Archive for category EXPATRIATE PAKISTANIS BYLINE

LETTER TO EDITOR

October 26^th, 20123

A US Pakistani’s Advice to PM

PM of Pakistan, being a man of average ability needs a very clear headed Foreign Minister and a man of sound understanding and pragmatism as his national Security Adviser. In addition, he needs a Finance Minister, who is a sound economist and well focused on the problems and issues at micro level at home. These are issues frustrating an overwhelming majority of the population. If he wants to do something really meaningful he should retire the present lot surrounding him all his waking and sleeping hours and get dynamic people around him to advise and deliver.

Regarding his visit to the UN and Washington, I have been wondering all the time what was the need to rush in a hurry and what was he expecting to accomplish? Even if he was getting uneasy to rush to the US along with the team of his close advisers he should have given a space to the US President to get over the influence left behind by Manmohan Singh. On the issue of drones, Pakistan has locked itself in meaningless legalities. As the situation is, total lack of control over the territory from which insurgents are operating on both sides of the border, no sane expert of international law will give any credence to PM’s slogan of sovereignty. That legal concept has to be balanced with effective control of the territory on ground by the Government claiming sovereignty over the area. He and his advisers have to think hard, away from emotional appeals and populist slogans, of the strategies to convince influential and powerful members of international community that the y are willing to play their role in controlling terrorism for which, unfortunately, the perception has grown very strong that Pakistan has become the epicenter of terrorism. Before appealing to international leaders, the PM has to do his homework and show some positive results in handling the matters that the world is asking for. Let him start with dealing with the protection of minorities and Muslims who do not belong to the mainstream religious groups. Governance and corruption are the other two issues on which he can contribute effectively to gain respect at home. Once he has shown real progress regarding some matters at home then he can, with confidence and pride, tell the international leaders that his Government is moving with strength in the matters of interest to the public in Pakistan and that would give credibility to his words. Otherwise, every word that he would utter would only be regarded as an empty rhetoric. In today’s world no national leader can su cceed in convincing foreign statesmen that he really means what he says. Once, in a few months or a year, the PM would be able to show some accomplishments at home only then he could think of talking to others in a constructive manner. 

Dr. Muhammad Nawaz

Washington, DC.  USA