Criticising: In the line of fire

We as a nation are emotional people.

I as a part of this nation, accept that I’m emotional in some matters.

When it comes to the respect of the country, who else other than the respected Government be held responsible. The honorable President and the honorable Prime Minister being two of the top positions.

I, myself, was a great fan of the President Pervaiz Musharaf. Back in 1999, when Pervaiz Musharraf was the Chief Guest in my universitiy’s convocation, meeting him (in fact greeting him) and listening to his thoughts made me believe the government was in safe hands.

Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, again, was a member of the board of trustees of our university and I had an opportunity to meet him personally. I admire and saluted these two personalities, Abdul Qadeer Khan more, though.

Now comes in the reason of this post being here, the book, “In the Line of Fire” the fire which has ignited in many hearts.

What are the duties of a president? I Don’t know really! But yes, when it comes to the respect of the country, the honor of the Nation, the pride of the country-men, I feel sorry to say I abhor people who make money selling the sake of the country.

No, no, not Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, Mr. President this time it’s you. The book might make you a billionaire, but the respect you would be losing is a big loss (unless you have really lost your sense of respect)

“ If your name is to live at all it I so much more to have live it in people’s hearts rather than their brains.”

Dr Abdul Khan lives in our hearts, we salute him. Not only because he is a national hero as awarded by the Government of Pakistan, but also because our hearts accept him as a hero.

He might have sold the technology to other countries, but did he ever portray a bad image of the country in front of the world?????

Mr. President, a big hand in awarding Dr. Qadeer Khan the award, was it a political reason to award him? And now is it a matter of money to tell the world what a dreadful ogre he is?

The harshest of the words I have ever read (off course in the books review, not the book as yet) humiliating the person who was awarded as the hero of the nation!( Amused)

The acceptance of the Muslim League (Q) formation on the advise of Mr. Tariq Aziz, to have a platform for his own thoughts, doesn’t it violate the constitution? Doesn’t it defy the oath that is taken by every soldier joining the military to be a neutral part of society? Rather than creating an environment of discrimination?

If yes, than be great (like you held Dr. Khan answerable) be accountable to the public and give reasons for doing so, (justify your mistake) apologies the nation.

No personal dark secrets of his own mentioned in the book?? An angel? Huh?

I have not read the book, but incase I had, this boldness is least expected.

If you have an image, our country has an image. If an important person, a national Hero asks for forgiveness from the countrymen, why cannot another?

(Said in lieu of the formation of ML (Q) by “the President”)

Is this the independence we talk in our country?

I expect a serious ban on other blogging engines that is what can be done!

Reference:
The president claims that Dr Khan had been involved in nuclear proliferation since 1987, offering to share the technology with whoever was willing to pay.

“We were once informed that a chartered aircraft going to North Korea for conventional missiles was also going to carry some ‘irregular’ cargo on his behalf. … We organised a discreet raid and searched the aircraft before its departure but unfortunately found nothing. Later, we were told that A.Q.’s people had been tipped off and the suspected cargo had not been loaded.

“On another occasion, I was informed that A.Q. had requested clearance of a chartered cargo flight (bringing ammunition) from a third country to Islamabad, ‘including refuelling stops both ways at Zahedan in Iran.’ …I disallowed permission to land in Iran. Some days later, I was informed that the aircraft had never come to Pakistan after all. Evidently, the ammunition was probably a cover for something else.”

The president recalls that although Washington had been raising suspicions about Dr Khan’s activities since the Clinton days, in September 2003 at the UN summit, President Bush “drew me aside and asked me if I could spare some time the next morning for the CIA director, George Tenet.

“It is extremely seriously and very important from your point of view,” he said. I agreed.

“Tenet arrived at my hotel (Roosevelt in New York) suite the next morning … drew out some papers and placed them before me. I immediately recognized them as detailed drawings of Pakistan’s P-1 centrifuges … with part numbers, dates, signatures, etc.

“I did not know what to say. I have seldom found myself at a loss for words, but this time I was. …I told Tenet that I would like to take the papers and start an investigation. He obliged.”

The president took the papers to Dr Khan and placed them before him. “He broke down and admitted that he felt extremely guilty. He asked me for an official pardon. I told him that his apology should be to the people of Pakistan and he should seek his pardon from them directly.”

In the book, Gen Musharraf describes Dr Khan as a man who had ‘a great talent for self-promotion and publicity and led the public to believe that he was building the bomb almost single-handedly.

“He was such a self-centred and abrasive man that he could not be a team player. He did not want anyone to excel beyond him or steal the limelight on any occasion or on any subject related to our strategic programme.

“He had a huge ego, and he knew the art of playing to the gallery and manipulating the media. All this made him a difficult person to deal with.”

Source : The Daily Dawn.