‘Death dance has begun’ By Amjad Malik
In Pakistan internal war between institutions such as legislatures who are standing for parliamentary sovereignty, lawyers in street for judicial independence and journalists for free press & media are all against one institution and the whole commotion is taking a final shape. Whilst on the other hand American and European press and institutions have started sorting their ranks and have started friendly fire whether its New York Times, BBC or British Press towards a military man who has enjoyed the lusty position since 1999 in particular after providing an unstinted support to United States in their war against terrorism. Now the same man is causing distress and bringing the name of sacred into disrepute as now people are hitting at those behind this man. Whether its Chief Justice issue, MQM counter rally resulting in Killings, media bashing or political arrests all has at once started going against General Pervez Musharraf who has an easy ride in his solo flight towards political kingdom after ousting a history’s most power Prime Minister in the Parliament.
His own given freedom to media has turned out to be a thorn in his throat as he did not know that freedom though does not come easy but once attained can not be taken away, salve is a slave unless he is released as Pakistan is no longer same old country where Prime Minister can be hanged over night silently. Now the people of Pakistan are not ready to sacrifice their chief justice on the alter of military slaughterhouse without ensuring him a fair trial and nation for the first time in the short history is demanding ‘reasons of such hasty action’ and justice with ‘the man of law.’ Media has played an enormous role to awaken this long slept jinni of people which has a bigger role in shelving and shuffling any government at the hands of military. Media freedom was not a favour to nation, it was inevitable to counter bordering propaganda and to remain part of the international community which is knit into a global village with the communication revolution.
There is not a shred of doubt that 75% establishment and bureaucracy as well as public representation is all under control of our powerful military might and some even say that it has crept in people’s blood, but when institutions start crumbling and regionalism start taking shape, then loyalists always keep an eye on the wider ‘national supreme interest’ of the state and call out loud that If wisdom is not preached and practised at this sensitive time country may suffer a great damage. General public love military if it remains at borders or delivers when it assumes the role of a ‘messiah’ and people’s happiness turns into a sour dream if their presence in govt cause the national structure and Federation a ‘blood cancer’.
Now every one knows the root cause of this problem so who will bell the cat is the key question. We have not left any national figure or leader or even elderly senior citizen carrying federation support alive or present in this danger to call it a day or initiate a credible national reconciliation, all are either dead or exiled. When power becomes uncontrollable then certain measures are taken to either bring that power in line with the norms or under any legal control, if those measures are not successful then elimination process takes place instead of peaceful transition. We are silent witness to the making of history. Army men are not made for politics and they are devoid of political wisdom to secure settlement of disputes which are core to the Federation by negotiations. They never have the will to come forward and try to save what’s left. Their training is such that turning back is not an option readily considered and or available to them and consultation is not they practice but orders they follow. Its like an elephant force which if turns back will take the whole clan down with it.
This is the time that a national reconciliatory efforts must initiate at a ‘round table talk’ in order to consider holding a free and fair elections, return of exiled, and freedom of judiciary coupled with fully armed chief election commissioner to save the federation. Pakistan is going through its worst crisis and we do not afford an incident like 71 where we lost Dhaka. We still have time to save if we allow the political process to work the way founder intended and the way people mandated in the form of 1973 constitution. Let people of Pakistan decide who they want and what they want. We need to respect the sanctity of vote upon which people obtained this country from colonial powers in 1947 without any army, fight and battle and we must respect those lonely main few political parties who have roots in the whole country as they represent the Federation and we must preserve them as our national asset. Strong system of governance is much better than sham slogans to kill or be killed.
Only free and fair elections can save the man, the gun & the Federation and rulers must consider this sane voice which is shared by millions here and abroad. No one is above the law and none is the wisest, its people who are wise its nation who is supreme and its public who vote. If common sense is not followed and any ultra constitutional mechanism is experimented, I am afraid then death dance will start and who knows what does it take with it.
Amjad Malik is a life member of Supreme Court Bar Association and & a Solicitor-Advocate of the Supreme Court (England) and chair of Association of Pakistani Lawyers (UK).
Dated: 13 June 2007
- Posted by valiantpk on 13/06/2007.
- valiantpk's site
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