Famous Last Words or a Messiah in Khakis?

sigalph235,

The following article may enhance your understanding of the world of fundamentalism.

The World of Fundamentalism

by Robert Wuthnow

Excepts:

``a major project sponsored by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences many of the best minds in religious studies from colleges and universities all over the world have been hard at work trying to answer this question. Directed by Martin E. Marty and R. Scott Appleby, funded lavishly by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the project is employing a cast of hundreds, holding scores of conferences and symposia, and is expected to produce at least six lengthy volumes of essays over the next several years. The initial volume has already provided many valuable insights into the world of fundamentalism. Some of these insights will be familiar to knowledgeable readers, but because the movement is so misunderstood it is important to set the record straight.``

``Contrary to the vague, misleading ways in which the term is often deployed in popular journalism, fundamentalism, the present volume reminds us, is a specific theological movement. It can be understood only in relation to particular times, places, events and figures. Christian fundamentalism should not be confused with evangelicalism, the charismatic movement or conservative Christianity in general, although it has had connections with all these. Nor should it be considered a personality style, a mind-set, a form of religious militancy, a world view or even a particular orientation toward the truth. Fundamentalism has always been shaped by its implicit dialogue with the world surrounding it.``


Full text of the article at:

http://www.religion-online.org/cgi-bin/relsearchd.dll?action=showitem&id=235

Military thinking,

All that a military man knows is to obey orders, thinking process stopped long ago. In the first few weeks of takeover the CE used to stop at traffic lights to show his respect for the law. Now he is so scared that the entire streets are blocked off for his convoy. No thinking.

With in weeks he declared that lahore was a waste, not worth the paper it is written on. Now he wants to continue, clinton ordered him so.

He announced that there is no jihadists moving from pakistan to kashmir. Now he says he will control them. That is the final disgrace, if the violence reduces in kashmir that will be the final proof that it was all a jihadist work and pak involvement. The exmilitary men of chowk at last will have to shut up and accept the role of pak jihadists in kashmir.

Then again they may not, because their own chief could not wear the military uniform in his own country under orders from a white man. Colonial mind, or the senseless mind, which one drives the pak military.

CE will not bring about any progress, another defeat for the military could. Indian army or the army of gods is the choice.

Salman:

I`d go with Ayaz Amir`s analysis.

Besides, Pakistan is facing international isolation because of Military rule. Mr. Musharraf is even talking about breaking ties with US. SE Asian countries have refused to support Pakistan on any issue unless democracy is restored. We have bad relations with Iran and India...and with friends like Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia, we certainly don`t need more enemies.

Investors don’t have confidence in our country. We rely heavily on handouts for survival. So, what do we do? Keep Musharraf because he is a good bloke and not worry about the imminent disaster if Military rule continues? OR Ask the ‘good bloke’ to do the right thing for the country and go back to barracks where he belongs?

Thanks Rehan Ansari for posting Ayaz Amir excellent analysis of the situation in Pakistan. It is worth reading for all, interested in the better future for Pakistan.

In a period of mere six month, this man has caused tremendous damage by internationally isolating Pakistan. He is following in the foot step of General Ne Win of Mayanmar. It is high time for intelligent and concerned Pakistanis to realize that all that talk about feudalism, corruption, devolution and empowerment are nothing but the buzz words for prolonging his stay in power. A person who did not like his sacking, turned around and grabbed the power. He has liked his commandeering the PIA flight so much that he has fallen in love with flying around. At this rate of foreign travel, he will break BB`s record in short time.

Why can`t people see his slow and long drawn out plans for democracy is no different than the Ayub Khan`s Basic Democracy model. A person would be out of his mind thinking about non-feudal elites winning elections at the district or tehsil level. President Clinton is right in saying that only a continuous democracy can weed out the fat cats and undesirable corrupt feudals.

The idea of district level stuff is nothing but a practice of divide and rule.

He has already started floating the idea, through think tanks, of rejoining certain districts to create new semi-provinces of Saraiki, Pothohari and of course mohajir areas. He just does not realize the serious implications of breaking Punjab and Sindh. All he is doing is creating more and more unstability.

So far he has delivered nothing and expected to deliver nothing in forseeable future.

Re: rehanhasanansari # 1

Although Mr. Ayaz Amir holds his own every so often (since cynicism always hits home in the case of Pakistani politics), more lately he seems to be tied in a complex a web of thoughts. His articles unnecessarily complicate issues and he spins in circles trying hard to find, in every situation, his personal niche as a journalist i.e. “absolute cynicism”....whether the situation warrants it or not.

Two glaring contradictions within the same article:

“As for the takeover, for a brief moment after October 12 it was seen both here and abroad as an opportunity for national renewal. Not any more. If the men on horseback had trimmed their reaction to fit Nawaz Sharif`s provocation (his attempt to remove the army chief in a cavalier manner), if instead of digging in their heels they had unfurled a quick plan for civilian restoration, they would have earned the nation`s thanks and been hailed as heroes “

(Further down)

“The internal political scene is dismal. The Muslim League faces a gender crisis. There are more women than men in its upper councils. The only men are Kulsoom Nawaz and Tehmina Daultana. The rest are women. The PPP does not count. The religious parties have pipe-dreams of their own. They cannot come to power (and long may it remain that way) but they are capable of exercising a negative influence. Let us not forget that Talibanism is more a mental than a physical phenomenon and the religious parties are helping to warp national thinking by reducing national debate and discussion to a primitive level.

The chances of any democratic movement arising are therefore nil. If the army returns to barracks it will do so on its own and not because anyone tells it to. So if things must change and Pakistan is to get out of its present abnormal situation, the army has to be a party to democratic restoration. But at the moment the present crop of military riders are in a conquering mood. They do not like being reminded of the past or being told that dark clouds line the horizon. “

Mr. Amir first proposes that the army should have returned to the barracks immediately after Octover 12th (implying no changes in the political structure). He follows soon afterwards by running down the political structure in Pakistan and lamenting over no chance of change through a democratic movement. So does he feel the need for change or not. I for one feel the need for drastic changes in the existing political structures and can’t see what his version of the perfect realistic scenario would be.

If one examines the LB elections plan in more detail, it actually is a reasonable start...

I did for a long while thoroughly enjoy reading Mr. Ayaz Amir’s op-ed pieces and its hard for me to pin point exactly what contradiction triggered my looking at his commentary a little objectively. But the truth is that from that point on I’ve come to realize that all he does as a writer is to project a moral high ground. His posture is neither consistent nor pragmatic. Mr. Amir normally cries himself hoarse about the “utopian” ideals of Pakistan’s Kashmir policy, but then he is just as quick to denounce any shift from the traditional position.

The status quo that he advocates as a proactive posture for Pakistanis to adopt in the interest of democracy and development is ridiculous. When has the problem been with democracy alone? The problem is and has always been the system which has grossly centralized authority and resources, holding the people`s grass roots developmental issues hostage, while the people have been expected to remain content with a fig leaf given out to them for maybe (a big maybe) getting around to reforming the state machinery at some indefinite time in the future. An honest study of the success stories from the far east will in itself reveal what Pakistan needs to do, and there is nothing short of radical change that is required.

The Pakistani State machinery HAS to be irreversibly engineered in a manner that it no longer holds the people’s developmental issues hostage. It is only then that the national body politic, through the parliament, can continue to evolve and legislate laws that refine a vision for the Pakistani society.

I would go as far as tally this with Jinnah`s vision. Jinnah broke with Nehru`s congress on the grounds that he did not see a grossly centralized Capitol represented by congress guaranteeing the tools of development to the minorities, Muslims in particular. To the very end, he advocated (financially) autonomous Muslim states within an Indian federation. Although that is a matter of history now, and history will judge Nehru to be afflicted with a monstrous ego problem. That notion of dismantling an oppressive colonial system in an ethnically diverse country continues to date, and there is a desperate need to redefine the oppressive state machinery and empower the masses through a well thought out system of checks and balances, so citizens of Pakistan have the room to indulge in developmental problem solving at the grass roots level.

fairdinkum #3

About Gen. Perv`s foreign trips, he seems to be visiting any country which will have him. But did he go to China yet?

I think China`s refusal to entertain Perv is something which should be thought about

long and hard.

Vicky

FAMOUS LAST WORDS:

Politics is not about doing good for other people; it is about the authorative allocation of values. The army`s intervention and acquisition of functions performed by other institutions is about a new set of values imposed by group that is de facto a political party with coercive force and has the willingness to use it.

This particular intervention is devoid of international acceptance and domestic legitimacy. The regime has made some moves to improve governance. Whether it succeeds depends on political support at home and economic assistance from abroad. The chances of failure are high because we remain in denial more on economic issues than political ones. The military is unwilling to scale down its expenditures or reform itself. By reform we also mean new doctrines and new tactics and whatever re-engineering it takes to stop the hemmorage of national resources while preserving the independence of the country. The independence and integrity of Pakistan ofcourse should be divorced from the financial independence of generals and admirals and air marshals..

Too many people in Pakistan seem to equate elections with democracy. Unfortunately, they are not the same thing. There are countries that have regularly held elections for decades, and are still caught in the third world, with no prospects. There are other countries that have only had one-sided elections, or no elections, yet are now counted in the first world countries.

To understand whether the current regime is better than the other alternatives, one needs to look at the spirit of democracy, and not the technicalities of democracy. It is now a proven fact that having elections one after the other is not an answer to the problems of Pakistan. Newly elected govts. have been more corrupt and incompetent then the the ones they replaced. If the major political parties are so interested in democracy, then shouldn`t they hold elections in their own parties first? How many political parties in Pakistan have elected leaders running their own parties? They are all dynastic fads who disguise themselves in the role of democrats. Barring a few honest parties (which will never get elected), all the other ones have a corrupt and self-serving agenda. If that isn`t clear to Pakistanis now, then I don`t know when it will be clear.

With the current corrupt and feudal system in Pakistan, there could be elections for the next fifty years and nothing will change. It took the vested interests fifty years to establish this system, it will take that long to dismantle it through elections (that is provided some elected party actually has the motivation to do so). Will Pakistan survive if the massively corrupt and the massively feudal continue for that long? Will some sort of a social maricle occur through elections that these groups will all of a sudden pass laws that will we restrict their own actions, instead of strengthening the status quo? Will the uneducated Pakistani all of a sudden become powerful and realize, ``hey, i have been voting for the wrong guy all my life; in the next election, I will vote for the other party?`` Even if someone tries to vote for the other party, he/she will soon find out that the other party`s candidate is also a corrupt businessman or a feudal.

If someone can answer how the above mentioned problems in the Pakistani system will change through elections, in a timeframe before Pakistan ceases to exist, then by all means Pakistan should hold elections today. If they cannot answer these questions, then by asking for elections, they are merely risking Pakistan`s future to personal wishes and ideals, and on nothing concrete.

They are hoping that another election(s) will change the situation, without pointing out how that change will occur. Pakistan`s problem has not been that it has not had elections. In the past ten years, Pakistan has more elections than probably 99% of the countries in the world. Things only went from bad to worse. Another four elections is not going to solve anything. The actual problem is the feudal and corrupt structure of the society. I would sincerely be grateful if someone could explain how repeated elections will change this system. So far the people asking for eletions have not pointed out how that will change anything.

The last thing Pakistan needs right now are elections. What Pakistan needs is a sincere govt. (not a perfect one, because those don`t exist). Ideally it should be through elections. But if that hasn`t worked, then by any other means is fine; as long as it is sincere, and relatively capable. People need to objective when they criticize, and not emotional or idealistic. Compare the policies of this govt. with the policies of the previous, and then do an objective analysis.

Regarding the travel of Musharraf. It is actually good that any person leading Pakistan travels and meets other leaders. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. The CEOs of all major companies spend most of their times travelling and meeting important people. The only issue that is worthy of criticism is the manner in which and intentions of the travel.

There are two obvious differences between Musharraf`s travels and those of his predecessors. He went by commercial aircraft (not the VIP Boeing that Benazir or NS used; infact that has been sent back to PIA). He took along a small and professional group of people. Not the normal neighbors and brothers and cousins, and party hanger-ons etc. that NS used to take along with him. There is a big big difference between taking your party and mohallaywallas on an umra trip, followed by a shopping trip in london, en- route to a meeting in the US on a VIP Boeing (permanently reserved for the prime minister), and an international trip on commercial airlines with a group of internationally recognized professionals to meet the leader of a country to discuss the present and future of foreign relations.

Regarding isolation: The two biggest US sanctions on Pakistan were placed during civilian regimes; one in Oct 1990, the other after the nuclear tests. A country that is corrupt internally, will always be isolated regardless of the type of regime at the helm. If a country has a strong economy, nobody is going to bother about what kind of regime runs it. After all, Clinton did take off from Pakistan to meet the Gulf Council members. How many of them represent democratic regimes? Did he ask the leader of Oman why the hell he doesn`t hold elections?

The current regime, as undemocratic as it might be, has on the whole made much better decisions than its so called democratic predecessors. Most of these decisions should be praised even if they were implemented and proposed by the devil himself. Do you want Ishaq Dar, Shiekh Rashid, Nawaz Khokhar, and Zardari running the country again; not to mention Nawaz Sharif, Benazir, and Shahbaz. For the people who want immediate elections, make sure you don`t complain and whine when NS, BB and Co. are back in the saddle robbing Pakistan; because that is exactly what is going to happen. Can someone give one reason, why they won`t come back unless massive structural changes are made in the social system. Idealism can be a very dangerous thing.

For all those wishing for immediate elections, without spending even a millisecond thinking about what will happen aferwards: be careful what you wish for, your wishes might come true.

More on Ayaz Amir at a later time. I think he actually likes Musharraf (he criticizes everyone; however, he criticizes everyone else more than he criticizes Musharraf).

Since the debate has shifted from the origional article to Ayaz Amir`s article in dawn, I would also like to add my two penny`s worth about it.

Please note that Mr. Amir has been in the army, in the civil service and a former member of the provincial assembly. With his back groud he would easily fancy himself as quite qualified to be appointed an Advisor / Minister / part of the new GHQ establishment, it is hardly surprising that he has focused the result of his article on the ``need to guide the GHQ``....... a vision that only heeeee can provide.

By writing this article, and playing with the words as he does everytime, (and he is a master of this feild ofcourse), he is just trying to say........bless me Gen MSRFFF......I wanna hang out with uuuuu!

Regarding the public sentiment about Musharaf, people are happy to see the poor tiger (NS) whining behind bars and the the former 10% family on the run. Things are better on the street ........to hell with democracy ....... whats best for the people is the right way to move......we dont need any drawing room analysts to tell us how to spell democracy and development........we prefer to learn our lessons on the street.

jamshed nazar,

san jose, CA

Saint or Sinner?

April 4th. came and went again as the
Gathering at Garhi Khuda Bux was reported
Smaller this year or was it the wishful thinking of
Opposing forces which prevail today as if
The hanged man is finally buried.

Like a meteor no less but possibly
Enveloped in feudal vengeance and hate
Or liberator of the oppressed powerless
Maybe the user of many tools to climb
To the top position of power or the scaffold.

This breaker or re-maker of the pure country
Now lies in the timeless sands of Mehran
Hero or cursed villain, many visitors to his grave
Say prayers, soul of Larkana famous or
Infamous, he was one of ours.

Guilty or innocent who can forget
The actor or the revolutionary hero
True patriot or traitor, freer of slaves
Or hypocrite responsible for all evil
Let loose in a country seeking excuses.

Many riddles, the memory of 1970`s
Defeat, small victories, economic ruin
Decisions badly taken, even criminal
But as this one observer reflects today
This saint or sinner left quite a void.

Ras H. Siddiqui
April 4

To the memory of Z.A. Bhutto. A controversy that continues.

Umair Re#9, I agree with you on that...

I religiously read Ayaz Aamir`s articles (and what a great read they`re sometimes) but I will be dubious about his plea, return of democracy. If he means the good ol democracy of BB & NS then no thanks. The democracy has so far fail to provide the common man the lift that he badly needed. In order to be succeeded, the masses need to be literate to understand their rights, their responsibilities.

In a society, such as ours it is far remove from reality, voters can be bought at whims and sometimes succumbed to pressure (in rural areas) without knowing the might of their votes. For e.g. in BB`s hometown (or any feudal`s hometown) she will throw some favors to the people as a privilege and they in turn will thanks her, knowing she is doing a great favor to them, this is may be the result of the colonial subjugation. Nothing has changed for them, so by concocting elections with feudal and powerful elite in backdrop nothing can be accomplished.

Bottom line is, we want to alleviate the suffering of common man and if it is cannot achieve by the so called election then we need to devise new alternatives (doesn`t mean authoritarian regime) or amend existing one to give the people the powers over their lives. May be Musaraff & Co become a part of Pakistan political setup. I know the Task may not be easy but handing over power to these mafias will not cure the problems.

I had also been really close to this so called election. I was involve in a campaign for one of our candidate for Local bodies (Baldeyiate Intekhaab) , and my experience is not encouraging! As a matter of fact, I strongly believed that our political parties are run by extremely corrupt people, who have no regards for life or human sufferings, in fact they are run by Goondas and mafias. Their only concern is to loot more money they can before the `other` party get their hold.

In the presence of such corrupt people which Shareef Admee would like to jeopardize his name and life. He will be far more opted to move to UK, US or Canada rather than fight a winless battle.

Pakistan become a basket case (if I be bold), our priorities are misplaced. On one hand we are aggressively and sometime foolishly pursuing Kashmir policy at the expense of Pakistan`s prosperity (may be its a way to divert the attention of common man daily problems) on the other hand we`re not taking care of our own minorities. That`s why the world is not listening, our own trek record is not clean. Our whole energies are diverted to one and one cause only, we need to define what is important NOW Kashmir or Pakistan`s future. Yes, we can`t sideline Kashmir issue but we need to gain the respect that we`ve lost in world`s eyes before we demand the just settlement. The recent visit by Clinton awaken us to the cold realities.

Pakistan need to give Pakistan first priority, then later we can talk about the Umma & other fantasies. It is not too late yet, there is still some hope left.



I hope, Amen

Moez Momin.

Hallelujah!!!!

Wattoo awarded 4 years RI, Rs. 4m fine

(Updated at 1945 PST)

LAHORE: The Accountability Court on Tuesday awarded former chief minister Mian Manzoor Wattoo four years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 4 million in 110 plots allotment case and twenty months R.I and a fine of Rs 1 million in the petrol pump case.

The court headed by Sheikh Muhammad Rafiq Goreja also awarded Mrs Seema Naeem, the co-accused in petrol pump case, rigorous imprisonment of ten months and a fine of Rs 1 million.

These are the first two major judgements in which punishments have been awarded to a political leader. (NEWS, Pakistan)

I think even Ayaz Amir would be happy about this decision. This is what he wrote in an earlier article, on 19 Nov, 99:

``Cynicism takes a thrashing

By Ayaz Amir

I have drunk deep of joy and shall taste no other wine tonight. -Shelley

I can scarcely believe it. The clouds have lifted and sunny uplands beckon from afar. And although only the gods can tell whether enough will happen to prolong this mood, while it lasts it is exhilarating.

Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,

But to be young was very heaven.

As I scan in the papers the mug shot of the Reverend Nawaz Khokhar - formerly a PML(N) grandee, now lately of the PPP (what exalted company our political parties keep) - being led away by an army posse, and as I read the names of the sleek cats caught in the first flush of the army`s crackdown on those of the good and the great who have brought the country to its present sorry pass, and indeed down to its very knees, my heart, withered and woebegone till yesterday, cracks with joy even if I do not have Shelley`s excuse (methinks a pair of comely arms) for being intoxicated.....

But to return to the main story. The accountability ordinance just signed by the Sharif`s own President (how times change) His Holiness the Pakistani Pope is the law that these past 25 years the people of Pakistan have been crying out for. Comprehensive in its sweep, unambiguous in its meaning, it is the perfect instrument - one, moreover, which puts the onus of proving innocence on the shoulders of the accused - for pursuing the battle against corruption and wrongdoing. Those responsible for drafting this law deserve the nation`s thanks. If Mr Sharifuddin Pirzada has had anything to do with it then all is forgiven. Although I doubt very much this would have been the case since Mr Pirzada has made a career out of equivocation while this law is a model of clarity.

For all the wrong selections made by the Great Chief in the early stages of excitement, a forgivable lapse considering all the things crowding in on his mind (although that still does not stop me from wondering how Akbar Ahmed has made it to London and the Boy Sarfraz, you have to see him to believe me, into the cabinet), the Chief has redeemed himself by picking Lt Gen Amjad Hussain as the Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)......

Being a year senior to me in college I say this from personal knowledge that a cleaner and more suitable man for this sensitive position could not have been chosen. If anyone can make NAB work it is Gen Amjad and if he falters or fails, or even if the pace of his offensive slackens, General Musharraf can say goodbye to the public goodwill that still remains strong for his coup - sorry, counter-coup - and all its works. There should be no mistake about this: as far as the public perception is concerned, more rests on accountability than any of the other items in the Chief`s agenda.

That is why it is important not to be distracted by cries that the drive just started to nab defaulting and crooked fat cats will ruin business confidence and trigger a flight of capital out of the country. No heed should be paid to these feeble-minded reservations for what is at stake is not the confidence of the business community but the last remaining shreds and tatters of the nation`s faith in itself and its ability to pull itself out of the swamp in which it is caught. Nothing has done so much to revive the nation`s hopes as the arrest of big-name defaulters. Nothing will more cruelly shatter these hopes than if this drive fails or comes to a premature end.`` (DAWN, Pakistan)

Then again, Ayaz Amir wrote the following on 1 Oct, 99:

``No coup, no nothing

By Ayaz Amir

ACTUALLY, our American friends need never have bothered at all. No one in the army was planning a coup. Having had its fill of knocks this year, the army command was in no mood to add to its troubles. There was accordingly no reason for the US administration to issue the statements it did admonishing the army against any extra-constitutional steps. That these statements were insulting to Pakistan is beside the point. They were plain gratuitous and quite uncalled for in the circumstances......

But this is empty speculation. The main thing is that 111 Brigade was not about to move out of its barracks and head in the general direction of Islamabad. A coup was not being planned. The army as an institution was not thinking of a takeover. But the heroes of the mandate, slaves to their instincts and ever averse to letting sleeping dogs lie, were itching to manufacture another crisis. They wanted to make the army command carry the can for this summer`s adventures and for this purpose were obsessed by the thought of doing another Jahangir Karamat, this time on his successor.

Jahangir Karamat`s successor, as even his fervid admirers will perhaps acknowledge, is no Clausewitz. But neither is he a Baji and so when the hustlers of this government, their style not much different from that of the lower ranks of the New York mafia, let out subtle hints that it was time for another move-over in Rawalpindi, the incumbent dug in his heels and refused to budge, much less to be browbeaten.``

We all know what happened on 12 Oct, 99. So one cannot be quite sure how in touch Ayaz Amir is with what is going on in Pakistan.

VICKI #4: Yes, Gen.PM made his trip to China early in Jan, where the most widely read english language newspaper in China (China Daily, I believe) had a bolded headline reading `` Friends no matter what``.

I`ve failed to understand this psyche that only people in Pakistan have, this `foreign trips` envy. As the head of state, making internal changes that have the potential of being misinterpreted the world over, it only makes sense to be clarifying Pakistan`s position and future plans to your fellow commity of nations. So the worldview of Pakistan is not as some hostile neighbour of India`s (since India has been good in its propaganda) but as a country with genuine concerns that need to be addressed and a lot of untapped potential.

Apart from India`s propaganda, Pakistani leaders in the past have not been good about projecting the country well internationally, which is why some of the trips may have been turned down to begin with. When your leaders go to foreign countries to buy personal property and furnish personal estates rather than strengthen trade and economic ties for the country....it is understandable that Pakistan`s international image was sagging.

Re: Iris #6 & Vicky #4

Iris,

Ayaz Amir in his earlier (post Oct 12) articles was supportive of Mr. Musharraf and his plans to bring sweeping structural changes in our political system. However, as the situation unfolded, he realized that a long-term military rule is going to do more harm than a perverse democracy. Drastic structural changes in our political system are indeed warranted, but can Pakistan afford to keep the military regime for another five years? Do we have the economic depth/strength to face & withstand international isolation, which now seems imminent unless Musharraf announces a schedule to restore democracy? LB election plan may be flaw less, but if our trade and investment, and more importantly our handouts dry up, those plans will not be worth the piece of paper they are written on. I think Musharraf knows it too. He got a very clear message from leaders of all SE Asian countries to announce a schedule to restore democracy. He is now frustrated and bitter and he is talking about severing ties with US without realizing what it really means. This is what Ayaz Amir is saying…. Generals are not cut out for politics and diplomacy. They are not used to such harsh treatment as was accorded to him by Mr. Clinton, and leaders of SE Asian countries. Isolation may bring some comfort for his ego, but is it good for Pakistan?

Vicky,

I am not aware of China’s refusal to entertain Musharraf. However, if this is true then it is indeed quite disturbing, as China has been our friend through thick and thin. Could you please shed some light on the source of your information?

Umairr:

Economy should be the first, second and umpteenth priority.

The single minded pursuit of prosperity will inevitably bring in its wake all other desired changes. There is much to learn from China and to a lesser extent from South Korea.

rgds

t


PS: Check out this column.
http://www.thestar.com/thestar/editorial/opinion/20000405NEW02_OP-HAROON.html