Articles of the year 2008

It is not often that a Pakistani Judge can rise to such prominence that a prestigious Body such as the New York Bar association can confer an accolade as has just been bestowed upon the Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudri. Coupled with the University of Cambridge deciding to short-list Aitzaz Ahsan for an honorary Doctorate, we are twice blessed. Unfortunately both gentlemen are in jail and cannot travel to their respective donors to collect their awards!

It would now be appropriate for the President to reject the advice of his legal eagles, who have succeeded in bringing the country and the President to this sorry state. He should now restore the judiciary to its pre- November status, and let the judicial system continue unfettered. This will be the greatest gift to the Nation that Musharraf can bestow. A free and independent Judiciary, for the first time in our History.

This has been the dream of all Pakistanis, and when the CJ started taking Suo Moto Notice he was heralded as the new saviour. Without being political, he started acting on all the problems that came to his notice. People flocked to him with their woes, and were grateful to him for his attention to their troubles. He was truly the People's Judge. And that is why, when Aitzaz put the road show together, they attracted the masses in such large numbers that the establishment was shaken to the core, and this was enough to have both men incarcerated without any charges. If one views dispassionately both sides to the question then the President's advisors were guilty of subverting the course of Justice, and should be on trial for giving deliberately giving wrongful and malicious advice with the intent of bringing down the President and the Republic.

The President has so far been affected in the popularity polls only, but this figure can change from a statistic to something much more sinister. For these figures make up the basis for the think tanks in the west, and are used to plan the future strategies of these, countries. Hence these numbers, for and against, are critical to the well being of Pakistan, as they can affect our economy, by these same gnomes. And so actions must be devised by the President alone ( for now he is the only person in charge, or to take the blame) so that the country can move towards some degree of stability.

He must immediately restore the Judiciary to its pre November status, and discuss with the CJ a joint action, so that the Nation knows that they are acting in concert, and not loggerheads. The President needs less enemies, and with the CJ on his side a major liability could quickly become an asset. I may not be the best at giving advice to the President, but compared to his surrounders ( those who surround—a new word) , my ideas are certainly better, and the President will definitely be better off. Also the restoration of the CJ is on the cards in the near future, and who better than the President to bring in the change himself. The whole Country will applaud him for admitting And correcting his mistake. This would be the mark of a truly great man. For surrounded as he is with enemies he would have to be very brave to make this move, specially in the face of his current advice. The CJ has been demonized wrongly, when the only real mischief mongers are the acolytes masquerading as legal advisers. The rewards for the President and country would be enormous, with the international goodwill that will be generated, it is something desperately needed at this stage. The accursed Doctrine of necessity, bane of democracy will be buried forever.

At this point in time with the Elections upon us there is a crisis of terrorist attacks that have spread throughout Pakistan. With the people in a state of shock and anger over the assassination of Benazir, that have not yet accepted the reality, and magnitude of the loss. The notion of an election without further bloodshed, is wishful thinking at best, and we may be in for some very difficult times. With the JI and the PTI on the sidelines, the four majors are at their bellicose best, and the Suicide bombers on the prowl. The disaster is just waiting to happen. Just a spark is required.