Editorial
Musharraf calls it a day
PPP and ML must now work together and not become rival
IN a long-winded speech to the Pakistanis sounding every bit a valedictory one, of a sad and fallen man, resigned to his fate, Musharraf communicated his decision to step down just hours before impeachment proceedings were set to be processed against him.
In his own words, he left his future in the hands of the people of Pakistan thereby submitting himself to the sovereignty of the people's will, not as an enlightened choice but as a last resort. If he had abandoned his vast appetite for, and the devious ways to cling to power beforehand, he would have spared the nation the gnawing turmoil it had been subjected to and himself the tragedy of a humiliating exit. Absolutely, he is the architect of his own downfall.
He usurped power from an elected government in the first place. Then his nine-year-long rule that followed saw the distortion of the constitution seizing exclusive powers to himself in terms of dissolving parliament and the government and complete breakdown of the institution of judiciary. His final act of folly was his sacking of Supreme Court judges en masse including the Chief Justice preceded by seeking reelection as president while being insistent on not shedding his uniform.
Normally, one would like to believe that Musharraf's decision not to use his prerogatives to dissolve parliament and push Pakistan back into the throes of instability has given a semblance of dignity to his exit and should help set aside the inherent dissentions in Pakistan's body-politic. Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif have now a vital role to play in presenting a unified image of civilian forces with a shared, steadfast dedication to democratic ethos as the best safeguard against Pakistan sinking back in the abyss of military dictatorship.
The parliamentary majority of the triumphant political forces should now be utilised in curtailing the powers of the president to dissolve parliament and thus an elected government. That way, the foundation of a sustainable democracy will be truly and squarely laid in Pakistan.
Military rule has had an overwhelming presence in the over six-decade-long Pakistan history throwing up one consistent message: military dictatorship in any form and shape never pays ultimate dividend to a country. On the contrary, it leaves a messy situation getting over which can take a long time for a country. Pakistan should be wiser by the experience.
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