And what the people also want to know how soon will all that money come back into Pakistan, and how soon will there be justice and economic relief available to the ordinary people of the Islamic republic of Pakistan. All of Wednesday the channels focused, and the judgement written by the Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry,(who headed the 17 member bench) with some channels looking at the implications of what lay ahead for the country now. There is one view that with the detailed judgement having come now, there is hope that things will improve.
What would happen were the federal government to implement the judgement and what would happen were the federal Government not to do so? The leader of the opposition in the National Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who has been making hard hitting speeches, without mincing his words, was quoted by TV channels on Wednesday evening as saying that were the Federal government to try and act smart (or show some cunning, Urdu word used was chalaak) then the Supreme Court of Pakistan would have to finally take action. Chaudhry Nisar was also quoted as saying that Musharraf should be brought back to face the charges that have been levelled against him. He said that the impression that the former President had the umbrella and support of the military should be dispelled, as that was not the case.
PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafiq was quoted in the Crisis Cell (Geo News), the same evening that the PML-N would not push matters to a stage where it could destabilise the democratic process in the country, as that would be against the country itself. He also clarified that the Nawaz League had never asked for the resignation of President Zardari.
The NRO has been described as discriminatory and un-Islamic. It was promulgated by military dictator Pervez Musharraf and the Supreme Court said that "unbridled powers to amend the Constitution cannot be given to the Chief Executive even during the transitional period and even on the touch stone of 'state necessity'.
It needs to be noted that Justice Mohammed Raza of the Supreme Court said in an additional note to the detailed judgement that the person behind the promulgation of the NRO should also be held accountable and responsible. It is obvious whom the reference is being made to. The outcome of this is also going to be watched with interest in the days ahead.
In reporting this judgement on Wednesday this daily has carried the day's lead story saying that "SC cites Marcos as reference". Excerpts from the judgement carried a daily on how Philippines recovered the Marcos money "from the Swiss Banks which were returned by the Swiss Courts to the Philippine government to whom the money belonged". The money in question was $356million. Obviously President Zardari's cases are being talked about in the channels. By the time this column is read much may well have happened.
MAY 2007 PLOT AGAINST CJP: In what may be regarded as a season of dramatic and daring disclosures and even defiant postures and difficult alternatives for this almost traumatised society there comes this news on the Geo channel that there was a "plot of an attack on the Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry." This was revealed by no less than a former chief minister of Punjab, Chaudhry Parvez Ilahi while appearing in Capital Talk on Monday night. Needless it has had the people thinking of how this country is governed and how sinister plots are hatched by vested interests. Attacks on convoys and processions are part of our political history.
The former Chief Minister detailed that the plot to attack the CJP's convoy on the GT Road in May 2007 was vehemently opposed by him when it came to his knowledge that there were such plans. He disclosed that some key players in the Parvez Musharraf regime had made a secret plan not to allow the Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry to go to Lahore.
He further said that he had also received telephone calls from some powerful people, with reference to the plot. Hamid Mir asked him whether the former President and dictator Musharraf had also called him, but the Punjab Chef Minister did not answer this question.
Parvez Ilahi said that the powerful lobbies had told him that he was creating hurdles in their way, and to which the former Punjab Chief Minister said that he had responded by saying that his track record of five years of governance had been good and that he would not allow the CJP's convoy to be targeted. To ensure this he told the concerned officials that they should protect the convoy as they would protect some of their own senior respected members of the family.
It is obvious that TV viewers received this kind of sensational disclosure with shock and fear, for among things it reflects the mindset and the ruthlessness with which officialdom apparently can operate at times. It mirrors the manner in which rival political opponents manipulate situations and ultimately aggravate already grim, grave situations, and hurt the long-term interests of this suffering Pakistani society.
IPL, INDIA PAK TIES: What has happened to the Pakistani cricketers at the auction of the Indian Premier League has sparked off debates on a variety of cricket and non cricket related themes. It reflects not only the isolation of Pakistani cricketers at the international level, along with the dismal performance in the three test series against the Australians, but it has also brought into attention the overall bilateral relationship between the two neighbouring countries. Two warring neighbouring countries, who have not been able to resolve their basic disputes, especially the Kashmir issue. Another Kashmir Day lies ahead, on 5th February and Pakistan will have a public holiday, which will be characterised by angry protests all day, and across the country.
While Shahid Afridi, who played for the Deccan Chargers in the inaugural tourney in 2008, has said that the India and the IPL have made fun of Pakistani cricketers at the auction, TV channels have shown public reaction demanding that the IPL cricket should, not be telecast in this country. And reportedly the cable operators have agreed to this also. One may also mention that the Pakistan sports Minister Aijaz Hussein Jakhrani has also complained to the Indian sports Minister and said that "It is indeed a matter of disrespect of Pakistani heroes, who are the champions of the T20 World Cup". How the champions have failed in the Test series in Australia and what their discipline level has been is something that needs to be contemplated.
The news that the Pakistani players had been completely ignored at the auction on Tuesday, was received with a rude sense of shock -- but there were such voices also heard which said that given the state of Pakistani cricket, and the poor leadership that comes from the Pakistan Cricket Board are among the factors that have created this embarrassing situation for Pakistan. Surely such experiences as what happened at the IPL auction in India also dent Pakistan's overseas image, which needless to say, is at pathetically low levels at this point in time.
The third edition of the tournament will be held across India from March 12 to April 25. It remains to be seen whether the tournament will be telecast here, and how intensely will the matter be debated in the country's media. And also whether the subject of a liberal screening of the latest Indian films, will figure in the discussions.
SUGAR PRICE FEARS: Not just sugar but the price of food items is a constant theme on our channels and quite justifiably so. Not only has the common man to dread the unfolding political scenario in the country but also the fears of what can happen to his domestic budget with the government failing to provide him with the much promised relief on this score. Aaj News which has made this month some obvious improvements in its appearance and presentation, had a useful report telecast on Wednesday evening on the theme of rising prices in Karachi. I suppose it would be applicable to the rest of the country.
The miseries and frustrations the common man vis-a-vis rising food item prices, in particular are likely to be given more media attention in the days ahead, as energy prices rise further creating an all round impact on the prices of food stuffs across the country. In this particular Aaj News report, it was very revealing to see how prices of pulses, and sugar and spices etc existed in the markets, and how the reaction of ordinary people on the streets brought forth their unhappiness and their fears.
It is very disheartening to see reports appearing on the sugar issue, amidst fears that it is going to cost Rs 100 per kg in June this year. (In passing one may mention that there are also apprehensions that the power tariff would have risen enormously by then, and whether it is linked to the Rental Power Plants or not is another point altogether.) On the sugar issue there are reports that the sugar crisis, which has lasted well through the last year, is going to aggravate as there is an estimated decline in sugar production by over one million tons. Who is really responsible, and what is the responsibility of the federal and the provincial governments in all this is conveniently ambiguous. Interestingly the price of sugar at the Utility stores has also been raised by Rs seven per kilogramme.
The Federal government has said in the National Assembly earlier in the week that "there was enough sugar last year, but this year have been severe problems because of hoarding in view of an unexpected rise in international prices and a reduction in sugar cane production." The Federal Minister for Industries and Production Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani presented relevant figures which indicated that the country was headed for yet another sugar crisis. That means the common man pays much more than what he is doing so presently.
A very interesting comment on this subject of sugar prices has appeared in a national English daily, which said that an expert has remarked that "It's an officially made disaster for the people of Pakistan and a bonanza for a number of ruling politicians, who own sugar mills and wholesale business of sugar in the country".
All through the year (2009) there have been such revealing disclosures made about the country's sugar industry and the influential political men and women who own businesses in it, but what punitive action has been taken against them remains a mystery. The role of the Trading Corporation of Pakistan and its delay in the implementation of the urgent orders for the import of sugar as directed by the Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) needs to be highlighted before curious impatient sugar consumers. Angry and disgusted consumers, I may add. [email protected]