Syed Saleem Shahzad: Sharif Na Idhar Ka Na Udhar Ka
Munawwar Hasan treads the line, Nawaz Sharif crossed the line and ImranKhan is still sitting on the fence regarding the Taliban. Only yesterday on Capital Talk he offered a weak apology saying his 'condemnation' press statements are not being picked up by the media!~~t
In this charged environment, former premier Sharif has for the first time openly criticized the Taliban for their "brutal conduct" and their brand of Islam, which he pointed out included stoning to death and the amputation of hands. Sharif's statement serves as an announcement of his support for a new American-sponsored military operation in Pakistan. This is an important and dangerous shift for Sharif and his right-wing party as it places them directly in the crosshairs of the Taliban and their al-Qaeda colleagues.
It appears, though, that Sharif has made his decision, even though it places his life on the line with jihadis. His support for the "American war" will keep him going in politics. Were he not to do so, the result would most likely be some form of a military coup, which would spell his political death.
And Jammat' Munawwar Treads the Thin Line
Another major upset came from Syed Munawar Hasan, the newly elected chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami, the country's largest religious party. Al-Qaeda had expected a lot from him, but he came out in his first policy address and publicly announced his support for democracy and condemned all kinds of terrorism, saying that anyone who had joined al-Qaeda should leave that path. He did though condemn the pro-American policies of the government and lend clear support for the Taliban-led Afghan national resistance.
In this charged environment, former premier Sharif has for the first time openly criticized the Taliban for their "brutal conduct" and their brand of Islam, which he pointed out included stoning to death and the amputation of hands. Sharif's statement serves as an announcement of his support for a new American-sponsored military operation in Pakistan. This is an important and dangerous shift for Sharif and his right-wing party as it places them directly in the crosshairs of the Taliban and their al-Qaeda colleagues.
It appears, though, that Sharif has made his decision, even though it places his life on the line with jihadis. His support for the "American war" will keep him going in politics. Were he not to do so, the result would most likely be some form of a military coup, which would spell his political death.
And Jammat' Munawwar Treads the Thin Line
Another major upset came from Syed Munawar Hasan, the newly elected chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami, the country's largest religious party. Al-Qaeda had expected a lot from him, but he came out in his first policy address and publicly announced his support for democracy and condemned all kinds of terrorism, saying that anyone who had joined al-Qaeda should leave that path. He did though condemn the pro-American policies of the government and lend clear support for the Taliban-led Afghan national resistance.
posted by temporal at 5/06/2009
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