Who Calls The Shots In Islamabad?

Khaleej Times Online >> News >> EDITORIAL

9 January 2009

Finally, it seems Pakistani investigators have established that the only surviving Mumbai carnage suspect Ajmal Kasab is a Pakistani national. But confusion reigns supreme in Islamabad.

Having repeatedly denied the Pakistan link to the Mumbai attacks, the Pakistan leadership finds itself in a position where it can neither deny nor confirm what has been claimed by one of its top officials — national security adviser to Prime Minister no less.

It seems Mahmood Ali Durrani, a former general and ambassador to the US, briefed everyone in Washington and some in Indian media about Kasab’s Pakistan links but Prime Minister Gillani himself.  No wonder an angry prime minister swiftly sacked Durrani on Wednesday. 

However, the issue is not just about Durrani and his indiscretion.  The larger problem is a lack of coordination between President Zardari and his prime minister and the general confusion at the highest level in government.  Even as Foreign Office stuck to its guns saying Kasab was not a Pakistani citizen, Information Minister Sherry Rahman is reported to have texted to an international news agency confirming Kasab as a Pakistani national. 

Apparently, Ms Rahman did so following orders from the top, not from her immediate boss Gillani but President Zardari.   More importantly, Gillani is not in the loop and does not know what is going on in his own government. 

What’s going on? Whether Kasab is a Pakistani or not, this confusion and lack of leadership in Islamabad does not send a reassuring message to the people of Pakistan and the world at large.  Whatever the issues that trouble the president-PM relations, they should not present the image of a divided house to the world. Pakistan is passing through one of the most difficult phases in its eventful history. The country has never faced so many challenges on so many fronts. As if the problems along its border with Afghanistan were not enough, its relations with India have hit rock bottom. 

Understandably, the revelation about Kasab has prompted calls from New Delhi and Washington for action against those responsible for Mumbai.  India’s anger is understandable.  Pressure is growing on the Manmohan Singh government in an election year to get tough with Pakistan.  Pakistan today needs prudent and farsighted leadership like never before in its history. And it has to realise that it can take on the challenges like growing extremism and lawlessness in the country only by confronting them, not by going into a denial mode.