Adil Najam
The grades are in. And, in the opinion of 263 ATP readers who voted, General Pervez Musharraf’s performance review yields an overall GPA (grade point average) of 2.53; right in between a grade of B- and C+.
(Click image for larger picture)
In this, the fourth ATP Poll (earlier: on womens’ rights here, on Gen. Musharraf’s future moves here, and on past leaders here), more than twice as many people voted as in the last ATP Poll. They were asked to grade Gen. Musharraf’s performance in four key areas: (a) domestic governance, (b) economy and development, (c) governance and reform, and (d) foreign affairs.
The results, based on the average in each area [using a 4-point scale where: A=4.0, B=3.0, C=2.0, D=1.0, F=0.0], is:
Domestic Governance ………… C (1.96)
Economy and Development …………B (3.04)
Governance and Reform ………… C+ (2.25)
Foreign Affairs ………… B/B- (2.88)
As we always point out, this is simply a ‘pulse of the blog’ poll and is NOT a scientific or representative survey. They are representative only of the opinions of those who voted; and of nothing more. So, lets not take it any more seriously than that. Having said that, there are a number of interesting elements in the results that are worthy of note, or at least of further discussion:
- The overall grade in each area is a broad average, but much more interesting is the distribution of the grades within each of the four areas. As with our previous Poll related to Gen. Musharraf, this distribution suggests a highly differentiated, even polarized view of his performance amongst those who voted in this Poll.
- Representative of this polarization is the fact that in each case the overall average grade lies in the middle of the range but most commonly voted grades lie at the very extreme. Indeed, in three of the four areas – “ the exception being ‘Economy and Development’, the top 2 categories are A+ and F, the two most extreme grades possible!
- While there were a significant number of readers who votes either all F’s or all A+’s, the vast majority did calibrate their performance review within the given range. It is a fair assumption that most (although not all) of these people were die-hard supporters or die-hard opponents.
- Domestic politics, quite clearly, was the area where Gen. Musharraf received the harshest assessments. Nearly a quarter of all who voted, chose to gave him an F (failing grade) in this area. One wonders what, if any, impact Nawab Akbar Bugti’s killing had on this particular grade?
- In contrast, Economy and Development is the area where he gets his highest grade (a B). He also gets the least number of F‘s (29) in this area, and also gets about twice as many A+‘s (57).
- Governance and Reform is the area where the grade distribution is (comparatively) most evenly distributed. But the second worst performance in this Poll, after Domestic Politics. The overall grade is a C+.
- In the area of Foreign Affairs the verdict seems to be most mixed. The overall average is 2.88 which lies just between a B- (2.3) and a B (3). But that is not why it is divided, it is divided because even though the highest number of A+‘s that he gets in any area is here (71, or over a quarter of all votes cast), he also gets as many as 47 F grades on Foreign Affairs. This means that just about 45 percent of all voters gave him a grade at the very extreme! One wonders how, if at all, this was affected by the fact that this Poll was taking place in the middle of his high-visibility tour to the United States?
- The calculation of the overall GPA is based on assuming that each of these four areas carries equal importance to his ‘performance’. If so, his overall GPA of 2.53 would translate to a B-/C+ performance.
Comments folks? Are these grades good? Are they bad? Do you think this is what he would get if all of Pakistan were asked? Or are you all out of touch?
http://www.whydemocracy.net/film/13
Does anyone know where one can watch this? It looks mighty interesting.
Adil Najam, nice article in The News on military and Musharraf today. Keep it up.
First I was very surprised that you have nothing about Musharraf’s announcement that he will drop the uniform if elected President. But then as I think about it your NO COMMENT is the best comment. This is just one more topi drama!!!!
My name is muhammd younes panezai i belong to a balochistan”
my comment about General Pervez Musharraf is the greatest leader of pakistan histor i havenet seen that much good and barve leader of pakisntan
i persionaly like General Pervez Musharraf very much i love
in his government we have got jobs and worked in balochistan too much like he make the roads of very villages and makes the dams and pesionally he visited the every part of balochistan
and General Pervez Musharraf just do refrandom awam will choos him again inshallah
in other government like banazer and nawaz shreep: they havn’t visited the our balochistn and our ares to make our problems to solve they never came to quetta to ask about our problems are to do some good we dont like them to again to make the problems more serious we dont have any differenc with General Pervez Musharraf wardi awam dont have any problems this just problems with doemoctrat people who want to sink the ship of pakistan just nawaz shreep have just one good work that is atomi damka thats all
and nawaz just started a skeem was that ‘qarz utaro, mulk sanwaro’ has just done no thing with that money i personally request with our great greater greatest leader General Pervez Musharraf that dont allow them to come to pakistan if they come kick them again if they were the kair khwa of pakistan the should take steps like bangladsh wazerazam like khalida zaia like that they came to their country they are faceing the challanges and they dont do like our dog and koothi they and put some thing in their mouht and then escape from this country khadm baro General Pervez Musharraf awam thumari sathi,
General Pervez Musharraf math gabrah bad mukalp say ya tho chilta hay app ko oncha ouranoo kaly
aor app tho shaheen hao basery kery asmanoon pay
Allah General Pervez Musharraf ko ees ka sadar rahny day hamry yey douha hal Allah say General Pervez Musharraf ko ar neek irday may kamyab kary thanks my english is good toot prooti english hay our agar may nay kuch khalt lika how to un say mapy chat hon
Shabir Alam made a point.
To implement anything, takes a very long time, even decades. People have to be educated first for basic changes and improvements, that normally starts at home. Then comes literacy where people can read and write. When people are educated, they will improve their lots and want to be literate by going to schools to read and write so that they will want to develop further (Pakistan does not give equal rights for females to study as the males are afraid the females would do better). But if they are not literate, they will only know their basic survival ways and will not improve technically or in science. Science to some people is taboo as it goes against their deeply rooted religion that is followed blindly without logic and questions.
Since separation, no one has been given a chance to lay the programme for development and then follow it through. The people are not united, religiously or tribally. There is too much tribalism. Religion is not separated from development or state or politics.
Pakistan has much to offer the world but does not know how to do. The President is too soft and slow in reacting against upstarts or radicals. If he does not get help from ‘bullies’ who else is willing to help him? How else to control the lawlessness among the tribes? Where is the money to do so?The previous PMs have stolen all the cash. If the President is embezzling, point it out to the foreign reporters.