Arrest of Mumtaz Bhutto - A command operation? (05012009)

A command operation is an action or a set of actions, which are carried out on the instructions of higher authorities, usually people in the higher echelons of the government or the intelligence agencies. Mumtaz Bhutto is no ordinary man, he is a former chief minister and head of a powerful tribe, a political leader of some clout even though his party does not command much vote bank. For him to be arrested or put under house arrest is no ordinary event. Furthermore, it is almost impossible to register an ordinary FIR (First Information Report) against an ordinary crime in any police station in Pakistan, therefore, registering of an FIR and the ensuing swift arrest all have hallmark of a ‘command operation’.
Mumtaz Bhutto’s son has alleged that his father was arrested for criticising the president. The rivalry between Bhutto and Zardari is no secret. Bhutto feels that Zardari has usurped his family’s name and elevated himself in power wrongfully, Bhutto also looks down on Zardari as being an upstart without the same aristocratic (in reality feudal) background as the Bhutto feels he enjoys. Zardari is known to settle scores with a vengeance with those who put him down or humiliate him, a case in point is allegedly of murder of Murtaza Bhutto, who is accused to have shaved half of Zardari’s moustache.
Bhutto may have provoked Zardari and given him just cause for acting in this ham handed fashion, but Bhutto has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Bhutto has already gained sympathy and popularity because of his arrest. Whereas, Zardari will not only get notoriety but will also give a cause to the opposition to rally around, while providing more fuel to the ever burgeoning files being maintained on him with a view of using them at some point of time in future.
Zardari is President now and he represents the state of Pakistan, the whole nation. He must stop behaving like a bully with power and must start behaving like a statesman, that the fortunes have elevated him to become. And if he is not involved then he must move quickly to ensure that the elder Bhutto is freed and no more ham handed action is taken by the police against his political opponents. President Zardari must remember and learn from experience of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who was destroyed by overly militant attitude of some of his advisors and former President Musharraf is no longer there for much the same reasons i.e. not listening to good advice and behaving like a bully and an autocrat.
President Zardari has just started in the office, he has got almost five years to go. He will have enough time to make his mark, he should not let the rival politicians provoke him into shooting himself in the foot or worse. It is the deeds of the President which will decide how the history remembers him and not what his political opponent say.