The people of Pakistan are about to wake up to their new Army Chief— the sixteenth in the country’s history. Four of them ruled the country for a total period of about 33/34 years. This seems to be a long period considering the fact that Pakistan was born just over 69 years back. Meaning thereby that nearly half of Pakistan’s history has been consumed by our military rulers. Meaning thereby that our civil rulers have consumed the remaining half of our history.
When was it that you first heard the name of Mian Nawaz Sharif? In all probabilities in 1980/81 when the young dashing prince of an industrial family became Punjab’s Finance Minister. He and his younger brother since then have dominated Pakistan’s political scene. He has been Chief Minister of Punjab for about eight years. His brother has ruled the province for more than a decade. Mian Sahib is now in the PM House for a third record term.
Meaning thereby that almost half of Pakistan’s history has been consumed by Sharif family.
The other dominant name among the civil rulers is Asif Ali Zardari. It was in 1989 that he, as Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s husband earned the title of Mr. 10% from “then-his-archenemy’ and now “his clandestine-ally” Mian Nawaz Sharif. The “Mr. 10% era is now history. The country has sprinted to 50% era during these decades in which these two champions of civil-democratic rulership have virtually been in the driving seat. Even if the Musharraf years are taken out, it is for over quarter of a century that Mian–Zardari duo has presided over the fortunes of this country. It is during this period that Pakistan has got crushed under 90% of its foreign debt. By even the most modest estimates, one-third of this massive debt in the minimum has found its way into the secret treasures of these rulers. It could be more not less.
The best way to judge whether Pakistan’s economy got a boost in the military or the civil eras is to keep in view the DEBT figures during their respective eras, and also the value of rupee.
In the Ayub era, one dollar was worth Rs 4.70 in Pakistani currency. In the Zia era it was Rs. 17.00. In the Musharraf era it was Rs. 60.00. Today one dollar is worth Rs. 108. In these times of Mian Nawaz Sharif the prices of oil in the international market have been the lowest in history— resulting in a kind of windfall to the government in terms of hugely reduced imported-oil-bill.
This analysis was not intended to go into the direction it has gone. The objective was to give a picture of the country’s past and present while welcoming General Qamar Javed Bajawa to the highest office of Pakistan’s military— arguably the most powerful and decisive ‘seat of authority’ in the country.
General Bajwa should be well aware of the intricacies of the times in which he has ascended to this seat of authority. On the one side he will be dealing with a prime minister who is facing a battle of survival in the Supreme Court of Pakistan (on the charges of high corruption). And on the other hand he will be feeling honour-bound to rise to the expectations of his fellow-countrymen who are suspended between a dead yesterday and an unborn tomorrow.
No doubt India ranks very high in the list of Pakistan’s archenemies. But the Monster of Corruption (aided by the Monster of Terrorism) too is breathing DOOM on the country’s neck.
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