advent of terrorism in the region. He said that the budding Afghan and Indian ties, the ex-Afghan President Mr. Hamid Karzai’s approval of Modi’s Bolchistan comment and the collaborative efforts of RAW and NDS, are all proof of the fact that India and Afghanistan have been the instigators of terrorism in the region.
The analyst also said that the Quetta hospital carnage was committed by a rebellious Taliban faction, the Jamaat Ul Ihrar, which surfaced in 2013 for the first time and has been invoolved in three major insurgencies ever since. Commenting on the federal government’s visible silence on Modi’s Balochistan comment, Mr. Achakzai said that the statements and outbursts from the Chief Ministers of Gilgit Baltistan and Balochistan and other senior leaders resonates the stance of the federal government.
Is Baluchistan in Pakistan or…?
From the pusillanimous response of Nawaz government to Narendra Modi’s absurd pronouncements on Baluchistan one wonders where is Baluchistan located? Is this a part of Pakistan like Punjab, Sindh and KPK or is an independent or disputed territory lying somewhere at the edge of Arabian Sea? A territory and people to whose fate Islamabad remains unconcerned? A territory whose ministers were left responding to Indian PM on their own? May be Prime Minister secretariat needs to look at ‘Google Maps’!
Narendra Modi first thundered about Baluchistan in an all party meeting on Kashmir on 12th August, threatening Pakistan that if it did not stop interfering in Kashmir then India will expose Pakistan’s atrocities in Baluchistan. Hope when the moment comes, his agencies will also brief him how much Indian army and paramilitaries are employed in and around Muslim dominated Kashmir valley and offer a private comparison to the Pakistani deployments in Baluchistan (after all Indian PM has a right to truth, even if privately) and he may like to know: when was the last time few thousand Baluchis assembled on the streets shouting against Pakistan or carrying Indian flags?
But as soon as Modi uttered his words, all the ‘wazifa khor’ Baluch sardars sitting abroad, with their luxurious lifestyles, from Geneva to New York on generous Indian stipends then got the green signal, went dancing to the tune, and offered tributes to the Messiah Modi. One of them was Brahamdagh Bugti who dressed in a suit, probably paid by Indian money, facing camera organized by Indian agencies, went on thanking ‘Modi Sahib’ and did not stop there but appealed to Bollywood supremos Shahrukh Khan and Amitabh Bachan to make a movie on the life of his grandfather, late Nawab Akbar Bugti Khan.
And given close nexus between Bollywood and Indian intelligence setup – in visible display since early 1990’s when Indian establishment decided to employ Bollywood in its PR strategies, following the footsteps of Pentagon, and something which ISPR is trying to emulate – this too might have been part of a script. Brahamdagh, the helpless dependent lost politico, might only be repeating what was put in his mouth, not realizing how he looked stupid with his feigned smiles and ended up trivializing Nawab Akbar Bugti and what Baluch suffered in their struggle by throwing all of that in Indian lap. What an amazing ‘political faux pas’! This should be in “Dummy’s Guide on What not to do in paid insurgencies”. Congress’s ex-foreign minister, Salman Khurshid was quick to catch Modi’s political blunder and Modi must have realized now.
But this is now. On 15th August, in the second part of the scripted play, Narendra Modi the demagogue went on thanking all those Baluch who had appreciated his bold stand. Where was the demagogue speaking? He was on the podium addressing the crowds, the media, the whole world on India’s Independence Day on 15th August.
A world, and by that we sadly often mean US lead western world, aligned with Indian system against the Chinese threat, is conditioned not to react to Indian tyrannies, support for terrorism or political failures, but in this case many in the west noticed that Indian PM is treading on a ground he shouldn’t as exemplified by analysis in Washington Post. Modi only later must have realized the implications of his ‘blunderous faux pas’; in his mounting frustrations on Kashmir, which are only an outcome of his flawed policies, his misreading of ground situation and history he ended up exposing the strategic investments Indian agencies have been making in Baluchistan for the past several decades – but expedited on war footing since 9/11 and rise of TTP in FATA. In his quest to threaten Pakistan he also ended up accepting Kashmiri resistance as ‘legitimate freedom fighters’ for if Baluch insurgents in an area not internationally disputed be ‘freedom fighters’ then how come he now deny the same status to Kashmiris in a state accepted as disputed by India in United Nations. (India’s later day unilateral change of definitions notwithstanding)
But what happened to Islamabad? True, that Sartaj Aziz and Mr Fatemi murmured a bit, and Mr Nafees Zakarai as usual took to the podium, but what about the other cabinet ministers? What about the Prime Minister himself? Has anybody thought of summoning the Indian High Commissioner and having a bit of ‘unfriendly chat’ or even this is too much? the way Nawaz government is trying to placate Modi sarkar, English language will soon need new words and expressions to replace ‘Appeasement’ because nothing what Neville Chamberlain did will help explain the impotency of Nawaz government. Chamberlain saw the clouds of war over Europe, he wanted to avoid that; but he was letting Hitler grab territories in Europe and not in United Kingdom, not even entertaining claims on any part of the erstwhile British Empire. Excuse me! Baluchistan is Pakistan. Prime Minister secretariat and PMLN social media team might not have heard of ‘Atlas’ but today fortunately they can consult Google Maps.
Yes! we know, Nawaz Sharif seems to be under the US pressure to placate, accommodate American concerns on India and he has been exhibiting a desire to use ‘Modi leverage’ against his establishment but as Prime Minister of Pakistan he needs to rise above all this, he need to find ways and means to preserve his national sovereignty. If he continues to fail in this fundamental enterprise, history will judge him very harshly. As third time Prime Minister of Pakistan, this should be his foremost thought. He has proved himself, his political credentials, his place in history; he must not lose it under badly understood paradigms; whosoever is advising him to continuously placate India – and to suffer to woe Modi’s – is not his friend. I am serious.
[Moeed Pirzada is a TV Anchor and Editor Strategic Affairs with Dunya News Network. He has worked in Central Superior Services, has studied International Relations at Columbia University, New York and law at London School of Economics, Twitter#MoeedNj ]
Is Baluchistan in Pakistan or…?
Moeed Pirzada |
Narendra Modi first thundered about Baluchistan in an all party meeting on Kashmir on 12th August, threatening Pakistan that if it did not stop interfering in Kashmir then India will expose Pakistan’s atrocities in Baluchistan. Hope when the moment comes, his agencies will also brief him how much Indian army and paramilitaries are employed in and around Muslim-dominated Kashmir valley and offer a private comparison to the Pakistani deployments in Baluchistan (after all Indian PM has a right to truth, even if privately) and he may like to know: when was the last time few thousand Baluchis assembled on the streets shouting against Pakistan or carrying Indian flags?
But as soon as Modi uttered his words, all the ‘wazifa khor’ Baluch sardars sitting abroad, with their luxurious lifestyles, from Geneva to New York on generous Indian stipends then got the green signal, went dancing to the tune, and offered tributes to the Messiah Modi. One of them was Brahamdagh Bugti who dressed in a suit, probably paid by Indian money, facing camera organized by Indian agencies, went on thanking ‘Modi Sahib’ and did not stop there but appealed to Bollywood supremos Shahrukh Khan and Amitabh Bachan to make a movie on the life of his grandfather, late Nawab Akbar Bugti Khan.
Read more: Kabul and Islamabad: Danger on the Durand line – Michael Kugelman
And given close nexus between Bollywood and Indian intelligence setup – invisible display since early 1990’s when Indian establishment decided to employ Bollywood in its PR strategies, following the footsteps of Pentagon, and something which ISPR is trying to emulate – this too might have been part of a script.
Modi only later must have realized the implications of his ‘blunderous faux pas’; in his mounting frustrations on Kashmir, which are only an outcome of his flawed policies, his misreading of ground situation and history he ended up exposing the strategic investments Indian agencies have been making in Baluchistan for the past several decades – but expedited on war footing since 9/11 and rise of TTP in FATA.
Brahamdagh, the helpless dependent lost politico, might only be repeating what was put in his mouth, not realizing how he looked stupid with his feigned smiles and ended up trivializing Nawab Akbar Bugti and what Baluch suffered in their struggle by throwing all of that in Indian lap. What an amazing ‘political faux pas’! This should be in “Dummy’s Guide on What not to do in paid insurgencies”. Congress’s ex-foreign minister, Salman Khurshid was quick to catch Modi’s political blunder and Modi must have realized now.
But this is now. On 15th August, in the second part of the scripted play, Narendra Modi the demagogue went on thanking all those Baluch who had appreciated his bold stand. Where was the demagogue speaking? He was on the podium addressing the crowds, the media, the whole world on India’s Independence Day on 15th August.
the world, and by that we sadly often mean US lead western world, aligned with Indian system against the Chinese threat, is conditioned not to react to Indian tyrannies, support for terrorism or political failures, but in this case many in the west noticed that Indian PM is treading on a ground he shouldn’t as exemplified by analysis in Washington Post.
Read more: Can US President take Hudson Institute report on Pakistan seriously?
Modi only later must have realized the implications of his ‘blunderous faux pas’; in his mounting frustrations on Kashmir, which are only an outcome of his flawed policies, his misreading of ground situation and history he ended up exposing the strategic investments Indian agencies have been making in Baluchistan for the past several decades – but expedited on war footing since 9/11 and rise of TTP in FATA.
given close nexus between Bollywood and Indian intelligence setup – invisible display since early 1990’s when Indian establishment decided to employ Bollywood in its PR strategies, following the footsteps of Pentagon, and something which ISPR is trying to emulate – this too might have been part of a script.
In his quest to threaten Pakistan he also ended up accepting Kashmiri resistance as ‘legitimate freedom fighters’ for if Baluch insurgents in an area not internationally disputed be ‘freedom fighters’ then how come he now deny the same status to Kashmiris in a state accepted as disputed by India in United Nations. (India’s later day unilateral change of definitions notwithstanding).
But what happened to Islamabad? True, that Sartaj Aziz and Mr Fatemi murmured a bit, and Mr Nafees Zakarai as usual took to the podium, but what about the other cabinet ministers? What about the Prime Minister himself? Has anybody thought of summoning the Indian High Commissioner and having a bit of ‘unfriendly chat’ or even this is too much?
Read more: Zardari condemns PML-N for not telling Pakistan’s story to the world
The way Nawaz government is trying to placate Modi sarkar, English language will soon need new words and expressions to replace ‘Appeasement’ because nothing what Neville Chamberlain did will help explain the impotency of Nawaz government. Chamberlain saw the clouds of war over Europe, he wanted to avoid that; but he was letting Hitler grab territories in Europe and not in United Kingdom, not even entertaining claims on any part of the erstwhile British Empire. Excuse me! Baluchistan is Pakistan. Prime Minister secretariat and PMLN social media team might not have heard of ‘Atlas’ but today fortunately they can consult Google Maps.
Yes! we know, Nawaz Sharif seems to be under the US pressure to placate, accommodate American concerns on India and he has been exhibiting a desire to use ‘Modi leverage’ against his establishment but as Prime Minister of Pakistan he needs to rise above all this, he need to find ways and means to preserve his national sovereignty. If he continues to fail in this fundamental enterprise, history will judge him very harshly. As third time Prime Minister of Pakistan, this should be his foremost thought. He has proved himself, his political credentials, his place in history; he must not lose it under badly understood paradigms; whosoever is advising him to continuously placate India – and to suffer to woe Modi’s – is not his friend. I am serious.
Moeed Pirzada is prominent TV Anchor & commentator; he studied international relations at Columbia Univ, New York and law at London School of Economics. Twitter: MoeedNj. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Global Village Space’s editorial policy. This piece was first published in Moeed Pirzada’s official page. It has been reproduced with permission.
Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Asad Umar comments on the PTI dynamics !!!
Mr.Asad Umar, Member National Assembly and senior leader Pakistan Tehreek E Insaf, joined Doctor Moeed Pirzada to express his views on the shift in the power dynamics of the opposition and the visible divide that the Panama resolve has witnessed.
Mr. Umar said that PTI strengthened agencies and organizations in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. PTI had been sincere in its resolve of serving the province and there had been a drastic improvement in various sectors across the province.
Mr.Umar said that the rally in NA 48 was not his concern as it was not his constituency. Other matters of political dynamics and the position taken by the opposition were discussed aswel.
Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Sarfaraz Bugti commenting on the Balochistan state of Affairs !!!
Provincial Minister for Interior Provincial Balochistan, Mr. Sarfaraz Bugti participated to comment on the unfurling uproar situation in Balochistan after the Quetta carnage.
On the matter of Kulbushan Yadav, the Indian saboteur, Mr.Bugti said that the capture lead to the apprehension of many insurgent groups. He said that the Indian commander had provided with very useful Intel.
Addressing the rebellious factions, the minister said that he was confident that it was less than one percent of the total baloch population. He said that separatists were traitors and Mr.Harbiar Murree and Mr. Baramdagh Bugti were leading on that little faction.
Mr. Bugti said that NDS and RAW nexus have infiltrated Pakistan for the mere sake of destroying the country.
Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Doctor Moeed Pirzada analyzes the Baloch Separatist Movements !!!
Doctor Moeed Pirzada presented a monolog on the separatist baloch leaders Baramdagh Bugti and Harbiar Muree. Mr. Bugti and Mr.Muree had recently issued statements about how the Indian Prime Minister Narendar Modi’s controversial Balochistan reference was a positive step. Doctor Pirzada raised the inquisition about the convenience that these two individuals were living with abroad, away from the stir that they had generated. Their financial resources were dubious, the linkages are extremely shrewd and lead to Indian grounds.
Is Ch. Nisar being sacked?
Rumor mills from Lahore to Islamabad are alive with the buzz that PM Nawaz Sharif has finally decided to sack his Interior Minster, Ch.Nisar Ali Khan.
With his audacious uncompromising stand on issues of national security, Indian intervention in Pakistan, relations with PPP and what appeared as a calcuated defiance to the Sharif dynasty, Nisar was always an ‘odd man’ of PMLN. A rare voice from his party that echoed public sentiments on issues as diverse as Ayyan Ali and Rajnath Singh – to whom he recently gave a befitting reply during the SARRC Conference in Islamabad.
PMLN never known for men with spine, has in recent years degenerated to a level where Sharif clan has assumed a ‘God like’ cult where no one has left any courage or capacity to disagree with the line from the top. In this milieu of moral death, Nisar was a continuous embarrassment to all honorable men who looked small and meaningless every time he opened his mouth on a policy issue. So there was no dearth of dagger drawn conspirators who reported his blasphemies to a Nawaz Sharif, already losing patience with his old comrade. But reportedly Nisar’s outburst against Mehmood Khan Achakzai – admittedly without directly mentioning him but making references that were more clearer than poor Shahid Masood made towards judiciary – and his recent war of words with PPP leaders, Khurshid Shah and Aitzaz, that lead to the opposition’s boycott from parliament have proved to be the last straw on camel’s back. Opposition’s boycott had prompted an unusual pleading from Nawaz Sharif to them to return.
Many wonder why Nawaz had not sacked Nisar so far? After all his audacities and his blasphemies had been continuing for a while and PPP chorus against him for being an ‘establishment stooge’ a trojan horse inside the Nawaz cabinet, what Khurshid Shah endlessly described as ‘Asteen Ka Sanp’ was going on for a while – at least since the turbulent days of dharnas in the exciting summer of 2014. Nisar remained absent from important meetings and made statements and took positions despite forewarning – as in the case of Achakzai and PPP. Even his rather honorable outburst to fix Indian home minister, Rajnath Singh, was apparently his own gesture – though initially it was thought to be the policy of Nawaz government to preserve some public space and honor in view of Indian arrogance on Kashmir. Reportedly Nisar had also agreed to preside the press conference in which RAW agent, Kulbashan Yadav, was to be presented to the media; though he never got an approval from his panicked boss and later a lack luster press conference was organized, with a video confession, by an ill-informed DG ISPR with a muted information minister who looked very unhappy with his ordeal. So things were cooking right and left, waiting to come to a head.
Despite a commitment with Zardari through his emissaries, for letting Ayyan Ali leave the country, she remained stuck and Nisar could be blamed for the embarrassing situation. Look carefully and you realize that much of the dramatics that played out in Pakistani politics recently, in the last few weeks, again center around Ayyan Ali and her powerful well wishers.
Because, now when the dust is settling on Panama files – or so it seems from the point of view of most pundits – it is becoming obvious that PPP remains the B-team of Nawaz government and whatever overtures it makes in the political field are only temporary tactical moves to fool the public and media and to bail out Nawaz regime with which PPP remains strategically aligned – notwithstanding Bilawal’s rebellious tweets and Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan’s idealistic tantrums. And a recalcitrant egoist Nisar bent upon defending the most useless commodity in Pakistani politics – self respect – is an irritant in terms of close working relations with Asif Ali Zardari. And in the growing ‘Putinistic Surveillance State’ what Pakistan has gradually become since 2013, where almost everybody, worthy of anything in PMLN, is being heard, transcribed and mercilessly analyzed with the help of new gadgets and apps ‘loyalist spooks’ have been buying right and left, it is certain that diaries on some one as big and mysterious as Ch. Nisar had assumed the size of a national library. (though spooks work under him, officially) So many wonder why Nawaz tolerated him for so long?
Because King Nawaz was afraid! Political insiders claim. He was afraid that Nisar must be egging on something, and if fired unceremoniously he might be wooed by the PTI and may be pushed by the establishment into leading some rebel group. So what has changed now? political insiders claim that now Nawaz feels that Imran and PTI have been virtually decimated, rebel groups have been neutralized and his fears of the establishment, though always exaggerated for political reasons by all sides are – quiet contrary to media driven impressions – minimal, almost non-existent. This gives Nawaz the necessary confidence to act.
But the word is already out and is being absorbed in the political circles. As a last resort, Nawaz asked his brother, CM Punjab, (man with all solutions in the PMLN) to restrain Nisar from what is considered by PM secretariat as ‘absurdities’ but apparently it did not work. So will Nawaz finally act? Timing of sack was supposed to be some weeks in future, connected with some other decisions which PM has to take, but will PM still act if the political uproar becomes ferocious. Lets see how it builds up and how PM advisers and official spokespersons respond to these rumors? Will they skirt the question or deny it as ‘totally absurd’. Lets see!
[Moeed Pirzada is a TV Anchor and Editor Strategic Affairs with Dunya News Network. He has worked in Central Superior Services, has studied International Relations at Columbia University, New York and law at London School of Economics, Twitter#MoeedNj ]
Is Ch. Nisar being sacked?
Moeed Pirzada |
With his audacious uncompromising stand on issues of national security, Indian intervention in Pakistan, relations with PPP and what appeared as a calcuated defiance to the Sharif dynasty, Nisar was always an ‘odd man’ of PMLN. A rare voice from his party that echoed public sentiments on issues as diverse as Ayyan Ali and Rajnath Singh – to whom he recently gave a befitting reply during the SARRC Conference in Islamabad.
PMLN never known for men with spine, has in recent years degenerated to a level where Sharif clan has assumed a ‘God like’ cult where no one has left any courage or capacity to disagree with the line from the top. In this milieu of moral death, Nisar was a continuous embarrassment to all honorable men who looked small and meaningless every time he opened his mouth on a policy issue. So there was no dearth of dagger drawn conspirators who reported his blasphemies to a Nawaz Sharif, already losing patience with his old comrade.
Because King Nawaz was afraid! Political insiders claim. He was afraid that Nisar must be egging on something, and if fired unceremoniously he might be wooed by the PTI and may be pushed by the establishment into leading some rebel group.
But reportedly Nisar’s outburst against Mehmood Khan Achakzai – admittedly without directly mentioning him but making references that were more clearer than poor Shahid Masood made towards judiciary – and his recent war of words with PPP leaders, Khurshid Shah and Aitzaz, that lead to the opposition’s boycott from parliament have proved to be the last straw on camel’s back. Opposition’s boycott had prompted an unusual pleading from Nawaz Sharif to them to return.
Many wonder why Nawaz had not sacked Nisar so far? After all his audacities and his blasphemies had been continuing for a while and PPP chorus against him for being an ‘establishment stooge’ a trojan horse inside the Nawaz cabinet, what Khurshid Shah endlessly described as ‘Asteen Ka Sanp’ was going on for a while – at least since the turbulent days of dharnas in the exciting summer of 2014. Nisar remained absent from important meetings and made statements and took positions despite forewarning – as in the case of Achakzai and PPP.
Read more: Nisar sounded Desperate on Supreme Court Commission Report but he had some “Points”?
Even his rather honorable outburst to fix Indian home minister, Rajnath Singh, was apparently his own gesture – though initially it was thought to be the policy of Nawaz government to preserve some public space and honor in view of Indian arrogance on Kashmir. Reportedly Nisar had also agreed to preside the press conference in which RAW agent, Kulbashan Yadav, was to be presented to the media; though he never got an approval from his panicked boss and later a lack luster press conference was organized, with a video confession, by an ill-informed DG ISPR with a muted information minister who looked very unhappy with his ordeal. So things were cooking right and left, waiting to come to a head.
Despite a commitment with Zardari through his emissaries, for letting Ayyan Ali leave the country, she remained stuck and Nisar could be blamed for the embarrassing situation. Look carefully and you realize that much of the dramatics that played out in Pakistani politics recently, in the last few weeks, again center around Ayyan Ali and her powerful well wishers.
Because, now when the dust is settling on Panama files – or so it seems from the point of view of most pundits – it is becoming obvious that PPP remains the B-team of Nawaz government and whatever overtures it makes in the political field are only temporary tactical moves to fool the public and media and to bail out Nawaz regime with which PPP remains strategically aligned – notwithstanding Bilawal’s rebellious tweets and Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan’s idealistic tantrums.
Despite a commitment with Zardari through his emissaries, for letting Ayyan Ali leave the country, she remained stuck and Nisar could be blamed for the embarrassing situation.
And a recalcitrant egoist Nisar bent upon defending the most useless commodity in Pakistani politics – self respect – is an irritant in terms of close working relations with Asif Ali Zardari. And in the growing ‘Putinistic Surveillance State’ what Pakistan has gradually become since 2013, where almost everybody, worthy of anything in PMLN, is being heard, transcribed and mercilessly analyzed with the help of new gadgets and apps ‘loyalist spooks’ have been buying right and left, it is certain that diaries on some one as big and mysterious as Ch. Nisar had assumed the size of a national library. (though spooks work under him, officially) So many wonder why Nawaz tolerated him for so long?
Because King Nawaz was afraid! Political insiders claim. He was afraid that Nisar must be egging on something, and if fired unceremoniously he might be wooed by the PTI and may be pushed by the establishment into leading some rebel group. So what has changed now? political insiders claim that now Nawaz feels that Imran and PTI have been virtually decimated, rebel groups have been neutralized and his fears of the establishment, though always exaggerated for political reasons by all sides are – quiet contrary to media driven impressions – minimal, almost non-existent. This gives Nawaz the necessary confidence to act.
Reaad more: Panama case sharpens existing divisions within the PML-N
But the word is already out and is being absorbed in the political circles. As a last resort, Nawaz asked his brother, CM Punjab, (man with all solutions in the PMLN) to restrain Nisar from what is considered by PM secretariat as ‘absurdities’ but apparently it did not work. So will Nawaz finally act? Timing of sack was supposed to be some weeks in future, connected with some other decisions which PM has to take, but will PM still act if the political uproar becomes ferocious. Lets see how it builds up and how PM advisers and official spokespersons respond to these rumors? Will they skirt the question or deny it as ‘totally absurd’. Lets see!
Moeed Pirzada is prominent TV Anchor & commentator; he studied international relations at Columbia Univ, New York and law at London School of Economics. Twitter: MoeedNj. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Global Village Space’s editorial policy. This piece was first published in Moeed Pirzada’s official page. It has been reproduced with permission.
Indian & Pakistani Drama on Kashmir? Who is fooling whom & Why?
What are India and Pakistan upto? What is going on behind the scenes? Who is sending desperate messages to whom? How come Pakistan suddenly makes an offer to India for talks on Kashmir? And how come India which has always rebuffed and snubbed Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir, as long as our living memories go shows a kind of interest in talks?
Yes! India has talked of its usual mumbo jumbo of ‘talks on terror’ and all that, but nevertheless is showing willingness for a foreign secretary level talks with Pakistan. Why? What has changed? What are the objectives here? Are both trying to fool Kashmiris? Could Nawaz Govt be trying to bail out Narendra Modi out of a difficult and embarrassing situation? Is Washington signaling something to Islamabad?
Current predicament, and growing human tragedy, in Kashmir is utterly painful. But its a mess wholly and solely created by Indian intransigence. India’s increasing desire, getting worse since Modi’s rise to power in Delhi, to forcibly integrate Kashmir into the India proper like any normal Indian state, in total disconnect with region’s history has set the stage for the massive protests. The killing of Burhan Wani was an Indian action, the spontaneous outpouring of grief by hundreds and thousands of Kashmiris only reflected the helplessness, the widespread anger, the alienation that exists there to India’s rule. Brutal suppression of peaceful unarmed political protests by common citizens was once again an Indian decision. Where else, in which other part of India, have Indian authorities ever responded to political protests by pellets? The highhandedness, the sheer insensitivity towards Kashmiris only proved that its not only Kashmiris who don’t consider themselves ‘Indians’ but Indian state also treats them as ‘aliens’ as ‘outsiders’
Modi government’s repeated attempts to divert attention from the crisis in Kashmir by endlessly talking of Baluchistan, reflects its desire to convince Indians and the world at large that its problems in Kashmir are only due to Pakistan. As the protests in Kashmir mounted, as the international media started to focus, and as the Indian civil society started to ask difficult questions, the entire Indian establishment, its assets in media, its assets in think tanks, its old hands now positioned in social media all started to sing chorus of ‘Why world does not talk of Baluchistan?’. Receiving signals from their minders in Delhi, the self-exiled Baluch leaders, assets in Pakistan’s so called civil society and media all started to harp of Baluchistan. This situation finally culminated in the savage act of terrorism in Quetta in which almost 100 innocent people, mostly lawyers, lost their lives. It looked like the ‘real thing’ Modi government was waiting for. So after the terrorism in Quetta, a visibly pleased Narendra Modi unabashedly took to the podium as champion of Baluch grievances with veiled and not so veiled threats towards Pakistan.
So can the geniuses in Pakistan’s foreign office – Honorable Sartaj Aziz & Company – and PM Nawaz explain what are they up to? What can they offer India at this stage? How can their overtures help Kashmiris? And if they also know what everyone else knows that talks on Kashmir, especially at this stage, will not result in anything then the simple but awkward question is: why are they making these offers? (As Sartaj Aziz and Pakistan’s foreign secretary did 2-3 days ago, first by statements and then by inviting Indian High Commissioner). Even more interesting question, a real million dollar question is: Why India is even willing to talk? What can India get out of Pakistan? After all we have seen and we have heard the positions of Rajnath Singh, India’s home minister and Mr. Parrikar, the Defense Minister. Important cabinet ministers they are, and their sentiments fully backed up by Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi don’t leave any doubts as to what Indian political establishment’s position is. So what is Nawaz Government upto? Series of puzzling questions brings us to the mother of questions: Is this a purely Pakistani initiative or Pakistanis have been told, ordered or requested to come up with optics to fool Kashmiris, and bail out Modi government out of its difficult and embarrassing moments?
Painful reality is: Pakistan has no solution, to the current situation in Indian part of Kashmir. Call it ‘Indian Occupied Kashmir’ or the ‘Indian Administered Kashmir’ the fact is that its under Indian control and maintaining essentials of human life, of movement, of economic activity and so on are Indian responsibility. Irrespective of what long term solution emerges, – autonomy, greater autonomy whatever – in the immediate, its Indian responsibility to provide and maintain peace and to preserve the dignity of human life. None of the Indian actions, spread over the past forty days or so, so far look reassuring. Amidst this scenario, any actions, overtures or gestures on part of Nawaz governemnt that creates the impression that Pakistan somehow holds the key to the present crisis only plays in to the Indian propaganda – internally to the Indian public and externally to the world at large – that ‘Pakistan holds the key’. This is another repeat of the American mess in Afghanistan, where the US continues to demand of Pakistan to fix up what it has filed to do despite its massive resources.
India has to realize that Kashmir is not ‘India proper’; its neither a standard normal Indian state even under the terms of accession which India exploits to justify its control, nor it is so under the Indian Constitutional arrangement that accepts a special status under Article: 370. India must find an immediate solution, an immediate solution for the present crisis; it may not be the maximalist demand of ‘Azadi’ as expressed by Kashmir’s restless youth but it certainly can be some sort of ‘greater autonomy’ that changes the status quo, structured in a way that Indian governments can sell to the Indian public, media and politics.
Acrobatics of Nawaz Government, as witnessed so far, can provide ‘insincere optics of Indo-Pakistani talks’; these optics will be sold by the ‘Modi sarkar’ to the world as evidence of Indian efforts to find a solution and as proof of Pakistani intervention from outside. PM media team in Islamabad can definitely sell these ’empty gestures’ to the PMLN’s poorly educated punjabi support base, as amazingly bold moves by Nawaz Sharif for the suffering Kashmiris and Kashmir cause; but the sad reality is: Nawaz government appears only to be playing in the hands of Modi Sarkar. Is this by stupidity or by design? We don’t know.
[Moeed Pirzada, TV Anchor, Columnist & Blogger, is Editor Strategic Affairs with Dunya News Pakistan. He studied International Relations at Columbia University New York and Law at London School of Economics. He tweets at: MoeedNj]