Adil Najam
Back in August 2006 and then again in July 2009 we conducted ATP Polls on the question: “Who 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, and in August 2009 we also did a poll on “who did the most harm?” which we may well repeat soon). It seems this is a good time to do a third installment of the same question to see how the opinions of our readers have evolved.
In 2006 we had not included Gen. Musharraf since he was still in power. In 2009 we did include Gen. Musharraf but not Asif Zardari; again, on the principle of only including past leaders in teh question. 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.
Dear! here we don’t need rocket science formula to judge who did the most good to Pakistan, Progress, Consequences, Results speak at its own, just need to JUDGE with open eyes and heart without keeping or giving benefit of affiliation with any party or person. So request to all friends do appreciate and comment by heart.
I voted for Nawaz sharif . In my point of view the only one good thing which ZAB did it was AIEN… He made Aien for Pakistan and rest of he was a good leader. The reason is to give vote to Nawaz sharif is that he introduce taxi scheme for poor peoples which you can see still today on the roads.. and the 2nd achievement is Motorway.. and the 3rd he introduce gawadar port..
I have just one question. Can anyone who voted for Zia ul aq please explain what good he did!!!!
Some comments from the ATP Facebook Page:
– “Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto”
– “Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto”
– “ONE NAME ……………..ZAB , WHO ELSE ?”
– “BB was an Asset for an Underdeveloped , Islamic Country like ours. I salute her becoz She was a Woman of Substance . She didnt get her whole terms Twice ( Thanks to USA & its most Loyal AGENTS in Pakistan …PAK Army …. …Ajj Kal shayed KUTII hui hui hai lolzz) but if she got whole 2 terms I think she might did Better than ZAB … example is FREE Hospital for poors in KArachi in only 19 months after ZAB ‘s four hospitals in karachi only in 4 years…& NO government Hospitals in 11 years of Zia dictatorship.”
ZAB did All good to Pakistan except 3 main blunders
1: Balochistan Operation( set a bad example of Army brutalities under civil Rule )
2: Declaring Ahmadis Non _Muslims ( that was the Beginning of an end to the TOLERANT & PROGRESSIVE PAKISTAN).
3: Not PUBLISHING Ramood urehman Report & NOT taking Army Generals to the Court of Law .( this Gave REBIRTH to terribly shaken SURRENDERED army ).