I know it’s a very long article…but it certainly is worth the read.
On November 3, 2007 a world woke up to a Pakistan which had declared a state of emergency. As confusion and anxiety spread through the corridors of the international community, defiance and a sense of extermination plagued the minds of the nation’s opposition political leaders and of the lawyers movement. A solitary mind may question what dramatic events preceded, to bring a country which not long ago was the toast of the world community to the brink of havoc, confusion and disarray. Was a declaration of emergency necessary? Was it imposed due to the personal gains of a few certain individuals? Or was it actually required for the benefit of Pakistan? These are key questions that individual Pakistani’s must reflect on.
During the past tumultuous six months, Pakistan has bore the brunt of catastrophic events which most countries witness in a decade or so. It is fundamentally important to understand the events of the past six months to comprehend the motives behind this “Martial Law”. Where to begin is a good question, why don’t we start from the sacking of the Chief Justice. This particular incidence holds great prominence in Pakistan’s political landscape, because it was this move by President Musharraf which began an irreconcilable relationship of hatred between the Pakistani government and the Pakistani judiciary.
Although President Musharraf sacked the Chief Justice due to receiving what he described as overwhelming reports of corruption on the latter’s behalf, he still allowed the chief justice to attempt to prove his innocence in the court of law. Up to this point the sky was still blue in Pakistan, although dark clouds were not far away.
As news of the sacking of the Chief Justice spread, the issue became increasingly politicized. Leaders like Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto who at one point were more silent than a bride on her wedding day, began to make bold statements. They attempted to intrench themselves in the lawyers mouvment as deep as they possibly could. It is due to there involvement that the chief justice issue spiraled out of control and eventually became an anti - Musharraf mouvment. How ever it is interesting and important to point out, that under Nawaz Sharif’s and Benazir’s government the judiciary was under constant attack and subjected to daily unprovoked harassment.
The issue of the chief justice took center stage in Pakistan, and calls from President Musharraf not to politicize the issue went un heeded. Why was the issue politicized? Why were former Prime Ministers calling for an independent judiciary, even though during their reign in power tried their utmost effort to undermine the judiciary? The answer to all these questions can be summed up into one word…destablization. Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, after years of waiting on the gates, finally found a crack in the iron which was Musharraf’s government. They hyped the chief justice to the point of him becoming a cult figure in Pakistani society, and succeeded in luring the judiciary and the government into a dead on clash. A destabilized Pakistan was beneficial to them, and only them.
Even well after President Musharraf accepted the supreme courts decision regarding the reinstatement of the chief justice, protests continued. This was proof of the politicization of the lawyers mouvment, and it became evident that the lawyers mouvment was now barking a tune on behalf of failed politicians. After the reinstatement of the chief justice, statements were being said on the media, claiming that the supreme court is now for the first time in the nations history independent. Oh, how wrong they were, the supreme court was not free! It was hijacked by political parties and the leadership of the lawyers mouvment, who felt they had a favor to return to the political parties for the support they received from them during their campaign to reinstate the chief justice.
All this leaded up to a supreme court which was filled with anti - Musharraf venom, and a supreme court which was fiercely indoctrinated to the idea; that Musharraf has to go, and that we (as in the supreme court) have to relieve him of his duties. Hence when on November 3rd, 2007, an imposition of emergency was announced, I did not have any ill feelings towards the Musharraf administration. As a responsible Pakistani, I had done my research on the political landscape of Pakistan, and I like many others realized that no government can properly function with the behavior that the now humiliated and deposed supreme court exhibited. We must also keep in mind that it was not just the behavior of the supreme court which made governing Pakistan a difficult task; for not only the Musharaff administration, but for any governing body. There were frequent terrorist attacks, and a lively insurgency on the northern borders. Since March of 2007, 500 civilians and 500 soldiers have been killed from terrorist attacks. The sheer casualty numbers are shocking, and relay a sense that the country’s security apparatus had collapsed.
It is imperative to point out that under the constitution of Pakistan a state of emergency can only be announced if the country is facing an internal or external threat to its security. On November 3rd 2007, Pakistan had destablized to a point, where the state became the state’s worst enemy. It became a haven for terrorist activities, due to the failure of the established security forces. On the political landscape, Pakistan was in the verge of being torn apart from constant peppering of various opposition movements. The government of Pakistan was unable to govern the country due to the many wounds it was suffering from the hands of various segments of society. The situation in Pakistan could be better explained with the example of a patient who has suffered many cuts on his/her body. Although one cut, or wound may not be life threatening, a series of them compounded most certainly are. Hence it was imperative that the patient (Pakistan), be put under the influence of anaesthesia (imposition of emergency) and undergo surgery to repair all of the small wounds/cuts. Failure of doing so, would only enhance problems for the patient, as small wounds quickly turn into infections, which would sooner than later cause paralysis or death.
Should Pakistani’s support President Pervez Musharraf? Is he truly a dictator? Has he lead Pakistan towards destruction? These questions must currently be inhibited in every Pakistani’s mind. To answer these questions, we must know the facts. Has Pervez Musharraf done an honorable service to Pakistan? The facts unanimously point to a; Yes he most certainly has! The following are not refuted statements of propaganda but actual facts.
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Fact, there was one television station, when President Musharraf ‘seized’ power in 1999. Under his leadership the Pakistani media blossomed to over 75 private channels. The notion that President Musharraf is a brutal dictator holds no weight, as in history there has never been a dictator who allows freedom of press, freedom to criticize, and freedom to express one’s views. It is like saying an obese man despises buffets, and chocolate bars.
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Fact, that the poverty in Pakistan declined by at least 8% in the past 7 years. This disproves the notion that the rich are getting richer and the poor getting poorer.
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Fact, that Pakistan’s stock exchange has been pronounced as the world’s best performing stock exchange twice in the past 7 years.
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Fact, that despite Pakistan’s security problems, it’s economic growth rate has been an average of 6.5% during the past 7 years.
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Fact, that the world bank, and IMF, have accredited the Musharraf administration for performing an economic miracle in Pakistan.
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Fact, that Pakistan has been widely accepted in the world community as an important strategic partner (i.e induction in the Common Wealth, induction as a strategic partner of NATO).
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Fact, that Pakistan is strategically placed in an indispensable position in the world. It would not be a false statement to claim, that the success or failure of Pakistan will determine whether the world will win or loose the war on terrorism. Hence, a successful and prosperous Pakistan is now in the interest of the world community.
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Fact, that Pakistan’s relationship with the world community has never been better since its inception as nation in 1947.
Ladies and gentleman we must realize that the imposition of emergency was a direct result of destabalization which was contributed by two different and unique forces (A) Terrorists
(B) A combination of the Lawyers mouvment and the Political Opposition forces.
A) The terrorists, with the means of suicide attacks, kindappings, and flagrant attacks on public property destablized Pakistan, and hence forced an imposition of emergency. Some examples of these events are as of the following; Suicide attack on Benazir Bhutto’s rally, The Red Mosque saga, militant capture of towns in the SWAT area.
B) The lawyers mouvment who are in complete solidarity with the political opposition forces of Pakistan contributed to destablization, by provoking the government to beat and arrest lawyers as well as opposition party leaders. They provoked the government by breaking ordinances related to protest, and by attacking police officers, in order to get a reaction from the authorities. They then strategically positioned themsevles as being victimized by a brutal regime.
Ladies and gentleman, I urge you to support and understand the motives of President Musharraf, and to credit him for the reversal of Pakistan’s fortunes. I urge you to understand that the Musharraf administration does not enjoy overwhelming popularity to Pakistan due to its failure to promote it’s accomplishments and not because of failing the people of Pakistan. We should reflect in a non-biased method, on the following questions. Under whose leadership did Pakistan prosper in? Under whose leadership were we accepted in the world community as an important respected member? Under whose sham democracy were we declared a failed state?
Finally, I would like to add one more thought which just came to mind. I believe that It is extremely regrettable and shameful that throughout our sixty years of history, we as a people have failed to distinguish the diamonds from the stones. Unless this practice stops we will never prosper, because we do not deserve to prosper. For the betterment of your future and of a 160 million of your brother’s and sister’s, mother’s and father’s, we must encourage our stars to become brighter rather than blackening them with our bias, prejudice and lack of knowledge.