This is the 2nd part of the Powegen conference coverage.

The 5th International Power Generation Conference & Exhibition 2012 was held at Marriott, Karachi on the 2nd of February with the agenda ‘Future Energy Mix in Overcoming the Power Crisis’.

Powergen Pak Conference 2012

It was a star-studded event with speeches and presentations from Manzoor Soomro- Chairman Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), Mian Abrar Hussain, President Karachi Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Tilo Klinner – Consul General Germany, Nasim Khan VC Hamdard University, Saigan Sharif – Additional Secretary of Ministry of Science & Technology, Qazi Kamal – Chairman Fuel, Gas, Power Sub-SITE Association, Tahir Saleem – Chairman IEEE, Zubair Motiwala – Chairman Board of Investment Govt. of Pakistan, Naeem Qureshi – Managing Editor Energy Update, Shazia Marri – Minister for Electric Power Sindh, Junaid Qureshi – CEO SSJD, Faisal Qureshi – CEO 24/7 Online TV, Abdullah Muhammad Yousuf – Chairman IPP’s Advisory Council, Rukhsana Zuberi – Chairperson women in energy, Shaaf Mehboob – CEO Adoptive Solar.

Here’s the remaining part of the conference:

Shazia Marri – Minister for Electric Power Sindh

Shazia Marri

• We need a system where people listen to each other’s point of view and learn from it. Democracy provides this feature.
• When I used to sit in opposition during Musharraf government, he used to reject any point raised against Kalabagh dam and was hell-bent on making that dam.
• Kalabagh dam will provide only a fraction of our energy needs and so much time and money has been wasted arguing about it which could have been utilized  in some useful way.
• The difference between this government and the previous is that we are willing to listen to everyone and diligently work towards coming up with a workable solution acceptable to all.
• Ghazi Barotha project producing 1450MW of power in an environment friendly.
• 3,000 MW added during this government’s tenure.
• Sindh’s target for 2012 is to have 10% of contribution from alternative sources: wind, solar and biomass.
• Power station under process in Nooriabad.
• Sugar distilleries are an ideal source of biomass.
• Austrian company working on a wind power project to be completed by March 2013 which will contribute 500-800MW.

Shazia Marri

Junaid Qureshi – CEO SSJD :

• The total demand in 2011 was 19,400 MW which will swell to 50,000MW by 2022.
• Wind energy costs 13-15 cents per KWH whereas biomass costs 11-13 cents/KWH.
• While wind energy projects become feasible after 50MW, biomass are feasible in the range 1-50MW.
• A 15MW project needs 1,730,000 tons of biomass, the source of which can be a number of things, sugar molasses, animal waste etc.
• Sugar cane produces 11-13% of the main product and 60% of biomass.
• Rs. 322 Mn Revenue/year is possible.
• If 2000 MW of electricity is generated through biomass, it would result in savings of Rs.57 Bn/year and $1 Bn/year saving in imported oil.
• The plant would have to be nearer to the biomass source in order to minimize the huge cost of transporting thousands of tons of the material. In addition it would need a steady supply of water.
• The ideal place for the plant would be rural whereby villagers can aid in the supply of biomass and get benefited from the plant as well.

Rukhsana Zuberi – Chairperson women in energy

• Public sector is the biggest consumer of electricity.
• Solar geysers are a great energy saver. I’ve one installed in my home and my gas bill remains the same in both winter and summer.

Shaaf Mehboob – CEO Adoptive Solar

• The circular debt has ballooned to Rs.400 Billion.
• With this much money, 1600MW of energy could have been generated by installing a solar-powered plant.
• It costs approximately Rs.200,000 to produce 1KW of electricity through solar power.

Faisal Qureshi

Faisal Qureshi – CEO 24/7 Online TV

• You’ve been listening to enlightened views from learned people the entire day and there’s nothing more I can add that can surpass those insights except the fact that there’s a chandelier over my head with over 40 bulbs each at least 40 watts and it’s been on the entire time. If people in this room cannot see this waste of energy, then I’ve got nothing to say.

Abdullah Muhammad Yousuf – Chairman IPP’s Advisory Council

• 30 years ago hydel source contributed 70% of total power requirement whereas thermal only 30%.
• The trend has reversed now with thermal contributing 70% and hydel 30%.
• Cost of fuel to electricity generation:
  • Hydel   Rs.2-3
  • Gas       Rs.4-5
  • Oil        Rs. 12
  • IPP        Rs.40
  • Government is giving Rs.200 Bn subsidy on electricity while it can only afford Rs.80 Bn.
  • That means government is having a deficit of Rs.120 Bn added to it.
  • Rs.26 Million is the penalty charges to the government for non-payment of dues on time by PEPCO.
  • Rs.350 Bn are the receivables owed to WAPDA.
  • Energy crisis costs 2-3% GDP loss.
  • $15 Bn was the furnace oil import bill last year.
  • $32 BN is the expected bill this year.

CONCLUSION:

It was a thought-provoking conference on the energy problems beset by Pakistan and the gravity of the situation. However, this sort of discussion is pertinent to a conference that is being held for the first time. For a conference that is in its fifth year and still not able to generate a viable solution that is embraced by the four main stakeholders: government, consumer, industry and research institutes, that reflects poorly on our state of affairs.

Sure, there were many solutions proposed. But then these solutions have been proposed since God knows when. What we need now is one solution acceptable to all which alleviates at least some of the nation’s suffering. And that this conference was unable to come up with in spite of having the brightest minds present.

Related posts:

1. PowerGen Pak Conference 2012 The 5th International Power Generation Conference & Exhibition 2012 was…

The 5th International Power Generation Conference & Exhibition 2012 was held at Marriott, Karachi on the 2nd of February with the agenda ‘Future Energy Mix in Overcoming the Power Crisis’.

The conference was attended by a plethora of scientists  and dignitaries from all walks of life.

Power-Gen Pak Conference 2012

It was a star-studded event with speeches and presentations from Manzoor Soomro- Chairman Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), Mian Abrar Hussain, President Karachi Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Tilo Klinner – Consul General Germany, Nasim Khan VC Hamdard University, Saigan Sharif – Additional Secretary of Ministry of Science & Technology, Qazi Kamal – Chairman Fuel, Gas, Power Sub-SITE Association, Tahir Saleem – Chairman IEEE, Zubair Motiwala – Chairman Board of Investment Govt. of Pakistan, Naeem Qureshi – Managing Editor Energy Update, Shazia Marri – Minister for Electric Power Sindh, Junaid Qureshi – CEO SSJD, Faisal Qureshi – CEO 24/7 Online TV, Abdullah Muhammad Yousuf – Chairman IPP’s Advisory Council, Rukhsana Zuberi – Chairperson women in energy, Shaaf Mehboob – CEO Adoptive Solar.

The conference was organized by Energy Update Magazine 

Here’s  a brief lowdown of what went on in the conference.

Power-Gen Pak Conference 2012

Manzoor Soomro- Chairman Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF):

• Promote and popularize science.
• Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) signed with all chambers of commerce in Pakistan.
• Reach is not limited to MOUs but to universities and beyond.
• Provide funding to research institutes.
• Enormous potential in both conserving and generating energy cost-effectively, only it needs to be channeled out properly.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjVeR4LkS-Y&feature=youtu.be

Mian Abrar Hussain, President Karachi Chamber of Commerce

• The energy crisis and resulting loadshedding of electricity and gas has resulted in a staggering monetary loss of Rs.288 Billion per annum. 
• This is a loss of Rs.24 Billion per month, or Rs.857 million per day. 
• This much money could have been used to finance 44 Large scale manufacturing units or serve 10 million unemployed people. 
• $12 Billion is the annual import bill for furnace oil. 
•  30% of energy wasted in distribution. 
• Energy security plan is needed on the same lines as Nuclear Security Plan to safeguard the future of Pakistan.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqekJYHaYPE&feature=youtu.be

Power-Gen Pak Conference 2012

Naeem Qureshi – Managing Editor Energy Update

• Welcomed the participants to the fifth PowerGen Pak Conference.
• Thanked the speakers and the guest for gracing the occasion with their presence, and the sponsors for lending support to this worthy cause.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW-k4nvLqBY&feature=youtu.be

Dr. Tilo Klinner – Consul General Germany

• Renewable energy is the future of the world due to depleting natural sources of fuel.
• Wind energy percentage contribution to electricity generation in the world:
  • 21% Denmark
  • 15% Portugal
  • 14% Spain
  • 7.5% Germany
  • There’s a 40 MW plant in Gujarat, India run solely on solar power.
  • 17,000 MW contribution by solar power to national grid in Germany.
  • There are large lignite coal fields in Eastern Germany which provide the bulk of the power. However, they’ve a large carbon footprint.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4g2VPhRjAI&feature=youtu.be

Nasim Khan VC Hamdard University

Power-Gen Pak Conference 2012

• In 1999, a German company estimated the wind corridor in Pakistan to be worth 50,000 MW.
• Research by an American University put the estimate at 110,000 MW.
• Germany has been able to capture and make use of 17,000 MW of solar energy in spite of the fact that Germany doesn’t get as much sun as Pakistan.
• Due to circular debt, electric companies are unable to afford wind power companies.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6qVKkA-dRc&feature=youtu.be

Saigan Sharif – Additional Secretary of Ministry of Science & Technology:

• Karachi to Gwadar corridor has the potential of 7,000-10,000 MW generation through wind energy.
• Nexus needed between government, research institutes and industry for a workable plan.
• Much of the existing problems are due to lack of understanding between the three.
• Government has its own limits and cannot launch projects based on research by institutes. However it can support them in conjunction with the industry.
• Scientists have the tendency to quarrel amongst themselves for who gets the patent to an invention or innovation.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR-kpByM8EE&feature=youtu.be

Qazi Kamal – Chairman Fuel, Gas, Power Sub-SITE Association

• There are 104 Nuclear power plants in US and 70 in France which contribute roughly 20% of total electricity.
• 35% of power in Western Europe is achieved through nuclear means.
• China has plans to set up 40 nuclear power plants.
• India plans to generate 63,000 MW of nuclear energy by 2032 with the help of General Electric USA.
• Pakistan only gets 712 MW of nuclear energy.
• Pakistan has substantial reserves of uranium, 500 times more than gold in various mines all over the country.
• Pakistan also has 5% uranium enrichment capability.
• 2,000MW energy through KANUP 2 and 3 will be attained.
• 8,000MW is the target for nuclear energy.
• The establishment of Pakistan Nuclear Power Fuel Complex will go a long way in attaining self-sufficiency in nuclear energy.

Tahir Saleem – Chairman IEEE:

• Problem with energy usage not energy production.
• KESC has installed capacity of 1260MW but only 600MW of power are being delivered by them.
• WAPDA had planned 40,000MW of electricity by 2010. Hardly 2,000MW have been added.
• 10-15% of energy saving is possible without any investment.
• 22% of energy saving is possible with investment.
• 70% of electrical consumption is by the industry.
• Load lightening devices are available which reduce electrical consumption.
• Government should make it mandatory for the industry to install these devices which will reduce the electrical load on the national grid.
• Co-generation provides 30% additional energy, a strategy which is being used by hotels.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ntFBeYYd9E&feature=youtu.be

Zubair Motiwala – Chairman Board of Investment, Govt. of Pakistan

Zubair Motiwala

• 22,000 MW is the installed capacity.
• Rs.300 Bn circular debt in July, now touching Rs.400 Bn.
• 12 hours of loadshedding in the industrial areas until 2 weeks ago.
• Pakistan has the fifth largest coal reserves in the world – 173Bn which will last 300 years.
• Thar has huge reserves of lignite coal as determined by research carried out by RW Germany.
• Special incentives offered by Pakistan Board of Investment for investing in Pakistan’s coal reserves:
  • 20% Return on Equity
  • 30 years tax holiday
  • No custom duty on import of machinery
  • Sales tax exemption
  • United Energy, 3 Gorges and Engro are some of the companies interested in this investment.
  • In 2015 the first powerplant using the thar coal would be operational.
  • Pak-Chine energy commission has determined that there’s a 80km wide as well as long wind corridor with speeds up to 800 knots, which is more than India.
  • A Turkish company is already operating wind turbines in Sindh which are producing 5MW.
  • 34 more turbines are in the offing which will raise the output to 50MW.
  • Plans are in place to allow duty-free import of batteries to store wind energy.
  • Break-up of contribution to electricity:
    • 1/3^rd Hydel
    • 1/3^rd  Thermal
    • 1/3^rd  Diesel/captive/nuclear

• Contribution of gas to national grid:
  • Sindh 69%
  • Balochistan 13%
  • Punjab 5%
  • Share of gas:
    • 27% Sindh
    • 17% Balochistan
    • 45% Punjab
    • Total production was 3800 mmcf, now 200 mmcf have been added making to 4,000 mmcf.
    • Sindh gets 1150 mmcf and Punjab 1800 mmcf.
    • There are 2700 CNG stations in Punjab while 800 CNG stations in Sindh and Balochistan.
    • Most of these 2700 CNG stations in Punjab are illegal connections given after 2007 and result in shortage of gas as the network has become so much convoluted.  
    • 40,000 of unutilized hydel capacity in Pakistan.
    • 2,000 MW for 300 years possible from Thar coal reserves.
    • 15,000 MW addition expected from Thar coal by 2020.

 TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT PART……..

Power-Gen Pak Conference 2012

Power-Gen Pak Conference 2012

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 Summary of media consumer activism in Pakistan from Citizens for Free and Responsible Media, Pakistan, Saturday February 4, 2012:

We are a group of activists, academics, lawyers and journalists, citizens from all walks of life — essentially media consumers serving as an independent platform to voice public concern and through people powered reform, ensure that freedom and responsibility prevails in the media in Pakistan.

We, as concerned media consumers, came together united in our outrage against a morning show broadcast on Jan 17, 2012, links to which began circulating on facebook on Jan 20, 2012. In the next few days our online petition received over 5,000 signatories. In addition, we emailed a copy of the petition text to Samaa TV chairperson, Zafar Siddiqi with cc’s to several signatories (Annexure 1). We attempted to call and text message him en-masse in order to draw his attention too. He replied promptly, expressing his concern and regrets and promising that the channel would apologise (Annexure 2).

The following morning, Samaa TV broadcast an unconditional apology on behalf of the channel. However, the host Maya Khan’s words did not constitute a proper apology or acknowledgement of her transgressions.

We again emailed Mr Siddiqi, thanking him for Samaa TV’s apology and requesting an unqualified apology from the host (Annexure 3). He replied shortly afterwards, assuring us that guidelines had been put in place to prevent such transgressions from being repeated. He also said that since the host Maya Khan had refused to apologise unconditionally, her services and her show were being terminated (Annexure 4).

Many people also sent sms messages to Mr Siddiqi’s cell phone and called the Samaa TV offices, in addition to complaining at Pemra’s online feedback form. According to Pemra officials, they received some 400 complaints about that particular show. In addition, there was a threat of legal action against Samaa TV and contact was also initiated with corporations to withdraw commercials from such shows (both actions were stopped after Mr Siddiqi’s second email responding positively to media consumers’ complaints, but both remain real possibilities for future campaigns).

The degree of participation shown and encouragement by media consumers led us to come together under the umbrella of ‘Citizens for Free and Responsible Media (CFRM), Pakistan‘. We function as a non-hierarchal platform with decisions taken by consensus among the core group members, with inputs from media consumers who can now join us on our facebook page. People can also point out media transgressions and give their inputs here, to do their bit to “reduce the social cost of silence”.

The non-government organizations Network for Consumer Protection, Intermedia Pakistan (both headed by senior, respected journalists), and Bytes for All support our cause and had begun work on a legal petition against Samaa TV. Following the successful outcome of our social media campaign to force Samaa TV management to address concerns around the concerned morning show, they announced on Jan 29, 2012, that they would “withhold their planned legal challenge in the Supreme Court on privacy rights around this case, since one of the desired outcomes has already been achieved.” They stated that, “as now ourselves part of the Citizens For Free and Responsible Media, be available to lend any support required in realizing the objectives of this Forum.”

So far we have adopted a multi-pronged approach: online activism, as well as direct communication with the channel or person concerned, as well as lobbying through other channels. The possibility of legal action is not ruled out, nor is the possibility of approaching corporations to ask them to re-consider advertising in shows that violate basic ethics and human dignity.

A recent case we took up involves a reality show, Thori Si Bewafai on A-Plus TV. Within hours of our having started another petition the host of the show announced that he has quit the show, that the show was based on re-enactments and that the channel had not given this disclosure as they were ethically bound to do, and as per their agreement with him. (Annexure 6) (The channel subsequently removed the offending shows from its Youtube website and also the description posted earlier on its website copy pasted here verbatim before it was removed: “It’s hidden cameras reality television series that documents people who are suspected of committing betrayal /cheating on their partners on any term unfaithful to their close relative. Investigation by the headed by the team which carry out the task of spying on the suspected individual through different means and capturing all the evidence on the camera is the primary goal later on all the footages / investigation reports disclosed to grieved party / Complainant in front of camera. At the end of the show investigation team lead the complainant to the location where he/she will catch the subject red handed”).

CFRM’s goal is not to get channels banned or to get TV hosts or journalists fired, but to encourage channels to evolve their own set of guidelines and code of ethics in conjunction with senior producers, journalists and concerned citizens, to ensure that privacy and human dignity are not violated. We urge them to make these guidelines public.

We also urge them to incorporate a channel for media consumers to approach in case of complaint or redress, and appoint internal ombudsmen for this purpose.

We also urge the industry to revise the current ratings system, and align the ‘quality of content’ with the ‘quantity of viewership.’

Citizens for Free and Responsible Media (CFRM), Pakistan

http://www.facebook.com/C4FRM

c4frmpk@gmail.com

(Click here and scroll down to access Annexures mentioned in this post)

“Tomorrow they may decide to kill me because I know too much. But I want this on record so that one day, 10 years from now, 20 years from now, somebody goes back and says: What was happening in Quaid-e-Azam’s Pakistan?”
Nearly twelve years ago monthly Herald published this interview of Benazir Bhutto (taken by Ali Dayan Hasan). This is perhaps the most revealing interview that BB gave to a local publication. In the context of Pakistan in 2012, this interview remains most relevant. This introduction to the interview is most insightful as it echoes many themes that we are living through once again. Her successor, Yusuf Raza Gilani has made similar remarks on the floor of the Parliament. At least we seemed to have inched a little forward though the destination of democratic Pakistan remains rather elusive. RR

In her most candid interview since 1988, Benazir Bhutto, twice elected prime minister of Pakistan, reveals the extent to which successive civilian governments have been held hostage, and destabilised, by the ‘security apparatus’ of the military. Bhutto, chairperson of the PPP — the single largest political party of the country — explains the helplessness of civilian governments in the face of Intelligence-inspired disinformation on the one hand, and ideologically motivated illegal activities of ‘rogue elements’ of the army on the other. She argues that the security apparatus of the country is out of control and that no government can hope to function smoothly unless these elements are brought under  formalised command structure that prevents them from taking on the role of a state within a state. There is much evidence to support Bhutto’s claims, including that of her adversaries — General Aslam Beg, General Hameed Gul and General Asad Durrani — all of whom conspired against civilian governments and have repeatedly gone on record to admit as much. “Blaming politicians alone for tarnishing democracy is actually less than half the story,” argues Bhutto. Here, she explains why.

To read the full interview click here BB’s interview 2000 Annual Issue

Here are a few pertinent passages from the interview:

Q. You have presided twice over a controlled democracy. What have you learnt from the experience?
A. There is a tendency in Pakistan, due to military dictatorships and one-man rule, to think that one person can make all the difference. But in a democratic system, it is not just one person that makes a difference. A democratic ruler, such as myself, functions within the confines of the constitution. We need a civic consensus on what a constitution should be and what constitutes freedom and plurality. I had to work on the mandate I was given and that is why I say that we did not achieve much. I had to work with the 8th amendment and a president who could sack the prime minister. In other words, some elements in the intelligence agencies used the president when they felt I was becoming too powerful. They never allowed us enough time to elect members of the senate which would have made my party — and the democratic forces — stronger. The real solution lies not with any individual. I can only give a clarion call. Then it depends on the masses whether they rally around that call to say that they want a constitution based on the supremacy of the will of the people and that the prime minister and parliament must determine national security and not the military.

Q. Did you attempt to rein in the intelligence agencies when you were in power?
A. Yes, I did. For instance, in December 1988, within a week of my forming the government, Brigadier Imtiaz working at the ISI Internal began contacting political parties to overthrow my government. My political adviser at the time, General Babar, moved to have him replaced. The army refused initially, though later, Brigadier Imtiaz was removed from the ISI Internal, not from the army itself. So, I tried but they defied me and because of the 8th amendment, I could not remove any officer myself. We collected proof, in 1989, of ISI elements visiting MNAs for a no-confidence move. We made audio tapes. The head of the MI entered my office and saw the photograph of the man who had been approaching my MNAs. He panicked, took the photograph and the tape and then sent me a report saying the man in question was deranged. In 1990, when the ISI launched a similar effort, we made a videotape called Operation Jackal . A serving army officer, Brigadier Imtiaz, technically not in the ISI but substantively still there, was taped saying: ‘the army does not want her, the president does not want her, the Americans don’t want her’. He was seeking the support of parliamentarians to oust the government. I gave that tape, substantive proof of treason, to General Beg. He filibustered.

On March 23, 1989, the army jawans mobbed me in a show of support when I went to the Pakistan Day parade. General Beg panicked. I was used to being mobbed and public adulation. I told him it was all right. The support waned when the intelligence agencies — sometimes the ISI, sometimes the MI, at others the FIT and the FIU and even the corps command — intrigued. Poisonous stories were prepared and circulated to the corps
remove you and replace you with General Imtiaz as COAS’. It was a ridiculous story but he believed it. They told Ghulam Ishaq Khan that, ‘If she gets a senate majority, she’ll impeach you and replace you with Yahya Bakhtiar’. They concocted these stories. They went to one of my party leaders and said, ‘Get 10 MNAs and we will make you prime minister’. A corps commander went to my husband in 1989 and said that they could not salute a woman. ‘Let her make you prime minister as we have no problems with the PPP’.
In 1993, they sent a Middle Eastern prince to tell me the same thing — that Nawaz was going but I should bow out because if I fought, things would be different.

Q. Can you provide further examples of how the military establishment and the intelligence agencies operated to destabilise democracy during your first tenure?
A. I have two witnesses who tell me that they attended two similar meetings arranged by a then- serving corps commander during my first term. In these meetings, the corps commander, Nawaz Sharif and Osama Bin Laden were present. Osama Bin Laden was told that a woman in this position was against Islam so he should give

Eventually, under pressure, Beg just retired the man whereas he should have been tried for treason. Then, when the no-confidence move failed, I was approached by my MPAs in the NWFP who said that General Beg had called them to the GHQ and said, ‘We want to get rid of her starting with the NWFP and could you please move a no- confidence vote against her.’ So, a
commanders and the jawans to put the seeds of hatred in people’s hearts. These included false stories of corruption, of Indian agents, of Jewish agents, of American agents, Sikh lists. Thus, an impression was created that we are corrupt traitors and even our supporters turned against us. Beg was with me till the Intelligence worked on him and convinced him that ‘she wants to
them money to overthrow me. And then Nawaz said that he would bring Islam to Pakistan. Does the public think these things need to be investigated independently or not? No one had heard of Osama Bin Laden then. I had not either. He is famous now. In those days he was unknown but he was sitting there interfering in my government. He paid 10 million dollars to finance the

Q. Can you provide further examples of how the military establishment and the intelligence agencies operated to destabilise democracy during your first tenure?
A. I have two witnesses who tell me that they attended two similar meetings arranged by a then- serving corps commander during my first term. In these meetings, the corps commander, Nawaz Sharif and Osama Bin Laden were present. Osama Bin Laden was told that a woman in this position was against Islam so he should give them money to overthrow me. And then Nawaz said that he would bring Islam to Pakistan. Does the public think these things need to be investigated independently or not? No one had heard of Osama Bin Laden then. I had not either. He is famous now. In those days he was unknown but he was sitting there interfering in my government. He paid 10 million dollars to finance theno-confidence move against me. At that time, we heard that the money came from Saudi Arabia. I sent a minister to meet King Fahd. He has been very kind to me and I really like him. He is an urbane, generous and kind man. I told my emissary to remind the king that he had said to me: ‘Ali Bhutto was my brother and my friend. I opposed his murder. I thought it was unjust then and I think it is unjust now. You are like my daughter’. Then how come he was sending money to overthrow my government?
He sent back a message saying that the Saudi government was not involved and it was a private Saudi citizen. Later on, from these two individuals who were with the PML then but are with us now, I learnt that the meetings involved Sharif, a then-serving corps commander and Osama and they wheedled 10 million dollars out of Osama to overthrow the government.
Meanwhile, my parliamentarians informed me that they were offered a million dollars each by Mr. Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi to get rid of me. I like Mr. Jatoi. He treats me like a daughter and personally I have no problem with him. But I do think Mr. Jatoi and I both owe it to the nation that the facts should come out.
I set up my own Trojan horse. I told the MNAs to go ahead and take the money. ‘Let them think you are with them’. That is how they lost the no-confidence motion. My four MNAs were counted against me but they did not crossover and two more joined me. Otherwise they had it all set. And then we had this very funny incident when these four MNAs came to the prime minister’s house with briefcases of money and said, ‘You take it’, and I said, ‘No, I cannot’. In the end, of course, the money was not taken but the fact remains that these sorts of sums were paid for no-confidence votes. And they were not paid by the political parties but by the intelligence agencies and rogue elements in the military as well as right-wing adventurists.
And at the SAF games, Beg sat next to me with a very satisfied smile on his face. When three PML MNAs came and sat next to me, his face fell. ‘What are they doing here?’ he asked me in panic. I smiled and said they had joined the government. ‘Isn’t that wonderful?’ Beg just looked like a ghost. And then we were accused of horse-trading and corruption. Thus the intelligence agencies try to create a ‘heads, I win, tails, you lose’ situation for the political class. This simply cannot continue…

“We cannot have an army or intelligence agencies that constantly destabilise governments. We cannot have rogue elements incessantly violating their oath and plunging the nation into crises.”

To read the interview click here BB’s interview 2000 Annual Issue

“The latest US-Nato attack on our security forces is the gravest so far as this single assault has killed more than 28 Pakistani soldiers and injured many. The Pakistani civilian and military leadership have utterly failed to effectively respond to the US-led foreign aggression.” – Ansar Abbasi reported in The News on November 27.

Since 9/11 Pakistan has been subjected to countless attacks by the US. Let me remind my readers of the time, shortly after 9/11, when Pervez Musharraf bowed before Bush’s demands. Our safety, security and sovereignty were compromised there and then, as soon as it was decided that we would be an ally and party to the heinous crimes and anti-humanity agenda that was to be pursued by the US on our soil.

This understanding and the pacts formulated as a result paved the way for 56,000 sorties which took off from Pakistani soil and bombed our brethren in Afghanistan. The same became the basis of ruthless human rights abuses which took place in their cover. Illegal abductions ,disappearances, target killings, mass terrorism and destruction programmes have plagued and haunted this poor nation, pushing it to the brink of collapse. Some of the world’s most notorious prisons and detention sites, such as Guantanamo Bay and Bagram Air Base, were created in the aftermath of 9/11 and have since become spaces where humanity bleeds to date.

A direct attack on our armed forces on November 26, 2011, no matter how serious an offensive it may seem, is still nothing in comparison to what the poor civilians have been subjected to as consequences of bad policies and the aggressive launch of the war on terror by the Americans in a bid to acquire control over the region.

The question is how much more time the civil and armed leadership would need to wake up from its slumber and finally realise the interests of its own civilians and nation. The US has been aggressive from the beginning and has been maintaining its stance. On the other hand, we (the Pakistani civil and military leadership), have been behaving as slaves most of the time; sometimes apologetically and other times trying to appear bold, but in truth, speaking out in timid defiance at best. It shows nothing but our pathetic failure in defending the nation, in spite of being a nuclear power and, according to most accounts, the sixth largest army in the world.

From the May 2 operation to handing over Shamsi base; the GHQ attacks; the Raymond Davis issue; all the acts of terrorism and ongoing disappearances of Pakistani nationals for the sake of dollars; drone attacks; the current Memogate issue – the list of unfortunate incidents that have taken place here is unlimited. Each incident speaks volumes of the repeated embarrassments the nation has suffered and our government’s cowardice in the face of it all.

What is left of a country like Pakistan which receives dictation from the foreign powers – the orders becoming increasingly strict since 9/11? We are drained morally, economically, socially and psychologically; moving fast to meet our end. All that is left is honour and integrity. There is a moral imperative to act now to salvage what little remains.

Speaking from a purely humanitarian angle, representing the masses and particularly the aggrieved who have suffered the deadly spell of Pak-US cooperation, I would advise the leadership to remain silent but let its actions speak out loud and clear this time, in favour of a change.

The utter dejection of the families of missing persons, the unsolved mysteries of the unnumbered disappeared, the tragic tales of pain and grief, of forced separation from loved ones, the legacy of Dr Aafia Siddiqui who was sentenced to 86 years of imprisonment by the US – all this lies heavy on the nation’s conscience.

Unfortunately, the masses have lost faith in the political or armed leadership as they have repeatedly been cheated, ignored and left to suffer endlessly. However, the last ray of hope or opportunity remains, given that there is a willingness to undo the harm that has been done. The following steps need to be taken without further delay:

• Block the Nato supply line once and for all.

• Immediately release all the missing persons dumped in detention cells, share lists of their names and reveal their status and place of custody.

• Negotiate and facilitate Dr Aafia’s release via diplomatic channels.

• Revise foreign policy to better serve the interests of the nation.

• No cooperation with the US; freeze all ongoing projects with it.

• Specify a date for achieving the above mentioned targets.

• The National Reconciliation agenda for the comfort of the aggrieved.

All this must be initiated immediately and implemented in letter and spirit without mention and rhetoric. I repeat “without mention” as the leadership’s words and promises have lost credibility. It is time now to act. This is the only way to win back the people of this aggrieved nation.

The writer is chairperson Defence of Human Rights.
Email: mrsjanjua@gmail.com , chairpersondhr@gmail.com.
Website: www.dhrpk.org

Courtesy: The News International