Turmoil In Pakistan Brings
Uncertainty To The WorldBy Tahir M. Qazi, MD
06 November, 2007
Countercurrents.orgProclamation of the November 3, 2007 by General Pervez Musharraf imposes emergency in Pakistan. It suspends judges, courts and civil liberties. It is a win-win situation for General Pervez Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto regardless how dire are conditions in various parts of Pakistan. It makes one fear that another country is on the verge of collapse. Both of these players are part of power elite and aspire to take on what they think is their legitimate right.
Judicial interference, however, was a thorny issue for both of them for which there was no easy solution. Judicial intervention, whether one wishes to call it judicial activism or judicious efforts of judges to interpret constitutional cases by the spirit of law, the very presence of that judiciary was an obstacle in the way of Gen. Musharraf staying in as president for another term, Benazir Bhutto to becoming prime minister for a third term beyond current limit set at two terms, and while there are court cases pending against her in Pakistan and abroad.
Proclamation of emergency measures in Pakistan has certainly removed those judges that could have effectively curbed political aspirations that gave birth to an alliance between general and Ms. Bhutto in a less than transparent deal. Their political alliance formed after reconciliation ordinance but it still has had practical judicial hurdles in its way that emergency rule has eliminated.
Unrest that had plagued only the border regions of Pakistan has moved to the interior in the recent past. There are speculations that Pakistani forces actually refuse to fight against their countrymen. They surrender, and hand over weapons to the Taliban fighters who celebrate victory by openly distributing sweets on the street.
Pretext of violence in various parts of Pakistan provides a good excuse for imposing emergency rule. With judicial opposition out of the way now, the choreography for restoration of democracy begins. Benazir Bhutto's crafted departure from the country and staged return is already known to everybody. Soon Benazir Bhutto would lead the opposition to restore so called democracy in the country. The general will concede to that demand in a planned manner. Ms. Bhutto will agree to accept General Musharaf as the president for another term. Elections will be held at some point; a little belated though. Ms. Bhutto will hail herself as the champion for the noble cause of democracy. The general will decorate his tunic with another medal for restoration of order in the country, with heavy handedness though. He will also claim credit as the god-sent savior of the State of Pakistan.
Bhutto may assume power within next few months and new political honeymoon will kick in only to last till desperate Pakistanis will no longer be able to bear the burden of rising cost of living and abject poverty. It will make them come back on the streets with Jihadist zeal, which is already part of daily news. This is a cyclical pattern of Pakistan's political milieu where new events are cast with new faces but overall plot of the political soap opera remains the same.
However, it may well be different in the near future. Anarchy that was thought to be a leftist tactics has whole heatedly been embraced by Jihadist, illiterate and rogue elements in Pakistan. It is being fuelled by rising poverty, widening gap between rich and poor and rampant corruption.
Omen for a stable and progressive Pakistan is not optimistic. Jihadist elements do have their hands on a wide variety of weapons. They may not have their hands on the nuclear arsenal as yet but it may not be far away from their reach either directly or through support from within military, if living realities remain unchanged. Important question is, will Ms. Bhutto bring Pakistan's nuclear arsenal under international monitoring prior to complete loss of state control on it? How the rest of world wants to handle this difficult situation remains a question mark. It is a somber moment for the whole world.
Dr. Tahir Qazi is a freelance writer of Pakistani origin. He lives in the US. Author's e-mail for feedback, comments or critique: [email protected]
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