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?
– Who will replace Gen. (R) Musharraf as President?
no one in your long list seems good enough to me as a successor to Gen. (R) Musharraf … Mr. Aitezaz Ahsan could be a good choice but he is too biased to be a President. As for the judges we need them to for justice not presidency. Mr. Makhdoom Amin Fahim should be given the post but Mr. Zardari wont let that happen …. If 582-B is gonna stay in the constitution then we need a non biased patriotic President for whom welfare of Pakistan and its people is the top priority and if there is no 582-b then any puppet who look good in a suit will do
– Judges restoration is not gonna happen cause if they are back then the corrupt politicians will have to go
– There is no future for the ruling coalition. Both NS and Zardari want President Musharraf to go and now since he has gone there is no point for them to stay together. NS wants judges back cause he know they will make Mr. Zardari pack his bags and Mr. Zardari too knows that so thats a huge bone of contention between them. in future What coalition????
– Alas!!! the poor awam… they will stay as they are the government is least concerned about their problems. for them judges, presidency and money are the top priorities….
I admit President Musharraf did mistakes but to quote Mr. Cowasjee ‘he is the best of the worst available’ no matter whatever he did but he always stand by his country and people and has defend them in international forums he never let anybody point fingers towards Pakistan but what our present government did? see Mr. Gillani’s US visit? the SAARC Conference? how President Karzai and Mr. Manmohan Singh bashed our country and our forces but not a single word came from the mouth of Mr. Gillani and his ministers to condemn … the future of this country is in the hands of robbers and cowards and i have no hopes that they will do any good to this country or to its people… May Allah save this country and its people Ameen
I’m no fan of Mush, but please don’t keep blaming the recent economic downturn on Musharraf or even his opponents. The economic free-fall is being experienced by advanced nations as well. Prices of commodities, especially food, are skyrocketing, and consumers even in America are stunned at what’s going on. Those advanced countries aren’t in as much trouble because they were well-off to begin with, and food, and fuel, prices had been ridiculously low there for a long time….. The recent problems are, basically, global. They stem from several factors, including the banking and mortgage crises in the U.S; the rapid decline of the dollar vs. many other currencies (the US is the biggest economy of the world, so you could expect the effect to roll down to other nations as well); the rise in fuel prices; the rise in global terrorism and no chance of amelioration any time soon — due to the stubbornly hardline “my way or the highway” stance maintained by the US and the west against those whom they call “terrorists” (daisy cutters and predator drones cost money!). …. But there’s silver lining, though, for those of you talking about current leaders being corrupt: Since current transactions have to be smaller, resulting from the poor economy, “10%” of their value is now less that it would have been, had the economy been robust :) !!
I hope the coalition will stay strong, at least until it solves the crucial problems currently on the table. If it doesn’t, it’s not really the end of the world; we are finally back in the mess of democracy, folks. No one said it was going to be easy and smooth, but eventually we’ll get there. If PPP and PML-N do not deliver, they will simply be thrown out, it’s really as simple as that. And hopefully our “awam” will be more knowledgeable the next time around. These intermittent military takeovers have a way of giving people selective amnesia.
I suggest Chief Justice Iftikhar to become next President. I am all for personality politics but a change of roles once in a while may help.
Wish Allah protect Pakistan.
Now the News media should play their role of stopping these corrupt politicians. They will destroy Pakistan, and will take all Foreign currency to their swiss account. Who will stop them in looting my country wealth.