Rome is burning

An open letter from the Chairman of Mustaqbil Pakistan to all editors of newspapers and producers of TV news programs in Pakistan

Subject: Rise to your responsibilities

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am writing to all of you at a time when our nation is in danger.  And make no mistake.  We are living through what is possibly one of the most dangerous periods in our history.  Our very existence as a sovereign state is threatened

At a time like this it is imperative that all of us who have something positive to offer come together as one in defense of our homeland.  And you, as leaders and molders of public opinion, have a vital role to play.  

When we look at what is going wrong in Pakistan today we see multiple manifestations of failure - symptoms, if you will, of a failing or failed state: Insurgency and military conflict in two of our provinces,  killings and abductions of civilians in many cities,  unemployment, hopelessness, desperation, suicides, and a shocking absence of the writ of Government.  The list is longer still.  But the point is made.

Yet, despite the multitude of distressing symptoms, the disease is relatively simple to diagnose.  This is the problem:  In all successful democratic states the best, most competent, most sincere of their citizens compete in politics.  And it is these people - in some sense the cream of their citizenry - who then are elected and become their parliamentarians and shapers of their destiny.

In Pakistan the exact opposite is true.  Generally speaking, the worst, most incompetent, most corrupt, most morally bankrupt, and most insincere of our people compete in our political arena.  These people - in some sense the scum of our society - are elected to our parliament and shape our destiny.  Why then should anyone of us be surprised that Pakistan is slowly crumbling?  And, let’s be clear, if  this ‘scum’ continues to come back in power time and again - as it has done during the democratic phases of our history - then Pakistan will not survive.

Mustaqbil Pakistan was registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan as a political party in early 2010 by a group of experienced professionals.  Our manifesto is long and comprehensive.  But the reason for our  existence can be stated in a few words:  We vow to bring decent, competent, sincere and honest Pakistanis into politics.  This segment of our population has hitherto been unwilling or unable to participate in politics.  Their absence has created a political vacuum which has been happily filled by the ‘scum’.  And this has inevitably - as night follows day -  brought us to our present perilous situation.

Let me assure you that what Mustaqbil Pakistan is planning is possible and doable.  We have done our homework.  Time has not stood still.  The structure of politics in Pakistan has changed.  With this in mind we have devised a strategy and a plan that we are confident can succeed.  What we need now is to convince Pakistanis that they have it in their power to change their destiny.

I am writing to you - eminent editors and producers in the print and broad cast media - to tell you that you have a crucial role to play.  And  to tell you that what you are doing today is not enough.

The media broadcasts hours and hours of output featuring  the ‘usual culprits’: our corrupt and incompetent politicians.  Your smug anchors find gratification in having these already challenged people utter inanities and spew venom on their equally inane rivals.  

And what service do you render the people of Pakistan in broadcasting these programs hour after hour, evening after evening, day after day?  Have you enlightened them?  Have you informed them?  Have you given them hope?

Similarly newspapers repeatedly headline mindless statements from these same politicians.  For example a serious crime occurs and the next day a headline will read: “Minister says he has ordered police to capture culprits!”  Is this news?  Are not the police supposed to do this in any case?  Had the honourable minister not so ordered would the culprits have gone scot free?  And now that he has so ordered will they be promptly caught and brought to justice?

Ladies and gentlemen you have to rise above all of this.  Time is running out for Pakistan.  Too much is at stake.  You cannot continue to behave like this.  There are people, here, today, now, working to change things.  You need to identify them and then present them to your readers and viewers.  You need to show Pakistanis that there is hope.  And that there are still people who, sometimes at the risk of their safety, are working day and night to make Pakistan’s future brighter than its past.

Mustaqbil Pakistan has  many excellent people in most cities.  Call them to your shows.  Interview them.  Ask them about our plans and strategy.  Be skeptical be ruthless.  You will be amazed, as will be your audiences and readers, by the quality and cogency of their responses.  These are the people who should be in Pakistan’s Assembly's.  And one day, inshallah, they will be.

As Chairman of Mustaqbil Pakistan I am naturally keen that my party be exposed to the public.  But by no means am I suggesting that you limit your search and coverage to our people.  There are many, many, good, decent, sincere and competent Pakistanis working to bring change.  They also deserve a chance to be heard.  And you should, indeed, you must, promote their ideas and agenda.

“Rome” is burning.  You can continue to fiddle.  Or you can pick up a bucket and join those of us who want to do more.

Sincerely,

Nadeem Mumtaz Qureshi

Chairman

Mustaqbil Pakistan.

The difference between Pakistan's Generals and Politicians

There is a widely held belief among the general public in Pakistan that the army is the ultimate arbiter of what happens in Pakistani politics. It is thought, for example, that most election results are predetermined by the 'agencies' - an oblique reference to the secret service apparatus of the Pakistani defense establishment. The agencies decide who will win and who will lose. And important government decisions especially those related to foreign policy and internal security cannot be made without the army's tacit consent or approval.

Does the army indeed exercise this level of control over Pakistani politics? It is difficult to affirm or refute this with any reasonable level of confidence. But the more interesting question, and one that perhaps can be answered, is: Why would the army want to interfere?

To understand this one has to understand two sets of people: Those who run the army - the generals. And those who run the civilian administration - the politicians. Politicians first: This is a motley set. They include feudal landlords, hereditary 'pirs'- the descendants of long deceased holy men, urban mafiosi, and a spattering of mullahs. This whole set is not usually associated, in the public eye, with integrity, honesty, decency, competence or for that matter patriotism.

The army on the other hand recruits its soldiers from across the social spectrum. The selection process - especially for the officer corps - is competitive and demanding. Only the best survive. In some sense the army is a complete meritocracy - it is 'up or out'. If you meet the cut you are promoted to the next rank. If you do not you retire. Hence those who run the army - the top generals - get to where they are on the basis of their merit and competence. Remember also that the army inculcates patriotism in all its soldiers - enlisted men and officers. The message that their raison détre is to defend Pakistan to the last breath is hammered into their minds again and again. In the end, whatever else you say about these men, you cannot say that they are not patriotic.

So on the civilian side, running the country, you have a set of politicians of dubious competence and integrity who get to where they are because of inherited privilege or deception, or coercion, or other even less savoury methods.  Ask the general public what they think of their politicians' patriotism and the response, stripped of expletives, would be that they will happily sell a close family member for a foreign passport.

On the other side, running the army, are a group of generals who have come up through the ranks based on their competence and professionalism. And etched in their conscience, by virtue of their training, is the paramount importance of protecting Pakistan from any perceived threats.

Now back to the question of why the army would want to interfere in politics: The generals, professional and competent patriots, do not trust the politicians, people of questionable competence, integrity and sincerity, to be faithful to the country. They believe, perhaps not without reason, that if these politicians are left to their own devices they would pose a real and present threat to the integrity and security of Pakistan. And since direct interference for the army is not an option they resort to other means - the agencies - to keep the politicians from doing too much damage.

This is clearly a dysfunctional way to run a democratic country. The politicians should be running the country with the generals focusing exclusively on the army. Running a six hundred thousand man army is difficult enough without the added involvement of keeping a set of dubious politicians in check. The generals would be happy to focus on their own domain and leave the running of the country to elected representatives of the people. But they will not do this until they have confidence that the peoples representatives have the integrity, competence, experience and sincerity to do so.

So we as a country need to try harder to bring into politics people who do have the qualities needed for national leadership. And once we succeed in doing this the army, reassured that the country is in safe hands, will no longer need to be involved in minding the minders.