Adil Najam
Not totally unexpectedly, Gen. Pervez Musharraf has announced that he will return to active politics, that he will contest in the next elections whenever they are held, and that he will form a new political party. How do you react to this news? Is it great, good, irrelevant, bad, or terrible news? Cast your vote in our ATP Poll here and then, please, tell us why.
As you think about this, you may also like to revisit our August 2008 ATP Poll done right at the time of his departure, where we had asked what lay in Pakistan’s future after his departure: 30% said “everything will become much much worse” while another 30% said that “everything won’t become perfect, but things will improve.” Clearly a split decision.
We did a similar ATP Poll in October 2008 asking how people thought Pakistan had fared in the first two months without him: 31% said “everything became much much worse,” 24% said “only the faces changed, things are what they always were,” and 22% said “Everything hasn’t become perfect, but things have improved.”
Details of the news is still trickling in, but here are the essentials as reported in The Express Tribune:
Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has unveiled his plans to return to active politics, saying that he will contest the next general election in Pakistan.
Musharraf made the announced at a gathering of his supporters in Islamabad by teleconference. “I have decided to take part in Pakistan’s politics and I will contest the next elections, irrespective of whether they are mid-term or ends term elections,†he said in his brief address. A number of cases have been filed against Musharraf since the Supreme Court (SC) declared that the emergency imposed by him in 2007 was unconstitutional and illegal.
Musharraf said that he has received a lot of support from Pakistanis living abroad. “The Pakistanis I have met abroad have told me I should return to Pakistan,†he said. He remained secretive about his future plans saying that he would present his vision for Pakistan’s progress and the direction the country should take at a suitable time. “If you are with me, I will not let you down,†he added.
Musharraf asked his supporters to attend the Pasdare- Pakistan gathering on May 8 at the Islamabad Press Club. “Sitting on the sidelines of history never changed anything, become a part of positive change in Pakistan,†he added. Musharraf’s supporters have also launched a move to register a new party, The All Pakistan Muslim League.
Musharaf sold Pakistan once and now his western Gods are encouraging him to do it once more. The whole world knows that 9/11 was a hoax designed to crush Saddam, silent Libya, threat Iran and control Pakistan by occupying Afghanistan. Musharaf handed over Afghanistan to the Americans and is resposible for the mass murder of innocent Taleban. American say that Osama Bin Laden is dead but Musharaf still says that he is alive because he wants to take the nation for a ride again on a dead horse. This is the height of our illiteracy, we definately deserve Musharaf, the mushrik.
He has every right to return. We have every right not to vote for him.
He has every right to come back and run in elections. That is the right way to get power, not through gun.
And let me add, if for a brief moment in time, even if I am willing to consider any concession to a usurper, Sultan Musharraf gave up the keys, when the Chief Justice of Pakistan was slapped like a common criminal. When his wife was manhandled.
Nothing has shocked my conscious as this single event.
By the time Sultan Mushraff rigged his first election, I knew we had lost him to the dark side, but I knew there were bigger issues to resolve.
But then an event that perhaps even the CJ would like to forget, but I am seized with it. This was indicative that things have gone too far and the wheels are coming off. And we can see it clearly written all over.
It was enough is enough and no more.
You see, we can perhaps bear a usurper, but never praise one. If we do it, we will lose the morality of a nation. We will never know if the next one is a evil one like had in the 70s, or a debauch of the 60s, or an egoistical like the 50s or a man who will be prepared to do anything just to stay in power.
And Pakistan cannot afford to have another usurper. No matter what the reasons are. And we cannot as a nation praise a usurper and wash his sins with praise.
The usurpers and their supporters should know, you will be remembered infamously and rebuked often. This is the only way we can prevent another to aspire.
And the only one to:
Broke constitution twice.
Had Chief Justice of Pakistan slapped like a common criminal by his goons.
Had Chief Justice of Pakistan’s wife manhandled by his goons.
Had set a world record of mass resignations of Justices and Judges of superior courts.
Increased an environment of lawlessness and bigotry.
Pakistan was at a take off point for IT, etc. in 1999, had it stunted, first by coup, then by appointing people who did not understand IT. (Chemistry is no qualification for IT; and then gave him no monies to spend. Just talk and talk. And I know something about it.)
Threatened everyone in sight who disagreed with him with most disagreeable suggestions of physical violence.
Rigged elections twice, both for himself.
Broke his word so many times on his question of dual offices for profit and made mockery of the constitution whereby bigotry has become the norm in Pakistan.
Broke his word on political reforms.
Broke his word on judicial reforms.
Now to the list, while replete with inaccuracies and made up numbers that no one will believe, has items duplicate and triplicate to give an impression of a longer list than can actually be. There are damn lies and then are statistics. Manipulated.
The increase in foreign reserves is not matched by currency valuation, as a matter of fact, PK Rs. has lost value against USD during the same time.
People should try to produce a list of stats before 2001 to see just where he was between 1999 and 2001. The truth will show up very quickly.
The increase in foreign reserves took a jump upwards only after 9/11. He had dismally nothing to show for any of the items listed but for the fact that after 9/11 all foreign exchange came through banking system and not the transfer of funds. And this is in spite of the fact that people who sang ‘sara paisa mulk say bahar’.
He is a great beneficiary of wonderful chance to do much good with swelling of foreign reserves. He did nothing. As a matter of fact, he could have even paid of the national debt.
The total mismanagement and total lack of transparency for the monies “given” to Sultan Musharraf recorded over 10 billion USD, yes, it is BILLION and in United States Dollars.
I am not sure if any of the things attributed to his time would not have happened by itself. I know leaders like to take credit to a lot that is happening in the world. Sycophants love to give him credit for opening up Internet, or websites for government entities, or “freer” press. I am not sure any of this would not have happened with or without him. The force of nature and the world is on the march.
And I can equally add a longer list of things he should have done but did not; starting with power plants and Kashmir. Had he resolved Kashmir, this would not be busy site with lurkers. It would have been a different timeline.
Now let me say this, again, he is a good man gone bad.
Pakistanis need to figure out how our good go to the dark side. We cannot afford to lose men like him who start to break laws, bully others and make mistakes and do not admit them.
If he wants a second chance, he should get it. But he needs to do it right and better. He needs to admit his past sins. He needs to do his dirty laundry in public. Ask for forgiveness with a thousand apologies to all, starting with Chief Justice of Pakistan and his wife.
His sycophants cannot be allowed to show a usurper (admittedly courts have not declared him) as an angle. Pakistan cannot slide back on matters of morality, law, dignity and decency. We cannot create an environment where another usurper can dream of this as an indication that Pakistanis are fools. Usurpers past and aspiring, should know, they will be rebuked and often for their conduct.
We cannot allow a second chance based on lies. It needs to be for the right reasons. A changed man. A repentant man. A humble man. A remorseful man. A man is prepared to offer real change with change a that is real in itself.
And now, with great sadness, I have to admit, I had thought that he could have been the second Jinnah. Perhaps even bigger than ZAB. He had both, the capacity and capability. Alas, he surrounded himself with those whom he needed to keep him in power at all costs. Cronies and 3rd class people who took him the wrong way, gave him bad advice and did the nation wrong.
And this is his mistake to live and his alone to fix.