Adil Najam
Can you please grade for us the performance of the five power centers in Pakistan: the President, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice, the Chief of Army, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Media. The focus, once again, is on how you think they have performed in these. That is, NOT what you think of Mr. Zardari in general, but what you think of his performance as President.
Back in June 2009 we had asked our readers to grade the performance of those at the helm of powers in Pakistan. Then in September 2009 we had asked you to grade the performance of the Pakistan media. (Earlier in September 2006, you had also graded Gen. Musharraf). It is now time to do a followup and see what people think now, especially after recent political developments.
In this latest installment of ATP Polls we would like to find out how you grade the performance of those holding key offices in Pakistan: President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani, Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, Chief of Army Staff Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kiani, and Opposition Leader Nawaf Sharif. This time we have included the Media (as a whole and as an institution) since they also influence Pakistan’s power balance.
I know I am repeating myself (both in this post and from the previous one), and I also realize that at some level this appeal will be ignored, but do let me say again that the purpose of this exercise is not to see whether you like these people or not, it is to see what how you think they have been performing in the offices they now hold. It is perfectly possible to not particularly like someone but come to the conclusion that they are doing a decent job in what they have been assigned to do, or vice versa. So, please, even though this is just a fun exercise, use your vote justly.
Do also comment on how you think they have been performing, and what aspects of their performance influenced your vote.
There’s an american proverb..”if you always do what you always did, you’re always gonna get what you always got!”.
With the hindsight and track record of the past 60 years, it’s not only naive but almost criminal to expect any good from our ruling mafia…it’s as if you were doing a poll to find out the benefits of friendly relations with Israel, US and India!!!.
I think the area we need to focus on is to find ways to develop awareness and education of our masses AND ourselves so that our nation and our country doesn’t end up being pillaged for another sixty years.
Sab se pehlay Pakistan!
Pakistan Zindabad.
My grading is as follows.
Zardari :F. He should be a neutral president as per the constitution and now ? ceremonial after 18th amendment. But instead he is the main person calling shots and so far has caused great embarrassment for PPP on different occasions.( Judges,NRO,corruption).
Gillani: Again an F. He always pays lip service to burning issues although he is supposed to be the chief executive. His team selection is very poor. As a PM he has no control over his cabinet ministers( Rehman Malik, Baber Awan, Pervaiz Ashraf) and he continues to make questinable appointments ( Lateef Khos IT advisor and recently Jamshed Dasti as live stock advisor.).
Kiyani: Received an A. Pak Army’s performance in Swat/Waziristan and so far he has been out of politics. The best thing I like about him is that unlike many of his predecessors he does not talk to press unnecessarily.
Iftikhar Ch: Gave him a B: He still needs to improve lower judiciary. He has to be neutral in his approach towards political cases; if he hears NRO then why not Hudabia paper mills/Asghar Khan’s petition.
Media: Another B. Need to improve the quality,over all accuracy of information and most importantly they need to avoid sensationalism.
Nawaz Sharif: Another F: instead for giving any alternative plan he just tries to avoid critical questions, remains abroad on all critical issues and has no vision to solve the problems we are facing.
1) This is not an easy way out at all when I say that I voted ‘Good’ for all of above. Here is my break-down:
1) Zardari is good because, despite his reluctance and despite getting a media-trial of historical proportion he has held on to the various coalitions throughout Pakistan, including making the PPP members to just put up with the supposed-humiliation in Punjab Assembly’s so-called coalition govt. End result is a rare equilibrium where, given Pakistan’s politics, PPP could have done horse-trading and formed its govts. in ALL 4 provinces in March 2008.
Zardari is quite possibly the most thick-skinned, the most calculating, and the most consenus-building politician in Pakistan’s whole history.
2) PM Gilani: He has kept the channel of communication open between Nawaz Sharif and Zardari in in-direct ways over several crises. No doubt, he was and will be tempted to break-away from Zardari especially after the 18th Amendment. But, so far, he has not been a sell-out. He is not a Zulfi Bhutto character–but then that in some ways is not so bad a thing considering that now members of PPP CEC can voice dissent and resign without facing Zulfi’s baton.
The current PPP’s CEC is as close to the collective decision-making party politics (short of Jamaat i Islami;s) as Pakistan can get despite the supposed Zardari hegemony. Compare PPP CEC with that of PMLN, Tehrik e Insaaf, MQM, ANP….
3) Kiyani is good but that may be because he HAS to post-Musharraf period where the Army was cornered by August 2008. Kiyani should stick to professional matters. Yes, we know his ‘strategic’ insight is great but it is the politicans of Pakistan who can decide when and how to counter India.
4) Nawaz Sharif: He is ‘good’ so far because, at critical moments, he did say that he would not welcome a coup by the Army. That may or may not be change of heart. I WANT to give him credit for that and I am. However, there cannot be any doubt that short of a 2/3rd majority in the next elections Nawaz Sharif had no choice but to support the 18th Amendment (key clause: Removal of the 2-term limit for the PM job).
5) Media of Pakistan is the pride of Pakistan despite the shameful and ugly anti-Zardari stance of the Jang Group of Companies’ various outlets. The Jang Group, following the break-through on the 18th Amendment, instead of celebrating the event came out with a memorably cynical headline: ‘Zardari’s Powers are stripped’ (or something to that effect) in the online version of The News. I have stopped following that rag of the Fox-News-like source except to amuse me once in a while.
6) Now, finally to the Chief Justice of Pakistan. Well, I should have given him an ‘Average’ considering that there is now an increasing segment of the society (led by Dawn’s Cyril Almeida and Irfan Hussain and perhaps even some lawyers from the Lawyer’s Movement) who think that the CJP is crossing some lines in going after Zardari. However, I think it is fair to say that the same CJP will not endorse another coup by the Army.
In short, I think Pakistan is on the rebound. I have no doubt about it. The Lawyer’s Movement starting in March 2007 was no less than Pakistan’s slow version of the French Revolution. I truly believe that despite having a few reservations about the ‘judicial activism’ currently seen. And thus I voted ‘good’ for all.
after reading this post twice and glanced over all the comments i voted after that i did some soul searching and feel i was little bit biased in my voting i wonder why ? i think it will take a while for many of us to be objective when it comes to Pakistan’s politics especially the politicians.
I suggest ATP should do this exact pool quarterly.
@Darweesh i concur with your reservation I’m afraid they will use their 18th amendment “Karnama” as a justification to silenced the critics of their future looting!! and i don’t have stomach for that “DeJa Vu”
I think the only ones doing a failing job today are the media.
All the rest are B+