Half Empty, Half Full
Pakistanis are incurable optimists who are more likely to look at a half empty glass as half full. A few weeks ago our new Finance Minister articulated the same thought at a seminar in Harvard University. Great hope has been vested by the broad masses of the people of Pakistan in the military regime, a “soft” martial law without its usual teeth never before seen in this country and one daresays, in recent history. The aspirations aroused in the people is scary, the military rulers will have to rise beyond themselves to ensure that the great expectations of the masses are not frustrated. In their talent search they will have to reach out for the services of friend and perceived foe alike. In the selection of a dream team to run the country, there is unanimity of views about their competence and integrity. Twelve or so years of democratic rule had driven us into the wilderness without a compass, the incumbent process will only be successful if it takes us back to a meaningful democracy in which all the people will participate as equal partners and not simply become pawns on a giant chessboard. With the economy in such doldrums that even easy credit has no takers, primary focus should be on the economy. However public perception wants accountability in supersession of everything else, an animal urge reminiscent of the feelings of the audience of the Roman Colliseum. Since accountability indirectly will not only force-feed the economy but will also improve law and order, build up the national morale as well as investor confidence, etc accountability (or the lack of it) will be the touchstone of success (or failure) of Gen Pervez Musharraf and his “Young Turks”.
The idea of a referendum to legalise military rule is a political trap that should be avoided, it is a non-starter. Constitutions have no place for military rule, those who suggest manipulation have no conscience. Moreover our people are gradually apathetic about voting. Gen Ziaul Haq found this out to his lasting detriment. To get the populace to the polling stations, political parties organise transportation on election days, small camps are established near the polling booths, their workers ensure the right symbols are marked by the voter, all in all a logistical exercise of great magnitude. Of the 52 million registered voters (out of a population of 130 million) barely 40% go out to vote, i.e. about 20 million people. Barely 5% or about 2.5 million people are likely to make the effort for a referendum despite overwhelming support for military rule presently. They will continue to get the support the military rule continues to remain “people-minded” and not fall prey to special interest groups. A low turnout in any referendum, even heavily weighted in favour of military rule, will undermine the credibility of the CE and his regime. Motivated interests, mostly those wanting to escape retribution, will exploit this for all its worth. The whole process will become an exercise in frustration.
Barely a month into military rule, self-servers totally distinct from the military rulers have begun to function on their own agenda. Some are the incorrigibly corrupt, who are asking for double the normal bribes in this new environment, using it to terrorize the innocents into submission. Then there are vested interests who want the military rule to fail and thus employ the “judo ploy” i.e. use the deterrence of military might to achieve their own objectives while bringing a bad name for the rulers by harassing the average citizen into a state of anger and resentment. Banks, financial institutions, leasing companies, etc are working on their own agenda, going after those who may be relatively small and may only be overdue, not even defaulters according to the SBP instructions. After the first shock the un-Godly have started to come out of the woodwork. GHQ has ordered all military personnel not to interfere with governance, some are already alleging receiving telephone calls. This is probably a blatant lie but some sort of monitoring unit at the district level on the pattern of Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) that can identify such cases and bring swift retribution is very necessary.
This includes the problem of false accusation and fabricated cases. This is an endemic problem in Pakistan. One does not doubt that the CE is sincere about a free press and its help in the accountability process but within the establishment there are past masters of misinformation and disinformation, people excelling in the planted news items against “perceived” enemies, in fact they are the ones who deliberately create rift and then thrive in it as it gives them some reason for existence in the eyes of their superiors. Those who deliberately create rift need exemplary punishment. Some revel in the “highlighting” of articles and news items in such a manner that objectivity is taken out of it and the message slanted in a one-sided manner to suit their nefarious purpose. Others do not have the courage to put their names to what they write but persist in libelling others under pseudo and false names, some out of envy and jealousy, some for monetary gain through blackmail. They are the scum of this earth and do not have the courage to step out of the shadows of the office they misuse. The CE has to clearly spell out a procedure for uncovering those making false accusations or bearing false witness. They should face the same quantum of punishment that those whom they target would have got if their evidence/charges had been true. The whole edifice of credibility of the military rule will collapse unless firm measures are taken to control such opportunists, particularly those who have the capacity to exploit the media.
The end game of accountability ensures that the guilty must get punishment. Unfortunately those who have money have the means and clout to escape retribution. In the first instance they ensure that their case is never investigated, then if it does get to the enquiry stage they manage and/or manipulate facts. If that fails and their case comes to trial, they have the best lawyers and accountants to bring down such a “fog” around the truth that justice cannot penetrate. Given that somehow the fog is cleared and the case comes to trial, their lawyers will bring all technical hitches available to delay the process. In the end the buck will stop at the judiciary’s doorstep. With all due respects to the superior judiciary, they have to contend with the ground reality of raising the reputation of individual judges down the line that seems to have fallen in public perception. A self-cleansing process is required that will bring back the trust and dignity of such office as it once was. There exists a reason for doubt in the public mind, an element of uncertainty creating confusion whether the rich, with all their wealth and influence, will ever be brought to justice. For the sake of Pakistan one humbly requests the judiciary to face upto this reality. We can only gently and respectfully bring this to the notice of the superior judiciary, given Mr. Ardeshir Cowasjee’s predicament before the Supreme Court one can hardly dare venture to say more.
The CE is a soldier; his forthright manner will definitely impress civilians, whether actions will continue to match his words will be very easily discernible in the coming days. What was impressive was something one has not heard any leader in Pakistan ever accept, that as a human being he or his team may make mistakes, and when these mistakes are discovered, these will be rectified. For a nation that never accepts its faults or even learn lessons from its mistakes, the CE’s blunt assertion was refreshing and welcome, it added to his credibility. The ultimate legality of the CE’s rule rests in the goodwill of the people of Pakistan who presently see him as a human being like themselves, not as an omnipotent dictator who professes he can do no wrong, saints excepted. There is no reason to try and justify military rule, there can be no legality for it in the technical sense. In the moral sense people have accepted it and that is the ultimate sovereignty, the people have aspirations from military rule that it will lead to a better system than what they lived under. Whatever time frame is set out, three, four or even five years down the road, the referendum on military rule should be part of the ultimate transition electoral process. If military rule has been good for Pakistan, the people will say overwhelmingly so and if it is not good for Pakistan, one doubts there will be a natural transition. In such an eventuality, destiny will surely overcome the rulers as it has done before in Pakistan, civil or military. Remember Mian Nawaz Sharif was supreme as PM and the CE was a dismissed person 40000 ft in the air on the afternoon of Oct 12. A few hours later the CE was “number one” and the former PM was on his way to incarceration and an uncertain future. Destiny has its own peculiar way to correct aberrations.
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