Since Imran’s ouster, Pakistan has ‘Lifafa journalists and politicised nuns’
New Delhi:
It is what can be called a dehumanising path. A video has gone viral in Pakistan, wherein a father says he can kill himself or even slit his son’s throat if Imran Khan wants it.
Polarisation in Pakistan is gradually taking a different shape, and even journalists and Christian nuns are becoming part of it.
The character in the video says-“I will do so for Imran Khan as he has nothing to earn either money or fame. Imran has earned everything, but he wants to make Pakistan self-respecting.”
All these are not without good reasons.
The Catholic Church got involved in the controversy after netizens shared snaps of two Dominican nuns, clad in black cloaks over white habits, holding red and green flags of Imran Khan’s party at a recent gathering.
It goes without stating that since losing the crucial vote of confidence in Parliament, Pakistan’s former prime minister and ex-cricketer Imran Khan has divided the nation with his aggressive campaign on the ground and online.
“You either agree with him or risk being called a traitor to the country, a thief or lifafa (a journalist accepting bribes). The space keeps shrinking for free thinkers,” says Lahore-based journalist Kamran Chaudhry.
Journalists in Pakistan for a long time have been associated with the word “Lifafa”, a term used to discredit them for allegedly taking bribes. Sometime back, they were also called “basket journalists”!
Syed Muzammil Shah, a vlogger, shared a video that has been viewed by more than 6,000 people.
Pakistan has multiple problems on other fronts. The chief among them is the economy. In this context, senior journalist Abbas Nasir argues, “Who will remember the PTI’s mismanagement and decisions that brought the economy to this pass?”
His reference was to the fuel subsidy announced by Imran Khan during the fag end of his regime. Nasir says the new government will have problems doing away with the fuel subsidy.
“The withdrawal of the fuel subsidy will further spur the back-breaking inflation, particularly for the poor and middle classes, and the voting public will likely punish those it sees as responsible. When your life is a relentless struggle to put food on the table, it is not surprising that the short-term rather than the long-term memory inform your reactions. Who will remember the PTI’s mismanagement ….,” he added.
There are problems on the army front as well.
“There is speculation that the Pakistan Army acted against the run of play, that Imran was actually extremely popular with the public. Some perceive his defiance of the Army to have added to his popularity. The truth is not important here; it is a perception that rules,” wrote Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd) in an article.
He is a former Commander of Srinagar-based 15 Corps and is now Chancellor, Central University of Kashmir.
It is also being argued that some factionalism appears to have entered into the otherwise tradition-bound Pakistan Army and General Qamar Bajwa is likely to be one of the biggest losers of this entire game.
In the overall scenario, things ought to be guarded by India as well.
Lt Gen Hasnain says, “Among Imran’s possible ploys to remain the spoiler-in-chief will be the possibility of enhancing acrimony against India and then acting as the great nationalist leader who could recover the situation to Pakistan’s advantage.”
With Imran being in cahoots with several radical organisations and even elements within the Army, “sponsoring an action in J&K could always be possible”, he says.
Emmanuel Macron to be the first French president in 20 years to win a second term
New Delhi
French President Emmanuel Macron efeated his far-right rival Marine Le Pen on Sunday by a comfortable margin securing a secondterm and heading off what would have been a political earthquake.
Notably, Macron will become the first French president in 20 years to win a second term after an
official vote projection suggested he has seen off the challenge from Marine Le Pen, international
media said.
Five years back, Mr Macron won a sweeping victory to become France's youngest president at 39.
The margin - this time - is smaller though.
Macron will join a small club – only two French presidents before him have managed to secure
a second term, reports said.
In the run up to the polls, Macron focussed on his international leadership of Ukraine and
the ensuing Western sanctions that have exacerbated a surge in fuel prices. On the other hand,
Le Pen’s campaign homed in on the rising cost of living as the incumbent’s weak point.
She promised sharp cuts to fuel tax, zero-percent sales tax on essential items from pasta to diapers and
income exemptions for young workers; and also a “French first” stance on jobs and welfare.
Macron campaigned her past admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin as showing she could not
be trusted on the world stage.
Padma awards, etc..... instrument to buy 'silence and loyalty' under Congress
New Delhi
BJP's IT Cell head Amit Malviya has said that it is quite clear from Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor's confession to the ED that the "Gandhis and Congress are not just extortionists but were also selling the country's highest civilian honour to the highest bidder or durbaris".
".....It was an instrument to buy loyalty or silence," he said.
Reacting to Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor’s allegation that he was forced to buy an M.F. Husain painting from Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for Rs 2 crore, the BJP on Sunday alleged that Gandhis and Congress were also selling the country’s highest civilian honour to the highest bidder.
“When the Congress was in power, Priyanka Gandhi put pressure to ensure that the painting worth Rs 2 crore is bought by Kapoor," BJP spokesman Gaurav Bhatia said addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here. “Rana Kapoor did not want to pay Rs 2 crore for the painting, but the ministers in the then Congress government put pressure on him that if he does not buy the painting from Priyanka Gandhi, then the Gandhi family will wreak havoc on him. To force him to buy the painting, Kapoor was told that he will get Padma Bhushan,” Bhatia said.
The BJP spokesperson asked Congress and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to clarify if such a painting was sold for Rs 2 crore by putting 'pressure' and luring Rana Kapoor with Padma Vibhushan.
Referring to the Congress election symbol 'hand', Bhatia said, "The Congress hand is with corruption...while common people were suffering, the Congress and the Gandhi family were enjoying".
Kapoor has told the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that he was "forced" to buy the M F Husain painting from Priyanka Gandhi and the sale proceeds were utilised by the Gandhi family for the medical treatment of Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New York, according to the charge sheet filed by the anti-money laundering agency in a special court in Mumbai.
Kapoor also said that he was told by the then petroleum minister Murli Deora that refusal to buy the painting will not only prevent him from building a relationship with the Gandhi family but also prevent him from getting the 'Padma award', it stated.
Kapoor has reportedly claimed that "Milind Deora (son of the late Murli Deora and former Congress MP) later conveyed to him confidentially that the sale proceeds were utilised by the Gandhi family for the medical treatment of Sonia Gandhi in New York", according to the charge sheet.
BJP leader Amit Malviya referred to the ‘award wapsi’ gang and said,“The truth of the ‘award wapsi’ gang is now unravelling. They could either be people who had bought these awards or were beholden to the Gandhis for the crumbs they may have received off their table".
"Their dissent at that time was politically motivated and it is no more a secret,” Malviya said.
end
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