Imran Khan's "American Connections" & Israeli too:)

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, Imran Khan, on Sunday set one-month deadline for the government to stop the US drone attacks or his party would block the supply routes for the Nato troops based in Afghanistan. “I warn the government to force the US to stop the drone strikes or we will launch a long march towards Islamabad and also block the supply route for the Nato forces,” he told the concluding session of the two-day sit-in staged at the Bagh-e-Naran Chowk in Hayatabad against the drone attacks and supplies to Nato forces through Pakistan. The main supply route for the Nato troops in neighbouring Afghanistan was blocked and no supplies were delivered for the last three days. Several thousand party workers and supporters, including women from all over the country, participated in the sit-in. Imran Khan requested Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to fix a date at the earliest for hearing the writ petition filed by his party six months ago against the US drone attacks. “The chief justice should provide justice to those who lost their loved ones in the drone attacks,” he said, adding that the air strikes by the unmanned US aircraft were promoting terrorism and radicalising the society. Imran Khan also demanded that reporters and human rights activists be allowed to visit the drone-hit areas so that they could investigate and find out whether those killed in such attacks were terrorists or innocent tribal people. “Those who say that drone strikes kill terrorists should be ashamed of themselves. According to international law, a man is innocent until proven guilty. Under which law the US attacks the people in tribal areas?” he questioned. He said those attacking the innocent people were the real terrorists. He said the people in the US and the United Kingdom were against the so-called war on terror but unfortunately the policymakers in both the countries as well as in Pakistan indulged in the war for their vested interests. During the protest sit-in for two days, the excited party workers danced to the loud music played at the venue. Also “Go America Go!” was the most popular slogan during the proceedings. REFERENCE: Nato route to be blocked if drone attacks continue: Imran Tauseef-ur-Rahman Monday, April 25, 2011 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=5514&Cat=13&dt=4/25/2011 

Moral Turpitude & Imran Khan

URL: http://youtu.be/NGRoShfAVEY

Washington DC- Congressman Bruce Braley, Democratic congressman from Iowa has demanded the US admistration to pressure the Govt of Pakistan to immediately provide the same level of security for Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari that he enjoys himself. In a letter dated Jan 7, 2007 to President Bush, he also urged the US admistration to make accessible all assistance including sending a US investigation team to probe into the brutal murder of two time prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Congressman Braley, who serves on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reforms, Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Small Business had also written a similar letter demanding the immediate release of Imran Khan on Nov 20th, 2007 to President Bush. REFERENCE: US Congressman Bruce Braley demands high level of security for Imran Khan & other political leaders By Salman Shuaib Saturday, January 12, 2008 http://www.insaf.pk/News/tabid/60/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/726/US-Congressman-Bruce-Braley-demands-high-level-of-security-for-Imran-Khan-other-political-leaders.aspx 

Imran Khan in Houston to discuss Pakistans future

URL: http://youtu.be/2rTSfAPkVbk

"QUOTE"

US Congressman Bruce Braley demands high level of security for Imran Khan & other political leaders http://www.insaf.pk/Portals/0/1-7-2008%20Braley%20letter%20to%20Bush.pdf

Braley signed Hoyer-Cantor letter to Secy. Clinton from 327 House members

Dear Secretary Clinton:

We are writing to reaffirm our commitment to the unbreakable bond that exists between our country and the State of Israel and to express to you our deep concern over recent tension. In every important relationship, there will be occasional misunderstandings and conflicts. Our valuable bilateral relationship with Israel needs and deserves constant reinforcement. As the Vice-President said during his recent visit to Israel: "Progress occurs in the Middle East when everyone knows there is simply no space between the U.S. and Israel when it comes to security, none. No space." Steadfast American backing has helped lead to Israeli peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan. And American involvement continues to be critical to the effort to achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

We recognize that, despite the extraordinary closeness between our country and Israel, there will be differences over issues both large and small. Our view is that such differences are best resolved quietly, in trust and confidence, as befits longstanding strategic allies. We hope and expect that, with mutual effort and good faith, the United States and Israel will move beyond this disruption quickly, to the lasting benefit of both nations. REFERENCE: Commitment to unbreakable U.S.-Israel bond. Commitment to unbreakable U.S.-Israel bond. http://www.issues2000.org/House/Bruce_Braley_Foreign_Policy.htm 

"UNQUOTE"

Monday, April 25, 2011, Jamadi-ul-Awwal 21, 1432 A.H
http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/apr2011-daily/25-04-2011/col5.htm

http://ejang.jang.com.pk/4-25-2011/Karachi/pic.asp?picname=06_05.gif

"QUOTE"


http://www.insaf.pk/Media/Pictures/tabid/106/galleryType/SlideShow/ItemID/826/AlbumID/57/Default.aspx

Imran Khan thanks Bruce Braley By Ahsan Mansoor

Monday, December 24, 2007

December, 3rd 2007

The Honorable Bruce L. Braley

Member, Congress of the United States

Washington, DC Office

1408 Longworth Building

Washington, DC 20515

Dear Congressman Braley,

I refer to your letter of Nov 20th 2007 to President Bush. I am writing to express my gratitude for your strong stance on ending the state of emergency, restoration of constitution, release of all political prisoners and protection of opposition leaders in Pakistan. I was deeply touched by your words especially demanding my release from prison.

As you know, Pervaiz Musharraf has announced that his government will be holding general elections in Pakistan in January, 2008. I would like to bring to your attention factors that will render the elections farcical resulting in a non representative and ineffective parliament.

1- Consolidation of powers in the office of the President – In the last eight years since taking over the government through a military coup, Musharraf has systematically removed all systems of checks and balances that are essential to the working of a democracy. Specifically, through the 17th amendment in the constitution, he has also taken over many powers that should be resting with the Prime Minister in our parliamentary form of democratic government. A recent Gallup poll suggests that 82 % of Pakistanis want Musharraf to go.

2- Subversion of an Independent Judiciary – The only thing standing in the way of Musharraf and absolute power was an independent judiciary under Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudry. By illegally declaring emergency rule (actually martial law ), Musharraf removed all the independent judges (60 out of a total of 95 ) from the senior judicial system of Pakistan and replaced them with relatively unknown people, who are widely perceived as his allies. With all the independent judges under arrest, who will monitor the elections and provide justice to the aggrieved parties? My political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, along with several other major political parties in Pakistan and civic groups all over the country have decided to boycott the upcoming elections until and unless the independent judges are restored to the pre Nov 2nd 2007 status.

Congressman Braley, I request you to educate and inform your colleagues in the United States Congress that without the restoration of an independent judiciary, elections in Pakistan will neither be fair nor acceptable to a majority of Pakistanis and will lead to further unrest and turmoil.

I write to you not as a politician but as an individual concerned about the fundamental rights of a people of the world to another who shares his concerns.

Once again thank you for your efforts in requesting for my release.

Warmest Regards,

Imran Khan

Chairman, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice)

http://insaf.pk/News/tabid/60/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/689/Imran-Khan-thanks-Bruce-Braley.aspx 

"UNQUOTE"

People sang, danced and shouted for an end to US missile attacks as leaders made speeches. Mr Khan also demanded that teams of media organisations and human rights groups should be allowed to visit the tribal areas to investigate whether those killed in drone attacks were terrorists or innocent people. He said problems could not be resolved through wars and the use of guns, adding that talks were the only way to solve them. He offered to help in talks between the government and the Taliban. “The American people do not know that drones are killing innocent women and children,” he said, adding that if they were apprised of the facts protests would be held against the US government by the American citizens. REFERENCE: Imran warns of march on Islamabad By Ashfaq Yusufzai | From the Newspaper (12 hours ago) Today http://www.dawn.com/2011/04/25/imran-warns-of-march-on-islamabad.html 

Mr. Imran Khan says that American People don't know:) Well that was new because if Imran is getting help from a US Democrat Congressman then Imran Khan and all those nincompoops who were with him yesterday's "Yahoo Show" should read this Democratic Administration Breakup.

=======================================================

Barack Hussein Obama II [President-elect of the United States]

Doesn't matter whoever is president, Pakistan will be in hot water anyway until we change our own attitude. We need to improve our condition first and stop asking for aid, be independent. We need a leader for Pakistan, we have no real leader.'[Khalil Ahmed, 60, art teacher talking to Dawn News Channel]

What change Sir? There is no change forget it. Have you closely watched the selection of Mr Obama for his incoming Administration?

A Man Is Known By The Company He Keeps!

US President Barack Obama would enjoy the Excellent Company of a Zionist, A Former CIA Chief i.e. a Contra Crook and last but not the least a Hindu Fascist.

Rahm Israel Emanuel [White House Chief of Staff for US President Barack Obama's Administration]

Rahm Israel Emanuel, Obama, and Israel - Read more:

http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2008/11/rahm-israel-emanuel-obama-and-israel.html

Robert Michael Gates [US Defense Secretary under Barak Obama administration]

On December 1, 2008, President-elect Obama announced that Robert Gates would remain in his position as Secretary of Defense during his administration.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Do read as to who is praising Robert Gates. Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Advisor to US President Jimmy Carter. Zbigniew is the man who is the architect of the original Afghan Mess which we called Jihad[Cold War of 70s

Lets have a look at the past of Robert Gates.

US President Obama would enjoy the Excellent Company of Robert Gates:

Meet Robert M. Gates, Iran-Contra Crook and Bush 41 CIA Chief

ROBERT GATES i.e. Contra Crook:

Meet Robert M. Gates, Iran-Contra Crook and Bush 41 CIA Chief

An Iran-Contra crook and ex-CIA chief is immediately greeted as a sane, grown-up yet “fresh” replacement for the delusional old Donald Rumsfeld. Even more fun, Gates’ nemesis Daniel Ortega was elected president of Nicaragua on Monday. You may remember Ortega as the Sandinista leader who fought off the Contras in a long bloody “civil war” in large part engineered by … Oliver North, William Casey and deputy CIA director Robert M. Gates, among others. North, a convicted felon and official fall guy for Iran-Contra, was in Nicaragua last week campaigning against Ortega. History doesn’t just repeat itself; it repeats itself with the same exact people.

Robert Parry Part I: The Original October Surprise •

Robert Parry Part II: The Original October Surprise•

Go to Original

Part III: Original October Surprise By Robert Parry Consortium News Sunday 29 October 2006

Editor's Note: Part 3 of our series about the "Original October Surprise" of 1980 addresses the troubling question of whether disgruntled CIA officers collaborated with their former boss, George H.W. Bush, to sabotage President Jimmy Carter's Iran-hostage negotiations - and thus changed the course of U.S. political history.

October Surprise

With little more than a month to go before the U.S. election, Republicans and Iranian representatives continued to meet in Washington. Indeed, one of the first public references to secret Republican-Iranian contacts was to a meeting at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel supposedly in late September or early October. Three Republicans - Allen, Silberman and Robert McFarlane, an aide to Sen. John Tower - have acknowledged a session with an Iranian emissary at the hotel. But none of them claimed to remember the person's name, his nationality or his position - not even McFarlane who purportedly arranged the meeting. In early October, Israeli intelligence officer Ari Ben-Menashe said he learned from superiors in Israel that Carter's hostage negotiations had fallen through because of Republican opposition, according to his memoirs, Profits of War.

The Republicans wanted the Iranians to release the hostages only after the Nov. 4 election, Ben-Menashe wrote, with the final details to be arranged in Paris between a delegation of Republicans, led by George H.W. Bush, and a delegation of Iranians, led by cleric Mehdi Karrubi. Also present, Ben-Menashe wrote, would be about a half dozen Israeli representatives, including David Kimche, and several CIA officials, including Donald Gregg and Robert Gates, an ambitious young man who was considered close to Bush. At the time, Gates was serving as an executive assistant to CIA Director Stansfield Turner. In retrospect, some of Carter's negotiators felt they should have been much more attentive to the possibility of Republican sabotage. "Looking back, the Carter administration appears to have been far too trusting and particularly blind to the intrigue swirling around it," said former NSC official Gary Sick. By October 1980, however, Carter was clawing his way back into the presidential race, with the possibility that an Iranian hostage settlement still could change the dynamic of the campaign. Sensing the political danger, the Republicans opened the final full month of the campaign by trying to make Carter's hostage negotiations look like a cynical ploy to influence the election's outcome. On Oct. 2, Republican vice-presidential candidate George H.W. Bush brought up the issue with a group of reporters: "One thing that's at the back of everybody's mind is, 'What can Carter do that is so sensational and so flamboyant, if you will, on his side to pull off an October Surprise?' And everybody kind of speculates about it, but there's not a darn thing we can do about it, nor is there any strategy we can do except possibly have it discounted." With Bush's comments, Carter's supposed "October Surprise" was publicly injected into the campaign. But there was "a darn thing" or two that the Republicans could do - and were doing - to prepare themselves for the possibility of a last-minute hostage release, including gathering their own intelligence about the Iranian developments. Little scraps of news and rumors about the hostages were rushed to the campaign hierarchy. Richard Allen recalled one urgent memo he wrote when he was told by a journalist that Secretary of State Edmund Muskie had floated the possibility of a swap of military spare parts for the hostages. Like a scene in a spy novel, Allen coded the journalist as "ABC" and Muskie as "XYZ" and compiled a quick memo on the hot news. "I breathlessly sent this out to the campaign, to [campaign director William] Casey, to [pollster Richard] Wirthlin, to [senior adviser Edwin] Meese, I think [to] the President and maybe [to] George Bush."


The big October Surprise question, however, has always been whether the Reagan-Bush campaign sealed the deal for a post-election hostage release with direct meetings in Paris between senior Iranians and senior Republicans, including vice presidential candidate George H.W. Bush. The idea of Bush slipping away during the final weeks of the campaign for a secret trip to Paris has always been the most explosive part of the October Surprise story and, for many, the most implausible. The secret trip would have required the cooperation of at least a few Secret Service agents who would have had to file inaccurate reports on the candidate's whereabouts and activities. The trip also would have carried a high political risk if exposed, though the senior George Bush's experience at the CIA had taught him a lot about how to contain embarrassing disclosures especially when a national security claim could be asserted. If a flat denial didn't work, perhaps he could have tried a patriotic cover story about trying to get the hostages home when Carter couldn't. But often the most effective tactic is simply to deny, deny, deny. Ben-Menashe said he was in Paris as part of a six-member Israeli delegation that was coordinating the arms deliveries to Iran. He said the key meeting occurred at the Ritz Hotel in Paris. "We walked past the vigilant eyes of the French security men to be confronted by two U.S. ecret Service types," Ben-Menashe wrote in Profits of War. "After checking off our names on their list, they directed us to a guarded elevator at the side of the lobby. Stepping out of the elevator, we found ourselves in a small foyer where soft drinks and fruits had been laid out." Ben-Menashe said he recognized several Americans already there, including Robert Gates, Robert McFarlane, Donald Gregg and George Cave, the CIA expert on Iran. "Ten minutes later, [cleric Mehdi] Karrubi, in a Western suit and collarless white shirt with no tie, walked with an aide through the assembled group, bade everyone a good day, and went straight into the conference room," Ben-Menashe wrote. "A few minutes later George Bush, with the wispy-haired William Casey in front of him, stepped out of the elevator. He smiled, said hello to everyone, and, like Karrubi, hurried into the conference room. It was a very well-staged entrance. My last view of George Bush was of his back as he walked deeper into the room - and then the doors were closed."

http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/65/23474

“In the Spring of 1982, Iraq teetered on the brink of losing its war with Iran,” Teicher wrote. “The Iranians discovered a gap in the Iraqi defenses along the Iran-Iraq border between Baghdad to the north and Basra to the south. Iran positioned a massive invasion force directly across from the gap in the Iraqi defenses. An Iranian breakthrough at the spot would have cutoff Baghdad from Basra and would have resulted in Iraq’s defeat. … In June 1982, President Reagan decided that the United States could not afford to allow Iraq to lose the war to Iran.” Teicher wrote that he helped draft a secret national security decision directive that Reagan signed to authorize covert U.S. assistance to Hussein’s military. “The NSDD, including even its identifying number, is classified,” Teicher wrote.

The effort to arm the Iraqis was “spearheaded” by CIA Director William Casey and involved his deputy, Robert Gates, according to Teicher’s affidavit. “The CIA, including both CIA Director Casey and Deputy Director Gates, knew of, approved of, and assisted in the sale of non-U.S. origin military weapons, ammunition and vehicles to Iraq,” Teicher wrote. In 1984, Teicher went to Iraq with Reagan's special envoy Donald Rumsfeld to convey a secret Israeli offer to assist Iraq after Israel had concluded that Iran was becoming a greater danger, according to the affidavit. “I traveled with Rumsfeld to Baghdad and was present at the meeting in which Rumsfeld told Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz about Israel’s offer of assistance,” Teicher wrote. “Aziz refused even to accept the Israelis’ letter to Hussein offering assistance because Aziz told us that he would be executed on the spot by Hussein if he did so.”

Beating Bush at 'Information War' By Robert Parry March 16, 2005

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2005/031505.html

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2005/031505.html

According to the Teicher Affidavit given in a 1995 Miami criminal case, Robert Gates was very involved in the Iran-Contra Affair. This contradicted Gates' earlier assertions he was "left out of the loop." Gates apparently helped funnel weapons to Iraq as others sold arms to Iran. As reported by Consortium News, "The effort to arm the Iraqis was “spearheaded” by CIA Director William Casey and involved his deputy, Robert Gates, according to Teicher’s affidavit. “The CIA, including both CIA Director Casey and Deputy Director Gates, knew of, approved of, and assisted in the sale of non-U.S. origin military weapons, ammunition and vehicles to Iraq,” Teicher wrote."

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2005/031505.html

Additonally, Gates was integral in the original "October Surprise." TruthOut reports that Gates was involved in a meeting with Iranian representives to plan the timing of the release of American hostages held in Iran during President Carter's term. "With little more than a month to go before the U.S. election, Republicans and Iranian representatives continued to meet in Washington. Indeed, one of the first public references to secret Republican-Iranian contacts was to a meeting at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel supposedly in late September or early October. The Republicans wanted the Iranians to release the hostages only after the Nov. 4 election, Ben-Menashe wrote, with the final details to be arranged in Paris between a delegation of Republicans, led by George H.W. Bush, and a delegation of Iranians, led by cleric Mehdi Karrubi. Also present, Ben-Menashe wrote, would be about a half dozen Israeli representatives, including David Kimche, and several CIA officials, including Donald Gregg and Robert Gates, an ambitious young man who was considered close to Bush. At the time, Gates was serving as an executive assistant to CIA Director Stansfield Turner."

http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/65/23474

http://www.truthout.org/docs2006/102906C.shtml

Chapter 16

Robert M. Gates

Robert M. Gates was the Central Intelligence Agency's deputy director for intelligence (DDI) from 1982 to 1986. He was confirmed as the CIA's deputy director of central intelligence (DDCI) in April of 1986 and became acting director of central intelligence in December of that same year. Owing to his senior status in the CIA, Gates was close to many figures who played significant roles in the Iran/contra affair and was in a position to have known of their activities. The evidence developed by Independent Counsel did not warrant indictment of Gates for his Iran/contra activities or his responses to official inquiries.

The Investigation

Gates was an early subject of Independent Counsel's investigation, but the investigation of Gates intensified in the spring of 1991 as part of a larger inquiry into the Iran/contra activities of CIA officials. This investigation received an additional impetus in May 1991, when President Bush nominated Gates to be director of central intelligence (DCI). The chairman and vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) requested in a letter to the Independent Counsel on May 15, 1991, any information that would ``significantly bear on the fitness'' of Gates for the CIA post.

http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/walsh/chap16.htm

http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/walsh/chap_16.htm

The Iran-Contra Affair 20 Years On

Documents Spotlight Role of Reagan, Top Aides

Pentagon Nominee Robert Gates Among Many Prominent Figures Involved in the Scandal

National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 210

Richard Cheney

now the vice president, he played a prominent part as a member of the joint congressional Iran-Contra inquiry of 1986, taking the position that Congress deserved major blame for asserting itself unjustifiably onto presidential turf. He later pointed to the committees' Minority Report as an important statement on the proper roles of the Executive and Legislative branches of government.

Robert M. Gates

President Bush's nominee to succeed Donald Rumsfeld, Gates nearly saw his career go up in flames over charges that he knew more about Iran-Contra while it was underway than he admitted once the scandal broke. He was forced to give up his bid to head the CIA in early 1987 because of suspicions about his role but managed to attain the position when he was re-nominated in 1991. (See previous Electronic Briefing Book)

John Negroponte


the career diplomat who worked quietly to boost the U.S. military and intelligence presence in Central America as ambassador to Honduras, he also participated in efforts to get the Honduran government to support the Contras after Congress banned direct U.S. aid to the rebels. Negroponte's profile has risen spectacularly with his appointments as ambassador to Iraq in 2004 and director of national intelligence in 2005. (See previous Electronic Briefing Book)

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB210/index.htm

Sonal R. Shah [HINDUTVADI]
She is basically an Indian and was appointed to the Obama-Biden Transition Project led by John David Podesta in November 2008 and is the head of Global Development Initiatives, the philanthropic arm of Google.org

Sonal Shah and Hillary Clinton

Introduction of Sonal R. Shah as per Indian Press:

1 - Obama Advisor's Disturbing Affiliations In India

http://www.countercurrents.org/jose121108.htm

By Vinod K. Jose 12 November, 2008 http://www.countercurrents.org/

The economist of Indian origin on President-Elect Barack Obama's transition team, Ms. Sonal Shah, has one dubious credential on her resume--her relationship with the Hindu extremist group, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). This militant group was held responsible for the genocidal pogroms against Muslims in the western Indian state of Gujarat in 2002 that killed 2,000 people and rendered 100,000 homeless. Ms. Shah was the "National Coordinator" for the VHP in North America . So the lingering question is: why hasn't the Obama team vetted enough on Ms. Sonal Shah's Hindu extremist connections?

2 - Obama's Indian By Vijay Prashad 12 November, 2008 Counterpunch

http://www.countercurrents.org/prashad121108.htm

The likely suspects have picked up the phone and moved to the transition headquarters. Among them is a former CAP fellow and now Google employee, Sonal Shah. Shah is well known in the South Asian American community, and is a fixture in the Washington liberal circuit. The latter know her for her Democratic credentials, most of which seem to lie somewhere between neo-liberalism and welfare liberalism. The bleeding heart pauses, but then ticks again to the tune of pragmatism. This is perfect material for the CAP, which is hardly enthusiastic about the Democratic Leadership Council’s total commitment to triangulation (which means capitulation to conservatism), but it is not averse to a little political calculus itself. Shah, a product of the University of Chicago, shined her corporate shoes at Anderson Consulting (who was Enron’s accountant), which probably made it easier for her to go into Clinton’s Treasury Department, where she helped Robert Rubin put a U. S. stamp on the post-1997 Asian economic recovery. The corporate side was balanced with an interest in the ideology of “giving back.” When Bush took office, Shah went to the Center for Global Development, and while there joined her brother Anand in forming Indicorps. Knowing full well the desire among many South Asian Americans to give back to their homeland, the Shahs created an organization to help them go and volunteer in India, to do for them what the Peacecorps did for young liberals in the 1960s. Shah left the CAP to work for Goldman Sachs, and then went to Google. Shah’s story is not unlike that of most of the CAP fellows, many of whom honed their dexterity at trying to reconcile the irreconcilable, capital and freedom, private accumulation and human needs.

But there is a less typical side to the Shah story. Born in Gujarat, India, Shah came to the United States as a two-year old. Her father, a chemical engineer, first worked in New York before moving to Houston, and then moving away from his education toward the stock market. The Shahs remain active in Houston’s Indian community, not only in the ecumenical Gujarati Samaj (a society for people from Gujarat), but also in the far more cruel organizations of the Hindu Right, such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Overseas Friends of the BJP (the main political party of the Hindu Right) and the Ekal Vidyalaya. Shah’s parents, Ramesh and Kokila, not only work as volunteers for these outfits, but they also held positions of authority in them. Their daughter was not far behind. She was an active member of the VHPA, the U. S. branch of the most virulently fascistic outfit within India. The VHP’s head, Ashok Singhal, believes that his organization should “inculcate a fear psychosis among [India’s] Muslim community.” This was Shah’s boss. Till 2001, Shah was the National Coordinator of the VHPA.

Mr. Imran Khan can even go to the extent of blackmailing to stop US Drone Attacks, even if the victim is a personality like Abdul Sattar Edhi

Q. Have you ever been approached by political or other groups for support?

A. Once, I was approached by General Hamid Gul, Imran Khan and few others, mostly military and intelligence officials, who were conspiring to overthrow Benazir Bhutto`s second government and wanted me to get involved. I declined because I am a social worker and not a politician. I also did not want to tarnish the credibility of my organisation by getting embroiled in something that obviously seemed quite disturbing. Eventually, I was made to feel threatened enough to temporarily leave the country.

Abdul Sattar Edhi, the founder of the Edhi Foundation, is unarguably the most renowned philanthropist in Pakistan. - Eefa Khalid/Dawn.com

“Pakistan is at a critical make-or-break stage” By Qurat ul ain Siddiqui March 15, 2010 http://archives.dawn.com/archives/66970 

Abdul Sattar Edhi, the founder of the Edhi Foundation, is unarguably the most renowned philanthropist in Pakistan. He began his work in 1951 with the opening of a free, one-room medical clinic in Karachi. Currently, his foundation runs 250 centres across the country and houses more than 2,000 children at any given time.

The centres also provide free burial of unclaimed bodies, free health care and dispensaries, rehabilitation of drug addicts, free assistance for the handicapped, and family planning counselling. Over 6,000 destitute, runaways, and mentally challenged individuals are also in the foundation`s care. The Edhi Foundation has also managed to raise the largest single fleet of ambulances in Pakistan, providing transportation to over one million persons annually. The foundation is also involved in relief efforts for victims of natural and other disasters on a national and international level.

Dawn.com speaks with Edhi to gauge how the foundation has been affected by the ongoing political and security situation.

Q. Your foundation is involved in a range of activities. How do you decide what projects to pursue?

A. My work involves supporting those who have no one to look after them. That also involves looking after the dead bodies and arranging a respectable burial for them. I cannot say no to anyone.

Q. Is there any part of the country where your organisation has encountered problems owing to the security situation?

A. We have never had any serious problems with anyone. There have been incidents reported by our workers and volunteers regarding hide-snatching [during Eid-ul-Azha] in the past, but we are operating as we always have. In fact, we are also planning to establish centres in Tank and Hangu. Even the Taliban haven`t made any trouble for us; they donated money to the foundation and said they did so because I was helping those who couldn`t help themselves.

Q. The foundation has accepted donations from the Taliban; does that mean that you agree with their ideology?

A. No, I do not. I also told them that I do not agree with all the violence and destruction and the effect it has on people`s lives. To that, they said they were not behind the attacks that targeted civilians and ordinary people.

Q. What is it that makes your angry?

A. I don`t get angry – it`s not in my nature. Sometimes [my wife] Bilquis and I have arguments, but that`s all.

Q. Do you think philanthropic organisations such as yours cause the state to further abscond from its civic responsibilities?

A. If the state can ensure that all who are subject to pay taxes do so, that would be a good enough start. If people were to honestly pay their taxes and also give charity, it would solve more than half of the country`s problems.

Q. In 2008, eight children were abandoned by three women at an Edhi Foundation centre. The foundation later paid the families Rs. 100,000 each to take the children back. Are pay-offs of this kind effective when the root causes for children being abandoned are not addressed?

A. Pay-offs are, of course, no solution, and we normally do not hand out money like that. Usually, we give shelter to children whose families abandon them, primarily for monetary reasons. The day people stop abandoning their children at our centres, I will believe that things are changing in Pakistan. But that does not seem to be happening. It is also quite clear that the government does not get actively involved, so I have no hope of people getting support from the state.

Q. No hope? Isn`t that a fatalistic position to take regarding the state machinery?

A. It is. But how can I have hope in a state that is being exploited by the current system – a system that is itself being manoeuvred by groups with no commitment to the people of this country. The whole political frame as it currently exists has to reinvent itself before we can even begin to hope for change in Pakistan.

Q. Have you ever been approached by political or other groups for support?

A. Once, I was approached by General Hamid Gul, Imran Khan and few others, mostly military and intelligence officials, who were conspiring to overthrow Benazir Bhutto`s second government and wanted me to get involved. I declined because I am a social worker and not a politician. I also did not want to tarnish the credibility of my organisation by getting embroiled in something that obviously seemed quite disturbing. Eventually, I was made to feel threatened enough to temporarily leave the country.

Q. How do you see the future of Pakistan?

A. I will continue to do my work and serve the people. However, Pakistan is now at a critical make-or-break stage, and if the system does not undergo a major overhaul, I am afraid that the country may even break up. Given the current conditions, it will take nothing short of a calculated, studied revolution to change things and save Pakistan.

The writer can be contacted at quratulain.siddiqui@gmail.com