WHISK

Dear Prime Minister,

I’ve been following the debates over the “lack of democracy” in Pakistan, and how the General’s position as President is “unconstitutional”. I have lived here since 1985, and while I missed the worst years of Zia’s rule, I did, unfortunately, live through all 11 years of Democratic rule. Please, please, do not allow thieves and incompetent people to rule our land. I have faith in Musharraf, and have seen more progress and freedom under your rule than ever.

For the first time in 15 years, we have a leader we can proud of – for the first time in 15 years, we have brought the inherent talent or our people to the forefront. For that, I thank President Musharraf. Even if his presence is unconstitutional, even if he wears a uniform and performs a dual role, I say if he is good for the country, let him be! Many countries around the world have proven that effective leadership comes in any form, and when you have a good person at the helm, the form of government is irrelevant. No matter how hard they try, the US cannot paint a dismal picture of Cuba, today a strong and flourishing nation despite decades of sanctions – Stalin, before the fall, took a backward and underdeveloped nation and turned it into the second most powerful country in the world – China, with successive authoritarian regimes over the last half century, is being tooted as the world’s next Super Power – historically, Singapore and Malaysia experienced their highest rate of economic growth under dictatorships. Meanwhile, The USA and UK are laboring under incompetent and immature leaderships, and are targetted for the atrocities that they commit as Imperial states.

While there is an imperative to avoid the pitfalls of an authoritarian regime, the fact is that our erstwhile former leaders are as corrupt and self-serving as they come, and each ran the country as the worst form of Democratic Dictatorships in each of their terms. For 11 years, we tried to impose the shape of a democracy over a feudal state. Mr. Prime Minister, I hope that you and President Musharraf will work hard to rid us of the feudals that control our land, and our people, because until we have fresh blood and a system of honest representation, any democracy we hold is meaningless. Neither Benazir Bhutto, nor Nawaz Sharif, nor any of their cronies are honest, and they certainly DO NOT represent the people.

I hope I speak for the majority of this nation when I say that I understand there will be mistakes, there will be strife, but as long as you improve the infrastructure of our country, as long you continue to allow free speech to flourish, as long as I can build a business without doling out bribes and favors for every contract, as long as it becomes safe for me to walk along a city street in broad daylight, as long as I know there are representatives I can contact for basic amenities, as long as I can still afford bread and beverage, as long as we continue climb out of debt, and as long as you are allowed to do your job, I will support you.