Pakistani authorities banned public protests and detained hundreds of lawyers and opposition workers nationwide to prevent them from launching Thursday’s planned ”long march” towards the capital Islamabad to force President Asif Ali Zardari to reinstate a former Supreme Court judge.
Many went into hiding according to these reports, vowing to press on with the cross-country motor convoy that will set off from cities in Baluchistan and Sind and then Puinjab on Friday before culminating outside the parliament building in the capital.
And many others turned to the Internet, using blogs and Twitter to report on detentions, swapping pictures and information about security deployments and in so doing keeping alive perhaps the gravest threat to Zardari’s one-year-old administration.
Here some of the tweets or short messages on the popular Twitter site :
“One sp (superintendent of police) in Gujranwala refuses to arrest people. Government removes him from his post,” wrote one.
Another wrote : “All fast food & other companies warned by Govt to NOT provide food to LongMarch participants and rest houses warned not to rent rooms.” Another wrote about police raiding the house of a political worker in Rawalpindi who died eight years ago.
Not everyone was rooting for the long marchers though in a country battling multiple security challenges as well as an economic meltdown. “They want us to stop work and go long marching … Therefore I have decided to work 1 extra hour every day … Say NO to #longmarch.” wrote another.
You can see all the Twitter updates here.
With all the wall-to-wall coverage on the Internet and on television, you have to wonder if the Pakistani authorities have bitten off more than they can chew. Pakistanis are recoiling against the crackdown, according to this BBC story.
And the Washington Post quoted retired army general Talat Masood as saying this about Zardari: “If he wants to be a dictator, he is sadly mistaken because the army is not going to be behind him. He is on a suicide mission.”
[Photos of police detaining a protester in Karachi and Nawaz Sharif addressing a rally on March 11]
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MAURYAN WRITES
………The Madrasas must be destroyed and their preachers must be kept in jail. The US should go to the Saudis and say, “Are you with us? Or else we will bomb you back to stone age. Freeze all your funding to the Madrasas.”……….
YOU HAVE TO DESTRY SAUDI FIRST BEFORE ENTERTAINING THIS or at least turn up the heat on in saudi so that they will get busy putting out fire in their home. Lets go to the root cause of militant islam.Paks are living under fear of murderous islamists. Saudi infuence spreads to european Sarajevo turning it into a fundamentalist state now.
- Posted by azaddpUmair writes: “there is absolutely no uncertainty surrounding Pakistan. Pakistan has a bright future, billions of Pakistanis like me are living and working in Pakistan and looking forward to a good future.”
Most of us do not wish your country anything bad. It is just that to everyone knowledgeable in global politics, it has become obvious that Pakistan is sitting on top of a land mine that can explode any time. It will not only take Pakistan down with it, but also others in the vicinity. Do not feel safe about the nukes. Your country has many “non-state actors” now. And there are some elements inside your military and ISI as well. They have their own beliefs and agenda. They might do what they might think is the best for Pakistan and it may not coincide with what is expected.
I think Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal are in safe hands (not necessarily under Pakistan’s full control). I think either the US or China has its finger on the trigger. Do not under-estimate the CIA. They have their tentacles everywhere. There are even rumors that they staged Zia Ul Haq’s plane crash as he was not needed any further. Your democratic government itself is running because of the US insistence. And it can go any time if the US wishes. Zardari just now lifted the ban on Punjab politicians due to US pressure. Kayani might be itching to take over the country due to the political instability. But Holbrooke is holding his hands from behind. So the US is basically running your country. And guess how much time it will take for them to take over your nuclear command structure. Your military will soon be run by Holbrooke remotely. Your country’s economic status prevents it from wriggling out of this dead lock by the US. Musharraf managed to manipulate the US cleverly and survived. If he had persisted on continuing as President of Pakistan, the US would have finished him off, the way it did with general Zia. Pakistan has survived so far due to the US. If the US pulls the plug by means of economic sanctions and trade embargo, Pakistan will explode. That is when countries have to worry about nuclear fall out. I know you are talking with pride and I do not blame you for it. But the reality is very different.
- Posted by MauryanMauryan wrote:
“If the Taliban refuses to make a deal with the US or does not honor it, trust me, your nukes will come under intense international scrutiny and I am sure there are think tanks in US/UK which are working on the worst case scenario in Pakistan and the actions to be taken.”
worst case scenario, you are talking about those 3000 US Marines stationed in Afghanistan specifically to move in to take over Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal in case of worst case scenario.
Here is the problem, no one from CIA, Mossad, RAW, KGB, MI5 or Pentagon or who ever can predict where has Pakistan concealed its nukes. With an advanced ballistic missile system, fighter jets modified to carry tactical nuclear device, a potent air force. The Army secretly guarding the nuclear arsenal, the SPD(Strategic Plans Division) headed by a Lt. Gen of Pakistan Army responsible to ensure the safety and availability of nuclear weapons in case of need. All these make Pakistan a formidable adversary. Think tanks in US/UK might have all the right in the world to keep on working for worst case scenarios, while the SPD in Pakistan keeps on consolidating Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.
Also, there is absolutely no uncertainty surrounding Pakistan. Pakistan has a bright future, billions of Pakistanis like me are living and working in Pakistan and looking forward to a good future.
- Posted by UmairCome out for a peaceful Long March only for the cause of free judiciary in Pakistan. If we think that we can contribute in the restoration of free judiciary in Pakistan, then NOW is the time to come out and be a part of Long March. Its not just the restoration of Justice Iftekhar Chowdhury, its restoration of a system. We don’t need to be political its just to support lawyer’s movement for free judiciary.
Also don’t let any one damage any Government property since violence any kind is not in favor our beloved country Pakistan.
- Posted by Be PakistanLets make the 16th march Long March “The Final March” Long Live Pakistan.
I have read many online news headlines about South Asia and ALL that is standing out like a sore thumb; head & shoulders above all else are articles about Pak govt crackdown on this Long March.
Now, is this a long march as in people actually ‘marching’ OR is it referring to the month of March otherwise this topic is really becoming a drrrrrraaaaaag!
- Posted by bulletfishPlease note typo. The previous posting should say Pakistan, not Iran.
- Posted by Global Watcher@Mwaqar
There are and never were men in Pakistan who have integrity, honesty, character, a clean record, or anyone capable of running a country like Pakistan.
Pakistan can never become a decocracy, because at its roots, it is an Islamic Republic. Democracy and Islam don’t agree.
There are only 2 ways that Iran can function, either Totalitarian military rule, or Relgious Fundamentalist Totalitarian-ship.
As long as Pakistani’s are muslims before they are Pakistani’s, before they are human beings, a democratic Pakistan is a myth. If you reverse the order of the above, you can have a democracy.
- Posted by Global Watcher@Mwaqar,
.Its looks like you need a bomb blast in Sharif’s long march to prove he’s innocent.
- Posted by pkI don’t know whether I love or hate Nawaz. But what you are saying is not a nice thing to say-that he has links with osama and all
Of course,I don’t like him bringing Lahore to a halt,but he has got a valid reason. Zardari is not doing what he promised-an independent judiciary. Why did we bring Musharraf down? To help militants,is it? Its because we dreamt of an independent judiciary,bro. But Zardari is just doing an another Musharraf with an extra addition-bad governance. I just hope Nawaz Sharif won’t add instabilty to our nation with his chaos.
NAWAZ HYPOCRITE
- Posted by MwaqarNawaz Shariff loves to destabilize democracy and there is a long list of other politicians who share his fantasy of playing ugly role in failing Democracy. Nawaz Shariff is keep talking about Justice Iftikhar but he forgets that he was involved in attacking supreme court of Pakistan, on the other hand I think it will it be better for Justice Ifthikah to join PML(N) OR make his own political party because I am pretty sure that if Nawaz gets power, he will not reinstate him because Nawaz hands are not clean either. Nawaz Sharif is a big hypocrite. He had the Supreme Court physically attacked on 28th Nov 1997 but is now standing up for the independence of the judiciary just because he hates Musharraf. And another thing is that whatever these politicians want becomes the solution to everything. They wanted democracy, it was the “solution to everything”. Now they want judiciary, it is the “solution to everything”. Nawaz Sharif , talks of independence of judiciary but before doing that ,at least he should eliminate the culprits of Supreme court attack case from his party. A few months ago he categorically said the reinstatement of the judges is the most crucial issue facing the people of Pakistan. (Actually, I’m pretty sure the food and electricity crises are the most crucial issues facing the people of Pakistan. Then comes the threat of militancy and terrorism. You’ve got to put inflation in there too. Pakistani politicians have double standards, lets put it this way, Nawaz was after the daughter of chief justice Abdul Hameed Dogar but Nawaz forgets that Rules were bent in 1991 to admit Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Mariam Nawaz to King Edward Medical College in Lahore . According to reports Mariam was a grade-B student in matric and FSc and scored 580 out of 850, and 767 out of 1,100 in the two exams in 1989 and 1991 respectively , Clearly, she did not qualify for admission to the KEMC on open merit. She was admitted to the Army Medical College in Rawalpindi and was migrated after only a month to the KEMC, which she left without completing her degree it was ‘almost comical’ that having done something similar, the Sharifs were pointing fingers at the chief justice. PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif wants CJ Abdul Hameed Dogar to resign over allegation that his daughter received undue favor for admission in a private medical college, but he is yet to offer an apology for his own daughter Mariam actually receiving such favor for enrolment in a public sector medical college in 1991 ,I am not defending what DOGER done but all this corrupt Pakistani elite is in same boat. Its also interesting that Nawaz called Zardari worst then Musharaff but Nawaz forgets that his mentor (Dictaor Zia) was the worst dictator in Pakistan and he is no less than him. How will you promote the merit, Mr.Nawaz, you have yourself reached here on Zia’s lap .We are fool to expect you anything. Mr Nawaz Sharif, people of Pakistan beg you to please not to destabilize country. People know in any hour of trial, you have your Palace and business in Saudi Arabia and you will flee in minutes but Pakistanis do not have any other place to live. Please stop playing your heinous designs and let us save PAKISTAN . So called politicians likeNawaz Sharif ,survive in politics based on their wealth and fudel background, lets not forget that majority of these politicians forefathers betrayed their nation and helped ENGLISH masters to rule Indian subcontinent . When Nawaz was leaving for Saudia Arabia, where was his pain for people of Pakistan or even of people of his own party. He left them all in crisis to have holidays in Saudi Palaces. He has been financing so called Jihadis and took funds from OSAMA to run his election campaign. In fact his political father Zia has laid all seeds of religious fanaticism. ,Benazir has lost her life ,even Gen Musharaff narrowly escaped two life attempts, ANP leadership suffered, but Do you know any leader of PML(N) to whom militants have posed life threats? If now after his political summersault he begins to believe that the problem lies in our home, Why didn’t he join hands with Zardari to crush out the militants? An indeed example of hypocrisy Nawaz Sharif .
Hi Guys,
I was reading comments on an article about the Long March from the NY Times when this comment caught my attention. Its from an American talking about his Pakistani friends. I refuse to believe what he has written. However, people tend to tell the truth MORE in anonymity.
I know some of my close pakistani friends who even don’t like to tell that they are from Pakistan because of what is going on in that country. They are ashamed of the behavior of it’s leaders.They call themselves they come from India reason being they are are so much embaresed of their country’s miserable condition.One even says to change Pakistan name to Satantan.
- Posted by bulletfishUmair sahib,
I agree that every country has the right to the nukes. But one expects responsibility with that. Amongst all countries, Pakistan is the only one having the bad reputation of selling it to rogue nations like North Korea, Iran, Libya etc. Your Dr. Khan became an embarrassment to your establishment after getting caught selling it. That is where the danger is. No other country including China has committed this kind of irresponsible act.
With uncertainty surrounding your nation which has become a hot bed of terrorism and fundamentalism, the international powers are looking at your nation with concern. This is because, even if you are well meaning, there is a danger of the nukes falling into the hands of rogue elements in your country, which are now-a-days washed off as non-state actors.
If your military is prevented from taking over your country with the chaos right now, your nation might erupt into a civil war.
These dangers are not being ignored. May be sitting inside Pakistan, you are not aware of being watched with concern by many powers.
If the Taliban refuses to make a deal with the US or does not honor it, trust me, your nukes will come under intense international scrutiny and I am sure there are think tanks in US/UK which are working on the worst case scenario in Pakistan and the actions to be taken.
Life may be going on normal in Islamabad. But the view from outside looks very different.
- Posted by Mauryanthe rest of the countries in the sub-continent must be actively involved in this crisis.their help can go a long way in averting this crisis and helping in stabilizing the situation
- Posted by swagat mishraMauran wrote:
“It will do a lot of good to the world if Pakistan comes forward to give up the nukes and sign the NPT. In return, the UN can guarantee a huge monetary aid package to build infrastructure and institutions. Business can get concessions to open up shops in Pakistan. ”
No thank you sir, we have enemies and we need termendous firepower to let our enemies know our capabilities. Pakistan has been a nuclear power for last 11 years and no other country is facing any threat from Pakistani nukes. That is because Pakistan has not been threatened by anyone. We will keep our nukes, infact bolster them further and fix our economy.
Thank you for the suggestion though. If Israel being such a small country can have hundereds of nukes, Pakistan has all the right to keep a bunch of those.
- Posted by UmairThe US, being the ring leader on the war on terrorism, must take some bold steps. They must first see who is funding the Taliban. Someone must be providing them with ammunition and weapons. Someone must be training them, clothing them, sheltering them and planning the logistics. Just hiding in the rough terrain alone does not give an edge.
The Madrasas must be destroyed and their preachers must be kept in jail. The US should go to the Saudis and say, “Are you with us? Or else we will bomb you back to stone age. Freeze all your funding to the Madrasas.”
Then it must turn around and start the siege of the Taliban homeland. In a short time they will come out with white flags. How long can they survive without any resources? They must hit the entire place with bombs that resemble tear gas and irritate people, rather than kill them. Or they should employ a bomb that weakens those who inhale the gas upon explosion. Something novel has to be tried to bring these people under control. This way the US can run this war more humanely and get the culprits out within a few months. Just carpet bomb with non-lethal chemicals day in and day out and surround the place where nothing can come in or go out. At least the bad guys will have a chance to surrender their leaders in order to survive. It is only a few hounds that are driving the sheep around. The hounds can be hunted down, if the sheep are not hurt.
I do not see any other option.
- Posted by MauryanOnly God has the ability to help Pakistan. Right now it is beyond the abilities of a human!
- Posted by keshavHolbrooke’s new assignment: Translator
Anne Patterson, the US ambassador to Pakistan, met Mr Sharif today to try to broker a truce and then joined the half-hour conversation between Mr Zardari and Mr Holbrooke
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/wo rld/asia/article5897202.ece
- Posted by DavidNawaz Sharif has managed to hijack the lawyers march to serve his political objectives.
- Posted by thetrajectoryWho is Pakistan marching for - Sharif or CJ Choudhry?
http://thetrajectory.com/blogs/?p=269
Ptrizzle
“We only care for you because of Afghanistan.When thats done,…”
—What’s it that’s to be ‘done’ by the US in Afghanistan is still a mystery, could you care to elaborate on it…
- Posted by anupWhen is personal accountability going to matter again?
The US is apparently guilty of every sin commited since the dawn of time, if you listen to the people who regularly post here. Maybe if someone from the countries where bad things are happening actually blamed themselves for allowing their freedoms to be superceded by religious beliefs, they could start fixing the problem.
Keep asking for the US to pull out. We just might. All the previous posts about nukes are overlooking the fact that a defunct Pakistan is an easy target for US special forces to swoop in and take the nukes, so militarily, we only care for you because of Afghanistan. When thats done, we will leave you to your “holy” wars led by your “holy” men.
- Posted by Ptrizzlecrrupted politicians fighting for crrupted judges in pakistan wow!!!!!!
- Posted by AYEMANALI