08-09-2008, 05:30 AM
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Musharraf must go
</b>
Pervez Musharraf must relinquish office in the spirit of cutting his losses before it is too late. As the ruling coalition of democratic forces observed in a communiqué setting out the reasons for instituting impeachment proceedings against the President, he ought to have resigned as soon as his loyalists were drubbed in what was virtually a referendum on military rule. In the months since the February 18, 2008 general election, he has not appeared before parliament t o address it, as required by Article 56 of the Constitution. Retired general Musharraf made a commitment to the Supreme Court, before he was granted a second term by an electoral college, that he would seek a mandate from the federal and provincial legislatures to be formed after fresh elections. Instead of honouring this commitment, he tried to undermine the peopleâs verdict by colluding with the âkingâs party.â The coalition government led by the Pakistan Peopleâs Party might not be a model of efficiency but the claim that the military provided sounder and cleaner governance than democratic forces has been thoroughly discredited. The economy did not improve in any significant way during the eight years of the Musharraf dictatorship. In some areas, such as the power sector, there has actually been deterioration. Although President Musharrafâs failure to combat religious extremism does not figure in the list of charges drawn up against him, this will weigh heavily with the international community as it comes to a final judgment on his performance.
The dictator can still bow out with a fig leaf of dignity if he chooses the non-confrontational path the democratic coalition has wisely left open. Before the impeachment process gets under way, the provincial assemblies, which form part of the electoral college, are expected to adopt resolutions calling on the President to seek a vote of confidence, as he committed himself to do before the Supreme Court. The vote count on the confidence motion will indicate how parliamentarians will line up in the impeachment. The democratic forces are confident they will be able to muster the two-thirds majority â 295 out of 440 members in the Senate and National Assembly combined â necessary to oust the President. The momentum generated by this exercise against a common adversary can help the democratic coalition achieve a coherence and purposiveness that has eluded it so far. The agreement to restore, immediately after the Presidentâs impeachment, all the judges removed through extra-constitutional means will pave the way for Nawaz Sharifâs Pakistan Muslim League (N) to rejoin the government. And that will do a great deal for political stability in Pakistan. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Musharraf must go
</b>
Pervez Musharraf must relinquish office in the spirit of cutting his losses before it is too late. As the ruling coalition of democratic forces observed in a communiqué setting out the reasons for instituting impeachment proceedings against the President, he ought to have resigned as soon as his loyalists were drubbed in what was virtually a referendum on military rule. In the months since the February 18, 2008 general election, he has not appeared before parliament t o address it, as required by Article 56 of the Constitution. Retired general Musharraf made a commitment to the Supreme Court, before he was granted a second term by an electoral college, that he would seek a mandate from the federal and provincial legislatures to be formed after fresh elections. Instead of honouring this commitment, he tried to undermine the peopleâs verdict by colluding with the âkingâs party.â The coalition government led by the Pakistan Peopleâs Party might not be a model of efficiency but the claim that the military provided sounder and cleaner governance than democratic forces has been thoroughly discredited. The economy did not improve in any significant way during the eight years of the Musharraf dictatorship. In some areas, such as the power sector, there has actually been deterioration. Although President Musharrafâs failure to combat religious extremism does not figure in the list of charges drawn up against him, this will weigh heavily with the international community as it comes to a final judgment on his performance.
The dictator can still bow out with a fig leaf of dignity if he chooses the non-confrontational path the democratic coalition has wisely left open. Before the impeachment process gets under way, the provincial assemblies, which form part of the electoral college, are expected to adopt resolutions calling on the President to seek a vote of confidence, as he committed himself to do before the Supreme Court. The vote count on the confidence motion will indicate how parliamentarians will line up in the impeachment. The democratic forces are confident they will be able to muster the two-thirds majority â 295 out of 440 members in the Senate and National Assembly combined â necessary to oust the President. The momentum generated by this exercise against a common adversary can help the democratic coalition achieve a coherence and purposiveness that has eluded it so far. The agreement to restore, immediately after the Presidentâs impeachment, all the judges removed through extra-constitutional means will pave the way for Nawaz Sharifâs Pakistan Muslim League (N) to rejoin the government. And that will do a great deal for political stability in Pakistan. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->