Tariq Butt’ article in THE NEWS
Friday, May 27, 2011
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari, who, despite being a constitutional figurehead, virtually enjoys all powers having Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani under his thumb, has spared no time at all to perform his duty, even symbolically, as the supreme commander of the armed forces, to buoy up the morale of the under pressure services and people at large at this time of extreme stress.
Before the personal tragedy (death of his father) struck the president, forcing him to be confined to Nawabshah for the past three days, Zardari has been unconcerned and unworried, at least publicly, about the backbreaking state Pakistan is in and has extended no gesture that shows him as representing the unity of the republic. While the month of May has proved to be too heavy and luckless for Pakistan because of recurrent disheartening terrorist attacks in terms of loss of human lives and property besides the violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty by the US, the president has restricted himself to the four walls of his palatial residence.
The strike on the PNS Mehran Karachi, killing of eighty cadets of the Frontier Constabulary in Shabqadar and OBL’s presence in Abbottabad, unnoticed by premier Pakistani agencies for five years, were most unsettling episodes for all and sundry in Pakistan during the current month. The president has not been seen expressing solidarity with those deserving it desperately.
Before that, the attack on the most important installation, General Headquarters, in October 2009 also did not attract Zardari’s attention in the sense that he paid no visit to the facility or the victims in hospitals to express solidarity with the Pakistan Army. Faced with such a monumental catastrophe, it is futile on the part of anybody to discuss the question of extending an invitation to the president by the concerned force. In reality, it is his duty, for being the supreme commander of the armed forces, to be seen standing with them at the time.
Zardari is yet to visit a defence installation or facility, hit by terrorists, and their victims, in khakis or civvies. Leave aside such personal visits, he has not even issued independent statements on such gruesome incidents, which have severely pummelled the spirits and confidence of the armed forces as well as people. While he has publicly kept himself away from speaking on the terrorist attacks, he has been chairing closed door consultations and meetings including a session with high profile US Senator John Kerry. Although Zardari has faced sweeping public flak for writing a by-lined article in an American newspaper on the second day of OBL’s killing even when full facts of the US Navy SEAL’s raid were yet to unfold, the presidency has consciously maintained a complete mum over the severe criticism.
When it comes to publicly speaking on frightening terrorist hits and handling of the situation arising out of them, Zardari leaves it to Gilani on the premise that it is the job of the prime minister in his capacity as the chief executive of Pakistan. Nothing could be more hypocritical and nobody is befooled by such antics. But when it is making policies in key fields, domestic or foreign, the president always has a great say and sway, at times offstage, and at others overt like persuading the PML-Q into becoming his ally and accepting the federal cabinet slots in exchange.
It is publicly known that Zardari was never present at the sites of missile tests although nearly a dozen have been conducted since he became the supreme commander of the armed forces. Standard press statements, almost similar, had been issued congratulating the scientists and technicians, every time a test is carried out. In fact, he has never been chief guest at any function of the armed forces.
Barring the exception of Rafiq Tarar, the presidents of Pakistan (Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Ziaul Haq and Pervez Musharraf) had always been most important guardian and supervisor of Pakistan’s nuclear and missile programmes displaying that these projects have the backing of the highest constitutional position holder of Pakistan.
But conversely, a few months back President Zardari voluntarily surrendered (this was made known publicly by the presidency at the time) the chairmanship of the extremely vital strategic institution, Nuclear Command Authority, and passed it on to the prime minister. The concerned law was amended accordingly. Even a relatively weak Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had got the opportunity to visit the nuclear facility but President Zardari is still to have this kind of honour. It is not known whether he himself doesn’t want to be at such installation or he has not been invited by concerned authorities.
Zardari’s absolute public silence over prevalent universal demoralization caused by frequent terrorist attacks and his utter inability to perform his functions as the supreme commander continues to raise eyebrows. Being the head of state, he is required to do a lot, maybe even symbolically, to pull the armed forces and the nation out of the present state of hopelessness and frustration.
The prime minister is too unimpressive and unappealing to lift the morale of all and sundry. But at least he is seen to be moving around, doing something. Zardari too is not a credible leader, evoking confidence. However, by virtue of his position especially the supreme commander, he is not even noticed doing anything that can be counted as a morale booster and instilling buoyancy and self-assurance. Indeed, Pakistan is faced with a tough time and its enemies are bustling with joy. Those having the opportunity, right or wrong, of deciding the destiny of the Pakistani nation have to rise above petty politics, biases and prejudices and choose between remaining relevant and becoming history.