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?
I don’t really care if musharraf is staying or not, for me the people sitting in parliment are animals and there leaders are beasts. They don’t care about the ordinary folks. They are feudals, tribals and big industrialists and big business men. They are zalim. Their mentality is revenge and of hate. They are morally and ethically decadent. These people must be rooted out of society and get rid of permenantly. I am sorry I am writing this in anger but after what has happened to my friends family (mother, sister, father and brothers) i.e. been beaten up by tribal landowners, I have no respect for those sitting in parliment. Also the idiots in waziristan and swat must be eliminated. They are a disgrace to Islam. Actually our parlimentarians are a disgrace to islam as well. I damn care about democracy, there must be martial law and severe one indeed cause we haven’t seen what the real martial law is yet.
Bhindigosht:
Musharraf has no power today, his going will not resolve any power center problems. His leaving will also lead to the breakup of the coalition and back to eye-gouging politics of the 1990’s.
First of all, I hope Mush goes. There needs to be one power center in the country. With Mush around, no one knew who the hell is calling the shots. The country needs to get over this psychological Mush barrier.
Second, for all those who are always bemoaning PMLN and PPP, what solution do they have? another election? then what? Leaders do not fall from the sky. Yeh system chaley ga tau naye leaders paida hon ge.
Third, it is an absolute joy to see the MQM leaders in a tizzy over the spectre of Mush’s impeachment. These guys really know how to have their cake and eat it too.
After watching and reading all this Tamasha for the last four months, one wonders if all the three (Dictator, Amir Ul Momineen, and Mr. 10 percent) are really intrested in the well being of the Pakistan and its people.
lol…Dream on…another day…another tamasha.. most of our politicians are either a B team of Martial Law or aspiring to be one..Let’s see who have the last laugh