Coalition under grave stress: Need to change strategy
I am not someone who does not believe in second chances. In fact, I am such a believer that I am bitterly opposed to the idea of capital punishment. If that punishment is scrapped it would only mean that those who qualify for it will suffer a long prison term and social censure apart from getting a second chance rather than getting liberated through an instant death. I know some would object that such a notion is not Islamic. These folks should know that Islam’s take on punishments is transitional in nature. Take for instance the example of the second Caliph and the close companion of the Prophet (PBUH) who not only introduced prison system but also relaxed the corporal punishments to an extent. Why would then I have a different set of standards for the political issues? I sure do not.
But honestly ca you not see? I said second chances, not infinite ones. If the politicians, no matter in civilian clothes or in khakis, do not avail the second chances offered to them they hardly deserve any reprieve. We, the citizens of the country, then are no Harry Potter that even in our last standoff we would try to give Voldemort a chance to repent.
The purpose of this gobbledygook is to sensitise our readers to the overtly incorrect direction our national debate is taking and the divisive nature of those who, in order to save their own skins, want the country to plunge into an unmitigated disaster.
No clue yet? Let me explain and begin by stating that there is never such a thing as graceful admission of defeat. On February 18 the people of this country left their comfortable shelters in hordes to handover their verdict despite serious threats to their lives. That verdict is quite clear and you do not need to be a rocket scientist to decipher it. Why then would the losers not understand it? It is evident that while they know what the verdict is, they do not actually accept it, as for the people of this country they have nothing but contempt.
I am sure it did not escape your attention that since the day the government took over all the attempts are being made to sabotage the process. Sometimes there is talk of the growing disagreements between the victors and all disagreements are blown up beyond proportion. Other momentary issues are used to show that the government, which has not even taken charge properly, is failing to bring an overnight change. This is rubbish. What if such elements succeed in accomplishing what they want? The coalition will fall apart and the country will plunge into the abyss of irrecoverable crises. But that is not all. Can the country afford another round of elections in such a short time span, especially when we know the polls would be rigged? Will the smaller provinces that are finally dreaming of a possible solution to their woes ever forgive us? Will the financial, judicial and law and order crises not intensify leaving life as miserable as in Baghdad? Iraq and Afghanistan we should remember have a very long history and hence have avoided balkanisation. Can Pakistan afford such an outcome? I think not.
One wonders then what the de facto president and his coterie are playing at. The president we all know is a soldier and a commando. I know it for being son of a late army officer that the servicemen are taught to sacrifice their own lives for the nation. Now what really baffles me is the fact that a man who himself claims to be living and breathing for the sake of the nation can go to such an extent of jeopardising the nation’s integrity or turn a blind eye to his cronies indulging in such plots just to save his post and not even his life. I have seen quite a few divisive national leaders but this to my beleaguered memory is entirely a new level.
Those who have worked tirelessly during the last year for the cause of democracy and the rule of law also cannot absolve themselves of the blame. It was their fault that they allowed the cracks to appear in their alliance and by doing so gave the incumbents to use all the resources available to weaken the coalition further.
Take for instance the lawyers’ movement. Why did they not see that behind the success of their movement was the deep seated anti-incumbency sentiment? While it is true that the Chief Justice of Pakistan quickly emerged as the face of dissent against the incumbents, but limiting the movement’s goals to his restoration alone was never a good idea. A more viable and effectual goal could be a change at the presidency. When the president is such a divisive figure, why did people not launch a movement directly against him? Why are we employing euphemisms still now? Why are we redirecting our guns towards the recently elected government instead of building pressure for the impeachment of the president? If we are hoping that a restored judiciary would start a process to impeach the president, we are being only too optimistic. Why, we all know that the Chief Justice was restored only too recently but despite that there was no fast movement to sack the president.
Even on the eve of the imposition of emergency the judiciary was concerned only with restricting the powers of a dictator to do what he did. Had that bench given a more radical verdict, the situation would have been altogether different. Yet I am not suggesting that the judges should not be restored for failing our expectations. For the sake of democratic conventions, institution building and judicial independence, they should be restored in their own right without much ado. All I am saying is that those who are getting uneasy with the new government should remember the actual elements responsible for our troubles today. If we want the democratic government to confront all foreign and local pressures, we will have to stand with it instead of pulling its legs and show some trust.
Also there is an urgent need to build pressure for the removal of the remnants of the old order at once. In his previous press talks Asif Zardari has already hinted that if the media and the movement build pressure for the accountability of the former government, the democratic government would take the necessary steps. And while we do so we should remember that the new government has already started delivering by fulfilling its promises like clipping the wings of Pemra. If we want it to undo the damage inflicted during the last eight years overnight we should also be able to offer a magic lamp. If we cannot do this much, then we can hardly complain. And as I say it, the new script of a conspiracy is already being written in the old quarters to send the new government packing.
Courtesy The Post
Posted on April 27th, 2008 under General • 
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April 27th, 2008 at 2:26 am
Nice post mortem though!
Mr Pitafi Sir, i do agree with “Those who have worked tirelessly during the last year for the cause of democracy and the rule of law also cannot absolve themselves of the blame. It was their fault that they allowed the cracks to appear in their alliance and by doing so gave the incumbents to use all the resources available to weaken the coalition further” BUT you know it very well as everyone else in pakistan knows that its ASIF ZARDARI who has to finaly push the magic button so that the judges get back to their Nov 3 position. The question is why & what is making Zardari to make an ordinate delay in implementing the vocal decleration which is without any shadow of doubt the core issue in the coailition?
Again when you say “While it is true that the Chief Justice of Pakistan quickly emerged as the face of dissent against the incumbents, but limiting the movement’s goals to his restoration alone was never a good idea” i guess its a pretty wrong notion to ascertain! I have no likeness for Iftikhar Choudhari BUT he wins the moral standing of public at large because of the fact that he was sacked only for not submitting to the wish of the man behind the whole mess.Its in this scenerio that any minus one move is always rejected by the lawyers as well as the other concerned patriotic pakistanis.
Furthermore when like any other patriotic pakistani you can sense “Why are we redirecting our guns towards the recently elected government instead of building pressure for the impeachment of the president? If we are hoping that a restored judiciary would start a process to impeach the president, we are being only too optimistic. Why, we all know that the Chief Justice was restored only too recently but despite that there was no fast movement to sack the president” then WHATS making Asif Zardari with a full house in his hands lose the precious oppertunity to do the needful ? The public has already given their verdict and its now only in the hands of the ppp leadership to decide either way. Again its very crucial to note that impeachment has always been a top agenda of ML(N) and PPP leadership would be comitting a colossal mistake by taking too much time in descision making. The quality of leadership is exhibited through dextrous but subtle descision making,a realm where Zardari needs aggressive improvement because we all know that each delaying moment would tentamount to fresh oxygenation of Musharaf & his league.
This is the right time for surgical amputation of all extra-judicial moves.Constitutional package limiting the tenure of the CJ & redefining the judicial jurisdiction by the parliment isn’t bad idea.If there is a tenure for the parliment,president,premier,army chief then why not for the CJ? I am sure every pakistani would welcome sincere efforts but for Godsake do it quick.One reality is crystal clear that the pakistan right now is a plundered mess and million issues are of prime importance,its practically impossible for the political govt to be able to adress all. Chances to deliver are vague and with each passing day credibility of the political parties in power would decline BUT if within this short period after their existance they could manage to at least reinstate the judiciary back to their lost status,induce a people’s welfare oriented favourable constitutional pakage and get rid of musharaf then i am sure they would be able to kill two birds with one stone.Firstly,its gonna be a priceless service to the people of pakistan and the country for which they would be praised and respected by the coming enerations.In fact the whole nation would be thankful to them. Secondly,Musharaf will have no legal,moral and constitutional stand to use 58-2B against a hardly 6 weeks old parliment.That is why everyone feels that this is the time to act swiftly and descisively.
We must remember that if “haste makes waste” stands true then its equally true that in a conspiratorial and volatile pakistan an “Open window” might get shut for the latecomers.
Finaly,God forbid an oppertunity lost this time will ensure driving the last nail in the coffin of an ideologically democratic and constitutional pakistan. May Allah almighty bless our leadership with the vision and courage in the course of the vital surgery which now appears to be the only hope of pakistani people in their struggle to see their motherland a true constitutional,democratic,welfare state.amin!
April 28th, 2008 at 1:54 am
Mir, on the whole I like your arguments. Your point of view is more or less similar to mine. In defense of Asif Zardari I would request you to place yourself in his shoes. What would you do when from GW Bush to Javier Solana everyone wants you not to sack Mush? What do you do when you are under terrible pressure not to change things before the November US elections? What do you do when the establishment uses your own party leaders like Amin Fahim to weaken your resolve and then you have to turn to MQM because you are afraid that if you do not engage this group the establishment would form an alternative government in Sindh with the help A Fahim and co?
You certainly have to take steps very carefully. Also it does not help that the media which has suffered at the hands of Musharraf decides that finally Arbab Ghulam Rahim and Sher Afgan Niazi are really so weak that they should be helped. We had tolerated Mush’s regime for 8 years and yet we are failing to tolerate 30, 40 or whatever it takes to restore the judiciary. The most valid point is to realize that it is the presidency which is conspiring. If you take to streets while making it evident that we do not intend to challenge the new government but the conspirators hiding in the presidency then no foreign or internal pressure can justify Mush’s stay in power. Judges are now free. Would they be kind enough to come out with the citizens and join a Go Musharraf Go movement. I think they should for they owe this much to us. If we have to bring change quickly we will have to build pressure on the quarters that are opposing full democracy in Pakistan. Yet I am afraid that when we’ll approach the Chief Justice to join us directly against Musharraf he would refuse.
However I must say that the PML-N should not join those who build pressure on the federal government because if they do they would create a space ready to be exploited by the presidency and its league. Of all the times this is to show political solidarity.
April 29th, 2008 at 1:59 am
My humble submission in response to ur point of view ” What would you do when from GW Bush to Javier Solana everyone wants you not to sack Mush? What do you do when you are under terrible pressure not to change things before the November US elections? What do you do when the establishment uses your own party leaders like Amin Fahim to weaken your resolve and then you have to turn to MQM because you are afraid that if you do not engage this group the establishment would form an alternative government in Sindh with the help A Fahim and co? ” is that HOW justified the same arguments stand in defense of Musharaf’s actions from coup to all his actions taken in war on terror,constitutional despoilment,judicial crises,12th may massacre,Lal masjid’s operation silence,BB’s assassination etc etc bcoz he will have the same excuses?
what difference exists between a man with no legal footing and a duly elected parlimant if both have to submit to the circumstances and pressures? yes,caution we must exercise but it must not cost this motherland of ours any more autocratic adventure.
This parlimant shall feel no pressure from the American administration,its in fact a test of leadership. If this leadership will bow down to such pressures like Musharaf then do we really need any change?