Do you wonder why have the Pakistani pundits stopped complaining about imperialist tyranny and exposing the onerous conditions of Kerry-Lugar Bill? Why all of a sudden KLB is a non-issue? I was curious and I spend last several days in Washington DC trying to understand how Obama administration managed the PR fiasco.
Conversations with several insiders and subject matter experts point to a set of meetings on October 19th in Islamabad. General David Petraeus and US Senator John Kerry reached Islamabad on Sunday (October 18th). It was reported in local media that the meetings were about Waziristan operations but in reality talks with top Pakistani General were limited to the $7.5 billion dollar aid package. “They wanted to understand how this aid package violates Pakistan’s sovereignty. And, they wanted to hear it from the horses mouth,” said a diplomatic source.
Gen. Patreause and Sen. Kerry were sent to Pakistan after US President Barack Obama signed a record 7.5 billion dollar package tripling non-military aid to the nuclear-armed Muslim nation to boost its campaign against a virulent Islamist insurgency. Although the Zaradari government defended the package, Pakistan’s powerful military sparked a domestic showdown, expressing grave reservations about conditions that hinge some of the funds on efforts to battle Islamist extremism. The bill prevents the funding from being used for nuclear proliferation, to support militants or to attack neighboring countries — namely India — and calls for a cut-off in aid if Pakistan fails to crack down on extremists.
United States Central Command chief Gen David Petraeus and Chairman Senate Foreign Affairs committee Senator John Kerry on Monday October 19th held separate meetings with the Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashraf Kayani and the outcome of those meetings were an immediate yanking of the anti-KLB campaign from Pakistani private TV channels. When Central Command chief Gen David Petraeus went to the GHQ he categorically told Gen Kayani to halt anti-KLB campaign. “Gen. Kayani was told in absolutely clear terms that the Obama administration will not tolerate another Honduras,” said a source very close to this conversation.
It is interesting that three of my sources mentioned Honduras while talking about the possible outcome of anti-KLB campaign in Pakistan.
On June 28th Honduran soldiers roused democratically elected President Manuel Zelaya from his bed at gunpoint and flew him to Costa Rica. The coup d’etat was the first in Central America in over a quarter century. The coup, led by the Honduran Gen. Romeo Vasquez, was condemned by the United States, the European Union, the United Nations, the Organization of American States and all of Honduras’ immediate national neighbors.
The Obama administration initially did not legally classify Zelaya’s ouster as a coup, which would automatically trigger a suspension of aid. However the administration subsequently suspended military cooperation with the country. Honduran controversy has been extremely embarrassing for the Obama administration which had come to power on the rhetoric that America should seize supporting tyrants and military dictators.
In Pakistan, Zardari administration was portrayed by the media as too deferential to the United States. Pakistani journalists who unconditionally support their Army started the campaign against KLB and coalesced anti-Western politicians, and Muslim fundamentalists — implausibly claiming that Pakistan’s sovereignty was undermined and the country could end up as a U.S. neo-colony. Some of it is untrue!
To begin with, Pakistan has been an American neo-colony for last six decades and most of that time it was under a military dictorship. And, most importantly Pakistan has been an American satellite state because of it’s army. Pakistan’s military operates on the U.S. financial and technological assistance and it will receive even more support in the near future as it targets Taliban strongholds. Therefore conditions placed by the U.S. Congress on $7.5 billion in economic aid to Pakistan over the next five years should not have been of major consequence to Pakistani generals.
Sen. Kerry brought the carrot while Gen. Patreus had the stick. Gen. Kayani was assured that his military will get monies and equipment that he has asked for but if he pulled a fast one, the Obama administration would at once severe its ties with Pakistan army.
Sen. Kerry’s meeting was held earlier in the day and Gen. Patreaus arrived at the GHQ in the afternoon. General Kayani counseled his peers and advisors and by the end of October 19th and it was decided that Kerry-Lugar Bill will not be publicly condemned. Five Pakistani journalists were contacted the very same night and told not beat the dead horse.
It is undoubtedly true that Pakistani government is too deferential to the Americans. Not that I condone it but this is not new. Bone of contention here was the ‘non-military’ aid. This aid package was historic because it earmarked monies for health, education, infrastructure and civil society. Pakistan army felt left-out. Although Pakistan army has backed out of KLB but democratic government is still hanging on the balance. NRO, food security, energy crisis all loom over Zardari’s head.
Pakistani media is packed with stories of corruption – same TV anchors who had become Hugo Chavez of Pakistan on army’s behest opposing Kerry-Lugar bill have now launched vociferous campaign against Zaradri government exposing corruption of ruling politicians. Not a single anchor has ever asked what happened to corrupt Generals. Why are corrupt army officials beyond criticism?
From trafficking heroin to grabbing precious land; from taking kick-back on purchase of equipment (sub-marines included) Pakistan army has looted everything we have ever had. Why then, I wonder, Pakistanis only discuss civilian corruption? Managing PR fiasco was easy for the Obama administration. They had to remind the source of opposition of an old proverb: you can’t bite the hand that feeds you. Pakistani Generals understood and complied.
Ibrahim Sajid Malick is a Pakistani-American writer, technologist, and social entrepreneur. He has been writing on Pakistani society and politics since 1986. He has held several media, communications, and technology positions for organizations large and small. Mr. Malick graduated from New School for Social Research with a master’s degree in anthropology. He holds several technology and management certifications. He works for a leading technology firm and blogs at www.ibrahimsajidmalick.com
Baba Ibrahim do some other job you can’t ever b a positive blog writer.
Readers,
This article has no truth, these are all assumptions.Pakistan Military only seeks interest whatever is in the best interest of Pakistan.
In fact,the main agenda of the meeting with Gen. Petraus is to bring terrorists on land, and keep them away from hiding in the mountains, so it will be easier to target them.
Meeting with John Kerry was simply a check and balance who holds more power PINDI or ISLAMABAD, and this fiasco started with KLB.
Thank You
his is a blog that only publishes articles that support its cause of maligning and defaming the Pakistan Army and ISI…critical articles with less strength are allowed. My article,written yesterday, is not on it…..Such is the bias of the operator of this blog….a paid journalist
Aamir I fully agree with you. I wrote few paragraphs as my comments in favor of Pakistan on 18th November 2009. I tried to show a ray of hope to the people of Pakistan. I tried to show the actual face, intentions and motives of these bloggers. My paragraphs have not been published yet. Mr. Malick how much money you want for writing some positive remarks about our country. Believe me it is a beautiful country with beautiful, loving and patriotic people. We will give last drop of our blood to save our country. We will not allow such ill will mongers like you, Mr. Malick, to harm our beautiful country.
@Pakistani:
i don’t think this is moderated. if you want to get published don’t use curse words and url
is n’t it a propaganda campaign agaisnt army. as writer writes that anchors were told that thet they should keep their mouth shut. to me it is also quite possible that there are people who are told to write like this.
pak army is a professional army and i have not only the trust but the belif also that they will compromise national interst. dont quote the history ,those were the choice of those democratically elected people. if they had left it to the properprocdure such situation would not have risen
@ Amir, Sultan, Sajid, Khan, BABA IBR MAD and Military Man
I agree with you guys; this article is more about military bashing than anything else. As I have said in y previous comments, the military has interfered in politics. Yes, but it has done so because there is a vacuum of real civilian leaders. Every time the military has come in it has done so because of a corrupt civilian leader. Benazir’s second government was a prime example!
They keep crying about democracy. Well, yeh, why don’t they begin democracy at the grassroots and hold party elections. Most of the parties simply won’t. they want to be lifetime corrupt leaders that plunder and loot this country, and then, when the military takes over with its usual and undeniable might, they blame everything on them.
Although I personally think that democracy is an utter failure itself, but if u want it, please implement it the way it should be. You cannot say it’s democracy when you have civilian dictators!
@Pakistani: I cant understand why some people here are defending the millitary. Could they name a single act of sacrifice on behalf of our generals in 62 years of our history? Are we really sure that generals are better educated than politicians? And who is there to judge that generals are more pariotic than politicians?
To all those aligned with millitary, just let us know what prompted you to back off from KLB bashing rather than to dwell in the question of who is worse between politicians and army.
Yeh Malick Qadiyani hai, anti Islam and Anti Pakistani.
Is k columns nahee perho
yeh behn chod saala haaraami kutta hai
Mr. malik in your kind attention it is requested that i wanna say you with lots of many other as please ‘SHUT YOUR FOOLISH MOUTH’.
Best Fraud,
Men at ur home
@ zaheer gorsi
regarding who is more educated, politicians or military generals, you just need to see how they speak….look at our current prime minister who pronounces sovereignty as ‘saavrainty’. articles about this have appeared in teh Dawn newspaper too, buthe still has not gotten this word right.
and our president doesn’t even have a verifiable degree. need we say more.
but the level of education is not really the issue; the issue is that we expect more from civilians. they keep making tall promises and land us in an even bigger crisis than we were in before…..
No institution dominates Pakistan like its army. The armed forces account for 30% of Pakistan’s national budget, totalling $5bn last year according to official statistics. But the actual figure, already staggering for a country with high levels of illiteracy and malnutrition, is likely to be much higher. The army has been practically unaccountable since the very foundation of the country – last year’s figures were the first it has publicly released since 1965.
Every one of Pakistan’s democratically-elected civilian leaders has been forced to abdicate by the army. A general has directly ruled the country for 34 of its 62 years of existence.
The army’s power is such that although Pakistan’s private media have a commendable record of criticising the country’s civilian politicians, criticism of the men in uniform is rare – save during periods of crisis under direct military rule, like the dismissal of the chief justice in 2007.
There grip is so tight that when some expresses dissatisfaction with army there are immediately shut down.
Partial list of kickbacks received by generals, air marshals and admirals. This is dated and I am going to add more soon:
1- Air Chief Marshal Abbas Khattak (retired) received Rs180 million as kickbacks in the purchase of 40 old Mirage fighters.
2- Air Chief Marshal Farooq Feroz Khan was suspected of receiving a 5 per cent commission in the purchase of 40 F-7 planes worth $271 million.
3- In 1996, the Pakistan Army bought 1,047 GS-90 Jeeps at a cost of $20,889 per unit. The market value of the vehicle then was only $13,000.
4- According to the National Accountability Bureau, some senior army officers made Rs 510 million in the deal.
5- One hundred and eleven army men got 400 plots in Bahawalpur and Rahimyar Khan districts at throwaway prices –Rs 47.50 per kanal (1/8th of an acre) as against the market rate of Rs15,000-20,000. Six respondents got 400 kanals in Punjab, while former NAB chairman Lt Gen Mohammad Amjad was allotted a two-kanal plot on Sarwar Road in Lahore for just Rs 8,00,000, payable in instalments over 20 years. The market value of this plot was Rs 2 crore.
6- Gen Pervez Musharraf acquired a commercial plot worth Rs 2 crore at the Defence Housing Authority in Lahore for just Rs 1,00,000, payable in 20 years. “As mentioned in the report of defence services director-general, a loss of Rs 5 billion was incurred due to such allotments,” the petition says.
7- The army awarded a contract for the purchase of 1,000 Hino trucks at $40,000 a unit when the local Gandhara Industries had offered trucks of the same specification for $25,000 a piece.
8- In the purchase of 3,000 Land Rovers in 1995, army officials allegedly received around Rs20,00,000 as kickbacks.
9- The army management at the Water and Power Development Authority purchased electric meters at Rs 1,050 a piece against the market price of Rs 456, causing a loss of Rs 165 crore to the national exchequer.
10- A former military regime sold the Pak-Saudi Fertilizers for Rs 700 crore and earned a Rs 200 crore commission on the deal.
11- In 1996, the Pakistan Navy spent Rs 1.3 crore on installing air-conditioners at the Islamabad Golf Club without any justification.
12- Gen Pervez Musharaf got $18 million in kicbacks from the US defense contractor (KLB logistics) in 2007
WOW! nice job copy-pasting! That’s plagiarism! At least you could have added the source of all this matter.
Anyway, much of it is true, but if u want to malign the military, there is an even longer list of dirty laundry of civilian leaders that anyone could come up with.
And to those who say the army has been traitor, well, what stopped them from selling the country. they could have done that long ago.
yes, they all make money. don’t we all do that.
But why does the military keep bouncing back???? it’s simple: the civilian leaders always give them the opportunity.
@Zain
Thanks for keeping me honest. Yes it is copy from what was submitted to the Pakistan’s Supreme court. I am glad you agree that most of it is true. And, this is just some that we know—- list is much longer.
My point is that Pak Army has controlled country too long on the excuse of civilian imcompetency and corruption.They are not incompetent (lost all the wars), influenced bad foreign policy, and they are also CORRUPT.
Why would I trsut them more than Nawaz Sharif? or Imran Khan? or Altaf Hussain? or anyone else ..
A reporter or an anchor person views does not mean that he is right. We need to take care of our nation. We should ask ourselves how much we are honest to this nation. Do not balme Army or politician. There are good and bad people in both place Army and civil but we are confident that none of these category (bad or good) are unfair with their country. Everybody has to play their own part, Army at their own place and politician at their own and public at thier own. None should enter in to the shoes of others. We do not want our proffissional army to involve in politics and civil issues just we the civilain can interfer in the army’s matter. Let this process continue and people shold particiapte in building the nation. Let the good politician come out in the next spurt. I am sure and confident that there is a man who is waiting for the right time and we shall see inshallah there will be a revolution in Pakistan.
Pakistan has been gifted by Allah to the muslim of subcontinent and whenever Allah reward a gift never take back but keep care of it.
Pakistan Zindabad.
ASAD: THIS ATICLE IS NOTHING MORE THAN A PEICE OF A SHIT!
THE AUTHOR DOESNOT EVEN KNOW THE FULL NAME OF GEN> KAYANI ….!
ITS GEN. ASHFAQ PERVAIZ KAYANI…. NOT GEN. ASHRAF!
ty
read the Kerry Lugar bill at :
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-3642
If you are educated enough, you can read and clearly understand why this bill caused such a stir. Forget the military objecting to it; I think any Pakistani can see what is being implied by telling us what we should and should not do. The very nature of this bill aims at telling us what to do with places like FATA and Quetta. So, those are arguing about who wanted it signed or didn’t want it side is like side stepping the main bone of contention. Please read and understand this bill, and then see who wanted it signed.
I wish all those who are supporting our army had experience to have one single business deal with them. They all will know how corrupt they are everybody opening there mouth for some thing. Who supported Musharaf or let it be this way Who was Musharraf!!. Army. Now they say they are sacrificing for the country My — .Its all game to put more dollars in their pockets. Eats 80% of country resources. Let them build themselves golf clubs polo grounds arenas with that percentage and have the people live miserable life no food poor education, no basic health plans. What favor goes to a poor man from Pakistan expect the CNIC which u also have to pay.
yeh, try starting any major business under MR 110% and see what happens. It’s no wonder he has that name ….
well at least he wont screw the nation in the name of defence security shahadat protection.
@ Yasir what kind of consolation is that???
moreover, considering his reputation, and the fact that the nation believes he is a criminal [murderer], he has little credibility. The man [if he deserves to be called that] is a standing joke! It’s no wonder the nation now passes text message jokes about him. And so small is this civilian leader’s character that he even threatens to take action against those who joke about him. So much for the freedom of speech! democracy! lolzzz
Crisis after crisis: look at what the civilian leaders have done this time. The government is weak, and the opposition is useless. Even the long March seems to have become a wasted: this government disobeys the supreme court too. from the fuel price hike to the sugar crisis. and it is now well known that 90% of the sugar mills are owned by the politicians who sit in the government and opposition. Amid a never ending list of corruption, these are just a significant few. Pathetic civilian leadership!
it is now quite obvious that either this page fails to pass new entries to us or this feature has been deliberately disabled. No surprises here.
anyway, here is one more reason why the civilian leadership sux!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZBaBKb1jYg
[...] special interest groups in Pakistan rejected the Kerry-Lugar bill as an affront to their honor and interest but corporate media [...]
[...] special interest groups in Pakistan rejected the Kerry-Lugar bill as an affront to their honor and interest but corporate media [...]
It may sound like the kind of bogus claim made on late-night infomercials, but trust me when I say it’s true: What I call barbaric, annoying scrubs gobble up KLB’s anti-democratic, vicious reports like golden morsels of Jacobinism. For complete details, I refer you to my forthcoming book on the subject. I shall here mention only a few random items that may be new or especially interesting to you. For instance, KLB’s followers contend that closed-minded perjurers and soporific knuckleheads should rule this country. This is precisely the non-equation that KLB is trying to patch together. What it’s missing, as usual, is that it can push me only so far and no farther. This is not what I think; this is what I know. I additionally know that my goal is to get KLB to realize that this will become even more obvious in the years just ahead. Of course, if it insists on remaining an ignorant, uninformed, and ill-informed tosser, that’s its prerogative.
KLB’s cat’s-paws are too lazy to turn random, senseless violence into meaningful action. They just want to sit back, fasten their mouths on the public teats, and casually forget that if you want truth, you have to struggle for it. This letter represents my struggle, my attempt at commenting on KLB’s effusions. It is also my soapbox for informing the community at large that documents written by KLB’s henchmen typically include the line, “Anyone who dares to stand uncompromised in a world that’s on the brink of KLB-induced disaster can expect to suffer hair loss and tooth decay as a result”, in large, 30-point type, as if the size of the font gives weight to the words. In reality, all that that fancy formatting really does is underscore the fact that KLB believes that we can stop Pyrrhonism merely by permitting government officials entrée into private homes to search for fatuous, indelicate champions of deceit, lies, theft, plunder, and rapine. The real damage that this belief causes actually has nothing to do with the belief itself but with psychology, human nature, and the skillful psychological manipulation of that nature by KLB and its lubricious operatives. We don’t have to stand for this! If it is not yet clear that we’re still a long way from being able to make KLB answer for its wrongdoings, then consider that my purpose here is not to stop the Huns at the gate. Well, okay, it is. But I should point out that its idolators are unified under a common goal. That goal is to pit race against race, religion against religion, and country against country.
If we rage, rage against the dying of the light then the sea of totalitarianism, on which KLB so heavily relies, will begin to dry up. KLB may be sincere, but it is also sincerely overweening. Diabolic mendicants make a fetish of the virtues of vainglorious faddism. That said, we mustn’t lose sight of who the real enemy is: KLB and its brain-damaged compeers. Unlike KLB, when I make a mistake I’m willing to admit it. Consequently, if—and I’m bending over backwards to maintain the illusion of “innocent until proven guilty”—it were not actually responsible for trying to convert houses of worship into houses of resistentialism, then I’d stop saying that I don’t know if KLB is consciously and purposely evil or merely batty. I do know, however, that most members of our quick-fix, sugar-rush, attention-deficit society are too impatient to realize the importance of mentioning a bit about meddlesome bottom-feeders such as KLB. I wish only that a few more people could see that KLB used to complain about being persecuted. Now it is our primary persecutor. This reversal of roles reminds me that now that I’ve been exposed to KLB’s antics I must admit that I don’t completely understand them. Perhaps I need to get out more. Or perhaps there’s something fishy about KLB’s viewpoints. I think it’s up to something, something reckless and perhaps even disagreeable. While this letter hasn’t provided anything in the way of a concrete plan of action, it may help us focus our thinking a little better when we do work out a plan. For now, we must advance freedom in countries strangled by tyranny. I, speaking as someone who is not a mean-spirited malcontent, will really be happy to have your help in this endeavor.
People of Pakistan are driven by a fear psychosis and Army knows how to capitalize on that and play the fate of the whole nation to milk America.
Its is just plain sad.
If you think using extremism(taliban/al qaida) both as a stick as well a carrot is going to work out for ever. YOU ARE WRONG