Power Struggle in Pakistan: A Threat to Democracy

Dinesh Sharma War for supremacy is on in Pakistan between President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, the Army-ISI, and the Opposition led by Mian Nawaz Sharif. Prime Minister Gilani is either playing the smartest or the most foolish role, depending on which way one looks at it. Gilani has no base in Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). President Zardari had chosen his trusted Gilani as Prime Minister for two main reasons. Firstly, being a non-Sindhi Gilani wouldn’t be in a position to challenge Zardari and the supremacy of the Bhutto name in those areas; PPP`s main strength dwells in Sindh and Balochistan. Secondly, Gilani’s belonging to Punjab would help counter Sharif brothers and ensure that Punjabis would not feel left out. It is now being felt that Gilani has become the tallest hurdle in rooting civil establishment in Pakistan. When Benazir Bhutto was Prime Minister she had made direct recruitments in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to make it more civil. But these civil officers were fired as soon as Benazir lost power. When PPP formed the government again, Zardari passed an order to re-instate these officials. This, however, did not find agreement with Gilani. Today, Gilani is exploiting the existing situation to his best and wants to be completely independent. To this effect, he has even aligned with the Army and ISI on one side, and with Nawaz Sharif on the other. One can say he is playing an opportunist’s game. At the same time, even though Nawaz wants to regain power he understands that though Gilani is not a hazard, Zardari poses a big threat. He is therefore taking advantage of the fight between them. Zardari had inherited power when Pakistan was vulnerable both from a security and economic standpoint, and the slowdown had just set in aggravating the situation. Today, he is losing popularity and Nawaz is becoming more popular at his cost. The Army and the ISI are aware of this turf war and the consequent game of politicians. This is where they are taking advantage of the differences and siding with Gilani. The Army has chalked out the blueprint of their game by fueling the politicians’ fight and by propping up the weakest man, i.e. Gilani. It is widely speculated that Lashkar-e-Toiba chief Hafiz Saeed is being protected by Gilani, especially in the light of how the LeT chief was sheltered from being made an accused in 26/11 attacks case despite the Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) wanting to pin him down. Saeed was placed under detention after the UN imposed a ban on LeT following the Mumbai attacks. However, he has now been released by the Pakistani courts. Questions are fraught on reasons as to why Lakhvi can be charged and not Saeed, who is heading the organization? How can the organization be party to money exchanging hands for the 26/11 attacks for training militants, and for providing them with safe houses without the knowledge of the Lashkar chief? But ISI fears that if the LeT chief is charged, he can spill the beans. Is Pakistan fooling India on 26/11 investigation, as its government is refusing to indict Saeed on the same charges as India despite the Pakistani evidence act and Indian evidence act being the same, as also the CrPC and the IPC? Why was the evidence of 26/11 not placed before the Lahore High Court? Perhaps because the ISI is protecting the LeT chief. While Zardari is a Shia-Baluchi settled in Sindh, militant organisations on the other hand are Sunni organisations ( LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Jhanghvi etc.) There are two sects in the Sunnis. The first is the Barelvis, who are considered as moderates in Pakistan. They believe in sufism, pir and fakir culture. In India too most Muslims belong to the composite sect of the Barelvis. The second sect is the Wahabis, who follow old system of thought that is conventional. The Doebandis belong to this stream. Most of the set-ups in Pakistan comprise Wahabis and Deobandis. Zardari can`t take direct action against them, and that is probably the reason why he made Gilani the Prime Minister. However, his trusted man seems to be playing his own games and does not seem to be serious in taking their nation towards real democracy.