Im the dim
Sir,
I have written the following poem keeping TFT’s Im the Dim section in mind:
Im the dim
where you have been?
Out in your black tuxedo?
Or in the Taliban sanctuary within?
Im the dim
The liberal fascists are at it again
They want your head
You being Batman, them being bane
Im the dim
Why the change of side?
Has the fuse finally been lit?
Or have the non-Dims left you no place to hide?
Im the dim
How are Fazullah and friends?
Lying quiet in FATA?
Or still looking for means to an end?
Im the dim
How is the Paris of the East?
Loud and Brash like always?
Letting the TTP have its feast?
Im the dim
Any more walls to break?
Just like the NATO blockade
Does Bilawal House still keep you awake?
Im the dim
Please don’t let your people loose
Let me count the dollars in my wallet
And then we can work out a truce
Salman Zafar,
Vancouver.
Pushed against the wall
Sir,
After decades of unchecked plunder of state assets and real estate by the elite, massive institutionalized tax evasion, abuse of powers and ridicule of constitution and judiciary by those who consider themselves above law, the patience and desperation of the poor masses seems to have finally taken its toll upon them.
Abject poverty and gross injustices have driven them against the wall, and today we witness depression and other mental illnesses leading to murder, suicide and killing of innocent women and children by savages with the state looking the other way.
The $15 billion given in aid for involvement in the Afghanistan conflict seem to have vanished, in the pockets of those who have gone from rags to riches while the poor are starving, with no adequate healthcare, education or security of life.
However, even this grave crisis has not deterred this elected federal government from issuing hundreds of SROs giving tax exemptions, refunds and rebates amounting to Rs 490 billion in a country which already has the lowest Tax to GDP ratio in the region and the world.
I hope the privileged sections of society and the middle class, which usually is voice of conscience, stand up and demand justice for the desperate masses who constitute over 80% of our population.
As far as our traditional ruling elite is concerned, they seem to have given up on this country and are too busy making quick bucks, ready to fly out on first signs of trouble. I tremble to consider consequences if our desperate masses having nothing to lose, with no justice in sight, their trust betrayed by political parties and paid civil and uniformed bureaucracy, left at the mercy of target killers and suicide bombers, decide to try these savages themselves.
Ali Malik,
Lahore.
Rising star
Sir,
In 1978, the year before the Islamic revolution, oil-rich Iran’s GDP was twice that of Turkey. Today it is half that of Turkey but the Iran’s human capital, civilizational heft (some 5,000 years of Persian history), and natural resources means it can be a major global player and, like Turkey, be a member of the G20. But now equations are changing constantly for Iran on global and regional both fronts.
A new relationship between Iran and the West takes another step this weekend with the first visit of Europe’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, to the Islamic Republic. The visit comes as relations between Iran and the West warm up following last year’s election of Rouhani, who vowed to “constructively engage” with Western nations. Iran wants Western and UN sanctions that are severely hurting its oil-dependent economy lifted, having won limited relief in exchange for curbing its most sensitive nuclear work under the six-month Geneva deal. While Israel is afraid of Iran’s emerging economic and political powers as a major challenge to the former’s hegemony, Saudi Arabia deems the rapprochement between Iran and the West crucial not only to Iran’s rising political stature but also to the resurgence of sectarian competition in the region with Iran leading the Shiite camp.
Iranian influence in Afghanistan’s Herat province is already tremendous, with several million dollars’ worth investment and robust cross-border trade and Tehran definitely wants to make more inroads although they are not the most favoured, if not disapproved of, by the Afghans. Afghanistan is Iran’s gateway to the larger Central Asian region and China.
On the home front also, Iran is working very hard it has been racketing up its domestic military production. Last month the regime marked 35 years since the 1979 Islamic Revolution by holding a special display of the nation’s domestic military industry advances in the last decade, bragging that it has the “biggest army in the region”. The fruits of the Islamic regime’s military industry included domestically produced submarines, fighter jets, missiles, drones, and advanced radar systems. Iranian semi-official news agency Fars reported that two new missiles were tested on the eve of the anniversary. One is a laser-guided missile, and the other is a long-range ballistic missile that can carry multiple warheads and reportedly evade anti-missile defence systems.
Moreover now United States is realizing the utility of Iran in the Middle East which is reflected in its changed approach towards the Islamic republic. For the first time since 2006, the American public does not view Iran as the country’s “greatest enemy,” according to a recent Gallup poll.
The regional upheaval of the last few years has changed the balance of power, and Middle East is going through a “strategic recalculation” with Iran emerging as the new game changer. It won’t be an exaggerated statement to make that Iran is a rising star of Middle East.
Manish Rai,
New Delhi.
We are great
Sir,
India successfully sent a probe mission to the Moon, and now an Indian mission is on its way to Mars. But we have beaten India in a cricket match which we have celebrated in a big way, right from the top leadership down to the common man.
Recently, Punjab has set 29 world records in a stadium in various events including push-ups. And we have produced great men like Shahid Afridi.
We are great!
M. Akram Niazi,
Rawalpindi.
Unity, faith, discipline
Sir,
Pakistan is passing through the most critical and crucial period of its history. Terrorism, sectarianism, corruption, political unrest and economic challenges are posing a threat to its very existence. Pakistan was created in the name of Islam so that the Muslims of this part of the world could get a welfare state of their own where there should be no discrimination amongst various sects and section of society. Every citizen should be allowed to lead his life according to his own creed and culture and should have equal opportunities to secure for him a decent living standard and social justice.
But unfortunately, we have all forgotten the basic objectives for which Pakistan was created. Freedom does not mean a license to kill. We are killing one another over politics, money, and for imposing our brand of religion on everyone else.
The need of the hour is a unity both in aim and action of the people of Pakistan, irrespective of their caste, creed and social position. This can only be done by realizing our responsibilities and recognizing other people’s rights.
M Ahmad,
Lahore.
It will never fly
Sir,
The organized pilferage and institutionalized corruption that destroyed the PIA happened with the connivance of the officials under whom losses skyrocketed, revenue collection declined and cartels were formed between corrupt executives and travel agents, creating an artificial shortage of seats.
So organized is this mafia that over 200 galley trolleys ordered by the PIA for use on its B777 fleet somehow ended up in Manchester, instead of Karachi, with a catering firm owned by the spouse of a former MD who had been accused of gross financial irregularities in an investigation into recruitment of pilots in 1995.
Massive corruption in procurement of items for flight kitchen, spare parts and contractual outsourcing occurs because of serious ethical breaches and conflicts of interest.
Three PIA prime time slots were surrendered in Dubai, along with numerous other financial scams during recent years. The decision by PIA to lease 22 more aircraft lacks transparency and is in violation of PEPRA rules and needs to be audited by the auditor general of Pakistan. Reports suggest that the person involved in brokering this expensive deal with a Turkish owned leasing company is the same man responsible for doling out PIA routes in 2009.
Unless PIA is rid of well entrenched powerful crooks within organization, billions involved will go down drain as was fate of billions injected by government directly or through loans secured on sovereign guarantees.
Abrar Khosa,
Faisalabad.
Our Turkish Dilemma
Sir,
The people of Pakistan have historically shared common bonds of culture and faith with citizens of Turkey and Iran, irrespective of who heads the government. Similarly China and Pakistan have evolved common interests because of their strategic geographical location and common interests. China, Turkey and India in our neighborhood have achieved technological self-sufficiency and economic development, because of state investment in education, research and development, with strong institutions and regulations.
The government headed by Erdogan brought economic prosperity and stability to Turkey, yet charges of financial impropriety have led to massive public discontent and an investigation has been launched against him. Allegations of kickback have surfaced against prominent members of ruling political elite and their family.
Business friendly governments help in investment, economic growth and tax recovery, but when politics are dominated by businessmen, then temptations of greed lead to massive corruption, cartelization, flight of capital and tax evasion.
What we lack in Pakistan are strong independent institutions to regulate financial deals with foreign governments and not allow common cultural bonds between nations to shroud what amounts to day light heist, beneficial to individuals, and causing loss to the national exchequer.
Amir Aleem,
Peshawar.
Whatever the price
Sir,
The two most important factors in an armed rebellion are funding, and brainwashing on the basis of ideology, religion, sect, ethnicity or nationalism. Rebels exert their influence through terror, with the sole aim of destroying the state from within, or capturing it, depending upon the objectives of those who fund them. Whenever confronted with state power, they always resort to negotiations, buying time to regroup, while deploying splinter groups to continue terrorizing citizens, and denying that they are part of them.
Pakistan is facing a TTP led insurgency that is comparable to the Tamil rebellion in Sri Lanka, funded by a neighboring country, where nationalists motivated rebels to resort to suicide bombing, spreading terror and gaining control over vast territory.
We ourselves are responsible for allowing foreign mercenaries and extremists to find sanctuary in Pakistan, because of the greed and poor vision of a few individuals, and now our enemies are exploiting this weakness.
A much smaller Sri Lankan army waged a battle with full fire power to wipe out the Tamil insurgency and regain control of the whole territory with not an inch surrendered.
In case of IRA, the UK government held talks only with Sinn Fein, the political organ that renounced the use of weapons, and never with gun-toting rebels. We must also remember the fact that this concerned part of Ireland, which was under British control and not their territory. NATO forces are willing to talk to the Taliban because having achieved limited objectives, they now want to withdraw their troops.
Any delay on our part in sorting out the TTP will only strengthen the rebels and increase collateral damage, which is always a price that a nation has to pay for defending freedom and state sovereignty.
Had the Musharraf or Zardari governments decided to tackle the crisis, the loss of human lives could have been contained.
We must remember that freedom cannot be retained if institutions or individuals fail to perform their obligatory duty to protect the state and its constitution, whatever the price.
Tariq Ali,
Lahore.