Adil Najam
UPDATE: Gen. Musharraf has just announced his resignantion during a nationally televised address. Read more here.
ORIGINAL POST:
Gen. Pervez Musharraf is slated to the address the nation in a televised address at 1PM PST today (Monday, August 18, 2008). Leading newspapers, such as The News and Dawn, are reporting that he is likely to announce his resignation and TV News channels are doing the same; indeed some have started running film summaries of his tenure as President as if his departure is already a done deal.
It may well be so. But given that this is Pakistan and this is Gen. Pervez Musharraf, one must never rule out the likelihood of surprises.
According to Dawn:
President Pervez Musharraf is to address the nation on Monday afternoon, his spokesman told AFP, while dismissing rumours that he had resigned to avoid impeachment. “The president will address the nation at 01:00pm (0700 GMT),†said retired Major General Rashid Qureshi, the chief presidential spokesman. Asked about local television reports that Musharraf had already resigned in the face of attempts by the governing coalition to impeach him, the spokesman replied, “It is all nonsense.†Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said it appeared that Musharraf had “seen the writing on the wall†but did not say if he knew what the president was planning to announce. “He is a wise man, he is a very experienced man and he has seen the writing on the wall,†Qureshi told Dawn News television when asked if he had confirmation that Musharraf had resigned. “He has seen the sentiments of not just the elected representatives, but various institutions… who all asked him to move in a particular way and do not destabilize things here,†he said. Pakistan People’s Party spokesman Farhatullah Babar said: “His political fate has been sealed. Whatever he says doesn’t matter.â€
[Strong] speculation is that Gen. Musharraf will use this speech to resign from the office of President, that a ‘deal’ has already been reached – which includes three elements: (a) that he resigns and no formal impeachment is carried out, (b) that he is given a broad amnesty against legal action against him, and (c) he is provided some form of ‘safe passage.’
My own sense is that if he does make the planned speech he will use it to describe, defend and detail what he considers to be the “achievements” of his tenure as President. While a formal “charge sheet” against him may never be tabled in Parliament, he will use this speech to answer the charges that have been and are being made against him. Expect, then, a speech that lists what he things he has achieved and responds to the lists of what his distractors say he has failed to do. This he will certainly do.
At the end of all this (a) he could say that although he has done his very best and beyond, in the interest of the country he will leave the office of the President so that the opposition to his person does not impede national progress; or (b) he could say that since he is proud of what he has achieved he will, like a good commando, fight to the very end because that is what is in the interest of the country. No matter which course he chooses, this will be one of the most important (if not the most important) speech of his life.
Given the way things stand right now it is more likely than not that he will take something akin to the first course. But even if he does not, it is quite clear that he is on his way out. If not today, then soon. If not through impeachment, then through resignation.
The question uppermost on most Pakistani minds is no longer whether Gen. Pervez Musharraf is on his way out. It is, what will happen to Pakistan after he leaves? Will everything become perfectly good once he is gone? Will things become not perfect but better? Will things becomes even worse? What do you think?
Is he a stooge?
Historic day for Pakistan!
For the first time in the history of Pakistan the democratic forces has prevailed over military dictatorship.
I have great admiration for the people of Pakistan and like to congratulate them for a GREAT VICTORY.
Time and again common Pakistanis have proved they are much
smarter than the elitist.
> Musharraf brought democracy
Hahhahah! Thanks for the laugh.
I don’t believe any politician will bring democracy to Pakistan, but Musharraf is the worst of the bunch.
Were you sleeping the whole time he sacked the judges and the judiciary, beat up the media (and dares to say he made the “media free”), imprisoned the Chief Justice and his family and all the other atrocities this dictator performed?
Please wake up now that Musharraf has left! This was Allah’s decision and who are you to question him? Pray for forgiveness.
Khuda Hafiz.
@Aamir Ali, He was last man standing.
After years of arguing with people I have today accepted that our people are like Kufar-e-Makkah, No matter how much truth they were told, they will still follow the lies. Even well educated people fail to see the difference between a person who honestly wants to do something for the nation and people like Nawaz who are mean and have put revenge with Musharaf before the country’s interests.
With thugs in power now, I see no more hope for Pakistan.
Toogy:
I think its the anti-Musharraf ppl who are brainwashed. Musharraf brought democracy, economy growth and empowerement of minorites and women to the country. He confronted the most evil ppl in pakistan be they religious extremists or Baloch warlords. It is his misfortune and that of Pakistan that the Pakistani public prefers conspiracies and baloney to facts and realities.
however now that Musharraf is gone, your theory of Musharraf being the problem and lush gardens to bloom as soon as Musharraf leaves, will be put to the test.