‘Benazir Bhutto is fighting for democracy within the global village of democratic forces. It is difficult at the moment, but she is doing a wonderful job for Pakistan,’ says her imprisoned husband Asif Ali Zardari
THE struggle of Pakistan People’s Party has always been for democracy in the country and against the establishment’s unconstitutional efforts to stifle it, says Asif Ali Zardari, who has been behind bars for God knows how many years.
Though efforts were made by Dawn Magazine to establish contact with PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto to get her views on the completion of five years of President Pervez Musharraf’s rule, nothing came to fruition in view of her constant engagements on the international stage. Asif Zardari, who has now spent a lot more years in prison than most politicians, was picked up as the next option. The following are the excerpts:
Q. Five years ago, your party, along with others in the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), were active seeking Main Nawaz Sharif’s ouster. Though he facilitated his own ouster by sacking General Musharraf, the purpose of the GDA also stood achieved. Looking back, how does your party justify the movement against Mr Sharif?
A. Writers of contemporary history and political analysts and commentators, including, I might add, stalwarts in his own party, do not disagree on Nawaz Sharif being a product of the establishment. He was groomed and tutored by it and given a silver spoon. We, in the GDA, were struggling against the establishment, and its attempts to stifle democratic voices. Nawaz Sharif was merely the establishment’s garb. Today, the new face of the establishment is Pervez Musharraf, and our struggle goes on for people’s right to determine their own destiny.
Q. Your party leaders and workers are convinced that a movement against General Musharraf will not be possible unless Benazir Bhutto returns home. This leads some to conclude that by deciding to stay away, she is giving time to the general. What do you think?
A. Let me first say that your presumptions that Ms Bhutto is staying away, and that this is helping General Musharraf to stay in power, are not correct. Look at me. I have been incarcerated for over eight years without justification. I have not been able to get justice because the institution of the judiciary has been kept under a thumb. Is it, therefore, unreasonable of Ms Bhutto not to expect justice under this political dispensation?
Under these circumstances Ms Bhutto is fighting for democracy within the global village of democratic forces. It is an inter- connected world, and in it they help each other when democratic situations are under threat.
However, after 9/11, certain priorities have temporarily changed. The essence, a democratic system, one without a noose tied to it, is a global demand. It is difficult at the moment, but Benazir is doing a wonderful job for all democratic forces in Pakistan.
In Pakistan, political parties, groups and individuals are very much alive. They have kept the establishment on the run and this can be seen by the changing colours of the establishment. Its tactics are becoming more and more extreme which shows its desperation. The people are also aware of it. This shows that Pakistan People’s Party and some others have succeeded in creating an awareness that dictatorships by definition do not work for the people. Eventually such diversions will not remain an option. Benazir has achieved this just by staying abroad.
Q. If your party can join hands with the PML(N) despite all past differences, why cannot you take a similar initiative and cooperate with the present government to give the country a stable political system?
A. If you support dictatorships, you basically condemn democracy to death, and with that you kill the hopes and aspirations of the people, and with that die nations.
By staying away, we will not be held responsible for the inherent decay that comes with dictatorships. We are the check on the establishment and are proving to the world that only a true representative government can face and solve political problems.
Q. Hypothetically speaking, what would have been the situation if Mr Sharif had not sacked General Musharraf?
A. Nawaz Sharif would have had to go for an early elections because of the GDA movement, and he would have lost that election.
Q. Do you think Mr Sharif was justified in removing General Musharraf as the army chief?
A. The Constitution of Pakistan clearly gives the prime minister the authority to remove and appoint the army chief, and that is all there is to it.
Q. The country’s two most powerful parties, the PPP and the PML(N), are unable to mount enough pressure on General Musharraf to quit. In such a situation, what future do you see for the democratic system?
A. Look at the power of a democratic system. Even a dictator, after abrogating the Constitution, had to hold an election to seek legitiamcy. So powerful are the forces of democracy that the dictator had to rig the election in order to subvert the will of the people and thereby justify his existence. Democracy dictated the dictator’s actions.
Having said that, with a 1.2 million standing army, wresting power from the army was never going to be easy. However, if we all join hands and struggle for our ideals, in time we will win. That is the destiny of democracy, but we have to pay a price for it.
Q. You have been together with the PML(N) in the ARD for quite some time. In the next elections will the two parties be allies or rivals?
A. The hope of a purely democratic tomorrow keeps me going. I foresee a multi-party system for a stable Pakistan. The collective struggle for democracy against dictatorship proves that political parties can co-exist.
Q. Who do you think is responsible for bringing the country to the present situation when most vital powers of the prime minister have gone to the president?
A. The establishment and its allies, all those who want to see a weaker Pakistan are responsible for the present situation.
Q. How do you see the performance of General Musharraf during the past five years?
A. The general has made every institution weaker. By suffocating Pakistan he has stopped the growth of the people. This is leading us towards disaster. The people and their institutions grow together. In a dictatorship you are allowed to write, but in a democracy it is never a question of being allowed. By controlling expressions you stop growth.
Dictatorship is not good even for an institution. Dictators by definition are insecure and this feeling leads to cronyism. This makes institutions and individuals subservient and promotes mediocrity which is killing the nation.
‘Benazir Bhutto is fighting for democracy within the global village of democratic forces. It is difficult at the moment, but she is doing a wonderful job for Pakistan,’ says her imprisoned husband Asif Ali Zardari
