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Democracy when I say so<\/div>\n

<\/p><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Though it\u2019s beginning to seem like old times again, many Pakistanis are doing little more than grumbling over President (and still General) Pervez Musharraf\u2019s widely expected decision<\/a> not to follow through on his promise to resign as Army chief and govern as a civilian after December 31, 2004. \u201cI have decided to retain both offices,\u201d said Musharraf in a television address. \u201cIn my view, any change in internal or external policies can be extremely dangerous for Pakistan.\u201d The deal was made with a coalition of opposition political parties called Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) in return for constitutional support granting him dissolution powers, although Musharraf backtracked and gained parliamentary approval in November to keep his uniform. While this has naturally angered<\/a> the MMA and brought the otherwise divergent Pakistan People\u2019s Party of former Prime Minster Benazir Bhutto (her husband Asif Zardari, has been released from prison after 8 years) into the camp (\u201cWe agree with them on some issues, like they say that Musharraf should remove his uniform\u201d), anti-Musharraf protests suffered from pitifully low turnouts<\/a>, despite threats of a \u201c black day<\/a>\u201c. Musharraf, in turn, accused the opposition of \u201cthreatening the democratic process\u201d by trying to make political capital (cough) and continued to bolster his support in the Army by promoting new supporters<\/a> after sacking<\/a> the old. Then there is the extrajudicial aspect \u2013 the numerous assassination attempts on Musharraf\u2019s life this year, with many suspects still at large. Musharraf\u2019s 1999 coup (widely accepted in Pakistan) was criticized abroad for its anti-democratic nature, but soon Musharraf\u2019s cooperation with the US on fighting terrorism and his (laudable) goal of forging a moderate and integrated Pakistan won him international support (as his standing reversed domestically). Still, despite moves to legitimise his power, Musharraf may find the clock running out as opposition threatens to become more violent and destabilising. \u201cGeneral Musharraf promised to restore true democracy,\u201d said a spokesman. \u201cIt is only when true democracy is restored, that Pakistan\u2019s internal stability will be guaranteed and its national interest secured.\u201d And needless to say, what\u2019s true is not up to you.<\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

Zahed Amanullah is associate editor of altmuslim.com. He is based in London, England.\n<\/p>\n

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