New Pak Premier Faces Daunting Tasks
Unprecedented in Pakistan’s history, the unanimous vote of confidence last Saturday (March 29) by the newly elected Parliament in Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani as the Prime Minister of Pakistan reflected the anxiety of the legislators to strengthen his hands for taking effective stands on problems facing the country including the need to thwart the US meddling in the country’s affairs.
Ironically enough, it was the US pressure on President Musharraf that led to the issuance of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) that swept aside the corruption cases against Benazir-Zardari, Sharif brothers and others and permitted them to return to Pakistan and participate in the elections. And, interestingly it is the anti-Musharraf sentiment that serves as the glue between the PPP and ML (N).
The US, interested mainly in the elimination of the Islamic extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan, wanted to strengthen the hands of the military leader of Pakistan by providing him the buttress of an elected government. But Musharraf, who had been quite popular among his people for eight long years, started taking one wrong step after another to secure his own re-election as President for another term of five years. He sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhri, opted for the use of force against the Mullahs of Lal Masjid instead of seeking a negotiated settlement, even imposed emergency on November 3, 2007 to stifle all opposition to his iron-fisted rule, and sacked no less than 63 senior judges. All his steps turned out to be counterproductive, and his popularity graph took a nosedive. Elections held in such an environ were bound to repudiate the party which supported him and , in a way, his own reelection by the lame-duck parliamentarians. A major folly of his was to reverse the trend of the freedom of the media, set in motion by himself, and place restrictions particularly on the broadcast media. It amounted to a U-turn on a fast moving one-way street.
His self-serving decisions, the lack-luster leadership of Muslim League (Q) –the party that fully supported him- the unflinching efforts of Benazir to strengthen country-wide her party’s support, and Nawaz Sharif’s one-point anti-Musharraf agenda and offers of cooperation to Benazir, all combined to deliver the people’s verdict in the elections. It was a verdict against Musharraf, the army rule and its subservience to US dictates.
Ironically, both Nawaz Sharif and Benazir had served as Prime Ministers, two stints each, and sacked every time by the then Presidents for corruptions. Ironically enough also, they were pardoned by Musharraf who had pledged to the nation to do away with corruption. The result is that today Mr. Zardari, whose street sobriquet was “Mr. 10 Percent” is “Mr. Totally Clean” !
Prime Minister Gilani too was convicted by an anti-corruption court after Musharraf seized power in a 1999 coup. An appellate court overturned that verdict 5 years later.
Gilani, 55, scion of a religious and land-owing family of Multan, generally seen as a consensus builder, will have to steer Pakistan through economic crises, the rise of Islamic militants (almost 20 suicide attacks so far in the current year), a standoff with embattled President Musharraf, the general anti-American sentiments in the country, and the restoration of the fired judges.
A very difficult task for his administration will be to tame the pampered army brass. The Generals are addicted to the gravy coming from the US. Since 9/11 $10 billion are said to have been given to Pakistan in US aid. Army’s expenses in the fight against the militants in the tribal areas are reimbursed by the US.
Pakistan is perhaps the only country whose defense budget is not open to scrutiny by civilian authorities and it figures in the annual budget estimates only in one line, giving the total amount allotted. Gilani will have to bring it within the purview of Parliament’s audit and accounts committee. The elections gave a clear verdict against the unfettered military rule in the country and for the revival of the moribund democracy.
The immediate domestic problems that have started staring him in the face are the double-digit inflation, power and water shortages, and sagging foreign investment. He has already decided to increase the official wheat procurement price. That will satisfy the farming community, including the feudal land barons, but it would certainly add to the market price of flour –the common man’s measure for the performance of the government.
A delicate task for the new government would be to work out a mutually acceptable relationship with the United States. Pakistan is pivotal to the US, NATO and other allied forces in Afghanistan being the conduit for most of the fuel and other supplies to them. Then, the war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan has spawned Pakistani Taliban in the tribal areas on Pakistan’s side. They claim that they are fighting against the US and Pakistani army and militia that are fighting for the US. A good number of civilians, including women and children, have died in Pakistani territory in the conflict, particularly in the aerial bombings of pilot-less Predator drones. Musharraf is said to have tacitly agreed to such bombings. Political leaders who have taken the reins of government now have pledged to negotiate a settlement with the militants.
No wonder, two top US diplomats arrived in Islamabad to convince the new leadership to stay the belligerent course. The daily Dawn commented: “The arrival of the US delegation on the day the new prime minister had been sworn in suggested that they were trying to dictate terms.” The News, another major daily, commented: “For most citizens indications that Washington is eager to enforce its writ in parts of the country or dictate policy decisions are highly distressing”.
Nawaz Sharif is reported to have told the US emissary: “Pakistan wants to see peace in every country, including the US. However, to secure peace in other countries, we cannot turn our own country into killing fields.”
The US points out that a peace deal with the elders of Waziristan worked out earlier by Musharraf regime foundered and there was little cause to be optimistic that a similar arrangement will be a success now.
There is thus a clear difference in perceptions. Mr. Gilani has informed the US diplomats that Pakistan considers the war on terror as its war too and will therefore cooperate in this task with the US, but it would give diplomacy and negotiations a chance in arriving at a settlement with the leaders of Pakistani Taliban and insurgents. One can’t take issue with him on this point.
No doubt, he faces formidable tasks but given the vast support he enjoys in the parliament, one has cause enough to be optimistic.
arifhussaini@hiotmail.com
