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.
.jpg)
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.
As long as free elections are held, any parleys between mush and benazir are inconsequential. Ultimately, people of Pakistan will have the final say.
But the whole history of this ‘deal’ has been interesting especially the involvement of americans and brits. Urged by Gordon Brown and Richard Boucher, the ex HC of UK to Pakistan, Mark Loyal Grant is said to be the initiator of these contacts and he contacted both Nawaz Sharif and Benazir. Although Nawaz firmly declined but benazir was willing to play along.
So Nawaz has kept his record of saying no. First to Clinton in May 98 and now to brits.
Whats intriguing is why would benazir be willing to clearly compromise her support in Pakistan to bail out mush. Swiss and spanish cases can be a reason but it seems more likely that she is aware that in the presently anti-american environment, she has no chance of winning in elections. This calculation seems to be quite right!!
Why do we keep focusing on who the next leader should be, instead of focusing on establishing a political process. The problem right now is that there is absolutely no process in place where people can exercise their power of choice. Why are we talking about this particular subject – because these 2 are hell bent to subvert the little hope that we have to pick leaders of our choice (however bad that choice may be). We have had it with politics of personalities, where we are told that only the most corrupt and morally bankrupt, who have sold their souls long time ago are our leaders chosen by powers outside our control. If only we have a political process which is left on its own to flourish, the people of this country will wean the corrupt from the conscientious, the good from the bad and the ugly. Our only hope is to have this process in place, and once that is done, it will be self-correcting.
I have but to agree with the poster, RE.
Unfortunately, most of the highly qualified professionals who had been educated abroad either prefer to stay back or if they happen to return to Pakistan they serve as tools in the hands of the ruling parties rather than imparting any service to the country or its people as expected of a patriotic citizen.
I have but to agree with the poster, RE.
Unfortunately, most of the highly qualified professionals who had been educated abroad either prefer to stay back or if they happen to return to Pakistan they serve as tools in the hands of the ruling parties rather than rather than imparting any service to the country or its people as expected of a patriotic citizen.
It is high time for dictator Musharraf, Benazir, the spouse of Mr. 10 percent, and Raiwind city and estate corrupt Nawaz Sharif to go in oblivion. All three had their time and screwed up.
The real problem is that we do not have leaders who can send these three individuals to oblivion. We have not produced leaders who can introduce transparent and good governance. We keep sending our best and the brightest to professional schools to become engineers, doctors, and government servants. They become corrupt and subservient to these corrupt military officers and jagirdars.