The details emerging out of Pakistan are still somewhat sketchy but some facts are clear; more than 30 people are dead and over 115 injured. The Chief Justice of Pakistan was unable to address the Sindh Bar Association and was forced to go back to Islamabad and the private television station Aaj TV, which has been in the forefront of covering pro-judiciary and anti-Musharraf protests, was attacked by armed gunmen. This is indeed another dark day in the checkered political history of Pakistan.
It is now well past time for the Musharraf regime to go. This government has now lost the last shreds of moral authority required to govern. I salute the men and women of the civil society of Pakistan and the courageous independent media who are leading this struggle for the supremacy of the law and freedom of expression at grave risk to their life and limb.
As tragic and sad as events in Karachi are, this political moment is of historic import for the people of Pakistan and even on this day of darkness I see some hope for a better future. Since the sacking of the CJP on March 9th, the heroic struggle of the lawyers has germinated greater democratic desire and decisively strengthened Pakistan’s civil society and its beleagured independent media.
In the face of relentless governmental coercion there have been heartwarming displays of peaceful resistance, none more evident than in the historic journey of Justice Chaudhry through the heart of Punjab. Those in Pakistan and abroad who desire an eventual constitutional democratic polity rooted in a rule of law have to be encouraged by these developments. The conclusion of this episode, however, remains highly uncertain because no political sagacity can be expected from those who have brought us to this pass.
This grassroots peoples’ movement has also forced the politicians of all hues to make a choice; they either stand on the side of the rule of law or for the perpetuation of a dangerously unstable, one-man military banana republic. Mainstream politicians (despite all their historical shortcomings) clearly seem to grasp the national mood and the King’s men who are standing up for the present dispensation to save their personal fiefdoms will hopefully pay a steep price whenever they face the electorate in a fair election.
MQM more clearly exposed itself today than it ever has in its sordid history (thanks to private TV channels). The party that started with great hopes, rooted in the educated middle classes has over the years just become a collection of vicious thugs. It is wielding its fascistic tactics on behalf of people who seem to believe they have a divine right to perpetual power and who originally nurtured this party as a counterweight to PPP. MQM has shown itself the mirror image of the worst of MMA; both groups want people to acquiesce to their ideologies by force. Neither believes in nor has any fundamental respect for a constitutional rule of law.
Pakistan stands at a critical juncture as it has so many times in its unfortunate 60 year independent history. I would urge all Pakistanis and their well wishers to lend thier support to the struggle of Pakistan’s revitalized civil society. Let’s hope that the forces of peaceful democratic activism led by the country’s courageous lawyers ultimately emerge victorious and we can close this latest chapter of the military’s recurring era of authoritarian and unconstitutional misrule without further human suffering.
Fawad is a California-based literati-at-large and writes the blog ‘Moments of Tranquility,’ where a version of this was first posted.
Nazir Naji has proved that he is far removed from ground realities and dances gracefully to establishment’s tune. Does he take us for blind fools. Fools we have been for supporting Mush and MQM for so long but to visualize something contrary to whats happening right in front in broad daylight asks for imaginative powers that we don’t possess.
[quote comment=”47323″]This statement by the Peshawar supreme court bar association is very dangerous. Someone should tell them to cool their heads and avoid giving it an ethnic colour, it’s not just Pashtoons that have been killed, and MQM’s victims include people of all ethnicities, including mahajirs as well.
We should strongly oppose MQM, but please, please, please lets not turn this into an ethnic war.
If anyone who can talk to them and calm them down, they should do so right away.[/quote]
More important the generals in GHQ refuse to recognize the gravity of the current crisis that could push the country into civil war.
As for MQM, they have chosen a different path from the rest of the nation. They’ve sure seen the end of the road for Musharraf. What could be the reason for such a stance? Their ugly, ulterior motive is to secede from Pakistan when Musharraf is over-thrown.
Can this treaty be useful for PTI chief
Pakistan, UK sign extradition treaty today
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id =7845
By Mobarik A Virk
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Kingdom are set to sign an “extradition agreement” today (Tuesday). The two countries have no such treaty between them and the issue had been agitated quite frequently over the recent past.
Sources in the Interior Ministry said the agreement being signed by Pakistan and the UK is not exactly what the extradition treaty is. They said it is something that would enable the two countries to cooperate more closely in situations that may demand cooperation concerning extradition of somebody who may be wanted in the other country.
However, the agreement to be signed by the two countries may not cover extradition of those who have sought asylum on political grounds and may be confined to a few specific issues, the sources said. They added that the Interior Ministry was contemplating the issue for a long time and efforts were being made to reach a point that may be acceptable and at the same time usefully workable for both the sides.
Meanwhile, British High Commissioner Robert Brinkley on Monday called on Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao in his office. Syed Kamal Shah, the Federal Secretary Interior, was also present on the occasion.
During the meeting, the interior minister reiterated that Pakistan and Britain are coalition partners in the war against terrorism and are playing their due role in wiping out the menace in all its forms and manifestations. “Pakistan and Britain are enjoying cordial ties, which were gaining momentum with the passage of time,” Sherpao said.
Sherpao reiterated the government’s resolve to maintain law and order and said all efforts and resources were being utilised for the purpose. He extended gratitude to the British envoy for the help in the wake of last October earthquake. The British high commissioner appreciated Pakistan’s leading role in the war against terrorism.
[quote comment=”4[quote comment=”47322″]
kruman there’s a difference between a hostile environment for the media which of course there is and the media itself willingly looking the way and not doing its job — the website right now, taking cue from the print edition of May 15 — has hammad raza’s death as the top story — and also has another story titled ‘Who killed Hammad Raza?'[/quote]
Omar, nobody’s blaming the media for not doing it’s job. They are doing a great service to the nation. The point is that the government, in exasperation, is trying foolishly to gag the media and lawyers. They don’t realize that this is a futile endeavour in the internet age.
Dawn 15/5/07http://www.dawn.com/2007/05/15/nat5.htm
PTI to sue Blair for ‘harbouring’ MQM leader
The PTI, he said, was consulting lawyers to lodge an FIR against Gen Pervez Musharraf and Altaf Husain for the Karachi killings.
He said the PTI would also file a case against British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the UK for harbouring MQM leader Altaf Husain who “headed a fascist organisation and was living like a king there through the money sent to him from Pakistan. The MQM is a fascist organisation like Hitler’s Nazi Party. No body dared to challenge the Nazi Party because it got its opponents eliminated. The MQM first fired bullets on the people and then tried to portray itself as a victim.â€