Sunday, September 07, 2008

That is the way democracy works

Sept.7, 2008

That is the way democracy works

Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, has won a sweeping victory in Pakistan's presidential election. Many in Pakistan say Zardari won by default if only because of his late wife's victory in the general elections held this year where her Pakistan People's Party came home impressively. However, that does not and should not have any bearing on the reality that Zardari won the presidency through democratic means and that is how democracy works.
Judging from the intensity of comments appearing in the Pakistani media as well as on Internet chat sites, the people of Pakistan are not sure whether their new president represents a way out of the political, economic and security crises facing them. They do hope Zardari will have more success, but they see little under the present circumstances in the country to encourage such hopes.
While the media highlighted such issues as the reinstatement of judges fired by the former military rule and the presidential election itself, it was clear that most people are really interested in issues of daily life.
Indeed, Zardari, arguably the most controversial figure in Pakistan in view of the corruption allegations against him, has proved to be a skilled politician.
For years he has been hounded by charges massive corruption and spent 11 years in prison although he has never been convicted. He pulled the right strings at the right time and place to corner former military ruler Pervez Musharraf and prompt him to resign rather than risk being impeached. And then he made room for himself to be his party's candidate for the presidency.
Zardari faces a tough mission ahead as president of Pakistan, which severe economic problems and a rampant insurgency that are threatening the country's stability. Many of his countrymean fear a return to an old-style politics of confrontation at a time when the government needs to focus all its attention to improve the economy and deal with the insurgency.
Zardari in deemed to be pro-Western and a supporter of the US-led "war against terror" and this might help him secure Washington's backing. However, he has to deal with the strong anti-American sentiments among his people and the imperatives of the country's powerful military and intelligence establishments.
The people of Pakistan — and indeed the region itself — are looking anxiously to find out whether Zardari's political skills that propelled him to the presidency includes the ability to grab the initiative and lead the country from the front out of its crises.
Zardari cannot afford to lose sight of the fact that the people of his country are pinning their hopes on him.