Tuesday 6 November 2007

NY Times: Protests in Pakistan

Image Copyright © Arif Ali/AFP/Getty-All Rights Reserved

The New York Times brings us a multimedia feature on the current protests in Pakistan against the imposition of martial law by the government of General Pervez Musharraf.

Today's editorial is quite strongly worded (for a change): "The general, Pakistan’s president, justified his crackdown as a defense against Islamic militants, but his desperate and reprehensible actions — suspending the constitution, rounding up judges, beating and jailing lawyers and journalists — will embolden extremists. They will also fuel anger and mistrust among Pakistani moderates. "

A comment from a reader on the NY Times' website sees it this way : “The problem is not Musharraf’s dictatorship. It’s the American interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs”.

The photograph above is probably the best of the feature. The slideshow includes a verbal report by reporter David Rohde from Islamabad.

The NY Times' Protests in Pakistan

Call Me KIJU

Here are impromptu street portraits of Kiju on Crosby Street in Soho, NYC. Kiju is an alternative rock performer.