Mediawatch Desi Apr 06: In Praise & Evaluation of Zardari, Nadeem Paracha, Anjum Niaz, Munir Niazi, Humayoun Gohar, Amina Jilani, Raza Rumi
Despite being under the media microscope Asif Zardari has managed to make his moves almost with a finesse not seen in Pakistani politics since the hey days of Zina ul Haq. First he forced Nawaz Sharif to reverse his stand of not participating in the elections and then after the February 18 elections he convinced him to join PPP in a coalition. And then emphasising on national reconciliation he brought ANP, JUI and MQM on board finessing Sharif PML, almost managing to single handedly pull the rug from under Sharif. Most of the lead editorials and columns comment on this today.
Unfortunately, certain powerful elements in the media have leapt into the fray and appear to be trying to force the hands of the PPP in the matter. Instead of reporting the matter objectively certain front-paged news stories contain overt and partisan comment that seems to put everyone on notice that the PPP leader is “changing tune” on the matter of the judges. Editorials too are tending to be partisan whereas only weeks ago they were advocating reconciliation of differing views in the past. The TV channels continue to follow more or less the same policy under the general anti-American, anti-Musharraf rubric. The leads the politicians to follow on cue: for example, one ex-PPP lawyer-politician from Peshawar condemned the PPP for including the MQM in the Sindh government on one chat show, but changed his tune when he appeared on another channel on the same theme. PPP-PMLN: tensions again? Daily Times Editorial. And more on the same theme: Dr.Hasan-Askar Rizvi, Shujaat Ali Khan, Nation's ediotrial, Frontier Post, The News editorial, Nazir Naji (Jang)
The Dawn editorial Unwarranted speculatiom begins with " WITH neither side having officially denounced the Bhurban Declaration, the reports in the media about differences between the PPP and the PML-N on the judges’ issue appear odd, if not outlandish. " and end with this sentence, "Let us all show restraint."
This is dichotomous preaching. Saying one thing, while doing the other. The Dawn Group is part of the problem in feeding this frenzy and instead of preaching from the pulpit should lead by example.
And the Bawa-ji as usual pulls no punches in Graveyards and other Cults
As for Musharraf, Asif is right when he says he has delivered — he has, down to the last drop, which for Asif is the National Reconciliation Ordinance. Now, even the hard-cast case in the Swiss courts involving the Cotecna and SGS kickbacks and money laundering is being killed off thanks to the NRO (though with a PPP government in power Pakistan could in any case have withdrawn itself). The NRO is in itself iniquitous, it is unconstitutional, unlawful and immoral as it involves not the money of individuals but of the people of Pakistan. What we must remember, and what the beneficiaries of the NRO in their shamelessness will not remember, are the words of Dominique Henchoz, the Government of Pakistan’s lawyer in the Swiss case. Whilst confirming to the press that Pakistan had withdrawn itself as a civil party to the case, she remarked: “Just because there has been an amnesty for the good of the country does not mean that no crime was committed.”
On related theme the editorial from the Nation.
Commenting on Gillani's maiden speech Nadeem Paracha writes. "Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani's “First Hundred Days” speech managed to spring a few pleasant surprises. The biggest being his immediate order of restoring student unions in the country." and end on this ominous note, " The real test of character and commitment begins now." This experiment is conjoined at the waist with Kalashnikov culture. If the surgeons of democracy can use the scalpels of law and order to separate the unions from the evil twin of Kalashnikovs, then and only then will this experiment work. We wait with baited breadths.
This email was sent by BB 17 days before her assasination: "Called many times to wish you, a very special person, many happy returns of the day. Your phone is always off! I just think how much more difficult life would have been without you at every step for 30 years to share the burdens, the grief and the challenges that came our way. You are the constant thread which runs through decades proving that a life without friends is not really a life. Thank you for being you. May God protect you from all insaan, shaitaan and jinn. Bibi -- Dec 10, 2007.” If you want to know about the addressee read about it in Anjum Niaz's column.
Let some of it be unsaid
Let some of it be unheard
If all’s said, all’s heard
Life shall remain An elusive restlessness
On a colourful, unmade world
Let a window stay un-opened
Munir Niazi: by Peerzada Salman
Humayun Gohar addresses Yusuf Raza Gillani today: It follows then that if a ruler talks less and walks more, he is less likely to get into trouble by not raising expectations unreasonably high. Better to implement what the people want first, and then talk - show off even. Your government is hardly a couple of weeks old and there are already contradictions developing between assertion and action. They are not major. For example, you promised to lower expenditure on the prime minister (they always do) by 40 percent. Why 40 percent? Why not 45? Which hat did you pull that figure out of? Having said that, you drove straight to Chaklala Airbase and flew to Karachi in a government executive jet, not for some pressing official engagement but to attend your son's wedding. Then you flew back in the same jet to take oath as prime minister. No one would have noticed if you hadn't made the 40 percent assertion.
Also Amina Jilani: One hundred days is little time in the life of a government and it should not be frittered away, as so far it has, with intrigues, vengefulness, visits to tombs, inaugurations of documentaries, and a prime minister taking note of cricketing matters.
Since I comment on the media, the reporters and journalists here is an interesting article by my friend Raza Rumi on the writers. In the interest of disclosure, I am a contributor to Pak Tea House.
Unfortunately, certain powerful elements in the media have leapt into the fray and appear to be trying to force the hands of the PPP in the matter. Instead of reporting the matter objectively certain front-paged news stories contain overt and partisan comment that seems to put everyone on notice that the PPP leader is “changing tune” on the matter of the judges. Editorials too are tending to be partisan whereas only weeks ago they were advocating reconciliation of differing views in the past. The TV channels continue to follow more or less the same policy under the general anti-American, anti-Musharraf rubric. The leads the politicians to follow on cue: for example, one ex-PPP lawyer-politician from Peshawar condemned the PPP for including the MQM in the Sindh government on one chat show, but changed his tune when he appeared on another channel on the same theme. PPP-PMLN: tensions again? Daily Times Editorial. And more on the same theme: Dr.Hasan-Askar Rizvi, Shujaat Ali Khan, Nation's ediotrial, Frontier Post, The News editorial, Nazir Naji (Jang)
The Dawn editorial Unwarranted speculatiom begins with " WITH neither side having officially denounced the Bhurban Declaration, the reports in the media about differences between the PPP and the PML-N on the judges’ issue appear odd, if not outlandish. " and end with this sentence, "Let us all show restraint."
This is dichotomous preaching. Saying one thing, while doing the other. The Dawn Group is part of the problem in feeding this frenzy and instead of preaching from the pulpit should lead by example.
And the Bawa-ji as usual pulls no punches in Graveyards and other Cults
As for Musharraf, Asif is right when he says he has delivered — he has, down to the last drop, which for Asif is the National Reconciliation Ordinance. Now, even the hard-cast case in the Swiss courts involving the Cotecna and SGS kickbacks and money laundering is being killed off thanks to the NRO (though with a PPP government in power Pakistan could in any case have withdrawn itself). The NRO is in itself iniquitous, it is unconstitutional, unlawful and immoral as it involves not the money of individuals but of the people of Pakistan. What we must remember, and what the beneficiaries of the NRO in their shamelessness will not remember, are the words of Dominique Henchoz, the Government of Pakistan’s lawyer in the Swiss case. Whilst confirming to the press that Pakistan had withdrawn itself as a civil party to the case, she remarked: “Just because there has been an amnesty for the good of the country does not mean that no crime was committed.”
On related theme the editorial from the Nation.
Commenting on Gillani's maiden speech Nadeem Paracha writes. "Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani's “First Hundred Days” speech managed to spring a few pleasant surprises. The biggest being his immediate order of restoring student unions in the country." and end on this ominous note, " The real test of character and commitment begins now." This experiment is conjoined at the waist with Kalashnikov culture. If the surgeons of democracy can use the scalpels of law and order to separate the unions from the evil twin of Kalashnikovs, then and only then will this experiment work. We wait with baited breadths.
This email was sent by BB 17 days before her assasination: "Called many times to wish you, a very special person, many happy returns of the day. Your phone is always off! I just think how much more difficult life would have been without you at every step for 30 years to share the burdens, the grief and the challenges that came our way. You are the constant thread which runs through decades proving that a life without friends is not really a life. Thank you for being you. May God protect you from all insaan, shaitaan and jinn. Bibi -- Dec 10, 2007.” If you want to know about the addressee read about it in Anjum Niaz's column.
Let some of it be unsaid
Let some of it be unheard
If all’s said, all’s heard
Life shall remain An elusive restlessness
On a colourful, unmade world
Let a window stay un-opened
Munir Niazi: by Peerzada Salman
Humayun Gohar addresses Yusuf Raza Gillani today: It follows then that if a ruler talks less and walks more, he is less likely to get into trouble by not raising expectations unreasonably high. Better to implement what the people want first, and then talk - show off even. Your government is hardly a couple of weeks old and there are already contradictions developing between assertion and action. They are not major. For example, you promised to lower expenditure on the prime minister (they always do) by 40 percent. Why 40 percent? Why not 45? Which hat did you pull that figure out of? Having said that, you drove straight to Chaklala Airbase and flew to Karachi in a government executive jet, not for some pressing official engagement but to attend your son's wedding. Then you flew back in the same jet to take oath as prime minister. No one would have noticed if you hadn't made the 40 percent assertion.
Also Amina Jilani: One hundred days is little time in the life of a government and it should not be frittered away, as so far it has, with intrigues, vengefulness, visits to tombs, inaugurations of documentaries, and a prime minister taking note of cricketing matters.
Since I comment on the media, the reporters and journalists here is an interesting article by my friend Raza Rumi on the writers. In the interest of disclosure, I am a contributor to Pak Tea House.
posted by temporal at 4/07/2008
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