Articles of the year 2015
Published on July 10th 2015
It is indeed a pity that the Pakistani people can be so shabbily treated by our own leaders. The latest example of Zaid Hamid being arrested in Saudi Arabia by their police is shameful to all Pakistanis. Our foreign office has remained shockingly quiet. Now we appeal to the COAS Gen.Raheel Shareef that he must send a message directly to the King of Saudi Arabia that Zaid must be released immediately and returned to Pakistan.
It is quite obvious that Nawaz Sharif has no intention or courage to take any steps that may influence his considerable financial commitments in KSA, as was evident in the last Saudi/Yemen conflict. Luckily for Nawaz Sharif he was bailed out by the National Assembly. This time the COAS must take a firm position, and not allow the Saudis to imprison a Pakistani violating all international and humanitarian principles. This is a direct insult, and an affront to Pakistan, and shall not be tolerated by the citizens of Pakistan. If need be the National Assembly and the PM house and the Saudi Embassy should be faced with a massive sit in by civil society in a show of solidarity for Zaid. And against the behaviour of the Saudis.
I understand that there are 900 Pakistanis languishing in Saudi jails. The Pakistani foreign office should also be gheraoed for their incompetent behaviour, and their unwillingness to stand up to these barbarians. The Pakistani officials consider themselves a breed apart and consider other Pakistanis as trash, which does not help with Saudi officials. For too long have we suffered under the yoke of our own officialdom. Our politicians are of no help, in fact they maintain the two nation creed of the ‘elite’ and the rest. Being one of the rest I can relate to the substrata of the apartheid days. Our lives in Pakistan are no different. We belong to the ‘rest’, but we must claim the rights that are being denied us. So of the 900 prisoners there are many women and their children, and their chances of gaining their rights is minimal at best. So the educated citizens fighting for their rights should also fight for these unfortunates. They must be brought home. Where are our champions of Human rights like Ansar Burney and the bleeding heart Asma Jehangir. These people should be outside the Saudi Embassy- agitating for a Pakistani citizen.
For too long have we allowed our Embassies to treat us citizens like dirt. Our Ambassador should be recalled, immediately for causing insult to the people of Pakistan. We Pakistanis offered to Defend the Saudis against an attack on their soil by the Yemenis, or anybody else for that matter. This behaviour by the Saudis will cast a serious doubt in any future relationship with the Saudis, and the people of Pakistan, and will lead to the reassessment of our ties. Whether the Foreign office acts or not, we the people of Pakistan will not tolerate such treatment, and will approach the Embassy directly, for necessary action.
Gen. Raheel has done a fantastic job in the Northern areas, while the politicians were busy in talking to the Taliban, the General got on with it, and got the job done. Similarly he has cleared out some of the nests of terrorists in Karachi, and hundreds of them have been arrested. Most are connected to political parties, but that has not deterred the Army, and the cleanup continues.
This matter of the Saudis is also terrorism, and cannot be permitted. Our civilian government is proving to be incompetent and inept. Again it should be the Gen to make the call, as our politicians are already compromised when it comes to the Saudis.
If a crime has been committed then Zaid has rights to a fair trial, and he should be extended these rights, and allowed legal assistance. Zaid is a Pakistani citizen, and the Pakistani government should own this responsibility, and do its duty, instead of hiding behind their diplomatic status. This is their primary job. The protection of our citizens in the KSA. The entire Embassy staff should be recalled, and charged with dereliction of duty.