Democracy is Like Virginity

So Musharraf, the dictator, is formaly including the role of army in Pakistan by stripping the new PM of his powers ( President can sack the PM and his cabinet now, and P will also chair the new NSC ) and keeping the countries reigns in his hand. The delimma is not that ``another one here who wants to amass power and coninue `looting` apna pyaara watan.`` The real delimma is that Musharraf is a benign dictator ( does that type exist? ) who wants a good, safe, prograssive Pakistan. His method and his reasons are hopeless. I urge all Pakistanis to end this ``one man show.`` But does corruption seep in when power dilutes in Pakistan? Its a hard question to answer. If history is a judge, Musharraf will be remembered for his power thirst and not for his ``vision.`` Musharraf should realize that everyone is like him - we all want a strong, just Pakistan but our means should also reflect our committment to our ideals. But then again, what about armed struggles etc. Ok, now I myself am confused and before I decided to delete all this and write an article, I should click on ``post.``

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Jay,

You have a point there.

I often wondered when RAW would get the point...and start targeting pakistani military men and their families, comfortably settled in the west. It need not be killing. Just a website listing these families and their location and photos would go a long way.

regs,

Sadna,

I did not not mean that US is going to influence the kashmir situation, that part of the jihadic border is for india to control. The fundamental problem is that jihadist are the uncountable of the pak elites. We have the ilks of urstruly, romair etc who real out the dead in kashmir. They never mention the pak jihadists killed, they are the uncountable of pakistan.
In fact isreal addressed thae same issue in palestine by killing the arafats police. Before that the arafat govt had nothing to pay for the jihadic attacks, the jews killed were a bonus like in kashmir. Once his own buildings are demolished and his own men are killed, arafat has started to control the jihadists. If india cannot attain a similar situation, the jihadic killings in kasmir will continue.

So much for an `Independent` Election Commission -- actually it`s musharraf`s mdependent EC:


Reality and perception
(Dawn editorial)
excerpt

This newspaper has previously taken note of the many complaints made about pre-poll rigging, and it is probably a little late in the day now to comment on the more recent allegations or perceptions of bias on the part of the authorities.

Nevertheless, a few points can still be made.

First, the Election Commission itself.

It has an advertisement on television and in the press urging people to take part in elections and vote to initiate change. It is entirely right that the commission should seek to encourage citizens to exercise their right of franchise.

But by asking them to vote for a change, the commission`s message acquires a cryptic political connotation.

Change from what? the neutral observer is tempted to ask.

From the previous civilian order or from the present military set-up?

The commission`s slogan can be interpreted in either way, and in both cases carries an implication that the election body would clearly have wanted to avoid; it should immediately be deleted from the commission`s publicity campaign.

Then, yesterday, we carried a story from our Islamabad office quoting a former MNA as saying that an Election Commission advertisement probably meant to educate people on how to cast their votes shows a ballot paper marked by only four party symbols.

The symbols do not include those of the PML(N), the PPP or the MMA, some of the largest parties and groupings in the field, but do carry the bicycle symbol of the PML(Q), believed to enjoy official patronage.``(Dawn)

Bravo! – an Mdependent Election conducted under the watchful barrel of a Mdependent Election Commission!! -- another Referundum -- rig it man rig it -- it`s all yours.

Jay
Its a question of how a decision is taken and put across on a fundamental issue. (Though its pretty certain at this point of time the disinvestment minister of India Arun Shourie HATES the term `consensus` and wishes ABV was a fascist dictator :) ) Musharraf is sitting pretty at this time, so why not educate the willing public and get their institutional agreement on various issues? Tomorrow if people are lathi charged or die in police firing at least some part of the public like poets in California will know why and can be restrained from composing poetry or quoting Faiz or whoever on the issue.

``At last it is good for india, the jihadic frontier is under control ``

Its not actually. If you read the daily news reports, the problem is getting worse. The reason is that now Musharraf just needs to deliver one Al Qaida man per month to the US and he obtains license to kill a 100 in J&K in that month with no questions asked. Given the increased jihadi attacks killing candidates, election officials and voters, its clear that once the new J&K state government is sworn in, the US will just watch while the new MLAs are finished off one by one.

Sadna 39,

It is sad to see pakistan moving towards company farming and the consequent heavy mechanisation. In india the move has been to give land to the tiller, to support intensive cultivation of land by the small land holders who cannot afford to leave the land fallow, who can practice environmentally friendly farming, a mixture of say rice and vegetables as it happens in kerala,. Pkaistan is moving the philippines way, turning the small farmers to farm labourers while the rich will become richer.

Now pakistan has not much options, the americans are going to stay put, directing the economic policey and keeping the bomb under control. What pakistan did in support of its kashmir jihad has ultimately led to its colonisation. At last it is good for india, the jihadic frontier is under control for the movement of men and technology, a prerequisite for world peace.

Greedy Gephardt falls for the Texas Toddler

If that mask-faced QUISLING Gephardt thinks -- that breaking ranks with Tom Daschel on IRAQ will get him the Presidential nomination from Democrats -- he can forget that -- over Democrats dead bodies.

that pathetic zombie -- blondi shoeshine boy of Texa`s War Mongers has thrown his career into a squald gutter -- by throwing his lot with the Texa`s Oil Mafia.

Gore/ Tom Daschel -- the next Presidential team of the United States of America -- WILL kick the Power Drunken Crazy Baastaards out of the oval office into the garbage can of the history -- where they belong -- in 2004.

ajeet
True, and the bestest lathi is the support of the US government. Keeps the corp commanders at bay and the elite quiet. After all who can oppose the US ? But these ordinances being slipped in are like straws on the camel`s back.

For example, according to the newspapers, there are going to be a new set of land reform ordinances which are imminent not due to pressing social concerns at home, but due to pressing corporate interest abroad. The amount of acreage of land Pakistanis can hold will be decreased and the amount of acreage of land companies can hold land for farming will be increased.

Perhaps some rich Pakistanis want to get richer through corporate farming and have friends and relatives in the Army to help them.

The proof of this will be in the fact instead of thrashing out the pros, cons and long term consequences for the country and those affected, including large numbers of small farmers who may be pressed to give up land rights to large corporations, ordinances for such `reforms` will simply be issued in haste before the elections. As for dissenters and opposers, after politicians and disaffected newspaper editors, it will the turn of the feudals and grassroots social activists to be described as unpatriotic for dissenting with such `long overdue measures`. Those who protest in an organised manner will be called RAW agents and communists The bhed bakri awam will nod its head and complain about increased number of beggars and slums encroaching into their posh localities. End of matter. Want to bet?

Sadna,

`Its clear the Pakistani nation is operating under a one line constitution, `` Those who disagree with or oppose Gen. Musharraf are unpatriotic.`` `

I have a different perpective of what Pakistan`s constitution is, and it is very simple.

`Jis ki lathi us ki bhanse`

This is the way it has been and every succeding dictator has reinforced it.
The paper constitution is just paper. Musharraf is a fool if he thinks some body is going to attack his legitimacy thru the constitutional means. The Pakistani awam is like sheep. Whosoever has the danda is the shepherd.
What he shoud fear - and I think he knows that - is the next ambitious general who does not have the patience to wait for Musharraf to transfer power peacefully. The new tinpot will also invoke the same clause that Musharraf invoked and the dependable supreme court will dutifully rubber stamp the new amendments that the new general will think about, and so on and so on.

For his sake I hope the next dictator will be kind enough to let Musharraf spend his golden years in saudia, rather than end of on the scaffold.

nasah
A court in Pakistan has ruled that Musharraf`s constitutional amendments have to be ratified by Parliament to be valid. So the newspapers report that to avoid this, the Prime Minister and members of National Assembly may be required to take an oath to uphold Musharraf`s various orders and constitutional amendments and leave them unchanged and unchallenged. This sounds very like proving ones fitness to hold office in an Islamic republic by assertions about the finality of the Holy Prophet.

Musharraf and his government`s scrambling to tie the hazar loose strings and loopholes to prevent anyone from challenging him constitutionally or politically reminds me of student days when we oftem scrambled to tie up school homework in the same hotchpotch way, with no attempt toward mastery of subject through reason or coherence or sincerity but exerted only enough effort to meet the deadline and shut up the teacher, in this case the apathetic Pakistani public and politicians.

Its clear the Pakistani nation is operating under a one line constitution, `` Those who disagree with or oppose Gen. Musharraf are unpatriotic.``

This single sentence defines
the entire scope of your fundamental rights,
your freedom of expression,
your right to association and organised activity,
your freedom of religion,
your rights over the land you till,
your right to protection of life and limb and due process of law and justice,
your right to exercise your cultural and regional identity,

This single sentence constitution also defines the entire scope of

your right to exercise power of constitutional structures for decisionmaking,
the balance of power between national institutions,
your defence and foreign policy,
your national philosophy and your national interest.

Take good care of your one-line constitution, flesh is not any less vulnerable than paper.

beware chowk and chowkis -- attention -- sameerjb -- hamidm -- tahmed -- caution -- ayaz amir -- irfan husain

a new Blasphemy Law for Prophet Musharraf

ISLAMABAD – President General Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday promulgated an ordinance on defamation which would tighten rope around (the neck of) those media men who would be accused of doing ‘unjust critcism’ or propagate such false information that may harm the reputation of an individual.

The Ordinance brings under its net all those newsmen who circulate misleading statements which may reduce the person concerned to ridicule, dislike, contempt or hatred.

“Any wrongful act or publication or circulation of a false statement or representation made orally or in written or visual form which injures the reputation of a person (such as calling Musharraf a Busharraf), tends to lower him in the estimation of others or tends to reduce him to ridicule, unjust criticism, dislike, contempt or hatred shall be actionable as defamation,” says the ordinance.``(Nation)

hamidm miaN -- where r u -- u have to do something abot this -- u have to write u give up.

Can anyone comment on why there seems to be no effort on the part of media or politicians to mobilize opinion in favor of voting and participating in the coming elections?

If anything only there is only discouragement and cynicism in the daily media discussion about rigging. Noone seems to be pointing out that it becomes that much more burdensome to rig results, the higher the turnout and voter interest. This is an opportunity for people to assert themselves and make it a little more difficult for their rulers to ignore them by simple act of turning up to vote, however flawed the choices or the final result.

Can it be that the politicians of various shades are hoping for some deal with the military and so everyone is afraid of a high turnout and assertive voters, both the Army and politicians?

European Union observers say ban on opposition leaders illegal:

ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: European Union (EU) election observers have reportedly criticised the government`s decision to bar top opposition leaders from next month`s polls, saying it ``seems to have no legal basis at all.``

An EU report also expressed concern about controversial constitutional amendments by President Pervez Musharraf before the polls, which ``institutionalises the presence of the military in the government of Pakistan.``

``The disqualification of Nawaz Sharif and the new PML-N (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz) leader Shahbaz Sharif seems to have no legal basis at all, either in the domestic legislation nor in internationally accepted practice,`` report said.(AFP)

No legal basis? -- is EU crazy?

Mian Musharraf may himself be -- illegitimate and illegal – and he is -- but when it comes to barring NS, BB, or Shahbaz -- he is an exemplary `constitutionalist ` -- and scrupulously ‘legal’ –

he never bars anybody -- without producing a `constitutional’ amendment – from his own pocket.

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