I wish I am wrong which I am not

Today, Saturday 19^th December, 2009 Pakistan’s all newspapers be them English, Urdu, Sindhi and Punjabi have captioned two news in bold. First news says that yesterday our Defence Minister Ch. Mukhar could not fly out of Pakistan to China on official duty (visit could be frivolous) in connection with delivery of naval frigates because his name was included in Exit Control List (ECL). Second news is about our furious (otherwise cool tempered) Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani who simply could not pocket the insult meted to once his PM slot contestant Ch Mukhtar and hence he summarily suspended Maj (Retd) Ch. Qamaruz Zaman, Federal Secretary Interior who is believed to be the authority to slap ECL ban.

Without prejudice to the steps taken by our PM, I would like to view the issue from a different prospective and spectrum. PM in his orders to Ch Qamar has alleged and accused that he has worked against the interest of Pakistan which on the face of it looks alike but practically speaking it is not so. To the best of my knowledge, correct or even punish me if I am wrong, frigates are being supplied by China navy to Pakistan navy in other words it is an arrangement between the two governments which, as such, exclude personalities of both countries in any case. Ch Mukhtar, under any circumstances whatsoever, was not the buyer even as defense minister what to talk of his personal capacity. Moreover Chinese must be giving us the frigates to our navy irrespective of the fact whether our defense minister visited them or not. What did we loose, how, when and where? How did interior secretary work against the interest of the country? However, in case if interior secretary was not authorised to include defence minister name in ECL then he definitely deserves suspension or removal annd I will be the last person to side with him.  

God forbid, if we do not get the naval frigates only and exclusively because of the absence of Ch Mukhtar, Defence Minister in China then I will pen that our PM should not be so kind to just terminate the employment of Ch Qamar uz Zaman from Secretary Interior rather, on the contra, PM should issue new orders to send him to gallows for willfully acting against the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

                    ******************************************************

With my honest and solemn prayers

Sincere Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait