Challenges before Pak polity
MEN, MATTERS AND MEMORIES

By M L Kotru

As someone who has always wished Pakistan well I have watched in silence the developments in that country over these two months. There were times in between when the Journo in me was tempted to comment on the unfolding scene, even as its broad contours had largely emerged, but curbed the instinct. Not because I had any doubts about the determination the people of Pakistan had made; it had in fact surpassed my fondest hopes. The Pakistani people did themselves proud that polling day when they, for their part, announced yet again their commitment to a democratic form of governance.

Why I chose to sit back and watch was mainly for the reason that I have seen Pakistani politicians-whenever they were permitted by the Army to rule-not only failing to deliver on the promises they might have made but in some cases doing their worst to wreck the very institutions which had brought them to power. Even the great populist leader of the country Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto did not think much of tinkering with the country's Constitution when it suited him. Mian Nawaz Sharif as Prime Minister did his bit in playing with the Constitution. Not surprising for a country which soon after its founder's untimely death had seen his successor Ghulam Mohammad virtually playing ducks and drakes with the institutions. Iskandar Mirza and Ayub Khan, who followed, the latter for a longish 11 year spell, contributed their mite in unsettling a nation which Mohamad Ali Jinnah had visualised as a modern, civilised state; Jinnah had in fact broadly seen his country as a secular one wherein there would be no Muslim, no Hindu, no Christians no Parsis.. only Pakistanis''. A dream that went awry soon after the Qaid's death.

All that belongs to the past and I do hope that the people of Pakistan will finally be able to fulfill the dream of its founder. The people for their part have bravely stood up and announced the existence of a consensus among Pakistanis, that for good or bad, democracy is the way forward for the country and that there can be no democracy without politicians. Gen. Musharraf seems to be about the only one who still believes that only he can provide and protect democracy. Even his US-backers recognise that the General is now a marginal figure in Pakistan's future. The politicians he maligned, jailed and exiled for years, are the ones with popular support. What's more that despite his manouevreings the two major political parties whom he tried to decimate have now formed the Government.

And Musharraf's discomfiture was there, on full view for all to see, the day he swore in the new Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani under the constitution of Pakistan and not the one with which the President had played with child-like glee. Neither Zardari nor Nawaz attended the ceremony, the latter making it clear that he did not want to be seen under the same roof as Musharraf. A few days and some hiccups later, the other members of the coalition Cabinet were also in place thus opening new era in the troubled country's life. The US Deputy Secretary of State John D Negroponte and Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Richard A Boucher who managed to be around must have missed the warmth of the Musharraf era.

Nawaz Sharif, whom the Americans had marked out as an unlikely partner when Benazir was around and campaigning, was sought out only to learn that the PML (N) leader, while not opposed to the fight against terrorism, had his own priorities. He apparently told his foreign interlouctors that he would not countenance the war in Afghanistan to be fought on Pakistani soil. Zardari, though seen as a friend, too would not have endorsed the idea of letting the situation in the NWFP to go out of hand in the name of the war on Taliban. Zardari is in a coalition in the NWFP with the secular Awami National Party led by Afsandyar Khan, the grandson of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.

For the record though it must be noted that both Benazir and Nawaz Sharif during their Prime Ministerial terms had actively participated in the raising of Taliban as a force, even though it was done in the name of securing the liberation of Afghanistan. Mind you that even the new coalition Government will find it extremely difficult to shake off US influence in the country.

One can only hope that Pakistani politicians have become wiser and would at the least for the present act with a sense of purpose. Their prime objective must be to stay together, united in their resolve to protect the popular mandate favouring democracy over military rule. As it is they have made right choices for a start, putting aside, at least for the present, their partisan interest. The release from house arrest of the judges dismissed by Musharraf has set the right tone. Such advantages should not be allowed to go up in smoke. There is no reason why the politicians had not put aside the kind of squabbling that derailed previous attempts at establishing democracy. The fact is that Asif Zardari of the PPP and Nawaz Sharif of PML-N have suffered in varying degrees at the hands of the military establishment. They were charged with crimes as diverse as corruption, murder and hijacking of an aircraft. All that may seem history now, but it's the beginning of a challenge to the politicians. Will they measure up to it ?

I read some days back Najam Sethi, the Editor of Friday Times of Lahore, which made me sit up. It brought back memories not only of political opportunism as it has been practised in Pakistan since its birth but also in India with the difference that Indian politicians, however manipulative and discredited, dare not challenge basic constitutional and legal limits. The facts as they emerge from the writing of several Pakistani analysts runs a close paralled to the shenanigans of our own provincial political bosses.

It's in this context that I mention the hurry with which Nawaz Sharif, even as he was negotiating with Asif Ali Zardari, was busy stitching up as many independents in his home province of Punjab. Not only that, moves had been set afoot to woo some of those elected on the PML (Q) ticket. The PML (Q), I might add, is the one dubbed as the pro-Musharraf King's party and is led by former Nawaz cronies, the Chaudhury brothers, Shujaat and Elahi. I might as well quote Najam Sethi a bit more extensively to make the point clear. Says he ‘‘let's accept some solid political realities. First, while Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari may share some short-term tactical objectives like wanting to weaken the military's domination of the political system, their long-term strategic goals differ completely’’.

Sharif would like to see another election soon so that he can try to capture Islamabad and become Prime Minister again. But Zardari would like to rule uninterruptedly in Islamabad and elsewhere in the provinces for a full five-year term. Second, while Sharif wants to capture the PML (Q) rump and restore (his) League as the truly national party. Zardari would like to keep the vote-bank divided and hog the status of the only significant national party in the country. This means that the two will play ball as long as their partisan political interests converge but part ways when these interests differ. Najam Sethi paints an even darker scene which carries the political cloak and dagger further forward. I for one, even as I share his dim view (of politicians and the prevalence of political myopia among them in the subcontinent as a whole) I pray that he is wrong at least this once.

To strike a positive note, let us consider the concrete steps the PPP-PML (N) coalition Government can take or will have to: first and foremost on the agenda was the release and restoration of judges; the PPP wasn't very keen on it but now that in has embraced the Nawaz-League, it has accepted the 30-day deadline for a parliamentary resolution to restore the judges; the issue cannot be put into cold storage. Restoring the judges would also mean deciding Gen. Musharraf's future, their being a symbiotic relationship between the two issues-unless the judges, after being restored, decide that given the personal dimension they will not adjudicate any case concerning Musharraf or his position within the system. That would be a reasonable way out of the impending crisis. But for all the talk of probity and the spirit of the Constitution, that is unlikely to happen.

This is how it goes then as another Pakistani analyst puts it: If the judges return, Musharraf will most likely have to go. The Army could come to his rescue but will not. It has had enough of upfront politicking and needs respite- at least for now. What happens post-Musharraf ? It would be a victory for constitutionalism. For once, a Parliament will have refused to indemnify the illegal and unconstitutional actions of a General. Equally, for the legal-constitutional norm to become entrenched, the political parties will have to restrain themselves from exploiting members to turn the Constitution into a putty. Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto did it, so did Nawaz Sharif. That done what of the other problems on the list? Terrorists shan't go away just because Pakistan has democracy.

The issue is not just linked to internal security but also to two other crucial factors: the State's writ and Pakistan's relations with the US. A third factor is the civil military relations within the country and equally worrisome is the battle being fought in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, bordering Afghanistan. What has made the war in the region more difficult is the thought that this is not Pakistan's war. If the Americans go away from Afghanistan this would stop; also Pakistan would pull its troops out of the tribal belt. But what would stop the Taliban and the Al Qaeda from crossing over and attacking Afghanistan and international interest in Afghanistan and how would the world react to that ?

These are some of the imponderables which the new Government in Pakistan will have to consider and it would be in Pakistan's interest if this is done in concert with the Army High Command. The Awami National Party-PPP alliance Government in NWFP, with all the goodwill it may command, will find it hard to stop the Taliban. Back to square one, But this time it looks like things, will go right for the country- for its people.

Global warming-a catastrophe in making

By Dr. Pragya Khanna

Much has been said and written about the rising global temperature and generally speaking, the lesser developed countries seem to receive the bulk of the impact when it comes to negative world developments and global warming is no different. Today we are well aware that our planet Earth is in severe jeopardy and is continuously heading towards that peril. It is getting warmer everyday due to too much pollution since the uprising of technology. It has become customary to hear about bizarre heat waves, floods and droughts around the world. The latest scientific data confirm that the global temperatures have risen by about 1 degree Fahrenheit over the course of the last century, and are likely rise even more rapidly in the coming decades. The reason behind this uproar is a thick layer of carbon dioxide pollution which has spread in the atmosphere like a blanket, trapping the heat of the sun and causing the planet to warm up. The main sources of this pollution are power plants and automobiles, besides many others, which trap the heat in the atmosphere. There are many conjectures that if the current trends continue, such global warming emissions can lead to the melting of glaciers, rise in sea levels, flooding of the coastal areas besides early snowmelt resulting in severe droughts and water shortages, frequent and more intense heat waves and wildfires. Warmer sea surface temperatures will fuel more intense hurricanes; the forests, farms and cities will face troublesome and niggling new pests and more mosquito-borne diseases. Above all, the degradation of habitats such as coral reefs and alpine meadows could lead to the extinction of many plant and animal species. As Dr. Gil Stern, the famous environmentalist once said, "Man is a complex being, he can make deserts bloom and the lakes die".

By definition, global warming impacts the globe as a whole. That being said, it is not feasible to envisage precise results in certain regions of the world, however, the impact on third world countries in Asia and Africa has been the subject of much discussion. You might be amazed to learn that over 60 percent of the human population lives in greater Asia. This throng of humanity has stretched agricultural and health resources to the maximum. To top it off, large population centers sit right on the coastline in flat areas only a few feet above sea level. And if the melting polar caps result in a three feet rise in sea levels as predicted, these cities will be underwater. Today we find the scientists, government agencies, private industry and the general public looking out for ways to handle this difficult and complicated situation. But this demon of global warming problem seems to have spread its wings across the globe in such a manner that the problem appears to be too global for a few simple steps to solve it. Though the problem is big yet the contribution of every individual towards the better environmental conditions can contribute a lot in saving the earth. A few small activities and changes in your home and surroundings can lead to big reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to increase the nation’s energy independence on one hand and reducing pressure on your pocket on the other.

The most important step in the direction of finding solutions to this issue is to change our attitudes and habits before it is too late. As the common saying goes ‘Whatever befalls the earth, befalls the people of the earth’, I think it is high time that each one of us start contributing our share towards the betterment of this niche. John Gummer, the British Environment Secretary said it right, "Global climate change needs global action now. The alarm bells ought to be ringing in every capital of the world".

Practice four ‘R’s of resource use (refuse, reduce, recycle, reuse): Refuse the resource wastage and buy only what you really need and do not dump unwanted products in the house. This helps in saving the resources that are used in the production of those items.

Take re-usable bags when you go shopping. The single-use bags bring a waste of forest resource for paper or fossil fuels for plastic. They contribute to water pollution during production and landfill overload at disposal. Re-usable cloth or paper bags reduce these problems.

Send the used items such as paper, glass, aluminum, plastics, batteries, tyres and appliances etc. for recycling. It would help save resources and energy and also reduce air and water pollution.

Reduce pressure on your vehicle: Vehicles cumulatively contribute more air pollution and carbon dioxide than any other source. Transporting yourself via bicycle or your feet, of course, is greenhouse gas-free. One can also consider carpooling with other colleagues to reach the work place. When traveling, keep your vehicle well-maintained.

Spread the word: Tell family and friends that energy efficiency is good for their homes and good for the environment because it lowers greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Educate your children on the global warming issues and together we can help our homes help us all.

In words of Henry Ford Ii "The economic and technological triumphs of the past few years have not solved as many problems as we thought they would, they, in fact, have brought us new problems we did not foresee".. Generally we see ecological living as something we will do later but I say, "Start now!" and consider the fact that service is the rent you pay for room on this planet. Even if you live in a tiny apartment surrounded by the concrete world, you should always try to find effortless and easy ways to refurbish the earth, train others, and prevent further destruction of the natural world so that our children do not inherit a hotter world, dirtier air and noxious water.