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Karachi — and Normandy
As Fatima Bhutto or @fbhutto said on Twitter on August 2: “And the president... off to Europe on a five-star jaunt....
The writer is a former morning show host naveen.naqvi@tribune.com.pk
As Fatima Bhutto or @fbhutto said on Twitter on August 2: “And the president… off to Europe on a five-star jaunt. Typical. Violence hits Karachi this evening too.”
I would not put it in exactly the same words, and I am not a great fan of the author/aspiring Daughter of the East, but it must be said that she has a point. President Asif Ali Zardari’s trip to Europe is exactly the sort of thing that makes Pakistanis wary of their political leaders. That, and a massive unrelenting propaganda campaign vilifying politicians while glorifying the military, which can be traced to the establishment as far back as the seventies. But really, Mr President, was this trip necessary at this time?
To put things in perspective, Mr Zardari is not the only Pakistani head of state to have been bitten by the travel bug. His predecessor, General Pervez Musharraf, spent around Rs1.5 billion on foreign trips between January 2003 and February 2008 alone, with trips to 40 countries on 37 state visits. The reason we know this is because the information was made public by the present foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Hmm. Pot, kettle, black?
It does not help that when in France Mr Zardari will make a private visit to Normandy, and spend some time in his “family home”, the sixteenth-century Chateau de la Reine Blanche in the hamlet of Le Mesnil-Lieubray.
This could all be less of a faux pas were it not for the timing of this visit. One could argue that there could be no good time given Pakistan’s current condition but a series of unprecedented disasters has worsened the situation. Many are still traumatised after last week saw the unfortunate death of 152 people in one of the worst plane crashes in the history of this country. Pakistanis had scarcely recovered from the incident when the worst floods in memory have taken the death toll to over 1,500, the homeless to 500,000 and the affected to a mammoth three million people according to Unicef. These numbers are only expected to rise. In the midst of these troubles, violence has hit Karachi, and the only major city that had remained safe is burning.
Following the assassination of the MQM MPA, Raza Haider, at least 37 people were killed in riots in Karachi. The financial capital of Pakistan is made a ghost town with deserted streets, business at a standstill, and petrol pumps, offices and shops closed. It is not as though we could not have predicted the flare up of tension. After all, the target killings of MQM and ANP activists has been going on for quite some time in the city — and so has armed conflict between Muhajirs and Pathans, especially during the 1990s when such violence would frequently bring the city to a standstill. It was only a matter of time that the violence would engulf those in the parties, and that is what seems to have happened now (the MQM has blamed the ANP publicly — the latter has condoled Mr Haider’s death and denied that it is involved in it).
Granted Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is more active in daily affairs than Mr Zardari, but where most Pakistanis have been complaining about the long wait for governance, here is yet another opportunity missed. An increasing number of Pakistanis are questioning the sincerity of an already unpopular leader. Why would the president cancel his visit to Europe? Why would he stay with his people in their hour of need and weather the storm with them? The answer that seems to come most readily is that he does not care.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 4th, 2010.
Reader Comments (30)
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It was kind of rude and inconsiderate for you to call Fatima Bhutto an aspiring daughter of the east. All she has done is write a memoir about her family. Why do tv anchors think they can criticize anyone they want?Recommend
There was a hope when current government took over, but as the time progressed Pakistan is turning out into a failed state and sooner or later we will be standing along side Sudan and Rwanda cause of our corrupt politicians. Recently I watched an interview of Ardeshir Cowasjee in which he said that in Pakistan politician who come in power are more corrupt then there predecessor.
We are not a nation anymore we all are living as an individual in a state which is been called as Islamic Republic of Pakistan.Recommend
Salaam,
What i think is, Mr. Zardari took a negative impression from the unity of all parties against his foreign visit. I mean, he might be thinking as some kind of political game plan behind it. Maybe its a 7th Aug plan, when Bilawal BZ will launch His political Career as PPP CM on Aug07 in a pol gathering in UK, which force Zardari for this visit.
But one thing is for sure, Mr. Zardari took it much personally and this visit became his priority just for the sake of his self satisfaction !!!!
My question is, why politicians set their preferences for the comfort of themselves rather than for people…. in fact, it’s the people who selected them.
Is it so important to hand over the CM of PPP to Bilawal right now??? when the country is in blood and tears all over !!!!
When a person is in pain, he needs someone to be with him… someone he trusts, someone he have faith in….. as child cry for mother for his needs.
So this argument worth nothing that President’s presence is not much important for disaster management!!!!
Wassalam
Talib e DuaRecommend
naveen:
The answer that seems to come most readily is that he does not care.
:)
can you tell me in this absurdistan, who cares?Recommend
errr. the writer might want to go back to politics 101. the president now is merely a figurehead after he relinquished his powers and now the PM is the absolute chief executive. what would zardari do if he were in pakistan? cost us more money with his escorts, the electric bills et al. is zardari a disaster management specialist? no. is he a flood relief specialist? no. so what value does he add exactly by being in the country? no zardari fan i am but i fail to understand the need to have him around.Recommend
Visit to France and then China is really kept some meaning. Its going on hide n seek every where.Recommend
I would utterly agree with naveen, in this hour of trouble, leaving the nation behind is the worst thing president would do, and that proves the point that our president has nothing to so with the nation.
The objective of his presidency is just to boost his business incentives.
More unfortunate thing is that we have got no alternative except Imran Khan. Journalists like you criticize on Imran Khan that he doesn’t know politics.Recommend
In the reaction of Britain’s Prime Minister Mr. Cameroon baseless statement in India in which he very illogically and ironically has blamed Pakistani position in terrorism, President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari adopted a wise, visionary and modern methodologies of diplomacy rather old rot ways.
We highly appreciate Mr. Zardari sayings “I am on foreign visit to tell the people about the sacrifices of Pakistani Government, Military and public they are making for the victory of war on terror. I will tell the Cameroon face to face about the efforts of Pakistan in elimination of terrorism”.
It is reprehensible, deniable and condemnable to blame Zardari’s visit in the personal and internal fire of envy and jealousy. For Pakistani writers and columnists it has become a passion, obsession and maniacs to target and blame President and his colleagues in order get cheap publicity.Recommend
All the Political parties are only working for their own benefits and for their benefits they through away Pakistan, Pakistani People and Pakistani issues in a bin, the current government is behaving like a pigeon who close his eyes when he see cat same is the case is here in Pakistan government is closing his eyes from the worst situation of Pakistan. I think they believe on this slogan i.e. ALL IS WELL!
I agree with hassan that the objective of Zardari’s presidency is just to boost his business incentives. But not only Mr. Zardari, all the people sitting in Parliment and Senate have same objectives.Recommend
agreed with hassanRecommend
Any head of the family has a right to go out to have some drinks and relax. But when the house is burning and the family is drowning, his obligation is to stay at his house and save the family.
At her young age Fatima Bhutto is certainly more intelligent and more educated lady than her uncle.Recommend
what did you think he would’ve done if he was in pakistan? i agree that him launching his son’s political career and spending ridiculous amounts on the trip is in bad taste (as most govt trips are), but aren’t we making too big a deal out of this?Recommend
@Naveen: This is what the British think about Pakistan and Mr. Zardari’s trip to UK – http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/benedictbrogan/100049475/the-foreign-office-should-relax-pakistan-knows-david-cameron-is-right/ must read the comments section.Recommend
I love the bit about the “family home” a chateau in Normandy and to think we were all getting grumpy about Mush’s “flat” on Edgware road in smoggy, damp, expensive London town.
I am convinced that we Pakistanis are the “chosen people” as we are destined to suffer in silence, leaders such as we have had over the last fifty odd years.Recommend
Let’s stop wasting our time on sheer criticism and absorb the reality. The reality is that our president is on a diplomatic tour, and this is for our benefit – at least thats what the government thinks (the government is always in our benefit, right?) If diplomatic tours are more benefitial than flood rescuing, we should stay united with our president.Recommend
Some people can not digest their food unless they criticize President Zardari.It has now become a customary and a routine matter to criticize him for whatever the steps he takes in his capacity as President.He will be criticized with the same spirits in case if he does nothing.He has been a very favourite and a soft client for criticism since long when he married Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and this would have been the ultimate fate of any one to marry Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto,so is with Mr. zardari.
Ironically,in the present scenario, he has been asked to cancel his visit to Uk by a politician who is in self-imposed political syslum in Uk and has got the status the a British national.He,himself,is not willing to to pakistan although his party is a co-partner in the present set up in power.The other one to criticize President zardari is the one who remains en-route to UK every now and then and recently turned back in the last week.
So there is nothing special and now a days it is not considered a bad thing to criticize president Zardari and I am sure he also never minds it.Recommend
//Let’s stop wasting our time on sheer criticism and absorb the reality. The reality is that our president is on a diplomatic tour, and this is for our benefit – at least thats what the government thinks (the government is always in our benefit, right?) If diplomatic tours are more benefitial than flood rescuing, we should stay united with our president.//
As a true believers, it is not necessary to extend one’s beleif to accept the lies of the government as an absolute truth.
The ground reality is that highly diplomatic tour of the president is not to enhance the status of the State in foreign countries, but for some personal interests.
During his three days tour of France he had a forty five minutes talk with Nicola Sarkozy the President of France and he had a few minutes chat at his hotel with French Foreign Minister. The outcome of this one hour diplomacy is insignificant.
On the other hand he did spend an afternoon at his family Château in Normandy.
Now he is off to England. He has invited the UK MP’s of Pakistani origin for a lunch on Thursday. His main purpose is to introduce his son Bilwal to PPP Pakistani politicians there.
Is it all for the drowning of the poor people?Recommend
Fatima Buhtto is also a part of that sigment of our society , where all rollers are. I am sure whenever if she got power , so do as mr.zardari is doing yes or no ?
The Leader is that , who leads the nation from front in any kind of serious situation.
We need a Leader not roller. Pray form Allah for a Leader who can lead the nation from the Front.
zubair JamalRecommend
Some people can not digest their food unless they criticize President Zardari.It has now become a customary and a routine matter to criticize him for whatever the steps he takes in his capacity as President.He will also be criticized with the same spirits in case if he does nothing like this.He has been a very favourite and a soft client for criticism since long when he married Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and this would have been the ultimate and logical fate of any one to marry Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto,so is with Mr. zardari.
Ironically,in the present scenario, he has been asked to cancel his visit to Uk by a politician who is in self-imposed political asylum in Uk and has got the status of a British national.He,himself,is not willing to come to Pakistan although his party is a co-partner in the present ruling set up.The other to criticize President Zardari is the one who remains en-route to UK every now and then and recently has turned back in the last week.
So there is nothing special if some one does so and now a days it is not considered a bad thing to criticize president Zardari and I am sure he also never minds it.Recommend
Aptly put. Ill-timed visit indeed.
Cameron’s remarks should have been the reason enough for our President to cancel his UK trip but apparently he did not take any objection to that.Recommend
To add to your information, President Zardari will soon be launching the political career of his son Bilawal Zardari and it has been suggested by party bigwigs that Mr. Qaim Ali Shah be relieved of his duties as the Chief Minister of Sindh and be replaced by Bilawal Zardari.Recommend
the ” family home” is incidentally a Bhutto family home dating back to ZABRecommend
well whatever rally he is to address in the UK i would appeal to all those who plan to attend the rally PLEASE BOYCOTT AND DO NOT ATTEND THE LAUNCH OF YET ANOTHER FAMILY/CLAN DYNASTY POLITICIAN. if someone wants to lead the country, he should do it here between the people of Pakistan and earn the right to lead.Recommend
Dr Altaf ul hussain…
the people who asked him to cancel the visit are politicans not in power , they are not ruling the state , so if they go to UK every now and then it doesnt make any difference because
a) they donot have any responsibility of this country and nation
b) they visit UK on their own money unlike zardari who uses government’s money…
he goes there beggs for money , gets aid, extends his trip, uses all that money on himself and children and comes bakk…
wat a shame , wat a shameRecommend
yes terday during Point Blank at Express News, Fouzia Wahab made it clear why the trip went ahead “by not cancelling the trip we wanted to make it clear to the establishment that now the foriegn policy will be driven by the political government”. I think that says it allRecommend
As for Fatima Bhutto
The breed shall save its own kind 1st.
We the people of this god forbidden land imagine the Landlords/ Feudal/ Guddi Nasheens/ Businessmen/ Mafia leaders will work for the betterment of the masses, the Awam? My fellow countrymen the day Awam had their belly full and they can think of some thing else the days of all those mentioned above will be numbered.
And they are all working together to make sure that day never comesRecommend
It is indeed a very sorry situation. It is also obvious that he does not care. May be people will keep that in mind when they vote in next general election. May be they will vote for those who do care somewhat. At least pretend to care.Recommend
@Dr Altaf Hussain
As long as President Zardari self indulges himself on our (tax payers) expense, he will and should be criticized.Recommend
Evil has been looking for an alibi. He found it in Zardari.Recommend
Ill-timed. Not the trip; this country!Recommend