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| Pak is heading down the same road again | | | Sushil Vakil
The more things change, the more they remain the same. Latest developments in Pakistan point out that the coalition government is on the verge of collapse. This has happened precisely seven days after the resignation of President Musharraf. Incidently, Nawaz Sharief's decision to withdraw support to the Pakistan People's Party led government has slipped Pakistan into an uncertain future.
Once bitter foes, Nawaz Sharief and Asif Zardari had come together only few months ago to unsaddle Musharraf. Though political uncertainty was hovering over Pakistan skies for quite some time but the PPP's announcement of Zardari's candidature for the Presidential post dealt a final blow. The truth also lies in the fact that the five month old coalition had already been tethering on the brink of a collapse following Zardari's refusal to reinstate the Judges sacked by Musharraf during emergency. To prevent Zardari from becoming the President PML has fielded Mr Syed -uz-Zaman Sidiqi, a former Chief Justice of Pakistan as its candidate.
There is no doubt that PPP led government will not be able to take measures that are urgently needed to tackle terrorism and internal conflicts in the absence of the PML headed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief. Due to the political uncertainty Pakistan has been left leaderless and such a situation was bound to hamper the drive against Islamic terrorism.
As a matter of fact, people of Pakistan expected the country to usher in a period of peace and development after Musharraf's exit but it proved otherwise as the country was rattled by bomb blasts and bitter rivalries among its coalition partners. Nevertheless, the bomb attacks have set off alarm bells for the civilian government was yet to take full control over the day to day affairs. The turn of events is likely to have terrible consequences for Pakistan.
Moreover, the political tussle is likely to open a new window of opportunity for the military bosses and doesn't preclude the possibility of one more military coup. Besides, the gulf between Nawaz Sharief and Asif Ali Zardari will provide an excuse for the omnipotent army and ISI to move to the centrestage and manipulate the levers of the power and authority. The fact remains that since the army has tasted power for many years after the creation of Pakistan the probability of its remaining a mute spectator is next to impossible.
Undoubtedly, as the army enjoys superiority over the civilians in Pakistan, that country's experimentation with democracy has not proved successful since sixty one years of its existence. Sharief's departure at this time from the coalition will not only institutionalise Pakistan's policy chaos but also strengthen the authority of the ISI and the army over the security and strategic matters. In fact, constant negotiations over ministerial posts and friction over the reinstatement of forty judges had already lowered the government's credibility.
In the meanwhile, the United States has started mounting pressure on Islamabad following a sharp increase in Islamic terror attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan particularly after Musharraf's resignation. It is believed that US officials had invited Pakistan's army Chief and senior Commanders on board the Abraham Lincoln in the Indian ocean to convey their displeasure to former over the tackling of terror situation. The meeting has been prompted by two major Taliban attacks in Afghanistan last week-a coordinated assault by atleast 10 suicide bombers against one of the largest US military bases and another by about 100 insurgents who ambushed and killed 10 elite French troopers.
It is ironical that while the fundamentalists and their sympathisers are having a field day in Pakistan the coalition leaders are watching helplessly as they are more busy in settling power sharing agreements than ruling the country with a rough hand. There is no denying the fact that fundamentalists are regrouping and attacking Pakistani forces with renewed strength. It is becoming increasingly apparent that Pakistan is heading down the same road once again. Under the conditions it is clear that peace in Pakistan is unsustainable and endurable in the times to come. |
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