Pak’s Uncertain Future

Farooq Ganderbali

Pakistan narrowly escaped from the certain entry into chaos and a possible civil war. With Asif Ali Zardari bowing to the demands of opposition parties, a major crisis was averted in this strife torn state. Nawaz Sharif, who was leading the long march, had threatened for a full time revolution if their demands were not met by the government. That revolution would certainly have been a bloodier one.

The pressure from people was too high for the weak government of Zardari to handle. Despite all efforts, the Government could not stop Opposition and lawyer long-marchers from converging on Islamabad on March 15. The protestors were in mood to relent and had decided for an indefinite sit-in on the main highway to demand the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Choudhary, whom the then President Pervez Musharraf had sacked on November 3, 2007, while imposing Emergency in the country.

When sense prevailed on Zardari, he sent Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani to announce the reinstatement of Chief Justice Choudhary on the early morning of March 16. So an impending disaster was averted, but one wonders for how much time. This was an issue which would have not been started at all. Sharif and Zardari had long agreed to restore the judiciary, but later backtracked on his promises. “These agreements were not the Quran or the Hadis,” Zardari once said in his autocratic style.

Justice Choudhary is seen as a man of principles, who never compromised on them. He didn’t care about dictator Musharraf and it was thus imperative for Zardari to think that Choudhary would certainly be a thorn in the flesh. Zardari had become the president of Pakistan by accident and he wants to benefit the most from this once in a lifetime opportunity. Zardari’s previous stint as a minister during the government of his slain wife Benazir Bhutto earned him a nickname of Mr. Ten Per Cent for his notorious underhand dealings. Now when God had provided him the entire Pakistan on a platter, it was obvious for Zardari to demolish every possible opposition.

Zardari first got rid of President General Parvez Musharraf, then he let the divide happen between his party and Nawaz Sharif which was later followed by curbs on freedom of ex-pression and media too was not spared. Zardari even got court orders for barring of political activities of Sharif brothers. It was clear that Zardari didn’t want any unkind word said against him, so Justice Choudhary too had to wait indefinitely, as per the plans of supreme head of Pakistan. But he miscalculated the power of lawyers and Nawaz Sharief, which ultimately put a brake on his zooming ambitions.

Gilani’s in his TV address also announced that his Government would petition to the Supreme Court to review its order of February 25 disqualifying Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif from holding an elected office. The quick action of government averted a dangerous confrontation which could have led to civil war conditions.

After this entire hullabaloo where one section feels a winner while as no one except the poor people feel losers. There is a million dollar question as to what will happen next? Will democracy take roots under the current crop of political leaders in Pakistan? Will the long fought after judiciary be any independent than it has been in the past six decades? And most important what will be the role of Army and ISI, who until now have remained mere spectators?

But there is more that meets the eyes. There is a poplar saying in Pakistan that the country runs on three A’s that is America, Army and Allah. So the arrival of peace during this period was not without the consent of these important elements. In fact it was not leader’s love for their country that they averted the confrontation, rather it was the pressure tactics of America and Army chief Ashfaq parvez Kayani, who forced the peace in Pakistan. Zardari belongs to a feudal clan which does not have words like forget and forgive in its vocabulary. Nawaz Sharif is not a feudal, but that does not make him less revengeful. At present the peace is more of a marriage of convenience than the permanent solution.

The real test begins now. Sharif wants presidential post to be stripped of all powers in accordance with 1973 constitution. Although Sharif has promised not to pressure on mid term elections, but he won’t relent on relegation of promises. If presidential powers are curtailed, Zardari will remain a mere puppet and Gilani will emerge as the most powerful of all. Being a cunning feudal lord Zardari will never let it happen and future is set to be courser than present.

Secondly the judiciary will be bombarded with cases of corruption by leaders, unconstitutional acts of Zardari, Sharif and Musharraf, human rights violations against army and so on. With new hope in independent judiciary, people will wish all of them to be fulfilled. But can this judiciary prove upto the mark? Will political leaders allow judiciary to dance on their heads with naked sword? If not what will people do then? If yes what will happen?

The future doesn’t seem to be too promising for Pakistan and it seems set for a roller coaster ride, come what may.