A day after: Premier Ashraf moves to debunk conspiracy theory

Raja says judiciary, armed forces and politicians agree democracy is imperative for the country

ISLAMABAD/ KARACHI:

Political circles are aflame with Senator Raza Rabbani’s ominous warning of a detour away from democracy. The jarring note about the warning, however, is that Rabbani’s own party – the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party PPP) – does not quite subscribe to his conspiracy theory.

Senator Rabbani said on Monday that “some elements” were conspiring to install an “unconstitutional interim government” in a bid to delay the next general elections for two to three years.  He did not name the “elements”, but in the past the powerful security establishment has been blamed for “unconstitutional steps”.



On Tuesday, a rejoinder came from none other than the prime minister himself.  There is complete consensus among the military, judiciary and political parties that nothing but democracy is imperative for the country, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said while addressing the oath-taking ceremony of Gujjar Khan Bar Association office-bearers at the Prime Minister Secretariat.

“The plant of democracy has grown into a strong tree with the completion of the five-year term of the incumbent parliament,” he said, adding that all stakeholders have agreed to fully support the democratic system.



The premier said that all institutions have agreed that there is no alternative to democracy and in the next general elections people will elect their representatives to continue the democratic process in the country.

He said that if all institutions worked within their constitutional framework, Pakistan would continue its march on the road to progress. Previous democratic set-ups were damaged by “outside forces” and the country had to face the consequences, he added.

The main opposition party – the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz – describes Raja’s reassurance as inevitable. “Without being explicit, I think the prime minister is trying to dispel these reports,” Senator Tariq Azeem told The Express Tribune by phone.

At the same time, however, the PML-N is not willing to brush off Senator Rabbani’s warning. “He (Rabbani) might have got some inkling of such a conspiracy,” said the party’s spokesperson Siddiqul Farooq.

For the past few months, rumours have been swirling in the federal capital that a caretaker government, comprising technocrats, might be installed for the next two to three years, added Farooq.

When influential scholar Tahirul Qadri roared into Pakistan’s political landscape after his seven-year sojourn in Europe and Canada, opposition parties said that he was acting at the establishment’s bidding as part of a larger scheme to delay the elections.

“Many demands and proposals being put forward (by Dr Qadri) give credence to rumours that a conspiracy was being hatched to delay elections,” Farooq told The Express Tribune.

Dr Qadri calls for reconstitution of the Election Commission of Pakistan and sweeping election reforms before the next general elections. Opposition parties agreed that these demands could not be met before the elections which are scheduled for this spring. Dr Qadri’s demand for input of the military and judiciary in the makeup of interim government made his role further suspect.

“People say Dr Qadri is just a mouthpiece and there are other forces behind him. The government and all stakeholders figured that certain demands of his were not feasible,” Farooq said.

However, the PML-N spokesman endorsed Premier Ashraf that all stakeholders agreed to the need for democracy to continue. “We might not agree with the PPP on many things, but as far as on-time elections are concerned, I think the whole nation, not just the PML-N, has consensus,” he added.

A coalition partner of the PPP – the Awami National Party (ANP) – would also not take Senator Rabbani’s statement lightly. “Anything can happen in Pakistan. I cannot say more,” ANP Senator Haji Adeel told The Express Tribune. However, he was quick to add, “If any such unconstitutional move takes place, we will oppose it with all our might.” (WITH ADDITIONAL input from app)


Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2013.