NOW, MORE THAN EVER!

After considerable time, I desire to write again for my country; Pakistan. The reasons for not writing before were many. However to keep it brief, one of the main reasons was that so much has been going in Pakistan since last two years that it had been hard to come to terms with.

We have been hearing since last two decades that Pakistan is standing at a ‘critical juncture.’ I believe that never before we have been in such a state of turmoil like we are in now. We, the privileged class, have miserably failed in aiding Pakistan. Pakistan has been wounded for last two decades. However, since the last five years Pakistan has faced some serious injuries. These injuries have not been attended to and unfortunately, there has been enormous bleeding. We are racing against time. During this time, the momentum has already been built to critically damage Pakistan. The ‘Great Game’ plan is coming closer to its climax. Today, we have been forced to believe that we are the warriors against ‘terrorism.’ We have been forced to understand that our prestigious Pakistan Armed Forces is no longer required against our traditional and geo strategic rivals. However, our glorified soldiers of the Pakistan Armed Forces are mere tools which they want to be disposed only to aid the anti-Pakistan interest in the region. The notion which is being marketed by the western powers is that ‘India is not the greatest threat to Pakistan.’ It is true indeed. The ruling class of Pakistan is our biggest threat. This threat endangers our existence; the very existence which allows us to have the potential to become a glorified nation.

Pakistan has become ‘democratic’ indeed. The democracy has flourished so much in the last few years that our self-centred leaders have become capable of running their own mini-states. The so called ‘provincial autonomy’ is a sword in disguise intended to threaten the existence of Pakistan. These so called leaders are all tainted with allegations of corruption, extortion, and all sorts of heinous crimes. They have succeeded in allowing the cancer to breed within Pakistan. Now, they will preach their own thought to tell our future generations that the only Quaid, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was less important than their sub nationalist heroes. Quaid had envisioned a state where ‘a Muslim will seize to be a Muslim, a Christian will seize to be a Christian, and a Hindu will seize to be a Hindu.’ However, our leaders will preach a state where a ‘Punjabi will seize to be a Punjabi, a Pakhtun will seize to be a Pakhtun, a Balochi will seize to be a Balochi, a Sindhi will seize to be a Sindhi, and not to forget a Mohajir will seize to be a Mohajir.’ All these ethnic classes are today represented by selfish opportunist waiting to ‘seize’ their moment of glory.

Once again we look towards the creators of the brand ‘democracy.’ We forget again the recent past where we were stranded by them after the fall of the Soviet Union. We forget again that they are the ones who led to the embarrassment of Dr. AQ Khan. We forget again that they are the ones who incite our so called leaders to tame the army through their ‘Kerry Lugar’ bills. We forget again that they are the ones which are constantly caught red handed taking information about our nuclear assets. We forget again that they are ones which strive hard to equip our neighbours with hi-tech equipment and nuclear technology. We forget again they played their part in all major events from assassination of Liaqat Ali Khan to the demise of Benazir Bhutto. It seems like our both long and short term memories have been weakened. It might be possible that we have a clot in our brain. This clot is not red but it has the colours of the flag of the United States of America.

Yet, we try harder to please the oppressors. We travel thousands of miles to seek an aid of USD 1.5 billion from them. Yet, we fail to control the corruption in tenure of a government which seems to exceed hundreds of billions of dollars. We fail to extract our resources which have been gifted to us by God when Pakistan was made. We only strive to become the blue-eyed boy of them knowing that they have only blurred our vision.

Our ‘brotherly’ countries are looking towards our neighbours for avenues of ‘economic cooperation.’ The Sino Pak relationship is just on paper due to our immense interest in aiding China’s real enemies. We face our backs to our natural allies in the hope of becoming modern. We force our traditional allies to rethink their views about us. We force them to believe that we have already gone too far. As a result, we allow our leaders to make a mockery of our nation.

We are today worried about removing our leaders in order to save the ‘federation.’ The ‘federation’ in which no leader of the parliament believes in.

My advice to them would be that the ‘federation’ lies with the power of the people of Pakistan. This Islamic Republic of Pakistan was meant for the welfare of the people. These people are neither represented by a leader nor an ethnicity. They are represented by their current state of affairs. Poverty is what they are represented by. These people wait when they will smile again knowing that they have forgotten how to smile. These people still hope for a miracle because they believe that Pakistan was God’s miracle on Earth.

Yes, this is the time when we need it the most; a leader which can spark the flames waiting in dark. A leader which truly possesses the traits of a tiger defined by courage and dignity. Before the arrival we desperately need to seek forgiveness from God. We need to understand that God will reignite these flames if we place ourselves under Him. Because He is the one which has glorified us before. He is the one who has made Pakistan possible. And, Inshallah He will be the One who will make a leader rise from within. This leader will Inshallah cure our ‘cancer.’ We need this leader now, more than ever!

Pakistan; A Gift from God

Today, after a period of over more than one year I have finally found the appetite to write again. It will be unfair for people to say that I had lost interest in the political situation of Pakistan. But, it was only because of the fact that words held the value of a drop in an ocean when I used to think about the current state of affairs. However, today the need of the hour is for every Pakistani to awaken and do something or the other for our country.

It seems like anti-Pakistan elements have finally digested the break up of 1971. Therefore, in 2009 they once again stare at our country with greed and envy just the basic existence of Pakistan. Yes Pakistan, even today is the only Islamic Nuclear Power. The pride of all the Arab and Muslim world despite their ignorance above the skin. This is the Pakistan which, in May 1998, became a spark of hope to somehow ignite the independence of Palestinians. This is the Pakistan, which even today has an elite SSG brigade guarding the most sacred house of Muslims. This is the Pakistan, which led the Muslim world during the 70s despite the Dhaka Fall. This is the Pakistan, which was envisioned by the Late Allama Iqbal and led by the efforts of the Great Muhammad Ali Jinnah. This is the Pakistan, which created a Bhutto only to foresee the threats to our survival at the time and propose for an Islamic Nuclear State. This is the Pakistan, which gave the courage to Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan to build better what our neighbors had already built before us. Yes, this is the Pakistan which exists even today against all odds. And, this is the Pakistan which will Inshallah always remain because it is meant to be.

The people of Pakistan are, indeed, instilled with extraordinary endurance and patience. Even today, the masses of Pakistan are not deeply involved in the political setup of the country. Even today, our leadership looks across the seas to get their instructions. Why is this the case? It may be our destiny to face hardship or it may be the testing times, but one thing is very clear. Our nation is extraordinary. They have always rose to the occasion especially when the world had given up on us.

Today, Balochistan is the most serious problem Pakistan faces. The people of Balochistan are as integral part of Pakistan as any part could be. But, there is no doubt that even the best of leaders have somehow ignored their grievances many a times. Therefore, it is important that we bring them back into our fold. The largest province of Pakistan rich with natural gas and other priceless resources should be acknowledged. Most importantly, the people of Balochistan should be acknowledged. But, at the same time the leaders of Balochistan need to understand the nefarious designs of external agencies. It is our mistake that we have allowed our neighbors to have peace for the last 4-5 years. Quaid e Azam was not unwise to smell the foul of the leaders settling in the land of the Hindus. There is a reason that our soil is way more fertile than our neighbors despite the fact that a mere border divides them. Our biggest mistake in the past few years has been our thinking that we can live in harmony with our eastern neighbors. This has allowed them to crawl under our nose as even today, their might is none in comparison the might of Him. He, who created this world and blessed it with Pakistan. But, it is our responsibility as well to play our part. The killing of the prominent Baloch leaders is indeed a conspiracy against our survival. We, as a nation, need to act swiftly against our neighbors and remind them once again of our power. They have mistaken our patience with incapability. The time has come that we eradicate the corrupt leadership of Pakistan which is only working on the anti- Pakistan agenda. This leadership today is presided by one of the most controversial persons in this world. However, the change is imminent.

Now, let me talk about the beautiful valley of Swat. The beauty of the people of Swat is a symbol of pride for all Pakistanis. Today, the innocent people of Swat have finally found peace after years of fighting. We need to give them a chance in the system which suits them. Nizam-e-Adl is indeed endorsed and appreciated by the people of Swat. However, the testing times have also come along with the regulation. The people of Swat may be unaware of the fact that the enemies of Pakistan are actively working in the area for the last 2 years. It is important that we differentiate between the good leadership of Swat from the ones which are just power hungry. This choice should be left to the people of Swat and to the tribal leaders who have always held high control and respect amongst their people. The tribal people of Pakistan are indeed the most hospitable people in the world. But, their innocence is what I fear as their loyalty for Pakistan can never be doubted.

At the end, I would like to say that anti-Pakistan forces have and will always be working against our interests. These forces are not only exploiting the uneducated people of Pakistan. But, they have also poisoned some of the educated working class of Pakistan. Their accomplishments are existent even in the most metropolitan cities such as Karachi. They are instilling our minds with ethnic divisions. However, we need not to forget that this nation was created on the night of 14^th August 1947; the 27^th of Ramadhan 1366. Pakistan is a miracle of Allah and will Inshallah always be showered with His Blessings. Ameen.

October 18th - A Devil's Dream

October 18th, 2007:
The most disgusting act of terrorism took place in our country. Terrorism is a norm in Pakistan. But, this act of terror may not just be terrorism; it was the perfect recipe to self-destruct a vibrant nation.

All us Pakistanis today should think hard about our future. What is going on in our country? Why have the people of Pakistan become so ignorant? Once again, the poor people of Pakistan died in hundreds and many more got injured. Yes, the people supporting BB may not be appreciated by the larger majority of Pakistan. But, did they really deserve the most horrific death? Ofcourse not.

How much more politics will be played at the expense of poor people's blood? How much more money will be poured in to gather hundreds and thousands of workers for personal gain? And how much American influence will dictate our actions? Why don't we realize that forced actions will not change our fate? Why have a few thousand politicians taken the whole of Pakistan hostage? Where is the silent majority?

In my perspective, Pakistan is at a more dangerous crossroad than what we were immediately after chaos in September 2001. At that time, if we decided to go against the American dream we would have still stood united as a nation. But today, we are clearly lost. The poor people of Pakistan may have no more hope from our system. In fact, even the privileged class may have lost hope in our country. It is time that we as a nation re-explore ourselves.

The same President Musharraf who stated that 'BB was the most corrupt leader' until a few months ago, has joined hands with her to tackle the issue of terrorism? Is the nation of Pakistan naive? Ofcourse not. This person whose basis for coming to power was corruption, is now granting pardon to all the political activists of Pakistan? The same leaders who mass massacred thousands of people in the name of politics, religion, and ethnicity should be forgiven to fight the issue of extremism?

Today, we are no more a sovereign state if we decide our politics for sake of outside interests. Any opposition leader in the past few months has never been given such a grand welcome as the one BB received. Is it because she was so popular that it was not possible? Or was it because there were vested interests of every single party involved? Ofcourse that is the sad truth. Someone needs to stay in power for sake of another country. Someone needs to regain their US$1.5 billion. Someone does not want to leave a country which ruled us once. Someone wants to come back to Pakistan to, once again, rob the treasury of Pakistan. There are so few people, yet so influential that they are shaping the future course of our country. This is an awakening call. We need to realize that our ignorance may push our country to point of no return.

As far as yesterday is concerned, I do not see a role of the 'tribal areas' extremists. But, one thing which has changed since yesterday is the control of power. It is obvious that Musharraf's control of power is not absolute. In fact, his interests are based on American's blessings. His personal interest is so attached to them. He would have realized yesterday, that things all are not perfect within his camps. There is lack of consensus within his own ranks. But we need to remember he is about to become a civilian. And no civilian is powerful unless he is elected from the masses. While BB has been clearly sent the message that she is not safe at all. In fact, this was just an indication that no elections can happen in Pakistan with PPP coming to power. Therefore, it may be very imminent that 'the American Dream team' will not be realized in Pakistan. Therefore, there is a chance of removal of two most-discussed political figures of today. I see a big political change within a year in Pakistan. However, I am unable to assess our future. Once again the reason for that is our people have become ignorant and have lost hope.

It is time that a political mobilization takes place in Pakistan in order to realize the unrealized dream.

'Blinded in Power'

Today, the notion of being 'blinded in power' showed its true colors when the transmission of Geo TV was banned all across Pakistan. It is disheartening to see that a promising man by the name of General Pervez Musharraf, who took over the reigns of power on October 12, 1999, could allow such an act to take place in the 21st century. The promising man informed the nation, at that point in time, that he had to take this action because insanity had prevailed amongst the rulers of the country. His assessment of the situation of the pre-October 12 scenario was so reasonable that most of the Pakistani population stood behind him with full support. And there is no doubt, at least in my mind, that it was the right decision at that point in time. But nearly 8 years ahead, we stand at a similar crossroad again shocked to believe that the same promising man can let all this to occur. The same promising man dismissed the CJ of the country based on the similar insane people of the past who gave an ill advise. The same promising man allowed May 12 to occur. And, the same promising man who promised a free media allowed the blocking of a major news channel in Pakistan.

At the end of it all, one person has emerged as a genuine leader of the people; Imran Khan. The leader whose interview was telecasted moments after the banning of Geo TV all across Pakistan. He may not have the backing of the influential feudal system in Pakistan. He may not have arrangements with different leaders of constituencies in the rural areas. Neither would he know how to make a crowd gather in hundreds of thousands at his call. But, one thing which is crystal clear about this man is his determination. This was evident when the interviewer, Iftikhar Ahmed, raised a question about Sita White's daughter being brought back to Pakistan on June 10 by people who believe in mud-slinging rather than political strategies. That moment may have been the turning point for many people who were watching the show. Why would anyone try to bring a political figure to disrepute by raising concern about someone's personal life? Why would anyone attack a person's weakness to gain political mileage? The answer is simple; to dishearten the very few genuine people of Pakistan. Imran Khan is one of them without any doubt.

When Imran Khan entered politics, he may have had an idea about the allegations which are levelled against an opposition leader. But, when personal allegations are brought forward then it takes more than courage to stand up to your cause. He may have felt the weakest at that moment of the interview. But, he recovered only to be more resolved to do what he has promised to his workers; justice with equality. It is really disheartening to see leaders attacking their opposition in such a way. But, it only further strengthens the resolve to support what is right. For this action of Imran Khan, his respect in the eyes of the people goes to another level. A level which was never imagined until it was realized. For decades, people have avoided the difficult path in politics. But, seeing the determination of this leader it allows us to think about the reality. We have a leader here, who has given up so much to create an equality amongst the people of Pakistan. His statements in the interview were something which were never so openly heard in the media. For this he would easily qualify as the most genuine person in our country.

The nation silently hopes through their prayers and wishes that the man who has stood up against a leader, who was considered to be invincible, will be able to achieve his goals. No one can say with assurity about who will win the case at the courts of Britian. But, it may be true that the case may have already been won in the hearts of the people of Pakistan. More significantly, the people of Karachi who have witnessed the bloodshed over the last decade. We also hope that the promising man, who was mentioned at the beginning of this article, works a way out to once again win the support of the people of Pakistan.

Muttahida Q-ornered Movement

The present scenario has made everything black & white at least for 2 people, Altaf Hussain and Imran Khan. Who could have imagined that the 'Organized Chaos' may initiate the end of an era? An era in which the people of Karachi witnessed more bloodshed than any other people in Pakistan.

June 2nd is when Imran Khan will be landing in the country where he is, maybe, more acknowledged than in his homeland; United Kingdom. After all, the wall-chalking in Karachi linking Imran Khan and Sita White only further the notion that he is an international figure. If there is one person, who has gained more mileage than anyone in the post-May 12 scenario, then its Imran Khan. But, all this could not have happened without the role of the notorious Chowdhary Brothers Inc. They have once again played their game of politics in a manner which benefited them the most.

Initially, when the Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Choudhry was removed from office the MQM raised their apprehensions. They stated that they were not even consulted before the decision was taken. Rightly so, being a part of the government they did expect a prior notice of the action which was to be taken. But the Chowdhary Brothers Inc. got a head start in the game of politics which was to be played with their rules and regulations. There are reports which claim that MQM proposed to hold a joint rally with the Chowdhary Brother Inc. on May 12 to reinforce themselves as a significant part of Punjab as well. After all, they had opened a few offices in Punjab ever since they came to power. In addition, their efforts in Kashmir during the aftermath of the earthquake can not be forgotten. This request was obviously denied by the ruling party. Meanwhile, MQM which was busy carrying out development projects in Karachi, for which they were gaining public support, got their final call. The purpose of the call was to tell them to do whatever they can to show their strength when the Chief Justice lands in Karachi. Therefore, without any hesitation the party involved itself in what they were most accustomed to; use of weapons. Therefore, the May 12th occurred with the full-backing of the state-machinery. However, one thing which was unique about the event was the freedom of media. When things went out of hand previously, all news channel were banned in Sindh from broadcasting Iftikhar Muhammad Choudhry's processions. However, this time the media was allowed to function but at a higher price, of which Talat Hussain of Aaj TV can illustrate more profoundly. The fact of the matter is that even after all the hurdles the media was allowed to function. This is one of the few things for which I would like to give President Musharraf credit for.

No matter what happened the previous day, there had to be a May 13th. This was the day when the second most important trial started.
Name-Media Trial
Primary Accused- Altaf Hussain, MQM
Secondary Accused - Rest of Goverment
Allegations levelled by - Imran Khan, PTI
PPP minus two top leaders
Lawyers
ANP
MMA and rest of opposition
Neutral role/Mediator - Chowdhary Brothers Inc.

As you may have noticed, the rest of Government does not include the Chowdhary Brothers Inc. Once again, they played their cards to perfection. MQM realized that they were in mess once Aaj TV displayed their side of the story which was ,ofcourse, not so supportive of them. In addition, the opposition were given a free hand in raising their voices against the party which has never been able to become solid allies of the establishment. Realizing the mishap, they rushed to arrange press conferences and talk-shows on TV to control the irreparable damage. But, they were not aware that it was a bit too late. To make things worse, came the barring of PTI leader to enter Sindh. Imran Khan was clearly told by the officials in Punjab that he was not allowed to fly out of Allama Iqbal Airport, Lahore, only to implement the orders 'taken by Sindh government.' That means that it was not the Punjab government which was against Imran Khan's visit but it was the 'Sindh government.' This cleared all the doubts in MQM's mind that they were indeed stranded by their 'allies.' To make things worse for some and better for many came the final axe, when Imran Khan decided to file a case against the Quaid-e-Tehrik in London.

Being Britain's blue-eyed boy since last two decades, Imran Khan seems to be on high note. Majority of the British media seems to support Imran Khan for two genuine reasons. First, because he is against Musharraf who has benefited Pakistan to a certain extent, and who I still believe needs to stay in power to keep a check and balance on the political system in Pakistan. Second, to support Imran Khan who has given a significant share of 'Tabloid' cover stories to the British public. But whatever the reasons, Imran Khan has done something which no other leader could have done in the past. I believe that he has played his cards well by collaborating with Naseerullah Babar, the mastermind of the Karachi cleanup operation in the 90's, and the MQM-Haqiqi group which is an anti MQM-Altaf faction. When Altaf Hussain was granted the British passport many people like me, were disappointed with the British government's actions. It was done to hurt Pakistan. Therefore, if the British media is supporting Imran Khan it is to hurt Musharraf who they believe can take Pakistan forward. In any case, if everything goes Imran Khan's way then I believe that this time PTI will be gaining around 8-10 seats in the parliament which is a significant achievement for a party which is without the backing of the influential feudals of Pakistan. The interesting aspect in this scenario is that while these activities develop, two parties remain in contact; Musharraf and Pakistan Peoples Party.

If things go according to expectations, President Musharraf will get himself re-elected for the next 5 years in parliament only to make his next move; discard the MQM and sideline the 'conservative' PML-Q to a certain extent. The talks which are being held with Mohtarma's aides seem to be gaining momentum as neither Mohtarma nor Makhdoom Amin Fahim has criticized Musharraf the way they have in the past. On the other hand, the Peoples Party has placed Chowdhary Aitzaz Ahsan at the spotlight to ensure that the Supreme Court hearing will go their way. Even Musharraf, would have an intuition by now that the 13 member full-court bench is serious about bringing a change in the judicial system of Pakistan. If that happens, then PPP will indeed emerge as an important player in the game; the point which has been emphasized by Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed in his press conference. There is no prize for anyone to guess the future of the ruling party in Karachi. Hopefully, Pakistan Peoples Party will ensure that my question does not remain unanswered.

May 12th: 'Organized Chaos'

As you all know by now, at least 30 people have been confirmed dead officially. More than hundred are injured. Unofficial sources claim that more than 57 people have died and around 200 people have been injured on this day of 'organized chaos.' Let us not forget the driver, who was shot because his crime was that he was carrying the injured to the hospital. First of all, I would like to offer my condolences to the victims as we are all related to each other in some way or the other. It is indeed a sad day in our history.

Now, I would like to state my views on this 'organized chaos' which was created today by the ruling party of Karachi. There is no doubt in my mind, that this violence was planned way in advance and was executed to near perfection. Firstly, there were three parties involved who were engaged in violence today. They were the PPI (Punjabi Pakhtun Ittehad), ANP (Awami National Party), and MQM; without whom today was not possible. 11 workers of the MQM party also got killed in this pointless chaos, for whom I condole with their families and friends. It is indeed sad, that our leaders use the poor people of Pakistan to carry out unnecessary operations against their brothers who are also misguided by their leaders. In the year of 2007, this was not thinkable but it happened today as if it was an 'everyday affair.'

It is sad to see that all this chaos had the approval of the most powerful man in Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf. We, as a nation, have always had hopes attached with this person. But today, he has not only failed us but showed us our worst nightmare; which happened a decade back. Again, the youth of Karachi were armed and told to kill anyone who they deemed against them. One night before the violence, 1000 plus containers were brought in to Shara-e-Faisal and everything was organized to make it impossible for Iftikhar Chowdhry to proceed. Then when one of the darkest morning arrived, it was bloodshed at the streets of Karachi. After the whole drama, the governor claims that it was the opposition. Not only this, they say that opposition people continuously attacked them first. Is it that the governor thinks that we are watching a soap opera? Or maybe, he thinks that we are just not sane enough to understand anything anymore? What benefit did the 'opposition' get by attacking Aaj TV? Why would the 'opposition' attack the institution which is clearly turning against the government over the last few weeks?

Now let me illustrate the real story. If someone was following the Aaj TV they would have seen that in the morning the channel showed some footages of ANP workers being injured and shot at. In the interview of the victims, they said that it was the MQM which attacked them with bullets. This was the turnaround. ANP workers which were few in numbers were not able to sustain for long. Within an hour, more reinforcements of the MQM party arrived and started shooting at the new enemy, Aaj TV. MQM is known to have the most organized media monitoring team amongst all the political parties in Pakistan. The footage of the injured ANP worker initiated the onslaught which was not meant to be. For hours their office was attacked with no signs of Rangers or law enforcement agencies. After nearly 5 hours of discriminatory firing a vehicle of Rangers came only to leave the area. All calls for help by the Bureau Chief, Mr. Talat Hussain, went to despair. He was not aware that he was just a victim of the 'organized chaos' which was planned way before. The federal government had given a free-hand to the ruling party in Karachi to do what they do best; create terror.

The party which had gained credibility and sympathy for their work over the last few years in Karachi lost everything in one go. There is no doubt that MQM worked well to regain the trust of the people of Karachi when they started developing Karachi at such a rapid pace. But, today that sympathy is not only lost but it has brought back the terror in Karachi'ites.

After all this, came the rally of Mr. Musharraf which was nothing but a shocker. How could a person with so much will and determination become so weak? The President addressed a bunch of less than hundred thousand people, who were paid guests, with the most un-purposeful speech ever made. How can he support the idea of talking to people who did not even know the reason for being there? If there was ever a literal example of the notion 'power corrupts' then the President's rally was it. The Chowdhary Brothers Inc. once again blind-folded their leader into the dark well. After all, they are experienced in this since the Supreme court attack in Nawaz Sharif's government.

The way I see it is that, President Musharraf has got limited options. I think that he will eventually move into negotiations with the biggest political party in Pakistan, PPP. But, this will happen only if the Supreme Court shows its strength in the coming weeks. There is a strong belief that the President is still wary of two top judges in the SC. As we all know, more than 70 percent of the top judiciary is against the man who promised so much. I believe that if the Supreme Court keeps its nerve and makes it all the way, then this will go a long way in establishing a system in Pakistan. A system which will also keep these political parties in control which only come forward to achieve their own interests.

Lastly, if the above statements hold true then I believe that one more round of chaos will engulf Karachi in the coming years. But this time the difference will be that it will be final 'cleanup' of those who believe in 'organized chaos.' I am sure that PPP will not repeat its mistakes by leaving the top leadership and killing the brain-washed workers below. The workers below just carry out the orders of their leaders. This leader claims that the people who went against him in the past will face a slow death. But, he forgets that if our agencies are most uncomfortable with someone, then it is him. The same person, who resides in London and is still not able to come back to the city which he rules. Now, this is what i would refer as the 'hollow power.' Let us hope that whatever the case, one day soon the masses of Pakistan which include the Mohajirs, Memons, Sindhis, Pathans, Punjabis and Balochis, and all others are able to come together to bring a real change in the country. If around 20,000 people attended the MQM rally in Karachi and around 80,000 attended the rally in Islamabad then I am sure that it does not even represent 0.1 percent of our country. So all we need is just 1 percent of Pakistan to come out and silence the short-sighted leaders. And like any other Pakistani, I have that unrealized hope.