The Hindu : I have fulfilled my promise: Musharraf

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 24, 2002

International

International

I have fulfilled my promise: Musharraf

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD NOV. 23. With the swearing-in of Mir Zafrullah Khan Jamali as the new Prime Minister along with 21 members of his Council of Ministers, the three years of military rule in Pakistan has officially ended.

The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, administered the oath of office and secrecy at a ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadar (presidential palace) and ended his reign as Chief Executive, a title he gave himself after the October 1999 military coup.

He would, however, continue as the President till November 2007.

After the function, while Gen. Musharraf claimed to have fulfilled his promise of transfer of power from the military to a civilian set-up, independent observers and anti-Musharraf parties saw the transition as continuation of "Musharraf rule" in another form.

The decision of Gen. Musharraf to make sweeping changes in the Constitution to make the office of President the most powerful institution in the history of the country; assumption of office of President on the basis of a controversial referendum rather than the prescribed procedure of election through National and Provincial Assemblies and all-out help in the installation of Jamali as the new Prime Minister have contributed to the pessimistic view on transfer of power.

The pronouncement by Mr. Jamali to continue the policies of Gen. Musharraf and the induction of two key persons, who are considered the economic and legal brains behind the policies of the military regime, have only strengthened the perception.

The Finance Minister in the Musharraf Government, Shaukat Aziz, and Sharif-uddin Pirzada, the man said to be behind the constitutional reforms introduced by Gen. Musharraf, have been named Advisors to Mr. Jamali.

Barring Ms. Zobaida Jalal, Education Minister in the military regime, no other member of Musharraf team has been retained.

As Mr. Jamali could muster the required simple majority with the help of the 10-member dissident group of the Pakistan People's Party, he has expressed his gratitude by inducting three members of the so-called forward block in the PPP into the government.

Indications are they have been earmarked the key portfolios of Home and Defence.

It appears that the Prime Minister wanted the Muttehda Qaumi Movement (MQM), which has 17 members in the National Assembly and whose last minute support helped Mr. Jamali crossed the majority hurdle, to be part of the government.

However, the party has decided to stay out for the time being. Given the volatile nature of the MQM and its leader, Altaf Hussain, it does not augur well for the stability of the government.

The MQM extended its support to the Jamali government after the Musharraf regime agreed to abolish what are known as "no go areas" in the port city of Karachi.

These areas are supposedly under the control of the rival faction of the MQM for almost a decade and ironically the rival faction is seen as a creation of the intelligence agencies to checkmate the MQM.

Incidentally the rival MQM, which has one member in the National Assembly, also voted in favour of Mr. Jamali.

Indications are that Mr. Jamali would expand his council of ministers a little later.

Under the Pakistan Constitution, he is required to demonstrate his majority in National Assembly once again within 60 days and could ill-afford to antagonise any of 20 groups and individuals that backed him.

Names of four advisors to Mr. Jamali were announced after the oath-taking ceremony today.

They were Syed Sharif-uddin Pirzada-senior advisor to the prime minister, Sardar Fateh Ali Umrani, Nelofar and Shaukat Aziz.

Mr. Jamali's Cabinet included Khurshid Mehmood Qasoori, Ghous Bux Mehar, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, Faisal Salih Hayyat, Humayoon Akhtar Khan, Aftab Khan Sherpao, Rao Sikander, Iqbal, Ovais Ahmed Khan Leghar, Abdul Sattar Lalika, Liaquat Ali Jatoi, Chowdery Naurooz shakoor, Rubeda Jalal, Muhammad Naseer Khan, Yaar Muhammad Rind and Muhamad Tahir Iqbal.

Later, in an informal chat with correspondents, Gen. Musharraf expressed the hope that the new government would complete its five-year tenure and continue his development-oriented policies.

Gen. Musharraf said that the new government should break the record by completing all the projects initiated by his regime within five years.

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