Thursday, May 10, 2012

Literature we could do without - Ayaz Amir

Literature we could do without - Ayaz Amir


Ayaz AmirFriday, May 11, 2012
 
When was sending a prime minister home a problem in Pakistan? Ask Mian Nawaz Sharif, a veteran of two ousters. A few trucks rolling in, the PM house surrounded, a guard mounted on the Intelligence Bureau’s K Block headquarters, Pakistan Television taken over, the deed done...and the takeover artist coming on air to explain the necessity of the entire exercise.

Referring to the ease of prime ministerial removals, the late Maulana Kausar Niazi, who knew his political theology, said that there should be a graveyard in Islamabad reserved exclusively for ex-prime ministers. The time may have come to re-examine the proposal.

Gilani’s contempt case is taking forever to come to a conclusion, a thriller losing all its sex appeal. 111 Brigade, until recently the nation’s highest constitutional court, would have finished the matter in no time. But if it is taking forever it is because the Supreme Court, bereft of 111 Bde’s decisive interventionist powers, must act according to a document called the Constitution.

And the Constitution says that much as some of us would like Gilani to fall on his sword immediately, a Roman custom not much favoured by the Pakistani political class, there is a procedure to follow, via the speaker National Assembly and the chief election commissioner, before the sword effect comes into play.

What’s wrong with this? Why can’t we hold our horses for a bit? The tears being shed, and they are copious, for the rule of law are less about the holy elephant called the rule of law and more about political grandstanding and gamesmanship. Which is fine but we should see things for what they are and not be taken in so completely by our own charlatanism and duplicity.

There is more honour among thieves. There is certainly more honour among streetwalkers. They don’t pretend to be what they are not. Putting up with troubles is one thing. But having to put up with too much self-righteousness is a heavier cross to carry.

The prime minister has been held guilty of contempt. Isn’t that enough? The law will take its course, if we only allow it. If Gilani wants to be a martyr, a Multani Sir Thomas More (forgive the far-fetched analogy), that’s his choice. Pakistan has survived bigger earthquakes. It will survive this too. Our genius for muddling through, honed over the last 65 years, will remain in all its glory. Meanwhile, if we could only cut some of the democratic sermons.

Whatever adjective we use to describe Gilani’s defiance of the Supreme Court, is it likely to attract the anger of the gods more than, to take but one example, the poisoning of the Pakistani landscape by that invention of the devil called the plastic shopper? Nature despoiled and although the evidence of that is before our eyes we choose to do nothing about it.

Yes, Gilani deserves punishment, the law’s mills grinding slowly in that direction. But what about the plastic shopper...what about the cement industry destroying the Kahoon valley, one of the most beautiful spots in the whole of Pakistan? If we are helpless before such evils which will outlast our political troubles, why are we losing all restraint in Gilani’s contempt case? And don’t tell me that upholding the rule of law in this instance will lead to the application of law and justice in the Kahoon valley. This is not how things work in Pakistan.

My Lord the Chief Justice is criticised for many things...selective justice and so on. But tell me of a chief justice as concerned and energetic as him over a whole range of issues, including the disappearance of missing persons. But there are things beyond his reach and the power of the cement industry may just be one of these.

Or take the Asghar Khan case pertaining to the ISI distribution of money in the 1990 elections which is also taking forever. Instead of coming to grips with the central question, the distribution of money, the court has been meandering off into other directions.

Isn’t this an argument then for tempering judicial zeal? Where the weight of the law comes down heavily in some instances and is not to be felt in others, then the least we can do is avoid the temptation of excessive moralising. In the not too distant past we’ve had lordships giving us lectures on Islam. We are now being treated to discourses in literature. Interpreting the law and the Constitution, and ensuring that cases are timely decided, are not small tasks. Might it not be better to stick to these?

Was Stalin wrong when he asked, “How many divisions does the Pope have?” In his cynical way he was referring to an abiding truth: that power flows from strength...or, in Mao’s more vivid phrase, from the barrel of a gun. The triumph of the popular will in Russia is a misrepresentation of history. The communist party virtually abdicated authority and Russia’s divisions shifted their allegiance from the communist party to new centres of authority.

As an aside may I say that the people of Russia, as a whole, have had a rougher ride under democracy than under communist authoritarianism, Russian womanhood adorning the brothels of the world, from western Europe to the Gulf, one outcome of the triumph of the popular will in that once mighty country.

If their lordships would care to consider the matter of their own restoration: it was brought about less by any long march than by the army, and its divisions, exploiting the threat of a so-called long march to put pressure on a weak political government to acquiesce in their return. The people were pawns, as they usually are. It was the generals who decided, and Zardari the canny politician who swallowed his pride and went along with what he couldn’t resist.

Gen Musharraf’s biggest grouse is not with My Lord the Chief Justice but Gen Kayani. Whatever he may think of Justice Chaudhry he feels betrayed by Gen Kayani. Ultimately, it was his successor who distanced himself from him, forcing Musharraf to rethink his future.

There is a startling passage in the literary note appended to the main judgment in Gilani’s case: “...if in a given situation the Executive is bent upon defying a final judicial verdict and is ready to go to any limit in such defiance...then in the final analysis it would be the responsibility of the people themselves to stand up for defending the Constitution and...and for dealing with the delinquent appropriately.” More than a defence of the Constitution this sounds like an invitation to the barricades.

How are the people to come to such a determination? The Supreme Court’s claim to represent the people is about as valid as the divine right of kings. Love or hate it, it is the National Assembly which is the forum representing the popular will. And what if, as in the present instance, the National Assembly doesn’t see eye to eye with the Supreme Court? Should it then propose popular action against the higher judiciary?

These are misleading and dangerous theories and we should have nothing to do with them. The Supreme Court draws its legitimacy not from the people but the Constitution. Just as an army does best when it sticks to cleaning its weapons and having them ready for use, the higher judiciary does best when keeping the embers of its moral indignation a bit low and sticking to interpreting the law, and allowing the law to take its course...even if this course is not as brutal or summary as some of us would like it to be.

Email: winlust@yahoo.com

Shahbaz pays for all his visits from his pocket

Shahbaz pays for all his visits from his pocket


Umar CheemaFriday, May 11, 2012
 
 
ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, his cabinet members and politicians accompanying him during foreign visits pay from their own pocket in contrast to those at the hem in the Centre who spend billions of rupees from the public exchequer every year, reveals an official document.

It is not the austerity practice recently introduced by Shahbaz Sharif as he also followed this policy during his last stint as Chief Minister, according to the officials who have worked with him.

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, on the other hand, has a budgetary allocation of Rs.1.2 billion for foreign trips in the current budgetary allocation alone.

According to an estimate of economist Dr. Farrukh Saleem, an amount of Rs. 100 million will be spent on the ongoing one-week visit of the PM to UK where he has only a one-hour official engagement.

According to details furnished to answer a question raised in Punjab Assembly by Zobia Rubab Malik, a PML-Q MPA, about CM’s foreign visits and expenditures incurred, Shahbaz Sharif always paid from his pocket together with his ministers and politicians who accompanied him.

He never claimed a single penny from public exchequer whenever he visited abroad, no matter if he travels on an official invitation or takes personal initiative for some official business.In case of official invitation, the delegation has to afford travel expenditures and the host state only offers lodging and other facilities to the visiting delegation.

Again, this facility is not for the entire entourage but four to five members invited for business talk are qualified to avail this facility. In ongoing PM’s UK visit, the host government is responsible for living arrangements of only six members of delegation and the rest are enjoying at the expense of public exchequer.

As for Shahbaz Sharif-led delegations are concerned, all members have to pay travel, boarding and lodging expenses from their own pocket.Answer to the Punjab Assembly question awaits its turn to be tabled and has been obtained by The News through officials involved in its preparation.

By the time the question was sent to the PA, Shahbaz Sharif had paid as many as seven foreign visits. For them, Chief Minister Secretariat had to pay only Rs. 2.06 million and that was for the travel expenses of CM’s Staff Officer. Even the photographer that accompanied in some visits was paid from CM’s personal pocket.

During the first visit undertaken on November 16, 2008 to China, an eight-member delegation went with him which included Shahbaz Sharif, Tanvir Ashraf Kaira, then Minister (Finance) Ahmad Ali Aulakh, Minister (Agriculture), Khawaja Imran Nazir, MPA, Haroon Khawaja, CM’s Monitoring & Implement Cell, Syed Tahir Raza Naqvi, Secretary Industries, Shahid Mehmood, Director General LDA, Mohy-ud-Din Ahmad Wani, DGPR and Azmat Mehmood, PSO to CM.

The CM and his ministers and MPA paid from their pocket and the bureaucrats’ expenditures were afforded by their respective departments. Azmat Mehmood’s visit was financed (Rs. 152,736) by CM Secretariat.

Second visit to Bahrian-Iran-Dubai was held on June 11, 2009. Other than Shahbaz Sharif, following were member of delegation: Tanvir Ashraf Kaira, Minister (Finance), Sirdar Dost M. Khosa, Minister (LG&CD), Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri, MPA, Saeed Akbar Niwani, MPA, Asma Mamdoot, MPA, Pir Saad Ahsan-ud-Din, Vice Chairman, PBIT, Syed Tahir Raza Naqvi, Secretary Industries, Capt. Retd. Arif Nadeem, Secretary Agriculture, Makhdoom Syed Raza Ali Gillani, MPA, Makhdoom Abdul Qadir Gillani, MPA, Shoaib Bin Aziz, Secretary Information, Ali Sarfraz (additional secretary to CM Secretariat), Azmat Mehmood (PSO to CM) and Zia-ul-Haq, CM’s Personal Attendant.

In addition to personal expenses, CM paid for his personal attendant from his pocket. Provincial ministers and MPAs traveled on personal expenses and bureaucrats were paid by their departments. CM Secretariat paid (Rs. 257473) for Ali Sarfraz and Azmat Mehmood.

Third visit was for London-Turkey starting on January 9, 2010. Other than Shahbaz Sharif, Sirdar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Kosa, Senior Advisor, Ashraf Khan Sohna, Minister (Labour), Shuja Khanzada, MPA, Atta-ul-Haq Qasmi, Columnist, Capt. Retd. Arif Nadeem, Secretary Agriculture, Fazal Abbas Maken, Secretary Commerce, Shoaib Bin Aziz, Secretary Information, Haroon Khawaja, Chairman (SIE), Pir Saad Ahsan-ud-Din, CE/Vice Chairman (PBIT) and Azmat Mehmood (PSO to CM). The same policy was applied. CM Secretariat only paid for Azmat Mehmood (Rs. 411368).

Fourth visit was to Abu Dhabi that started on December 11, 2010. Khawaja Muhammad Asif, MNA, and Haroon Khawaja, Chairman (SIE) accompanied Shahbaz Sharif, in addition to Sajid Zafar Dall, his PSO whose travel was financed (Rs. 215,315) by CM Secretariat.

Fifth visit was for Turkey-UK on December 26, 2010. Khawaja Ahmad Hassan, Chairman (LTC), Muhammad Aamir Khan, Chief Photographer, Sajid Zafar Dall (PSO to CM) and Athar Ali Khan (PRO to CM) traveled with him. For Aamir Khan, Shahbaz Sharif paid from pocket. CM Secretariat paid for Sajid (Rs. 355,634) and Ather (Rs. 209,300).

His sixth visit was to Hong Kong-China starting on April 17, 2011. Rana Sanaullah, law minister, Pervaiz Rasheed, Senator, and Saud Majeed, MNA,

Khawaja Ahmad Hassan, Chairman (LTC), Hafiz Mian Muhammad Nauman, MPA, Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri, MPA, Ms.Kiran Imran, MPA, Ms.Shamsa Gohar, MPA, Rana Mubashar Iqbal, ex-MPA, Javed Aslam, Chairman P&D, Maj. Retd. Azam Suleman Khan, Secretary C&W, Shoaib Bin Aziz, Press Secretary, Haroon Khawaja, Chairman (SIE), Rizwan Ullah Khan, Vice Chairman (PBIT), Zafar-ud-Din Mahmood, CEO (Pak China Bureau), Saif Hameed, Chairman (Punjab Youth Council) Muhammad Aamir Khan, Chief Photographer (expenses paid by CM) accompanied him in addition to Sajid Zafar Dall (his PSO) only whose expenditures were paid (Rs. 180,706) by the CM Secretariat.

Shahbaz Sharif’s seventh official visit was for UK started on July 3, 2011. Rana Sana Ullah Khan, Minister Law, Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Minister (Education), Kamran Michael, Minister (Finance/Minorities), Muhammad Pervaiz Malik, MNA, Baleegh-ur-Rehman, MNA, Engr.Khurram Dastgir Khan, MNA, Ali Haider Noor Khan Niazi, MPA, Col. Retd. Shuja Khanzada, MPA, Shamsa Gohar, MPA, Nawabzada Syed Shamas Haider, MPA, Shehzadi Umerzadi Tiwana, MPA, Peer Walayat Shah Khagha, MPA, Maiza Hameed, MPA, Ch.Nadeem Khadim, MPA, Tanvir Aslam Malik, MPA, Mian Tariq Mehmood, MPA, Shafqat Mahmood (now in PTI), Javed Aslam, Chairman P&D, Brig.Retd.Anis Ahmad, Chairman (CMMIC), Shoaib Bin Aziz, Press Secretary, Saif Hameed, Chairman (Punjab Youth Council), Saadat Muzaffar, CEO(PBIT), Muhammad Aamir Khan, Chief Photographer (expenses paid by CM) and Sajid Zafar Dall, PSO (expenses paid by CM Secretariat to the tune of Rs. 285039.

Irked by loadshedding, angry protesters take to the streets

Irked by loadshedding, angry protesters take to the streets

Abbottabad commission report: What is happening behind the scenes?

Abbottabad commission report: What is happening behind the scenes?

Published: May 10, 2012
US reveals letters allegedly exchanged between Bin Laden and al Qaeda leaders. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD: 
A statement issued by the government last week stating that the Abbottabad Commission will release its finding report this month was apparently a tactic to “pressurise” the commission and the announcement was made without consulting its members.
Officials and support staff working on the report told The Express Tribune that the judicial commission was in fact far from completing the final report and the press announcement has put undue pressure on the body.
“In fact, we are all surprised as to how such a press statement could be issued. I am working on compiling the report and I don’t believe we can finish it this month,” an official said.
The source, however, added that after the press release was issued, the team has started working on the compilation in a “hasty manner” and therefore, it seems very unlikely that a “thorough” report could be compiled this month.
One of the reasons for this could be the fact that the judicial commission is yet to finalise which interviews to include in the report and which to discard.
Some of the members of the commission also have travel plans this month, which may cause further delay in the publishing of the report.
“There are major differences amongst the members about the content of the report, and if it is completed this month, it may be done in haste, and that will not be an accurate report,” said the official, adding that the most crucial question the investigations will try to answer is: “Was Osama bin Ladin even present in that compound?”
“Although we found his wives and children there, I am amazed at the general public perception, after conducting interviews from Abbottabad, that the al-Qaeda chief was not present in the same compound. The denial amongst the people of Abbottabad is so strong that the commission members were forced to consider this possibility too,” the staffer said.
The official has been part of the commission when it was formed and has assisted the members in researching, recording interviews and is currently involved in compiling the final report.
The staff member also claimed that there is “no chance” of retracing Bin Laden’s steps since the commission has not come across any such proof. “As of now, from the evidence or interviews I have been privy to, it is unlikely that we will get to know how the al-Qaeda chief was present there in the first place.”
When asked about what the differences amongst the members were, the source revealed that one of the members, General Nadeem, wanted to include into the investigations the presence of US personnel in Pakistan, and how the CIA was able to monitor the house where Bin Laden lived.
“He insisted on including the investigations about former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani giving unauthorised visas to the Americans.”
The official added that all the commission members want the report to be made public, and it is likely that any institution could be held responsible. According to the staffer, more than 100 people have been interviewed by the commission, including a number of journalists, analysts, security officials, government officials and diplomats.
When contacted, head of the commission Justice Javed Iqbal and other members of the commission were not available for comments.
The commission was due to submit its report by the end of last year and its mandate was to ascertain facts regarding the presence of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan, following his killing by US Navy Seals in May 2, 2011.
Justice Iqbal is heading the commission, which includes Lt Gen (retd) Nadeem Ahmed, former Inspector General of Police Abbas Khan and former ambassador Ashraf Jahangir Qazi. Cabinet Secretary Nargis Sethi has been working as the secretary of the commission.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 10th, 2012.