Posts Tagged ‘Pakistan’
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by former President Pervez Musharraf on October 5, 2007, cases of corruption against public office-holders could be withdrawn and no public office-holder could be arrested in future in corruption cases.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 26/11 Anniversary Gift to India
After a year of vehement denials the Government of Pakistan has charged seven suspects involved in the 26/11 terror siege in Mumbai. The most high profile name among those charged is Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, head of the banned militant group Laskar-e-Taiba. The secret trial and timing of the charges against Lakhvi and others should create unease rather than relief among the Indian diplomats. Ilyas Siddiqui, lawyer to one of the charged suspects is preparing to contest the verdict as he opines that the prosecution does not have the evidence to support the charges it has framed. Since the trial is being held in secret, there is no possibility for Government of India or the international community to question the legal proceedings if Lakhvi and others are let off the hook or handed minimal sentences in the follow-up trial.
Pakistan has contested India’s assertion that the ten terrorists who killed 170 people in Mumbai last year had any Pakistani connection. India is awaiting response to the 7th dossier on investigations into the terror operation, but no major surprises are expected. However, the statements of an FBI officer at the recent session of a special prison court provide the much needed third party perspective to the case. According to FBI electronics engineer and forensic expert, data recovered from a satellite phone and three global positioning systems recovered after the attacks establish the fact that the attack was being coordinated from Pakistani soil.
It is naïve to expect that Pakistan will allow any investigation or action on the 26/11 attacks that exposes the role of any Pakistani official agency. And with the sloppy investigations by the Indian authorities there is not much hope that Pakistan will be confronted with undeniable evidence. Even after questioning Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist who survived 26/11, for almost a year the investigators had no clue on David Coleman Headley. Kasab was questioned on the Headley connection only after the latter was nabbed by the FBI. The HBO documentary Terror in Mumbai portrays Kasab as a misled Pakistani boy who taken for a ride by his trainers. If this was true to any extent then he would have revealed Headley and other such covert connections. Kasab is simply following the instructions of this commander, “prolong this as much as you can.”
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.
Cellphones, Cricket, Apples….Security Concerns Rule Everything in J&K
India has gained mastery over chaotic diplomacy in the domestic and international arenas. The latest demonstration of this mastery came just days after P.M. Singh visited Jammu and Kashmir to win the hearts and minds of the people in the State. P.M. Singh inaugurated a train service linking Kashmir with Srinagar and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi addressed a public rally without bullet-proof screens. The gestures were aimed at highlighting the return of normalcy to the terror ridden J&K. Even before the people of the State could react to the new initiatives, the Home Ministry announced the decision to ban pre-paid cellular phones in J&K. The reasons are obvious: security concerns, terrorists could misuse these connections. The ban applies only to pre-paid connections because the validation process for securing such a connection is much easier than the post-paid ones. Now 39 lakh people with pre-paid cellular connections will have to look for alternative means of connecting across the state. Moreover, by the classic stroke of a pen, 10,000 telephone operators most of whom are young Kashmiri youth will loose their jobs. Connectivity and economic development were the dominant themes of P.M. Singh’s recent visit to J&K. Could there be a better way to further alienate the people of J&K? Click to continue…
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.
South Waziristan Operation: Civilian Government Recedes, Army Takes Charge
The Rah-i-Nijat Operation in South Waziristan has provided the Pakistani Army an opportunity to re-claim the center-stage in Pakistan. Since the past fortnight, Pakistan has witnessed a disturbing series of terror strikes and the Army has initiated the ground offensive in South Waziristan. In these troubled times, public statements or media visibility of President Zardari and P.M. Gilani has been conspicuously low. Who is leading the current military offensive against the Taliban: Army or Civilian Government?
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