Everything’s Going Wrong in Pakistan!

All’s going wrong in Pakistan!

First Mr. Musharraf sacked Chief Justice Iftakar Muhammad Choudhary. Though the charge was ‘misconduct and misuse’, sotto voce was that Mr. Musharraf didn’t intend to step down as planned to let the General elections happen. There were nationwide attacks as it was perceived as attack against judiciary. Lawyers and judges came out on streets mobilizing the masses….Pakistani police attacked and fired at them…Local media channels covering the protests and police firing were suddenly blacked out.

Shock waves were transmitted through the entire world when Pakistani police attacked the Geo TV station. Everybody gaped in horror when they saw pictures of Pakistani police breaking into the premises of Geo TV only because they had dared to bring the truth live into entire world’s home. This was perceived as an attack on fourth state.

Though U.S. stood by Pakistan calling it an “ally,” it was certainly not easy for Pak President Mr. Pervez Musharraf who was being criticized worldwide. He made a tactical retreat by apologizing for the attack. He blamed it on a “conspiracy to foil his image.” Foil his image, huh?

While all this was going on, defeat of Pakistani cricket team in World Cup at the hands on minnows Ireland ensured their early ouster from the race for most coveted prize in cricket-World Cup. But this was not enough, Pakistani cricket coach was found dead in his hotel room in Jamaica a night after Pakistan’s loss.

And now Jamaican police has confirmed what the entire world believed, Bob Woolmer was murdered. There was no forced entry in his room, no sign of theft except perhaps manuscript of his autobiography is missing. So who killed him?

Pakistani TV channel Geo TV’s journalist Hamid Mir (after the attack on his channel, he has emerged as quite an active International journalist. I wonder who his sources of news might be!) said on a live show on CNN IBN:

“Bob Woolmer was under a lot of stress and anxiety. It was Pakistan cricket team captain Injamam-ul-Haq who has the greatest source of stress to Woolmer.” He came short of saying Injamam-ul-Haq had murdered Woolmer. This when the autopsy report was not yet available to confirm if it was a murder, suicide, or a natural death.

The news channels have started treating Woolmer’s murder as a never-ending soap opera. The main characters being Jamaican Deputy Police Commissioner Mark Shields, members of Pakistani cricket team who were finally allowed to return their homes after several questioning rounds, and some faceless bookies who could have been exposed by Woolmer’s revelations about match-fixing.

As the world waits for this homicide case to be solved, Woolmer’s body lies unburied since a week pending coroner’s inquiry. None of the Woolmer’s family members have yet arrived to claim the body, instead they had requested that the body be flown in to their home in England.

Murder or no murder, once a flamboyant Pakistani team with a stylish Imran Khan as its face has already taken an overt extremist stance. It all started with talented batsman Saeed Anwar’s joining Tablighi Jamat. The excessively bearded Pakistani team now comprises mostly of members from this organization. This change, it is alleged, has been spear-headed by none other than captain Inzamam-ul-Haq. So much that Yousuf Youhana, the only Christian in the team converted to Islam and rechristened himself Mohammed Yousuf. It has been widely speculated that this conversion had been done, against his family’s wishes, in wake of the opportunity to lead Pakistani cricket team as captain. The captains, itseems, have always been Muslim. I wonder how Danish Kaneria, a Hindu, survives in the team. I am curious to know what hear what he would say when asked about it.

All in all, it is not going good for Pakistan.