AFP: The crowds in Tahrir Square. Incredible.
For the last 18 days, the world has watched the protests unfold in Egypt. We tuned into the developments hourly and daily. We watched the crowds grow larger, more determined, and more united. We saw a revolution take shape, despite attempts by the state to squash this resolve.
On February 11, 2011, we witnessed a historic moment – a largely peaceful protest movement toppled the autocratic rule of Hosni Mubarak. According to Al Jazeera English, the crowd in Tahrir Square chanted, “We have brought down the regime”, while many protesters were seen crying, cheering and embracing one another.
Many people have tweeted or commented on whether Pakistan can or should go the same route as Tunisia and Egypt. To some extent we already did. Street protests and demonstrations, led largely by the lawyers’ movement, helped contribute to the eventual resignation of former President Pervez Musharraf in 2008, [or at least to the reinstatement of the Chief Justice - remember the Long March?].
Sumit Ganguly commented further on this question in a piece for Foreign Policy’s AfPak Channel:
Why has Pakistan not seen, and is unlikely to see, street demonstrations of the order that have swept aside the regime in Tunisia and now threatens the one in Egypt? The reasons are complex. Despite the elements that Pakistan has in common with both those states, there are important differences. Pakistanis have enjoyed, for varying lengths of time, the advantages of democratic, civilian rule even though they have yet to vote an elected government out of power. The all-powerful military apparatus has frequently stepped in when it has deemed that the civilian regime has either proved to be unstable or breached some invisible but nevertheless real boundaries. Despite the tenuousness of democratic regimes, they are not unknown in Pakistan, as they are in Tunisia and Egypt.
We also have a working judiciary, even if it’s not always independent, noted Ganguly, as well as “viable political parties.” We have a vibrant media. Does this mean that people are content with the status quo in the country? Of course not. These institutions are deeply flawed. But while Egyptians throughout the country were able to unite for a common call for democracy, toppling a figure who was the face of autocracy for 30 years, we have a very different and complex set of issues, making it difficult to unite under one banner.
Today, though, let’s celebrate Egypt and the Egyptians who proved today the power of the people can truly ring louder than the rule of a dictator. Congratulations, we are truly privileged to have witnessed such a historic moment.
I AM JOYNESS.
YAAR PAKI BOYS KUCH SEEKHO!
[...] Mubarak ho, Egypt! [...]
The biggest difference between Egypt and Pakistan is the presence of a large population of urban well educated youth in the former. A young populace that is educated in a western style education system and has expectations of a more prosperous life. Apart from the affluent areas of Karachi, Lahore and isloo the vast majority of youth is educated in an underfunded archaic education system. Without education and the hope for a better life and the confidence to stand up to power that a good education brings, the youth revolution will never materialize.
> Sumit Ganguly commented further on this question in a piece for Foreign Policy’s AfPak Channel:
Strangely when I first read this on my Blackberry I was wondering why SOURAV Ganguly was writing about politics and international affairs for AfPak.
But then if Imran Khan can become a politician why can’t Sourav Ganguly become a Political analyst?
-Aly
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Mesir Zindabad,well done
Democracy may not be the best form of governance,but dictatorship is the worst.
Pakistan has democracy; media,judiciary,army are the established institutions.
Only Citizens need to educate themselves about rule of the law and watchull of corrupt,human rights violator,uneducated,traditional politicians who get into government.
We need to get rid of political families,they are the product of mind set of British East India Company,now USA.
As long as career politicians who run our coutry as their family bussiness we will never be free.
Lets develop institutions and educate ourselves with the best education for future of Pakistan
The people living on less than $2/day (and, I am not a Marxist, by any means) don’t care about functioning judiciaries or political parties. As food prices soar (see today’s NYT about the looming failure of China’s winter wheat crop) the marginal consumers are not going to be newly-with-some-$$ east asians, but rather loser-economy poor middle easterners (inclusive of our Pakistanis plus Egyptians, etc. Also half or more of India.)
Hell to pay coming soon. I am way short on the Egyptian stock-market (even though it’s easy to get a tear in one’s eye about the street protests).
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday issued a notice to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s son Abdul Qadir Gilani, asking him to record his statement before the FIA team investigating the Haj scam.
Following the issuance of the notice, Director FIA Hussain Asghar has been removed. It has been learnt that PM Gilani had taken a serious note of the FIA move to send summon notices to his son.
Abdul Qadir Gilani had been asked to record his statement but he failed to appear, resulting issuance of his summons.
The FIA also issued a notice to Zain Sukhara, an advisor to the religious affairs ministry. He is reportedly a friend of the prime minister’s son.
Pakistan’s judiciary is one the greatest farces in human history, undeserving of the title of a place of law & order. Pakistan currently has a democratic government, and the author fails to recall that Ayub Khan was brought down by popular rebellion that brought the country to a standstill, and that Zulfi Bhutto’s toppling was largely due to the PNA’s non-stop protests across the country, bringing all civil life to an indefinite halt, until Zia ul Haq declare martial law. Pakistan has a rich tradition of protest and rebellion–and nothing much more.