Pakistan

Benazir Bhutto’s birthday: President hits out at Sharif

Zardari defends the military and his own government’s record, lambastes PML-N.

Express June 22, 2011

LARKANA:

In an impassioned speech delivered in Naudero on what would have been his slain wife’s 58th birthday, President Asif Ali Zardari responded to the many criticisms that his administration has come under over the last few weeks by opposition leader, calling on all parties to strengthen democracy and prevent a conflict of institutions.

“Institutions should not be made to fight individuals because this weakens democracy,” said the president in the address to workers of the Pakistan Peoples Party at the Naudero President’s House that began a little after midnight on Wednesday (today).

The president outlined what he felt were his government’s primary achievements and defended his party’s record in office.

President Zardari claimed that he had been offered several deals by his predecessor, former president Pervez Musharraf, but that his party had rejected those and had chosen to ally themselves with their erstwhile political rivals, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) in order to strengthen democratic institutions.

“We handed over Punjab to the PML-N on a silver platter,” said the president, who has made visible moves in recent months to ensure that the Sharif brothers, who lead Punjab’s ruling party, do not feel threatened about their administration in the province.

Yet the president seemed to grow weary of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif’s accusations against his government and lashed out at his political rival in his first public response since the May 2 US raid on Abbottabad.

He accused the PML-N leader of being a product of former military dictator Gen Ziaul Haq’s rule, and lambasted the opposition for what he claimed was its soft stance on terrorism.

“If we have lost 35,000 of our own sons and daughters, how can you claim that this is America’s war?” said the president, in a rhetorical question addressed to Nawaz Sharif. “How is your thinking different from that of [Taliban leader] Mullah Omar?”

Even as he accused the opposition of being a product of a military dictator, however, the president defended the armed forces that have come under an unprecedented level of public criticism in Pakistan, a torrent of negative public opinion that has been led by fiery speeches by the PML-N’s Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the opposition leader in the National Assembly.

“Those who think they can divide Pakistan’s armed forces are naive politicians,” said the president. “Our military is a highly capable institution.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2011.

COMMENTS (28)

Abdul Quddus | 13 years ago | Reply @Imran: You can like him for the statement, shame on you for being such a naive and uninformed judge of just about everything. when you have nothing to eat at home and have kids to feed, when you have not been given the education to understand wrong from right, when you have lived in country where religion (manipulated and fabricated to one's need)is the basis of living, when you have been brain washed for the beautiful life after death, when you have been bribed about HOORS, when you incapable of seeing around you, it is very easy to be sold for any amount to be righteous and cause harm to those who are innocent. Look around whether it is Zardari or Nawaz or any Prick for that matter, what is left of Pakistan, really. No water to drink, No electricity to power anything, no air to breathe, no security come back home alive, no office or govt agency to follow laws, no place to be safe at, no values, no honor and no dignity.

Anwar Jamal | 13 years ago | Reply While living in a glass house, one should not pelt stones on others. The political bickering was kicked off by PML-N. In his tirade at AJK, Mian Sahib bad mouthed president by saying that “Mr Zardari was a man who did not learn from his past mistakes” President Zardari has run a highly corrupt government. He should quit the politics of banditry and stop damaging the country’s major institutions,” He also said” Pakistan belongs to the 180 million Pakistanis and millions of Kashmiris, not to Zardari or Gilani”. Mian Sahib is suffering from short term memory loss. Despite, brutal assault on Zardari and PPP leadership in 90s, PPP never reeled on personal vendetta and forgave all the high handedness of PML-N leadership. Mian Sahib nation is well aware who is damaging institutions? Who is maligning image of security forces? Mian Sahib trying to present him the savior of Pakistan, he should not forget, it was PPP who rendered sacrifices for Pakistan. Lost its leaders, faced tyrannies of dictators and put to dungeons for years. Mian Sahib should not forget, it was not PML-N who saved Pakistan. It was military, who is responsible for making Pakistan invincible. Nawaz Sharif-the once blue eyed boy of the military establishment is now trying to become a street-fighting champion of democracy and of civilian dominance over the military. Noon League is not a party, it is family business, run with British ICS efficiency in Mughal-esque grandeur. If Nawaz Sharif can fashion a real political party, out of the immensely powerful family fiefdom he currently runs, he may give starry-eyed Pakistani optimists the kind of hope that one can take to the bank, for a long-term deposit. This could be a true masterpiece in politics, Mere mudslinging and inclining in damaging the institutions would not work well.

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Iftikhar-ur-Rehman | 13 years ago | Reply The political leadership are exchanging barbs and fighting elections but they failed MISERABLY to give any succor / relief to the poor awam of Pakistan.

ASZ | 13 years ago | Reply This is just "NOORA KUSHTI" both are birds of the same feathers.This is just to hoodwink the general public.

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply @MK: Point well taken. I must not be clear and confused. In democracy we choose lesser of the evils. Debate, transparency and opposition are the basics of democracy. The sad truth is Pakistanis accept nay endorse corruption and dictatorship. In my honest opinion you can bring any leader to power, it would have the similar people from Pakistan with the same mentality. Unless we have several elections in a row (just like India) our plight is not going to improve. Indians are no better than us. The only difference is they spend much less % of their budget on military and have kept is under civilian control under democracy. Otherwise India would have split into several countries. Regards, Mirza

iJoker | 13 years ago | Reply @Cautious............ mate zardari knows where he is, why would he even bother to track himself down lol

MK | 13 years ago | Reply Here is a hypothetical scenario. USA, who is friends with China today, one day decides to declare them enemies (after all China is a one party dictatorship who oppresses of many of its minorities or at Taiwan issue). And tells us that we are with them or against, so we join US, and give US resources and allow supplies through our ports and roads to attack China. Then China in retaliation attacks and starts killing Pakistanis. Right then we say, see China is killing us so it is our war now not just America’s. Wondering what people think about this and is there anyone who is favor of staying neutral in such a scenario (well in that case there will be no US aid for politicians and Army) . Also keep in mind US is now talking to Taliban. Where does this leave us now? Neither China nor Taliban are perfect moral examples but we have to look for our best interest (same as it is in USA interest to talk to them now). Hint: Neither decision is wrong as long as it is taken in good faith with country’s interest in mind and not for Dollars.

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply @Aamer: Every country has an army but Pakistan army has a country. Armies are public servants and are respected for their "service". Pakistan army has been just the opposite of this. If the army is under a civilian elected govt, it can be respected. Let us hope against hope that there is a change in Pakistani army's attitude after they have been caught in bed with OBL and other terrorists. I wish the political leaders were more powerful against military. However, the current govt is the only elected govt which is struggling to complete its term. NS while in power twice did not talk like this while in opposition now. What can army do to him? Overthrow him from the leader of opposition? NS knows that the current govt is the only govt which does not have political prisoners, and he is free to say whatever he can. Even call leaders of PPP liable for murder! There was no govt in Pakistan's history without any political prisioner. Regards, Mirza

MK | 13 years ago | Reply @Mirza: "Why can’t these right wing forces wait one more year for the next election time if they believe in democracy?" Your statement is an Assumption that PPP is a left wing party. It was When Zulfiqar Bhutto was alive. Now even Zardari does not know what side he leans. Secondly what are you suggesting to the right Wing forces to wait for, Criticism (positive and negative) both is a democratic right and cannot be done just during election time. It is nice to see that they can differ in opinion and express it. Democracy is slowly maturing and hopefully there are no military interventions anymore, and this government also completes its full tenure.

Cautious | 13 years ago | Reply If a guy doesn't bother to track down the killers of his own wife --- do you think he would lift a finger to help you?

Arsal | 13 years ago | Reply even a man who hates Zardari must admit that this speech was the one Nawaz was not expecting....it was based on facts and the questions which have been put forward by him are very easy to understand for a common man but very hard to be replied by people like Nawaz, Shahbaz and Nisar........instead of direct answers to his simple but bitter questions we would witness senseless allegations by the second and thirrd line leadership of PML(N)

Booza Buzzer | 13 years ago | Reply The famous sayings of Abraham Lincoln regarding fooling people needs to be modified and corrected a bit when it comes to Pakistan: "It is true that you may fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time; but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time." you can even fool majority of the people all of the time;emphasized text truely valid for Pakistan

Aamer | 13 years ago | Reply @Mirza What happened to the Pakistan Army bashing? A sudden change of heart by a lot of commentators? Truth is, last night it wasn't Zardari's speech, it was GHQ's speech.

Tanzeel | 13 years ago | Reply Last night I got a chance to hear Zardari's speech. I must say he's way a head of Shareefs in politics.

Booza Buzzer | 13 years ago | Reply Keep it up Zardari!!! As rightly expressed and advocated by Machiavelli in "The prince" when he advised rulers to be cunning like a fox, never honest or compassionate, or faithful, humane, or sincere, but always to seem so, for that is the way to convince people that their leader is a good person who means them well. To become a successful leader, you must be hypocrite and dissembler, said Machiavelli, for that is the only way to control the minds of the people, who are simple-minded souls unable to see beyond their noses. He assumed, moreover that the common people are themselves greedy and corrupt and that they would betray their leaders and one another, too, if they could get away with it. He said that the ruler should therefore never hesitate to mislead them into believing him to be a saint, for very few would be clever enough to discover his true character, and the masses would richly deserve their fate.

khurram shahzad | 13 years ago | Reply Both (Nawaz and Zardari) are same, plan to speak against each other and making the nation fool. Wake up and support Imran Khan. why not this time a different man? since 2008 we are watching Bambinoo films and script writer is Mr. Zardaari who is really destroying Pakistan and all others are supporting him. Ab nhi to kb .... hum nhi to kno????

Saad A | 13 years ago | Reply He knows them all and knows the weakneses of the military, he knows who killed Benazir but if he won't defend the military as the head of state and take his rehtoric out with the opportunity there, who will deffend them and eill save them from breaking down? I'm just astonished how can he be so mature? while people talk so negative about him. I've only heard about him in the past, and that was not good but what i'm seeing now is a different and very mature statesman. We definitely ought to give his government the time to complete their tenure, yes things are terrible but they are doing thier best to sort them out. They however need to cash on the opportunity to bring military under the democratic government and parliments control..

Aristo | 13 years ago | Reply Times have indeed changed in Pak, PPP used to be perceived as a security threat by the Pak armed forces eversince but now the same PPP is shouldering support to the Pak armed forces. One must wonder why, only two phrases come to my mind, i.e. EXTENT OF OPPORTUNISM and NEXUS OF THE RULING ELITE, WATCHING EACH OTHERS BACK.

A.ghaffar dawood | 13 years ago | Reply This was a master stroke by Zardari for nawaz Sharif.Nawaz Sharif was running away with it.It was Timely stroke as well.It is high time when people know the real designs of the oppositions.First time he came to power through Zia and this time he wants to come to power through slogan of talibinization.He will never succeed.

Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan's 5 Families (Bhutto, Sharif, Chaudhary's, Wali Khan's, and that other mafia in Karachi) have destroyed the lives of 180million innocent pakistanis.

Maher | 13 years ago | Reply Zaradari celebrated BB birthday... WoW, BB hum Sharminda hai, teray QATIL ab tak zinda haai ....

Jiyala | 13 years ago | Reply Hats off to the symbol of unity in the country...for speaking the truth!!!!

Jiyala | 13 years ago | Reply Hats off to the symbol of unity of the country.. for speaking the truth!!!!

Imran | 13 years ago | Reply This ""“If we have lost 35,000 of our own sons and daughters, how can you claim that this is America’s war?” said the president, in a rhetorical question addressed to Nawaz Sharif. “How is your thinking different from that of [Taliban leader] Mullah Omar?”""" IS A SLAP ON NAWAZ SHARIF's FACE. If he has the moral courage and an answer to this question, he must come out clearly, unambiguously.

Mifrah Haq | 13 years ago | Reply “If we have lost 35,000 of our own sons and daughters, how can you claim that this is America’s war?” said the president, in a rhetorical question addressed to Nawaz Sharif. “How is your thinking different from that of [Taliban leader] Mullah Omar?” I can almost like him for this.

Kazmis | 13 years ago | Reply President said that "Our Military is a highly capable institution". But why such wording while it is not a highly capable institution now. However we must say that whatever the Pakistan Army is, it is for Pakistan and we must regard it what ever it is because who else is there to defend Pakistan.

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply “If we have lost 35,000 of our own sons and daughters, how can you claim that this is America’s war?” said the president, in a rhetorical question addressed to Nawaz Sharif. “How is your thinking different from that of [Taliban leader] Mullah Omar?” This statement says it all and exposes the mullahs and their allies who support terrorists. Now that President is going to Iran to show his independence, friends of Saudi A, and Taliban would be furious and increade their attacks. NS, has been a natural ally of JI in every election. He would do the same this time as well. Why can't these right wing forces wait one more year for the next election time if they believe in democracy?

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