The Economist, on Zardari's Candidacy for President of Pakistan
The widower of Benazir Bhutto and inheritor of her Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Asif Zardari, is on a roll. He is expected to win the indirect presidential election due on September 6th, having been named as the PPP's candidate this week. For a man accused of massive corruption in his murdered wife's two governments, on account of which he has spent eight years in prison, where his lawyers said he became depressed and demented, this is quite a turnaround"¦.. A famous playboy, Mr Zardari was known in the days of Miss Bhutto's governments as "Mr 10%". He was imprisoned, but not convicted, by both Mr Sharif and Mr Musharraf, on charges including murder and corruption. He has been investigated for money-laundering and other crimes in Spain and Switzerland .
A British newspaper, the Financial Times, reported this week that Mr Zardari's lawyers submitted medical records to a British court last year, claiming he was suffering from dementia and severe depression, and so was unable to appear there on corruption charges"¦.. Whatever Mr Zardari's past reputation, optimists hope that the gathering of power in his hands as president might, just possibly, bring a little more political stability to Pakistan . At the least, it would make the PPP accountable for its handling of the country's twin crises: a plunging economy and spiralling Taliban insurgency, which on August 21st saw a suicide attack outside a munitions factory in the town of Wah that killed 67 people
Zardari's Mental Health
Letter to the Editor of FT, London
The scoop in the FT by Michael Peel and Farhan Bokhari on "˜Mental Health' of Asif Zardari has been much appreciated by the people of Pakistan. The report reveals that the "widower of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was diagnosed with a range of serious illnesses including dementia, major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder in a series of medical reports spanning more than two years". These medical reports were presented to courts in the UK and elsewhere in support of plea that the accused was "˜unfit to face a trial'.
It is well known that no medication is yet available to reverse the progressive diseases like dementia. If the medical reports are true and are based on valid diagnosis, Mr Zardari is unfit to hold the office of the President on account of suffering from a degenerative disease. If the medical reports are bogus, it is an even more serious matter. That would mean Mr Zardari evaded trial on the basis of untruth and may have committed the crime of perjury.
Mr Zardari made several written agreements that were well publicised, to 'einstate the judges' dismissed and incarcerated by General Musharraf on November 3, 2007. He went back on his solemn pledge every time. That also indicates that he is either suffering from "˜dementia' or has conducted himself dishonourably. In either case, he is unfit to hold the high office of the President.
The lawyers in Pakistan have been engaged in a movement for the 'ule of law' since March last year when General Musharraf dismissed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. That Asif Zardari is unwilling to restore him in the office of the Chief Justice even after the resignation of President Musharraf also castes a doubt on his sanity. Worse still, it could be reflection of his determination to establish "˜personal rule' in preference to the 'ule of law'.
It is better for Mr Zardari, the country and the entire sub-continent that he honours the promise he made to his coalition partner "“ Nawaz Sharif "“ and let an uncontroversial non-partisan be elected as the President of Pakistan. Chief Justice (retired) Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqi, who is a PML(N) candidate for President, is such a person. The PPP does not enjoy absolute majority in the parliament. It is right and proper that he should at least allow the largely ceremonial office of the "˜head of state' be filled by an honourable former Chief Justice thus meeting a legitimate demands of his coalition partners, and restoring the fast eroding credibility of the new government.
Usman Khalid
Director London Institute of South Asia
|