The Evil Face of
the Controlled Democracy in Pakistan
Special
SAT Report
ISLAMABAD:
Democracy is coming back to Pakistan, but of what kind is demonstrated
by the ugly manipulation of the process by the military regime.
All elections being held now are “properly” managed
and systems have been placed in the right spots to ensure that
no more surprise results upset the applecart. “Proper”
arrangements have also been made to gather support for the pro-Musharraf
house of cards.
SAT has received details of two latest
cases. One is of the “controlled” elections for the
Senate and another of an Opposition PPP MPA who is being pressurized
to rebel against Benazir Bhutto or face the consequences.
Well
known writer and intellectual Farrukh Saleem was picked up as
the PPP candidate for the Senate from Islamabad’s seat reserved
for “technocrats”, a category in which intellectuals
like Saleem fit in. But since he is a PPP candidate he is not
permitted to win. How his election is being managed is explained
by Mr. Saleem in this message:
“I want to brief you on the
political dynamics of the lone technocrat Senate seat from Islamabad.
PML-Q has Mr. Wasim Sajjad as their nominee, PML-N has Mr. Sartaj
Aziz and PPPP nominated me. The speculation is that Mr. Sartaj
Aziz may be withdrawing his nomination as the PML-N has only 17
MNAs. That means the contest will be between me and Mr. Wasim
Sajjad. The news doing the rounds in Islamabad also is that MMA
may not be prepared to vote for Mr. Wasim Sajjad.
January 27 was the scrutiny of nomination
papers. The returning officer Mr. Mohammed Saleem Akhtar (Joint
Secretary at the Election Commission) accepted Mr. Wasim Sajjad’s
papers in a matter of 30 seconds not raising a single query. Then
came my turn and I was told that according to the Chief Executive
Order 2002 I have to have 16 years of education and a record of
national or international achievement. I was told that I do meet
all other conditions but that I was holding a degree awarded by
a foreign institution of higher education and that I needed a
certificate from UGC. Someone had warned me of this eventuality
and I had a UGC certificate already in my possession. I was then
told that the UGC certificate does not say that I had 16 years
of education and that I needed additional documentary evidence.
I said from whom and was told that may be the Embassy of the United
States and was told to come back the following day at 2:00 p.m.
for further hearing.
“I left the committee room
trying to plot my next move. Getting even close to the US Embassy
in Islamabad is tough these days and that day CENTCOM Chief General
Tommy Franks was visiting Islamabad. All thanks to these foreigners,
they did listen to my deadline pleas and issued me a certificate
by 4:30 p.m. the same day. The same night when America opened
up I contacted my university and asked them for a certificate
stating that I had at least 16 years of education. Thanks to them
once again, my old teachers at the university were excited that
one of their graduates was applying for the Senate and they issued
me a certificate the same night.
Come
January 28 and I presented all the documentary evidence to the
RO. This time he said that he is now satisfied with the condition
of 16 years but that I "lacked a record of national achievement".
I had already submitted certificates from the Securities and Exchange
Commission of Pakistan, the Canadian Securities Institute and
published articles in The Dawn, The Business Recorder, TFT
and The News. It took the RO another 30 seconds
to reject my nomination papers but declined to issue a written
order.
Now the law (Senate Election Law,
1975) says that I should file an appeal to RO’s decision
within two days of the official date of scrutiny but the Rules
also state that a certified copy of the rejection order of the
RO should accompany all such appeals.
At 1300 hours (Jan 29) I was given
a written order of rejection and the basis of rejection was that
there was no mention of national or international achievements
and that although professional experience began in 1981 but was
broken by going back to school for 3 years and the cumulative
experience is less than 20 years. The 16 years of study condition
had been accepted.
PPP is not a winner as far as the
numbers game in the National Assembly is concerned. PPP has 79
MNAs out of which 20 or so have become turncoats (lotas). It appears
that they want Mr. Wasim Sajjad to win unopposed.”
As Mr. Saleem’s papers were
rejected, he would not be able to contest the Senate polls and
so Mr. Sajjad, appears a winner. It may be recalled that a special
concession was given to Mr. Sajjad by President Musharraf when
millions of rupees he owed to the government were written off,
almost illegally as the President has no authority to write off
such government dues.
Had he been on the other side of
the fence, these government dues would have been the first and
the final hurdle to block his election but not so, as he is on
the right side.
The
second case is again of a politician who is not on the right side.
He is Dr. Sohrab Sarki, President PPP District Jacobabad and a
member of the Sindh Assembly. What kind of pressure is being put
on him to defect to the government side is narrated in this SOS
message sent to his party chief, Benazir Bhutto in Dubai. He writes:
"(i)
My elder brother Sardar Zulfiqar Sarki has been, finally, challaned
in the Anti Terrorism Court, Sukkur on 24th January 2003, under
Sections: 3/4 Explosives Act 7–C, Act of 1997; and sections
302, 13–D/AO, 148/149, 302, 324, 353, 449, 427, 109 Cr.PC.
(ii) An enquiry by Anti Corruption
Department Sindh, has been initiated against another elder brother,
Liaquat Ali Sarki, who is an SDO in Agriculture Department, Government
of Sindh. It is feared that he will be put him into jail and finally
dismissed from Government service as another step towards victimizing
me.
(iii) I have been conveyed threatening
messages through some Senior Officers in the Jacobabad District/Sukkur
Region that either I should join PPP-Patriots or get ready for
prosecution under various false and fabricated criminal cases.
In short, I have been warned in the
language of President George Bush: “Be with us or you are
our enemy”.
(iv) Initially, I was asked to defect
the PPP and join as Provincial Minister; and then I was asked
to cast the vote of confidence for Chief Minister, Sindh Mr. Mahar.
Since I did not accept either of the two offers, victimization
has now started with full force.
(v) I fear many false and fabricated
cases may be initiated against me, and my staunch supporters,
family members, friends and well-wishers.
(vi) I also fear, in the meantime,
murderous attempts may be made by criminals any time at my home,
on my route or in any government office premises/court, etc.
(vii) I have also been threatened
to involve me in cases for allegedly supporting Al-Qaida/Osama-bin-Laden/Mullah
Omer/Taliban network etc.
(viii) I am being tauntingly termed
as “Asif Ali Zardari” from Jacobabad District.
(xi) I am being conveyed the message
that “I shall be crushed, if I do not accept the anti-PPP
or anti-Benazir Bhutto terms.
(x) I shall be dislodged as MPA,
as a result of the petition filed against me by my opponent Mr.
Tahir Khoso, in case I do not surrender to the powers-that-be.
In view of the above-mentioned serious
position, I submit to you as under:-
a) As a pre-emptive/pro-active measure
kindly write letters under your own signature separately to (i)
President of Pakistan (ii) Prime Minister of Pakistan (iii) Governor
of Sindh (iv) Chief Minister
of Sindh (v) Chief Justice Supreme Court of Pakistan (vi) Chief
Justice Sindh High Court (vii) Chief Election Commissioner of
Pakistan (viii) Speaker Sindh Assembly (ix) Corps. Commander Karachi;
and (x) GOC Pano Akil Cantonment.
b) I may be immediately provided
a contingent of Police/Rangers-Guards at Karachi at my residence
and at my home village Garhi Hassan Thul, District Jacobabad,
so that this force will itself be a witness to all my movements
which will pre-empt the alleged criminalization of my every day
activities/daily chores.
c)
Kindly issue a Press Statement condemning my victimization, giving
above details."
Freedom of expression and views does
not come free of cost, even in a “democratic” Pakistan
run by General Pervez Musharraf.
