#PandoraPapers - Pandora Papers: How will the revelations impact Pakistan's politics?

By Haroon Janjua

Several officials surrounding Prime Minister Imran Khan were named, but experts are skeptical of the possibility of a thorough investigation.

Several people surrounding Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, including ministers and family members, have been named in the Pandora Papers leaks.

The papers, which were shared by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), reveal that many of the country's powerful military generals, businessmen and media owners have transferred millions of dollars through offshore companies.

More than 700 prominent Pakistanis were named in the investigation, released on Sunday.

Khan himself, however, was not named in the papers. The prime minister came to power in 2018 after promising to end rampant corruption, and had earlier launched a relentless election campaign based on anti-corruption rhetoric.

Water Resources Minister Moonis Elahi and Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin were among the most prominent names included in the ICIJ report.

The leaks are based on more than 11.9 million secret files disclosed from 14 offshore financial services firms.

Reacting quickly to the leaks, Khan on Sunday said his government would "investigate all our citizens mentioned in the Pandora Papers [and] if any wrongdoing is established we will take appropriate action."

"I call on the international community to treat this grave injustice as similar to the climate change crisis. If unchecked, inequalities between rich & poor states will increase as poverty rises in the latter. This in turn will lead to a flood of economic migration from the poor to the rich states, causing further economic & social instability across the globe," Khan wrote on Twitter.

'Everyone will be thoroughly investigated'

Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhary told DW that "Khan has set up a high-level cell under the Prime Minister's Inspection Commission to investigate the people named in the Pandora Papers. Everyone involved will be thoroughly investigated and necessary action will be taken against the culprits."

He said the National Accountability Bureau, the Federal Board of Revenue and the Federal Investigation Agency would handle the probe. They will also look into the officials' adherence to the law under Article 62(1)(f) of the country's constitution — the article under which former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in July 2017 in the Panama Papers case.

Opposition figures have also called on the Cabinet members and associates to resign and face the investigation.

"We are not seeing the same kind of reaction from Imran Khan as when he was part of the opposition and the Panama Papers came out," Shazia Marri, a lawmaker from the opposition's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), told DW. "There was no excitement this time around because some of the names are associated with Khan's Cabinet. Those involved should step down."

Skepticism about impact

Some analysts believe that the revelations brought by the investigation will not create have a substantial impact on the current political order. "I don't think there are major political consequences for Pakistani politics. This is mainly because Khan himself wasn't named in the report, and Khan came out very quickly with an emphatic statement vowing to conduct an investigation," Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars, told DW.

"That said, any revelations of corruption within his party are a big deal, given that its main plank for its entire existence has revolved around anti-corruption," Kugelman said. "There won't be many implications for the present setup unless any concrete action is actually taken. If those from the Cabinet who are named in the Pandora Papers step down until their names are cleared, it will create problems for the government," Mehmal Sarfraz, a political analyst, told DW. Mehreen Zahra Malik, the Pakistan editor of the Saudi Arabia-based newspaper Arab News, echoed those comments. "I don't see any serious implications or threats to the Khan government or Cabinet after the leaks. This is no crisis for the government. Not even close," Malik told DW. "At most, this could give Khan an excuse to get rid of Moonis Elahi. Khan really never liked him, but Elahi is still politically very important for him as a strong electable."

Politicians 'not taking it seriously'

Khan has announced investigations into the massive leaks, which cast negative light on politicians who present themselves as clean.

"Announcing an investigation on Twitter and forming a commission under the government seems only to be a formality. He [Khan] is not known for living up to his previous promises, and his ministers are doing political bashing on Twitter, against other names appearing in the leaks. They are not taking it seriously enough," said opposition lawmaker Marri.

Kugelman believes that Khan will enthusiastically pursue the investigation.

"One can accuse Khan of taking U-turns on policy, but he has been unflinchingly consistent in his stand on corruption," he said. "He will want to ensure that there is a credible investigation of these allegations. It's important for domestic politics in Pakistan, and especially with the next scheduled election less than two years away."

Political analyst Sarfraz believes that few of the people named will see repercussions for the leaks. "Offshore companies, as long as they're declared under the law, are not illegal. Only those who didn't declare them may face some problems," she said. Malik also believes that Khan's government will not take an investigation seriously. "In Pakistan we know that the best way to postpone action or defer an issue is to create the illusion of accountability by announcing a high-level commission. And this isn't the first commission announced by this government," she said.

"Consider the fact that it's just one day after the leaks and already the media has lost interest in the story," she said. "The Panama Papers received sustained media attention in Pakistan, but interest in these leaks already seems to have fizzled out here, unfortunately."

'Kid gloves' for military officers

Investigating the names of retired military officers and their families is going to be a test for Khan, who may have trouble launching a thorough probe against such figures. Kugelman and others believe that the accountability process will not ruffle the feathers of powerful military officials named in the Pandora Papers.

"Given the realities of Pakistani politics, one tends to expect that military officers are more likely than civilian leaders to receive the kid gloves treatment. But Khan could make a big statement by indicating that all Pakistanis identified in this report, whether civilian or military, should be investigated, with no exceptions," Kugelman said.

Malik, however, believes that the chances of an investigation into military officials named are slim. "There will be no investigation against the military officials," she said. "There might be an illusion of inquiry, an illusion of accountability, but nothing will happen."

Opinion | Why Imran Khan should be wary of Lt General Faiz Hamid who is poised be the next Pakistan Army chief

Sushant Sareen

The appointment of ISI chief Lt General Faiz Hameed as a Corps Commander gives him a shot at becoming the Army Chief next year when General Qamar Bajwa’s term ends.

The equivalent of a Cabinet reshuffle in India is the reshuffle of the military top brass in Pakistan. No surprise then that even a routine reshuffle of the top command and staff positions in the Pakistan Army invites so much attention. More than anything else, this is a statement on who calls the shots in each of these two countries. The appointment of ISI chief Lt General Faiz Hameed as a Corps Commander is, therefore, nothing out of the ordinary.

It is a routine transfer and wasn’t entirely unexpected. The only reason why it is inviting so much attention is that this gives Hameed a shot at becoming the Army Chief next year when the current incumbent General Qamar Bajwa’s term ends. Without having commanded a Corps for at least a year, Hameed wouldn’t have been eligible for the top job in Pakistan. But whether or not he gets the job is far from certain.

For one, there is speculation that Bajwa might well seek another extension. While that looks a bit difficult right now, it cannot be entirely ruled out. But assuming Bajwa condescends to retire, Hameed will be number four in the seniority list. That doesn’t mean much because in Pakistan the senior-most three-star general becoming the chief is more of an exception than the rule. The last senior-most Lt General who became chief was Jehangir Karamat. His successor Pervez Musharraf superseded three Lt General’s to become chief. Musharraf’s successor Ashfaq Kayani, his successor Raheel Sharif and even Bajwa superseded senior three-stars to become chief. Going by that record, Hameed is well placed to become chief, assuming Imran Khan is still the prime minister when the time comes to pick Bajwa’s successor just over a year from now.

The fact that Hameed is in the good books of Imran is hardly a secret. But to imagine that because he is a loyalist, or if you will a Youthia (a pejorative term for the cult of Imran’s followers), he will be Imran’s man as chief is a mistake that many prime ministers in Pakistan have made. The thing is that in Pakistan, prime ministers appoint their own boss—the Army chief.

The moment someone becomes chief, he becomes his own man. That is the nature of the job. Every prime minister thinks he is appointing his man as Army chief. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto superseded seven generals to appoint an obsequious Zia-ul-Haq and then got hanged by him.

Nawaz Sharif appointed five of them and had problems with all of them — Asif Nawaz Janjua who died in the saddle before he could get rid of Nawaz Sharif, Abdul Waheed Kakar who forced Nawaz to resign, Jehangir Karamat who was the only gentleman who quit after differences with Nawaz Sharif, Pervez Musharraf who did a coup and imprisoned Nawaz Sharif, Raheel Sharif who had serious tensions but did not depose Nawaz Sharif, and Qamar Bajwa who engineered the judicial coup to get rid of Nawaz Sharif.

The Pakistan Peoples Party [PPP] gave an extension to Kayani who in his second term almost got rid of the government over a cooked-up Memogate scandal. Therefore if Imran thinks he will have a smooth ride with Hameed, he has another thought coming.

Imran would, of course, think that since Hameed was instrumental in his ‘selection’ in the 2018 elections, he will ensure his victory in the 2023 general elections. In 2018, Hameed was Deputy DG ISI in charge of internal security but played the same role in the election that brought Imran into power that in 2002 was played by Major General Ehtesham Zamir who ensured the formation of the Pakistan Muslim League {Q} [PMLQ] government by a single vote.

He intimidated candidates to change loyalties or refuse tickets of Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League {N} [PMLN], forced some candidates to withdraw from the election [remember when the Department of Agriculture became a euphemism for the ISI?], engineered splits in PMLN and other parties and corralled candidates and electives to PTI, created a new front in South Punjab to cut into PMLN votes and then got all these guys to merge their front in PTI. He was instrumental in the rise of the Barelvi extremist party Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan which was supposed to cut into the votes of PMLN, he is accused to have ensured that the election transmission system RTS crashed which made it easy to rig the election results.

The services rendered by Hameed were not his personal decision but that of the Pakistan Army that placed its bets on getting Imran Khan into the saddle. In 2023, the Army might not want Imran back. The experience of the last three years has boomeranged on the Army which is getting all the flak for inflicting a disastrous and utterly incompetent man like Imran Khan on the country. If the public mood is ugly, it is unlikely the Army will risk backing Imran Khan regardless of how much Hameed likes him.

A lot will depend also on whether Bajwa decides to shaft Hameed. Postings and transfers in the Army are the prerogatives of the chief. If Hameed’s tenure as Corps Commander XI Corps (Peshawar) is cut short, it would remove him from the race.

Of course, it is probably a bit far-fetched to think Bajwa would do any such thing especially since the XI Corps is right now probably the most important Corps as it deals with Afghanistan. Hameed’s stint in the ISI during which he would have developed very close contacts with the Taliban, especially the Haqqanis who are the real rulers of Afghanistan, is probably the reason why he was picked for the Peshawar Corps.But this will not be a cakewalk because no one knows how things will play out in Afghanistan and inside Pakistan, what with the spike in terror attacks by the TTP. As the XI Corps Commander, Hameed along with his successor in ISI will be pivotal players in the 'peace negotiations' with some of the Pakistani Taliban. How he handles this will be critical for not just his future but also for Pakistan’s. There will also be the issue of a possible fallout of the meltdown in Afghanistan that will spill over into Pakistan.

The professional side of Hameed will of course be important in determining his future. But his personal side, including his peccadilloes, will also have some bearing on whether or not he becomes chief.

His sexual indiscretions—he is believed to have been shot by his wife who discovered his affair with someone—might well be overlooked by Imran who is himself no spring chicken when it comes to affairs. But Hameed doesn’t enjoy a good reputation within his own military fraternity.

Add to this the fact that just a day earlier the bête noire of the Pakistan Army, Maryam Nawaz Sharif filed a petition in which she has dragged in Hameed, who had been accused by a deposed Islamabad High Court Judge Shaukat Siddiqui of trying to influence him to convict Nawaz Sharif. While no one expects this petition to succeed — it is Pakistan, stupid! Generals don’t suffer adverse verdicts from courts — it nevertheless adds to Hameed’s notoriety.

The thing is that if Hameed stays in the race by the time the successor of Bajwa has to be picked, Imran Khan would be smart to drop him and pick a more non-political general. Hameed has shown himself to be a sort of ambitious and political general who will not hesitate to usurp power if the opportunity presents itself, as it might well if Imran Khan’s popularity continues to plummet or if widespread disturbances break out because the 2023 polls are rigged. In the event, Imran Khan might well end up as a Bhutto and Hameed as a clone of the obsequious but ruthless and cunning Zia-ul-Haq.

https://www.firstpost.com/world/opinion-why-imran-khan-should-be-wary-of-lt-general-faiz-hamid-who-is-poised-be-the-next-pakistan-army-chief-10032931.html

No More Assistance Should Be Given To Pakistan: Former US Advisor

Gen (rtd) H R McMaster, said that the US needs to hold the Pakistan prime minister accountable for some of his comments after the fall of Kabul in August.

Asserting that Pakistan has "had it both ways" for too long, a former US national security advisor during the Trump Administration has advised lawmakers against any fresh aid to Islamabad.Testifying before a powerful Congressional committee on Afghanistan, Gen (rtd) H R McMaster, said that the US needs to hold the Pakistan prime minister accountable for some of his comments after the fall of Kabul in August.

It is also delusional, he said, to think that any of the money that would go to the Taliban or through the Taliban for humanitarian purposes would immediately be used by the Taliban to solidify their power and to become an even greater threat.

"So, we're in a situation where we're facing a really extraordinary dilemma that it's going to be tough for us to mitigate the humanitarian crisis without empowering the Taliban," he said in response to a question.

"I don't think we should give any assistance to Pakistan at all. I think Pakistan has had it both ways for way too long. I think Pakistan should be confronted with its behavior over the years that has actually resulted, I think, in large measure in this outcome," McMaster said.

It was during the Trump Administration that the US had blocked all security assistance to Pakistan. The Biden Administration has not resumed the security aide yet.

"I think we ought to hold Imran Khan responsible for his comments when Kabul fell and he said that the Afghan people have been unshackled. Why should we send a dime to Pakistan under any conditions? I think that they should be confronted with international isolation because of their support for jihadist terrorists, who are threats to humanity, including Haqqani network, the Taliban, and groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba," he said.

Responding to a question from Congressman Scott Perry, during the Congressional hearing convened by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, McMaster said that it is a good idea to remove Pakistan's status as a major non-NATO ally. "I would say the only time I think we have ever laid out a very clear and realistic assessment of South Asia and prioritised the strategy was President Trump's speech in August of 2017. Now, he abandoned it and he doubled down on the flaws of the Obama administration. I don't know how that happened. But I think if you go back to that August 2017 speech, that was the proper approach to Pakistan as well, which called for a suspension of all assistance to Pakistan until Pakistan fundamentally changed its behaviour," McMaster said.

Congressman Bill Keating said Pakistan remains a problem and the US needs to assess it.

"Its long standing activities, by many accounts, have been negative. I think that's putting it mildly. For decades, though, for decades, whether you go back to''96 when the Taliban took control, Pakistan was one of the first to recognise them," he said. "When you go through the change in 2001 in Afghanistan and then the reconstruction of the Taliban starting around 2005, they were there giving assistance, by all accounts, and I believe those accounts are accurate. And indeed, right up into this current change in the government, Pakistan, there were many people that suggested their intelligence was embedded with them," Keating said.

Pakistan's relationship with the Haqqani network is one that is of great concern.

"That may indeed affect our relations with India in that respect. But can you comment on that? I think they have been duplicitous, not just recently, not just in the few months of this administration, but for decades in this with many administrations, Republican and Democratic alike," he said.

Former US Ambassador to Pakistan Ryan Croker acknowledged that Pakistan worked against the US in some very fundamental aspects with their support for the Taliban.

"Earlier, I tried to present their narrative as to why. We were going to walk out, and they did not want to be left with the Taliban as a mortal enemy. They may get that anyway. And as satisfying as it would be to a lot of us, myself included, to do something to punish Pakistan for this, I don't think we have the luxury. They are already worried over the repercussions inside their own country of the Taliban's so-called victory in Afghanistan," he said.

"Now, we can say, 'Yeah. Well, they deserve whatever they get''. But again, a blow-up in Kashmir is going to bring a regional war. So, I think reassessment is always good, but let's reassess with a clear eye on the dangers now that the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has created throughout the region. We do not need a completely destabilized Pakistani state with nuclear weapons," Croker said. McMaster told the lawmakers that the Taliban was backed by ISI and that's why they recaptured Afghanistan. "The Taliban's differential advantage was the backing by the ISI of other groups. But it was the unscrupulous units who are willing to terrorise. They didn't give up their differential advantage. And so, I don't think it's a mystery at all why they collapsed. And I think it should be unacceptable, to disparage the Afghans who did fight, and over 60,000 of them made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the freedoms we're now seeing," he said. The Taliban, he said, went around to the Afghan units, and they said, "Hey, here's how this is going to go." With the backing of the Pakistani ISI, intertwined with the Haqqani network and Al-Qaida, what they did is they told those commanders, "Hey, listen. You accommodate with us. We give you the signal, or we kill your family. How does that sound?" he said.

And that's why the Afghan forces collapsed in addition to the withdrawal of US intelligence support, the withdrawal of our airpower, which was the Afghan forces differential advantage, McMaster said.

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/former-us-national-security-advisor-no-more-assistance-should-be-given-to-pakistan-2566552

Sindh province will play a leading role in safeguarding the rights of the common people – Surendar Valasai, Special Assistant to Chief Minister for Human Rights

A comprehensive Sindh Human Rights Policy will be announced before the end of 2021 as the process of consultation with all the stakeholders, including civil society and government departments was underway in this regard. A delegation of Huqooq-e-Pakistan, a joint venture of the European Union and the Ministry of Human Rights led by Ali Dayan Hassan called on the Special Assistant to Chief Minister for Human Rights Surendar Valasai to discuss the key ingredients of the policy. 

Secretary Human Rights Department Jawed Sibghatullah Mahar and other officials of the department were also present.

Surendar Valasai said that Sindh Human Rights Policy will be a comprehensive document covering all aspects of human rights in the province as per the directives of Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.

He said that protecting the human rights of every citizen was the responsibility of every state around the world and Sindh province would be providing a leading role in safeguarding the rights of common people by exploring all the tools available with the provincial government.

Huqooq-e-Pakistan has been given a task to extend support to the Sindh Human Rights Department to draft the Human Rights Policy.

https://www.ppp.org.pk/pr/25578/

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سپریم کورٹ احاطے میں دھاندلی، ملازمین کی سوسائٹی کے اجلاس میں ممبران کی شرکت پر پابند

#PandoraPapers #PandoraLeaks #Pakistan - Pandora Papers are more detailed than Panama leaks but will those named be investigated properly? - The Pandora Papers

Zahid Hussain

 @hidhussain

THE Pandora Papers have exposed the shadowy world of sleaze and ill-gotten wealth stashed away in offshore companies by the rich and powerful around the world. Among them are both current and former leaders of various countries. Several hundred Pakistanis including politicians, former military generals, bureaucrats and businessmen are also on the list. They include those who own assets worth hundreds of millions of dollars in various parts of the world.

According to the leaked data, Pakistanis are the fifth largest investors in property in London’s most expensive neighbourhoods. Inevitably, this kind of wealth raises questions about their source of funds. It’s not an issue of legality of offshore companies but of the use of shell companies to cover up secret finances and shady deals. These tax havens are used to park illegal wealth.

It’s not for the first time that such a disclosure about offshore wealth has been made. But the Pandora Papers reveal a far larger repository of information on possibly dubious transactions involving public officials including sitting federal ministers and some other powerful people connected to the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan. More than 700 Pakistanis have been named in the offshore affair. No one, however powerful, should escape accountability.

While the Panama leaks some years ago led to the fall of the third-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, the latest disclosure has put to test the intentions of the PTI government which came to power on the slogan of ‘anti-corruption’. The prime minister has set up a ‘high-powered cell’, headed by the federal law minister to investigate the matter. The very composition of the cell under a federal minister raises questions about the credibility of the inquiry into charges of suspicious financial transactions against fellow members of the cabinet.There is no indication yet that the federal ministers named in the Pandora Papers will be asked to step down to allow an independent inquiry to take place. Curiously, NAB is to investigate the cases of the federal ministers mentioned in the latest leaks.Given NAB’s dubious reputation there is little hope of an impartial investigation against powerful sitting federal ministers and others closely associated with the government. There is little public faith in the country’s investigative agencies, which are working under the government. One can hardly expect them to bring the rich and powerful to justice. It is often a selective process, targeting people on political grounds.

While the entire investigation in what was described as ‘Panamagate’ was focused on Nawaz Sharif and his family, there has not been any report regarding investigations against 300 other people whose names appeared in those leaks. Some of those names have appeared in the Pandora Papers as well. The latest leaked data on some federal ministers, retired military generals and public officials are much more damning.

Perhaps the most sensational disclosure in the Pandora Papers concerns Moonis Elahi and his family. A member of the PML-Q and a scion of one of the most powerful political families in Punjab, Elahi was inducted into the federal cabinet as a minister a few months ago. According to a report published in the Guardian, and based on the Pandora Papers, Elahi and his family own prime properties in London worth millions of pounds. Elahi reportedly had plans to invest via an offshore company. His source of funds was apparently a £33 million sale of a sugar mill complex in Pakistan.

NAB and other agencies had earlier investigated the Elahi family for corruption. But those inquiries were suspended for ‘political reasons’. The prime minister could not afford to antagonise the PML-Q whose support is critical to the PTI government in Punjab and at the centre.

Political expediency may come in the way of taking any action against the minister and other members of his family despite the evidence. Two other federal ministers Shaukat Tarin and Khusro Bakhtiyar, and Faisal Vawda, a former cabinet minister, also figure in the leaks. Equally sensational revelations in the Pandora Papers concern retired military generals and their family members who acquired properties in London through offshore companies. One of them is retired Lt-Gen Shafaat Ullah Shah, who once served as military secretary to the former military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf. According to the leaks he bought an apartment in the UK under his wife’s name for £1.2m through an offshore company in 2007 when he was still in service.

He claims that he got the money selling a plot in Lahore. He said in a statement that he bought the property in his wife’s name for tax purposes as he had other properties in Pakistan under his name. He also said he informed the army about the purchase.

But all these explanations leave many questions unanswered. Should a serving senior officer be allowed to acquire property abroad through an offshore account? The property was reportedly transferred by an offshore company owned by a wealthy Indian businessman with alleged links to the underworld giving the whole deal a dubious colour.

It is not enough to say that there is nothing illegal about offshore companies used for buying properties; the real issue is their being used for stashing illegal wealth and for money laundering. There are many other retired military officers and their family members whose names have appeared in the Pandora Papers. It’s imperative to investigate their sources of their wealth. No one, however powerful, should escape accountability.

The Pandora Papers reveal the inner workings of a shadowy financial world of global offshore companies that are used for the most part to hide ill-gotten wealth and to evade taxes. Billions of dollars, which are siphoned off by corrupt public officials, are parked in these shadowy shell companies. Sure some of the offshore assets are declared and used for business purposes. But there is a need for strict accountability of those who hold public office. There is also a need for making the accountability process more effective and impartial. Unfortunately, the PTI government has done nothing to stop the rot beyond its anti-corruption rhetoric.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1650412/the-pandora-papers

EDITORIAL: #Pakistan - Zeroing in on #Pandora Papers

Now that the immediate shock of the Pandora Papers has passed and the issue has moved away from front-page headlines, perhaps its time to take a closer look at some of the names on the list. Such is the nature of politics that those in government come under the spotlight rather more quickly than others. And even though Prime Minister Imran Khan has appeared completely unstained from this controversy, some of his lieutenants and coalition members have not. And the most questions being asked right now concern Moonis Elahi and Faisal Vowda; both never free of controversy for too long even in the best of times.

Both also seem to carry a fair amount of baggage and allegedly move their money around onshore and offshore companies through middlemen. The thing with front men, though, is that owing to the rather dubious nature of their job they turn out to be shady characters more often than not. Moonis has already once had a hard time explaining his actions when his father enjoyed a rather elevated position during the last PPP government and only got off the hook because of a rare thaw between PPP and PML-Q at the time. No doubt some cases against the Chaudharys of Gujrat and their family members were politically motivated, as is often the case in such countries, but that’s not to say that none of them raised any serious questions, which will eventually have to be answered. PM Imran Khan resisted including Moonis in the cabinet for the longest time, largely because of his own previous statements about this family, yet the Chaudharis are not known as political geniuses for nothing. Their political wisdom is second to none. And even now, with very limited seats, they are more or less calling the shots in Punjab.

It would have been better for Moonis’s spokesperson to point out that owning offshore companies was not a crime in itself; unless, of course, they were used for moving black money and evading taxes, for which reasons they were not disclosed to tax authorities. That’s a much better line to take than playing the victim card. He’s flatly rejected owing any offshore company or possessing any wealth that he’s not disclosed, and appears confident about any investigation that might take place. So, time will tell how he fares. Faisal Vowda has a pretty checkered past as well. He didn’t exactly rise to his party’s ideals when he hid is dual nationality, wasted the court’s time and dodged the ECP on the matter; and then took a big favour from his boss in the form of a Senate seat. But then he incurred the wrath of the same job when the reelection for his vacated seat led to much embarrassment and humiliation for the party.

The PM compromised to accommodate both these gentlemen in different ways. And he’s had reason to regret his decision on both occasions. Now, with their name appearing in the Pandora Papers, their alleged offshore companies and wealth need to be explained, both to the public and their boss.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/825674/zeroing-in-on-pandora-papers/

Why ISI chief Lt Gen Hameed’s appointment as Corps Commander is promotion, not punishment

 SNEHESH ALEX PHILIP

Lt Gen Faiz Hameed's appointment as Peshawar Corps Commander paves the way for him to be in contention to become the next Pakistan Army chief.

In a move that will have ramifications not just in Afghanistan but also Pakistan’s military future, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was appointed as the Peshawar Corps Commander Wednesday.He will be replaced by Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum, who was previously the commander of the Karachi Corps. Anjum was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general in September 2019 and is junior to Lt Gen Hameed who got his rank in April that year.

While there is much speculation in strategic circles behind Lt Gen Hameed’s transfer out of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, sources in the Indian defence and security establishment told ThePrint that the development is like a promotion for the Pakistani officer.

They noted that his appointment as Corps Commander paves the way for him to be in contention to become the next Army chief when current chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who is on extension, retires in November 2022.

Under Pakistani Army law, one needs to have a tenure of at least six months as the Corps Commander to be eligible to become Army chief.

Lt Gen Hameed, who is known as a hardliner and for being ruthless in his approach, is scheduled to retire only in April 2023.

Brushing aside claims that there has been a rift between Lt Gen Hameed and Army chief Bajwa, sources added that not only are the two close but the former is also close to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

ISI chief made Corps Commander after first plan did not materialise Another set of sources noted that there had first been an internal attempt to make the post of ISI chief equivalent to that of Corps Commander, to ensure Lt Gen Hameed becomes eligible for the post of Pakistan Army chief.

However, this internal change could not take place and thus, he had to be appointed as Corps Commander.

Sources also pointed out that Lt Gen Hameed’s appointment as the Peshawar Corps Commander is of huge significance because he will have a prominent role in issues involving Afghanistan and the Taliban.

Furthermore, the new ISI chief, Lt Gen Anjum, is seen as a “professional officer” in Pakistan, which means that he is not personally ambitious and is expected to follow the Army chief.

Consequently, sources said that Lt Gen Hameed will continue to have close interactions with the ISI, Army chief and also the Prime Minister due to his appointment as the Peshawar Corps Commander.According to Ayesha Siddiqa, an independent political and military analyst of Pakistan, Lt Gen Hameed’s appointment as the Peshawar Corps Commander will help him gain experience of dealing with the Americans and the Chinese since both parties have a stake in Afghanistan.

“This is a natural succession which will also see him in contention for becoming the next Army chief when Gen Bajwa retires,” she told ThePrint.

Took charge as ISI chief in 2019

Lt Gen Hameed had taken over as the ISI chief on 16 June 2019, in a surprise military shake-up. He had previously served in the ISI as the head of the powerful internal security wing.

He had replaced Lt Gen. Asim Munir, who had taken office as the intelligence agency’s chief just eight months earlier.

Lt Gen Hameed was promoted as Lt Gen in April 2019 and at the time, was appointed as Adjutant General at the General Head­quarters (GHQ) of the Pakistani Army.

In a column for ThePrint, published in April 2019, Siddiqa wrote that Lt Gen Hameed was a “manipulator” who played a key role in building the 2017 protest of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), an extremist political party, to weaken the then Nawaz Sharif government.He was also accused of manipulating a peace deal with militants from Barelvi, a Sunni revivalist movement. Both these instances were criticised by the country’s Supreme Court in 2019.

https://theprint.in/world/why-isi-chief-lt-gen-hameeds-appointment-as-corps-commander-is-promotion-not-punishment/746380/

#Pakistan #PPP - We can easily fight this puppet govt: Bilawal

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that if we can fight dictators then we can easily fight this puppet government.

Addressing a rally in Kotli, Bilawal said that the people of Azad Kashmir have fought against rigging. He announced that the jialas of PPP were ready for the final battle and they are making a stand against Imran Khan's puppet government.

We have fought against dictators and oppressors, this puppet government is nothing, he stated, adding that it is necessary for every jiyala to go to prison as it is their training ground.

Bilawal Bhutto said that like the Federation and the Punjab, Kashmir also has a puppet government. This present government is the enemy of the people specially the poor as it has made 16,000 families unemployed, he proclaimed.

In the October 10 by-elections, you have to vote for the arrow, he urged the rally adding that you have to give this seat to the PPP so that we can fight anti-Kashmir elements.

“What has the new government done for you?” the PPP chairman questioned the people. Imran Khan promised he will bring honor to the green passport and people will come from abroad to do jobs here, he questioned asserting that in fact this government has not kept any of its promises.

The truth is that if transparent elections are held tomorrow, PPP will form a government and the prime minister will be a jiala, declared Bilawal.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2323505/we-can-easily-fight-this-puppet-govt-bilawal

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کرپٹ زرداری ہے پکڑے علیم خان وغیرہ جاتے ہیں

 

Author: عدنان خان کاکڑ

جو شخص بھی سنہ 1988 سے پاکستانی میڈیا ملاحظہ کر رہا ہے وہ یہ جانتا ہے کہ پاکستان کا کرپٹ ترین شخص آصف زرداری ہے۔ سنہ 1988 کی پیپلز پارٹی کی حکومت میں میڈیا پر بتایا گیا کہ آصف زرداری ہر حکومتی کام میں دس پرسنٹ کمیشن لیتے ہیں۔ پھر جب 1993 کی پیپلز پارٹی کی حکومت آئی تو قوم کو بتایا گیا کہ اب ریٹ دس فیصد نہیں رہا، سو فیصد ہو گیا ہے۔ سنہ 2008 کی پیپلز پارٹی کی حکومت آنے پر بتایا گیا کہ اب حالات اس حد تک بگڑ چکے ہیں کہ برطانوی وزیراعظم یا امریکی صدر وغیرہ آصف زرداری سے مصافحہ کرنے کے بعد اپنی انگلیاں گنتے ہیں کہ پوری ہیں یا کرپٹ آصف زرداری نے غائب کر دی ہیں۔

چند سیٹھ وغیرہ بھی سامنے آئے جنہوں نے قوم کو بتایا کہ آصف زرداری نے ان کی ٹانگ سے بم باندھ کر ان کی جائیداد ہتھیانے کی کوشش کی۔ باقی معاملات بھی میڈیا میں آتے رہے جن سے قوم کو پتہ چلا کہ نہ صرف آصف زرداری دنیا کے کرپٹ ترین شخص ہیں بلکہ پیپلز پارٹی بھی کائنات کی کرپٹ ترین جماعت ہے۔

پھر پانامہ پیپرز آ گئے۔ یہ آصف زرداری اور پیپلز پارٹی والے تو کمال کے کرپٹ نکلے۔ نہ صرف یہ کہ ان پیپرز میں باقی سب بڑی جماعتوں کے نام آ گئے لیکن نہ آیا تو دنیا کے کرپٹ ترین لیڈر اور کائنات کی کرپٹ ترین جماعت کا۔ اور اب پنڈورا کا بکسا کھلا ہے تو اس میں پھر وہی معاملہ ہوا ہے کہ آصف زرداری کا نام نہیں ہے۔ لیکن شکر ہے کہ اس مرتبہ شرجیل میمن کا نام آ گیا ہے۔ چلو کوئی ایک بندہ تو سامنے آیا اس کرپٹ جماعت کا۔

اب بعض شدید محب وطن افراد کہیں گے کہ آصف زرداری کا نام اس لیے نہیں آیا کہ وہ لانچوں میں سونا اور ڈالر دبئی بھیجتے تھے۔ اور ساری کمائی وہ پاکستان میں فالودے والوں اور لچھے والوں کے اکاؤنٹ میں ڈال لیتے تھے۔ ادھر سے پتہ نہیں وہ پیسے کہاں جاتے تھے کہ نہ تو پانامہ پیپرز میں سامنے آئے نہ پنڈورا میں اور نہ ہی نیب یا ایف آئی اے کو مل سکے۔

دوسری طرف ان غیر ملکی طاقتوں کی بدمعاشی دیکھیں کہ کرپٹ لوگوں کا تو ذکر ہی نہیں کیا، لسٹ میں ڈالا ہے تو ان کو کہ فرشتے جن کا دامن نچوڑیں تو وضو کریں۔ پانامہ میں ”نیازی سروسز لمیٹڈ“ کی آف شور کا نام ڈال کر کپتان کو بدنام کر دیا۔ وہ تو شکر ہے کہ سپریم کورٹ نے نام صاف کر دیا کہ کپتان نے حق حلال کی کمائی سے یہ کمپنی بنائی تھی اور اس میں غبن، رشوت یا ٹیکس چوری کا پیسہ نہیں تھا اور جس وقت یہ معاملہ ہوا اس وقت وہ عوامی عہدہ بھی نہیں رکھتے تھے۔ اور پاکستان کے رہائشی بھی نہیں تھے کہ یہاں ٹیکس دیتے۔

احمد نورانی چیختے ہی رہ گئے کہ یہ کمپنی اور اکاؤنٹ 2002 سے 2004 اور 2012 سے 2015 کے درمیان موجود تھے جب عمران خان ممبر اسمبلی تھے جبکہ نواز شریف کو جس زمانے میں تنخواہ وصول نہ کرنے پر نا اہل کیا گیا یعنی 2006 سے 2013 تک، اس زمانے میں وہ ممبر اسمبلی نہیں تھے۔ بہرحال احمد نورانی بھی پانامہ اور پنڈورا ٹیم کے ممبر ہیں ان کی بات پر کان نہیں دھرنا چاہیے۔

یہ تو اسحاق ڈار کے فرزند علی ڈار بھی کہہ رہے ہیں کہ وہ پاکستانی رہائشی نہیں تو پاکستانی ٹیکس ادا کرنا ان کا مسئلہ نہیں۔ صاحب یہی موقف حسن اور حسین نواز کا بھی ہے۔ دیکھیں وہ جو مرضی صفائی دیں یا قانونی نکتہ اٹھائیں، ہمیں یقین ہے کہ وہ کرپٹ ہیں کیونکہ وہ عمران خان نہیں۔

اب پنڈورا پیپرز میں دیکھ لیں۔ آصف زرداری کا نام ڈالا نہیں اور کہہ دیا کہ علیم خان، شوکت ترین، مونس الہی، خسرو بختیار، اور فیصل واؤڈا نے آف شور کمپنیاں بنائی ہوئی ہیں۔ اب یہ لوگ لاکھ کہیں کہ آف شور کمپنی بنانا غیر قانونی نہیں بلکہ انہیں ٹیکس کے کاغذوں میں چھپانا غیر قانونی ہے، مگر کون سنتا ہے۔ علیم خان تو بتا بھی رہے ہیں کہ انہوں نے ٹیکس میں ذکر کیا ہے۔

مگر صاحب یہ ظالم میڈیا کہاں ایسی باتوں پر کان دھرتا ہے۔ ابھی پچھلے دنوں ہی میڈیا نے شور مچایا ہوا تھا کہ علیم خان کے سما ٹی وی خریدنے کی پیمرا نے غیر قانونی طور پر منظوری دے دی ہے۔ بی بی سی نے کیسے دھڑلے سے لکھ دیا کہ ”سما ٹی وی کے ذمے کروڑوں کے واجبات باقی ہیں اور پیمرا قوانین 2009 کے مطابق کسی بھی چینل کے سو فیصد شیئرز یا ملکیت کی منتقلی اس وقت تک نہیں ہو سکتی جب تک اس کے تمام واجبات ادا نہیں کر دیے جاتے“ ۔ یہ بھی لکھا کہ ”پیمرا قوانین کے تحت کسی بھی چینل کے سو فیصد شیئرز یا ملکیت اس وقت تک تبدیل نہیں ہو سکتی جب تک اس کے ذمے واجب الادا رقم ادا نہیں کی جاتی“ ۔ بہرحال علیم خان نے کہہ دیا کہ انہوں نے قانونی کام کیا ہے تو تمام دیگر لاہوریوں کی طرح ہم ان کی بات پر یقین کرتے ہیں کہ کیونکہ وہ کبھی غیر قانونی کام کرتے ہوئے پکڑے نہیں گئے۔

خیر مٹی ڈالیں پنڈورا بی بی پر۔ آئیے ولایتی دانش سے لطف اندوز ہوتے ہیں۔ ہمارا تجربہ ہے کہ ولایتی لطیفے ہمیشہ ولایتی کاغذات سے بہتر ہوتے ہیں۔

بتایا جاتا ہے کہ فرانسیسی ماہرین نے پیرس میں ایک سو گز زمین کھودی تو انہیں ایک ہزار برس پرانے تانبے کے کچھ تار ملے اور انہوں نے نتیجہ نکالا کہ قدیم فرانسیسی اتنے زیادہ ترقی یافتہ تھے کہ ہزار برس پہلے پیرس میں ٹیلی فون نیٹ ورک بنایا جا چکا تھا۔ انگریزوں کو یہ خبر ملی تو انہیں نے لندن میں دو سو گز زمین کھود ڈالی اور بیان دیا کہ لندن میں دو ہزار برس قدیم آپٹک فائبر کیبل کے آثار ملے ہیں اور قدیم انگریز اتنے زیادہ ترقی یافتہ تھے کہ وہ آپٹک فائبر استعمال کیا کرتے تھے۔

یہ خبر پا کر آئر لینڈ والوں نے سوچا کہ ہمیں بھی تحقیق کرنی چاہیے۔ انہوں نے ڈبلن میں سو گز زمین کھودی، کچھ نہیں ملا، دو سو گز کھودی کچھ نہیں ملا، پانچ سو گز زمین کھود ڈالی لیکن انہیں کچھ نہیں ملا۔ ان کی حکومت نے اعلان کیا کہ پانچ سو گز زمین کھود کر بھی ڈبلن میں نہ تو تانبے کے تار ملے ہیں اور نہ ہی آپٹک فائبر۔ اس سے صاف ظاہر ہے کہ قدیم آئرش باشندے اتنے زیادہ ترقی یافتہ تھے کہ وہ موبائل فون استعمال کیا کرتے تھے اور وہ لینڈ لائن کے محتاج نہیں تھے۔

تو صاحبو، ان پانامہ اور پنڈورا کاغذات میں آصف زرداری اور پیپلز پارٹی کے کوئی آثار نہیں ملے تو اس سے ثابت ہوتا ہے کہ آصف زرداری پاکستان کے اور پیپلز پارٹی کائنات کے کرپٹ ترین عناصر ہیں کیونکہ وہ کرپشن میں اتنے ماہر ہیں کہ کہ کسی کو خوب کھدائی کر کے بھی ان کی کرپشن کا ثبوت ہی نہیں ملتا۔

https://www.humsub.com.pk/423248/adnan-khan-kakar-1335/

پنڈرو ا پیپرز کے انکشافات پر پاکستانی وزیر اعظم کی ڈھٹائی

 

Author: سید مجاہد علی

وزیر اعظم عمران خان نے پنڈورا پیپرز میں شامل پاکستانی شہریوں کے خلاف تحقیقات کا اعلان کیا ہے۔ انہوں نے انٹرنیشنل کنسورشیم آف انویسٹی گیٹو جرنلسٹس (آئی سی آئی جے) کی تازہ رپورٹ کا خیر مقدم کرتے ہوئے عالمی برادری پر زور دیا کہ وہ اس نانصافی کے خلاف اسی طرح متحد ہوکر کام کرے جس طرح ماحولیاتی آلودگی کے خلاف آواز اٹھائی جاتی ہے۔ دنیا بھر سے اشرافیہ اپنے ملکوں سے دولت لوٹ کر غریبوں کو ان کی بنیادی سہولتوں سے محروم کرنے کا سبب بنتی ہے۔ عمران خان کا کہنا ہے کہ اس کا تدارک ہونا چاہئے۔

متعدد ٹوئٹ پیغامات میں پنڈورا پیپرز میں کئے جانے والے انکشافات پر وزیر اعظم کی یہ تشویش اس وقت زیادہ وزنی محسوس ہوتی اگر ان کا پنا دامن صاف ہوتا اور وہ اپنی کابینہ اور پارٹی کے اعلیٰ مناصب پر فائز لوگوں کا نام ان دستاویز میں آنے پر فوری طور سے ان سے قطع تعلق کا اعلان کرتے ۔ اور وزیر اعظم کے ٹوئٹ کی بجائے ، باقاعدہ حکومتی اعلان سامنے آتا کہ حکومت، پارٹی اور سرکاری عہدوں پر فائز ایسے تمام لوگوں کے خلاف ترجیحی بنیادوں پر تحقیقات کی جائیں گی جن کے نام پنڈورا پیپرز کی دستاویزات میں شامل ہیں۔ اپنے ساتھیوں کا نا م لے کر ان کے خلاف تمام حقائق منظر عام پر لانے کا اعلان کرنے کی بجائے عمران خان اپنا مخصوص سیاسی ہتھکنڈا بروئے کار لاتے ہوئے ، دنیا کے ممالک سے اپیل کررہے ہیں کہ وہ غریبوں کی لوٹی ہوئی دولت کا سراغ لگانے میں مدد کریں۔ کیوں کہ وہ گزشتہ بیس سال سے اس معاملے پر کام کررہے ہیں اور اب اس بارے میں دستاویزی شواہد بھی سامنے آئے ہیں۔

عمران خان نے اپنے سیاسی کیرئیر کی بنیاد ہی مخالفین کی کرپشن کو بنایا تھا۔ وہ الزام تراشی کی سیاست کی وجہ سے ہی اسٹبلشمنٹ کی توجہ حاصل کرنے میں کامیاب ہوئے کیوں کہ اس ملک میں سیاسی عمل کا راستہ روکنے کے لئے روز اول سے سیاست دانوں کی بدعنوانی کو تمام قومی مسائل کی جڑ قرار دیا گیا تھا۔ یکے بعد دیگرے اس ملک پر حکمرانی کرنے والے تمام فوجی جرنیلوں نے اسی قسم کے دعوے کئے تھے جو اس وقت عمران خان کا تکیہ کلام ہیں ۔ پھر وقتی ضرورت کے تحت اپنا اقتدار مستحکم کرنے کے لئے ایسے ہی سیاست دانوں کا سہارا بھی لیا گیا۔ ایسا کرتے ہوئے بدعنوانی اور چوری کے تمام الزامات بھلا کر آمرانہ حکومتوں کا ساتھ دینے والے لوگوں کو اعلیٰ عہدوں سے سرفراز بھی کیا گیا۔

دلچسپ بات یہ ہے کہ گزشتہ ستر برس سے جاری اس بازی گری میں کبھی نظام کو درست کرنے، معاشرے سے بدعنوانی کا چلن ختم کرنے اور سماج سدھار کا کوئی اقدام کرنے کی کبھی ضرورت محسوس نہیں کی گئی۔ یہی وجہ ہے کہ تمام تر نعروں اور دعوؤں کے باوجود پاکستانی نظام اوپر سے نیچے تک کرپٹ ہے۔ کسی سرکاری، نیم سرکاری حتی کہ نجی اداروں سے متعلق معاملات رشوت دیے بغیر طے کروانا ممکن نہیں ہوتا۔ ہر حکومت نظام کی اصلاح کا اعلان کرتی ہے اور بالآخر خود اسی نظام کو اپنے سیاسی فائدے کے لئے مناسب سمجھتے ہوئے اسے گلے لگا لیتی ہے۔ یہ کام اس وقت عمران خان بھی بطور وزیر اعظم کررہے ہیں۔ ایک بدعنوان معاشرے میں ایک ایسی ٹیم کے ساتھ حکمرانی کرنے والا وزیر اعظم نہ جانے کس منہ سے دنیا کو کرپشن سے نمٹنے کا سبق پڑھانا چاہتا ہے جس کے اپنے رفقا میں سے متعدد کے مالی معاملات کے بارے میں شبہات سامنے آتے رہے ہیں ۔ اور اب پنڈورا پیپرز میں بھی اس بات کی تصدیق ہوئی ہے۔ حتی کہ ملک کے وزیر خزانہ کے بارے میں بھی آف شور کمپنیوں کا مالک ہونے کا انکشاف کیا گیا ہے۔ لیکن دیانت دار معاشرہ تعمیر کرنے کا خواب دکھانے والا وزیر اعظم یہ حقائق نظر انداز کرکے کرپشن کے خلاف اپنا سیاسی نعرہ بیچنے میں زیادہ دلچسپی رکھتا ہے۔

اس سے پہلے عالمی صحافیوں کا یہی کنسورشیم 2016 میں پاناما پیپرز کے نام سے بڑی تعداد میں دستاویز ات جاری کرچکا تھا۔ متعدد ممالک میں ان انکشافات کی بنیاد پر ملکی قوانین کے مطابق تحقیقات کی گئیں اور جن لوگوں پر ٹیکس چوری یا منی لانڈرنگ کا الزام ثابت ہوگیا، انہیں قانون کے مطابق سزائیں دی گئیں ۔ تاہم پاکستان وہ واحد ملک ہے جس میں پاناما پیپرز کے انکشافات کو سیاسی مقاصد کے لئے استعمال کیا گیا اور ملک پر حکمران شخص اور جماعت کو بے آبرو کرنے کی بھرپور کوشش کی گئی۔ نواز شریف اور ان کے بچوں کو پاناما پیپرز میں سامنے آنے والی معلومات کو بنیاد بنا کر شدید انتقام کا نشانہ بنایا گیا لیکن انہی دستاویزات میں جن دیگر 300 کے لگ بھگ پاکستانیوں کا نام آیا تھا، اس بارے میں کسی بھی فورم سے کوئی کارروائی سننے میں نہیں آئی۔ جماعت اسلامی کے امیر سراج الحق یہ معاملہ سپریم کورٹ تک بھی لے گئے تھے لیکن ایک ’غیر وصول شدہ‘ تنخواہ کا ٹیکس گوشوارے میں ذکر نہ کرنے پر ملک کے وزیر اعظم کو نااہل قرار دینے والی اعلیٰ ترین عدالت کو بھی اس معاملہ میں زیادہ دلچسپی نہیں تھی۔ حالات کی یہی گھناؤنی تصویر کرپشن کے خلاف تمام دعوؤں اور وعدوں کو باطل کرتی ہے کیوں کہ ملک میں بدعنوانی ختم کرنے کی بجائے اس نعرے کی بنیاد پر ناپسندیدہ عناصر کو سیاسی راستے سے ہٹانا اصل مقصد ہوتا ہے۔ عمران خان اس حکمت عملی سے مفاد اٹھانے والے لیڈر ہیں۔ اسی لئے انہیں بدعنوانی کے خلاف کوئی قابل رشک علامت قرار نہیں دیا جاسکتا۔

عمران خان کی حکومت کو تین برس مکمل ہوچکے ہیں۔ ان تین برسوں میں ان کا ٹارگٹ صرف سیاسی مخالفین رہے ہیں۔ انہوں نے اپوزیشن لیڈروں کی کردار کشی کا بھرپور اہتمام کیا ہے اور اپنی تمام صلاحیتیں اسی مقصد کے لئے صرف کی ہیں۔ وہ اب بھی سیاست دانوں کو این آر او دینے سے انکار کرتے ہیں لیکن دہشت گردوں کو این آر او دینے کے لئے بے چین ہیں۔ وہ بدعنوانی ختم کرنا چاہتے ہیں لیکن اس کا دائرہ نواز شریف سے شروع ہو کرآصف زرداری پر مکمل ہوجاتا ہے۔ سہ سالہ کارکردگی کے طور پر بھی وہ سیاسی مخالفین کی کردارکشی کو ہی اپنی سب سے بڑی کامیابی کے طور پر پیش کرسکتے ہیں، ورنہ معیشت، سفارت اور سلامتی کے امور میں پاکستان کی حالت مسلسل دگرگوں ہے۔ اگر کرپشن کے خلاف عمران خان کا مقدمہ مضبوط اور ارادے نیک ہوتے تو وہ اس تین برسوں میں سیاسی مخالفین کے خلاف زیر سماعت مقدمات پر جلسوں، انٹرویوز اور ٹوئٹ پیغامات میں فیصلے صادر کرنے کی بجائے، ان تمام لوگوں کے خلاف بھی تحقیقات کا اہتمام کرتے جن کے نام نوازشریف کے علاوہ پاناما پیپرز میں شامل تھے۔ تین سو لوگوں کے بارے میں خاموشی اور ایک شخص کے خلاف مہم جوئی کو صرف سیاسی سرکس کہا جائے گا۔ حصول اقتدار کے لئے کی جانے والی یہ کاوش بھی درحقیقت بدعنوانی ہی کی ایک بدترین قسم ہے جس میں ملک کے آئینی انتظام اور تقاضوں کو پس پشت ڈال کر طاقت ور عہدیداروں اور اداروں کو مطمئن و خوش کرنے کی کوشش کی جاتی ہے۔

بدعنوانی کے خلاف نعرہ زن جو حکومت پاناما پیپرز میں شامل تمام لوگوں کی تحقیقات کا ریکارڈ پیش نہ کرسکتی ہو، اس کے سربراہ کا یہ وعدہ کیسے قابل اعتبار ہوسکتا ہے کہ پنڈورا پیپرز میں جن کے نام سامنے آئے ہیں، ان کے خلاف تحقیقات ہوں گی اور قانون شکنی کرنے والوں کو سزا دی جائے گی۔ پاکستان میں عالمی سطح پر ہونے والے ایک اہم اور قابل قدر صحافتی کام کو محض سیاست کی نذر کردیا گیا ہے۔ عمران خان بدعنوانی سے لوٹی ہوئی دولت کو امیر ملکوں سے واپس لانے کی جس جد و جہد کی بات کرتے ہیں، اسے مضبوط کرنے کے لئے تحریک انصاف کی حکومت نے کوئی کام نہیں کیا۔ اس موضوع پر سیاست کرکے البتہ اس کاز کو نقصان پہنچانے کا اہتمام ضرور کیا گیا ہے۔ اب پنڈورا پیپرز سامنے آنے کے بعد بھی عمران خان وہی پرانا ہتھکنڈا اختیار کررہے ہیں۔

آئی سی آئی جے نے پہلے پاناما پیپرز اور اب پنڈروا پیپرز کے ذریعے دراصل اس بنیادی نکتہ کو سیاسی ایجنڈے کا حصہ بنانے کی کوشش کی ہے کہ متعدد ملکوں کے بااثر، دولت مند اور طاقت ور لوگ اپنی دولت کو چھپانے کے لئے آف شور کمپنیوں کا سہارا لیتے ہیں۔ ان کمپنیوں کے ذریعے عوام کو حقیقی مالکان کا پتہ نہیں چلتا لیکن اب صحافتی تحقیقات کے نتیجہ میں ایسے ہزاروں لوگوں کا انکشاف کیا گیا ہے جو ان کمپنیوں کے ذریعے متعدد کاروبار، املاک یا اثاثوں کے مالک ہیں۔ ان دستاویزات سے یہ ثابت نہیں ہوتا کہ ان لوگوں نے واقعی قانون شکنی کی ہے لیکن متعلقہ ممالک کی حکومتیں ان معلومات کی بنیاد پر تحقیقات کرکے یہ اندازہ کرسکتی ہیں کہ کن لوگوں نے ٹیکس چوری کیا، بدعنوانی سے اثاثے بنائے یا وہ منی لانڈرنگ میں ملوث رہے۔ البتہ یہ کام صرف اسی صورت میں ممکن ہے اگر کسی ملک کا نظام ٹھوس قانونی بنیاد پر استوار ہو اور بدعنوانی سیاسی خواہش کے لئے نعرے کے طور پر استعمال نہ کی جاتی ہو۔

آئی سی آئی جے نے پنڈروا پیپرز کے تحت ایک کروڑ 19 لاکھ 3 ہزار 707 دستاویزات شائع کی ہیں۔ ان میں 29 ہزار کمپنیوں کے حقیقی مالکان کا سراغ لگایا گیا ہے۔ دنیا کے 117 ملکوں کی 120 میڈیا کمپنیوں کے 600 صحافیوں نے دو سال تک یہ معلومات جمع کرنے کے لئے کام کیا ہے۔ ان میں 90 ملکوں کے 300 سیاست دان شامل ہیں۔ اس کے علاوہ ہر شعبہ زندگی سے تعلق رکھنے والے لوگ ایسی خفیہ کمپنیاں بناتے ہیں جنہیں ٹیکس میں سہولت دینے والے ملکوں کی کمپنیاں معمولی معاوضے پر یہ خدمات فراہم کرتی ہیں۔ پنڈورا پیپرز میں جو نام نمایاں ہیں ان میں اردن کے شاہ عبداللہ دوئم، یوکرائن ، کینیا اور ایکواڈور کے صدور اور چیکیہ کے وزیر اعظم شامل ہیں۔ پاکستان کے 700 جبکہ ناروے کے 300 لوگوں کے نام اس فہرست میں موجود ہیں۔ تاہم آف شور کمپنیاں بنانے والوں میں روسی شہری سر فہرست ہیں۔ حالیہ انکشافات کے مطابق ان کی تعداد 4437 ہے۔ اس کے بعد برطانیہ، ارجنٹائین، چین اور برازیل کے نام آتے ہیں۔

تحقیقاتی رپورٹ تیار کرنے والے انٹرنیشنل کنسورشیم آف انویسٹی گیٹو جرنلسٹس کا خیال ہے کہ آف شور کمپنیوں کے ذریعے دنیا کے مختلف ممالک سے 6 سے 32 کھرب ڈالر کو چھپایا گیا ہے۔ عالمی مالیاتی فنڈ کا خیال ہے کہ اس طریقہ سے ہر سال دولت مند لوگ مختلف ممالک سے 600 ارب ڈالر ٹیکس خرد برد کرنے کا سبب بنتے ہیں۔ یہ تحقیقات اس عالمی تحریک کا حصہ ہیں جس کے تحت ٹیکس چوری، منی لانڈرنگ اور بدعنوانی کے خاتمہ کے لئے کام کیا جارہا ہے۔ اس اہم کام میں ہاتھ بٹانے کے لئے تمام ممالک کو دولت چھپانے کے رجحان کے خلاف قوانین بہتر بنانے ہوں گے اور قانون شکنی کرنے والے تمام عناصر کے خلاف مؤثر کارروائی کرنا ہوگی۔

https://www.humsub.com.pk/423184/syed-mujahid-ali-1924/

آف شور کمپنیوں کے شور میں دبتا غریب عوام کا شور

ثروت رضوی

کہتے ہیں کہ کسی بھی آزاد ریاست میں سانس لینے والے ذی روح کا یہ بنیادی حق ہے کہ اسے ریاستی اور بین الریاستی معاملات سے مکمل آگاہی حاصل ہوتی رہے۔ اس وضاحت کی روشنی میں اگر دیکھا جائے تو آج کل ہمارے ملک کا میڈیا اپنی ذمے داریاں بخیر و خوبی نا صرف نبھا رہا ہے بلکہ عوام الناس چاہے یا نہ چاہے انھیں زبردستی میڈیا کی منشا کے مطابق خبریں دیکھنے اور سننے کو ملتی رہتی ہیں۔ ایسا ماضی میں تو ہوتا ہی رہا ہے تاہم اگر ہم حال کی بات کریں تو پچھلے چند روز سے خبروں میں پنڈورا پیپرز کی دھوم تھی۔

ہر دوسرے چینل پر خبروں میں پنڈورا پیپرز کے حوالے سے خبریں نشر کی جا رہی تھیں تو دوسری جانب تمام ٹاک شوز کا موضوع بھی یہ ہی پنڈورا پیپرز تھے۔ ایسے میں میڈیا جیسے یہ بھول ہی بیٹھا کہ ملک کے حالات اس وقت حقیقتاً نازک دور سے گزر رہے ہیں، ملک میں غربت اور افلاس کس حد تک بڑھ چکا ہے۔ صبح سے پنڈورا پیپرز کی آمد کا انتظار ایسے کیا جا رہا تھا جیسے دنیا میں اس سے اہم کوئی اور بات ہے ہی نہیں۔ ہر جانب راوی چین ہی چین تو لکھ رہا ہے، پیٹرول کی قیمت عوام کی قوت خرید سے مطابقت رکھ رہی ہے، مہنگائی کا جن غریب آدمی نے اپنی مٹھی میں کر لیا ہے، ملک میں نہ چوری ہے نہ ہی ڈاکا زنی، ایسے میں تو یقیناً پنڈورا پیپرز کا انتظار بنتا ہی ہے تاکہ بلیٹن اور حالات حاضرہ کے پروگرامز کا پیٹ بھرنے کو خاطر خواہ مواد تو مل سکے۔

لیکن جناب یہ سب باتیں محض فسانہ ہی تو ہیں حقیقت تو اس کے یکسر برعکس ہے۔ ملک میں اس وقت مہنگائی اپنی بلند ترین سطح پر پہنچی ہوئی ہے، پیٹرول کی قیمت میں اضٓفہ ایک معمول کی بات بن چکی ہے لاگ حکومتی کارکردگی سے حد درجہ نالاں نظر آتے ہیں ایسے میں جہاں ایک آدمی کو اشیائے خورد و نوش کی قیمتوں میں اضافے کی فکر بے حال کیے ہوئے ہے وہاں بھلا کسے دلچسپی ہو سکتی ہے پنڈورا پیپرز میں۔ لیکن ہمارا معصوم میڈیا اسے عوام سے زیادہ خواس کی فکر نے ہلکان کر رکھا ہے تو شاید انھیں کو خوش کرنے کے لیے سب مل کے لگے تھے پنڈورا باکس کھولنے میں۔ یہ ہی نہیں بعضی جگہوں پر تو باقاعدہ کا ؤنٹ ڈاؤن بھی دیے جا رہے تھے کہ پنڈورا پیپرز کا راز فاش ہونے میں اتنے گھنٹے اتنے منٹ باقی ہیں جیسے کہ پنڈورا باکس نہ ہو گیا سال نو ہو گیا جس کا لوگوں کو شدت سے انتظار ہو گا۔

اگر اس صورتحال کا حقیقت پسندی سے جائزہ لیا جائے تو یہ سوال بھی ذہین میں آتا ہے کہ کتنے فیصد عوام ہیں جو یہ جانتے ہیں کہ پنڈورا پیپرز ہے کس بلا کا نام اور آف شور کمپنیز بنانے کا مقصد کیا ہوتا ہے۔ یہاں ہم مختصراً ً اپنے جیسے کچھ نہ جاننے والے قارئین کی معلومات میں اضافہ کرتے چلیں کہ پنڈورا پیپرز اصل میں چودہ آف شور کمپنیوں کی فائلز پر مشتمل رپورٹ ہے جو دنیا بھر کے میڈیا کے ساتھ شیئر کی گئی ہے تاکہ اس ملک کے لوگ اپنے لوگوں کے اثاثوں کے بارے میں واقفیت حاصل کرسکیں۔

پنڈورا پیپرز میں یوں تو دنیا بھر کے مشہور لوگوں کی آف شور کمپنیوں کے بارے میں بتایا گیا ہے تاہم ہمارے ملک میں آف شور کمپنیوں کی تاریخ کے باعث پنڈورا پیپرز کی اہمیت دیگر ممالک سے کہیں زیادہ سمجھی گئی ہے۔ یہاں ایک بات کی وضاحت مزید اہم ہے کہ آف شور کمپنی کا کسی کے نام پہ ہونے کا مطلب ہرگز یہ نہیں کہ وہ شخص کسی جرم کا مرتکب ہی ہوا ہے۔ آف شور کمپنیوں کا ہونا کسی شخص کو مجرم ثابت نہیں کرتا اور یہ کمپنیاں قانونی طور پر اپنا مقام بھی رکھتی ہیں تاہم ہمارے سیاستدانوں کے پس منظر کو دیکھتے ہوئے یہ گمان غالب آتا ہے کہ جس کی آف شور کمپنی ہوگی اس نے یقیناً اپنی رقم چھپانے کے لیے ہی بنائی ہوگی جو مکمل طور پر صحیح۔

اس حوالے سے وزیر اعظم عمران خان نے پہلے ہی عوام کو آگاہ کر دیا تھا کہ جرم میں ملوث ہر شخص کے خلاف قانونی چارہ جوئی کی جائے۔ ایسے میں شو مئی قسمت کے خود عمران خان صاحب کی پارٹی کے کئی اراکین پنڈورا پیپرز کے مطابق آف شور کمپنیوں اور کئی ملین ڈالر پر مشتمل ٹرسٹ کے مالک نکلے۔ ایسے میں حکومت کی جانب کئی سوال اٹھے جن کا دفاع کرتے ہوئے وزیر اعظم صاحب نے فوری طور پر تحقیقاتی کمیٹی تشکیل دے ڈالی۔ اس صورتحال میں حکومت مخالف ارکان اس پنڈورا باکس کو تابوت کی آخری کیل سے تشبیہ دیتے بھی نظر آئے تاہم یہ بھی ایک حقیقت ہے کہ وزیر اعظم کی کابینہ کے اراکین کے ملوث ہونے کی خبر اتنا وزن ہر گز نہیں رکھتی کہ پوری حکومت ہی کو ہڑپ کر جائے۔

جناب ابھی اور پر خطر اور دشوار گزار راستے آنے ہیں دھیرج رکھیں اور امید کا دامن نہ چھوڑیں۔ پنڈورا پیپرز کی بارہ مصالحے کی چاٹ میں فواد چوہدری کے ٹویٹس نے اور بھی ذائقہ پیدا کیا۔ جنید صفدر کی آف شور کمپنیاں ہیں یا نہیں ہیں یہ بات اب کافی حد تک واضح ہو چکی ہے تاہم عوام کی نگاہوں میں سوال اب بھی باقی ہیں۔

پنڈورا پیپرز کے حوالے سے میڈیا کی دلچسپی کا یہ عالم تھا کہ اپنے تو اپنے پرایوں کی آف شور کمپنیوں کی خبر بریکنگ کی طرح چلائی گئی۔ گلوکارہ شکیرا سے لے کر ولادی میر پیوٹن تک سب ہی خوب رگڑا دیا گیا۔ یہاں یہ امر قابل ذکر ہے کہ ای پنڈورا پیپرز کے حوالے سے غیر ملکی میڈیا کی دلچسپی کا عالم یہ تھا کہ وہاں ایک آدھ خبر سے زیادہ کچھ چلایا ہی گیا جبکہ ہمارے ہاں تو دیوانگی کا عالم نہ پوچھیے والا معاملہ دکھائی دیا۔

ایسے میں بس یہ ہی سوال ذہین میں اٹھتا ہے کہ ہم اور ہمارا نیوز میڈیا اس حد تک بے حس ہوچکے ہیں کہ ان کو عوام کا دکھ درد نہ نظر آتا ہے نہ وہ کسی اور تک یہ خبر پہنچایا چاہتے ہیں۔ ان کے لیے اہم ہے تو بس سرکاری خبروں کی نشر و اشاعت باقی سب محج بلیٹن کا پیٹ بھرنے خانہ پری ہے؟ لمحہ فکریہ ہے یہ ہم سب کے لیے کہ من حیث القوم ہم کہاں جا رہے ہیں اور کیا کر رہے ہیں جس کا ردعمل آنے والے وقتوں میں دیکھنے کو مل سکتا ہے

https://www.humsub.com.pk/423392/sarwat-rizvi-14/

Breeding Grounds For Terrorists: Analyst To UN On Pak, Afghan Madrasas

"Leverage that must be used to prevent the loss of another generation of young Afghans to Madrassa-bred radicalism," UN Human Rights Session Anne Heckendorff said.

A research analyst at the European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) has expressed concern over religious schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan becoming breeding grounds for terrorists.In her virtual speech at the 48th session of UN Human Rights Session Anne Heckendorff said, "It is well-known that the menace of terrorism in South Asia has largely grown out of religious schools, the so-called Madrassas. These schools that often times instill a distorted, ultra-conservative interpretation of Islam still flourish uninhibitedly in Pakistan and Afghanistan".

"The Taliban and the dreaded Haqqani network were born from such Madrassas in Pakistan. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and other terrorist organisations continue operating such terror factories in Pakistan under the protection of the country's powerful intelligence agency," she said.

In Pakistan and Afghanistan, there are numerous illegal "madrasas'' or religious schools which force the youth towards "jihad''. They teach them hatred against other religions and motivate them towards gun culture.

"The International Community must not be appeased with the Taliban's false promises of education. What is schooling worth, if instead of raising a workforce capable of leading their country onto a path of peace and development, creates foot soldiers indoctrinated into a worldview defined by misogyny and hatred?," Ms Heckendorff told UNHRC.

"The lack of economic independence of the Taliban and their patron State next door has a silver lining: it gives leverage to the international community. Leverage that must be used to prevent the loss of another generation of young Afghans to Madrassa-bred radicalism", she said in her speech.

The research analyst concluded by saying, "Placing conditions on diplomatic and economic engagement to ensure human rights-conform education, without which the right to development can hardly be realized, is the most meaningful investment we can make in Afghanistan's future".

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/madrasas-in-pakistan-afghanistan-becoming-breeding-grounds-for-terrorists-says-research-analyst-to-un-2563482

The PPP will form a government in the centre and all the provinces – Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

The Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that if fair and transparent elections are held then the PPP will form governments in the centre and all the four provinces. The people of Kashmir have sent this message to the entire Pakistan in recently held elections in Kashmir.

Chairman PPP said this while addressing a huge public rally in Charhoi, Kotli Azad Kashmir in connection with the by-election scheduled for 10 October where the PPP candidate is Chaudhry Amir Yasin. Chairman Bilawal said that this puppet government in Azad Kashmir is busy in conspiracies against PPP so it has initiated a false case against Chaudhry Amir Yasin and he is languishing in jail. He said that the jiyalas are competing in two by elections against this puppet government. He said that these jiyalas have won wars against dictators and this puppet does not stand a chance against jiyalas. The Jiyalas will defeat the puppets once again.

Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that he has travelled by road all over Sindh and south Punjab and has witnessed that the jiyalas are ready to defeat these puppets and fulfil the mission of Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. We will provide relief to the growers, labourers and students. We will give them relief from poverty, unemployment and price-hike. There is only PPP which can provide relief to the people of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.

Chairman PPP said that this PTI government is anti-people and anti-poor. This government presided over the sacking of 16000 employees. These employments were provided to the people by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. This government made 10 thousand employees of Pakistan Steel Mills Karachi unemployed. This is a government which is enemy of the people. This government came to power by making false promises to the people of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. Where are 10 million jobs and 5 million houses, he asked. We have to hold this puppet government accountable. The next Prime minister and chief ministers of all four provinces will be jiyalas, Chairman PPP said.

https://www.ppp.org.pk/pr/25571/

Music Video - Raqs zanjeeR Pehan kaR bhi - Zarqa 1969 - Mehdi Hassan

لاپتہ افراد کے لواحقین کے لئیے جیل اور جرمانوں کا قانون

Pakistan-TTP Talks: A Bleak Future – OpEd

By Nilesh Kunwar

The Past

In April 2017, Ehsanullah Ehsan, a senior spokesperson of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan [TTP] who subsequently joined its breakaway faction Jamaat-ul-Ahrar [JuA] supposedly, ‘surrendered’ to Pakistan army. It was a great moment for Rawalpindi and the then Director General [DG] of Pakistan army’s media wing Inter Services Public Relations [ISPR] Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor proudly announced how “The state is re-establishing its writ,” adding that “No element can challenge the state if the state has the will to weed out dangerous elements.” He also said that “There can be no bigger achievement for Pakistan than the fact that our biggest enemies are now realising the error of their ways and are turning themselves in,” a unquestionable assertion that even Rawalpindi’s staunchest detractors had to accept. However, with JuA insisting that Ehsan had not surrendered but had been captured by Pakistan army’s spy agency Inter Services Intelligence [ISI] from Paktika province of Afghanistan, ISPR’s claim lost much of its sheen. But this didn’t bother Rawalpindi as the former TTP spokesperson’s ‘confession’ was music to its ears. Alleging that spy agencies of India [Research and Analysis Wing or RAW]and Afghanistan [National directorate of Security or NDS] were using TTP to orchestrate terrorist activities in Pakistan, he went to the extent of claiming that “They [RAW and NDS] supported [TTP], extending financial assistance and they also gave targets, and for each attack (TTP) charged a price.”

But more on this later.

While Islamabad made a massive hue and cry demanding action against New Delhi, accusing it of inciting terrorism, the international community’s response to Ehsan’s assertions was guarded- and there were good reasons for this.

Firstly, it’s common knowledge that once a person is in custody of security agencies, he can be compelled to say whatever his captors demand, and the extremely controversial ‘arrest’ of former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav a year earlier was still fresh in peoples’ mind. Secondly, before commenting on espionage and terror related issues, every nation corroborates claims being made a ‘surrendered’ terrorist with inputs from other more credible sources, and needless to say, except for Pakistan, no other country has accused New Delhi of patronising terrorist groups. Au contraire, the whole world is well aware of how Pakistan army believes in ‘good’ Taliban and uses it to wage proxy wars against its neighbours.If Ehsan’s ‘surrender’ was enigmatic, then equally mysterious was his subsequent ‘escape’ alongwith his entire family three years later, despite being under Pakistan army’s watch. It’s here that Rawalpindi’s link with terrorist groups became all the more apparent. Jadhav, who was allegedly ‘captured’ by Pakistan in March 2016, was charge-sheeted, tried and sentenced to death by a military court in just 13 months. However, despite being in the army’s custody for 34 months, leave alone being tried, Ehsan wasn’t even charge-sheeted for the several acts of violence against Pakistani nationals for which he as spokesperson of TTP [and later JuA] had taken responsibility. This raises suspicions of Rawalpindi protecting the former TTP spokesperson. In December 2017, a parent whose son was amongst the 149 killed in the 2014 Army Public School Peshawar terrorist attack approached Peshawar High Court [PHC] to prevent clemency being granted to Ehsan by Government of Pakistan. The fact that PHC took cognisance of this appeal and directed that Ehsan shouldn’t be released without a trial confirms that the petitioner’s plea had merit and wasn’t frivolous. So, retaining the former TTP spokesperson in military custody right from the time he surrendered [or was apprehended], and not charge-sheeting him for nearly three years is a clear indication that Rawalpindi never intended to bring Ehsan to book and this lurking suspicion is unambiguously confirmed by his mysterious escape.

The Present

With Pakistan ‘owned’ Taliban replacing the Ashraf Ghani government and no Indian presence in Afghanistan, TTP, which as per Islamabad was being manipulated by RAW and NDS should have shrivelled due to lack of patronage. However, after the regime change in Kabul, TTP seems to have become more aggressive and this rubbishes Islamabad’s claims backed by shady people like Eshan of TTP being New Delhi’s creation for “whipping up terrorism” in Pakistan. Furthermore, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s disclosure that Islamabad had initiated a “reconciliation process,” by commencing talks with TTP clearly indicates that this group is the product of ‘home grown’ terrorism in Pakistan.

In a country where the army and not the legislature calls the shots, it’s hard to believe that Rawalpindi would allow Islamabad to start these negotiations for many reasons. Firstly, it mocks the army’s claim that Pakistan “trusts that the Taliban will keep their promises and take effective measures to ensure TTP does not operate against any country from Afghan soil.” Secondly, it contradicts Pakistan army’s bold claim that “No element can challenge the state if the state has the will to weed out dangerous elements.” Lastly, even though Khan has tried to defend his army’s reputation by saying that “I am anti-military solution, and as a politician, I believe political dialogue is the way ahead,” the fact of the matter is that talks with TTP is tantamount to admission that Pakistan army is incapable in ridding Pakistan of this menace!

The Future

Though one wishes that Islamabad can convince TTP to eschew violence, but the prospects don’t appear to be very bright, and once again the fault lies within as political parties in Pakistan have generously promoted radicalism just to garner votes. However, it was Rawalpindi that actually institutionalised radicalism in Pakistan- former President and ex-army chief Gen Pervez Musharraf has himself admitted that “We poisoned Pakistani civil society for 10 years when we fought the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 1980s. It was ‘jihad’ and we brought in militants from all over the world, with the West and Pakistan together in the lead role.”

So, in reality, TTP isn’t an Indian proxy but a group of radicalised Pakistanis, “poisoned” by the military into believing that terrorism is ‘jihad’. Accordingly, for Khan to expect that TTP story to have a happy ending – they will lay down arms and in return “we [will] forgive them and they [will] become normal citizens,” is a tall order and a typical case of over-optimism. In 2014, Khan’s predecessor Nawaz Sharif too had entered into talks with TTP and instead of usher-in peace, it led to ‘Operation Zarb-e-Azb’ in which 490 army men were killed and nearly 2,000 injured.

Ultimately, it seems that former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s prophetic words “You can’t keep snakes in your backyard and expect them only to bite your neighbours. You know, eventually those snakes are going to turn on whoever has them in the backyard,” have come back to haunt both Islamabad and Rawalpindi!

Tailpiece: On September 30, Capt Sikander of Pakistan army was killed in a gunfight with TTP terrorists in Tank area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He was only 27 years old. One can only empathise with the grieving kith and kin of the unfortunate ones like Capt Sikandar who are being killed by the very terrorists with whom Islamabad is not only currently negotiating but also considering to grant amnesty!

https://www.eurasiareview.com/04102021-pakistan-ttp-talks-a-bleak-future-oped/

#Pakistan - What gives the PM the right to forgive TTP? - Appeasing butchers

@UsamaKhilji

By Usama Khilji

 

THE prime minister in a TV interview has said that the government is trying to negotiate a peace deal with the TTP wherein they will lay down arms and become “normal citizens”. He has also called recent TTP attacks on Pakistani soldiers “just a spate of attacks”.Clearly, the life of Pakistani citizens is not worth much to the PM who has continued to advocate for negotiations with terrorist groups — Pakistani or Afghan Taliban. Some Pakistani militant groups have offered ceasefire, but their crimes must never be forgiven by the state.

Where are the anti-terrorism laws? What are the anti-terror courts doing? What happened to the victory of the military in former Fata where terrorists were said to be defeated and millions were displaced for this purpose (they became internally displaced persons).

Terrorism wreaked havoc in Pakistan for nearly a decade, killing over 80,000 Pakistani civilians, policemen, soldiers, and children. What gives the PM the right to forgive butchers so easily?

What gives the PM the right to forgive TTP?

Pakistan has a strict set of dedicated anti-terrorism laws, an anti-terrorism force, and anti-terrorism courts. Why are these not being used to try terrorists in courts of law? Why are criminals, murderers, extortionists, arsonists, brainwashers of children, and enemies of the people not being tried by the criminal justice system?

Forgiving the TTP sets the wrong precedent. It sends out the message that those who commit crimes against the state and its citizens can be forgiven. Then what’s stopping others from taking up arms against the state and its citizens? Will the same gratuitous amnesty also be extended to other groups opposing the state? Will at least peaceful movements be allowed to function or will elected MNAs such as Ali Wazir who lost 17 family members to TTP attacks continue to be imprisoned for their speeches while murderers and butchers are allowed to roam free?

More importantly, who will guarantee peace and security to citizens once those who believe in violence to achieve their aims are allowed to roam free?

Pakistan’s supposed strategic considerations for supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan and the constant push by the current government for recognition and working with the Afghan Taliban is concerning, especially considering the known links they have with the TTP. Several TTP prisoners in Afghanistan have been freed in the past month, and this has coincided with strengthening of their rank and file in Waziristan and other newly merged districts of KP. This is demonstrated by the rise in attacks on Pakistan’s soldiers and policemen in the region, as well as the resumption of extortion by Taliban groups in South Waziristan where they are reportedly charging a percentage of contract money from contractors, traders, transporters, etc.

The withdrawal of imperialist American and Nato forces in Afghanistan must not mean support for extremist political militants that want to impose their interpretation of religion on all citizens, as is already being seen in Afghanistan with restrictions on girls’ education and ban on shaving by men in some areas. Before such ideologies that violate basic rights of citizens gain further ground here, the state must play its role to maintain its writ.

There needs to be justice for the murderers of the 144 children and adults killed in Army Public School, Peshawar. There needs to be justice for Malala Yousafzai who was shot in the head for speaking up for her right to go to school, and continues to be in hours-long surgeries to fix the damage those bullets caused her when she was a child. There needs to be justice for the widows and children of police personnel and soldiers who gave up their lives fighting terrorists.

There needs to be justice for Aitzaz Hasan who restrained a suicide bomber from attacking his school and lost his life while doing so. There needs to be justice for the shoppers killed while shopping for Eid, lawyers killed while fighting in courts, politicians killed while campaigning such as from the Bilour and Bhutto families, and countless political workers who were killed only for exercising their political rights. The religious minorities who were killed while worshipping deserve justice and safety. The Turi tribe in Kurram, the Salarzais of Bajaur, the Bangash of Orakzai fought successfully to keep the Taliban out of their areas. Their sacrifices need to be respected; these are the Pakhtuns worth celebrating, not the Haqqanis who indulged in militancy.

Militants deserve to be arrested, tried in court, and punished for committing crimes against the state and its citizens. The prime minister must respect the law of the land and the wounds of its citizens when solving the terrorism problem. Rule of law must be a fundamental part of any political solution to end militancy, rather than seeing only two extremes of military operations or surrender as viable options.