Musharraf plans election in Feb
Before 15th February, he says. Will he keep to his word? Benazir Bhutto is unimpressed and her people are going to be rallying across Pakistan. I hope that puts the pressure on Musharraf to roll back on his recent anti-democratic moves. The British Association of Muslim Lawyers has also condemned him. I’m glad the media there is not backing down. The journalists and lawyers remain as Pakistan’s conscience.
If you have information about protest rallies or other events taking place in Britain please post them in the comments.
Update:
London Protest, Saturday 10th Nov
2-4 pm outside Downing Street
Organised by: Campaign Against Martial Law in Pakistan
Protest will be lead by Ms. Hina Jillani, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Contact no: 07939 782 872
Shariq (in the comments) says: “The more people that show up the better. There were about 250 at the demo on Monday. Given its on a weekend this time, I’m hoping that we get at least a thousand people for this one.”
TV journalist Asma Chaudhry runs from baton-wielding police, shields her face as they fire tear gas and then describes to viewers how yet another protest against Pakistan’s military ruler has been brutally crushed. A tape of her broadcast is rushed to one of Geo TV’s secret transmission sites and fed to the United Arab Emirates. Within minutes, millions of Pakistanis are watching it via satellite or Internet — thanks to newly created online video streams.
When President Gen. Pervez Musharraf announced a media blackout following his imposition of emergency rule on Saturday, he underestimated the determination of independent television networks and the desire of the country’s 160 million people to get news.
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Filed in: Pakistan
Bhutto detained for 30 days (whether under house arrest or in prison it is not clear):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7086272.stm
Oh, ignore #1- sorry, its the same link. I thought I was breaking news.
London Protest, tomorrow – Sat 9th Nov
2-4 pm outside Downing Street
The more people that show up the better. There were about 250 at the demo on Monday. Given its on a weekend this time, I’m hoping that we get at least a thousand people for this one.
Date is 10 November plus:
Organised by: Campaign Against Martial Law in Pakistan
Protest will be lead by Ms. Hina Jillani, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Contact no: 07939 782 872
Sunny,
I made two completely reasonable comments on the Daily Mail thread at LC, and they were deleted within 30 seconds. As I suspected, anyone who doesn’t like anyone mildly dissenting will delete comments, ala ‘Lenin’. I simply answered 5cc with an example.
Regards,
j0nz
Nay, all my comments are being deleted.
Sorry to use this thread, however the Contact page at PP doesn’t appear to accept the answer for spam control.
j0nz – I can’t remember the last time you tried a constructive discussion without chucking ad hominems at people. And you did that with 5cc. The comments policy there is quite clear… I’m not fussed if you complain about it.
my bad. It is Saturday the 10th. Sunny, can you put the info at the top of the post?
Looks like Mr. 10% may be back in business soon
Bhutto is doing this for self-interest and not for the good of the country. Hiding behing the flag of democracy for someone who has criminal charges pending is hardly good for the country.
Fine rally for democracy but please don’t keep using Bhutto as a focal point. Her track record is hardly better than Musharaf.
Bhutto is on the one hand negotiating with Musharaf and on the other dicating that he should stand down as army chief.
Unlike Burma there streets are hardly rampant with protestors so Bhutto is buring the candle at both ends.
Also her house arrest order has been lifted:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7087868.stm
This is about power and nothing to do with democracy. The sides are clearly vying for power through democracy or dictatorship.
Hence using her and Mr. 10% as focal points is hardly going to score points with the people on the street.
Did Bhutto call for the Pakistani people to rise up against the President?
I heard it on the Slate “Gabfest” podcast.
Not sure that is useful thing to say, what with the instability in the country.
Bhutto is playing a dangerous game.
According to the Beeb all is not what it may seem:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7087570.stm
Hence the people in the street are not rising up.
Frankly I think the people are more scared of the possibility of Bhutto or Shariff than of Musharaf.
So you find the country relatively quiet. It is mainly a select band leading the outcry so Bhutto si waiting to see what develops.
I can’t remember the last time you tried a constructive discussion without chucking ad hominems at people.
Ad-hominens eh? What like inferring someone is a racist or an islamophobe? I thought that was de rigeur on left wing blogs.
Well as I suspected, LC comments policy will strictly enforce a party line only comments policy. Which is a real shame IMHO.
URGENT!
ITS TODAY I.E Saturday.
Good luck guys & girls! Bring back some pics
The journalists and lawyers remain as Pakistan’s conscience.
How fucked up do you have to be as a country to have journalists and lawyers be two of the most principled and honest professions?
“Before 15th February, he says.”
Bah. That wanker. He is planning on doing that under martial law. What the hell kind of elections are those going to be?
Also, I’d like to point out that Bhutto Bibi is just as opportunistic as Mush. I have no faith in her.
An excellent article on Pakistan to check out:
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/yvonne_roberts/2007/11/military_spending.html
Just found a link to a brilliatly crafted song on Musharraf.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt4_7eM49fY
If there were free and fair elections in Pakistan tomorrow, Mushy would win by a mile.
Not neccesarily because he is loved, but because the other options available to Pakistanis are so patheitc.
1) Bhutto – Pakistanis hate Bhutto’s husband more than they hate non-Muslims. ‘Mr 10%’ has laid her political death bed.
2) Nawaz sharrif – the man grew fat on the poverty of ordinary people. He is rightly detested.
3) Jammat-i-Islamia and other religious parties – have traditionally flopped in Pakistan.
4) Imran Khan – Sportspeople are notorious for being thickos. Imran fits the bill perfectly. His naivety is embarrassing.
With the emergency, Mushy is just stalling – but it’s still the wrong thing to do.
It doesn’t seem the Pakistan military is very keen on entering a power sharing agreement with Benazir Bhutto despite pressure from US.