I wish to put light on a few current issues the way I think about them:
Firstly, as far as the PPP's deal with the Government is concerned, I personally think that both parties may be in touch, but the Government is intentionally creating confusion and playing double game on this issue through media because they think that this way they might succeed in defaming the PPP by propagating the deal news through their 2 nd leadership while denying the same at the highest level. On the other hand, the PPP is doing totally opposite, their 2nd leadership is denying the possibility of any deal or even talks with the government while the Benazir Bhutto accepts on and off that the negotiations are underway, this way PPP has successfully created a impression among the general masses that they are the "Government in waiting" and presence of this feeling might help them to get better results in the next general elections. But currently, both parties of the issue, the establishment and the PPP, are playing their cards one by one, to pressurize and facilitate each other simultaneously to get the terms of the deal in their own favour.
And in my personal opinion, this is far more important for the government to reach a settlement with PPP, not only for Musharraf's smooth re-election as the President of Pakistan but in order to conduct somewhat fair general elections for face-saving as well because another rigged elections and another superficial structure of government in the given circumstances may create problems for Musharraf to stay at the political scene for long enough. And even if both the parties reach an agreement finally by the coming winters, government will like to make this deal public while the PPP would like to deny it in the public and media because for PPP, forming the next government with an impression of a deal with a military dictator's regime will prove to be start of a real downfall of the PPP, as far as its support in the general masses is concerned besides conceding it on the moral grounds. And it may either cause a rise of a radical left wing from within the party to the top leadership meaning an end to Bhutto family's political influence or breaking it into further factions.
Secondly, I wish to put some light on the ongoing Lal-Masjid & Jamia Hafsa crises which in my personal opinion is being staged with the support of agencies to get multiple results out of it and it will last till the government needs it. First of all, by creating this issue, the government succeeded in diverting the attention of the public and media from the ongoing judicial crises to some extent. And secondly as the presidential election or another extension to the Musharraf as the President of Pakistan is also round the corner, by creating this particular issue, the Musharraf regime is trying to convey a message to the US administration, that to curb these sort of rising fundamentalists, it is very important for Musharraf to
stay in power at the top. And if we go through a few of the previous issues of the Washington Post and the New York Times, it seems that US administration seems to be convinced to the idea but they wish to link their support to the Mushrraf regime with a much stronger action against Taliban (as we already see the ongoing fights in Waziristan) but as the political
scene might change very soon in Washington, the new US government may force Musharraf to a more democratic setup as well. And thirdly by virtue of this particular issue of Jamia-Hafsa, the government is making a favourable environment by creating an opinion that the Mudarsahs should be dealt with strictly as is sought by the USA quite often.
Thirdly, I wish to put some light on Cricket issue as well, as this is also a hot issue since Pakistani team could not make it to the super-eight stage for the 2 nd consecutive time in the ongoing world cup with the help of Wasim Bari and company's selection wich revolves around 15-20 players only and also due to continuation of ad-hocism and favouritism in the board. As we see ad-hocism and favouritism in every field here from top to bottom since 1947, the cricket board is no exception. I personally feel that the old constitution of the cricket board should be implemented immediately but with due amendments which should be discussed in the parliament openly and please stop making the critical decisions of national importance behind the doors anymore and let the retired experienced cricketers run the matters of cricket board themselves and remove this beaurocratic setup from the top forever. And I appreciate the news of a new performance-based contract with the players to be formulated. But as far as the debate of a coach is also underway, I wish to suggest that as the current Bangladeshi coach, Dave Watmore is about to complete his current assignment after the ongoing world cup, Pakistan should try to hire his services as a coach for a real improvement in the years to come, because he has a record of making winning teams out of nothing as his efforts with the underdogs like Sri Lanka previously and now with Bangladeshi team are quite evident and we should hire him besides hiring a senior Pakistani cricketer like Imran Khan as team advisor who could help in team selection but to formulate the policy before the start of a match with the consultation of team captain and the coach so that the team collectively and every individual player has a proper game-plan in mind before he enters the field.
Well wisher: Farrukh A. Raja
|
Health
