Editorial»
Musharraf’s performance in parliament
JAN 19 - The myth of invincibility has been shattered and President, General Pervez Musharraf, looks like an ordinary mortal, much weaker and meeker than even an ordinary political worker, comments Shaheen Sehbai, editor of ‘South Asia Tribune’ while analyzing the first day of Musharraf’s appearance in parliament.
The aura of absolute power that he hitherto carried has evaporated. His image of a brave commando has been seriously dented. His leadership qualities have been exposed and grossly undermined. He has badly flunked the test of facing the representatives of the people, something he was deliberately avoiding ever since the Parliament was born.
Sweating profusely on the podium, unable to complete even well rehearsed sentences of his insignificant formula speech, Musharraf caved in to what would be called a fairly ordinary vocal protest by the Opposition MPs. Compared to him, the old man Ghulam Ishaq Khan and even a shaken Farooq Khan Leghari, both civilian presidents who faced similar situations in Parliaments in the past against a much nastier Opposition, now look taller and brave.
Coming to address the joint session of the Parliament was constitutionally mandated for a President. It was becoming embarrassing for the General to avoid the showdown. He kept himself aloof for the first year but now he felt more confident as he had won the support of the MMA and a two-third majority in the House which had even passed a confidence vote for him few days back. That should have given him a lot of comfort.
But it is one thing to pass orders in a quiet room with obedient officers saying “Yes Sir” to whatever you say and another thing to stand up in the middle of a Parliament and face even a depleted Opposition representing the masses.
The Opposition strength was depleted because Musharraf had used all the dirty tricks in the book to keep active Opposition parliamentarians out of the House. Commercial aircraft carrying these members were diverted to other cities without explanation or reason, one landing in Peshawar instead of Islamabad and another never reaching the capital in time after taking off from Karachi. Later, as an after-thought, PIA claimed there were bomb threats against these aircraft. A lame excuse by all counts.
MMA’s Qazi Hussain Ahmed, though a new ally of Musharraf, was caught in one such plane. Vocal Tehmina Daultana of PML-N was another MP. Even a CNN journalist was caught in this crossfire and landed in Peshawar after his plane was kept hostage at the tarmac on Islamabad airport for an hour and then ordered to take off. Fear was thus visible with every action of the government.
Security was so tight in Islamabad Saturday on all employees of the Parliament had been given a free day off. All roads were blocked and MPs had to walk without cell phones and any electronic gadget, leaving their vehicles far way.
Yet, whatever number of Opposition legislators made it to the House chanted “Go Musharraf, go Musharraf” and “Friends of dictators are traitors” slogans as soon as he took the podium. They kept up the cry throughout his 40-minute speech. The noise worsened as Musharraf’s supporters countered by thumping on tables, apparently in a show of applause, but actually to lessen their embarrassment.
Looking at their faces told a different story, though. No one was convinced their leader was in control. Even with a lot of supporters backing and cheering him, Musharraf appeared confused, shaken and cracking.
Within 5 minutes, his forehead was full of sweat beads forcing him to wipe it frequently. His delivery of the written speech was colourless, words were being repeated, sentences left hanging, his body language sending signals of a man under siege, helpless, fearful and collapsing.
He was being cut to size in front of the uniformed Generals and world diplomats sitting in the galleries. His speech and his words appeared to carry no weight and no meaning. Musharraf was like a man having lost the force of his conviction and the moral authority to stand up and speak.
His state of mind was so obvious, each word and each minute appeared to be an eternity. So great was the pressure on his nerves, the moment he read the last written word, he raised both his fists as if the commando had conquered the enemy.
Still nervous and shivering, he shook hands with the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Senate Chairman but then again raised his fists to get the fear out of his system.
It was too late, though, as the message had been conveyed by the pictures which had gone round the world via live TV, something Musharraf had agreed to after a lot of persuasion. Even his speech was delayed for 60 minutes as these discussions and plans kept changing all the time.
The Speaker of the NA, feeling the heat himself, as he was sitting closest to the General, lost no time in declaring the session closed and rushing him off the stage. An ordeal for him and his shaky General had just ended.
Musharraf’s performance has opened a flood gate of more troubles for him. Some will appear in the immediate future and others will show in due course of time. The constituency that he belongs to must have felt let down by his performance and when next time he issues unpleasant orders to his colleagues or other partners in power, his shaky legs and sweaty face would come back to hound him.
Musharraf’s political career as a civilian president seems to have crashed even before it could take off. How seasoned politicians make mince meat of him when he takes off his uniform would be a sight to watch.
(The author is former editor of The News)Posted on: 2004-01-20 04:00
Headlines
Advertisements
