The Londoner

By Sikander Hayat The day started with the news that US is thinking about expanding the area where it use drone attacks from FATA to Balochistan. My first thought as a person who thinks of America as a force for good was that it was a very bad move. It is a bad move because by increasing the number of attacks it will only quicken the pace at which in addition to Afghanistan, Pakistan will also be at war with the US. I do not say it very lightly because I am aware of the grave consequences that Pakistan might face as a result of any such episode but gauging from what we have seen so far ( Long March & all), any such American move will make the government in Pakistan very unpopular and might lead to its downfall. By losing a friendly government in Pakistan, America’s job in the region will become near impossible because without a fully cooperative Pakistan, it cannot win the war in Afghanistan. What the hardliners in Pakistan are waiting for is such a mistake by America which will h...

Actress Natasha Richardson has been injured in a skiing accident and her family is said to be very distressed after this episode. She injured her head in the said accident.

Gordon Brown has asked Iran to abandon its nuclear programme otherwise it will be punshed with sanctions.

Raisani is meeting deposed chief minister of Punjab at the moment to discuss the further terms of reconcilitation between PPP and PML (N).

By Sikander Hayat Zardari is on a slippery slop at the movement as he has just been forced by the masses to restore the judiciary but what the future holds for him is even worse. Pakistan Peoples Party promised at the time of election that it will restore the powers of the Prime Minister’s office which were expunged by the former dictator Pervez Musharaf. These powers include the power to dissolve the national assembly and to appoint the army chief but so far Zardari has tried run the country from the president’s house instead of returning any powers to the prime minister. Surely, the pressure will build up now to give those powers back to the right full owner in the light of the 1973 constitution of Pakistan. Mr Asif Ali Zardari will try to fight this off as well but may not succeed as people of Pakistan are in no mood for allow anyone to veer away from the democratic path as they shown on the 15th March 2009. Although many challenges remain but this was a sweet moment for Pakistanis ...

Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Ifikhar Muhammad Choudhry has been reinstated. The government which was under intense pressure from the civil society, lawyers and PML (N) buckled under pressure and put the Chief justice back in office. He will start work on 22nd March 2009.

By Sikander Hayat Another day of agony and despair as Pakistanis live through a period of uncertainty but still I believe that army must not intervene in this crisis. These are the kind of circumstances when army need to show their resolve of not meddling in the political sphere of the country. No doubt that there will be people in the corridors of power and beyond who will be urging the army to step in and ‘save’ the country but let me tell you that country will only be saved if army stays away and let the politicians decide the future of the country, even if it means that there will be clashes on the streets of Islamabad. With free media in place, people are watching with open eyes the parts being played by each and every individual in this current saga. They know who is right and who is wrong and they will eventually decide who stays in power when the next general election comes. Who said that democracy was and orderly and pretty business ; it is anything but. Democracy ...