The die-hard supporters of the general are surprising many by showing up in the virtual world and saying: "We love you, please stay."
ISLAMABAD: After reams been written about how Pakistani youth are using internet to oppose the emergency imposed by President Pervez Musharraf, the die-hard supporters of the general are surprising many by showing up in the virtual world and saying: "We love you, please stay."
Though the fans of Musharraf are beginning to swell in cyberspace and have a point or two to make, they are still no match for the opponents of the President's controversial policies.
One of the biggest pro-Musharraf forums with 114 members, so far, has been floated on the website Facebook, even as the anti-Musharraf forum 'We Oppose Emergency' has enrolled 12,000 members.
A long write-up on why-those-who-support-emergency-do reads, "Not only is Pakistan the second largest Muslim nation in the world, but also an important US ally. President Musharraf has been put in a tough spot to lead a developing nuclear power towards economic growth, while dealing with international pressures and internal turmoil."
The group, created by Chicago-based Azlan Tariq, invites students to join and 'show support for Musharraf'. The group has also posted photos and two videos about Musharraf's 'achievements'.
Nadeem F Pasracha, a pro-Musharraf blogger, wrote, "I have angered a lot of friends recently with my stand on the current situation in the country. I am no lover of dictatorship. But I am not the one to miss out on the ironies and the contradictions in the ways of the people decrying the emergency."
"The civil society reeks of hypocrisy and pretension in this respect. And do not even get me started on the TV news channels. Speaking live to terrorists and extremists and talk programmes mutating into political versions of the Jerry Springer show certainly beat the mundane ways of a soap opera or a music video. No wonder these channels started getting more advertising than the entertainment channels."
Another pro-Musharraf group on Facebook is called 'Pakistan would be lost without President Musharraf'. This student group describes itself as a fan club for the military ruler. "We love you President Pervez Musharraf!" the group's banner reads.
"It was after 55 years that our country found the right President who is the very first one to eradicate terror out of this land and opt for peace!"
"He is strong, wise, educated and the best thing about him is that he knows what he is doing. Never has Pakistan been this good. In eight years there has been a visible change in the development, technical and educational fields. His efforts for the well-being of the people of Pakistan and for the country itself are admired by the young audience of Pakistan and we want him to be our leader for much longer."
One student wrote, "I love President Musharraf for all that he has done for our country, even under severe stress he is able to make just and fair decisions for his people. President Musharraf stay!"
Sana Wana also supports emergency. "It is a shame how some people think that declaring emergency would harm them."
Farrah Pappa of Missouri wrote, "Pakistan is fine, do you want Benazir Bhutto, who has embezzled thousands of dollars, to come to power?"
One Facebook member Mansoor Shaikh wrote, "I do not really support Musharraf. But between him and Benazir Bhutto I would rather choose our President."
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