The piece below was written by a friend with deep knowledge of and interest in Pakistan’s politics. I’m reprinting it here, as I think it’s a good background piece for anyone who is under the impression that the coalition that ousted Musharraf can be relied upon to govern Pakistan in a transparent and democratic way. Some may object to the relatively generous treatment afforded Musharraf, but I think it’s an honest view. It’s been slightly edited (and, of course, if you’re reading this from the Pakistani Embassy and I’ve just applied for a visa, I totally didn’t write this).
With Musharraf Gone, Will the “Democratic†Leaders Deliver?
An interesting article from today’s NYT appeared here. One thing clearly missing from the discussions of Musharraf unpopularity in Pakistan, is a discussion of his ethnicity. The international media has completely ignored this factor.
In the past the three military dictators that have come and gone from the Pakistani political scene have belonged to Punjab and/or the North West Frontier Province. Except for Zia who was killed in a plane bombing, the others were given safe abodes within Pakistan. While what Mr. Musharraf did to the judiciary and the rule of law in Pakistan was wrong, three military dictators in the past and several democratically elected regimes in the past have done worse than him.