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March 12, 2008

Wolfgang Weitnauer, WEITNAUER Attorneys Tax Advisors Public Accountants, (2)

clear and convincing arguments

April 3, 2008

ilyas m mohsin, ppp, Platinum Contributor (250)

A New Perspective
Mr. Musharraf desisted from attending the Dakar summit of OIC with usual fanfare this time round. His hurried trip to Europe recently, while the country was burning, had evoked rather frank response at home and abroad. Davos could not have meant much for a country where the most popular political leader was assassinated and things appeared to be going, generally, hay-wire .While Musharraf’ ‘chance-meetings’ with the Israeli Defense Minister, lasting one hour each time, caused the usual ripples, the cost to the national exchequer underlined the absence of Accountability.
Oscar Wilde had said, “An excellent man; he has no enemies; and none of his friends like him.” Our suzerain may claim the compliment. Prima facie, under law of Necessity he may earn it without shutting up conscientious judges/ brilliant lawyers etc or getting the latter beaten up frequently. Such antics propagate a new version of the Rule of Law. He can, of course, get a decree anytime from the ‘executive judges’
Mr. Musharraf may be, generally, an excellent man for his family despite known glitches. He still has some chips of the old block by his side who want him to become immortal physically for personal gains. It may also enable the cabal to defy the advanced countries ‘obsessed’ with imposing "unrealistic Western perceptions of democracy and human rights" on un-smart Pakistanis. The free societies would have just disdain for such mumbo jumbo normally.
His cronies with questionable integrity, since they have always served dictators, may still like him. He may also be liked by a certain group in the establishment whose fortunes have swelled a la Musharraf. At home, he claimed that the rural area supported him. His guess may be wishful as is borne out by the election results which wa she outcome of ‘selective rigging’ by perverse elements are close to him. The latest no atta, no gas, no electricity, no security syndrome had devastated the people despite the tales spun by his lackeys. So a possible bounce back for Democracy.
He is perceived to be having friends in the US Administration. Nonetheless, while some of his friends there dislike him outright, others do so due to his ‘failure to deliver’. Quite naturally they keep on urging him to ‘do more’. Such friends also ask him to hold ‘fair and free’ elections and also want guarantees that it will not be a repeat-performance of 2002 or his own ‘Referendum’. The Los Angeles Times in a recent editorial asserted, “Fortunately, U.S. officials have a great deal of leverage with Musharraf, who has far less support among his army and his people than he has inside the Bush administration.”
Those he met in Europe quizzed him aggressively about the judges who remain ‘prisoners of conscience’ as well as the great fighters, imbued with Rousseau’spirit, like Aitzaz Ahsan, etc. His answers would have painted us as morbid since the Europeans, generally, live by the Law.
A segment of his friends in the political field have managed to escape the public wrath and are lying low while putting up a façade of solidarity with all political forces to save the country at this juncture. Initially some of these carpetbaggers tried to put up a show of support for Musharraf. However, the objective conditions are changing fast with the formation of ‘forward blocks’ in Q-league, a euphemism for trading political support to those in power. There have even been calls for Q-league leadership to resign following the electoral disaster but such honourable things are not their cup of tea. So the statements from this quarter have developed in to mumbo jumbo. It is impossible to satisfy pubic anger over the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. As if this was not enough, the unwise policies pursued with abandon resulted in near-famine conditions in Baluchistan/ NWFP due to disappearance of Atta, gas, electricity and security. The public resentment was such that the double-dealers had to reproach Shaukat Aziz, not daring to speak the truth, as being the architect of misery.
PR abroad may be more important for the supremo despite the odds. However, the same exercise at home appears to be superfluous to him due to his perceived-power a la 10 Corp. No wonder, in his public appearances, he tends to be highly patronizing. This callow approach annoys the educated youth besides the lawyers etc. Hence there is an organized resistance developing in the civil society which may save our country from a terrible end.
Unfortunately the ground realities are perverse. First, the law/ order is a mess as is proved by the bomb blasts all over wherein Pakistanis are dying, even small children got killed in the FIA Building blast. All that has come is usual condemnation of the tragic acts of terrorism. The agencies are bogged down and may not be able to come up with magic solutions. Some reports indicate the hauling up of usual suspects in the cases concerning Lahore bomb blasts. The intelligence part appears to be lacking as, almost, the entire state-apparatus appears to be guarding their ‘president and his cronies’ like their uniformed counterparts.
While the outlook is desperately bleak, there are 2 factors which inspire hope. The Americans have realized that only army can’t win the ‘war on terror’ in Pakistan as, by all accounts, the Taliban are gaining ground. Besides Afghanistan, the extremists are spreading their tentacles even in NWFP/ Baluchistan. As per the regime’ accounts, they are able to freely carry out suicide-bombings/ attacks on the defence forces/ police etc at will. Moreover, scare is being spread by the regime itself about the mushrooming of the suicide-bombers in to the various parts of the country which makes Pakistan appear to be ‘the most dangerous country.’ Despite all this, the US knows that it can’t afford another Iran; ‘Yugoslavia-like fate’ for Pakistan would boomerang badly.
Secondly, the people of Pakistan, generally, know that the stakes are very high for them and they have, despite the official snags sent their message Loud and Clear on Feb 18. Hence the heroic struggle by the Civil Society headed by the icon-judges and persons like Aitzaz Ahsan. As young educated classes, at home and abroad, join the fray for the return of Constitutional rule, the political parties, generally, have been trying to put their act together to fulfil their promises made to the people. Rule of Law, feared by the powerful stands for Accountability and justice in any democratic society. Missing the Dakar-jaunt may have been prompted by the same FEAR. Now the ‘supremo’ talks of ‘real democracy’ despite his copiously controversial credentials. Apparently, counting on US-support, he wants a FREE LUNCH. Can Pakistan afford it?

April 23, 2008

ilyas m mohsin, ppp, Platinum Contributor (250)

Combating Terrorism

The mature reaction of the political parties in the aftermath of the Feb 18 elections appears to be causing considerable concern in the US. Some elements in the Administration appear ambivalent about the emergence of a new democratic order in Pakistan. It is, generally, believed, here that this was brought about by the supreme sacrifice offered by MBB while the pressure from our friends in the West must also have weighed heavy on the regime. Those pulling the strings from Washington DC must be irked by the incapacity of ‘their man’ to ‘act’ in some matters. In today’ world, there are countless conduits for the clandestine conduct of such operations. However, it should prove to be in the best interests of the two countries to work within a new framework which has the support, generally, of the people of Pakistan.
Through hindsight it is easy to make out that the policies of the neo-cons in the aftermath of 9/11 have done great harm to the US. In just over 7 years under the same President, the country has spent $ 3 trillion in Iraq war waged on the hoax of ‘WMD’. Likewise, Afghanistan is also developing into a terrible quagmire despite, the damned if you do and damned if you don’t, help from NATO. While the body-count of US forces dead/ on DI list appears to be manageable as yet, the despondency among such forces as reflected by the suicides and ‘the war syndrome’ project a far-reaching complication. Apparently all well-wishers of the US are waiting for the new Administration to step in so that saner stuff. can supersede the current mess.
The US may have suffered economically etc but the biggest damage done is to its image in the world whose consequences are writ large all over. First, the UN etc have been undermined grievously which would provide perennial bad precedents to future adventurers. Second, more than a million people have been killed/ maimed in Iraq/ Afghanistan besides many more who are suffering the ordeal of being refugees. Third, despite ridding the people of Saddam and the Taliban, they find very few sympathisers because of the neo-con tunnel-vision. Fourth, killings by the ‘enemy’ in these societies are not easily forgotten unless and until the traditions governing the healing-process are followed. George W may pass off the stage in to Texas but the hostility-capital he has bequeathed to his people would keep them on tenterhooks. Even on a human level, the Americans, like all normal people, would feel a guilt-consciousness on such massive killings while their forces controlled those countries.
Fifth, while US’ position is tumbling badly down all over, other contenders in the Globe are gaining thereby. Russia is re-emerging as a confident actor supported by the trillions of $ made from the energy sector, thanks to the misadventures indulged by the US. India, though courted by the US for its market/ cheap labour is also busy in the game of playing one suitor against another to extract maximum dividends. Its rebuff to US, so far, on Indo-US Nuclear Deal, which was sold ab initio to its simple citizens as another ’Mission Accomplished’ like Iraq, is simply melodramatic.
The end-result of the US ‘war on terror’ started in the aftermath of 9/11 appears to be the spread of terrorism not only in ‘occupied’ countries but in others too. It is a cruel joke that the US has not been able to trace OBL, whom it blames for the tragic attack on the twin-towers, in 7 years despite possessing the awful power which it has been using to kill ‘bad guys’ as is done in the popular videogames. NATO’ ambivalent support to the operations in Afghanistan adventure accounts for the dilemma facing major powers. A friendly diplomat told me in confidence that the’ my way or highway’ policy of the neo-cons has produced the current bugbears and they want the EU nationals to pay for the same with their blood.
The worsening ground realities in Afghanistan appear to be causing jitters all over. Jackie Smith, the UK foreign Secretary, joined the same chorus during her recent visit to the area. As the Taliban resurge in Afghanistan, their threat of launching a ‘spring offensive’ against ‘occupation’ is inspiring fear. Many liken it to the Tet Offensive launched by the Vietcong in Vietnam. While the US Administration as well as NATO, generally, appears to be biding time for the new President to be elected in the US, terrorism is on the rise in the area. A blame-game is being played by Kabul regime and its supporters to shift responsibility for its weaknesses. Pakistan is up against the new challenges of fighting the extremists at home and also constant fencing at Pak-Afghan border area. US president has recently labelled it as the ‘most dangerous’ part of the Globe. Historically a freedom-loving people who hate foreign occupation inhabit this territory. In keeping with their traditions they helped the US in the 80’s to defeat the Soviet Union in Afghanistan which led to the collapse of the latter’ empire.
The newly-elected Govt in Pakistan appears to be fully conscious of the fact that too much blood has been spilled by the ‘foreign forces’ in Afghanistan and the border areas. In stead of being cowed down by superior weapons of these forces, the locals are defying them in their own style. As killing of innocent civilians is disliked by Muslims, great resentment is building up against those who are seen as the ‘enemy.’ So far the gung ho
Guidelines given by the neo-cons have yielded negative results. Accordingly the democratically-elected Govt, generally, proposes to give diplomacy a chance. Knowing the culture, their friendly overtures can bear fruit if people with known integrity lead the
placatory process.
Richard Boucher of the State Department has now told the media that the US is prepared to try this approach. Unless this stand is supplanted by some other statement from DC, it shows some sanity on the part of the beleaguered Administration which is primarily ‘lame duck.’ Better late than never is the golden rule. So Pakistan must pursue her peace-offensive which could heal deadly wounds inflicted by the only superpower on a people who feel “more sinned against than sinning.”