Dear All

Writing in a daily newspaper Mr. Najam Sethi warned public that if the Supreme Court did not validate the election results, Gen. Musharaf may impose martial law. It seems that the learned writer ignored the fact that the ineffective measures taken by Musharaf against terrorism have changed the mood in the west. This, and the falling grace of army in the eyes of vast majority of Pakistanis and the emerging resentment within the rank and files of armed forces would make it extremely difficult to impose Martial Law. I am not adding the mood of the proactive superior judiciary to my list. In simple words, the element of fear has evaporated from vast majority of the public. So Martial Law in present scenario would be ineffective as the public will take up arms against their own army with disastrous results. There were tears in my eyes when BBC interviewed three army officers who were captured by the tribesmen along with their 250 Jawans during broad daylight amidst the 80,000 army spread in the area. Can Mr Sethi imagine a shattering experience of those army men who watch their colleagues captured by their own countrymen?  Would Martial Law be still effective in such circumstances?

Dr Ghayur Ayub