Chowrangi

In Pakistan’s case, it is a well established fact the Americans and other external influencing forces prefer to coordinate with individuals-in-power than a chain of command and control. It is relatively easy for them to call a pair of ears to knock down their agenda rather than doing a telephonic conference. Dictatorship suits them as it has a single person at the helm. Otherwise, there has to be a Prime Minister or President, powerful enough to get his/her way through the Parliament.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani has failed to impress the US. While he was fumbling with his linguistic skills, the foiled attempt of hijacking ISI left a bad taste about his command over the affairs of state. In his five months of Premiership, Gillani comes out as somebody who is quick to give statements and dense when execution is required.

Out of four candidates for Presidential Elections, Asif Ali Zardari is most likely to win, unless he withdraws in favor of his sister Ms. Faryal Talpur. While Mushaid Hussain Syed and Justice (retd) Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui have no real chance of winning, unless PPP is left alone by its current allies and neutrals like PML-N and Q form a coalition.

Asif Ali Zardari’s victory may be a feat for PPP but he may not be a strong President. In last few weeks his credibility is seriously damaged by his statements defying the agreements made with PML-N and his logic of ‘everything is fair in politics’. President Zardari will face severe criticism from PML-N, APDM, Lawyers’ Movement and Civil Society. Not to forget the Media that will sniff out old and new sensationalizing stuff about him.

Amidst the political uncertainty, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kiyani was called upon USS Abraham Lincoln in Indian Ocean to meet with top US Military Brass including chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, General David Petraeus, the top American commander in Iraq, who will soon leave to become the senior commander in the Middle East; Admiral Eric T Olson, head of the Special Operations Command; General David McKiernan, Nato’s commander in Afghanistan; Lt-General Martin E Dempsey, acting commander of American forces in the Middle East; and Rear Admiral Michael LeFever, American military liaison in Pakistan.

The meeting was said to be “more collaborative”, compared to similar meeting a month ago when Mullen took a “more firm tone” in warning Kiyani that Islamabad was not doing enough to counter militants waging cross-border attacks in Afghanistan.

While Americans are pressing our Army to do more for them, the government has decided to make ceasefire with the militants in tribal areas and Swat. This may be done to lure back FATA senators who are angry on current operation in Bajaur and other tribal areas and have recently met with Nawaz Sharif. Whatever be the motive, this will certainly not please the US.

As observed earlier, if our political leadership is not going to show matureness and continue with their infantile pranks, either internal or external pressure will force iron boots to march again towards the Parliament.

(Pakistan edging towards another Military Rule? - Part 1)

Other posts by Kashif Aziz

• Urgently Wanted : Federal Ministers - November 19th, 2008
• GEO TV Transmission blocked in Karachi? - November 17th, 2008
• American meat exporters using fradulent halal certificates - November 14th, 2008
• The case of Khanani and Kalia - November 10th, 2008
• Alcohol Exports Bring $220 Million To Pakistan - November 9th, 2008
• Open Letter of Appreciation to Government of Pakistan - November 5th, 2008
• Earthquake Strikes in Balochistan: More than 250 dead, 20,000 displaced - October 30th, 2008
• Pity the Nation - October 26th, 2008
• Lab Pay Aati Hai Dua .. Ban Kay Tamanna Meri - October 16th, 2008
• Predictions of the Century: The Fate of Sarah Palin, and Asif Ali Zardari and United States of America - October 12th, 2008