Pakistan in crisis
- November 9, 2007 1:20 PM |
- By Your Voice
As the political atmosphere in Pakistan becomes increasingly volatile, the world’s attention is being focused on that country. Pakistan has been a vocal ally of the U.S. in the so-called war on terror, but it has long been a country with a complex political landscape.
With President Pervez Musharraf having declared emergency rule and Benazir Bhutto, a former prime minister just back from exile, under constant threat, making sense of what’s truly happening on the ground can be difficult.
Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir has been covering the country since 1987 — he was one of the first independent journalists to interview Osama bin Laden back in 1997 and has broken many important stories — and he has an insider’s perspective on the political system.
Hamid Mir joined us on Thursday, November 15 and took your questions on what’s happening in Pakistan and what it means for Canadians and the world.
Read his answers below.
Categories
All News blogs
Most Commented
Most Recommended
Your Interview
Most Commented
Most Recommended
Recent Entries
- Staying healthy: How to monitor and reduce your risk of disease
- For decades, the most popular tool for assessing a person's risk for obesity-related problems like diabetes and heart disease was the body mass index, or BMI. But some experts think physicians should focus on their patients' waist measurements, and a... Continue reading this post
- Privacy online: How to stay secure in the age of social media
- Following another round of criticism over its privacy settings, Facebook is tinkering with its policies once again. But many users are starting to ask whether it's too little, too late. The site has struggled with negative user feedback, while continuing... Continue reading this post
- Your Interview: How to talk to your kids about sex
- By Renee RamsarranSex education is an ongoing process that usually starts at home. Children learn about sex and sexuality through their parents, yet families often hesitate to talk about certain issues with their kids. How can you take an active... Continue reading this post
Comments (21)
In your opinion, what would be the reaction of other world powers, particularily the U.S. and India if the current government of Pervez Musharaf were overthrown by an Islamist party or movement?
Hamid Mir: First of all the majority of the people in Pakistan definitely love Islam but they are not extremist and no extremist Islamic party can overthrow Musharraf in Pakistan. Extremists don't believe in democracy — like the militants of Swat. They hate democracy, but Islamic parties like Jamat-i-Islami believe in democracy and they have an alliance with secular and liberal parties opposing Musharraf. Extremists are not popular in masses but if they overthrow Musharraf then not only U.S. and India, but the majority of Pakistanis will also condemn them. Outsiders will only condemn but we will resist them.
The current situation in Pakistan is amongst other things, due to pressure upon Musharaff from certain outside sources who also paved the way for Bhutto's return. Could the situation have been a little calmer if Bhutto had not been eased back into the country-all with her failures in the past and proven corruption charges?
Hamid Mir: Musharraf imposed emergency rule just to save himself from an expected Supreme Court verdict against him. The Supreme Court was going to say that a sitting Army Chief cannot contest a Presidential election. Benazir Bhutto was allowed to come back for helping Musharraf but Musharraf’s regime created a situation in which Benazir was forced to start opposing him because some government ministers were taunting her.
Do you think there will be fair elections if they are held as promised in January. Thanks!
Hamid Mir: There was emergency rule in 1971 and a fair election was held under General Yahya Khan but Judiciary was independent at that time. The Chief Justice was not in detention. Musharraf is proving himself worse than General Yahya Khan, no opposition party has any faith in him and there will be no fair and free election under Musharraf.
To what extent is President Gen. Pervez Musharraf viewed as a puppet of the American administration by the Pakistani public? Does this cause resentment toward him in Pakistan?
Hamid Mir: Yes the majority of Pakistanis view him as a puppet of Bush. He was already unpopular and anti- Americanism was on the rise in Pakistan, but imposition of emergency rule made some changes in the hearts and minds of many Pakistanis. Condoleezza Rice condemned emergency rule and Bush also demanded that Musharraf take off his uniform, these statements have converted anti- Americanism into anti-Musharraf feelings. Emergency rule provided an opportunity to the U.S. to improve its image in Pakistan. Musharraf has arrested some symbols of liberalism in Pakistan like lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan and Asma Jehangir. These liberals are popular in the west as well as in Pakistan.That is why people in the west and in Pakistan are turning against Musharraf.
To what extent, if any, do you think we in the west are responsible for supporting military dictators such as Zia or Musharraf? Does anyone in Pakistan care what we think? Can we help in any way?
Cheers,
dba
Hamid Mir: Good question. The west always supported dictators like General Ayub (1958-1969,) General Yahya (1969-1971,) General Zia (1977-1988,) and General Musharraf (1999-2007.) Pakistan was created in 1947 by a clean shaven barrister Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1947. He died in 1948 and after that dictators ruled Pakistan 32 years out of a total 60 years. Politicians had 29 years. The west always imposed sanctions on democratically elected governments of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Muhammad Khan Junejo, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. The U.S. supported an Islamist General Zia who hanged a liberal Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and who promoted extremism. We Pakistanis think that now is the time that the west must support real democracy in Pakistan. You should have a Pakistan policy instead of a Musharraf policy.
Do you think Musherf will come out of uniform?
Hamid Mir: He has no other choice, he is too old to lead an Army, he is too controversial. He has to leave government now.
Do you agree with the Toronto Star columnist who thinks Pakistan's nuclear weapons are in the safe hands of the military?
Hamid Mir: Nuclear weapons are safe in the hands of our nuclear scientists and Army. All weapons are coded and cannot be used without decoding.
Greetings,
Which does the western countries prefer more: Supporting Pakistan in a democratic change with the possibility of a militant Islamic government coming to power, or Keeping General Musharraf in power who will squash personal freedom but attempt to keep Pakistan "terror free".
-Matt
Hamid Mir: Musharraf cannot help Pakistan in fighting terrorism. We have faced more terrorism in Musharraf regime. Democracy is the best solution to fight terrorism. Today all liberal and Islamist parties are ready to fight terrorism so western countries must support a democratic change in Pakistan. Democracy will give power to Benazir, Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan, not Islamic extremists.
While media in the West has rightfully criticized Musharraf for his failure as a democratic leader, there has been little to no coverage of Bhutto's dubious past (corruption charges in 4 countries, and welcoming Taliban rule in Afghanistan). A third party, that gets little to no coverage, is led by former prime minister Sharif and represents a more 'extremist' outlook.
Are these the only choices for the people of Pakistan come January? No wonder democracy may fail before even having a chance to succeed.
Hamid Mir: Let the people of Pakistan decide their fate through ballot power. I think Benazir has a power base in Sindh province, Nawaz has strength in Punjab province, liberal ANP and some Islamic parties have vote bank in NWFP and liberal secular nationalist parties are popular in Baluchistan. There will be a split mandate in free and fair elections and we can have a government of national unity.
Musharaf has taken an ultimate and unjust step especially in regards to the damage he has caused to the Judiciary of Pakistan.
Is there any room for him to reverse this and will he be forgiven by the educated class of Pakistan (lawyers, students, professionals) and most importantly his "own" military?
Thank you CBC and Hamid for your time. Keep up the good work.
Zahid
Hamid Mir: Musharraf has no choice. Today the civil society, media, lawyers and all opposition parties are united against him. He has to go.
1) If Musharraf get replaced, how will the person replacing him can control this extremism? If he/she cannot than are they just replacing him to get the office?
2) What role media has played in growing this extremism in Pakistani Public by broadcasting anti-west sentiments in various "talk shows" after 911?
Hamid Mir: According to the constitution the Chairman of the Senate will become the new interim President, the Vice Army chief will become Army chief, there will be an election in three months and the new government will run the country. Same thing happened when General Zia was killed in an air crash in 1988.
The media have always condemned terrorism. I have organized inter faith dialogues in my shows. I organized the first ever Muslim-Christian-Jewish scholars dialogue in a Mosque in New York last year. We hate terrorism of religious extremists as well as the terrorism of liberal extremists. Bush and Musharraf are liberal extremists.
Is it not true that no matter which political party rules Pakistan, it will be short-lived if they steer away from the strict Islamic Path on which Pakistan was created in the first place?
Hamid Mir: Pakistan was created in the name of Islam by liberals. All the big Islamic hardliners at that time opposed Pakistan. Democracy is the future of Pakistan because it is the ultimate future of the whole of South Asia.
To really unite the people of Pakistan behind a strong (in terms of having the support of a large number of the citizens), what is the possiblity of Bhutto and Imran Khan uniting as the major opposition to Musharraf?
Hamid Mir: I see Benazir Bhutto, Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif, Qazi Hussain Ahmid, Asfandyar Wali and Baluch nationalists uniting very soon against Musharraf.
what the future of Benezir Bhutto will be? do you think that she has a chance to become prime minister again?
Hamid Mir: First of all she has to get a clear majority in the next elections, then she can become prime minister a third time. I think her dialogue with Musharraf is over. She would not like to become PM with the help of Musharraf.
How much control would you say your government has on the flow of people and goods through its borders? And what effect is that having on your neighbours?
Hamid Mir: Our government has a kind of control on Pak-Afghan border like the U.S. has on borders with Mexico. But we have good control on borders with India.
How can pakistani media be so supportive of a highly incompetent dictator like Musharraf?
Hamid Mir: Pakistani media have never supported Musharraf. In fact the Pakistani media are victims of Musharraf’s policies because he banned all the big TV channels on November 3, 2007 and he is victimizing us with different methods.
what is the future of this wounded pakistan and their people and who will be safe in pakistan
Hamid Mir: I am very much optimistic about the future of Pakistan. Democracy can save all of us. Democratic Pakistan free of military interference in politics can have a great future.
Dear Mr. Mir,
I love your shows and i'd like you to give some commments on the following points please :
My only worry right now is that with the new handpicked judges, they will allow NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) to pass in the parliament and Benazir, supposidely the most corrupt politician in Pakistan, to become the Prime Minister again.
Don't you think that people of Pakistan are politically immature that they came in their hundreds of thousands to welcome Benazir even after knowing that she's a corrupt politician.
Why is that Musharaf (as he wrote in his book) and the army in general considers Benazir a "security risk"
Hamid Mir: Who was in power in 1971 when Pakistan was broken? It was the Army not Benazir. If she was a security risk then why did he met her in the U.A.E. and try to make a deal with her?
I have two questions.
1) It is perhaps not too difficult to notice that in the current milieu of Pakistani politics, most political leaders/activists except Ms. Bhutto have been effectively removed from the scene. Could you please explain why this is happening?
2) The movement against Musharraf is rather paler than what was anticipated. Why is that so?
Hamid Mir: Because politicians have no guns and Musharraf has both guns and tanks. If politicians are not a threat for Musharraf then why are all the important opposition leaders detained or behind bars? Movement against Musharraf is taking off slowly.
Why is the media not focusing on Benazir's track record of corruption? And what will be her fate if she is convicted by the Swiss courts?
Hamid Mir: The media focused on her before emergency rule but after emergency rule the media is fighting a war of its own survival with dictator Musharraf.
why is BENAZIR now asking all the opposition leaders to join against musharaf when she herself walked out of APDM IN LONDON when she was under a deal with musharaf.is it because she has been sidelined by him?
Hamid Mir: I think she is side lining Musharraf because Musharraf has no future in Pakistan.