Saturday, September 13, 2008

Decisive moments for Pak politicians

Decisive moments for Pak politicians


NO explanations could justify the US decision, reportedly approved by President George W Bush, to attack targets inside Pakistan in its self-styled "war against terror." The seven missile attacks on targets near the Pak-Afghan border and a raid by helicopter-borne US commandos since Aug.13 are an infringement of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Understandably, all political parties of Pakistan have come together to condemn the US attacks, and opposition members of parliament have demanded that the country should call off its co-operation with the US in the "war against terror." Of course, the government finds itself accused of simply paying lip-service in its rejection of the US actions after having secretly made a deal with Washington to allow the US military to carry out operations in Pakistani territory.
Army chief Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has denied the charges and pledged to protect the country's sovereignty. President Asif Ali Zardari and other political leaders have reiterated their commitment to fighting violent extremism but have stopped short of issuing threats to withdraw their co-operation with the US.
However, they have to tread carefully. Public opinion in Pakistan is hostile to US policy in the region and the hostility gains more intensity with every American military action within the borders of Pakistan.
Surely, Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who heads the main opposition party, could step up popular pressure on the Islamabad government to maintain the close alliance with Washington signed up by the former military ruler and president, Pervez Musharraf.
The US does not many options either. It has seen an intensification of the insurgency across the border in Afghanistan and has been pressuring the Pakistani government to crackdown on militants operating from enclaves on its side of the border who Washington says are helping the Afghan Taliban.
The US does not seem to be in a mood to restrain itself. It said last week that it was stepping up military operations in the area aimed at eliminating militants and it is unlikely that it could be persuaded not to launch any more strikes in Pakistan unless of course the Islamabad government undertakes to use its own military and launch a massive operation in the border area. But then, the political leaders of Pakistani could not but be acutely aware that such an action could send their political careers into a wild spin, given the anti-US sentiments among their voting public.
Apart from concerns for the civilian population caught in the crossfire and political considerations, the government faces serious economic problems, with the rising tension adding to the worries of investors.
Any alienation with the US could mean a sharp reduction in US financial support and, given the depletion of its foreign reserves, the government might have no choice but to default on a sovereign bond next year, triggering a domino effect that could prove to be too devastating for the country.
Effectively, Islamabad is facing a major crisis that needs an immediate solution. But no effective solution could be worked out if the country's political parties agree to bury their political differences and join hands against the threat to protect national interests.
It would indeed be a national catastrophe if the politicians balk at taking difficult and tough decisions for the sake of the people and country. Such is the gravity of the crisis facing Pakistan that those who put their narrow political priorities first have no right to call themselves patriots and worthy of leading the country.