We Need Sanity !

After spending my whole life here in Pakistan, one thing I understood is that our biggest dilemma is our inability to think rationally. We are the champions of creating conspiracy theories. We are the experts in forging history the way we like. We like to be self-righteous and normally lake the courage to hear the opposite opinion. We express our patriotism by hate speech against India. For us army is the only non-corrupt and trustworthy institute in this country. And though we all vote for them, we believe politicians form the single most corrupt class of people in this country. We never practice Islam ourselves but fanatically talk about implementing it on others. This has always been in our blood though accelerated in Zia regime.

Both India and Pakistan dedicate the lion`s share of their budgets on their militaries. I am not sure but perhaps the percentage of defence budget in these two countries is highest in the world with quite a margin. This is done on the name of threats that we both countries pose to each other. I don`t know about India but we, here in Pakistan, don`t even know the exact amount of money we are spending on our defence because it is a national secret. The defense budget cannot be discussed even in Parliament which consists of direct representatives of the public of Pakistan. So nobody knows, except of course our security establishment, that how or where this money is spent. 

Now just take a moment and think for a second what if we could spend major share of our budget on education, health, jobs, poverty, and development. Just think who is benefitting from Pakistan being a national security state than being a welfare state. Who benefits most from this continuing conflict between us two countries? It is the security establishment of both the countries that don`t like peace to sustain between both the countries. Because the only reason both the countries are madly spending on military is because of tensions between both countries. If somehow peace can be sustained through some treaty, the most affected parties will be military establishments of both countries. So, they don`t let peace sustain between the two nations. Whenever both the countries are reaching towards some positive agreement security establishments of both countries create tensions between both countries by either directly interfering or using extremist groups. In India they use Hindu extremist groups which spread hate speech against Pakistan and here in Pakistan our military establishment controls Islamic extremist groups which spread hate speech against India and some even urge you to go to jihad in India.

 Now the question is why we hate India? Once this fact is established that it’s our military establishment that don`t want good relations with India because it will stop their “income”, it’s simple to know then why we hate India? For about 35 years we have been illegally ruled by military dictators. In their tenures basic human rights were suspended and they were the center of all the powers in the country against the will of public of Pakistan. Even the rules of civilian governments were controlled by military. So when they are controlling everything from our syllabuses to our newspapers to what we see on television how do you expect them to show us something that is against their vested interests. We have all grown up in military regimes. So when we are taught form very young ages in schools that we have to hate India, how can we do otherwise? If our relations with India were presented to us as the battle between “Islam” and “kufar”, how can we think otherwise? And they forget that the population of Muslims in India is greater than in Pakistan.

We have been taught from very young ages to blame everything on India (and US and Israel). We were told how India has always shown aggression towards Pakistan and they are to blame for all our wars with them. But we were never told that it was us Pakistanis who started the whole mess in 1965 by military interference in Kashmir in 1965 after assuring United Nations not to do it in 1949-50. It was a disobeying general of Pakistan army who created international incident in 1999 by attacking Indian Territory Kargil against the will of his government. And the officer who should have been punished for this act of indiscipline went on to become the president of Pakistan for next 10 years. Another very interesting fact is that all our major rifts with India happened in regimes of military dictators. And an example of interference by security establishment when both countries were close to settling their issues is 1999 Kargil operation. Indian prime minister visited Pakistan and signed an important agreement with prime minister of Pakistan at Minar-e-Pakistan which had to lead both the countries towards resolving the issues between both the countries. But whole process was disrupted by that general by attacking Kargil against the order of his supreme commander prime minister of Pakistan.

Then there are our war fanatics who are busy on television to spread more and more hate. I am unable to understand why a person like Zaid Hamid, who should be admitted in some mental hospital ASAP, is getting so much air time on our major television channels? All he ever has to say is that whole world is planning against Pakistan and we should first attack the whole world and win the battle. And obviously you have heard rumors, with many proofs, that he is planted by ISI. And don`t forget the columnist with ISRAELI name who has predicted Ghazwa-e-Hind between India and Pakistan in 2013 and has advised us to attack India. And believe me or not people are sharing it madly on social media networks.

Another thing that forces me to think about our sanity as a nation is our portrayal of a local cleric as the most expert person on foreign affairs in the whole country, Hafiz Saeed. He is on television daily attending many shows discussing what should be our foreign policy. And of course you all know that he openly admit sending people to Indian controlled Kashmir to operate against Indian administration. On a show last week on express news he admitted helping Kashmiri jihadists and said he`ll continue to do so. And remember this is what India accuse us of doing and we always deny that no Pakistan state or non-state actor is involved in any such thing. And to my complete non-belief in Dunya news show “TOP STORY” he has claimed that Indians are conducting all terrorist operations in Pakistan and it has nothing to do with Taliban. He said that Indians want to defame Taliban. And I wonder if Ehsanullah Ehsan, TTP spokesperson who graduated from Peshawar University, is from India?

What we need is to think rationally on our relations with India. I am not trying to make a point that only Pakistan is responsible for sour relations, of course India also behave irresponsibly. But we are responsible only of our side. Our government and most of our media has responded very responsibly to the recent events at line of control and we need to support our government. But there is strong sentiment in Pakistan to go mad and attack India. You open your Facebook or twitter page and scroll down, you`ll come to know how insanely people are reacting. So there is a need to spread facts around. Media has a role to educate people on this issue and show some refrain in putting fanatics like Zaid Hamid on screen. I hope someday, not very far, people from both sides of LOC will show sanity and responsibility INSHALLAH. May God bless us all!

P.S. About a year ago when government of Pakistan announce to give “Most favorite nation” status to India, everybody in Pakistan got mad and started criticizing government. The government of Pakistan had promised to give MFN status to India by January 1, 2013. But under this severe pressure we broke our promise and have not given MFN status to India. And here is a fact for all these fanatics that India gave us MFN status 20 years ago and Pakistani businessmen are utilizing this since then. Only last year Pakistani cement industries did business of about 20 billion in India.

GOD BLESS PAKISTAN.
[arslan.moon@gmail.com]

PTI HAS NOT LOST - PAKISTAN HAS WON

                                                          The hope is not gone yet.

The results of election 2013 are almost final now. PML (N) has clearly swept Punjab. PTI is left far behind in no. of seats and PML (N) has clearly emerged as the single largest party in the center and Punjab. The wave of PML (N) across Punjab was so strong that they even grabbed many such seats where they were not even considered to be part of the contest e.g. NA-148, NA-49, NA-122, NA- 84, NA-130, NA-106, NA-111 and so many more. This is a huge win and from the early results it looks like they may not even need to form a coalition.

This, apart from all things, is a big win of democracy and public of Pakistan. A dictator took over in 1999 after throwing out a democratically elected government. This is huge win on part of public of Pakistan who stood up against dictatorship and today has shown their strength to establishment and those bloody terrorists. The public of Pakistan has shown their confidence on the system and democracy. Believe me this is huge victory for Pakistan. The festivity seen yesterday was unheard for an election day in Pakistan. This is our win.

As far as PTI is concerned, I think due to very high hopes supporters of the party seem very disappointed at the moment. For me, if you look closely PTI is victorious on many grounds. Supporters only need to understand that it’s not only forming government that matters, PTI has strongly shown its presence. There are few points I want to share here to show PTI has shown its worth.

    1.       PTI has emerged as a big player in the national scene, as a national party. Big win indeed.

    2.       A party that never won more than one (1) seat in the national assembly has now over 35 seats in the national assembly. It is a huge jump.

    3.       A party which literally had no presence before is now emerging as second largest party of the country. It is a win.

   4.       Ask any neutral person and festivity that gripped Pakistan yesterday was just because of charismatic presence of Imran Khan`s party in the contest. The message of Imran khan brought people from all areas and all classes to come out and vote. WIN

    5.       The emergence of PTI has strengthened this democratic system in Pakistan which was rather falling. Imran Khan gave people the hope that they can change everything from within the system. This is the biggest service of Imran Khan to this country and its people.

     6.       PTI has emerged as a national party. The winners PML (N) clearly emerged victorious from Punjab and presented a disappointed performance in other parts of the country. On the other hands PTI has shown some strong position in KPK, Punjab, Karachi, some urban areas of Sindh and some parts of Quetta, though seats may not reflect this.

                a.       In Karachi PTI stood second in almost all seats and Karachi is one region where even ECP recognized that elections were not conducted as they should have been conducted. But the activities in Karachi yesterday confirmed that PTI has gained a very strong position there.

               b.      PTI even generated strong amount of votes in rural Sindh and presence there can easily be felt.

               c.       In Quetta PTI gained handsome amount of votes.

     7.       The tsunami that Imran Khan was talking about did actually come in KPK. The political heavyweights of PML (N) like Sardar Mehtab Abbassi, Ameer Muqam, Sabir Shah etc and heavyweights of ANP like Ghulam Bilour, Iftikhar Hussain etc were all convincingly defeated by political unknowns of PTI. One such example is Murad Saeed, 29 year old candidate from KPK, who won from NA-29 with a margin of about 50,000 votes and it is important to note that he and his family has no political background.

      8.       PTI now has a chance to form government in KPK which in a way is good thing because with new vote bank generated and their performance in KPK they can win the next elections.

      9.       Even in Punjab which is swept by PML (N), PTI showed its presence throughout the province. PTI won seats from south Punjab like Lodhran etc. and also from rural Punjab like Minawali with huge margin. PTI was second on almost 80% of the seats in Punjab and that is presence well shown for a party which was contesting elections properly for the first time with no prior vote bank.

     10.    PTI now has a chance to sit in the assembly and play their role as strong opposition and show nation that what was missing in last 5 years.

Request from PTI supporters:

The results are out and we have failed to win majority, now accept this with grace and without excuses of rigging. I have read many such things in social media and this actually sends a wrong message about us. A defeat does not mean death. Don`t let this result cold the fire of change in your hearts. We have a long way to go and it is just the start. And believe me we started very well. Look forward to positive things and use the awareness that PTI created among citizens to raise your issues on every forum. Change has come. You have become politically enlightened. Don`t let this enlightenment go away, rather spread it. There is always a next chance and Inshallah we will be back much stronger, Inshallah. Just don`t let the hope go away.  And do pray for Pakistan because more than any individual, it is Pakistan that matters.

                                               PAKISTAN ZINDABAD

METRO LAHORE - PLEASE DO SOMETHING FOR PUBLIC

30 BILLION FOR 45 BUSES AND 27 KM TRACK: METRO BUS LAHORE

February 10, 2013 (Sunday)

When I woke up today, I was surprised. Why? Because everything around me looked exactly as I left it last night. I went out of room and was even more surprised that nothing has changed there either. Now if you are thinking why it should had changed? Then surely you don`t watch television, don`t read newspaper and most probably has never been to any road in Lahore. Because for last few weeks, all the light of attention is only on one thing that is supposed to change the fate of Pakistanis (or precisely Lahorites).  Yup, I am talking about the Metro Bus Project by Government of Punjab (also known as Lahore district government) led by chief minister of Lahore, Oh sorry, Chief minister of  Punjab. 

The Constitution of Pakistan obligates the state to provide free and compulsory quality education to children of the age group 5 to 16 years. “The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such a manner as may be determined by law”. But today Pakistan faces a net primary school attendance rate for both sexes of 66 per cent. A figure below estimated world average of 90 per cent. The total expenditure on education is 2.2 percent of total GNP. The pupil to teacher ratio in Pakistan is 40 as compared to global average ratio of 18. As a student of U.E.T, I observe lack of modern equipment and apparatus (remember U.E.T is the highest ranked public sector engineering institute in Pakistan). With 30 billion rupees, one can build 10 universities in those districts of Punjab where today no university exists. A lot of new schools can be build around the province. One can completely re-invent the whole education system of the province, with a lot of new teachers, modern equipment, scholarships etc. But problem with this lies in the fact that it do not generate enough publicity for khadim-e-Lahore.

Pakistan is ranked 122^nd of 190 countries in global health rankings prepared by WHO. Pakistan is ranked 172^nd of 185 countries in total expenditure on health as percentage of GDP. Only 50% people of Pakistan have access to proper medicine. A lot of people die daily due to lack of proper health facilities and lack of proper equipment  With 30 billion rupees 20 new hospitals with 200 beds each can be raised. With 30 million rupees necessary medical equipment can be spread in hospitals around the province. But again it does not have power to generate enough publicity.

Today half of Pakistan is unemployed. Industries are closing due to falling economic building of Pakistan. The biggest reason cited by experts is energy crisis. After 18th amendment it’s the responsibility of provinces to handle the energy issue as they are handed the major share of money. And 30 billion rupees can be very handy in doing something to solve this issue in near future. With 30 billion rupees, new industries can be build resulting in employment of thousands of unemployed Pakistanis.

A country where people are suiciding due to poverty and lack of basic living facilities, what do you expect government to do? Now if you think government will do something to eradicate poverty and will fulfill their responsibility of providing people with basic facilities in a welfare state, you are totally wrong. The Government actually will build a 27 kilometer long track for a luxurious transport system in a province which consists of 205,344 km² of land. Out of 259, 758 km length of roads in Pakistan, these 27 kilometers are the most special costing more than 30 billion (this is official government figure, opposition claims 70 billion). Adding to these 30 billion are billions more on massive advertisement on television, newspapers and roads. And why these 27 kilometers are special, nobody exactly knows. And surprisingly this time khadim-e-Lahore did discrimination even within Lahore because I don`t see any track in front of my university. In fact half of Lahore is declared unsuitable for this service because I don`t see any tracks there.

Now it is up to you people to decide whether education, health, unemployment, energy crisis, poverty . . . . .  etc are bigger problems or the transport of half of Lahore. People have to decide if free ride on a bus for a month is important or giving free life saving drugs in hospitals. I am reading comments like something is better than  nothing, and looking  at the problems we are facing today, few of which are mentioned above, I`ll say that it is not even “SOMETHING”.

For people of Punjab it is not the day to celebrate, it’s the day to record our protest to khadim-e-Lahore that we are not as dumb as he thinks us to be. It’s the time for us to question him who allowed him to waste our money in such useless projects when we are facing every major problem possible.  It is time to ask him who gave him right to waste our money on publicity of his party. It is time to weep over sense of our politicians, not to celebrate on a 27 Km road and few buses.

Perhaps democracy was never meant to provide health, education, jobs, roti, kapra aur makkan to people of Pakistan. Perhaps it was always meant to provide us with constitutional amendments, roads, sports competitions, laptops, bulbs and fake promises.

May Allah Bless this country.

[M.ARSLAN]

arslan.moon@gmail.com

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Save Your Home First

The beautiful city of Karachi is now the center of crime in Pakistan.

If you regularly follow the social media, you must have known that how our traditional media is under the attack of criticism from social media users over many issues. Currently they are taunted over their ignorance over the issue of massacres of rohingya Muslims in Burma. Every body I see is posting about the negligence of our government on this issue. Everybody is trying to realize you how important it is for you to raise your voice over this issue. Happenings in Burma are clear violation of human rights and there surely is a need to raise voice so that innocent people can be saved. There is a need for muslim countries and United nations to do whatever possible to stop this. But though i`ve nothing against these people on social media raising the issue of Burma and abusing media and Pakistan government, I do have some questions......

Since my childhood I have been seeing the protests and rallies supporting the Kashmirs I have seen all religious parties speaking for the freedom of Kashmir. I have heard Ulemas urging the people in mosques to go for a Jihaad in Kashmir. Well there is a confusion about how much right do Pakistan have to claim Kashmir and what do the people of Kashmir want but  I have no problem with all these people speaking for Kashmirs. But still I have some questions.....

Baluchistan is the largest of the four provinces of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of its total land mass. This region of our country is full of natural resources. A big share of our national income is courtesy these resources of  Baluchistan. The biggest natural gas field in Pakistan is located in Baluchistan. But for last 64 years this province has been the most underprivileged in Pakistan. They never had their share of those great projects planned for all other provinces of Pakistan At most of the places educational institutes are non existent and even if they are present in some regions, they are low in facilities. There exists nothing like law. But how many pages or posts do you see on Facebook about rights of Baluchistan How many tweets are there protesting about injustice with Baluchistan?

Now Baluchistan never got the rights it deserved but unfortunately it is not the only problem for Baluchistan. The peole go missing there rather mysteriously and if their relatives are lucky, they will find brutally tortured and bullet-ridden body at maximum. For most of the people even this courtesy of returning the dead body do not happen.  And the most shocking and rather sad thing is that all these people are actually going in torture rooms of pakistani agencies and military forces. Though I have great respect and love for my army but unfortunately many incidents have been reported by the national media where Paksitan amy killed protesters and has done many things which do not come under the law. The state agencies do not follow any law and you can never feel safe in baluchistan because it can be your turn any day. And once you are picked by these agencies, safe return is very difficult if not impossible. I recently read a satement of army cheif of Pakistan about solving baluchistan issue politicaly and I hope and wish that this could actually happen. But the question is why all those people criticizing media about burma issue are silent about these things in baluchistan. Do the lives of baluchis are worthless? Where are those people who see people dying in the whole world but can not see people dying in thier own country?

Over 700 Hazaras have been murdered in last few months in baluchistan. Thousands of Hazaras have been permanently disabled by terrorist attacks. No terrorist has ever been brought to justice by the Pakistani Government. Responsibility for most of these attacks has been claimed by outlawed group Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, who have gone as far in their hate preach as declaring the community “wajib-ul-qatl” or deserving of death in their edicts handed out in the Balochistan province. But the security forces have failed to stop these acts for last ten years. And this is what human rights commission of Pakistan has to say on this issue,“HRCP unequivocally condemns the attack and is shocked by the authorities’ inability or unwillingness to act against terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, which has repeatedly claimed responsibility for these attacks. The promised probe into the attack must also look into charges of support for the terrorists among the security agencies." And now how many people do you watch on social media raising their voice agisnt it. Where are those religious parties and ulemmas? Why don`t they give fatwas of jihaad aginst those who are killing these hazara people? Why don`t they give fatwas against those people who are killing people in Baluchistan?

Than their is the "City of lights". The life of a common man in karachi is the cheapest thing in the city. The gang wars are common in the city which is called the economic center of Pakistan. You don`t only have to pay tax to government. There are many other gangs who need your money for thier important tasks. Now for years this has been happening with this most important city of Pakistan but how many voices have you heard on social media about these issues. How many political or religious parties have practically done anything for this situation.?

So its my question to all those people blaming eveybody about the negligence in burma issue why don`t they talk about massacres in Bluchistan. Why don`t you speak for hazara people. Why don`t you put pressure on media and government for the peole of Karachi? Why don`t the mullahs, urging the youth to do jihaad in kashmir and in burma, ask thier followers to do jihaad aginst the people killing my countrymen? I`ve seen reports in newspapers about rallies for burma Muslims. This is a good thing because they are our brothers but why their are no rallies for the people of karachi and baluchistan? The religious parties of this coutry regularly organize rallies and marchs for the kashmir. Why are they ignoring their own country?  Why are you all genius people on social media not protesting about the massacres in Pakistan? I guess they are busy in rather much important task of defending their political parties. Or they are busy in abusing media.

All these things do not mean that I am against speaking for muslims in burma or speaking for human right violations in kashmir. I sure do have a feeling for these muslims, the brothers of ours. But I can`t stop myself from thinking first for my own country. I always think of Pakistan first. So do care for muslims in Burma, do care for Kashmir, do care for whole world but first do care for your own country. Please save your home first.

[M.ARSLAN]

Pakistan First

Despite countless different problems in Pakistan, both the big opposition parties are rather focusing on accusing and abusing each other.

We heard how social media fueled the whole arab spring. Though in Pakistna there is nothing like arab spring, because apparently this time around we want to bring change with our votes, but the social media has become extremely active here in recent times. With the general elections round the corner, some analysts have gone to the extent of predicting that social media will influence public opinion more than on-the-ground campaigning.

Until recently PTI has an almost complete grip over the whole social media. And PTI has been often mocked as party of internet users. But recently we`ve seen that PTI`s internet popularity has also inspired other major political parties to enter in this ground. And though one of the largest parties of Pakistan PPPP is still almost non-existent on social media, PML(n) has made quite a space for themselves. Its a good think because it provides chance to millions of users to share their political views with each other and to discuss manifestos of diffrent parties. But it has been observed that social media has rather effected negatively.

On ground both these parties,PTI and PML(n), are busy in dirty game of abusing each other, without realizing coultless problems that we as a nation are facing. But rather more unfortunately , this phenomena of abusing each other is going more strongly among the supporters of these two parties on social media. The supporters of both parties see their leaders as angels who can not do anything wrong. They feel it their duty to defend every wrong and right of their leader. And they have gone so far in this practice that it seems to me like their parties are more important to them than their country. And Its not about supporters of any single party, this phenomena is common amongst all parties.

I have decided to vote for PTI in next elextions and i had been a vocal supporter for PTI or should I say i am a supporter of PTI. But I never thought that Imran Khan can never do anything wrong. He clearly had made many wrong decisions recently. He came up with a vision for youngsters and new people and honestly now these things are quite difficult to find in PTI. I wanted him to stop accusing others and presnt his own policies and manifestoes but until recently the focus of his politics is basicly on accusing and abusing others. But I`ll not go deep into his policies because my focus is on what his supporters are doing in social media. Firstly they want everyone to praise PTI. And if any journalist or analyst expresses his views against some policy or decision of PTI, firstly he`ll have to face abuses and then whole social media will be full with photos and posts that will suggest that he has been paid by PML(n). Same is the case with PML(n) supporters.

There is nothing like ethics that these people follow. They`ll abuse the leaders of other parties and they never feel any hesitation in entering into personal lives of those politicians. I rarely see them discussing policies, most of the times the discussion is centerd around useless topics. They`ll discuss on why Ik is drinking water with left hand, why jamima is still meeting Ik, Imran`s children are jews, Nawaz sharif has affairs with foreign journalists. They accuse each others leaders baselssely and they don`t need any proofs.

The problem with all this is that all these peole have forgotten that basically everbody wants improvement in Pakistan. We have nothing to do with these leaders. We support them because we like what they say and what they present for Pakistan. If one party comes up with something good for Pakistan, why not to praise its policy even if you are supporting the other party. And if your own party has a wrong policy on some issue why to defend it. We should speak against it because it is Pakistan that matters to us not these political parties. But what you see on social media is that every body is madly defending everything that comes from party that they are aupporting whether its good or harmful for Pakistan, it does not matter.

My request to all these people on social media is to support Pakistan and think for Pakistan. Because for all of us there should not be anything more important than Pakistan and we support political parties for the sake of Pakistan. So raise above parties, be a Pakistani.

[Muhammad Arslan]

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