November 10, 2007	Saturday	Shawwal 28, 1428

LAHORE, Nov 9: Former army chief Gen (retd) Mirza Aslam Beg says the military’s role in politics can only be rolled back by an independent judiciary and political parties working for the restoration of an unadulterated democracy should first pool their energies for the restoration of prestige and dignity of the judges.

He said in the prevailing situation the ‘liberation’ of the judiciary was more important than holding the elections, which, in his opinion, were being called for by the United States more to serve its own interests rather than that of the Pakistan’s.

Talking to Dawn on Friday, Gen Beg said if all parties started working for the independence of the judiciary the government would not be able to hold the courts “captive” any more. He said free from all pressures, the judges would not give judgments under the infamous ‘doctrine of necessity’.

He proposed the formation of a national government for six months or more to clear the deck before holding the next polls. He hastened to add that Gen Musharraf should have no role to play in the proposed set-up as he had already played his innings.

Unless the judges deposed after the promulgation of the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO), or who resigned after March 9 presidential reference against Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, were reinstated, the polls would not serve any useful purpose.

He said the rulers knew the role independent judges and media could play in the days to come and it was for this reason that the ‘second coup’ had been staged against the two pillars of state alone.

Asked what could be the likely feelings of armed forces’ personnel on whatever was happening in the country, Gen Beg said although he knew a lot, he would not like to comment on what’s going on.

However, he said, the only thing that was holding the armed forces was the discipline. “Let that remain at that level, because if that bond breaks that will be a very unfortunate day for the county.”

Gen Beg said the United States wanted Gen Musharraf, the ruling PML, the PPP of Benazir Bhutto, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the JUI-F of Maulana Fazlur Rehman to work together after the upcoming polls. He said the die had been cast and the next elections would be a replication of the 2002 polls except that the PPP would be the new entrant.

He was in agreement with the assertions that Gen Musharraf had gone for the Nov 3 “pre-emptive action” against the judiciary because he was expecting a negative verdict on his eligibility as presidential candidate for a second term. He alleged that emergency had been imposed after getting clearance from the United States. “The elections will be controlled. The government will decide who is to win and who is to lose”.

He said: “If that happens, then Gen Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto will act as a red rag for the people of Waziristan, Swat, Malakand and Balochistan, which will result into a very serious conflict between the government and the elements active in those parts of the country.”