Adil Najam
Back in August of 2006 one of the first ATP Polls we did was to ask our readers which recent leader they thought did the most good for Pakistan? We had structured the question carefully to focus on the good that these leaders did (all leaders do bad things as well as good, some more and some less). It is time to ask the same question again.
In 2006 we had not included Gen. Musharraf since he was still in power. This time including Gen. Musharraf but not Asif Zardari, who is in power now. So, what do you think?
Please do take the question serious and answer it in the spirit asked:
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?
Let me repeat the explanatory paragraph I had included in introducing the question the first time:
The key word 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.
As before, for Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif consider the combined impact of two stints they each had in power. Do also please tell us what you think they did that was most important and lasting to Pakistan’s well-being as a nation. Again, we focus on achievement here not because the ‘bad’ that they did was not important (in each case it was) but to discipline our conversation towards thinking of things that, maybe, we should be doing more of.
I am very happy to see Zia getting the jootian he deserved.
Except for him, I actually respect all of the people in this list. But Zia ul Haq was the enemy of Pakistan who destroyed this great country and I am happy that people are now realizing that.
Ayub Khan showed the elite how to wear a Karakul cap with a suit and look good.
ZAB popularized Kameez-Shalwar, and it really caught on.
ZH introduced the patwari-style waistcoat and the white, embroidered skull cap, which sat well on him.
NS replaced the buttons on the waistcoat with gold or silver buttons.
BB introduced the white dopatta and tasbeeh (rosary).
PM showed men how to dye their hair in two tones.
Enough can be said and debated about each of the leaders that Pakistan had. While I donot doubt who had been the worst in hindsight.
The battle for top spot lies between ZAB and PM. I am afraid BB or NS does not make the short list. One can think of bringing in consideration AK, but shortcomings far outweigh the apparent economic benefits.
The issues in ZAB’s time were different. I must say were easier than what PM had to face. True ZAB was ousted and killed by a dictator, but overall issues facing Pakistan and the world as a whole was different. It is also true that Polictical manuevering done by ZAB was different too.
The biggest gift to Pakistan by ZAB in my opinion was constitution, biggest curse was nationalization which put the economics several paces back. Also, the saga of East Pakistan cannot be easily put behind.
The biggest gift to Pakistan by Musharraf is free journalism. One can argue, that this freedom was inevitable. But I would give a lot of credit to PM for accelerating it. Despite having absolute power, inability of PM to resolve several issues, like Dams, power and water infrastructure, corruption etc were his major shortcomings. This is in addition to political chaos, talibanization and spillover of afghan war into Pakistan for which I cannot blame him totally. He was relatively more transparent in his actions, and less shadier than every other leader.
I would give my vote to PM. It was a close call though. He was a leader in very tough situation and had a stronger grip and understanding of Pakistan power structure than any other leader.
I also want to say, that if I am rating PM as the best leader pakistan had. I cannot help but wonder how in God’s name has Pakistan managed to survive?
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto made Pakistanis so proud, and enhanced the status of Pakistan on the world stage so much, that when Pakistanis hanged him, the rest of the world barely protested.
I vote for Bhutto because after him ordinary people become confident and he started all the big projects and made Pakistan into a proud country rather than colony of USA which is what Ayub had made it. Zia and Musharraf again made Pakistan into USA colony. So, Bhutto was a true and great leader, even without the aid that was keeping Ayub, Zia and Musharraf high.