Credits for photos belong to Pervaiz Munir Alvi saheb. He took the photos on his recent trip to Pakistan and graciously shared them with me. The location is the Grand Trunk (now called highway N5) in Punjab.
While we have discussed Declaration of Emergency, Chronology of a Meltdown, mis-treatment of Imran Khan in recent past, one topic that got missed is what’s Benazir Bhutto up to these days? We would like to hear from our readers. Today, on my drive back from office, I was listening to Imran Khan’s interview on National Public Radio (NPR). On a question of joining forces with Benazir, Imran Khan replied:
“We would love to join Benazir, except we don’t know whose side she is on today….There is a big mistrust of each other among opposition parties these days”.
I agree. What do you think? Above photos are in no way ATP’s endorsement to Benazir. They simply reflect a glimpse of our society. In addition to that, I personally enjoyed reading the slogan: “faisla zameer da….”
Benazir is converting her dollars to euros thats what she is doing. By the way to the people who said that only PPP supporters were locked up - what about all the lawyers, journalists (who witnessed MQM’s enlightened moderation Danda two days ago), human rights activists and PML-N, PONM, ANP & Labour leaders and workers.Also lets also not forget the Justices of the Supreme Court who are locked up in Islamabad.
Meengla
You are right that this will be a betrayal of the people but public memory (including the people who have commented here) is short.
Guess who betrayed the people for the last 8 years: not BB or her corrupt cohorts but Mr Imran Khan who is being projected as Pakistan’s premier politician by this website by supporting the coup, the referendum until he was not ‘made’ the PM.
The MMA that legalized the 17th amendment allowing him to retain two posts.
The honourable judges who upheld his takeover, then allowed him to keep two posts - it is too late now to become martyrs when they had allowed military rule for 7 years! When he fired their chief they all woke up.
The Pakistani diaspora that praised Musharraf to the skies. Read some of the older posts and comments here - talk of being away from the reality!
The NGOs and the so called civil society who time and again said that he was better than the Mullah, pro -women and brought devolution of powers.
Now all of them have woken up from a deep slumber (or shall we say a long honeymoon of collaboration) and realised that there was a dictatorship in the country!
But of course BB is the worst leader, most corrupt, will destroy the country. We have to submit before the sea of wisdom here!
Power seeking is only the preserve of NS, Imran Khan, MMA, Judges and you name it. It is in fact patriotic and good for the country.
When BB makes a bid for it, she is ‘greedy’, a ‘grabber’, a sell out and let us not forget unpatriotic.
Brilliant.
P.S. Interesting to note that the purpose of this post was served - you ask a clever question and unleash the vitriolic against someone you perhaps don’t like but-were-afraid-to-say.
“Objectivity” lies beyond the definition of Pakistaniat.
Ooops! Forgot to address the main question in my post above.
BB’s rhetoric seems to be milder since Negroponte’s visit. Apparantly she is being ‘pursuaded’ to make another attempt at compromising with Musharraf. I think it will be a betrayal of Pakistani people if, through her actions, Musharraf is installed as a president for 5 more years. But my thinking is that she is going to try to kick out Musharraf from power once he doffs his uniform. Only 2-3 days are left before we may know what she is really upto (other than seeking power–which everyone else is doing, by the way!).
I second what Zia says above.
Also, name ONE major politician in Pakistan who has been imprisoned in (mostly real jail, along with torture!) for 8 years: Only Asif Ali Zardari has been through that.
BB’s mistakes are nothing compared with the mistakes of the 8 years of misrule under Musharraf. The economic revival, yes, has been good but Pakistan now faces extreme dangers due to the shortsighted policies of Musharraf.
About NS, well, he ignored small provinces while forming his setup as the PM and is basically a politician of one province and can hardly unite Pakistanis. Besides, his attempts to make himself an ‘Amir ul Mominoon’ through the (then) 13th Amendment shows his mindset-that alone is enough to keep me away from him.
About Imran Khan: I supported him until I saw his interview with Hamid Mir recently (while he was ‘hiding’): Imran Khan tied the violence in NWFP to the ‘fahashi’ going on in the electronic media. I hate to think what he is going to do one he tastes power.
Owais Bhai,
Is this post trying to create a ‘tehreek’ as you call it by asking relevant questions on our views of Bibi. I believe it is not, all it seeks is to create a debate and a way forward, its a shame you cannot allow the same freedom to others in posting their guest posts.
Feimanallah
Wasim
I wonder some one must have paid to get this written! how can a poor painter afford to spend time and money on this.
This is what PPP does the best, Buy Votes!!
All she will do is loot the country once again. Pakistan has progressed more in one government under Musharraf then the 4 civilian governements after zia’s Era.
Musharraf has made mistakes but he is the better option then all others. Hope PML-Q comes in power again with better and honest people in the goverment, its upto dear Pakistanies now to choose their future, Vote for good people into Parliment.
Pinki Panther Strikes Again!
Blessed are they who care about their lot
Unlike our feudalistic elite who care not
Here they let their lot to rot
All they care is to fill their pot
Ruthless and conniving as they come
What the hell you expect from feudal bum
What Harvard and Oxford could not change
Beyond redemption and out of all range
Self-enriching via loot from the national safe
Twice dismissed for corruption yet all is safe
Instead gets a clean slate for Mush’s chair
While the country collateral to Uncle Sam’s care
How many million in Swiss bank account David Frost question
Pinkie reply ‘David, I think this is a very sexist question
What’s loot got to do with gender?
Manipulate by cynically use of your gender?
Making deal with the devil no problem!
Yes chummy with militants what’s the problem?
All is kosher when it benefit her so what if cheat
A kleptocrat in a Hermes headscarf trick-o-treat
Armored truck protection for the Pinkies
What do they care what happens to the groupies
They died for this personal theatre of hers
They died for this personal show of hers
Albeit we’ve not met Aung San Suu Ki
But true heroes all the same not zero like Pinki
Fidelity, compassion, abiding faith is Aung San Suu Ki
Folly, spite and abiding greed is what you get from Pinki
You all “Socrates” now bashing Benazir. Hoin isn’t Musharaf bowed down in front of Western lobbies to accept Benazir because he didn’t have much support from his own so called “Champion of Democracy” and “Free media” laureates. Musharaf got us “nijat” from the most corrupt leaders of our times “Benazir” and “Nawaz” but “Shabash” to such an “Intellectual” or should I say “Genious” people of Pakistan who missed such a golden chance. Asking a question so innocently “What Benazir” is up to even she said explicitly what she is going to do with our country and Dr. Qadir itself deserver an “academy award”.