NRO

The chequered history of Pakistan, blemished multiply by corrupt governments, martial laws, coups and unjustified steps based on the doctrine-of-necessity, has yet no similar example when it comes to the singularly vile, so-called NRO, a black law promulgated by a self-proclaimed president and dictator Musharraf, in order to appease his opponents, almost all of them liable to be prosecuted for corruption and other charges, into striking a deal which would ensure a peaceful coexistence for everyone. By everyone, let it be said, only people who had a list of charges against them are meant and not the whole nation the majority of which are no criminals at all. It is difficult to ascertain who benefitted most from NRO, its promulgator or its beneficiaries. However, it is certain that the law did allow many people who would other wise be leading a life of hiding set foot in the corridors of power.

Although much can be said against NRO, it is important to point out one most serious flaw in the nomenclature. The term national refers to something that is related to a whole nation and not a particular group. Here, in case of NRO, we are only talking of a bunch of people against whom there are many corruption charges leveled and many cases pending. Thus it is most misleading to call it national. The term reconciliation too is misleading. A dictionary definition of the term is this: An act of self-mortification or devotion performed voluntarily to show sorrow for a sin or other wrongdoing. In case of NRO, where exactly do we see this definition, or anything of the sort applied? Instead of calling it reconciliation, this process should have been termed altogether differently. Perhaps, the terms amnesty, immunity, protection or something like that might have been appropriate but never reconciliation.

Now coming to the last term 'Ordinance', the Constitution as per clause 1 or article 89 allows the president to promulgate an Ordinance, be it repeated, the president of Pakistan. A president of Pakistan who grabbed power through a coup, suspended the constitution and dismissed the judiciary can hardly be considered as a legitimate president of Pakistan.

Thus there remains little question as to the validity of NRO. The Supreme Court of Pakistan and then the current political set-up, acting in the best national interest, have been able to discard NRO for good. The government now has released a list of all those who benefitted from it. One thing that really surprises me is that how come we do not see Musharraf name anywhere? Is it not that he benefitted the most from it? If it was not for NRO, would he be allowed to get away with all that he did? Anyways, now that he is enjoying a life of luxury abroad and there is no possibility of him being taken to task, let us forget about that.

The main issue now is what to make of this NRO list now? The list of about eight thousand people include the president of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, Altaf Hussain, three ambassadors and many politicians. Many of these people are actually holding important positions in the current set up. The demise of NRO automatically reopens the pending cases against those included in the beneficiary list.

The NRO would certainly put the country's politicians who are never short of calling themselves as the most sincere, honest saviors to an acid test. And passing this test would mean that they would let the court decide their cases through due process. If found innocent, they would be honorably acquitted and cleanse thus their hands. If found guilty, they would be punished according to the law of the land.