Articles of the year 2010

The incompetence of the PPP government is growing more dangerous by the day. For the Zardari coterie to thumb its nose at the scams being discovered on a daily basis, and granting pardons to those convicted by the Supreme Court, no less, is setting a high standard of contempt for the judiciary.

In every sphere, financial scams or the outright allowing of Dasti to be re-elected from his MNA seat from which he had earlier resigned (for submitting a bogus degree) is a slap in the face of the judiciary, as it shows that the politicians are determined to prove their point i.e. that they consider the 'will of the people' to be superior to the law of the land. This is a very dangerous line of thought, as the members of Parliament would have no check upon themselves.

In the press, today, it was reported that the motorcade of the Vice President of China was very nearly rammed by an ex-MNA who broke the police cordon protecting the route. This could have had very serious consequences for our bilateral ties, especially China being our only friend in the world. Nobody would have believed that the security breach was that of a power crazed ex-lawmaker who probably still believes that he has the God-given right to flout the law. I would request the Prime Minister to make an example of this man for the ramifications of the incident, are so very frightening that one cannot imagine the aftermath.

Has our country been led into a path of blatant thuggery where might can prevail over the law. Even in darkest Africa, the honored guest of a foreign country is protected.

Perhaps, the Chief Justice could take suo motu notice of the incident otherwise, it is such behavior that would call for martial law and the rum-bling's are already in the air. This is not democracy but a handful of people who are crazed by power and nowhere except a few African nations can have persons running amok in this manner.

Every institution in Pakistan has been stripped to its bare structure, and the politician has his way, without recourse to any semblance of order or law.

An article titled Pakistan: Time for the United States to Choose, written by Thomas Houlahan, published in an American newspaper The Hill maintained: "The notion of Pakistan's government disciplining anyone involved is a pipe dream. Decision makers in Pakistan are all cronies of President and ruling Pakistan People's Party boss Asif Ali Zardari. When anyone other than the government tries to bring his cronies to book, the government resists or Zardari issues presidential pardons.

"The US government should not be fooled by predictable PPP cries of political victimization. The people of Pakistan are being victimized by their government, and this is why the judiciary has been forced to assert itself. Our government should make it clear that the Zardari government will find no backing, or even sympathy, for attacks on Pakistan's judiciary."

It is evidently clear that the American people and the government are well aware of the ground reality in Pakistan. The US will not pander to these excesses of corruption and will certainly not fund them. The Kerry-Lugar funds have still not been released, and the US government is going to ensure that these funds are watched very carefully. They have no intention of having a new Kerry-Lugar account in Switzerland.

What is also shocking is the attack and destruction of a NATO convoy of 32 trucks on their way to Kabul with a loss of five lives. This happened at Tarnol, a scant 12 miles from Islamabad. It also goes to show the ineffective and inept performance of the Ministry of Interior. When corruption is coupled with incompetence then Pakistan is in deep trouble. This regime was born courtesy, and is sustained by the US. Surely, as the Americans are also hurting - not as badly as us, but the pain is palpable.

It is time for Nawaz Sharif to wake up, and take the reins of the country for Pakistan cannot take the strain much longer. For there will be nothing left.