OPEN LETTER TO Interior Minister

TO LT. GEN (R) HAMID NAWAZ KHAN,
HALAL-E-IMTIAZ (MILITARY),
Interior Minister,
Government of Pakistan

Herr General,

I write to congratulate you and the Interior Secretary, Brig (R) Iqbal Cheema, on your masterful press conferences following the tragic assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. First we had the privilege of hearing the secretary’s expert assertions on behalf of the Ministry, conclusively blaming a terrorist sunroof lever as part of Al Qaeda’s sinister plot to assassinate Mohtarma. What a masterstroke! I would never have been able to come up with something so Sherlock Holmesian! But when video ‘evidence’ unfortunately proved that brilliant theory to be incorrect, your “apology” yesterday in defence of your subordinate was even more impressive - “We are faujis, and not as articulate as you journalists.”

Allow me to salute you, Sir! A cynical and less enlightened Pakistani would have dismissed this apology as ridiculous, and concluded that if Faujis are inarticulate or incapable of handling the truth, they should maybe restrict themselves to taking orders from those who possess these skills, and do something more mundane – like defending the country’s borders. Some deceitful souls, not having the National Interest at heart, might even conclude that Pakistan would be best served if all military personnel, serving and retired, from General (R) Musharraf downwards, were to go home, and leave the administration of this country to elected representatives.

Thankfully, however, these cynics have not won yet – and as long as the silent majority of the country can be kept confused by your googlies, General Sahib, you and I are safe.

A MODERATELY ENLIGHTENED PAKISTANI

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