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Three years since Nawaz Sharif, an overwhelming-majority drunkard, flushed the democracy down the drain, the dubious return to Democracy is indeed a sigh of relief if not a reason for celebration. However this democracy is quite vulnerable as Musharraf is still hanging on to power with the National Security Council as his lethal weapon. Many still believe true democracy will return when Musharraf leaves office in 5 years, hopefully that is. Many politicians have denounced the Legal Framework Order [LFO] but like it or not, LFO is how they have come to sit in the parliament and rejecting it would mean self rejection. All in all, the return to democracy is as sham as our political process and one cannot hope for any miracles from this Parliament, as always though.

Remote Control Politics

Pakistan's major political parties are themselves constrained by leaders sitting abroad with remotes in hands. For each step Amin Fahim takes in Islamabad, Benazir Bhutto is informed in London or Dubai. Same goes for PML[N] and MQM. The MMA seem to be rather free of such problems but holding the alliance together in all its decisions is even worse. The PML[Q] however holds no opinions of its own and follows direct commands issued from Islamabad.

With so many puppets in the act, there was bound to be confusion all along. October polls produced a hung parliament, the politicians failed to find common ground, and Musharraf was again forced to intervene. Jamali was promised the premiership even if it meant restoring the 1973 Constitution without a key Article in effect that banned any MNA from taking stand against the party he/she got elected from. This enabled the government in buying out loyalties from other parties, PPP's Faisal Saleh Hayat was just one of them.

One intresting thing noticed in Islamabad is how mainstream politicians are staying away from the seat of power. Shujaat Hussain, Amin Fahim and Qazi Hussain Ahmed, all have led their parties to the Parliament but have not contested for the PM. This could very well mean their unwillingness to work with Musharraf or rather, work 'for' Musharraf.

Mir Jamali, the new PM holds an important task at hand which is the real transfer of power to the civilian government. Musharraf has just only begun to withdraw. The Military government during these past 3 years has encroached upon all major government institutions and establishing civilian rule and soverignity could take months if not years.

.:: VERDICT ::.

Filed on November 21st 2002.