Pakistan faces its moment of truth, democracy must overcome extremism, says Bhutto

Pakistan faces a moment of truth, and the decisions made in the coming months will determine whether extremism and terrorism can be contained to save the country from internal collapse, says former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

London, Aug.30 : Pakistan faces a moment of truth, and the decisions made in the coming months will determine whether extremism and terrorism can be contained to save the country from internal collapse, says former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

In an op-ed article for the Sunday Current, Bhutto says that the stability of not just Pakistan, but the entire civilized world is at stake.

Claiming that during her time as Prime Minister, the rule of law prevailed in Pakistan, Bhutto now says that religious extremism has gained a foothold in her homeland.

"Whether leaders like Zia exploited religion for their own political ends, or dictatorships inherently induce deprivation and desperation, the fact remains that extremism has emerged as a threat to my nation, to the region and to the world," she writes in her article, adding that "It must be reversed."

She further goes on to claim that the Musharraf regime has ceded large areas of Pakistan to the pro-Taliban and Al Qaeda forces, claiming that these areas are ungovernable.

"I believe that they are governable and that a democratic government can better restore the authority of the state," she says.

"We must be realistic about the history and politics of Pakistan. In a perfect world, perhaps the military would not play a role in politics. But Pakistan is less than perfect in this regard. The security forces fundamentally have served as a political institution in Pakistan, ruling either directly, through generals, or indirectly, by manipulating and ultimately sacking democratic governments," she claims.

"I have made it clear to Musharraf that my party, the Pakistan People's Party, supports the Constitution, which requires that the president be a civilian who is legitimately selected by the parliament and provincial assemblies. After much negotiating, I announced on Wednesday that Musharraf had decided to resign as army chief," she said.

The former premier says that before the general elections, a neutral caretaker government must be empowered to oversee the nation, and an independent election commission, with the participation of all political parties, must be constituted.

Election rolls must be free from political manipulation. Balloting must be transparent, counting must be free from political intervention, and international observers to ensure its sanctity and validity must monitor the entire process.

"Pakistan is at the crossroads. Our success can be a signal to one billion Muslims all over the world that Islam is compatible with democracy, modernity and moderation," she concludes.

ANI