Cat is Out of the Bag

Mohar11

Pakistan will have a democracy within five years of India giving up on it..... :(

Excellent article Mr. Naeem. I can`t agree with you more. It`s actually quite sad that those who claim to be saviors of our land, who vow to revolutionize the state structure all for ``national interest``, go right out and shatter all hope, for how can you possibly trust your leader if he doesn`t believe in keeping his word. It is nauseating to see Shaukat Aziz encouraging his mentor and speaking his language. Let the nation decide what they want for once. Stop making decisions for us... but hey! Who cares right? Definitely not our ``honorable men``!

#24 by Ralph

Ralph-
What makes you think I am not serious? You see that is the problem. People don’t take any idea for democracy in Pakistan seriously!

“One of the greatest hindrances to democracy finding roots in Pakistan HAS BEEN India`s attempts to develop as a democracy”

Why do you think I am soliciting the Indian Army help? Think and look deep. Deep thoughts…

HP

Sure - give it a shot - send in your petition to Indian Army Chief. I don`t even know who Army Chief is right now. I think they were going create a new super chief called CDS (Chief of Defence Staff) or something - who was supposed to supercede Army Chief. I don`t know what happned to that plan.

Anyway - Paki Army has tasted blood and power and pelf for too long. So no matter what you do - they are not going to let go. So you are out of luck there.

HP # 22

May I make a `serious` point?` :)

One of the greatest hindrances to democracy finding roots in Pakistan HAS BEEN India`s attempts to develop as a democracy. Would you agree?

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

In my humble opinion, citizens of Pakistan should simply turn over the country to Fouji Foundation, sit back, relax and enjoy the show.
As for the constitution - we lived without one for a fairly long time and perhaps can live even more comfortably without the one that rarely leaves the Frankenstein`s repair shop.

sameerjb #18: That was a concise and to the point post regarding the fundamentals of pakistani politics.

#18 by sameerJB
“What is the point of the constitution if everybody makes up mind while completely disregarding the constitution.”

So Pakistan does have a constitution? That’s news for me. You can have only one thing: the army rule or the constitution. Since 96% of Pakistanis have allegedly asked Mushy babe to stay on, the constitution has effectively been sent to the recycle bin. Either this Bin is going to be emptied out or some day somebody would restore it. What are the odds of restoration of the constitution: 4%, as 96% support mushy babe.
I think Sameer, invoking constitution appears to be the most legal thing to do but the reality is that we don’t have a constitution. What we have now is a piece of paper that is being amended by the army as and when it pleases.
Even if there was a constitution, the mechanism to enforce its clauses that deal with treason does not exist.

So here is my plan to bring democracy in Pakistan.

We know that the Pak Army believes that what is good for India- is NOT good for Pakistan.
Now India has democracy and Pakistan does not and based on the army logic above democracy is not good for Pakistan because it is good for India.
I suggest that we ask the Indian army to takeover in India and end the democracy there. If that happens and the Indian army is ready to oblige Pakistanis, it may go ahead and open the door for democracy in Pakistan.
Once the Pak army finds out that India has abandoned democracy, they may think that democracy is GOOD for Pakistan and may be ENFORCE it in Pakistan with a Martial Law regulation.
In that case, mushy would run for elections for a seat in Parliament. His natural constituency is in Karachi and that too probably Lalokhet.
The problem is that MQM won’t give up that seat and support some Natho khan Pelibhait wala to run against Mushy. We know what the result would be. 96% of people from Lalokhet would vote for Natho Khan Pelibhait wala and 4% would vote for mushy as Altaf bhai said to vote for Natho Khan Pelibhait wala. (He sells cooking oil in Lalokhet.)

So our first step is to write a petition to the Indian Army to takeover in India. After that restoration of democracy in India would be an India problem and Modi probably would find several thousand Muslims to sacrifice their lives for democracy and secularism in India. But in Pakistani will have democracy.
I am setting up a petition to the Indian Army at the petition.com and you will have a link to that petition soon.
Mohar and Arjun.! Any thoughts?

urstruly # 16 - good one!

When Musharraf completed 5 years of his rule over Pakistan, he wanted a special postage stamp issued, with his picture on it of course. He so instructed the Postmaster General, stressing that it should be of international quality. The stamps were duly released. But then he began hearing complaints that the stamp was not sticking properly, and become furious. He called the chief of the ISI and ordered him to investigate the matter. The chief checked the matter out at several post offices, and then reported on the problem to Musharraf. He said:``Sir, the stamp is really of international quality. The problem is, our citizens are spitting on the wrong side!``

I can`t understand the extent of hypocrisy and stupidity of seemingly intelligent and educated people here. I can`t believe that some Pakistani people here think of themselves above the constitution of Pakistan. What is the point of the constitution if everybody makes up mind while completely disregarding the constitution. There, in fact, no difference remains between soldiers of god - radical fundamentalists and musharraf supporters, as far as disregarding the contitution of Pakistan.

Now some of them are feeling regret or disappointment about uniform issue. He took the oath of defending the nation according to the constitution and reneged; he was fired from his job according to the costitution and he refused; he overthrew constitutional government, strangulated supreme court of Pakistan, forced lawful president to resign in order to accumulate further power; he manipulated political process and rigged elections after farcical referendum. This is his resume. Didn`t these Musharraf supporters and MMA know of his track record before jumping on his bandwagon and making deal with him on uniform respectively? The fact is that MMA enjoys much more power in the form of large number of seats in the National Assembly, Senate, two provincial governments and several mayoral positions including that of the largest metropolitan area - Karachi. So what is new about uniform issue knowing Musharraf?

I believe that MMA still prefers military rule over BB or NS because they will defintely lose most of the clout if elections are held fairly and a civilian government is lawfully installed.

According to the constitution, Musharraf is neither COAS, nor president but a criminal; the constitutional amendments and supreme court decisions are postscripts. A crime comitted in 1999 is to be judged according to the existing law; a criminal can not amend the law in 2004 to exonerate himself of all crimes.

How can a Musharraf supporter justify punishing any criminal in Pakistan??? How can a Musharraf supporter criticize any interpretation of hadees or quran, done by any person, any sect, non-muslim or anti-muslim, after believing and dancing over the arbitrary interpretation of constitution and unlawfully making amendments? What principle guides these unprincipled when they call USA invasion of Iraq unlawful? Shame on them for being such a hypocrite!

The question is not about popularity even if one believes that 96 percent people actually like him; the question is not whether a taxi driver in Lalukhet is happy with the way Musharraf speaks or acts; the question is: will Pakistan uphold the supremacy of the most sacred law of the land and will Pakistanis have principles to call a spade a spade even if forex reserves are above 10 billion dollars? But then, 96 percent of Pakistanis like Musharraf and 65 percent of Pakistanis sympathize with Osama Bin Laden clearly suggesting that either half the people like both of them or these numbers are nothing but a farce. Go figure!

After November 2, 2004, the issue will be settled, whether Musharraf keeps his uniform or not.

Ciao

A summit is held on board AirForce One and the plane gets caught in a hurricane. The pilot announces that the only way to survive this hurrican is that some of the load is taken off this plane; some people should have to sacrifice and jump out of the plane to save the lives of others. As the French president hears this he cries ``Viva la Republique`` and jumps out. The pilot announces that plane was still heavy. At this the German Chancelor cries ``Hail Fatherland` and jumps out. Pilot says it was still heavy. President Bush gets up from his seat, cries ``God Bless America`` and throws Mexican president out of the plane. Now there are only two people left in the plane - Bush and Musharaf. Bush shrugs and says ``I ain`t jumping; I have been `selected` by people to stay``. Mushsraf shrugs too and says ``I ain`t jumping either, 96% people on this plane say that I should stay``.

Assasin,
I couldnt agree with you more. I too am (sorry fellow chowkees but I have to say it) - a staunch supporter of our General/President.
In many conversations I have had with people of all classes (i try to take every oppurtunity, in a cab, in a shop, at a discussion) to ask people one on one if they do support Musharraf and his policies.
99% of people I have met actually do, but do express grievances on two regards,
1. the foreign policy
2. the relationship with America.
There is a great suspicion and anxiety that Mr. Musharraf is a puppet of the States - most argue that he is - and the reason this worries them is that if he falls from grace with the master, then they will be quick to remove him and the instability will return.
Mr. Musharraf needs to use his time wisely and establish our govt. with the reforms he has introduced in his tenure. He needs to create a system of checks and balances and stop this current monopoly of social engineering.
I think Shaukat Aziz and Musharraf have a lot of good to offer this country, - but I agree with Naeem - this autocratic and fake democracy just lowers public opinion and creates distrust.
What was done in 99 cannot be undone, but Musharraf can create his legacy by establishing a better govt. for us all.
Good luck General Musharraf!

The very essence of any democratic system is the ability of a smooth transfer of power in accordance with the wishes of the people determined in a transparent and non coercive manner. In Musharrafs Pakistan this is certainly not the case. When power is concentrated in the hands of one individual who nominates and manouvers his lackeys into so called positions of power whom he can change at the drop of a hat then by no stretch of imagination is that system democratic. Past experience of Pakistan is that when such power has been concentrated in the hands the army, nothing short of major catastrophe for Pakistan is the result. I just hope and pray that we find a way out of this dead end street which leaves Pakistan intact but I fear we are headed for major in thge days ahead. If Musharraf is a patriot he can start by letting go of the uniform and by holding fair and free elections. I for one will support him should he choose to follow a path to normalcy.

Call a spade a spade. Pakistan is under the rule of the Army. That is known as martial law. You can call yourself chief executive or president by decree but you cant give up the source of your power!