Is General Pervez Musharraf a leverage for PM Nawaz Sharif?
Whatever any one may say about our current Prime Minister. Of all the limitations shown by him in the past or of all the tendencies demonstrated by Nawaz Sharif. We would have to accept one thing that he is a business man . We can say that he knows how to trade. Now that does not make him my Hero. But in my view he is a qualified businessman.
There are two types of businessmen in the world in my view. Those who give the world reasons to smile and then there are those who form mafia and cartels and bring sorrows. Sometimes there is a third category who are borderline cases who like to push the buck every now and then. In my view Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is one of them.
Why would anyone categorize him the same? Well as I see that with the cloak of righteousness that he wears . In his political history ; he has made deals which puts him in that category. Where the businessman in him takes over the politician or let me say sometimes his good side.
Now I am not at all implying or putting him in the same category as Asif Ali Zardari who has been notorious for corruption and his exemplary character (it’s a joke) . But whilst Nawaz Sharif is a religious family man with no blemish as we would say having a history which haunts many of their tainted past like many inclusive Imran Khan for his flamboyant history.
Then again he does what he is best at playing the deals. I fear that now he is playing another deal and this time using President General Pervez Musharraf as a leverage.
We all remember how he entered into the government of Gen Zia ul Haq to get back his industries nationalized by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and played an important role in the last leg of Zia’s government.
Again a business deal under the guise of politics. Than again we remember that how after being unseated after 12th October 1999. He sacrificed his politics and decided to leave Pakistan under a ten year deal in order to save his business and money. Some say under that bargain he ensured that his key asset and that his money stay on his side as we all know that otherwise he is a pauper. Now at that time had Gen Pervez Musharraf been a tyrant . He would have ensured that he bankrupted Nawaz Sharif , block his outflow of the cash full suit cases to ensure that he takes the sting out of Nawaz as the money is the only arsenal that he has. But again because not being a businessman .
Let him roll out with his key weapon . Only to see Nawaz Sharif rise again. We must appreciate the fact that how Nawaz Sharif bounced back financially and proved his mettle as a businessman . Some would say a politician but again his politics was all but dead and it is only because of Benazir Bhutto that it got infused with life again.
Now what I fear is that as I am sure that he sits on a seat of thrones as the Prime Minister of a country which faces not only a financial crises but as well as a War with Taliban. He must be working on another deal so that he is not third time lucky of being kicked out as the Prime Minister of the country.
He knows that of as long as he holds a trump card in the form of President Gen Pervez Musharraf. The game is controlled or at least lead by him in certain ways. The quintessential question is how ? I would try to answer that question in three parts. Hope it makes sense for the readers and I further hope that I do not invite the ire of the rulers incase it lands on their desk.
First , since Gen Pervez Musharraf is such popular with the Talibans and their allies. As long as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif gives the impression to the same that he is going to persecute Pervez Musharraf for what these terrorists could not achieve in various attacks on him. He would use him to ensure that I fear in the ongoing negotiations with Talibans that in case they guarantee peace .
He would jail and get Pervez Musharraf and punish him through our judicial system for taking action against the very peaceful gunmen of Red Mosque and many other instances. So till the time Gen Pervez Musharraf is in his ambit he holds the cards to negotiate.
Second, he is going to use Gen Pervez Musharraf as an example so that no other patriotic Army man dares to challenge him as he rules the country in his own spirit and strategy. I am sure he fears that with a few actions that he take.
Especially, going into negotiations with Talibans who are responsible for killing thousands of civilians and our soldiers ; he is challenging the writ of our respected armed forces as well as the ego of the Pakistanis who have lost much in this war where he and his party men has lost none maybe because of being in the bed with the same. He knows that if he makes the right example out of Gen Pervez Musharraf or at least keep that lid of pressure .
He would ensure that he is not ousted for the third time. Instead ensures a smooth running for his posterity to rule the country. I am sure if Gen Pervez Musharraf is persecuted and punished in the future. And if a more left leaning PPP come in power who blame army for Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and partially Benazir Bhutto; they would have a clear path to take head on Army Officers and drag them into courts in the years to come. So Nawaz knowingly uses Pervez Musharraf to set his future course of action.
Third, knowing that how the Gen Pervez Musharraf is respected in the region and especially in the Middle East. He would ensure that by playing ball and exploiting the ongoing strife would get financial support out of them in order to try stabilizing the financial structure of the country.
He has already kind of done that recently when a brotherly nation donated US$ 1.5 Bn in cash or kind to Pakistan. We all know that he would need more as this financial injection would only keep him afloat for a few months.
Some say that he knows that if he let go Gen Pervez Musharraf this time round . He would loose control on the situation at hand . He knows well for sure that due to the failure of deliverance by all four political governments and as well as that of the central government a vacuum is being created and he knows that if anyone has a chance to fill it is only Gen Pervez Musharraf.
The only way he can stall that advance is by keeping him as long as possible in the jail or embroiled in the judicial system as Gen Pervez Musharraf do not have his age on his side.
So yet again our dear Prime Minister has mixed his politics with his business oriented mindset . In my view the ongoing cases against Gen Pervez Musharraf under special courts and only prosecuting 2007 proclamation of emergency by him onwards instead of October 1999 is to serve him financially, politically and at the same time satiate his ego as I am sure his photo behind in the Adiala Jail still haunts him.
What he is failing to measure that with every passing day ? Not considering the view point of the extremist Pakistan and the strong stand that Gen Pervez Musharraf and his team has taken . He is only extrapolating the feeling that the tenure by the General was the best thing which happened to the country after its birth and following the era of Gen Ayub Khan. I can guarantee the feeling in Karachi and I can see that spirit rising in the rest of the country.
So if I am in his place instead of playing this deal further. As they say he has to call it now. Otherwise he may become third time lucky . Irrespective I hope that I am sure that patriotic Pakistanis would not tolerate that we allow negotiations with its enemies for political gains or personal sustenance and persecutions of its true patriots like Gen Pervez Musharraf at the same time in the interest of the nation. Pakistan Zindabad!