It is better to embrace an ugly Truth than to nd comfort in a beautiful lie.

Regrettably, our case is

upside down. We dwell in delusion of grandeur, primarily based on rhetoric and contradictory
dogma. Dumbed down to the lowest common denominator, devoid of any aspiration, we are
swallowing the dominant myths and mindlessly repeating the mantras inserted into our skulls,
derived from a generation of cleverly crafted propaganda. We are being directed, controlled,
censured, commanded, preached at and indoctrinated by the creatures who neither have the rights,
nor the objective merits to do so. We have surrendered our discernment, free will, personal authority
and moral integrity to a group of plunderers and blunderers. The oligarchs have created a nepotistic,
closed loop, revolving door, three ring circus, where ignorance seems to be a key prerequisite, along
with corruption and disloyalty. A functional niche, where nothing but corruption trickles down and
only scum can rise. Ironically, the academia and civil society is indulged in intellectually dishonest
attempts to justify the unjustifiable, whereas the corporate media, the pseudo journalists, the
tricksters, through effective trance induction, are humanizing the elite villains, blowing off steam and
winning them sympathy of masses. From one administration to the next, no matter what it is called,
we are being led towards Totalitarian Dystopia but we are in a state of normalcy bias,
underestimating the probability and possible effects of the disaster. This society has become so sick,
that blind obedience is what gets celebrated and honored, ironically, for the erroneously accepted
delusion, that abdicating moral responsibility, somehow serves the greater good. Whatever could be
legally gotten away with, is being tolerated. Our aggregate consciousness has become attached to,
and vicariously identified with our abusers, while completely dissociated from reality.
Lets be realistic for a while and put aside, the delusion of inflated self-significance, all the mantras
and dominant myths. Think for a moment. We are hoarding wealth, in form of real-estate, precious
metals, bonds and other assets for our children but we are in a state of collective denial about the
degree to which their future is fragile. Being the citizens of this country and a part of this society, we
hold a collective identity, through which we are recognized in the external world. This identity is not
just limited to few thousand elite oligarchs or few hundred thousand well settled, well off
opportunists or the diminishing middle class, rather it includes all 180 million people who live in this
country. Lets talk about the facts and figures, which determine our collective identity. According
to UNDP-Human Development report (2013), 49.4 percent Pakistanis live in multidimensional
poverty while 11% is at risk of being pushed into the category. 27.4 percent Pakistanis live in severe
poverty while 21 percent are below poverty line. Intensity of deprivation is 53.4 Percent. Half of the
countrys population has no access to basic sanitation, healthcare and education. As per2014 Global
Slavery Index, our country is ranked third in terms of proportion of the population that is enslaved.
The latest report by Transparency Internationalranked Pakistan among the top most countries where

corruption has gone rampant and right to information doesnt exist. The report expresses concern
over how unaware citizens are of their rights. According to Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD), we have successfully managed to orchestrate the largest income inequality gap in the
country. OECD has placed Pakistan among fragile states, due to extreme level of inequality, conflict
of interest and rapid growth of shadow economy, which has gone three times in size, as compared to
regular economy. Professor Anatol Lieven of Kings College in his book Pakistan: A Hard
Country quoted Dr. Mahbub ul-Haq (the renowned Pakistani economist who is credited with the
idea of UNDPs human development index HDI); every time a new political government comes
in, they have to distribute huge amounts of state money and jobs as rewards to politicians who
have supported them, and short term populist measures to try to convince the people that their
election promises meant something, which leaves nothing for long-term development. As far as
development is concerned, our system has all the worst features of oligarchy and democracy put
together.
The situation is so far gone, its beyond alarming, into surreal. While the oligarchs are living in
palatial mansions and travelling in their shiny SUVs, accompanied by police squad cars, the deprived
people, their entire families along with kids are committing suicides due to poverty, hunger and
joblessness. According to newspaper and media reports, government had to ban rat-killer pills
because many people, particularly household women were using those pills as easy and cheap way to
end their life due to poverty. During past years, liberty tower (Minar-e-Pakistan) in Lahore became
favorite place for suicide committers and considering it as sheer embarrassment, government had to
stop the electric lift service of the tower to decelerate this flow. A clear example of shameless denial.
Recently, quite a few people have committed suicides, being unable to pay the utility bills. Super
floods hit the rural areas of Pakistan, year after year, leaving behind millions of shelter less people,
deprived of basic amenities while the ruling elites have failed to provide the solution so far. UNICEF
Annual report 2013 has provided some stunning and heart rending figures. It says; 15 percent of
children under five suffer from acute malnutrition, which is above the international emergency
threshold. Nearly half of children suffer from chronic under-nutrition which leads to stunted
growth. Pakistan is one of nine countries globally lagging behind in terms of access to education.
An estimated 7 million children of primary age and 25 million of secondary age (lower and upper)
are out-of-school in Pakistan. Pakistan is on top in child and maternal mortality.According to
World Health Organization (WHO) report: 2013, 460 children died in Punjab and 300 children died
in Sind due to measles, a virus which is said to have spread rapidly due to unhygienic and unhealthy
living conditions in rural areas. Recent media reports have confirmed at least 250 child deaths in
Tharparkar due to malnutrition. Several children died in various hospitals due to non-availability of
Oxygen and other health facilities

It is ironic that inequality is not just limited to income and wealth, rather its rampant in terms of
Human rights, law and security. According to Human Rights Report 2013 by US Dept. of State, the
most serious human rights problems in Pakistan are extrajudicial and targeted killings, sectarian
violence, disappearances, and torture. Other human rights problems included poor prison
conditions, arbitrary detention, lengthy pre-trial detention, a weak criminal justice system, lack of
judicial independence in the lower courts, and infringement on citizens privacy rights. Freedom of
expression is restricted and right to information unavailable in Pakistan. World Human Rights
Watch Report 2013, has pointed out attacks on civilians by militant groups, atrocities against
minorities, growing electricity shortages, rising food and fuel prices, and continued political
dominance of the military as major Human Right Issues in Pakistan. The report particularly focused
on abuses by Pakistani police, including extrajudicial killings, throughout the country, target killing
of Shia Muslims, especially Hazara community by Islamist Militant groups and the most serious
human rights violation in Baluchistan including continued abuses, ongoing torture and ill-treatment
of criminal suspects, and unresolved enforced disappearances of terrorism suspects and opponents. .
In KPK, schools are being targeted by militant groups. Recently more than 100 school children were
killed in Peshawar by a group of terrorists. This incident attracted widespread anger and frustration
towards the ruling elites but they successfully managed to distract the public by announcing few illthought measures including revival of death punishment for terrorists. The trance induced people
never even thought of asking why at the first place, the moratorium was issued to the terrorists on
death row and why it was the first thing Asif Zardari did after becoming the president. Why the
implementation on death sentence was not carried out after the moratorium expired on 30th June
2013? More importantly, how this revival of death punishment will stop the brainwashed terrorists
who are always ready to die. How about deploying the police at schools instead of your mansions,
offices and in your squad cars?
Recruitment of police in Pakistan, has always been the prerogative for the ruling class. Criminals and
unmeritorious individuals get hired on the basis of political affiliations. Police has become a private
security agency and a hired mercenary force for the oligarchs. Men in uniform are often seen riding
in the squad cars behind elite ruling class, standing outside their huge mansions and quite often
doing the dirty work of harassing and humiliating the opposition. Lower and middle class has
become highly vulnerable to crimes such as snatching of valuables on gun point, extortion and illegal
occupation by mafia as well as random shooting and target killing. Police is usually involved directly
or indirectly in majority of these crimes and normally the poor citizen fails, even to get the FIR
registered. Extreme level of insecurity and discrimination is quite apparent in our society. Common
man gets stopped, checked, inspected, humiliated, arrested, beaten, and sometimes kidnapped by
law enforcement agencies while the oligarchs break laws and get saluted for it. Lt Gen Shahid Aziz, a

former Chairman NAB, while speaking to media (referring to 6th & 8th Dec 2009) after expiry of two
years mandatory period that prevented him to discuss service matters, said; I was appointed as the
NAB chairman with a pre-condition that I would not open old cases against politicians and other
prominent people and was pressurized into formally closing down cases against politicians
supporting Gen Musharraf. I was told repeatedly not to create problems and not to destabilize the
government, otherwise the system would collapse. They (the president and his team) gave a
strange logic that corruption and economic development goes hand in hand. He quoted Lt Gen
Khalid Maqbool, a former NAB Chairman, as saying while trying to convince him that:If you stop
corruption, there will be no development. If ministers and politicians are not given personal
benefits in contracts, why would they pursue development schemes? They have to be given
personal incentives such as awarding contracts to their sons and kinship. Former Chairman NAB
also informed the media that once Gen Musharraf personally called him and said;drop the name of
Malik Riaz Hussain from the exit control list. (Riaz Hussain was one of prime accused in a multimillion-forest land scam) As President of Pakistan, I give my personal guarantee that he (Malik
Riaz) would not run away. Isnt a personal guarantee of the President of Pakistan sufficient to
satisfy you? The name was subsequently removed. Malik Riaz has recently been involved in a
scandal with the son of Ex-Supreme Court CJ and both parties were found guilty of massive tax
evasion.
The most alarming aspect of extreme inequality and rising poverty is, that people living below
poverty line, insecure, devoid of all means and hope, becomes the prospect targets for recruitment by
Taliban and other jihadi elements. After all, this concept of recruitment is nothing new in our
country which has contributed the most in creating the ghost that haunts the world today. Gen. ZiaUl Haq, DG-ISI Akhtar Abdur Rahman, CIA Director William Casey, Prince Turki Bin Faisal
(Director of Saudi General Intelligence) and Prince Bandar Bin Sultan (Saudi Ambassador at US)
were the main architects behind creation of Taliban. According to Milton Bearden (A former CIA
Official, stationed in Pakistan during Zias regime); since 1979, Pakistan trained approximately
16000 to 18000 fresh Muslim recruits on the Afghan frontier every year, with the help of various
religious groups, funded by Saudis and CIA. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Steve Coll has
written a book Ghost Wars, an inside story based on extensive firsthand accounts. What makes his
book especially interesting is how he came to know what he claims to know. He has read everything
on the Afghan insurgency and the civil wars that followed, and has been given access to the original
manuscript of Robert Gatess memoir (Gates was CIA director from 1991 to 1993), but his main
source is some two hundred interviews conducted between the autumn of 2001 and the summer of
2003 with numerous CIA officials as well as politicians, military officers, and spies from all the
countries involved except Russia. In his book, Coll has identified the culprits who created the

monster. He writes; Carter, Brzezinski and their successors in the Reagan and first Bush
administrations, including Gates, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice, Paul
Wolfowitz, Richard Armitage, and Colin Powell, all bear some responsibility for the 1.8 million
Afghan casualties, 2.6 million refugees, and 10 million unexploded land-mines that followed from
their decisions. They must also share the blame for the blowback that struck New York and
Washington on September 11, 2001. After all, al-Qaida was an organization they helped create and
arm. He also writes; The CIAs director William Casey, knew next to nothing about Islamic
fundamentalism or the grievances of Middle Eastern nations against Western imperialism. He saw
political Islam and the Catholic Church as natural allies in the counter-strategy of covert action to
thwart Soviet imperialism. The Muslim Brotherhoods branch in Pakistan, the Jamaat-e-Islami,
was strongly backed by the Pakistani army, and that Casey, more than any other American, was
responsible for welding the alliance of the CIA, Saudi intelligence, and the army of General
Mohammed Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistans military dictator from 1977 to 1988.
George Crile, a renowned American journalist wrote Charlie Wilsons War (best-selling book 2003),
which tells the story of how United States funded the only successful jihad in modern history, the
CIAs secret war in Afghanistan that gave the Soviet Union their own Vietnam. Congressman Charlie
Wilson is best known for leading Congress into supporting Operation Cyclone, the largest-ever
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) covert operation under the Carter and Reagan administration.
Brigadier. Muhammad Yusaf (Former Head of Afghan Bureau at ISI) came up with some interesting
remarks in his book Silent Soldier: The Man Behind The Afghan Jihad. He writes; General Zia and
DG-ISI Akhtar Abdur Rahman had very cordial relations with CIA director William Casey. To
offset that uncomfortable closeness with Americans, Zia and Akhtar were portrayed as holy
warriors of Islam and modern day Saladins. According to one close associate of Akhtar, They
(Casey and Akhtar) worked together in harmony, and in an atmosphere of mutual trust. The most
interesting remarks about the death of CIA Director, William Casey were made by Brigadier Yusuf.
He states that, It was a great blow to the Jehad when Casey died. He did not elaborate whether
by this definition one should count Casey as Shaheed. During 80s, when our ruling establishment
was basking in the glory of unlimited gifts from around the world and flurry of foreign visitors
(including military personnel, spies, arms dealers, journalists, academics, diplomats, aid workers),
the myopic leadership never thought of a day when they will be running mad from one corner to
another, trying to avoid being declared as rogue and terrorist state. The vision of our myopic and
foolish leaders has gone down the hole along with dominant myths of strategic defense and nuclear
deterrence. The Jihadi infrastructure is still being kept intact by the oligarchs for their vested
interests. Madrassas (Islamic schools) controlled by various factions, being run with our charities
and Saudi funding, are recruiting poor kids in the name of jihad. CIA and FBI are recruiting its

agents from the same pool of poor and deprived Pakistanis. Lt. Gen Shahid Aziz (Former Chief of
General Staff, during Musharraf regime) In his live interviews on several media channels, has
revealed that the Army as an institution was kept in complete dark about what was going on between
Washington and Islamabad after 9 / 11 and on war on terror deals. He said; Gen Musharraf had
also allowed the US drones to use the Pakistani airspace for intelligence sharing besides permitting
the American intelligence agencies, the CIA and the FBI, to recruit their agents in the tribal belt
of Pakistan. Despite strong opposition from the GHQ, Gen Musharraf granted this permission in
the name of intelligence sharing. The same drones had then carried out strikes inside Pakistan,
killing hundreds of people, including innocent women and children. Lt Gen Shahid Aziz felt no
hesitation to disclose that when initially consulted after 9/11, the top commanders had decided to
stay out of the conflict. However, later because of compromises by Gen Musharraf, the Army was
dragged in that odd situation. And then some wonder where the terrorists are coming from?
The other side of the coin displays a different picture. While more than two third of the population is
living in extreme deprivation, Pakistan is considered as one of the best clients by IMF and other
international creditors. The country has never disappointed its creditors, never stopped the debt
servicing and government has never requested any debt relief, even during worst human crisis.
According to period-wise figures released by the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) and the Ministry
of Finance at 2013 briefing to Special Committee on Debt, in the last 28 years Pakistan economy has
relied on reckless borrowing, which could not solve the economic problems of the country. The
current foreign debt stands at $63 billion (As of June 2013) and the domestic debt is about $75
billion. During Gen Zia regime from 1985-88, the total foreign assistance received by the country was
$6.37 billion. During Benazir Bhuttos first regime, $4 billion was received from IMF. During the
first regime of Nawaz Sharif 1990-93, a total of $7.5 billion was received. In Pervez Musharrafs
regime 1999-2008, a total of $23 billion loans were received by the country. During 2008-2013 the
previous PPP government received total foreign assistance of $14 billion. Interestingly, the
successive governments over the last 60 years accumulated Rs.6040 billion public debts while the
previous PPP regime alone added Rs.8215 billion in just five years. Public debt is the government
debt generated through borrowing from banks, issuing bonds and printing money. Where did all that
money go? In September 2013 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved latest bailout loan
of $6.64billion under Extended Fund Facility. In exchange, strict austerity measures were
demanded. Those measures are bound to further deteriorate the living conditions of workers and the
poor. IMFs Structural Adjustment Program (SAP), is designed for the sole purpose of economic
restructuring, in order to reduce the standard of living for poor and ensure debt repayment.
Austerity measures are more or less same for every third world country and they are; cut down in
subsidies causing increase in utility prices, devaluation of currency causing subsequent expansion

in volume of debt, and privatization of public assets. Even the pro-market Economists of London
calls IMF an international loan shark, because like any money-lender, they just want to collect
interest forever. The more our governments borrow on our behalf, the more indebted we get. A
question never asked of our governments or lenders. Why are objectives and terms of loans taken in
the name of the people, not debated with the people, and so secretive? And where all this money has
gone? A nuclear power, whose natural resources at Riko Diq alone are estimated at a value of around
$300 billion, is borrowing from IMF in the name of people while imposing strict conditions on the
same people.
What about Riko Diq? Who is extracting the resources and who is benefiting from the deal? BHP
Billiton initially signed the exploration license with the Balochistan government in 1993, forming
Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) later in Australia, having 75 per cent and 25 per cent stake
respectively. With gold and copper established in substantial quantity, BHP sold its stake, 37.5 per
cent each to the Chilean conglomerate, Antofagasta Minerals and Canadian company Barrick Gold.
Why the agreement was signed so secretly and not debated with people? Who gave the waiver to
BHP Billiton to transfer its 75 per cent share in the TCC? Was the agreement in accordance to the
local laws? Apparently not, because when PPP government was trying to renew the agreement with
TCC, a three-judge bench of Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry
gave its ruling that the agreement of July 1993 was in conflict with the laws of the country. TCC filed
compensatory claims in the international arbitration court. Interestingly, soon after the change of
government, Iftikhar Chaudhary got his son Arsalan Chaudhary, appointed as vice-chairman of the
Balochistan Investment Board and this appointment was Reko Diq-specific. Spokesperson of
PML(N) Mushahidullah Khan defended this appointment, stating it as a reward for Iftikhar
Chaudhrys services to the nation. Services to the nation or services for PML(N)? Arsalan Iftikhar
later announced an open global tender for Riko Diq, attracting widespread criticism, and was forced
to resign. Meanwhile Arsalan also got involved in a scandal with Malik Riaz and both parties were
found guilty of massive tax evasion. Surprisingly no action was taken against either of the two.
Currently, the PML (N) Government is trying to get an out-of-court settlement with TCC. As usual
the oligarchs are doing their dirty work, all in the name of people, while people are being kept
occupied with the dominant myths like Indian threat, strategic defense, Kashmirs liberation, nuclear
bomb, Islamization, Pakistan first, war against terrorism and defending democracy.
This is nothing new. It has always been the case of elite adjustment and plutocracy, where one group
gets replaced by the other. A triangle, a three ring circus, the three groups are always in action.
Whether it was the stock market barons minting money from an artificially stable economy and a
fictitious boom during Musharrafs era, whether it was real estate barons and commodity speculators

making fortunes during Zardaris era and whether the small group of close associates milking the
people during Shareefs era, all are following the same ideology. What trickles down is grabbed by
the opportunists including bureaucrats, contractors, media anchors, journalists, academia, civil
society, lawyers and businessmen, leaving 99 percent of the population deprived, clueless and
completely out of the picture. If anything goes wrong, the blame is shifted conveniently on USA,
India or Israel. Policy makers, over the last fifty years have cleverly put all the garbage of their illthought policies at, and directed all public heat towards the door step of these three countries, using
terms like threat, conspiracy, deceit, let down, and betrayal, thus absolving themselves of any
guilt and preventing themselves from all sorts of accountability.
Who is responsible for this situation? The answer is simple. We are responsible. As Walter Kelly said;
We have met the enemy and he is us. We have become our own enemy. We are watching the
situation around us, we can feel that something is not just right but we are constantly displaying
diffusion of responsibility towards the public affairs, being run by worst of the worst, insatiable
opportunists, with no objective merits to lead. We need to examine the reality. We need to
understand that representation by a crime syndicate can never be an honest representation for the
victims of its malfeasances and atrocities. We will have to quit our subservience to the ideologies,
and demand our rights as humans, citizens and individuals. The problem isnt the politicians or
bureaucrats or establishment, the problem is the system itself. A system that doesnt value life,
dignity, self-respect and well-being of the common man, a system that doesnt provide justice,
equality, equity, peace and security, cannot last for long and must be replaced. There is no short term
solution to the multidimensional problems we are facing. The concept of bureaucracy, invented by
the British, during the era of imperialism must be thrown into the dust bin. Complete overhauling of
Police and law enforcement agencies, liberating them from political influences, providing them with
state of the art training and equipment and replacing all the rotten eggs with fresh blood.
Restructuring of courts and judiciary, enabling and empowering them to provide timely justice for all
alike. Restoration of merit in all fields of life. Detailed audit of public and external debt taken in our
name. Proper accountability of the robber barons without any discrimination. These are our
requirements. Most importantly, we will have to educate all the children, the next generation without
discrimination. We will have to teach them to see through the faade of pretense. This is a key
prerequisite for the change. Education doesnt mean getting a degree and finding a job. It means
knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge to understand whats going on and wisdom to change it.