NEW JERSEY, JUNE 27:
Prime Minister Jamali finally resigned stating that he was
'authorized' to appoint the king's party chief Chaudhury Shujaat
as his successor. But Shujaat will serve as the interim Prime Minister
until Shaukat Aziz is helped to get elected as the country's new Premier in about
50 days.
General Musharraf and his operatives will move heaven and earth to get
Shaukat Aziz elected from a ‘safe’ National Assembly seat so that he
can become his man in the political arena and dance to his tune.
Aziz, a former Citibank official, who has been credited for taking the
country out of economic crisis, is considered a close confidant of
Musharraf and popular abroad. Not being a politician could be an
advantage in Musharraf' eyes, as the General has often shown scant
regard for Pakistan's civil political class.
Aziz is also a personal friend of U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitiz. Since he also has headed City Bank's operations in Saudi
Arabia, Aziz also enjoys good relations with the Saudi monarchy. His
relationships in Washington is also above par.
Seemingly, a clock-work precisioned parliamentary democracy has been
exhibited in a country which has seen 57 years of musical chair
between the generals and the politicians. But in reality, it exposes
the hollowness of the democratic set-up installed by President General
Pervez Musharraf only two years ago.
Jamali's resignation was "forced" as much as President Rafiq Tarar was
forced by Musharraf to resign . It therefore raises concerns about the
stability of the civilian rule restored after three years of military
dictatorship.
Political analysts say Jamali simply obeyed Musharraf.
"He stepped down under instruction from the presidential house. The
parliament and the ruling coalition had no role in effecting this
change," Mr. Hasan Askari, a political analyst told AFP.
"The change confirms the president's centrality to the political
process and his ability to manipulate it according to his wishes."
Askari said there was no obvious justification for the removal of
Jamali, who was hand-picked by Musharraf.
"There was no political crisis and there was no revolt in the party,"
he said.
"This exposes the weakness and hollowness of the civil institutions
established after the 2002 elections."
Jamali's government was unblemished. "There is no charge on me or my
cabinet colleagues. My intention was pious and my conscience is
clear.", he said while announcing his resignation.
However, the burly 60-year old tribal elder from poor Baluchistan
province was seen by many as docile and overshadowed by Musharraf, who
is also the chief of the army.
Jamali was "slow" in taking decisions and Musharraf, facing tough
parliamentary opposition, perhaps wanted a dynamic person, Askari
said.
Mr. Aziz is so dynamic that he flew to Pakistan in 1997 on a jet owned by Citibank to try to advise
then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif how to squeeze growth out of a country
choked by $32 billion of debt and years of living beyond its means.
But the economy sank, and it was not until Musharraf ousted Nawaz Sharif and
persuaded Aziz to take charge of the Finance Ministry that the wheels began
to turn.
Analyst Mohammad Afzal Niazi said Jamali "failed to deliver political
support to Musharraf to remain in uniform."
News reports say Musharraf, who met Jamali earlier, had grown
impatient at his inability to rein in opposition lawmakers and
effectively defend the government's approach.
Jamali was instrumental in appointing Maulana Fazl as the leader of
the opposition in the parliament with the hope that the latter would
co-operate on crucial issues. But Fazl and NWFP CM's refusal to attend
the NSC meeting not only showed Jamali as a political naivette, it in fact served as the last nail in the coffin.
Also read:
Musharraf's albatross
It is also probable that the croupier fixed the dice. There appears to
be another perspective to this whole affair too.
General Musharraf seems disinterested to honour his legal and
constitutional commitment to shed his uniform by December 31st this
year. He has tried to be circuitous on the issue every time the
question has been put to him. It seems that he thinks, or has been
made to think, that this would require a re-booting of the system.
Seen from this perspective, Mr Jamali’s sacking should merely be the
first step towards ‘other’ measures that might follow.
 Christina Rocca, US
assistant secretary of state for South Asia is on record for saying
that there would be more amendments by Gen. Musharraf to the
constitution.
Musharraf is also on record as being an admirer of Ataturk and
Turkey's present day political setup.
Also read:
Pakistan, Turkey- bhai bhai
It may not be surprising at all to see the Musharraf-Aziz team
parachuting itself as the A-team during the next general elections,
which may be held as early as next year or even before that.
Both the Islamic alliance and the main opposition Pakistan
People's Party (PPP) have lashed out at Musharraf over Jamali's exit.
They had in fact promised Jamali of their support in the parliament.
"Who says Jamali tendered his resignation -- he has been forced to do
it," senior MMA and Jamaat Islami leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed
told AFP.
Another opposition lawmaker and Jamaat leader Liaqat Baluch, accused
Musharraf of trying to ensure that no strong political rival can
emerge.
"They stoked the fire around Jamali and then pushed him into it,"
said Baluch, a member of the six-party religious coalition opposed to
Musharraf.
"The military rulers want to maintain their supremacy so that no
political government is stable."
The PPP said the change "demonstrated that the military leadership
never accepted the civilian and political set-up, even if that set-up
was artificially created by them."
It also showed the system was "unstable and resting on sandy
foundations".
But for the present General Musharraf likes to clear the decks before
the battle and it would make sense from his point of view to pack off
anyone who was not fully with him.
Either you are with him or against him!
More by Irshad Salim:
 Musharraf's albatross
Hasta la vista!
Guns n Roses
Musharraf and Bloody Ma(r)y
'Oscar-Tango
Karachi'
Chalabi-
Now you see him now you don't
Bush
being ambushed? |
