Mast Qalandar
Geo News is back on cable TV in Pakistan! It was banned along with two other popular TV channels on November 3 last year when Emergency was imposed in the country.
We don’t know on what conditions the channel has been allowed to operate again. We also don’t know how much dent the 77-day ban must have made in the profitability of the news company — it must be pretty huge — or to the livelihood of the journalists working for it.
But we do know that the ban made a huge dent in the government’s credibility and the image of “enlightened moderation” that it was so eager to project. It also left in its wake numerous angry messages and slogans on the wallboards outside the Geo office in Islamabad. They do give you a flavor of the general feelings prevailing at the time in a large segment of the civil society.
The photos with this post are here for you to decipher them, enjoy them, add to them, or ignore them.
Photos for this article are taken by the author himself. His full collection can be seen here.
Well, let’s not bring the utterly intangile factors like ‘sincerity’ into this debate! Because, I, for one, believe that all rulers in Pakistan were ‘sincere’. But because politicians of Pakistan are maligned as it is, I will leave them out and will focus on our generals.
I will start out with Ayub Khan. No doubt he put Pakistan’s economy on strong footing but, only two years after he left, more than half the country seceeded! Some unique achievement where the majority population breaks away!! No doubt Yahya Khan was ‘sincere’ for he is credited to have held the only, truly ‘fair and free’ elections in Pakistan’s history and that he was a’65 war decocated soldier. But under his watch–for he was the absolute ruler of Pakistan, however drunk he may have been of power or otherwise. Then came our Mard -e-Momin!!! Pious, frugal and with a justified reputation for not ‘corrupt’, he too was ‘sincere’!! But, in merely 11 years between 1977-1988, he changed a Sufi-oriented Pakistani society to something which is still haunting us.
Finally to Musharraf–whom I confess to have supported until March 9, 2007. He too is ‘sincere’ and has not been tainted with financial corruption. But look at where Pakistan was in 1999 and look at where it is now? All of his miracles to revive the economy are going to vaporize before you can say ‘default on loan’.
He, in his infinite wisdom, tried to ride out the storm post 9/11 by portraying himself as the only credible force against the Mullah. Of course Washington would oblige!! Without Pakistan’s Army no politician could do anything, anyway (even BB could not) to combat the fundos in FATA. But Musharraf was so myopic and so hateful that he allowed the main secular forces to be sidelined to the effect that the ‘political space’ was gladly filled in by MMA; now, MMA is not ‘terrorist’ at all, but you cannot expect them to cross certain lines, to say the least.
So, yes, I give Musharraf credit for being ‘sincere’, just like his other military potentates were. But, sir, to run a country of 160+ million people you NEED collective wisdom and internal cohesion.
Well I do not hate Musharraf but I do pray he lives up to my trust on him. I can only see Pakistan from outside Pakistan. As I left Pakistan in 1983. I would agree I may not know internal issues of Pakistan very well. But I very well understand International issues Pakistan is facing today. My intention is not to hate any one. I am never fan of MQM and if I wanted to hate anyone I would hate MQM based on what I have heard about MQM. But with all honesty every statement from MQM is in line with Pakistan’s interest lately. So this is one example of unity in Pakistan, if you believe some one is doing or saying things which make sense do not ignore the well deserving credit for the sake of hate.
Based on my life experience when I hear Musharraf I find him credible. I think he is doing a dirty job no one would want to do.Knowing people will dislike him but doing things what he believes that they are best for Pakistan.
Yes some times it surprises me and I say If I was him I will resign. hell with people who do not deserve honest man.
But guess what he is stronger than me . he believes in what he is doing and he will continue to do it.This is a sign of good leader.60 years of mess, 60 years of ignorant, not easy to face all this retarded culture as a ruler. Ruler will have 2 options look good in front of people and screw the country. OR look bad in front of people and save the country.
My other believes: For the best of Pakistan I will do the following: this is only my view ok
I will have rigged elections if I was Musharraf , If I believe there is no one out there who has clean record. or credible knowing Pakistan has failed to produce credible leader in last 60 yrs. Knowing all these corrupt ignorant politicians.
I will disallow judges who are sold or making decisions based on their personal grudges. And becoming hurdle for system to operate correctly.
I will disqualify 80% of Pakistani Mullah’s to preach in Mosques.
I will have less mosques with more modern and credable Mullah’s.
I will break rules if I have to for the interest of Pakistan if other side does not understand the todays international pressures tuff luck to me country’s long term strength will be more important.
Its very easy to comment on the game and blow a hot air from outside the field. But only players know how tough the game is.
Musharaf playing the game accordingly even his opponents are comming up with new tactics and hurdles and they are pissed because they are not getting the piece of a pie.
Musharaf is not my Uncle or relative but I know he is sincere and has a class. I want him to be a whip after those politicians & govt. officials who are incompetent and greedy.
I was stumped by Rizwan Elahi or RE guy myself, but I think I have figured it out now. He actually hates Musharraf himself and is just putting up a Stephen Colbert act.
He comes in acting as a Musharraf supporter and then makes the most ridiculous arguments possible (like “Musharraf is not a sell-out”, etc.), the absolute most absurd arguments that are so absurd that the stupidity of anyone actually supporting them is highlighted. I know many real Musharraf supporters and none of them will ever make assertions as absurd as this guy makes.
I guess, he is succeeding at what he is trying to do. Making Musharraf and his supporters look even more absurd than they now do. Just like Colbert makes the right wing nuts look even more absurd than they do themselves.
@Rizwan Elahi,
“but in small towns some parties have influence and they do something to make these elections rigged. How the hell Musharraf can see every person inside Pakistan”
You sure convince me to be a blind supporter of Musharraf. No, one cannot expect Mr. Musharraf to watch every vote being cast. But he certainly gives all indications of rigging by forming this caretaker govt! I mean, the fascist president could not find a single neutral person in a nation of 160+ people to be the PM other than the highly partisan Somro. That is just the tip of the iceberg as far as Musharraf’s intentions are concerned.
But even with the current setup and its blatant support for PML-Q, the martyrdom of BB has caused a tectonic shift in Pakistan’s politics. In her last few weeks, whether deal or not, she managed to have NS come back and Musharraf take off uniform (perhaps the most profound politicaldevelopment in Pakistan since the coup of 1999) and by her sacrifice it cannot be expected that the sympathy vote will not be significant and that PML-N and PPP will emerge victorious.
Those who killed BB miscalculated. The result will be ousting of Musharraf within weeks with or without the elections.
As for Geo. Well done! You are the pride of Pakistan and your anchors are the pride of Pakistan. I have seen enough American anchors (from both Right and the so-called American Left) to say without fear of contradiction that Pakistani political tv shows are far more genuine. But that is a debate for another thread–upto Prof. Najam if we wishes to compare the likes of Hannity with our Talat Hussain?