An 8-page advertorial appeared in US Today on the 18th of December on PAKISTAN it was published by the United World Project Team in Pakistan and is sponsored by the a number of pro-Musharraf companies. Overtly it may seem to be an attempt to evoke positive energy for Pakistan but realistically its all geared up to boost the failing image of Musharraf and his attempt to woo in – not the Pakistani people, but instead an American vote of approval. The advertorial was also closely linked to the salvage team (Nasim Ashraf and Kashmala Tariq) [link], [link], [link] that was sent to the US for bolstering the sinking image of Musharraf.
It must be noted that practically a day before on the 17th of December hundreds of policemen brutally lathi-charged a group of citizens wanting to greet the deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohd Chaudhry, the next day after the withdrawal of the so-called Emergency. It is after all, since 1999 and more specifically since 9/11 that Musharraf has continued to appease the American government to offer him one life-extension after another (despite all of their ‘half-hearted’ warnings) it seems that this time again he has yet again successfully wooed in the American vote of approval
For any Pakistani it should not be too difficult to see through this propaganda advertorial, but what worries me is maybe this in-your-face eight page advertorial might have helped temporarily patched up any misgivings between America and Musharraf. He continues to reign supreme while the rest of the country can go to hell