Gen. Musharraf's blunders

Photo: AFP

I was shocked to see the oppressed humanity and trampling of the highest chamber of judicial hierarchy in Pakistan by President Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Although I was born decades after the bloody struggle of independence, but my parents told me that the crackdown scene on the streets of Pakistan, telecast by satellite channels, showed profound resemblance to the crackdown on the protesters by the Pak Junta in the former East Pakistan during early 1971. In fact, Gen. Pervez Musharraf through his preemption on the Supreme Court has shown the same level of highhandedness demonstrated by his predecessors-- Gen. Yahya Khan and Gen. Zia-ul Haq. And, we do know what fate the autocrats have to face in the end, one is termed as the most despicable General and the other perishing out in a mysterious flight crash. I must not judge the whole Pak army by a few power-greedy Generals but it seems to me that the mindset of the Generals has not changed much. Alas! Gen. Musharraf has not learnt from history either.
Yes, the situation was really grave with the unprecedented rise of suicide bombings, and that does justify the emergency rule. But the wholesale and unconstitutional removal of dozens of judges of the Supreme Court points to his insatiable lust for power, instead of true intention to fight against terrorism. If he was really sincere in his attempt to curb militancy, he should have united with the judiciary, the civil society, the liberal politicians and people of all strata to combat this monstrous home-grown menace. The vortex of turbulence is he himself. He has completely failed to contain the budding militants. In his tenure so far, militancy has not been defeated, rather it has increased manifold with greater threat to the state of Pakistan. If he was a sensible General, he would have stepped down much earlier conceding failure to combat terrorism and make room for someone more able and prudent.
May good sense prevail in Pakistan.