Ejaz,
Since the court never gave a verdict, we cannot say whether Musharraf was constitutionally eligible or not. The case would have been simple had the 17th amendment not been passed (by a two thirds majority), but the constitution was amended, which gave rise to the argument over his holding two offices. If there wasn't any ambiguity, then the SC would not have dragged the case on for so many weeks listening to arguments from each side. Do you think the courts first decide whether "murder" is a crime, before determining whether a man committed murder? No, they go straight to establishing innocence or guilt. Not in the case of Musharraf and his two posts though.
I completely disagreed with the SC's decision to suspend the sale of the steel mills. How many years have we suffered losses from it? There is a reason why there wasn't a tremendous amount of investor interest or high bidding for it.
To expand it and modernize it, which is the need of the hour, will require billions in investment, which the government cannot afford. There was nothing wrong with selling it to a consortium that would invest in it and improve its capabilities. You have to look at things beyond simply "dollars and cents". Pakistan imports most of its steel requirements, how much foreign exchange could we save were PSM diversified and its capacity enhanced? How much "independence" would that give us in such a crucial sector? How much money do we gain by selling the PSM, even at a throw away price, by virtue of not having to bail it out for billions every so often? There are a lot of things that need to be looked at to determine whether the sale of a strategic asset like the PSM is in Pakistan,s interest or not.
The same goes for the PIA, which should have been privatized a long time back. I am sure the losses that the government suffers have probably cost Pakistan more than were it to have given PIA away.