Ref: – Tested old ally deserves better treatment.
Dear Sir
There is nothing more relish-able for Indians than to have news of any trouble in its sworn rival Pakistan (if political trouble then all the more welcome as it symptomize the Pakistan State, as untenable). Hence the wide spread coverage in print & electronic media of India about the following political problems of Pakistan should though be taken as quite exaggerated: –
(i)- As per chief of ruling PML-Q, Shujaat Hussain, emergency in Pakistan is still an option.
(ii)- USA is worried that nuclear arsenals of Pakistan may fall in wrong hands in case of Pakistani regime collapse.
(iii)- India is careless (in view of imminent collapse of Pakistani regime) about nuclear threat from Pakistan though almost every Indian city is within the reach of direct range of Pakistani nukes.
(iv)- Bush / Condoleeza screwed Musharraf for not imposing emergency in Pakistan. That is why emergency was not declared despite Musharraf signing its proclamation.
(v)- Bush wants democracy in Pakistan.
But at the same time it can’t be said that all is politically well in Pakistan and USA is not interfering in a way, which has potential of shaping the political system of Pakistan.
Pakistan is an old and tested ally of USA hence it does not behoove USA to unnecessarily disturb the political equations of Pakistan. Rather USA ought to help Pakistan achieve the following given as under: –
(1)- Power is never given but it is always taken as it happened in USA also during its independence struggle.
(2)- In view of no history of mass political movement for democratic home rule (as in contrast happened in India during pre-independence days) Pakistan has no right to demand democracy. Also especially in view of the fact that the leaders of major political parties, Benazir and Nawaz, ran away from the country and abandoned Pakistan in the face of threat and resistance from military ruler.
(3)- As armed forces have played a significant role in shaping the history of Pakistan and the present regime supported by armed forces is reasonably under control and command of the country moreover there is no mass political movement worth the name to bring democracy in Pakistan, therefore there is no valid reason why regime supported by armed forces should be denied the opportunity to rule Pakistan.
(4)- Constitution of any country consolidates the rule of Constituent Power, which may be armed forces in military regimes or may be parliament (people’s representatives) in a democracy. And Constituent Power has every right to frame & amend the Constitution in a way, which consolidates it. Including the amendments in the Constitution of Pakistan, which will legitimize and institutionalize the regime supported by armed forces of Pakistan by formally giving it ultimate Constituent Power.
(5)- USA should help Pakistan in order to institutionalize military rule by electing President by armed forces on the basis of one to one vote or some formula based on rank (which will preserve the discipline & command in armed forces). This will rule out the possibilities of any coup / usurpation in future.
(6)- Prime Minister / Chief Ministers can be elected by civilians. Ultimate constitutional power will rest with President who will ensure rule of law with the help of independent judiciary.
(7)- Musharraf should be made to quit the office of President as he has bungled miserably in Chief Justice Iftikhar Chowdhary’s impeachment case. Musharraf is such an incompetent President that he does not understand, whether a prima-facie case against Iftikhar is there or not, before referring the case to Judicial Council?
(8)- And if there was a prima-facie case then how Musharraf allowed Iftikhar to get reinstated without getting exonerated by Judicial Council? As for 10 Judges ruling for reinstatement, Government of Pakistan could have filed a review in Supreme Court. And in case of persistent effrontery by these 10 Judges, Judicial Council could have dealt them also similarly in impeachment proceedings.
As for so-called commitment of USA towards bringing democracy on this earth, USA ought to first: –
(a)- Realize that democracy is essentially a political system where a citizen can secure his or her guaranteed legal / constitutional / human rights even against the State.
(b)- Being a predominant permanent member, get the mechanism installed in United Nations for securing human rights by the citizens of member States of UN (in case these are violated by member States) by making Optional Protocol (OP1) to International Covenants to Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR) mandatory for member States and
(c)- Formally launch a subsidiary United Democratic Nations commensurate with the offer of USA to India also to bring all the democracies of the world in an alliance / organization.
This will pave the way for democracy in Pakistan also in a legitimate, peaceful and just way.
Regards.
Yours truly
Hem Raj Jain
208, Supriya, Plot # 20, Sector – 10, Dwarka,
New Delhi -110075, INDIA.
Ph: – +91 11 32940177, Mob: 09871194983