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.
The word ‘deal’ in itself is not a dignified term in the circumstance where one party to it is a dictator and the other a tried politician. Benazir had the chance to be the premier of Pakistan twice but she could hardly handle the country well. Nodoubt she is a capable women but the way she’s dying to become the prime minister a third time tells upon her character viz she wants power again ! Except for the uniform of President Musharraf , there doesnt seem to be any difference between him and her or their policies: both of them basically same over most matters. I wonder as to what will be the outlook of BIBI towards MQM in case she succeeds to be the next premier? How will she manage to control the sentiments of people in Wazirastan who are inclined towards Talibanism? Will she ever be able to appease the allegedly deprived and angry Baloch’s? How will she curb the Islamization demand of a significant part of population termed as ”extremist” or ‘fundamentalist”‘?
I don’t know whether it’s sin to believe in and act upon the fundamental teachings of Islam in Pakistan and to victimize staunch adherents of Islam by calling them names concocted at their whims by the West and the USA for their vested interest!
@thanos.
There IS a new poll on this right whcih is what post is about
Yet again the people of Pakistan lose……while those drooling for power win.
Aqil, good point. If the 14th amendment can be revoked by the court, why not the 17th and any followup amendments. That was what I was looking for. Now the legal minds have to come forward and decide how to stop these “dealmakers”.
Did anyone pay attention to the fact that BB hasn’t said a word about Aitezaz since the verdict came out. She tried to snub him by not even inviting him to the APC in London, when originally he was invited back in April. She can’t deal with anyone else taking over a sliver of the limelight from her (that is why the brother was also killed).