Suddenly I’m gripped with a feeling of foreboding.Why?
I listened to BBC Urdu Service this evening and two things struck me.
First, Shaukat Aziz was quoted as saying “there is a provision in the Constitution to impose emergency and there are certain circumstances, explained in the Constitution, which are required to impose emergency”.
Secondly, Najam Sethi, who for reasons known only to himself, often uses the Daily Times and his Friday Times editorials to give advice to the general (some people even suggest that he has been a regular visitor to the presidency as well), told BBC that among the options open to Musharraf, in the event the Supreme Court goes against his wishes, is to declare martial law and sack the Supreme Court.
In my book this is a path to a national disaster, which might lead to a further break up of the country.
Could someone please tell me I am wrong!
Pakistan
15 comments:
I am afraid you are right. Either the general has to step down or in attempt to prolong his destiny, he will demolish the structure around him. But I think it is too late now and declaring emergency will result in chaos.
Why is it so hard to believe that a cornered and desperate Musharaff will impose martial law to hold on to his Khursi? Especially so if that farce of a re-election of his does not go according to plan. Quiet rumours of martial law have been doing the rounds for a while now. The situation in FATA and Balochistan will provide a suitable excuse.
Let me predict another Taliban tamasha in Islamabad in this week.
the world is watching with interest.
Anything is expected from a millitary skull.
Our Madari's (jugglers) in Islamabad would pull any rabbit out of their hats to save their asses and cling on to power for as long as possible. But any such move will only hasten the demise of our beloved Generalissmo and his hangers-on because it will put his foreign backers in a fix in the absence of a fig-leaf of democracy to cover the not-so-invisible private parts of the supreme leader(s). It will force him to admit, like the late Nawab of Kalabagh, that one side of his Mooch (moustache) is Law and the other side is Order.
By the way, Najam Sethi sounds pathetic with his apologetic comments. Crowing with fear before the junta, beseeching it to act "sensibly" in his editorials in Daily Times, etc. And even speaking on its behalf in his interview that you just cited. What a let down !!
I think paid servant of state, Mr. Musharaff will be overthrown by some other tin-pot khaki and we will be subjugated to another desi-imperial rule of boatwalas. I think if Army has even a slightest professionalism left they will try to be what professional armies do and not what the goons and imperialist would do to the natives. Pathetic Army.
Mountainman,
As long as Musharaff (or any other Khakhi for that matter) does whatever his foreign backers, i.e. the Americans, want him to do for a reasonable enough price, you will not hear a peep about democracy.
I think you are right. My worry is that the options with the state and its cronies and rogue organs are might amount to contemporary form of humanitarian ctastrphe. In my view a transition is necessary and any attempt to stop would only bring about unnecessary loss of humanity and increase human suffering in Pakistan. GOD BLESS US...
jusAthot:
The unraveling drama at the Supreme Court of Pakistan may be nerve-wrecking for Musharraf and the Army (Establishment). If CJP-Chuadhry is restored back to his position than he may not be that accommodating to play balls with the Establishment in their game. Under that scenario, the Establishment may either opt for the Option BB if at all workable or create a “drama” of chaos and go for the Emergency Rule postponing all civil discourses like the “sham” election.
Only a coup in the army can overthrow Musharraf. At the moment there does not appear any sign of that happening any time soon, unless Mahi has some inside information he could share with us.
The other circumstances could be what Mahi calls ”the mango patti” way of abrupt removal from the scene, as was done with Gen.Zia
At the present time, all the senior rank and file from Lt Gen to Gen owe their promotion to him and none has shown any ambition to enter the frying pan.
Under the present circumstances, Pakistan is in for mayhem both staged by the Establishment and otherwise and we may be in for military rule and the catastrophe.
Shortcut knows whats up.
Najam Sethi's role is pathetic.
Too many Pakistani journalists start out as "liberals" only to become toadies of the establishment.
Sethi uses the Friday Times to poke fun at many while keeping himself respectable even though he joined Leghari's cabinet and is now Musharraf's man.
I have greater respect for anyone who starts out wrong and then hits the right road. But Sethi, Maleeha Lodhi, Mushahid Hussain --these are all rather sad stories.
With self-serving people like Sethi and Sharifuddin Pirzada advising the already misguided General it seems that we are in for more turmoil....Jeevay Pakistan
I have never liked Sethi but am not surpised by what some journalists do.
I have met one of the big backers of the Friday Times...and he is a big NS supporter....am surprised he would allow Sethi to publish that in the first place...who knows all the elites are corrupt .....its just about keeping there share safe anyway.
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