Barton and von Hippel | Featured in The Nation

The Nation (a Pakistani newspaper) ran the following article by Raoof Hasan covering his view of an event from PCR Project Co-directors Rick Barton and Karin von Hippel's two week visit to Pakistan. The visit bore out of a project we are working on to strengthen relationships between the United States and Pakistan in all levels of society. Please check out our report, "A Perilous Course," focusing on U.S. Assistance to Pakistan.

"Musharraf must go!"

A team representing the Centre for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) was visiting Pakistan in connection with its Post Conflict Resolution (PCR) Project. Comprising of Rick Barton, Karin von [Hippel] and Mehlaqa Samdani, the members of the team were eager to connect with representatives of the civil society to assimilate information regarding their viewpoint about the current situation in the country with specific input about the growing negative perception vis a vis the US involvement in Pakistan's affairs. It was Fauzia Kasuri who organised an interactive session at her residence and invited citizens representing a vast opinion bank. Roedad Khan, Tanveer Ahmad Khan, Imran Khan, Qaisar Bengali, Athar Minallah, Ghazala Minallah, Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy, Dr Tariq Hasan, Lt Gen. (retd) Asad Durrani, Lt Gen (retd) Talat Masud, Air Marshal (retd) Nur Khan, Dr Haroon Khan and members from the media were present for what turned out to be an animated discussion regarding various facets of US-Pakistan relations as well as our national politics. Practically every one was highly critical of the US approach towards Pakistan as it seemed more concerned about saving its erstwhile ally General Musharraf than showing sensitivity to the widespread feelings of dislike for him amongst the people of Pakistan. There was a consensus about the former commander to be the key problem that Pakistan confronted as he was perceived as the principal obstacle in the way of introducing genuine and credible democracy in the country. It was widely believed that he was misusing his unconstitutional and illegal "election" to the office of the president to sabotage the efforts currently underway for establishing the ascendancy of the constitution and the promulgation of the rule of law as he was afraid that he would be the first target of such an eventuality. Most of the violence unleashed in the post-election Pakistan in Karachi, Lahore and elsewhere could be traced back to the Camp Office and its collaborators. It was a wilful attempt to unsettle the initiatives that were being contemplated for bringing peace to the country. Extension of blind US support to Musharraf and his coterie of fast-shrinking supporters was considered to be a key element in prolonging the ordeal that the people of Pakistan were being forced to endure. Participants were also critical of the fact that the US had always extended proactive support to military rulers in Pakistan, be it Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Ziaul Haq or Musharraf, but similar support was found lacking or missing every time there was a democratic government in the country. As a matter of fact, the US support to dictatorship in Pakistan was so intense and consistent that it was perceived to be antagonistic towards the promulgation of democratic rule in the country. This was in sharp contrast with the avowed US stance for promoting democracy throughout the world. Was there a different agenda for Pakistan that the US was focussed on? It was also contended that, in the process of promoting the interest of one man, the US had lost the support of 160 million people of Pakistan who now perceived it to be their enemy. They had no faith in its preaching and the wars that it was fighting throughout the world. Ironically, these wars were regarded as anti-people and anti-democracy and the US alone was to blame for having contributed, in no small measure, to the evolution of this generally antagonistic perception among the people of the world, including the people of Pakistan.The policy aimed at saving a dictatorship and its supporters in Pakistan had further incensed the feelings of the people and aggravated the negative perception that currently dominated their mindset. Nothing short of drastic measures and a complete reversal of the current US policies in the region including Pakistan would help turn the tide in its favour, and that too over a period of time! In this regard, it was also suggested that the US should withdraw forthwith its support to General (retd) Musharraf and, instead, concentrate on initiating immediate steps for developing understanding and rapport between the people of the United States and Pakistan. Gross US involvement in the internal affairs of Pakistan was also put on the chopping block. The meetings of Richard Boucher and Negroponte with the national political leadership to exert pressure for agreeing to work with General (retd) Musharraf also came for sharp criticism. The participants were eager to learn as to how many times such visiting dignitaries had gone to spend hours with the Mayor of a city as they did in Pakistan! The US ambassador to Pakistan's visit to London to meet the head of the MQM was cited as an example of the extent to which the US was playing a role to help General (retd) Musharraf survive the advent of a democratic polity in the country. There was complete consensus among all those present that General (retd) Musharraf was hatching conspiracies to sabotage the reinstatement of judges to their pre-November 3 position, as he was afraid that, once restored, they might strike at the illegality and unconstitutionality of his "election" as the President of Pakistan. Restoration of the judges and the complete empowerment of judiciary were considered to be essential ingredients for introducing the doctrine of good governance in the country. Short of that, the country would regress into dictatorial clutches again. But, that would not be acceptable to the people of Pakistan who were in a completely different frame of mind now and were determined not to allow any individual to thwart the passionate surge towards democracy. While the US must begin the process of realigning its policies with the people of Pakistan by distancing itself visibly from the dictatorial dispensation, the early exit of General (retd) Musharraf was considered to be essential for the burgeoning democratic forces to consolidate their foothold in the terrain they were traversing after the historic verdict of the people of Pakistan on February 18. Any attempt to subvert that verdict would be resisted vigorously and profoundly. E-mail: raoofhasan@hotmail.com