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Reply:
Whither politicsscript src=ht
Replied by( Noman)
Replied on (20/Jan/2008)
| Whither politics |
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Saturday, January 19, 2008
To deny that some political adjustments before the Feb 18 elections are inevitable would be naive and an understatement. Mian Shahbaz Sharif has already admitted that a political dialogue had begun with the Musharraf camp through a close presidential aide. The president himself is preparing for an extensive European tour during which he may have to face some hostile questioning about his handling of the post-November 3 situation, especially regarding treatment to the constitution, the judiciary, the media, lawyers and polity in general. Obviously, the president may have been advised to undo some of the more indefensible acts before setting foot in Europe, like keeping the judges in confinement, continuing the curbs on the media and the highhandedness shown towards civil society. He appears to be taking that advice seriously. The Pakistan Army has taken some meaningful steps to distance itself from the presidency and at least two clear pronouncements by the new army chief, one telling his fellow generals to stay away from politicians and another indicating that army men may be withdrawn from civilian posts, have been generally welcomed.
The aggrieved PPP is sensibly treading a very balanced and non-aggressive path and has kept its focus on demanding a UN probe for Ms Bhutto's death. Mian Nawaz Sharif has taken a firm position that a national government, minus President Musharraf, is a pre-requisite for a free and fair poll under an independent election commission. In fact, he has even, in an interview, condoned the political dialogue between his brother and the president's confidante. All this indicates that some saner heads and minds are working behind the scene to bring the otherwise dismembered national polity under an acceptable and practical working framework. The road ahead, however, is not so smooth. Many of our leaders, decision-makers and would-be aspirants will have to show vision, grace and patience. While extremists are threatening the entire nation, its peace and security, political extremism is also being abundantly practiced. President Musharraf has turned into a civilian but he has yet to prove that he derives his strength from civilian political institutions and not from his old constituency. The army is trying to maintain a distance but the psychological umbilical chord has not yet been broken and so a great part of the so-called establishment still thinks that Mr Musharraf and the army are acting in cohesion for the same goal "“ prolongation of his rule. Repeated statements by Mr Musharraf that he would quit if he becomes unpopular have not erased this impression -- yet.
While Mian Nawaz Sharif may be persuaded in the final analysis to accept an election under Mr Musharraf, major decisions have to be taken to revive confidence in the electoral and political process. As a starter the chief election commissioner and other members of the ECP must be replaced with credible people and the nazims suspended. The perception that the PML-Q remains the establishment's favourite must be corrected and all those who have boycotted the polls must be brought back into the electoral process. The army must make a clear statement that it will not tolerate any fooling around with the election process. Finally some, if not all, of the deposed Supreme Court judges must be restored and given key positions, so that confidence in the judiciary is back. If all this is done, may |
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=91874
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