Parvez Sharma is "In a Pakistan 'state of mind'!"

Its not been too long since the Jamia Hafsa brigade sheathed in Burqa's and armed with their weapons and Quran's tried to dictate morality to the Islamabadi elite.

Everyone knows how the Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) fiasco ended for my namesake-President Musharraf. As an Indian
Muslim I am often in a Pakistan state of mind. Events in my neighbours' country, which is a mirror in so many ways of my own (and yet not) are always paramount in my mind.

Sadly the idea of 'democracy' and Jinnah's idea of 'the land of the
pure' (Pak-istan) have had a tenuous relationship. While many (in
India) argue that democratic institutions have flourished in India and
the 'experiments of democracy' have failed in Pakistan and Bangladesh
(pre-1947 we used to be one nation)-the truth is far more complex. It
is unfortunate that the American's now try and dictate democracy to an
Army General who many believe has good intention but holds on to power
unconstitutionally.

The Le Monde cartoon
I reproduce here-speaks a lot to me about Pakistan today, tonight,
maybe next week-hopefully not for the next few years?

I know these three nations-India, Pakistan and Bangladesh equally well.
Some of my ancestors decided they could lead better lives as Muslims
during the blood bath when India, West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now
Bangladesh were created. When I was filming in Dhaka, a few years ago a
leading Bangladeshi intellectual sipping wine-behind huge walls, at a
party in the 'posh' Gulshan area of the city-challenged me on the idea
of 'Partition'. He had lived through Bangladesh's 'language movement'
and was born in East Pakistan. Years of turmoil in his own life and
indeed these three nation states (carved by the same colonizers who
would re-draw problematic maps in the Middle East) had made his
'idealism' a bit sad. As we spoke late into the night and as diamond
dripping, Dhakai (a kind of saree) wearing ladies sipping the same
'firangi' (foreign) wine flitted around us, I could already sense the
events that have since unfolded in both Bangladesh and Pakistan. I
learnt a lot from that gentleman, that night and I hope he is safe- as
the Begum's (Hasina and Khaleda) battle it out in what is left of
democracy in Bangladesh. (pretty much nought).

Moving back to my 'state of mind'- Madam Bhutto, certainly not the
model of a 'clean' politician is plotting her return. She may even
finalize a power sharing deal with 'Mush' (as the Indian press 'fondly'
refers to the barely-clinging-to-power General and President) tonight.
Things have come to a pretty pass, when a corruption plagued former
Prime Minister and a questionably 'elected' Army General talk about the
restoration of democracy and are seen by many as the only hope for a
troubled nation.

Discussions on the unfolding situation in Pakistan continue to be stilted and immature in the Western press, for the most part.

To get other sides to this debate (in addition to watching Sabiha's
remarkable film, Dinner with the President) let us try and visit the
following websites:

My friend Naeem Mohaeimen, a fearless crusader from Bangladesh talks about the situation there, on Shobak .

Also visit Pakistan Politics, which has the funniest video's on the unfolding situation (cross posted on the ubiquitous YouTube as well).