It is ironic that the cohesion between PML(N) and PPP is due to the presence of President Musharaf.

The very man, who has become a symbol of all evil in Pakistan, is the man Pakistani political parties cannot do without.

It has taken the recently elected representatives more than a month to work out a deal, horse trading has never been so feverish, and media has never been so supportive.

If hindsight is any measure we are all set to write a new chapter in political corruption and moral bankruptcy. We have another case of history repeating itself but this time it is with a twist.

Remember the way Musharaf populated PML(Q)?  He had NAB working overtime blackmailing people to join. Now the tables have turned, political alliances are being formed for all type motives except the right type; there is nothing just, or fair or honest about this. Chief among these motives is the anti-Musharaf sentiment. The general increase in the cost of living is not a concern to any one, and discussing remedies is not in vogue. What matters to the politicians is of little concern to the general masses, and vice versa.

It is said politics makes strange bed fellows, and there can be nothing stranger than what we see is happening in the unholy city of Islamabad these days.

Let the truth be told.

 

It is animosity for Musharaf rather than love for democracy or for that matter love for judiciary or for that matter love for the people of Pakistan that has helped form this un-natural alliance between PPP and PML (N).

We as citizens are now busy justifying this marriage, of the devil and the demon.

Collectively we have  ever diminishing expectation of ourselves and our leaders, if leaders are a reflection of the people they lead, I have just said a mouth-full about the kind of people we are

We are always busy adjusting our standards of acceptable corruption and are making  new benchmarks on daily basis. Every institution in Pakistan and every individual who has relevance are on sale. The case in point is that of Zardari, acquittal from all cases against him.

If this is true, and Zardari was kept in jail unjustly, then what have we to say about those who indicted Zardari in the first place and put him in jail?  Was there no one who had the courage to speak the truth and say that Zardari is innocent?  Now that the Judiciary is firmly against Musharaf, Zardari is a free man; rather he is a holy man.

 

But the street is in denial. How can this be true, PPP governments were dismissed by the President due to Zardari's alleged corruption?  Even those who support Zardari know that he was and is a corrupt man, is a suspect in killing of his brother-in-law and is the major beneficiary from his wife's death. These two crimes alone are bigger than all the "˜missing persons cases'

yet we are all mum about it.

This reminds me of what the Shias say " May Allah damn those who saw injustice and did not stand up against it"

I wonder what would happen the day Musharaf steps down, the glue that hold would disappear and this would unleash an era of un-imaginable chaos. Those who could not decide on power sharing in presence of a threat would be at each other's throat once the threat is removed.

With his tail between his legs Musharaf seem to have a new look on his face, a look that we as his victims are not use to seeing.

Remember the speech he made from behind a bullet proof glass, boasting about display of his vulgar force in May 2007 in Karachi during CJ Iftikhar Ch visit .Same Musharraf  is now begging for sympathy and talks of legacy in an interview with Atiqqia Odho,  a few days back.

Although he is guilty on a number of accounts, I blame Musharaf  for trying to become a popular dictator and trying to legitimize his takeover. He came illegally and should have carried out a massive operation cleanup instead of trying to become a popular leader. He may have been condemned (as he is now) but then he would have done something good for the country. He allowed himself to be surrounded by those who were corrupt to the core and gave him the worst possible advice. They sold him on the block and left him to weather the fruits of their labour.


And as for democracy in Pakistan, it is all a farce, if it was not linked with power, control over government machinery for personal gains, land mafia, loans and their subsequent waivers, foreign visits at government expense etc., who on earth care about the unfortunate people of this land !!!!