Pakistan Forum

Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan - A National Hero

Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan is considered father of the nuclear bomb in Pakistan. Is he really?

Nuclear programs are not something which you can start and finish in a couple of years particularly when you have to develop the required technology and all related things by yourself. It takes long planning and work to get the results. Pakistan's nuclear program was started in Ayub Khan's time and continued during Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's era, much before the arrival of Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan from Holland. Then we saw the results in 1998. It was not only Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan but the hard work of many Pakistani scientists working before him who were very professional and stayed quite about the nuclear program of the country. They were not political minded like Dr. Khan who wanted political benefits out of his employment. Those scientist were honest and loyal to their country and their work and kept the secrets of the program. While Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan had some political motives and he was promoted by Zia ul Haq. It is said he used to have blank check for all the expenses.

His illicit behavior in selling and exporting the nuclear knowledge or technology is well known to the whole world now. To gain some political mileage out his house arrest and all those other things including to take some revenge from Pervez Musharraf he gave a statement that his earlier confession of his illicit activities was not correct. That is his character.

Did the world believe him when they already have the proof of his activities.

It is said on many occasions that Dr. Khan stole the secrets from the laboratory in Holland where he was working before coming to Pakistan. It was not the professional knowledge which a scientist gain over the period of time in any given field. Recently, I saw an article written by veteran columnist Ardeshir Cowasjee about Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan (link is below). He mentioned about the Dutch Ambassador delivered a subpoena to Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1983 charging Dr. Khan with nuclear espionage.

What ever Dr. Khan did or tried to do during the last few months who got the benefit out of that. Clearly the enemies and the people who have anti-Pakistan agenda.

Can you call Dr. Khan a loyal citizen of Pakistan when his personal agenda has a higher priority then his country.

What you would say about the politicians who support Dr. Khan and take his side?

Benazir Bhutto when she was in self imposed exile she visited the US once and stated over there that if she came into power in Pakistan she will hand over Dr. Khan to American authorities to investigate and determine the affect of his activities on North Korea and Iran or any other country to whom he may have supplied nuclear knowledge.

Did Benazir really wanted to do that?
or she was pleasing her masters in the US?
Is Mr. Zardari going to hand over Dr. Khan to the US now?
Can he do that without the blessings of the Army Chief, in other words before President Musharraf nod his head?

What are your thoughts on this issue. Feel free to write.

Ardeshir Cowasjee has written a couple of other things in his article about Dr. Khan on how he captured a psychiatric hospital.  A similar story I read in Jang (Urdu) newspaper a couple of years ago. That was related to capturing a school and its land and then trying to transfer it to his name. I wish I have the reference to that news to supplement what Adeshir Cowasjee said in his column.

Read Ardeshir Cowasjee's article and let me know your thoughts. This article was published in the daily Dawn of Pakistan of July 27, 2008.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani's Visit to America

Why he is going there?
What he is going to get?

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is going to the US to seek political support. During this visit, the US Administration is going to deliver some key policy messages to him.

America's main concern is inability of Pakistan's government to curtail terrorist activities in the border areas with Afghanistan and Taliban’s use of tribal areas as safe heaven.

While Pervez Musharaf's policies were very clear on this issue, the new government has not been able to devise a coherent policy to deal with this issue. Americans are going to tell Mr. Gilani about their dissatisfaction in stern words. In fact, they have already told Pakistan on many occasions.

Pakistani diplomatic sources are saying that Americans have told them that Pervez Musharraf issue will not be discussed. Pakistanis are giving the impression, as if America is going to unload Musharraf. I believe these types of statements are for local consumption. My interpretation is that America is fed up with Sharif and Zardari’s anti-Musharraf politics. America is going to tell Zardari and Sharif that America means business.

Pakistan government has been lobbying for some time to persuade Washington to drop its support for Musharraf. Mr. Hussain Haqani has been instrumental in these efforts since his only credentials for being Pakistan’s Ambassador in the US are that he is staunch anti-Musharraf.

America was instrumental in drafting the NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance 2007) and bringing Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif back into the mainstream politics. Probably America was thinking that way Pakistan would have a government that will be more credible and stable. Unfortunately, it did not turn out that way and Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif have become now a liability. Both had their own personal agendas so there was no national consensus on the real issues facing Pakistan, hence no effective government and no stability. In fact, Pakistan has become more unstable then it was before the election.

To make its previous decision work America is going to throw its full weight behind the present government. That would be the carrot but at a price. Top US military, intelligence and government leaders in Bush Administration have already shown their annoyance and dissatisfaction on the failure of Pakistan to deal with Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters in FATA and border areas with Afghanistan. Present government has been doing a lot of propaganda on their peace talks with Taliban and tribal leaders in FATA area giving the impression that these efforts are becoming successful. America wants some decisive action, and favors military force. America will give some political space and time may be six months to a year to this new government to be effective, try his peace talk option and show some results. Bush is under pressure at home to show some success in fighting terrorism in Afghanistan. American military leaders have convinced Bush Administration that Pakistan is not doing enough to stop Taliban and Al Qaeda’s fighters attacking from Pakistani areas. Hence, pressure on Mr. Gilani.   

To show their support, America is going to offer besides political support economic and military aid during Prime Minister’s visit.   

America is not interested in the domestic affairs of Pakistan like reinstatement of judges which is life and death issue for Nawaz Sharif and to some extent Asif Zardari, but would like to see a government who have control over the domestic problems including economy, domestic terrorism and other political issues.

Report: Taliban Using Sophisticated Media Network

By NAHAL TOOSI, Associated Press Writer
Thu Jul 24, 10:50 AM ET

KABUL, Afghanistan - The Taliban have created a sophisticated media network to undermine support for the Afghan government, sending threats by text message and spreading the militia's views through songs available as ring tones, according to a report released Thursday.

The International Crisis Group report comes as the Islamist militia that was ousted from power in Afghanistan by the 2001 U.S.-led invasion is making a violent comeback, particularly in the country's south and east.

The Taliban's propaganda exploits civilian killings by foreign forces and corruption in the U.S.-backed government to add to Afghans' disillusionment about their lives, according to the report by the Brussels, Belgium-based group. It said the Afghan government and its foreign allies should respond more quickly to their mistakes and highlight the Taliban's atrocities.

Many of the messages that have been distributed — apparently not always directly produced by the Taliban — come in the form of songs, religious chants and poetry that appeal to Afghan nationalism and Islamic pride.

Some of the tunes are available as ring tones for phones, and cassettes include songs such as "Let me go to jihad," the report said. Some people reported that they kept the cassettes as a form of protection in case they were stopped by Taliban.

One poem — "Death is a gift," on Al Emarah — included the phrase, "I will not kiss the hand of Laura Bush."

The Taliban movement also has a Web site, Al Emarah, or The Emirate, which has various domain names due to attempts to block it. The Taliban also publish pamphlets and magazines, and their communications come in multiple languages including English. DVDs and audio cassettes also are used.

Because illiteracy is widespread in Afghanistan, and many Afghans have little to no access to the Internet or television, the Taliban also use traditional means of communication to spread their message. They often send shabnamahs — fliers that are often distributed at night in an area. Often the letters threaten people who work with international forces or the government, the report said.

The report also said that Taliban media play up civilian casualties caused by foreign forces but deny involvement in most bombings that kill a large number of ordinary Afghans. Because of the poor security situation, independent journalists often have a difficult time verifying claims of either side.

Obeidullah Jan, a Barekzai tribal leader from Dand district in Kandahar province, said the Taliban had tremendous influence on local media and that journalists in the area often reported their claims. But even if the Taliban had no media outreach, their impact — from suicide attacks to gunbattles — is hard to miss, he said.

"Whether they use the media or not, the people are witnessing their activities," Jan said.

The media messages at times underscore the loose, disorganized nature of the militancy.

The report notes that the Taliban as well as the Hezb-i-Islami network of warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar each claimed credit for a suicide attack in Kabul's Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood in November 2007.

Later that year, the Taliban Web site announced the dismissal of a Taliban commander, but the commander's spokesman rejected it, telling reporters it was a "conspiracy by some elements within the Taliban movement," the report said.
___
Associated Press Writer Noor Khan contributed to this report.

Credit: Yahoo News

Rice: Pakistan Should Do More to End Violence

By MATTHEW LEE, Associated Press Writer

PERTH, Australia - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Pakistan needs to do more to prevent Taliban militants from launching attacks into Afghanistan from its territory.

Speaking Friday in Australia, Rice suggested to reporters that a surge in Taliban-related violence in Afghanistan had its source in the restive semiautonomous tribal areas along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan.

"We understand that it's difficult, we understand that the northwest frontier area is difficult, but militants cannot be allowed to organize there and to plan there and to engage across the border," Rice said. "So yes, more needs to be done."

The strong message to Islamabad comes just a few days before Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is scheduled to meet with President Bush at the White House.

The Pakistani government has consistently said it will not allow its territory to be used for terrorism or to launch attacks in Afghanistan.

Continue reading ........

Aitzaz Ahsan - Public Intellectual?

In the recent issue (July/August 2008) of Foreign Policy magazine they have published a so called Top 20 Public Intellectuals survey where Mr.Aitzaz Ahsan has been ranked on number 5.

Pakistan media particularly GEO TV and Aitzaz Ahsan himself seem to be proud of this ranking.

First let us see the definition of the word "intellectual". The word intellectual is an adjective. The noun is intellect. According to American Heritage Dictionary of The English Language, the meaning of the word 'intellect' is as follows:

1. The ability to learn and reason; the capacity for knowledge and understanding.
2. The ability to think abstractly or profoundly.

So the person who can do that is called intellectual.  Fair enough.

Now let us see what profile Foreign Policy magazine has mentioned of Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan. Here is the verbatim quote;

"President of Pakistan’s Supreme Court Bar Association, Ahsan has been a vocal opponent of President Pervez Musharraf’s rule. When Musharraf dismissed the head of the Supreme Court in March 2007, it was Ahsan who led the legal challenge to reinstate the chief justice and rallied thousands of lawyers who took to the streets in protest. He was arrested several times during the period of emergency rule last year. Today, he is a senior member of the Pakistan Peoples Party, formerly led by Benazir Bhutto, and one of the country’s most recognizable politicians".

Courtesy: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4349

Do the activities which Foreign Policy have mentioned on which he has been ranked in the 'Top  20 Public Intellectuals'  makes someone intellectual?

If this is the criteria then we have lots of intellectuals in our country.

What do you think? What is your opinion? Write your opinion in the comments.

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