Another sad day for Pakistan!
Another proof that Zardari was not just academically unqualified to lead Pakistan out of its multiple crises, he is also unqualified as a president, the uniting force of a federal state. That he lacks a political vision for Pakistan has been evident throughout his brief tenure, so his pathetic pursuit of a military dictator's policies can't be lamented forever. But what is the rest of our political leadership thinking? The Prime Minister has condemned the biased decision against Sharif brothers in unambigous terms. Asfandiar Wali sounds even more enraged and has not minced words. Imran Khan has never been afraid of speaking his mind, and he has shown no surprize. Qazi Sahib, quite predictably, is beside himself. Even the Choudhries from Gujrat, who now have a golden opportunity to grab, don't seem too happy for such short-sighted decisions have repurcussions that can also wrap unsuspecting hopefuls in their onslaught. Of course, the only person who hasn't condemned this politically motivated decision is Altaf Hussain, the nominator-in-chief of Asif Ali Zardari.
Isn't it a huge irony that Faiz sang songs of doing away with the oppressors and the tyrants all his life, yet it was to be the ignominious lot of Dr. Taseer's brilliantly-educated son, and Faiz Sahib's nephew (through marriage), in the month of Faiz Sahib's birthday, that a civil martial law is imposed upon Faiz Sahib's native province? Once again the hope of able governance, and dedicated service is lost. Once again peoples' voices are being stiffled, their dreams of a peace and prosperity being trampled. And so Faiz Sahib and his vocal wife, Alice probably turn in their graves, while Saleema and Muneeza Hashmi, once brilliantly articulate against dictatorships of all sorts, now silently watch their cousin's fascist politics.
Salman Taseer may not be his father's true son, but same is true of Sanam Bhutto. She had the audacity to hold a nation, so wronged by political adventurers, responsible for her sister and father's murders, but she allowed her father's and sister's sacrifices to be stolen away from right under her nose with blatant lies. She watches, too fearful for her own life (perhaps rightly so), as her father's party disintegrates at the hands of these midgets, and says nothing. Some day, the truth about Benazir's will will come out from her own children, but I refuse to believe that she did not confide in her only sister and her children about the major decisions she was making with her father's and her own political capital, that would have significant consequences for not only her own party, but for her country. Sanam Bhutto has been a coward for not speaking the truth when she could be the most valuable voice people and PPP's faithful workers have wanted to hear. That can perhaps resolve at least one baffling issue for Pakistan: the legitimacy of its current President who has continued playing with the destinty of this country, and why had he really been sidelined by his own wife.
Its also a moment of deep reackoning, of a decisive step for people like Yousuf Gillani and Asfandyar Wali. Do they want to be unwilling witnesses to another chaos, or part their ways with the dishonest and selfish politics of nincompoops. While Mukhdoom Fahim Amin sold his soul to the devil for a mere ministry, this is the moment for Makhdoom Yousuf Raza Gillani, Asfandyar Khan and perhaps the likes of Raza Rabbani to decide how they want to be remembered by history, the most ruthless judge of character.
