Foreign guarantors, Big B and national polity
- From: Arun Bansi <arunbansi@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 23:54:37 -0700 (PDT)
By Saeed Minhas
ISLAMABAD: While a very philosophical sounding finance minister kept
negotiating the budget with parliamentarians by burying their 'cut
motions', a flurry of activities involving some visiting foreign
guarantors and the neighbouring Big B kept the federal capital under a
spell, which not only prompted a call from the Presidency to Jati
Umrah, but also another one from the World Cops to premier Gilani, and
it also helped soften the Indians to talk about comprehensive, if not
composite, dialogues.
What if the NRO stands invalidated by the black robes, the Super Cop
and his trusted ally from the European islands certainly have ways to
not only re-align things, but also smoothen any irritants causing
concerns amongst the ruling junta of this country, claimed a senior
diplomat privy to many of the talks and happenings on and around the
hilltop.
Please don't forget that amongst these guarantors, there were some
royals as well in the Mush-cum-NRO-deal - as per the UN inquiry
commission report - and they, for the time being, are just using the
airwaves but would soon be seen in action once the Pakistani model of
reconciliation is imitated in Afghanistan. Basically, they are there
for the next round of reconciliation, and for all the right reasons,
because who doesn't know how much they matter when it comes to
insurgents, commented the foreign envoys. The special emissary to
Afghanistan and Pakistan had to kill his time in Afghanistan just to
ensure that the new induction from the trusted islands stays on course
and conveys a meaningful message to the Sharifs and the country's
political administrators, yet poses as a nice guy for the people by
telling them that his country is not even averse to our deal with Iran
and China for gas and nuclear stuff.
A senior political observer said a big change is taking place in the
troubled but strategic Afghanistan, so the guarantors don't want any
trouble in this land of the pure. Therefore, he said, they had to
inject with haste not only their cross-Atlantic ally into the foray,
but also keep the "wounded figure" near to the bases in Kabul - not to
meet Karzai, but to wait for Kayani to return from China.
We all know that the Obama administration’s diplomatic queen will also
be landing in our capital, therefore, all the preparations were just
essential, not only to mitigate her tough remarks after the Faisal
Shahzad episode, but also to make her stay less troublesome, observed
a senior analyst.
Considering Pakistan's recent moves as somewhat troubling, some
foreign diplomats said the timing of the gas pipeline project with
Iran and a civil nuclear deal with China seems to have developed some
ire in the West. Especially, they said, at a time when Gen McChrystal
has opened a bag of embarrassments at the Obamities.
On the other hand, they said the allied forces were also holed up in
Kandahar and without the support of Kayani and his official networks,
they cannot even think of anything positive. Karzai's inability and
fatigue factor creeping into the allied armies, they said, has made
Western countries realise the need to ensure stability in this
country, which for now they are considering as the only safe haven
from where they can plan, execute or terminate any strategy regarding
the mineral-rich gateway to the world's power-corridor.
Upon talking to local wizards, one finds that they have their own
stories, especially the one regarding the Sharifs and the British
envoy. As per the gossip in the Nooners' camp, Sharif pleaded innocent
by claiming he would be the last one to create any hindrance for the
PPP. Although he was reminded of his royal lease papers and assured
of immunity from any harm, he presented his charge-sheet against the
Presidency. A late night dinner at the Presidency was the British
dignitary's last assignment in the city, but that was not the case for
the over-worked Mr Zardari. Our moles confirmed that his call to the
Jati Umrah was a gesture to show that he still believes in
reconciliation.
Yet the Presidency’sclose aides revealed that the president continues
to remain calm and is cracking jokes to keep all his men in a light
mood. They revealed that despite all these activities and tensions of
date-setting by some agenda-journalists, Mr Zardari continues to
accommodate his trusted friends like Mirza Nasir Baig to the Pakistan
Mineral Resource Centre chairmanship .
"You can well imagine how calm he is, as he never forgets his old
friends (or enemies)," commented his trusted friend who himself is
knee-deep in CDA affairs. Following these activities and special
ratings from the visitors, political observers are of the view that
even the fake degrees' issue might not have that big an impact on the
national polity. They said some of our prophetic anchorpersons are
trying to create a storm in the tea cup, because even 40 cheaters from
the National Assembly, or a 100-plus from all the four assemblies -
mostly from Punjab - means nothing more than a series of by-elections.
In a country where playing politics is nothing but entertainment, what
suits the ruling elite more than keeping busy in not only spending
their time campaigning and playing with the dirty money of the
contesting candidates. Another socio-economic wizard said this many
elections going on means circulation of money and jobs for the masses.
And it doesn't matter if the same cheats make their way back to the
assemblies, such as Jamshed Dasti, because they don't matter when the
guarantors are sitting there to help them during the troubled times.
Will this mean something for the black robes or the extension issue of
the khakis, that we will deliberate on later.
Article Source: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010%5C06%5C25%5Cstory_25-6-2010_pg7_20
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