|
We are being vindicated
By Dj Mathal History is witness to the fact that the nation and area that promoted nepotism at the cost of justice, fair play and collective good of the people not only always faced degradation but also disappeared for good. Similarly, in a region where indecency took its toll on local culture, tradition, and norms, God always eliminated that nation - nay made it an example for others.
I is sad and disgruntling that the puppet chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan Mehdi Shah has made a travesty of the tradition and civilization of the decent and culturally rich people of the region by inviting a newly-wed foreign couple to spend their honeymoon in the area at the expense of the poor taxpayers. By doing this, he also tried to promote vulgarity and foreign culture in the region and made a mockery of the values of the region. In making such a bizarre offer, he surely had the blessings of the rulers and authorities of the ruling party sitting in the federal capital of Islamabad. His bid to invite the couple to spend their honeymoon in the region will neither promote tourism nor help end unemployment in the region.
It has been the habit of the puppet chief minister to advise and warn the media to become a yes-man for whatever he is doing instead of showing him the mirror and becoming a watchdog in the area so that he can complete his five year term without any hindrance or disturbance. He is even optimistic that he will be occupying the seat for full five years irrespective of the performance of his government and, therefore, is least bothered to resolve the burning public issues.
In 1967, the founder of the PPP had succeeded in bringing the downtrodden and poor people of Pakistan to a single platform by raising the slogan of socialism and roti, kapra and makan. His movement also created political awakening and awareness among the poor of the country. But ironically, it was the same Bhutto who reneged on his claims and promises by snatching away all the rights which he had tried to ensure for the public. And the process of anti-people actions was later completed by her.
The PPP jiyalas have been doing whatever possible for them in violating people's basic rights after taking the charge in Gilgit-Baltistan. Since coming to power in the region, they have only cheated the residents on false promises and catchy slogans. About six months back, they further entangled the people of the region in a web of intricacies by giving them yet another package, which has turned out to be a big drama. Then during the process to the violence and rigging-hit elections, tall and hollow claims of revolutionary development were promised to mislead the people and gain public support. Besides, Hunza Nagar was promised of a commissionery system but so far the promise also remains unfulfilled. In order to provide financial support to the poor, it was promised that Benazir income support program will be launched in the region but in return for a single form it was made mandatory to cast one vote in favor of the ruling party.
Making tall claims and easily breaking them has become a habit of the PPP which considers the people of Gilgit-Baltistan a herd of cattle. The ruling party has also been cheating the elected representatives of the people in the region. One of the victims of ruling party's tricks and shenanigans is Raziuddin Rizvi. The dummy chief minister promised him that he will be made a minister in return for his support to the candidates of the PPP in the council's election on technocrat and women seats. However, after achieving the objectives, the chief minister reneged on his promise and told Mr Rizvi that he was powerless and could not do anything as cabinet members were nominated by President Asif Ali Zardari. The chief minister however forgot the fact that by making false promises to Mr Rizvi he has sowed the seed of his own downfall because he has damaged the image of a person for whom the masses have high degree of respect in the region. This is the reason Mr Raziuddin has advised the dummy chief minister to go back to Skardu to remain in seclusion for the next five years in order to save his political future. However, Mr Shah continues to impress the media by personally visiting newspaper offices in the region and trying to show himself as a statesman and champion of democracy, development and fair play.
There is no end to the summersaults of the ruling party. Lies after lies and politics of vendetta have disfigured its face. In order to make Islamabad happy, Mehdi Shah always warn the people of Gilgit-Baltistan that they would be taught a lesson in case they demanded their due rights. The recent "either you or me" warning to the director health is one of the examples of Mehdi Shah's brinkmanship. The poor director was later thrown out of the office because he had no one to speak for him. This is despite the fact that the puppet chief minister even cannot speak loudly to the outsider bureaucrats who are deployed in Gilgit-Baltistan let alone remove them.
We have for umpteenth times said that the so called package was a drama and a conspiracy with the masses because it can never guarantee our rights. This package, like all that in the past, is a ploy by Pakistan to perpetuate its rule in the region and keep the residents deprived of their rights for ever. The so called new system under which the dummy chief minister was installed was not aimed to empower the locals but to show to the work and misguide it that like other provinces of Pakistan autonomy has been given to the region. It is time the chief minister listened to the miseries of the local people and tried to plead the case of the region in the United Nations and fulfill the promises made with the masses. This can be in the best interest of the masses and will also brighten his own political future in the region.
--
DJ Mathal
Chief Editor Baang
|