Memogate controversy almost fades away

Memogate controversy almost fades away

In quite a wonderful and unexpected move, the notorious memogate controversy has limped to an impasse. Everyone is surprised what all the upheaval was about in the first place.

Surely, the other side of row is that all the concerned parties apparently have been relieved quite lightly. By now no one including the petitioner is taking much interest in the case.

The infamous memogate scam fizzled out when Pakistani-origin US business tycoon, Mansoor Ijaz, declined to Pakistan to testify in front of the judicial commission and the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) citing security concerns.

While it lost its remaining worth when former ambassador to US, Hussain Haqqani, the main character of the case, left the country after getting approval from the apex court. The controversy that continually consumed our body politic for many weeks petered out without any bang.

As the hullabaloo was playing out, it looked as if memogate may finally be responsible for a seismic shift in civil-military ties. In the end result, it is yet to be seen which direction the balance of power would alter.

Apparently that shift to happen although for once, the civil leadership was actually able to look the security establishment in the eye and not tremble.

It shows a progress of a kind in the country. As everyone came out of the memogate controversy, the premier ended up smelling the roses. Casting off the image of the coy yes-man, he merely drifted along with the political storms.

In quite a brave move, he fired an army-backed defecne secretary, lashing out against the army and the ISI chiefs and vowing not to be given any extensions in their services. Although there have been not solid shift in the civil-military dynamic, the figurative shift will also work slightly.

On the other hand, a succession of the apex court orders against the executive led many to consider that the judiciary may have exposed itself to be more supportive to the security establishment rather than the civilian government.

It will be impossible for the judicial commission to come up with plausible judgment in the absence of Hussain Haqqani and Mansoor Ijaz. Hopefully, the government, at this point, can breathe comfort.

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Posted by Faisal Farooq on Feb 3 2012. Filed under National, Opinion, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.