Terroristan - April 24, 2018

[Falijee]

Fraudster Dar Flies The Coop

Embattled Ishaq Dar seeks asylum in UK as SC warns to cancel passport

ISLAMABAD – Former finance minister Ishaq Dar, who was declared absconder in a corruption reference, has reportedly filed an application seeking asylum in the United Kingdom

The embattled leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has sought political asylum in Britain citing issues in Pakistan and health condition, Express News reported.

With lots of money salted away, am pretty sure that he must have a "good British lawyer at his disposal"

The development, which has not been confirmed by any PML-N leader yet, comes as the Supreme Court of Pakistan tightened the noose around Dar for not appearing before the court despite being summoned in the case pertaining to the appointment of Pakistan Television former chairman Ata ul Haq Qasmi as managing director of the state-run TV.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday warned he will cancel former the passport of former finance minister Ishaq Dar over no-show.

The CJP also remarked that Dar looked healthy ( wealthy and wise ) in the pictures from London !

The former minister has been staying in London since October 2017 on account of his medical treatment; he has also been declared a proclaimed offender in a corruption case filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Recently, Dar was seen avoiding harsh questions aimed at him by newsmen in London when he was leaving the Harley Street Clinic, after having visited Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.One of the newsmen asked Dar that he was ailing, yet continued roaming outside. To which, he replied that he was ill and he knew it.

[Falijee]

Another Financially Strapped Paki Airline Bites The Dust

CAA bars Shaheen Air from Islamabad-Dubai flight operation

ISLAMABAD – The Civil Aviation Authority has barred financially strapped Shaheen Airlines from operating a major international flight, Islamabad-Dubai-Islamabad.

The aviation monitor has directed the private airline to suspend its flight NL221/224 from July 13 to the tourist destianation.

According to a letter served on Shaheen Air Monday, CAA directed the airline to intimate the affected passengers accordingly to avoid any inconvenience.SAI is a defaulter of more than Rs1.25 billion of CAA with regard to various charges, according to the authority.

It would be safe to assume that the affected passengers will not see a single rupee back as refund now that the flight has been cancelled ! Time for the CJP to open a new file on this matter

The CAA asked the passengers interested to fly to Dubai in referred flight from July 13, onwards to make any alternative arrangement.

The CAA should "order" the airline to (i) either refund the monies back or (ii) ensure that the affected passengers are put on an alternative airline . Unlikely to happen though !

Previously, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) had asked the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to suspend Shaheen Air’s local flight operations after it failed to pay Federal Excise Duty (FED).
The Airline has failed to pay its outstanding dues, amounting to a massive Rs. 521 million, and is getting barred from continuing its operations by the government.

The Goberment owned Airline (PIA) is probably in much worse shape !!!

[Falijee]

Amreeki Style Medical System Arrives In Pakiland . Treatment Denied To A Bleeding Rickshaw Driver

Money over life: The rule of General Hospital Karachi, rickshaw driver bleeds while hospital refuses to provide aid

A post by a witness of the ruthless behavior and ignorance of our Pakistani doctors has sent social media into a frenzy.General hospital, Karachi, blatantly refused to provide medical aid to a wounded rickshaw driver, Ijaz Solangi, because they needed cash in hand first. No one was forcing them to help out the poor man for free, it was an honest commitment that the money would be paid in a short while but at least the surgery could be started beforehand. What is so wrong about the idea?

A social media user Keenjhar, who witnessed the ordeal, recalls that while she begged the receptionist “Haider” to figure out a solution and get the surgery started, her efforts went all in vain as there was refusal from the other end.
When the senior staff wouldn’t agree, then off course the junior staff would have the same inbuilt mentality to say no to the request of delayed payment without even consulting another senior staff member twice. Let us keep in mind that Ijaz was fatally wounded, and not just a victim of slight discomfort, however, the pain did not melt the hearts of the medics.Social media has now gone furious and for all the right reasons and we agree, emergency cases cannot be dealt with such negligence!

A few of the reactions are underlined to give a glimpse of how severe the negligence was committed by the public service facility.

General Hospital, what possible explanation is there?

On a serious note, such callousness should not ever be tolerated . Even in USA, in a life and death situation, a procedure is performed and the "money factor" is allowed to be dealt at a later date !
On a lighter note, the CJP of Pakistan, Janab Saquib Nisar should take "due note" of this matter and at least "open a new file" on this matter. Obviously, he his hands are full these days with more important matters of state

[anupmisra]

For your daily dose of bakistaniyat...

DG ISPR rejects 'political engineering' allegations

Major General Asif Ghafoor, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations, on Tuesday said the Election Commission of Pakistan has sought Pakistan Army's assistance in holding of general election 2018 in a free and fair manner.(Irony is lost on the pakis)

"Even If we admit that there is political engineering taking place, at the end of the day it is the voter who is going to the vote.

"Army has no direct role in conduct of the election," he said

And in the same breath, ghafoor cautioned the election commission:

"It is Election Commission's job to address irregularities," he said

Answering a series of questions regarding allegations about rigging and army's role in "political engineering", he said: there is no election in which political parties didn't level rigging allegations .

"We have tolerated things which in normal circumstances wouldn't have been tolerated," he said.

"We are tolerating this because we know where we are heading," he said.

Responding to a question regarding the election symbol of Jeep allotted to a large number of independent candidates, he said it was electoral body that issued the symbol not the ISI. "It is not our jeep. This kind of jeep is owned by candidates not the army" he said.

After all this, DG_ISPR decided to clam up before he dug a hole deep enough to bury himself.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/33998 ... on-dg-ispr

[Falijee]

Foot Dragging In Naqeebullah Case ! "Paki Justice" Shows Its True Colours Once Again

ATC accepts Rao Anwar's bail application in Naqeebullah murder case
July 10, 2018

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi on Tuesday accepted former Malir SSP Rao Anwar's bail application in the Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case.
Anwar, whose involvement in the staged encounter that led to the murder of Naqeebullah Mehsud — a Waziristan native residing in Karachi — was confirmed by two separate investigative reports, was asked by the court today to submit Rs1 million worth surety bonds in order to make bail.

The tainted police officer had gone into hiding soon after demands for his arrest in the Naqeebullah murder case had gained traction, especially on the back of protests by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM). He had then resurfaced in a dramatic manner at the Supreme Court, from where he was arrested.

Probably was sheltered by his " influential friends"!

Soon after his arrest, his house in Malir Cantonment was declared a sub-jail. He had later moved an application for provision of 'B' class facilities in Karachi's Central Jail. The court had accepted Anwar's application for better facilities, including an exemption from being handcuffed.

The investigating officer (IO) in the case — SSP Dr Rizwan — skipped the hearing of the case again today. The court noted that the arguments on geo-fencing could have been heard today had the IO been present.

Following the decision, Anwar said that it has been proven today that he was falsely accused in the case. He said that he would soon name those who conspired to trap him as they had tried to trap "someone" in the Murtaza Bhutto case.He also repeated the arguments presented by his lawyers earlier that he was not present at the site where Naqeebullah and three others were killed.

The lawyer for Naqeebullah's father, on the other hand, expressed dissatisfaction with the decision. He demanded that action be taken against prosecution and the IO for their role in weakening the case and said that the ATC's decision today will be challenged in the Sindh High Court.

With "powerful" friends supporting him, doubt that Rao will be meted justice in this case

[anupmisra]

Shahid Afridi meets Salman Khan in Canada

Shahid Afridi on Monday met Bollywood’s Dabang actor Salman Khan at an event in Canada, having quality time chatting at the backstage.

both the stars met at backstage having quality time chatting and were seen sharing light moments and their fans simply were loving it.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/33960 ... -in-canada

Khan met a India-and Hindu-hating SOB, and had a "light" moment with him. But, did Khan ask afraidi about his views on terrorism in India and why he regularly insults Hindus? To remind us all, read this...

After Insulting India, Shahid Afridi Refuses To Condemn Pak-terror. Full Interview Here

Republic TV has confronted former Pakistan Cricket captain Shahid Afridi about his tweet against India, where he insulted the nation and called terrorists 'innocents'. Steadfast about his statement, Afridi made numerous politically-charged remarks about Kashmir and allegations against India, but was, nonetheless, cornered when asked to take a similar stance against 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed and Pak-sponsored terrorism.

Afraidi's tweet: "Strongly condemn the brutality of Indian forces against innocent Kashmiris and the killing of unarmed civilians in IOK. The people of Pak stand with the Kashmiris democratic struggle for self determination. The UNSC must act against Indian aggression in IOK."

https://www.republicworld.com/world-new ... rview-here

[Falijee]

Iran Cuts Off Electricity To Pakistan !

Iran cuts off electricity supply to Balochistan’s Makran division
10 Jul, 2018

*QUETTA - For 15 years, Iran supplied electricity to Balochistan’s Makran division. Protests have broken out in the division as the country has cut off the supply due to its own power crisis.*On Monday, the people of Gwadar, Kech and Panjgur had to make do without electricity from 10am until 12 in the night. The power cuts have worsened the water crisis in the area. The demand for ice has also gone up in the hot weather.

The power supply company, Qesco, says that they have been facing difficulty in supplying electricity for 12 hours to the Makran division since Iran cut off the supply. The utility’s spokesperson said they have taken up the issue with Iranian authorities to come up with a permanent solution.

In September 2003, Pakistan entered into an agreement with Iran for power supply to Balochistan. Iran supplied 35 megawatts daily between 2003 and 2013. In former CM Dr Abdul Malik’s tenure, the amount was increased from 35 megawatt to 100 megawatt.

Iran has now suspended the supply due to the country’s own power crisis.

There is probably more to this than meets the eye . Maybe, the Iranis are not happy at Paki shenanigans; maybe, the Pakis have reneged on their part of the agreement. Maybe, there are payment difficulties for the cash strapped Pakis . Maybe, the Iranis do not believe in the Paki assurance of "check is in the mail" etc etc

[Falijee]

Shahid Afridi meets Salman Khan in Canada

Rest snipped .....

Of course, Malsi is a solid "bonding glue" between the two .

-All this passes for what is nowadays known as "entertainment" and is of course is an added bonus to the oversees fans of both these "Superstars" as it appears that it was not planned well in advance !
- The tacit understanding is that you scratch my ( Charitable Foundation's ) back. And I will scratch your ( Charitable Foundation's ) back !!!
- A win-win situation for both of them , as far as their "cause" is concerned !!!

[Peregrine]

Senators doubt credibility of polls

ISLAMABAD .: Senators belonging to different political parties on Monday questioned the neutrality of caretaker government in the prevalent political situation where certain contestants running in this month’s polls are being arrested and cases against them are being instituted.

On the inaugural day of the new session, lawmakers said that caretaker government remained silent when politicians were being targeted.

Senator Raja Zafarul Haq, who is chairman of the former ruling party PML-N and leader of the house in Senate, said the recent verdict against Nawaz Sharif shows that this month’s elections are being engineered.

“Accountability court verdict, arrests, and FIRs against politicians, reflect that the country is heading towards an engineered general election”, he remarked.

He proposed that the Senate session should continue till the elections so that it can take notice of the situation.

Senator Sherry Rehman, the opposition leader in Senate claimed that hurdles are being created to stop certain politicians from electioneering.

She said the elections will become controversial if this trend continues. She mentioned incidents where her party’s chairman Bilawal was stopped from addressing election rallies.

On the other hand, religious parties are being encouraged to campaign irrespective of their past. Many candidates running from such parties remained in the fourth schedule, she said, adding that this shows that mainstream parties are being sidelined.

Senator Dr Musaddiq Malik said a large number of politicians who have quit PML-N have been allocated jeep as election symbol.

He gave examples of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and many others. He said certain forces thought Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz will not be returning but they have announced their return on Friday.

Senator Shibli Faraz of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said there is no need to take pride in if Nawaz and Maryam are returning. He said Nawaz had been coming to power with the help of same forces against whom he is speaking now.

Senator Sadia Abbasi of the PML-N said it would be wrong to say that Nawaz and Maryum are criminals. She said they have all the right to contest their cases in the higher courts.

Senator Usman Kakar of Mehmood Khan Achakzai’s Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) accused the establishment of backing PTI candidates in the elections.

Cheers

[Vips]

Pakistani Islamist lobbied with author of UN report on Kashmir

In a sensational revelation, a Pakistani Islamist, based in Canada has admitted that the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, was in constant touch with him while preparing the Human Rights report on Kashmir+ and which has been rejected by India.

Based in Toronto, Zafar Bangash is an Islamic movement journalist and an Imam at the Islamic Society of York Region's Mosque.

While speaking at a conference on Kashmir in Mississauga, Bangesh revealed, "I can say it to you, and I say it with all humility, but with great pride that we 'The Friends of Kashmir' also have a role in the production of this report. In fact, I had personal correspondence with the High Commissioner for Human Rights, e-mail correspondence in which he responded to my personal letter and e-mail saying that he would like to have access to both sides of Line of Control".

Confessing about lobbying and consultation with officials in Islamabad, Bangesh added, "I responded to him (Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein) after speaking to the Foreign Office spokesperson in Pakistan, Mr. Nafees Zakaria, who used to be the Consul General in Toronto and he assured that Pakistan would welcome the UN High Commissioner and their representatives to Pakistan and they will facilitate their visit".

[anupmisra]

Pakistani Islamist lobbied with author of UN report on Kashmir

Was there ever a doubt? They are all dyed-in-the-wool bureaucrats with a singular agenda. The rest is all facade for the west.

Zeid Raad Al Hussein, the author of this one-sided, biased report, and a Jordanian, replaced Navi Pillay as the United Nations' human rights chief based in Geneva. He has been upset with India which did not give him and his organization permission to visit J&K in 2016.

[Falijee]

^^^ And again Islam is the solid binding glue between Bangash and Hussein !

[Falijee]

Open Display Of Pakistaniyat In Bartania

British Pakistanis kicking down the doors at Avenfield house in London.

[Falijee]

No direct role of armed forces in conduct of elections: DG ISPR

"If you see any irregularity on election day, please make a note and bring it to our notice," he said. "Report it to the ECP and report to us. Please leave the soldiers deployed to election duty alone. They are there to do a job and have been briefed accordingly."

[Falijee]

Paki "Accountant" Faces "Sharia Justice" For Practicing Pakistaniyat In Malaysia !

Pakistani accountant faces jail, fine and lashes for forgery in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR – A Pakistani accountant has been sentenced to seven years and eight months’ jail, three strokes of the cane, and fined RM50,000 (around Rs1.51 million) for involvement in illegal procurement of passport for other persons and for being in possession of various fake Malaysian Immigration Department’s stamps last year.

Abdullah Qayyum, 26, was handed a sentence by a session court after he pleaded guilty to the two charges, the Bernama reported on Tuesday.For the first charge, the man admitted to having procured two passports for two individuals from India and Philippine, at a fast food restaurant in Seri Gombak, Taman Sri Gombak, Batu Caves, here at 7.30 pm on Feb 19.The charge under Section 12(A) of the Passports Act 1966 provides for a maximum fine of RM50,000 or five years’ jail, or both, if convicted.

Malaysia recently refused to deport suited -booted Modern Mullah Zakir Naik to India saying that he has "permanent residency" in Malaysia !

Abdullah also admitted to the second charge of being in possession of fake stamps of Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department, Sultan Abu Bakar Complex Immigration Office and KLIA Immigration Office, as well as three fake Temporary Working Visit Pass stickers, and a fake I-Kad in the name of Pinto Riza.

Pakistanis in Malaysia form the largest Pakistani diaspora community in southeast Asia and the tenth-largest in Asia as a whole. In addition to the 10,000 Pakistanis working in Malaysia, according to official figures, the country receives as many as 50,000 visitors from Pakistan each year. Expect to see more of the same. There seems to be a direct correlation between the # of Pakis residents in a country and the # of criminal offenses committed in that country !

[Falijee]

In Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif Fights for Survival
July 10, 2018
Abbas Nasir, New York Times

Two weeks before its general elections on July 25, Pakistan is bracing for another political storm. On Friday, an anticorruption court sentenced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to 10 years in prison in a case arising after the Panama Papers leaks revealed that Mr. Sharif’s family owned four undeclared apartments in London. The court also sentenced Maryam Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and political heir, to seven years in prison.The conviction and impending arrest of Mr. Sharif and his daughter is expected to turn the electoral season fraught and potentially impact the results, if Mr. Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, also known as P.M.L.N., goes to the polls without its star campaigners.

The court acquitted Mr. Sharif of the charges that he had acquired the apartments by corrupt, dishonest or illegal means but convicted him for his failure to explain how he came to own the properties, as he and his family have been living in them since the early 1990s. Mr. Sharif was in London with his wife, who is battling cancer, when he was convicted.

Mr. Sharif and his daughter have announced their decision to return to Pakistan on Friday. They would face immediate arrest and imprisonment. The former prime minister and his daughter have repeatedly claimed their innocence and attributed their travails to a falling out with the military over his attempts to assert civilian supremacy.

Last July, the Supreme Court disqualified Mr. Sharif from holding public office because of a misdeclaration. He was found not to have declared a salary he could receive but never actually did from a job in a firm owned by his son in Dubai.

Mr. Sharif and his daughter also need to manage the power struggles within their party. Shahbaz Sharif, the younger brother of Mr. Sharif, who was the chief minister of Punjab, has been running the P.M.L.N.’s electoral campaign.

It isn’t clear whether the military will permit supporters to assemble in any significant numbers at the airport and risk clashes. The main road from the city to the airport passes through a huge military base.

And their rival, Mr. Khan, is not hesitating from trying to win support from religious extremists. Last year religious groups besieged Islamabad, the capital, and accused Mr. Sharif’s government of blasphemy for changing the wording of an oath for legislators that dealt with a declaration of the Islamic belief that the Prophet Muhammad was the final prophet.

While the country’s other three provinces — Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, earlier known as the North-West Frontier Province — have a history of defying central authority and of standing up to the military, Punjab has seldom betrayed such tendencies. This is possibly because it is heavily represented in the military.Mr. Sharif is the first popular leader from Punjab to defy the military. The big question is, will Mr. Sharif and his daughter’s confrontation win over the electorate in Punjab, or will Punjab follow the directions from the military establishment? What is clear is that the political turmoil is bound to continue even after the election results are declared.

[SBajwa]

This is a classic modus operandi of deep state. They have used the same tactics that were used against
1. Declare them corrupt.
2. Some agitate person murders them.
3. Deep state declares a sentences of hanging or jail.


1. Liaqat ali Khan's murder.
2. Bhutto's murder.
3. Benazir government that got suspended.
4. Then Benazir's murder just before elections.
5. Then Ganja's party got suspended two times and won again.
6. Now Ganja's is corrupt.
7. Murder next! and then new baqra aka Imran khan gets power.

Quotes from Vikram Sood's article in previous page.

"The current engagement between the Pakistan Army and the Nawaz Sharif government has a longer history, dating back to the time when Nawaz forced the Army Chief, General Jehangir Karamat to resign in October 1998. This was seen by many, especially the Army, as a violation of the Constitution. Then came the famous fall out between Nawaz and General Pervez Musharraf after Pakistan bit the dust in Kargil conflict, 1999."

"The Army-Nawaz relations have never been easy since his ouster by Musharraf and long exile in Saudi Arabia. Even in his first term (1990-1993) as the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif fancied himself as Fateh-e-Kabul. After the Soviets left Afghanistan; he wanted to amend the Constitution in order to get anointed as Amir-ul-Momineen (Commander of the Faithful). Nawaz, who allowed himself to be flattered by the coterie of Generals led by Musharraf, assumed that he could win the Battle of Kargil in May 1999 and go down in history as Fateh-e-Srinagar."

"In the past, Nawaz showed resilience when 18 years ago, during the reign of General Musharraf, he was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment and was barred to contest elections for 21 years. But five years ago, all was forgiven, a deal was struck and Nawaz came back to contest and win elections. Maybe he still has the same spirit but maybe he does not have that much time."

also ever since Mushy the rat admitted that JEM and LET are their heroes deep state has been after him too.

That's how deep state rules.

[Vips]

Pakistan's first-ever Sikh police officer evicted from home, alleges turban untied.

Pakistan's first-ever Sikh police officer, Gulab Singh, alleged on Tuesday that he had been forcefully evicted from his Lahore house and that his turban had been untied.

Alleging that treatment being meted out in Pakistan to people from the Sikh community is deplorable, Singh said that he had been evicted from his house in city's Dera Chahal by local police officials and his turban was forcefully opened and hair untied. "This is how Sikhs are treated in Pakistan. I am being targeted. I was dragged out of my own house, my turban was opened," he charged.

In a video, Singh was also seen pleading with police officials to give him time to move out of his residence. "At least give us ten minutes, we are staying here since 1947," he can be heard saying. He also claims he was given no notice or reason for the eviction.

Pakistan's record of treatment meted out to minorities in the county has always been deplorable but recent months have seen the situation worsening further. There have even been reports in the past that the country's secret service - ISI - is specifically targetting Sikh youths and training them to carry out terrorist activities in India.

The reason why Gulab Singh was targeted was because he objected to ISI/Khalistani Sikh's move to sell 800 acres of land of Bebe Nanki gurdwara.

In his petition filed against ETPB and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), Gulab has claimed that officials of two bodies had been collecting donations in the name of Sikh shrines, but not doing anything to restore or maintain them. "ETPB tried to sell land of Bebe Nanki Gurdwara in Dera Chahal.

Tara and an Indian Sikh fugitive, who lives in Pakistan, collected around Rs 10 crore to Rs 15 crore from Sikhs living in the US, UK and Canada from Sikhs living in the US, UK and Canada on the pretext of developing the shrine. But they didn't spend a single penny on it," he has said in the lawsuit.

In February, the neighbouring country's Supreme Court held a former chairman of EPTB, Syed Asif Hashmi, responsible for illegally selling around 800 acres of the 1,200 acres of Bebe Nanki Gurdwara for the construction of a residential colony.

Gulab has also accused deputy administrator and assistant administrator of ETPB of forcibly taking control of the gurdwara property. Formed in 1960, ETPB is a statutory government body, which administers evacuee properties of Sikhs and Hindus left in Pakistan after the Partition.

PSGPC works under the direct control of ETPB, once headed by former ISI chief Javed Nasir. In the past, Gulab's wife Paramjit Kaur was attacked by a few Khalistani Sikhs taking shelter in Pakistan for raising his voice against ETPB and PSGPC.

[Peregrine]

ANP leader Haroon Bilour, 11 others martyred in Peshawar suicide blast

Awami National Party (ANP) leader Haroon Bilour and 11 others were martyred and 35 others injured in a bomb attack targeting his rally in a congested neighbourhood of Peshawar shortly before midnight on Tuesday.

The blast occurred near the vehicle of Bilour, son of the late ANP leader Bashir Bilour, in the Yakatoot area. The casualties were driven to the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) where medics confirmed the death toll. Protests were also witnessed at the hospital against the blast.

Bashir Bilour was also martyred in a suicide bombing targeting his rally in the fabled Qissa Khawani bazaar of Peshawar in December 2012. The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Haroon Bilour was approaching the rally organised in connection with his election campaign on Circular Road when the explosion took place.

Express News reported that the ANP leader’s son Danial Bilour was also injured in the blast.

Condemning the attack, ANP leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain termed it the peak of terrorism, saying it is aimed at the derailing democratic system in the country. It is a conspiracy to delay the upcoming general elections, he added.

Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sardar Muhammad Raza strongly condemned the attack. “This shows the weakness of our security institutions and a conspiracy against transparent elections,” he said in a statement.

Last week, an election candidate of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), Malik Sherein, and his six supporters were injured in a bomb blast in the southern Bannu district. The convoy of Sherein was attacked when it was passing through the Takhti Khel area in the PK-89 constituency as part of the party’s election campaign.

The vehicle of the party’s leader was badly damaged in the attack. The injured were shifted to district headquarters hospital. Initial reports revealed the explosives were planted on a motorcycle which exploded in the path of the convoy.

On Monday, the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) revealed that almost all the leading politicians, belonging to almost all mainstream political parties, are facing serious security threats in the backdrop of the July 25 general election.

The officials said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, the Awami National Party’s (ANP) Afsandyar Wali, the Qaumi Watan Party’s (QWP) Aftab Sherpao and leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are under threat.

The other politicians who are facing security threats include the Khyber Pakhtunkwa (K-P) former chief ministers Akram Durrani and Ameer Haider Hoti. Durrani belongs to the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam while Hoti belongs to the ANP.

Talha Saeed, a son of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed who is contesting election on the platform of the Allah-o-Akbar Tehreek, is also named among those facing threats.

Following is the list of the those martyred in the blast:



Cheers

[Falijee]

Pakistan Psycho-Analyzed By Paki Hussain Haqqani

The Pakistan Paradox
Khaled Ahmed
Indian Express

Pakistan’s persona non grata, ex-ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, in his book Reimagining Pakistan: Transforming a dysfunctional state, lists the reasons why Pakistan today finds itself swamped with crises it can’t resolve. Nothing he says can be challenged but he will be blamed for demonising the country that had done so much for him. As a victim of Pakistan’s perennial political instability, his voice should be heard and his diagnosis of the steadily failing state taken seriously.Haqqani finds fault with the early self-image of Pakistan as an ideological state embracing religion without knowing its possible teleology: “Pakistan, which has 188 public or private universities, compares unfavourably with countries in geographic proximity. While only four of those was ranked among the top 1,000 universities in the Times Higher Education World University rankings in 2017, the list included thirty institutions from India, sixty from China, fourteen from Iran, sixteen from Turkey, five from Saudi Arabia, eight from Malaysia, seventy-one from Japan, twenty-seven from South Korea, twenty from Taiwan and six from Hong Kong.”

Yet one wonders if homo pakistanicus under ideology today, with a 60 per cent literacy rate, is more “dangerous” than the one in 1947 when the literacy rate was less than 20 per cent. Pakistan has a lot of religion but lacks the “software” of useful knowledge needed in today’s world.

Haqqani zeroes in on a moment of illumination: “The Economist cited Lijian Zhao, a Chinese diplomat, as saying that China is all too aware that Pakistan needs more than just big-ticket infrastructure if it is to flourish. He praised ‘the efforts of Britain and other countries to improve Pakistan’s software, such as education and the rule of law’, explaining that ‘China’s expertise is hardware’.”

The wars with India were badly conceived and badly fought without an objective audit of the damage they inflicted on Pakistan. Ideology began to exclude East Pakistan, where nationalism was clearly based on language rather than religion as early as 1947. Post-1971, the conduct of policy of an economically better-off Bangladesh has taught no lessons to Islamabad, where fanatics regularly challenge the state for not being religious enough.

An India-centric national security state is unmindful of a steady unwillingness of its elected governments to go on challenging India while the quality of its institutions and population no longer permits it. It wrongly leans on China, thinking India, as a revisionist state, will never normalise relations with China. It fails to see how India and China, post-Doklam, can get together as regional powers and isolate it. It ignores China’s advice that India be invited to join the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and pretends not to care when China and India speak with one voice against the non-state militant actors it has nursed. About China’s advice to keep Kashmir on the back-burner and trade with India for “normalisation”, Haqqani writes: “Chinese president Jiang Zemin suggested as much in his address to Pakistan’s Senate in December 1996.”

Like Muslims elsewhere, Pakistanis join the dots of policy through the medium of conspiracy. Losing wars to India doesn’t help either since Indian leaders are not self-denying saints who would forget and forgive while in a position of economic and military dominance. However, when the statesmanlike Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee held out a helping hand in the midst of a decade of Pakistan’s internal mayhem in 1999, the army didn’t like it.

The Pakistani general, instead of correcting the follies of the past military leaders, became more unhinged as in the case of General Shahid Aziz who has “disappeared” after retirement, doing his private “tabligh” jihad outside Pakistan. In his well-received book he speaks of “the ‘eye of Dajjal’ (Antichrist) on the US dollar bill, which to him symbolises ‘the grand conspiracy set in motion by the Freemasons and many powerful families in league with the American Neocons’.” For him, “only the Quran stands in the way’ of the modern world’s ‘Satanic way of life’.”

Haqqani sums up with Pakistan’s seven paradoxes: One, it is a new country in a region where other countries draw on ancient history; two, it is a South Asian state aspiring to be part of the Middle East; three, it has adopted a radical version of Islamic orthodoxy as a state ideology even though its people’s practice of Islam is generally based on heterodox Sufism; four, it has generally allied itself to the West while being suspicious of, and being suspected by, Western nations; five, its political tradition is largely authoritarian even as it speaks of itself as a democracy; six, it is a nuclear-weapons power but still remains insecure; and seven,) even in periods of foreign-funded economic growth, it is unable to attain internal political or economic stability.

Pakistan is like a spoiled child . Throws tantrums when it does not gets its ways !!!

[RCase]

No direct role of armed forces in conduct of elections: DG ISPR

Onlee indirect role of engineering the election results is conducted by the armed forces.

[venug]

https://twitter.com/adityarajkaul/statu ... 02083?s=21
#BREAKING: Suicide blast during Awami National Party meeting in Peshawar of #Pakistan. Haroon Bilour of ANP has been killed along with his 16 year old son Danyal. His father Bashir Bilour was also similarly killed in a suicide blast. 4 killed and 12 injured till now.

[SSridhar]

The Pakistan Paradox - Khaled Ahmed, Indian Express

Haqqani sums up with Pakistan’s seven paradoxes: One, it is a new country in a region where other countries draw on ancient history; two, it is a South Asian state aspiring to be part of the Middle East; three, it has adopted a radical version of Islamic orthodoxy as a state ideology even though its people’s practice of Islam is generally based on heterodox Sufism; four, it has generally allied itself to the West while being suspicious of, and being suspected by, Western nations; five, its political tradition is largely authoritarian even as it speaks of itself as a democracy; six, it is a nuclear-weapons power but still remains insecure; and seven,) even in periods of foreign-funded economic growth, it is unable to attain internal political or economic stability.

After a long time, when useless and BENIS-worth matter only were posted here unfortunately, this is some serious stuff.

The above last para can be summed up in just one sentence, IMHO, as "Pakistan is a sui generis state which exists today with the sole intention of destroying what it thinks is a Hindu India".

Everything else flows from that, all those highlighted parts above.

[SSridhar]

https://twitter.com/adityarajkaul/statu ... 02083?s=21
#BREAKING: Suicide blast during Awami National Party meeting in Peshawar of #Pakistan. Haroon Bilour of ANP has been killed along with his 16 year old son Danyal. His father Bashir Bilour was also similarly killed in a suicide blast. 4 killed and 12 injured till now.

The Bilour family has been under threat for a long time, both from the Islamists and the State, IIRC. The Awami National Party is disliked by the Establishment because of its linkages with Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.

[SSridhar]

Deep state, deeper problems: Pakistan - Husain Haqqani, The Hindu

Whatever their outcome, Pakistan’s general election scheduled for July 25 is unlikely to change four fundamental realities. First, Pakistan’s military-led establishment will continue to wield effective power, drawing strength from allegations of incompetence and corruption against civilian politicians. Second, civilian politicians will continue to justify their incompetence and corruption by invoking the spectre of military intervention in politics. Third, jihadis and other religious extremists will continue to benefit from the unwillingness of the military {that is a very gross statement regarding the military and the jihadists because the former is the creator, sustainer and beneficiary of the latter. Even PA has accepted that openly!} and the judiciary to target them as well as the temptation of politicians to benefit from their support. Fourth and finally, Pakistan’s international isolation and economic problems, stemming from its ideological direction and mainstreaming of extremism will not end.

The conviction of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by an accountability court last Friday has set the stage for him to portray himself as the latest martyr for democracy. He has argued, as others have done before him, that he is being punished not for corruption but for standing up to Pakistan’s invisible government — the military-intelligence combine that has dominated the country effectively since 1958.

His supporters are willing to ignore the fact that Mr. Sharif’s own political career was launched by the Pakistan Army and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and the likelihood that allegations of unusual expansion of the Sharif fortune since the family’s advent in politics are true.

Spotlight on the judiciary

The conduct of Pakistan’s judiciary in the matter has been far from judicious. The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Saqib Nisar, views himself less as an adjudicator in accordance with the law and more as a super policy maker. He has expressed interest in everything — from water scarcity to running of mental hospitals and prisons. He has taken to touring various government facilities and has even created a fund for the construction of dams. The fund will receive public contributions because the Chief Justice knows the exchequer does not have enough money to build the dams he wants built.

None of these actions is part of a Chief Justice’s job description, even after recognising that some judges are more activist than others. Justice Nisar has made his political biases well known and the case against Mr. Sharif proceeded in reverse order. Instead of beginning in a trial court where evidence of his wrongdoing was established beyond reasonable doubt, he was first disqualified by the Supreme Court and then put on trial.

But perceptions and common knowledge of political corruption cannot be a substitute for following legal principles. Elsewhere in the civilised world, the Pakistani practice of accusing someone of criminal conduct first in the highest court and then demanding that they prove their innocence would be deemed grossly unjust. The fact that this happens only in political cases further strengthens the view that politics, not corruption, is at the heart of such ‘prosecutions’.

Moreover, the Supreme Court invited representatives of the Military Intelligence and the ISI to help investigate the money trail for Mr. Sharif’s alleged properties in London. This highly unusual procedure itself casts doubt on the real motives behind the former Prime Minister’s trial. The military-led prosecutions of politicians, even when their malfeasance is well known, helps the politicians in building their case that their political conduct is the source of their troubles.

Pakistan is, therefore, unable to hold the politically powerful accountable through its politicised judiciary. The cynical view of Pakistani politics would be that three decades ago the deep state advanced Mr. Sharif’s political career while portraying Benazir Bhutto’s spouse, Asif Zardari, as corrupt; now Imran Khan is the ‘chosen one’ while Mr. Sharif’s alleged corruption is being targeted.

Problem with this ‘narrative’

The military, which now refers to itself as ‘the institution’, has helped build a simplified narrative to justify its constant intervention in political matters as well as to explain Pakistan’s myriad problems. According to this narrative, civilian politicians are incompetent and corrupt, which is the only reason the military needs to periodically intervene to set things right. There is no explanation for how politicians would ever learn the art of governance if they are to be constantly corrected by unelected generals and judges. {tongue-in-cheek}

Another part of ‘the narrative’ is the notion that Pakistan’s dysfunction and periodic economic crises are the result of the massive corruption by civilians. Imran Khan and his supporters have been advancing that simplified narrative. Their message finds resonance with those who want to believe that once kickbacks on large projects and their corrupt practices are eliminated, Pakistan would somehow become the land of milk and honey. {It is very perceptive that Husain Haqqani mentions 'the land of milk and honey' because that was what Jinnah and his coterie of Ganga-Jamuna belt landlords portrayed what the new land would be. A new Medina too}

There is, of course, no justification or excuse for corruption but Pakistan has been ill-served with the ‘corruption is the only problem’ over-simplification. Since at least 1990, it has become an excuse to gloss over more significant policy issues that hold Pakistan back. Corruption has been exposed in many countries, from Iceland to China but none of them is as dysfunctional as Pakistan.

Limiting national discourse to a discussion of corruption makes it impossible for Pakistanis to discuss how jihadi ideology and religious extremism are leading to Pakistan’s isolation. Similarly, Pakistan’s slow growth in exports, for example, is hardly a function of corruption. It reflects low productivity and inadequate value addition which are consequences of poor human capital development and failure to attract investment, among other factors.

Pakistan is the sixth largest country in the world in terms of population, has the sixth largest army in the world, and possesses one of the largest nuclear arsenals. Yet, it has the highest infant mortality rate; more than one-third of its children between the age of 5 and 15 are out of school. The country’s GDP on a nominal basis ranks 40 out of nearly 200 countries while its GDP per capita stands at 158 out of 216 countries and territories, according to World Bank data.

None of these facts, however, has found any mention in the election campaign of any Pakistani political party. Although Mr. Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have at least cared to publish detailed manifestos, Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) published its manifesto on Monday, July 9, less than 20 days before the election. The party feels it only needs Mr. Khan’s charisma and the outrage against corruption or enemies of Pakistan to claim voters’ loyalty.

Economic woes

The anti-corruption enthusiasm has sometimes added to Pakistan’s economic woes. Pakistan is currently burdened with compensation payments running into billions that must be made to foreign companies whose contracts were cancelled as part of investigations into corruption of officials involved in awarding those contracts. But fighting corruption is a useful slogan if the deep state wants to avoid fighting all jihadis and does not wish to acknowledge the flaws of its national narrative.

It is ironic that Mr. Sharif faces jail ahead of an election that opinion polls indicate his party would win, if voting was free and fair, even as a long list of internationally designated terrorists is free to seek votes. That contradiction is at the heart of why the outcome of the elections is unlikely to change any of the fundamentals of the Pakistan crisis. If the PML-N overcomes all odds and still manages to win, the corruption cases will continue to cast their shadow. If someone like Imran Khan wins with the help of invisible hands, he would start his term under a different cloud.

Pakistan will, unfortunately, not emerge stronger after an election whose winner lacks credibility and whose loser is likely to initiate confrontation with the winner right after polling day.

Husain Haqqani, Director for South and Central Asia at the Hudson Institute, Washington DC, was Pakistan’s Ambassador to the U.S. from 2008-11. His latest book is ‘Reimagining Pakistan’

[Prem]

[Falijee]

Show-Bazz Is Living In A Fool's Paradise If He Thinks That He Will Be Allowed To Lead A Rally To "Welcome Ganja"

Shahbaz to lead rally for receiving Nawaz, Maryam

[Falijee]

Family planning is a human right, says UN


PS: The "Good Mullahs" Of Pakiland beg to differ. Ditto for "Condom Ads" as well !!!!!

[anupmisra]

The Pakistan Paradox - Khaled Ahmed, Indian Express

The above last para can be summed up in just one sentence, IMHO, as "Pakistan is a sui generis state which exists today with the sole intention of destroying what it thinks is a Hindu India".

Here's the way I see it. Ten years ago, pakistan-watchers termed this incurable disease as a self-inflicted "national identity crisis", where its inhabitants were confused about belonging to which state or to which ethnic race or to which religious fraternity. Today, this crisis has evolved into a complete lack of national identity. Its every man, child, woman and goat for itself.

Ten years ago, the paki identity crisis stemmed from an abject hate for everything Indian. "We are anything but Indian". Now, its a pervasive lust for everything Indian (including the name "India" and its culture).

[SSridhar]

Now, its a pervasive lust for everything Indian (including the name "India" and its culture).

anupmisra, I am not yet convinced that such a 'lust' is genuine. The Pakis have to pretend like that because their own stock has plumbed the depths while the Indian stock has sky-rocketed (normally, I avoid making such comparisons between us and them). I believe that circumstances have coerced them to exhibit such a behaviour, if at all. Taqiyyah, which they are allowed to employ for good religious reasons, as Zia asserted! Beneath all that, stir it and you will find the same hatred, the same embers. They will come out, like a Trojan horse, in all their glory when an opportune time comes. The ground situation in Pakistan hasn't changed a wee bit as far as India goes. If Terroristn makes a complete turnabout in its psyche now, it will still take three more generations before the catharsis leads to venting out all its poison, IMO.

[SBajwa]

Now, its a pervasive lust for everything Indian (including the name "India" and its culture).

anupmisra, I am not yet convinced that such a 'lust' is genuine. The Pakis have to pretend like that because their own stock has plumbed the depths while the Indian stock has sky-rocketed (normally, I avoid making such comparisons between us and them). I believe that circumstances have coerced them to exhibit such a behaviour, if at all. Taqiyyah, which they are allowed to employ for good religious reasons, as Zia asserted! Beneath all that, stir it and you will find the same hatred, the same embers. They will come out, like a Trojan horse, in all their glory when an opportune time comes. The ground situation in Pakistan hasn't changed a wee bit as far as India goes. If Terroristn makes a complete turnabout in its psyche now, it will still take three more generations before the catharsis leads to venting out all its poison, IMO.

The way Binori town madrassa, las masjid and other madrassas are turning out Jihadis it is only time that they will get hold of Nuke and take down a whole city with suicide bomber carrying nuke.

[anupmisra]

Now, its a pervasive lust for everything Indian (including the name "India" and its culture).

anupmisra, I am not yet convinced that such a 'lust' is genuine.

Sridhar, I see the beginnings of such cravings (maybe craving is a strong word) borne by certain recent actions that have become almost an every day event.

The pakjabi-punjabi bhai bhai stirrings are out in the open, the overtly expressed "love" for Sikhs (Indian and paki), this new found love for their "origins" in the Indus Valley and association with the civilizations that preceded the islamic invasions / the clamor to resuscitate Porus and Dahir.... these are all symptoms in my opinion of an about turn that is slowly happening in terroristan.

The goal is IMHO to subvert the national identity Indians have pan-India, and claim some of it for themselves. The day is not far when the pakis will claim Yoga, Chanakya and the Vedas as their own.

Naturally, in this new narrative, Hindus will always remain the bad guys.

[Falijee]

With Imran's "Blessings", Deep State "Now Goes" After Zardari !

The plot thickens…
July 11, 2018

FIRST it was Nawaz Sharif’s conviction and now the noose is tightening around former president Asif Ali Zardari. The plot is getting thicker. It is all happening in the name of accountability, providing convenient cover to what many describe as a creeping ‘judicial martial law’. The dramatic development just a few weeks before general elections has raised questions about the polls proceeding smoothly.

Does it appear coincidental that days after Sharif’s conviction, a multibillion-rupee money-laundering scandal involving Zardari and his sister should surface? It is obvious that investigation into the alleged crime of such a huge magnitude has been going on for a long time. There is also no apparent reason to doubt the veracity of the charges. But one wonders why the case has been taken up now so close to the polls.

It is all going as per Deep State's plan . But, it is going to recipe for disaster. KP and Balochistan are already alienated . Any now Sind will be too !

With Sharif and his daughter returning to challenge the conviction and the leader of another major political party being put on the Exit Control List, the situation has become extremely ominous. A major question is how the caretaker government and the security establishment plan to deal with this situation and ensure a smooth democratic transition.

The caretaker government is just a rubber stamp authority . If Paki social media reports are to be believed , ISI colonels and other senior officers of the Deep State have been assigned to each and every MNA constituency to achieve the "desired results" according to a pre determined plan !

Interestingly, the action against Zardari has come at a time when stories about some kind of a deal between the establishment and the PPP have been circulating. The speculations had a ring of truth to them when last year the security agencies suddenly pulled back from taking action against persons considered close to the PPP leaders. Ostensibly, the purpose of the alleged deal then was to stop the PPP joining hands with the PML-N when Nawaz Sharif was ousted and put on trial on corruption charges. Learning a lesson from 2014 when the PPP helped the PML-N survive the PTI dharna, it was deemed necessary to neutralise the party.

The shrewd Dus Percenti had an inkling of what is in store for him. So in a very recently interview with a Paki paper ( The Nation), he offered an olive branch to Ganja , completely reversing his recent stance (PML N and a PPP alliance - against PTI and others !) . But most likely this will not be allowed to happen !

It was also expedient for Zardari to get the pressure off himself and his friends. The plan did deliver as the PPP not only endorsed Sharif’s removal, but also supported his trial on corruption charges. A crafty politician who prided himself on being a wheeler and dealer, Zardari thought of gaining greater political space for the PPP in the emerging landscape with the PML-N having been contained.

Zardari had even boasted that the PPP could form the government after the elections. He may have thought that his party with its electoral position in Sindh assured could play the role of kingmaker in a, most likely, hung parliament. His confidence must have been reinforced after the PPP grabbed the position of Senate deputy chairman by entering into an alliance with the PTI in order to block the PML-N getting control of the upper house of parliament. It is no more a secret how the alliance of disparate political forces sprung up overnight.

However crafty Zardari may appear to be, little did he know that it was simply a matter of time before he too would come under the axe of accountability that has already fallen on a far more powerful political leader. The investigators claim to have collected enough material to proceed against the former president.

If media reports are correct, the laundered amount is to the tune of tens of billions of rupees. The alleged transactions have reportedly been carried out through dozens of fake bank accounts, many of them thought to be leading to Zardari, his sister, friends and business associates. Most of the alleged transactions have reportedly been carried out through a bank owned by a close friend of the PPP leader. The charges are indeed damning and the case must be taken to its conclusion.

But equally disturbing is the fact that the investigation into the matter had started years ago. Some of the information is believed to have come from close associates picked up by the intelligence agencies during the crackdown in Karachi in 2015. But no formal charges were filed against Zardari and his associates. That reinforces the widespread perception that it was out of political expediency that no legal action was initiated. If true it gives some credence to allegations that charges of financial corruption are often used to maintain control over politicians.

What could be more ironical than the fact that the most slandered man became the president and controlled the destiny of this country? Not surprisingly, many people would react to the latest charges against Zardari with scepticism and perhaps see it as an act of political victimisation, however substantive they may be. Can one blame them given the flaws of the justice system which is often perceived as being manipulated by the powers that be?

The timing of the action is particularly curious and has provided fuel to conspiracy theories about politicians being targeted before the polls in an effort to achieve the ‘desired result’. The sequence of events has added to the suspicion. Undoubtedly, white-collar crimes, particularly financial crimes, are never easy to prove, especially in Pakistan where investigations can easily be manipulated.

Even the charges against Ganja Sharif are not conclusive , allowing him to "play innocent"

Moreover, it is still to be proved whether it is just a case of money laundering or corruption. The suo motu notice taken by the Supreme Court has added to the confusion. The reported decision to put Zardari and Faryal Talpur on the ECL even before they have been formally charged, let alone convicted, is certainly a premature one. It would have been more appropriate if the investigation were allowed to be completed before any such action could be taken. The PPP is right in pointing out that Nawaz Sharif was not put on the ECL even when he faced trial by an anti-corruption court. Such actions will only sour the political atmosphere and cast a long shadow over the coming elections and the democratic transition.

Imran Khan will come out "smelling like roses" once this is over. But that in any way does not mean that he is sans corruption . For eg, his kothi in Bani Gala is illegally constructed. And can anyone believe that this aged lothario is sadiq and ameen under the Paki Constitution


PS: Zardari’s turn to face accountability: Imran

[Falijee]

If This Is To Be Believed, Pakistan, Still A Major Non-NATO Ally, Plays The "Whore" Once Again

In a first, Spy Chiefs from Russia, China and Pakistan meet in Islamabad
July 11, 2018

ISLAMABAD: Spy chiefs from Russia , China , Iran and Pakistan met in Islamabad on Tuesday to discuss threat posed by the emergence of Daesh (Islamic State) in Afghanistan, Russian news agency TASS *reported <link>*.

“The discussions focused on the dangers arising from a buildup of the Islamic State on the Afghan territory,” said Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Director Sergei Naryshkin.

“The conference reached understanding of the importance of coordinated steps to prevent the trickling of IS terrorists from Syria and Iraq to Afghanistan where from they would pose risks for neighbouring countries,” he added.Security and intelligence officials from all four countries agreed regional powers play an active role in resolve the conflict in Afghanistan.

Some reports have suggested that IS is a creation of USA. ( Zahid Hamid believes that !) Other reports have surfaced that some Taliban" Members " have "migrated" to IS , and some ISI members are also in IS . So, whatever is going on, the Pakis seem to have their fingers everywhere and "curry favour" with everyone , ( the "whore" factor !) if the price is right !

[Peregrine]

X Posted on the PESW Thread

Back to the IMF

THERE is growing awareness that Pakistan is firmly on the road back to the IMF for an emergency loan as the country’s foreign exchange reserves head towards the critical mark of one month’s import cover. It is an open question when that point will be reached, considering that the recent rounds of exchange-rate depreciation have given a boost to exports. But that boost may not last long, and the depreciations have also driven inflation since they are responsible for the rise in the price of fuel imports, both petroleum and natural gas. The debate on timing aside, the fact that Pakistan is set to repeat the cycle of depleting foreign exchange reserves, followed by an approach to the IMF, shows that despite growth in the real sector, the fundamental dysfunctions of the economy remain entrenched in the five years since 2013 when the Fund’s support was last availed.

Now that the awareness of an impending return to the IMF is spreading, some anxieties are being stoked along the way. A recent report in the Financial Times, citing unnamed officials, pointed out that being in a Fund programme would mean opening up the financial details of all CPEC loans and grants, as well as the financing terms on which other Chinese loans have been taken for balance-of-payments support. The report cited unnamed officials as saying that such an eventuality has been the topic of discussion between Pakistani and Chinese officials — and if true, it sounds a bit like blackmail. One can only hope it has not come to this, but if it has, then the government is treading on a dangerously narrow ledge.

It may well come to that though, given that Pakistan is fast running out of options to shore up its reserves. Already at least $2bn have been drawn from the Chinese as balance-of-payments support, and the currency swaps position also shows some drawings. With options running out, and the deficit on the current account persisting, a future course of action is becoming urgent. The interim government has done the right thing in refusing to engage in what amounts to a strategic policy choice that goes far beyond the mandate of a caretaker set-up. What is needed is work to begin on what a potential letter of intent might look like and what sort of commitments Pakistan is ready to make in return for a Fund bailout so that at least the outline of an action plan can be left behind for the new government which would then not have to start from scratch. It is always better to go to the IMF with an action plan. The caretakers could encourage that conversation among government, business and economists. That would be within their mandate.

Cheers

[anupmisra]

How's the chanda (donation) collection coming along for the pakis to build those two dams? I heard afraidi donated a few shekels.

[suryag]

Folks no more BENIS kind of material here, posts are poofed

[Falijee]

--- content deleted, how does this post add value to this thread, Falijee you will get a warning if you continue posting irrelevant material here, BENIS thread is there for such activities

[Falijee]

This Paki Anal-ist Says That Ganja Sharif Crossed The "Red Lines" Of The "Deep State" !

Patronage and punishment
Ayesha Siddiqa
July 10, 2018
Indian Express

he Pakistan Supreme Court’s sentencing the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to 10 years and his daughter Maryam Nawaz to seven years in jail in the Panama Papers’ case has left many in the country and the world wondering if the verdict is entirely about accountability. Anti-corruption and accountability are indeed popular mantras in the country, especially amongst the literate youth and the middle class. But the judgment has a political context and ought to be viewed in that light.

The need for accountability was popularised by both civil and military dispensations. Besides the military governments of Generals Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf, both Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto had used the handle of anti-corruption to punish the other, when in power. The courts had disposed off many cases that the two instituted against each other during the 1990s. Accountability was never possible especially because the country’s prime anti-corruption agency, the National Accountability Bureau and its National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 (NAO), were used mainly for political ends. While the Sharif family was exiled to Saudi Arabia in December 2000, negotiations were conducted with hundreds of other politicians in the backdrop of the accountability law. NAO stipulated over 10 years imprisonment for anyone involved in corruption.

However, the July 5 decision is still not about corruption.

The financial misconduct of Nawaz Sharif and his family were all stories until 2016 when the Panama Papers — documents of a Panama-based legal firm, Mossack Fonseca, pertaining to offshore companies of many bigwigs around the world — were leaked. On August 29, 2016, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) leader, Imran Khan, moved the Supreme Court (SC) to disqualify Nawaz Sharif as head of the government on the basis of the Panama disclosures. The SC turned down the application on the basis that the petitioners had not approached other more appropriate fora. But after Khan threatened protests, the Court decided to hear the case on October 28, 2016. Journalist Zia-ud-Din is of the view that this hyperactivity began on the day of the ‘Dawn leaks’ — a story by journalist Cyril Almeida regarding civilian leadership telling the military to control militants or face international ire. This was perhaps the last straw that broke the camel’s back in terms of the military’s capacity to tolerate Nawaz Sharif.

At that time, fellow Lahori, Raheel was COAS . And who came "hard" on Ganja. For being "soft" on India

No matter how the judgment is presented, it is a fact that the entire judiciary suddenly turned hyperactive to prove Nawaz Sharif as not only corrupt but also incapable of being in politics. In another landmark decision, in April, the SC disqualified Nawaz Sharif for life from politics by invoking Article 62 (1)(f) of the 1973 Constitution and declaring him as not being sadiq and ameen (honest and truthful). This amendment was inserted in the Constitution by General Zia.

The judgment comes like an icing on the cake of an anti-Sharif campaign that started in 2016. During its peak in the last six months, it was headed by the country’s top adjudicator. With the media on his heels, the chief justice of the SC was seen going around questioning governance delivery in Punjab.

There is little doubt that all this is not about ending corruption. Instead, the powerful military is punishing a former client, and re-shaping the country’s political field. Just like Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who had the support of some segments of the military in 1971 but was abandoned, and then physically eliminated, Sharif is being removed before his party becomes too powerful.

In all this, the highest judiciary of the country has become the butt of jokes on social media, and the society at large. It seems to be collapsing under the weight of its current partnership with the military establishment in the civil-military battle. While taking “Nawaz Sharif to task”, it allowed former dictator Pervez Musharraf to leave the country. It even found a way to force the government to issue Musharraf with a new passport and identity card.

And therefore Mush has again started on his lecture circuit to earn "some money" to compensate for the dry months in Dubai , when he was not given a new passport !

[Falijee]

--- content deleted, how does this post add value to this thread, Falijee you will get a warning if you continue posting irrelevant material here, BENIS thread is there for such activities

Thank you for pointing it out to me. Will ensure compliance in future.