A ‘Player’ Who Imperfectly Erred!

By Aasef Chaudhary

There is a famous proverb of  Max Euwe that, “Whoever sees no other aim in the game than that of giving checkmate to one’s opponent will never become a good Chess player”, (hence obviously likely to face a humiliation some day). Asif Ali Zardari is one such player who was known for, and in fact always ensured a checkmate and a humiliation to his every opponent, one way or the other without knowing that his own worst checkmate is already writing on the wall. Zardari is one of the most controversial political figures of the country; known for his killing smile yet vindictive not willing to forgive or forget his rivals, may the one be of any stature. He knows how to remain in the gossip and hold the fame. He has never faded away from the country’s political horizon; sometime as the state’s head and at other occasions, mostly as co chairperson. He knows the art when to use Bilawal and when to keep this card away and in the stack. He has no friend but his personal interests.

Few days back the former president and ex supreme commander of Pakistan’s armed forces brutally lashed at the organisation, he commanded once. It was certainly out of blues, hence everyone was taken aback. The worst accusation he hurled at the military establishment was that the latter was overstepping its domain. With a great arrogance he spitted venom and said, “The army chiefs come and go every three years but the political leadership is here to stay. We know the country better and we know how to run its affairs.” He threatened the army of dire consequences and warned them to refrain from ‘character assassination’ of political parties or else he would come out with a list of accused generals since Pakistan’s creation.
Now this was something very unusual. Never ever any politician or other personality had gone that far in pointing an accusing finger at the armed forces, so directly. What it should be called? People are still baffled and befuddled that what exactly had happened that caused the pain to this political Bobby Fischer of his own time. One thing is for sure that Mr. Zardari certainly has the feeling that someone has stepped on his toe and who that someone is? By ridiculing and directly threatening the armed forces AZ has disclosed that name right away.
About three years back British author Michael Burleigh wrote in the Daily Mail of London, “Zardari is not Mr. Ten percent. He has recently become Mr. Hundred and Ten Percent”. Who can forget about that famous welcome which the British media gave to Zardari when he landed at Heathrow to meet David Cameron, by cautioning their PM that, ‘Cameron should count his fingers after shaking hands with Pakistan’s Mr. Ten Percent.’ And then, the famous joke that compelled the PPP government to punish the culprits posting satiric comments, comical posts about the president. As the story goes, a robber stopped a person at gunpoint and said, “Give me your money”. The answer came was, “Don’t you know who I am? I am the president.” The robber immediately corrected himself and said, “OK then, give me my money back”.
What everyone asking each other is about the reasons that forced Zardari to take such a harsh stance. The close associates and friends confirmed that he was a bit agitated from the time when his confidential persons were being questioned and caught. Above all he was attending the apex committees’ sessions those were taking the decisions to bring Karachi’s peace back and was fully aware that most of the marches were leading either to Nine Zero, Bilawal House or Lyari. The thing which was disturbing him day and night was that the Army had a very clear and unambiguous plan to counter economic terrorism, which feeds acts of terrorism and which had threatened Pakistan’s economic lifeline Karachi. As a renowned analyst rightly observed that at the early stage of the action plan, Mr. Zardari decided to take the bull by the horn and his strategy was to have a fight before big names are dragged into the net now circling the land, money laundering, extortion and other mafias. A toe or a tail, whatever it was but one thing was for sure that it was under a heavy military boot and we all know that one surely screams when in utter pain.
Zardari, who abetted PMLN government in the hours of crisis, when Imran’s demand about the fresh elections was looming, was rightly expecting a favour back. He was damn sure about PMLN’s coming forward to rescue him at the crucial hour. Though it was a big ask but Mian Nawaz Sharif, who certainly has learnt a lot from his past mistakes, soon showed him a red flag when Zardari reached Islamabad to see the former, who showed inability to see him. It was a clear message that PMLN cannot stand by anyone’s side that adjusts his ranks and files to fight against the armed forces of Pakistan.
The PPP co-chairman is so confident about his political might that he even bragged that if his party took to the streets, not just Sindh, the entire country’s roads will be blocked. “The whole country from Karachi to Khyber will come to a standstill and will remain so till I order otherwise,” he actually said. Seeing the volleys of criticism and condemning he is facing, it appears that what the PPP leader has said is more of his empty words, especially when we all have recently witnessed that his party has been ousted from the KPK in recent elections and despite his call and a full backing by the parties like ANP and JUFI, his drama totally fizzled out. When we look towards Punjab, the PPP has been eliminated from parliamentary politics. That leaves with Sindh only where he may have some pockets of influence. He can block some roads in few parts of Sindh but what is should be more disturbing for him is that in Karachi his party is facing an endless charge sheet of corruption and his men are being detained and reportedly confessing. His links with model Ayaan Ali are talk of the town and social media is choked with gossip about her. She has created a panic in Bilawal House and its known to all and sundries that who is making desperate attempts to save her skin and deputing whom to defend the doll. Although she was caught with a comparatively small cache of dollars, nevertheless, the scaring fact is that what she knows and can disclose is much more important than half a million dollars those were seized. Zardari’s one time friend and an ex all in all of Sindh, firebrand Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza openly alleges Zardari for a couple of murders and seems sure about his end hence he predicts quite convincingly that, by attacking military establishment, Asif Ali Zardari has committed a political suicide.
Zardari’s intentions for picking up this apex confrontation are not yet fully clear, although the happenings in the surrounding suggest a lot; nabbing of reportedly his front men while fleeing abroad, arrest of most wanted ‘Lyari King’ Uzair Baloch who has spilled a lot of beans and has provided ample reasons for a ‘Bilawal House’ search are the facts that are enough to make him restless. Diehard PPP workers and leadership was sincerely praying for this day. He may consider himself a royal dressed duke but the public knows that the prince is naked, unfortunately. Soon close aides would be found deserting the sinking ship.
Amidst this, if Zardari is annoying the cat then it can only be looked at, as a miscalculating move in the game. After losing castles and the Queen if he thinks that he is in a position to serve checkmate to his opponents then he is sadly mistaken. In fact his miscalculated move has done blessing in disguise and has helped in segregating the loyalists from the turncoats. The game is in fact finished and watching the proceedings is just a formality. So true it is that, “Whoever sees no other aim in the game than that of giving checkmate to one’s opponent will never become a good Chess player.” Unfortunately Mr. Zardari imperfectly erred.