Q League in the fray

The PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is known to be a humble human being and has the track record of soothing any tense political situation with a reconciliatory approach. After a long mum, he has once again emerged on the political scene. The other day in the Senate, he stated that General (retd) Musharraf was not the only one to blame for imposing an emergency on November 3, 2007. Moreover, he voluntarily surrendered himself with his cousin and former chief minister of Punjab Chaudhry Pervez Elahi to be tried under Article 6 for their alleged involvement in the imposition of emergency in November 2007. Indeed, his stance upholds justice. It is unprecedented that a politician –  along with his family members – would present himself to be tried for a purported misdeed.

Whatever the motive behind this offer, Chaudhry Shujaat put the federal government to a great test: it will now be apparent whether the PML-N is truly committed to upholding the law by trying all the abettors and aides of General (retd) Musharraf or only wants to settle the score with the former general who had toppled its government back in 1999.

Clearly, there is a logical and legal merit in Chaudhry Shujaat’s claim that Musharraf had not committed any sins in isolation but had consulted several stakeholders.

There is consensus in political circles the former general’s 1999 atrocity was a more grave abrogation of the Constitution than the November 3 one because in the latter act only the sitting judiciary was suspended, but in the former the entire Parliament, including the National Assembly, Senate and provincial assemblies along with the then judiciary suffered.

Singling out Musharraf for only his November 3, 2007 infringement smells of political vendetta. No doubt, for the first time, a political government has dared to use Article 6 against those who abrogated the Constitution, but the selective way of proceeding will invite nothing more than criticism and a new collision between political government and military. A fairer trial is not only the desire of the Chaudhrys of Gujrat, but also that of other political parties.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2014.