Musharraf is no more in the power game, but many of his legacies will continue to haunt the nation in years to come. The suicide bombers who wreaked havoc in the country during his nine-year rule have not abandoned their job dashing.
People's hopes for an end to suicide bombings with Musharraf resignation when a youth blew himself in a D.I. Khan hospital, a NWFP city close to restive tribal areas were frustrated.
His other legacy of not reinstating the deposed judges is also on the cards as the ruling coalition stalwarts could not reach consensus during their two-day negotiations at the Zardari House to restore pre-November 3 judiciary.
I still remember, MNAs now sitting on treasury benches, crying against the military operations in FATA, particularly in South and North Waziristan when Musharraf was the president. Nothing has changed when Musharraf is not around. Except for those from the PPP, the lawmakers sitting on both sides of divide are making the same cries, but the reply of the present government more or less resembles that of the quasi-democratic previous government.
Advisor on interior Rehman Malik categorically told the National Assembly on Wednesday that there would be no let up in war on terror. The writ of the government will be enforced wherever and whenever it is challenged. Most of his assertions were not much different from the outbursts of the ministers of the previous government. Rehman Malik was least interested in replying to FATA MNA Shaukatullah who voiced his concerns for the food and medicine shortages for the women and children displaced from Bajaur and Kurram Agency.
The PML (N) Rashid Akbar from Bhakkar and the PML (Q) Sheikh Waqas from Jhang were of the identical views that the government has turned a deaf ear to miseries of the Shiite community in Parachinar. Rashid Akbar pointed out that Tuesday's DI Khan bombing was target killing of Shiites and the agencies do know who is behind the scene.
Sheihk Waqas went a step further that leaders of the religious outfits banned by President Musharraf in 2002 are currently being patronised by the democrats. There is confusion over the government intent in doing so. The patronage of banned religious organisations could turn Punjab into another FATA. The Kurram Agency situation could engulf the southern districts of Punjab which are prone to Sunni-Shia conflict, Waqas feared.
The PML (N) MNAs Khurram Dastageer Khan and Abid Sher Ali could not get any response from the ministers on judges' restoration and possible indemnity to Musharraf actions by the Parliament. But the PPP MNAs and ministers were least interested in taking up this issue. The PPP MNAs behaviour looked like more or less that of the PML (Q) when the latter was in government.
Wednesday proceedings were special for one thing. Some remarks of the deputy opposition leader and MQM MNA Haider Abbas Rizvi were interesting. He was praising Musharraf and Asif Ali Zardari at the same time. He eulogised Musharraf for his resignation before impeachment that, according to him, saved the country from destabilisation. Almost in the same breath, he praised Zardari for steering the country out of the possible severe crisis through political sagacity. One was expecting him to say some good words for other leaders like Nawaz Sharif and Fazlur Rahman, but he did not do that. The MQM is applying tactics to remain in good books of the present rulers. Some circles do believe that MQM is storing its energies for the future as the PPP will need them and possibly the PML (Q) if it went ahead with indemnity move for Musharraf's actions.