|
Musharraf declared an end to the emergency situation in Pakistan on Dec 15th 2007 citing a more stable situation in the fight against terrorism. This statement is a mockery of the current situation in Pakistan, as the emergency had nothing to do with any fight against militants."Musharraf can be confident that his gambit has worked as well as he could have hoped. In six weeks, he has packed the courts with loyal judges, amended the Constitution to protect him from legal challenges, and eviscerated the media's powers. And his political opposition is weaker and more fractured than before." |
The win for Musharraf is that he is still the President of Pakistan and the dust of opposition against him seems to be settling down in the country with people returning to their daily lives. The win for those who protested against the emergency situation and violation of human rights is that Musharraf resigned as Chief of the Army Staff - a long awaited move. There were fears that he might never resign from the country's most powerful post, turning into an evil dictator with no check on his powers. The recent crisis and the resulting international pressure helped in taking his "second skin" away. With the judiciary still crippled, a to-be-rigged election coming up, and an increasingly unpopular retired General as President, the fight for freedom and justice is far from over. This end to emergency holds little meaning, apart from stating that Musharraf is feeling relatively comfortable and in control.
