Pervez Musharraf

The Taliban advance in Pakistan and America's 'double game'

Sophie Team Observers — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:24:57 +0200

"Taliban Bush". Source: www.anvari.org

The Taliban have positioned themselves less than 100km from the Pakistani capital. One of our Observers in the country tells us that she doesn't see the militant group taking power. She explains however that the US, which has today expressed alarm over the advancing Taliban, is partly responsible for the mounting success of Islamic extremism in the country.

Earlier this month Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari agreed to allow the Taliban-controlled region of Swat Valley to implement Sharia law, provided that the aforementioned put down their weapons. The Taliban law did indeed change, but the Taliban chose to ignore their part of the pact. This was demonstrated by their continued military offensive, which soon brought them to the district of Buner, just 100km from Islamabad. Last Wednesday US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the advances a serious threat, saying that the Pakistani government was "abdicating to the Taliban and the extremists".

Pakistan: with the “dictator” out, the “crooks” are alone in power

Julien — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:00:28 +0200

In a bid to avoid his impeachment by parliament, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation in a televised speech. While hailing the departure of the “dictator”, one of our Observers in the country explains why the outgoing leader will be replaced by “crooks”.

Lawyers and activists march across Pakistan

Ségolène Team Observers — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:46:24 +0200

Thousands of lawyers and activists are travelling over 600 miles from Karachi to Islamabad to demand the return of judges ousted from the Supreme Court by President Musharraf. The trip was planned to echo Ghandi's "long marches" across the country. Except that this one's going by car...

The envoy set off from Pakistan's economic capital, Karachi, on Monday, and is expected to reach Islamabad tomorrow. It was launched by a group of lawyers asking for the return of the former president of the Supreme Court, Muhammad Chaudhry, along with 45 other judges who were thrown out when Musharraf declared a state of emergency last November. The travelling lawyers were quickly joined by thousands of political activists and are currently crossing the country by car, stopping at major cities along the way. Today they're in the central city of Multan. One of our Observers in Pakistan is collecting personal accounts and photos sent to him by demonstrators and posting them on a blog set up for the occasion.

Election riddled with rigging, says blogosphere

Julien — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:55:05 +0100

The Pakistani blogosphere is bursting with accounts of electoral fraud today as increasing numbers of bloggers tell tales of trickery and blind-eye attitudes in the general elections. Particularly low participation numbers make good conditions for usurpation and in this election both President Musharraf’s party and the opposition may have taken advantage of them. The accounts have yet to be confirmed by international observers.

Pakistani students cover protests on campus, continued…

Julien — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 14:37:00 +0100

Report by Team Observers

President Pervez Musharraf announced on Thursday that the legislative elections will take place before 15 February. But the state of emergency stays in place and access to non-state television channels is still blocked. However, an online protest movement is gaining speed as increasing numbers of local internet users get involved. The Observers Team has compiled some of the material produced by these citizen journalists.

Pakistani students cover protests on campus

Julien — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 15:27:00 +0100

By Team Observers

Since the declaration of a state of emergency on 03 November, all the privately-owned news channels – Geo, Dawn and Ary – have been blocked by the Pakistani cable operators. But internet users have got together to circulate these prohibited programmes online.