Adil Najam
This seems to have suddenly become a news-heavy day. Lal Masjid blast on teh one hand and now Musharraf-Benazir meetings. The News reports on this:
The second round of meeting between President General Pervez Musharraf and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is underway here, the reliable sources said. The first round of the meeting lasted for about lasted for 55 minutes and it was a short a meeting. The ISI chief, some personalities of Arab countries and western diplomats also attended the meeting, the other sources said. Although the details of the meeting were not issued, however, the reports said that Musharraf and Benazir discussed important issues including current political situation in Pakistan.
“If Musharraf-Benazir meeting has been held it could be the final round of PPP-government talks and it is hoped that this meeting will have long-term positive impact on the politics of Pakistan, said Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed while commenting on the meeting. Meanwhile, the reports said that Musharraf will also hold meeting with former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Punjab Shahabaz Sharif in Saudi Arabia during the second leg of Musharraf’s visit. However, the PML (N) sources have rejected the reports of Musharraf-Nawaz meeting.
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Things are still too much in flux and too complicated to comment meaningfully on this. Much coming from the insta-pundits is still either the restatement of their already known positions that they now churn out as spin, or is entirely speculative. So, we will wait to see how the dust settles. But it is quite clear that the dust has been kicked and things are in flux. Abb ount kis karwat baithay ga?
In order to get a sense of the pulse of ATP on this issue we are asking the same poll question about a BB-Musharraf deal we did back in April. Let us see what you have to say now.
Aqil, Any openness as you pointed out is what is needed. Yes the process has to be transparent so that young folks could understand what it is about, and learn from it. We have politics of personalities because it suits them, no one can come in and challenge them. As you make the process open, more and more people from all walks of life will become a part of it, instead of professional politicians like we have.
Another aspect media can help in is to have debates between major parties at the national level where their leaders will have to defend themselves and put forth their plans, rather than issuing daily statements through the media, where these are treated as the “word of God (NaozoBillah)”.
@Adnan siddiqui
As far as Imran is concerned, just because he has not been tested doesn
AUK:
One serious problem in strengthening the political process has been the disconnect of the masses with democracy. When politics is more about the power politics of personalities and less about the issues of the people, then such a disconnect is natural. However, with the media’s growing strength, if we make demands for bringing manifestos at the center and call for intra-party democracy, then it will get increasingly difficult for them to undermine the process.
Just a simple example. Imagine that today, the TV talkshows start to discuss the system for party tickets and ask why tickets can’t be awarded by letting the party workers in the constituency vote for their representative. It will be hard for any party to defend the dictatorial and non-transparent way in which tickets are doled out. Even their own party workers will gradually start to ask why they don’t have a greater say. And once party workers are in charge of the process, it will be harder for lotas to get party tickets. Besides, coming from the masses, the party workers will naturally want issues to be given more importance than personalities.
Seemingly small things like this one can have a major impact in strengthening the political process. But we are usually looking for more revolutionary (and less achievable) ideas and do not consider such things worthy of our attention even though they are within our reach.
Salamalikum,
Ibrahim, where can we meet to inflict the punishment of 70 lashes?
Has he been taken to court on my supposed “accusation”? How has he been affected by my “accusation”? So, why implement a qadhaf hadd on me? Also, bring a qadhi/scholarly judge/court if you want a hadd implemented…you can’t carry it out on your own. Also, I would be first given a chance to prove if I make an accusation. Lastly, it is eighty lashes. In any case, I seek Allah’s refuge from punishment here and in the hereafter. I should pay kafarah for this, surely!
Aqil, Viqar, good discussion here. The thread hasn’t degenerated yet if we take out the insults against Imran. Can we stop discussing that subject (for God’s sake). How is the movie doing by the way?
Why am I so insistent on having a process in place. Because the chaos that has been created in the last 6 months is a result of exactly that – lack of a process. If you ask anyone in America when the presidential election will be held in the year 2096 (if the world is still around then), then there is a good chance that most people will give the correct answer (Nov 6th, 2096). If you ask someone in Pakistan when the presidential elections will be held this year, there is a good chance that everyone except Mush will give the wrong answer. That is our problem. The system is held hostage by a few, and the rest are just silent spectators. How can we start talking about an open dialog, when we don’t even know what it is about.