NRO has served its purpose as conceived. PPP, the main beneficiary, is now trying to consign it to the archives of a bygone age. It says there is no use beating a dead horse. But the Supreme Court verdict stands in the way. All kinds of contrivances are being resorted to in order to abort the effect of that verdict. The emerging reality in national polity appears to favour the PPP position. The shape that reality is taking is PPP-military alliance for governance. PPP is the facade, the military holds the strings. When Mr Zardari therefore asserts that no opposition can dislodge the present PPP dispensation, he has solid ground to say that.
On the other hand, the Brothers Corporation which goes by the name of PML (N) is out of the loop. It is being cornered constantly. The sudden outburst of a maligning campaign against the Punjab Government is not without sponsorship and purpose. Regrettably, Nawaz Sharif, twice failed to judge the military psyche, once when he showed the door to General Karamat, and again, when he failed to read the signal of a guard of honour given to General Musharraf on his departure. General Yahya lost half of Pakistan, while boozing and merry-making, but when he died, he was buried with full military honours by none else than the self-proclaimed Mard-e-Momin. Not only the PPP but also ANP is in the loop after Asfandyar Wali’s ‘fruitful’ visit to Washington early last year. MQM is also in the bag. Altaf Bhai is basking in the British sunshine. Nawaz Sharif was tricked into many missteps both by Zardari and his own flawed reading of the new realities. His decision to support the change of NWFP’s name to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cost him his strongest constituency of Hazara, whose vote in favour of joining Pakistan was the deciding factor in’ the historic referendum at the time of independence. His nomination of his son-in-law’s younger brother as PML(N) candidate in Mansehra resulted in a defeat at an awkward moment.
Instead of looking at the political scenario from an ivory tower of his own making, he should have realised that given his past track record, the military would be wary of a smooth working equation with him. He should also have known, the proverbial vengefulness of the elephant. US did not spare Bhutto for his nuclear ambitions. How could it overlook Nawaz’s defiance in detonating the bomb. His latest pleadings to the Prime Minister, which he readily accepted, to convene an all-parties conference to chalk out a comprehensive plan of action against ‘terrorism’ is being seen as an effort to remain relevant in the new power play. Terrorism is essentially the result of the quite thinly-disguised Judo-Christian crusade against Muslims all over the world together with the urge to grab their “abundant energy and other key resources for their exclusive access and exploitation.As a fellow-traveller when India, for instance, brands resistance fighters against its occupation in Kashmir as terrorists, the West may readily chime in to promote its own agenda but can we in Pakistan join the chorus. For us they are freedom fighters. Nawaz Sharif therefore fumbled again in picking up the fight against ‘terrorism’ as his first priority. He ignored the wide divergence of views held by the people about what they regard as ‘terrorism’ and whom they consider as ‘terrorists’. Voices were raised in massive rallies of protest against the Data Durbar tragedy throughout Pakistan that the hands behind it are of those who are bent on fanning sectarian conflict.
Again, when Nawaz Sharif rightly castigated the dastardly attack on Ahmadi places of worship, resulting in a heavy loss of innocent lives, his incautious choice of words in calling them ‘brothers’ was politically naive and made him an easy target of those religious elements who thrive on hatred of Ahmadis. He could have avoided that without diluting his condemnation of the crime. Now look at the other end of the spectrum. It is PPP’s political culture not to tolerate a political rival of consequence. Didn’t Bhutto constantly conspire against the opposition governments in NWFP and Balochistan and ultimately dismissed them. Didn’t he then follow it up with ordering military action in Balochistan? The genii he unleashed ultimately devoured him. There is a lesson in this for the present PPP outfit, which is a pygmy version of ZAB ‘s. Does the PPP think that with military’s pat on its back, it can rule as “master of all that I survey”: loot’ grab and squander or that it can not only defy the judiciary but campaign to bring down the judicial edifice and get away unscathed. It is PPP’s penchant for cantankerous politics that has further eroded the standing of the civilian component in national polity.
What is needed is a radical reassessment and reorientation of national polity — an agreement on an institutional working equation between the civilians and the military in governance. Repeated military interventions and willing civilian collaboration have established new ground realities. Unless these are recognised and necessary power adjustments made avowedly, the national polity will continue to be in doldrums as at present. On its parts, the military has to get down from the high horse and realise that it is not sophisticated hardware that ensures security but a contented people. We should have learnt that lesson for good after the 1971 national tragedy.
On the other hand, the Brothers Corporation which goes by the name of PML (N) is out of the loop. It is being cornered constantly. The sudden outburst of a maligning campaign against the Punjab Government is not without sponsorship and purpose. Regrettably, Nawaz Sharif, twice failed to judge the military psyche, once when he showed the door to General Karamat, and again, when he failed to read the signal of a guard of honour given to General Musharraf on his departure. General Yahya lost half of Pakistan, while boozing and merry-making, but when he died, he was buried with full military honours by none else than the self-proclaimed Mard-e-Momin. Not only the PPP but also ANP is in the loop after Asfandyar Wali’s ‘fruitful’ visit to Washington early last year. MQM is also in the bag. Altaf Bhai is basking in the British sunshine. Nawaz Sharif was tricked into many missteps both by Zardari and his own flawed reading of the new realities. His decision to support the change of NWFP’s name to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cost him his strongest constituency of Hazara, whose vote in favour of joining Pakistan was the deciding factor in’ the historic referendum at the time of independence. His nomination of his son-in-law’s younger brother as PML(N) candidate in Mansehra resulted in a defeat at an awkward moment.
Instead of looking at the political scenario from an ivory tower of his own making, he should have realised that given his past track record, the military would be wary of a smooth working equation with him. He should also have known, the proverbial vengefulness of the elephant. US did not spare Bhutto for his nuclear ambitions. How could it overlook Nawaz’s defiance in detonating the bomb. His latest pleadings to the Prime Minister, which he readily accepted, to convene an all-parties conference to chalk out a comprehensive plan of action against ‘terrorism’ is being seen as an effort to remain relevant in the new power play. Terrorism is essentially the result of the quite thinly-disguised Judo-Christian crusade against Muslims all over the world together with the urge to grab their “abundant energy and other key resources for their exclusive access and exploitation.As a fellow-traveller when India, for instance, brands resistance fighters against its occupation in Kashmir as terrorists, the West may readily chime in to promote its own agenda but can we in Pakistan join the chorus. For us they are freedom fighters. Nawaz Sharif therefore fumbled again in picking up the fight against ‘terrorism’ as his first priority. He ignored the wide divergence of views held by the people about what they regard as ‘terrorism’ and whom they consider as ‘terrorists’. Voices were raised in massive rallies of protest against the Data Durbar tragedy throughout Pakistan that the hands behind it are of those who are bent on fanning sectarian conflict.
Again, when Nawaz Sharif rightly castigated the dastardly attack on Ahmadi places of worship, resulting in a heavy loss of innocent lives, his incautious choice of words in calling them ‘brothers’ was politically naive and made him an easy target of those religious elements who thrive on hatred of Ahmadis. He could have avoided that without diluting his condemnation of the crime. Now look at the other end of the spectrum. It is PPP’s political culture not to tolerate a political rival of consequence. Didn’t Bhutto constantly conspire against the opposition governments in NWFP and Balochistan and ultimately dismissed them. Didn’t he then follow it up with ordering military action in Balochistan? The genii he unleashed ultimately devoured him. There is a lesson in this for the present PPP outfit, which is a pygmy version of ZAB ‘s. Does the PPP think that with military’s pat on its back, it can rule as “master of all that I survey”: loot’ grab and squander or that it can not only defy the judiciary but campaign to bring down the judicial edifice and get away unscathed. It is PPP’s penchant for cantankerous politics that has further eroded the standing of the civilian component in national polity.
What is needed is a radical reassessment and reorientation of national polity — an agreement on an institutional working equation between the civilians and the military in governance. Repeated military interventions and willing civilian collaboration have established new ground realities. Unless these are recognised and necessary power adjustments made avowedly, the national polity will continue to be in doldrums as at present. On its parts, the military has to get down from the high horse and realise that it is not sophisticated hardware that ensures security but a contented people. We should have learnt that lesson for good after the 1971 national tragedy.
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