04-14-2008, 04:25 AM
Conspiracies galore?
Ikramullah
History keeps on repeating itself, but most of us in Pakistan remain determined to ignore it and refuse to learn any lesson to avoid future disasters and national tragedies. From the assassination of Liaqat Ali in 1951 to the assassination of BB, it is the same sad saga of undiscovered conspiracies. Almost four decades have passed since the dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971, but the responsibility for this national tragedy has still not been fixed at state level.
As a nation, we seem to enjoy conspiracy theories of all sorts. More disasters and national tragedies follow suit and meet the same fate. The constant casualty has been 'Democracy'. Has Pakistan's civil society and our political leadership learnt any lessons as how to protect and sustain it while passing through the rough the critical phase of transition from the old order to the new one? The process of transfer of power is not completed by a simple oath taking ceremony. It requires a change of mindset by the new leadership, including the opposition. There are no foes in a democratic order.
Having said that, it is unfortunate that the picture presented by responsible elements of our civil society and our political leadership is not very encouraging, to say the least, in the context of the ugly incidents at Karachi, Lahore and again at Karachi from April 7 to 9. Former CM Arbab Rahim was roughed up and 'given shoe lashing' the worst humiliation in the subcontinent. There is no room for any arguments over this serious crime, as visual evidence regarding the identity of the culprits is available. Was it an isolated act of madness or a conspiracy by design? The mastermind behind the conspiracy must be identified and sternly dealt with according to law. There is no sign of it so for.
The very next day after the scene of another shoe beating shifts to Lahore, which may be a mere co-incidence. This time the target was Dr. Sher Afgan Niazi, who had to face the 'lawyers wrath'. Niazi was besieged for hours by angry and hostile lawyers. They all hated Niazi for his past role.
According to their concept of democracy, the defeat of the old regime at the ballot, resulting in a change of regime of their own choice, is not enough. They want something more. In the meantime the political stalwarts of the past regime must learn a lesson and the new government now in place, must be kept under constant pressure and even threats like street agitation and Long March to Islamabad, in case of any dilly dallying by the PM, who belongs to the other partner of the coalition, than the one in the Punjab which is fully supportive of the urgency to meet the lawyers demands within 30 days of the new regime at Islamabad, out of which 10 days have already passed. Hence only 20 days are left to build the maximum pressure to achieve the target of restoration of the superior judiciary.
The incident of Dr Niazi's manhandling has also been labelled as conspiracy without elaborating as to who are the conspirators. There have been accusations and counter accusations. Some have involved the PML(Q), MQM and even the presidency, while others are accusing the PML (N) and yet others feel that the lawyers have politicised the issue of the restoration of the judges. However, this sparked riots, in which nine innocent citizens were killed, six including two women were burnt to death, more than 50 vehicles torched and dozens of chambers set ablaze (The Nation, April 10).
However, the president and PM have expressed a similar resolve in a joint statement. At the heart of the present situation lies the complex issue of the restoration of the CJ Chaudhry, on which an agreed solution is yet to emerge. Any dead lock could be disastrous. Time is running out. Conspiracies, resignations and their withdrawals are out of date. The fate of 'Democracy' in Pakistan is in the hands of the ruling coalition and the civil society.
E-mail: ikramullah@nation.com.pk
Ikramullah
History keeps on repeating itself, but most of us in Pakistan remain determined to ignore it and refuse to learn any lesson to avoid future disasters and national tragedies. From the assassination of Liaqat Ali in 1951 to the assassination of BB, it is the same sad saga of undiscovered conspiracies. Almost four decades have passed since the dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971, but the responsibility for this national tragedy has still not been fixed at state level.
As a nation, we seem to enjoy conspiracy theories of all sorts. More disasters and national tragedies follow suit and meet the same fate. The constant casualty has been 'Democracy'. Has Pakistan's civil society and our political leadership learnt any lessons as how to protect and sustain it while passing through the rough the critical phase of transition from the old order to the new one? The process of transfer of power is not completed by a simple oath taking ceremony. It requires a change of mindset by the new leadership, including the opposition. There are no foes in a democratic order.
Having said that, it is unfortunate that the picture presented by responsible elements of our civil society and our political leadership is not very encouraging, to say the least, in the context of the ugly incidents at Karachi, Lahore and again at Karachi from April 7 to 9. Former CM Arbab Rahim was roughed up and 'given shoe lashing' the worst humiliation in the subcontinent. There is no room for any arguments over this serious crime, as visual evidence regarding the identity of the culprits is available. Was it an isolated act of madness or a conspiracy by design? The mastermind behind the conspiracy must be identified and sternly dealt with according to law. There is no sign of it so for.
The very next day after the scene of another shoe beating shifts to Lahore, which may be a mere co-incidence. This time the target was Dr. Sher Afgan Niazi, who had to face the 'lawyers wrath'. Niazi was besieged for hours by angry and hostile lawyers. They all hated Niazi for his past role.
According to their concept of democracy, the defeat of the old regime at the ballot, resulting in a change of regime of their own choice, is not enough. They want something more. In the meantime the political stalwarts of the past regime must learn a lesson and the new government now in place, must be kept under constant pressure and even threats like street agitation and Long March to Islamabad, in case of any dilly dallying by the PM, who belongs to the other partner of the coalition, than the one in the Punjab which is fully supportive of the urgency to meet the lawyers demands within 30 days of the new regime at Islamabad, out of which 10 days have already passed. Hence only 20 days are left to build the maximum pressure to achieve the target of restoration of the superior judiciary.
The incident of Dr Niazi's manhandling has also been labelled as conspiracy without elaborating as to who are the conspirators. There have been accusations and counter accusations. Some have involved the PML(Q), MQM and even the presidency, while others are accusing the PML (N) and yet others feel that the lawyers have politicised the issue of the restoration of the judges. However, this sparked riots, in which nine innocent citizens were killed, six including two women were burnt to death, more than 50 vehicles torched and dozens of chambers set ablaze (The Nation, April 10).
However, the president and PM have expressed a similar resolve in a joint statement. At the heart of the present situation lies the complex issue of the restoration of the CJ Chaudhry, on which an agreed solution is yet to emerge. Any dead lock could be disastrous. Time is running out. Conspiracies, resignations and their withdrawals are out of date. The fate of 'Democracy' in Pakistan is in the hands of the ruling coalition and the civil society.
E-mail: ikramullah@nation.com.pk