Opposition parties, both in and outside the parliament strongly opposed imposition of martial law in the country, however they want the PPP led-coalition government to seek a fresh public mandate through early elections.
Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani's Thursday statement pointed unambiguously at the establishment for hatching conspiracies against the civilian government, airing rumours of martial law in the federal capital that died a natural death by Friday when Chief of the Army Staff, General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani in Mohmond Agency categorically stated that the military was not planning to overthrow the civilian government.
However, he added that the government was deliberately diverting attention away from the real issues by raising the possibility of martial law. The opposition parties in the country including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami described Prime Minister's statement as an effort of the government to become a 'political martyr.'
Commenting on the present situation, PML-N spokesman Seddiqual Farooq accused the 'band of four'-President Zardari, Prime Minister Gilani, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and former law minister Babar Awan, for being behind the present mess. By doing this, he said that the rulers wanted to cover up their incompetence and corruption.
He said that the PPP leaders had decided in principle to create confrontation with constitutional institutions. "But still we want a change through ballot not bullet," the PML-N leader said "We want elections, as we feel that fresh mandate is inevitable, as the present rulers failed to deliver," he added.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Dr Shareen Mazari said that the prime minister wanted to create constitutional conflict in the wake of controversial 'memogate'. "The government, instead of distancing itself from the accused of the memo controversy (Husain Haqqani), is bent upon creating constitutional conflict in the country," she added.
Mazari accused the prime minister of making an effort to protect the alleged corruption of his own and that of President Zardari. She, however, made it clear that PTI was strongly against imposition of martial law. "What's in the best national interest, I would like to tell you, is to go for fresh elections, as the government has completely failed to deliver," she remarked.
Jamaat-e-Islami senior leader Senator Professor Khurshid Ahmed said that he did not see imposition of martial law. He said the rulers wanted to become 'victim' through unconstitutional means. He said that there was no threat to democracy, as according to him military was in defensive and not in aggressive posture following Abbottabad incident of May 02, 2011.
He elaborated that the ground realities as well as global situation was not in favour of any martial law in the country. He, however, added that the rulers by creating such an environment wanted to cover up their alleged corruption and incompetence. "They (rulers) have failed to deliver at every front and want to gain sympathy," he said, adding that by doing this, the rulers wanted to present their case before the people.
He termed the prime minister's statement as 'unfortunate' and 'uncalled for', adding that he felt that the government was in desperation in the wake of 'memogate' controversy.
Defence analysts too, don't see any threat to democracy particularly following the Army Chief's categorical dismissal of rumours of any coup in the country. "Unfortunately democracy is so weak in the country where the civilian and military leadership has to give such statements resulting in tension among the institutions," said defence analyst Lieutenant General Talat Masood (Retd). He, however, welcomed the statement of General Kayani, saying his remarks have defused the tension.
After a decade long dictatorship in the country, he said, the military will once again opt for another coup especially at the time when it is busy on the country's eastern and western borders simultaneously. Additionally, they opined that the military will not like to lose its confidence that it restored due to tremendous sacrifices in the war against terrorism and their contributions in the devastating natural calamities.
As for as the choice of the masses is concerned, a recent survey carried out by Gallup Pakistan suggested that 83 percent of Pakistanis prefer civilian rule than dictatorship. However, the study ironically pointed out that more than half of the country's population (58 percent) doesn't have confidence in the present parliament for resolution of their problems.