[Reader-list] Tariq Ali on Musharraf's Exit

[Lalit Ambardar]

Let us hope that the 'democrats' actually prove to be better. 
One cannot but recall the cries of "1000 cuts on india.." ; talibanisation of Afghanistan as well as founding of gun culture /terrorism in Kashmir by the earlier 'democrats'.
It is unfortunate that innocent Pakistanis are now falling prey to the very menace of terrorism that was created  to harm others.
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> Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:28:08 +0600> From: shambhu.rahmat at gmail.com> To: reader-list at sarai.net> Subject: [Reader-list] Tariq Ali on Musharraf's Exit> > Musharraf will be gone in days> > The Pakistani president is likely to quit soon. But don't expect> democracy to rush in: the military's habits die hard> > Tariq Ali> > Guardian> > Thursday August 14 2008> > http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/14/pakistan.usa> > > > There is never a dull moment in Pakistan. As the country moved from a> moth-eaten dictatorship to a moth-eaten democracy the celebrations> were muted. Many citizens wondered whether the change represented a> forward movement.> > > > Five months later, the moral climate has deteriorated still further.> All the ideals embraced by the hopeful youth and the poor of the> country – political morality, legality, civic virtue, food subsidies,> freedom and equality of opportunity – once again lie at their feet,> broken and scattered. The widower Bhutto and his men are extremely> unpopular. The worm-eaten tongues of chameleon politicians and> resurrected civil servants are on daily display. Removing Musharraf,> who is even more unpopular, might win the politicians badly-needed> popular support, but not for long.> > > > As the country celebrated its 61st birthday today, its official> president, ex-General Pervez Musharraf, was not allowed to take the> salute at the official parade marking the event, while state> television discussed plans to impeach him. Within a few days at most,> Musharraf will resign and leave the country. Pakistan's venal> politicians decided to move against him after the army chief, Ashfaq> Kayani, let it be known that there would be no military action to> defend his former boss.> > > > Washington followed suit. In Kayani they have a professional and loyal> military leader, who they imagine will do their bidding. Earlier John> Negroponte had wanted to retain Musharraf as long as Bush was in> office, but they decided to let him go. Anne Patterson, the US> ambassador, and a few British diplomats working under her, tried to> negotiate a deal on behalf of Musharraf, but the politicians were no> longer prepared to play ball. They insisted that he must leave the> country. Sanctuaries in Manhattan, Texas and the Turkish island of> Büyükada are being actively considered. The general would prefer a> large estate in Pakistan, preferably near a golf course, but security> considerations alone would make that unfeasible. There were three> attempts on his life when he was in power and protecting him after he> goes would require an expensive security presence. Had Musharraf> departed peacefully when his constitutional term expired in November> 2007 he would have won some respect. Instead he imposed a state of> emergency and sacked the chief justice of the supreme court who was> hearing a petition challenging Musharraf's position.> > > > Now he is going in disgrace, abandoned by most of his cronies who> accumulated land and money during his term and are now moving towards> the new powerbrokers. Amidst the hullabaloo there was one hugely> diverting moment involving pots and kettles. Two days ago, Asif> Zardari, the caretaker-leader of the People's party who runs the> government and is the second richest man in the country (from funds he> accrued when his late wife was prime minister) accused Musharraf of> corruption and siphoning US funds to private bank accounts.> > > > Musharraf's departure will highlight the problems that confront the> country, which is in the grip of a food and power crisis that is> creating severe problems in every city. Inflation is out of control.> The price of gas (used for cooking in many homes) has risen by 30%.> Wheat, the staple diet of most people, has seen a 20% price hike since> November 2007 and while the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation> admits that the world's food stocks are at record lows there is an> additional problem in Pakistan.> > > > Too much wheat is being smuggled into Afghanistan to serve the needs> of the Nato armies. The poor are the worst hit, but middle-class> families are also affected and according to a June 2008 survey, 86% of> Pakistanis find it increasingly difficult to afford flour on a daily> basis, for which they blame their own new government.> > > > Other problems persist. The politicians remain divided on the> restoration of the judges sacked by Musharraf. The chief justice,> Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, is the most respected person in the> country. Zardari is reluctant to see him back at the head of the> supreme court. A possible compromise might be to offer him the> presidency. It would certainly unite the country for a short time. And> there is the army. Last month, the country's powerless prime minister,> Yousuf Gilani, went on a state visit to the US. On July 29 he was> questioned by Richard Haass, president of Council on Foreign> Relations:> > > > Haass: Let me ask the question a different way, then – (laughter) –> beyond President Musharraf, which is whether you think now in the army> there is a broader acceptance of a more limited role for the army. Do> you think now the coming generation of army officers accepts the> notion that their proper role is in the barracks rather than in> politics?> > > > Gilani: Certainly, yes. Because of the February 18 election of this> year, we have a mandate to the moderate forces, to the democratic> forces in Pakistan. And the moderate forces and the democratic forces,> they have formed the government. And therefore the people have voted> against dictatorship and for democracy, and therefore, in future even> the present of – the chief of the army staff is highly professional> and is fully supporting the democracy.> > > > This is pure gibberish and convinces nobody. Over the last 50 years> the US has worked mainly with the Pakistan army. This has been its> preferred instrument. Nothing has changed. The question being asked> now is how long it will be before the military is back at the helm.> > > > Tariq Ali's latest book, The Duel: Pakistan on the Flight Path of> American Power will be published in September by Simon and Schuster> _________________________________________> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.> Critiques & Collaborations> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header.> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
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