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Pakistan Elections 2008: Free and Fair, Pakistani Style

Posted on December 14, 2007
Filed Under >Adil Najam, Photo of the Day, Politics, Society
75 Comments
Total Views: 12853

Adil Najam

Many of you would already have seen this photograph.

It shows a policeman (of the Punjab Police, I believe) helping hang billboards showing the election symbol of ‘bicycle.’ The bicycle, by the way, is the electoral symbol of the ruling party PML(Q), whose supposed Prime Ministerial candidate Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi is the Chief Minister of Punjab and, therefore, the direct boss of this poor cop.

By the way, from the look of it this official van is holding lots of other billboards; most likely with the same symbol. For the uninitiated we should note that the Blue Toyota Hilux vans are the vehicle of choice for the Punjab Police. Also note the word (in Urdu) ‘Police’ at the back of the van and the green number plate. Both signifying that this is an official government vehicle. The policeman, of course, is also in official uniform - duly armed - and ‘assisting’ in what is clearly political campaigning.


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My first thought had been to ask people to suggest a funny title for this… maybe something like “Police ka hai farz madad aap ki!” (It’s the Police’s duty to help you) which used to be the slogan of the police service. However, there is very little about this picture that is funny. And their is plenty that is truly disturbing.

75 comments posted

Comment Pages: « 109 8 7 6 5 4 3 [2] 1 »

  1. Rafay Kashmiri says:
    December 14th, 2007 12:56 pm

    Punjab Police
    hard at work,

    @ you have really some illusions,
    ” blog can be free and fair” what a fairy tale. !!

  2. ???? says:
    December 14th, 2007 12:53 pm

    Thank you: Adil Najam + ATP, for making this blog more balanced and fair. Maybe Pakistan cannot be democratic in our lives, but alteast our blogs can be free and fair.

  3. legaleagle says:
    December 14th, 2007 12:17 pm

    so freakin’what?????

    if PPP or PML (N) were the kings party, this policeman would have been working for them instead!

    same thieves…..different titles!

  4. MQ says:
    December 14th, 2007 12:13 pm

    How much more transparency one would want from an election?

    Incidentally, if you look at a bigger picture, you could see that the vehicle belongs to the FC College Police Chowki. It says so in the left hand side of the green registration plate.

  5. Roshan says:
    December 14th, 2007 11:40 am

    The picture shows the level of TRANSPARENCY in upcoming elections. Following are few examples of fair elections:
    Ex-speaker, ministers still enjoying official protocol:
    http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id =11722
    Former CM ‘calling shots’
    http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/dec-2007/13/index7. php
    ‘Caretaker set-up misusing official machinery’
    http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=84611

  6. zia m says:
    December 14th, 2007 11:32 am

    Is it possible the police guy is taking the sign down.We need Geo to do investigative report :)

  7. Pervaiz Munir Alvi says:
    December 14th, 2007 11:23 am

    This is a conspiracy against Musharraf and the Choudharies of Gujrat. Some opposition guy in police uniform trying to malign Choudhary Pervez Elahi Sahib. And yes he also hijacked the police vehicle to fool all of us. Now ATP is also involved in this propaganda campaign. How low of you ATP.

  8. RE says:
    December 14th, 2007 11:11 am

    Yes Police is corrupt yes many people are corrupt in Pakistan.we all grew up with this please give the solution? What will take it to clean Pakistan from corruption?

Comment Pages: « 109 8 7 6 5 4 3 [2] 1 »


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