Click to play videoPakistan President General Pervez Musharraf on Saturday imposed Emergency in Pakistan citing a wave of Islamic militancy and 'interference' by the country’s judiciary and thereby weakening the Government.
The Emergency has however, only served to deepen Pakistan's political uncertainty.
Meanwhile, the International community has cracked down on Musharraf asking him to leave the country in order to avoid a civil war in Pakistan.
CNN-IBN has learnt that Dutch and British envoys — part of a delegation that was invited to meet Musharraf earlier on Monday — advised Musharraf to reinstate the Chief Justice, hold elections, hand over power to some reliable person and restore democracy.
US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has added more pressure on the General saying that he must quit as the Army Chief, restore the Constitution and ensure free and fair elections, as scheduled.
"We believe that the best path for Pakistan is to quickly return to a constitutional path, and then to hold elections. It is also true that President Musharraf has said that he would take off his uniform, which would be an important step," Rice had stated on Monday.
With the world condemning Musharaff for imposition of a state of Emergency, CNN-IBN sought to answer the question, 'Is Pakistan a failed state?', on the show Face The Nation.
On the panel to try and answer the question was President Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Shahbaz Sharif; Vice-Chancellor Jammu University Amitabh Mattoo; and political and military analyst, Ayesha Siddiqa.
Musharraf Faces International Heat
There is chaos in Pakistan and the US seems to be distancing itself from Musharraf. Musharraf has been constantly critisised but the army has been spared. So in order for Shahbaz Sharif to go back, was some possible deal with the army in the offing?
Shahbaz said that a distinction had to be made between General Musharraf and the army. "It is a question of a few handful of generals who declare martial law. The rank and file of the army is a very disciplined institution and per force they have to follow their Chief," Shahbaz said.
Shahbaz also brought forth the point that on December 12, 1999 how Musharraf after getting power and throwing out Nawaz Sharif’s elected government had vowed to the nation that he would replace a democracy that was a sham with genuine democracy.
"Eight years down the line, Musharaff has bitten the dust and once again imposed martial law against his own government," said Shahbaz.
Nawaz Sharif’s intention was to go back to Pakistan and serve the country, a permission which was given by the Apex Court but was axed by Musharraf’s latest martial law.
However, Shahbaz was quick to point out that Musharraf or not, no one could stop Nawaz from entering the country.
"We want to return to Pakistan and nobody can stop our return. Pakistan is the county of my birth and birthright was given by the Constitution alone. No one can stop me or my brother from entering the country," said Sharif.
Shahbaz said Nawaz was expected to return to London soon, and after a consultation with the party, the two brothers would finalise a plan to return to Pakistan.
"We will be with the people and join the struggle against dictatorship and martial law," he stated.
Shahbaz, apart from being concerned about the present situation of the people of Pakistan, said that it was shameful that the military dictatorship had imprisoned lawyers and politicians. He said that there seemed to be no political space available in Pakistan apart from the army.
Amitabh Mattoo agreed with Shahbaz saying that there was no political space simply because all institutions, including the Pakistani army were weakening.
"The situation at present resembles anarchy. Musharraf seems to have bitten off more than he can chew and it is unfortunate for people in Pakistan and in India as well," said Mattoo.
Given the scale of Pakistan’s problem at the moment including rising inflation, middle class activism and the army creating havoc, a politician may not really be able to solve all problems.
"Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan and we will wage and promote struggle against dictatorship and military rule for democracy and for the rule of law. It is a stupendous and an uphill task but we will work hard and cross over the bridges. We will pay every bit of our blood to recover Pakistan," said Shahbaz.
Will Nawaz Sharif Be The Saving Grace?
However, it is also true that Nawaz Sharif was a protégé of the military establishment, of General Zia ul-Haq and a blue-eyed boy of the ISI as well as the Army. So how would he be any different from Musharraf and his military dictatorship?
Shahbaz said that in a historical perspective, India had escaped military rule long ago but Pakistan lived under the umbrella of martial law for nearly 35 years. "Leaders and politicians could not be expected to rise and serve the country being in a situation like that," he said.
"Nawaz Sharif did start his political career through martial law but he is a very independent democrat now," he added.
Shahbaz said with Pakistan being under martial law, politicians had to negotiate with the army and live under the shadow of the army.
Agreeing with Shahbaz to a certain extent Ayesha Siddiqa said that Pakistan was a military country so most of the politicians were products of one military regime or the other.
However, she said that in spite of an army shadow, politicians could not steer off their course and move away from the regime that produced them.
On the lawyers’ movement against Musharraf, she said, "The lawyers are united but they are a scattered power. The civil society is with them but a lot of people have been beaten into submission. Unfortunate incidents have taken place in Karachi and it is definitely not looking like a development of an independent political movement," said Siddiqa.
The role of the army in Pakistan has led us to believe that Pakistan is a failed state but the Asian regions are not really known for being democratic countries with India as the only exception, so was it a question of worry that Pakistan has so much of influence of the army that it could be a ‘democracy’ in the western sense?
Mattoo agreed that democracy was not a pre-condition for a success or failure of a nation and if that was the case then more than half of the countries in the world would be disqualified as being successes.
"Pakistan has been unique. It is known to have been dependent on the 3As — Allah, America and the Army — but Musharraf seems to have alienated everyone except the army," said Mattoo.
So could there be a move within the army to distance itself from Musharraf and to have someone who was a little more acceptable to the public?
Siddiqa said that Musharraf understands he is creating pressure by his decision. "He is trying to buy himself time, which means that he will get a decision in his favour from his hand-picked judiciary and then doff his uniform," she concluded.
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