As an appeal to the electorate is made once more in this country’s history, once more the country looks towards the powers that run it to take all necessary steps so that elections are not only held ‘free and fair’ as understood by those who assert it but in effect they are seen to be ‘free and fair’ without any serious reservations from the opposition. Although there are disturbing signs to the contrary, one can only hope that the present regime headed by Musharraf looks at all accusations of manipulations in a serious manner in contrast to the accusations of inadequate security by Benazir Bhutto and the ignorant response of that appeal. In the wake of the recent killing of Benazir Bhutto as well as the country wide agitation which followed, some sentiments against the federal nature of the state were also observed especially by Sindhis who felt betrayed that a beloved father and a daughter, both former prime ministers had lost their lives in Punjab.
The denunciation of such remarks by Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, the co-chairman of PPP who would be calling the shots for some time to come was more than welcome. However, one cannot ignore the feeling prevailing in all provinces minus Punjab that they have been subjected to injustice through the unjust enrichment and development of Punjab at their cost and resources. Similarly a feeling exists that leaders from Punjab are given greater importance and have a greater say in the running of the country. The absence of democracy and an independent judiciary in this country has done nothing to help diffuse the situation within the constitutional limits and confines which allows a just system to accommodate all the provinces. At such a time, the need for a free and fair election which paves the way for a body of people who represent all these provinces is desirable to preserve the unitary character of the state.
Apart from this reason alone, one can non-exhaustively cite various arguments in favour of the right of suffrage to be exercised freely and fairly by the people of this country which could possibly culminate in a democratic and a stronger Pakistan. One hopes that Musharraf’s claim that the elections would complete his so called ‘third transition towards democracy’ would be a nail in the coffin for dictatorship and military influence in politics and no such announcements are forthcoming in the future by God-forbid any prospective general who conceives himself as a ‘messiah’ to save the country and destroys all institutions as well as democracy and then tries and recollect the pieces in the way that Musharraf has done.
There are other considerable hurdles in the way not least because the intelligence organization, commonly known as ISI, has an inclination of interfering with the political process and democracy rather than engage in activities which may perhaps reduce terrorism in this country or say perhaps counter its counterpart RAW in the neighboring India to secure the country’s interests and its borders. To the contrary, many suggestions are made time and again that the intelligence may be involved in high profile killings and secretarian disturbances which are designed to secure political objectives which are undesirable and harmful to the democratic culture.
For achieving this purpose, it is at the same time important that representatives of people who have in the past assisted in destabilizing elected governments, refrain from inviting any repetition of horrors of the past by seeking short cuts to power for their personal interest. To achieve the same, through their implied and explicit activities, they have allowed themselves to be manipulated in the process of guiding the system towards authoritarianism and one-man rule. As Benazir Bhutto herself learnt, perhaps at a late stage, that her initial support to Musharraf’s coup of 1999 proved disastrous and a failure as 8 years on, Musharraf is still in charge and is in no hurry to submit to the sovereignty of the parliament. If Nawaz Sharif’s government was allowed to complete its term and the next elections as scheduled were held on time, it was conceivable that her party would have gained a majority in such elections. Instead we saw how in the past, members of her own party as well as PML(N) were either inducted into the PML(Q), which was conceived through ISI or were disillusioned by the support she offered to a military dictator for whom no place is reserved in PPP’s principles.
At a time when all constitutional frameworks have been dismantled by Musharraf who defies all political theorists and proponents of democracy, the political parties must unite to reverse all his actions. It is impossible to dream of a perfect future for the state without recourse and assessment of what damage has already been done. In this way, the assertion of former leader of PPP, the late Benazir Bhutto that an independent judiciary, which safeguards the constitution at all times of peril is possible, by looking towards the future rather than recollecting the past is a flawed one. Hypothetically speaking, if the pre-November 3 judiciary had been present today, it would have taken suo moto notice of her killing and the misreporting by public servants and certainly an inquiry headed by any such member of the pre-November 3 judiciary would have raised no eye brows and may even have allowed us to know who the real culprits and the motivation for her killing was. Instead now we face a situation where Asif Ali Zardari has reposed faith in not a single judge of the post-PCO oath era in a sign of contempt for the impartiality and independence of such judges. Musharraf was forced to invite Scotland Yard as the system of checks and balances and justice is absent after the steps he took in November last year to send all judges of conscience to their homes, while many are still detained there yet still inspire thousands of lawyers and the common man all over the country.
It is now time for representatives of the people to move towards the future. Personal interests must be sacrificed in favour of collective interest. Now that Benazir Bhutto is gone, PPP is poised to gain more political leverage through the wave of sympathy generated all over the country. However it must exercise the trust that many of its followers repose in it to their favour for the benefit of supremacy and rule of law in a democratic state. To achieve the same, nothing can be of greater help than reinstating such judges. Although as late Benazir Bhutto felt that such a move is unlikely, but is not impossible. Sometimes the only hope for the future lies in a quest for the impossible. And to think that this task was unlikely yet not impossible and give up without a try would be a stain on PPP, perhaps brighter than the one sustained by it than the assassination of its beloved leader.
The denunciation of such remarks by Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, the co-chairman of PPP who would be calling the shots for some time to come was more than welcome. However, one cannot ignore the feeling prevailing in all provinces minus Punjab that they have been subjected to injustice through the unjust enrichment and development of Punjab at their cost and resources. Similarly a feeling exists that leaders from Punjab are given greater importance and have a greater say in the running of the country. The absence of democracy and an independent judiciary in this country has done nothing to help diffuse the situation within the constitutional limits and confines which allows a just system to accommodate all the provinces. At such a time, the need for a free and fair election which paves the way for a body of people who represent all these provinces is desirable to preserve the unitary character of the state.
Apart from this reason alone, one can non-exhaustively cite various arguments in favour of the right of suffrage to be exercised freely and fairly by the people of this country which could possibly culminate in a democratic and a stronger Pakistan. One hopes that Musharraf’s claim that the elections would complete his so called ‘third transition towards democracy’ would be a nail in the coffin for dictatorship and military influence in politics and no such announcements are forthcoming in the future by God-forbid any prospective general who conceives himself as a ‘messiah’ to save the country and destroys all institutions as well as democracy and then tries and recollect the pieces in the way that Musharraf has done.
There are other considerable hurdles in the way not least because the intelligence organization, commonly known as ISI, has an inclination of interfering with the political process and democracy rather than engage in activities which may perhaps reduce terrorism in this country or say perhaps counter its counterpart RAW in the neighboring India to secure the country’s interests and its borders. To the contrary, many suggestions are made time and again that the intelligence may be involved in high profile killings and secretarian disturbances which are designed to secure political objectives which are undesirable and harmful to the democratic culture.
For achieving this purpose, it is at the same time important that representatives of people who have in the past assisted in destabilizing elected governments, refrain from inviting any repetition of horrors of the past by seeking short cuts to power for their personal interest. To achieve the same, through their implied and explicit activities, they have allowed themselves to be manipulated in the process of guiding the system towards authoritarianism and one-man rule. As Benazir Bhutto herself learnt, perhaps at a late stage, that her initial support to Musharraf’s coup of 1999 proved disastrous and a failure as 8 years on, Musharraf is still in charge and is in no hurry to submit to the sovereignty of the parliament. If Nawaz Sharif’s government was allowed to complete its term and the next elections as scheduled were held on time, it was conceivable that her party would have gained a majority in such elections. Instead we saw how in the past, members of her own party as well as PML(N) were either inducted into the PML(Q), which was conceived through ISI or were disillusioned by the support she offered to a military dictator for whom no place is reserved in PPP’s principles.
At a time when all constitutional frameworks have been dismantled by Musharraf who defies all political theorists and proponents of democracy, the political parties must unite to reverse all his actions. It is impossible to dream of a perfect future for the state without recourse and assessment of what damage has already been done. In this way, the assertion of former leader of PPP, the late Benazir Bhutto that an independent judiciary, which safeguards the constitution at all times of peril is possible, by looking towards the future rather than recollecting the past is a flawed one. Hypothetically speaking, if the pre-November 3 judiciary had been present today, it would have taken suo moto notice of her killing and the misreporting by public servants and certainly an inquiry headed by any such member of the pre-November 3 judiciary would have raised no eye brows and may even have allowed us to know who the real culprits and the motivation for her killing was. Instead now we face a situation where Asif Ali Zardari has reposed faith in not a single judge of the post-PCO oath era in a sign of contempt for the impartiality and independence of such judges. Musharraf was forced to invite Scotland Yard as the system of checks and balances and justice is absent after the steps he took in November last year to send all judges of conscience to their homes, while many are still detained there yet still inspire thousands of lawyers and the common man all over the country.
It is now time for representatives of the people to move towards the future. Personal interests must be sacrificed in favour of collective interest. Now that Benazir Bhutto is gone, PPP is poised to gain more political leverage through the wave of sympathy generated all over the country. However it must exercise the trust that many of its followers repose in it to their favour for the benefit of supremacy and rule of law in a democratic state. To achieve the same, nothing can be of greater help than reinstating such judges. Although as late Benazir Bhutto felt that such a move is unlikely, but is not impossible. Sometimes the only hope for the future lies in a quest for the impossible. And to think that this task was unlikely yet not impossible and give up without a try would be a stain on PPP, perhaps brighter than the one sustained by it than the assassination of its beloved leader.
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