No one should underestimate the challenges that lie ahead for Pakistan both in terms of political stability and continued security, but President Pervez Musharraf took a step in the right direction when he removed “general” from his formal title by resigning his command of the army and being sworn in yesterday as a civilian president. Further, by pledging to lift the state of emergency which had brought his administration more troubles than it solved by Dec. 16, Musharraf has met a key demand from his opponents at home and friends abroad.
It may seem a tall order in a country where political memories tend to be long, but the future now depends on Pakistani politicians putting the past behind them and focusing instead on fostering the creation of a responsible government, in which the old payola, corruption and administrative ineptitude no longer play a part. The political parties whose leaders were arrested or persecuted in the past or are still in jail are understandably angry with Musharraf and in a mood to challenge the legitimacy of his new presidency. However, the question that they should be asking themselves is: What risks would such a confrontation pose? Assuming they can take part in free and fair elections slated for January, they will have re-established their position on the political scene. Politics may be about power, but those parties that find themselves in the opposition must use their presence in Parliament to challenge the government in a measured and informed manner — to keep the government of the day accountable for its actions, and hopefully honest.
As in Bangladesh, Pakistani politics has for too long been distorted by feuds based on personalities not policies. And it is only policies, sound political programs that will permit Pakistan to grasp the considerable economic opportunities that are already there with the rapid rise of India toward global economic status. The prosperity that such wise policies will bring will cut into the poverty and backwardness that has fueled violent dissent in the country. While the security forces may be able to hold rebellion in check, they cannot of themselves defeat it. Only a flourishing economy in which the benefits flow right down to the man in the street can bring an end to all but the most fanatical disaffection.
In this respect, it must be hoped that Musharraf’s surrender of his army commission also marks the end of the military’s interference in Pakistan’s politics. Its interventions have not only done the country no good but have also set back the armed forces themselves. Professional soldiers should concentrate on their military duties and take orders from elected politicians. They should not compromise their effectiveness by meddling in government.
If politicians now decide to put the interests of Pakistan ahead of their own lust for power, there is a rich harvest to be reaped. The last thing the country needs at a time of instability is internecine rivalries and disorder based on primitive feuding among personalities.
