As a matter of fact the present government, despite
facing many crises, has achieved much more in two years
From SHAMIM AHMED
RIZVI
Islamabad
Oct 22 - 28, 2001
Unlike the past military rulers or even the elected
Prime Ministers, President General Pervez Musharraf has celebrated
second anniversary of his rule in a novel way. Instead of arranging
special supplements in the National dailies with generous dole out of
Advertisement through Ministry of Information highlighting the
government achievements in different fields. General Musharraf directed
the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to immediately start examining audit
report specially containing charges of corruption and misuse of official
powers by the functionaries of his government at higher level during the
past 2 years.
The President wanted to confirm personally the
reports conveyed to him that corruption at higher level has been
eliminated. He will feel satisfied if this impression is confirmed by
the Public Accounts Committee. The President is of the view that it
would also help the policy makers to assess change in the government
level as well. The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has already
compiled the audit report pertaining to 1999-2000 and submitted to
Public Accounts Committee for their examination. The A.G.P. has been
directed to expedite audit of 2000-2001 at the earliest so that PAC
could take it up immediately after the examination of 1999-2000 period
which it has already started scrutinizing.
General Musharraf completed 2 years of its rule on
Oct 12, 2001. The day however, passed quietly without any fanfare, not
because the government has nothing to show to the public as its
achievement. As a matter of fact the present government, despite facing
many crises, has achieved much more in two years compared to any
government in the recent past. The present government may have failed to
achieve desired results in many areas but nobody can deny them the
credit for more than satisfactory performance in some other areas.
Unrealistically high expectations were awakened after
the dismissal of Nawaz Sharif government on Oct. 12, 1999 and when these
expectations remained unfulfilled, frustration set in. People expected a
revolution which has not taken place. The decline in economy has
certainly been checked but it has not taken a turn around. The law and
order situation has improved but the conditions are not yet normal.
Confidence is still to be restored. Two-year ago a ruthless
accountability of corrupt holders of public offices, and crack down on
smugglers was on top of the agenda of Gen. Pervez Musharraf, but this
process has been slow while from a present government people expected
fast and swift action. At the same time, however, it cannot be denied
that it is for the first time in the history of this country that the
accountability process has been initiated and action taken against prime
ministers, former chief ministers, former federal and provincial
ministers, former senior most officers of the armed forces, former
senior most civil service officers, well-known businessmen, prominent
landlords from all parts of the federation. In fact for the first time
this process has started from the top-most to the lowest, including a Patwari.
However, what strikes as more remarkable than any
other features of this government is the almost undeniable fact that it
has been able to demonstrate within 24 months that it is definitely
possible in Pakistan to have a decent government. After 1958, this is
the first government about which it can be safely said that the sky
above it is clear. There are no reports, not even muffled suggestions,
of wrong doing at the higher levels of administration.
President Pervez Musharraf has conducted himself with
transparent modesty and honesty that has been simply disarming. In a
country which has never tasted or exercised so much of freedom as under
this government, it is significant that this government has been the
least criticized or castigated in the last four decades.
The credit for putting Pakistan once again on the
world map in a position of respect and honour would have to be given
personally to President Pervez Musharraf. There is no mystique to his
qualities of leadership. It is simply honesty of purpose, commitment to
values, respect for what is good, rejection for what is bad and the
capacity to carry his colleagues with him through thick and thin.
The most testing time for Musharraf government came
when the world woke up to a different reality on Sept. 12. With the
international agenda shifting from nonproliferation to war on terrorism,
Islamabad found itself again in the spotlight playing a role it had
played before. Just as suddenly as the world priorities changed, so did
Pakistan's short of completely severing its ties with the Taliban Regime
Islamabad had been supporting for the last six years, Pakistan has all
but taken a u-turn in its Afghan policy. Finding itself between the
proverbial devil and the deep sea, Pakistan had few options not to go
this way. Pakistan has so far received only assurances for economic and
political support for this new turn in its foreign policy fraught with
grave risks. It is yet to be seen how the present government manages to
come out unscathed from the present world crisis of grave magnitude.
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