Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board

A R C H I V E S

Pak has no money to spend of earthquake, Musharaf spent it all on US war

Madina Archives


Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board

Pak has no money to spend of earthquake, Musharaf spent it all on US war
abdullahcohn
11/12/05 at 09:04:04
Musharraf Spends $1billion to Prosecute US Foreign Policy while Disaster Areas Face Growing Death Tolls

uploaded 08 Nov 2005



Nearly 4 weeks on after the earthquake, the true devastation that has occurred in Kashmir is now becoming clearer. Entire communities have been wiped out, thousands have been injured and killed, thousands of children have been made orphans and millions are now left homeless at the mercy of the Himalayan winter. Musharraf, by his own admission, has stated that the cost just to re-build the homes in Kashmir will be $5 billion dollars alone. Whilst the regime has got it's begging bowl out, government ministers attend well choreographed 'relief' visits in Kashmir, the folly and callousness of the Pakistani rulers is also becoming clearer. Amidst rumours of aid trucks being looted and the government aid effort being poorly organised, word comes that barely a week after the quake, the regime had spent $1 billion on 6 Saab aircraft equipped with Eriksson's 'land surveillance' radars in a hush hush deal that is now leaking out in the Swedish media. One cannot help but ask that was this the most important priority right now with millions homeless? If so, why did the regime not publicly announce the deal, why has it taken the Swedish media to leak out the details to the rest of the world?

The most novel proposal by Musharraf so far has been that he is going to launch a 'youth movement'. In the words of the general "I am going to use the youth to supplement the Army. I think there is such wonderful momentum but it needs to be channeled and organised". Whilst the youth of Pakistan are no doubt ready with the rest of Pakistanis elsewhere to help their fellow Muslims, is this the best response as a government that the regime can make to deal with the earthquake crisis? It seems more like a public relations gimmick rather than any real tangible help. Indeed one would have thought that utilising and organising all the men in the Pakistan army first would make much more sense. One has been shocked to learn that the very groups Mushrarraf has tried to ban are in some places the only semblance of help the people have been able to access. This in itself proves as absolute rubbish the claims by the regime that these areas were 'inaccessible'. Why is it that these groups have been able to reach these areas and the Pakistan army, with all it's resources, has not?

Musharraf's military campaign in Waziristan is the real reason why he needs to 'supplement' the Pakistan army. This supplementation is not in terms of men alone. The American Congressional Research Office recently estimated in a report released July 2005 that the US is now spending close to about $6 billion in it's occupation of Iraq, maintaining 150,000 troops plus and the associated logistics that come with the occupation. The Pakistani government has 70,000 troops plus and associated logistics, including helicopters, in Waziristan. One would like to ask, just how much is this campaign costing? Contrast this to the regime's known spending on the earthquake disaster. A paltry amount of Rs 1 billion ($16 million) was initially set aside which was then hastily doubled to Rs 2 billion ($32 million). In addition to this a meagre Rs 3 billion ($48 million) has been set aside for compensating victims of the disaster. Is this all the people of Kashmir are worth?

The Musharraf regime has repeatedly claimed that 'democracy' has been restored in Pakistan. The implicit message is that Pakistan now has an 'elected' government, one that serves and is 'accountable' to the people of Pakistan. With horror stories emerging of orphaned children being sold into slavery and prostitution, the Pakistani people deserve some immediate answers. In whose interest is the Waziristan campaign being conducted? Why are Pakistani soldiers killing fellow Muslims there? Should not this campaign be ended immediately and the men and money be switched to Kashmir? The people of Kashmir are burying their dead and crying out for help. Why is Musharraf more interested in serving his foreign masters than his own people?


Source:  Journal
11/12/05 at 09:04:58
abdullahcohn


Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
A R C H I V E S

Individual posts do not necessarily reflect the views of Jannah.org, Islam, or all Muslims. All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the poster and may not be used without consent of the author.
The rest © Jannah.Org