|
Dubai: Senior aides to Pakistan’s President Gen. Pervez Musharraf returned to Islamabad Tuesday night carrying the outlines of fresh proposals in the form of a "constitutional package" that could make or break the power sharing deal with former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
Stalled talks between the opposition leader and senior aides to President General Pervez Musharraf resumed in Dubai on Tuesday but Bhutto refused to classify them as "successful" even as she pressed for a quick decision, warning that "time was running out,"
While referring to Tuesday’s twin blastswhich showed how jihadi groups who were tied to Al Qaida-Taliban had in the eight years of army rule already imposed their writ on the nation.
"If you ask me, there was progress and yet there was no progress," she said after talks ended. "I’ve put the options on the table. The ball is now in the president’s court."
Pesidential aides Tariq Aziz, National Security Adviser and Lt. Gen (retd) Hamid Javed, Chief of Staff returned to Islamabad after the third round of talks since the dialogue began in July, to confer with the president before a decision is taken on sealing the deal at a possible meeting between Musharraf and Bhutto in the UAE later this week. Bhutto was assisted by Rahman Malik, adviser, and Makhdoom Amin Fahim, vice-president of Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party.
The ‘constitutional package’ presented by Bhutto offers the president three options to resolve the sticking points that saw talks grind to a standstill in London last week. She refused to dilate on them but officials in Pakistan said the main issue remains winning Bhutto’s backing to amend the constitutional bar against Musharraf’s eligibility for re-election.
In return, the opposition leader would like a blanket waiver of cases against her and other politicians who ruled in the 80s and 90s, lifting the bar on prime ministers holding office for a third term and doing away with Article 58 (2b) which gives presidents the right to dismiss civilian governments.
She said "There’s little point in getting ourselves elected and then two months later for our government to be dismissed. That would be a repeat of the past.
It would serve no purpose. Given the experience of the 90s, we would like to put in place the rules that would prevent this misuse of presidential powers. "
There is intense speculation however that Musharraf is unlikely to give up his power to dismiss elected governments. But in return for a waiver of all cases against Bhutto and a possible lifting of the bar on a third term that would benefit her as well as other former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Bhutto could agree to back the president for re-election from the sitting assemblies against a promise by Musharraf to give up his post as army chief after the election.
But in an indication that the option of Bhutto preparing to return to Pakistan without an agreement is also being looked at, she said: "Our option is to reach an agreement with the government on a transition to democracy. The other is to part ways amicably. But we could also go it alone. Every effort is being made to find agreement, there is sincerity of purpose on both sides but we are still not there."
"Irrespective of whether we reach an understanding or not, I will go back."
Sources close to the opposition leader said that if none of the options worked out, Bhutto knows she will have a battle on her hands, vis a vis the jihadi groups ranged against her who back the Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid) as well as the Muttahida Majlis-E-Amal, which is allied to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League(Nawaz).
She blames these groups, inimical to her return for the sustained campaign against her for talking to the general who has been unable to tackle the jihadi elements. "We are talking to the government as part of our fight to restore democracy, for a way to save the federation. Government has already lost control of the tribal areas where 200 of our soldiers are being held hostage."
She says it is these groups who have stepped up their criticism of her for talking to the military. "They are the ones throwing mud at me, when I could have easily done a deal with the military eight years ago.
But I held out. My husband remained in jail, I had all these cases filed against me including the one in the Swiss courts. My party workers suffered. It wasn’t me who signed a pact with the military and left to live in a palace carrying 50 suitcases. I stuck it out.
Now, when we are negotiating a deal – not a power sharing deal, but a deal to bring democracy back to Pakistan – I have mud thrown at me."
"I have always maintained that the People’s Party will knock on every door to get what we want – a level playing field in which we can participate in a free and fair election."
"Look at India. Both Pakistan and India went their separate ways 60 years ago, but while India is a vibrant democracy, and a powerhouse as an economy with the right to vote, the right to dissent, an independent election commission, an independent judiciary while Pakistan has never been given the opportunity to build democratic institutions of state.
If I am in power I hope we can build a safer environment in which both our countries can grow and prosper."
Right now she said the issue of ‘ a million missing voters’ from the voters list had not been addressed.
"The ability to rig elections has been finessed down to a fine art."
Asked to comment on Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistan on Septemebr 10, she said, "I wish him well. As someone who has lived in exile I know what it feels like to want to go home. As for my own return this is not a race between him and me. I will go back when my party and I decide on a date to be announced in press conferences that will be held simultaneously at all the major cities in Pakistan."
Asked if she feared arrest she said "If it means returning to jail, then so be it." But sources indicated that the only case in which she has not been absolved is when she was convicted for not appearing before the courts. A case, for which she could easily get bail.
"They are afraid of one woman and all the poor people of Pakistan," she laughed, brimming with confidence.
"I cannot understand why."
|
