THE NEW PRESIDENT VERSUS PROVINCIAL AUTONOMY AND OTHERS

Mr. Asif Ali Zardari has been elected the 11th President of Pakistan with all the powers which were in the hands of President Musharraf. The positive-minded people congratulate him from the core of their hearts and respect the mandate of the people of Pakistan. It is neither a miracle nor such an achievement which is extraordinary because the PPP had the requisite number to win and those smaller political parties who showed their support is not without any purpose. The real achievement would be the fulfilment of the expectations of those smaller parties and the nation as a whole.

It is an open reality that the President-elect has the firm support of both the Army and America since the time of President Musharraf when the NRO was issued and all the cases inside and outside Pakistan were withdrawn. The issuance of NRO was not a simple act of the Previous President but the result of long conversations, consultations, deliberations and political expediencies inside and outside the Country.

The first task of the new President should be to hold consultations with the coalition partners to give Provincial Autonomy to the Provinces. The coalition partners should demand for a comprehensive Constitutional Package. At least six months time is sufficient for this job because the problems have been highlighted; the need is just to start the process for the solution.

The political parties out of the Parliament would gain overwhelming majority in the Parliament if the new President and his coalition partners badly failed to achieve that which they claimed while they were in the Opposition. Or it is possible that they may start campaign against the Government to compel it for the fulfilment of the promises with the nation. Nation saw many declarations and agreements between Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif but due to basic differences between them they separated their ways. Questions arise what was the intention behind all these agreements? Whether Mr. Zardari wanted to strengthen his own position instead of fulfilling the demands of the other partner? Whether Mr. Nawaz Sharif had his own trap behind the sweet slogan of friendship in shape of the cases against NRO in the Supreme Court? What is the guarantee of the fulfilment of the demands of other coalition partners on the basis of which they support Mr. Zardari? The future of the coalition partners would be dark if Mr. Zardari failed to fulfil their demands at least next in one year. Therefore, they should press their cases at the earliest if they are sincere to their demands and on the basis of which they got votes from the people of their respective constituencies. They should not behave like the JI and JUI (F) under the umbrella of the MMA Government in the NWFP. They got votes from the people in the name of Islam and elimination of American influence but people saw them having meeting with the officials of the lowest ranks of America and even visiting America. Neither promulgated Islam nor took any measure to reduce the influence of America but at the end blamed each other for all the mismanagements and lack of cooperation. They enjoyed the ministries to the last minutes and put the responsibility of their inefficiency on President Musharraf but the people badly rejected them due to their conduct in the Government.

Dr. Babar Awan who is a well-educated in both religious and mundane knowledge is expected to "do more" as compared to his other party men because it was he who came on TV and pinpointed a large majority of laws and told the people that these laws either to be repealed or to be altered, modified for bringing the society closer to an Islamic way of life and to give the people a good Government which may fulfil their desires and give satisfaction to them in every aspect of life. Senator Babar Awan might have presented many interesting cases to the Supreme Court and to lower Courts but now it is his responsibility to present the case of the 160 millions people to the Parliament, President and "the hidden forces". The nation is now not willing to hear anything except to the solution of their grievances. The present government is the test of Dr. Babar Awan whether he is true to the sayings on the TV. I am pinpointing Dr. Babar Awan in the PPP only for this reason that he vehemently advocated the efficacy of the Quranic Laws and wished to have a change in the Country. Now Allah has given him the opportunity for the fulfilment of that promise which his party made with the people. It is also a test of his capability to persuade his other party men to change the laws through Parliament for the Welfare of the people. If his party did not accept his request, he should either quit the party or stop the academic exercise on TV that how an Islamic Government should be?

Mr. Asfandyar Wali said that in politics agreements and deadlines are not reasonable acts. In politics, the manifesto of a political party is the first agreement with the voter who is induced to vote to the party on the basis of the manifesto. In a Contract, one party offers and the offer party if accepted the offer then the first party cannot repudiate the Contract or agreement. This concept has been written in the Contract Act, 1872. Mr. Asfandyar or any other person is bound to act upon the manifesto being the 'Promiser' in the agreement in the election.

I appreciate the comments of Mr. Pervaiz Khan MNA from Swabi which he had made in one of his PTV NEWS interview when he said that the people had voted him for the resolution of their problems. People have their grievances and he was bound to solve them on priority basis and that is why he always talked about those problems which are directly related to the people. I request him to convince his party leader Mr. Asfandyar Wali to initiate the process after the oath-taking ceremony otherwise it would be a suicide to remain silent anymore on the issues which they promised with people to be resolved. No ministry or benefit can be a substitute to the Provincial Autonomy and power on the use of resources of the Province. Time is running very fast and the request to the ANP is that Mr. Asfandyar desired in one of his National Assembly speech to see his nation's children with books and pens in their hands but today in NWFP, the text books are not available to the students from Primary to Secondary level. Who is responsible?

Mr. Asif Ali Zardari is representing the legacy of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Shaheed Bhutto was really a brave, uncompromising and dynamic personality. He gave his life but did not bow before a Military General or America. He resuscitated a dilapidated nation. He introduced Pakistan and Pakistani nation with the World. He laid down his life but remained firm and committed to his principles and that is why even his bitterest opponent acknowledges his these qualities. My other two favourite personalities are Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan who advocated women rights in Pakhtoons society at a time when the women had no voice in the whole World and other personality is Maulana Maududi who did not bow before a dictator despite being sentenced to death. But finally he was freed without tendering any apology.

The new President should change the system as he had promised with the nation not once but several times. The whole nation would support him if he initiated process in this regard.

Manzoor Ahmad

M.A Political Science, LLB.

Marghuz Balar Khel, District Swabi.

Dated: Saturday, 06 September 2008.