Pakistan <----- legitimacy?

Delay and drama and tragedy may make for a good movie but are never ingredients wanted in a parliamentary election. Despite all the setbacks in the Pakistani elections and the assassination of the PPP’s party leader, Benazir Bhutto, they were finally held today on February 18, 2008. Up until the election, political analysts, bloggers, politicians, and ordinary people alike across the world were skeptical about the elections. Some claimed the elections would not bring peace to Pakistan while others warned about vote rigging and other underhanded election techniques. Above all, they claimed that legitimacy would not be restored to the government by the election. But I think it has.

First, Musharraf’s reaction to the preliminary election results is indicative of his willingness to obey the will of the people. The New York Times of February 18, 2008 reports that part of the reason why Pakistan’s government was not considered legitimate was Musharraf’s dismissal last year of the Supreme Court chief justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who remains under house arrest and the suspension of other Supreme Court justices last Winter because they disagreed with Musharraf. Indeed, Musharraf’s policy in the past has been undemocratic in many ways, with him refusing to obey the law whenever he chooses. When the Washington Post of the same date reported that initial election results showed an overwhelming loss for Musharraf’s party, many were afraid he’d declare emergency rule again or employ some other maneuver to stay in power. However, this time, Musharraf has conceded to the results. The spokesman for the party, Tarik Azeem Khan, said: “We readily accept our defeat unlike in the past when losing parties alleged rigging. We accept that we were beaten fair and square." Thus, Musharraf’s reaction to the elections will give legitimacy to the new government by virtue of his acknowledgement of defeat.

Second, the credibility of the elections itself will give legitimacy to the new government. The Associated press of February 18, 2008 reports that many people were afraid that vote rigging would produce an illegitimate election, which would then translate to an illegitimate government. With the nearly complete election tally revealing that the Pakistan People’s Party has won 80 of the 242 contested seats, the Pakistan Muslim League-N with 66, and the pro-Musharraf party trailing with 38, international observers have also added that this election has been fair. The New York Times of February 18, 2008 adds that this election’s results are an “accurate reflection of the voting.” Thus, since the elections have been credible, the new government will be legitimate as well.

Lastly, and most importantly, the actual results of the election itself provide legitimacy to the new government. In the recent past, Pakistani governments have followed a trend of one party rule that is then toppled by a coup d’état. The Associated Press of February 18, 2008 notes that many people were afraid that is the PPP were to gain overwhelming support, then it too might repeat a history of single party rule that has ultimately failed. However, the New York Times of February 19, 2008 reports that no one party has a majority; rather, power between the two major opposition parties is split. In other words, the BBC of the same date reports that the new government would have to be created by many coalitions of parties, giving a stronger voice to minor opposition parties and restoring the balance of power that is supposed to be inherent in a parliamentary system.

The former Chief of Staff of the Pakistani government, General Karamat, stated in an interview with the New York Times that “what we are seeing through these elections is moderate and liberal forces which [are] absolutely great.” Hopefully, a new, brighter episode of Pakistan’s history will begin now.