The details emerging out of Pakistan are still somewhat sketchy but some facts are clear; more than 30 people are dead and over 115 injured. The Chief Justice of Pakistan was unable to address the Sindh Bar Association and was forced to go back to Islamabad and the private television station Aaj TV, which has been in the forefront of covering pro-judiciary and anti-Musharraf protests, was attacked by armed gunmen. This is indeed another dark day in the checkered political history of Pakistan.
It is now well past time for the Musharraf regime to go. This government has now lost the last shreds of moral authority required to govern. I salute the men and women of the civil society of Pakistan and the courageous independent media who are leading this struggle for the supremacy of the law and freedom of expression at grave risk to their life and limb.
As tragic and sad as events in Karachi are, this political moment is of historic import for the people of Pakistan and even on this day of darkness I see some hope for a better future. Since the sacking of the CJP on March 9th, the heroic struggle of the lawyers has germinated greater democratic desire and decisively strengthened Pakistan’s civil society and its beleagured independent media.
In the face of relentless governmental coercion there have been heartwarming displays of peaceful resistance, none more evident than in the historic journey of Justice Chaudhry through the heart of Punjab. Those in Pakistan and abroad who desire an eventual constitutional democratic polity rooted in a rule of law have to be encouraged by these developments. The conclusion of this episode, however, remains highly uncertain because no political sagacity can be expected from those who have brought us to this pass.
This grassroots peoples’ movement has also forced the politicians of all hues to make a choice; they either stand on the side of the rule of law or for the perpetuation of a dangerously unstable, one-man military banana republic. Mainstream politicians (despite all their historical shortcomings) clearly seem to grasp the national mood and the King’s men who are standing up for the present dispensation to save their personal fiefdoms will hopefully pay a steep price whenever they face the electorate in a fair election.
MQM more clearly exposed itself today than it ever has in its sordid history (thanks to private TV channels). The party that started with great hopes, rooted in the educated middle classes has over the years just become a collection of vicious thugs. It is wielding its fascistic tactics on behalf of people who seem to believe they have a divine right to perpetual power and who originally nurtured this party as a counterweight to PPP. MQM has shown itself the mirror image of the worst of MMA; both groups want people to acquiesce to their ideologies by force. Neither believes in nor has any fundamental respect for a constitutional rule of law.
Pakistan stands at a critical juncture as it has so many times in its unfortunate 60 year independent history. I would urge all Pakistanis and their well wishers to lend thier support to the struggle of Pakistan’s revitalized civil society. Let’s hope that the forces of peaceful democratic activism led by the country’s courageous lawyers ultimately emerge victorious and we can close this latest chapter of the military’s recurring era of authoritarian and unconstitutional misrule without further human suffering.
Fawad is a California-based literati-at-large and writes the blog ‘Moments of Tranquility,’ where a version of this was first posted.
@Lal Salaam and Hossp…
Please… and I urge again that please dont drag Islam into this. You cannot blame Islam for what happened on May 12. And surely Pakistan’s history of 50+ years and the upheavals we have gone through in this long period were the doings of our leaders, politicians and the military men… who just wanted to CLING to the throne forever!
Islam cannot be made the scapegoat of the current situation of the country.
I think this question about who will replace Musharraf is a useless one. Someone always does. Who knew Musharraf before he came. This question is only asked by those who do not want change and they use this as excuse.
Fawad & Raza Rumi
I agree it is time for Musharraf to go and believe his forced leave (peaceful pressure of people not bullets and mayhem please) will auger well for a better Pakistan bereft of army generals who will think twice before attacking the judiciary and our political process for their personal lust for power.
In terms of arrangements, I dont see why the Chief Justice cannot be the Acting President also and appoint someone impartial and principled like Just Retd Fakhruddin G Ebrahim to head the election commission to ensure free and fair elections under the supervision of a caretaker government headed by people like Asma Jehangir and so on.
Feimanallah
@Umair
CJ was advised by the government not to go to Lahore by road as a security risk. But it proved to be a historical public mobilization.
Similar was expected in Karachi. It was a challenge for mqm to have huge public gathering in Karachi without their collaboration. They preferred to sacrifice their own workers and kill others to keep their hegemony of public mobilization in Karachi. Unfortunately, it is the peak of political intolerance and violence on behalf of them.
Earlier, Ayub Khan, Zia ul Haq, Nawaz Sharif and Musharraf subjugated, attacked and plundered our judicial system. mqm is an addition to that list.
Ahmad R Shahid: I agree with your incisive analysis. Things have changed in the last decade and this will have repercussions on the country’s future.
Hossp: well said – we need to look beyond individual targets – we have seen this before and the results are well known. Alas, as the saying goes: the biggest lesson of history is that we do not learn from history!