IT would be a great travesty of justice if Musharaf is tried only for his action of Nov 3, 2007, and not for Oct 12, 1999. Is he the only general who violated the constitution? There were others before him. There were Generals Ziaul Haq and Ayub Khan also. As for Gen Yahya, he did not stage a coup. He was handed over power by his superior, a usurper, who then had become Field Marshal and who should have handed over power to the Speaker of the then National Assembly in terms of the 1962 Constitution. Justice demands that they also be brought to book, though posthumously, as they did in England in the 17th century by hanging the corpse of Gen Oliver Cromwell.

“Pity the nation,” Kahlil Gibran said, “who forgets its past so easily.”

On that fateful evening of Oct 12 millions watched TV as the newscaster repeatedly told the audience that only five minutes of fuel was left for the plane in which Gen Musharraf and 140 other passengers were traveling.

Instructions from senior officials were issued to redirect the plane to some other destination which required more fuel.

Imagine the plane hovering in the air for those fateful five minutes and bursting into flames killing all the passengers. What condemnation, what calumny, what vilification the world would have heaped on this country!

If there were any charges against Musharraf, he could have been easily taken into custody on landing. Would any other army chief have sat there cross-fingered and doing nothing and allowing all to perish? I think not. I strongly assert that what he did was required to be done in the circumstances obtaining then.

I am no supporter but a bitter opponent of his for certain other actions. But as it is said: “Justice should not only be done but seen to be done.”

Kahlil Gibran further laments: “Pity the nation that showers rose petals on its villains but bricks on its heroes.” Although here Musharraf was not a hero, he merely acted in the right manner with all his senses in control.

ZAHID HUSSAIN BORHANI
Karachi