Adil Najam
I was in Chicago all weekend for Human Development Foundation (HDF) of North America’s Convention celebrating the HDF’s 10 years of service. It was an intellectually stimulating event with a host of thoughtful presentations various issues related to Pakistan’s development coming from Dr. Tariq Banuri, Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy, Dr. Sania Nishtar, Arshed Bhatti (’Civil Junction’ Cafe), Zobaida Jalal (Minister of Social Welfare), Ahmed Bilal Mehboob (PILDAT), Khalid Mirza (former SEC Chairman), Nasir Ali Shah Bukhari (KASB), Dr. Nadeem ul Haque (PIDE), Beena Sarwar, Munizae Jehangir (NDTV), Ethan Casey (PakCast), Syed Talat Hussain (Aaj TV), and others. The event also featured the music of Josh, Munni Begum and Jawad and the poetry of Ahmed Faraz.
As interesting as the formal presentations were the many many side conversations amongst the participants. The current political situation in Pakistan, including Elections 2007, were a hot topic. I learnt much in talking on this to people like Syed Talat Hussain from Aaj TV, Ahmed Bilal Mehboob of PILDAT who had been instrumental in getting the ‘open letter’ to Gen. Musharraf written, and also with Ahmed Faraz. On the elections question the common response was that ‘anything could happen’ and it is no longer clear what is most likely to happen, or even if elections would be held.
I was reminded of my conversation with Imran Khan last year where he had said that the 2007 elections would ‘either be like 1970 or like 1977.’ That may still be true; but it would depend on whether elections happen at all. What do you think? Will they?
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Naveed, many thanks for correcting my faulty memory/quote and for providing color on my misquote that certainly makes us think. Your pronunciation of ‘lei’ is funny - we cannot lose our sense of humor in the midst of all this.
Two questions.
1. If the whole opposition were to resign from the assemblies just before Musharraf’s reelection, would it still be possible for him to get elected from the same assemblies?
2. What’s the total break up of seats in all the assemblies (including senate) right now? Considering that MMA has a majority in NWFP and a considerable presence in Baluchistan, and the pro-Mush parties have only a thin majority in the national assembly, how comfortable would Mush be in the presidential election?
abdulhai
Did not know you had ‘naukars’ and slaves serving you tea in Chicago
I think we are becoming cynic don’t even trust ourselves, no there were no naukars serving tea, each one of us spend our own money to organize this , the purpose was to reflect what to do when we make schools but than the government school students come to our school too because they don’t get any education there, the lawlessness impedes progress that we make , it was organized before the judicial crisis and the convention statement below would reflect what we are now endeavoring to do , hope you will trust that it was not a mere intellectual exercise but a step to make the slogan ITS people stupid ,
We, the participants of this convention on human development, believe that we must take control of our own future and work for an enabling environment for pro-poor and development-friendly public policy.
We pledge to continue working for a Pakistan where…
· Governance of public institutions is transparent and effective; there is austerity in government spending; and wide public participation in national decision-making.
· Ready access to justice for all is ensured, constitutional supremacy and rule of law is established, and the independence of judiciary and media is respected.
· Public spending is re-directed to significantly increase investments in education, primary and preventive health care, and grass roots economic development.
· The culture of dependence on foreign aid and loans is curtailed.
· Social and economic entrepreneurs are given the space to create a vibrant and just society.
[quote comment="50019"][quote comment="49694"]Prez. Musharaff is the Best for Pakistan’s future.
There have been so many improvements under him. I can’t see why people have any problems with him.
Yes there may be some unsolved problems but you can’t change everything. He has done alot for Pakistan and I am sure he is willing to do anything for the well-being for Pakistan. How does anyone know that the elections have been “staged” or “fixed” have you been there your selves and witnessed it being done??
Imran Khan is so corrupt, he just wants his ten seconds of fame, he won’t do anything as president. I’m sure of it. Musharaff is deffinetly better than Zia. Who could of handled Bush better? If it was someone else Pakistan would of been in the same state as Iraq and Afghanistan. And NO president Musharaff is not opposed by everyone.
Obviously there is a difference between Napoleon’s time and 2007 Pakistan. People were longing for a free France they were tired of all the wars going on. The revolution was for change, to bring about more freedom. And infact freedom has been brought to Pakistan. If Musharaff was an over ruling dictator he wouldn’t let talk shows discuss things against him, he wouldn’t allow freedom of speech. People tend to look at the more negative things than the positive. It’s human nature but what can I say people have to open there eyes and look at some of the positive things for once.[/quote]
Just look at how the freedom fighter in Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, has turned into the worst dictator possible. I don’t see any reason why Musharraf can’t become another Mugabe. It takes years to build a nation but to bring it down it doesn’t take much effort. Years of “7%” growth rates could not help Suharto when the people rose against him in 1997. The same could happen to Musharraf as well.
Great leaders are not those who impose their will on the people, come through illegal and un-constitutional means, and hang on to power like Musharraf and Mugabe, but are those who leave the power voluntarily like Nelson Mandela. Such people make nations and civilizations and not the Musharraf and Mugabe kinds.[/quote]
I’ll Highlight the word “could”, we’ll just wait until it actually happens. There are alot of people who are with Musharaff. Different regions have different circumstances; it doesn’t nesessarily mean that the same thing will happen in Pakistan. And just one question, what has Musharaff imposed on his people? I don’t understand why everyone is against him. Why would Pres. Musharaff want to bring his own Nation down? It would just make him look bad.
[quote comment="49694"]Prez. Musharaff is the Best for Pakistan’s future.
There have been so many improvements under him. I can’t see why people have any problems with him.
Yes there may be some unsolved problems but you can’t change everything. He has done alot for Pakistan and I am sure he is willing to do anything for the well-being for Pakistan. How does anyone know that the elections have been “staged” or “fixed” have you been there your selves and witnessed it being done??
Imran Khan is so corrupt, he just wants his ten seconds of fame, he won’t do anything as president. I’m sure of it. Musharaff is deffinetly better than Zia. Who could of handled Bush better? If it was someone else Pakistan would of been in the same state as Iraq and Afghanistan. And NO president Musharaff is not opposed by everyone.
Obviously there is a difference between Napoleon’s time and 2007 Pakistan. People were longing for a free France they were tired of all the wars going on. The revolution was for change, to bring about more freedom. And infact freedom has been brought to Pakistan. If Musharaff was an over ruling dictator he wouldn’t let talk shows discuss things against him, he wouldn’t allow freedom of speech. People tend to look at the more negative things than the positive. It’s human nature but what can I say people have to open there eyes and look at some of the positive things for once.[/quote]
Just look at how the freedom fighter in Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, has turned into the worst dictator possible. I don’t see any reason why Musharraf can’t become another Mugabe. It takes years to build a nation but to bring it down it doesn’t take much effort. Years of “7%” growth rates could not help Suharto when the people rose against him in 1997. The same could happen to Musharraf as well.
Great leaders are not those who impose their will on the people, come through illegal and un-constitutional means, and hang on to power like Musharraf and Mugabe, but are those who leave the power voluntarily like Nelson Mandela. Such people make nations and civilizations and not the Musharraf and Mugabe kinds.
[quote comment="49623"]I do not see any better option than Imran Khan.
I think top military brass along with politicians may step forward and provide Musharraf a peaceful and secure exit, without any further anarchy. That may be acceptable to the external powers too.
In elections, urbanites will try to vote for Imran Khan as they have seen he is the only one who can stand up and speak some sense and people still listen.Rural people are not so free to excercise their vote.
Lets wait and see. I hope this time it is very different and better than 1971 & 1977.[/quote]
I seriously don’t think that urbanites would vote for Imran Khan. They would either vote for PPPP or PML(N), and a large number of them would also vote for MQM in Karachi. Imran Khan’s support is quite spread through out the country but I wonder if he has got any pockets of support, so essential in the parliamentary democracy. Just because people on the internet, what can be termed as “e-elite” don’t support the two main stream parties doesn’t mean that people in urban areas won’t support them.
I think Musharraf would get him re-elected from the current assemblies. He is not ready to budge an inch perhaps because if he does, it won’t just be him, but the entire Army that would loose. So the Faujis are behind him, retired or serving, for their interests lay in the furthering of brutal dictatorship. Their greatest threat is the power devolving to the people.
But if Musharraf does get re-elected from the present assemblies and does not doff off his uniform, Pakistan would most probably go the Zimbabwe way, where Robert Mugabe has refused to step down despite the fact that inflation has crossed the 3000% mark, there is 80% un-employment and a large number of people have emigrated causing a huge brain drain. And the government’s reaction: recruitment of a large number of youth in the polic force that would raise the number of police from 29,000 to 55,000. The aim is to rig the next elections by hook or by crook and to browbeat the opposition.
I find little difference between Pakistan (with Musharraf re-elected and still in uniform) and Mugabe’s Zimbabwe.
@Hum:
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