Adil Najam
Pakistan Day is a day of celebration. But it is also a day of reflection on what we have been through and what lies ahead of us.
In this, the second in our series of special posts to mark Pakistan Day 2009, we want to focus on what lies ahead in terms of the biggest threats to Pakistan’s future. In the next post in this series we intend to focus more on the opportunities.
It is an understatement to say that Pakistan is floating through an especially precarious time in its precarious history. Indeed, Pakistan is passing through a defining time.
There is no dearth of threats facing Pakistan. But in this special ATP Poll for Pakistan Day we would like you to think ahead and respond to the question: “What, in your opinion, is the single biggest and most important threat facing Pakistan?” THIS POLL IS NOW CLOSED.
Our ATP Poll gives you eight major options to choose from. If you think there are others that are even bigger, do let us know. Also, please comment on which of these is the most important one for you, and why? If, by any chance, you have suggestions on what to do about these threats do please share your views. That, after all, is the most important question of them all. THIS POLL IS NOW CLOSED.
All of the eight categories of threats listed are intertwined – either to external or internal forces. The situation is more like a “Snake & Ladder” board game: We go up the ladder than some snake comes and bites us, and we fall down!
All year long we blabber, rant and rave about All Things (wrong with) Pakistan. In one way or the other, we have touched repeatedly on ALL of these threats/problems. I’d rather wait for your NEXT post in the series that focus on the way ahead – the way forward – to re-pledge our resolute determination to live up to the undertakings of our forefathers.
Pakistan Zindabad!
I wanted to go for “USA and the ‘west’ “, because an overwhelming amount of circumstantial evidence shows that they’ve been the central theme, involved in and causing many of the other problems we face that this poll highlights.
I’m talking about the US backing “military interference in politics”, fueling “corruption and bad-governance” by propping up “incompetent political leaders” which, in turn sell out “economic & resource” infrastructure assets like steel mills, PTCL, and Balochistan coal mining rights to western and west-approved/accepted corporations. Heck, even according to Iran’s Ayotalla, Pakistan’s not behind the “religious extremism & violence” that’s causing problems for Iran’s Balochistan border, it’s the US. And of course alot of people believe the US also propped up “India” against Pakistan, and they do have a history of using “ethnic & provincial faultlines” to their advantage, in many different places, to the detriment of millions.
So it’s difficult to decide what to poll for though, because all the options make sense to a degree, and the degree to which they make sense, is a personal and subjective thing. People who get their homes blown up by accidental army shelling or whatever, would think the army’s the biggest problem. People shot at by drones would think the US is really bad. It depends on how deep you look, and what you percieve to be the real cause behind other problems. Choosing to squarely blame the US would be a very disempowering belief, because they’re an external factor and not something we directly control. So I don’t know what the biggest threat is, or what the main problem is, or what causes such problems to persistently plague us for sixty years. Could be any of these factors, could be the lack of political, intelectual, spiritual, or moral awareness in our masses.
In the end, I spent about twenty minutes thinking about this, because this is an important question, but decided not to poll. I don’t have the requisite knowledge required to make an objective judgement. So I decided I’d jot down what I thought instead, in case it’d help someone else figure out an answer.
The list is missing a very important option, especially given the focus during the past three years: inaccessibility to justice. It sounds cliche, but accessibility to justice is usually the primary determinant of a society’s failure or success.
One option should be “Lack of Education in the country”
free and fair judiciary which means a guaranteed tenure of service for the judges at all levels no matter who is governing the country. Army enjoys this already, the army chief is the chief for 3 years and no matter who is in rule the army chief stays army chief until he completes his tenure. if we can get the same thing for judges with their salary and benefits being higher than any other government servants,, only then we can hope to get a strong and impartial judiciary which no body will be able to influence and bend the laws in their favor. This is the only guarantee that can save the country and ensure a bright future. This is the thing that makes Canada different from Pakistan. both countries have too many identical laws but in Canada courts force the law on everyone equally and the result is so good. constitution and laws in Pakistan are not too bad, in fact they are taken word by word from the constitutions of countries like UK, Canada etc (anglo-saxon world). The fault lies in their implementation and interpretation which changes person to person.
inequality and injustice are the biggest threat to Pakistan today and all the forces that support these evils must be routed out (be it Taliban or the Army) . This can only be done by making sure our justice system is free of all flaws and passes judgements against the president or the layman with equal force.
I think we need to get rid of 1973 constitution and replace it with an American style of government. We are personality worshipers and we need to directly elect a President. That man or woman will then be all powerful and responsible for 4 years for the country.
Dear Adil:
I feel Incompetent political leaders and bad governance goes together. You cannot separate them as bad governance is always due to result of Incompetent leaders. Even if you have excellent governance but it cannot survive under leaders like Musharaf and Zardari.
Khurram Nazeer
Louisville. KY
I think as we look forward on this Pakistan Day it is clear that the one threat more important than all else is the Taliban and their religous extremism. This is not just about Swat, the whole of society is under threat.