Pakistanization Of Pakistan And The Night Of The Generals

== This is from an Indian blog. It's important to hear the views of those more closely involved in these world events. ==

By Taj Hashmi

07 November, 2007
Countercurrents.org

There should not be any reservation about the expression “Pakistanization” for the obvious reason: what happens in this unique country created in the name of a religion (Islam) hardly happens anywhere in the world. While even coup-prone nations are gradually treading the democratic or at least constitutional path, Pakistan has remained unique for being run by a serving general as its “elected” president and without a constitution. The country’s constitution has been suspended, modified and even replaced with draconian acts several times since 1958, in the name of defending Islam and sovereignty of the country.

So there is nothing new about the latest scrapping of the constitution on November 3, by General Pervez Musharraf. The serving general-cum-elected president of the country declared the state of emergency, suspended the constitution, dismissed the Chief Justice, arrested lawyers and curtailed whatever had been left of human rights in the country. The raison deter for these extreme measures, as always under martial law, was “to save the country from the brink”.

Sadly for Musharraf, hardly anyone in the world is buying his phony logic. It is absolutely clear that his declaration of emergency as the Chief of Staff of the Army, not as the President, virtually amounts to the re-imposition of martial law in Pakistan, which is practically under military rule since 1999. And Musharraf did this apprehending Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry’s judgment nullifying his recent “election” as the president of Pakistan. Pakistan is the first and only country in the world having a serving general as its “elected” president. Consequently, Musharraf has become more of a power-hungry despot than an ally in the American War on Terror. His recent deals with Islamist extremists in northwestern Pakistan have tarnished his image as an upholder of “moderate Islam” as well.

Continues at.... http://www.countercurrents.org/hashmi071107.htm