Musharraf: Our Own Caudillo
By Mir Adnan Aziz
03 December, 2007
Countercurrents.org
"Patriotism cannot be love for the government. It rises above the government, as a mountain towers above a blade of grass. When we think of our country and a feeling of love and devotion wells up within us, it should spring from the reality of what our country is and means; not from the government, which is the least of all our blessings" - said political theorist and educator Robert LeFevre.Retired General Pervez Musharraf took oath on November 29 as a civilian president. During this same oath he solemnly promised to 'preserve, protect and defend the Constitution'. Could anyone in that glittering gathering have dared ask him how that Houdini act could be managed? This so, when the same had been summarily suspended and shackled by his very own decree proclaiming 'emergency' in the country.
In a departure from tradition an 'uncapped suited' gentleman recited the Holy Quran and the President delivered a short speech at the ceremony."This is a milestone in transition to complete democracy," the President said, claiming that all his actions in the new term as in the past would be, in the interest of the country.
If looking for symbolisms, the young gentleman was supposed to portray us all to the world at large, as 'progressive enlightened' Muslims; the 're-elected' President as a saviour, heralding the dawn of a democratic Pakistan.
In painful reality, could anything be more regressive and dictatorial than ruling by decree, forming a king's party, closing 58 independent TV channels, gagging the media, brutalizing and incarcerating those who dare protest. The adult life span we mere mortals enjoy makes thirteen years almost a lifetime - so a "president for life" is what we are looking at.
Ruling by decree is a term, which can cover a wide range of situations. It is often associated with the power of a dictator or monarch to issue any decree he or she pleases. These decrees, no matter what, have to be obeyed by everyone. Classic examples of such power are the governing styles of dictators and despots, not torch bearers of democracy.
Even if the power derived thus is limited, it leads to disastrous results. This is caused by the total absence of checks and balances, as the already subservient state organs become more so, to the rule by decree.
The much vaunted, chest thumping National Assembly that recently 'expired' had just one thing to flaunt, a first of not being booted out. The King's men though failed to divulge the secret of achieving this 'first', which was, by being the most pliant and docile of parliamentarians. This august body, which is the custodian of people's rights, did absolutely nothing to guard the same. A majority not only accepted but has also promised, if it achieved a 2/3 majority, to validate these acts. Arbitrary acts, which abrogated the very rights they were supposed to defend. This incomprehensible act, a dilemma for any student of political science, may be described as: "Government is a disease masquerading as its own cure."
As for its 'historic' performance during a full term, history too has its own share of Cervantes's Don Quixotes. The NA worked for a total of 585 days, while Article 54(1) of the Constitution mandated it to meet for at least 650 days in 5 years. Out of the required 130 days per year, it met only for 65 days in the last year of its existence. In terms of time, the National Assembly worked for 1193 hours and 20 minutes in 5 years. This means that the average per day working time of the National Assembly was about 2 hours only. With the perks and privileges enjoyed, this indeed is a truly pathetic performance.
In 5 years, the NA received 44969 questions from its members, 16327 were admitted and a paltry 9619 answered. 3075 call attention notices were submitted, only 317 merited response, whereas just 22 were referred to committees. All others lapsed without any significant follow up. Similarly, 2762 adjournment motions were submitted, only 511 were brought before the House and 130 discussed for a meager two hours.
The performance, in terms of legislation and performance, was abysmal. During a full five-year term only 50 bills were passed, while the government continued to rely heavily on issuance of ordinances. 187 bills and ordinances were introduced in the NA – most of these were presidential ordinances yet to be enacted into laws. In addition, the private members submitted 236 bills, out of which 167 were admitted. However, in 5 years, it passed only one private member bill, which also became an Act.
This spree of ordinances was nothing but a knee jerk reaction to the non-implementation of Mr. Musharraf's promised but forgotten seven-point agenda. It also was an effort to claim later on that the government brought in a number of laws, lying on the back burner for years.
However, where this house failed their constituents, the nation, was their abject failure to protect the rule of law and the fatal under-mining of national institutions. Getting to be the only one to complete a full term is too steep a price to pay for that.
As for doffing the uniform, portrayed as a voluntary act but undertaken under immense local and foreign pressure, it hardly transforms us into a land of bliss. Not so when one man, still, rules by decree and the sole source of power.
The style of governance we have seen has pushed even the most moderate and 'enlightened' amongst us into the camp that believes that Mr. Musharraf has steadily strayed towards autocracy, more so in recent times.
What we have today is an extremely polarized society. Millions are suffering because of the lawyer boycott. Daily skirmishes, invariably brutalized by beatings, create further acrimony. What could be more telling of the times present than the post emergency 'take-over' of the Baluchistan Assembly? The main areas of the same are home to the FC now whereas the basement serves as a makeshift cell for 'prisoners'.
During his tenure President Musharraf had the backing of the Army and his cult of personality. He had a National Assembly granting him the power to rule in uniform and the possibility of a presidency for life. He had a comparatively decent run until the promised new and better tomorrow was exposed for what it was, a fallacy and an unattainable illusion.
If he will suffer the fate of most caudillos, only time can tell. In any event, when it is all said and done, President Musharraf will be just another footnote in history; a throwback to a style of dictatorship that should have been dead and buried, long ago.
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