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Howard Stern: Trump’s COVID-19 handling is ‘treasonous’

Brian Niemietz

Shock jock Howard Stern notched up his war of words on President Trump — a former regular on his show — by accusing the lame duck leader of criminal behavior against his country.

The charge came Monday when a man identifying himself as a doctor in Cleveland, Ohio called Stern’s radio show to describe the “hell” he was experiencing because patients flooding hospitals remain ignorant, or even skeptical, about the dangers of COVID-19. That caller also worried that health care workers, the first line of defense, are being taken out of the fight either by infection or exhaustion.

Stern blasted the president for focusing his energy on trying to overturn the election he lost last month rather than addressing the spreading pandemic that has killed more than 280,000 Americans this year and is getting worse.

Howard Stern doesn’t want to hear from 'stupid’ friends who support Trump

“This is treasonous, what’s going on right now, telling people to run around, go to rallies...” Stern said, before his sidekick Robyn Quivers, a former nurse, pulled him back a bit.

“Well it may not be treasonous, but it certainly is criminal,” Quivers interrupted.

“Well...” Stern agreed. “It certainly is.”

When Stern’s Monday show ended at 11 a.m., the president had tweeted twice about losing the election, which he claims without evidence was rigged. He had not addressed the pandemic. Other than mentioning Sunday night that his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani had tested positive for COVID-19, the president has largely ignored COVID-19 on his busy Twitter feed. Giuliani is leading Trump’s efforts to keep the president in office.

Trump was in Georgia over the weekend hosting a crowded rally of largely mask-less followers where he continued promoting seemingly baseless conspiracy theories about election fraud while encouraging Georgians to vote for Republican candidates on the ballot in that state’s senatorial elections.

“You’ve got a guy in charge who doesn’t know about hard work,” Stern said. “Let’s face it.”

Stern’s caller agreed the president “has no clue,” which prompted the 66-year-old radio icon to wonder how long medical workers can withstand the onslaught they’re seeing. “The doctors are going to start saying to themselves ‘If the president doesn’t care and the government doesn’t care, what the f--k am I going to be doing?’”

Donald Trump is the virus: His coronavirus response confirms how toxic he is for the country Stern, who says he’s contemplating retirement when his contract expires at the end of the month, marveled over the fact the president isn’t telling his devotees to protect others by wearings masks.

“I’ve never seen a country more poorly run than this one,” he said. “It’s a disgrace.”

Stern said that as a kid, he and his mother would see footage of American soldiers dying in Vietnam on the news, which promoted his mom to insist her son would never fight in that war. He told his caller that it’d be a good idea to have news cameras in intensive care units.

“They should follow you with a camera every night on the news, watching people die of COVID, watch them choking...” Stern said. “I wish they’d show that on the news.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/howard-stern-trump-s-covid-19-handling-is-treasonous/ar-BB1bI5lG?ocid=msedgdhp

#Pakistan reports 3,795 new #COVID-19 cases in one day

Plot twist: Aseefa debuts in PDM’s Multan rally, her mannerism reminiscent of Benazir Bhutto

Nadeem Shah

Aseefa debuts in PDM’s Multan rally, her mannerism reminiscent of Benazir Bhutto. Despite blockades and arrests, crowds gather.

The Pakistan Democratic Movement rally in Multan appeared different from the four rallies that have been held in Karachi, Quetta, Gujranwala and Peshawar. The PDM held the rally at Chowk Ghanta Ghar despite the blocking of all roads with containers and barriers on all chowks and major roads leading to the meeting place, Qila Kohna Qasim Bagh.

Four dozen PPP workers were arrested and handcuffed including Syed Abdul Qadir Gillani, Syed Ali Musa Gillani, Syed Ali Qasim Gillani and MPA Syed Ali Haider Gillani, sons of the former PM Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani. The police manhandled Syed Ali Qasim Gillani, one of the organisers of PDM meeting, and slapped and punched him.

Purani Kotwali police have also registered a case (No. 690/20) against 2,500-3,000 PDM workers including PML-N ex-MPA Shahid Khan, ex-MNAs Sheikh Tariq Rashid, and Malik Abdul Ghafar Dogar and the latter’s son Waqar Dogar, among others. The FIR includes anti-terrorism sections.

The Lohari Gate police have registered two FIRs against 80 identified and 800 unidentified workers under Sections 353/156, 379/506, 427/148 and 149 of Pakistan Penal Code besides Section 17 of the Punjab Infectious Diseases (Prevention and Control) Ordinance 2020. The FIRs allege that activists “armed with clubs” “damaged the barriers and fence installed to control the law and order situation” and “attacked the police”.

The administration started removing the barriers from the routes when two big rallies led separately by Aseefa Bhutto Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman came out in full force. The former started from former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani’s residence and the latter from Gulgasht seminary Jamia Qasimul Aloom. The mammoth rallies were a test of nerves for the administration, which had completely sealed the Gillani House by placing containers on both sides of the road a day earlier. Power supply to the Gillani House was also disconnected.

The containers were removed from Gillani House when the rally advanced towards the meeting venue. The printing presses and panaflex printers had signed surety bonds that would not print any PDM material.

The rally marked the political debut of Aseefa Bhutto. Already, Maryam Nawaz has gained trust and popularity as the face of the PML-N.

Political workers are of the view that this heralds a new beginning for women’s leadership in the PPP and the PML-N. They say that this signals a commitment by both to break the patriarchal structure, strengthening the struggle for the restoration of human rights, weakening the forces of obscurantism and chauvinism, and resisting the fragmentation of society.

Aseefa Bhutto’s speech, oratorial skills, gestures and body language – moving arms and waving hands brought back memories of Benazir Bhutto for the PPP workers.

“[It seems that] Shaheed Benazir Bhutto has returned! I’m stunned to hear Aseefa Bhutto live (in a gathering of the Pakistan Democratic Movement) for the first time in my political career. Aseefa Bhutto looks like a stateswoman, like her mother, highly confident, passionate, with a powerful Urdu accent”, observes Abida Bokhari.

Bokhari is heading Pakistan Peoples Party Multan chapter of women, and joined the PDM rally with a large procession of PPP women activists to celebrate PPP’s 53rd birthday at Chowk Ghanta Ghar.

“[It seems that] Shaheed Benazir Bhutto has returned! I’m stunned to hear Aseefa Bhutto live,” says Abida Bokhari.

She says that Aseefa has stayed true to the Bhutto tradition. Like Benazir Bhutto who had emerged as a hope in the society where the draconian Zia martial law consigned women to chadar and char deewari in 1979 and inducted restrictive ordinances, which increased the marginalisation of this 50 percent of the population.”

“Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and PPP founder Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had a special place in their hearts for the Seraiki people”, said Aseefa in her short address in the PDM rally.

Maryam Nawaz, the PML-N vice president, alleged that Prime Minister Imran Khan had “received foreign funding”, “built offshore companies”, and “given NRO to mafias to rob the public”.

“Aleema Baji (Imran Khan’s sister)”, she said in her scathing criticism of the PTI’s narrative, “has earned billions of rupees from sewing machines but Imran Khan is honest”.

Speaking at the huge gathering, the PDM chief, Maulana Fazalur Rehman said the PTI government “had invited an early countdown” to “pack up selected rulers” in the wake of the “ruthless crackdown on PDM workers in Multan”.

Akhtar Mengal of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) said that “the military regime should first take off their uniform and then participate in politics”.

Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party’s Mehmood Khan Achakzai said that the PDM was “not formed to speak against anyone”.

“The prime objective”, he said, “is to stop intelligence agencies and armed forces from interfering in politics.”

He warned that “dangerous blocs” were being created around Pakistan.

“The country may be bombed by foreign forces just as an Iranian scientist and a military general have been slain,” he said.

“The solution”, he continued, “was that the incumbent assembly be dissolved”.

The pressure is building. With new political actors emerging on the scene, the government has its work cut out. The PDM Islamabad Long March schedule has been changed, and now it is expected to begin soon after the Lahore rally instead of January 2021.

Why Pakistan will be next to normalize with Israel

 By FM SHAKIL

Islamabad denies any move is afoot but a Saudi and UAE-backed normalization of ties could soon be in the offing.

Last month, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry rebutted a barrage of reports on social and mainstream media that suggested Islamabad was poised to restore diplomatic relations with Israel, a move that would inevitably send shock waves across the country’s many radical Islamic groups.

The Foreign Office was forced to intervene before the rumors sparked demonstration or worse, always close to the surface in a nation that frequently rallies to the anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian cause.

Despite the official denials, analysts, observers and even some officials reckon there is at least a shred of truth in the viral speculation considering the shifting winds in the Middle East and with rising signs Saudi Arabia could soon follow the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in normalizing ties with Israel.

It would mark a historic turn if Pakistan and Israel were to follow suit and formally normalize relations. Pakistan did not recognize Israel as a country when it was formed in 1948, a year after Pakistan won its independence. Pakistani passports still carry a stamp that proclaims that this document is valid for all countries worldwide except Israel.

Yet observers believe that the winds of change now sweeping over the Arabian Peninsula, including among Pakistan’s key Middle Eastern allies and traditional patrons, could next blow through Islamabad.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, they note, have restored diplomatic ties with Israel after Saudi Arabia reportedly gave its tacit affirmation to go ahead. Analysts argue Pakistan could be next if Riyadh gives a similar nod.

Any such move would face political resistance at home. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senator Musadiq Malik told Asia Times that such a crucial decision can not be made by a few individuals and that representatives of Palestine would also need to be consulted.

“A few people cannot thrust their verdict upon the nation. We have elected representatives and the parliament that could better determine policy in this regard,” he added, presumably meaning Prime Minister Imran Khan and his backers in the army establishment.

Afrasiab Khattak a politician, intellectual, and Pashtun rights activist told the Asia Times that since the Pervez Musharraf era (1999 to 2008) there has been a consistent behind-the-scenes effort to normalize relations with Israel, though so far without tangible results due to radical religious forces and their ability to stir street agitation. “When the Arab countries have changed their stand on the Arab-Israel conflict and tried to live in peace with their proverbial foe then what is the point of pursuing an anti-Israel policy?” he asked.

Days after the UAE formally revived ties with Tel Aviv, foreign and local media carried reports suggesting that Saudi Arabia and the UAE were pressing Pakistan from behind the scenes to be next in recognizing Israel.

“I think there is a conversation going on in which UAE and MbS would like Pakistan to take a lead and recognize Israel but don’t think it will happen either in Saudi Arabia or Pakistan. It’s politically not doable,” Ayesha Siddiqa, a Pakistani scholar and expert on military affairs told the Asia Times.

The speculation was reinforced when Prime Minister Khan, in an exclusive interview with a local TV channel, disclosed that he was “under pressure” from some “friendly countries” to recognize Israel but that Pakistan would not budge until the Israel-Palestinian issue was resolved.

Khan did not disclose the identity of the said “friendly countries”, saying only that Pakistan maintains good relations with them.

But when Israeli media broke the news that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of Israel’s spy agency Mossad Yossi Cohen held a hush-hush meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) in the Saudi city of Neom, the reports also spotted a Pakistani army business jet operated by the country’s powerful Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) spy agency in Amman when the leaders were meeting at the Red Sea resort.

Siddiqa tweeted in late-November, “If policy not under consideration then what was Pak Army aircraft PA-9834 doing in Amman for 2 days & reported by Israeli media?”

Saudi Arabia and the UAE certainly have leverage on Islamabad to persuade a change in Pakistani policy towards Israel. Pakistan relies heavily on both for financial support to stave off a debt crisis, always near as foreign reserves dwindle and the economy contracts.

Moreover, over four million Pakistani expatriates remit roughly $4 billion from Saudi Arabia and UAE every year, representing nearly half of the country’s $9 billion in annual remittances.

Still, Pakistan’s relations with both UAE and Saudi Arabia have been on a downtrend in recent years, partly due to Riyadh’s tilt towards India on the Kashmir issue and New Delhi’s growing economic and political engagement with the Arab nations. Saudis are also concerned about Islamabad’s hobnobbing with Turkey.

In late August, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, frustrated over the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) indolence on the Kashmir issue, exhorted the group’s de facto leader Saudi Arabia to “show leadership” on the issue.

It was a costly statement. Soon thereafter Riyadh required premature payment of US$2 billion of $3 billion worth of outstanding loans and terminated $3.2 billion worth of oil deliveries granted on deferred payment.

The subsequent diplomatic visit of Pakistani Army Chief General Qamar Jawed Bajwa to Riyadh in early August this year to smooth tensions failed to resecure the financial facilities, as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman reportedly refused to meet the army chief.

To be sure, Pakistan has always maintained covert diplomatic and military connections with Israel. Indeed, Pakistan’s secret military cooperation with Israel dates back to 1970 when the military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq was posted in Jordan as a brigadier general at a time Pakistan’s army fought in support of Jordan against then Yassar Arafat-led Palestine in the 1970-71 Black September war.

More than 7,000 Palestinians died in the war and General Zia had become a darling of the Jewish state, which backed Jordan in the conflict.

Pakistan-Israel cooperation continued in the 1980s during the Soviet Union’s intervention in neighboring Afghanistan. Both countries coordinated their stance on the Afghan issue and exchanged defense-related information. Military dictator General Musharraf was more vocal about his government’s interactions with Israel. During his tenure, Pakistan and Israel established their first formal diplomatic contact and used their diplomatic staff in Ankara and Istanbul to mediate and exchange information on defense and terrorism-related issues.

In 2009, Pakistan’s spy agency ISI passed on information to Israel’s Mossad about a plot to kill Israelis in India. According to an October 2009 US diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks, the ISI chief had reportedly contacted Israeli officials to head off the attacks.

In late March this year, Musharraf called to establish relations with Israel to counterbalance India’s overtures to Tel Aviv.

In a press conference in Dubai in March this year, Musharraf acknowledged that he had initiated contacts with Israel when he led the country. “The Israeli leadership was quick to respond to my offer. I believe Israel wanted to create better relations with Pakistan. They still want it,” he said.

https://asiatimes.com/2020/12/why-pakistan-will-be-next-to-normalize-with-israel/

What PM Imran Khan and Hamza Ali Abbasi got wrong about family values in Pakistan

Women are routinely abused and silenced within our so called "family system". So why is the PM calling it our strength? 

 Hamza Ali Abbasi's always been a big PM Imran Khan fan, so you can imagine the actor was over the moon when he got to sit down with the prime minister and pick his brain.

In the hour long interview, the duo's conversation was a little all over the place yet going around in circles as they spoke about the lasting effects of colonisation, the role of media in shaping the nation and accountability, among other things. But what grabbed our attention was the PTI chairman reiterating multiple times how Pakistan's strength is our family system. "When I was growing up, Pakistan was heavily influenced by colonisation and the west. Previously, this strong hold was in the form of slavery but today, it is in the form of mental slavery," he said. "While you despise those who control you, in a way you also get influenced by them, looking up to them and wanting to be like them."

"Previously, the divorce rate abroad was 1 in 14, and 30 years later, it increased to 70%," he added a little later.

Speaking about a rising divorce rate in South Asian communities, Khan said the more we look towards the west and adopt their "immoral mannerisms", the more we'll see a ripple effect of that in our own society, chipping away at our traditional familial values and norms, which are supposedly so great.

While we as a country love pride themselves on our culture and the respect we have for the sanctity of marriage, we are often quick to forget that the entire arrangement is largely based on the sacrifices of women, who because of the stigma surrounding divorce, chose to suffer in silence for decades on end.

Twitter user Sundus Saleemi hit the nail on the head with this thread:

Many others chimed in, reminding Khan about all those marginalised by our so-called family system:

Here's hoping that those in charge of policy making, such as Khan, stop living in denial about what our culture has come to entail and start calling a spade a spade. Blaming the west for everything wrong in our own backyard won't do us any favours.

https://images.dawn.com/news/1186134/what-pm-imran-khan-and-hamza-ali-abbasi-got-wrong-about-family-values-in-pakistan

Chief Minister, Sindh Murad Ali Shah called on the Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at Bilawal House on Monday

 

Chief Minister, Sindh Murad Ali Shah called on the Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at Bilawal House on Monday.

Chief Minister briefed the Party Chairman about the COVID-19 situation and the steps taken by Sindh government to protect the people.

Murad Ali Shah informed the Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari about the development pace in the province, which is hampered by the lesser payments from the Federal government than the province’s due share. He said that Sindh government has surpassed its own tax collection targets so far.

On the occasion, the Chairman PPP asked the Sindh government to start recruitment on the vacant jobs on merit for relief to the unemployed youth and utilization of their potential for the province. He also stressed that more employment opportunities may also be created in the private sector as well.
It may be recalled that both the Chairman PPP and the Chief Minister, Sindh’s COVID-19 tests were found negative following isolation and earlier positive results. 

https://www.ppp.org.pk/pr/24148/