Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States during the military government, returned to Los Angeles for a COPAA event that featured her update on the status of Pakistan. The audience engaged in a lively question and answer session afterwards.
Dr. Lodhi made several points of interest. In her view, the current government has been successful in carrying out its main task, which was to arrest the slide the country had been on for the last decade. Many problems that have taken years to create are being addressed. She did concede that critics have been quite vocal about the slowness of the reform process. She responded by stating that it is better to go slow and fully think through the process of reform rather than rush into mistakes in a misguided attempt to repair past damage.
Dr. Lodhi was particularly proud that the current government has not shackled or inhibited the press. This is true of the print media and the websites, but the electronic media (TV and Radio) are still government controlled. Javed Jabbar, who is no longer part of the government, hinted last year that there would soon be private radio and TV licenses allowed, but that has not happened. Satellite TV has broken the monopoly of State TV, but admittedly, satellites are the province of the well-off. Dr. Lodhi’s point on the freedom of the (printed) press is generally valid.
Along with a free press, the other major buttress of real democracy is an independent judiciary. Dr. Lodhi did not comment on judicial freedom, but clearly, the courts have been politically pressured for decades culminating in the Nawaz Sharif riot. Given the weakness of judicial prestige and authority in Pakistan, some kind of implicit military guarantee of protection to the courts may be a step forward.
The Ambassador was convinced that democracy will be restored in 2002 as promised, and the judgment of the court limiting the current government to 3 years will be honored. But she did not speculate on the constitutional arrangements that may come into place then. Already, many observers believe that Musharraf will make himself President, with the reinstitution of full presidential powers to dismiss the government. If the military gives up formal power, but takes over the Presidency, then their ability to have a veto over government policy will mean they still have a large political role.
Privatization is to go ahead. So far the results have been slow in coming, but Dr. Lodhi defended that by citing the need to stabilize the economy first. Significant moves in privatizing government-controlled industries, including PTCL, are to be expected.
Dr. Lodhi also stated that the government is planning a major human development initiative. As this column has highlighted many times, illiteracy is one of Pakistan’s major roadblocks to growth and prosperity. This government is apparently planning to unveil a major initiative on literacy. Hopefully, it will include adequate funds for both universal primary schools and adult literacy programs, and enact a compulsory education law for both boys and girls.
Overall, Dr. Lodhi delivered a positive message. She praised the Pakistani-American community both for its success, and its willingness to help Pakistan. She stated that Pakistanis take pride in the achievement of its expatriates, whether they have retained Pakistani citizenship, or become citizens of another land. Dr. Lodhi also emphasized that this is no time for despondency. Defeatism, the belief that a bad outcome is inevitable, leads to paralysis. Pakistan has had its problems, but it has made progress. A child trips and falls many times before he learns to walk, much less run. Pakistan has tripped on many occasions during its first 54 years, but do not conclude from this that Pakistan cannot learn to run. Dr. Lodhi implored the community to not give in to despondency, but to work for a better future.