In the present era no one can deny the importance of democracy. But I am still unclear what the democracy means. There are many defination of democracy. There is difference of meaning of democracy in Pakistan and the US.::::::::
This may be the fact as I have heard from someone that leaders in the United States do not play politics with their own people, but they are allowed to play politics in other region. They have been favouring democracy in their own country, but are not ready to accept it for other countries. This is their double standard. At the moment people's involvement in running the affairs of the state is a must for saving Pakistan. Now the army has done its job as they almost cleared the areas of terrorists so now the power should be handed over to people.
Do you think the US rulers will pressurise rulers of Pakistan to introduce democracy in their country? I think they will never ask for democracy in Pakistan as presently rulers of Pakistan have been serving their interest. They have been killing their own people. Like many I am also hopeful that US President Barack Obama will tell the rulers of Pakistan to include the people in the affairs of the state. This is the only solution to the present crisis.
The meeting between top leaders of the NWFP government and the military to discuss a roadmap for the return of the IDPs to their homes once the military operation is over is significant. Cooperation between the civil and military setup is vital in the post-conflict phase. The mutual mistrust between the two has often hampered matters in the past and this is one of the fundamental factors behind the many administrative and even political failures that we have had to suffer. The military, for its part, has frequently been too quick to dismiss politicians as inept or unwilling. Frequently the politicians too have failed to work in coordination with the military. The situation in Swat and other zones of fighting is now such that they must do so.
It has been decided at the meeting attended by the COAS, the chief minister of the NWFP and the provincial governor among other key decision makers, that the civilian government must restore services urgently. In Swat, Dir and other areas power, water and gas cut-offs have contributed to the paralysis of lives and to the suffering of people. Hospitals are unable to function without these amenities and neither are ordinary households. Reports by humanitarian agencies that 60 per cent of schools in Swat have been destroyed suggest how massive a task the effort to re-build the Valley will be. It also exposes the folly of allowing the Taliban to wreak havoc for so long. The destruction of roads, infrastructures, homes and even the forests that provide local people with timber too needs to be tackled.
Doubts have been expressed in various quarters about the ability of the civilian government to manage all this and to rise up to the expectations of people. Even without a damage assessment, it is clear that many aspects of life in Swat need to be re-established almost from scratch. International aid is expected to pour in for this purpose; organizations with an expertise in infrastructure building will also be available to help – as will the military. But the elected representatives of people must play their part. They have let down the people of Swat in the past, by permitting the Taliban to run riot through towns, cities and villages – indeed by helping them do so through an ill-advised peace deal. Also, there are already concerns about the possibility of the misuse of funds or a failure to use them effectively. These concerns are not unjustified in light of past experience. The ANP government, which scored a resounding success at the polls notably in the Malakand area, must use this opportunity to redeem itself. It cannot afford to fail again.
For its part, the military has made it clear it intends to remain deployed in these parts for the present. This is good news. While we have read many accounts of militants fleeing, there is uncertainty over where they have fled to. Maulana Fazalullah and his closest aides seem to have survived the fighting. It is possible they may be plotting a return at some point in the future. The army presence should help ensure this never happens.
The working out of a detailed plan of action for the future is wise. It shows recognition by our leaders that the issues of Swat will not end with the fighting. The military has largely done what it was called upon to do. The civilian leadership now needs to demonstrate its capacity to deal with the critical phase that now lies ahead.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Muhammad Khurshid, a resident of Bajaur Agency, tribal areas situated on Pak-Afghan border is journalist by profession. He contributes articles and news stories to various online and print newspapers. His subject matter is terrorism. He is also (
more...)
