Enemy Within: An Open Letter to Roedad Khan

I fully agree with your main argument from today’s article titled The Enemy Within:

Pakistan’s greatest enemy today is the enemy within. “Ameer,” Quaid-e-Azam told Raja Sahib of Mahmudabad in 1948, “You have no idea of the situation here. I am surrounded by traitors”. The situation we face today is much worse. Traitors and foreign agents have captured political power with foreign support.

BUT there are a few things I’d like to mention where I don’t think you are going far enough. Good that you mention Zardari and that takes no rocket science to figure out he is one of the main problems. But how did he manage to become the President? Was it not Gen Kiyani negotiated NRO that made his return possible? Was it not your parliamentarians (PPP and “opposition”) voting unanimously to make him President? Has he not had the unwavering support of Gen. Kayani and Nawaz league that has kept him in office? Let’s not forget here that had it not been for the manipulations of both Nawaz and Kayani and Aitzaz Ahsan & Co. he would have been dragged out of the presidency had the Long March made it to Islamabad. We have “Tragedy aplenty: no drinking water, no electricity, no gas, no jobs, no cash, rampant corruption, no hope, and Zardari” because all have colluded to make it so and picking on Zardari is simplistic (let’s not forget the role bureaucracy and “free” judiciary itself has played in getting us here; they are EQUALLY as guilty).

Coming to Memogate, you state:

And to cap it all, the Memogate scandal: a dark, sinister, high-level conspiracy directed at the armed forces, a dastardly, cowardly, despicable criminal conspiracy designed to emasculate and destroy the army as a fighting force, the only shield we have against foreign aggression and the only glue that is keeping the federation together. It was an unsuccessful attempt to undermine the army’s much cherished independence and make significant changes in its decision-making system. The plan was to sweep away the existing system of command and raft of unpalatable generals and merge political and military power.

Agreed it was “a dark, sinister, high-level conspiracy directed at the armed forces, a dastardly, cowardly, despicable criminal conspiracy designed to emasculate and destroy the army as a fighting force” but tell me how is it any different from Haqqani’s previous acts? For an example, how is it any different from what he tried in Kerry-Lugar? Why wasn’t he fired right then and there? And even Kerry-Lugar was no surprise having followed his writings before he was installed Ambassador so I was baffled when the army raised no bones about that appointment. Of course I am sure you are also well aware of the visa-to-foreign-agents-without-background-checks scandal that brought here people like Raymond Davis (and care to tell me WHO was instrumental/which parties were instrumental in getting him out of jail, paying off the families of the victims and disappearing them, and putting him on a plane to US?). Let’s also not forget here the attempt made by Rehman Malik to put ISI under him. Did his head roll?

The talk of “army’s cherished independence” is of course laughable. “Independent” only if you ignore the Mullens, the Panettas, the Hillarys, the Panettas, the Holbrookes, the Pattersons, the Powells, the Munters, the Negrapontes, etc., etc., etc. And did you really forget about that phone call to Gen Musharraf back in 2001 that has directly let us here? And who was it that gave Mush a Guard of Honor and a send-off fit for a king? Isn’t it your army and the government that then covers up for them by claiming all the dead were militants (or ‘miscreants’ — Mushy’s term still popular with your independent army)? Is it not true they told every possible lie they could invent about Shamsi and are doing the same EVEN TODAY? Is it not true they told the “This is our war” lie and used to attack and kill thousands of their fellow citizens (don’t tell me you believe most of the dead are “foreign fighters”)? Have they not been constantly lying about there being “no military operation in Balochistan”?

"Indepent" head of an "independent" army, the "most powerful guy in Pakistan"

While on the subject, let’s not forget the latest calamity to befall your independent army: the NATO attack from a couple of days ago that killed some 28 soldiers. I really fail to understand what is the big deal there. Pakistanis get killed by NATO attacks EVERY DAY and no one sheds a tear. What is so special about these 28? Are they not made of the same ‘khak'(earth)? Is wearing khaki somehow turns them into some special form of humans?

Is it not a FACT that it is your independent army that provides the bases, the logistical support INCLUDING providing intelligence and targets to NATO/ISAF as to where to bomb? Is it not a FACT that the helicopters that strafed them, the fuel they burned, the bullets, the bombs, the missiles they fired, the pilots that flew them, ALL came through or flew over Karachi with the blessings of that very independent army? Is it not a FACT that the top echelon of your Army is whetted by the powers that be in U.S. and guys like Kayani would never make general (let alone COAS) if they don’t get approval from abroad? Isn’t it time we cut the bullshit and pick-and-choose “truths” we want to tell? Aren’t the biggest of lies told by telling half-truths? So either “speak up” the whole truth or shut up “since keeping silent” — and worse — telling half-truths makes you as much an “accomplice” in this sorry state we find ourselves in.

So I hope you understand why this gave me the giggles:

For people would have to speak up, since keeping silent would make them accomplices.

Ah, the irony of it all! But the sad thing is that was not the only thing. You added:

I realise what storms it is going to stir up, but truth and justice are sovereign over all else, for they alone make a nation great.

Reminded me of the oft-repeated “Let justice be done, may the heavens fall” that is popular with our supreme court justices. Well the heavens have been falling but there has been no sign of justice anywhere. CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry is happy prancing around in his bullet-proof BMW (so what if it costs people their lives) and the VVIP protocol he so much desired. Justice Ramday is happy breaking law, acquiring extensions and plots in Islamabad and is visiting Dehli right now (funny thing is the only “plot” he sees is the “plot to malign judges”. Justice Javaid Iqbal promised decision on “Missing Persons in two weeks” but that was like TWO YEARS AGO! He has since retired and that promised decision has gone missing too (but retired is a misnomer for no one ever leaves does he? He feels no shame in now getting himself installed as the head of the “Judicial Commission for the Recovery of Missing Persons” and feels no shame in stating “Number of missing persons on the rise“, that too after having stated in January that “2011 to be the year of missing persons’ recovery” (His honesty can be well gaged from the fact that before being installed to head this commission, his name was proposed by Zardari to head NAB and it was only the objection of PML-N that it did not happen. (Side Note: Interesting too is the fact that the bench comprising Justice Javaid Iqbal was the one that “disqualified the appointment of Deedar Hussain Shah as the NAB chairman” — maybe he wanted the job for himself :)). And let’s not forget about “Hai, Bhagwandas!” (though “retired” too, I am sure he has been “adjusted” somewhere too. Could be he is still the FPSC chief)

Regards!

Kiyani’s Endless Lies Continue Following NATO Attack

Pakistan’s “strong” response to NATO’s latest attack that killed 28 soldiers is all the rage today:

Pakistan blocks U.S. supplies, orders drone base closed after NATO raid

Supposedly Kiyani has ordered “effective response” to the attack , meaning he has got ALL the thieves known as the Defense Committee of Cabinet (DCC) together and supposedly they have decided to provide “No More Support in  Terror War”. Of course the jewel in this crown is the announcement that “US Must Vacate Shamsi Airbase in 15 Days” that people are going gaga over.

While Pakistanis beat their chests with pride at this, let me tell you why I am laughing at their STUPIDITY: They are being had once again!!!

Aitzaz’s Latest Client: Malik Riaz

Yesterday I came across blurb about the latest troubles of Malik Riaz of Bahria Town, one of the most corrupt people in Pakistan, and was not at all surprised that the guy representing him was none other than Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan. Now I have written enough about Aitzaz to not be surprised by this. My only curiosity was to see what sort of “plea bargaining” he would be trying to do this time (Remember I have stated before that looking at the cases our most brilliant attorney has been involved in, you’ll find his only trick is plea bargaining, nothing more — look at “Aitzaz jumps in with his pig brothers” here  where I talk about the Bank of Punjab case; also have a look at his brilliant work for his client in the submarine scam).

Well I was not disappointed:

Proof Positive MORONS Running NUST

Yes, I am talking about the National University of Science and Technology.

Now get this: Yesterday they put out a news release (and put some effort into publicizing it as it appeared in a lot of places) proudly proclaiming they “intended to hire services (of an outside firm) for the conversion of their existing website into a world-class web portal that would facilitate the students, teachers, alumni and the administrative staff.” They added:

The main objective of this web portal is to have a world class recognition that will reflect the international standing of NUST with respect to Academics, Research and University Industry relationship through a complete web-solution having user-friendly interface and navigation.

[How does a company named E-Solutions-Pakistan with CEO Ahsan Ahmed end up being an “offshore” firm is beyond me 🙂 Probably this Ahsan fella is the some of some crooked politician or crooked general]
ESOLPK (Pvt.) Ltd. an offshore software and web development outscoring firm in Islamabad has performed study on the existing websites of NUST and its constituent institutes, colleges, schools and centers and has proposed the best possible architecture for the University Web Portal.

[Observe the advert for Microsoft:]
The technical team at ESOLPK proposed the MS SharePoint technology to proceed with the Portal development. For a
university as large as NUST, with several institutes, colleges, schools and centers, which provide unique educational services to students, a technology as established as SharePint promises best results with options to enhance in future.
[End advert] 🙂

This portal will ensure thee[sic] impressive projection of NUST through web as well as attract new students & research scholars in Pakistan and worldwide.

Did not a single MORON scientist or big techie at NUST realize HOW FREAKING STUPID THIS IS? Instead of announcing it proudly, they should be hiding their faces in SHAME (better yet, committing collective harakiri) for what what they are admitting to is that with ALL their faculty with PhD’s in technical fields and their whole science and technology student body (remember this place offers PhDs in Engineering & IT, Medical Sciences, Business Administration, and Mathematics and Physics too besides Undergraduate and Masters degrees) CAN NOT BUILD A SIMPLE FREAKING WEB PORTAL!!!

Now that’s “thee[sic] impressive projection of NUST through web” that I have ever seen and I am sure it will “attract new students & research scholars in Pakistan and worldwide” 😛

OMG! Ayaz Amir Must Be Doing Atiqa Odho…

How low can an old Fauji go? I was surprised to find top PPP apologist, former journalist, PML-N MNA Ayaz Amir on fire in the National Assembly, suddenly realizing “Ziaul Haq’s invasion on the social and cultural fabric of this vibrant society,” demanding “the Supreme judiciary to move on instead of browbeating an issue which stinks of Ziaul Haq’s tainted laws”.

But what was curious was his focusing in on the laws against consuming alcohol (Historical Note: Though Zia did in fact introduce some twisted “Islamic rules”, it was Z A Bhutto who banned alcohol; Note also that the party Mr. Ayaz Amir belongs to WAS created by Zia himself):

But what remained the highlight of today’s performance was the unique suggestion of the chairman of Senate’s standing committee on Finance and Revenue, Senator Ahmed Ali of MQM. Though till the very last moment it remained unclear whether he was supportive of Attiqa Odho or criticizing the judiciary for taking suo-motto notice of her carrying merely two bottles of banned beverages, yet he flabbergasted not only the committee members but also the chairman of FBR Salman Siddique by asking him that how much taxes state would be able to earn if ban on these hard beverages is lifted? Upon finding Salman shying away by just blushing and staring at his own files, Senator asked in more definitive and substantive terms that would it be over Rs 70 billion? Then Salman had to hesitatingly and in his inaudible tone say that may be more than that. (source)

 Yes friends, the sleeping lion (who slept through corruption and injustice of every possible kind for three years, in fact supporting those with the excuse used by every scoundrel that ‘Democracy must be protected at every cost”) jumped out of his slumber howling because Mushy’s chick and central-office bearer of his (Mushy’s) party Atiqa Odho got caught at the airport with two bottles of the good stuff and was let go which did not sit well with SC that demanded to investigate how she slipped away.

That can ONLY MEAN ONE THING: Ayaz Amir is banging the old hag. Simply, there can be no other explanation for it and everyone can see through this (see suggestion of Senator Ahmed Ali abouve).

That Ayaz himself realized that he had dropped his pants in public is clear from his backtracking (“what I meant was….”)

Too late, Ayaz! The cat is out of the bag 😉

Bankers: Two MUST READ Posts…

… from Video Rebel’s Blog.

[I am not sure if I have done the first article justice by adding links to it (thought it might help those who are not aware of certain things). Just want to say it should be read — at least on the first go — without clicking any of them as it explains plainly what is going on.]

Arrogance Of A Banker

I am a banker. I gave mortgages to people I knew couldn’t pay me back and made billions of dollar. The mortgages were worthless and could not legally be sold. I packaged the loans into bonds. I sold some of the mortgages five times over. Mere mortals go to jail for selling a home five times but I didn’t. I bought a new type of unregulated insurance called a Credit Default Swap (CDS) which had been invented by my friend Blythe Masters at JP Morgan while she was still back in England.[Note: She is One of the Key Architects of Carbon Derivatives, Which Would Be at the Very CENTER of Cap and Trade]

These Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) could not pass scrutiny but there was none. The rating agencies charged me a small fee, only looked at the unregulated CDS insurance and gave the bonds a AAA rating. I then went back to the people at AIG and bought a CDS against the bonds I knew to be worthless so I could collect when the bonds went belly up.

Greeks Bearing Gifts: Pakistan, US Sign Wind Power Generation Project

Another Rs.32 billion (~$360 million) down the drain? Of course the spin is “the project will save Pakistan $45 million per year in fuel cost”. What about saving the whole $360 million plus operating costs?

But why the sudden interest in this experimental, expensive (non) solution when better, much cheaper alternatives are available? Are we going to be the beneficiaries or is it going to be someone else?

Is it any surprise that this comes when the wind turbine industry itself is failing? Could it be that the real beneficiaries are some of these companies? Could it be we don’t think the Queen has made enough money on this scam yet?

(If we are going to go this route, ‘Why not manufacture wind turbines in Pakistan‘ is certainly a valid question to ask…)

A Quickie: Like Sons, Like Fathers!

Well, I had posted about Dost Muhammed Khosa’s car acquiring habits. Well, now it has come out he probably has learnt the tricks from his father, Zulfiqar Khosa.

Zulfiqar Khosa is among the Pakistan’s elite yet to pay their taxes on the luxury cars they acquired. I guess their excuse is: “Since we didn’t earn money the legal way, how can we pay taxes on it??” or maybe “We are creatures that eat up tax money, NOT pay up!”.

The prominent names making the list are:

Former President Farooq Leghari, Abida Hussain, Zulfiqar Khosa, Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood, Hina Rabbani Khar, Wasim Akram and Inzamamul Haq.

Besides Zulfi Khosa, the probable excuses:
Farooq Leghari: “This was a gift from my son I swear, so go ask him!”
Abida Hussain: “Now I am PPP so laws don’t apply to me!”
Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood: “Jao Pir Pagaro say lay lo”
Hina Rabbani Khar:” Jantay ho mein Holbrooke kay sath in houn (yani wo meray mein “in” hay). Aik aur lufz bola to US Aid band kara douN gi!”
Waseem Akram: Yay meri car nahiN, meri biwi key hay.
Inzamamul Haq: Tablighi Jamaat kay aalim nay fatwa diya hay kay luxury tax pay kerna sood daynay kay barabar hay.

How Dare He, Indeed!

Well is anyone surprised the officer doing his job and exposing a major land theft by DHA has been removed from his position?

How dare you probe

Honest bureaucrat made OSD
ISLAMABAD: Annoyed with its bureaucrat minion for having the audacity of doing the right thing by exposing a “dirty deal”, the Establishment Division punished an honest joint secretary of the Ministry of Minorities, Munir Ahmed Chaudhry, by making him an officer on special duty (OSD) writes Rauf Klasra.

His “crime” had been that he had conducted investigations into the dirty deal between the Evacuee Trust Board, Pakistan, (ETBP) and Defence Housing Society (DHA), Lahore. If the officer was expecting plaudits for his efforts then he was in for a rude shock because when he reported for duty on Wednesday morning, he found a directive waiting for him on his table, directing him to immediately report to Establishment Division as OSD.

Meanwhile, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Ch Nisar Ali Khan took serious note of the ETPB-DHA land transfer scam published in The News on April 21. Ministry of Minorities Secretary Javed Akthar has been directed to appear before PAC on Friday to explain the whole scam as how come the ETBP had transferred the Gurdwara lands to the DHA which was not allowed under the Sikh Act 1925.

The transfer of 575 kanals of Sikh Gurdwara land to DHA, Lahore, had even echoed in Indian parliament in December last year, and New Delhi had asked Pakistan to conduct investigations into the transfer of the minorities land to DHA. Consequently, the Ministry had appointed Joint Secretary Munir Ahmed Chaudhry to head a two member inquiry committee, which has now confirmed that the deal was dirty and should be reviewed to save Pakistan’s image….

Probably the same fate is awaiting another officer. He has dared to document water-theft by the Army and Rangers.(He might have already met the same fate so if you come across any news, do let me know)

Gilani Raises His Stature By Murdering 124 Civilians

[Graphic to be added later…you know what kind…]

That those 124 killed the other day were not militants was clear from the army’s own description of them as “suspected militants“.

That a major slaughter was was in the offing was clear because Gillani was to meet Obama (see “note” at the link).

That those killed were indeed civilians was clear from day one as all eyewitness accounts agreed on that.

Tribal elders have told the media that the jets targeted a jirga ortribal council that was discussing ways to evict militants from the area. They insisted that most of the dead were civilians, including women and children.

A media report said one of the homes targeted by the jets belonged to the father of a Pakistani soldier.

That is is being confirmed today even by our pathetic pro-war English press leaves no doubt.

And for what? So that Gilani can “stand tall” in front of Obama.

Special “Shame On You Award” goes to our armed forces, especially out Air Force who have killed more Pakistanis in last couple of years than Israeli Air Force in all their years of destruction.

(So who are the Israelis now?)

P.S. Also ignore the over 200,000 who have been force to flee the area and ignore the beheadings done by the brave soldiers because it is “speculated” “the beheaded bodies were of high profile militants believed to have been killed during the clash but accomplices cut their heads before fleeing the area apparently to conceal their identity” (so it was “OK” as The News would like to have us see it)

UPDATE: No longer any doubt those killed was civilians. While the army continues with it’s bullshit, here is the latest from LA Times:

But residents from the Tirah Valley village of Sra Vela said the dead and wounded were civilians with no connections to the region’s militant groups. Many of the wounded taken to a hospital in the northwest city of Peshawar were active or retired members of Pakistan’s Frontier Corps, a paramilitary force that battles militants in the tribal belt.[So the b@stards killed their own to please Obama! What a wonderful job!]

“There is not a single militant in the area,” said Kashmalo Khan, 63, a retired Frontier Corps officer who suffered a broken leg in the airstrike. “God knows better who gave information to the government about militants’ presence in the area.”

Villagers said the house targeted in the airstrike belonged to a tribesman with sons serving in the Frontier Corps. After a first bomb struck, neighboring tribespeople rushed to the site to rescue the wounded, Khan said. As they pulled bodies from the rubble, another bomb hit the area.

“The second bomb came while people were busy with relief work,” Khan said. “Everything flew into the air, and I was thrown several yards away.”

The army spokesman denied that any civilians were killed in the strike. A Khyber administration official said that a six-member panel made up of local officials and tribal elders has been formed to investigate the airstrike. [Oh so if you already know no civilians were killed, why form the panel? And I already know what that panel’s report will say: “No civilians were killed in the air-strike]

Khyber’s administration chief, Shafeerullah Khan, said $125,000 in government funds would be set aside to compensate survivors and families of tribespeople killed in the airstrike.[$$$$$? Is that our currency? Any doubt who is paying for ‘our war’?? And again, if no civilians were killed, why set up the fund to compensate survivors and families of tribespeople killed???]

“The army never takes action against innocent tribesmen,” Khan said in a prepared statement. “Security forces had received intelligence about the presence of militants in the area, and action was taken.” [Assh*le, they just did. And that tells us enough about your “intelligence”!]

Another story just out (AP) that has more detail:
Pakistani airstrike kills many civilians: official

Judges & Lawyers: Heal Thyselves…

This little story appeared in Dawn that I think tells all what is wrong with the system. The following is true of not just the lower courts and it is an open admission — though probably not intended as such —  of how things really work. And it is this that allows ALL other kinds of corruption to flourish in every walk of life: Dictators get legal cover for his usurping the power, land mafia gets legal cover for their grabs,  bureaucrats use it for more power to do more corruption, unsuitable people can not be removed from position they illegally occupy because the courts would give them a stay, police can go on with their gangster activities because no judge will touch them, brother can steal brother’s property because he has stronger ties with law enforcement (or can buy a bigger lawyer — thus bigger judge), etc., etc., etc.

Intimidated lower court judges break silence

KASUR, April 2: Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere, but if it is committed by those who are supposed to fight against it then nothing worse could be expected in a ‘civilized’ society.

To the surprise of many, the relations between lawyers and judges have turned sour after their long and combined struggle for the rule of law and independence of the judiciary.

However, in lawyers’ recent standoff with judges, the worst-affected are district courts’ litigants. At least 90 per cent of them file their cases in lower courts to seek justice as most of them can’t afford to move higher courts.

Since emerging victorious in their fight for restoration of the judiciary, a majority of lawyers, in a bid to get desired verdicts from courts, reportedly started blackmailing and pressurising the judges.
[I say this has always been true and it is not just lawyers who have been at fault. Most of the judges of old have been known to decide in favor of the bigger purse, evidence be damned]

A district court judge, requesting anonymity, said mostly lawyers having political backgrounds try to use their official position and some of them even sent ‘chits’ to judges to get verdict of their choice in weak cases – where evidence is against the accused.
[and vice versa]

Lawyers, in such cases, demand heavy fees from the accused, mostly criminals, for getting a favourable verdict.
[And they also demand that huge fee because in a lot of cases they have to pay the judge his price, nicely illustrated by the BoP Case and Dogar Court and our Law Minister babar Awan, Aitzaz, Wasim Sajjad, Latif Khosa, Sharifuddin Pirzada, etc. In fact if you look at the careers of the star lawyers, you will find that their “wins” are NOT based on the strength of their arguments but on what they were able to offer the judges in cold hard cash]

The judge alleged that lawyers arrived in a court in a group of 30 to 50 to pressurise the court and get verdict to their liking.

Another judge, seeking anonymity, said mostly corrupt and inefficient judges become the target of such lawyers as they knew their (judges’) weak points and exploited the situation. He said similar tactics were employed against female judges.
[Now here this judge is not being completely honest. It is equally true it is the judges who demand to be paid to rule/not rule on a case. Why do you think cases last 20, 30 years? Because they milk it and the corrupt client is happy to pay as hecan stay out of jail and continue with the corruption and even become President some day. Honest! 🙂 😦 ]

He said lawyers usually spent a huge amount during bar elections and then earned dividend by using such tactics and charging their clients heavily.
[Yes the lawyers do have this racket going as well]

If a judge refuses to bow to such pressure, the lawyers resort to misbehaviour with him or her and start submitting applications against them to the competent authority.
[But these judges have either put themselves in that position by their previous acts or the ‘competent authority’ — other judges — let this intimidation work]

In most of the cases, to avoid an ugly situation or for fear of being exposed, the lawyers were obliged, he added.

“It is a common practice among such lawyers that they express their desire to a judge in his retiring room where lawyers are free to use every tactic. If a judge refuses to oblige lawyers he has to pay through the nose, at least his transfer is imminent,” he said.
[Again, the reverse is true as well: If the lawyer doesn’t pay through the nose, he can forget about the case no matter what the evidence]

Another senior judge, now transferred from the Kasur district, alleged that the use of abusive language and ransacking of courtrooms by lawyers was a common practice.

He regretted that some of their (judges) high-ups were patronising the lawyers and judges were mostly transferred on lawyers’ complaint.
[And this is what I was talking about above: It is other lawyers and judges that make this possible]

He said the atmosphere in courts was better in the past when licenses of lawyers were issued by the Lahore High Court. Now bars were issuing licenses to bag more votes, he added.
[I was unaware of this but not surprised. So basically the balance has tilted towards the lawyers and that is why judges are screaming. They did not mind being pharoahs themselves. It also shows why no lawyer is suspended — I mean permanently — as they twoo always support their ‘bradari’ no matter how corrupt. I have often complained to the lawyers why black sheep like Awan, Pirzada, Khosa, etc. (and wolf-in-sheeps-clothing Aitzaz, Wasim Sajjad, S M Zafar, etc.)continue to be openly claimed ‘brethern’ by the very best and supposedly honest lawyers? No surprise I never got an answer]

Additional District and Sessions Judge Sher Abbas Awan had submitted a complaint to D&SJ Javid Rasheed Mahboobi when a group of lawyers tried to pressurise him in the court to seek favour in a weak case.

In a lawyer’s personal case, the rival party fails to get the professional services of any other lawyer.
[Like I was saying: They protect their own no matter how corrupt he is]

A few months back, a lawyer in his personal case appeared in a court along with some 40 colleagues and tried to harass the judge. Nevertheless, the D&SJ got in black and white from the lawyer that he would not come to the court with more than three colleagues.
[Proof lawyers are a criminal gang that uses intimidation]

The Lahore High Court chief justice provided a state council on a written application of the D&SJ, but the lawyer later left the case on the plea that he could not face the ‘moral pressure’ of his colleagues.
[See? ‘Protect ‘Baradari’ at any cost!]

From Jan 2009 to July 2009, three judges Allah Bux Ranjha, Abdul Waheed Khan and Kazim Raza Shamsi were transferred.

The latter two judges were transferred when they rejected lawyers’ pleas to take action against some Lesco and police officials. Incumbent D&SJ Javid Rasheed Mahboobi, who took charge in July 2009, is also under the cloud these days as he discouraged the ‘chit system’ and banned the lawyers’ entry in judges’ retiring rooms.
[Lawyers = Lawless Gang; I am certain in the ‘case’ against Lesco and Police,  it was the lawyers who were at fault. Also remember the recent case in Lahore where a lawyer tortured his teenage maid servant to death. All lawyers were out to intimidate the courts in support of this bastard brother of theirs]

He also launched courses for young lawyers and appointed some of them as state commission so that they could earn their livelihood in an honorable way.
[Honorable livelihood? How dare he think of such a thing!]

DBA president Abdul Rehman Tabbasum, in an in-house meeting on March 25, had demanded the transfer of the D&SJ for his “involvement in corruption and misbehavior with lawyers”.

However, a group of lawyers led by DBA secretary general Tanvir Asghar Chaudhry opposed the president’s stance and decided to appear in D&SJ’s court.
[Wow! These lawyers are certainly an exception so kudos to them]

A Quickie: Celebrating The Accord On 18th Amendment…

…by stiffing it to the public:
Ogra increases oil and diesel prices.

Enjoy! For “democracy” has won 😛

PML-N Good Governance: Firing Cops Who DO Do Their Job (And More)

1. Sometimes even I am surprised at how blind our rulers think we are. Take for example the case of these jawans of Punjab Police who — for a change — were doing their jobs and how they were rewarded:

6 cops including SHO suspended

The story tells us that the car of PML-N MNA Malik Riaz was stopped as police noticed people in the car brandishing AK-47s. Of course the police asked them to produce the licenses for the arms but they had none. Malik Riaz demanded the police let them go (I am sure “Don’t you know who I am?I am above the law”  was declared by him. He did say “he was going to attend special meeting at Chief Minister’s House” as if that made it all legal) . Although he was eventually let go, he took this as an insult (“How dare they let him not break the law”) and complained to his higher-ups — Good-Governance Sharifs — who of course suspended six of the cops involved in the incident.

Update: I am glad the Lahore High Court took suo moto notice of the suspension and Chief Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif rightly “observed that the country was under a spate of terrorism and demanded security measures at every level, irrespective of the status/position of any subject.”

Latest from today is: Policemen restored

Of course if the LHC hadn’t gotten involved, you know they would have remained suspended. Even now the question is what action will be taken against the law-breaking MNA (who again is guilty of crime for seeking and getting the cops suspended misusing authority)? You can be sure no action will be taken in this regard. Wah re, good governamce!

2. Next story comes to us from Mianwali where “good governance” is leading the government to “dispose of 521-kanal tract” of valuable COMMERCIAL land at throw away prices. That they plan to “sell” — it probably will end up in the pocket of some Butt butt-kisser — this land on the cheap can be gathered from the fact that they have declared this piece of prime commercial property as “agricultural” land.

BTW: It appears the land is NOT Punjab Government’s to sell in the first place:

According to him, this particular piece of land was owned by a family which donated it to the British for welfare but now they had moved court to get back its possession. He said the land could not be auctioned because of litigation.

(Of course this and many such sales are planned — though officially denied — as the Punjab Government is BANKRUPT and they are selling these admittedly to “augment its financial resources to meet exigencies” (That is true but this is also pure theft as the lands will end up with buddies of Sharifs or the Sharifs themselves)

3. They continue to argue let’s make it legal by declaring illegal legal in the IMAX/Doongi Ground case I mentioned before.

4. In his typical fashion, Shahbaz paid a surprise visit to General Hospital, Lahore and fired the MS for the mess General hospital is. Rest assured nothing will change as ALL pubic hospitals are a mess in ALL of Punjab and ALL their MS’s are the most corrupt of the lot. This must have to do with this particular MS loosing favor of the CM somehow or someone else gaining it. Nothing will change at General Hospital — or Mayo, or Jinnah, or any other hospital — that I can assure you. I mean, if he had to fire someone, he should have started with the MS’s of Mayo and Jinnah Hospital who are the sleaziest of the lot (BTW: Jinnah did make the news yesterday and it’s slimy MS played victim so you know he is going to get away with it).

5. Another news I cannot provide a link to as it appeared only in the print edition of Dawn last week. Dawn reported that the cost of upgradation of Multan Road has gone up 700%. Now that is an achievement considering this increase was managed in under two years 😉

RELATED:

Why Blame The Police?

PML-N Good Governance: Making Illegal Legal

A Quickie: Gilani Asks The Fox To Investigate Who Slaughtered The Hens

The LPG scam — actually “LPG Scam II” — made the news recently when Rauf Klasra made us aware of it a few days back:

$1 billion LNG scam lands in federal cabinet
Monday, March 29, 2010
Tarin says he was kept in the dark; Naveed Qamar defends contract to highest bidder

By Rauf Klasra

ISLAMABAD: The first documented $1 billion scam was laid before the federal cabinet last week which officially revealed that Pakistan lost one billion dollars after the top guns of the Petroleum Ministry ignored the lowest bid of the Fauji Foundation and the multinational energy firm, Vitol, for 3.5 million tons LNG contract worth $25 billion, and instead awarded it to the highest bidder, a French firm….

Of course all hell broke loose and instead of screaming “bloody murder” at those carrying out this scam, the lowlife parliamentarians of course screamed bloody murder at the messenger:

The information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira was more interested in summing the reporter of this story to appear before the committee to submit proofs to establish his case. But the most interesting thing observed in the NA proceeding on Monday where three federal ministers stood up to raise this issue was the fact that they all preferred to shoot the messenger, instead of daring to mention the names of former finance minister Shaukat Tarin and MD Fauji Foundation Lt General Rab Nawaz, who had actually smelt foul play in the multibillion dollar LNG deal. Information minister Kaira and agriculture minister Nazar Gondal were angry with the reporter who had filed this story. Kaira said the reporter should also be summoned and asked to produce evidence on the basis of which he filed the story. Gondal said the report was filed without any proper evidence and the committee should probe the issue.

But since the truth is out, one has to cover it up and that PM is doing the very same can be gleaned from the story from which the above bit is taken:

PM asks Hafeez to examine LNG deal

Yes, the same Hafeez Sheikh who raped the country for years under Mush/Shauki and is back to do it again. Choosing him (“who is yet to formally start working as advisor on finance”) specifically certainly speaks volumes as to where this “investigation” is headed…(Does remind me of the news from couple of days ago: Probe ordered into reports about ‘fake’ video: Rehman Malik)

P.S. Speaking of PM, DON’T get too excited about car prices coming down. Sure Gilani warned car makers: “Cut prices or face imports”. This is just a shakedown — Gilani is doing what every previous government has done: Threaten the car makers with “allowing imports”, car makers’ cartel pays up, and things continue as usual i.e. no imports allowed and car makers continue to gouge the public with exorbitant prices for third-rate locally made cars.

UPDATE:
Today we are told:
PTCL privatisation deal was not transparent, NA told

Of course we already knew. We also remember it was this genius Hafeez Sheikh who was the Minister for Privatization when this rape was allowed. But do note that the current Minister for Privatisation Waqar Ahmed (a most-corrupt individual himself, not surprisingly, so well-qualified for the position heholds) covers up for Hafeez Sheikh with a balatant lie:

The agreement for the sale of 26 per cent PTCL shares with the UAE-based Etisalat was finalised and transaction was made without taking the Privatisation Commission Board into confidence.

Hey, mabe Mr Gilani can ask Hafeez Sheikh to look into this as well! And maybe Hina Rabbani Khan can assist 😛

Related:
JJVL distribution not govt concern: Iqbal
Aitzaz: LPG Scam-Runner, Too

Trouble In Leghari/Khosa Country — Updated

Well I wasn’t going to write about this but today’s story and it’s omissions and revelations have sort of pushed me. First the latest story:

PML-N Good Governance: Making Illegal Legal

The other day I cam across this news item:
All except one Sahiwal housing societies illegal

SAHIWAL, March 10: The tehsil municipal administration (TMA) has declared illegal 72 out of total 73 housing societies under the Punjab Private Site Development Schemes (Regulation) Rules, 2005, Dawn has learned.

Of these 72, cases of only three housing societies are under process while the remaining 69 are being tried.

While the administration is prosecuting the owners of these commercial housing societies in the consumer court through Farid Town and Ghala Mandi police stations, citizens have publicly been warned against purchasing plots in these illegal housing schemes.
…
TMO Masood Tamana said a large number of these illegal societies had been developed in less than 70 acres of land which was yet another violation of the law…..

The case of these societies is certainly not limited to Sahiwal (e.g. Lahore has at least 103 such schemes)

Well, guess what? Suddenly Mr Shahbaz Sharif took out his magic wand — I can only imagine the weight of the bills in the suitcase he probably received — and “POOF!”, just like that most of those illegal housing schemes have become ‘legal’:

(“The Minimum Area Required For Housing Schemes Has Been Reduced From 170 Kanals To 40 Kanals”)
🙂
In the other item mentioned in the same I don’t have any idea how much public land is being ‘leased’ to the public for housing. The only thing I am sure of is the process won’t be transparent though it is being advertised as such. Do I have a proof? No — just an educated guess 😉

Goldman Sachs Sucks

See why:

You might also want to watch the Democracy Now interview with Matt Taibbi and read — MUST READ his article in Rolling Stones titled “The Great American Bubble Machine” which I linked to before

Some Swiss Case Documents

Wondered what was in hose boxes? Well, here is a sampling someone was kind enough to send me (I uploaded them to Scribd):

Box 1:

• International Regulatory Request
• Cliford Chance
• Fact Sheet

Box 2:

• Time Magazine Article
• Order Sheet
• Pirenne python

Box 3:

• News papers

Box 4:

• Payment Details 01

Box 5:

• Payment Details 02

Box 6:

• Clifford Chance 01

Box 7:

• Clifford Chance 02

Box 8:

• Clifford Chance 03

Box 9:

• Clifford Chance 04
• Clifford Chance 05

Box 10:

• Clifford Chance 06

A Quickie: Chor Ki Darhi MeiN Tinka?

That he chose to become an ad-hoc judge was an act not so on the up-and-up is proven by this latest stunt:

Respected Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday, just appointed as ad hoc judge of the Supreme Court, has decided not to draw his salary and has donated the same to Al-Mizan Foundation, a welfare organization for the serving and retired employees of the judiciary including subordinate courts….

Interestingly, the full letter of the honorable judge too has found it’s way in print which further shows the judge is aware that taking the oath was improper.

Might I ask: Sir, nice of you to not take your salary but does it also mean you won’t be taking any of the benefits? Like, will you be vacating your official house in GOR I, Lahore (BTW: why did you still have it since you got transferred to Islamabad years ago?)? Giving up the official car (and fuel and driver)? How about tons of other perks that a supreme court judge enjoys if front of which the salary just pales (and costs this country plenty)?

Do I hear a ‘Yes!’? Of course not! Oh well…..

BTW: This “no-salary” was a nice stunt that people will easily lap up. Why do I feel Aitzaz as the brains behind it?

A Quickie: What You Say Now, Nawaz?

Your moron son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar, is being blamed for the defeat of your party in the recent National Assembly by-election in Mansehra (and talking of nepotism, he was trying to get his brother elected as an MNA as well). So just wondering…what you gonna do now? Go after Safdar? Not a chance, right?? (I am certain you will instead go after your party activists and your district president who have dared to expose the truth (including PML-N sucking-up to PML-Q)…

Sure you have “democracy” in your party (wink)(wink) 😉

BTW: Have always wondered what you saw in that guy to marry off your daughter to him? Or did you just hate your daughter so much?

Haroon Rashid Wins 4-0 vs Aitzaz Ahsan

Recently columnist Haroon Rashid(HR) wrote an article on the games played by Aitzaz Ahsan(AA), confirming what has appeared on this blog (e.g. see here and here) and, as expected,  Aitzaz was quick to respond to what he called “accusations” — I call them statements of facts — by HR. But in trying to clear his name by further telling lies, AA has only managed to confirm what HR and I have stated.

Below are the so-called “accusations” by HR and the lies offered by AA as “clarifications”.

“Accusation” #1:
There really was no accusation here. HR stated AA had refused to defend Zardari using the excuse that he had to earn a living (“work with sweat and blood”) to pay for his kids’ school fees. Of course AA was lying as every one knows his kids are not in school (I think they are enjoying high-paying jobs overseas thanks to Aitzaz’s connections) and even if they were in school, Aitzaz has himself accepted he makes millions a month so he hardly has to worry about school fees for his kids. And AA suggesting he would not be paid by Zardari for his services was ridiculous indeed and I do believe Zardari was willing to pay him enough to “take care of all his expenses for a hundred years.” AA certainly might not have wanted to take his fee in cash for appearances sake but we know he would have taken it in favors which would have been a lot more lucrative and we do have the as precedence

1. him receiving an LPG quota,
2. him defending CJ resulting him in upping his fee up to rs 20 Million per case.

“Clarification” #1:
Aitzaz right away starts off with the greatest of fabrications. He quotes HR but the quote is 100% fabricated. AA says HR has stated:

“I demanded fee from Mr. Zardari to fight his case and apparently refused to help him further.”

Huh? Where did HR say that? What HR stated is right above. Can you find HR saying anything close to what AA claims HR said — and that too with a supposedly direct quote? Well, I certainly can’t. HR CERTAINLY DID NOT SAY THAT! Are we to assume a “brilliant lawyer” is so stupid as to not being able to copy one sentence? Most likely AA is doing this intentionally to twist things.

But starting with this lie (“HR said I demanded fees”), AA goes into this long rant about all the occasions he had not charged fees from his corrupt PPP buddies for defending them in court and doesn’t shy away from having helped them get away with it. Hello! That is not HR “accused” you of and at least have the decency/sense not to make up quotes to suit your purpose.

“Accusation” #2:
HR talks about the recent details that have come out about the LPG scandal in which consumers were bilked an extra 220 Billion. He tells us about 20-ton-a-day quota that AA enjoys. HR does say AA got the quota not because he is “a friend” of the LPG Mafia Don Iqbal Z Ahmed but  because of Benazir Bhutto’s looking after her lap dogs.

“Clarication” #2:
What is interesting is that AA comes back not disagreeing with HR about the other people that got the LPG quota (and confirms his own 20-ton a day one) and even suggests they were improper as each of them faced some sort of an “Accountability Bureau” but — this is so funny — he says only his was on the up-and-up and he repeats the lie that his wife got it from his “friend” Iqbal Z Ahmed. He claims his his wife getting the LPG windfall was proper because:

1. He never was accused before, and
2. Musharraf never canceled it.

My!  Is that the best defense you can offer, Mr. Brilliant Lawyer who charges Rs 2 crore per case? Amazing what bull you have been getting away with! Your first defense is now out the door as you have — belatedly but finally — been accused and the second defense just confirms the next accusation that you in fact were playing every side but the lawyers (the only side you were supposed to be playing). Also managing to secure such a lucrative deal (netting AA anywhere between Rs 3 million to Rs 38 million per month) admittedly due to nepotism — and not qualification — itself speaks volumes!

“Accusation” #3:
HR talks about the lawyers movement and does say AA pulled a fast one on the lawyers by calling off the “dharna” on his own, leading some young ones to tears by being stabbed in the back by their very leader (HR was being kind here — I have accused AA of not only that but a similar role in the second Long March. Remember at this time AA was NOT among the leaders of the Lawyers movement but managed to insert himself into Nawaz’s vehicle and again managed to halt the Long March in Gujranwala as preplanned (unless you are ready to believe Nawaz is a genius to have predicted it days ahead))

“Clarification” #3:
AA puts up a false claim that some “All Pakistan Lawyers Representaives” organization (is there one?) was “undecided” on dharna in May 2008 (first Long March) but had decided to do so in Jan 2009 (second Long March). Well Mr Aitzaz, if the lawyers were “undecided” in May 2008 as you yourself say, then who gave you the right to decide it for them? And if they had decided in it’s favor in Jan 2009, then again why did you announce it’s cancellation??

Aitzaz follows this crap with some silly excuses for him acted that way. He says it was too hot in June (is that a revelation or is June always hot?) and the guys in black coats (lawyers) would have suffered (Oh, and they did not suffer during the Long March when the sun was out but would have suffered more say at 3 in the morning?). Next he says he cancelled it because he was afraid some lawyers would have attacked the parliament and would have been arrested and no one would have bailed them out (Oh, so the lawyers were so helpless and alone?). Next he adds he did it for the women and kids who were present who would have suffered (Oh thanks AA for being so caring — we know women have no sense to make that decision for themselves or their kids). But AA is not done yet. Then he adds that anyone not supporting his decision were in fact agents of the forces  wanting to do away with democracy (ignore the fact that Mush the dictator was sitting in the presidency) and those who wanted to spill blood and guts — another pathetic ‘excuse’.

Accusation #4:
HR talks about the time AA took CJ to meet Zardari under the pretense “to offer condolence for the death of Benazir Bhutto”. Of course it was a senseless move and a lot of fingers were pointed at CJ and HR rightly wonders if the real purpose behind it was AA trying to raise his rate.

“Clarification” #4:
AA goes into another rant against being called greedy and opportunist and gives us a list of qurbanis (how could a jiyala not shout qurbani when he has no legs to stand on — in fact you know he has trying to divert from the issue at hand) he gave like “I turned down the PMship”, blah, blah, blah.

But in all of that rant, he, of course, makes no mention of his rate having skyrocketed (his opportunism already proven by the BoP and the LPG affairs alone).

So what do you think? I score it 4-0 in favor of Haroon Rashid.

PML-N: Full of Sound and Fury, Signifying Total Moral Bankruptcy

Remember the headlines from yesterday? Remember the fiery spppech by Ch. Nisar on “Vote of Confidence” for Zardari:

ISLAMABAD: Opposition leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has made it clear to the government that his party will not take part in any vote of confidence for an individual.

“It is a cruel joke with the nation to seek a vote of confidence at a time when Balochistan is burning, Karachi is up in flames and Fata is in a state of war. For God’s sake, don’t render the assemblies irrelevant with this kind of act. The people have sent us to the assemblies to solve their problems,” he said in his speech on a point of order in the National Assembly on Monday.

Remember Shahbaz Sharif and his hours long interview with Hamid Mir:

I trust Gilani but distrust Zardari — how can you trust someone who breaks promises sworn to over the Quran?

Well, just a day has passed and what do we have? Read it and weep:

LAHORE, Jan 12: On the ‘insistence’ of the Pakistan Muslim League-N, the Pakistan People’s Party has finally agreed to pay tribute to Mian Nawaz Sharif for his ‘services for democracy’ in order to get a resolution passed in favour of President Asif Ali Zardari in the Punjab Assembly.

“Yes we have agreed to draft a joint resolution that will recommend unconditional support for President Zardari and a tribute to Nawaz Sharif for his services for democracy,” Senior Minister Raja Riaz told Dawn on Tuesday.

Nothing more needs to be said.Saying anything more means we have forgotten it the same bastard Nisar who has stated again and again (like his master nawaz that “PML-N not to destabilise govt” and appreciated the work of one of the most corrupt individuals in the current administration, Salman Farooqi and was involved in handing over Aimal Kansi to the US. And it means it is the same Shahbaz who is a money launderer, extrajudicial killer, election-manipulator, etc., etc., etc.

(Let’s not forget the “I trust [corrupt-to-the-core] Gilani” statement itself speaks volumes)

P.S. And don’t forget the other brother stroking the other side of the butt-cheek:

Nawaz: “I am Stick With Zardari Even If PPP Dumps Him”

Fake Terror? — That Blast At Khosa House UPDATED!

Khosas: Zulfiqar, Saifuddin, Dost Muhammed

Being from D. G. Khan myself and being familiar with the Khosas, my first thoughts about that recent bomber strike at Khosa’s house in D.G. Khan were:

1. The Khosas have really pissed off someone real bad (everyone is pissed at them for they have set new standards of corruption, even beating Farooq Leghari and Co.), or
2. They had it done themselves to get some attention/show they are “important” (The thought about ‘Taliban’ targeting them is just so out of this world)

That there was something fishy going on was brought back to my mind when I heard Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif state that the blast at the Khosa House is not linked to centres of terrorists in the southern Punjab. So I talked and met some people from the area and what I was told certainly confirmed my suspicions.

The rumor on the street is that the Khosas had it done themselves. I am told the Khosas have been trying to get rid of enchroching tent city/slum that had grown upto the wall of Khosa House and the bombing was carried out by them to rid themselves of it. Another interesting fact is that two Khosa brothers (Hisamuddin and Saifuddin) were at the house that day and Dost Muhammed Khosa was expected to also come over. Also present at the house that day was their (much-hated by them) brother-in-law, a guy named Ali. Coincidence of coincidences, Hisam and Saif managed to leave the house that morning and Dost Muhammed cancelled his visit. That guy Ali came closet to getting killed as he was just driving away from the house at the time of the bombing, leading to another rumor that the Khosas wanted to kill two birds with one stone and do away with that leaching brother-in-law of theirs as well (leach he is and he moved into Khosa right as PML-N came to power in Punjab and has been been using his relationship with Khosas to the hilt).

Another interesting thing I heard was that during the short stint as acting CM, Dost made enough money to transfer Rs 70-80 crore to Dubai.

Question is, like Zardari made Musharraf look not so bad, will a Nawaz government even make Zardari government having been not so bad? With people like these in the PML-N leadership, I won’t be surprised….

UPDATE:
1. Latest word is the Khosas had given rights to the land along their wall to people to build shops and a market had sprung up. Of course the land wasn’t transferred to these poor souls but they held the ‘agreement’ on stamp paper only. Since the Khosas saw that it was an established market now and they could sell that land for crores of rupees, they wanted the shopkeepers to disappear. This bombing also achieves that: With the shops destroyed, the stamp paper agreement those guys were holding become worthless.

2. Another rumor going around is the Khosas had the place insured for Rs 25 crore (much more than the value of the property). Now they can not only claim for that but also will get huge sums as compensation from the Punjab Government as well.

3. Another odd thing I am told is that the house had been practically emptied on the side where the bombing took place. Really odd thing is ALL TVs in the house were PACKED and put in a room towards the back of the house.

4. It is confirmed the house was practically empty. Even the servants were not there which NEVER happens.

5. Two of the Khosas’ cousins did get injured in the blast but it was their sheer bad luck. They did not live their but were passing near Khosa House when on of thm needed to use the bathroom and decided to make an unscheduled stopover at Khosa House to relieve himself. Damn bad timing….

Army Captures Swat — Resort, That Is…

Army's latest 'military' success

Well, no surprise there! While questions continue to be raised about the success of the current military operations, there is no question the Pakistan Army — in true Pakistan Army fashion — has captured Hotel and Institute Gulibagh. Of course the Tourism Department is screaming but doubt they will get anywhere. Pakistan Army has a perfect record of not letting go of any territory it captures (unless it is enemy territory where they have a perfect record of vacating it as soon as possible).

What are the Army’s plans? Will Hotel Gulibagh soon become the Head Office, DHA-Swat? Don’t be surprised — in fact, I would bet my money on it as Army had expressed interest in setting up a ‘cantonment’ in Swat very early on in the operation.

BoP Scam — The Fix Is On Again

So much for “free judiciary”! Appears the Bank of Punjab Scam is all set to be swept under the rug along with other such scams not even getting a mention.

Today we hear NAB is all set to “plea-bargain” with the suspects (Haris Steel) and give them a “clean chit”:

NAB may accept plea bargain by BoP culprits
“Wednesday, December 02, 2009
By Usman Manzoor

ISLAMABAD: All is set for the culprits of the Bank of Punjab (BoP) Rs 9 billion fraud, the biggest scandal of the country’s banking history, to negotiate a plea bargain with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and get a clean chit…”

That this is happening is really no surprise. Remember the guys heading NAB are the very same ones appointed by Musharraf under who’s watchful eye, this and other such scams were perpetrated.

Another Zardari/Sharif Collaboration

With the NRO mess not going away, and more stories of corruption by Sharif Brothers making the news, more and more signs are pointing towards the two families (three if you can call MQM a family) joining hands to cover each others back.

First was the attack by PML-N stalwarts against Zardari detractors and today we learn the two are collaborating not only on NRO-Plus and plan to pass it unanimously, but have jointly written a script to blame someone else for their corruption in order to ‘prove’ all cases were ‘politically motivated’ and they are clean as a whistle:

PPP’s New Line:  “Jehangir Badr, whose prime target was no other than former President Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari during the entire press conference, said that not only the NRO beneficiaries, but those who had to pay billions of rupees to banks should also be held accountable.”

PML-N’s New Line: “Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif Wednesday said it was Farooq Leghari who filed lawsuits against the leaders of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).”

Please remind me which is the ruling party and which one is the opposition?! And isn’t Shahbaz forgetting about Saif-ur-Rehman???

Note: No doubt I agree with Jehangir Badar that “Farooq Leghari, his son Awais Leghari and other members of their family, should be held accountable for their various corruption scandals such as cooperatives and PTCL scandals” but it should be done alongside the holding accountable PPP and PML-N and other NRO beneficiaries and not instead of it, as seems to be the plan. And why didn’t Badar think of this before???? Farooq Leghari’s corruption did begin when PPP was in power. Also, how is PPP going to deal with the fact that Zardari’s henchman Malik Riaz of Bahria Town is a business partner of Farooq Leghari?

I am surprised Badar left out the name of his colleague Senator Jamal Leghari, the elder son of Farooq, who is no less corrupt. That Farooq and Awais are guilty of corruption, there is no doubt about that either. It is a fact that Farooq Leghari (and Jamal and Awais jointly) had less than 1250 acres of land when he became president but today Farooq Leghari alone has acquired more than 12,500 acres of agricultural land (I have no clue about the acquisitions by Awais and Jamal Leghari but they have been on a land buying spree as well). And this does not include other property and bank accounts. Awais alone built his house in Islamabad at a cost of Rs 8 crore. His cousin Sumaira Malik of the ‘Cat House’ fame has spent twice that. Her sister Ayla Malik’s (these days with DunyaTV)   husband (now ex) Sardar Rind has bought another 12,500 acres in the same area as Farooq Leghari. Farooq’s cousins of course are not only among NRO beneficiaries but also big loan defaulters (but sitting pretty in the National Assembly or as Nazims)

Note: Let me remind Mr Badr that it was Awais Leghari who became Privatization Minister for a day to sign the sale of Pakistan Steel Mill (PSM), the sale that was over-turned by CJ Iftikhar and was the main and last straw that led to the CJ’s dismissal by Mush. I am sure Awais got offered a pretty penny to go along with that scam.

More Sharif Brothers’ Corruption Scandals

Recently money laundering by Sharifs was exposed in the press (but they have somehow managed to quash it or it lost attention of the press due to the NRO issue). It is also a surprise how the owners of 10 sugar mills managed to stay clear of the sugar scandal when there are no doubts of their involvement.

Now we are told they are certainly involved in many others and might have stayed clear by forcing the removal of  chairman of NAB, Lt Gen (retd) Shahid Aziz. Their parners in crime? President Asif Ali Zardari, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Humayum Akhtar, Jehangir Tareen, Altaf Saleem, Nasarullah Dareshak, Anwer Cheema and Mian Azhar in scams relating to sugar, edible oil, stock exchange and petroleum products.

Related:

Shabaz Sharif set to sell government property (which will be anything but ‘transparent’

Shahbaz on way to London to meet Altaf Hussain

PML-N colluding with PPP on NRO-Plus, the new ‘accountability’ bill

How Low Can Ayaz Amir Go – Well…

"I have no shame"

You cover my @ss...

Some time ago I had written “Ayaz Amir Zardari certainly seems to be smearing himself with more manure each day and proclaiming it to be ‘perfume’” (see here).  Sp it was a pleasant surprise to see his piece that reminded me of the Ayaz of old: What further trials for a sorely-tried nation? in which he took on Zardari:

Our Don Corleone and His Consigliere

Our Don Corleone and His Consigliere

Remember back in 2002, an attack outside Sheraton Hotel on French Engineers’ bus (killing 11)? Of course it was blamed  on the big bad wolf  (Al Qaida).  Of course that practice continues to this day.

Well,  the truth finally came out earlier this year that that story was anything but true. No it was NOT Al Qaida but some officials pissed because they did not get the full payment of the bribe money they expected, so they decided to teach the French a lesson:

‘French nationals killed in Karachi over kickback’

That’s right: the attack was orchestrated by unnamed Pakistani officials angry with France over non-payment of bribes tied to a defence deal.

Rauf Klasra Drops His Pants…

… and authors Brig Imtiaz’s ‘biography’. Now exactly what kind of book will it be, you can pretty much guess by looking here