Pakistan is in the high political boiling point once again। In combination with terrorist strikes, religious divisions, war among the frontline leaders is complicating the survival of the state. Few weeks back there was a tug of war between the judiciary and the President. Ifthikar Mohammad Choudhary the Chief Justice of Pakistan was dismissed by General. Pervez Mushraff, the army chief who donned the hat of President also. The ousted Chief Justice went around the country to seek justice. He was the rallying point for all those who were frustrated with the one upmanship of Mushraff. Quickly his ouster consolidated the judicial fraternity and rallied against the army chief cum President of the troubled nation. Wherever Choudhary went there was a huge rally of men and women in black coats. Realising the judiciary conflict turning to a political time bomb which the dismissed chief justice can explode, the President quickly succumbed to a full bench verdict recognizing Choudhary’s in alienable right to lead the nation’s judiciary. When this issue was solved, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif the arch political rivals of the General were waiting eagerly to trigger the mother of all controversies.
Breaking his informal deal with Mushraff, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif who was exiled to Saudi Arabia decided to return home। He castigated Benazir Bhutto for striking a survival deal with the unpopular General. Cleverly the General had isolated his political opponents. Benazir Bhutto was kicked out of the country for her involvement in the several corruption cases. Her husband faced the wrath for over indulgence in bribery. Both of them were forced to run out of the country. For the past several years she was exiling between London and Dubai.
When the world was raising a massive hue and cry against the continuing dictatorship in Pakistan, General decided to reach out to his political enemies. Even at this do or die situation, Pervez Mushraff exercised wisdom and segregated Nawaz Sharif from Benazir Bhutto. He applied his entire warm up techniques and divided the bonhomie between his political enemies. His proxy’s meetings with the Benazir created tension for the other rival – Nawaz Sharif. When this was taken seriously by the exiled former Prime Minister, Mushraff got the wider clue to carry down the division among his rival. He promptly ensured his waxing and waning with Benazir creates rift in the opposition. His clever splitting of his opposition forces is the main starting point for his reelection to command the country. But the tough line adopted by Benazir and the American established complicated the calculations of Mushraff.
Benazir wanted to extract a solid deal from the Mushraff। One, she wanted Pakistan’s ban on her and husband to be vacated. Two, she and her family members should be relieved from all the political cases foisted against them. Three, the General should shed his army uniform. These three formed the basic agenda for Benazir and Mushraff.
In this backdrop, Sharif lost an opportunity to work out a deal with Benazir। As the discredited politicians both of them were sidelined in the mainstream governance for the past eight plus years. To regain the public confidence it is difficult for them to carry out their pre planned script. Mushraff met Benazir through emissaries and external contacts. He warmed up with her and created a fight between General’s enemies. As Benazir and Nawaz Sharif indulged in verbal conflict, the General enjoyed indirectly.
Now the news is a clear. There is no unity among the opposition. Like the jackal hunting the cows one by one, Mushraff political hunting has taken a round trip. Today his enemies are at loggerheads. Keeping the governmental institutions like election commission, army at his arm’s length, Mushraff plays tricks fully well. After deporting and seizure of Nawaz Sharif’s passport, the President in army uniform is waiting to show the exit door to Benazir. When this is over he will face the engineered public verdict. The directionless American establishment and the Western powers will fan the General to stay cool in the politically volatile country for many more months and year. Governance in Pakistan is an all together a different ball game.
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