Troubled Pakistan seeks a way out
THE forbearance and endurance of the people of Pakistan is admirable. Neither the 50 years of military rule nor the obsequious politicians have disheartened the nation. Still the people dream of a democratic setup which will give them not only political stability but also economic viability.
Pakistan is, indeed, a distressed state. It is not the lack of political unity or the increasing Talibanisation, which bothers me. It is the absence of ethos, which often makes Pakistan lose its way.
I led a delegation to see if civil societies on both sides could rekindle the fire of amity from the embers left in the heap of burnt-up India-Pakistan relationship. Friendship with India is on the agenda of every political party, including the Jammiat-e-Islami. Yet the two countries are far from holding talks. In fact, there is no such prospect until Mumbai is out of the way and a new government is in the saddle in June or July.
On the last lap of the trip, domestic political upheaval crowded us out from the media and the government's attention. Only two days before we had a long with Nawaz Sharif, whom the Supreme Court disqualified.
He talked about President Zardari "going back on the promises he made," but did not think of parting ways with him. "The repercussions are too serious," he said. In my presence, he received a telephone call from his brother, Shahbaz, then the Punjab chief minister, saying that his meeting with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was "positive."
Therefore, I was surprised over the dismissal of Shahbaz's government and the disqualification of the two brothers. The military and politicians have battered the institutions in Pakistan so much that anything emanating from them evokes little credibility.
What amazes me is the cursory manner in which Zardari treats his political opponents, and that too when the situation in Pakistan demands national unity. There was no last minute effort to talk to Nawaz Sharif, who complained repeatedly that he was never consulted on the probe into the Mumbai happenings.
Awami National Party (ANP) chairman Asfandar Wali Khan could have been of help to Zardari. Even after the dismissal, the Punjab assembly should have been convened to see if any other person was in a position to form the government.
The Punjab governor was in a hurry to have his rule, even for two months. The Muslim League (Quaide) does not have the numbers. There may be fresh polls in Punjab, but Zardari will try his best not to have it. This may develop into an issue, which can tell upon the federal structure of Pakistan.
The biggest gainer is the military, which got rehabilitated because of the fear that India might attack Pakistan following the Mumbai happenings. Only 10 months ago, it was hated. Now it is seen as a protector. That the military is relevant is a sad commentary on political leaders who could not stay together even for one year.
The situation can be retrieved if the ruling PPP takes the initiative. There is an effort within the party to mend fences with the Muslim League (Nawaz). Many PPP National Assembly members, particularly from Gujarat, are against any conciliation with Chaudhary Sujjat who heads the Muslim League (Quaide).
The army gives the impression as if its heart is not in the fight against the Taliban. Asfandar Wali did not want to comment on this point when I asked him. But he did admit that there was no alternative to peace with Taliban in Malkhand division, comprising six districts including the Swat. He argued that the introduction of Shariat laws in those districts did not suggest the triumph of the Taliban.
However, this view is not shared either by the Pakistani civil society or by the media. They fear the Talibanisation of Pakistan within a decade or so if nothing was done to counter it. Many warned me that the Taliban would not stop at even Islamabad but go right up to the Wagha-Amritsar border.
The attack on the Sri Lankan cricketers suggests that. If the Mumbai attack was aimed at India, the Lahore incident points to the steady inroads terrorist organisations have made in the heartland of Pakistan. That New Delhi should join hands with Islamabad to fight terrorism makes sense.
People admit the presence of jehadi elements both in the military and the government. But they argue that such elements will get sustenance if New Delhi does not give visa to artistes and academicians. There is no ban on the screening of Indian films.
Information Minister Sherry Rehman said she did not know how long it would continue if relations between India and Pakistan did not improve. She deserves praise. But it does not solve the problem between the two countries. Dismantling of terrorists' camps in Pakistan may. She should try for that.
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