RazorMC
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So what does an outside think of Dr. Qadri's political strength (if any)?
Daniel Markey recently wrote an article called: "Pakistan's Widcard". Some quotes:
"Most American observers have written Qadri off as a flash in the Pakistani pan. They may need to think again."
"It is possible that Qadri will decide to send his party, the Pakistan Awami Tehreek, into the fray of national elections in May. Building a Pakistani party machine with credible, popular candidates is the work of years, not weeks, so there is a very good chance he wouldn't win any seats. Even so, Qadri-backed politicians might steal just enough votes to spoil the plans of the front-running party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (PML-N) and shift the makeup of Islamabad's next ruling coalition."
"Contrary to many press reports that depicted him as a detached Islamic scholar with little in the way of a political background, Qadri has a decades-long history of dealing with all of Pakistan's top leaders since the 1980s, from Generals Zia and Musharraf to Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. Today, Qadri's politics are motivated by deep disillusionment with all of them, military and civilian alike. Such sentiments place him squarely in the mainstream of Pakistani public opinion. "
Source: Here
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I can understand Mr. Markey's appreciation of Dr. Qadri, but his facts are all one-sided. He is looking at this issue through an outsider's point of view (not entirely unnatural) and attaching undue importance to someone who couldn't even organize a decent dharna without requesting backing from MQM and PML(Q).
His Islamabad Agreement was clearly an exit-route that the PPP-regime granted him. There were hardly any consultations with his TMQP or PAT as he had claimed at the top of his voice.
But this article does give us Pakistanis a little insight into what the Americans are thinking about the state of Pakistani politics.
Daniel Markey recently wrote an article called: "Pakistan's Widcard". Some quotes:
"Most American observers have written Qadri off as a flash in the Pakistani pan. They may need to think again."
"It is possible that Qadri will decide to send his party, the Pakistan Awami Tehreek, into the fray of national elections in May. Building a Pakistani party machine with credible, popular candidates is the work of years, not weeks, so there is a very good chance he wouldn't win any seats. Even so, Qadri-backed politicians might steal just enough votes to spoil the plans of the front-running party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (PML-N) and shift the makeup of Islamabad's next ruling coalition."
"Contrary to many press reports that depicted him as a detached Islamic scholar with little in the way of a political background, Qadri has a decades-long history of dealing with all of Pakistan's top leaders since the 1980s, from Generals Zia and Musharraf to Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. Today, Qadri's politics are motivated by deep disillusionment with all of them, military and civilian alike. Such sentiments place him squarely in the mainstream of Pakistani public opinion. "
Source: Here
==========================
I can understand Mr. Markey's appreciation of Dr. Qadri, but his facts are all one-sided. He is looking at this issue through an outsider's point of view (not entirely unnatural) and attaching undue importance to someone who couldn't even organize a decent dharna without requesting backing from MQM and PML(Q).
His Islamabad Agreement was clearly an exit-route that the PPP-regime granted him. There were hardly any consultations with his TMQP or PAT as he had claimed at the top of his voice.
But this article does give us Pakistanis a little insight into what the Americans are thinking about the state of Pakistani politics.