Mad Dog

I am very distraught with the action taken by the corrupt Mr.10%. It is is very clear that he has learn nothing from history. Some people are doomed to repeat history even if it in the end dooms them as well. Ayaz Amir has written a succinct piece about Zardari. We are again taking a step back into the failed democratic politics of the 90s. This is something which neither this country can afford at this point in time nor President Zardari with an approval rating of 17%!!

Zardari has acted with the typical mindset of a feudal landlord showing no vision of any kind by dismissing the Sharrifs. I have no affections for the PML(N) but Zardari has clearly used and manipulated the Sharrifs in a despicable manner. This is not politics, its stooping to such low levels that its a new one even in Pakistan's political history.

Our party has been approached by the wheelers and dealers of Zardari. Like me most of the other workers and leaders are warning the Chaudhrys about Zardari. I can safely predict today Zardari will not only end up sacking Prime minister Gillani within the next year but that he himself will not be able to complete his 5 year term.

Political ramblings

Thing are brewing up politically and it seems like the battle for Punjab will begin in earnest in January between PML(N) and the PPP. It could be the good old 90s all over again. I hope that both sides will show better judgment here. The Punjab governor, Salman Taseer has made it a point to pick fights with the Sharif brothers. The governer has a personal score to settle with the Sharifs and ever since he became governor he has kept the PML (N) government on the back foot in Punjab. It is also not lost on the Sharifs that Taseer was close to Musharraf as well.

People in our party are pretty happy over the impending conflict between the two largest political parties in the countries. It suits them well. This is politics and no matter how dirty or mismanaged it gets, the system still needs to be allowed to work. It will take time and it will make people frustrated and angry but we have no choice. Unlike Arabs, we are a highly politicised society and as the previous experiment with the benevolent dictator shows even the person with the best intentions is only likely to exacerbate things. I would prefer Musharraf any day over a Zardri or a Shariff but in the end its not about individuals, but rather about a system. I hope this Zardari character will show the political maturity and sincerity that we badly need. I know how suspiciously people feel about Zardari but still one has to hope for the best.

By the way, some of you guys have been commenting on my boldness. I am shy in person but this blog is where i can be myself. Sometimes it it not easy to talk, I have never been the one to talk openly about things. But honestly writing over here and getting a feedback about it has been very good and healthy.

LeT - The enemy within

Its good to see the government closing the offices of the hate mongering terrorist, the LeT (Lashkar -e- Tayyaba). Although, I am still not sure whether they are ones behind the attacks in Mumbai, but anybody who has read their literature would deem them to be terrorists.Their vision of the world is based on a dark vision which has nothing to do with Islam but rather on using a great religion for their own political motives.

LeT is another Jihad factory spawned by the security establishment to carry out its vested interests. Somebody has to put the lid on these people and their various 'strategic designs' and 'strategic depths'. These same people have flawed concepts which don't put Pakistan first but rather cater to an obscure Pan Islamist agenda. This agenda and their proponents with their ill-kept beards and hate spewing ideology are part of the same breed which was against the foundation of the modern state of Pakistan. This included such stalwarts of the clergy such as Allama Maudaudi - the founder of Jamaat e Islami, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad amongst many others. They fought tooth and nail against Mohammed Ali Jinnah and the creation of Pakistan. They should have been dumped at the time of the partition in India, but instead they hijacked the newly created state and started imposing their ideology.

Now that the government is cracking down on LeT. what will prevent them from lashing back on the state? We can have more mess and suicide bombings within the heartland of Punjab and it will very well go the way the NWFP has gone. This mess needs to be sorted by making some very difficult decisions and providing a vision for the nation. A vision which is based on economic prosperity and not on ill founded security needs. But for all of this we need leadership. Zardari has to realize that Bhutto's fall from grace began with his flirtation of the Mullah. Bhutto, the so- called secular leader was the first one to give the mullahs the political space in the main stream politics. Zardari should and must undo that, otherwise the danger within will only exacerbate!