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The Pakistan Day meeting between PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has led to amiable photo-ops and assurances of mutual respect. But any talk of reconciliation remains tentative, as Sharif has slapped down several conditions. He has demanded the implementation of the Charter of Democracy, details of which can be found here. Although the PPP has expressed its commitment to the charter, the party has stopped short of stating that all its provisions will be implemented in letter and spirit. Other stumbling blocks – the government in Punjab and the electoral eligibility of the Sharifs – also continue to stand in the way of a PPP-PML-N reconciliation.
Do you think the PPP and PML-N can sort through these sticking points and work together? Is Sharif correct in making his interactions with the PPP dependent on the implementation of the Charter of Democracy? What happens if the Supreme Court fails to overturn the Sharifs’ disqualification ruling?
The naivete’ and simple minded sentimentalism of the Pakistan’s so called ‘civic society’ is totally mind boggling. Reality stares it in the face but those comprising this ill-defined group insist on remaining in a fool’s paradise.
The fact of the matter is that oil and water don’t mix. A coalition of these two opposites at the ‘dawn of democracy’ was hailed with a burst of jubilation and wishful thinking that this time around, both parties having learned their lesson would cooperate but nothing of the kind happened and is not going to either.
Both party leaders are corrupt to the core, devoid of any concern for the good of the country and solely focused on power grabbing as the country like Titanic sinks slowly towards disintegration..
Perhaps Democracy, certainly parliamentary democracy does not suit the Muslim mindset, therefore it is so difficult for it to prevail, in its true form in any of the 55+ Muslim countries. The popularity of PML-N confined almost exclusively to the one province from which NS hails, of MQM to the Muhajirs, of ANP to the Pathans and of the PPP to the population under Vadera control (although it has the broadest support of any party) clear points out to the regional, ethnic and tribal nature of politics in Pakistan. That is the reason why the leaders of the two parties who wouldn’t be elected dog catchers elsewhere in the west are flourishing while the country bleeds.
One can only hope that the Obama adminstration will push hard whoever rules Pakistan to demonstrate accountability both for control of militancy and disbursement of the aid that is likely to triple much as both leaders must be salivating at the prospect of multiplying their ill-gotten billions by a factor of 2-3 or more. This is no democracy but a travesty and a farce.
In real democracy, it is the will of people that counts. It is not the will of dictators who dictated processes for governance of Pakistan through abuse of judiciary and military might. Why judges appointed by dictator(s) prohibit Sharif brothers from contesting elections and allowing Zardari to become the head of state. I still wonder how Zardari got away with all charges of corruption and became eligible to become President. I would like to know from the Dawn readers why he (Zardari) did not or could not contest election for a member of parliament or senate.
In the name of true democratic princilpes allow people of Pakistan to make decision of election of Sharif brothers through ballot rather than dictation by the judges who were put in power by an illegal dictator. Why Zardari is afraid of letting people make decision of Pakistanis who want to contest election and serve the nation and the people.
This is very sad story developing in Pakistan Nawaz supported CJ Iftikhar and is OK with current judiciary ( which is predominantly PCO including CJ Iftikhar ) as he thinks he can cash his suppoert from Justice Iftikhar. He will try one day to open NRO through CJ (which is actually a real fear fro Zardari) and will cash it from Zardari
One thing I cant understand how two different group of Judges (which actually disqualified each other through supreme court decision ) can sit in the same judiciary.
I thing they are all corrupt .We need Musharraf back!!!
Both Zardari and Sharif should quit active politics. Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan’s grandson (or grandaughter) from NWFP should be persuaded to take the mantle of leading Pakistan
Guys its not about democracy or free judiciary or serving country, its all about business of making money.So long both can agree on a formula of loot sharing they will have no problem mending their fences.
Sorry to say but once a crook, always a crook. We have seen what Sharifs and Zardari have already done for the country. Feel sorry for Pakistanis who did not appreciate all the good that Musharraf did. Hope some day people realise that. I saw a great leader in Musharraf and thought he was the best for Pakistan but people are never satisfied and that is unfortunate.
It’s often said -with some justification – that senior, federal-secretary-level members of pakistani civil service, or those amongst the army bureaucracy who dont happen to be Generals or Lieutenant Generals at the time of a coup, betray Pakistan and its constitution when they fail to resist a military takeover or fail to resign. In that context, the behaviour of our political parties, particularly PPP, are curious: their MNAs and MPAs, trying to excel one another in currying favour with the so-called Chairperson, no matter what issues from his mind, seems to suggest that the party MNAs/MPAs are as much opportunists as generals or civil servants. All sections of Pakistani vested interests behave in the same way – in utter disregard of the interests of those who don’t happen to be one of them. Shame! A true Shame!
Zardari has not proved to be trustworthy person. He jumped himself to President post. He is holding Chair position of PPP. He is playing politics from a purely admin position. He has to show that he can be trusted by his actions
Well I must agree with one of the writers who said that Musharraf was far better then these champions of democracy. The biggest blunder that he committed was the NRO. It doesn’t make sense. And one other thing which the same writer pointed out and which is very interesting as well as worrisome for all the Pakistanis is that the international community does not compare us to India any more, they compare us to Afghanistan. Trust me its true. I live in Australia and I can have a hawk eye view of both India and Pakistan. They have left us far behind. We owe this to our leaders and people like Baitullah and Fazlullah. All these guys are villains. We should adopt the American way of electing our president. The people should elect the president directly and not the MNAs and MPAs. Trust me people like Imran Khan will win. At least all the educated people will vote for him.
Considering the past history of Nawaz Sharif, it is very unlikely that he will reconcile with the PPP. His own political survival is in bitterly opposing the PPP. Don’t forget, he was the Chief Minister who first time in history of Pakistan denounced a sitting Prime Minister of the federation (Benazir) by labeling her Traitor (Ghaddar e Pakistan) and refused to receive her at the Lahore Airport.
On the other hand, the people who killed Benazir probably got it wrong again because they got a different outcome (current President)
It is a nightmare. May God save our beloved Pakistan.
Dear Mr. Dawn.
Do you not know that there can never be: ” charoo kay beech kabhi be batwara nahi ho sakta” there can never be distribution of spoil (loot) between two thieves, so what are you asking simply does not make sense. As long as feudal lords (british bulldogs) how can we have democracy prevail, look at India or that matter china where the feudal lords were put to rest, our basic infrastructure is conducive to such practice, so for us we need a different format, when I had suggested to general Zia that since there is so much illiteracy and disparity one can only remedy it by having one man voting Points in the selection of a president through country wise voters rather than the democratic forum where the prime minister is selected and thus bows to the yield and demand of the assembly so called members, I dont know one can go on writing volumes but nothing would become good as long as these feudals are at the helm. so good luck and God bless
I think we picked PPP and let them run it course of and then change them if you do ot like them in 4 years. Right now we have to move forward.
Personally Musharaf was the best for Pakistan but that is passe..
Fully agree with Ali comments.
Both have been found to be corrupt. If Sharif brothers signed an agreement with Musharraf not to return to Pakistan for 10 years, then the CJ should send him back. And reopen the corruption cases against Zardari and let the courts decide soon.
Then Pakistan to be saved from both bulls**t ideas.
Both PPP Zardari and PML (N)will continue struggle for their own interest only. Both parties have been working against Islam and common people. Drama of long march has ended and and PML N and PPP have won the game and fame. Once again, people of Pakistan have been defeated as usual.
Peoples who marched on the road and faced the cruelty of police have been ignored and a deal has made against the will of the people. With out bloody revolution there would be no change in our country.
Out of these three elected parties, to whome we trust or not is a matter of grave concern. In a wise-sayings,”When you have to elect amongst these peoples, you should elect a thief rather looters,dacoits. The readers of these comments are wise enough that who is thief and who are looters. Please be wise while casting next elections votes, because, may be your right casting votes may prove destiney of this country on right path. May Allah Bless My Country. “AMEEN”.
What to Speak about Judiciary Character, peoples are wise enough that these peoples remained Corrupt enough uptil now. By restoration of CJ, In my mind following questions to be asked from Judiciary:
1)Can Judiciary improves their character upto the mark to change the destiney of this beloved country.
2)Can CJ/Other team members will take decisions on merits, if so, can our corrupt beaurecrates/politicians/landlords/businessmen/other influential personalities/system in the country, permit to let him/them to do so.
3)Can we make some strenuous efforts honestly to strengthen the institutions;judiciary, administration,law enforcing agencies etc.
CJ/Judiciary have to face a lot of problems while making decisions on merits.May Allah helps them to be on merits,if truth inside them and then policy of implementation outside the country. I am seeing dreams of ideal State. May Allah: comes true to my dreams, that our country would be the Ist one who can dictate the World Forces, rather taking dictation from Foreign Countries.
My appeal to my all countrymen that please be wise while casting their votes, irrespective of cast,creed .It is their votes on merits to change the destiny of our country.
Of course, Sharif is very right to demand for implementation of charter of democracy. If any reconciliation would make over the principles, it would worst the country situation. As far as the disqualification of Sharif brothers is concern I think they will come back on the board and if court will hold its verdict, then they should accept that, they have no choice about it. But it’s likely to impossible. Despite all of this system wouldn’t prevail more than a year I hope I will not prove right .
The best guardians of democracy and progress at present are the media and the legal community. Hopefully judiciary will come around to provide the third leg and further strengthen the system.
The politicians including the Sharif brothers should be watched very closely by the media. They are saying the right things but their motives are suspect. They have their own history of violating democratic and civil norms. Their disqualification from the electoral process may turn out to be the best thing to happen to them. They can then show their true commitment to democracy by accepting the SC review. A leader can always serve his country without being elected and holding an office. Gandhi and Mandela are prime examples.
The biggest villain in this act is Zardari and his court jesters. As long as he is around and leading the largest political party in the country, his antics will not ensure any progress towards democracy. He has zero credibility and has missed every opportunity to restore his past image. He will not give up anything with out a dragged-out fight. It would be best if the parliament reduces his office to a figure head and he goes back to Dubai after completing his term.
PML-N and PPP need to put their own house in order. They need transparent election within their parties to be prepared for the future.
No matter how dire things look, change for the good is coming. Too bad the feudals are not giving up their power without drawing blood from the masses.
Democracy is not a perfect form of government but it is the best form of government where people can exercise their power as just recently happened in Pakistan. Politicians are invariably corrupt in every society, may be more in one than the other. There is no major advantage with the two party system over multi-party system. A country like Pakistan, the best expression can come from multi-party system because of inherent political differences,uncompromising beliefs and different cultures. Although the two party systems can form stable governments, it can kill new thoughts and hamper great goals.
I commend the people of Pakistan for their outright victory recently over the political dictators. If they keep that spirit and unity, there are answers for so many problems plaguing the country, especially the violence under various pretexts waged by different groups at the cost of the country. People of Pakistan must rise up and throw out all corrupt political leaders who are reigning the country since the Independence. People must abandon the dependence on political families. The power belongs to the people and not to a political family. The actual power must be exercised by the people for the people. Political families must see the best interest of the country than their vested interests which has almost undone the country. All other establishments in the country including Army must facilitate the better governance of the country through people power and then all the people including the establishments will be benefited and the country will be blessed with progress. Then all the people will enjoy liberty and prosperity.
PML-N and PPP would have worked together and made amends whenever required if BB had been alive and heading the party. Though they have different basic thinking they would have stuck it out as both BB and NS had a deal on mutual trust. In todays scenario nobody trusts anyone anymore and the state seems to have become irrelevant, unfortunately.
Nawaz Sharif has to stop his political war mongering if Pakistan is to get any respite from the daily political tensions playing out on TV like a daytime soap.
Nawaz Sharif must be congratulated on his successful campaign to get Iftikhar reinstated, even though it was more of a long march for Punjab than for the freedom of judiciary, but he must realize that the current democracy has been achieved after much sacrifice and the PPP government must be allowed to play out its term or otherwise we may well be heading towards the antics of the 90s and we all know what happened at the end of that frustrating decade for Pakistan.
The PPP is not without flaws, actually in the recent times it has been full of them, but just like the PPP Nawaz Sharif is also going around making tall promises that he will not be able to fulfill and lead people to further frustration. So the choice here is of choosing the better of the two evils and so the PPP must be allowed to stick it out so as to bring continuity to the political system because continuity is what breeds stability.
So in conclusion, if amends are to be made, then PML-N is the one that needs to be more conciliatory than the PPP.
Get rid of Zardari and Nawaz Sharif.
Both have been tried. If Sharif signed an agreement with Musharraf not to return to Pakistan for 10 years, then the CJ should send him back.And reopen the corruption cases against Zardari and let the courts decide soon.
I am extremely disappointed how people are judging Nawaz Sharif. Why are we not willing to give a chance to the doctrine of change, why don’t we believe that people do change, why don’t we believe that he is not just the leader of Punjab but of the whole country.
I strongly believe that Pakistan should move towards two party system so some of the regional and fascist parties can either be eliminated or their role is minimized. I pray and am very hopeful that ultimately Pakistani democracy will move toward a two party system which means that Zardari and Nawaz Sharif are only important for the moment but ultimately it is PPP and PML which should be entrusted with the running the affairs of Pakistan and people should elect one of these parties from Karachi to Khyber. The people of Pakistan should bury the fascist parties in the ground by voting them out of power.
Coalition governments of opposing political parties is not a new phenonmen in democracies and pakistan is no exception, even though it has to go a (very) long way in honouring the democratic principles of tolerance and accommodation.
Opposition leader Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League would be setting an example of laying a the ground for a solid democratic process by supporting the PPP-led coalition in the centre.
Nawaz Sharif already demonstrated political maturity by calling off the long march immediately after the reinstatement of the chief justice of the supreme court. His meeting the (PPP) prime minister gives ample proofs of his mind set. a coalition between PPP and PML-N is must for the consolidation of democracy and faith of the Pakistani nation in their political system and political parties.
PML-N need to keep the pressure up and try and politically force through as much of the CoD as possible. Who in their right minds can claim that this PPP government is capable of good governance. With Zardari at the helm it is almost laughable to even to suggest they possess an idiom of decency and intelligence. We can only pray and hope that with enough of the CoD in place, the following elections will result in a strengthened parliament, leaving PPP in the wilderness. PPP need to regroup and shed their excess weight.
Both these parties are no saints. Nawz Sharif who became champion of rule of law had the same SC invaded by his party goons. Now the shoe was on the other foot. Nobody in the history of Pakistan invaded SC and got away with that, shame on the short memory of Pakistanis.
Like NS, Zardari is also an arrogant dictator. This mentality of Pakistani leaders is going to destroy the country. It is a shame that these same leaders can fool the people times and again. Like the saying goes, you fooled me once shame on you, fooled me twice shame on me!