The disarray in Pakistani Leadership

Pakistan's Men of Power: Top Left Gen Ashfaq Kiyani (holds the key to Army and ISI); Top Right Yusuf Gilani ( Prime Minister); Bottom Left Asif Ali Zardari (The president) and Bottom Right Nawaz Sharif (Former PM and eminent Leader)

The formation of a democratic government led by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, was seen as the beginning of better times after 9 years of dictatorial rule by Musharraf. The move to Democracy appears to have become one of regression. The state of Pakistan has markedly deteriorated in the last year or so. On hind sight, the choice of Zardari to represent Pakistan has been a wrong one.

Zardari's inabilities have been manifold.
1. Surrendering a large swathe of federal provinces to Taliban and Sharia law is his biggest undoing.

2. Inabilities to cope up with Terrorist attacks in Pakistan, India and elsewhere (featuring the attack on Sri Lankan Cricket team) have earned condemnation in all international forums.

3.The charges of promoting followers, family and friends in government contracts and deals will probably attract investigations in the next regime.

4.The world has also taken note of the removal of charges on nuclear proliferator and renegade scientist Abdul Qadir Khan.

5.Banning former Prime minister Nawaz Sharrif and his brother Shahbaz Sharrif from contesting in elections and holding office will in hind might prove to be the undoing of Zardari.

6.As the political leader of his state, Zardari has not given an impression of control on internal matters and has often vacillated under pressure from various stake holders.

7.The failure to reinstate chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhury has seen outbursts from the members in the judiciary.

8.The move to censor Geo TV from certain parts of Pakistan implies subversion of free speech. Geo TV has been extensively covering anti government protests.

In the face of so many problems and a loose intent to address them, US has initiated a move towards addressing issues through army chief Ashfaq Kiyani is a significant one. US is now trying to engage and influence one who has some control over the army and intelligence. The all powerful Jack of cards (Kiyani) is more handy than the inept King and Ace ( Zardari and Gilani). The jack has now started triumphing the king and the ace. Kiyani has asked Zardari to clean up the 'Mess'. Well, it looks as he some one atleast has a measure of control in Pakistan.

Article Chronology:

http://newspaper-posts.blogspot.com/2009/03/is-pakistan-dividing-again.html

http://newspaper-posts.blogspot.com/2009/02/why-wont-pakistan-make-it-as-nation_17.html
http://newspaper-posts.blogspot.com/2009/02/did-obama-force-zardaris-hand.html
http://newspaper-posts.blogspot.com/2009/02/why-wont-pakistan-make-it-as-nation.html
http://newspaper-posts.blogspot.com/2008/12/why-wont-pakistan-make-it-as-nation_20.html
http://newspaper-posts.blogspot.com/2008/12/why-wont-pakistan-make-it-as-nation_18.html
http://newspaper-posts.blogspot.com/2008/12/why-wont-pakistan-make-it-as-nation.html
http://newspaper-posts.blogspot.com/2008/12/next-terror-attack-on-us-will-originate.html
http://newspaper-posts.blogspot.com/2008/11/us-suspects-kashmir-based-group-behind.html

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.