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| Countdown to May 11: Kayani clears the clouds | | | LAHORE: The Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani ‘s inspiring address on April 30’s Yom-e- Shuhada parade at General Headquarters launched the final countdown to Pakistan Elections 2013. Gen Kayani’s forceful declaration that general elections would indeed be held on May 11, allayed fears and cleared clouds of uncertainty about the coming polls.
It gave the much needed boost to the nation’s confidence and morale that appears badly shaken by growing militant attacks.
Gen Kayani had thrown the challenge to anti state militant groups which were bent upon disrupting the elections process. Those conspiracy theorists amongst political/media quarters who doubted security establishment’s commitment towards continuation of democratic process should be disappointed.
General Kayani’s speech was more of a charge sheet that conveyed Army’s displeasure to political elite. He certainly had in mind the ‘sham democracy’ and mis governance witnessed in last five years, when he stated that success of democracy is intimately linked with the well being and prosperity of the nation. He echoed the nation’s sentiments cautioning politicians not to allow personal interests take precedence over public interest. He was blunt and harsh in dismissing governance that remains a ‘means of self aggrandizement and plundering national wealth and resources,’ words he rarely used in past.
General Kayani’s speeches on occasions like April 30 Yom -e- Shuhada, August 14 Azadi or PMA Kakul passing out parades communicated the Army’s thinking and mindset on critical national issues. These contained subtle remarks as well as veiled warnings and advice to political / media quarters on country’s ideology, security, governance and civil - military affairs.
His recent April 15 statement at PMA Kakul, that the country was created in the name of Islam which would always remain the country’s unifying force, served a strong rejoinder to self proclaimed ‘secular’ elements in civil society/media who spared no efforts to create misgivings and controversies about the state’s ideology and its Islamic foundations.
When Gen Kayani emphasized that Army will keep up its efforts towards common dream for truly Islamic Republic of Pakistan envisioned by the Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal, he reiterated Army’s commitment to upholding the Islamic values of the state as per Constitution. In his April 30 speech he again referred to the above dream that has yet to be realized.
As May 11 draws nearer the writing on wall seems abundantly clear for the leaderless, rudderless and confused PPPP.
Where are the party’s stalwarts including their former ace Prime Ministers Yusuf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervez Ashraf? Are they all too busy enjoying the loot/plunder of last five years?
The PPPP’s strategy of relying upon the Garhi Khuda Buksh sympathy vote, delivered well in 2008 but campaigning from the graves seems to have failed in 2013 to galvanize their other wise disillusioned party workers.
If today the PPPP,MQM and ANP leadership raise hue and cry over militants’ attacks on their leaders/ offices , these parties must blame themselves for their deliberate insincerity/ inaction towards establishing state’s writ and restoring peace in Karachi during their five years’ misrule. By raising the bogey of credibility of election results due to denial of ‘ level playing field’ viz a viz PML-N / PTI that face no Taliban threats , these coalition partners may be seeking an escape from the May 11 results. After their ‘brilliant’ performance do these parties still have any agenda left to campaign in public?
The PML-N vs PTI election duel is visible from the extraordinary efforts by both the party’s leadership in their public rallies and scathing tit for tat speeches.
Imran Khan’s tsunami seems to intensify with every passing day as is evident from Khan’s whirlwind election campaign and jam packed public venues in Punjab and Khyber Pukhtun khwa, the two provinces which remain PTI’s primary focus.
With Punjab commanding 148 out of the 272 general seats in National Assembly ( NA), it could clear the road to Islamabad for any party that wins a sizeable majority in this province. With little competition from PPPP/PML-Q/ JI , can PTI or Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz clinch the magical 80 to 90 seats or even more from Punjab ? Can PTI dislodge the Sharifs from their Lahore’s stronghold where PML-N won 11 out of 13 NA seats in 2008? Will Pakistan’s youth that appears ready to make a big electoral impact, give Imran Khan a decisive victory?
The security situation could worsen leading to a bloody May 11. Under ECP’s security plan, the deployment of Army/Frontier Corps in Quetta and Balochistan’s disturbed districts few days ahead of elections may deter militant strikes to some extent. The plan also calls for deployment of 50,000 soldiers in ‘quick response force’ to deal with emergency situation on May 11. While majority of political parties attending Sindh All Parties Conference called for Army’s immediate deployment in Karachi, the MQM, PPPP and ANP expressed reservations in this regard. By delaying Army’s presence in troubled areas of Karachi and Peshawar to last day, the militants may be emboldened to target even high profile party leaders. Any such major tragedy could disrupt election process in Karachi and Peshawar.
The coming elections would be the second and perhaps the last in Gen Kayani’s tenure as Army Chief. With the Army committed to its neutrality in political affairs, any interference or manipulation by security / intelligence agencies in May 11 elections looks impossible.
Those political parties or individual candidates who in earlier elections looked towards traditional ‘support’ from security establishment will have to fight and win on May 11 on own weight and merit. Pakistanis must reject those known dubious candidates/ loan evaders/ tax defaulters/ fake degree holders who escaped scrutiny by Election Commission or were cleared by Election Tribunals/High Courts to contest elections. Gen Kayani’s emphasis on the need to vote solely on basis of ‘honesty, sincerity, merit and competence’ shunning all ethnic, linguistic and sectarian biases, should be the nation’s guiding principle on May11. Democracy must triumph and Pakistan must change on May11. —[email protected] |
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