Adil Najam
Pictures on the television show Karachi burning. The city is at war. Morchas everywhere. Clashes, violence, firing, deaths.
The Chief Justice is holed up at the airport and the streets are ruled by mobs. Aaj TV is being fired at and Talat Hussain reports that the police and rangers are unable to get their to help because the roads are blocked (to stop the Chief Justice). Of course, these road blocks have not stopped the killers who are firing at the TV station. As of now 15 are reported dead. Over 100 seriously injured. Hospitals in Karachi have declared an emergency. The Prime Minister has called an emergency meeting of his own to respond to what the government is calling a ‘security situation’ but which sounds, smells, looks and feels like the beginning of a war on the streets of Karachi. Flights in and out of the city are stalled. Train traffic is stopped. The city seems to have descended back to its darkest days of street violence.
Meanwhile, the petty blame game continues. But things are changing too fast for one to analyze them. But one thing is certain. Things have gone out of control. Totally out of control. Totally out of everyone’s control. It is a sad sad day for all of us.
I wish I had something more profound to say. All I can hink of right now is what someone wrote on our comments section recently: Khuda Khair Karray!
(Picture credits BBC and The News and pictorial story at Bilal Zuberi’s blog; great blog coverage at Karachi Metroblog).
[quote comment=”47063″]Daily Jang and The News have seen the writing on the wall. The latest news gives preference to the death of Taleban leader in Afghanistan.
These papers have always sided with MQM whenever this organisation starts its ‘peaceful activities’ you know what I mean.[/quote]
Thats perhaps because their largest market is Karachi and they just follow what Karachi has to say.
observer what nonsense are you talking about — stop spreading disinformation about The News — have you seen its print edition today —
[quote comment=”47060″][quote comment=”47037″]
Of course, this scorn should not just be reserved for the leadership and Pakistani elite, it is shared amongst any who care about Pakistan, including myself – SHAME ON ALL OF US FOR ALLOWING THE STATE OF AFFAIRS IN PAKISTAN TO GET THIS BAD!!![/quote]
cdnt agree more with u, as they say “evil succeeds when good men do nothing”.
we the keyboard warriors who r liberals, educated, sane and patriotic r the worse than mqm, ppp etc bcoz we despite having all the resources and knowledge choose 2 sit back and just watch as silent spectators.
its time to form a new party, the Pakistan Liberals Party.
plz bear with me and my manifesto will soon be published here :)[/quote]
Creating a new party is no solution and such ideas have never worked. In Bangladesh the Nobel Prize laureate, Muhammad Yunis, tried to launch his own party, with the help of the military of course, to counter the two Begums. Yet such efforts have failed since he may be an excellent banker yet is no crowd puller. You always need the crowd pullers to succeed in politics. No crowd pullers no success. That is why its better to join the PPPP, PML(N) and their likes because they have the crowd pullers amongst them.
It’s Conflict Between Institutions
By Wajid Shamsul Hasan
Pakistan’s roller-coaster existence seems to be entering into a decisive phase-a phase that will finally assert as to who is the sole arbiter of
power-the people of Pakistan or its military establishment represented by a coterie of Bonapartist generals. Whether the decision to suspend the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Mr Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was taken on sheer whims of a dictator on the advice of his handpicked prime minister out of a perceived executive fear that the changing mood at the apex court indicated that it would no more play ball with it in its power game or on grounds of merit in the charges against the highest judicial office-it has definitely brought the country to a point of do or die, now or never.
Lately, General Pervez Musharraf has added yet another reason for his reference against the Chief Justice. He now says the world would have
perceived Pakistan as a “failed state” if it slid into anarchy because of the judicial and executive deadlock ensuing out of the actions of Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. The General claims he had nothing personal against Justice Chaudhry and took the “legal and constitutional action” against him when he was convinced about the validity of charges brought against him by the Prime Minister, Shaukat Aziz. “I wanted to avoid a situation similar to the one when Pakistan was about to be declared a ‘failed state’, he claimed.
Ever since March 9 when Mr Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was summoned to the Camp Office of the Army Chief and not President House, served a charge sheet in the presence of the prime minister and some other serving officers-the message sent to the nation was clear. Battle plans had been laid bare for a war between the two remaining institutions of the state-the army and the judiciary. Those in the executive who had once basked in extra-ordinary legal concessions/covers provided to them by a pliable judiciary had lately become wary of it because of certain unpalatable judgements by the apex court-including that of the Pakistan Steel Mills and tougher stand on the fate of missing persons-deplorable instances that had exposed high corruption in the government and its atrocious treatment of Pakistani citizens.
Power drunk executive had taken it for granted that-as in the case of Parliament having been contrived into a rubber stamp-getting rid of the
Chief Justice would be nothing but a piece of cake. The awe of the highest Praetorian hierarchy and a prime minister whose tail does not stop from wagging in its presence-it was conceived that their pressure and blackmail would be enough to get his resignation with not much ado. That is where they went wrong. And they did not realise that a defining moment in the nation’s life had arrived when the response to the baton-wielding diktat would be matched by an otherwise unarmed man who preferred to cast their dye rather than surrender to their blackmail. When the Chief Justice stood up in defence of his institution, they did not know what hit them. Ever since then every move by the executive is pushing it nearer to its ignominious end.
What was cleverly designed against an individual has boomeranged in the face of the otherwise mighty executive and it has been drawn into a decisive war between institutions-a historic eventuality never seen before in Pakistan’s history. It has pitched an unarmed judiciary strengthened by the force of its conviction in the supremacy of law, supported to the hilt by the members of the bar, legal fraternity and the Pakistani nation-lock, stock and barrel– against the generals in cahoots with the co-operative thugs, summer soldiers and sunshine patriots.
Students of Pakistan’s history had been convinced that such a clash was inevitable one time or the other sooner than later-to save the country from being scavenged to its barest bones by Praetorian vultures out there to devour the country that feeds them fat. And it had been taken as a foregone conclusion by analysts that without pressing the vital issue of their ultimate empowerment in the streets of Pakistan against the usurping jackboots trampling on their basic rights for more than 50 years-their fate as an independent and democratic nation would remain writhing under the shadow of constant death.
It was the finest hour for the people of Pakistan when their Chief Justice told the General: enough is enough. And the mounting but peaceful pressure at the bar and in the streets has run panic in the Praetorian camp and shattered the commando nerves. They tried to break the perseverance and determination of the Chief Justice by initially disgracefully incarcerating him in his residence, by pulling his hair, by making his and movement of his supporters impossible. They have been targeting his team of lawyers. They first sealed the office of his defence lawyer Munir Malik followed by firing at his residence in Karachi under the very nose of intelligence silhouettes that hover around his locality to intimidate and keep an eye on him. The lives of other members of his team such as Barrister Etizaz Ahsan, Justice � Tariq Mahmud and MNA Zammrud Khan too are under constant threat. Media too has not escaped regime’s wrath for trying to report as much as possible truth nothing but the whole truth. TV channels have been attacked and their telecasts have been disrupted regularly. Pressure on print media continues
unabated. Journalists are browbeaten, intimated and harassed to the extent that Pakistan has been put among the top of the countries where free expression is hardly managing to survive under state duress.
It is a matter of record that political parties and organisations representing the civil society remain peaceful while raising their voice for
the restoration of democracy and human rights. Remember processions by millions to welcome PPP leader Benazir Bhutto when she returned to Pakistan after her exile in 1986. She and her marathon marchers toured the length and breadth of the country-from Khyber to Karachi-not a single street light was damaged. Even now where ever in Pakistan Chief Justice has gone, no untoward incident has marred his peaceful processions. Though there is enough of temptation to take advantage of the rising crescendo of political opposition to the regime, the political elements have shown great respect and restrain by their support to the lawyers to lead the country’s glorious march for the restoration of the Chief Justice and the supremacy of the judiciary. As PPP Chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto said the other day in Oslo that political parties were in a position to convert the ongoing struggle for the supremacy of the judiciary into a power struggle. However, in deference to the wishes of the lawyers community to let them fight their own battle, political elements are sticking to the limits set by them on their participation in the over all judicial movement. It may be mentioned that mysterious expensive advertisements in media, have been trying to divide lawyers community by describing protestors as overly PPP lawyers.
Since the regime’s swan song is being sung and preparation rites for its burial seemingly in order, one must pause to prepare for the unseen
especially when Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has hinted at the possibility of the imposition of the state of emergency and Pir Pagaro-with his pronounced GHQ links-has talked about martial law. There are also indications that the powers that be have decided to play foul with the May 12 visit of the Chief Justice to Karachi at the invitation of SHCBA.
Not that one is opposed to political rallies. Every one has right to peaceful association and public gathering to air political views-howsoever
divergent. The massive spontaneous support to the Chief Justice has un-nerved the rulers hence sudden panic directive to the co-operative thugs and other shady collaborators of the regime to arrange counter rallies-are indications at creating law and order situation to save the day for the boss and his dwindling chair too. In this context one would like to refer to the speech of former Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali in the National Assembly in which he urged postponement of the counter-rallies on May 12 to avoid clashes. He warned that a civil war like situation was emerging and demanded wisdom to prevail. He expressed his amazement at the coalition partners of the regime for selecting the same day for the rally when the CJP was going to Karachi to address the Sindh High Court Bar Association.
What started off as a movement to restore the Chief Justice has now become a totally ant-Musharraf struggle. Masses have given their verdict against him. Instead of acting like Yahiya Khan he should bow to the wishes of the people. He is being wrongly advised for staging counter-rallies or using his collaborators as Al-Shams and Al-Badar to save him. The writing on the wall clearly says go. If not, he will meet his predecessor’s fate and his supporters would end up as orphans much on the pattern of Pakistani army raised Al-Shams and Al-Badr who continue to live in wilderness for want of a homeland. Pakistan: Musharraf Proposes Sham Election Plan
Pakistan�s Military Leader Must Step Down as President or Army Chief
(Washington, DC, May 1, 2007) � Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf�s insistence on holding onto the office of army chief as well as the presidency prevents Pakistan from returning to the rule of law under its constitution, Human Rights Watch said today.
Musharraf plans to hold national and provincial assembly votes for the presidency before the general elections due by the end of the year to ensure his reelection as a president in uniform. Pakistan�s constitution requires that the National Assembly, Senate and the four provincial assemblies elect the president.
Under the Pakistani constitution, however, a presidential election would be illegal unless Musharraf ceases to be army chief. In an April 27 newspaper interview, Musharraf said that the current parliament, where a military-backed party holds a majority, would vote for president by October, before national elections in November. This would ensure his reelection as president and continuation as army chief. The tenure of the current assemblies is scheduled to expire in October.
Musharraf intends to bypass the democratic process once again by staging an illegal presidential election ahead of the parliamentary vote,� said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. �Pakistan needs legitimate parliamentary and presidential elections to get back on the path to genuine democratic rule. Anything else would be a sham.
Since taking power in a 1999 coup, Musharraf has remained as army chief and president, even though the Pakistani constitution prohibits the chief of the army from holding political office. In 2003, Musharraf pledged to cede one of the posts by December 2004. But he publicly reneged on this pledge a year later.
As president, Musharraf has arbitrarily amended the Pakistani constitution to strengthen the power of the presidency, marginalize elected representatives, and formalize the role of the army in government. Under Musharraf, military impunity for abuses has increased manifold. These abuses include extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary arrests and the persecution of political opponents.
On March 9, Musharraf summoned the Chief Justice of Pakistan�s Supreme Court, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhury, to his office and illegally suspended him for alleged �misuse of office.� The move has sparked outrage across Pakistan and has been condemned by international and Pakistani lawyers� bodies and human rights groups.
The constitutional crisis over the judiciary has been exacerbated by Musharraf�s latest statements concerning the presidential elections. �Elections in Pakistan will be held, I think, in November,� Musharraf said in the April 27 newspaper interview. �I expect the political grouping that supports me to win again, although my mandate will be extended in September or October in the parliament.�
Musharraf has made the presidency the most powerful position in the country, said Adams. �It�s vital that Pakistani voters decide who holds this position, not the army or Musharraf himself.
Human Rights Watch called on Musharraf�s international supporters, particularly the United States and United Kingdom, to press Musharraf to prepare free and fair elections to facilitate a genuine return to civilian rule. The United States has put hardly any pressure on Musharraf to step down as army chief or president since he reneged on his promise. US and British officials have consistently defended Musharraf�s rule.
�The Bush administration claims that democracy is one of its foreign policy priorities, but it has failed to pressure Musharraf to end military rule, said Adams �Now the question is whether the US, Britain or Pakistan�s other allies will insist upon an election in which Pakistanis choose their own leaders.
http://www.freewebs.com/iaoj/opinions.htm
12th May 2007- A sad day indeed for Pakistan!
Pity the Nation
“My friends and my road-fellows, ( even if you don’t live
near Share-ra-Faisal ) :- pity the nation that is full of beliefs and empty of religion.
“Pity the nation that wears a cloth it does not weave, eats a bread it does not harvest, and drinks a wine that flows not from its own winepress.
“Pity the nation that acclaims the bully as hero, and that deems the glittering conqueror bountiful.
“Pity the nation that raises not its voice save when it walks in a funeral, boasts not except among its ruins, and will rebel not save when its neck is laid between the sword and the block.
“Pity the nation whose statesman is a fox, whose philosopher is a juggler, and whose art is the art of patching and mimicking.
“Pity the nation that welcomes its new ruler with trumpetings, and farewells him with hootings, only to welcome another with trumpetings again.
“Pity the nation divided into fragments, each fragment deeming itself a nation.
“Pity the nation that is full of beliefs and empty of religion.
Pity the nation whose sages are dumb with years and whose strong men are yet in the cradle.
Khalil Gibran
The garden of the Prophet (1934)
http://www.quoteworld.org/category/men/author/kahl il-gibran