Just Another Day On the Job I think it`s fairly safe to assume that it is anger that triggers the satire-sequence in a writer. Yet, I beleive that the objectivity in your peice highlights the absence of the aformentioned ``anger``.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Remembered I would have loved to add to the topic, but will refrain from doing so at the cost of sounding rude. The apparent sentimental value, you gentlemen, have attached to him is overwhelming. I`ve had the pleasure of being very closesly related to a few people who worked in close proximity with Mr.Bhutto for a long time and I assure you not very many had a good word to put in for him. Of course their stories could have been biased.. yada yada yada.. theres no real point in being judgmental.

What`s the chant again ? Jeay Bhutto ?

The World Is BUT are We Ready for a New Pakistan? #48

And yet you serve as an advocate to plead for him. Kudos to you !

The World Is BUT are We Ready for a New Pakistan? Is this Arjun character a permenant fixture here ? I`m sorry, but I`m generally biased against piss-drinkers.

How real is Musharraf’s real democracy? Quoting the (in)famous Baha Men : ``Who let the dogs out ? Who Who Who?``

How real is Musharraf’s real democracy? Excuse me, but glooming ignorance always calls for an Alenxaderian swing of the blade.

The answer to a problem, as you suggest it, should be to get scared of it ? I think not Sir, we recognize the issue, very much so, but the concept of realizaing it does not entail a fear of it. The lack of concinnity in your responses is starting to amuse me. I`m sorry, is that another thing we muslims are guilty of ? Won`t embaress you too much.

Hahahahaha ! Sir, ``seldom`` in the phrase did not literally mean ``seldom`` but corresponded more closely with ``never``. Although, if you do ever get hit with frost-bite in the head, don`t chop it off. That`s not the answer then.

It is this judgmental nature of people that mars societal structures on the whole today.

How real is Musharraf’s real democracy? Mohar11,

You said exactly what I wanted you to say. It`s all dependant on relative point of views. I, for one, look at it from a utilitarian point of view, a concept which is alien to you. Sadly enough, due to poverty of language and ineffebility of ideas I haven`t been able to carry it across too well either.

I assure you though, our reflections don`t scare us. I`m sorry, but we as a nation can not empathize with you on that. Sympathy thouhgh, I can offer.

With all due respect, frost-bite seldom hits your head first. You misconstrued the whole analogy. It`s easy to jettison points of importance as retrograde.I rest my case.

How real is Musharraf’s real democracy? mohar11,It`s one thing to be blunt, and completely another to be boorish.

When frostbit, a mountaineer has no option but to amputate the area effected. It is not entirely a fun experience, but remedial measures call for it.

So go ahead and compare it to the holocaust, if you may. Imagination after all is far from dastardly.

How real is Musharraf’s real democracy? Mohar11, I love how you try and dramatize the situation even more. And, excuse me for my naivete but I still don`t see the irony you so excitedly are trying to point out.

Sir, with all due respect, step out of your bias and see the actual situation for how it is. The muslims that are opressed in Kashmir did not initially pose any threat to India on the whole. Also, again as I pointed out earlier, the blood of the people is at the hands of the tribal elders who refused to let the army administer the area is it is supposed to . It is called FATA, Federally Administered Tribal Area, notice how federally adminstered preceeds tribal area ? The object of the army is not to wipe out the ``Tribal culture``, you along with the tribals, so highly revere. It is to administer and have control over a part of PAKISTAN ! (Kindly refrain from making baseless analogies)

You speak of referendums; what kind of a referendum do you want ? Grant the population of India such leverage and you`ll soon lose India to about a 100 smaller independant states.

Lastly, did anybody ever introduce you to utilitarianism ?

How real is Musharraf’s real democracy? Mohar11, my freind, the issue at hand is not primarily religious. The fact of the matter is, that the Pakistani Government has every right to do what it`s doing. The blood of the innocent is not at the hands of the Government, but on the tribal leaders that refused to let the Government adminster an area which was always meant to be adminstered by the Government. The fact that it should have been done much sooner, does not undermine the necessity of it being done now. The attack, therefore, has no religious connotations attached to it, subsequently the attacks on muslims in Kashmir were as much religious as they were political. I see nothing wrong with the Pakistani Army putting their allegience with Pakistan. We are but ``Pakistani`` Muslims (as indicated by President Musharaff), and it is the right of the Government to condemn any act which jeopardizes the the current standing of the country. The fact that the people doing so are Muslim, in no way, covers up for their inhuman behavior. The Pakistani Army of 70,000 is not killing the muslim women and children in Wana, it is protecting the millions of women and children in Pakistan, a fact that never supported India`s cause when it came to Kashmir.

How real is Musharraf’s real democracy? Rozaiba,

Lastly, read post #65 by Romair.

How real is Musharraf’s real democracy? As a youth, Shabbir Sher knew only the isolated life of a small planter. Born the third son of a local farmer, he knew that where he grew up, class status showed in a man`s dress, his leisure habits, his house, even his religion. In such a society he would step aside and tip his turban when the propserous neighbours went by.

As much as you think you`re empathizing with the ``majority``, youre the farthest away from it. I`m sorry but I have no arguements to offer to somebody who so clearly opposes the education of the masses. I`d rather bang my head against a brick wall with lesser chances of inflicting pain upon myself.

Do me a favour, the next time your maid brings you a cup of tea, ask her what she thinks her rights are.

I rest my case.

How real is Musharraf’s real democracy? Rozaiba, I am an elitist freak. I refuse to acknowledge people who resort to personal attacks.

How real is Musharraf’s real democracy? This is trash talk. Please explain me your logic. Cause you have just insulted 85% of the uneducated, illeterate population of Pakistan. Only the elitist freaks do this. Are you an elitist freak? The argument that the common person doesn`t know the value of democracy reeks of sht. I don`t know the true value of many things. Does that mean those have to be taken away from me? Most of my friends can read and write. Yet they openly state that they will vote for someone with clout, with muscle- ie someone who can be crooked to get things done. Thus they favor crooked politicians over say the masoom PTI candidate. Are you saying YOU are smarter then them? That YOU can BETTER judge for THEM the impact of THEIR rights? (Rozaiba)

I never give much credence to ``personal observations``, I think that is the problem in this debate. The fact that people writing, criticizing Musharraf have no understanding of democracy itself....let me bring in a few ``FACTS`` for a change, from countries (developing countries, much like Pakistan) that have gone through similar periods....

First of all the situation of Pakistan is not unique, many LDC`s (less developed countries) Third World Countries have often attempted to enforce democracy and have time and again slid into authoritarianism, the reasons for which are corruption in the civil bureacracy, trust in the armed forces, etc. etc.

Political Scientists identify the recent wave of democratization as the Third Wave (started in 1974, also that there have been Two earlier waves of democratization)...

Democracy is fragile in poor countries (Above $6,000 percapita income Democracy becomes impregnable)

The fact of the matter, in short is countries like Indonesia had almost 40 years of authoritarian rule, Sukarno`s Guided Democracy and Suharto`s New oder) but their economic infrastructure and the quality of their newly instituted presidential democracy (instituded 1999) is excellent...South Korea is another example where General Chun`s regime was very successful in instituing economic growth...just look up South Korea`s GDP

In short such progressive authoritarian regimes fulfilled a fundamental prerequisite for democracy in these countries, which is improving economic conditions.....

How real is Musharraf’s real democracy? Excuse me if I`m raising questions which the article already answered, but I couldn`t even force myself to read through it. Simply because I`ve been fed this for the last 10 years.

``Democracy is the only answer``

``No form of Government should be acceptable other than one which is democratic``

I recall Ayaz Amir once saying, how could you expect a flower to bloom out of a bud that was so blatantly cut off the stem ? But even before that, why do we really need a democracy ? Why should democracy be the automatic choice ? Surprisingly enough, the answer to it is, it`s not so much of a ``Why`` question, than a ``When`` question.

Politics is an art Sir, treat it like one. Like any other form of Government, a democracy can only function under specific conditions. Democracy is no panacea. It is not the answer to all our questions. You have a literacy rate of under 15 % ( realisticaly speaking), you have a Feudal system strong enough to knock any democracy out of power and you most certainly have no ``System of Voting``. We don`t even have politicains, sigh.

So it`s a question of whether you want one bad man to rule over you, or a whole group of bad men? A democracy gone bad becomes an oligarchy, God Bless the US of A.

When ? After we have educated our population with regards to their rights and the impact of their political choices. Idealistic ? Indeed, but that`s the only time democracy can be functional. And after all, democracy by it theme undermines the possibility of human greatness, doesn`t it ?