The opening session of Pakistan’s newly elected National Assembly has raised hopes and revived fears about the country’s return to democracy. The hopes are the result of unprecedented cooperation between the leaders of major political forces. The fears stem from Pakistan’s chequered history of political manipulation by an overarching establishment.

The politicians, notably PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari, have made it clear that they want a return to constitutional rule without conflict. Pakistan has one of its best chances of finding political stability if Musharraf can resist the temptation to follow the pattern of viceregal rulers dating back to governor-generals Ghulam Muhammad and Iskander Mirza during the 1950s.

There would be no confrontation if parliament is allowed to exercise its sovereignty. Musharraf may not want the elected parliament to vote on the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO), the decree that he used to amend the country’s constitution once again in November 2007. The majority parties in parliament argue that it is parliament’s privilege to examine the arbitrary amendments to Pakistan’s basic law.

When the country’s previous military rulers, from Ayub Khan to Zia ul Haq, allowed a phased return to democracy, they allowed the new parliament to vote on constitutional amendments proposed by them. By claiming that the PCO should not be debated Musharraf is failing to adhere even to that precedent set by his military predecessors.

Over the years, Pakistan has become a state that stands only on one pillar — of the executive branch of government represented by the security and intelligence services. The judiciary lost its standing by repeatedly endorsing extra-constitutional interventions and only regained its stature last year when the judges stood up to Musharraf’s arbitrariness.

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