Adil Najam
Since yesterday the “I” word - impeachment - has begun to be thrown around a lot.
Some quarters seem to think that it just happen this time. Others suggest that it is more talk than action and the numbers needed to pull this are still not there.
Coming out of the “critical” Nawaz Sharif-Asif Zardari meetings one keeps wondering how much of this is an effort to keep the coalition going and how much is a real push to change the essential political equations of Pakistan. There are reports that Gen. Musharraf is taking this move seriously enough to cancel his trip to China (to attend the Olympics opening ceremony). On the other hand some of Gen. Musharraf’s supporters are claiming that no such cancellation has happened. We do know, however, that he is taking this challenge seriously and lining up his supporters.
All in all, there is too much noise to say what is happening. But something is clearly happening. Does the PPP-PML(N) have the numbers they need to go ahead? Does the President have the numbers he needs to stop it? And what of all the external actors and where they may lean, why and for what?
Interestingly, we had run a ATP Poll back in June asking you what you thought would have happened to Gen. Musharraf by October 2008? The majority (38%) had thought that he would be impeached by then. A significant number (31%) thought that by October 2008 we woudl be still muddling through as we are now.
We do not intend to open the Poll again, but it does seem that either of those two answers could turn out to be true again. Indeed, even our earlier Poll on the subject, from October 2007, may still be relevant in its results!
So, since we can’t make full sense of exactly what all of this adds up to, we thought we woudl ask our best source: You. What do you think? What is happening? What might happen? And why?
I think talk of impeaching the President is linked with his power to use 58 2 (b). You have a scary President difficult to qualify. Nobody can begrudge him the seat of President. And so the young democracy is finiding it difficult to move forward with people from the past especially with Judiciary hanging in the balance.
Irrespective of what one would like to see happening, lets please focus on what is likely to happen here as the post asks. The signs from today’s newspaper are that Musharraf is in trouble and real trouble.
1. Army is sending signals that it will stay away from this impeachment and let things happen as they will.
2. Ch. Shujaat called meeting of 54 PML-Q parliament members to discuss strategy and only 20 show up. There is clearly an anti-Mush PML-Q faction emerging.
3. In Punjab Assembly vote, 39 PML-Q voted against Musharraf in the new resolution against him.
4. USA is sending signals that it will not intervene to save Musharraf this time. Partly bc they are losing patience with him and partly because they are distracted with Russia-Georgia sitiation.
Today was Pervez Musharraf’s birthday, but not a good day for him.
well every one wanted it & asked for it now they have it, a glorious 3rd term of probably 2 of the most corrupt individuals, one deceased to ever grace planet earth, i am speechless
What really hurts me most is that there is NO ONE, not Musharraf, not Zardari, not Sharif, not anyone else, that I think I can trust. It is a sad sad state of affairs
I must say the quality of comments and childish anger expressed by both sides in the comments of this post (and also the Aafia Siddiqui one) is pathetic. Seems like the people who inhabit youtyube comments etc have invaded ATP.
This is very unlike ATP and a source of concern for your regular readers. Please do not let the quality of this blog go down with these silly comments that have no substance at all. Moderate them out. Fewer intelligent comments are much better than lots and lots of shouting matches.
President Musharaf is the best President Pakistan has ever had. As for the present government and political leaders, they are all corrupt and greedy for the country’s wealth; they are no good for the country.
One should look back at history which clearly tells us who stood for the country and who robbed the country and built mansions overseas. It’s not easy to be a president of a country like Pakistan where corruption is at grass root level.
The efforts of President Musharaf towards Pakistan should be recognized and appreciated.
@Junaid: I believe musharaf only waged war against people who were demolishing girl’s schools and creating state within a state. If you want to be part of those people then go live in Afghanistan, spare Pakistan for these thugs!. Besides the current government has been doing the same in Sawat and other places.
@Najam: Yes bro doesn’t matter if Musharaff is hanged he is and should continue to stand against these criminals. I bet Bhuto was murdered by Zardari. Nawaz is just taking this personally, look at the state of Nation since the elections. It was allot better in the hands of Musharaf
@Yusuf: Yes, Nawaz and Zardari will run away rather then facing the justice, they have done it once and proven it.
@ITWhyTea: I remember this forum was full of anti musharaf posts during the elections and i posted several times that we are better of with Musharaf then with PPP or PML-N as they are bigger thugs but the nation still choose them …
Banay hain ahle hawas, muda’ee bhi mulzim bhi….