How to Sell to Bigger Clients..? Fighting the Demon-Mafia

Fighting the Demons – Selling to Bigger Clients

Video games have fascinated me. Even today, First Person Shoot games like Medal of Honor Allied Assault is still my passionate addiction. What’s more fascinating are the heroic pursuits of heroes battling larger-than-life demons and monsters, in pursuit of getting their dream heroine, caged and locked in the darkest dungeons, where no ordinary access password works, out of the clutches of the demonic-mafia.

Even then, the lone hero does it – dismantles the castle, crushes the skull of the demon and makes the bosses look minions. So how is it cracked..? Well if its a sick Bollywood flick, then its the curse or the prayer of the ever sicker Bollywood mother left with a breath or two but still survives for the next 3 hours and so does the prayer or curse.

If its a Hollywood flick, then its the staff of Gandalf, the illogical wand of Harry potter, or the inherited powers of the fallen gods. But it does end happily.

Now the same is true when pitching larger-than-life clients and brands for selling your solution and product – what’s the first reaction..? A spine chilling feeling running down with a trickle of sweat, a remorse that you can’t beat the odds and the already installed competitor who enjoys monthly maintenance charges for a solution which is 100 years old.

Selling to Bigger Clients

So how to sell larger clients..? No need to curse the client or its sheer pride of credibility it has earned through the years. Well its the preparation – study the clients, get the email addresses, subscribe to the latest updates, connect on LinkedIn, get introductions, study the events, the showcasing of the models, study the competitors of the client – this helps in creating a stronger business cases. Study your competitors on how they have set their foot in the door.

Allow your business case to be justified with a proportionate and comprehensive analysis of the competitor – this operation should be spread well up to 3 weeks to a month and a half. Once all the homework is set, the challenges, big clients have bigger issues. No one has ever reached and experienced Utopia, so the options of improving are just everywhere. The inches we have, are just everywhere around us (Al Pacino from Any Given Sunday).

So pick up a client, start studying, go back to the University level like Harry Potter, crack your knuckles and start the magic. No demon should then be an impossibility if you’re eyeing the crown.

See you at the top.

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Protest in Pakistan

Murder, go Protest. No Electricity, go Protest. No Gas, go Protest. Corruption, go Protest. Low salaries, go Protest. Teachers, go Protest. Poverty, go Protest. America, go go Protest. Qazi, always Protest.

But Protesting without action or strategy is just like pumping the dead body with lots of High grade Oxygen. The dead man doesn’t want to come back, but still PROTEST..!!!

Pakistanis – Remittances are not the ONLY Answer..!! VIVA – Vote is Voice of Allah

6 million Pakistanis around the globe. Majority residing in Middle East. Most of them don’t know how to use the internet. The message is intended to be read and spread. Word of Mouth.

Pakistan, today, is the crossroads of history. Never, unprecedented, has any nation ever faced such multitude of dilemma, dichotomy amid its crumbling system. Examples are there but with such odds and negatives playing totally against the public, now the Army and the intelligence a.k.a ISI also joins the coterie and shares the grunt and the brunt. The global abuse. The media abuse. You Pakistanis have unfolded this unto yourself. One by acquiesced and silenced acceptance of the status quo and disowning your own country with no innovative sense and want of change. Hence hounds make rounds of our fates. Secondly by NOT voting. Vote or Note. Your choice.

No dictator, no leader, no councilor has ever stopped you from voting. Vote is power. Vote is language. Vote is right. Vote is Voice. Vote is better than watching Priyanka Chopras and Katrina Kaifs. Forget Saif and Shahrukh just for an hour’s sake and vote. Vote and just Vote.

Overseas Pakistanis are people who had talent but ON SALE..!! Yet they were limited in their visions. Instead of procreating opportunities at home through business ownership or roadside career initiation for the purpose, overseas Pakistanis saw 1 dollar to 86 degraded Pakistani Rupees as a better option.
But at what better price..?? At the cost of fading memories and their own people. Overseas Pakistanis thought, better metalled and black solid roads are way to making fortunes but nonetheless, dreams can only be achieved if Pakistan is on the top of the dream list.

With a 12 billion dollar contribution to Pakistan, the duty doesn’t end there. But its otherwise presumed. What have you done to Pakistan and for Pakistan. Your wife adorns the best of lawns and you consider that riches..? Your child takes a spider-man flashing on his backpack would make him stand out..? Would upgrading your wheel caps of your car bring you additional praise? You are most scorned than otherwise, but if you realise.

Show offs, over stretching yourself for the social status quo only lasts for 15 minutes on an average in any event. Your wife’s jewelery is only talked about that long. Your child’s Nike shoes are history when they get soiled. What are you running after..? Money..? Security..? Peace of mind..? Do you have it all yet..?

To stand out, to make it, you have to think out of the box, think but not like women. Think of giving back to have it back.
To start with the first step. How many Pakistanis have you endeared and touched their lives upon..? How many unemployed Pakistanis have got employment letter through your efforts (not to be read as reference)..? How many languages do you speak..? How many businesses have you opened up..? Are you trustworthy even to sell socks by the roadside..? How big is your unseen ego if you want to open up a roadside Fruit Chaat Shop (given if you are a graduate and a postgraduate)..? You want ego or money..? How good are you in public relations..? How often you mingle with people..? Do you often talk about mobile apps in a get together..?? If so, they you are a waste and your 12 billion dollars are just a pretext to acquiesce your own conscience.

Do you even smile without this this occurring to you that this person might ‘ask’ you for something. How many lives have you touched..? How many roads have been repaired with your own hands..? How many streets remain clean in your locality with your connivance..? Have you ever thought, the trash and waste your household in Pakistan disposes on daily basis, accentuated with the number of households by at least 50 times would be enough to generate electricity, if that project is on your mind ever..??

Are you really making a difference as a PAKISTANI..?? Are you really business minded for other Pakistanis..?? Have you ever thought that by recruiting Pakistanis in your own organisations will just empower you (provided a common vision is agreed upon, which again is unlikely)..??

Where do you stand..?? Economically..? Or are you just made to fill the coffers of the foreigners and make your own boss richer by the day and stay satiated with peanuts yourself..?? Justice or corporate bigotry..??

Now do you see the big picture..??

Do you want a change in Pakistan..?? Not the Theepa change but REAL change.

Then add this little thought of contributing VOTE on the election day. Make a difference. Don’t leave it to the hounds and dogs of the Parliament. Oh Hazrat Parliament.!!

Do you leave your children and wives at the mercy of the Police Wallahs when you travel abroad. Do you entrust the local councilor to take care of the daily chores of your household..?? Do you leave your property papers with the Patwaari..?

If not, then why the bloody country is left upon them..? 12 billion dollars is what we just DON’T want. We want your voice. The freedom of having complete justice. Voice your concern. Stick with the truth. When was the last time you spoke only and just only truth..?

Politics of Pakistan is an abandoned child. More worse than that, you abandoned it in the darker and filthier streets of degradation yourself. So why blame the already corrupt. You gave them the way. History.

Now what..?? CHANGE..!! With action and just action..!!

But are you ready for it..?? Are you serious about it..??

Pakistan Pa’aindabad.

Aafia ka Pakistan – Jaagay Ga?? – Open Letter to All Parties , Agencies, Government Departments and People of Pakistan

Dear Patriots, Shaheeds, Ghazis, the Ruled, the Rulers, Pakistanis and Anti-Pakistanis,

Our silence has yielded another daughter to be stripped and paraded naked. Kudos to our characters, kudos to our existence, kudos to our dead souls, kudos to our elders who instructed us the theory of silence, kudos to the curriculum which is made void of spiritual and social uplift. How shall we avoid Salahuddin, Tariq Bin Ziyad, Mohammad bin Qasim and how shall we face Hazrat Umer and what better workable excuse shall we give to your Nabi (Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam); shall we bring in our best of minds and government secretaries who would compile some lame but rich worded explanations? The first time in 1947 looted, plundered, killed and raped in hoards, then innumerable times after that. We are indeed living corpses and Hajjaj, in this context, was much better.

Even more, if this didn’t soothe and deepen our slumber, we have acquiesced our voice further, we set on a course of utter slavery of silence. We are silent and so we survive, on our knees, we speak and we are droned, so hush and we breathe the breath of death, the death of pharaohs, everyday. Can we get a timeline when shall we rise from the embers? Do we deserve some apathy, some innocence, some answer, some dignity? Can we rise or shall we remain disgraced every day and for eternity.

Have we not imported unfathomable humiliation in aid, loans, and dictators, oft blackmailed and hence we are looked down upon, frowned upon and losing our mindset to trivial notions that finds us displaced, confused to think that this is the end.

But it is not. It’s just the beginning of the awakening. Masses are arising, the storms out of streams flow down in red, since blood turned white. The sand dunes stand mountains when mountains moved when they shouldn’t have.

This is what we deserved? Lillah, we didn’t ask for this. But the Meer Jafars and Meer Sadiqs of our souls restrained us to our bellies while our intellect was casted away before hounds of the nights and jackals of the day. But who gave you the right to hand over our fates, dignity and self respect? But what is self respect, we might have to give up more of it to know it, but whose? Of course more of Aafias are plentiful? You failed. And you made us fail, miserably; in our systems, in our own land which should have been a shelter is the most unsafe prison, in our national vision which existed until the nation was liberated and then the nation was held hostage for years till now. The bondage and shackles can be undone if you desire you, if you step forward, if we look up to the jackals in their eyes and set out to rout their dark, warm refuges.

Blood, waste, shaheeds, corrupts, illiterates, dirty streets and dirty gallows; haven’t we achieved much? Now its the time of the greater awakening. Those who shall miss the call, miss the history to be on their sides.

Yeh Waqt e Aghaaz, Arzoo e Inqilaab Tehra

Kay Ab Iblees ka Musalmaan Hona

History before setting aside gives 3 chances, we have missed 2 already. Shall we face our history to be remembered finally? Time is unto us, daggers are drawn, spears ready to be splintered, intention of annihilation and disperse and Diaspora. We don’t want another bloodier emigration yet again. Our ancestors and ladies have given much already.

Would a million more rapes and sexual abuse of our women and their silent shrieks open your eyes? Would the blood of thousand innocents droned be the ink of your pen to be raised who razed our lands where once our RS.30 billion grazed?

Afia was a respectable educated doctor and a daughter of the East. You cannot fight her war as she is American? Your pen and education never went for any silenced, looted and plundered. Our history is awash with such numerous and yet insignificant examples.

To soothe her pain, gift her Chak Shahzad Mansion of Pervez Musharraf he so blatantly and preposterously has laid his claim onto. His days were counted, his fate should be too. But do you care enough? Do you mumble in your sleep even? Can you whisper even in ferocious, ignoble and louds hoards and crowds? But shall we care as we prosper under the garb and wings of the White Houses and Downing Street as they stay and lay ready to receive us with our glamour and honour that so dearly await us. Do we care as our children mingle and take pride in speaking language which is not their own and abhor their own as standards of the vultures don’t change but Shaheens are ‘sold’ so dearly and eagerly.

But shall you understand, it takes a ripple to cause a flood, a motion to cause a stir, a whisper to a deafening noise, a stone to gather the mountains at its back; but alas we tend to see the mountains between our fingers and like the reduced spectrum, but when the fingers amputated aren’t that microscopic.

Time is now; these words descend from the blood taken in pints by this land. It has to erupt and spew out the dirt, the ever ravaging dirt which has to be washed away. Life isn’t without a cause and life taken away without a purpose stirs a movement. Musalmaan were left devoid of any spiritual life and set out on the enlightened but fiery path to salvation. But they didn’t know, Jinnah didn’t know what followed was the valley of suffering, vultures, broken pens, broken swords, annihilated intellect and raped souls. We are the dwellers of darkness, oft afraid to express, wish and dream. The dark and shadows were never to be confided in but we solemnly took refuge to have our women hunted and devoured.

The public again was blindfolded to vote and step out for those who never carried flowers until the coffins were placed before them. Democracy, milit-o-cracy or meritocracy? We have to decide. The political will is dead and cannot be undead further. People have to realise and break the cycle. Democracies are protecting the family run businesses of parties. Their wives party out and lose thousands in casinos while their workers wait in abeyance to have a connection resolved, their children either admitted while the masters cast their fortunes bet the Machchar colonies for years to come.

Shall you rise or would the public stand for you. But till when? Our pens and spirits are weaving a culture, a magic, a revolution, an attitude which shall ring in the gallows and the hallways of the castles. The castle-woods aren’t to remain for long. Whence the youth and the fury culminate together, the time is already up, the wake-up call is about to be sounded, the dawn of tomorrows is to ascend in these times.

How many Aafias are we to surrender? Would you surrender your daughter and would you mind her to be searched in the most ignoble way a father wouldn’t stand? Not even the most stone hearted dictator father would stand that as a chance. So many Aafiyas, Shazias, Bushras, Fatimas and Zainabs have repealed and lost their zeal and purpose of a respectable life. Thanks to you, to your educated and sold away silence as only then you are eligible to walk the higher lanes of Islamabad with your puppies.

The society is judged by its prisoners and so are we, the Begging Prisoners of Asia. Reminds much of that era when England was inundated with them, when Paris was in late 1500s. Then one fine day, a hurled stone from the crowd was enough to cleanse.

And cleansing is what we wait. Hopeless was your system and so shall it remain, but now the system in its last, like the shimmery glowing flare of the candle. But this candle has to be doused permanently which has been spreading the thick and corrupt darkness, the candle the political parties employ and trick the gullible awaam-zaaday; but we knew the time that was to appoint Aafia as the one who would open the doors with trembling yet victorious hands. The Doors to self determination.

Every heart and soul now stands a chance, last final chance and we are up to it. We are answerable NOT to the system but to Jinnah, who laid upon us the responsibility to the state, parents and then to ourselves.

The hour approaches soon and fast, the nation has silently realised the tinge and the pain of losing their character at the hands of others who wish to see our generations with the begging bowl the depth of which gets deeper always when our woman loses her life and self-esteem.

We were led and we lost, now we shall lead and the system shall follow suit or be casted away for the new Pakistan which has been given impetus by the desperate Aafia.

No more Aafias and Zainabs to be lynched. Its your turn to take this turn.

People of Pakistan, rise shall we, why not on our own accords and intent, rather the bugle of wars are sounded and the fires that warm the fists are lit up seen from afar and then we draw out from our recluses and warmer blankets to see the enemies, then at our gates.

See the writings on the wall chalked out from the burning ashes or else we’ll have to see the pools and piles of blood and bodies whilst no hand to write or carry.

Pakistan Paáindabad.

Photos – Last Moments of Bhutto

Fall Of Bhutto – Inside Story – Pakistan Finally Cornered II

Although, if noticed the previous Government takes a back seat, the control is transferred and Benazir dies. Nobody from the previous plot has to face discredit, save the President, who himself seemed perturbed.

With the facades of truth and evidence coming in, more of curtains are falling, it shows that the gunman was amongst the crowd and that the vehicle was not moving due to the populace of supporters. The gunman made sure the bullet crossed the head of the leaders as the flaps of the sunroof which were bullet proof and that wouldn’t have done the purpose. The gunman who had only a splice of a time to aim and hit without a miss itself points to many directions. Firstly, given such a training, under which the action is to be taken in intensely populated and secured feature, requires adept and hours in days of flawless and relentless training. This raises a question as to which areas, groups are allowed such frequent access to facilities which train, brainwash, finance the recruits. This is a full fledged network which selected one of the comrades to fore go his life along with the leader’s.

Now the fact that has dawned here, the politicians, whether of magnitude or not, are on the hit list. This is what seems now. Or, according to the word making rounds, Benazir was not attracting the numbers which were expected from her political and personal aura she maintained which ingrained the possibility of failure in the upcoming elections; thus making her quite vulnerable and dispensable for those who employed her and fixed her in the Pakistan politics yet again. This dastardly act might have come from their sides too; wherein the saying, ‘What goes around, comes around’ doesn’t seem to hold. However, some of the names, looking at the fashion of attack can be nominated here –

• Lashkar e Toiba – A militancy arm of Jamaat ud Dawa. Benazir promised handing over Ameer of the Jamaa’t; Hafiz Saeed.
• MQM – the erstwhile opponent had to settle many scores with the lady. Naseerullah Babar, under Benazir, ordered operation against the MQM in Karachi in the 1990’s. Many supporters had to go under the guillotine.
• Jaish e Mohammadi – Although depicts a religious faction but nonetheless not very Islamic; headed by Molana Azhar who had an indian passenger plane hijacked to have his release ensured some time back. The plane was stationed in Afghanistan during the times of the Taliban, which was then eventually released on the eve of the new year to cover up the killing of the passenger on board.

Principally these names strike first. The maintain training facilities in and out of Pakistan; wherein MQM had their workers (read comrades) trained in India to counter the military and have Karachi seperated from Pakistan during the 1990’s.

Although, international media and the representatives are reeling on the incident alongside India, which surely suggests that the West had a certain expectation with the late lady who was working on their protocol but left it incomplete. No perfect replacement is in sight.

The Bhutto legacy ended abruptly. PPP was riding on this. The party’s perturbed, leaderless, has met the same fate as Hitler’s party. Should it have been the Labour Party like England’s, easy replacement would be there; and why would a leader of a ‘democratic’ party be killed when the leadership is rotating around the objectives of a party and not a fascist, in the first place? Serious discourse is needed to review and revive the party politics of Pakistan. Every party is individualistic based and focused then why wain about dictatorship. Isn’t the same being followed in a democratic parties which advocate democracy but themselves run hollow in itself?

Lastly what about ‘contract’ workers of PPP? Like Naheed Khan, Sherry Rehman. Are they going for the greener pastures? They should, when they have the chance to improve their resumes and not change the national stance from the national view. I feel sorry for Naheed Khan, so near yet so far. Naheed Khan is out of job now. So is Sherry Rehman.

The perpetrators knew it that alone a bomb blast won’t suffice; thus the bullet route was taken, with all evidence gone laters. The election campaign is on hold and receded to much an extent. Nawaz Sharif, who blows the trumpet of nationalism and sympathy for the unheard and unheeded masses, too won’t take a risk to come in the open and under the sun when perpetrators are open. Confusion and the premiership is now more difficult than thought. Investigations, reviews, analysis won’t do any good if serious revival at the top is not implemented. The people, before heading to any party assuming it to be saviour, should equip intellectually the pros and cons of democracy. Awareness has to be proactive and comprehensive. And nobody is ready to do that, for now.

Emergency & 9th November and Beyond

6 days since the promulgation of the emergency. Media, most of it is under the locks, but no public turmoil seems to be outpouring against it save GEO news, which was and still is quite vocal for the emergency that seems only existing on GEO. The public response, particularly, the business community welcomed the move. Ironic. The business community cannot be bought overnight, but how come the community sides with the General?

Seeing this trend, the trend of serenity of an issue which was taken up quite seriously, where some of the EU countries and only 1 from the Far East, ‘Japan’, have upped the pressure through their usual threatening tones of banning Pakistan their aid and ending her tumultuous and tiring marriage with Common Wealth.

Now, with the expected protest call given by the Bibi jee, which was efficiently foiled yet again, which reflects management from Punjab’s side which is going strong and also non callous response of the public, situation at the ground level seems normal and life is going as it is. No restlessness, as planned and tried-to-be-instigated was visible. The conspirators and think tanks which see in Benazir the opening up of the nuclear assets and handing over the Doctor over the US, she already has proved the very political behaviour to devour Pakistan by providing the lists of the Sikh freedom fighters back in the early 90’s to buy the Prime Minister’s post, the treacherous way to which goes through many deals and White House, want her to be on the forefront and vocal about her position. The sheep of Pakistan a.k.a the Public, are short sighted and have loss of memory; even so, many might not be able to recall the former name of Faisalabad. With such mindset, democracy is another game to bank on the monetary reserves which saw the graph rising though gradually.

Now with elements gaining strength in Swat valley, situation there is still not being taken to note by the military. If it does, the fate would same as Bugti and Lal Masjid. Period.

With the current situation, in the NWFP, race is on for the future stakeholder of Pakistan between 2 contenders, Bibi and Military; latter being in the power, Bibi stresses interim government to oversee transparent elections which wouldn’t be possible under the current regime which would influence the elections in February to be swayed in their favour to keep the Bibi out. Possible, perhaps.

Emergency could be a herald, to gain time for more homework as pressure mounts with each passing day. The present Government, till now managed, with the plethora of projects being completed in more of a rush than calculated to woo more of voters who seldom have voted for any of these advocates of democracy carrying tainted history and democracy.

What is to Come?

Now with the facts available; no public outpour on emergency, Government now showing lax to allow some media channels which are screaming at the top pitch in futile reflecting their biased opinion and propaganda rich purposes to derail the Government. The conspirators would resort to some tactic to see the Government on its toes and doldrums. What could that move be? More of attacks? Possible. More of unrest in NWFP? Perhaps. Free hand to the militants in Swat who aren’t Taliban as realities confirm them to be Uzbeks; Ahmed Shah Masood too had an Uzbek background and also had Indian support and enjoyed public relations with the latter. The militancy would then be geared up at the border; foreign pressure would mount on the military. But they too wouldn’t be sitting without a plan. Maps would have been drawn by now, strategies chalked out, locals would have been invited for more rigorous support in return of peace and tranquility and control.

Much is to be seen, coming weeks are crucial for Pakistan.

The upcoming long march (between 15 and 18th of November) in protest of emergency would again be taken with an iron fist as precedented and wouldn’t show any promise but would keep investors on the wary, still. But politicians cooing while pigeonholed, would at least have something to exhibit that they too form the part of the game and that they shouldn’t be stashed out from deck of options the foreign lobbies have before them. But politicians too would be shown the exit this 15th which justifies the long march to justify their political ‘existence’ or be left out, simple.

Let’s wait and watch, how the stars form and the term in the Wild Wild West too coming to its ebb of end, things would change a bit quickly. Possible perhaps.

Emergency – After-birth like Pangs of the Media

With the emergency in effect and going strong with 50+ hours already passed and also seems to cross 50+ days as well. The General had it planned. And that too very well.

Although, this comment should have waited for yet another 18+ hours to surface; but the birth like pangs of the media; local and international, altogether in a chorus are condemning the act, really put it into action. This also voices that international conspiracies now have got a jolt although with such a pressure the emergency might not sustain for long. But when its army and hellbent, things get sturdy and precarious, like Bugti.

Just out of curiosity, is there any other country which is going through such trials? Is there any country where disparity, conspiracy, lobbying, sponsored violence is at this helm? No. Its Pakistan where the odds meet. Underlying sustainability with overtured susceptibility of the nation is worth of note. The vulnerability is amongst the ranks, the civilian ranks a.k.a politicians who on the grounds of personal gains and competition are out to add fuel to the fire. Most of the politicians are under arrest or house arrest.

Noteworthy is, no suicide bomber rammed a motorcycle, not even a cycle in these past 50 hours. Emergency is indeed paying off. At last. But the media has been put under strict surveillance and suspension until further notice, so as not to invite more of the ill-educated, sponsored, financed people who are given impetus on the calls of so called nationalist politicians. History is awash with examples. And history not far.

Possible indications or symptoms for the emergency could be the underlying purpose to halt the judges who were on the verge to go against the ruling General. On the other hand, if this was couldn’t be avoided, was the Civilian party ready to face the heat in Swat Valley? Was the civilian leadership ready to sacrifice the earnest and sincere blood of its workers. Benazir could have. 150+ casualties of 18th October incident is much evidence. Period.

Media blacked out, politicians behind bars, protestors tear gassed, newspaper offices attacked, ambassadors and diplomats are busy inviting their representing governments to up the amp the pressure on Pakistan government to end the saga. But the question is still unanswered, why Pakistan? Is CNN, Fox News allowed to go against the Government and nose-diving dollar? Are they allowed to show the falling bodies of their soldiers who are fighting an unknown and garbed enemy which might be sponsored by their own bosses? Hell no. Multiple diplomatic hypocrisy where questions are not allowed. Period.

With the restive with media for some days, the Government of Pakistan has allowed itself some room to play and plan around. And plans are there. Some rumours are rife that the current development is a setup to get Benazir somehow on the forefront as the representative. Having her has never been so easy for the prospects of Pakistan. Lord knows, what would her priorities be the 3rd time. Would this be the last one, please?

With US aid intact after the emergency put into action, the act in itself was pre-planned and for quite some time. And now the ratification. Although if Iftikhar Chaudhary is not reinstated, he leaves with blotch less conscience.

Emergency heralded a sign of good faith, evidencing release of the 211 soldier captives at the hands of the local warriors in the Swat valley. So much so, the aftermath of the emergency is already showing signs. But the media writhes in after-birth pangs, pointing to international financing to put media in the front row to instigate some movement, agitation to bring Pakistan yet again into notice albeit to frighten away investors. Investors might have taken the road back but elections wouldn’t be scared away. International pressure again. Vietnam, devastated after the war records 8%-9% of economic growth per annum, not to mention its shipping industry is second to China’s in the region. Country in the yesteryears in tatters and Pakistan with its status quo languishes. International media and agencies press for democracy but not economic reforms. Hypocrisy maintained.

Nonetheless, it pained to see Dr. Shahid Masood trying his level best to project the situation as a crises although life in Pakistan was normal. Some parts and some businesses recorded slow progress, but not as such as the media wants the world to ‘assume’. Assumption is a trump card media effectively used to change opinions.

But nonetheless, concluding, after-birth like pangs of the media could lead to abortion; abortion of its rights if it doesn’t set itself right. Only 2 parties stands out to benefit from the emergency; Rumour engine and the Stock Market. The latter fell approximately 500 points on the first day, much could be associated with the former. The ticker was kept moving, with rumours like Imran Khan got killed and Musharraf under house arrest. Emergency is yet to show more of this. Fingers crossed.

News is around that the Jang office has been attacked. Columnists in Fatima Bhutto might want to rest their pens for a while. You might have awakened the bear out of hibernation when the season didn’t even start.

Benazir, The Return of the Jedi.

As this is written, Karachi’s evidencing a welcome unmatched. A welcome which all expected, the international media too anticipated; after all American support and finance did the magic. The leader, with blotched political career and loads of allegations which under the surface are proven, comes back with little promise. Promise to the nation would be starker and thin. Reforms which are being awaited would have to be waited some more. Now the hullabaloo advances into the stage set for the upcoming elections.

Alas, Pakistani Nation is adrift with adrenaline and succumbs to short memory. The past is past and the loyalist are gathered today to receive the lady, who comes but to secure the coffers for her generations who are being tutored by the foreign universities.

Nonetheless, commendable is the Government’s stance which was a silent ‘protester’ and exhibited show of patience. MQM, hails from the same coterie of plunderers and murderers, which sent in a welcoming stance altogether. Yet another show of incongruence and hypocrisy; that it was the same MQM which ran havoc the day Chief Justice had to don Karachi.

However, with the arrival, the political scenario is to change manifold, giving it a confused aura all the way, putting the precious cards of Government powerless. But its premature to say as to how Benazir would be effective in turning the tables in her favour.

Although, at one point she is vocal to restore democracy. But BB jee is it ‘true’ and ‘fair’ democracy which would voice the public? That is just the selling card for the elections. All the promises of development are left in abeyance till the prior one year of elections. Developments spring up, public put to believe that white lining has shone. But….

Possible Prediction – With the entrance, Benazir has let herself to be in a surrendering position in the hands of the Government. Government of Pakistan can now initiate the cases in the Swiss courts, provided the Reconciliatory Ordinance is promulgated as void from the Supreme Court, which has turned a new leaf. The potential of which has been unleashed and continues to address through it. Recently being the agriculture land around Islamabad, which allegedly was turned into lavish residential area for the higher ups in the Government, including the General.

If the Ordinance is negated, Swiss cases would be re-initiated which would put the Mohtarma in a dilemma. One being casted by herself; her arrival in Pakistan, or the forbidden fruit in the clutches of the Tiger; either crush it or consume it whole. Period.

Or perhaps, if Allied forces are not meddled with more casualties in Afghanistan and the Forces get a jolt from Taliban, Benazir can see herself re-elected the 3rd time which is again challenge able. If the forces have to beat a retreat, Pakistan and Taliban can play their cards safe, can see Benazir being tried and adjudged illegitimate. But these could be fantasies.

Taliban is the soft but vicious card, Pakistan has held to itself. A message clear to the lobbies and BB that, if something goes, something can wrong for them from here too. Story being intertwined gets more bloodier. And the past has proven that, the past not that far. Foes could be friends, had Abdur Rasheed Ghazi of the Lal Masjid waited till this time, perhaps the General might have been more benevolent.

Moreover, the Military has never been comfortable with the Mohtarma. This is another theory. Another anti-PPP card.

The upcoming elections is what is being held a turning point for Pakistan. Let’s hope so. But the fate of the public is on the roads which wouldn’t get repaired soon.