'Musharraf out to oust me from politics'

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMAMBAD, APRIL 30. Ms. Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister and chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), is away from Pakistan on self-exile for over two years now and yet she keeps a close watch on the domestic developments. For over a few weeks now, just before she got a boost through the Supreme Court judgment quashing a lower court verdict in a corruption case against her, all attention is focussed on her future plans. Ms. Bhutto talks to TheHindu in an exclusive e-mail interview to B. Muralidhar Reddy in Islamabad about issues that matter in Pakistan today.

Muralidhar Reddy: What are your views on the current political situation in Pakistan particularly after the Supreme Court quashed the verdict in the corruption case against you?

Ms. Benazir Bhutto: I am pleased with the Supreme Court decision upholding my prayer for acquittal and setting aside the conviction. An intelligence officer released tapes proving the judgment against me was dictated by the regime to the judge. The Judges on the Bench rose to the occasion. Operating under difficult circumstances, they tried to uphold justice.

The SC verdict changed the ball game. On trial now are the trial judges who convicted me. The apex court decision frustrates the regime's efforts to throw me out of politics and deny the people of Pakistan my leadership. As a result this would have profound impact on the political situation in the country.

After the verdict, it was expected that your return to Pakistan would be a matter of days. But the meeting you had in London with senior PPP leaders decided to delay your return till August. What is the logic? Are you afraid that the Musharraf regime would put you behind bars?

I want to return to Pakistan sooner than later. I miss my home. My return is part of the democratic - rather than the legal - struggle. It's better for the Party that I return after the local bodies elections and before the general elections.

As for the Musharraf regime putting me behind bars, that possibility is there, given their announcement of the same. However, pegged into the election schedule, it works against the regime. Pakistani people note the regime freed from prison a former Prime Minister from Punjab (Nawaz Sharif) convicted by the court and allowed him to leave the country.

If the regime now wants to arrest another former Prime Minister from Sind who has been acquitted by the Supreme Court, on her return from abroad, it will expose the racial bias which led to the break-up of Pakistan. It will damage the regime. Regrettably, it will also weaken the federation.

I think that, as we get near the election campaign, my imprisonment can become an election issue. And I can contest the elections even from prison.

The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) tried unsuccessfully on March 23 to hold a protest rally in Lahore. Now it intends to hold a rally on May Day. Do you agree with the perception that the Alliance has not taken off?

The purpose of the ARD rallies is to build the tempo against the Musharraf regime, to show that it is unpopular, repressive, reneging on promises of good governance and violating fundamental rights. The ARD succeeds if it holds the rally and it succeeds even if the regime breaks it up.

It's important for the world community to see how unpopular the regime is and to keep a distance from it. In such ways we can build domestic and international pressure for the holding of fair, free and impartial elections and the restoration of representative rule. Incidentally pro-Taliban forces are allowed to hold meetings. The ARD still plans its May Day meeting. Small processions will come out from different parts of the city to Nishtar Park.

I disagree with the perception that the ARD has still to take off. Its popular support is such that the regime is on the defensive in seeking to prevent the public meeting.

What is your assessment of the Musharraf regime now that it has completed half of the three-year period given by the Supreme Court for implementation of its agenda and restoration of democracy?

The military regime came in to end fascism and then adopted the fascist agenda to stay in office. Consequently it lost the support of the Pakistani people. It concentrated on vendetta and failed at governance. Today the debt is 106 per cent of the GDP which is a record high. The country is isolated internationally, the economy is worse and accountability a hoax for political foes. It's been tall on promises and short on delivery.

There have been statements attributed to you suggesting that you would not mind Gen. Musharraf taking over as the President of Pakistan.

That statement suggesting my agreement to General Musharraf becoming President was wrong and immediately clarified by my press spokesperson. When Gen. Musharraf asks the PPP and/ or ARD for support to become the President, the matter can be considered. For now it is mere speculation. The PPP is opposed to the offices of President and Army Chief being rolled into one.

How serious in your perception is the threat of Talibanisation of Pakistan?

The concentration of power in a single individual or institution can assist the pro-Taliban forces seize power in Pakistan. They lack public support and are unable to win elections. Their agenda now is to concentrate power in the army/president and climb to power through its veto of parliament. That is indeed worrying.

With the departure of Mr. Nawaz Sharif from Pakistan, leaders of the three major parties are away from the country. Do you agree that there is a leadership vacuum in Pakistan?

Yes. The PPP is concerned. My Party has reposed full confidence in my leadership and has in fact asked me to continue to lead the Party. The military regime is trying its best to oust me from politics and deprive the people of my leadership through artificial means and by use of the coercive apparatus of the State. That however has not worked so far. If the regime insisted upon foisting artificial leadership on the country by squeezing out the genuine leadership it will create a political vacuum leading to a political crisis the consequences of which would be serious for the country.

What is your reaction to the manner in which Mr. Sharif cut a deal with the Government? Do you feel that Mr. Sharif used the ARD to bargain?

That's the past. ARD formation did put pressure on the regime and facilitated the release of Nawaz Sharif. It was kept in the dark about the deal which was struck in secret without the court, the National Security Council or even the Cabinet being taken into confidence. We reject the regime's version that the deal was struck in the larger interest of the country. If that was so, the people would have been taken into confidence.

There have been suggestions from several quarters that the military government has offered a similar deal to your husband, Mr. Asif Zardari.

Yes, they did offer Senator Zardari a similar deal which he refused. He is in a different category. Unlike the Sharif family, the Zardari concerns did not owe six billion rupees to the banks nor had mortgaged the same. So what were they supposed to give to the regime? The Zardari business and trading concerns suffered losses due to the imprisonment of the father and son. Legally, it's the State that should compensate the Zardari group for the forced losses.

Sooner than later the regime has to release Senator Zardari. He has completed prison terms without being convicted. Nawaz was just begining his conviction.

The politically motivated charges are meant to hound us and cause mental and physical torture. They are unjust and should be withdrawn in the interest of justice. The military apparatus is frightened of the people's support for my leadership and keeps a sword of Damocles over my head through so-called charges.

You have been advocating peace between India and Pakistan. What according to you is the way forward for improving relations?

The PPP believes in conflict management in South Asia and has its own formula for it. We are also open to ideas from others on this issue. From our perspective, our goal should be open and safe borders in the disputed Kashmir region without prejudice to the views of either country on the Security Council Resolutions. The way forward is to manage the conflict and proceed step by step for building confidence. There is so much, which can and must be done before we take up the more intractable issue facing the two countries.

You have very strong views on the growing influence of the intelligence apparatus in Pakistan. What, according to you, needs to be done to curtail their role?

The military intelligence network can be regulated by law to stop its domestic interference and its illegal acts. Such illegal acts include plunder of public sector banks, formation of political parties, rigging of elections, illegal wire-tapping of the Prime Minister, Cabinet, judiciary and others. It also includes the destabilisation of governments through smear campaigns and attempts to fabricate evidence through torture and intimidation of the judiciary and the police.

Legally the intelligence is under the Prime Minister but in fact it is a free operator. I was unable to remove those officers who wrote concocted stories and did many other illegal acts or protect those officers who did good service. Accountability of responsibility is essential to good governance.

It is also important in proper conduct of foreign policy. It's wrong when the Government of the day decides on one policy and another is clandestinely followed by its own operatives.

These are important issues which is why we have been calling for a dialogue between the military and the politicians for the exit of the Army and the restoration of democracy.

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