PPP workers revolt against Pir Karam
GHIZER, March 9: The Pakistan people’s Party’s local chapter has come out in the open against Governor Pir Karam Ali Shah and asked him to step down from the post, local media reported.
In a statement issued to the press, PPP youth wing GB senior vice-president Sadat Ali, PSF Karachi University unit president Comrade Maqsad Shah, PSF Ghizer former president Akbar Ali and others said Pir Karam should step down as the governor and concentrate on his old profession of leading his spiritual followers in his hometown of Ghizer.
They said for the last so many decades Pir Karam had kept the people of his area in perpetual poverty, ignorance and backwardness in order to keep them as his loyal disciples. Even after becoming the governor of Gilgit-Baltistan, the aged Pir Karam did nothing for the welfare of his people. They said that appointing Pir Karam as the governor was not a good decision by the PPP government.
They said if the governor still thinks that he could rule over the people of Ghizer by keeping them ignorant of their rights, he is mistaken. The people of the area are no more ready to remain under his lordship as they have become more aware of their rights. They said if the governor did not step down voluntarily, the PPP workers would launch a movement against him to force him out of the governor house.
We all respect Pir sahib. The thing which needs some brainstorming is that people of a particular tribe are trying to take undue advantage of cordial relations with the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). Some top guys belonging to this particular tribe are busy in flattering them on the social media. We must not blame them for whatever they are doing as they are known for their ‘puli siasat’ [fractured politics]. They have always been using such tactics of safarish whether it is local government elections or general elections. They fully exploit their connections whether fake or genuine. If this particular tribe is so confident that it has all the required strength to win elections with the help of its tribesmen, it must proceed without wasting a single moment. But it is a far goose chase game. The union culture, the tribe has introduced, followed by another tribe of the same class, is a first step towards pitching people of different tribes against each other. And yes our request to Pir sb once again is that he must remain neutral, we will be grateful.
We had great respect for Pir Karam Ali Shah of Ishkoman. But any attempt from his side to impose a man of his choice on people of Chitral will give birth to controversies about his pir-ship in the area. The people of Chitral love him, adore him and respect him. He still enjoys the status of a pir among majority of people in Chitral. I had the opportunity to have a glimpse of Pir sb during his visit to Chitral in late 80s. The people were so excited that Ishkomano Pir is coming. They were so curious to have a glimpse of Pir sb. Pir sb arrived to a red carpet welcome and people started kissing his hand. When it was my turn, then a class 2 student, holding the hand of my father, I just shook hand with him, which came as a shock to one of the devotees, who shouted at me to kiss the hand of the Pir. It was all in innocence and there was no element of arrogance behind the informal greeting. This is how people regard him. Now if a man of Pir’s stature, who enjoys this much love among people, supports any individual on the basis of any affiliation it will be taken straight discrimination. This will be tantamount to taking undue advantage of his relations with President Asif Ali Zardari if Pir sb opted to field the guy from his tribe. It would be very unfair and disservice to the people of Chitral.
If a contractor, a shopkeeper could be your leaders, I have no hesitation to call Sardar AC and Allah Dad (advocate) to be my friends, right? Better correct your own direction instead of advising me as people like you have made the life a common man miserable to achieve their own vested interest. I know how educated are the leaders, you have been running after since decades.
@Afzal, if people like Allah Dad and Sardar AC are your role models then I pity you. And you claim that Sardar can bring a change in Chitral. What can I say man, people like you make my day. It shows that these two men are your friends by default as they seemed to be the enemies of your enemies. For God sake think of someone educated who can be trusted and who can work for the people of Chitral.
If a contractor, a shopkeeper etc are your leaders, I have hesitation to call Sardar AC and Allah Dad (advocate) as my leaders. Better correct your own direction instead of advising me as people like have the life a common man miserable to achieve your own vested interest. I know how educated are the leaders you have been running after since decades.
Well, these unionism initiatives taken by some disgruntled elements in the society gave birth to pyala movement. The pyala movement failed when some of the opportunists betrayed Sardar AC, a victim of hooliganism in Chitral. If these paid turncoats had not betrayed, Sardar AC could have changed the political landscape of the valley altogether. The reason behind pyala movement was to defeat the hooliganism which some people have been using as a last option to silence some outspoken voices to intact their monopoly. Those who have started raising voice against pyala movement are the few frustrated who see no future in the dirty politics of Chitral. Their sole purpose is to get a little space under the shadow of an old player, who himself is struggling for survival. This is need of the hour that the hooligans whose golden days will reach its logical conclusion sooner or later must be reigned in or the future of this unfortunate valley will not change even after 25 years. We appreciate the step taken by Sardar AC through the palteform of pyala movement as after late Allah Dad (advocate) of Chuinj, he is the only man who, if given a chance, will definitely turn around the destiny of this backward valley. I am sorry to say that after late Allah Dad (advocate) he had the guts to challenge the mighty and call the hooligan a hooligan rest of them who claim to be leaders are ‘goblins’.
Agreed that unionism is not good. But here the term is being used wrongly. These are not unions but groups of disgruntled people eager to get some self interests or lost grounds. You refer to Mr Sardar Hussain but I never knew about Sardar Hussain forming any union. Why you skip to mention the Piala Union that openly tried to widen the ethnic divide in Chitral by dividing the people on ethnic basis to win the elections in 2008? I think people behind union theory would and should think a hundreds time before going for such unions because the general people are not ready to buy their ideas anymore.
Agreed with Faraz Anjum. Unionism culture in Chitral is ridiculous. ‘kia pidi aur kia pidi ka shorba’.
‘Kia pidi aur kia pidi ka shorba…well said brother but even then these unionists must be discouraged. Sardar Hussain is a very nice guy but keeping in view this particular union of his tribe, separating themselves from rest of the Chitralis, authenticates his approach towards different tribes and above all sects, living in Chitral. A leader who has no vision, has no right to lead.
Syed Sardar Hussain Shah could be a good orator but his tilt towards his own tribe makes him controversial. With due apology to Shah g, who happens to be a very good friend of us and also is one of the architects of these so-called unions like Sadat union, Zondrei union and so on and so forth. In today’s global world, if a man who still believes in grouping and that too with the help of a handful of his own tribe, he will not be able to lead the 500,000 Chitralis. Was it necessary to make a Sadat union followed by Zondrei union? This unionism thing should be stopped. If Shah Saheb is so keen he must revoke the union as a first first step towards creating harmony among the Chitralis and become a national leader.
This family Ltd politics must be given an end as it has done an irreparable damage to our country. Our beloved Prince Mohiuddin also ruled Chitral like no one else for the last 25 years. Now he is looking for retirement but in no way ready to give a chance to others. His rule proved even worse than the Mehters. A feudal lord will never be able to understand what democracy is. The only system of governance which suits these autocrats is dictatorship. Now the prince is trying to field one of his sons as the nominee of Musharraf.
As long as Syed Sardar Hussain Shah is concerned, he has also been supportive of a particular tribe, which could be proved harmful for Chitralis. There should be a neutral man to represent Chitralis in parliament. If Shah is so desirous, he must contest elections on his own instead of taking refuge in Pir Karam. My request to Pir sb is that he must not indulge himself in politics of Chitral, as we have great respect for him. I am afraid to say any support to Sardar Hussain may dent his credibility in the valley.
We appreciate the revolt against Pir Karam Ali Shah as he has only reportedly been promoting his own tribe. It is a known fact that he has also started lobbying for Syed Sardar Hussain Shah of Booni and trying his level best to award a ticket to him for National Assembly seat from Chitral. This is not acceptable for Chitralis as Pir Saheb should concentrate on his own district of Ghizer.