Angelina Jolie visits refugees in Pakistan
Monitoring Desk
PESHAWAR, September 7: Angelina Jolie visited Nowshera in north-west Pakistan to highlight the plight of more than 20 million people affected by the country's worst ever floods. The actress, a UNHCR goodwill ambassador, said the situation in Pakistan was "extraordinarily complex".
The area is
temporary home to almost two million Afghan refugees, as well as millions of Pakistanis displaced by the floods.News Vine







Defense Day marked with simplicity
VoH News Watch
LAHORE, September 7:Defense Day of Pakistan was celebrated in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir with austerity as all the state-sponsored celebrations including the Defense Day parade, exhibition of arms and ammunition, award giving ceremonies, etc were canceled in the context of flood devastations in the country.

The above picture shows a group of military officials who were awarded with highsest military awards for their bravery in the wars with India. Photo source: Google.com

The Air Force Day on Sept 7 (today) will also be celebrated with simplicity. The Pakistan’s Air Force also had played commendable role in 1965 war by humiliating India. However, ‘fateha’ and Quran Khawani for the martyrs of 1965 and 1971 wars was held at a number of mosques after Fajr prayers while TV channels and radio aired special programmes. Quran Khawani was also organised at Garrisons particularly by the Frontier Corps, Baloch, Sindh and Punjab Regiments, which had performed feats of gallantry and set unprecedented examples of sacrifices in defending the Pakistani soil against Indian aggression.
India had unleashed full-fledged war without any provocation on September 6, 1965 when its forces entered the Pakistani territory on its eastern borders. The ensuing war continued for 17 days. India had failed to score any significant mark despite having four times bigger Army than Pakistan’s. The armed forces contingent laid floral wreath and paid salute to the martyrs’ at graveyards in the border areas of Lahore, Kasur, Sialkot, Khem Karan, etc. Scores of people from the City and border areas also visited the graves of martyrs and showered flowers on the graves and the monuments. The postponement of state ceremonies of Defence Day of Pakistan have cast a shadow on the significance of the day as the political and social groups also failed to organie any function or commemorative meetings to pay homage to the martyrs and narrate the events of 1965 war. There was no display of posters and ortraits of the heroes of 1965 war at the Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam and other significant places.Courtesy: The Nation, Pak Factor





55 killed in Quetta rally attack; Over 200 injured as bomber targets Al-Quds rally, L.J.A claims responsiblity

VoH New Watch
QUETTA, September 5: At least 55 people lost their lives, while over 200 others were injured on Friday after a suicide bomber blew himself up amidst participants of a rally held to mark the Al-Quds Day in Quetta. The deadly blast triggered chaos and panic in the provincial metropolis’s busy Mezan Chowk. Calling from an undisclosed location, a spokesman of the banned Lashkaar-e-Janghvi, claimed responsibility for the attack and warned that the group would “carry out more attacks if Shias continue to take out processions and hold gatherings”. According to eyewitnesses, a group of armed men started indiscriminate firing after the blast, injuring dozens of people. The Imamia Students’ Organisation had organised the rally that started from Islam Imambargah, located on the Prince Road, soon after the Friday prayers to express solidarity with the Palestinian people. Hundreds of people joined the rally as it moved towards the centre of the city. “Police tried to stop the rally near Mali Bagh and asked the participants not to proceed any further, owing to security concerns. However, nobody listened to us,” said City police Station House Officer (SHO) Muhammad Asif, adding that the participants did not follow the route that had been pproved by the police. “We had earlier told them that no officers were deployed in Mezan Chowk and they should follow the given route. But they did not follow the instructions,” he said. A number of young men, who were at the head of the procession, removed police barricades and continued to march forward. When the procession reached Mezan Chowk, the suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest. As result of the huge blast, 25 people were killed instantly, and human limbs were scattered everywhere. A number of motorcycles parked nearby caught fire, sending up plumes of black smoke. According to the Bomb Disposal Squad, 10 to 15 kilo grammes of explosive material was used in the blast, Daily Times reported.





World Bank, IMF agree to give $550 million
VoH News Watch
WASHINGTON, September, 05: The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have agreed to jointly provide more aid to flood-hit Pakistan during the current fiscal year but both also insisted that the country needed to continue its economic reforms, officials said on Thursday.
In response to this (flood), I will ask the IMF Board to approve $450 million in emergency assistance to be made available this month,” said IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn. “The World Bank is committed to helping the people of Pakistan during this time of need and has made $1 billion available to finance immediate recovery needs and longer-term reconstruction,” said the bank’s President Robert B. Zoellick while adding another $100 million to $900 million already committed.
The additional $100 million, announced after Mr
Zoellick’s meeting with Finance Minister Hafeez Sheikh on Wednesday, will be made available during the current fiscal year. The money will come from the bank’s fund for the poorest countries, the International Development Association, which means that the loans are concessional and carry no interest payments. This funding is already programmed money for Pakistan that is being diverted to meet immediate needs. “We need to respond strongly to the crisis at hand, but we need to do it without losing sight of important economic reforms,” said Mr Zoellick while emphasising the need to continue the reforms Pakistan negotiated with the World Bank Group two years ago. Mr Strauss-Kahn went a step ahead and indicated that Pakistan had already pledged to continue those reforms. “Our dialogue with Pakistan on the current Standby Arrangement is progressing and the authorities have expressed their intention to implement measures for the completion of the fifth review of the programme later this year,” he said. “We will stay in close contact as these efforts proceed. Completion of the fifth review will allow the Fund to disburse an additional $1.7 billion, bringing total IMF disbursements (including emergency assistance) to $2.2 billion in the second half of 2010,” Mr Strauss-Kahn said.
The finance minister told a joint briefing with the IMF chief at the Fund’s headquarters that “Pakistan remains committed to the reform efforts that will put public finances on a sustainable basis and lay the foundations for growth.” Under a 2008 loan programme with the IMF, Pakistan pledged to implement tax and energy sector reforms, reduce inflation, curb budget deficit and give full autonomy to the State Bank. Courtesy: Dawn





Mughees and Muneeb were not robbers
Monitoring Report
ISLAMABAD, September 05: The brothers Mughees and Muneeb Butt were not robbers. Also, states categorically the investigative report in the Sialkot lynching case prepared by Director-General Anti-corruption Kazim Malik. The report was presented to the three-member Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, which was hearing the suo motu case regarding the two brothers who were tortured by a mob and then strung up at the site of the water tank of a Rescue 1122 station last month.
The report states that there had been no case of mobile snatching registered against the two and till the time of the incident, there was no pending FIR against them in any police station. According to Malik, investigation officer Shahanshah Bukhari and medico-legal officer Dr Farooq, who conducted the autopsies, deliberately downplayed their findings and wrote up weak reports. In his recommendations, Malik has suggested that the bodies be exhumed and be examined again. Malik has also condemned the Rescue 1122 workers, who he said initially seemed to have fulfilled their duties but later appeared to be complicit to the murder.
According to the second investigation report submitted by Additional Inspector-General Punjab Police Mushtaq Sukhera, ex-district police officer Waqar Chohan was involved in the incident as the dead bodies of the two were strung up at the water tank in his presence. According to the report, police officials present at the crime scene encouraged the people to kill the brothers and are so, liable of murder as are the eyewitnesses of the incident. While recognising that there was no precedent for making such reports public, the bench called Advocate-General Punjab Khwaja Harris to the rostrum and directed him to make the reports public and monitor the progress of investigations. Courtesy: Express Tribune, Pakistan




Pakistan 'corruption' trio charged and suspended by ICC
VoH Monitoring Desk
LONDON, September 4: The three Pakistan cricketers accused of corruption have been charged with various offenses by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir are being investigated by police over allegations Asif and Amir bowled deliberate no-balls against England.The ICC charges relate to "alleged irregular behavior" in the fourth Test at Lord's last Thursday and Friday.Provisionally suspended, the trio now have 14 to appeal. Asif and Amir are alleged to have bowled three no-balls at pre-determined times to facilitate betting coups after a middle-man" was reported tohave accepted £150,000 from an undercover reporter from the News of the World, who published the story on Sunday."We will not tolerate corruption in cricket - simple as that," said ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat. We will not tolerate corruption in cricket - simple as that. It is important, however, that we do not pre-judge the guilt of these three players ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat"We must be decisive with such matters and if proven, these offences carry serious penalties up to a life ban."The ICC will do everything possible to keep such conduct out and we will stop at nothing to protect the sport's integrity."While we believe the problem is not widespread, we must always be vigilant."It is important, however, that we do not pre-judge the guilt of these three players. That is for the independent tribunal alone to decide." Butt, Asif and Amir have been officially notified of the offences they are alleged to have committed. Any player ultimately found to be guilty of committing an offence under the code would be subject to the sanctions described in the ICC's Anti-Corruption Code for Players and Player Support Personnel. That could mean upholding the player's indefinite ban with the possibility, at the discretion of an independent tribunal, of additional fines.Details of the date of the tribunal hearing are still to be finalised.The BBC's sports editor David Bond said the action taken by the ICC was "decisive and unexpected". He added: "There is still a police investigation going on and those players will go back to Scotland Yard to be re-interviewed by them [on Friday]. We could eventually get criminal charges."The ICC clearly understands that cricket's credibility is at stake with this whole affair and they had to move swiftly to save the sport's reputation."
Source:
BBC.CO.UK






SHO accused in Sialkot Lynching case flees country
VoH News Watch
SIALKOT, September 3: A former police officail who was major accused in twin brothers' lynching case has managed to flee the country. Rana Ilyas-SHO of the police station where the incident took place-was suspended by the authorities and later detained by the police on his alleged misconduct and failing to save the two youngsters lyched by a a mob in his presece.
However, he
managed to flee from police custudy last week. Supreme court of Pakistan that is hearing the case on a suo moto notice has ordered police to present Ilyas before the court by today at any price.






Triple blasts in Lahore, 35 killed;254 injured as two suicide attackers target Shia procession after hand grenade thrown on crowd near Bhaati Gate, death toll may rise, Shia community announces three days mourning;
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al-Alami accepts responsibility

Monitoring Desk
LAHORE, Sep.02: At least 35 people were martyred and 254 others injured on Wednesday evening as two suicide bombers exploded themselves minutes after a cracker blast at a mourning procession held in connection with death anniversary of Hazrat Ali (AS) near Karbala Gamay Shah and Bhati Gate. Terrorists on Wednesday targeted Shias (Shiates) marking Hazrat Ali’s (RA) martyrdom in Lahore, killing 35 people and injuring 254 others in two suicide and onegrenade attack. Banned terrorist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al-Alami has accepted responsibility for the three attacks that occurred minutes apart in Lahore’s Bhaati Gate locality. A private news channel, in its breaking news reported about the incident yesterday at 7:00 PM.
The mourning procession was in its last stages and was about to end at Karbala Gamay Shah, near Data Darbar, when the terrorists stuck. Eyewitnesses said that the participants hadgathered outside Gamay Shah for Iftari, when a terrorist, standing on a nearby rooftop, threw a hand grenade on the crowd. The explosion killed one person and injured dozens others. The ensuing stampede spread to the procession that was stretched on the road from Data Darbar to Anarkali. The security ring created by police personnel around the procession by blocking roads then collapsed as people started running in every direction.

LAHORE: People taking injured to the hospitals for first aid after suicide attack during procession. Image: The Nation

A suicide bomber, who succeeded in penetrating to the middle of the crowd, then exploded himself at Bhatti Gate Chowk, about 100 yards from the site of the grenade attack. The blast was far more deadly and everywhere people were seen laying in pools of blood, most of whom were later pronounced dead. In the meantime, several small groups of furious people started attacking the nearby police personnel. At that time, another suicide bomber exploded himself at Bhaati Gate Chowk.
The third explosion was the deadliest and caused a large number of causalities. The mob then got out of control and started burningtyers and chanting slogans. Police tried to control the situation by resorting to tear-gassing and baton-charging the protesters. However, this only intensified the protest. The crowd also tried to burn down government and private property, while a small group attacked the Lower Mall and Bhaati Gate police stations. Two police cars and three motorcycles were also set on fire. Rangers personnel were then called in to bring the situation under control. Later, Lahore Commissioner Khusro acknowledged before the media that policenegligence was one of the main reasons behind the explosions and the subsequent violence.
President Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani have condemned the blasts and said the attackers would not escape justice. They expressed sorrow and grief over the loss of precious lives in the blasts. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has also strongly condemned the attack and announced Rs 500,000 each for families of the people who were killed in the attacks. Senator Abbas Kumaili, a prominent Shia scholar, has called for three days of mourning over the attack and lashed out at the bombers-Courtesy: Daily Times ,The Nation, Geo Tv.





Footage itself an evidence: CJ
Monitoring watch
ISLAMABAD, Sep 02: Contrary to the prevailing rumours and misconceptions, the report of the inquiry commission, which was headed by Justice (R) Kazim Malik, unearthed that Mughees and Munib, two brothers who were brutally beaten to death and later lynched with the water tank, were not robbers.
Not even a single case of mobile snatching had been registered against Mughees and Munib in their entire life and till the time of the incident there was no pending FIR against them in any police station, the report stated. The Investigation Officer Shahanshah Bukhari of this case and Medical Officer Dr Farooq who conducted the autopsy, deliberately made the report mild.
According to the second investigation report submitted by the Additional Inspector General Punjab Police, Mushtaq Sukhira, ex-District Police Officer Waqar Chohan was involved in the incident as in his presence the dead bodies of two brothers were lynched with the water tank.
According to the report, the police officials, who were present at the crime scene, encouraged the people to kill two brothers, therefore they are equally responsible for their murder, whereas the eyewitnesses of the incident are also equally responsible. The Nation




Discrimination in aid
Monitoring Desk
It is no secret that ethnic, sectarian and religious minorities in Pakistan face discrimination, but recent reports that this deplorable mindset is affecting flood relief efforts are deeply disturbing.

Whether Muslim, Hindu or Christian, high caste or low caste, the flood victims are all equally deserving of the attention of official and non-official aid channels. - Photo by Reuters.

On Monday, a large number of people in Hyderabad were driven to taking out a protest rally against the maltreatment of minority community flood victims. They cited two occasions when they were attacked and driven out of a relief camp.
A day before that, flood-affected families at an emergency relief camp in Thatta district complained that they were being refused aid, even by government officials, because they were Dalits. There have been numerous other reports: people being refused shelter because of their ethnicity, caste or religion, being discriminated against in the distribution of aid goods and being driven away from or forced to live on the very margins of the few camps that exist.
Discrimination on ethnic and religious grounds is deeply entrenched in Pakistan and will not change overnight. Yet that it is being used as an excuse to strip people of their rights as equal citizens even during a time of calamity is abhorrent. Whether Muslim, Hindu or Christian, high caste or low caste, the flood victims are all equally deserving of the attention of official and non-official aid channels. Resources are scarce and the desperate number in millions. Providing help across the board to the best of its abilities, irrespective of any ideology, is the first task of the state and society. Apart from the victims’ equal right to survival essentials such as shelter, potable water and food, the fact that the country was even before the floods rent along ethnic, sectarian and religious grounds must be kept in mind. Discrimination at this time will only deepen the divide and cause resentment that could unravel any possibility of future cohesiveness.

The above Editorial was published in Daily Dawn on September 01, 2010

Posted by Shamsuddin Muhammad on Wednesday

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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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