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| Fingers crossed over fallout on India | | Emerging political scenario in Pakistan | | Early Times Special Correspondent
Jammu | Feb 19
A new chapter has been written in the political history of Pakistan. It is for the first time since the creation of Pakistan in 1947 that the incumbent ruling dispensation has suffered a major defeat and the opposition parties have together gained the majority in the national assembly as well as in the states. Although there is a split verdict in favour of two major opposition parties, the former Prime Minister led Pakistan Muslim League (PML) (N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and presently led by her husband Asif Zaradari. The rout of Pakistan Muslim League (Q) called Kings Party, for the same having been formed by the former army dictator, President Parvez Musharraf and supported by him, has suffered a decisive rout.
Falsifying the pre poll predictions of PPP sweeping on the sympathy wave over the assassination of its leader, Benazir Bhutto, the emergence of Nawaz Sharief's PML (N) as the forerunner is clear indication of Pakistani people's antipathy and opposition to President Parvez Musharraf as well as strong sense of anti Americanism being a dominant factor in Pakistan today. Over ridding the sympathy wave for the slain PPP leader Benazir Bhutto, the party has paid the price for late Bhutto's hob-knobbing with Parvez Musharraf, under the influence of USA, who had brokered a power sharing deal between President Parvez Musharraf and late PPP leader, madam Bhutto, which though proved abortive due to the insincerity of Musharraf to scrupulously abide by the rule of the game and his attempts to play the double game. If the attack on Benazir Bhutto's motorcade at Karachi, on her arrival back to her country after 8 years of self exile sabotaged the deal, her assassination at Ravalpindi on December 27 last gave a death blow to the same. Nevertheless the loss of credibility of Bhutto's firm commitment to army dictatorship in the country and impression having gone round of her playing in the hands of USA, has caused the PPP heavily. While Nawaz Sharief's party has emerged the single largest force in Punjab, in Bhuttos' home state of Sind PPP has emerged as the forerunner. The defeat of army dictatorship, Parvez Musharraf's personal status as well as pro US and pro religious parties is decisive. It is the victory of democratic forces.
However this is the first step only towards democracy establishing its foothold in Pakistan, though political uncertainty is still looming large on the country, with no party gaining absolute majority. In fact on the Indian pattern, a coalition era appears to be ushering in Pakistan as well. There is no alternative both for the PML (N) and PPP than to form a coalition government. Yet, the fear of forces of anarchy and chaos is looming large over the country. The future of President Parvez Musharraf is hanging in balance. In case the opposition parties jointly secure two third majority in the national assembly and they join hands, President Parvez Musharraf is doomed. He can be impeached for all the wrongs he has committed and Nawaz Sharief, whom he had deposed in a military coupe in 1999 will in particular not spare Musharraf. The constitution, particularly those clauses which were amended by Parvez Musharraf after declaring emergency in the country on November 3 last, is all set to be re-amended, to curtail many of the powers of the President as well as restoration of the former Chief Justice and other Supreme Court judges removed earlier by President Parvez Musharraf, are on the card.
However all this predicted scenario presumes that Parvez Musharraf, as well as his master, USA scrupulously honour the verdict given by the people of Pakistan. But in case US still manipulates to come to the rescue of their best bet in Pakistan President Parvez Musharraf, the country may be heading towards a civil war and disintegration, on the lines of its dismemberment in 1971, with East Pakistan becoming a sovereign independent state of Bangladesh. As far as the fallout of emerging political scenario in Pakistan on India is concerned, the observers are cross fingered. If the new rulers in Pakistan feeling themselves shaky and insecure indulge in India bashing and go on harping on the tune of having Kashmir, the developments will be negative for India. On the contrary if the new rulers read the writing on the walls and display sagacity and maturity and realise the new reality of situation and build bridges with neighbouring India, the same will be to the mutual benefit of two countries and will usher in a new era of friendship and cordial relations between the two. |
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