Focus on Pakistan

At the time of writing this column, Pakistan is set to revert to civilian rule after almost eight years under military power.

The just concluded elections although not throwing up a conclusive winner has opened up the scope of a coalition Government between the PPP of late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her one-time nemesis Nawaz Sharif.

Bhutto and Sharif patched up differences - on the surface at least-in their common objective ousting the military regime and return Pakistan to multi-party democracy.

With the demise of Bhutto the mantle fell on Sharif to take forward the battle alongside Bhutto’s widower Asif Ali Zardari although there has been no overt liaison between the duo.

Now both parties have emerged almost on par in the polls results, virtually bulldozing away Musharraf allies , making for a tantalising prospect in the turbulent political history of Pakistan.

However it is still early days to predict the configurations of the unfolding developments in the notoriously fractious polity, with the shadow of the military always hanging over the elected political establishment.

But for all too short periods Pakistan has been under Military rule since partitioning over 60 years ago.

Early signs however augur well for democracy with the new head of the Pakistan’s Army, General Ashfaq Kiani ordering the military to end it’s role in politics on the eve of elections seen as a reversal of President’s Musharraf’s policy.

However with the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League(PML) swept away by the combined juggernaut of the PPP and Sharif’s PML-N it is interesting to see how Musharraf would respond to the formidable challenge to his Presidential power now shorn off it’s military clout.

Already there are moves by the new dispensation to impeach him - a most likely scenario considering that one of the planks of the Nawaz Sharif elections platform was to restore the status quo of the Pre-emergency composition of judiciary headed by Justice Iftikhar Choudhry who is already under virtual house arrest.

The PPP under Benazir Bhutto was widely believed to have had a working arrangement with Musharraf and there was signs of a rapprochement until the declaration of the Emergency soured relations.

On the face of it both Sharif and Zardari are gunning for Musharraf and the apparent neutrality displayed by the military at present may provide them with the opening they need to accomplish their ultimate mission of ridding the state of all vestiges of military power.

In the coming days the world no doubt would be treated to intriguing prospects as manoeuvres and counter manoeuvres play themselves out as is always the lot with Pakistani politics.

The overwhelming verdict of the people which has largely been put down as an anti Musharraf backlash may also be the main factor that would decide the fate of the Ex-military ruler.

Even if there was a perceived thawing of relationship between Benazir and Musharraf it is hardly unlikely that there would be any let-off by Sharif who considers Musharraf his bete noire for having him ousted in a coupe ,tried for treason and placed in death row.

There is bound to be a lot of give and take before the final cementing of the coalition and it would also be interesting to see how far General Musharraf will figure in the equation.

There would no doubt be a deluge of comments, observations and theories propounded by Pakistan watchers on the unfolding scenario.

However we in Sri Lanka should be happy that democracy has triumphed in the domain of one our erstwhile friends and the people’s voice had prevailed overcoming the threat of suicide bombs and saboteurs bent on destroying civilised way of life.

It is heartening to note that the polls was by and large free and fair perhaps due to the overwhelming tide of anti establishment feeling.

Moreover it went on to prove that the democratic instinct had not been dormant in Pakistan throughout its years under military rule and the people had been waiting with expectation for an outlet to demonstrate their free will.

As for Sri Lanka, being a thriving democracy it can only be happy with the triumph of the people’s mandate over machinations of extremists to subvert the will of the people - an experience not entirely alien to this country.

Especially as a member state of SAARC we would now be in a better position to address common issues facing our people based on common ground and in a common language.

Not that there was no rapport between the two countries under the earlier dispensations. In fact Pakistan has been a true friend of Sri Lanka for all seasons.

Based on the healthy bi-lateral trade and cultural and economic ties Pakistan has also never shied away from coming to the assistance of Sri Lanka in it’s hour of need especially in it’s fight against terrorism through the supply of military hardware and related assistance.

No doubt the Lankan Government would be keen to promote and foster existing ties with the new dispensation in Pakistan.

There will now be added scope for expanding and developing these ties under a democratic framework that will come into being. No opportunity should be lost in cultivating and expanding existing by-lateral ties with a true friend of Sri Lanka as Pakistan has always been.