Pakistan military's profits draw ire

As dissatisfaction with President Musharraf rises across Pakistan, the military's influence over the economy has become a focus of anger toward the government.

from the July 3, 2007 edition

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In a democracy, he says, the people can siphon off anger by voting a government out of office. Under a military regime, such anger can only kindle unrest, and these privileges are like a bellows for the public rage aflame in Pakistan.

On the surface, the daily demonstrations against Musharraf are about judicial independence, as Pakistanis demand that Musharraf reinstate the chief justice of the Supreme Court – whom he fired in March.

Yet at the events, anti-Army chants – which not long ago were unheard of – take aim at officer's self-enrichment, too. In a country where two-thirds of the population works in agriculture, a common rallying cry at the protests has been: "O generals of the country, all the acres are for you," says economist Bengali.

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