"with all key players and their stakes, the justice movement resulted in Musharraf resigning and thus ended the last chord of dictatorship..."
Influence of Nightmares: Judiciary (Part IV)
JUSTICE DENIED Zahra Belal Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Judiciary, one of the most respectable and vital institutions in a country’s frame work, the supreme authority in its own right but unfortunately one of the most ridiculed, manipulated, polluted and misused in our country, Pakistan. The recent crisis in our judicial system is nothing new to the history of the country. Judges who have tried to stand in the way of ‘personal interests’ had been removed before as well. Those who can easily be manipulated or who can easily make, break, bond and amend the laws to suit those ‘working in the best interest of Pakistan,’ have replaced the rightful holders of judicial authority in the past as well. How can a Pakistani any longer say that being a citizen of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, “I agree and abide by the laws and regulations, as laid down by the ‘constitution’ of my country?”
The judiciary movement started on 9th march 2007 when Justice Iftikhar Chaudary was “asked” to resign by Gen Musharraf, who invited him to the President house and on the former’s way out he was man-handled by the security officials. Also, the national flag was taken down from his lodgings as well as his car, before he had even submitted his resignation. The Justice, however, refused to resign and took a stand against the dictatorship. Thus ensued what is known as the “Judiciary movement.”
There were many stake-holders in this movement in the shape of political parties. Ironically, the two major political parties involved, namely, PML-N and PPP had never been too enthusiastic about an independent and free judiciary during their governments. It is a common fact and many have testified to the fact that each of the party had eagerly striven to keep the judges in their pocket. Moreover, after a long, long time, these warring parties had come under one banner.
We just cannot ignore the personal interests of these parties. They had been exile for quite a time and their resentment and impatience against Musharraf was growing. The Justice movement provided the dynamite they were looking for; it just needed to be unpinned. That they did, so much so, that a four hour journey took the Justice caravan twenty-eight hours because of the number of people who had turned out. How did it happen? Whence came all the funds? Why was the common Pakistani so much interested in the justice movement? This is the power of the nightmare.
Keeping in mind their common enemy, Musharraf, the parties set about creating awareness and fear among the masses about implications of Musharraf’s step; when it must have been umpteenth time in the history of Pakistan that such a step was taken. Soon, every one was fighting “insaf ki jang.” This built up and was a major blow to Musharraf’s government. It weakened his position and eventually led to his decline. Surprisingly, his best buddies in Washington did not come to help. Oh no! they were very very angry and disappointed with their little puppet in Pakistan, who had double-played them by taking the dollars from them while making clandestine treaties with the “terrorists.” The Americans had sufficient mistrust and suspicion against Musharraf to seal his fate and pronounce the death of his power. They turned to opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, who had made plenty of strong statements against Taliban and who was “moderate” to them.
Hence, with all key players and their stakes, the justice movement resulted in Musharraf resigning and thus ended the last chord of dictatorship. Not debating this great cause of an independent judiciary and the key figures mobilizing it nor defending dictatorship, the self oriented parties and the fear created by them against Musharraf and his desecration of the constitution, can not be ignored. This can proven by the fact that PPP which had lost the lives of 28 workers during the movement showed so much reluctance on reinstating the Judge they had fought for.
