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“It's primarily the security of Pakistan, the internal conditions,” said Musharraf
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By
Asif Farooqi, IOL Correspondent
ISLAMABAD,
September 18 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - By reneging on
his promise to step down as army chief later this year, Pakistani
President Pervez Musharraf does not trust the country’s top brass
given that he assumed power following a bloodless coup, Pakistani
experts said Saturday, September 18.
“President
Musharraf does not trust his colleagues in the military” Najam
Sethi, a political commentator and editor of the English-language
daily Times, told IslamOnline.net.
“He
is losing confidence on top military brass as he lost with the
political leadership of the country,” Sethi said, hinting at the
appointment of a handpicked
banker Shaukat Aziz as Prime Minister last month.
Musharraf,
who seized power in 1999, had promised to give up his military post by
December 31 under a deal with the six-party Islamic alliance of
Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).
Information
Minister Sheikh Rashid announced on Wednesday, September 15, that
Musharraf would not stand down as army chief but he clarified a day
later that he meant to say he hoped the president would retain command
of the armed forces.
But
as the cut-off date approaches, all indications suggest that Musharraf
is most unlikely to shed his military uniform anytime sooner.
Indefinitely
Sethi
believes feels that Musharraf has no problem being chief of army for
an indefinite period.
“There
is no one in the country to challenge his decision in this respect. He
has no potential pressure from any side for stepping down” Sethi
added.
Ayaz
Amir, a columnist with the Daily Dawn, said it makes no sense
that Musharraf’s move is aimed at protecting Pakistan’s national
security.
“This
is like promoting an image that stability in Pakistan hangs by a
thread and is dependent on the health of just one person.”
Musharraf
said Friday in an interview that his move was driven by the fact that
“the vast majority” of the Pakistani people “want me in
uniform”.
“It's
primarily the security of Pakistan, the internal conditions,”
Musharraf told the Washington
Post.
“There's
too much happening around,” he continued, citing terrorist threats
and potentially divisive battles over the sharing of limited water
resources.
On
December 14 last year, Musharraf’s motorcade passed over a bridge
near the Chaklala air force base only seconds before
an explosion
Then
on Christmas Day, two suicide bombers rammed
his motorcade with
explosives-laden vehicles, killing 14 people and injuring at least 46.
Pakistan
has been ruled by military governments for much of its 57-year
history.
Unconstitutional
Jurists
say without the approval of the judiciary Musharraf can not have
justification for his two offices.
“The
only way out of the present crisis-like situation is that the
government take advice from the judiciary who could be best judge in
this case,” Saeed Uz Zaman Siddiqi, a former chief justice of the
country, told IOL.
He
said under the contribution, General Musharraf cannot be the chief of
army and President of the country at the same time.
The
ruling Muslim League Party launched a campaign requesting Pervez
Musharraf not to shed his military uniform.
Under
the stewardship of Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi, the Punjab Assembly
passed a resolution early this month demanding that in the higher
national interest Gen. Musharraf should keep wearing the dual hats of
president and army chief.
The
lay people, however, seem least interested in the issue.
“I
don’t know,” came the reply from Aslam, a vegetable vendor in
downtown Islamabad when asked whether he supports a military man as
the president.
“Whether
he stays in uniform or gets retired, would make a difference to him,
but not to us” added Mohammad Yaqoob, a university student.
