SITUATIONER: the great and the good eclipse our post-budget scene

Not only has the visit of the great and the good stirred up expectations of a highly significant and meaningful change in the country, it has also overshadowed the post-budget business. The federal and provincial governments except for Balochistan have so far unveiled their budgets.
None of the assemblies has concluded debate as each of the provincial assemblies is yet to initiate discussions on its respective government''s statement of planned receipts and expenditures for the fiscal year beginning July 1.
As one would witness after every budget, those hit hard due to increase in taxes in the shape of rise in import surcharge or sales tax, etc, are shouting themselves hoarse by sounding rough and unpleasant because of the budget which, according to them, has added to their woes.
They would have their grievances redressed fully or partially, or to the true extent of their problems, but in "due course" as they are required to wait for the CBR circulars the central revenue authority intends to issue to remove "anomalies" in "due course" as reports strongly suggest that the top government functionaries, including those relating to Finance, are more interested these days in retailing the developments appearing on national political scene with relish than doing their real business.
However, a serious and extremely worrisome development that has marred the post-budget scenario is the killing of eight armymen and one policeman in Quetta. Those behind the carnage were perhaps able to send their message across in possible strongest terms as that tragic incident coincided with US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher''s visit to the Balochistan capital.
That US Deputy Secretary of State John D Negroponte''s meeting with President General Musharraf has turned into a real humdinger of the present situation, the senior diplomat''s remarks reproduced by quite a few newspapers in the headlines of their following day''s editions also make an interesting reading.
For example, he has been quoted in the headlines from his brief reply to a question with regard to President General Musharraf''s uniform. While the meanings and spirit of the two headlines are almost identical, the words attributed to him within quotes as actually uttered by him are different. For one, these have turned out to be ersatz quotes as one headline at least appears to be artificial and not as good as the real or what Negroponte had said at his press conference at the US embassy where he unveiled his government''s ambitious plan of giving away $750 million over the next five years for the development of Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
Either one newspaper or both made a mistake, but in good faith, or they thought it was better to err on the side of caution.
Nevertheless, Negroponte''s remarks that a decision on uniform will be General Musharraf''s own clearly indicated that the US finally wanted the President resolved his uniform issue "keeping in view the political environment" in the region, including Pakistan. One does not know whether General Musharraf has finally agreed, albeit reluctantly, to help US on the question of his uniform before he seeks second term in the Presidency.
It also remains to be seen whether or not US government''s wishes and ideas seeking the transition of present system into not only undiluted democracy, but greater democracy, could be put into practice by the general. Ironically, General Musharraf, who is unarguably running short of friends, is facing a situation in which there are two choices and alternatives whose consequences may be equally momentous.