Not a Blank Check
By Perwaiz Ahmad
Fullerton, CA
It's not a blank check for PPP and PML-Q or is it? Buyer beware!!!
It's neither. People have spoken and God only knows what the future holds for us because the same faces that were demonized by the Military regime on and on, starting from Gen Zia, are going to run the government. The only reason I feel somewhat comfortable with them is because they were not convicted for alleged crimes. Was it because President Musharraf wanted to use them as pawns to solidify his position forever, which became crystal clear after the unprecedented negotiations with Benazir and the return of Nawaz Sharif in the last 10 months or because "Simon " has said, “Accept him or face the consequences.”
It was incumbent on Musharraf to ensure justice where justice was due to close their case of corruption once and for all but he failed to do so making his case to hold the office weak and unacceptable to any law-abiding citizen.
The results clearly indicate that there was enormous discontent amongst the populace despite some good work President Musharraf had done in his 8 years as the strongman ruling with bullets instead of "consensus". Consensus does not mean gathering some opportunists (of which there is no shortage of) around oneself and running the affairs of the government on the fringes of fascism and democracy. Consensus means having people representing a broad spectrum of the population, people with clean records, not just fake degrees.
Having elections is not the only answer, implementing the ideals of a free, fair and just society stated very clearly by our Quaid is the first step towards gaining stability, strength and respect in the world. Ironically, the only two nations who gained independence on a religious basis have become the worst example for the rest of the world in this regard. We should have been the envy of the world for abatement of poverty and promotion of human rights; instead, we have become a laughing stock.
One cannot rule with an iron hand forever, change is bound to take place sooner or later and knowing our history of the last forty years, I expected President Musharraf to act with his heart and mind, not just bullets to suppress the voice of the people. You cannot give a morsel of bread to someone, run their life like a slave driver and expect them to submit their life to you, that was the thinking behind fictitious wealth and freedom of press we have been witnessing in the last 8 years. I think he overstayed his tenure by at least seven-and-a-half years: because if the Army had been sincere it would have installed a democratically elected government but it always feared to get the back seat.
Didn't Republicans get back into power under Reagan for 8 years within 4 years after the disgraceful resignation of the then President Nixon? So giving a second chance to the PPP and PML Q is not out of the blue, the bottom line is that the constitution MUST be respected at all costs and the judiciary must be free to act without prejudice . PPP and PML-N have a very difficult task ahead of them, their reputation already marred by the previous government, have the burden of proof they owe to the Nation that they have good intentions and that they will not betray the trust placed in them once again. We have become one nation under our great flag that calls for equal participation and protection to all minorities.
Before anything substantial can be achieved, trust must be restored by telling the nation that justice shall prevail at all costs without ANY coercion on the judges to bend the rules for the ruling party, cronyism and nepotism is buried forever and the Constitution shall be the followed because it provides check sand balances, two-term government should be the norm because extended stay promotes corruption and unrest.
Borrowing a phrase from a billboard that read "Stand up for the right, even if you have to stand alone" says a lot in just a few words. We have had enough of Sindhis for Sindhis, Karachiites for Karachiites, Punjabis for Punjabis, and so on and so forth. Winning an election does not mean "Buyer beware" or one has a blank check to do as one pleases until forced out of office.
The long anticipated Election 2008 in Pakistan is finally behind us and ironically the victorious parties are the ones who were demonized, crushed , murdered , pushed out and around , exiled (by force or voluntarily) for over eight years by the current Ruling Party, PML-Q. The public should not be blamed for electing who they elected because they are the same people who welcomed the Military with open arms, were promised the moon but felt cheated after realizing they were living off the crumbs of the few rich and famous after eight years. Life and liberty to pursue the dreams were shattered again and again, while some made it big in the stock market, in shady land schemes, in staple food transactions, in ammunition purchase, in stealing from the coffers of the nation, in import and export of contrabands, in stealing/mugging young old, men and women and retirees at gun point day after day, in bribes, in privatization of national assets, media proliferation and then media strangling, and so on and so forth.
Who is to blame for shenanigans? The head of the nation, of course, and he/she should carry the brunt of what went wrong and MUST resign after the facts are ascertained.
Now that the Election 2008 is history we all should look forward not backward to get our country back on the tracks of constitutional stability, economic prosperity and strong political base where the rights of anyone standing on our soil are respected at any cost. This does not mean we should forget the past, rather we should use it only to learn from the past mistakes and ask Almighty God to help us place the need of our nation at this critical juncture above our ego,bank accounts and self -interests. It cannot happen overnight but our resolve to strive for it till our last breath must never waiver, no matter how adversely the winds are blowing.
We have all been strewn in different directions just like tiny mercury droplets coming out of a broken thermometer for too long, it’s time to coalesce under one flag, one constitution and one desire - to make our nation strong, economically and militarily, militarily because a strong defense is the best deterrent. Military and civilians have an important role to play in accordance with the constitution.
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