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[-
IKRAM SEHGAL -] |
 Learning
Pragmatism at Davos
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A day before the start of the Annual
Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos,
the world's economic equilibrium was shaken by stocks
falling across the board from Hong Kong to New York.
It required an unprecedented cut in lending rates
by the US Federal Reserve (the Fed) to shore up the
world's badly shaken markets. Whether the recovery
can be sustained is still in the future. The world's
elite in commerce, finance and manufacturing were
sombre but did not show apprehension of an imminent
recession. Economic apocalypse did rear its ugly head
frequently during discussions in panel after panel,
all the economic geniuses who were proved thoroughly
wrong neither showed any remorse nor for that matter,
act sheepish.....more
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National
Compromise
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The country seems transfixed into
immobility on the rail tracks by the on-rushing lights
of an express freight train in the form of Feb 18
elections. President Pervez Musharraf and his supporters
are standing on one side of the tracks while the Opposition
political parties are on the other. From time to time
suicide bombers remind us the situation can become
far more explosive. Neither is prepared to blink first
i.e. any move by either to save Pakistan from the
approaching disaster will be taken as a sign of weakness
by the other.
A recent meeting with the President during this hour
of crisis only highlighted the country's Catch-22
situation. The meaning of "dictator" does
describe Musharraf in the technical sense, and yet
does not do justice to him. Fully aware of the impending
law and order, economic and political problems, he
willingly entered into a responsive exchange without
"shooting the messenger bringing bad tidings".....more
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Learning
Security Lessons |
While the public memory remains fresh what better
example to illustrate the predicament of security
forces and those they protect than the brutal assassination
of our charismatic Ms Benazir Bhutto? The Oct 18 blast
only underscored this was a tragedy waiting to happen,
unfortunately it was not used as a wake-up call for
both the protectors and the protected. A correct analysis
of some of the security lapses that led to (and including)
Dec 27 could mean the difference in the future between
life and death for others. One most concede that it
is extremely difficult to reconcile the requirements
of a political campaign with the security protection
that is a must for potential target of assassins.
Security is not an exact science, it is becoming increasingly
difficult to cope with motivated attacks. With the
advent of the suicide bomber, deterrence has become
exponentially more difficult for VIPs, almost impossible
in providing any protection for innocent bystanders.....more
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A
Trilogy of Crisis |
While
the situation in Pakistan circa 2008 is not quite comparable
with the situation in 1971, those who rule Pakistan
today as well as those who aspire to rule tomorrow must
keep in mind the consequences of obdurate refusal to
compromise even when catastrophe was staring us in our
faces. Most of our problems in 1971 were domestic and
self-created, India took geo-political advantage by
militarily force-multiplying the self-destruction process
along. The domestic political crisis of today is caught
in the crossfire of geo-political upheaval in the region
as well as impending world recession, these will deepen
the dimensions of our internal sorrows. Above all, the
Pakistan Army, the prime guarantor of our integrity
and sovereignty, needs to come to terms with its national
identity and adjust/reconcile itself to its role thereof.....more |
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