Adil Najam
Speaking of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani’s upcoming trip to USA and meeting with President George Bush a politically astute and well-connected friend in Pakistan said, “Its going to be a meeting of two lame ducks. George Bush is a lame duck because his tenure is about to end, and Yousuf Raza Gillani is a lame duck because his tenure never really started!”
For those who wish to see real democracy in Pakistan such comments instill a certain sadness. Yet, as a recent The News editorial highlighted, there is an increasing, palpable, and disturbing concern amongst Pakistanis about exactly who, if anyone, in in control of the government in Pakistan.
We thought maybe we should put exactly that question to our readers in this ATP Poll: Who do you think calls the shots? Who is really in-charge of Pakistan’s government today?
Of course, one could make this broader and more abstract by adding the Allah, Umreeka or Army responses. But our interest right now is on the daily governance of the country and who is calling the shots there.We woudl appreciate if the responses and comments also focus on that.
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Regardless of the names and faces of the day, there are three power centers in Pakistan: The feudal zamindars, the military and the clergy. Usual two out of three combine to prevail on the third center of power at any given time. I invite you to read more about it at http://www.riazhaq.com/2007/11/centers-of-power-in -pakistan-feudals.html
and http://www.riazhaq.com/2007/12/who-owns-pakistan.h tml
Apocalypse is firmly in-charge of Pakistan. (1970-71 Repeat)
In reality USA is incharge. And unfortunately Government of USA is much smarter to leave any signs. We play with the phsycic of different Pakistani leaders. USA Government always find people whom they can manipulate with the name of Religion, democracy, hypocracy, modernism, money, duress, you name it.
Unfortunately we pakistani, even though every one is an American agent in one way or other, always blame our opponent as an American agent. We do every thing according to American agenda, could be plan c, d, e, or f.
I wish we really grow up and realize that we will all have different opinion, and learn to accomodate others.
@ Impression is given that PPP is running the show &
claims the “ownership” of Pakistan, but, no way,
Mushy is the only incharge, the security incharge of
Bilawal House was killed just in front of his door, the
process of cleaning up PPP has started.
Someone is very much interested in “effacing” all the
previous secret or open contracts with BB.
@Eidee Man,
its impossible, as many Political parties boycotted the
elections, its a bogus mediatic so called ” majority “.
ISI’s clarification is the first nail in the freshly built
Taboot perhaps to increase per/metre sq habitat of
Ghari Khuda Bakh. You see, welfare of the population.
Really and truly no one is incharge. Its chaos out there and everything is breaking apart.
The best sign of this is what is happening with the appointments of people based on dubious criteria and rooting out anyone who was competent.
For example, (1) the appointment of Hussain Haqqani as Ambassador to USA, (2) Rahman Malik as Interior Minister, (3) Salman Farooqi at Planning, (4) removing UN Ambassador, (5) removing FBR chairman, (6) removing OGDC chairman, (7) canceling appointment of Zamir Akram as Ambassador to China, and so on and so on.
The real problem is not just getting your own people in, it is that competent professionals are being removed and loyalists brought in. Including some who are just bad for the country!
Basically the in-charge is Pakistan Army Chief Kyani, and he a loyal friend of Musharraf (even more loyal to him than Pakistan itself: proof> he was the NRO facilitator) is trying a best to save Musharraf which is equivalent to keep Pakistan on a path to destruction
Adil, you need to add another option to the poll:
“the democratically elected government brought into power by the majority of Pakistan.”
Wow. Interesting that at least in the first 16 votes, not a single one says its Yousuf Raza!!!!