The only way of winning the war against terror is by inundating the region with primary schools, basic health facilities, vocational training programs, and team sports. There is a large Pakistani-American Diaspora successfully engaged in such endeavors. It can show the way of winning hearts and minds.
Lamentably, the US Government, the State Department, the Defense Department have yet to connect with this very useful resource. They have yet to emulate the Pakistani-American example. Their priorities must change. The sooner, the better.
For can anyone deny that the United States actions in Muslim countries so far have only resulted in breeding 1000’s of committed terrorists bent on harming the West? Drone strikes, bombardment, deployment of ground troops at a cost of billions of $ in the tribal belt between Pakistan and Afghanistan have substantially increased acts of terrorism. It is hardly realized that the cost of one deadly "Drone Aircraft" approximates the money needed to place almost 5 million poor children into Universal Primary Schooling and building 500 sports or basketball courts and providing 10,000 basketballs. We are also a witness to the tragic fact that placing of armed Xe or Ex-Blackwater private soldiers in major cities of Pakistan is only bringing untrackable suicide bombers into the financial centers of the country.
It is time for a change. The Pakistan-American community can deliver. Yes, we can!
Nov 10, 2009
Should I LAUGH or should I CRY or just say HELL with trying to help Pakistan
It has been very challenging 8 years for me trying to do some revolutionary poverty alleviation work in Pakistan combined with bringing special skills and creating jobs in Pakistan. Most people would have giving up long time ago and many I know have. Unfortunately I am stubborn and get more excited and challenged when things don’t work. As long as I see the “LED” light at the end of the tunnel I will not give up.
Reasons I am having these problems:
1) I prefer using the system and process in place that everyone else uses instead of “Sifarish” or “Favor” from people in Islamabad or at local level.
2) I am not willing to give gifts or bribes.
3) I am not willing to pay huge “Duty” and “Taxes” when exporting my “Alternative Energy” donated products out of KEPZ Karachi into Pakistan.
4) Policy makers and Policy implementers not on same page.
5) Process implementers not accountable, corrupt, and illiterate.
Case 1: Immediately after the devastating 2005 earthquake in Pakistan I had my KEPZ Karachi assembly plant stop everything and assemble 11,500 latest technology LED Flashlights to be rushed to earthquake areas through a highly qualified NGO called NRSP. I personally supervised the completion of these emergency use Flashlights and started export process of donating these free to earthquake areas in December 2005. After all the Red-Tape and Bureaucracy I was able to legally hand over the Flashlights to NRSP in March 2007.
Case 2: In January 2009 I had set a goal of donating 1000 Solar Charged LED Lanterns to 1000 huts in the poorest area of Sehwan Sharif, Dadu District in Sindh. It is now 10 months and I cannot get clearance from customs authority at KEPZ or FBR to export these LED Lanterns out of my KEPZ Assembly plant to a qualified NGO for delivery to 1000 poor households in Sehwan to serve purely donation purpose. The FBR Notification under S.R.O 575 (1)/2006-35 (f) is declaring tax exemption on solar powered lights if certified by AEDB ( Alternative Energy Development Board). NGO gets required certification from AEDB but KEPZ customs authority rejects and now requires written permission from Big Boss in Islamabad FBR office. We are now contacting concerned custom collector to resolve this issue. The story thus goes on and on…..
Reasons I am having these problems:
1) I prefer using the system and process in place that everyone else uses instead of “Sifarish” or “Favor” from people in Islamabad or at local level.
2) I am not willing to give gifts or bribes.
3) I am not willing to pay huge “Duty” and “Taxes” when exporting my “Alternative Energy” donated products out of KEPZ Karachi into Pakistan.
4) Policy makers and Policy implementers not on same page.
5) Process implementers not accountable, corrupt, and illiterate.
Case 1: Immediately after the devastating 2005 earthquake in Pakistan I had my KEPZ Karachi assembly plant stop everything and assemble 11,500 latest technology LED Flashlights to be rushed to earthquake areas through a highly qualified NGO called NRSP. I personally supervised the completion of these emergency use Flashlights and started export process of donating these free to earthquake areas in December 2005. After all the Red-Tape and Bureaucracy I was able to legally hand over the Flashlights to NRSP in March 2007.
Case 2: In January 2009 I had set a goal of donating 1000 Solar Charged LED Lanterns to 1000 huts in the poorest area of Sehwan Sharif, Dadu District in Sindh. It is now 10 months and I cannot get clearance from customs authority at KEPZ or FBR to export these LED Lanterns out of my KEPZ Assembly plant to a qualified NGO for delivery to 1000 poor households in Sehwan to serve purely donation purpose. The FBR Notification under S.R.O 575 (1)/2006-35 (f) is declaring tax exemption on solar powered lights if certified by AEDB ( Alternative Energy Development Board). NGO gets required certification from AEDB but KEPZ customs authority rejects and now requires written permission from Big Boss in Islamabad FBR office. We are now contacting concerned custom collector to resolve this issue. The story thus goes on and on…..
Oct 31, 2009
What Will $1.5 Billion Per Year United States Assistance for Pakistan Do? NOTHING!
For over 50 years, Pakistan has paid a heavy price for the one-sided friendship with the United States. Disunity, corruption, personal and party gains in Pakistan have marred the national scene. The absence of a “National” agenda and “Unity” provided an ideal opportunity to the outsiders to take advantage of the disconcerting situation.
For 50 years, multi-million dollar annual economic and military assistance has been appropriated by the United States for Pakistan. Very little or none of this assistance has ever reached the people or the intended projects in Pakistan. It is only now that this is being talked about and people are asking where the huge amount of money has gone. And this wholesome change has come about only after the Pakistani Americans started coming together and connecting with lawmakers in Washington D.C.
See TIME Oct 1 issue article by Ken Stier
“Are Development Dollars in Pakistan Being Well Spent?”
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1927018,00.html
See The NEWS Oct 31 issue article by Umer Cheema
“92 per cent of USAID projects go to US NGOs”
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=205974
Loyalty and friendship with the United States have cost Pakistan Billions. America can never make up for the stupendous losses. US Taxpayers and Pakistan have been ripped off for 50 years. Blissfully, President Obama, Secretary Clinton, Ambassador Holbrooke and Washington DC Lawmakers appear sincere about correcting the mistakes of the past. But they just have not figured out how. Some of us could help, if asked.
For 50 years, multi-million dollar annual economic and military assistance has been appropriated by the United States for Pakistan. Very little or none of this assistance has ever reached the people or the intended projects in Pakistan. It is only now that this is being talked about and people are asking where the huge amount of money has gone. And this wholesome change has come about only after the Pakistani Americans started coming together and connecting with lawmakers in Washington D.C.
See TIME Oct 1 issue article by Ken Stier
“Are Development Dollars in Pakistan Being Well Spent?”
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1927018,00.html
See The NEWS Oct 31 issue article by Umer Cheema
“92 per cent of USAID projects go to US NGOs”
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=205974
Loyalty and friendship with the United States have cost Pakistan Billions. America can never make up for the stupendous losses. US Taxpayers and Pakistan have been ripped off for 50 years. Blissfully, President Obama, Secretary Clinton, Ambassador Holbrooke and Washington DC Lawmakers appear sincere about correcting the mistakes of the past. But they just have not figured out how. Some of us could help, if asked.
Sep 15, 2009
Is Pakistan’s Sovereignty and Land being sold off
Is Pakistan’s Sovereignty and Land being sold off in Bits and Pieces so that no one in Pakistan will notice until it is too late to do anything about it?
Aug 21, 2009
Ex-President Musharraf was the Worst President in the History of Pakistan. A List of his Failures.
• As President he had no right to behave like a Human Being.
• He had no right to have a Sense of Humor in a Nation that is always Sad, Crying, and Miserable.
• As President, he had no right to enjoy Music or Sing as ordinary people do.
• As President he failed to demonstrate a ‘Me First’ agenda that most Pakistanis unabashedly have.
• He wasted time in trying to mold Pakistan into Jinnah’s Pakistan. Instead, he should have spent his time in first breaking and destroying and then once again trying to rebuild like many leaders of the past.
• He did not embark on the destructive Vendetta Politics digging up Graves and pulling out old Skeletons.
• His singular fault was that he empowered women and allowed too many into the National Senate, the Parliament and the Provincial Governments.
• He empowered the media, made it bold and free, and allowed it to indulge in constructive criticism of Pakistan’s leadership.
• He and his immediate family forgot to borrow huge bank loans, transfer the loan money to other global hidden accounts, then default and seek to be forgiven.
• Whenever he appeared on the TV he had Jinnah’s picture visibly behind him.
• He encouraged arts, crafts, acting, singing in Pakistan.
• He forgot to buy properties and palaces around the world.
• He surrounded himself and listened to some bad advisors.
• He was too soft most of the time and allowed bad guys to benefit.
• For the first time in the history of the country, academics and scientists won the patronage of the Federal Government. They got better pay scales and special allowances. Higher education got a boost and the number of universities multiplied. So did R&D undertakings.
• It was Musharraf’s folly to introduce the local government system which gave a marked impetus to developmental activity. The face of the major industrial city dramatically changed. It appeared poised to look like any other modern city of the world.
• He promoted the “PAKISTAN FIRST” slogan.
• He had no right to have a Sense of Humor in a Nation that is always Sad, Crying, and Miserable.
• As President, he had no right to enjoy Music or Sing as ordinary people do.
• As President he failed to demonstrate a ‘Me First’ agenda that most Pakistanis unabashedly have.
• He wasted time in trying to mold Pakistan into Jinnah’s Pakistan. Instead, he should have spent his time in first breaking and destroying and then once again trying to rebuild like many leaders of the past.
• He did not embark on the destructive Vendetta Politics digging up Graves and pulling out old Skeletons.
• His singular fault was that he empowered women and allowed too many into the National Senate, the Parliament and the Provincial Governments.
• He empowered the media, made it bold and free, and allowed it to indulge in constructive criticism of Pakistan’s leadership.
• He and his immediate family forgot to borrow huge bank loans, transfer the loan money to other global hidden accounts, then default and seek to be forgiven.
• Whenever he appeared on the TV he had Jinnah’s picture visibly behind him.
• He encouraged arts, crafts, acting, singing in Pakistan.
• He forgot to buy properties and palaces around the world.
• He surrounded himself and listened to some bad advisors.
• He was too soft most of the time and allowed bad guys to benefit.
• For the first time in the history of the country, academics and scientists won the patronage of the Federal Government. They got better pay scales and special allowances. Higher education got a boost and the number of universities multiplied. So did R&D undertakings.
• It was Musharraf’s folly to introduce the local government system which gave a marked impetus to developmental activity. The face of the major industrial city dramatically changed. It appeared poised to look like any other modern city of the world.
• He promoted the “PAKISTAN FIRST” slogan.
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