ISO bro, You repeatedly juxtapose Gyanendra and Musharraf, here and in other threads. I don't think it's a fare comparison. First of all, from what I have seen, Musharraf and his political gang is far (I mean FAR) more educated, articulate, modern-thinking, forward-looking, visionary and connected to the people they rule than King G and his vision-deprived crooks who hail from the OLD SCHOOL. Secondly... I admit I lack any knowledge of specifics in Pakistan's development after the last military coup. However, just as a general observation, one can argue that even though India and Pakistan were literally born together with almost the same level of development, look at how far Pakistan lags behind India now, which, among other factors, of course, can be partly attributed to India's committment to democracy ever since it's inception. While Pakistan got embroiled in social conservatism due to religous rigidity, and politcal backwardness due to intermittent military rules, India, despite it's mound of problems, slowly but surely rose to hitch a ride in economic and social prosperity. My point is, despite what at times seems like problems beyond one's comprehension, nothing but only free minds can move societies forward and achieve greater degrees of development. Solutions to problems in democracy CANNOT, and WILL NEVER, come from backward steps towards autocracy, but rather from more freedom itself. The process of democracy corrects itself. This is not to say I advocate the notion that democracy based on Western thoughts should, and must, be appied to every society on earth. However, I seriously wonder if Nepal and other underdeveloped countries can really prosper if their leaders dictate what/how the governed should think. Cultural, social and geographical aspects aside, FREE MINDS that democracy promotes is an absolute necessity in ANY society's prosperity, be it economic, intellectual, or social. THAT is why I think Nepal fell far behind because Panchayat shunned FREE MINDS, and THAT is why I don't see a bright future for Nepal if it is to revert back to Panchayat era, as the initial moves of King G indicates. ISO, I know you and I will have vast differences on these issues, but it's no secret that I take immense pleasure in trusting your capacity to argue with civility and articulate reasonings. Therefore, I hope you also understand that these differences are limited to intellectual discussions, and I otherwise hold a great personal admiration for you. Cheers!