As of now no political pundit seems to doubt that Pakistan is again posed for another military takeover, the only other historical alternative to democracy Jinnah’s beloved Pakistan and its politicians ever knew. However the military has declared that the present political impasse that has overwhelmed Pakistan must be solved by the politicians and not by the military. But in Pakistan, where the military is the most organized political force no one takes what the military says on its face-value. In 1997 Roedad Khan, the eminent Pakistani bureaucrat wrote an extraordinary book titled ‘Pakistan-A Dream Gone Sour.’ He writes in the brief introduction to the text ‘Fifty years after its creation, Pakistan continues its search for stability. In August 1947, at the time of independence, Pakistan symbolized the wishes and expectations of the Muslims of the subcontinent, united under the leadership of Jinnah. In August 1997, there seems to be a crisis of public confidence in the country’s future. The reality of today’s Pakistan is very different from the dream.’ The book contains stories of six of Pakistan’s Presidents-Ayub Khan, Yahya Kan, Z A Bhutto, Ziaul Haq, Ghulam Ishaq Khan and Farooq Leghari-each of whom has, in his own way, directly or indirectly, contributed to the sense of betrayal and loss of confidence that was prevalent in the then Pakistan. No one perhaps was more competent to write on the issue of politics and democracy in Pakistan than Roedad Khan as he served under five of the six Presidents that he wrote about and knew all six of them personally. Seventeen years have passed since Khan’s book was published and the events in Pakistan that are currently unfolding every hour of the day has taken the country to the brink and it seems the people are preparing for another military step in. Ironically, this time it is the politicians that have requested the military to mediate and solve the current political crisis that has been triggered by one time Pakistan’s former cricketer Imran Khan, the Chairman of his own political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the seasonal and part time politician the Pakistani born Canadian rabble rouser cleric Dr. Tahirul Qadri who heads his own rag-tag political outfit Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT). Both have joined hands to demand the resignation of democratically elected Prime Minister Nawaj Sharif and dissolution of the National Parliament because after more than a year and a half both discovered that the election of May 2013 was rigged in favour of Nawaj Sharif and his party Pakistan Muslim League (N). Nawaj, Imran and Qadri all agreed on the militaries mediation but in Pakistan the military knows better how to play the game of intrigue, conspiracy and convenience in politics. The elections of 2013 was noted for the first civilian transfer of power following the successful completion of a five-year term in Pakistan’s 63 years of history by a democratically elected government led by Pakistan’s People’s Party. The Pakistan Muslim League (N) won the largest number of votes and seats but still falls six seats short. However, the speculations for the potential hung parliament were dismissed when the independent candidates who had won seats in their respective constituencies joined the PML (N) which allowed the party to form a simple-majority government by bringing on-board nineteen independent candidates, thirteen more than the minimum required to form a government. Nawaz Sharif became the new Prime Minister of Pakistan. Incidentally, the election was conducted under a ‘neutral non-party’ caretaker government. Imran’s PTI trailed PPP with only 35 seats in the National Parliament of 342. The Oxford educated cricketer turned politician leads a coalition of Jamaat-e-Islami and ultra religious fundamentalist party, the Pakistan version of Al-Qaida, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimmeen Pakistan (MWA). In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (former NWFP) Imran’s PTI formed the provincial government. Currently, Imran sometimes acts as the part time spokesperson and representative of the Talibans and Al-Qaida. For Imran, degeneration is complete. Though Imran complains of rigging after about a year and half he does not say much about the provincial Assemblies and Governments. It just suits him as it is.

On August 14, the Independence Day of Pakistan, Imran and Quadri organized an ‘Azadi’ (Independence) march from Lahore and other parts of Pakistan towards the federal capital Islamabad demanding the resignation of Nawaj Sharif and his government. Imran and Quadri with their supporters, most of whom had no clear idea what was going on declared a sit-in program inside the red zone of the capital that houses the Parliament and other important federal buildings. They were ordered by the Supreme Court to leave the area without any delay. However, initially the Nawaj Sharif was reluctant to use force to clear the red zone as directed by the Supreme Court. To many observers, this signaled his weakness and emboldened the demonstrators. Later, the law enforcing agencies moved into action that left at least three dead and more than 400 injured. The Imran-Quadri circus moved towards the Prime Minister’s residence. Nawaj shifted his family from the government residence while the Pakistan People’s Party stood by him. On Tuesday, a joint session of the Senate and the National Parliament was convened and the members announced unqualified support for the elected government to uphold the spirit of democracy. Imran who was elected the parliament in the 2013 election announced his party members resigned from the parliament though their resignations were yet to be accepted because they did not do it in person. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf president Javed Hashmi before announcing his resignation from the parliament disclosed in a startling revelation on Wednesday that the current political crisis in the country was scripted. Addressing the joint session Hashmi said ‘Honourable Speaker, as for resignations, I resign from my seat...I am going back to the people of Pakistan.’ He said that no PTI member resigned willingly. ‘People did not resign of their own will but I am resigning now. Nawaz has been given chances many times...but Pakistan is not in a prosperous state,’ Hashmi said. Interestingly the PTI president said ‘people wanted to exclude Mujibur Rehman (Sk. Mujib)...said they wanted to be rid of Bengalis - how are we better off? Bangladesh is far more prosperous than Pakistan now.’ He also criticized PTI Chairman Imran Khan for going back from his promises. ‘People say why I didn’t come out with the truth before I was trying to convince PTI members. Imran promised me he won‘t go against the Constitution.’ Despite his rift with the party, Hashmi said he was still the elected party President. Hashmi claimed on Monday that the ongoing political crisis in the country was following a script dictated by the military. If Hashmi is to be believed Imran Khan is playing to the tune of military. By Thursday Imran’s supporters were showing signs of fatigue. He expressed his frustration at the diminishing number of participants in his sit-in.

In another twist all Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) legislators have been asked to submit their resignations to its deputy convener Dr Nusrat Shaukat, with MQM Chief Altaf Hussain giving the government a one-week deadline to resolve the political crisis. ‘They are submitting their resignations because of the drama going on in Pakistan for one month,’ said a party member. The Pakistan Supreme Court in an unprecedented and unilateral move asked all political parties to resolve the current political crisis immediately. Imran shot back at the Supreme Court saying it should not interfere in the politics of the country.

Where will the current political crisis lead Pakistan to? If past is the reflection of the future it can lead to only one conclusion, the Army Chief Raheel Sharif soon announcing over the TV and radio ‘My Dear Countrymen Assalamu Alikum…’ Imran Khan, not realizing politics is not cricket has played into the hands of the military quite well. With the continuous violence in Waziristan and other areas bordering neighbouring Afghanistan, Pakistan can ill afford another bout of military coup. It will again prove to the world that this country does not have much faith in constitutional politics rather it relies heavily on Mullahs and the military to run the country. Those in Bangladesh who still misses Pakistan should realize what we achieved in 1971.

The writer is a former Vice-chancellor, University of Chittagong. (Daily Sun)