The Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PMLN) has given the Pakistan People’s Party 48 hours to stop what it describes as a a ‘smear campaign’ against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
With this ultimatum, the tensions between the government and opposition party have come to a head. In recent weeks, the PPP and PMLN have disagreed on the issue of whether Pervez Musharraf should be tried for his actions on November 3, 2007. ‘Revelations’ by intelligence officials about a two-decade-old episode in which the ISI reportedly funded an opposition campaign against Benazir Bhutto have also fueled the fire.
Are Pakistan’s two major political parties – the PPP and PMLN – on a collision course? Can the government take steps to avert a showdown with the opposition that would plunge this nation into further political instability? Or is an all-out confrontation between these two major parties one of the best ways to purge Pakistan’s political past of its demons so that democracy can enjoy a new start in this country?
The views expressed in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
well, a new start! ? wht can one say in such a dubious circumstances when even the ministers a are not sure whether the govt will stay or not.
‘n here we have another bunch of issues with MR. IMTIAZ revealing past’s so-called-facts! The man (nawaz sharif) did make mistakes in the past and so did others, but this time everyone (mian sb & B.B.) had been different… They vowed not to repeat past mistakes and we have seen it very well by the acts of Mian Sb. Both Mian brothers are serving the nation in the best possible manner (even better than sindhs government that has federal govts full backing)
Lets suppose PPP is not behind vilifying and slandering of Mian sb. even then being at the center, the largest party and considering the GRAVE Mistakes it amde in the recent past it must act to stop and put an end to this enigma-situation in teh country regarding wht will happen. Rather, it shuld go ahead with putting in place Great Zulfiqar Ali Bhuttos Consititution as it was in 1971 and PUNISH the Culprits of the Nation.
Pervaiz Musharaf should not be blamed: it is the army which is at fault. The Army allowed Musharaf to violate the Constitution of the Republic. There was no way Musharaf on his own could have lifted his hand against the Islamic Republic if his fellow-in-crime (,also alluded to as brothers-of-the-belt) did not back him.
Not only Musharaf should be tried (for Murder of the Republic), but all senior officers of the Army should be tried, and face the ultimate penalty for capital crime.
This is the only way, a genuine resurrection of the Islamic Republic can take place.
1st Sept.’09 – 11.45 AM
I would like to reiterate the opinion expressed by Keti Zilgish. The Provinces should be given autonomy and control over their resources. Right now Punjab is dominating in all spheres and non-Punjabis feel like second class citizens, deprived of their rights & shares and weak, like Bengalis once. It is about time exploitation by one province is stopped and another East Pakistan like calamity avoided.
The best way to handle Musharraf’s trial issue is to have the Army Court Marshalll him for violating his oath as an officer.
My recommendation would be to strip him off his rank, demote him to the lowest soldier’s rank and give him a dishonourable discharge.
Further, he looses all his benefits, pension and gives up all that he as acquired due to his assention through the ranks including his uniform (aka his second skin)
The above is standard procedure that is followed in many countries including Pakistan for officers who show incompetance or deleriction of duty.
He will become a persona non-grata not only in Pakistan but also in the rest of the world. Who would want to patronize a disgraced geeneral who has been dishomourable discharged from his post?
This punishment will be the most befitting punishment. The trial should be a military trial in open forum. Politicians should stay out of it.
The political leadership of Pakistan is very corrupt including Zardari and Nawaz. Neither of them can be trusted to ensure a fair treatment of Musharraf. There will be heavy political taint (NRO and Nawaz’s personal agenda against the General)
A court marshall of Musharraf by his own peers and service memebers will be the most chilling on the mini Bonapartes of the future.
Salim Akbani
I fully agree with one of your readers that democracy will flourish if two so called democracy champs are flushed out of the system. Right now “hamam me sab nange hai”.
Yes this Brigadiar billa seems to be the worst guy I ever have seen and is exposing what our agencies had been into. Its unfortunate and detestable to have these type of people in the agencies.
I personally respect judiciary and and also believe in its independence. Its judicial activism is matchless, even if it rains in any part of country, it takes sou moto action against nature. But how about such a serious issue is debated in every channel about ISI distributing money to strengthen RIGHT WING in Pakistan and judiciary (which already has this case ‘Asghar Khan’) is not responding. Is this silence criminal? Is judiciary independent but not impartial? Is a Punjabi judge protecting a punjabi leader?
Just for facts, I am neither a PPP or PML-N supporter. We know all about Zardari’s ‘merits’ but this handling of media campaign (whether the allegations are true or false, I do not know!) by PML-N has certainly raised a lot of alarms about nawaz sharif in my mind. To all those supporters of Sharif, how can you trust this man as your premier when he has washed his hands out of two of the most important events in his reign…kargil.. blaming it on Musharraf and stating that he was not aware of it .. and this Jinnahpur controversy and operation against MQM … again stating that army initiated it and he was not aware of it. SHOULD the PRIME MINISTER not be taking and be responsible for all the actions of his government and what is the use of being a PM if you can be by passed by others?
The PMLN has solidly aligned itself with the rule of law in Pakistan. The PPP has allowed Zardari to make one attempt after another to undo the rule of law in Pakistan (opposition to restoration of the Supreme Court; disenfranchisement of the entire province of Panjab by “firing” the elected government; opposition to restoration of the Parliament by retaining the dictatorial “over-ride” of parliamentary powers introduced by a military dictator). The MQM, while harping about victimization, harbors within its ranks and leadership individuals responsible for the murder of of peaceful demonstrators on May 12 2007 in a bid to keep the Pakistani people enslaved to a dictator. The freedom struggle of Pakistan will not be over until the scoundrels who hold the people of Pakistan in contempt, considering them unfit to rule themselves, are convinced that they cannot get away with murder any more. And for that to happen, Musharraf must be brought to court and charged with Article 6, with providing terrorists with safe haven in Pakistan for 10 years as part of his double game with terrorism to keep himself in power, with the deaths of hundreds of brave Pakistani soldiers at Kargill, and also with respect to Kargill the launching of that operation as a means to sabotage peace meeting betwen two elected prime ministers. For democracy to survive, the truth must be brought to the open and those who seek to keep the Pakistani people enslaved exposed for what they are – and punished to the fullest extent of the law.
Some (like Mr. Khobar) are calling for the trial of the MQM leadership here because they may have a hand in the May 12 deaths. Fine by me! But then, for the sake of justice, are you willing to look into the deaths of the many innocents in the streets of Karachi back in 1992? Or how about some of the innocents who have died during the current counter-insurgency campaign or for that matter in Baluchistan in the 1973-76 campaign and the recent one during Musharraf’s government? Point being almost all of the current champions of democracy have the blood of innocents on their hands.
In this unfortunate country of ours, nobody has a clue as to what justice is. Everyone has a select and limited memory to recount only the wrongs against themselves or their political parties. The way forward is for us to go for justice across the board or you shove the selective justice as there is no place for it in today’s Pakistan. Close this chapter altogether and move on to the future.
Pakistani people have a rotten luck because they cannot get rid of national “leeches” (not leaders mind you). They all carry so much dirty baggage from the past that there is no way that they could become leaders who would be able to galvanize and unite the Pakistani nation. PML-N and PPP are no different in terms of their reach to the Pakistani masses than smaller ethnic parties like ANP and MQM. The politics of PML-N and PPP alike are more about ethnicity and clannishness than caring about the Pakistan of QA.
I say let this showdown happen so people can see through the dirt, malice and chorr-bazaari of all these politicians.
On a lighter note, an English singer/songwriter once commented about the politicians as such:
“All politicians are like a bunch of bananas. They all stick together and all of them are crooked”.
This wrestling is between Zardari & Nawaz Shareef, they have been in wrestling ring two times before, but due to injury they were taken out to hospital for a long time, but this time in wrestling both will not be injured but they will be handicaped for the rest of their life.Both the wrestler’s body will be broken into pieces and they won’t be able to wrestle with each other for the rest of their life, this will be the end of this game. Hope for the new honest and sincere wrestlers to come forward in this ring.
There is much ugliness in the former colonial countries. The very soul and fabric of its present realities is ugliness personified. People think ugly, talk ugly, imagine ugly and act ugly. Beauty in all its form, from physical to spiritual has fled away. People have ceased to have beautiful ideals.
The harmony of freedom, the liberating force of vital and wise knowledge seems illusory. We ridicule the idea that freedom, knowledge and justice are indivisible. Practitioners rule, act falsely and superficially, without any vision and understanding of human destiny. Immediate needs and immediate action are the rule. The exploration and discovery of the laws of life and acting as such are stunned, despised and held in bondage.
Though, one is convinced that everything in life and the rest of the universe works according to certain definite laws, however, the practitioners in their ignorance and crookedness have been interpreting those laws for gaining immediate pleasure and immediate fake security. And in the process man has been subjected to tyranny and suffering.
Nature has been devastated and the creativity and beauty of life has been destroyed. It may be that the practitioners may succeed in destroying humankind and life on this planet. Or it may be that the laws of enlightenment and beauty prevail. As such one should hope, but never lose sight of the ugliness around, and its practitioners.
That is indeed the reality let us face it if we want to …… .
No use bickering about. The Foreign MASTERS & HANDLERS will decide who rules this country. And now we have another joker on the stage – Brig. Imtiaz.
What a circus !
For outside observers like me it appears to be a familiar development and I only hope that better sense would prevail among warring democrats so as not to provide a thin edge to interventionists.
No two major political parties of any country have ever shown so much indifference, and devil- may- care attitude towards the nation that is suffering a death rattle because of it. To me they sound like tow juveniles having a street fight amid their most vulnerable families shocked to death.
The present predicament faced by the major political parties has come to pass because of the reason that our politics is in a real formative phase. The events of last two and a half years have led Pakistan to re-define our politics. Lately, the PML-N seems to have learned its lessons. The others have still not come to terms with the new reality. The recent campaign of reviving few of the dark events in our political history is an effort to stop the march towards a relatively cleaner politics. The PML-N itself should demand of the judiciary to hear Mr. Asghar khan’s petition regarding the distribution of funds among the politicians by ISI in 1990. I think it will have least impact on the PML-N even if some of the PML-N politicians are convicted. Likewise, the PML-N should welcome an inquiry into the 1992 military operations and let the nation know about the realities.
I used to be (still am)a fan of BB (and defended AAZ)but not of PPP before her or after her.
As for NS, I was dead against him till the Indian Prime Minister came to Pakistan and the Pokhran nuclear explosion.
I felt myself to be with NS when he said, “mujhe jamhooriat ka keera lag gia hai.” That was before or just after his return to Pakistan after a long exile.
A clash between NS and Musharraf plus his supporters is inevitable.
May God bless all of us. This is the only thing i can say in view of this new development in our already fragile country.If this country breaks down then no body will remain niether the power full generals nor the politicians or for that matter the political parties. Prudence must prevail at this hour of need.
Well I don’t know how many divisions there were in Pakistan before the present local govt system was brought in. All I know is that, as of now, most non-Punjabis in Pakistan feel as if this country is nothing but a Punjabi colony. The only way i can think of by which we can get across this problem is by making all those ‘divisions’ into ‘states’. Present problem areas of Fata and NA could be made ‘states’ too. That way we’ll get a new ‘national assembly’ and a clean slate to begin with but we would still have to learn some lessons from Switzerland at least in order to live in peace with all our neighbors and the rest of this world. Moreover by doing something thoroughly ‘unthinkable’ we might even end up being in the enviable position of teaching some others some half way decent lessons.
Noora Kushti! What else.
They are just repeating what they did many
times before. Country will pay! Unfortunately.
Dr S I Ahmad
Barcelona, Spain.
The role of establishment has been known for years but the extent was a secret. However, the recent revelation has exposed the establishment and the politicians.
It appears from the blame game that PPP is behind it and MQM is playing the dirty role
upfront. PPP does not want to repeal the 17th amendment and lack the courage and determination to charge Gen.Musharraf for treason. PPP leadership returned to Pakistan with a deal brokered by masters and friends of Pakistani rulers. The government is afraid of being exposed.
We need another long march to demand a judicial investigation into the role of ISI. All the military and political leaders should be prosecuted for breaking the laws of the land. Any leader found guilty should be punished to the fullest extent of law.
Well, I do think if PPP go for Mushraf trial, then US and Army will not stay present PPP’s Govt. to go ahead. They have deal not to trial against Mushraf. But PML (N) is doing for sake of People’s of Pakistan and democratic process. Practically speaking, CM Punjab is doing best for sake of People of the Punjab. However, other CMs of provinces are just sitting in their drawing room to get new idea of corruption instead of doing any constructive gain for their provinces. I think Nawaz Sharif should take concrete stand against PPP’s worst action on Mushraf Trial issue. I personaly think, If PML (N) again plan LONG MARCH, obviously political stability will suffer from it, but see this issue in longer perspective rather than shortterm, to make this country more properous.
It is just tact to keep the media and nation fool, busy and divert the attention of fialure of the country. Every body knows either current GOVT, or PLM-N are under the entact deals and their guarantors are so powerful they can not dare enough to move single inch. Like me just watch the show and count the episode.
These politicians have not learnt a lesson from their previous mistakes. Most of them are corrupt. The best thing is is not to get involved in revenge politics. They must fotgive nad forget and move forward to save Pakistan. If they fail to do so the nation should never ever forgive these illeterate corrupt politicians who are trying to drag judiciary and army in their dirty game. May Allah (SWT) save Pakistan fron these internal enemies in the name of politicians.
Both parties have skeletons in their cupboards and it is hard to figure out which one is the lesser of the two evils. But the choice for this miserable nation is between bad and the worst. Which is the bad and which is the worst, that is the question!
PML(N) leadership has a very big mouth and PPP needs to shutup their mouth as they are in full majority and do not need any colation from them. PML (N) claims the champion of democracy where the fact is that they are the biggest enemy of democracy and one example is that they wanted to kill the vote bank of MQM and wants to invite the army to rule when they are not in power and for this, the example is that they hijack the lawers movement and forcing the army to takeover. But due to intelegent leadership of PPP they avoided this situation and we expect that PPP will not give any more mercy to PML ( N) as they have the full majority in parliament and will not be black mailed any more.