Adil Najam
Much, too much, is afoot in Pakistan. Talk is rife of changes: in the President’s stance; in the Prime Minister’s tone; in the President himself; in the international response; in the Military’s preferences; even, maybe, in the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Change seems to be afoot. It is not clear what. But it is clear that whatever it is will leave much, too much, still in limbo. There is no one that anyone seems to have much confidence in.
The media is being gagged again. Civil society forces remain defiant as ever in the face of increasing crackdowns. The politicians fail to inspire confidence. And the military and international actors remain kingmakers. The dominant sense one gets is of a country that is afraid of its own politics. Very very afraid.
The litany of breaking news tells the story (all from the homepage of The News today):
GEO News blocked in different cities of country. The transmission of Geo News has been blocked in some parts of Karachi, Hyderabad, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Quetta, Multan, Rawlakot, Muzaffarabad, Deepalpur and Sargodha. The concerned officials have directed the cable operators to place Geo News channel at the tail end, making it difficult for the viewers to watch the channel. PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif, Tehreek-i-Insaf Chief Imran khan and Senator Babar Ghauri condemned the blocking of Geo News.
Lawyers to intensify campaign. The lawyers challenging the government will step up their cross-country protest campaign despite beatings and arrests by the police, the President of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Ali Ahmed Kurd said on Friday. Black-suited lawyers and flag-waving opposition activists launched the long march protest in the cities of Karachi and Quetta on Thursday, despite a ban on rallies and the detention of hundreds of activists. Baton-wielding police clashed with protesters in Karachi and arrested several of their leaders as they tried to stop a convoy of cars and buses leaving the city.
Containers placed around Pindi, Islamabad to block marchers. Several containers were placed at all entry points of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad in an attempt to thwart the lawyers’ long march. In Rawalpindi, containers were placed near Faizabad Fly over. Besides, several containers were lined up near Kashmir Highway, Parliament House and all other entry points of the federal capital. More containers, dumpers and trucks are likely to be brought there to block the marchers from entering twin cities.
U.S. Ambassador calls on PM: U.S. Ambassador to Islamabad Anne W. Patterson called on Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani here on Friday. According to sources, country’s prevailing political situation in view of the long march was discussed in the meeting.
Miliband telephones Nawaz. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has called Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif on Friday and discussed with him the overall political situation. According to sources, country’s prevailing political situation in the wake of long march came under discussion.
Zardari agrees to resolve crisis in light of CoD. In response to the reconciliatory efforts of Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, President Asif Ali Zardari has agreed to resolve prevailing political crisis according to the charter of democracy (CoD). According to sources, Army chief’s meetings with the President and the Prime Minister are producing results. Gen. Kayani held separate meetings with President Zardari and Premier Gilani to discuss various options for solution of prevailing political crisis confronting the country. Sources further told that Prime Minster was in favour of restoration of deposed chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. However, the president’s close aides said that President Zardari wants his restoration through CoD. The President is willing to lift governor rule in Punjab while besides Army chief, British and American governments are playing the role of guarantors. President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani are expected to meet again tonight in which some important decisions are expected.
We have been here before. Too many time. Too painfully.
History is repeating itself…
For last many years, Pakistani awam has cursed army interference in politics, as well as British/American interference in Pakistani politics. Now everybody is happy that army, US/British are playing a role ?
What a hypocritical and confused lot Pakistanis are! If change happens, it will only prove that street power mob and militancy are what matter in Pakistan, not elections, not Parliament, not elected government and certainly not democracy.
There is a middle class led change and movement in Pakistan. It is unprecedented in the region, and in its aims, in the world. This is ultimately due to the minimal, coincidental civic education of an expanding middle classes through a mushrooming private media. The media is freer than it has ever been, regardless of quality of journalism. People are thinking. Some thing they have never done before because they never had even the minimal tools to do that. The diversity of opinion is of itself a good thing as long as it is independently held. For the first time in Pakistan’s history the nation has been showing some strength and something like a mind of its own and confronting the state (which has failed them and the failure post 9/11 cannot be hidden because it is violence of an extreme kind in their midst). This middle class awakening will neither be cowered by Zardari nor swindled by Sharif, in the longer term. This may be a “death of politics”. But it’s a death of old politics. A new birth is only a matter of time. Even another military dictatorship cannot stop the trend. The solution “is more democracy, not less”. More self-belief, not less. More optimism, not less. And it would be messy. Painful. Two steps forward one step back. But it very clearly is a sign of life. The nation is alive.
I’d be too disappointed if no “change” comes soon =|
This is really really out of control.
My hats off to the supporters of the Lawyers Movement. They have preserved and worked tirelessly for democracy. I hope they will stay true to the cause and not let PML-N highjack them.