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The people have spoken

This is not a survey or the work of human right organisation, the people of Pakistan have given verdict and have shown serious dissent to the policies of General Musharraf.

In particular to his treatment to top judiciary of Pakistan and his own handpicked Q league stalwarts have lost their own home seats which is a clear sign of the charged mood of a nation.

Sharifs and Bhuttoo's party's landslides in Punjab and Sindh respectively have shown the red card to the Prime Ministerial aspirant Maulna Fazal u Rehman.

If they can carefully muster a coalition government, it will be a big victory for the people of Pakistan which will bring continuity, stability and strength in governance.

However, the task ahead is not small as they will have to be wise enough to acknowledge lawyers, media and civil society's movement for justice and they must invite open heartedly Imran Khan, Qazi and APDM components to join their coalition.

Lawyers will be content if pre 3 November judicial position is restored and Chief Justice is brought back to his position along with his colleagues with honour and order of 7 member SC bench is given due respect and preference.

Media men who were banned from reporting must be asked to resume at once.

I think printing and electronic media representatives may jointly draft a code which is reflective of the need of the state as well as encompassing the international norms.

Having said that, opposition voices must be protected too, now that the winning party is in government.

Opposition plays an important part in democracy, and winning graciously is the key and forgiveness' and live and let live' principle must not be ignored.

Any component of opposition may not be barred from going from one province to another, their families must not be disturbed and no false and trumped up charges should be brought against them.

Even if charges are made, they must be offered due process of law and a fair trial ideally in the court before Justice Choudhry.

I believe that the political defeat by vote is the biggest revenge one may take against their opponent.

I for one am not in favour of selective accountability. Sharifs idea of holding people accountable through Saif ur Rehman and General Musharraf's pardon through NRO are not ideal solutions and give rise to suspicion of selective accountability which people dissent.

I feel accountability trials may be conducted through normal courts, higher as well as superior courts if public representatives have violated the law, they must be brought to justice.

However, what these two parties can do is to create a political will to strengthen the judicial process, as well as the existing court system and the way judges are appointed.

If judiciary is strengthened, then that truly can stop military intervention as it can play a role of a buffer zone where a military man does not need to jump in on the name of wiping out corruption.

I think winners must bring true meaning to the slogan of servants to people in its true form too as people do not like big cars, grand offices and luxurious foreign trips when there is a shortage of flour, oil, gas, and sugar in the country and people are dying of suicidal attacks so simplicity could be the key to avoid any suspicion of mal-administration and government should be reflective of the people it serves, a poor state in debt over head and heels.

Finally, I think General Musharraf must consider where he went wrong, his advisors made him deaf and dumb and seldom showed him a true picture of his governance.

He did not learn from the build up of dissent on 5 of April in Lahore when obedient subservient Chief Justice was admired as a bold courageous man for saying No' to the dictator.

We can divide his rule between pre and post 9 of March 2007 and he is a victim of his own deeds and may have ignited a nation of 160 million into action.

He could have continued as a leader of some sort if he had had own elections first and had held these elections post 20 July and accepted the Supreme Court verdict..

Now, it is up to for him to decide how to manipulate his exit if he chooses to do so as honourably as possible.

Amjad Malik is a Solicitor-Advocate of the Supreme Court (England) and a Pakistani political analyst based in UK.

10:42am Wednesday 20th February 2008

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