Explaining what is happening in Pakistan, and why, is never easy. Never has it been more difficult than it is now. Talking earlier today to the National Public Radio show Here and Now, it struck me again how difficult it is to articulate any explanation of Pakistan’s politics – not only to non-Pakistani audiences, but to Pakistani audiences too.
Consider the recent news stream. Suicide bomb blasts by extremists kill another 30 in Lahore in yet another dastardly attack. Gen. Musharraf calls the National Assembly to meet on Monday, March 17. Supposedly Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari come to an agreement on the government formation but it is no more clear today who the next Prime Minister will be than it was before the meeting. They also insist that they will “restore” the judges but speculations remain rife on just which judges and just how “restored.”
Depending on who you speak to, you are told that Gen. Musharraf is playing games with the parliament by trying to call the opposition’s hand before they have decided on the Prime Minister issue. Others tell you that it is the politicians themselves who are playing games not only with the cat and house of Prime Ministerial candidates but also with the judges and the lawyers movement. Meanwhile, the extremists continue their deadly game of murder and mayhem as they did in Lahore.
At the end of the day the real losers are – as they always are – the people of Pakistan. It is they who suffer the instability. It is they who are killed. It is they who languish in uncertainty. The costs of uncertainty are never trivial, but it becomes particularly horrendous with suicide bombers blowing themselves up.
What is most disturbing and truly dangerous is that as Gen. Musharraf keeps fighting for his personal survival and position and as the politicians keep fumbling in their indicisive daze, it is the extremist forces that stand to gain by playing simultaneously on the citizen’s dislike for Gen. Musharraf and distrust for the main political leaders of our time.
No one is clear on who will rule Pakistan tomorrow. But it is clear that uncertainty rules Pakistan today. And that is not good for anyone except the extremists who seek to destabilize the country and breed anarchy and chaos.
After the daylight robber of freezing and embezzling the foreign currency accounts, Mian Nawaz Sharif announced that his government will ‘restore’ the foreign currency accounts. This seemed to imply (logically) that the funds will be released and people could take out their cash if they so wished, but actually came to mean that people will be allowed to OPEN MORE foreign currency accounts, if they were so inclined. Conned once, and then conned again!
I hope the restoration of the judges is not going to be a similar play on words and does not insult the intelligence of the Pakistani citizens.
Can Media show the log of all ministers as how much time they spend in Office and how mush time in stupid things such as photo opportunities?
Media is not all about favoring the people who threat media or spend money on Media.
Rizwan
http://www.longlivepakistan.com
We can make the difference do not depend on these politicians.
Do people really think that all the problems of the country will be solved if the President steps down? Will the civilian leaders of the country be able to resist the US pressure for carrying out action against the militants?
Benazir Bhutto had assured the Americans that she would do more to curb extremism in the country. She had also agreed to allow American forces to launch operation inside Pakistani territory. She had also agreed to give access to Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan. President Mushrraf did not allow all this. He resisted American pressure at all stages and I do not think that the new government will have the power to stand against the American pressure.
Nawaz Sharif rushed to America to seek forgiveness during the Kargil crisis. They want to liberate Kashmir but could not resisit pressure to keep one peak.
Musharraf and his allies are responsible for current situation in Pakistan. I am afraid Musharraf is on American payroll and he has been assigned task to destablise and divide this country. Pakistanis have fight for their freedom and rights otherwise they will remain slaves of America and its agent. When it is a war between wrong and right, between dictatorship and democracy, between forces of darkness and soldiers of freedom no one can remain impartial. People of Pakistan will have to decide whether they are lined with forces darkness or with the democratic forces. Musharaf and his allies are no doubt representing the forces of darkness. America is playing a dirty game in Pakistan, but results would be counter productive for American policy makers
The link for NPR “here and now” does not seems working.