Imran Khan's Politics

I agree with you and have no doubt about Imran Khan`s honesty. The fact that we have an educated politican striving hard to come forth is obviously a very refreshing change.

However, I strongly urge you to read more about his reasons for blocking the women`s right bill. Your article seems biased and based entirely on what Imran said at LSE. Since, I was also present, I can relate to your enthusiasm to bring him to power. But we must not forget that his recent antics have been somewhat more focused on bringing Musharaf down. I feel Imran was right to point out the fear people have, especially in the Western nations, towards a government without Musharaf. However, I feel he oversimplified the matter too, as keeping terrorism aside, Musharaf`s government has seen more stablization over precedent governments, especially when we see foreign investments pouring into the country.

It is definitely not a simple call.

#447 by cliftonbridge,

Yaar cliftonbridge ... another little quiz for you:

1) How many total seats are in the Sindh Assembly? How many PPP and how many MQM?

2) If Fatah won 54 percent of the vote and Hamas 26 percent in West Bank with a 2.4 million population, what percentage of vote would it have won in Gaza with a 1.4 million population to sweep the elections and form Government?

My stance is consistent because there`s nothing common between MQM and Fatah. The former are neither in the majority by far in the Sindh province nor is their militancy against the rest of the country directed to anything other than control of Karachi. If they have a majority electorate in Karachi, that can`t mean Karachi is more than just a city in the province of Sindh which has a PPP majority by almost twice that of MQM.

Hamas are freedom fighters against occupation and have removed Fatah from Gaza because Fatah has only been interested in making money from the Palestinian cause (which is why they were voted out on corruption charges) and jeopardizing Gaza`s interests.

One final clarification is that West Bank and Gaza are historically and geographically different territories which do not even share a border after creation of Israel. West Bank was a part of Jordan and is Jordanian in culture, while Gaza was in Egypt`s control till 1967 and is Egyptian in culture. So all this stuff about a homogeneous Palestinian identity fighting amongst itself is not true anyway. Gaza is overwhelmingly Islamic, West Bank has a western- orientation like Jordan.

I am confused as to where you are going with this. Firstly MQM is democratically elected infact resoundingly.

and also , correct me if i am wrong but jan 2007 :

``Results registered Friday for municipal elections held in Palestinian towns and villages in the West Bank the previous day indicate that the ruling Fatah party won 54 percent of the vote, while the Hamas militant group won 26 percent.

Fatah won control of 65 of the 104 municipal councils up for grabs compared with 22 for Hamas and 17 for other factions, said Firas Yaghi, executive director of the Higher Commission for Local Elections. Official figures are due on Saturday.``

Besides we are ignoring jews for the purpose of this conversation we are talking about the facism/militancy of politics when all parties are muslim. And we are saying there should be a consistent stance of condemning it, not only when you just dont like the winners.

#444 by cliftonbridge,

...oh and i am sorry i should have said ``democratically elected representation of both karachi and the west bank ``

Well though I didn`t pick on this but you keep digging yourself in a hole on your own just like a spinning top .. :)

Arrey .... Hamas was elected BOTH from the West Bank AND Gaza ... There were no separate elections for these two areas ... were there?

Now I know you`ll say `` ohh ... but FATAH had the majority in West Bank ...``, to which I reply in advance ``WRONG !!! The population of Gaza is less than half the population of West Bank, and still Hamas won from BOTH the occupied territories, not just Gaza.``

The Hamas kicked out Fatah from Gaza because Fatah was aligned with Israel in not letting Hamas govern even after having won fair & square in elections, and has now decided to go its own way. Both are occupied territories but each`s resistance is of vastly different nature.

I hope the above Fatah/Hamas 101 primer is of help :)

Now, again, is MQM fighting against someone`s occupation? Or even, has anyone stopped it from governing in Sindh? What political infighting are you (or Bubba) talking about?

:~)

#53

Zeena

What about the question raised in my post at #7, dear zeena? Your post now makes the matter all the more `enigmatic`?

#441 by cliftonbridge,

Bubba made a good point? What`s common between Hamas and MQM?

First pls clarify and then we`ll go further :)

Well i have condemned the violence of the MQM the violence of the MQM`s opposition in karachi and hamas and Fatah so i am pretty uniform on this.

Its you holding one standard for the infighting in palestine and another for the political infighting karachi.

oh and i am sorry i should have said ``democratically elected representation of both karachi and the west bank ``

#439 by cliftonbridge,

Is this your lunch menu for your jewboy date today?

Re: # 440

no zee. I lack your experiance and your conquests. I lack your avarice and your mills n boon inspirings encounters. My question was whether hamas wants to liberate the world only of jews or also of palestinian dissenters? I know this is a sore topic for you. If the thought of me dating a jew makes it all better then fine. Hold onto that thought and answer the question.

Actually though Bubba made a good point and made you look like a double standard holder but i think you may have been internally consistent. You want to rid the world of the democratically elected representation of both karachi and ghaza! ``By whatever means neccesary`` and ``for the greater good`` - as defined ofcourse by you :)

#437 by bubba,

Please refrain from comparing these street thugs with Hamas.

Hamas is fighting occupation. Is Karachi occupied territory? Thanks.

Re: # 438

is hummus also fighting pita? or just the juice?

The fact still remains that over 40 people were killed on May 12, and MQM is the group that started this fight. If that British instigator had any political sense, he could have just allowed the CJ procession to continue. Actually, he could have asked his supporters to be a part of this event, and given a complete blow to the shenanigans of the current administration in Pakistan. After all is that not what they want? To be an effective ruler of all Pakistan, prudence demands the current crop of leadership get away from their myopic view about local urban politics, by generating hatred continuously towards other communities. The carnage of May 12 did just that.

No amount of spin on this issue will change the politics of the upcoming elections, in which MQM will once again, will be categorized as spoilers of any democratic government. With the proliferation of news reporting MQM should realize that things have change since the mid-1980s when their gunda gurdy was tolerated. If Mukhtaran Mai’s rape could become such a major international outcry, then can the killings of May 12 not be such an episode in Pakistan’s sordid history.

Unfortunately, due to their lack of political insight and vision this group is lost, and has not much to offer. Their vision is of violence and more violence if their demands are not met, just like Hamas.

PM we are all on the same side re asim uh haq qureshi :)

abay Zee, unlike some PPPs, most mojos I know are happy for any Pakistani`s notable achievement. :~)

And, btw, I`m more than aware of Aisam`s domicile, having hit with him more than once. (Okay, when he was 12 or so :) )

#433 by PM,

Aisam-ul-Haq Qureishi Zindabad!

... if you`re saying that to appease the machhars, be reminded that your tennis guy is a Lahori .... :~)

Arif:
Sincere thanks for filling some of the many gaps in my understanding of the issue.

At the risk of exposing a woeful ignorance, is the the quota system still in effect, and as `effective` as it was when introduced in the 70s?

rgds,
PM

By the way, Aisam-ul-Haq Qureishi Zindabad!