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Is Preservation of Musharraf
System Part of The Deal?
Aftar parties are gradually becoming a good
platform for politicians to express their views to a gathering
of their liking.
These parties are no more limited to
Islamabad and other cities of Pakistan, eventually Washington,
DC has also picked up the idea and various parts of US
government are holding their own Aftar parties to interact with
American Muslims. White House is no exception. Aftar party is
becoming an annual ritual at the White House. Before, President
Bush held Aftar parties during Ramzan, this year, the new
resident of White House, President Obama held his Aftar party.
Leaving President Obama’s After Party aside,
we would like to look at the Aftar party held at President House
in Pakistan.
President Zardari had invited all important
journalists to the party where first he provided opportunity to
all journalists to rub shoulders with him and then he candidly
told them about the deal and guarantees general Musharraf sought
before vacating the seating of power in Islamabad.
President Zardari confirmed there were
internal and external guarantors of the deal who facilitated
general Musharraf’s resignation from the office of the
President. President Zardari’s remarks did not surprise anyone.
His remarks only confirmed what every Tom, Harry and Dick
already knew.
However, what President Zardari did not
disclose, and we expect he should tell to the nation in same
candid tone whether preservation of the current system was also
part of the deal.
Apparently, general Musharraf is not fully
done with the damage he wanted to do to Pakistan. While he is
still issuing fully loaded statements to undermine the interests
of Pakistan at every available platform around the globe,
President Zardari is protecting the system general Musharraf
erected in Pakistan in full honesty like a hen protects its
chicks under her wings.
Whether President Zardari discloses it or
not, the nation already knows who are internal and external
guarantors of general Musharraf. However, it is important for
the nation to know why President Zardari and PPP are protecting
the system general Musharraf devised and implemented in
Pakistan.
Pakistan’s 90 per cent problems are the
creation of this hybrid system which guarantees all types of
perks and privileges for the active functionaries of the system
but miserably falls short of providing good governance to the
people of Pakistan.
The nation is not interested in knowing the
details of the shameful deal which was concluded in Dubai or
later at the time of resignation of Musharraf, but nation does
want to know when President Zardari and PPP would demolish
general Musharraf’s satanic system which has made peoples’ lives
miserable.
The nation wants answerable and responsible
representation in Islamabad and in four provincial capitals,
which is not there due to the system created and implemented by
general Musharraf.
President Zardari should not take cosmetic
steps to change the system. The nation expects of him to
immediately demolish the Musharraf system by ending 17th
amendment with simple constitutional amendment and by removing
general Musharraf’s appointed governors and other administrators
at various federal and provincial and district levels.
Also, it would be better if President Zardari
immediately gives up his party position and separates party
affairs from government affairs.
If he can hold political and government
offices simultaneously then why any Army Chief cannot hold the
offices of COAS and President simultaneously? This may be a poor
analogy, but practically with President Zardari holding the
office of the Co-Chair of PPP and President of Pakistan is the
same thing. There is not qualitative difference.
Therefore, it would be better that President
Zardari should immediately undo17th amendment with simple
constitutional amendment and separate the offices of the
Co-Chair of PPP and President of Pakistan.
Let us end the anomalies of the system
painlessly and not push the nation to the point of social
turmoil where people are forced to act and destroy this
perilous, satanic system created by general Musharraf.
We hope the preservation of the Musharraf
system is not part of deal. If it is then either the Supreme
Court or the people of Pakistan have to move to undo it.
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