News
Saturday, January 05, 2013
Democratic Pakistan must go on
By Wajid Shamsul Hasan
People of Pakistan — wherever they are — fondly remember martyred Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (born Jan 5, 1929) as one of the greatest leaders in modern history. Though he was judicially murdered, Bhutto phenomenon continues to rule the hearts and minds of the people from the grave. There is a consensus that Pakistan shall continue to suffer uncertainty until his death is avenged by the establishment of irreplaceable strong democracy and empowerment of the people.
“How many Bhuttos will you kill...from every house will rise a Bhutto” was the last message from his equally talented “dearest daughter” Shaheed Benazir Bhutto when she was campaigning to singe the beards of the perpetrators of dictatorship and obscurantist forces. Like SZAB’s her unparalleled sacrifice has not gone in vain although opponents of democracy have once again ganged up for derailing it.
The camouflaged new and some old actors masquerading as agents of change have come out in the open once again as devils quoting from scriptures with the objective of subverting the constitution and to destroy democratic institutions. Their mantra is old wine new bottle—a franchise of forces opposed to the empowerment of the people.
The masses cannot be taken for a ride by them. People horridly remember ZAB’s execution on 4-3 judgement of the Supreme Court (4 judges from Punjab kowtowing to General Zia’s dictates while three from smaller provinces declaring him innocent) had inflicted an ulcerating wound on Pakistan’s body-politics that was under the process of healing by country’s return to the cherished goal of democracy.
Notwithstanding the proactive role of the judiciary the stigma that it acquired by playing the role of an executor of Pakistan’s first elected prime minister to consolidate Gen Zia’s dictatorship can never be removed. The masses cannot forgive them for the irreparable damage to the country. SZAB’s execution has been responsible for an unending period of terrorism, unease, ethnicity, divisiveness, sectarianism, gun culture, rise of religious extremism and compartmentalisation of patriotism.
The present democratic dispensation — though under threat from anti people forces — has come to stay. The masses – despite problems of grave magnitudes—would not be misled – by the promises of river and honey – by the imported prophets of doom. They would certainly not allow them to play foul with their acquisition of power of the ballot, supremacy of the constitution and the parliament.
The nation, President Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as Chairman of PPP — the largest party in the country – have acknowledged the supremacy of the vote as the sole arbiter of power as the way forward. And success of democracy, sharing of power in coalition with other political stake-holders, unanimous agreement on the NFC award, the Balochistan Package and the land mark achievement second only to the framing of 1973 Constitution — doing away of the cursed 17th Amendment and other dictatorial changes through 18th, 19th and 20th amendments have been backed wholeheartedly by the respective institutions.
The unflinching resilience of the nation, the political leadership and the brave armed forces in the most challenging circumstances are a tribute to SZAB and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s populist politics devoted to the greatest good of the largest number with a total commitment to the empowerment of the less privileged, women and minorities.
While the doomsayers keep orchestrating ominous forecasts of what could be around the corner, nation’s commitment to democratic polity and a tribute to sacrifices in blood by the thousands especially to SZAB who walked to the gallows to give us a nuclear glow and put us on the path to peace, progress and prosperity with an unflinching hope in future.
Notwithstanding extra-constitutional interventions fully sanctified previously by the apex judiciary, repeated colossal setbacks, Benazir Bhutto’s blood has rejuvenated the flame of freedom and democracy and the nation is on the way to complete transition. President Asif Ali Zardari by masterly handling the post-dictatorship scenario — has successfully pulled Pakistan’s chestnut out of fire. Pakistan — until democracy staged a come back – was being described as a country “where every kind of deception, collusion and outright sham are recurring motifs in the political theatre” forecasting fate of yet another Yugoslavia in the making.
It was a deluge after the creation of Bangladesh. Had there been no SZAB to save the country Pakistan would have become a footnote in history. He soldered the residual Pakistan into a new nation binding it federating units in a consensus constitution that has kept the country and its people together despite the extra-constitutional interventions and on-going conspiracies.
General Zia and his gang did not know that the man they thought they had physically eliminated would continue to rule from his grave. Lying besides her father is his “dearest daughter” who gave her blood to carry forward his mission. There could not be more shameful fate for his killers that Bhutto name continues to be on the lips of every Pakistani as the national hero and the bravest of hearts — while nobody remembers the military dictator.
The democratic government is about to complete its 5-year tenure — first ever in Pakistan’s history. In the light of recent developments it seems it has still a long way to go to. However, the nation knows it too well that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto put the country onto a course for constructive transformation. They gave the people renewed hope and confidence in the destiny of Pakistan. Both father and daughter by laying down their lives made death look small. Their lasting contribution — from where there would not be a turning back — will hopefully be manifested in next elections when the voters would honour their eternally living dead by returning their heirs to carry forward undeterred the sublime mission of the founding fathers.
The writer is the high commissioner of Pakistan to UK
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk