A critical view on General Musharraf’s ‘All Pakistan Muslim League’ – by Shahid Mahmood

Why do all dictators (and their supporters and apologists) find refuge in a Muslim League?

Former president Pervez Musharraf has launched a new political party, All Pakistan Muslim League, in London, thinking he is the only solution to the all problems he created himself in the modern era of Pakistani politics. Forget about the selection of venue though it confirms the inclination, of a self proclaimed leader, how closer he wants to be with the masses he proudly believes, he needs to rule.

First, the naming of the party strongly suggests that, even after retirement, he still thinks like an army general both ways; politically and religiously. Our history verifies that corrupt and power hungry army generals always created and used different “Muslim Leagues’ to fulfil their political agendas out of the party which led the creation of Pakistan.

The name of ‘Muslim League’ was a good slogan at the eve of partition to appease the Muslims of sub continent but the truth started to unfolded soon after the partition. We know, how many Muslims migrated to the newly created Pakistan and how many chose to stay in India? The creation of Bangladesh further exposed the myth of Muslim League’s ‘Two Nation theory’. And we know, how popular this so called Muslim league had been in the last sixty plus years, not as a political slogan but as a full fledge political party with all the thundering mightiness of boots and tanks? So, another Muslim League headed by a former military dictator will do the trick to fool even more diversified Muslim population on sectarian lines? Does this all need further explanation? I don’t think so.

Second, this former special commando and a fighter, who had been wearing uniform as his second skin all along, fears for his life if he returns to Pakistan now. In other words this fearless soldier is saying, ‘Sorry I can’t, I would be killed if I go to the battlefield in a time of war’.
Musharraf violated his army oath by suspending constitution twice, he should be tried under the article 6 of the constitution but first he must be asked to explain the ‘duties’ of a soldier to defend his country.

A fear of death or a physical death of an individual is bigger than a dying nation? Is this the real face of a former general who is responsible for the unjustifiable deaths of hundreds of soldiers during the Kargal war? This thick and coward former army general needs to be told and explained that a new characteristic of a ‘real leader’ has already been added by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed by knowingly sacrificing her life.

Leaders don’t fear for their own lives. They give new life to their people by giving away their lives for a cause. Our BB Shaheed knew she would be killed but she returned and after first failed attempt she even got closer to us, faced the death and rest is the proud history of greatest leaders of the world politics.

Musharraf has failed to take up lessons from both politics and history. OK, we agree Musharraf may be killed now but how and why he is sure he would not be killed when he returns in 2013?

Third, he apologised to the ‘whole nation’ for his wrong doings and so on. People may disagree with me but I would say, he did or forced to do one good thing ONLY and that was the promulgation of NRO which paved the way for Shaheed BB’s return and we all know what followed after that.

Leaders don’t (hypocritically) apologise for their past actions, they are inspired by renewed wit and wisdom. Musharraf lacks these basic instincts and a character. Being apologetic means that you are bound to make mistakes time and again. Has he apologised to the Baloch nation for the murder of Nawab Akbar Bugti?

However, Musharraf’s announcement to join real politics has no significance at all. It’s like rewriting a new preface in the old book which entails a long history of animosity between Pakistan Peoples Party and all anti-PPP forces; namely military establishment, religious and right wing parties and surely media and judiciary as their new collaborators.

These intellectually and rationally infertile anti-PPP combined forces don’t realise that their school-kid like strategy had never worked in the past and world never work in future. If they think they are the real tacticians they are wrong. The masses and the poor people of this country are the real tacticians. Let them rule themselves please!

Shahid Mahmood is a professional journalist and untill recently worked with ARY News as a senior executive producer

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