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Hemmed in on all sides
And how most of the world looks upon us as an increasingly lost cause headed nowhere but down.
The writer is a columnist, a former major of the Pakistan Army and served as press secretary to Benazir Bhutto [email protected]
As state institutions, particularly parliament and the judiciary test each other’s strengths, trying to prove that one is better than the other at eye-balling; as a prime minister is sent home by the Supreme Court in what can only be described as moves fraught with constitutional danger; as politicians throw caution out the window in one-upmanship; as the Deep State flexes its shrivelled biceps, our hapless and luckless and unfortunate country is being hemmed in from all sides at dizzying speed.
It’s only been one year since the terrorist Osama bin Laden was killed in Abbottabad Cantonment and details began to emerge of him moving from place to place in Pakistan, starting in Swat and ending up in Abbottabad via Haripur; of him fathering three children in Pakistan during this period, at least two in government-run hospitals (one in Haripur, duh!), and only a half-year since the Nato attack on our Salala post on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Yet, note that in this little time we have lost the trust of most, if not all of our friends; note how most of the world looks upon us as an increasingly lost cause headed nowhere but down; note more than anything else that even our ‘brotherly’ country of Saudi Arabia has extradited to India the man blamed by the Indians to have been one of the masterminds of the horrific terror attacks on Mumbai of September 26, 2008.
But do those who run our security policy understand any of this? Are they taking American threats seriously enough: E.g., “We are this close to bombing…”, or do they think that just by manipulating the media in Pakistan they can get away with all of their shenanigans? That by trotting out propagandists they can divert the people’s — nay the world’s — attention away from their own proclivities? Do they think that the bright young things at Paknationalists.com and Pakistankakhudahafiz.com should still be given free rein to make a bigger mess of the utter mess we are in, through their jingoism and false narratives?
As I have cautioned before, we should stop deluding ourselves: that the pronouncements and the defence mounted by other so-called ‘spokesmen’ of the Deep State can get us off the hook using stout denial and downright stupid arguments. Indeed, one of these new-found ‘security analysts’, who are increasingly from the Air Force for some reason, mark, had the effrontery just the other day to say on Hamid Mir’s show, words to the effect that the Americans were not apologising for Salala because the government was weak and surrounded by scandals such as ‘Mamo-gate’! I mean, I ask you.
Let us go back to this Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jandal alias 22 other aliases, and try and understand the gravity of the situation. It is said that every Pakistani ‘agency’; the government; and the FO exerted all kinds of influence/pressure on the Saudis for months on end, not to extradite the man to India. There is also the rumour that the COAS just recently went for Umra with the then prime minister for this very purpose but that the Saudis were unmoved.
According to news reports, they were persuaded of the man’s identity after DNA samples taken from his family in India were matched to his by the Saudis. It is also said that the Americans leaned on the Saudis too, citing the killing of American nationals in that cruel attack on innocent civilians in Mumbai on that horrifying night. The man is reportedly singing away like several canaries, and just three days into his interrogation, the Indian home minister has already said that state actors were involved in planning and running the Mumbai attacks.
Now the man could be lying about who was or was not present in the “control room” in Karachi when telephonic instructions were being passed by their handlers to the terrorists carrying out the killings in Mumbai. But what do we do with the established fact that Ajmal Kasab belonged to a village in Okara district and that the media, notably Geo, were stopped by beefy goons who were already posted in the village by the ‘agencies’ to prevent just that kind of coverage.
What do we do about the fact that the then National Security Adviser, General Mahmud Durrani, quite rightly admitted that Kasab was indeed a Pakistani? What do we do about the fact that the boat carrying the terrorists set sail from Karachi on its deadly mission? We can’t, we should not, hide behind flimsy excuses such as the one being trotted out now by Rehman Malik: because Abu Jandal is Indian, it was an Indian plot. Not only is it disingenuous, it will prevent this country from cleansing itself and the region of some of the worst terrorists in the world; which we must do with extreme alacrity if we are to survive.
As for our relations with Nato, it seems to me that the latest offer brought by General John Allen to our General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is sterling. Let the Pakistan army and Nato jointly clear out the Taliban terrorists: both Afghan and the TTP, so that the countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan have some little hope of stabilising over the coming years. Otherwise, we are both done for, my friends.
And now a little something on the latest hearing of Farahnaz Ispahani’s dual nationality case. It was instructive to read in this newspaper of record the exchange between her lawyer, Wasim Sajjad, and the honourable bench of the SC. When asked by Ispahani’s counsel why there were “no such impediments for some other top slots like the auditor general, high court judges or chief justices”, My Lord Khilji Arif Hussain remarked that high court judges were not barred from holding two nationalities because they “never sit in defence committee meetings or have direct access to the Kahuta facility”.
Direct access to Kahuta by an MNA, My Lord? Not even the Prime Minister, not even the President will be allowed anywhere near Kahuta, considered as ‘bloody civilians’ to be less patriotic than our uniformed patriots! In any case, the superior judiciary can ask for any record; any government file under the sun and woe betide the person who refuses to present it yesterday.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 29th, 2012.
Reader Comments (63)
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Beautiful analysis. A reality check so many in Pakistan need, but I assure you so few will heed…
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seriously man you need help I feel for you.
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Dear Sir
Thank you for another fine article.Please grant me permission to print it so that I can collect it in a lever arch file.
I wish I could also think and write so clearly like you.You are blessed to have so much insight,fearlessness and wit to write so well.
I have learned many new words from your articles by checking the meaning in a dictionary..Today I learnt a new word from you ie. “proclivities” which I today learnt means “a natural propensity or inclination”.
As I take you to be my Teacher, I pray that you will always be safe and strong.
Thank you.
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Well said KS. We dont need abu jandal etc statements in order to conclude who was responsible for Mumbai attacks. Syed Saleem shezad the journalist who was slaughtered last year documented in his book (Inside Al qaeda beyong bin ladin) that Mumbai attacks plan was an ISI proposition and carried out by Illyas kashmiri. Pakistan is on the brink now and foreign policy has played a key role towards the dilapidated condition of this country. Nothing will change unless something drastic happens to the mindset of our ruling elite (which includes army predominantly) and its Ghairat mand supporters among the 200 million Pakistanis.
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I agree that Saudi cooperation on the Abu Jundal extradition is extremely telling – both in terms of Pakistan’s clout on its ‘brother’ nation as well as India’s success in getting the message across. No doubt, the Saudis also want the scourge of Al-Qaeda (the localized version is called LeT) as far from their borders as possible, and would have been rather resentful that Pakistan had packed this gentleman off to their country instead of hosting him like Dawood Ibrahim and other such dignitaries. However, this will not result in any change in the Pak mindset, simply because no one over there (govt or establishment) actually needs convincing – everyone knows and plays dumb because that’s the way the game has always been played. Pls note that the date mentioned is wrong – it was November 26, 2008 (26/11).
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week after week one and the same thing is penned by this gentleman. O lord please save us from repetition extraordinaire!
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This is the best offer that Pakistan is going to get. Take up the American offer to launch a joint operation against the TTP. At least rid the country of one of the heads of this multi-headed monster. I’m, of course, censored (by ET) from naming this Hydra.
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Kamran saab, your pleading for the state to take the common sense course will fall on deaf ears. It’s not that the state does not know the immorality and dangerous consequences of their current path. Its just that they are committed to an ideology which rationalizes this immorality for the “greater good”. That makes them somewhat deaf. Only significant negative events on the ground will shake up these people to rethink on what they see as “greater good”.
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Great article. And expected absence of Pakistanis, since it embarrasses them.
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I now the military calls the shots in Pakistan; but the PM and even President not allowed entry into top-secret defence / military installations / meetings? If true, then Pakistan is definitely not a democracy – it’s an Military-run country with a ‘democratic’ face.
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If only every Pakistani was as serious as you (author) were on eradicating terrorism and also being so forthwith in admitting mistakes, then I am more than certain, Pakistan as a nation would not be languishing with countries like Somalia, North Korea etc in the list of failed states but rather with Finland, Norway and other first world countries. I always believed Pakistanis are full of energy but endlessly channelizing it to the wrong cause, naturally the out come too will be disappointing. One can fool few people all the time, all the people few times but not all the people all the time. Yes Abu Jindal might be an Indian but who was hosting him in Pakistan and who provided him with the financial resources to stage the dastardly act. To say only non state actors were involved would be a bit of a joke.
Rgds
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Mr.Shafi :
The whole world knows that things are not quite peachy in Pakistan right now. Your weekly brutal update on how bad it really is downright chilling and depressing.
I admire your courage to call a spade a spade. The only pale hope is that there are many more like you in your country to knock some sense into the movers and shakers of Pakistan
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Once again a great Op Ed in my fav paper. I agree with your suggestions for the future of Pakistan. We have been complaining about the unilateral strikes by the US. Now US have offered joint missions against the terrorists but I have a strong feeling that we are not going to take that offer. We have never been honest about eliminating our strategic resources.
About the PCO SC judges exempting themselves from dual nationality, they are doing it because they can. A high govt official on public payroll has exempted the judges but not the elected leaders of the people! When the judges get away with aiding and abetting multiple acts of high treason they can go to any extent.
S. Arabia is the main US client in the Middle East and would do whatever is in the US interest. Every country is taking care of their image and interest except the deep state.
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Did my loard coughted before replying? But quick reply suggest he might had knowledge before hand and ready to reply. Dual nationalities must be allowed but not for any kind of governament organizations.
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“We can’t, we should not, hide behind flimsy excuses such as the one being trotted out now by Rehman Malik: because Abu Jandal is Indian, it was an Indian plot.”
Agree. Also Rehman Malik is failing to state that Abu Jandal is undoubtedly Indian born but he was living and working in Saudi Arabia for the past 3 years on a Pakistani passport. In fact his Pakistani passport was the rationale provided for not extraditing him to India. And now all of a sudden reference to that passport is missing in Rehman Malik’s narrative.
One more person you have not referenced is David Headley aka Daood Gilani who has also confessed his role in 26/11 in US courts. HE has also admitted that he was collaborating with ISI.
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@afzaalkhan: “seriously man you need help I feel for you.”
If you disagree with him, please provide your rationale.
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Ha Ha! It appears the the Saudis are the new Indian agents. There is no harm in dreaming or is it.
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Excellent as always, Mr. Shafi. Thank you!
@afzaalkhan: I cannot make sense of your comment or is it just an ostrich head in the sand attitude at its best?
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If Rehman Malik knew that Abu Jandal was an Indian then why did he was issued an Pakistan passport? Surely not to grant him honorary citizenship. This was done only because his identity stays masked and he can be used for more terror attacks.
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Excellent analysis. The state has built itself and the narrative on so many lies, that its difficult to comprehend.
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Even though the writing makes lot of sense I am sure it will not make any change in the minds of those that need change. Already LeT goons are allowed to raise funds in Pakistan speaks volume. The sadder part is, going by the comments, many of the average folks still tried to justify and support these killers.
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And deep state rerurns in Mr Shafi column after absence of full 1 week.Looking forward for the next column on deep state.The prefix of the column title should always be deep state.
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Well said.
For all those delusional Pakistanis who still think that we have a justifiable and national security argument in running with our double policies, I urge all of you to read opinion pieces in global newspapers and editorials (even in our most friendly countries) and understand that even our closest and dearest ones are openly writing about our dual policies, threats of global terrorism and Pakistan being its epicentre and the bickering within state institutions rendering the government ineffective. The European, American and Latin American press has nothing but massively negative opinions and assessments on our country and policies.
We are the global migraine of the world. We dont have any friends left. Isolated, lonely and broken, we are seen as a ‘cancerous-tumour’ whereas our bigger neighbour is viewed as a ‘working-muscle’ !
It is a sad sad state of affairs.
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Still can’t take Hussain H./Ispahani/PPP apologists like Kamran Shafi seriously.
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Calling a spade a spade is absolutely wonderful. KS is one of the straight forward and forward thinking opinion writers in ET. I wish you a safe and long life Mr Shafi
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Good article, Mr Shafi. The more the govt lies, the worse things will get. They have no credibility but they can some back some by acting decisively before it is too late. Clearly, supporting, sheltering and training terrorists is not sustainable. Nobody believes that the US, India, Afghanistan among others will just sit back and let terror from Pakistan continue. Have no idea what that will be but will be something. Difficult to help people in denial and those who who insist on fighting battles they can never win.
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If Pakistan is to survive, she needs millions of Kamran Shafi, Hoodhbhoys and their ilk.
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Pakistan should claim dawood gilani alias David Headley from US as he was originally Pakistani citizen like Abu Jundal who has obtained Pakistani nationality
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If Pakistan was even given a magical pill to clear all the problem , they would still insist for some other pill…
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@Kamran Khan
week after week one and the same thing is penned by this gentleman. O lord please save us from repetition extraordinaire!
Truth has this enduring quality. Falsehood has to change colours everyday. From Kasab is not Pakistani, to, there is not enough evidence against Hafiz Saeed, to, We are prosecuting Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, to, It was an Indian plot.
If you want further proof of the enduring quality of the ‘truth’ visit a Church on any Sunday or a Mosque on any Friday.
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Shall His Highness Sultan Khilji inform the second rate citizens of Pakistan that where it is written in the law or the Constitution that only those shall be barred for having dual citizenship who either attend defence committee meetings or have direct access to Kahuta. If nowhere then goodbye to Constitution.
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When the population has lies thrust down their throat for decades any truth will seem like a white lie whatever may be the logic and proof provided. The State by supporting various terror modules on government payroll has compromised the future of its civilian population irretrievably. Now there is nothing that can be done except stare down the abyss.
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Really sensible article. The deep state can fool some people inside Pakistan but they cannot fool the whole world with the same lame excuses by denying justice to the Mumbai victims. I appreciate KS for his courage & dedication to call a spade a spade come what may.
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Pakistan has such great thinkers who understand its problems and have solutions too. But unfortunately, there is a big wall which prevents their solutions to be implemented at the ground level. Unless this wall is broken, Pakistan, whatever it may mean, will only remain a dream and never see the light of reality.
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Kamran Shafi’s plea on behalf of his mentors: Surrender Pakistan to foreign forces and except occupation. Not going to happen.
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Few more generations of Pakistanis will reap the fruits of having an unaccountable army run amok
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@Munnabhai: If Pakistan was even given a magical pill to clear all the problem , they would still insist for some other pill…
I would rephrase that as “If Pakistan had to choose one from two magical pills, one to clear all its problems or another to cause problems to India, they would still choose the latter.”
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Can only agree with you that its time we stopped deluding ourselves and behave maturely.
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@Basit:
No one is actually keen to “occupy” pakistan. Only a mad man will think of wanting to take over a terror-prone country where bombs explode daily, and there is no power for most of the day.Who wants to occupy a country ridden with poverty and hurtling downhill and imploding.
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People who don’t know about Zagiuddin Ansari (Abu Jundal) here is brief intro.
Zabiuddin Ansari was born in a middle class family living in a village Hathi Khana of Beed district in Maharashtra, India. He studied for a diploma at Indian Technical Institute in Beed district while doing odd jobs. He is believed to have become a ‘Jihadi’ after the Gujarat riots and is blamed to participate in a plot to assassinate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The Indian security agencies believe that he first joined the banned group SIMI (Students Islamic Movement of India), then the Indian Mujahideen, and later on the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. Intelligence sources believe he was a vital link between the Indian Mujahideen and the Lashkar-e-Taiba.
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What the author says is correct. But Pakistan is cornered now and there is no way she can admit to these things. I don’t know how far Pakistan can fall from here but I do know that all my educated and talented friends and relatives are leaving (or have already left) Pakistan. We invested a lot in the ‘agencies’ and indirectly they have wreaked havoc on the nation. The irony of it all !!
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Truth is treason in the empire of lies
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We salute you for your truth, courage and excellent analysis! Hope that people in PK understand the seriousness before everything is lost.
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Kamran sahib,
Tusi great ho!
I can’t understand CJP’s thinking process when he calls NRO as unconstitutional. If NRO hadn’t been promulgated, Zardari & Late Benazir wouldn’t have returned to Pakistan, Musharraf would have won the election & the poor CJP would still be under house arrest!
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Kamran sahib,
Tusi great ho!
I can’t understand CJP’s thinking process when he calls NRO as unconstitutional. If NRO hadn’t been promulgated, Zardari & Late Benazir wouldn’t have returned to Pakistan, Mmusharraf would have won the election & the poor CJP would still be under house arrest!
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This needs to be taken seriously.
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@Kamran Khan: And still you refuse to hear voices of sanity. There are a few voices in “Dawn” and “Tribune” that, if heard, will do lots of good to the nation and people of Pakistan.
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People, like the author, who think that Pakistan is going down the drain and is destined to be doomed, they should check the condition of Pakistan just 4 and half years ago. The country was doing very well in most, if not every, spheres of life, be it the economic front, or be it the international relations. The economy’s performance was comparable with India, and there was no such thing as load-shedding, rather there were news about 1000 MW export of electricity to India. The Rupee was stable and inflation was in single digit. However, the moment the beloved political party took control of the country’s affairs, the downward spiral started due their absolute incompetence and unprecedented corruption. I am sure the day this party is thrown out of power, things will start getting better.Recommend
@Kamran Khan:
That’s coz week after week nothing changes in Pakistan. You would keep on getting these wake up calls from this gentleman till your government and agencies start looking inwards and introspect.
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an excellent article. if the pakistani government continues the same way, they are only bound for further trouble.
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@Hajira Amir: “I would rephrase that as “If Pakistan had to choose one from two magical pills, one to clear all its problems or another to cause problems to India, they would still choose the latter.”
Well put Sir. Only a minor correction: “If” implies this is a hypothetical situation. In reality there are 2 pills: peaceful foreign policy with neighbours (which would allow uch more money to spent on welfare and also not have any need to radicalize its own population) and another one (forign policy of ongoing hatred towards India which has never atacked Pakistan). Guess which one it has chosen throughout the 65 years of its existence as shown by its actions- despite any verbal statements to the contrary.
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Pakistan needs an Islamic revolution and a good Islamic Khalifa…that’s the last and only hope…
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as usual stupid article with loads of repiritions.Recommend
@Kamran Khan: “week after week one and the same thing is penned by this gentleman”
People who speak the truth do not have to change but those that lie have to invent new ones constantly as their old lies are exposed. Recommend
@ayesha_khan:
Very well said…THOSE THAT LIE CANNOT FACE THE TRUTH BECAUSE TRUTH IS CONSISTENT. But remember you are dealing with those types who have hijacked and manipulated religion to its worst form for hatred!!
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Sir please dont defend dual members of parliamant.
They are illiterate cooks.
Please to not try to reduce the pro activeness of the courts to rubbish.
And please dont always criticize everything pakistani.
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Kamran Shafi is a true Pakistani patriot who is not afraid to point out the truth and facts as to how the establishment -Deep State- is doing its best to destroy Pakistan. Unfortunately, the establishment propagandists will try to paint him as an Indian and CIA agent.
Mr. Shafi has taken great personal risk to voice the truth about the Deep State. Not long ago, his house was fired upon by the establishment agents.
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Always great to read your articles, just one objection though. Dawn is the newspaper of record, upstarts can be considered in 30,40 years. Like Imran Khan, it remains to be seen if express tribune is upto it.
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Excellent brave analysis of current situation. We must accept the american formula and get rid of the talibans etc.etc. We have to save our country. The author’s opinion is candid and valid and must be considered.
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@Usman:
right. ignore the actual basis of the article and prefer to keep lying to yourself young man
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@Kamran Khan:
.
Indeed, the Truth Hurts so much!
.
The Truth will be repeated as many times it takes until the concerned parties take notice take remedial action.
.
Until the the Truth will be Repeated
.
Cheers
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@Kamran Khan:
Tell that to our agencies who perform the same circus again and again.
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A good article. It is good to see that the battle to ‘get to sanity’ is on in Pakistan and a lot of people (writers, and some of the commentators) are thinking right.
As an Indian i would like to see a stable Pakistan, not for any love or common culture or anything like that, but for the common people of both countries who suffer un-necessarily. A stable Pakistan will lead to a stable sub continent. It will allow India and Indians to focus even more on development issues. A stable sub continent is a force to reckon with.
The need is for an ‘aware’ middle class. The truth needs to come out among common citizens. But till the state propaganda machinery is dismantled that is not going to happen.
The picture really does look bleak. It would be a shame to see such a large population suffer the fate of others in the past. I hope the leaders learn from history. I hope someone in Pakistan from the masses finds a non-violent way of creating a movement and stopping the current polity. I hope you can find a way similar to the ‘Truth and Reconciliation’ mission in South Africa.
All the best.
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