Marginalized Inching Forward - We the People
If NRO is a major compromise, which I do not think it is and I will be putting forth my opinion, later in this post, proving that it is not, even then it does not give any right to the people who have always been pro-Establishment along ages to criticize Peoples' Party. For had it not been for these pseudo educated from middle and upper classes of Pakistan, we the people of Pakistan would not have reached where we are. Needless to say, that the people criticizing PPP for a deal were the same people who hailed Musharaf as savior, those men in black and women in red who were the 2% who voted for him in referendum, who hailed the feel good factor Pakistan was enjoying overseas, and who hailed the fact that he is a shield between the corrupt politicians and their voters (who by the way were People of Pakistan in general) and the power and is an example of good governance with team of technocrats like Abdul Sattars, Shaukat Azizs (the gigolo), Javed Jabbars, Rashid Qureshis and Hafiz Sheikhs (does any one remember the chap - who according to many is responsible for financial scams worth more than our entire pre-Musharaf history). They were the same people who thought, and many of them still do no matter how much they talk of rule of law and principles, that democracy is not for illiterate, low level, dirty masses of Pakistan.
And it is not only with Musharaf, these people are the same who hailed Ayub Khan for his Decade of Progress in which rich got richer and poor got poorer and East got alienated to West to the point of break up. They were the henchmen of Qayyum League. They were the Data Sahab group of Zia-ul-Haq. They hailed when the socialist, kafir Bhutto was hanged and people of Pakistan were tear gassed, tortured, lashed, and baton-charged in the length and breadth of the country. Same people who arranged for women in black veils to cast proxy ballots for dead women in support of IJI. Same people for whom even with a 91 to 55 mandate, it was justified not to call Benazir Bhutto to form the government. The people who demanded, and then hailed, barring of popular leadership from election process (Khan sahab kahan munh chupain ge) and stamped it through 17th amendment (Mullah, halwa aur Zia Ul Haq). Those who bashed popular leadership on PTV shows (Ayaz Amir Sahab I have a high regard for you magar kya kareen is Hamam main buhat se nangae hain).
Worst still, MMA is claiming chaste and pious even after 17th amendment and those who ran to Jeddah on conditions of the regime, now criticize those who made regime surrender to all their demands (and by the way demands made in Charter of Democracy in the first place - you can find the charter on this blog).
And, Lo and Behold, Q Leaguers are opposing it on principles - do I really need say more?
To all of them who have sided oppressor when the people of Pakistan fought for their rights, democracy, constitution and rule of law, and a fair share, you have no right to criticize those who have fought every inch of their way on this road with blood, flesh and soul. For had it not been for you and your support to oppressors and their acts in last six decades, we the people of Pakistan would not have been where we are and Pakistan would not have been a sorry that it is but a glory that it ought to be.
We stood our ground all along and we will. You have turned to words of democracy and rule of law when your interests have been threatened by the growing global trends of liberalism, democracy and social and corporate justice, we the people of Pakistan will not let anyone hijack our cause and our struggle. Follow us, or we the people of Pakistan will show you where you belong. If we can eventually make a Military general succumb to all our demands, through long, hard and continuous struggle, including shedding uniform, nominating successor (difference between drama of MMA and the real stuff now), accepting demands on election and vote count process, and withdrawing cases against the dirty politicians and bowing to the "Security Risk and Most Corrupt Politician" (needless to say she remained the most popular leader of us the Pakistanis).
Our men were made to be transported to Presidency to take oath as Ministers by the same man (Ghulam Ishaq Khan) who jailed them and now we have triumphed once more on our conditions. It is not a victory of Benazir Bhutto or Asif Zardari but of millions of people of Pakistan who stood by them when the establishment tried everything they could to throw them out of polity. Hail - the people of Pakistan.
And what has PPP given in return for acceptance of its demands? It boycotted the Presidential Election. It still is in courts to challenge Musharaf's legitimacy and courts can give any decision. And in case courts once again validate Musharaf, what can anyone do? Come to streets - in these testing times? If disaster is eminent, violent and agitated streets will make it certain. What can be done if the only choice at the end of the day will be between a military rule and an Afghanistan style all out civil war? We will be better of with out both but, actuality indicates that we need to think about this issue seriously and now. Even I do not have a clear answer on this.
And those simpletons who still advocate joint opposition action, can MMA be trusted? Do not blame Maulana Fazal Ur Rehman alone for this. Who had the speaker in NWFP assembly who was not willing to suspend the rules to lead for a swift dissolution of NWFP assembly? And who asked Maulana to reveal to press that Provincial Assembly will be dissolved on 2nd October (Qazi sahab sharam khao)? And even Nawaz Sharif is having vibes from ISI - sorry it is bitter but true. Was not his ill-planned, dumb decision to return gave Musharaf an opportunity to regain what he lost since March 9th?
And compare this deal to those that MMA and Nawaz Sharif made. Did not Sharif run away when ARD could have challenged Musharaf in his early days before 9/11 gave him power doze and ran on terms suiting Musharaf. Shame on the media persons who still call themselves principled criticizing NRO. A convicted Sharif was given pardon and you were silent, Ishrat became governor and you were silent, convicted MMA ministers took oath in Balochistan and you were silent and now you cry foul when people who could not be convicted in a decade are given amnesty? You stink!!!! And do I need say anything about MMA and the leg on which they stand criticizing PPP????
It was important that the amnesty be given, not for Bhutto the person, but for principle. PPP has always maintained that cases were fabricated. Not one has been proven in 12 years and more importantly it is corruption that the henchmen of Pakistan Army always use as an excuse to come to power. People of Pakistan voted PPP all acorss despite these charges. Supreme Court turned them down labeling "bias was evident on surface of trial". Nawaz Sharif acknowledged they were malafide and were fabricated by Saif Ur Rehamn. Saif Ur Rehman apologized to Zardari in public. 6 of the 11 cases have been struck down by the courts. Musharaf and his prodigies called Benazir and PPP corrupt. So to have a moral thumping victory, it was a necessity. And even more so, just when corruption is the excuse for every general to jump to power, it has robbed the generals of this excuse, for for the very first time, generals have acknowledged they fabricated cases against polity and public representatives.
And last but certainly not the least, from Shujat Hussain to Nawaz Sharif, from Imran Khan to MQM, from Mullahs to Agencies and their cronies in media, everyone is crying foul and have united once more in their animosity for PPP and people of Pakistan. Same forces of regression that have been there since 50s. From PNA to IJI to today, they have resisted the will of we the people. This time they are scared to death, for the tide of wind of change behind us is stronger than ever. We have made a general succumb to us. It is not the final victory, but we, the marginalized, are moving forward.
This is not the time to be divided but be united. We need to make sure that we come out on election day, we vote and we resist these forces of regression every inch of our way. Our aim is a sovereign parliament, a liberal and democratic Pakistan, social justice and equality of opportunity, and tolerant and live society. We need to move forward united. Put all your strength behind PPP. Make them come to power. I have faith in them that if we give them strength they will deliver. And they know, that it was our power that made a general succumb and so their only option is to count on us and to deliver.
And it is not only with Musharaf, these people are the same who hailed Ayub Khan for his Decade of Progress in which rich got richer and poor got poorer and East got alienated to West to the point of break up. They were the henchmen of Qayyum League. They were the Data Sahab group of Zia-ul-Haq. They hailed when the socialist, kafir Bhutto was hanged and people of Pakistan were tear gassed, tortured, lashed, and baton-charged in the length and breadth of the country. Same people who arranged for women in black veils to cast proxy ballots for dead women in support of IJI. Same people for whom even with a 91 to 55 mandate, it was justified not to call Benazir Bhutto to form the government. The people who demanded, and then hailed, barring of popular leadership from election process (Khan sahab kahan munh chupain ge) and stamped it through 17th amendment (Mullah, halwa aur Zia Ul Haq). Those who bashed popular leadership on PTV shows (Ayaz Amir Sahab I have a high regard for you magar kya kareen is Hamam main buhat se nangae hain).
Worst still, MMA is claiming chaste and pious even after 17th amendment and those who ran to Jeddah on conditions of the regime, now criticize those who made regime surrender to all their demands (and by the way demands made in Charter of Democracy in the first place - you can find the charter on this blog).
And, Lo and Behold, Q Leaguers are opposing it on principles - do I really need say more?
To all of them who have sided oppressor when the people of Pakistan fought for their rights, democracy, constitution and rule of law, and a fair share, you have no right to criticize those who have fought every inch of their way on this road with blood, flesh and soul. For had it not been for you and your support to oppressors and their acts in last six decades, we the people of Pakistan would not have been where we are and Pakistan would not have been a sorry that it is but a glory that it ought to be.
We stood our ground all along and we will. You have turned to words of democracy and rule of law when your interests have been threatened by the growing global trends of liberalism, democracy and social and corporate justice, we the people of Pakistan will not let anyone hijack our cause and our struggle. Follow us, or we the people of Pakistan will show you where you belong. If we can eventually make a Military general succumb to all our demands, through long, hard and continuous struggle, including shedding uniform, nominating successor (difference between drama of MMA and the real stuff now), accepting demands on election and vote count process, and withdrawing cases against the dirty politicians and bowing to the "Security Risk and Most Corrupt Politician" (needless to say she remained the most popular leader of us the Pakistanis).
Our men were made to be transported to Presidency to take oath as Ministers by the same man (Ghulam Ishaq Khan) who jailed them and now we have triumphed once more on our conditions. It is not a victory of Benazir Bhutto or Asif Zardari but of millions of people of Pakistan who stood by them when the establishment tried everything they could to throw them out of polity. Hail - the people of Pakistan.
And what has PPP given in return for acceptance of its demands? It boycotted the Presidential Election. It still is in courts to challenge Musharaf's legitimacy and courts can give any decision. And in case courts once again validate Musharaf, what can anyone do? Come to streets - in these testing times? If disaster is eminent, violent and agitated streets will make it certain. What can be done if the only choice at the end of the day will be between a military rule and an Afghanistan style all out civil war? We will be better of with out both but, actuality indicates that we need to think about this issue seriously and now. Even I do not have a clear answer on this.
And those simpletons who still advocate joint opposition action, can MMA be trusted? Do not blame Maulana Fazal Ur Rehman alone for this. Who had the speaker in NWFP assembly who was not willing to suspend the rules to lead for a swift dissolution of NWFP assembly? And who asked Maulana to reveal to press that Provincial Assembly will be dissolved on 2nd October (Qazi sahab sharam khao)? And even Nawaz Sharif is having vibes from ISI - sorry it is bitter but true. Was not his ill-planned, dumb decision to return gave Musharaf an opportunity to regain what he lost since March 9th?
And compare this deal to those that MMA and Nawaz Sharif made. Did not Sharif run away when ARD could have challenged Musharaf in his early days before 9/11 gave him power doze and ran on terms suiting Musharaf. Shame on the media persons who still call themselves principled criticizing NRO. A convicted Sharif was given pardon and you were silent, Ishrat became governor and you were silent, convicted MMA ministers took oath in Balochistan and you were silent and now you cry foul when people who could not be convicted in a decade are given amnesty? You stink!!!! And do I need say anything about MMA and the leg on which they stand criticizing PPP????
It was important that the amnesty be given, not for Bhutto the person, but for principle. PPP has always maintained that cases were fabricated. Not one has been proven in 12 years and more importantly it is corruption that the henchmen of Pakistan Army always use as an excuse to come to power. People of Pakistan voted PPP all acorss despite these charges. Supreme Court turned them down labeling "bias was evident on surface of trial". Nawaz Sharif acknowledged they were malafide and were fabricated by Saif Ur Rehamn. Saif Ur Rehman apologized to Zardari in public. 6 of the 11 cases have been struck down by the courts. Musharaf and his prodigies called Benazir and PPP corrupt. So to have a moral thumping victory, it was a necessity. And even more so, just when corruption is the excuse for every general to jump to power, it has robbed the generals of this excuse, for for the very first time, generals have acknowledged they fabricated cases against polity and public representatives.
And last but certainly not the least, from Shujat Hussain to Nawaz Sharif, from Imran Khan to MQM, from Mullahs to Agencies and their cronies in media, everyone is crying foul and have united once more in their animosity for PPP and people of Pakistan. Same forces of regression that have been there since 50s. From PNA to IJI to today, they have resisted the will of we the people. This time they are scared to death, for the tide of wind of change behind us is stronger than ever. We have made a general succumb to us. It is not the final victory, but we, the marginalized, are moving forward.
This is not the time to be divided but be united. We need to make sure that we come out on election day, we vote and we resist these forces of regression every inch of our way. Our aim is a sovereign parliament, a liberal and democratic Pakistan, social justice and equality of opportunity, and tolerant and live society. We need to move forward united. Put all your strength behind PPP. Make them come to power. I have faith in them that if we give them strength they will deliver. And they know, that it was our power that made a general succumb and so their only option is to count on us and to deliver.
Comments
Everything is fine. How about things at your end? Studying a lot or just ‘Babesitting’?
I just read your blog about NRO. One important point missing in the analysis is the fact that withdrawing of cases against all the political parties including PPP will curtail the maneuvering capabilities of the Agencies in the post election scenario. Who knows it better than PPP how the Establishment has been using these cases as a ‘stick’ to make the politicians fall in line where the ‘carrot only’ policy didn’t work? Nobody is highlighting the fact that this will certainly help reduce the number of ‘Patriots’ in all the political parties in future.
But honestly speaking, the media has created such an air against the NRO that it has indeed become a tricky situation for PPP. I hope that Benazir’s return, her reception and her eventual strategy redeems the situation to a reasonable extent.
Will exchange more on this later.
Take care,
Kashif…………….