Monday, August 18, 2008 dawned a revolutionary day for Pakistan as former President Pervez Musharraf delivered a televised address that he would step down as president of Pakistan. After a nine year rule, the 65 year-old explained that he has “consulted all legal experts, his political supporters. With their advice, he has decided to quit.”

Public reaction to this demise was surprisingly docile. After crowds gathered around television sets, listening intently to the hour-long emotional speech by their president, they settled back into their day-to-day routine with an expression of relief that their country was now free from the grip of a power-hungry president. Obviously there was the occasional distribution of sweets and cries of jubilation, but this was a limited reaction, compared to local standards.

The reason for this mellowed celebration was the general expectation that Musharraf’s days were numbered ever since his unpopular dismissal of 60 judges, a move that sparked political and social protest.

Without doubt, the end of Musharraf’s rule will provide Pakistan the freedom to develop its nation into a democracy with only its best interests in mind while keeping in line with the goals of development with which the existing party failed to comply.

However, despite this achievement, Pakistan is still standing on the edge of a cliff and will need a great deal of repair in order to save herself. The country is currently struggling with a battered economy with emptying foreign exchange reserves and inflation now at 21 percent and capital flight. An expense as small as a packet of flour is difficult to afford in most communities as families are unable to deal with the price hikes. Power failures are also becoming a bigger problem with the severe lack of power plants for which the Musharraf regime is responsible.

Political complications can also be predicted as the absence of Musharraf will only engrave existing rivalries even deeper. The Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) have traditionally never been the best of friends. With conflicting ideologies on handling the economy and Pakistan’s militancy, their opposition to Musharraf was the only glue that held them together. Now that their political foe bids adieu, the possibility of these adversaries working together seems rather questionable. The military has thankfully taken its place at the sidelines momentarily, but if the coalition fails to perform efficiently, containing military rule will be difficult.

Pakistan’s Parliament has a fortnight (as of September 5th) to select Musharraf’s successor. Asif Ali Zardari, head of the PPP after the assassination of his wife Benazir Bhutto, was nominated, which is a worrying proposition after a glance at his track record of corrupt endeavours. The likelihood of a female president is also being tossed around with candidates such as Faryal Talpur, Zardari’s sister and member of Parliament of the southern province of Sindh.

Call me a pessimist, but I believe even though the overpowering president who held firm control of the country for almost a decade is vanquished, Pakistan cannot live happily ever after yet. The future government is going to have to keep a negotiable stance politically and come up with a magnificent economic strategy to save its citizens from a severe economic crisis.

There is a long way to go yet before we celebrate; we will have to wait and see.

Photo Courtesy: Edge Of Space

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