» Recent Links » August 2008

Recent Links » August 2008

Pakistan: Now or Never? - Does Obama’s choice of Biden spell hope for Pakistan? → With Musharraf gone this week and a fractious but democratically elected civilian government in place in Islamabad, Biden may now get a chance to shape the next administration’s Pakistan policy. The chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee clearly brings the foreign policy expertise which would be needed by a future Obama administration in its relations with Pakistan. #
Exit Musharraf? Pakistan’s president will resign and leave the country → Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is expected to resign Monday and fly into exile in Saudi Arabia, where he is to remain for the next three months, a former aide to the president has told NEWSWEEK on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue #
Peddle-a-Citizen Inc → Babar Sattar writes in The News - “We have captured 689 [members of Al Qaeda] and handed over 369 to the United States. We have earned bounties totaling millions of dollars. Those who habitually accuse us of ‘not doing enough’ in the war on terror should simply ask CIA how much prize money it has paid to the government of Pakistan,” boasts General Musharraf on page 237 of his autobiography #
Conflicting Facts Characterize Siddiqui Terrorism Case → Finding Dulcinea: tries to filter through those conflicting reports to come to some analysis of whats the truth in Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s case - The government’s accusations against and treatment of suspected al-Qaida operative Dr. Aafia Siddiqui has raised questions and incited outrage on both sides. #
Guide to Facebook Activism | DBTB.org → DigiActive.org published a short paper on Facebook Activism which is truly a must read. It shares the inherent problems with Facebook and offers some interesting solution. Taking examples of a few brilliant mobilizations attempts into perspective eg. Burma Monks Campaign, Free Kareem Campaign in Egypt & also the Free Faoud Campaign in Morroco. For anyone who has been involved in some form of facebook activism this is a short and must read guide on the do’s and dont’s of Facebook activism #
Charlatans of democracy by Fatima Bhutto → Triumphalism over a Musharraf impeachment won’t hide the failings of Pakistan’s ruling coalition — Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari are unelected. They’re not just unrepresentative in that they don’t hold seats in the parliament - they have absolutely no mandate in Pakistan. They head the two largest, and most corrupt, parties in the state but hold no public office. Pots and kettles. #
2(B) or not 2(B)? by Humayun Gauhar → If Musharraf goes Sharif could be the eventual winner, Zardari the big loser. Q will vanish. PML will reunite. With the common binding enemy gone and the PML reunited, Sharif could force early elections. The PML juggernaut will flatten the PPP. Either way, the government will no longer have Musharraf as their excuse for failure. Its writ won’t run anywhere, as it doesn’t now. The economy will collapse for lack of confidence and expertise. The extremists will gain. Eventually, another political failure will force the army to intervene again, whether it likes it or not. We have to keep ’saving’ democracy after all, don’t we? #
DBTB.org | Major Intenet companies decide on the Principles of Free Expression → Don’t Block the Blog: Major technology companies, including Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft, have agreed, in principle, to a voluntary set of principles designed to guide businesses when they encounter laws and practices that may contravene international human rights standards or be at odds with law or culture in their home jurisdiction. Its great news for the world attempting to bring some civic sense of responsibility to the internet. #
Can the Jadoogar do any more tricks for Musharraf? → Fearing possible impeachment, the presidency has once again started consulting its legal aides, including Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, the constitutional guru with specialty in supporting military dictatorship. Pirzada has also been the architect of almost every PCO promulgated by dictators in the past. Mostly known as Jadoogar of Jeddah (Magician of Jeddah) and attributed with a phrase: “He can play any game with the rules that he makes most of the time.” #
Telegraph: Pakistan army to ask Pervez Musharraf to resign → The former military aide to Mr Musharraf said: “The army is neutral but is expecting him to resign. It will then influence his honourable safe passage as the army’s senior leadership would not want him to be punished”. The PPP government official said that his party had given an assurance of “indemnity” to the president. #
Govt suspends move to restore eight SHC judges → The notification for the restoration of eight deposed SHC judges was held in abeyance by the federal government. I wonder what new circus they might have planned up their sleeves #
Storm on the Horizon for Pakistan → Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif, chairmen of Pakistan’s two largest parties agreed in principle to impeach President Pervez Musharraf. The agreement, however, is contingent on all coalition partners supporting the move. Just as there has been little-to-no “progress” on the reinstatement of the justices Musharraf sacked, it is just as unlikely that Musharraf will be sacked himself #
Khalid Hasan shares Gillani-bloopers in Washington → When asked why FATA was not being integrated with the rest of the country, Gilani replied that FATA was under the federal government and it had its senators and MNAs “who are supporting us”. “Well, good luck then,” Haass told him as the audience burst out laughing #
Washington disappointed by new face of Pak democracy by Shaheen Shehbai → Shaheen Shehbai in is The News Column on shares his disappointment in regards to Prime Minsters trip to Washington ‘the decision makers of DC are still confused what to make out of his unofficial ‘official’ visit’ #

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