The National Reconciliation Ordinance Blanket Cover

Very well researched and opinionated piece but still I find the length of the article an issue because it changes it from an article into a research paper which can cater a section of public. People do look to the length of an article before reading. Secondly, some of the background facts could have been avoided to make it shorter. I hope you won't mind this suggestion.
-Raheel Lakhani

Re: # 2
I fully agree to your stance that poverty has a direct relationship with corruption. In fact in my post I have given a rationale how it is related for the benefit of those also who claim to be left wingers and think it irrelevant for poverty. That is my point also; however I was refering to some media journalists particularly Najam Sethi and Nadeem Farooq Paracha who have been citing irrelevance of NRO as an explanation behind the street power demonstrated by PPP. While I partly agree that NRO may not be perceived to be that important by the common man but it is definitely wrong to believe that it does not affect him in long run

Regarding media coverage, I would like to add that English print media and Urdu electronic channels will differ in their verdicts and interpretation of the deal and NRO. However, coverage from both sides does not deny that PPP was able to bring people to streets. My explanation for that so called power is PPP’s stronger party organization and euphoria generated by BB’s return augmented by the Bhutto cult. PPP despite the contrary remains popular in rural and in lower income segment of urban areas also. It has mainly lost support with the large section of press, intellectuals(barring people like Najam Sethi and NFP), students and some centrist type of urban middle class. This loss of support has occurred mainly due to BB’s shady deal, NRO and supporting a very unpopular president.

Re: # 2
I fully agree to your stance that poverty has in an inverse relationship with corruption. In fact in my post I have given a rationale how it is related for the benefit of those also who claim to be left wingers and think it irrelevant for poverty. That is my point also; however I was refering to some media journalists particularly Najam Sethi and Nadeem Farooq Paracha who have been citing irrelevance of NRO as an explanation behind the street power demonstrated by PPP. While I partly agree that NRO may not be perceived to be that important by the common man but it is definitely wrong to believe that it does not affect him in long run

Regarding media coverage, I would like to add that English print media and Urdu electronic channels will differ in their verdicts and interpretation of the deal and NRO. However, coverage from both sides does not deny that PPP was able to bring people to streets. My explanation for that so called power is PPP’s stronger party organization and euphoria generated by BB’s return augmented by the Bhutto cult. PPP despite the contrary remains popular in rural and in lower income segment of urban areas also. It has mainly lost support with the large section of press, intellectuals(barring people like Najam Sethi and NFP), students and some centrist type of urban middle class. This loss of support has occurred mainly due to BB’s shady deal, NRO and supporting a very unpopular president.

'Corruption may not hit the masses directly the way poverty does'

True indeed. But there is seemingly enough research available to suggest that levels of political corruption in a country have a direct impact on the levels of poverty. This is because corruption is one leading agent that leads towards destruction of political and democratic institutions within a society. Once the institutions are mutilated and then forcibly cobbled together forimg wobbly structures which are used by dictatorial and autocratic governments around the world, especially in the third world countries, a democratic outlook. Pakistan is no different. However for reasons for personal security I should not delve into these indepth matters at the moment. however, in order to keep our argument simple and to the point, it would be relevant to conclude that even we have had institution presently and in the past whose malfunctioning primarily due to seething levels of political corruption has been a major propellant for poverty in the country over the last two decades, at least.

As for some other points, I needs to be noted that while talking about democracy, Benazir is not committed to strike its real route, i.e. she does not want to promote democracy within the ranks of her own party. We have seen how she blatantly ignored sane advices of delaying her return. There is evidence creeping out from different sources suggesting that Thursday's devastating bombings had a hidden involvement of the government and the PPP and that it was an endeavour taken in order to create some sympathy for Benazir and the PPP among the urban middle class in Pakistan, especially in Sindh. The endeavour might have been a failure if media coverage is anything to go by. And talking about media coverage, there has been a gross distinction between the coverage given to all this brouhaha in the predominantly urdu languge electronic media and the English language print media and DAWN NEWS. The majority has been swayed by Benazir's 'magic' probably because of some shoddy journalism of the urdu language media, predominantly the biased GEO TV!!! I guess that is about it for the time being.

An interesting article-though reaction of press and masses is different. These facts have not apparently dented PPP's street power. In fact certain well renowned journalists like NFP are calling media's obsession with the deal and NRO as irrelevant and a reflection of anal mentality of urban right wing middle class.

I largely endorse whatever is being said in this article but unfortunately BB has gotten away with it-Bhutto cult is stronger than one would imagine. For someone whose own family has voted for PPP in the past and idealized her father ( despite his shortcomings and contradictions, he was a very great man), this is perhaps a shameful moment. The party leader has capitalized on the respect and love which the masses have always given to her due to the fact that she is ZAB’s daughter. The rousing reception generated by euphoria of her coming back and followed by the most unfortunate bomb blasts by those right wing militants have solidified her position not weakened it.

Dynasty politics exists in India also but there vote bank is adversely affected at least immediately if the leaders indulge in such shady deeds. Here suddenly BB is emerging to some people as the real hope or at least pragmatic hope for countering problems Pakistan is facing at this critical juncture. The idea being floated and with apparently sound rationale is that PPP can gather and lead liberal forces and BB has the charisma of giving it the necessary momentum. Even if she is corrupt-that is acceptable at this point as pragmatism should overrule these factors. And then for some people corruption is not an issue for masses but rather an issue for self righteous middle class conditioned by its own material circumstances.

Corruption may not hit the masses directly the way poverty does but it is an extremely important factor even if you claim to be masses loving left winger like NFP and few of his other endorsers. For any one who like me believes in big government spending, it is important that those in the government are not corrupt so that larger revenue from progressive taxation is used to its maximum effect for redistribution and not used for petty gains by the executive. Corrupt politicians in the longer run reduce faith in public sector and in this way strengthen right wing brand of free market economy.

The complex problem of countering extremism is also conveniently linked with her comeback. I have pointed out in other posts also that geographical distribution of PPP vote bank has to be taken into consideration before giving a verdict that it can effectively counter the rising tides of extremism. Pakistan is a multicultural country with strong regional divides defining the various sub cultures. Despite insistence that PPP is national party, the fact is it is not. Its vote bank is skewed heavily in rural Punjab and Sindh which do not face the problem of extremism. Yes party has some presence in NWFP but it is not that strong to materially muster anti extremist support and that too when this impression is widespread that she is merely coming home to fight USA’s war.

I do not disagree that PPP has an apparently moderate social outlook. In recent years it has done some impressive deeds- repealing of Hudood ordinance is one prime example. However, PPP with BB is a difficult thing to accept despite the fact that I am aware that without her the party can not exist. The cult factor is too strong and it is most unfortunate that brilliant people like Aitzaz Ahsan are being left out of the decision making process.

A major reason that I do not support BB now is that she has inducted a lot of feudals in her party. Compared to 1970s, the party is literally infested with these creatures.