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.
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.
Consider the fact that they’re going to rig the elections anyway, why do they feel the need to do a leaflet, flyer, banner, billboard campaign?
This is NOT the job of the police. Who ever ordered the police to put up slogans and signs should be held accountable. Police should be doing something more important.
Under these conditions, the election that is going to take place on January 8 has very little credibility. Under Pakistan’s constitution and the law, the judiciary oversees the elections.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071214/wl_afp/uspaki stanpolitics_071214064242
In her recent article in Christian Science Monitor BB elaboratly explanied the electoral engineering by government in forth coming elections. She even went on to claim that ballot papers has already been distributed among PML(Q) candidates and agencies have already allocated quota of seats among various political parties participating in January, 2008 ellections with PML(Q) would be the largest party in next assembly. Having said that she still wants to take part in these farcical elections.
Now what would you say about someone who knows the futility of his/her action but still insists upon doing it? I would call it Insanity.
RE: there is a simple answer to your question (how to make Pakistan corruption free): we can make a start by restoring the honorable judges and dismissing all the lota judiciary (who actually stand dismissed already by having taken the illegal PCO oath). that will be a good start…..
Iftikhar Choudhry Zindabad..
The randomly selected sample consists of 3,520 adult men and women from 223 rural and 127 urban locations in 51 districts in all four provinces of Pakistan.
http://tinyurl.com/2q6lpt
Incidentally, we are going to have another address to the nation by the president tomorrow evening (PST) announcing another set of amendments to the constitution and lifting of emergency, which will be followed by yet another round of oaths by the PCO judges.
The number of oaths that our judges have to take during their tenure would probably qualify them for an entry into the Guinness Book of Records.
This police van belongs to FC College Police Station (clearly legible in Urdu if you enlarge image), Gulberg 3, Lahore, which is next to homes of chaudhry brothers residence in Gulberg, Lahore, which is also campaign headquarters of PML (Q).