A Year of Satisfaction
This has been a year of mixed fortunes for Pakistan, in final evaluation it must be regarded as a satisfactory period, successfully negotiated. In economic terms we are in such desperate straits that the requirement for Banks collecting Haj money to be deposited with the State Bank of Pakistan after a 14-day period has been shortened to 24 hours. The financial cupboard is bare and that is not a political statement, it is a testament of failure of policy that has tragic overtones for a hapless population. It is not fair but the government of Ms. Benazir is likely to be saddled with galloping inflation and widespread unemployment, which is not a legacy of Gen. Zia (who had no pretensions of being an economic genius) but a heritage from the Junejo period, compounded in the last six months by the chameleon policies of the most powerful economic technocrat ever in Pakistan. If there is a lesson to all this, it must be that essentially all Third World countries should treat acquired foreign qualifications in economic management with care, if not outright suspicion. There is a sick joke going around that while previously the first prize for good economic management was the Chairmanship of the Senate (sic Mr. Ghulam Ishaq Khan), it may now well be the ultimate reward for ruining the economy of Pakistan, perhaps the only appointment in the country from where Dr Haq cannot cause further harm to the economy.
Gen. Zia was a giant among men. It is a sad commentary on our character to note that those who served him loyally (and benefited profitably thereby) for over a decade do not even mention him publicly anymore, thus is the fate of fallen leaders, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. For whatever it is worth, he did lead the Ship of State through perilous waters, as well as can be, our present Afghan policy being his most redeeming feature. Perhaps God contrived his demise in the best way possible for him and Pakistan, a dignified State funeral following a sudden death, Gen. Akhtar Abdur Rahman, by his side. We can only speculate what was in store for us if the Chairman of JCS had not perished with Gen. Zia in the tragic accident, but we are Muslims and such are the ways of God. One always wondered Gen. Zia’s reluctance to allow his progeny the normal Third World hierarchical status. Unfortunately their pre-elections politically neophyte forays culminating in the US$ 1 billion lawsuit against Lockheed is sufficiently self-explanatory in the soul-tormenting vision of his sons attempting the foolish, an act which will tend to tarnish his memory rather than sustain it. History will be kinder to him than his present image justifies because posterity has a sure way of resurrecting the dead, so let it be with Gen. Zia.
Mr. Ghulam Ishaq Khan seized his chance in history with both hands — and held onto it, a singular “Selection and Maintenance of Aim” that defies normal civilian attributes, but then he has always been somewhat of a soldier, albeit in bureaucratic Mufti. His role in history is almost complete but the democratic ship of state is very much still in peril. Steady Presidential hands must give Ms Benazir the time and space she has desperate need of, her utter outwardly calm belying the turmoil she must be enmeshed in, the extreme forces of heart and mind battling to come to the fore in her personality make-up, not helped any by some of those around her caught in the vicious circle of past history. She has carried herself so well uptill now. Ms. Benazir comes to the most prominent political appointment in Pakistan, the Prime Ministership, with a mixed bag of assets, some destined to remain heavy political baggage, others undeniably positioned to give her a chance to become a greater leader than this country will have ever seen. She is still on a fine line politically, as Balochistan has shown, a starkly perilous precipice, and it is only her personality, perseverance, intelligence and charisma that can carry her forward beyond her date with destiny. The people of Pakistan expect a lot from her and unfortunately they have no economic room to allow for disappointment. Having inherited an economy in awful shape, the IMF conditions agreed were absolutely necessary in the circumstances, what a start to fulfilling the economic aspirations of the masses. She is not alone among Third World leaders faced with an economic crisis of alarming proportions on assuming office, her good fortune is that good economic and commercial managers do exist in Pakistan among them the President himself, Mr. V A Jafarey, Mr A G N Kazi, Dr Moinuddin Baqai, Mr Mohammad Yousaf, Mr M I Khalil, etc. Without any shred of doubt, they also have proven credentials, integrity and diligence, very much non-chameleonish. Whereas she must necessarily have a political person as the Federal Finance Minister (Mr. Farooq Leghari is probably headed for that post), she has a full slate to choose from as regards human potential goes and it is incumbent upon her to choose these people with care, national interest being more paramount than any new-found fly-by-night loyalty to her, she will find that those who hold their conscience dear will soon discover that loyalty to her is synonymous with national interest, keeping the nation above self and supreme. While Finance is important, innovation and change in Commerce and Industry is the desperate need of the hour, productivity being a natural requirement to ease the economic discomfort of the masses. She must come to immediate grips with the State Trading Vehicles, not be overwhelmed by the usual blizzard of meaningless statistics dished out by the Corporations on formal presentations. These trading units can be used as useful economic weapons for the betterment of the masses — or can remain moribund in the limbo of administrative status quo. After taking a salutary plunge, the stock market has soared and soared, a sure indicator of a renewal of investor confidence in the pragmatism of the new government.
The crisis in Balochistan has been blown out of proportions but given the election results and the subsequent polarisation, could not be avoided. Zafarullah Jamali, having pretensions on a national scale (even aspirations of being a PM at one time instead of former PM Junejo), did not have the political ability to put his own provincial house in order. He has now an identity crisis, having been an IJI politico on the PML platform, he managed a comfortable arrangement with PPP to form the Government, with his expulsion from PML it will require Dr. Tariq Sohail of PPP to unwrangle the split personality issue.
Whatever happened in Balochistan was a consequence in the knowledge of everyone, to blame Ms Benazir (and PPP) for the final act is unfair while being potentially dangerous for the Federation, true patriotism calls for rising above self, to criticise when required and to give credit when due. The leaders within our system require to be courageous, rank cowards who resort to slimy methods of spreading falsehood at national expense should be made to say “Sayonara” to politics and not necessarily in Japanese. On the other hand the mature and sagacious handling of the crisis invokes kudos for the PM, maybe the experience will stand her in even better stead in the weeks, months and years to come.
The first few weeks have shown a welcome acceptance of the Army as a national institution, needing to be eulogised and supported rather than becoming the target of ill-conceived retribution. The Pakistan Army has a tremendous task in front, India’s hegemonistic adventures shows the frailty of a good neighbourliness policy. A politically strong democracy is an ultimate necessity for a well-motivated Defence Services. Very rightly the PM has said that former PM Junejo did not “LEAVE THE ARMY ALONE”, THE NATION (May 10, 1988) and the May 29 action was a result of ill-conceived advice from politically immature aides who needlessly riled the powers-that-be and thereby suffered the consequences, the end result of which is nevertheless satisfying as it culminated in the restoration of democracy. With Russian interference in Afghanistan continuing unabated, India’s adventurist policy in Sri Lanka and Maldives exposing her greater ambitions, Ms Benazir’s Pakistan needs its professional Army to be solidly behind her as much as it is essential for the Pakistan Army to have a Head of Government whose international credibility effectively counters the adverse Indian propaganda directed against the very existence of Pakistan.
Very shortly the Indian PM is going to finally grace us with his presence. Behind Rajiv Gandhi’s smile is a suspicion of hollowness well exposed by his former finance minister, Mr V P Singh. True, both Rajiv Gandhi and Ms Benazir are torch-bearers of a second generation of leaders of India and Pakistan, but there the similarity ends. Rajiv had to be removed from the controls of an aircraft on his brother’s death to enter politics, except in the general euphoria at the beginning of his rule he has shown no real qualities except being media-genic, no element of political struggle (or sustained commitment) being manifest in his resume. His closest aides, talented cousins among them, have deserted him and his rule is marked by mass resignation to the fact that the Nehru dynasty represents the continuity of the Indian Federation and his fall would mean the disintegration of India. He has increasingly resorted to a favourite Indian ploy when in internal danger, foreign policy initiatives (peace) or rank adventurism (war), so we see the duality of the opening to China and the travails of the Indian Peace (?) Keeping Forces in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Because of pressure on the Russians in Afghanistan and its coincidence with long-term Indian ambitions of expansionism and containing the spread of Islam, various moves against Pakistan on a “carrot and stick” basis are inevitable. While glorifying Ms. Benazir, Rajiv may be making her vulnerable to invoking the backlash of strong anti-Indian reaction in Pakistan, particularly in the Punjab, a dangerous schism to develop. While it would be madness not to want to live in peace with India, it can never be on New Delhi’s terms or tutelage. When Zulfikar Ali Bhutto said, “we shall fight for a thousand years,” he was articulating the emotions of Muslims against Indian domination. India cannot explain her adventures in Sri Lanka and Maldives, her utter subjugation of Bhutan (and to an extent Nepal besides other nations within its frontiers), its brow-beating of Bangladesh (millions dead in floods due to Indian obduracy without the batting of a single Indian eyelash) and its extremely anti-Pakistan propaganda worldwide. On the other hand Ms Benazir has come out of a political process through long struggle. Her position has been well-earned and she politically dominates all the leaders of the South Asian continent despite her age. She has education, intelligence and charisma going for her and can avoid a condescending attitude towards her (and Pakistan). Ms. Benazir’s universal credibility and acceptability have made it incumbent for Rajiv to come to some sort of accommodation with her for the sake of international appearances. She must request a full analysis of India’s Afghanistan and nuclear policies, its various territorial ambitions, etc before succumbing to the honey-and-sugar approach being made.
India’s good neighbourliness makes for good bed-time stories, if not told to the various nations (or victims) on its frontier’s periphery. This advice must not be taken as a warning shot, but as a friendly entreaty not to fall for apparent glitter and glamour, one must go by pragmatic national interest alone, with which no doubt Ms. Benazir is well imbued. Mr. Rajiv Gandhi desperately needs to shore up his domestic and international credibility, but without adequate change in Indian policies, both Ms. Benazir and Pakistan do not need him. Ms. Benazir does not speak for Pakistan alone, the peoples of South Asia depend upon her for freedom from Indian tyranny.
Pakistan’s internal dynamics are extremely unpredictable at the moment. It is important that the Federal Government or the loyal opposition make no major mistakes of intention, resulting in the sacrifice of integrity at great national cost. We must invoke the spirit of compromise with due response from either side, accommodation is important for national solidarity, in the present circumstances it is essential. Nawaz Sharif’s decision to receive the PM at Lahore on her first official visit is a great step for democracy in Pakistan, it shows the spirit of compromise is alive and well in Lahore. Our greatest fear is that Ms Benazir will continue to have a thousand obstacles (Ulysses-like) strewn in her path in her attempt at national unity and economic emancipation. After many years we have a genuine democracy in the country, there being a freshness in the air augering well for an integrated Pakistan, this could well be destroyed by hasty, ill-advised, immature actions. Those out to destroy her should remember that they too have Achilles heel. The political leaders must come together and douse the fires that interested and motivated individuals and parties within and without Pakistan are busy fanning. Ms. Benazir must succeed, she is presently the only hope for a genuinely united Pakistan, she has no other choice but to succeed, such is the single option of being a popularly elected national leader.
We spoke about “THE WINDS OF CHANGE”, THE NATION (Jan 1, 1988), in retrospect, it has been a good year for Pakistan, traumatic perhaps, but in balance extremely satisfying.
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