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.
The difference between your last poll with this question and this one is that a lot of people who voted for Ayub then are now voting for Musharraf. I guess some Pakistanis just like dictators.
A guy who fought two battles for? Pakistan can not be a traitor.
Today we got Zardari as president. We are like the most idiotic nation on earth no wonder why we are in such a sad state.
WE miss you Sir Musharraf…PLease come back..We need you!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIIu9xdZw6E
If Musharraf had not gotten blind in power and made all the mistakes he made in his last year he woudl be so much more respected today.
Interesting results:
Together Nawaz (7) + Benazir (13) = 20%, which is still less then Musharaf 24%
One of the most interesting polls I have seen. Really made you think.
Makes me think what a great asset we had in Z A Bhutto and how badly we treated him by letting a scoundrel like Zia murder him.
Shows that history and people’s memories are a better judge and look at how people remember Zia and how they remember Bhutto.