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Rule of Law Is More
Important Than Continuity of Policies
Who were the biggest law
violators in the history of Pakistan? Four Pakistani generals:
Ayub, Yahya, Zia and Pervez Musharraf. Did any of them receive
any punishment for violating the land of the law? No.
What is common among them?
They all took over Pakistan
illegally—they all wanted to establish real democracy—and they
all wanted continuity of policies.
What do they mean by continuity
of Policies?
They all wanted to perpetuate
their rule in the name of continuity of policies, but they
perpetuated only one policy—the continuity of military rule.
Is continuity of policies such a
wise thing that military generals should be allowed to break
law, violate the peoples’ rights, and destroy national
institutions?
No. The world is always
changing. The terms and conditions change. The circumstances
change. There is nothing permanent under the sun. Societies are
living organs. They need to change in order to respond the
changing conditions around them.
General Musharraf talks about
the continuity of policies, but he changed several of his
policies within last 5 years. When he came to power, he
supported Taliban and Kashmiri militants, but changed his
policies towards both of them. Instead of supporting them he
aligned with the international forces that wanted to destroy
them. If general changed his own policies where is the
continuity of policies?
Of course, it is not the
continuity of policies; it is general Musharraf’s hold on power
which he does not want to relinquish at any cost. His
predecessors did the same thing. The held on to power until they
were forced either by the circumstances or by the people.
Will general Musharraf leave
honorably?
It is an open question for
anyone. None of his predecessors left voluntarily, possibility
is he will not leave either.
Continuity of policy is a
charade that general Musharraf is using to perpetuate his
illegitimate rule over Pakistan.
More over, it is rule of law
that is more important than continuity of policies. Rule of law
sustains only if the custodians of law—or the personnel working
for the law enforcement agencies, respect and enforce law. If
they start breaking the law by themselves, the law becomes a
mockery exactly the way it has become in Pakistan on the hands
of law violating generals.
The people of Pakistan need to
know that outlaw forces are not going to respect the rule of law
on their own. The people need to stand-up in support of the
constitution, rule of law and democracy.
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