Olympic games in Pakistan!

(In a lighter vein)

By Vincent Van Ross

Olympic Games in Pakistan? No, no, no—I am not kidding...it is for real!

(In a lighter vein)

Yes, the Olympic Games 2008 started in Pakistan a couple of days before its spectacular opening ceremony unfolded in Beijing! Well, that was when Pakistan’ President Pervez Musharraf, who was supposed to leave for the Beijing Olympics, developed cold feet. With his heavy army boots gone, that was bound to happen!

Poor Musharraf—he was all dressed up…and, now, he has nowhere to go! That is because he is afraid that the President’s chair he was desperately clutching with both hands might slip away while he is away.

Beijing was a free jaunt all right! But, if he had gone to watch the opening ceremony, he might have had to watch the rest of the Olympic Games in Beijing including the ceremony and he might not have got a return ticket to Pakistan as the President!

A lot of people in Pakistan feel that Musharraf should resign and take an honourable exit from the President’s post. But, Musharraf himself thinks that it is in the utmost national interest of Pakistan that he continues to occupy that chair!

Besides, Musharraf is agitated with the fact that his opponents have chosen August 11 to introduce his impeachment motion. That happens to be his birthday. First, they spoiled his Beijing party. Now, they are out to scuttle his birthday bash. Such a spoilsport they are. If only they had chosen some other day, he might have considered stepping down! They are taking MUSHARRAF for granted. He cannot let that happen!

Musharraf has decided to fight back…because he has few other options! The King has the King’s party to support him in his fight! Musharraf’s position is that of a cornered cat.

Musharraf realizes that he is fighting with his back to the wall. But, he draws a lot of confidence from that. In Pakistan, you feel very secure when you have a wall at your back. There isn’t much security elsewhere! Besides, Musharraf is hoping to God that his opponents would see the writing on the wall if he fights with his back to the wall.

Zardari, Sharif and their coalition partners need two-thirds majority in the Senate and the National Assembly to see the impeachment move through. They have 266 members in their pockets. They are short of 29. Musharraf is gambling on that. But, if that fails, he has other options. After all, he is a compulsive survivor!

The number ‘8’ which is considered to be auspicious in China actually signifies destruction according to numerology. And, this time around, it was not just one ‘8’! The 2008 Olympic Games was unveiled on the 8th day of the 8th month of the 8th year of the 21st century. And, the date itself adds up to ‘8’ (08.08.2008/8+8+2+8 adds up to 26; and, 2+6 again adds up to 8). Not just that, the ceremony actually began at 8 seconds past 8 minutes past 8 O’clock! So, what does the number ‘8’ hold for Musharraf? Is it auspicious for him? Or, is it destructive?

We don’t know that yet! But, the United States of America has termed the impeachment move as an internal matter of Pakistan. That’s news…that’s headline news. For the first time I am hearing that the United States of America considers something an internal matter of a country!