A U-turn for national conciliation

ALL political parties were pleasantly surprised when ruling party secretary-general Syed Mushahid Husain recently stood up in the Senate to propose national reconciliation. Since Mr Husain, like other members of the ruling party, is not supposed to say anything against government policy, his statement and that too in parliament was interpreted as a change of heart on the part of the power wielders.

Some subsequent developments strengthened the impression that the government was going to extend an olive branch to its opponents to start a new era of peace and harmony.

Mr Asif Ali Zardari was set free after some eights years in prison. Then, exiled PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto said that she had received some (conciliatory) signals from the government. PML-N president and former Punjab chief minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif also confirmed that he was in indirect contact with the rulers.

Ruling party sources gave clear indications that things were going in the right direction and the exiled leaders of both the PPP and the PML-N would be given concessions. Those privy to behind-the-scenes developments had said that while Mr Asif Zardari would have a free hand to lead the party, the government would also allow Mr Shahbaz Sharif to come to Pakistan and take part in politics. The plan was that the two major parties of the ARD should counter each other. A soft approach in due course of time towards Ms Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif was also not being ruled out, but it was to be unveiled at some later stage.

But before the contacts could lead to a concrete and positive outcome, President Musharraf said the government was discussing only the post-2007 arrangement with the PPP. (The PPP is demanding general election during the current year, in which the government plans to hold local elections.)

Then came a statement from PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Husain that so far there had been no agreement with the PPP on any issue and that no general election would be held before 2007. His logic was interesting: if previous governments had been violating the Constitution by holding premature elections, this did not mean the present government should do the same.

This was perhaps the first time that the head of the ruling party had termed early elections a violation of the Constitution.

Mian Nawaz Sharif ruled out a deal with the present rulers, saying the period of tribulation would soon be over and agreement at this point would be like breaking one’s fast just before sunset.

All this shows that it is hard to foresee the shape of things to come. The ARD and the MMA are preparing themselves for a movement, but the government is confident that the two alliances, separately or together, will not be able to mount enough pressure to pull down the set up.

National reconciliation is not possible without the government and opposition parties softening their stated positions. And since the government is better placed to give concessions, it should take the initiative. President Musharraf, who has already taken some U-turns to improve relations with Afghanistan and India, should take another bold policy decision to make the political atmosphere in the country tension-free. He should go more than half-way to bring an end to the state of confrontation.

Mainstream leaders Benazir Bhutto, Mian Nawaz Sharif and Mian Shahbaz Sharif should be allowed to return home so that they can play their role in national politics. It is an irrefutable fact that the two former prime ministers are the real leaders of their respective parties. And it is against the country’s dignity that they should be portrayed as corrupt or unacceptable. They should be allowed to return home. Their capabilities and influence should be used for the good of the country. Any differences with them should be settled at home.

The provision barring a twice-elected prime minister from going for a third term should also be done away with. In parliamentary democracies, there is no room for such restrictions. It is the sovereign right of the people to decide who their ruler should be.

Under the relevant rules, an army chief has to step down after completing his three-year tenure. Gen Musharraf has already completed two terms in uniform. If he wants politicians not to go for a third term, he should first set an example. He should give up his office of army chief, even if there is no pressure on him from his institution to do so and even if he enjoys the backing of countries that have given themselves the right to define ‘democracy’.

Pakistan, in the times ahead, may have to take some tough decisions in the wake of the US-Iran stand-off and for the settlement of the Kashmir issue. The government should have a bipartisan policy on these issues. And such a policy cannot be evolved without taking opposition parties and their leaders along.

At times, various ruling party leaders argue that the system would destabilize if the exiled leaders are allowed to come back. This argument holds no water. The system is shaky even with these leaders away from the country. And this should be a matter of concern to everybody that the system is so vulnerable that it can collapse with the return home of a few politicians.

On the other hand, Gen Musharraf should be worried that he has lost political support during the past five years. When he had toppled the PML government, all political parties were with him because of their opposition to Mr Nawaz Sharif. And now except for a PML group and a few tiny parties and splinter groups, all his supporters of that time have turned into adversaries.

By taking all political parties along, he will not only be stabilizing the political system but also his own position.