World | Pakistan
A history of turbulence
For the most part of its 60 years life since independence in 1947, Pakistan has vacillated between two alternatives: military and civilian governance.
- By Shahid Hussain, Correspondent
- Published: 00:28 December 31, 2007
For the most part of its 60 years life since independence in 1947, Pakistan has vacillated between two alternatives: military and civilian governance.
During its turbulent history, the Islamic Republic has seen four military takeovers. The first in 1958 followed years of political instability after the 1951 assassination of the first prime minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, a close lieutenant of the nation's founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
Another prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was hanged in 1979 by military ruler General Mohammad Zia ul Haq.
The last of the four military interventions came on October 12, 1999 when the army toppled Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as he tried to sack its chief in the wake of a bitter tussle between the two centres of power.
General Pervez Musharraf had the adversary tried and sentenced to life in jail, but Saudi Arabia interceded on his behalf, bringing about a compromise under which Sharif was exiled to the Kingdom for a decade.
The nation took the coup in its stride and many, including political opponents of the prime minister, publicly welcomed his bloodless overthrow.
Adverse international sentiment over the coup underwent a transformation after the events of 9/11 in 2001 when Musharraf promptly aligned with the US-led war on terror and helped crush Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
Eight years down the road, Musharraf has done much that goes to his credit. Pakistan's economy has seen an impressive turnaround, with the growth rate averaging seven per cent.
When he seized power the economy was on the verge of collapse, reeling under international sanctions imposed after Pakistan under Nawaz Sharif conducted nuclear weapon tests in 1998 in reaction to rival those by India.
Western support to the pivotal ally in the war on terror, including an estimated $10 billion from the US until now, is seen as a major factor in the economic revival. Foreign direct investment in Pakistan also increased during the period.
In the domain of external relations, decades of hostility between Pakistan and India — during which they went to war twice and came dangerously close to a third – no longer haunts the region.
The relations have significantly improved; thanks to a peace dialogue initiated by the leadership of the two neighbours in January 2004, a few months after enforcing a ceasefire on the disputed border in Kashmir.
The country has however had to pay a heavy price internally for its continued close partnership with the US in the war against terrorism. Despite military operations and peace deals with militants, unceasing unrest in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan has shown no signs of let up.
The country has been rocked this year by a spate of terrorist attacks including deadly suicide bombings. The situation later worsened in the scenic Swat valley in the northwest where the army is battling a full-scale rebellion by thousands of militants loyal to a deeply orthodox cleric.
Musharraf continues to warn the nation that terrorism and extremism pose a grave threat to the country's survival. Musharraf's political opponents see no end to the dangers stemming from terrorism and extremism until the country is returned to genuine civilian democratic rule.
Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, leader of the Pakistan People's Party, the party with the largest political support, is a leading voice among them. She survived twin bombings that wreaked havoc among crowds that turned up to welcome her home in Karachi on October 18 after eight years in exile, leaving around 140 people dead and hundreds injured.
No tangible results have so far emerged from a probe that was ordered by the government, which rejected Bhutto's demand for forensic experts from US to join the investigations.
The soldier-president facilitated Bhutto's return to domestic politics after prolonged secret negotiations with her under Washington's prodding. The US has backed a power-sharing deal between them as a way for Musharraf to tide over a crippling political crisis confronting the key ally.
But reconciliation seemingly came to an abrupt halt when, facing a possible Supreme Court verdict against the legality of his controversial October 6 election, Musharraf in his capacity as army chief imposed emergency rule and suspended the constitution on November 2.
Under the extra-constitutional clampdown akin to martial law, many protesting lawyers, political workers and human rights and civil society activists were jailed.
Judges of the top court, including chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, were sacked under a provisional constitution order. The general also curbed the media, blacking out independent television channels.
Several have since been restored amid a national uproar, but only after they accepted adherence to a government media code. Two leading channels that did not had their satellite transmission cut off.
The pre-emergency Supreme Court had been on a collision course with Musharraf after it overturned in March his move to sack Chaudhry for alleged misconduct and reinstated him in the wake of nationwide agitation by lawyers and the opposition.
In August the court fired another salvo when it upheld exiled Sharif's “inalienable right'' to re-enter his homeland and remain in the country. Despite the court's order, when Sharif returned on September 10, he was taken to a special plane at Islamabad airport and flown to Saudi Arabia, while police cracked down on his party workers and supporters.
The opposition parties, now in the process of exploring a possible united front in a bid to dislodge the beleaguered ruler, have threatened they could boycott the polls under emergency rule.
The general however is apparently determined to carry on with the electoral process. He has installed caretaker governments at the centre and in the four provinces of his choice to oversee the elections.
But most observers feel elections without a reversal of the status quo would, if at all held, only augment Pakistan's deepening political crisis.
Even key leaders from the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League have called for lifting of the emergency. Echoing the overwhelming popular sentiment, US deputy secretary of state John Negroponte said publicly after talks with Musharraf that polls under the emergency would not be credible.
People across the country are perturbed by the state of uncertainty, amid rising fears of polarisation, tensions and conflict in the months ahead.
Share this article
News Editor's choice
-
A year after 173 defenceless people were killed
Mumbai itself is far from safe from another deadly attack, even though the level of security consciousness of the average Mumbaikar has been raised since 26/11
-
Nato supports Obama's plea
European and other allies to send around 6,000 troops to Afghanistan
-
Official confirms mayor is the suspect
Many witnesses have come forward, justice secretary says
-
Into an oasis of values
A place to snuggle in the warmth of old manners away from the bustle of city life
