Enduring Power Struggle in Pakistan: New Phase-IV

 By Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal

Indo-US Response

A hegemonic India has made it clear a peaceful Pakistan is not in India’s interests. Pakistan now can only ill-afford any external interventions in any form when the political leaders still refuse to respecting each other’s mandate as the essence of "democracy" and that indulging in unnecessary tussle invites the ‘other’ powers to intervene. India derives quite sadistic pleasure when a natural calamity strikes Pakistan or Bangladesh. Whenever any political crisis takes place in Islamabad, India, as a cricket fielder does it to claim "Out" for a given batsman, shouts at the to p of voice that Pakistan is finished, is a failed state, and is a threat to Hindu India, a known terror state. Like USA, India also quickly called Pakistan a "failed" state. In a revised perception, however, India seems to have softened its "good-neighborly" attitude to Pakistan saying Pakistan is "perilously close" to becoming a failed state and is already "pretty dysfunctional". In trying to emulate US statements about those nations that don’t fall inline with its formula of relations bases on master and servant in IR, India uses similar tone to categorize nations which India thinks weaker than itself.

India and its media always fuel crisis in Pakistan by sung their media and agents. There are still Indo-western speculations, rather vague hopes, that soon in future Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani might play a political game along with Nawaz Sharif so that Zardari is relieved from the President office. Anyhow, at present the happy news for the world is that Pakistan, once again, has succeeded in nullifying the impact of the present rift before it is too late for the domestic players to do anything and escaped from the clutches of the external enemies seeking to destabilize the Islamic nation. Under the command of General Kayani the Pakistan Army fulfilled its promise that it would always remain aloof from all political affairs inside Pakistan. Indian anti-Islamic media were circulating news about military takeover in Islamabad and expected, rather wanted and still hopes, some more Muslim deaths. The restoration of the Justice Iftikhar Ahmed Chaudhry as the Chief Justice of Pakistan has provided new grounds for thinking to the people of Pakistan. Of course, the restoration has restored the confidence of the key politicians in democracy.

Yousuf Raza Gilani's announcement, broadcast on television, triggered scenes of jubilation from Chaudhry's supporters outside his home in Islamabad and among supporters of Sharif. The speech triggered scenes of jubilation outside Chaudhry's home in the capital, Islamabad. "This is a victory for the people of this country," said Baz Kakar, a leader of the Pakistan lawyers' movement. "Chaudhry is the first chief justice in the history of Pakistan who has proved himself to be a judge for the people, as a chief justice for the people." The development is also a victory for Sharif, a long-time opponent of President Zardari who had backed the lawyers' calls to reinstate Chaudhry. Branding it as a struggle for democracy, the movement also generated enough responses from across the globe.

The unrest alarmed the West, which wants Pakistan to focus on the battle against the Taleban on the Afghan border. In recent days, US officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, had spoken to Zardari and Sharif, urging them to reach a deal. Washington and other Western capitals had been concerned the crisis was distracting the nuclear-armed country from its fight against Taliban and al-Qaeda "militants" operating along the Afghan border. The move pushed an already weakened president deeper into the pocket of the army, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half its 62 years, the incumbent General Kayani is reluctant to intervene in political turmoil affairs.

The USA welcomed Gilani's announcement as a move to "defuse a serious confrontation" and a "substantial step towards national reconciliation," in a statement issued by US embassy in Islamabad. The American envoy to Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, hailed the decision.. He was quoted by the New York Times as saying the US applauded "the statesmanlike act by President Zardari" and hoped it would "defuse a dangerous confrontation". Of course, it is true that the restoration of the chief justice, sacked two years ago by the then military leader Pervez Musharraf, has been a bone of contention between Sharif and Zardari for months. Sharif accuses the president of failing to honor three written agreements to reinstate the top judge. Zardari argues it is a constitutionally complex issue, but his critics say he is afraid the restored judiciary would challenge aspects of his rule.

Following the Sharif-Gilani agreement, top diplomats including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Sharif and the President, Asif Zardari. The army chief of staff has been holding meetings with the prime minister. All are urging a political resolution to the crisis.  Both Asif Zardari and also unexpectedly Nawaz Sharif, who has not been in friendly group of President Obama till now, have proved much more cooperative and that has raised hopes for President Obama, who could now bank on Sharif to a certain extent for future compromise formula." Nawaz Sharif can definitely prove to be a useful partner as Washington tried to talk to what it considered reconcilable elements in the Taliban. Some US strategists think Sharif can become a mediator to negotiate with Talibans and other terrorist groups and that’s what Obama wants.

India considers USA the root cause of all Pakistan’s pains which it “deserves’ and wants Pakistan to suffer more with US terror forces officially inside Pakistan. But also, eager to obtain permission of the USA to control the South Asian region on its own military strength, India insists no foul game from its own part in destabilizing its neighbor. Americans are showering drones on Pakistanis and Indians are unleashing terror attacks with the occupying US support. Yet, Pakistani leaders are not exactly worried their sovereignty is at stake. Possibly, some western oiled Pakistanis could even consider US occupation a boon to Pakistan. Muslims have not occasion to laugh at such funny pro-Westernism of some “Muslims” who also consider Islam is no good for modernity.

The 27 March Friday’s blasts inside a Mosque near Afghan border in Pakistan during Friday Prayers appears to have been engineered by US led forces occupying Pakistan and Afghanistan  and the reason for this Friday “suicide attacks” was to Pakistan government and the Sharia’ based fighters for Islamization of Pakistan. Another view that USA has instigated violence  by proxy terror campaign  in the region and since global media are sponsored by the western and other anti-Islamic forces originating form such nations, it is impossible to know the whole truth about “terrorism” in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq.

India encourages turmoil in its neighborhoods but as a key regional policy is more –ill-focused on Islamabad and supports divisive forces in Pakistan. Pakistan has many political problems and uncertainties, and several other or such like issues requiring immediate attentions to resolve them amicably in order to stabilize the country, but they do not look to be in sight for a permanent solution at least for the time being. But India is too much worried about Pakistan and Bangladesh - and not about Indian Muslims and their pathetic existence. The involvement of the Raw in the northern tribal areas , the US invasion in Afghanistan and the so-called war against terror , all these factors have made the social life of Pakistan miserable and pathetic. Indian "specialists" on Pakistan say there is also a continued threat from the “terrorists” on one side and military on the other, circumstances are not normal. They want USA to "surely take some concrete steps to make Pakistan stable in whatever ways and Obama must help the interests of the USA" , meaning the global interests of India.  

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Yours Sincerely,

DR. ABDUL RUFF Colachal

Columnist & Independent Researcher in World Affairs, The only Indian to have gone through entire India
South Asia.