Pre-impeachment musings (City Notes)

They should announce some time today that the President has decided, in the greater interest of Pakistan, that he will not put the country through an impeachment, and will instead resign. Or perhaps he will take some other plea, but that is unlikely. From having been President, Chief Executive, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of Army Staff, he is now just President. The remaining offices have been given up so that some of Musharraf’s foreign friends would be pleased.

It is difficult to exaggerate the importance of an official residence and vehicle these days, which would be lost by the passage of any impeachment, but which will be preserved by virtue of resigning. Apart from the obvious conveniences of a residence, which will include some payment of the power and gas bills, the vehicle-thing means a driver, and reimbursement of the repair and servicing bills, apart from the fuel bills. And if you get a non-converted vehicle, then the fuel bills matter a lot.

But such is the nature of Man, that he will not remember the many boons conferred on the country by Musharraf, especially on the economic side, but will remember the way he (and why not Yousuf Raza Gilani, for whom the floor size was the real determining factor?) made sure that there were two official celebrations of Independence Day.