EDITORIAL
D2
SUNDAY
MARCH 29, 2015
Editor-in-Chief & Chief Executive | REHMAT SHAH AFRIDI Resident Editor | RIFAT ALAM Managing Editor | MAJ. (R) JAVED IQBAL Email: thefrontierpost1@outlook.com — rehmatshahafridi@outlook.com Tel: +92 42-36300931-4 Printed and published by Rehmat Shah Afridi at Maidan Press, 10-Queen’s Road Lahore
I
Imran Khan revealed
mran’s indecent language, about the prime minister of the country, expresses his pleasure at the attack on the PTV station and his asking for help from MQM, which is mostly taken as a fascist party, to topple the government, have strengthen the belief that for the PTI leader the end justifies the means: his conversation with his fellow Arif Alvi, as revealed in the audio tape, shows a very different type of personality of the party’s supreme leader. His least educated words and their ill mannered use have further degraded the political discourse in the country. His approval of the attack on the PTV suggests that for him, his personal interests are prior to the objectives and aspiration of the nation. When Imran, as heard from audio tape, called the attack on the PTV station and the discontinuation of broadcast from there a ‘good’ thing, and said it would advance his stated goal as it would pressurize the Prime Minister Nawaz to resign, he showed no regard for the nation’s interests. He did not care that in case a mob is able to force a prime minister of the country to resign, no civilian and democratic government will be able to survive in the future. The PTV is a state organization and not the property of PML-N, impairment of a state building or stopping broadcast through a plotted panic and confusion in the country as well as abroad is not taken positively. Imran forgot that wherever the army sacks civilian governments, their first action is against radio and TV stations. The same thing happens when civilian government breaks down and unruly mobs become in control. During the efforts to capture these information disseminating centers, there is a brief but uneasy silence. This silence is usually taken as a sign that the civilian government has lost control and either the army or the mob has taken the government affairs in its hands. This was the kind of impression that the attack on PTV is such action that may or may not have destabilized the Nawaz government, but it surele was an endeavor to make Pakistan a politically unstable state. Imran justifies his act as it could push his political rival to resign from his position, without giving it a thought that democracy could have been rolled back for decades. Imran was supposed to know that his sit-in in Islamabad and his spat of reckless language which rolled from his tongue from atop the container, the attack on the Prime Minister House, the siege of the Secretariat, his comment that that the third umpire was about to lift his finger, all these words and gestures scared foreign leaders and made foreign investors hesitant in bringing their capital. Such unruly behavior by the PTI leader not only damaged the countries political image but also harmed its economic development. It was not even bravado when Imran hurled inappropriate words as he criticized every national institution: after all, it is democracy and lesser people have remained unscathed for using more inappropriate language. However, his putting the national interests at risk was not brinkmanship, it was pure recklessness. Careful and patriot politicians will not exercise extreme brinkmanship when dealing with national issues. Even, many politicians whom we think to be power greedy stop when they see that their actions are endangering national interests. PTI chief forgets that he maybe popular among a certain class, but he has not reached the popular status where one can say that his will is will of the nation. The nation had given this status to Quaid-e-Azam and nobody else. He should also understand that by using inappropriate language he is distancing his party from the well behaved and sensible thinking people who are in majority. Imran, during, the Islamabad sit-in did whatever he could to involve the armed forces in the situation; we should thank our brass for having a well-organized and disciplined cadre where generals think straight, pro state and pragmatic.
No bloodshed for oil
W
ho would forget a time when capitalist America developed a Federal Reserve Bank in 1913 without having substantial reserves? Could someone speculate at that time that after a year a World War-1 will start its devastations in whole of Europe? England will be bombed to an extent that every patch of London will be burnt into ashes. This was a time when the factories of heavy weaponries were closed in the United States. Now America required an unyielding monetary policy to get its ordinance factories fired up again. So, they crafted a capitalistic use of the debts, which were already given to the Bank of England and as a repayment they got hold of United Kingdom’s reserve. This was later on called the capitalist utility of ideas. After a decade, this capitalistic utility of ideas was again being seen practised; but this time it was Asian as the economic threats and interests foreseen by the capitalist world were the energy sources, oil above all. Iraq without having any reasonable intention, invaded Kuwait. As a consequence, Allied forces invaded Iraq, after a decade of Iran – Iraq war of 1980’s. Ultimately the heroes of past became the war criminals of that day and heads previously clutched by the capitalism got chopped by the capitalists’ corporate interests. When Shah was on his last ride in 1979, the revolution certainly was fundamentalist. But Russia had never faced any sectarian issue. Technically, Iran does not yet need to enrich, since Russia is providing the fuel for the new reactor it built in Bushehr. Tehran counters that it has the right to enrich uranium as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It also intends to build additional reactors and says it does not want to be dependent on foreign powers for fuel. But since 2002, international suspicions about Iran’s long term intentions have deepened because of revelations by other governments or Iranian exile groups that it has built secret facilities that could be used for a weapons program. The Islamic Republic has only acknowledged them after the fact. The compass of the geopolitical strategic balance of power is turning towards a qualitative relationship between the United States and Russia, following a phase of tension in their relationship, the features of which had clearly appeared first with regard to the issue of Syria. The reason for this is certainly not the American-Russian understanding over the destruction of Syria's chemical arsenal, reached two months ago, despite its limited importance. Neither is the reason solely the new state of intimacy achieved by the American-Iranian relationship, after it had been a relationship of truce seeking at the core in the first place. Nor is it the start of talks on the nuclear issue with Tehran despite its importance. Indeed, the main link between America's interests and those of Russia is that they have both become oil and gas giants and both want understanding and cooperation between the two oil and gas superpowers. The United States has recently discovered the size of its own oil and gas wealth; a colossal wealth that has come as a result of the discovery of underground shale oil and gas deposits in and around US territory, in what has become known as the "Shale Revolution". Russia has waged its war in Syria for several reasons, one of the most important and most prominent of them being to prevent the passage of natural gas pipelines from Qatar through Syria to Turkey then Europe as this would have the potential to shatter Russia's monopoly on natural gas wealth revenue in the European market in particular. Part of the "Grand Bargain" that is taking shape involves the relationship between the United States and Russia, in light of the fact that the two of them together control the largest and most important oil and gas reserves in the world. From here, one can begin to answer questions about the concerns felt in the Middle East region and in particular in the Arab Gulf region. So, it’s not the sectarianism and neither is it faith that is killing millions of people in proxy wars. It’s the capitalistic utility of ideas again where the humanity demands, “No bloodshed for oil”.
I
t was less than one year ago, on 17 June 2014, when Pakistani TV screens showed the dead bodies of the citizens of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, on the streets of Lahore. The astonishing factor was not the presence of dead bodies, or streets of Lahore. The astonishing factor was that the victims were killed by the police. The valiant Punjab Police, acted upon the orders of higher standing officials, which included the Provincial Law Minister, Mr Rana Sanaullah, the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Mr Syed Tauqir Hussain Shah and a host of ambiguous entities. The Punjab Chief Minister, who somehow managed to stay uninformed for more than 14 hours, about public unrest in Model Town, came out of the closet on the eve of June 17, 2014 and with an expression of surprise on his face made grand statements. When I watched Mr Shahbaz Sharif trying to be surprised, I readily remembered George W. Bush’s face on September 11 2001. And to be more exact, when he tried to remain surprised, upon receiving the news of “terrorism” across the country. Probably the Punjab Chief Minister remained uninformed, because he was spending time with his family, who happens to own a lot of cheap real estate in Model Town. As Don Corleone, of The God Father, said: “A man who doesn’t spend time with his family, can never be a real man!” But before this incident it was commonly thought that Don Corleone of Ravi and Chenab was the man who insisted on hearing the bad news immediately. But then Shahbaz Sharif knew that 14 dead bodies were a little too much to just shove under the carpet. This induced his pondering. Then in the days between 17 June and 21 June 2014, he had many frequent meetings with many important persons. And meeting each one of them Mr Sharif was confident, just like Don Corleone that he was going to make them an offer they couldn’t refuse! The second most important persona, after Rana Sanaullah of course, was the Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Mr Tauqir Shah. To the Chief Minister’s
A
Local call…
homeliness and his dedismay, unlike Rana mand for justice is just Sanaullah, who had braved limited to an occasional inquiries and investigation statement every now and earlier, Dr Tauqir had a then (his party, PAT, did isyellow belly. The CM even sue a statement about the had to encourage him in Consiglieri’s appointment Don Corleone style: “You to Geneva). But I am a can act like a man! What’s mortal, I cannot underthe matter with you?” stand the motivations and The deal was good thought patterns of the enough, so soon Dr Tauqir political immortals of our became part of a criminal Khalid Minhas country. Probably Mr investigation, taking the Don’s advice: “You gotta go, when you Qadri is waiting for 17 June 2015 to mark the anniversary of the “Model gotta go!” The investigation is still in the pending Town Massacre”. Till then he has to rest basket, as it was supposed to be. But Don in Canada or maybe UK or even Geneva Corleone’s promise was not compiled of to regain all the energies that he can, bebaseless words. The Don knows how to fore the time for the anniversary “celekeep his men “covered”. Just a few days brations” comes. While Don Corleone is protecting his ago, the former Consiglieri got appointed as Ambassador of Pakistan to the men and their families, another loud World Trade Organization (WTO) and opposition voice is still busy counting votes and planning on taking maximum took a first class flight out to Geneva. In the late 19th century and early twen- share of the vacating Karachi positions. tieth century, the Sicilian Mafiosi used to I am talking about Imran Khan and his send their “men” to the USA after they “Tehreek-e-Insaaf (Justice Movement)”. would complete some job. The reason was What is the big deal with one small apthat, when a man does your dirty laundry, pointment to Geneva? Dr Tauqir is also you have to pay him. They used to send a Pakistani and just like any other loyal their men to NY because Sicily was dusty, Pakistani, his services should be recogdirty and under-developed. But on the nized. PTI cannot act against the rules of contrary, NY had breathable air. So what social justice and oppose such political could had been the best sign of gratitude and criminal payoffs. How can you expect than sending the Consiglieri to Geneva? the members of your society to pay for an See, roads of Lahore are dirty, the air is honest day’s labour if you oppose payoffs? smoggy, the water is undrinkable, elec- And I should not forget that Mr Khan has tricity is in very short supply and now they also spent too much energies since elechave this new fashion of burning people tions in 2013. He contested the elections, alive at Ferozepur road. On the contrary doing Pakistanis a favour. Then he deGeneva is all nature. Clean air, clean signed and ran a campaign against the roads, clean water, no load-shedding Family’s (as in The God Father) governand no crazy people taking law into their ment. And in the meanwhile he struggled own hands. The only thing that Consiglieri to get married. So now, while in rehabilTauqir will miss in Geneva is the ‘Metro itation, he cannot afford to spend his preBus’ and the gigantically long flyover, cious energies on such trivial things as powhich “improved” Pakistan’s interna- litical favouritism towards suspected tional credit ratings. But Consiglieri criminals. We have to remember PTI’s Tauqir will not miss those things a lot, be- next higher goal is to fill the vacuum in cause they have such and even better bus- Karachi and Hyderabad. Now you must be wondering, why am es in Geneva and they even have a street car (Tram). It looks like the situation was I spending so many words on condemnripe. Mr Qadri is enjoying Canadian ing this appointment? The fact of the mat-
ter is that I am least bothered about the Consiglieri’s lavish life in Geneva. I am more concerned about myself. I am also tired of sitting in the darkness and smelling the burning wax. I am also tired of drinking water out of plastic bottles and taking tea made of powdered milk. I am also tired of riding a motorcycle in Lahore and inhaling all the fumes of the city along with tonnes of dust every day. I also want to go to Geneva or to New York or at least Athens or KualaLumpur. But in my younger years I made a mistake. I did not sell my soul to the devil of government service. And now it is too late. So my chances of participation in the killing of a few mortals to buy my ticket out of this country are near to nothing. But my desire to live in Geneva is very strong. I am contemplating, probably I can create a public feud with the editor and kill him. This might help me fly out of Lahore? But if I want to achieve success, not in killing, but after killing, then I have to get the Don’s blessings beforehand. Unfortunately I do not have access to the Don and my editor is not on the “Ghalat log” list. So the farthest I can go, as a result of this killing, is Kot-Lakhpat, which is not the best option. But my desires are honest and I will achieve success one day in escaping this hell. Let me tell you an honest joke to end the story of this political mafia. “A man died and went to hell. Upon admission to hell he was told about his rights. The angel informed him that he could make one call weekly to anyone, anywhere in the world, but he had to pay for the call. The first week in hell, he called his friend in USA. Talked for 10 minutes and received a bill for 450Rs. Next week he called his friend in Geneva. Talked for 10 minutes and received a bill for 490Rs. Then after a few weeks he called his wife in Pakistan. Talked for 10 minutes and received a bill for only 2.45Rs. In his astonishment he asked the Angel: “Is this the correct bill?” The Angel nodded in confirmation. Then he asked: “Why is it so cheap?” The Angel said: “Hell to Hell is a local call!”
Immorality of drone warfare
HARUN YAHYA
lmost all wars that are currently under way in the world are targeting Muslims. Just about every bomb, every drone, every prison, every cage, every orange jumpsuit are produced for Muslims. Look around carefully; all the world's intelligence services target Muslims. Even more, Muslims are driven to war and destruction at the hands of other Muslims. Indeed all sorts of war are horrifying and dreadful. Yet we see in today’s world the dirtiest kind of war that causes Muslims to break with one another and brings perpetual disaster to the Muslim world. The rules for this kind of war include destroying a city of people with poisonous gas, randomly killing people with drones without caring who is being killed and destroying targets using remote controls. What is more shocking is the fact that the whole world deems this quite ordinary. Turkey has been the talk of many peo-
ple including those who feel it necessary for Turkey to be expelled from NATO for not giving access to the Incirlik Airbase for unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, with the capacity to carry out bomb attacks. What they meant in fact was that “either you are our ally in the war we wage against Muslims and kill innumerable innocent Muslims, or you're unwanted”. Recently some media outlets asserted that Turkey brought two Predator UAVs carrying two Hellfire missiles each and stationed them at the Incirlik Airbase and that it would be involved in operations in Mosul with these drones. There are also some people in Turkey who are more than enthusiastic in their pro-western stance by wishing to kill Muslims. The words of drone pilot American Lt. Chad, situated in Nevada Creech Airbase, “We will be in Las Vegas an hour after the bombing” are maybe the most unequivocal words that state the horrifying nature of this unethical war. Soldiers who bomb a wedding procession and turn to amus-
ing themselves and gambling without feeling any guilt are merely actors that fulfil the commands of the drone wars. Just like controlling a computer game, bombing the streets of Pakistan with remote controls in their hands from their air-conditioned rooms in the middle of a desert in the US is no difficult task; in fact, the phrase “out of sight, out of mind” puts the situation into context clearly enough. To better understand the drone nightmare, it would be enlightening to understand how some countries started the year 2015. Two separate drone strikes in Somalia on Jan. 31 targeted the training camps of Al-Shabaab. The target was a few people and the numbers of deaths were 40. In the meantime, nothing has changed in Pakistan. Various targets were hit in five heavy attacks starting from the beginning of this year. Many people who died had nothing whatsoever to do with the targeted people. Even though the US and the UK state that they work in collaboration with the
governments of the countries that are under drone attack, they cannot avoid the rage directed at them by the public. The horrifying noise of the approaching drones in the sky has impaired their psychology. They have no idea when they will be targeted, either during a family picnic or a wedding while having fun. What they know is that, in any case, the soldier who will pull the trigger will continue to have fun in Las Vegas not long after, the world will not care one whit. While the guns of the world are pointed toward Muslims, special desert prisons are build for Muslims and orange jumpsuit are produced in order to clothe Muslims; as a Muslim country, Turkey will not fall into this error and will not direct its guns to Muslims. If Turkey becomes a part of this horrible mindset, it would be opening the door to enormous calamities, both for itself and for the region. Yet what is more important is the fact that the sin of pointing a gun at an innocent person is bigger than all of this. —Courtesy arabnews
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