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| India-Pakistan |
| Post Election Horse Trading in Pakistan... |
| 2002-10-18 |
| Hectic political contacts and intra-party dialogue have helped uncover post-election scenarios leading towards the government formation in Pakistan as a result of October 10 general elections. The pro-government Pakistan Muslim League (Q) has emerged as the leading candidate for the office of Prime Minister followed by the alliance of religious parties, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan (MMAP) which is looking to get its men heading both the houses of the Parliament. Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) and another smaller pro-government alliance, National Alliance (NA) seemed to be out of the race for the premiership of the country. No room at the trough? Too bad... At the provincial level, MMAP is all set to constitute government of its own in the province bordering Afghanistan, that is NWFP and in Balochistan it is negotiating a deal with PML (Q) which in turn, is ready to take over Punjab province and is also helping pro-government NA to get a majority in Sindh. Qazi doesn't really care about Punjab and Sindh at the moment, but he's looking forward to ruling Pashtunistan... Sensing the victory for the pro-Musharraf League in the numbers game, independent contestants in the elections have started joining this party, gradually increasing its strength. In all there are 29 members-elect of the National Assembly who have returned without a party ticket. Ten of these, the MMAP has claimed would join this religious group. The main bulk of the rest is to go to the League camp, helping it play better in the number game. "Mmmmm! Graft! Hey, move over Abdullah! There's enough for all of us...!" So far, Q League, which is leading numerically with 77 of its original seats plus 12 independents who are likely to join in, is the closest party to 137 number required to form a government. MMAP may reach 55 with the induction of 10 independent MNAs into its ranks whereas PPPP stands at 63. The turbans have been talking like they expect to be in charge — looks like the Reichstag may slip from Qazi's finger. A few days ago reader David pointed out in an e-mail that Remember that the Islamist nutjobs love and admire Adolf Hitler. Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Qazi Hussein Ahmed may have been reading William L. Shirer's Rise and Fall of the Third Reich in addition to their usual steady diet of Mein Kampf -- this kind of ludicrous stunt is *exactly* how Herr Schicklgruber wound up in Germany's driver's seat. A backroom bargain, a few carefully-picked posts for his cronies, and voila... everything you need to get your own dictatorship together.The only thing missing from rule of Pashtunistan would be control of the "Islamic nukes." Maybe next election, huh? |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #1 Does anyone see another Musharraf coup in the offing? It is unlikely Musharraf will sit back and watch the islamists take over "his country." If it means the islamists will not control Pakistan's nukes, the US will give lip service to democracy, and continue to work with Musharraf, post coup. |
| Posted by: Rene Buchard 2002-10-18 15:53:37 |