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.
Other than ignorance, I do not see how people have voted Musharraf so high as person who harmed Pakistan and so low (what he deserve) as person who benefitted Pakistan.
Maybe people here do not know, but fact is that, amongst all government Pakistan has seen, Pakistan per capita income increased most during Mushraraf period, both in real rupee terms as well as dollars terms.
Another thing is that, surprisingly, Musharraf inherited the economy in worse condition than any head of state in Pakistan history, even Z A Bhutto. One can understand from this fact that few countries ever defaulted in world and Pakistan never defaulted since 1947 until 1998. Well, Pakistan defaulted twice during Nawaz last period on foreign loans, that is, in late 1998 and early 1999. Other than that, Nawaz also stole hard earned billions of dollars (around 10 billion) that Pakistanis saved in Pakistan. Nawaz also stole money that he asked and people gave to Pakistan on trust in charity so that Pakistan can reduce debt (in mulk sanvaro qarz utaro scheme).
People also do not know that Musharraf period was the only period in Pakistan history when Pakistan dollar debt (40 billion in 1999 and 40 billion in early 2008) did not increased even though GDP increased around 3 times in dollar terms (from $60 billion to $180 billion) and per capita increased more than 2 times (from ~ $450 to $1085 per head)
Those who talk that present economical downfall is continuity of Musharraf period, or that it is due to 9/11 or terrorism etc, they are blatantly lying. 9/11 happened in 2001 but Pakistan’s economy was booming throughout between 2001 and 2008. As for terrorism, that is happening in Pakistan since Zia period and terrorism related to 9/11 is happening since 2001, still Pakistan economy was growing at highest rate throughout from 2000 to 2008.
Anyhow, Musharraf made lot of mistake too, for which Pakistan is suffering today. That is:
1: Not hanging the biggest corrupt Pakistan has ever seen, corrupt who institutionalised corruption, that is ‘Nawaz Ganja’. Nawaz is bigger corrupt than Zardari even though Zardari reputation is bad because journalists (most are thugs of JI initially belonging to JT at university) dominating Pakistani media, who covers Nawaz corruption all the time.
2: Musharraf other crime is pardoning corruption of second biggest corrupt Pakistan has ever seen (Zardari and BeNazir).
3: Not hanging corrupt bureaucrats and politicians, both destroyed Pakistan more than any traitor could do, and thus deserve punishment worse than obvious traitors, as their corruption harmed Pakistan worse than traitors.
4: Not hitting on ‘Kharjees’ harder than he should. Pakistan needs zero tolerance towards Kharjees, but Musharraf went soft with them.
5: Not hitting hard on Iftikhar Chudhary and other similar thugs (many in judiciary) involved in nepotism, corruption and mismanagement.
6: Some other similar lack of actions or delayed actions by Musharraf against people harming the country (or those who harmed the country).
As for people saying that Pakistan is fighting American war, than that is biggest ‘BS’ I have ever heard. If Pakistan was fighting war outside Pakistan than only one could say that Pakistan may be fighting someone else war. That only happened during Zia time and time when Pakistan sent army to KSA (late 1990) to be part of coalition fighting first Iraq war (that is different matter that Pak army did not actively participated across KSA border, but fulfilled coalition duties within KSA).
One cannot say that a country is fighting someone’s else war if armed forces of country is fighting armed traitors and armed infiltrators within own country … where for Pakistan armed traitors are TTP (or any armed law breakers) and armed infiltrators or invaders from other countries living in Pakistan illegally – aka Al-Q.
Consistent to the last comment
Is Pakistan that small or weak that their President would
not come out on TV and tell people what exactly happened and would leave his people in the dark and on their own?
Fine thou shall not is the superpower, as in the grocery and barber shops people are still making contrary stories but at the end of the day they have their President’s word.
Everyone at some point in their lifetime has got caught with their pants around their ankles so be it and admit it or dont! take the presidential salary and leave the chair for someone who can speak.
Now you know why I listen to the crazy music?
http://www.myspace.com/video/tinietempah/written-i n-the-stars-feat-eric-turner/107392925
I agree with an early comment that since Zia is clearly going to be the overwhelming majority here, this poll has become rather uninteresting. It would be more interesting to have this poll for the runner up i.e. with Zia taken out.
Ziaul Haq was a horrible person but Bhutto was his father and also the architect of Pakistan’s division into Pakistan and Bangladesh in addition to introducing ghunda gardi and subversive politics in Pakistan therefore IMO Bhutto was the most harmful person to rule Pakistan. Today PPP is the gift for the wretched & tattered nation he left behind.
Ziaul Haq. Most definitely.