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Who's taking NA-55?

According to Jang, Shakeel Awan of PML-N got 63,888 votes, Sheikh Rasheed got 42,530 votes, Barrister Danish got 5,020 votes, JI got 3,109 votes and PTI got 3,105 votes.

Very disappointing results for PTI and Jamat-e-Islami. One thing I don't understand. Why PTI and Jamat-e-Islami have different candidates. As far as I know, JI and PTI are like sister parties. They held protests with each other, rallies together, and they have almost similar stance on Taliban issue. A Azad candidate even got more votes than JI and PTI (Br. Danish).
 
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Fact is....what he did for Pindi, PML-N/PPP cannot do in next 100 years.

I agree, may not be 100 years but definately it will take very long for others to do which he did :coffee:
 
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I have to wonder if the PML secretly does not want provincial autonomy so that it has an excuse in Punjab to explain away its really poor performance, by shifting attention to the equally poor performance by the PPP in the Center.

Because if people in Punjab start holding the PML-N accountable for their problems, power will definitely shift in the next elections, but, not necessarily to the PPP.

Hung Punjab assembly perhaps?
 
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The recently concluded by-elections in Rawalpindi’s NA-55 constituency offered a stunning spectacle. The way these elections were covered by the media and the interest that they generated was a clear indication of the people’s enthusiasm for the democratic process.

No matter how cynical the country’s urban middle-classes are about the concept of democracy, these elections yet again proved that democracy is alive and well in Pakistan.

This seat was won by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Javed Hashmi in the February 18, 2008, general elections. It went vacant when Hashmi had to let go of it to retain the one he had won in his hometown of Multan. A PMLN candidate also won the first by-election here after the 2008 elections. But he was soon disqualified on the basis of the Election Commission realizing that his graduation degree was fake.

Another by-election for the constituency was announced, especially on the insistence of Awami Muslim League (AML) candidate, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed (also called ‘Sheeda Tulli’ after a popular and colourful TV character of the late 1980s).

Rasheed who started his career as a gung-ho anti-PPP activist of the right-wing Jamaat-i-Islami’s student-wing, the Islami Jamiat Taleba (IJT) in the late 1970s, went on to carve out an individual (and popular) niche for himself in the politics of Rawalpindi (his hometown), managing to win every election held in his constituency between 1985 and 2002.

Just like a number of former IJT activists who in their adult careers failed to relate to Jamaat-i-Islami’s more intransigent world view, Rasheed too decided to join Nawaz Sharif’s moderate-conservative PML.

Whose League is it anyway?

There have been many versions of the PML. The original Muslim League of Muhammad Ali Jinnah that worked for the creation of Pakistan and then became the country’s first ruling party collapsed under the weight of infighting and intrigues.

In 1962, the country’s first military dictator, Field Martial Ayub Khan, reconstructed the party to work as his civilian mouthpiece. However, this version of the PML too collapsed and broke into various self-serving factions when a powerful anti-Ayub movement led by left-wing student groups and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) erupted in 1967-68.

All PML factions were trounced in the 1970 general elections by the PPP (in West Pakistan) and the Awami League (in the former East Pakistan). Only a handful of tiny PML factions survived the PPP’s populist onslaught, until 1985, when the country’s fourth military regime of General Ziaul Haq encouraged these factions to unite under a single banner.

Studded with pro-Zia politicians, the new PML survived till 1992, but broke into various factions once again, with the biggest faction represented by former Punjab Chief Minister and protégée of the Zia regime, Mian Nawaz Sharif. PMLN soon became the single biggest representation of post-Zia democratic conservatism in Pakistan.

Throughout the 1990s, the PMLN continued to gather a motley crew of remnants of the Zia regime, along with former IJT members, anti-PPP politicians, and politicised industrialists.By the mid-1990s, a good number of former progressives (Raja Anwar) and some liberals (Themina Khar and Ayaz Amir) also became part of the gathering.

When in 1996 the second Benazir Bhutto government was dismissed by President Farooq Lehgari on charges of incompetence, the PMLN was voted back for its second stay as the ruling party. Blessed with a huge parliamentary majority, the second PMLN regime soon became a victim of the many contradictions it was now contending with.

Still seen as the military establishment’s civilian expression, PMLN failed to contain the physical and ideological dichotomies that emerged when it tried to balance its populist democratic credentials and its overtures of peace and reconciliation towards India with an overt display of support for various Islamist characters as well as a distaste for the time’s judiciary.

The result was a democratically elected party in power which eventually slipped back into its 1980s role of a reactionary dictator’s civilian expression, riddled with delusions of grandeur, corruption and incompetence.

Then Kargil happened.

Claiming he knew very little about the Kargil operation (designed by the Pakistan Army), Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was too busy trying to get the parliament to elect him as an ‘Ameerul Momineen’ (Commander of the Faithful).

The Kargil debacle and the PMLN regime’s increasing exhibition of muscle flexing and bizarre notions of parliamentarianism saw the military establishment topple the government and impose the country’s fifth martial law in October 1999.

The irony of this action was that the PMLN had been overthrown by the same institution which the party had served and sided with (especially against the PPP) throughout the 1980s and 1990s. In the 2002 elections, the PMLN experienced its worst electoral defeat, with its electoral thunder now stolen by the PML-Quaid – another PML faction constructed by a military dictator, Pervez Musharraf, to work as his civilian expression. PMLQ contained a number of former PMLN members, including Sheikh Rasheed.

As PMLQ became the Musharraf dictatorship’s populist phrase for his double-edged ‘enlightened-moderation’ (a doctrine that tried to accommodate liberal thought and the Pakistani establishment’s lover affair with radical Islam within the same fold), the PMLN began to reinvent itself by approaching its main nemesis and rival, the PPP.

Return of the N-ative

In 2007, the PPP and PMLN returned offering a single democratic platform against the Musharraf dictatorship and PMLQ. Benazir Bhutto by now had become the most popular and articulate expression of liberal democracy in Pakistan, whereas Nawaz Sharif seemed to have let his party shed the heavy reactionary-establishmentarian baggage it had been carrying across the 1990s.

Benazir was brutally assassinated by extremists just before the 2008 elections. The tragedy saw the PPP being voted back into power, whereas the PMLN dealt a heavy blow to the PMLQ in the country’s most populous province, the Punjab.

But the trust and cooperation witnessed between Benazir and Nawaz started to erode when Asif Ali Zardari took over the chairmanship of the PPP and then was elected as the country’s new President, replacing Musharraf.

Though many PPP members have blamed the new president’s ‘inner circle’ and advisers for misleading Zaradri into taking certain unpopular steps that have seen the PMLN spinning out of the orbit of cooperation initiated by Benazir, it is also true that Nawaz has (unwittingly) become hostage to a ring of veteran PMLN ‘hawks’ whose sentiments against the PPP failed to be affected by the Benazir-Nawaz reconciliation process.

Fanning the fires in this respect is also the rise of the electronic news media which has increasingly found itself struggling to demonstrate even a semblance of objectivity, instead banking its ‘analysis’ and commentaries on the populist and emotional perceptions about politics, religion, and accountability.

During the Musharraf dictatorship, the country’s leading private news channel clearly became a hybrid of confused ideological notions when it openly gave vent to the reactionary and violent gestures exhibited by the Lal Masjid terrorists as well as to the more democratic manoeuvres of the anti-Musharraf lawyers movement.

Though roundly criticised by the liberal circles for helping trigger anger among extremist organisations incensed by the army’s action against the Lal Masjid culprits, the channel knew it had hit upon the same lucrative and populist model first pioneered by such right-wing TV networks as North America’s FOX News.

Spite sells

Apart from continuing to give prominent exposure to some of the crankiest conspiracy theorists and hate-mongering televangelists, this channel recently let loose a constant barrage of spite against Zardari – all in the name of ‘democracy’ and ‘accountability.’

There are very few Pakistanis who would be willing to defend some of Zaradri’s recent decisions, but the channel in question seemed to have crossed some vital limits while commenting on these decisions.

What causes more concern is the emerging perception that this channel has started to sound more like PMLN’s official channel. Many observers believe that the channel’s two favourites, Nawaz Sharif and the Chief Justice, are actually setting the structure and tone of their rhetoric according to the dictates and perceptions being peddled by the channel.

During the recently concluded by-election in Rawalpindi, the channel gloated that its opinion poll predicted Sheikh Rasheed’s defeat. I overheard a senior producer of the channel at the Karachi Press Club boasting that it was now his channel that was determining the electoral fate of the politicians.

Though there is nothing hidden about this channel’s both pragmatic and maybe even ideological fascination with PMLN, I wanted to tell the same gentleman that his channel has been equally smitten by characters like Imran Khan and Munawar Hussain (of the Jamaat-i-islami). Meaning, if this channel now considers itself to be a king-making machine, then why, in spite of it giving Khan and Hussain so much coverage and vent, did both the men’s parties fare so badly in the Pindi by-elections?

Both Khan and the Jamat, which have been given a tremendous run on this channel to constantly air their anti-Zaradri, anti-America, and (some would even suggest), ‘pro-Taliban’ tirades, together received a mere four per cent of the votes in the by-elections.

So, is the gloating by the channel a case of sheer delusion? Was this also why the same channel suddenly went on a rampage against Sheikh Rasheed the night before the important by-elections, maybe believing the PMLN wouldn’t be able to win without the channel’s help?

This was by far the most blatant and distasteful exhibition of partial and biased journalism, where the host of a popular talk show and his guests made sure to make Rasheed seem like the most unprincipled and dubious politician on the face of the Earth.

The guests also included established journalists, two of whom made not even a pretentious attempt to sound impartial. The worst was when the host, still unsatisfied with the circus he had enacted, invited a controversial mullah of the Lal Masjid, Maulana Aziz, to deliver a sort of fatwa against Mr. Tulli’s politics. (Aziz, if you remember, is the same brave soul who faced the army’s action against the Lal Masjid clerics and extremists by actually trying to escape from the mosque in a black burqa!)
But all was not lost on the show. At the fag end, famous newspaper columnist, Humayun Gohar, seemed to have had enough of all the ‘objective analysis’ ringing around him and was man enough to castigate the host and the channel of committing ‘target killing against the personality of Sheikh Rasheed.’

As to how much this show affected Rasheed’s performance in the election cannot be gauged, but there is no doubt about what the real idea behind the whole façade of ‘objectivity’ enacted by the show was about.

The Dawn Blog Blog Archive Tele vs. Tulli

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At least Nadeem Paracha has the guts to write against the bias in media.

Sheda Tulli zinda bad, next time sahee!
 
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^^^ Though what Hamid Mir did was regrettable and against the laws of journalism, but calling Geo tv PML-N's official channel is bit too far fetched.

:rofl: :rofl:
 
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but wat happened to geo. they are so acting lik indian media
 
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BTW.. who will represent those 60 thousand votes which SR secured?
Why is media and election commision hiding detailed result statisitcs?
How many votes other candidates bag?
How many voters never vote?

In any case Pakistan's election process is inherintly corupt and fair elections are subject to voluntary will of rulers of time.

Can some one answer me why electoral rolls are missing from the website of election commission? Election Commission of Pakistan - The Official Website

Any how SR was a patriotic guy and i respect him for respecting P.Musharraf.
Fact is....what he did for Pindi, PML-N/PPP cannot do in next 100 years.

Yes but his involvement in Lal Masjid costing him 2 consective defeats and don't know for how long this will continue effecting him

Peoples in Pakistan are very emotional they just can't accept such incidents in Pakistan. It was like Karbala for them where all the water, food and any kind of link to outside world was blocked.

Lal Masjid even played a key role in Musharraf's early exit as the President of Pakistan
 
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A clash between Sheikh Rasheed and Imran Khan back in 2005 where SR was boasting about his success, worth watching. And seems like IK's wish has come true :lol:

 
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At least Nadeem Paracha has the guts to write against the bias in media.

Sheda Tulli zinda bad, next time sahee!
Ofcourse, Nadeem, a known drug addict, a psychological patient, and a liberal fascist does have guts to tell lies and get them published in the news papers.

In the 2002 elections, the PMLN experienced its worst electoral defeat, with its electoral thunder now stolen by the PML-Quaid – another PML faction constructed by a military dictator, Pervez Musharraf, to work as his civilian expression. PMLQ contained a number of former PMLN members, including Sheikh Rasheed.
It is on the record by the Lt. General Ehtesham Zameer that he, as the head of the Political Wing of the ISI used his men to rig the 2002 election under the direct orders of the former Dictator. The 2002 elections were bogus, and the Parliament that came into being was as much bogus and illegitimate. Before those elections, Musharraf on record said (something like this) that they (West) want me to give Pakistan a democratic government, I’ll put that label on my government”. And here this charsi is saying that PML(N) experience its worst electoral defeat….
 
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but what happened to geo. they are so acting like indian media
Yeh, that is true, who ever wants to show us a mirror, we waste no time declaring it an Indian and/or Jew. By the way, Geo is not the only Channel on the cable, if you do not like Geo, do not watch it; PTV would be a better choice to remain in a unreal world, far from the pain and reality.

Ya Rab, na woh samjhe haiN, na samjheN gey meri baat
dey aaur dil unko jo na de mujhko zubaaN aaur
 
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A picture of Sheikh Rashid:
ffd1d21a385271318c404cc69e654e7d.jpg

The only thing missing is a Zardari sticker, on top of a Parvez Musharraf sticker, on top of a Choudhary Shujat sticker on top of a Nawaz Sharif sticker.

The place where I live is near Rawalpindi, and I am aware that the city had developed quite a but under Sheikh Rashid. However, this is what cities like Rawalpindi do, they grow and develop, and a corrupt, ill-manered, characterless politicial like Sheikh Rashid can be nothing but a hinderance. The man who got elected lives in a small home, does not own a car, goes to work on a bike, and has been a low member of PML-N for decades. He deserved to beat Sheikh Rashid. Only time will tell whether he has the capability to help Rawalpindi in the long run, but for the time being, I'm happy he won.

There was another independent candidate who hails from my area, Wah Cantt. My dad knew him personally as a kid, and he says that he's one of the most well-manered, soft-spoken, pious and humble men he's ever met. Men like these don't win elections anywhere in the world, but they certainly show us what our leaders are missing.
BTW.. who will represent those 60 thousand votes which SR secured?
Why is media and election commision hiding detailed result statisitcs?
The elected individual has to lead all the people in the constituency, even if they didn't vote for him or chose not to vote at all. That's how democracy works. The media and, as apparent by the results, the people are on the same page for the most part. It's pretty much impossible to ignore the fact that SR has time and again shown that he is a politician, not a leader.
Any how SR was a patriotic guy and i respect him for respecting P.Musharraf.
Fact is....
What kind of measure is that of patriotism. "Showing respect" to Parvez Musharraf has nothing to do with elections in Rawalpindi. Sheikh Rashid supports whoever can get him votes, which at the time were the PML-Q/Musharraf. He's a characterless politician, plain and simple. If you support him simply because he supported a dictator, then you ar eno different from the millions who'll vote for anyone with the name "Bhutto" or "Zardari". It's about time Pakistanis started voted on merit and platform rather than on allegiance.
what he did for Pindi, PML-N/PPP cannot do in next 100 years.
That is an opinion. The only way we can find out whether it is accurate or not is yb actually giving someone else the chance to lead for a change. Let's meet again in 5 years, and if this candidate has performed worse than SR, then we can sing praises of SR together.
Because if people in Punjab start holding the PML-N accountable for their problems, power will definitely shift in the next elections, but, not necessarily to the PPP.
If the PML-N does not perform up to the mark (which it might not), and if another party can build trust amongst the people, then the power will most definitely shift. The people of Punjab are the least likely of any in Pakistan to vote based on ethnicity, at least from what I have noticed.
Yeh, that is true, who ever wants to show us a mirror, we waste no time declaring it an Indian and/or Jew
qsaark sahab, you misunderstood. ajpirzada didn't mean to say that Geo TV was plugging Indian/Jewish agenda, he meant that the style of reporting in that particular video matches that of Zee TV or some other low quality news channel. You generally don't see this from Geo, but I tend to agree with him, all the comments about "chehre pe thakan hai" are just unnecessary. Your job is to report, plain and simple, not to read faces and make assumptions.
 
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Yeh, that is true, who ever wants to show us a mirror, we waste no time declaring it an Indian and/or Jew. By the way, Geo is not the only Channel on the cable, if you do not like Geo, do not watch it; PTV would be a better choice to remain in a unreal world, far from the pain and reality.

Ya Rab, na woh samjhe haiN, na samjheN gey meri baat
dey aaur dil unko jo na de mujhko zubaaN aaur

It is very good that someone show us mirror and we try to mend our ways. But coverage of his election was some thing more than that. I have no attachment with SR but the programme telecasted on last night before polls was target killing by Mr Hamid Mir, Mr irfan Qureshi and Mr Farooq Aqdas and same was highlighted by the third participent(forgetting his name) and the same person came in Mr Lukman,s programme on Express TV and criticized the attitude displayed in Capital Talk (GEO TV).
Another thing that can be reffered is Mr Kashif Abbassi's programme (ARY NEWS) after the unofficial results. Which again displayed hatered of Anchor with SR. What do you expect at the election offices of a looser and a winner candidate. I think more coverage should be given to winner candidate instead expressing hauntedness of loosers election office.
I think we should behave in a more balanced manner. Its was an election not a war which one lost and other won.
Long Live Pakistan:pakistan:
 
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