Ok, so let's get this straight: Musharraf declares a state of emergency, and shuts down the media and deposes a Judge he doesn't like. The Judge urges people to protest , the people go nuts and European nations froze aid and Bush can't make up his mind on what is more important: The War on Terror, or Democracy. In the midst of all that, my Pakistani Friend M. Chaudrey just sent me this, which gives you the view of how it's like to be living in Pakistan at the moment: 

Its so frustrating. Absolutely nerve wracking. You sit at home, you
switch on the T.V and all you can watch is fashion T.V, music videos
and Hollywood and Bollywood movies.

No news. The screen is just
a black void when you switch to the channels where news spoke; where we
learned about what was going on in our country. Our nation.

And no one in the nation has any real idea about what is going on.

My
father calls and asks whether the rumors are true. The rumors that
Musharraf himself has been the victim of a coup. A coup on top of a
coup?

As my brother puts it, thats Coo-Coo.

But rumors
are abound and we get our news from the time delayed internet websites
and from people living in Dubai who are still able to watch Pakistani
news transmissions. Musharraf has denied allegations of a coup. He says
thats the most ludicrous "joke".

I can think of a better joke than that.

It is so unbelievably frustrating sitting in the dark. Not knowing what is going on.

But
we all have conspiracy theories. Because right now thats the only thing
keeping us alive. Letting us believe that we DO know what is going on.

Benazir
Bhutto landed on Saturday night from Dubai to Karachi. She rushed back
here to tell the world and our nation (I don't know how she planned to
do that since we get no news!) that this was the worst move Musharraf
could make.

So, whats new?

But people are talking. And rumors and conspiracies are spreading like wildfire. The following is the one that i think is true.

Benazir
landed with a big smile on her face, as seen by people living abroad on
their T.V screens. Why is she back? She could've given her press
conference from Dubai right?

But if Musharraf wants to save face
with the American government-and the American people- he will make
Benazir his prime minister. And himself as President. And Chief of Army
Staff.

He will not give up his uniform and will remain the dictator. And she will become the face of democracy.

How will the American/World media spin this?

Mushi
made a mistake by declaring emergency rule. He will remove it. Martial
law will remain in place. But he will say that since Benazir's party is
the biggest and most famous party in Pakistan, she should be PM.

And he will instate her as such.

She will graciously accept it.

And the world media will say, okay look the people loooove Benazir, she
is the PM, so TECHNICALLY, there is democracy in the country.

And
then Benazir will have Musharrafs illegitimate child but the child will
turn out to be the son of Benazir's brother and not Musharraf's and
Musharraf's wife will kill Benazir by throwing her off a cliff but
Benazir will not die. She will live and go skipping in the fields with
Musharraf's twin brother who is her "real" lover and they will go and
sing "oh baby pomp up the jam," a song from a bollywood movie.

For once, I agree with what Musharraf says.

This is a "joke of the highest order." (www.geo.tv)

But this is our state.

Until the T.V. flickers back on to the "real" news. News that will no
longer be free. It is now going to be government controlled and
censored under more than 20 new "media regulation" laws.

Here we are now, taking two steps back.

And yes, no news is drivng me crazy.