With the refusal of Mansoor Ijaz to come to
Pakistan for reasons known to the entire nation, the Government camp is sensing
victory and, has already commenced celebrations. ‘Loyal’ journalists and
anchorpersons are branding their colleagues, still fighting for the peoples’
right to know the truth about memogate, as ‘idiots’. Ayaz Amir’s article titled
‘Clowns and red faces: comedy Pakistan style’ (THE NEWS dated 27 January 2012)
is a manifestation of this mindset (to me, however, such articles present
spectre of a sell-off Pakistani style). To find an answer to the apparent drop
scene to the ‘memogate scandal’, irrespective of it being a reality, we need to
understand the role, capacity and undertakings of each player to influence
events.
The USA; The Americans have learnt the hard way
that honeymoon with Pakistan Army has always proven short-lived due to wide
divergence of interests and, therefore, as a strategy they are now providing
all out support to the civilian dispensation, albeit a pliant one. In its
editorial of 26th January 2012, The Washington Post states, “what the past two
years have demonstrated — again — is that an enduring partnership between
Pakistan and the United States will be possible only if moderate civilians
establish control over the military”. The editorial ends with the remarks “But
the administration (US) should be hoping that Mr. Haqqani’s side wins — or at
least survives”. The editorial is a clear reflection on the American stance
about memogate. That be the case, would they let an American citizen of
Pakistani origin to destabilize a ‘friendly’ government and, hence, his
intimidation by CIA, resulting into the drop scene? Here, one should not even rule out the
possibility of CIA using Mansoor Ijaz in a sting operation to trap Haqqani, or
even Zardari, into agreeing on preparation of a ‘memo’ containing ‘offers’
inimical to Pakistan’s sovereignty so as to blackmail the Pakistan Government
at an opportune time into making certain ‘commitments’. In such an eventuality,
the drop scene would imply that the government has acceded to US demands - a
very dangerous proposition, warranting in-depth investigations into the
matter.
The Government; After the 18th Amendment, a party
head has become so strong that he can even unseat a sitting PM of his party and
if he is also the President, enjoying immunity, as is the case these days in
Pakistan, the system can be termed anything but democracy. In the present
dispensation, Pakistan, in my view, is gradually becoming a dynastical monarchy
with only one difference – in older days the monarchs used brute force to
overcome opposition, our President uses his ‘charm and skills’ to buy off the
opposition. No matter how damaging this dispensation is for the Pakistani
nation, it suits the Americans as they have to ‘deal’ with one man, the pattern
they follow in most of the Middle-Eastern countries, and hence their all out
support. Moreover, the power that now rests with our President cum party head,
anybody who dares to get on his left side may face retribution and those on the
right side would surely be rewarded, as in the olden days by the monarchs. No
wonder, Mr Nawaz Sharif has disappeared in the oblivion after taking the
memogate to the SC.
The military establishment; General Musharraf’s
failure to deliver, blunders at the fag-end of his tenure, emergence of other
power-centres, performance related issues and other weaknesses have adversely
affected military establishment’s ability to influence events and, since relevance and ability are inter-related,
the military establishment is losing relevance, at home, as well as, amongst
international players. Besides, a deliberate attempt is being made by the US
Administration to undermine Pakistan’s military establishment because of its
stance on relations with India and future dispensation in Afghanistan so that
they could directly deal with the Pakistan Government. Memogate has been
effectively used by the vested parties, using media as an instrument, to
tarnish Army’s image, forcing it to take the backseat on the issue.
The Judiciary; To quote the same Washington Post
editorial mentioned above, “Besides the military and Mr. Zardari’s government,
the third party to the dispute is the court, which seems to have embraced the
generals’ cause of ousting the civilian government. Chief Justice Iftikhar
Mohammed Chaudhry has had outsize political ambitions ever since he helped
depose former president Pervez Musharraf. The good news in this complex
struggle is that the case against Mr. Haqqani appears to be crumbling — as it
should be — for lack of evidence. Mr. Gilani has pushed back the military by
firing the defence secretary. And Mr. Chaudhry’s overweening actions have
divided a legal community that once supported him overwhelmingly”. These few
sentences actually represent what the USA Administration feels about Pakistan’s
government, military and judiciary. While love for the government and animosity
with military are understandable, why treat our judiciary with contempt unless
motivated by self-interest? Notwithstanding what USA’s stance is about our
judiciary, as a matter of fact it is gradually losing relevance because of
‘reluctance’ to get some of its decisions on important cases implemented.
And finally the media, both electronic and print;
It is unfortunate, but barring a very few, most of the journalists and
anchorpersons, whether because of their perceived support for democracy, or
other motivations, continue to demonstrate complicity with USA and the
government on memogate issue. Instead of striving for truth, the ‘loyal’
anchorpersons and journalists have been vehemently trying to prove themselves
‘more loyal than the king’, thus seriously undermining the investigations.
No matter what the outcome of memogate
investigations, I am sure, the event will be quoted in the history as a tale of
sell-offs, compromises and betrayal, with each stake-holder accruing benefits,
or protecting self-interests, as per its capacity to influence things.
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