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?
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Ahmed Shadid:
So now you move away from your lies about Lal Masjid. Good. Regarding May 12 in Karachi, it was not Musharraf who gave the orders, and the crossfire that resulted between ANP and MQM was both their fault.
Regarding action in Baluchistan and elsewhere, once again it is the job of the government to target criminals and terrorists and to either capture or kill them. The current government is doing the same.
NZs seems to be really disgusted. Somethings wrong somewhere. These two must be blackmailing each.
Its like deja vu except that its not May and the PM belongs to the opposition party (??).
Anyone recall a China visit by a PM and whe he returned he was told he was heading a corrutp government and the ‘ONLY’ righteous man has took it over again.
http://vidpk.com/view_video.php?vid=15056
Now Mushy “jialas” would say that it was not even Mushy who raised his fist in the air and said that “My supporters have shown their strength in Karachi”. Kuch lougun kou agar souraj bhi dikha diya jayey tou wouh ussey manney sei bhi inkaar kar dein gei. Mushy “jialas” are no different. All those “jialas” keep defending Mushy. Thats ur life blood but only more blood would flow from that.
Ahmed R Shahid:
Just to clarify, the folks in Lal Masjid were heavily armed criminals who vowed to die rather than surrender. It is they who are responsible for the entire event. Musharraf and the govt simply did their job, which is to capture or kill criminals.
Your claim about chemical weapons in Lal Masjid is a flat out lie. Do you consider tear gas a chemical weapon as well ?
Actually I must say that there should be compulsory military service. Atleast people who say that it is luxurious they will know what luxury is when you either have to live in places with below -50 degree temperatures at Sia chin or above 50 degrees in the deserts of Pakistan or for that matter away from families for days and days. The training is very tough and when you see death when these people are at war. We can sit in our drawing rooms and critisise them but it is a tough life in the armed forces mentally and physically both. I also say that the prime minister and president must have served in the armed forces and also in the civil field. Also he should be very knowledgable both worldly and religiously. He should also have served as a servent to civilians so atleast his arrogance is eliminated.
All of us are responsible for the mess in Pakistan. Sometimes I think that the only solution to this mess is to forgive and forget everyone (including murders, politicians etc) and start a new life from scratch. This I say because of our tribal mentality. A mentality of revenge, hatred, a mentallity where we will protect the crimnals for what ever crime they have committed. After everyone is forgiven, anyone violating the law must be punished be it who ever it is.