Musharraf-Zardari connection

In a rapidly changing political scenario the future of Musharraf seems to have taken a back seat. Suddenly the attention has shifted to the future role of Zardari who has now offered his services for the country's presidency. Evidently not only in Pakistan that this news item is prominently visible as far way as London and Australia this development has evoked high interest. Presumably in this context it was reported by the world's media on August 26 that PPP co-chairman has had to regretfully deal with mental problems in the past. I say "presumably" since this information was available as public documents in the British High Court having been tendered by Zardari himself in 2007. So the reports that surfaced in two British newspapers of high credibility, The Daily Telegraph and Financial Times on that day were timed by someone to bring this matter into focus.

So the matter at hand until August 18 of what fate awaited Musharraf has been suddenly and most sadly reduced to merely that of academic importance despite the fact that it was his misdoings that had brought constitutional havoc to the country. I wish to remind the readers that the appropriate modality of prosecuting such constitution violators is provided by Cromwell's precedent. Let me remind the readers who are now clamouring for indemnity for Musharraf that General Oliver Cromwell took over the British government in the 17th century. He was tried after his death in 1661 for overthrowing the parliament and for sabotaging the constitution of the realm. The parliament which was convened after his death in 1660 ordered the exhumation and posthumous execution of his body and that of several of his collaborators. In January 1661, Westminster Abbey was dug up for the remains of Oliver Cromwell and others. Three corpses were duly produced and conveyed to Tyburn, where they were hanged and his already dead body was left at a public place for people to see what fate awaited those who dared to alter the constitution of that land by force.

Similarly, in 1998, my friend and former classmate at Oxford, Bill Clinton was prosecuted for such transgressions by the Congress by the nations Legislature and in courts at the behest of those afflicted by him. In July 2001, Tory member of House of Lords Lord Archer was jailed for four years after being found guilty of perjury and perverting the course of justice. The jury found him guilty of lying and cheating in his 1987 libel case against the Daily Star. The verdicts were unanimous on each count. Lord Archer, who was ordered to pay £175,000 costs within 12 months, was told by the judge he would have to serve at least half of his sentence. In January 2001, similarly right now by my count there are at least five such prosecutions pending against well known US leaders who are members of the Congress.