Democracy, Pakistan Style

Didn't say it was for Pakistan's benefit; said for his own ends.

it is clear that Zia used the US for his own ends and made complete chootiyas of all of them--including the vaunted CIA.


yeah...that was brilliant...how's that working out for you all now?

For someone who claims to be an expert on Pakistan, the author is remarkably ignorant in some ways. Zia was many things (none of them good) but he wasn't an American puppet. Quite on the contrary, it is clear that Zia used the US for his own ends and made complete chootiyas of all of them--including the vaunted CIA.

dear author,
i can see incompetence of the current regime. but how is it illegitimate?

#7 nkg

[Muslas living in civilised world ( India, US etc...) are like domesticated dogs...you should not judge ideal musla attitude from those muslas...]

Have you ever talked to an muslim from Delhi or Lucknow or Patna what he thinks about the regular bombings in Assam?

They're not that domesticated.

#2 RiazHaq

[As long as there is serious economic deprivation and resulting violence in Pakistan, it will be extremely difficult to achieve true democratic ideals. ]

I see. So the ECONOMY is the actual culprit, then. So when the economy was good the country was moving towards democracy? Eh?

Re: # 4
Kamath,
Muslas living in civilised world ( India, US etc...) are like domesticated dogs...you should not judge ideal musla attitude from those muslas...what the Paki and Afghan muslas are doing in their homeland is ideal musla behaviour....

Re: # 4
Kamath,

There may be muslims, but I have not come across many pakistanis. Paki muslims are unique, their version is the TNt version. Even on chowk, in its anonymity, hardly any pakistani has come forward to say a positive word about abdus salam, and say that what is done to him is wrong, and as a great scientist he should be honored. As the educated of pakistan, chowkwalas should be bold enough to say that, but no one does, because in the deepest depths, they feel that abdus salam is less of a person, because he is an infidel.

Paki mulsims are unique, they support the jihadis through their donations, but dare not admit their support.

Absence of Justice has lead the People of SWAT , WANA, FATA ...etc.etc.... to seek for the alternatives.

...and then get trapped , By Talibans.

Re: # 3 Jayp;
"...there is no chance that democrazy and the linked justice system will come into being in pakistan. Blasphemy laws, hoodood etc are anathema to any justice system and no one in pakistan talks about them...."

I can show you millions of Individual Muslims who are in every sense secular ,believrs and practioners of democracy. But somehow as a society, Islamic world has a longway to travel. But one has to have patience.
Kamathy

The poor pakistanis will be disappointed once again. Do not forget the enthusiasm when benazir came back, when the elections were held, when ppp and nawaz came to an agreement....it only led to zardari..the most hated now.

The CJ will also turn out to be the same. The reason is simple, democrazy cannot survive in islamic countries, especially in pakistan when surrendering of swat and fata to the taliban is considered constitutional. Will there be election there.

There are no role models for the people of pakistan, the Independence struggle, wrong word, did not create any role models. Islam with emphais on obedience and jihad can only create islamic role models and islamic heroes like osama, faizulla etc.

Take it from me, there is no chance that democrazy and the linked justice system will come into being in pakistan. Blasphemy laws, hoodood etc are anathema to any justice system and no one in pakistan talks about them.

While I abhor the feudal politics of Pakistan and share the hope of new politics based on civility and rule of law, I do think that the lawyers movement and the case of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has been exploited by cynical politicians to achieve their own objectives of destroying their opponents. The violent and uncivil methods used by this movement are also highly questionable and unjustified in a democracy. What Pakistanis need more than anything now is a period of relative stability to allow economic and civic activity to resume so the poor and hungry can take care of themselves. Make no mistake about it, the lawyers’ fight for higher ideals is being fought at the expense of those who can least afford it. As long as there is serious economic deprivation and resulting violence in Pakistan, it will be extremely difficult to achieve true democratic ideals. Instead, we’ll be dealing with rising insurgency and expansion of “Swats� in Pakistan.
Riaz Haq, PakAlumni Worldwide

Prof. Saadia Tor also pointed out that the participants of these demonstrations are a wide cross section of Pakistanis and not, as some have contended, followers of Judge Chaudhry.