Pakistan first

[fatman17]

Pakistan first

Masood Sharif

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Khan Khattak

I recall the years of the 1970s and '80s that I spent in the deserts of Sindh and the Rann of Kutch, in the rugged mountains of Balochistan and Azad Kashmir, in the valleys of Chitral and other places in NWFP with the wonderful officers and men of the Pakistani Army. I recall marching through the beautiful plains of Punjab, with mothers calling us "puttar" (son) and reciting a prayer for us.

Today the soldiers of Pakistan seek their own security even within the cantonments. Pakistanis are at war with each other. What we see happening in Pakistan, in every sector of national life, is indicative of impending disasters, and time to retrieve the situation is quickly running out.

Selfishness has overtaken us while Pakistan and our nationhood have receded to the darkest corners of our hearts. Surely, something is drastically wrong.

The current and previous generations of Pakistanis are responsible for Pakistan's present dilemma. We should now let the younger generation that is far more motivated and less infected by the ills of societal degeneration replace the older generation on a fast track. The younger generation's youth, vibrancy, academic qualifications and exuberance will stand Pakistan in good stead.

Pakistan has to be put together again, and every Pakistani needs to be put to work. It has to be ensured that every square inch of our land is irrigated and ploughed and not a drop of water is allowed to pass into the sea. Pakistani investors must now be allowed to negotiate with foreign enterprises and invest freely within the country without dozens of corrupt governmental organisations being required to give them no-objection certificates. The rapid growth of the industrial sector must be facilitated. Foreign investment will automatically follow. Taxes and policies must be liberalised so that the search for energy gets intensified. The strangulating grip of the bureaucracy must be ended for the investors. The national data base should be made foolproof in nearly every sphere of national life. Technology must be resorted to extensively. Countries in the Middle East have to import agricultural and farm items from all over the world. Therefore, we must encourage them to come and invest in our agricultural lands, on dams and other spheres of the agricultural sector in return for a guaranteed supply of agricultural produce. The list can go on endlessly.

An unconventional and honest effort is now warranted if we do actually want to get out of the quagmire. These are days when Pakistan calls upon its sons and daughters with exceptional qualities like courage, foresight, sacrifice and willingness to change the status quo to come forward and save Pakistan. Our potential is limitless and Pakistan beckons its younger generation to step forward and get counted.

On another plane peace must be brought about in the NWFP immediately. The area must be developed, starting tomorrow, using the Army and other elements to provide security to the development projects rather than fighting intense battles and the situation will be retrieved slowly but surely. Waiting for peace through fighting will prove fatal. Being a Pakistani and a Pakhtun my heart goes out to those poor souls in the NWFP who are getting a battering from both sides. It must stop immediately.

Pakistan must become a peaceful heaven on earth with a booming tourist industry. Pakistan must ensure peace within its borders and must also have a simple foreign policy that spells out clearly that "while Pakistan will not tolerate interference it will also not interfere in the affairs of any other state." Pakistan is strong enough to back that kind of an independent foreign policy so that Pakistan can start looking inward and begin to stand for itself. Pakistan requires its own undivided attention or else it will be relegated to the dustbins of history as a disjointed nation that fell apart because it did not stand for itself. Let us not blame others for what may happen to us in the foreseeable future if we refuse to act as a united and responsible nation now.

The writer is a former director general of the Intelligence Bureau and former vice-president of the PPP Parliamentarians. Email: masoodsharifkhattak@gmail.com

 

[Pashtun]

And this is exactly what I had been trying to explain lately. Brilliantly worded. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Xeric]

A guud article, most of it is true, but agreeing it in totality is not what i would do.

But still numerous valid points and facts have been brought out.
And i'll also like to add that the only reason and the fault that the Army has been brought to such a point also lies with a few people within our own nation.

But i want to let you know that the Army has regained its prestige and is still serving the nation.
As a starter please refer to below:
http://www.defence.pk/forums/curren...malang-gold-valley-pak-armys-gift-nation.html

 

[Ratus Ratus]

Good article.

But who in GoP will bother to read it and try to act on the intent.
The Gop does not seem to quick to do lots in this.

But when also one links it to such things as :
“NWFP yet to get Rs100m relief fund from centre”
PESHAWAR: NWFP yet to get Rs100m relief fund from centre -DAWN - Local; October 16, 2008
it leaves big questions on what is elivent now days.

And the number of displaced people does not help in putting things back together fast.

 

[qsaark]

Pakistan first The current and previous generations of Pakistanis are responsible for Pakistan's present dilemma. We should now let the younger generation that is far more motivated and less infected by the ills of societal degeneration replace the older generation on a fast track. The younger generation's youth, vibrancy, academic qualifications and exuberance will stand Pakistan in good stead.

After reading the childish posts from a number of posters in this forum, I really doubt that younger generation will do any better than their predecessors.

 

[TruthSeeker]

The initial post is full of undeniable, completely desirable outcomes for Pakistan. But there is no credible plan as to how to achieve these things. The unfortunate fact is that Pakistan is experiencing an undeclared civil war. It is a very difficult civil war because the "rebels", the jihadis, do not have a coherent agenda or a public leadership or public location. This particular civil war may have to go on until the two sides are too exhausted to continue. To me, the key is to discover how the TTP and other similar groups are receiving their funding and supplies and then ruthlessly cut off the sources of money and arms. If it is India or the CIA or Saudi Arabia or Iran or all of the above, the sources need to be clearly and credibly identified and attacked both diplomatically and militarily. If, in fact, the State of Pakistan wants the jihadi groups to succeed so that they are available to "protect" Pakistan from Afghanistan or India or to regain IHK, then the situation is a self-inflicted wound.

 

[S-2]

"If, in fact, the State of Pakistan wants the jihadi groups to succeed so that they are available to "protect" Pakistan from Afghanistan or India or to regain IHK, then the situation is a self-inflicted wound."

Never!!! There are hidden hands at play manipulating Pakistan the pure to their evil designs. Pakistan's leaders have been bought and paid for by agents of the "hidden hands".

One small matter to secure in Rawalpindi which should just about complete the task and then we'll be celebrating in Tel Aviv, Washington D.C. and New Delhi.

Yup. Uh huh...

 

[niaz]

There would have been some justification to accept gov't of the Jihadis if they had come to power thru elections (As Nazis did in Germany).

However in the recent elections, we saw victory of the secular ANP over Islamist MMA. These people have occupied chunks of Pakistan state thru force of arms and employ intimidaton in imposing what they think is Islam on the population at large. Now they have threatened to kill all Lawyers as well!

Unless one wants give a free rein in Pakistan to these extremists; what other alternatives are there but to resist?

Regret to say the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better. My whole hearted support for the valiant men of the Pakistan Army. We are in a state of civil war in FATA and in Swat. In any civil war, it is brother against brother.

 

[Ratus Ratus]

After reading the childish posts from a number of posters in this forum, I really doubt that younger generation will do any better than their predecessors.

Unfortunately you may be correct. True they will be young and well educated, but will they be world wise for their overseas eductions to lead Pakistan forward to a stable and paradise land?

 

[Ratus Ratus]

Regret to say the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better. My whole hearted support for the valiant men of the Pakistan Army. We are in a state of civil war in FATA and in Swat. In any civil war, it is brother against brother.

Yes you are in a civil war and unfortunately many have not realised this basic fact.

 

[Patriot]

I think our media can play good role here.They give huge air time to politicians so they can come and criticize army and government.How about showing the deadly acts of these Talibans and AQ guys so Army gets more public support.Unfortunately some of our media men are in bed with AQ/Taliban (Hamid Mir is one such example)

 

[Ratus Ratus]

I think our media can play good role here.They give huge air time to politicians so they can come and criticize army and government.How about showing the deadly acts of these Talibans and AQ guys so Army gets more public support.Unfortunately some of our media men are in bed with AQ/Taliban (Hamid Mir is one such example)

Your media can play a very big role but at present it is not actually behind either the GoP or the PA in dealing with this problem.
It is up to the GoP to provide a strong lead to the media so you get the correct press coverage. Then the world may listen.