Benazir Bhutto: Is She Founder of Pakistan?


Benazir-Bhutto-Is-She-Founder-of-Pakistan

Today, Yousaf Raza Gilani Prime in the press conference was with Turkish Prime Minister. In the back drop there was a big picture of Benazir Bhutto.

Should that picture be there?

Earlier Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s picture used to on the walls of government and national institutions. Now Banazir Bhutto’s picture was displayed at wall as mentioned above.
Benazir Bhutto was chairwoman of the Pakistan Peoples Party. She has no relation no comparison with our founding fathers of this country.

Same is the situation in President House and Prime Minister House. Many times we have seen the picture of Benazir Bhutto in the clips when they show foreign delegations visiting president or prime minister.

Before we were changing the names of roads and streets to the names of our national heroes. Now Peoples Party has changed the name of the founding father.

After the death of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, PPP did the same thing what they are doing now with Benazir Bhutto. They are trying to get some mileage out of their name. The time has changed now. I don’t think PPP has realized that. People wants to see the results not Benazir Bhutto’s picture.

Nation is asking show me the money not the picture of your wife.
When Zaradri addressed the UN General Assembly in New York last month he kept his wife’s picture on the podium. What he wanted to tell the world. The world only know him by two things. First he was also know Mr. 10 percent in the west. And second thing they know he was sending fake medical certificates to Swiss Courts that he is not mentally fit to stand trial. He was living in his apartment in New York with his dogs and his wife used live in Dubai. But when Benazir died all his illnesses went with her.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s Visit to America


Prime-Minister-Yousaf-Raza-Gilani’s-Visit-to-America

Why he is going there?
What he is going to get there?

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is going to the US
to seek political support. During this visit, the US Administration is going to
deliver some key policy messages to him.

America’s main concern is inability of Pakistan’s government
to curtail terrorist activities in the border areas with Afghanistan and
Taliban’s use of tribal areas as safe heaven.

While Pervez Musharaf’s policies were very clear on this
issue, the new government has not been able to devise a coherent policy to deal
with this issue. Americans are going to tell Mr. Gilani about their dissatisfaction in stern words. In fact, they have already told Pakistan on many occasions.

Pakistani diplomatic sources are saying that Americans have
told them that Pervez Musharraf issue will not be discussed. Pakistanis are giving
the impression, as if America is going to unload Musharraf. I believe these types of statements are for local consumption. My interpretation is that America is fed up with Sharif and Zardari’s anti-Musharraf politics. America is going to
tell Zardari and Sharif that America means business.

Pakistan government has been lobbying for some time to
persuade Washington to drop its support for Musharraf. Mr. Hussain Haqani has been instrumental in these efforts since his only credentials for being Pakistan’s Ambassador in the US are that he is staunch anti-Musharraf.

America was instrumental in drafting the NRO (National
Reconciliation Ordinance 2007) and bringing Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif back into the mainstream politics. Probably America was thinking that way Pakistan would have a government that will be more credible and stable. Unfortunately, it did not turn out that way and Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif have become now a
liability. Both had their own personal agendas so there was no national consensus on the real issues facing Pakistan, hence no effective government and no stability. In fact, Pakistan has become more unstable then it was before the election.

To make its previous decision work America is going to throw its full weight behind the present government. That would be the carrot but at a price. Top US military, intelligence and government leaders in Bush Administration have already shown their annoyance and dissatisfaction on the failure of Pakistan to deal with Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters in FATA and border areas with Afghanistan. Present government has been doing a lot of propaganda on their peace talks with Taliban and tribal leaders in FATA area giving the impression that these efforts are becoming successful. America wants some decisive action, and favors military force. America will give some political space and time may be six months to a year to this new government to be effective, try his peace talk option and show some results. Bush is under pressure at home to show some success in fighting terrorism in Afghanistan. American military leaders have convinced Bush Administration that Pakistan is not doing enough to stop Taliban and Al Qaeda’s fighters attacking from Pakistani areas. Hence, pressure on Mr. Gilani.

To show their support, America is going to offer besides political support economic and military aid during Prime Minister’s visit.

America is not interested in the domestic affairs of Pakistan like reinstatement of judges which is life and death issue for Nawaz Sharif and to some extent Asif Zardari, but would like to see a government who have control over the domestic problems including economy, domestic terrorism and other political issues.

Aitzaz Ahsan – Public Intellectual?


Aitzaz-Ahsan-Public-Intellectual

In the recent issue (July/August 2008) of Foreign Policy magazine they have published a so called Top 20 Public Intellectuals survey where Mr.Aitzaz Ahsan has been ranked on number 5.

Pakistan media particularly GEO TV and Aitzaz Ahsan himself seem to be proud of this ranking.

First let us see the definition of the word "intellectual". The word intellectual is an adjective. The noun is intellect. According to American Heritage Dictionary of The English Language, the meaning of the word ‘intellect’ is as follows:

The ability to learn and reason; the capacity for knowledge and understanding.

The ability to think abstractly or profoundly.

So the person who can do that is called intellectual. Fair enough.

Now let us see what profile Foreign Policy magazine has mentioned of Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan. Here is the verbatim quote;

"President of Pakistan’s Supreme Court Bar Association, Ahsan has been a vocal opponent of President Pervez Musharraf’s rule. When Musharraf dismissed the head of the Supreme Court in March 2007, it was Ahsan who led the legal challenge to reinstate the chief justice and rallied thousands of lawyers who took to the streets in protest. He was arrested several times during the period of emergency rule last year.
Today, he is a senior member of the Pakistan Peoples Party, formerly led by Benazir Bhutto, and one of the country’s most recognizable politicians
".

Courtesy: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4349

Do the activities which Foreign Policy have mentioned on which he has been ranked in the ‘Top  20 Public Intellectuals’  makes someone intellectual?

If this is the criteria then we have lots of intellectuals in our country.
What do you think? What is your opinion? Write your opinion in the comments.

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