Azerbaijan, Baku, March 19 / Trend , D.Khatinoglu/
Pakistani national army's non-interference with policy in relation to discontent and mass actions occurring in the country in connection with the demand to restore dismissed Supreme Court judges shows that in contrast to previous years, the military does not intend to interfere in politics.
Military controlled Pakistan for 30 years of 62 years of its statehood. The military used to commit coups every time when a civil authority crisis occurred. Overthrow of Zulfagar Ali Bhutto's government by General Ziyaulhag in 1977, Prime Minister and President's resigning under the presure of General Waheed Kakar in 1993 and overthrow of Nawaz Sharif's government by General Parviz Musharraf in 1999 can be cited as examples of permanent military interference in politics.
General Ashfag Kiani is the current commander-in-chief of the Pakistani army.
Columbia University Southern Asian Institute professor Philip Oldenburg said that Kiani has not interfered with the politics so far. "Kiani stuck to an impartial position in the presidential elections in February 2008 and parliamentary elections. This shows that unlike the past, now the army has no intention to interfere in politics," he wrote to Trend in an e-mail.
In November 2007, ex-President General Parviz Musharraf appointed Kiani commander-in-chief of the army.
Protests that occurred last week proceeded from Supreme Court's ban on Muslim League party chairman Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif to engage in political activities. In order to put an end to protests, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani promised that the Court's decision will be reconsidered. Protestors demand to restore former chairman of the Supreme Court Iftikhar Chaudhry and other judges.
On March 15, Kiani, Prime Minister and President discussed the actions, Reuters reported. But experts do not consider these discussions to be interference.
Independent Pakistani political scientist Abdulhay Anis said in a telephone conversation from Istanbul that Kiani's discussions with President Ali Zardari and Gilani had led to the fact that the Government obeyed to people's demands. So, the head of the army does not abuse the crisis, but tries to resolve the scandal. "This served the interests of the people and was not designed to a revolution or a coup," Anis said.
Judges were restored on the basis of people's demands. But this action can involve the authorities in a crisis: "Judges can annul the decree on Zardari's pardon signed by Musharraf," Pakistani expert said.
Zardari spent 8 years in prison for murder, corruption and other grave charges. But neither accusation was proved. Musharraf signed a decree to pardon Zardari on all accusations in 2008.
Both experts believe that in any case restoration of Supreme Court's judges is a democratic and respectable action. But Anis said that Zardari was obliged to make this decision and this action was not made for the sake of democracy.
The West, especially U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton and her British counterpart David Miliband supported Zardari's decision. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay also welcomed restoration of judges.
During the 2008 presidential elections, Zardari promised to restore the judges dismissed by Musharraf but has not yet fulfilled the promise. Nawaz Sharif's party left the governmental coalition on this regard.
The fact that the decision to restore judges was made within a week after Nawaz Sharif supporters launched actions strengthens the probability to annul Supreme Court's decision to prohibit the Sharif brothers from political activities.
Bringing Zardari to court once again and annulment of the ban for Sharif's political activity, his strongest rival, can create new problems to the President.
Oldenburg said that army's noninterference in the policy does not mean that it losses its credibility in the country. The army still intends to preserve its credibility and there is no guarantee that the army will not commit a coup if a more serious crisis occurs in future.
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