Political weather clearing up

In Islamabad, we got our first drops of rain since September. The rain over these past two days has reduced the haze of dust, smoke, and allergens. This presents the perfect excuse to climb the Margalla Hills to the north by foot or rubber tire to look at the expanse that is Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

In Pakistan, we have recently been experiencing a political storm: elections. The President instituted emergency rule on November 3, 2007 and recently he stated that this emergency would come to an end on December 16, 2007. The parlimentary elections are coming in January (8th) to leave the situation in Pakistan tense - but at least President Musharraf is no longer saying that he is going to hold off the elections for a year. The parlimentary elections will occur at the same time as the Prime Minister elections, which includes a cast of candidates who confusing offer manifesto pledges (platforms) at the same time that they say that they might boycott the elections [BBC article: Bhutto's manifesto]. Yes, in my warped opinion, this is the political situation clearing in Pakistan.

The most promising recent display of forward movement in the Pakistan political arena has been a military exchange. President Musharraf stepped down from his other role as head of the Pakistan military this past Wednesday - a military role that led to protests and a suspicious Supreme Court ruling on the legitimacy of the October 6, 2007 Pakistani Presidential election, which concluded with Court approval on November 22, 2007 with Musharraf's opposition judges removed under the spotlight of emergency rule.

The political water's are still muddy. The upcoming Pakistani general elections may still be boycotted and the institution of government arrests and ban on news are serious concerns that should be resolved in mid-December with end of emergency rule.

Unlike the Margalla Hills, there is no vantage point (in my mind) to see the geo-political-social landscape in Pakistan clearly. Still, life continues on a regular basis for most Islamabad residents (and I imagine for most of the country - if they're not a lawyer, politician, journalist, or soldier).