CURRENT TOPICS: Musharraf at crossroads

Musharraf is essentially a soldier. But now he is aiming at becoming a scholar and a statesman. Circumstances perhaps not of his own choosing turned him into a politician - not a very successful one, going by the record. Notwithstanding his military background he espouses democracy. He maintained that democracy as prevalent during BB and Nawaz times was a sham, and was determined to introduce squeaky clean, pure and genuine democracy starting from the grassroots.
His military experts chalked out a programme of local self-government. It was designed in cool and clean air-conditioned offices and has failed to withstand the heat and the hurly-burly of reality. Barring exceptions the Nazims are incompetent and ill equipped to shoulder the responsibilities. Most tend to be corrupt - in the same mould as the senior legislator in the provinces and the centre. Moreover, the bureaucrats resent encroachment on their powers and spare no efforts to make the system unworkable. It is basically sound but has failed to takeoff for reasons given.
When Musharraf was pressurised to hold general elections he wanted to ensure "Selection" of politicians loyal to him who would obediently endorse policies and programmes as envisaged by him for the governance of the country. Creation of a King's party, rehabilitation of Mullahs in politics and constitutional reforms were all steps in this direction. The result has been a royal mess. The democracy now in place is disfunctional, the MMA disobedient as also disorderly and the political reforms a disaster.
Pragmatism may dictate otherwise but in practice the military civilian mixture is unpalatable. During the last 4 and a half years economy may have improved in a macro sense but the people are getting poorer. Corruption is controlled at the top but is rampant everywhere else in the administration. It was expected that with military calling shots exemplary law and order would be maintained and criminal activities eliminated. But alas, the endemic excesses under Hudood laws and Karo-Kari practices continue unabated to the detriment of our women folk.
Above all sectarian violence and acts of terrorism have multiplied manifolds. The daring repeated assassination attempts against Musharraf himself make a mockery of our Intelligence Agencies and Security Organisations. The army has failed to subdue the tribals in its attempt to deport the foreign terrorists under their protection and Pakistan is confronted with a setback in the rapprochement process with India with the change of government in that country.
It seems in this respect we are back to square one. It is apparent that all these concerns have transformed Musharraf a man of action to a man of words. Of late he is making long-winded speeches. Of particular interest was the recent one at OIC seminar at Islamabad. Apart from the fact that he has propounded the strategy of "Enlightened, Moderate and Tolerant Islam" for the umpteenth time he has not done anything concrete to improve his image in Pakistan lately.
He seems to be assuming the role of Khalifat-ul-Muslameen a-la Zia-ul-Haq who had ambition to become the leader of the Ummah as he regarded himself "Mard-e-Momin, Mard-e-Haq" - a fundamentalist devotee of Islam. Musharraf is cast in a different mould. He is all for secularism and democracy. The way he is going about "Enlightened, Moderate, and Tolerant Islam" to solve the woes of the Muslim world, he would have us believe that he is the inventor of the slogan. As a matter of fact since 9/11 when in the eyes of the West Islam became synonymous with violence and terrorism many a religious scholars and thinkers have been saying the same thing viz. Islam stands for peace. It preaches brotherhood, equality and justice without distinction of colour, caste, creed or race. Killing of a human being is strictly prohibited except in self-defence. Under the circumstances those who defy these precepts are misguided and not true Muslims. As late as last year during the OIC conference held in Malaysia the ex-Prime Minister Mahathir Muhammad spoke at length on the subject.
History is replete with acts of terrorism committed by individuals and groups belonging to different tribes, nationalities and religions. However in modern times terrorism is exclusively linked with the people of Palestine fighting for their land and the Arabs of the Middle East as also Muslims elsewhere who support them.
The Jews who have usurped the rights of the Palestinians and their state Israel is the main target. By extension the west in general and America in particular who created the bastard state for their own economic and political interests and keeps it alive with financial and military assistance are considered enemies. With the emergence of the organisation of al-Qaeda this war of terrorism has spread worldwide to include quite a few Muslim countries whose rulers kowtow to US and UK for personal aggrandisement.
Unable to defeat America because of its superior military power and security establishment, al-Qaeda and its sympathisers have turned to the countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan etc., considered friends of America. As a result more Muslims than foreigners are killed around the world.
Pakistan is additionally, prey to sectarian violence which though indigenous has become complex with the influx of Taliban from Afghanistan and al-Qaeda adherents from other Middle East countries. Facing political instability within the country, this ongoing terrorism has put Musharraf between a rock and a hard place. Unable to control the situation at home he has taken to philosophising about sophisticated two prong strategies to resolve the confrontation between the West and the Muslim world. I believe nothing much is likely to come out of it, unless Islamic countries put their own houses in order by improving the lot of the people through enfranchisement and emancipation.