"A Tribute to Courage"

Courage is doing what is right

Feeling that keeps you all tight

Without having to be told

Courage is manning up behold
When you've done something wrong

Or looking the enemy in the eye strong

And telling them to just bring it on

Courage is having fear for the unknown

But still staying hardy

Courage of facing adversity

But being able to overcome animosity

Courage is leaving  family in suavity

To defend the country you love

Being a soldier who rises above

In the greatest army of the world

Thank you for this courage Lord

Courage lets us live free

May the Divine bless you

Come home safely to your families

To cherish together future destinies.
Copyright ©2011-2050 Ayesha Zee Khan. Reproduction: Poetry/articles/stories strictly prohibited.. Awesome Inc. template. Template images by molotovcoketail. Powered by Blogger.

The poem was published in my book "Building Bridges" and on the following link::

http://www.islamabadtimesonline.com/a-tribute-to-courage/

From USA, with Love!

The Predator Drone 

After the OBL operation in Pakistan on May 2^nd 2011 relations between the US and Pakistan have been worst in the history of these two nations. As the frontline ally of this “GWOT” Pakistan suffered mainly in terms of its repute ( by portraying it either an accomplice or incompetent to the world community), cost in expense and loss of lives. Pakistan’s territory has been violated not just in “Operation Geronimo” but innumerable times due to the unmanned aerial vehicles or UAV’s which have killed innocent civilians and angered the tribal people of that area. The country stood worth blaming despite the fact that arrest of all top Al-Qaeda leadership was only possible with the help and support of Pakistan army and the ISI. In this situation whether really the death of Osama has achieved the target of a more than a decade long war or not (it has lasted longer than WW1 & WW2), whose cost of sending troops in Afghanistan is more than 400 billion dollars.

The Bush Administration argued that 9/11 triggered the right of self-defense against al-Qaeda and the Taliban, sparking an armed conflict with those entities-- a ‘Global War on Terror’ (GWOT). The GWOT was conceptualized as a non-international armed conflict against non-state actors without any territorial boundaries.

After the Salala check-post attack on Pakistan by NATO forces in which two dozen Pakistan army jawans were martyred (November 2011), without due apologies US unleashes its wrath upon the citizens of Northern Pakistan with more Drone attacks with love! The Obama administration has let out the CIA to resume an aggressive campaign of drone strikes in Pakistani territory over the last few weeks, approving strikes that might have been vetoed in the past for fear of angering Islamabad.

 Lets forget the CIA's black prisons, rendition, water-boarding, and the torture of the innocents in the jails of our friendly dictators for a while. Technically, CIA individuals are not part of the U.S. armed forces, are not subject to military command structure, and do not wear uniforms.  Under international law, they are therefore civilians directly participating in hostilities, much like the very fighters whom they target! Under IHL, such individuals may be targeted as combatants; such persons lose immunity from prosecution for crimes under domestic laws—meaning Pakistan could prosecute them for murder.

With emphasis put by Mr. Panetta that Pakistan has not cracked down on local insurgents who carry out deadly attacks on U.S. troops and others in neighboring Afghanistan. “We are reaching the limits of our patience, and for that reason it’s extremely important that Pakistan take action” to crack down on armed groups based there that attack American and coalition forces in Afghanistan, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said this on the 8^th June 2012 in Kabul.  The CIA  launched eight Predator drone attacks since Pakistan's president, Zardari, was invited to attend the May NATO summit in Chicago but refused to make a deal to reopen crucial routes used to supply US troops in Afghanistan, as the White House had hoped.

Pakistan blocked truck convoys hauling NATO war supplies. The U.S. initially halted all drone strikes for two months to ease Pakistani sensitivities, the attacks resumed only sporadically after mid-January. By May, Pakistani officials were signaling a willingness to reopen the supply route to resurrect relations. It is worth noting: The U.S. is withholding at least $3 billion in reimbursements for counterinsurgency operations and security-related funding, according to congressional aides and Pakistani officials. After the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, Pakistan allowed NATO supplies to be transported through its territory at no charge. It later levied a $250 charge per truck. Islamabad now wants between: $2500-$5000 per truck to reopen the road, a toll US officials refuse to pay.

The White House has authorized an expansion of the C.I.A.’s drone program in Pakistan’s tribal areas, officials said this week, to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. American officials are talking with Pakistan about the possibility of striking in Baluchistan for the first time: A controversial move since it is outside the tribal areas as that is where Afghan Taliban leaders are believed to hide.

More C.I.A. drone attacks have been conducted under President Obama than under President George W. Bush. The political consensus in support of the drone program shows how radical it is. For the first time in human history, a civilian intelligence agency is using robots to carry out a military mission, selecting people for killing in a country where the United States is not officially at war!

 U.S. drones have struck targets in Pakistan an estimated 140 times since 2004, from 2004 to 2007, the C.I.A. carried out only a handful of strikes. But pressure from the Congressional intelligence committees, greater confidence in the technology and reduced resistance from Pakistan led to a sharp increase starting in the summer of 2008.

The U.S. is not at war with Pakistan, yet conducts air strikes in its territory on a near daily basis. Both the US-Air Force & CIA have conducted operations in Pakistani air space, with some missions originating in Afghanistan & others from inside Pakistan. In 2006, images of Predator drones stationed at Shamsi Air Base in Pakistan were found on Google Earth. In 2009, The New York Times reported that operatives from Xe Services (the Blackwater), had taken over the task of arming Predator drones at the CIA’s hidden bases in Pakistan & Afghanistan. According to the Guardian UK, "It is easy to understand how the CIA slaughtered innocent victims. Those who press the Hellfire buttons are 8,000 miles away in Nevada and are dependent on local "intelligence". Just as with Guantánamo Bay, the CIA is paying bounties to those who will identify "terrorists". Five thousand dollars is an enormous sum for a Waziri informant, translating to perhaps £250,000 in London terms. The informant has a calculation to make: is it safer to place a GPS tag on the car of a truly dangerous terrorist, or to call down death on a Nobody (with the beginnings of a beard), reporting that he is a militant? Too many "militants" are just young men with stubble. At least 174 have been children.”

With Osama’s death, Obama declared that, “world has been saved’ but he was wrong in his thinking, because “Pakistan became more insecure’ with extremism rising at record high in the country & abroad. Therefore, those who think that Pakistan’s significance have been elevated, they are perhaps wrong, because America has defamed Pakistan in this so-called “operation”. If it was not a planned drama, and carries any truth, America and NATO forces must leave Afghanistan and Pakistan as they have achieved for whom they were fighting a decade long senseless war.

 This article got published on the following links:
 http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=160973

 http://www.islamabadtimesonline.com/from-usa-with-love/

 http://dailyausaf.com/epaper/wp-content/uploads/2012/June/19/p15.jpg

Copyright ©2011-2050 Ayesha Zee Khan. Reproduction: Poetry/articles/stories strictly prohibited. Watermark template. Template images bymicheldenijs. Powered by Blogger.

"Burnt Infants want Shahbaz Sharif!"

In Pakistan everyday unfolds a new crisis for the people of this country. Thursday 7^th June 2012 was one particular day when parents of 7 dead infants and 25 critically burnt infants faced the wrath of devastation. This incident of fire happened in the capital of Punjab, Lahore, at Services Hospital, one of the main Government owned hospital. Right under the nose and rule of Shahbaz Shareef the Chief Minister and Health portfolio holder, who was playing the emotional stand with the people of Punjab under a tent at the time, staged on Minar-e-Pakistan.

At 3:15pm Thursday afternoon, fire erupted due to short-circuiting and spread so rapidly that it engulfed the entire Nursery Unit. The clouds of smoke covered the entire unit, while the leakage of oxygen gas also increased the intensity of the fire. The staff on duty, medics all ran out of the fire stricken place where there were helpless infants. No heed was paid to move the babies out of that area, parents, relatives (of infants), one guard from the hospital, Rescue 1122 personnel and Edhi officials, (who reached 15 minutes after the incident), broke glass windows in the heavily smoked area and retrieved the infants & shifted the babies to other hospitals. With 7 burned to death, the rest of the 25 who were retrieved were critically burnt who have been placed at the CCU ward. The Rescue 1122 officials who did turn up were untrained fire fighters who sprayed water, without caring the babies trapped there, as carelessly as one of the babies fell from the bed due to the intensity of the shower. Those babies who have been saved too stand a little chance in survival since 40 per cent body of an adult is burnt, while a baby cannot sustain even minor heat due to the fire or sizzling hot weather.Special Assistant to the Punjab Chief Minister on Health, Khawaja Salman Rafique confirmed six deaths. He told reporters that the bodies of two babies had been handed over to their families, adding that the remaining four babies were completely burnt; therefore, they would be handed over to the aggrieved families after conducting the DNA tests.

What is astonishing in this case is the fact: On how the medics ran out of the Nursery. How the fire extinguishers if they were placed did no good at a time like that. How the crying babies were left mercilessly. How is it that the Punjab Government Blatantly refuses to accept the deteriorating conditions of Public Hospitals? Why is it that the Electric wiring which is being referred to being the sole cause of this incident, when it was last updated and repaired in 1987? Witnesses there said the hospital administration fled from the ward soon after it caught fire leaving the babies inside. On the other hand, the hospital spokesman said they ran away to save their lives.

The Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif reached the hospital at 5:30pm at which he launched an enquiry to the incident and a report is handed to him in 24 hours. What will he do now? Give Rs. Five lakh each to the bereaved parents? Terminate a few negligent Hospital staff? Or will he after doing both the above still defend that the health conditions, the services provided were all A-Okay according to his standards? And what are his standards by the way? Has he taken ANY formal training in hospital and health management which he is maintaining the portfolio of, that he audaciously holds close to his chest? Retaining provincial health ministry among others, Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has relinquished eight ministries which he has devolved to other cabinet members, assistants and advisors without appointing any new minister. The chief minister has also changed portfolios of the ministers. Shahbaz has retained provincial Health Ministry defying a strong demand of the Opposition to hand it over to anyone else after over 100 lives were lost to faulty medicines supplied by a Karachi-based company. That incident happened only some months back, not so long ago when innocent people then too paid through their lives.

It was only a year ago when hundreds died due to Dengue outbreak, then too innocent people paid through their lives. Does Shahbaz Sharif realize there are too many mishaps happening in his time and era of rule? Is it too much to ask an incompetent person to stop what he is not good at doing? Or is it too much to ask the CM: To quit playing with the lives of people of Punjab since this portfolio he dearly holds on to is no doubts bringing him millions to plunder from but is opening hell on innocent lives. That: His incompetence is now evident from the attitudes of the junior staff too. When reports and enquiries bear no significance and bring out NOT ONE person accountable; Then the one person in all the mishaps relating to Health, accountable is the one who holds this portfolio, either he should leave it or pay the price. The parents of these infants should file a suit against the CM for incompetence, mismanagement, gross misuse of health funds and demand justice only from the SC. The CM should realize those innocent babies died in pain, a suffering they were not looking forward to when they came to this world two days ago, because of his negligence, his greed, innocent blood wants justice, from the court of this land or the Court of Allah!
Copyright ©2011-2050 Ayesha Zee Khan. Reproduction: Poetry/articles/stories strictly prohibited. Watermark template. Template images bymicheldenijs. Powered by Blogger. 

The above article was published on the following links::
http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=160380
http://dailyausaf.com/epaper/wp-content/uploads/2012/June/12/p15.jpg

"The Three R's"

Liaquat Bagh, the historical venue set for this Jalsa at Rawalpindi on 27^th May 2012 by Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf marked a new chapter in the city’s political culture. Thousands swarmed on the streets of Rawalpindi to gather at the site, the visual extravaganza was worth watching, experiencing and remembering for a long time. Pindiites proved to the rest of Pakistan that they are politically vibrant, aware and very much in the center of changing the chronicles of governmental influence on this city which stays otherwise quiet compared to Lahore and Karachi.

Formerly known as the Municipal Park in the heart of Rawalpindi this venue went through a name change after the assassination of Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan in 1951. Later Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto (an ex-Prime Minster then) too was assassinated on the same ground. Thus the repute of this place has had a political significance as well as that of a “bloody” ground. A place that took away: Two Pakistani Heads of State were lost in the name of extremism.

With thousands swarming the venue and outside on the streets that day the mood was jubilant, vividly marking a victory over the otherwise thought of “HUB” of PML(n) league. This was the first time such a humongous gathering had taken place other than the PML(n). Major seats for National and Provincial Assembly in the past have been secured by the N league from this area. It was a total white-wash day for PML (n) which should now think of serious pragmatic strategy to win the lost hearts of Rawalpindi.
With elaborate speeches from the Rawalpindi District PTI members to top leadership the emphasis was laid down upon a complete rejection by the participants of the venue on corruption by the ruling parties, they were one voice on the agenda to finish off nepotism, unemployment, price hikes, load-shedding, misuse of public funds by stake holders and stood united on all to fetch a change on this.
The budget speech that was delivered days later by Mr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, the federal finance minister of the ruling party PPP, further justified the presence of thousands on the streets when PTI held its Jalsa in Rawalpindi. With no relief to the masses (as expected) the fifth budget of this Government has proved again to be “personal friendly” to those in power and “less friendly” for the people of this country, of whom pay through their sweat and blood for all those perks and benefits the Government enjoys. Therefore, proving the point that PTI, the third major party of this country at the moment was rational in all its demands it made on the Jalsa day, before that and after that.

The post budget press conference by Khan sb in Islamabad reflected that the parties of status-quo will never let each other down in maintaining power, neither the opposition of today that has friendly alliance with PPP will ever step down nor will they bring any valid improvement in the condition of the country and its people. The price hikes in daily commodities and worsening economy of the country is a clear cut indication of mismanagement in Governance and administration by the Government. Chairman PTI stressed that once in power he will reduce the spending of Armed forces and the rest of the institutions. He rejected the possibility of any alliance with PPP or PML (n) since he pointed out that if the two were sincere to the country, they would bring back all that money that is being kept off shore for the welfare of Pakistani nation. He said that according to a survey conducted by Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), in the last four years; about 2.8 million air conditioners were bought, while bills for only 185,000 were being paid.

Figures presented in the fiscal budget 2012-2013, revealed an extortionate addition of funds to maintain the President house, the PM secretariat, the upper and lower house of Parliament. The huge abode of President Zardari has been allocated Rs.617 million this budget year, an increase of 27.8% as compared to the previous figure of Rs. 483 Million. The PM Secretariat this year was allocated Rs. 702.83 Million, an increase of 28% this year compared to Rs. 546.58 Million. Salaries of government employees have also been increased by 20%. The Prime Minister House will be converted into an institute for advanced studies and the prime minister will live in a small house (hard to believe!).

“For the progress and development of solar tube-wells, subsidy will be given to them, so that the energy crisis can be curbed… No matter how much money is needed to curb the energy crisis, we will provide it,” said finance minister. An allocation of: Rs.183 billion to deal with the energy crisis. APP reported that the government had apportioned Rs.22, 877 million for 37 development projects of the Pakistan Railways in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2012-13. “All items which have a GST tax of more than 16%, efforts are being done to bring their tax down to 16%.” Rs. 70 billion for BISP (Benazir Income Support Program) and Only Rs.47.8 billion allocated for education. According to the budget, the government will open up to 2,000 new utility stores, in an effort to provide relief to around 300,000 families.

 “The government made a sacrifice of Rs70 billion to relieve people from the rising petroleum prices,” Shaikh points out.

It must be understood clearly that an eye wash for Pakistani’s today of any sort in the 21^st century cannot work for the rulers of this country. People of this country are very much aware of what is being done for them; they are in dire need of reforms, relief & recovery from the perk enjoyers. Unless there is a solid thing done for the masses, people will keep supporting and joining PTI which has covered all the three R’s mentioned above. Instead of ridiculing this party, the Succession of Inheritance bunch parties should understand the new dynamics of getting people’s confidence otherwise they should say goodbye to their beloved perks and privileges and head home!

Copyright ©2011-2050 Ayesha Zee Khan. Reproduction: Poetry/articles/stories strictly prohibited. Watermark template. Template images bymicheldenijs. Powered by Blogger.

  The above article has been published on the following links::

 http://www.siasat.pk/forum/showthread.php?115664-quot-The-Three-R-s-quot-by-Ayesha-Zee-Khan-The-Saarc-Literary-award-2012-Winner
                                                              
http://www.islamabadtimesonline.com/the-three-rs/

http://dailyausaf.com/epaper/2012/06/07/page/15/

http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=159770