Deja vous

Mian Saab’s role during the judges’ restoration movement was commendable . However, he owes Rs. 3.5 m to this nation and an unconditional apology, for receiving this money

December 18, 2011 Lahore; Jan 22, 2012 Rawalpindi; Jan 29, 2012 Multan; Al-Jehad, Al-Jehad slogans reverberated through the tightly packed enclosures while the speakers directed their inflammatory rhetoric on the ‘enemies of Islam’ hatching conspiracies against Muslims. An umbrella group of 44 right-wing entities and personalities jointly known as the ‘Difaa-e-Pakistan Council’ (Pakistan Defense Council)held  rallies in  three major cities of the Punjab province, strongly suggesting that the security establishment is again lashing together militant forces in pursuit of narrow electoral, political, and institutional interests.

Activists of the religious outfits freely distributed posters, CD’s, pamphlets and other hate material, spreading sectarian hatred and urging Jehad.  In Rawalpindi, all this was being done at a distance of less than one kilometer from the General Headquarters (GHQ).The military is completely oblivious of the grave danger this amalgam of sorts poses to the state and the society.

Fiery speeches delivered on the occasion centered on withdrawing Pakistan from the war on terror, revamping ties with the US while reasserting Islamic Pakistani nationalism, an anti-India stance focusing on the Kashmir issue and the water disputes, and finally rejecting the MFN status to India. The primary objective appeared to be giving a strong impression to the external world that the army is under tremendous pressure at home to do what the US wants.

The main speakers included Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, Ejaz-ul-Haq, Molvi Sami-ul-Haq, Molvi Munawar Hassan, Generals Aslam Beg and Hamid Gul, and Hafiz Mohammad Saeed of Jamaat-ud-Dawa; all with strong links to the security establishment.
While all the above was being done to primarily manipulate an external front, the same has been done many a times in the history of this country to maneuver the internal front; ‘creating entities’ for manipulation.

One such example from the past is that of an artificially created alliance  whose case remained dormant for many years until recently the Supreme  Court took notice of it and  finally fixed the Asghar Khan Case which was pending hearing since 1996. February 29, 2012 has been fixed as the date of hearing.

It all started when in 1994, the then Minister of Interior in the Benazir cabinet, Mr Naseerullah Babar disclosed on the floor of the house that the ISI had disbursed Rs. 140 million to purchase politicians and some public figures to create, Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI), manipulate the election results and bring defeat to the PPP.

In was in 1990, when the General turned intellectual turned politician Mirza Aslam Beg(then COAS) directed the General turned TV analyst turned visionary Asad Durrani(then DG ISI)to dole out rupee 140 million, extracted from Mr. Younas Habib of the Mahran bank to various individuals as bribe. The money was deposited in the Survey Section 202 account of Military Intelligence, then headed by Major General Javed Ashraf Qazi. From there, Rs. 6 crore paid to President Ghulam Ishaq Khan’s election cellmates (Lt General Syed Refaqat, Roedad Khan, and Ijlal Haider Zaidi) and Rs 8 crore  transferred to the ISI account. Later the then ISI Chief General Asad Durrani submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court confirming the allegations.

The payments were made through Lt. Col Mir Akbar Ali Khan of HQ 313 Survey, Rawalpindi.

Some of the prominent beneficiaries who received the state owned black money included Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif.

Although Mian Saab was created and nurtured by a military dictator yet Mian Saab transformed himself into a genuine and seasoned politician.

Mian Saab’s role during the judges’ restoration movement was commendable and his conduct, largely based on principled politics, since his return from exile, was widely appreciated.

However, Mian Saab owes Rs. 3.5 million to this nation and an unconditional apology, for receiving this money.

Ms Abida Hussain, the multimillionaire feudal lady and turncoat par excellence from Jhang, ex- Pakistan ambassador to the US, quite articulate and impressive, caught stealing electricity, running stud farms in her home district received 1 million through the intelligence outfit. This was public money which belonged to the people of this country.

Mr. Altaf Hassan Qureshi, of Urdu digest fame, the great journalist cum sage, who wrote the serial mashraqi Pakistan say mohabbat ka zamzam beh raha hai at a time when full- fledged insurgency, was sweeping through Mashraqi Pakistan.

The red & white proponent of Islamic Renaissance received Rs. 0.5 million.

Two great champions of Islam with prominent beards Mohammad Salahuddin of Takbeer and Mustafa Sadiq of daily Wafaq received Rs. 0.3 and Rs. 3.3 million each maal-e haram as maal-e-halal.

Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi the principled politician from Sindh anointed as the care taker Prime Minister by Mirza Aslam Beg in 1990 received the principle sum of 0.5 million.

Abdul Hafeez Peerzada, the constitutionalist extraordinaire, eloquent speaker and defender of democracy, rule of law and due process of law, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s trusted friend obtained Rs. 3 million to undermine the PPP, his parent party and the one  headed by his  mentor's  daughter, Benazir Bhutto.

It was shocking to read Mohammad Khan Junejo’s name in the list of recipients. The gentleman widely respected for his performance as PrimeMinister and his defiance of Zia-ul-Haq got Rs. 2.5 million. Whom else can we trust in this land of the pure?

Pir Sahab Pagara, the spiritual leader of Muhammad Khan Junejo did not let his disciple down by receiving the same amount i.e. Rs. 2.5 million.

The Pir Sahib used to get indications from the GHQ and would try to present them in a comic way acting like a clown. To enhance his level of entertainment he finally decided to amuse the general staff by dancing on various tunes of the brass band.

Mir Afzal Khan, the 16th Chief Minister of the then NWFP, received Rs. 10 million, in the service of democracy and his own.

Lt. General Syed Rafaqat, who informed Begum Zia that her husband was recalled by almighty Allah as he was very dear to Him, received Rs. 5.6 and Rs. 5 million for the media.

And then there are Jam’s, Shah’s, Jamali’s, Marri’s, Arbab’s, and Chaudhary’s  who received their share of the money squeezed from the poor people of this country to play mysteries at the behest of the powers that be.

While all this goes on in the holy land, manipulation of the external as well as the internal front by the security establishment continues unabated.