Drone attack in Hangu - the first US drone attack in settled areas of Pakistan

Residents stand at the site of a drone attack on a seminary in Hangu district, Nov 21, 2013. — Photo by Reuters

A US drone attack on a madrassa in Hangu area that killed 6 persons has created a shock wave across the whole country. This is because the US has widened their domain of international terrorism to settled areas and people feel that now no city of Pakistan is virtually safe from drones. This has happened because of apathy of the government who is as mum as usual on this serious issue also. Is the government now waiting for drones to attack people in Kohat, Peshawar and then Islamabad? 

American war on terror was brought in Pakistan during Pervez Musharaf era. It was nurtured and made more lethal during Zardari-led PPP government and now PML-N  government is not seen in a position to take any stance that could rescue the country from perpetual disaster. The main reason for this apathy is that the present set-up has been brought to power with a 'stolen 'mandate' to achieve specific objectives by international players. 

The US has rightly selected the most coward, the most spineless and the most timid ruler in the history of Pakistan to extend their drone attacks beyond tribal areas. They fully know that the NS govt will never take a slightest step against them because of obvious reasons. Had the elections been conducted in fair and free manner, the genuine leadership would have taken pragmatic steps, and by now the US would have been compelled to revisit their drone policy. 

This is not a good omen for NS government  Coupled with unprecedented price hike, ever-depleting economy, an uncontrollable inflation and deteriorating law and order situation, the danger bells for the government have started ringing much earlier than expected. 

If the NS government is unable to retrieve the situation by taking drastic and revolutionary steps, I am afraid the government may not survive by the end of next year. In case NS feels that he is genuinely incapable of retrieving the situation on any pretext, then instead of waiting for chaos and anarchy to knock at the door, he should better admit his failure in public and resign. 

There is no point in clinging to power at the peril of the country. But in all my sincerity, I want to see NS and his  government survive with dignity and success. 

By Akhtar Hayat Malik

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Death of a president like President

I read the news of death of Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari, the former president of Pakistan with a heavy heart. I never had any political affiliations with the person of the man, but I liked him because of his towering personality, honesty and character. At least he looked like a president, much like Ayub Khan and perhaps Charles De Gaulle.

He spoke softly, unlike the conventional political presidents and carried himself with grace and dignity. He held the office of the president as long as he was respected and didn’t budge from his view point. Hailing from a respectable Leghari tribe of the Dera Ghazi Khan, the young Sardar Leghari graduated with honours from the Forman Christian College, Lahore, where again he was amongst the best students, and later from College Oxford University. After returning to Pakistan he joined the Civil Service but soon after the death of his father he resigned from service and came back to his roots to look after the tribal affairs of his tribe. He later joined Pakistan Peoples’ Party and has been de facto leader of the party during imprisonment of Z A Bhutto.

In 1993, he became the president and had the guts to dismiss the government of Benazir Bhutto on charges of corruption, extra judicial killings and lawlessness. In the following government of Nawaz Sharif, when Mr Sharif tried to grab all the powers under him and become a civilian dictator, Sardar Leghari tried to sort out the affairs with consultation with the then Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah. Nawaz stormed the Supreme Court building with his political workers and sacked the Chief justice. Seeing the mood of the time, Leghari resigned. It is very strange that Nawaz has the audacity to storm the Supreme Court as the chief justice was a threat to him, but he sided with the present chief justice as his ouster ousted the chief justice and him too. How people behave under trying times.

He later formed his own political party by the name of Millat Party. Later he also joined the Muslim League (Q). Lately he hasn’t been well on account of his heart-related diseases and was admitted in the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) at Rawalpindi, where he breathed his last on October 20, 2010.

With him gone, Pakistan has lost an upright, intellectual and an honest ex president. May his soul rest in peace. Ameen.

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