Pakistan has survived many odds but the recent phenomenon of
growing extremism, sectarian killing, elimination of political opponents and
even the killing of doctors and academicians seems part of the grand agenda to
plunge the country deep into anarchy. If the road to democracy leads from here,
then it is quite a rough terrain.
Among the South Asian countries, Pakistan has the second
largest population after India. Both the countries got independence from the
British Raj with a difference of one day in August 1947. While India has earned
the distinction of becoming a secular state and one of the largest democracies
of the world, Pakistan has spent most of its time under autocratic rule, both
military and civilian.
The younger generation often wants to know the reasons for
the continuity of democratic rule in India and Pakistan staying under military
rule for a very long time.
They also wish to understand the logic behind the ‘Charter
of Democracy’ (CoD) that was signed between two of Pakistan’s largest political
parties, PPP and PML-N.
There exist two opposite opinions about the CoD: first, it
is an understanding reached between two political parties to avoid yet another military
rule. Second, under the prevailing geo-political situation, the superpowers
wish to keep the reins in the hands of elected representatives rather than
supporting any military rule.
Some cynics say that political parties have learnt a lesson from
the assassination of three elected Prime Ministers i.e. Liaquat Ali Khan,
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto.
They also believe that PPP and PML-N now regret lack of
understanding among themselves which led to dismissal of the governments of
Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto. Nawaz Sharif has earned the distinction of
being elected prime minister for the third time after the assassination of the
charismatic leader, Benazir Bhutto.
Analysts watching geopolitics stringently believe that
superpowers install and topple regimes around the world to pursue their foreign
policy agenda and Pakistan is no exception.
The most talked about personalities are Anwar Sadat of
Egypt, Benigno Aquino of the Philippines, Saddam Hussain of Iraq and General
Zia ul Haq of Pakistan. All these political leaders were assassinated once the
missions assigned to them were accomplished.
To this list, names of Indra Gandhi, prime minister of India
and two Prime Ministers of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujeeb ur Rehman and Zia ur
Rehman could also be added. Sri Lanka has also been a victim of this tyranny.
While it is almost impossible to analyze Pakistan’s history spread
over more than seven decades, one point is very clear – that the three military
rulers were installed by the superpowers to maintain their hegemony in the
region.
The rule of General Mohammad Ayub Khan (1958 to 1969) was
facilitated because of the cold war. At that time Pakistan was made part of the
South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) and the Central Treaty Organization
(CENTO), US-led defense pacts against communism.
After the fall of Dacca, Pakistan had no option but to pull
itself out of SEATO during the regime of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and CENTO died its
natural death in 1979.
At one time, the USSR was highly annoyed and wanted to
attack Pakistan because US spy planes were using an airbase located near
Peshawar to snoop over the Soviet Union.
The second military regime of Zia ul Haq (1977 to 1988) was
support by the US in the name of averting a Soviet attack on Afghanistan,
termed an attempt by the USSR to get access to warm waters. The Afghan war,
spread over nearly a decade, was fought from Pakistan’s GHQ and religious
parties were given money to prepare the breed of Mujahedeen, now often referred
to as the Taliban.
Once the decision was made to pull out the US-led troops in
the belief that the USSR had been defeated, the entire military junta of the
time became redundant. Zia ul Haq and his close generals died when their plane
was blown up.
The killers were so desperate that one of the youngest and
most outstanding ambassadors of the US and a Brigadier General also died as
they were travelling with Zia ul Haq and other generals on the plane.
It is often said that General Pervez Musharraf took over
after a failed attempt of the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif to get rid of
him by not allowing his plane to land in Pakistan. But some cynics say Nawaz
Sharif provided an opportunity to the military to topple his government.
The superpowers may not have liked Pervez Musharraf
initially but he became their darling after he decided to become a partner in
the US war against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
Pervez Musharraf got ‘red carpet’ receptions in the US and
other western capitals for being their frontline partner in ‘war against
terrorism’. He was kept in power till the decision was made to withdraw the
majority of NATO troops from Afghanistan by 2014.
To give legitimacy to his rule, general elections were held
in Pakistan. His exit from power looked a little strange to those who are not
familiar with ‘conspiracy theories’. Some critics say he had also become
redundant like Zia ul Haq.
The formation of an elected government under Pervez
Musharraf was a replica of the elected government led by Mohammad Khan Junejo,
which was termed a ‘legitimization of the Zia regime’ but an unceremonious
dismissal of the Junejo government opened the Pandora’s Box.
Pakistan’s joining hands with the US during the Zia era to
repel the USSR and fighting a proxy war in Afghanistan gave various ‘gifts’ to
the country. These included – religious extremism, drugs and arms.
The presently prevailing precarious law and order situation
in Pakistan can be termed as a combination of these stated elements. The
democracy as prevalent today is also a hostage of these elements.
Some political analysts say that during the latter part of
his regime and prior to the general elections, Pervez Musharraf was advised by
the superpowers to join hands with Benazir Bhutto to ensure continuity of
democratic rule in the country as this could also prolong his rule.
Prior to her landing in Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto was told to
join hands with Pervez Musharraf. But serious differences emerged between
Benazir Bhutto and Pervez Musharraf. She was later assassinated and her widower
Asif Ali Zardari replaced Pervez Musharraf as the President of Pakistan.
It looked like a reenactment of the assassination of Benigno
Aquino in the Philippines and his widow Cory Aquino becoming president of the
country.
Though, the inference is highly sordid but the fact is that politicians in
Pakistan know it very well that if they wish to come to power, they have to pursue
the agenda of superpowers.
It is often an elected or autocratic government but it
remains in power due to the external support that includes financial assistance
from multilateral donors like IMF, World Bank and Asian Development Bank or
arms supplied in the name of ‘maintaining minimum deterrence level’ against
Pakistan’s enemies.
