Pictory V – Musharraf, Pakistan and Gilgit – Baltistan
by Noor
He is gone but his legacy lives on. The General, General – Chief Executive, General – President and the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, has affected the future of Gilgit – Baltistan in many ways.
Starting from the Kargil war, an ill planned adventure that took lives of more than eight hundred soldiers of the NLI and also brought the Nishan -e- Haider for Shaheed Havaldar Lalik Jan of Yasin Valley along with other war medals, expansion of the Ghizar – Chitral road, establishment of Karakuram International University, construction of the Diamir – Bhasha Dam, establishment of Silk Route Dry Port, Sost, construction of Sadpara Dam, upgradation of the Nothern Areas Legislative Council to “Assembly” and, now, expansion of the Karakuram Highway there are many events that can be credited to the policies of Musharraf led governments in the center.
What is the real impact that Musharraf had on us, the people of Gilgit – Baltistan, good on worst!!
Let’s discuss.
one of the worst moments for the people of NAs that they lost the only pakistani leader who was in a real intrest of development of people of NAs…..as Noor has mentioned some the works done …during his regime that not had been done for last 60 years.
GOD BLESS PAKISTAN
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Talking about the past fews years and keeping in mind the regime of pervaz musharaf and the developments in northern areas i personally think many things have changed.From budget allocation to the upgradation of NALA and many others things have been done which were supposed to be done many many years before .but still there are many things to be done.
we can not blame pervaz musharraf for killing the soldiers.there were many other people involed.as for soldiers it is their duty to defend and die for their country.
now lets us see what Mr -10% can do for us.people are dieing here of hunger and they are still stucked to the bullshit judiciary.nothing has changed since elections.things have gone from bad to worse.
The Golden era came to an end; during his tenure He took several measures to strengthen the economy, decentralization of authority, reduction in poverty level, special attentions towards telecommunication and electronic media, improvement in infrastructure of Ports, Dams and roads, reforms in different sectors and progress towards true democracy and enhanced the better image of Pakistan in world’s community
There is no doubt that during his tenure He faced mega challenges and moved Pakistan in to the safe direction, He was a very bold and confident leader and addressed such issues that were kept under the carpet by the so called democratic governments during their respective tenure due to their political motives, further his contributions and support for the people of NA is an open fact, we don’t need to enlist each of them one by one.
We wish him safe, happy and good in his future life
Shah Zaman
Rawalpindi.
The only leader who has developed the northern areas by the developmental projects. like Karakorum international university where more then three thousands studients are studying and giving twenty per cent fees. but as compared to other universities it is very cheap
And from Gojal there are more then one fifty studients who Benifits from this university, if this university was not Established today may be the literacy rate of NA,s will be decreased down,first that is the blessing of God and after that this is the kindness of President Musharif ,to established this university,
But i have mentioned only one thing and the other developmental projects which Mr Noor Mohmd has mentioned above are all the kindness of President Musharif,
President Musharif has totally changed the life style of the peoples of NA,s
This was the only leader who has developed the NA,s and changed the life styles of the peoples.
like the high way and the Bashah Dam.when this project will be completed our trade will be increased and our life style will be changed
Majeed ullah baig
KIU Gilgit
….em just feeling that em have lost ma guardian..coz he was pure by heart n was very devoted to pakistan…
…he was devoted to NA’s coz he had spent a handy moments n SKARDU N KASHMIR..he has visited all the places of NA’s..he did understand the conditions of the people n the rate of development works there..he recieved alot of hospitality from the people of NA’s(duering his job n ARMY)…he has quoted all these things n his book IN THE LINE OF FIRE….
..HE IS,WAS N WILL BE THE ONLY POLITICAL LEADER DEVOTED TO NA’s…we vl never forget him…he vl always be n our thoughts………….
The people of Gilgit Baltistan, especially the youth are very much concern about the resignation of the charismatic leader Gen Parvaiz Musharaf. I personally think not only the people of Gilgit Baltistan but the whole nation has lost a forward looking and visionary leader, who have represented Pakistan in international forums very bravely.
As far as the developments in Gilgit Baltistan are concern, it’s obvious as Noor has mentioned some of the mega projects executed during the tenure of Musharaf. If we compare the development projects implemented during last 5 to 6 years with the previous years. Then it becomes very much clear.
We the youth of Gilgit, Baltistan salute to the Gen. Musharaf for his services to the politically deprived people of the Gilgit Baltistan.
President Pervaiz Musharaf will be remembered for his deeds.
No doubt there are many reservations but I personally feel that he was the person who was visionary and has done whatever he could.
His personality was no doubt inspiring and his decision power in critical situations made him superb.
He has strong motivation power and unfortunately we see none who could stand where he was standing.
His services for the Northern Areas is remarkable and deserves great praises.
His services in the education sector has been far more better than anyone in the history.The universities got grants from HEC for better prospects and many laboratory equipments which normally happen to be costly were installed and more of the research was done compared to the past.
There will be many reactions towards my comments but I percieve him the way I have tried to write a few broken words.
Geo Musharraf
Let me first thank Javed Posh for bringing the topics of this interesting site as one of our discussion points when we, the three Js (I, Javed and Jalal), meet in the evenings here in Dushanbe.
As other colleagues have contributed, it is indeed true that during General (Retd) Musharaf’s nine year rule, the NAs saw a significant increase in the budgetary allocations and a number of mega development projects implemented. However, we the people of Northern Areas in retrospect need to ask ourselves whether we should judge a Pakistani ruler by X number of development projects initiated in our area or we should give more weightage to vital domains such as voice in governance, institution building and rule of law. Also, the point to note is why did the Pakistanis fight for independence when the colonial rulers had given a fantastic railway network, one of the best irrigation systems and, to some extent, a functional and efficient government system?
Working in the development sector for few years, where we have always advocated institution building and good governance, it is my humble opinion, with due respect to others who have contributed here, that we should support democratic forces. Let’s admit that Musharaf was a dictator, his rule was illegitimate and he did everything possible to prolong his stay in the power. He destroyed the important national institutions; judiciary and parliament, and weakened the federation of Pakistan. Let’s all hope and pray democracy gets strength in our county and the NAs
Jamil H. Din
Dushanbe
We have lost one of our great leader, I am very upset since his announcement of resignation, He was a very brave, transparent and sincere leader, unfortunately our political forces assumed him as a hurdle in the way of strong democracy I think He facilitated all actions that were helpful for true democracy, He did a lot for the people of NA that was not even done in last four decades.
When I read his book titled “in the line of fire” Urdu version, I got new directions and way of thinking.
We salute him for his achievements and performance.
Tahir Zaman – Ghulkin
Rawalpindi
No doubt that Mr. Dictator General (Retd.) ex – President Pervaiz Musharraf brought along economic developments in his nine year long reign of the country, but at the expense of the blood of many innocent people. There are many examples around the world and within the history of our country when dictatorship has brought economic development, but deteriorated the value system of the nations and ransacked the rule of law. Mr. Dictator Musharraf also imitated the previous dictators of the country with the only exception that he used some modern approaches. If we mull over dictatorship against democratic rule in Pakistan, I am sure dictatorship will weigh more. Whenever democratic forces came into power, the military forced them out immediately and laid the foundations for their own establishments in order to divide the democratic forces and rule. The dictators even don’t restrain from killing the democratic leaders.
If we view the economic development of the country in the context of their long rule as compared to that of democracy, I would say dictatorship has done only little. India, the largest democracy of the world, has never let in dictators, although their poverty and corruption rates score far more than that of Pakistan. Thus, it is a common misconception among the mass that dictatorship should be allowed in and supported to achieve some good ends. Mr. Dictator Musharraf was also successful in expanding his establishment to the Northern Areas with Mr. Ghazanfar as the leader and many pro dictatorship cults along the line.
Governance, rule of law, social harmony and social institutional developments, as pointed out by Jamil, are what matter the most and should be given more weightage. Indeed, while being well educated, we should support democratic forces and help them flourish and topple down dictators whenever they come along. We should not support the dictators who sell their own people in return for some dollars that would be used for economic development.
I congratulate the people of Pakistan in general and the people of Northern Areas in particular on their freedom from the long reign and anarchy of Mr. Dictator General (Ret.) ex -President Pervaiz Musharraf.
how can a dectator can be a leader i dont know wht he has done for N.A.the thing that i know is that he is a dectetor.
Before praising the democratic forces and lamenting on what went wrong in Musharaf’s nine years of governance, we first need to understand the essence of democracy. Democracy, a word most liked by all but practiced by none is what I really hate to hear. We, as a nation, have the very bad habit of forgetting the past sooner a new version of democracy evolves. We better not to forget the presence of democratic forces in Pakistan in a form which comprises of rich, scoundrels, landlords, thugs and looters. We all know that politicians are not sincere to their parents let alone the nation but even then we believe them and thus fall preys to their evil intentions rendering the future of our next generation a dark episode of history.
Does a thief have a license to steal if he is called a thief? Certainly not; cuz a crime is a crime be it on the part of politician or an army general but what hurts me is that the stupid nation did not want to see the general ruling the country. The only pathetic logic they gave was that he was a dictator from army. But they can elect a loter because the word democracy is attached to his CV. Nonsense, what about those elected dictators who have fleeced the country and the nation whenever they came to power. Don’t you feel that they have a worse form of dictatorship which they inherited from their forefathers? Don’t you feel that they are usurpers of public exchequer not in hundreds and thousands but in billions but we don’t call it corruption because it was democratically done!
Do you think words can change the destiny, NO NO NO!!! only actions can and that’s what Mush was doing for the nation but majority matters and sometimes majority means all the fools on the same side!
After going through Dr. Aurang Zeib’s comment, I once again went through everyone else’s comments to make it sure if someone has praised democratic forces, but I couldn’t find any. Finally I came to conclude that Dr. Aurang Zeib has misunderstood what I commented. I didn’t praise any particular democratic force in my comment. My point was to request the people to help democracy flourish. Dr. Aurang Zeib has rightly put that democracy is a word most liked by all, but practiced by none. If our educated and professional people will support dictatorship and discourage democracy, I am afraid then who will practice democracy or help it evolve.
No doubt that there are forces that call themselves democratic, but in fact are rich, scoundrels, landlords, thugs and looters. We can’t live with such forces and the only way to turn them down is through complete democracy. Democracy is a complete process that takes time, it is a way of life that demands sacrifices. Thus, instead of discouraging democracy, we should help it evolve completely in order to topple down the looters and scouderals. There are examples of people who have sacrificed their lives for democracy to evolve in its complete shape.
It is not for the first time that we have seen military men leave their profession and start dictating the nation. The history of Pakistan is full of such stories and this is the very reason that is responsible for the discouragement of the evolution of pure democracy. For short term economic gains from dictatorship we must not sacrifice our long run goals that can only be achieved through pure democracy.
you writing is very good, carry on good work
I do agree with Dr. Aurangzaib’s comments, unfortunately there is no democracy within the political parties so how they will bring change in the political structure of the country, political parties do not hold elections in their own parties, life time president and chairmanship is appointed, if some one raise figure in the party is treated as forward block or revolt, Democracy can not flourish until and unless the following issues are addressed.
• We Improve our literacy rate
• Educated people needs to come out and vote for the change of leadership ( I am saying this reference to the notion that in the elections a large number of middle class and educated people does not caste their vote and prefers to stay at home and enjoy the vacation)
• We must vote freely irrespective of Caste and religion.
• Govt should take measures to eliminate the feudal system from the country that hinders free voting and rights of common people
Shah Zaman
Rawalpindi
with great sorry! it may not go right with Mr.Kamaran and the likeminded people. so let a glance at fresh nurshing Democracy!!! this is the fate of Nation if there is no dictatorship then what els… MUST PRAISE DR.SAHIB FOR HIS excellent comments. this we don’t agree at any cost becasue may be we are part of this system
Seriously this is a hilarious fact.
Provided by http://www.ahmedquraishi.com
*President Asif Ali Zardari has given instructions to FIA to hunt down
Pakistanis writing jokes about him. The FIA has already begun its
witch-hunt, searching the Internet for the ‘criminals’. Prime Minister
Gilani wants no newspaper to write anything about him without checking first
with his press secretary. A ‘dictator’ like Musharraf never did any of this.
This is the fake democratic leadership of our country where the President is
busy with the jokes on him when the country is facing hostile action from
Zardari’s own allies in **Washington**. What can Pakistanis do if President
Zardari gives them opportunities to make jokes? Who told him to alert the
entire media by disappearing from an official dinner to go celebrate with
his former girlfriends at a private party? Who is setting him up?*
* *
[image: Courtesy: Rumandxb@yahoo.com]*By **AHMED QURAISHI*
Friday, 3 October 2008.
http://WWW.AHMEDQURAISHI.COM
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—President Zardari might have a funny side but it’s
obviously reserved for Americans like Sarah Palin and not for Pakistanis.
Before he left for his U.S. tour (which he camouflaged as a U.N. tour to
fool our friends in Beijing who expected the Pakistani President to make his
first visit to China), Mr. Zardari gave stern instructions to the sleuths at
Federal Investigations Agency, FIA, to hunt down Pakistanis responsible for
circulating jokes about Mr. Zardari through emails and text messages.
Mr. Zardari was especially angry at someone who faked his signature on the
Visitors’ Book at the Mausoleum of Pakistan’s Founding Father, the
Quaid-e-Azam, in Karachi, where Mr. President landed on 14 August to pay his
respects.
That email was a particularly nasty job where Mr. Zardari was shown to have
supposedly written God as ‘goad’ and strength as ‘strent’.
So angry is Mr. Zardari with those poking fun at him that no less than the
official news agency, the APP, was told to release a story to all Pakistani
newspapers where an unnamed official (we suspect it’s either Husain Haqqani
or Sheri Rehman) denied the President ever wrote those words and denounced
the jokes at President’s expense. There was also a dire warning to all
fun-loving Pakistanis: the cyber crime wing of the FIA has been instructed
to hunt down those circulating jokes on him through emails or mobile phones.
Several prominent journalists in Islamabad have already received calls from
secret numbers where the caller on the other side inquired about journalists
and people opposed to Mr. Zardari, since according to FIA sleuths
only declared critics of the President could do this. [Tip to FIA honchos:
Don’t forget to check Naheed Khan, Makhdoom Amin Faheem and Enver
Baig’scell phones for a secret war-chest of Zardari jokes!]
Here I’d like to remind those Pakistanis who voted for Mr. Zardari and his
party [only 40% of Pakistanis vote, and most of them are illiterate and they
vote at gunpoint by their feudal lords, so I’m not optimistic they are
reading this] that President Pervez Musharraf, the last of the great
Pakistani statesmen, despite his many follies, and a military ‘dictator’,
spent 90% of his time in government with an extremely hostile media and one
of the nastiest character-assassination campaigns ever seen in Pakistan,
through SMS messages, emails, Internet, newspapers, and television channels.
What did Musharraf do? He allowed more private TV channels. And he never
complained, except for the last few months of his office, and even then he
never reacted to jokes about him and character-assassination and his anger
was aimed at other types of political criticism that he thought demoralized
the nation.
As for these fake democrats who are in power today in Pakistan thanks to a
British-American ‘deal’, Prime Minister Gilani issued an order that no media
organization can publish anything about him without checking first with his
press secretary. And now President Zardari wants to ban all jokes about him.
A ‘dictator’ like Musharraf never issued such ridiculous orders.
So what if some Pakistanis joke about Mr. Zardari? After all, he does have a
colorful past and his unlikely rise to power beats even the most
melodramatic Indian films with absurd story lines. And what to say of Mr.
Zardari’s knack for saying and doing things that make it easy for those who
want to crack a joke or two at his expense. Take for example of his flimsy
failed flirt attempt with Sarah Palin, or his sudden disappearance from an
Iftar-dinner reception for Pakistanis to attend a private-room party with
his girlfriends at an upscale Manhattan
restaurantin New York City.
In the spirit of free speech and free jokes, let me conclude with this
latest one on Mr. Zardari:
“Just imagine Sarah Palin divorces her current husband and marries Asif
Zardari.
Then Palin becomes Vice President of USA.
Then Zardari kills Palin, changes the Will which henceforth says, ‘Zardari
will become the President of USA if I die.’
And eventually Zardari becomes President of USA six months after Palin’sdeath.
Bilawal ends up changing his name to Bilawal Palin-Zardari.”
Kamran Bhai
I request you to avoid following a legal interpretation of what has been written by me. When I say democracratic forces, I mean so called democratic parties which actually are civil dictators. Would you kindly elaborate on what you meant by saying if eduated people support dictatorship then………. I think educated people should never support politicians like Nawaz, Zardari, Imran Shujjat etc who are actually civil dictators and far worse than a military dictator. Its all about democracy, I will always support Musharaf cuz he was a leader and not a looter like Nawaz and Zardari and I firmly believe in that.
Like Dr.AZ and many others, I am also very eager to comment on specie of democracy we have and the great leader who just left us. But, discussing democracy and dictatorship is beyond the scope of question Noor has asked. Anyways, I personally feel Musharraf as a change factor for Gilgit –Baltistan and he has left a positive impact on the lives of the people after Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.