Similar in some respect : Wagah BorderDespite having been under military dictatorship for more than three decades, Pakistan has been as imperfect a dictatorial system just as India has been an imperfect democracy. The people of Pakistan have not been totally denied democratic freedoms as the case would have been in any classical military dictatorship, just as all the people of India are not always able to enjoy all the freedoms their quality of constitutional democracy promises them.
As a consequence, even under dictators tougher than Musharraf, like Zia, Pakistan has had a bull-dog media, and a judiciary which, though often helpful, has never been a total pushover. A judge, for example, had even dissented when Bhutto (the then ousted PM and father of Benazir) was hanged.
In spite of the stereotypes we have lived on in India, the country has always had a democratic yearning, and, more importantly, its people do have a spine for democracy.
As a consequence, even under dictators tougher than Musharraf, like Zia, Pakistan has had a bull-dog media, and a judiciary which, though often helpful, has never been a total pushover. A judge, for example, had even dissented when Bhutto (the then ousted PM and father of Benazir) was hanged.
In spite of the stereotypes we have lived on in India, the country has always had a democratic yearning, and, more importantly, its people do have a spine for democracy.
History Lesson which Musharraf missed : General Zia-ul-HaqThe last time this was very clearly evident before the Justice Chaudhary mass-revolution which clearly goes to show their yearning, was when Pakistan had a dictatorship under General Zia.
In the summer of 1986 when Benazir Bhutto returned from exile to a Pakistan firmly under Zia’s control. She had shown more courage then than she has shown lately, in landing in Lahore and challenging the strongest Pakistani dictatorship ever. She showed courage, because she had no idea what kind of reception she would get, either from Zia or her own then dead party.
The procession began with a few trucks and then grew endlessly as lakhs of people came out spontaneously, some shouting Pakistan Peoples Party slogans, but most just out walking, clapping, smiling, celebrating. It was a stirring expression of mass catharsis, a democratic outburst after nearly seven years under military rule.
A point to note: this is about as long as Musharraf has been in control, so probably the Pakistani dictators have to watch out for what most political analysts refer to as the 'seven-year itch'.
In the summer of 1986 when Benazir Bhutto returned from exile to a Pakistan firmly under Zia’s control. She had shown more courage then than she has shown lately, in landing in Lahore and challenging the strongest Pakistani dictatorship ever. She showed courage, because she had no idea what kind of reception she would get, either from Zia or her own then dead party.
The procession began with a few trucks and then grew endlessly as lakhs of people came out spontaneously, some shouting Pakistan Peoples Party slogans, but most just out walking, clapping, smiling, celebrating. It was a stirring expression of mass catharsis, a democratic outburst after nearly seven years under military rule.
A point to note: this is about as long as Musharraf has been in control, so probably the Pakistani dictators have to watch out for what most political analysts refer to as the 'seven-year itch'.
Walking to his doom : General MusharrafGeneral Pervez Musharraf, like his predecessors has arm-twisted his political class, by exiling some and beating others into king’s party kind of alliances while fixing a non-contest election for himself. He subverted his constitution and then promulgated one so arbitrarily that he carried out amendments while announcing it at a press conference. He set up a rootless, pointless parliament and then went after his judiciary, after just one adverse verdict. This, after his judiciary has been so wonderfully compliant for so long. Which probably initiated the start of his own downfall.
Musharraf’s problems are mostly because of his lack of understanding — as well as respect — for either the principles or institutions of democracy. He is paying for lacking the intellect to understand a fundamental contradiction in Pakistan’s society.
On the one hand, though Pakistan's democratic impulse is still relatively weak. It has very little patience for the mess, the clumsiness, corruption and chaos of day-to-day democratic politics, particularly as it is practised in the subcontinent. But on the other hand, it is not entirely devoid of a democratic yearning. A clever Pakistani dictator would need to understand this and then steer his politics accordingly.
Unfortunately, or rather fortunately, dictators as a class, even when smart, are far too arrogant to figure this.
So he thought that the initial Pakistani welcome for the return of the military with discipline and focus would last for ever. He did not know when to cut his losses.
If Musharraf was as smart as he sounds, and as he thinks he is, he should have known where to draw the line. Even more important, he should have known that his long-term survival lay in morphing into a politician, and then, hopefully, into a statesman. That would have implied shedding the uniform, facing a fair election, which he would have won at least until a couple of years ago.
But true to his type, he did not see that wisdom when time had not run out for him. If one looks back on the history of Pakistan, there is only one of two ways a Pakistani dictator goes: fight an unsuccessful war with India, and go in disgrace and, second, be jailed or killed. Musharraf was given an opportunity to defy that script by 9/11.
Musharraf’s problems are mostly because of his lack of understanding — as well as respect — for either the principles or institutions of democracy. He is paying for lacking the intellect to understand a fundamental contradiction in Pakistan’s society.
On the one hand, though Pakistan's democratic impulse is still relatively weak. It has very little patience for the mess, the clumsiness, corruption and chaos of day-to-day democratic politics, particularly as it is practised in the subcontinent. But on the other hand, it is not entirely devoid of a democratic yearning. A clever Pakistani dictator would need to understand this and then steer his politics accordingly.
Unfortunately, or rather fortunately, dictators as a class, even when smart, are far too arrogant to figure this.
So he thought that the initial Pakistani welcome for the return of the military with discipline and focus would last for ever. He did not know when to cut his losses.
If Musharraf was as smart as he sounds, and as he thinks he is, he should have known where to draw the line. Even more important, he should have known that his long-term survival lay in morphing into a politician, and then, hopefully, into a statesman. That would have implied shedding the uniform, facing a fair election, which he would have won at least until a couple of years ago.
But true to his type, he did not see that wisdom when time had not run out for him. If one looks back on the history of Pakistan, there is only one of two ways a Pakistani dictator goes: fight an unsuccessful war with India, and go in disgrace and, second, be jailed or killed. Musharraf was given an opportunity to defy that script by 9/11.
Mush-in-a-box
If you ask me, his days are numbered, he is like a box being pushed from all sides .
As with the extremists he is being viewed at the same gun-point as the US, for the actions on them as well as his support to US; the Pakistani political class seem to be getting more united as each day goes by to oust him, and with the re-instated Chief Justice things are not going to be as easy; the common man, who seemed to like him before, are now getting more and more united against him; the US being more demanding day-by-day, with threats from the Presidential hopefuls of 2008 are not a good PR measure with his people as well for his support to the US, like Barack Obama on proposing disregarding of Pakistani sovereignity, if needed to hunt down terrorists within Pakistan.
Just a matter of time before the box snaps.
As with the extremists he is being viewed at the same gun-point as the US, for the actions on them as well as his support to US; the Pakistani political class seem to be getting more united as each day goes by to oust him, and with the re-instated Chief Justice things are not going to be as easy; the common man, who seemed to like him before, are now getting more and more united against him; the US being more demanding day-by-day, with threats from the Presidential hopefuls of 2008 are not a good PR measure with his people as well for his support to the US, like Barack Obama on proposing disregarding of Pakistani sovereignity, if needed to hunt down terrorists within Pakistan.
Just a matter of time before the box snaps.
1 comments:
First of all I don't know who this stupid article wrote, but I'm sure you are not that smart. Because else you wouldn't make these stupid remarks. You know what problem of your kind of people is? You don't have respect, you can only talk from behind a screen. Why didn't you became the President? why didn't you do anything for Pakistan? Why always critisesing those who at least serve there country. He ruled Pakistan with his own life, not being afraid to lead Pakistan. What didn't he not do for Pakistan. Just because he made some mistakes (we are human, human make mistakes) that doesn't mean he is bad. He took Pakistan to a limit where nobody can ever bring it. To bad chel people like you don't understand it, you only go there where you get a foot. Bad are those who promise relief for the poor and then put it in there pockets. So don't talk about rubbish, first go to Pakistan and help, you anpar stupid fool. You are like those chamche sharif brothers and zardari. You are nothing, Musharraf is something;). Don't talk, act!!!!
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