Successful lawyers movement and Orange Revolution

LAHORE - Mian Shahbaz Sharif has drawn a parallel between the successful culmination of the lawyers movement and the 'Orange Revolution' of Ukraine in which people power was able to install Viktor Yushchenko as President in a run-off election in 2004, thereby ousting a despot. But since then the Orange Revolution has soured with Ukraine's President no longer considered a hero. The elder Sharif also prefers to refer to the restoration of Chief Justice of Pakistan and other deposed judges as 'Inqlab'.
But are we going to experience a real revolution emanating from the Sharifs unprecedented success in bringing the masses on the streets resulting in an overnight change of mind by Zardari to restore the deposed judges. Or would it prove to be another Pyrrhic victory like the Orange Revolution, which Shahbaz Sharif is so enamoured with? The other day when Mian Nawaz Sharif was asked by a foreign correspondent what he meant by his revolution he could not quite explain himself.
As is evident from the recent utterances of maverick Punjab Governor Salman Taseer the PPP in cahoots with the Chaudhrys of Punjab has redoubled its efforts to rule Punjab come what may. Despite the euphoria being pervasively exuded, it is business as usual in Punjab.
The sticking point remains who will be the nominee for the top slot for Punjab? Taseer has been giving chief ministerial looks for some time now. On the other hand, former Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi, as a precondition for support to PPP in the Punjab Assembly, wants the coveted post for his ambitious but bright son Moonis Elahi.
The Sharifs (more so Mian Nawaz Sharif) despite concerted efforts by some of their stalwarts and well-wishers would rather rely upon the PML-Q Forward Bloc than have any truck with the Chaudhrys. Perhaps in our feudal milieu enemies are forgiven but not renegades and the rump of what remains of PML-Q falls in the latter category.
Ironically, Salman Taseer has accused the PML-N leadership of engaging in horse-trading which, judging by the unholy haste shown to impose Governor Rule in Punjab, indeed seems laughable. Taseer should have done the honourable thing by resigning after miserably failing to muster a workable majority in the Punjab Assembly despite having all the resources of Punjab as well as the Federal government at his disposal.
Mian Nawaz Sharif's show of strength on Sunday was probably even beyond his own wildest imagination. In the past, his supporters dismally failed to mobilise people on to the streets of Lahore, which also happens to be the political base of the Sharif family. Ironically, the last time people poured on the streets of Lahore in even larger numbers was in 1986 to welcome Benazir Bhutto on her triumphant return to the country.
By agreeing to restore Justice Iftikhar in spite of his vociferous opposition to the lawyers movement Zardari acted sagaciously. Thereby he not only saved the country from possible bloodshed but also obviated the danger of any physical threat to the Sharifs. Mian Nawaz Sharif has thanked Zardari for restoring the higher judiciary. Now is the time to build on that good will rather than squandering this golden opportunity at the alter of unbridled quest for power by those unelected forces who only know the backdoor route to achieve their nefarious designs.
Governor Salman Taseer wants two of the major parties in the assembly to form a coalition as a precondition for ending Governor Rule. As Mian Shahbaz Sharif has rightly pointed out this demand is outside the ambit of the Constitution which clearly states: The Governor shall invite the member of the Provincial Assembly to be the Chief Minister who commands the confidence of a majority of the members of the Provincial Assembly, as ascertained in the session of the assembly summoned for the purpose.
Perhaps Taseer is relying upon a sub-clause of the Constitution rendered obsolete under the Eighth Amendment of 1985. Or he is deliberately obfuscating knowing very well that the PML-N can demonstrate its majority with the support of members of the Forward Bloc of the PML-Q who are perfectly within their right to vote with PML-N taking the risk of losing their seat.
Nawaz Sharif has called for immediate restoration of PML-N government in Punjab. Under the Constitution, it will be in the fitness of things to allow the party to demonstrate its majority and abandoning the elusive desire to control Punjab for an opportune time. After recent events it was hoped that Zardari's advisors would back off but unfortunately this has not been the case.
It's time Zardari initiates a dialogue with the Sharifs to bring them on board. But to clear the decks status quo ante in Punjab must be restored without more delay. Only then other issues can be resolved within the framework of the Charter of Democracy to which his late wife had appended her signatures after much debate and discussion with Nawaz Sharif.
Instead of making it a zero-sum game both parties will have to adopt a live and let live attitude and rein in their respective hawks. They have to realise that if people lose faith in democracy and democratic institutions it will pave way not for a soft revolution but for the Taliban Revolution which is already knocking at the doors. If matters further deteriorate a third party or foreign intervention could threaten everything.