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May 07, 2004
Robi's S. Asia Briefing, May 7/04

Winds of Change.NET Regional Briefings run on Tuesdays & Wednesdays, and sometimes Fridays too. This Regional Briefing focuses on South Asia, courtesy of Robi Sen and Nitin Pai of The Acorn.

MORE MUSHARRAF DEALS

  • General Musharraf faces a particular constraint as Pakistan's President - as chief of army he is constitutionally forbidden from holding the post of President. As the position of army chief holds considerable influence he is reluctant to let go; even at the risk of unraveling a deal he struck with the Islamic undamentalist alliance under which he was to 'shed his uniform' by the end of 2005. Musharraf is now engaged in political re-engineering [video] that many observers feel will involve him becoming the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League, faction-ridden political party founded by Pakistan's founder. While Pakistan's progress towards democracy is at best marginal, both the European Union and the Commonwealth are moving towards legitimizing Musharraf's regime.
  • Meanwhile the Pakistani army made a deal with Al Qaeda supporters in its South Waziristan region in a step which showed Musharraf's limitations in the war on terror. More than 78 militants arrested in this year's "hammer and anvil" spring offensive were released in return for the surrender of 5 key Al Qaeda Taliban supporters, who were also granted amnesty. Nek Mohammad, who had trained and fought with the Taliban in Afghanistan remains unrepentant. The Pashtun tribesmen seem to have defeated yet another army.
  • Pakistan recently complained about a slight border incursion by US troops chasing elements of Al Queda and the Taliban. Showing again its weakness as a key alley in the war on terror Pakistan has refused to kill or capture foreign militants on the border of Afghanistan. It is hard to understand why the US has made Pakistan a Non-Nato Major Ally (NNMA).
  • If you would like to learn more about Pakistan's government and political structure you should read Patrick Belton's excellent analysis at Winds Of Change. Here is part 1 and part 2 of his three part report.

Other Topics Today Include: India's all electronic elections; non-proliferation resolutions; Shifting Alliances; Lashkar-e-Taiba in Oz; Pakistan and India; Nepal in chaos; Bangladesh's internal woes; Terror in Thailand.

Read The Rest...

Posted by Winds of Change at May 7, 2004 12:52 AM | TrackBack
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