A moral victory

Useless it would be if the decision is not implemented by the government

Though the short order in Asghar Khan Case is a moral victory for all the democracy craving forces in Pakistan, a lot has yet to be done to restore confidence in the system. In fact, the real test of democratic forces in Pakistan starts now. The country is mired in problems related to law and order, human rights, supremacy of constitution, sovereignty along with various social issues. The systematic destruction of the political infrastructure in the past has largely been exposed by media, which interestingly takes a special interest in constitutional cases involving the present government. But the issue of military’s role in the Pakistani politics sums up every aspect of the debate on the future of governance infrastructure in Pakistan. The short order has been issued and detailed judgment is still awaited. The civilian government will now be tested in its resolve when it executes the decision given by the apex court.

The role of the office of President is clearly defined in the Constitution of Pakistan. Since long the personalities occupying this chair have been more or less involved in the political victimisation of their opposing parties. The latest decision not only highlights the causes of failure of democratic regimes in Pakistan but also puts a burden on the government to implement the decision. Realistically speaking, if the government implements the court order, it would be for the first time in the country’s history that top generals, including a former COAS, are tried for intervening in political affairs of the country. Obviously, this will send a strong signal to the barracks.

The political elite, mostly of the right wing, including Nawaz Sharif, Mir Zafarullah Jamali, Jam Yousaf, Begum Abida Hussain and Hasil Bizenjo, will now come under strong criticism for their rather questionable past. The scars left by continuous interventions of the dictatorial norms have brutally affected the true spirit of governance in this country. The healing process for the democratic regime in Pakistan will take time. The politician of this country is either corrupt or too afraid to risk anything that will annoy the men in uniform. Thus, so far, the so-called intelligent politicians have always found ways to shake hands with the military regimes. Unfortunately, they have also provided a moral victory to all the martial law administrators in the country. Considering this, it is no strange that each mainstream political force is or has once been part of the military regimes in the past.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has largely been praised for its role in handling tough cases related to the political elite of this country. The decisions in many of these cases have been made public, many are still to come. The question mark on the human rights in Pakistan has been well answered by the apex court but the lack of will by the government to implement the decisions in their full spirit is a demoralising factor for the country. The ‘untouchables’ have finally been questioned for their role in the past and are also being scrutinised for their acts in the present regime. Soon, a clear line will be drawn among all the forces of this country wherein the line will be based on their willingness to follow the decisions of the apex court.

The social problems that we face now can only be answered by a regime strong enough to strike down negative forces in the country. Such governance structure can only be ensured by a mechanism that ensures impeachment of those that have always taken advantage of the system and caused problems in flourishing democracy in the republic.

Many do believe that the fate of their masters lies in the hands of the so far untouched class of this country. Many do believe that the existence of this class is a fact and whatever they do must be appreciated. Many still insist that nothing can be done in this country without gaining the support of military. Many still continue with the idea that their command is the law in Pakistan. Many believe that the adverse effects of this judgment will be minimum where all the political parties are flexing their muscles to take part in the upcoming elections.

But change is inevitable and it is due for this country. Whether this change results in changing the future of this nation and providing a smooth ride for the years to come has yet to be seen.

Practically speaking, the civilian government lacks its control in tribal belt due to militancy, in Balochistan due to continuous insurgency and many other areas of the country due to deterioration in law and order. The political parties have been found criminally involved in making hasty decisions in the past. The upcoming elections could decide the future of this nation. There will be blood on the streets of Pakistan in the upcoming elections, as it generally happens. How much this can be avoided depends, to some extent, how soon and how well the decision of the court is implemented in its true spirit.

The writer can be reached at [email protected]