DYING READING HABIT RENDERS BOOKSTALLS DESERTED

‘Education is common but Knowledge is rare’: Saien Ditta, a vendor at Old Books Stall at H-9 Sunday Bazaar

By Mahtab Bashir
mahtabbashir@gmail.com
Islamabad

How many types of books are there? The philosopher Francis Bacon answered four centuries ago, “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.”

During a visit to H-9 Sunday Bazaar, when this scribe asked the complementary question, how many types of readers are there? Saien Ditta- the old books vendor said some read only if they have to, others read anything they can get hold of, yet others search for challenges. Some like poetry, while others enjoy non-fiction. Some readers start a book hesitantly until the writer casts a spell on them; others open books with great gusto but abandon them after a few pages.

Ditta, 47 sitting on a bench inside his Stalls No. D-502 & D-503 while talking to Daily Times said that book reading habit no doubt is on the verge of decline because of rapidly integrated computer technology where anyone could access at any time with spending a meager amount and that too without leaving their homes. “I have put up all sort of books from Urdu, English literature to Persian, French, Italian, German and literature from all over the world. Besides a wide range of course books from matriculation levels to graduation, local and international magazines, cooking books, English novels and stationary, but unfortunately the customers are few,” Ditta said.

There are around 5 old book stalls in H-9 Bazaar held under the banner of Capital Development Authority (CDA) selling various sort of literature books and academic books for students but it was witnessed during the visit that only students who are preparing for their exams are frequently visiting these stalls and asking for guess papers/ keys/ or guide books from the bookstalls vendors. I have been doing this business because of my romance for reading books for the last 15 years. “I take a strange sense of satisfaction while reading a book and this trait of mine pushed me establishing this business I started from G-9 Bazaar Sunday Bazaar that is now shifted to H-9 Bazaar,” Ditta said.

When asked why this habit of reading books is on the verge of extinct, Ditta said smilingly in Pakistan it was never on the rise. “Centuries ago, there was no Internet facility in Europe but whole Europe experienced the intellectual revolution when philosophers and intellectuals brought prosperity to their respective countries,” he said adding I have access to modern technology but still I steal more pleasure reading book instead of browsing on internet.

Another reason that caused the downfall of reading books is everyone has become selective. “Students just picked the books for reading and getting good grades to pass the examination and later find a good job but hardly anyone grab the literature books to enhance his knowledge,” Ditta said adding now ‘Education is pretty common these days but Knowledge is rare’, he said precisely.

To a question, Ditta said the fundamental reason of decrease in book lovers is the ongoing inflation and interest of people comes later. Quoting an incident, he said a young kid comes to his stall thrice as he was interested to get a book but her mother took her to away on an adjacent stall of a food where they both had cold drinks and snacks,” Ditta said smilingly. He said 90 percent of his customers are students while just 10 percent of customers visited his stall for literature books, novels, magazines, or cooking books etc.

“I am doing a government job as well and purchased books from Lahore and other jumbo book stalls on a cheap rates and offered my customers on a 50 percent discount and sometime lesser than 50 percent rates but still I found them reluctant to buy books, Ditta said adding customers leave the stall saying price is not affordable to him/her.

“There was a time when I used to sell good bulk of books a month time, now I only manage (to sell) just few in a day, “ he said. But still it is a good source of knowledge, I am selling it to my satisfaction and people like me are buying it to theirs’, Ditta said.

Daily Times, however, found that a few dedicated patrons of these shops still exist. Mahwish, a housewife, while purchasing a couple of Urdu novels said that she has been a vivacious reader since her childhood. “It has everything to give me guideline of settling the domestic issues, nurturing the kids and how to struck a balance between home and outside affairs,” Mahwish said adding reading Urdu digest guided her understanding the child psychology.

Another English novel lover, Rafea Manan said there is a mustiness and familiarity to old bookshops that isn’t always found in the glossiness of larger bookstores in the city. “I can have some unique books from here at time that are centuries old and thus haven’t lost their uniqueness,” she said. People like Mahwish and Rafea, however, are in minority.

Many of us no longer have the time to be huddled-in with old books. The prognosis for these old books’ stalls is not good; they are fighting a battle for their very survival- when many believe they might very well already have lost.

ISLAMABAD: A study carried out by the University of California at San Diego found out that people in the US were consuming more words on average now than in the 1980s. But this was mainly due to increase in online activities including facebooking, tweeting and blogging etcetera. Pakistan has an Internet penetration of about 10.6 per cent (the second highest in South Asia, after the Maldives), according to Internet World Stats, and PTA expects it to rise rapidly in the coming years.

published in Daily Times, Monday, March 29,
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\03\28\story_28-3-2011_pg11_10

INTERNATIONAL POETRY DAY (March 21, 2011)

Dedicated to all drivers who ply their vehicles on the road to prosperity

By Mahtab Bashir

mahtabbashir@gmail.com

Islamabad

Emotions come instinctively to every individual as he tries to find happiness and grievances utilizing these sentiments. Thus, people while reacting use various modes to express their feelings. Few use an art of painting to express their feelings, many opts to pick up the guns in their hands in frustration and few goes to create emotions with words through poetry.

In such perspective, when we peep through the lifestyle of laborers around us who earn honestly with laborious work, especially of drivers of trucks, buses, vans, or taxi cabs, we came to know they remained satisfy with their lives even though they are people of lesser God and hence, through their experiences they remained resonant putting up a number of verses on their vehicles- sometime emotional, sarcastic, hilarious and sometime with the usage of metaphors or similes to vigorise expressions.

One of the lesser known sides of Pakistani life: the chaotic public transport blossoms in color with buses, trucks, rickshaws and taxi cabs that are decked out in bright paint and elaborate designs- and the best part for many is the poetry.

Poetry in any form is good, but one that comes with humour and sarcasm adds to the spice. In Pakistan we come across many public transport vehicles that have imprinted some form of poetry (shairi) mostly at the back of their vehicles, showcasing that people in particular drivers of these vehicles are not hopeless and proved out to be the beacon of hope for prosperous Pakistan.

Marking the International Poetry Day today, Daily Times, asked many of drivers of these vehicles exploring why they use poetry as tool of their expression, many of them opined every verse is a reflection of their gut feelings. “This is in a very real sense a public conversation which is not in books, which is not in the type of middle class milieus – it’s on the street, and it is what actually we have experienced in our lives and later on engraved at the bumper of our vehicles,” they said.

A taxi cab driver in F-8 parking when asked why he has inscribed this verse ‘Kis Qadar Khush Nazar Atay Hein Meray Shahar Kay Log- Aaj Akhbar Kisi Nay Na Parha Ho Jaisay’, (People of my city look happier today, it seems as if they have not read the daily newspaper), Kashif Satti, the driver smiled and said this verse is not going to be outdated in socio-political milieu of this country. “ I am dejected ever since I heard the release of Raymond Davis, the killer of two innocent Pakistanis and since then drone attacks and extremism has hit the country all over with blasts on a daily basis,” he said with a serious tone.

We must also say that every now and then one does comes across a very standard poetry sample, which makes one think in admiration of poetic sense of its creator as well as the transport owner. Look at this another verse written on a vehicle spotted in Rawalpindi: ‘Jahan Sach Na Milay, Wahan Jhoot Hi Sahi- Jahan Haq Na Milay, Wahan Loot Hi Sahi’ (When you are not to be succeeded truthfully, you may use the crooked ways). “This is not a manifestation of just a driver of a cab, like me but the reason this verses is here to reflect the vivid picture how much this society has indulged in corruption, nepotism, and biased to say the least as it seems that an honest man has no place in this country to live on,” said Zahoor Ahmed, a cab driver.

Of course, the drivers aren’t writing these verses in a vacuum. Poetry plays a very prominent role in popular culture here – not just as a form of art, but also as a part of everyday conversation. ‘Dawaa Zubaan Ka, Lucknow Walon Kay Samnay- Guftar-e-Boo-e-Mushq, Ghazalo Kay Samnay’, (Mentioning the qualities of mother tongue in front of people of Lucknow, seems like talking about musk infront of Deer). “Often, the verses reflect the culture and cultural background of a particular place where the driver of vehicle belongs to and where these vehicles hang out,” said Hidaytullah, a truck driver belongs to Karachi said.

Religion being the fundamental element influenced our lives and many of drivers opt to choose verses for preaching and suggestions to readers. ‘Sari Musibaton’ Ka Aik Hi Hal- Bistar Utha, Tableegh Ko Chal’, (The only soul soother solution of all troubles is- to go for Tableegh (preaching) is one of such verse written on a van. “I have been driving loader truck since 15 years and I since many years I have been participating in annual ‘Tableeghi Ijtima’ at Raiwind since last many years. I feel relaxed there as it appeases my inner self a lot and that’s why I have written this verse,” said Hamza bearded driver.

Other than this, the drivers of vehicles use poetry on account of relating their personal account of romanticism and livelihood. ‘Musafir Hoon Manzil Ko Ja Raha Hoon- Pait Ki Khatir taxi Chala Raha Hoon’ (I am a travller head towards my destiny and riding this cab for livelihood), ‘Chalta Hoon Har Subha mein Tumhari Talash May- Har Shaam Laot-ta Hoon Isi Bebasi Ky Saath’, ‘Dil to Day Chukay Hein Ab Naseeb Azma Rahay Hein- Kisi Sangdil Ki Khatir, Taxi Chala Rahay Hein’ ‘Hazaro Manzilain Hon Gi, Hazaro Garian Hon Gi- Sawari Humko Dhunday Gi, Na Janay Hum Kahan Ho Gay’, ‘Sarak Say Dosti Hay, Safar Say Yari Hay- Dekh Piary, Kaisi Zindagi Hamari Hay’, and ‘Na Koi Umag Hay, Na Koi Tarang Hay- Meri Zidagi Hay Kia, Ik Kati Patang Hay’, are few of verses that has preserved the natural innocence and ‘be-saakhtagi’ (spontaneity) of the transport poetry. Many ‘ashaar’ are not hum-wazan, and many have problem with ‘tazkeer-o-taanees’ (gender) e.g. feminine words sometimes are referred to as masculine and vice versa but this lawlessness in poetry is what makes it so colorful and enjoyable.

These hard-pressed drivers use couplets to explain a situation, something like the way proverbs are used but for the owners of public transport vehicles, it’s also about defining their public identity.

Daily Times dedicate this ‘International Poetry Day’ to all drivers, cleaners, mechanics and transporters of Pakistan who despite all hardships are keeping the wheel of economy moving from Karachi to Landi Kotal.

ISLAMABAD: World Poetry Day will be observed across the world today (Monday) to celebrate the achievements of poets and motivate them to produce quality literature.

To mark the day, different literary organizations will arrange a variety of events including contests, readings and festivals. Renowned literary figures from twin cities talking to Daily Times said that poetry works as an indicator to bring reforms in political, social and cultural spheres of life.

Poetry not only shapes individual identities but also serves the public and evoke their feelings against injustices and inhuman activities, they observed.

The core objective of celebration of this day is to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world and as the UNESCO session declaring the day says, to give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional and international poetry movements. WPD was declared by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1999.

World Poetry Day also provides an opportunity for children, in particular, to be introduced to poetry at home and in schools. Classrooms all over the world will be busy with lessons that seek to equip students with the necessary tools to identify the various types of poetry, examine the works of poets and engage in writing their own poetry.

Exhibitions and poetry evenings showcased the work of poets on or around March 21 to mark the day. UNESCO promoted the efforts of small publishers to publish poetry. The day was first observed in 2000.

Let me wrap up this piece of writing with one of the most common poetic phrase written on these vehicles reflecting the love for mother: ‘Maa ki Duwaa, Jannat Ki Hawaa- Maa Ki Bad-Dua, Ja Puttar Rickshaw Chala’!!!

ANOTHER VOICE SILENCED: Minority Minister Shot Dead in I-8 Sector of Islamabad

Bhatti calls all religious factions to defeat violence, extremism
*Said I received threats but will not buy any bullet-proof vehicles, would continue struggling for peace
*Minorities sacrificed for Pakistan more than Mullahs who used to issue Fatwas to make situation worse and push solutions further out of reach
*Slain minister acknowledges slain governor’s assertion that blasphemy laws are man-made, not divine, and are misused

By Mahtab Bashir
mahtabbashir@gmail.com
Islamabad

0333 53 63 248 

Before leaving Bhatti’s office winding up my rendezvous, I stood up and whispered in Punjabi, ‘Theek ay Bhatti Sahib, tusi apna kam karo, (you please, do your work), thank you so much for your time. He raised from his chair, hugged me smilingly and asked me, ‘yar mahtab, ay interview kis din chapay ga’? (When this interview will get published? I said Saturday or Sunday are usually dull days and space would be sufficient so these days are better to flash your interview. ‘Theek ay’, Bhatti said in his low voice putting his hand on red tie. ‘Oh sorry Bhatti Sahib, “Every time I make promise to gift you a red tie, but I always forget to bring it. By the way, why you wear red ties, only” I asked final question while standing. Bhatti smiled again and said ‘pata nahi yar bus waisy e menu ay colour pasand ay, red colour prominent ay na. "Bloody" colour ay’. I nodded my head as we both smile. ‘Beth ja, ki karna e jaa kay, I said bus Sir kafi kam ikatha ho gia ay subha da, stories file karan da time ho gia ay, fair mulaqat hoi gi, insha allah, tay ais dafa ‘Red Tie’ zaroor lay kay awan ga. The minister smiled in response and I left Green Tower – where the ministry of minority affairs office located in.

This informal long chat proven to be my last meeting with federal minister for minority affairs, Shahbaz Bhatti on Tuesday March 1, 2011, 15 hours before I heard the news of Bhatti was gunned down on Wednesday morning in Islamabad as he left his house (in sector I-8) to attend a cabinet meeting.

He surely was a down to earth creature, very hospitable and a rare breed among the federal ministers who always talked selflessly for underprivileged. During the meeting, when I asked, Bhatti sahib, where is your security? I mean from comming up from the parking lot of this Tower till the up, there’s all open spaces and even in reaching the 6th floor there is hardly a security personnel deputed. Bhatti with his trademark smile said, ‘yar asi Saien log aan, sanu kisay nay ki kehna ay- Chaa pi tu’.

While sipping he asked me in Urdu, ‘Yar mahtab tum kahan sy parhay ho’? I said I have obtained Master's degree from Quaid -e-Azam University (QAU), Punjab University (PU), and now looking forward to get another degree in Mass. Communication from Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) as being relevant discipline to my profession. He smiled again and said, "Good... Achi bat hay yar. Parhai bohat zaruri hy. ... Acha jatay hayu bahir say meri aik passport size photograph le jana, wo interview kay sath laga lena, I smiled and said OK ... don’t worry bhatti sab.

And next day (Wednesday) it was my weekly off when in my sleep I got a text message from a friend about the brutal assassination of Bhatti. I hurriedly put away my quilt and started flipping remote control- every channel was flashing the callous murder of the Minister. The next moment I was on my way to office. I filed the interview on the same day (Wednesday) well ahead of my promise of Saturday or Sunday! RIP minister!

Here is the swan song Bhatti sang to me!

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\03\03\story_3-3-2011_pg11_7

All religious factions in the country should get together and come forward to shun the religious extremism and violence, which is on the rise in recent years, and soon ministry will invite intellectuals from all segments of society to seek their advice to combat this menace of extremism, Federal Minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti said this on Tuesday night hours before his voice was silenced forever by the bullets of extremists on Wednesday.

Sitting in his office, calm and composed wearing red tie- as his favourite, Bhatti said every religion conveys the message of love, tolerance, peace and brotherhood but unfortunately nothing is visible in our society because of rapidly spreading tentacles of extremism.

Talking exclusively in his last interview, the assassinated minister wished to take all religious, political, and academicians on board to eradicate radical elements involved in ruining the peace, stability and interfaith harmony in the country and bringing bad name abroad.

Terming the assassination of governor Punjab as an act of brazen timidness, that was sabotaging the peace in the country, Bhatti said the killer wanted to disrupt the peace of country and interfaith harmony as Taseer always tried to protect the minorities’ rights.

“The minorities in Pakistan have sacrificed more than these handful of radical forces members who made just Fatwas (edict) to aggravate the situation and exploit people rather going for the solution,” Bhatti said. “These hardliners are the one who destroy shrines, hospitals, educational institutions, and other worship places, whereas minority of Pakistan has produced a number of icons who made their names across the globe,” Bhatti, still a bachelor said.

Referring to murder of Punjab governor, Salman Taseer, Bhatti categorically said all Mullahs who made the Fatwas over blasphemy convicts firstly be arrested for initial investigation of Taseer’s assassination,” he said, adding Taseer was against the blasphemy laws, implemented in the country, as he termed this law as man-made and not divine that is being misused for political, religious and personal vendetta.

Bhatti, who was one of successful minister to reassigned the same portfolio after the resizing of federal cabinet few weeks ago, said slain governor was the person who consoled Aasia Bibi, who was wrongly involved in blasphemy law.

“She was innocent that is why governor met her and promised her to save her life requesting president Asif Ali Zardari to pardon her,” Bhatti said, adding nobody could change their views regarding the misuse of blasphemy law.

Lauding the role of minorities in Pakistan, Bhatti said minorities in the country had staunch faith in all Islamic teachings, Quran, Prophet hood of Muhammad PBUH, and all religious personalities. “None of those could imagine to think to convict blasphemy laws but here in the country radical forces are exploiting these laws for personal interests and we would not allow anyone to exploit these laws in their favour to spread a wave of fanaticism,” he maintained.

He said minorities had participated and struggled extensively in creation of Pakistan and through blasphemy law fanatics wanted to terrorise the country. “These extremists want nobody to talk about blasphemy laws and if someone talked about it, he is convicted for blasphemy,” minister said adding minorities in Pakistan do not want to achieve their rights gaining sympathy from others.

Condemning the role of large public for making Qadri a ‘Hero’, the minister said he condemned the members of legal fraternity for fighting Qadri’s case ‘free of cost’. “I will request again to heads of bar councils to take this decision seriously, governor murder was religiously motivated backed up by political actors with a planned conspiracy,” Bhatti said. “We will fight against it and we will not compromise on it,” soft-spoken Bhatti said.

Giving solution to counter the spreading fanaticism, Bhatti said confrontation is not at all the solution but negotiation and mutual talks are. “I have received a number of threatening text messages, telephone calls, emails and letters to stop raising voice for minority rights and misuse of blasphemy laws but this act could not deter my commitment. I don’t want security, I don’t need bullet proof vehicle- that’s what I am,” Bhatti said.

Talking about the recent steps taken by his ministry for safeguarding the rights of minorities in Pakistan, Bhatti disclosed that we have formed ‘District Interfaith Committees’ in all districts of the country with members belonging to all segments of society. “After this we will form 27 members ‘National Interfaith Council’ at federal levels and initiate the process of negotiation taking all religious groups on board. “Hope this would promote the interfaith dialogue and help projecting peace, tolerance and love among the people of all communities,” he said.

The slain minister said ministry is working on ‘3 E Agenda’ - Emancipation of minorities in Pakistan, Equality, and Empowerment. “Under this policy, we will work out bridge the gap, create an atmosphere of tolerance, and to counter extremism at local levels through dialogue,” he said.

Bhatti said in his recent foreign tour, he met with US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, a number of senators and Canadian Prime minister, who lauded our services for the protection and uplift of the minority communities. “Interfaith harmony is the need of the hour and only solution to counter ‘clash of civilization’, ‘prejudice’ and ‘zero tolerance’ for other religion. This is not a need of Pakistan it is global a need and international community has acknowledged us,” Bhatti said proudly.

I want to see Pakistan a liberal and progressive state as envisage by the founder of this nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and PPP slain founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhtto and Benazir Bhutto and under the leadership of president Asif Ali Zardari, we are making headway to make Pakistan a progressive state.

With the wishful thinking Bhatti sang his swan song requesting all liberal and progressive forces to come forward and join hands to eradicate all those forces that want to harm peace and ongoing democratic process in the country.

ISLAMABAD: The Catholic slain federal minister Shahbaz Bhatti, son of Jacob Bhatti was born on September 9, 1968 in Lahore, Punjab. Bhatti joined Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in 2002. Shahbaz Bhatti was elected Member of the National Assembly on reserved seat for minorities on the ticket of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). He was made Federal Minister for Minorities in year 2008. Shahbaz Bhatti was again included in the Federal Cabinet with same portfolio last month. He was one of the founding members of All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) in 1985. He was Chairman of All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, Founder and President of the Christian Liberation Front, and the Executive Director of the Pakistan Council for Human Rights. Shahbaz Bhatti was the first parliamentarian who made history by assuming the Federal Minister for Minorities. Shahbaz Bhatti also received International Religious Freedom Award for rendering services to the community. He was the first ever Pakistani to receive this award. He was bachelor and have four brothers and one sister. His father died last month in Faisalabad. He was living in Sector I-8/4 Islamabad. As federal minister, Bhatti took stern measures to ensure the safety, rights and empower religious minorities while in office. He launched national campaign to promote interfaith and harmony through seminars, awareness groups, and workshop.

AFTER THE PHONE CALL ...!

SPY WHO 'LOVED' ME

If the reports on the issue are critically scrutinised, it looks like a staring down contest between the intelligence agencies of Pakistan and the US has begun. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chiefs, Leon Panetta and General Ahmad Shuja Pasha have spoken on the phone and the ISI has asked that information be given to it about all CIA operatives in Pakistan. It seems that the Raymond Davis affair has given way to something bigger, more substantial, and more beneficial for the security agencies of Pakistan.

The intelligence agencies of Pakistan have a few ideas of their own that they may feel might just get sorted out by the debacle that is the Raymond Davis fiasco. It is no secret that the US has persistently pressurised Pakistan for some time to relax its visa-processing regime for its citizens. Reports in the media have asserted that this request was acceded to by the government without proper security clearance and that visas were issued en masse starting from July last year. The reports imply that the security and intelligence agencies were bypassed for this purpose. If for the sake of argument (although US complaints of delayed visas have not abated) the assertion is accepted, it implies that either the security and intelligence agencies failed to insist on proper clearance or the government was able to circumvent well laid down and long established procedures for the purpose. Both arguments seem incredible as they imply a breakdown in government procedures, an assertion for which there is no proof except the (seemingly motivated) reports in the less responsible sections of our media. So what is the truth?

Our intelligence and security agencies are known to be less than well pleased with the efforts of the civilian democratically elected government to forge ties between the US and Pakistan that rely more on the political government rather than the older Musharraf-era conduit of the intelligence and security agencies. For the latter, the villain of the piece is our Ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, who has been accused of responsibility for ‘unleashing’ the Raymond Davis brigade inside Pakistan. Now while this, and his alleged responsibility for the critical sections of the Kerry-Lugar Act regarding civil-military relations may be enough to earn him the ire of Pakistan’s intelligence agencies, it exaggerates the role of the Ambassador and depreciates the way the US’s system works. It is very difficult to believe that anything manages to escape the careful watch of our intelligence agencies. Even if the civilian government has expedited visa issuance for US citizens (although the evidence does not support this contention), there is hardly a chance that these visas are granted without some measure of scrutiny by the establishment. However, it may be that this scrutiny has not been up to par, partly because the US and the CIA’s covert operatives had better covers than our spooks could detect. If this is so, it is hugely embarrassing for our redoubtable agencies. The Raymond Davis affair may just have handed Pakistan’s security agencies a convenient leverage to roll back any suggestion of a ‘liberalised’ visa regime and wrest complete control of it from the civilian government.

Davis may have sent the relationship between the two countries spiralling to new lows but the fact remains that there is a bigger picture at hand. While the whole affair may have given our security agencies more leverage to demand details of CIA operatives working within Pakistan, it may also have given them a bargaining chip in the greater game. It is well known that differences exist between Pakistan and the US, and the intelligence agencies of both, on the war on terror and the fact that Pakistan has given safe havens to the Afghan Taliban, its proxies for the approaching endgame in Afghanistan. This has restricted the civilian government’s say and leg-room to manoeuvre.

The Raymond Davis saga may just provide the security agencies of Pakistan with enough sway to ensure that, after the looming US withdrawal from Afghanistan by 2014, Pakistan has its finger in the proverbial pie with its Afghan Taliban proxies sitting comfortably at the Afghan table.

POLITICAL DIVORCE BETWEEN PML-N & PPP IN PUNJAB- a bad decision?

Addressing a press conference in Lahore after a meeting of party members over the fate of the Punjab coalition government, Nawaz Sharif announced a parting of the ways with the PPP and elaborated at length why PML-N decided to embrace dissident members of its splinter party PML-Q, which he had hitherto rebuffed and refused to shake hands with. He said the members who did not violate PML-N policy and had been ‘duped’ into joining the king’s party would be welcomed back into the parent party’s fold. Much as he tries to gloss over it, the fact remains that he is once again opening the doors to horse-trading and the politics of defection a la the decade of the 1990s.

The fate of the PML-Q Unification Bloc and, by implication PML-N, is in the hands of the Election Commission, which will decide whether or not the defection clause applies to this situation where a sizeable group has violated a party’s discipline. The PPP has announced its decision to sit on the opposition benches in Punjab, while not renouncing the politics of reconciliation. In fact, the joint team of PPP and PML-N reviewing the progress on the 10-point agenda termed it satisfactory and decided to continue cooperating on the issues on which consensus had been achieved. This is contrary to the impression Nawaz Sharif tried to give regarding the PPP’s failure to implement the agenda in the given timeframe of 45 days. This changing of gears by the PML-N is going to have short-term as well as long-term implications for the country.

It is not clear what are the calculations of the PML-N, because it will not be easy to unseat the federal government. If the mid-term elections do not happen anytime soon, it will add to the animosity between the two parties from hereon. For now, Punjab has already become a political battlefield. The change of Opposition leader after the PPP’s joining the opposition benches in Punjab will be the first test of the new relationship between the two parties that have now become rivals instead of partners.

It is reported that Chaudhry Zaheer of the PML-Q will resign from the Leader of the Opposition post to make way for a PPP member to assume this position, given its strength. The coming days will reveal whether this transition is smooth or not, and how the new relationship will unfold. However, the signs that a new political racket is going to start are unmistakable.

In the circumstances that Pakistan faces today, this is a regrettable development. It is going to have a direct impact on the political scene, where the two biggest parties that were working hand in hand to the detriment of extra-constitutional forces, will now be consuming their energies undermining each other. This will also affect other areas of national importance. Political wrangling will have an adverse impact on an already teetering economy and the war on terror. If the old tradition of criticism for the sake of criticism were revived, any reform undertaken by the government would be met with resistance by the opposition regardless of its merit. Already, the PPP has met failure in getting approval for the proposed wealth tax and Reformed General Sales Tax (RGST) from parliament due to a storm created by the opposition parties, including the PML-N, and even some coalition allies.

Also, the highly unpopular war on terror initiated by General Musharraf was given legitimacy by the across-the-board support of all the political parties. It is debatable how the divergence between the PML-N and the PPP is going to impact this war. This indecent burial of the Charter of Democracy is not something unexpected from the PML-N, but may prove detrimental to an already fragile democracy.

MONEY IS NOT EVERYTHING

Money cannot solve everything. It looks as if the richest monarchy in the Arab world and the largest global oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, may be getting jittery at the history-changing events developing across the Middle East. The ouster of decades’ long autocratic rule in Tunisia and Egypt and the wave of protests sweeping across Bahrain, Yemen and Libya have prodded Saudi Arabia into action to placate an ever-increasing disillusioned public.

Returning home after three months spent abroad for medical treatment, King Abdullah announced an extravagant aid package — to the tune of $ 35 billion — aimed at benefiting lower and middle income groups and unemployed youth, and addressing housing problems and high-inflation rates besetting the Saudi economy. This is an attempt by the Saudi monarchy to throw money at the problem as though that is all that is required. The Saudi monarchy is watching closely the rising stem of revolts in the Arab world, deeming it necessary to address issues before the people take to the streets of Saudi Arabia. As most of the reforms in the package aim to address the woes of the youth, it is quite obvious that the Saudi rulers have taken note of the fact that it is the tech-savvy youth demographic that is most active and passionate in the Arab protests.

The Libyan uprising has been reduced to an isolated, hate-spewing dictator watching his iron-clad grip quickly loosening in the face of angry protests and Yemen is seeing nine ministers resign from public office. Inspired by Tunisia and Egypt, the Arab public has finally decided that it has had enough of autocratic regimes, and no place epitomises a seemingly unshakeable monarchy like Saudi Arabia.

There have long been opponents of the Saudi regime but they have always been silenced by the kingdom’s repressive laws and policies. Many political opponents and underground groups have long demanded more gender equality, free elections to municipal councils, etc. However, for a theocracy like Saudi Arabia, introducing reforms that endanger the political-religious status quo will be out of the question. While this aid package is a premeditated move to curb any rising dissent within the kingdom, it must be asked: how far will doling out money go if it is not accompanied by freedom? Money can only go so far when the inhabitants of an oil-wealthy country are boiling over with frustration over the denial of their political, civil, human and gender rights.

GADDAFI is too 'MUAMMAR' for state affairs, believe Libyans

A defiant Muammar Gaddafi vowed on Tuesday to die ‘a martyr’ in Libya on state television. He further added that he would call the people to cleanse Libya house-by-house unless protesters surrendered. It is important to note here that this is the first time Gaddafi announced his stance publicly since the revolt broke out. Recently, a lot of rumours were flying that Gaddafi had fled; perhaps he thought that it was important to give a public appearance in order to refute all such rumours.

Nevertheless, it is evident that Gaddafi’s regime is crumbling: at least seven Libyan ambassadors are no longer supporting him; his justice minister has resigned; the staff of Libya’s mission to the UN has declared allegiance to the people of Libya; two senior air force fighter pilots defected and flew their jets to Malta when asked to attack protesters. Even his soldiers have turned against him after the people came out on the streets demanding regime change after over four decades of his rule. Moreover, Gaddafi has virtually lost all his strength in the eastern coast and therefore resorted to the oldest trick in the dictator’s book — a brutal crackdown on protesters. On Monday, pro-regime militiamen shot on sight anyone found in the streets and opened fire from speeding vehicles at people watching from the windows of their homes. Almost 62 civilian casualties have been reported in Tripoli in the last two days.

The problem with Gaddafi, like most other dictators who have been in power for a long time, is that they never read the writing on the wall. The thought of giving up never crosses their mind. So much so that they do not even hesitate to massacre their people to prolong their rule. The UN Security Council held an emergency session, and western diplomats pushed it to demand an end to the retaliation against protesters. In addition, the French foreign minister, UN chief and UK foreign secretary strongly opposed the attacks on protesters. In the light of all this, it is becoming quite clear that Gaddafi will not be able to survive. Everyone is waiting for Gaddafi to realise this and spare himself and the people more trouble. The time has come!