Adil Najam
Since yesterday the “I” word – impeachment – has begun to be thrown around a lot.
Some quarters seem to think that it just happen this time. Others suggest that it is more talk than action and the numbers needed to pull this are still not there.
Coming out of the “critical” Nawaz Sharif-Asif Zardari meetings one keeps wondering how much of this is an effort to keep the coalition going and how much is a real push to change the essential political equations of Pakistan. There are reports that Gen. Musharraf is taking this move seriously enough to cancel his trip to China (to attend the Olympics opening ceremony). On the other hand some of Gen. Musharraf’s supporters are claiming that no such cancellation has happened. We do know, however, that he is taking this challenge seriously and lining up his supporters.
All in all, there is too much noise to say what is happening. But something is clearly happening. Does the PPP-PML(N) have the numbers they need to go ahead? Does the President have the numbers he needs to stop it? And what of all the external actors and where they may lean, why and for what?
Interestingly, we had run a ATP Poll back in June asking you what you thought would have happened to Gen. Musharraf by October 2008? The majority (38%) had thought that he would be impeached by then. A significant number (31%) thought that by October 2008 we woudl be still muddling through as we are now.
We do not intend to open the Poll again, but it does seem that either of those two answers could turn out to be true again. Indeed, even our earlier Poll on the subject, from October 2007, may still be relevant in its results!
So, since we can’t make full sense of exactly what all of this adds up to, we thought we woudl ask our best source: You. What do you think? What is happening? What might happen? And why?
Musharraf should really have left a year ago. If he had he would have become a hero. Now he has become a distraction and is making life worse for everyone. Please leave Mr. Musharraf, so that the country can get on with life and this craziness can end.
Doctor Adil Najam;
Impeachment by two crooks of a third crook? All humble servants of the Law? It is hilarious! Jinnah Sahib must be rolling in his grave.
This house of crooks has to burn to the ground. Only thus purified the Phoenix of hope and prosperity
will rise.
Well if people on all sides put their blinders down and think about what is actually happening rather that who they like or not like, then this is just one more sign of eh chaos that is ruling Pakistan. Just look at the front page of this blog right now. You have one post asking is Yousuf Raza Gillani may be on his way out and another one saying that maybe Musharraf is on his way out.
Musharraf is a distraction in the current political setup and should leave of his own volition if not forcibly removed. We Pakistanis have a habit of not looking at the big picture and tend to focus on the peripheral issues. The fact of the matter is that he has no more the moral and legal authority to be President of Pakistan. He has lost this authority because of the acts committed against the people and institutions of Pakistan since March 2007. His manipulation of the constitution of Pakistan is unprecedented in the history of this country. The fact of the matter is that with his approval ratings at 11%, according to most optimistic estimates, in another civilized country he would have left long time ago. But we are talking of Pakistan here. His 4 advisors and 11 supporters on this board are insisting that he is the elected President of the country.
His supporters claim that the govt should focus on the problems of this country. Yes, without him that would be one less problem that this govt will have to deal with. That alone will be hugely positive for the country. Without the distraction in the President house, we can finally focus on the real issues and stop wasting our energies on getting him out of there. Pakistani economy is facing a crisis of confidence today. That crisis won’t go away until the stalemate between the institutions of the government comes to an end. Once resolved, businessmen will bring their money back to the country. Otherwise the flight of capital that we are seeing is not going to stop.
America needs to understand that we can’t keep killing our own people. This war that is burning our house has to stop. Without him at the helm, we can finally tell America that we will deal with the extremism problem our own way; with negotiations. Otherwise British learned long time ago that you can’t fight these fiercely independent Pakhtoons. If anyone here disagrees, they are welcome to join the fighting.
And yes, Ahmad Shahid, all I can say is Amen, Amen and Amen.
@amina from the north
you have got to be kidding me!!! I had to read your comment twice, but am still not sure what you are lamenting.
This is an elected Govt. And again, please nothing, absolutely nothing can compare to the embarrassment that was caused by Mush’s rape comment in D.C.
Again, we elected this Govt. and want to see it complete the 5 years.