And now for a Pakistani voice of reason ...

Pervez Hoodbhoy is a much respected (and detested - if you happen to be part of the establishment) scientist in Pakistan.

A policeman scuffles with renowned physicist

and social worker Prof. Pervez Hoodbhoy at

a demonstration organized by the Balochistan

Solidarity Front in front of Rawalpindi Press Club.

He was so hated by Pres Musharraf - obviously because of Pervez's anti-Nuclear stance and activism - that, at an international education conference in Pakistan, where PH was among those invited to speak, the organizers received a call to say that he should not be present in the hall while the President visits the conference to perform its Opening. Fortunately, PH was scheduled to be at the venue much after the opening, so nothing had to be done. However, even more stupid and disgusting was the fact that the copies of sheets containing the program that were to be handed to General Musharraf, merely for his sarsaree information, had to have PH's name removed - under orders from the President's staff who, effectively, deceived their boss into believing that PH was not going to speak at all. (Of course, this could have been the case of the staff doing more than what Musharraf would have wanted ... but it did create a very negative image of him for all of us.)

Anyway, here's a PDF file that can be downloaded to read the post-Mumbai analysis by one of the finest voices of reason in Pakistan.

Oh, and here's an lovely blogpost, on the same subject, by a friend that, apart from providing links to other writings, is an excellent journey through the author's own thought processes.