Archive for the ‘Pakistan’ Category
Attempts at moral policing in Pakistan
I am compelled to share an excerpt from a post by Murtaza Ali Jafri on the Dawn Blog today. I was unable to discern my reaction after reading it: is it funny or pathetic?
Last month, the Punjab Assembly resolved to ban all late-night call packages offered by mobile telecommunications companies in the province. During vigorous assembly debates, it was concluded that the ability to make cheap, late-night phone calls was having a negative impact on this country’s bright young things. Forget terrorism, the energy crisis, a weakened government, and water shortages – apparently boys and girls texting and calling each other past their bed time has become a matter of national concern.
Hence the assembly resolution demanding that mobile companies stop promoting “cheap rate, late night packages that alter societal tendencies.” Luckily for us nocturnal phone addicts, the powers that be haven’t yet discovered the prevalence of instant messenger or the internet.
I hate to be the harbinger of bad news, but cheap mobile packages don’t corrupt the youth, society corrupts the youth. After all, the previous generation grew up without mobile phones, the internet, cable television, and Gossip Girl, and they’ve hardly turned out to be bastions of virtue.
Does the Government of Pakistan ever fail to surprise us? Only if they could ban all guns given the fact that so many young Pakistanis were being lured by terrorist groups.
Some Different Claims from Pakistan
Criticism for Pakistani politicians, state of military-civilian relations and covert support to terrorism comes easy for anyone. There is so much to complain about Pakistan that very rarely does anything positive gets to the attention of the outside world. In one such rare instance, the Foreign Affairs, January-February 2010, carried a section on Pakistan Regained. Though some of the political claims carried in this sponsored section can be contested, the eight page attempt at PR throws light on some unnoticed facts about the crisis-ridden country.
[Karachi Port Trust Towers]
Who Got Those Drones for Pakistan?
What was reported as a snub by the Pakistan military for the U.S. strategy in the region was in fact a simple act of bargaining.
Pakistan Army spokesman Athar Abbas told the BBC the “overstretched” military had no plans for any fresh anti-militant operations over the next 12 months. He added that “The Pakistan army is overstretched and it is not in a position to open any new fronts. Obviously, we will continue our present operations in Waziristan and Swat.” The announcement was made during the visit of U.S. Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates to the region. And many interpreted this as an embarrassment for the Obama Administration. Click to continue…
President Zardari: A Zealous Entertainer
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari has in a recent article in the Washington Post claimed that his Government shall not turn back from reforming the situation in Pakistan. President Zardari’s self-delusion appears more menacing than the threat of terrorism. I was more amused than surprised to read President Zardari’s tall claims.
The opening lines of the article set the tone for what follows:
“When I was elected President more than a year ago, Pakistan was in grave condition, strained by terrorism and a ravaged economy.”
President Zardari seems to believe that Pakistan is no longer in a grave condition and economy has improved. He refers to the threat of terrorism with a sense of nostalgia. Click to continue…
NRO: Serving Institutions or Individuals?
The Pakistani conundrum continued with the recent Supreme Court decision declaring the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) null and void. Under the ordinance, issued by former President Pervez Musharraf on October 5, 2007, cases of corruption against public office-holders could be withdrawn and no public office-holder could be arrested in future in corruption cases. Powers of the chairman National Accountability Bureau were also circumscribed. In more specific terms the federal and provincial governments were empowered to withdraw from the prosecution of any person, including an absconding accused who is found to be falsely involved for political reasons or through political victimization in any case initiated between January 1, 1986 to October 12, 1999. The ordinance was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on December 16, 2009. Though the constitutional invalidity of the ordinance was obvious, its wider impact has created much confusion. Interpretations of benefits emanating from the NRO are distorted and depend on the political disposition of the observer. Few conspicuous dimensions have evaded attention.
First and foremost, the view that President Asif Ali Zardari benefitted most from the NRO is only partially correct. Zardari was not the primary architect of the NRO; no one, including Zardari himself, could have apprehended the political prize he grabbed as a consequence of NRO. The ordinance was most clearly part of a deal to give a new lease of life to the vacillating political careers of President Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto. Most of the current analysis gives an impression that NRO was the outcome of active campaign by Zardari for the sake of grabbing the Presidency. Zardari, no doubt, was expected to make considerable gains from the NRO, but that was to be an auxiliary rather than primary outcome of the NRO. Click to continue…
New Social Media and Socio-Political Movements in Pakistan
Pakistan has turned from a challenge into a mystery. Apart from aid donors, drones and special envoys, a constant stream of foreign correspondents are pouring into Pakistan. From Nicholas Schmidle to Sharmeen Obaid, reporters, scholars, observers and documentary makers are visiting Pakistan in an attempt to unravel the mystery. Media reports and expert analysis on Pakistan have painted a rather grim picture of the state of affairs in the country. From the growing threat of Taliban to concerns about safety of nuclear weapons, from the weak political leadership to deep social schisms, Pakistan appears to be immersing into deeper crisis.
However, the media glare and emphasis on the obvious has ignored a remarkable element of Pakistani society: resilience of the Pakistanis. In the midst of negative attention, one encouraging development in Pakistan has been overlooked. This refers to a growing number of public protests in Pakistan along with the increasing use of social media tools for mobilizing the people. Most of these protests may not be part of the solution but nevertheless amplify the voice of the Pakistani civil society.
[Picture courtesy: GlobalVoices Online]
Pakistan’s Search for Sweetness
Criticizing Pakistan is the simplest task in contemporary international affairs. When many across the world have given up hope on Pakistan, the people of Pakistan are resolutely fighting their battles. These battles relate to more basic challenges than capturing Osama bin Laden and celebrating the death of Baitullah Mehsud; it’s about accessing the essentials of life. In the midst of a bitter crisis, the people of Pakistan are getting together to add some sweetness to their lives….sweetness in the literal sense.
As a protest against the steep rise in sugar prices due to hoarding by local merchants, the Pakistanis are being encouraged to boycott purchase of sugar from November 5th to November 12. Whether or not this move makes any tangible difference, it will demonstrate the resolve of the common Pakistanis in times of national crisis. Dr. Awab Alvi, who blogs at Teeth Maestro has uploaded this public appeal for boycotting sugar.
India Misses Critical Outreach Opportunity in Pakistan
India is geographically and historically endowed with a natural leadership role in South Asia. In practice exercise of this leadership has been problematic on two fronts. First, the neighboring South Asian states perceive (I am not going into issues of validity here) India as harboring hegemonic ambitions designed to convert South Asia into an exclusive zone of influence. Second, India’s leadership style does not conform to the traditional patterns of leadership. Indian policies reflect a supervisory leadership role rather than a more favorable participatory leadership character. Initiative which defines leadership is evaded by India in most cases. Avoidance of initiative is justified on grounds of countering fears of domination and cultivating trust in regional relations.
[Photo Courtesy: New Atlanticist Blog]
The psychological fear of the smaller neighbors and the cautionary leadership of India have valid justifications. Each side claims to have been caught in a conspiracy of geography and history. Nevertheless, such regional policies are proving self-destructive. There needs to be a conscious effort at altering the traditional postures and policies. Perception change is a time consuming process and requires proactive policies with regard to impacting sensitivities of nation states. Such policies have to go beyond the realm of political agreements and economic concessions. Since India claims regional leadership it is imperative for Indian diplomacy to undertake public outreach across state borders in South Asia. Humanitarian assistance after the tsunami to Sri Lanka and earthquake to Pakistan in 2005 are some outreach efforts undertaken by India. The recent terror attacks in Pakistan provide India with a similar opportunity; one which can also send a strong political message to the international community.
Different Flavors of Popular Protests in India and Pakistan
Indians and Pakistanis are discussing the leadership crisis in their respective countries, but 
for different reasons and with different implications. India’s inability to wield influence on the world stage is being blamed on the lack of good leadership. In Pakistan, people feel that the political leaders have failed to instill confidence and provide direction when the country is consumed by the threat of terrorism. Are these leadership demands signs of widening and maturing democracy in the two countries? Or are the Indians and Pakistanis wanting to re-live the hope and optimism characterizing the era of Nehru and Jinnah? Whatever may be the rationale, the demand for better leadership is showing different traits of the public in India and Pakistan. Click to continue…
An Enemy Imagined? Documentary on Pakistan-India Hostility
Pakistan-India hostility has been the hot topic for the media in both countries. But very rarely is there an attempt to pose serious questions and search for unbiased answers. An Enemy Imagined? aired on October 13, 2009 was once such attempt by the Dawn News. The documentary looks at threats that emanate from Pakistan’s eastern border, assessing if these are genuine threats or merely played up to alter political perceptions.
The non-judgmental quality of the documentary title was refreshing. Views of the academicians, retired Foreign Service Personnel and members of the Armed forces have been juxtaposed to understand the nature of threat posed to Pakistan by India.
There is a wide spectrum of views showcased in the documentary. Shehryar Khan, Former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, holds that India is not merely a perceived threat but a real threat that needs to be taken into account. Former Air Chief Marshal, Asghar Khan is of the opinion that “we have been obsessed with threats from India; there are other things to do.” The latter comment did surprise me, coming from someone who has served in Pakistan’s armed forces.
The views of Aasim Sajjid and Rasul Bux Rais, both professors at LUMS, on the 1971 war belied the perception that a linear anti-India sentiment pervades in the Pakistani society.
The documentary would have been even more impressive if apple halves (depicting partition) and dummy soldiers in a mock war zone had been replaced something more real and illustrative. Nevertheless, the diversity of opinion in Pakistan projected through the documentary was extraordinary. It’s sad that the Indian media, accustomed to negative reporting on Pakistan, took no notice of the documentary.