Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto laid her life so that the people of Pakistan could have a hope in a future– prospects of which had been turned into fatal bleak by President Pervez Musharraf’s regime surviving by jack-booting democracy, fundamental rights, apex judiciary and freedom of the media.
As a follow up of the historic victory of the people is yet another land mark announcement by the leaders of the two major parties and signatories to the Charter of Democracy—the announcement by Pakistan Peoples Party’s Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N’s Mian Nawaz Sharif that the two parties would form a national coalition government is yet another step forward towards completion of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s incomplete mission of establishing undiluted democracy in the country with pronounced supremacy of the Parliament over all other institutions. There could not be a better tribute to the late leader than this commitment to serve the nation jointly and collectively.
The rulers had killed Bhutto because she had posed a challenge to them with the collective support of the people. She was out there to uproot them to consign them into dustbin of history. The pre-poll rigging, machinations and manipulations by the King’s party on the election day, direct campaigning by the retired General in its favour—did deny Bhutto’s party a land-slide victory but could not stem Benazir tide in the four provinces giving a clear verdict in her favour by rejecting Musharraf’s political boot-lickers and partners in crimes against the nation including frequent rape of the Constitution.
The General ® never wanted Benazir Bhutto to return home. He dreaded her. Her very first step on the soil of Pakistan had started rocking his boat. A failed attempt was made on her life that did not deter her from campaigning despite knowing well that her enemies were hell-bent in eliminating her. She, therefore, gave her blood to give a new lease of life to a nation that had been castrated into a deep inertia by oppressive rulers. It was her supreme sacrifice that electrified the masses to take on the General and to defeat him at his own game. The decision by PPP and PML-N to combine their strength to put the final in Musharraf’s dictatorship is the glorious manifestation of the people’s will and nation’s democratic aspiration.
Pakistan had spoken on February 18 loud and clear. They had voted for Benazir Bhutto and other moderate political forces including PML-N and ANP and rejected squarely Musharraf, his gang of Gujrati thugs and other opportunists. The victory of the People’s Party followed by. PML-N, ANP and other moderate political forces in the much contrived election is a firm and categorical verdict against dictatorship—of all sorts– including that of President General ® Pervez Musharraf and for all times too. It is also indicative of people’s firm determination to eliminate terrorism and to establish rule of law and to translate Mr Jinnah’s dream of Pakistan where all citizens will be equal and religion will have nothing to do with the business of the state.
When Benazir Bhutto had opted for participation in elections under Musharraf despite opposition of many within her party and total rejection of polls by other political parties including PML-N, she had taken the risk on her firm conviction that masses needed to be given an opportunity to blunt the General’s bullets with their ballots. She had complete faith in her people and she believed that dynamics of elections when unleashed in their full fury and wrath– will surely change the course of his history. She had also successfully convinced Mian Nawaz Sharif to join hands by not boycotting polls.
Despite the fact that she was denied landslide victory yet the triumph of the moderate electoral forces under her leadership has totally altered the future course of history and the electoral dynamics of change have hopefully sounded the death-knell of dictatorship in the country. Had the people not dared to come out to vote due to stage-managed scare generated far and wide in the country, people would have fallen hostage to fear never to raise their head to free themselves from the stranglehold of the dictator.
Notwithstanding her life-long, dauntless and unwavering struggle for the establishment of a democratic polity and democratic culture, Benazir Bhutto’s most outstanding contribution has been towards dispelling the hostile perception that the majority of people in Pakistan are pro-Taliban and support religious extremism. Her challenge to the Musharraf-hyped rise of Islamic militancy threatening to take over Pakistan ’s nuclear assets, has taken the wind out of his sails. She shattered the myth so successfully conveyed to the West by Musharraf that if he is removed militants would take over—by offering democracy as an alternate. She took on the religious extremism risking her life leaving the General no other option but to eliminate her. Since she believed in dying for a cause that she had faith in, she took on both the militants and their behind-the-scene perpetrators.
By their overwhelming rejection of the religious parties the masses in the four provinces have also shattered the myth created by General Musharraf and sounded the death-knell for the obscurantist forces that had continuously played a sinister role in cahoots with the Praetorian establishment for subverting genuine democracy. The sweeping rejection of the PML-Q—the Kings Party— and the MMA–is an irrefutable indictment of Musharraf and his nine-year long regime and those who collaborated with him.
Pakistan had come into being through vote to be a modern and liberal democracy. Its survival lies in ushering in an egalitarian socio-economic and political order that could ensure greatest good of the largest number with guaranteed equality to all its citizens—irrespective of caste, creed or colour. The February 18 vote was for moderation as championed by Shaheed Bhutto and for an enlightened Islam that professes peaceful co-existence for all religions and communities.
No doubt the battle to do and die to save Pakistan nurtured by the noble blood of Bhutto has been won by the people yet the road ahead of them continues to be onerous and enormously challenging. The logical and more so moral outcome of Musharraf’s humiliating defeat would have been for him to quit instantly. Thick skinned that he is, analysts believe, he will have to be shown the door in a manner that should discourage all Bonapartists from venturing into playing foul ever again in future with the destiny of the nation. His ultimate impeachment could surely serve as a deterrent.
Battle of the ballot having triumphed over the barrel of the gun, the priority task ahead of the future government would be to get down to finding the real killers of Benazir Bhutto and punishing them—irrespective howsoever powerful they might be. Instantly it shall have to get down to formulating short and long term policies for the alleviation of the sufferings of the masses due to high cost of living, shortages of essential goods, unemployment, lawlessness, creating climate for domestic and foreign investment.
Low performance by Musharraf government has created high expectations among the masses from an elected government as the panacea for all their problems. Though government-in waiting has been left a legacy of an Augean stable to clean sweep, its first and foremost task would be to ensure revival of economic sustenance power of the people depleted to zero level, to establish violence-free society at home and to seek peace with honour externally.
While no doubt PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari’s loss in the assassination of his spouse is irreparable, yet he must be given credit for remaining himself composed despite the crippling tragedy. He kept the party united despite attempts to break it up by the Gujrati thugs and powers that be and leading it to a triumphant electoral victory vindicating the popular title of his of wife “ Wafaq-key-Zanjeer Benazir, Benazir” (Unifier of the Federation).
During the last 70 days of pre-election period she had spent tirelessly risking her life with inadequate and suspect security provided by Musharraf regime, to mobilise the masses to re-establish democracy to fight terrorism and save Islam of the ignominy of being branded a pariah terrorist religion. When Musharraf played tricks with her party, she did not fall into his trap.
Rather, she check-mated him time and again to put him in a desperate situation to the extent that it was realised in his quarters that he will have no respite unless she is removed from the scene not knowing that whatever he might do to her—her revenge of him will be ultimate and ignominious end of him. The February 18 polls have brought the nation nearest to the completion of her sublime mission for which she sacrificed her life. The people’s power has triumphed over the dictator and his obscurantist supporters. Their best and most befitting tribute to one single individual, who led them to victory against odds and at the cost of her life, would be to honour Benazir Bhutto by translating her vision of Pakistan into a blossoming democracy with equal opportunities for all.
Though the PPP Co-Chairperson and PML-N have yet to go a long way in tailoring a strong and viable government of national consensus, they have so far sounded the right notes. Zardari’s stress on maximum provincial autonomy to the federating units as the key to sustaining Pakistan ’s integrity and federal structure should form the core fundament for the future when a new social contract is written down. He categorical statement that PPP would talk to even those fighting a war of independence from the Baloch mountains, give them respect and meet their legitimate demands related to allocation of resources—are surely reassertions in the right direction and will usher in an era of peaceful existence for the greatest good of the largest number in the country.
In the future scheme of things Pakistan ’s relations with the United States would also be very important. In this context reciprocity should be sought. It was high time Washington lends its ears to loud and clear message from the people of Pakistan that they do not want Musharraf, nor do they do want that gang of thieves that masqueraded as PML-Q as they have rejected the MMA—a conglomerate of six religious parties—test-tubed into existence by his intelligence invisible hands to provide a card to the General to make Americans and the West dance to the tunes played by him. They need no more be taken for a ride by him that if he is gone Mullahs will take over. No. Most certainly not! Go he must and let a democratic government elected by the people mind the Pakistani store. Bush administrations would do well to accept delegitimization of President Musharraf by a popular countrywide vote against him and endorse advice by Washington Post that “The administration should urge its not-so-indispensable ally to step down” (Feb 21).
w.hasan@virgin.net
* Wajid Shamsul Hasan is Pakistan’s Ex High Commissioner at the UK