Pakistan Approaches Boiling Point

[chlamor]

South Asia
     Apr 2, 2005

Pakistan approaches boiling point
By Syed Saleem Shahzad and Masood Anwar

KARACHI - On the face of it, the post-September 11 era sees Pakistan re-established in the world community, nurturing friendly relations with India, and enjoying political stability in the shape of President General Pervez Musharraf's grip on power, with the economy steady.

Appearances can be deceptive, though: Pakistan's economic development is "asset inflation" which could burst like a bubble, while serious fissures exist on the socio-political front.

A very powerful "Million March" in Karachi recently, organized by the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), a coalition of six religious-political parties that heads the opposition in the country, was the first punch, and yielded instant results. Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz abruptly caved in to a key MMA demand that a person's religion be included in his or her passport.

This had previously been the case - for instance, people were identified as Muslim, Christian, Jew or Qadyani - but new computer-readable passports dropped the religious tag, and Musharraf was adamant it would not be reinstated. The march made him change his mind.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/GD02Df03.html