It is indeed a sad irony that while most of us bristle up at the slightest hint of America intervening in our internal affairs, as we should being a self-respecting independent nation like any other, some among us ask American diplomats to do just that when they appear not to be interfering in our domestic politics.
That is what happened when some senior journalists met the US Ambassador, Ryan C. Crocker, at a diplomatic reception in Islamabad on Monday evening, and discussed the state of democracy in this country. He was repeatedly questioned as to what role his country could play in ensuring that the 2007 general election would be free and fair.
He said he was in no position to guarantee that these elections would be free, just, and impartial, but he did offer the commitment that the US, along with some other countries, would keep a close and 'hawk-like' vigil on the next election.
He was reminded that the US Assistant Secretary of State, Christina Rocca, too, had held out an assurance of clean, free and impartial local bodies elections, but that did not happen, and the same may be the case with the general election. The envoy observed that the two elections could not be compared and that the general election would be more important.
The concern about the fairness of elections and the restoration of democracy, as it is understood universally, of course, is well placed. The current political dispensation, in fact, leaves a lot to be desired. There are several important democratic issues that need to be resolved.
The more prominent among these are General Musharraf wearing the hats of both the President and the COAS, and the government's refusal to allow the heads of the two mainstream parties, the PPP and PML-N, to return home and play their due role in the political process. But General Pervez Musharraf alone is not to blame for the situation. Unfortunately as it is, over the years, our political leadership has not acted according to the best traditions of democracy.
In fact, the leaders of the two main political parties, Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif, who alternately served two terms each as prime minister for over a decade until General Musharraf took over power in 1999, continually tried to undermine one another's rule, and, when in power, to subject the other to politics of revenge. Rather than to rely on the democratic process for change, our political leadership has had no hesitation to go to the military to seek the ouster of civilian government. And after the military stepped in, appeals started going out to Washington to help remove the military government.
THOSE SEEKING US INTERVENTION TEND TO FORGET TWO IMPORTANT POINTS: One that Washington would want to act not on the say-so of anyone in this country, but on the basis of what suits its own interests and policies in the region; and two, that despite its immense influence in this country, the US cannot tell the government exactly how to run its internal affairs.
When General Musharraf took over power, it may be recalled, the Clinton administration was extremely displeased, and let its displeasure be known in no uncertain terms. Yet that did not change anything in Islamabad. Then happened 9/11, completely altering the relationship between the two governments. As things stand, there is no reason to believe that the US wants to upset that relationship; in fact, its leaders have indicated on more occasions than one that they want General Pervez Musharraf to stay in power for some time to come.
The US is the Super-power, militarily and economically, in this era undoubtedly, capable of influencing the course of events in a large part of the world, but it is decidedly not omnipotent. The difference, unfortunately, is not seen by many among the intelligentsia in our country.
Their naivety is probably the height of influence US money and arms Bazaar have achieved, thanks to mindless zealots within and blind imperialists outside on our borders. Dazzled by the End of History of the American dream, they could not discern the ceaseless Clash of Civilisation in Iraq, that may spawn the Hubris. Even if the US, on supplications from our faithful democrats, were to tell Islamabad to plant a democratic system of its liking, could Pakistan not refuse to obey the Super-power? Haven't we defied it before in 1998? The democratic change that the people yearn for has to come from within.
Aside from the main political parties, the civil society has to play an effective role to strengthen the democratic institutions and pave the way for a complete restoration of democratic order.