DR S. AUSAF SAIED VASFI analyses Musharraf’s exit and laments the fact that Islam, in whose name Pakistan was created, has lost its primacy in the collective of Pakistan.
Just scratch your memory to recall under what circumstances Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi, in 1979, left Iran for Egypt where the American protégé, who loved to be called “Arya Mehr” breathed his last? Equally, relevant is the question with regard to the Afghanistan despot, Zahir Shah, another US lackey in the South East Asian region. Why the Afghan king had to flee his country and die a lonely death in a foreign land?
STOOGES
Does the United States not take proper care of its stooges after their use? The question comes under sharper focus after the US refusal for asylum to the former President of Pakistan, Mr. Pervez Musharraf. In his twilight hour as president, the office of American President had stopped to entertain the former’s frantic calls for help, including safe passage. But what help can be extended to a dying dictator? It looks as if ignominy is in the genes of not only Americans but all lackeys.
The United States has, after World War II, without any moral or legal justification, intervened in sovereign countries in which it had no vital interest. Vietnam, Taiwan, Korea, Lebanon and Dominican Republic are some of the past examples of unwarranted American intervention. The latest ones are Afghanistan and Iraq. Add to them the periodic but regular threats to Iran by the rogue state.
RATIONALE
The rationale of the attacks or threats thereof is the US conviction, or call it delusion, that it has a right to change regimes or the leaderships if they happen to be at cross-purposes with the various US interests or those of its allies. Washington has arrogated to itself the right of unilateral strike without any kind of United Nations permission to that effect.
The US is a past master in authoring provocations. When the provoked, who are normally gullible sections of society, protest, they are branded fundamentalists and extremists etc. Maturity, moderacy and tolerance, in the western colonial lexicon, mean stomaching insults to your ideology and your personal or collective dignity. What they, in brief, want is, erasal of Islam from the surface of the earth and an active and positive involvement of Muslims in this exercise the world over. “Not Enough” is the piece of US advice that is frequently dished out to its protégés. President Musharraf too had to regularly receive this dishwater from White House.
ASSASSINATIONS
The US does not hesitate in simply getting liquidated non-conformist heads of state such as the late Sir Abu Bakr Tafawa Balewa and Jumeo Kenyatta, Malik Feisal and Zia-ul-Haq. The US creates lobbies, finances Oppositions and creates false leaderships, hated at domestic level but receiving plaudits abroad.
In his utter foolhardiness, Mr. Musharraf crossed swords with judiciary. The fire that was ignited by this folly refused to be extinguished till the end. It went on spreading and spreading to ultimately transform itself into a full- fledged movement, leaving for him no escape route from impeachment.
The resignation saved Mr. Musharraf’s face and the face of army. But having said that it has to be recorded that this is the first voluntary retirement by a self-centred dictator. Also to be noted is that the Army did not intervene to save its dubious character.
CHARGESHEET
As regards the chargesheet against Mr. Musharraf, more significant crimes can, and could be added to the already long list of his sins of omission and commission. But his most heinous crime is giving deliberate short shrift to the Pakistan ideology, Pakistan philosophy, the very raison d’etre of Pakistan – Islam, which now happens to be the proverbial fifth wheel of the coach. Islam does not enjoy primacy, pre-eminence and prominence in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Islamic Parties do not receive votes enough to form the government. Islam is remembered only in ceremonies at the time of birth, marriage or death. It has ceased to be live, dynamic and all-pervading. (Was it ever like that?) Islam is not agenda-setter in the Islamic Republic. It is not relevant at the decision making process. It is absent from police stations, markets, legislatures and judiciary.
RIGHT ABOUT TURN
And why curse poor Pervez Musharraf alone? Will Mr. Nawaz Sharif or Mr. Asif Ali Zardari usher in Islam over there?
Nothing has changed, and nothing will change without a right-about-turn in the Pakistan society, economics, politics and diplomacy.