For too long the voice of Pakistani people was unheard. For too long the people were objected to tyranny and oppression. For too long the situation kept on deteriorating and for too long the people had given up hope. But with the exiled leaders coming back to the country and things taking different turn, of lately a new ray hope started to appear. And then in the final week of the final month of last year, the former premier of Pakistan Mrs. Benazir Bhutto was assassinated. The assassination was at a time when Pakistan was finally heading towards democracy.
Amidst all the drama, fear and uncertainty the elections finally did took place. Although none got a clear majority in the 18th February elections, still as pinned earlier the result was the revenge of the democracy for sure. The conditions under which the elections held, it was thought that conducting fair and free elections was the biggest challenge and everybody was so sure of polls being rigged that nobody ever thought about all the greater challenges which lies ahead.
Dark have been the times for Pakistan’s politics of lately and in an always politically disturbed state, reinstating people’s belief in democracy is the most challenging job. But the people of the country did pin their hope in democracy once more. And every political leader of Pakistan needs to understand that it is the last time when they are doing so. If any how the government failed to provide them with fundamental, social, political, economic rights, safety and security from any and everything and healthy living and growing conditions, not just physically but more importantly psychologically, then this will be an end of democracy in the country. But if the leaders are successful in drawing the country out of the current holocaust then Pakistan will also be one of the most happening countries of the planet.
The beginning after the elections needs to be appreciated, as the two rival parties the PPP and the PML (N) very rightly declared to form a coalition government after the hung result. But the path to it won’t be an easy one. All The parties in a coalition government need to put aside their policies, ideologies and differences to reach on a common consensus agenda. This is the first and the foremost requirement of forming and running a coalition government. But in current scenario this is needed to be done when all the parties know beforehand that they will be facing each other only in the next elections. Burying the differences and putting the diverse ideologies aside in such a scenario is much more difficult than otherwise.
Mr. Nawaz Sharif, who was deposed by General Musharraf in the 1999 coup, again and again keeps on reiterating the point, that following the defeat in the elections, the President should step down. After the formation of the government too, he will be pressing upon impeachment if the General do not give up presidency voluntarily. But PPP leader Mr. Asif Ali Zardari does not seem to be very keen about the idea. He knows that Mr. Musharraf is like an antidote to the growth of PML (N) and Mr. Sharif in particular. He believes removing him will be a boon for PML (N), for which he is not at all game for. But PPP knows that any step meant to save the president will be a tough one to justify. Not only the people will bluntly refuse any sort of connivance in saving the president, even the party workers will not be a part of it.
Also if Mr. Musharraf somehow survives, then he will definitely make things bitter for the coalition government. It will be very difficult for them to run the country with the president sitting on the other side. As long as the President is in the office, he will not like the idea of reinstatement of the former judiciary, which is one of the most important steps in the process of restoring democracy. As he fears that this will revive all the pending cases against him, even those questioning his presidency. Moreover he will be endlessly working to destabilize the government, in some way or the other.
Then there is another major power, that plays an important role in everything which happens in Pakistan i.e. USA. The desperateness of Musharraf and his supporters to remain in the power is quite understandable, but why is the US so determined to retain him? Political pundits believe that, PPP might eventually succumb to America’s pressure and Musharraf is here to stay. But they will certainly not let him survive with all the powers which he increased by many folds during his regime. Then what purpose will he solve for the US, if he will be nothing more than a meagre post? Perhaps the job of destabilizing the government and country.
All these and many more which the coming government will face will make their path more and more difficult in an already difficult country. With every new day the situation is becoming unmanageable and the coalition is facing a new problem. Very hard and testing times lie ahead for the coalition, and it will be very important from India’s point of view too, as to how will they fare in them and what will happen next? As it is us, who are living in a dangerous neighbourhood and are directly affected by the developments on the other side of the border.
