One who escaped the hangman's noose......

Major General (R) Naseerullah Khan Babar died yesterday in Peshawar (10 January 2011). He was the principal architect of the Taliban in 1993, "Robber in Chief" of the priceless Scythian and Buddhist antiquities of Kabul Museum - and a typical rascally drunkard Pakistani general, politician and pompous bandit, faithful dog, lackey and longstanding servant of his British and American imperialist godfathers. In his latter days, he was allied to the late and most lamented and martyred Bandit Queen of our politics......


It is most dissapointing to see that this flabby old pig died peacefully of natural causes without being brought to account for his heavy record of crimes - and that he didn't live till the time that he could be suitably tried and disposed off at the end of a hangman's rope, or by facing a firing squad.......

The way the wind now blows in Pakistan.....

It is now abundantly clear which way the wind is blowing in this country - after the murder of Salman Taseer: it seems likely that we will get a revolution against the dysfunctionality and corrupt decadence of the much hated traditional elites of our state and society - but it will not be the kind of progressive or secular or non-religious ideology that me or you desire or wished for - but a dark Islamic fundamentalist cultural upwelling.....European thought and genuine superior culture/progress stand discredited not only due to the excesses of the capitalist hue that European culture has acquired since the dark victory of the US World Order in 1991 - but also because the West is now synonymous with modern (European) culture in the inferior eyes of the Pakistani common man.........and it is seen as the supporter of our Westernised corrupt ruling elites, which is true...............who was it, after all, that introduced the perilous combination of revitalised Islam and runaway chaos and open corruption in this society? The Western powers, who lord it over the world, together with their Pakistani elite henchmen were responsible for this...the resultant consequences of which will now blow back squarely into their faces......It serves these dark forces of evil right, if nothing else............

The murder of Salman Taseer has revolutionized the direction in which the diseased Pakistani state and its ramshackle society were drifting. It was an event with paradigm-shifting significance.......now the state has finally been openly disobeyed by the mobs comprising undeniably large majority sections of the pakistani populace itself...our "democrats" and their American backers emphasised the "voice of the people" ad nauseum; well here it finally is....Like it, eh?

Now it remains to be seen what the world will do regarding the coming Pakistani social upheaval.... Western world power is beset with troubles, and to prophecy its decline is not an overstatement.....nearby world powers like Russia and China - which are more sensible in realistic decision making than the liberal, "free" West will undoubtedly dislike the coming developments and recognise their destabilising nature - and may well consider taking the appropriate steps......

The murder of Salman Taseer - a watershed development in the downward spiral of the Pakistani state.......

The Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, was assasinated the other day in Islamabad by his own police guard. Taseer had stirred controversy by befriending a poor Christian woman, who was accused of "blaspheming" the prophet of Islam - and was sentenced to death for this under this law. The guard was of a similar opinion, and after "doing his Islamic duty", calmly gave himself up to his collegues - and also said as much.

Taseer, who was also half-English, was among the very few that can be categorised as being better from among the debauched and dissolute corrupt coterie he belonged to - the Pakistani ruling elite. Besides being a politician of sorts, he was basically an honest, self-made businessman, who pioneered the field of chartered accountancy in Pakistan, as well as initiating several pioneering ventures in the IT, telecom and media/publication sectors of the Pakistani economy. It was because of the same candid and forthright nature of his, that he spoke out unabashedly against the so-called "blasphemy law" - the way one should. He was a brave man - but then, unlike the run of the mill of his Pakistani neocolonial liberal elite class counterparts who like to portray themselves as the champions of progress (in the form of debauched drink parties and drug "raves", presumptive English accents and fashion shows....) - he had the moral courage to do what he did and stand for; that was because, like in my case, his mother was an old-school Victorian-reared English lady......it was Taseer's English blood speaking in him, not his Pakistani side (otherwise he would have been just like the rest we see around....). It was his English blood too, that expressed his broadminded sympathy for a victimised Christian....none of the others would have gone to these lengths, not even the traditional lip service they always so profusely offer.

The deed has been done, and its origins in the Jihadi mischief first sown by the corrupt and gangster Punjabi military state of Pakistan can clearly be seen. But rather than simply regarding this event as the shameful murder of a remarkable man, it needs to be seen in its larger symbolic context: it marks a watershed event, a point-of-no-return in the steadily spiralling loss of control being suffered by our gangster elite, to the vile Islamic germs of their own previous creation, that have now turned against them....It can be said to have set a precedent for what is to come....Of course, decisive measures and bold steps would be prescribed in this situation - but does this decrepit elite have the moral credibility and calibre and simple writ left, to do so? I think not. This has presented them with a challenge of survival. In addition to their corruption, they are pathetic: they now imitate the decadent liberal trends of their Western patrons and godfathers - "civil society", clothed in fancy designer apparel and Gucci shades, lighting candles and leaving teddy bears and bouquets at the site. This has been the case ever since the banner of progress and global influence passed into "Western" hands in 1991; most thought it signalled the start of a new global paradigm for humanity (like Mr. Francis Fukuyama)...but alas, this vision turned out to be a mirage, letting down those who thought that Stalinism would give way to a joyous bourgeios "free" world......during the past 20 years. When "Islamising" this society in the 1980s - the otherwise drunkard Pakistani generals had the support of their US godparent - which thought it would also come in useful in their anti-Soviet strategy, as well as for extinguishing the Afghan revolution. The elite was hunky-dory, thinking that it would remain protected and insulated from the Islamic "medicine" they were spreading in their society - within the confines of their cocoon of plush drawing rooms, drinking their Black Labels and Blue Labels till they were silly; and they laughed, thinking they could use these Islamisation measures to control and exploit the simple peasantry which really believes in all this stuff...this gave rise to a duplicity that in the end not only deceived the liar himself....but also caught them neatly by their bollocks in the end. What a horrendous miscalculation! The wind blew the poison back, squarely in their face! Their American overlords had the same smug ilusions, that the Islamic virus they were unleashing in Central Asia, would remain in the region and do their dirty work for them - but never make it to fair Western shores.....

There are some strange inconsistencies in the events of Taseer's assasination however, that need explaining. Was the fanatic guard acting of his own volition? He is later reported to have said that he discussed his plans with his fellow guards...indeed, they didn't restrain or shoot him as he did the deed. Was he egged on, or set up secretly by others, who wanted rid of Taseer, for other reasons? Taseer after all, was a formidable adversary. These aspects will need investigation....

So what to do now? As I said - it is a bit too late, but if I were at the helm of this decayed, sinking ship, I would have done what I could in emergency steps. The first step would be to tackle the assasin in a direct and summary way without much complex "legal" ado, of which our Punjabi compatriots and other ethnic Indians seem to be very fond, and preoccupied with: after straightening out the details of the case, this man should be hanged publicly, so that he can quickly be dispatched to "heaven", to meet his "martyr's reward" of 75 "houris" to which such people are (said to be) "entitled"......the body should then be cut and the dismembered pieces tarred and gibbeted publicly, as in the old English style, to serve as a long standing warning to others...better people have had this treatment in history....and I would even consider executing his siblings and close family alongside of him - to drive the message home more effectively, as we now seem to have no dearth of the martyr types........that not only them but their whole damned tribes will stand to pay for such acts.

The liberal "democrats" and fashionistas, with gaudy educations from Cheltenham and Wellesley Colleges - in Prada shades with Louis Vuitton bags may retch and retort with loud yells at my suggestions; and numerous "amnesty" and "sans frontiéres" oganisations in London and Paris and the like will join in the indignant chorus with them..... but then they are not really acquainted with the dark and extreme characteristics of the unwashed of their culture and society to which they claim to belong and administer from their Coco Chanel cocooons and Bahria Town gated enclaves.....and they need telling that the whole world is not the West, and neither will it ever likely be.

And why should we stop at Mumtaz Hussain Qadri? All those - especially in the past 30 years - from generals, politicians and mullahs who were involved in the Jihadi mischief need to be hunted down and ferreted out and tackled similarly. Only on such a path can effective struggle be initiated and sustained somewhat hopefully..but canit be done now? Is there even a modicum of calibre left for initiating such measures? Do they have the moral sanction, courage and abilities? Can the debauchs now known as politicians, and at the helm of power in this crumbling state machine undertake such measures? Who will "bell the cat", and can "cast the first stone?".....this is not a matter of Pakistan alone, but of almost all its constituents.....if tomorrow Pakistan falls apart, the same problems will beset its successors too.......

Sh*tfield Haven...........

In Pashtun areas, just as in most of the Subcontinent and Central Asia, public toilets are negligibly found; the few that exist are in such a state, that it would make a proper person ill just to set foot in them. "Our" toilet culture and habits, like all else, is dirty. And most rural peasant houses don't even have them. So fields are used as toilets, with the word "empty" in Pashto signifying the act of relieving oneself, while "full" means easing oneself.....Muslim men are traditionally obliged to do the former against any convenient wall or drain, in an elaborate crouching manner; whereas fields are used for the "full" work, given its nature. These fields are not just limited to village ones, but any empty plot of land in residential areas, including posh ones will serve the purpose. When we were kids in the 1970s and early 80s, our house in Peshawar's posh University Town suburb had just one such field adjacent, which was used by most servants (including our own) and many passers by.....we grew up, used to living with the fecal stench hanging in the air. Being naughty, we often used to climb onto the roof to watch the "proceedings". Of course, normally all the "doers" were carefully shrouded under a "tent", made by putting the traditional sheet or "saadar" ("Chaddor") that Pashtun men carry as a part of their dress in all seasons; it comes in handy for such purposes. But at night, there was no such botheration under the cover of darkness. I often used to take a torch with me onto the roof to flash on "suspects", and even used a catapult on occasion on the defecator. One night, the field was particularly full at a given time, as there were many voices coming from it. I quickly ascended to the roof,with my torch, which revealed 5-6 men sitting around the field, in full "view"....I then shone my torch carefully on each, "spotlighting" them.........a volley of complaints and abuse followed....Of course, I am not only recounting this childhood escapade to tell readers about the real worth of "our" Neolithic culture alone - but my shining the torch on those defecating men that night seems very similar to what Julian Assange of WikiLeaks has recently done, in revealing thousands of murky "classified" documents about disgraceful goings on in the world.......

The current US Obama regime (not "administration") says doing this is "reckless", and may "put lives at risk"....pray, the lives of whom? Those who invade countries on doctored pretexts? Those who have cooked up Islamic terrorism, and revived its terrible culture - to serve their own nefarious ends? They NEED to die....they SHOULD die, be put to death.....they are the scum of the earth, just like those lowly Pashtun defecators.......their mischief and activities have made the world a bad place....

PAKISTANI SOCIETY'S EXTREMISM AND HYPOCRISY REVEALED

No matter what our two-pence ha'penny politicians may try to do in order to obfuscate the truth about their society, truth will out - always....as it has in the four news articles detailed below, from one edition, regarding "public outrage" across Pakistan at the possible amendments to the infamous "blasphemy law". It can only be said that this means that the general Western impression about Pakistani society is true - that it is a society of extremists on the whole.......something that the politically correct scum of the mainstream will denounce as propaganda, "stereotyping" and "paranoid anti-Islamism"............not so. "Pakistan", they say, "is an enlightened society, and our religion is the fairest in the world, a religion of peace and tolerance giving equal rights to women and minorities like no other........" Yes, indeed......the articles below speak for themselves. Our last military president Musharraf went to great lengths to expound repeatedly to the world that "only 10% of the society consists of radicalised miscreant extremists and terrorists, while 90% is peaceful and enlightened..." I would reverse that statement, and modify the values somewhat to put it thus: "about 5% here can be termed as being balanced and reasonable - or indifferent - in outlook, while the rest of the great 95% majority are violently disposed, and are generally of inflammatory and bigoted tendency in their religious outlook................." and I might add that sadly the great bulk of my Pashtun society is now spearheading this Pakistani Islamic extremism and revivalism (and indeed in Afghanistan - as well as on the global level), over and above the rest of their compatriots and co-religionists.....no doubt giving the lie to the politically correct nonsense and feel-good denial touted around by impotent minority politicians and sidelined "nationalists" about how "peace loving and law abiding" Pashtun society is, and how these innocent poor tribal souls are getting pounded and minced by US Drones every hour of the day.....of course the naked truth is hated by those worthless politicians with "vested interests" and the NGO groupies and "neoliberal" types - who now rule the world as the accessories and legionnaires of the American empire's dark global order.......... So sample this bitter truth in the articles below:



Nation protests any change in blasphemy law

http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=3047&Cat=13&dt=1%2F1%2F2011



City shuts in protest at bid to change blasphemy law

http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=23255&Cat=4&dt=1%2F1%2F2011



Amendment to blasphemy law: Peshawar observes complete shutdown

http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=23320&Cat=7&dt=1%2F1%2F2011



Protests staged across KP - at proposed amendments in blasphemy law

http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=23322&Cat=7&dt=1%2F1%2F2011

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The article below is about another related, yet very interesting phenomenon: it highlights another favourite proclivity of the intensely "devout" Pakistanis - one which is expressly forbidden by their "extremely beloved" religion - drinking...but this is an indulgence which they manage to reconcile alongside their religious vehemence without any compunction at all. The fact that they manage to accommodate these two glaring contradictions side by side very comfortably, and without the slightest qualm.... all serves to give some very penetrating insights into the nature of the particular collective psychopathology at work in this social cesspit. Such schizoid duplicity is second nature in this society, and is completely acceptable and considered as "normal" here. In fact, those who eschew such warped attitudes are considered as simpletons or "abnormal" here. Yours Truly is also from among this abnormal minority......

No doubt, if you confront these people regarding their negative behaviour, like rascals they will always try to drown you in loud and contentious argument, instantly attributing their woes to "foreign conspiracies" and "interference"...many others will straight-facedly proffer the equally rascally explanation, that since Muslims are the followers of God's best and most favourite religion, Satan is given to focusing his exclusive attention on Muslims in order to tempt them most....the followers other religions, you see, aren't worth that much.....but like all good specimens of the Devil's brood - if that expression may be used - they will never own up to their multiple unsavoury realities honestly, for what they are, and as being inherent within them....for that would mean a transformation of soul they will never be prepared to make, as long as they exist, I am sure.

Of course, their drinking and the accompanying hypocrisy wouldn't be that reprehensible, if they did not make such an untoward and violent exaggeration of their "religious sensibilities"...but it appears that they are as extreme in getting drunk as they are in their bigotry. Their excessive drinking and accompanying hypocrisy not only reflect greed, but the former may also be a form of behavioural release mechanism - for the people of this culture and society are highly egotistic, and highly inhibited and therefore highly unstable and insecure by nature......



10 million Pakistanis drink alcohol

http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=2991&Cat=13&dt=12%2F29%2F2010%EF%BB%BF

Aryans of Asia

Aryans of Asia??? Probably - but Aryan waste, Aryan shit.....Scythian clunker, not worthy of that great name.....that is what they actually are - and have become.......

Pashtuns and "foreign powers"

BELOW IS A DIALOGUE ON FACEBOOK I HAD WITH A ZEALOUS YOUNG ANP ACTIVIST, NOW STUDYING LAW IN ENGLAND. I REPRODUCE IT BELOW TO ILLUSTRATE THE TYPICAL ATTITUDES PREVALENT AMONG THE YOUTH OF TODAY CONCERNING THIS ENORMOUS PROBLEM, THEIR "STRATEGY" AND ITS FLAWS......

THE TOPIC STARTED OFF WITH THE USUAL REFRAIN OF HOW MISERABLE PASHTUNS NOWADAYS ARE, AND HOW FOREIGN POWERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THIS.........MY COMMENT WAS THE FIRST........

ME: Well if they are so disillusioned, they have only themselves and their backward loving reactionary mindset to blame. You can not be reactionary and expect to eat the fruits of progress in one go....progressive Pashtuns like me have suffered and been threatened by my own people on that count....let them rot in the juice of their own doings.....

REPLY - Mrs. X: And many other external and internal factors as well along with their own shortcomings.The most important one is their geo-strategic location.

REPLY - Mr.Y: We've been the victims of geopolitics, and understandably so because we happened to be on the borderland of colliding empires, limiting our options, if not in absolute control of others. And Now. Well,the physical geography goes nowhere.

It's unjust, if not unwise, to attribute externally imposed choas and confusion to a society relatively too weak to withstand the overwhelming attacks. Hypothetically, but logically such chaos and confusion can very well be imposed anywhere, even in modern western societies with enviable socio-economic indicators. I mean, it's not that difficult to create Waziristan in Newyork or London; all you need is a complicit or otherwise a relatively weak state unable to neutralize another meddling state.

It's tempting to find escape, as western coalition do now, but is ridiculous to confuse and loss the themes of political science in Sociology.

ME: Sorry Mrs. X, and Mr. Y - but my life's experience is at variance with the opinions expressed here by you both; my experience as a Pashtun, in the present conditions as well as a human being.......

To put it in the words of simple everyday wisdom (that even peasants can fathom), leaving aside the intricacies od Political Science and Sociology, let's face it, we have been too apologetic in excusing ourselves of what has befallen us. The way I see it, if a person has integrity and proper character, no external force or entity can do "shaitanay" to him....we, on the other hand, are notorious in the world for selling our brothers, and murdering our cousins.....pointing fingers at others is almost always the refuge of the scoundrel, and unless we really master true self-criticism and stop looking for a gaggle of excuses, then we will deservedly be bound for oblivion...I will be the first to invite it. I think that at present, we constitute the largest population of excuse makers on the planet. And we are getting what we deserve for that, but this is only the start......

REPLY - Mr. Y: Akhunzada Sb, I can understand, and at times share your frustration. Agree, its absurd to externalize all our problems. But the point is we shouldn't take that to the extent that all the fault lies in our own society. Reasonably the faults ...you're referring to; well every society has its own problems and shortcomings, but we have to look to society on a more generalized and extended level of its historical character and conduct.

I refer to the collusion of empires; just consider the political response of our society. The sweeping social reform based political movement spearheaded by Bacha Khan on this side of the Durand line, and pashtuns as a nation stood by him rendered heroic sacrifices. Across the Durand consider Ghazi Amanullah khan efforts to reform and modernize pashtun society, though that was an effort from the top. This was most reasonable national response to challenges of that time. Now it's not fair to attribute failure to the leadership and society. The fact is we couldn'd withstand the overwhelming force of global powers having most of the world countries behind them out to set the course of future global politics.

There is a consistent historical pattern: domination is not possible with local collaboration and pashtun is no historical exception.

What I'm trying to say is that we somehow need to balance our criticism because our society needs some morale boasting for sensitizing them to face these grave challenges.

ME: My friend, Pashtuns seem to have more than our share of what others have - treachery, mutual backbiting and fractiousness....I know you are young, and like to idealise things....and all youth wear rose tinted glasses! So did I...I speak fro...m years of disillusioning experience. At one time, I literally fought to impose my views. That was before I experienced the knocks and vicissitudes of age and the wisdom it brings. Sorry to sound downbeat, but I just want others to realise........

True, Ghaffar Khan and Amanullah - and many others - did spearhead earnest efforts; but none of those possessed sufficient momentum, nor did they even leave an appropriate legacy; what legacy do we have now of Bacha Khan? The ANP? That makes me smile.....What legacy do we have of Amanullah's Afghan modernism? Nil.

Many societies have their heroic annals of struggle against world powers. And they succeeded. But they were not like us. And they also possessed a rare combination of ideological élan as well as political abilities and fighting skills.....Cuba, Vietnam and China come to mind. In our case, the Khalqis and Parchamis of PDPA used mostly to lecture each other in order to intimidate; they frequently pulled pistols in Central Committee meetings....I witnessed a lot f such episodes. One can not make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, sorry.

The morale boosting you mention is only appropriate when you have an audience that respectfully listens to you - not a pack of snarling dogs, waiting to outdo each other for every morsel thrown their way.....I think they all know what is afoot, yet can't give the slightest damn until they think they can accrue some tiny piece of personal profit from it. That wasn't true in Ghaffar Khan's era, but that was a different time altogether, with different values....US Globalism and immigration were not even visible on the most distant horizon.....

REPLY - Mr. Y: Akhunzada Sb, lets agree to disagree on this.

I do not in anyway attribute more value to the person, character and vision of Nelson Mandela , than I do to Bacha Khan. The organization and conduct of ANC members and the society they were draw...n from, for that matter, would fell far behind KK and pashtun society. This is purely merit based, and very dispassionate without any emotional influences.The goons of ANP are highly civilized than the ANC had. Politics are never conducted, nor are agendas pushed, in vacuum. Context is always important.

The sad reality is that we are not able to engage our own people in a language they can understand and appreciate.

Further, every nation and ethnic group has passed through its various social phases, but ours has been an imposed social formation. Orakzai and Wazir and mehsud are as tribal as they were at the time of Babur and no respectable historian would blame these people for this. So the parochialism and social ills have always been the realities of of any tribal society, and must be seen with reference to socio-economic of society to help us avoid rash stereotyping.

Or do we have any problem in our DNAs?

ME: One of our major mistakes is to perceive ourselves as being of the modern European nation-state style nationalist mould. Nothing could be further from the truth, as our failures have shown. We are at best "tribal nations", and will happily ...remain so until basic cultural changes occur; these will be dismissed by most as removing the very essence of Pashtunhood.There is nothing imposed about it. Correct: we are as good now as we were in 1526......that is the sad aspect. Our context always seemsd to remain the same. That is why history has ripped our society apart, not transformed it qualitatively.

"No respectable historian would blame them for this...." Yes.....but this society lacks the inner impulse of change that motivated others; other societies needed no leader in the sense that you say; it is only when they were ready that the leader appeared, like the conductor of an orchestra - with the orchestra playing itself, and not under the direct orders of the conductor......that is what Lenin said about a leader playing the role of a historical midwife only, although I do not entirely agree, but in the modern context that holds true.

As for the ANP and ANC, no comparison can be made...the ANC waged a relentless practical struggle, while Ghaffar Khan held rustic ("killiwal") meetings in villages and repaired roads and wells, and talked of non-violent brotherhood - a notion alien to the Pashtun tribal psyche; it was only momentarily successful at the time, as Gandhi had set the trend in Indian polity then, and it rubbed off onto the KKs. What happened to this philosophy in the Pakistan era, when Ghaffar Khan associated with the NAP? The ANP now is the faithful lackey of American imperialism, and will go down with the Pakistani state and the American world system when the time for that comes.And it isn't very far off.

REPLY - Mr.Y: If we've to succeed to have to move on to the modern nationalist mould and must do away with the divisive identities on broad political front. Basic cultural changes will go hand in hand with the socio-economic development and political mob...ility, both reinforcing each other. The historical context never changed, and so the social formation.

I'd partially agree; urge to change find leaders for itself, and this would vindicate pashtun society. On a general regional comparison of nations/ethnicities' political expression for its urge to change, there is no comparison of pashtuns. Say, which other nationalist force can match pashtun nationalists and the political backing it has? The visible degeneration resulted from a consistent onslaught orchestrated by a state with the backing of global powers in the last sixty years. However it has stayed its course, and has its partial but remarkable successes.

Bacha Khan's reforms has its lasting and deep impacts on pashtun society and has set a historical course of its own. And by the way, the political set backs and dust of wars could not reverse these.

I've no taste for American imperialism, but again we have to be realistic; by essentially following that formal , we've to make a choice between American Imperialism and Blackleg's Imperialism.Afghanistan's stability will always remain a determinative factor in our successes and failures on this side of the Durand. On a broader look 9/11 has been a game changer in pashtun politics, and hence the ANP's support for international coalition in Afghanistan, notwithstanding the horrors of terrorism in which ANP has its fair share. In fact, since dark nineties all the nationalist forces had their eyes on international intervention in Afghanistan. What was unfortunate was that they couldn't do proper homework.

ME: About doing this, that and the other, my friend - proposals are plentiful; too many in fact, but "who will bell the cat?" Who is there among us who can command the respect of these brash egotists and subdue them with the force of his person...ality, while not tempted by corruption at the same time?....Or as in Pushto: "Da gaz, ao da maidan..." You talk of cultural changes here, agreed; my basic line is a modernising cultural transformation too, but the present corruption ridden mode of Pakistani social mobility and changes is so stunted, that superior culture here is taken as a form of elite intimidation, not overall beneficial social empowerment.

I can't see what Ghaffar Khan's reforms did - other than create another dynastic political legacy, which became Pakistani in the end. I myself remained in the ANP as a student in the crucial 1980s. I saw the "genuine" ANP then, and not the unthinkably pro-American one you guys are touting now. Besides, my cousin Bashir Matta was a important leader in it, and twice remained senator. Even he, after all the sacrifices he has given for Pashtun nationalism - is disillusioned with Pashtun nationalism now, in his 70s, after having sampled Achakzai also.......

I don't know what you mean by Blackleg's imperialism; but what do know is this that America has sown the seeds of corruption here, by promoting cynical and shameless tendencies in politics...the ANP is no exception, having shredded its old anti-imperialist reputation (which Ghaffar Khan gained it) by becoming part of the imperialist bandwagon at a time when the days of US imperialism are themselves numbered. It could have avoided this, but in doing so it proved that it has no real ideological spine. Ideology still matters, and you will soon see proof of this.You are right in saying that the powers that be didn't do their proper homework, and America is notorious for its shoddy homework. But then I will venture to add, that working with the wayward and wild Afghan mentality itself is an impossible task. And I would only commend myself if I had the self-sufficiency of character to need no foreign mentor whatsoever, to follow.

I agree that we need a lot of deep, textural changes for which Pashtuns are not prepared, nor will their rigid egotistic mentality accept it. An important thing to note here, is the general tendency of our young Pashtuns (and I am not that old either, so I should know.....)living and getting educated in the salubrious climes of the West nowadays, tend to get a bit divorced from the ground realities of their own society and culture and start assessing it as they would a civilised European culture. That pitfall is enough to damn everything.

REPLY - Mr. Y: Akhunzada sb, I've no love lost for US Imperialism, and I believe, nor has the ANP. War riddled state of Afghanistan needs support of international community for a transition to viable functional state, and lacking global powers there is no... such thing called "international community". This is a functional reality we've to accept and can't risk losing everything in idealism, or to be more specific, in internationalism.

The blacklegs imperialism (blacklegs: as their Afghan proxies usually deride them) is the paki-mil's efforts to engulf Afghanistan, and this imperialism is more dangerous than the worst imaginable imperialism, for this has much higher cost - the cost of existence as a nation. In given situation in Afghanistan, any one either support the US presence, US Imperialism or call whatever your want; or otherwise the Blacklegs' imperialism. This doesn't mean that we reduce (or should) ourselves to an instrument of American agendas. This is not about character and foreign mentor, but the desperate need for a power to push back the overwhelming onslaught and have some space to manoeuvre.

We can go on and on with arguments. You're very much entitled to your opinions, and let me mention, I've no doubt about your intelligence and understanding. The point I want to make is that , yes we have our problems, many shortcomings which really constrains our ability to fight, but these shouldn't be overstated. We have to live with certain undesirables and try to contribute whatever we can and move forward. Pashtun is a bit difficult creature,and we just shouldn't alienate ourselves from the very people and society we wish to reform and develop.

ME: Thank you for your kind regards Mr. Y. I have no doubt about the honesty of your well intentioned youthful zeal either - except that is major shortcoming is the lack of experience and testing, which often turns out to be the major flaw....... If your contentions are worth anything, then may you succeed where others have not...

Of course I believe in the veracity of my assertions, and I tend to rely, as most people do, on my own experience - and that lends me to the proclivities of a moralist reformer and academician in my approach, rather than cynical politics. That is a mature approach, yet there are many mature people around who cling to cynical politics because of their ulterior motives - in simple words, they are bad or "bad niyatta"......All reformers tend to be "outsiders" more or less in their character. They have to be.

I think it will be quite easy - as it is thorny and difficult because of the terrain involved - for any interested power to "play around" with a fractious assemblage of neolithic hillmen and pastoralists who always focus on violence and mutual hostility among themselves when there is no outsider to distract or "unify" them them.

Yes, Pashtuns may be the world's biggest challenge in the form of being an indefatigable nuisance, but they haven't achieved an iota of anything worthwhile.......

Rather than concern myself with the vagaries and intricacies of geopolitics, I tend to look at worth, quality and character in my assessments. The fact that they all lack even a modicum of common courtesy in public can not be attributed to the machinations of foreign powers; I don't see any foreign power conspiracies when I see my people failing to stand properly in a queue; or coughing down my neck or into my face; or driving like dogs on the roads; or displaying naked "badmashi".....for how long will this tragicomical charade, this insult to one's intelligence continue? I see it every day on the two-penny worth talkshows that proliferate every day, on our equally cheap and tinny media channels.....no wonder there is plenty of babble, yet no solution is in sight. It is a fashion to was eloquent on rubbish. I would in fact be thankful to the powers you and others blame so mercilessly; it is because of them that we have the rudiments of a proper law, commerce, roads, hospitals, electricity, press, education and medicine.....don't tell me that Shaikh Malli, Khushal Khan Khattak, Ahmad Shah Baba or Mirwais Niku or the old man Abdul Ghaffar Khan gave us the telephone or electric bulb which we now take for granted so much; those English dogs did.....Pakhtunkhwa was taken over by them in 1849 and ruled for 98 years, and Kabul was not - the result is that Afghanistan proper is still light years behind us.....I do not favour slavism or colonial rule, but are we strong and capable enough to pick up and internalise the positive traits of the colonials, and then kick them out? No, we are mired in our beloved traditions and religion.....and cynical excuse making......so as long as we are not prepared to transform GENUINELY and INTERNALLY: i.e QUALITATIVELY, we will remain floundering here, where we deserve.....under the feet of the mighty ones. Even if we are the poisonous scorpions we are, a scorpion remains on the ground, and is vulnerable to being crushed by a boot. The truth is, we are a parasitical stone age tribal society of toughs, used to robbing and raiding, until the British made us part of their Indian Empire. Prior to that, we could only settle down and rule in foreign lands like the Khiljis, Lodis and Surs - where our forebears like Allaudin Khilji and Sher Shah/Farid Khan did marvellous things. But the one marvellous thing they could not do was rule their own land or change themselves. And that is the basic thing of all. We are in no position to dictate terms, let alone with the dignity we illudedly think we deserve. You are a newcomer to this, but I have been privy personally to the goings-on in Afghanistan even 25 years ago.... I grew up in it, I was present as a student leader when we created the ANP by the merger of the NDP, PNP, MKP and Sindh Awami Tehrik in 1986 - so I don't need telling what the ANP is, or what it wants, thankyou! The activist youth of today are even oblivious to the goings on of the 1990s not to talk of that time.

I concern myself with more practical matters in my assessment of my people's social viability as humans, and that of their future, without which any talk of politics or development would be meaningless. For one, let us take just one of our basic ailments - the strict segregation of sexes, and the compulsorily fixed marriages (you will say that there are many marriages of choice nowadays; I agree - but even once you chose who you like, you have to send the senior women of your family over to "fix" the rest of the arrangements - no two people can get married "just like that" at a government registry; you may retort: "That is our cherished tradition...." I will reply: "It is a bunch of damned rigid pathological nonsense, needing eradication".....). The result of all this extremist segregation (on the pain of death, by honour killing) and fixing of marriages has resulted in homosexual perversion being a dominant and accepted - though denied - trait in our all-male public life......and that isn't normal at all....it isn't even the nowadays "approved" kind of homosexuality as found in the modern West, but a mass psychopathology of twisted sexual instincts finding an outlet. Moreover, you need to pay attention to your abnormal traditions and "codes" and customary notions of "honour"...that rule you lives and behaviour....they are not normal at all: in this male dominated society, most men even have to sport a moustache to "show" and "prove" their "masculinity" and defend themselves from the "paighor" of "unmanliness" and parade it to others. A moustache is not so much a fashion here as it is a trademark and a compulsion. Many here are so used to this and the notion is so inbuilt, that it doesn't even occur to them...No modern society can progress unless it changes its "traditional" attitudes to women and male power - and the time is near at hand in which any society will find it hard to exist if it does not modernise and join the sea of global humanity. It is customary for our bevy of politicians not to acknowledge and concern themselves with these unsavoury truths in public discourse - but it is a matter that can be avoided no longer.