The Quest for Power

Nasah

Good News - Mr. Afridi`s sentence may not stand up to appeal process and related judicial review. Some time as a guest of the State may be more the kind of thing he may end up with.

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Nasah 136

Please, there is no need to fly off the handle!

And please do not give up! Perhaps you are right that Mr. Afridi has been framed. And if he has been framed, shame on those who did plot and effect such a conspiracy. If you should give up and Mr. Afridi does turn out to have been framed, an advocate and a person of goodwill, will have been lost to him and us.

Journalists, editors and publishers, are just people. They are no better or worse because of their vocation. It is absurd to suggest that such persons are above the Law and do form a new category of ``sacred cow`` or ``untouchables``.

Awarding a punishment of death is very serious business, I feel assured that most persons in Pakistan do take it rather seriously and also be mindful that the process of appeal has not been exhausted.

It is a caricature that nothing in Pakistan works, or that a inhuman thirst for blood has taken root in Pakistan.

Indus civilization (whatever that means - because it requires a great deal more study) - As a student of the study of that civilization, I suggest that those who seek to make connections between the Indus civilzation and present day cultural entities or ideological presentations in Pakistan or India, are seriously misinformed.

(The presence of Cave painting in southern France does not suggest a cultural connection or a source of pride, for the French - That would be ridiculous, would it not? - It`s significance is as a source of study and understanding for all mankind, that it exists in present geographical boundries of France - can we deduce then, that the French and the cave dwellers are culturally related? And, some famous painters and movements within the Arts also began in France -Would it not be shallow to make such connections?

And should we deny any connection to those may have effected the dissolution of the Indus civilization? Or those who came after?

Perhaps, answers will be even more complex than the questions and ofcourse we will have hundreds of millions of answers - and perhaps, it is right that we do!

I share with you the conviction, that, Pakistan is special, destined to be a beacon, provided we discredit the ideas that seek equate Islam with magic, that promote social, confessional and gender biases, and that seek to obscure the rationality, free debate, free consciounce, and free choices that form the core values of Islam.

Aamir #132

You are definitely mistaken.

There is no doubt about scholarship of Maulana.

I never knew that ``this Panj waqta Mullah`` would be drinking behind closed doors.

Better were Bhutto and Jinnah who at least drank openly.

Nasah #137

Let me quote Kahlil Jibran from book by ``Roedad Khan`` ``Pakistan-a dream gone sour``

Pity the nation which has beliefs, but no religion.

Pity the nation who thinks every oppressor as brave and who sees every shining conqueror, beautiful.

Pity a nation who raises its voice when walking behind a coffin or when rope is hung in its neck.

Pity a nation whose intellectuals become quiet due to circumstances of time and whose brave people are still in their infancy.

Pity a nation which is divided into pieces, and each piece thinks itself a nation.

(We also don`t mess up with PAKISTANIS.

A good lesson for you.)

Nasah 3139

There is no doubt that some journalists in Pakistan have courage.

But this courage started after 1971. Before that our most PRESTIGIOUS journalists were paid or in some cases unpaid agents.

The movement of left in Pakistan particularly, but also some rightist elements have given the breed of Journalist in the form of Herald, The Muslim etc (Takbir, Ausaf etc are brave journalism of a different kind:-)).

Lets hope this last institution stands on its feet.

Mugar Aasaar Acche Nazar Nahin Aate.

Second thing is objectivity and analysis. That is lacking in most part. Journalism is basically journalism meaning reporting and analysis with some preconceived notions.

The example of curbing of Journalism can be clearly seen in 1971 break up of Pakistan. The few people who have written on such a big event is minimal. It has been given much more attention by non Pakistani non south asian journalists.

Any way. Regards and Salaam.

Dear krashid: #130,131

You’re a very positive, levelheaded, optimistic, person, and I share your optimism about Pakistan. With so much less social, and cultural baggage than the neighboring India -- Pakistan -- with the pride and joy of its Indus Valley Culture (when most of the world, including Europe, except Egypt, was the abode of barbarians) – always had the potential of becoming a great trail blazer among the nations of the world, in general -- and for the Muslim countries, in particular.

We all hope one day a democratic, progressive and secular Pakistan will take its rightful place among the civilized nations of the world.

For now, hopefully, Mr. Musharraf will do something for editor Afridi. It will give Mr. Musharraf lot of mileage in respectability and soften his harsh image as the DODO of Pakistan, (Destroyer Of Democracy Of Pakistan), all around the world. Nobody hangs their newspaper editors these days.

I wish you would agree more with Binnifer than with Bapu jee regarding the excellence and the superlative courage of your journalists and intellectuals. Please don’t demean them. They stand out shoulder to shoulder with any of their contemporaries in the Western or Eastern media world.

My dear Pakistani friends:

Ok, ok, I give up. Don’t get upset. Go ahead and hang your journalist Mr. Afridi, excuse me, Mr. Afridi the drug dealer. Give him a true Islamic justice – chop off his head in a public square in Islamabad

You hang your prime ministers -- now this is only a lowly, “coward, gutless, spineless weasel” worthless journalist. What the heck. By all means go ahead, do it.

With its already tattered image abroad Pakistan does need a face-lift and this will certainly do it.

A Amir Ref 132

AAmir cool it man. You are getting carried away.

Talking about Maulana Azad. Maulana is only a title here that does not mean he has to be a mullah or has only to live by Koran. He was a fine Muslim. Just as Pandit Nehru or Giani Zail Singh, does not mean priest Nehru or Zail Singh. Maulan is a title `a learned one`. Don`t bring Koran in everything, you fanatic, narrow minded, tunnel visioned, biased, bafooned pimp.

Reply #: 133

binifer

``Najam Sethi and Khalid Hassan are some of the nice people that there are in pakistani print media right now.Their writings have some credibility unlike Mr.mushahid hussain whose board we are on.``

The fact that Najm Sethi has not been killed is b/c he himself represents the establishment of Pakistan-the few,the rich & the feudals.

He with his wife were all over Public Television after Musharaffs take over ,we havent heard from him since then.Najm Sethi is investing his money wisely in democracy b/c America would back him for it.Likes of Najam Sethi couldnt stand for anything on principle ,fior such creatures of comfort & previliged lives do not breed revolutionaries.

((``Most of these journalists are coward,gutless,spineless weasel,to stand for anything.``))

Yeeeeeeeep.Just that. Thats why these spineless wimps i mean weasels risk everything they hold precious by speaking against those in power in a country like ours where you can get anyone kiled for less than a hundred and twelve rupees and sometimes for free.So who do you suggest mr. bapu we go for? Intellectuals like mushahid hussain who sell out at the first chance they get or Mr. yellow teeth reading out news on ptv whose name I`m forgetting?

Najam Sethi and Khalid Hassan are some of the nice people that there are in pakistani print media right now.Their writings have some credibility unlike Mr.mushahid hussain whose board we are on.

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Nasah #126

The matter of Afridi will be decided by Government and not courts.

In its recent decision, Lahore High Court ruled that since there is no constitution so any act by Pervez Musharraf is valid whether it is against constitution does not matter.

Supreme Court of Pakistan in its decision of ``Law of necessity`` for justifying the Musharraf takeover of Government clearly gave Musharraf three years. With the stipulation that although constitution is in abeyance, but Musharraf will not take any decision which is against the constitution.

Musharraf Government is taking big decisions which directly go against constitution. For example the election of local bodies is strictly a provincial issue. But the elections are done under orders of Central Government.

For president to be elected, it is through both houses of Parliament and need to be retired from Government Service for at least two years. And president cannot be eliminated except by certain procedures.

Now CEO had all the powers to do whatever he liked. But for this unconstitutional act, the oath of president was taken by none other than Chief Justice of Supreme Court.

So in the matter of Afridi the question is not that whether he is a culprit or not. The question is whether he will be punished for his crimes or for taking a stand against Governemnt.

In this regard the interesting example is Nawaz Sharif. He was punished for life in prison. And while still having cases against him leading to possibly death sentence, his whole family was flown to Saudi Arabia.

I am looking towards God. For God has his own ways of dealing with things.