Pragmatism prevails

 

 

The restoration of all the deposed judges, including former Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on March 16, is not only a great success of the lawyers’ movement of Pakistan but also indicates the pragmatism of the government of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani that succeeded in defusing the tension.

“The success of the movement amply demonstrates that people are capable of achieving their objectives even peacefully if they are consistent,” Iqbal Haider, a former law minister and general secretary, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan told TSI.

“The will of the people has prevailed without breaking a single lamp post. It’s also an achievement of Pakistan People’s Party because ultimately sanity has prevailed. The restoration has brought stability stability, and if the present government continues to move forward on such a consistent pattern, it will earn the confidence of the people,” he added.

Tauseef Ahmed Khan, a political analyst and professor at Karachi’s Urdu University said: “It’s a great success of the democratic movement but will also enhance the role of the armed forces.”

The Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani played a vital role by convincing stubborn President Asif Ali Zardari to avoid confrontation with Pakistan Muslim League (N) and other political forces. “The announcement by Gilani to restore the deposed judges is a great success of the democratic movement, but it should not be forgotten that the success has been achieved through the intervention of the armed forces and the Americans,” said Prof Ahmed. “But it has also given a boost to the morale of the people of Pakistan, who have been suffering since long,” he added.

The composed and confident Gilani announced in a televised address to the nation on March 16: “On this occasion, I pledge to take forward once again the politics of reconciliation and I announce that the federal government will file a review petition against the decision of the SC disqualifying Mian Nawaz Sharif and Mian Shahbaz Sharif. I call to them to come and move forward by taking all the political forces along under the Charter of Democracy.” Gilani also ordered the provincial governments to lift Section 144 imposed during the “Long March” and release all the political activists arrested during that time.

The move would pave way to end confrontationist politics and has thwarted attempts by right-wing religious parties to invite the armed forces to take over despite previous bitter experiences. Kiyani has acted wisely since politics pursued by PML (N) leader Nawaz Sharif and Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan besides Jamaat-e-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed would have pushed Pakistan into chaos and instability.