L E T T E R S    T O    T H E    E D I T O R

Stating the truth about Musharraf

Congratulations to H. K. Dua for his illuminating and highly informative front-page editorial, “No one is shedding tears for Pervez Musharraf” (Aug 19). He has rightly rejected Musharraf’s false claim of promoting reconciliation.

Mr Dua has stated the irrefutable truth that Musharraf followed the well-planned policy of divide and rule through which he set off one political party against another, suppressed most institutions, sacked the Supreme Court Chief Justice and other judges, scrapped the Constitution and imposed emergency just to strengthen his position. He did all this to justify his false claim that he was indispensable for Pakistan.

India cannot forget that under Musharraf’s patronage and direction, Pakistani terrorists carried out their highly deplorable terrorist activities on the Indian soil. I fully share Mr Dua’s hope that Pakistani political leaders, whose instincts got sharpened during the struggle against Musharraf’s oppressive rule, throw up a durable alternative.

Dr M. HASHIM KIDWAI, Former MP, New Delhi

II

Usually, dictators are arrogant and intolerant. They also suffer from a superiority complex. Ultimately, they are abandoned by one and all including friends and their rule ends with a bang — either by physical elimination or disgraceful exit. While some dictators are boastful of their actions, some others plead innocence with tearful eyes.

Ironically, Musharraf talks of his legitimate regime forgetting how he had seized the throne. Now the playground is wide open for free play. As politicians’ common foe is out of the field, this gives rises to many questions. How long the troika will work with adverse views and personal aspirations? What role the US and NATO cabals would like to play in Pakistan’s internal affairs? What role the Army, which is still wielding great influence, would like to partake to clear the “mess” likely to be created by the politicians?

And for us Indians, the anxiety of the state-run sporadic raids of terrorism by Pakistan is the main worry. Anyway, one must hope for the best though with skepticism.

R. K. MALHOTRA, Chandigarh

III

As highlighted by Mr Dua, Musharraf followed a well planned divide and rule policy. He crushed democratic rights, abrogated the Constitution, sacked an inconvenient Supreme Court Chief Justice and many other judges, jailed agitating advocates and human rights activists, barred Nawaz Sharif from contesting elections, allegedly masterminded the assassination of Ms Benazir Bhutto, gagged the media, provided cover to the Taliban, recruited jehadis in defence and spread terorrism in and out of Pakistan. Clearly, he was the biggest hurdle in ushering in democracy in Pakistan.

JAI GOPAL KUSLA, Ludhiana

IV

Mr Dua’s front-page editorial is based on realistic facts. The people of Pakistan had already given their mandate against Musharraf in the February elections. As the verdict was clear, Musharraf should have resigned, but he continued. He sacked the Supreme Court Chief Justice and alienated sections of society due to his wrong and lopsided policies.

This is the main reason why most people celebrated Musharraf’s resignation, paving the way for healthy democratic process.

DIWAN CHAND MOHINDRU, Jalandhar City

V

I endorse the writer’s view that Generals who have tasted power don’t take sanyas. The feudal land-holdings, the evil bud of dictatorship, still exist in Pakistan, which Nehru eliminated in 1950 itself through land reforms. Spurning fundamentalism, while adopting secularism, he strengthened democracy manifold.

However, weak democracies do invite dictatorships, but are only short-lived like the candle flicker representing the 19 months of Emergency in India in 1975.

PRAN SALHOTRA, Gurdaspur