What Else Can You Say?

Not everyone

Who fights for his or her Nation

Has a Gun in hand.

Some have Bat, Some have Music,

Some have Pen and Some have Mike too.

Courage and Will to Live is all that matters...

1993 नंतर भारतात झालेले मोठे दहशतवादी हल्ले

मुंबई, भारताची आर्थिक राजधानी, पुन्हा एकदा अतिरेकी हल्ल्याची बळी ठरलीय. यावेळी मुंबईवर झालेला हल्ला हा भारताच्या इतिहासातला आजवरचा सर्वात मोठा हल्ला ठरलाय. पण याआधीही अनेकदा भारताला दहशतवादाची झळ बसलीय. आणि गेल्या पंधरा वर्षात तर अतिरेक्यांच्या हल्ल्यांमध्ये मोठ्या प्रमाणात वाढ झालीय.

1. 12 मार्च 1993, मुंबई
दुपारी १.३० ते ३.४० या कालात मुंबईत 12 ठिकाणी 13 बॉम्बस्फोट. बॉम्बस्फोटांच्या या मालिकेत 257 जणांनी जीव गमावला तर 700 जण जखमी झाले. या हल्ल्यांमागे अंडरवर्ल्ड डॉन दाऊद इब्राहीम चा हात होता.

2. 14 फेब्रुवारी 1998, कोईंबतूर
कोईंबतूरमध्ये ११ ठिकाणी झालेल्या १३ बॉम्बस्फोटांत ४६ मृत्यृमुखी आणि २०० जखमी

3. 1 ऑक्टोबर 2001, श्रीनगर
जम्मू आणि काश्मीर विधानसभा परिसरात सशस्त्र अतिरेक्यांचा हल्ला. ३५ जण मृत्युमुखी. हल्ल्यामागे इस्लामिक दहशतवादी संघटना जैश-ए-मोहम्मदचा हात.

4. 13 डिसेंबर 2001, नवी दिल्ली
भारतीय लोकशाहीचं प्रतिक असलेल्या संसदभवनावर सशस्त्र अतिरेक्यांचा हल्ला. 12 जण मृत्युमुखी तर १८ जण जखमी. जगभरातून हल्ल्याचा मोठ्या प्रमाणावर निषेध. हल्ल्यामागे पाकिस्तानी दहशतवादी संघटनांचा हात असल्याचं स्पष्ट झालं, दोन्ही देशांमधील संबंधांत तणाव वाढला.

5. 24 सप्टेंबर 2002, गांधीनगर
अक्षरधाम मंदिरावरील हल्ल्यात 31 जणांचा मृत्यू तर 79 जण जखमी.

6. १४ मे 2002
जम्मूजवळ सैन्यदलाच्या तळावर सशस्त्र अतिरेक्यांचा हल्ला, 30हून अधिक जणांचा मृत्यू.

7. डिसेंबर 2002 ते मे 2003, मुंबई
या आठ महिन्यांच्या काळात मुंबई चार वेळा बॉम्बस्फोटांनी हादरली. मुंबईला हादरवणा-या या स्फोटांमागे स्टुडंट्स इस्लामिक मुव्हमेंट ऑफ इंडिया अर्थात सिमीचा हात असल्याचा आरोप.

2 डिसेंबर 2002 - घाटकोपर रेल्वे स्टेशनबाहेर बेस्ट बसमध्ये झालेल्या बॉम्बस्फोटात दोन जणांचा मृत्यू झाला तर 31 जण जखमी.
6 डिसेंबर 2002 - मुंबई सेंट्रल रेल्वे स्थानकावर मॅकडोनाल्ड्सच्या रेस्टॉरंटमध्ये बॉम्बस्फोट. 25जणांना जखमी करणारा हा बॉम्ब रेस्ट़ॉरंटच्या एऱकंडिशनिंग सिस्टिममध्ये ठेवण्यात आला होता.
27 जानेवारी 2003 - विलेपार्ले स्टेशनबाहेर संध्याकाळी गर्दीच्या वेळी सायकल बॉम्बचा स्फोट, एका महिलेचा मृत्यू तर 30जण जखमी.
13 मार्च 2003 - मुलुंड रेल्वेस्थानकात कर्जत लोकलमध्ये बॉम्बस्फोट. संध्याकाळी साडेआठच्या सुमारास अत्यंत गर्दीच्या वेळी झालेल्या या स्फोटानं ११ प्रवाशांनी आपला जीव गमावला. मुंबईची जीवनवाहिनी असणा-या लोकल ट्रेनला पहिल्यांदाच लक्ष्य करण्यात आलं.

8. २५ ऑगस्ट 2003, मुंबई
दुपारच्या वेळी गेट वे ऑफ इंडिया आणि झवेरी बाजार इथं टॅक्सीत बॉम्बस्फोट. किमान 52 जण मृत्युमुखी तर 150 जण जखमी. पहिला बॉम्बस्फोट गेट वे ऑफ इंडिया समोरील ताज महाल हॉटेलच्या बाहेर पार्क केलेल्या टॅक्सीत झाला. तर दुसरा बॉम्बस्फोट झवेरी बाजारात मुंबादेवी मंदिर परिसरात झाला.

9. 15 ऑगस्ट 2004, आसाम
स्वातंत्र्यदिनाच्या दिवशी धेमाजी इथं झालेल्या बॉम्बस्फोटांमध्ये 16 जम मृत्युमुखी. जखमी आणि मरण पावलेल्यांमध्ये लहान मुलांचा मोठा समावेश.

10. 5 जुलै 2005, अयोध्या
रामजन्मभूमी परिसरात सशस्त्र अतिरेक्यांचा हल्ला.

11. 29 ऑक्टोबर 2005, दिल्ली
दक्षिण दिल्लीमध्ये बाजार परिसरात तीन बॉम्बस्फोट. दिवाळीच्या दिवशी झालेल्या या बॉम्बस्फोटांमध्ये 59 जण मृत्युमुखी तर 200 जखमी. पाकिस्तानस्थित इस्लामिक इन्कलाब माहेझ या अतिरेकी संघटनेनं हल्ल्यांची जबाबदारी स्वीकारली.

12. 7 मार्च 2006
उत्तर प्रदेशातील वाराणसी या तीर्थक्षेत्री बॉम्बस्फोट, 28 मृत्युमुखी तर 101 जखमी. हल्ल्यामागे पाकिस्तानशी निगडीत दहशतवादी संघटनांचा हात असल्याचा भारतीय पोलिसांचा दावा.

13. 11 जुलै 2006, मुंबई
पश्चिम रेल्वेच्या लोकल ट्रेन्समध्ये सात बॉम्बस्फोट. संध्याकाळी गर्दीच्या वेळी झालेल्या या स्फोटांमध्ये 200 जणांनी आपला जीव गमावला. हाही हल्ला म्हणजे पाकिस्तानस्थित दहशतवादी संघटनांचं कारस्थान असल्याचं तपासात उघड.

14. 8 सप्टेंबर 2006, मालेगाव
मालेगावमध्ये मस्जिद परिसरात बॉम्बस्फोटांची मालिका. 37 मृत्युमुखी तर 125 जखमी. जखमींमध्ये अनेक मुस्लिम यात्रेकरूंचा समावेश.

15. 18 मे 2007, हैदराबाद
मक्का मस्जिद इथं शुक्रवारच्या नमाजच्या वेळी बॉम्बस्फोट. १३ जण मृत्युमुखी. बॉम्बस्फोटांनंतर झालेल्या दंगलींमध्ये पोलिसांच्या कारवाईत 4 जणांचा मृत्यू.

16. 26 मे 2007, आसाम
गुवाहाटीमध्ये झालेल्या बॉम्बस्फोटात सहा जणांचा मृत्यू तर 30 जण जखमी.

17. 10 जून 2007, मणिपूर
म्यानमारच्या सीमेजवळील मोरेह इथं सशस्त्र अतिरेक्यांचा गोळीबार, ११ जण मृत्युमुखी.

18. 25 ऑगस्ट 2007, हैदराबाद
लुंबिनी पार्क आणि गोकुळ चाट भवन इथं बॉम्बस्फोट, 42 जणांचा मृत्यू तर 50 जण जखमी. या दोन्ही बॉम्बस्फोटांमागे हरकत-उल-जिहाद-इ-इस्लामी अर्थात हुजीचा हात होता.

19. 23 नोव्हेंबर 2007
उत्तर प्रदेशात सहा बॉम्बस्फोटांची मालिका. वाराणसी, फैजाबाद आणि लखनौ या तीन शहरांना लक्ष्य बनवण्यात आलं. वाराणसीत तीन ठिकाणी, फैजाबादमध्ये दोन तर लखनौमध्ये एक बॉ़म्बस्फोट, 13 जणांनी जीव गमावला तर 60 जण

20. 13 मे 2008, जयपूर
परदेशी पर्यटकांचं आकर्षण असलेल्या या शहरात सहा बॉम्बस्फोट झाले. या बॉम्बस्फोटांच्या मालिकेत 63 जणांचा मृत्यू आणि 150हून अधिक जण जखमी.

21. 25 जुलै 2008, बंगळूर
भारतीय आयटी उद्योगाचं मोठं केंद्र असलेलं बंगळूर एरवी शांत शहर म्हणून प्रसिद्ध आहे. पण चार महिन्यांपूर्वी इथं झालेल्या सात बॉम्बस्फोटांच्या मालिकेनंतर भारतात कोणतही शहर सुरक्षित नसल्याचंच दिसून आलं. या बॉम्बस्फोटांमध्ये एकाचा मृत्यू झाला तर 150 हून अधिक जण जखमी झाले.

22. 26 जुलै 2008, अहमदाबाद
बंगळूरनंतर अवघ्या एका दिवसात आणखी एक भारतीय शहर दहशतवाद्यांच्या हल्ल्याची शिकार बनलं. या हल्ल्यात 45 जण जखमी झाले तर 150हून अधिक जण जखमी झाले. इंडियन मुजाहिद्दीन या अतिरेकी संघटनेनं अहमदाबादमधील या हल्ल्याची जबाबदारी स्वीकारली.

23. 13 सप्टेंबर 2008, नवी दिल्ली
बाजार परिसरात पाच ठिकाणी झालेल्या बॉम्बस्फोटांमध्ये 21 जणांचा मृत्यू झाला तर 100 जण जखमी झाले. इंडियन मुजाहिदीन संघटनेनं याही हल्ल्याची जबाबदारी स्वीकारली.

24. 27 सप्टेंबर 2008, नवी दिल्ली
बाजार परिसरात झालेल्या बॉम्बस्फोटात एकाचा मृत्यू.

25. 30 ऑक्टोबर 2008, आसाम
भाऊबीजेच्या दिवशी पश्चिम आसाममध्ये गुवाहाटी आणि आसपासच्या परिसरात 13 बॉम्बस्फोट. 61 जणांचा मृत्यू तर 300 जण जखमी.

26. 26 नोव्हेंबर 2008, मुंबई
देशाची आर्थिक राजधानी पुन्हा एकदा अतिरेक्यांच्या हिटलिस्टवर. एके 47 रायफल्स आणि ग्रेनेड्सनं सज्ज सशस्त्र अतिरेक्यांचा मुंबईवर हल्ला. दक्षिण मुंबईत विविध ठिकाणी अंदाधुंद गोळीबार, ताज महाल आणि ओबेरॉय (ट्राय़डेन्ट) या फाईव्ह स्टार हॉटेल्समध्ये अतिरेक्यांनी परदेशी नागरिकांना ओलीस धरलं.

“Your city is an organized chaos… But we liked it, it’s so lively!”

A Few months back, my Canadian Friend Emil had said this of Mumbai. I had never thought that it will come true in such a manner … Mumbai is “Total Chaos” since last evening, and there is no sign of 'liveliness’ around…

I went to CST station in the morning, and noticed that life is getting back on track, but tracks are changed, ofcourse…

An Old Dream and New Challanges

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer."

- Barack Obama in his victory address.

Yes, This might be THE answer... To all the questions that time has put in front of mankind. At least we can hope it to be so. Because, the world's only Superpower has got a new leader. Because, as expected, Obama is the New President Elect of The United States of America.

This is one of those rarest of the rare moments when not just a Nation, but whole of the world stretches its arms to welcome the future, when everyone is filled with immense hope, when everyone is reminded of the responsibilities that lie ahead... This is one of those moments when a person's victory stands for the victory of a community, for the victory of a Nation and for the victory of the ideals of Democracy, Freedom, Equality and Brotherhood.

Today, USA- a country marred by history of violence over the colour of skin, a community with deep socio-religious differences, has chosen a new leader- someone who perhaps best signifies what the spirit of their nation stands for. The World's most powerful nation has now elected a President who comes from a biracial background, was raised by a single mother, grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia. Obama has won his first battle without great family connections, without a trust fund. He started out with intellect, talent and ambition and to fulfill that ambition, he built up a great coalition. He made a clever use of the power of new media, i.e. Internet to reachout to people and gather their support. A lot of young Americans left their apathy for politics and joined him on the campaign trail. And today they are all celebrating. They are all singing for a new dawn.

And this can happen only in America- a place where in a way of speaking, most of the people are outsiders. Most of the people of America have their roots in the early residents who immigrated in search of a better life or were imported as slaves. Over the Years, The USA has been a symbol of liberation. The land has been a beacon of hope and dream. Its founders hold a dream and today, that dream has taken a step forward towards reality.

The world has just witnessed a great history in the making. America has shown that they are ready for THE change. No, I shall say, THE Change has begun.

And Obama's speech, can be a signal of this change. The thing I liked about it is that he didn't described it as a victory of the suppressed race or those who fought for Civil Rights, but as a Victory of the People of America. He thanked those who voted for him and showed respect to those who didn't. and by that tone of his, he has surely won the hearts of many of his enemies as well.

For Obama, the race to the White House has ended but a long journey will officially start on the 20th January next year, when he'll be sworn in as The 44th President of The USA. And then, he has got a legacy of problems. Obama has to deal with " two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century " as he describes himself.

Whatever... I liked this CHANGE.

In his first address as the new leader of the United States, Obama has shown a great promise. Whether he keeps up to it, time will show.

But for now, Obama's speech for me is the accomplishment of An Old Dream and an insight of the New Challenges that lie ahead.

Stage set for The Big American Drama - This time in Search of A Dream

Finally, the time has come… In a few hours time, The United States of America are going to vote for their new President. Whether it will be Barack Obama or John Mc Cain, it’s very early to say, although the opinion polls have suggested it will be Obama.

In all corners of the world, people are eager to know who the next President of America will be? So I am.

But really, Obama or Mc cain - how far does it matter? Or does it really matters? To some extent, yes. But in a greater context, not much. Because, as any Foreign Policy Expert would tell you, in today’s world, policies are more or less constant and personalities can influence them but they cannot turn the upside down.

Still, for next several hours (and may be for next several days or even for months, if another scandal leaps up) the whole world will be desperate to know who steps into the White House.

Because, The Man (yes, the MAN, not WOMAN as I had dreamt a year ago) will have the power to write the destinies of thousands of people around the world, whether or not he uses it for better, is a different issue. Whoever wins this battle, will have the power to change the World, the power that he can use to create a better world or to take us all down.

As a citizen of the World’s largest Democracy, I’m excited to know who leads the eldest Democracy of Modern World. I’m excited to know what plans he has for his country that has an upshot on the world economy, which is virtually in a crisis. So I want to know if Obama or Mc Cain have a plan and a will to act on that plan to improve the condition of US Markets and thereby perk up the Economy of the world.

Personally for me, I wish to see Obama winning in this race. coz, that gives for a chance of a Dream coming to reality.

A Dream that Martin Luther King Jr. held in his heart...

A Dream that also flourished in hearts of thousands of Americans and millions around the globe...

A Dream that inspires people like Operah Winfrey or Michael Jackson or Mohammed Ali or Arthur Ashe or Williams Sisters...

A Dream of Enduring Hope that America can give to the World...

A lot of Expectations… As they are always!

A great Battle… As it is every four years!

And A lot of Excitement… As it was Never Before!

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go..........

Withered reality of neighbourhood

A quiet Saturday Evening of Ramadan… Islamabad’s Hotel Marriot was getting ready for an Iftar party… a truck full of explosives crashed through the gates and once again fear echoed through the streets of Pakistan’s Capital…

Fear that has been a part of their thoughts, fear that has occupied the air, once again came alive. few days back, it was in Delhi, tonight it was in Islamabad..

Seems like violence has become a routine in the subcontinent. And now Pakistan is also facing the brunt of it. In recent times, the Terror attacks on Pakistan have gone up. I just found out a list of some of the major ones since January 2008.

January 10: Twenty people, mostly policemen, killed in suicide bomb attack outside Lahore High Court.

January 14: Bomb kills 10 people at a market in Karachi.

February 9: Suicide bomber kills 25 people at an opposition election rally in the northwestern town of Charsadda.

February 11 : Nine killed in suicide bombing at an election meeting of an independent candidate in North Waziristan.

February 16 : Suicide car bomber strikes a rally of Pakistan People's Party in the northwestern town of Parachinar, killing 37.

February 22: Roadside bomb hits wedding party in Swat, killing at least 14.

February 25: Suicide bomber kills army surgeon Lieutenant General Mushtaq Baig and seven others in Rawalpindi.

February 29 : Forty-four killed in a suicide blast in Mingora in northwest Swat valley during the funeral of three policemen killed by a roadside bomb earlier in the day.

March 2: Suicide bomber kills 43 at tribal elders convention in the northwestern district of Darra Adam Khel.

March 4: Two suicide bombers attack Pakistan Naval War College in Lahore, killing five people.

March 10 : Suicide truck bombings target Federal Investigation Agency building in Lahore; 26 killed.

March 15: Bomb blast at a restaurant in Islamabad kills a woman and wounds 10 others, including four FBI men.

July 2: Suicide car bomb outside the Danish embassy in Islamabad kills eight.

July 6: Fifteen killed in suicide attack on policemen during a rally to mark the anniversary of Lal Masjid raid.

August 12: Roadside bomb attack targets Pakistan Air Force bus in Peshawar, killing 13.

August 19 : Twenty-three killed in suicide attack on a hospital in northwestern Dera Ismail Khan town.

August 21: At least 78 killed in twin suicide attacks outside Pakistan's main ordnance factory in Wah.

August 28: Nine persons, mostly policemen, killed in roadside bombing in North West Frontier Province.

September 6: Thirty people were killed and 70 injured in suicide bombing near a police check post in Peshawar.

This list is enough to show the trouble people are facing in Pakistan. It doesn't matter where terrorism originated. What matters is innocence is being killed, let it be in Delhi or in Islamabad and we need to stop this.

... All this on The International Peace Day...

International Day of Peace

In 1981 the United Nations General Assembly passed resolution 36/67 declaring an International Day of Peace. In 2001, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a new resolution 55/282 declaring 21 September of each year as the International Day of Peace.

The resolution: "Declares that the International Day of Peace shall henceforth be observed as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, an invitation to all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities for the duration of the Day...

“Invites all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, and non-governmental organizations and individuals to commemorate, in an appropriate manner, the International Day of Peace, including through education and public awareness, and to cooperate with the United Nations in the establishment of the global ceasefire.”

May we will not celebrate just a peace Day a year...

May peace prevail forever

and may we never need to celebrate such day

or the worst- We'll have to say "Let the Peace RIP..."

NSG Clearance for the N-Deal

Finally, another step taken. After a lot of speculations, and excitement, THE NEWS- Nuclear Security Group has given its clearance to the Indo-US Nuclear Deal. I don't know what my immediate reaction is. But I'm feeling this is all going in a right direction. This deal is a need of time. But one shall not forget that there are a lot of other things are yet to be done, in many aspects of life, if we really wish for a better world.

Good Bye, General!

Finally, another dictatorial regim comes to and end. Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has resigned. He has done it to avoid the impending impeachment motion. But, as he said in his speach, he's doing it to keep the nation's interests.

It's not yet clear whether Musharraf will remain in Pakistan or he'll be forced to leave the country. but his resignation marks the end of an era. It also sets the alarms for India coz I doubt the next persons standing in queue would really want take the talks furhter

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A Brief Bio of General's Rule: (Sourced from agencies)

Musharraf was born in Delhi, in August 1943. During the partition of India, his family emigrated to Pakistan.

1964: Musharraf started a career with the Pakistan Army.

1998: Became Pakistan's powerful Army Chief.

1999: Kargil war. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ordered the withdrawal of insurgent troops from Indian territories. Tensions mounted between Musharraf and Nawaz Sharif over the decision. Sharif tried to fire Musharraf. In October, Musharraf overthrew the elected Sharif Government and seized the power in a bloodless military coup. World Communities condemned the coup. However the reactions were not much serious considering the fact that democracy rarely prevailed in Pakistan.

July 2001: In the first summit meeting in Agra, India, Musharraf and the then Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee failed to make any headway on the Kashmir issue. Musharraf's storming out of India became a big news.

Septemner 11 2001: This day marked a defining moment in Musharraf's political career. His support to Washington in the plans to attack Afghanistan became crucial. Pakistan became an ally in the US led "War on Terror", in return, US promised more than $1bn in aid to Pakistan. Musharraf not only backed the American military action in Afghanistha, but also arrested more than 500 al-Qaida suspects in its own territory. This move made him wisely unpopular in his own country.

Since his precarious alliance with Washington, Musharraf has waged a campaign against Islamic extremists, banning several militant groups - a stance that has made him many enemies at home.

December 2001: Terrorists attacked the Indian parliament. India blamed the attack on Pakistan backed Kashmiri militants, Pakistan categorically denied the charge.

2002: Tensions continued between India and Pakistan. Steady shelling was reported accross the LOC.

India continued to accuse Pakistan of backing Islamic militant groups and supporting insurgency in Jammu and kashmir. Musharraf continued to deny the charge. In a televised speech to the nation at the peak of the crisis, Musharraf vowed not to initiate war with India, but continued to test medium and a short-range ballistic missiles - capable of carrying conventional and nuclear warheads.

late 2002: General elections were held in Pakistan and Parliament was reconvened, but Musharraf remained the most powerful figure in Pakistan, though he handed over day-to-day handling of the country to a prime minister, a political ally. But the business in parliament was in deadlock for months as secular and religious opposition parties refused to accept a raft of constitutional amendments Musharraf had pushed through without parliamentary approval.

The amendments, known as the Legal Framework Order (LFO), gave the general the power to sack the prime minister, dissolve parliament and also recognise him as both head of the army and head of state.

December 2003: as part of a deal to end the stand-off, Gen Musharraf said he would step down as military head of the country by January 2005 - a pledge he did not fulfil.

Musharraf survived two assassination attempts

early 2004: Since peace talks began with India, tensions have reduced between the two countries.

March 2004: The hunt for al Qaida militants in the southern Waziristan tribal area in March 2004 by the Pakistani army - the largest since Musharraf threw his support behind the US war on terror - disenchanted many in Pakistan an Islamic country of 150 (m) million people. Pakistani troops attacked hundreds of possible al-Qaida suspects and tribesmen holed up in heavily fortified mud fortresses in South Waziristan - a forbidding tribal region near the border with Afghanistan.

April 2004: A veneer of democracy was given to Musharraf's rule, when he won a five-year presidential mandate in a highly controversial referendum, in which he was the only candidate.

October 2004: areas of Pakistan-administered Kashmir were struck by a massive earthquake that killed tens of thousands of people. Musharraf visited people left homeless in the disaster.

July 2005: The suicide bombings in London, investigations revealed that the bombers had visited religious schools in Pakistan.

March 2006 : US President George Bush visited the country. Days of anti US Protests erupted across Pakistan with crowds of thousands burning US flags and chanting death to America.

In 2006: Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikar Choudhari embarrassed the government with a ruling that blocked plans to privatise a huge state-run steel company.

July 2007: shots were fired after Musharraf's plane took off from a military base in what one official described as a failed assassination attempt. Pakistani army investigators were busy at work on a rooftop in Rawalpindi where three officials told AP that two anti-aircraft guns and a light machine gun were found.

Musharraf's move to suspend Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry as chief justice of the Supreme Court, triggered a row over the independence of the judiciary and accusations of political meddling, and proved to be an ill-judged move. Chaudhry irked the government in several high-profile cases. He had pressed the government hard to provide information on the whereabouts of dozens of people said by relatives to be secretly held by Pakistani intelligence agencies.

Chaudhry's suspension provoked a series of demonstrations across Pakistan and Musharraf's worst political crisis since he seized power in 1999.

October 2007: Musharraf was re-elected by Parliament, but his confirmation was held up by the Supreme Court following complaints that a military man could not constitutionally serve as an elected head-of-state.

November 2007: Musharraf reacted by proclaiming a state of emergency on November 3, sacking the chief justice and other independent judges and replacing them with his appointees. The reconstituted top court then approved his election.

Musharraf said confidence in his government would soon return.

Musharraf eventually stepped down from his powerful post as Pakistan's military commander in November, a day before he was to be sworn in as a civilian president as part of his long-delayed pledge not to hold both jobs. During a change of command in the garrison town of Rawalpindi near the capital, Islamabad, Musharraf relinquished his post by handing over his ceremonial baton to his successor, General Ashfaq Kayani. Musharraf's retirement from the military was a key opposition demand. He had promised to give up his army role at the end of 2004 but reneged on that pledge, saying the country still needed strong leadership in the face of Islamic extremism.

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif returned from exile to stand in the poll.

December 2007: Benazir Bhutto was assassinated at an election campaign. Musharraf furiously ejected intelligence services complicity and was at pains to defend what security had been in place at the rally.

February 2008: Musharraf's rivals Asif Ali Zardari and ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif won the parliamentary elections and had since sought his ouster.

August 2008: Coalition party leader Asif Ali Zardari called for his impeachment after he failed to get a vote of confidence from the newly elected assembly.

19 August 2008: Musharraf resigned in order to avoind the impeachment.

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In his fairwell speech to the nation, Musharraf tried his best to defend his tenure and refuted criticism. At the End, an emotional Musharraf said that he leaves office knowing whatever he has done "was for the people and for the country." "I leave my future in the hand of nation and the people. Let them be the judge and let them do justice,"

He said his fate was in the hands of the Pakistani people. And well, it's going to be interesting to see in whose hands Pakistan's fate is to go..

I hope it doesn't happen that we find the coming rulers much more difficult to handle...