Mr. Zardari, Enough With Your Shenanigans!
Written by: Adnan Gill
Since he reluctantly [pun intended] but surely became co-chairperson of PPP, following are some of his most prominent escapades.
Promises the nation and signs umpteen agreements, only to dishonor or break all of them. For example, his so-called promise to reverse 17th amendment and the Muree declaration. How anyone can still trust what he says or does is a million dollar question!
He made Pakistan the laughing stock when — during a Presidential visit to the US — he told Sarah Palin, “You are even more gorgeous than you are on the [inaudible].” It’s like he wasn’t finished with thoroughly embarrassing himself, so he shoots from the hip again, “If he’s insisting, I might hug.” Watch out America a president is on the prowl!
His apologists declared Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry retired, politicized and irrelevant. Only to reinstate CJ after getting a bloody nose!
With a nod and a wink tells the Punjab governor to enact the Governor’s rule. Only to eat his words, later on!
Hobnobs and proudly poses for photos with habitual Pakistan bashers like Indian PM Singh and the Afghan President Karzai. Assures Indians of the aesthetical value of the Pakistani nukes. Terms deliberate IAF violations of the Pakistani airspace, accidents. Assures Pakistanis, they were never threatened nor should fear India. However, his man Rehman Malik claims otherwise. I guess dismemberment of East Pakistan in 1971 is a pigment of our imagination!
I could bite my tongue over everything he said, did or blessed, but the latest absurdity of dividing Punjab tops them all. I cannot bite my tongue anymore over his quest to divide Punjab. Some may question, how could I be so sure that he has anything to do with this absurdity?
To answer, we wouldn’t have to go too far back in time. Remember, on September 4, 2008; in a Washington Post Op-Ed Mr. Zardari said, “Pakistani politics has always been a struggle between democratic forces around the country and an elite oligarchy, located exclusively in a region stretching between Lahore and Rawalpindi-Islamabad.” Obviously, he had been grinding the axe for a while.
Mr. Zardari could you kindly enlighten us how many of the following elite oligarchs were from the exclusive region stretching between Lahore and Rawalpindi-Islamabad: Liaquat Ali Khan, Iskander Mirza, Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Zia-ul-Haq, Muhammad Khan Junejo, Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif, Pervez Musharraf, Rafiq Tarar, Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Shaukat Aziz, Yousaf Raza Gillani, or yourself: Asif Ali Zardari? Out of the fifteen, Nawaz Sharif is the only oligarch who belongs to the region you castigated. On the other hand, I can count three oligarchs from your family alone. Does that mean we should divide Sindh too? I am sure your ally MQM wouldn’t mind a province for Urdu speaking Pakistanis.
Mr. Zardari, I hail from Southern Punjab; district Bhawalpur to be specific, and I vehemently reject any idea of dividing Punjab. Let me be absolutely clear, British strategy of ‘divide and conquer’ is not going to work anymore! It’s also going to backfire on you like your other gimmicks. The sooner you realize it, the better off all of us will be. The last thing this nation needs is another crisis deepening the divisions even further.
Whether you have anything to do with this shenanigan or not, as a president, please tell the nation, this is not the time to raise issues that could only harm the unity of our nation. Unity is already a scarce commodity these days like food, security, electricity, jobs, faith, and discipline.
Please leave Quaid’s Pakistan as be. Just because you have replaced Jinnah’s picture with Billawal’s in the presidency doesn’t mean rest of the nation has forgotten him too.
Mr. Adnan Gill, resides in the United States. He received degrees in Political Science and Computer Information Systems. His Political Science studies focused on Internal Relations and Strategic Studies.
He frequently writes articles in national and international news media. His articles had been published in various international news and research publications including Defence Journal, Nuclear Policy Research Institute, and Nuclear Control Institute.
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Comments
I totally agree with Ayesha!!!! Everyone remember December 27, 2007 the Darkest, Gloomy and Dreariness Day when our Greatest Sister, World Class Leader and a Real Hope of Democracy for Pakistan Mohterma Shaheed Benazir Bhutto was assassinated and not only Pakistan but the whole world was in bereavement. And then on the very next day December 28, 2007 on Mohterma Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s burial which again was a dismal situation in Pakistan, Zardari chanted a slogan PAKISTAN KHUPPY, PAKISTAN KHUPPY which proved to be watering and defusing the out of control situation in Pakistan. We all know that he never made any deal with the Dictator and spent 11 years of his valuable time behind the bars. He was the one who used his political wisdom and been able remove a symbol of hatred Pervaiz Musharaf. Then he invited the Parliament to eliminate 58-2b and change 17th Amendment accordingly in his first Presidential Speech. He was the one who called All Parties Conference on FATA situation and called in house camera session as well. He was the one who welcomed the Judiciary decision when they released Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan and faced all the international pressure and criticism. He was the one who made some Historical Visits to Chaina, Dubai, Iran and Afghanistan for the poor people of Pakistan. We knew the Mr. Hakim Ali Zardari had a major operation in England but Mr. President prayed to GOD for his health and completed his China’s visit. We also knew that Mian Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan never put Pakistan on their first priority and visited England (to see his son) and America (for his Dinner). Listen Asif Ali Zardari is and will remain the “MARD-E-HURR” and be able to complete the Mission of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohterma Benazir Bhutto.
Ayesha’s statement that “The allegation that Quaid’s portrait has been removed and replaced by that of Mr. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is totally baseless and untrue.” is totally wrong. Following news was reported in 27th June 2009:
The portraits of Founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnah have been removed from the Prime Minister House and Presidential House, Geo News revealed Saturday.
Two days ago, President Asif Ali Zardari hosted a reception in the honour of national cricket team on winning the ICC Twenty20 World Cup title. On this occasion, the team players and officials had a group photo with President Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.
There are pictures of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal Zardari Bhutto and President Zardari without any picture of founder of Pakistan are seen hung in the backdrop of photo.
Similarly, an Internship Award ceremony was held with PM Gilani in chair on Friday. On this occasion, the stage was decorated with the pictures of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, President Zardari and PM Gilani; however, there was no picture of Quaid-e-Azam.
In a similar photograph, President Zardari was administering oath of Federal Mohtasib to Dr Shoaib Suddle; however, the backdrop flashed with a picture of Quaid-e-Awam sans any photo of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnah.
Similarly, in a meeting with US delegation, no photograph of Muhammed Ali Jinnah was visible.
Under law, to hang the portrait of Quaid-e-Azam at offices of government officials, President and Prime Minister is compulsory.
The only thing clear in this plethora of absurd compilation is deep-rooted venom against the persona of the President. This is NOT repeat NOT a new thing. In fact this is continuation of the same insidious campaign that started from ZAB times and continued during Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s era.
Now President Asif Ali Zardari is being subjected to the same venom by remnants of anti-people forces. Starting from ZAB to BB Shaheed and the President their only obvious fault is that they work for the people of Pakistan. SZAB dared to give voice to the down-trodden people of Pakistan and had to face gallows. BB Shaheed repeated the same ‘mistake’ and her voice was silenced by those who feared her most as she was the one who endeavoured to bring modernity to the country, to save Pakistan from the shackles of extremist forces. And now the wrath is directed towards the President who inherited the legacy of SZAB and Shaheed BB. The answer to the points raised by the author is:
• President has never broken any promise made to the nation. Whether it is 17th amendment issue or any other issue
• It is unfortunate that Courtesies and pleasantries are twisted to malign someone’s good repute by few among us.
• If memory serves any purpose, we have not seen any leader who has ever refused to see/meet the dignitaries of any other state. Difference of opinions is always there but you can not and should not break with anyone. This is the difference between political leaders and the autocrats.
• What the President said in his article needs not to be twisted and his whole article must be re-read by the author to get the real meanings of what he said
• President Asif Ali Zardari, in a message to the Punjab Assembly (PA), has categorically said that he is against any kind of division of Punjab, and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will not let any such conspiracy foster
• The allegation that Quaid’s portrait has been removed and replaced by that of Mr. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is totally baseless and untrue.