M A I L B A G

What needs to be done in Pakistan

In his front-page editorial, “The cauldron called Pakistan: Irrelevance of Musharraf” (Dec 29), Mr H.K. Dua has rightly cautioned the people about how “the dangerous mix of conflicting interests and designs will burst in its face”. Yes, Pakistan at the moment is standing at a dangerous threshold, with no credible leader to pull it out of the mess.

Most people in Pakistan have lost trust in President Musharraf. After Benazir’s death, there is no other viable leader apart from Nawaz Sharif. The fundamentalists are on a high. The US has no clear cut stand or voice in the country. There are a few possible solutions to tide over the present crisis. One, let elections be held as planned and democracy allowed to return in whatever form. It will be better than the present situation.

Two, President Musharraf should be persuaded  to step down. His presence will keep fuelling the extremists, and boosting the Army which are detrimental to Pakistan’s return to civil rule. Three, the US must not just “watch” the situation but play an active role to ensure return of democracy sans Musharraf.

On its part, India should keep its borders strong and be extra vigilant against terrorists’ attacks. And where is the UN? Let all nations collectively take interest to restore peace and democracy in Pakistan.

ANUSHA SINGH, Dept. of Law (Delhi University), New Delhi

II

The editorial is thought provoking. The question after Benazir’s death is whether Pakistan is a failed state. With the collapse of state institutions, especially the police and the judiciary, and resultant paralysis of governance, breakdown of law and order and general banditry and chaos, Pakistan is a fit case for a failed state.

The terrorists are bent on destabilising the Pakistani state, breaking up the secular political parties and the Army so that the terror groups come to power.The immediate worry for the world is to rule out a situation where extremists are able to control Pakistan’s nuclear facilities.

The only way by which Pakistan can fight this threat is to have a legitimate, democratically-elected, secular government that can rally the Pakistani people to engage extremist movements. The Army has failed to do that. We should now press for the democratic movement to move forward and the world leaders should join hands to save Pakistan from becoming a failed state.

Dr MANDEEP SINGH, G.N. Khalsa College Yamuna Nagar

III

Mr Dua has rightly said that the US, which has invested a lot of its political capital on Pakistan and backing the wrong horses at the wrong time and for far too long, has also been caught napping. Moreover, it has always been the US’ intention to divide the nations between nations — be it India, Soviet Union, Iraq, Vietnam or Afghanistan. It is now Pakistan’s turn.

Americans are fond of engineering solutions only to see the nations fall apart. With Benazir’s murder, Pakistan’s process of returning to an elected democratic rule will be derailed. The insurgency in Pakistan’s two provinces could flare up. The terrorists’ success in eliminating politicians has set a very bad precedent. The primary need of the hour is to ruthlessly fight against terrorism by every country.

S.K. KHOSLA, Chandigarh

IV

Pakistan, through the ISI, had created a Frankenstein in the shape of Islamic Jihadis to wage a low-cost proxy war against India. Now the Frankenstein has gone out of its hands and has started destroying Pakistan itself. Benazir’s assassination is simply a beginning of the end.

The main worry for the whole civilised world, especially for India, is the Pakistani nuclear arsenal which can endanger the whole world if it gets in the hands of the Islamic Jihadis.

A.K. SHARMA, Chandigarh

V

Mr Dua has stressed on President Musharraf’s irrelevance today following Benazir’s assassination. I fully agree with the analogy that Mr Dua has drawn of the Greek tragedy with Benazir’s fate. Be it a case of the Bhutto or Gandhi dynasty at home, it seems that the scions of the political dynasties of the sub-continent were fated to act as they did! Whether it was Rajiv Gandhi or Benazir, both were aware of the danger to their life when they decided to join politics. Both were sucked by the dynastic whirlpool and both were killed when it appeared that they might win the elections.

I am reminded of Shakespeare’s famous lines from Hamlet’s The Prince of Denmark: “There is method in his madness”. The US should be equally blamed for the crisis. It helped Pakistan build jehadis to fight proxy war for them against Russians in Afghanistan during General Zia-ul-Haq’s regime.

Apparently, Pakistanis are destined to be ruled by the Army junta under a handpicked Prime Minister who will get elected in farcical elections with the blessings of the all mighty Army.

ARUN HASTIR, Babehali (Gurdaspur)

Power cuts

People are facing problems because of unscheduled power cuts in Punjab. This has made normal life miserable in Punjab. The middle class cannot afford either invertors or generators. Life stands still in the absence of power. Though all categories like business establishments, small-scale industries are equally affected, office-goers and students are worst sufferers. The PSEB should provide uninterrupted power supply to help common masses.

VINOD KUMAR SUD, Bahadurpur (Hoshiarpur)