Return of the khaki

The late Eqbal Ahmad once wrote, "It has all been said before. Yet those who should, do not listen. And, as in talking to the deaf, one is compelled to repeat in louder, more agitated tones: The army may bring temporary relief. But the problem is eminently political; it shall not yield to military solution." There is little more that needs to be said about the situation in Pakistan after the 12 October coup by Gen Pervez Musharraf. But, unfortunately, more will have to be said, loudly for too many people, memories have become short, and the needs of the moment have silenced the warnings of conscience, history and political sense.

To understand the origin and character of the present coup requires going back to the beginning of Pakistan. The decade following Partition and Independence was one of enormous political instability and opportunism. There were seven prime ministers and four governor-generals between 1947 and 1958. (In this, it closely resembled the 1990s, which has seen seven prime ministers and three presidents.) In mid-1958, Gen Ayub Khan, then head of the army and defence minis-ter, wrote in his diary: "I am receiving very depressing reports of economic distress and maladministration through political interference, frus-tration and complete lack of faith by the people in political leaders… The general belief is that none of these men have the honesty of purpose, integrity and patriotism to root out the evils of the country, which will require drastic action."