My mind goes back to the night of 5/6th Aug 1990.Pakistan’s streets were peaceful; there was calm all over.Yet,I had to wake up Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto(SMBB) at 3am to tell her that the then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan was to dismiss her Govt at 5pm next day which he did
The dismissal of SMBB’s Govt was announced by the President using his infamous powers under the now defunct Article 58(2)(b).My mind also goes back to the night of 5/6 Nov 1996 when SMBB’s second Govt was brought crashing down for no real reason. Just that ‘she has to go’
This time too it was that infamous Article 58)2)(b) applied by the then President Farooq Leghari. With all that happening I had actually seen the formation of two Constitutionally elected Govts of SMBB and how each day they struggled for their survival but eventually fell
The first Govt of SMBB,instead of the stipulated 5yr term,lasted 20 months.The second SMBB Govt fell after hanging by the skin of its teeth for about three years.The in between Govt from 1990-3 was that of Mian Nawaz Sharif(MNS).It too was dismissed summarily.MNS was back 1997-99
In 1999 the then PM MNS was removed by General Musharraf the then COAS through a full fledged Martial Law.Beyond that to-date we all know. Since the 2014 dharnas till now Pakistan has seen nothing but political turmoil.The present PTI Govt in 17 months hasn’t still found its feet
What is in store in the coming weeks,months and maybe years seems to be more political instability as the events of the past 5-7 years have taken political polarization to the level of personal feuds between the political leaders and workers of various parties; a sad commentary
None of all this severe political instability of the past 31 yrs(1988-2019) was inflicted upon Pakistan from abroad. It was we doing it to ourselves.If we had developed political stability over these 31yrs Pakistan would have today been amongst the developed nations of the world
The most unfortunate part of this commentary is that the political stability that has evaded Pakistan perpetually seems to be ever evasive again. It is no where in sight.If Pakistan hopes to someday find that evasive political stability it will have to correct its National course
Correction of Pakistan’s National course will be possible ONLY through an absolute adherence to the 1973 Constitution by the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislative. All organs of the State will have to recognize their Constitutional boundaries. Otherwise there is NO HOPE
