Musharraf’s Journey to Europe
By Naveed Khan
San Jose, CA
Pakistan Diaspora must protest Musharraf’s trip to Europe when he visits his benefactors starting on January 21. I urge the expatriates to clearly express disdain for Musharraf’s policies as they have brought Pakistan to a brink. The life of an ordinary person is much worse today than what it was nine years back, when he usurped power from a civilian Prime Minister. Because of his government's economic policies, there is shortage of essential food items in the markets, judicial system is in shambles, media is strangled, corruption is at its peak, violence is widespread and the general belief is that his government would massively manipulate and rig the coming elections.
There is shortage of electricity, shortage of natural gas, and in some areas, even shortage of water. This is happening in the middle of winter when these essential items are in abundance. Musharraf’s biggest benefactor and the only supporter in the world, American President Bush is threatening to directly attack Pakistan ’s tribal areas to eliminate the Al-Qaeda. Pakistanis are economically, militarily and financially insecure.
Musharraf’s nine years of autocratic rule with unfettered power have been a miserable failure. He has to keep the Judges of the highest court and most prominent lawyers incarcerated because he fears their intellect and determined resolve to gain freedom for the people. Most watched television programs and television personalities have been forbidden for telecasting their viewpoints because they would challenges the government’s policies of coercion, intimidation, kidnapping and torture. As the world marches forward with freedom of speech and right of dissent, Pakistan has been held hostage by the whims of a dictator who considers himself indispensable. His political support comes from the MQM, and some small petty minded politicians of PML-Q who have won flawed elections with the connivance of intelligence agencies under the supervision of Pakistan Military and President.
There is no solid proof that Benazir was assassinated by the government agencies; however, he is culpable for not providing adequate security to the ex-Prime Minister and arguably the most popular political personality in Pakistan . Musharraf is culpable for not investigating the murderous assault on her procession on October 18 and thus allowing the same culprits to strike again and kill her.
As Musharraf visits the democracies of the West, we must challenge him at every destination and ask our respective governments that they should stop supporting a dictator. We should demand his resignation and trial for treason and sedition against Pakistan’s constitution and for crimes against Pakistani people.
