Succession and transition in the subcontinent's all sorts of dynasties have quite often been not smooth and problem-free and claimants continue to challenge the successor for a long time.
About three decades ago, the charismatic and mercurial founder Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party Zulfikar Ali Bhutto named his eldest daughter Benazir Bhutto as his political successor. However, his son Mir Murtaza Bhutto continued to challenge the succession and leadership of his sister till his murder in Karachi in late October, 1996.
Benazir Bhutto, who led the party for three turbulent decades of her life, was assassinated on December 27, 2007 in Rawalpindi after she addressed an election rally. Benazir had willed that her spouse Asif Ali Zardari would lead the party in case of her death.
Zardari became the Co-Chairman the of PPP on December 30, 2007 and the Central Executive Committee of the party ratified his succession. However political analysts say that the selection of a candidate for the post of the prime minister by the single largest PPP parliamentary party seems to be a greater challenge than many anticipated earlier.
Though other main parties in the National Assembly, Pakistan Muslim League (N), Awami National Party and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, have stated that they would support any members whom the PPP name for the office of the prime minister. But at least four candidates are actively lobbying for the prime minister's slot and there seems serious difference in the party on this issue.
Political observers say that the difficulties are understandable in view of the fact that Benazir Bhutto, who dominated the party for the last almost 30 years, was such a towering personality that no party leader could dare challenge her decisions.
They point out that people rejected Z.A. Bhutto's closest confidants and old party stalwarts like Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, Mumtaz Bhutto, Ghulam Mustafa Khar and other "uncles" once they challenged Benazir's leadership in the past.
They say that there is no leader of Benazir's stature and calibre in the party, who finds himself pitted against crucial challenges at a critical time when he gets the chance to lead the national and at least one provincial government after a gap of almost 12 years.
A power tussle is going on between Asif Ali Zardari and Senior Vice-Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim, who is also President of the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians, which is registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan for the purpose of contesting the elections.
Officially, it is the PPPP and not the PPP, which matters and President Pervez Musharraf can invite Makhdoom Amin Fahim as head of PPPP in the National Assembly to form the government. Executive Director of Pildat Ahmad Belal Mahboob says that the Parliament will face serious challenges after the routine business of electing the top three elected office-holders, Speaker, Deputy Speaker and the prime minister, is completed.
The third session may take up some of the most critical business, which sets the direction of the new government and possibly decide the fate of the Assembly, the President and the political stability in the country. Going by what Pakistan Peoples Party had announced earlier, it is expected that the Assembly will commence the third session by passing a resolution, calling upon the United Nations to undertake an independent investigation into the assassination of PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto on December 27, 2007 at Rawalpindi.
The resolution may carry the symbolic, but a great significance as it may be perceived as an expression of no trust in the ability or will, or both, of the state institutions to carry out a credible investigation into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
Mahboob says it was another matter for Pakistan Peoples Party to demand an investigation by the UN when it was in the opposition; it is entirely a new scenario to seek the UN investigation when the party heads the ruling coalition and its nominee is the prime minister of the country.
The same session may see the tabling and possibly the passage of a resolution, calling upon the government to reinstate the Supreme and High Court judges deposed following the "declaration of the state of emergency" on November 3, 2007 by General Pervez Musharraf in his capacity as the Chief of Army Staff.
He anticipates that a bill may also be introduced in the Assembly seeking to validate the extra-constitutional acts of the period of "Emergency" declared on November 3, 2007 by the then Chief of Army Staff, General Pervez Musharraf.
Past precedents suggest that each extra constitutional act, including the removal of Nawaz government by General Musharraf on October 12, 1999, was brought before the next Parliament, seeking validation and indemnity by a two-third majority of both the houses.
A similar bill, if brought before the 13th National Assembly, stands the chance of being defeated unanimously for the first time in the history of the country. The defeat of such a bill may not only mean that all actions following the "declaration of emergency" of November 3 are pronounced invalid by the Assembly, leading also to restoration of the deposed judges, but it will also be a powerful step towards establishing the rule of law in a country, which has seen the abrogation of two Constitutions (1965 and 1962) and suspension of the 1973 Constitution thrice (1977, 1999 and 2007).
He says that these possible resolutions and the bill are indicators of some of the challenges the 13th National Assembly may be facing in the very early stages of its life. The signals emanating from the Presidency and the post-November 3 Supreme Court point towards a rough ride ahead for the Assembly.
On the other hand, a determined bar and citizens' groups want to see no delay in the reinstatement of the deposed judges; certainly not beyond the 30-day deadline set by the two largest coalition parties themselves. He said that the deadline would expire on April 15.
These and the other long-term challenges to establish the primacy and supremacy of the Parliament in the political system of the country would require that the people stand firmly by the Parliament - to give it the strength in the challenges ahead and to convey their feelings to the parliament when needed.
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