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Is this an Election of 2007 or 2002!
Dr. Anwar Ul Haque
Election gives a sense of participation to common people and gets them involved in national affairs. Abraham Lincoln said Democracy is for the people, by the people and of the people. Is it so in Pakistan? For genuine elections the leaders are forced to perform well so that after completion of term they can be get reelected; if their performance is poor and not up to the mark, they are obviously rejected.
Encyclopedia Britannica is very clear about the modern elections. Elections are meant to hold leaders accountable for their performance in last term (Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th Edition pages 529-530). But when the elections are sham and charade people's rights can be snatched at gun point. Certainly this is the case in Pakistan where 160 million common people in 2007 will have no say in coming Presidential Elections. Even if 99.99 % percent Pakistanis disapprove the performance of Gen. Musharraf over last five years they will not be able to change him or bring a president whom they like. Sound funny! It is not! Believe it or not Gen. Musharraf is trying to get "elected" from the "mandate" of 2002! He wants to ride over the shoulders of comatose terminal parliament assembly whose mandate is about to finish. He will not need approval or disapproval (mandate) from the people in 2007 for next term at all.
Since 2002 many people have died and many new have become eligible to vote. But these new voters will have no right to vote for President albeit indirectly through freshly elected assemblies. They will have no say in choosing their future leader. In Pakistan President is not a ceremonial figure and hence the election of President becomes even more important! In Turkey Abdullah Gul was elected from Fresh Assemblies with fresh mandate of the people. But that is true in the land of blue eye boy of Bush!
Pakistan's constitution is very much democratic and requires chosen representatives of people to run the state affairs. After receiving the mandate President is eligible for next 5 year terms. It calls for democratic norms and grant the fundamental human rights. However Pakistan is witnessing worst possible abuse of human rights. Not only people are arrested from their homes for no reason but they are tortured; a true reflection of Musharraf's enlightened moderation and secularism. Members of National Assemblies are mot given proper prison facilities in commensuration with their political status.
The Government sadistically feels happy to disgrace the innocent citizens' worst treatment. Many times relatives do not know about whereabouts of their beloved ones for years. There are hundreds of missing people in Pakistan. This is respect of humanity, human right and freedom of assembly and movement as enshrined in the constitution of Pakistan.
Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Raja Zafrul Haque and many other opposition leaders were arrested and kept in Adyala jail with very little humane facilities. On the other hand, somehow Benazir and her husband Asif Zardari had always enjoyed VVIP treatment. Asif Zardari spent 2 years in Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS)'s private ward with all sorts of facilities. PIMS was "declared" Adyala sub jail! His presence deprived many patients from treatment while he himself only suffered from mild backache, perhaps due to many kickbacks! He used to hug his dogs before going to court and always received simmering hot lunch and dinner from PPP's headquarters. Similarly Asif's jail time in Karachi was spent in 5 star suite facility specially built in the Civil Hospital Karachi by one of the doctors who own a big hospital in Karachi. Benazir got pregnant in this prison! Many believe that there had been Musharraf- Benazir coalition in government for last many years minus Benazir and Asif Zardari in person. However it seems that now at least Benazir will not be kept behind the curtain as she wants to play desperately 3rd time on the stage.
In Pakistan Assemblies are directly elected from people and then these assemblies reflecting fresh mandate of people choose President and Prime Minister. This is democratic norm in many countries where parliamentarian system is practiced e.g. India and Turkey. It is common sense and understood that to begin a new term you require fresh mandate. Every thing may not be written in the constitution. When constitution says that after acquiring mandate President will have five years term and that affairs of the republic will be run through chosen representative it automatically means that Presidential Election MUST be held after the election of new assemblies otherwise President can't be the chosen representative! Since in Pakistan's constitution it is not written that President Elections will be held after national assemblies elections all kinds of tricks and jugglery with no respect for 160 million people rights is carried out with dishonest and fraudulent interpretations of the constitution. Some people have become notorious for rendering stupid and idiotic interpretation of the constitution.
Pakistan's constitution clearly prohibits a Government servant to contest elections but Gen. Musharraf is fully determined to do so! In order to pave the way for this drama, the Election Commission of Pakistan issued a notification signed by Gen. Musharraf to paralyze several critical and essential constitutional qualifications and disqualifications which make Musharraf absolutely disqualified as head of the state.
His way of dealing with Chief Justice's welcome rallies in Karachi and Islamabad speak loud and clear about the psychopath mentality which thrives on killing people may that be over 40 innocent people in Karachi on May 12th, Hamad Raza and an assassination attempt on Chief Justice himself in F 8, Islamabad.
Flagrant, brazen, blatant and shameless breaches of constitution and equally hilarious and brainless interpretations are nothing new in Pakistan. When referendum can be taken equivalent to election and when under gun entire assembly can be made hostage then the talks of democracy, enlightened moderation, and civilization mean nothing. This exposes the true colors and real face of people who are engaged in war of terrorism on poor and decent people. Global and State terrorists with massive abuse of public trust, money and national resources are after poor people of the world. It is a war between this sub-animal materialism and humanity.
The Presidential Elections from the outgoing assemblies is the joke of the century. Our dictators have plenty of such things in their bag and to their credit. Every segment of the society must play very active role in defending the ideological and geographical borders as well as the rights and interests of the poor and weak people. If we don't state will fail and we all too!
Dr. Anwar Ul Haque
(Presidential Hopeful)
116. St. 49 F 11/ 3 Islamabad 44000
Phone: 2294099
Haque8888@gmail. com
Haque_8888@hotmail. com
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