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Concentration of Powers Will
Destroy Pakistan
Chaudhry Shujaat has said, General Musharraf’s experiment
of appointing non-political prime minister will succeed.
General Musharraf did not appoint Shaukat Aziz for the
sake of appointment of non-political prime minister, he appointed him to
maintain his personal control over power. Political prime ministers, no
matter how pliant they are, do have the tendency to raise questions and
general Musharraf does not want anyone should question any of his acts.
Prime Minister Jamali was probably the most pliant prime minister in the
history of Pakistan. He used to refer to general Musharraf as a boss, but
time to time he did make comments which did not set well with self-centered
general. Eventually, he fired him and bending all the regulations appointed
Shaukat Aziz prime minister.
Shaukat Aziz is a non-political prime minister, but
practically general Musharraf is the sole decision maker who has
concentrated all powers in his person. All internal and external policies
circle around general Musharraf. He is the only one who makes all the
decisions. The system he has erected is nothing but a pig with lipstick
which has nothing to do with democracy, constitutionalism or rule of law.
Concentration of state powers in one person’s hands is not only dangerous it
can also lead Pakistan to total destruction and annihilation.
There are people in Pakistan who are benefiting from
general Musharraf’s system; they think it is inevitable due to regional and
international conditions that the general makes all decisions single
handedly. They simply refuse to look at the consequences of concentration of
powers in one person.
Such nincompoops should look at Iraq. Iraq is the best
example with the worst outcome of total concentration of powers in one man’s
hands. Before fall of Baghdad, Saddam Hussein enjoyed ultimate powers. He
was the one who made all the decisions. General Musharraf is as powerful in
Pakistan as was Saddam Hussein in Iraq. The people around Saddam Hussein
almost argued like the people around general Musharraf. Saddam Hussain not
only destroyed himself and the people around him he also caused utter
destruction for his people and country.
The debacle of 1971 was the direct result of
concentration of powers in one person’s hands. In 1971, there was optimum
possibility that general Yahya could totally destroy Pakistan, fortunately
the presence of political set-up, created through 1970 elections, saved the
country and the nation. Otherwise, general Yahya and his collaborators' fate
could not have been any different than Saddam Hussain.
General Musharraf and those who support the concentration
of powers in one person’s hands should learn from the fate of Iraq and
debacle of East Pakistan. In the larger interest of Pakistan, they should
voluntarily reverse this process of concentration of powers, restore 1973
constitution, and allow the popular leadership come back to Pakistan, hold
fresh election and let the broad base political system function in the
country.
Nothing is more dangerous than leaving the fate of the
country in one man’s hands. The sooner Pakistan goes back to 1973
constitution the safer it will become.
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