Adil Najam
One of the most important decision in Pakistan’s political history was made yesterday when Gen. Pervez Musharraf was made to resign from the Presidency. Equally, and possibly more, important decisions are being made right now by the political leadership of the ruling coalition. It is these decisions being made now that will ultimately effect not only the immediate but the long-term future of the country and which will, in many ways, determine the real significance of the decision made yesterday.
As the political leadership of the country continues its deliberations four questions in particular seem critical. The answers they come up will will impact what happens to Pakistan politics as well as what happens to Pakistan’s political leadership itself.
On each of the following four key decision points, what do you think will happen? What do you think should happen?
Question #1. Who will replace Gen. Pervez Musharraf as President of Pakistan?
The names being thrown around, some I think less seriously than others, include those of Afsaryab Khattak, Afsandyar Wali Khan, Fazlur Rahman, Dr Fehmida Mirza, Aftab Shaaban Mirani, Faryal Talpur, Attaullah Mengal, Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui, Mehmood Achakzai, Aitizaz Ahsan, Rana Bhagwandas, Fakharuddin Ibrahim, and many others. As important as the choice of the President is the signal it will send about whether the nature and powers of the President will also be cut down or not. What do you think will happen? What do you think should happen?
Question #2. Will Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and his fellow judges be restored? And when?
The really important question here is the “when”. PML(N) wants the judges to be restored immediately. If they are not, what signal will this send to the PML(N) and the country about their role and power within the ruling coalition? What, really, are the pros and cons of an early restoration, and for whom? The one question that may be even more important than the “when” question here, is the “under what conditions” question. That is the question one hears less about but will may ultimately determine what comes, or does not come, out of the judges moevement. What do you think will happen? What do you think should happen?
Question #3. What is the future of the ruling coalition itself?
The ruling coalition was really constructed as a coalition against Gen. Musharraf. Its primary purpose was to remove Gen. Musharraf from office. It has been spectacularly successful in doing that. What now? Will it survive? In what form? Should it survive at all? Will it be more healthy if PML(N) now becomes a parliamentary opposition which, in a functioning democracy, is as important as a government? What do you think will happen? What do you think should happen?
Question #4. What about the survival issues of the Pakistani awam: Bijli, Paani, Nokri, Naan?
Ultimately, this is the most important question of all. Till now, with a visibly divided government, the political parties could ward of part of the economic woes faced by ordinary Pakistanis to Gen. Musharraf and his past policies. Now, they will have to – and quickly – demonstrate that they can and will do something about these major crises. It is not clear what they plan to, or even can, do. But if they don’t their popularity will be seriously imperiled. What do you think will happen? What do you think should happen?
From Dictator to Robbers:
It is a dilemma of Pakistan that the people have failed to judge. We have removed with our own hands a substantial entity of “checks & balance” which was needed. Regardless of its character. (u’ll never find a company to work at where u love every employee)
Not because we wanted to resolve the food or energy crisis or even the judiciary crisis as they could have been acted upon with or without Musharraf. But only due to the personal (individualistic) grudges & power-hunger.
2ndly we have given the nation to two not only “repeatedly” failed leaders but one of them known as Mr.10%. And were hypnotized successfully by biased media anchors to play along and see one man (musharraf/a soft target) as the cause of ALL evil.
The Rupee/economy was destabilized on purpose so that once “THE PRESIDENT OF PAKISTAN IS SHAMEFULLY KICKED OUT” (happy now?) it (rupee/prices/etc) can be brought to show stability and further deceiving people.
Lastly the biggest joke of all is the Baby Zardari or I think its baby Bhutto now, who is a living proof of hegemony and anarchy and that only son or daughter of the great gods or godesses can be the “ruler” of this poor nation.
I saw similarities in Musharraf’s speech and what BJP had to say when they were thrown out of power. Both were focused on issues that effected a small percentage of their populace. This can be evidenced in the comments that are being posted on the web. Musharraf’s main fault was that he overstayed his constitutional welcome. Had he done the right things in the first four years and then said goodbye, he would have been our hero. He did not mention it in his farewell speach but his real contribution was freedom of press; which also led to his undoing. Now the real challenge is establishing the supremacy of the law and catering to common man issues.
Do not want to interrupt the ongoing discussion but I just came across following words of Tariq Ali:
“Post-Musharraf Pakistan will stumble on, its people trapped between the hammer of a military dictatorship and the anvil of political corruption.
There is a way out, but the political and military rulers and their Western backers have always ignored it: serious land reforms, the creation of a proper social infrastructure and the establishment of at least a dozen teacher-training universities to lay the basis for a proper educational system. Malaysia has done so. Why not Pakistan?”
Lida nice post. There is a huge difference in thinking of you , me and people like Musharraf this is the cause of our country to go down. How can these politicians even have a smile on their face? There faces should give them imperession that there is lots of work ahead to do.
Truth is that Sharif brothers had one agenda and that was to bring Musharraf down and they did not care in the process they brought the country down as well.
yes buy dollars.
Kuch bhi kar lo..parnala wahin giray gay….judges will never be restored.