This war is our war

With the latest developments on the suicide bombings front, Pakistan seems to be dogged by an incident a day atleast. The last few days, we have been discussing with various people the security issues, the Taliban issue, the Al-Qaeda issue… and one of the gentlemen on my breakfast show made a very interesting statement. Pakistanis still see this as America’s war on terror without realizing that this is really our war too. This is our war. We can sit and debate ad nauseum about the history and where it all started but the fact of the matter is that today Pakistan has elements that are very definitely doing nothing but trying to wreak havoc and the time is now to make serious moves against these militants. Yes tough decisions will have to be taken, but when tough decisions are taken … will we be supportive?

 

Party Manifestos

WOW… I was quite surprised. The MQM have always instilled fear in most people’s hearts because of their terror tactics used in the dark years of Karachi’s history. Those of you who lived in Karachi in 1995 will probably remember that era as one that we hope to never ever see again. Was a time when it was never guaranteed that when you left your home…that you would come back again. I am NOT exaggerating. Violent times… during the tenure of BB interestingly enough.

Today we had Dr. Farooq Sattar as our guest and I wasn’t sure what to expect. But the person we met today was a far cry from the murderous reputation the party carries. Don’t get me wrong….. these guys know how to get rough if the need arises. Having said that they have been working hard at trying to make themselves a national party as opposed to a provincial one representing just one section of society. I was impressed with how he did answer some of our direct questions. We asked him would the MQM be willing to reinstate the judiciary if they were voted in the next parliament. He went on record to say YES… and that was a point the party disagreed with the President. We asked him about education and the reforms they planned…. again he came back with an answer that showed obviously these are issues that the party have been discussing and have solid plans to implement them. Now its our job , as the civil society that with each of our politicians…note the promises they make and when they come into parliament THEN mobilize ourselves into ensuring they follow through on their words… I also asked him would the MQM be willing to take on the military and ensure that army does not interfere in the politics of the country again… Again he said yes…. but all the political parties need to be in agreement. Trouble arises when the politicians themselves call on the millitary to benefit themselves…. again THIS is where the civil society really needs to be watchful and not allow our politicians to do this to us anymore. WE are responsible for allowing the politicians to bring Pakistan to where it is today and now is the time to get ready for serious accountability actions. There is a great prayer that I would like to share with you with regards to the nation : Lord give us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to know the difference.

 

hmmm….

Today was a show I truly enjoyed doing. We had Sheikh Rasheed on as our guest and he always makes for good fun television… On a more serious note it was also interesting to have a political analyst Mr. Shahid Ameen on the show. We talked about the latest US intelligence reports on Iran’s nuclear program and its contradictions with the Bush Administration’s claims… we also talked about the current situation in Pakistan and it was interesting to hear him concede that yes…the emergency imposed on the country has been instrumental in quelling the violence in the NWFP. “you can’t have a state within a state”

Its such a shame that when the Emergency was imposed everyone came out and made a big thing about it instead of understanding why it was being imposed and why it was necessary at the time to stabilize the country. Unfortunately the present govt also reacted to all the civil reactions and a bad situation became worse. Hopefully now that the situation is the NWFP is returning back to normal….Emergency will be lifted by the 16th as promised by the President and we all get back on track. So why the Emergency? because the MMA were not giving the army a green signal to go in and operate functionally to be able to quell the insurgencies….

I hope some lessons will be learned from this episode…first as a society we need to stop being so reactionary and first try to understand the situation and react as and when needed. If we hit the code RED button at everything…. there will come a time when like the CRy wolf story…civil society will stop responding as the feeling will be “har baat pay drama’

Also the govt… present or future need to stop relying solely on the military. I know there are factions in the NWFP *(have to stop saying Northern Areas as that is a different region and is not the area we are talking about ) who are not at all interested in democracy but that is where on the ground action with people to people contact needs to happen and to educate the people…empower them, build up our rural areas to give everyone a decent means of income, and i believe the people will flourish and not be misled by the sort who are hell bent on their own agendas…..

 

World disability day

Today I met Sarmad Tariq. He is an inspiration. He is a motivational speaker, a life coach…. a fab zest for life and all this while in a wheelchair. He certainly does not want to be credited as a disabled person but to be treated normally and be in mainstream society but it was interesting meeting and talking with him and finding out about attitudes of people towards the disabled. Simple things like how when we see someone in a wheelchair people tend to try not to make eye contact…. as if the person did not exist…probably their own embarrasment at their inability to handle the situation . Very inspirational.

Politics seem kind of cold these days. Politicians still trying to figure out if they should boycott the elections which doesn’t make sense to me… 16th December the emergency will be lifted according to President Musharraf. The Swat situation seems to be more or less back under control thank God.  Apparently international agencies will be monitoring the elections to ensure transparency and fairness….so why the drama??? sigh…. we just love to scream foul before even playing the game…. and these are from seasoned politicians…. when will the maturity finally happen????

 

Take a step back… take a deep breath

ah Mondays are always tough… Its getting started in one’s work week after lazing for two days if you’re lucky to have the weekend off…

Today  on Breakfast At Dawn we had Hasan Askari… a senior political analyst and we were discussing the visit of John Negraponte to Pakistan and what it means for us… a very interesting discussion no doubt but something he said really struck me…

The situation in Swat is worsening day by day… we have a bit of a war going on in our North West Frontier Province.  Now a new flashpoint has erupted with the sectarian violence that has started up in Parichinar. With so much trouble up there Askari pointed out that the govt needs to have the stability to focus on handling that problem.  But with the confrontational stance that everyone is taking… Benazir won’t talk to Musharraf… Musharraf locking everyone up… everyone bashing Musharraf with or without the uniform. In fact even Askari pointed out that even if the govt does take a valid step our automatic response is to bash it because that is our first reaction. Lack of confidence in the govt has become habitual whether justified or not. My personal opinion is I sincerely hope Mush sees sense and lifts the emergency asap and that the politicians put Pakistan first for a change and work together rather than confrotational tactics with each other to bring stability back into the country.

 

For those of you who were alarmed by Newsweek cover of Pakistan as the most dangerous country…

I was browsing some other blogs and added Pak Tea House to my blog roll… thought you may be interested in what’s written there… and pasting another article I found on his blog…. but also pasting the link so you can see the source directly for yourself. For those of you who read the Newsweek article… there is my case in point about media responsibility… Its not just Geo or ARY …its global… anyway…here is another perspective from the BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7090632.stm

 

How to take a holiday in Pakistan

 

By Hugh Sykes BBC News, Pakistan

Suicide bombs, battles in tribal areas, and states of emergency tend to put off casual tourists. But the impression such events convey can often be misleading and unrepresentative of a country as a whole.

A few days ago I was sitting in a cafe sipping best Italian espresso and reading a news magazine.

The front page was full of furious faces and clenched fists under the headline, The Most Dangerous Nation in the World isn’t Iraq, it’s Pakistan.

Hugh Sykes journey took him to the Chitral Valley in north west Pakistan

The cafe was in a smart bookshop in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.

I sighed and turned to the article inside.

It was a revealing analysis of some penetration of a few places in Pakistan by the Taleban and al-Qaeda.

I pondered the magnifying-glass effect of dramatic news coverage.

The suicide bomb attack on Benazir Bhutto’s homecoming parade in Karachi in October, which killed an estimated 140 people, and the assault on a Taleban pocket in the Swat valley, a tourist destination, took place while I was in Pakistan.

But neither event had a noticeable effect on the general sense of security and stability where I was in Islamabad or on the road.

The notion that Pakistan is more dangerous than Iraq is absurd.

Until recently suicide bombs, murder, and kidnapping were routine in Iraq.

And there is no way I would do there what I have just done in Pakistan: take a holiday.

Never alone

I hired a car in Islamabad and headed out onto the partially completed M2 motorway that will eventually connect Lahore (near the Indian border) with Peshawar (the last city on the road to the Khyber Pass and Afghanistan).

But motorways are boring, so I left the M2 and re-joined the ancient Grand Trunk Road, which links most of the main towns of northern Pakistan.

FOREIGN OFFICE TRAVEL ADVICE   We advise against all travel to areas where there are reports of military or militant activity… We advise against all but essential travel to Quetta (Balochistan) and… against using the rail network or bus services in the whole of Balochistan There is a high threat from terrorism and sectarian violence throughout Pakistan… You should avoid any demonstrations or large gatherings of people Full FCO advice for Pakistan

For much of the route it is lined with eucalyptus trees, their almost-autumn leaves and silvery bark shining in the clear October sun as I drove along.

Driving in Pakistan is fast and sometimes chaotic, but not competitive.

They even hoot politely. And one great danger at home you hardly ever have to contend with in Pakistan is drunk drivers and people with concentration blurred by hangovers.

My destinations were Chitral, an isolated valley in the far-north-west on the Afghan border and Gilgit, close to China and Tajikistan.

The round-trip was more than 1,200 miles (nearly 2,000km) and included mountain passes almost half as high as Everest.

And although I was driving alone, I was hardly ever on my own.

There is public transport but not a lot. So, people walk long distances along these high stony roads and if a car passes, they hold out a hand hoping for a lift.

Twelve-year-old Kashif, one of Hugh Sykes’ companions on his road trip

One morning, 12-year-old Kashif sat with me for a while.

He had been expecting to walk for more than an hour to the nearest town, to buy a new pair of shoes.

He showed me the pair he was wearing. The right shoe’s upper was half split away from the sole.

Kashif spoke almost perfect English, good enough to warn me as we turned a tight bend, “Be careful, uncle, road badly damaged round next corner from earthquake.”

Earthquake damage from 2005, still unrepaired.

I spent the night at a hotel next to the old fort at Mastuj, near the snowy Hindu Kush peak Tirich Mir which is 7,690m high (25,200 feet).

The hotel consists of small timber and stone cabins set in a wood of walnut trees and poplars and a plane tree reputed to be 200 years old.

I woke to autumn colours every bit as wondrous as anything I have seen in Kew Gardens or New England.

My next hitch-hiking companion was Mohammed, an English Literature student at Peshawar University.

“So you study Shakespeare?” I asked.

Mohammed, an English Literature student at Peshawar University

“Yes, and Wordsworth.”

And John Donne, I wondered?

“Ah, John Donne,” he raptured.

“John Donne… the poetry of love.”

I do not know any Donne by heart but when I attempted Shakespeare’s Seven Ages of Man from As You Like It, Mohammed completed every line as we bumped along the dusty road.

Parts of Pakistan are deeply conservative, devoutly Muslim places, and I was not signalled for lifts by many women.

But there were some.

A mother and grandmother, sitting in the back, their heads covered but not their faces and one-year-old Anis and his father Samir in the front with me.

He protested when I took a photograph of the two women but they did not object and posed happily as they waited for the flash.

When I delivered them to the Gilgit hospital where the little boy had an appointment with a heart specialist, his father was so pleased and grateful he gave me a bear hug, and a massive smile that erased his earlier stern objections to taking a picture.

I gave lifts to more than 20 people, learned how to say “no problem” in Urdu (Koi Batnahi), and had to hold back tears when two children said thank you for their lift and offered me money to help pay for the petrol.

From Our Own Correspondent was broadcast on Saturday 10 November, 2007 at 1130 GMT on BBC Radio 4. Please check the programme schedules for World Service transmission times.

 

Pasted from a question asked on my facebook….

Ayeshah asks:
we all believe in freedom of speech, press… do you think the media has handled the freedom they did experience in Pakistan before the imposition of Emergency responsibly?

Sajid Ghafoor:

I think in some cases they went over board

Ali Raza:why dont we as a nation have patience to see things evolve….

Ambreen Haider:…the world is demanding of pakistan what some consider dreadful, myself included. why cant ouor media be as composed and pleasant as BBC? we try to be.. fox news and sky news! ’nuff said.Ambreen Haider:on top of that the media got freedom the press has nevver experienced in the country’s history. if it was responsible, it would present the pros and cons alike, which it did not. the world sees the emotional drama the media has to portray, based on which. Ambreen Haider:media is supposed to be factual, and unbiased. i feel some of the media did tend to get a bit carried away with the hullaballoo when there was none. they made it an emotional campaign instead. remember all the blood and limbs at each bomb over the years? Ankur Tewari:A film maker is always as good as his last film. A politician as good as his last action. I think the media has conveniently forgotten the good the man in the uniform has done for the nation. It might not seem so but he has always put nation before self..

 

Freedom of the press in Pakistan

hmm… a lot of brouhaha being made about Geo and Ary being off the air waves in Pakistan. Don’t get me wrong.. I am all for freedom of speech…but when you’re in a postition where people take your word as the gospel truth… a lot of thought needs to go in to what you say before you say it… Take for example one scenario

Geo starts to run a ticker… RUMOURS that Gen Pervez Musharraf is under house arrest. Next thing you know the markets panic, stocks plunge, investors panic, want to pull out….and you start a domino effect of even more crisis and turmoil in an already sensitive country. Politicians showing their pull on the streets which makes things look even worse… and we go on and on…

as journalists…its our job to report FACTS, not sensationalize with speculations… its also our job to look at ALL the FACTS. The media has not been very responsible in this aspect and needs to learn from its past mistakes. Having said that the press should be given its freedom…. and hopefully it will be a maturer media that grows from strength to strength

 

back to work

ah…finally got back to the BAD show…. that’s our inside joke for Breakfast At Dawn… I had taken 10 days off … one week was legal as i had a flu and couldn’t speak… and considering its a morning talk show, lack of voice meant I was redundant! By the time I was up on my feet was feeling kind of burn out and sorry for myself for my lack of a life with sleeping by 10 p.m to wake up at 4 a.m to be at work by 5:30 am…. do I hear violins anywhere? hmm… didn’t think so… oh well back to the grind… still feeling burnt out but taking a short break again soon which will be nice.

Felt good to be back at work and in the thick of things. Felt great to be talking to my colleagues and discussing journalists and their protests. I played the Devil’s Advocate (;)) and basically asked if perhaps the media had not acted responsibly at some points and did go overboard and therefore can we honestly blame the govt for clamping down on the media. Mubasshir Zaidi gave a fantastic response.. I was so proud of him ..I wanted to hug him… very rightly he said the govt has its own state channel…use that… get your spin doctors and tell the country your side of the story… our job is to report what is happening on the ground…

Problem is no one takes the state channels seriously because its known for its stance… with the result that ppl are generally watching the private channels for news updates and they only get that point of view… not the other side… is that fair too I ask?? how do you feel?? anyone out there reading?

Well time to take a cat nap so i can deal with my kids when they get home. later!