Luck to civilian rule

This refers to Shekhar Gupta’s ‘He still doesn’t get it’ . The original sin must be attributed to both...

•This refers to Shekhar Gupta’s ‘He still doesn’t get it’ . The original sin must be attributed to both Pakistan’s civil society and the Americans. As Gupta himself noted recently, Ayub Khan’s ascent to the country’s top position was aided and abetted by the Americans, as a counter to the Soviet Union. Somehow, the phenomenon of ‘guided democracy’ has never quite disappeared from Pakistan since, though there have been interludes of civilian rule.

Now, neither Musharraf nor his US handlers can afford to see an assertive, popularly elected government, because such an eventuality will mean an independent judiciary, and the death knell for Musharraf and his antics. Musharraf is giving the impression that he is doing a favour by offering to work with any government that is eventually formed. The US, having invested so much in him, will be loath to let go. With Zardari’s past as ‘Mr 10 per cent’ likely to haunt him, Musharraf can be counted on to exploit it.

In the current tussle for control over Pakistan, the common man and civil society can merely hope that the army would remain in the barracks and Musharraf in retirement.

— Prasad Malladi

Nidadavole

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•Shekhar Gupta in his column has very rightly observed that with the outcome of the elections in Pakistan, public opinion has amply proved that “there is no support for being an American client” and it counts even in a political system with several imperfections. Once a military ruler and now the self-appointed president of Pakistan, Musharraf has taken a big beating in the election of February 18 at the hands of the two parties, which have come together to form the next civilian government. It is time for him to quit the political scene which he misused both overtly and covertly for a long time by claiming himself to be indispensable as the minder of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.

— S.K. Gupta

Delhi

Youngsters’ captain

•Indian cricket captain M.S. Dhoni’s outburst and frustration against our top-order batsmen’s failure, time and again, are understandable. Too much cricket, I guess, has taken a toll on seniors like Tendulkar and Sehwag, who must be rested so that they catch their breath and regain form. This is also an opportunity to try our youngsters. I am sure they would at least match the performance of some of the senior players and if they score some big runs, senior players would be more motivated if they have to regain their place in the side. Yes, captain Dhoni needs to take the bold step of dropping some senior players.

— S.N. Kabra

Mumbai

Power visit

•n The recent visit to Delhi by senators from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee including John Kerry and Joe Biden is very curious. With a Democrat likely to be in the White House by early 2009, why should they be asking for a decision on the Indo-US nuclear deal? Why are they not allowing the new US Democratic president decide on it? In the same breath they are saying that the new US president, if he is a Democrat, is likely to review the deal. Is that not what we all want too? If the US wants some changes, they are welcome. Was the meeting of the US senators with our PM then a routine one? Did they talk weather, and in the same easy breath of the vexed nuclear deal in passing? Unlikely.

— S. Kamat

Goa