Shaheen
Sehbai
Pakistan
is getting back to a civil, democratic polity in fits and starts.
Grudgingly the army is conceding power to the much maligned and
abused politicians, in bits and pieces, having realized that without
them it is hard to keep the country up and running, no matter how
solid and tight the embrace by Washington and its allies.
A
somber and visibly depressed General Pervez Musharraf hurriedly
took another oath, the third in three years, as head of the state,
not for any other reason but to reassure himself that the newly
elected Assembly would not pull the rug from under his feet. His
hush-hush swearing-in ceremony was more a testimony to his insecurity
and fear rather than any constitutional need that could not wait
till after the inaugural session of the National Assembly or later.
A
panicked Establishment, it is evident, is testing the limits of
freedom and power that it can allow to political leaders keeping
the reins of power firmly in control. The army and General Musharraf
are acting like scientists in a genetic laboratory who, in their
attempt to create a new friendly political clone, manufactured a
monster and are now waiting nervously to find out how dangerous
and lethal would it be. They would not hesitate for a moment to
quash its head if it shows even the slightest sign of aggression.
The
politicians of Pakistan have to realize this grave fact. They have
got a God-sent opportunity just because of an international environment
which pushed the Generals to keep moving towards the goal of civil
rule. The politicians themselves hardly did anything worthwhile
to push the Generals into conceding what they have. The three main
political party heads left the country, in sheer disgust and frustration
or to avoid the hardship of opposing military rule. Those who stayed
on were marginalized. After 9/11 the religious parties were on the
run, but were forced to forget their differences, just to survive
the onslaught of the liberals in the army and outside it, pushed
by the US and allies. It was a blessing in disguise for them, something
they had not been able to achieve for decades.
Thus
the politicians have to make the best out of this opportunity. No
military ruler has ever left power just because he believed in democracy.
When General Musharraf told a Harvard University audience in Boston
last September he was a big “democrat” the elite professors
and students could not suppress an spontaneous laugh. He is no democrat
and he is no different than any banana-republic dictator who overthrows
democracy. He is only experimenting with different options, just
in case he can create a balance in which he could show a civil face
to the ever-pushing world and keep real powers in his hands. All
Generals feel the need to do this for the sake of acquiring international
legitimacy, not just diplomatic recognition. Field Marshal Ayub
did that experiment, General Zia ul Haq tried as well and so is
Musharraf.
The
politicians should, therefore, give him space and not force issues
to a breaking point. The manner in which the question of taking
oath on the “original” or “amended” 1973
Constitution was handled on the first day in Parliament is a perfect
example of how to tread this slippery path with care. While all
the parties registered their point over the oath, they went on and
signed the registers so that the process did not bog down. When
at a later stage the superior courts decide whether the amendments
made by Musharraf were right or wrong, the oath issue would also
get settled.
Right
now Musharraf needs to be given confidence and reassurances by not
just words but by conduct. The stage of government formation should
be quickly passed, with whoever can show a majority to be allowed
to form the government, and others taking up their positions on
the Opposition benches with grace and dignity, in a friendly and
cooperative atmosphere. Benazir Bhutto had done the right thing
by announcing that she would prefer the Opposition benches and would
not hinder government formation. Even the below-the-belt blow of
forcing a forward bloc in her party has not rattled her. She has
shown great maturity. And so have the Maulanas of the MMA who did
not barter away their principles just to be a part of the government.
The
immediate goal of the politicians should be to restore the image
mutilated and tarnished by the army for years, declaring them as
corrupt marauders, incompetent, greedy, immoral and power hungry
to the extent of even becoming national security risks. Once politicians
get back control, they should try and clear this image quickly,
no matter whether they are in the Opposition or on Treasury benches.
General
Musharraf has helped them a lot by jumping down from the high moral
ground that he enjoyed for a while, at least until the fraudulent
referendum. He has been playing exactly the same dirty tricks which
the army has been accusing the politicians of for years: horse trading,
bending all rules and regulations and pushing favorites for personal
power and interests. So he is in no better position but the dirt
that has stuck on the politicians has got to be removed before they
can take on the Generals seriously.
The
new political Government should therefore immediately announce that
no corruption would be tolerated, ministers should declare their
assets, merit should be adopted for all key positions and real independence
should be given to the Judiciary, the Election Commission and the
Press, including the electronic media. All top civilian positions
grabbed by “undeserving” army personnel should be returned
to qualified civilians through a process which should be fair and
provide an equal chance to incumbents to prove they are worthy of
the position.
All
cases of corruption against politicians, and generals, should be
handed over to a high level judicial commission, comprising present
and former Supreme Court Judges, and an amnesty be given to all
politicians to return to the country without fear of arrest. The
judgment given by the Judicial Commission should be acceptable to
all. If any one is found guilty, he or she should stand disqualified.
Rest should be allowed to take their due place in national politics.
By
such a magnanimous gesture of goodwill should the new civilian government
start rebuilding its own image, the image of the political community
and the country to heal the wounds of unmitigated political persecution
and victimization. On such a high note should the new political
government start its march towards nation building.
The
day would soon then arrive when the entire Parliament would unanimously
be asking the President to confidently remove his uniform as the
country would be in safe and stable hands.
The
challenge to the politicians is huge. The response has to be equally
enormous.
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