Friends of Pakistan: A new reality or dream?
Posted on September 28, 2008 | 1,383 views
Filed Under News & Media, Opinion, Pakistan, Politics, World Politics | 3 Comments
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Pakistan is passing through a difficult phase of its history. BBC reports that Pakistan is facing fiscal pressure due to wider trade deficit in wake of transport strike. The New York Times writes that Foreign exchange reserves have shrunk to $5.7 billion, with only about $3 billion available to cover payments for oil and food. Moreover the foreign exchange has decreased to record. Consequently, Moody’s, the international credit rating agency, cut Pakistan’s credit outlook from “stable” to “negative” on Tuesday, citing dwindling foreign exchange reserves, risks from extremists and high inflation. This situation is increasingly worrisome for political leadership and intelligentsia. In this sorry state of affairs, the formation of Friends of Pakistan by President Asif Ali Zardari is under discussion.
It is being reported that, Friends of Pakistan is a brain child of President Asif Ali Zardari that got materialized on September 26, 2008 with its inaugural ceremony held on the occasion of 63rd General Assembly Meeting of United Nations Organization.
The idea initially was floated by President Zardari and was finalized in a meeting at 10 Downing Street London between President and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. In this meeting both the leader agreed upon its launch on the auspicious occasion of UN General Assembly meeting at New York, US and Prime Minister Gordon Brown assured his full support to Pakistan.
It is being quoted by media that inspiration of formation of friends of Pakistan Group came from a similar group named Friends of Afghanistan (FOA) locally named as ‘Dostan Afghanistan’ that is affiliated with National Peace Crops association (NPCA) based in Washington DC, US. National Peace Corps Association was established in 1961 and was incorporated in 1983 and it has 130 affiliate groups working in 134 developing countries. Apart from this two other groups with similar name, ‘Friends of Pakistan’ are functional. One of them is part of Association of Pakistani Professionals and has 40 chapters in US, Canada, Europe and Pakistan. The second group with the name Friends of Pakistan is an affiliate of NPCA like FOA. Here, it is important to note that none of these groups have backing of Government.
In aftermath of dialogue between President Zardari of Pakistan and British PM Brown, the launching ceremony of FOP took place on Friday September 26, 2008 at New York. The ceremony was attended the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, representatives of China, the European Union, the United Nations, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. This launch was co-chaired by President Zardari.
Hours latter, a statement from US state department was issued from Chairman of Friends of Pakistan Group. This statement gives the details of agreements that Friends of Pakistan will help Government of Pakistan in five sectors namely, stability, development, border areas, energy and institution building. Further, it was told that the group will meet in month’s time at Abu Dhabi to discuss the measure required to achieve the goal.
Soon after launch, President Zardari, Secretary Rice, Secretary Miliband and UAE Foreign Minister Abdallah bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan spoke with media. “I hope that the President and the Pakistani people were assured today that the international community will be by their side as they take difficult decisions and move toward a more stable and prosperous Pakistan”, Said Secretary Rice. When a question was asked about financial assistance to Pakistan She pointed out the US is engaged with Pakistan through Financial Institution (IMF, WB and ADP). “Every single one of our countries stands shoulder to shoulder with the Government of Pakistan, the democratically elected Government of Pakistan, and the people of Pakistan in their struggle against terrorism which is a threat to them as well as a threat to us.”, remarked Secretary Miliband. “We fully back Pakistan. The UAE has been a very close ally, friend in Pakistan. But we want to further our relationship with Pakistan. We want to show our Pakistani friends and brothers our commitment towards them.” said Foreign Minister Al Nuhayyan. President Zardari thanked the dignitaries, “I look at U.S. support as a blessing. I look at the world support as a blessing to Pakistan.” remarked President Zardari.
‘Friends of Pakistan group’ is under discussion among political analyst at the moment. Questions are being raised about its success. In the first meeting no pledge of grant in aid was promised though Secretary Rice gave a clue that US will not engage with Pakistan directly but will work through international financial institution but this support was conditional too. The conditions Secretary Rice was talking will not be new. Pressure on Pakistan is mounting and it is multicentric. In such a situation I wonder if Pakistan has any other option left except to succumb to the demands of so called ‘Friends of Pakistan’. As President Zardari said that he is not asking them to give us fish but want to learn how to fish but leaning fishing from US and fishing for them can cost a lot because at times they hunt for big Fishes like Laden and Saddam! At the moment, the things are not yet clear and it is no time for prediction. The sky will get cleared once the first meeting is takes place as scheduled in Abu Dhabi.
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PAKISTAN SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN CASH MONEY FOR DEVELOPEMENT ASISTANCE BUT ALL FRIENDS OF PAKISTAN COUNTRIES SHOULD ADOPT A PROVINCE AND REGION WITHIN PROVINCE- ALMOST TEN IN NUMBERS AND MAKE A PLANE TO DEVELOP THAT REGION AS PER THE STANDARD OF INTERNATIONAL LEVEL. BULD THE INFRASTRUCTURE, CREATE INVESTMENT OPPRTUNITIES FOR BIG AND SMALL BUSINESSES. CREATE A FUND/ FORUM TO LOOK AFTER THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTLY TO AVOID THE WASTAGE AND CORUUPTION. AND WE HOPE THE A LOT OF JOBS WILL BE CREATED BY THIS WAY AND A REAL POVERTY ERADICATION WILL BE WITNESS BY ALL OF US. OTHER WISE CASH FLOW TO ISLAMABAD WILL DO NOTHING BUT WILL MAKE FEW RICH RULERS MORE RICH TO COMPETE THE RICHEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. A detail of the following article of mine is to guide our real friends. All the best.
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FIVE REGIONAL CITIES OF PAKISTAN should be upgraded with in the provinces in the country. Regional cities of Dera Ismail Khan in NWFP, Gawadar/ Qalat in Balouchistan, Sukkar/ Larkana in Upper Sind, Jehlam/ Rawalpindi and Multan in Punjab province. These regional cities have been ignored by the federal and provincial governments although these cities have their own history, culture and languages.Dera Ismail Khan in south of Pakhtun khwa/MWFP is under seige, Multan/DG Khan in south of Punjab is next target of religious extremists,Sukkar/ Larkana is being rule by criminals, Gawadar/ Qalat is trouble some. The people of these regions have to travel to provincial capitals for every small issue and requirement of the daily life which should be provided in nearby cities. A good number of population travel to big cities for their survival to earn livelihood as the local feudal own majority land and keep the common man as their slaves. Creation of regional government and upgrading of the regional cities will save a lot of money and time of the poor people of these regions. Circuit benches of the High Courts are already working in these areas and only requirement is the additional staff of different departments involved in additional work at the provincial capitals. The concern authorities should immediately consider to upgrade the regional cities. And immediate attention should be given upgrade/build the airports,TV station, civic center, libraries,hospitals, educational institutes and investment opportunities for Pakistanis living abroad and foreign firms to create jobs in the area as majority population in rural Pakistan do not have enough resources to survive. It’s remind me the condition of pre Islamic revolution of Iran in Shah time when the rural Iran was ignored and the capital Tehran was developed in a way to call it Paris of Middle East with modern life style. Couple of other big cities like Isfahan and Caspian sea was taken care of because of foreign tourists but rural area was ruled by cruel police and intelligence. Then what happen rural population supported the Islamic revolution and moved to Tehran and other big cities later on. The new government after revolution developed, built and upgraded the rural areas of Iran accordingly. A fund to upgrade/build these regional cities in Pakistan should be established by public and private sector and Pakistani government, our foreign friends and Pakistanis living abroad may be asked to participate in this development mission in the country..KHWAJA AFTAB ALI,( former secretary, Iranian embassy, Saudi Arabia,1979-88) Advocate High Court & I.P. Attorney-first & the only Pakistani lawyer who earned Intellectual Property laws scholarship in USA,presently residing in Florida, USA.
(Email Address of the comment author removed in compliance with blog Policy)
Khwaja Aftab Ali’s response, despite spelling errors, does have merit.
Such an idea should be polished and appropriate private enterprises created to design, manage, executed such projects.
Another idea on a similar theme is to establish 4000 schools, internet kiosks & health clinics in NWFP and Baluchistan etc. to constructively engage the young people of these areas so they can learn world class skills and thus become world class citizens of the world.
Regards,
DS
DaudSharif@hotmail.com
Patriotism of Pakistanis could be tested any where in the world by asking them to help their country in rainy days but what about super class of people (richest fuedals, industrialists, drug lords and above all the politicians who successfully run the highly profitable business of politics in the Pakistan. An estimated rate of profit in Pakistani politics is 1000 to million per cent, details can be calculated by politicians increasing wealth. Majority of Pakistanis living abroad are labor class and highly skilled professional. No body give them money for nothing. They have to work hard for it. Some of them are businessmen who also work very hard to earn their fortune. There is no favor or nepotism in open markets of the world. After all these hard work they should give money to the country because few people of super class have taken country wealth abroad. I have lived and worked in Middle East and visited Europe and now living in USA for last 10 years, I found average Pakistan more patriotic that upper class of the country. We are ready to come forward again and will help/ invest in the country but this upper class should be stopped to taking national wealth abroad and participate accordingly in saving and investing in the country. At present two richest group of politician in power, they should provide the biggest share instead of going for begging to the rich nations. The richest nations are not rich by begging but by hard work. The upper class should go and observe how hard Chinese are working, come to USA and observe how people work and live here.The government of Pakistan should imediatly issue foreign currency investment bond offering good rate of return still better than IMF and world Bank, We Pakistanis abroad will buy with our savings and is a great help. The bonds should be gaureneted by international authorities The editor of Pakistan Times is a talented lady who invite us to write these comments. Her services are highly appreciated by Pakistanis living abroad. Pray for the country where majority population is helpless in front of few exploiters of supper class of rich politicians and defense forces have no choice but to defend them in the system. All the best. KHWAJA AFTAB ALI, Advocate & I.P. Attorn