Chief Justice rules out clash between institutions
VoH Watch Dog
ISLAMABAD, Jan. 28: Following Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's parliamentary address on Wednesday, Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry also ruled out any clash between institutions."There will be no clashes between institutions and I want to strengthen democracy in Pakistan," he said.These remarks were made by Chief Justice Chaudhry during the hearing of a case regarding promotions of government employees.
The chief justice also appreciated the parliament for not validating the actions of November 3, 2007, saying that the judiciary is here to protect the parliamentary system and democracy. Speaking to the National Assembly, Prime Minister Gilani had stressed the importance of respecting the constitution. He had also urged all official institutions to work within their domains, Dawn news reports.






Zardari says Sindh LG polls in 4 months
VoH Monitor
KARACHI, Jan.28: President Asif Ali Zardari said Thursday that local bodies elections in Sindh will be held on party basis in four months time.He said four development projects have been installed for Lyari, however, there is much left to be done.
Addressing a ceremony here, the President said local government polls will be conducted across Sindh including Karachi in four months time. He said Pakistan People’s Party and other allied parties will strengthen democracy. Zardari further said a new city under the name Zulfiqarabad will be established between Karachi and Hyderabad. “I want to make Karachi a model city, and will monitor all development projects myself,” Zardari added. Admitting Benazir Bhutto’s attachment with Lyari, he said Lyari elected him (Zardari) and BB to the parliament.The President jokingly said “Bilawal’s birth certificate was also from Lyari and Nabil Gabol’s seat is at stake.”-The News/ APP






Winter rain to end four months of drought in capital
VoH Monitoring Report
SLAMABAD, January 28: Different cities of Pakistan received their first winter rain on Thursday, ending four months of drought, while snow fell in the northern areas of the country. Rainfall was reported from the North West Frontier Province, the Neelum valley and northern parts of the country, while Pakistan-administered Kashmir received its first snowfall of the season. Due to landslides, the Neelum valley was cut off from the rest of the country. The transport and electricity systems were also badly affected, Online news agency reported.
In Islamabad and its twin city of Rawalpindi, the Thursday
morning showers prompted residents to visit parks and other recreational sites and to wear woolens as they enjoyed the pleasant weather.The rain washed away the dust and brought hope for farmers, while doctors said the showers would bring much needed respite from seasonal diseases like asthma, chest infection, typhoid, nasal allergy, influenza, sore throat, bronchitis and dry cough.
On Jan 22 President Asif Ali Zardari had offered the Namaz-e-Istasqa (rain prayer) after Friday prayers at his official residence Aiwan-e-Sadr here.Federal ministers and members of the Senate had also joined the president in the prayers. "He prayed to Almighty Allah for showering His blessings on the nation and for pouring much needed rain so that the dry spell, which is adversely affecting the whole country, could be ended," Online/ Daily times/ Times of India.






Role of media important in promoting harmony between countries: Kaira
VoH Watch dog
ISLAMABAD, Jan 28 (APP): Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Qamar Zaman Kaira said Thursday that the role of media has become very important in promoting harmony between countries. “Pakistani expatriate community living in the U.K. has become an integral part of the British society,” said Kaira during a meeting with a U.K. delegation led by shadow Home Secretary, Chris Gayling, who called on him here.“Our expatriate community keeps regular touch with their families and friends in Pakistan while following the Pakistani media closely, so media can play an important role in improving understanding between Pakistan and the U.K,” he said.

The Minister said the role of media has become crucial in promoting harmony between cultures and communities, particularly against the backdrop of rise in violent extremism. “Pakistan and U.K are partners in the war against terrorism,” said Kaira. “There is a need to enhance bilateral cooperation in all sectors between Pakistan and the U.K. to bring actual benefits to the people of both countries.” The Minister briefed Gayling on the ongoing efforts of the Information Ministry to address issues of media, and to conduct public awareness campaigns on various issues being confronted by Pakistan. Earlier, the visiting shadow Home Secretary discussed British politics and policies of the British shadow cabinet with the minister. The Minister wished Gayling luck in the forthcoming British parliamentary election and hoped that cooperation between Pakistan and the U.K would continue to grow.






Govt has moved on SC ruling: PM
VoH Monitor
ISLAMABAD, Jan. 28: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told the National Assembly on Wednesday his government had already moved to implement the Supreme Court’s nullification of the National Reconciliation Ordinance, identifying some areas being addressed in the process, but made it clear that immunity given to President Asif Ali Zardari by the Constitution would remain unscathed.Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani addressing the National Assembly. APP Photo

He also reassured the house there was no danger to the present democratic system or any prospect of a clash of state institutions which, he said, were functioning in their respective spheres, and advised political parties to confine their quest for power in a “game of musical chairs … between us” without involving any other force. His speech, cheered by both the treasury and opposition benches, coincided with the collapse of a controversial call for a lawyers’ strike on Thursday to press for the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment including reopening of disputed corruption charges dropped under former president Pervez Musharraf’s decree -- and Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry’s recent recommendation for the appointment of Lahore High Court’s number two judge in the apex court.The prime minister reiterated his commitment to implement the court’s Dec 16 judgment whose detailed version was issued on Jan 19, but said “there are many things it takes time (to do)”.However, he made no mention of the president’s move of referring back to the chief justice his recommendation to the president for the appointment of Justice Saqib Nisar of the LHC to fill a Supreme Court vacancy, instead of the high court’s senior-most judge and chief justice, Khwaja Mohammad Sharif, Dawn News reported.




We’ll reopen Swiss cases if parliament withdraws immunity: PM

VoH Watch
ISLAMABAD, Jan. 28: The government will go to any length for the supremacy of parliament, and elected representatives will protect democracy and the system in place, as the country addressing the Lower House, Gilani said, “It should be you, the opposition, or us, the treasury, in power ... power should not be shared with anybody else.” Referring to rumours that the system is under threat, the prime minister said, “I assure you that there is no threat to the system. Parliament is playing its role, so is the executive, the judiciary and the media.” He said all the democratic institutions were working within their domains. No confrontation: Gilani assured the House that the government did not want a confrontation with other institutions.
He said the government would function within its domain and under the 1973 Constitution. About the implementation of the Supreme Court’s verdict on the NRO, he said the government was ready to open Swiss cases against President Asif Ali Zardari in case the parliament withdrew the immunity granted to him under the constitution. “It was parliament that granted immunity to the president ... if parliament withdraws it today, I will move to take action the same day,” he said, adding that the government was acting in accordance with the instructions given in the SC’s detailed verdict on the NRO. Gilani said the government was serious in implementing the NRO verdict. “We don’t want clash among state institutions,” he said. Gilani said the implementation of the NRO verdict would “certainly take time”. He said he had already ordered the National Accountability Bureau, through the Law Ministry, to start investigations. He told the House that the NAB chairman would be appointed in consultation with the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly. The prime minister said the government had also sought details of cases and the number of required judges in NAB for speedy decisions. About former attorney general Malik Qayyum’s unauthorised withdrawal of the Swiss cases, Gilani said the matter was sub judice. He said Qayum had filed an appeal with the SC, and when the court delivers its ruling on the review petition, the government would act in line with court directives, Dailytimes reported.




Pak should have been picked for IPL: Shahrukh Khan

VoH Watch dog

KARACHI, Jan.25: As a perceived snub to Pakistani players by the Indian Premier League sparks a spat between the neighbouring countries, superstar Shah Rukh Khan, an IPL franchisee himself, believes the world champions should have been picked, a private channel reports. “I truly believe Pakistan players should have been chosen,” Khan, co-owner of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), said. Khan, however, said that since “some issues” were involved the matter could have been handled by the IPL “respectfully”. No Pakistani player was bought by the eight Indian clubs during an auction on Tuesday for the third edition of the glitzy IPL despite the Pakistan team being the reigning world champions in the Twenty20 format of the cricket tournament. Rooting for the Pakistani players, Khan said they are the best T20 players in the world. “They are the champions, they are wonderful but somewhere down the line there is an issue and we can’t deny it,” he told a news channel.
Khan said it was humiliating to him as a KKR owner that no one bid for the Pakistani players despite them being put up for auction.“We are known to invite everyone. We should have. If there were any issues, they should have been put on board earlier, Dawn and 111reaking news reports.





Talks with Taliban loom over Pakistani-Afghan summit
VoH Monitoring report

HUNZA,Jan.25: The leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan will seek closer cooperation in the fightagainst militants during a summit in Istanbul on Monday, but a plan to reach out to Taliban insurgents will likely dominate the talks.Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari meet ahead of a London conference where Afghanistan and the international community are set to agree a framework for the Afghan government to take responsibility for its own security. The two men were due to hold talks on the sidelines of a summit with Turkey, which has been working behind the scenes to repair relations between Islamabad and Kabul, notably over negotiations with the Taliban. Pakistan has long played an important role in Afghan affairs, having nurtured the Afghan Taliban during the 1990s, but Kabul remains suspicious that Islamabad is pursuing its own agenda in the country to the detriment of Afghanistan.
Masood Khalili, Afghanistan's ambassador to Turkey, told state news Anatolian the aim of the meeting was to "forge cooperation that might lead to reconciliation in the region. Everybody in the region is thirsty for peace." Karzai, under intense pressure from his Western backers to strengthen Afghanistan's security forces at a time of worsening violence, is preparing a programme to reintegrate some Taliban insurgents in order to encourage them to lay down arms, The Nation reports.





Honouring SC verdicts vital for democracy: Nawaz
VoH Monitor
LAHORE, Jan. 25: Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif on Monday said that democracy could survive only if the Supreme Court’s orders would be honoured. Speaking to newsmen after condoling Shazia’s family here, he said the nation’s sacrifices would go waster if the verdicts made by the Supreme Court were not honoured.The PML-N chief said that Feb 18 polls had given us an opportunity to create a new Pakistan as all the parties were united. Allah Almighty awarded us a good opportunity in the form of democracy, but it was wasted, he remarked.The former premier stressed that democracy must look different from dictatorship, The news international reported.






Lawyers plan strike to get NRO verdict implemented
VOH Watch
LAHORE, Jan. 25:(DN) The National Coordination Council of Lawyers, which was revived here on Sunday, has given a call for a countrywide lawyers’ strike on Jan 28 to press for implementation of Supreme Court’s verdicts, especially in the NRO case. The announcement was made by Supreme Court Bar Association’s president Qazi Mohammad Anwar and Raja Zulqernain, who were elected chairman and secretary of the council at a meeting held at the Lahore High Court barroom.

They said lawyers would hold meetings to press for their demands and adopt resolutions against the government for not implementing Supreme Court’s judgments.If the demands are not met, the council will meet on Feb 13 at the Rawalpindi bench of the LHC to work out its future course of action. They said Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry would attend a dinner to be hosted by
the Rawalpindi Bar Association the same evening.Qazi Anwar said the situation had become dangerous because of what he termed the government’s reluctance to implement the court’s orders. He alleged that the government wanted a clash with the judiciary.This must be condemned and all nefarious designs should be foiled, he said.
“We do not want a clash among institutions. We also do not want an intervention by the military or any other force and we are asking the government to fulfil its constitutional obligation of implementing the Supreme Court’s decisions,” he said. According to Mr Zulqernain, LHCBA chief Nasira Javaid Iqbal, lawyers’ leader Hamid Ali Khan, the presidents of high court bar associations and vice-chairmen of bar councils from all over the country attended the meeting. The council was formed on March 9, 2007, for the lawyers’ movement for restoration of independent judiciary. Some stalwarts of the movement, including Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan and Ali Ahmad Kurd, did not attend the meeting. Office-bearers of the Lahore Bar Association and leaders of the People’s Lawyers Forum also stayed away.Later, LBA president Sajid Bashir announced his dissociation from the strike.He said the Lahore bar would not observe the strike, adding that he would have attended the meeting if it had been convened by the Pakistan or Punjab bar council. According to Qazi Anwar, the meeting unanimously declared that no-one enjoyed immunity from prosecution no matter what public office he held.Anyone claiming immunity should approach the Supreme Court which alone had the authority to interpret the Constitution, he said.The meeting condemned all types of corruption committed by anyone. It also called for accountability of all corrupt elements of the past and vowed to stand against corrupt practices in future.It announced that the struggle against corruption and people involved in it would be stepped up irrespective of what position they held. The SCBA chief said the meeting fully supported all recent decisions of the Supreme Court, especially its verdict on the National Reconciliation Ordinance, Dawn News reported.







Gates acknowledge presence of black water in the country; US to provide unarmed Shadow drones to cater need of Pakistan; no intentions to take control of Pakistani nukes
VoH Report
ISLAMABAD, Jan.24: Robert Gates, US Defence Secretary, during his visit has acknowledged presence of black water in the country. He said this while an interview on a private TV channel on Friday evening, here in Islamabad. Mr. Gates said that US will provide unarmed Shadow drones to cater need of Pakistan. He said such equipments are indispensable for Pakistan for intelligence and reconnaissance purposes in order to counter terrorism.
He
said there was no such proposal under consideration for Afghan forces’ training by India. Talking on Indo-Pak worsening bil-ateral relations, he said the countries should deal with issues bilaterally. “I have raised Pakistani concerns over Indian involvement in Pakistan’s internal affairs," he added.
He said US has no intention to take control over nuclear programme adding America will play its role to hinder the way of extremist to take control of it.

Posted by Shamsuddin Muhammad on Sunday

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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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