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Undermining democracy

As two deadly bomb explosions in the garrison town of Rawalpindi on September 4, signalled the intensifying spread of deadly terrorism in Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf’s claim to be serious about tackling the extremist challenge appears increasingly untenable. General Musharraf argues that he is seeking to mobilise democratic forces against the jihadis in moves such as his attempt to reach an understanding with the Pakistan People’s Party. These assertio ns lack credibility especially as everybody knows that the primary aim of this move is to ensure General Musharraf’s own continuity in office, even as his moral authority is fast ebbing in Pakistan. There is some truth in the argument that a counter-terrorism strategy can succeed only if it has both political and military components. But success would be possible only if each of the components works effectively within its own sphere. Political parties will not be able to defeat terrorists in the battle for hearts and minds unless they can demonstrate that they are steadfast champions of the public interest. The PPP’s effectiveness as an instrument of mass mobilisation would be reduced considerably if it is seen as being willing to enter into unprincipled compromises with an unpopular military ruler. The data from recent surveys of public opinion underscore this reality. According to these polls, Nawaz Sharif, who has openly challenged the military-based regime, is by far the most popular leader.

In trying to co-opt the PPP, which could otherwise be a political force of some credibility in the struggle for democracy in Pakistan, General Musharraf is not mobilising political forces for the campaign against terror but is in fact undermining them. In these circumstances, Benazir Bhutto’s approach is highly retrograde. She was given a rare chance to work with other political parties to establish a sound democratic order in Pakistan. Today, a vast majority is no longer willing to put up with the military’s proclivity to intervene in politics and governance. As the mass movement for the re-instatement of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has shown, the people are more than ready to fight for their democratic rights. This is the right moment for the political parties to come together and prevail upon the non-democratic components of the power structure to subscribe to a constitutional order. Ms. Bhutto was on course when she made an agreement with Mr. Sharif to work towards such an objective. But the PPP leader has unfortunately succumbed to the temptation of political shortcuts, indicating an undemocratic preference for power derived from the army’s patronage and with Washington’s blessings. For its part, the United States has weakened the campaign against terror by its implicit endorsement of the Musharraf-Bhutto power deal.

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