Nawaz's support of Taliban is security risk to Pak

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Nawaz has been an ardent supporter of Taliban. I am afraid that his coming to power at this critical juncture will be bad news for Pakistan, because Pak is already facing Taliban mutiny.

southasiawatch’s Blog | Talking Points Memo | The Devil We Already Know: Nawaz Sharif attempting to destabilize Pakistan and undermine relations with the U.S.

Sharif is on record stating he would prefer Pakistan to be run like the Taleban ran Afghanistan, and we all know how well that turned out. Sharif’s reckless embrace of religious extremism led him to try and impose Sharia (Islamic law) on Pakistan in 1998 and declare himself “Amirul Momineen” (Leader of the Faithful/Believers).

Following is Eqbal Ahmed’s column of 1998:
http://www.bitsonline.net/eqbal/articles_by_eqbal_view.asp?id=79&cid=2

Prime Minister
Sharif wishes to compensate by giving them the gift of God, the Shari’a, five
enforced prayers a day, and a fully empowered Amirul Momineen. He must be
feeling very feeble indeed.

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Re: Nawaz's support of Taliban is security risk to Pak

Nawaz is no saint but the attack in Lahore happened under the incompetent taseer's watch and instead of putting resources there and try and catch the terrorists the whole govt machinery is busy putting containers to stop a march. Says a lot about our govt's priorities. Diverting security appratus resources to safeguard govt's misplaced ego and ignore a distardly attack on a foreign team and a challenge to our soverignity is dispicable to say the least.

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^ Zardari is no saint either. So we have to decide which one is worst.
I think is worse due to his track record of supporting religious extremism in the past.

While many people from Punjab support him for being a Punjabi, they overlook the policies he has followed which have had a devastating impact on Pakistani people, its economy, and its security.

I have no problem people voting him based on his nationality, after all, Sindhis vote for PPP, Muhajirs for MQM, etc. But I am really afraid of people not considering what Nawaz’s re election means to the country. They need to realize it.

It would be great if PML could get rid of Sharif brothers, and elect some one else who is less of Taliban supporter. Being a Punjabi nationalist is not really a problem.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

Daily Times, March 21, 2006

Nawaz Sharif met Osama three times: former ISI official
Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: Khalid Khawaja, a former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) official who was dismissed from the service by the late Gen Ziaul Haq because of his outspoken nature, has said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif met Al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden thrice in Saudi Arabia.

In an interview to Asia Times Online on Wednesday, he said, “After Gen Zia’s death in a plane crash (1988), elections were announced and there was a possibility that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led by Benazir Bhutto would win, which would be a great setback for the cause of the Afghan jihad against the USSR. The situation was discussed and all the mujahideen thought that they should play a role in blocking the PPP from winning the elections. I joined my former DG Hamid Gul and played a role in forming the then Islamic Democratic Alliance consisting of the Pakistan Muslim League and the Jamaat-e-Islami. The PPP won the elections by a thin margin and faced a strong opposition.”

Asian Times Online quoted Khalid as saying that Osama provided him with funds, which he handed over to Nawaz Sharif, then the chief minister of Punjab (and later premier), to dislodge Benazir Bhutto.

“Nawaz Sharif insisted that I arrange a direct meeting with the Osama, which I did in Saudi Arabia. Nawaz met thrice with Osama in Saudi Arabia. The most historic was the meeting in the Green Palace Hotel in Medina between Nawaz Sharif, Osama and myself. Osama asked Nawaz to devote himself to “jihad in Kashmir”. Nawaz immediately said, ‘I love jihad.’ Osama smiled, and then stood up from his chair and went to a nearby pillar and said, ‘Yes, you may love jihad, but your love for jihad is this much.’ He then pointed to a small portion of the pillar. ‘Your love for children is this much,’ he said, pointing to a larger portion of the pillar. ‘And your love for your parents is this much,’ he continued, pointing towards the largest portion. ‘I agree that you love jihad, but this love is the smallest in proportion to your other affections in life.’”

It quoted Khalid as saying these sorts of arguments were beyond Nawaz Sharif’s comprehension and he kept asking him ‘agreed or not’?

“Nawaz Sharif was looking for a Rs 500 million grant from Osama. Though Osama gave a comparatively smaller amount, the landmark thing he secured for Nawaz Sharif was a meeting with the (Saudi) royal family, which gave Nawaz Sharif a lot of political support, and it remained till he was dislodged (as premier) by Gen Pervez Musharraf (in a coup in 1999). Saudi Arabia arranged for his release and his safe exit to Saudi Arabia,” he told Asia Times online.

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Re: Nawaz's support of Taliban is security risk to Pak

^ Funny, this coming from ISI who have supported Taliban for decades. Does that make ISI a security threat?

Timepass-Jan 2013
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This whole security situation of Taliban and religious fanaticism was started and developed by ISI people like Hamid Gul and Mirza Aslam Baig.
So yes, ISI under these people was more loyal to "Amirul Momineen" of Afghanistan than the Mumlikat e Khudadad Pakistan.

If you think supporting Taliban and training people to cause violence against others was a good thing to do then there is no point arguing with you. In that case, you can support "Amirul Momineen" Nawaz Sharif as much as you want, but then you are not my audience. I am talking to people from Punjab who are against religious violence and consider people like Taliban the bigots.

Timepass-Jan 2013
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Re: Nawaz's support of Taliban is security risk to Pak

^ could you recount an instance when NS supported Taliban while ISI was not supporting it as well? The IJI was put in power in 90s by ISI. Yes, Nawaz was supporting Taliban and it was the time when it was our 'National Strategy' to weed out Indian backed northern alliance from Afghanistan.

Its just that he is stupid enough (some would say brave enough) to stand up to USA at times. They don't like that kind of attitude from a leader from Pakistan.

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I am a Punjabi and just like majority of Pakistanis hate talibans (and don't like Nawaz Sharif either) but what's the point of your post??

It's true that people in Punjab vote Sharif because he is Punjabi but Sindhis support Bhutto family because they are Sindhi, Muhajris support the worst of all politicians in Altaf Hussain just because he is Muhajir, Pashtuns vote for ANP because the head is a Pashtun so what's new there????

Your post suggests that Sharif is the biggest evil and we can probably DEFEAT taliban just by going against Nawaz Sharif.
An evil Nawaz Sharif is much better than saint Zardari.

***~~**AAJAB PAGAL SA LARKA HI***~~**
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Re: Nawaz's support of Taliban is security risk to Pak

^ MQM is preaching, Punjabi = Taliban in Karachi :D

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you just said that all i was going to say
100% agre

***~~**AAJAB PAGAL SA LARKA HI***~~**
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Khoji,

what is zardari a threat too? The whole country with his selloutness, his cry baby mentality.

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Currently, biggest threat to Pakistan is Taliban baghawat. Zardari is against their treason, and Nawaz supports their treason.

Instead of his childish stubbornness about Ch. Iftikhar, Nawaz should have ruled Punjab in peace keeping in mind Taliban baghawat and state of economy in Pakistan.

So Nawaz is the real threat.

Mysterious guy:
[quote]
Your post suggests that Sharif is the biggest evil and we can probably DEFEAT taliban just by going against Nawaz Sharif.
[/quote]

We can not defeat Taliban just by going against Nawaz. But by supporting Nawaz in coming to power, we will be helping Taliban gain more control over Pakistan.

Timepass-Jan 2013
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Re: Nawaz's support of Taliban is security risk to Pak

^ Yeah. Zardari could jam tv networks and sms service but not taliban fm radio.

Nawaz is (hopefully) not coming into power. But supporting anti-dictator stance and asking for reversal of mutilation of constitution of Pakistan is necessary. The military of Pakistan should focus on the job it is supposed to do and not conquer Pakistan time and again. We are in this mess because instead of tackling taliban, mushy was trying hard to defeat his political opponents and begging USA for WoT money!

Timepass-Jan 2013
Timepass-Jan 2013
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Re: Nawaz's support of Taliban is security risk to Pak

[quote]
^ Yeah. Zardari could jam tv networks and sms service but not taliban fm radio.
[/quote]

So you are saying that PPP is allowing Mullah FM's radio on purpose?

[quote]
We are in this mess because instead of tackling taliban
[/quote]

It's good that you are against Taliban, because Nawaz is not.

Timepass-Jan 2013
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Re: Nawaz's support of Taliban is security risk to Pak

Absurd thread, out of sheer desperation. It has become quite evident who the popular leader is.

As for this 'blog article' from the anonymous article you have posted, the two comments below are spot on.

[quote]

This is an absurd post from an anonymous author who, I suspect, is somehow affiliated with Asif Zardari and his Pakistan Peoples Party (e.g. Mr. or Mrs. HH).
Nawaz Sharif is a flawed politician, like most. His political career in the 90s was checkered. That doesn't make him any different from Pakistan's other politicians.
However, you blatantly lie when you present him as a Taliban-style, violent religious fundamentalist.

Personally, he is conservative, but he is a center-right politician. He and his brother have been the targets of assassination attempts by Lashkar-e Jhangvi, one of Pakistan's worst sectarian terrorist organizations. They led a crackdown against the organization. After the Mumbai attacks, Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan should crackdown on Lashkar-e Taiba.
Nawaz Sharif led a peace process with India in the late 1990s, which was subverted by the head of the army, Pervez Musharraf.
Nawaz Sharif's politics are center-right. Maybe that doesn't work for you. But just because you don't agree with him doesn't mean you can level heinous accusations against him.
[/quote]

Timepass-Jan 2013
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Re: Nawaz's support of Taliban is security risk to Pak

^ Nawaz Sharif = Taliban is a MQM propaganda.

Nawaz Sharif did support taliban in 90s when ISI and Pakistan army were also supporting them to suppress Indian backed northern alliance.

At one time, USA also supported Taliban. What does that make them?

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Re: Nawaz's support of Taliban is security risk to Pak

With that logic, the PPP actually gave us the Taliban, for it was Gen. Babur who at that time thought it was pertinent to bring them in the equation to bring peace to Afghanistan.

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Unrelated.

[quote]
Nawaz Sharif did support taliban in 90s when ISI and Pakistan army were also supporting them to suppress Indian backed northern alliance.

At one time, USA also supported Taliban. What does that make them?
[/quote]

ISI and Army leadership is trying to change the bad old ways. Nawaz has still not learnt the leasson. He still thinks that the war against Taliban is America's war only.

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Re: Nawaz's support of Taliban is security risk to Pak

So ANP is Taliban
PAkhtuns of Karachi are Taliban
Nawaz Sharif is Taliban
Shahbaz Sharif is Taliban
GIllani is Taliban (now that hes turned against Zardari)
CJ Iftikhar is also Taliban

Sherry Rahman just turned Taliban a few days ago!

In the end, everyone will be a Taliban except the Pir of Karachi (sitting in London)

Travel Quiz Masters~~Partyslims!!!~~
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Nawaz Sharif does have a soft corner for Taliban, we should not forget his attempt to get himself declared "Ameerul Momineen" in his second rule in 90s.

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Re: Nawaz's support of Taliban is security risk to Pak

^ in the 1990s, Pakistan army and ISI also supported taliban against indian-backed northern alliance. What does that make them?