KashifAsrar
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Today's (16th July 2007) editorial in ToI.
Kashif
It may now be time for Washington to push democracy
Washingtons Pakistan policy chugged along for a long time on inertia, but is currently under review following intelligence assessments that Al-Qaida is enjoying a resurgence. The terrorist organisation is steadily acquiring greater capabilities to hit targets in Europe and the US, and Pakistan is unambiguously named as its centre of operations.
It appears that Washington is belatedly waking up to something that has been apparent for a long time in South Asia. Its policy of planting all its eggs in General Musharrafs basket hasnt paid off in terms of containing Al-Qaida or winding down the global jehad machinery that operates from Pakistan. Musharraf signed off on a peace deal in Waziristan that has been a disaster. It effectively turned over the area to the Pakistani Taliban, which is allowing Al-Qaida elements to operate freely from there as well as sabotaging NATOs efforts in Afghanistan. Who knows, maybe it was awareness of the rumblings in Washington that motivated Musharraf to launch decisive action against armed fundamentalists holed up in the Lal Masjid.
Musharraf may have handled Operation Silence well, but any which way it is going to sour the military-conservative alliance. Liberals are already cheesed off following the heavy-handed dismissal of the chief justice, which could be overturned by the supreme court. Politically that leaves the Musharraf-supported Pakistan Muslim League exposed and vulnerable. The conclusion is inescapable. One man cannot substitute for institutions; Pakistan needs to forsake the saviour principle. It cant be allowed to trade off movement towards democratisation for limited cooperation in tackling Al-Qaida. The Iraq fiasco may have made Washington chary of helping democracy movements anywhere in the Muslim world. But Saddam Hussein was a totalitarian ruler who destroyed any semblance of civil society in Iraq. The same cant be said for Pakistan, which gave itself a viable constitution in 1973. Neither is anyone calling for military intervention in Pakistan. All thats needed is for the international community to nudge the country on the path of greater democratisation instead of aiding the military to stay in power. As Musharraf himself says, Pakistan by and large is not an extremist society.
Lets face a fact, the military is too strongly entrenched in Pakistans society and economy to fade away quietly. But increasing the democratic voice, curbing the scope of arbitrary powers in Pakistani institutions, ensuring the constitution cannot be monkeyed around with and supporting an independent judiciary and election commission can work hand in hand to restore faith in democracy, which in turn would check the rising tide of Islamic fundamentalism.
Kashif
Give Pak A Chance
It may now be time for Washington to push democracy
Washingtons Pakistan policy chugged along for a long time on inertia, but is currently under review following intelligence assessments that Al-Qaida is enjoying a resurgence. The terrorist organisation is steadily acquiring greater capabilities to hit targets in Europe and the US, and Pakistan is unambiguously named as its centre of operations.
It appears that Washington is belatedly waking up to something that has been apparent for a long time in South Asia. Its policy of planting all its eggs in General Musharrafs basket hasnt paid off in terms of containing Al-Qaida or winding down the global jehad machinery that operates from Pakistan. Musharraf signed off on a peace deal in Waziristan that has been a disaster. It effectively turned over the area to the Pakistani Taliban, which is allowing Al-Qaida elements to operate freely from there as well as sabotaging NATOs efforts in Afghanistan. Who knows, maybe it was awareness of the rumblings in Washington that motivated Musharraf to launch decisive action against armed fundamentalists holed up in the Lal Masjid.
Musharraf may have handled Operation Silence well, but any which way it is going to sour the military-conservative alliance. Liberals are already cheesed off following the heavy-handed dismissal of the chief justice, which could be overturned by the supreme court. Politically that leaves the Musharraf-supported Pakistan Muslim League exposed and vulnerable. The conclusion is inescapable. One man cannot substitute for institutions; Pakistan needs to forsake the saviour principle. It cant be allowed to trade off movement towards democratisation for limited cooperation in tackling Al-Qaida. The Iraq fiasco may have made Washington chary of helping democracy movements anywhere in the Muslim world. But Saddam Hussein was a totalitarian ruler who destroyed any semblance of civil society in Iraq. The same cant be said for Pakistan, which gave itself a viable constitution in 1973. Neither is anyone calling for military intervention in Pakistan. All thats needed is for the international community to nudge the country on the path of greater democratisation instead of aiding the military to stay in power. As Musharraf himself says, Pakistan by and large is not an extremist society.
Lets face a fact, the military is too strongly entrenched in Pakistans society and economy to fade away quietly. But increasing the democratic voice, curbing the scope of arbitrary powers in Pakistani institutions, ensuring the constitution cannot be monkeyed around with and supporting an independent judiciary and election commission can work hand in hand to restore faith in democracy, which in turn would check the rising tide of Islamic fundamentalism.
