It is so unfortunate that our generals, bureaucrats and politicians get all the wisdom when they either retire or sit in the opposition. They will never listen to good advice or invite good people when they are in power. Why? Simply because in power, they are in total control of a system that was passed on to us by colonial masters and they only wake up when they are out of power as the system no more controls them. We take our guidance from India and feel satisfied if we match them. However we ignore many factors that they have enjoyed while we have remained deprived. The most important has been the prevalence of democracy since their inception which itself is an accountable instrument that has led them to building the nation in many respect. Let us take the example of the recent nuclear treaty. In 1998 we were both condemned for the explosion world wide. They took advantage of US Iran relations and played tango with US in seeking nuclear energy as alternate to the gas pipe line from Iran. Today they are a recognized nuclear state while we will remain under constant world pressure.
The above caption has not only been used in Pakistan but internationally as well. Any sensible people or nation would have put their best brains together to study our failings and put the pieces together towards rebuilding the country. We lost half the country and the nation is still ignorant about Hamood Ur Rehman commission. Today we are involved in a war in which we are fighting and killing our own people but we failed to establish a parliamentary committee to study and reverse such failings. Instead we gave a ceremonial farewell to a general who was totally responsible for the mess General Kiyani should take into account the treatment he meted to the person (Mr. Nawaz Sharif) who made him the chief against a better qualified General Ali Kuli Khattak. Unfortunately our soft approach may be leading us to the above caption.
Let us look at the bright side of events that are visible on the horizon. The PPP and PML N government is surviving in Punjab which makes the nation comfortable that a better realization may be coming amongst our politicians to display unity that will gradually lead us to building the nation. It is a good omen that the opposition in the center has become strong to keep the government accountable. Another good happening is that all parties are getting together on 8 October to establish a national policy on war on terror. Opportunities seldom knock the door. There is a national repulsion against radicalism and it is time that a focused policy against Talibanization is made. This will enable the government to strike the madaris and convert them into proper schools. Like I wrote last time that CPLCs for every 5000 people in rural areas and 10000 people in urban areas are established to use them for intelligence gathering and creating social boycott. The social boycott will weaken the spirit of madaris making it easier to convert them into proper schools.
Bhutto era is dead and Zardari era is taking birth. Such an era can only succeed if good people are inducted to carry out the needed reforms. In my opinion he made two major mistakes, (a) appointing his son chairman. He should have been treated in same manner like Rahul Ghandi. With Mr. Gilani in the hot seat, Mr. Zardari would have played Sonia's role which would have led PPP to party based status something commensurate to democracy. The second mistake was to become President as the nation was not prepared for that. The major factor was his credibility. It is possible that such decision was taken for stability of the government having learnt lesson from Leghari. Zardari era should begin with rebuilding Pakistan. It would be proper that high level parliamentary committees are formed to carry out accountability of every era since 1947. A separate study is carried out to establish what reforms would be needed to wash the name of a failed state. A thorough investigation should be done into the war on terror and a solution found. A domestic solution will be long drawn and may slide us into more trouble for reason that our economy will not bear a sustained long war. US impatience and constant interference from other states will not only destabilize the country but may lead us into a civil war. The use of Lashkars should be strictly controlled either by the army or a political agent to avoid the risk of them challenging the government writ following their success.
Mr. Zardari has very rightly pointed to regional solution. The war not only involves Pakistan but Afghanistan, India and China as well. Unless a regional solution is found, the region will simmer. Further a regional solution will bring a faster end to the war than tackling it in Pakistan. Now Mr. Zardari has to move forward by sending his emissaries in the region to bring them under a South Asia economic block. This block will save us from many future problems that I foresee. It will give us economic strength that we badly need. It will stop India against funding insurgents. It will protect our nuclear weapons. Once the block start shaping, there will be tremendous pressure on US and NATO to pull out. The only justification they are giving for staying in Afghanistan is economic rebuilding of Afghanistan. The regional economic block will take care of that and US / NATO forces will be forced to leave. This scribe can help if requested.
FINALLY ZARDARI ERA WILL EMBARK WITH A NATIONAL GIFT OF A SOUTH ASIA ECONOMIC BLOCK THAT WILL CREATE THE EPIC OF WORLD ECONOMY AND WILL REMOVE THE STIGMA OF A FAILED STATE.
BY SIKANDER HAYAT SHAH
P O BOX 4277 SHARJAH UAE. E MAIL shahsikander55@yahoo.co.uk
0 comments:
Post a Comment