Pakistan Military forced Musharraf to release Benazir Bhutto’s husband on Nov 22nd - Democracy in Pakistan on the move!
Sudhir Chadda, Special Correspondent
December 23, 2004

Asif Ali Zardari, the husband of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, was released from jail on Nov 22nd on the insistence of the Pakistan Military leaders. He was subsequently arrested on December 21st for failing to appear in bail hearing and on charges of corruption, murder and drug smuggling.

A lot is happening behind the scene in Pakistan politics surrounding Musharraf and Bhutto. While people in Pakistan like Musharraf and understand his contributions in Pakistan, they are getting tired of the years of Military rule and its effects.

Musharraf’s biggest problem is that some senior officers of Pakistan Military have started to show impatience and disturbing disagreement with him. This sense of questioning and reasoning became very apparent when Musharraf released Zradari on Nov 22nd and subsequently arrested him back on December 21st on some flaky grounds.

Musharraf’s recent decision not to step down as the supreme leader of the Pakistan Military also shows his lack of confidence in the Military leadership who will follow after his departure from the Military.

Musharraf is in the process of negotiating a compromise with Bhutto to make sure he can stay in power while bringing in real democracy in Pakistan. Islamic Fundamentalists do not like Musharraf. Twice attempts were made to assassinate him. While he uproots Al-Queda from Pakistan, he needs people and opposition with him. His own Military can remove him or the Al-Queda can harm him. In the process of negotiating with Bhutto he is maneuvering with Zardari’s release.

He knows he has India and United States on his side. But what will make him stay in power is the Pakistan Military. The leadership in his military is asking him to be more neutral to all those who oppose him. Musharrraf went easy on Altaf Hussin, the exiled leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, who is self-exiled in London after being charged with extortion and murder. At an international conference in November, Hussain was heavily criticized by the military and Pakistani public after making several inflammatory and anti-Pakistan establishment remarks, such as "the idea of Pakistan was dead at its inception" and "the division of the subcontinent was the biggest blunder."

Hussain comes from the same Mujahir ethnic community as Musharraf. Pakistan Military officers criticized Musharraf in going soft on Hussain while putting Zardari in the jail. Moreover, Musharraf has been criticized for the arrest of Javed Hashmi, the president of the opposition Alliance for Restoration of Democracy Party, who was detained last year after revealing unsigned letters by junior army officers that criticized Musharraf. In addition to exhausting his legal options to detain Zardari, Musharraf was under heavy internal pressure to release him on bail.

While people in Pakistan is eager to have democracy back, India and United States want the process to be slow and orderly. Musharraf is actually badly needed for Pakistan to might Al-Queda. He is the real hope for Pakistan to have a sustained democracy. If he is removed at this moment, with radical Islamic fundamentals or the Military will grab power. 

Benazir Bhutto is playing a tough game too. Her Pakistan People's Party (PPP), is taking a hardline against Musharraf. Zardari is now in the process of leading PPP.
Taking hardline can cost a lot for Bhutto. First Musharraf will take hardline and second, making Musharraf weak will not enhance the possibilities of an orderly transition into democracy.

But the good news is that democracy is on the move in Pakistan. The democratic leaders as well as Musharraf is in touch with India and United States. Pakistan in the future will play an even more vital role for reconstruction of Afghanistan and rebuilding of trust and friendship in South Asia.