What the Media has to say:
In today’s Dawn (9th Nov. ’07) Ayaz Amir wrote a particularly vocal piece. *Shockingly* it made it past the sensors. I quote: “You can’t mock the heavens and think there will be nothing to pay for it. These are the acts of desperate men…” Quite grandiose; but yet I can’t help but wonder if the good General will survive this latest crisis like he has many in the past. I suspect the man is a lot cleverer than most people give him credit for.
Mr. Amir goes on to point out a sadly overlooked news item which was lost in the hubub of emergency: “the release of over 20 men accused of planning suicide bombings, and their handing over to the militant commander, Baitullah Mehsud, in return for the release of over 200 captured army personnel. Included in this number was Sohail Zeb, Mehsud’s cousin, caught allegedly with a suicide jacket on.” This is noteworthy indeed, especially for those who look to the good General to save them from the dissidents in the tribal belt. Certainly negotiations with terrorists are to be avoided?
The author goes on to note that this is the most widely and enthusiastically resisted emergency in Pakistan’s history. Perhaps so, and yet it is as comprehensive as any in the past and shows no sign of cracks.
The BBC’s online edition also had an interesting editorial on its page today. It explores the possibility that the house arrest of Benazir Bhutto in the runup to her mass rallies is nothing more than a staged drama. Both sides have an understanding that the move will allow the Mohtarma to preserve her democratic credentials in the face of accusations of deal-making with the military while preserving the strength of the emergency. Definitely worth taking a look at.
One line from the Indian Express on the eve of emergency(Nov. 3rd ’07) summed up the current situation quite neatly: “Fig leaf gone, once again people watch as Pakistan is conquered by its own army.”
