The Republic of Tea

If ever there was a clear indication as to the intentions of Western nations for Pakistan, its now. At a press conference at the Foreign Office in Pakistan, the Secretary General of the Commonwealth endorsed Musharraf's retention of his army chief position whilst serving as the country's (non-elected) chief executive.

Don McKinnon contended that the move was legitimate since it was done "through parliamentary route and not executive order." "Supremacy of parliament in Pakistan has been the underlying objective of the Commonwealth," he said. "What is important is that President Musharraf has gone to parliament." But how supreme is our parliament, really?

Musharraf, since he came to power, has been working meticulously towards constructing a napoleonic order. Witness the spate of turncoats in the National Assembly that now bow to military rule. How different are they from the nawabs of the British era? The lower they bowed the more riches allowed.

Musharraf's bribes have paid off. He's backed politically by the Chaudhry's (Shujaat and Pervez Elahi) who, now that they're running things, aren't wasting any time doling out favors and stuffing their pockets. And Shaukat Aziz, a puppet albeit an honest one, has been conveniently relegated to economic affairs.

So if the ruling party are Nawabs, what does that make Musharraf? Simple...a successor to colonial power. Pakistan will not be free until we unseat the tyrranous viceroy Musharraf who represents nothing to this country but foreign interests; the American's and the Brits have their hands firmly on the reigns of power. Not surprising then that they should so suddenly lay the claim that democracy in Pakistan is alive and well.