The Awesome Task

Columnist Col (Retd) TAHIR HUSSAIN MASHHADI goes over the problems facing the military regime

The military action on 12 October 1999 was the fourth time in Pakistan's 52-year history that the Armed Forces had taken over the reigns of government. All military regimes were surprisingly welcomed by the masses and all started with the best of intentions. However, the past three experiences left an extremely bad track record. Prolonged extension of military rule and clinging to power invariably leads to the military governments leaving more problems than they solve. All three previous rules proved disastrous for the country because as the military regimes clung to power their authoritarian, rule, unfeeling, unresponsive and aloof governments operating through the self-serving and corrupt bureaucracy and even more corrupt and cruel police made the populace turn against them. The spontaneous outpouring of massive support that Gen. Pervez Musharraf has received must be for him frightening, as it must be humbling. The situation inherited by Gen. Pervez Musharraf is qualitatively different from the earlier military rulers. Today, the institutions stand destroyed, national economy is in ruins, national wealth stands looted and the government coffers are empty. Culture, human values and belies shattered, corruption rampant and the nation stands divided on tribal, ethnic, sectarian divisions and unemployment is at its highest.

The hopes and expectations of the people are focussed on Gen. Pervez Musharraf. The General and his regime have a truly haunting and awesome task before them. They are expected to clean up the Augean stables, usher in an era of reform, revive economy, carry out cross the board, transparent, impartial horizontal and vertical accountability, reform the administration, create national unity and cohesion and provincial integration, provide cheap and speedy justice, set right the destroyed institutions, establish grass roots democracy and at the same time provide better and more just governance. In our economically frustrated, insecure, unjust and brutalized society any and all changes especially take-overs by the military are invariably welcomed as they give great hope for people but once the honeymoon is over and time for delivery comes the support invariably vanishes. The euphoria that followed Gen. Musharraf's take-over was absolutely justified. The people heavily burdened under the ever rising spiral of prices, suffering under the ever lurking threat and violence of terrorism, sectarianism, ethnic strife, unemployment, harsh and cruel police, open and flagrant looting of national wealth by the corrupt political elite, were fed up with Nawaz regime and most desperate for change. They welcomed the military intervention hoping for it to be their salvation and a grand opportunity for revival of our poor, looted, brutalized, bulldozed and crippled nation.

General Pervez Musharraf and the present setup must retain the support of the masses if they are to achieve any measure of success in their commendable endeavour. This can only be done with the peoples active participation in local government and to some measure in determining policies and their executions. The message must go out loud and clear that 52 years joy ride of loot and plunder of the nation has ended. However, formidable and awesome the task, it can be accomplished provided Gen. Musharraf remains faithful to his declared seven points programme. The most important thing is to select the right people not only to rule but also to help him implement his policies. The choice of the four governors has been fairly good and well received. Choice of some of the people appointed in the National Security Council and as Federal Ministers has been bit of the let down. It seems that old files of previous military regimes were opened and first and most mentioned were selected. A few new faces have come but their performance is yet to be seen. None of the individuals appointed have fired the imagination of the people nor have they lifted their hopes. They certainly do not fit the role of the saviours that the masses were expecting. Most of them are mediocre and with inconspicuous achievements to their names. The General's pledge not to stay in power longer than absolutely necessary is the keynote to his success and his position in posterity. He must do all that needs to be done in the shortest possible time. Certainly not more than two years so that he can make his exit honourably with dignity and grace otherwise the people's present sense of relief and support is sure to turn into disillusionment, resentment, hostility and hate. The people have in Gen. Musharraf great hope and very high expectations not only because he possesses the right credentials as he is a man of great integrity, character, honesty and honour possessing the requisite qualities of head and heart but also because it is imperative for the nation that he succeeds. The very well being and existence of Pakistan is at stake. This is the last chance. There is simply no room for a foul up.

It is crucial for the government to address all its attention to these basic problems and administer harsh and long-term economic reforms and remedies. Initiate impartial and transparent accountability, build up and reactivate the state and civic fundamental infra-structure and institutions, clean up the bureaucracy and police, exorcise the social evils from society and restructure the very basic foundations of our society on priority. The basic problems confronting the country are essentially economic, political, social and institutional with its inbred power struggle amongst the apex institutions and the powers that be. In addition there is extreme cultural alienation, violent ethnic divide, strong sectarian feelings and massive corruption and violations of all state institutions, commercial organizations and even exploitation of the poor and downtrodden masses by the powerful, rich and the influential. In fact, all different facets or manifestations of a brutalized environment in which the people are forced to live their lives in unrelieved melancholy, despair and misery. The damaged and virtually collapsed institutions of governance, local government institutions, judiciary, bureaucracy, parliament, media, culture, values, national unity and cohesion and indeed all walks and facets of national life demands immediate attention. The relationships between the state and society, between the centre and the provinces, between the provinces and the local government institutions and between the government and the people, especially the need for safeguarding of basic fundamental rights, freedom of speech and most of all freedom of worship have to be permanently repaired, established and safeguarded. Setting up a commission to suggest changes required in the 1973 Constitution is a welcome step. The Constitution needs to be amended to make it responsive and acceptable by all segments of society to meet the present day situations and the challenges of the coming millennium. For this purpose a referendum must be held as early as possible and the changes proposed in the Constitution should be part of the referendum. This can be held at the same time as elections to local bodies. Majority of Pakistanis believes that democracy in Pakistan died with the Quaid-e-Azam. The present deviation from democratic rule (abet the corrupt, dictatorial, unpopular and cruel regime of Nawaz Sharif) calls for extraordinary measures which have to be telescoped in time but must encompass far reaching revolutionary concepts. Quaid-e-Azam envisaged, promised and created a modern, liberal and progressive state free of religious, sectarian and ethnic prejudices. We are today at the most critical phase of our existence and standing helpless at the crossroads of our destiny. The forces of disintegration are active. The fundamentalists supported by mysteriously well-founded ethno-religious groups are working at their destructive best. Let Gen. Pervez Musharraf accept the challenge, surmount the difficulties and deliver Quaid-e-Azam's Pakistan to the people, who after 52 years of broken pledges, exploitation by civil and military regimes, misery, neglect, brutality, and silent suffering surely deserve it. If he and his government can get his declared agenda to even take off and do so it within the time frame of two years or so, he will leave his name imprinted on the hearts of all Pakistanis. He and the Armed Forces will earn not only the everlasting love, respect and gratitude but will also justify to their countrymen as well the world at large the justification and righteousness of the counter coup. Success has the virtue of his being its own justification. Failure has none.

Without initiating a witch hunt the process of impartial transparent and across the board accountability must be conducted from the top of the list and work downwards so that those below can see and believe that the government means business. Looters, defaulters and tax evaders to the tune of rupees one million and above should be brought to the book as a beginning. Not only they but also the civil servants and technocrats who helped, collaborated and encouraged them should also be equally taken to task, so that they no longer are permitted to hunt with all the hounds all the time. A civil servant that failed in his duty to stop or resist corruption is equally guilty and must therefore be equally punished. It is normal tendency for the bureaucrats, police, employees of financial institutions and all law enforcing and civil intelligence agencies to let loose reign of harassment, extortion, and threats to small defaulters. It must be ensured that this is not permitted. To cleanse the nation of all vices, evils, greed, disunity, and strife will require decades of clean, dedicated and committed governments. The best the General can do and is expected to do by his countrymen is to initiate the reforms and set the country in the right direction by laying a solid foundation and erecting a vibrant and lasting framework. The task of accountability entrusted to the National Accountability Bureau should be a continuous process. The bureau must be brought on statute books and given constitutional protection. It should be entrusted with the task of probing corruption, misuse of authority, violation of human rights and other wrong doings of the politicians and government officials both present and the past and prescribe appropriate punishments. Proceeding of Bureau will thus exorcise the ghost of the corruption and criminal misdoing by the public representative and government functionaries which has been haunting the nation since last 50 years.

The General has undertaken and set himself a most awesome task. It will not be possible for him to complete the gigantic task he has set himself. His government, can however, get his agenda started on sound footing. He can initiate measures immediately to put the economy right, depoliticise and reform civil services especially the police, strengthen judiciary, introduce a decentralization and devolution system, hold local bodies elections and carry out accountability. The rest of his agenda will slowly be implemented with good and honest governance. All this will not be easy or smooth task. He must understand that the government he has toppled was supported to the hilt by well-entrenched mafias with deep roots, big connections and big money behind them. There is also an extraordinary inept, corrupt and greedy elite club of politicians that he must be beware of. The disfunctionality of corrupt and the inefficient political governments have given birth to scores of illegitimate children of institutionalized corruption such as the mafias, regional gangsters, local hooligans, terrorists and an assortment of political, sectarian and ethnic pressure groups. This political elite and the mafias are always at the helm of affairs as they gain control of corridors of power and access to the rulers whoever they may be. They are all well known and friendly with all in power. They rule on basis of wealth, power and influence. Their great wealth and life style speaks for itself and yet each and every government that comes in power and all persons who occupy powerful posts allow and sometimes even encourage and support these people in their nefarious designs and illegal activities. All of our highest ranking persons in power are in daily contract and even dine and generally enjoy the worldly pleasures of life with them. Some even develop and maintain personal friendly relations with them. Corruption the adaptable mother of all lawbreakers, crooks and people harbouring illegitimate ambitions and lust for power thus reigns supreme in Pakistan. So much so that we have acquired the dubious honour of being one of the most corrupt nations of the world. Even the best of NGO's and renowned social workers once they get government patronage and support often become vehicles of self-aggrandizement as their protagonists gain access and get a power base and thereby an opportunity to wield great influence and to earn huge amounts of money for themselves and their vested interests. They begin to enjoy the power of power. The General must do his utmost to safeguard his regime from such dangerous parasites. They mostly represent or are themselves the mafias and operate and flourish with impunity. Once firmly saddled in the Governors' mansions or Prime/Chief Ministers, ministers, advisors, top bureaucrats, police, heads of agencies and commercial institutions drawing rooms they continue their nefarious designs indulging in loot, plunder enjoying power and pelf making mockery of the laws and exploit their power while looting the nation resources at will. Unless this political mafia culture is eliminated and somehow kept out of power there is not much hope for even this most well meaning regime to achieve any of their declared aims, nor will any reforms be permitted to be implemented in the country.

The government must set about tackling the complexities of the multi-dimensional problems facing the country. The Herculian task of restoring civic normalcy and reactivating the virtually collapsed government institutions must be given top most priority. The activation, renewal and reconstruction of those dormant civic institutions should culminate in the holding of local bodies' elections at the earliest. Power has to be brought closer to where the people are and has to be shared with them. Good governance can only come about if the public administration is provided with a sound system of institutions serving a healthy society committed to the rule of law. Real and lasting political culture has to be established. Respect for others views, opinions and beliefs has to be inculcated, and mutual trust has to be built up to ensure public participation in civic affairs. This is the essential factor on which the foundation of democratic society is built. The civic culture of the society always reflects the attitudes, values and active participation of the citizens in all spheres of governance. The political, economic and social structures prevailing have to be transformed and the transition has to be carried out in a well-planned, far-sighted and orderly fashion. Holding elections to local bodies and by granting them greater empowerment over local government to ensure greater public participation will go a long way in putting the country on road to real democracy and of solving most of the problems being faced by the masses. Decentralization and devolution of power is now universally accepted as the key reforms element. Greater empowerment of local governments is emerging as the main pillars of the decentralization and devolution. Both have their own virtues and merits. The urgent need of the hour is to develop strong local bodies, and hold elections, which can exercise effective control on health, education, social welfare, public works, public transport and law and order.

The nation, and it seems, the military regime is slowly emerging out of the traumatic events of the takeover. There is today complete intellectual frustration and blockage causing an ideological abyss. The support, prayers, hopes and aspirations of this sad, disillusioned, brutalized, looted and ravaged nation are now focused on Gen. Pervez Musharraf and his government so that they take us out of the deep malaise and quagmire in which Nawaz Sharif buried us. The most important thing is that it is the unanimous desire of the people to give the General a free hand to set things right. This is the right decision. We need to have no fear. Things just cannot get worse. We have reached to bottom of the pit. There is no direction to go but to go up.