Mr president, we stand by you
President Asif Ali Zardari is once again being maligned persistently without any justification. To be fair to him, he is not the author of the Kerry-Lugar Act and has not authored, drafted or imposed the NRO. Some vested interests seem to be after his job and his blood.
Now, Asif Ali Zardari is being blamed for everything under the sun, whether it is the KLB, the NRO, sugar price hike and even the drought. This is incredibly unfair, unjustified and defies all forms of fairplay. Asif Ali Zardari is the duly, constitutionally and democratically-elected president of Pakistan.
To start with the largely debated Kerry Lugar Act, Asif Ali Zardari had nothing to do with the drafting of this US bill, which provides $7.5 billion economic aid over a span of five years. President Obama signed the bill after lengthy deliberations and approval by the US Congress.
President Zardari had no role in it. As pointed out during her recent visit, Hillary Clinton openly stated that Pakistan had every right to reject the aid under KLA if they felt dishonoured by it. Strangely, the KLA is enforced right now without any change and the people of Pakistan have lost interest in it, as it was all part of the scheme of anti-Asif Ali Zardari drive.
Coming to the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), it was enforced by Pervez Musharraf. The expedient nature of the NRO was dictated by political difficulties that Musharraf was facing in the post 2007 era.
He was under immense pressure from the international community to offer an even playing field to the top mainstream political parties, including the PPP, and put an end to a long history of political victimisation in the form of fabricated cases. Zardari was not in the picture when Benazir Bhutto Shaheed embarked upon her journey after nine years of forced exile.
Unfortunately, everything changed in the aftermath of the Rawalpindi tragedy of December 27, 2007. Pakistan is still reeling from the grave impact of that colossal tragedy.
Benazir Bhuttos assassination had practically and emotionally separated Sindh from the Federation. For days, the Sindhis were clamouring for revenge, crying, sobbing, and wailing for Sindh Ji Shaheed Rani. Her widower rose to the occasion, forgot his personal pain and opted to side with the wailing people and raised the slogan of Pakistan Khappy. This slogan saved Pakistan in real terms. Zardari then wiped his tears and along with Bilawal, Bakhtawar and Asifa went on a mission to wipe the tears of Pakistan.
The whole nation was with him; he won back disoriented souls and broken hearts. The PPP gained comfortable majority in elections and true to his wifes approach, Zardari took everyone on board. He went to Raiwind, Nine Zero, DI Khan, Walibagh, Kingri House and Baloch leaders. And within a short span of time, he won back Pakistan proving prophets of doom wrong.
True, he took his time in implementing some agreed decisions but this country is at war and is fighting for its very survival, a battle Pakistan cannot afford to lose. This is no time to score points; it is the need of the hour to score a decisive victory against the enemies who are treacherous. These villains are the enemies of Pakistan and Islam and deserve no mercy. They are killing our soldiers, men, women and children with impunity. The enemy is ruthless and deserves to be punished. This is not the time to see Zardari defeated politically the man lost his wife fighting real terrorism. There is no room for political terrorism right now. Lets win this war, then we have all the time in the world to settle petty issues and win political points. Yes, there is room for further improvement in governance and strengthening institutions, which is part of an ongoing democratic process. Yes, there is also a need to differentiate between friends and foes.
Mr President you are a fighter, you have undergone the hardships of solitary confinement for over 11 years a near lifetime imprisonment for politically motivated persecution. You have faced character assassination with stoic resolve.
The people of Pakistan and all the democratic forces are with you in these difficult times. You are the constitutionally and democratically-elected President of Pakistan for five years. We stand by you in your steadfastness to save the Federation and to thwart any attempt to derail democracy in Pakistan by vested interests.
The writer is Adviser to the Sindh chief minister.
President Asif Ali Zardari is once again being maligned persistently without any justification. To be fair to him, he is not the author of the Kerry-Lugar Act and has not authored, drafted or imposed the NRO. Some vested interests seem to be after his job and his blood.
Now, Asif Ali Zardari is being blamed for everything under the sun, whether it is the KLB, the NRO, sugar price hike and even the drought. This is incredibly unfair, unjustified and defies all forms of fairplay. Asif Ali Zardari is the duly, constitutionally and democratically-elected president of Pakistan.
To start with the largely debated Kerry Lugar Act, Asif Ali Zardari had nothing to do with the drafting of this US bill, which provides $7.5 billion economic aid over a span of five years. President Obama signed the bill after lengthy deliberations and approval by the US Congress.
President Zardari had no role in it. As pointed out during her recent visit, Hillary Clinton openly stated that Pakistan had every right to reject the aid under KLA if they felt dishonoured by it. Strangely, the KLA is enforced right now without any change and the people of Pakistan have lost interest in it, as it was all part of the scheme of anti-Asif Ali Zardari drive.
Coming to the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), it was enforced by Pervez Musharraf. The expedient nature of the NRO was dictated by political difficulties that Musharraf was facing in the post 2007 era.
He was under immense pressure from the international community to offer an even playing field to the top mainstream political parties, including the PPP, and put an end to a long history of political victimisation in the form of fabricated cases. Zardari was not in the picture when Benazir Bhutto Shaheed embarked upon her journey after nine years of forced exile.
Unfortunately, everything changed in the aftermath of the Rawalpindi tragedy of December 27, 2007. Pakistan is still reeling from the grave impact of that colossal tragedy.
Benazir Bhuttos assassination had practically and emotionally separated Sindh from the Federation. For days, the Sindhis were clamouring for revenge, crying, sobbing, and wailing for Sindh Ji Shaheed Rani. Her widower rose to the occasion, forgot his personal pain and opted to side with the wailing people and raised the slogan of Pakistan Khappy. This slogan saved Pakistan in real terms. Zardari then wiped his tears and along with Bilawal, Bakhtawar and Asifa went on a mission to wipe the tears of Pakistan.
The whole nation was with him; he won back disoriented souls and broken hearts. The PPP gained comfortable majority in elections and true to his wifes approach, Zardari took everyone on board. He went to Raiwind, Nine Zero, DI Khan, Walibagh, Kingri House and Baloch leaders. And within a short span of time, he won back Pakistan proving prophets of doom wrong.
True, he took his time in implementing some agreed decisions but this country is at war and is fighting for its very survival, a battle Pakistan cannot afford to lose. This is no time to score points; it is the need of the hour to score a decisive victory against the enemies who are treacherous. These villains are the enemies of Pakistan and Islam and deserve no mercy. They are killing our soldiers, men, women and children with impunity. The enemy is ruthless and deserves to be punished. This is not the time to see Zardari defeated politically the man lost his wife fighting real terrorism. There is no room for political terrorism right now. Lets win this war, then we have all the time in the world to settle petty issues and win political points. Yes, there is room for further improvement in governance and strengthening institutions, which is part of an ongoing democratic process. Yes, there is also a need to differentiate between friends and foes.
Mr President you are a fighter, you have undergone the hardships of solitary confinement for over 11 years a near lifetime imprisonment for politically motivated persecution. You have faced character assassination with stoic resolve.
The people of Pakistan and all the democratic forces are with you in these difficult times. You are the constitutionally and democratically-elected President of Pakistan for five years. We stand by you in your steadfastness to save the Federation and to thwart any attempt to derail democracy in Pakistan by vested interests.
The writer is Adviser to the Sindh chief minister.
means Take Care
