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"Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong; they are the ones to attain felicity".
(surah Al-Imran,ayat-104)
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User Name: farooq_tariq
Full Name: farooq tariq
User since: 5/Nov/2007
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Can Musharraf Survive?

By: Farooq Tariq

It seems that Musharraf is on his last leg. He has become the most detested and despicable president in the history of Pakistan. No longer are there progressives, liberals or moderates in his camp. His enlightened moderation has been buried with the passage of time.

Musharraf is unloved even by most religious extremists. His previous policies gave them space into which they have moved aggressively. But
Washington demanded that he suppress them in order to prove his usefulness to U.S. imperialism and he did so. However he did not please either Washington or the extremists.

The economic crisis has isolated him from the vast majority of ordinary Pakistanis, including formerly close associates. His traditional support among the stock exchange and Chambers of Commerce has evaporated. They are no more his enthusiastic supporters.

Musharraf's comments about democracy during his nine-day European tour (starting 20 January 2008) has annoyed democrats inside and outside Pakistan. The comment that the "West is obsessed about democracy" was a direct insult to the people of Pakistan but his sarcastic and taunting tone did not please his European friends. Gone are the days when he could say any nonsense and get away with it!

His recent comment echoed his remark during his 2006 U.S. tour, where he managed to annoy women organizations inside and outside Pakistan. He had prevented Muktaran Mai, who was gang raped on the order of the local Punchait, from leaving Pakistan. In explaining his action he told reporters that the impression was that she had gotten "raped in order to get a visa."

The recent murder of Benazir Bhutto was a shock to many of the European governments that had been friendly to Musharraf. He had previously projected the image that he was their much need friend in the war on terror. But the unprecedented reaction to Benazir's brutal assasination is shattering his image at home and abroad.

The U.S. and British governments' projected Plan A for maintaining stability in Pakistan was built on the unholy governing combination of Benazir and Musharaf. This has come undone by the Benazir assassination. There seems to be no Plan B. Has Musharaf outlived his usefulness to his imperialist masters? His tour of Europe may be an attempt to reassure his colleagues in Pakistan that he is still able to secure the support of his European friends. One recalls a similar trip to Washington in October 1999 by Nawaz Sharif, just before his overthrow.

Musharraf's repeated assurances that nuclear weapons are in safe hands and the army cannot be defeated by religious fundamentalists illustrates the concerns of the friendly European countries. His trip is to address these worries by putting on a "brave" face. However, his justification in imposing the emergency, disposing and arresting the country's top judges, arresting thousands and curbing the media will satisfy none. Now he is imposing democracy as he imposed the emergency, bringing democracy with the barrel of his gun.

In the face of the proposed 18 February 2008 general elections there are two political camps: those participating and those boycotting. The massive turnout at the boycott meeting by All Parties Democratic Movement on 22 January in Loralai, Baluchistan indicates that the boycott campaign is picking up steam. This was the fourth successive APDM mass rally in Baluchistan.

The Pakistan Muslim league Q (PMLQ), Musharraf's favorite, is in absolute crisis after the recent shortages of food items, electricity and gas. The PMLQ candidates are the target of anti-Musharaf consciousness. The general perception is that if you are against Musharraf, do not vote for the PMLQ. Following Benazir's assassination, the wave of sympathy has opposed the PMLQ.

Unless there is an all-out rigging of the election, there is no guarantee that Musharraf's supported candidates will win the election. If Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim league Nawaz (PMLN) candidates gain a
majority in the next parliament, Musharaf will find very difficult to repeat what he did following the 2002 election, when he bribed many PMLN and PPP parliamentarians to join hands with the PMLQ to form a majority government. At that time, shortly after 9/11, Musharraf's military regime was supported by both U.S. and European governments. But in 2008 he is seen standing in the wind. It will be difficult for any parliamentarian elected on anti-Musharaf feeling to cross over to his camp.

Boycott, or no boycott, the future scenario seems more and more problematic for Musharraf. His departure seems written on the front door of every home. Only another 9/11-like situation could alter his fate. Students are awakening and so is the trade union movement. That, combined with the pressure from the lawyers movement and growing participation by civil society, may succeed in pushing Musharraf from power.

Pakistan may take a page from their nearby Nepalese brothers and sisters. "If they can get rid of the King, why can not we do it here with the military dictatorship?" is the question many of the activists ask.

Let's do it Nepalese way: with a peaceful massive movement everyone can get out into the street and make it clear that Musharraf must go. "Go Musharaf Go."
 


Farooq Tariq
spokesperson
Labour Party Pakistan
40-Abbot Road Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: 92 42 6315162 Fax: 92 42 6271149  Mobile: 92 300 8411945 

labour_party@yahoo.com  www.laborpakistan.org  www.jeddojuhd.com 

 Reply:   WAS THIS A REPLY TO MY POINTS?
Replied by(nrqazi) Replied on (1/Feb/2008)

Dear Brother
Salutation accepted but the content didn't fall in line with salutation...(smiles)

Please re-read my words. I wasn't defending Musharraf or wasn't even saying he was right in certain arguments.

All I said was a comment on character of our leaders that nobody has ever had the courage to challenge westerners aloud on the floor of their parliaments etc. and say that "West is obsessed with democracy"..All leaders have always said, yes mai baap app theek kehte hain hum aisa he karein gain.

Gandhi (although I am against him since he was greatest enemy of Pakistan) once said,"Western version of democracy is really great; somoen should really give it a try!"...meaning thereby that the version of democracy that they want to apply to us is not there in their own systems.

I really wish we have a day when an ordinary citizen can stand up and challenge the ruler of country without being targetted like hazrat was asked that how come you go2 chaddars from 'mal-i-Ghaneemat' whereas everybody got one...so yes, this democracy is welcome...not the bush-blair democracy...

Lastly, I appreciate your emotions for the betterment of Pakistan. It really shows your passion that you want to do something for the country. Some members of the forum may agree with your version and some may not. I will request you to be polite towards people having a difference of opinion, since basically we are all draining our brains with a view to envision a better Pakistan. Just review your posts before submitting them and see if the reader might be offended by any words?
 
 Reply:   Salute to you Mr NRQaziscript
Replied by(Noman) Replied on (28/Jan/2008)

Dear Respected NRQazi
You should go to doctor and should tell him your reasoning and may be he will be able to advise you some thing.
I think we should praise Musharraf for threatening and provoking people to beat journalists as well.
I think we should salute him for saying that Pakistani dont deserve the human rights which you have as well.
Yes he is right in some way in saying that every country needs his own style of democracy, but he didn't dare to tell us what kind of democracy or system Pakistani deserves
Just ask him, is there any system feasible for Pakistan without him, the answer is simple no.
OK, may be you are right and he also that every country needs different setup to run government, but i think you might be agree with me that all countries and all people in the world needs same and equal kind of justice.
Now please dont ask me about example and also dont ask me when was the last time, because this Q/excuse is so childish.
If we never had doesn't mean that we should not have as well.
Please instead of looking on the part of phrase try to see the whole speech as well.
If he says a sentence it doesn't mean whole sentence is wrong, part of the sentence can be right but part of sentence wont make whole sentence right as well.
e.g, Musharraf is Pakistani and a patriot. if i start saying this sentence is the biggest lie i ever heard then you should not start justifying that he is Pakistani and his sentence is not wrong.

 
 Reply:   WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME?script
Replied by(nrqazi) Replied on (28/Jan/2008)

Respected Writer
I agree that nothing has really worked for Musharraf since March 9 and yes this may all be beginning of his end.
However, can you recall when has any Pakistani leader been able to challenge a western policy on their own ground? Every Pakistani leader who visits abroad, plays to the tunes of west and has never had the courage to stand up and say that democracy may be good for you but doesn't work for us.
Secondly, going by the western version of democracy, wasn't it the democratically elected governements of Bush & Blair who first bluffed their nation & parliaments by giving false reasons of war and then even when their bluff was exposed, they got re-elected also. SO there must be something wrong with this version of democracy where as although they did not truly represented their peoples' wishes and opinions, they still got thir way!
Thirdly, do you really think west gives a damn whether their is democracy or whatever in Pakistan. They always want one reason or the other to keep pakistan away from technology to universities etc. They have never objected to Indian nukes but Pakistani nukes are their greatest worry although we just developed them as a safeguard against Indians.
So please don't get carried away by western hype of democracy. Basic human rights are not available to pakistanis anyway, be it democratically elected governements or be it military dictators or be it imposition of emergency. Rather, look at the history, you will find all dictators by character as democratically elected people.
Its alright to do Musharraf bashing to win votes but please give the devil his due credit taht he is the first ever person who has stood in theor parliament and told them that your version and obsession of democracy is not applicable to us..
 
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