Attock News - Will Lt. Gen® Moin Haidar Reflect on 1997 Elections?

Nov

2008

Will Lt. Gen® Moin Haidar Reflect on 1997 Elections?

Dear Editor, Moin Haidar

Lt. Gen.(R) Moinuddin Haidar expressed his apprehensions about the credibility of 2002 Elections in Pakistan. Since he was then close to the power corridors, as such his opinion merits credibility and the incredibility of the said election process. It is hearting to note that the general has realized his moral duty to tell the truth to the nation though belated but still of interest in learning lessons from the past. It is only hoped the general’s new found orientation, rare in Pakistani nobility, will guide him to tell the truth rather the whole truth on related subjects of national importance.

One would like to seek your permission to avail this opportunity to share an interesting story with your readers. Soon after the

1997 Elections, this scribe was chatting with a friend, Anwar Saif Ullah Khan the former federal minister, in his private office in Islamabad. We were joined over a cup of coffee by former senator Jam Karam Ali from Sindh who remained member of federal cabinet in Malik Khalid’s interim government installed by former president Leghari after dismissal of PPP government. Jam Sahib startled us by revealing that he had high level contacts in the GHQ that disclosed to him before the elections that some generals had conspired to rig the 1997 elections. To realize their ulterior motive, an election cell had been created in the Corps Headquarters Lahore that controlled the whole process, assigned duties and instructing troops on the modus operandi to be followed. The objective was to provide landslide victory to one particular party at the cost of others. As disclosed by Jam Sahib, he immediately called on President Leghari and apprised him of his information but the later pooh-poohed the issue by grumbling that it was too late to interfere in the election process being managed by the Army.

As was witnessed on the day of the said elections held in the holy month of Ramadhan, after close of the balloting all the polling agents were asked to go for Aftari recess spreading over 2-3 hours and the ballot boxes were taken in possession by the troops on duty. Jam Sahib’s informants could be proved right during the long break. Lt. Gen.(R) Moin Haidar was Corps Commander Lahore at that time and no cabal could be planned and executed from his office without his knowledge, acquiescence and, at the worst, without his connivance. Would the general, revisited by the spirit of Lawwama- the second stage of self-reproaching soul in Muslim theology, honestly and solemnly reflect on the faux pas inflicted on the nation in the form of sham elections in 1997?

Rais Khan,

Fremont, California.

30-06-2008 11:28 Rais Khan Published in Letters, Letters

This entry was posted on 30-06-2008 11:28. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. This article was favoured 17 time. You can leave a comment.
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