President Pervez Musharraf yesterday defended his plans to change the constitution, saying parliamentary democracy has never worked in Pakistan and arguing for a strong role for the armed forces in future governments. General Musharraf, a key US ally in the war on terrorism, appeared on national television to explain constitutional changes he plans to make before October's elections, which will mark the restoration of civilian rule. The changes would include creation of a National Security Council that would have the power to fire the elected prime minister, Cabinet, and the entire National Assembly. Critics say the changes would institutionalize a leading role for the military in Pakistani politics.
Contrary to what the headline says, I think Perv is trying to work out some sort of system of checks and balances that will allow democracy to actually work in Pakistan. What they've had up until now has been so unstable that it's amounted to organized chaos. Occasional interludes of parliamentary looting have alternated with military takeovers when things got unbearable. Pak's problem isn't too much government, but too little and too ineffective. It's one of the better arguments against anarchy as a political system. |