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.
Kiyani gets an “A”, media gets a “C”, all the rest get an F.
General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kiyani is very tactfully handling the matters and I think Hats off to Him.
Zardari: I don’t want to spare my words for him
Chief Justice: He is doing well but we expect more from him
Nawaz Sharif is a good leader and is playing a good role
Media is doing a super job. It has created awareness among us on all issues and now we have atleast started to understand and know abt the circumstances.
Banjaras86 comments are very Apt and without any bias on the performance of those who count in the present set up of Pakistan. In fact I had to add mine on the ATP Poll, it would also have been more or less same. Hats off to Banjaran.
pppp has mediocre people for running the ministries, but has a better national vision and has done some real good things to advance the cause of civilian democracy (nfc award, 18th amendment).
nawaz league has more capable people, but is being shifty and disruptive every step of the way. the sharifs themselves garner my award for being the most selfish and unprincipled politicians.
cjp has a historic opportunity and is wasting it on crusading against the swiss cases and the pppp administration. the case of the “missing people” in pakistan has fallen off the screen. for all its bravado, the supreme court has not hauled any khaki on the carpet – not to speak of reading them the riots act – in this matter. the truth is that the khakis are above any law in pakistan.
the pakistani media is also biased but, on the whole, doing a far better job of highlighting the public concerns (except the missing persons case, of course).
not unexpectedly, kiani – with strong american backing – has become far too big for his boots and is hell bent on selling the country for a pittance, in the guise of “strategic dialogue” , to secure the insterest of the khakis.
Besides national level poles, ATP should also consider provinical performance and also performance of key ministries. Now provinces will have more autonomy, but there performance in past doesn’t hint any good, e.g. performance of my provincial chief Qaim Ali Shah is extremely poor and the interior Sindh is suffering a lot. ( Not Karachi and other areas where MQM has majority because there ministers are far better than PPP)