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WEEKLY
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| Disturbing signs |
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Saturday, April 05, 2008
The issue of restoration of the deposed judges is already causing cracks and friction not only in the grand political coalition but within the ranks of the PPP as well. Barrister Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan has even gone on record to unfold what he calls a constitutional package, born and bred in the presidency, to selectively screen out the judges not liked by the presidency, foremost among them Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry. Under the attractive garb of providing sovereignty to parliament, Aitzaz says, all judges would be dismissed and then re-appointed after scrutiny by a parliamentary committee where the pro-presidency elements would rake up dirt against the unwanted judges and eliminate them. On Thursday this warning by Aitzaz was almost confirmed by PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari at the PPP CEC meeting at Naudero, when he said the restoration of the judges would be linked to the judiciary reforms package, a position different from the Bhurban Accord. There are also reports that Mr Zardari publicly snubbed and rebuked Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan in Naudero on the judges issue, asking him to stop threatening long marches and stop claiming the credit for the restoration of democracy because, according to Mr Zardari, it was Benazir Bhutto's ultimate sacrifice and not the lawyers' movement or judges' sacking which led to the elections and the return to democracy. These signs of bitterness within the PPP are unfortunate, but the main coalition partner of the PPP, the PML-N, is also not going to like the way things are moving and an urgent session of the party was held on Friday to discuss the developments.
Reforming the judiciary, and doing it through parliament, is the right thing but the impression that the presidency is pulling the strings has to be quickly dispelled by the PPP leadership. In fact instead of doing that, statements by new PPP ministers have almost confirmed that the party sees no harm in getting, and appearing, closer to Mr Musharraf. Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar has gone too far in calling Mr Musharraf "a national asset" and describing him as a marketable commodity to bring money into Pakistan. What could be more nauseating after the Feb 18 verdict of the people? Such public statements would only create fissures in the coalition and quickly stamp the label on the PPP of being Mr Musharraf's 'B' team. Mr Mukhtar's remarks also fly directly in the face of the massive anti-Musharraf mandate on Feb 18. It is also a fact that the administrative and legal machinery which was in place before the elections has not been touched as yet by the new PPP government. Even the key post of attorney general is still occupied by the insufferable Malik Mohammed Qayyum and the new law minister, Farook Naek, says there is no move afoot to replace him. The extra warmth shown by the PPP for former allies of Mr Musharraf, including the MQM, has not only raised some red flags within the PPP but has also added credence to the doubts that the PPP is trying to gather enough numbers to make the PML-N irrelevant because the presidency so desires.
The PML-Q, minus the Chaudhrys of Gujrat, is also privately claiming to come on board the grand coalition soon. There have been reports that the unqualified and unconditional support to the PM extended by the PML-Q, led ironically by a former PPP stalwart who defected in 2002, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat, was at the behest of the presidency. Likewise Pir Pagara's group, and all others on the fringe, did not blink an eye and joined the PPP bandwagon for a unanimous vote. If it was all for democracy it might be welcome, but this definitely is not so. The stubborn attitude of the presidency, despite public rebuffs and embarrassments, points to some hope somewhere that the new political setup could be moulded according to the wishes of Mr Musharraf. At least he is not giving up without a fight. This scenario does not provide hope for a stable polity. The PPP has to stem this growing feeling of approaching turbulence by asserting that it will stick to its commitments to the Bhurban Accord and would not let the basic coalition with the PML-N break up. It must take the PML-N into confidence before this issue erupts on the public stage. The main partners should be clear about the reforms package and the PPP's soft overtures to the Musharraf camp. Any constitutional package in parliament should not have the stamp of a child born out of conspiracies in the presidency. It must be acceptable to the civil society and not negate the electoral mandate against Mr Musharraf.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
