Farrukh Khan Pitafi
March 8, 2008 "“ 9:32 am
Tired looking grubby old man stands refusing to see the writing on the wall. Neither ready to concede that he has lost the gamble nor to foresee what future holds for him. They say when you cannot try to change the words you try to change their meaning. This thing is true for General retired Musharraf, the man who once promised us hope and failed to deliver anything but doom and gloom.
It is honestly very sad to see him for in my reckoning he is not a man as bad as his peers have made him through their nefarious counsel. The man who once unleashed the prometheus of media to do good for the people, the one who showed reason in many a ways. Yet, today all his accomplishments are gone. Today no one is ready to pay any heed to what he says. He is viewed more of a problem than the giver of any solutions.
Again, honestly it is hard to grow out of his regime's tenure. When you dedicate eight years of your columnist career in opposing someone you certainly develop an unrecognised bittersweet relationship. When he goes, and rest assured he has to, for there is almost a national consensus on this, I had thought to write a column to pay him rich tribute that would be remembered for years to come. But to my great chagrin he refuses to display the dignity expected of him. Such a stubbornness might be peculiar to a child's immaturity not a characteristic of a general.
Rest assured the delay he causes is not to his great advantage. Not only he is responsible colossal damage to the state, independent media through the clampdown, to the people through presiding over lawlessness and ever rising inflation, and the political class by refusing to take responsibility of their safety. If he doesn't want to go he will only make himself weak. One thing can promised to him with confidence. That every coming day will bring to him a bleaker picture and murkier future.
An attempt has been made by our retired general to force things to stand on their head by misinterpreting the ISPR's recent press note. Sirs, if you cannot read plain English or Urdu please hire a steno to do that for you. If you have myopia then I can always offer my glasses to you. But for God's sake don't push things any farther off. I am son of army officer myself and feel belittled when your actions compromise the prestige of the uniform.