The military rulers hardly learn lessons, till the day they are overthrown or killed. So seems the case with General Parvez
Musharraf of Pakistan. But the pendulum of clock has taken a surprising turn in Pakistan’s internal politics.
But the aspirants of a full-fledged
democracy in Pakistan have little to cheer in the general’s about turn. The successive elected governments of Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto have neither helped democratic instinct to percolate up to the streets, nor strengthened the pillars holding democracy upright. Resultantly the fundamentalists, along with the hard-core military officers, have grabbed the space vacated by people’s representatives. Now these forces would not find democracy as an obstacle only, but would work hard to thwart its possible re-establishment.
On another front though US and its allies know that, in reply to their goodwill and help of every kind, Pakistan has dispatched the herds of trained
terrorists in all the available directions. But there is little chance for their helping revival of democracy, till they love to see a puppet government in Islamabad. They think that only a pliable leader of Pakistan would support their actions, however dangerous those actions maybe, in respect of on going situations in Iran and Afghanistan. Moreover the recent emergence of “Recalled to Life” Russia is also a reason for US to hold Pakistan as a banana republic. India and other countries worry about the turmoil in Pakistan, as a destabilized neighbor could be the cause of losing sleep for them. For India, it would be unsafe to watch and wait until the outsiders solve the regional issue. In today’s fast globalizing world, an emerging economy like India can’t avoid playing a bigger role in South-East Asia. It will have to be involved. Starting with Pakistan, India should get it agreed upon a defense treaty, or an understanding like that at least, under which India would help Pakistan defending its western borders with Iran and Afghanistan.
Such an arrangement would serve three purposes: one, no one would try any mischief on Iran via Pakistan border, and secondly the influx of terrorists from Afghanistan could be stopped by Indian Army itself: advantage Kashmir. And last but the most important, Pakistan would start seeing friends in its neighborhood.