The leadership born out of a crisis is sure-footed leadership and can ably lead a country, weathering all storms, to its ultimate glory, prosperity and position in the comity of nations. Mr. Zardari is now such leader for Pakistan who has been catapulted into a leadership role after the martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto and whose credentials as a leader were little known to people, even to his close aides, because, he had never dreamt of any such role for himself. He had never imagined any life without Benazir Bhutto, for himself and for Pakistan . Pakistanis as well as the unfortunate husband were caught nonplus: such are the ways of fate.

After Benazir Bhutto Pakistan needed a real leadership. The task was
daunting and country’s own integrity, solidarity and identity was at stake. Mr. Zerdari rose to the occasion. He soon realised that he must go beyond his personal loss and share the grief of the mourning nation: the nation that must overcome its grief and accept the challenges thrown upon its with equal resilience. From his slogan.

‘Pakistan Khapey’ in Ghari Khuda Bux to his ‘Altaf-Asif Bhai-Bhai’ at Nine Zero, Mr. Zardai went across a sea of mistrust, mutual incrimination, and disbelief and gave real meanings to ‘reconcilia-tion.’ He reached out to all political forces in Pakistan for a joint venture to save Pakistan . His efforts bore fruit and consequently all political forces have largely pooled down their political resources to face the common enemy. Giving 479 votes of the Electoral College to him for the office of the President, the country under Zerdari is ready to face all challenges. However, the challenges are equally daunting.

Firstly, Pakistan ’s foreign policy is under tremendous pressure from
within and without. All dissenting forces want to pursue a foreign policy that is diametrically opposing to the other parties. How to reconcile them to work on common grounds throws a challenge to the acumen, wisdom and sense of appropriateness of Mr. Zardari and his team in the Parliament under Syed Yousif Raza Gelani. Pakistan needs to tackle its own problem of terrorism at home and at the same time exert a little to show to the world that a proud nation of 170 millions cannot act slave to any super power.

Pakistan ’s national interests are in direct clash with those of the US on the question of ‘War on Terror.’ Even though we have identity of view on the subject and our objectives also are the same, we have serious divergence of views on how to realise those objectives. Under the influence of myopic vision of Mr. Karazai and Indian biased and twisted visualization of the problem Mr. Bush’s output is crooked and thus far from reality.

His tunnel vision how to handle the war on terror inside Pakistan has
created grave problems for Pakistan . Musharraf being a loner had little option at hand but to toe the American line blindly. Faced with scathing resentment from the civil society at home he virtually was between the devil and the blue sea and his sole objective was his continuation in the office for as much time as possible: his ‘Pakistan First’ slogan stood him in good stead.

Mr. Zardari by virtue of his position as the first grade most popular
national politician in the office of the president is in the most appropriate position to convince the US of the futility of their approach to ‘war on terror’ regarding Pakistan. They need to be told that we can handle best our ‘war on terror’ inside the country and that their disrespecting of our territorial integrity, even though they may claim to do so in good faith, is sure to backfire and hurt the real cause itself beyond repair.

Economy is our second most pressing problem directly linked to law and order situation at home as well as the political stability country can achieve under new leadership. Even though the PMLN has decided to sit on the opposition benches in the National Assembly the centre virtually has the support of all major political parties to run the affairs of the government. Nawaz Sharif’s decision to not to do anything that can destabilise the current set up is a very wise decision and will go a long way to bridge gap that has been created due to discrepancy between PPP and PMLN over the judges’ issue.

Zardari’s advisory to his acolytes not to do anything to destabilize PMLN government in the Punjab bodes well and it is expected that soon some channels will open between two major political parties leading to the change of heart on part of PMLN regarding their decision to sit in the opposition in the centre.

Mr. Shahbaz Sharif in Punjab is doing his job to the best of his
potentialities. Political stability is sure to go a long way to enable him to concentrate on the job and continue to serve the people. He is generally accepted as a good administrator, a little rough though, but a man who means business.

Pakistan , especially Punjab needs him where a Chaudhary ran the
government as his fiefdom for so many years and was completely ill
equipped to understand the magnitude of responsibility thrust upon him by circumstances. Punjab means most of Pakistan and even though Mr. Nawaz is tough on bargain Mr. Zardari, for the stability and prosperity of Pakistan , has no option but to continue to support Shahbaz in the Punjab and at the same time manoeuvre exhaustively to bring PMLN back into the folds of government at the centre.

Along with the cooperation of all other tangible political forces in the
country, this would be an ideal political arrangement for Pakistan . It is expected of Mr. Nawaz Sharif, matured by his years in exile, to respond reciprocally burying the past on the issue of the restoration of judges. Mr. Sharif should understand that he has already won his war. He, fighting along with other political forces in the country, has sent packing a dictator so unceremoniously. There is no cause of despair. Cynicism is idealism gone sore in face of reality. Real politick is very cruel and time bound. We need to move ahead now.

With Zardari as president political forces has taken over Pakistan .
Remaining semblances of dictatorial power are slowly receding into
oblivion. Presently all political forces need to come forward together, take up their genuine position in polity, shun their petty differences and steer Pakistan out of the present quagmire of instability, poverty and anarchy.



Information

 Mr. Zardari is  such a leader who has been catapulted into a leadership role after the martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto and whose credentials as a leader were little known to people, even to his close aides, because, he had never dreamt of any such role for himself. He had never imagined any life without Benazir Bhutto, for himself and for Pakistan . Pakistanis as well as the unfortunate husband were caught nonplus: such are the ways of fate.



First appeared in Pakistan observer, Islamabad on Sept. 08, 2008