Adil Najam
In this, the third ATP Opinion Poll (see previous polls here and here) we want to see what you think about what previous Pakistani achieved.
The key word there is ‘achieved.’ We always have plenty of discussions about what leaders have and are doing wrong, but nearly never talk about what they did right. Interestingly, even when we are trying to make a case for someone, we tend to make it by explaining what is wrong with everyone else. After all, if everyone else is bad (and worse) then our guy must be good, at least in ccomparison and by default. The logic makes a perverse sort of sense but tends to take our political conversations towards confrontations (since they are based on ‘attacking’ the other rather than on ‘supporting’ our own). So, here is an experiment to see if we are capable of talking differently about such things.
The Question: Focussing primarily on whatever ‘positives’ might have been achieved during their stint(s) in power, who, amongst the following, did the most ‘good’ for Pakistan?
Ayub Khan
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto
Zia-ul-Haq
Benazir Bhutto
Nawaz Sharif
[For Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif consider the combined impact of two stints they each had in power]
I have purposely excluded Liaquat Ali Khan because he is now too far away in the past and because his ‘founding father’ status has meant that we usually do not analyze his tenure in political terms. I have also left out Pervez Musharraf (see ATP poll on him here) because his actions impact us immediately and so the passions ignited are too current. Others who had short tenure, or were leading in name alone have been excluded.
I hope we will have a lively discussion in addition to the polling. I realize that we will disagree about what was ‘good,’ but it seems to be that a disagreement about achievements and what we consider to be good achievements is preferable to mere name-calling and may end up telling us something not only about these leaders, but about ourselves.
As before, you can get to the polling area by clicking on the responses in the sidebar, or directly by clicking here.
If you do want to influence the results, please, by all means ask your friends to also vote. Voting is anonymous; as it should be. This will, of course, not be a very scientific poll, but it will at least give us a sense of what this community � the ATP cohort � thinks. Do vote, but please vote only once (even if you are smart enough to beat the system somehow). You can view the results here. [Polling Closed; 12.25 PM EST, 23 August 2006] Analysis of results available here.
As a Pakistani Shehree, I feel it my duty to chant:
Jamma kar kay saaree gandh!
Lagaa dhoe thaala kar dhoe bandh
Sorry; I couldn’t stop myself.
the question should be…who did the least bad?
Adil,
Instead of asking who did the most good, which is difficult to quantify and answer, I would have asked what particular good these presidents and prime ministers did. And, my answer would be:
Ayub Khan:
1. Gave the Family Laws Ordinance, which gave some rights to women
2. Signed the Indus Water Treaty with India, which still holds. Tarbela and Mangla dams and some of the major canals were result of that treaty
3. Built an industrial base in the country
ZA Bhutto:
1. 1973 constitution
2. Legislation that gave workers a lot of benefits and rights
3. Introduced the word “Awaam” in political vocabulary
Ziaul-Haq:
1. Had the currency notes inscribed with : “rizq-e-halal ain ibaadat hai”
2. Made it mandatory that every statement, talk , speech, announcement or even an ad in the
newspapers must start with “Bismillah….”
Benazir :
1. Established women police stations
Nawaz Sharif:
1. Made Sunday a holiday
When going through the history of the great roman empire one thing that baffles people is why such a great setup had five bad emperors in a row. But they were there and they did their part. And they are there on your list as well albeit we have been at the right rock bottom ever since our inception quite unlike rome. A part of me still says that Mushurraf can do much better. May be this is because of my sorrow for not having any real alternatives. In your video to me the most moving part is not when Faiz (my favorite) recites or when Iqbal Bano takes you to heavens but when Jinnah speaks. One can feel the resolve and the honesty in his voice.. so scarce in our post independence history.. A great verse of Obaidulla Aleem comes to my mind..
kinn haathoan kee taameer they hum
kinn qadmoan se paamaal hooway
Folks, how you define ‘good’ and who is a ‘good leader’ is your business. But FYI there was a discussion on this question on ATP here:
http://pakistaniat.wordpress.com/2006/08/08/guest- post-lahore-lahore-aye/
And Aziz Sb. had also proposed at least one set of criteria, here:
http://pakistaniat.wordpress.com/2006/08/08/guest- post-lahore-lahore-aye/#comment-1609