PAKISTAN-OUTLOOK: HARD TIMES AHEAD FOR PAKISTAN
LAHORE, Dic 21 (IPS) - POLITICAL INEPTITUDE AND ESCALATING SOCIO-ECONOMIC, ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS TENSIONS MAY STALL PAKISTAN'S HOPES OF A SPECTACULAR ECONOMIC RECOVERY, SAY PROMINENT ANALYSTS HERE.
CONFRONTATIONAL POLITICS, CONTINUING VIOLENCE IN THE COUNTRY'S COMMERCIAL HUB, KARACHI, AND UPRISINGS IN THE FEDERALLY ADMINISTERED NORTHERN AREAS THAT HAVE PREOCCUPIED THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE YEAR ARE LIKELY TO HOLD CENTRE-STAGE IN 1995 TOO, PUSHING ECONOMIC CONCERNS INTO THE BACKGROUND, THE ANALYSTS SAY.
"THINGS HAVE NEVER BEEN SO BAD," SAYS I. A. REHMAN, WELL KNOWN JOURNALIST AND CHAIRPERSON OF THE PAKISTAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. "I DON'T SEE THEM GETTING ANY BETTER," HE ADDS.
A SENIOR MEMBER OF PREMIER BENAZIR BHUTTO'S PAKISTAN PEOPLE'S PARTY, REQUESTING ANONYMITY, AGREES, SAYING, THE COUNTRY "IS A MESS". BOTH REHMAN AND THE SENIOR POLITICIAN ATTRIBUTE THE CURRENT DISMAL SCENARIO TO POLITICAL FAILURE.
THE MOST VISIBLE SYMBOL OF THIS IS KARACHI, THE CAPITAL OF BHUTTO'S HOME PROVINCE SINDH WHERE ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS AND SECTARIAN VIOLENCE HAS CLAIMED SOME 700 LIVES SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE ARMY FROM THE CITY IN EARLY DECEMBER HAS EXACERBATED THE SITUATION WITH THE BODY COUNT RISING TO 100 FOR THIS MONTH ALONE. EVEN BHUTTO'S HARD-CORE SUPPORTERS ARE HARD PRESSED TO DEFEND THE GOVERNMENT'S APATHY IN THE FACE OF THE RAPIDLY-WORSENING SCENARIO.
BHUTTO'S THREE BILLION DOLLAR DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE FOR KARACHI'S 11 MILLION PEOPLE IS ALL VERY WELL, SAY OBSERVERS. BUT UNLESS SHE CAN DIFFUSE THE POLITICAL AND ETHNIC CONFLICTS IN THE CITY, NO DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE CAN RESTORE PEACE, THEY ADD.
A MAJOR INITIATIVE IN KARACHI WOULD BE OFFICIAL RECONCILIATION WITH THE MOHAJIR QUAMI MOVEMENT (MQM), A MILITANT ETHNIC POLITICAL PARTY THAT COMMANDS MUCH OF THE CITY'S LOYALTY.
BUT THE PROSPECT OF TALKS WITH ITS LEADER ALTAF HUSSAIN, WHO FLED THE COUNTRY TO ESCAPE CRIMINAL CHARGES TWO YEARS AGO, IS MARRED BY HIS CONDITIONS WHICH COME CLOSE TO ASKING FOR A SEPARATE PROVINCE FOR THE MOHAJIRS OR URDU-SPEAKING IMMIGRANTS FROM INDIA.
THE SLOGAN FIRST COINED BY MQM SUPPORTERS, "KARACHI WILL BECOME A HONG KONG" HAS LED TO INCREASING TALKS ABOUT THE WEALTHY METROPOLIS BEING MADE INTO A FREE PORT.
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