Pakistan's Shaky Dictatorship
from The Nation
by GRAHAM USHER
[from the April 16, 2007 issue]
Islamabad
Pakistan's President-General, Pervez Musharraf, is facing his worst crisis since he took power in a coup in October 1999. The last three weeks of March have seen violent protests in Islamabad, Lahore and other cities led by black-suited lawyers but followed, increasingly, by once-docile political parties, including the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. All scent that more than seven years of military rule may be coming to a close.
The crisis began on March 9, when Musharraf suspended Pakistan's Chief Justice, Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, allegedly for abuse of office. Most of Pakistan's legal fraternity--and many, many others--saw this as a ruse to remove an unusually truculent judge. Musharraf wants to be re-elected for another five-year presidential term by an existing Parliament rigged in his favor. He also wants to remain army chief. In February Chaudhry told military cadets that in his opinion, Musharraf could not remain as both president and army chief beyond the expiry of his current presidential term in October. "That's why he was sacked," says a government insider.
Unaccountable military rule is one constant of Pakistani politics. American power is another. Two weeks before the lawyers took to the barricades, US Vice President Dick Cheney flew into Islamabad in a Black Hawk helicopter. He was in town to deliver a "tough message" to the Pakistani leader. Since September Washington has become exercised by peace agreements Musharraf signed with pro-Taliban tribesmen in Pakistan's border areas with Afghanistan.
These pacts have not only failed to reduce the flow of Taliban and Al Qaeda guerrillas into Afghanistan; they have created ungoverned spaces in which Taliban and foreign fighters have regrouped for a spring offensive against NATO in Afghanistan and, in the case of Al Qaeda, perhaps "faraway enemies" like Europe and America. Bloodied by Iraq, the Bush Administration has realized that Afghanistan could tip the same way. Cheney was the latest American heavy hitter dispatched to make sure Musharraf stays onside.
(Continued here.)
by GRAHAM USHER
[from the April 16, 2007 issue]
Islamabad
Pakistan's President-General, Pervez Musharraf, is facing his worst crisis since he took power in a coup in October 1999. The last three weeks of March have seen violent protests in Islamabad, Lahore and other cities led by black-suited lawyers but followed, increasingly, by once-docile political parties, including the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. All scent that more than seven years of military rule may be coming to a close.
The crisis began on March 9, when Musharraf suspended Pakistan's Chief Justice, Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, allegedly for abuse of office. Most of Pakistan's legal fraternity--and many, many others--saw this as a ruse to remove an unusually truculent judge. Musharraf wants to be re-elected for another five-year presidential term by an existing Parliament rigged in his favor. He also wants to remain army chief. In February Chaudhry told military cadets that in his opinion, Musharraf could not remain as both president and army chief beyond the expiry of his current presidential term in October. "That's why he was sacked," says a government insider.
Unaccountable military rule is one constant of Pakistani politics. American power is another. Two weeks before the lawyers took to the barricades, US Vice President Dick Cheney flew into Islamabad in a Black Hawk helicopter. He was in town to deliver a "tough message" to the Pakistani leader. Since September Washington has become exercised by peace agreements Musharraf signed with pro-Taliban tribesmen in Pakistan's border areas with Afghanistan.
These pacts have not only failed to reduce the flow of Taliban and Al Qaeda guerrillas into Afghanistan; they have created ungoverned spaces in which Taliban and foreign fighters have regrouped for a spring offensive against NATO in Afghanistan and, in the case of Al Qaeda, perhaps "faraway enemies" like Europe and America. Bloodied by Iraq, the Bush Administration has realized that Afghanistan could tip the same way. Cheney was the latest American heavy hitter dispatched to make sure Musharraf stays onside.
(Continued here.)
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1 Comments:
Interesting article … it concludes by asking the question : “At the very least, such a return would mean an end to policies based on military might, political abdication and panicked American dictates. But is Washington ready to tolerate change?
So far no US government official has called for a return to civilian rule in Pakistan.”
Well, the answer may be found in an April 11 story in the Daily Times of Pakistan
link
Richard Boucher, US assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs said the US was supporting Pakistan and its government because Gen Musharraf had pledged to take the country towards democracy and openness. “We want Pakistan to succeed as a democratic nation, as an open economy, as a moderate society. And that’s the direction that President Musharraf has given his country, that’s what he has pledged to do - he’s pledged to have democratic elections. That’s the direction we support. So we’ll work with them. We’ll work with him, we’ll work with them,” Boucher said. [Snip] Boucher said the US role was to “to stand and applaud and continue to encourage them to do what they’re doing”.
Once again, it appears the State Department and Cheney are not communicating.
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