Inter-Political Migration by Senator A. Rehman Malik

Migration is a worldwide phenomenon, which, in literal terms, is defined as the movement of a person from one country, place or locality to another. It happens both through legal and illegal ways. Migration normally occurs due to economic stress, which forces people to migrate.

I intend to talk about a short-term migration process here, which is performed by the members of one political party to another. This kind of migration is illegal if we put it to the test of ethics but this act is not culpable through any laws. It is like the migration of birds, which are not supposed to abide by any sort of migration laws.

It would not be wrong to say that this season of migration normally begins about six months before the elections. These migrating birds look up for a better opportunity to fly by making right choice of weather.

Political birds migrate with incentive of better opportunities from one party to other. It is unfortunate and highly unethical that this kind of migration takes place without any legal consequences. Let us examine the circumstances and the reasons of this unfortunate migration.

Category 1: There could be genuine migration if the highest party leadership of a party is not happy with a particular leader and then force him to migrate by satisfying himself and his voters and perhaps it is a bit acceptable.

Category 2: It is the tools when the leader feels that his leadership ignores his importance, which forces the leader to migrate.

Category 3: The pressure of friends and family to leave his party for some local and other personal reason or latent fears.

Category 4: This category is basically looks out the benefit aspects and asses the potentials of another political party vis-à-vis winning the elections this make the leader greedy and his own lust of power blinds him and he migrates to the other party hoping to win again and looking forward to get a flag car. This category attracts mass migration of the leaders and finally in search of better opportunities ignoring their damage in terms of their reputation.

There are four main lands in Pakistan that are available for migrating political birds, which can perhaps be named as Tehreek land, Peoples land, Noon Land and Q land.

PPP got good number of seats in 2003 elections yet some veteran PPP politicians despite promising their loyalty to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and PPP, migrated towards Q League. I was present there and witnessed the whole thing and within 24 hours “Patriots” joined the Q Land / Gen. Musharraf in and rest is history.

It is part of the history that PML Q emerged out of PMLN and then PMLN sucked 19 prominent electable of PMLQ that include former MPA’s and MNA’s both.

Most of the temporary mass migrations of PPP and PMLN who lands to Tehreek land were basically planned through the so called propaganda of Tabdili as 15 prominent figures from PPP whereas 14 members from Noon land have migrated to Imran Khan’s Tehreek land.

History is repeating the cycle of migration that N league had started, by the migration of their own stalwarts to other political parties of the country. It’s a matter of time as many have left and others are weighing their options and soon we would see the migration ship full of such political migrants leaning for other destinations with the hope to get into power. Many of them already have done their part such as the 20 most veterans members of N land have joined hands with PTI and PMLQ.

Well there is no legal provision in the law to stop such migration and hence they are answerable to none except for their conscience. There are defections clauses present in the Constitution for the elected members only but not for the ones who are not the members of Parliament. The article 63(a) of the Constitution only provides for the disqualification of a member on grounds of defection. It says that if a member of a Parliamentary Party resigns from membership of his political party or joins another Parliamentary Party or votes or abstains from voting for the party to which he belongs, he/she would stand disqualified from being member of the Parliament.

According to the law, the only penalty the person who has defected faces is that he has to give explanation to the head of the party if the explanation is found unsatisfactory, the matter is referred to the Pakistan Election Commission for notification of his/her disqualification. The Chief Election Commission would, within seven days, declares the seat vacant and announces the by-elections for the vacant seat.

This temporary political migration always creates one or more pressure groups to gain importance. It is ironic as to how people who are labeled to be corrupt and dishonest by a party, later gets rewarded and credited with party ticket by the same party. The party then portrays them as its valuable and clean assets.

This seasonal migration trend needs to be curbed out of the society; by putting ban on party changing at least one year before General elections and the person who commits defection must be disqualified for 10 years. Moreover, this must be imposed that any new arrival in the party will not be able to contest election in the new party for 5 years. The Nation needs to see the end of LOTAISM in every political party.

It is being assessed that this political imbalance will be through shining Gold lotas and this political lotaism is expected with their strength to emerge as pressure groups in Federal and provincial level.

It will be displayed in the political showcase with the labels “Buy me if you can” and we will see they will fetch higher the prices at the cost of national interest.

Writer is a PPP Senator, former Interior Minister of Pakistan and Chairman of think tank “Global Eye” and Senate Body on Interior and Narcotics. He can be reached at rmalik1212@gmail.com and @SenRehmanmalik

The Article was published by “The Nation” on April 22, 2018 and the link is Inter-Political Migration by Senator A. Rehman Malik

Common masses and a land of confusion by Senator A. Rehman Malik

Pakistan has become land of confusion where a normal Pakistani passes through a phase of confusion irrespective of his social status. The confusion and fear have become integral part of our system. Either we are confused or we are dealing with a confused situation on the other end. Our government servants are confused as to whether or not they should take a decision in a matter before them for the reasons that if bureaucrats take the decision on merit then their political bosses may get annoyed and if they take decisions as per the wish of their political bosses, then they may invite the wrath of NAB or FIA eventually landing them in the jail and when they see many of their colleagues in trouble they get more worried and confused. This state of confusion eventually contributes towards delay in the disposal of official matters at the cost of miseries of the general public and the efficiency of the governance. The government functionaries are confused and sandwiched between their political masters and fear of accountability. As we speak, most of the government departments are almost shut down as far as the important issues are concerned, where a decision is required with application of mind with prudence.

Policy makers and decision makers are being seen as crippled. There is no doubt that the fear of accountability is the best yard stick for good governance but governance works on system and strong foundations of any system are dependant on the performance of the institutions. The system has been deteriorated and is suffering from a virus of nepotism and corruption, and few law enforcement actions can not rectify the situation unless the system is overhauled as a national priority.

What we see today is that public dealing offices have continued to indulge in corruption and despite the fear of NAB and FIA, the level of corruption is the same and many continue their activities with immunity. When general public faces this treatment at the hands of corrupt government servants, they turned more confused as to whether these government servants are responsible for providing relief to the general public or the other way around. Pakistan is today ranked 117th in the list of 180 corrupt countries. There has been an estimated $3-4 billion flight of capital from Pakistan to Gulf States in last two years in addition to serious brain drain.

A petitioner enters the court with great hope to get relief but he has to face the same state of treatment from everyone who is connected to his petition in any manner like lawyer, the ‘munshis’ of the lawyer and the officials of the court. The petitioner gets confused over the working of the judicial system where rather than getting any relief, he is put under more stress in terms of his time, money and mental tension. His confusion forces him to say goodbye to his claim to get relief and many have died while waiting for justice whereas justice is the key to prosperity and progress of a nation. The question needs to be examined is: if the criminal justice system has multiple confusions or the justice seeker is confused. It is the high time to sort out this national tragedy.

A strong political system is guarantee to the real democracy and democracy gets stronger by the implementation of the Constitution.

Now we have yet to see that our political system is free of multiple confusions and present time is displaying worst model of confusion. The Government, opposition, political parties and institution are unable to deliver to the masses. It is an era of blame games to each other and every leader is talking of bringing “Tabdeeli” (change) but none wants to bring Tandeeli within himself.

What tabdeeli are we talking about and what good have we – the politicians and institutions – brought so far? Response is ‘none’. Can we claim that we are a nation of unity? No. Or as a nation do we have consensus on our major policies, the response is again no. Have we rectified our economic parameters? Have we stopped begging from others? No. Have we set a course to retire our debts to get our coming generation debt free? The answer is again No. Have we given a doable action plan to alleviate the confusion of the masses? The answer is no. Have we done some improvement in our policing and criminal justice programme? No. Have we given the people a national health programme? Again, no.

If a leader believes only in furious speeches and abuses, and makes tall claims then one rightly questions as to what the leadership is giving in terms of relief to a common man? Can the political slogans give food to the poor and can these slogans get good education and health to the children? Can the paid and sponsored big public gatherings bring any relief to the masses? When the common man hears the tall slogans in rallies or on the TV screen he gets further confused, as there is no qualitative change in his life as he continue to suffer the hammer of poverty and poverty continues to multiply his miseries. Pakistan is ranked 53rd among top poorest countries of the world and still we boast of improvement in the economy but doing nothing to improve it. 2017 brought a decline in exports by 3.3pc from $25billion in 2016 to $20 billion. Currencies value to dollar shows we are even worst than Bangladesh and India: 1 dollar = 83.09 BD Taka and 1 dollar = 65.04 Indian Rupees.

This growing poverty is driving Pakistan below the poverty line and the poor man under false promises once again votes for the politicians with the hope that perhaps this time the vote may bring changes to his life. He is confused between vote and change and it adds further to his confusion and miseries. These continued miseries and disappointment of masses can create non-ending conflict between rich and poor and that would be a dangerous situation, which needs to be averted in the national interest. According to 2016 analysis report, nearly 39 per cent of Pakistanis live in multidimensional poverty, with the highest rates of poverty in FATA and Baluchistan. 29.5 (55 million people) per cent of country’s population is living below the poverty line.

Now is the time that planning should be done for the poor and produce at least two budgets to alleviate poverty. Currently, the elites are the masters of the politics in the country and imagine the scenario when the poor masses decide to grab the power politics eventually making the elite political forces to cry “ Hamain Kiyun Nikala”.

These are my personal feeling as close observer of human behaviour in the country. I have dealt with many people from junior civil servants to senior most positions and then interior minister and now dealing as a parliamentarian and I find a kind of dissatisfaction in the eyes of a common man and the common man is now clearly feeling the gap between the elite class and poor. Will our policies ever narrow this gap or it will further widen the gulf of discontentment to the disadvantage of the country. The State has to think why a poor family is forced to sell a child to be used as a suicide bomber and why a father kills himself and his children. This is all due to poverty driven episodes in our society. 2017 statistics have shown that 22.6 million children (44pc) in Pakistan are still out of school and this reflects on our education policy.

An unofficial survey conducted over a period of two years in 2017, reported over 300 suicidal deaths in Pakistan from 35 different cities. The findings showed that men outnumber women by 2:1. The reasons include unemployment, health issues, poverty, homelessness, and economic depression. Pakistan is ranked as 4th unsafe country in the world and in this given situation who is going to invest with us?

This is called communal confusion. The nation has a right to ask as to why are we behind the developing world when we have rich natural resources and vast land for cultivation. The nation has also right to ask as to why we have failed to properly explore our rich natural resources to the advantage of the people of Pakistan. Are we waiting for divine help, which will make Pakistan a prosperous country? Even “God helps those who help themselves”.

Let us all work together to get the nation out of this state of confusion.

The Article has been published in “THE NATION” on April 09, 2018.

Link to original Article:- Common masses and a land of confusion by Senator A. Rehman Malik

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto – a visionary leader by Senator A. Rehman Malik

4th April is a black day in the history of Pakistan; that witnessed the judicial murder of a great charismatic public leader Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1979 – a day that was actually the death of humanity and the voice of the masses.

History will neither forgive nor forget the murder of a leader who wanted to make us progressive and peaceful, take us towards national integrity and prosperity by empowering the masses, and by making Pakistan the first Muslim nuclear power in the world. He had feared that Pakistan will be exposed to external danger by the neighboring India therefore announced “we (Pakistan) will eat grass, even go hungry, but we will get one of our own (Atom bomb), we have no other choice”.

Bhutto refused to succumb to the international pressure to roll back Pakistan’s nuclear programme. Gerald Feuerstein, who was a witness to the meeting between the then Prime Minister Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and then US secretary of State Henry Kissinger in Lahore in August 1976, had admitted in an interview that Bhutto rejected the warning to roll back or compromise over Pakistan’s nuclear programme.

Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had pain in his heart for his people, country and Muslim ummah, and he made history by bringing the Muslim ummah on one platform during Islamic Summit Conference in Lahore in 1974. He was not only a distinguished national leader but also an unparalleled statesman who revived a broken nation after the disaster of the fall of Dhaka by bringing back 90,000 prisoners of war.

The public must know that the enemies of Pakistan decided his elimination after refused the rollback of the nuclear programme despite the numerous pressures and threats of making him a “horrible example.

The CIA hatched a plan to block communism, using Islam through General Zia ul Haq. He preached his own brand of Islam wherein he promoted extremists, terrorists and all kind of criminals under the name of Jehadis. These extremists and criminal elements were brought and nourished by USA in Pakistan for launching them in Afghanistan to operate.

The then director CIA W. J Casey has disclosed the details of the meeting in his memoirs where, inter alia, CIA Director W. J Casey narrates as to how Gen. Zia was recruited while he was specially posted in Jordon for operation against Palestinians. Interestingly, it is same era when Air Commodore Khaqan Abbasi was also posted as the advisor of Royal Jordanian Air Force and both Zia ul Haq and Khaqan Abbasi remained under the command of Army Chief of Jordon and became good friends. Today’s Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, grew under the legacy and with the children of General Zia Ul Haq. The legacy continued where General Zia ul Haq raised his team consisting of anti-Bhutto politicians, which included Chaudhary Zahoor Elahi, Khawaja Safder, Ghulam Dastgir Khan, Raja Zafar ul Haq and Mian Nawaz Sharif.

Once I got an invitation for an official function in the Army House, but it was the unfortunate black day in the history of Pakistan as on the same day the Chief Justice of Pakistan had upheld the death sentence and was smartly dressed with his grey hairs and was receiving congratulation for his judgment. General Zia ul Haq standing next to the Chief Justice was also receiving greetings from his own created politicians and his senior colleagues. Shamelessly they all had no feelings for remorse and were celebrating the death of a charismatic leader who had dreamed of Pakistan leading the world.

I had seen another shock episode in the said morning when Ch. Zahoor Elahi called Justice Anwar Ul Haq asking him to send the pen which was used for writing the death sentence to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. This call was made from Westridge House, where the old building of Supreme Court was situated. I saw that pen and the barefaced happiness in the Zahoor place on the announcement of that unfortunate judgment. Finally, I heard that the Army aviation has done a rehearsal to carry the body of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. It was shocking and unbelievable that next morning when I heard Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was hanged and buried quietly.

They killed and buried Bhutto mysteriously but hid bravest daughter, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the first woman prime minister of the Muslim world, marked the political rebirth of her father Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s legacy. She suffered the most in the hands of Zia ul Haq and his remnants but eventually she witnessed the crashing of C-130B Hercules aircraft where even remains of the body of Zia-ul-Haq could not be found. The wrath of Allah also fell on Justice Moulvi Mushtaq who had awarded death sentence to Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Honeybees attacked his funeral and the mourners had to flee from the graveyard leaving his coffin unattended.

As Director FIA, I had taken upon myself to look into the old files of the judicial murder of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, where I had found some tampered documents and would soon write a book detailing the conspiracy behind Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s ‘judicial murder’, which was carried out with a premeditated plan. General Ziaul Haq’s government changed the documents but the entire world declared it a ‘judicial murder’. I appreciate the honesty of the then Director Law of FIA who had clearly stated the shells of the bullets were replaced, witnesses were tampered, and Masood Mahmood was tutored under duress.

General Zia ul Haq tried to eliminate Bhuttoism by killing Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto but he still rules the hearts of the people while Zia ul Haq was made a disgrace for the rest of the world. We know almost all those Muslim leaders who participated in the Second Islamic Summit Conference held from February 22-24, 1974 in Lahore died unnatural deaths. Undoubtedly, the killing of all these Muslim leaders cannot be a coincidence but an operation to punish them and to give a message to the Muslim world.

I, in my humble capacity, will soon expose those facts, which are buried in files and from those who are mum. We, PPP workers and President Asif Ali Zardari, filed a reference to Supreme Court but the then Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary did not proceed on it. I, therefore, appeal to the present the Chief Justice to take up this case to vindicate position of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was a distinguished leader in the history of Pakistan who gave a lesson of peace and humanity to the rest of the world and gave voice to the poor and oppressed people of Pakistan and empowered them to stand for their rights. I had the honor to work with three Bhuttos, first with Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and thereafter Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto - my leader, mentor and sister, and followed by Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari – the only hope for Pakistan’s future. And, I feel proud to have personal and political association with the Bhutto and Zardari family. Like Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto who carried on the Bhutto’s legacy more powerfully and bravely, I find the same bravery, wisdom, vision and far-sightedness in Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Bhutto’s ideology was popular throughout the world and he laid down his life but didn’t let Pakistan’s nuclear programme be derailed and didn’t compromise on his towering principles. He could have saved his life if had compromised with a dictator, which was an impossible act for a leader of the people. Today, Pakistan is secure only due to Bhutto’s vision and the future would belong to PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, as he is the only one who truly has the guts to fill in Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s boots. “Bilawal is the future prime minister of Pakistan InshaAllah so the people can find their favorite leader Bhutto again among themselves”.

The Article has been published in “THE NATION” on April 03, 2018. Link to original Article:- Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto – a visionary leader By Senator A. Rehman Malik

President Putin a strategist: A great survivor against all odds by Senator A. Rehman Malik

It is internationally well-recognised fact that power is seized with the intention not to relinquish it. Power breeds more power and power is used to overpower the opponents and to prolong the rule.

The election of Vladimir Putin gives him another six years as Russia’s president at the age of 65 and he is the longest serving leader after Joseph Stalin. He will no longer be eligible to run for the presidency in the next elections and till then he will be in power for quarter of a century by 2024. By then Russia’s modern history will have been shaped by this former KGB operative, around whom a personality cult has evolved. On the one hand he has managed to revitalise Russia, giving it once more a leading role in international affairs and making it a force to be reckoned with. He will rub his shoulders with many leaders of the world including President Donald Trump. His intelligence skills will be again in gear to over smart his opponents both at domestic and international fronts.

The world will face many political and diplomatic ups and down and one does not know many more Victor Bouts will be arrested through string operations to embrace Russia but I think the arm race between USA & Russia will continue at the expense of world peace.

There will be counter allegations from both sides with reference to Syria, Iran and Afghanistan. This region has not yet forgotten the low flying drop of Russian arms for Taliban and Northern Alliance via low flying from Iran by world’s most low altitude flying pilot Victor Bouts who is presently undergoing life imprisonment in USA after his extradition from Thailand through a sting operation.

Now once again USA has blamed Russia for supplying arms to Taliban. It looks like as if the Cold War between Russia and America has once again started, which would, unfortunately, continue over various international disputes.

The Russian leader President V. Putin is a living legend who started as intelligence operator in 1975 and rose to the rank of Lt. colonel mainly spying in East Germany and held that position for 17 years till 1990. He then returned to St. Petersburg and was appointed deputy Mayor to his mentor, the then Mayor of St Petersburg namely Anatoly Sobchak in 1994.

After the loss of mayor ship by his mentor in 1996, he moved to Moscow where he was appointed as head of the security, commanding the three major security agencies including the KGB. The change of circumstances forced the then President Boris Yeltsin to appoint him as acting president in 2000.visited St Petersburg while I was in exile on invitation of one of my business friends. My friend is well placed businessman who narrated me the story of Mr Putin at my request, as I was really impressed with the rise of Mr Putin. I met a couple of other people in the city and I found almost everybody to be the fan of Mr. Putin. I made out in my two days visit that Mr Putin has developed the skill as to how could one touch the hearts of his people.

I visited the half drowned ship during the World War II from where one gets a chance to see amazing scene of sunset like a big fireball dipping into the ocean.

Russian having amazing past history suffered through the World War II, and then embraced yet another setback of disintegration of Soviet Union under President Gorbachev. The disintegration of Soviet Union was basically result of defeat in Afghanistan followed by collapse of its economy coupled with up roaring of central Asian states. President V Putin had learnt a lot while in St. Petersburg, which basically served as launching pad for his political career. It will not be wrong to say that had he not been the deputy mayor of this city, he would have not been able to become the longest serving leader of Russia. President Putin who, a leader of caliber, has brought the stability to his country. Russia under Putin has not only recovered from the shock of disintegration but it paid USA in the same coin in Iraq and now in Syria. President Putin has become living political visionary and he has the art to deal well with his opponents.

I happened to meet him in one of the international conferences as Interior Minister of Pakistan and observed him closely and found him to be a deep and mysterious personality. He has used his Intel skills like senior Bush who was also an ex -Intel.

The analysis shows that his success lies in allowing the various syndicates and mafias operating their way in the beginning till he took them into full grip and then he handled them with iron hand and subsequently brought all the institutions under his direct control.

The world is terming Putin as dictator and some blame that he won his election with rigging. The reality will be out one day. I, however, think that he is a big political scientist of the present times and he has understood his people well. He has gained the confidence of masses with his caliber, which he is strengthening with the passage of time. The witch-hunt between USA and Russia would continue both at state and people level at the cost of their diplomatic and people to people contact.

Let us now overview the present and future relations between Russia and Pakistan in the presence of many challenges for president Putin both at home and abroad.

There are several factors, which have brought Pakistan and Russia closer, including US quest for hegemony in the region, longer presence and continuation of war in Afghanistan, as well as US President Donald Trump’s aggressive posture against Pakistan. President Putin considers Pakistan as highly important for the stabilisation of Afghanistan and for the regional peace, Russian rightly believes that the problem of Afghanistan cannot be solved without the constructive involvement of Pakistan and Iran.

Both Russia and Pakistan are collaborating at the moment in the energy sector as well. On October 16, 2015 Pakistan and Russia signed an agreement to build a $2 billion pipeline. The North-South gas pipeline, with a capacity of 12.4 billion cubic meters per year, would connect the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal in Karachi to Lahore. The agreement was signed during the first visit by a Russian Energy Minister to Pakistan in three decades, and marked a new beginning in commercial ties between the two countries. The 1,100 kilometer pipeline is expected to be completed by 2018.

In addition to that, both Moscow and Islamabad have enhanced military to military relations. The first ever joint military exercise, Druzbha (a Russian word meaning “friendship”), was conducted between the two armies in September 2016. Russia also participated in the Aman-17 international naval exercise hosted by Pakistan in the Arabian Sea in February 2017.

In addition, on July 3, 2017 Russia’s Gazprom International and Pakistan’s Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Moscow. The MoU is aimed at mutual cooperation, joint ventures and use of state of the art technology that would aid exploration and development in Pakistan. This positive shift of policy has happened during the tenure of President Putin and I feel Russia would attach more importance to Pakistan in the future.

If the USA hostile and anti-Pak policies continued then I foresee a nuclear block in making consisting of Russian-China-Pakistan.

Pakistan should not lose the opportunity to be friendlier with Russia by expanding its areas of cooperation with Russia based on mutual interest and confidence. I feel that President Putin would play his vital role further to enhance friendship with Pakistan.

In the end I would like to say that President V Putin is a doer and will not only survive but also he would continue to be a big challenge for the West and he would keep the fellow world powers on their toes.

The article was published by The News International on March 31, 2018; link to the original article: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/298378-president-putin-a-strategist-a-great-survivor-against-all-odds

The writer is Chairman of think tank “global eye” & former Interior Minister of Pakistan. Email: rmalik1212gmail .com, Twitter Senrehmanmalik, GlobalEye_GSA, 

Self-Invited coup-Mr Prime Minister wake up by Senator Rehman Malik

The word coup always brings the mind under pressure, because it is synonymous to force of action. The first internationally well recognised expression of a coup is the army takeover which was very common in the world in 50s when Africa suffered heavily and then Pakistan when Gen Zia-ul-Haq deposed the elected PM ZAB and then played his innings as Martial Law administrator with the support of USA.

Today I am not talking about any army coup but of another form of coup, which has brought us at the verge of bankruptcy. I will first discuss about this self-invited coup, which I would name as an “economic coup”. In fact, our past rulers laid the foundation of economic coup in 1952 by taking the first loan and thereafter successive governments got addicted of loans to run their affairs. These loans started as soft loans initially which subsequently turned into loans on heavy interests. The loans given to states are subject to sovereign guarantees by the Governments through State Bank.

The Soviet-Afghan war which was engineered and controlled by USA through Zia-ul-Haq got us further under heavy finical burden and our begging bowl started becoming bigger and bigger. Unfortunately, this bigger bowl failed to even meet the growing requirement of the country as it had got a big hole in the shape of heavy financial burden vis-à-vis millions of Afghan refugees in Pakistan. This war also brought with it limitless miseries in the form of gun running/flow of drug to Pakistan besides increasing our expenses on western boarders because of our growing conflicts with USA and Afghanistan.

The country was suffering economically because of the unwise participation in Afghan -Soviet war, which had given birth to extremists and militants. USA left us high and dry and our economic situation worsened with the burden of Afghan refugees and emergence of Talban and Al Qaeda. It was unfortunate that the help extend to USA as friend crippled our growing economy and all economic sectors related to our growth because of the law and situation created by terrorists.

The Americans have always been interested in our strategic assets and database. We went wrong by not linking our support with-retiring of our foreign debts with the assistance in the war on terror to USA. I once proposed this suggestion in an international donor’s conference held in Sarena Hotel Islamabad in the presence of USA delegation and unfortunately our economic team did not endorse my proposal in this open meeting.

The handling of economy and internal security as per the constitution of Pakistan is the responsibility of the government. We say past is past and is to be forgotten but past does give nations the required guidelines as to where we went wrong.

We as nation are victim of self-invited terrorism coup and economic coup. These coups will not be averted unless we take practical step to retire our debts and bring a comprehensive action plans both for national security and foreign policy.

I am very sad to mention below about the worrying situation wherein we have mortgaged almost all our national assets rather we have mortgaged our national pride.

The government have now started putting national assets of extremely high value as guarantees (mortgage) in exchange for more loans or otherwise for Sukuk Bonds. The national assists like Jinnah international airport Karachi, Peshawar-Faisalabad motorway, Faisalabad-Pindi Bhattian motorway, Islamabad-Peshawar motorway, Islamabad-Lahore motorway, PTV, Radio Pakistan has been mortgaged and despite in Pakistan these assets are no more ours. There are many more and I expect the government to make it public as nation must know about this big achievement of the government. The position of loans stands as under

IMF Loan: $ 6.2 billion

World Bank and other multilateral banks: $ 9.7 billion

Bilateral countries: $3.6 billion

US aid: $33.4 billion

Saudi Arabia (Islamic Development Bank) $242 million

Paris club France: 625 million Euros

Japan: 192 Billion Yen

China: $162 Million

Euros bonds and Sukuk bonds: $ 2.5 billion

Budget deficit (2017): Rs. 1.863 trillion

Expected budget deficit this year: Rs. 1.9 Trillion

Growth rate of Pakistan: 5.8 %

Inflation rate: 3.80 %

Rate of one dollar in 2013: 100 PKR

Rate of dollar today: 110.76 PKR

We have bad effects of economy deficit on imports and exports. The current account deficit (CAD) had recorded at $12 billion during the fiscal year (FY2017). The CAD surged by 122 per cent to $5.013 billion in the first four months (July-October) of the current fiscal year as compared to $2.259 billion a year ago. The CAD is widening as higher imports growth offset the improvement in exports. The CAD is likely to touch $18 billion by the end of current fiscal year. The CAD is widening due to massive increase in trade deficit. Pakistan’s trade deficit widened by 36.32 per cent to highest ever level of $32.58 billion during fiscal year (FY17) because of the record increase in imports and decline in exports. Country’s imports were recorded at historic level of $53.02 billion during the FY17 as against $20.45 billion exports during previous financial year. Same trend continued in the current fiscal year. Pakistan’s trade deficit had swelled to $15 billion with exports of $9 billion and imports of $24.1 billion during first five months of the current financial year as against $19.9 billion of the same period last year.

Now according to an estimate, Pakistani currency is likely to come under further pressure due to the widening current account deficit, and any further depreciation weakens the country’s debt affordability besides stoking inflation. Pakistani Rupee is facing an on going depreciation pressures against the US dollar. The Government’s debt affordability would also likely to be weakening further. Moreover, Pakistan’s current account deficit will remain around current levels, ranging from 3% to 4% of GDP, due to the high import intensity of domestic-driven growth.

I had predicted in my previous article about the fall of Rupee against dollar and it stands at Rs 116 to a dollar today. If the PKR (Pak Rupee) depreciates markedly further, the country’s central bank will face the difficult challenge of anchoring inflation expectations at moderate levels. The Rupee is likely to loose more if the government does not take SOS drastic immediate steps to halt further fall of Rupee against Dollar.

I will write as to how I halted the fall of Rupee against the Dollar by taking administrative and punitive measures under the instruction of my government. The public record is the testimony of my actions.

The economic coup has hit the Rupee hard which means public will suffer more in the form of increase in the prices of all commodities. I had proposed some immediate measure for debt retiring plan and will table a bill this connection. We must realise that these economic and terrorism coups have brought us to the verge of national debacle.

I appeal to the CJP to take up this matter and take the commitment of time line for national debt retiring plan where the PM/ all CMs and Governor of State Bank be present. This will be the real service for Pakistan.

The Article has been published in “THE NATION” on March 26, 2018. 

Link to original Article:- 

Self-Invited coup-Mr Prime Minister wake up by Senator Rehman Malik