Nuclear weapons, Islamic law
Unhappy Pakistan the harsh reality emerged. The Gulf sheikhs were not prepared to pay for the ill consequences of this nuclear insanity. It was a changed world from the 1970s when Gulf states funded Pakistan's initial foray into the nuclear domain during Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's administration.
Finance Minister Sartaj Aziz's begging-bowl visits to Gulf states yielded no big money commitments. Which is hardly surprising, given the budgetary constraints facing the Gulf States themselves.
International economic sanctions have hit Pakistan's aid-addicted and remittance-driven economy harder than ever before. This combination of factors have produced a dire economic situation in Pakistan that has opened up the old fault lines in Pakistani politics.
The country's political ruling classes have for a long time been addicted to living on borrowed money from the International Monetary Fund and other multilateral institutions. Now, for the first time, they face the challenge of developing constructive statesmanship. But this is something they neither possess, nor are able to nurture in the
There is a greater sense of demoralisation within the ranks of the military and bureaucracy both of whom face some restructuring as a result of the
The government has raised the prices of essential commodities, which has
August 7.
The Islamic card is not just an element of domestic politics in Pakistan. Since the 1980's Pakistan has played an active part in shoring up fundamentalist groups inside Afghanistan.
The Taliban, an ultra-religious group which controls most of Afghanistan today, is the joint creation of Pakistan's intelligence service and the US Central Intelligence Agency.
The slow-motion Islamisation introduced by military dictator General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq has come to haunt the body politic of the country.
In this context, the US bombing served to inflame religious opinion against the government of Nawaz Sharif.
Confronted with the threat of being swept away by the swell of religious opinion and buffeted by the deteriorating economic situation the Prime Minister resorted to the old tactic of seeking refuge in religious symbols to legitimise
In August, Nawaz Sharif announced the introduction of Islamic law, in the shape of the 15th constitutional amendment which was subsequently adopted by the National Assembly in October.
The new amendment gives the Prime Minister and federal government the authority to order the lives of citizens and the legal and political system in accordance with the principles of Islam.
This means further dilution of a
Pakistan * federal Pakistan, a drastic curb on civil liberties and women and minority rights. In effect it means a "Talibanisation" Pakistan.
The announcement has raised cries of protest from every corner of society -from political parties to human rights groups. For the first time in the history of Pakistan opposition to the process of Islamisation has come unanimously from every segment of the population.
Although the Government has a parliamentary majority, it faces a rough ride in the Senate where the representatives of smaller provinces fear the adoption of the bill is going to strike at the root of provincial autonomy promised in the federalist constitution.
The new legislation will give the ruling party a small breathing space. A very small space. Because the new amendment is likely to open the field to all kinds of militant Islamic outfits. following Pakistan's disastrous foray into Afghanistan in the 1980s as the running dog of the US strategic policy of Communist containment.
Pakistan has yet to live down the illconsequences flowing from Sharif's political mentor General Mohammed Zia-ul-Haq (1977-1988). He too sowed the dragon seed of religion in order to prolong his illegitimate rule.
The ruling Muslim League draws its support from a wide base of reactionaries - officials, bazzari merchants and urban business with a sprinkling of land-owning classes. It has sought to legitimise itself through the instruments and imagery of Islam in the absence of any workable plan for the welfare of the people.
Surprisingly, the ruling party seems to have won hands down in its tussle fuelled resentment among the vast mass Women's Action Forum protests of the people. The cost of living has risen to astronomical levels as a result of sucessive price increases for petrol, diesel and electricity.
Forced into a corner politically and financially Nawaz Sharif's government is contemplating an early accession to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), if economic sanctions are lifted immediately. Previously Pakistan (like India) had refused to sign the CTBI.
As the current economic situation is so desperate Pakistan is ready to clutch at any straw blowing in the wind to get out of its present mess. Almost US$5 billion is due in debt repayments within the next 12 months. Pakistan's total foreign debt is $30bn. Talibanisation
The US bombings of Afghanistan and Sudan have inflamed public opinion in Pakistan. The US attacks were stensibly in retaliation for bombings at US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania on
Lahore, 28th August 1998
Women's Action Forum expresses deep dismay at the proposed 15th amendment to the Constitution Bill which erodes the democratic norms that lie at the heart of all civilised societies. Since 1977 Pakistan has witnessed a series of so called Islamisation measures that have intrinsically and seriously eroded the concepts of democracy and human rights.
In particular such measures specifically undermine the rights of women, minorities and other marginalised sections of society.
The use of religion as a short cut for legitimising political power and agendas has fragmented society and led to intolerance, sectarian divisions, and extreme violence. If passed the new bill will further destroy the basis of the constitution by making constitutional amendments possible wholly according to a ruling party's concept of what is right and what is wrong under the pretext of Islam.
The bill proposes that a constitutional amendment be possible by simple majority instead of the two thirds currently required. This will weaken the process of democratic checks. The bill is a recipe for social
WAF urges political parties not to let this move succeed. WAF especially calls upon nationalist progressive forces all over Pakistan to play their role to prevent the dishonest Punjabi leadership from injuring the interests of the whole country and to seriously address the severe crises facing the nation. *
International Viewpoint #305 November 1998 27
* Pakistan with the military hierarchy - which has pulled the strings of the political elite form many years.
The recent resignation of the Chief of Army Staff on demand from the Prime Minister is an unheard of development in relations within the ruling power bloc.
General Jahangir Karamat brought the resignation upon himself by resurrecting the often-invoked proposal for a National Security Council to clear important economic decisions with the military high command. The concept is copied from Turkey.
The resignation reflects the authority the current government draws from its class basis. The military is weak at the moment. Presumably because the economic situation is so bad that not even a military coup can resolve it.
Notwithstanding its shortcomings, the Sharif government marks the triumph of civilian leadership over the military. The generals can no longer trample on the constitutional prerogatives of the political elite.
Nawaz Sharif has been badly bruised by economic incompetence and corruption scandals. But the miitary is demoralised, and, for the moment, the opposition is discredited, and short on solutions to Pakistan's problems. *
Sri Lanka the butcher who preaches vegetarianism
Rather than opposing the antiTamil war and supporting the just demands of the Tamil people, left parties within the Sri Lankan government are playing into the hands of reactionary forces, warns the New Socialist Party (NSSP).