Pakistan's Dirty Politics Affecting War On Terror
Muhammad Khurshid
March 21, 2008
Dirty politics in Pakistan has started affecting the war on terror on which the whole world has put everything at stake. According to a newspaper report, Pakistan´s future role in global war on terror as frontline state has surfaced as most sticking point for the ruling coalition of PPP, PML (N), ANP and JUI (F).
Knowledgeable sources said that the ruling coalition has been successful in sorting out issues relating to power-sharing and others except this contentious policy issue. Sources further said that efforts were still underway to forge consensus on the major foreign policy issue at the earliest.
"We are trying to resolve it keeping in mind the divergent positions of the coalition partners", a source privy to the talks said, hoping it would soon be resolved amicably.
It was learnt that PML (N), second major coalition partner, had some reservations as to whether country´s ongoing policy on the war on terror be continued or should be changed.
According to a newspaper comment, few are likely to disagree with President Musharraf that any confrontation between institutions would be disastrous for the country which is facing a number of serious challenges. It was abundantly clear from the tenor of the speeches made on the floor of the House on Wednesday by the leaders of the four-party alliance that they did not want to provoke any clash. Despite the votes cast for the new Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, signalling that the alliance now commands a two-thirds majority there, the speeches delivered by its leaders were sober and indicated restraint. While they vowed to restore Parliament's supremacy and remove all vestiges of dictatorship there was no direct reference to Musharraf's Presidency. Similarly Dr Fehmida Mirza vowed to act as a custodian of the House who is to remain above party politics.
Confrontation can be avoided if President Musharraf reconciles with the new ground realities. While he has treated the previous National Assembly as a rubberstamp, he has to realise that this time he has to deal with a House of an altogether different type. The leaders of the alliance have promised to turn Parliament into a sovereign body as envisaged in the Constitution. They not only have displayed the determination to do so but are also likely to achieve the magic number in Parliament to be able to undo constitutional amendments that have turned Parliament into a handmaiden of the President. Their supporters expect them to restore the deposed judges on the basis of their present strength by passing a resolution followed by an executive order. They already enjoy more than two-thirds majority in the National Assembly and with support from the FATA members, independents and an expanding forward bloc in the PML, are likely to gain the required majority in the Senate also.
There are indications that the alliance partners might reconsider their position regarding President Musharraf if he restores the deposed judges and is reconciled to hold the office as the figurehead that a Head of State is supposed to be in a parliamentary democracy. In case he is not willing to do so, he still has the option of exiting peacefully. A perception has grown that instead of reconciling with the ground realities, he still wants to retain the Presidency with full powers assumed through the 17th Amendment. Further, to achieve this purpose, he is trying to find a way out to subvert the mandate given by the voters to the four-party alliance. The alliance leaders have complained of attempts to divide them and claim that these continue unabated. The President has advised the opposition that instead of giving priority to their peculiar interests, they should keep Pakistan first in their minds. It is time that he also acts on the advice to avoid confrontation that can be harmful for the country.
The End
Knowledgeable sources said that the ruling coalition has been successful in sorting out issues relating to power-sharing and others except this contentious policy issue. Sources further said that efforts were still underway to forge consensus on the major foreign policy issue at the earliest.
"We are trying to resolve it keeping in mind the divergent positions of the coalition partners", a source privy to the talks said, hoping it would soon be resolved amicably.
It was learnt that PML (N), second major coalition partner, had some reservations as to whether country´s ongoing policy on the war on terror be continued or should be changed.
According to a newspaper comment, few are likely to disagree with President Musharraf that any confrontation between institutions would be disastrous for the country which is facing a number of serious challenges. It was abundantly clear from the tenor of the speeches made on the floor of the House on Wednesday by the leaders of the four-party alliance that they did not want to provoke any clash. Despite the votes cast for the new Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, signalling that the alliance now commands a two-thirds majority there, the speeches delivered by its leaders were sober and indicated restraint. While they vowed to restore Parliament's supremacy and remove all vestiges of dictatorship there was no direct reference to Musharraf's Presidency. Similarly Dr Fehmida Mirza vowed to act as a custodian of the House who is to remain above party politics.
Confrontation can be avoided if President Musharraf reconciles with the new ground realities. While he has treated the previous National Assembly as a rubberstamp, he has to realise that this time he has to deal with a House of an altogether different type. The leaders of the alliance have promised to turn Parliament into a sovereign body as envisaged in the Constitution. They not only have displayed the determination to do so but are also likely to achieve the magic number in Parliament to be able to undo constitutional amendments that have turned Parliament into a handmaiden of the President. Their supporters expect them to restore the deposed judges on the basis of their present strength by passing a resolution followed by an executive order. They already enjoy more than two-thirds majority in the National Assembly and with support from the FATA members, independents and an expanding forward bloc in the PML, are likely to gain the required majority in the Senate also.
There are indications that the alliance partners might reconsider their position regarding President Musharraf if he restores the deposed judges and is reconciled to hold the office as the figurehead that a Head of State is supposed to be in a parliamentary democracy. In case he is not willing to do so, he still has the option of exiting peacefully. A perception has grown that instead of reconciling with the ground realities, he still wants to retain the Presidency with full powers assumed through the 17th Amendment. Further, to achieve this purpose, he is trying to find a way out to subvert the mandate given by the voters to the four-party alliance. The alliance leaders have complained of attempts to divide them and claim that these continue unabated. The President has advised the opposition that instead of giving priority to their peculiar interests, they should keep Pakistan first in their minds. It is time that he also acts on the advice to avoid confrontation that can be harmful for the country.
The End
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