The New Nation - Internet Edition

S.Rahman

While the whole nation mourns the Marriott Hotel tragedy, it is equally appreciative of President Asif Ali Zardari's address to the joint session of the parliament and also of President's brief but reassuring address to the nation after the explosion.

Starting from address to the nation, the disturbed people seem to have heaved a sigh of relief with their head of state giving them assurances that the government would not yield to terrorism at all.

As regards President Zardari's address in the parliament, it carried many good messages from the democratic point of view. A President himself voluntarily offering to surrender his powers at such an august platform. Of course, it is a rarity in national politics as much as in the recent political history of the world. Zardari appeared above many petty considerations typical of people clinging to power, by suggesting the formation of an all parties committee in the parliament to remove the distortions in the 1973 Constitution like the 17th Amendment and Article 58 2(b).

And if there was mention of Mohatarma Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Shaheed during the President's speech that too was in the people's perspective. Throughout the President's speech, the stress was on people's empowerment.

Things seemed to be more encouraging when the President laid emphasis on the empowerment of women that constitute more than half of the national population and are still leading the life of suppression. A revolutionary step would be allotting government land to women as well side by side with men. Previously, only men would be entitled to such allotments which would lend more strength to their (men's) supremacy over the women.

Even in dealing with India, the most important subject of our foreign policy, bipartisan caucuses should be constituted to take stock of Kashmir and water issues. All throughout his speech, the President touched upon the need for having national consensus that is crucial for meeting the challenges and threats to the country. That is why whichever issue he talked about, he pressed upon its resolution through parliamentarians from different parties including the Opposition.

The President rather took pride, quite rightly, in the appointment of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman from the Opposition. This proves only one thing that PPP government that has roots among the masses, is committed to transparent governance and strengthening of democratic traditions.

What inspired the people the most was President Zardari's focus on the country's sovereignty that has nowadays become a talk of the town particularly in the backdrop of American incursions in our tribal region. No power would be allowed to make use of Pakistani soil in the name of war on terror. There were no 'ifs' and 'buts' involved in this statement. This had boosted the morale of Pakistani nation that stood demoralized a few days earlier. But in order to attain this self-confidence before instilling confidence in the people, President Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani held a meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani a day earlier. The consensus that was achieved in that meeting owes much to the efforts and vision of our top leadership including the President, the PM and the COAS.

Certainly, it is a good omen for the nation to be blessed with a situation like this when all the key office-holders and the prime institutions are adhering to the same unified stand on sensitive issues like that of country's sovereignty.

President Zardari is right in his approach, as reiterated in his address to the parliament that such golden opportunities are rarely available to the nation. 'We should not let these opportunities go waste."

It is good to hear Zardari advising the nation and the governments to avail the opportunities provided to them by the people's mandate. And as for mandate, the President considers it an honour and more so, as a responsibility.

For sure, it is a responsibility. Unfortunately, this sense prevailed seldom in the past since the ruling elite on most of the occasions had been conducting itself in a way as if they were masters and the people, slaves.

When the ruling elite makes it a point to adopt austerity, simplicity, humility and tolerance for all, the end result has to be country's salvation from poverty, hunger and terrorism. President Asif Ali Zardari says that getting rid of these scourges is our dream.

The good news is that, according to Zardari, our top leadership has a plan and an agenda to fulfill all our dreams in future.

So, where there is talk of dreams, vision and agenda, there is equal emphasis on planning and practical work. Simultaneously, our top leadership also appears fully alive to exigencies and priorities on the external front and on the inter-provincial harmony front. President Zardari did declare that relations with our strategic partner China would be taken to yet higher heights. That will indeed be very wise on the part of Islamabad authorities to take more vigorous, forward steps on this track.

In the area of inter-provincial harmony, President Zardari and Gillani administration seem to be very sincere about resolving the differences among the provinces especially on the question of financial resources' distribution. Already, practical steps have been taken. Some envisage holding of NFC meeting with new formulae for enhanced allocations to smaller or less resourceful provinces. Even the way President Zardari has shown flexibility and conciliatory approach towards other parties in different provinces, it has paid dividends. And when, on the floor of the House, the President recommended the renaming of NWFP as Pukhtoonkhwa, there was wide applause for this goodwill gesture which definitely means respect for others especially for the neglected provinces.

It has sent signals of goodwill to provinces other than NWFP as well.

In all, the speech that also carried significant contribution from the well-read Information Minister Sherry Rehman, covered all the points relevant to our present scenario including provincial autonomy, terrorism (for which in-camera briefing of parliamentarians has been advised by Zardari), rebuilding of investors' confidence, food security and putting agriculture on top of the agenda.

In the end, I quote President Zardari, "Ideas can't be killed by oppression".