Pakistani: Glasnot and Prestorika
Written By : Bakhtiar HakeemPakistani: Glasnot and Prestorika
- The process of openness and restructuring of Pakistan is at hand. The slogan of Sab say pehlay Pakistan was the beginning of prestorika . The ideology had been questioned. The long standing ideology ‘Islam’ had been found deficient under the post September 2001 scenario. There had to be some adjustment, some addition and consequently some disfiguring. The tangent to our abstract ideology had taken a start.
- Our PM, the economic wizard who without being even an MNA was selected as PM has achieved both. April of 2005 has witnessed highest rate of dearness in last eight years! And in the following month i.e. May he claims to have achieved highest rate of annual growth in Pakistan! What a wizard. He is now bent upon glosnot, opening every nook and corner of Pakistan to Indian onslaught. Indian vegetables should taste the same isn’t it? How innocent and benign does it look? Us eating Bhindi, aaloo etc from Jalandhar, Haryana and Karnal. And those who happen to relate it with waters of Kishan Ganga and that of Baghliar Dam how will they digest those bhajis! What would come next and after how long? Being a humble student of history of Pakistan may I say things are turning fast. Events are unfolding swiftly.
- Shortsighted contingency planning pivoted around one man with selective and partial respect of constitution will sail us for how long? Sheikh Rashid aired it loud and clear that President will continue beyond 2007. Nasim Zhera questions it in the light of Constitution. Which one? LFO, referendum, creation of PML Q, reassertion of MQM and many more minor to major adventures like ordinance on DHA Islamabad and creation of National Security Council have conditioned the Constitution by now. The trouble is that all this has been provided by one man and meant for one-man. At best one can say it is one-institution show. The institution, which is not tailored, designed, destined for this role and task. If Army masters in this role and function who will fight for this country on the orders?
- Are our leader looking up to the craftsmanship of Hosni Mubarak of Egypt? Or that of General Enver of Turkey.
- Let us focus on current episode of home front. The government faces new challenges, the running of khaki tailored democracy. Who will be the successor? Which system has finally come to stay? Is the pressure from America? It seems to be. Otherwise with PML Q and MQM as the lieutenants and aides; and Asif Zardari moving about almost toothlessly was hardly a problem to worry. But whole of this edifice was a make do arrangement and had little value as a system. The need and pressure to look for next … has deep ramifications. Immediate predicament is what to do with PML Q with its in- house troubles. Can President become part of PML Q? Answer is no. He would weaken his linkage and lose support from his primary constituency; Army. How to proceed with PPP with Benazir as its leader. PML N is a political force in the country but lacks favor with America, therefore, can be put on pretty back burners for the time being. MMA is the enemy in war on terrorism. Ideologically PML Q is closer to MMA rather than PPP. Then how to start bridging the gap with PPP while PML Q is the majority and support in the parliament. Patriots are hardly an issue. They were required then. They were considered to be a success story by way of having been able to break the PPP. Now their weightage, role and subsequent influence matters the least. By their nature they will remain patriots. They will find new masters. May be some of them are taken back into the folds of PPP. Makhdom Amin Fahim has proven great. He stood by his principled stand. And is likely to enjoy respect and leading role in PPP for days to come.
- With every thing in flux and changing the desire must be not to change two things. One the office of president and second the continuation of uniform. Is it possible to change rest all and not to change these two?
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