By
Shaheen Sehbai
EITHER
GENERAL Pervez Musharraf is stupid and naïve or he believes
everybody else in Pakistan is stupid and naïve. It could even
be both. But there can be no other explanation for the performance
review of his four years in government, as narrated by him, before
the country’s editors last week.
A simple
reading of the published accounts of that review makes one feel
he is not ashamed of insulting the intelligence of any one who may
have it, in Pakistan or abroad. And he would also not mind poking
a finger in the eye.
Some
of the points General Musharraf made were mind boggling. He was
speaking as if he had nothing to do with running the country for
the last four years and someone else, somewhere, was responsible
for all that had gone wrong. And according to his own account, almost
everything on every front had gone wrong. A glimpse of what he said
(as reported by Daily Dawn) and my comments:
Quote:
On his Credibility: “With the passage of
time the world has started suspecting Pakistan and a perception
that the president himself was supporting extremists and terrorists
was gaining widespread acceptance in the world.”
Comment:
Who Mr. President is responsible for creating this perception? Is
it not you who allowed the extremists to make windfall political
strides at the cost of moderate and liberal parties, just because
you wanted to perpetuate your own illegal rule. Is the world then
wrong? Who are you trying to fool?
On
Stability: “Political stability can be achieved by
resolving the LFO issue which I think is doable.”
Why
then have you not achieved it Sir in the last 4 years. Who is stopping
you and what are you waiting for? And do you have to tell us that
LFO is a stumbling block in achieving political stability. Does
not every one know that and you have been arrogantly and adamantly
insisting that it is part of the Constitution. Who are you trying
to fool?
On
Inter-Provincial Harmony: “He appeared equally concerned
about the growing provincial disharmony, especially the state of
affairs in the province of Sindh and seemed disappointed by the
reluctance of members of Sindh government to come forward and try
to correct the situation.”
So
according to you provincial disharmony is growing, but your misguided
actions like installing a criminal as Governor of the province and
ignoring the majority party have nothing to do with this. Who are
you trying to fool?
On
Responsibility: “There is a lack of trust among the
people of the province I feel disappointed at being held responsible
for the mistakes of the past governments.”
So
you have not been able to do anything in the last four years to
remove the lack of trust. And you have the temerity to blame mistakes
of governments which remained in power for less than 30 months at
a time but you could not rectify those mistakes in even 48 months.
Who are you trying to fool?
On
Balochistan: “He appeared extremely unhappy with
the law and order situation in Balochistan for which he blamed the
Sardars..”
Are
the Sardars of Balochistan in power for the last 4 years? Were they
not there in the past and have they been born just now? Were you
not supposed to handle them, as other political governments did.
Who are you trying to fool?
On
his Uniform: “I myself subscribe to the principle
that the offices of the president and the army chief should not
be held by one man.”
But
you are not prepared to take any action because if you do, you will
lose power. So whatever you subscribe to is immaterial and irrelevant.
What you do matters. Who are you trying to fool?
On
Poverty: “He did, though, concede that poverty had
gone up while investment needed to be accelerated quickly.”
So
finally you have stopped telling lies about this fact and admitted
that the entire façade of economic boom was a farce. And
who are you going to blame for this one? Your Finance Minister or
Mr. Jamali or his Commerce Minister? Who are you trying to fool?
On
Religious Extremism: “If we do not mend our ways
and continue to tolerate religious extremism and sectarianism we
will be marginalized completely.”
Who
is “we” in this comment Sir? Does it not mean “You,
General Musharraf.” You have not been mending your ways. You
have been tolerating religious extremism. You have been releasing
militants from jails. You have been pushing them to contest elections
and vote for your cronies. You have allowed them to change names
and operate freely. You have dropped even terrorism charges against
them. So who are you addressing this question to? You are responsible
if Pakistan is marginalized, as it has been to a large extent, your
big boasts notwithstanding. Who are you trying to fool?
On
Who is a Taliban: “Every Pushtoon or Afghan with
a beard cannot be regarded as Taliban. Only those who were associated
with the Mullah Omar's defunct government in Kabul can be regarded
as Taliban and therefore, the media should learn to make the distinction.”
Now
you remember this great fact Sir. Why did you not tell this to the
Americans when they were carpet bombing every one blaming them to
be Taliban. And even now you are telling the media to make the distinction.
Have you raised this point before anyone yourself? Who are you trying
to fool?
On
Being a Lone Warrior: “I am waging a lone war against
extremists and have found others who have equal if not more stakes
in a peaceful and progressive Pakistan, reluctant to come forward
and fight the menace head on. We must all help stop this menace
and condemn it publicly.”
What!
You are a warrior against extremists and “others” are
reluctant? Are you running the country or these so-called “others”.
Are you not responsible for the survival and, in fact, prosperity
and strength of these warriors? Have you not protected them under
one excuse or another? And why has this perception grown that you
are playing double games, because you say something and do the opposite.
Who are you trying to fool?
On
Bombing of Tribal Areas: “Pakistan will suffer from
sanctions and "they” (US) may even start bombing our
tribal areas, if this perception is not removed urgently.”
So
this is the reason you are now in a state of panic and trying to
take another U-Turn as you have been told that you will be bombed.
Who allowed this perception to take roots Sir? Are you in control
or is someone else running the show. Or has your bluff been called
now and you are desperately running for cover? Who will we blame
if the Tribal Areas are bombed? And please assure us that you will
not send your PAF to bomb the Tribal Areas once the bombing starts,
just to please someone? Who are you trying to fool?
On
Chinese complaints: “I was shocked when during my
recent visit the Chinese leaders informed me that Pakistan had provided
sanctuary to Chinese extremists operating against Beijing's interests.”
What
an admission of guilt! Pakistan has been providing sanctuary to
Chinese extremists and you had no clue at all? You were shocked?
Are you asleep when in your office? Or is someone else running the
show without your knowledge? There have to be some answers. But
admit it you know what was going on and you are trying to make a
fool of the Chinese like you did with the Americans. Will they fall
for it? Should you be doing it even with the Chinese? This is too
much.
These
are just a few of the startling confessions and admissions of guilt
General Musharraf made in his Ramazan session. Broadly speaking
it is an admission of total failure of the Government and its policies
in almost every field. So what would the General say in defence
of his 4-year rule or what would he show as his performance. Nothing,
if this is what his own assessment is.
The
fact is that General Musharraf has failed and he now admits all
this under the threat that his days are numbered if he does not
do something about these failures. But who can be blamed, except
his own self.
Four
years is longer than any political government has been allowed in
power by the army in recent years. That is what he fears and thus
defends every wrong act of his uniformed men without shame. But
when the time comes, these lame excuses will not help him.
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