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.
It is very clear now that musharraf’s only aim is to stay in power. NAB is only use to strike a deal with the most corrupt politicians of our society. DEAL: what is it, other than exchange of personal benefits. It is so discouraging. After public advertisement of Benazir’s corruption and her self admission of surrey palace etc, Musharaf is dealing with her to share power.
Unofortuntaely, our country is infested with most corrupt and opportunist politicians, such as MAULANA Diesel Rahman, Qazi Istefa Hussain, Benazir “deal” Bhutto, Nawaz “ittefaq industry” sharif , Shaukat Giggolo Aziz, Shujat “loan”hussain, Altaf “bhutta and Murder” Hussain.
This summarizes our agony and despair.
Only people who stand out is our civil society and Aitzaz Ahsan and possibly Imran Khan.
Shadi Mobarak
This is absurd, why wouldn’t BB come to pakistan and face the allegations of corruption in the courts which are no longer under the influence of the government. The very fact that she is trying to make a deal proves that she and her hubby know very well that they will be indicted. What authority our commando president has to pardon someone who has made millions of dollars illegaly, is it just to prolong his dictatorship? His slogan should be Mush first rather than pakistan first. The people of pakistan will not accept any such deal and PPP will pay the price in the elections.
AUK:
You have a point that the political process should be given a chance to sort itself out. But we must recognize that the military’s absence from politics is only one ingredient.
The examples of Bangladesh and India show that an uninterupted political process alone does not automatically make dynesties go away.
In addition to the military’s withdrawal from politics, we also need to push for reforms within the system aimed at reducing entry barriers for ordinary people, devolving power to the grass roots, intra-party democracy, live debates on manifestos in the electronic media and other such things that would contribute to increasing the participation of the people in the political process and making manifestos and issues more important than personalities.
We need to write articles and letters to newspaper editors, TV talk show hosts, civil society organizations and political parties on such points to create the necessary pressure.
http://nawaiwaqt.com.pk/urdu/daily/july-2007/30/co lumns2.php