Saturday 5 June 2007 day long live coverage of Chief Justiceâs travel from Islamabad to Lahore opened new discussion. A question almost all government functionaries and supporters repeated particularly by Punjab Chief Minister and Federal Information was that is there any other example in the world a Chief Justice travelling by taking political parties with him. Surely there is only one answer to it and can in no way there be two opinions but these people did not raise another honest question that is there any other country in the work where an Army Chief or a President in a parliamentary system ever addressed the public gatherings appealing for vote for âhisâ party? There can also be no second opinion on this issue. However no body is decessively able to say if the Chief Justice is taking the political workers with him or as per a famous urdu verse it is âeach step I traveled people joined me and a carnival came into beingâ. I am sorry I can not properly transpate that verse
The anxious independent and truly Pakistan loving people spoke their heart all day if there was any solution to it. Many said yes President should withdraw the Reference when others opined it will be insult to President. Some legal expert opined that whether CJCâs decision goes in favour or against the Chief Justice in both cases the situation will be grave.
General Pervaiz Musharraf in my eyes is a very nice and open heart man. If some of his old close friends may for a while keep him away from his office and his political & bureaucratic advisers, then the President may two days sit home with his family giving himself a badly needed little real rest from his daily tiresome schedule. He may these two days see himself different Pakistani chancels and read himself 8-10 prominent newspapers fully rather than depending upon selective press cuttings presented by his staff. Thus in these two days he will know much better the realities prevailing on earth rather than what his advisers and people like Arbabs, Wasis and Basharats tell him. It will then be very easy to think what to do? He being elder like the family father holding a stick in his hand then should call all stake holders and discuss the whole situation with them sometime with affection some time with stick and I am sure soon these natty hoys from both sides will have to become serious and find a via media solution.
It is not the first time such a no-go situation has arisen. When the Supreme Court initiated contempt case against General Aslam Baig almost a similar situation soon happened, of course due to mistakes made as mistakes have been done in present case. When General Biag appeared the first day according to press he was nervous and a little pale. But when the then chief justice Mr. Zillah started loud talking much like âfaces of contemners will be blackened, these people will weep even in their gravesâ General Aslam Baig like thousands wise people outside became calm knowing well what was now to happen in such situations. It was this atmosphere where a unknown journalist Mohd Akbar was sentenced by the then Chief Justice for contempt while General Aslam Biag honourably smiling at the face of court walked out leaving the ordnary man like me wondering was this our superior court. Due to loud unnecessary talks which was a big mistake the situation became so grave that the Curt had to finish the case with remarks that the situation has become so complex that case is closed. I do not remember the exact word used by the court but its meaning was that situation has become extraordinary complex and necessity demands that no further proceedings may be done.
In the present case too, the situation due to these unwise advisers has become so complex that it is better that keeping in view the Aslam Biag case some decision is taken by both parties for the sake of the country in presence of the highly respected elderly father like General Musharraf. He is a true soldier. His advisers would definitely think of any such easy solution a weekness but our brave soldier will not as he truly is an open mind person.
Dear Mr. Javed,
I like Musharraf's general policies but still there are two facts against him. Firstly, he is an army man who should not be a ruler/president/chief executive etc. Not at any cost, I mean.
Ruling the country is not his duty. He is a salary paid employee of Govt like any other govt official. He should not use the support of army job for getting into govt. This is simply a robbery with arms and amunition. Nothing else. He should get retired, spend two years without any political activity and then step into politics if he wants some role in government or opposition.
Secondly, he has taken so much wrong and questionable decisions like exile of Nawaz Shareef, Making Shaukat Azeez the prime minister and arranging votes for his ellection (while he has no vote bank at all, he was an alien), killing Bugti, Drama of Jamia Hafza, Chief Justice's case, writing down book while being in job, dont getting retired while he is overage, supporting "his party" for election and asking votes (how it is his party, he is government employee; how army can make parties) and so many others like this.
Our problem is that we dont have a single positively intended leader in Pakistan. I once dealt with a big public sector concern of government. I was astonished that almost 95 percent plus people were corrupt. And those who were not corrupt, were not respected by others. Might be we all are basically wrong and are corrupt in specific categories becoz people in police, courts, adminsitration, taxation, services, investigations etc are from us. They are our brothers and sons. They dont come from USA or else.
I feel that due to immense corruption and bad intentions such circumstances have been imposed on us.
Chief Justice's matter is a big shame mark on our nations face. Opposition is only playing its role becoz no other big issue like this was in their hands before this incident. They have no interest in chief justice. They are using the issue only. Otherwise what has not happened in their regimes. They all are equally corrupt.
The only thing about religious parties. Al-amaan Al-Hafeez. They are on top in disagreements and corruption. They are not even focussed. They are habitual of using public money in their so-called religious purposes and dont provide/maintain appropriate financial records accessible to general public for checking out the exact useage of such funds. I wonder why people contribute to such Jama'ats while they dont know the useage and where the ameers of such jamaats live in biggest HAVELIES having biggest jeeps and cars with so many servants and body gaurds having latest riffles. Is it an uncontrolled area where no rule of law exists that every one is carrying amunition with him? These people must publish the audited financial statements of their affairs also disclosing the purposes and objectives of their affairs. Why dont they do it? Is it not questionable while they are working in fiduciary capacity. In my view this Chandda collection by religious parties not publishing their accounts should be banned and some big punishments should be announced for these activities conducted by contributers and collectors of such chanddas. Anyways. Religious parties are also not a hope. They cant get togather on a single plateform.
These all are our unfortunes. We cant help it out.
Regards,
Kamran.
I don't know exactly what has happened today in Karachi, time will make the things clearer, so it would be premature to comment on that right now.
Talking bout this present judicial crisis, some points have to be made clear. It is not a result of govt's lack of prudence or they hugely underestimated the aftermath of the situation. May be its true that govt was not expecting such consequences, if they had known, they must have planned things in a bit different way.
But, such chief justice who does not seem to be in much agreement with various govt policies and was courageous enough to object them, was never in favor of govt. I mean getting rid of him was necessary for the govt. Things started when he stopped privatization of steel mill. His stand on Basant issue is also very much known to us. Coming is the election year, so in such situation govt could never afforded such chief justice so getting rid of him became necessary for them.
I am trying to say that, it was not a totally stupid move from the govt. Rather the situation made it a necessary evil for them. However, one thing is for sure that now they are in pretty tough situation. Neither they can easily push him back nor his continuity is in any favor for them.