“To preserve democracy and cleanse the beloved homeland from corrupt elements, I hereby announce to dissolve the assembly in greater interest of our nation…and I undertake to shortly restore democracy in its pristine form…this step is not at all about empowering me, but the people…..”
Ironically, words like these have been a prelude to all the four military coups in Pakistan and having observed one such military take over in Pakistan, I can safely say it doesn’t feel that bad at the precise moment.
The recent verdict of Lahore High Court charging Musharraf with treason against state constitution is quite a surprise, mostly because of its timing (upcoming elections and ongoing tiff with the judiciary). Whatever one may opine about PMf’s policies, it feels gross to charge him, an ex-dictator, with a Saddam and Qaddafi style of trial.
Print and electronic media are streaming with all kinds of opinions on LHCs verdict while some are censuring it as a biased move of judiciary, a great majority is expressing approval. Chants could be heard already from every echelon calling to “Hang Musharraf”. But the question is, “Why now? Why so near the elections, when there are far bigger threats to be attended to?”
Before I embark upon the various opinions about Mush’s trial, let me reminisce on his conduct, which is said to be the catalyst of this current cataclysm.
I remember well the buzz created by Musharraf’s take over of Nawaz’s elected government in 1999, and I, like many others, was easily converted to his short term believers; when first heard his articulate justification for the coup. We believed him, when he said he was not a usurper of power and that a swift transition of power to rightfully elected democratic government was to follow the martial law at soonest. We didn’t doubt him even then when after years he dragged us into American “War on Terror”, nor even when he imposed the mini martial law in 2007. I, like many ideologists, wished to “believe” whenever he would ask us to “trust” in the name of Pakistan. One cannot and must not argue when it comes to the matters of national security, but one should definitely doubt and reason when a lone individual is defining “national interests”.
If Nawaz Sharif’s ouster could be dismissed as a mere trifle of Pakistani political temperament, one can not and must not shrug off the various other charges leveled at Musharraf. For instance, how can we look into the eyes of our Baloch brethren after declining to accept Mush’s cold blooded involvement in the extrajudicial assassination of Baloch nationalist leaders Nawab Akbar Bugti and Baloch Marri, where former was even refused a proper traditional burial? Not to mention the infamous NRO scam, illegal abductions, missing person’s cases, keeping hostage our judicial system and the high handed ruthlessness in Lal Mosque Operation.
There is a division in the nation over Mush’s would be trial; on one hand are the conservatives assailing the current trial of ex-president and Head of Armed Forces under article 6 for derailing judiciary and alleged involvement in ex-Prime Minister Benazir’s murder, while on the other side of gulf we’ve liberals who are calling it a sham indictment by the prejudiced judiciary. They are demanding for Musharraf’s release from house arrest and for every charge against him to be dropped.
So, why these two sections are having so different opinions?
Notwithstanding their traditional antipathy, conservatives and liberals have reasons to stand by what they believe to be true.
Conservative section of Pakistan is critical of ex-General’s policy of enlightenment, which favored say to “foreign masters”, women, certain communities and liberals into the affairs of Pakistan. They believe Musharraf’s policies were anti-Islamic and anti-patriotic since they were aimed at the longevity of his tenure in power rather than empowering the masses. They quote NRO deal for supporting their assertions, pointing that in the guise of National Reconciliation Ordinance, Musharraf gave immunities to a hoard of corrupt politicians, among whom many were later to suppress the masses, in the garb of “democrats” for many years to come.
Mass killings of students and management in Lal Mosque Operation is another big blot on Musharraf’s reputation, still the inquiries are undergoing for unearthing the gross excesses done by Mush’s regime in this operation.
Operation in FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) by Pak Army and stealth drone attacks by NATO in the tribal belt of Pakistan also has its origins in Mush’s era. No matter what one says, Ex-President Musharraf cannot find acquittal from these gross misconducts; these are all of course his legacies and he is answerable to the nation now.
Don’t forget that in Pakistan conservatives form the majority. Leftists denounce these charges on the ground that growing extremism in Pakistan could only be tackled by attacking the extremist camps, and so Musharraf did the same!
Liberals would come up with wonderful justifications, for upholding Musharraf’s era as a shiny and glorious one for the state. Who can forget that it was during his era that foreign investment in Pakistan had risen to record high level..! Right wing slams this claim saying that every dictatorship in Pakistan has claimed to bringing bloom in the economy, though it is always short lived. The moment a dictator is forced to step down, foreign investment is instantly withdrawn; as it happened in the case of Pakistani economy. His tenure is praised for bubble economy, what would you say now that the bubble is busted?
Musharraf was a particularly loved dictator amongst the elites and socialites, unlike his predecessor. He openly endorsed a liberal approach, popularly known as “Policy of enlightenment”. He gave women enough representation in legislature; private media gained momentum during his tenure and later challenged his power to such an extent that it had to be shut down during the mini martial law. It is believed that Musharraf could have remained in power little longer, had he not started interfering in the affairs of other governmental institutions. His effort at ransacking judiciary was to cost him his power and whatever leftover clout he had in the affairs of the state and his NRO-ed politicians were to sack him into exile, and his desperation to reclaim the lost clout by running in state elections from the platform of his brain child APML is costing him whatever he is left with.
This “beloved fallen dictator” always remained sedated with the delusion that he’s loved by all except some unknown 2% Pakistanis and it is this optimism which may cost him his life. No sane Pakistani would wish to see the karma happening, no one should wish to see another ex-Pakistani leader hanged. It would be wise to let “justice” take its course; meanwhile let us draft new legislation to preempt further recourse to dictatorship!
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