Issue No 86, April 4-10, 2004 | ISSN:1684-2057 | satribune.com

After Wana Army Faces More Setbacks

Dear Readers:

The fallout of the botched Wana operation by the Pakistan Army continues to haunt the Pakistani military ruler General Musharraf. The high number of casualties of the Army and para military forces, coupled with the lack of success to get any ‘high value target’ added to the miseries of the General, topped up with the direct audio-taped call by Ayman Al Zawahiri to overthrow him. That led almost to a panic and Musharraf went back to his usual defensive format of gathering a few compliant intellectuals and media hacks around him and lecturing them about his strength, bravery and courage. Not one of those present in his marathon, PTV televised rebuttal to Zawahiri asked a pertinent question which he did not like.

Yet, as Musharraf put up his show in Islamabad, signs in Washington were clear that the US Establishment was only with him until he could deliver and all doors and windows had been left open to get back at Pakistan on the nuclear and terrorism issues, if Musharraf or the Army deviated from the dictated policy. All this Musharraf describes as in Pakistan interest. What is clearly not in the country’s interest is one man deciding everything. We will be left in a bigger, bitter mess, if that one man somehow disappears, as journalist Ahmed Rashid observes.

And as eminent journalist Jugnu Mohsin points out in her interview, we wish he stays on to take the country across the safe shores.

Take Care
Shaheen Sehbai