Monday, August 24, 2009

Ramazan is Here


Ramazan is here. We heard it was coming. Prices of several food items escalated. Suddenly it was all over the news, that sugar has vanished from all corners of Pakistan. Government is forced to provide subsidy to control the pressure on the consumer. Last week we recieved some billion plus dollars worth of fresh loan from IMF (third installment). Around same time, visiting US special envoy assured us of payments promised in Friend's of Democratic Pakistan Donor's conference and also the Kerry Lugar bill. We have also recieved some funds for the displaced people of Swat and its surrounding areas, as our Army operation continues to hunt down militants in those areas.

There are talks about renting electricity to meet the short fall in our national grid. But apparently no one in the concerned ministery has surveyed or estimated the total amount of electricity short fall. Our President during his fourth trip to China since taking his office, announces of an energy cooperation between Pakistan and China which will enable us to produce 7000 Megawatts of electricity. One can ask; who is incharge, who is dealing, what?

On more traditional political front, we see another Muslim League (Q), a produce of last Army general and ex-president of Pakistan, being broken down into yet another block. Previously it was Forward block which moved on during last elections, this time its several senior members like Hamayun Akhtar who have formed a like minded group and prefered to stay distant from the current leadership of PML (Q) the Chaudhry brothers.

In other corner we see the differences between PML (N) and prime minister emerging. Apparently its the Sharif Brothers specially the Nawaz, who wants to prosecute Musharraf for disrupting democracy and imposing an eight year rule of gun on this country. "The military should cut its ties with Musharraf and should itself file a lawsuit against him" said Nawaz on this year's independence day. While Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had recently told the National Assembly that the government would prosecute Mr Musharraf for treason only after the house passed a unanimous resolution. This position taken by PM provides ground of suspicion and Nawaz considers this as a cushion provided to save the traitor from facing the music.

Moving on....... the fate of local body government is not clear. Whether administrators and comissioners will take place of the system which is currently at work? Who knows.

Indian prime minister recently showed suspicion, that some people in Pakistan are planning to attack inside Indian soil.

Rehman Malik seems to be stuck hard with baitullah Mehsud's death saga. For over two weeks now, he has nothing new to talk about. Some body please reboot him.

Admiral Michael Mullen, the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) has said that he believes Pakistan’s nuclear assets are in safe hands, and that the United States harbours no hopes establishing a military presence in this country.

For Now, Ramazan Mubarak to All of you