Dear Readers,
One more atrocity by terrorists and an irretrievable loss for Pakistan! The great promise that Ms Benazir had to offer to this country now remains with us only as frustrated aspirations. Benazir's assassination was a tragedy waiting to happen, she knew it and all of us knew it. To carry on regardless in the face such imminent and terminal danger requires a special courage for which no eulogy can be enough. On 01 January 2008 we are perhaps in deeper trouble than ever before. The many calls for revamping the current Caretaker setup and the present Election Commission have been in vain. It now becomes that much more crucial that polls are held in an entirely transparent manner; in essence they must also be perceived to be so, otherwise, with almost everyone raising cries of "poll rigging" the outcome could well be anarchical. The people are already on edge with Atta being out of reach of the common man, shortages of gas and oil and spiralling prices of essential commodities. This, Pakistan can ill afford. It is imperative that measures are taken whereby credibility of the elections is not called into question. For the benefit of readers I am re-producing my recent article, "CONSENSUS GOVERNMENT."

The Feb 18 elections held under the aegis of the present Caretaker Government (and that of the present Election Commission (EC)) will be disputed as "rigged". Taking the very unlikely scenario that PML (Q) does not win a single seat, even then neither PPP nor PML (N) can reach the magic 137 number for an outright majority of the 272 NA seats on offer. With Asif Zardari claiming 2/3rds for PPP (more than 181 seats), and the PML (N) claiming a simple majority (137 seats), post-elections confrontation is guaranteed. Given the remote chance that Feb 18 elections are really free and fair, it will not only be an exercise in futility, but also an invitation to anarchy. The results will not be acceptable to anyone but the winner, and falling short of a majority even the winner will cry "foul". What we have is a no-win situation!

With their political life at stake there is a desperate need for Pervaiz Elahi and party to win come what may. The local civil administration will hardly listen to (and implement) instructions for free and fair polls contrary to the wishes of their immediate political patrons. Accountability for the wrongs committed and the amassing of wealth for years makes it is a matter of survival for them. Moreover rigging will not be the exclusive privilege of the ruling elite, local opposition influentials will ensure their own seat or one for their favourites. The major political parties have stated unambiguously that they will use the elections as the raison d'etre to launch mass protest. The present worsening economic situation as well as oil and food shortages converts this Catch-22 into a political Gordian Knot. Street protests spiralling into violence "a la Dec 27" is not a possible Doomsday scenario, it is a foregone certainty. With their hands already full coping with bloody-minded proliferation of suicide bombings as well as improvised explosive devices (IEDs), how are the law enforcement agencies expected to cope? A child can predict crisis is looming us in the face, why is everyone who is anyone not listening? With the ugly head of secession rearing its head, can we afford gambling the nation's existence?

While Pervez Musharraf is on record ruling out national government, for him it is not an option anymore, it is a dire necessity. Instead of an intelligence agencies-sponsored Caretaker government and/or one composed of politicians, the President should propose 5-6 non-controversial men and women of stature and known political neutrality to be the PM and CMs. They in turn should choose their Cabinet colleagues, forming a "National Consensus Government" at the Federal level as well as Provincial Governments. To ensure the credibility of the electoral process, the Federal Election Commission (EC) should be re-constituted. With respect to the superior judiciary, immediately after the elections or after the new government is formed, the 6 heroes in the superior judiciary who did not take PCO-1 on Jan 31, 2000 should be restored for a limited time period as a Supreme Court Bench with one mandate and one mandate alone, to reconstitute new non-political non-controversial Supreme Court and Provincial High Courts. And this should be done independent of popular feeling, only and only on merit! These "men of honour" should vet all the judges, those who did not take oath under PCO-2 and those who did, and put into place those who are really above board.

It is in the President's supreme interest to stay clear of the electoral exercise. The Feb 18 election date (or if at all a short postponement for 15-20 days) should be the responsibility of the National Consensus Government, and them alone. The Constitution does not allow more than 120 days between the Assemblies being dissolved and the new ones being called into Session. The EC was in violation of the Constitution when it did not seek dispensation from the Supreme Court for changing Jan 8 to Feb 18, if necessary a one-time permission can be sought with consensus of the political parties. Sweeping administrative changes requisitioning the services of retired civil servants of repute temporarily for a limited timespan must be made. Of particular importance is shuffling the police hierarchy right down to the Thana (Police Station) level where it really counts.

Accountability of the elected representatives who will preside over the nation's destiny for the next five years is a must, this cannot be carried out in the timespan available. The present "Bangladesh model" can be studied, the weaknesses experienced by them over the past year removed and duly amended for conditions availing in Pakistan. Even though NAB is fairly neutral, public perception lost faith in its credibility after the 2002 experience when it was misused for political purposes. After NAB's Anti-Corruption Day on Dec 9, 2007, an acid test conducted personally found NAB's credibility still wanting, they need to back their abundant rhetoric and media offensive with deeds. Neutral umpires drawn from retired persons from the judiciary, civil and military must clear every single elected representative, ensuring bye-elections if some are thus disqualified. After the elected representatives take oath in a Session presided over for the last Speaker, the election of the new Speaker, the Leader of the House and the formation of the new Governments can be held in abeyance. The Constitution does not lay down the period for forming governments, completion of this whole process should not take more than 90 days. This issue should be legally addressed by experts.

One laments the loss of objectivity in Pakistan. While taking flak for the perception of being "a close friend of Pervez Musharraf" and consequently "his apologist", it would be nice if this can be conveyed to the intelligence agencies who fall over themselves, with the help of the insanely jealous, to feed him quite the contrary. Having survived the 1971 East Pakistan experience, 2008 feels like deja-vu. Telemachus jumped into the Roman Coliseum 16 centuries ago (almost to the day on Jan 1, 404) to stop two gladiators from killing each other and was stoned to death by the spectators for interfering with the gory spectacle (another version says that the two gladiators killed him). Whatever, at least the Emperor Honorius stopped gladiator fights from that day. Pakistani Telemachus-es among the intelligentsia and the media (and there are many) should work towards ensuring that a "Grand National Compromise" is effected. The President is smart enough to understand the situation, a peaceful transition, extended perhaps, should not degenerate into cause for upheaval. Only free and fair polls (which are also seen to be free and fair) will ensure corruption-free representatives of the people taking their rightful place presiding over the country's destiny.

There is a rapidly shrinking number who feel the President still has the inherent patriotism and opportunity to take courageous decisions, not only for himself but for the nation.

M. Ikram Sehgal