Burger_King
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After completing my bachelors degree in mid 90's, I returned to Pakistan as a fresh faced graduate full of hope and optimism. A very hot and uncomfortable work environment greeted me when I started work in Karachi with a foreign bank. Reason: Mr 10% wanted to squeeze the owner of our building who did not budge so our office electricity was cut off. We had a generator but that could not support all the A/Cs so we sat for three months sweating profusely until a bigger generator was installed.
Later, our bank lined up a powerful foreign client who was interested in investing in KESC. On the morning of the investor meeting, KESC MD was shot because he did not want to pay bhatta to MQM. Rather embarrassed, we told the client that MD was sick and could not have a meeting. Then, our office was shut down for three days after we got MQM chithee. Few years later I got to know the son of the KESC MD. Son had to escape abroad because the family refused to take away the charges despite MQM threat. The son returned back to Karachi few years back and currently works as a police officer in Karachi. Wonder how he feels about return of Altaf who currently enjoys full protection of British state which played a significant role in bringing down the government of IK.
Violence was endemic in Karachi in late 90's. I knew the family of Zardari's crony in the steel mills. When Zardari was arrested, government forced the father to turned into an approver, Zaradri had his friend killed. I still remember the terror the family felt when they got those threating phone calls. I also happened to pass by the dau talwar round about when Mir Murtaza Bhutto was bumped off. By strange coincidence, in the 90's, couple of judges who were trying Zardari for corruption also found themselves under a hail of bullets. Even before marriage, Zardari was a well known ghunda. He shot someone in the lobby of Holiday Inn hotel in mid-80s and the incident became talk of the school because Karachi was peaceful in those days so incidence of violence raised quite an eyebrow. Things had changed by late 90s when violence got so bad that government had to shut down mobile network for two years. Father of classmate, PSO MD, was also shot some say for sectarian reasons; others claim it was bhatta khori.
www.nytimes.com
https://www.indiatoday.in/latest-he...in-1996-judicial-murder-case-23880-2008-03-24
In the midst we also had the following act performed by our erstwhile champions of adaliya and supremacy of constitution.
Jehangir Karamat could have nipped this in the bud but he chose buzdilli in face of ghadari and we still deal with consequences.
By late 90's, I had enough. The country was bankrupt and sliding towards violence and anarchy. I went back to the promised land swearing never to return. Situation turned around after I left but then same goons with the help of Taliban Khan conspired again. End result was massive violence through the hands of TTP while politicians sat there dithering until APS happened and Raheel Sharif did the impossible. He put the dunda over politicians and over TTP and we breathe again.
Point of my story is that there have been periods where Pakistan has experienced far worst turmoil. When army chiefs displayed buzdilli and tolerated anarchy (Karamat, Kiani and Bajwa) things turned to hell. But others stepped up and got the country out of the mire due to kurtooths of politicians with IK playing a big part.
Compared to what I have experienced, country is in a relatively better shape. But situation is likely to get worse. But as in the past, army will step up. And next time anjaam will be different. Things will get better.
Later, our bank lined up a powerful foreign client who was interested in investing in KESC. On the morning of the investor meeting, KESC MD was shot because he did not want to pay bhatta to MQM. Rather embarrassed, we told the client that MD was sick and could not have a meeting. Then, our office was shut down for three days after we got MQM chithee. Few years later I got to know the son of the KESC MD. Son had to escape abroad because the family refused to take away the charges despite MQM threat. The son returned back to Karachi few years back and currently works as a police officer in Karachi. Wonder how he feels about return of Altaf who currently enjoys full protection of British state which played a significant role in bringing down the government of IK.
Violence was endemic in Karachi in late 90's. I knew the family of Zardari's crony in the steel mills. When Zardari was arrested, government forced the father to turned into an approver, Zaradri had his friend killed. I still remember the terror the family felt when they got those threating phone calls. I also happened to pass by the dau talwar round about when Mir Murtaza Bhutto was bumped off. By strange coincidence, in the 90's, couple of judges who were trying Zardari for corruption also found themselves under a hail of bullets. Even before marriage, Zardari was a well known ghunda. He shot someone in the lobby of Holiday Inn hotel in mid-80s and the incident became talk of the school because Karachi was peaceful in those days so incidence of violence raised quite an eyebrow. Things had changed by late 90s when violence got so bad that government had to shut down mobile network for two years. Father of classmate, PSO MD, was also shot some say for sectarian reasons; others claim it was bhatta khori.
Gunmen Kill Judge in Trial of Bhutto's Husband (Published 1991)
https://www.indiatoday.in/latest-he...in-1996-judicial-murder-case-23880-2008-03-24
In the midst we also had the following act performed by our erstwhile champions of adaliya and supremacy of constitution.
Jehangir Karamat could have nipped this in the bud but he chose buzdilli in face of ghadari and we still deal with consequences.
By late 90's, I had enough. The country was bankrupt and sliding towards violence and anarchy. I went back to the promised land swearing never to return. Situation turned around after I left but then same goons with the help of Taliban Khan conspired again. End result was massive violence through the hands of TTP while politicians sat there dithering until APS happened and Raheel Sharif did the impossible. He put the dunda over politicians and over TTP and we breathe again.
Point of my story is that there have been periods where Pakistan has experienced far worst turmoil. When army chiefs displayed buzdilli and tolerated anarchy (Karamat, Kiani and Bajwa) things turned to hell. But others stepped up and got the country out of the mire due to kurtooths of politicians with IK playing a big part.
Compared to what I have experienced, country is in a relatively better shape. But situation is likely to get worse. But as in the past, army will step up. And next time anjaam will be different. Things will get better.
