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Celebrating K2
The price of loyalty WITH reference to Ms Anjum Niaz’s piece The price of loyalty (June 20), after topping the CSS examination held in 1970, Aitzaz Ahsan did not join the service. This he did to demonstrate his competence, capability and intelligence. His action of topping and not joining the elite service impressed Z.A. Bhutto who wanted young people to join his party. When Chaudhry Anwar Samma, a PPP MPA from Gujrat, was murdered in March 1975, Aitzaz Ahsan was elected, ‘un-opposed’ to the Punjab Assembly and inducted in the provincial cabinet. He was given the portfolio of information, planning and development. But the more interesting fact is that the ‘Chaudhry from Gujrat’ left the party at the most crucial time. When the PNA staged demonstrations against PPP government in 1977, on the allegation that elections had been rigged, Aitzaz was third to leave the party; the first being Sardar Shaukat Hayat Khan, followed by Sardar Ahmad Ali, father of Sardar Assef Ahmad Ali, a former foreign minister. One can understand the betrayal by Sardar Shaukat Hayat Khan and Sardar Ahmad Ali, as both had joined PPP from Muslim League. Changing loyalties by Muslim Leaguers, at the behest of the establishment, had started immediately after Partition and still persists. Formation of the Republican Party is a classic example. But Aitzaz was one, whom Z.A. Bhutto had brought from oblivion to limelight, from an upcoming advocate to a provincial minister, thus his action was absolutely unjustified. Maybe he had information that the establishment had written off Z.A. Bhutto from the politics of the country. So when he left the party, he practically supported the cause of the PNA. He remained dissociated with the party, till Bhutto was hanged. Later when he wanted to join the party, Begum Nusrat Bhutto, chairperson of the PPP, refused to accept him, asking him to beg pardon from late Z.A. Bhutto, whom he had betrayed. Afterwards he crept in the party through his professional services to the PPP and managed forgiveness via Benazir Bhutto. I have written these lines to put the record straight. HAFEEZ AKHTAR Lahore | ||
WITH reference to the article, Celebrating K2 (July 11), it is indeed heartening to know that the boys in Islamabad are celebrating the 50th anniversary of K-2’s conquest as well as the 51st anniversary of Nanga Parbat’s first climb. Indeed, very thoughtful of them. So thoughtful of them that only last month there were violent demonstrations in Gilgit, curfew was imposed for weeks, Karakoram Highway was blocked and the road to Astore and Skardu was cut off. And this all happened when preparations for the anniversaries were suppose to have been made, just to assure the expected foreign guests that the law and order situation in the area was under control. As was proudly declared by one of the bosses there that they have been preparing and planning for this event for the last six months!|
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