Pakistan ex-President Pervez Musharraf visit: Return of the general

Dubai: The lure of power to those who have known it, breathed it and lived it is too hard to resist to the dismay of wisdom sheathed in the more prudent garb of caution. Of course there are nobler aspirations for those willing even to risk their lives in this eternal quest of the limelight in some cases.

Take for example Pakistani former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf who has, defying all odds including a threat from the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan to send him to hell, returned to his country after four years of self-imposed exile. Arriving in Karachi, Musharraf’s rejoinder to both the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) for the dismal state of affairs Pakistan’s commercial capital had lapsed into should prepare politicians for more belligerent sound bites in the coming weeks.

No doubt there is much excitement on the political front before the elections on May 11. Tumbling in a day after Pakistani politician former cricketer Imran Khan’s massive rally in Lahore, Musharraf’s latest venture is likely to add further zing. He has about two weeks to avoid arrest, having been granted pre-arrest bail in three major cases: the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti and for a “case involving the ‘house arrest’ of superior court judges who refused to take a fresh oath under the Provisional Constitution Order 2007", according to Pakistani media.

Ironically, the biggest beneficiary of Musharraf’s infamous National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) is President Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto’s widower who is likely to face increased pressure from the PPP ranks to pursue Musharraf for alleged involvement in her killing.

Eager for change

Considering the circumstances, Musharraf’s return may prove his biggest mistake. But the general prides himself on his courage and taking risks, some which proved costly for Pakistan such as the Kargil stand-off with India. His optimism derives from the fact that Pakistani people are fed up with the current politicians who have stripped them of even the façade of a respectable decent living in the past five years with the rulers having broken all records of economic mismanagement. Coupled with the breakdown in law and order and poor governance, the people are eager for change.

Musharraf may be banking on the time that has elapsed between his rule and return which is a significant period for memories to dull and past grievances to mellow, but will he be able to garner political support? Will the electorate want to repose faith in Musharraf — who is hated in some quarters for engineering the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) and his role in the Lal Masjid operation — when there are people such as Imran Khan and Minhajul Quran International’s chief Tahir Ul Qadri around. They may have already grabbed the thunder Musharraf could have worked in his favour. As the saying goes life and death is in God’s hands but Musharraf’s safety is something which will put a burden on the caretaker government of Mir Hazar Khan Khoso.