Author Topic: Countdown on the traitors (by Dr. Khalil Ahmad)  (Read 2321 times)

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Countdown on the traitors (by Dr. Khalil Ahmad)
« on: May 10, 2008, 02:24:53 PM »
Countdown on the traitors (by Dr. Khalil Ahmad)

Immediately after her assassination, a much respected senior journalist, Shaheen Sehbai, wrote a sort of obituary for Benazir Bhuto. He recalled one of the numerous sessions he and his friend, Masood Haider of Dawn, had together with Benazir Bhutto. He disclosed once she asked how she could correct the perception created about her that she was corrupt. And prompt was Masood's reply: Divorce Asif Ali Zardari. She took that without a whiff of protest but then asked them to accompany her to the JFK Airport as she was leaving and wanted to talk more. They did and she argued all the way why Masood was wrong.
Now as Asif Ali Zardari has inherited PPP, contested an election and has formed governments both in center and provinces his PPP acting as the leading party, it seems that Mr. Masood Haider was dead wrong, and Benazir Bhutto was absolutely correct. Asif Ali Zardari is proving to be a true disciple of hers, and following in her very steps. Imagine if Benazir Bhutto were alive, how she would behave in the matter of judges' restoration. That requires no great talents to predict her overtures from her death till now, since it just needs to stretch her approach a bit on the issue of deposed judges and their restoration. Asif Ali Zardari is doing what she would be doing without an iota difference.
But how to reconcile the posture of Asif Ali Zardari, that brought him on the political scene of Pakistan as a statesman of note especially after the February 18 elections, with his present position? He was everywhere wherever he should have been and won the goodwill and support of those whom he had taken as his enemies. His conciliatory approach earned him accolades from many quarters and people started believing he was a changed man, that he was no more a man whom Benazir Bhutto was advised to divorce. Though there were streaks of doubts looming over his politics, his overall image was rather an envious one when he appeared with PML (N) leader Nawaz Sharif and signed the Bhurban Declaration before the media that demonstrated his determination to restore the judges.
Probably around this time there were various news items that purported to re-write his image as a considerate leader also. One such news talked of his personal letter to one of his neighbors in Islamabad in which he apologized for being a nuisance for them as security measures and hectic movement of dignitaries was disturbing their routine life. In Pakistan's context, how appreciable is this point is evident from the blockages of thoroughfares for hours to secure safe movement of VVIPs.
But then the tide started turning. Or things became visible as they came up on the surface. Even before the Bhurban Declaration how arrogant was Shah Mahmood Qureshi's attitude in a talk show when he was put a question on the issue of restoration of the judges: We have just sworn in the government and you think we have nothing else to do? We will see to it when we establish ourselves, was his answer. Then, Asif Ali Zardari himself developed an impulsive dislike for the countdown, and publicly ridiculed it and those who kept the count as well. Wasn't it quite natural to start counting the 30 days whether left or passed after the signing of the Declaration? No one bothered him with that. Perhaps, he was quite personal about it.
Now as just a few days are left to finish the countdown and all the signals from PPP are negative, it is almost clear that judges are not going to be restored within the 30 days limit. Also, there appears to be some vacillation in the commitment of PML (N) also as one of its federal ministers is speaking the language of Asif Ali Zardari that the countdown should start from the day provincial governments came to be formed. Moreover, it will amount to not restoring the deposed judges if after restoring them through some "constitutional package" the tenure of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry is reduced and in the name of an independent judiciary the Supreme Court is rendered inactive and dependent, i.e. totally ineffective.
How unfortunate it is for the millions of ordinary people of this country that even after 60 years they are not allowed to live under an active and independent judiciary. They are being denied justice, their fundamental constitutional rights and rule of law for which the lawyers and the civil society have been constantly struggling for more than a whole year.
How callous it is for the political leaders and elected representatives of this country that the man whom we should worship like our greatest hero is being taken as the most controversial figure in Pakistan; and how treacherous, on the other hand, it is for them that the greatest criminal is being treated as the greatest asset of this country. This is just unacceptable and acting like traitors to the cause of the people of this country.
No doubt, the people of this country who have been craving for justice and their fundamental rights for themselves and their near and dear ones own a big heart. They may pardon the generals, political and religious leaders, civil and military bureaucrats, and others who looted their tax money to the tune of billions of rupees, but they will never forgive those who will again strengthen the establishment, and will not let there be judiciary which is always ready to listen to the call of those who have no voice in the corridors of power and are humiliated everywhere in their own country.
Certainly, it proves that the greatest enemy of the state of Pakistan and the elites which rule it as their inherited estate is an active and independent judiciary. Be it military or bureaucracy, political or religious leadership, and their beneficiaries, they all are one in not letting the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and other judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts restored. These elites are in dark, in fact. Particularly, it is for Asif Ali Zardari to realize that one never needs to be uniformed to think and behave like a general; it is his soul, his values and his integrity that makes him a General Musharraf or a General Zardari.
These uniformed and un-uniformed generals do not know if they do not restore the judiciary as it was on November 2, 2007, they are doomed. That is why they don't like the countdown for the restoration of the judiciary. If they restore the judiciary, their countdown will be hastened. If they don't, it is delayed a bit. In both cases, their countdown has already begun. It's a matter of time only.
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