A Challenging Task For Pakistan's Zardari

LAHORE: After February 18 elections, people were expecting their problems would be solved because their representatives are now in the parliament and dictator´s government has ended after a long period of nine years. But after winning the elections, they did not seem to have any clear agenda and proper planning to get people out of crisis. Shares in Pakistani companies have crumbled, losing one-third of their value since April, as investors have fled a country mauled by political upheaval and a violent Islamic insurgency.

The rupee has also taken a dive, falling some 20pc so far this year to a historic low of 77.45 to the US dollar last week, and inflation has soared to almost 25pc.

Pakistan has squandered more than $7b (£4b) of its foreign currency reserves in 10 months and its budget deficit has reached its highest level since the late 1970s. The nation is now left with less than $10bn in its foreign currency coffers and its budget deficit stands at $21b.

Consequently, the country is struggling to pay its debts, though it was recently granted breathing space by Saudi Arabia, which is owed almost $6b for oil already delivered.

Load-shedding of electricity destroyed many big and small businesses. In the holy month of Ramazan, prices of vegetables and fruits have been increased up to 50 percent. How much it is difficult to survive for a man whose income is less than a dollar per day. Price of 100 kg sack of wheat has also crossed the record level of Rs. 2,450 in Karachi. Above all, the government has announced 31 percent increase in the price of electricity which will severely disturb the budget of the poor, already hit by sky-rocketing prices of daily use items.

The leaders of major parties of the coalition government remained busy in getting the-then president Musharraf out of presidency and blamed that Musharraf was the main hurdle due to which they could not deliver as it should be.

They succeeded after all but coalition government could not survive after Musharraf´s exit. PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif held responsible PPP co-chairmain Asif Ali Zardari for the collapse and said Asif Ali Zardari did not fulfill his promises to restore the judiciary at its pre-November 3 position. After Musharraf´s exit, PPP named Asif Ali Zardari for presidency which was also against the will of PML-N that wanted to see a non-partisan as president. Being a main partner in coalition government they also wanted to have their member as president to develop an equal sharing of power between the coalition partners as PPP already had the post of prime minister and speaker. These differences forced PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif to pull his ministers out of cabinet.

Pakistan's new president, Asif Ali Zardari, assumed office at a time of great political turmoil, intense militant violence, economic weakness, and deteriorating relations with neighboring India and Afghanistan.

At the same time, US President George W Bush named Pakistan among the major battlegrounds in the global war on terrorism and reminded Islamabad that it was its responsibility to eradicate terrorism from the tribal areas.

Asif Ali Zardari put the ´war on terror´ at the top of his agenda and signalled a major thaw in relations with Afghanistan at the swearing-in ceremony where Afghan leader Hamid Karzai shared center stage.

Zardari's foreign policy challenges are also daunting. His vow to continue his predecessor´s counterterrorism partnership with the United States will face new hurdles after revelations that the US staged ground force attacks on Pakistani soil this month. In the latest development, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said the US military will revise its strategy for Afghanistan to include militant ´safe havens´ in Pakistan in its area of concern which seems to be a policy to affect the results of upcoming US elections. Pakistani leadership should strongly condemn these attacks and new strategy and also contact with Russia and China in this regard.

Swearing-in ceremony was the first public appearance of the civilian president and people wanted to listen some relief plans for which they voted on Feb 18, for which they always hoped after every election, for which they trusted after the end of every dictator´s rule, for which they wished for a prosper Pakistan.

But like Musharraf, Mr Zardari seemed to continue the same foreign policy of Pakistan and is still committed to ´war on terror´, which has made the country unstable and insecure. But some analysts see Zardari´s announcement to visit China after assuming the office a major shift in country´s foreign policy. Pakistan want China´s help in fulfilling its energy needs as the US ruled out the possibility of entering into a civil nuclear deal with Pakistan, rejecting apparent demands by China in this regard.

Pakistan should establish the US-India like civilian nuclear deal with China, and should be given waiver from Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as India has been relinquished. Pakistan is also a big country with huge population of 17 million people and is facing severe energy crisis due to which it is in dire need of civilian nuclear deal. The government also has to sort out some real plans to avoid this appalling energy crisis in the long run which are the fruits of the bad policies of the past governments reaching to the common man.

The government has to make genuine policies to increase the production of wheat and rice crops. In this regard, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that all possible facilities will be provided to the farmers for increasing the wheat production. He said that the provision of quality seed, fertilisers, agri-implements and soft-term loans to the cultivators would also be ensured. He announced that the government would provide ten thousand Green Tractors to the farmers on subsidised rates. He directed the officials concerned to set wheat production target at 20 million tonnes for the current year and said that all-out measures must be taken for its achievement.

Some critical questions are being raised by the people belonging to every walk of life:

Will President Zardari restore the deposed judges sacked by Musharraf?

Will President Zardari repeal the 17th Amendment and revive the 1973 Constitution?

Will President Zardari be happy in keeping the power stick in his hands?

Will President resign from the party co-chairmanship?

Will President promote harmonious political atmosphere in Punjab?

Will President continue Bush´s ´war on terror´?

Will President work to give some relief to masses?

Will President keep Pakistan´s prosperity and national interest ahead of personal priorities?

When asked if he had something personal against deposed Chief Justice, he denied that he had any such thing. Replying to a question about repealing Article 58 (2b) of the constitution, he said President is subservient to the parliament and will accept its decision in this regard.

Mr Zardari is legally and constitutionally elected president. He has his party´s prime minister, speaker and cabinet. Nothing can stop him to put into action any policy. He should first of all restore the deposed judges, implement Charter of Democracy, repeal 17th Amendment, promote political harmony and take real steps to give some relief to common man.

Rahil Yasin is a working journalist, freelance columnist and researcher based in Lahore, Pakistan. He can be reached at rahil.yasin@gmail.com