Woe is Pakistan! The tragedy of the floods is still unfolding, as if in slow motion. Last week, we had the horrendous lynching in Sialkot. Now cricket, Pakistan's national sport, is in the news for all the wrong reasons.
Video footage of money being counted, and the over and ball number when the no-balls will be delivered being described, with further replay from the actual matches showing precisely those balls being no-balls, makes one want to throw up. Even the commentators wonder about the no-balls, asking whether it is inexperience and at one point saying how there have been a few no-balls. It is like an adulterer being caught with his pants down and in a pose that is a lot more than merely preparatory, as they say in legal jargon.
Although there is widespread anger in Pakistan and here, it isn't tinged with surprise. Many have suspected the integrity of Pakistani cricket for a while. We have been here before; the Qayyum report into the last betting scandal cast a shadow over Pakistani cricket in general and certain players in particular.
In cyberspace, people have asked whether there is any wonder about the corrupt state of Pakistani cricket when the head of the state, Zardari, himself is made of the same corrupt material. After all, Pakistan's cricketing management is stuffed with Zardari's cronies.
Tuesday, August 31
Tuesday, August 24
Not another coup
The 'London Wala' as he is contemptuously called by opponents who do not want to utter his name, or the one from London, MQM leader Altaf Hussain, has called for a military coup in Pakistan. All the reasons he cited, such as corruption and medieval feudalism, are real, if endemic, problems in Pakistan. Yet his call is simply wrong and mischievous.
As Pakistan's history shows, the military is a part of the problem.
If one ongoing ill defines the legacy of the first military dictator, Ayub Khan, it is corruption. His family did handsomely and has been in politics ever since. The next one, Yahya Khan, known for his debauchery, presided over the dismemberment of Pakistan. Then came Zia, who, though less corrupt, introduced the poison of extremism and the Kalashnikov culture.
Finally came Musharraf, who, also hanging out in London these days, laid the ground of the current anarchy in the country.
Yet all these dictators co-opted civilian politicians. Military dictators do not operate in a vacuum. Even Z.A.Bhutto was a Minister in Ayub's government.
Zardari least of all deserves to be President; but the solution is not a coup. At present, the sole focus should be on dealing with the floods. Once the emergency is over, Parliament can assert itself.
As Pakistan's history shows, the military is a part of the problem.
If one ongoing ill defines the legacy of the first military dictator, Ayub Khan, it is corruption. His family did handsomely and has been in politics ever since. The next one, Yahya Khan, known for his debauchery, presided over the dismemberment of Pakistan. Then came Zia, who, though less corrupt, introduced the poison of extremism and the Kalashnikov culture.
Finally came Musharraf, who, also hanging out in London these days, laid the ground of the current anarchy in the country.
Yet all these dictators co-opted civilian politicians. Military dictators do not operate in a vacuum. Even Z.A.Bhutto was a Minister in Ayub's government.
Zardari least of all deserves to be President; but the solution is not a coup. At present, the sole focus should be on dealing with the floods. Once the emergency is over, Parliament can assert itself.
Saturday, August 21
Brutality in Sialkot
In the midst of the worst flooding in its history, that has visited untold suffering on millions of people, another heart wrenching story came out of Pakistan yesterday. The brutal lynching of two brothers in Sialkot has shocked people in Pakistan and beyond. Video footage of the incident makes ones hairs stand on end. The brothers are clubbed to death and then when dead, are strung up. Chilling video of the brutality is easily available on YouTube.
At first, it was suggested that the brothers were 'dacoits'; today there are reports that this incident, which should prompt national soul searching, was over nothing more than cricket. Witnesses who know the family of the victims testify that the family are highly respected and shareef. One of the brothers was also a hafiz. Whatever the matter, no one deserves this.
It is simply beyond comprehension as to why this brutality could take place in the presence of so many people and effectively supervised by the police. When crimes take place in the darkness of the night, it is possible to shrug our shoulders and bemoan the state of society. But what can we say when a whole city, the city of Iqbal and Faiz, turns out as a spectator of such brutality?
At first, it was suggested that the brothers were 'dacoits'; today there are reports that this incident, which should prompt national soul searching, was over nothing more than cricket. Witnesses who know the family of the victims testify that the family are highly respected and shareef. One of the brothers was also a hafiz. Whatever the matter, no one deserves this.
It is simply beyond comprehension as to why this brutality could take place in the presence of so many people and effectively supervised by the police. When crimes take place in the darkness of the night, it is possible to shrug our shoulders and bemoan the state of society. But what can we say when a whole city, the city of Iqbal and Faiz, turns out as a spectator of such brutality?
Sunday, August 8
The shoe
Throwing shoes at someone is particularly resonant in Asia and the Middle East as a form of insulting those who are deemed to be immoral. So it was with the shoe that was hurled at Zardari. Even if we ignore the corruption, palatial buildings and chateaus, which is a massive concession, it is still the case that Zardari should, at a time of unprecedented flooding in Pakistan, be there helping the people. In the bits of the speech which I caught on PTV, he referred to the floods as 'aani-jaani', as things that come and go. Tell that to the hundreds of thousands of people who have lost their humble homes. They will struggle for decades. It seems Zardari either doesn't understand or care about the gravity of the floods. Of course, should the country drown, he can always retire to his chateau or central London flat.
According to reports by the independent ARY TV (which I understand is now being harassed by the Pakistani government for revealing the shoe affair), the shoe thrower was an 'old man with a white beard'. I salute the old man with the white beard. His symbolic act has expressed the sentiments of millions of Pakistanis.
According to reports by the independent ARY TV (which I understand is now being harassed by the Pakistani government for revealing the shoe affair), the shoe thrower was an 'old man with a white beard'. I salute the old man with the white beard. His symbolic act has expressed the sentiments of millions of Pakistanis.
Wednesday, August 4
Pakistan 'People’s Party'
A stomach-churning event is billed to take place in Birmingham on Saturday. Bilawal ‘Bhutto’ Zardari (the middle name was hastily added following the assassination of his mother), will assume political duties, now that he has graduated. I say stomach-churning because the very idea of dynastic politics, where an aristocratic leader class is groomed in Platonic fashion, is against the spirit of democracy. Add to that the fact that Bilawal, who has spent most of his time outside Pakistan, has very little in common with the Pakistani masses. Even now he will spend most of his time in Dubai.
The event is being promoted as a chance for Bilawal’s father, Mr Ten Per cent, to meet with British Pakistanis. In reality the audience will be composed of die-hard People’s Party supporters. I have yet to come across a British Pakistani who does not add an expletive when uttering the president’s name. No doubt sycophants will be on hand at the event to drown the president in praise. Flattery is commonplace in Pakistani politics, but it is particularly pronounced in the ‘People’s Party.’ That accounts for the fact that several not-so-able people have been given ministerial portfolios by the federal government.
But the flatterers will be plain wrong. This is the most corrupt politician Pakistan has ever had – and that is saying something, because corruption has been endemic in Pakistan for decades. For example, initially he denied ownership of the 335-acre Rockwood House in Surrey, reportedly bought for 4 million pounds. According to the Telegraph, he proclaimed: “How can anyone think of buying a mansion in England when people in Pakistan don’t even have a roof over their heads?” The Telegraphs adds: “It was only after the house had been sold and the Pakistani authorities tried to seize some of the money that he acknowledged his ownership.”
Zardari is a far cry from the patrician Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who, by instinct an autocrat, at least possessed tremendous charisma, leadership qualities and intellect. Pakistan would possibly be a better place now if Bhutto possessed these qualities without an equally strong hunger for power.
Both father and son should be in Pakistan, meeting the millions of victims of the floods.
The event is being promoted as a chance for Bilawal’s father, Mr Ten Per cent, to meet with British Pakistanis. In reality the audience will be composed of die-hard People’s Party supporters. I have yet to come across a British Pakistani who does not add an expletive when uttering the president’s name. No doubt sycophants will be on hand at the event to drown the president in praise. Flattery is commonplace in Pakistani politics, but it is particularly pronounced in the ‘People’s Party.’ That accounts for the fact that several not-so-able people have been given ministerial portfolios by the federal government.
But the flatterers will be plain wrong. This is the most corrupt politician Pakistan has ever had – and that is saying something, because corruption has been endemic in Pakistan for decades. For example, initially he denied ownership of the 335-acre Rockwood House in Surrey, reportedly bought for 4 million pounds. According to the Telegraph, he proclaimed: “How can anyone think of buying a mansion in England when people in Pakistan don’t even have a roof over their heads?” The Telegraphs adds: “It was only after the house had been sold and the Pakistani authorities tried to seize some of the money that he acknowledged his ownership.”
Zardari is a far cry from the patrician Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who, by instinct an autocrat, at least possessed tremendous charisma, leadership qualities and intellect. Pakistan would possibly be a better place now if Bhutto possessed these qualities without an equally strong hunger for power.
Both father and son should be in Pakistan, meeting the millions of victims of the floods.
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