IT was a potential gift for the United States on its independence day. If the reopening of the Nato supply route was not enough cause for celebration, we had a proven strongman offering the Americans a reincarnation of Abraham Lincoln. In his own modest way, Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf was being his old self since the reasoning behind the comparison between Pakistan`s former president and Mr Lincoln was as simple as his logic has ever been. The resultant conclusion was as categorical as when Gen Musharraf was hailed the new Kemal Atatürk in the months following his military coup in 1999. `I know he [president Lincoln] had violated the constitution because his responsibility was to protect the state and therefore protect the constitution. So this has been the dilemma of Pakistan all through its history.` This is how Gen Musharraf made a grabfor the long unclaimed Lincoln mantle. Perfect a justification for one coup supported by an `example` from American history.
What if a century and half separated the two visionaries? It is fate that throws up great saviours at a time of its choosing.
But as fate would have it, Gen Musharraf`s remarks were reported just a day before Pakistan underwent the painful ritual of marking the anniversary of the start of the Zia martial law that was so pivotal to changing the course of this country, this society and this state. Gen Musharraf has his views and he has rights. He is free to predict a role for himself in Pakistani politics. The problem is that if his latest elaborations are a guide to the tone of his future politics, his presence is hardly something for the inhabitants of this land to look forward to.
Thank you, sir, we have been saved enough times already.
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