Bush gives Mush wide berth, ignores discontent

WASHINGTON: The Shrub administration
has given Pakistan's military dictator Pervez Musharraf a broad position despite a
"tough" public stance against the infliction of Emergency. United States Special
Envoy Toilet Negroponte was all congratulations for Musharraf as he left Capital Of Pakistan in the
face of the dictator's defiant base in rejecting phone calls to raise Emergency,
broadly sticking to Washington's game program of a introducing a quasi-civilian
government. In short, there looks to be no alteration in the US
masterplan of inducting a Musharraf-Benazir government, notwithstanding the
dictators crackdown on democracy and the bitter play between the two
principals. According to a statement released by the state
department at the end of Negroponte's two-day visit, the United States envoy extraordinary extolled
Musharraf for his leading that have led to ''freer media, unprecedented
economic growing and development, and the moderateness of gender-based laws and
school curricula.'' "President Musharraf have been and goes on to be
a strong voice against extremism. We value our partnership with the Government
of Islamic Republic Of Pakistan under the leading of President Musharraf," Negroponte said,
virtually giving a free base on balls to the military ruler even functionaries here insisted
that he had issued a "stern warning." Much of Washington's
assessment of Musharraf is now being questioned by analysts in Islamic Republic Of Pakistan and in
the United States who point out that the dictator have co-habited with
fundamentalists, cut trades with Taliban, and allowed extremists to flourish
while cracking down on military units of moderation. In fact, even as
Negroponte was certifying Musharraf's "moderate and democratic" vision, the
military authorities was shutting down free media, after rigging the judiciary
and the political process, developments that the United States envoy extraordinary criticised mildly and
selectively. "Unfortunately, the recent police force actions against
protestors, suppression of the media, and the apprehensions of political and human
rights leadership run directly counter to the reforms that have got been undertaken in
recent years," Negroponte said. He urged the Musharraf government to
stop such as actions, lift the state of Emergency, and release all political
detainees, saying "Emergency regulation is not compatible with free, fair, and
credible elections, which necessitate the active engagement of political parties,
civil society, and the media. The people of Islamic Republic Of Pakistan rate an chance to
choose their leadership free from the limitations that be under a state of
Emergency." But the United States envoy's words rang hollow as he excluded
Musharraf's undermining and rigging of the bench which sparked of the crisis
in Islamic Republic Of Pakistan in the first place, from any criticism. There was no talking of any
punitive action against the widely reviled dictator. The moderate
political military units he identified as being cardinal to combating extremism also cut out
Pakistan's exiled leader Nawaz Sharief, Imran Khan, and other figures, while
appearing to point solely to Washington's now-favored candidate Benazir
Bhutto. In fact, the Pakistani mass media reported that Negroponte had
effected a impermanent armistice between Musharraf and Bhutto, a reading that was
borne out by the sudden silence from the two principals following his departure,
after a warfare of words throughout the week. Quite noticeably, while
Negroponte met Musharraf and his cohorts, and spoke on the telephone to Bhutto, he
did not prosecute any other political leadership or members of the civil society who
have borne the brunt of the military crackdown. Negroponte also
endorsed Musharraf's continuance as "president" for a 2nd term despite the
judicial inquiry grade over his election. The Islamic Republic Of Pakistan Supreme Court
was to make up one's mind on it before Musharraf dismantled it and replaced it with his own
retainers in a command to validate his election, a development American Capital seems
quite comfy with. "We welcome... his committedness to retire from
his regular army station before commencing his 2nd presidential term, and we urge on him to
do so as soon as possible," Negroponte said, signalling Washington's acceptance
of a continued Musharraf regulation despite the grumble of discontentment in Islamic Republic Of Islamic Republic Of Pakistan and
growing uncertainties in the United States about its Pakistan policy.