PAKISTAN opposition leader Nawaz Sharif is adamant that Gen. Pervez Musharraf be made an example so that the consequences are clear for anybody contemplating a coup in the country. “Unless you try somebody for breaking the Constitution, you can never stop it from happening again,” Sharif's spokesman Ahsal Iqbal told Saudi Gazette in an interview in Jeddah. Last week, a petitioner moved the Sindh High Court to try Musharraf and his close aides for high treason, a move that portends grave implications for a country that has a long history of military intervention at times of political upheaval. But Iqbal dismissed fears of political instability being kindled anew as a result. “There is such strong support for the trial of Gen. Musharraf that I don't think the Pakistan People' Party (PPP) can openly oppose it,” Iqbal said. “There must be some punishment – minor or major that is secondary – to put history right. There has to be accountability for breaking the Constitution. This practice of letting the breakers of the Constitution go free has to stop.” Musharraf has broken the Constitution twice, first in Oct. 1999 when he seized control of Sharif's elected government in a bloodless military coup, and again on Nov. 3, 2007 when he dissolved the judiciary to prevent the Supreme Court from ruling on the constitutional validity of his re-election as president in the controversial Oct. 2007 elections. In Iqbal's view, the power structure in Pakistan has changed after the decisive show of “people power” on March 16, which forced President Asif Ali Zardari to reinstate the judges sacked by Musharraf and also return the PML-N government to power in Punjab. “Traditionally it was always said that change would come from the power establishment but for the first time, on March 16, we saw a decisive show of power by the people, and that is a very good omen,” he said. “When Nawaz Sharif broke all the barriers and detentions in Lahore and led by example by coming out on the streets, people saw him and within minutes thousands and thousands joined him and that became such a phenomenon that it was impossible for anybody to ignore it.” Parallel to Obama's story The people's solidarity and show of power was such that, for the first time, they had control of their country, Iqbal said. “The people found their self-respect and the parallel to this for Pakistan is the same story which Americans found through the victory of Barack Obama,” he said. “In America, the Bush policies had made Americans and their nation so demoralized that they were getting abused from all over, and they needed a very strong story to restore their self-confidence. And Obama's victory, the victory of a Black American, gave them that. In the same way, the restoration of judges has given the Pakistan nation a lot of meaning to celebrate and to have self-belief. It has given them empowerment, that ‘I can be part of change and I can bring change.'” “This means a lot for the future of the society.” The PML-N believes it now has the impetus to push the remaining democratic agenda forward, Iqbal said, referring to the Charter of Democracy which Sharif had signed with Benazir Bhutto in May 2006 when the two decided to join forces against Musharraf's military rule. The PML-N has said very categorically to the Zardari-led PPP government that it would extend full support if the government implements the Charter of Democracy. “The Charter of Democracy effectively means restoring the sovereignty of the parliament, repealing the controversial 17th amendment,” Iqbal said.” It means that all constitutional appointments to the judiciary and other offices are made in a very transparent manner. It also means that we respect provincial autonomy, and we bring parliamentary oversight on all areas of governance, including security – a very comprehensive package of reforms.” How exile helped Iqbal explained why he thinks Sharif will not compromise on this score, noting in particular the fiery orator driven by the courage of his conviction that Pakistanis saw for the first time in Sharif on March 16, traits that were not generally associated with him. “Sharif's years of exile in Saudi Arabia, when he was not very actively involved in politics, provided him with an opportunity for reflection and that helped shape his vision for his country,” Iqbal said. “It has become very clear to him that the key to Pakistan's stability lies in an independent judiciary, rule of law and a sovereign parliament. He developed this obsession to bring very strong institutions in place so that the system cannot be derailed again.” Kayani's cause Iqbal does not see any potential threat to Sharif's plans from Gen. Ashraf Kayani, not even if Musharraf is tried for treason. “How can the army say that he (Musharraf) did the right thing? The military also realizes the power of the people which has been unleashed,” Iqbal said.”I think Gen. Kayani is working very hard to depoliticize the military, and he will not like the military to be politicized again by taking sides. On one side, the credit goes to him, but on the other side, with this mammoth people power, which military chief would like to confront his own people?” “Right now, the country is not ready to accept military rule because we have seen it for the last eight years. “All the ills we face today is because of Gen. Musharraf's military rule. All the institutions have become hollow from inside. All inter-provincial harmony has suffered very badly. There are more internal crises because of military rule. I think there is quite a consensus in the country that military rule is part of the problem, not part of the solution. “We appreciate the fact that at least this new chief understands that in order to restore the image of his institution, and in order to let political stability come, the military has to be depoliticized,” Iqbal said.
