Ziaul Haq: Master of illusion - From The Archives

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$(this).serialize());$(this).html('Mail sent, thank you!');return false;"> <input type="hidden" name="jscheck" value=""/> Your Name:<br/> <input type="text" name="sender"/><br/> <br/> Recipient Email:<br/> <input type="text" name="to"/> <br/> <br/> <input type="submit" value="Email"/> <input type="hidden" name="id" value=""/> </form> </div> <div class="social d-none d-sm-block social--print social--label float-left " aria-hidden="true"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170901140509/https://herald.dawn.com/news/print/1153499">  Print</a> </div></div> </div>   <div class="template__main modifier--open modifier--xwide px-1 px-md-0">   <div class="story__content story__content--more "><figure class="media one-whole palm--one-whole "> <div class="media__item "><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170901140509im_/http://i.dawn.com/primary/2016/08/57b4293731a31.jpg" alt="The funeral procession of Ziaul Haq | WHITE STAR ARCHIVES"/></div> <figcaption class="media__caption "> The funeral procession of Ziaul Haq | WHITE STAR ARCHIVES </figcaption> </figure> <p> </p><p class=""><strong>Despite the constraints to objectivity, a thorough evaluation of the Zia period is too urgent a task to brook any delay. Without such an exercise, Pakistan cannot possibly negotiate the grim crisis everyone says it is facing.</strong></p><p class="dropcap">The task of making a complete assessment of General Ziaul Haq's 11-year rule is complicated by a number of factors. Apart from the circumstances of his death — a ghastly disaster one would not wish even on one's enemies — and the immunity from critical stock-taking that all ‘shaheeds' are supposed to enjoy (although the record of many who might use this plea now is pretty poor), our proximity to events interferes with the demands of objectivity.</p><p class="">Perhaps neither those who consistently opposed the late President, nor those who have some interest in continuing to support him, have the capacity to bear the whole truth. Moreover, the tradition of historical analysis evolved by the Muslims of the subcontinent has incorporated certain features — and these have been retained over the last four decades with generous accretions — which make rational studies extremely difficult. </p><p class="">The most reprehensible aberration commonly permitted by our historians is to mix up the performance of rulers with their behaviour as private persons. Thus, Alauddin Khilji was a successful ruler, therefore he must have been a model Muslim king; Aurangzeb was a pious Muslim, therefore he was a great ruler; and Yahya Khan lost East Bengal not because he adopted the wrong policies but because he was a debauch. Unfortunately, this approach is again much in evidence. But despite these constraints to 'objectivity, a thorough evaluation of the Zia period is too urgent a task to brook any delay. Without such an exercise, Pakistan cannot possibly negotiate the grim crisis everybody says it is facing.</p><p class=""><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170901140509/http://herald.dawn.com/news/1153495/kuldip-nayar-partition-was-not-inevitable">Also read: Kuldip Nayar- "Partition was not inevitable"</a></p><p class="">Ultimately, it is true, Mohammad Ziaul Haq will be judged in all the roles he played: as a human being, as a Muslim, as a general and as the head of the Pakistani state. However, the task of judging him as a person is better left to qualified analysts of the human personality, and his life as a Muslim is a matter between him and his Creator.</p><p class="">Unfortunately, too little has been disclosed of his achievements on the battlefield or as a military strategist to enable us to measure his qualities as a general. His most notable feat, of course, was Operation Fairplay, but it is doubtful if that will be counted among the great campaigns, however important a place in world history it may otherwise command. We will, therefore, confine our comments to General Ziaul Haq's role as the custodian of the state of Pakistan for over a decade.</p><p class="">All rulers become controversial, some more so than others. If General Ziaul Haq falls in the former category, the reason is obvious: he chose to reign rather than rule. He not only acquired the kind of absolute power mentioned by Lord Acton in his obiter dictum but also never hesitated to use it, extending in the process the parameters of one-man rule far beyond the limits explored by some less resolute European forerunners.</p><figure class="media one-half palm--one-whole media--right media--uneven"> <div class="media__item "><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170901140509im_/http://i.dawn.com/primary/2016/08/57b426cc667a6.jpg" alt="A portrait of Ziaul Haq | WHITE STAR ARCHIVES"/></div> <figcaption class="media__caption "> A portrait of Ziaul Haq | WHITE STAR ARCHIVES </figcaption> </figure> <p> </p><p class="">As President, he was his own finance minister, a self-sufficient foreign office, and even his own spokesman before the media. As many of his admirers have vouched, he listened to everyone, but however salutary the advice advanced or however unwelcome the criticism offered, he invariably acted upon his own instinct. Therefore, whatever good happened to Pakistan during his tenure will go to his credit and whatever harm came to it will also be put down in his personal ledger. </p><p class="">Some of the late President's critics unfairly dispute the fact that he was the sole architect of his success in occupying the top spot in the country for 11 years. They refer to Afghanistan, good harvests, remittances by expatriate workers, the weakness of the opposition parties, etc., as factors that enabled General Ziaul Haq to preside over the destiny of Pakistan for such a long time. But each of these factors offered more courses than one and the choice of the path actually adopted was solely General Zia's.</p><p class="">The questions to be examined here, therefore, are: How did General Zia become the absolute ruler of the country? To what extent was he able to use this power to achieve his declared objectives? What was the effect of his rule on Pakistan's fortunes? What is his legacy?</p><p class=""><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170901140509/http://herald.dawn.com/news/1153264">Also read: Enter the General—A profile of Raheel Sharif</a> <br></p><p class="dropcap">General Zia knew from the very beginning that he was imposing martial law in a country which had bitter memories of two earlier martial law regimes, and that even if a section of the people was prepared to accept a new martial law in order to eliminate a common enemy, he would soon be required to furnish proof of legitimacy. He decided to meet the situation through the simple method of countering the popular perception of reality with illusions of his own creation.</p><p class="">The experiment began while searching for a justification for the July 5, 1977 takeover. The whole country knew on the night of July 4, 1977, that, after indulging in muddle-headedness for months, the leaders of the PPP and PNA had found a way out of the crisis which could have served as a pretext for disruption of constitutional life. The country had been pulled back from the precipice, and the danger of civil strife had been averted. Yet General Zia insisted that he had intervened to save the country from bloodshed and chaos.</p><blockquote> <p class="">In the fields of foreign policy and economic management, the same pattern of countering reality with the help of illusions was followed</p></blockquote> <p class="">Further, unlike Ayub Khan and Yahya, who justified martial law in its own right, General Zia relished the idea of a Chief Martial Law Administrator decrying martial law. In this way, he almost succeeded in convincing all the politicians that his sole mission was to hold a re-run of the March 1977 elections. When it was discovered that fresh elections might not achieve the liquidation of the ousted political party, and some of the PNA parties gave vent to their apprehensions, postponement of elections was presented not as something desired in partisan interest, but as a requisite of national survival.</p><p class="">The question of legitimacy, however, continued to pose problems. In the popular perception, only a rule in accordance with the constitution was legitimate. A two-pronged theory was advanced to ease the situation. First, it was assiduously maintained, contrary to all evidence, that the constitution of 1973 had not been thrown overboard, but only held in abeyance. Second, the definition of legitimacy was changed. It was argued that martial law might be contrary to the legal and constitutional norms held dear by the people, but it could legitimise itself if it strove to achieve a noble objective, such as accountability or Islamisation of the polity. </p><p class="">Another illusion considered necessary to legitimise martial law concerned supremacy of the normal law and independence of the judiciary. The state of emergency and the Defence of Pakistan Rules were withdrawn and the people given the tidings that they would be subject only to martial law regulations! The superior courts' verdicts would be respected and it was immaterial if the composition of courts was changed during the pendency of crucial petitions or appeals. The Provisional Constitution Order, which divested the superior courts of inherent powers to check the executive's excesses, was presented as a means of guaranteeing the supremacy of law. The independence of the judiciary was not affected by simply getting rid of judges by not inviting them to take a new oath.</p><figure class="media one-whole palm--one-whole "> <div class="media__item "><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170901140509im_/http://i.dawn.com/primary/2016/08/57b426c80eda9.jpg" alt="The President General Mohammed Zia ul Haq administering the oath of office of the Chairman of Federal Shariat Court to Mr. Justice (Retd) Sallahuddin Ahmed on May 20, 1980 | WHITE STAR ARCHIVES"/></div> <figcaption class="media__caption "> The President General Mohammed Zia ul Haq administering the oath of office of the Chairman of Federal Shariat Court to Mr. Justice (Retd) Sallahuddin Ahmed on May 20, 1980 | WHITE STAR ARCHIVES </figcaption> </figure> <p> </p><p class="">The illusion found most effective in resisting the return to constitutional order was the programme of Islamisation. General Zia originally found two glaring deficiencies in the 1973 constitution: that it was necessary to strike a balance between the powers allowed to the president and the prime minister, and that the Islamic provisions of the basic law needed to be strengthened.</p><p class="">A beginning in this direction (the Hudood Ordinances, introduction of the <em>zakat</em> and <em>ushr</em> schemes and the creation of shariat benches in the superior courts) could not be made till about two months before Mr Bhutto's execution. Some other essential amendments were only introduced in March 1985. Throughout this period, it was given out that Islamisation of laws had never been attempted before, although there were people around who could recall the Shariat Act of 1937, a similar law of 1948, the adoption of Islam as the state religion in 1973, and such measures as the creation of the Islamic Advisory Council, enforcement of prohibition, etc.</p><p class="">In the fields of foreign policy and economic management, the same pattern of countering reality with the help of illusions was followed. Pakistan was not involved in the conflict in Afghanistan; on the contrary, the Afghan mujahideen were fighting to defend Pakistan's integrity. Since national security was at stake, anybody disagreeing with the policy on Afghanistan became unpatriotic and an opponent of the Islamic revival. If the country's economy was becoming overly dependent on foreign loans, it was a proof of our credit-worthiness.</p><p class=""><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170901140509/http://herald.dawn.com/news/1153426/pakistans-foreign-policy-betrays-deep-domestic-insecurities">Also read: Pakistan's foreign policy betrays deep domestic insecurities</a></p><p class="">The deadliest illusion created by General Zia was that he was only trying to protect the country from the clutches of one or two political parties and that all the other parties could have a share in power. It was not until the beginning of 1988 that most of these opposition parties began to realise that all of them were to be despatched to death row. That most of these illusions proved effective cannot be denied. They succeeded not because they were accepted as more plausible versions of truth than the popular versions, but because they were backed by the full insight of the state and the penalties for dissent had been raised to unprecedented heights. However, the fact remains that General Ziaul Haq was able to stretch his tenure from 90 days to 11 years and 43 days. But the length of time a ruler can stay in power is not the only or the most decisive measure of his success. General Zia was not merely content with prolonging his rule, he undertook much more ambitious plans. We may take a brief look at his performance in relation to these undertakings.</p><p class=""><br></p><p class="dropcap">Perhaps the most daring of his undertakings was an attempt to resolve the controversy over the ideology of Pakistan through personal edicts. Till General Zia arrived on the scene the majority view in the country — that is, excluding the champions of theocracy on the one hand and the advocates of secularism on the other —was that the ideal of Pakistan was the creation of a democratic state and, through this system, the realisation of the Islamic principles of equality, justice and fairplay.</p><p class="">This view was derived not only from the Quaid-i-Azam's historic speech of August 11, 1947, but even more explicitly from his declaration on another occasion: "In any case, Pakistan is not going to be a theocratic state to be ruled by priests with a divine mission. We have many non-Muslims—Hindus, Christians and Parsis — but they are all Pakistanis. They will enjoy the same rights and privileges as any other citizens and will play their rightful part in the affairs of Pakistan."</p><figure class="media one-whole palm--one-whole "> <div class="media__item "><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170901140509im_/http://i.dawn.com/primary/2016/08/57b426c66fd09.jpg" alt="Gen. M. Zia-ul-Haq welcoming President Mohammad Daoud of the Republic of Afghanistan at the Islamabad airport on March 5th, 1978 | WHITE STAR ARCHIVES"/></div> <figcaption class="media__caption "> Gen. M. Zia-ul-Haq welcoming President Mohammad Daoud of the Republic of Afghanistan at the Islamabad airport on March 5th, 1978 | WHITE STAR ARCHIVES </figcaption> </figure> <p> </p><p class="">The utmost extent to which those accepting a role for religion in the state went was that democracy and Islam were the essential planks of the country's ideology. Nobody ever perceived a contradiction between democracy and Islamic values, and a democratic polity was considered essential to the realisation of the people's Islamic aspirations. General Zia countermanded this mainstream view, found an irreconcilable contradiction between democracy and Islam, and went on to assert that if, in the pursuit of Islamisation, democratic values had to be abandoned the people of Pakistan had a duty to offer this sacrifice. He made changes in the constitution to ensure that Pakistan became what the Quaid had said it would not be: "a theocratic state to be ruled by priests with a divine mission." Nobody knew better than General Zia himself, especially on the day of the 1984 referendum, that the people had not been converted to his view.</p><p class="">True, the democratic parties, in their state of isolation from the masses, were scared into moving a few steps backward, but not even the religious parties were prepared to give up the democratic system. After a decade of General Zia's campaign to give the country a new ideological reorientation, the position is that the Jamaat-i-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Jamiat Ahle Hadith, Tehrik Nifaz Fiqh Jafaria— in fact, all major religious parties — do not accept the rejection of democratic principles in the name of Islamisation.</p><blockquote> <p class="">The contradiction inherent in this situation will keep our northern neighbour unstable and hence a permanent drain on Pakistan's resources. The appropriate time to judge General Zia's Afghan policy will be 10 years from now.</p></blockquote> <p class="">The reasons are many: the conflict between General Zia's version of conservative Islam and the subcontinental Muslims' faith in a liberally reinterpreted religion to answer the needs of a modern society; the spectre of sectarianism raised by the growing involvement of the state in the people's faith; the failure of the <em>zakat</em> system to correspond to the prevailing view of this obligation; the selective use of Shariah to leave the privileges of the elite untouched; the exclusion of egalitarian and democratic principles from the goals of Shariah and its confinement to punishments. What is relevant here, however, is that the campaign conducted by General Zia failed to achieve its objective.</p><p class="">The second important mission undertaken by General Zia was to purge political life of 'undesirable' elements and tendencies and introduce `sharafae into the country's politics, as the system he had inherited threw up corrupt politicians who had no respect for the national interest. Today, on both sides of the political divide, the scene is dominated by the same elements he wanted to eliminate from political life. He himself had to dismantle, on May 29, 1988, the system he had created after much deliberation and preparation. The main reason given was that those chosen to run the system had neglected the supreme national interest and had become intolerably corrupt. It is not a little ironic that those claiming to be successors to the person who rejected all`isms' are talking of 'Ziaism.'</p><figure class="media one-whole palm--one-whole "> <div class="media__item "><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170901140509im_/http://i.dawn.com/primary/2016/08/57b426c91aff8.jpg" alt="President General Mohammad Zia-Ul-Haq , in a meeting with Iraqi President Mr. Sadddam Hussain on January, 28,1981 | WHITE STAR ARCHIVES"/></div> <figcaption class="media__caption "> President General Mohammad Zia-Ul-Haq , in a meeting with Iraqi President Mr. Sadddam Hussain on January, 28,1981 | WHITE STAR ARCHIVES </figcaption> </figure> <p> </p><p class="">As part of the effort to promote the politics of `<em>sharafat</em>' General Ziaul Haq outlawed all political parties and banned all political activity, except his own, for six years. What happened? Today, there are more political parties in the field than there were on October 16, 1979. There have been no changes in party leaderships or in the methods of political organisation. Disruption of the political process had only led to stagnation and perpetuation of antagonisms existing 10 years ago. Had the normal political process been allowed, the political parties would have been forced to keep pace with the changing aspirations of the masses and to evolve healthier traditions of activity between election years.</p><p class="">General Zia paid a great deal of attention to the issues of foreign policy. His principal achievement is said to be the single-minded pursuit of the Afghan mujahideen cause. The issue has been made so sensitive that a rational discussion has become impossible. However, it is clear that Pakistan has already paid for the Afghanistan policy much more than what would have been the cost of non-military means to secure the Soviet troops' withdrawal from that land. And the heavier part of the bill is yet to come.</p><p class="">It would be enough, perhaps, to sound a note of caution that attempts to impose a fundamentalist regime in Kabul will perpetuate the strife in Afghanistan, apart from denying the Afghan people their right to move towards a modern democratic structure. The contradiction inherent in this situation will keep our northern neighbour unstable and hence a permanent drain on Pakistan's resources. The appropriate time to judge General Zia's Afghan policy will be 10 years from now.</p><p class="">Another foreign policy objective dear to General Zia was to secure for Pakistan a position of eminence in the Islamic world. It is true that General Zia was chosen as the spokesman of the Islamic world. At the UN and other forums, Pakistan under Ziaul Haq became one of the leaders of the majority group in the Muslim world. This achievement has been made possible by a change in Pakistan's role in the affairs of the Muslim world.</p><p class="">A brief historical review of this role will make the issue clear. When Pakistan came into being, the British looked upon it as a potential leader of the non-Arab Muslim bloc which could supplement the traditionally pro-British role of the Arab League. By the early fifties, Pakistan had been sucked into defence arrangements devised to protect imperialist interests in the oil-rich Middle East.</p><p class="">The rise of Arab nationalism under Nasser upset these arrangements and, by sticking to CENTO, Pakistan found itself cut off from the Arab mainstream. A change in foreign policy between 1962 and 1977 enabled Pakistan to move closer to the radical Arabs without losing its contacts with the conservatives. When General Zia took over, Pakistan was part of the Muslim world's effort to loosen its dependence on the West and move towards Third World solidarity.</p><figure class="media one-whole palm--one-whole "> <div class="media__item "><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170901140509im_/http://i.dawn.com/primary/2016/08/57b426ca643da.jpg" alt="Genreal Mohammad Zia ul Haq with Sheikh Riyadh Al Khatib, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia on the occasion of Saudi National Day's Reception in Islamabad on September 24, 1979 | WHITE STAR ARCHIVES"/></div> <figcaption class="media__caption "> Genreal Mohammad Zia ul Haq with Sheikh Riyadh Al Khatib, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia on the occasion of Saudi National Day's Reception in Islamabad on September 24, 1979 | WHITE STAR ARCHIVES </figcaption> </figure> <p> </p><p class="">During the Zia period the Muslim world suffered a great regression. Turning back from thr goal of freedom from the western camp and asserting its right to sovereignty over its resources and its oceans, this bloc has increasingly identified itself with the US strategy of global dominance. Of course, all this was not done by General Zia but he approved of this change in the Muslim world's outlook and diligently worked for its consummation. In the process, Pakistan has even discarded its traditional role as a steadfast fighter for the Palestinian people's rights.</p><p class="">It was during General Zia's rule that Pakistan quit CENTO and joined the Non-Aligned Movement. These were positive steps, but hopes of Pakistan adopting a genuinely independent and non-aligned foreign policy were soon dashed as a new and all-embracing strategic understanding was reached with the United States, which has reduced Pakistan, in the eyes of most observers, to the status of a client state.</p><p class="">In his relations with the United States, General Zia came under pressure on the nuclear issue. The whole story of Pakistan's nuclear programme is not known to the public and it is difficult to say to what extent Islamabad has succeeded in resisting Washington's arm-twisting. Even if it is true that Pakistan has acquired the capability to produce a nuclear weapon, it is a classic example of employing a right approach to a wrong cause. The idea of producing a nuclear weapon was madness in the Bhutto period and could not be considered anything else in his successor's reign.</p><blockquote> <p class="">Suppression of normal political activity has given rise to the politics of ethnicity and factionalism. </p></blockquote> <p class="">Surprisingly, General Zia showed the least interest in the economic field. Apart from a vague idea that the economic priorities of the predecessor regime had to be changed, the private sector had to be encouraged, and the refractoriness of labour checked, he showed little enthusiasm for ensuring economic viability or equitable distribution of wealth. How far such ill-defined policies have succeeded can be seen from the fact that denationalisation is still being talked about, labour-employer antagonisms have been solidified, and the Planning Commission has begun to see a large population below the poverty line. At the time of the last budget, references to bankruptcy were louder than ever before.</p><p class="">Where does Pakistan find itself at the end of the Zia period?</p><p class="">There is a consensus that with the replacement of the agreed constitution of 1973 by the controversial constitution of 1985 the whole constitutional controversy has been reopened. The federal arrangement has suffered a dangerous erosion and the integrity of the state is threatened by centrifugal forces. Suppression of normal political activity has given rise to the politics of ethnicity and factionalism. The Islamisation programme has fostered sectarianism and religion has become politically controversial, The support extended to obscurantists has led to social regression as manifested in greater oppression of women and denigration of the sciences in favour of superstition. Political polarisation, instead of dying down, has become more intense. In the field of external relations, the barter deal with the US is about to expire and Pakistan faces the daunting task of overcoming its dependence on aid without the requisite ability.</p><figure class="media one-whole palm--one-whole "> <div class="media__item "><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170901140509im_/http://i.dawn.com/primary/2016/08/57b426c68f456.jpg" alt="President General Mohammad Zia ul Haq addressing at the White House State Ceremony in Washington on 7.12.1982 | WHITE STAR ARCHIVES"/></div> <figcaption class="media__caption "> President General Mohammad Zia ul Haq addressing at the White House State Ceremony in Washington on 7.12.1982 | WHITE STAR ARCHIVES </figcaption> </figure> <p> </p><p class="">And the economy is a shambles. Nobody can say that any preparation has been made to face the demographic, technological and social challenges the 21st century is going to present. By all accounts, the country faces a serious threat from the drug and arms mafia and corruption and insecurity have increased. And everybody is saying that while trying to destroy the system he had inherited, General Zia did not create a replacement. There is no need to emphasise this point. Only some weeks ago General Zia himself conceded that he had not succeeded in doing what he wanted to, and promised to make another beginning at the close of 1988,</p><p class="">It would be a pity if the Pakistani people were to forget that, underneath the surface calm, stormy currents are building up. After a decade of development and stability under Ayub, and a direct consequence of that decade, the country found itself at a crossroads, and ultimately disintegrated. The most prolific Pakistani anthropologist, Dr Akbar Ahmed, in a fit of inspiration once likened General Ziaul Haq to Aurangzeb. Many Pakistanis would hope that their country in 1988 does not compare with the Mughal empire in 1707— the year of Aurangzeb's death.</p><hr> <p class=""><em>This was originally published in Herald's September 1988 issue. 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title="2016-08-17T16:16:42+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T16:16:42+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 04:16pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>He was a Master of Disaster!</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15377"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Mahmood</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T16:20:47+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T16:20:47+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 04:20pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>He was a week general and a feeble head of state - by accident. The US used him to serve its purpose and than abandoned Pakistan, knowing full well that Zia had no sway over the affairs in the country or events in the region, and this powerless to do anything. </p> <p>Except, Pakistan was left with a burden of 3 million Afghan Refugees, rampant drug and arms flow into the bazzars and hands of ordinary citizen, and the rest as they say, is a sad chapter in the disasterous history of this man.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15378"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">El Cid</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T16:20:57+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T16:20:57+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 04:20pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Defeating the Soviet invasion at Pakistan's Gate was no illusion. Dismantling the Soviet Empire was no illusionary feat. Gen Zia was no illusionist.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15381"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">A Sheikh</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T16:27:39+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T16:27:39+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 04:27pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Mahmood. All Generals who took over the Country have been far far more loyal to the country than the politicians. Nobody has been able to uncover swiss accounts of General Zia. What nonsense are you talking about. Peoples party has been the biggest disaster for Pakistan all the way from Bhutto to Zardari.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15384"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">A. A.</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T16:40:40+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T16:40:40+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 04:40pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>I attended his funeral as a 10 year old, mainly because it stretched to our home in F-7/1 - almost 4-5km from Faisal Mosque. It was the largest gathering of people I have ever seen. My father disliked Zia immensely, but took me to his funeral and then asked me to sit outside our gate and offer cold water to anyone who is thirsty. </p> <p>My father taught me something that day - a person's deeds is a matter between him and his Creator after his death, no matter how much you dislike him. I suggest we move on and fix the present.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15385"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Najaf</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T16:42:27+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T16:42:27+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 04:42pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Wow, great article. Hope that this nation understands.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15386"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Yaseen</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T16:54:35+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T16:54:35+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 04:54pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>He was broght in by USA so that he could be later used against Soviets. Americans always make necessary arrangements for their plans to be successful. Once the job was done, he was removed easily. TIT for TAT</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15388"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">rob</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T16:58:07+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T16:58:07+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 04:58pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Man who destroyed Pakistan. And responsible for the new generation of hatred.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15389"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">M.Khan</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T16:58:59+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T16:58:59+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 04:58pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Which dictator in Pakistan was not able to stay in power for more or less 10 years? Which of the dictators did not promised democracy from the gitgo? The fact is, all dictators used fear of bullets and prevailing circumstance to prolong their reign, Zia was no exception.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15390"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Muhammad Ather</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T17:01:49+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T17:01:49+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 05:01pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Army men are always great. All the great efforts and decision are taken by/in army regime. Needless to say every time army generals saved the country when the country was about to collapse. Eagerly awaiting another exciting era to take place</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15391"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">KARACHI WALA</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T17:04:21+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T17:04:21+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 05:04pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>He is long gone but his ghost still haunts Pakistan. The future doesn't seem to be able to rid this ghost anytime soon either!</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15392"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">wiq</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T17:06:33+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T17:06:33+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 05:06pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>To save readers a lots of nostalgic confusion, the editor should print this note at the top of this page 'article originally published in Herald's Spetember 1988 issue'.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15393"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">KARACHI WALA</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T17:07:52+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T17:07:52+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 05:07pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>"a thorough evaluation of the Zia period is too urgent a task to brook any delay. Without such an exercise, Pakistan cannot possibly negotiate the grim crisis everybody says it is facing."</p> <p>This says it all. Period!!</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15394"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Sr</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T17:11:48+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T17:11:48+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 05:11pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>In many aspects illusion continues even today</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15395"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Voice</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T17:14:26+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T17:14:26+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 05:14pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@El Cid MY friend Zia did not defeat the Soviets nor was their downfall related in any way to Zia. The Soviets collapsed economically due to their failed policies and isolationism. Economic collapse prompted their exit from Afghanistan. They certainly did not leave because of Zia or the Mujahideen nor did they inflict any particularly catastrophic damage to the soviet military juggernaut. </p> <p>The Soviet occupation was an ill advised adventure at a time when the Communist Part of the Soviet Union thought they could distract the public, from their plight, with declarations of war in defense of the motherland and other similarly "romantic" gestures. But as history shows it all came to naught and future generations would be wise to take note.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15396"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">z-USA</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T17:19:12+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T17:19:12+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 05:19pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Most disastrous man for Pakistan and all Islamic Ummah.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15398"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Hanifullah Roghani</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T17:27:56+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T17:27:56+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 05:27pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Zia was a poweful General and he was neither illusionist nor feeble.His support of America in the desintegration of Soveit Union was not for America but for pakistan.Soveit attack on Afghanistan was actully attack on pakistan.Russian were not so stupid to accupy barren Afghanistan but they wanted to reach the warm water of Pakistan and to connect centeral asian Republics with the world through Gawadar.That is why the modern Analysits hilights the difference between Zia and Musharaf as they say that Zia fought pakistan war on the soil of Afghanistan while Musharaf fought American war on the soil of pakistan.If we ipartialy analys then it would becom clear that zia was a great genious who defended pakistan in very crucial time.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15399"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Akbar</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T17:29:13+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T17:29:13+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 05:29pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Illusional and delusional.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15400"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Ex Pat</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T17:33:41+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T17:33:41+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 05:33pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Detestable despot, author of much of the problems faced by Pakistan today, tomorrow and the foreseeable future.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15401"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">faisal</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T17:34:41+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T17:34:41+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 05:34pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Zia was better then most of Pakistani leaders in his leadership crime was low and economy was better.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15403"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Shakil USA</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T18:03:19+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T18:03:19+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 06:03pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>One of most corrupt general dictator did nothing good for the country and same time use name of Islam to make fool of people.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15404"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">M. Malik</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T18:04:50+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T18:04:50+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 06:04pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>To all those who think Zia deserves credit for the defeat of the Soviets in Afghanistan and collapse of the USSR, might as well ascribe the fall of the Berlin Wall as well as the Shah of Iran to this genius! Utterly foolish to think he was any good for the country.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15405"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Hamza Shahzad</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T18:09:30+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T18:09:30+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 06:09pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Good man left with good memories.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15406"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">KARACHI WALA</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T18:10:13+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T18:10:13+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 06:10pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Hanifullah Roghani </p> <p>"Zia fought pakistan war on the soil of Afghanistan ....."</p> <p>If this is the proof of Zia's, genius then America is super genius. Americans first fought their fight against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan and prepared the ground on Pakistan soil (by creating Jehdis with the help of Zia and Saudi Kingdom) to fight their now ongoing war not only in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq but in the rest of Muslim world.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15407"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Jawaid Kamal</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T18:12:07+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T18:12:07+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 06:12pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Wish you publish some photos of him with NS.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15408"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">moe2</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T18:12:13+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T18:12:13+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 06:12pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>He was a puppet of foreign interest in the region. Terrorism started in Pakistan during his tenure as a result of his blind following of foreign masters interests.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15409"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Tahir</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T18:13:33+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T18:13:33+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 06:13pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Hundreds of salutes and millions of blessings upon him. The only man in the entire history of Pakistan after Jinnah and Bhutto who was at work 24/7 for the pure national self interest of Pakistan and nothing else. All the rest are just looters and plunderers with one point agenda, how to transfer looted wealth to other countries where it is secure.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15413"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Dukhaa</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T18:54:15+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T18:54:15+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 06:54pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Tahir He was truly a man with guts to not only destroy all the country but took actions which brought to us Taalibans, Haqani Network, Afghan Refugees, Altaf Hussains MQM and above all your favorite Nawaz Sharif so look at their domino effect</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15414"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Humanoids</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T18:55:03+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T18:55:03+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 06:55pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@A Sheikh Yeah far far far more loyal! Rigging elkection against Fatima Jinnah, calling army action and eventual defeat at the hands of a woman by Yahya, Zia with his land reforms reversal, Mush with his NRO and Kayani with Abbotabad gate They were all a disaster. Every country has an army, ours has a country!</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15415"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Guest66</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T19:00:06+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T19:00:06+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 07:00pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Indeed , The Pakistan which Zia set in motion after July 1977 take over , Ended up even worst than what he had took over on that fateful night in 1977 . The country's entire fabrics " social , religious, ethnical , linguistically, ecomonically , politically and Internationally , had been destroyed beyond repair . Indeed this Aurangzaib of 20th century dealt more damging blow to the country Pakistan compared to the moughal empire of Auranzaib the moughal himself .</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15416"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Aks</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T19:03:43+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T19:03:43+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 07:03pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Pursuit of atom bomb and reign of Zia have undone Pakistan.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15417"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">atif khan</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T19:04:41+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T19:04:41+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 07:04pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@M.Khan define dictatorship in pakistan, did they put people against the wall and shot them?? the only progress made in pakistan is during the periods of dictatorship. i am also from awam and i am thinking logically. People are against Zia and some say he was being used by USA, well everyone is being used one way or other. and it will keep happening until a daredevil shows up.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15418"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Tamilselvsn</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T19:10:12+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T19:10:12+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 07:10pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@KARACHI WALA Because of several dictators like him Pakistan has not progressed much compared to India. From the time of independence India has produced several talents and today they are running Microsoft, Google, PepsiCo , landrovers, Jaugaurs and Master Card which are all leaders in the world and several great companies within the countries and they have even reached the borders of Mars whereas Pakistan is only trying to enter borders of India since inception. Your country too can progress provided your leaders have a vision to make the country great. After all we are from the same gene pool!</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15419"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Guest66</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T19:12:50+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T19:12:50+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 07:12pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>He met the death , No one would even ask for the worst enemy , But he had asked for it by destroying the country bit by bit in 11 years . He was burnt to death alive beyond any viable physical recognition... natural justice in layman's word. Had it not been due to some dental DNA ( not fully proven even at his burial time ) , No one would even knew , what they were burying in that grave , that perhaps the nation has forgotten altogether . He was neither a Shaheed ( martyr ) nor a momin , he was the hypocrite of worst kind.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15421"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Ayub</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T19:15:15+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T19:15:15+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 07:15pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>At that time military take over was inevitable because the then PM Zulfiqar Ali had become authoritarian in his behaviour.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15422"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Sridhar Raghunatha Rao</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T19:17:05+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T19:17:05+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 07:17pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>But, in spite of world wide appeals, he went ahead to get Zulfikar Ali Bhutto executed. I consider this as the blot in his career.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15423"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">ss</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T19:17:40+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T19:17:40+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 07:17pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>This is a treat. Kudos for a well informed, well balanced article.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15424"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">P.C.Pandey</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T19:26:29+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T19:26:29+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 07:26pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>In India Army Chief can not even think of Ruling the country but Pakisani people are so nostalgic about their Martial Law Rulers.This is really strange.Army is for people not the other way round.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15426"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">A.B.</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T19:28:48+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T19:28:48+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 07:28pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>I was wondering why the tone is so passive in this piece, instead of ripping into Zia right away like these days. It was written around his demise. Well well, there is a faction that blames all our maladies and woes on erstwhile Zia. The jist of this article spells that as well. Nothing new. The affected Left, feigning impartially, smugly self-righteous, finds a way to make holy pronouncements. I like it because I have a thing for irony.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15427"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Deep C</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T19:30:08+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T19:30:08+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 07:30pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>The Americans used to call him their MAN.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15428"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Aziz Ahmed</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T19:40:16+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T19:40:16+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 07:40pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@A. A. After death, one may forgive at the personal level but he was the leader of a nation and it is imperative that we learn from history by discussing his idiocy.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15430"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">nasr</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T19:55:38+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T19:55:38+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 07:55pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Mahmood Your views are out of context of reality of that time. It was our utmost duty to take the refugee burden. I was 18 and still remember those days.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15431"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">MA</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T20:01:31+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T20:01:31+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 08:01pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>The picture of the funeral procession is so ridiculous, when it is officially known that no remains of him were found. Was it necessary to have spent all that taxpayers money!!!</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15432"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">nasr</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T20:03:57+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T20:03:57+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 08:03pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@rob Our country Pakistan has been destroyed by some of its own corrupt people. Zia was loyal and was not like most of the resent and past wealth amassing corrupt leaders.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15445"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Shakil USA</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T21:33:34+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T21:33:34+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 09:33pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@rob - Very well said and agreed.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15446"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">wellwisher</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T21:34:12+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T21:34:12+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 09:34pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>he was staring at Pakistan,s isolation and bankruptcy, when Russians FOOLISHLY walked in Afghanistan, and Americans seized the opportunity of taking revenge of Vietnam.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15447"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Hassan </span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T21:35:57+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T21:35:57+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 09:35pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Tahir : Wow! , you are the first person to use the word hero, for zia and Bhutto in the same sentence.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15448"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">M.Saeed</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T21:38:54+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T21:38:54+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 09:38pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Nobody talked about the reasons behind his sudden ouster of Bhutto regime. Very few people who knew never found courage to speak. But, clearly it started after the last minute failure of the Round-table meeting at Sihala Rest House, between Bhutto and the opposition headed by Mufti Mehmud.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15449"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Nancy</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T21:40:45+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T21:40:45+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 09:40pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>The author does not shy away from showing off his use of colloquial English. If the author wants to leave Ge. Zias personal matters between him and his creator, why was Zia hell bent upon trying, judging and executing the population under his rule? No one single person has damaged (whatever was left ) of Pakistan than the General himself. General Yahya lost half the country with his viscous iron fist. Let's not be an ostrich and call a spade a spade!</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15450"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">joe</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T21:42:37+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T21:42:37+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 09:42pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Tahir Sir working 24x7 does not mean you are beat at the JOB. Will you grant same to MODI..</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15451"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">ADD</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T21:44:23+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T21:44:23+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 09:44pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>He really wrecked Pakistan. An egotistical leader.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15452"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">TZaman</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T21:47:53+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T21:47:53+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 09:47pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Zia was nothing less than a gross nightmare. His ghost is still haunting Pakistan.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15453"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">AXH</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T21:51:05+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T21:51:05+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 09:51pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@A Sheikh - "Nobody has been able to uncover swiss accounts of General Zia."</p> <p>You do not need to discover someones Swiss accounts to show the damage that one did to the country. Zia might not have Swiss accounts but what his policies and decisions did to the country has proven to be irreversible. You see, Bhutto (ZAB) was not saint either and his policies were also disastrous, like his policies on the private sector and schools but those policies were reversible. What Zia did impacted the very fabric of this society. Who knows if ZAB was still the PM at the time of Soviet invasion, the impact of that could have been different.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15454"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Ahsan Gul</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T21:51:07+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T21:51:07+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 09:51pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>History is judging him after almost 30 years but scars and destruction of his policies and dictatorship are still looming on our country Pakistan. He was a jackal in sheep clothings. He got Pakistan involved as his masters USA and Saudi Arabia ordered and from this point we can call him an obedient poodle. On the name of Islam he grossly misguided public as he was not a devout religious person. A man from poor family of Jhalunder India did however realized his dream to be President by keeping low profile during his military career until he had one chance to grasp power. For this History can call him an excellent opportunist. But, Allaha and nature seldom leave people unpunished for their misdeeds. He betrayed his handler Mr. Bhutto and Mr. Bhutto betrayed his father Gen Ayub and nature punished both in its way. So we can say, it is very hard to trust and select and analyze someone's personality until it is too late.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15455"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">ADD</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T21:58:56+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T21:58:56+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 09:58pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>If not for the plane crash, he would have ruled Pakistan for another 11 years. What a disaster that would have been. Already Pakistan is paying for the first 11 years.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15457"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Irfan</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T22:27:50+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T22:27:50+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 10:27pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@A. A. Give may regards to your father</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15459"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Guest66</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T22:35:00+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T22:35:00+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 10:35pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Sridhar Raghunatha Rao , This was not done cos he has a respect for the due process of law as such , No sir , He had to do it cos it was crystal clear to him in no uncertain terms that if he let Bhutto lives , his own head will be at the gallows for his military take over . Bhutto has in uncertain words has said this to happen if his party wins the elections which he was compainging when let gone free after summary detention . So In this act , he was not sincere either .</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15460"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Dasti</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T22:48:35+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T22:48:35+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 10:48pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@El Cid It was the fate of USSR..Zia is not the only cause. Secondly what Pakistan achieve by the defeat of USSR..only Zia and USa benifited. He was really an illusionist.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15461"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Zara</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T22:49:17+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T22:49:17+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 10:49pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>This man destroyed Pakistan. Brought in extremism and the Saudi Madrasas. He is a shameful period in our history.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15462"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Dasti</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T22:57:01+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T22:57:01+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 10:57pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Hanifullah Roghani sir this is the point..countries have armies to fight...these proxy wars, our war on other soil, his war, that war..these causes great damage to us. We should be neutral..let any country invade to our territory then only we will fight our every child will fight but for God sake stop manipulating things on the name of strategic interest..Iranian, Afghani, Indians all neighbour hate us because we our leader interfere in their matters. Zia used international Politics, UD dollers and Religion to continue his rule. He was illusionist and disastrous.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15464"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Nauman M</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T23:13:13+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T23:13:13+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 11:13pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Looking at many posts in support of Zia here, it is easy to tell how frustrated Pakistanis are with the apathy of the dormant and inept present and recent governments. Seems like they are saying all is forgiven Zia "marhoom" sahib, we need people like you to govern us once again.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15465"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Devendra K Sood</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T23:15:45+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T23:15:45+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 11:15pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Zia was one man responsible for spreading hatred among his own people. He appealed to their dark side and turned one against the other. So, divided they can not fight him. All he cared was how to stay in power. He murdered Bhutto. Does any one in Pakistan doubts it? What ever Bhutto was alleged to have done was never proven and even the charges did not rise to a death sentence.....I am NO fan of Zulfikar. Just stating the truth. The only good thing in all this sad episode is that he was gone from the scene when he did......about ten years late.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15468"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Dukhaa</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T23:27:16+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T23:27:16+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 11:27pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@nasr Tell me one good deed he did for the nation? His tenure was totally to make him a Pharaoah by creating fear for his opposition and imposing his version of ISLAM..result is TAALIBAN</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15470"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Armaan</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-17T23:40:36+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-17T23:40:36+05:00">Aug 17, 2016 11:40pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Our Nation doesnt deserve honest and loyal people like Imran Khan, Zia, Gen Raheel. I am so happy that our crook nation has crook leaders like Benazir, Zardar and Nawaz. Our new generation don't know how it was like in his time of rule. Crime was very low, our nations debt was very low. Since he is gone and came Benazir to take revenge from Pakistan. She re-introduced corruption to Pakistan as her father did in his time by rigging election and ... I have alot to say about your bureaucracy and politicians but I know all will be deleted before it is published.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15471"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">IAK</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T00:08:57+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T00:08:57+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 12:08am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Column writers and professional intellectuals always have the advantage of ex post facto wisdom and hence they are always right.Everyone know the capabilities of the so called civilian leaders before, during and after Zia's time. After the pull out of Russians from Afghanistan Zia insisted that Junejo and co should not sign the Oslo accords before a consensus government could be formed in Afghanistan. Zia correctly feared that without that Afghans would start fighting with each other. Alas Junejo disregarded Zia's advice and went ahead with signing the Oslo accord. The resultant carnage in Afghanistan still continues.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15478"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Muhammad Arif</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T01:07:03+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T01:07:03+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 01:07am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Mahmood He conned the best, ZAB.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15479"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Rao</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T01:08:39+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T01:08:39+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 01:08am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Mahmood : Yes, he was. He literally changed the course of a nation in his own image, a calamity so difficult to change. difficult</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15481"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Muhammad Arif</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T01:09:10+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T01:09:10+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 01:09am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@rob He saved Pakistan. If it was not for him, we will all be speaking Russian today.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15482"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Muhammad Arif</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T01:11:28+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T01:11:28+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 01:11am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Voice Soviet collapsed because they got involved in Afghanistan more than they thought they will. It drained them financially and other social issues resulting from war in Afghanistan. Prolonged wars are bad no matter who you are and how strong u r</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15486"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">50 Shades of Khaki</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T01:24:13+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T01:24:13+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 01:24am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@A. A. A person's 'personal' deeds are between him and his creator. The author did not mention anything on Zia's personal life - he wrote what he did as a ruler - as a dictator</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15487"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">50 Shades of Khaki</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T01:25:11+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T01:25:11+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 01:25am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>"The appropriate time to judge General Zia's Afghan policy will be 10 years from now". "And the heavier part of the bill is yet to come". The author was correctly able to predict what was coming 23 years before 9/11. Bravo!</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15488"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">fard</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T01:26:05+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T01:26:05+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 01:26am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Zia was an evil man and his curse has destroyed Pakistan. Whatever is happening in Pakistan is due to his poor judgement and stupidity.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15491"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">fard</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T01:38:38+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T01:38:38+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 01:38am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Guest66 Great statement</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15492"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">fard</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T01:39:39+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T01:39:39+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 01:39am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>He was very ugly, I saw him once in Peshawar.He looked like a walking dead, pale and miserable.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15493"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">fard</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T01:41:38+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T01:41:38+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 01:41am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@MA They were burying the bones of American ambassador Rafael.You were right no one knew whether it was his body.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15495"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Mo Ash</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T02:27:36+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T02:27:36+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 02:27am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Worst thing that ever happened to Pakistan was Zia. Only history will judge; that's once the Pakistanis have attained the right literacy rate.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15496"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Vikas Rehman</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T02:35:29+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T02:35:29+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 02:35am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Pakistan has been ruled by the military and politicians, aproximately 50:50, since her coming into being. Democracy is undoubtedly the way forward, anywhere and everywhere. What I do not understand, however, is how come the generals in power managed a 6+% economic growth whilst politicians could only achieve a paltry 4+%.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15497"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Siddhartha S</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T02:43:40+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T02:43:40+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 02:43am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>The book "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" by Mohd. Hanif presents an unflattering perspective of an air force cadet about the military dictator including references to his "funny" ailment. Never could understand whether it was literally true, or added as a spice to the satirical narrative.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15499"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Pakistani</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T05:04:01+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T05:04:01+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 05:04am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Only interested in staying in power & used every means to achieve that. This is quite evident from is 11 years rule. Being an autocrat he could have reached milestones in economic or social development, but one can easily see he had no intentions.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15501"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Akil Akhtar</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T05:06:58+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T05:06:58+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 05:06am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Pakistan is still paying the price for his rule.....</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15503"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Hanifullah Roghani</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T05:48:01+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T05:48:01+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 05:48am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Karachi wala "America is super genious!brother you lnow the startegic position of pakistan.Pakistan is strategically situated in such a position that it cannot remain without siding with one of the super power.China is your all time friend and you know the cold war between china and America but you are still the strategic partener of America.As for as the supergeniousness of America is concerned,she can do anything she wants but a genious man like zia can exploit her for his own purposes. Unlike Musharaf,zia fought His own war on Afghan soil while using American arms and ammunitions.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15504"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">KARACHI WALA</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T06:03:43+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T06:03:43+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 06:03am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>If I we are still reading comments in favor of Zia, far darker days for Pakistan still ahead.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15507"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">jam shed</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T06:39:03+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T06:39:03+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 06:39am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Hanifullah Rouhani Could not have said better. Zia fought Pakistan's war while Musharraf was busy pleasing Bush. Musharraf real constituency was White House. And his humiliated exit and that was not without NRO he paved the way for the most corrupt political party to grab power. We have seen Pakistan was "on hold" for five long years as nothing got done in those five years. PPP years was the darkest time in Pakistan political history.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15509"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">YOUKNOWIMRIGHT</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T07:39:38+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T07:39:38+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 07:39am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Pakistan's single greatest disaster.... and the after-shocks are still dragging the country down.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15510"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">YOUKNOWIMRIGHT</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T07:44:51+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T07:44:51+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 07:44am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>The usual cabal of conspiracy theorists on here blaming the US show they either don't know history or refuse to learn. It was the anti-US ZA Bhutto who plucked Zia from the lower echelon of generals as his hand-picked chief, only for Zia to hang him.... and Pakistan in the long term.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15512"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Abhinav Mathur</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T08:45:14+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T08:45:14+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 08:45am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Surprised to see some people loving Dictators.Only weak people like dictators so that they do not have to take responsibility for their country</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15515"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Kryptonite</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T09:02:59+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T09:02:59+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 09:02am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Zia a great liar and a deceiver. He was really good at that.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15517"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Zubaida khan</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T09:08:38+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T09:08:38+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 09:08am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@El Cid You are kidding me? The Soviets were already on the verge of bankruptcy at the start of the Afghan war. They were dipping into their gold reserves to fund the war. Oil was at an all time low. So they could not generate any revenue from selling oil. </p> <p>Soviet economy was in shambles. The more gold they sold the further the price of gold dropped. The Afghan war was the last straw that broke the camels back. Only thing Zia did was to commit Pakistan to an unforgiving war with no planning or forward thinking. </p> <p>Without American weapons, training, intelligence, logistics and dollars Zia would not have been able to do much. And he dragged it on. The Soviets wanted to leave in 1985 but by refusing to allow safe passage for the withdrawal the war extended another two years. </p> <p>Zia was the most crooked person in the history of Pakistan. He did the most damage to the country.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15525"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Baber Gul</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T09:31:21+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T09:31:21+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 09:31am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Ahsan Gul </p> <p>Great comment. Portrays the exact picture and consequences.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15530"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">B. A. Bajwa</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T09:50:06+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T09:50:06+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 09:50am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>The biggest legacy of Zia: 1) Officially bringing mullah in politics 2) Leading to sectarianism 3) Leading to killing of Shias 4) Leading to criminalization of Ahmadiyya sect, their practices, their preaching, and their gatherings</p> <p>In a way, Zia's time is a precursor of the rise of ISIS.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15550"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Shumail Ahmed</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T12:21:28+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T12:21:28+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 12:21pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>"Even if it is true that Pakistan has acquired the capability to produce a nuclear weapon, it is a classic example of employing a right approach to a wrong cause. The idea of producing a nuclear weapon was madness in the Bhutto period and could not be considered anything else in his successor's reign".</p> <p>The above excerpt from the article says it all about the author. Try to understand this with Modi's out bursts against Pakistan today and then see at which side the author is. </p> <p>I know you will not publish this comment so keep on doing this bullshitting of the history . </p> <p>General was not an angel and may have made genuine mistakes but we did not have better than him in the last 60/70 years</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15555"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Usman Khan </span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T12:48:00+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T12:48:00+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 12:48pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Zubaida khan if zia did most damage, than what about musharraf? i hope u would react like he has done blunder, but i don't think so. let see!</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15556"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Najaf</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T12:54:44+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T12:54:44+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 12:54pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Guest66 nailed it. Totally agree.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15557"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Najaf</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T12:59:04+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T12:59:04+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 12:59pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Dukhaa great to see people who remember the history well still exist. Thumbs up!</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15570"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Syed</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T14:31:49+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T14:31:49+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 02:31pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>He stopped the Soviets at Torkham before either the Saudis or the US responded. He chided Jimmy Carter for his token military aid by calling it peanuts. He toyed with the US and accelerated the Nuclear Program to reach nuclear capability. He rightly wanted a regional role for Pakistan as the reward for pushing the Soviets across back across the Amu Darya and causing the destruction of the Soviet Union. And for that he was Martyred by the US. Yet some in this nation who do not understand the world of international politics call him names. Do you think either Nawaz Sharif or Zardari would have been able to tackle the Russians and the Americans and achieve Nuclear capability without having to worry about sanctions.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15575"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">atif</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T16:15:01+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T16:15:01+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 04:15pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@A. A. you are absolutely right i witnessed it as well as</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15576"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Hamza Piracha</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T16:18:46+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T16:18:46+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 04:18pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>I didn't read "from the archives" and I was shocked when I finished reading this because nothing has changed till date! Everything has become only worse and as the author asserts that real situation can only be judged 10 years later (after 1988), we can see how much we are suffering due to an ill-minded man's naive and narcissist policies.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15578"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">pakistani</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T16:27:23+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T16:27:23+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 04:27pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>why is he only blamed for the militancy and sectarianism in the country..we had 10 years of democratic rule after his demise..the popular PPP and PML-N did nothing to reverse this trend</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15590"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Mudassar</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T17:52:57+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T17:52:57+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 05:52pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Zara you are absolutely right. His greatest achievement was the elimination of bhutto. </p> <p>One can argue that he wasn't good at governance, and ruled like a dictator. But unfortunately, Pakistanis had no better option looking at the general lawlessness , corruption and extremism in the society. We are a unruly race with little regard for law, and need to be ruled with an iron fist.<br/> Note that during his rule, there were no suicide bombings and sectarian attacks.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15593"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Agha Ata</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T20:09:53+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T20:09:53+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 08:09pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Please do not mention his good points. Hitler had some good points, too, he provided all the necessities to his people. But in this case, I would say, that nobody ever did before, and nobody would ever do it again, after learning this lesson, for which we are still suffering, what this man Zia did to this nation with his stupid whims!</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15594"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Battleaxe</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T20:10:49+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T20:10:49+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 08:10pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Whats most interesting ? Just see him with Afgan president Daoud in this article , it looks like Kapil Dev was there , just compere the side profile of both , very strange and of course intresting.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15595"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Ednanayub </span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-18T22:58:01+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-18T22:58:01+05:00">Aug 18, 2016 10:58pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>When will we talk positive about our leaders? Whom so it be. Explore the other side of coin also.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15596"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Syed Mohammad Husain</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-19T00:23:46+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-19T00:23:46+05:00">Aug 19, 2016 12:23am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>@Syed: Maybe we misread the Russian walk into Afghanistan. Maybe also, we fought America's war against the Soviets there. It was American propaganda that the Soviets wanted the warm waters of the Arabian Sea. Jimmy Carter's National Security Adviser has mentioned that their objective was to bleed the Soviets for Vietnam and they had been preparing for this a long time. Our set up in Cherat was for the purpose-Afghanistan in 1960. Like post 9-11, we have been actually fighting their wars. Our internal security is today as a result of what happened in Afghanistan and its aftermath. General Zia capitalized on the Soviet advance and came to the forefront when he promised to befriend the Americans.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15598"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Nasir</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-19T02:13:55+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-19T02:13:55+05:00">Aug 19, 2016 02:13am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>The chief Architect of Pakistans descent into chaos and rule of the mullah - wreaked havoc on Pakistan in such a huge way that we are still paying its consequences .</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15613"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Zakriya</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-19T12:29:40+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-19T12:29:40+05:00">Aug 19, 2016 12:29pm</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>Team dictator in human history.</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="comment pb-4 mb-4 border--bottom" id="15638"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-11"> <div class=""> <span class="comment__author size-four caps float-left text--gray">Yaser Masood</span> <span class="timeago comment__date caps size-four pb-2" title="2016-08-20T08:57:26+05:00"><span class="timestamp--time timeago" title="2016-08-20T08:57:26+05:00">Aug 20, 2016 08:57am</span></span> </div> <div dir="auto" class="comment__body size-six clearfix"><p>A true American agent</p> </div> <div class=""> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  </section> <a data-smooth href="#top" class="goto-top sticky" data-sticky-top="600"><img src="/web/20170901140509im_/https://herald.dawn.com/_img/top.jpg"/></a> </div> <footer> <div class="pt-2 px-2 mb-2 cf">  <div class="ad " aria-hidden="true"> <div class="js-ad clearfix" style="text-align:center;margin:0 auto;overflow:hidden;max-width:728px;max-height:90px"> <div class="radWrapper ad__wrapper"> <div id="div-gpt-ad-1455520357400-1" class="ad__wrapper__slot" style="width:728px;height:90px"> <script>googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1455520357400-1'); 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Ziaul Haq: Master of illusion - From The Archives - Herald