The General's crackdown on media involves the key "code of conduct" which prohibits making fun of His Enlightened Excellency. It is a healthy decree - no society can survive if its Elders are Targeted by Base Humor. Perhaps it was after his trip to the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, where he was treated with deference and respect, that He Who Is Pakistan decided that the Pakistanis need to grow up.
Sadly, kids at 4 Man Show have not learned their lesson. In the guise of exaggerated humility and compliance, they continue to mock him. Ruthlessly. ("Sab Theek Hai. Everything is fine in Pakistan. I saw with my own eyes, the lion and the lamb drinking water from the pond outside. All is just fine in Pakistan. Diamonds are being sold on the street like peas.")
It is hilarious. I urge you not to see it. See an earlier post on the show.
[vid via pkpolitics.com. thx to Huma for the image]
COMMENTS
Global Voices Online Pakistan: Musharraf and Laughs | November 20, 2007
[...] other things, the Emergency provokes some people to make fun of Pervez Musharraf. More at Chapati Mystery. Share [...]
Jawad | November 20, 2007
Did CM ever post an explaination of the poster symbol? I think it is the Supreme Court. Musharraf's shoe just landed on it, realized that he cant afford the rent, so he upturned the entire Monopoly board. BTY Diamonds are selling like garbanzo beans, not peas. Please use standard Mexican-American English.
sepoy | November 20, 2007
You mean the Eject symbol? I think it is trés retro-agitprop chic. Kudos to whoever came up w/ it. And I wrote "chickpea" and deleted it thinking no one would know what that is. Good call on garbanzo.
Akbar | November 20, 2007
This clip is hilarious! Might be the striking daily show writers are moonlighting for Aaj?
tsk | November 21, 2007
i like that poster: "have you ever subverted democracy through a childish tantrum that threw out a supreme court that was going to follow the law and rule against your continued power-grabbing, declared emergency law, locked up anybody that dared to freely and peacefully assemble against you, and be so sensitive as to punish harshly anyone trying to mock you....... on weed?"
misanthrope | November 21, 2007
Hilarious. Keep up the good work!
sepoy | November 21, 2007
tsk: I thought we talked about this a while back. 420 in Lahore ain't the same as 420 in OC. Your point, though, applies - if I know anything about student activists.....
Bilal | November 22, 2007
super. did you guys get a chance to read 'the other column plus' by ejaz haider? it has to be the most 'uncensored' piece of writing to appear in papers post-emergency. here's one. enjoy! Wednesday, November 07, 2007 the other column plus: Big Bro & post-E+ reportage —Ejaz Haider FROM THE HIDEOUT OF MAULANA FAZLULLAH: Maulana Fazlullah, amir-ul momineen of the almost-liberated Islamic State of Swat, has said that following the November 3 proclamation of Emergency-plus, he had decided to call off the armed insurgency against the state of Pakistan. The Maulana was speaking to the Daily Times correspondent from his hideout. When he was asked why he would do so, given that he had virtual control of the area, Fazlullah said that he was not ashamed to confess that the proclamation "hath cow'd my better part of man!". "Did you see him on television; did you not notice what resolve he showed? He was charged up and meant business," Fazlullah said to DT. Fazlullah also said that his decision to lay down arms and go back to a peasant's life was strengthened when "I saw the courageous Law Enforcement Agencies in action on the Mall in Lahore and other parts of Pakistan". "You can't fight with someone like that. That man goes the whole hog. Plus, he has declared this Emergency because he wants to put down terrorism. And once he is done with the terrorists on the streets of Lahore and Karachi, he is definitely going to come after me. Before that happens, I am going to supplicate myself unto him." APP adds: Maulana Fazlullah has called upon his cadres to lay down arms and immediately go back to normal life. He is also planning to send emissaries to the Presidency to sue for peace and is prepared to accept all terms unconditionally. He looked shaken and conceded that the decision had followed the imposition of martial law in the country and the ultimatum given to all and sundry to either shape up or ship out. Sources near Murree Brewery say this development has vindicated the President's decision. They also said that this will have a domino effect and before long other terrorists will also follow suit. Two days after this development: FROM THE HIDEOUT OF BAITULLAH MEHSUD: Al Qaeda front-man and the Taliban commander in North Waziristan, Baitullah Mehsud, has announced that the 30,000 men under his control, including 3000 suicide bombers, have decided to stop fighting the security forces and are prepared to lay down their arms and seek the government's forgiveness. The development, which took everyone by surprise, came about a week after Big Bro came on TV and announced a state of Emergency to root out terrorism. Mr Mehsud is blamed for multiple attacks on security forces in the area. His suicide bombers are also said to have mounted attacks across Pakistan on both soft and hard targets. In a meeting with the Daily Times correspondent, Mr Mehsud said that the decision by Maulana Fazlullah in the Swat area to call off the insurgency had also demoralised his men. But aren't the suicide bombers, by the very logic of suicide, afraid of nothing, he was asked. Mr Mehsud said that it was a subtle point and needed to be explained. "See here, their fearlessness is a function of my motivation. It is an everyday job which I perform. The problem is that since that fateful November 3 night, I have been so scared of what might happen to me that it is impossible for me and my immediate commanders to give the bombers their daily ration of motivation," he told DT. To a question about whether this will also impact the global jihad by Mr Osama bin Laden and his right-hand man, Dr Ayman 'Strangelove' al-Zwahiri, Mr Mehsud said that while the two gentlemen were still holding their ground, "I am not sure how long they will last now that Big Bro has taken his gloves off". Mr Mehsud also said that he had sent emissaries to the Al Qaeda bosses to tell them that resistance was futile and they should throw in the towel. He explained that "throwing in the towel" was a figure of speech and should not be construed to mean that Mr bin Laden and Dr al-Zwahiri were enjoying such comforts of life as towels and napkins. Stop Press: News has come in that all the protestors that were taken to safety in Lahore and other parts of the country after they decided to put themselves in harm's way have been allowed to go home after they admitted to acting like small children. One such protestor interviewed by the press said: "Sometimes parents have to take strict measures for the welfare of their children. We chose to act like spoilt kids but have come round to appreciating the logic of why we needed to be grounded." Other Political Stories: LAHORE: Daily Times has learnt that the government of Pakistan has hired the services of Ms Paris Hilton to promote a soft image of Pakistan. Ms Hilton, who is known to Internet surfers around the world including in Pakistan, is a tall, statuesque blonde and is known for being a carefree spirit. She believes in Monsieur Jean-Jacques Rousseau's theory of the noble savage and has often gone beyond the call of duty to spread the message that the modern impediments of civilisation including such encumbrances as clothes fetter the human spirit. While Monsieur Rousseau is reported to have famously said that "man was born free but is in chains everywhere", Ms Hilton's slogan is that man was also born naked but is in clothes everywhere. Hence the obvious need to free him/her of this irritability. When DT contacted government sources to find out why Ms Hilton was hired to represent Pakistan, a highly placed official said that she was selected in keeping with the degree of internal freedom Pakistan enjoys. "A free-for-all country must be represented by a free spirit," said the official. While DT could not confirm this, rumour has it that Ms Hilton might be assisted by Ms Britney Spears after Ms Spears is released from rehab. Ms Spears is recently divorced, has put on weight and is known for going sans underwear. Ejaz Haider is Op-Ed Editor of Daily Times and Consulting Editor of The Friday Times. He can be reached at sapper@dailytimes.com.pk
Dodging media curbs from above and below « Kafr al-Hanadwa | November 23, 2007
[...] can mock the dictator in a “tout va bien dans le meilleur des mondes” sort of way, insisting that [...]
elizabeth | November 27, 2007
Damn but the trés retro-agitprop chic brings back memories. V interesting to see how the trends & tactics of global activist movements from range of issue-areas are getting reworked & applied here--from the snarky-ass signs to the spraypaint to the teenagers with taped mouths (the last of which being so often associated with "pro-life" crazies). I'll be inducing somebody to translate that clip for me soon, btw. Accessory to sedition! (We like chickpeas better than diamonds anyhow.) BTW we are planning another event, focusing on media. Details to be sent out forthwith.