Ego .... ministry and nothing else. I thought he was one of very few good guys in PPP (like Javed Hashmi in PML(N) ) but he proved that he too was after important ministry. By his own words he was ready to take foreign ministry but only when he was deprived of that, his "Zameer" wake up...
we all know why he was deprived of his ministry... he is a hero... some of your heroes however, mushy, altaf etc cant even dare criticize on this matter! they have no balls.
I wonder why all these so called "good-men" speak up only after they are deprived of some of their ridiculous privileges....
Why do you think he was 'deprived of his ridiculous privileges'? Because he SPOKE his mind... Keep in mind he was the only worthwhile person in the cabinet to begin with.
by **[Shyema](http://blog.dawn.com/author/shyema/)** on 02 16th, 2011 | [Comments (328)](http://blog.dawn.com/2011/02/16/taking-one-for-the-nation/#totalcomments)
I have never written anything regarding the government or any specific leader without negativity nor without sarcasm – but today that changes, to a certain extent at least. Today, former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi changed a lot of things – especially the perception that all our leaders will buckle down under pressure and go miles for a bit of extra weight in their pockets.
With so much speculation regarding the Raymond Davis case, where everyone from US leaders to our very own embarrassing Fauzia Wahab have given contradictory statements, Qureshi stands firm on his stance – Davis does not enjoy blanket immunity. Said out loud in plain and simple terms.
I am perhaps a part of that generation that often sinks into apathy and then jumps to extreme patriotism and vice versa. The generation that has spent most of its youth being embarrassed by the representatives of Pakistan. But today that changed slightly. Here is a man who was, as he said so himself ‘the face of Pakistan’ in the international arena, stripped of his portfolio and was offered the Ministry of Water and Power instead. And what does he do? In a dignified way, rejects the offer and in an even more graceful way, does not bash the party that disappointed him, but instead further committed himself to the PPP, going as far as to say that he is a part of the PPP family and his commitment to it was unconditional. How many of you have heard that one before? Even if we assume for a minute, that those were clever words simply written down for the cameras, fact remains that they were dignified words.
We have leaders talking about each other’s hair transplants and bedroom escapades. We have leaders hurling abuses at each other on talk shows and giving demeaning statements against the other in press conferences. But today, there was no blame game, no name throwing, no finger pointing and no dramatic statements – refreshing change.
No doubt, Qureshi was always an eloquent speaker, but today he was much more than that. He was the kind of leader many would feel proud of. Now let’s look at what his fault was – defending Pakistan’s integrity and saving it from a yard sale yet again? If so then be it and let others follow his faults as well, for these ‘faults’ are the very traits that establish the difference between a leader and a puppet.
In his speech today, Qureshi showed his strength of character by constantly referring to facts and records instead of mere speculations and angry emotions. He did not speak as if the word of the United States of America is the be all and end all and in fact pointed out that if Pakistan needs America, then America also needs Pakistan. This may be a strong conclusion to come to, but I don’t believe Qureshi’s aim here is to sell Pakistan’s sovereignty. In fact, if he continues to show the strength he did today, then he will probably only end up continuing to pay the price of telling the truth.
Instead of stripping him off his authority and position, PPP should have held on to him tighter because its only leaders like him who may be able to restore respect in the eyes of the nation that has been failed profusely by its government.
Why do you think he was 'deprived of his ridiculous privileges'? Because he SPOKE his mind... Keep in mind he was the only worthwhile person in the cabinet to begin with.
Again, it's just another publicity stunt. He spoke his mind, only AFTER he was sacked.
Yes he spoke his mind after he was sacked, and his mind speaking was very long-winded and a bit too heavy on self praise (I met mandela once he said Qureshi, did you ever know that you're my hero. you're everything i wish i could be). But when he finally got round to it, he took a stand and thats commendable.
Again, it's just another publicity stunt. He spoke his mind, only AFTER he was sacked.
he spoke his mind, as a foreign minister, in the capacity he could, i.e. with his party. That is why he was removed. Now hes vocal about it because he was removed on his stand. Criticism of Shah Mahmood is stupid if you ask me, he's already a hero in the minds of the people of Pakistan (except the zardari lovers of course).
he spoke his mind, as a foreign minister, in the capacity he could, i.e. with his party. That is why he was removed. Now hes vocal about it because he was removed on his stand. Criticism of Shah Mahmood is stupid if you ask me, he's already a hero in the minds of the people of Pakistan (except the zardari lovers of course).
I'm not a Zardari Lover by any stretch of the imagination, BUT, I believe that this is all a big publicity stunt. Looks like dissing the US has become a shortcut to the people's hearts. Most Pakistanis are so naive that they elevate anyone who says a word against the US to hero status.
Just like Gen Hameed Gul who rants on and on about the US now, but didn't have the guts to resign when he was in office.
I'm not a Zardari Lover by any stretch of the imagination, BUT, I believe that this is all a big publicity stunt. Looks like dissing the US has become a shortcut to the people's hearts. Most Pakistanis are so naive that they elevate anyone who says a word against the US to hero status.
Just like Gen Hameed Gul who rants on and on about the US now, but didn't have the guts to resign when he was in office.
Publicity stunt? LOL so what are your thoughts on the lahore incident?
This pointless criticism of someone who took a stand against what zardari, altaf, mushy etc would have wished explains your frustration and mindless drivel. I didnt bother clicking on ur siasat.pk link btw, Shah Mahmood Qureshi could have been another yes man (and continued an enjoyed cabinet realm), a farooq sattar type of puppet, but he chose not to, and that is commendable.
I'm not a Zardari Lover by any stretch of the imagination, BUT, I believe that this is all a big publicity stunt. Looks like dissing the US has become a shortcut to the people's hearts. Most Pakistanis are so naive that they elevate anyone who says a word against the US to hero status.
So what did Mahmood Qureshi exactly say which tantamounts to 'Anti-American'? He propagated Kerry-Lugar bill and favored it, that was not 'anti-American', was it? He only stated facts about Raymond Davis, if stating fact is 'anti-American' then Allah hi kher karay.
Just like Gen Hameed Gul who rants on and on about the US now, but didn't have the guts to resign when he was in office.
Guts to resign? Why should have he resigned, can you elaborate?
