Men in Khaki

HAHA...when he was forced to abandon the bodies of his soldiers on the mountains of kargil, it was a plot against him...when he overthrew an elected PM, it was a plot against him...


Pakistan dictator lashes at `plotters`

* Bruce Loudon, South Asia correspondent
* March 19, 2007

EMBATTLED and besieged in a way unprecedented in his seven-year rule, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf lashed out last night at ``conspiracies`` against him over his attempts to sack the country`s top judge.
``If the people are with me, this conspiracy will not succeed,`` he declared.

But even as he spoke, new violence was erupting in Lahore, capital of the Punjab, with heavily armed riot police and protesting lawyers clashing for the seventh consecutive day.

And a leading Washington think tank said the ``political fate`` of the President, who came to power in a coup, could be decided at an imminent meeting of the army`s top commanders.

The extent of the pressure on General Musharraf emerged with the revelation that among those protesting on the streets - shoulder-to-shoulder with activists from the liberal democratic parties - have been retired former senior military officers, including the legendary general Hamid Gul, who served for years as chief of the ISI spy agency, working closely with the Taliban.

General Gul faced down riot police when they tried to arrest him at a rally outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad protesting against attempts to dismiss Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.

One jurist who was arrested and bundled into the back of a paddy wagon in Lahore was the widely respected former president and justice of the Supreme Court, Rafiq Tarar, who would normally stand aloof from street demonstrations.

As one commentator in Islamabad put it last night: ``There`s been nothing like this in the seven years since Musharraf grabbed power. Before he tried to sack the Chief Justice in the way he did, it would have been inconceivable that you would get such a cross-section of people demonstrating in this way.

``It`s an indication of just how much trouble he is in.``

Washington-based think tank Stratfor said yesterday there were rumours that some military commanders had written to General Musharraf expressing concern at the way the Chief Justice`s suspension had been handled, and at the subsequent attack by riot police on the Islamabad offices of the Geo television station.

``Moreover, the political fate of the embattled President could be decided in a meeting of the corps commanders,`` it said.

The 10 corps commanders are the key figures in the country`s power structure. Grouped with them are other top generals, including the head of the ISI.

Traditionally, when the army has been in power in Pakistan - most of the 60 years since independence - it is the corps commanders who call the shots.

But General Musharraf, a former commando, is tough, and all the signs were that he would not go down without a fight.

Addressing a public rally at Pak Pattan, in the Punjab, General Musharraf said he had taken action over the Chief Justice because he was required to do so after the Government, headed by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, made the recommendation to him. ``I have no personal grudge with the Chief Justice,`` he said. ``I have good family relations with him. Stop hatching conspiracy against me.``

He claimed the attack by police on the Geo offices was ``another conspiracy``.

The brutal raid, in which journalists were beaten and equipment smashed, has been followed by an outpouring of apologies from General Musharraf down, most likely because Geo - headed by leading Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir, one of the few people ever to interview Osama bin Laden - has such a high profile in Pakistani society.

Officials have suspended 14 Punjabi riot squad police. But yesterday the same riot police stormed the historic High Court in Lahore, firing tear gas canisters and thrashing protesting lawyers with bamboo sticks known as lathis.

Lawyers were beaten, offices were trashed and computers and other equipment damaged. Again, the targets of the police brutality were not political activists, but respected professionals, including some of the best legal minds in the country.

Courts remain paralysed, with lawyers promising another mass demonstration when the Supreme Judicial Council meets again on Wednesday to resume hearing the misconduct charges.

Meanwhile, a Hindu will be sworn in as acting chief justice of the Islamic nation when he returns from holiday in India. Rana Bhagwandas is the most senior judge on the Pakistan Supreme Court bench.

Zeena #5 on UP {``PPP and Nawaz league are together now against Mushy...Any idea why? ``

Zeena,
Very good question. These former ``democratically-elected`` ex-PMs now see a good chance to continue with their taking turns while looting Pakistan with both hands and both feet. They loot with their hands and then run with their feet to London, Switzerland, Abba Dabba Doobuy, and Soodi Rabia.

When Nawaz Besharif left in 1999, Pakistan`s economy was a mess. Foreign exchange was dried up. Capital investment was disappearing. Corruption was rampant. The Paki rupee was in free fall. Mushy came in - kicked out the thugs, reduced corruption, stabilized the Paki Rupee, encouraged investment and capital expenditure. and revived the economy.

Now these thieves see another opportunity to get rich at the expense of the poor hard-working Pakis - Punjabi and Sindhi subsitence farmers, exploited Baluchis, opium-growing Pathans, and enterprising Mohajirs.

They have their ``liberal`` PPP goondas and hooligans, like PPP lawyers, coming out in the streets to conduct mayhem, violence, and arson. Soon, the bearded brigade will join them to force Mushy into retirement and Pakistan into a civil war. May Allah strike these traitors dead in their aim to destroy what`s left of Pakistan.

by atif2 on March 18, 2007 5:08am PT on UP
#11 - excuse me injun! pakistan was defeated by just 3 wickets. India got clobbered by 5 (FIVE!) wickets
take that! ``}

So, the PPPs are down to this?
Claiming victory over the Injuns for having only three wickets inserted up their ass instead of the 5 the Injuns inhaled rectally. :)

Any doctors on Chowk? Please do something for Salim Bhai before he bursts a vein or something. He is the only warrior left in Pakistan. Salim Bhai Zindabad.;)

#132 by scoutmaster,

Yes I`m worried too about Salim ... where`s dr. sohail? I think he needs a shot of pathedrine, and if that doesn`t work, then some electric jolts.

overall, its silly for pakis to attack musharaff, as it is not good for soveriegnity of pakistan. if musharaff becomes ``weaker``, he will be more succeptible to pressure from the south-asia desk and langley..he is more likely to sell out the easy stuff. this is offcourse assuming soverignty is a virtue by iteself.

Re: # 123 Fuzair

``Which bit of it would you find convincing?``

Something that backs up your claims of `hater`. I am assuming, of course, that you can distiguish between criticism and hate. There are several luminaries on Chowk who cannot.

#133, Zeemax {``Yes I`m worried too about Salim...``}

Jeemax,
Don`t worry about me? I am having a great time. The cricket matches and the misbehaving PPP liars in Lahore and Islamabad have given me more entertainment than ever before. When you PPPs can`t debate you start indulging in personal insults. Just worry about the rioting PPP liars and the future of Pakiland. Perhaps you can convince Sun Tani to get married for the sake of pan-Panjuism. :)

When you PPPs have to pay market rates for the gas of Baluchis you might come to your senses. Maybe the Punju Navy and the Afghan Navy can rent pier space at Gwadar from the Baluchis as you inhale their gas. LOL :)

Bob Woolmer

Innallah-e-wa-Inna elehe Rajyoon ...

May his kind soul rest in eternal peace.

LOL


denial


Abuse and

Repetitons...

So whats new...

Re: # 125
Nasah:
You say,``..One of those is the Supreme Court, which has a strong record of independence and is looked to by many Pakistanis as a guarantor of the rule of law....``

Now really! I read recently that the ousted Chief Justice WAS the very person
who sworn General Mush to Presidency after the coup. What happened between then
and now?

Anyway, I am really enjoying this whole Tamasha!!



Again you say,``...Gen. Musharraf`s attempt to neuter the court is matched by his implacable refusal to come to terms with Pakistan`s secular democratic political parties and former civilian prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif....``

Let me ask you the question now! Whom would you vote for today?
1) Nawaz Shariff, or 2) Mohattarama Bhutto or 3) the Big General ?

I say take it easy. Wait for the drama to unfold! As far as I am concerned, the sky is not falling. Enjoy the show!

Shalom,

Kamath

Re: # 130
Salim_Chauhan: I say to you too. Take it easy and enjoy the show. You sit here in your comfortable sofa, polish of your whiskey and write between sips! Don`t you?.

Enjoy the Tamasha. There is not one little thing you can do to help poor Pakistani brethren!
Wa Salaam!

Kamath

#139 by kamath

[I read recently that the ousted Chief Justice WAS the very person who sworn General Mush to Presidency after the coup. What happened between then and now?]

This BBC news item excerpt provides a clue (the underlining is mine)…

….Which brings us back to how all the trouble started, the presidential move of 9 March, suspending the chief justice of the Supreme Court on charges of misconduct, the details of which are still unspecified.

The fraternity of lawyers has been protesting in all the big cities of Pakistan on a daily basis ever since against what they see as an attempt to humiliate and tame the judiciary.

Making of a hero

Until then, Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry had enjoyed a mutually satisfying relationship with the media.

Now the situation has all the marks of turning into a big political challenge for Gen Musharraf and his government

He liked taking centre stage and often delivered his verbal judgments and comments in the form of sound bites that fitted nicely in headlines.

The media liked his penchant for judicial activism on public interest and human rights issues.

Journalists were also hugely entertained by Mr Chaudhry`s habit of passing harsh comments on senior government functionaries and frequently embarrassing them publicly in his court room.

But Justice Chaudhry was no public hero. Not, that is, until the government took action against him.

In the past he was seen very much as a supporter of Gen Musharraf.

Justice Chaudhry was among the half of the Supreme Court judges who validated Gen Musharraf`s 1999 military coup against an elected government. The other judges resigned in protest.

Later, when the general held a referendum to install himself as the president of Pakistan, and the act was challenged in the Supreme Court, Justice Chaudhry was on the bench that decided in favour of the general.

These actions brought him closer to the military rather than the ordinary Pakistani, making him an unlikely champion of people`s aspirations.

Recently as chief justice, he did grab a few headlines with some decisions that have been uncomfortable for the government. But he was never seen as a threat to the legitimacy of Gen Musharraf`s rule.

Black-coats

A simple constitutional matter of referring the country`s most senior judge to be investigated by the appropriate judicial body is getting bigger, nastier, and potentially more dangerous for the present government by the day. And it would appear that it is a problem of the government`s own making.

Essentially, a few hundred lawyers in half a dozen cities was all the opposition amounted to in the beginning.

If they had been allowed to shout slogans and wave their fists in front of courts, that would probably have been the end of the matter.

But local administrations chose to pit their police forces against the protesting lawyers. Bloody scenes in Lahore last Monday unified the lawyers like never before and hardened their stance.

They have taken to the streets again on Saturday. And the police have got their batons out. Result? More blood being spilt, more publicity.

The ``black-coats`` as the lawyers are being affectionately called these days, have never shown this kind of unity, nor this temerity, before.

Even lawyers politically affiliated with the ruling party have refused to toe the party line.

The president`s office has had to bear the embarrassment as one prominent lawyer after another refused to represent its case against Mr Chaudhry.

Kamath sahib, the amazing thing is that ``heroes`` can jump up and grab you - from the unlikeliest of places, when you least expect it, someday, somewhere! (Source: Candid Camera)

Even from among lawyers!

Who would have thought?!!

For crying out loud....

Folks,
Did you see Chowk`s own YLH / mantolives at the BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6447215.stm

In the meantime the real Justice Chaudhary aka Jumping Jack Jeetendra taking time to lip-sync reggae – ‘Jump N Move’ amidst his busy schedule of fighting the bad guys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpU5JAQFLic