Pakistan’s Musharraf: “I Will Fight To The End”
Well, fight whom? The terrorists or the Pakistani people’s mandate? President Pervez Musharraf, who became a military dictator in a coup in 1999, has become a pathetic figure begging his former generals to come to his rescue to remain in the presidential chair.
Obviously, Musharraf has realized that the US might not be able to bail him out this time if the democratically elected government has its way. The present Chief of Army Staff’s decision regarding Musharraf would be crucial.
(Meanwhile Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani left for China on Thursday to represent Pakistan in the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, cancelling Musharraf’s visit. More here…)
It is again a crisis time for Pakistan. If the generals gang up then there could be a civil war as nearly 80 per cent of Pakistanis want Musharraf to be removed from office. (See here…) Or. the generals could be divided on the issue and this could result in further complications.
“There was intense speculation in Pakistan yesterday that the military could be poised to stage another coup, or that the President may use his constitutional powers to dismiss the Government and parliament, thereby snuffing out the impeachment moves,” reports The Australian.
“Coalition leaders Asif Ali Zardari, widower of Benazir Bhutto, and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif announced on Thursday they would seek Mr Musharraf’s impeachment for allegedly mismanaging the country.
“Yesterday, the tough former commando, who turns 65 on Monday, reportedly told advisers holed up with him in his heavily guarded home in the heart of the headquarters of Pakistan’s 600,000-strong army: ‘There can be no question of surrender. None!
They’re not going to force me to resign. I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m going to fight this to the end.’
“The latest crisis prompted dire warnings from commentators yesterday. ‘The only ones who are visibly relishing their prospects (in this crisis) are the terrorists of al-Qa’ida and the Taliban who thrive in states of political anarchy and economic dysfunction,’ wrote Friday Times newspaper editor Najam Sethi.
“The day of reckoning is Monday, when parliament is due to meet in Islamabad – summoned for an ‘execution’ session on the orders of Mr Musharraf.”
