PPP leads GB polls despite negative propaganda
VoH Monitor
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 19: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Information Secretary Fauzia Wahab Thursday said Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) clinched outstanding majority in Gilgit-Baltistan elections despite the negative propaganda. "We have unanimously nominated Syed Mehdi Shah as the parliamentary leader of Legislative Assembly in the meeting of the parliamentary party of Gilgit-Baltistan held at the PPP central secretariat," said the Central Information Secretary Fauzia Wahab.
Addressing a new conference, she said the PPP won 11 seats out of total 22 for which the election was contested. Later, an independent candidate Abdul Hameed Khan also joined the PPP, raising the number of PPP' seats to 12. She said, the party has been facing a negative propaganda since last 18 months but the people of Gilgit-Baltistan reposed confidence in the PPP leadership and ensured its victory. "The PPP-led federal government has prepared a special package of Rs 15 billion for Gilgit-Baltistan, and the amount would be spent on infrastructure development, education and health sectors," the information secretary told media. She said a work plan is being carved out to ensure successful execution of the package, adding the government would also boost the power sector of the area. He assured that any government set up would be formed in close consultation with the Central party. Geo News reported.



Deadly blast near Peshawar court claims 19 lives
VoH Watch
PESHAWAR, Nov.19: At least 19 people have been killed in a suicide bomb blast outside the main gate of a court building in Peshawar.Thursday's attack was the seventh deadly explosion to hit the northwestern Pakistani city in less than two weeks.Officials said about 30 people were wounded in the attack, which occurred during rush hour when the area is normally crowded with lawyers, administrative personnel and the public.The court building is located on Khyber Road, across the street from the Pearl Continental Hotel, which was the target of a deadly bomb attack in June."It happened outside the judicial complex," Abdul Wali, a police officer, told the Reuters news agency. "The attacker was on foot and blew himself when guards tried to search him at the gates of the court," he said. Three policemen were among the dead, Anees said. Up to 19 bodies had been brought to Peshawar's Lady Reading Hospital, Sahib Gul, the most senior official, said.
Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from Islamabad, said the attacker was trying to enter the court's complex when he was stopped by security personnel. "The attack took place at 10:20am [local time] when the Khyber Road is jam packed with traffic as well as people," he said.A wave of attacks have targeted police checkpoints, police stations and the provincial headquarters of Pakistan's spy agency, ISI, this month, killing dozens of people.The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for several of the attacks.The blast comes as military battles members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, one of the main anti-government groups, in the country's semi-autonomous tribal region of South Waziristan.The military launched its offensive nearly three weeks ago, pitting about 30,000 troops against an estimated 10 to 12,000 Taliban fighters in South Waziristan. Courtesy: Aljazeera tv.



Consensus on resource distribution formula on NFC
VoH Monitor
KARACHI: According to a Report provided by a private TV channel, Federal Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin Thursday said that the provinces have reached an agreement on a four-pronged formula for distribution of National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.Briefing the media after NFC meeting here, the Finance Minister said the formula for resource distribution is based on population, backwardness and revenue and not entirely on population.He said the Punjab province, exhibiting flexibility, agreed on a multi-pronged formula for resource distribution. Density of population, poverty and backwardness will be made the deciding factors for the next NFC Award, the Minister said. Shaukat Tarin said that decision on individual percentages will be made later on. Geo TV reported.






Pakistan slips five places in global corruption listVoH Monitor


VoH Monitor

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 18:(Amin Ahmed ) The Transparency International has placed Pakistan at the 42nd place, In its Corruption Perception Index for 2009, slipping five places from 2008 when it was at 47.Most of the 180 countries included in the 2009 index scored below 5 on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 10 (perceived to have low levels of corruption). The Chairman of the Pakistan Chapter of Transparency International, Syed Adil Gillani, said that because of lack of governance and massive corruption the country had lost credibility and was facing serious economic threats, poverty, inflation, food and electricity shortages and increase in unemployment. He said the government must make serious efforts to apply rules and regulations across the board to achieve the goal of reducing corruption.


Mr Gillani said Pakistan needed good governance and a transparent administration to counter corruption scams of billions of rupees in Pakistan Steel, TDAP, EOBI, PIA, rental power plants, KESC, NIC, NHA, OGDC, PSO, PEPCO, CDA, DP Division, DHAs, TCP, NBP, PC and many other organisations. Mr Gillani said that the political will of the government to curb corruption was urgently required and it must also be seen by public and donor countries, like formation of an independent accountability commission as required by the UN Convention against Corruption under the HOPO Act, 2009. This commission should report only to parliament or judiciary and not to the ministry of law, and it should look into corruption of all holders of public offices belonging to civil services, armed forces, judiciary and elected representatives. There were some bright spots in the report — Bangladesh, Belarus, Guatemala, Lithuania, Poland and Syria were among the countries that have improved the most. Courtesy: Dawn News







Development of Balochistan, high on agenda; President Zardari



VoH Watch



ISLAMABAD, Nov 17 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari Tuesday said the government attaches high priority to socio-economic development of Balochistan and added that the package will address the long-standing grievances of the people. Talking to Governor Balochistan Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi here at the Presidency he said the “Aghaze Haqooqai Balochistan Package” will remove the sense of deprivation and bring its eople into the mainstream. The Governor also briefed the President about development projects and various steps being taken by the provincial government to maintain law and order in the province.










China, US support efforts of Afghanistan and Pakistan to fight terrorism



VoH Monitor



BEIJING, Nov 17 (APP): China and United States support the efforts of Afghanistan and Pakistan to fight terrorism and improvement in Pakistan and India relations, this was stated in a U.S.-China Joint Statement issued here Tuesday. “The two sides welcomed all efforts conducive to peace, stability and development in South Asia. They support the efforts of Afghanistan and Pakistan to fight terrorism, maintain omestic stability and achieve sustainable economic and social development, and support the improvement and growth of relations between India and Pakistan,” said the joint statement available at the US Embassy website. “The two sides are ready to strengthen
communication, dialogue and cooperation on issues related to South Asia and work together to promote peace, stability and development in that region”, it further said.Later, briefing the media on the talks between Chinese leaders and President Barack Obama, the Vice-Foreign Minister of China He Yafei in response to a question said that during meeting between President Hu Jintao and President Barack Obama the two leaders talked about Afghanistan within the frame work of meeting regional and global challenges.








Earlier, both the US President Obama and Chinese President Hu addressing the media at the Great Hall of the People this morning briefed about the subjects both sides discussed during their bilateral meeting.At the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, President Barack Obama of the United States of America is paying a state visit to China from November 15-18, 2009. The Presidents held in-depth, productive and candid discussions on U.S.-China relations and other issues of mutual interest.








PP fully prepared to face all challenges: President Zardari


VoH Watch


ISLAMABAD, Nov 17 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday said that the PPP was a huge political force and it was fully prepared to face all challenges confronting it politically.He said this while addressing the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the party here.The meeting was also attended by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Jahangir Badar, Mian Raza Rabbani, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Ms. Faryal Talpur, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Naveed Qamar, Dr. Babar Awan, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Shahbaz Bhatti, Rehman A. Malik, Sardar Latif Khosa, Sardar Assef Ahmed Ali, Yousaf Talpur, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Ms. Farahnaz Ispahani, Mir Ejaz Jhakrani, Ms. Farzana Raja besides members from all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.

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PP’s majority in GB election described “victory of democracy"


VoH Watch


ISLAMABAD, Nov 17 (APP): Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)’s victory in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) legislative assembly election has been largely acknowledged as personalities from different walks of life Monday described it a “victory of democracy” which would bring a new era of development in the region. As per unofficial results, the PPP has won 12 of 23 contested seats and became the largest party in the 33-seat GB Legislative Assembly where process of forming government is expected to be completed soon.Congratulating the new assembly members, Speaker, National Assembly, Dr. Fehmida Mirza and Deputy Speaker National Assembly, Faisal Karim Kundi said the win of PPP was an evidence of trust and confidence of GB people, they reposed in the party.Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, who is also Acting Governor in GB, said PPP is a popular and traditional party in Northern Areas since 1972 because its founding leader Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had played dynamic role for the progress and prosperity of the people of this region. He said the polls were held in free, fair and transparent manner and added PPP emerged victorious on the basis of its performance and services to the people of the area.He said Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the first Pakistani leader who not only abolished black laws and feudal system but also gave electoral rights to the people of GB for the first time.Minister for State and Frontier Regions, Najamuddin Khan said PPP has always served the masses and made efforts for providing political rights to the people of the area.
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Sword on Poor's heed-OGRA authorised to determine oil prices on its own


VoH Watch



ISLAMABAD, Nov. 17: The government has authorised the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to determine the prices of petroleum on a monthly basis without consulting the prime minister and the Finance Ministry. Sources told Daily Times on Monday that the decision was made to give autonomy to the authority and was done on the behest of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as it wanted Pakistan to give complete autonomy to regulatory authorities in the energy sector. In a letter to the chairman of OGRA, the director general (Oil) said OGRA would determine petroleum prices, which would be implemented from December 1, adding that no summary would be sent to any ministry or the prime minister in this regard. However, he said OGRA could send the summary to the Petroleum Ministry to keep it abreast of new developments. Dailytimes


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PBA delegation calls on President



VoH Monitoring desk



ISLAMABAD, Nov 17 (APP): A delegation of Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) led by Syed Sarfraz Hussain Shah, Chairman PBA called on President Asif Ali Zardari in the Presidency on Monday.Matters relating to the broadcasting came under discussion during the meeting.The delegation besides Syed Sarfraz Hussain Shah included Wamiq Zuberi, Salman Iqbal, Muhammad Aslam Qazi, Dr. Abdul Karim Rajpar, Ghazanfar Ali, Tahir A. Khan, Shakeel Masud Hussain, Jawad Hamid Raja, Ilyas Shakir, Shahzad Sikandar, Muhammad Ali Butt and Arshad Khan (Special invitee).


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Defeated elements have no right to insult mandate of GB people:Kaira


VoH Monitor


ISLAMABAD, Nov 16 (APP): Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Governor Gilgit-Baltistan Qamar Zaman Kaira told the National Assembly Monday that the defeated elements have no right to insult the mandate of the people of the area.While responding to a point of order raised by PML-Q MNA Marvi Memon, the Minister said that elections in Gilgit-Baltistan were free, fair and transparent and Pakistan Peoples Party emerged victorious on the basis of its service to the people of the area.
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ISI used CIA money to build new Islamabad headquarters : 1/3rd of CIA budget goes to ISI now claims Los Angeles Times


VoH Watch


LAHORE, Nov. 16: The CIA has funnelled hundreds of millions of dollars to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) since the 9/11 attacks, accounting for as much as one-third of the foreign spy agency’s annual budget – reported an American newspaper, citing current and former US officials. The Los Angeles Times quoted officials as saying that the ISI had also “collected tens of millions of dollars through a classified CIA programme that pays for the capture or killing of wanted militants, a clandestine counterpart to the rewards publicly offered by the State Department”. The officials said the payments have triggered intense debate within the US government, because of “long-standing suspicions that the ISI continues to help Taliban who undermine US efforts in Afghanistan and provide sanctuary to Al Qaeda members in Pakistan”. But US officials have continued the funding because the ISI’s assistance is considered crucial: “almost every major terrorist plot this decade has originated in Pakistan’s tribal belt, where ISI informant networks are a primary source of intelligence”, said the newspaper. The White House National Security Council has “this debate every year”, said a former high-ranking US intelligence official involved in the discussions. Despite deep misgivings about the ISI, the official said, “there was no other game in town”. The payments to Pakistan are authorised under a covert programme initially approved by former president George Bush and continued under President Barack Obama. “The CIA payments are a hidden stream in a much broader financial flow... the US has given Pakistan more than $15 billion over the last eight years in military and civilian aid,” said the Los Angeles Times. “The ISI has used the covert CIA money for a variety of purposes, including the construction of a new headquarters in Islamabad, that project pleased CIA officials because it replaced a structure considered vulnerable to attack: it also eased fears that the US money would end up in the private bank accounts of ISI officials,” it said. The newspaper said, “The scale of the payments shows the extent to which money has fuelled an espionage alliance that has been credited with damaging Al Qaeda but also plagued by distrusts.” Given the size of overt military and civilian aid to Pakistan, CIA officials argue that their own disbursements – particularly the bounties for suspected terrorists – should be considered a bargain. “They gave us 600 to 700 people captured or dead,” said one former senior CIA official, who worked with the Pakistanis. “Getting these guys off the street was a good thing, and it was a big savings to [US] taxpayers.” A US intelligence official said Pakistan had made “decisive contributions to counter-terrorism”. “They have people dying almost every day,” said the official. “Sure, their interests don’t always match up with ours. But things would be one hell of a lot worse if the government there was hostile to us.” “The CIA also directs millions of dollars to other foreign spy services. But the magnitude of the payments to the ISI reflect Pakistan’s central role. The CIA depends on Pakistan’s cooperation to carry out missile strikes by drones that have killed dozens of suspected extremists in Pakistani border areas,” said the newspaper. Los Angeles Times


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HRCP observers reach GB to monitor elections


VOH Monitor


LAHORE, Nov.09: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s (HRCP) observers have reached Gilgit-Baltistan to monitor the general elections to be held there on November 12. According to a press release issued on Monday, the HRCP team is being led by the organisation’s Co-chairperson Iqbal Haider and consists of HRCP members Hussain Naqi, Kamran Arif, Uzma Noorani, Parveen Soomro and Najam U Din. The press release said the commission had already organised a meeting to consult all stakeholders and trained local observers for monitoring the electoral process in their respective areas, adding that monitoring of elections in Gilgit-Baltistan was of vital importance “because they were the first step towards democratic governance and rule by consensus”. The HRCP said that during pre-poll monitoring, it had received several complaints that the ruling party was trying to influence the outcome of the elections. The commission demanded that the federal government take steps to ensure a fair and impartial election, adding the government should address complaints that the acting governor, a member of the federal cabinet, was “throwing his weight around for electoral gains”. Dailytimes


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Monitoring every regional historical development

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Discerning social Change in Gilgit-Baltistan

Discerning social Change in Gilgit-Baltistan
Reflecting socio-economic, administrative and cultural impulses in regional periphery

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Mission Statement & Weekly VoH Publishing team


VoH
Voice of Voiceless

The blog aims to disseminate the accurate regional information without consideration of race, color, ethnicity, religion and ideology to the valuable readers across the globe. We promise to abide with the moral and professional ethics of citizen journalism through this medium of communication. The voiceless masses of this one of the most beautiful places on earth, situated in Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan experience hard times due to continuous natural and man made disasters which have left them at surviving stage. Shortly speaking, in a short span of time, Hunza valley has embraces a steady socio-economic and ecological development making it self an authentic book to read about or take a model for rest of far flung valleys bordering Chines Sinkiang province in the extreme north of the country. The haphazard material development in this comparatively small area has also served to create various socio-economic and ethical problems which ultimately served to shake the fabrics of very roots and foundations of culture and civility among dwellers. On geo-political front, analysts find a very little say of a common man in the major decisions related to regional socio-economic development, violation of meritocracy by mafias in political parties, pressure groups which safe guard their own interests, a unbridled bureaucracy, corrupt regimes that patronizing nepotism or favoritism and who wield powers in Gilgit, the main hub and capital of Gilgit-Baltistan. Rapid increase in expenditures ranging from general commodity price hikes to transportation has left no option or time for people to think on other issues.
The so called Economic-Recession, unequal distribution of wealth, concentration of opportunities towards certain beings, lack of social responsiveness and transparency in government sector and no check and balance on private sector has brought its ugly implication in terms of high unemployment, depression among the youngsters, anxiety and hatred towards system of governance.
We vow to bring fore the issues of common man at grass root level, strive to highlight irregularities in government sector and flaws in public policy and finance in a democratic way. We shall continue to give our opinion on issues of importance and determine to prove a viable platform to have a positive role for public welfare, inter-communal harmony, integrity and social justice.
Amid such a situation when even the survival of country is on stake and is defamed due to continual terrorist incidents throughout the our county, we may pray for a peaceful and prosperous future of the nation. May Lord save the peaceful Gilgit-Baltistan region from the evil designs of devils in human form.

The blog has been developed and upgrading by the efforts of the following dedicated volunteers.


Board of Editors
Editor: Shamsuddin Muhammad
Email:jaashams@gmail.com


Co-editor: Inam Karim
Email: inamkarim02@gmail.com


Reporting Team
Karachi: Sartaj Karim
Email: sartaj_compaq@hotmail.com



Hunza: Naeem Hamoon
Email: naeemhmn@hotmail.com


Gilgit: Aslam Shah

Email: hunzaishah@gmail.com


Islamabad: Ikramullah Baig
Email: hunza_havenonearth@yahoo.com

Voice of the voiceless!

The blog is a venture with exclusive news updates, unbiased analysis and opinion on historical, cultural, ecological, socio-economic, geopolitical and administrative issues and events occurring in country in general and the region particular. It would serve as a portfolio of credible information retained first hand from own and secondary reliable electronic and print media sources and aspire to become a powerful voice for a common man. We are committed to adhere with the professional ethics of citizen journalism, a new trend to shackle the chains of excessive curb over dissemination of reality either for any cause in the name of so-called sensor, with maximum possible accuracy and least deviation while delivering information to show the real side of picture of events so that our valuable readers will have an alternative portal to know what developments are going on various levels, particularly backward areas like that of Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan, Azad Jamu and Kahsmir, Tribal areas etc., across the country. One can easily discern a great social change in terms of attitudes, perceptions both in individual and society; values and reaction to the variables in daily life patterns among the dwellers of the comparatively backwards areas like Gilgit-Baltistan, a deprived region of its fundamental rights for more than six decades of its liberation from colonial yolk. In a quest to voice over issues of vital importance, keeping closer to circle of concern, Hunza, a name famous for its beauty and rich cultural heritage has been selected to represent as a case to further the cause and issues of the rest of the region. Virtually, the region especially Hunza-Nagar retained a rapid development with a short span of time after remaining isolated for centuries to out side world. The blog also aims focus largely to identify core areas from on bottom or grass root level to the top. Keeping due consideration of inter-religious harmony, tolerance, respecting pluralism, diversity, mutual respect, democracy, equal opportunity and other aspects of human rights and professional values of journalism, the blog will serve as a binding force and medium of voice of the voiceless people of the area with reference to Gilgit-Baltistan region.

The idea of creation of this blog came into my mind during a visit after spending few years of career at Karachi, capital of Southern province to the region. While traveling from south pole of the country to north, I experienced many new changes nearly in all aspects of life explicit in urban areas and implicit in rural belts: people have opted to modern technology, availed faster means of communication; task centered behavior, selfishness, following short-cuts, chase of wealth and more opportunities in their career and many more that made their lives much more easier but crazier than before. Nevertheless, the scene suddenly turned bit dim when I entered the region of Gilgit-Baltistan. I could not believe my eyes that this was the Gilgit I saw four years ago. Many things, except the faces were utterly unchanged formats primitive outlook. The Chinese bridge that linked Danyore and Gilgit and a main source of transportation was no more. Few people told me that few journalists have lost their lives in lethal road accident due to lack of arrangements on part of concerned authority to avoid the incident. Karakorum High Way (KKH), one of the highest truck able route and so-called eighth wonder in the world is under construction and many places portray nothing but a passage through a rough stony pasture. It took nearly twenty four hours from Rawalpindi to reach after an exhaustive journey to Hunza, my home town, compared to nineteen hours in past. The scenario seemed worse in Hunza, my home town which remained unchanged for last four years except a drastic decline in standard of living of more than fifty percent of the population. One may think that people have replaced muddy homes with cement ones but that are not the real yardstick of measurement of both mental and material development. Infrastructure, fixtures, telecommunication systems were largely depreciated to their estimated life coupled with inappropriate number of personnel required in educational, administrative and health institutions. The so-called economic meltdown that started from American giant Leman soon took the world into its tyrant claws, shaking many stable economies of the world including the rural areas of developing states- a big example of negligence and subjugation by the rulers of respective countries where people live not above the level of animals. Apart from the allegations on policy makers of industrialized nations having economic interest only, the poor, irrational, incompetent, self-centered and corrupt leadership in Pakistan like other third world countries where immature economies spends it larger portion of budget expenditure on defense could not resist the negative consequences of economic crisis in terms of high rate of unemployment, recession, right or down sizing, price hikes, violation of consumer rights and so on. Hunza-Nagar, like other parts of Gilgit-Baltistan was no exception. The smiling faces that greeted us once warmly few years ago turned unhappy for the crisis brought its ugly implication on the daily life pattern of an individual thus sucking down the unique attributes of population: courtesy, generosity and hospitality. Having a so-called high rate of literacy in the country unfortunately, the region is facing many problems ranging from health to drinking water and energy sector. To many, it was because of lack of geo-political awareness and excessive tendency towards NGO culture where people little bother to beg their rights from the states besides emphasis on duties. Historical chronicles vindicate that the region remained in isolation for many centuries due to a specific location and lack of access to out side world. Many dynasties ruled the area that hardly accepted change in a traditionally sophisticated feudal based society. The wheel of transition continued to move and finally the area got librated through a mutiny with the help of indigenous population from the clutches of Dogra subjugation. Later, the area was affiliated with Pakistan vide a secret treaty called Karachi Treatise as defacto part, unconditionally. Gilgit-Baltistan region got on real terms an impetus to grow from zero level with the visit of three icons of development: Aga Khan, President Ayub Khan and Z.A.Bhutto- a historic event of its nature with long standing implications on live of the people of the region.The area could hardly observed any impulse for more than half dozen years of affiliation with Pakistan when Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan (3rd) first time introduced Diamond Jubilee Schools network during mid fifties in the region. A real phase of development gain impetus when Shah Karim Alhusaini, Aga Khan (fourth) stepped in the region, a population with miserable conditions in 1960. He initiated many new projects in different aspect of life, strengthening the existing educational network under the umbrella of Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) for the betterment and uplift standard of living of masses lived under poverty line. Aga Khan Development Network in collaboration with donor agencies, with a view to bring social change from grass roots level, initiated rural support programme and other services for less-privileged societies in the region. In simple words, initial projects were stretched to new areas under AKDN umbrella ranging from self-entrepreneurship to planning and building services. These development programmes served a catalyst for a common man who, earlier was confine to a certain limit where facilities and perks were confined to a specific creed, definitely a big change in society led to process of decline of so-called nobility. By, 1974, Z.A.Bhutto, chief of Pakistan Peoples Party and his cabinet undertook a disintegrated country following the fall of Dhaka, albeit eliminating princely status of numerous states gave them democratic structures, initiated socio-economic, political and administrative reforms in civil services cadres under 1973 constitution of Pakistan. These reforms opened a path for further reforms in tribal and affiliated princely states, mostly in mountain regions. Elders assert, by 1976, when Bhutto abolished the princely status of the units and replaced the princely flag with that of the country declared region formally its de-fecto part. The new development allowed for the first time a limited right of franchise and representation in a parallel council governed from capital. He in collaboration with international donor agencies like UNICEF and World Food Programme helped ensure provision of basic necessities like food to indigenous population still in poor conditions. He gave word to poor and enables to build his destiny. The facility fell a prey of Zia-ul-Haq who abolished the programme to benefit his favorite breed. He altered such programmes to facilitate Mujahideen busy fighting Afghan war against Soviet invasion on behalf of American assistance. By, 1988, before the withdrawal of USSR, Zia regime played a dirty game: as an integral strategy to get parallel success, he supported a breed of militants to eliminate all those against his faith in Gilgit-Baltistan. Unfortunately, the indigenous people could not understand his nefarious designs under the veil of religion that had to sustain his regime using divide and rule tactic and nothing to do with public welfare fell a prey of communal discord. Thousands of innocent people were brutally killed without a reason from both sides and this in turn sowed the seeds of sectarianism thus introducing a Kalashnikov culture in this region. On country’s political front, frequent interventions of military in politics in the wake of undemocratic moves of leadership, double standard attitude of bureaucracy and excessive influence of establishment forces harmed political evolution during last sixty two years of country's history. A finest dictatorship is considered worse than a worse democracy for it largely overlook the opinion of masses. The undemocratic regimes since 1952 onwards in general and during dictators’ regimes left people with no option but to support immature, corrupt and unable leadership confined to their self interests coupled with narrow vision. On global front, with the withdrawal of USSR from Afghanistan, American administration started to shift its strategy of dependency and support for Pakistan especially that to check movement and expansion of communist philosophy, an anxiety among the then US policy planners. Political front once again passed through a new change in 1999 when military took over in October 1999. Numerous Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), both national and international rapport delivered remarkable work since 1990s to 2004 in many sectors like education, health, cultural preservation, design and building.

History repeated itself, but in a new form under different circumstances after cold war, when terrorists attacked twin towers of World Trade Centre, an icon of prestige and glory of America killing thousands of innocent people as a response to US policies inviting a fresh hostility between US and Islamist groups or in other words initiated an open conflict between two countering forces. To some, hidden forces worked behind the incident: Muslims thought it was a Judaist elements while to Europe and US a strike of Islamist elements; even the then Bush administration alleged Islamist groups behind this nefarious act to initiate an open armed struggle to defy its policies and interests. The September 11 incident served a cause to create sufferings for the Muslim communities residing in America and Europe. Being a sponsoring source of Jihadist elements, Pakistan was in real trouble as it was asked either ally the US or ready to go into stone age. Consequently, Pervez Musharraf took U-turn in state policy against billions of dollars as assistance. Once again, US dependency on Pakistan after Afghan war, in an endless war against an invisible enemy in terms of Osama started, leading farmer to think to gain control over natural resources in Afghanistan and Central Asian states. As a state, Pakistan endured many hardships, mostly from inside elements, Majority of our political leadership, for instance is largely nurtured under the aegis of military establishments and always ready to achieve their own interest lest it comes to compromise on national matters, evident from the successive overthrowing of representative regimes. They could not deliver any remarkable to uplift the standard of living of a common man except false promises. It was the Musharraf regime which can be given credit for many reasons: allowed a national government to complete its five year tenure, introduced local government systems for dicentralization of power though a move to by pass the then political and administrative forces like his predecessors military dictators to bolster one man show. Apart from few of blunders in terms of killing of Akbar Bugti, subjugation of judiciary, appointment of army on service and retired personnel in institutions offering higher education, other key positions in major public organiztions and using force as a decisive force instead of dialogue his regime can be recalled for many things during last eight years. He was the first who put hand on non-state actors, brought changes in status of deprived regions like Gilgit-Baltistan bringing reforms and took initiatives to improve education and health facilities. He gave us an International University, increased woman representation, empowered Northern Light Infantry, established N.A scouts and notified Hunza-Nagar district and many more. Yet, at the same time on mass level, despite many accomplishments, it failed to address the real issues of poor. Giant fishes got most and poor further got depressed as the regime greatly revolved around the interests of Chaurdhries and lords. December 2007, shall be remembered a black day when Benazir Bhutto, a female leader of international repute was assassinated at the same place where one of the most famous Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan as killed. Country fell into chaos and observed an extreme internal and internal threat to her existence second time after 1971. Good heaven, the situation soon normalized. With the dawn of democracy, based on Benazir Bhutto's sacrifice has brought a hope of change of image of the country in global economy. PPP led contemporary government has given a new Self Governance Reforms Package 2009 ahead of poles to empower the assembly to legislate on various subjects not allowed in past and choose their own Chief Minister unanimously with the consent of Prime Minister, the head of set up-a good initiative after Z.A Bhutto's compassions for the region. The package has opened a door for more autonomy resembles to that of Azad Kashmir. Though, there are many flaws in the package yet, it will serve to reduce feeling of deprivation among the masses.

There is another side of the picture that the poor performance in many of the departments in government sector during last two years has raised many questions in our mind regarding its capability to cope the challenges that the country faces internally and externally. Public welfare, security from internal and external aggressions and provision of basic necessities to the citizens is the fundamental responsibilities of modern states. Yet, more focus on external threats under security syndrome has left the country nothing but to expend on defense-thus neglecting other sectors like education, strategic personnel planning, health, trade and industry and exploitation of natural resources to strengthen our economy. As for as the private sector especially the NGOs are concerned, the are now confine to reporting to get funds, roam and measure the length of roads in their luxury vehicles. Now it depends on flow of events that will decide the future course of history.





Shamsuddin Muhammad,

Author and Editor,

VoH



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Hyderabad,, IslamicRepublic of Pakistan, Pakistan
I am social person with a tendency towards learning knowledge that will balance the material world and the hereafter, a legacy obtained from the family. I earned my MA (General History with specialization in Modern History) and M.A.S (Master of Administrative siences with speciliazation in HRM) both from University of Karachi in 2005 and 2007 respectively, am fond of social work and public welfare. The blog focuses on social change caused by socio- economic and geo-political impulse in the country in general and the region particular.

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