Much water has flown down to river Jhelam in Pakistan over last few weeks. The dictatorial President Musharraf clamped emergency fearing that the Supreme Court will set aside his election as the civil President. The emergency gave him an opportunity to bundle out Supreme court judges and he let judges of his choice roll in. The Supreme Court with new judges convened and declared that he was a constitutionally elected President. That was easy! In the next move, the same individual hangs off his military dress and takes over as the civil President of Pakistan for another term of 5 years. The US President Bush gleefully welcomes this step! Now President Musharraf is busy lifting emergency and declaring that elections are due soon.

This is simply a mockery of democracy! Democracy is not simply about casting votes and electing members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies (Senators and Representatives), it is about about building Institutions!

It is amazing that US is supporting this kind of perverted democracy in Pakistan. The simple rules dictate that military dictator Musharraf first undo the wrongs, meaning thereby to end the emergency rule and let the Pakistan go into elections. Not only that, he must restore the previous judiciary. How can a military ruler become a civil president overnight without getting a popular mandate (remember, opposition had boycotted the electoral process). Also, the elections to be held in January, 2008 are most likely to be rigged under his government machinery.
The US and EU and of course India (acting like a mute spectator does not be hove India as this is a matter of democracy) must pressurize Mush to restore democracy in a ‘democratic’ way.
PS: 12/12 I happened to listen to a radio-talk on NPR with Ahmed Rashid- a Pakistani journalist- about the current situation in Pakistan. This was a well-rounded talk and worth listening.