It seems now that Mr Musharaff has arrested all the people he needed, removed the judges that disagreed, appointed himself as supreme ayatollah president, cajoled all the defaulters into line ensuring they stand for election and changed the army top brass - we are now set to see Emergency powers removed tomorrow….
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071213/ap_on_re_as/pakistan

Emergency didn’t prove to be any obstacle to life in Islamabad, at least driving around I didnt see any visible signs of army or tanks on the street… So maybe now is a good time to ask WHY?
Why do we all have to suffer international inginity and honorary “banana republic” status just for one man to cling onto power… (Incidentally BB and Nawaz were no different).
Cant these people see that every time they take these extreme measures to perpetuate their meagre political existence they actually are doing more harm than good?

Mr Musharaff is changing the constitution so that we cant ask that question either….

he gets greeted by many.

Lahore Metroblog is covering full details of Imran Khan’s detention, the protests, and likewise incidents.

Like most of my compatriots, I am deeply saddened by the government’s persecution of the media. The shameful tragedy that was the shutting down of the entire Geo Network is earning the most vehement protests of all, and deservedly so. (I was glad to read in The News yesterday, though, that Geo is planning to launch itself from a new location very soon - jiyo, Geo!)

On a personal level though, what has contributed most greatly to my own heartbreak over the media’s situation is the fact that Aaj TV has stopped airing Live With Talat. Aaj TV, as you probably know, has been allowed to resume transmission. However, the government’s conditions for its resumption included the cancellation of two of Aaj’s leading current affairs programs: Live With Talat and Bolta Pakistan. Both programs have been off the air since Aaj’s return to the screen, thus depriving Pakistan of the broadcasting brilliance of Talat Hussain, Nusrat Javed, and Mushtaq Minhas.
(more…)

Taken by Sajjad Ali Qureshi (The Nation’s photo journalist). Please click on images to view the original page.

Students of Quaid-e-Azam University holding placards shout slogans during a demonstration to protest against ban on media and imposition of emergency rule in the country. The placard is a modification of I am a Muslim.

Islami Jamiat Talaba activists push Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan into a van at the Punjab University, where he had come to lead a student rally on Wednesday, 14 Nov,2007.

Imran Khan was in hiding since Emergency’s imposition for obvious reasons. Our sister blog, Lahore Metroblog, reported about the event widely.

Politics may be necessary for nation’s build-up but its a Dirty Game nevertheless. Reasons and Logics can go in background, play of words and tacts start acting. The man-handling of his is clearly a political game played by opponents or so-called-ally. Muslim League is playing dirty by posting advertisements like these in leading newspapers (more can be read here)

The awaam is in misery. Who to look up at?? Who to follow? A state of Emergency indeed.

Dictionary says Emergency is “a sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that requires immediate action”; in our case it was neither unforeseen nor immediate action can help. Long Term Planning, Action, and a Leader is all we require.

You can also read these posts on Imran Khan at LMB: Imran Khan’s arrest, Jemima fears for Imran, and Imran Khan’s Detention. All Things Pakistan reports the arrest here</a.

There gonna be two protests on Novemver 14 & 15, as per the following schedule:

The first one:

Date: Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Time: 3 30 p.m.
Location: Aabpara Chowk, Islamabad.

All the sections of the civil society are expected to join.

Few KEEP-IN-MINDs:

You should wear a black band to protest against the imposition of emergency.
You should bring a flower to pay homage to the men of courage.

Please remember
- To be right on time
- During the protest do not block the road and let the traffic pass by so that you do not cause inconvenience to general public.

And the other one:

Date: Thursday, November 15, 2007
Time: 2:00pm - 10:00pm
Location: Blue Area…starting from Subway upto the president house
Street: Quaid-e -azam Avenue
City/Town: Islamabad, Pakistan

For the first time in a long time, I’m gonna tone down my ADD and focus. So your favorite Islo-ite grabs a taxi today, and of course struck up a conversation…. duhhh, that what I do, I guess we haven’t met…. Right lets get back on track. So we started talking about how business has been lately and eventually we started talking about his personal experience at the airport the other day.

Currently only taxi’s with a “airport sticker” are allowed to park and wait at our local, and might I add lovely airport. So of course this gentleman’s vehicle did NOT comply with the standard airport security protocol of having that special little sticker.

So our friendly cab driver slipped the security officer a 50, yup The BIG 50 rupees, the same one you’ve had in your hot little hand before. Then cruised right in without any security checks. Now I thought the point of being at a higher security alert was to help protect the people.

Where is the protection when any old average Joe can come up in a vehicle and park it at will?

Ohhh boy, all that talk about social awareness makes me tired, I think its time for me to cruise out into the night, and see what this town has to offer on a Tuesday Night…

We’ll see you boys and girls next time…

So Stay Tuned…

Same Metro Time,

Same Metro Channel…..

Yesterday, President Musharraf addressed first News Conference after Emergency’s imposition. Of a few things he was asked, ousting of three foreign journalists from Pakistan within 72 hours notice was the most interesting.

Two days back, I initially heard in PTV news that three journalists (read goray) were asked to leave Pakistan within 72 hours time, due to lingual profanity used for president Musharaf in an article “Bankrupt Relationship” published in Daily Telegraph (UK). When I read through the article, I myself felt offended, let’s quote the profane part here (should I??):

In the old parlance, General Pervez Musharraf is “our sonofabitch”. He has failed to stamp out extremist groups and close the madrassas that inspire them. He has allowed the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan to fall into the hands of assorted jihadis. And he has sacked independent-minded judges for fear that the Supreme Court declare illegal his re-election as president last month.

When Musharraf was asked regarding the deportation of three foreign journalists, he said:

In fact I expect an apology from them.

Also he mentioned that what they had written and the way their newspapers had commented about him were highly objectionable and could not be tolerated in any civilized society, and asked what would be their reaction if any Pakistani reporter used such a language against their president.

After reading the article, I was disgusted too. I feel the depature of trio was well justified. Reporters can be sans borders but the ethics should never leave Journalism. When it comes to country concerns, should we not discourage such foreign outbursts??

Quoting from a blog, wecite, I end the post but the question remains.

NO ONE has the right to use such foul language against our leaders. Granted Pakistan is going through enough turmoil lately but that is our INTERNAL affair! We do not give the right to ANY one in the world to downgrade us and our leaders!

Are you Offended by this event??

News in media: BBC, Telegraph

The song that comes into my mind after seeing images below :\\

Taken by Sajjad Ali Qureshi (The Nation’s photo journalist). Please click on images to view the original page.

Here, it seems people are finding it fun to pull barbwires, this side or that side. I can feel the song (in title) running in background. Even the policemen are smiling …. :-)

Dozens of armed personnel are sprinkled around the city in every nook and corner. Hiding behind the sand bags … looking at you with those huge eyes, uncertainty spread. I almost feel sad for them. They are the ones who gets punished if they do their job and if they dont. Totally Clueless.

Do you think violence and forceful protests are needed to ensure your voice is heard?? Sadistic but this fashion is always heard.Media cover violent happenings for minutes on; the peaceful ones rarely make it to the national news. Is it our attitude to react towards happenings and issues or something else??

I was at a colleague’s wedding today noon, when I learned that Baraat, coming from Lahore, has been stopped from entering the city at G.T. Road by the security officials. As per the live update coming from different cell phones connected with individuals present on the spot, the guys with the guns were in no mood to listen to anything. They were not even interested in checking the cars, only to learn that this was merely a baraat, and that the baraatis have not even any remote plans to join BB’s protest. The groom returned back and tried to enter from motorway, going all the way to Chakwal, Balkasar and Chakri only to meet the same fate again. At this moment, they talked to bride’s father, who happens to be a guy with a crescent and few stars on his shoulders in Armed Forces of Pakistan, and asked him to find some solution to the, one of its kind, problem. I got busy with something and missed the transmission for a while. When I joined back, by then, the groom was able to enter from Chakri interchange. I dont know if it was the bride to make this happen or the groom managed the security-guys on his own, but they eventually made it to the marriage hall.

BB says that she is proud of today’s outcome: one call for protest has jammed half of the country, and that she will continue with such calls.

Alarm bells for all the brides whose baraats are planned to come from outside the city in the weeks to come. Make sure your day doesn’t collide with BB’s, as the vice-versa doesn’t seem to be practical. And the grooms too, who plan to bring the brides from other cities, your bride may be denied the entry on the way back home :)

PS: At the wedding more than one versions of the story were available, all claiming to be live :)