ISLAMABAD, Oct 2: Despite attempt by a major opposition grouping to raise the ante by resigning en masse from the national and three provincial assemblies, General Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday stole the show by dropping the clearest hint to date of soon restoring complete civilian rule by appointing his successor for the top military office, and offering Benazir Bhutto a hand of cooperation in the form of a proposed law offering indemnity and political reconciliation.

During a day filled with high degree of tension and excitement, two constitutional petitions were filed against General Musharraf’s candidature in the presidential race and the chief justice amazed many with his selection of a nine-judge panel to hear the challenges.

As a dramatic move was taking place inside the apex court, opposition activity in the nearby Parliamentary Lodges acquired feverish pitch and scores of MPs belonging to the All Party Democratic Movement (APDM), along with hundreds of their supporters, came out to march across to the National Assembly to submit their resignations in what now seems like a half-hearted attempt to block the presidential election scheduled for October 6.

Still, it was President Musharraf’s decision to appoint, after having remained as chief of the army staff (COAS) for nearly nine years, Lt. General Ashfaq Pervez Kiani to take over the command of the country’s most powerful institution that totally changed the dynamics of the day’s events, and gave a new direction to the developments of the coming days. Although the army’s spokesman gave no indication of Gen Musharraf’s desire to relinquish the COAS post before the presidential elections, and instead indicated that Gen Kiani would be taking charge some time in the middle of October, the move left absolutely no doubt that the ‘reluctant coup-maker’ of October 1999 has finally decided to doff his uniform.Most observers of defence-related matters are convinced that perhaps the best person has got the job as General Kiani not only excels in professional military matters and affairs of internal and external security, but also belongs to a rare breed of military officers who have a sound intellectual base. However, what has made the appointment of the former ISI chief as the new head of the army even more significant, and in some way crucial to the stability of any future civilian set-up, is his recent involvement in trying to end the impasse on the political front, particularly in talks with former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

Coupled with this has been a strong indication from the government’s camp of presenting a draft law, aimed at giving blanket indemnity to all those accused of any wrongdoing since 1988, with the exception of those convicted by a court of law. It clearly suggests that though Gen Musharraf wants to keep Nawaz Sharif out of the political arena, another serious move is afoot to strike a deal with Benazir Bhutto.

The proposal has come at a time when Ms Bhutto is meeting her top party comrades in London to ponder over such issues. Although a party spokesperson says the proposal in its present form was not enough, especially if the restriction on Ms Bhutto becoming prime minister for the third time was not being lifted, there are strong indications from the PPP camp that the party leadership has decided not to resign from the assemblies at this stage.

Observers say that there may still be some loose ends in the deal-making process, but things seem to be moving in the direction of a possible deal. If this is to be the case, then General Musharraf will become president on his own political strength, and without the PPP’s support, will then doff the army uniform to bring in General Kiani as the army chief, of course with the hope that the Supreme Court will not create any real hurdles in this transition, even though the issue of the two-year ban on retiring government servants from holding public office is yet to be resolved.

Although the opposition parties are trying to block General Musharraf’s attempt to get re-elected for the second term both by political and legal means, barring a clear ruling from the apex court in their favour, there is little chance that any kind of street protest may prevent the holding of October 6 elections.

What may follow will then indicate in which direction things will move. But some cynics say the way some of the recent developments have taken place in quick succession, gives a feeling as if almost everything is moving according to a prepared script, perhaps prepared in the Presidency. And if this is to be believed, then the country may soon hear the announcement of general election without any pre-election arrangement between General Musharraf’s team and Ms Bhutto, but certainly with the understanding that Mr Musharraf, in his civilian garb, will encourage the formation of a post-election government of moderate groupings, with the PPP having a major role in the future set-up.

source DAWN NEWS