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.
I believe, government did the right thing by taking the decision to ban Geo TV. this channel was not doing any good except creating depression and crushing the moral of Pakistani people.
I havn’t heard any good news coming out from Jew channel ever. They are busy in promoting the Indian cultures and values in Pakistan and slow poisoning the people of Pakistan, which is helping making Pakistan much softer target. So that it will be easier for enemy of the state to destroy Pakistan.
I accept the Pakistan Army and ISI has done lot of wrong things and corruption in the past. But at this moment the only wall that is standing between the enemy and Pakistan is Pak Army and ISI. We should support our troops, as by maligning them, we are actually weakening ourselves.
Well said Pakistani
In the last two years the liberal civil society has worked for justice and voice for Pakistanis and Muslims everywhere. The evil Taliban have been killing Pakistanis and Muslims.
I choose to stand with those who stand for Pakistan and against the enemies of Islam and Pakistan, the Taliban. PAKISTAN ZINDABAD. And may all Taliban burn in hell.
ATP should conduct a poll on these lines http://lahore.metblogs.com/2009/03/13/consequences -of-long-march/ to get the pulse of the nation on this matter.
Zechetti, the Recruiter for evil murderers and Taliban. The real enemy of Pakistan are still the Taliban and worse thing is that this only distracts from the need fir jihad against the evil Taliban. The Taliban and extremist enemies of Islam and Pakistan are only one who benifit from unstable Pakistan.
Ali, totally agree with your last paragraph – it’s all fact anyway. While a corrupt media can mislead and fool the people, it cannot oppress the way the corrupt and ‘despotic’ politicians can who have the authority of the state and law behind them. Indeed, ‘despots’ are not averse to use the force of the state against the law. Military dictators do the same, i.e. abuse their institutional power to subvert the constitution – lock, stock and barrel – and take over the state. Surely, abuse of state power and the law are far greater sins than a corrupt media. What’s important with the mushrooming media (no matter how unprofessional, corrupt and/or partisan/subjective) is that it has – over the past few years – awakened a moribund middle class and got it thinking. The thinking might be misplaced and subjective, (but it cannot be corrupt, since the whole middle class cannot have a vested interest)… but at least it’s a sign of life. To that extent, it is welcome and promising. The hope is that a sobering elite, forced to address it’s historic neglect of popular opinion, will automatically result in a more ‘equal’ balance between the institutions – Executive, Parliament, Military, Judiciary and the media. The media is gravely mistaken if it thinks it can ‘fool all the people all the time’. In the long term, the interests of the middle class cannot and do not agree with either those of the elite or those of the media. As long as we can have a ‘thinking’ middle class…. media can neither presume to brainwash it nor afford to ignore it.
The more worrying issue for the moderate middle class is to confront the kind of dangerous cynicism expressed by Zecchetti. Hopefully, there are not many subscribers to such views. He is obviously NOT a girl living in Swat.