Valentine

Feroz: In a slightly complicated way you have essentially made the comments that:
The mainstream political parties have become marginalised or disconnected from the people (by their own or the establishments acts). This disconnection means that the average protest may in its self turn into out of control acts of violence.

There is off course a historical parallel to this, circa 1968 when a seemingly untouchable Ayub Khan, who had given the country double digit growth (which did not translate into double digit investment in education and health) and marginalised the opposition political parties, suddenly faced a mass outbreak of political unrest. These protests were triggered by a random act of police abritrariness and the whole cheenai chor charges against cabinet members. The difference is Pakistan is institutionally and governance wise far weaker than in the 1960`s. You are also right about the political vacuum, as we all know nature abhors a vacuum (physics 101), the beste xample of that is Waziristan, but it`s an accepted fact political vacuums create political polarisation.

If you break it down, people like Asghar Khan, Cowasjee et al are right our leaders never learn from history.

Glad your analyzed it....cud u provide proof of the fact that manufacturing industries r in their infantile stages........?

Feroze sahib,

There is no point in blaming politicians or political process for the hopelessness in Pak because the Army holds the real power. It is a vicious cycle, lack of democracy undermines the political process and weak political processes undermine confidence in politics and hence a return to real democracy.

Regards