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It is too early to say anything with certainty,
because this is not the first time that civilian rule and democracy
have been restored after a long spell of military and quasi-military
rule, only to be supplanted by another military takeover. The fact
that Pakistan lacks strong democratic institutions suggests that a
repetition of that vicious circle cannot be discounted. There are,
however, some grounds for optimism.
The vision of government spelled out by Prime
Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is progressive, balanced and realisable.
He wants to establish the rule of law, cut drastically the spending
on the Prime Minister's House, provide cheap housing to the poor,
stimulate the economy so that new jobs can be generated and
eliminate the curse of terrorism, but not through military action
alone. He would like to devise a comprehensive strategy which
includes political and economic measures as well. He has also
promised to make the minorities feel that they are an integral part
of the Pakistani nation.
Pakistan will function as a genuine federation
and provincial autonomy will be respected. With regard to Kashmir,
he favours a fair and peaceful settlement of that dispute. He
declared relations with China as unbreakable and expressed a strong
desire to develop good relations with the United States and the
European Union. Diaspora Pakistanis can only wish him success, and
lots of it.
Perhaps in some future pronouncements the
rights of women could receive special attention, because it is too
important a question on which progressive reform and change is
needed. No society can progress and claim to be civilised and humane
if it neglects gender equality and does not act resolutely to
curtail domestic violence and exploitation of women.
Also, a revolutionary change must be effected
in the educational policy so that all citizens of Pakistan can claim
the right to education as an inalienable human right. Pakistan lags
behind India in many ways when it comes to education. The difference
is particularly noticeable in the evolution of a very large Indian
middle class that is more educated than it is wealthy. In Pakistan,
a broad educated middle class is largely absent. Also, a
comprehensive policy would be needed to not only alleviate poverty
but to eradicate it. This will take a long time, no doubt, but it
must be given priority.
Feudalism and tribalism should be wiped out and
industrialisation given priority. There is no doubt that the market
economy is the best way to utilise the factors of production. The
market can generate wealth most efficiently and effectively, but it
has no mechanism to distribute wealth equitably. Therefore,
government policy will have to be devised to achieve a fair society.
In this regard, a new vision on the environment
is also needed. It was somewhat surprising that the prime minister
did not spell out the broad contours of his environment policy. Some
reports suggest that Pakistan will become a desert in 40 years if
global warming is not arrested. We have to do our bit to fight
global warming, but indeed it is a threat that can be met
effectively only through regional and global cooperation.
Pakistani towns and cities are already
suffering a great deal because of pollution, filth and neglect of
sewerage facilities. I believe along with India and Bangladesh we
constitute the biggest bulk of humanity that defecates out in open
space. Many diseases thrive in such conditions. We are a proud
people indeed, but I find little pride in the continuation of public
defecation. Community toilets and urinals are badly needed all over
Pakistan.
More importantly, we need a thorough discussion
on the philosophy of representative government, democracy and human
rights so that all sectors of the polity -- the state apparatuses,
the elected government and parliamentarians, the judiciary, as well
as autonomous bodies such as universities, chambers of commerce,
trade unions, and human, women and civil rights actors, are educated
into their functions and responsibilities from which they can also
claim rights.
The military will have to focus on its chief
professional responsibility of maintaining a credible defence.
As someone who has never believed in the
nuclearisation of India and Pakistan, I am now resigned to the fact
that only comprehensive, worldwide nuclear disarmament can eliminate
the threat of nuclear war from the world. India and Pakistan are not
likely to give up their arsenals while others keep them. I have
heard from visiting Indian speakers at Singapore's Institute of
South Asian Studies that only after India carried out its nuclear
explosions in May 1998 did the world began to give it respect.
Additionally, sound economic policy and
concomitant financial and fiscal reforms helped India gain even
greater respect from the world. I suppose Pakistan already enjoys
such "respect," but what is needed now is emphasis on
developing the economy and steering clear of vain military
adventures.
Imagine Pakistan and India living in peace,
their economies growing and their populations receiving better
education and more opportunities to work hard and prosper. In the
next 20-30 years this region could become the centre of the world.
The greatest strength of South Asia has been its amazing capacity to
accept pluralism of faiths, ethnicities and languages.
Fundamentalist movements in this region have been trying hard to
destroy this grand mosaic, but they should not be permitted to
succeed.
What is missing in South Asian societies is
respect for the individual in general and a tendency to deny
humanity to those born poor. We need to cultivate and internalise a
culture of human rights which is the greatest gift of the liberal
heritage of the western civilisation.
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