Pakistan: Now or Never?
Perspectives on Pakistan
The Twittering classes on Obama’s prize and Pakistan
(Updated with official reaction)
The decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to President Barack Obama has opened up a field day for people on Twitter.
While many politicians around the world were still working out their reactions to the surprise announcement, Twitterers leapt in with instant analysis from Pakistan, India and around the world. Here are some of the more frequent retweets which caught my eye::
”Pakistan asks for credible evidence to show Obama indeed won the Nobel Prize asks 4 dossier from Nobel”
“Obama wins the nobel peace prize? umm. for what exactly? he’s shooting missiles into pakistan! good intentions?”
“Obama gets Nobel Peace Prize: For the accuracy of his drones in Pakistan?”
Pakistan’s Iftikhar Chaudhry cited as outside candidate for Nobel Peace Prize
Former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has been cited as an outside candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The recipient of this year’s prize will be announced in Oslo on Oct. 10 from among 197 nominees, with those fighting for human rights among those tipped to win in the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO), an independent research institute, ranks Chaudhry in fourth place, though PRIO director Stein Toennesson says the most likely winner this year will be a Chinese dissident.
“An even more interesting possibility is to award the prize to one of the senior judges, who in several countries have stood up against pressure from the executive, in defence of human rights and against unconstitutional practices,” it says.
“Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the Chief Justice of Pakistan who was unseated by former President Musharraf in 2007, is the most likely candidate, but the French, Italian, British, and Zimbabwean Chief Justices or Supreme Court Presidents have also shown great courage in defending human rights and judicial independence. Awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to one or more of them would assist the construction of an international system for the enforcement of human rights.”
After championing the opposition to former president Pervez Musharraf last year and leading the lawyers’ movement in a campaign for an independent judiciary, Chaudhry’s star has been fading since the election of a new civilian government in February and departure of Musharraf in August. The lawyers’ movement, as this story in the Daily Times says, has now run out of steam.
Chaudhry may have only an outside chance, but winning the Nobel Peace Prize would certainly be a powerful way of getting his star back on the ascendant again. Views please?
Nobel Prize!!! Come on, wake up and smell some coffee.
His past is not so shining to be considered for anything, let alone Nobel.
What about his son’s case? Never investigated!
What about his decisions and tail-waggling prior to his removal in 2007 (though removal may not be fully justified)!
What about his megalmania? Travels with a troope of 15-17 security cars and more than 20 guards!
What about his letting the prisoners taken from Lal Masjid going off? Now they formed Ghazi Force and already have killed many innocents citizens!
Just quote ONE SINGLE of his decisions/acts after reinstatement which justify the honour asked? Just working on personal vendetta and again tail-waggling for the party which supported him!
Wake up and smell the coffee or wait for the history to be written!
Peace has now become a cheap commodity. Infusion of bombardment and drone attacks can now lead to the greatest prize of the human spirit. That is like awarding Gandhi and Hilter for the same reason. Imagine where you give credit to the KKK and the Peace Community of Sudan. Really unfair. Reveals the truth and indepth stupidity that life has now no meaning.