Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Pakistan's Wrong Type Of Democracy

Our democratically-elected -- and backed by the United States and Britain, the world's finest democracies -- President Zardari has just appointed an acquaintance as the country's ambassador to Syria.

As his first order of business, the gentleman, Mr. Aminullah Raisani, destroyed one of the finest English-language schools running in Damascus, owned by the Government of Pakistan. He fired the entire staff of the school, and 'imported' his family members from Pakistan, including brothers, sisters, sisters-in-law, etc., and appointed them for a collective MONTHLY salary of US $ 38,000, which translates into PKR 3.2 million.

Today's The News International published a report on this heist, with stunning details about how sisters and brothers-in-law of the Ambassador have been appointed against salaries reaching up to US $ 3,500 per month.

The school attracts children of the elite in the Syrian capital. Foreign diplomats also prefer the school because of its English and Arabic corriculum.

This kind of grand theft is not unual in Pakistan but it says a lot about why the governing structure in this country is collapsing and why the country is headed for a disaster in the coming years, leading to internal chaos along social fault lines.

Pakistan's ruling system is a British import. It is not suited to the country. Pakistan needs a tailored demcoratic system that would preserve media and social freedoms but also minimize instability and make use of the creativity of the Pakistani people.

Above all, Pakistan needs a system that would replace feudal and career politicians with creative decision makers.

What we have is a system monopolized by a feudal elite, which has grown stronger because the Pakistani military, the country's strongest institution, has been inadvertently strenghtening that elite and using it for decades.  In today's Pakistan, Pakistanis from the middle and the lower middle classes have no opportunities to progress and achieve. Opportunities are reserved for the likes of Ambassador Raisani.

Read Ambassador Raisani's School of Thought:Plunder It All and Clueless, Careless Politicians Declare Their Peantuts. The two reports provide an insight into why Pakistan's governing system is leading the country to a national failure.

8 comments:

  1. The blatant show of nepotism by our ambassador in Syria is perturbing, one can only hope the authorities will take the due notice and cancel the appointments and moreover recall the ambassador back! Such acts will delude the donors to who would like to commit more for Pakistan
    Such acts of personal gains cause tremendous national loss; this however should not be a reason for losing faith in the transitional democracy.

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  2. My dear friend Mr. Alkhai Sarhandi who hails from Nawabshah, Sindh, has given this interesting info on Mr. Zardari's background:

    I am glad to see that you have noted the military. Indeed our military is our worst enemy. Zardari is no fuedal. He is an upstart son of a jut ( camel driver tribe. Zardar is Sindhi version of Farsi "zar darid" the transporter of wealth = transporter This camel driver tribe exists ony in Sanghar and Nawbshah district. I know them well I am from the area ). Reform the army and we are out of the claws of upstarts and feudals alike.

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  3. From Mr. Khalid Rahim via email:

    I wonder what Nadeem Paracha has to say about this "Talented Ambassador" should he not become our next President?

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  4. From Mr. Alkhair Sarhandi via email:

    The interesting make up of our politicians is:

    a. Incompetent students with a few exceptions,who cannot make up the grades, and after loitering in the college/University unions for a number of years, seek place under the fuselage of previous politicians. This is unlike the educated politicians of the yore

    b. Some educated ones exist amongst the feudels/Sardars /Waderas. But these feudels cannot change their basic mentality

    c. Our Quid was of the opinion that Parlimentary form is not suitable for Pakistan. He had recommended presidential form. His health did not allow him to practically put the same in place.

    d. We need to modify our present system in sync with that of US- who have never rec: us to bring in this change which I am recommending now- perhaps knowing fully well that then Pakistan will be doubling towards road to progress. It is simple. We are aware that in US no congressmen / Senetor can take over as Secy of state. It has to be a technocrat chosen by the Chief Executive but has to be cleared by the house committee consisting of senetors from both the ruling and opposition. This is to ensure that incompetent fellows do not take over professional fields and play a hevoc. If only we bring around such a change it will discourage feudels to enter the political arena and thus corrupt the system by virtue of holding to a ministers slot

    e. Your remarks? Any one with better ideas?

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  5. Why do not we see such reports on Television, why don't anchors invite politicians for these things? is our media totally under control of traitors or it is free. To me first statement seems correct.

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  6. These vermin are sucking the healthy blood out of Pakistanis

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  7. Hi,
    Pakistani known for unexpected happenings from cricket to foreign affairs. Lol.

    This ambassador has done great manipulation of his authority. Should he resign from his job or should be sacked. Both things are not possible in Pakistan.
    He would not resign as he does not believe on self respect and honour. And he would not be sacked as his boss is relative or close friend


    Who will break this chain of corruption in Pakistan.

    ReplyDelete

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