Old don, or new dawn for Pakistan

Guest Post by Amjad Malik

Mr. Zardari despite all reservations and his past was duly elected by the Parliament on 6 September 2008 and it is a good sign for democracy that opposition legitimised the show by participating it and later whole heartedly accepting defeat. Congratulations to Mr. President and let’s bye gone be bye gone and restart a new chapter in Pakistan with an aim of parliamentary sovereignty, rule of law and economic alleviation in the country which is at the verge of institutional and economic collapse. The job which requires sheer wisdom and consultation may not be completed if President does not take himself above his party interest and venture to work jointly as envisaged in ‘ Charter of Democracy’ by his knightly wife Be Nazir as working single handedly may not remove the dark clouds on the civil system which carry a history of four decades.

I foresee four main issues which may take him from 5 months to 5 year rule. First of all his impartiality as his job requires him to treat all equally by genuinely promoting Federation and allowing the healthy opposition by invoking an idea of issue based constructive politics. If he can agree to disagree and allow this principle to be digested by his party and the political class in general, it will evaporate the politics of 90 and will promote tolerance which is in deficit in Pakistan. It will also strengthen the civil system and continue the political process. He must also consider giving his party position to that of his sister and or the sister in law whilst he is a head of state, of course with due consultation of his party.

Secondly, most important issue is Pakistan’s foreign policy. I believe the determination the limits of Pakistan’s role in war on terror will be very crucial and he must take Parliament and security apparatus in confidence in order to advance Pakistan’s due and lawful contribution in this global exercise keeping our sovereignty intact. Musharraf’s tacit understandings which has no parliamentary backing will not be acceptable now and any ‘double crossing’ will not work here either, so he must make it clear that no access either to nuclear or our rear tribal areas without Parliamentary approval and security clearance as that will determine how far his new assignment is acceptable to circles which matters. If aid emphasis remains on United States then shopping list will come with it from them and trade preference will vanish so we need a clear priority on state integrity, controlling inside security and flourishing economic activity.

Thirdly, judges issue will remain a bone of contention in his governance if not settled amicably. I am sure he can work on bigger issues of repealing 17th amendment, implementing charter of democracy and economic revival if judges are restored in accordance with his own declared agreements with his opponents. I am not sure whether he is acting like Nehru or is genuinely has been transformed like him but his credibility will depend a lot on how he settles the judges issue. The way he has so far managed to divide judges, pulled out pro PPP lawyers from the movement and finally had capped the long march show his capacity & management skills. However, dishonouring the whole struggle may not leave any judge in future for so called war of independence of judiciary and sovereignty of Parliament in the event military comes in future, so despite having reservation on any particular judge by PPP, saving the original principle is a genuine and national cause. Iftikhar Choudhary no doubt carries the support of the people for his resilience against a dictator since 9 March 2007 and their clans restoration, compensation and honouring them will create a serious obstacle in the way of military intervention in future.

Fourthly, the issue of a popular slogan of ‘roti kapra aur makkan’ the manifesto of PPP to ease the suffering of ordinary people of Pakistan by providing shelter, food and employment, basic justice and human rights and that’s only possible if Mr. Zardari’s government could get out of the mess it should have been out in the first month. When there is an international food shortage and recession looking over our heads and Pakistani budget trailing in 10 billion, there is not a lot of economic activity one may initiate. Its agreed that his govt. may not be able to fill the bellies of millions who are living below poverty line, but historian will definitely forgive him if he contributes to rebuild a basic structure from where service are provided by erecting hospitals, employment bureaus, educational establishments, and justice for all irrespective of who they are as I believe if his nation is healthy, happy and educated and is treated equally then they will find a way to contribute constructively in any national drive.

Finally a word of wise to new President that complacency is a vry dangeroius thing in politics and he must learn from that of the coup de tat against Mian Nawaz Sharif. When General Musharraf took over on 12 October 99, Mr. Sharif premiership had a two third majority, his own party supported President, his brother as chief minister and he had government in all provinces including his speaker and chair of senate but we witnessed that a junior ranking officer implemented the orders of his seniors by pointing a short range gun on the prime Minister and his own appointed COAS. The lesson from it was clear and unambiguous to initiate a ‘charter of democracy’ by both former premiers to avoid a similar situation. Absolute power is nothing, the key to save the system is in partnership of civil and military and collective collaboration of political forces until we are out of a real threat of a war. We wholeheartedly welcome you for being duly elected and you have a chance to either change the history from here onwards and stop the future of military dictatorship in Pakistan or become a victim of history yet again. You can either be a villain a don of yesterday or be an originator of a new dawn for the poverty ridden, institutionally weak, segregated, and truly traumatised Pakistan. The decision is yours and BB will be watching over you with great interest.

Amjad Malik is a Solicitor-Advocate of the Supreme Court of England & Wales


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16 responses to “Old don, or new dawn for Pakistan”

  1. KarimG Avatar
    KarimG

    Yeah sure…whatever!

  2. Jusathot Avatar
    Jusathot

    My friends, everything that is in our façade of political process is being done according to the dictates of Uncle Sam. Period!

    Small wonder, our political arena is littered with the feudal-lords, generals, crooks and even some criminals. The prevailing SYSTEM is profoundly unsuitable for solving the basic human needs of the majority of the people.

    Unfortunately, the ingredients for mass-mobilization, organization, and revolution are NOT there as yet either. Alas, at this critical juncture, we don’t seem to have any political leader who can step in and rally for a change of status quo. But the restoration will NOT come from Islamabad anyway – it will come when ordinary people – like you and me find the will to engage ourselves with their surrounding reality and take responsibility. Yes, it is a tall order – but with struggle and determination, as shown by the Nepalese and many others in our times, it can be done!

  3. KarimG Avatar
    KarimG

    Amen!

  4. Jusathot Avatar
    Jusathot

    One additional point: So long as the status quo continues – we will continue to see “dons in and dons out” – and the “new dawn” will remain the stuff of poetry only!

  5. temporal Avatar

    Amjad:

    Goldie is getting a lot of advice from anchors, “danishwars”, columnists, citizen bloggers and the like

    time will tell the course he charts for his history

    as i wrote on my blog, the “maai-baap” is gradually parachuting its new “team” in place to continue its old policies

  6. Karachi-Wala Avatar
    Karachi-Wala

    Altaf Hussain now supports Feudalism and Waderas because he
    will get $$$ in return. All the while he and his clowns never got tired of speaking against Feudalism and Waderas and now look at that…

    I stil hear someone calling Jamat-e-Islami as Munafiqeen, now who is playing the role of Munafiqeen???

    What a shame!!! and I still find blind followers to support him.

  7. Patahn Khan Avatar
    Patahn Khan

    HAHAHAAHA what a load of rubbish by amJAD maLIK

  8. Karachiwala Avatar
    Karachiwala

    @ Karachi-Wala
    MQM and Altaf Hussain Supports PPP the Majority party of Sindh and Federation of Pakistan because he don’t want Mohajirs to live in Red Cross Camps like Beharies(Urdu Speaks) who sides with Punjabies not with Bangalies in East Pakistan and ending up in Refugees camp.

    And about Jamat e Islami

    They are Munafiqeen e Azam no one can be campared with them.

    They were actually getting $$$ from US in Afghan Jehad they called Zia Ul HAq Merd e Momin Merd e Haq, Their Ameet Tufail called Zia ul Haq Bhanja(Nephew) and now they become anti US and Anti Army.

    Get a life Man, we have to live with Sindhis in Sindh so we can’t go against them other wise same old sindhi urdu clash people would die and blame should be put on MQM, So think before writing anything silly.

  9. Karachi-Wala Avatar
    Karachi-Wala

    So, now you have IFs-and-Buts to support Feudalism?

    This is called Munafiqat.

    Yes Jamat-e-Islami may have been Munafiq but I think MQM has beaten them at their game and now ALTAF HUSSAIN and MQM is the BIGGEST MUNAFIQ?

    What happened to all the 2% theory? against Feudalism? The truth is Altaf Hussain and his gang have joined the 2% and now its no more 2%, its 3% now.

  10. QaimKhani Avatar
    QaimKhani

    We just read the headlines and with a bit of sorrow move on.
    But the victims have scars for the rest of their lives….

    May Allah help these people.. I didn’t have the courage to see this innocent boy and innocent family going through this ordeal…

    BBC Story

  11. guYasir Avatar

    Silence belongs to PPP= Pak Persuasive Perversity. I made an acronym from my siyasi mind whether you call it looser or loafer mind but what to do now middle-class sit on Zardari sb d*ck which i didn’t like actually when Altaf Raja see his d*ck free after BB death he chose 1st to tune it Anyway.
    Well I personally wouldn’t like to see him as a Pak President despite I’ve got one friend of mine whose younger bro name Atif Baloch got PPP ticket for MPA seat.
    Atif Baloch elder bro Kashif Baloch was my close friend and I spent my life most memorable times with him and we did MBA together from Hamdard uni.we live in N.nazimabad
    His father belongs to Larkana side rather Mirpur Mathelo and a staunch supporter of PPP due to his father influence in sindh assembly and his father holds saudi nationality and doing good business there.
    They’re sindhi-baloch like Zardari.He has got many identities/nationalities like Sindhi Balochi,Saudi as well as Pakistani. Kashif got married on 18/8/007
    I met him last time dated 22/12/007 and I found him pretty happy and willing to do something for his country but unfortunately that brilliant guy turned LATE due to sordid-siyasat
    When he was returning from BB funeral around 7:30 PM, firing started between Jatoi and PPP group and one fire hit his upper right rib and crossover from his heart and got out from his left rib and demise occurred on the spot while he was driving his car. his age was 27
    That was another shock after BB and I hardly bear dis due to my closeness with him so because of BB and Kashif Baloch Shaheed I wanna see Zardari a President of Pakistan.
    If you ask me, my choice. I’d nominate to myself for dis president position I can do it…hahaha am i foolish? am i looser? to do that Job..

  12. dr razahaider Avatar

    Alas! What remained the promissory estoppels reached the correct destination.

    Smashed! Every such factor that bothered as hurdle, swiftly, so to move towards the peak of achievement which remains the fate of very few.

    What else can be the desire of a person who was continuously troubled, subjudiced and subjugated, perhaps irrelevantly, till the day of his ultimate moment of carnation?

    Time passes, period changes, though memoir can still be painful.

    What else can be blame?

    What more can be pasted?

    Continuous game of revenge remained the fate of the individual, some times in the name of crime and sometimes in the name of bearing.

    Where are those who maligned the truth?

    Where are those who disgraced the soul in the name of law so to disembark the individual from the sight and scene of politics, thereby to culminate their malicious intent?

    Do they have any thing, more to say now?

    Asif Ali zardari became the president of Islamic republic of Pakistan.

    Who can deny the remarkable victory in a unique unanimous validation as the first truth of eye witnesses, throughout the track of the land and terrain of the mountains?

    Although what has been sacrificed in the way can never be replaced but shame on the people who played the game of death.

    What is written as ordained can not be changed.

    Bhutto can not leave the heart of Pakistanis.

    See it your self, he is still there, every time, in all era, in different modes and variant silhouette.

    How many times these goons in the name of rift and thrift would play the game of their lust with this family?

    Why Bhutto became and was taken as the real enemy by these insane mongers?

    Was it something that Bhutto never became the part and parcel?

    Scrutinize nation?

    Rectify your approach.

    They are our own.

    I just need one single justification.

    Why he was put behind the bars for so many years?

    Don’t you think something was wrong in the event of his confiscated tenure?

    Time reverts as reward.

    Its time to own and pay the penalty for your treatment that was deliberately made the fate of the individual.

    Admit and say sorry by saying!

    Congrats Mr. President, Asif Ali Khan, on your remarkable success.

  13. karachiwala Avatar
    karachiwala

    @ Karachi-Wala
    No if and Buts and i guess you don’t want to listen the truth.
    The Truth is PPP is the Largest Political Party so what can we do?
    Isolate our selves and arrange another massacre for ourselves??
    we have to get strong inside this system as we don’t have enough mandate.
    we are against feudals we didn’t shake hand with feudal we shoke hand with a Political party that have the mandate of people.
    You accept PPP mandate ???

  14. Junaid Avatar
    Junaid

    PPP ka janaza hei zara dhoom se niklay.

    unfortunately soon we will going to see a major political party going to dusts and yes that is PPP.

    now they have power they would soon go back to old habits of unlimited plunder and i guess this they wont have complaint or usual crap that somebody didnt allowed us to do the job right.
    well i do get enraged by seeing ZAE DAR guy as president and not because of his past but his present.
    he is such a mysterious person and a coward just look at his face expression during the oath taking.

    furthermore i do believe we are going through a transition and ZAR DAR would self destruct.

  15. Bono Avatar
    Bono

    Corruption officially started.

  16. ahmed Avatar
    ahmed

    ALtaf husain is the great leader of wqorld.