Adil Najam
The two videos attached below - one of a student speaking at a student convention presided over by Gen. Pervez Musharraf and the second of an MNA speaking in the National Assembly during the no-trust motion against Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz - have recently been floating around over email on Pakistani lists.
[Thanks to Eidee Man for alerting us to this new version of the first video which includes Gen. Musharraf's Response to the student's speech. Even if you have seen the student's speech already, the response is worth listening to.]
While the remarks from Muslim League (N) MNA Khawaja Asif is less surprising (especially since it came right after Nawab Akbar Bugti’s death and during a no-confidence motion) the speech from the student (Syed Adnan Kakakhel) is much more of a surprise. Gen. Musharraf listens intently, takes notes, and seems engaged. Indeed, as you can now see from his response (later in the video) the speech certainly got to Gen. Musharraf. He responds at length - including on the military rule and Balochistan issues.
I should also add that this event was organized by the government itself and also note that Adnan Kakakhel was awarded the second prize in the speech contest and also that this was telecast over Pakistan Television.
Whether you are a government opponent (i.e., this shows the depth of people’s frustration with the current order), a cynic (i.e., such talk is tolerated because everyone knows it will make no difference), or a government supporter (i.e., this proves that this government has given people real democracy and freedom of speech), you should celebrate these videos for what they are: a demonstration that political thought is alive and well in Pakistan (irrespective of whether you believe its content to be righteous or misguided).
Coming from the bol ke lab aazad hain tairay school of democracy, to me the space for dissent is itself important to the democratic polity; for that reason alone I beleive that these are important articulations.
heres a link of Kh. Asif’s speech on the annual budget back in June.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1756388578 265363312&q=khawaja asif
im sure some of you who have criticized the speech above will find more meaning to it after viewing this one.
i’d like to hear your comments.
p.s. i don’t know if you have seen the third speech from the same person , regarding the steel mill issue, in cae you haven’t heres the link
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-348928928 6311870773&q=khawaja asif
MQ and Bilal, I understand your agony and think that being selective in these threads would help. I can’t use a better analogy than that of the wall but talking of Ghalib, how about:
yaarab ! wo na samjhe haiN na samjheNge meree baat
de aur dil unko, jo na de mujhko zubaaN aur
[quote comment="5049"]
“… I am sure you would agree that banging your head against a wall is hardly a useful exercise.” [/quote]
Bilal,
You are so right. If one has to bang his/her head against the wall then, as Ghalib said:
Tau phir aye sang-dil (or band-dil?) tera he sang-e-astaaN kiyooN ho?
[quote post="362"]Where is this place Adnan?[/quote]
Your own heart.
[quote post="362"]at Madrassa?[/quote]
another sign of ignorance by liberals. For you people, anyone talks a bit in favor of Islam is associated with Madrassah. This thing is not different than the mentality of Americans or west when they consider every beared man a ‘Osama’.
[quote comment="5048"]@yahya: Preach where sun doesn’t shine.[/quote]
Where is this place Adnan? Did they teach you this at Madrassa? What else they did at places where sun doesn’t shine?
MQ: I had not paid enough attention to the fact that Prophet Mohammad’s father’s name was AbdAllah. Thanks for pointing that out.
Regarding the rest of the back and forth in the comments: I am sure you would agree that banging your head against a wall is hardly a useful exercise.
@yahya: Preach where sun doesn’t shine.
I read the article the same day but it is just an attempt at whitewash in the light of current world climate post 9/11.
If we see that people are being killed on sectarian grounds (not to mention other acts of terrorism) and people behind are associated with deenee madrassas then the proof lies in eating the pudding.