February 18th, 2008-Election Day

Re: # 176

Romair:

Raham kariye. How many times you want to rub our nose to the ground? I was thee first to bow to will of the people.

amazing results so far...let's hope mushy (and the maulvis) see the writing on the wall and go peacefully...and not try to use violence when they have failed at the ballot box...

when i was in pak after BB was murdered the man on the street's opinion was that the PML(Q) (with Mushy) were behind it and it seems they have voted against the Qaf party as a result of that and their general slimyness. Thank God Sh. Rashid is out! Yeh!
now if they can close all the wahabist madrassahs...

Toronto Star
20 January, 2009

Famous Pollster run over by Truck

TORONTO: In a strange and sad incident, the violence rate of another wise peaceful GTA, went up, when a famous American Republican pollster, Mr. Mohammad Hamidm2, was found crushed to death under an oncoming truck.

It is reported that Mohammad Hamidm2 (known to his close friends as Hamidm2 Mian)) - an ardent supporter of W. - crossed the US-Canada border, after newly appointed US President Hillary Clinton thrashed Sen. John McCain in the recent election.

Another twist to the story appeared when the type of the truck which Hamidm2 Mian chose for his demise was revealed, as well as the manner adapted by Hamidm2 Mian to meet his Maker. He jumped in front of an old Bedford truck, painted in multicolored drawings with Urdu verses written on its sides. On further inquiry, it was discovered that Hamidm2 Mian has specifically chosen this particular truck, as he felt his career as a pollster for the Pakistani elections had also suffered due his support for PML-Q in Pakistan.

The driver of the truck, an illegal alien named Sheikh Rashid is absconding and is assumed to be hiding in the areas of Waterloo, Ontario.

Hamidm2 Mian is survived by three family members - all of whom have now decided to join the US Marines and fight in the still ongoing Iraq War.

The Canadian government has refused to allow Hamidm2 Mian a funeral in Canada. A close associate Anil mian has agreedd to fly Hamidm2 Mian's body to his neighborhood in Silicon Valley, for its final rites.

Anil mian could not be contacted for further comment. It was discovered he was busy trying to negotiate an outsourcing deal for his business partner - impeached President Musharraf - for his security firm Greenwater which provides Pakisan security personnel for military support for US actions in Afghanistan.

hamidm2,

My condolences to you.

Sheikh Rashid leaves Pakistan

News Desk

KARACHI: Disgraced and defeated PML-Q leader Sheikh Rashid left Pakistan on Monday night for Spain after he was rejected by the people of Rawalpindi in Monday’s massive anti-PML-Q sweep. The outspoken leader had earlier booked a flight to Dubai from Islamabad but when the story leaked to the media, he cancelled it. Later, he quietly took a flight to Karachi and then sneaked out of the country, unable to face the humiliation and possibly charges of corruption under a new government of PML-N and PPP leaders. Authorities posted Rangers around the Lal Haveli in Rawalpindi to protect it from the wrath of Pindiites.

http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=13048

#173 Posted by masadi,

True. One can look forward to Int'l sanctions once again and pressure on it's nuke programme. But as I've been saying, if sanctions didn't work in the 90s, they'll be even less effective now. Pakistan is no longer aid-dependent.

So you have Army overlordship (checks and balances according to US defined parameters) presiding over a victory to the opposition, when the Army rule legitimacy is at the lowest level that it can possibly get before a civil war breaks out. How do you manipulate this situation to turn it into a win win for the Pakistan Army, well, you don't have to go too far back in history to do that. Like I said before, every so many years when the Americans want to salvage the Army (for their own purpose) and cut off Pakistan (for their own purpose) they encourage a so-called circumscribed "democracy". Now when the opposition forms a government, the belt will be tightened around Pakistan's neck by the Americans, the situation will get worse, setting the scenario for another military takeover where the previous (hated by people) one now appears all the more attractive. The Army will be salvaged for another almost a decade before this mantra is tried again. Like I said earlier though it is getting more and more tenuous for the Americans to try this formula in Pakistan again and again as they have done in the past because i) every martial law produced unintended consequences, this run produced the lawyer's movement ii) the peon of the West at the top of the Pakistan Army, due to the distance from his real command (in Washington) feels that he presides quite independantly after a while in office.

For these reasons, the Americans might break from the past and try their hand at breaking Pakistan with actual occupation of certain parts....

Hamid, sage of the sewers, please keep out of discussions that are beyond you....

Zee sahib,

#171

Numbers being what they are horse trading looks unlikely. Now Mush has to outrightly void the election (like Algeria) or hope to at least get PPP to break ranks with PML-N in (possibly) impeaching him.

Regards

#148 Posted by dost_mittar

I am not sure even now that there wont be any horse-trading as long as no party has an absolute majority

Why I said 'Horse trading with whom?' was because PML (Q) has not even come out good enough for opposition benches. If BB had been alive, she would have supported musharraf but Zardari can't because he has no constituency in Punjab and it will split the party. MMA is routed. Who else? Even if ANP defects as the beyghairats they are, and MQM continues to lick musharraf's boots, the PML (N)'s numbers in NA will not be matched.

So, I believe musharraf's goose is well-cooked and stuffed. If he has any dignity left (i.e. if he had any to begin with), he would resign today.

#168 by bulleya

my commiserations and sympathies to the many indian colleagues on this site, who were sitting edged on their seats, hoping for pakistan to fall off a cliff.....

Capt. Clueless, one election and you're already gloating? If anything, you should be worried. The man who didn't have to worry about public backlash (Mushy) did everything he could to win American approval, like bombing his own people and sending troops into provinces that never brook outside interference, and yet could not secure 100% support with the Americans always dissatisfied and asking him to do more. Just imagine what would happen if a democratic PM (someone who always has to look over his shoulder to see if the public is watching) comes to power. They can't go against the public, yet cannot resist American pressure. It's going to be a classic "dhobi ka kutta" situation.

hamidm mian #: ......now you really need to give up......it's one thing to be on the wrong side of every election in one country (usa), but in two countries!!......now i am convinced you did flunk out of pma.......

i doubt ppp or pml-n will be able to support the usa policies in the tribal region......the only way that could have happened was if benazir was still alive, and if ppp had won an overwhelming majority......neither happened.....

and if mccain also loses to either obama or clinton, then....well then, i don't know what you can do......

leghari's son has lost in his provincial constituency to pml-n......legharis own the land of these constituencies......and have still lost......leghari was the IT minister of pakistan.......

well, well, well.......what an election.....i had stated these were do or die elections for pakistan.....and it turns out, true to its history, pakistan has shown its unique capability of resilience, and may have, once again, pulled itself from falling off a cliff, at the last moment...

my commiserations and sympathies to the many indian colleagues on this site, who were sitting edged on their seats, hoping for pakistan to fall off a cliff.....

the biggest surprises:

1. elections were peaceful and fair (the fairest I have ever seen)

2. mma has not only lost, it is no where to be seen.....it has won 3 seats in national assembly!!......actually that is its traditional figure (3-5)......more surprisingly, it is third in the provincial assembly......the liberal/secular anp has won in nwfp and liberal/secular ppp is second.......

3. pml-n has defeated all predictions of success.......they have won punjab and have swept pml-q at every level.....winning punjab is as good as winning the the center.....

4. ppp has won in every province......proving itself a truly federal party.......

5. pro-musharraf parties have lost everywehre except in karachi.....

so, what should be the assessment:

.....seems like the country has rejected two things: musharraf and maulvis.......and have voted in favor of the federation and a non-aligned foreign policy, even over infrastructure progress.......

ppp-pml-n coalition with ppp pm in the center.....pml-n-ppp coalition in punjab with pml-n cm in punjab......anp-ppp coalition in nwfp with anp cm....ppp in sind, with ppp cm.....

musharraf is screwed.......his complete cabinet has lost.....i think all three of his pm's area out.....almost every major pml-q stalwart has been defeated by pml-n and pppp everywhere........

judicairy should be restored, and all cases should be left to them......they should try everyone and anyone.......if they really do that, then kiani is screwed also, as he accepted the coas position, against a ruling of the supreme court......

Re: # 150

Hamidm Sahib:

"........ and as far as economics is concerned they will continue with the same policies: privatization, infrastructure, etc etc ...... "

One thing is for sure that Pakistan has spoken, "Hamidm Sahib's retirement home is safe and Hamidm Sahib is always welcomed. He can critique, change his mind, and crtique all over again. As long he can do it without his favorite Merlots, I guess.

Re: # 157

Tahmed Sahib:

Yes. People have spoken, and shown to the world, why grass root democracy is intact there.

#149 Posted by dost_mittar on February 18, 2008 6:34:41 pm


It's not just Pakistan, these audience seem to be only concerned about cricket, bollywood and occasionally with hooplas surrounding a new IPO or its flop.


It's not just India. It's the same way in the US in case you haven't noticed...

what's wrong with people focusing on an IPO anyway? Lots of average people had subscribed to the reliance power IPO.

#162 majumdar: my point is that elections (per my recollection) have largely reflected the national mood at the time in Pakistan. Thus, 1962 and 1977 elections, e.g., reflected the national mood at the time as much as 1971 did.

The only time "elections" have had no bearing on the general mood have been when they are "referendums" (under rogue military generals zia and musharraf respectively) or were totally tilted in favor of religious parties in 2002.

Re: # 150 Posted by hamidm2 on February 18, 2008 6:43:13 pm

hamid mian, maybe the slogan for the unwashed masses should be "roti, kapra, makaan or paani"

[.... the roti, kapra, makan is just a slogan for electioneering and getting the unwashed masses to vote for them ...... the unwashed masses will remain unwashed - maybe even get filthier (if that is possible)- ]

gosh, you can then start selling them shampoo etc. through your network marketing business like amway, no?