Pakistan: Closer to the Abyss

Closer To The Cliff
New York Times
March 13, 2009
Editorial, P. 26

Pakistan's rival political leaders seem determined to push their already unstable country over a cliff. Their increasingly out-of-control power struggle spilled out of the halls of government and the courtroom this week and onto the streets. The more time and energy they waste on selfish squabbling, the less they have to combat extremists who pose a mortal threat to their country.

We are especially alarmed to see President Asif Ali Zardari repeating the excesses of his predecessor, Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Six months after taking office, Mr. Zardari?s government has banned Nawaz Sharif, a former prime minister, and his brother from holding office. It issued a two-week halt on rallies and threatened to charge Mr. Sharif with sedition.

On Wednesday, authorities arrested hundreds of political activists. A day later, police in riot gear forcibly dispersed some of the thousands of Pakistanis marching from Karachi to Islamabad in support of an independent judiciary.

That?s the kind of repressive behavior that Benazir Bhutto, a former prime minister, criticized Mr. Musharraf for before she was assassinated. Mr. Zardari is dishonoring his late wife?s memory by following that same path.

Mr. Sharif is all too eager to manipulate this destructive drama for personal gain. He has taken up the cause of anti-government lawyers who have long campaigned for the reinstatement of the country?s former top judge who was dismissed by Mr. Musharraf. But we fear his real goal is to topple Mr. Zardari, whose popularity has plummeted as Mr. Sharif?s has risen.

There will be no stability in Afghanistan until Pakistan defeats Taliban and Al Qaeda forces along the border.. And there can be no security in the region, if a nuclear-armed Pakistan is unraveling.

President Obama and his aides are still developing a policy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. We are pleased to see that they moved quickly on Thursday to try to defuse the crisis. The American ambassador in Islamabad spoke with Mr. Sharif, and an envoy, Richard Holbrooke, had a video conference call with Mr. Zardari.

They need to press Mr. Zardari now to compromise on the dispute over Pakistan?s courts and to allow Mr. Sharif to run for office. And they need to press Mr. Sharif to work for peaceful political solutions. If there is any hope for democracy in Pakistan, a robust opposition must be allowed to flourish and participate fully in the country?s political life.

Mr. Obama must also ensure that any new aid to Pakistan strengthens democratic institutions, not just whoever is president.

Already, some Washington analysts are suggesting there might be worse things than a return to military rule in Pakistan. We?ve seen this movie before, and it is not a strategy for long-term stability.