General Musharraf – Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Dear AhmadZai, on your long treatise on the various heads, here is a a line from a poem written by me.

Mera Raquib merey endher hai
Mera wajood mera dushman hai
Mein apney aap sey jang mein hoon
Meri halat merey watan si hai

I feel the biggest monster is ourselves,preventing the conglomerate from fermenting into a nation. There is too much hate, suspicion and self vulnerability in our assesments. We have to get out of it.

I would list the indicaters as;
1) Socio economic development on a fast track.
2) Political stability that ensures policy consistency and achievement of 1.
3) Dispensation of justice and social equity to the masses, a sense of well being.
4) Gradual erosion of the elites
Once these come, issues like sectarianism, violence, ethnicity and overbearing attitude of some states would wither away. Lets forget about Ummah and Co and just look after ourselves. It would be Highway to heaven.

I am sorry, but no silk route has thus far opened, nor will it till the Tiger in Pakistan is tamed. That is a stark reality and USA`s reliance on Pakistan a mere expediency. Mussharaf is trying intelligently to make the best out of the worst and he needs the nation behind him.
Khan Sahib delivered the enriched uranium but in the process also blackmailed the country. I feel, the President has been too kind to him. Just to have a feel this is a copy of my commnets on Hoodbhoy`s Article in a US newspaper.
I have followed Hoodbhoy`s pacificm in Pakistan for a very long time. He is indeed an avid PACIFIST and entiltled to his views but ought to also understand the meaning of independence. It ends where the other`s nose begins.
Just when this fiasco had just begun to unravel, I saw Hoodbhoy on a TV show hell bent on convincing that Pakistan as a State and Establishment were knee deep in Proliferation. Well there may be many who may think so but why damage the image of your country in the name of Value Neutrality. His solo in an internationally realist paradigm will neither do good to him nor to the motherland. It would have been more admirable if he had provided guidelines and inputs on how Pakistan should get out of this TWISTER.

I for one feel that the Government of Pakistan by admitting that its program was covert has taken a very bold stand. Declaring that the program is now ouvert means that Pakistan has commited itself to non proliferation rules of the game and hence scrutiny, which in any case was always there.

Perhaps many doomsday psuedos miss the point that Dr. Khan`s sole responsibility was enrichment and not weaponisation. That role was played by an entirely different organisation under the PAEC. Ouvert declaration perhaps also implies that Pakistan has also mastered the PU route and is now self sufficient. There was a big message when the President said that our capability has moved beyond the Minimum Deterrence.

I agree that the case is not closed and there will be tremendous pressure on Pakistan in the days to come. There will be caliberated, covert and coercive attemts to tame the Tiger. We as a nation will have to stand to it and not melt way like Saddam, Iran and Libya. I feel that given that Pakistan demonstrate responsibility and firmness on proliferation, route out of the woods would not be afar.

Here is one more gift to Mushy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/08/business/worldbusiness/08rese.html

Two conflicting News .

First one is from ``Jang`` of Oct. 8th.

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US agents to screen visas in Pakistan

WASHINGTON: Agents from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are to deploy at US embassies and consulates in five Muslim nations to oversee visa issuance as part of a sweeping overhaul of immigration procedures, officials said on Tuesday.

DHS, which in August stationed officials at US embassies and consulates in Saudi Arabia, will early next year begin placing agents at missions in Egypt, Indonesia, Morocco, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, they said.

The countries were chosen because of the high volume of visa requests they process and the presence of members of al-Qaeda and other groups hostile to US on their territory or in neighbouring states, a DHS official said. ``These first officials and first postings will have regional responsibilities`` for visa oversight, said DHS spokesman Gordan Johndroe.

He said the deployment — an initial round based on the transfer of visa authority from the State Department to DHS which was announced last week — would involve about 12 agents but would likely grow. ``It really depends on the volume,`` Johndroe said.

Missions that will house DHS officers include the US embassies in Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Jakarta and Islamabad and the US consulate in Casablanca. The announcement comes days after the State Department ceded much of its visa authority to the Department of Homeland Security under tightened immigration laws.

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and

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US reduces visa charges for Indians

http://headlines.sify.com/2506news4.html?headline=US~reduces~visa~charges~for~Indians

ahmadzai #41

`` Malaysia and Nigeria are called Muslim states as such by their people. Both are members of the OIC. They are defined as Muslim states in west`s policy papers, etc. ``

Let us be blunt. You called Malaysia a economic success story. The prosperity Malaysia enjoys is a function of the 30% wealthy Chinese minority. Give Mahathir some credit for inter-race relations.

Nigeria`s corruption, drug smuggling, riots have to do with the fact it is a multi-ethnic society. Not to mention all the oil is in non-Muslim areas. Most of the news articles in Western media on Nigeria will dwell on the above.

`` The votes they got increased from 5% to 11%, mainly in my province of the NWFP. I have written several times that it was sympathy votes on the basis of bombing news reaching from Afghanistan regularly reporting that innocent Pakhtoons were being killed. Also I am talking about the future. Please read my message again ``

Sympathy vote or not my guess is that some of the MMA constituents have made significant gains in the short to medium term.

AHMEDZAI
Quote
My original message was from the point of view of listing impending dangers to Pakistanis (and therefore, being his supporter, to President Musharraf). They are only for the consumption of Pakistanis. Pakistanis have to make a strategy to combat the monster. You have every right to feel other way. The monster may have been created by us in the past, it may be friendly to you or perhaps my analysis may appear incorrect to you. Those may be your views. Let us agree to disagree, but from Pakistani perspective, IMHO, these are the mega problems confronting us and we have to find a solution for them.
Unquote

Chowk is a unique place. It is nice to note that you are not interested in imposing your opinion on the rest of us here. It would be more benificial if people use this as a oppurtunity to broaden their minds and understand each other (U & Me included). In a global village, issues facing one country do effect others. Let me assure you that your monster doesnt befriend us. It doesnt sleep in our territory during day and prey on yours during nights! Fundamentalism and terrorism are nobodies friends.

Luv,
CC

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ahmadzai #42

A mature approach. We just hope the Pakistani approach is not rooted in ideology and behavior against India. When someone thinks and acts against you, you think and act against them. That creates bitterness. Just a thought - we are neighbors, so working together is a better option.

Babu at # 35:

I would like to respond to the following only:

``Malayasia is 55% Muslim. Nigeria is 52% Muslim. They are really multiracial socities. Stop calling them Muslim. ``

Malaysia and Nigeria are called Muslim states as such by their people. Both are members of the OIC. They are defined as Muslim states in west`s policy papers, etc.

``The groups that form the MMA never won more than 5% of seats in a Pakistani election (for what it is worth). After Sep-11 they get close to 30% of seats in parliament. It does not look like marginalization to me.``

The votes they got increased from 5% to 11%, mainly in my province of the NWFP. I have written several times that it was sympathy votes on the basis of bombing news reaching from Afghanistan regularly reporting that innocent Pakhtoons were being killed. Also I am talking about the future. Please read my message again

To posters other than Babu and Babu`s posts other than # 35:

I have read your messages and respect your views.

My original message was from the point of view of listing impending dangers to Pakistanis (and therefore, being his supporter, to President Musharraf). They are only for the consumption of Pakistanis. Pakistanis have to make a strategy to combat the monster. You have every right to feel other way. The monster may have been created by us in the past, it may be friendly to you or perhaps my analysis may appear incorrect to you. Those may be your views. Let us agree to disagree, but from Pakistani perspective, IMHO, these are the mega problems confronting us and we have to find a solution for them.

...good ole paki whining at its best....

Ahmadzai -

{I watched an Indian movie once in which the villan takes a ride on a cab owned by heroe`s friend and does not pay him the fare. When the taxi driver asks for fare, the villan tells him that he is the Goon of the area, how come he asked for fare. When the taxi driver insisted, the goon called in his friends and all of them made fun of the taxi driver. The taxi driver keeps insisting. He is finally beaten and sent packing. The last sentence from the bad guy `` bara akarta thaa saala``. }

what were you doing watching Indian movies? Aren`t you funding the anti-pakistan, anti-muslim country ruled by a democratically elected fundamentalist government? or did you think that it was okay as the money might actually be landing up in Dawood-bhai`s hand via the mumbai-dubai-karachi route?


you know, i actually saw another movie with similar characters..

no hero, no villain. a person takes a ride on a cab. the cabbie drops off the passenger at home, the passenger looks at the meter and pays the fare. cabbie asks for more money. passenger is confused, shows cabbie the meter, and says there is no reason to pay more. Cabbie begins by mumbling a few different reasons (maybe he just expected a little more) and then starts shouting at the passenger. The more the cabbie shouts, the more he convinces himself that he is right.

Passenger, having given his dues, ignores cabbie and goes home. The cabbie throws a few small stones at the passengers house and runs away. As he passenger goes about his day-to-day business, the cabbie keeps coming to trouble him and run. An odd time the passenger would catch this guy, slap him across the face and then let him go (was that a mistake??). That sobers the cabbie up for a bit but not for long... the original problem almost forgotten, the self-righteous cabbie`s main aim in life is to trouble this guy come what may - the fact that the cabbie has stopped eating and has become emaciated does not even enter his mind.


I didn`t this movie fully. Not sure if the guy realizes he has to focus on his own food to survive... or if he dies a slow and painful death.


Take good care of yourself ahmadzai. May god (irrespective of religion) bless you.

ahmadzai #33,

Perhaps you need to get a better understanding of how political lobbying works
in the US, and why it works that way. It is not an activity based on ethics but on
self-interest (enlightened self-interest mostly), and you may be surprised to know
that Pakistani lobbyists are no exception to that.

You mentioned that ``As a group, Indians are showing both anti-Pakistani and
anti-Muslim behavior``

You rationalize the anti-India stance of Pakistanis - Kashmir is seemingly the
reason. Is is unreasonable for Indians to adopt an anti-Pakistan posture for precisely
the same reason ? Any insights into why an anti-Muslim India is forging close
economic and military ties with Iran and Malaysia ?

Dear Ahmadzai ,

Let me first congratulate on getting 4/6 in Scyllas heads dead right!
But your other two are rather absurd candidates....
Let us look at it as 6 headed monster standing before Pak as a nation... or rather between Pak and its success as a nation....
Obviously your options 4,5 are the ones I would like to replace....

4) would be Musharaff himself as a representation/personification of over enthusiastic power mongering army crushing down the aspirations of people of its country by over throwing democratic governments time and again.. Army power mongering has been one of the gravest problems pak has been facing ever since it came into existance...

5) lack of awareness amonst the people of Pak (you for a typical example)... who rather than straining their softest tissues for a second in deciding what is right or wrong! ... leave it to those, who by a curse of heavens have come to earth with an empty cranium...
I think my #5 is rather difficult for any pakistani to digest or even for a moments consideration as it flares up egos....

Your #5 is absurd... jahan aag hain.. wahan dhuaa to hoga hi... pak intne itne ache kam karta hain..... uski dandora pitne wala to kaoi na koi hona chahiye.. hain ki nahin?

the Advani,... list at worst can risk the secular credentials of India... and your complaints of anti-pak policy are rather childish.. what else do you expect after 2 wars... and 10 years of ``struggle for freedom`` enacted by pakistani and afghan citizens played in streets of J&K... (that there is a real struggle for Kashmiriat is a fact I am not foolish enough to deny...)

Wake up... before it is too late... while the world races into the digital millenium... the 6 headed... is pushing you back into the dark ages...

Luv,
C C

ahmadzai #31

`` The western and especially US media is full of news that creates negative perception about Muslim countries. I mentioned Arab world and Pakistan as two regions that are associated with the Muslim world. Now add to it Iran and Nigeria. Does it not mean that it is only Muslim countries that are on the receiving end? Lately, the media has also been harsh on Indonesia. This leaves Malaysia alone as a major Muslim country remaining untouched. But not touching Malaysia, Gambia, Mali, etc. does not disconfirm the evidence. Arabs, Pakistanis, Iranians, Nigerians and Indonesians constitute over 75% of Muslim world. Even the successful example of Malaysia is not covered in the western world like that of e.g. South Korea or India. This also goes to prove the bias of western media against Muslims.``

Malayasia is 55% Muslim. Nigeria is 52% Muslim. They are really multiracial socities. Stop calling them Muslim.

Media has been harsh on Indonesia because they have been soft on Islamic groups responsible for the Bali bombing. Indonesia has been unstable for the past 5-6 years. They deserve all the criiticism they get.

Even if the Western media is biased what is your point ? I can cite countless examples of bias in the Pakistani media or any other media.

`` However, I would like to bring the attention of Indians back to what was my original point. I pointed to the stories being circulated in the west about Pakistan that are like one head of the Scylla for Pakistanis (and therefore, President Musharraf). This head will be quite difficult to squash. Another head that would be hard to squash would be the threat to us by the extremist and fundamentalist Hindu Government of India. The problem with latter is that its a democratically elected extremist party with a pronounced anti Pakistani agenda at home and abroad and a pronounced anti-Muslim agenda at home. The Indians as a group of people are very comfortable with its anti-Muslim agenda and have condoned it. Now I have absolutely no problem in an extremist Hindu Government next door, except when it declares an all out war on my country. ``

The extremist BJP has no problem expanding relations with Muslim states like Iran, Turkey and Malaysia. These states enjoy better relations with India than any time in history. Maybe the problem is with Pakistan or Pakistanis not Muslims.


`` The remaining 4 heads (i.e. Al Qaeda, Talibans, Mullas of MMA and BB-Nawaz nexus) are being slowly wounded and will be marginalized soon.``

The groups that form the MMA never won more than 5% of seats in a Pakistani election (for what it is worth). After Sep-11 they get close to 30% of seats in parliament. It does not look like marginalization to me.