Posted on October 22, 2009 by beenasarwar
My article on the ‘Kerry Lugar Bill’ and the crisis Pk faces today – a slightly edited version of which was published in Dawn today as KLB is not the issue
‘Kary Logar’ ain’t the issue
Beena Sarwar
As pressure mounted in South Waziristan with the army action, and retaliatory bombings began, a demonstration in Karachi by parties that claim religion as their raison d’etre underscored some key conflicts Pakistan faces: the requirements of justice under due process of law versus tribal, extra-judicial punishments, tensions between the elected civilian government and the ‘establishment’, and conflict between a long-standing foreign policy versus new domestic compulsions.
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Filed under: 'War on terror' | Tagged: anti-americanism, blasphemy law, democracy, Human rights, Husain Haqqani, Kerry Lugar bill, Khatme Nabuwat, Pakistan, Pakistan army protest KLB, Pakistan relations Saudi Arabia, Pakistan US relations, religious parties pakistan, Salman Taseer, US foreign policy | 1 Comment »
Posted on October 10, 2009 by beenasarwar
Comment on the Kerry Lugar Bill from a friend, & the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Press Release of Oct 8 (thanks to Shaheryar Azhar):
COMMENT:
1. The US is obviously – and understandably – concerned that their taxpayers’ money is used for illegal and dangerous activities such as nuclear proliferation. It is after all a US law that makes the US govt accountable to the US elected representatives about how US taxpayer money is spent. If they need to ensure that the monies they give us are NOT used for illegal and dangerous activities that is their prerogative. Why are we so jumpy? Anything to hide? If so, the alternative to Kerry-Lugar (which I will mention below) will be appropriate.
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Filed under: Pakistan | Tagged: Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act 2009, Kerry Lugar bill, US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations | 1 Comment »
Posted on September 30, 2009 by beenasarwar
There’s been a lot of hype over ‘Blackwater in Pakistan’ and the Kerry Lugar Bill. Below, two items providing some facts and perspective on both issues.
1. KERRY LUGAR BILL – background and facts
The government should bring this bill for assent before the Pakistani parliament. This will call the bluff of all those who are thundering for the benefit of the media. Taking the KL Bill to parliament will have a dual affect. First, it will shut these nay-sayers up and second, it will provide the requisite legitimacy to this aid (which, unfortunately, we cannot do without after all these years of skewed financial policies). No political party that hopes to form government in Islamabad will formally vote against it. The government needs to pull itself together and put up a solid defence – ie. all the conditionalities are part of state policy anyway; it is the first time the US has committed itself to democracy and a democratic government in Pakistan. Any party opposing the Bill will send out the message that it does not own the current policies on counter terrorism and non-proliferation.
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Filed under: Politics | Tagged: Blackwater, Kerry Lugar bill | 2 Comments »
Journeys to democracy 