A forgotten verdict : A Case for Urdu as Official Language of Pakistan

In post Panama leaks era, rising chorus of demands for across the board accountability is met with the qawwali of the supremacy of the constitution, continuity of democracy and rule of law. Only Scotland Yard could be trusted to identify and locate the lost democratic traditions and rule of law once it is done with Imran Farooq's murder mystery. If the Constitution, by a miracle, could speak for itself, hold press conferences and address public gatherings, media managers of the government would have instantly declared it as an international conspiracy against the continuity of democracy and prosperity of the nation. Apart from the proven utility of the Constitution to grab power, we may need a judicial commission with agreed upon terms of reference to tell us what else it means to our ruling coterie.

In a historic verdict on 8 September 2015, a three member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan reminded the government of a long forgotten constitutional obligation and ordered to make Urdu as the official language of Pakistan. The bench, headed by Chief Justice Jawwad S. Khwaja and comprised Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Qazi Faez Isa, ordered federal and provincial governments to take immediate steps for enforcement of Article 251 in line with Article 5 of the constitution and strictly follow the timeline provided by the federal government. In the days preceding the judgment, prime minister has expressed his personal interest for the promotion of Urdu. On 10 July 2015, Federal Secretary for Information and Broadcasting had told the court that prime minister Nawaz Sharif has already ordered that government institutions' websites will also carry the text in Urdu. In addition, vide a letter written on 6 July 2015, the government had directed all ministries and divisions to follow 10 point short term measures to enforce Artile 251. Therefore, after the explicit orders from the Supreme Court, adoption of Urdu as an official language looked almost certain. Only the learned pessimist was optimistic about his pessimism. 

However at that moment of jubilation a bitter truth was thrown to oblivion:  we live in a piece of land where indigenous language, culture and tradition is not a source of identity and pride. Prime minister finds Urdu as the best language to narrate the fairytale of the riches of his family but finds the same language  unfit for the business of the government. Non serious attitude of this government, like its predecessors,  became evident when prime minister preferred English to address 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly on 30 October 2015 despite the orders to address in Urdu both at home and abroad. With the retirement of Justice Jawwad S. Khawja, commitment to enforce Article 251 was a thing of the past. 

It seems that federal and provincial governments are fully determined to give the supreme court's verdict the same treatment which had been continuously accorded to the said provision of the Constitution.  On 7 November 2015, the Additional Advocate General Razzaq A. Mirza, on behalf of Punjab chief secretary and provincial law secretary moved the review petition requesting the review and to extend the three month deadline to a reasonable period. A lot more than reasonable time had already passed since the adoption of the Constitution in 1973, which made it mandatory to use Urdu as official language of the country, the request to grant reasonable time in 2015 for necessary arrangements only mean to postpone the issue for an indefinite period of time. This impression is further strengthened by remarks of Supreme Court during a proceeding on 28 January 2016. Justice Mushir Alam remarked that the government sought time for implementation of court orders but failed to submit a report in this regard. Justice Qazi Faez Isa observed that the Punjab government files review report on interim order but failed to submit any report. 

On 13 January 2016, Prime Minister’s Advisor Irfan Siddiqui had said that steps are being taken to adopt Urdu as the official language. However, no signs are detectable suggesting any advancement. Thus we see that more than 8 months are passed and most of the government institutions websites are only in English. Websites of Prime Minister's Office, provincial governments, ISPR, NADRA, Foreign Ministry – which should have been in Urdu with an English section – are all only in English. Neither is the website of the Supreme Court in Urdu. This tells the sorry state of our governments and institutions which are not willing to honour their constitutional obligations and now Supreme Court orders. 

As it was a constitutional obligation, political parties and government institutions should have given Urdu its due place a long ago. Granted it is not easy job to immediately replace English with Urdu, but exactly for the same reasons the architects of the Constitution considered 15 years enough to make all the necessary arrangements. In 2016 we still have to take the first step.

The obsession of our ruling elite with English is unintelligible as the majority of population can not apprehend this language and it does not make their lives any easier. Thus they need someone's assistance for the simpler tasks like applying for their national identity cards online. Unless the government communicates with people in the language they understand, they can not participate for improved governance. Even in government offices, use of English slows down decision making process and Supreme Court rightly remarked that, ‘there is hardly any necessity for the use of colonial language’. 

It is not to suggest a complete boycott of English. True it has been accepted as an international language. However, it is equally true that not everyone in this planet speaks English and unlike us they prefer speaking in their own languages. United Nations recognizes 6 languages as official languages. If English is international language of today then Chinese is considered of tomorrow. As we have cultural, historic and religious ties with Arab world and Iran, Arabic and Persian should not be strangers to our people. Importance of learning foreign languages in this connected global village brings its own benefits and doors should be open to foreign languages in our colleges and universities. Importance of learning foreign languages is a different debate altogether. But the official language should be the one which connects the government with it people and cement the identity of the nation. 

Language symbolizes identity and is used to signal identity by those who speak them. Adoption of Urdu as official medium for communication is imperative to develop our national identity. Besides, it has practical implications for the people of Pakistan and will help to improve governance. As the court remarked, the Article 251 is not a stand alone provision and it is directly linked to the realization of various fundamental rights protected by the Constitution, the government and its institutions must make arrangement to adopt the national language. The Supreme Court may lead by example to uphold its own verdict.

Calling Cyanide Honey.

We start with a simple question. Cyanide is known to be one of the deadliest poisons, where a small amount is enough to change a living organism into a dead body. We assume that someone deliberately puts a label on the cyanide’s bottle, which reads as honey. The first question is that if we call cyanide honey, so does this name change affect the chemical composition and its lethal effects?

The answer to this question will be unanimous and undisputed. Even Imran Khan and Asif Zardari would agree that whether we call it honey or sugar, cyanide will continue to be cyanide and will kill anyone who dares to consume it. Unlike our democratic leaders and political zombies, it offers the same treatment to the rich and poor, industrialists and workers. Just like calling Nawaz Sharif Asif Zardari will neither change him as a person nor will it affect his hard learnt lessons in the sacred environment of Saudi Arabia, calling the poison a sweet name does not change its chemical composition and effects. It will play exactly the same role nature has assigned to it.

Now we come to the deliberate act of labelling the cyanide bottle as honey; either the doer of this act is psychologically sick, and in this case psychologists may add up a long list of technical terms. Or, in the other case, if he was well aware of the lethal properties of the compound, the doer must have some wicked designs, behind such a brutal act, which may vary from a poor housewife to our richest leaders, who represent the masses of poor and hungry.

Labelling the bottle, in simplest terms, is an act of communication, imparting of information. With the divine duty of guardianship, our democratic leaders communicate non-stop. What do we call them if they claim the existence of A, while actually it does not exist? What if they tell us that the substance in the bottle is honey, while actually it is cyanide?

Our respected and learned senators recently expressed their concerns about the democratic system and announced that conspiracies are being hatched against democracy. To understand the exact nature of democracy’s vulnerability, first of all, one needs to know the exact coordinates and physical features of our beloved democracy. Putting aside the state of democracy, I will appreciate if someone can confirm its existence in the land of the pure.

Long ago, as a student in junior grades, it was quite easy to learn its world famous definition: government of the people, by the people and for the people. This may be the case in other democracies but not in Pakistan. As an adult and having observed the state of affairs, the Pakistani version of democracy seems to be the government of the family, by the family and for the family. Before the government was the Zardari family and now it is the Sharifs’ turn.

Analyse the affairs of the state; Pakistan today will look like the ‘Islami Jamhuria Sharifia’. Nawaz Sharif serves his premiership for the third time, though he still needs to believe that he runs the show. Pray for his long life and he will never find anyone else to whom he may entrust the future of the nation. We still do not have a proper foreign minister because there is no family member available to fill the post. The people of Punjab have the honour to see Shahbaz Sharif as a chief minister, for a third time as well, and listen to his decade-old rhetoric day and night. Even if health does not allow, he is determined to continue issuing random and on the spot orders only to forget the previous ones. For the rest of Pakistan, since the supply of family members is limited, it could be left on its own. It is such a democracy for which the dictionary is of no help to understand the meanings of autocracy.

Four mainstream political parties run around one personality or family. The ruling party, the PML-N prides itself as the housemaid of Raiwind palace. The PPP, Bhuttos’ legacy, now resides in Zardari’s harem. The PTI is nothing but the shadow of cricket legend Imran Khan. And the Pakistani passport of Altaf Hussain is the top priority of the MQM. With such firm belief in the one man show, one wonders why we do not move towards the presidential system of government.

The journey of a democratic government starts from fair and free elections. The Pakistan Election Commission, in its nature and composition, can do anything except that. The funny thing about the general elections 2013 is that every political party complains of rigging. On May 11, Imran Khan lashed out at the government for its alleged role in rigging the 2013 parliamentary elections. He demanded the formation of a new and fully independent election Commission and vote verification in four constituencies. As believed by some, even if democracy is the name of impartial elections, what if the votes of citizens are hijacked? After all, no one can deny that political parties have developed hijacking people's opinion into a black art.

However, a democratic form of government is far more than this. Democracies prosper on some well understood and practiced values, attitudes, practices and principles. Adult citizens of a democratic government exercise power and civic responsibility directly or indirectly. Citizens are encouraged to shape their own future by the local government system. However, what an irony that the last time the elections for local government were held under the auspices of a military dictator. Consecutive democratic governments only found excuses to postpone having iron control on the usage of development funds. Thus, it does not matter if the citizens of Rawalpindi hate the so-called ‘jangla bus’; they have to suffer it as the Punjab CM needs a political show to prove him as a good administrator. It is nice to talk about the benefits of democracy on television shows and in the drawing rooms of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. Democracy is the government of a majority but in our country it has become the constant and putrid tyranny of minority.

We may call cyanide honey but we cannot ignore the pungent fact that the government and state have become a courtesan to one family. We all know the political credentials and statesmanship of our respected incumbent president. All key ministries are filled not by the virtue of merit, rather on personal relation and loyalty basis. The democratic system of government is best as it allows the collective wisdom of society to come into action for the common good. But, what we see is that family decisions trickle down to the masses. Lack of vision and randomness is the law of the day. In a democracy, one is free to call a terrorist a martyr and civil dictatorship democracy. But, we must not forget that by changing labels, cyanide does not become honey.


Published at Daily Times on May 24, 2014

Why Youtube Is Actually Banned in Pakistan? The Real Reasons

There are two sides to every picture: the sentence is simple, declarative and apparently does not seem to have hidden meanings. The problem is that the devil is in the details. An examination of the affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan leads us to two possibilities: either we have started believing that the practice of using religion for personal, financial and political gains is in fact the most sacred religious duty conferred upon us, or we believe that we are the only Islamic state in the world. People living in other Islamic states are just pretending. Though the government of Turkey, our brother Islamic country, seems to follow in our footsteps, it is miles away from being a ‘pure’ Islamic nation, like us. 

Since 2012, the government of a nuclear Islamic nation is afraid of a website. Official reasons in Pakistan, we all know, are never the actual reasons. Our previous government told the nation that Youtube hosts blasphemous videos and proudly announced that the site is restricted in our pure country. Indeed, the government thought it was not the video rather Youtube itself that hurt the sacred feelings of pure Muslims. So it kicked the hornet’s nest and the PPP government became certain of its place in the VIP quarters of paradise. Once in opposition, however, it found another way to serve the nation as a humble student of reality. Shazia Marri, PPP parliamentarian, submitted a resolution to lift the ban on Youtube immediately saying that since the people were using the website through proxies there is no point in a ban. Here we see that her demand to remove the ban on Youtube was not based on principle, rather on the absurdity of the ban itself. Proxy websites are not an invention of today and information technology is developing at a faster rate than that of our politicians’ capacity to process the ongoing changes in internet life.

Had the PPP government realised this fact, it would not have banned the video sharing website but would have tried to find another solution to block access to the blasphemous video. Even if a ban was necessary, it should have been temporary, to cool down flared sentiments. The current government indeed could find other solutions to block access to the allegedly ‘blasphemous’ movie, but since taking power it has been operating on punishment mode. To make people believe that the government exists, something needed to be done, so it decided to continue the ban and establish its writ. The Taliban might issue a certificate saying that the PML-N leadership shall get the same VIP treatment in paradise as the PPP. Maybe the Sharif-led government thought that lifting the ban would make religious extremists furious and bring them out on the streets. They may have forgotten that once our pure Muslims brothers are on the roads and streets, they consider it their religious duty to loot shops. Any property that cannot be looted, they set on fire. It should have refused to be blackmailed and talked directly to their mysterious masters.

Banning Youtube in the name of Islam is no different from the practices of the Taliban, who mask their criminal activities with sharia. The ban on Youtube is, in fact, only to deprive people of their constitutional right to access information and express their opinion freely and independently. Mr Sharif has a proven tendency towards civil dictatorship and wishes to keep media and state institutions under his thumb. In his last tenure he unsuccessfully tried to crush a media group and the Supreme Court (SC) was attacked by his party’s hoodlums. After passing the so-called Protection of Pakistan bill in the National Assembly, he once again proves that everything changes except the nature of man. To keep the media on his side, he continues to reward journalists with offices and ambassadorships. 

YouTube, on the other hand, is difficult to control but easy to block. Even if we believe just for a moment that the site is restricted due to a specific blasphemous video, if it was not in the interest of the government to chain Youtube, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) could block the video links. Now, assume again that the PTA technicians were not able to block the links and to completely chain the site was the only option. Even in this case, the government should have lifted the ban when Google removed the video under the orders of a US court. Or, at least when Shazia Marri submitted the resolution to lift the ban, the matter should not have been delayed. So we are left with nothing else to believe except that for some unknown reason our democratic governments feel threatened by the exercise of free expression in the country, as it is by the establishment of local government institutions. 

The local government system plays a vital role in strengthening democratic norms among people. It allows people to set their agenda and decide how to distribute economic resources. It empowers the masses. However, it also means that in the presence of local government institutions, politicians in Lahore and Islamabad will not receive development funds and new leadership will emerge from these institutions. Hence there are unlimited hurdles in the way of local government. 

The internet has given people a new level of freedom and a higher degree of access to information. YouTube is not just a video sharing website, it is a platform. In addition to entertainment, it also offers a great deal of knowledge. If you wish to enhance your computer knowledge, it is there to help. If you wish to listen to Islamic scholars, you can do so. It is not just a website but a multimedia library. It has a great number of videos about computer programming, software development, current affairs, technology and other topics. Therefore, the ban is as illogical as Ishaq Dar’s statement that the mysterious arrival of $ 1.5 billion in the national treasury was a gift with no strings attached. 

Realistically speaking, it is nonsense to ban any website. There are proxy websites that are specially developed for people living in countries where the internet is censored. Smartphones are full of free applications that help unblock sites. Some are specially programmed for YouTube. Our government can learn from the example of Turkey where the government blocked Twitter and by the evening of the same day people found ways to continue tweeting. If a government cannot implement a decision, there is no point issuing the orders and becoming a laughing stock. However, even if our politicians and religious scholars are really concerned about the presence of blasphemous material in cyberspace, banning the sites and chaining the internet is illogical. Instead, with logic and argument, our scholars should talk and convince the global community, representatives of our government should raise the issue at the international forums like the United Nations and work with the world to discourage and control blasphemous material. However, since that requires lots of hard work and does not offer material gain neither our government nor our scholars will do anything in this regard. Let us hope that soon the day will come when the internet will truly be free and YouTube unchained.


( This column is published in Daily Times on April 13, 2014 )

The Death of Dialogue in Pakistan

( This article, published at Daily Times Pakistan on April 6, 2014, examines the state of freedom of expression and speech in Pakistan. )

The Death of Dialogue in Pakistan

Written by Qasir M. Chaudhry

Freedom of expression is as central to a democratic society as the Sharif family is to the PML-N. It is the essence of any democratic system and thus enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan. Practically, it seems to be the last thing our governments and leaders care about. This is the only item of the agenda where major political parties find themselves on the same page; the less the people have the opportunity to express their thoughts freely, the better.

But, the problem with the democratic system of the government is that it needs certain ingredients to prosper. It is the dialogue among horizontal and vertical layers of the society which brings different groups and classes in harmony to achieve common objectives. An effective dialogue can not occur if the participants do not have a chance to share views without any fear.

For an effective dialogue among various layers of the society, freedom of speech and expression is a primary requirement, among others. If we take into account continuous and repetitive attacks on media personalities and opinion makers, it is no secret that speaking the truth and expressing an opinion is becoming more and more difficult. During the PPP government, under the visionary leadership of Mr. Zardari, the fundamental human right of expression and speech was badly exposed to the Talibanized justice.

During the tenure of the last government, standards of cowardice reached new and record heights. Unlike the current government , it was very focused and clear headed. It had one point agenda, to complete its tenure for five years. The rest, country included, could go to hell. And it did.

Salman Taseer, former Governor of Punjab, had a personality quite opposite to most of his fellow politicians. He was bold, outspoken, visionary and brave. He had his own opinion and was never shy to share it. Like the majority of educated Pakistanis his understanding of Zia’s introduced laws, under Islamic labels, was different from those of extremist outfits. But, unlike most of the Pakistani intelligentsia, he said it loud and clear. In addition he went out of the way to support a Christian lady, who was charged with blasphemy, but in fact seemed innocent to him. When his own bodyguard showered bullets on him and took his life, the PPP leadership was completely lost. His killing in January 2011 was followed by the murder of Shehbaz Masih, Minister for Minority Affairs. Both these people could have been heroes for the party which would have steered the course of events in the right direction, but the party leadership threw these high profile sacrifices in the dust bin, completely surrendered before extremists and became focused on its single point agenda. Thus, at the end of the five year term, freedom of expression and speech was already in a critical stage and on a ventilator.

In the general election of 2013 the soul of the PPP took the body of the PML-N, which emerged as victorious. The first thing the Nawaz led government did was to renounce all promises made during the election campaign. Then, it shook hands with enemies of any sort of freedom and removed freedom of speech from the ventilator. The patient succumbed to death immediately. The authorities might have recorded the time of death, but it was not communicated to the general public which still believes it to be alive. This corpse now lies in some unknown morgue in Lahore. In the darkness of an unmarked night the coffin of freedom of speech will be interred deep in the soil. The nation is proud to be blessed with a free and awake media, but still no one knows who gave 1.5 billion dollars to Pakistan and why. Thus, in all likelihood, the nation will never know when the death of freedom of speech occurred, the time it was buried and where.

The incumbent family dictatorship, which insists on being considered a legitimate democratic government, came into power facing major challenges such as terrorism, religious extremism, power shortage, rising inflation and unemployment, all requiring immediate measures. To curb terrorism and improve the law and order situation in Karachi the government came up with its best policy of action, do nothing at all. Then, it started operations in Karachi. To this day, both the operations and killing of innocents is going hand in hand. To tackle extremism and the Talibans, it came up with another excellent policy; beg terrorists for talks. Now both sides are playing at negotiations to arrive at already obvious results. If the government does not want to live with such paradoxes, then the question it is facing is quite simple. Can we allow any person or group to use force to impose their so called Islam on a population of 180 million?

However, like its predecessors, either our political leadership lacks the guts to address ruthless challenges or it is pondering on how to benefit from a Talibanized state. Our religious leadership, on the other hand, is doing even worse. The nation is facing a direct threat to its existence of integrity, while our scholars of the Islamic Ideological Council are telling husbands that they do not need to seek permission from the first wife to re-marry. In addition, IIC also says that Islam does not put an age limit for the marriage of a girl. And, in the name of Islam, we are being forced to accept such interpretations as they are. Any question or difference of opinion can put us on the wrong side.

If our leadership is in a confused state then the Taliban and their sympathizers, quite clear about their objectives, are constantly moving forward to materialize the differences between civil and military relationships and to divide the nation further. Those scholars who differ with the Taliban’s interpretations of Islam and whose opinion mattered have either left the country or been killed. Those who still live in Pakistan are under threat, like writers, media and politicians. At this moment only those who express the same values and ideas as the Talibans remain safe.

At the start of this year, in January, the famous columnist and playwright Asghar Nadeem Syed was attacked. He received two wounds, but survived. Some days ago, unknowns fired on the car of a famous TV anchorman and senior analyst, Raza Rumi. His driver succumbed to injuries and his bodyguard, although injured, survived the attack. Very "active after incident" chief minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif asked for the report of the event, but it is an open secret that the report will be lost under an unattended pile of waiting reports, and the murderers will never be caught. However, the message for other writers is loud and clear; if they revisit their views they could be the next target.

To ensure the free expression of opinion is a sacred duty of every democratic government. While interring the coffin of dialogue and freedom of speech deep in the ground our rulers today must not forget that sooner or later the fire will reach their bodies too. The government of the PPP refused to learn this. If they had then today the son of Yousuf Raza Gilani, former PM of Pakistan, would not be under arrest by extremists, and Bilawal Bhutto, chairperson of PPP, would not have had to cancel his visit to Lahore. Benazir Bhutto used to say that democracy is the best revenge. Our current rulers have the chance to learn from other's mistakes and respect the democratic norms. If they refuse, democracy will take its revenge.

Hassan Nisar Advises Imran Khan

Today, it is the fact that Pakistan needs a drastic change to bring the country back on track and to realize those dreams which led the creation of Pakistan. Our nation had been, due to its own repeated mistakes, very unfortunate over the last six decades. If looked from the above, then Pakistan seems to be an estate of some blessed, or cursed, families who continue to rule the masses by their turn. It was understood and no one dared to challenge the unwritten rule that after Z. A, Bhutto, his daughter will ‘rule’ the nation. After the murder of Benazir Bhutto, it would be his husband taking care of the national matters while senior and brilliant politicians like Aitzaz Ahsan would sit in last rows. And, When Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would finish his education, he would be a source of inspiration for seasoned and learnt politicians of Pakistan Peoples Party.


On the other hands, Sharif brothers had the monopoly on the Pakistan Muslim League. Not a single politician from the lines of PML could dare to think that he could be the head-of-the-state. It was quietly understood, and secretly agreed upon that after one Sharif, there would be the other Sharif who would lead the nation. It seemed that ordinary citizens are born only to be ruled and ‘subject’ of Bhutto-Sharif kingdom until Imran Khan emerged as a third political force in Pakistani political arena. Now Khan is looked upon as the final resort, and as the last hope.

Hassan Nisar, a leading columnist, in his column published in Daily Jang on Monday, January 16, 2012, advises Imran Khan to be careful in the way ahead. Hassan Nisar highlighted the fact that the economic and institutional situation of Pakistan is really in a mess. On the other hand, however, people have great expectation out of Imran Khan. It will be highly illogical to expect any miracle over night, if Imran Khan comes in a position to run the affairs of the state. Thus, the responsibility lies on the shoulders of Khan, that how he leads and educates the masses who are eagerly waiting for some good news.

Hassan Nisar’s column, in Urdu, can be found at following link; http://ejang.jang.com.pk/pic.asp?npic=01-16-2012/Lahore/images/02_01.gif

The Need For Comprehensive Education Policy in Pakistan

Education plays a central role for the long term development and prosperity of any country. Only country with educated and skilled workforce can perform competitively in this modern age. On the other hand, a nation with poorly educated men and women is always bound to rely on the human resources and technical expertise of the other nations. However, policy makers of Pakistan - whose education system has been infected by many challenges and problems - are determined not to learn from the history of the world.

Budgetary allocations shows how much a government prioritize one sector from the other. Pakistani governments have a history of low education budgets and inadequate funding for the research and higher education. Some of the ministers are even heard saying that we do not need highly educated people because we do not have enough jobs for them. In the other words, the leadership of the Pakistan is still unaware of the importance of the promotion of education for the development of the country.

On the other hand, policy makers of the ministry of education are not willing to pay the due attention to make the things right. They do not bother to understand the ground realities prevailing in the towns and rural areas of Pakistan. Their policies are decisions are - most of the times if not always - for those students who are living and studying in major cities of Pakistan like Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. They simply seem to be ignorant of the problems faced by the students of rural area. In addition, they do not seem concerned with the future of the hundreds of thousands students living and studying in small villages.

English is another problem faced by many students in the lengths of Pakistan. After matriculation, most of the text books are in English and the student - due to the poor quality of teaching in the rural schools - find it difficult to absorb the nuances of the theories of Sciences. It is said that the English has become an international language and the students must be taught in this language so that can move ahead with the international world. However, no one pays attention that if a student can not understand very well what a text exactly means then how can he perform well in the examinations and in the practical life.


Another problem of our education system is related with private colleges and academies. Now a day’s much of teachers are busy in their private academies and colleges. They teach their student in such a way to make them a dependent of their academies. If we see Top 30 positions in Gujranwala board then we will find that 27 out of 30 positions were achieved by the student of private colleges and the remaining 3 positions were won by those students who studied in academies . In the other words, it is a complete demise of our education system.


The point to be ponder is that there is a great number of those people who are sacrifices their needs just for only to educate their children. They dream to highly educate their children but due to the present educational system their dreams are never going to become a reality.


There is a need that all the political parties of Pakistan sit together and make a comprehensive policy on education. They must be enough increment in the budgetary allocations for the education sector. Policy makers for the education sector must be selected on merit and they must have a solid knowledge about the problems in rural areas. Our education system should be free of corruption we have to translate all our science books into Urdu. To save our education sector, the government have to discourage academies and private colleges and increase the standard of the public education institutions.

A Blog Written By Mr. Nasir Bashir




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Exact Independence day of Pakistan; August 14 or 15?

On the eve of generally accepted and unquestioned independence day of Pakistan, August 14, Wussat Ullah Khan, in a blog published on BBC Urdu, has raised some questions about - or politely challenged - the authenticity of the exact date of independence of Pakistan.

The author has done proper research about on the topic and has furnished some facts which require proper consideration by every Pakistani. We have a history of distorting facts and masking the truths and this practice has put the exact independence day of Pakistan under the shadows of doubts. Probably, the time has come to ‘correct’ our history.

Blogger mentions that it was the morning of the 15th of August 1947, when Qaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah announced the independence of Pakistan, the biggest Islamic country on the world at that time. The blogger further says that it was on the morning of the 15th of August, when Justice Abudul Rasheed, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court, took oath from Qaid-e-Azam and then Qaid-e-Azam, as the Governor General of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, took oath from his ministers.

The blogger also mentions that it was 15th of August, when Pakistan broadcasting service started its service. He says that at 12:00 am or on the 15th of August, Pakistan Broadcasting Service announced ‘This is Pakistan Broadcasting Service’ from Lahore, Dhaka and Peshawar stations. In his blog, the authors states further facts which make us think about the actual independence day of our nation.

Apparently, the author seems to have enough reasons to challenge the exactness of our independence day. Should we hope that after 64 years of independence, we will - at last - be able to ‘discover’ exact  independence day?



( The original blog of Wussat Ullah Khan can be found at following URL; http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/2011/08/110814_baat_independence_a.shtml)

Blog From Paris….

Third Strategic Dialogue and Pak-US relationship

If artificial smiles of cordiality, genial and firm handshakes, numerous photo-ops, vows of everlasting friendship and hollow promises for the future are considered the only parameters for success of diplomatic negotiations between high-ranking officials of two countries, then the third round of strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the United States, at Washington DC, has largely been a great achievement. If this round of negotiations between two nations, both playing a decisive role in the fate of terrorism, are evaluated against the facts and practicalities, then finding a ray of hope for peace and stability in the destabilised part of South Asia is little less than a Herculean task.

The latest round of strategic dialogue between America and Pakistan does not offer any hint for constructive change in the violent situation of the region, thus resulting in challenges for Pakistan. We cannot say, in the continuing peace process in Afghanistan (which also includes underground negotiations with the Taliban), what the nature of Pakistan's role will be, and if their legitimate security concerns will be addressed. Before the mid-term elections in the United States, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Pakistani officials to make 'difficult decisions' and go after the Taliban. Before the US president's official visit to India, the Obama administration remained silent on the question of US role in resolving the Kashmir issue, despite the requests of the Pakistani foreign minister. Absence of any substance, except a $2 billion military package, during the news conference of Hillary Clinton and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, is enough to suggest that a collision of interests and differences in priorities still exists.

Military aid worth $2 billion is intended to enable the Pak Army to purchase indispensable military equipment from the United States, to effectively operate against the Taliban and associates of al-Qaeda, but the timeframe of this aid package makes us wonder if the US really wishes Pakistan to take decisive action against the well-funded and sufficiently-equipped militants. A five year aid package, from 2012 to 2016, by the Obama administration, which has made it very clear on many occasions that it will start to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by the end of July 2011, poses some new questions. If the United States is really serious about accomplishing its mission by the middle of next year, then allied forces, during the next eight months, will try to hit the Taliban hard, so that the US may reap as many advantages as possible. In the same period, on the other hand, to keep the Pak Army insufficiently equipped against sophisticated al-Qaeda suggests murky developments.

This conception is further empowered by the fact that the US has yet to pay Pakistan its share of $2 billion, a smaller part of operational expenses which the US pays annually as a partner in the war on terror. During the third round of strategic dialogue no reference was made to this by the US administration, despite the fact that the Pakistan Army has paid not only for its own part, but also for that of the US. In addition, the US has linked the humanitarian aid for flood victims with the civilian aid to be delivered under the Karry-Lugar bill. It means the US will not pay any additional amount for the rehabilitation of flood affectees.

The above-mentioned facts make it clear that at a time when war on terror has entered a final and decisive phase, Pakistan is being denied any substantial help to stand firmly. Also, the Pakistan Army, which is basically trained and organised to handle aggression along Eastern borders, is being forced to take decisive action against militants in North Waziristan. A military operation in North Waziristan has the potential to put financially weak Pakistan and an inadequately equipped Pak Army (to fight against Taliban ) directly at war with the Taliban in Afghanistan. This possibility probably best explains the hesitation of the Pak Army, which is always mindful of aggression from Eastern borders, to start operations in North Waziristan.

Kashmir is the main bone of contention between India and Pakistan, and has caused three wars between these neighbouring countries. Until the Kashmir issue is resolved peacefully, neither the Pakistani nation nor Pakistan's armed forces can be at peace from its Eastern borders. An appeal made by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi that the US plays its role to solve the longstanding issue of Kashmir, actually expresses Pakistan's seriousness towards peace in Afghanistan. The Pakistan Army can take serious action against the Taliban and al-Qaeda when it has well-founded reasons to believe that sacredness of Eastern borders will not be violated. Thus demands made by the Obama administration, which clearly prefers Indian approval, at the expense of Kashmiri people and Pakistan's security concerns, are far from being realistic.

We make mistakes in moments, but we bear their results for years and decades to come. While envisaging new geo-political balance, it will be better for the US administration, regional stability and global peace not to ignore historical facts and geographical factors. Humans have a tendency not to learn from history, so history repeats itself. Barak Obama will be visiting India in November. During his stay in New Delhi, perhaps it will become clearer if he wishes to see history repeated, or prefers to alter its course.

( This article is also published on daily The Statesman on October 27, 2010 )
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Why Pakistani Nation Can Not Progress?

Hssan Nisar, a fierce critic of the government and our political class alike, in his latest column - "Kainat Ka Aakhri Kinara" or the Boundary Line of the Universe, has censured the role of our insensitive politicians who are either engaged in efforts to prolong their rule over the nation or just waiting for their turn to be in the power. He analyses our individual and collective role in running the affairs of the nation and compares it with the role of Western nations for the developement of human kind.

Hassan Nisar, apparently, took the inspiration by a claim made by British scientists to discover the boundary line of our universe. According to their research, the last corner of this universe, whose volume had been unmeasured in our known human history, is at a distance of 131 billion light years from our solar system. In other words, a ray light will take 131 billion years to reach at the outer end of this universe.

He criticise our role in the research and development, and make the reader to look into the mirror, something we as a nation hate to do. After reading I remember the saying of Singapore's minister who said that Pakistanis can never progress in the life.

I feel sorry as I can not remember the exact about the time and place when the foresaid minister opined about the prospect of progress for Pakistani nation. But, it does not matter so much since the basic realities have not been changed yet and still there is no sign they will change in foreseable future. I remember, however, he was visiting Pakistan and someone asked him, "how Pakistan can progress?".

"Pakistan can not progress", replied Singaporean minister and justified his opinion saying that since your real life ( of Pakistani people ) starts after the death, you guys can not be serious about progressing in this world.

One of the many reasons for our backwardness is indeed our a misconception that this world is temporary and fictious. So, we must focus on our success in the life hereafter. This conception is further empowered by the mullahs, who seek the submission of and contributions from ordinary people in the name of religion for their success in this material life.

Majority of the people living in rural areas, Pakistani nation is a hostage to a handful of feudal lords, politcians, pirs, mullahs who exploit them at their will. Contributing their miseries to the fate, the poor man prefers to committ suicide quietly. So called democracy is an excuse for the elite class of our nation to continue ruling the country.

It is my firm belief that to change our outlook and progress in this world, we need to change ourselves first. We have to maintain a subtle balance between our religious and worldly committments. We are an imabalanced nation and it is our unfortunate that we have only a few balanced intellectuals like Hasan Nisar.

Misunderstandings Between East And West.

Whenever there is discourse regarding Pakistan's tarnished image in the international world, Pakistani intellectuals, and ordinary people alike, hold Western media responsible for partial and one-sided reporting. It is believed that Western media maliciously emphasizes malevolent occurrences, and intentionally overlooks the true characteristics of the Pakistani nation. Since it is doom and gloom which makes headlines and breaking news, the prevailing conception of our society is just a half-truth. The other half of the truth is that Western media's behaviour is not one-sided; Pakistani media quite fairly reciprocates by ignoring some good news from Europe and America. Otherwise the nation would have been duly informed about the trial of Geert Wilders and the speech of the German president.

Geert Wilders, known for his anti-Islamic rhetoric, is a 47 year old Dutch politician and leader of the Freedom Party in the Netherlands. He considers Islam as a conservative religion which instigates violence amongst its followers. In 2008 he released a 17 minute long film called 'Fitna', in which images of suicide bombings were juxtaposed with the verses of Quran. Dutch television companies refused to air this short film, so it was released on the internet. He supports the banning of Quran, Burqa and the immigration of Muslims into the Netherlands.


In January 2009 Dutch judges decided to try Wilders for inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims. These judges noted that by attacking religious symbols of Islam he 'insulted Muslim believers," and that "In a democratic system, hate speech is considered to be so serious that it is in the general interest to draw a clear line". On Monday, October 4th, 2010, Wilders was brought into the court where he was charged with five instances of inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims. The ruling is expected around November 4th. If found guilty, he could receive a prison sentence of up to one year.

Wilders' trial offers a multi-dimensional message to Muslims in general, and Pakistanis in particular. It is a unique example that a prominent Dutch politician, who was enjoying the role of kingmaker in parliament, is held answerable in the court for his hate-mongering activities. This trial reflects Dutch commitment to basic human rights, which includes the right of religion too, and it also indicates prevailing misunderstandings amongst European people about Islam. He successfully perceived public mood and, as a politician, vigorously portrayed their worries. Thus his Freedom Party, which had only nine seats in 2006, scored 24 seats in the 2010 elections, and emerged as the third popular party in the Netherlands.


Another important fact which needs to be noticed is that although many Dutch politicians and social leaders feared that Wilders' words could incite violence in society, no-one considered his thoughts about Islam were unfounded. Not a single voice amongst Dutch people was raised to say that Islam actually promotes love and peace. Whether one agrees or takes refuge from facing the fact, it is true that there exists a long list of misunderstandings and erroneous apprehensions between Muslims and Western people.


Whatever the nature of these misunderstandings regarding Islam and Pakistan, in European minds, we must consciously analyze if our actions are largely responsible for this. After the bloody events of nine-eleven, when Islam's image was slowly being associated with terrorism, our Islamic scholars did not express any serious interest in painting the real picture of the religion. On the other hand, our fellow Muslims, who continuously fail to integrate in host European states, also exhibited the same behaviour, and on occasions provided reasons to make this association permanent.


Two main factors can be held responsible for the ever-growing rift between Muslims and their host Western societies. First of all, most of the Muslim immigrants generally do not take any serious interest in the language and culture of the host society. While they work and live in the West, they behave as if they are still in their own country. The behaviour of our compatriots has made local people assume it is Islam which prohibits Muslim immigrants from integrating. Jose Luis Roberto, president of a relatively small political party in Spain, observes, "We don't want Muslims here who don't integrate and whose religion is incompatible with Spanish culture."


Secondly, in the recent past, large waves of immigrants from Muslim countries have caused a demographic shift, which is a matter of concern for some. This demographic change in European countries, which have low fertility rates, has also created some friction and fears. Islam is also thought to be too conservative to fit into secular European tradition. Some also fear that one day Muslims, who feel uncomfortable in adopting our values, may try to impose their culture. As crime rates are generally higher in areas where the Muslim population is in the majority, some people tend to associate transgression with Islam. Misrepresentation of Islamic teachings - by people like Geert Wilders - also adds fuel to the fire, and makes the common man think that Islam incites violence amongst its followers. Current alerts of terrorist attacks in Europe will not enhance our image in the West.


Amid alerts of terrorist attacks in Europe, Germany's president Christian Wulff warmly accepted Islam as a part of Germany. Speaking at the 20th anniversary of the country's reunification he said that alongside Christianity and Judaism, now 'Islam is also part of Germany'. In return he called for only three things which have nothing to do with the religious affiliations. He demanded that Muslims who prefer to stay aloof from the host society, 'adhere to the country's constitution, respect its way of life and learn the language'.


Dialogue can help to reduce differences. Our intelligentsia, religious leaders and media personalities need to understand that a great communication gap exists between East and West. There are mutual misunderstandings which demand a quick fix. Our religious scholars should play their role in denouncing terrorism, explain the true image of the religion and encourage immigrants living in the West to adjust to Western values. While seeking out the usual doom and gloom, our media should also notice whenever there is a good occurrence in the West. Instead of allowing the gulf to grow, bridging East with West is by far the better option.

Stop Cursing the Darkness and Light a Candle !

An impetuous and hasty nation are we, but over a time span of 63 years we have not yet determined the ingredients of our wish list. Since our independence in 1947 we are still to define our ultimate destination, not to mention mark the way to reaching that goal. We are like the voyager who knows not where he goes, yet travels hurriedly. We do not try to give meaning to our present; planning the future is always at the bottom of our agendas. Precious moments of our lives are passing, without us realizing the challenges of present and approaching times. If myopia dictates our policy makers and political brass, then the same malady is surely suffered by most change-seeking Pakistanis.


With the likely collision of two state institutions, judiciary and the government, lurking on the horizon, rumours of an eventual change are again in the air, which has left both opposition parties and people alike happy. Politicians awaiting their turn to plunder national resources, as a part of current opposition, are feeling more optimistic about having a share in the future government. The change, or demise of the ongoing government - which pushed corruption, inflation and nepotism to new heights - is a silver lining for ordinary people who find it hard to make ends meet.


It is true that the majority of people wish to see the back of an incumbent government, but it is also true that members of any successive democratic government will come from the same pool of leadership which seized and has held parliament since 2008. In simple words, any in-house change, or even fresh election, will return almost all the same faces to parliament. If current by-elections are any guide, then the next parliament is also expected to be a hung parliament. In any case, one thing is for sure, the current change means only a change of faces. The question therefore arises whether or not it is the change of persons in top jobs which we actually need. Will the departure of Zardari-led thugs solve our problems? Is there any guarantee that our future rulers will be any different from our current loathsome, corrupt, hoggishly self-centered, purblind, myopic leaders?


It is a palpable fact, and we must consciously realize it, that we have become hostage to a group of politicians, feudals, industrialists, bureaucrats and military generals. Individuals from this elite group show up in parliament to decide the fate of the nation. Thus, the change in this perspective will only mean that the names of the next pharaohs residing in the Presidential and Prime Ministerial houses will not be Asif Ali Zardari and Yousuf Raza Geelani. If we look at the political arena then it becomes very clear that if the next government is not more corrupt and dishonest, then at least it will equal the present government in looting the national wealth. Is it our fate that we will continue to allow exploitation of our national resources in the name of democracy? Are mothers in Pakistan giving birth to the slaves who will continue to be directed by a few families and their children? How long will we continue to be fooled by the delusion of change?


If the truth is unmasked then its face is extremely poignant and acrid. After six decades of repression we have become masochistic, and we enjoy being taken advantage of. On the eve of elections, we know very well that the politician in front of us is fraudulent and mendacious. His history reminds us that everything he is saying is anything but the truth. Going against our gut feelings, we not only believe him, but honour his mendacity with our valuable votes. When he starts grabbing the loaf of bread from our mouths, roof from our heads, and clothes from our bodies we start crying and accusing him of corruption and plunder. Honestly speaking, our parliamentarians and public representatives are innocent, since they do very honestly what they are made for.

Whether one agrees or not, our current government and members of parliament are the true and real representatives of our nation. Who do you consider a public representative? Someone who is authorised to represent his constituents. When people elect a representative, they actually define their own type of personality and character. For example, we can safely say about a parliamentarian who is elected on the ticket of a religious party, that the majority of his constituents are religious. To complain about our corrupt politicians is our favourite pastime and we never bother to look at our own image in the mirror. Let us ask a few questions about ourselves too. Is it not a fact that most of us prefer individual interests over national interests? And, is the one who puts the national interest first not considered to be an idiot by his fellow compatriots? Most of the people mix water in the milk, sometimes even that of dirty ponds, to increase their earnings. Are they not our Muslim brothers? Are those guys American citizens who deliberately sell expensive, counterfeit, life-saving drugs in our medical stores? Are the clerks, with their open palms, agents of Israel? Are the police, which also work as a personal force for MNAs and MPAs, a branch of villainous Blackwater? Were those mullahs, who provoke sectarian sentiments, trained and educated by Britain?


Literally, Pakistan means "a land of pure," but the decisive majority of its citizens is anything but. We have imprisoned ourselves in individual and personal cells. Our objectives and thoughts get strangled within the boundaries of limited personal space. Consciously or unconsciously, we are not only pulling each other's legs, but also cutting each other's throats. Our politicians and leaders are doing the same. They are just exposing our national character, which we have nurtured over the past six decades. In the presence of such pungent and acrid fact, our current politicians and leaders are the best we can ever have!


In its unit, the biggest ocean is nothing but a drop of salty water. As oceans are formed with the assemblage of lots of tiny drops, so are nations made by the amalgamation of individuals. The character of the majority of people reflects the national character. Simply speaking, change and refinement of a nation starts from our own personality, at a very micro level. If we really wish to change the outlook of Pakistan, we have to change ourselves first. Saying "no" to imposed rules, we have to empower sincere, skilled, and honest people from amongst ourselves, in our towns and cities, and entrust them with the responsibility of solving our social and political problems. The real change will come when the real representatives of the nation will be behind the wheel, steering the country.


It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness. Once one candle is lit the journey of illumination will follow. The everlasting change will only germinate from our streets, towns and cities, materialising the dreams of a prosperous and flourishing Pakistan. Otherwise, be perfectly clear, any change in the current government will only bring in new masters, with their empty coffers!

( This article is also published at The Statesman  http://www.statesman.com.pk/ on October 7, 2010 )

Independence of Kashmir Draws Near !

An Indian delegation, which visited Kashmir recently to assess the gravity of the current Kashmiri-intifada, must now realise that weak foundations cannot support skyscrapers, and flowers of peace and prosperity do not blossom on the shrubs of injustice and atrocity. The sooner New Delhi understands this, the better it will be for the 1.5 billion people in the region.

Indian policymakers, however, have so far managed to neglect historical, geographical, political and cultural facts. They have successfully subjugated millions of Kashmiris and misguided the international community for decades, at the expense of peace and development in the region. Perhaps it is now time to realize that the brutalities of Indian security forces can not deter determined Kashmiri people for long in their fight for their right to freedom.

To assess the reasons for the current episode of intense and inclusive insurgency in Kashmir ( which are very obvious if one is willing to read the "writing on the wall"), an Indian delegation, led by the Home Minister, visited and suffered in the occupied valley, amongst people shouting "We want freedom" and "Go, India go." It is unclear whether Indian politicians and policy makers in Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha and Rashtrapati Bhavan are too blind to see the horizon, or whether they have decided not to learn from history. One day every subjugating force has to withdraw and honour people with their right to freedom.

Dialogue and negotiations are favourite, well-known Indian tactics for buying time, prolonging problems and diverting attention from the severity of real issues. Thus, Kashmiri leaders initially refused to meet Indian delegates to indulge in talks which would probably go nowhere. However, when the Indian delegation arrived, Kashmiri leaders chose to have an informal meeting and made their wishes perfectly clear.

Syed Ali Geelani, a separatist Kashmiri leader who met the Indian delegation, told a British media outlet that he demanded India accept Kashmir as an international dispute, withdraw special and emergency powers from its security forces, withdraw troops from the region and release all political prisoners.



Completely ignoring history, India declared Kashmir as its integral part, which means that Kashmir is not an international dispute. As it is very evident, Kashmir has been an international dispute since partition in 1947. Pakistan and India would not have waged war three times had Kashmir been an internal problem of the latter. At the United Nations both countries agreed that Kashmir is an international dispute, and that a plebiscite would be held to decide the status of the disputed territory. U.N. resolutions also record that the Kashmir issue must be solved in accordance with the will of the Kashmiri people. Instead of listening to the global conscience and respecting the legitimate rights of the Kashmiri people, India preferred to ignore U.N. resolutions, suppress the Kashmiri's movement with guns, and crush their demands under military boots.

The official stance of the Indian government on Kashmir is completely unfounded, a fact further strengthened by the way Indian security forces treat Kashmiri people. Rather, it suggests that India is occupying the territory with brute-force. Have Indian security forces ever riddled the chests of protesters in New Delhi? Have Indian police shot similar participants through their heads in Mombai? Have Indian forces razed a Hindu temple in Madhya Pardesh? Never! However, Indian security forces have practised all of the above mentioned gruesome atrocities on innocent men and women of occupied Kashmir. While Indian forces do not consider Kashmiri people eligible for the same rights enjoyed by animals in Western countries, and soldiers of the Indian Army consider Kashmiri women as a source to pacify their lust, how can they declare that Kashmir is an integral part of India?

It is not only people who denounce this occupation. The history, religion, geography, natural water ways and culture of Kashmir suggest that Kashmir was not a part of India, and will not be in the future. Thus, one wonders who gave New Delhi the right to declare Kashmir as its integral part, since Kashmiri people, hills, rivers and mountains do not consider India as their homeland?

Kashmir is burning in the fire of Indian subjugation and atrocities. The struggle of the Kashmiri people has entered a decisive phase and is moving towards its logical and pre-ordained conclusion. Today, the struggle of Kashmir is in the hands of 32,000 widows, more than 100,000 orphans, and relatives of thousands of martyrs. What makes this intifada different from Kashmir's own history of struggle is that today Kashmiri women are also in the streets and on the roads, pelting their hate-filled stones at Indian armed forces, and shouting against heartless, Indian subjugation. One wonders, when a mother incites her four year old son to participate in protest, as a way to take revenge for the killing of his older brother, how long can the Indian government manage to maintain its illegitimate occupation?



The United Nations and Western world should hear the voice of Kashmiri people, who are crying for their unalienable right of freedom. It will make their journey a bit easier. In any way, it has become increasingly difficult for India to suppress Kashmir's struggle for freedom, and sooner or later India will have to grant Kashmiris their inalienable right to live freely.

Blog by Qasir M. Chaudhry

http://www.qasir.co.nr/

Kashmiri Intifada and Responsibilities of Pakistan.

Unspeakable and gruesome attrocities of subjugating Indian security forces against innocent Kashmiri people has set the the valley ablaze, which was once known as 'paradise on earth' due to its breath-taking beauty. Indian forces are massacring Kashmiri population and has killd more than 110 people, including women and children, since June 2010. The current "Kashmiri Intifada" has shaked up New Delhi but has failed to attract due attention from imprudent Pakistani administration and anti-Zardari media.

Kashmiri women and children are playing a consequential part in the latest episode of insurgency in Kashmir. They are pelting stones on the occupant forces and shouting for freedoms. Neither children nor women seem afraid of Indian forces, whose members deliberately fire live bullets at the heads and chests of the protesters.

Yousuf Raza Geelani, the prime minister of Pakistan, has urged Pakistani media, which is already ignoring its responsibilities over reporting the sanguineous events in occupied Kashmir, to report on Kashmir carefully. The moment I read his latest piece of wisdom, I am thinking about the possible meanings of "careful reporting". Does it mean any thing else than that Pakistani newspapers and television channels should deliberately overlook their responsibilities and do not inform what is happening in Kashmir!

The Prime Minister of Pakistan must not forget that 32 thousand women lost their husbands to be the citizens of a free and independent Kashmir. He must aslo remember more than 100,000 children became orphan because their fathers wished to live with Pakistan. Some one must tell him that Qaid-e-Azam, father of the nation, told us that Kashmir is the vulgar vein of Pakistan.

It is the time to realize that Kashmir, which was once sold out by British to a Sikh ruler, is about to turn over a new page of its history. Pakistani administration, politicians and media outlets must come forward with their diplomatic, moral and ethical assist. Otherwise, history and Kashmiris will never forgive us for our coward role at this decisive moment.

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