From: ia4@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Imran Anwar)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.pakistan
Subject: The "Power-mania" virus asscoaited with our KURSEE: by Imran Anwar
Date: 30 Sep 92 22:14:47 GMT
Organization: Columbia University


COMMENT FROM IMRAN ANWAR WITH NEWS ARTICLE

As this story shows, there is some kind of virus in our KURSEE in Islamabad, 
whoever sits on it gets an urge to play Monarch or Emperor.  It seemed that 
Nawaz Sharif was above it and would concentrate on business policies (while, 
according to critics also enriching his family and friends), but it seems that 
any kind of criticism is more than ANY ruler (whether a Bhutto or a Sharif) can 
handle.

The story shows that the idea is simply to muzzle the press.  Minister of 
Pakistan Sheikh Rasheed had said so in as many words in my meeting with him at 
the Pakistan Consulate lunch, "The problem is that the press is too powerful"

I was just speaking with an editor of the Wall Street Journal who agreed that 
this kind of petulant behaviour as the government is showing is not likely to 
make the efforts to attract investors successful.  These are just more hints 
that despite everything claimed, governments in Pakistan will always be 
controlled by personal ambitions / likes-dislikes / agendas.

I wonder how well Nawaz Sharif (or any other party head for that matter) would 
do with the kind of media scrutiny the US press gives politicians here.  Can 
you imagine what NS would do if someone did a story about his alleged romantic 
adventures?  Or if someone did an expose of how the Bhutto family cann afford 
the homes and properties it has in Europe and how the money was sent abroad?  
Probably the newspapers would be shut, the editors jailed, and the reporters 
actually killed.

Opinions from readers are welome.


Imran Anwar

[These are my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of 
organizations I am affiliated with]

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Description: Paper's Sedition Charge Stands
Header: AP Online

COMMENTS IN ( ) ARE IMRAN ANWAR's

AP 09/29 14:13 EDT V0441
Copyright 1992. The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
   ISLAMABAD, Pakistan AP -- Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Tuesday the 
government would not withdraw its sedition charge against Pakistan's largest 
English-language newspaper. 
   Some politicians and journalists have said the sedition charge lodged Sunday 
against the daily International News was an act of a dictatorship. Among the 
critics are some Cabinet ministers. 

   But Sharif vowed he would not back down. 
   "The government will not be pressured or blackmailed by anyone," [WHILE IT 
DOES BLACKMAIL MNAS, NEWSPAPERS, AND EVEN JUDGES] he said, adding that the 
charge was aimed at one newspaper, not the entire Pakistani press. [AS IF THE 
OTHER NEWSPAPERS WILL NOT TAKE THE "HINT" - 'CRITICIZE US AND YOU ARE A 
TRAITOR'] 
   The charge accuses the newspaper's editor-in-chief, Shakeel ur-Rehman; the 
executive editor of the daily's Islamabad edition, Maleeha Lodhi; and reporter 
Saeed Ahmed of trying to incite a rebellion against Sharif's coalition 
government. [REBELLIONS ARE CAUSED BY THE RICH BECOMING RICHER AT THE EXPENSE 
OF THE POOR {AS HAPPENS IN BOTH BHUTTO AND ANTI-BHUTTO REGIMES}, SOCIAL 
INJUSTICES {QUITE COMMON NOW AS IN THE PAST}, WHEN PEOPLE DECIDE TO REBEL IT 
WILL NOT BE BECAUSE BENAZIR BHUTTO OR SOMEONE ELSE HAS A "VISION" OR SOMETHING, 
IT WILL JUST BE THAT THE *PEOPLE* WILL HAVE HAD ENOUGH - AND THAT DOES NOT NEED 
JUST ONE POEM PUBLISHED IN AN ENGLISH NEWSPAPER]
   If convicted, each could be sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment.
[THAT IS LONGER THAN NS CAN EXPECT TO STAY IN GOVT!] 
   On Sept. 6, the News' Islamabad edition published an Urdu-language poem that 
ridiculed [THE OPERATIVE WORD IS RIDICULED - THAT CANNOT BE TERMED SEDITION 
EXCEPT BY A POWER HUNGRY PERSON OR A BLACKMAILER] Sharif's government for a 
financial scandal that wiped out the savings of thousands of people [ YET 
NOTHING WAS DONE BY THE GOVT EXCEPT BLAME THE PREVIOUS REGIMES]. A sedition 
case also has been filed against the poet, Mohammed Yousuf. 
   The News later published an apology on its front page and reprimanded the 
reporter. But the government said that wasn't enough and filed the charges. [IT 
IS EASIER TO ASK ALLAH'S FORGIVENESS THAN A MULLAH'S OR A PM'S]
   "The government has filed the case in accordance with the law of the land 
and the constitution [YES, AS IF WE FOLLOW ALL THE OTHER LAWS OF THE LAND AND 
AS IF WE HAVE NOT TAMPERED AND CHANGED THE CONSTITUTION AS IT SERVED THE 
PURPOSE OF WHOEVER WAS IN POWER]... No one is above the law,[EXCEPT WHOEVER IS 
IN POWER?]" Sharif told reporters in the city of Jhelum, 70 miles east of 
Islamabad. 
   Pakistan's English and Urdu language newspapers called it a blatant attempt 
to intimidate and gag the press and demanded the government immediately 
withdraw the charges. [HOPE THE PRESS WILL STAY UNITED]
   Opposition politicians, from the left-leaning Pakistan People's Party of 
former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to the powerful fundamentalist 
Jamaat-e-Islami, also rallied behind the News and accused the prime minister of 
being unable to take criticism. [OF COURSE THEY WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME THING 
IF *THEY* WERE IN POWER!]
   "It is a dictatorial attitude of the government in a democratic country," 
said Jamaat spokesman Liaqat Baloch. [WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME SOMEONE TRIED TO 
WRITE SOMETHING CRITICAL OF HIM WITHOUT HAVING HIS LEGS BROKEN :-) ?]
   Sharif's predecessor, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, also criticized the government. 
[THIS GUY WILL CRITICIZE ANYONE WHO DOES NOT CONSIDER JATOI THE ONLY TRUE MAN 
WHO SHOULD BE PM ALL THE TIME]
   "It's not simple harrassment, but an act of fascism with which the 
government wants to blanket the entire nation," Jatoi said at a news 
conference. 

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These are of course strong opinions from one individual against all these 
"leaders" [more like "GEEDUR"s if you ask me] but as a Pakistani I am extremely 
upset that ALL of them do not realize what an opportunity we have as a nation 
to enter the next century as an economic powerhouse, and a political power.  
No, for them it is more important to be called "Great Leader" by their 
"chamchaas" and none of them seems the least bit interested to go down in 
history as a great leader, just as a rich person.


Imran Anwar

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WARNING: STRONG Opionions Expressed!