Whetting the heat of the movement
What began with 'minus-one formula' and then came to be known as 'fixation of CJ's term for three years' has finally assumed the shape of 'retention of PCO judges'. Fallacy is the visible thread of continuity within these three manifestations. That is why each one has backfired.
The 'minus-one' idea was brought out on the premise that the noble cause of strengthening the independence of the judiciary should not be linked to chief justice Iftikhar. However, the wizards coming out with this idea were not aware of the historically proven fact that certain human beings and the movements they create eventually become inseparable. Can we de-link Che Guevara from Bolivian identity or Nelson Mandela from South African history?
There can be many examples of this phenomenon. Likewise, it is chief justice Iftikhar who symbolises the independence of the judiciary in this country.
The second idea of fixation of the CJ's term for three years is even more dubious. Nowhere in the world, is the term of the CJ fixed for any duration. It is so because the CJ is not an elected office. It is true that the non-elected chief election commissioner got a fixed term of three years as per Article 215 of the Constitution, but that is only because of the specific nature of his job, which is all about elections.
A permanent chief election commissioner might be frowned upon by other parties whenever the term of an in-power party is over. Nevertheless, Article 168 about the auditor-general of Pakistan is silent with regard to his term because term fixation is done for an elected office only.
The third idea about retention of the PCO judges borders on absurdity. Why did lawyers and civil society take to the streets everywhere on March 9, 2007, and continue to do so now, if the PCO judges were to be retained ultimately? Lawyers see raising of the number of judges from 17 to 27 as an attempt to usurp the apex court. They believe that PCO judges are renegades and their retention would be identical to our acceptance of 'atoot-ang' stance of India on Kashmir. That is why none of the above ideas have worked.
Indeed, every snare has happened to be too short to entangle the lawyers' movement. In our history, this is the first-ever indigenous, spontaneous, middle class-driven, intellectually-equipped and emotionally-charged movement. Unlike other movements, the leaders and the led ones in it are on the same intellectual plane. Hence, hoodwinking of the led by the leaders is simply unthinkable here. That is why, all Iftikharophobic moves are found not dampening but whetting the heat of this movement.
Waqar Aslam,
Quetta

He needs serpents, not friends
What a disgrace it was to watch PPP Co-chairman, Asif Zardari, insult on a foreign television channel deposed chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, only to satisfy his old grudge against the Supreme Court chief justice. By making such trivial comments, how does Zardari differ from unconstitutional despots? The PPP's mindset is reflected by the verdict of the Supreme Court bench under Chief Justice, Abdul Hameed Dogar, for waiving off the graduation condition for contesting elections. The PML-N should realize that their sincerest cooperation to Benazir and the PPP is being taken for granted. After the PPP reached agreement with the MQM, it came out with Machiavellian colours to backtrack on the Murree Accord which the NRO-ed Zardari, in his interview, thought a political statement. He has used the PML-N to serve the Musharraf-MQM agenda. Unfortunately, Asif Zardari needs serpents, not sincere friends.
JP Mousevie,
New York

Bearing shades of Hitchcock's movies
Zardari's political histrionics remind me of Hitchcock's mystery movies. I wonder if he watched his mystery masterpieces. Because of his manipulations and political flip-flops, he has proved to be non-committal, donning a 'Brylcream smile', subtly blaming the PML-N over such important issues as the restoration of the deposed judges. It seems that he is buying time to accommodate Pervez Musharraf's fondest 'accomplice', the PML-Q minus the Chaudrys. Meanwhile, Pirzada and Qayyum, Musharrafs' friendliest legal protagonists, are only expected to vitiate the constitution. The PPP government has frustrated the nation with its ridiculous stance over postponement of by-elections.
Zeenate Noure Jehan,
Karachi

A watchdog for the Bush-CIA-Israel nexus
The International Atomic Energy Agency and El Baradei have proved to be a watchdog for the Bush-CIA-Israel nexus, rather than bearing a genuine concern over the nuclear issues. It seems that it is now Syria's turn after Iran to fall prey to the intrigues of the so-called United Nations' nuclear energy watchdog. Let us not consider the nuclear reactor issue in isolation or as country-specific; we must consider it from the human perspective. Hundreds of countries are energy starved. They are faced with no electricity, no light, no water to drink and no agriculture, while the oil crisis stalks 90 percent of the world. Why does the IAEA not study the needs of such countries and allow them to establish nuclear energy plants, which 90 percent of the developed states have. Superpowers of the world! Live and let the poor also live.
Samar Jamil Khan,
Lahore

Join hands with the PML-N!
I would request Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi to abandon the propaganda against the Sharif brothers, in particular, and the PML-N, in general: this is harming the cause of the Punjab. They must come to better terms with the PML-N and the Sharifs, considering that they are not willing to shake hands with President Pervez Musharraf and the MQM, who are bent upon expelling the Chaudrys of Gujrat from the third largest party of the country.
Waris Shaw,
Samundri

Blair vs MPA
Tony Blair was caught by a ticket inspector for travelling without a ticket on a train. At the same time, at the other end of the world in Lahore, a traffic warden was suspended from service for stopping an MPA for violating traffic rules. What a contrast!
Khushhal Khan,
Lahore

Making parliament sovereign
In our democratic system we call parliament sovereign, but there are a number of decisions that have been taken unilaterally by the federal or provincial government departments, corporations, autonomous and local government departments without referring the matter to parliament or the respective provincial assemblies.
For example, the PTCL, which works under the federal government, revised its tariff from time to time without referring the matter to parliament. Similarly, prices of oil and CNG have been revised by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority from time to time without referring the matter to parliament. Prices of wheat, rice, milk, vegetables and other commodities of daily use are also increased from time to time without any reference to the National Assembly or the respective provincial assemblies. If the federal or provincial government departments can take unilateral decisions and raise the prices of various consumer products or services, then is there any need for federal government or provincial governments to give subsidy to these federal or provincial government departments which are responsible for the price hike in the country?
People elect assemblies so that their elected representatives should be able to legislate laws for the benefit of the common man. But in the light of unilateral decisions taken by federal government and provincial government departments and various trade associations, which work under the umbrella of federal or provincial governments, it seems that these government departments and trade associations are more authoritative and sovereign than the national and provincial assemblies.
If commodities and services go on costing more and more while people's income/salaries do not increase in proportion to the inflation, then there is no other alternative left for the common man but to earn money through illegal means or commit suicide.
So, what is the role left for the assemblies if they cannot legislate laws to control the price hike? People want that the price hike issue should invariably be referred to the assemblies before any government department or trade association decides to increase the price of a commodity or the cost of a service. All this to uphold the welfare of the common man.
Syed Mateen,
Karachi

How politicians resemble elephants
Like the elephants, the Pakistani politicians have also different teeth for showing from those of eating: these teeth have shown their bite on the judiciary which the PPP's visionary, though half-educated and least experienced, party co-chairman exploited for vote catching but backed out of its promise to restore them. It has been proven beyond doubt that the PPP has deceived the nation and the PML-N, and went for agreement with the MQM to show its true colour. All Pakistanis living away from their dear homeland are extremely worried by such childish moves of a few PPP leaders. PPP seems to have begun where Pervez Musharraf ended; their only doctrine is 'Damn the people's verdict!'
Syed Shahid Ali,
Glasgow

Political future
As of today the following scenario best fits our political future: Pervez Musharraf and Asif Ali Zardari cannot afford to reinstate Iftikhar Chaudhary. The May 12, deadline passes without event. The Pakistan Muslim League (N) is forced to quit the coalition. The lawyers, the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (Qazi group), the PML(N), the TI, society as a whole take to the streets. Everything comes to a standstill and there is chaos. Mr Musharraf is happy, the Americans are delighted, Mr Zardari goes away to enjoy his billions and Kayani takes over to bring peace and prosperity to the nation and promises elections in 60 days.
Haroon Paracha,
Karachi

Unaware of postponement?
The PPP is in a strange mood; in the most recent development, the Election Commission postponed by-elections and Co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister, Yousaf Raza Gillani, prime among other key party leaders including Interior Advisor, Rehman Malik, expressed their unawareness about the postponement. You cannot fool the nation all the time. In fact, the PPP is going to lose the public trust much faster than the MQM, PML-Q and President Pervez Musharraf did.
Maryam Habib Ibrahim
Mirpurkhas

Ending energy shortage
Sewage is a dirty word. While some towns dump it in landfills or process it and give it away as fertiliser, sewage treatment plants in the world are attempting a more eco-friendly solution: turning the effluent into energy. Processing the waste of some 3.4 Londoners, Britain's Beckton Sewage Treatment Works produces 110,000 kilowatts every year; enough energy to power 7,000 homes annually. It was because of the sheer negligence of our rulers in the past 15 years that today we are plunging into darkness.
Zill-e-Rehman Niazi,
Islamabad