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Pakistan: Change at last …!!! What does it mean?

Results are still coming but trends are clear. If the people of Pakistan are united on a one point agenda it is that they want Musharraf out. They want PMLQ to just disappear. And they want the new government to rethink the policies. But before we make sense of these pointers let me concede some points. I was indeed wrong. The day passed quite peacefully. In my defence let me point out that my conclusions were based on two key assumptions: First, that the government would try to change the verdict per force. Second, the wave of violence evident in the election campaign will extend to the election day owing to the government’s intolerance and the vengeance of the Taliban. Interestingly either the government was caught in surprise as it expected a cakewalk or then it was really that benign. But if it was Likewise, the Taliban declared moratorium for the election. So the chances of bloodshed were understandably reduced. But actual credit goes to the army which not only stayed away from any potential rigging but also deterred any serious breakout of violence. That sirs, is indeed quite graceful thing to do.
Let me also point out that while I had projected a clean sweep for the PPP, whereas there is indeed a divided mandate. However three things are essential if you want to make sense of the change. First, these were essentially anti-incumbency votes. Second, these were Benazir’s posthumous elections and were expected to channelize a wave of sympathy for the terrible loss her party and the nation had to endure. Third, the elections were held against the backdrop of the unending constitutional crisis. Then ofcourse you cannot ignore the ongoing turmoil of food shortage and power outages.
But if you look closely you also see why we have been saying that there is grave danger to the federation. The popular verdict has essentially been divided on ethnic lines. NWFP primarily to ANP, Sindh mainly to PPP and MQM in Sindh Urban and PMLN in Punjab. The country was essentially getting polarized on ethnic grounds and had this ventilation not been allowed the country would have succumbed to painful process of cessation. Fortunately better sense has prevailed and the mandate is clear. Now what we need is a government of national consensus. But while ANP, PPP and PMLN may seem divided on ethnic and ideological lines but they are united as well. These three parties are integral part of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD), which revolted against the APDM’s decision to boycott the elections. Pakistan then is entering into an altogether different phase of coalition governments. We are graduating now to a new level of political maturity. It is time to remember our fallen heroes like Benazir Bhutto and Nawabzada Nasrullah.
Again this is a clear mandate given by the people in support of the media freedom and the independence of judiciary. And end to the PPO & PEMRA’s tyranny and the restoration of the deposed SC judges. I say media freedom because all those who haunted independent media have been just thrown out with vengeance. So we hope to see the faces of our colleagues in media facing PEMRA’s censure back on screen.
And I had once promised to Chaudhry Shujaat, Pervaiz Elahi and Sheikh Rashid that they will not have any say in the parliament or any future government and they will keep searching for their faces on television. That promise too sir is fulfilled. Musharraf had said that if he faces chances of impeachment he would step down. That promise needs to be kept with stealth and grace.

Original Post at Pakistan: Change at last …!!! What does it mean? by Farrukh Khan Pitafi’s Official Weblog

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