US hand?

Jamaat-e-Islami’s biweekly mouthpiece, Daawat, on November 25 wrote that “emergency and democracy are poles apart. They cannot be brought together.” The paper holds that “the manner in which the US is talking with regard to the declaration of emergency in Pakistan gives rise to the suspicion that the US is behind the emergency being called.” This view is echoed in the Hyderabad-based Rahnuma-e-Deccan, expressed in an editorial (November 22) entitled, “Pakistan ke haalaat ke liye, America zimmedaar”. The paper says, “Both Bush and Musharraf have failed in Pakistan, and a failed and unpopular dictator can hardly lead his country, and is unlikely to succeed in future too.” Lucknow-daily Qaumi Khabrein, on November 17, in an editorial entitled ‘Teen Pervez’, wrote of Pervez Musharraf donning three roles, and General Kiyani also being cast in an image of Musharraf!

Behind the blasts

The three serial blasts in courts in UP were covered extensively, with all papers hinting at a communal bias of government agencies when it comes to booking those responsible. Hindustan Express, on November 24, in an editorial entitled ‘UP ke dhamaakon ka raaz’ (the mystery of the UP blasts) wrote: “The features of the blasts in UP are very common to some past blasts, and if a proper inquiry is made, it will not be difficult to reach the real culprits, but only if all aspects are inquired into and no community or organisation is simply blamed for it.” Delhi’s Jadeed Khabar wrote in an editorial on November 27 that “the spirit is that even if 100 culprits go free, in no case must a single innocent be punished. But what has been happening recently is the reverse. Only one community is being targeted and those responsible are the police, intelligence and the lawyers themselves.” Akhbar-e-Mashriq on November 25 wrote: “It’s not illogical to say that in crimes like these there is always the involvement of a local hand, and for the sake of national security, the rotten eggs should be located and hunted down with a sense of urgency.” It disagreed with the BJP that POTA is required; it said the “present laws are adequate.”

... contd.