The anti-Musharraf agitation spear-headed by Chaudhary has transformed the national landscape and infused a new spirit in the people
May 28, 2007 (Press Release) --
Even though people's mobilization over the judicial crisis has exposed Gen. Pervez Musharraf's political incompetence, as Kargil conflict proved his military shortcoming, he shows no sign of making amends by responding to the people's yearning for change and return to full democracy and civilian rule. When the nation was mourning the killing of 41 Karachi citizens at the hands of his goons, who prevented sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary from entering Pakistan's largest city and addressing a gathering of lawyers and others, he was bold enough to announce that he was hell bent on getting re-elected President for another five-year term by the existing national and provincial legislatures and there was no escape possible for Pakistan from the military boots. This further strengthened the feeling that the Pakistani masses will never be the masters of their destiny.
The anti-Musharraf agitation spear-headed by Chaudhary has transformed the national landscape and infused a new spirit in the people, which the General and his cronies, who depend on him for survival and have amassed huge fortunes refuse to acknowledge. For the Pakistani military ruler it has been a cruel spring in which he stands guilty of several miscalculations. But, buttressed by the firm support he continues to receive from the United States, which wants him in office to implement a bagful of strategic plans for the region and remain a staunch and dependable military ally, Musharraf feels secure in his place and is obligated to provide military support to whatever the U.S. and NATO decides for the region.
Musharraf has assured the King's party (PML-Q) and his Islamist collaborators under the umbrella of Muttahida Majis-e-Amal that he will not cut any deal with former premiers Benezir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif which will displace them from positions of power they now hold. The Musharraf-Mullah nexus has carved Pakistan into their respective spheres of influence and the MMA has been enabled to rule in NWFP and Balochistan provinces in exchange for continued support for him as the country's powerful president. Whether he will give up his Army uniform before seeking re-election as President later this year is only a matter of semantics. He will silence the opposition by doing so and appointing a chosen and loyal general as Army Chief, who will obey him and do his bidding. As a powerful President and supreme commander of the armed forces, Musharraf will continue to wield ultimate power and ensure that the necessary military support is provided to US and NATO plans for the region, whether in Afghanistan, Iran or elsewhere. However much Washington may talk about return to civilian rule in Pakistan, it may not trust a civilian head of government who wants the Army to return to barracks and remain subservient to a civilian Prime Minister and his Cabinet.
What has shaken the conscience of the Pakistanis during the current agitation is that the establishment did not hesitate to provoke in
The anti-Musharraf agitation spear-headed by Chaudhary has transformed the national landscape and infused a new spirit in the people, which the General and his cronies, who depend on him for survival and have amassed huge fortunes refuse to acknowledge. For the Pakistani military ruler it has been a cruel spring in which he stands guilty of several miscalculations. But, buttressed by the firm support he continues to receive from the United States, which wants him in office to implement a bagful of strategic plans for the region and remain a staunch and dependable military ally, Musharraf feels secure in his place and is obligated to provide military support to whatever the U.S. and NATO decides for the region.
Musharraf has assured the King's party (PML-Q) and his Islamist collaborators under the umbrella of Muttahida Majis-e-Amal that he will not cut any deal with former premiers Benezir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif which will displace them from positions of power they now hold. The Musharraf-Mullah nexus has carved Pakistan into their respective spheres of influence and the MMA has been enabled to rule in NWFP and Balochistan provinces in exchange for continued support for him as the country's powerful president. Whether he will give up his Army uniform before seeking re-election as President later this year is only a matter of semantics. He will silence the opposition by doing so and appointing a chosen and loyal general as Army Chief, who will obey him and do his bidding. As a powerful President and supreme commander of the armed forces, Musharraf will continue to wield ultimate power and ensure that the necessary military support is provided to US and NATO plans for the region, whether in Afghanistan, Iran or elsewhere. However much Washington may talk about return to civilian rule in Pakistan, it may not trust a civilian head of government who wants the Army to return to barracks and remain subservient to a civilian Prime Minister and his Cabinet.
What has shaken the conscience of the Pakistanis during the current agitation is that the establishment did not hesitate to provoke in
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