The New Nation - Internet Edition

Dr. M. S. Haq

President Pervez Musharraf had written recently an article titled "A solid foundation but a challenging future". It was published on the 7th day of December 2007 on editorial page of The New Nation newspaper of Bangladesh. The article discusses - among other things and in a precise, concise and reader-friendly manner - challenges of Pakistan in the contemporary period, achievements made during that period by the country under the stewardship of President Musharraf and the president's vision about the future of Pakistan. The achievements mentioned in the article have been supported by numerical figures, as appropriate.

The content of above article and the publication of that article in newspapers other than those of Pakistan are significant in number of ways at this point in time. A few of them are presented below.

One, the publication of article has afforded Bangladeshis and others additional opportunities - for taking a more serious and objective look on matters pertaining to the cause, effect and causality of present day situation in relevant areas of Pakistan - for understanding further and appreciating further current realities on the ground - and for exploring and establishing 'truth behind the truth' (the term has been shown under the inverted comma because it possesses inter alia a relativistic character in at least the present domain of time and space) against the backdrop of media insufficiency in pertinent areas of media-people transaction or people-media transaction or both. It will not be out of place to mention here, the article has been designed in a manner that could facilitate inter alia a further enlargement of people's choices and a further broadening of perspectives when it comes to evaluation of potentials and prospects of Pakistan both at the present and in the foreseeable future under certain situations, as well as circumstances.

Two, the article appears to represent inter alia conscious attempts on the part of president towards repositioning Pakistan and the people of Pakistan on a stronger footing than ever in for example, the competitive world and towards help shaping, in a more pragmatic and result-oriented manner, world people's perceptions and opinions including inter alia perceptions and opinions of Pakistanis (to whom it may concern) about present day challenges and opportunities associated with for example, the future of Pakistan.

Three, the article is, among other things and in a sense, a product of the president's deliberate attempts towards setting up examples of his farsightedness and creating a space for demonstrating the depth of his realization when it comes to matters such as, building people's constituencies and mobilizing, as well as promoting people's support in favor of Pakistani agenda - both within and outside of Pakistan - in a progressively borderless, increasingly interdependent and continuously uncertain world.

Four, the article has facilitated inter alia the establishment of a more solid and interactive platform - a sort of, in a virtual sense - for attracting further, constructive, as well as result-oriented observations, opinions and suggestions in pertinent areas with a view to harnessing those observations, opinions and suggestions, as applicable, in favor of the country's greater interest, per se. In the process, the president has, through the article, managed successfully the effort towards for example, revealing and projecting a real Pakistan in a more realistic fashion to Pakistanis in particular, and to the people of world at large.

Five, the article may, among other things, be considered as a feedback from President Musharraf when it comes to contemporary discourses in Bangladesh - via newspaper editorials, as well as articles and other public information and communication (PIC) materials - on current affairs of Pakistan.

Six, the article has not only provided food for thought to readers, policy makers and others in relevant areas but reflected, in a direct, educative and intelligent manner, on how were the selection of competing priorities and implementation of those priorities by Musharraf administration instrumental in inter alia bringing the country to what it is today in terms of for example, economy and development.

Seven, the content of article and the mode of presentation of article to Bangladeshis and others via Bangladeshi print media tend to indicate inter alia: how better informed are the president and government of Pakistan - in particular, the ministry of information of Pakistan, and the country's high commission in Bangladesh, more precisely, the press wing of the high commission - when it comes to Bangladeshi media products dealing with matters relating to Pakistan (?) and the attitude of President Musharraf when it comes to sharing with Bangladeshis and others challenges and opportunities of his country for information, action and lesson, as appropriate.

The bottom line is: the article is timely and interesting; the content is useful; the achievements of Pakistan are laudable; the presence of certain elements associated with the term "think globally and act locally" is evident in the article - I became familiar with the term when I was at Harvard in Boston; and the motive of President Musharraf behind letting Bangladeshis and others know about for example, his mind in pertinent areas is, among other things, commendable. Congratulations! It is interesting to note, President Musharraf will present the vision for a 'new Pakistan' in the near future. It is expected the vision will be a product of people's vision captured through for example, a well organized, as well as systematic participatory process. It is also expected Pakistan will be able to accelerate further its progress and prosperity through the foreseeable future by taking on board Pakistanis, friends of Pakistan including inter alia the US, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and China, neighbors of Pakistan including inter alia India and Afghanistan, and others including inter alia the UK and EU and by harnessing their experiences, best practices, support, cooperation, and collaborations for a goal-centered realization of strategies based on the people's vision for a 'new Pakistan'.

Pakistanis and others should be able to ensure further that democratic mindsets, democratic practices and democratic institutions will, in an aggregate sense, act as a catalyst for the advancement of Pakistani agenda at individual, collective and other levels and at local, national, global and other levels. It will not be out of place to mention here: advantages of democracy in Pakistan should not be perceived and used as an escape goat or a free hand or otherwise for creating, sustaining and promoting - as appropriate - lawlessness, insecurity including inter alia energy, as well as environment related insecurity, terrorism, extremism, low morale and motivations, uncalled for societal and border tensions, socio-political and economic instabilities, distribution related disparities and poor per capita entitlements, gender inequalities, growth related problems in areas of human development, agriculture, industry, trade, investment and international relations, unnecessary inflation of the country's reputational costs, media (print, electronic and others) excesses - used in a non-constructive sense, lack of people's confidence in democracy and democratic processes, poverty, corruption - beyond the tolerable limit, and ineffective and unacceptable criminal justice systems, to mention a few.

At present, one of the challenges will be: how best and quickest Pakistan could harness democracy related opportunities and other inherent plus acquired opportunities in pursuits of for example, transforming it into a better Pakistan in not too distant a future.

It is hoped national and other elections - including inter alia the country's upcoming elections - will be more acceptable to most Pakistanis and will be more legitimate than those in the past and the credibility those elections in the country will continue to improve through the foreseeable future.

A windfall from above changes for better could, among other things, be instrumental in pushing Pakistan to new horizons of democracy, thus help making further developments of Pakistan easier, more solid, more productive, more cost effective, more sustainable, more recyclable, more equitable and more satisfying to all concerned than ever.

The last word: President Pervez Musharraf and the administration will need - on a more continuous basis - more solid, more purposeful and more result-oriented support, cooperation and collaborations from the rest of Pakistanis, political parties and others for taking the country to new heights through the foreseeable future. It is expected President Pervez Musharraf and the people of Pakistan will not lose their determination, motivation and morale in the difficult fight for a more democratic and powerful Pakistan than ever. Wishing all the best to President Musharraf and others! God bless.