Musharraf address targeted Benazir

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, DEC. 21. The main target of the Pakistan Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, during his address last night to the nation on state radio and television appears to be the former Prime Minister and Pakistan People's Party chief, Ms. Benazir Bhutto.

With Mr. Nawaz Sharif having been exiled to Saudi Arabia, the military perhaps sees the PPP chairperson, currently in London on self-exile, as the main challenge to its government. Gen. Musharraf has sent out a clear signal that the military would stay until at least October 2002, the deadline set by the Pakistan Supreme Court for restoration of democracy, and that no one need entertain any false hopes.

The General justified the decision to exile Mr. Sharif virtually as ``good riddance of bad rubbish'' and equated Ms. Bhutto with him. The message is that if Mr. Sharif is not fit to rule, so is Ms. Bhutto.

The equating of the two former Prime Ministers assumes significance as the PPP sees a good chance for its leader to return home and fill the ``political vacuum'' created by Mr. Sharif's departure. In the last few days, Ms. Bhutto had sent word through trusted party colleagues that she could consider returning home after Eid (December 27).

The PPP calculation is that after striking a deal with Mr. Sharif the military is in no position to arrest Ms. Bhutto if she decides to return home. The party is also trying to create an impression among the public that the military regime has been soft towards Punjab only because of its domination of the national politics.

A whisper campaign has already begun about the military regime's ``favouritism'' towards Punjab. The hanging of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, former Prime Minister, is cited as an example in support of the argument about the military's pro- Punjab sentiments.

The then military government of Gen. Zia-ul-Haq went ahead with the execution of Bhutto, who belonged to the Sindh province, despite appeals from all over the world to spare him.

It would indeed be embarrassing for the military if Ms. Bhutto decides to land in Pakistan one fine day. Technically she can be taken into custody as she is convicted by one of the lower courts in a corruption case and an appeal against the verdict is pending in a higher court.

Gen. Musharraf, during his address, used strong phrases to denounce the ``shameless'' conduct of Mr. Sharif and Mrs. Bhutto. He blamed them for the nation's ills and wanted the people to see through their gameplan.

Notwithstanding the assertions by the Chief Executive, his 45- minute address has not gone down well, evident from the reaction from various quarters. The general view is that Gen. Musharraf has failed to convince the nation. `Forceful empty talk' was the title of an editorial in the English daily, The News. The much- awaited speech was neither here nor there, it said adding that there was no explanation for Mr. Sharif's exile.

``The speech, on the whole, leaves no room for doubt that Gen. Musharraf believes he is still popular enough with the people for them to blindly put their faith in his words and in his personal guarantees that he will not let them down. This self-assessment however could well turn out to be misleading,'' the paper said.

The PPP also hit out strongly against the Chief Executive saying the only point in the address it agreed with was Gen. Musharraf's prayer that Allah give him wisdom. ``All we say is Ameen''.

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Section  : International
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