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.
You raise interesting point about how this may come across to non-Urdu speaker. In both the videos. I just saw part of them with sound off, and you know what in all three - student, Musharraf, MNA - the face and hand gestures are overly agressive and seems more like fighting than discussing. Maybe that is really true of how we talk and argue in general. Sad.
Hello,
I stumbled on this (first) video clip and unfortunately dont understand urdu, so i only understand the few english cues…
I think many people would be interested in a translation or subtitles or a short summary.
Concerning the judging on appearance: Musharraf wore a military uniform, the student had this mullah style. This tells us where they are coming from. This is not as important as what they say.
I didn’t like the fingerpointing of the student (literally spoken, because I couldn’t understand him). In western Europe this is considered a rather aggressive gesture or gives the impression of lecturing someone or preaching. Is this kind of body language in Pakistan perceived differently?
Lastly, you are probably right about Bush evading this kind of open discussions. But that is not true for american or european politicians in general.
soupchef
[quote post="362"]defenseless civilians?[/quote]
@Turab:
-in Israel guys & girls above 16 are part of military so most of them are NOT civilians anyway.
-its your perception that you think mullahs favor such acts, did you interview any mullah recently?
-i do not favor sucide bombing but when someone occupies your home,your wife, daughter and son and you are unarmed then you wouldn’t hesitate to put your life at risk to save your loved one or you will just sit on sofa and keep watchnig some late night MTV show?
The good news is that whatever the minister might say, there is a willingness for dissent and debate in the country. In blogs like this, on the many TV channels, in newspapers, and (as we see in these videos) even in the halls of power, there are those willing to say what they feel and moreover even those in power are at least willing to engage in that conversation. Beyond making slogans and just criticisizing everything just becasue we do not like a particular sides view (this type of one-sided and blanket criticism only makes one look silly), I do think that this is a good sign in society. I do NOT think this openness to debate (as someone said, much more than in the US or UK or Europe even) is there becasue Musharraf GAVE it to us (he is wrong in taking credit for it). It is there because people are willing to speak out. However, he has not actively taken steps to stop it, and I am glad for that.
So much for democracy in action. From Dawn Op-Ed
http://dawn.com/2006/10/17/ed.htm#1
[quote post="362"]Speaking to journalists at an iftar-dinner in Karachi on Sunday, Mr Mohammad Ali Durrani said that the government would not allow � some versions say “not tolerate� � any criticism of the armed forces or the “solidarity of Pakistan�, though in his magnanimity he did concede that the government could be criticised. How can one avoid criticising the army when it runs the country’s government? Does not the criticism of the government automatically translate into a criticism of the army, because it is the corps commanders, headed by the Chief of Army Staff, who run this country?[/quote]
Khwaja Asif was GOOD. More articulate than your run-of-the-mill politician. Equally passionate and rational, and very much in command of the subject matter. The speaker (Chaudry amir) sounded like a bumpkin on the other hand - kinda like what Chaudry Shujaat sounds like.
Thanks for sharing Adil sahib, unfortunately our peoplle have grown so apathetic these little sparks of ‘freedom’ fizzle out right after they are born.
In the video from the National Assembly, I am glad to see someone raise the issue of Bugti’s murder. Specially coming from a Punjabi. I think he got over emotional but it was good to see real issues raised. Woudl be nice to see the response from some of the government MNAs too.
same person kakakhel could be welcomed by same people if he had a sikh background. tsk tsk