Adil Najam
We know that Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari prefer Dubai as a ‘neutral’ meeting ground. Last week Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani and his entourage, including Information Minister Sherry Rehman, made a very public stop-over in Dubai to meet Asif Ali Zardari and family and (presumably) discuss important policy issues. Now, one reads that national security chief and de facto Interior Minister, Rahman Malik, is rushing to Dubai to discuss even more important policy matters.
One doubts that these are just “routine” meetings. One expects that there are many other important political meetings that one does not even hear about. Deservedly or not, this leaves one wondering whether Dubai, and not Islamabad, is the new center of Pakistan politics.
Dubai has long been central to all things Pakistani (!). And not just because of the large and increasingly influential Pakistani diaspora that resides there.
Economically, more and more Pakistani ‘transactions’ now happen in Dubai. Its just a short flight away (short enough to feel like a domestic flight), foreigners who feel more comfortable meeting in Dubai, economic transactions are easier and safer to make, and more and more Pakistani companies (and, actually, Western companies) are setting up shop in Dubai.
Politically, it has been home to key political exiles from Pakistan and it seems that even politicians not (yet) in exile set up home there… just in case! It is also a convenient and comfortable “negotiating ground”, whether it be for Musharraf-Benazir negotiations or Zardari-Sharif ones. Indeed, Dubai is a major ‘Pakistani’ news center, not just because our important TV channels are located there, but because so much actual political news happens there!
Yet, while the PPP, as a party, being run out of Dubai was understandable while Benazir Bhutto was alive and unable to be in Pakistan, it feels distinctly odd when it seems that the PPP is running the government of Pakistan from Dubai.
I am quite convinced that this is, in fact, not the case. I sympathize with the fact that Mr. Zardari is in Dubai for personal, and reportedly health, reasons. He has as much right to do so as any other Pakistani. More, maybe, because he has homes in Dubai. I can also appreciate his wanting to be near his children over their summer break and can understand a fatherly concern about not wanting his children to be in Islamabad in the midst of the political limelight, intrigue, pressures, and insecurity that would be lavished on them. There is plenty of good reason for him to be in Dubai, even for long periods. Especially, since as Party co-Chairman, he is not really compelled to sit in a government office in Islamabad.
Having said that, however, the frequent and very public visits of those of his party colleagues who are now public servants (e.g., the Prime Minister, the Information Minister, etc.) to meet him in Dubai to discuss matters of political urgency leaves a bad taste and a palpable impression that matters of importance to the Pakistani public are far removed not only from the people, but even from the country’s Capital.
Whatever else it may be, it is not good politics. For that reason alone, it should be avoided.
This is to Fatima
Are you talking about the same Malaysia President who was once tipped for the country’s highest office, he fell out with top leaders and was beaten, jailed and disgraced, I don’t remember him doing anything good actually. He has just been released from jail. Now…please do tell of how the situation in Pakistan is happening again when you say the same thing happened when Mr. Mushrraf was in rule. I don’t remember foreign investor leave, I don’t remember the stock market falling to its record lowest and I most certainly don’t remember food expenses being this expensive. Mr. Mushrraf took Pakistani out of Debt, don’t know if you remember that, and give Pakistan an image that gave Middle East investors the freedom to invest in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia invested $36 Billion, Dubai Alone invested $129 Billion and Muscat, Qatar and Bahrain USD. 85 Billioin. Now, with this new Government, 70% of this investment is been withdrawn from the country, thats cause The Once Upon A Time Crooks of Pakistan have come back into power all in the name of Democracy. Let me tell you Pakistan does not deserve Democracy, its freedom that needs to give to a county and that the people should work for..not abuse. I hope you understand what I am saying. A couple of month from now..Pakistan will be back to its lowest point bring out crime higher then what it will be today and which will also ruin the 8 years of Properity that Mr. Musharraf has worked so had for.
So…here is my advise, do some research nd come back here.
well it happened before in mushrraf time
and now its happening again
i remember i read in some article that malaysian president(i hope the country’s name is ryte) used to live in ambassadar house to cut the hotel’s expenses while on foreign tours
i wish we someday get a gov who wud think of pakistan’s issues and not just think of family gatherings and dinners
I totally agree with Aamir Ali and Nadeem,
As I have been saying from the time this new government has started, the stock market had reach its lowest ever point, the Economy is also going down so badly, investors are pulling out, Food and everything else is getting so damn expensive that the common man is finding is so hard to live by, why don’t the public see what is happening. Our President has never made anyone this unhappy, give it another month and believe me, things are only going to get worse…if nothing happens now…we all better move to Dubai…like our government is currently doing.
I hope that someone, somewhere can understand the current situation in our country and get everyone involved to bring back Our President to rule again.
What we had we may never get back if this new government is still around…
Umer Akhtar:
The results were good during Musharraf’s rule and matters have detriorated since this useless govt took over.
Musharraf should have never bothered to bring “daimocraisy” to Pakistan. They can’t handle it.
Reference Mssrs Zardari and his creed.
Everyone wants more power in Pakistan, yet noone wants any responsibility. More power? ‘Give a fool enough rope and he will hang himself.’ :-)