Patriotism

Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it.

George Bernard Shaw

US presence in Pakistan – reality and myth

Recently, there’s been a lot of US involvement into the region, particularly ever since Pakistan’s recent chapter on counter-insurgency started. There have been rumors of US presence, not only of officials but security personnel too, but it had been denied vehemently by the Pakistan government.

However, as time elapses, several of these rumors are starting to find ground, both at home and abroad. This is rather bad since this only affirms that there’s a lot going on behind the scenes which the government is either not ready to confide the masses with or simply lacks the courage to do so.

The blackwater issue is one example for that case. The Pakistani officials and US embassy both have been actively and explicitly denying the presence of this private security company in Pakistan ever since the rumors surfaced. In fact, the famed Rehman Malik went as far as to saying that he’d resign if such a claim is substantiated. However, a piece in ‘The Nation’ done by Jeremy Scahill pretty much changed things as he provided solid citations to Blackwater’s presence in Pakistan. Although there’s no official admission on the issue as of yet, the army has defended this move with apologetic tones, albeit subtle in actually accepting the charge.

Another thing that has been bugging me is that there’s been a lot of movement of US embassy personnel and vehicles in many major cities. While few of such movements have been intercepted by the police and the army, one can only wonder how much of it goes unnoticed. What’s strikingly similar in nearly all of these interceptions is that the ‘foreigners’ in these vehicles either carry fake identities or drive in cars with fake registration numbers and are nearly always rescued quickly by the embassy officials.

In the most recent of such happening, the embassy personnel were intercepted in Lahore where they were driving in a car with fake registration number.

“Police sources said the vehicle had a fake registration number of Karachi. However, US Consulate officials again intervened and took the vehicle and its occupants with them, without letting the security personnel search them, they added.”

Which also means that whatever it is, the US embassy is totally into it and won’t allow it’s personnel or vehicles be searched. The pieces of news further says:

“It was third incident in a week in the city when security agencies intercepted vehicles owned by US Consulate.”

What is disturbing is that the serious media outlets have not yet taken to issue rather seriously and are, for now, giving it only a passing importance in the bigger picture. However, considering the times we live in, it certainly can’t be ruled out as a mere co-incidence and investigations must look into the exact intent or plans of US embassy in Pakistan.

And so must be done before our internal peace is expended on the chess board of international interests.

Media – a false hope?

Democracy has been without much luck in Pakistan ever since the Partition. So often has it been derailed and resumed over time that a major faction even doubts it to be viable enough a solution for this nation of some seventeen million mortals. And perhaps not without reason.

A lot has already been said and read over the contributing factors to such democratic anarchy that has marred the hopes of this ‘land of pure.’ For long, the verdict has rested upon external influences on or interferences into the political setup, primarily that of the army. And of course, white house signals often concluding the democratic battles here also make a fine issue for public debate, not quite without logic and historical evidence to it.

However, such theories, prophecies and proclamations regarding the failure to sustain a democratic political outfit have been as diverse as they can be – and as dissenting. And one may not be surprised if an obdurate despondency is expressed as to the fate of democracy in Pakistan. Nevertheless, there’s been hope of late and that hope came from none but the two solid pillars that constitute the state – judiciary and the media.

To use a frank flavor, the judiciary rather arose out of a notorious anonymity when Mr. Musharraf stroke at the heart of it – the moment was decisive in that it paved the future, or the immediate future, of the power of judiciary in national affairs and the role it was to play in them. A fine final settlement, of course, with the eventual restoration of the deposed Chief Justice, thus surrendering to the will of the masses and black coats.  For now, it seems that judiciary is at least playing a far better role that our national history has formerly assumed to it. And one can only hope that this state of affairs improves with time.

Coming to the other column, I feel bit too overwhelmed. Such has been the bumpy ride of the national media that one is quite appalled at a first glance. Back in the days of PTV supremacy, things were as simple as they could have been, with the only channel being a spokesperson of the government. It simply was a tool to propagate the official policies and the viewers were doomed to an hourly ‘hakomat-nama.’ However, amid other things, media freedom and a gift of many new channels and FM stations, we do owe to Mr. Musharraf.

The inception of such freedom of air waves remarked an entire new era in the journalism of Pakistan. Hopes were high and the change was a grand one in that it allowed viewers to have a different taste of things, apart from the official flavor. This, consequently, ingrained more realism and less officially-spewed idealism into the minds of common masses. Things started to clear and facts really were brought to light.

However, ever since the inception of this new medium, the new-found freedom media had gained also contained a darker side. And that of course was the notorious use of this liberty of expression. Well was it put to use during the movement to reinstall CJ and the entailing lawyers’ movement. And the civil mobility only triggered further by watching displays of activism through private TV channels’ coverage. In a post-Musharraf era, things really have change a lot. Both media and judiciary emerged triumphant and to both, was finally given the power to do what they were to.

Sadly though, it is unfortunate to note that media went on to misuse this power greatly. While ideological alignment is one thing and none can deny that right to a media outlet. A newspaper or a media outlet me be leftist, rightist, centrist or liberal, whatever it chooses to be. However, at the same time, this shouldn’t rip that particular organization of reporting the truth and giving rational analysis. Being rightist, then, doesn’t mean to look from all the vile acts of the right-wing organizations and being left doesn’t mean the same for the left. In fact, media is a tool of the society to reprimand those who cross the line and if that doesn’t help, instigate the public to take a stand against them – but even in that, the media is bound to base everything upon facts and facts alone.

When we look to the TV channels at home, we’re rather astounded to find the regular straying from this doctrine. Conspiracy theories are the most popular notion to capture the audiences with and facts barely find any space in the prevalent media culture. It’s all the more sad since this gives birth to many different views, all based in empty air and none on solid ground, and some of them being capable of resulting in drastic consequences.

Take, for instance, the Lal Masjid episode. While before the operation against the LM brigade, media kept insisting for such an operation. Even when knowing the stats and having done its arithmetic on number of students within that facility, media persuaded the government for such an operation. And when the inevitable, both in the form of the operation and bloodshed, happened, media was all cries. Is it not a clear hypocrisy on the part of the media?

Same stands true for the recent saga of terrorism who’s reign is stretched all across our nation. Watch as many channels you may, you barely ever hear a categorical declaration of the fact that Talibans are the ones doing it all. Media anchors, the guest that are called to a show and the final verdict, all are heavily clouded with conspiracy theories, with no evidence or sane logic to it. And the result, as is obvious, is that the public too largely dwells in this mood of pretension and denial. While media would have been a very effective tool in making people realize their mistake in the sympathies they formerly extended to Taliban, it’s playing a diametrically opposite role.

While that’s on issue, media also has recently earned notoriety for taking things personal against certain personnel. For now, it’s the President against whom a channel has simply launched a campaign. I am no fan of Mr. Zardari and my sympathies certainly go to better fellow but the fact is, without any proof, the leveling of so extensive an opposition against the president is simply the result of his criticism of this very channel, which in itself is famous for media maneuvers and has a rather well-bred brigade of conspiracy theorists.

What remains for us to wonder, then, is that who is to stop them? It’s also a simple, calculated fact that money, resources or political will or all three could affect both the policy and reporting of a private TV channel. And that should be a state concern since a private channel having it’s bearing upon a considerable number of viewers is something to be looked to. This then brings us down to the media ordinance which drew a lot of debate through all media watchdogs and opposition from nearly all of them. The saner outlets favored such an ordinance only when it really did a watching over without barring the freedom of expression or speech in any way. And that’s exactly what we need today.

We need such media regulations which may watch out for any political-motivated or monetary influence exerted upon any media channel to direct its energies in a certain direction. Of course that can’t be implemented without the judiciary and it has to be an active aid in this regard. Moreover, the media also need be reminded that it’s a fact-finding machine of the society, not one which may shape people’s opinions through its own ‘expert analysis.’ That, in itself, is a violation of media’s duties – more so when based entirely  upon assumptions and theories.

Revising our counter-insurgency strategy

As the fire moves to our homes, nearer with each passing day, I see that we are all starting to view things rather differntly. It’s different to see a bomb blast news on tv and hear it shake your very abode by going off in a nearby locality. The today’s hell was Multan where my sister and toddler nephews were rattled in their houses as the blast on an army building, (which I am told happens also to contain ISI offices) in Multan cantt took place. Twelve people lost their lives, including a majority of the civilians with eighteen wounded.

The question that resurfaces now is that is the operation alone the solution? And for that case, even a viable one? If we are able to handle a part, even a majority (since eliminating them all is virtually impossible) of Talibans at the cost of turning a larger part of Pakistan’s metropolis to rubbles, is this cause worth this price??? And well….it seems absurd to me that Taliban can take on such well-organized attacks within ultra-high-security zones. The current, prevalent explanations and analysis are starting to fall short and incomplete – we need new answers and sounder analysis to continue to chase this ghost of Taliban and need to devise a strategy in their light.

With each passing day, I feel the conviction that we are winning wavering – in fact, the recent happenings even put to question the former opinion I firmly adhered to, namely that we can really win war merely through a military solution. It rather seems impractical to me to claim the possibility of eliminating such terrorists who hide among all throughout the country and where our intelligence has totally failed to counter them effectively enough.

It’s about time we thought over a two-pronged strategy. If this hell could be put an end to, by simply stopping the operation, it sure is worth it. It indeed the conviction to end them is true, they would surely end in time. The masses, me and you and everyone out there really has learned a lesson. We have learned that few false mistakes breed such Frankensteins which then bath us in days of blood and death. And surely, very surely, we’d be far more careful with breeding such militans in the coming years.

The bottom line is: gaining peace with none alive to cherish it is barely a cause worth! And so, the current policy of countering this insurgency needs to be revised.

Life’s paradox

““There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is most alive, and it comes as a complete forgetfulness that one is alive.”

- Jack London

The reign of terror



Despite all the security measures, the terrorists have attacked yet again killing some 40 people, including 5 senior army officers and 10 innocent kids and wounding some 80. Among the dead army officers, there’s a major general, a brigadier, 2 Lt-colonels and a major. Former vice chief of army staff, General Yousaf is also among the critically injured.

This particular attack seems far more sophisticated than previous one in that  the terrorists, defying the security at the main entrance, sought entrance by scaling the walls of the mosque and landing in the middle of praying people. They then launched the attack with grenades and guns, leashing death on the worshiping men.

The attack comes after government’s upping of security measures in nearly all military sites and sneers in the face of such measures.

The most disturbing phenomenon is the express denial cited by a majority of Pakistanis – they simply refuse to accept the fact that it’s the same Taliban killing their innocents, who were orchestrated as ‘good’ some time back as an official policy and which our mainstream media people have been very reluctant to criticize. And well…even now, the ‘pop’ news channels have quite failed to assume a responsible role over the issue. The conspiracy theorizing continues unabated and criticism of Taliban is little and if any, well coupled with anti-India, anti-Israel and anti-US rhetoric.

It is of course natural that we need here is an immediate opinion shift and that we are unable to achieve, considering the government propagation machine expended for years to convince us of the goodness of these very barbarians.

Such arrogant ignorance on the part of an average Pakistani is all the more dangerous when punjabi jihadi militants have joined ranks with Taliban and are apparently operating in collaboration with them. As Kalsoom Lakhani well cites it in her related post, so far no effective strategy has been devised by the government to tackle the Punjabi off-shoots of this saga of militancy. These off-shoots are the same factions which formerly were allowed, under the license of Jihad, to operate freely and even be funded and trained by the government. Seems like the two brethern, of Frankensteins, have joined hands. And while those in the distant lands are being looked to by the army, those at arm’s length continue with their saga of blood and terror quite successfully.

This is reinforced by the fact that such an organized attack, defying all security measures, would have been literally impossible without either an insider’s approach or someone very well aware with the local topography and security details. Considering the former close alliance between intelligence and punjabi jihadi factions, one can easily say that the latter would have an edge over the frontier brethren when it comes to circumventing security.

The most disinteresting, and rather disgusting part, is that of Rehman Malik. From giving empty statements against Taliban, he has suddenly switched the canons and now it’s India to be blamed. Of course, this is directly connected to the fact that government has evidently failed to counter the Taliban insurgency effectively and perhaps to grab public’s sympathies, which it certainly has lost in recent times, it has recurred back to the anti-India rhetoric. It’s sad to see Mr. Malik lamenting such claims without any proof cited so far to anyone since such pathetic attempts would further deteriorate the relations between the two neighboring nations, a bond which is very much needed to effectively thwart the Taliban factor. And which is essential for a peaceful future of both countries.

It also is needed for the government to give up the meaningless gibberish and concentrate on the actual foe which is at home and which’s well taking a grand toll off the lives of innocent Pakistanis.

The lone men

“Why, is it true that while a fraction of humanity, the likes of us, sit with pomposity, more or less in relative terms, and with well-fed bellies discuss matter of unimportance and little significance with an aura of assumed importance, there are those who are out there to deal with the real, bitter realities of life. For every false syllogism we pronounce and every theory we discuss, to its wanton ends, many die in the course of their struggle for bread and breathe – and eventually, either one of the two wins out and brings the other along with, or either expires to extinguish this eternal damnation for the other. Such are the times that while we live in our holy shrines of post-modernity’s blessings, a herd of humanity, far greater to form a staggering majority, is compelled to live the lives of animals, starved and maltreated with no rights more than those of an animal and never alleviated from the capacity of being a machine to work, which may or may not be accorded a reward for that work.

It is true that as the acute class division increases, and brings, into its folds, many transitional factions, the once-powerful slogans melt down to weak noises, after their being satiated in part by partial accommodation of demands and in part, suppressed by far more efficient state machineries. The struggling, working man, barely any better, is left isolated and alone. And therein, is the irony of this ‘age of human rights’ – those with numbers have lost their voices and consequently, their rights, even to protest, in the eyes of the world.”

God’s Omnipresence

 

“We may regard the present state of the universe as the effect of its past & the causes of its future. For an intellect which at a certain moment would know all forces that set nature in motion, and all positions of all items of which nature is composed, and if this intellect were also vast enough to submit this data to analysis, he would embrace in a single formula the movements of the greatest bodies of the universe and those of the tiniest atom; for such an intellect, nothing would be uncertain – and the future, just like the past, would be present before his eyes. “

- Pierre-Simon, marquis de Laplace (French mathematician and philosopher)

The Truth

Reality is mundane – and since mundane is ordinary and commonplace, men deem it unimportant. And that’s precisely why the manifest truth stays occult from us.

Having a BLAST! :D

I never thought I’ll have such a great day. It would have just another one for me, had Momal not gathered the group card with some 50 signatures and messages from my friends – that totally rocked the day for me!! And to top things up, the video she made is simply awesome!!
The link goes here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nKfwZyaPMU

It was surely one of the best birthday gifts I’ve ever received! And I am sure that I’d remember it for many years to come.

I’ve been apprehending that something was cooking behind the scenes. Muneeb and Momal won’t tell me but still…I had an idea that it had something to do with my social circle at facebook. And it appears that my apprehensions did materialize – only I didn’t expect it all to be that awesome.

Oh and Anas too did something of a post (o.O) over me. I totally do not agree to some of the ’scoops’ he has cited – however, it’s true that he knows me well :D

Well….thank you all, friends and fellas, and Momal especially and Muneeb too!!

Having you all as friends truly makes me feel lucky – and makes life lot more beautiful!! (:

Seeking you

I stand by the road, by the brimming stream of life flowing across the gray line – unstoppable, like the life itself. And as uncertain.

By the other side of greyness, you stand – a hand in your pocket, a smile at your face and a smug expression wearing your countenance. Always the calm you. You steal a quick glance my way and meaningfully tear it away – back to the book in your hands.
The current flows by in an incessant flow.

I wish to move across. The want for closeness arrests me. Unknowingly, unwillingly, I am drawn to you. Addicted to you. You pull me like nothing else does. Even in the mundane look of yours lies a deeper meaning which makes you the only one with so profound an importance – and in that crowd, amidst all the noise and colors, you stand alleviated.

I keep my eyes at you, savoring every moment of the veil undone, of a reality manifest. Just like every time, it’s timeless.

And then you’re gone. Dissolved into thin air like the ethereal nothingness.

In my feeble attempt, I desperately try to find you. Between the shifting, moving slots of visibility, between the gush of flowing life, I could still see the exact place you’d been occupying a while ago. But now, it’s just the stone pavement looking blankly back at me. I try to gather the streak of memory you just granted – and it’s no longer. Gone like a line erased off the pages of my mind. I stand there, looking at nothing. And then, admonishing me for my stupid gawking, I move off on a slow pace. Back to life. Back to my stupid life.

And in the back-street of a dark alley, you laugh hysterically at my ignorance.

Thoughts

“Sometimes I wonder, will God ever forgive us for what we’ve done to each other.
Then I look around and I realize, God left this place a long time ago. “
Danny Archer, Blood Diamond

Tag-a-tag

I have been auto-tagged at having read the post at another blog. And although I have no respect for such obligations, I am, nevertheless, doing it for fun since people have been telling me how boring my blog’s getting with those gibberish posts. (Really now..O.o)

So here’s the deal. Everyone’s who’s reading this is tagged. Post it at your blog with your own answers and have fun.

Fallen asleep at work/school? Totally – and now at uni :D

Held a snake? Nope

Ran a red light? Innumerable times :D

Kissed anyone one of your Facebook friends? Np

Been arrested? No, missed close calls :P

Kissed someone you didn’t like? No

Slept in until 5 PM? Yep

Been suspended from school? Yes

Totaled your car/motorbike in an accident? Yes

Been fired from a job? No

Sang karaoke? No

Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t? *sigh* … Yes

Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? Erm..ya :D

Caught a snowflake on your tongue? On my palm, ya ;P

Kissed in the rain? No, that’s for movies yet

Sang in the shower? Often

Sat on a rooftop? Yep

Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes? Nope

Broken a bone? Frequently

Shaved your head? Had my head shaved would be more appropriate. (childhood no-opinion parent decisions you know -_-”)

Blacked out from drinking? Nope

Played a prank on someone? Many times.

Felt like killing someone? Quite often

Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? Often :D

Been in a band? Band of pranksters? Sure :P

Shot a gun? Yes

Tripped on mushrooms? No o.O

Donated Blood? Yes

Eaten crocodile meat? No

Eaten cheesecake? Ya

Think about the future? ‘Course :P

Believe in love? Yep

Sleep on a certain side of the bed? Erm..not really.

The state-of-denial rhetoric

I’ve been following certain blogs and media outlets of late over the state of denial that currently prevails within Pakistan. And I must say that they are very right in citing over and over again that Pakistanis yet have to come all out and united against Taliban that are posing an imminent threat to their lives and homeland and that they ought to stop blaming the recent surge of terrorism upon conjured conspiracy theories proposing Indian/American/Israeli/etc involvement in everything that’s happening in Pakistan.

However, I strongly disagree with those blaming the masses entirely for this denial and buying all the crap NYT and similar papers write out there. While doing so, we totally forget the fact that the prevailing social mindset has been shaped over the decades, sometimes even with governmental backings and being an important part of official policy. And not to forget that the popular media has only reinforced the wrong perception of events, never really taking up the courage of going astray of their course of viewership-bumping policy, showing only what people want to see and not what the facts really are.

So, honestly, do we really think this would change overnight? The ‘labor’ of decades, can it really be washed away by a few vent-out columns and awareness-aimed documentaries? Barely so! It may well be a fantasy but the reality would be farthest from it.

It might be sad and unfortunate to note and know, but it’s true that there is simply NO short-term solution to Taliban’s terrorism. We may be able to drown the recent surge temporarily with military cleansing operations, but it’s sure to resurface in time unless we make long-term policies in combating this fundamentalism in our society. And those would be towards achieving better educational structure, more literacy rate and policies towards improving economic and educational conditions here. Unless we induce these changes into our highly polarized society, sadly heavily towards religious zealotry, we may well keep writing these notes and telling the world we are a bunch of idiots denying what’s killing our brethren but that would barely make a difference. Moving towards a workable, pragmatic solution may, however, bring a change and make some difference.

Going food-way

I have always been of the sort experimenting with things at kitchen.

And as a matter of fact, I do, besides many other treats, know the ’secret’ to make some half-a-dozen delicious desi halwas, which includes Sohan Halwa, my hometown delight.

However, I do admit I’ve been quite short on the quick fixes and simple recipes for sweets one so yearns for on lazy days. And for that, I truly loved having came across this blog: http://londonfoodieny.wordpress.com/recipes/

Give it a read and you can imagine my joy at having found the site. ;)