Opinion Printline Pakistan

Daily Times reports on November 23: “The government has finally fulfilled its promise to reveal the names of those who benefited from the National Reconciliation Ordinance,albeit the list so far is still incomplete. Out of 8,041 beneficiaries,only the names of 248 have been published. Those 248 however,are very significant. They include the top leadership of the PPP,MQM and the PPP-Sherpao. They also include cabinet members,retired bureaucrats,technocrats,military officials and diplomats.” The News made an attempt at bringing out the ‘inside story’: “ The unannounced war between the Presidency and the PM House came out in the open when the list was strongly disputed by top friends and aides of President Asif Ali Zardari as many of them issued denials and explanations,with the president’s secretary general Salman Faruqui,saying ‘the innocent continued to be maligned with the guilty ones even after 12 years of media trial and no effort was being made to separate the two.” Another story added: “Close aides of slain PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto… have demanded of the public office-holders,who benefited from the NRO,to voluntarily step down in the best interest of the party… Nawab Talpur,a former federal minister and now an MNA from Sindh,talked about a recent statement of PM Gilani,in which he offered tendering resignation if his wife is found an NRO beneficiary,was an example that should be followed by all ministers.”

Continuing the controversy,Daily Times reported on November 24: “ President Asif Ali Zardari asked PM Yousaf Raza Gilani to take into account reservations expressed by people saying their names had been wrongly included in the list NRO beneficiaries.” Dawn attacked the NRO in an editorial on November 23: “This is not to say that the outcry against the NRO is a red herring; the NRO was a bad idea — morally,legally and constitutionally — in the first place and the government made it worse with the amendments it introduced to the Bill in the National Assembly before it was forced to withdraw the ‘NRO Plus’ recently.” The News observed on November 23: “While Pakistan ranks among the world’s most corrupt countries due to the deeds of its rulers,most of its citizens work tirelessly in an often futile effort to make ends meet. People everywhere are filled with disgust at the theft of state resources by those entrusted with them.”

Back at you

As Indian PM Manmohan Singh’s visit to the US proceeded,Pakistan was — as expected — watching it very closely. Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi reacted strongly to Singh’s interviews to the American media as he lashed out at Pakistan’s incompetence in combating terror. “Speaking with the German press agency,DPA,Qureshi claimed Pakistan was compiling hard evidence of India ‘s involvement and interference in Balochistan and Fata. ‘India should refrain from such nefarious activities…Unless (India) dispenses with its visceral animosity towards Pakistan,attaining viable peace and security in South Asia will be even more elusive’” reported The News on November 23.

Dawn added on November 23: “Breakdown of dialogue only works to the advantage of those who do not want to see peace in the region. There is no other alternative. It is for India to respond and reciprocate.” Dawn reported Qureshi’s comments on November 24: “I am disappointed… My feeling is India is dragging its feet and is looking for excuses not to resume the composite dialogue.”