06-07-2007, 09:39 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Dictatorial streak </b>
The Pioneer Edit Desk
Musharraf shows his true colours
It may be somewhat galling to Gen Pervez Musharraf, who has basked in his image of a benign and liberal autocrat, that he finds himself forced to take stern steps to shore up his regime. Yet, even as the snowballing pro-democracy political agitation unleashed by the March 9 suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has possibly isolated him, popular discontent - so far repressed - has found a channel of expression in Pakistan.<b> Army rule has come under increasing criticism, as indicated by the publication of Ms Ayesha Siddiqa's book on the Pakistani military's assets, reflective of middle-class anger against rulers in uniform</b>. Gen Musharraf has begun to find that he has limited options. Before the agitation began, he was perhaps expecting an easy ride in the September presidential election, with hopes of sustaining the existing political arrangement despite pressure on him to give up one of his two hats. He may also have been hopeful that the subsequent general election, held under his supervision, would throw up a configuration convenient to him. The current agitation, that has also emboldened the political parties, has substantially altered the picture and considerably weakened his position. <b>The General has now to ride out this storm to survive. He perhaps believes that media coverage has given force to the campaign against him, devoid of which it would fizzle out. This may be one of the reasons why he has resorted to an attempt to regain some initiative by attacking the freedom of the Press under the pretext that private channels have been devoting too much time to criticism of the Army and other institutions of the state. Broadcast content is now to be controlled through a draconian Ordinance, drafted by men in khaki, that empowers the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority to unilaterally confiscate equipment of defaulting television channels and seal premises. It comes in the wake of a Government order that has banned live coverage of events on television. </b>
That in the immediate future an increasingly beleaguered Gen Musharraf may resort to further repression to retain his hold was indicated in a crackdown on activists in Punjab in which - as claimed by the Opposition - hundreds of protesters have been arrested. Cases have also been lodged against many newspersons who have refused to accept the new media regulations. Already, the spectre of military repression has begun to generate fears in Pakistan that the process of elections may get derailed if Gen Musharraf takes to an unconstitutional path, giving democracy a setback. Were this to happen, it would be deeply unfortunate for Pakistan and would only deepen the political crisis which now prevails. Gen Musharraf would find popular support deserting him, as political parties tap the growing discontent. Dependent largely on force, he would be hamstrung and ineffectual. This in turn could lead to his fall from grace and exit from power. It's happened before.
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The Pioneer Edit Desk
Musharraf shows his true colours
It may be somewhat galling to Gen Pervez Musharraf, who has basked in his image of a benign and liberal autocrat, that he finds himself forced to take stern steps to shore up his regime. Yet, even as the snowballing pro-democracy political agitation unleashed by the March 9 suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has possibly isolated him, popular discontent - so far repressed - has found a channel of expression in Pakistan.<b> Army rule has come under increasing criticism, as indicated by the publication of Ms Ayesha Siddiqa's book on the Pakistani military's assets, reflective of middle-class anger against rulers in uniform</b>. Gen Musharraf has begun to find that he has limited options. Before the agitation began, he was perhaps expecting an easy ride in the September presidential election, with hopes of sustaining the existing political arrangement despite pressure on him to give up one of his two hats. He may also have been hopeful that the subsequent general election, held under his supervision, would throw up a configuration convenient to him. The current agitation, that has also emboldened the political parties, has substantially altered the picture and considerably weakened his position. <b>The General has now to ride out this storm to survive. He perhaps believes that media coverage has given force to the campaign against him, devoid of which it would fizzle out. This may be one of the reasons why he has resorted to an attempt to regain some initiative by attacking the freedom of the Press under the pretext that private channels have been devoting too much time to criticism of the Army and other institutions of the state. Broadcast content is now to be controlled through a draconian Ordinance, drafted by men in khaki, that empowers the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority to unilaterally confiscate equipment of defaulting television channels and seal premises. It comes in the wake of a Government order that has banned live coverage of events on television. </b>
That in the immediate future an increasingly beleaguered Gen Musharraf may resort to further repression to retain his hold was indicated in a crackdown on activists in Punjab in which - as claimed by the Opposition - hundreds of protesters have been arrested. Cases have also been lodged against many newspersons who have refused to accept the new media regulations. Already, the spectre of military repression has begun to generate fears in Pakistan that the process of elections may get derailed if Gen Musharraf takes to an unconstitutional path, giving democracy a setback. Were this to happen, it would be deeply unfortunate for Pakistan and would only deepen the political crisis which now prevails. Gen Musharraf would find popular support deserting him, as political parties tap the growing discontent. Dependent largely on force, he would be hamstrung and ineffectual. This in turn could lead to his fall from grace and exit from power. It's happened before.
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