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Now how bad can it be for a president to be criticised by a monarch who is alleged to have asked the Americans to bomb Iran and whose countrymen are still thought to be one of the leading donors to terror organisations like Al-Qaeda? Well, that’s what the recent US intelligence documents uploaded on WikiLeaks suggest.
To a lot of Pakistanis, the leaks were a big fat disappointment. For example, a colleague of mine was wagging a finger at me saying, ‘NFP, these new leaks will expose your president in the worst way possible.’ He was ‘my president’ and not my colleague’s because the guy’s into … ahem …the concept of modern-day caliphs as heads of state. Well, come the day of the leaks and I saw him all glum and gloomy. Sure the president was taken to task by the Saudi monarch according to the leaked documents. Nevertheless what the monarch said about Mr Zardari would have been music to the ears of all the Saudi-philes out there but only if the leaked documents had stopped at that.
What gave my pro-caliphate colleague a sudden bout of embarrassment, inducing depression, was how the same documents then go on to quote many Arab leaders (including the said monarch), asking the US to conduct aerial raids against Iran. Now, I am no fan of the current Iranian leadership; in fact, I find Ahmadinejad suffering from verbal diarrhoea against the West and all things western. However, it is actually this trait of his that has turned him into a hero of sorts among Muslims everywhere.
What a shock then it was for my colleague to read that Arab monarchs had actually instigated their American friends to bomb a fellow Muslim country. But, really, why the surprise? I mean, hasn’t it been clear all along that Arab leadership has always been repulsed by Iran, especially after the 1979 revolution? The truth is, and this goes for a lot of groups with sympathies for Iran in Pakistan too, no matter how loudly they exhibit their spite against Israel, they remain suspect in the eyes of a majority of Arab leaders, or worse, targets of various extremist groups.
I don’t think my pan-Islamic colleague’s shock was due to his surprise over the revelations, because everyone knows about the historical fissures that divide Arabs and Persians. Instead, he was stunned by the realisation that lofty caliph-oriented daydreams that men like him hold so dear would sound ridiculous now that the world knows that one set of Muslim leaders want the ‘infidels to bomb another Muslim country.
He was itching to let loose the tirade that people like him usually unleash once they do not agree with something: It’s a trick. A conspiracy and propaganda against Muslims, blah. But how could he? Not this time. Because had he termed these documents a ploy by Zionists to ridicule Arab leaders, it would also mean that the Saudi monarch’s criticism of Mr Zardari too was not true. Anyway, even if we forget what the Arabs blurted out against Iran, there is an inherent irony in the statement that sees a monarch being unhappy about a president in a democratic country.
The Pakistani president, no matter how unpopular he may have become, remains an elected leader. So what right does a monarch have to show concern about an elected leader of another Muslim country? The Saudi king is supposed to have said that Pakistan cannot progress as long as Zardari holds office. Now, I do wonder, what is the concept of progress to a monarch of a puritanical Muslim state?
Is his disappointment based in the fact that unlike the Ziaul Haq dictatorship, the Zardari regime is not constructing enough mosques or madressas? Is it due to the fact that unlike Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N, Zardari’s PPP has been traditionally more associated with certain populist and indigenous folk versions of Islam in Pakistan that the Saudis scorn at? I am really interested in determining exactly what constitutes ‘progress’ to oil-rich Muslim monarchies, one of which, according to the leaked documents, is hovering at the top as the world’s leading donor nation to terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda.
Yes, sir, no matter how much carnage and madness countries like Saudi Arabia or Pakistan face from the monsters they themselves have created, they just refuse to learn from their follies. In their obsessive-compulsive paranoia that sees many of their citizens stuck in an old Cold War thinking mode as far as countries like Israel, India and US are concerned, they keep feeding merciless ogres whom they believe will fight their egotistical battles against their sectarian, religious and ideological enemies.
The mindset continues despite the fact that in the last one decade, terrorist foot soldiers have spilled more Muslim blood than that of ‘infidels.’ Wikileaks or not, we are suffering from a freaky deluge of a delusion.
NFP: Three cheers for your great article. Keep on writing.
Samuel, Toronto, Canada.
Nadeem, you dont like Iran leadership. Have you seen the comparision data of "Ahmadinejad". how can you say that. he is one the best leaders in the world. he is working day and night to promote his country. He is a humble man, his nation loves him.
Firstly, excellent article! However, I feel that anyone who is reading this article (in English) will tend to agree to your view point. Are these articles translated in to Urdu and published anywhere for the greater masses to at least read these views?
I completely agree with Khalid Butt about his assessment of Mr NFP and Co.
Excellent as usual. To the point as usual. NFP, you hit right to the point.
But then, who is surprised? At least I'm not.
NFP: keep up the great work
i don't know but i just couldn't read the whole of it…
a good article
You hit the nail on the head NFP.
True ,real & logical!
Excellent article. The hypocrites/charlatans have been fully exposed!
Well done in catching the hypocrisy and cognitive dissonance of folks as high as the Saudi monarch down to your 'pro-caliphate' deluded colleague…
We really need to point out and combat the danger of prejudiced and irrational minds who deny reality and live in fantastic lie…its cost Pakistan dearly, most unfortunately the lives of its citizens.
why do i always feel that it is my own inner voice whenever i read NFPs article
Great article
I dont know what rationale is making people show their blind conviction on the veracity of the WikiLeaks documents.
How a Supper power can allow such a organisation to massively divulge their v.v confidential information. Or it may be deliberately machinated and revealed to achieve certain goals!!!
Excellent work Mr Paracha.
Well done.
NH
A very Good Article
Thumbs up for NFP . . . So nicely analysed.
This is the first article of its sort in which NFP makes sense very clear and the reader can get a clear messege. I am very much inspired by NFP thought provoking articles. Keep Going!
Beautifully written. It is a shame that two Muslims countries are not in harmony.
The tragedy is that the Muslims have never been united since the day the holy fouder of Islam(pbuh) passed away.The Muslims should better stop shedding unnecessary tears on fabled,wishful and mythological history of one great united Ummah.
Nice article and a just and fair analysis of the situation the Pakistanis and Muslims are facing!!! I wish people of Pakistan will understand soon that they're being used (or rather misused) in the name of their religion!!! Let's be pragmatic and solve our problems with rationality!!
As to the Wikileaks, whatever people say, I think President Zardari is the biggest beneficiary of it!!
He's turned out to be what he is, but many other so called patriotic, men-of-principles leaders are exposed!
Well said.
Great article Hit right on the spot
Thanks Nadeem for always been commenting and unearthing the hypocrisy.
I've always been a fan of NFP's articles, but i didn't always concur with his views on Mr.Zardari. After the leaks i begin to understand that corrupt or not, the alternatives for Pakistan are even worse. At least he isn't a puppet.
NFP: Great article…despite the last para: "…despite the fact that in the last one decade, terrorist foot soldiers have spilled more Muslim blood than that of ‘infidels.’" – Why should anybody's blood (infidel or Muslim) be shed? Your ending seems to suggest that you would be ok with the mindset had more 'infidel' blood been shed when compared to those of Muslims. Blood is blood – 'infidel' or not.
Raj,
it's quite apprent NFP is being sarcastic with the 'infidel' bit.
@ Raj
You totally misunderstood the last paragraph. NFP said 'infidels'. In inverted commas. This is a way of being sarcastic in written communication. In simple words he is making fun of terrorists who spill non musling blood by calling them 'infidels'. Hope you get the point. Cheers
Mr. NADEEM,
as usual, this is a great article.
Makes one think ! ?
So far Wiki Leaks has said nothing new.
Zardari actually comes out as smart and crafty and brave.
Well,as far as the Arabs are concerned honestly,the less said the better.
Another great thought provoking artical. Great job NFP