RUPEE NEWS: Recording History, Narrating Archives, Strategic Intellibrief Analysis: Noticias de Rupia | Nouvelles de Roupie | Rupiennachrichten | новости рупии | 卢比新闻 | Rupi Nyheter | ルピーニュース | اخبار روپیہ

Noticias de Rupia | Nouvelles de Roupie | Rupiennachrichten | новости рупии | 卢比新闻 | Roepienieuws | Rupi Nyheter | ルピーニュース | Notizie di Rupia | PAKISTAN LEDGER | پاکستاني کھاتا | RUPEE NEWS | March4th, 2009 | Moin Ansari | معین آنصآرّی | اخبار روپیہ |

After the departure of Pervez Musharraf, who was perceived as a US puppet, the people of Pakistan expected true democracy. What they got was Zardocracy–a system of government which is compliant to the US and run by cronies without the advice and consent of the Prime Minister or the supremacy of parliament.

The Ides of March (Latin: Idus Martias) is the name of the date 15 March in theRoman calendar. The term ides was used for the 15th day of the months of March,May, July, and October, and the 13th day of the other eight months.[1] In Roman times, the Ides of March was a festive day dedicated to the god Mars and a military parade was usually held. In modern times, the term Ides of March  is best known as the date that Julius Caesar was assassinated, in 44 BC, the story of which was famously dramatized in William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar. Wiki

The popularity ratings of Mr. Asif Zardari, which were never stellar to start out with have fallen to half the ratings of Pervez Musharraf. He has continued the policies of his predecessor and refused withdraw the consent on the hugely unpopular drone attacks against Pakistan. His initial utterances on the disputed region of Kashmiri were taken as treason by many patriotic Pakistanis. He has appointed reviled Neocons in his government who have known links to the Vulcan Diaspora out there. He has been unable to build consensus on the major issues facing Pakistan–terrorism from across the border and economic rebuilding.

Mr. Zardari is caught up between a rock and a hard place. He gets daily threats disguised as “advice” from Washington followed up with the same message from the Europeans and the Japanese. He has a turbulent party where many see him as a usurper who hijacked the party after the murder of Benazir Bhutto. The loyal cadre of the PPPP is in open rebellion at the degrading attitude of its leaders towards his cabinet members.

Mr. Zardari also has some pugnacious political rivals who feel that he has deceived and broken promises after signing agreements with them. Mr. Zardari’s chief protagonist is the leader of Northern Punjab, Mr. Nawaz Sharif who was overthrown by General Pervez Musharraf in a bloodless coup on 1999. Mr. Sharif wants the Chief Justice of Pakistan restored and Mr. Zardari is reluctant to do just that because it might imperil his own position as president of Pakistan. Mr. Zardari came to power in a deal with Pervez Musharraf in which his pervious sins of corruption were forgiven as a result of an ordinance called the National Reconstruction Ordinance (NRO).

Mr. Zardari has imposed Governor’s Rule in the Punjab after his rival was found lacking in credentials to stand for the office of Chief Minister based on some court decision dating back from the Musharraf era. The decision reek of political vendetta.  Mr. Zardari probably miscalculated his strength and instead of finding a replacement and working with the PMLN–Mr. Zardari decided to impose Governor’s rule, which is a temporary measure ’till the provincial assembly can choose another Chief Minister in the Punjab. This blunder antagonized the Sharif’s and put Zardocracy in jeopardy. Most politicians have identified a weakness and like bloodhounds are honing in on Zardari’s Achillies Heal.  Imran Khan who has no seat in the parliament, and is an eloquent speaker sometimes has joined forces with the religious parties and with the Sharifs to launch a peaceful civil disobedience movement to get the Chief Justice restored in Islamabad.

Most analysts believe that Zardaocracy cannot stand. New elections are to be held four years from now. If mid term elections are held, the PPPP will loose. The lawyers’s movement and the civil disobedience strikes could turn ugly. Surely the Sharif’s will provoke the Police. When the Police react, the Sharif’s will yell bloody murder and try to galvanize the masses against the government. Mr. Zardari has a few options. He can acquiesce to the demands by reinstating the Chief Justice and regularize the NRO to protect himself from any action from the Supreme Court. Mr. Zardari can wait it out and see if the movement fizzles out or not. He can also clamp down hard on the opposition, put the leaders in jail and try to wether the storm. In the present circumstances jailing the opposition is politically untenable. Mr. Zardari also faces the prospect of insurrection within his own party. Can a resurgent Prime Minister act as Brutus, rally the troops and work against the presidency? This question will be answered within days not weeks.

This much is for certain, the US bombing in Pakistan will come to an end, and it will have to work a peace deal in Afghanistan. The new government whether it is a replacement of Mr. Zardari’s Zardocracy or simply a tweaking of the PPPPs modus operandi, will not be as complaint to US wishes as Washington would have hoped it to be