Wed, Jan 02, 2008 page8

• EDITORIAL: Musharraf's empty promises

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  With less than a week left before scheduled parliamentary elections, the world is watching as the Pakistani tragedy continues to play out.

  The administration of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf supports postponing the vote, and the election commission seems ready to delay the vote until late next month.

  After the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on Thursday, Musharraf said the government would consult with the opposition on whether to push back elections. Opposition parties are against any delay, including Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party, which has just placed a 19-year-old -- too young to qualify for parliament -- at its helm.

  The decision to postpone the vote despite the wishes of two of the three main parties comes as no surprise. Musharraf has often made promises that have not materialized. The delay has raised accusations that he is buying time for political maneuvering -- and possibly steering clear of a mass sympathy vote against his party fueled by Bhutto's killing.

  But the government may have legitimate reasons for the postponement. Riots sparked by Bhutto's assassination have targeted polling stations where election materials were kept.

  For Musharraf, the election date is a lose-lose situation, and he only has himself to blame. More than anything, his administration seems apt at undermining domestic and international confidence. Over the past year, Musharraf has propelled his country into a downward spiral, backing down from democratic vows while feigning to uphold them.

  When the Supreme Court began to pose a risk to his rule last spring, he fired chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. Then after Musharraf's controversial re-election in October, he declared a state of emergency just days before the Supreme Court was expected to invalidate his victory, removed the court's justices from their posts and installed loyalists.

  During six weeks of what was effectively martial law -- allegedly aimed at countering terrorism -- police locked up thousands of non-violent opponents and shut down independent media. He then tweaked the Constitution to entrench his own power just one day before removing the state of emergency.

  The only wise decision Musharraf made through all of this was resigning as military chief in November -- something that took him six years as president to do.

  Even as militants pose an increasing threat to his country, Musharraf has proven himself more than capable of derailing social stability and democratic institutions. Since March, he has sparked repeated demonstrations and riots with his incompetence.

  Around US$200 million in damage has been done to the country's railways alone since the assassination, the Cabinet says. But in the wake of last week's tragic event, Musharraf's administration again seems bent on provoking an already highly unsettled public.

  Unclear details surrounding Bhutto's slaying have incensed mourners, but Musharraf's government has ruled out an independent international probe.

  Reports vary as to whether Bhutto was denied government security that day. Dawn News aired still photos from footage of the killing that contradicts the official account of Bhutto's death, and other footage showed the site being scrubbed with high-pressure hoses before a forensics team could examine it. An independent investigation could help the country move forward at a time when a fragile situation leaves little room for distractions.

  But it seems that anything moving the country toward stability will not be seen during the current administration. Musharraf has failed one test after another and his promises of shoring up democracy have never materialized. As the situation stands, he will not be able to win back credibility.
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