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NEWS & LETTERS, August-September 2007Our Life and TimesTwilight of MusharrafMany signs suggest that the U.S.-backed regime of Pakistan's General Pervez Musharraf, in power since 1999, is nearing the end of its rope. As protests mount, even top generals have hinted that it may be time for Musharraf to go and for civilian rule to be restored. In July, Musharraf moved very belatedly to shut down the Red Mosque (Lal Masjid), an armed fundamentalist center that had for months sown terror in the capital, Islamabad. In March, its stick-wielding women students kidnapped and held for weeks three women whom they accused of running a brothel. In April, the democratic movement demonstrated in Karachi, thousands strong, demanding that the state intervene against such Taliban-style vigilantism right in the nationÕs capital. But the vigilante actions continued unchecked for two more months, even after policemen were also kidnapped. Many believe that the militaryÕs ties to religious fundamentalists are at the source of this reluctance to confront their obviously illegal actions at a time when the regime has few other sources of support. But now even those elements, concentrated along the Northwest Frontier area where Taliban support is strong and where many of the Red MosqueÕs students originated, have declared war on the government. In May and June, Pakistan experienced its greatest mass democratic movement in decades. A high point was reached on June 3 when tens of thousands gathered across normally more conservative Punjab to greet the motorcade of Supreme Court Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, whom Musharraf had suspended because of his independent spirit. Musharraf has had pro-regime goons attack and murder pro-democracy demonstrators in Karachi, has tried to censor media reports of opposition demonstrations, and has instigated physical attacks on the homes of opposition leaders, all to no avail. Pakistan has entered a time of democratic turbulence and renewal. Benazir Bhutto, a former president with a popular base, awaits her moment. As in the past, she is cutting deals with the military and the U.S., and above all, trying to make sure that the structures of class and capital would not be disturbed during any transition from military rule. |
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