Saturday, December 20, 2008

Why wont Pakistan make it as nation? (Part III)

When i wrote the Part1 and substaantiated it with Part II, i had not known that my thoughts would so quickly be validated by IRI survey on Pakistan.
http://www.dawn.com/2008/12/20/top3.htm
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=HomePage&id=807e81c1-73ef-43b2-b40e-3a4dffff1c06&MatchID1=4856&TeamID1=6&TeamID2=2&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1223&MatchID2=4873&TeamID3=1&TeamID4=3&MatchType2=1&SeriesID2=1229&PrimaryID=4856&Headline='Most+Pakistanis+want+Nawaz+Sharif+as+Prez'

88% of the population believes that Pakistan is not headed the right way! 67% believe that democracy has not made any difference to their well being and 59% believe that they would be worse off next year compared to this year. 78% Pakistani's feel less secure in the current circumstances. These numbers are worse than the times of Pervez Musharraf in his days.
Such a high degree of pessimism and discontent is the forbearer of Doom and thats putting things extremely mildly. 67% of the population have lost all faith in democracy as an ideal. Disaffection, discontent, disillusionment run rife amongst the citizens if that is one headline that this survey should emblazon.

These are the same people, who elect governments, pay taxes and are nations top most priorities. If ever, the Pakistani leadership has to learn a lesson and more importantly act on it, it has to be now...

It will require "biting" the "proverbial bullet". I would assume the following points of action for Pakistan:

1. Pull the plug on the army - ISI - Jehadi nexus. Funds that could be well used in developmental projects get syphoned into the terror network. The Pakistani armed forces would have to be neutralized from the extremist poles. Governance and policies should lead the militray and not the other way round for Pakistan. (If required, the president should have the guts to call for an international effort to weed the nexus, which could also mean deployment of UN forces.)
2. Need to clean up the house. All terror bases dismantled completely with all terrorists taken out to the law. This one is tough act as long as the generals and ISI rule the governing machinery.
3. Time Bound action plan to kick off the developmental and infrastructure projects. This will initially mean more debt in a debt laden economy but this time the money has to be well used.
4. Involve Private and international investors to invest and partner in growth (the way it has happened in India). Requires a judicious mix of thought and action. Too much too soon can over - expose the economy. Too less can reduce the pace of change.

But will the Zardaris or the Sharrifs of the world have the conviction, determination and courage to lead Pakistan out of the cesspool they find themselves and Pakistan to be in at this moment. If a call for action now doesnot happen, then Pakistan is pretty much destined doomed.