“The Buck Stops Here”
By Nadir Khan, PhD
Alta Loma, CA
Pakistan nowadays is buzzing with the trial of a former dictator. Regardless of the outcome, it is heartening and refreshing that Pakistan, slowly but surely, is arriving to a level of political maturity to even talk of this kind of an issue.
Pakistan was not fortunate enough in having its founding fathers live long enough after its creation to stabilize itself like China, Cuba, India or Turkey. Self-serving bureaucrats and politicians came into power and the country lost its way. Then there is a long list of traitors who got up one morning and decided that they only knew what was good for the country. There are at least four of them who stand out and unfortunately they all belonged to the Armed Forces.
Now it seems the chickens are finally coming home to roost; a little late but never too late. Our midget size politicians who have never believed in the simple idea of accountability are scared and are full of laughable ideas.
Let us start with some simple facts. The dictator has this idea of declaring a national emergency. Remember it was his idea. There is presently no evidence to suggest that it was someone else’s idea.
He goes around asking people about their feelings about his idea. No one really knows whether that happened or not or whether it was just a ploy to create the impression of collegiality. Remember the simple fact that this is a dictator and we do not know how many courageous and conscientious people were there to speak their true feelings or even the consultation ever took place. Then he goes on national television to say, "I have decided to declare national emergency." And he signs that document as Army Chief who, according to the constitution, had no authority to do that anyway.
President Truman used to have a plate on his Oval Office desk which said “The Buck Stops Here”. It means that once a decision is made he is responsible and accountable for that decision. That’s how it works everywhere. Chairmen, presidents and CEOs don’t make big bucks by blaming others for poor decision making and poor judgment..Look at Obamacare. Hundreds of people were involved in putting that propel together but it is called Obamacare and he is taking the brunt of the criticism because he is the president.
His supporters are talking about Nelson Mandela and how he forgave his enemies. The analogy is absolutely misleading. To compare the suffering of blacks under apartheid to the scrapping of a constitution and denying an entire country its right to choose its leaders and determine its own destiny is a slap in Mandela’s face and a dishonor to his memory.
Now that he realizes that he may not get away, he is dragging the armed forces into his pitiful defense. Now the commando general who claimed he was fearless is taking refuge behind age-related infirmities in an army hospital and his team of 18 lawyers is trying to save his skin by every possible legal trick they can. What a pity! What goes around comes around. If the armed forces really stand behind him for what he did to Pakistan, that would be tragic indeed. Among Muslim countries Turkey has shown that army officers can be held responsible for their actions. The entire Latin American continent has shown that dictators could and should be held accountable. Argentina, Brazil, Chile and others are glowing examples of what can and should be done.
If he goes scot free because of the influence and pressures of the armed forces and some foreign powers whose love for dictators is well known, the tragedy would be that it would confirm the widely held belief that there are two justice systems in Pakistan - one for the rich and powerful and the other for the rest of us. Parenthetically speaking, there are 2.4 million pending cases in Pakistani courts. In Karachi alone, 80% of prisoners have never been charged and prosecuted. The other more significant, and with lasting damage, is the signal to the armed forces that the door to illegal intrusion into the political life of Pakistan’s constitution is wide open and there are no consequences for these actions. The soul of the sacred constitution and the state can be mutilated and tarnished without any fear or regret. The door will always remain open for future traitors and their collaborators. And the suffering of the people of Pakistan will continue.
So let the buck stop with him and let the catharsis begin for a more democratic, healthy and prosperous Pakistan.
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