Adil Najam
The media is abuzz with petty pontifications about the likely meeting later today between Mr. Asif Ali Zardari and Mr. Nawaz Sharif.
By the time many readers read this, the talks may already have transpired and, then, the media will be abuzz about what they talked about. Here is hoping that what these two will talk about and whatever we will be talking about after their talks will not trivialize the historic existential threat that we are living through today.
There is much that these two have to talk about – the fate of the NRO, the fate of the Kerry-Lugar Bill, the fate of the 17th Amendment, the fate of Messers Zardari and Sharif, the fate of democracy in Pakistan. But more than all of this, what hangs in the balance today is the fate of a Pakistan at war.
Some 9000 Pakistanis have been killed by violent extremists this year alone. And the year is far from done. Pakistani territory has been snatched out of Pakistan’s control. Pakistani military is being attacked. If this is not a threat to Pakistan’s sovereignty, an attack on Pakistan itself, then what is?
Here is hoping that our leaders our getting together to speak with one voice and with great force on this existential threat to our sovereignty, to our future, and indeed to our present.
But to do so, they will both have to become as big as the moment. That, if that were to happen, would truly be news. All else remains, and will remain, mere chatter… not even worth hearing in the din of the war we cannot and must not ignore.
Both Zardari and Sharif are democrats who are trapped in an undemocratic state. It is good they are meeting to talk, so the media can talk and then we can talk about what the media talked. But the fact they talked at all is a welcome relief. May be these are talks for future talks or may be these are talks just for the sake of talks so the media can talk and then we can take the cue and talk. In any case, talks are better than no talks. And talk we must in this grave hour of danger that is consuming our motherland.
Adversity flatters no man. Nawaz Sharif left Zardari at crucial time when country was in deep trouble. Everybody knows who deviated from democratic path. I agree with writer that there is hoping about our leaders to speak with one voice and with great force on this existential threat to our sovereignty, to our future and in of course to our present. At the moment our media should play positive and constructive role. Both leaders are experienced and have background about politics. There is need to see how much Mr Sharif shows flexibility out of his rigid attitude, and of course his stance towards Taliban. We would also hope to look how Zardari would persuade Nawaz to squeeze his sympathies for Taliban. Pro-Taliban media should think about Pakistani people rather justifying them.
NS should clearly say no to the NRO, but he needs to fully come out against the Taliban and in support of the Waziristan operation. He needs to work with the govt in fighting terrorism.
Asad says: I do not know when God will give us a break and a real leader.
I say: God has given us, and we still have many real leaders among us. But, we are too short sided to recognize them and too impatient to hold on to them.
Muslims pride in the belief of the afterlife and respect for our current existence. But now it seems we just don’t give a damn about it all. If I were to tell you that a governor was appointed for paying massive amounts of dollars or a minister is making money by selling LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) files, I can guarantee you no less than a thousand emails and text messages would be circulating Pakistan. We are not a nation of drama queens. Enough is enough!
http://ahraza.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/enough-is-e nough/