A masterful ploy at perpetuity

Strange as it may seem, it has emerged upon reflection that what is happening in Pakistan, may be chaotic from a practical perspective, but there is gradually emerging a pattern of clearly designed goals behind the PPP-led administration policies. It would seem that Zardari by intelligent use of the opportunistic circumstances has ensured the attainment of three fundamental goals to keep himself in power and by a corresponding strangulation of potential adversaries' capacity to challenge. In Pakistan, these adversaries are traditionally considered to be the Army and the major political party in Opposition to any incumbent administration in office. The goals are: (1) to ensure his family fortunes now running over 2 billion dollars remains totally protected from state prosecutions by virtue of the NRO, (2) that the Judges' matter remains unresolved as long as it is possible to keep the Musharraf's November 3 actions in place, and (3) to utilise the army for doing what the US may wish, leaving that institution alone to bear the total burden of failure or success as may finally emerge in the ensuing imbroglio. A moment's analysis might help substantiate this point.

The mandate for the parliament in which the Zardari-led PPP was given the reins of governance was to undertake at least the following actions within 100 days of its inaugural session (1) the implementation of the Charter of Democracy signed personally by Benazir (2) to achieve the reversal the ethos of 17th amendment, (3) restoring November 2 judiciary, (4) ending the fundamental effects of military dictatorship of October 12, 1999 so as to ensure that any future coup d'tat does not occur, and (5) the reappraisal of the Musharraf's total support of the Western demands over this War On Terror by possibly fashioning anew such policies to maintain Pakistan's interests in this matter in view. This is what was categorically stated unequivocally by the prime minister in his inaugural address to the parliament. Did he not, in deference to this assertion order the immediate release of the judges detained by the preposterous order of the president when all those who defied his illegal assumption of power were just jailed?

However, nothing of this nature has occurred since then which would indicate that we have a democratic administration in place which is genuinely receptive to public expectations. There are two fundamental matters in this context that require scrutiny: (a) the matter of judges' restoration, the paramount domestic issue of great public support, and (b) the obvious matter of great significance for the country having manifest foreign implications, namely the ongoing strife in the tribal region adjoining Afghanistan because of US demands and consequential pressures for doing something on the ground.