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sajjad riaz

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May 18, 2009, 8:02:18 PM5/18/09

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Tuesday, May 19, 2009
By Wajid Shamsul Hasan

Whenever President Asif Ali Zardari or Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani step out of Pakistan for the good of the country, a whole plethora of propaganda campaign is launched against the government by a section of the media set automatically on a tune by its invisible masters.

Obviously this group though exercising freedom acquired by it by virtue of a vibrant democracy in the country is seen to be advertently or inadvertently pushing an agenda that aims at undoing Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah's vision of a modern, progressive and secular Pakistan.

They are trying to replace it with a Talibanised state in which schools will be closed, heads would be chopped, women flogged in public and a pagan religion will take over in the name of Islam that Allah the Most Merciful bequeathed to humankind through Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

In his last days--having pushed Pakistan onto road to Talibanisation--Pervez Musharraf had the audacity to declare publicly that he was foreseeing the sad demise of Quaid's Pakistan. Had martyred Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and other democratic leaders not bulldozed through his bunkered existence and forced him to denude himself of his uniform and hold elections Pakistan would have had its swansong sung.

This government has been in power just a little over a year. It had not only inherited a mountain pile of bankrupt economy but found facing a civil-war-like situation. The new democratic government -- while ushering in peaceful and consensus-based transfer of power at the centre and the provinces -- had to save the country from being declared a bankrupt state and overcome the fall-out of the sky-rocketing oil and food prices internationally. It had to indulge in high quality flurry of economic and political diplomacy. The president, the prime minister, the foreign minister, the federal financial Advisor and its other top functionaries have been personally taking the initiative. President Zardari's just-concluded visit to United States has been described as "very successful and productive beyond expectations" even by his critics.

Every journey abroad taken by Pakistani leaders has taken them to pastures new, to attract investment and seek assistance for the rapid economic development to fulfil martyred Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's vision of making Pakistan an egalitarian state. Never before in the history of Pakistan was so much mobilised in such a short time as now to pull the country out of the quagmire of socio-economic problems.

Billions of US dollars aid committed by Washington, London, Japan, China and other Friends of Democratic Pakistan have plastered egg on the faces of those who wanted the nation to believe that frequent official tours abroad were merely pleasure trips. Indeed, they will soon know how sweet the pudding tastes when they will get to eat it once money pours in to power-generate the wheels of industry into motion.

Being a democratic dispensation it had to weigh the pros and cons of all the options available including dialogue and direct military action. Having failed to show the Taliban pagans the right path President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kiani in consultation with other leaders and parliamentarians--have at long last launched the decisive battle to save Pakistan from Talibanisation.

It will be Pakistani military's finest hour when it will successfully flush and root out for all time the Taliban scourge from the face of the country. They have to do it with full force not only to secure the country but revive their image as one of the best fighting forces in the world--an image rusted by General Musharraf and his abuse of the institution.

Last but not the least, it is good to know that the government is carrying on a war footing the relocation and relief of hundreds and thousands dislocated families. It is our national responsibility to ensure that who have sacrificed their hearths and homes for the defence of the country are not only honoured but compensated and rehabilitated. All those who laid their lives in the battle--whether soldiers or civilians--their families must be provided lifetime sustenance. Besides, as soon Taliban are driven our or eliminated, massive development work shall have to be put into action to provide means of livelihood, modern education and healthcare and made local population partners in the management of their affairs.

The writer is Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK. Email: wshw...@googlemail.com