Musharraf Consolidates His Control With Arrests

[helderheid]

Police officers confronted protesters on Sunday in Islamabad.

Article Tools Sponsored By
By JANE PERLEZ
Published: November 4, 2007

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Nov. 4, — About 500 opposition party workers, lawyers and human rights activists were arrested today as the government of General Pervez Musharraf tried to consolidate its control after imposing emergency rule.

About a dozen privately run television news stations remained off the air, and international channels, including the BBC and CNN, were suspended. In the city of Lahore, police officers armed with tear gas tried to break up a meeting of regime opponents at the headquarters of the Pakistan Human Rights Commission. They took dozens of people away in police vans.

Around the country, at least 80 lawyers were arrested, in an apparent bid to head off demonstrations that lawyers groups had planned for Monday.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said at a news conference today that new parliamentary elections, which had been expected in January, could be “up to a year” away. He said up to 500 opposition activists had been arrested nationwide.

More
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/world/asia/04cnd-pakistan.html?hp

[JDPriestly]

1. I have been warning about Pakistan since we went into

Afghanistan. Pakistan is the big problem. There is a great film about the establishment of the state of Pakistan -- or the separation of the area from India called Earth. See it if you want to understand the anger and frustration of the Pakistani people. Pakistan is a huge problem. It was born of intolerance and hatred, and we know that intolerance and hatred breed more intolerance and hatred. Pakistanis are victims of a vicious cycle of violence and extremism. Those of us who are compassionate and tolerant need to be much stronger in demonstrating what we stand for. Once intolerance and extremism gain a foothold in a culture, it is very hard for tolerance and balance to govern. You cannot blame just one person for this although Musharraf is immediately responsible for the violations of the Pakistani Constitution.

[blondeatlast]

2. Musharraf is not a strong enough leader to balance al Qaeda, India/Afghanistan,

and his desire for US help at once. It's likely no one could.

But Pakistan is a powderkeg and the US ignores it at our own peril, and of course, that's EXACTLY what we are doing. Chances are good that powerful aQ is already there--and of course, chances are very good that ObL is there as well.


Sleep well, GWB...