When the democratisation process begins for real, there is no stopping it. Pakistan is no exception. This is the lesson to be drawn from the political turmoil in the world's second most populous Muslim country. Pakistan is at a crossroads. The opposition is determined to push for radical change. The government of President Pervez Musharraf is entrenched and the world is watching who will win this tug-of-war. The judiciary and the opposition parties are resolved to institute democratic change. The opposition ranges from militant Islamists to leftist secularists. They are all determined to quell the power of the army. Yet the army is of vital importance to the United States in its war against international terrorism. Indeed, Pakistan is a critical country as far as the fight against international terrorism is concerned. Not only is it supposed to be one of the key allies of the US, but homegrown terrorism, especially in the remote tribal territories of the Northwest Frontier Province and along its long border with Afghanistan, makes Pakistan one of the most politically volatile places on earth. The security and political stability of this strategically-located country is of vital importance to the entire region. Unrest in Pakistan means trouble in other parts of the Middle East, Central and South Asia. The course of events in Pakistan will have a profound impact on the political map of the region. Pakistan is a very difficult country to run. The ideological forces pulling the country in diametrically-opposed directions threaten to tear the country apart. Pakistan needs an exceptionally strong leader at the helm. And, this is where Musharraf's genius comes into play. He has instituted a state of emergency and he is determined to stay on as head of the army precisely because he wants to stamp out terrorism. His supporters claim that a civilian leader will not be able to cope with the fight against terrorism. His detractors deride such talk and dismiss it as a lame excuse for him to hang on to power. Washington acknowledges his vital role in the fight against international terrorism, but even the administration of US President George W Bush is embarrassed by Musharraf's heavy-handed anti-democracy measures. The Commonwealth of former British colonies openly criticised the Pakistani President and threatened to ostracise Pakistan, a full-fledged member of the Commonwealth. The United Nations Secretary-General Bang-Ki Moon has voiced grave concern about the turn of events in Pakistan. The world watches with keen interest and all eyes are now on Pakistan. Will Musharraf prevail over his foes, or will the opposition (either secular or militant Islamist) take over? Whatever happens will reshape the political map of the region. The leaders of the region are eager to see how the political climate in Pakistan will play out. If Musharraf stays on in power and silences his opponents, they too will breathe a sigh of relief. If he loses the battle against his enemies, then their days, too, are numbered. People's power should not be restricted to places such as the Philippines and South America. The Muslim world, too, seems poised for people's power. And, there are precedents. Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation has experienced people's power and today the nascent democracy in Indonesia is becoming more stable by the day. And, like Pakistan, Indonesia faced horrendous challenges -- Islamist militancy, ethnic and sectarian strife, threats of secession and political instability. Indonesia has not overcome all its problems. Social unrest remains, but at least it has instituted a budding democracy and its political establishment is avowedly democratic. Pakistan is a country with great economic potential. It has a large, relatively well-educated and English-speaking skilled labour force, it has a great reserve of technocrats and professionals. Yes, there are colossal problems of illiteracy, abject poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment. But with political stability Pakistan can start to tackle these problems head on.
