Pakistan’s Musharraf Quits as President

Pakistan’s President, Pervez Musharraf, finally managed to read the handwriting on the wall and resigned on Monday. He had lost whatever credibility he may have had after his manipulation of the electoral process and the declaration of an emergency last year. Most of his time in office was spent trying to acquire a legitimacy that the coup d’etat by which he took power never provided. His departure will help, but it isn’t enough to right Pakistan’s ship of state.

The main problem that remains in Pakistan is the subordination of the civilian society to the military and security services. For example, when Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani recently announced that the Inter-Services Intelligence organization was to be under direct control of the civilian Interior Minister, he was backpedaling on the idea within hours, having been told that wasn't acceptable to the security apparatchiks. The ISI and military hold the civilian politicians in low esteem, and it shows.

Where this gets sticky is in international affairs rather than in domestic matters. The security apparatus has been playing a double game with the Americans. On the one hand, the men in khaki have gladly accepted $10 billion to fight the Taleban that has taken sanctuary in the Pakistani region of Waziristan. On the other, they can’t stand the Northern Alliance that heads up the ruling bloc in Afghanistan because the Alliance is pro-Indian, so they are also supporting the Taleban. Such duplicity will eventually end in tears.

The new government has taken a less confrontational approach to the Islamic extremists than President Musharraf had. This is going to be difficult for Washington to understand. After all, the US President vowed to “smoke out the evil-doers” some years ago. Washington will continue to talk the talk even if it has proved inept at walking the walk. What happens when it finds argument rather than parmony is anyone's guess.

The removal of Mr. Musharraf and the final decision on what to do with him (exile is an excellent option) does allow Pakistan to get on with things. For months, the country has been occupied with “whither the President?” As with the departure of Richard Nixon in August 1974, the country can finally focus on the real issues it faces, and they are legion.

© Copyright 2008 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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