Sep 26, 2010

Speaking the truth in failed state das Pakistan

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In failed state das Pakistan speaking the OBVIOUS truth can get you beaten up by the military, killed or sacked if you are more important.

But the Pakistan military have been at it for quite a while, especially from 1951 when they assassinated Liakat Ali Khan the last effective leader of the Muslim League. Then what followed were 7 years of destabilization, before their eventual takeover in 1958.

Since that time 3,000,000 East Pakistanis have been killed by the Pakistani military in 1971 with an additional 500,000 rapes, and possibly facing war crimes charges for that event finally, after 38 years. Then there was the Baluchistan insurgency from 1973--1977, which killed another 100,000......and now unending military action against the Pashtuns which has claimed 10,000--20,000 lives.

The main business and occupation of the Pakistani military has been to kill unarmed Pakistani civilians under the guise of national security.

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Pakistan PM Gilani fires minister for criticizing army, judiciary

By Times of India

A Pakistani minister was on Saturday forced to resign after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani took serious notice of his comments criticizing the army and the judiciary and calling for everyone to get a share of the benefits of corruption.

Addressing a news conference in the southwestern city of Quetta this afternoon, minister of state for defense production Abdul Qayyum Jatoi accused the army of targeting unarmed people instead of focussing on its duty of defending the country's borders.

Jatoi, who belongs to the ruling Pakistan People's Party, alleged that Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry belonged to Punjab but had resorted to unfair means to be appointed to the superior judiciary from the quota for Baluchistan.

He also contended that everyone should have an equal right to corruption. Replying to a question, he said everyone - including Sindhis, Pashtuns, Balochis, Seraikis and Punjabis - should get a share of the benefits of corruption.

Jatoi repeatedly urged the media to report his comments. Within hours, Gilani took "serious notice" of Jatoi's statements and summoned the minister to Islamabad to explain his remarks.

Following a meeting with Gilani late in the night, Jatoi submitted his resignation. He said he had made the controversial remarks in a personal capacity.

Jatoi's remarks came at a time when the PPP-led government is facing pressure from the Supreme Court to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari in Switzerland.

The government has also had to contend with speculation about an intervention by the army due to its inept handling of recent floods and economic problems.

Information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said Jatoi's remarks did not reflect the view of the government.

Asked about a possible army intervention, Jatoi said: "Let them come, we don't fear the boots. We fought them for 60 years. We will fight them again. We provided them uniforms and boots not so that they can take away our rights and kill our people and leaders.

We have the army to fight on the borders and not with unarmed people."

Jatoi alleged that former President Pervez Musharraf, former premier Mir Zafarullah Jamali and former Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao were involved in the killing of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti.