FOR THE LOVE OF CHAIR By: Fatima Waheed 10U0466

In most civilised countries, heads of state take on a dignified role once they leave office. They start humanitarian work, help in policy formulation and act as ambassadors of their country. In time, the citizenry starts to look upon them as father figures. One sees a president with as chequered a record as George W. Bush cheering at baseball games and the once-reviled Tony Blair employed as an ambassador of peace. This statesman-like behaviour by former heads of state serves to embellish their legacies and also helps erase their faults from the collective memory of the nation. It’s a win-win situation for everybody.
Needless to say, no such tradition exists in Pakistan. Not surprising, since a crucial prerequisite, the tradition of leaving office voluntarily, is also missing. The troubling reality is that in recent history, our heads of state have been invariably forced out of office. In fact, over the last 40 years, we don’t find a single instance of the de-facto head of state leaving of his own accord. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was hanged, Zia died in a plane crash, Benazir and Nawaz Sharif twice each had their terms cut short and Musharraf was forced to resign under the threat of impeachment. Undeterred, the lucky ones who leave with their lives intact, immediately begin weaving webs to plot their return.
To the unsuspecting eye, the sure-footedness that ties Pakistani rulers to their seats of power is an open-and-shut case of self-serving greed and lust for power. After all, such behaviour pervades the society at large and if it exhibits itself in the corridors of power, it should not raise eye brows. But there’s more to that than meets the eye.
It seems that our rulers have seen the end that met their predecessors and internalised it. They have resigned themselves to the fact that exile, incarceration or death is the fait accompli inextricably tied to their jobs. To avoid that fate, in their estimation, they must keep their jobs. It’s as if the hanging of Bhutto hangs like a noose over their heads. Given the bloody history of power politics in Pakistan, who would blame them.
Such a conclusion may also explain the lack of restraint our leaders have shown in committing what we refer to as “high crimes” in common parlance, such as subverting the constitution or breaking the oath of office. The punishment for these crimes should be enough to deter a prospective offender, but for some one who sees his own survival at stake and is already resigned to an unceremonious exit, no deterrent is enough. Survival is the most basic of human instincts, and if one sees it threatened, respect for law is the first thing that goes out the window.
Another feature of our heads of state’s behaviour has been the “messiah complex” they seem to carry. While it is hard to pin down the root cause of this complex, it seems a by-product of sycophantic advisers and the desire to attach a higher purpose to their actions. This reinforces their power-lust and primal fears, and we have a full-blown case of “powerophilia” on our hands. It suffices to say that taking power from them is a tad tougher than taking a candy from a kid.
While our rulers may have deluded themselves into believing that their fate is sealed if they are ousted from power, the reality is that their actions have made this a self-fulfilling prophesy. If for once, they listened to the call of their conscience and abided by the constitution they vowed to uphold in letter and spirit, they will find that the people and history itself is very forgiving.
The winds of change are blowing once more and the rulers, secure in their house of cards, seem oblivious to it. Their exit, in due course, is written all over the walls. Only they can not see it. It would be foolish to assume that they will voluntarily cede power and listen to the voice of the people. The NRO, which ushered them into power is there no more. If ever there was a regime that needed to be in the corridors of power to be safe, it is this one.
One can only hope that when it is time for them to leave the seat of power, they quietly pack up their bags and head to the seemingly safe shores of exile. While it is true that justice is the best deterrent and one would love to see it in action, any one who has studied our recent power-transitions knows that is a dream too far.
The dream of seeing a smooth, seamless succession of power is even farther.

Unprovoked NATO Attack By: Saima Haroon 10U0439

Nato Attack

Unprovoked NATO helicopters attacked on our two check posts on the Afghanistan border in Mohmand Agency killing 24 Pakistani troops, while they were asleep. The attack was strongly condemned by Pakistan’s military and political leadership. DCC meeting swiftly decided to suspend the NATO supplies going to Afghanistan through Pakistan and asked the Americans to vacate the Shamsi air base within 15 days.

This was a purposeful and deliberate attack to undermine the image and capability of the Pakistan Armed Force.

The US is currently caught in a dilemma. It wants to bring its costly adventure in Afghanistan to a close because of its internal political and economic constraints.

 However, USA wants to do that on its own terms. Unfortunately US wants to leave behind Pakistan and Afghanistan with destroyed infrastructure, failed economy and heavy human losses. USA’s flawed strategy is to have safe exit from Afghanistan by 2014. The US Generals believe that the Taliban/Afghan resistance is because of Pakistan’s military’s alleged support

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Our situation bears close resemblance to that of Cambodia during the Vietnam war, which was bombed by the American forces. As a consequence, Cambodia was destabilized and the government was overthrown.

However, this did not save the US from the consequences of their flawed policy in Vietnam leading ultimately to ignominious withdrawal. The US Generals, instead of recognizing the flaws in their strategy and taking necessary corrective measures, are engaged in an attempt to make Pakistan and its military a scapegoat of their policy failures. The Americans are thus bringing enormous pressure on Islamabad and the Pakistan Army by employing various dubious means. The latest being the unprovoked NATO helicopters attack.

 It appears that his blatant purposeful aggression was done with purposeful objectives;

to see the reaction of the corrupt Pakistan government and strong Pakistan Army.

This attack has taken place at a time when a memo allegedly written by a US citizen named Hussain Haqqani (removed Ambassador to US) is under investigation by the authorities. The memo was aimed at destroying Pakistan military strength and clipping the wings of the military leadership including ISI so that Pakistan Army does no resist American designs.

On the contrary, political government and the army both swiftly reacted against US expectation to the NATO attack and declared it a blatant aggression against a sovereign state. The DCC immediately met and off-set the nefarious design of US by deciding to revisit their foreign policy and intelligence sharing.

It appears that divergence of interest of both US and Pakistan has led to Americans extreme frustration. Hence, the series of planned incidents starting from raid in Abbottabad, memogate and NATO attack. This safely leads to the following:

·        The US is creating rift between the weak government and the strong Pakistan Army with a view to destablise Pakistan and force upon the army to succumb to the terms and objectives of US in Afghanistan

·        Deliberately tarnishing the public image of Pakistan army

·        Economically cripple Pakistan so that nuclear state becomes a mere subservient state

·        Increase distrust between the people and the state and create unrest

·        The intent and purpose of memogate, raid in Abbotttabad and NATO attack is to seek big concessions to USA and India

·        Force Pakistan army and the government to conduct sweeping operations in North Waziristan and dismantle Haqqani network, to enable USA to negotiate with the Taliban from a strengthened position

·        Create conducive conditions to gain legitimate access to Pakistan’s nuclear assets

·        Force Pakistan to accept Indian hegemony in the region with a view to counter China

·        Compel Pakistan to grant MFN status to India. Thus, making Pakistan a consumer state

To achieve its aims the US can go to any length to harm Pakistan, its ‘strategic ally’ by resorting to the following:

·        Force European countries to mount pressure on Pakistan by imposing various sanctions

·        Compel IMF and WB not to extend any financial aid to the war torn and economically weak Pakistan

·        Impose trade embargoes

·        Cease visas to Pakistanis and force Pakistanis employed in the US to leave US soil

·        Develop Indian army pressure on the borders, so that Pakistan is forced to deploy major chunk of armed forces on the Eastern border

·        Isolate Pakistan from the rest of the world by declaring Pakistan a terrorist state

In the light of above mentioned points, Pakistan also has various options which if used effectively will bring enormous pressure on USA

·        Distance itself from the war on terror. It must be remembered that without Pakistan’s help US cannot have safe exit from Afghanistan

·        Stop supplies permanently going to Afghanistan. Americans, even if they have the stockpile for the next six months, will not be able to maintain its troops deployed in Afghanistan

·        Decrease military and American aid so that Americans black mail comes to a halt

·        Increase reliance on China and Russia for economic assistance and military hard wear

·        Find emerging markets for its textile and other exports

·        Develop and integrate food production so that Pakistan becomes self-sufficient

·        Pakistan’s disengagement in war on terror will embolden Taliban who will increase attack on the US troops in Afghanistan, thus increasing casualty rate. This will also stop suicide attacks in Pakistan.