| |
| |
| |
 |
| |
| 11/05/2002 |
| THE REFERENDUM - TRIAL, AND ERROR |
ON MUSHARRAF'S REFERENDUM
|
| It was said that the writer Agatha Christie planned her mystery novels in reverse – she conceived their denouement first and then constructed the story backwards. There is an increasing body of Pakistan’s electorate which suspects that President Musharraf’s referendum of 30 April was plotted in the same manner. Its ending – no surprise to anyone - had been determined well before the actual conduct of the referendum began. |
| In a sense, that was to be expected, for throughout recorded history no person in power has ever called for a referendum on a question to which he did not already know the answer. Similarly, no one has ever called a referendum with an intention to lose. What was in doubt, therefore, was not the result per se but the extent of its success. [EXTRACT] |
Published in DAWN 11 May 2002, and reprinted in WHEN BUSH COMES TO SHOVE & OTHER WRITINGS (2006) |
|
| |
| 11 May 2002 |
| |
| All Articles |
|
|
|
