It would be highly advisable for Erdogan to adopt a humble posture.
KARACHI: This is apropos your editorial “Trouble in Turkey” (June 7). The outbreak of public protests in Turkey against the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan are poignantly similar to the public uprising in Pakistan against the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto back in 1977. Both Erdogan and Bhutto were/are democratically elected leaders, whose support base was in the rural heartlands of their countries. Both tried to clip the wings of their military establishments. Both wanted their countries to have significant roles on the world stage. Both wanted their nations to be leaders of the Muslim world, and both wanted to amend the respective constitutions of their countries in order to introduce a presidential system of government.
In the case of Bhutto, his actions alarmed the establishment of the time and its Western backers. The establishment gave a nod to its principal supporters, the right-wing clergy, to rise against Bhutto’s government, who underestimated the strength of the public uprising against him. Had he started negotiations with the Pakistan National Alliance immediately, the wind would have gone out of the public uprising. He would have no doubt lost some face but would have lived to fight another day. Pakistan has suffered heavily on account of Bhutto’s refusal to adopt a humble posture in this particular case.
In light of this, it would be highly advisable for Erdogan to adopt a humble posture. He should offer regrets on the highhanded actions of the law-enforcement agencies against the protestors, and of other cases of injustice that his government may have committed in the past, if any. He should immediately announce fresh elections and declare that any changes to the Constitution would be made after consulting the people. Turkey has reached glorious heights under his rule and it would be a great pity if he is forced to quit office and his legacy undermined just because of his refusal to adopt a relatively meek posture.
Osama Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, June 8th, 2013.
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