Rehman Chishti, Member of Parliament for Gillingham and Rainham, spoke in Parliament this week to support Christians living in Pakistan.

Mr Chishti, who was elected as a Conservative MP last May, raised the question on Tuesday, during the Church Commissioner’s questions, following the assassination of the?Governor?of Punjab, Salmaan Taseer.

“What representations the Church Commissioners have made in support of Christians in Pakistan,” Mr Chishti asked the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Tony Baldry, who responded:

“It is a sad and terrible fact that Christian minorities who have lived peacefully in Muslim countries for generations are finding themselves subject to increasingly violent persecution.

“Churches have recently been attacked in Egypt, Iraq and Nigeria, and the assassination in Pakistan of Salmaan Taseer for defending a Christian woman who had been sentenced to death was particularly horrible.

“The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Anglican Bishop of Lahore and, indeed, the Christian community as a whole in Pakistan are working hard to foster inter-faith collaboration in Pakistan during this time of difficulty.”

Mr Chishti then followed up with a supplementary question. “Will my hon. Friend join me in paying tribute to the former assassinated Governor of Punjab, Salmaan Taseer, for the work that he did on this particular issue?

“Will my hon. Friend ensure that representations are made to the Government of Pakistan to ensure that the excellent work of Governor Taseer can continue?”

Mr Baldry responded by saying that “Salmaan Taseer was an incredibly brave man and his death is a tragedy for Pakistan.

“We would all do well to remember the words of Jinnah, the father of Pakistan, who said in terms that ‘you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship’.

“What I suspect every Member of this House hopes for is that there shall be freedom of religion throughout the world, and I am sure that, as a Chamber, we will continue to campaign for that wherever we have the opportunity.”

Mr Chishti was born in Pakistan and spent the first six years of his life there before his family moved to Gillingham.

Despite his Muslim background, he has supported worshippers of all faiths in the constituency since he was selected as the Conservatives’ parliamentary candidate in 2007, and has spoken several times in support of citizens of his native Pakistan.

The article, given front page coverage in Saturday’s paper with the headline “Don?t preach to me about terrorists, says Zardari ? terrorists killed my wife” (online for Times subscribers), reveals that he took Cameron’s statement that Pakistan was looking both ways on terror personally.

And why shouldn’t he? In December 2007, his wife, then Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party and likely candidate for President Benazir Bhutto, was assassinated by terrorists while out campaigning (as I covered here).

President Zardari told Bronwen Maddox: “Everybody is sensitive, as we have lost so many people, including my late wife. So to have your credentials questioned does hurt sometimes. No matter how brave you are, it hurts.”

I had the pleasure of meeting Ms Bhutto only a few months before her murder, if only for a few minutes, which followed a passionate speech at the Corn Exchange about democracy and freeing “her” people. A threat to the then incumbent government, and to terrorist organisations in the regions of Pakistan then (and, still, now) beyond the reach of the lawful authorities, she became a natural target as she insisted on meeting supporters.

David Cameron’s remarks have been called into question by many, and perhaps there is a modicum of truth to the assertion that they may have been a touch insensitive to the people of Pakistan who are trying to fight the tyranny of terrorism. But he hasn’t apologised, and nor should he.

The politics of Pakistan is a world away from the politics of the West. I tried to understand it during my time covering the bigger political stories there, but fell well short, and (admittedly) gave up.

To merely assert that they look both ways is short-sighted, and I do not believe for a second that David Cameron truly believes that that is the definitive. It was just a sound-bite, picked up by the left-leaning media and governmental opposition. It was not a command to fix their ways, but a warning that, as things stand, the way Pakistan handles the terrorist threat, and terrorists hiding in the country, will be the deciding factor in the short- and long-term futures of the war against terrorists.

I believe that David Cameron was right to make the comments he made. But I am but a humble blogger, and in international diplomacy, my opinions are nothing more than the annoying squiggly floater that occasionally appears in your eyes.

What matters is the bigger picture, and the way in which Pakistan responds to the comments. Which brings me back to the interview in The Times:

In spite of the clash, the leaders said that they had put their differences behind them. Mr Zardari described the discussion as “very good, very nice”. He added: “I think politicians can always come together and find a light in all darknesses.”

Zardari became leader of the PPP upon Bhutto’s assassination last December, and was yesterday nominated as his party’s candidate for the presidency. He announced that he had accepted the nomination today.

Zardari’s decision to stand could, according to the BBC, threaten the coalition currently running the Parliament, as his main coalition partner, Nawaz Sharif, is against him becoming president, preferring a “consensus president”.

Musharraf stole power from then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a military coup in 1999, then went on to succeed Muhammad Rafiq Tarar as President of the nuclear state.

He was re-elected in October 2007, and then desperately tried to cling on to power by deposing and arresting the top judges and calling a state of emergency. His most prominent opposer, Benazir Bhutto, was held under house arrest on more than one occasion, before her assassination on December 27, 2007.

In March 2008, however, a true democratic movement swept across Pakistan, with Musharraf trying to take credit. The Pakistan People’s Party’s candidate, Syed Youssaf Raza Gillani, was elected Prime Minister following an election in which the PPP and rivals Pakistan Muslim League (N) united to tackle the major problems facing Pakistan. Their leaders (Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari (Bhutto’s husband and joint-Chairman alongside son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari)) were both ousted in Musharraf’s coup.

The Parliament and provincial assemblies will now be able to vote for a new President. In the meantime, the Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan and former caretaker Prime Minister Muhammad Mian Soomro will act as President.

What’s more, according to the BBC, is that if the late Benazir Bhutto’s Party, the PPP, and Nawaz Sharif’s Party, the PML-N, form a two-thirds coalition, then they could impeach President Musharraf and bring about a genuine democracy in Pakistan.

Musharraf, the former Military General who took over in a coup in 1999, has said that “the result will be the voice of the nation and whosoever wins we should accept it – that includes myself” – a great step towards democracy.

However, as PPP and PML-N supporters party in the streets, they should be wary of the beast they may be about to unleash. Musharraf may have been unpopular, but he was an important ally in fighting global Islamic extremism and mostly kept Pakistan stable.

There is no telling what might happen to the Islamic State of Pakistan, or its allies and enemies, if Musharraf is forced out of office.

Don’t worry, I will still bring you high-class posting on a regular basis, commentary from both a right-wing and a Conservative, yet Christian, perspective. However, I will also be focusing on the following topics:

• A continued focus on Pakistani politics
• The campaign for an English Parliament
• The need to end the State funding of the BBC

I have outlined below reasons why I am going to focus on these issues, either in my own words, or, because I am very busy, using the words of the official campaign. Of course, all issues I currently focus on, I will continue to do so.

A continued focus on Pakistani politics

Events in Pakistan affect us more than many people may realise. For one thing, Pakistan is a well known haven for terrorist organisations to nurture and mentor their future suicide bombers – potential terrorists come from all over the world to train in Pakistan, and then go all over the world again to put their training into practice.

What makes the situation in Pakistan that little bit more frightening, and the need for a “friendly” government in Pakistan that little bit more obvious, is that Pakistan is one of the eight known nuclear powers of the world.

The Campaign for an English Parliament

“England is the home of a democratic tradition that has given rise to a distinctive system of law and parliamentary democracy which has served as a model for others. It is a proud and major part of the United Kingdom, a powerful and successful state of worldwide influence and importance.

“However, the devolution of powers to a Scottish Parliament has seriously unbalanced the Union, producing difficult constitutional problems in dealing with English matters in the House of Commons and the Government. A sense of profound unfairness is growing among the people of England. Creating Regional Assemblies in England would not remove the problems, as it is impractical to devolve to them the power to enact primary legislation.

“Amending parliamentary procedures in the House of Commons would not solve the English Question and would lead to continuing constitutional unrest as each new government changed the rules.

“An English Parliament with devolved powers similar to those accorded to the Scottish Parliament would (with similar action for Wales) continue the process of devolution and produce a uniquely British system of government, owing nothing to the federal systems of other countries. It would produce an improved decentralised system of democratic government, bringing power to make decisions on priorities nearer to all the people of the United Kingdom.

“Devolved powers to an English Parliament would also enable the United Kingdom Parliament and Government to concentrate on its retained powers, including the vital matters of international relations, defence and the economy.

“The principle of devolving powers to an English Parliament should be referred to a Constitutional Commission that would examine the detailed aspects of implementation and provide recommendations to be decided by a Referendum.

“A parliament is a symbol of a people’s identity, unity, culture, and history. That belief was a key motivation in the campaign for a Scottish Parliament. It would be a great historic injustice for the people of England to be offered anything less.”

From: Campaign for an English Parliament

The need to end the State funding of the BBC

The BBC’s bias has, over the past few years, become more and more overt and blatant. The popular networking site Facebook revealed that 11 times more BBC employees class themselves as being liberal than conservative.

It is abhorrent, detestable and totally disagreeable that, in 21st Century Britain, the supposedly free society, that we should have government propaganda thrust upon us, both in the news and also the “entertainment” programs (including my own favourite, Spooks), and in a way that is so blatantly obvious to those who recognise it, yet those who don’t, seems entirely innocent.

Now I have nothing wrong with bias within the media, it is, after all, precisely what defines each TV station, program or newspaper. However, funding of these biased institutions should be made purely by those who support them, not by taxing everyone and giving their money to the one institution, whether the taxpayer likes it or not.

The problem was, when I turned off the DVD player, the TV automatically showed BBC News 24, and I felt a lump in my throat as the dangers of the state-controlled liberal propaganda machine denying the real threat to the gullible audience who believe them to be a constantly credible source played out before my eyes. My heart almost stopped.

They had finally got Ms Benazir Bhutto, the great hope for democracy in Pakistan.

Instantly I rushed to the computer to start blogging. But I came across a problem: how do I put into words all the jumbled-up thoughts running around my mind. So I did the only thing I could do: I reported the facts as laid out and promised personal commentary later. And here (slightly later than I was anticipating for various reasons) it is.

For me, the assassination was a tragic shock. In my mind, no-one in Pakistan resonated louder the needs and wants of the Pakistani people, and with beliefs including “democracy is the best revenge“, was their Country’s best hopes for securing free and fair elections.

But let me clarify for a moment; I have not built up a “whiter than white” image of Ms Bhutto. Her name is synonymous with allegations of corruption, and though many people may claim they are unfounded, there are others who provide minimal evidence, although I could not honestly say whether I believed she was, or was not, guilty.

What was important was the reason Ms Bhutto was alive – for democracy. She believed from an early age that she was born to lead, and she also knew the great importance in democracy.

It must be pointed out, however, that in recent months she, along with most other politicians with an eye on Pakistan, has displayed a very idealistic view of democracy, believing that, despite the fact that Pakistan has been living under blatant army rule since Pervez Musharraf, the then Military General, took over in a coup in 1999, the people would be able to seize power back just as quickly.

I believe that, deep down, despite her public calls for an instant open democracy, Ms Bhutto knew that it would take time for democracy to evolve in Pakistan, and the only way to start was to strike the power-sharing deal, manufactured by the United States, with Pervez Musharraf.

It was on this that Ms Bhutto returned to Pakistan on October 18, 2007. She, of course, knew the immense risk she was facing, proven within hours of her return, when suicide bombers killed 136 supporters close to the convoy which was leading her to a rally in Karachi.

It was clear, then, that Ms Bhutto was indeed a wanted woman, that for all her supporters, there were probably just as many alive who wanted her dead, and by returning to Pakistan, Ms Bhutto silently declared that she was not afraid of what anyone may throw at her.

The President had other ideas, and swiftly placed her under house arrest on a number of occasions, for her “security”. And then, of course, on Thursday, December 27, 2007, she was cruelly assassinated by people who fear democracy, the greatest cowards of them all.

It was a major setback for democracy, and came close to being the tipping point, the final act of horror which sent the Country over the edge and into all-out civil war. They are by no means out of the danger zone, there is still rioting in the streets, arguments over the cause of Ms Bhutto’s death and it all looks like the one thing Ms Bhutto wanted, above all, would be delayed.

As many readers of this blog will know, I had the great pleasure of meeting Ms Bhutto back in August, when she came and spoke to our association. The video I took is now sought after by some, as one of the very last speeches she gave in the UK (the transcript of which should be on this site in the New Year).

Following the event, I wrote on this blog:

Ms Bhutto spoke of terrorism and dictatorships, saying “people don’t want terror” and that “democracy is the best way to undermine terrorism. Dictatorships fuel terrorism: a dictatorship needs an external threat to justify its existence in power and so lacks the will to take on the terrorists.”

Benazir Bhutto was a shining light to us all. Like every champion of a cause, there were those who sought to bring her down. They succeeded, or so they will claim.

The truth is that this is merely a setback for democracy in Pakistan. It came close to defeat, and they are not out of the woods yet. However Ms Bhutto’s murder has highlighted the dangers of living in a society where people are suppressed. Her murder has highlighted further her own cause, and angered her supporters into upping the volume on their calls for democracy in Pakistan.

There was once a time when maybe I’d say that they were right to call on President Musharraf to resign, but now I’m not so sure. The first thing that is needed in Pakistan is stability, and overthrowing the very height of government, the Head of State, just months following his election, is not going to provide that stability.

However it needs to be recognised, and accepted as far as possible, that the next elections, whenever they are held, will be at least partly rigged, just as they would have been partly rigged in favour of Benazir Bhutto had she still been alive to win.

It may sound ironic, but Musharraf and the United States had decided (and I fully agree) that the only way democracy would be able to develop in Pakistan is to ensure, by whatever means necessary, that the pro-democratic candidate won and became Prime Minister, even if it meant undermining democracy just this once.

Pakistan has a chance to come out of this tragedy a stronger, and eventually democratic, state, and it would be both a tragedy, and an insult to Benazir Bhutto’s legacy and memory, if that were halted as a result of her passing.

Bilawal, who has been renamed Bilawal Bhutto Zardari so as to continue to Bhutto dynasty, is currently studying Law at Oxford University, and so will be head in name only until he has completed his studies. His father, Asif Ali Zardari, will run the party until his return.

The 19 year-old said: “my mother always said democracy is the best revenge”, although he is too young to stand for Parliament, as his father called on the incumbent government to ensure the elections still went ahead as planned on January 8.

I will return to British political commentary in the New Year

The Right Reverend Michael Nazir-Ali, who was born in Pakistan, “was part of an audience in Kent which welcomed a visit from Ms Bhutto at the end of August.” He said in a statement: “Benazir Bhutto has been a personal friend for many years. Her murder is a body blow for freedom and democracy in Pakistan.”

The article continued: “Ms Bhutto was invited to Rochester in August by a former adviser, Rehman Chisti, now a Medway councillor and the Tories’ parliamentary candidate for Gillingham and Rainham. At the event held by the local Conservative constituency association, she addressed members of all parts of the Medway community while also speaking of her “great admiration” for Mr Nazir-Ali. She spoke of free and democratic societies being a “very precious gift”. One of her comments was: “I believe that democracy is the best way to undermine terrorism.”

Mr Nazir-Ali continued: “I do hope the elections can still be held and that the cause of democracy can survive this catastrophe. My prayers are for her husband, children and family – that they will be comforted at this time of grief. She will always be remembered for her commitment to Pakistan and her courage in public life.”

I am currently in the process of creating a transcript of the segment of Ms Bhutto’s speech which I have on film

“It is with great sadness that we pay this tribute to the life and work of Benazir Bhutto, who was cruelly assassinated on 27th December 2007.

“Ms Bhutto was our guest at a dinner on 26th August 2007. In her address, she spoke with dignity and clarity of her hopes of restoring democracy to the people of Pakistan and her aspirations for her country and her people.

“She was fully aware of the dangers she was facing on her return to Pakistan, but believed that her mission was of such importance that these must be faced. She was determined to clear her name of the allegations of corruption in a court of law and then lead her people towards their rightful place in the world.

“Ms Bhutto’s death is a tragedy for her family and friends, but is also a severe blow for her country and the people she loved and wished to serve.

“We were priveleged to have met her we join with all people of goodwill in mourning her death.

“Rehman Chishti and Brigita Amey

“The video below was taken by the webmaster, who organised a Guard of Honour for Ms Bhutto’s visit. He captured the last couple of minutes of Ms Bhutto’s speech to the association, which, sadly, turned out to be one of the last in Britain. Click here to read the press release of Ms Bhutto’s visit.”

[media:http://www.alanwcollins.co.uk/media/An evening with Benazir Bhutto.flv]

Source: Gillingham and Rainham Conservatives

My personal commentary on this will appear later