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.
Musharraf excels in handpicking worst of the worsts. Benazir surely belongs to the lot who should be with Mush.
As is unfortunately, well-known fact, politics in Pakistan remains the playground of the elite and Uncle Sam. And as long as this status quo remains, the wrong kind of leadership will be the norm and the worst case scenarios cannot be ruled out. Subsequently, the people of Pakistan will continually suffer, unless they smash this vicious circle, once and for all.
I would have said that the Mush-Benazir deal would be good in the sense that it had the potential of bringing more stability to Pakistan. But I think as a direct consequence of this deal, the Sharifs are going to team up with the mullah cadre and the forces of jihad will gain political and electoral legitimacy via the substantial PML vote bank. Then the calls for Shariat are going to come from the opposition benches and not from the Lal Masjids.
On a completely irrelevant note, thank you Eidee Man for providing the first review of KKL; I am heading to PK in a week too and will be sure to catch the show.
With the CJ’s restoration and the prevailing national mood, it will be very hard for the courts to rule in favour of Mush if he tries to get reelected without taking off his uniform.
I expect that he will have to give up the uniform, drop all cases against BB and let her come back to power in return for being elected president.
Consequences for the country: with Mush having completely lost his credibility, he is a liability and the return to civilian rule will be a positive thing.
BB’s return is a bad thing though; it represents the failure of the nation and civil society. Unfortunately, in the prevailing circumstances, it seems inevitable.
There is a ruling establishment and there is the people. There is a small top and a big mass at the bottom.The Top worked very hard to obtain a Free Country for the Indian Muslim Community. Once Pakistan was created the Top was only interested to be in power and only power so that it could have all the benefits on this earth.
So far, in the history of Pakistan, the Top has never bothered for the well being of the people. I do not see why the things will shange now or in any new future.
If there is a deal between a crook and a currupt, no good will come out for Pakistanis. It is a deal between a Satan and a Devil. The compromise beteen the two from the Top is only for the benefit of DEALERS. The consumers will have to pay for their greed (of Top) and for their mismanagement.
I am waiting for the DAY of Bastille when the people will grab the power to get rid of the Top!