General Musharraf still insists on contesting the presidential election in uniform and despite promoting Lt Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani to a four star general and appointing him VCOAS he has not announced a firm date for doffing his own uniform. After the Supreme Court decision dismissing the petitions against his eligibility on technical grounds, the opposition can only take recourse to political measures to challenge the credibility of his election unless of course the apex court springs a surprise while deciding the petitions of the two presidential candidates.
The political options are of two kinds, parliamentary and extra parliamentary. The APDM has decided to employ both simultaneously. Extra parliamentary forms of protests include rallies and marches. The moves made in this direction have so far yielded results which are by no means impressive. Besides the Rawalpindi public meeting which was impressive the opposition alliance has failed to rally around it and the power of the streets.
Hundred and sixty four APDM legislators have tendered resignations from the National Assembly and three Provincial Assemblies. The NWFP Assembly’s future would be decided before October 6. In case the PPP also resigns from the assemblies in protest against his election, the president who needs to be seen as a symbol of the federation will project the image of a partisan representing only the ruling alliance. This will be a blot on his credibility.
To lure the PPP, the ruling alliance has agreed, under pressure from its movers and shakers, to take the bitter pill of providing amnesty to the untried and unconvicted politicians. While this includes Bhutto, the so-called National Reconciliation Ordinance does not extend the amnesty to Mian Nawaz Sharif. The move is thus crafted to simultaneously appease Bhutto and to further divide the opposition. By giving her amnesty, the government has accepted her topmost demand. Taking benefit of the tight position where General Musharraf finds himself, she is now pressing for the next demand on her list which is the withdrawal of the provision disqualifying the prime minister to seek a third tenure.
The legal battle continues unabated in the meanwhile. The lawyers of the two other presidential candidates have requested the Supreme Court to stop the electoral process and the presidential elections. Justice (retd) Wajihuddin Ahmad’s counsel has expressed dissatisfaction over the nine-member bench and called for the constitution of a full court to hear the petition. Mr Fakhrudin G Ibrahim and a number of other prominent lawyers have also made the same request in a letter addressed to the CJ and other SC judges. What the CJ decides at this historic moment would be of crucial importance. Unless the SC issues an injunction to stay the elections, President Musharraf is set to be declared elected president on October 6.
Ms Bhutto has so far only got one of her chief concerns redressed. She has to decide in the PPP’s London meeting whether to join the rest of the opposition and resign from the assemblies or be content with whatever she as got in the bargain. She has in fact shifted her position so frequently on her list of demands that anything is possible.
On August 22 she presented six demands which included doffing the uniform, lifting ban on a third tenure, withdrawing corruption charges, scrapping the graduation condition for legislators, evolving commonly agreed mechanism for elections, deleting Article 58(2)(b) and quashing the NSC. Till early this month she was adamant over not allowing Musharraf to be elected in uniform. Last week she said if the Supreme Court gave him permission and he was elected, she might acquiesce in the situation. There is a perception that she might trade away her democracy-related demands with a possible concession on the issue of third tenure.
If this was to happen, this would strengthen those who maintain that her politics during the exile has centred round a single-minded and unprincipled pursuit of the goal of sharing power with General Musharraf. History had offered an opportunity when a combination of the middle of the road parties led by the PPP could have won a crucial victory in the struggle to end the military’s interference in politics.
Instead of courageously grasping the rich prize, Benazir would be seen to have opted for an easy and sure way of getting a few crumbs of power. That would end whatever appeal she still has for the common man.