Adil Najam
Having just completed the poll on who, amongst Pakistan’s recent leaders, did the most good to the country, the obvious followup is to do a second installment of the ATP Poll on “Who Did the Most Harm to Pakistan?”
We had conducted a poll on this question back in August 2009 and repeating the question now will give us a sense of whether our readership’s opinion on this question has shifted in this time.
Please focus on the negative actions these leaders were themselves responsible for, and not as much on things that might have been out of their own control.
The Question: Focusing primarily on what you consider ‘negative’ actions taken by them during their stint(s) in power, who, amongst the following, do you think did the most ‘harm’ to Pakistan?
We ask, as before, that you please respond to the question with the same care with which it has been structured. As we had done in our last poll, we have structured the question carefully to focus only the harm that these leaders might have caused (all leaders do bad things as well as good, some more and some less).
As in the last poll, the current leadership is not included (although we have been conducting separate polls grading them) and only those whose tenure is now behind us are included, from Ayub Khan onwards. 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 which of their actions you think had the most harmful and lasting impacts on Pakistan’s well-being as a nation, and why.
@ Ali DADA … if u are “dada-GEER” by choice then its OK, if its ur Surname its still OK but if u are dada by Age & Designation … u must know that HISTORY is the ONLY foundation over which u can build NATION’s FUTURE…
Clearly Zia was the worst and the evil he spread in the name of his fake Islamization has had long and deep and dangerous impacts.
How about: Each and every politician after Zia?
Zia dies in 1980s – more than 20 years later, with far, far worse problems, it is still Zia’s fault?
Not Nawaz Sharif’s or Benazir’s fault for ‘courting’ Taliban and other nutcases throughout 1990s? Not Zardari’s and Gillani’s fault for rampant corruption?
Zia or Pakistani Army is not my ‘Mamo’ or ‘Taya’ and I don’t care to defend them – but to constantly point finger towards history is an indicator how stupid we are.
I agree with Eideman. Well said as well.
Zia ul Haq the worst!
No wonder Zia, the man who ruled Pakistan from 1977-1988–a full 1/4th of Pakistani history by then–the man who has the best burial location in Pakistan, lies alone with not many people mourning him.
History’s revenge!
There should be a category that encompasses all of the military rulers, but given the current categories, Zia-ul-Haq did by far, far the most damage to Pakistan. Others caused damage to the economy, engaged in corruption, looted money, led military misadventures, etc. But Zia obliterated the very fabric of Pakistani society. How we went from a liberal, forward-thinking nation into the self-proclaimed defenders of the faith into this current state of affairs….it was all Zia’s doing.