Musharraf – fallen before the fall?

7
151

Who isn’t fed up with the one-time strongman?

 

 

In case Musharraf’s prosecution does not reach its logical end, this would definitely promote Bonapartist tendencies in the army. While interviewing Nawaz Sharif last year Indian journalist Karan Thapar had asked him if he would sanction a treason trial against Musharraf. Sharif’s reply was “That is not a crime that I can forgive, I think the nation will have to decide as to what the nation wants against him and then it will be left to the judiciary and judges to try and to decide”. Any wincing now would indicate to all and sundry that the PMLN leadership lacks spine.

The government has all the support that it needs to see the trial through. The PML-N enjoys absolute majority in the National Assembly. Its government has further strengthened its position by acquiring the support of several coalition partners. Leaving aside two miniscule and ineffective parliamentary groups comprising MQM and PML-Q, the rest of the opposition that includes PPP and PTI is strongly supportive of Musharraf’s trial. The ruling party will not face any meaningful opposition in Parliament in case it stands behind the court while it passes an independent judgment.

The Supreme Court under former CJ had affirmed unflinching support for democracy. It had made it clear again and again that the chances of the imposition of martial law had been ‘‘blocked once and for all” and judiciary was not ready to provide room to any adventurer. As former CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry put it, “Those days are over when people feared that something would happen overnight.”

The Supreme Court under CJ Gillani has kept the legacy alive. It has taken up suo motu notice of the missing persons case and the delay in Local Bodies elections. In January the SC threw out Musharraf’s review plea against the historic 2009 ruling. This was widely seen as an attempt by the SC to once again shut the doors for adventurism.

The judiciary is aware that under military rule it would lose the independence that it enjoys in a democratic system. It is inconceivable under the circumstances that the apex court would allow any military overthrow. With unanimity between the administration and judiciary the PML-N need not develop cold feet about any presumed clash of the institutions.

 

Musharraf enjoys little goodwill among servicemen, whether in uniform or retired. Only a handful of ex-servicemen have come out in his support and they are widely known for being the beneficiaries of the dictator’s rule. Former General Aslam Beg and Lt Gen (r) Chishti have understandably condemned the insulting bevaiour of some of the lawyers opposed to Musharraf, but neither objected to the trial.

 

Musharraf enjoys no public support. Despite all the efforts and funds spent by the APML the former dictator’s supporters have failed to put up any significant show of force. The people would welcome the verdict delivered against Musharraf by the court.

The military leadership is unhappy with Musharraf for returning to Pakistan in disregard of its advice. Out of sheer foolhardiness the former military ruler insisted on facing the courts.

The subsequent lack of nerve shown by the former military ruler has been a constant source of embarrassment for the army. Cowardice is not appreciated by army anywhere in the world. Musharraf’s behaviour since his house arrest must have caused embarrassment to the army. Musharraf’s escapade from Islamabad High Court after orders of his arrest in April last year was an unseemly episode. So were the indirect appeals to army to come to his rescue. The way a panic stricken ex strong man rushed to the AFIC feigning a heart ailment instead of facing the court must have dismayed many who expected valour from a former COAS. The attempt by Musharraf to deliver a tele-address to a gathering of supporters who waited for the speech in a Lahore hotel was foiled by the AFIC management which indicated its unhappiness over the so called patient using the hospital premises for political activities.

In January Defence Secretary Lt General (r) Asif Yasin Malik explained the army’s position on Musharraf’s trial. The army, he said, had no interest in the case. Indirectly expressing dissatisfaction with Musharraf’s insistence on seeking treatment abroad, he maintained that the AFIC was considered one of the best hospitals in the world for cardiac treatment. “The former president should be satisfied with the treatment he is receiving at the AFIC.”

Mushrraf enjoys little goodwill among servicemen, whether in uniform or retired. Only a handful of ex-servicemen have come out in his support and they are widely known for being the beneficiaries of the dictator’s rule. Former General Aslam Beg and Lt Gen (r) Chishti have understandably condemned the insulting bevaiour of some of the lawyers opposed to Musharraf, but neither objected to the trial.

 

While there is little possibility of any clash of institutions in this case, the government should get the provincial assemblies and parliament pass resolutions in support of the ongoing trial. The Senate had already called for Musharraf’s trial before the matter was taken up by the court. Keeping in view the composition of the National Assembly passing a similar resolution would just be a cakewalk.

 

The two major ex-servicemen organisations, Ex-Servicemen Society (PESS) with Lt Gen (r) Hamid Gul as president and Pakistan Ex-Servicemen Association (PESA) led by Lt Gen(r) Ali Kuli Khan, have rejected Musharraf’s claims of support within the army. The two former generals said in a joint statement that Musharraf was trying to implicate the army as an abettor of high treason for ulterior motives. The army had no role in his violation of Article 6 and the members of PESS and PESA considered declaration of emergency and sacking of judges as acts for which Musharraf alone is responsible.

Musharraf’s unrealistic hopes for support from the US, Britain and Saudi Arabia have been dashed to the ground. Washington is known for ditching stooges after they have lost their utility. For the West Musharraf is a non-entity now. Moreover it badly needs the PML-N government’s support during and after the departure of NATO troops from Afghanistan. The Saudis, too, need Sharif’s help in pursuing their peculiar agenda in the Gulf region. None is in a position to put pressure on Sharif for the sake of a fallen dictator who is of little use to them now.

The government has not proceeded with the trial as it had promised earlier. While there is little possibility of any clash of institutions in this case, the government should get the provincial assemblies and parliament pass resolutions in support of the ongoing trial. The Senate had already called for Musharraf’s trial before the matter was taken up by the court. Keeping in view the composition of the National Assembly passing a similar resolution would just be a cakewalk.

The PML-N made a wrong move in the Punjab Assembly by seeking the passage of a resolution that the opposition thought was more in praise of the PML-N government than in support of the ongoing trial. Had it associated the PPP and PTI in the formulation of the resolution, it would have been passed with a thundering majority in all the four assemblies.

7 COMMENTS

  1. writer the poor soul has his own wshes he is spreading in column … a rubbish column indeed long live musharraf

  2. After reading this, you start wondering who Musharraf had deposed in 1999. Was it Nawaz Sharif or Azizuddin Ahmed ??

  3. Predicament of Musharraf:- A couplet from one poem says it all, “When the gardener torched my nest, the leafs I was banking on, started fanning the flames” & “Prophet said, god takes away the brain before sending a calamity”. Rats are jumping the ship. His ‘friends’ sent him into the death trap. My postings were too small for the big eyes. Qudus.

  4. It is the tragedy in Pakistan that all of the jiurnalist have sold their sole to some party or the other. He has praise CJs. Chaudhary Iftikhar set free all the terrorists Police brought for justice. He paid back what hi owed to Nawaz Sharif. This article is nothing but an instrument to justify Nwaz and judiciary!

  5. This pimpish looking writer seems to be a "Lifafa Analyst". He has changed all the facts and figures against General Musharraf. This seems to be in response to the Article “HASHIMISTAN’. Should we call it his shamelessness or his acute ignorance for misinterpreting all the facts? Over throwing of the then corrupt Nawaz Government was done by the Army as an institution, in retaliation to Nawaz's attempt to murder Serving Army Chief by hijacking the plane bringing him back from Sri Lanka, along with 187 other civilian passengers. The collective action was taken by the Army top brass, while General Musharraf was still in the air. He was informed about the situation after landing and he very bravely took over responsibility as a good soldier. How can Army or the general officers misquoted by this illiterate or Jali degree analyst can deny the facts and make Musharraf wholly responsible for everything. This whole rig marole of so called Jamhuriat by fraud degree Jamhuras cannot segregate their so beloved old CJ Choudhry, who had given legal coverage to Army take over and was sworn twice on PCO. When apprehended for his misappropriations he retaliated and took refuge of Jamhuras. This corrupt CJ also instigated general public against Musharraf to make fabricated cases.
    Coming to the filthy mind of this Jali degree analyst, using such abusive words against Musharraf, whose courage was appreciated by the Indian General VK Singh, and this Beghairat is calling him coward. Strange similarities between Paki Jamhuras, Paki judge / wakeels and the Indian Hindus, all of them are equally enjoying humiliation of Musharraf, "Kargil Hero". Are we not a bloody "Beghairat Qaum", who is calling Ghaddar to our Ex- Army Chief, after he had put in 40 years of Exemplary Army Service and appointed Army Chief by the same Jamhurs. Everything starts against him when he boldly entered political field after retirement, with absolutely neat and clean personal character, the strength of his geo political knowledge and his personal respect at international level, only to serve Pakistan and people of Pakistan.

  6. We are seeking genuine companies/ individuals looking for Loans to finance their business or expand existing ones. We also deal on all kind of Bank Instruments.

    [1]Project Funding / Financing
    [2] Unsecured loans, Commercial loans
    [3] Worldwide project financing
    [4] Equity Loan Financing
    [5] Personal Financing
    [6] Issuance and discount of all bank instruments like BG, SBLC, LC, MTN, POF, PPP
    [7]Bills of Exchange
    [8]Property Loan & Mortgage

    If Interested kindly contact:

    Contact : Mr Liu Xueming
    E-mail :[email protected]
    Skype ID: liu.xueming2

Comments are closed.