End of Musharraf era

End of Musharraf era

The Hindu

PERVEZ Musharraf finally got his calculations right. The military dictator who ruled Pakistan for nine years, shed his uniform towards the end, insisted on remaining president after his power melted away in a democratic upsurge, and deservedly faced impeachment, could have hung on to office only if circumstances had turned in his favour in one of two ways. The first was mustering enough parliamentary support to deny the democratic combine led by the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) the two-thirds majority required for impeachment. With the King’s Party disintegrating rapidly, this option was not available. The second hypothetical scenario was of the retired general persuading his former comrades-in-arms to back a move to dismiss the elected government and dissolve parliament. The deafening silence from Rawalpindi ruled out any such madness. While his is a more honourable exit than is normal with dictators, the real credit for this inspiring denouement must go to the people of Pakistan, their political parties, news media and civil society institutions. There was plenty of discord within the ruling coalition on the way forward — but it held its ground thanks largely to the political resoluteness of Nawaz Sharif and the sobriety displayed by Asif Zardari.

The self-congratulatory tenor of President Musharraf’s farewell address can be interpreted as a soldierly attempt to save face. It is true that he made more worthwhile contributions to Pakistan’s overall policies than previous military dictators but his claims on all-round progress are highly questionable. As his political difficulties mounted, he became more and more despotic and unscrupulous — undermining state institutions, targeting the independent judiciary and manipulating elections. In the end, President Musharraf became the biggest obstacle to the advancement of the interests of the people of Pakistan. The ruling coalition could hardly focus on key issues of governance when it had to guard its rear against an undermining ex-dictator. Overall, the international community will regard the Musharraf era as a wasted opportunity. The man who advocated moderation and promised to recast his country as a progressive model for the Muslim world failed to deliver because he just would not completely abandon the religious extremists. For all that, New Delhi cannot overlook the contribution General Musharraf made towards stabilising and improving the relationship between India and Pakistan — learning perhaps from the Kargil misadventure. His most lasting contribution may well be the process of India-Pakistan détente, which needs to be taken forward resolutely. — (Aug 19)