I am not your typical army officer either. But the present exchange is neither about me nor about a typical army officer.(derhalmalkan@hotmail.com)
As you are probably aware I am not a supporter or admirer of General Musharraf. I resigned in 1979 in protest against military rule of General Zia ul Haq. I am not your typical army officer either. But the present exchange is neither about me nor about a typical army officer. It is about the antics of your boss who was referred to as ‘baqiat i Zia’ after Zia’s death in 1988. People do not have such a short memory as you appear to think. I can (and do) speak against military rule because I sacrificed my career and my entire family suffered in opposing military rule. But Nawaz and Sahahbaz are the creation of military dictatorship. They would have been running the Ittefaq Group but for the military patronage they were extended. The two brothers draw only ridicule when they present themselves as champions of democracy, allies of their erstwhile enemy - Benazir - or campaigners against military rule. If they took the stance that politics being the ‘art of the possible’, they made the compromises dictated by the circumstances for the sake of Pakistan , it would make sense. The slander and abuse – mostly lies and half truths - you are hurling at the armed forces (on their behalf) exposes that your party leaders were unable to act responsibly or choose their words carefully when in power and they have learnt nothing during the seven years out of power. They only prove themselves to be unfit for leadership and unworthy of public trust.
Thank you for your kind letter. It has taken me a little while to go through your letter because of my business engagements. Having read your letter, I understand what your problem(drluqman@
Dear Brigadier Usman Khalid Sahib,
Thank you for your kind letter. It has taken me a little while to go through your letter because of my business engagements. Having read your letter, I understand what your problem is, and it is no different than any man in uniform who engages in dialogue with any civilian Pakistani. The problem is all men in uniform, serving or retired no exception, live in 50s and 60s, They don’t understand that nation has grown and it is living in 2006 and as a grown up nation it has certain questions about the behavior of armed forces of Pakistan which have never learned to live in the norms of laws of the land and their own departmental regulations.
I raised all the genuine questions which have been raised many times before about different proxy expeditions Pakistani generals have been running on the part of the United States of America . Since, armed forces of Pakistan have a natural built in hatred for Pakistani politicians and civilians, general Musharaf’s hateful remarks about various politicians in his “In the line of fire” further confirm the point” you have every reason, and I understand, to make the remarks about former Prime Minister Mr. Nawaz Sharif.
It was your general Musharaf whose pants soaked on one phone call from a deputy secretary from US state department. My leader, Mr. Nawaz Sharif, received 5 phone calls from the President of the United States of America and he did what he was supposed to do in the national interest of Pakistan . No state department deputy secretary, Armitage or anyone else, could dare to call an elected Prime Minister of Pakistan. If to day, general Musharaf can walk with an iron rod in his neck, and if 1 million Indian troops could not cross the international border in 2001, it was because of the decision taken by my Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, to ignore the 5 calls of President of the United States . Had general Musharaf been in place of Mian Nawaz Sharif then, one state department’s under secretary’s call would have been enough to stop the nuclear explosions.
And finally, on this account let me remind you, you and all your men in uniform who are still living in 50s and 60s, should be thankful to another civilian prime minister, Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who saved Pakistan army after the debacle of east Pakistan. Not only he saved Pakistan army, he saved Pakistan and he laid the foundation of Pakistan ’s nuclear program which has freed Pakistani generals from all fears of insecurity.
As far as Kargil is concerned, it was general Musharaf who requested Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to seek American help and stop the war, because Pakistan was taking heavy casualties and it was getting difficult for them to sustain. Indians had started killing Pakistani soldiers stuck on peaks without supply line and taking back different mountain peaks. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto saved Pakistani army in 1971 and Mian Nawaz Sharif saved them in 1999 by half heartedly seeking American support. He betted his political career to save the rear end of foolish generals who started Kargil. I hope you will straighten up your facts on Kargil.
Regards,
Dr. Khalid Luqman
Reply:
may be the facts revealed by D
Replied by(
webmaster)
Replied on (29/Sep/2006)
Dear Brigadier (R) Usman Khalid may be the facts revealed by Dr Luqman were not true and baised but i think same is the case with you.
Dear Brigadier (R) Usman Khalid
may be the facts revealed by Dr Luqman were not true and baised but i think same is the case with you.
we and you (as an (R) army officer) espacially knows that who really commands Pakistan, first super powers then Army and then, if there is any share of power left, comes to Government of Pakistan.
the killing of Bhutto, coming and going of Martial Laws, killing of Fatima Jinnah,liaqat Ali Khan, war of 1948 over Kashmir (initially denial of British army chief), Dispute of Kargil, not allowing Shahbaz shareef to come to Pakistan against the orders of Supreme Court and Hamood Ur Rehman commission report of 1971 and 100 others reasons are living example of Army dictator ship in Pakistan, so even if NS was aware of Kargil, to what extent , no one knows.
secondly , i think serving army officer is also a government officer, and Govt Officers needs permission, if he is COAS then what does it means that he is above the law and if u think he is then you are right, because what he is behaving from the day he is in power is a prof that he is above any law of Pakistan.
About CIA paying money to Pakistan, over the decades there are many who took money from CIA, Aslam Beig took most of it and then there is Nawaz Shareef itelf also got money details
Dr Luqman putting all blames on MUSH and you are putting all blames on NS, i think blames should be divided among those as both are the main culprits. but the share will be at the time of both rulling togather will be 50-50, after mush took power, 100-0
Reply:
Apart from what you say about
Replied by(
Noman)
Replied on (28/Sep/2006)
If the propaganda line of PML (N) is what you have produced; it raises more questions about the capability of Nawaz Sharif to head even a company rather than a country
Dear Dr Luqman,
ASA. If the propaganda line of PML (N) is what you have produced; it raises more questions about the capability of Nawaz Sharif to head even a company rather than a country. Apart from what you say about the Kashmiri struggle for freedom, everything else you say reveals lack of responsibility and understanding of the affairs of the state.
Politics is about timing. At the time of the US threats, it would have been appropriate to reveal those to the nation if Pakistan was going to deny the facilities America asked for. Even your leader (NS) does not say that Pakistan should or could have prevented the invasion of Afghanistan . So, what are you complaining about? Now that a review of situation in Afghanistan has become necessary, it is a good time to reveal Pakistan ’s view point. His revelation now underlines urgency of the review and his interviews and meetings in the USA have indicated what Pakistan ’s recommendation is.
I am sure President Musharraf did not handle the reward money received from the US . Your response is typical of a businessman that your leader is. The more important point is the legality of handing over a prisoner without due process. I am not sure if due process was not followed but that is an important issue if it wasn’t.
There is no law that bars any one writing a book; a serving officer would, however, need the permission of the GHQ. Since he is the COAS, GHQ permission can be assumed. But the point you make about state secret is not valid. The yardstick is: would it help the enemy? It certainly does not. It underlines that Pakistan ’s nuclear deterrent is now operational, which is an important message we want to send to India .
It is not nice to make nasty remarks about a Scientist who is a national hero. But it is wise to do so. If you do not understand that, may Allah (SWT) help you and those who listen to you!
It was NS who lied about Kargil. NS expressed ignorance of the Army plans even though he was shown on TV visiting troops and congratulating them. It was vitally important for the morale and reputation of our armed forces that Musharraf set the record straight and underlined that the battle was not lost by the soldiers but by politicians. Before India invaded East Pakistan , Indira Gandhi went to all the major capitals of the world seeking their support. What did Nawaz Sharif do? He was more worried about delay in his sugar consignment to India because railway wagons had not returned. He sent his Foreign Minister to India begging for a cease fire only a few days after the battle commenced. He did not get the Air Force to provide support to the Kargil operation. He himself went begging to President Clinton and signed a deal which the Indian Prime Minister did not endorse and the troops had to withdrawn under fire. That is when most of casualties were suffered by our side. A chicken was sitting in the chair of the chair of the Prime Minister; it was a test of his nerve and he failed the country. The chicken is a hen now; good only for roasting.
Brigadier (R) Usman Khalid
Director London Institute of South Asia
www.lisauk.com