Colossal Failure, Gigantic Hopes
By Brig. (r) Junaid Zaman • Mar 29th, 2008 • Category: Politics, Worth A Second Look • 7 CommentsRenowned Journalist, Shafquat Mehmood rights aptly when he says, “This is failure on a grand scale. If Mr Musharraf lacks capacity for introspection to recognise it, he should have been chastened by images of jubilation when the barricades around the chief justice’s house were removed. It was a graphic illustration of power seeping out of the presidency and into the hands of a people’s representative. The humiliating aspect of it for Musharraf was that the police carried out the order of the prime minister-designate even before he had formally taken charge of his office. This should tell him where he stands.”
But he either doesn’t want to understand or people like Rashid Qureshi, Governer Khalid Maqbool, and Sharifuddin Pirzada have woven a web of deception around him in which he only watches himself grinning ear to ear and he hallucinates millions of people waving for him in passion.
Now his toadies and cronies have put forward 3-point Presidential formula to have a cordial relationship between President House and the Prime Minister. This formula which includes that new government must not touch 58(2)B, National Security Council and to must sought guidance from President on important matters is nothing more than leashes to bind the elected government of Pakistan Democratic Alliance.
President General (r) Musharraf is continuously insulting the mandate given to PPP, PML-N and ANP. People of Pakistan have shown their full confidence in their elected leaders and the whole world including the masters in Washington are spell-bounded over the resolve Pakistani nation has shown. But stubborn President and callous Bush Administration is unwilling to accept the writing on the wal and they are still trying to hijack or pollute the mandate to the least.
Now instead of sticking to the throne, Musharraf should put forward some formula for his respectable exile. He should engage in talks with Zardari and Nawaz Sharif to not to impeach him and by saving face he would go out quietly. He must not try dare to challenge the write of the people.
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Is this the same selfish man who was himself a minister when Musharraf formed his first govt. in 1999. A man like him (or Iftikhar Ch. who took oath from Musharraf under PCO) must bath 1000 times before talking against Musharraf.
These are conscience-less, characterless, opportunist, ego-centric persons should not be deserved to be called Pakistani even
It’s interesting what this “Renowned Journalist” Shafqat Mehmood (former bureaucrat turned politician / former member of the senate) had to say about President Musharraf in “The NEWS” quoted above. If his words carry so much weight then lets see what he had said about PML (N) Nawaz Sharif. Here is an extraction from: “Betrayers of trust” by Mr. Ardeshir Cowasjee (DAWN May 02, 1999) :
As for ‘entitlement’ and ‘discretion,’ we can do no better than to read what Senator Shafqat Mahmood wrote in a Karachi daily yesterday on the subject of Mian Nawaz sharif, former chief minister of Punjab, and twice our prime minister:
“When he was, in his own words, the Prince of Punjab, his executive style was reminiscent of a medieval lord rather than a modern chief executive of a Third World poverty stricken province. He increased his discretionary grant - spending money given to the Chief Minister by the provincial treasury - from Rs one lac to Rs 9 crores per annum. And this he distributed with gay abandon. I was then Additional Secretary Finance in the Punjab, and the details of his expenditure passed through my hands. He would go around with pockets full of money. If a waiter served him well in a restaurant, he would give him a twenty thousand rupee tip. A barber who pleased him would get Rs one lac. The Lahore Gymkhana pavilion attendants, where he played cricket, got similarly large amounts. All, we must remember, state money not his own.
“Many of you may think that I cannot be serious. Believe me, I am. The records are available in the Finance Department of the province for all to see. There were thousands and thousands of entries to nameless, faceless people who had caught his fancy for one reason or another. He was munificent and large-hearted. He gave and gave. There is no doubt in my mind that he enjoys dispensing these favours. He was equally large-hearted with state land. Hundreds, indeed thousands, were given plots not only in Lahore but in Rawalpindi and many other cities of the provinces. Most of these were legislators, including many who are now luminaries of his cabinet and his party. But, this generosity was not confined to them. Many others, including social acquaintances, civil servants, and personal attendants were the lucky beneficiaries.”
Mr. Cowasjee continues:
The case of Mian’s plots was to be heard by the former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Sajjad Ali shah, when his court was stormed by Mian’s supporters on November 28, 1997, and has since then been put into cold storage. When and if it does emerge, we must hope that Shafqat Mahmood is still with us to give evidence.
Musharraf has to go. We dont want to see him since his first day of conquering Pakistan instead of Kashmir. These Army generals can only attack on their own country. They cant go and fight on boarders or atleast save borders. we are paying trillains to them per annum but they are greedy for more and attacks Pakistan. they are occupying all posh areas near cities with the name of Army but building Officers Colonies and lot more free on on the wealth of Nation. Thats the reason they are afraid of upcoming resolution that they should submit detail of annual expenditures budget before sanction of funds for them. becuase they are using these funds for themselves instead of buying new equipments and ammunition. rather from last 8 years they are eating additional funds that was allocated as Administrative development fund for Pakistan. Dear I’m here to argue with pro army people.
Shafqat Mehmood has improved a lot in his writings.
I am pro army and I am pro democracy and I am not ashamed of my position. I consider Pakistani military, army included, our military and I salute them for their preparedness to shield my country and my people. And I do not apologize for being grateful to my soldiers. I pray for them and their “Salamati”. I am glad to have them and proud to see their professional excellence and there willingness to live and die as per their oath and purpose - to live and die defending Pakistan and its people from “all” internal and external threats. It’s the only institution which has proved that if you are excellent professionally then you rise in ranks. You can be from any economic strata, any ethenic back ground. This is meritocracy and I wish that it should be practiced all over the land if we are to excell as a nation - it’s still not late, we have enormous talents and young people in the country. Give them chance on merit basis.
By the way - I am not an army man and no there’s no one from my family in the army either. My love for our army is simply because they are Pakistani SOLDIERS.
I think, Army is also an institution as other institutions of Pakistan. Why we always forgets services of PAF and Navy in this regard. Why we forgets all other institutions while giving credit. Why only Army??? Just because they have gun and their generals snatches government from elected people of Pakistan. I will also give them respect as our citizen gave in 1965. What happened in 1971? This same Army lost support of citizens of Pakistan. After that they are eating our country only. Why we are unable to find right way of Kashmir problem? just because of our and Indian Army. They are not interested to solve it. Once this problem will be solved then how they will be able to eat trillions of funds each year.
We have change their mind set. I know this Army very closely. I know what they comments about Civilians, it includes you and me also. You know whats their views about us. They should behave like other country’s Armies. Not to pressurize us by telling their Ranks instead of their names. Whats this? If they will be back to their original duties and for which they took oat, we will surely give them respect. But now enough is enough. We cant give medal of efficiency without comparing our Army with our neighbor countries.
I still remember one statement of Sonia Gandhi about our Army that “Pakistani Army has indulged itself in businesses and personal preferences instead of specializing themselves in their field.” Its pretty true. Our officers always keeps eyes on opportunities from NADRA, WAPDA, RAILWAY, PTA, Foreign Office, NAB and lot more Government departments. It shows what?
I think we have deviated from the point the retired Brig. Junaid Zaman above has raised with backing of Mr. Shafqat Mehmood’s comments regarding President Musharraf performance, which are judgemental and speculative, at best. If one columnist’s personal opinion has so much of weight than why this silence regarding the same person’s narration of his actual and direct experience as Additional Secretary Finance of Govt. of Punjab at the time of Chief Minister Nawaz Sharif. He has following to say (extracted from above for convenience): As for ‘entitlement’ and ‘discretion,’ we can do no better than to read what Senator Shafqat Mahmood wrote in a Karachi daily yesterday on the subject of Mian Nawaz sharif, former chief minister of Punjab, and twice our prime minister:
“When he was, in his own words, the Prince of Punjab, his executive style was reminiscent of a medieval lord rather than a modern chief executive of a Third World poverty stricken province. He increased his discretionary grant - spending money given to the Chief Minister by the provincial treasury - from Rs one lac to Rs 9 crores per annum. And this he distributed with gay abandon. I was then Additional Secretary Finance in the Punjab, and the details of his expenditure passed through my hands. He would go around with pockets full of money. If a waiter served him well in a restaurant, he would give him a twenty thousand rupee tip. A barber who pleased him would get Rs one lac. The Lahore Gymkhana pavilion attendants, where he played cricket, got similarly large amounts. All, we must remember, state money not his own.
“Many of you may think that I cannot be serious. Believe me, I am. The records are available in the Finance Department of the province for all to see. There were thousands and thousands of entries to nameless, faceless people who had caught his fancy for one reason or another. He was munificent and large-hearted. He gave and gave. There is no doubt in my mind that he enjoys dispensing these favours. He was equally large-hearted with state land. Hundreds, indeed thousands, were given plots not only in Lahore but in Rawalpindi and many other cities of the provinces. Most of these were legislators, including many who are now luminaries of his cabinet and his party. But, this generosity was not confined to them. Many others, including social acquaintances, civil servants, and personal attendants were the lucky beneficiaries.”
People this real not speculative. The “trustworthy” Shafqat Mehmood is a responsible man and will not lie when he tells about character of an elected chief minister. However, he may speculate about someone’s performance as a journalist, specially when we know how the owners of news papers and TV stations (the seths) have set agenda of Musharraf Bashing. The man must write and be published therefore he must comply to demands of owners of the “free” media.